Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Mr. Lawson."

Timothy's voice was cool and detached. "Check the balance on the card I gave to my wife. How much is left?"

"One moment, sir."

A brief silence. Then Secretary Allen spoke up. "Twelve million."

Timothy's brow furrowed. Twelve million wasn't much by his standards. If Jessica wanted to return to a normal life, that sum would be more than enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for the rest of her days.

But she was Timothy's woman. How could she settle for an ordinary life?

"Freeze the card."

His words were cold as ice.

Secretary Allen hesitated, caught off guard, but knew better than to ask questions. "Understood. I'll do it right away."

"And look into what happened at the Wheeler Group."

With that, Timothy ended the call.

He strode across the room to the balcony, his long legs carrying him to the glass doors. He lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly into the night.

Outside, darkness pressed in, thick as velvet.

smoke curl upward, a peculiar emptiness settling over him. This house, this life-so many years of

feeling well

opened her eyes again, she was

and back

that fire, the

had been knotted with fear-afraid Timothy would be hurt, afraid

now, she could still feel the

affairs, from

a shower, only to remember she hadn't

had no choice but to go out and buy some clothes and

happened with the Wheelers. Once she was

two simple outfits, then handed her

cashier slid the card through the reader. Jessica entered her PIN and pressed

Transaction failed.

screen flashed: Card

She'd used this card for seven years. She'd been using it these last few days without a problem-why was it suddenly

card isn't working. Do you

down and typed on

entered her PIN once more. Still, the reader flashed the

bitter little smile tugged at

card belonged to

day, saying there were two hundred thousand dollars on it enough for a shopping spree. Not long after, he'd transferred another two hundred thousand, urging her to

be bored at