Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"I can write it. Back when the film was looking for a distributor, I already had my eye on it—it's got real breakout potential."

Yates' gaze was sharp and intense. When his eyes met Jessica's, she could feel the heat in them instantly.

She murmured a quiet thank you and looked away.

She knew about the childhood engagement-their families had arranged it long ago. She remembered they'd met as kids, but that was all; the rest was a blank. They hadn't really been in touch over the years. Yates had spoken up for her once at the Zimmerman family's birthday banquet, but that was about it.

To her, Yates was still a near-stranger.

Vince, on the other hand, she'd known for years.

After dinner, the three of them headed for the cinema.

Vince carried the film reel off to the projectionist, while Yates went to the counter and returned with a tub of popcorn and three sodas.

He handed Jessica the popcorn and one of the sodas. "Can't watch a movie without these."

"Thank you."

Another thank you. So polite. So distant.

Yates raised an eyebrow, just a little.

"You really don't remember anything from when we were kids?"

He'd kept silent for two days. It was time to do something he couldn't drag this out any longer.

parents' wishes couldn't be ignored. Neither could

had a really bad fever when I was little. When I woke

tried to fix her memory loss. He never even knew she'd had memories to

want to

Even if those old memories included Timothy, he was in them too. The three of them had played together as children,

maybe there'd be a little more closeness between them now. Maybe she'd remember the

so much over the past seven years; her heart

“Let's just leave it up to fate. Those memories were from so long ago. Even

There wasn't much point.

felt a

He'd have to

let's go.

popcorn and soda in Jessica's hands, shot Yates a look, and snorted inwardly. Stealing

Meanwhile, in Riverside City-

It was still morning.

out of the hospital and headed

The Bryant Group, with major locations in city centers

Starlight Grand Theater, the top cinema chain in

the elevator

When the doors opened and he saw what was happening in

he was using sign language, with a host beside him translating. Four

working hard to promote the film, handing

a trace of