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."

was boiling over. "I want to go

at her, his gaze warm and steady, lingering on her beautiful face. "You must know, Jessy, that if I've brought you here, I don't intend to let you go back so soon. Don't be

were cold as ice. She felt like he'd

marriage, what's

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

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

one else here. If you behave and stay put for a few days, I'll take you home.

"Otherwise what?"

dark and inscrutable. "Otherwise,

crashed

angry. He leaned on his cane and

head bowed,

the kitchen to prepare breakfast again, then disappeared into

to change

out of the

built right on the edge of

sea, the scenery almost

breathtaking, but she couldn't

She

just as Timothy

on an island

signal at all. She didn't even know where

returned to the villa, Timothy was sitting on the terrace overlooking

him, giving him an air

the perfect gentleman, yet everything he did

to him, her heart pounding painfully

imagined she'd say those words to him. She knew she wasn't blameless—she'd chosen him, after all. But now, at the

of smoke. "I know you

if

stand the thought of life without her. Keeping her nearby

and losing every chance