<spanng="EN">Seth’s POV


    <spanng="EN">“What else, Ana? I know that’s not all of it. Tiffany is obviously psychotic. When did this happen?” I asked.


    <spanng="EN">“It’s not all of it, but I don’t know if I can handle discussing it all today. It’s not going to be easy for you to hear. Just know that I have evidence, much more than I’ve just shown you. I guess it’s time to move forward and tell you all of it,” Ana replied.


    <spanng="EN">Tiffany has always been jealous of Ana since she was born. Tiffany had been the baby, and she was doted on by both our families. Holden and I thought she was a little angel. Once Analise was born, we naturally included her in our affections; everyone did. It took a couple of years to find out that Tiffany couldn’t stand Ana. She hated that she wasn’t the main focus anymore once Ana got here. That’s what she wanted, for all of our attention to be on her. She would push Ana down or take things from her.


    <spanng="EN">As the years progressed, Tiffany upped her game, before one day pushing Ana into the pool before she turned three. But when Ana turned five, things finally started to improve. Tiffany convinced all of us that it was just a childish phase she was going through, and she became much nicer to Ana from then on. It worked out so well that we honestly believed that she would help protect Ana while we were at college.


    <spanng="EN">Tiffany’s always beenpetitive where Ana was concerned. The only thing she felt she had over Ana was the fact that she was slim. Tiffany always mentioned Ana’s weight any time she could. So it makes sense that she would target her there. Ana was honor roll and incredibly talented. There was no way that Tiffany could surpass Ana in what our parents valued.


    <spanng="EN">Tiffany probably could have got a schrship in cheerleading, but Tiffany wasn’t interested in going to college. She was interested in marrying me, but I wasn’t interested in making her my wife. I shuddered at the thought of it. I wanted to punch Holden in his face for what his sister has done. So what if he’s my best friend? His fucking sister has emotionally scarred mine. No wonder she couldn’t stand to be around them. It brought up painful memories.


    <spanng="EN">When there was a knock at the door, I stiffened up, suddenly remembering something. One of her bodyguards opened the door, but thankfully, it wasn’t Holden; it was a member of Hospital Security, with Ana’s doctor right behind him. The doctor entered the room after I apologized for causing a disturbance a few minutes ago. I couldn’t stop myself. I felt like I’d ruined my sister’s life. No wonder she didn’t want to marry Holden.


    <spanng="EN">His sister had bullied her relentlessly for years.


    <spanng="EN">I sent Holden a text telling him not toe here, that I would talk to him tomorrow. He replied that he was already here. I can’t do this right now. I was so furious at his family right now. I honestly might do something to him in anger. I tried to make him understand he needed to leave. That Ana didn’t want him here. All without telling him what was about to happen to his sister. He didn’t respond. I know him, he’s just going to show up.


    <spanng="EN">I can’t believe I was stupid enough to give her his room number. But how could I have known what had happened to Ana? I hadn’t known that she was in the hospital. I had been so angry with Ana, thinking she had lied to usst night. That she told us what we wanted to hear, so she could leave. I thought she was avoiding us again, and I let my emotions get the best of me when she called.


    <spanng="EN">I was so hateful to her when I answered. I said things I didn’t mean because of it. Now I felt like the worst brother in the world. I deserved the dressing down the officer had given me, but I honestly didn’t know Ana was hurt. I had toe clean because it’s only a matter of minutes before Holden gets here.


    <spanng="EN">“Ana, I’m so sorry. You can punish meter, but Holden is here, at the hospital. I called him and gave him your room number as we wereing here. We were just worried you were cutting us out of your life, and we didn’t want that to happen. I was only trying to get everything worked out between us. You never say a word about what you had suffered. I thought it was just a petty difference of opinion. I see that you had more than enough reason to do what you did. I’m so sorry, Ana. I never intended to hurt you like this,” I told her.


    <spanng="EN">She didn’t respond, and that made me even more upset. I could tell that she was thinking, and a few minutes passed before she finally nodded and said, “It’s fine, we will settle it today. He cane in when he gets here.


    <spanng="EN">I sagged in relief. I didn’t want her to block me again, and I was terrified she would. I love my family. I’ve always looked out for Ana. I’ve tried to do what was best for her, her whole life. I made sure she was safe while I was home. I unknowingly caused her to get hurt. But after my suggestion of marrying Holden, things have totally blown up in my face. Now I know why Ana was so vehemently opposed to marrying him. We will find her someone else, someone worthy of her. Someone who doesn’te with painful memories.


    <spanng="EN">“We can wait on him to get here. I will bring him up to speed and see if he’s genuinely interested in discussing my issue with him. I doubt he will,” Ana said. My stomach dropped. That means that it’s potentially worse than what Tiffany did. But how could that be? He doesn’t remember upsetting her.


    <spanng="EN">I thought Tiffany had been the reason for her not wanting to be around either of them. Had Holden done something to her, too? Something that caused her to hate him as much as she hated Tiffany. No, that isn’t quite right. I think she hated him more than she hated Tiffany. What in the hell could he have done to have caused that?


    <spanng="EN">I noticed bruises on her chin and jaw. Clearly made by fingers that had gripped her chin. I went to touch them, but Ana pulled away. It hurt that she flinched away from me. Doesn’t she know that I would never hurt her?


    <spanng="EN">“It’s fine. They don’t hurt very much. I can cover them with makeup until they heal,” Ana replied. Her tone was colder than it was earlier.


    <spanng="EN">A knock on the door had her stiffening up. I guess she was colder to me because I had invited him. She was preparing herself for this confrontation.


    <spanng="EN">One of her bodyguards opened the door, and Holden’s voice immediately said, “Why are you even here? She’s safe. She’s inside a hospital. Who would try to hurt her in a hospital?”


    <spanng="EN">“Holden, don’t cause a scene. Get in here, we have things that we need to discuss,” I told him.


    <spanng="EN">He entered the room with a beautiful vase of red roses, containing at least two dozen stems. A ssic bouquet, and I knew that he was trying to win her over. I’ve pulled the same move myself on a girlfriend who had been angry with me. But it isn’t going to work on Ana. Over the years, she has seen us both do this too many times. She knows it’s only a show.


    <spanng="EN">“What happened?” Holden asked as he set the flowers on the counter of the VIP room.


    <spanng="EN">“Your sister, that’s what happened,” I snapped out. I felt Ana take my hand in hers. She was trying to calm me down when she was the one who had been hurt. I knew she was trying to save our friendship, but it will never be the same. I don’t know if we can ever go back to where we were before.


    <spanng="EN">“I will show you the same thing that I showed my family. After you see the video and hear the recording, you can ask your questions,” Ana told him.


    <spanng="EN">I didn’t want to see it again, so I watched Holden’s face as he watched the video. My mother had moved to the other side of the room to stand between Ana’s friends. They still bore a stunned look at having heard what Tiffany said earlier. She was much more vicious than I ever thought she was.


    <spanng="EN">After the video, as Ana picked up her phone, Holden asked, “How did you get that footage? Someone tampered with my surveince systemst night. Was it you?”


    <spanng="EN">“Just listen, Holden. You’re about to find out who tampered with it,” Ana curtly replied.


    <spanng="EN">I watched as Holden listened to the recording. I saw him getting upset as Tiffany spoke. When it was over, he said, “I’m sorry, Ana. I will cover the hospital bills and support you in however you choose to handle the situation with her. She obviously assaulted you, or you wouldn’t be here. I knew it wasn’t me. I watched your reactions to Tiffany. I told my mother it had to be something that Tiffany had done all along.”


    <spanng="EN">“You’re half right,” Ana said. “Gwen, can you and Emily take Mom downstairs to get some coffee. Charlie, can you and Drew go with them?”


    <spanng="EN">“I don’t think you need to be left alone. Drew can go with them. I think I need to stay here in case you need me,” Charlie answered. He knew things were about to get a lot worse, and they were. But my mother didn’t need to hear what I was about to say.


    <spanng="EN">“I appreciate what you are saying, Charlie. I know you and Drew take your job protecting me very seriously.


    <spanng="EN">But I will be fine. Dad’s here. If anything, what happens next with be between my brother and Holden. It won’t affect me. Despite what’s happened, I know that neither of them would intentionally hurt me. Just give me twenty minutes, okay?” Ana replied.


    <spanng="EN">“Ana, I would like to stay and hear the whole story, even if it hurts. If I don’t know, how can I decide what I need to do next?” my mother responded.


    <spanng="EN">“That’s the reason I stayed quiet. Naomi didn’t do anything wrong, Mom. Dad can fill you in on what you need to knowter. Tiffany banked on my staying quiet. I avoided your little get–togethers. I stayed to myself. I thought Roger was gentle, which is why I chose him, but I made another bad decision there, too. I have terrible taste in men, or I wouldn’t have been hurt so badly. I’m done following instructions. I’m done hiding myself, because the truth of the matter is, none of this was ever my fault. So many have broken my trust, and I’m not just going to forgive and forget. Those who hurt me can never be trusted again. This time, I’m going to make sure that Tiffany gets what she deserves,” Ana announced.


    <spanng="EN">I knew she was talking to all of us, but she was looking at Holden when she said it. I’ve never seen her look so hurt before. Even when I came up with my bright idea for her to go through with the arranged marriage to Holden.


    <spanng="EN">“What did you do to my sister?” I growled out in anger.