Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Sandra's voice was sharp and unforgiving. "Do we really need to persuade you? If you have any decency left, you should file for divorce yourself! Honestly, you're infuriating me. If I hadn't come back to Riverside City, I wouldn't have even known about all the appalling things you've done. I'm so disappointed in you!"

Her expression was grave, lips pressed into a tight line.

Timothy turned toward his grandfather and his father-in-law. "So you both think I should be the one to initiate the divorce?"

"That's right," Abell and Phelps answered in unison.

"I'm not divorcing her." Timothy didn't even hesitate.

Phelps's main concern was avoiding a public trial and all the ugly details coming out in court. Sandra and Abell, on the other hand, thought Timothy had gone too far and shouldn't drag Jessica along with him any longer; they wanted him to settle this quietly, out of court.

Different motives, but the same desired outcome.

Yet Timothy still refused.

Phelps's voice was urgent. "Do you really not get what you've done? If you refuse to divorce and this ends up in court, who do you think will look bad? The whole city will be laughing at us. That's the least of it-if you push her too far and she actually sues, do you have any idea what the consequences will be?"

Sandra tried a gentler approach. "You haven't treated her well, Timothy. Why keep dragging things out? End it on good terms. We're not unreasonable people-let her decide about custody, it's the least we can do to make up for everything."

"That's out of the question." Timothy hadn't even opened his mouth before Phelps cut in. "Henry is the eldest grandson of the Lawson family. Custody must stay with Timothy."

"If you elders haven't worked this out among yourselves, there's no point talking to me about it right now. I have things to do—I'm heading out."

at the door. "You're not going anywhere. We'll discuss custody later. But the divorce-we need

outside the study, caught

and Lawson families wanted Timothy to

didn't linger by the door, worried the housekeeper might see her and think she was eavesdropping. She

also refused to give up his marriage. After a moment's thought, he said, "Seven years ago, you all tried to interfere when I got married. Now, seven years later, I finally have a complete family and you're still meddling. Do

your own mind. But it's clear there isn't much affection between you and Jessica anymore. Otherwise, you wouldn't have treated her like this. She's determined to

pondered. "What if she changes her mind

and wants to stay, then I won't object," Abell said. "But I really don't

had both spoken privately

glanced at Phelps. "If Jessy decides not to divorce,

that's the

insisting on divorce and dragging everything

you're able to win Jessy back, of course we'd rather

handle this," Timothy said. "I'll sort things out myself. There's no need for anyone else

the more upset the elders became, the harder it would be for them to let it go—and if things got ugly,

managed to

three elders, at