Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Stella blinked in surprise, as if she could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"Bryn, it's strange," she said quietly. "Back when you were hopelessly in love with Stewart, I don't think you ever truly understood him. But now that you don't love him anymore, it's almost as if... you see him more clearly than ever."

Briony paused, caught off guard by the observation.

The living room was silent except for the low, bubbling sound of the kettle boiling in the kitchen.

No one picked up the thread of conversation again.

...

Upstairs at Southcreek Manor, in the master bedroom.

After the IV drip, Stewart's condition finally stabilized, though he remained unconscious.

Dr. Cedric Clarke packed away his medical kit and stepped out of the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.

Waiting in the hallway were Lorna, Carl, and Carol-all three watching Cedric with anxious expressions.

pressed his lips together and sighed. "For now, he's stable," he said, "but

still so young. Please, there must be something more you

need to prepare yourselves. I'm afraid... he may not make it through the summer." The words weighed on him-he hated to admit it, but there was nothing more he could

kids' summer break

were brief; by the end of August,

first hints of autumn

Stewart likely had less than two months

everyone in stunned

obvious to her how

the thought of little Mario and Nina soon losing their father, Carol felt tears prick

reunited with their dad, hardly enough

out, "Little Mario said just the other day that when winter comes, he wants to build snowmen and have snowball fights with his

words landed like a punch in the

her, her tone grave. "Carol, you mustn't let

going to find out

as long as we can," Lorna insisted. "Nobody can know the full extent of Stewart's illness yet not even the kids." She couldn't bring herself to say more; Stewart's sudden decline meant their time was

worry, Ms. Riley. I'll do whatever you say," Carol promised, not fully understanding the stakes. She assumed Stewart just didn't want Briony and the children to

Cedric. "When