Goodbye, Mr. Regret

A heavy silence settled over the room.

They had been friends since childhood-once inseparable.

As Timothy's emotions spilled over, the sadness in his voice tugged at Vince and Yates, no matter how hard they tried to steel themselves.

After a moment, Timothy sank onto the couch, his tone detached. "Go to the Lawsons. Tell them-everything that happened was my fault. I'll take the blame."

"If you want to take Jessica away, do it. I won't stand in your way anymore."

"Just... leave. I don't want to see either of you right now."

Vince had carried a thousand grievances in his chest, thinking he'd finally let them out when he saw Timothy. But faced with Timothy's withdrawal, it was like punching into a pillow-no resistance, no catharsis.

Timothy was backing down completely, refusing to fight back or even acknowledge their anger. He'd never once raised a hand to them. Even when Herbert Wheeler had come by last time, Timothy just dodged, taking a blow from a pool cue without retaliating.

Especially with Vince and Yates-he simply absorbed every accusation, refusing to argue or defend himself. Yates had even landed a couple of punches just now, and Timothy hadn't said a word.

Vince felt a growing frustration twist inside him. He grabbed Yates by the arm. "Let's go."

Yates looked stricken with guilt. As they stepped out of the villa, he frowned and muttered, "Where's Salome?"

"She's at home. Let's check in at the Lawson mansion first, see what's happening."

They each got into their own cars.

The second time was at Larkin

braid and narrowly escaped a scolding from

about it on social media, knowing Vince was looking for Salome yet somehow, it never clicked that Jessica and

everything was

had known all along that Jessica was Salome, and kept it from everyone. Yates

on it now. They needed to get to the Lawsons. Vince would explain the rest

reached the Lawson

tense. Larkin was pacing, thumping his cane as he demanded of Phelps, "Phelps, we've known each other for what,decades? Don't forget, when you hit hard times, it was me who lent you a hand-a hefty loan, too, to help you out. And how did you repay us? How did you treat our

had warned Larkin in advance, confiding that Jessica was

him to keep it a secret from the

line until he could

now, both

Larkin how he planned

I honestly didn't know Jessy was Salome. But you have my word, we're family now, and if anything's been done wrong, we'll make it

few casual words can wipe away all the hurt our Salome suffered at your

"That's right," Middleton Bryant

his tone

go. Salome was always meant to

made years

may have gotten

let her suffer this