Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Yes."

That's exactly how suffocating it felt.

If they could part on good terms, maybe she'd remember the good in him.

The failure of their marriage-she knew it was the result of her own bad choices. She wasn't about to pin all the blame on him.

But this relentless pressure-this was what she truly hated.

All Jessica wanted was a small slice of life that belonged to her alone, but even that tiny wish, he insisted on denying her.

Jessica Greene looked at him, sorrow weighing in her eyes. "You're not a fool, Timothy. You know exactly what's become of our marriage. There are only a few weeks left-what's the point in dragging this out?"

"Jessy, most marriages fall apart because of cheating, family issues, or lack of communication. Now you want a divorce-shouldn't we at least sit down and talk about what went wrong? If we can fix it, let's fix it. If we can't, then we'll end it. That's how a marriage should be-beginning to end. Why can't we just talk?"

Jessica let out a bitter laugh. "So you do understand."

He knew everything, yet acted as if he didn't know a thing.

"I've been thinking it through, Jessy. I'm sorry. We've been married seven years—I thought everything was normal. If you want to go home tonight, that's fine. But can we please sit down and talk?" Timothy gestured to the chair across from him.

Jessica remained standing. "We're way past the talking stage."

"We still have a few weeks, don't we? How is it too late?"

had left

the woman she'd once been the one full

was because Timothy was so calm that Jessica didn't even want to fight. They barely ever argued. She used to be the quiet one, unable to speak up; now that she finally could, Timothy had become so accommodating

saying is, you actually did have some hope for our marriage

think most people do,"

He stubbed it out, grabbed his cane, and walked

was still devastatingly

just to buy myself thirty more days. Time is slipping away-one week's already gone. I don't want to waste what's left. Can you

her expression wavering between tension and resignation. "Did you lie about the waiting

think there's been a misunderstanding between us. Whatever you think you saw-did you ever try to verify it? There's a saying-even what we see with our own eyes can be wrong. Can we please talk? Tell me the feal reason you need this divorce.

Jessica fell silent.

nothing left

retreat into silence, Timothy pressed on. "If you're leaving me, at least let me

shot back, "Don't you

frowned. "I know some of it. You mean about me and Sheila

settle it all at once. Better to face the whole ugly truth now than to have it

don't see the world the same way-our

be bothered to mention Sheila again. Bringing her

she was long

turned away, unable to

stepped around, blocking her path. "So you're

a chance to explain?"

decided to hand the title of Mrs.