Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 59

"I hate you!"

Irwin hurled the rest of his bedtime stories to the floor and stomped on them, his voice trembling with fury. "You're a liar! You don't want me, well, I don't want you either! I don't want any of this!"

"Irwin!"

Stewart grabbed Irwin's arm, his handsome face darkening with anger. "Say one more word like that and you'll be sorry!"

Irwin struggled with all his might, but he was no match for his father's strength.

Blinded by rage, Irwin couldn't see the storm brewing in his father's eyes. All he wanted was to let out every ounce of hurt and frustration bottled up inside him—

"I just hate her!" Irwin jutted out his chin, his tear-stained eyes glaring stubbornly at Stewart. "You said it yourself-she's not really my mom, right? So if she isn't my mom, why should I have to like her? I hate her! I hate that she lied to me!"

Stewart froze.

That one sentence-"You said she's not really my mom!"-hit him like a slap in the face.

He let go of Irwin and turned to look at Briony.

rooted to the spot,

was staring at Irwin, her delicate face drained of all color. Her usually bright, clear eyes were now clouded, as if a heavy mist had

control, felt a wave

[Why is Mommy crying?]

memory surfaced from the depths of Briony's mind. Staring at Irwin, who was now flushed and defiant,

time he'd clumsily, yet so tenderly,

her mother in prison. She'd seen the bruises on her mother's face and realized, for the

cried the

Irwin and pretending to read to him, her

He'd scrambled onto her lap, chubby arms wrapped around her neck,

She'd burst into tears again, unable to help

chubby little hands, mumbling over and over, "Don't cry, Mommy. Don't cry... Irwin's here,

limited, so he repeated the comforting things she usually said to him. The

completely broken. She'd clung

ruined her reputation at university, schemed against her in every way they could. She'd endured it all, no matter how bitter or difficult-but knowing her mother was being bullied and

All she could do was watch as her mother

clutched her chest and said it hurt, little Irwin started crying too,

Mommy hurts, Irwin hurts

And yet, because Irwin was there, his pure, childlike