Try this
- Acknowledge the apology in language that matches your actual response.
- Identify whether a practical repair or future arrangement is still needed. You can ask for time without deciding immediately how the whole event is resolved.
A worked example
“Thank you for saying that. I still want to discuss what happens next time.”
An invented example to adapt, not a real exchange or a script you have to follow.
Before you leave it here
Accepting an apology does not require pretending the practical issue has disappeared.