Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Chapter 631

"I know," Mary murmured, her hand resting protectively on her belly. "But... what

if, after he's born, he isn't recognized as Ferdinand's child?"

Not Ferdinand's child?

Briony's gaze sharpened, trying to read Mary's intent. "What are you saying?"

Mary met her eyes steadily. "Briony, I've been having nightmares lately." She changed the subject so abruptly that Briony's brows knitted in concern.

"I keep dreaming I'll die in childbirth," Mary whispered, “and Ferdinand dies too." Briony pressed her lips together, silent for a moment.

She remembered when she was pregnant with the twins-how nightmares plagued her, too. The dark visions always seemed to foreshadow something awful. Later, when she delivered early and nearly bled out, the bloody chaos was eerily similar to what she'd seen in her dreams.

Maybe it was a mother's sixth sense.

Was Mary's nightmare another warning? A mother's gut instinct?

If Ferdinand died, would that mean Stewart's people had finally succeeded? That would be a good thing... for everyone else.

But what about Mary? So blameless in all of this.

Briony didn't want Mary's fate to mirror her dreams. Mary had only loved the wrong man; she wasn't lost beyond hope. And the child she was carrying-the child was entirely innocent.

nor her baby should

gently, striving to comfort her. "Pregnancy makes dreams more vivid,

just smiled, her lips curving with bittersweet understanding. "Briony, you do care

she cared. They were both women who'd survived unhappy childhoods, and Briony felt a kinship—a

know you've been through things I can't even imagine. I misjudged you before and said some things I regret. I hope you won't hold them against me. I've always thought you were brave, but with Ferdinand... you lost yourself in him. Still, you and your baby are innocent. Ferdinand's sins are his alone. If you ever get the chance, I hope you'll find the strength to leave him, take your child, and start over somewhere safe. You deserve

her eyes glistening with something unspoken. "Briony,

expected resistance, a need for more persuasion -but Mary had

a good

was willing to walk away from Ferdinand, maybe there was still hope for her

now was to

Briony was just about to drift

jacket slung over one arm. His white dress shirt hung open at the collar, the tie loosened and the top buttons undone, exposing the flushed

down

smell of whiskey hit

react, his hot palm pressed against the

what are

his chest, glaring at him. "You're

tell by the glassiness in his eyes and the way he slurred his

wasn't the comforting kind of

had been

celebration, a pre-wedding dinneret