The Royal Contract

"I'm sorry, but Ms. Hamilton has a full schedule today. If you wish to make an appointment, I can probably squeeze you in by Thursday next week." Jacky informed the person on the other line of the phone.

She was not lying since Dani had been juggling between her work, pro bono cases, her wedding, and visiting her father in the hospital. She hardly had time for herself and her.

Jacky suddenly remembered the jogging early that morning that almost crippled her today. She could barely move her thighs from the strain it endured with the long run they did.

If Dani wanted to spend time with her from now on, it would be on her term. She would not fall for that trick again. She did not need that kind of torture to be with her friend.

"Jacky, can you get me the files for the next meeting?" She heard Dani shout by the door.

"Sure, I'll just get it in the file room," Jacky answered her before leaving her table to check on those files. She was limping as she moved in the corridor to get to her destination.

When she returned to her table, she noticed that a man was standing by her table. She still recognized that broad shoulder anywhere, despite wishing to forget all about him.

Instead of stopping by her table, she went straight to Dani's room to drop the files she asked for before proceeding to her table to confront her visitor. 

"What can I do for you?" She greeted him politely as she returned to her seat. Since she was in an office setting, she felt obligated to give him respect as a client.

But if she had bumped into him on the street or any other place, she would make sure to give him what he deserved, and that did not include her respect.

"Jacky, I did not want to disturb Dani, but I have some files for her to sign," Marcus said hesitantly, unsure of how to act around her. He remained standing in front of her table, waiting for a response.

After all that happened to them, Marcus had avoided any encounter with her, not wanting to fuel the anger she still might have for him. Although it had been a while, it would still be better to give her space.

But time had already passed. Marcus was hoping that somehow, Jacky had moved on and they could put aside the issues they had with their past.

"Fine. Just leave the files on the table, and I will have them signed later and sent back to you as soon as possible." Jacky indicated that he should place the files on the top of the table and leave.

She was in no obligation to entertain him. She could handle seeing him around the office and talking to him civilly, but that was the extent of what she was willing to do.

"Ok. Thanks, Jacky." Marcus followed Jacky's instructions and was about to turn around when he stopped.

He walked back to the front of the table and faced Jacky, staring at her face in the process. "I know this had been long overdue. But for what is it worth, I am truly sorry for what I did to you."

He could keep saying sorry to her for the hundredth time, but it would never be enough for her to forgive him. Even he would not forgive himself for what he did to Jacky.

But as they all said, regret comes after committing an unforgivable crime. Marcus wished he could turn back time. So, he could redo what he did, but that was not how life works.

Jacky could only look at him in utter shock. She did not expect that he would be asking her for forgiveness after all this time. She was so convinced that Marcus was beyond redemption. He was already incapable of remorse.

"If this is just another one of your games, please do it somewhere else. I have no time for this." Jacky shut him down, thinking that it was another one of his silly bad jokes.

Until now, she could still see how he had behaved when she told him that she wanted commitment. She could still hear his laughter when she informed him that she loved him.

It was like being slapped multiple times on the face to hear what he thought of her emotions. But she was not subjecting herself to the same humiliation again.

"I get it that you might not believe me. I deserved it. After what I did to you, I should not even be standing in your presence. But I have to say it even if you don't believe me. I have to try." Marcus confessed to her.

It was not easy for him to express his feelings or show any indication of weaknesses in her character. Telling sorry had never been part of his vocabulary because it questions his decisions.

It meant that he was accepting his mistake, something that he rarely admitted in his lifetime. It was hard for him to acknowledge making a wrong decision because he rarely did make one.

"Well, you already said your piece. I heard it. Then, you can leave." Jacky returned to her work, typing away on her keyboard and staring into the computer screen.

She did not want to give him any more of her time. She was not falling pawn again into his mind games. She had enough of him playing with her emotions.

"Thanks again for at least hearing me out." Marcus stepped back away from her table, afraid to worsen their situation.

He was satisfied that he was able to express his apology to her. He was not expecting to do that when he came here to bring the papers to Dani. But at least, he was able to do what he always wanted to do.

He said it before to her, but he knew that he was insincere back then. Compared to now, that he genuinely felt sorry for his wrong actions.

"Marcus, I'm sorry too for putting you on the spot, knowing that you were not ready for it." Jacky suddenly felt she had to say that to him.

She felt like she did pressure Marcus on something that he was not prepared to handle. Maybe the entire thing was not solely Marcus' fault. 

"No. You should never apologize to me ever." Marcus stopped her from blaming herself for what happened to them. He would always think that it was his selfishness that brought their good relationship to an end.

He was not asking for her to take him back. He could not be that lucky, but he just wanted a slightly clear conscience, knowing he had asked for forgiveness.

"Hey, it is ok. I could not keep blaming you. I know that I am partially to blame for some of it. Although, I still think you are an ass and douchebag." She added the last part as an afterthought. "But I still have not forgiven you for the things you did."

She finally admitted to having her faults in the circumstances of their breakup. She could not keep playing the victim in their relationship.. As the saying went, it took two to tango.