Chapter 27: Feeling The Chemistry All Over Again

"So, you asked her out even after knowing you're from different backgrounds?" Jace asked, his eyes shifting between Joseph and Agnes. The room was heavy with emotion as the three of them sat together, trying to untangle the web of past misunderstandings. "Yes," Joseph replied firmly, his voice laced with anger and lingering hurt. "I thought she loved me then. I actually believed we could work out perfectly, despite everything. I thought we had something special, something worth fighting for." "I loved you," Agnes said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, but still loud enough to be heard. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I do. And you also know that." "Then why did you leave him?" Dorah asked bluntly, pointing at Joseph. "Yeah," Joseph added, his brows furrowed in pain. "Why did you leave me if you claimed to love me?" "I was forced, okay?!" Agnes yelled, her voice trembling as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, seeking warmth and protection from the memories she had buried deep inside. "What?!" Joseph exclaimed, taken aback. His voice cracked with disbelief. "But... how... how come?" He stammered, struggling to connect the dots. His mind raced, trying to put the pieces of the past together. "I had to leave because of you," Agnes said, her voice shaky. "I did it for you. I did it for us. I didn't want to lose you. It's better to watch you from a distance than to see you dead. I just didn't want to lose you!" Her voice rose in pitch as she broke into sobs, sniffing and wiping her tears away. Jace glanced at Dorah and gave her a subtle signal. Understanding the situation, they quietly got up and left the room, giving the two adults some privacy. Joseph sat there, stunned. "I... I... I don't know," he muttered. "You never told me anything. If I had known, I wouldn't have spent years holding on to bitterness, thinking you just left me for no reason." His voice softened, full of regret. "I wouldn't have been keeping you in mind for so long if I knew the truth." "I'm so sorry I treated you badly," he added after a pause. "I was angry, but I didn't know what really happened. Can you... can you tell me everything now? Please?" He gently guided her to sit down and reached out to hold her hands, his thumbs brushing against her knuckles as he encouraged her to speak. Agnes took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Back then, when my parents found out about us, they reacted with rage. They were furious. The idea of their daughter being in a relationship with someone from a different economic background was unacceptable to them. At first, I thought they were just trying to scare me with empty threats. But I was wrong." She paused, wiping her cheeks as more tears slipped down. "They sent a gang after you, Joseph. I didn't know they would go that far. I was terrified when they showed me the video... videos of you being beaten up. I was devastated, angry, and helpless." Joseph's eyes widened. "Wait a minute... so you mean the attack from years ago wasn't just some random street fight? It was them? Your parents did that?" Agnes nodded slowly, sorrow clouding her expression. "Why?!" Joseph barked, his hands curling into fists. "Why would they go that far? I get that they didn't want us together, but to do something so wicked... I almost died, Agnes! My mum had to sell everything just to pay for my hospital bills. At one point, she couldn't even afford to continue. Someone else eventually paid the rest of the bills, but I still don't know who that person was. Why were your parents so cruel?" Agnes looked down, guilt etched on her face. "They already had someone else they wanted me to marry. A wealthy businessman. I guess it was to help their company expand or secure some sort of business alliance. I kept refusing. I held out for as long as I could... until they showed me the video of you being assaulted. I... I broke." Her voice cracked again. "Fear consumed me. I thought I was protecting you by leaving. After the incident, the guilt was eating me alive. I begged them to let me see you while you were unconscious in the hospital. They agreed, and I stayed by your side. Seeing you like that... broken, bruised, hanging on, it shattered me. I wanted to tell you everything. I really did. But I couldn't bring myself to admit what my family had done to you. I stayed until you recovered and then left silently." Joseph swallowed hard. "You told my mum, didn't you?" "I did," Agnes confirmed. "I told her everything, but I begged her not to tell you. I couldn't face you back then. A few weeks later, my parents scheduled the wedding." Joseph ran a hand down his face, his voice cracking. "I remember trying to get into the wedding venue. I just wanted answers. I needed to understand why you were marrying someone else so suddenly. But they didn't let me in. No matter how hard I tried, I was blocked at every turn." Agnes was crying now, her chest heaving. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to leave you like that. I tried to reach out, to explain... but I was drowning in guilt and fear. I was scared you'd hate me if you found out the truth." "Did he treat you well?" Joseph asked quietly, referring to her husband. Agnes nodded. "Yes. Even when I was difficult and tried to sabotage everything at the beginning, he remained kind and patient. He respected my boundaries. He didn't touch me because I told him I didn't want any of that. Eventually, after about a year, I started falling for him. He treated me well… until the day he died. Dorah was twelve." "I'm sorry," Joseph said gently, reaching out to pat her shoulder. "That must've been hard." "It's fine," she sniffed. "I heard your wife passed away too." Joseph gave a bittersweet smile. "Yeah... it's been four years. I met her a few months after you left. She helped me heal, broke through the walls I built. Honestly, I'm grateful for her. I wouldn't be the man I am today without her... and without God." Agnes nodded, her eyes soft. "That's good. I'm glad someone was there for you when I couldn't be." A pause hung in the air before she spoke again. "Now that everything's out... am I forgiven?" Joseph gave her a small, knowing smile. "Yes... I have no choice now, do I? So, friends?" "Yes. I love that," she said with a smile that reminded him of the girl he once knew. Joseph chuckled, his heart feeling lighter. "You never change." "But you have," Agnes teased. "The way you talked the other day at your mum's place? That wasn't the Joseph I used to know." He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I know. I'm sorry about that day. I regretted yelling at you the moment you left. I guess... I was in a bad mood?" She smirked. "No, you weren't. You were smiling when we walked in." He gave a sheepish laugh. "Okay, fine. No excuses. I'm just sorry. I wasn't thinking straight." "It's fine," she said sincerely. "If I were in your shoes, I might have done even worse." He opened his arms, and without hesitation, she stepped into them. "Phew... glad we finally sorted things out," he murmured into her hair. "Me too," she whispered.