Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"It's only about control, isn't it?" Briony stared at him. "But it can't be cured, right?"

Ferdinand pressed his lips together, silent.

"Forget it." Briony lifted a hand to rub her aching temples. "I'd like some water."

"Of course."

Ferdinand immediately got up to fetch her a glass.

He held the water in one hand, and with the other, carefully helped Briony sit up, propping her gently against his chest.

Briony didn't want to lean on him, but she simply didn't have the strength to resist.

Worried she might choke, Ferdinand had even brought her a straw.

She took a few slow sips, and finally the dryness in her throat eased a bit.

"I'd like some soup," she said quietly.

An appetite-any appetite-was a good sign.

bed and set the glass on the nightstand.

want to go

still recovering. It's not wise to go

want to leave this room. Take a walk, window shop-anything. I

expression unreadable. "It's not as safe here as back

said, her voice resolute. "Maybe I don't have much time left. Are you really

into

at Briony, and she saw the conflict in his eyes-alongside something

his gaze, then gave a crooked half-smile. "Ferdinand, I've known for a while. My sudden illness is

hand, hanging at his side,

he meant to say, he couldn't get

pulse. You reacted so strangely. I couldn't see you, but you asked if I'd taken any other medication. That's when I realized something was

did you take

eyes with him. "But you seem to have forgotten-my mother

Ferdinand looked startled.

maternal genes can have a impact. Maybe I was always carrying some dormant mutation, and your so-called monot happened to trigger it. Or maybe not. You're a doctor-you know how sometimes the smallest chance

almost like

wasn't innocent, that it was saving him all those years