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 have to pay

her. "Pregnancy makes dreams more vivid, especially if you're stressed. Try not

just smiled, her lips curving with bittersweet understanding.

They were both women who'd survived unhappy

things I can't even imagine. I misjudged you before and said some things I regret. I hope you won't hold them against me. I've 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

nodded, her eyes glistening with something

a need for more persuasion -but Mary had agreed so

a

walk away from Ferdinand, maybe there

left now was to wait for

to drift off when the bedroom door swung

strode in, his suit jacket slung over one arm. His white dress shirt hung open at the collar, the tie loosened and the top buttons undone, exposing the flushed skin of

down on the edge of the

whiskey hit her at

his hot palm pressed against the back of her neck,

are