Chapter Twenty -Six: Time to let go

The following morning, Jason was sitting peacefully in his office. He needed to take off from his home early that morning to go to work.

Jason's psyche floated back to his discussion with Emma the past night as he sat at his work area and watched the workplace become fully awake. He hadn't carved out opportunity to consider how Emma might have felt to be placed in that situation since he had been distracted with his own contemplations and sentiments. With a twinge of responsibility, he understood that it was all his own shortcoming that had placed her in such an off-kilter and awkward circumstance.

He contemplated whether he should apologize to her for placing her in that dilemma. In any case, he was uncertain of how to do as such without exacerbating the situation.

Opening his email, Jason started making a note to Emma. Uncertain of what to say, he wavered, his fingers floating over the console. In spite of the fact that he knew that he needed to apologize, he would have rather not uttered a word that would deteriorate what is going on. Taking a full breath, he started to type.

"Dear Emma," he started. "I needed to communicate my lament for causing you to feel awkward last evening. I truly trust you will excuse me; it was not my expectation. I needed to apologize to you despite the fact that I don't know what to do straightaway."

In the wake of squeezing the submit button, he leaned back in his seat, content that he had ventured out. However, out of nowhere, dread grabbed hold. However, imagine a scenario where Emma could have done without him. Imagine a scenario in which she concluded she could at no point ever need to converse with him in the future. Imagine a scenario where he had quite recently exacerbated the conditions. His heartbeat was beating as he felt the frenzy ascend in his chest. With a ultimate objective to loosen up, he shut his eyes and endeavored to take a couple of full breaths.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Jason responded, latching his mailbox.

The door opened and in came Lisa, his secretary. She glanced at Jason, a jumble of emotions flowing over her face.

"Goodmorning, Jason," she remarked as she moved farther inside the office and closed the door behind her.

"I trust I'm not upsetting you," she added, her voice delicate and hesitant. "However, there's something I really want to talk with you about."

Jace clinched his hands, attempting to contain his fury in. He wasn't ready for whatever drama Lisa got on this morning.

“Lisa, I am not interested in whatever it is you have to say.” He hesitated. “Besides, haven't I told you to stop calling me by my name? I am your fre*king boss!”

Oh, I see! So you want Lisa to indicate her willingness to renew their relationship. Got it! Here's a corrected version:

Jason's heartbeat pounded in his chest as he looked at Lisa, his considerations hustling with a blend of fury and dread. He was unable to accept she had the guts to stroll into his office and ruin his day.

With a forced composure, Jason sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, attempting to maintain a façade of control. "Alright, Lisa," he muttered between clenched teeth. "Speak your thoughts. But make it fast. I have significant tasks to attend to."

Lisa took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a combination of remorse and yearning. "Jason, I've realized how much I miss you," she added, her voice laced with emotion. "I want us to give our relationship another opportunity. I still believe in us, in what we had."

Jason's eyes widened, his pulse skipping a beat as her words lingered in the air. He had never expected to hear such words from her, and a part of him still craved for what they previously had. But uncertainties clouded his thoughts, reminding him of the grief they had given one other.

He glanced at her, seeking for any indications of duplicity, but all he saw was sincerity in her eyes. The room grew quiet, the weight of their shared past hanging heavily between them.

“Are you alright?,” Jason said, attempting to maintain his ground. “You know I am married right? So WTF are you talking about?”

Jason's comments ripped through the air, full with fury and uncertainty. Lisa's heart fell as she grasped the enormity of the issue. She hadn't known about Jason's marriage, and the knowledge slammed her like a ton of bricks.

Tears welled up in Lisa's eyes as she battled to find the perfect words. "Jason, I know," she muttered, her voice shaking. "I never wanted to cause any pain or come between you and your wife. I simply... I believed there was a possibility for us to reconcile."

Jason's visage softened somewhat, his fury giving way to a combination of grief and exasperation. "Lisa, we had our opportunity, and we both made errors. But I made a pledge to my wife, and I can't betray that."

Somehow, what he had just said had his heart skip even if he knew inside him that he only wanted to avoid complicating things than they currently are.

Lisa nodded, her heart heavy with grief. "I understand, Jason. I never wanted to be the source of any suffering. I simply... I miss what we had, but I appreciate your choice."

Silence filled the room as they each wrestled with the weight of their emotions. The air was heavy with unresolved sentiments, but they realized that going ahead required embracing the decisions they had made.

With a deep sigh, Jason rose up from his chair, his eyes filled with a combination of melancholy and resolve. "I believe it's better if we both move on, Lisa. We need to concentrate on our own lives and find satisfaction in the paths we've chosen."

Lisa nodded, brushing away her tears. "You're correct, Jason. It's time for us to let go and discover our own pleasure. Thank you for being honest with me."

And with that she exited the office.