Goodbye, Mr. Regret

When Jessica opened her eyes again, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.

Startled, she shot upright in bed.

She'd gone to bed early last night, exhausted from the day. How did she end up somewhere else?

She pulled open the curtains. Outside the balcony, the ocean stretched as far as she could see.

Jessica hurried out of the bedroom.

In the open-plan living area of the villa, Timothy was sitting at the dining table.

"Awake?" he asked, calm as ever.

This strange villa made it instantly clear to Jessica: she was almost certainly no longer in Riverside City.

She strode toward Timothy, her gaze icy.

"Where are we?"

"Have some breakfast first," he replied, setting the silverware on the table with practiced elegance.

"Timothy!" Her voice trembled with anger as she glared at him.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. He must have brought her here. There was no way she could have slept all the way from The Gilded Whisper Estates to here without waking up, and now it was morning.

She tried to remember last night. After getting home, she'd only had a glass of water.

So, he must have drugged her.

"What did you put in my water?"

Her health wasn't great to begin with. She couldn't risk strange substances.

Timothy answered without missing a beat, "Just something to help you sleep. Don't worry, it wasn't a sedative. It won't hurt you."

we?" Her frustration was boiling over.

if I've brought you here, I don't intend to let you go back so soon. Don't be angry. You're here now-make the

She felt like

marriage, what's the point

now. I haven't had a real meal in days.

hoping to figure out her location, but there was no signal at

leisurely ladled some soup, his tone lazy and indifferent. "This is a private island. There's no one else here. If you behave and stay put for a

"Otherwise what?"

eyes dark and inscrutable. "Otherwise, I might just keep you here

crashed to the

on his cane and stood. "Someone

appeared, head bowed,

kitchen to prepare breakfast again,

to change

out

right on the edge of

sea, the scenery almost

breathtaking, but she couldn't

She circled

and just as Timothy

on an island escape

signal at all. She didn't even

returned to the villa, Timothy was sitting on

spilled over him, giving

gentleman, yet everything he did

stomped over to him, her heart pounding

She knew she wasn't blameless—she'd chosen him, after all. But now, at the end of

a slow stream of smoke. "I know you

if she

simply couldn't stand the thought of life without her.

her go and losing every chance he