Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Daisy tore open the first gift bag, her eyes going wide with excitement. "Wow, it's a platinum gift card for Wonderland Park!"

Jessica knew Timothy had arranged this for Daisy.

Clutching the card, Daisy grinned and announced, "Godmom, Santa Claus is so good to me! I get to go to the amusement park today!"

She reached for the second bag. "Goddess, this one's for you to open."

Jessica untied the ribbon and peeked inside. It was the Royal Pearl Necklace- Timothy's birthday gift to her, the one that had been broken when Sheila dropped

it.

But now, it looked different.

Ten of the pearls had been set with delicate emeralds, arranged from smallest to largest, giving the necklace a modern, elegant flair.

Jessica realized Timothy must have had the damaged pearls repaired after the accident at the hospital. This necklace had belonged to his mother—a family heirloom-and yet, he insisted on giving it to her again.

"Godmom, Santa really knows how to pick gifts. That necklace is so beautiful," Daisy said with awe.

If it had been anything else, Jessica might have accepted it without a second thought. But this necklace was different; it was his mother's. Accepting it would mean something more.

"It is beautiful," she agreed softly.

But she didn't want it—not like this. So Jessica carefully placed the necklace back in its bag and set it on her vanity.

"There's one last bag," Daisy chirped.

"Let's leave that one for now. Why don't we get

mention of rides and games, Daisy forgot all about

a dress for Daisy-a lovely princess gown

her hair into neat curls, finishing the look with a touch of her own lipstick-a tiny beauty mark in the center of Daisy's

to be the prettiest princess in the whole park," Jessica

her reflection, her face

nothing quite like having

in the living room, eyeing each

as he took in Daisy's transformation. He'd never really noticed before, but now, looking closely, he realized just how much Daisy

It was...dangerous.

social media, noting the likeness between Daisy and Jessica. The

"You know, Daisy really looks like you. If no one said otherwise, people would think you two are actually mother and

piped up, "Goddess, do you need a daughter? If you're short one, we can just drop the 'god' part and I'll be

and she wanted one so badly. Last night, snuggled up with Jessica, listening to a bedtime story, she'd felt almost

the Zimmerman family. If you moved to the Lawsons, your great-grandfather would

daughter, they'd

but Vince just grinned. "Don't worry about that, Timothy. If Jessy

down, cupping Daisy's cheek. "Godmom has to travel abroad soon. Once everything's settled and I'm stable, I'll give you

but her own life

nodded. "Okay. I'll wait for

called them

Vince to join them. But Jessica smiled and said, "Vince, there's a great breakfast

good! I love their crystal rolls. They're famous