Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Briony needed to break free from Stewart, but if the price of freedom was becoming a murderer, that was simply too high a cost.

That's why James silently hoped Stewart would come out of this unscathed.

Briony deserved a life untainted by Stewart's shadow.

Two people who were never meant to stay together-after the divorce, they could each go their separate ways, find their own peace.

That was the best ending anyone could hope for.

...

Stewart sat beside Briony, watching her, but she never looked up, her attention fixed on her phone.

Nearby, a young couple had just received their marriage certificate. The woman, beaming, linked arms with her new husband, chattering about where they should go for dinner that night.

The man smiled and told her he'd already booked a hotel-two days and one night of a romantic getaway, just for the two of them.

Hearing this, the woman's face lit up with delight. She held his arm tighter, her laughter ringing with pure, sweet happiness.

Stewart couldn't help but be pulled back to nine years ago, to the day he and Briony registered their marriage.

That day, after they signed the papers, he had to rush to court, so he gave her the code to his house, told her to move into Southcreek Manor on her own.

By the time he finished work and came home, it was already past midnight.

He hadn't expected to find Briony asleep on the sofa, a modest dinner-four dishes and a soup-laid out on the table.

When Briony woke and saw him, the first thing she asked was, "Have you eaten?"

She was only twenty-one then, her face still soft with youth, her wide eyes searching his face with a hint of nervousness.

painfully sincere. Even though he'd already eaten, he lied and said

hadn't eaten yet, she

even a bit of eggshell in the scrambled

back now, Stewart realized, far too late, that when he married Briony, she was still just a girl-she didn't

he picked at the awkward meal, he caught sight of a

fluttered a little then, but the

had already gone upstairs to tend to little Irwin,

She turned their house into a warm, inviting home for the three

noticed the effort behind

life he took for granted was something Briony had built with five years of her

the one who lost

his eyes, Adam's apple

chest spread, sharp and unrelenting,

time, he truly understood-he was the one who'd failed this

that realization, Stewart knew: their marriage

automated voice called their

It was their turn.

rose and walked toward

slow, steady breath, and stood. His tall frame wavered for a moment, but he caught himself on the back of

nearly

Briony at the counter, Cedric let out a

the divorce agreement, court documents, and both IDs ready, the process moved

finished the paperwork, stamped the certificates, and

One

at the words "Divorce Certificate." At last, she felt the weight in her

walked straight for

her, Stewart rose as well.

Briony didn't look back.

catch up to her now. Struggling