Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 302

Stewart sensed something was off. "What's going on?" he asked.

Judd glanced at Briony, then back to Stewart, his tone resigned. "The mayor meant well-he wanted to tidy up Mrs. Hudson a bit so her family wouldn't be upset when they saw her. But Mrs. Hudson refused to cooperate."

Briony's anxiety spiked. "What does that mean?" she pressed Judd. "What's happened to my mom?"

Judd looked uncertainly at Stewart.

A crease formed between Stewart's brows. "Take us to her."

"Alright. Come with me," Judd said, turning and leading the way toward a small gate at the edge of the yard.

The gate opened into the mayor's barn.

Briony hurried after him, hope flickering stubbornly in her chest. It couldn't be that bad, she told herself. It just couldn't.

But reality hit her hard the moment she stepped inside.

woman with sallow skin, her body curled in on itself. She wore tattered clothes, her hair tangled and matted with straw. Her face was so dirty that only

by lightning. No... this

but

wife, Farrah, held her back. "She's not in her right mind. She doesn't

Briony's eyes. She looked at Farrah desperately.

sighed. "Mr. Judd already told us. Of course it's good for you to take her away. But she's strong. Over these four years, she hasn't

voice trembled. "Why? Why is she like this? What

to check on her. He's a kind man he brought her back here. She had a terrible fever for

she was gone. We searched everywhere and finally found her in the barn, clutching a pile of straw and talking to herself. It took all my patience to coax her back inside. But the next day she came right back here, and after

the more

all too

mother had lost her

years, living in

toward the woman

"Didn't you hear what she said? Mrs. Hudson isn't herself. She could hurt

my mother. Even if she hits me or bites me,

living, breathing person-not an animal.