Regretting the Wife He Threw Away novel Chapter 8

Stewart stood outside the door, his sharply defined features cold and distant. “I’ll be away on business for a few days. Rosita can’t handle him alone, so I’ll have to trouble you to look after him for a bit.”

Briony wasn’t feeling well, and she had no patience for him.

“Fine. When you come back to pick him up, remember to bring the divorce papers.”

With that, she scooped Irwin into her arms and walked straight back to her office.

Stewart lingered at the doorway for a moment, watching her go.

Then he quietly closed the studio door and left.

—

In the break room, Briony set Irwin down and let out a heavy sigh.

“Take your jacket off and get ready for bed.”

Irwin, for once, was perfectly obedient. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her. “Mom, could you hang this up for me? Thank you.”

He always had such sweet manners.

Briony smiled at him, took the jacket, and hung it on the coat rack.

They settled side by side on the bed.

Irwin wrapped his arms around Briony’s, his voice muffled. “Mom, are you mad at me for going to see that woman?”

Briony blinked in surprise, then sighed softly. She hugged him close, her voice gentle. “She’s the mother who gave birth to you. I know it’s a lot to take in, but without her, there wouldn’t be you. So don’t call her ‘that woman,’ okay?”

Irwin’s little knot of anxiety eased at her words.

He’d worried, when Briony hadn’t come home that evening, that she was angry with him for meeting his birth mother and didn’t want him anymore.

But it turned out he’d worried for nothing.

Satisfied, Irwin closed his eyes. “Mom, I’ll always love you. No matter who gave birth to me, you’ll always be my number one.”

Briony felt her heart melt. She stroked his soft cheek.

“I know, sweetheart. And I promise you—whenever you need me, I’ll always be here.”

“You said it!” Irwin yawned. “No lying, okay? If you lie, your nose will get longer!”

Briony couldn’t help but laugh, her irritation slowly fading away.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I’ll never lie to you. Goodnight, honey.”

Irwin’s steady breathing was her only reply.

—

It was winter break, so Irwin didn’t need to go to kindergarten.

The next day, Briony’s studio took on another restoration job—high pay, but a tight deadline.

For the next two days, Irwin spent most of his time at the studio with Briony. Whenever she was busy, Hannah and the other staff took turns watching him.

After two years of tagging along, Irwin was well-known and well-loved around the studio.

By the third day, two in the afternoon, Briony finally finished her restoration work. She stepped out of the lab and headed for her office, texting her best friend, who worked at the OB-GYN clinic.

Briony: [Are you working this afternoon?]