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."

small. "Ms. Radcliffe, what did I tell you back

serious. "You told me your grandmother gave you a 'magic stone.' She asked you to hide it under Mom Bryn's

pupils widened

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

was going to have a baby boy, and then the baby died.

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

in confusion.

Jeannie explained gently. "It's illegal here your

can cause cancer. And at the time, Mom Bryn was pregnant. Exposure

my fault? Did I kill Mom

there-but you were just a child. You had no idea what it was. Your grandmother used you to hurt Mom Bryn. But think about it

tried to piece it together. After a moment, clarity dawned on his

because of my

"Your grandmother is your mother's mother. She wouldn't have done something

clouding his face. "Why would Mom want to hurt Mom

was afraid that if Mom Bryn had a baby, her own child-you- would lose your place