Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Soon, the rumble of a car engine drifted in from outside.

Jessica emerged from the bathroom, having just brushed her teeth.

Henry was standing in her room, his small face scrunched up in a look of reproach.

She glanced at Henry with indifference, then walked over to the sitting area, poured herself a glass of milk, and opened her laptop to read the script Mr. Smith had sent her.

She acted as though Henry wasn't even there.

Henry couldn't believe it.

He'd come all the way to his mom's room-and she was treating him like thin air!

Fuming, he marched over and slammed the laptop shut.

"Mom, why are you ignoring me?"

Jessica look up, meeting

He had already made it

did you embarrass me at the craft competition? I'm your son! Did you really want me to lose face in front of

can't you be good to me like Miss Sheila? You weren't like this before— what's gotten into you lately? Why are you so

thing-after all these years married to Dad, with me being

it embarrassing to finally

all his pent-up frustration in

longer cared about anything related to Timothy; after all, she and Timothy were now

But Henry was different.

she'd carried for

between her and Timothy. Even if they severed ties, that blood connection would

disappointment. "If you hadn't tried to deceive people, how would you have lost face? A person of integrity, who truly understands gratitude, is admired

speechless by

at last, he couldn't hold it in anymore and shouted, "It's all because you're a mute! If you weren't mute, I wouldn't have let Miss Sheila pretend to be my mom. Have you ever thought about

Smack-

can make a craft about gratitude, but you're ashamed because I can't speak? What right do you have to win any prize, or care about your reputation? You'd rather have a fake mom and win some hollow praise—is