Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Henry was her son-her own flesh and blood. But Timothy wasn't.

And yet, she still reacted this way.

Jessica stared at her reflection in the mirror, biting her lip hard, trying to jolt herself awake. No matter how much she tried to shake it, her deep attachment to him lingered in her subconscious, making her worry about him all over again.

He was always like this-calm and unshakable, whether he was hurt or whether she slapped him across the face. He stood steady as a mountain.

Her mother had left, and Jessica had no one to rely on. Her father had vanished long ago, and he was no support either. Even her grandmother, who had raised her, had passed away. A lifetime of loneliness left her desperate for someone solid to lean on.

Once, Timothy had been that person in her heart. He was her husband, Henry's father-the one who could protect them both. She thought she could count on him. But just as he stood unmovable as a mountain, she found she couldn't lean on him after all.

Inside her, the foundation kept cracking, crumbling.

She collected herself and stepped out of the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe as she gazed at him sleeping deeply. Her eyes were blank, full of disappointment.

The yacht finally reached the dock. An ambulance was already waiting.

The butler helped the medics lift Timothy onto a stretcher.

Studying the signs and the language around her, Jessica realized they were somewhere near Bali.

But she couldn't leave not now. He had brought her here in the middle of the night, and she hadn't seen her bag since. When she woke up, only her phone was on the nightstand.

She had no choice but to follow the ambulance to the hospital.

Timothy had passed out from blood loss. The doctor checked his blood pressure -fortunately, it wasn't critical enough to need a transfusion.

When they stitched up his wound, the pain woke Timothy. He opened his eyes and saw the butler.

"Where's Jessica?" he asked.

"She's waiting outside."

area for it, not the ER. Timothy's wound wasn't large-just

an IV, since he'd lost so much blood. The medicine

butler's

shirt. Aside from his pallor and a hint of weakness, he carried himself

could nearly walk unaided now, only needing the butler's arm

wants Mr. Lawson to get an IV. Let's head to the

couldn't leave, so she

into the hospital room when a nurse came in

and started Timothy's IV. The butler followed

only the two of

long time, neither

asked, "Did

"No," Timothy said.

"My ID, then?"

his head.

stared at him. "So how did I

"Helicopter,” he replied.

no intention of letting me

He didn't hesitate. "No."

cutting off any chance she might have had to

lips together, exasperated. "Didn't you realize

"I did."

didn't

silence.

composed. "Maybe I thought it would

voice was flat. "You can stop trying. I married you because I loved you, but I don't anymore. I

He remembered the first time they met he'd

with me at first sight?" he

Love at first sight?

the way he