Regretting the Wife He Threw Away

Little Nina froze for a second, then protested with her hands over her face, "Mom, that's not fair! I'm the prettiest little fairy, you can't keep photos of me looking like a clown!"

Briony ruffled her daughter's round head. "Then why don't you hurry up and wipe that messy face of yours?"

Little Nina, never one to let things weigh her down for long, quickly brushed away her tears.

Her little nose and eyes were still red from crying, but her hands were now firmly planted on her hips, her chubby cheeks full of stubborn defiance.

"Mom, I didn't cry!" Little Nina jabbed a finger at little Mario. "It was Mario who was crying! Shame on you, big boy crying and all~"

At that, the little man quickly wiped his face and glared at his sister. "I wasn't crying! You were!"

"You were!" Little Nina shot back, refusing to back down. "You started it!"

"No, I didn't!" Mario frowned.

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

The two siblings squared off, voices rising in a familiar, escalating duet.

They hardly ever fought, so the adults looked on in amusement, not wanting to interrupt, treating it like a lighthearted skit.

The atmosphere was warm and sweet, laughter and bickering mingling in the air.noveldrama

But that gentle, happy moment shattered in an instant, when Briony, without warning, began to bleed from her nose.

Stewart was the first to notice. He reacted immediately, setting the children down and calling out, "Mr. Delaney, Lorna, please take the kids to the car."

As he spoke, Stewart had already pulled out a handkerchief, pressing it gently to Briony's nose.

Briony blinked, dazed for a moment. When she realized what was happening, her first instinct was to look toward her children.

Thankfully, James and Lorna had already ushered them outside.

"Bryn, don't worry. Stay calm. We're heading to the hospital now," Stewart soothed.

Briony nodded. It wasn't the first time this had happened-she'd almost grown used to it.

But Stewart's hands were trembling.

She lifted her own hand and gently patted his. "Stewart, it's okay. Nosebleeds are normal for me..."

"Don't talk right now," Stewart said, his voice tight, eyes rimmed red. "The car's almost here."

Briony nodded again.

James, having settled the kids in the car, ran back over.

"How's Bryn?" he asked, his gaze falling to the handkerchief in Stewart's hand-already soaked through with blood. His face@ent pale. "That's a lot of blood.

"I'll take her to the hospital. Please look after the kids for me, Mr. Delaney."

James no longer felt the old hostility toward Stewart. Right now, Briony was all that mattered.

Past grudges meant nothing in this moment.

He nodded. "I understand. Take care of Bryn, please. Call me when you know what's going on."

"Of course," Stewart replied.

A black Bentley pulled up at the curb, Carl Shaw at the wheel.

Stewart helped Briony into the car, then dialed Cedric Clarke.

Cedric had been waiting, ready for Briony's arrival.

Briony's leukemia was no small matter, and Cedric hadn't dared keep it from Stella Joyner.

Ten minutes later, they reached the emergency entrance of the hospital. Cedric and a team of doctors were already waiting, Stella by their side.

Stewart lifted Briony onto a stretcher.

She was drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to open

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eyes even as Stella called her name, voice trembling with panic.

Only when the doors to the trauma room swung shut did Stella finally break down. She clutched her face, sank to the floor, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Why does it have to be like this? Bryn... why does she always have to suffer so much..."

Stewart stood nearby, his head bowed.

He still held the handkerchief, now stained a deep red, heavy with Briony's blood

in his palm.