Chapter 14: The Confession
The warmth of the living room enveloped Olivia, but it offered little comfort to her racing heart. She stood near the edge of the worn floral rug, refusing to sit even when Eleanor gestured toward the sofa. She felt she didn't have the right to make herself comfortable in this house of genuine love—a house she had once looked down upon.
"I won't take up much of your time," Olivia began, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She looked at Eleanor, forcing herself to maintain eye contact despite the shame burning in her chest. "Mrs. Brooks, I want to apologize. What I did to you at the altar was unforgivable. You spent months helping us, pouring your heart into our wedding, and I treated you like an embarrassment. I was so consumed by what other people would think, so obsessed with a perfect image, that I let my own ugly pride blind me."
A single tear slipped down Olivia's cheek, but she did not brush it away. She turned her gaze to Nathan, who stood by the fireplace, his arms crossed. "And Nathan, I am so sorry. I loved you, but I didn't respect what mattered most to you. I tried to cut the most important person in your life out of our wedding because of my own deep-seated insecurities. I ruined what should have been the happiest day of our lives."
May you like
She took a deep, shuddering breath, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I didn't come here tonight to ask for a second chance. I know I don't deserve one, and I know we can never go back to how things were. I just... I couldn't live with myself another day without looking you both in the eye and telling you how deeply sorry I am. You deserved my respect, and I failed you completely."
The room fell silent, save for the quiet ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner.
