Chapter 14: Am sorry

Vadal's eyes never left Lira's face, his gaze piercing and intense. He seemed to be studying her, trying to read her thoughts and emotions. After a few moments of silence, he spoke, his voice low and even. "I'm not angry, Lira. At least, not yet." His words were laced with a hint of warning, and Lira's heart skipped a beat as she wondered what he meant.

Lira felt a sense of foreboding, a feeling that something was off. She didn't know what Vadal was thinking, or what he was planning. She only knew that she had to be careful, that she had to tread carefully around him. She waited with bated breath, wondering what he would say next, and what consequences her confession would bring.

Vadal smile murkingly, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and contempt. "How did meeting with your lover consign you not having the asset I'm giving to you?" he asked, his voice low and even. Lira shook her head, her eyes downcast. "No, I don't want to have them. Please, yesterday Laurent asked me to transfer some of your assets that are in my name to his name, and I don't want to do it. I don't want to have this document, so I will know I don't have access to it."

Vadal's smile grew wider, his eyes flashing with a hint of anger. "Why are you telling me, little phoenix? You have done it in the past. This is not the first time you are doing it. Transferring the things I give you to your lover's name and threatening me not to expose the case. So, go ahead and transfer it to his name." Lira's eyes dropped to the floor, her face burning with shame. She felt ashamed of her old self, of the things she had done in the past, believing that Laurent really loved her.

Lira whispered, "I'm sorry." Vadal remained calm, staring at her with an unreadable expression. Lira continued, her voice pleading. "I was foolish and selfish in the past, always trying to make you angry and divorce me." Vadal's smile grew colder, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and contempt.

Vadal's voice was low and even, his words dripping with sarcasm. "You can go ahead and do what you want to do with it. It's now yours. If you need more assets to transfer, you can tell me. I will provide more." Lira's eyes turned red, and she walked towards Vadal, hugging him tightly. Vadal's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable.

Lira held Vadal tightly, her body shaking with sobs. She felt a mix of emotions: shame, guilt, and regret. She had never felt so ashamed of herself, of the things she had done in the past. Vadal's arms remained still, his body unresponsive to her touch. He didn't hug her back, didn't comfort her. He just stood there, his eyes fixed on some point beyond her shoulder.

Lira's voice was barely audible, her words whispered with an emotional tone as she cried. "No, I won't do it, I'm sorry, Vadal." She said his name with a sense of longing, her eyes filled with tears. "I was wrong, and I always got on your nerves, and acted harshly towards you. That's because I couldn't see the truth, the truth of who loves me and who was using me."

Lira's body shook with sobs as she continued to speak. "I hurt you so many times, so that we can get a divorce. Thinking that, that bastard really loves me, who knows he was using me and cheating on me with my step-sister behind my back." Her voice cracked with pain and anger. "It turns out they have been in a relationship for months, even before we got married. Planning to use me and get some of your wealth, because I was blinded with stupidity, love, and selfishness, thinking he really loves me for who I am, genuinely.

Vadal's expression was unreadable, but his eyes seemed to hold a mix of emotions. He looked at Lira with a sense of surprise, sadness, and maybe even a little bit of relief. He had always known that Lira was being manipulated by Laurent, but he had never expected her to realize it and apologize for her actions.

The air was thick with tension as Vadal and Lira stood there, the only sound being Lira's sobbing. Vadal's eyes never left Lira's face, his gaze piercing and intense. He seemed to be searching for something, maybe a sign of sincerity, or maybe a glimmer of hope. Lira's apology had caught him off guard, and he didn't know how to react.

Vadal's face was a mask of calmness, but his mind was racing with thoughts and emotions. He look at lira, really looked at her, and saw the pain and regret in her eyes. He saw a woman who was broken, but also a woman who was willing to learn and grow.

"Are you forgetting something, little phoenix?" Vadal asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Lira looked up from hugging him, her eyes staring at his handsome, calm face. She felt a flutter in her chest as she met his gaze, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was referring to.

Lira's eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to recall what Vadal might be talking about. And then, it hit her - the way she had always teased him, calling him an "old ugly man" to irritate him. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, and she looked away, trying to hide her blush.

Vadal stared at her for a moment, and then said, "I am an old man." Lira's eyes widened in surprise, and she became speechless. She had always said those things to irritate him, but in reality, Vadal was the most handsome guy she had ever seen. Laurent, the man she had been comparing Vadal to, didn't even come close to Vadal's level of beauty.

Lira took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "I always say that to irritate you," she admitted, her eyes locked onto Vadal's. "You are the most handsome guy I have ever seen, and you are not an old man. You are just six years older than me, and even look more handsome and outstanding than Laurent." Vadal's expression remained calm, but Lira could see a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Lira continued, her voice filled with emotion. "I always say those things just to make you mad and leave me alone. I was hurt and angry, and I didn't know how to deal with my feelings. But I realize now that I was wrong, and I'm sorry." Vadal's face softened a bit, and he reached out to gently brush a strand of hair behind Lira's ear.

Vadal's face remained calm, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. He seemed to be enjoying Lira's admission, her sincere apology for her past behavior. He looked at her with a sense of pride and possession, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and affection.