Part 14 - ARDEN'S CONQUEST

"I'm sorry for being a jerk," Adam admitted, his voice laced with genuine regret.

I started to speak again, wanting to take some of the blame off him, but he held up his hand to stop me.

"No, let me finish," he insisted, meeting my eyes. "I should have been more understanding and supportive when you came back. I let my anger and fear get the best of me, and I pushed you away when you needed me the most."

I listened, my heart aching at his words. It was a side of Adam I hadn't seen in a long time — vulnerability and humility.

"I didn't give you a chance to explain, to make amends," he continued.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded. "I'm so sorry too," I said softly. "I should have communicated better, and I shouldn't have hidden things from you. I want to make things right as well."

He reached out and placed a hand on mine. "What you did was brave."

"What I did was unethical. It was wrong, but I thought it was the only way. I can't say I regretted it because it prolonged our mothe