Ex husband's Plea for Forgiveness

"How about next time? I’ll take you to your favorite restaurant then." Despite his words, Jonas's tone sounded noncommittal, and it irked Emily.

She pasted a smile on her face and tried to temper her simmering anger. "I’m sorry. I realize I must have taken too much of your time lately. Please go ahead and deal with whatever you need to deal with. I can handle myself."

Jonas could see that her smile was a little forced, and he felt a small pang of guilt. It soon disappeared in a flash, however, and he hurried out of the room.

Emily walked to the window and watched as his car zoomed out of the garage and disappeared in the hot sun.

"Miss Bai, are we continuing with your practice?" It was the coach, who had been in the room for a few moments now. When he first entered, he had found Miss Bai all by herself. He had looked around, confused and unsure what to do, and finally broke the silence when it seemed like his client had no plans to play any more billiards that day.

"No, I’m feeling rather unwell. Maybe next time." Emily had a hard, cold expression on her face, and she didn’t bother to look at the coach as she addressed him.

The poor man briefly wondered at the stark contrast between the image of this actress onscreen and the way she was acting in person. Oh well, she did say she wasn’t feeling well; perhaps that was all there was to it.

"Understood, Miss Bai. Next time you come here, please look for me." With that, the coach left the room, and thought nothing more of his encounter with Emily.

Jonas drove home at full speed, and his tires screeched on the mansion’s driveway as he stepped on the brakes. He got out of the car in a hurry and stalked into his wife’s villa.

Melinda was lounging on the couch watching a show, and she glanced at him only briefly as he entered the living room. He paused in the act of taking off his coat. ‘That’s it? Not even a greeting?’

He rushed back home eager to see his wife; it never occurred to him that she might not share his excitement at finally being together. A heavy lump of disappointment lodged at his throat, but he swallowed it down.

"What are you watching?" he asked casually as he plopped beside her on the couch. The moment he came close, though, Melinda’s face wrinkled into a frown.

She turned to give him a look, sniffed once, and then pushed him away with force. "Get away from me."

He could only gape at her in confusion. He could see the anger flashing in her eyes, but could find no explanation to it. He had done nothing but sit next to her, and he was sure there was nothing wrong with that.

Seeing his puzzled face, Melinda correctly assumed that her husband thought himself without fault whatsoever. It only served to fuel her anger even further.

She knew that scent. It was so overpowering that it made a mark in her memory. Besides, it was associated with one of the top candidates as the bane of her existence, so of course she would know that scent anywhere.

It was Emily’s perfume.

Even after pushing her husband away, with several feet separating them, the cloying scent of the other woman permeated the space.

"You were with Emily today," Melinda stated with conviction. She wasn’t asking him anything; she was citing facts out loud. "And you have been with her these past few days."

A flicker of surprise rose in Jonas's eyes, but he didn’t seem much bothered by what she said. In his mind, he remained innocent—he had done nothing wrong with Emily after all.

showed that she cared enough about him to know such things. He felt a ridiculous tingle

face wouldn’t break out in a sudden, smug smile as he replied to her in a calm manner. "Yes, I have

and she immediately assumed it was because

deep breath. As much as she wanted to lash out at Jonas, she was very tired. These scenarios were becoming frequent,

dilemma, however, all flew over Jonas's head. He was enjoying being the sudden object of all her attention. But then her face changed, and

you—once again—forget the things you promised?" She rose from the sofa as she asked him, and in spite of her soft, homey clothes, she looked every bit as ruthless as a goddess of war. She crossed her arms across her chest and

a word. After a beat of silence, she flashed him a mocking smirk. "Well it seems

seething with rage now. She couldn’t believe the gall of this man, to declare such professions and make promises that he would easily throw out the window without any

he forget anything when he

little helpless and unsure, but Melinda was beyond angry now, and she was

at a loss. He always found himself caught between countless contradicting opinions when it came to Emily. He could see that his wife was visibly mad now, but it wasn’t like he could do anything about it,

Besides, you said you would cut all

Her mouth felt dry after her tirade, and she swallowed a couple

of water. He handed it to her and

little better after that, but as she looked at her empty glass, she realized she accepted something her husband offered even though she was still angry

in her hands. Mary had noticed the raised voices, and immediately approached the living room to stop the couple from fighting. When she arrived at the doorway, however, it didn’t seem like Jonas and Melinda were at each other’s throats like before. Instead, a heavy, pregnant silence hung in the room. She felt like she shouldn’t intrude, and hurried back

Jonas finally said after taking a deep breath. "I think what you’re misunderstanding is how

he met with Emily, he found her to be simple and positive. There were no signs at all of her being the cunning

if he were being truthful, he would have admitted that there was a part of him that refused to accept that his childhood playmate had a calculating

straw. She felt her hands growing cold as the color left

urge to bash the glass in her hands against Jonas's head in hopes that he might wake up from the delusions

tone. "In fact, what I have in abundance at the moment is clarity. And

in the past, but the past few days proved to him that his previous judgment about her

for the scandal, over and over, and would praise Melinda. On the other hand, when Emily was brought up between husband and wife, everything that came out of Melinda’s mouth

could not deny that the scales in his heart were tipped against his wife. He could

the situation. "She really isn’t as bad as you think. It’s true that she had done you wrong before, but she’s not that person anymore. She’s changed. Besides, the

hard not to flinch at his every word. If they dragged this conversation out any further, things were

yet, she couldn’t help herself. "Are you saying that it’s my fault I wasn’t there to help you with your business problems? Am I being a burden to

rising towards the end of her last question, and her rage was bubbling on the surface once again. If he managed to push the right buttons,

what I meant. I’m just saying that she’s been of help to me. If I just cast

in the big picture. But it was true that Emily somehow saved

other people. Right now, I must be the one acting in extremely bad form. It must have always been me acting irrationally, especially when I tried

at him and breathing heavily. Jonas,

breeze drifted in from the yard, rustling the curtains. Melinda sighed and walked over to the side table to put

go. She was so, so tired of this. She turned back to Jonas and asked in a calm, soft voice, "Do you regret cutting her

was loaded with heavy and complex emotions.