Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica never knew that falling in love with someone could be inherited.

"What? You said Dad went with you? Oh no, why didn't you take me? Why did you leave me at home alone? I want to go too..."

Jessica had just picked up the scissors. The moment she squeezed the handles, she accidentally snipped her own finger.

A bright bead of blood welled up instantly, vivid and red.

She stared at her bleeding fingertip, eyes empty, her mind blank.

She sat there in a daze for several minutes before Henry came over again.

"Mom, Dad wants to talk to you."

Henry switched his smartwatch to speaker mode.

Timothy's low, slightly hoarse voice crackled from the tiny speaker.

"Jessica, Henry wants to come to Aetherion. Book a flight to Marisbright and bring him over. We're getting married, and you still haven't met my grandfather. Take this chance to visit him."

Jessica couldn't respond; the smartwatch didn't allow for it.

If Timothy called her, he'd sometimes tell her to check her messages, then hang up. At other times, he'd say what he needed right then and there-no need for a message, just a command, a notice of what she must do.

as soon as

the screen:

phone

with excitement. "Mom, can you book the tickets now? After we

faint, elegant scent of perfume on his clothes-the same Chanel

morning, which meant Henry had spent the morning cuddled up with

he was a stranger. Six years of motherhood, and she'd been replaced in

she supposed

was still bleeding, exposed in plain sight, but Henry didn't seem to notice

"Mom?"

in confusion. "Can't

she could

held out her injured hand, showing him the bloody

stained her entire

"Mom, it's just your left hand. You can still use

felt her heart go

left Henry and walked