Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

"In Westenmar, Stewart told you to take little Mario and go ahead while he stayed behind to negotiate with Garry Ferguson." Lorna paused for a moment, then continued, "Garry has always blamed Stewart for Randolph Driscoll's death. He made Stewart cut off his own finger as penance. Stewart didn't hesitate he just took the knife and sliced off his pinkie. Then Garry, right in front of him, tossed the severed finger to his mastiff."

Briony's brow furrowed slightly.

No wonder there was a time he always wore black gloves.

Lorna went on, "When the wound healed, he had a prosthetic finger made. He wears it every time he goes out; if you don't look closely, you'd never notice. I'm telling you all this because I want you to understand Stewart really loves those two kids."

"I can see that." Briony didn't deny Stewart's devotion. "There aren't many fathers in the world who'd leave their children so much."

Lorna groaned. "Seriously, woman, can you stop being so heartless? I'm talking about feelings and you're calculating dollar signs!"

Briony glanced at the clock and sighed, exasperated. "Can you just get to the point?"

"Alright, alright, you're impossible!" Lorna frowned, letting out a long breath. "You always seem so mild, as if you couldn't hurt a fly, but when you make up your mind, you're colder than anyone."

Briony pressed her lips together and said nothing.

At this point, she no longer felt the need to explain herself to anyone.

Seeing her like this, Lorna knew that even if she laid everything out, Briony was unlikely to help persuade Stewart.

Still, since she was here, she had to at least try.

"Stewart went through some rough things as a kid. Later, he joined the peacekeeping forces. But that mission... what he went through wasn't just the usual horrors of war. Those lunatics-they tortured and killed Randolph right in front of him. Stewart suffered a massive psychological blow. He developed severe PTSD and couldn't return to the battlefield. Before coming back home, he spent six months in trauma therapy with Dr. Riley. Even now, he still has to see Dr. Riley regularly. The medication he's on is specialized—harsher than most, with worse side effects. It dulls his emotions, and with what he went through as a child, he's become... emotionally numb."

Here, Lorna hesitated.noveldrama

The truth was, Stewart's health took a turn for the worse after Briony

stabbed him. His spleen was removed, and his immune system never fully recovered. What had been manageable before suddenly spiraled out of control.

But that was something she'd never admit out loud.

If Stewart ever found out she told, he'd haunt her to the grave.

Lorna carefully chose her next words. "Anyway, Dr. Riley's got a new treatment that's shown some promise, but Stewart's lost all will to fight. He refuses to try."

Briony asked, "What are the chances?"

"Five percent," Lorna admitted. "It's not much, but it's something. Dr. Riley he's my brother-told me that if Stewart cooperates, he's actually pretty hopeful.”

Briony said, "Even if I try to talk him into it, he might not listen."

"How do you know if you don't try?"

"And how am I supposed to try?" Briony looked her in the eye. "Am I supposed to promise him I'll get back together with him if he survives?"

Lorna fell silent.

Briony's lips curled into a faint, almost chilly smile. "Let's be honest, you all know what Stewart wants most right now-my forgiveness, my compromise. But I don't want to give him that."

Lorna frowned. "Are you saying you'll never forgive him? Not even if he dies?"