Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince crossed his legs and smirked. "So all that talk was for nothing, then."

"You'd better go hand find out exactly why your sister is so set on this divorce. And after that, maybe you

should consider letting her marry me."

Vince shot him a look. "So that's your angle, huh?"

"Unless you want her to end up with Herbert instead?"

Vince raised an eyebrow. "And if she actually likes Herbert, why not?"

Yates chuckled. "Marriage isn't as simple as you make it sound. Both families need to agree, and as far as | know,

Herbert's mother doesn't exactly have much standing. It was only after Mrs. Wheeler passed away that Chairman

Wheeler took over the Wheeler Group and made Herbert's mother his official wife. Even if Herbert were to leave

the Wheeler family, do you really think his parents would approve? A marriage without blessings is doomed to be

unhappy."

Vince felt as if he were being forced into something he wasn't ready for.

"So you're saying you're the better choice?"

"Why not? At the very least, I'd treat her well. Plus, my parents would adore her. They're wonderful people—

they'd dote on Jessy just like your family has. And if she married me, would Timothy dare barge into my house

and try to take her away?"

"You and your ridiculous schemes," Vince shot back. "You make it sound like our family would just let Timothy

waltz in and steal her away."

Vince didn't want Jessy to feel pressured into anything when it cto marriage.

"That's not the point," Yates said, shaking his head. "The problem is, as long as she's single, Timothy still thinks

he has a chance. You saw today-he's not giving up. If you want peace in your family, you're not going to get it as

long as he keeps lingering around."

"You make it all sound so perfect, like you're sknight in shining armor. But you and Timothy, you're both

experts at setting traps. This isn't my decision to make. We'll see what happens."

Vince didn't give Yates a straight answer. He watched him for a moment, then asked, "Weren't you the one who

toldit was wrong to go after a friend's girl? That it would ruin the friendship? What are you doing now?"

Yates arched a brow, visibly annoyed. "Timothy stole my fiancée first. He started this. Why shouldn't | fight fire

with fire?"

"So this is just a vendetta for you?"

"Whether I'm doing this out of spite or for real, | think you know the answer."

Vince fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Let's go. Tto eat."

"Thanks, brother-in-law," Yates teased.

"Don't callthat. | don't like it."

When Vince and Yates got back to the Zimmerman house, Jessica had already gone upstairs to rest.

They ate a light meal downstairs. Vince excused himself and headed to Jessica's room to check on her.

Meanwhile, Zachary and Mrs. Zimmerman realized they still hadn't had a proper conversation with Yates, so they

invited him into the study for tea.

Vince knocked on Jessica's door just as she was lying down.

"Cin," she called.

He entered quietly, sat by her bedside, and looked at her with gentle concern. "Feeling any better?"

"Much better," she said with a small smile.

Vince couldn't help but sigh. "I'm sorry. | should've found you sooner."

Jessica reached out and took his hand. "You have nothing to apologize for.

Meeting you is the happiest thing that's happened to me. Actually, Sheila warnedonce, too."

Vince looked surprised. "What did she say?"

"She toldthat for a man to treat

another woman so well, there's

always a price to pay. If it's not because of love, it's because of something deeper. That stuck with me, so | went

back hand started asking the neighbors about my family. They all told| was my parents’ real daughter.”

"That's why you askedif you were really part of the family?"

Jessica nodded. "Yeah."

Vince let out a long breath. "It's such a shame, all that tlost. |

album to the Gilded Whisper

remember bringing that old net

Estates, wanting to show it to you, and Timothy took it away. He probably knew the truth by then and was afraid

we'd figure it out if we saw the pictures. | bet he took your family album too. Judging by the timing, he must have

known before the divorce trial even started. | can't say exactly when, but it doesn't matter now."

He paused, then continued, "But from this, we can see Sheila was in on it too.

Timothy probably doesn't know she knows, which makes her even more suspicious. Jessy, tellthe truth-was

Sheila the real reason you wanted out of your marriage with Timothy?"

Jessica hesitated, then nodded. "At first, yes. | found a sheet of paper at hcovered in Sheila's name, and a

whole box of things connected to the two of them. That's when realized he'd always had someone else in his

heart. Not long after, he toldto go to the school for a parent-child event, but then he took Sheila instead.

That was the beginning. But then, as you know, he started threateningwith Herbert, and even used you as

leverage. | felt trapped, like | couldn't breathe. He never once thought about how I felt. Our marriage was

nothing like | imagined it would be."

She used to think that if she loved him enough, their marriage would survive

anything.

But a marriage built on one-sided love isn't a marriage at all.

Love needs to go both ways.

She kept pouring her heart out, giving more and more, but eventually, she was left

empty.

"So, you'll never choose him again, will you?"