Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince knew all too well-getting Timothy thrown in jail wouldn't be easy. Still, the evidence they had would be more than enough for a divorce.

Jessica agreed.

She couldn't speak; she'd been mute since birth. That made her a person with a disability, and when something like this happened, the social services took the matter seriously.

She'd made her wishes clear-she didn't want to blow things up into a public scandal. She just hoped the relevant authorities could help mediate the divorce quietly.

The women's advocacy group also filed an application on her behalf.

After the incident, Jessica hadn't changed her clothes or tried to clean herself up —she'd preserved all the evidence, knowing it would be needed.

She wanted out. The old evidence might have been twisted by Timothy's expensive lawyers, but after last night, even the best attorney in the city couldn't talk their way out of this.

Once everything was in motion, Vince drove Jessica to a hotel.

After settling her in, he went out and bought her several sets of clothes— everything from pajamas to comfortable daywear.

When he returned, Jessica was still in the shower.

Vince took a set of pajamas out of the bag. "Jessy, I'm leaving some clothes for you right outside the bathroom door, okay? You can grab them when you're done."

Jessica knocked the showerhead lightly against the wall, letting him know she'd heard.

Vince quietly shut the bathroom door and walked into the living room, where he texted his assistant to pick up some fresh fruit, pastries, and drinks.

Jessica hadn't eaten breakfast, and it was nearly noon. Given her state, he doubted she'd want to go out for a meal.

Just as he finished texting, a message popped up on his phone. It was from Timothy.

*Where are you?*

Vince's expression hardened. He didn't reply.

Jessica was Timothy's wife. Vince was Timothy's friend. By all logic, he shouldn't be getting involved.

But he couldn't help himself.

Yates Bryant's words from the other day echoed in his mind.

Could it be that he actually... cared about her? Liked her?

He didn't have a name for what he felt.

Every time he saw Timothy ignore or mistreat Jessica, he wanted to call him out. When Jessica talked about divorce, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to help. The last time he learned Timothy had hurt her, he'd been furious.

And this time...

He wanted to kill Timothy.

He didn't know what this meant.

Even when he saw her this morning her torn clothes, exposed skin, long legs-his only instinct was to protect her, to shield her. There was nothing else. fo

Suddenly, he heard the bathroom door crack open-a soft sound, followed by the rustle of a paper bag.

Even now, knowing she was just out of the shower, his thoughts didn't stray for a second.noveldrama

He just wanted her to be safe.

Vince's mind was a tangled mess.

A little while later, Jessica's footsteps sounded in the hallway. He went over and knocked on her door.

She opened it.

He looked at her, voice husky and

gentle. Try to get some rest, Jessel

Don't worry about anything else.

e it all to me, okay?"

Logically, Vince should have been on Timothy's side. But Jessica couldn't explain it-she trusted Vince more than anyone.

Even if Timothy tried to warn her about Vince's "motives," she'd never doubted

him.

Vince urged her, "Go lie down. I'll stay until you're asleep."

After what she'd just been through, he couldn't leave her alone. Jessica had just stretched out on the bed when Vince's phone rang.