Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"The press claims they've spotted your mysterious wife..."

Timothy paused, a flicker of something complicated in his sharp eyes.

He was no longer the same Timothy who'd grown up alongside her. Years of navigating the business world had left him more composed, more inscrutable than

ever.

Sheila realized she could no longer read him the way she once did.

After a moment, he finally replied, his voice even. "It doesn't matter."

Sheila blinked, momentarily thrown. Did he really not care at all?

She tried again, gently. "But Jessica is your wife."

"She has the marriage certificate. If that piece of paper can't give her peace of mind, then she's being rather foolish, isn't she?"

Sheila hesitated, thinking it over. "Alright then. I just didn't want her to overthink. That's all I wanted to say. You should get some rest."

"Mm."

Timothy said nothing more, and Sheila quietly left the room.

He lit a cigarette, his gaze falling to the velvet box on the table. Rising, he tucked the box away in his suitcase.

Just then, his phone rang.

to the nightstand and picked it

It was Phelps.

"Grandpa."

house. Why

back on the edge of the bed, phone pressed to his ear. "I took Henry

birthday. Bring Jessica and Henry home, will

"Alright."

had raised Timothy

seven years ago, their bond had always been

sent

are right now-you need

see the message until

years, she'd simply seen him as the stern

from Timothy's. She'd never dared hope the Lawson family would

did her best-showing respect and patience to every member of

once Sheila entered the picture, Phelps' two major emotional outbursts had

she was nothing more than a tool to tie Timothy

old

never capable of holding on to Timothy's

Everything was becoming clearer.