Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Briony bent down and zipped up the little yellow duck backpack. "From the kids' perspective, of course I want them to have both their parents. If Stewart truly cherishes them, he'll take care of himself."

She looked up at James, her voice soft, her tone calm. "I've never thought I mattered much to Stewart. Maybe we shared five years as husband and wife, but it was never love. Stewart never loved me, and I'll never love him again."

James watched her, his hand tightening at his side.

He pressed his lips together, wrestling with himself.

He wanted to say, Bryn, you're wrong. Stewart might love you more than you know. He's probably still hopelessly in love with you.

But how could he say that? To confess the feelings of his rival in love? Even if James couldn't fight and claw for her, he certainly couldn't step aside and play matchmaker for Stewart.

So he let it go. If he could be her knight, standing quietly at her side for the rest of his life—even if only as family—that would be enough.

...

Briony and James came downstairs together.

"Is there enough room for the car seats?" Briony asked, glancing at Stewart.

"I installed an extra one before I came," Stewart replied, meeting her eyes. "I'll take good care of them. Both of them."

It was a promise, spoken as a father to the mother of his children.

Briony simply nodded, then stepped over to say goodbye to the kids.

James loaded Little Nina's suitcase into the trunk.

their car seats, making

the car, their faces bright with innocent, delighted

waved back, her heart caught in her

gave Briony one last look, his lips

didn't look at

gaze, climbed into

car purred to life, turned around,

there, watching the taillights disappear into the darkness before she finally closed her eyes, took a deep

her, worry etched on his

her eyes and shook her head gently. "I'll have to get used to it." Just two

me say this: Girl, in this world no one is worth you sacrificing your happiness for-except yourself. You

I have to tell you-learn to find peace within yourself. No one else can do that for

will get hurt. These days, I keep dreaming something bad happens to them at my ex-husband's house. Is there something wrong

pressed a stress ball into her

Briony notice the deep crescent marks her nails had left in her skin. Just thinking about those dreams had pushed her right to the

the stress ball, the therapist's gentle voice echoing in

your children were born, it was always inevitable they'd leave your world someday. Every day they grow is just one step closer to that. A mother's only feal job is to

in words like 'mother's love' or 'a mother's duty.' But if you peel all that away, maybe it's

You're a mother,

but don't make

salvation. Don't treat them as your entire world. You need to learn to love yourself