The Rise of Mackin Jones

Chapter 16

Mackin sat in his office in the city, staring at the skyline as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the glittering buildings. His thoughts were elsewhere, consumed by the battle he knew was brewing within the family.

He could sense the resistance—feel the undercurrent of fear and resentment from the old guard. But he wasn’t going to back down. Not after everything he had been through.

The door to his office creaked open, and Mackin turned to see Lana standing in the doorway. His breath caught in his throat. She hadn’t changed much in the years since their separation, but her face seemed softer now, worn by guilt and regret. Her once fiery eyes now held a sadness that tugged at Mackin’s heart.

"Mackin," she said softly, stepping into the room. "Can we talk?"

Mackin’s jaw tightened, memories of her betrayal flashing through his mind like a series of painful snapshots. He had once loved her more than anything, trusted her with his heart and his future. But she had chosen the family over him, aligning herself with Bruno and Drake, helping to orchestrate his downfall.

"Why are you here, Lana?" Mackin asked, his voice cool, though his heart pounded in his chest.

Lana closed the door behind her and took a tentative step forward. "I… I wanted to see you. To talk about what happened."

Mackin stood, his hands gripping the edge of his desk. He couldn’t suppress the anger that welled up inside him. "What happened? You mean how you helped them destroy me? How you stood by and let them throw me out like garbage?"

Lana flinched at his words, tears brimming in her eyes. "I didn’t know, Mackin. I didn’t know they would do that to you."

Mackin scoffed, shaking his head. "Don’t lie to me, Lana. You knew exactly what you were doing. You chose them. You chose power over love."

Lana’s lips trembled, her voice breaking. "I didn’t have a choice. They would have destroyed me too if I hadn’t—"

"You always had a choice," Mackin interrupted, his voice rising. "And you chose to betray me."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The tension in the room was thick, the weight of years of pain and regret pressing down on them both. Lana’s tears spilled over, and she wiped them away quickly, trying to compose herself.

"I made a mistake," Lana whispered, her voice barely audible. "I know that now. I’ve spent every day since then regretting what I did. I just… I came here to ask for your forgiveness."

Mackin stared at her, his heart torn between anger and sorrow. He had imagined this moment so many times, wondered how it would feel to see her again, to confront her about what she had done. But now that she was standing in front of him, broken and apologetic, it wasn’t the victory he had imagined. It wasn’t satisfying.

"Lana," Mackin said, his voice quiet but firm. "Forgiveness isn’t something you just ask for and receive. You destroyed my life. You were part of the reason I lost everything."

Lana took another step closer, her eyes pleading. "I know I hurt you, Mackin. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I’m asking you to give me a chance to make it right."

Mackin’s hands clenched into fists, his emotions a swirling storm of anger, sadness, and something else—something he didn’t want to acknowledge. He wanted to hate her, wanted to push her away and never look back. But part of him—the part that still remembered the love they once shared—ached to let her in, to forgive her.

"You can’t make this right," Mackin said finally, his voice thick with emotion. "You can’t undo what you did."

Lana’s shoulders sagged, her face crumpling with despair. "Mackin, please… I’ve lost everything. You’re the only person who ever meant anything to me. I know I don’t deserve it, but… I need you. I need you to believe that I’ve changed."

Mackin turned away from her, unable to look at her tear-streaked face any longer. His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt a lump forming in his throat. He had hardened himself against so many people, against so many things, to survive. But forgiving Lana? That was something else entirely.

"I don’t know if I can believe that," Mackin admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lana took a tentative step forward, her voice trembling. "You don’t have to forgive me today. I just… I want a chance to prove to you that I’m not the person I used to be."

Mackin stood in silence, his hands gripping the edge of the desk so tightly his knuckles turned white. Could he give her that chance? Could he let her back into his life, after everything she had done?

Finally, Mackin turned back to face her, his expression unreadable. "I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you, Lana. But I’ll give you a chance."

Lana let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her. She took another step closer, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Mackin. Thank you."

Mackin nodded but said nothing more. He watched as Lana turned and quietly left the office, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The door clicked shut behind her, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Mackin sank into his chair, burying his face in his hands. He had faced so many battles, so many enemies, but this—this was something different. Forgiving Lana would be one of the hardest battles he would ever fight. And he wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to win.