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

a moment before he rasped, "Who... did

a collection of her photos

reaching for

the album down and helped prop Stewart up, arranging two pillows behind his

from his thin wrist, Stewart slowly opened

very first photo was of little Nina,

tiny and red and wrinkled, lying in an incubator with a breathing mask over her face—just

He turned the pages-

Nina at one month;

Nina at two months;

Nina's first celebration;

every change in his

of red crept

trembling fingers brushed gently over his daughter's

in the pictures,

promised her that night.

choed the words t

but you can't forget, okay? I only

take her to

said she would only wait three

three years, she'd be done

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

now here he was, about to break

stabbed through his chest, sharp and relentless, as

drive was tied to the

videos

his eyes, each breath raw and shuddering, his body wrapped in unspeakable

and Carl kept silent

album to his chest, clutching it tightly, tears