Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Ferdinand's other hand gently stroked her hair. "That depends on you, Bryn. I'm nothing like Stewart. From the very beginning, I've been a devil through and through. I've killed more people than I could ever count."

Briony clung to his shirt, her whole body trembling violently.

Seeing her shake like that, Ferdinand's eyes darkened with disappointment.

"Bryn, don't pretend you're so innocent. You're the one who taught me what it means to love and lose. Because of you, I had to put on this mask, acting the good guy just to get close to you, to win you over-but why wouldn't you let me in? Why is your heart so cold, no matter how hard I try to warm it?"

"Ferdinand, I'm begging you," she pleaded, voice breaking. "I'll do anything you want-just please, leave my family out of this. Don't hurt my friends, don't touch them..."

She looked up at him, nothing but terror in her eyes, tears blurring her vision. She looked so heartbreakingly fragile.

A sharp ache twisted in Ferdinand's chest.

He loved her he truly did so why could she only ever see the darkness in him? Why did she never feel the good?

"Bryn, you don't have to be afraid. I won't kill you. I couldn't bear to."

a madman, my mother a puppet. Anything I ever wanted, I had to claw my way toward myself. Back when I was scraping by

on her. "You're the only one, Bryn-the only person who ever reached out a hand to me

shook her head, biting down hard

kind of man he was,

weren't for you.

grave. "You saved me, brought me back to life. Every life I've taken since, it's as if you put the knife

cried, twisting away and shoving at him. She stumbled backward and crashed

her, gaze icy

want to hear a

ears, voice raw with panic. "No!

wrists, and

killed him myself, right in

wide, her struggles frozen in

moment, all the violence