Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy's gaze darkened as he shot Vince a look, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold, mocking smile. "Relax. I'll get you that data as soon as possible."

With that, he started the engine and drove off.

The smile on Vince's face vanished instantly.

He knew exactly what Timothy had meant.

Vince stood at the door for a moment, lost in thought before finally heading back into the house.

Jessica was just about ready to leave. Larkin asked Vince to give her a ride home.

Before Jessica left, Larkin pulled her aside. "Sweetheart, if you ever need anything, you can come to me or to Vince. And think about this: let me make you my goddaughter. If you become part of the Zimmerman family, people will have to show you some respect. No one will dare look down on you."

Larkin, it seemed, still refused to let go of the idea.

But Jessica felt the same as before. She didn't have much time left; she didn't want anyone else getting emotionally involved. Larkin was so earnest that she couldn't bring herself to refuse directly. Instead, she typed a message on her phone and showed it to him: "Larkin, thank you. You've already done so much for me. I'll think about it."

right. It's getting late-go on,

slightly to Larkin, a gesture of respect, then

to her apartment complex, Jessica typed another message on her phone and handed it to Vince: "Mr. Zimmerman, both you and your grandfather have been wonderful to me. But after my divorce from Timothy, I just want to get back to my own life, away from his

his expression earnest. "There's

doctors discovered she had uterine cancer. The only way to save her would have been surgery, but she refused-for the kids' sake. She knew giving birth meant she wouldn't survive. Before she died, she left a lot behind for Timothy and Sallie: diaries, gifts, even video messages, so she could be with them as they grew up. Timothy treasures

leaving the rest

understood what he meant. He thought Timothy must

between her and Timothy was

hadn't known, maybe

typed another message: "There's no way our marriage

steady. "If you're really set on divorce,

replied with a single word:

my attorney to

of the car and waved goodbye. After Vince drove away, she