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.

his

the nightstand

It was Phelps.

"Grandpa."

family visited the old house. Why don't

back on the edge of the bed, phone pressed

day of the holiday is my birthday. Bring Jessica and Henry home, will you? I've

"Alright."

had raised Timothy

that one falling-out seven years ago, their

the call, Timothy sent a message

I don't care where you are right now-you need to be back at The Gilded Whisper

asleep. She didn't see the message until the next morning.

seven years, she'd simply seen him as the stern patriarch of a wealthy family. His strictness

worlds apart from Timothy's. She'd never dared hope the Lawson family

as Mrs. Lawson, she always did her best-showing respect and patience to every

the picture, Phelps' two major

nothing more than a tool to tie Timothy

old man's plans

was never capable of holding on

Everything was becoming clearer.

had prompted Timothy to marry her seven years ago-it