Chapter 214: Apologize with Humility
Chapter 214: Apologize with Humility
(Elena Blackwood’s POV)
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As night descended, the Northern Territory glittered with lights stretching across the horizon
like scattered diamonds. The city hummed with life below us as Jane and I sat in her cozy
living room, the bottle of Moonlight Reserve Vintage Wine nearly empty between us.
“Actually, there’s a question I’ve been wanting to ask you,” Jane said, slightly tipsy from the
red wine. She draped her arm over my shoulder with the casual intimacy of close friendship.
Her cheeks were flushed pink from the alcohol, and her eyes held that particular brightness that came with liquid courage.
B
“What question?” I asked, settling back into the plush cushions of her sofa.
Jane’s expression grew more serious despite her intoxicated state. “You have to promise to
be honest with me.”
I nodded, curious about what had been weighing on her mind. “Of course.”
“Do you have feelings for Hugo Ashworth?”
The question hit me like a cold splash of water. I stared at her for a moment, processing the
directness of her inquiry.
“I…” I began, then stopped. How could I explain something I didn’t fully understand myself?
“We’ve only known each other for a few months,” I said slowly. “I admit I have some favorable impressions of him, but I wouldn’t say our relationship has reached the level of romantic feelings.”
Jane watched me carefully, her eyes surprisingly sharp despite the wine. “But there’s
something there, isn’t there?”
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “I don’t know. After everything that happened with Marcus, I question whether I still harbor any feelings for him. And if I do, am I really ready for a new relationship?”
The confession felt heavy on my tongue. The truth was, my emotions were a tangled mess that I couldn’t begin to unravel.
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< Chapter 214 Apologize with Humility
Jane squeezed my shoulder gently. “Do you know what draws me to Hugo?”
I smiled, “Because he is handsome?”
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“Of course not!” she explained, “It’s not just about his looks, though he is handsome. I feel a sense of connection with him. We both seem to carry this loneliness, this desire for
understanding.”
I nodded knowingly. “I understand that feeling.”
Something in her tone made me look at her more closely. There was a sadness in her eyes
that I’d never noticed before.
“Jane, what about your family situation? You never talk about them.”
Her smile faltered slightly. “There’s a reason for that. I wasn’t my parents‘ favorite child.”
She took another sip of wine before continuing. “I had a sister. Her name was Jane Harrison.”
The past tense didn’t escape my notice. “Had?”
“She died when I was ten,” Jane said quietly. “We were on a family rafting trip. The current was stronger than expected, and I fell in. Jane jumped in to save me.”
My heart clenched at the pain in her voice. “Jane…”
“She drowned saving me,” she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “After that, my parents always blamed me. They never said it outright, but I could see it in their eyes. Their precious daughter was gone, and I was the reason why.”
The pieces suddenly clicked into place. “That’s why you use her name.”
Jane nodded, tears threatening to spill over. “I took her identity because I thought it would make them love me again. But it never worked.”
I noticed the two rings she always wore on her right hand. “Those rings…”
“One for me, one for her,” she confirmed. “I’ve always wondered if I was the one who died back then, perhaps my parents wouldn’t be so sad.”
“Don’t say that,” I said firmly, grasping her hand. “Your sister made a choice. She chose to save you because your life mattered to her.”
Jane looked at me with watery eyes. “But what if-”
“No what–ifs,” I interrupted. “She wouldn’t want you to feel guilty. She’d want you to live your
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< Chapter 214. Apologize with Humility
life, to be happy.”
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I squeezed her hand tighter. “You need to prioritize your own feelings over your parents’ expectations. Do what you want to do. Be yourself.”
Jane stared at me for a long moment, something shifting in her expression. A spark of determination flickered in her eyes.
“You’re right,” she said slowly. “I want to reclaim my original identity. I want to be myself
again.”
She straightened her shoulders with newfound resolve. “I’m going to revert to my given name.
I’m Celeste Harrison, not Jane Ports.”
I smiled, feeling proud of her courage. “To Celeste Harrison, then.”
We raised our glasses in a toast, the crystal chiming softly as they touched. “To embracing
who we really are.”
Later that night, after Celeste had fallen asleep on the sofa, I quietly gathered my things. The wine had left me with a pleasant buzz, but my mind felt clearer than it had in days.
I returned to my hotel room at one in the morning, my key card sliding smoothly into the lock. The hallway was quiet, most guests long since retired for the night.
As I pushed open the door, I froze. Marcus Blackwood sat in the armchair by the window, his silhouette outlined by the city lights streaming through the glass.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, annoyance flaring in my chest.
He stood slowly, his movements careful and deliberate. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t,” I said firmly, moving toward him with the intention of pushing him toward the
door. “Get out.”
But as I reached for him, Marcus grabbed my wrist. In one swift motion, he spun me around and pinned me against the wall, his body caging me in.
His golden eyes were intense in the dim light, filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite identify. “Elena, please. Just listen.”
“Let me go,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction.
Marcus’s grip on my wrist loosened slightly, but he didn’t step back. “I came to apologize for my behavior earlier today.”
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<Chapter 214 Apologize with Humility
His voice was rough, almost vulnerable. “I was out of line. I had no right to treat
way.”
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