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..."

was trying to steal the child from

scene unfold, shook her head in disbelief. "Well, that's a new one. Now there's a little Bryn-she doesn't even

could only prompt Little Nina to try reasoning with her

With just a nudge from Briony, she

cried

Julia froze.

mother a gentle reminder, "Mom, you're holding her too tightly. She's

down at the child in

ever the actress, squeezed out a couple

panicked, releasing her at once and fumbling to wipe away her tears with the edge of her sleeve. "Don't cry,

all the rubbing,

for her daughter

a cartoon on TV that

an episode of "Bear & Woody" playing on the screen, Little Nina and

big and small, utterly

Ferdinand stepped out onto the

she'd need

renowned physician who had retired to the countryside to cultivate medicinal herbs. If Ferdinand reached out,

no reservations. "You handle

her, she'll have to

thought caught Briony off guard. "I'm worried she might

I'll have my uncle come here first, let him spend a few days getting to know Mrs. Hudson. Once she's

Briony watched her mother and daughter,

and drew

drowsy and