Goodbye, Mr. Regret

The man's voice was low and gentle, and only then did Jessica's trembling begin to ease. The nap she'd taken earlier hadn't done anything to shake off her weakness or exhaustion.

Half-asleep, she slumped into Timothy's arms and drifted off, but even in sleep, a deep furrow remained between her brows.

Timothy, worried she might wake easily, hardly dared to move.

Memories of the night before crept in, and with them came a wave of guilt unlike anything he'd ever felt.

Meanwhile, Vince left The Gilded Whisper Estates and headed straight for the hospital.

Sure enough, Larkin was lying in his hospital bed, but he looked perfectly fine.

"Grandpa, didn't they say you needed emergency care?" Vince asked, bewildered.

Larkin, looking completely serious, replied, "You and Timothy didn't get into a fight, did you?"

Vince frowned. "Grandpa, what's going on?"

Larkin finally explained, "Timothy's assistant called and said you and he got into it over something—asked me to get you to come back so you two wouldn't come to blows. Honestly, look at you. Aren't you both too old to be fighting like kids?" "Grandpa!" Vince was exasperated. "And aren't you too old to fall for such tricks? Do you really think I'm the type to pick a fight with Timothy over nothing?"

As for the trouble at the company, Vince knew Timothy must've had a hand in it, but with his grandfather's health on the line, he hadn't dared to ignore the call. "So you're telling me I got played? What actually happened?"

Larkin just stared at him, confused.

"Look, time's tight. I'll explain everything to you later," Vince said, before rushing out of the hospital. He still needed to stop by the office.

set things in motion, Vince couldn't afford to

had to get his team together

barely left the hospital parking lot when his assistant

Zimmerman, the situation's under

you mean, under control? How did it resolve so suddenly?"

a computer virus-a false alarm. Before our tech guys even started working on it, the problem vanished

the brakes, then pounded his

were high-stakes problems-he'd been forced to

And Jessica?

the gas pedal and sped back toward The Gilded

was shrouded

rang the doorbell for ages before Mabel

"Mr. Zimmerman, good evening."

"Where's Timothy?"

uneasy. "Sir told us aff to turn in for

I honestly don't know if they're still

past her to the main house and

let me get the door," Mabel said,

led him

The place was deserted.

room, knocking and checking each one. But by the end, it was clear—there was no sign

divorce papers Timothy had drafted lay