72

72
The next day, Leo arrived at Rachel’s house after work, intent on speaking with her and resolving their issues. However, Rachel was feeling particularly frustrated and hurt, and when her mother answered the door, she told her that she wasn’t going to see Leo and that he could wait outside for all she cared.
Madeline, concerned for her daughter, tried to reason with her. “Rachel, please don’t let your ego drive a good man away,” she said, her voice filled with worry. “A man can only take so much, and you don’t want to push him to the brink.”
But Rachel was stubborn and hurt, and she felt like she couldn’t take any more of Leo’s lies and deceit. She had always known that he was a bit of a playboy, but she had never thought that he would be unfaithful to her. And the thought of him with Roseline, of all people, was too much for her to bear.
“I don’t care, Mom,” Rachel said, her voice firm. “I can’t handle this anymore. I can’t handle the way he keeps lying to me and playing with my emotions.”
Madeline sighed, knowing that there was nothing she could do to change her daughter’s mind. “Well, at least think about it, okay?” she said. “Leo is a good man at heart, and he truly cares for you. You don’t want to throw that away without giving it a fair chance.”
Rachel nodded, but she still felt uncertain. She wasn’t sure if she could trust Leo again, or if she even wanted to. All she knew was that she needed some time to think, and to figure out what she really wanted for her life.
Rachel sat in her room, surrounded by the remnants of her broken heart. She stared out the window, lost in thought, as the memories of Roseline and Leo swirled in her mind. She couldn’t bear the thought of facing him, not after what she had seen. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Roseline in Leo’s arms, and it tore at her soul.
Downstairs, Madeline answered the door to find Leo standing on the doorstep, looking as handsome as ever but with a hint of sadness in his eyes. He had come to see Rachel, to try and make things right between them. But Madeline had other ideas. She told Leo that Rachel was not interested in seeing him, and that he could wait outside for all she cared.
Leo was taken aback by Madeline’s response. He had been so sure that Rachel would want to see him, to hear his side of the story. He had hoped that they could put the past behind them and move forward, but now it seemed as though Rachel was determined to keep her distance.
Frustrated, Leo left the house and went back to his own place. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to see Rachel, to try and make her understand. He knew that he had made a mistake, and that he had hurt her deeply, but he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her forever.
Up in her room, Rachel was still lost in thought when she heard a knock on the door. She froze, unsure of what to do. It was probably her mother, she thought, come to check on her. But when she opened the door, she found Leo standing there, looking more handsome than ever.
“Can we talk?” he asked, his voice soft and pleading.
Rachel felt a flicker of something in her chest, a mix of anger and desire. She wanted to hear him out, to know why he had been with Roseline, but at the same time, she was scared of getting hurt again. She shook her head and started to close the door, but Leo’s hand shot out and stopped it.
“Please, Rachel,” he said. “Just hear me out. I need to explain.”
Rachel wavered, her resolve faltering. She wanted to believe him, to know that there was a good explanation for what she had seen but at the same time she thought he should have understood her. He should have understood where it was all heading and he should have done something about which wasn’t being seen in a compromising position with Roseline. She found herself stepping back from the door and allowed him to enter the room.
“What do you want to say?” she asked, her voice cold and distant.
Leo took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. He had planned out what he was going to say a million times, but now that the moment was here, he felt like he had forgotten everything.
“I’m sorry,” he said, finally. “I’m sorry for what happened with Roseline. I know it must have been a huge shock for you, and I never intended for it to happen. But it’s not what you think.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Really? Because it looked pretty clear to me. You two were… together.”
Leo shook his head. “No, it wasn’t like that. Roseline has been trying to get me to leave you for a long time now. I don’t know why, but she’s always had this obsession with me. And the other night, she showed up at my place uninvited and… well, things got out of hand.”
Rachel frowned, not sure if she believed him. “What do you mean, things got out of hand?”
That was the moment she lost it.
***
FIVE DAYS LATER.
Madeline continued to plead with Rachel, urging her to reconsider her decision. “Rachel, please, Leo has come all this way to see you. He wants to talk to you and apologize for what he did. You should at least hear him out.”
Rachel shook her head, her expression resolute. “I’m not ready to see him, mum. I can’t just forgive him for what he did. It’s not that simple.”
Madeline sighed and took a seat beside Rachel. “I know it’s not simple, Rachel. But sometimes, the best way to resolve things is to talk them out. Maybe if you hear what he has to say, you’ll feel differently.”
Rachel looked down at her hands, her expression pensive. She knew that her mother had a point, but the thought of seeing Leo again after everything that had happened made her stomach churn with anxiety.
“I just don’t think I can do it, Madeline,” Rachel said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not ready and that is final. I will never let you make decisions for me anymore. First it was marrying him, I hope you can see how things are turning out.”