SORRY

Joanna winced as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the person who had touched her and on seeing that it was Mike, her nerves calmed immediately. A smile made its way to her face as he massaged her aching shoulders. She had had a rough day and he was trying to make her feel better.

But even though it gladdened her that her son was trying to help, the pain in her heart was to heavy. She had to let go of some of her workers. The company was falling and she couldn't pay all her staff and therefore she had to dismiss some people. The board of directors had insisted that she fired the older ones as they weren't doing much work.

But most of those who she was to fire were those that had been there when she created the company years ago. She founded the company thirty eight years ago with her best friend Nichole - Evie's mom. The third year was a really tough time for the company as they had little funding. They couldn't even pay their employees and most of them resigned. But some of them stayed and worked for months without pay.

When Nichole finally got Edgar - her fiance then - to invest, things started to look good for the company. She promised never to abandon them since they didn't abandon her. Which was why she never fired them even when they couldn't do much for the company. But she was to break her promise to those employees. She would now have to cut off her 'family'.

But that wasn't all. A reporter had made an allegation about her products not being genuine and the food and drug law agency had halted her goods in the markets while they investigated them. And seven investors had currently withdrawn their investments.

She sighed as she picked up her phone and texted Evie. She had grown tired of fighting with her. She needed to end it as other people were already getting involved.

She started a conversation with Mike and tactfully brought in the subject of her retirement. She intended Isabel to take her position afterwards but she didn't want Mike to feel jealous. But her ever so understanding son reasoned with her and supported her decision. She could sense he wasn't happy but she didn't know why as he was difficult to read.

If only he didn't have a father that wanted to kill her and take over everything she owned, she wouldn't have second thoughts about letting him have her position or wealth. Besides, he used to be close with Evie while they were younger and she didn't want to pitch him directly against her.

Mike tried to hold his anger but it didn't work. He removed his hands from Joanna's shoulders when he noticed that his hold had been tightened. He gave in to the anger and fumed. "Why do you have to retire? You gave your everything to reach where you are. You shouldn't give it all up because little Miss Avenger has chosen to come after you."

Joanna was relieved that he was angry that she planned to retire and not because over him she chose Isabel to run the company. She calmly responded. "You know she's after me. If I continue to resist her, everyone around me will get hurt. Including her. So for the sake of everyone, I have to let her win."

***** ***** *****

Evie glared at Joanna coldly as she went on talking about how she wished they would stop fighting. She had reluctantly accepted her invitation to meet and had come to this restaurant but seeing Joanna made her regret that.

She buried herself in thoughts of what would happen if she had never met Joanna. Caleb would still be alive. But she wouldn't know Mike or Isabel or Tori. She may never even meet Edwin. And she could have become a prostitute or worse in Nana T's clutches. So in a sense, Joanna saved them. Those thoughts helped her stay calm. Until she heard Joanna apology.

"Sorry? You think that will fix anything?" Evie fumed.

"Evie, you may not believe me but when Caleb died I was also broken. He was my son too. I loved him. I still do." Joanna continued calmly despite her outburst.

"Really? So your way of showing love was preventing your son from receiving treatment." Evie said in a derisive manner.

"I'm sorry." Joanna sighed deeply as she apologised again. It didn't matter if she had apologised a thousand times or a million, she would keep apologising to Evie and Caleb. "It won't make any difference but I can explain."

"Let's hear it." Evie leaned back on her chair with arms folded over her chest as she looked at Joanna and waited for her to come up with an excuse.

Joanna closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before talking. "That day when you called, David was the one who took the call. He put the phone on loudspeaker and listened as we talked. Since I was pretending to still be amnesiac, I acted like I was still mad at you. I hung up because I didn't want to make him suspicious. I thought that afterwards I could call the hospital and let them treat him." Joanna rolled her eyes upward to hold back her tears but it was futile. "But I was wrong. No stupid plan was worth losing my son for. Or my daughter. I'm sorry."

"It's too late. Caleb loved you so deeply. I had never seen him that happy around anyone else. Even when you avoided us because you lost your memories, he still stayed at your side. He would make you tea every morning and beg Mike to take it up to you. He would go out to pick flowers for you every weekend. And he would stay up most nights writing jokes and funny stories to make you smile. He did everything he could to see you smile. But you turned a blind eye and let him die." Evie paused as tears streamed down her cheeks. She took out a napkin from her bag and wiped her face. She breathed deeply before continuing.

"That day, I didn't just lose a brother. I lost a mother. I lost a friend. And I lost myself. I have no purpose other than revenge. If I abandon it then I have no reason to live." Evie said and picked up her bag and stood up. Her legs were shaking and her heart was full of hurt. All she wanted to do was sink to the floor and cry until she could cry no more. But she held herself until she got to the taxi. She hated to admit it but deep down, there was a part of her that still loved Joanna.