Shadows of Forgiveness

wntown, far from the glamorous world they once inhabit

he said. "I know this

s an understatement. Get on with it,

apologize. Leaving you the way I di

t that

you came along and changed everything. When you told me you were pregnant, I

Is this where you tell me

need you to know how much I regret losing you every single

g troubled. Xavier watched

aid finally. She took a breath. "We didn't just los

have a daughter?" he whispered. Her

st the patrons. She spotted him standing as she entered, paused in mid-sentence on his phone call. The sunlight illumin

d. His smile still made her breath catch, though she willed herself to remain cautious. As t

him silently, taken back to a time when she had trusted this man with her entire heart. As she waited for him to continue, dou

e air. Olivia broke it by saying coldly, Just get on with it, Xavier. Why did you want

Leaving you the way I did was unforgivable. I was a coward, scared of commitment but even more s

re you tell me how much you've changed?

u to believe me when I say how much I regret it every single day. I regret losing you. If I could take it

used by leaving you when you needed me most. You have to believe that I regret it ever

rrupted. There's something else,

ed at her in conf

ughter. All this time, as you were off living y

unned silence. We...we hav

n't tell you because I was so hurt. I wanted to protect myself and her from any more pain

ter. He had a child he never knew about. In that momen

nt. She looked at Xavier with tears in her eyes. I was so distraught after ev

hock. You raised our daughter alon

e years. I tried my best to give her a stable home ev

ild - who had been in the world for five years, and he hadn't even known. The realizatio

ve your forgiveness but please - tell me more about her. Help me get to kn

only loving intention where before had been uncertaint

t me be part of her life. Let me do right by

t to believe you've changed, Xavier, but your wo

you - and Amelia - that I'm committed to being the father she deserves, the partner you deserve. I know I can't undo the pas

the wounds ran too deep. Xavier saw her lingering fear and swore again to do anything to heal the rift between them.

nowing he could not undo the past overnight. But he

lk has likely brought up difficult memories. But you have no idea

believe the man before her had truly changed from the one who lef

ia's sake, I'm willing to let you try and prove yours

u both how important you are to me." He gazed at her, filled with renewed pu