AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you,” I said.
As we exited the conference room, he paused, turning to me. “Could you… come over tonight?” He didn’t provide anything more, and I stood there, staring at him as my body begged for him.
Even though my heart feared it, I nodded. A grin played on his lips, and he said, “I’ll send a driver.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Olivia
The murmur of conversation and clinking glasses filled the air as I stood in the center of the room, surrounded by familiar faces.
I didn’t expect Alexander’s driver to bring me to the most exquisite restaurant in the city.
“Olivia.” His voice reached me from the doorway, silencing the room. The sudden quietness felt heavy, like a blanket draped over my shoulders. I turned to face him, conflicting emotions swirling within me. He looked different then—vulnerable, his eyes filled with an intensity I had never seen before.
“Alexander,” I managed to say as he took a step toward me.
“Olivia,” he said again, louder this time, capturing the attention of everyone present. “I need you to know how deeply sorry I am for the pain I caused you. I am here because… I loved you, and I need you to understand that I would do anything to make it right.”
His voice trembled with emotion. It wasn’t just an apology—it was a plea for forgiveness, a desperate attempt to mend the fractured pieces of our relationship. And it was happening right there, in front of all our friends and colleagues, in the very place where our love had once blossomed.
“Alexander,” I started, but he cut me off.
“Please, let me finish.” He took another step towards me, his gaze never leaving mine. “I was wrong, Olivia. I made mistakes, and I hurt you in ways I can never take back. But I want to make amends. I want to be the man you deserve.”
My breath caught in my throat as I struggled to process his words. The room was still, and the weight of every eye was upon us as we stood there, suspended in that moment of raw vulnerability.
“Olivia, I need you to know that I’m not perfect.” Alexander’s voice trembled as he continued his confession, the vulnerability in his eyes almost too much for me to bear. “I have always struggled with insecurities and fears of not being enough. I have hidden behind arrogance and a false sense of control because I have been terrified of being vulnerable.”
My chest tightened, as I watched him lay himself bare before me. He ran a hand through his hair, an nervous gesture that left strands standing on end.
“Alexander,” I whispered, torn between wanting to comfort him and the hurt that still simmered within me.
“Please.” His gaze pleaded with mine, eyes shimmering with raw emotion. “I wanted to be open with you, to share every part of myself—the good and the bad. I wanted to work towards a healthier relationship, one where we could both be our true selves without fear or judgment.”
“Can you really do that?” My voice emerged as a shaky breath, tinged with the shadow of doubt. “Can you really open up, let go of the control you hold so tightly?”
“I can try, Olivia.” His voice was a mix of determination and desperation. “For you, I will try with everything I have.”
A tear slipped down my cheek, betraying the turmoil within me. Our gazes locked, and for a moment, the world fell away. In the heat of his stare, I felt a spark flicker to life, a tentative ember that refused to be extinguished.
Blood pounded in my veins as I struggled to process the raw honesty of his words. My body ached to bridge the distance between us, to draw him close and lose myself in the familiar warmth of his embrace.
“Please,” he whispered, his vulnerability laid bare. “Give me a chance to show you how much I changed, how much I care for you.”
My breath caught as I looked up, meeting his gaze head-on.
“Alexander,” I responded. “You are asking for something I’m not sure I could give.”
His jaw clenched. “I know it won’t be easy, but we can work through this together. Let me help shoulder your doubts, your fears. Trust me to be there for you, Olivia.”
A sob welled up in my throat, choked off by the conflicting desires that twisted like a vice around my heart.
“Trust is earned, Alexander,” I whispered, desperation coloring my tone. “And I don’t know if you have done enough to earn mine back.”
He stepped closer, his warmth radiating against my skin, and I fought the urge to lean into him. “Then let me spend every day trying, Olivia. Show me how to make things right between us. Make me the man you deserve.”
“Alexander,” I breathed, my pulse quickening as I searched his eyes for any sign of deceit. “If we go down this path, it has to be different than before. No more secrets, no more lies. Can you promise me that?”
