Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"Because he wasn't born from Mommy. He has his own mom."

Stewart's face darkened. "Briony, there's no need to say things like that to a child."

"Oh, really?" Briony shot him a cold smile. "You want Little Nina to be close to Irwin, but have you even considered whether Irwin can accept this little sister who's suddenly appeared in his life?"

His expression grew stormy. "So you're teaching Little Nina to be wary of Irwin?"

"I'm simply telling my daughter the truth. She may be small, but she's not stupid. She'll work out for herself how to deal with Irwin."

Stewart looked at Briony, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

"You've changed, Briony."

Briony's laughter was short and sharp. "No, Stewart. You just never really knew me. You never really understood Irwin, either. Don't look at me like that, as though I'm the villain here. Maybe you should ask yourself-do you really love Irwin as much as you say? If you did, why are you always trying to hand off the responsibility of looking after him to someone else?"

Stewart's gaze turned cold, his dark eyes locked on her.

Briony ignored him, turning to stare out the window, her face unreadable.

Seeing this, Stewart clenched his jaw and said nothing more, turning away with a stony face.

The car fell into heavy silence.

Little Nina reached her arms toward James. "Godfather, cuddle!"

James immediately scooped her into his lap, ruffling her hair. "Missing your godfather already?"

chest, her voice small and

and

whispering, "Godfather, I don't really like him. He always makes Mommy upset. Why is he

He settled for, "Let the grown-ups sort out their

Nina rubbed her eyes, drowsy. "I'm kind of

be more comfortable. "Then nap here, sweetheart.

She yawned, closed her

into their neighborhood, winding along the quiet

few minutes later, they drove through the gates of Sunset Ridge

rolled to a

one, everyone got

Irwin came racing out of the

"Dad! Mom!"

every bit the well-mannered prep schooler. His features had lost their babyish roundness, and there was a distinct trace of Rosita's beauty in his

Irwin ran toward her, Briony's gaze

her and waved

stopped in

his shoulder. "Irwin, from

grin faded in an instant. He stared at

nothing, didn't

drooped. It

been fo