Chapter 44 Begging For Forgiveness
Will’s P.O.V.
Next Day
I’m sitting at the desk in the classroom, waiting for Iva to come after three days.
Last night, she didn’t let me stay with her. It hurt me.
But I know it’s my fault, I broke her heart, and now I’ll do anything to fix it and win it again.
She asked me for time, and I’ll give her all the time she needs to heal from the wound I gave her. I feel a sharp pain in my heart every time I think about how I hurt the woman I love the most. I’m a terrible lover.
And just because I’ve given her time, it doesn’t mean I’ll just wait. No, every day, I’ll try my best to earn her forgiveness, because I can’t just sit idle. I need to do something.
As I lean back in my chair, arms crossed tightly over my chest, Isabel slides into the seat beside me. “You look like hell.”
I told them last night over a call that I had misunderstood Iva and hurt her. They were so furious with me, first, they gave me a proper scolding, and then they encouraged me, saying I could still win her heart again.
“Thanks.” I glance at Isabel, rolling my eyes.
“You did wrong, Will,” Sebastian adds, standing beside the desk. “You should’ve talked to her. Just asked her once before assuming anything.”
“I know. I was an idiot,” I reply, angry with myself.
Jack tossed his pen on the desk. “We’re not here to rub salt in the wound, man. But you did fuck up.”
“I don’t need a reminder,” I grit out. “I’m living with it.”
Dominic stays quiet for a second, then rests a hand on my shoulder. “But you’re trying now. That’s what matters. Give her time, Will. She will forgive you. She loves you. It’s obvious.”
As the classroom door opens, Isabel stays with me, and the rest of them go to their seats after giving me a look.
And then, she walks in. Iva.
A small, weak smile spreads across my face when I see her back in the classroom after three long days.
Her expression is cold as her eyes flick to me just once before she walks to the front and begins her lecture.
She doesn’t look at me after that. Not once.
Not when she asks a question. Not when she writes on the board. Not when I purposely drop my pen just to see if she’ll glance.
She doesn’t.
And fuck, it hurts like her. The way she is ignoring me, it’s breaking my heart. I’m missing her secret smile, her coming near to me purposefully, and making every student busy with a test, so that she can chat with me and admire me properly.
Fuck! I want those moments back.
She’s withdrawn, guarded. The warmth I used to feel in her presence is locked away behind walls I put up myself.
When the lecture ends, she gathers her notes quickly and turns to leave.
I follow her out of the classroom and down the hallway, my steps quickening until I catch up. I grab her wrist and pull her into the storeroom before slamming the door shut behind us and locking it.
She shoots me a sharp glare. “Will, are you crazy? What if someone sees us?”
“It’s not the first time we’ve come here, Professor.” I keep my voice low, but there’s hurt in it.
“Will…” she pauses and her eyes widen slightly when I fall to my knees in front of her. She wasn’t expecting this.
I gently take her hand in mine and hold it against my heart. “Please, forgive me, Professor. I want you back in my life. The way you’re ignoring me... It’s killing me. I miss you.” My eyes are fixed on her, and they’re begging for forgiveness.
I never thought that one day in my life, I would ever beg like this, but here I am, on my knees in front of her. The woman who owns every part of me.
Her lips part, but no words come out. Her hand trembles in mine, and I press it tighter against my chest, desperate for her to feel the storm inside me.
“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Iva. I know I hurt you in the worst way possible. But I can’t live without you. I can’t…” My voice cracks. “I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that I’m not that monster who broke you. Just… please, give me a chance.”
She stays still for a few seconds before finally breaking the silence, “Have you ever thought about how much it hurt me? Seeing you kiss someone else? You knew I was standing there.”
I close my eyes, recalling that moment.
Fuck! I shouldn’t have done that. I wish I could rewind time and stop myself from breaking her heart.
“I’m sorry, Iva. I’m so damn sorry. I was angry. Hurt. And instead of talking to you, I lashed out. I took it out on you, the only person who’s ever meant something to me.” I kiss her hand, my voice filled with guilt.
Tears gather in her eyes, and she pulls her hand back, hugging it close to her chest. The sight pierces me, but I stay where I am, kneeling and feeling so vulnerable.
“You don’t know what you did to me, Will. You broke something in me that I don’t even know if I can fix.” Her voice is heavy with pain.
I rise slowly and cup her face in my hand. When a tear slips from her cheek onto my fingers, it feels like something breaks inside me. God, it hurts like hell knowing I’m the one who caused her this pain.
I gather myself back and say, “Let me fix your heart. Piece by piece. Even if it takes a lifetime. Just don’t stop me from showing you how much you mean to me. I’m not going anywhere.”
She steps away, composes herself, and speaks in a firm tone, “I have to go. I’ve got a lot of pending work.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Take care.” I lean forward and kiss her forehead gently, letting my lips stay just a second longer than I should.
As she turns to unlock the door, I grab her hand again and say in a low voice, “Just don’t forget that I love you so much.”
She doesn’t reply. Just glances at me once, eyes sad, tired, but still so beautiful, and then turns the knob and walks out without another word.
But I saw it.
That hesitation in her steps.
She still loves me too.
And I’ll wait, days, weeks, years if I have to, until she lets me in again.
Because love is waiting… not giving up when everything feels broken, but believing that time can stitch the pieces back together.