Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Herbert gazed at Jessica, his expression uncertain. Was she only thanking him because she wanted to reconcile with Timothy?

"Jess, I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Can you explain it a little more?" he asked gently.

Jessica looked down, her voice soft but steady. "What I mean is, I'm about to divorce him. If I suddenly owed him my life, and something happened to him, I'd feel trapped by that debt. Now that he's safe, I can leave him with a clear conscience."

She patiently laid her feelings bare.

"So you're really set on divorcing him?" Herbert asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I've made up my mind. I don't want to waste another seven years, Herbert..."

This morning, he'd been busy saving Timothy. She hadn't even found a moment to talk to him properly.

She had given seven years of her life to Timothy. She knew too well what it meant to pin all your hopes on someone for that long.

Jessica had sacrificed seven years for Timothy. Herbert, too, had spent seven years—for her—trying to cure her muteness.

formed in Jessica's throat, and her nose turned pink. "You're such a fool. I never realized there could be someone in this world just as foolish as me.

yourself...

were kids, you wrote in your essay that you wanted to be a police officer when you grew up. To fight for justice,

you give up on your

you

lived

gave it up. She stayed home, became his wife, bore his child, tended to

his feelings hidden until after

made up to get through the assignment..." Herbert murmured, his gaze faltering under

this point, if he didn't tell the truth, he'd regret it for the

wanted

I wanted to be a

slipped down, silent and

bound to her by blood-who loved her