Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"I know," Mary murmured, her hand resting protectively on her belly. "But... what if, after he's born, he isn't recognized as Ferdinand's child?"

Not Ferdinand's child?

Briony's gaze sharpened, trying to read Mary's intent. "What are you saying?"

Mary met her eyes steadily. "Briony, I've been having nightmares lately." She changed the subject so abruptly that Briony's brows knitted in concern.

"I keep dreaming I'll die in childbirth," Mary whispered, “and Ferdinand dies too." Briony pressed her lips together, silent for a moment.

She remembered when she was pregnant with the twins-how nightmares plagued her, too. The dark visions always seemed to foreshadow something awful. Later, when she delivered early and nearly bled out, the bloody chaos was eerily similar to what she'd seen in her dreams.

Maybe it was a mother's sixth sense.

Was Mary's nightmare another warning? A mother's gut instinct?

If Ferdinand died, would that mean Stewart's people had finally succeeded? That would be a good thing... for everyone else.

But what about Mary? So blameless in all of this.

Briony didn't want Mary's fate to mirror her dreams. Mary had only loved the wrong man; she wasn't lost beyond hope. And the child she was carrying-the child was entirely innocent.

Mary nor her baby should

makes dreams more vivid, especially

smiled, her lips curving with bittersweet understanding. "Briony, you do care about me after

were both women who'd survived unhappy childhoods, and Briony felt a kinship—a quiet solidarity with

always thought you were brave, but with Ferdinand... you lost yourself in him. Still, you and your baby are innocent. Ferdinand's sins are his alone. If you ever get the chance, I hope you'll find the strength to leave him, take your child, and start over somewhere safe. You

eyes glistening with something unspoken. "Briony, I'll do

expected resistance, a need for

a

willing to walk away from Ferdinand,

now was to wait for the

to drift off when the bedroom

hung open at the collar, the tie loosened and

her, sinking down on the edge

of whiskey hit her

could react, his hot palm pressed against the back of her neck, pulling her sharply toward

are you