The Apology

Chapter Four

      “Grandma… what’s going on?” Karen asked worriedly but got no response from her grandmother. Mrs. Jamie sighed after a while. It seemed like she was quite surprised about the authenticity of the vase and upon seeing that it was indeed a fake, she couldn’t help but sigh. 

     ‘How good would it have been if it were the real thing.’ she thought to herself before looking at her granddaughter, who looked worried. 

“It’s all right my dear Karen. Even though it’s not authentic, it’s still a gift, and gifts aren’t meant to be rejected unless they are harmful,” she claimed and Karen couldn’t help but smile. Indeed, her grandmother’s wisdom left her marveling. She chatted with her before going to meet her brother. However, the latter was still fuming near the pool, thinking about what Jason had done to him that day. The embarrassment was too much for him to take.

     Not only that, but his father scolded him to a point and his allowances were going to be cut for a few months.

     “I’m gonna kill that motherf*cker. I swear it.” He cursed under his breath as he was filled with killing intent. He clenched his fist so tightly that his slightly long nails threatened to penetrate his palm.

     “Careful, brother. You don’t want to stain the pool with your blood.” Karen chortled. Jared squinted his eyes before shooting her a piercing gaze. If looks could kill, Karen would be in pieces by now.

      “Are you here to mock me too?!” He growled but Karen shook her head.

      “It’s quite the opposite. I’m here to apologize. Jason shouldn’t have embarrassed you like that and I’m sorry. It was all on my behalf.” she apologized but Jared scoffed.

      “Humph, and what about your apology?” he claimed. Karen smirked as she shook her head. 

      “Sorry bro, but you’re not getting that. All I did was defend my husband, so I don’t owe you an apology. I’m only apologizing on Jason’s behalf.” She claimed before turning to leave. She shouldn’t be apologizing at all, but she just had to. After all, Jason was her husband and Jared was her brother. She apologized on behalf of Jason to her brother but she didn’t owe Jared an apology. He started it all anyway.

     Meanwhile, Jason stayed for about an hour before returning to his apartment. He lived alone. Even though he was married to Karen and was even supposed to be in the villa with the Marco family, he chose not to. After all, he wanted to make his wealth and live a simple life. If his benefactor needed him, he would always be there, but the man was dead. So there was nobody he cared about apart from Mr. Marco’s wife, Mrs. Jamie.

     Mr. Marco wanted to do more for Jason but he would mostly reject the help and claim that his being alive is due to the old man’s help. He would be ungrateful to take anything else. Hearing this, the man resorted to one last option, giving his granddaughter to Jason to marry.

Although Karen didn’t want that, she felt like she needed to honor her grandfather’s last wish, but to her, Jason proved to be even more useless by the day. So even though they were married, they weren’t living together. 

     “I’m better off not being married than being married to a lady who doesn’t see my worth.” he would usually say to himself. He undressed himself and took a shower before going back to bed. 

     He laid face-up against the ceiling and began to ponder about his life. ‘What exactly am I doing here?’ he asked himself. This wasn’t the first time such a question would surface in his mind, but he would always go into deep thought whenever it came. 

‘Peace of mind… this is even more of a hassle than the peace I need. Besides, it’s too boring.’ he thought to himself. He suddenly heard the paper rustling beside him and he turned his attention to it. It happened to be the newspaper that Allan gave him this morning.

       The headline was his main focus and Allan’s words began to resonate in his mind. Surely, he was having second thoughts. However, thinking of what happened and how his grandfather kicked him out of the house, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

       “I can’t go back. There’s nothing left for me there,” he claimed before going back to sleep.

                                                                ************

      It was a bit early in the morning and the sun had just begun to come up. Its rays touched Jason’s skin filling the area with warmth and life. The latter opened his eyes but was forced to close them back, as the light of the sun was a bit piercing from his red eyes.

     After a while, he slowly reopened them again after which they slowly adapted to the surrounding light. Jason checked his bedside watch and seeing the time, his revealed no emotion and he simply closed them back, as if returning to sleep. However, a few moments later, he sprang up from his bed and quickly rushed to the bathroom.

      After freshening up, he put on some clothes and prepared breakfast for himself, scrambled eggs and potato chips were the only things on the menu this morning. Just as he mixed the eggs, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

      “Hmm? I wonder who that could be. Better not be Allan.” he uttered to himself before opening the door. However, the person behind the door was the last person he’d ever expected to be there.

      Behold, the Princess of the Marco family, Karen Marco, was here. Her expression was as cold as ever, but that was what told Jason that everything was okay with her.

      “Wow… wasn’t expecting you to be here, sweetheart.” Jason teased but she pushed the brown paper bag against his chest before waltzing into his apartment.

      “Can’t you at least welcome me in first?!” she growled.

      “Uhm… you already did that yourself,” Jason muttered under his breath before closing the door. He examined the contents of the paper bag and saw something that spelled the name ‘Breakfast’.

       ‘That’s weird, Karen’s not one to bring me breakfast.’ he thought before looking at Karen with a confused gaze. However, he thought about teasing her even more.

       “Wow… the princess brought me breakfast. I wonder why?” he mentioned like he wasn’t talking to anyone but she could guess that his statement was directed to her.

       “Dream on. Grandmother told me to do this, that’s why. I don’t give a rat’s ass about you.” She claimed and Jason finally smiled. 

       “Really? If that’s the case, then why call me your husband amid so many people last night? Aren’t you afraid of public opinion?” Jason questioned but Karen’s face seemed to turn a bit red.

      “That’s none of your business, asshole.” she pouted. Jason couldn’t help but heave a sigh of resignation while smirking. Even in her little way, Karen still cared about him.