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 phone

crossed to the nightstand

It was Phelps.

"Grandpa."

been ages since your family visited the old house. Why

the bed, phone pressed to

is my birthday. Bring Jessica and Henry home, will you? I've been craving

"Alright."

had raised

falling-out seven years ago, their

Timothy sent a message to

don't care where you are right

didn't see the message until the next

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

Timothy's. She'd never dared hope

best-showing

Phelps' two major emotional outbursts had made one thing

nothing more than a tool

old man's

of holding on to Timothy's

Everything was becoming clearer.

years ago-it had to be something out of