Regretting the Wife He Threw Away novel Chapter 12

The sound of a car drifted in from the driveway.

Stewart was home.

Briony gripped the pregnancy test in her hand as she opened the bathroom door.

Downstairs, Irwin’s excited voice rang out.

“Daddy!”

Briony made her way down the stairs, step by deliberate step.

Irwin stood on the couch, arms stretched wide toward Stewart. “Daddy, pick me up!”

Stewart bent down and scooped Irwin into his arms.

Briony noticed at once that Stewart had changed his clothes.

Then she remembered the three unanswered calls earlier…

The cruel truth was impossible to ignore.

She froze on the last step, her knuckles white around the pregnancy test.

Irwin clung to Stewart’s neck and looked over at Briony. “Mommy, Daddy’s taking me out to play. Do you want to come with us?”

Briony glanced at Irwin, then let her gaze settle on Stewart’s face.

He wasn’t wearing his glasses today. His deep-set eyes betrayed nothing, not a flicker of emotion.

At last, Stewart looked at her, his expression as distant as ever.

“You’ve worked hard these past few days,” he said, his voice low and pleasant—but every word edged with detachment. “I’ll be staying in Northborough for a while. I’ll take care of Irwin.”

He was shutting her out. Completely.

Briony listened, a faint, bitter smile curving her lips, her eyes burning.

It felt ironic.

Ironic that just moments ago, in the bathroom, she’d been overwhelmed with joy at the result she’d seen.