The Apology (5)

They stayed in that silent company for quite some time until Xu Jing asked, "Sylvia, do you think your mother will ever forgive me?"

That was a loaded question. Honestly, Sylvia didn't know for sure. While she was sure that her mother love her father, she was not sure that love would be enough to put this behind them.

Sylvia knew lying would make her father feel better but she didn't want to do that. If it was any other mistake, she might have taken it easier on him but she too felt the sting of betrayal that must have been more intense for her mother.

She understood where both of them were coming from and that made her position very difficult. In the end, Sylvia thought about it and settled with, "Dad, I'm sure mom will give you the chance to talk it out eventually but give her time for now. She'll come to you when the time is right." That was her honest advice.

"Thank you," Xu Jing said as he pulled his daughter in for a deeper hug. The man did not ask for much, the fact that her daughter did not shut him out after knowing what he did was already a cause of celebration for him.

...

"Joann, I understand should you want a divorce. If that is your intention, you'll have my full support. Don't worry that you might not be able to get Xu Jing to sign the agreement, I will make him do it." What her mother-in-law told her repeated itself again and again in Joann's mind.

Honestly, she had thought about going forward with it but there would be something holding her back at the very last minute. It would the thought of her daughter, her husband, her mother-in-law, her friends and even her public image.

Joann was not one to be hesitant with her decision but this time, she was truly stumped. She teetered between the many options, unable to decide which one was the best course of action. Perhaps she loved her husband more than she thought, perhaps she didn't want to disappoint her fans, or perhaps she didn't want to break up a family for the sake of their grown daughter.

Too many things hung in the balance and Joann found herself unable to come to a swift decision, something that was definitely rare for the woman. She sat in her bedroom alone, thinking for the whole afternoon. She thought she would come to a decision before the night fell but she was wrong.

Joann sighed as she stood up. Even though she did not feel like going out and thus risking the possibility of seeing Xu Jing, if she stayed any longer in the bedroom with nothing to distract her but her own thoughts, Joann might just go insane.

Joann curled her hand around the doorknob and leaned against the wooden door. She couldn't hear the sound of her husband so the coast should be clear. She pushed the door open a sliver and to her surprise, Joann saw someone outside the door.

It was not her husband but her daughter who was climbing up the stairs. Joann thought about it and made a split-second decision. "Sylvia!" She called softly.

The young woman turned around and her face turned into a mask of worry when she saw her mother. She walked quickly to her parents' bedroom door and asked her mother, "Mom, are you alright? Do you need anything? You've haven't had a thing since morning, I'm sure you're hungry already. Do you need me to go whip something up for you in the kitchen?"

Now that Sylvia mentioned it, Joann realized her daughter was right. She hadn't had a bite since she locked herself up in the room that morning but weirdly enough she didn't feel hungry. She believed her other emotions had overwhelmed the sensation of hunger.

However, Joann understood she couldn't go on an empty stomach. Plus if she said, she didn't need anything, it would only worry her daughter unnecessarily. She had done enough of that already, she didn't want to put anymore burden on Sylvia.

Before that though, Joann needed to have something cleared up. "Sylvia, where is your father?"

Hearing that, Sylvia turned over her shoulders to look at the stairs before turning back. Then, she bit on her lips as if hesitating which of her parent's trust she should betray.

In the end, Sylvia sighed and said in a soft voice, "Dad is in the living room but he has fallen asleep from the combination of sadness and lethargy." In a hopeful voice, Sylvia added, "Mom, have you decided you're ready to talk to dad? I'll go wake him up now if that's the case."

Joy lit up Sylvia's face as she prepared to turn around to run downstairs to get her father. It sent a sharp twist of pain through Joann's heart because she had to reach out to grab her daughter and dash her hope.

"Sylvia, I'm sorry but not yet."

"Oh." The young woman paused before continuing with apparent disappointment, "It's okay. I understand. Mom, take as much time as you need."

Joann couldn't bear to see the disappointment on her daughter's face. She didn't know this but she shared the guilt her husband had towards their daughter for involving her into their adult drama. Sylvia should have been spared from this altercation that was between her parents but she found herself right in the middle of it. Both of her mother and father felt bad for that fact.

Therefore, Joann forced a smile and said, "Sylvia, I might not want to talk to your father yet, but I'm always glad to talk to you. Why don't you join me and we'll talk this out?"

"Okay." Sylvia nodded. However, she only took one step towards Joann when she lifted her head and said, "Actually, mom, can you give me one minute. I have to go get something."

Then, she turned and walked towards the stairs.