Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Jeannie looked at Irwin, her hazel eyes warm with a gentle smile.

"Irwin, do you know why your father doesn't want you to be around your mother?"

Irwin shook his head.

"It's because he's worried she might be a bad influence on you."

Irwin froze, startled.

"Do you remember how old I was when I first came to Southcreek Manor?"

Irwin nodded. "I remember. I was five."

Jeannie smiled softly. "Right. And do you remember how, back then, you used to have nightmares all the time?"

Irwin thought hard, vague memories surfacing. He nodded slowly.

"But I can't really remember what those nightmares were about."

"You were just a little boy then-it's normal that you don't remember everything." Jeannie's voice was patient and kind. "You would cry in the middle of the night, and when I asked you what was wrong, you told me everything. At the time, I thought it wasn't my place to say much-after all, they were your own grandmother and mother."

up at her, his voice small. "Ms. Radcliffe, what did I tell you back

a 'magic stone.' She asked you to hide it under Mom Bryn's bed. She said if

widened in

but others, especially the ones that leave a mark, never truly disappear. As Jeannie spoke, a vivid image formed in Irwin's mind him, small

to have a baby boy, and then the baby died. Was

sigh, shaking her head. "That wasn't a magic stone at all. If I'm not mistaken, it was something much more dangerous -a

frowned in confusion. "What's a radioactive

here your grandmother must have gotten it from abroad." Irwin's face went pale. "Radiation... does that hurt

harmful," Jeannie said, her tone serious but calm. "Prolonged contact can cause cancer. And at

Tears welled up in Irwin's eyes. "Was it my fault? Did

just a child. You had no idea what it was. Your grandmother used you

as he tried to piece it

was because of

mother's mother. She

"Why would Mom want to hurt

Mom Bryn had a baby, her own child-you- would lose your place in