Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 488

Briony bent down and zipped up the little yellow duck backpack. "From the kids' perspective, of course I want them to have both their parents. If Stewart truly cherishes them, he'll take care of himself."

She looked up at James, her voice soft, her tone calm. "I've never thought I mattered much to Stewart. Maybe we shared five years as husband and wife, but it was never love. Stewart never loved me, and I'll never love him again."

James watched her, his hand tightening at his side.

He pressed his lips together, wrestling with himself.

He wanted to say, Bryn, you're wrong. Stewart might love you more than you know. He's probably still hopelessly in love with you.

But how could he say that? To confess the feelings of his rival in love? Even if James couldn't fight and claw for her, he certainly couldn't step aside and play matchmaker for Stewart.

So he let it go. If he could be her knight, standing quietly at her side for the rest of his life—even if only as family—that would be enough.

...

Briony and James came downstairs together.

"Is there enough room for the car seats?" Briony asked, glancing at Stewart.

"I installed an extra one before I came," Stewart replied, meeting her eyes. "I'll take good care of them. Both of them."

It was a promise, spoken as a father to the mother of his children.

Briony simply nodded, then stepped over to say goodbye to the kids.

loaded Little Nina's suitcase into

both children into their car seats, making sure they were safely

kids waved goodbye from inside the car, their faces

heart

door, gave Briony one last look, his

didn't look at

his gaze, climbed into the car, and shut the

turned around, and pulled away into

watching the taillights disappear into the darkness before she finally closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and

her, worry etched on

two days ago,

in this world no one is worth you sacrificing your happiness for-except yourself.

tell you-learn to find peace within yourself. No one else can do

still didn't quite get it, so she asked, "I keep worrying the kids will get hurt. These days, I

therapist pressed a stress ball into

then did Briony notice the deep crescent marks her nails had left in her skin. Just thinking about those dreams had pushed her right

trembling hands, she squeezed the stress ball, the

was always inevitable they'd leave your world someday. Every day they grow is just one step closer to that. A mother's only feal job

But if you peel all that away,

You're a mother,

but don't make

You need to learn to love yourself first. Only when you're strong

strength from you as they