Goodbye, Mr. Regret

She couldn't help but admire him-how did he manage to act so effortlessly detached, as if nothing could ruffle him?

With a lazy elegance that felt almost flirtatious, he blew a thin stream of smoke toward her face. "Still haven't made up your mind, have you?"

Jessica wanted nothing more than to disentangle herself from him. Frustrated, she made a dismissive gesture. "Whatever's going on between us, we'll handle it ourselves. Just don't take it out on anyone else. If you promise to leave the Wheeler family alone, I'll disappear from your life-out of your sight, out of The Gilded Whisper Estates-right this minute."

Timothy's handsome, gentle expression abruptly darkened. He took a hard drag on his cigarette, exhaling a perfect ring of smoke, then flicked the ash into the car's built-in ashtray, leaning halfway into the car.

Jessica instinctively pressed herself back against the seat.

But Timothy only stubbed out the cigarette properly, refusing to throw it out the window even in anger.

For all his faults, this man never lost his composure or his manners-sometimes it was chilling, how controlled he was.

Only moments ago, he'd been gripping the half-finished cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, looking one second away from flinging it away in fury. But he still hadn't littered.

Instead of withdrawing, he leaned in closer to Jessica, his long fingers tipping her chin up. His voice was icy, edged with something she couldn't name. "You know, not only are you stubborn, you don't even know how to play along."

"Daddy!"

stepped out of

view was suddenly unobstructed; through the windshield, she saw Henry clasping Sheila's hand as

to Timothy was, "Timothy, I asked you to look for Jessica. How'd you get back so fast? Did you find her? How is

"She's faking it. I found her, she's in the car. Let's go. We're

opened the

Henry climbed

dripping with concern. "Jessica, I really don't think you're pretending. Are you okay? You

accepting his betrayal, that nothing he or anyone else

act still cut

thing to your face and

confront Sheila-but

Jessica shoved open the passenger side and stepped

Sheila called after

his eyes and made a face. His mom was being so unreasonable. Miss Sheila was trying to be nice, and she

He was completely exasperated.