They were not really sorry
You can believe someone is sorry and still not trust the situation. That's why it's possible to hear all the right words and still feel uneasy afterwards. Maybe someone apologises for cancelling plans at the last minute or promises they'll communicate better after another difficult conversation. The apology sounds sincere, and the conversation feels productive. For a moment, it seems like everything has been resolved. Then, a few weeks later, the same thing happens again. An apology matters, but on its own, it doesn't rebuild trust. That only happens when behavior starts telling a different story. So when you're deciding whether to move forward, it helps to look beyond the apology itself. Trust the pattern, not the promise. And if nothing changes, you may need to adjust your expectations—or your boundaries. You're not asking for perfection, just evidence that the person is trying.