Goodbye, Mr. Regret

The front desk clerk thought for a moment and said, "Don't panic just yet. We had another guest in a similar situation before. Turned out, a large transfer suddenly hit his account, triggering the bank's security system. With all the online scams and illegal gambling nowadays, banks are strict about big money coming in or out. Maybe something like that happened to you? If so, you just need to go sort it out with your bank."

Yesterday, after selling her necklace and brooch, Jessica had received three million dollars wired into her account by the owner of a luxury resale boutique. This must be exactly what the clerk was talking about. She thanked him for the advice.

Fortunately, she'd left a deposit when checking in, so the front desk was able to switch her to a "stay now, pay later" arrangement for three more days.

With the hotel situation handled, Jessica decided she'd head to the bank first to resolve her account, then visit the courthouse for legal advice.

She had no access to her bank card and no cash on hand. The bank was nearby just a short walk-but the courthouse was too far to reach on foot.

At the bank, Jessica finally learned the truth: her bank account had been frozen by court order.

Timothy.

Was he really trying to drive her into a corner?

Thank God, the boutique owner had given her a check yesterday as well.

Jessica took out the check, ready to cash it.

She wasn't going to let Timothy force her hand like this.

But at the counter, the teller looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, ma'am. During your divorce proceedings, your husband applied to freeze joint marital assets, claiming you were moving funds out of the marriage. He provided proof of the six million you received from selling jewelry. That means we can't cash this check for you either."

Jessica felt her mind go blank.

Timothy wasn't leaving her any way out.

How ironic.

He always claimed she wouldn't survive without him-and now, this was how he intended to make it true? By cutting off every path forward?

So, the jewelry he gave her was only ever hers to wear, never truly hers to keep.

That brooch he'd supposedly picked out just for her-what a cruel joke, in hindsight.

Jessica stumbled out of the bank, dazed.

Ever since she found that sheet of paper scrawled with Sheila's name, she'd imagined what it would be like to divorce Timothy.

But she'd never imagined it would be like this.

He'd never been stingy with money before-but his generosity had always stopped at the gates of The Gilded Whisper Estates. The moment she stepped outside, he could become so tight-fisted he wouldn't spare her a single cent.

All these years, she'd loved a man who was, in the end, this cold and heartless.

Did he really need to force her into such dire straits?

The more he tried to crush her, the less she would yield.

She would never compromise with him again.

So what if she only had a few months left to live? She'd rather spend them far away from him.

Back at the hotel, Jessica checked out.

She'd left a thousand-dollar deposit at check-in. The front desk handed it back to her.

She stared numbly at the bills in her hand.noveldrama

Seven years of marriage. In the end, all she had to her name was a thousand dollars.

A short distance away, Timothy sat in his car, eyes fixed intently on Jessica, whose expression looked utterly shattered.

His heart felt like it was falling into a black hole, twisting with the ache of weightlessness.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette, fingers trembling as he brought it to his lips for a deep drag.

Jessica pulled out her phone, her fingers flying over the screen.

Timothy crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray, straightened his tie.

He would get her message begging for help any minute now.

He smoothed a wrinkle from his sleeve, took out his phone, and stared at the

screen.

The second her message came through, he'd get out of the car and take her home.