Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica stared unblinking, her vision filled with nothing but those bloody marks.

She'd known he was hurt that day, but she hadn't realized there wasn't a single patch of unbroken skin left on his back.

As Zachary stepped out of the house, he found a crowd gathered at the front door. He walked over and saw the stripes of blood covering the entire expanse of Timothy's back.

Sallie's voice trembled as she looked at Jessica. “He's injured. I asked him how it happened, but he wouldn't say. We're twins-I can sense a little of what he's feeling. Besides you, who else could make him get hurt like that?"

The world went black for Jessica. Her body went limp as she fainted, but Vince, his entire focus on Timothy's wounds, didn't notice.

“Salome!” Zachary shouted when he saw Jessica about to collapse, ready to rush forward.

Yates was closest to Jessica. Reacting quickly, he caught her around the waist and pulled her into his arms before she could hit the ground.

Timothy spun around in alarm, catching sight of Jessica in Yates' embrace. Clutching his chest, he tried to go to her, but his legs gave way and he nearly fell.

Sallie and Sandra managed to steady him just in time.

"Quick, to the hospital! Vince, bring the car around!" Zachary's mind raced with panic. His daughter had only just returned-nothing could be allowed to happen to her.

"Jessy..." Timothy called her name softly, forcing himself to take another step.

But Sallie and Sandra held him back.

"Timothy, let them get Jessy to the hospital first," Sandra urged gently.

Vince pulled up to the front, and Yates carried Jessica to the car. Zachary climbed

in with them, and the car sped away from Zimmerman Manor.

Timothy turned to Sallie. "Take me to the hospital."

Given his condition, there was no question he needed medical attention too. The three of them helped him into another car.

Sandra and Sallie sat on either side of Timothy in the back, while the driver took the wheel.

Sandra gripped Timothy's hand tightly; his skin was icy cold. She instructed the driver to turn up the heat.

Sallie sat quietly beside them, wiping away tears.

A family that had once been whole was now in pieces. One by one, each of them wounded, everything unraveling so fast.

Sandra patted Timothy's hand, trying to comfort him. "Timothy, what's done is done. Pushing any further will only destroy what's left-if this keeps up, there'll be no going back with the Zimmerman family. Mrs. Zimmerman has always treated you well. How could you have been so foolish? You knew Jessy was Salome, and you kept it from everyone. Just that alone-it's going to be nearly impossible for the Zimmermans to forgive you."

"I never meant for any of this,"

Timothy murmured. He honest/et

couldn't say how things had gotten so out of control, how their marriage had ended up like this.

Sallie snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "It's all because of Sheila! If she

hadn't come back, would any of this have happened?"noveldrama

Sandra frowned. "What does Sheila have to do with this?"

Sallie shot her a look. "Henry called Sheila 'Mom' in public! I'm guessing it's because Timothy didn't step in soon enough, and Jessy found out. Tell me, what woman could accept that?"

Sandra's face paled immediately. "Timothy, tell me the truth-did that really

happen?"