Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Herbert forced a bitter smile. "I brought you some breakfast. Eat a little first.”

Jessica gave him a grateful nod, her silent thank you as expressive as any words.

When Herbert got off the plane, he'd stopped to buy breakfast. By the time he reached her, the morning chill had already settled in.

Jessica really was hungry.

As Herbert opened the food container, she glanced at him and asked if he'd eaten. Herbert assured her he'd had something earlier, on his way over.

He'd brought her a hearty soup-the kind Jessica had been craving since yesterday, but hadn't been able to find nearby.

She finished the bowl in one go, not leaving a drop, her hunger plain to see.

Herbert, ever the doctor, knew exactly why. With her sore throat, she'd probably barely eaten anything lately. If she wanted to speak again someday, she had to be careful with what she ate.

She hadn't even contacted him until she was safely in Aetherion.

"Little Mute," he asked gently, "how did you manage to get on the flight to Aetherion?"

Jessica explained-Vince had flown her to Cloverdale by helicopter. And then, after Timothy's sudden car accident, she'd easily caught a flight from there. Even this apartment had been arranged by Vince.

Herbert immediately tensed.

many people were lining up

stay at my place? Vince and Timothy are friends- what

to get away. The

responded with her hands, "I trust

to betray her to Timothy, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to help her

would be settled in court. The hearing was in two

Herbert's fingers trembled.

him for such a

felt like a

The pressure was on.

neighbors. There was nothing more between

earnest. The sooner he could officially be with her, the sooner he could chase away every other man with designs

to the hospital for a checkup, but Jessica

"This won't take long Your vocal cords are the priority looked at

remembered the third morning after everything happened-she'd

while brushing

was from