Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Larkin didn't know the full truth about what was going on between Timothy and Jessica, but the fact that Timothy was willing to give Jessica his mother's keepsake—and didn't even get mad when Jessica went ahead and sold it-made Larkin suspect Timothy couldn't possibly be completely indifferent to her.

For people of the older generation, divorce wasn't something you rushed into unless things were truly beyond repair. If there was even a glimmer of hope, most would try to smooth things over.

Still, Larkin noticed Jessica didn't seem interested in accepting Timothy's gesture, so he wasn't about to start playing peacemaker in front of both of them.

After all, he was there to support Jessica.

Clearing his throat, Larkin said, "Timothy, Jessy's decided to divorce you. You show up with expensive gifts now, hoping she'll have a change of heart. It's not that simple. Wounds like that don't heal easily, not just because you want them to. Since Jessy doesn't want it, you should take it back for now."

Just then, Timothy's phone rang. It was Sheila Howard.

Timothy answered.

"Timothy, you should have finished dinner at the family house by now, right? Could you spend some time with me this evening? The moon is full tonight. I'm sitting on the terrace at Moonstrand Villas, looking up at the sky, and I can't help but feel a bit lonely-not being able to spend the holiday with my father. If it weren't for what happened seven years ago, the Lawsons would have invited me over tonight. Maybe then I wouldn't feel quite so alone..."

sadness in Sheila's voice. Timothy remembered how cold his family had been toward her

all changed seven years ago because

back then, Timothy felt deeply responsible. Sheila

I'll come over

back into his pocket and glanced at Jessica, his gaze

go to the

pearl necklace was his mother's keepsake. If he was going to give

maybe he could hold her, kiss her, coax her until she softened. Maybe, if the mood was right, they'd end up in bed. Physical intimacy had always helped smooth things over between them, and truth be told, the root of their cold war was that they hadn't had a real moment together in so

time to take her

would have to

slipped the necklace into the pocket

purpose. "Timothy, just a minute ago you wouldn't leave when we asked. Now you're in a hurry

Vince a cool look. "I've got things to