Chapter 283 - Second Chance

Elizabeth continued to walk along the beach as saltwater came roll down her face. She was having a hard time breathing as her chest was aching so badly. Her hope and dream before being with the man came to reality, but the sad truth that things between them are history. 

As the memories of the past soon flash before her, her mind was going crazy as if she was about to go mad. She started hearing the man's voice and all the sweet words echoed into her heart. It was like torture, both mentally and emotionally. The more she thought about the memories she shared with the man the more strange faint memories started to flash. 

"Why?"

The girl continues to cry as she stumbled upon a seashell and cut herself. 

"Ah-"

She did not bother for such a simple cut for the pain she was feeling right now was far greater than a simple seashell cut. She looked down at her wound but felt nothing for it. Her heart right now was cracking into pieces again and she does not know how to mend it. 

As she continued to venture along the beach, the sun was setting and soon the cloud turned reddish orange as the wind became colder. She has been walking and crying for almost an hour and has exhausted herself. 

The entire beach was empty and not a single soul was roaming around. However...

Behind her was a man who'd been quietly following her, he dare not approach her, for he feared and worried about what she will do. He continued to follow her up until the point he notices the girl collapse on her knees. 

Without even thinking of the consequence of his action, his own body quickly runs to her side as he checks on the girl, he panicky scanned her and inquired, "What happened?"

Elizabeth turned around to see who was next to her, she was surprised that the man actually followed her. Her tears continued to roll seeing the man up close again. Her throat was dry, but she forces herself to speak up. 

"What are you doing here?"

The girl got up and pushed the man away; she tried her best not to cry in front of him. She gathered herself together as she pulled herself up and face the man confidently. "President Stanford forgive me for my unprofessionalism. I'll make sure to compensate the company." 

As she was about to leave again, the man grabs hold of her hand and pulled himself towards her as he gave her a back hug. Holding her tightly not allowing her to escape from him as she struggled her way out, he softly whispered again...

"I'm sorry..."

"President Stanford, it is I who should be apologizing. You have done nothing wrong..."

But Elizabeth was unable to finish explaining herself when the man started expressing his true feelings. It brought a big shocked to her and was completely taken aback by all the words he was declaring in front of her. 

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I'm sorry that I played with your feelings."

"When you came running out of my apartment that day, I realize my mistake and regretted everything. I came to look for you, but your friends prevented me from seeing you. No matter how hard I try to see you or get a hold of you, all your friends didn't allow me." 

Jayden Stanford took a deep breath as he turned the girl around to face him. He waited for a long time to redeem himself and explain himself. Even though he was at fault, he still hopes the girl could forgive him for his foolishness back then. 

Since the day he witnesses the girl walking out of his apartment that night, he felt a strange painful feeling which he couldn't explain. He didn't even continue what happened that night and spent the rest of the night by himself regretting what he did. 

"I was so proud of you when I saw you standing on that stage as you gave your graduation speech. You were amazing and at the same time beautiful."

The truth was, it surprised Jayden Stanford that day when she made her speech and in front of law students. Since then he'd asked people around about her and figured out who she was. When the reports about the girl's identity came out, he was totally shocked and in disbelief. He didn't care about her identity since he realized he likes her for who she was when it was just the two of them. 

Elizabeth was lost for words and did not know what going on since he said he was there during her speech could only mean he already knew who she is. But that was not her biggest concern at the moment. What she's confused about is why he would go that far and look for her. She didn't even hear anything about it, to think her friends have hidden something so important behind her back. "What are you talking about?"

"I wanted to talk to you on that day, but Jackie saw me so I had no choice but to leave. Afterward, I went to your apartment but found out you left already. I contact your friends and beg them to let me talk to you but they won't. I even asked people to search for you, but you were nowhere to be found."

Elizabeth felt like she was struck by lightning. She did not expect the man has suffered because of her. What's worst Jackie been keeping everything about Jayden looking for her a secret all this time. "You were looking for me?"

"Liz, I was an a**hole who took you for granted and I am ashamed of myself. I swear since the day I saw you walking out of my apartment, I was not that man anymore. I worked hard to be a better person hoping that someday you'll forgive me. Day and night I think about you and where you are. When I saw you on the internet, you don't know how happy I was to finally find you. " 

Elizabeth's emotions were currently muddled up and didn't know how to react. "So you want me to forgive you?" 

"Of course..." Jayden Stanford beamed such joy of the thought that the girl will forgive him. 

"Then I forgive you, so can you please let me go." Elizabeth pushed Jayden's hand away as she started walking away from him. 

"Why?"

Elizabeth was caught by Jayden again as she turned around to face him with teary eyes. Her emotion got the better of her as she exploded and vented out all her pain at him as her tears started to roll again. 

"What do you want from me?"

Jayden gathers all his courage as he declared his intention to the girl, seeing her crying in front of him pained him and he didn't want her to suffer anymore too. 

"I want a second chance. Weren't you the one who told me everyone deserves a second chance in life. Weren't you the one who told me people can change for the betterment of who they are. So why can't you give me that second chance?"

Elizabeth was taken aback by the man's words. She didn't expect he'll use the words she had told him before at her. As if she herself was telling her own self off. 

"I-"

"You told me if a person knows how to apologize they are closer to being a better person. So here I am asking for your forgiveness... I don't want you to accept my forgive half-heartedly. I want you to completely forgive me because you have forgiven me. Not because you just want to get rid of me."

As Jayden tried to pull the girl closer to him, Elizabeth shouted as she felt her chest tightening. 

"Stop it!"

"Liz, please..." 

Jayden Stanford grabs hold of the girl as he tightly embraces her and locked her around him, he took a deep breath as he softly spoke to her. "Please, let me get rid of all the past pain and create a better future. Let me show you who I've become during the time you were away. You don't know how much pain I've suffered knowing you hate me." 

"I ca-" 

Elizabeth didn't expect to hear the words she's been hoping for all this time. If the man did chase after her that night and looked for her during their stay in university, she would have forgiven him, but now her feelings are complicated. 

"Please, don't say you can't or you're not willing to let me in. Shouldn't you give me a second chance before saying you don't want me to be part of your life anymore? I made a mistake back then, I know I was wrong. But you said it yourself, everyone deserves a second chance in life to prove themselves worthy. Am I not allowed to have a second chance. You said in your speech, life knocks you down you need to get up and keep moving forward. So here I am taking all my wit and asking you to move forward with me and enjoy the ups and downs of the world. Experience its sweetness and bitterness."

"It hurts..."

Jayden tightens his embrace to the girl hearing her cry, "Liz, please... Give me a second chance. Let me be your friend again, I'm not asking anything else..."

Elizabeth pushed herself away from the man as she faces him for the last time and started running away from him. 

Jayden Stanford didn't bother and chase after her, for he realized he needs to give her some time and space. But he regretted not winning the girl over... He then wonders if the man back then in France has anything to do with it. He fears that someone else has already taken his place in the girl's heart.

'Liz, could you have possibly fallen for that man?'

…

When Elizabeth arrived at her room, she saw Wang Ji waiting for her. 

"What do you want to eat?" Wang Ji asked despite he wishes to say, 'What happened?'

Elizabeth ran to the man as she collapsed and seek for his comfort. "Bro Wang, it hurts." 

"Come now, stop crying... Let's get you inside to freshen up. I'll order some food for you and we can leave first thing in the morning."

Elizabeth just nodded her head as she continued to bury herself in the man's embrace. 

Wang Ji wonders what happened between her and President Stanford that she ended up so broken. He fears that her journey ahead won't be easy...

'What should I do?'