Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

It was precisely because she had lived through it herself that she couldn't bring herself to persuade Mary to give up the baby.

Besides, the child was already taking shape.

Already a living, breathing soul.

"Briony, can I tell you a story?"

Briony glanced at Mary, and she could more or less guess what was coming.

She crossed to a wicker chair by the side of the room and sat down.

"All right, I'm listening."

Mary, cradling her rounded belly, walked over to the window and gazed out at the world beyond. Her voice floated back, soft and slow-

"Twenty-four years ago, in the slums of Riverview, a family's fifth child was born. The father had hoped for a son, but once again, it was a daughter. Because of this, he took out his disappointment on the mother. Out of the girl's four older sisters, three were sold off by their father, and the fourth fell ill and died at fourteen because they couldn't afford a doctor. The mother couldn't bear to see her youngest go the same way, so she risked her life, scraped together whatever she could, and when the girl turned eighteen, she sent her away..."

made a name for herself. Once she was successful, she finally had the means to rescue her mother and bring her out of that wretched place. But then the father heard about

he'd kill her mother.

head snapped up, eyes locking on

from the window, meeting Briony's gaze, her eyes rimmed

caught up in his bets that he didn't notice the child wander off. The casino was right on the docks. The boy fell into the water and drowned. By the time the fishermen dragged him out, he was already gone. And the most absurd part? It was his own negligence, but he went to a fortune-teller and was told my mother's birthdate was bad luck for him and the boy. From then on, he used that as an excuse to

brows drew together, her eyes troubled, sympathy flickering

dead now. Ferdinand's people helped me take care

Briony froze.

I can

he loves me or not. He wants a child-so I'll give him one. I know he's not a

their own ground." Briony watched her, her

about you,

"What