Goodbye, Mr. Regret

But the anger he'd kept bottled up was now beyond his control.

His eyes, rimmed red and brimming with tears, lost all their usual pride. Swallowing his pride as the eldest son of the Zimmerman family, Vince pleaded in a low, desperate voice, "Timothy, please, just tell me. Even if you won't do it for me, do it for my mother-she's bedridden, barely holding on. Please?"

Timothy pressed his lips together, silent.

Vince's heart ached.

So did Timothy's.

But there was no turning back for him now.

"My mother always treated you well, didn't she? Your mom passed away early, and Salome loved having you around. She even asked my mom to treat you as her own son. When you were sick, when you got hurt, my mother took care of you did you forget all of that?"

He hadn't forgotten. Not at all.

That was exactly why Timothy respected Vince, why he tolerated so much.

Still, Timothy said nothing.

He'd already prepared himself for this moment.

This was the only way he could bring Jessica back into his life.

Once everything settled, he would come and confess in person.

But for now, he needed to make their marriage public-everyone had to know that Jessica was his wife.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want a divorce."

Vince saw he was getting nowhere. His anger boiled over.

After twenty years searching for his lost sister, he'd finally found out she was alive -yet Timothy refused to say a word.

It was the kind of hope that hovered just out of reach, so close you could almost touch it, but no matter how hard you tried, it stayed beyond your grasp.

It was suffocating. Maddening.

in his way

the end, Vince couldn't hold

even had his men drag

Timothy never

this kept up, he'd

out of options, rushed into the house, shouting, "Madam! Is Madam

by the commotion. As they hurried out of their rooms, Secretary Allen dashed to Jessica's side.

wild with rage, pinning

I could kill you right now! Are

still refused to

Timothy's head snapped to the side,

and realized that if this

be responsible

raised his

and wrapped her arms tightly around Vince from behind. "No,

so much as prevent a disaster-how would they

froze, his hand suspended

him sharply. "What are you doing?

then coughed up more blood.

with emotion. "Jessy, you... you can

snapped his head around to stare at Jessica-she'd just

stunned. She hadn't just made a sound—she'd

his arms and spun her around. "You really can talk!

Jessica froze, bewildered.

she'd never dared hope she'd recover

this is wonderful! Come on, say 'Grandpa,' let me hear it!"

Timothy, struggling on one

over and gripped Jessica YoYou can talk-the first

arm

say should be mine."

brushed his hand off her arm, then