Chapter 28/
Chapter 287
Beneath the streetlamp, the man advanced, each step deliberate and unyielding.
Briony stood her ground, refusing to flinch or retreat.
Four years had passed, yet it felt like an entire lifetime had slipped away.
Stewart’s gaze lingered on the woman before him–her expression cool, distant. His eyes flickered with a tangle
of emotions. She was alive.
Just as he’d suspected all along, and honestly, he wasn’t surprised. For the past two years, he’d kept a careful eye on the art world, piecing together enough clues to realize that Leilani was, in fact, Briony. But he’d never made a move to find her.
Because Stewart believed–no, he was certain–that as long as Briony was alive, as long as they weren’t divorced, she would eventually come back to him.
He’d imagined a hundred different ways their reunion could play out. But he never pictured this–standing together in the cemetery where their child was buried.
Stewart stopped, his brow creasing as he looked at Briony. “If you wanted to visit our son, you could have just told me,” he said, his tone clipped and out of place for the moment.
Briony’s lips pressed into a thin line. That was certainly one way to begin.
Cedric Clarke, anxious to keep the peace, hurried forward. “Stewart, let me explain-”
Stewart’s eyes snapped to him. “So you’ve always known where Briony was, and you kept it from me, didn’t you?”
Cedric hesitated, caught off guard.
“Cedric, this is between me and my wife,” Stewart said curtly, pushing him aside. “You’re crossing the line.”
Cedric stumbled back, steadying himself with a sigh. “I know I was wrong to keep it from you, but please, don’t lose your head. Now that you’ve seen each other, just talk it out for once–don’t make things worse!”
But Stewart wasn’t listening.
He fixed his gaze on Briony, his words icy. “You’d rather go to Cedric than come to me. Do you really hate me that much?”
“That’s right. I do hate you,” Briony replied, her voice flat and cold. “If I could choose, I wish it was you buried here instead.” She paused, then added, “And by the way, we’ve been separated for four years. If you still refuse to divorce me peacefully, I’ll file for it in court.”
Stewart stared at her for a long moment before asking quietly, “Is the reason you insist on divorce because of me and Rosita?”
Briony’s frown deepened, but before she could answer, Stewart pressed on, “It’s not what you think with Rosita. That whole thing was just for show–to help her hide-”
“I don’t care what you and she had.” Briony cut him off, her voice sharper than before. “Rosita was responsible for my mother’s death, and she killed my son with her own hands. She’s my enemy. And you–you always took her side. You betrayed me over and over for her. Stewart, to me, you’re no different from her. You’re both my
enemies.”
“I’ll get you answers about Rosita-”
“Oh, really?” Briony interrupted again, her eyes glinting with scorn. “And what’s that going to look like? Suppose
I say I want Rosita ruined, want her to pay for everything she’s done, want her to face justice and end up behind bars–would you do it?”
Stewart’s gaze dropped, his voice low. “That’s not something I can promise you.”
1/2
19:53
Chapter 287
Briony let out a bitter laugh.
She’d never really expected anything from Stewart. Provoking him like this was just her way of making her stance unmistakable.
“Stewart, you’ve never given me what I wanted. So what makes you think you can keep me shackled in this marriage? I’m leaving you. For good.”
With that, Briony brushed past him and strode down the hill.
Stewart’s lashes trembled as he turned and reached out to grab her arm.
“Don’t touch me!” Briony snapped, her anger boiling over as she slapped Stewart hard across the face.
He let go, his eyes burning into hers. “I’ve seen our daughter,” he said quietly,
Briony froze.
A faint, bitter smile curled Stewart’s lips. “Silverlake. Old Town. Little Stars Academy. She’s adorable. And her drawings are incredible.”
“Stewart!” Briony glared at him, her voice trembling with fury. “She’s my daughter. Mine, and mine alone. She has nothing to do with you!”
“If you insist on a divorce,” Stewart replied, his black eyes never leaving hers, “then I’ll fight you for custody.”
Crack-
Briony slapped him again, even harder. “Four years, Stewart, and you’re just as shameless as ever!”
His face turned with the blow, but he only smiled faintly. “I keep my promises.”
Seething, Briony spun on her heel and marched down the hillside.
Cedric hurried over, exasperated. “Why do you keep provoking her? If you really want to save your marriage, why don’t you try acting like a decent human being? And now you’re threatening to take her daughter? You think you can just waltz in and snatch her away? You’re hopeless, Stewart. Absolutely hopeless.”
Stewart pressed his lips together, silent.
Cedric sighed. “Whatever. I’ll go after her.”
By the time Cedric caught up, Briony was already some distance away. He pulled up beside her, rolling down the passenger window. “It’s impossible to get a cab out here,” he called. “Hop in.”
Night had fallen completely. Briony didn’t hesitate–she opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
As she buckled her seatbelt, she said, “Take me to the airport.”
“Sure.”
They drove down the winding road.
After a moment, Briony asked, “How’s Star doing these days?”
Cedric sighed. “She’s still a bit emotional, probably post–birth hormones. Her moods have been all over the place.”
Briony frowned. “Did you take her to see a therapist?”
“We did. The best thing now is just to support her as much as possible. Her parents are with us too, so don’t worry. She’ll bounce back–she’s always been strong.”
Relieved, Briony finally let herself relax.
Stella and Cedric had gotten married late last year. Cedric had sent Briony a photo of their marriage license.
