Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Why do you keep pressing about this?"

Vince's irritation was palpable. "Is it because you realize you couldn't keep it hidden and now you want to dig for answers? How do you even have the nerve?"

He still wasn't satisfied, and pressed on, "Did you really think you could keep this a secret? She knows what she looked like as a kid, doesn't she? Even if you manage to hide it for a while, she'll find out sooner or later. So tell me when did you find out?"

"You still haven't answered my question."

Timothy's expression remained unreadable, calm as ever.

"You're always like this. If I don't talk, you won't either, is that it?”

"That's right."

Vince was so angry it made his chest ache.

"Fine, I'll spell it out. It's just—she looks alike. There are plenty of shows about kids separated from their families, lost and found. Jessy does paper-cutting, my grandfather loves paper-cutting, and then she's taken Daisy as her goddaughter. She's got this strange connection to our family."

Timothy wasn't feeling well; his body was weak and his mind wasn't as sharp as usual.

A server brought over their coffees. Timothy took his cup and sipped.

Yates noticed a deep indentation on the first knuckle of Timothy's right index finger, a trace of blood seeping out.

Yates pressed his lips together. Just how tightly had Timothy been clenching his fist?

Timothy drank several mouthfuls of coffee in a row.

the face of it,

was public. Sheila could see everything, and Yates had even commented on a few of

three things together, something felt

reminded her of Jessica's warmth, Vince

never have suspected anything.

there were two key

looking for is

Jessy has a special connection with

been what planted the

Jessica was his biological daughter, confirmed the birthmark, and made a phone call. At that point, even

"Vince, don't you think Sheila was hinting at something with what she

he'd called Sheila to go to the hospital and check on Timothy, they'd chatted a

exactly what had made him suspicious. Frowning, he wondered aloud, "Could

turned to Timothy, his voice anxious, "Tell me, when did you find out? Did you let Sheila in on it too, and just refuse to

at the hospital, when he'd gotten the DNA results, he'd bumped into

had gone off to find her friends. Was there something wrong

up. "I have something

haven't told me when you found out. And when I went to Jessy's place to ask for her childhood photos, she said she couldn't find a single one. Did you

Vince's question

you let him outmaneuver you again. You told him exactly what you wanted to know, but he never gave

slack because he's younger-I thought you knew how

coffee. "From what you were saying, I'd bet Sheila knew exactly what she was doing. She

paused, then said, "Timothy rushed off-do you think

clear he picked up on the possibility that she might.