On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 146

Once inside, Isabella locked the door. “What happened?”

Catherine sighed. “Mother, I don’t think Lance wants to divorce Jessica. I think he actually has feelings for her—and not just the brotherly affection he always claims it is.”

Isabella laughed. “Brotherly affection? Darling, there’s no such thing between a man and a woman who aren’t related by blood. Of course Lance has feelings for Jessica; why else would he have married her? Your job is to make him fall out of love with her. Make him lose all affection for her completely.”

Catherine stared at the floor, silent.

Isabella took her daughter’s hand. “You’re a smart girl. Don’t tell me you don’t know what to do.”

Catherine looked up at her mother.

Isabella tapped her daughter on the forehead. “You foolish girl. I’ve heard all about what happened with the George family. This is the perfect opportunity! A married woman causing two men to fight over her in a club? Once that story breaks, Lance will be desperate to divorce her and distance himself from the scandal.”

A flicker of conflict crossed Catherine’s face. “But if Lance finds out I was behind it…”

“Don’t be so dense,” Isabella chided. “If you don’t want to do something yourself, you get someone else to do it for you.”

Catherine looked at her mother in disbelief as Isabella leaned in and whispered a plan in her ear.

Later that night, when Gabriel Brown returned home, he found Catherine crying in the garden.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, walking over to her.

“That shameless woman,” Gabriel muttered. “Just like her mother…”

Catherine watched him, a questioning look in her eyes.

He patted her shoulder. “I know you’re still in love with Lance. Don’t worry, Catherine, I’ll help you. You’re my best friend, and Lance is like a brother to me. I won’t stand by and let Jessica keep you two apart.”

Lance had Helen put Amy to bed, then spent the next two hours on the phone in his study. At ten o’clock, he came downstairs and poured two glasses of water. Into one, he dissolved a tasteless powder, placing it carefully on the corner of the coffee table to wait for Jessica.

The clock chimed eleven, and the doorbell rang.

Lance opened the door to find Jessica standing on the porch. “Come in,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle.