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“Yes, you fucked up. That move had us questioning your true intentions. Being a billionaire doesn’t give you the right to break tradition or just cast us, as her family, aside. Our sister isn’t a piece of furniture you can buy for any price you desire,” said Aaron as he took a sip of his beer. Of course, he was right. I had given them the wrong impression from the start. That is, if this was any normal kind of relationship. But I knew explaining our arrangement and contract wasn't going to be a value-add here.
“I know Reyna isn’t a piece of furniture, which is why I apologize for handling things the way I did. I’m here to make things right,” I responded, and none of them said anything.
“But she doesn’t want to see you or talk to you, so I'm not sure what you expect,” stated Chris, leaning back in his chair.
I took a deep breath before responding. This was the part I was dreading the most.
"I understand that Reyna doesn't want to see me, but I would like to make amends and apologize to her in person. I want to show her I'm serious about her and that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right," I explained, my voice sincere.
There was another moment of silence before Peter spoke up.
"Look, we appreciate the fact that you're trying to make things right, but Reyna is very hurt right now. She needs time to heal and figure things out on her own. We can't force her to see you if she doesn't want to," he said, his tone softening a bit.
I could feel my heart sinking in my chest at his words. I had hoped that they would be able to convince her to at least hear me out, but it seemed like that wasn't going to happen.
"I understand," I said, though my voice was barely above a whisper.
They all looked at me sympathetically before Peter spoke thoughtful.
"But that doesn't mean that we can't work something out. She just needs some time. Maybe you could write her a letter or send her flowers as a way of apologizing. It might not be much, but it's a start," he suggested. I nodded, grateful for the suggestion. It wasn't exactly what I had hoped for, but it was better than nothing.
"Thank you for the suggestion. I'll definitely do that," I said, hoping that it would be enough to show her I was sincere in my apology.
“I think the man has already proved himself by his consistency. He’s been trying his best to get Reyna back and I think we should help him see her,” Aaron chimed in, restoring my hope.
“But Reyna has been turning down his every attempt to see her. We have to respect her wishes,” Luke opposed.
“Let’s see if she'll turn him down in person. The two have a kid on the way. That child deserves to have a family that's together, just like we’ve all given our children. I respect Bryce for trying to make things right for the sake of his family. I think we should help him,” Aaron explained his school of thought. There was silence at the table, each one of them thinking of what Aaron had just said.
I waited anxiously for their verdict and I wished someone would offer me a beer, too.
“Well, what do you suggest, then?” Peter asked Aaron.
“We’re having a family barbeque in a few days. Let’s invite Bryce to come over. It’s up to him to win her over,” Aaron suggested, and Peter turned to me. “Does that sound like something you can do?” he asked.
“Yes, I can definitely do that. I'll work remotely for the next few days until the barbeque. Thanks for the opportunity. I'll be there.” I tried to contain my excitement.
“Then you’re officially invited to the barbecue. But, why don't I get Andrea to give you a call just before to confirm? She can spend some time with Reyna and gauge her feelings. I'm the last person who wants to see a pregnant woman upset. If Reyna doesn’t want to see you, then I guess as her family, we will have to respect her wishes,” he added, tossing me a beer. "…and if you show up anyway, we will throw you out the door." The family laughed, and although it was a good-humored threat, I was glad for the slight pressure relief.
“Agreed,” I responded and lifted my beer in a toast to him. He lifted his in acknowledgment.
“Does that mean you'll also give her the privacy she’s been asking for? She doesn’t want a public life and I can understand why. She has a child on the way and she’s willing to do anything to protect her child,” asked Chris.
I nodded, feeling a pang of guilt in my chest. I knew I had made mistakes in the past and it was time for me to own up to them. "Of course, that was a lesson I needed to learn. I think all of you know that I was raised in a different world, where everything I did or became was under scrutiny. As I got older, it just seems to have gotten worse and frankly, I think I just accepted it and got used to it. I know Reyna's approach is something anyone would want. I've just lost touch of what reality is, I think." I shrugged my shoulders in resignation, but it was total honesty.
Aaron smiled at me and patted my shoulder. "We get it. And don't be too hard on yourself. It was your reality. This part is just accepting Reyna's reality and compromising on what she wants. We'll see you at the barbeque, then. And who knows, maybe Reyna will have a change of heart. Good luck."
I left the Miller's house, feeling slightly relieved but nervous at the same time. This was my chance to fix my mistakes, but I knew it wouldn't be easy. I had hurt Reyna deeply, and it was going to take a lot of effort to gain her trust again.
Chapter 35
Reyna
Afterfeelingrefreshedfrommy bath and getting my hair done by my mom, I was filled with both relief and anxiety. Part of me felt lighter, as if all of my worries had been lifted by the conversation we had. Despite this inner peace, I was still hesitant to make up with Bryce. On one hand, I wanted things to go back to how they used to be and for us to have our happily ever after. But on the other hand, I was scared that things might never work out again. Could we move on from everything that has been said and done? As I walked down the stairs with my mom following me, my heart raced with a mix of excitement and uncertainty about what lay ahead.
As we approached the door, I realized through the window that everyone outside was looking at the door. It seemed as if they were waiting for some kind of entrance. MY entrance. This is what I didn’t want. I didn’t want people to throw a pity party for me, as if I was something worth pitying.
“Mom, what’s going on?” I turned to ask her.
