Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince climbed into the car. Herbert started the engine, glanced over at him, and

for a long moment, the two men locked eyes in heavy silence. Finally, Herbert

spoke, his voice tinged with a desperate plea. "Can you just... not fight me over

Natalie? I've loved her since we were kids for fifteen years."

"Vince's answer was cold and final. "I'm not the one you're fighting with. It's

Timothy."

"You're saying you don't like her?"

Anyone could see Vince's feelings for her.

"Just drive. We can talk while you're at it."

Herbert pressed the gas, and the car rolled forward.

"Vince's voice was low and steady. "How much do you actually know about

Natalie's childhood?"

"There you go again, asking about her. And you say you don't like her!"

Herbert was clearly annoyed.

Vince's expression darkened. "You claim you've loved her for fifteen years, but

you never did anything about it. You just let her marry Timothy and suffer through

all that-how is that fair to her?"

Herbert's knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, lips pressed so hard they

turned white.

He didn't know.

He never imagined things would turn out like this.

When Jessica filed for divorce, when she talked to Marquis about everything that

happened...

Every time Herbert thought about it, he felt tears sting his eyes-something he'd

never admit, not even to himself.

The girl he wanted to protect most ended up being hurt by Timothy in the worstnoveldrama

ways.

He blamed himself.

Even when he moved away, they kept in touch, but he never told her the truth.

He wanted to wait until he'd found a cure for her mutism, to use that as a

confession of love.

But by the time he came back, it was already too late.

Unspoken love only leads to regret.

Vince paused, then pressed on. "Is she her family's biological daughter?"

Herbert slammed the brakes. "What are you getting at? If she wasn't really their

daughter, do you think her grandmother would have worked herself sick to raise

her?"

"Vince's brow furrowed. "So you're saying she is?"

"Yes, she is. She even has a birthmark-there's no mistake."

""What kind of birthmark?"

"Vince's voice trembled.

Herbert's face grew wary. "I can't tell you that."

That birthmark was in a private place. Back in grade school, she'd once been

bullied, her clothes torn, and Herbert had rushed over when he heard. That was

the only reason he'd ever seen it.

If she weren't really their daughter, and she had that birthmark, her family would

know.

He'd grown up in this town-no one ever said Jessica wasn't their own.

Vince grew impatient. "Come on, Herbert, this is important!"

Herbert released the brake and kept driving. "I'm not telling you."

"Why not?"

Vince was losing it.

""I just can't, and that's final. Don't ask again."

"Herbert!" Vince's frustration boiled over. "Stop the car!"

Vince's outburst made Herbert hit

the brakes again, his own patience

spent. You say you're not my rival,

but you keep digging into Natalie's

past How am I supposed to trust

you?"

Especially since that birthmark was on her chest-there was no way he could tell

Vince that.

Vince pulled out his phone, scrolled through his photos, and shoved it in front of

Herbert's face. "Do you recognize this girl?"

Herbert's pupils shrank in shock. Wasn't that Natalie as a child?

But the girl in the picture was wearing a fancy dress something Natalie's

grandmother could never have afforded.

Most of Natalie's clothes growing up

were simple, picked out by her

elderly grandmother. The prettiest

outfits she ever owned had been

gifts from Herbert's own mother, at

his request.

"Well? Do you recognize her?"

Vince's voice was urgent.

Herbert answered without thinking. "She looks a lot like Natalie, but it can't be her.

She never had clothes that nice."

"Vince's hands shook so badly he nearly dropped the phone. He grabbed Herbert

by the collar, voice frantic. "Tell me what kind of birthmark does she have?"

There was a wild, almost feral look in his eyes.

Herbert shoved him away. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so obsessed

with her birthmark? Have you seen it?"

Herbert was furious now.

Vince's desperation made him anxious was Vince trying to confirm something?

Did something actually happen between Vince and Jessica?

He didn't want to believe it.

He couldn't stand it.

He'd been hurt enough by Timothy he couldn't deal with losing her to Vince as

well.

"Yes, I've seen it," Vince said, his voice suddenly soft, pleading. "That's why I

need to know who she really is. Herbert, I'm begging you please tell me."

Now Vince was the one pleading, his desperation raw and obvious.

Herbert felt himself unraveling.

Just as he'd feared-Vince wanted to confirm Jessica's identity.

No man would ask about a woman's birthmark unless there was something

between them. And Natalie's was in such a private place...

Herbert glared at Vince, his heart twisting painfully, unable to speak.

"The girl in that photo-that's my

little sister: My family has been

searching for her for twenty years.

My mothers fallen from the grief

she's been bedridden for over a

decade... We all miss her so much."

"Vince's eyes turned glassy with tears, his voice trembling. "Herbert, please. Tell

me-what's the birthmark, and where is it?"