He had not wanted me to stand in front of him and accept financial help as though I were accepting his apology.

He believed that revisiting the settlement would turn the correction into another negotiation between us.

He had avoided that negotiation.

I stopped there.

Avoided.

He had found a way to make avoidance sound thoughtful, even while acknowledging the wrong.

Then the next paragraph admitted something less flattering.

He had been afraid I would refuse.