Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

When Cedric Clarke arrived with Stella, the doors of the emergency room swung open just as they reached them.

Dr. Warren stepped out, peeling off his mask, his face grave as he shook his

head.

"I'm so sorry. We did everything we could."

For a moment, it was as if the world fell utterly silent.

Gwendolyn White's knees buckled, and James caught her just in time. "Mrs. Winslow!"

"Bryn... our Bryn..." Gwendolyn sobbed into her hands, her cries breaking the quiet. "She's so young-how could she just leave us like this? No, it's not possible -Dr. Warren, please, there must be something more you can do, please..."

"Mrs. Winslow, I'm truly sorry. We really did all we could."

Stewart stood frozen, rooted to the spot.

He barely heard Dr. Warren's gentle, clinical explanations-the medical reasons why Briony couldn't be saved. Gwendolyn refused to accept it, her wailing echoing in his ears.

Stewart, too, couldn't believe it.

Briony dead? It couldn't be.

A strange, fractured smile curled at the edge of his lips, though his eyes were rimmed with red. "No. I don't believe it..."

He murmured the words, pushing past Dr. Warren and heading toward the emergency room.

Seeing this, Cedric released Stella and hurried to intercept him, grabbing Stewart by the arm. "What are you doing?"

like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline. "Thank God you're here! They say Briony's dead. That's impossible,

to steady him.

be. She just

she's playing dead to escape. She hates me that much-of course she'd go

firmly, his tone grave. "This is a reputable hospital.

I just take her back to Northborough, Briony'll come running.

possessed, turning

"Stewart!"

by the shoulders. "Open your eyes! Look- look

Stewart turned-

wheeled out of the emergency room by

still on the gurney, shrouded

shrank

his tall frame suddenly frozen as if turned to

Bryn, wake up! If you're gone, your little girl will have no mother-how could you do this?

down, tears streaming as his trembling hands gently lifted the edge of the

Stella stared, her own eyes wide with horror, a

echoed down

motionless, untouched by

slept, now and

sorrow-nothing in this

Go quickly, catch up to your little one, and find your mother. When you're all

Gwendolyn's words, Stella

that it felt as

stare

someone had fired a bullet straight into his heart. He could almost feel blood welling up from the wound, flooding his chest with agony.

He coughed harsh, wet.