Chapter 12
The sound of a car drifted in from the driveway.
Stewart was home.
Briony gripped the pregnancy test in her hand as she opened the bathroom door.
Downstairs, Irwin's excited voice rang out.
"Daddy!"
Briony made her way down the stairs, step by deliberate step.
Irwin stood on the couch, arms stretched wide toward Stewart. "Daddy, pick me up!"
Stewart bent down and scooped Irwin into his arms.
Briony noticed at once that Stewart had changed his clothes.
Then she remembered the three unanswered calls earlier...
The cruel truth was impossible to ignore.
the last step, her knuckles white
at Briony. "Mommy, Daddy's taking me out to play. Do you want to come
at Irwin, then let her gaze settle
His deep-set eyes betrayed
last, Stewart looked at her,
said, his voice low and pleasant— but every word edged
shutting her
listened, a faint, bitter smile curving her lips, her eyes
It felt ironic.
bathroom, she'd been
anxious as Briony said
at the café earlier; he'd only asked
she agreed? Then what
was supposed to go
called, his voice small
meeting
son's eyes. She just answered
probably taking Irwin to see Rosita. But suddenly,
out a sigh
T1I1m3OT1tcAYQmh9OzsCN+BUIUvc4YjybcV9teOPuCJu5+S7jT+lAcFSK5cYTTjdTo95IZCFoOOZMEzwvod5UeDR3IpngP4SbGBnzsE3H10eTzbG6KNMBmoZZWhY7/wvunPKUFjRCCSZdHDQFC4s48AGuo20IwBEHF5jIU7ex4wIpp6F2+0IOlWneO0nZKJsXIWlJXPFXR62hqBgag8BZlL/lbf/iGo0kJtB8NzaQS8Z097xjwoTM+jxKmipd/aETUOHdawFvK1pXIjPkN4hPDJekJJ7m0vq/Yl7Bzyil4Vl3Oik51BPt9BV4NdiweVI5e/xJOj6baegH1xHiqi96uOLkzERzBNB9gPCcjR/6BVndHMwMd/yBxNLLA5nPaM1b3WSFvPGzn9k2X/WxWQg2vQRGEkSvLO8P7xxMkxMNeuNmz7n369RtT5M6O9TcUzixlT9EYBIisUhJwQhUmfVnaPAigDW0wJgH5y2Ikut/zXcdAmC2/7JRqAjJ3NqaQsIQEC8OPBDBbxHP5AOyPPuTGlOCv+Kh4XhqagYzf3otkGVYK0KEj4XoIl6doY7iisJperCvslKxuhV3HVPuPyNH0jTQSTqTZSm05EfUTJjj/yw9I5M++sWoJgB6O01/X7mvNOQuNq3dxN8g1WmnwJHIZL1SNaetOB+xkg/UbBKwLbu1pg5R/f+MP2L9LCE5VwitawIfkuhnt4ifw27qn+dmYhrPXeY8F4UnUIcTaAMT0xTbSotlJYjEXAagFhTuIJhv2kAnT+WuklwG7hKHPrnpkrBqCuSJrSTQyb3Z64y8lDqss2m36GFrSzpgPwlpwXhtguJXAlHcus7QKBIxOWh/oadHYy7VxzotNXHG2XXBhe0SQM2m+IA7+RQgJGY4L3bHIj8SXn/cPCbNcdID7Oi0sy40slcC4Dmu8S8h3lO96R3uO6XJeV/7lmteyoGPSoIZDnseeA0FcaTky1y84XMyG/yA4RWWSXp6ZUIAxV6iJW4yXQCqog7oT+5gZViTz9SxUmVg9eTUr85QAiC7JME6Amxyqeyfb35BhtxhoIJV5y3YNfulgm5eBc070AQHE9ryUg9SvCDo+BRio5z1Zv3Q4o1GeamdqfN7etep41Zys3TmqDH4djh0GoghGJrkAanUjpzqimYnS/q6GVK4L9wyd43r7cjRBVcUnt7ZyBdveh4GLJ0ZbexO4Qdnskh7OlxazZHGO9FzuG+BerViL0fT6BSAxOkAEcbmpx9rjR54Khr8314bChlP2cN5dVwBhomUP6meG/0PEKY3FBKJkU+/pCiZLFFDW3pznCdOS57khoeU/OsAlQnxClTOC/ZeGElV4aI5YVwrZEOjmXSdEAMHTX/XdWXRFSjslwJgz8/JTxwXo8hvnJqbVP9lVuSsfcFtiFjge5dAHITOjcs0453iyP2C+FiIoJ49tjWT546v/EMq5JgsM3y7r4yRdTy1DSBT8EOlQF0v0cvBmGAYQVoydcFnTcieLHOGWfTSxgWlrnPp+bfoOC2d7QfNVjupLwlr/4aCztpMeRtL125H6MrwOME3G/yOVMyciZe9UgBInwyy6Kd8AX3r1Bp16YHkt1XZRaUNuWEyaNd+0LHeZY4kXGdfci5O7XuzyJvbhylg8oz5bUYsfeB0jgLLDyWUdg7ozRAnK/q8cJlNx19G3kDpt3Ca7oGMJ8su9SNajqgteAHQtW05Izslt4BEZb5aejn3WZTxhS3/9bxV0xUOLIvEetkgaXNgFxpSP/iU2ZeM57T0cNd5w/aHAnKBtxaiWyCjrC9erCrxkFIeJAlGzlDFrgVszzghtViaUQ7gWw7ZyV2rigmbaOPaA/voImru65cFkeWzXV41hQ8l/IoVVpudJbBMnBVY1j1u6wW2GxGnuJJulc8krkfOhpudP3cCMmssw/RTyf6KcDQcRyCTeGush8Pghy6X+Szwk60m1uweA3+USz1S5SK6cvL/THzaOsjX21rMqqTg+Xd6M32yLeh/IukihmVQ0F09HTtGRw/ItDgzp+PwqGBNhu2IPwpVGIvEFDN8M2n5TWjMj73e9t1MQW8c2o2V5c5F5LNX0ctTNhuX5Imz8lRcJo9ph3PdgwXv+UUW4ZuPZZdTfwSuLuSDRb84BescqtWOT5NKBQCd4pFkm2FZnz7wb1SGW2iMp5PH2bY/GfDPT1MnGYYgMk0srp423iuSRmGlkqFaBvVi35LkUEAgsgB/I=
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!