Goodbye, Mr. Regret

The only effective way forward was to start with Vince.

Vince slid behind the wheel, started the car, and gunned the engine. His heart slammed against his ribs. If Jessica really was Salome...

He shut his eyes, unable to let his thoughts go any further.

If it was true, the pain was unbearable.

He'd been right there, always by her side, yet he'd watched her suffer and when Timothy set that cruel trap-he'd even chosen, just once, to turn his back on her.

Timothy knew Salome too. She'd always depended on him as a child, always wanted to be near him.

Timothy probably knew more about her than anyone.

On top of that, he'd once confided in Timothy about her birthmark—something so intimate, so private. Now, Timothy and Jessica were married. If Jessica was Salome, if she had that birthmark, Timothy would definitely be suspicious.

So, when Timothy claimed he had news about Salome... what if he meant Jessica?

If that was the case-and Timothy used information about Salome to torment them in court, to force Jessica back to The Gilded Whisper Estates-then Timothy's actions were truly unforgivable.

Vince's hands shook as he pulled out his phone and dialed Jessica.

"Hello, Vince?" Her voice trembled through the speaker, and his heart twisted with worry and a tenderness he could barely contain.

"Jessica, where are you?"

"I'm on my way back to my hometown."

"With Herbert?"

"Yeah, he's giving me a ride."

Vince's voice quavered, and Jessica wondered if Timothy's condition was more serious than she'd realized. Why else would Vince sound so shaken?

whenever she remembered the pain

location. I want to come

"Okay."

"I'll hang up now."

him the

he? There was no way he'd just

grew up-maybe he could find some clue, something that would confirm

say anything yet, not without

was Salome, he needed to understand her

sped down

the accident scene and reached The Gilded Whisper Estates in just over twenty minutes; now, they'd only

already merging onto the

of surgery

happened, he expected Jessica and Vince to be

wanted to see

he opened his eyes, only

were all across his back, so he lay face

hurried to the doctor, voice

stable," the doctor

"the

but they've all been treated. Nothing internal, just some new tearing along

body has its limits."

"Thank you, doctor."

Jessica and Vince were gone.

had nothing to do with his

he so much as scraped his knee, Jessica would panic,

to spill over

those

had everything

been hurt several times now, yet she hadn't come to see him