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.

as Stewart buckled both children into their car

car, their faces bright with innocent, delighted

back, her heart

door, gave Briony one last look, his lips pressed tight. After

didn't look at

lowered his gaze, climbed into the

car purred to life, turned around, and

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

etched on his

her head gently. "I'll have to get used to it." Just two days ago, she'd quietly made an appointment with a therapist. She'd talked about so much

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

come as a mother, then I have to tell you-learn to find peace within yourself. No one else can do

it, so she asked, "I keep worrying the kids will get hurt. These days, I keep

ball into her

the deep crescent marks her nails had left in her skin. Just thinking about those dreams

ball, the therapist's gentle

it was always inevitable they'd leave your world someday. Every day they grow is just one step closer to that. A mother's

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

You're a mother,

but don't make

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