Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Briony nodded, her voice soft. "I just need a moment. I'll be right in."

Ferdinand could more or less guess this had something to do with Stewart. But he didn't pry; this was Briony's private business, and if she needed to talk, she would. Since she didn't, he simply respected her wishes and left it alone.

Once he was sure she was all right, Ferdinand headed back inside, leaving Briony outside to collect herself.

Five minutes later, Briony pushed open the glass door and stepped into the living

room.

On the couch, Julia was clutching Little Nina, smothering her with kisses. The little girl, trapped in her grandmother's enthusiastic embrace, wore an expression of pure resignation-her bright eyes silently pleading for rescue.

When she spotted her mother, Little Nina blinked twice.

Watching them, Briony suddenly remembered a meme she'd seen online: "If you're being held against your will, blink twice." She couldn't help but laugh.

"Mom, you're laughing!" Little Nina protested, frowning. "Come save me! Grandma's hugging me so tight I can barely breathe!"

You couldn't really blame Julia for her outpouring of affection-Little Nina was the spitting image of Briony at that age.

In her confused state, Julia took one look at Little Nina and immediately decided she was her own 'Bryn'.

"My Bryn! My sweet Bryn!" Julia cooed, refusing to let go, repeating the name between kisses.

Little Nina, mature beyond her years, didn't struggle or complain. Instead, she just looked imploringly at Briony, her brow furrowed as if to say, "A little help here?"

Briony sat down beside her mother, speaking gently. "Mom, could you loosen up a little? You're squeezing Little Nina too hard-she's uncomfortable."

Julia shook her head, clutching Little Nina tighter. "Bryn... She's mine... My Bryn..."

trying to steal the child from her. She fixed Briony with a suspicious

in disbelief. "Well, that's a new one. Now there's a little Bryn-she doesn't

Little

was smart. With just a nudge from Briony,

breathe!" Little Nina cried out dramatically. "Help, I'm

Julia froze.

her mother a gentle reminder, "Mom,

looked down at the

ever the actress, squeezed out

her at once and fumbling to wipe away her tears with the edge of her

face was red from all the rubbing, but she managed to

torn between sympathy for her daughter and the

end, it was a cartoon on TV that saved Little

Woody" playing on the

side, big and small, utterly

and Ferdinand stepped out onto the balcony to

showing signs of improvement, but to truly recover, she'd need a professional's care-someone experienced

who had retired to the countryside

had no reservations. "You

her, she'll have to go out to the countryside for a while," Ferdinand

caught Briony off guard. "I'm worried she might not adjust to being away from

my uncle come here first, let him spend a few days getting to know Mrs. Hudson. Once she's comfortable, then they can head out to the country

watched her mother and daughter, side by side on

a moment, she pressed her lips together and drew

drowsy and started