Trapped

Chapter 19

Dylan felt strange as he entered the Wang Mansion. He hasn't stepped foot in this house for quite some time. The last time was when he confronted his father about his gambling debts. And blamed him for his predicament with Yue. It was ugly. It was disastrous.

And he swore to never come back here again. Or talk to his father ever again.

But this morning, he received a message from his father. And he found himself standing in front of their house. His father's house. The truth is, he's no longer angry. After everything that has happened between him and Yue, he has come to realize that among all the participants in the fiasco that was their marriage, he's more at fault at what happened. He was blinded by his anger. He has been selfish and acted like the victim, when in fact he behaved so badly that he managed to push the one girl who has loved him unconditionally. He doesn't know if he can still fix his relationship with his father. But he wants to try.

Dylan knocked at the door of his father's study, turned the knob and went in. "Hi, dad."

Mr. Wang Chen was roused from his reverie at the sound of Dylan's voice. He closed the book that he had been trying to read for the past thirty minutes without success and gestured for Dylan to sit down.

"Thank you for coming here, son. I was worried you won't come. I know you're still angry with me and I am sorry to have ruined your life. For snatching away your life. I am your father and I should be the one taking care of you but instead, you shouldered the responsibilities that are supposed to be mine."

"No Dad. I am your son and I should have respected you no matter what. You and mom have raised me to be a good human being and I have lost myself along the way. I went here to apologize for my rudeness and disrespect to you before. I hope you can still forgive me, Dad." Dylan said and he bowed, tears slowly forming in his eyes.

Dylan felt a hand touching his shoulder and he allowed his tears to fall freely. He cried like a small child as his father gripped his shoulder firmly. And just like that, he knows that everything is forgiven.

When the wave of emotion passed, he heard his father ask. "You and Yue are still not okay?"

Dylan smiled sadly. "I have ruined us Dad. I don't even know if she can still forgive me. I know I am not worthy but I can't give her up. I'm not ready to lose her"

"Then don't give her up. Fight for her. Yue loves you. She wouldn't have made that sacrifice if she didn't."

"The Yue before loves me, dad. Now she just hates me. And I cannot blame her. I'm just so afraid of how to move forward without her."

His dad tapped his arm. "I won't pretend that I know what you are feeling. But I am your father. And I know how much you wanted things to return to normal. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you sacrifice, even if you say sorry a million times, it will never be enough. You know why? Because you can never force a heart to do your bidding."

"Are you saying that I should just give up? That I should just give her up?"

"I'm not saying don't fight for Yue. More than anything, I want you two to be together. Fight for her until the end. Fight until you have no more spunk left in you. But once she decides, you must be ready to accept it. Even if her decision will break you. Even when she wants a future without you in it. You have to learn to accept it. I know it will hurt like hell. But if a life without you is what will make her happy, be ready to give it to her. Because love means making sacrifices."

Dylan felt like tearing up again. Just the thought of losing Yue forever squeezes his heart. But he also knows that his father was right. He was being unfair to Yue. He came to see his father to try and make things right between them. He didn't expect that talking to him would make him finally accept what he has known all along. He was just too scared to acknowledge it.