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She jumped at hearing his voice, then quickly whipped around to face him. “Owen.” Her eyes were wide with surprise. “When did you arrive?”
“Just now. I came to see you right away. How are you?”
Selena took a second to compose herself. “I am well, thank you.”
“I am glad to hear it. I’m sorry that I did not write or come sooner, but…”
“I know. You had things to do.”
Silence fell between them. This wasn’t going as Owen had planned. Suddenly, he felt like a tongue-tied schoolboy. He raked his fingers through his hair.
“I should thank you for this.” Selena motioned to the greenhouse. “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
“I’m glad you like it. I told you I wanted to give you something that would make you happy.”
He stepped closer. Do I make you happy? The question hung in the air.
“Selena, I beg for your forgiveness.”
She bit the corner of her lip. A slight gesture she did when she was nervous. Lord, all he wanted to do was kiss those lips. Stay on task.
“I have had a lot of time to reflect on my past behaviors. When I awoke that morning with all my memories, the first thing I felt was disgust—at myself. I could finally see all the hurt I had caused you and others, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough to simply say I’m sorry. The anguish I had caused so many ran deeper than anything a mere statement could wash away.”
Owen closed the distance between them.
“Then when I saw the papers Rodney had drawn up for you, I was hurt at first, but then I understood, as you said, that you were only trying to protect yourself. I knew then that I had a long way to go to make up for all those years, so I had to make a choice.”
“Which was?”
“Whether I allowed myself to go back to my old ways, or embrace this new life I have—with you. But I knew if I wanted any chance with you, I had to make amends with others first before turning all my attention to you.”
Selena raised her eyebrows. “What have you been doing?”
Owen lowered his head, ashamed to admit everything he had to do to make up for even a fraction of his intolerable behavior. “I cut ties with many of my associates, both social and business, who have had a bad influence on me. I retired from the Army after confessing all my deeds.”
Selena put a hand on his arm. “What did they do?”
“Nothing, since I voluntarily confessed and gave them the locations of the other possible gold mines in New Zealand. Because of my long and illustrious military career, they accepted my resignation, and that will be the end of it.”
For the next few minutes, Owen told Selena about the changes he had made in his professional dealings and the improvements he planned on making in the future. He had made amends with people that he had done wrong. All the while, Selena listened as he bared his conscience.
“Now there is only one thing left to do.”
“What?” She gripped his arm tightly.
He got down on his knees and took her hands. “I know it may take time, but can you see it in your heart to give me another chance? I can’t promise that there will not be moments where the old me may try to break through, but I will do everything in my power to make you happy, because I love you, Selena, with every fiber of my being. My heart has been heavy since you left, like a piece was missing. If you do not want me back, I understand, and I will give you a divorce, no questions asked.”
“What you put me through all those years cannot be forgotten.”
Owen let out a small cry. “And I don’t expect you to forget. How could I ask you to just put it out of your mind like it never existed? We both have to live with what I did. Christ, I have lived with the burden of knowing that I am the reason you lost our children. It has eaten at my soul, and I can never forgive myself.” Were those tears? Yes, he was crying for the first time in his life.
Selena knelt next to him and cupped his face in her hands. Owen leaned into the warmth of her touch.
“I don’t want to lose you, my love. If it takes the rest of my life, I will prove myself worthy to be called your husband.”
She exhaled deeply, looking away momentarily before meeting his tearful stare. “Like you, I have had time to reflect on our life together. You were cruel to me, uncaring of my feelings and welfare, and I wished you dead at times.”
This was it. Selena was saying goodbye. Owen’s soul was crushed beyond words. He lowered his head, afraid to let her see the hurt etched on his features.
