Regretting the Wife He Threw Away novel Chapter 240

Briony pressed her lips together, not in the mood to deal with Stewart right now.

Still, she had to admit—if Stewart hadn’t helped, Stella wouldn’t have been rescued from Garry so quickly.

Stewart stopped right in front of her, dark eyes fixed on her face. “Why aren’t you going in?”

“It doesn’t make any difference if I wait here,” Briony replied quietly.

“Is it because you saw me?”

Briony said nothing.

Stewart didn’t press further, just gave a faint, wry smile. “Stella’s a fighter—she wants to live. You don’t have to worry too much. I’ll get going.”

With that, he stepped past Briony and walked away.

She didn’t acknowledge him, but his words settled her nerves a little.

As long as Stella survived, that was all that mattered.

***

The surgery dragged on until eight that evening.

Finally, the lead surgeon emerged and announced that the operation had been a success.

At the news, Scarlett and Ableson broke down in each other’s arms, weeping with relief.

Cedric Clarke hugged the surgeon, barely able to contain his excitement. He kept thanking him again and again.

Briony, however, kept her distance.

She watched everything from afar, tears slipping down her face in silence.

When Stella was wheeled out, her head was wrapped in thick bandages and an oxygen mask covered her face.

The lively, spirited girl she’d known was now lying quietly and motionless on the hospital bed, almost unrecognizable.

Briony longed to go to her, to reach out and hold her—but she couldn’t bring herself to take a single step forward.

James tried to encourage her. “Why don’t you go see her, just for a moment?”

Briony shook her head. “Scarlett’s already been through enough, I don’t want to upset her any further.”

James let out a sigh. “I can tell you’re blaming yourself. But none of this was your fault.”

Briony didn’t respond.

That night, Stella was transferred to the intensive care unit.

The surgery had gone well, but the surgeon warned that it might be several days before Stella woke up.

Over the next few days, Ableson and Scarlett barely left the hospital. Briony called Cedric Clarke every day to check on Stella’s condition.

Cedric, meanwhile, had resigned from Lockwood Hospital and taken a position at Horizon Health Institute.

Lockwood Hospital had been thrown into chaos after Quentin’s downfall, with the board fighting for control.

Cedric was one of Northborough’s best-known oncologists. He’d only joined Lockwood in the first place because of Stella.

Now, after everything Quentin had done to Stella, there was no way she could return to Lockwood—and Cedric saw no reason to stay, either.

—

The rainy season finally ended. The air turned fresh and dry, and summer warmth crept into Northborough.

On a bright, sunlit morning, Stella finally woke up.

A week had passed since her surgery.