Goodbye, Mr. Regret

A heavy silence settled over the room.

They had been friends since childhood-once inseparable.

As Timothy's emotions spilled over, the sadness in his voice tugged at Vince and Yates, no matter how hard they tried to steel themselves.

After a moment, Timothy sank onto the couch, his tone detached. "Go to the Lawsons. Tell them-everything that happened was my fault. I'll take the blame."

"If you want to take Jessica away, do it. I won't stand in your way anymore."

"Just... leave. I don't want to see either of you right now."

Vince had carried a thousand grievances in his chest, thinking he'd finally let them out when he saw Timothy. But faced with Timothy's withdrawal, it was like punching into a pillow-no resistance, no catharsis.

Timothy was backing down completely, refusing to fight back or even acknowledge their anger. He'd never once raised a hand to them. Even when Herbert Wheeler had come by last time, Timothy just dodged, taking a blow from a pool cue without retaliating.

Especially with Vince and Yates-he simply absorbed every accusation, refusing to argue or defend himself. Yates had even landed a couple of punches just now, and Timothy hadn't said a word.

Vince felt a growing frustration twist inside him. He grabbed Yates by the arm. "Let's go."

Yates looked stricken with guilt. As they stepped out of the villa, he frowned and muttered, "Where's Salome?"

"She's at home. Let's check in at the Lawson mansion first, see what's happening."

They each got into their own cars.

back. The first time he met her, he'd only watched from the sidelines, amused and curious. The second time was at Larkin Zimmerman's birthday dinner-he'd

as a kid he'd snipped off her braid and narrowly escaped a

the resemblance, mentioned it to Vince, even joked about it on social media, knowing Vince was looking for Salome yet somehow, it never clicked that Jessica and Salome were the same

now everything

had known all along that Jessica was Salome, and kept it from

now. They needed to get to the Lawsons. Vince

Lawson mansion in

each other for what,decades? Don't forget, when you hit hard times, it was me who lent you a hand-a hefty loan, too, to help you out. And how did you repay us? How did you treat our Salome? She used to

had warned Larkin in advance, confiding that Jessica was

keep it a secret from the Bryants

line until he could figure

now, both

told Larkin how he planned to

smile. "This is my fault. I honestly didn't know Jessy was Salome. But you have my word, we're family now, and if anything's been done wrong, we'll make it right.

to say. You think a few casual words can wipe away all the hurt our Salome suffered at your hands? Wishful thinking. Salome's too

"That's right," Middleton Bryant

tone

this go. Salome was

years ago.

may have

but to let her

We demand an explanation."