Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Lorna Riley watched as James Delaney was once again rendered speechless by her words. The playful glint in her eyes faded; she cleared her throat and grew serious.

"As of now, I haven't received any bad news. At the very least, I can confirm that Briony Kensington is still alive."

"Still alive..." James lowered his gaze. "She's alive, but being held somewhere- so she can't contact us, is that it?"

"No news is sometimes the best news," Lorna replied. "In our line of work, silence usually means things aren't getting worse. From what I know, Ferdinand Ellsworth's background is complicated and powerful, but he hasn't actually harmed the children. That alone shows he's holding back."

James looked up at her, searching her expression. After a moment, he spoke quietly. "You're saying Ferdinand really does have feelings for Bryn. He knows how much she cares about those kids, so he can't bring himself to hurt them?" "He's gone soft, sure. Or maybe he's keeping them as leverage, to force Briony's hand." Lorna's eyes narrowed. "It's mercy, but it's calculated."

clear in his voice. "Bryn will give in to protect those

can afford," Lorna said, arms crossed as she turned to look out at the blue sky through the window. "I grew up in a mercenary outfit. Selected when I was eleven, sent to a training camp. First rule they drilled into us: never get attached. No family, no friends, no romance. Because feelings make you weak. They make you hesitate. In a

life she described those stories sounded

in a peaceful country, with a loving family and a world that felt safe. He'd never pictured

But somehow, their

and serious, "how did

slightly. "Stewart and aren't the same. He was with the peacekeeping forces-he too honet

flag, no allegiance. We can be allies or enemies,