Chapter 319

Briony stared blankly at her mother, uncertain she'd heard her right.

What was her mother saying?

Lauren had stolen her husband?

Julia's eyes drifted closed, tears slipping from the corners.

She kept murmuring, voice trembling, "Bryn, I'm sorry... I've failed you. I've failed you, sweetheart..."

Briony knelt beside her and gently wiped away her mother's tears.

Her own eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice catching. "Mom, I'm here. Don't worry, I promise we'll be okay. Things will get better from now on."

Julia's face twisted with pain. "Bryn, I'm so angry. My whole life, I've been a failure. Why did Lauren have to be my daughter? Why her... why..."

Her words faded to nothing, exhaustion overtaking her.

Briony watched her mother drift into sleep, silent tears streaming down her face.

The gray streaks in Julia's hair, the deep lines at the corners of her eyes-five years in prison, four years missing. Nine years had ground her down, leaving her looking decades older than her forty-something years. Now, she looked closer to seventy than forty.

All her life, Julia had known nothing but suffering.

Briony squeezed her mother's hand. "Rest now, Mom. From here on, I'll be by your side. I won't let you suffer anymore."

foot of

time. The adults were so focused on Julia, they hadn't even noticed

into the

"Mommy...?"

face and taking a deep breath before turning

big eyes were rimmed with red as she gazed up at

completely forgotten her daughter was there she didn't even know if Julia's episode

Grandma's just sick,

her tiny hand and gently touched

together, forcing a smile.

head. "It's okay to cry, Mommy. There's nothing to

caught between laughter and tears at her daughter's wisdom. "Mommy's

Briony's neck, patting her

and Grandma. Don't worry-Dr. Ellsworth is really

daughter close, burying her face in the warm, sweet-smelling crook of

With you here, Mommy's not afraid of

...

when she woke, the adults

mature for her age, but she was still only four. Briony didn't want her to

before Julia regained

Gina and Ferdinand to watch over Nina, then stepped out onto the

Julia had

was floored. "So Lauren stole your dad, and Rosita stole your husband?!" Briony

like daughter. So Mrs. Hudson knew

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