Goodbye, Mr. Regret

He'd always thought she looked delicate, but deep down, she was tough and relentlessly optimistic.

He never imagined she could fall apart like this-crying, helpless, her strength stripped away.

A memory flashed through his mind: a tear-stained little face.

"Timothy, you promised me back when Yates and I were playing house that you'd come and steal me away to be your bride. Why did you lie to me? Sob... Now Yates and I have had our pretend wedding, and I'm his wife. What am I supposed to do? I like you more, Timothy..."

Timothy frowned, closed his eyes, and only after a moment did he open them again.

This was only the second time he'd ever seen a girl break down and sob in front of him.

How did he comfort that little Zimmerman girl back then?

He told her he'd go with her to break off her "marriage" to Yates.

But there was no way he could use the same trick with Jessica. Promise her a divorce? That was impossible.

When Jessica looked up again, her tears were gone. Determined, she signed her words to him, her expression unwavering. "Timothy, no matter what you do, you can't stop me from divorcing you. Don't think freezing my accounts will make me back down. For seven years, I never once told you 'no,' but I have the right to now."

She finished speaking, turned, and reached for the door handle.

Timothy stepped forward and pressed his hand against the door, blocking

his voice rough as he tried to soothe her. "I'll unfreeze your accounts. I'll make it public that you're Mrs. Lawson. As for the divorce, let's put that aside for now. I know you won't really leave me and

time when she

things were different

another six months, she knew she'd end

him at twenty, and the seven best years

only had

heart, that if their marriage slowly improved,

squeeze in a weekend class, teaching kids how

imagined life would

months. That

didn't even have enough

Timothy wouldn't give her

more could she possibly expect

hard, but

she rose up on her toes

couldn't push him away;

into her teeth, biting him with everything she