94 94. Asking for Forgiveness
Paula was very surprised to find five people in black suits in front of her. They don’t look like good people. Were they the ones who did bad things to William?
“What do you want?” Paula asked with a panicked look as if her heart was about to jump from her throat. Was William all right? Was he dead? Those were the only two questions that were ringing in her head.
However, Paula’s question was immediately answered moments later. A slant-eyed man supported William’s body, who walked with a limp. What a sight! Her heart skipped beating for a moment.
“William?” Paula rushed to her husband, hugging him very tightly. “I am so worried! I thought our child would grow up without his or her father.”
William smiled weakly, returning Paula’s hug tightly. “Sorry, I took a long time. Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?”
Paula looked up, her blue eyes drilling deeply into William. “How dare you talk about food when you’re half dead like this. Who dared to hurt you so badly like this?” she yelled, looking at the men in black.
William was about to answer. However, he was aware that the night was getting colder. It’s not good to be outside all the time. “How about we invite our guests to get inside first?” He asked then, stroking her silky blond hair lovingly.
Paula looked around and realized that was what she should have done in the first place. How could she leave her bandaged husband outside, in the cold weather?
Everyone finally went into Paula’s cramped apartment. Everyone sat cross-legged because Paula didn’t have enough chairs for her six guests.
.....
“So you are from the Yamaguchi family?” asked Paula calmly even though the fire of anger flashed clearly in her sapphire eyes, making the other person could only lower his head again after trying to raise his head to look at her face.
“Right. I am Akane’s little brother,” Ryuu answered while nodding without lifting his head even a little bit.
“What do you want? Don’t you realize that this will only add to the list of criminal acts of the Yamaguchi family?” Paula asked again, this time her voice rising. Of course, Her question needed no answer. Despite this, Ryuu still nodded and agreed with Paula’s statement.
“I deeply apologize for the shameless act of my family. Our grandfather should not have involved your husband in this feud,” Ryuu said with deep regret. After he got the full story about the problems facing his family and the background of his grandfather’s reckless actions, he realized that old Yamaguchi had gone too far. Even for criminal acts, he shouldn’t involve innocent people.
Paula couldn’t even put a smile on her face. To her, what the Yamaguchi family had done was completely unforgivable. It was disgusting.
“Okay, I don’t want to discuss anymore. Everything is very clear and you already admit it. So...” Paula paused for a moment. “Let’s just get on with the trial.”
Paula’s final words, even though Ryuu had expected them, still felt like lightning to the ear. After his sister and father were proven to have committed a crime, now his grandfather was indeed guilty.
Ryuu gulped. He didn’t want the family he loved to be destroyed. However, what can be done? Nothing he could do to change the fact.
“If you allow it, I intend to make a huge investment in your company,” Ryuu said then, nodding in doubt.
“Sorry, I refuse if this is because you want me to drop the charges against your family,” Paula answered firmly. She was indeed a foreigner, but she wanted to be treated fairly.
“This is not to prevent you from dropping the charges. However, I felt embarrassed and wanted to make amends. I hope that, in the future, there will be no animosity between our families,” Ryuu insisted. He bowed even deeper, making Paula feel bad for not granting Ryuu’s request.
Paula turned to her husband, seeing him in a bad state. “Shouldn’t your family have started this from the beginning? How much loss we suffered, the lack of trust between employees, and even now that you guys put my husband in this ... beaten condition... do you wish that those bad things could be erased so easily?”
“Forgive us-”
“That’s enough. We are not people who lack money or who desperately need investors. We know how many assets the Yamaguchi family has. What you have to offer is not tempting enough to be considered.”
Ryuu could only lower his head. The shame was unbearable. Paula then stood up and went to her room. She felt too tired to face the Yamaguchi family at this time.
William and Ryuu looked at each other, then William said, “You guys can come back later ... another time maybe. I don’t think Paula is in a good state right now.”
Ryuu and his men then went home in embarrassment because his apology was not accepted.
William then went into the room to check on Paula’s condition. In the room, he saw her opening her laptop, going through the information she had just received about a rough estimate of the Yamaguchi family’s fortune.
“Will, are you okay? I’ll make food and warm drinks for you,” Paula said when she realized William had entered the room.
However, William prevented Paula’s hand from touching the sliding door. He cupped Paula’s face with his cold hands and then looked at her sharply with his emerald eyes.
“I’m sorry,” William whispered.
“Hey, why are you the one apologizing?” asked Paula with a sad look. “I should be the one apologizing for getting you involved in my business.”
“You are my wife, I want to be involved in your life as much as possible if it can reduce the tension in your head,” William whispered again.
“Will-”
“I want you to relax a little.”
“Will-”
Paula didn’t continue what she was saying because what William did next was lock her lips with his. He was determined to make Paula feel a little more at ease.