Chapter 146: Getting Back Together
Standing on the porch were Margaret and Jake, their expressions tense and uncertain as they stared back at Claire.
"Margaret? Jake?" Claire said, her voice betraying her surprise. For a moment, she didn't know whether to step aside or close the door so they wouldn't come in.
It had been two weeks since Jake's release, and neither he nor Margaret had reached out until now.
Margaret offered a tentative smile, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "Claire... may we come in?" she asked uncertainly.
Claire hesitated but eventually stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. The awkwardness hung in the air as thick as fog. She didn't miss the way Jake avoided her gaze, his shoulders slumped as if it had become his regular posture.
As they stepped into the dining room, Alex and Emma turned to see who it was, their conversation abruptly halting. The shock on Alex's face was evident, and Emma stiffened beside him, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Though she knew Jake was out of jail, she had never once thought they'd be in the same room like this. Why were they here? She had thought they'd come sooner but after staying several days without seeing them, she had thought they wouldn't come so she had forgotten about them.
Seeing them now, was sort of disorienting and even though she didn't mean to, her heart was beating fast and she wasn't feeling comfortable either.
Margaret broke the silence first, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Alex," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "I need to apologize. For everything."
Alex's brows furrowed, confusion mixing with suspicion. "Margaret..."
"No, let me finish," she interrupted, stepping closer to him. "For years, I treated you terribly. I always tried to sabotage you in front of Dad and Claire. I wanted to push you out of the family, back to the orphanage... thinking you didn't belong with us and I was wrong. You've proven time and again that you're more than deserving of your place in this family. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I'm sorry it took me almost ruining someone's life before realizing."