Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 328

Timothy's eyes darkened; guilt flooded through him as he helped Jessica sit up and quickly fetched her a glass of water so she could rinse her mouth.

He'd gone too far-he could see now that he'd really hurt her.

Taking a clean towel, he dampened it, wrung it out, and gently wiped her face, then carefully smoothed her hair so she looked presentable again.

Finally, his voice raw with regret, he murmured, "We need to go to the hospital."

He reached out to lift her, but Jessica dodged him, turning away and heading for the bathroom. In the kitchen, she quietly mixed a glass of saltwater and rinsed her mouth out on her own.

There was no way she'd go to the hospital with Timothy.

She couldn't let him find out about the cancer. Last night had made it painfully clear-even after everything that happened, he had no intention of letting her go.

He always found a way to drive away anyone who tried to help her.

Bringing her here was the least of what he could do; if she resisted again, she dreaded to think where he might take her next.

She would never let him find out about her illness.

That was her last escape route—her final secret. If he discovered it, she'd lose even that.

She walked back to the bedroom, crawled under the covers, and turned her face to the wall.

beside the bed, and whispered, "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go

move a

know you're upset with me right now-angry, even. But you

sharp: "Why do you think I'm coughing up

pang of shame twisted in

to the hospital with him, they might find out about

had no choice but to pin the

handsome features tightened with

hoarse, he said, "If you really don't want

pointed to her throat and signed, her movements weak: "It hurts.

under

Timothy flinched.

couldn't bring himself to push her

she refused both food and medical help—this

her, he quietly stepped out of the

murmuring into his phone in the

quickly sending Phelps all the documentation she'd prepared for

refuses and keeps haunting me. If your family can't convince him to let me go, I have no choice but to take this evidence to the police. I'm disabled, and the

have time to keep

some lawyer to

of it;

his attorneys would