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?

But whenever she remembered

your location. I want to come see

"Okay."

"I'll hang up now."

him

wouldn't he? There was

needed to see where Jessica grew up-maybe he could find some clue, something that would confirm

not without proof.

needed to understand her

car sped down

in just over twenty minutes; now, they'd only been on the road for

was already merging onto the

of surgery and slowly

expected Jessica

wanted to

he opened his eyes, only

so he lay face

to the doctor, voice tight with

stable," the

"the

burns on his back and several smaller wounds, but they've all been treated. Nothing internal, just some new tearing

body has its limits."

"Thank you, doctor."

and Vince

that gripped him had

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

spill over

remember those days,

had everything

now, yet she