Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Mary's penthouse suite occupied the very top floor of the hotel, a sanctuary of privacy and quiet.

At Briony's knock, the door swung open almost immediately.

Mary stood there in a beige dress, her delicate features bare of makeup, lips pale as if the color had drained from them.

"Briony, thank you for coming," Mary's voice trembled on the edge of tears.

Briony, with a woman's intuition, saw right away that Mary was in a bad place.

She stepped inside, and Mary closed the door quietly behind her.

"Briony, can I get you something to drink? There's coffee, tea, juice-"

"Mary, I didn't come here to catch up," Briony interrupted, fixing her with a steady gaze. "Just say what you want to say."

Mary looked at her, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Briony, are you disappointed in me?"

"There's no point asking that now," Briony replied. "Mary, you've fought hard for everything you've achieved. But today, you're willing to gamble your entire career for what you call love. Whether as your boss or as your friend, I can't support that."

"But I love him..." Mary's voice broke as she choked back a sob. "Briony, I can't control myself. When I found out I was carrying Ferdinand's child, I couldn't convince myself it was just an accident. This baby must have come into my life for a reason. I want him-I need him."

Briony felt a headache coming on.

"Mary, if you're sure about keeping the baby, you could've just told me. Instead, you waited until the tabloids exposed it, putting me, Starlight Entertainment, and the whole team on the defensive."

"I'm sorry. I thought I could handle it. I didn't expect to get caught by some paparazzi."noveldrama

Briony rubbed her temples, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Mary, you're being naïve. If you and Ferdinand were genuinely in love, I wouldn't say another word. But this was just a mistake between you-one you even signed a three-year contract over. You know what that is? It's a transaction, plain and simple. What good can come of it for you?"

Mary forced a bitter smile. "I'm not asking for much. I just want a child that belongs to Ferdinand and me."

Briony studied her in silence.

The sharp, ambitious young woman she once knew was gone, lost in the haze of infatuation.

Mary claimed she didn't expect

much, but Brony could see she was still holding out hope for Ferdinand. At the same time, she was afraid of losing everything, which was why she'd arranged this meeting to bargain for an escape route.

But Briony wasn't about to bet on someone who'd lost her grip on reality.

She'd once been willing to help Mary, to give her special opportunities, because she saw a fighter in her a young woman determined to make something of herself.

But the Mary standing before her now was lost.

Someone sinking in quicksand doesn't just drag themselves down; out of desperation, they try to pull down anyone who reaches for them.

Briony understood this all too well-she'd seen a therapist, after all. This was Mary's struggle now, and hers alone.

"Mary, I once loved someone with everything I had-you know how that turned out. So, no, I don't think your decision is a good one. But it's your choice. Now, let's talk about work."

Mary's face froze.

She knew, in that moment, Briony wouldn't give her another chance.

"Briony, thank you. I couldn't have made it this far without you."

Briony said nothing.