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

your sister, but I'm not... Please, don't do this.

breaking my heart."

you are. You're the Salome of the Zimmerman family—I know

do you have a small heart-shaped

Jessica hesitated, then nodded.

phone, scrolling to a

you as a child?"

dilated, staring

Her childhood self,

showed her picture after

Each one was her.

she finally looked up again, she saw a tear clinging to the

eye.

"Are you really my brother? But why don't I remember

grandmother, a

Vince had only heard about the

all, no DNA test had been

long ago he'd already found

have done the DNA test; there

returned to the States,

birthmark.

Timothy know

he did, how

but

DNA test."

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

just called Mr. Zimmerman

always meticulous; if he said

everything clicked

Timothy had acted like a madman, pointing to

her name carved

said he wanted her to carve his name in the

knew about her

you asked Timothy to help look

tell him about the

met at the Red House to talk about

then. A few days later,

Jessica's mind reeled.

So he knew.

he

still threatened

own past outside

her

her back

to tattoo

it—so Vince would

of man had

in love with