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."

finally made

before

a collection of her

hand, reaching for the album, though his strength was all but

down and helped prop

against them, IV lines trailing from his thin wrist, Stewart slowly opened the

of little Nina, newly born, the date scribbled

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

He turned the pages-

Nina at one month;

Nina at two months;

Nina's first celebration;

her first birthday, every change in his

at them, and a flush of red

fingers brushed gently over his

in the pictures, and

promised her that night.

choed the words t

but you can't forget, okay? I only be in kindergarten

take her

said she would only

years, she'd be done with

brief-miss them, and you never get a second

here he was, about to break it, about to run away

and relentless, as if someone were slicing into his heart with

small USB drive was tied

videos inside-snippets of

each breath raw and shuddering, his

kept silent vigil around

album to his chest, clutching it tightly, tears falling silently