Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Yes, it's over between us. Honestly, I wanted it to end six months ago—I just never imagined it would drag on this long."

Seven years of marriage had worn her love for him down to nothing.

She'd spent all those years waiting, never getting so much as a hint of affection in return.

At first, she'd told herself he was just reserved, that he struggled to show his feelings. She put up with everything: no wedding, no public acknowledgment, not even a simple word of reassurance.

But in the end, it wasn't that he was cold by nature he simply didn't love her.

His heart had always belonged to someone else.

He could fill notebook after notebook with Sheila's name, plan her wedding with painstaking care, and even handwrite every invitation for a celebration that would never be hers.

Even those invitations she'd found in the box-Timothy had addressed each one himself.

On them, there was a photo: Timothy and Sheila, cheek to cheek, dressed in their wedding best.

It was only then that she understood why he'd insisted on keeping their marriage a secret.

He'd never wanted a wedding with her; it was all for Sheila.

just how laughable her seven-year

decided. It'll help me

is up, I doubt

a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry. As long as you want nothing to do with him, you can act as if he doesn't exist. Legally, you're still Salome, and he can't do anything about it if he refuses

Jessica's chest eased a little. If she remained Salome, she could cut Timothy out of

to have

you, I have no idea when—or if— I'd ever have gotten out of that

of asking Timothy for a divorce, she'd felt completely powerless. Orphaned, jobless, voiceless, and invisible-she had nostanding at all, and Timothy always

was suffocating under the pressure,

the contempt of the entire Lawson

to lose

notice sooner," Vince said, his voice thick with guilt. "If I had, I would never have let your suffer like this. From now on, I'm here. No one-especially

"Thank you, Vince."

her hair, then patted the back of her hand with quiet affection. "Stop thanking me, Jess.

what I'm

you came back into our lives, Mom's spirits have soared. We're family, and from now on, we'll face everything

of sadness washed over Jessica. She couldn't keep hiding the