Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince raised his glass. "The one in a bad mood has left. I'm in a good mood-why not have a drink? Care to join me?"

He might only be Yates's brother-in-law in name, but the gesture still deserved

some respect.

Yates clinked his glass against Vince's.

Setting his drink down, Vince asked, "Did you mention it to Timothy?"

"I did. He didn't refuse, but he didn't agree, either. Still, he accepted your proposal, which pretty much means he's on board. You're in luck-Timothy's wife showed up at just the right moment tonight. By the way, how do you know her?"

"My old man's got a thing for collecting paper cuttings. To keep him happy, the owner of a framing shop introduced me to Timothy's wife."

"So, you wanted to meet her just to buy her paper cuttings? Even in a place like this?"

Yates swirled the wine in his glass.

"I'd just finished meeting a client and had to see you guys after, so I couldn't get away. She seemed eager to sell, so I asked the framing shop owner to bring her straight here. Honestly, though-let me tell you-her paper cutting skills are something you see maybe once in a century."

Yates chuckled. "Coming from you, that's high praise. You sure you're not just saying that because she's Timothy's wife?"

spent the better part of a year hunting down paper cutting art for him-my eye

Timothy's wife in such a

getting more

of it when Timothy half-carried her into the elevator. She tried

bundled Jessica inside and told Allen to drive them

out the window the entire

say

the car was suffocating; Secretary Allen gripped the steering wheel, feeling like he was sitting on

reached The Gilded Whisper Estates. Once the car was parked, Allen

pushed open the car

got out

Jessica marched straight

his tongue to his cheek, shut the car door, and quickly caught up to her, grabbing her slender wrist as she strode

eyes were cold. She tried to shake him off, but he tightened his grip on her shoulders,

intense. The iciness

come back? Even

came to find me. Even if you hadn't, I wouldn't have come back.