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."

"Ms. Radcliffe, what did I tell you

you a 'magic stone.' She asked you to hide it under Mom Bryn's bed. She said if you did that, the baby growing in

pupils widened

Jeannie spoke, a vivid image formed in Irwin's mind him,

started to panic. "But... Dad said Mom Bryn was going to have a baby boy, and then the baby died. Was it...

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

frowned in confusion. "What's

that gives off strong radiation," Jeannie explained gently. "It's illegal here your grandmother must have gotten it from abroad." Irwin's face went pale. "Radiation... does

very harmful," Jeannie said, her tone serious but calm. "Prolonged contact can cause cancer. And at the time, Mom Bryn

up in Irwin's eyes. "Was it my fault? Did I kill Mom Bryn's baby? Was it

stone there-but you were just a child. You had no idea what it was.

it together. After a moment, clarity dawned

was because of my

grandmother is your mother's mother.

his face. "Why would

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