An Apology

Avron was escorted into Zoe’s office by his assistant, his wheelchair gliding smoothly across the floor.

Zoe sat stiffly, her hands resting on the desk as she watched him. She couldn’t ignore the discomfort creeping up her spine. The last time she had seen him was at her wedding—the day he had made it clear that he wasn’t particularly happy about her presence in the Walter family.

And now, here he was, sitting in front of her, smiling like they were old friends.

She didn’t know much about him. She wasn’t sure if he liked her or not. She didn’t even know why he had booked this session in the first place.

All she knew was that something about this felt… off.

Zoe took a steady breath, pushing down the unease. She had a job to do.

“Mr. Walter,” she greeted professionally, keeping her voice neutral. “Welcome. I assume you’re here for therapy?”

Avron tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. “What else would I be here for? Do you sell chicken nuggets?”

Zoe didn’t answer right away. He was probably worse than his brother, she thought.

Instead, she reached for her notepad. “Alright then. Let’s begin.”

Avron leaned back in his wheelchair, exhaling slowly before speaking.

“I had a woman I loved… Victoria.”

His voice was steady at first, but then it wavered. His hands clenched on his lap, his gaze dropping to the floor. Zoe watched as his breathing became uneven, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Then, without warning, he broke down. His face twisted with raw emotion, and a quiet sob escaped his lips.

Zoe hesitated.

She wasn’t sure how to react. She wasn’t exactly comfortable around him, and seeing him like this—so vulnerable—felt strange.

Still, she was a therapist.

Keeping her expression calm, she reached for a clean handkerchief from her desk and gently placed it in his hand.

Avron took it without a word, pressing it to his face as he struggled to compose himself.

Zoe folded her hands in her lap, giving him space. “Take your time,” she said softly.

Silence filled the room, broken only by Avron’s uneven breathing.

When he finally looked up, his eyes were red, filled with something deeper than just sadness.

Betrayal.

“She left me,” he whispered.

Zoe kept her tone gentle but professional. “I’m sorry to hear that, Avron.”

She gave him a moment to breathe, watching as he wiped his face with the handkerchief. His emotions were still raw, but he was trying to regain control.

“Loss—whether of a relationship, a way of life, or even a sense of self—can be overwhelming,” she said. “It’s natural to grieve, especially when someone you trusted walks away during your most vulnerable moments.”

Avron let out a bitter chuckle. “She said she couldn’t handle it. That I wasn’t the same man anymore.”

Zoe nodded, keeping her expression neutral. “Change is difficult, both for the person experiencing it and those around them. But healing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time.”

She let the words settle before continuing. “I’d like us to continue this conversation in our next session. Same time next week?”

Avron looked at her for a long moment, then gave a small nod. “Alright.”

Zoe stood as he adjusted his wheelchair. “My assistant will help schedule the appointment. In the meantime, try to be patient with yourself.”

He didn’t say anything, but as he rolled toward the door, there was something different in his eyes. Something unreadable.

Zoe exhaled softly as the door closed behind him.

This was going to be complicated.

Elena quickly walked up to her, lowering her voice. “Well, that was the briefest therapy session ever! What are you doing, Mrs. Walter? He paid good money.”

Zoe smiled, unbothered. “I know what I’m doing, okay?”

Without waiting for a response, she walked up to Avron, her heels clicking softly against the floor. His assistant was about to push the wheelchair, but Zoe reached for the handles instead.

“Mind if I escort you to the car?” she asked.

Avron glanced up at her, surprised. Then, after a pause, he gave a small shrug. “Be my guest.”

Zoe nodded and began pushing him toward the exit, her mind already racing with thoughts she wasn’t sure she wanted to entertain.

Zoe looked at him and asked, “Why did you book a session with us without giving your name?”

Avron was quiet for a moment before saying, “Gran doesn’t know about this. I don’t want you to tell her.”

She held his gaze, then gave a small nod. “I won’t.”

When they reached his car, Avron signaled his driver to open the door.

Before getting in, he reached for something inside—a bouquet of flowers. Gently, he handed it to her.

“These are rare flowers,” he said.

Zoe blinked, surprised as she took them.

“They’re rare, just like you, Zoe.”

She froze.

For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Why the hell was her brother-in-law flirting with her?

Hadn’t he made it clear at her wedding that he disliked her?

What was all this about?

“I don’t understand,” she said, staring at the flowers. “What are these for?”

Avron let out a small sigh. “An apology… I was kind of a jerk at your wedding, you know.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t take this,” Zoe said, shaking her head. “This is really expensive.”

Avron chuckled. “Just a few thousand dollars. Stop being modest.”

His security helped him into the car, and just before the door closed, he looked at her with a smirk.

“I hope you see how my brother keeps making a fool out of you in the city,” he said. “Very soon, people will wonder why you can’t keep a man… Dr. Zoe.”

She was too stunned to speak.

What was he trying to do?

Then she remembered—Adonis had once told her that Avron secretly liked her.

She was confused. None of this made sense.

She let out a slow breath, shaking off the unease creeping up her spine.

She couldn’t wait to be done with this marriage and free of these crazy brothers.