As Charlton's words dawned on Serena, she felt her chest tighten and her nose turned sour. Quickly, she clenched her jaw to stop her lips from quivering. By the look in his eyes and how he phrased his words, she understood that what he was asking forgiveness for was not simply about what happened that evening.
Why? Why was he asking her that when they both knew that she was not worthy? She rather him be spiteful, even vindictive. For although she acknowledged that they have both committed mistakes in the past, she knew that it was she who wronged him more.
For no matter how she twists and turns the story, the gist remains the same.
She persuaded him to commit to an adulterous affair with herself who was his very own cousin's betrothed, then when things got too difficult for her to handle, she cheated on him before choosing to abandon him at the time when he was at his worst.