Chapter 4 The Apology That Came Too Late

My voice had gone hoarse, trembling with the aftermath of tears and a kind of quiet despair. "I didn't! Jace, you have to believe me! I never touched her dress!"

Unfortunately for me, Jace only turned his face away, his tone cold. "Grace, you shouldn't have treated Brooke like that. Seeing her upset makes me angry as well."

I tried to explain, but it was all futile. I remembered how my tears had mixed with the rain still clinging to my face as they poured out uncontrollably. "Why won't you believe me? You said you would always trust me…"

Jace looked at me for a long time.

In the end, he slowly shook his head. "Grace, stop making excuses. Brooke wouldn't lie. Apologize. Otherwise… we're done."

I fell silent.

I looked up at him once. Back then, I couldn't see him clearly with the rain and tears blurring my vision.

Then, I turned and went straight to the airport.

…

The cold sensation on the back of my hand lingered. Brooke was still crying.

I had finally received the apology I had wanted most five years ago. Oddly enough, I felt nothing. It was like applying a miracle cure to a wound that had already scarred over. The injury had long healed, but the scar still remained, ugly and unchanging.

The three of them couldn't stand my indifference, nor could they bear to watch Brooke keep crying. So, they began trying to persuade me to forgive them.

Adrian was the first to break.

"Grace, it's been five years. Look at how upset Brooke is. Why can't you just let things go?"

I lifted my eyes to him, suddenly unable to recall what it had felt like to go to school with him back then.

I asked calmly, "Adrian, do you remember what happened five years ago? I was crying just as hard. And yet, you still drove me out of the house."

Adrian fell silent.

Then came Simon, the very person who had forced me out back then.

He picked up the conversation and said, "I'm sorry, Grace. I acted too rashly back then. But both you and Brooke are my sisters. I was just so anxious at the time. Can't you… Can't you forgive us? We've all missed you for these past five years."

I let out a quiet scoff.

I didn't bother waiting for the last musketeer. So, I turned to Jace, who had remained silent until now. I found an odd sense of amusement as I pressed, "What about you? Do you have anything to say? Or are you going to force me to forgive you like the rest of them?"

Jace's words immediately caught in his throat. His pleas turned to ash, clogging his airways and making his chest tighten with discomfort.

I swept my gaze coldly over all four of them and suddenly found the entire situation meaningless.

"Fine. I forgive you. If that's the answer you want, then there you have it. Please, by all means, don't come looking for me again. I'm very happy with my life now. I really don't need any of you anymore."

Then, I picked up my clutch and walked toward the exit. Alas, I had barely taken two steps again when hurried footsteps sounded behind me.

Jace had caught up to me and grabbed my hand. His eyes were red, and I could see the faint glimmer of tears in them. "Grace, don't go! I don't want to wait another five years for you. Let's get married."

I froze.

Honestly, I thought he had lost his mind.

I had already told them at the airport, the very first time we met after five years of nothing, that I was married. I had stated plainly that I was married and I had a child.

It seemed that none of them believed me. Why was I even surprised?

I sighed in annoyance. I was about to reiterate my words from back then when Zachary suddenly burst through the crowd. He threw himself at my legs, hugging me tightly as he called out in a sweet voice, "Mommy! Mommy, I've finally found you!"

I was startled.

I immediately looked up, and there Cameron was, dressed in formal wear, walking slowly toward me. His tender gaze lingered on my face, filled with undisguised warmth and love just for me.

"Zach missed you, honey, and so did I."