Chapter 47 47 Chapter 47 - Rejected Apology Monica's POV "Monica, Mr. Louis requests your presence in his office immediately," Mr. Sebastian announced, appearing beside my cubicle. His round tortoiseshell glasses slid down his nose as he peered at me. "You may head up now. Have you completed the assignment I gave you earlier?" I smiled at my new boss. Despite his quirky appearance and constant humming, he was genuinely kind-hearted. The commercial department where I'd been placed was an open floor plan with cubicles arranged in groups of four, his being the only enclosed space. The environment buzzed with activity-phones ringing, colleagues chatting-creating an atmosphere I found refreshingly dynamic. I'd already made a friend and was settling in nicely, but this sudden summons to meet the company president made my stomach twist with anxiety. "Yes, Mr. Sebastian," I replied, handing him several neatly organized folders. "Everything's compiled with the reports you requested. Would you like me to review anything with you?" "No need. Go speak with the big boss first. I'll ask questions later if necessary. But hurry along, he seemed rather eager to see you,' he urged, practically shooing me away. I walked to the elevator feeling like a condemned prisoner. As the soft classical music played during my ascent, I tried calming my racing heart with deep breathing exercises. Had I made some terrible mistake already? When I reached the executive floor, Mr. Louis's secretary smiled warmly. "Go right in. He's expecting you." I knocked tentatively before entering. "You wanted to see me, sir? How can I help?" My heart nearly stopped. Mr. Louis wasn't alone-Natalie and Morris sat there as well. My vision. blurred with tears as my body began to tremble. Had Morris come to humiliate me yet again? "Monica, please come closer," Mr. Louis said gently. "Morris has come to speak with you. I'd like to know if you're willing to hear him out." I glanced at Morris, completely baffled. What more could he possibly want from me after all the accusations and public humiliation? "Mr. Louis, with all due respect," I said, fighting to maintain my composure, "if this doesn't concern my position here, I have nothing to discuss with Mr. Lorenzo." "This has nothing to do with your employment, Monica," Mr. Louis reassured me. "Sebastian. speaks highly of your work, and I'm pleased with my decision to hire you. Morris's matter pertains to what occurred at his company." I looked to Natalie, who watched me with obvious concern. When my gaze returned to Morris, I noticed his pleading eyes, the dark circles beneath them, his disheveled appearance. Something 47 Chapter 47-Rejected Apology twisted painfully in my chest, but I refused to let him wound me again. "Unless Mr. Lorenzo has brought police to arrest me, I have nothing to say. I'd prefer to return to my duties," I stated firmly. Morris sighed deeply. "I came to apologize, Monica. Please, just hear me out. I made a terrible mistake." His voice sounded rough, strained, as he rubbed his hands over his haggard face. Natalic approached me. "Listen, if it were my call, this idiot wouldn't get within ten feet of you. But he's relentless. Better to handle this here than have him showing up at your home where Austin might see." My friend had a point. I didn't need this drama anywhere near my son. *Fine, Mr. Lorenzo. I'll listen, but after work hours, I conceded reluctantly. "Monica," Mr. Louis interjected kindly, "as both your employer and someone who considers himself your friend, may I suggest you speak with Morris now? Use my office. Natalic and I will wait in the conference room if you need anything. I've made it absolutely clear to Morris that you have support here." I exhaled slowly and nodded. Better to get this over with. Natalie and Mr. Louis departed, leaving me alone with Morris once again. My pulse quickened-despite everything, I still loved him, which made the betrayal cut even deeper. He stepped toward me, and I instinctively backed away. I couldn't risk his touch; my resolve would crumble too easily. "Monica, please don't pull away, Morris said, his voice laden with sorrow. "Sit down, Mr. Lorenzo, I instructed coldly. "You wanted to talk. I'll listen, but that's all. We sat, and pain etched every line of his face. I told myself not to be fooled into thinking he missed me as desperately as I missed him. Morris explained everything: Irina had framed me. She was the one leaking information all along. They'd had to pretend ignorance until they could identify her accomplice. I wasn't particularly surprised about Irina; she'd always been suspiciously nosy. "Monica, I'm begging for your forgiveness," Morris pleaded. "I acted impulsively and cruelly. When I saw those emails, I was hurt and refused to listen to anyone. I didn't give you a chance to defend yourself. Please forgive me." "Mr. Lorenzo, I replied as tears spilled down my cheeks, "you ejected me from your company. You hurled insults at me. You refused to hear my side. You told me I belonged in the gutter." I shook my head slowly. "Do you honestly believe a simple apology crases all that? You shattered my heart in ways I never thought possible." When he reached for me, I recoiled. 47 Chapter 47 Rejected Apology "Don't," I whispered, eyes closed against the pain. "Please don't touch me "Monica, please," he begged. "Give me another chance. We can fix this" "I can't, Mr. Lorenzo. I was thrown out, publicly humiliated, treated like garbage. That's not something I can simply forget. I appreciate you taking the time to clear up the misunderstanding, and I'm genuinely glad you're making progress in uncovering who's been sabotaging your company. But that's all I can offer. With head bowed, I stood and left, walking directly to the conference room. Once inside, I broke down completely, tears streaming uncontrollably. Natalic rushed to embrace me as Mr. Louis placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You and Natalie may leave whenever you wish," he said kindly. "I'll inform Sebastian. See you tomorrow, Monica. Remember, you have a friend in me." With that, he left me in my friend's caring arms as my heart continued to break. Comment " In "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" by CrushReel, the storyline unfolds as renowned photographer Jane finds herself drawn to the charismatic rookie model, Hector. Little does she know that Hector harbors a secret—he is actually the heir to a powerful business empire. As their romance blossoms, Hector grapples with concealing his true identity to capture Jane's heart. However, their love story takes a tumultuous turn when jealousy rears its ugly head, threatening to unravel the delicate balance they've built. 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