One More Chance
Chapter 78: Thank you for letting me go

~~~You turned my days into nights, but now I see the light. And I have you to thank for setting me free... 'Cause you made me stronger by breaking my heart. You ended my life and made a better once start. You taught me everything from falling in love to letting go of a

lie... Yes YOU MADE ME STRONGER baby, BY SAYING GOODBYE~~~

-Regine Velasquez-

I raised an eyebrow at what he said. He's not looking at me, so I got the chance to watch him eat. He seemed to enjoy his food.

"Why? Is that what you always do, eat at the restaurants rather than cooking at home?"

"Hmhm." He replied, still not looking at me but at his food. He looked like a child who seemed to have tasted fried chicken for the first time in his entire life.

I bit my lip to prevent the giggle that wanting to escape from it because I don't want to offend him.

"Really? But what about your girlfriend, doesn't she cook for you?"

But I don't know what's in the question that made him stop suddenly and looked at me with a bitter smile on his lips.

Honestly, I didn't mean anything when I asked that question. It just slipped off my lips because I got curious.

"No." He shook his head.

I was about to nod. "Ahh---"

"She doesn't know how to cook..." I stopped and blinked several times and then he added. "...unlike you."

"You're kidding." I suddenly chuckled at him.

But he shook his head, still having the same bitter smile in between his lips.

"No, I'm not, she doesn't really know how to cook, so we just have to eat out, take out from the fast-food restaurants or call them to deliver food so we don't have to go out."

I don't know, but deep down inside, I suddenly felt pity for him. But I immediately shake it off. Why should I feel pity for him when in the first place, it was his idea? It was his choice. He chose to be in that situation and he chose her over us.

I laughed at him in response. A laugh that full of sarcasm.

"Well, you love her... you--loved--her," I said slowly emphasizing the last three words. "So you have to accept everything about her. Isn't that what true love means--- acceptance? Acceptance comes first, right? When you truly love someone, you must learn to accept who they were, who they are, who they will become and all their issues in life."

"Sam..."

"Let's eat?" I shrugged and then turned my attention back to my food.

That's the time the air in the kitchen seemed to have thickened and the atmosphere suddenly filled with awkwardness. I'm not sure if it's just me who feels that way or even him.

We both fell into silence but I continued to eat as if nothing had happened and we didn't discuss that matter.

And when I'm done, I stood up to get the dessert I made earlier.

"Sam---"

"I'm going to get dessert." I smiled at him.

As I took the sweets from the fridge, I remembered what my mom had told me. And I realized that she's right. I should act normal in front of him as if nothing had happened between us if I don't want him to have a false conclusion that I still haven't moved on from what happened to us four years ago. "Are you done eating?" I asked him when I returned.

"Y-Yeah." He nodded and I smiled at him.

"You should try this," I said giving him the cup of chocolate dalgona.

I've already eaten half of my dessert when I noticed he wasn't touching his.

"Mr Williams, why aren't you touching your dessert, don't you want the chocolate dalgona? I can make you another dessert if you want."

"No, I-I'm fine with this and please call me Luke, Sam."

"Hmm..." I shrugged and then took a spoonful of the yummy chocolate and then stuffed it in my mouth. I don't care if he's looking at me or watching every movement of my mouth. "Sam..."

"Hmm?" I asked, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry."

I gulped in surprised but didn't show it to him.

"Sorry? You always say sorry lately, what is it for this time?"

I dared to stare at him and noticed his face masked with seriousness. And his eyes, I'm not sure if it's regrets showing on them or I'm just playing by my own eyes... Or... I am just imagining things. "I'm sorry for all the things I've done in the past. Back then I was a jerk and stupid and caused you so much pain."

I didn't move the whole time he was talking. I also didn't blink. I just focused on what he was saying.

"Wait---why are you telling me all this?"

But he just ignored my question.

"I'm sorry for letting you go."

And that's the time I laughed in front of him. I laughed so hard that it almost made me in tears... which I know deep inside... it's only a few minutes to take and I'm sure I will already fall into tears.

"Sorry? You are sorry for letting me go?" I asked between my laughter, but he just remained staring at me. "No, Mr Williams, you shouldn't be sorry for letting me go and for choosing her over me, in fact, I should be thankful for that, do you know why? Because you just gave me the best gift in the world---freedom."

"Samantha---"

"You brought me to my senses again at that time. You made me realize that God's plan is always better than our plan and just because He didn't answer my prayers back then doesn't mean He won't answer at all. And that's what He did. I was surprised He answered it in His own way. When the time I was still blinded by the love I felt for you, He introduced me to someone who brought the smile back to my lips... and that's David." I gulped as I started to feel the lump that's now blocking inside my throat. I took a deep breath before I continued with a smile.

"I learned a lot of things because of you, so I'll take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for breaking my heart once and now I've moved on. You've only made me stronger. I found David. I fell in love with him. He always took care of me and he showed me my worth as a woman."

"I'm sorry..." He tried to hold my hand that was resting over the table but I quickly remove it.

"I'm sorry too, but your sorry is already four years late." At least now, I've said it calmly. "We can be civil to each other because we have a daughter, but I can't befriend with you."

"I'll be okay with that... for now, but I hope you would also forgive me---"

"Forgiveness is not something you can easily earn. For me, it's the same with forgetting and trusting again, it's really a difficult part of life.

Now I can see the hurt and pain in his eyes... the emotions I dreamed of years ago seeing in them.

"You haven't touched your food," I said pointing to the cup of sweet dalgona that's now melting in front of him.

"Y-Yeah..." I heard him sigh before picking up the spoon and taking a scoop of his dessert.

I watched him bringing it into his mouth and his reaction made me satisfied.

"Hmm... this one also good."

"I know." I proudly stated with a shrug.

I really wanted to add -'I'm good at making sweets and desserts even before, you just didn't notice because I wasn't listed in your notes of priorities.'- but I held back from stating those words. I know for sure at that moment, he already realized it. "Ahm... if you don't mind, I'll go upstairs. I have to call boyfriend and ask him if he's already had lunch, if not I'll remind him." I said as I got up.

"Sam..."

"Yes?"

"Do you always do that?"

"Always do what, calling my boyfriend or reminding him to eat lunch?"

"Both."

"Yes. He's a doctor and sometimes, I mean most of the time, he always skips meals especially when he's in the operating room and doing surgery." when he didn't say anything... "Ohh... by the way, before I forgot, I've already put Cali's phone on top of the console table in the living room."

I turned around and was about to take a step, but I remembered the dishes...

"And about the dishes, feel free to put them on the sink, I'll just wash them later... and thank you for fixing the faucet. Have a nice day, Mr Williams." "Samantha..."

I no longer hear the words he said as I already turned around and left the kitchen.