Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Being the "brother-in-law" was never an easy road.

Forget it. He'd just have to rely on himself.

By the time they reached the hospital, Yates went to collect all sorts of samples. The process dragged on, and it was already late when they finished.

"Vince, let's take Jessy out for dinner tonight-and maybe a walk. She's been cooped up at home for days; it's getting stifling."

"Sure," Vince agreed, thinking it was about time Jessica got some fresh air too. Night fell.

Dawn was breaking in Riverside City.

Timothy opened his eyes and realized he was in a hospital room.

Suddenly, he remembered his phone.

His blood had gotten on Jessy's face he needed to clean it up.

He reached for his phone and only then noticed his upper body was bare-his shirt must've been taken off. Sitting up, he spotted the phone on the bedside table. He grabbed it and lit up the screen.

There, on the screen, was a photo of Jessica. The dried blood had turned black, staining her face in the picture.

He pulled a few tissues from the box, went into the bathroom, and dampened them under the tap. Carefully, he wiped the caked blood from the phone's screen.

Jessica's smiling face emerged again, bright and clear. Timothy's lips curved unconsciously into a faint, wistful smile.

bed, and just lay there,

scrolled through his phone, it hit him: in seven years of marriage, they'd never taken a single picture together. He'd never

vanished from

their marriage license, she'd said she wanted to take wedding photos.

now, his

photo hanging on the wall and, feeling irritated, took it down

she ignored him— wouldn't answer his calls, blocked

been long since she'd first talked about moving out, but even then, he hadn't realized: she wanted to

it started even

out for

was solid. He didn't bother apologizing properly, lost his temper, and dismissed

Now, looking back, he

seven years of stability, that supposedly unbreakable marriage, had been held together by her

as if a power drill were boring straight through his

some pictures

found a

him, her smile

nine-photo grid, and his gaze stopped on the last

group shot-one of the faces looked oddly

that was the director Yates

director was currently doing a press tour with Vince's

name. And

bolt

Jessica had only taken that