Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Briony's world was pitch black. She stumbled forward, her arm clinging to Mary's for support.

Blindness had turned every step into a hazard. From the second floor down to the first, she kept bumping into things, nearly falling more than once-each time Mary caught her just in time.

They reached the side door of the back garden. Mary opened it, then gently nudged her forward-

Briony froze, caught off guard. Before she could react, a pair of strong arms steadied her from behind.

A familiar, deep voice sounded above her head. "Ms. Kensington, it's me."

Blair.

Briony's breath caught. "Blair? What are you doing here?"

Mary's voice was urgent. "Blair, Briony can't see. It must be the meds-they did something to her eyes. Please, just get her out. You can sort everything out once you're home."

"Got it."

Blair bent down and swept Briony into his arms.

In the darkness, he looked at Mary. "Thank you. Take care of yourself."

“Go, quickly,” Mary said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Briony, if we ever meet again, I hope you'll still let me call you 'sister.""

she turned her head toward Mary's voice. "Mary, come with

"Who's out there?"

from the garden,

froze. Mary made a quick gesture to Blair-go,

hurried

door, cutting off

the night, Blair set Briony down inside a waiting black SUV.

metallic click of the buckle. Her

like she was drifting through a half-remembered dream— alive, but barely

the car door

seconds later, the driver's

Another door thudded shut.

to life and sped away, pressing Briony back into her seat. She curled into herself,

on the seatbelt,

taut.

car was silent. No one

through the night.

clung to her,

beside her anymore. Everything had happened so fast, so smoothly, it almost felt unreal-too easy.

called

"I'm here."

familiar voice calmed her, just a little.