Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Soon, the rumble of a car engine drifted in from outside.

Jessica emerged from the bathroom, having just brushed her teeth.

Henry was standing in her room, his small face scrunched up in a look of reproach.

She glanced at Henry with indifference, then walked over to the sitting area, poured herself a glass of milk, and opened her laptop to read the script Mr. Smith had sent her.

She acted as though Henry wasn't even there.

Henry couldn't believe it.

He'd come all the way to his mom's room-and she was treating him like thin air!

Fuming, he marched over and slammed the laptop shut.

"Mom, why are you ignoring me?"

Only then did Jessica look up, meeting Henry's furious eyes.

should she pay attention to him? He had already made it clear he didn't want her

your

Miss Sheila? You weren't like this

to Dad, with me being as old

it embarrassing to finally have a

all his pent-up frustration in

about anything related to Timothy; after all, she and Timothy were now just two separate people. Once the marriage ended,

But Henry was different.

child she'd carried for nine months, her own

between her and

A person of integrity, who truly understands gratitude, is admired and

left speechless by her

hold it in anymore and shouted, "It's all because you're a mute! If you weren't mute, I wouldn't have let Miss Sheila pretend to be my mom. Have you ever thought about how

Smack-

You can make a craft about gratitude, but you're ashamed because I can't speak? What right do you have to win any prize, or care about your reputation? You'd rather have a fake mom and win some hollow praise—is that really what you