Goodbye, Mr. Regret

As soon as she closed the car door, the world's noise vanished.

Jessica Greene stared at the liver cancer diagnosis in her lap, her hazel eyes rimmed red. The paper trembled in her hands, crumpling beneath her grip.

The doctor had told her she'd missed the window for surgery-six months left, at best.

Today was the school's annual parent-child event. Out of the blue, Timothy

Lawson had told her she should come.

Seven years had passed since the day Timothy, once the untouchable darling of high society, became her husband.

In all those years, he'd never once brought her to a public event.

Once upon a time, that invitation would have sent her over the moon.

Even the housekeeper had beamed when she heard the news. "Mrs. Lawson, looks like Mr. Lawson finally wants to make things official!"

No one knew that ever since Jessica discovered his secret, she'd been quietly getting her affairs in order, preparing to leave him.

She hadn't planned to go to the school event at all.

But she couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her son.

She could shut Timothy out of her heart, but she couldn't do the same to Henry- the little boy she'd carried for nine long months.

Arriving at the school, Jessica took a notepad from her purse and wrote a neat line before handing it to the security guard.

Hello, I'm Henry Lawson's mom from Class 1-3. I'm here for the parent-child event -could you please let me in?

had chosen her outfit carefully: a soft, crinkled blouse, hair loosely swept up,

begin with; with a

how kids were. They always wanted their mom to

an

smiled

born mute. Years ago, after a devastating trauma, she'd lost her voice. By now, she

sheet, scanning it before giving Jessica

over.

he thought. Too

"Henry's parents already signed in.

frowned and quickly wrote, Henry is my son. There's no reason for me

her and jabbed a finger at Henry's name.

read the names in the parent

the sneers and sideways glances

today, her chest felt

wasn't the guard's suspicion that

the name scrawled in

trying

once, while tidying Timothy's study, she'd found a slip of

over.

had told her everything she

Sheila's last name was

had insisted

everything finally clicked. Today, Jessica's decision to divorce became

from caring for Henry, she'd poured her

several law firms. But the moment the attorneys heard Timothy's