Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

"There's nothing left between us," Briony said, her voice as calm and even as ever. "Whether I forgive him or not—it makes no difference to me. If he lives, the child still has a father, and that's all that matters for the child's sake. If he dies, maybe the child will feel the loss, but children grow up. Eventually, they all learn that death comes for everyone."

"Is it because of Rosita that you won't forgive him?" Lorna's tone grew urgent. "Honestly, Stewart didn't care that much about Rosita. Everything he did with her was just for show, nothing more!"

Briony turned and gazed out the window.

Lorna kept pressing on. "It wasn't a coincidence that Rosita went back home. Stewart set the whole thing up-"

"Don't." Briony cut her off, turning to meet Lorna's eyes. "I used to care about Rosita because I loved Stewart. Now I don't love Stewart anymore, so whatever happened between him and Rosita doesn't matter to me."

"But you only divorced because of her, didn't you?"

Briony frowned. "Is that what he told you?"

Lorna shook her head. “Actually, he doesn't really talk about you anymore. The only thing he ever says is that we shouldn't bother you. Coming here today was my own idea, so please don't blame him for it..."

"Lorna," Briony interrupted again, her voice quiet but steady, "did you look into my life?"

Lorna froze, caught off guard. "How... how did you know?"

"The way you look at me now-it's different," Briony replied, a faint smile curling at her lips. "So, you know about me seeing a therapist, too?"

Lorna fell silent.

"Are you pitying me now?" Briony asked.

"That's... not it," Lorna stammered, rubbing her forehead awkwardly. "It's just, I think both you and Stewart have had such a hard time. Neither of you came from a happy family. Seeing what you've both been through, I almost feel like being an orphan isn't so bad. I met my brother at the orphanage. We're not related by blood, but we trust each other more than anyone in the world."

“The wounds from childhood take a lifetime to heal," Briony said quietly. "And if that healing depends on someone else, I don't think it counts as healing at all. What I need is to rescue myself. Stewart should do the same."

Briony never did promise Lorna that she would try to talk sense into Stewart.

As Lorna was about to leave, she hesitated at the door. "If Stewart really does die... would you feel any regret?"

Briony looked at her honestly. "Yes. I would."

Lorna's heart clenched. "Then why not try to help him?"

"You know better than I do-Stewart isn't looking for my advice."

Briony's gaze was gentle, her words drifting out on the warm summer breeze.

"What Stewart really wants," she said softly, "is for me to come back. But I've already moved on. I'm not turning around."

That day, the sky was a cloudless blue, the sun almost blinding overhead.

Briony's calm, unwavering eyes lingered in Lorna's mind long after she'd left.

Lorna realized, with a pang of

that what she'd done today was

foolish she'd nearly tried to

veľ.n

guilt trip a woman who had finally

learned how to save herself.

Thankfully, Briony stood her ground, turning away with quiet strength, untouched

by Lorna's meddling.

In that moment, Lorna's emotions were tangled-a heady mix of

sympathy for Stewart's miserl

peace.

awe at Briony's new sense of

When faced with life and death, some people seek penance, others redemption.

Who can say who's right and who's wrong?noveldrama

All Lorna knew, right then, was that

love could hurt more than anything else in the world. She thought,

maybe she'd be better off never

falling in love at all.

Maybe, it was safest never to love.

On the drive home, James glanced over and asked Briony, "Did Lorna give you a

hard time?"