She’s sharp. Everything she says is a blow to my face. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut, repeat. And since I don’t intend to punch back—figuratively speaking—I’m just going to hold my arms in front of my face and parry her verbal assault. She deserves her retribution, and if being mean to me helps her, I’m letting her do it.

“About that. What I did to you was horrible. I never meant for it to happen the way it did. I never meant for it to happen at all. And if there was a way to take it all away, I would…”

“You mean you’d rather not have stolen Jake from me? It seems to have worked out pretty well for you.” She jerks her chin at my hand. “Is that from him?”

I follow her gaze to my engagement ring. Oh crap, this is getting worse by the minute.

I blush. “It is. And that’s not what I meant. What I wanted to say is that if I could turn back time, I wouldn’t wait so long to sort myself out. What I did, the way I did it… it was wrong. But I can’t turn back time and I can’t take it back. All I can do is to say how sorry I am. I am deeply sorry. I never meant for anyone to get hurt and I know I did hurt you. And I’m sorry for that.”

Sharon sighs, shakes her head down, and looks back up at me. “I’ve never hated someone the way I hated you. That day you took my life in the palm of your hand, crushed it into a ball, and threw it in the trash.”

Should I say again how sorry I am? I decide to keep silent and look contrite.

“And you can stop with the beaten-up-dog act.”

“It’s not an act. I really feel terrible for what I did.”

“And what do you expect? What do you want from me? My forgiveness, so you can keep living your life with no remorse?”

“I don’t expect anything from you. I owed you an apology, and I wanted to give it to you. That’s all. I’m not going to steal any more of your time. Thank you for listening.”

I make to exit the room, but she calls me back.

“Wait.”

I turn again.

“There’s something I want you to hear as well.”

“Okay.”