Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica's fingers trembled as she tapped frantically at her phone.

Tap-tap-tap... tap-tap-tap... tap-tap-tap.

Her heart raced with panic, but the rhythm of her tapping was steady, almost deliberate.

Timothy's brow furrowed. "What are you—?"

He didn't finish. Suddenly, his expression darkened and his voice sharpened. "Jessica, are you in danger?"

Relief washed over Jessica when she realized he'd understood her message.

"Jessica?"

A blinding flash of lightning split the sky, followed instantly by a deafening crash of thunder.

Jessica couldn't hold on any longer. She collapsed, the phone slipping from her grasp and tumbling to the floor.

"Jessica? Jessica!" Timothy called her name, already grabbing his coat and rushing for the door.

On the other end of the line, only the relentless roar of the storm responded.

Timothy's usually unshakable composure was shattered his heart felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing it in a merciless grip.

Tap-tap-tap... tap-tap-tap... tap-tap-tap.

Jessica had been tapping out the international distress signal: SOS.noveldrama

She must be in real danger.

Without wasting a second, Timothy flagged down a car and headed straight for his private helipad.

During the ride, he tried calling the hotel where Jessica was staying, but couldn't get through. He dialed her number again, but still, no answer.

Left with no choice, he called the emergency services in Capital City, giving them Jessica's hotel details and urging them to act quickly.

When he reached the helipad, he climbed into his helicopter and quickly checked the weather conditions near Capital City on his phone.

A violent thunderstorm was battering the city; rain was pouring down in sheets, and widespread flooding had already begun.

He quickly plotted a landing site-the closest safe spot to the city center.

Then he called Secretary Allen.

It was the middle of the night and Allen was half-asleep when he answered. "Mr. Lawson?"

"I'm going to Capital City. Jessica's in trouble. Come to the hospital right away and stay with Henry for me."

Allen was instantly alert. "Should I come with you? I can arrange for someone else to look after your son."

"There's no time. I'm leaving now. Take care of Henry." Without waiting for a reply, Timothy hung up and started the helicopter.

An hour later, he landed safely—in a small city a hundred kilometers outside the capital.

The rain was just as heavy out here.

He hailed a cab and headed toward Capital City.

The driver warned him, "Flooding's bad downtown. The farthest I can get you is the outer ring road."

That still left another twelve miles into the city center.

Timothy didn't hesitate. "Just take me as far as you can."

An hour had already passed since Jessica's desperate call for help.

No matter what, he had to find a way to reach her.

He sat in the back of the cab, knuckles white as he clenched his fists, his heart pounding in spite of all his self-control. He had no idea what Jessica was going through—no idea if he would make it in time.

Half an hour later, as they neared the city, the rain intensified. Lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and the wind howled, the storm's fury pressing down on the city like a suffocating shroud.

The cab driver finally shook his head. "I can only take you another mile or so. After that, the road's blocked."

Timothy glanced outside. He'd still have to cross twelve miles on foot-and with water this deep, even for someone as fit as he was, it might take three hours.

He tried Jessica's phone again. Tried the hotel. No answer. Nothing but the storm. Just then, his phone rang. The police were calling.