Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 287

Beneath the streetlamp, the man advanced, each step deliberate and unyielding.

Briony stood her ground, refusing to flinch or retreat.

Four years had passed, yet it felt like an entire lifetime had slipped away.

Stewart's gaze lingered on the woman before him-her expression cool, distant. His eyes flickered with a tangle of emotions. She was alive.

Just as he'd suspected all along, and honestly, he wasn't surprised. For the past two years, he'd kept a careful eye on the art world, piecing together enough clues to realize that Leilani was, in fact, Briony. But he'd never made a move to find her.

Because Stewart believed-no, he was certain-that as long as Briony was alive, as long as they weren't divorced, she would eventually come back to him.

He'd imagined a hundred different ways their reunion could play out. But he never pictured this—standing together in the cemetery where their child was buried.

Stewart stopped, his brow creasing as he looked at Briony. "If you wanted to visit our son, you could have just told me," he said, his tone clipped and out of place for the moment.

Briony's lips pressed into a thin line. That was certainly one way to begin.

Cedric Clarke, anxious to keep the peace, hurried forward. "Stewart, let me explain―"

Stewart's eyes snapped to him. "So you've always known where Briony was, and you kept it from me, didn't you?"

Cedric hesitated, caught off guard.

"Cedric, this is between me and my wife," Stewart said curtly, pushing him aside. "You're crossing the line."

wrong to keep it from you, but please, don't lose your head. Now that

But Stewart wasn't listening.

his gaze on Briony, his words icy. "You'd rather go to Cedric than

you buried here instead." She paused, then added, "And by the way, we've been separated for four years. If

her for a long moment before asking quietly, "Is the reason you insist

frown deepened, but before she could answer, Stewart pressed on, "It's not what you think with Rosita. That whole thing

you and she had." Briony cut him off, her voice sharper than before. "Rosita was responsible for my mother's death, and she killed my son with her own hands. She's my enemy. And you-you always took her side. You betrayed me over and over for her. Stewart,

answers

really?" Briony interrupted again, her eyes glinting with scorn. "And what's that going to look like? Suppose I say I want Rosita ruined, want her to pay for everything she's done, want her to face justice and end up behind bars-would

dropped, his voice low. "That's not something I can promise you." Briony let out a

never really expected anything from Stewart. Provoking him like this was just her

I wanted. So what

shackled in this marriage? I'm leaving you.

him and

trembled as he turned and reached out to grab her

me!" Briony snapped, her anger boiling over as

into hers. "I've seen our daughter," he said quietly.

curled Stewart's lips. "Silverlake. Old Town. Little Stars Academy. She's adorable. And her drawings

fury. "She's my daughter. Mine, and mine

his black eyes never

Crack-

again, even harder. "Four years, Stewart, and

but he only smiled faintly. "I keep my promises." Seething, Briony spun on her heel and marched down

marriage, why don't you try acting like a decent human being? And now you're threatening to take her daughter?