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."

major procedure; there was a special area for it, not the ER. Timothy's wound wasn't

he stay for an IV, since he'd lost so much blood. The medicine would help the wound

butler's support, he walked out and

fresh shirt. Aside from his pallor and a hint of weakness, he carried himself with the same

improved a lot-he could nearly walk unaided now, only needing the butler's arm

Lawson to get an IV. Let's head to the room," the butler

leave, so she followed

hospital room when a nurse came in

Timothy's IV. The butler followed the

leaving only the two of them in

a long time,

asked, "Did you

"No," Timothy said.

"My ID, then?"

shook his

stared at him. "So how did I

"Helicopter,” he replied.

have no intention of letting

He didn't hesitate. "No."

long before, cutting off any chance she might have

pressed her lips together, exasperated. "Didn't you realize I

"I did."

why didn't you

in silence. For what?

it would

eyes. Her voice was flat. "You can stop trying. I married you because

the first time they

with me

Love at first sight?

the way