Chapter 12
The sound of a car drifted in from the driveway.
Stewart was home.
Briony gripped the pregnancy test in her hand as she opened the bathroom door.
Downstairs, Irwin’s excited voice rang out.
“Daddy!”
Briony made her way down the stairs, step by deliberate step.
Irwin stood on the couch, arms stretched wide toward Stewart. “Daddy, pick me up!”
Stewart bent down and scooped Irwin into his arms.
Briony noticed at once that Stewart had changed his clothes,
Then she remembered the three unanswered calls earlier…
The cruel truth was impossible to ignore.
She froze on the last step, her knuckles white around the pregnancy test.
Irwin clung to Stewart’s neck and looked over at Briony, “Mommy, Daddy’s taking me out to play. Do you want to come with us?”
Briony glanced at Irwin, then let her gaze settle on Stewart’s face,
He wasn’t wearing his glasses today. His deep–set eyes betrayed nothing, not a flicker of emotion.
At last, Stewart looked at her, his expression as distant as ever.
“You’ve worked hard these past few days,” he said, his voice low and pleasant–but every word edged with detachment. “I’ll be staying in Northborough for a while. I’ll take care of Irwin.”
He was shutting her out. Completely.
Briony listened, a faint, bitter smile curving her lips, her eyes burning.
It felt ironic.
Ironic that just moments ago, in the bathroom, she’d been overwhelmed with joy at the result she’d seen.
Irwin grew anxious as Briony said nothing.
He remembered her mentioning errands at the café earlier; he’d only asked if she wanted to come because he was sure she’d say no.
But what if she agreed? Then what would he do?
He was supposed to go find Mommy with Daddy!
“Mom?” Irwin called, his voice small and tentative.
Briony’s gaze shifted, meeting Irwin’s worried eyes.
Her mind was a mess–she couldn’t even begin to untangle the look in her son’s eyes. She just answered softly, “Mommy’s staying home. Go have fun with Daddy, sweetheart.”
She knew, deep down, Stewart was probably taking Irwin to see Rosita. But suddenly, she found she just didn’t care anymore.
Irwin let out a sigh of relief.
“Then you rest up, Mommy!” he chirped, then turned eagerly to Stewart. “Daddy, can we go now?”
15:40)
Chapter 12
Stewart nodded, barely glancing at Briony, and turned with Irwin in his arms. As he passed the coffee table, something caught his eye–the divorce papers.
Except the word “divorce” was half–hidden beneath one of Irwin’s toys.
Stewart stopped short.
Briony had been watching him the whole time, so when his gaze fell on those papers, she felt her breath catch. She’d always known Stewart would eventually ask for a divorce, but she’d never imagined the papers would be handed to her by Stewart’s lover–Irwin’s birth mother.
Until today, Briony had believed that even if there was no love left between her and Stewart, at least they still respected each other as partners.
She never imagined that, after pouring her heart and soul into this marriage, she’d learn it was all a carefully orchestrated lie–for the sake of Stewart’s true love.
To protect the woman he cherished most, Stewart had been willing to gamble his marriage, trapping Briony in a prison of vows. He watched her play the fool, giving everything she had for the child she thought was theirs.
Five years–did Stewart never once feel guilty?
Briony remembered that moment when Rosita handed her the divorce papers. Anger and heartbreak surged inside her all over again.
Meanwhile, Stewart just stood there, staring down at the papers.
Chapter 13
