Goodbye, Mr. Regret

It was Herbert.

Jessica had fainted, and Timothy had taken her away-though his attitude was anything but gentle. Worried, Herbert had followed them, never expecting that Timothy would simply abandon Jessica, taking their son and Sheila with him.

Herbert climbed out of his car.

"Little Mute."

Jessica forced a smile and signed, "What are you doing here?"

He took a deep breath, pressed his lips together, and arched an eyebrow. "If you don't want to smile, then don't do it. That smile of yours doesn't suit you at all."

He could see right through her. She was pretending, and he knew it.

Exposed, Jessica's expression faltered. She tried to explain, "It's not what you think, I... he..."

searching desperately for some excuse to defend Timothy. But the

muddled signs. "You don't

"You don't have to keep putting yourself through this. I could

a hand,

and me, but he's really good to me. If you keep coming to see me, you'll only make things worse between us. I love him. I don't really want a divorce. When

why he left me behind just now. I didn't

back, Jessica turned

frozen in midair. The words "Little Mute" almost escaped his lips, but he swallowed them, letting his arm fall limply to his side, his fingers trembling as they curled into

children. No one could fool him-least of all

family, no one to rely on. And now, if she was even pushing him away, how was she supposed to survive on

No matter what it took, he

a cab, not even sure where she could go. But one thing was certain-she wasn't going back

divorce, if no lawyer dared take her case, she'd file on her own. She planned to go