Ex husband's Plea for Forgiveness

"All right," Melinda finally said, after taking a deep sigh. "I’ll do my best, Mom." She was going to help Jonas out of the trouble he himself caused again.

Queena exhaled in relief, and her eyes misted with gratitude. Though she was hopeful, she had initially thought that it would take a lot of convincing on her part before Melinda agreed.

Now she finally understood why her father-in-law held this girl in such high regard. She should put more trust in Nelson’s judgment from now on; he clearly had a sharp eye for good character.

"Then, have a proper rest tonight," she smiled brightly at her daughter-in-law. "You will need to make an appearance at tomorrow’s press conference. I’ll make sure to have a word with the company’s team so the people from the media wouldn’t make things difficult for you."

Melinda’s only reply was a bitter smile. She wasn’t entirely willing to make peace with her husband just yet, but she couldn’t stop herself from helping him this time. Or any time, really. She had always been too softhearted for her own good when it came to Jonas.

Queena left the bedroom soon after. She could see the exhaustion in the younger woman’s eyes, and could hear it in her weary tone. She gave instructions to have her son brought to the study the moment he arrived.

She was waiting for him when he stepped inside, and she sat him down and told him bluntly that his wife was gracious enough to help dig him out of his recent controversies.

Jonas's initial response was a shocked pleasure. If Melinda was willing to do this much, then did it mean that she forgave him?

But then he quickly shook his head and banished the thought. If their places were reversed, he knew he wouldn’t be so easily forgiving. He assumed that this development was largely attributed to his mother and her relationship with Melinda.

His heart grew heavier. "I’ll make the necessary arrangements." He rose from his seat and made his way to the door, but halted after taking a couple of steps.

He turned to look back at his mother, his expression ashamed and defeated. "I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused, Mom. I’m giving you even more reasons to worry." Queena felt a pang of heartache seeing her son like this, but she decided not to coddle him even though in her heart he would always be her darling son.

"It’s good that you recognize your mistakes. You are still my son, so of course I will support you no matter what. That doesn’t mean that I am not angry or disappointed, or that your mistakes are not a huge deal."

Jonas only nodded in acknowledgment, and went to his office to give William a call. They had to hold a press conference at such a short notice after all, and there was much to be prepared.

Soaring Group’s public relations department, in particular, had to work additional overtime on top of their already long hours.

The journalists who were notified of the press release were also excited, and there was a buzz along the grapevine even though it was late into the night.

The story had broken out several days ago already, and there had been many, varying speculations over the matter.

Except for a few, short responses from Kent that didn’t really provide direct answers to the heart of the issue, the media had no reliable fodder to keep the story burning.

Neither Jonas nor Melinda had issued a public statement to address the scandals, so for the conglomerate to arrange an official press release was somewhat gratifying.

The conference was slated for ten o’clock the following day, in one of the hotels Soaring Group owned. The clock had barely struck eight when the journalists flocked to the venue.

Melinda had thought she would not sleep well the previous night, all things considered. But actually she had a good night's sleep, and she even had no idea when Jonas entered their bedroom.

"William has prepared a draft just in case," Jonas said carefully as he lingered by the door. "You can read it on our way to the conference. If there’s anything you can’t answer, you can just throw the question over to me and I’ll handle it."

Melinda said nothing. It looked like Jonas wanted to stay, or perhaps wanted to say more. But after a few beats of silence he finally left, closing the door gently behind him.

Melinda mustered the energy to pull herself out of the bed, and she walked over to the wardrobe to pick an outfit.

for a few seconds, and then finally took the red corporate dress

going out for blood, so she decided she might as well look the part. She rummaged for the appropriate makeup and accessories; this

waiting for more than one hour for his wife to come downstairs, and when she did he was completely blown

dress, black high heels, and large diamond earrings. Her lips were also painted

and white, except for Melinda. Jonas just stood there, mesmerized, his

because a hush seemed to have descended upon the mansion. It was Queena who finally broke the silence as she clapped her hands. "Brilliant! You look like you’re

daughter-in-law to smooth the scarf around Melinda’s neck,

family gathered to the dining table as the servants began to lay out the food. They ate in a somewhat tense silence, as though they were all wound tightly and ready to

meal staring at her sister-in-law with a degree of

always simpler than most,

yet here she sat, sporting both. Yulia could not deny that

note of Melinda’s appearance today, and a lot more women who would

dressed in the usual style that Yulia would have picked for herself, Melinda still exuded an aloof brand of

the same table, but the two women were harboring very different

chauffeur had

of Jonas, opened the door to the backseat, let herself in, and then shut it behind her. She gave instructions to the chauffeur

of the gates, then shook his head and went back inside to get his car

was already brimming with people at this point. It wasn’t only the media; there were prominent people present as well, mostly investors of Soaring Group and other stockholders that held a vested interest

slowly died down. The doors at the end of the hall opened, and Jonas and Melinda entered the room hand in hand. They were a striking pair, Melinda in

marched to the front of the room. The other was silent and low-key,

the seats facing the press. Jonas pulled Melinda’s

they were assaulted with a barrage of questions from the reporters. Melinda had a stoic expression the whole time; her mind had long drifted

mentioned the photos of her and Jonas, the collection that started the "Cold War" rumor. Melinda leaned forward on her seat, tented her hands

a white screen, which was arranged beforehand thanks to the hard work of everyone who clocked overtime,

to her husband, a slight frown marring

they really are. The person who took those photos seems to be really

so it went. For the most part, they hedged the insinuating and rude questions by downplaying the entire issue. The husband and wife even got carried away a couple of times, bickering

got the couple back on track. Melinda braced herself and explained everything that went on behind those photos. There were no hidden nuances to it, no

lot of people, especially since it gave a

really believed that Jonas would go as far as fabricating the way he acted. They looked too real, and made even more real by

conference wrapped up, Jonas stood from his seat to address the audience as a whole. "I have been remiss in providing an

themselves inconvenienced in any way by this misgiving of mine, especially those who have always supported Soaring

you all that for as long as I hold the reins of Soaring Group, I will take good care of the

ended his speech with a deep bow, and the room was filled with silence as his sincerity came

with the

not going to speak about anything anymore, the public relations

couple’s refusal to hold interviews: Jonas had wanted

this response, knowing that it would give their boss the image of a caring and loving

scandal was a farce, having been stirred up and stoked until it was nearly uncontrollable, and yet