Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Henry's parents are such a perfect pair."

"No kidding-handsome dad, gorgeous mom. No wonder Henry's such a cute kid himself."

"Honestly, that family of three is enough to make anyone jealous."

Scrolling through those comments, Jessica felt nothing anymore. The emotions that once would have stung her heart had faded into numbness. What lingered was only a dull ache for the woman she used to be a woman who gave everything without reservation. Her eyes stung, tears pricking at the corners, threatening to spill over.

A sharp pain twisted in her abdomen, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Mabel, the housekeeper, noticed something was wrong and hurried over. "Ma'am, are you feeling alright? Should I take you to the hospital?"

Jessica shook her head and quickly typed a message on her phone: "I'm fine. I just need to rest for a bit."

"Are you sure?"

Jessica nodded and tried to give a reassuring smile.

She got up, poured herself a glass of water, and slipped into the bedroom. From her bag, she took out the medication the doctor had prescribed for conservative treatment and swallowed a few pills as instructed.

Setting the glass aside, she glanced up at the wedding photo hanging on the wall —a blown-up image from their marriage registration. She had wanted to take proper wedding portraits for their new home, but Timothy had refused, claiming he disliked having his picture taken. If she really wanted a wedding photo, he'd said, she could just enlarge the registration photo. So, after seven years of marriage, that single, formal snapshot was the only photo of them together.

had taken dozens

just didn't want photos with her. For seven years, she'd clung to that fragile, transparent

away this paper-thin illusion

ten when the sound of a car engine drifted in

Mabel called out, "Ma'am,

had no intention of telling Timothy about the cancer. Even if she did, he probably wouldn't care and she had

tailored suit hugged his slender frame, the silvery fabric

tonight. The pale gold blouse flattered her fair skin, and he realized how often he'd missed her gentle

sharp features softened as he regarded her, his gaze steady and inscrutable. His

him, Sheila stepped quietly into

slept soundly, his

had brought Sheila home. Bold

stood frozen in place. Mabel, sensing the tension, didn't dare

It wouldn't be right for me to

The way Sheila spoke-as if she'd

Henry in her arms and turned to Jessica. "Jessica, come take