Regretting the Wife He Threw Away novel Chapter 318

Briony nodded, her voice soft. "I just need a moment. I'll be right in."

Ferdinand could more or less guess this had something to do with Stewart. But he didn't pry; this was Briony's private business, and if she needed to talk, she would. Since she didn't, he simply respected her wishes and left it alone.

Once he was sure she was all right, Ferdinand headed back inside, leaving Briony outside to collect herself.

Five minutes later, Briony pushed open the glass door and stepped into the living room.

On the couch, Julia was clutching Little Nina, smothering her with kisses. The little girl, trapped in her grandmother's enthusiastic embrace, wore an expression of pure resignation—her bright eyes silently pleading for rescue.

When she spotted her mother, Little Nina blinked twice.

Watching them, Briony suddenly remembered a meme she'd seen online: "If you're being held against your will, blink twice." She couldn't help but laugh.

"Mom, you're laughing!" Little Nina protested, frowning. "Come save me! Grandma's hugging me so tight I can barely breathe!"

You couldn't really blame Julia for her outpouring of affection—Little Nina was the spitting image of Briony at that age.

In her confused state, Julia took one look at Little Nina and immediately decided she was her own 'Bryn'.

"My Bryn! My sweet Bryn!" Julia cooed, refusing to let go, repeating the name between kisses.

Little Nina, mature beyond her years, didn't struggle or complain. Instead, she just looked imploringly at Briony, her brow furrowed as if to say, "A little help here?"

Briony sat down beside her mother, speaking gently. "Mom, could you loosen up a little? You're squeezing Little Nina too hard—she's uncomfortable."

Julia shook her head, clutching Little Nina tighter. "Bryn… She's mine… My Bryn…"

Apparently, she thought Briony was trying to steal the child from her. She fixed Briony with a suspicious glare.

Gina, watching the scene unfold, shook her head in disbelief. "Well, that's a new one. Now there's a little Bryn—she doesn't even recognize the grown-up version anymore!"

Briony felt helpless. She could only prompt Little Nina to try reasoning with her grandmother.

Little Nina was smart. With just a nudge from Briony, she caught on immediately.

"I can't breathe!" Little Nina cried out dramatically. "Help, I'm suffocating—"

Julia froze.

Briony gave her mother a gentle reminder, "Mom, you're holding her too tightly. She's not comfortable."

Julia looked down at the child in her arms.

Little Nina, ever the actress, squeezed out a couple of tears. "You're hurting me!"

Julia panicked, releasing her at once and fumbling to wipe away her tears with the edge of her sleeve. "Don't cry, Bryn, don't cry…"

Little Nina's face was red from all the rubbing, but she managed to keep her composure.

Briony watched, torn between sympathy for her daughter and the absurdity of the scene.

In the end, it was a cartoon on TV that saved Little Nina.

With an episode of "Bear & Woody" playing on the screen, Little Nina and Julia sat side by side, big and small, utterly absorbed.

Briony and Ferdinand stepped out onto the balcony to talk.