Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

He'd always thought that taking a family trip together once a year was something he did well-as a husband, and as a father.

But lately, maybe because Cedric Clarke was such an exemplary dad, Stewart found himself reflecting more and more during his rare moments of downtime.

Except, when he actually looked back, he realized he hadn't been all that present in those five years of marriage...

"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

Snapping out of it, Stewart cleared his throat. "Got time to grab a drink?"

"Drinks?" Cedric Clarke shot back without hesitation. "No way. If my wife finds out, I'll be sleeping on the couch for a week!"

Stewart just stared at his phone.

"Wait, aren't your wife and daughter home too? How do you even have the nerve to go out drinking?"

"They're at Skybreeze Retreat today."

"Don't tell me―mother and daughter packed up and ran away?"

Stewart pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Mrs. Winslow's visiting. They'll probably be staying at the retreat all week."

Now Cedric finally caught a whiff of something off.

"Stewart, you sound a little jealous, you know."

" Just come out for a drink with me."

friends. Seeing Stewart all alone,

boss at home,

hung up and rolled down

drifted in, cool and

his tie and undid two buttons of his shirt, but that tightness in his

stepped out of the

door behind him, he leaned against it, lit a cigarette, and took a

was sharp and cold, lips pressed together as he smoked, jawline clean

up nearby. The driver,

Out here all alone? Want to take a spin

glanced over, expression

eyes narrowed, dark and unreadable

She floored the accelerator and sped off without another

she was

til she

out her phone and called a friend. "Girl, you won't believe who I just saw-absolute ten. Gorgeous, I swear! Flirt with him? Are you kidding? I didn't even dare get out of the car! The man is impossible to approach.

the lounge, Stewart was already halfway through a bottle

the glass half-empty, Cedric sat down beside him and snatched

it worse, you know. Don't forget you're

at Cedric, a faint, wry smile tugging at his lips.

shirt, puzzled.

course you don't. You're