On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 231

Jessica turned to hand the box to Rebecca.

Rebecca held up her hands. “Don’t give that to me. It looks expensive.”

Jessica sighed and, holding the box, walked over to George. When she got in the car, his eyes fell on the ornate jewelry case in her hands.

“Some guy just showed up and gave this to me,” she said, exasperated. “He said Lance Smith bought it at an auction. I told him I didn’t want it, but he just shoved it at me and ran off.”

“Put it in the back,” George said.

“Okay.” After stowing the box, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to buy some clothes,” he explained, then paused. “Would you mind joining me?”

“Of course not,” she said, nodding eagerly.

George parked in the underground garage, and they took the elevator up to the mall. The first thing they saw was the children’s play area, a common feature in most shopping centers. Jessica remembered how Amy would insist on playing there for at least two hours whenever they went shopping. The sound of children laughing and shouting inside brought a pang of sadness.

“Let’s go,” she said softly.

This was a mid-range mall, not the kind of place Jessica used to frequent. But after a few recent visits, she’d discovered you could find good quality items at reasonable prices.

She walked alongside George. “What are you looking to buy?”

He turned, his gaze meeting hers for a moment before he looked away. “A tie, a shirt, and… some underwear.”

Jessica bit her lip. “That would be on the third floor.”

Still flustered, Jessica mumbled, “Whichever one you like is fine.”

“It’s always best to get your wife’s opinion,” the saleswoman said cheerfully as she displayed the ties. “Even though the husband wears it, the wife is the one who looks at it most. You two have such a wonderful relationship.”

“We’re not—” Jessica began.

“Which one do you prefer?” George pressed, his brow furrowed as if her opinion was of the utmost importance.

Jessica gave up trying to explain and focused on the two ties. One was a deep burgundy with a subtle pattern, the other had blue stripes. She thought they both looked good but wasn't sure which would suit George better. He usually wore solid colors; she’d never seen him in a patterned tie.

She took both and held them up against his collar, studying them intently.