Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica's hand shook uncontrollably as she gripped the paring knife.noveldrama

The man beside her slept deeply, completely unaware.

She couldn't bring herself to lower the blade.

At sixteen, she'd been accepted by recommendation into Riverside Media Institute, arriving in a city where everything felt unfamiliar.

Though Ines supported her and helped her secure a scholarship, Jessica refused to be a burden. At night, she'd set up a small stall in the park, selling paper-cut art for a bit of money.

One night, business was slow and she stayed out later than usual, only to be cornered by a group of thugs who nearly assaulted her.

She couldn't speak, not even to cry out for help, but Timothy-passing by— noticed something was wrong and intervened.

He chased off the gang and called the police, who soon dragged the troublemakers away.

All these years, she'd never forgotten the way he appeared beneath the streetlight, almost otherworldly, bringing with him a kind of awe she'd never known.

At the peak of her despair, when she'd nearly given up on life, Timothy had given her a reason to hope again.

He'd wrapped her trembling, filthy body in his suit jacket and personally walked her back to campus.

From that night on, he'd lived in her heart.

Later, she'd seen him on TV. At just eighteen, he'd already graduated college and become a rising star in the business world-the heir to The Lawson Group, with patents and accolades to his name.

To Jessica, he was someone she could never reach.

And yet, she'd fallen helplessly in love with him, quietly following every bit of news about him.

His brilliance, his talent, and his striking good looks drew her in deeper with every passing year.

She never dared dream she and Timothy would ever cross paths again, but life has a way of throwing the unexpected at you.

Seven years of marriage, and he'd always been so distant. Still, she believed he was different from everyone else.

A man of his stature, proud and aloof, who made every second count in pursuit of success-yet he'd noticed a terrified girl being bullied on the street and had the kindness to step in, even escorting her safely back to school afterward.

She'd always believed he had a good heart.

But last night, he'd done what those thugs, twelve years ago, had failed to do.

How was she supposed to go on living after that?

All she wanted was to leave him, to give his wife's place to the woman he truly loved.

She only wanted a divorce-such a small wish-yet he refused to grant it.

How had it come to this?

For a moment, Jessica really did want to drive that knife into his heart.

But she couldn't do it.

She couldn't even bring herself to kill a fish, let alone stab a person.

Holding back the pain that felt like it was tearing her heart to pieces, she choked back a sob and withdrew the knife from where it nearly touched his chest.

She despised her own weakness.

mind if she couldn't kill him,

23 thought even crossed her

should end her own life inste

But why should she punish herself for someone else's crime? Hadn't she suffered enough?

It had taken every bit of strength to convince herself not to give up hope. Now, finally, she'd found a chance to be free, a chance to find her voice again. She wasn't going to let it slip away.

The paring knife slipped from her hand and clattered onto the floor, the sharp sound failing to wake Timothy.

Jessica picked up her phone and typed a message to Lawyer Marquis.

Marquis, come to my apartment and collect the evidence. This is enough for me to finally divorce him.

After she hit send, Jessica felt utterly drained, collapsing onto the floor in exhaustion.

Marquis, sensing the gravity of the evidence Jessica mentioned, immediately went to find Vince.

When Vince saw the message, his face went ghostly pale. Just that single line was enough for him to guess what had happened.