All Chapters of A Regret too Late: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Eight in the evening, the Shaw residence.The rose-filled garden at the back of the residence was buzzing with excitement. Before the party officially began, guests mingled in small groups, chatting away with each other. The center of their conversation tonight was, of course, Richard and Maria."Seven years together, but Richard and Maria are still so in love. They're throwing such a grand party just for their wedding anniversary. This is seriously making the rest of us jealous!""That's right! My husband never remembers our anniversary, let alone throws a party. Meanwhile, Richard is handsome, rich, and spoils his wife.""I've always envied Maria. She had the good taste to chase after Richard no matter the cost, and look how happy they are now!"As they chatted, they had no idea that Maria's car was already parked outside by the garden wall. She was wearing a bright scarlet gown, and as she stepped out of the car, she overheard their comments and gave a self-deprecating smile.

Eleanor hugged Jonathan, smiling as she ruffled his hair. "There, there. Mommy's here."Everyone stared at Eleanor and Maria in shock.Two women in nearly identical red dresses, standing on either side of Richard. No one could tell who his real wife was anymore. For a moment, the atmosphere was painfully awkward, leaving everyone unsure what to do.Maria's hands at her sides slowly curled into fists. Any interest she had in looking at the dress design in detail vanished completely.She had thought, just for a moment, that maybe the party would go smoothly. She had thought Richard and Jonathan wouldn't be so cruel.It was obvious that she had put too much faith in them.So much for the design… So much for the anniversary… They were all nothing but a pack of lies!What Jonathan did made her feel even sicker.She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, all that was left was cold hatred."Eleanor, why are you here? Didn't I tell you not to come?" Richard immediately pulle

"Mari, what's wrong? Aren't you angry?" Richard watched Maria closely, not missing a single expression on her face. He thought she would shout, cause a commotion, maybe weep sadly.Yet, Maria showed none of that. She seemed like a lifeless puppet, her smile empty and not from the heart. She gently pushed Richard away and said softly, "Of course I'm not angry. Go take care of the guests. I'm just really tired. I just want to get some sleep.""But…" Richard wanted to explain more, but realized this wasn't the right moment.In the end, he just nodded. "Then wait for me. When the party is over, I'll come up and explain everything. I have a lot to say to you tonight, so please wait for me."Maria smiled. So, it was true. Richard really planned to come clean tonight.As soon as the door closed and Richard left, Maria's smile disappeared. She changed out of her dress and into plain black clothes. Then, she picked up a shovel and quietly went downstairs.All the guests were gat

Richard headed upstairs with a dark expression on his face.Downstairs, Catelyn scoffed and said without a care, "Maria was never really the lady of this family. By right, Jonny and you are in the same household. Even if Jonny calls you Mom without her permission, there's nothing wrong with that!"Eleanor's eyes flashed with satisfaction, though she put on a show of embarrassment. "Oh, let's not talk about it. Maria conceived Jonny for nine months, so it's normal if she's angry and hurt.""What does she have to be angry about? So what if she gave birth to Jonny? The boy can call whoever he wants Mom. That's his freedom. His biological mother can't control him!" Catelyn said.As soon as she finished, Richard returned, looking more panicked than ever. "She's gone.""What?" Catelyn blinked, not understanding what she was hearing.Richard clenched his fists, his voice shaking. "Maria isn't in her room. I don't know when she left."A wave of terror crashed over him. He immediately

"Mari, no matter where you are, please. Can you meet with me just once?""It's my fault for not disciplining Jonathan well enough and for neglecting your health and feelings lately. But please believe me, I really didn't know anything about what Eleanor or Jonathan did tonight.""Let's talk, please. No matter how much you push me away, I want to come to you. I love you."Reading these messages, Maria's eyes were freezing cold. She was completely unmoved. When she broke down, Richard and Eleanor were having a pleasant chat. Now that she had finally left after everything, did he really think a few meaningless words could stir her enough to make her show up?Maria let out a soft chuckle and deleted the messages with a single tap. "Dr. Zack, be careful not to let Richard make things problematic for you. Maybe cut down on your visits for now, too."Zack looked at her, his expression complicated. He genuinely felt sorry for her, but he knew Maria was someone who could decide for her