Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica believed that life should always hold a spark of hope.

She knew she couldn't give up on fighting cancer. It was just like her struggle with aphasia; at first, she'd resigned herself to never speaking again, but then-out of nowhere she'd found a breakthrough.

Maybe there could be a miracle for her cancer, too.

If she could buy herself more time, there were still so many things she wanted to do.

Herbert hadn't expected that Mr. Smith would personally reach out to Jessica.

Naturally, when Jessica decided to go through with it, Herbert was fully supportive.

He was grateful Jessica had told him about it first; otherwise, Mr. Smith might have accidentally let something slip about his own situation.

"That's fine," Herbert said. “I actually need to travel to Aetherion for work soon, so I can take you to see the doctor myself or Mr. Smith could bring you, whichever works."

Later, Herbert checked Jessica's throat, gauging her progress, and reminded her of the essential points for her speech therapy exercises.

Jessica still needed to coordinate her trip with Mr. Smith, so she told Herbert she'd be heading out. Not wanting to hold her up, Herbert asked quickly how she planned to handle the divorce.

that she and Marquis had already reached an understanding. Marquis would take care

didn't keep her any longer and encouraged her to

his

and while Herbert had lived abroad, he'd kept a close eye on the animation industry. He hoped to build connections that might

in the animation world-and Herbert had even

in detail. Mr. Smith was stunned. "You're telling me you and

seven years I spent researching aphasia-don't tell her

shot up. "Are you secretly in love with

a little sheepish. "Did you have to say it

mean, what can I say? We Westerners don't beat around the bush. If you like her, why not go

shadow crossed

has a

after one thing, and lose hold

complicated," Herbert finally said. "Let's talk about it some other time. But

can do that. But you know, she and Tim might be getting divorced. I have to admit, I'm kind of taken with her too. Once