<spanng="EN">Analise’s POV


    <spanng="EN">I gave you back your ring, Roger. I’m no longer your fiancé,” I quietly replied.


    <spanng="EN">“Is that why you sold our home? Because you no longer want to marry me?” Roger asked. He was acting like a jilted lover. “Elizabeth, please don’t do this to me. Is it because I went to find your recement? I was doing that for you. So we could spend more time together. I didn’t want you to have to work so hard anymore. You only have to design if you want to from now on. I thought I was doing you a favor by letting you step down from a stressful position. Stress is bad for you during pregnancy. I know you wanted to have children. I was doing this all for you,” Roger stated loudly.


    <spanng="EN">It was like he was trying to embarrass me now. Paint me as uncaring. It was my turn to be shocked. People were talking and looking in our direction. I had never known just how shameless Roger could be until thisst week. He missed his calling. He could have been a very popr actor, given his ability to lie straight to my face convincingly. I couldn’t even detect that he was lying, and I knew he was.


    <spanng="EN">“Roger, how dare you act like you did this for me? I thought I knew you, but I was wrong. Seeing how you’ve treated me thest few months has been an eye–opener. You’ve stolen my designs, and now you want to steal my new ones. You want me to hand them over to the woman that you reced me with, as if they were hers. Why? Is it because she’s not as good a designer as I am? If so, why did you hire her? Is she even qualified to rece me? We could have chosen a recement for me together. You’re doing it like this makes it seem suspicious,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">“Baby, what are you talking about?” Roger nervously asked as he looked around. Sasha is still standing at the door like a scorned lover, which didn’t help. “Are you rejecting me because you want to be with one of these men? Is that what you’ve been doing while I was out of the country, trying to hire your recement? Have you cheated on me, Elizabeth?”


    <spanng="EN">“How dare you speak to her like that. I’m her brother, for God’s sake, what a disgusting thing to say,” Seth replied.


    <spanng="EN">“How dare you, Roger? How dare you use me of doing something so obscene? Or maybe it’s your own guilty conscience? Where’s your proof that I’ve done anything wrong? I swear on my life that I will sue you for defamation. I haven’t done anything wrong. Can you say the same? Are you willing to bet your own life?” I challenged. I already knew he couldn’t.


    <spanng="EN">“I love you, Elizabeth. How could I cheat on you?” Roger tried to sidestep.


    <spanng="EN">Say the words, Roger. Do you bet your life?” I asked.


    <spanng="EN">“How dare you try to ask my son to say something like that, Elizabeth? She is just your recement at work, not in his heart,” Joyce loudly corrected.


    <spanng="EN">“Since you want to be involved in this, are you willing to bet your life on that, Joyce?” I asked mockingly. She was much more superstitious than Roger was. This should be good.


    <spanng="EN">“You heartless woman, are you trying to put a curse on me? Do you see how she is, Roger? Acting as if that is something trivial. I’m not betting my life on anything, especially when I know that he loves you. Why must you continue to attack him? Are you trying to damage his reputation?” Joyce responded a little less vehemently. But she still dodged my question.


    <spanng="EN">“I see the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, Mrs. Cook. Neither of you is willing to admit that you’re lying. I just want to remind you both that nothing that happens in the dark ever stays there. Enjoy your night. I want to freshen up before finding my seat. Please stay away from me. I have nothing else to say to either of you,” I told them before walking away.


    <spanng="EN">“How dare you speak to me like that, Elizabeth? Have you no respect at all for your elders?” Joyce’s voice screeched from behind me.


    <spanng="EN">She was drawing a lot of attention, and none of it was good. I wasn’t going to stand there and be recognized because of it. Roger still thinks he has the upper hand. I want him to think he still does. I want him to look me in the face when he finally understands what he lost.


    <spanng="EN">I knew Holden wanted to talk to me privately, but I didn’t want to talk to him. I also wanted to avoid his shrew of a sister and her bully of a best friend. If they saw me speaking to him, they wouldn’t hesitate to cause me problems. I wasn’t about to sign up for that. Gwen and Emily had already gone to get us drinks and our auction paddles.


    <spanng="EN">We had a balcony overlooking the venue, with a monitor on either side, which provided an excellent view of each item. I didn’t want to have any more run–ins with people I knew. Although I enjoyed the argument between the Cook family, this night has been more draining than I expected it to be.


    <spanng="EN">I refreshed my lipstick and took a moment to collect myself. I had just calmed down and was heading for the door when it opened. I rolled my eyes as I smelled Joyce’s loud perfume. I knew she wasn’t going to stay quiet.


    <spanng="EN">“Why did you sell Roger’s home? What are you even trying to do to him? This isn’t over. What you did was against thew, and I’m going to make sure that you’re punished. You won’t be so high and mighty in prison,” Joyce snapped out.


    <spanng="EN">“Joyce, it was my house that I bought for us to live in. Not for Roger to y house with Sasha. I paid for it, and I sold it. There is nothing that you or Roger can do about it. Well, you can try to outbid the man who bought it, but you’re going to have toe in at over three million to get it. I’ve already signed the paperwork, so I think it’s toote,” I replied as I tried to move past her.


    <spanng="EN">She shifted to block me. “You’re a liar, and that’s why you’re not worthy enough to marry my son. That was Roger’s house. You can’t just make things up and call them the truth. Soon enough, everyone will know what you’ve done,” Joyce hissed out through clenched teeth.


    <spanng="EN">“Well, you’re half right. One of us is a liar, but it’s not me. Let me set you straight on a few things, Joyce. Roger needs me and my designs. I don’t need him. I helped him achieve his dreams. Now that I see who he is, I’m withdrawing my support. Don’t get mad at me, Mrs. Cook. I’m just giving Roger what he deserves, back to him with interest. Enjoy your moment in the sun. Every day turns into night. I hope you’re prepared for it when ites to you,” I replied, before pushing past her and exiting the restroom.


    <spanng="EN">I headed down the hallway and almost walked right into Roger, who was pacing anxiously. I guess Joyce managed to get free from him. “You need to keep better track of your things. Your mother sure had a lot to say. Unfortunately, none of it was true. She seems to be under the impression that my home belongs to you. You need to straighten her out because she’s entertaining the idea of trying to throw me in prison for selling it. If the police do approach me about it, I won’t hesitate to straighten her out,” I told him as I walked past.


    <spanng="EN">Roger grabbed my wrist to stop me. “Elizabeth, I see tell you are hurt and acting out. But I won’t give up on you, on us. I love you and I want to marry you. I will give you time to calm down, but I know in my heart that you are the woman for me. I love you, Elizabeth,” Roger told me as he rubbed his thumb right above my wrist. The worst part? He seemed to be sincere.


    <spanng="EN">I watched as Roger’s eyes showed the panic he felt as I pulled away from his grasp. I heard Joyce’s heels clicking sharply on the marble floor as she quickly walked towards us. I didn’t need to go another round with her. I didn’t want to speak to anyone from the Cook family anymore tonight.


    <spanng="EN">I immediately headed to the elevator and took it up to the second floor. I advised security of the group I was with before being allowed to head to my seat. I sank down with a sigh, taking the seat between Gwen and Emily. I thought this night would be easier. This situation is proving to be much more draining than I thought it would. I honestly thought that he would ept the ring back without an issue. He’s already married. Going through with our sham wedding could get him in trouble.


    <spanng="EN">I can feel eyes on me, and look around the open balconies around me. We are hidden from view to those seated below, unless they are in one of the first three rows. I found them pretty quickly. Tiffany and Gretchen sat three balconies over with the Vaughn family. Mrs. Vaughn gave me a smile and a wave, and seemed happy when I waved back at her. But I ignored Tiffany and Gretchen. I think I should move forward with getting security assigned to me. I knew I would need to have them in ce before the wedding, but it looks like I’ll have to do it much sooner than anticipated.


    <spanng="EN">A knock sounded on the door to our balcony, and Emily walked over to answer it. My father stood there, his eyes scanning the room, before stopping on me. His eyes widened in surprise. My parents knew I’d been losing weight, but due to my bulky clothes, they hadn’t known how much. I wanted to look good in my wedding dress. I haven’t been this small since my Sophomore year in high school. I’m a size fourteen, but I don’t want to get much smaller. I just wanted to strength train and be stronger.


    <spanng="EN">“Analise, this foolishness has gone on far enough. Your mother’s worried sick. You’re forcing me to take drastic measures I don’t want to take. I can make the same ns for your business that I helped you make for Roger’s. I don’t want to have to do that to you, but I will. I can’t allow a scandal like this to ur. He brought her here to parade her around in front of all of us tonight, like she belonged. I will not let him humiliate you, Ana. I love you too much to let that happen. You need to calm down and meet with us tomorrow night for dinner to discuss ns going forward. If you don’t show up, I will have to start making some ns of my own,” my father announced.


    <spanng="EN">“Please make a reservation then, because I won’t being back home,” I replied before turning away from him. That was my only concession. I needed our meeting to be in the open. I wouldn’t put it past my father too.