Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

The blade rose again, gleaming as it arced down toward Stewart's wrist-

Briony's eyes widened in horror. "No!"

Bang!

A gunshot rang out. The bullet struck Ferdinand's hand-the one gripping the knife.

The blade clattered to the ground.

Ferdinand clutched his bleeding hand, whirling around-

Mary stood there, both hands wrapped around a black pistol, her eyes red with grief and rage. "Ferdinand, let them go!"

He stared at her for a long moment, then let out a bitter laugh. "Mary? Even you would betray me?"

Tears streaming down her face, Mary shook her head. "Ferdinand, I love you! But you've gone too far. So many people have already died because of you too many! Please, let this go!"

"You love me?" Ferdinand threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the rain-slicked rocks. "Mary, this is your love? Stabbing me in the back? You foolish woman!"

"I am foolish," Mary choked out, "for loving you, yes. But Ferdinand, I've never regretted it!"

Her hands trembled as she held the gun, fear making her whole body shake, but she stood her ground. "You saved me once, and that's why I agreed to be a surrogate for you. That was my way of repaying you. But Briony helped me too— saving her is how I repay her!"

Ferdinand found it almost funny.

He'd underestimated Mary.

it in you

pupils dilating with

his heart. "Aim here. If you're going to shoot, make it count—because

for the fallen

screamed, agony twisting her voice. "I mean it—I'll shoot, I really

just laughed,

whole body wracked with grief, the gun shaking in her

more and turned toward Stewart, Mary's composure cracked. "You're forcing

teeth, finger

exploded.

struck Ferdinand square in the

Mary hadn't pulled the

swaying, and then fell straight over the

"Ferdinand!"

stumbling forward with one hand

Ferdinand fell, he reached out and

slick and impossible to hotd. For a split second,

widened as he locked onto hers.

final moment of his life, his

lips twisting into a sorrowful

drowned out everything. When he fell, not even an echo