Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 23

She slapped her thigh so hard she winced in pain, but that didn't stop her from cursing. "Stewart is cheating in broad daylight! You're not even divorced yet and he's already flaunting his relationship with Rosita?!"

A dull, persistent ache spread through Briony's chest, but her face remained blank. "It was only a matter of time."

At this point, all she could do was face reality.

What she'd once thought was a solid, legal five-year marriage had always been,

to Stewart, nothing more than a business arrangement-one he could end at any moment.

He had never taken their marriage seriously. Of course he wouldn't think his relationship with Rosita was wrong.

"You're just going to let this go?" Stella looked at her, exasperated. "Even if your marriage started out as a deal, if he hadn't lied to you about Irwin's mother being dead, would you have agreed to marry him at all?"

Briony's lashes trembled.

That's right. If she'd known from the beginning that Rosita was Irwin's mother, she never would have agreed to marry Stewart. She never would have let herself fall for him...

Even if she'd had no choice back then-if marriage was the only way out-she would have drawn a hard line, done only what was necessary to be a good stepmother.

and Rosita. She would never have let herself become the unloved, legal

things had turned

at Briony, burning with

person. Even when she was hurting, she'd never show it. She bottled everything up. Maybe that had something to do with her upbringing. And maybe that's why her family

get better for Briony once she cut ties with her family. She never expected Stewart and Rosita-the world's most shameless couple-to be waiting for her on the other

more Stella thought about it, the angrier she got. She whipped

He's supposed to have a sharp sense of judgment. For five years, he hasn't been blind to your devotion-he just never cared. He

justice. I'm

are "

Briony reached out and pressed her hand over Stella's

had no

let it go? Five years, Bryn! Stewart and Rosita lied to you for five whole

Irwin was part of

on her hips, voice rising. "Even if taking care of Irwin was part of the deal, why did Stewart sleep with you? If he loved Rosita so much, why

pressed her lips together,

bitter

too far. She immediately bent down and wrapped Briony