Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"It's alright, you don't need to look anymore."

"Vince."

Jessica tried to pull away from him. This kind of embrace felt wrong between

them.

But Vince just held her tighter, as if he was terrified she might vanish if he let go.

"Salome..."

Salome?

The name sounded so familiar to Jessica.

It took her a moment, but then she remembered—on that day, stranded on the

island, Timothy had called her by that name.

Jessica stood frozen, confused.

Above her, Vince's voice was rough with guilt, drifting down to her.

"Salome, I'm sorry. Your brother came too late."

"Please forgive me."

"I promise, I'll never let you be hurt again."

Vince pressed his cheek against the top of Jessica's head, but there was no joy in

his face—only endless regret.

He hated himself for his carelessness.

He hated that he hadn't stabbed that knife a little deeper that day.

He gripped Jessica's shoulders and let her go, bending to look into her face. His

right hand traveled down her arm, finding her hand, and suddenly he used it to

strike his own cheek.

"Salome, hit me. Punish this useless brother of yours."

Just as he tried to make her slap him again, Jessica resisted, forcing her hand to

land softly on his face instead.

looked up at Vince, bewildered. "Vince, what are

been searching for your sister, but I'm not... Please, don't do

breaking my heart."

you are. You're the Salome of the

have a small heart-shaped birthmark over

Jessica hesitated, then nodded.

phone, scrolling to a saved photo. "Look,

you as a child?"

pupils dilated, staring at the

her. Her

her

Each one was her.

finally looked up again, she saw

eye.

my brother? But why don't I

I have parents, a grandmother, a home—how could I

about the birthmark from

no DNA test had been done.

had said long ago he'd already found

must have done the DNA test; there was

had returned to the States, he'd told Timothy

birthmark.

know all

he did,

voice was hoarse. "I'm sure it's you, but if

DNA test."

who had been quietly watching, finally spoke. "Jess, I think it's

Mr. Zimmerman a

always meticulous; if he

everything clicked for

a madman, pointing to his own

wanted her

her to carve

about her

"Vince, when you asked Timothy to

tell him about

met at the Red House to talk about it, but things went badly, so

then. A few days later, I

Jessica's mind reeled.

So he knew.

did he find out?

yet still threatened her

own past outside

using her real identity

her back

even wanted her to tattoo over the birthmark

wanted to erase it—so Vince would never find

what kind of man

could she have fallen in