Goodbye, Mr. Regret

The news was everywhere—no matter where you looked, it was all anyone could talk about.

Timothy and Henry had been spotted out together, and while the world knew Timothy was married, no one had ever figured out who Mrs. Lawson really was.

So when the paparazzi finally managed to snap a major scoop, they wasted no time blasting it across every platform, hungry for clicks and attention.

Timothy was a giant in the business world, always at the center of public conversation.

But when it came to his private life, he was a fortress-no scandals, no gossip, nothing for the tabloids to sink their teeth into.

Everyone was dying to know: what kind of woman would a man like Timothy marry?

Unfortunately, the woman in the photo was mostly blocked by Timothy's tall frame, and the camera had only managed to capture the side of her face—just a glimpse of sleek, jet-black hair.

But even from that, the polished look of her hair alone set off a wildfire of speculation. People were convinced she had to be the heiress of some powerful family.

Jessica hadn't wanted to see or hear anything more about Timothy. But the moment she unlocked her phone, news about him was everywhere she looked.

Maybe the rest of the world didn't recognize the woman beside Timothy, but Jessica knew instantly-it was Sheila.

Nine hundred and ninety million.

Flameheart...

And Henry, personally crowning Sheila with the family's tiara.

All those memories jabbed at Jessica's throat like thorns.

a dying royal house had fallen in love with his

just a jewel; it was a symbol of

Sheila really be

confronted Jessica twice, grave both times, urging her to find

was clear-Phelps knew about them and didn't want

realized any of this until she married into the Lawson family: when Timothy's mother was pregnant with him, she'd been diagnosed

cancer.

birth to Timothy,

the day Timothy was born, his mother died from

his

family ever

didn't even know

from his mother's side of

say for sure if Sheila

was certain of one

a fiery, consuming

divorce, but not a single lawyer was willing

now, with a cancer diagnosis hanging over her, she only had half a life left. Divorce or

she was gone, Timothy would

decided-she would see it through. She didn't want to spend her final six months as Mrs.

from Oakwood, she'd make a trip to Riverside City and

comic convention was in Riverside City,

trending news online, she rushed straight to