Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

He sighed. "As long as you're here with me, Daddy won't be sad."

Little Mario stared at Stewart, deep in thought.

All at once, an idea struck him. He turned to Little Nina and announced, "When Daddy's sad, he cries too-but only at night, after everyone's asleep. He sneaks out tears when he thinks nobody can see-mph!"

Stewart quickly covered his son's mouth, looking both helpless and amused. "Alright, that's enough. It's late. No more talking-lie down, both of you. Daddy will read you a bedtime story."

The kids obediently snuggled under their blankets.

Stewart switched off the overhead light, leaving only the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

He picked up the storybook, his deep voice resonating in the quiet room-

"Once upon a time, there was a little field mouse. She was the fastest digger in her whole family..."

Briony emerged from the shower to find several missed video calls on her phone.

She checked the timestamps-right at nine o'clock.

It was already half-past nine now.

She'd spent a while drying her hair after her shower, so time had gotten away from her.

By now, the children were surely asleep.

Briony hesitated, then called Marlene's cell.

to bed at nine sharp. You

letting

"Although, Mr. Wentworth didn't

"What do

in the backyard by himself. I checked the security camera-he's crouched by the fish pond,

with a sigh. "Go stop him before he feeds them to

"Will do!"

hung up and

pond, Stewart was crouched low, mechanically tossing handful after handful

I hadn't come out, these poor koi would

Wentworth,

He realized a third of

I

from his hand. "Ms. Kensington adores those koi. If anything happened to

guilt hit Stewart. "I'm sorry. I'll be

said, half teasing, half warning. "Mr. Delaney said these koi were blessed by a priest at a very famous old abbey.

vent

fortune, and there's only this one batch, if

crease appeared between

perfectly well

over him; he pressed his lips

unsure how to respond.

expression, Marlene

the help