Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 56

The house felt cold and empty.

At least Mabel greeted them, stepping forward to take Timothy's coat and bag, hanging them up with practiced care.

Timothy frowned slightly.

"Where's my wife?"

"She's upstairs, in her room."

His brow furrowed deeper. "Has she eaten?"

"Mrs. Carter said she wasn't hungry..."

Timothy didn't hesitate. He went straight upstairs and opened the bedroom door. Jessica sat at her desk, a pair of scissors in hand, focused on cutting out delicate patterns from a piece of paper.

He walked over. Jessica didn't even look up at the sound of his footsteps.

Leaning against the desk, Timothy gazed down at her. "So, you're not making dinner, and you're not eating either?"

snipping the paper,

slow burn of frustration flared in Timothy's chest. Lately, everything felt

dropped, shadowed with

she set the scissors down, picked up a stack of papers from beside her, and handed them to him.

sharp as a slap. Jessica had already

in his fist and

"You'd throw away a perfectly good life. What exactly is it

replied in sign language, her movements sharp. *What is a 'perfectly good

smile and continued, her hands steady. *Tell me, Timothy. Is a 'good life' a husband who's always away on business, who brings another

once hung, her hands still moving.

her eyes to the empty space on

his head, meeting Jessica's cool, clear

moment, a faint smile curved Timothy's

caught off guard. Just moments ago, she'd been ready for a fight, expecting their argument to end with him storming

But she recovered quickly.

subject,* she signed, her gestures

then spoke, his voice gentler than before. "I'm the one who took down the photo. You wanted proper wedding pictures, didn't you? I'll arrange it.