Chapter 111: I'm Sorry

Part 1:

Nathael rarely felt anger, but Maggie always seemed to provoke him. A few words were enough to shatter his composure.

"It's up to you," Maggie said, smiling lightly, a hint of carelessness in her expression. She knew she couldn't keep asking for his trust; she'd already said it, and repeating it wouldn't help.

Nathael remained silent. He pushed her away, rebuttoning her shirt, then left without expression. The door slammed shut, leaving Maggie alone in the office.

She sat in Nathael's chair, staring at his lunchbox. Her mood was dreadful. She had never been good at coaxing anyone, in this life or her past one.

Joseph, however, was adept at coaxing women. Though he always criticized her as dull and cold, she'd never tried to coax him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have schemed so desperately to please him through the Camerons. She'd never coaxed Nathael either. In the past, her requests were half-hearted, and he silently complied. After their marriage, he pampered her.

Blind and disfigured, she resented him. Her temper was terrible; she ignored his feelings and expressions—after all, she couldn't see. He always appeared happy, but his enthusiasm was consistently met with coldness. It was difficult for him to be happy.

Bored, Maggie played with his pen, flipping over a scrap of paper. After a moment's thought, she wrote: "Once, there was a little duck in line, trying to align with the duck in front. But no matter what it tried, it just couldn't get it right. Finally, in frustration, it shouted to the duck in front, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Can you hear me? I can't get aligned!'" She added a sad face emoji.

What else could she do? She owed him. She had to coax the man she'd wronged. It felt like karma. She folded the paper into a heart shape, picked up her bag, and left.

Part 2:

Nathael stood in another office, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows. He lit a cigarette. After Alex's report, he remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he murmured, "Has she left?"

"Yes," Alex confirmed.

Nathael's Adam's apple bobbed. Disappointment? Regret? Or something else? He asked, "Did she say anything?"

Alex replied, "No. Nothing."

Nathael chuckled self-deprecatingly. His eyes darkened, and silence fell again. The more aware one is, the more pain they feel; knowing they aren't chosen makes it unbearable.

He finished his cigarette and returned to his office. Her white thermal lunchbox sat on his desk. He paused, then gently opened it.

Four dishes awaited him—vegetables and meat. It wasn't takeout; she'd clearly made it herself. On the omelette, she'd used black sesame seeds to outline two small figures, hand in hand, seemingly reconciled.

He took a fork, sat down, and ate silently. Afterward, he cleaned up, his gaze falling on a heart-shaped piece of folded paper with a tearful face drawn on it. He picked it up, noticing writing on the back. He unfolded it, a soft chuckle escaping him at the sight of her handwriting. The rose she'd chosen, claiming it was the largest she could find, remained on his desk.

Part 3:

After leaving, Maggie went shopping for a gift for Nathael, but received a call from her mentor, Laura. "Maggie, there's a piano competition organized by several major universities. The school wants you to participate. Do you have time?" Maggie checked her schedule and agreed.

"Then prepare well. I'm looking forward to your performance," Laura said warmly. "Oh, and the overseas exchange program spots have been decided. You'll be back just in time for the competition next month, but you might not have much time to practice."

"Don't worry, Ms. Foster. There are plenty of pianos abroad. I'll definitely practice," Maggie reassured her.

Laura smiled. "Then I'll be reassured."

After hanging up, Maggie planned her day and went to a coffee shop, ordering an Americano. She'd chosen a pair of dark blue cufflinks with subtle sparkles—simple, elegant, and captivating. She took a photo and sent it to Nathael via WhatsApp, adding the text: "I bought you a gift. Stop being mad at me, okay?"

Nathael didn't reply. Frustrated, Maggie sighed. She couldn't understand his continued anger over her not leaving with him that day. She'd told him Fiona was in the emergency room. Shouldn't he, as Ericko's friend, have waited until she was out of danger?

Part 4:

Nathael looked at the WhatsApp message silently for a long time, then turned off his phone and set it aside.

Maggie sent another message: "That day, Mrs. Adam needed urgent medical attention, so I had to wait until she was out of danger before leaving. Next time, I'll definitely leave with you, okay?"

Half an hour passed with no reply. Annoyed, she sent another message: "You're so stubborn. I've given the gift to someone else. Goodbye!"

She packed her things and left. She'd humbled herself enough. Why was he still acting superior? She couldn't understand his anger. Was it worse than the last time he heard her talking to Ronald about using him? She'd considered telling him Philip and Fiona were her parents, but given their strained relationship, she felt she had no right.

This revised version improves grammar, punctuation, and flow, making the narrative clearer and more engaging. The unnecessary numerical notations have been removed.