CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17 HER FORGIVENESS

Alora blinked, still not believing that Caden was standing right in front of her.

The pain of his betrayal was still very fresh in her mind and she wasn’t interested in putting up with him right now.

She made to walk to the side, but he blocked her.

She eyed him.”Can you please get lost?”

Caden swallowed hard, visibly stunned by her coldness.

He knew she was mad at him but he thought she’d be at least, maybe a little bit touched to see him.

He had travelled hours to find her, abandoning his school work and all that.

But she didn’t look fazed by his presence.

“Rara...”

“Alora.”She corrected, harshly.

“Can we talk?”

“No.”

“Please, just 10 minutes.” He begged, the arrogant popular football player was gone, he just wanted to resolve things between them.

“2 minutes.” She let out.

“But...”

“The clock is ticking.”

Caden sighed.

Fuck!

She was cold.

Taking a deep breath, he began.

“I’m sorry, Alora. I came all the way here to apologize for everything.”

Alora stared at him, skeptically.

He travelled so far to apologize to her?

She didn’t believe him.

“I’m aware you found out about everything. I have so excuse for my behavior. I am so sorry about the bet, I’m sorry for approaching you with ulterior motives, I’m sorry for manipulating you so Brielle could get the Tisch spot. I was wrong, I...I was a coward, I was so stupid.”

He continued.”I’m sorry for not standing up for you in front of my friends.” He stared at her face.

“I know I deeply hurt you and I regret everything. I am so so sorry, Alora. Please forgive me.”

Alora stared at him for a moment.

She couldn’t exactly say that she was touched by his apology.

She had just moved here. She wanted to start all over again and focus on her goals. She was not the same girl who had been in loved with him anymore.

She wanted to move pass all that.

“I forgive you.” She announced.

That wasn’t sincere thought but she said it so she could also fully let go of the past.

But Caden thought it was sincere, in fact, his eyes lit up with hope.

He smiled, broadly.

He knew she couldn’t have fallen out of love with that fast.

She still loved him, that was why she could forgive him so fast.

Alora added.”Can I go now?”

She glanced her watch, and was already running late.

She didn’t want to be late for her first class in this school.

Caden was shocked.

Didn’t she just say she forgave him?

He expected her to want to hang out with him or something?

But when he stared into her eyes, he realized that she had simply said she forgave him so she could drive him away.

There was no warmth in her eyes, no expression on her face.

The realization sent a sharp pain through his heart.

She didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

No!

He couldn’t give up without letting her know this, Caden then grabbed hold of her hand.

“Alora, all the moments with you weren’t fake, they were calculated. I genuinely fell for you. I really like you. Please give me one more chance. I promise, I’ll prove to you how genuine my feelings for you are.”

Caden stood before Alora in unprecedented humility. His shoulders, usually squared with confidence, now slumped slightly as he awaited her response. The vulnerability in his eyes was something no one at his college would have believed possible.

Even with Brielle, he had never spoken with such desperation, never allowed himself to appear so exposed. Each second of silence between them felt like an eternity as he watched her face for any sign of softening.

But Alora’s eyes remained unchanged, her expression as calm and distant as if she were observing a scientific specimen. The fire that had once sparked whenever she looked at him was completely extinguished, leaving only cool, analytical detachment.

She looked up, her attention caught by a group of students playing rugby on the nearby lawn. They were playing intensely, their shouts echoing across the courtyard, when the ball flew off course, smashing into a classroom window with startling force.

A sharp crash echoed across the courtyard as glass shattered, fragments raining down onto the pavement, glittering in the afternoon sun.

People around them gasped and exclaimed, but Alora simply turned to Caden and asked, "Do you see that broken window?"

He blinked in confusion, following her gaze to the glittering shards on the ground. The randomness of the question momentarily threw him off balance.

She continued, her voice steady and matter-of-fact, as though explaining a simple concept to a child.

“Once glass shatters into pieces, it can never be restored. Trust and feelings between people work the same way. I won’t lie to you, after you deceived me, I can never fully trust you again." She gestured vaguely between them. "Without trust, we can’t even be friends, let alone lovers.” Alora spoke with genuine sincerity.

There was no anger in her words, no desire to hurt him in return. Her emotional detachment wasn’t a shield but a reality, the pain had simply faded, leaving only clarity in its wake.

In the months since she’d discovered the truth, she had come to understand Caden. He was, in many ways, like a child who had been sheltered his entire life. Born into wealth and privilege, accustomed to success in everything, he approached life with a peculiar mix of innocence and cruelty.

That was why he had so carelessly trampled on her feelings, never considering the damage he left behind.

She didn’t blame him anymore, resentment required emotional investment she no longer had to give, but that didn’t mean she was willing to start over. Some things, once broken, couldn’t be fixed. Her trust in him was one of those things.

So what if Caden had finally realized his true feelings for her? What would happen if one day he grew bored again? Wouldn’t he just hurt her in new ways?

You judge a person by their lowest moments, and Caden had already shown her his. She would never open herself to that vulnerability again.

His face drained of color as her words sank in. The finality in her tone was unmistakable. This wasn’t a negotiation; it was a closing statement.

“Alora, please," he whispered, taking a step toward her.

But Alora had nothing more to say. She turned and walked away, her movements fluid and unhurried. She didn’t look back.

Caden initially moved to follow her, then stopped himself, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

He knew he had hurt her too deeply. Pursuing her relentlessly now would only make her resent him more. That would achieve nothing except driving her further away.

That was okay. He had time.

Whether it took a month, a year, or even years, he was determined to win her back.

The Caden Steele who had manipulated and schemed was gone; in his place stood someone who finally understood what it meant to truly want someone’s happiness above his own.

**********

In the weeks that followed, Caden flew to London at every opportunity, pulling strings with his family’s connections to rearrange football practices and even miss games.

Even when he had just a two-day weekend, spending over 20 hours in transit for less than 48 hours in London, he came without complaint. The discomfort of cramped airplane seats was nothing compared to the ache of her absence.

He sought Alora out regularly, but was careful not to intrude on her life or make her uncomfortable. He studied her schedule, learned her routines, always keeping a respectful distance.

He would leave her favorite breakfast outside her apartment door without a word.

He sent gifts she loved to her school, always anonymously.

When it rained, he would silently walk behind her with an umbrella, staying far enough back that she might not notice, but close enough to step in if needed.

He gave everything he had, but Alora’s demeanor remained unchanged — calm, distant, unmoved. She accepted his gifts with polite nods when she saw him, but the spark he desperately sought never returned to her eyes.

One day, Caden arrived at the Royal Acting school once again, carrying a bag of her favorite snacks and a small gift he’d brought all the way from America. His persistence hadn’t wavered despite weeks without progress.

But before he could find her, his phone rang.

He answered to hear Mason’s panicked voice.

“Caden, it’s bad. You need to come back right now!"

********

Caden rushed back to the States, finally learning what the emergency was about.

Jacob’s situation had escalated.

Originally, Jacob’s family wanted to settle things, peacefully.

Caden’s father even offered them lots of money to bury the issue.

But for months, Jacob remained comatose.

The punched Caden had rained on him had badly affected his brain and he was still in a coma.

His parents had to sought out Jacob’s rich uncle. Jacob had a very wealthy uncle

Though his wealth didn’t quite match the Steele family’s influence, Jacob’s uncle, Richard was certainly not someone to be crossed lightly.

Plus, he had a grudge against the Steele family.

He saw this as a perfect opportunity to deal with the Steeles and what better way, than making the Steeles’ heir rot in jail?