" Am sorry for being a coward. "

Jerry snap out of his daze when Susan asked him who he is he third time and  he know it is time confess to her. " I am your lo..."   

   " Go straight to the point Mr Jerry!" He groan when she said that 'Mr ' again he hate the formality she always give him." Fine! I will tell you but promise to not get angry with me OK!".

 " Did you do something bad to me or something?" 

   " No!!!why will you think of me like that! I never anything bad to you just that am afraid you will leave me again." Susan knitted her brow when she heard the word again, she did not know what he was talking about but she decided to be patient and listen to him first before judging.

 " OK! I promise not to get mad at you. ". Jerry was surprised to hear that ' indeed my Susan is a changed person' he said in his head.  

" We went to the same high school together, I was two years ahead of you. You remember one day at the school cafeteria when a boy allow you seat but accidentally.... ". 

" wait don't tell me you are that boy!" 

" Yes I am." 

   "....but if I remember correctly thou it is almost fourteen years now his name is Markus Tim. How come....I don't understand." 

" Yes I that's my name . My full name is Jeremiah Markus Tim but my friends back then love to call me Markus." Susan remembered all that transpired on that particular day just because she knows she behaved just like a bitch back then. She had slapped him pretty hard after he helped her when no one was ready to help. " Am sorry for treating you like that. I know I behaved like a bitch am sorry."  

" It all in the past and you don't have to apologize for that." 

" Thank you!". " Not only that we went to the same university as well, I was the young man who you slapped in the school garden on!" 

" What?!!!" she covered her face with her palm to cover her embarrassment. 'How many things have i done to this man exactly! ' she sigh in embarrassment without meeting his gaze. " Am sorry ! so sorry for all the embarrassment I caused you just forgive me."  Jerry envelop her into a hug " I have forgiven you long ago my treasure more so I also offend you greatly and I hope you can forgive me."         Susan push him a little bit not understanding what he was saying more so she was the one that treated him badly while they are still young what has he done wrong.  " What did you do? Did you in anyway offend me?" " Yes! I ..."   Susan stare at him not believing the great CEO jerry stuttering.

 " Please tell me. I promise I won't get mad at you."

    " Are you sure you promise." She nod her head to show her promise.   " I don't know how to say this but I have to say it to get it off my chest and stop drowning in my guilty. On the day on your second degree graduation when your friends celebrated with you in the club."    He lifted his head t look at Susan that show her attentiveness." That day I went there personally to confess my feeling for you but then you are too around and snobby and I don't what the history to repeat itself ( slapping in public) I decided to follow you at a safe distance and come to you when you are alone. You went to the washroom after that I saw one of your friend spiked your drink. ....." Susan was trembling at the memory of that night but she decided to listen to him without interrupting him.

    "...I sent a waiter to inform you in the washroom since it will be too embarrassing for me to be there and I don't want you to see me as a stalker and ruin my chances with you but you came back not long by then I have stepped out to receive a call. I don't know what happened when I came back I saw you your friends taking you to the room at the third floor but luckily enough the room was beside mine. I sneak into your room to check on you but the state I found you was..." 

   Susan closed her eyes as if she was playing the video of what happened then in her head.  'That night when she was coming from the washroom one of the waiter shove a note into her hand but she throw it away thinking it was a number since she had received numerous men number through such means.

  Now it was dawn on her that he was warning her. She recalled how her friends dare her to take two glasses of wine in one go which she comply since she want to prove to them that she can take more alcohol but everything that happened after that she did not remembered even after she tried but when she woke she found herself in a hotel room with hickey over her chest and a sore private part. She needs no one to tell her what happened, she knows she has been taken advantage of. She swore to find the culprit and tear him apart but could it be Jerry?' She open her eyes to look at him.

" Are you the one that did it to me?she asked in a choked voice. Jerry was frighten with that voice, he  closed his eyes and knelt down in front if her. " Am sorry for my coward attitude. I had to ran away the next morning not exactly thou I received a call that my mother was hospitalized. I did not have any explanation for my action but I want you to know that I have love you before then, after then and now. You are the only one that have my spirit, body and soul. Am sorry my love just forgive me please.

    " Susan step away from him with tears steaming down her face not that she blamed him for what happened then because she later found out that her friends intend for someone to rape her  and use it against her. Since then she has cut them out of her life.

   " Why can't you look for me and explain everything why! why!"   Jerry was hurting seeing her tears.."     I looked for you but I learnt you swore to kill the bastard that took advantage of you with your fierce temper I had to leave and promise to look for you but when you went back to your country your father died and I didn't have chance to be closer to you since your boyfriend is always over you and given my guilty conscience I was afraid you will recognise me. Am sorry! Am sorry for hurting you. Am sorry for taking advantage of you. Am sorry for been a coward."  Susan wipe her tears with her sleeve, she moved closer to him and help him up.

    " You don't have to blame yourself everything is in the past now. I have forgiven you already. Jerry was stunned to hear that, he could not believe what he is hearing " Are you sure? are you sure you will not take it out on me? are you sure you have forgiven me?"

  " Yes but you have to explain all this!" She said pointing at the pictures on wall. Jerry stretched his head unsure how to answer her. " Well let say I way monitoring all your movement to see how my wife was fairing."      Susan raised her eyebrow she wonder how he have time to stalk her from Country F to Country A. As if he guess what she was thinking he answer her to clear her doubt.

" I assigned some bodyguard to you to guard you and sent me your daily pictures.

  m " What? don't tell me you sent your people to protect me and monitor me everywhere."    

 " Well yes, I can't do without seeing your face in a day. Susan look at him she did not know whether to cry or to laugh at her fate. While some are scheming against her someone is rooted for her waiting patiently to love her. She moved closer and hug him with all her might. Jerry was so happy with the way she hugged him but he needed to be sure of their relationship. 

"Are we now official?"