Chapter 2 The Apology

I had no intention of responding, and Aveline's anger boiled over. She took two steps toward me, about to slap my face.

Willow stopped her.

Her eyes were red, and her voice was hoarse. "Orson, I did go back for you that night. The fire was too intense, and we all thought you had died in there."

My fingers twitched. Watching the tears well in Willow's eyes, I found it almost ironic.

"It's pretty clear that I'm alive. I guess I should thank you for caring, Ms. Radcliff."

Willow caught the sarcasm in my voice, and the tears she'd been holding back finally spilled over.

"Orson, I know you're still angry about what happened back then. Let me explain. Even though Gareth and I got married, we were never really together. I've been waiting for you all this time..."

Willow's voice broke as she struggled to speak.

Aveline immediately stepped in front of her, glaring at me. "Enough! Orson, do you have any idea what Willow sacrificed for you?

"You started that fire, but Willow spent every last cent restoring that house. She was barely getting her business off the ground and didn't have money to spare, but she poured everything she had into rebuilding it. She even managed to talk Gareth down for you. If she hadn't, you'd have been arrested and gone to prison!"

Aveline shouted as if I'd committed some terrible crime.

The old classmates around us were glaring at me with the same anger.

Two fires had taken everything from me—my mother, and the house my parents had left behind. Yet somehow, they had only made Willow look more devoted.

I let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

"Is that so? Should I get on my knees and thank her, then? Go ahead. Ask her if she can handle that."

Aveline's eyes widened. She clearly hadn't expected that answer.

Meanwhile, Willow's face went completely pale. The next second, she dropped to her knees with a thud.

"It's all my fault, Orson. Please forgive me."

Gasps broke out around the room as everyone stared at her in disbelief.

I knew exactly why they were reacting that way.

Back then, I had always been the one who gave in. No matter how Willow treated me, I never stayed angry with her.

Even during the most stressful part of senior year, I would get up early every morning to bring Willow her favorite breakfast.

She even accused me of smashing one of Gareth's mother's keepsakes and said some cruel things to me. Yet, all it took was an apology for me to forgive her.

I was supposed to go to college with Willow. Instead, she changed my college applications.

When I confronted her, she had simply said, "I lost a bet to Gareth. Taking another year won't hurt. I'll wait for you at college."

In the end, she went to the same college as Gareth.

Willow pulled the same stunt three times. Every time she lost a bet to Gareth, my college plans were the stakes.

We fought again and again. But every time, her tears were enough to make me forgive her. And just like that, three years of my life had been wasted because of her.

By that logic, the moment Willow apologized, I should have forgiven her.

After the fire, I should have held onto her even harder. Yet now, Willow was the one kneeling in front of me.

I looked at her quietly, my expression unchanged.

Just as I was about to speak, Gareth walked out of the private room behind her.