<spanng="EN">Analise’s POV


    <spanng="EN">I love making lists, on my phone, or as a hard copy. I smoked through my list very quickly today. I brought two checks with me today to take to the vi to meet Christine. I had already called and spoken to the maid and the cook that I hired for our vi. I gave them the good news that they were getting a week off, with pay, until my new ce was set up. Then they can just work for me. I had already vetted them. They immediately agreed, it seems like Sasha has a temper. I got an early start, as Roger and Sasha were so excited about their honeymoon that they left ahead of schedule.


    <spanng="EN">That jerk even sent me a text saying, “I’ll miss you, Elizabeth. Can’t wait for us to get married.”


    <spanng="EN">I didn’t respond. I felt sick remembering that was how he kept me under his thumb all this time. Giving me the bare minimum to keep me motivated. I thought his texts were sweet. I’d go back and reread them all the time. They made my heart flutter, but that was back when I was fooling myself. He never cared for me, and receiving that text just fueled me up for the day. I had ballet slippers in my bag, and I was wearing one of my new outfits. I didn’t wash my hair this morning, so it still looked almost as good as it did the night before I felt alive this morning. Like I could take on the world.


    <spanng="EN">Well, maybe not the word, but I was definitely going to take on Roger and hispany. I didn’t have to aim for Sasha. Roger losing his everything would take care of her. Today, I wore a button–down white shirt with a lower neckline, but not inappropriate. Well, as long as I didn’t lean over it was appropriate. If that happened, then whoever was in front of me would be getting a nice view. My eyes are my best feature. They are a rare shade of caramel, with subtle blue–gray flecks throughout. My breasts, however, looked great. It was the benefit of being a fuller–figured gal, and this bra put them on the next level.


    <spanng="EN">My ck pencil skirt gave me an hourss figure, which was not something I normally would have chosen. But the salesperson was right about it. It had a control panel built into it, ttening my stomach, but it made my butt look great, too. I hadn’t believed her until I saw myself in the mirror. I bought the jacket to go with it, to wear in the winter.


    <spanng="EN">I walked out to my car, excited to drive it, even to work. It was beautiful, and I had already fallen in love with it. Since I got a head start on the day, I went to the bank to get my cashier’s check first. I told Christine that if she wanted to meet me at nine instead of ten, I would be there. She lived nearby, so she was there within ten minutes. She loved my car and spent several minutes with me, checking it out. She loved my re–emergence. Referring to me as a butterfly, which made me smile.


    <spanng="EN">I paid the cook and the maid, and they left. Excited to be on a paid vacation for at least the two weeks. I handed off my keys to Christine and asked that her cousine over and change the locks on the vi. Today, if possible, noter than tomorrow. Otherwise, I would hire a locksmith. I wanted that done quickly Even if he caught wind of the fact that something was wrong. He wouldn’t be able to get a flight back until tomorrow at the earliest. I want this done as soon as possible, as he might have given a set of keys to his parents. I don’t want them to have ess again.


    <spanng="EN">I stopped by the dealership and paid for the remaining bnce on my car. I was walking into the lobby by nine–thirty, but that was technically thirty minuteste. I had spent hundreds of hours working for this business off the clock. Working twelve–hour days to get us to where we are now. As far as I’m concerned, they should be d that I’m even here at all. When I entered the lobby today, people froze in ce. From the security to the receptionist, all seemed stunned by me today. Ourpany took up three floors in this building. I saw many approving looks from several men today, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit it was an ego boost.


    <spanng="EN">I just greeted them and kept walking. My office was at the back of the designer’s floor. You had to pass by my team to get to me. I stepped off the elevator and headed to my office, noticing that the room grew quieter with each step. I finally stopped and turned to look back at them. A sort of stunned silence had taken over the room. I gave them a smile and said, “What? I just cut my hair and lost a little weight. Get back to work.”


    <spanng="EN">I turned and smiled all the way back to my office. I came out to get an empty box to pack the items I wanted to take with me. I had spent five years working here. I had umted a lot of things, but I wasn’t taking everything. I looked at the pictures of Roger and me over the years. His friends were right.


    <spanng="EN">Roger had smiled in pictures with me more when we were getting the business off the ground than he did after we got engaged. I knew he wasn’t thrilled about the engagement, but I was sure I could win him over. I proved to him over and over again just how invested I was in him and thepany I ced all the photos face down on the bottom of the cab behind me. I no longer needed or wanted to see the pictures. I collected all of my awards I had won over the years.


    <spanng="EN">Those had value to me, and I had stacked them gently into the box, cing ayer of folded paper towels between each one. I opened my safe and retrieved every single design I’ve ever allowed Cook Custom Jewelry to use. That was over with, too. I closed the door to my office, which let them know I was working, and called my personal attorney, Rodney Briggs.


    <spanng="EN">I would have to pay a $5,000 fee for over fifty of my designs. I’m breaching the contract by refusing to allow thepany to use them anymore. Totally worth it. Thankfully, the contract for twenty of my other designs. had all expired in thest six months. Roger assumed I was going to let him have them once we got married. What was he thinking? Our marriage wasn’t even going to be legal or filed. It was never real. So he was really getting some bad advice, which helped me.


    <spanng="EN">“I have my copy of the copyrights with me now. I will bring them to you at one pm, when I go to lunch, if that’s convenient for you? I would like to note that the cease and desist letter applies to the twenty designs that they are still producing, under an expired contract. Some of them urred over a six–month period. I will determine the exact number of instances in which they vited the contract. I’m hoping that the fees associated with their uwful production will help cancel out the fees that I will have to pay for taking my designs back,” I told him.


    <spanng="EN">“I will see you at one, then,” he replied.


    <spanng="EN">I called my broker, Carson Kennedy, next. “I want to sell my shares in Cook Custom Jewelry,” I told him.


    <spanng="EN">“How many shares?” Carson asked.


    <spanng="EN">“All of them, preferably. I’ll even make it easy on you and point you in the right direction. Scott Cook is interested in buying into thepany. Perhaps you should let him hear about it. I want at least seventy–five percent of the market value for them. I won’t make him go totally broke,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">“On it,” Carson said before dropping the call.


    <spanng="EN">I pulled my notebook out of my purse and was pleased that I had gotten so much done on the first day. I called my car insurance next, and got that dealt with, I went back to cleaning out my office again. I had the box full, and at twenty minutes to one, I opened my door and walked out carrying the box. Two of my male designers got up and rushed over to help. Insisting on helping me carry it to my car.


    <spanng="EN">Byron carried the box, as he had arrived first, and Josh walked along with us, pressing the button for the elevator and riding down with us. “Are you packing up to be a stay–at–home wife now?” Josh asked.


    <spanng="EN">“No, just cleaning my office up. Roger has a candidate identified for my job, so I’m just being proactive,” I said lightly.


    <spanng="EN">“Well, he’s a lucky guy,” Josh replied, making sure I noticed the appreciation in his eyes.


    <spanng="EN">Byron looked over at him and just shook his head like he couldn’t believe what Josh had said. I was surprised as well. They had both acted like I was invisible before, so why the sudden interest? I guess I had really made myself very unattractive to them, so no one noticed the changes I had made, until today.


    <spanng="EN">I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to hit on you. I just meant you looked very nice today. Much different from how you usually look. I didn’t mean to make it sound dirty,” Josh corrected.


    <spanng="EN">“Josh, stop, you’re making it worse,” Byron advised.


    <spanng="EN">“I knew what you meant, Josh. You didn’t offend me. Thank you for thepliment. I appreciate you as well, Byron, I know the box isn’t light,” I responded. We walked the rest of the way to the parking garage, which was next door to our building.


    <spanng="EN">When I hit the fob to open my trunk they both stopped mid–step and looked at my car. “Is this yours? I thought you had a silver car justst week,” Josh asked,


    <spanng="EN">Byron whistled at my car and shut the trunk after putting my items inside. This is a very nice car,” he agreed.


    <spanng="EN">“Well, I decided to finally treat myself,” I said with a smile. “New wardrobe, new hair, new me.” I got inside my car, and they watched as I backed out and drove away.


    <spanng="EN">I made good time, as most were still at lunch, and his office was just five minutes away. I entered his office right at one, and was waved right in. His secretary made copies of my originals. Rodney was going to include a copy of them with the corresponding contract. He was nothing if not thorough.


    <spanng="EN">“Roger will be getting the paperwork on Wednesday,” Rodney told me.


    <spanng="EN">“That works for me. Can you send it with delivery confirmation, please?” I asked.


    <spanng="EN">“Of course. I always have my couriers get signatures for me. They always have them print and then sign for my deliveries. That way, it’s legible and legal,” Rodney replied.


    <spanng="EN">“Can you call me, so I can be at his office to see who signs for the delivery?” I asked.


    <spanng="EN">“I will get Emory to call you, better yet, let me have him record it. They might think you’re up to something if you just show up,” he replied.