Over at the Marson Villa, Jordin Marson sat alone in the living room, staring blankly at the television screen. He had an upcoming business trip to prepare for, but his mind was completely preoccupied. He had decided he wanted to see Elsa before leaving town. Yet, whenever he remembered how roughly he had grabbed her hair that night, a heavy wave of guilt washed over him. It made him feel less like a man, knowing he had acted wrongly and should have been gentle with her. He knew her home address—she lived in a modest apartment—and part of him desperately wanted to go see her. He missed her honestly, and he wanted to make things right, apologize for his mistake, and offer her financial support to help her get whatever she needed.
Even though he knew Elsa might refuse to be his girlfriend, he told himself he wouldn't force her; he just wanted to help her out. Deep down, however, it bothered him. He wouldn't like it if Elsa rejected him, because he genuinely liked her and had grown to harbor strong romantic feelings for her.
He debated whether he should travel first and visit her afterward. He felt deeply guilty about how he had initially approached her—harboring dark motives, thinking he could simply use his money to sleep with her. And the fact that she had eventually agreed made him feel even worse, like a terrible human being. I should have refused her and just given her the money instead, he thought bitterly.
Dropping his head back against the couch, Jordin groaned in sheer frustration. He wasn't a good person, he realized. He knew she was innocent and inexperienced, yet he had still proposed a transaction of money for sex, tainting her in a way that sat heavily on his conscience. He knew she must feel awful about herself and probably wanted nothing to do with him. He wasn't focused on the TV at all. What if she's terrified of me because of my power and wealth? he worried. He didn't want her to be scared of him.
Groaning again in frustration, he felt helpless, knowing the only path forward was to make things right. When he finally saw her again, he would make sure to offer a sincere apology, bridge the gap between them, and ensure she understood he only wanted to support her financially and make amends for his roughness. Jordin wanted to be a better person for her; he simply couldn't find any peace knowing he had deeply offended and hurt Elsa.
Meanwhile, across town, Catelyn was spending a cozy afternoon at her friend Veronica's house. Seated side-by-side on a plush couch, the two friends watched a movie together. Catelyn genuinely appreciated the comforting presence of her kind friend, but little did she know what was running through Veronica's mind.
Veronica had been pondering about Catelyn and Silas's breakup, firmly believing they belonged together. To Veronica, Silas was a catch—gentle, incredibly rich, handsome, tall, and hailing from a good family. Above all, he had an exceptional character: he wasn't prideful like other men, nor was he egoistic, selfish, or unfaithful. He was deeply caring, and Veronica thought Catelyn was utterly silly for walking away from such a good man. What if another woman snatched Silas up while Catelyn was playing games? Deciding she couldn't stay quiet any longer, Veronica turned to Catelyn with a curious, probing look.
"Catelyn..." Veronica asked cautiously, her eyes searching her friend's face. "Are you... are you actually thinking about going back to Silas?"
Truth be told, Catelyn had been thinking about it. Deep down, she still loved Silas romantically. But she was stubborn; she wanted to delay getting back together just so Silas would miss her miserably and suffer a little without her. She knew it was wrong, but a twisted part of her enjoyed the power of knowing how much he loved her and how desperate he was to have her back.
"I think I just want space," Catelyn deflected.
"What do you mean you need space? I don't understand—doesn't Silas already give you space?" Veronica asked, raising an eyebrow.
Catelyn knew full well that Silas had always respected her boundaries and given her all the space she asked for. "He gives me space, it's just... I want to be independent. I want to feel like a single lady without a boyfriend, you know?"
Veronica looked at her skeptically. "I understand," she said, though privately she felt Catelyn was being unfair and cruel to someone as good as Silas. "Well, you should keep in mind that another woman could easily be eyeing him. What if he eventually falls in love with someone else?"
Hearing those words, a flash of pure fury sparked in Catelyn's soul. Silas belonged to her, and her alone. He was never allowed to look at another woman.
"Silas isn't going to look at any other woman, let alone be interested in one," Catelyn snapped defensively. "You know he still loves me too much. He wouldn't even bear to be with anyone else."
Veronica knew it was true—Silas was fiercely devoted and still deeply in love with Catelyn. But that only made her frustration grow. "If you know he loves you, why did you even break up with him in the first place?"
Catelyn looked back at the screen, her mind drifting to Silas. "I told you, I just wanted space to feel single..."
"You could have just told him you wanted to take some time to focus on yourself while staying together, instead of blowing up the relationship entirely," Veronica pointed out bluntly. "There is such a thing as feeling independent without breaking up with your partner."
Catelyn knew Veronica was right. A heavy guilt settled in her chest. She had acted distant, treating Silas like a stranger and completely disregarding his feelings when he needed her most. Remembering the heartbreak on his face the day they split made her stomach twist. Silas had never done a single thing wrong to her; she was the one who had wronged him.
Noticing the dark shadow of sadness cross Catelyn's features, Veronica softened slightly. "It's okay, Catelyn. Just go make things right while you still can." Still, Veronica couldn't help thinking her friend was being deeply selfish for treating a good person so poorly.
Catelyn didn't say anything in response. A part of her found Veronica's nagging annoying, even though she knew her friend only meant well. Wanting to push the uncomfortable guilt away, she turned her eyes back to the Tom Cruise action movie playing on the screen, using the loud explosions and fast pace to drown out the voice in her head telling her she was being cruel to Silas.