Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Phelps's expression darkened.

Sallie, remembering what she'd seen of Jessica earlier that day, couldn't help but frown.

Damn mute girl. Could it be she's seeing someone else on the side?

What an idiot. With a husband like Timothy, she still can't keep herself in line and has to go out looking for trouble.

If Jessica ever dared to cheat on her brother, Sallie would never let her get away with it.

Since it was Phelps's birthday, the entire Lawson family had gathered.

Timothy's father told the housekeeper to take Henry outside to play.

Once Henry had left, he spoke up, face tight with displeasure. "Jessica can't even speak, and marrying Timothy was the luckiest thing that ever happened to her. Yet today, on my birthday, she doesn't even bother to show up? Sounds to me like she doesn't want to be Mrs. Lawson anymore. Timothy, you should just end the marriage."

Naylor Lawson had opposed this marriage from the very beginning.

For some reason, when Timothy heard Naylor refer to Jessica as "mute," the word grated on him.

"Naylor, that's enough," Rebekah, Naylor's wife, chimed in gently. "Jessica is Timothy's choice. There's an old saying-better to break ten deals than to break one marriage. How can you encourage them to get divorced?"

Grandpa's birthday and Jessica's not here. I think Dad's right. She should be grateful to be married to my brother. This is an important family occasion, and she can't even be bothered to show up. She clearly doesn't respect the Lawsons," Nola said with an eye roll, her voice thick with

Rebekah and Naylor's youngest daughter. They

who was

through

with me

on his cane, leading the

Timothy followed closely behind.

as well, slipping outside to

just checked into a hotel room when her phone lit up with

name.

to silent and

Sallie pressed her lips into a thin, angry line. She

a good life, fine. You have half an

with the incoming message. She picked it

was as brittle as

a step up she didn't deserve. Every