Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 542

Cedric Clarke and Lorna stood at the foot of the bed, taking turns to gently coax him, patiently repeating words of comfort.

The man who had always been proud and domineering now lay there in silence, meeting the end with a strange, calm acceptance.

The early August sun was setting, its warm glow slanting through the window, washing everything in red. Yet, no matter how the light touched his face, it couldn't bring color to his deathly pale cheeks.

A car rumbled into the driveway.

Carl was back.

Moments later, hurried footsteps pounded down the hall.

The bedroom door burst open.

Carl, breathless and flushed, rushed in clutching the photo album Briony had given him.

"Mr. Wentworth! Mr. Wentworth!"

He was rarely so reckless.

Stewart, who'd been slipping toward unconsciousness, was startled awake. His heavy eyelids lifted, and he gazed at Carl standing by the bed.

A faint crease appeared between Stewart's brows, a subtle wince betraying the worsening pain.

Carl's eyes were rimmed red as he thrust the album forward. "Mr. Wentworth, please look at this!"

Cedric and Lorna exchanged a glance.

They both guessed what Carl had brought must be from Briony.

But Stewart barely reacted.

Carl pressed on. "Miss Briony asked me to bring this to you."

made Stewart

a moment before he rasped, "Who...

this album. It's a

effort, Stewart lifted a hand, reaching for the album, though his strength was

down and helped prop Stewart

IV lines trailing from his

Nina, newly born,

and wrinkled, lying in an incubator with a breathing mask over her

He turned the pages-

Nina at one month;

Nina at two months;

Nina's first celebration;

by month, from birth to her first birthday, every change in his daughter

flush of

brushed gently over

in the pictures, and in his

promised her that night.

choed the words t

can wait, but you can't forget, okay? I only be in kindergarten for threeyears-you can't make

take her to school

daughter had said she

three years, she'd be done

child's early years are so heartbreakingly brief-miss them, and you never get a

and now here he was, about to break it, about to run

breath hitched; pain stabbed through his chest, sharp and relentless, as if someone were slicing into his heart

was

knew there must be videos inside-snippets of his daughter

and

and Carl kept silent

chest, clutching it