Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 430

Jessica had grown up and changed so much that Hollis didn't recognize her at first-but she knew him right away.

When her mother jumped to her death, he abandoned her without a second thought.

Now, even after all these years, Jessica still couldn't quite bring herself to call him "Dad." She'd hated him, blamed him, wondered a thousand times why he didn't want her. Her grandmother had worked herself to the bone raising her, and when she passed away, Jessica spent more than three years utterly alone.

Hollis never came back.

But he was still her father. She couldn't just call him by his name. In the end, she managed a quiet, "Dad."

Only then did Hollis snap out of his confusion. "Jessy? Is that really you?"

"You can talk now?" he asked, as if seeing a ghost.

“Yeah, I'm finally better,” she replied softly.

Jessica had something she wanted to say to Hollis alone, so she turned to Vince. "Vince, would you mind waiting for me outside?"

Hollis took a good look at Vince-well-dressed, obviously well-off. His estranged daughter was turning into a beautiful woman, and judging by the parade of men coming to see her, she didn't lack for admirers.

The last man who had come by claimed to be her husband. So who was this one?

a chill down his spine. He turned

officially divorced now just waiting out the cooling-off

who was just

friend," Jessica answered

she'd dreamed that she might see her father again someday. But as she got older, she gave up hope, learned to live as

seeing him now, she felt

why her mother died, or why her father left. But since she was here today, she wanted to ask. "Dad, why did Mom jump?" Hollis's face twisted with discomfort. Timothy knew Jessica wasn't his biological daughter,

ill. She struggled with

in the middle of the night to find herself cradled in her mother's arms-even though she was already six or seven, her mother would still try to breastfeed her. Other times, everything seemed normal. You'd never suspect

as she pressed on. "After Mom died, why did

house, it wasn't enough. I had to disappear. If I'd gone to see you, I'd have dragged you and your grandmother into it. And after

made

daughter?" she demanded. checked. You only went to prison ten years ago. What about the eight or nine years before that? You just disappeared to dodge your debts? You couldn't have sent a single letter? Snuck

dad so much. She'd always hoped that one day, he'd just suddenly show up, take her hand, and come back into

already promised him: as long as he kept quiet, he'd be released early and sent abroad, with a nice sum of money to start

daughter. I just... I met someone else, you know? Got busy with my own life, got distracted.

could a father be so shamelessly irresponsible? In that

past anymore. But I do need a favor."

to tell him about her cancer

I'll see if there's anything I can do to help speed

need," Hollis waved her off quickly. "I've been on good behavior. The warden said I should be released any day now.