"I punished the person I loved most… for my own weakness."
Charles sobbed harder, clutching the front of Mark's jacket as he listened to the painful truth.
"Please, Charles," Mark pleaded, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. "Please forgive me. I know I broke your heart. I know I shattered your trust, and I'll regret that for the rest of my life."
He swallowed hard, struggling to steady his breathing. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. However long it takes… whatever you need from me… I'll do it. Just please find a place in your heart to forgive me, pretty."
Mark leaned forward until their foreheads rested together, their tears mingling beneath the soft glow of the fairy lights.
"I promise you, with everything I have, that from this day forward I'll treat you the way you always deserved to be treated. I'll cherish you, protect you, respect you, and love you with all my heart."
