THE REMORSEFUL BILLIONAIRE

Nathan’s POV

Despite all the humiliation I had felt from the broken engagement, I was able to swallow it all and only the thoughts of Judith’s forgiveness filled my mind. I stopped calling or visiting her not because I had moved on but because I wanted her to heal. Constantly seeing me might hurt her further.

The last thing I had ever expected from her was for her to get back with me. Everything I had done to her was enough to make her miserable for a lifetime. I just wanted her forgiveness, and that’s all.

Lately, my life has been a rollercoaster of bad news. Judith casting me aside has affected my whole being. I couldn’t function and focus properly on work. It had gotten so bad that I even lost a business deal because I kept discussing absentmindedly while the meeting was ongoing. The investor got angry and canceled the whole project.

Father had gotten so angry at me over the phone when he heard that I had lost a project worth millions of euros. He yelled, telling me to move on and focus on my job or better still, take a break or delegate my duties to capable hands.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Taking a break isn’t the best option. The break I earlier took was enough, I couldn’t do anything, all I did was sit around the house and wallow in regret. Taking more might make me do something drastic as I’m emotionally, physically and mentally drained.

Even though working hasn’t really helped much, it has at least helped me whine away time and be able to take my mind off my troubles for a while.

I walked into the office, took my suit from the couch, and wore it. Just as I meant to retrieve my laptop and close work for the day, I heard my phone beeping. I checked the caller ID and it was Judith.

Immediately my heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t believe luck had finally shone on me. I was unaware of why she was calling but I held onto the glimpse of hope.

Mustering up courage, I picked the call and heard a sad and perplexed tone at the other end.

“Hello, Nathan”

“Hello, Judith,” I said immediately.

“There’s trouble. I need your help,” she added. I could perceive the pain in her voice and it got me so worried.

“My help? Are you home now? I will be there in fifteen minutes,” I asked with concern as my heart broke at the tone of her voice.

“Yes,” she replied.

I hung up immediately and tossed the phone away. From her tone, I deduced she was very troubled. As far as I was concerned, I couldn’t imagine any trouble that would make her sound so sad and also ask for my help. From what I know, I would be the last person she’d ask for help from.

Hurriedly, I jumped into the car and instructed the driver to drive fast to her home. We pulled into the garage and I walked towards the house. I rang the doorbell and she came to unlock the door immediately. I knew she had been waiting impatiently for me.

I ventured inside. I looked at her and for some reason, I felt like the problem was a big one because she looked worse than the last time I saw her. I could see frustration written all over her and she looked worn out.

I sat on the couch and she headed to the kitchen to serve me a glass of drink. It was amazing how she still tried to entertain me despite everything.

I had pictured a series of scenarios with the woman in front of me; all I had wanted was to love, care, and protect her for the rest of our lives. To make her happy and treat her like the queen she has always been but it’s quite unfortunate that everything won’t come to play. It will forever be stuck in my head.

She opened her mouth to talk but I was unable to. She said something inaudibly and then she paused for a while as tears welled up in her eyes.

“Hey, Judith. Take a chill pill,” I said passionately as I drew closer to her.

She cried on my shoulder for a while, at this point I didn’t know what to say or do. I couldn’t summon the courage to console her. I just patted her back gently.

After a while when she had cried to her heart’s content, she narrated everything about her ex-fiance’s scheme and I went speechless. A surge of sadness and anger washed down on me but what could I have done. I caused her misfortune, so it attracted more misfortune to her.

I couldn’t help but sympathize with her. This woman has been through so much since she met me and I wished I could make all her pains vanish.

Somehow, I knew I should protect her and the kids but how? Confessing to the crime will make my family and company go bankrupt. I will probably spend a couple of years in jail and that will be the end of me.

But on the other hand, it’s only fair that I get punished for the grave sin I committed. Just because it’s in the past doesn’t mean it should go unpunished.

“You should never get married to that kind of man, never,” I refuted as I knew getting married to him would make her life more difficult.

Her eyes lingered on me for a moment, probably expecting the solution I would come up with. “Let him inform the police like he said. You don’t have to testify against me or reveal the kids’ identity. I will plead guilty. That way he won’t have anything to use against you,” I concluded.