Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

"Bryn, please—don't cry, I..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Briony looked at him, her voice trembling. "Stewart, this

is my life. I don't need you to save me like this."

A sharp pain twisted in Stewart's chest.

"Bryn, the only thing that matters is that you're alive."

He reached out, wanting to wipe away her tears, but Briony stepped back and

stood up, just out of reach.

She brushed the tears from her face, her voice icy. "You traded ten years of

marriage to save my life, Stewart. Do you really think that makes you some kind of

hero?"

Stewart's breath caught. "I didn't think about any of that. In that moment, all I

wanted was for you to survive. Bryn, everything else pales in comparison to you

being alive..."

Briony stared at him, eyes shining with tears.

Suddenly, she let out a brittle laugh and nodded. "You're right. Compared to being

alive, nothing else matters."

"Bryn, don't overthink this. You have to live. Our kids need their mother."

Stewart swallowed hard. "Don't pay any attention to what Xenia Cooper says. The

deal was between me and her—it has nothing to do with you. I didn't tell you

beforehand, because this was my choice. Even now, if Xenia Cooper is coming

after you, it's because of me. If you want to call me selfish, fine—maybe I am. I

just couldn't stand the thought of our kids growing up without their mom."

Briony's lashes trembled as she gazed at him, silent tears streaming down her

face.

He used the children as an excuse, never once mentioning how he felt about her.

But Briony couldn't play dumb. After everything they'd been through, if she still

doubted Stewart's feelings for her, she'd be lying to herself.

Yet she couldn't bear the weight of that love.

They could have just parted ways, or at least remained friends, but things had

spiraled far beyond that... Love tangled up with a debt she couldn't repay.

"Stewart, if you say it, I'll believe it."

She wiped her tears away and fixed

him with a steady gaze. "If you say

you only saved me for the kids, then

that's what I'll believe. If you say I

don't owe you anything, then I'll

accept that we're even. I can do it.

I'm not as kind as you think, Stewart

I want to Jive. You're right nothing is

more important than that. So I'll

accept it. I'll accept all of it."

Listening to her, Stewart felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing his heart.

"After today, you're Xenia Cooper's

husband. You and I are just the

parents of our children. Now that

you're remarried, we have to keep

our distance. From now on, there

won't be a room for you at

Pearbrook Mansion. If you want to

see the kids, let me know ahead of

time and I'll arrange it—or you can

send someone to pick them up..."

The more she spoke, the colder her words became, but her tears only fell harder.

Stewart couldn't hold himself back any longer. He stepped forward and pulled her

into his arms.

Briony buried her face in his chest.

Her tears soaked through his shirt as her muffled voice broke against him, thick

with sorrow. "Stewart, you're Xenia Cooper's husband now. Let me go."

Stewart closed his eyes. He knew he shouldn't do this, but just this once, he let

himself be selfish.

"Bryn, why are you crying?"

Briony's breath hitched. She pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.

"Is it because you resent me for making this deal, or do you feel guilty?"

"Stewart, it's been ten years..."

Briony's hands clung desperately to

his shirt. "You sold yourself to Xenia

Cooper for ten years just to save

me. How am I supposed to live with

that? How am I supposed not to feel

guilty? Stewart, you're forcing this on

me..."

So, she only felt guilty. That was all.

A dull ache settled in Stewart's chest.

But he didn't regret it. Not for a second.noveldrama