Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Did someone just send her a Christmas Eve gift?

Herbert.

It had to be him. Again.

Timothy grabbed his phone and called Secretary Allen.

"Go buy 999 gift-wrapped apples and have them delivered to The Gilded Whisper Estates. And arrange for a Christmas tree."

He hung up before Allen could respond.

Timothy picked up the apple sitting on the vanity, meaning to toss it into the trash -but after a moment's hesitation, he set it back down. The last time he'd pretended to throw away that necklace Herbert gave her, she'd been furious. Why was he getting so worked up over an apple anyway?

Was she out to dinner with Herbert again tonight?

Agitated, Timothy pulled out his phone and dialed Jessica.

Meanwhile, Jessica had already bought the gold-plated cutlery and bowls. Carlisle and his crew-five key members in all-were present to witness her officially naming Daisy as her goddaughter.

Just as her phone buzzed with Timothy's call, Jessica glanced at the screen and muted it, choosing not to answer.

Vince beamed at her. "Hey, why don't I take a photo of you and Daisy to commemorate the occasion?"

"Great idea,” Jessica replied.

a few

bought a bunch, and now everyone was holding one, grinning for the

every social media platform. Vince had picked this date for a reason; now, movie teasers were flooding the internet, and there was even a promotion on Christmas Day, theaters in every city would

the campaign, Vince switched on the big screen in their private room. The film channel was running their trailer

in time to catch the start: the screen exploded in a wash of deep-blue waves, only to fade quickly to black. Over the sound of surging tides, words appeared,

cord becomes a message in a bottle, can you

The umbilical cord snaked from his abdomen, twisting into a fragile glass bottle. Somewhere, a mother's agonized cries in the throes of childbirth

splitting the night as a storm raged outside.

...

eyes glued to the

up without a mother, in the film, the boy's mother had

into a brilliant starry sky. The deaf boy tipped his head back, and in the silence, it was as if he could see that the stars above

read: "Let the umbilical

cord emerged from the

message: *Message in a

every beat of the script, but seeing the trailer,

Carlisle and the

were

at their eyes. This movie was

was finally about

reach the world.