The apology

Martina

Newspapers, TV and social media are all covering the incident that took place last Saturday. “Billionaire Martina Kurt called a prostitute by a woman who claims to be her big sister”, is the headline in large print that animates the media. I'm sure a lot of my competitors are laughing now. They were all waiting for a break and they were well served. But I will not stoop to being trampled on. I finish having breakfast with my husband and we go out to work. He took care of me all weekend long, pampering me like a child. Fortunately, I have an understanding husband who knows how to comfort me. Otherwise, I will surely go mad with this burden of mine. However, I know that in the long run, this situation could be unpleasant for him. I hope this period is not about to arrive.

I arrive at work and the guard comes to take the wheel to park my car in the parking lot. When I enter the building housing the company, I pass as usual very quickly without paying too much attention to those who are there. I hear someone call my name

"Martina!" I turn around curious to know who is calling me by my first name. None of my employees could venture there. I see Steve running towards me.

"Please Martina, I need to talk to you." He says pleadingly when he comes up to me.

Seeing the attention of those who were at the reception were already focused on us, I motioned for him to follow me. We enter the elevator in silence. We arrive in my office and I ask him to take a seat. He runs.

"So you have thirty minutes to tell me what brings you here and it's starting to spin now." I said giving him a stern look.

'Martina, I come to ask your forgiveness for everything I have done to you. You were innocent and loved me, but I hurt you so much and in the most cowardly way possible. Believe me, from tonight until today, my life is gone. I have become a shadow of myself. Forgive me Martina." He said kneeling in front of me while crying. I left him in this position for a good while then I asked him to sit down.

"Why are you coming to ask me for forgiveness? Has your female dog of a wife abandoned you? Because knowing her, she would never have accepted that you come here to humiliate yourself like this." I said giving him a hard look.

"I've wanted to do it since you reappeared. I thought fate gave me the chance to make amends, but as usual, I listened to Paula who talked me out of it. I know that you are very angry with us, and it is with good reason. But believe me, I have paid dearly and I still continue to pay dearly for all the evil that I have done to you. Life has given it back to me for all these years spent by your sister's side. I lost everything, even my family. I come to implore you to forgive me so that I can have peace." He replies in a voice that wants to attract sympathy.

"Why did you do that? I was innocent and I loved you, you know?! I was ready to spend my life with you. I always included you in my plans for the future." I recited in anger.

"I was tricked Martina. I should never have given in to Paula's advances. Believe me, she had spent a whole year seducing me, but I was pushing her away. However one evening, when I was out to take a drink I coincidentally met her in the same snack bar She asked if she could sit on my table and I didn't mind. I drank just half a bottle of beer I can't remember what followed until the morning I found myself naked next to her in the hostel So that's how it turned out I'll give you that, I should have ended this game from the start, but I was weak... Paula held me down and threatened to tell you that we had slept together, and I had fear of losing you."

"You ended up raping me with your friends." I cut him off, looking him straight in the eyes, as he lowers his own full of guilt.

"Paula won her case. I'm not saying that justifies what I did, no. Far from it! I was cowardly in the face of her manipulation and blackmail. She recorded our conversations and threatened me to throw everything at my father, who was going to disinherit me, if I didn't do it. And at the same time, show them to you and that would be the end of our story." he says ashamed.

"But did you think this story could have continued after you raped me?" I replied flabbergasted

"I didn't rape you. I just asked those guys to do it. I wouldn't have been able to go to such an extreme. I was out not to witness it. And believe me, I I was in very bad shape. Paula could even do it without my intervention, but you have to admit that she wanted to separate us and at the same time, keep me for herself. But I swear to you on what I hold dearest, that I loved you and she knew that was the only way to end this relationship.' He said with tears in his eyes.

I watch Steve cry, and I feel sorry for him. Despite all the harm he did to me, he is still one more victim of Paula.

"If you know all this about her, then why are you still staying with her?" I asked to understand.

"To tell you the truth, I've always been a coward and it's this cowardice that has led me to make a lot of mistakes. Since the beginning of our marriage, Paula has been leading me around. dictates decisions and I don't know by what magic I comply all the time. But his actions over the past few days have pushed me to make a decision." He replies with a look of regret.

"Which?" I asked curious.

"I want to leave Paula. I'm expecting a child and that's why I'm taking this step for his own good. I would like him to at least be proud of a good deed I've done." He explains looking determined.

"Congratulations! But if Paula is pregnant, why do you want you to break up? It's more of a reason that should bond you even more!" I inquired surprised at his gait.

"Paula is not carrying my child, but our cleaning lady." he answers.

"Wow!" I say dumbfounded. "But what you're teaching me is...I don't know how to actually qualify it." I say still in astonishment.

"But you know it's a slap in the face of Paula and she won't take long to hit?!" I added in his place.

"I know all of this and I would like to ask for your help with this." he stammered hesitantly.

"My help? Which way?" I asked without understanding where he is coming from.

"I've been looking for a job for more than a year, but without a relationship in this country, you know it's impossible. I know I have the nerve to come and ask you all this after what I tell you. I have done in the past, but I really need your help to find a job. Even if it is in our old company in Edea, I am ready to do any job." He begs me, avoiding my gaze.

"What a nerve indeed!" I exclaimed at his effrontery. "Do you remember when I humiliated myself by asking you for help when my mother was in the hospital waiting for money for surgery?"

Steve bows his head and I know he's filled with regret. He raises his head again and asks me in a pleading tone

"I ask your forgiveness once again Martina! I am aware of all the harm I have done to you and I would understand if you do not want to help me."

I watch him for about a minute and instead of feeling a grudge against him, I feel sorry for him. I finally decide to tell him

"I heard what you have to say to me and know that I forgive you."

A shy smile forms on his lips as his face lights up with relief. I continue.

"As for helping you, that's a bit stronger for me. But I promise to think about it and I'll call you with my decision. Write down your number on this piece of paper. " I said, handing him a format and a pen.

Steve writes down his number and leaves. I remain pensive after his departure. How the wheel turns! Steve, who more than ten years ago held my mother's fate in his hands, but was a coward to help me, today I hold his fate. The good or the bad that we do always come back to us, and he is the living proof of it. Now that he's gone, I open my drawer where the envelope containing the evidence incriminating Paula is. As soon as I open it, it's empty. The envelope has disappeared.