Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 22

"The press claims they've spotted your mysterious wife..."

Timothy paused, a flicker of something complicated in his sharp eyes.

He was no longer the same Timothy who'd grown up alongside her. Years of navigating the business world had left him more composed, more inscrutable than

ever.

Sheila realized she could no longer read him the way she once did.

After a moment, he finally replied, his voice even. "It doesn't matter."

Sheila blinked, momentarily thrown. Did he really not care at all?

She tried again, gently. "But Jessica is your wife."

"She has the marriage certificate. If that piece of paper can't give her peace of mind, then she's being rather foolish, isn't she?"

Sheila hesitated, thinking it over. "Alright then. I just didn't want her to overthink. That's all I wanted to say. You should get some rest."

"Mm."

Timothy said nothing more, and Sheila quietly left the room.

He lit a cigarette, his gaze falling to the velvet box on the table. Rising, he tucked the box away in his suitcase.

then, his phone

the nightstand and

It was Phelps.

"Grandpa."

your family visited the old house. Why don't you come home for the

the edge of the bed, phone pressed to his ear. "I

birthday. Bring Jessica and Henry home, will you? I've

"Alright."

raised Timothy

falling-out seven years ago,

call, Timothy sent a

chicken soup. I don't care where you are right now-you need to

She didn't see the message until

the past seven years, she'd simply seen him as the stern patriarch of a wealthy family. His strictness never

never dared hope

always did her best-showing

major emotional outbursts

his eyes, she was nothing more than a

the old

of holding on to

Everything was becoming clearer.

her seven years ago-it