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?"

fooled by just anything. I've spent the better part of

mulled it over. Why was Timothy's

were getting more interesting by the

when Timothy half-carried her into the elevator. She tried to wriggle free,

Secretary Allen hurried over to open the door. Timothy bundled Jessica inside and told Allen to

out the

didn't say a

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

Estates. Once the car was parked,

pushed open the

out

heading inside, Jessica

and quickly caught up to her, grabbing her slender wrist as she strode

but he tightened his grip on her shoulders, refusing to let her

intense. The iciness in

I didn't come to find you, would you really never have come back? Even

them, Jessica raised her hand. "You came to find me. Even if you