Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 3

Jessica almost laughed at her own question—how ridiculous it was to ask now, when she was already dying. She didn't have the energy to keep pretending anymore.

But Sheila, it appeared, thought Jessica was just being jealous.-

Sheila was Timothy's godmother's adopted daughter, and over the years, the elderly woman had treated her as if she were truly family. Sheila herself had come

to believe she was a real member of the Howard family.

Sheila's smile faded. She stared at Timothy, her voice gentle but accusing. "Timothy, did you not tell Jessica? I'm your aunt."

Jessica was stunned.

So the ever-elegant, impeccably mannered Timothy was a bit more complicated than she'd thought. And apparently, Sheila could understand sign language too.

Timothy answered Sheila in a lazy drawl, "Does it really matter if I told her or not? Don't worry about it. You can stay here tonight."

Jessica's heart plummeted.

With that, Timothy asked Mabel to prepare a guest room.

The atmosphere in the living room turned stiff and awkward.

Sheila scolded Timothy lightly. "Timothy, Jessica is your wife. How can you speak to her like that?"

The dark tension in Timothy's expression eased immediately. He actually listened to Sheila.

Henry, too, frowned. "Mom, Miss Sheila is Dad's aunt, so I'm supposed to call her ‘great-aunt,' but she's so young, it feels weird. That's why I just call her 'Miss Sheila.' She's visiting us, and you're making such a fuss about preparing a room for her? Is it really that hard?"

Jessica felt her heart shatter.

This was the boy she'd carried for nine months and raised with such care. Since she'd come home that afternoon, she'd been thinking about what would happen to Henry after she was gone. She'd been planning for his future, trying to make sure he'd be safe and loved.

But after just one meeting, Henry was already siding with Sheila over her. She realized she was no longer needed-not by her son, not by her husband. Sheila noticed the tension and quickly handed Henry over to Timothy, her tone soft. "Timothy, I'll just stay at a hotel tonight. I'll come by to see Henry tomorrow."

She pulled her suitcase behind her and left without looking back.

immediately burst into tears. "Miss Sheila, please

at Jessica, his dark eyes unreadable. "Jessica, you're

word, he pushed Henry into Jessica's arms. She caught her son

Timothy followed Sheila out.

seven years she'd been married to him, Jessica had never seen Timothy look so worried

a daze when Henry began

him on his feet, only for Henry to shove her away. "Bad Mommy! You

that, he ran off to his room, slamming

her heart had

scene unfold and wanted to comfort Jessica, but in

Jessica walked to

chance to explain, is that it? Maybe this was

the doctor had prescribed that day and slipped it into her bag. As she

married Timothy, every time they had guests or attended a public event, he'd tell her to stay

years, that card had accumulated nearly six and a half

of it was

understood why Timothy, who had insisted on marrying her, seemed so ashamed

so many

loved him too

years, she'd dedicated herself to caring for Henry and keeping

thinking

Now, she had cancer.

left, at

sacrifices-gone to

phone rang,

Timothy's grandfather,

speak, and Phelps rarely reached out to her directly. In the seven years since she'd married into the Lawson family, he'd been more polite to

She answered the call.

"Where's Timothy?"

paused, realizing she couldn't answer. "If he's with you,

Jessica didn't move.

for seven years and given him a son,