Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Tears streamed down her cheeks, one after another, as if a string of pearls had snapped.

"Mario, sweetheart, it's Mommy. I'm so sorry-I didn't protect you. These four years... you've suffered so much..."

Her words came out broken, choked with sobs, her voice trembling and tumbling over itself in confusion.

Tears blurred her vision. Briony tried desperately to see her son's face, blinking hard to clear her eyes, but her sight kept swimming in and out of focus. Again and again, her emotions overwhelmed her; she couldn't control herself.

Little Mario looked up at her, then slowly lifted his small hands. Gently, he reached out and wiped the tears from Briony's face with his tiny fingers.

That simple gesture broke Briony even more. She wept harder, repeating over and over, "I'm your mom, Mario-I'm your mom..."

At last, something seemed to click for little Mario. In a small, careful voice, he called her, "Mommy."

The moment Briony heard him say it, all her restraint shattered. Four years of pent-up grief spilled out in a flood of sobs.

"Thank you—thank you for being alive..."

Carol, standing nearby, dabbed at her own eyes. "Ms. Kensington, it's all over now. You found each other-that's what matters. Don't cry anymore, or Mario will start worrying."

He was still so little. Maybe he couldn't quite understand why his mother was crying so hard just then, but he knew tears were never a good thing.

He wasn't like little Nina, with her sweet words and ready reassurances. But Mario he was thoughtful in his own quiet way.

Seeing his mom's tears wouldn't stop, he pulled a few tissues from the box and patiently wiped them from her face. One after another, the tissues grew damp, but still her tears kept flowing.

brows knitted in concern, his dark eyes wide

he finally managed to squeeze out

Briony froze in surprise.

hadn't heard him, Mario

up, too. "Bryn, look-your son's worried

boy. She wiped the last of her tears away and managed a shaky smile. "I won't cry, sweetheart. I'm just so happy—I

into her eyes, studying her for

the spark of his smile and, despite everything,

...

of the men waiting at

ham

Car

a call

Brione

the

out a breath, feeling the

turned to Garry, his expression calm. "Garry, what's it going to take for you to hand over

smirk. “And what if I said I wanted

"We both

a pistol from his

you really think I wouldn't kill you if I