THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 221: Please Take Me Back, Kathleen

As Kathleen was still processing the emotion that was so vividly displayed in Shawn’s eyes, the next minute, something she never expected to happen in this life occurred.

With tears welling up in his eyes, Shawn plopped down on his knees in front of her and asked in the most agonizing voice she had ever heard him speak in,

"Please, take me back Kathleen. I’m willing to accept any punishment you choose to inflict upon me, but please, don’t push me away again. I can’t bear it any longer."

Kathleen listened intently, her face a mask of unreadable emotions. She felt the weight of Shawn’s words, the sincerity palpable in his apology. However, she remained stoic, a protective barrier shielding her emotions.

"Shawn, please don’t do this. I didn’t come here for this," she begged, but her plea seemed to fall on deaf ears as the next minute, Shawn leaned forward and his head fell directly on her two laps.

’What was he doing? Didn’t he hear what I just said?’

Kathleen’s hands that were raised to push him off her knees froze in midair. ’Was he crying?’

Was Shawn, the CEO and President of one of the first four major companies in Baltimore, actually crying on the laps of a woman?

She gaped in awe at the man who was shaking with deep sobs on her laps.

She raised her hands again to comfort him this time, but her mind suddenly went back to that morning at their apartment where he had left her hanging limply against the wall despite her pleas, and her heart constricted from those memories that were cruelly etched in her heart.

She had nobody’s lap to cry on, neither did she have anyone to comfort her then. Why should she give in when it was his own turn to taste the bitter pill of his own heartlessness. It wasn’t a joke when they say: "You reap what you sow."

With that, she crossed her arms over her chest and allowed him to indulge himself some more, before uttering in a deadpan voice that even she couldn’t recognize.

"Are you done with your act? I have more important things to attend to."

A sharp arrow that hit on every nerve endings shot through Shawn’s heart at Kathleen’s viciousness.

He couldn’t believe the voice he just heard belonged to the adorable woman he had always loved and still ready to become a fool for.

’Did she take my sincerity as acting? Couldn’t she feel my pain. Is her heart that hardened and alienated from me that she couldn’t feel the tangible torment in my heart?’

’Perhaps this is the punishment I truly deserve for my actions in the past. What can be more devastating than when the height of your sincerity and repentance is being taken as a joke. It was worse than brutal murder.

"Kathleen," he called in a choked voice. Before her, he was willing to be reduced to less than a man.

"I’m sorry for how I hurt you then. And I sincerely pray that for the sake of the frailness of human nature, bearing in mind that no one is beyond mistakes and that everyone deserves at least a second chance, you will one day forgive me."

With a heavy heart, he slowly rose to his feet, retreated to the three seater couch positioned a few feet from the one Kathleen was sitting on. He slumped down into it, staring at nothing in particular as a sense of desolation washed over him, leaving him feeling hollow and bereft of hope.

Kathleen’s gaze remained steady, as she watched Shawn’s vulnerable state silently, but deep within, she wrestled with conflicting emotions.

A part of her was softened by his vulnerability, yet the scars of the past held her back from letting her guard down completely.

The air in the room hung heavy with unspoken emotions, each carrying the weight of their own emotional turmoil.

It took Shawn some time to gather himself together.

When he raised his head, he saw from his wrist watch that it was already time for lunch.

"You must be hungry, let me order something for you," he offered gently.

"You don’t have to worry about that. I should be on my way now," Kathleen politely turned down the offer.

She didn’t want to be more entangled with him considering the state she was in presently.

"I guess you don’t want to have lunch with me, but don’t starve yourself unjustly, the children need you to be healthy for them," Shawn said as he made an attempt to liven the atmosphere.

It was then Kathleen remembered she was yet to tell Shawn the reason she had come to see him.

"Talking about the children, I actually came to thank you for saving my daughter the other day at school."

"Our daughter, you mean. It’s what I should do as her father. No need to thank me," Shawn said dismissively.

"Our daughter?" Kathleen raised an inquisitive brow.

"I know they are mine, Kathleen and you don’t need to hide it any longer," Shawn revealed.

"And I’m sorry about the things I said when I didn’t know I was their father. Although I didn’t know you were pregnant before you left, it is still not an excuse for the way I spoke to you that day," Shawn said with remorse.

She had guessed he would have already known the children were his, but she was still surprised when he said it. What she couldn’t wrap her fingers around was how he didn’t make a fuss like she expected and demand the children be given to him.

"Aren’t you fighting for custody?" Kathleen asked, not believing for a second that he wouldn’t demand for the children, but again she was struck speechless by Shawn’s next words.

Shawn shook his head. "As much as I’d love to have them with me and never let them out of my sight, I’ll go with whatever you decide."

’Are you for real?’ Kathleen screamed inwardly.