《Too Late For Regret》 Chapter 1 Analise¡¯s POV The text I received from Holden was as unexpected as it was unwee. I felt a tremor of fear at receiving it. I had a gut feeling that whatever was on the video he just sent was not something I wanted to see. [Unknown number- Hey, it¡¯s Holden. I know you probably don¡¯t want to hear from me, Ana, as I see that I¡¯m still blocked. But you really need to see this. Your fianc¨¦ was only too happy to publicly humiliate you. So, I felt I had to warn you. You don¡¯t deserve to be treated like this. I didn¡¯t want you to be caught by surprise.] I know he won¡¯t be surprised that I left him on read. I didn¡¯t feel the need to reply to him. The problem is that Holden never exaggerates. He is always direct and painfully honest. I knew that firsthand. We had been friends since we were young. He is still my brother¡¯s best friend, but I¡¯m no longer friends with him. I had a crush on him back when I was a teen, until he crushed my heart into a million pieces. So, I knew it was going to be bad before I even hit y. I just didn¡¯t know it was going to be this bad. The video started, and I saw that Roger was at our favorite Italian restaurant, Benvenuto. It¡¯s where we had our first date. It¡¯s where he proposed to me. It was a special ce for us, or so I thought. I saw Roger sitting there facing the camera, with Sasha almost on hisp. Why is she so close to him? Wait, why is she even there? My stomach turns at the sight of them there together. It¡¯s Saturday night, and he knows that I¡¯m always wiped by Saturday night. He usually goes out with his male friends to have a few drinks and rx. Well, at least that¡¯s what he¡¯s always told me each week. I didn¡¯t think Sasha was bold enough to interrupt them on their guy¡¯s night out. I forgot she has no shame when ites to Roger. ¡°Congrattions to you both,¡± Dixon Chandler raised his ss to them. It was clear they hadn¡¯t just arrived there. The tes on the table were empty. The men were all intoxicated and enjoying their night. ¡°It¡¯s about time you made an honest woman out of Sasha.¡± I paused the video and tried to calm myself down. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I knew she was someone he had dated in high school, but she had left him years ago. He was broke back then, and she didn¡¯t want to be with him because of that. She never saw his value, but I did. I knew he was hungry to be a sess. I saw the fire, the desire to be sessful shining in his eyes. I thought that helping him achieve his goals would lead him to realize that I loved him. That I loved him for who he was, and not what he had. His family had an economy hotel chain, but they were not well received in high society. They hadn¡¯t earned a spot at the table, but they wanted one. They refused to give Roger money to fund his dreams, so I did. I knew that one day he woulde to love and appreciate me for making his dream a reality. But it¡¯s been five years now, and his mother still talks down to me. Like I am dirt under her shoes. His father has always been pleasant, but his two younger siblings have shown me nothing but contempt. I looked at her ring finger and saw that she is wearing not just an engagement ring, but also a wedding band. I can barely catch my breath; he didn¡¯t. He wouldn¡¯t. We were to be married in three weeks. But somehow I already know he did. I didn¡¯t even know that she had returned, but this exins why he has been so busy that I¡¯ve barely seen him for weeks. I pressed y again and braced for the worst. Sasha blushed and continued her innocent act. She has had them wrapped around her finger for years. She always ys the victim, and somehow, I¡¯m always the viin. They would be shocked to see her real face, as they have fallen for this act since high school. ¡°Thank you, Dixon. You¡¯ve always been one of our biggest supporters.¡± Now that stings. He works at thepany Roger and I created. I provided three million dors to get it off the ground. I brought the investors in to get it to where it is today. Roger always downyed what I had done to get hispany afloat to his friends and family. They all think that I¡¯m just a clingy designer, but I¡¯m actually the co-owner of thepany. Dixon is our CFO, but he¡¯s never given me the respect I deserve. I watched as he continued to kiss up. ¡°You know I¡¯m on your side, Sasha. That stuck-up b***h doesn¡¯t have anything on you. I don¡¯t know why Roger even agreed to marry her. In my opinion, Elizabeth is as unwanted as a boil. But she refuses to let Roger go. He doesn¡¯t even want to be with her; she forced him into proposing. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s holding over your head, Roger, but you need to shake her loose as soon as you can,¡± Dixon replied. I gasped in shock at his words. He¡¯s talking about me like I have no business being with Roger. My middle name is Elizabeth, and that is what I¡¯ve used to conceal my identity. My full name is Analise Elizabeth (Wade) Caldwell. I took my mother¡¯s maiden name, Wade, to use for school. My family is one of the most elite in the city. The Caldwell name holds a lot of weight around here. There aren¡¯t many of us, so it would be a red g for me to have used Caldwell. I decided to go to school using Elizabeth Wade to protect myself. The schools I¡¯ve attended were informed of who I was, so added security could be put in ce for me. Always discreet, hovering in the background. All my diplomas held my given name on them. I did as my mother had done, and followed in her footsteps. She had hidden who she was until after she married my father. She hid her wealth to ensure that my father loved her for who she was, not for what she had. It was my grandparents¡¯ idea. It helps cut out the ones who were just here looking to gain a wealthy wife. I was going to tell Roger who I was once we were married. I¡¯m praying that he defends me, but I somehow doubt that will happen. My parents were always very careful of me. I had almost been abducted at ten, and after that, I went nowhere without protection. I have always dreamed of marrying someone who loves me, not my wealth. I¡¯ve learned the lesson that I wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s cup of tea, the hard way. When I met Roger, I allowed myself to believe I could finally be loved. He epted me, or so I thought. Clearly, I was wrong. Dixon is Roger¡¯s best friend. They have been best friends since grade school. If anyone knew Roger well, it would be Dixon. How could Roger have lied to me like this? I believed him when he told me he loved me. He said he owed me for helping him bring his dream to life. I didn¡¯t want him to be forced into marrying me. I suggested it, back when he asked me what I wanted in return. I didn¡¯t need the money back; I had plenty of money. I had fallen in love with him the first time I met him. I have dreamed of Roger getting down on one knee and proposing for years. He could have told me no, instead of sneaking off and secretly marrying Sasha. ¡°Guys, go easy on Elizebeth. I already feel bad enough taking Roger away from her. She won¡¯t be happy once she finds out. At the very least, you could refrain from talking about her. She is a gifted designer. Speaking of, Roger, are you sure Elizabeth will allow me to use her designs after I take over as the Director of Design? I want the staff to have faith in me. So I think it would be best for me to show up with some great designs in order for them to ept me,¡± Sasha said coquettishly. ¡°Leave it to me, love. The day I introduce you as the new head of design, I will also announce my engagement to Elizabeth. She should be happy enough with that. She won¡¯t need to work anymore, and you can take over for her. She can stay home, while I get things shifted around so I don¡¯t lose out when she finds out what I¡¯ve done. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you¡¯ve contributed to thepany¡¯s sess. Elizabeth will be able to get by on herpany shares. But I¡¯ll need time to get everything in order, at least a year, so you need to be patient,¡± Roger replied, tapping the end of Sasha¡¯s nose. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t sleep with her, I can be patient for two years, Roger. As long as she can¡¯t stop us from being together,¡± Sasha said with a pout. ¡°Please, how could he ever desire her, Sasha? Have you seen her? She is not elegant or refined like you. She would only embarrass him. She bullied her way into getting Roger to propose. I don¡¯t know how she couldn¡¯t tell that he was embarrassed by her. He wouldn¡¯t stand next to her and never smiled for any of the pictures at their engagement party. She¡¯spletely delusional. But I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re going to be able to be married to two women at the same time, Roger. It¡¯s against thew. Elizabeth won¡¯t agree to it. She isn¡¯t going to fall for it,¡± Conner Hazell replied. He was Roger¡¯s other friend at the table. ¡°I¡¯ve already figured it out, Connor,¡± Roger stated coldly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know our marriage isn¡¯t real. Elizabeth shouldn¡¯t have forced my hand by insisting I marry her. She gets what she deserves for forcing me into it. Sasha is my true love, my first love, my first everything. She¡¯s the one I want. I acknowledge that Elizabeth helped me get mypany up and running. I appreciate her faith in me and all her support. For that, I¡¯m willing to let her be Mrs. Roger Cook to the public. Sasha doesn¡¯t want the bells and whistles. She just wants me. Now that she¡¯s carrying my child, I need to make her position solid. Elizabeth could have asked for anything, except my love. She knew that; she brought this on herself,¡± Roger replied. Wait, Sasha is pregnant with his child? How long has he been lying to me? How far along is she? The fury that I feel towards Roger and Sasha is something I haven¡¯t felt for a long time. I need to calm down so I can start making ns. I need to power through this video and finish it. Only then will I know what I need to do. The betrayal stings, but thankfully, my parents taught me well. ¡°Roger¡¯s taking me to Paris for our honeymoon this week. So you can¡¯t spoil the surprise for Elizabeth,¡± Sasha said with a smile before the video ended. And just like that, I received my timeline. Time to get to work. Chapter 2 Analise¡¯s POV I haven¡¯t spoken to Holden Vaughn for over three years. Ever since I called off our arranged marriage that our parents cooked up. I refuse to speak to him again, if at all possible. He never knew why, and as far as I¡¯m concerned, he never has to know. If he had actually thought about it at the time or cared about me at all, he would have figured it out. But confronting him about it would destroy the friendship between him and my brother. I can handle it, I¡¯ve done so this far, almost a decade since I turned seventeen. I hadn¡¯t known that Holden was back in the city, but I¡¯m not totally rude. He did me a favor, as I would have been totally blindsided by Roger if he hadn¡¯t sent me this video. I was on my phone once I allowed myself to calm down. My first call was to my best friend, Gwen Simpson. ¡°What¡¯s up, Ana? We just saw each other for our weekly meeting? Did you forget to tell me something?¡± Gwen asked in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring my newest collection of jewelry drafts over tomorrow. I need you to take them on Monday morning and have them copyrighted in mypany¡¯s name. I won¡¯t be letting Roger get his grubby little hands on them,¡± I replied. ¡°I thought you were letting Roger have them for his pitiful littlepany?¡± Gwen responded. I didn¡¯t miss the mocking way she said Roger¡¯s name. ¡°I changed my mind, and the wedding¡¯s off. I¡¯m going to sell my shares and let hispany die a slow, painfully expensive death. It¡¯s what he deserves,¡± I advised. ¡°What did he do?¡± Gwen asked. I could tell that she is already angry on my behalf. ¡°Sasha is back now that I¡¯ve got hispany running smoothly. He is happy to offer her my position as Design Director, but I won¡¯t allow her to use my work to enhance her own reputation. That won¡¯t be happening. She can have him. I doubt she will want him after he hits rock bottom, though. She only came back because he¡¯s achieved sess. He thinks she loves him, but that¡¯s his problem now. From now on, I¡¯ll only be working at Fashion Forward. I refuse to help someone who lies and cheats,¡± I said, my voice now starting to break. I probably should have taken some time to cry earlier, instead of just starting to line up my ducks. I just want to hit the ground running on Monday. ¡°I¡¯ming over, Ana. I don¡¯t want you to be alone tonight. It will be like a sleepover when we were kids,¡± Gwen insisted. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine. I just found out about it, so naturally I¡¯m upset. I need to mourn the rtionship, because it was real on my end. Even if he never cared for me, I loved him. I thought he cared for me, and one day it would bloom into love for him, too. I suppose I was wrong about a great many things. I have a week toplete all the tasks I need to aplish. Apparently, Roger is taking her to Paris for their honeymoon. Oh, but that¡¯s not the best part, Gwen. Sasha¡¯s pregnant, and ording to them, it¡¯s Roger¡¯s baby,¡± I admitted. Hearing her gasp, just as shocked as I had been, had my tears start to fall. ¡°I have never liked that little jackass. You can do so much betterAna. I never understood why you let Hoden go. I remember the crush you had on him. Maybe it¡¯s time for you to get back with him,¡± Gwen suggested. ¡°Never, I would never give him a chance. He might have helped me out tonight by sending me the video, but I can¡¯t trust him. Not anymore,¡± I managed to reply. ¡°I will be there in twenty minutes. I want to see this video. So, Holden is back?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°Yeah, apparently he¡¯s back. He was the one who sent me the video,¡± I replied. We hung up, and I tried to collect my emotions. Gwen lives just ten minutes away, so I am sure she will be here quicker than twenty minutes, as she only needs an overnight bag. I need somefort food, and I¡¯m not about to cook. I ordered a pizza for myself and one for Gwen. It will be here in forty minutes, just enough time to shower, greet Gwen, and let her see that creep in action. I needed to see the video again myself. I quickly showered and threw on somefy pajamas and a soft pair of socks. I needed as muchfort as I could get. I toweled my hair off before heading into the kitchen in search of a drink. I grabbed a bottle of water instead of wine. I was on a mission now. Operation Scorched Earth is about tomence, so I needed a clear head for my ns. I didn¡¯t feel bad for what I was about to do to Roger. If he had been honest with me instead of agreeing to marry me, we wouldn¡¯t be here. Plus, Sasha wasn¡¯t here when he agreed to the engagement. I suspect that she has a significant role to y in this. If that b***h thinks that she is about to steal my designs, she¡¯s the delusional one. Roger can¡¯t give them to her anymore either. I pick up my phone to make the call I needed to make. I hadn¡¯t spoken to Roger about my parents. He thought that I hade into my money because I had lost my parents. I never corrected him on that. ording to my bio, I¡¯m an orphan. The fact is, I couldn¡¯t introduce him to them. They knew who he was, and because I was happy, they were happy. That¡¯s no longer the case. He actually knew who they were because everyone knows who the Caldwells are. It was the very reason I couldn¡¯t introduce them to him. My cover would have been blown. I¡¯m so thankful that Holden gave me a heads-up. I would have hated to have given up my virginity to a man like him. I was ate bloomer. I was overweight most of my teen and adult years. I waspletely focused in college. I had school, and I had the business I created as a senior in high school. I was always busy. Fashion Forward was very important to me. I spent my time attending college and growing my fashion brand. I was the owner, but I appointed Gwen to be my CEO. My other best friend, Emily Thomas, was our primary model. I realize that the name was a little immature now, but I was eighteen when I came up with it. At twenty-seven, our name, or reputation, is already out there. It¡¯s toote to change it now, and I¡¯m proud of mypany. Emily wore our clothing, modeled the handbag and jewelry ads, and even our shoe line. Thest year and a half, I¡¯ve been busier than ever. I¡¯ve lost weight, a little over fifty lbs., but I hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Roger. I had been a 20/22, but now I¡¯m a 14/16. I¡¯m happy with where I am. I¡¯mfortable in my own skin now. Much more than I¡¯ve ever been. My parents have always loved and supported me. My older brother, Seth Caldwell, has always been a strong supporter of mine. Regardless of my size, they¡¯ve always loved me. They¡¯re proud of my aplishments. I still wear loose clothing, so no one at work has noticed my weight loss. My family and my two best friends have been the only ones who have noticed. I¡¯ve been pretty busy running my ownpany and helping Roger grow his. nning for my wedding was overwhelming on top of everything else. I had an episode two months ago, when Roger was out of the country. Gwen and Emily had to rush me to the hospital the day it happened. I was severely dehydrated, and my blood sugar was very low. I was in the hospital for three days. I should have realized then what a jerk Roger was. He came back from his trip, which I¡¯m now sure was to meet Sasha. He then yelled at me for missing work. He saw that I was pale, but Dixon had told him that I had called out while he was away. I still remember the argument we had that day over it. Dixon stood behind Roger, encouraging him to deal with me. ¡°Elizabeth, you can¡¯t just call out whenever you want to. You need to be here if I¡¯m not here. What were you thinking?¡± Roger had yelled at me. I still hadn¡¯t regained my full color. I was pale, and if he cared at all, he would have noticed that. But I took my work at Cook Custom Jewelry seriously. If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have forced myself toe here the day after I was discharged from the hospital. ¡°Where were you, Roger? You didn¡¯t take vacation time. You didn¡¯t notify me that you were even taking a trip. I had a medical emergency. It was out of my hands. You weren¡¯t traveling for business, so why weren¡¯t you here?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t feel well enough to coddle him that day, and he had been shocked by my response. I brought in all the investors, and we had no meetings scheduled for out of the country. Once I questioned him about where he was and what he was doing, his tone changed. He started acting concerned for me. He then told Dixon to stop causing issues between us. If I hadn¡¯t been feeling so bad, I would have probably noticed something was off. I scoffed just thinking about it now. I¡¯m too smart to have fallen for his lies, yet here I am. I picked up the phone and called my mother. My parents needed to know what happened. They will begin making the necessary calls. Just like they silently helped me grow Roger¡¯s business by investing themselves. They would now pass on the word that they¡¯re no longer supporting Cook Custom Jewelry. Their friends would all start to pull out, too. After that, it¡¯s only a matter of time before thepany is dead in the water. The problem was that as soon as my mother, Alicia, picked up the phone, my throat tightened up the moment I heard her voice. I started to cry, despite all my efforts. I could hear her speaking to me. I could hear my father in the background, but I couldn¡¯t speak. I heard my mother say, ¡°We will be there in ten minutes, baby. Hold on, we¡¯reing.¡± I cried in the shower. I thought I had cried enough. I thought I would only feel anger from now on. I was wrong. Hearing my mother¡¯s voice brought back all the pain of what he had done. I cried for the loss of the rtionship I thought I had. I thought that he appreciated me. Not just for my talent, but for everything that I had done for him. He had flirted with me. He had treated me well. I knew he didn¡¯t love me yet, but I thought that in time, he woulde to love me. I had always been the one fold, while he couldn¡¯t do the bare minimum for me. I thought he was a good man. I see him for what he is now, a user. But if he thinks he¡¯s going to use me and get away with it. He¡¯s got another thinging. Chapter 3 Analise¡¯s POV A knock sounded at my door, and when I opened it, I saw Gwen and Emily standing there. They both looked like they were ready to smack Roger around. ¡°Alright, Gwen said that jerk married Sasha. What was he thinking?¡± Emily asked as she set her overnight bag down under myputer desk. ¡°I will fill you all in at the same time,¡± I managed to say. They knew I had been crying; it was obvious. My eyes were red-rimmed, and I still had tears on my face that I had tried to wipe away. ¡°All?¡± Gwen asked. A knock sounded on the door before I could answer. I looked through the peephole and saw my mother at the door. Dad probably dropped her off at the curb. ¡°Hey, Mom,¡± I said as I opened the door. She enveloped me in a hug before I could step back to let her into my condo. I let her hold me, breathing in her scent and reminding myself that Ie from a line of strong women. I needed them tonight. Tomorrow, I will fine-tune my n. I knew having them here was what I needed. I felt a little bad not telling Seth, but if I did. He would go find Roger and beat him up. I was sure of that. Right now, I couldn¡¯t let them find out I knew what they were up to. Another knock sounded on the door, and I opened it to see my father standing there. The delivery guy was just leaving. The pizza hade fast, and I wished I¡¯d ordered another pizza, but I wasn¡¯t hungry anymore. I was too angry to eat. As soon as Dad shut the door, he asked, ¡°Alright, what did that little worm do? He was never good enough for you, Ana. I know you cared for him, but you need to learn to read people better. I knew from the first time I met him that he had no talent. You have more talent in your pinky finger than he has in his whole body. You never needed him, honey; he needed you. If you hadn¡¯t helped him, he would never have gotten hispany listed. I hope you followed my instructions. He¡¯s wasted enough of your time. What do you need me to do?¡± I hugged him. Just hearing how much he supported me helped ease the weight on my chest. I felt like a disappointment to them. I¡¯m twenty-seven. I know they both wanted grandchildren, and we all knew that Seth wasn¡¯t ready to settle down. In that, he¡¯s just like Holden. Both were willing to sleep with whoever they wanted, no matter how vile the person actually was. I was d that I managed not to cry. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you something Holden sent me. It¡¯s quicker to get you all up to speed that way,¡± I replied. I asked my parents to sit down before stepping behind the couch to stand between Emily and Gwen. I had hoped it would be easier to see the video this time around, but I suspected it wouldn¡¯t. I watched, detached, as it yed much quicker without needing to pause the video multiple times, as I had to do. I guess I did that to try to bolster myself. To try to prepare for the pain I knew wasing. Once it ended, Dad immediately started the video over again. I could feel the anger radiating off of him in waves. He was furious, and so was my mother. When it ended the second time, there was silence in the room. ¡°That bastard. He utilized your talent and your money to grow his business. Now he wants to turn around and try to take it all away from you?¡± Gwen¡¯s incredulous voice rose with each word she spoke. ¡°You can¡¯t let him get away with this, Ana. Please tell me you have a n. I¡¯m happy to help you in any way I can,¡± Emily said. ¡°I have a n, and I¡¯m going to put it into y on Monday. Gwen is registering my designs in my name and on behalf of thepany, as we will use them at Fashion Forward. I¡¯m d that Roger¡¯spany finally went public, as it will make selling my shares that much easier. They should sell quickly, as thepany is currently performing well. It won¡¯t be once I¡¯m gone. Roger¡¯s taking Sasha on a honeymoon to Paris, and I will be putting my notice in next Friday. I don¡¯t have to give thepany too much notice. I don¡¯t need Rogering back too soon. Mypany is performing very well. I¡¯ll be selling my shares in hispany before he even knows there¡¯s a problem. Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ve done as you, and Mom instructed. I¡¯m d you warned me, I would have lost a great deal if I hadn¡¯t,¡± I answered. ¡°That heartless jerk, he was supposed to take you to Paris for your honeymoon,¡± Gwen replied with venom. Gwen was my ride or die. She always had my back, and I knew I could trust her with my life. No matter what, she had my best interests at heart. She has run mypany with integrity this entire time. My father had watched over it until we graduated from college. He had his man still in charge until Gwen feltfortable. I should have listened to Gwen. She didn¡¯t trust Roger from the moment she met him. I was just blinded by his good looks. He was the oldest in his family at twenty-eight years old. He was in his senior year when we met. He was handsome, with his chiseled features, blonde hair, and blue eyes, which made me fall hard. I had always felt oversized, especially in groups, but Roger acted like he could see me, that he epted me. He had poured on the charm, and I fell for it. I had always wanted someone to be proud to show me off, and he did, at first. I could see it all clearly now. He needed me. My professor had let it slip in my senior year that he had mentioned to Roger what a talented designer I was. That was how I got on his radar. Roger actively pursued me, not because he liked me. He knew I liked him, and he made sure to use that against me. He was a handsome man, but watching the video thest time, I could see the ring ws. His weak chin, his narrow lips, his ability to lie right to my face and make it sound like the truth. I¡¯m a smart person; I should have seen what he was doing. Except I was so happy that someone I found attractive had found me attractive, too. It blinded me to the truth. I thought I had finally found the man who would love and take care of me for the rest of my life. Even two years ago, when he started to pull away when I turned twenty-five, I excused it. His friends never respected me, and he never made them stop taking digs at me. He let them drive me away, as I didn¡¯t like to hang out with them. They were just as disgusting as he was. I had protected my own designs. They all had a copyright in my name. I allowed my designs to be used by Cook Custom Jewelry. Now, I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯m no longer allowing them to use them. I will now use the best ones at my ownpany. Since Sasha wants to run the design department so bad, I¡¯m going to let her. Whatever theye up with, they can use. I¡¯ve always tweaked what my team in the design department came up with. I provided them with suggestions on how to improve their designs, offering a few hints and tricks. That¡¯s over with. From now on, I will focus solely on growing mypany. ¡°I¡¯m going to bury Cook Custom Jewelry. I know that Roger¡¯s father, Scott, has been interested in acquiring a stake in thepanytely. I will make that happen for him by directing my broker to start with him. I believe Scott will be only too happy to be able to get his hands on the proverbial golden goose,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey. Neither of us ever liked Roger, but you know that you can still go forward with the arranged marriage with Holden. He obviously cares for you, or he wouldn¡¯t have sent the video to you to warn you,¡± My mother stated. ¡°No,¡± I said sharply. I had to force myself to calm down. I spoke more gently to her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom, but I just got my heart broken. I don¡¯t want to be with Holden. I won¡¯t force him to honor the arrangement between families. I¡¯m sorry, but things between Holden and me will never work out. There was a reason I cut him out of my life. He has no respect for me, and knowing that, I just can¡¯t marry him. There¡¯s no need to push him to honor it. I already know his feelings on the subject.¡± I see the frowns on both my parents¡¯ foreheads. This was news to them. I never told a soul what happened, and I would rather not get into that right now. I had once adored Holden. I looked up to and admired him. I know I might have just said too much as I was upset, but I can¡¯t take the words back now. Holden had made his decision, and I would respect it. It should be enough that I shielded my family from what happened. It would have torn our families apart. He wouldn¡¯t be Seth¡¯s best friend anymore if that happened. Our families had been close friends with each other my entire life. I made excuses to not join their dinner parties over the years. Things became much easier when Holden left five years ago. I started to show up after he left, unless I knew he was in town. My parents and Seth were suspicious, but I always excused myself by saying I was too busy. I truly was busy. Running twopanies myself, Roger had no idea what he was doing. We both had business degrees, but he was almostpletely clueless. Additionally, over thest eight months, I had been nning our wedding on top of it, with no help from him. They epted my excuses without argument, but they didn¡¯t like it. I knew they were concerned, but they left it alone. I think that they are all aware that if they actually pursued it, it might end up blowing up in their face. They knew I had a good head on my shoulders. I inwardly scoffed at that. I thought I did, but clearly I had no clue when it came to Roger. Was I so focused on recing Holden that I was willing to ept scraps for the rest of my life? No, I wasn¡¯t. I was going to live for myself from now on. ¡°Your mother and I will help you, Ana. I will never allow someone to hurt you without paying the price for it,¡± my father said. I know that he means Holden, too, but at the moment, I¡¯m caught up in gratitude. I can always count on my parents to love and support me. I know in my heart that this will be much more than I can handle on my own, so I¡¯m d for their help. It¡¯s time to show them all who I really am. So, let the games begin. Chapter 4 Holden¡¯s POV I knew Ana saw the video, but she didn¡¯t reply. I wasn¡¯t going to push her. We¡¯ve been friends since she was old enough to follow Seth and me around. I don¡¯t know exactly what happened, but I knew she was serious about avoiding me. The bad part was that my parents and hers knew something was going on, but they stayed out of it. They could have smoothed this over, but they refused. I had once asked my mother if she knew why Ana refused to acknowledge me anymore. When Ana saw meing, she went the other way, or if she had to speak, she gave one-word replies before finding a reason to get away. There had to be a reason for it, but for the life of me, I don¡¯t know what happened. I like Ana; she was like a younger sister to me. I would never intentionally hurt her. ¡°Why are you asking me, Holden? Don¡¯t you know it yourself? Ana adored you; now she can¡¯t bear to look at you. What did you do? Because I know the problem didn¡¯t ur on her end. I won¡¯t let you tear our friendship with the Caldwells apart over this. So you need to figure it out and fix it,¡± my mother, Naomi, had told me that every time I asked her about the issue between us. I was stunned by her words. Mom was the one who had suggested the arranged marriage. My mother and Alicia, Ana¡¯s mother, met in college. They became fast friends and were pregnant with Seth and me as soon as they graduated from college. I thought it was a small issue. I believed she was just having a temper tantrum. But anytime I tried to broach the subject with Ana, she lied to my face. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with you, Holden. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Ana always replied. I knew she was lying, but I thought whatever it was, she would get over it quickly. I knew she liked me. She was initially happy with the arranged marriage. I thought she would get over whatever issue was between us, but I was wrong. Seth knew something was up, but he left it alone. As far as our families were concerned. It was between Ana and me, and they were not going to intervene. I knew now that whatever it was, it was serious to her. I was surprised to discover she still had me blocked. I had to ask to borrow my assistant¡¯s phone to send her the video. I waited for half an hour after the read receipt, and finally gave up. Deleting the video and text from Kevin¡¯s phone. I still had her social media ounts and w******p. That was how I would tell her ¡®happy birthday¡¯ each year, but she never replied. I honestly thought she would be happy that I saved her from that jerk. He was nning to ruin her. We might not be on good terms at the moment, but I still care about her. They had been vicious with their words. They didn¡¯t try to be quiet about who they were humiliating. It seemed that the more disrespectful they were about Ana, the happier the woman with Roger became. I was furious. I knew who Roger was; Seth kept me updated. Her family didn¡¯t like him and knew he was using her. They allowed Ana to make her own decisions, but they didn¡¯t like him for Ana. After I arrived at my penthouse, with no reply to the video or message. I decided to send it to Seth. He wouldn¡¯t sit back and let Ana be bullied. I told myself it was for her own good. I knew how much Ana did to get Roger¡¯spany to where it was now. He didn¡¯t deserve it, and Seth didn¡¯t like him at all. Seth still hinted that I should try to sweet-talk Ana into discussing our arranged marriage. He still thought it could happen. I knew in my heart that whatever happened, it was serious enough to have hurt her pretty badly. Even if she still refuses to discuss it, I¡¯m not going to let her go through with the wedding. Ana was a ss act; it¡¯s no wonder my mother really wanted her to be my wife. I grabbed a drink and poured myself three fingers of whiskey. I needed liquid courage to do this. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to piss Ana off even more, but Seth and I won¡¯t stand by and allow her to be humiliated like this. That witch sitting with Roger had smiled at me and batted her eyes when I passed them to leave. I had to scoff. This was the woman Roger chose over Ana? She was going to lead him to ruin, and he was happy about it. He was wrapped around her finger and couldn¡¯t see her for who she was, but that was going to be his problem. I would protect Ana, but Roger has sealed his own fate. Seth will make sure that Roger gets exactly what¡¯sing to him. I finally picked up my phone to send the text. Holden [Hey, I¡¯m back in town. I ran into Ana¡¯s fianc¨¦. I sent the video to Ana, but she hasn¡¯t replied yet. So I¡¯m sending it to you. We need to make sure that she isn¡¯t taken advantage of.] Seth [d you¡¯re back, man. What did he do? I swear, if he hurts her, I¡¯ll ruin hispany quicker than he can ask why.] Holden [We need to help her. I guess she¡¯s still holding a grudge. I had to send the message through Kevin¡¯s phone. She still has me blocked. I know she¡¯s seen it, and believe me, it¡¯s bad. But she hasn¡¯t replied. I just need to make sure she doesn¡¯t go forward with the wedding.] Seth [Just send it. I will deal with him. I was nning on going to Mom and Dad¡¯s tomorrow anyway. I will discuss our next steps after I watch the video. How long are you going to be here this time?] Holden [Here to stay. I have the right people in ce. I will only need to go back as needed now.] Seth [Great. Let¡¯s have dinner and catch up this week. I haven¡¯t seen you for a while. We can discuss what we n to do at that time.] Holden [Great idea, see you then. Ana doesn¡¯t deserve what he is nning to do to her. I know she cares for him; she has to in order to be willing to do all this to help him seed. He deserves everything that¡¯sing to him. I¡¯m sending the video now. I recorded it myself, but don¡¯t run off to deal with him. We need to do this the right way.] Ten minutester, my phone rings, and it is a very angry Seth. ¡°What the hell, Holden? Why didn¡¯t you punch that jerk in the mouth for the horrible things he said? If it had happened to Tiffany, I would have dealt with whoever it was right then. If I were to do it for your sister, you should have done it for mine despite your issues,¡± Seth¡¯s voice boomed through the phone. ¡°m down, Seth. Ana loves him, and she already hates me. Why would I do something to push her further away? I¡¯m trying to help her. I know how your father is; he would prefer to ruin Roger, which will bring him much more pain than punching him in the face. We can punch himter; first, we need to make sure Ana doesn¡¯t marry him. She¡¯s the most important factor here,¡± I replied. I was already on my second drink. It was how I was dealing with the guilt tonight. I had wanted to go punch that entitled jerk. He had no reason to act so high and mighty. He was never worthy of Ana. She lifted him up to where he was. Now that she knows what he¡¯s done, she shouldn¡¯t let him get away with it. How dare he try to rece Ana with that woman? I could tell from a distance that she wasn¡¯t worth a hair on Ana¡¯s head. No matter what his new wife thinks. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry, Holden. I watched the video twice. Seeing what he was nning made me furious. How dare he try to make my sister a mistress? Clearly, he doesn¡¯t know who she is yet, but even if she were broke, it¡¯s disgusting behavior. We need to deal with him. I will talk to her. You told me months ago that you were finally willing to settle down. Is that still the case? I only trust Ana to you. I know that you would treat her well, and that is what I want for her. Plus, the wedding is just a few weeks away. I don¡¯t want Ana to be utterly humiliated in front of the whole city when this falls apart. I need to find her a quality groom, and I need to do it fast. That way it looks like he was the one who was dumped, not her,¡± Seth replied. ¡°Seth, she won¡¯t even speak to me. How in the world do you think she would be willing to marry me? I know our parents would be thrilled about it, but nothing I have done up to this point has worked. She¡¯s still mad at me, I doubt she will just ept me all of a sudden,¡± I replied. ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked. I asked if you were willing to marry Ana? Are you?¡± Seth responded. ¡°Let me think about it tonight. I will have an answer for you in the morning, Seth. I wanted to settle down and have children. We¡¯re thirty now, it¡¯s time to give our parents what they want. I just don¡¯t know if Ana is willing to marry me. You might have to find someone else,¡± I suggested. ¡°Ana loved you, Holden. I¡¯m sure she just got her feelings hurt, but she will get over it. Her wedding might not be the talk of the town right now, but because of who we are, all of high society will be there. As much as I¡¯m sure Ana is upset with you, she won¡¯t want to be humiliated like this, and neither will our parents. We will have to move forward to contain this and get ahead of the narrative. As long as we can cover up what happened, that would be for the best. I¡¯m going to discuss this in the morning with Mom and Dad. They already love you like a son, so this should work out well for everyone. She loved you once; she can learn to love you again. You just need to put some work into it,¡± Seth replied. ¡°Alright, if Ana is willing to marry me, I¡¯m in,¡± I answered. Seth was happy to hear my response, and we ended the call quickly. Seth was very protective of Ana. We graduated from high school in her freshman year. My younger sister Tiffany told us that she would keep an eye out for Ana. It made both of us breathe a little easier knowing that Ana was safe. Yearster, we found out differently, as Ana started to gain weight. We found out that Tiffany¡¯s best friend, Gretchen, had been Ana¡¯s biggest bully. Tiffany still swears she hadn¡¯t known about it. She had never seen Gretchen do anything in front of her. Seth and I were both disappointed that Ana had been bullied. It came out when Gretchen tried to get a job at Ana¡¯spany. She was furious when she was denied the position she wanted, at Ana¡¯s request. Chapter 5 Analise¡¯s POV My parents left an hourter, but it wasn¡¯t soon enough. My father was sitting next to me, helped me outline the next steps I needed to take. So he was there when Roger¡¯s text came. They all looked at me after Dad growled out seeing ¡®Husband¡¯ on my screen. I quickly changed the title to ¡®Roger- do not answer¡¯ and he seemed happier about that. I clicked on the text as I already expected to see the creative way he nned to lie to me this time. Roger [Babe, I¡¯m flying to Paris Monday morning. Hoping to strike up a deal with another designer to bring them into the fold. This should help you, as you won¡¯t be so busy anymore. I don¡¯t want you to pass out again, and you¡¯ll be my wife soon. You got us here, you don¡¯t have to work so hard anymore.] Ana [Which designer are you going to be speaking to?] Roger [I don¡¯t know who they are just yet. I¡¯d heard about an up-ander here, so I wanted to speak to them. I¡¯d like to get them into ce before we leave on our honeymoon. I don¡¯t want anything cutting our time together short when we go to Paris. I would like them to be up to speed on what we need them to do.] Ana [Ok] Roger [Love, I may end up letting them use your designs after they arrive. It would bring them and ourpany a great deal of attention. Attention is beneficial for all of us and will help drive up sales. I know that they¡¯re your designs, but as co-owner, you¡¯ve always allowed me to use them before. It¡¯s profitable for both of us, don¡¯t you think? I don¡¯t want our clients to think that when you step down, ourpany will struggle. I believe that doing this will help our business grow.] Ana [I¡¯ll think about it] Roger [Are you upset with me, Love? You don¡¯t seem like yourself tonight.] Ana [I have a headache] Roger [As long as you don¡¯t have one when we¡¯re on our honeymoon] The nerve of him, putting a wink emoji after he said that. As if I would ever let him touch me again. I know where his hands have been now. I know Sasha, and what she is capable of doing to get what she wants. Now that I know that he had been flying to Paris to see her and had slept with her. Nothing could possess me to change my mind. He made his choice, I¡¯m happy to let him live with it. I was angry at his tant favoritism, but I tried to act calmly. I knew Mom had told Gwen and Emily to keep an eye on me. They were worried about me, but Dad knew I would be fine. I was just like him. Once I was crossed, I was done. As a Caldwell, the wedding invitations had been sent out to all the prominent families. We had a reputation to uphold. That was the biggest issue: the wedding was three weeks away. Something was going to have to give because the invitations had been sent out long ago. Despite my name being noted as Wade on the invitations, those in the know knew exactly who I was. They knew who this wedding was for, as this had happened before when my mother married my father. The elites of the city wouldn¡¯t be giving the Cook family a heads-up. A number of them looked down on the Cook family. I¡¯ve witnessed it in person myself. They were not the wealthy family they aspired to be. They have no im to being part of the upper crust of society. They could have achieved it with me, but not anymore. A smile came to my face at that thought. That is the only thing that makes me happy out of all this. Roger¡¯s mother and sister have always looked down on me and talked badly about me. We had gone out to eat dinner two months ago, and that was the day I discovered just how badly they looked down on me. They¡¯re loud and abrasive. They had no etiquette. They liked to pretend, but anyone watching them could tell in an instant they didn¡¯t fit in. I had been sitting quietly, waiting for Roger to arrive so we could order, when it happened. At first, I was worried, as Erika Carrington was a friend of my parents and she was here for a dinner meeting. She saw me as she passed and nodded at me. She didn¡¯t speak, knowing that my identity was to remain hidden until after the wedding. She was friends with my mother and had been warned what was happening. I had just nodded back to her to acknowledge her when Roger¡¯s mother started to yell at me. ¡°How dare you try to act as if you know Mrs. Carrington? She was acknowledging us, not you. You¡¯re nothingpared to us. Now that Roger¡¯s business is now being publicly traded, more people are starting to notice us. You have nothing good about you, Elizabeth. You¡¯re a lowly orphan. You have no ss ormon sense. I will never know why Roger agreed to marry you, but please be assured that we do not support your marriage. You¡¯re beneath our family, and can only bring us down in the future,¡± Joyce Cook announced. ¡°Pathetic, how dare you try to ride on our sess. You¡¯ve clung to my brother for years. I can smell your desperation from here. Roger can do so much better than you. I wish he would cast you away and put you back in the gutter where you came,¡± his younger sister, Regina, spat out. ¡°Excuse me, but you¡¯re both wrong. I was acknowledging Ms. Wade. I¡¯ve known her for years, as she is an excellent designer. Maybe you two are the ones who need somemon sense. I don¡¯t know either of you, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone be so disrespectful to an innocent woman in public before. You need to be aware of your surroundings beforeunching into such a vicious diatribe. You¡¯re not at home, you¡¯re inside an upscale restaurant, act like it,¡± Erika advised. She hade back to the table when she heard Mrs. Cookying into me for nodding at Erika. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I heard Roger¡¯s smooth voicee from behind me. Erika immediately replied, ¡°These two women were going off on my friend Elizabeth for no reason. I nodded at her to acknowledge her in passing. Apparently, it bothered these women a great deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was just a misunderstanding, Mrs. Carrington. Please don¡¯t hold them responsible for responding out of turn. I can tell that they¡¯re both regretful for it now,¡± Roger tried to be the voice of reason. He can¡¯t afford to offend her; it could have dire consequences for both hispany and his father¡¯spany, too. She was the owner of one of thergest finance houses in the country. Roger¡¯s mother immediately understood where he was going with hisment. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Carrington. I just didn¡¯t want you to be insulted by Elizabeth¡¯s actions. I didn¡¯t know you knew her. It¡¯spletely my fault. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Joyce advised. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m unable to speak up for myself? I nodded to her first, and she replied in kind. She was using manners, which I think you and your daughter arecking. There was no excuse for what you did, despite your son¡¯s attempts to smooth it over. I¡¯m known for many things, Mrs. Cook, but being a pushover is not one of them. I know what I saw here today. I didn¡¯t misunderstand anything. Excuse me, I have to leave. Elizabeth, please let me know the next time you¡¯re free. I would enjoy getting to speak to you privately, preferably before your wedding,¡± Erika said as she slid her eyes over the women, before finally resting them on Roger. Her expression said it all. She didn¡¯t have to say out loud what she was thinking about them. The flush of color on Joyce and Regina¡¯s cheeks showed that they got her message. Eliza then turned and walked away with her group. That¡¯s what made it even more embarrassing. They got their dressing down in front of a crowd of important businessmen, and it made Roger, and his father look bad. I had hoped that Roger would defend me, but instead, he sat down and grabbed my wrist tightly. ¡°What did you do?¡± he hissed at me. ¡°Mrs. Carrington nodded at me, and I nodded back. She said it clearly herself. I know her professionally. I didn¡¯t say a word. She was referring to what your mother and sister had had said, if that wasn¡¯t clear to you,¡± I replied, my voiceced with sarcasm. What made him assume I caused any of this? I never cause a scene. His mother, on the other hand, lives to cause drama. He had been so nice to me, up until that time. He still hadn¡¯t apologized, nor had his family. How had I allowed myself to ignore the warning signs? His tight grip had bruised my wrist that night. I had to wear a brace for over a week because of it. He ended up taking me to the hospital after dinner, but he never admitted any fault. He had told the doctor that my injury was an ident. That I had tripped and fallen, and Roger had just grabbed my wrist to save me, which exined his fingerprints on my wrist. I feel like the biggest i***t. He was more concerned about his reputation than he was about my well-being. Yet, I stillclung to him. I suppose I taught him that I was willing to ept anything he gave me, just to be with him. What a fool I was. Which reminds me that I needed to take Erika out for a meal. I knew what she wanted to say to me, so I had been avoiding her. There¡¯s no need to avoid her anymore. I need to discuss business with her anyway. Now that I¡¯m no longer going to help Roger out, I need her to put his debt in his name only. I had given him several million to get us up and started. He borrowed money to get ourtest designs made. He never puts his money into thepany. I know that if Roger realizes that I¡¯m out, he won¡¯t sign the new loan paperwork. I¡¯ve already figured that out. I will secretly sell my shares to recoup my investment. I¡¯ll wait to quit until he brings Sasha in to take my ce. I also won¡¯t be correcting any of the ws that the design team makes this next week. Roger has the final say on what goes to production anyway, so it will all be on him and Sasha. I¡¯m taking myself out of the equation. I¡¯m going to let Roger see just how much help I have been to him over the years. He needs the wake-up call that he¡¯s about to go down with the ship. Just the thought of that makes me smile. He took advantage of my love for him. He was kind and caring when we were alone or texting me. I let myself fall for it because I wanted it to be true. The only thing I feel for him now is disgust. Wait, that¡¯s incorrect. I feel a great deal of anger, and dare I say, some hate, mixed in there with it. My emotions should help me carry through with my ns. I don¡¯t owe him anything except what he deserves because he brought this all on himself. Chapter 6 Seth¡¯s POV I arrived at my parents¡® home earlier than usual. I needed to seriously speak with them about what Roger was about to do to Ana. We need to ensure that Roger ends up looking bad in this situation, not Ana. I had a difficult time staying homest night. My sister, who is one of the nicest people I know, has done too much for this jerk. He had never been worthy of her; he just didn¡¯t know it yet. I knew that Ana had created a fake profile, so Roger never discovered her true identity. That was the deal that was made. I know she stuck to it, as that ***** had already married Sasha. He wouldn¡¯t have done that if he had known who Ana was. I couldn¡¯t wait for him to find out what a monumental mistake he had made. Roger was the definition of a man¨Cchild. My sister had already purchased their new home, a lovely vi, for them to live in after getting married. He should have been the one to do that. He moved in over two months ago. Everything had been handpicked by Ana as she made the vi their home. I can¡¯t imagine how terrible she is going to feel once she realizes what Roger was nning to do to her. Roger forgot a life lesson: you don¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you. He was so entitled that he honestly thought he was going to get away with this unscathed. I would never allow that to happen. I would defend Ana with all I had, and I was going to have Mom and Dad help me do it. Dad didn¡¯t get where he was by being lenient when his family or his bottom line was attacked. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to showing them the video. But it had to be done. I usually arrive around noon to have lunch with them, but I got here early. Ana would asionally join us, had to arrive early in order to get a n together. I had already solved the problem. Holden liked Ana; he never balked at the arranged marriage that our mothers cooked up. Our fathers also supported the union. They came up with it when Ana was fourteen years old, and her crush on Holden started. After clearing the gate, I drove up the winding drive to pull up at my parents¡® home. I smiled just thinking about how excited she was going to be when she found out that she was going to marry Holden. She started her junior year in high school just fine, but then at Christmas, everything changed. It wasn¡¯t a gradual change either, it was like she had flipped a switch, and all her affection disappeared. It was apparent she didn¡¯t want to be around him anymore. Holden didn¡¯t know what had happened. He was as in the dark as we were at the time. Ana was always a little chunky, but she was still beautiful. She looked like our mother, except her hair wasn¡¯t blonde. She had Dad¡¯s brown hair, the only thing she received from him. He doted on her; we both fell in love with her the moment she was born. She had Mom¡¯s caramel¨Ccolored eyes, which to me were her best feature. After she wrote Holden off, she started to gain weight. Mom and Dad were concerned. They knew something was wrong, but Ana refused to talk about it. They sent her to therapy, but she only went a few times before she refused to go again. No one knew how to help her. None of us mentioned her weight gain. We did ask if she wanted to talk, and she would just look at us. We backed off, and she lost a little weight after starting college. She was happier there than she had been in a long time. I was just d that she had moved on. Things would be tense when Holden woulde over to our house. So I started going over to his house more often. Our parents never pushed, and Naomi, Holden¡¯s mother, told us to leave it alone. She said, ¡°When Ana wants to tell us what happened, she will. I know it isn¡¯t that sweet girl¡¯s fault.¡± Thatment was always made with a re towards Holden. We knew whatever it was had been serious, but Ana never said a word. She was focused on designing and working with the temporary CEO Dad had put in charge of thepany. She studied hard, and she excelled. She was always sessful in whatever she undertook. She made it look easy. No one knew Fashion Forward was hers. Our parents had given us both the funds to start our own business when we graduated from high school. They wanted us to do what we wanted to do with our lives. Dad told me that I could always take over his business when the time came, and I will. I have someone in mind to run mypany when the timees. owned an e¨Csports and merchandisepany that was doing well. But it wasn¡¯t the kind of challenge I needed. I needed more, and I was now being trained to step in when Dad decides to step down in the next year or two. I pulled up to the mansion and quickly got out. I was proud of my father for taking the five million dors he had been given by my grandparents to start hispany after he married Mom. He had been stunned to find out that she was a Wade. They were an elite family, and still hold wealth and status. They keep a low profile. Our father had turned that money into a multi¨Cbillion¨Cdorpany. Our father understood why Mom had hidden her wealth from him. He loved her for who she was. He dotes on her to this day, their love still evident in all they do. They are a team and are willing to do anything to protect each other. I wanted a love like that, but I¡¯ll admit I haven¡¯t gone looking for it yet. Holden and I have yed the field and now know who and what we don¡¯t want for our wives. Holden was the lucky one; he would have a precious treasure for his wife. I¡¯ll still be on the lookout, but I¡¯m not liking the selection that is currently out there. I have to admit I¡¯m d that Naomi and Hudson have stopped trying to push Tiffany at me. She was a mistake I had made years ago. I should never have messed with her that one time. It made her think she had a chance, but I¡¯ve never liked her. We had shown up to swim at the Vaughns¡® house one day. Ana had gone straight through the house and out the back door in her excitement. I knew she wanted to get to Holden quickly, and I hadughed at her excitement. One day, I hoped to be that excited about someone, I stopped to grab a drink from the fridge when I heard Tiffany call out to me. I knew she liked me; she made no secret of it. She wanted what Ana had, an arranged married, with me as her groom. Tiffany was eighteen and about to start her senior year. She was one year older than Ana. She was wearing a barely there bikini, and when she just dropped to her knees in front of me, I was stunned, but I didn¡¯t tell her no. I was twenty, and I don¡¯t think anyone in my situation would have refused. We went into the pantry for some privacy, and I wore protection. Holden and I always suit up. When I finally made it outside, Ana was gone. ording to Holden and Gretchen, no one had seen her. I texted Ana, but she said something hade up and she had to go back home. Turns out, she walked the two miles back home. The mood after she left was tense. Both girls were clinging to us like we had proposed to them or something. Which wasn¡¯t going to happen. I avoided Tiffany like the gue after that, and we were d to go to college. The next time I saw Ana, it was Christmas. She was fine with me, but the love and care she had for Holden was gone. She never mentioned it, and our mother assured us all that it was just a minor setback. Ana was a teenager, and she had stress at school. She had a security detail, but they had been instructed to stay back unless someone physically threatened her. They had reported to my parents that they had seen nothing at school. We knew if she were having difficulties, she would tell one of us. We all figured that it was just teenage angst. Except it was still there. I started to wonder if my solution would be something Ana would ept. She might have loved and cared for Holden before, but she could barely stand to be in the same room with him now. ¡°Seth,¡± My mother happily greeted me. ¡°Hey, Mom, yeah, I know I came early, but I needed to show you and Dad something. I don¡¯t know how well you¡¯ll take it, but don¡¯t worry. Holden and I have already devised a n to prevent Ana from being humiliated. Holden has agreed to marry her, in Roger¡¯s ce,¡± I replied. I needed to let them know that, although this was a problem, a solution had been created. ¡°Is it a video of Roger admitting he¡¯s married and his wife is already pregnant?¡± my father asked. I was shocked that he knew. He seemed pretty calm. I know for a fact that he would never allow anyone to intentionally hurt Ana. ¡°It is. If you knew about it, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± I asked. Why was I not kept in the loop? ¡°Holden sent it to Ana, and she was naturally upset. She was crying, and we all knew that you would rush over and beat Roger up. She didn¡¯t want you to get in trouble or arrested. She¡¯s already working everything out. She¡¯s cancelling the wedding. She is going to sell her shares and watch as Roger¡¯s business copses. Let her deal with this, Seth. I am going to help her. Ana will be fine. She¡¯s hurt, but she¡¯s resilient. I already know that she doesn¡¯t want to marry Holden,¡± my father replied. ¡°I have to say that I¡¯m a little hurt she didn¡¯t call me,¡± I responded. ¡°Ana didn¡¯t want you to get into trouble trying to defend her, and she knew you would. She was thinking of you and thepany. It would cause a scandal. She¡¯s right, it would cause a problem, but she wants to be the one to deal with Roger. Despite her being heartbroken, she still has her head on straight. We didn¡¯t try to exclude you. She just needed us to help her make ns. She also thought you might havee over with Holden, and she didn¡¯t want to see him,¡± my mother advised, and I flushed. I would have done exactly that. ¡°I know she wants to deal with this alone, Mom, but the invitations have already been mailed out. We can¡¯t stop the wedding; we can only change out the groom. Holden has always cared for Ana. Things are awkward between them, but you know as well as I do that Ana will have to get married in three weeks. It¡¯s out of our hands now. She has to realize that we can¡¯t back out of this. This isn¡¯t just about Ana anymore. The Caldwell name is at stake,¡± I reminded them. Chapter 7 Analise¡¯s POV I slept in, but received very little sleep. Apparently, I¡¯m a glutton for punishment. I purchased a vi for us to live in as a married couple. I had ced discrete cameras in the main living areas of the home. They covered the main entrance, the living room, the stairwell, and all the hallways upstairs. I had purchased several valuable paintings and sculptures that I wanted to protect. I tried to make the perfect home for Roger and me to live in. I shook my head at my ignorance. I hadn¡¯t mentioned the cameras to Roger. I never thought it would be a problem, but it worked out for me in the long run. It took forever to assure Gwen and Emily that I would be fine. I just needed time. The thing is, I know Roger. The video that Holden sent was damning, but a good attorney could twist anything around. I knew I needed more proof of what he had done. I knew that once Roger realized who I was. He was going to ditch Sasha and insist we get married. That¡¯s never going to happen, as I¡¯ll never be able to trust him again. I logged into the surveince system after I went to my room for the night. The cameras highlighted motion, so I checked those videos. I wish I¡¯d asked Gwen to do it for me now. But she didn¡¯t know how, so I had to bite the bullet. I had trusted him because I loved him. I felt he was a trustworthy person. I was sure he wouldn¡¯t be unfaithful. He knew I was the sole reason for his sess. For that reason alone, I never thought he would try to cut me out of ourpany. He knew that I was the glue that held it together. Roger had be emboldened by Sasha and his family, encouraging him. He was starting to believe his own lies. I¡¯m fine with it. I know the higher he flies, the harder the fall will be. I had my own condo, and although I had invited him over to see it, he had never visited. His excuse, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it, Elizabeth. What if I like it more than our new home, and can¡¯t bear for you to sell it?¡± I¡¯d personally designed every aspect of our home. But I didn¡¯t want to live there until I was officially thedy of the house. So, I hadn¡¯t been nning on moving in until after the wedding. We saw each other every day at work. He knew I was incredibly busy these days. We would see each other for dinner three times a week, or when we went to an event towork for thepany. Thepany was growing very quickly now. I guess that led to Roger getting even more cocky about it. He honestly thought he could kick me out of ourpany. Between running twopanies and nning for the wedding, I waspletely swamped. I admit I¡¯d dropped the ball. It¡¯s my fault for believing that he could be trusted. I learned a long time ago not to fall for sweet words or let my emotions get the best of me. After seeing the video, I know that Roger is a disgusting excuse for a human being. I went back over the videos to see when Roger brought her into our home. My heart broke all over again seeing him carry her over the threshold, nine weeks ago. She¡¯s been living there, with him, in our home, this whole time. I saved video after video of them together. I felt sick seeing just how bold Roger had been. I hoped that he was just trying to save face in front of Sasha and his friends. That he hadn¡¯t meant what he said. My heart waspletely broken knowing that he had had sex with her. His im that she was pregnant with his child could be valid. I made sure to save the videos of them having sex in the living room, on the expensive couch that I had paid a great deal of money to purchase. All the thoughtful preparation that I put into our home was taken by Roger and Sasha. I noticed that when I watched as his entire family came over to tour our home. They were thrilled and congratted him on buying valuable property. He never corrected them and let them believe he made the purchase and decorated it with Sasha, I was seeing just how despicable he could be. His duplicity knew no bounds. The worst part was hearing the conversation in the living room after they had toured the house. Of course, it was Joyce who started the conversation. ¡°Roger, you need to marry Sasha as soon as possible. She is carrying your child. The heir to yourpany. You don¡¯t have much time, so you need to act now. I¡¯ve given it some thought, and I know how to deal with Elizabeth. She isn¡¯t worthy enough to carry your child or bear our name. She¡¯s just a lowly designer. I still don¡¯t know why you agreed to marry her. You need to marry Sasha, she deserves the title of the mother of your child. I will figure out how to keep your wedding to Elizabeth from bing official. We also need to figure out a way to ease her out of thepany. She would do anything for you, son. Who knows, maybe she¡¯ll agree to be your mistress and continue to work for you. But you can¡¯t keep letting her boss you around; she¡¯s nothing without you. You¡¯re the boss, not Elizabeth,¡± Joyce had stated with assurance. I guess she believed everything Roger told her. I almost wished I could see her face when she found out that the woman she wanted to drive away had made all his sess possible. Just knowing how badly she would take it brought me a sense of joy. I heard his father, Scott, bring up wanting to buy some stock in thepany. Roger didn¡¯t reply to Scott, he just smiled at him. Scott had let it drop, but I knew Scott wasn¡¯t going to let it go. He had refused to help Roger when he was first starting out. I was the one who took that leap of faith with him. Roger was still mad at his father over theck of support. He doesn¡¯t want his father getting dividends from ourpany. Too bad for him that it¡¯s out of his hands now. I saved all of the videos in a hidden file on myptop. It was about three hours¡® worth total, but that was plenty of proof. I sent two of the videos to my phone. I¡¯m not going to coddle Roger anymore. It¡¯s time for him grow up. I grabbed a shower and put on somefortable clothes. When I stepped out of my room, I saw a note on my ind from Gwen. They had to leave, but promised to return tonight if I needed them. I sent a message to our group text telling them that, as much as I loved them for the offer, I was good, I was about to make some coffee when my phone rang, I knew it was my mother from my ringtone. I answered quickly, thinking that they were worried about me this morning. ¡°Hey, Mom, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just going to take it easy today and get ready to put my ns in motion,¡± I told her. I didn¡¯t want to prolong this. ¡°Your father and I want you toe for lunch, honey. We wanted to talk to you,¡± she immediately replied. I looked around my kitchen. I needed to go shopping, and I wasn¡¯t going to do that on an empty stomach. Every time that happened, my eyes were always bigger than my stomach, and things went bad before I could get to them. I was d I hadn¡¯t made my coffee yet. I¡¯ll just grab some on my way to their house. This might work out better for me. ¡°Ok, I will be there soon,¡± I advised before dropping the call. I got in my car and made a sudden decision. I have been driving a seven¨Cyear¨Cold car to avoid unting my wealth. No need to do that anymore. I¡¯m going to go get my dream car this week. The lesson I learned from all of this is to stop waiting for the perfect time. I had a perfume that I adored, but it was expensive, so to save it, I only wore it on special asions. As far as I¡¯m concerned, every day is special now. I¡¯m not going to minimize who I am anymore. I got my coffee and pulled up at my parents¡® house three minutes to noon. I saw Seth¡¯s car parked right in front of the stairs, like he owns the ce. He always does that, as it¡¯s convenient for him, and no one calls him on it. I just walked around his car and headed up the steps. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. He doesn¡¯t think of it being an inconvenience to others. He just likes to enter and exit quickly. I know now why they called me over. They had probably called Seth about what happened, and he is outraged on my behalf. I didn¡¯t bother knocking; my parents always tell us to juste in. I was taking a sip of my coffee when I heard my brother¡¯s voice. The coffee no longer made me happy anymore at hearing him say, ¡°Ana will just have to get over it. The invitations have already been sent out. A wedding has to be held.¡± I was turning to leave when our butler, Aubrey Colins, walked into the entryway and saw me. ¡°Wee, Miss Analise. They¡¯re waiting for you in the dining room.¡± I was still facing the front door, debating if I wanted to make a run for it, when I heard someone heading in my direction. I smelled Seth¡¯s cologne right before he enveloped me in a hug. I loved my brother, but I didn¡¯t need him trying to insert himself into this situation. I will deal with the blowback myself. ¡°I know you want to leave, Ana, but we need to discuss this first,¡± Seth told me. ¡°There is nothing left to discuss, Seth. I know what I¡¯m about to do. I¡¯m going to be cancelling everything this week. I know it¡¯s toote to get my money back. But I¡¯m having the food delivered to a homeless shelter, so it doesn¡¯t go to waste. I already know what I¡¯m going to do. I love that you want to help, but insisting that I still get married to Roger when he¡¯s already married isn¡¯t going to happen,¡± I replied ¡°Analise, pleasee into the dining room. We do need to talk,¡± my father¡¯s voice called over to us. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay to listen to what you want to say, until I¡¯ve finished my meal. You have ten minutes, Seth,¡± I replied as we walked to the dining room. I knew that Seth was the one pushing this forward. Our parents were on my side justst night. I don¡¯t know how he managed to change their minds, but I no longer have a groom. There isn¡¯t anyone I¡¯m willing to marry. I won¡¯t be forced into it, no matter what they say. I stepped into the dining room and saw an unexpected visitor sitting at the table across from Mom and next to Dad. I just managed to keep myself from asking what the hell he was doing here when he spoke. ¡°Hello, Analise,¡± Holden¡¯s deep voice rang out. Chapter 8 Holden¡¯s POV Ana looked lovely. Her hair was twisted up on top of her head, and she wore no makeup, but she still looked great. Her leggings hugged her body. I could see how slim her legs were from across the room. Ana has lost a significant amount of weight over thest few years. The moment she saw me, it looked like she had sucked on a lemon. She immediately took the chair that Seth had been sitting in, next to her mother. As anticipated, she didn¡¯t respond to my greeting. Seth sent her a look beforeing around the table to sit next to me. It was better for me that she took his seat. I now had a full view of her. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to look at her without making it obvious if she were sitting next to me. ¡°Ana, I know you have some sort of issue with Holden. But it¡¯s very rude not to reply to a greeting,¡± Alicia stated. Her no¨Cnonsense tone told Ana what she expected. I watched Ana press her lips together before looking at me and saying, ¡°Well, hello, Holden. Good to see your again. How long are you staying this time?¡± Only she spoke in a totally fake bubbly voice. We could all tell that it was the total opposite of what she wanted to say, but it made me smile. I was going to enjoy messing with her. I couldn¡¯t wait for them to tell her the good news. I had deliberately parked in their garage. I knew that if she saw my car, she would have just driven away. I was d when Colins outed her. Seth and her father made her enter the dining room, I know that she was about to leave after hearing his outburst about having to get married. It made me smile to see what a little wildcat she had be. I know for a fact that if she had known I was here, she would have left without them even knowing that she was here. Seeing me smiling at her set her off. I knew I couldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to keep messing with her. Her parents had already decided her fate, along with Seth. Unfortunately for my little wildcat, she was going to have to ept the arranged married, whether she wanted to or not. ¡°What the hell are you smiling at?¡± Ana asked. She was pissed. ¡°Analise Elizabeth Caldwell,¡± her mother gasped out. ¡°Ana,¡± Seth growled out at the disrespect that she was showing me. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I hadn¡¯t realized what a little wildcat Analise has be. I shouldn¡¯t have set her off,¡± I replied. Her father looked at me like I had grown another head. ¡°Holden, maybe today isn¡¯t the day to push Ana too far,¡± he suggested. He was right, it wasn¡¯t the best idea that I¡¯ve ever had, but it was worth it. At least she was talking to me now. That¡¯s much better than the radio silence that she had been giving me previously. We all knew that she could clearly hold a grudge. But I have spent years trying to get back into her good graces. This has been the most reactive she has ever been towards me, so I know this is the route that I need to take from now on. I have to admit that I think it¡¯s going to be fun. I recall hearing that there¡¯s a thin line between love and hate. Make no mistake about it, Analise hates me right now. I¡¯m going to see what I can do to change that back into the love she once had for me. The dishes were uncovered, and everyone started to eat. I couldn¡¯t help taking another quick nce at her. Ana has always been a beautiful girl, regardless of her size. However, seeing her today, I was taken aback. I haven¡¯t seen her in years. Correction, I hadn¡¯t been able to get a good look at her in years. She would show up, but upon seeing me, she would manage to slip away and leave. She didn¡¯t care about offending my mother, or hers. I¡¯m going to get the reason why she decided to cut me out of her life soon. Whatever I had done to upset her, I would make it right. Ana had piled her long brown hair on top of her head into some kind of a bun. She hadn¡¯t dressed up toe eat with her family, but I am sure she was still mourning the end of her rtionship. Her face was much slimmer than it had been. I was stunned by her appearance and even more by what it was doing to me. Her full lips kept calling to me. I was having dirty thoughts about having them wrapped around my cock, and had to stop myself. I don¡¯t know where that thought hade from, but that didn¡¯t slow the sudden tightness in my pants. I shifted ufortably, trying to adjust. Her gorgeous eyes, caramel colored with some flecks of blue¨Cgray in them, held visible contempt for me when I caught her eye again. That helped my hard¨Con dete pretty quickly. She hated me, but I still didn¡¯t have any idea of what I could¡¯ve done to make her so angry. Analise was no longer the same young woman she had been. She was three years younger than Seth and me. She just turned twenty¨Cseven a few months ago and had blossomed into a confident woman. One who was now a stunner, without even trying. I hate the fact that Roger has had the pleasure of putting his hands on her. They¡¯ve been together for five years now, building up their business, and have been engaged for thest nine months. I¡¯m surprise by my sudden interest and possessiveness over Ana. I have done what I wanted to for thest decade. I¡¯ve had rtionships before, but I felt better knowing Ana didn¡¯t want to go forward with the arranged marriage. I have no idea why the thought of losing her suddenly scares me so much. I clenched my fists under the table at the thought of Roger touching her. She was supposed to be mine. She was before, and she will be again. I¡¯m willing to do anything to get her to love me. I miss how she never hid her emotions from me. She was thrilled that we would one day get married. I tried to take another discreet nce at Ana. She caught me, as she was already looking at me when I looked. ¡°Why do you keep looking at me, Holden? You know what I look like,¡± she stated coldly. She was calmer when she spoke this time, but it wasn¡¯t because she was trying to be respectful. She just didn¡¯t like upsetting her parents. I cleared my throat and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me for a long time, Ana. I¡¯m sorry for whatever I did. You¡¯ve grown into a stunning woman. I just can¡¯t understand why Roger would let you go. He has to be an idiot to choose her over you,¡± I replied. There¡¯s no way she can be offended by myment. I was very careful with what I said, yet I was very, very wrong about that assumption. ¡°I was pretty back then, too, Holden. But it wouldn¡¯t be the first time,¡± she mumbled. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Had someone done this to her before? Why didn¡¯t Seth and I know about that happening? We would have straightened them out. The air in the room felt much colder now. ¡°You have five minutes, Seth. I would stop wasting time, just say what you want to say. I wasn¡¯t bluffing when I said I was going to leave after lunch. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all aware, I have a lot to do this week, and I need to get a jump on it,¡± Ana said. ¡°How do you know that I¡¯m the one who wanted to speak to you?¡± Seth huffed out. He felt bad for her, but he also didn¡¯t want to be the bad guy. He was fine with leaving that to me. ¡°Because I saw Mom and Dadst night, Seth. Dad even helped mee up with a n of attack. Now, all of a sudden, I get an invitation to lunch, and blindsided,¡± Ana said. ¡°Of course you¡¯re involved. Stop insulting my intelligence. You¡¯ve inserted yourself into my embarrassing situation. So, what exactly do you want to say? That I make bad choices in men? Wait, let me guess, you want to beat up Roger to defend my honor? You feel terrible about how I was treated? Or do you all of a sudden want to protect me? Which one is it, Seth? Because I already have a n in ce. My list of tasks toplete continues to grow. A list I¡¯ll start implementing tomorrow. So please, stop wasting my time, and just spit it out.¡± ¡°I do feel bad for you, Ana. You¡¯re my little sister, how could I not care how you¡¯re treated?¡± Seth asked, his face showing the same confusion as mine. ¡°Why start now?¡± Ana persisted. ¡°Ana, I¡¯ve always cared about you. I did everything I could to make sure you would be safe without me. We even asked Tiffany to look out for you in her senior year. I¡¯ve always had your back, Seth refuted. What he said was true. We had both asked Tiffany to keep an eye out for Ana. Tiffany was starting her senior year when Ana started her junior year. Tiffany was pretty popr and well¨Cliked. We both felt that she would ensure Ana¡¯s safety without us in school. We both watched Ana as her lips pressed together. It was clear that she was really trying to bite back whatever response she was going to make. We were horrified to see her eyes start to fill with tears. Seeing them, Seth immediately jumped up and ran over to Ana. ¡°Ana, what¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to upset you, but you¡¯ve changed so much since I left for college. I tried to be there for you since the moment you were born. I wanted to be the person you could depend on. A brother you could trust to keep you safe. Even when I went to college, I still made sure to check in and ensure that you were happy and safe while I was away. Dad and I both did, which is why you had security with you in yourst two years of high school. ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk about that today, Seth. What is so important that I had to be ambushed at lunch?¡± Ana asked. Her voice wavered slightly as she tried to keep from crying. She was almost as cold to him as she was to me now. ¡°Ana, the invitations have already been sent out. Our friends, investors, and clients have all been invited. You know there¡¯s nothing we can do to stop this. We can¡¯t back out of it now. A wedding has to take ce. Holden has agreed to go through with the arranged marriage to you. It would help you and our family to save face,¡± Seth replied. We all watched as Ana¡¯s face paled, and she looked to her father for confirmation. His jaw was set. I could tell he hated to do this, but at his slow nod, Ana cried out, ¡°No! Please, Dad, don¡¯t make me do this.¡± Her pleading tone made me feel terrible. I was trying to help her. Why was she so against it? Chapter 9 Analise¡¯s POV Why? Why in the hell would they try to force me to marry Holden? He¡¯s not the only man in high society. He can¡¯t be the only person willing to marry me. I honestly can¡¯t believe my parents were willing to do this to me. I felt a tear run down my face at their sudden change of heart. ¡°Ana, please, just listen to me. Holden cares for you, and you care for him, too, even if you¡¯re angry with him. Isn¡¯t it time to set down your anger to see the bigger picture here? Any scandal can affect not just our businesses, but yours as well. We have to hold a wedding. The only difference is we won¡¯t let Roger make a sham of it or humiliate you. We need someone of our social standing, for it to be believable. Otherwise, everyone will think it¡¯s a hoax. We need it to appear as though you had a change of heart. I know that Roger and his family hurt you. I ran into Krista two weeks ago, and she told me what happened to you. I remember you wearing a brace after that incident. We all knew Roger wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Holden is the best choice, Ana,¡± Seth gently stated. ¡°I refuse to do this. Our businesses are strong enough to withstand this. Why try to force me into doing this? You tell me you care, Seth, and then try to push me to do this? I won¡¯t marry him. Even to save face,¡± I replied. My parents and Holden stood up with us. ¡°Ana, please listen to Seth. He is trying to prevent you from being humiliated by that little jerk. I don¡¯t want you to have to suffer the humiliation of being left at the altar. It would reflect poorly on all of us. We want what¡¯s best for you, darling, can¡¯t you see that?¡± My mother advised me. ¡°Analise, I know you have some kind of issue with Holden, but you have to trust us that this is the best option for you. His family loves you. Holden loves you, too. He¡¯s already agreed to it. Most of our friends were aware of the arranged marriage. All we have to do is spin the narrative. That you were upset with Holden, and wanted to get him back by bing engaged to another man. It made Holden realize that his love had never gone away. Seth¡¯s just looking out for your best interests, baby girl. I don¡¯t want you to suffer for choosing Roger. I kept my mouth shut because you liked him, but I never considered him quality husband material, We found a way to work around his ns. I won¡¯t allow him to think he could ever turn my daughter into a mistress,¡± my father stated. ¡°So, ording to your n, everyone benefits from it, except me,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Thanks so much for your support. I promise that this won¡¯t affect any of you; it will only affect me. I¡¯m not willing to marry Holden. Correction, I refuse to marry Holden. Thanks for lunch.¡± I immediately headed for the door while they were too shocked to react. I knew they would snap out of it quickly, so once I shut the front door, I ran to my car and mmed my keys into the ignition. I roared up the driveway and was thankful to see the gate opening for me. I guess they hadn¡¯t had time to call security yet. I slowed down to drive through the opening, as the gate was still sliding open. I saw the guard answer the phone as I passed him. I waved my hand at him as I passed. He ran out of the small shack to try to stop me, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen. I already knew that they would probably head to my home. I didn¡¯t have a lot of time, so I swung by my house and grabbed some shoes and all my unmentionables. I didn¡¯t need much. I also grabbed my n of attack and left. I couldn¡¯t avoid the confrontation with them; I knew it was inevitable. However, I could dodge my family long enough to get past the wedding date. After that, it would be toote for them to try to pressure me into marrying Holden. How they even thought I would be willing to do so was beyond me. I knew they wouldn¡¯t cause a scene at my workce. They didn¡¯t want any bad publicity. It was the main reason Seth was able to win them over. The disappointment that they changed sides still hurts. It was like what I wanted didn¡¯t matter at all, and that was a hard pill to swallow. Especially now that Roger has finally shown his true colors. I know that my family loves me. But they still think that my issue with Holden is just me being petty, childish. It¡¯s not, and it¡¯s a hill I¡¯m willing to die on. It¡¯s heartbreaking to know that despite their love for me, there were conditions that came with it. The bottom line was that our precious family name shouldn¡¯t be tarnished. As much as I love them, I¡¯m not just going to blindly ept Holden. I can now slow down and focus. I¡¯m not just mourning the death of the rtionship I thought we had. I¡¯m losing my family¡¯s support as well. If needed, §±l just leave town the week of the wedding. Take a well¨Cneeded vacation because I refuse to be used like this. Like I¡¯m a means to an end. Where everyone else ends up getting what they want, except for me. changed a great deal in thest ten years, even if they refuse to acknowledge that this is not a tantrum. Once I was clear of my condo, I was able to rx a little. I still watched my rearview mirror to ensure I wasn¡¯t followed. I called a realtor friend of mine to get help. I had bought my vi from Christine Arnold, as well as my current Condo. I know for a fact that my family wasn¡¯t going to drop this. Seth was right. This was about to be a problem. Everyone who is anyone was going to being to my wedding, especially if they smell blood in the water. Nothing stays a secret, especially in high society. I was about to call in a favor. I was thankful that Christine answered quickly, considering it was Sunday. She usually worked every day and was probably at an open house. I could hear people in the background the moment she answered. ¡°Hey Ana, what¡¯s up?¡± she answered. ¡°Hey, Christine, I need one of your rentals for the next few weeks,¡± I replied. Christine bought homes as new listings came across her desk on a daily basis. She flipped them and assembled a team, streamlining the entire operation. Her cousin was the lead contractor. She always had something ready to rent or sell. I knew she could help me disappear for a few weeks. ¡°What? Wait, why do you need a ce to stay? You already have two homes, Ana, that¡¯s one more than most people have,¡± Christine replied. ¡°Christine, the wedding is off. Roger has already married someone else. He just used me to help him grow hispany. He only proposed because he couldn¡¯t figure out a way to get out of it. Now Seth is insisting that I marry Holden Vaughn, and that¡¯s not going to happen,¡± I replied. ¡°Honey, you could do a lot worse than marrying Holden. He¡¯s a hottie. I remember your parents arranging the marriage, and you being all in on marrying him. What changed? I¡¯m telling you now, most women could only dream of being his wife. I myself would love to run my fingers through his hair and stare into those smoky gray eyes of his all day,¡± Christine replied. ¡°Be my guest, you can have him. I won¡¯t ept a marriage with a man who can¡¯t be loyal,¡± I snapped out. I hadn¡¯t meant to say that, but I¡¯ve been through too much, and it hasn¡¯t even been twenty¨Cfour hours. I was done ying nice. I need to get some sleep and as much peace as I can in the next neen hours before I have to go to work tomorrow morning. Who am I kidding? I don¡¯t have to show up on time. What are they going to do, fire me? This week, the new and improved Analise is making her debut. I¡¯ve gone rogue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ana. I didn¡¯t realize. You¡¯re entitled to marry who you want to and not be forced into anything. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have anything ready at the moment. I¡¯ve sold two properties, and my other two properties are at the early stages. The walls are bare and uninsted, and the HVAC systems are being changed out. There¡¯s sawdust everywhere; they¡¯re not livable at the moment. But you can stay with me,¡± she replied. I could tell that she was sorry for even saying what she had, but it wasn¡¯t her fault. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll figure something out. Can you meet me at the vi tomorrow? I want to sell it as¨Cis, including the furniture and art. I want to list it at three million,¡± I replied. You paid $2.5 million for it just three months ago. You¡¯ve put a lot of time and effort into decorating it. Can¡¯t you just stay at the vi?¡± Christine asked. I could hear the shock in her voice. ¡°He¡¯s been living there with her for two months, doing unspeakable things. I never enter it again, and I don¡¯t want to remember what happened by seeing the paintings anymore. I¡¯m going to have a cleaning servicee in and clean everything, especially the living room couch. I know the vi and art are worth more than three million, but I need it sold fast. I will have a teame in and box up their clothes, I want it sold before hees back from his honeymoon in Paris,¡± I replied. ¡°I will get it listed in the morning. Can you let me in to take pictures of the vi?¡± Christine replied, all business now. ¡°I can meet you there at ten. Their flight leaves at noon, so they should be gone, but park up the street from the vi. I want to ensure everything is clear before I let you in. Don¡¯t worry about me, Christine, I will be fine. I¡¯m taking back my life, on my own terms. Believe me, Roger is going to be the one who¡¯s sorry, not me. As a matter of fact. I will also give you my key to my condo tomorrow, I want a fresh start. A property that is just mine, so start looking for me another property. Somewhere in a gatedmunity, near Fashion Forward, Three bedrooms, three and a half baths. With a closing date within the month, if possible,¡± I replied. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll look tonight for possible locations, and have something for you in the morning. I¡¯m sorry, Ana. No one deserves to go through this,¡± Christine replied. I could hear the sincerity in her voice. ¡°Thank you,¡± I answered quietly. There was nothing else to say. It hurt, but I n on emerging from this even stronger. I¡¯m no longer going to be guilted or forced to do anything that I don¡¯t want to do. I already have a ce in mind where I can stay. I just needed Gwen to go there with me to get the ball rolling. I don¡¯t want to be found anytime soon. Chapter 10 Analise¡¯s POV I was at the car dealership before five that evening. I was d I knew what I was nning to get, and had grabbed the title to my car when I stopped by my condo. I dropped my duffle off in my office at Fashion Forward two hours ago. Gwen was stunned by what had happened. She was on my side, and my parents already called her to see if she knew where I was. I knew the security officer who was there wouldn¡¯t know who I was. I didn¡¯te there very often, and I didn¡¯t want to stand there and argue with him. I just needed to drop off my things and see what I needed to get to sleep in my office for a week or two. I had a pretty nice couch in there, and I knew that I just needed a nket, and pillow, and maybe a sheet set. I would need a pillowcase. I was d to have a mini fridge in there as well. Gwen knew something was up, but she didn¡¯t know what at the time. She had the guard take a picture of me with his cell phone and print it, so all the guards knew who I was and that I would be staying overnight to work for a little while. Gwen had answered my family honestly, telling them she hadn¡¯t heard from me and didn¡¯t know where I was. They would probably call her again tomorrow, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell them where I had gone. She was pissed at Seth for telling my parents that I had to get married. I didn¡¯t, things would blow over in a week when the next scandal broke. God forbid an inkling of a scandal involve the Caldwell name. They had been taking turns calling my phone. I had silenced it, tired of hearing it ring. They even pulled both sets of grandparents into it. My grandmother Wade was on my side. She was worried about me, and she was the only one to whom I replied out of all the calls and messages. She just wanted me to be happy, which was more than everyone else wanted. I always had someone telling me what to do. What home and car to get, and that I needed to hide my wealth. Well, I didn¡¯t have to hide it anymore. Once the wedding arrives in less than three weeks, the whole city will know what a colossal mistake Roger had made. It wouldn¡¯t be me getting embarrassed. He would be the one who threw everything away for someone unworthy. It didn¡¯t take me long to pick my car out. I was drawn to it quickly. The men who worked there had dismissed me. I was at a Porsche dealership wearing a t¨Cshirt and leggings, but the lone saleswoman had approached me when they passed me over. She had helped me for over an hour. She answered all my questions and insisted that although the Porsche Panamera was really fast, it wasn¡¯t something I needed to be scared of. While speaking with her as we walked the lot. I discovered that she was a single mother whose son was about to attend college. He had been worried abouting back to visit, as they only had one car, and she would have to go get him and bring him back. I didn¡¯t need the trade¨Cin. My car had been well¨Cmaintained and had less than 70,000 miles on it. She tried to refuse, but I insisted. It was a safe, dependable vehicle. I knew he would take care of it. She called him to the dealership so he could thank me in person. One of his friends drove him up here, and he was excited about his new car. I handed him the title and the fobs and gave him a thousand dors cash for him to get his registration and insurance on it. He was ted, as this solved another issue for him and his mother. He was already nning on working a part¨Ctime job at school and would be able to pay his own insurance and upkeep with it. His schrships would cover the rest of what he needed. I¡¯m just d that my car went to someone who needed it. The only question was which color to choose. I had learned that when I started gaining weight, not to pick anything shy. The included my makeup, clothes, and hair. I did nothing to draw attention to myself. There were several colors that drew my eye, but Wanda had watched me. She kept seeing my eyes go back to the Carmine Red and the Lugano Blue. I finally decided on the Frozen Blue Metallic. It wasn¡¯t a bold statement, but it was a beautiful color for a beautiful car. ¡°Analise, you mentioned that this was your very first time to pick out your vehicle. Don¡¯t hide; a Porsche gets noticed no matter what color it is. You¡¯ll never be able to just blend into the crowd. Own it. You need to pick the color that you love the most,¡± she told me. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that red cars get pulled over more than any other color,¡± I replied. That¡¯s because most people who buy a red car don¡¯t mind standing out. They want the attention. They are bold, just like their car. I think you will love the other colors too, but buy the one that you want. Not what you think others will approve of you buying. You¡¯re the one paying for it, and you shouldn¡¯t settle. You mentioned that you were getting your first taste of freedom, so disregard what you think anyone else might think, and make your choice. I do have one more color to show you. It had been pulled to the back as it was supposed to be sold, but her financing fell through as she had no proof of ie. I think it would be perfect for you,¡± Wanda replied. We walked to the area behind a fence, and gasped. She was right, this one was perfect. ¡°This is the one,¡± I told her. I ran my hand gently down the vehicle. ¡°What color is this?¡± ¡°Montego Blue Metallic, and I agree, it¡¯s beautiful. If I had the money, I would choose this color too. It attracts attention wherever it goes. It¡¯s the only one like it on the lot. You would be the only one in the city with a car this color,¡± Wanda told me. ¡°Sold,¡± I replied. She was happy for me, but it wasn¡¯t because I had given her my old car. She had listened to me and helped direct me to what I wanted. I¡¯m enjoying this taste of freedom. I¡¯m taking control of my life now, and this is the first big step that I¡¯m taking. All my friends had nice vehicles. I was the only one in our friend group to drive a car worth less than $30,000. My vehicle was a running joke among our friends, as i made more money than they did, but drove a basic car. I know that they are going to love it when they see my new ride. I paid $50,000 down on my car and will return with a cashier¡¯s check tomorrow morning to pay off the bnce. I felt like a million bucks when I pulled off the lot. I loved my new car. It generated a lot of attention due to its striking color. I went to the mall to grab some new clothes. I had packed my underwear, but I hadn¡¯t packed much else as I knew I was changing everything bout myself. I had been wearing a lot of bulky clothing to hide my weight loss. I had wanted to surprise Roger when he saw me in my wedding dress. But 1 didn¡¯t want to hide anymore. I felt empowered as I tried on several outfits. I was still somewhat stuck in my heavier mindset. I still felt like who I used to be. Not who I am now. The salesperson helped me, and she was almost as enthusiastic about my weight loss as I was. She encouraged me to choose a few things that were outside myfort zone. Things I normally wouldn¡¯t have tried, as I felt they wouldn¡¯t have looked good on me. She actually had an eye for what looked best on me. I was stunned to see how I looked. I was still covered and professional, but I looked good. Much better than I did before. Roger felt I should always be modest and professional looking. Now I know that he just wanted me to cover up my plus¨Csized body. Yet he ended up marrying someone who was always scantily dressed. She was slimmer than I was, but the truth was that she was someone he was attracted to. I had put a lot of thought into itst night. I was not unattractive, and I was smarter and more talented than she was. I couldn¡¯t figure out why he would choose her over me, other than the fact that he loved her. I couldn¡¯t fight against that, so I would bow out of their rtionship gracefully. But I would prove to him that she was only with him for his money. Money that would slowly dwindle as hispany declined I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me. I loved so many of the outfits that I couldn¡¯t decide and ended up choosing them all. I had allowed Roger to hold me down for too long. I had deferred to him way too many times. I¡¯d done everything he wanted, all in order for him to love me. What a fool I had been, wanting something that had never belonged to me. He only wanted my help to achieve sess and win the woman he truly desired. That realization hurt pretty bad. I had hidden my true self away and became what he wanted me to be. It was never my wishes being carried out. I can¡¯t believe how long I let him get away with it. I knew what it went back to. I just hadn¡¯t wanted to admit that I had fallen in love with not one, but two unworthy men. That had to be some kind of record or something. I ended up with a whole new wardrobe. I then hit a shoe store and bought two new pairs of heels. Slimmer ones that didn¡¯t have therger heels on the back like I had usually worn. I weigh less now, and the thinner heels are now easier to walk in. It was only seven, and the mall was slowing down on this Sunday night. I passed a salon before I turned and went back. My hair, although twisted up in a messy bun, had grown down to my butt. Roger liked my hair long, but I was done with doing anything Roger wanted anymore. I stepped into the salon. They had all been milling around, talking before I arrived. They were closing in an hour, and apparently, no one wanted to get a trim tonight. They smiled at me when I entered the store. They saw my bags, and I gave them the quick version of what I wanted to share. I had lost almost sixty lbs. and wanted a new look. They were thrilled to help me out. They asked what I wanted. I knew that I definitely wanted a cut, but didn¡¯t know what else. I exined that I wanted to look like me, but a better version of me. They smiled and made suggestions, and I went along with them. I couldn¡¯t wait to see the oue. The only thing I was sure of was that I wanted to shake things up. Chapter 11 Analise¡¯s POV My hair received a byage technique, and I also had a manicure. They worked in tandem, working on opposite sides of me. The beautician on one side, and the manicurist on the other. I usually get pinks and mauves. My mother always told me to pick demure colors. Today, I had my nails painted a bold red. My fingers looked stunning with my new glossy red nails. I admit, I loved how they looked. My hairstylist told me that since I wasn¡¯t much for upkeep, byage was the best option for me. I wouldn¡¯t need to touch it up as much, and it looked more natural. She assured me that it wouldn¡¯t be as in¨Cyour¨Cface as other options. That it would give me a sun¨Ckissed look, which I thought would be nice. She knew I didn¡¯t want to be blonde, but I wouldn¡¯t mind some lighter shades to add some depth. She was happy to help. I had told them that I would defer to them about my haircut. They asked if I wanted bangs, but I didn¡¯t. They usually got in the way when I was designing. I didn¡¯t mind a middle or side part, but I preferred to be able to pull my hair up out of my face. I usually went to work with a bun. I can¡¯t remember thest time I had my hair down at work. They decided that longyers would be the best solution for me, and I would still be able to put it up without any issues. They agreed to just cut off about eight inches. They wanted it to still be long enough for me to wear it down or in a high ponytail. I let them do as they wished. I answered a few emails and then turned my phone back off. I wouldn¡¯t put it past Seth to try to track my phone to find me, and I¡¯m not going to let him ruin my day again. When they finally turned me around to face the mirror, I was stunned. My face looked slimmer with my hair curled. It looked shiny and full, with some of the weight removed from it. The colors were subtle, as if I was born with them, and I have to admit I loved it. With each step I took, I felt better about myself than I had for a long time. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt more beautiful than I do right now,¡± I honestly replied. I took a picture of the wand she used, and she told me where to grab one. I was never going to t¨Ciron my hair again. She told me toe back and handed me her card. I was genuinely surprised by the attention I was receiving. My confidence was growing. I felt so cute after getting my hair done that I had a smile on my face. Several men had tried to stop to speak, but I just smiled at them and continued on. I was doing this for me, not them. However, I must admit that the ego boost was quite nice. I stopped by a lingerie store. I had some fairly new pieces that I bought two months ago, but I needed something else. I picked out three new sets: a nude set, a ck set, and I pale pink set. Some of my newer outfits had a deeper plunge to the neckline that I needed to ount for. I made a mental note to return soon with Gwen and Emily. I¡¯m about to have a lot more time on my hands, and seeing all these cute sets is giving me ideas for a new intimate line. One that was more inclusive of plus¨Csized women. Myst stop was to a bedding store where I found aforter set that would work for me, which included a sheet set and pillowcase. I headed to aundromat next. I needed to wash theforter set and my new underwear sets. I was wearing one of my new outfits to work tomorrow. I had bought a bag to wash my bras in, and had washed them together along with my sheets. I didn¡¯t have time to wash them separately. I washed theforter inside another washer. It was a ghost town at theundromat. I started to make additional ns for tomorrow. I had a lot going on, and I didn¡¯t want to miss a step. I walked next door to buy aundry basket and a charger after putting myundry into the dryer. I¡¯d left my charger at my condo, in my rush to pack. This day had started off badly. Seeing how badly Roger betrayed me in the early morning hours. Discovering that our name meant more to my family than it did to me was a tough realization. However, as the day progressed, it had improved significantly. I¡¯m not asking permission anymore. I deserve to live my own life how I want to, and not have to do what my family wants me to do. I had picked up a notebook, colored pencils, and a sharpener, I was making sketches while I waited for my clothes to dry. I¡¯ve decided to create a specialty line for all sizes. I¡¯m still considered to be plus¨Csized at a size fourteen, but I love my curves. The right man for me will love them too. I felt pretty for the first time in a long time. I want to ride out this feeling for as long as I can. I will discuss it with Gwen tomorrow. She was getting the jewelry copyrighted first. We had already decided which of the three sets I had designed to send for production. This set was a full set: ne, earrings, and ring The other two sets were ne and earring sets. I loved this particr set and had wanted one of them for myself. The one I was going to make had a delicate opal as the center stone, but it was highly customizable. You choose your favorite stone, or your birthstone, for it. You can also customize the length of the ne to whichever length you like. The delicate base flowed around the stone. It created a timeless and elegant look that was soothing. The ring was a smaller version of the ne. The earrings dropped about two inches, with the same design and stone at the bottom, but in a smaller size. They would catch the light as you moved. It was a beautiful set, all done in either white or yellow gold. Everyone has a preference for what they like best, and I wanted to cater to their preferences. The dryer sounded, and I put everything in the bottom of myundry basket. I didn¡¯t really fold anything, as I could tell they wanted me to leave; it was almost closing now anyway. I put the basket in my passenger seat and headed to pick up my dinner, before heading to Fashion Forward. I¡¯m always proud of mypany and what I¡¯ve achieved. I built this. This was mine, and mine alone. No one could take it away from me. I pulled up to the gate, and the guard did a double take. Thankfully, it was the same guard as earlier. He came out and said, ¡°Nice ride. I need to take another picture, Ms. Wade. With your new haircut, you lookpletely different.¡± I smiled for this picture, and he made sure to step back and get a picture of the car too. I smiled even bigger, and he said, ¡°So they know what you drive. Have a good night Ms. Wade.¡± ¡°Thanks Gavin,¡± I replied. I was d to see the gates close behind me. I felt safer knowing that no unexpected guests would be showing up here uninvited. I wanted to cut all ties with Roger this week. If my family doesn¡¯t calm down, may consider going no contact with them for a while, too. I knew they loved me, but after this morning, it seems like they love me less than they loved their name and reputation. It also seems like Seth is fine with forcing me into doing this. Well, if he wants to do this, to save our reputation. Howe he¡¯s a notorious yboy? Doesn¡¯t that affect how we are viewed, too? I mean, it should. I have gone this whole time with no scandals or issues. Seth, on the other hand, has been embroiled in several scandals over thest five years. Two pregnancy scares. Exposes with several unttering pictures of him entering and exiting hotels, but not with his current girlfriend. He paid to have the trends removed, but the damage was done. I just worked. I didn¡¯t cause any issues and kept a low profile. I was a homebody, and I spent most of my downtime designing. I had twopanies to keep afloat, and I didn¡¯t have time for much else. It was a double standard. It took two trips, but I finally got everything into my office. Gwen had given me my own security code to enter and exit thepany. I set it as something that no one else would ever be able to figure out. I was towards the back of the main offices, as I liked my privacy. This area was separate from the main entrance. This area was before you arrived at the main entrance. All one story, and connected to the main building by a long hallway. There were windows all the way down the hallway, with some nicendscaping between the building and the parking lot. There was a sand garden on the other side. It included rocks, and trees, and the raked sand made it a tranquil space. Few people knew about it, as it was located in an area with limited foot traffic. It lead to all the main offices, and finance. There was an emergency exit just down the hallway from my office, so I felt very safe here. I was d my parents had given me input while I was building thepany. They told me to have a bathroom off my office and to have a shower installed as well. I knew I needed the toilet and sink, but having the shower in there had been a game¨Cchanger. I ate my dinner at my desk while I made a few new designs on my tablet. My mind was full of ideas. I finally saved my work and made the bed. I made a mental note to get some pajamas tomorrow and hit theundromat again, or Gwen¡¯s house. I slept in my clothes today. I set up my hygiene items in the bathroom to be ready for tomorrow. I set out my clothes for tomorrow, and I will shower in the morning. I grabbed a piece of paper and listed everything I needed to do tomorrow. Go to the bank and get a cashier¡¯s check. Meet Christine at the vi to let her take pictures and give her both sets of keys. Have Roger/Sasha¡¯s items packed up. Have them delivered to the officeter on this week. Donate my old clothes. Take cashier¡¯s check to the dealership. Call insurance and cancel the old car, and have the new car added. Order new towels, pajamas, and that curling iron online. Buy some new makeup. Go to work, but don¡¯t correct my team¡¯s errors, and call my Broker to sell my shares. Tomorrow is going to be a really busy day for me, but I can¡¯t wait to start the day. Last night, when I went to sleep, I felt like my life was over. Tonight, I went to sleep with a smile on my face, anticipating putting my n into action. Chapter 12 Analise¡¯s POV 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. That jerk even sent me a text saying, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Elizabeth. Can¡¯t wait for us to get married.¡± 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. 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¨Cdown 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¨Cgray flecks throughout. My breasts, however, looked great. It was the benefit of being a fuller¨Cfigured gal, and this bra put them on the next level. 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. 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¨Cemergence. Referring to me as a butterfly, which made me smile. 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. I stopped by the dealership and paid for the remaining bnce on my car. I was walking into the lobby by nine¨Cthirty, but that was technically thirty minuteste. I had spent hundreds of hours working for this business off the clock. Working twelve¨Chour 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. 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.¡± 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. 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. 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. 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. ¡°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¨Cmonth 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. ¡°I will see you at one, then,¡± he replied. I called my broker, Carson Kennedy, next. ¡°I want to sell my shares in Cook Custom Jewelry,¡± I told him. ¡°How many shares?¡± Carson asked. ¡°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¨Cfive percent of the market value for them. I won¡¯t make him go totally broke,¡± I replied. ¡°On it,¡± Carson said before dropping the call. 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. 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¨Cat¨Chome wife now?¡± Josh asked. ¡°No, just cleaning my office up. Roger has a candidate identified for my job, so I¡¯m just being proactive,¡± I said lightly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a lucky guy,¡± Josh replied, making sure I noticed the appreciation in his eyes. 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. 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. ¡°Josh, stop, you¡¯re making it worse,¡± Byron advised. ¡°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. When I hit the fob to open my trunk they both stopped mid¨Cstep and looked at my car. ¡°Is this yours? I thought you had a silver car justst week,¡± Josh asked, Byron whistled at my car and shut the trunk after putting my items inside. This is a very nice car,¡± he agreed. ¡°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. 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. ¡°Roger will be getting the paperwork on Wednesday,¡± Rodney told me. ¡°That works for me. Can you send it with delivery confirmation, please?¡± I asked. ¡°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. ¡°Can you call me, so I can be at his office to see who signs for the delivery?¡± I asked. ¡°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. Chapter 13 Seth¡¯s POV I¡¯ve lost my sister. We¡¯ve been looking for her for three days, with no leads. Holden and I have been worried, so we hired a private investigator on Monday morning when she didn¡¯te home. She had disappeared off the face of the earth. She hadn¡¯t read our texts or answered any of our calls. She should have answered our parents, or me. I expected her to be radio silent with Holden. I would rather her be mad at him all day long than be upset with us. I¡¯ve never been so worried about her. We gave the investigator all the information we had on her. We listed bothpanies she works for, a picture of her from my phone four months ago, and both addresses. He hasn¡¯t been able to find her anywhere. She hasn¡¯te back to either home. He couldn¡¯t even locate her silver Honda in the parking garage at her work. We thought we were going to get a lead on her when two people showed up at her condo yesterday. They just packed up several boxes and left. He had acted like a resident of the condo and spoke to them in the elevator, asking if they were moving into the condo. He found out they were just packing up Ana¡¯s clothes to donate to a women¡¯s shelter. What the hell is going on? I knew she was upset, but I¡¯m her brother. I only have her best interests at heart. She was so cold when she left, she¡¯s never looked at me like that before. I could feel the anger radiating off of her. She literally ran to her car because she was halfway down the driveway when I finally ran out the front door. I tried to have Greg stop her at the gate, but it was toote. We decided to give her a few hours to calm down. None of us felt like she would react like she did. Ana has always been one of the kindest people that I know. She has never done anything like this before. She has always been forgiving, except for this thing with Holden. She would have forgiven him anything before, so I really need to find out what happened between them. I never expected her to react so vehemently to my suggestion. I thought I was doing her a favor. She used to love Holden. I thought that by having him marry her, it would let her save face. Allowing her to go back to how she was before without having to apologize or make nice. I knew Holden would take care of her. He and I had sown our oats and were now ready to settle down. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Ana if she married Holden. I knew that she would have a good life once they worked through their issues. The Vaughns already loved her, and she wanted to marry Holden so badly before. She should view this as an opportunity. Now I¡¯m terrified that I¡¯m about to be lumped in with Holden, My sister might never forgive me. I want to fix this as quickly as possible, but I admit it¡¯s my fault. Mom cries every day, and Dad is still waiting for an update, but we have nothing to report. Holden and I thought she was just mad at our heavy¨Chanded tactics. However, as each day passes, I be increasingly worried. My phone rang, and I saw Holden¡¯s name on the screen. When I answered, he didn¡¯t even greet me. He just said, ¡°Have you heard anything yet?¡± ¡°No, and I feel horrible for pushing her to get married. She¡¯s always gone along with our wishes before; I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s refusing now. I messed up trying to force her into this. I was honestly just trying to help,¡± I replied. ¡°We will have to drop by Roger¡¯spany, Seth. That¡¯s the only ce we know for sure that she¡¯ll be. We don¡¯t even need to speak to her, as long as we can see that she¡¯s unharmed. I spoke to your father about her ns. She¡¯s going to burn hispany to the ground. I know she¡¯ll be there this week. She¡¯s probably been taking an Uber to work, to keep us from finding her. She¡¯s too smart for her own good. But it isn¡¯t safe for her to be there. Once Roger figures out what she¡¯s done, he¡¯s going to be furious. It can¡¯t hurt for us to show up and let her co¨Cworkers know that she has our support. That will make Roger think twice before he acts. I¡¯ve had all four of them investigated. One of the men at the table is Roger¡¯s CFO. It¡¯s clear that he can¡¯t stand Ana. I think it would be best to step in and make sure he knows that we won¡¯t allow her to be bullied,¡± Holden replied. It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s been busy this week. I can tell he still cares about Ana. It might not be love yet, but he will always be there for her. I knew I made the best choice for her. She loves him, she just doesn¡¯t want to bend. She might be a sweetheart, but she¡¯s so much like Dad it¡¯s crazy. He doesn¡¯t forgive easily either. This is going to be an uphill battle to get her to calm down and ept Holden. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We can discuss the investigation at lunch. It¡¯s twelve thirty now, let¡¯s meet for lunch near herpany, so we can go there afterwards. She should be in her office by two. I don¡¯t want to miss her or give her any warning that we¡¯reing, I don¡¯t want her to run off again. I just want to remind her that I will always protect her,¡± I replied. We met at a steakhouse a few miles from her work. Whoever Holden hired was really thorough. Especially when it came to Sasha¡¯s background. I haven¡¯t had this good augh in a while. He even had someone hack into her OBGYN¡¯s office. She¡¯s four months pregnant, not three, as she had told him. ording to Roger¡¯s schedule, he wasn¡¯t in Paris for the two weeks before or after the time frame she became pregnant. The likelihood that the baby belonged to Roger was impossible. She had lied to him from the beginning, and he fell for it. I hope he loves her very much, because soon, that ¡®love¡® is all he¡¯s going to have. ¡°Do you want to tell Ana that it¡¯s not Roger¡¯s baby?¡± Holden asked. He was hiding his emotions. But I¡¯ve known him for a long time. I could see that he was concerned about her taking Roger back if the baby wasn¡¯t his. ¡°No, we don¡¯t need to tell her. I¡¯m sure it will be revealed soon enough. You should know that once Ana has made a decision, it¡¯s final. She won¡¯t change her mind,¡± I replied, and froze as I realized what I had just said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that towards you, Holden. You¡¯ve known her since she was born. You two share a deep connection, one that extends far beyond mere friendship. This Roger guy just showed up on the scene because he needed her help to get his business off the ground. Now that she knowns what he did to her, she¡¯s done. Look at it like this: has she ever done anything to you? To pay you back for why she¡¯s angry? hasn¡¯t told any of our parents what happened? She protected you, despite her anger at whatever it was. That alone shows she still cares about you. We both know that if it were bad enough, it would have torn our families apart. She did that for you, for all of us. So I can promise you that her anger towards Roger is probably the same, but she hated being used, so she¡¯s tearing his world apart. So if she does agree to marry you, you need to stay on her good side,¡± I corrected. I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but Holden didn¡¯t smile. We finished our meal in silence. Holden had his driver with him, so we each ordered a drink. I think we both needed the liquid courage for going to go see I¡¯ve lost my Sitter Ana. Holden¡¯s driver drove us to the business, and we entered the lobby and headed for the receptionist¡¯s desk. She didn¡¯t try to hide her wandering eyes, and we both smiled as we knew this part was going to be easy. ¡°How can I help you?¡± she purred. ¡°We are here to see Elizabeth Wade at Cook¡¯s Custom Jewelry,¡± I replied politely. I saw the frown lines on her forehead. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± She asked. ¡°No, she¡¯s my sister, and I wanted to speak to her for a moment. Is that a problem? Do I need an appointment?¡± I replied, my tone much less polite. ¡°No, it¡¯s just our CFO, Dixon Chandler, stopped by a few minutes ago, telling me to hold her calls and his for ten minutes. He looked angry, so he isn¡¯t going to like an interruption,¡± she replied. I could tell that she was torn about allowing us to see my sister. ¡°My sister is co¨Cowner of this raggedypany. He¡¯s not her boss and has no reason to confront her. Which floor is her office on?¡± I stated coldly. I heard her gasp of surprise. She didn¡¯t know Ana was co¨Cowner either. Roger certainly kept my sister¡¯s actual title a huge secret. Do they even know that she¡¯s engaged to him? Thankfully, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, as it¡¯s over and done now. I wasn¡¯t about to let some jerk try to intimidate my sister. ¡°It¡¯s the next floor up, but please wait for their meeting to end before going in,¡± the receptionist told us. ¡°Sure,¡± I replied with my patented smile, I saw her sag in relief, and I felt bad for her. I wasn¡¯t going to wait, but she needed to be warned. ¡°Just a word of advice. You need to update your resume and begin actively seeking new job opportunities. This business is a sinking ship.¡± That got an even bigger gasp from her, as we turned to head to the elevators. We headed up to the next floor, and as soon as the doors opened, we knew where Ana was. None of the designers were working; they were all looking over at the office located at the back of the room. We could all hear a man yelling at my sister, and there was no way in hell that I was going to allow it. ¡°You really think you own the ce, don¡¯t you? New¡¯s sh, Elizabeth. You¡¯re nothing,pletely receable, as there¡¯s nothing special about you. Sign the write¨Cup. You have been arriving thirty minuteste every day this week. Do you think because Roger¡¯s gone, or finds value in you, that you would be able to get away with this? You know your schedule; you¡¯re supposed to work nine to five each day. How are you going to be an example to the department when you clearly don¡¯t care? Roger put me in charge this time, as he knew you were unreliable. I¡¯ve already let him know how you¡¯ve missed two hours of work this week. He was the one who told me to write you up, so sign it, and stop wasting my time,¡± the man yelled out as we headed to her door. Chapter 14 Analise¡¯s POV My door mmed open and hit the wall. I nced over and saw Holden standing there, with my brother right behind him. What are they doing here? I almost rolled my eyes, but I knew that I needed to deal with this jerk first. I held up a finger to tell them one minute, before turning back to Dixon. ¡°Who the hell are you two?¡± Dixon fumed. ¡°This is a private conversation.¡± ¡°Private conversation?¡± Holden said with a scoff. ¡°We heard you yelling at her the moment we stepped out of the elevator.¡± ¡°Like I care what you two think. Elizabeth was in the wrong here, and she is being counseled for it. Once she signs, §±I leave. She goes around acting like she is better than everyone else, and she isn¡¯t.¡± Dixon looked right at me while he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not signing it, Dixon. I¡¯m not a regr employee, and you have no authority over me. I¡¯m not better than everybody else, but I¡¯m better than you.¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t care what Roger said for you to do. He and I are equals. If you have a problem with me, I can leave right now. I don¡¯t mind, I have no ties holding me here anymore,¡± Ana coldly told him. ¡°I might not have authority over you, but Roger does. So, sign it,¡± Dixon replied. He was insistent on my admitting fault. ¡°Dixon, I¡¯ve spent twelve¨Chour days here for the first three years, I worked hard to get this business off the ground. I wasn¡¯t paid overtime for my hard work, for the long hours, or for pulling in investors. Roger put in seven¨Chour days, and still doesn¡¯t know how to run thispany. Yet you stand there and act like I¡¯vemitted some kind of unforgivable act. But you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve only been one and a half hourste this week. I had things to do for the first three days. But I was on time today; you probably didn¡¯t check, you just assumed. Thispany no longer matters to me as much as it used to. Don¡¯t push it, Dixon. Unless you¡¯re willing to draft me a check for at least a thousand overtime hours, I won¡¯t be signing that write¨Cup,¡± I advised with a smirk. I enjoyed watching his mouth open and close repeatedly. He thought he would blow in here, yell at me, and bully me into signing that stupid write¨Cup. Not going to happen. I sold every one of my shares. I was thankful that thepany had long passed the lock¨Cup period. As anticipated, Roger¡¯s father had bought half my stocks. His brother, Charlie, had purchased the other half. It was most likely at his father¡¯s request, but I was thrilled. I got my initial investment back, and then some. I couldn¡¯t stop the smile at the thought of their whole family feeling the burn when thepany copses. ¡°Dixon, you¡¯ve been put in charge for the first time. I know the actual reason you¡¯re here. You signed for the deliveryst night. You and Roger both know that you¡¯re not authorized to use my designs anymore. You know, the designs that put ourpany on the map. You¡¯re just acting like a petnt child trying to punish me. I¡¯m just making this a clean break,¡± I told him. I opened the bottom drawer of my desk and pulled out my purse. I walked past him and stopped at the door for Holden and my brother to step back to allow me to leave. I entered the bullpen to speak to my employees for thest time. ¡°I have enjoyed working with you over the years. If you need a ce to work, you can apply to work at Fashion Forward in the future. I can promise you all that you¡¯ll need to update your resumes soon,¡± I told them before turning on my heel and walking towards the elevator. ¡°You can¡¯t just quit. You need to sign this first, and I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Thispany will survive just fine without you. We received no such letter,¡± Dixon huffed out as he ran after me. ¡°Are you sure about that, Dixon?¡± I asked with a smile. ¡°Very sure, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but all of your designs have a valid contract on all of them. You can¡¯t just pull them out like that. It isn¡¯t legal. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to be ruined, not thepany,¡± Dixon¡¯s voice rose higher, trying to embarrass me. ¡°Several contracts have already expired. I will be using the money I get from suing thepany to pay for the breach of contract fees. Don¡¯t worry about me, Dixon. You need to worry about yourself and Roger. Because his house of cards is about toe falling down. I built thispany into what it is today, yet never been appreciated for it. I¡¯m going to enjoy watching it all crumble to the ground,¡± I replied entered the elevator as soon as it opened. Holden and Seth wordlessly followed me into the elevator. Nothing was said until we reached the lobby. ¡°Why are you two here?¡± I asked as I sat, and slid my heels off, putting on my ballet slippers, I knew I could never outrun them in the heels. I just needed to get to the parking garage first. I was d I had my windows tinted the other day. They wouldn¡¯t be able to see me, even when I drove past them. They won¡¯t give my new car a second nce because they¡¯ll be looking for my old one. I put my heels into my bag and stood up to finish our conversation. I didn¡¯t really want to speak to either of them. ¡°We hadn¡¯t seen you all week. We were worried. We just wanted to check on you,¡± Seth replied. ¡°As you can both see, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been busy. I didn¡¯t feel like replying to any of you, as only Nana Wade cares about how I feel. The rest of you are doing what you do best, trying to force me into doing what you want me to do. You couldn¡¯t care less about what I want to do,¡± I replied. I had actually been pretty surprised to see them burst into my office today. They both looked like they were ready to rip Dixon apart. I hadn¡¯t expected them, but I had been expecting Dixon. I anticipated him showing up yesterday after thewyer¡¯s letter had been delivered. I guess he waited to open it and then did what Roger told him to do. They were used to my deferring to Roger. Letting him hold the upper hand. They had no ideal that Roger had no hold on me anymore. I no longer had to y nice. The only thing the thought of Roger does to me now is activate my gag reflex. Hepletely disgusts me. I¡¯m so d I waited to have sex with him until we got married. That was mom¡¯s rule, and Roger hadn¡¯t pushed. The thought of him touching me now had my stomach flipping. Thankfully, I had apparently disgusted him. I¡¯m thankful that I waited now. I already knew I would have never felt clean again if Roger had been sleeping with me and Sasha at the same time. My lunch threatened to make another appearance at the thought of it. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry Holden, I¡¯ll back off. I was just trying to keep Roger from humiliating you. You deserved to be loved and cared for. Holden was happy to help. You already have an arranged marriage. I thought I was doing something you would appreciate. I¡¯m sorry, Ana. I love you and I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt you,¡± Seth told me. I scoffed before I could stop myself and blurted out, ¡°You sure about that? Because it¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Seth asked with concern. ¡°We do care about you, Ana. I¡¯ve always held a special spot in my heart for you. We did our best to protect you, even after we went to college. What are you even talking about? Because I know for a fact that Seth and I have always had your back ever since we were kids,¡± Holden snapped out. ¡°You willing to bet your life on that?¡± I snapped back. I closed my eyes and breathed. I had to stop myself before I said something I¡¯d regret. ¡°Then tell us what happened? We will make it right,¡± Seth replied. His tone was careful as he knew I was close to losing my temper. I kept counting, as I tried to control my breathing. ¡°I¡¯m not getting into that with you two today. I¡¯ve been as forgiving as I could be, but I won¡¯t let you push me into losing my temper, not here. Things will go even more downhill if that happens. I¡¯m already dealing with Roger and several other things at the moment. I can¡¯t deal with this right now. So please, just leave me alone. I¡¯m fine. You see it with your own eyes, just let me get this dealt with. I refuse to engage with you right now. Tell Mom and Dad I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll contact you after the wedding. date has passed,¡± I replied as calmly as I could. ¡°I was trying to protect you, Ana. It¡¯s bad for business for you to be embroiled in a scandal,¡± Seth started to say before I could leave. ¡°That sure hasn¡¯t stopped you now, has it, Seth?¡± Her cold voice filled the lobby. ¡°Have you been forced to marry during any of your scandals? This isn¡¯t even my scandal. Roger is the one who did wrong. I¡¯lle out just fine in two weeks¡® time. Don¡¯t stand there and act like you¡¯re doing this for me. I don¡¯t believe it, and neither do our parents. You¡¯re just forcing it because that¡¯s what you do. I¡¯m always the one having to ept crumbs. Well, no more. I¡¯m worthy and I deserve more than that. I deserved to be cared for, protected, and loved. I deserve to be able to trust the man I¡¯m engaged to, even if that hasn¡¯t happened yet. I¡¯m no longer epting the life you want me to live, Seth. Don¡¯t follow me, or I¡¯ll call the police,¡± I replied. I walked away quickly from them. I hope they realize that I was serious about what I said. I¡¯m d to leave this ce. Justing here is a mocking reminder of just had far I¡¯d gone to ept a few crumbs from Roger. My stocks are sold, and I¡¯ve drawn first blood. The soonest Roger can return is Saturday. I signed the paperwork to sell the vist night. There was a bidding war over it, and I managed to sell it for three million. Right now, I¡¯ve been made more than whole. Once I exited the lobby and made it outside, I broke into a run. They won¡¯t be standing there for long. They will try to follow me at a discrete distance, to figure out where I¡¯m staying. They both worked out and did cardio. They could¡¯ve caught me quick, except I managed to make it to the elevator first, and I knew where I was parked. But the time they ran to the exit, I¡¯d already pulled out and was driving away. They didn¡¯t even nce at my new car. I¡¯m done being bossed around. Those days are over, no matter what they think. Chapter 15 Roger¡¯s POV This has been a rxing week. Sasha has been happy buying clothes and bags, and we didn¡¯t have to hide anymore. She was my wife, and we have christened each and every room in our suite several times over. I hadn¡¯t once thought of thepany. I knew that Elizabeth would do her job, and Dixon was only too happy to supervise. I usually left her in charge, but I¡¯m trying to slowly demote her. No one knows that she is a co¨Cowner. They never will if I have anything to say over it. I had drawn up an agreement. Having her sign over her shares to me as a wedding present. Once she does that, she will be nothing but a regr designer. I¡¯m not an idiot. We need her to keep her there working for us. As much as I love Sasha, she is not a capable designer. I knew what Sasha wanted: the title, but not the work. So Elizabeth will be the manager and report to Sasha. Saha will be happy because she cane in and bring the work to me. Elizabeth will understand. I¡¯m not ashamed to say that I¡¯ve used her over the years. She was willing to do anything to keep me with her. She invested time and money. She was willing to work herself to the point of exhaustion, building our business. She bore the brunt of my mother and sister¡¯s wrath for being my fianc¨¦e. She was always respectful and willing to keep the peace. Elizabeth wasn¡¯t strong enough to be my equal or carry my family name. She dressed terribly, but that was on me. I didn¡¯t want to see her body; it made me sick. I knew she had lost a little weighttely, as her face was slimmer than it used to be. She was now swimming in those dresses. But she could never be elegant enough or sophisticated enough to stand by my side. My mother never stopped reminding me of that. In her defense, Mom wasn¡¯t aware that my business was sessful because of Elizabeth. I always downyed her involvement. I proposed because Elizabeth¡¯s designs were the glue that held mypany together. Mom would have treated her better if she had known, but my mother had always wanted me to marry up. She wanted to establish the Cook name as one that was respected. I was handsome, but until my business took off, I wasn¡¯t really wealthy. Dad did a little better than I did, but his hotel chain embarrassed the family. They were nothing to brag about. He¡¯s been wanting to invest in mypany to earn money to make improvements to his hotel chain. He wanted them to be a mid¨Cline hotel. Instead of ces that men take their mistresses. They know that the only people who use them are those who value no frills and low rates while traveling for business. Dad wants more, and I hope he gets there, but I¡¯m not going to help him. Why? Because when I needed the start¨Cup capital for my business, heughed at me. Well, whoseughing now, Dad? I scoffed as I got off the elevator. I went down to grab a meal while Sasha went out with her friends. I didn¡¯t want to go, but each time she went out, I hemorrhaged money. I was going to have to talk with her once she returned. If she kept spending like this, she was going to have to work every day. I need her to contribute to thepany, not drain it dry. She was still pouting about the car she lost. She had asked me for it, but I¡¯d already spent enough on her. She had gone behind my back and tried to get it on her own, but I refused to bend. She was still pouting about it. I had offered her a nice BMW, a 3 series like I had, but she t out rejected it. It was the first fight we¡¯ve had. She insisted that she deserved the car that she wanted, but refused to use the money she had to pay for it. If that¡¯s the case, she can just save up and get it herself after she works for a while. I already told her she would be riding to work with me. There was no need for her to even have a car at the moment. We will always be together, so I will take her where she wants to go. I¡¯m not stupid, I know I¡¯ll need to find a new ce to live sooner orter. That was why I had been especially frugaltely. Elizabeth might be kind and a bit of a pushover, but she isn¡¯t going to stand for what I¡¯ve done. I was going to y on her kindness to get her to allow Sasha to live with us for the next few months, as Sasha didn¡¯t have a ce just yet. I¡¯ll remind her that Sasha would need to save up for her new ce. As long as we kept everything under wraps, Elizabeth would never suspect anything. That gives me time to save up and pick a new home for me and Sasha, or buy it outright from Elizabeth. Sasha insists that she wants to live there and make it our own. I knew why, it¡¯s because Elizabeth had spared no expense on our home. If I could love Elizabeth, I would. She clearly loves me, but the feelings aren¡¯t there. She just doesn¡¯t interest me at all. I do feel a little guilty for using her, but she¡¯s only got herself to me for it. She allowed me to do it, so most of the me is on her. I had just gotten off the phone with Dixon for the second time that day, and I was so angry that my hands were shaking. He had called me this morning to ensure I was okay with him opening the letter from the attorney he received yesterday. He had signed for the legal¨Csized letter packet a little after four. He had been worried as it was a prettyrge package. It had been thick, well over thirty pages, and he wanted to know if I had been expecting it. I hadn¡¯t, but I recognized the name as being Elizabeth¡¯s attorney. He was the one who always handled the contracts between her and thepany. I knew some of them were overdue. I had been sent the renewals, but I ignored them. I was waiting for our wedding. It might not be legal, but I was going to have her stop the silly contracts. I would remind her that we were married. What mine was hers, and vice versa. I didn¡¯t want to have to use them anymore. We still produced them, but she never mentioned that she knew that the contracts had expired. She seemed like her regr self, except for thest few days. She gave one¨Cword answer¡¯s and frankly, it was a little annoying. I was used to her chasing after me. If you went back through our text chain, you¡¯d see that she was always texting me three times to my one response. She always had to drag responses out of me. She doesn¡¯t understand that sometimes I need a break from her incessant talking. Sasha was starting to get on my nerves now, too. Everything was perfect until this morning. When Dixon called me, he was talking so fast, I couldn¡¯t understand him at first. Once I understood what he was saying, I was pissed. How dare she try this, knowing that I wasn¡¯t there to deal with her? I¡¯m not paying for the contracts to be renewed. I had already prepared the paperwork to transfer ownership to both me and thepany. It was the first big step in taking everything away from her. I told him to put her in her ce. He had told me in a text on Monday that she had beente. She has been there with me this whole time and has never once beente. Even when I was out of the country before, she was always there. She was honestly the best employee we had. She made money when the made money, just from the dividends. Now she¡¯s clearly mad at me, and I¡¯m too far away to do anything about it. I¡¯m going to have to take her out to dinner, probably kiss her, and buy her something. I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯s suddenly grown a spine. I need to send Mom and Regina over to deal with her, but I have no idea where she lives. She hasn¡¯t entered the vi for months. She only wanted to move in after she became Mrs. Roger Cook. Too bad for her that title has already been taken. The call I just got lets me know that she isn¡¯t ying around. She¡¯s basically quit and walked out of thepany. Dixon said that two men had suddenly shown up to talk to her. He didn¡¯t know who they were, but he said one of them looked familiar. She refused to sign the write¨Cup, and when he called me back, he said that she would sign it after she received at least a thousand hours of overtime. That isn¡¯t like her, and I asked him if he had bullied her while I was gone. I had told him to leave her alone, and he swore he had, but something feels off. This is not how Elizabeth acts, far from it. It¡¯s as if she is apletely different person, and I have no idea how to calm her down. I need to bring her around before I lose herpletely. I decided to text her, as I know she¡¯s pissed. I know if she responds in anger, I will too, and that is thest thing I need to happen. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to cajole her with a careful script. [Elizabeth, why did you have your attorney send those letters to the office? Are you angry with me? Since we¡¯re getting married in two weeks, I thought the copyrights on them would belong to both of us. I already have the paperwork prepared that says we both own them. As the co¨Cowners of thepany, we¡¯re in this together. Are you upset because I¡¯m recing you as Director? I was trying to protect you. You know you¡¯re the only one in my heart, you could never be reced.] I waited for her response, but six hours passed, and she never replied. This is a much bigger problem now. She barely let six minutes pass before responding, let alone six hours. Sasha was starting to get irritated as kept ncing at my phone, waiting for a response. ¡°I think we need to head back tomorrow, Sasha. Something¡¯s going on at thepany,¡± I finally said. I didn¡¯t want to tell her what the issue was. She is already jealous of Elizabeth. She hates that I admitted I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today without her help. ¡°We¡¯re flying back on Saturday, Roger. We can go straight to the office when we arrive, if you want. It will be a hassle trying to get first¨Css seats on the flight tomorrow. Let¡¯s just enjoy ourst day in Paris and get ready to return. A nice leisurely day for the two of us,¡± Sasha replied, and I knew I couldn¡¯t deny her. I agreed, but I had a really bad feeling about waiting. I felt like everything was spiraling out of my control. Something bad was about to happen. Sasha suggested where we would go tomorrow, and I agreed without actually hearing her. I knew that I needed to get back to work the instant we returned. Chapter 16 Analise¡¯s POV I read the text again, and it made me even angrier. I know exactly what Roger was nning to do. He wanted me to sign over my designs to him. Another reminder that hispany was being carried on my back. It was frustrating that he still thought I was so in love with him that I would give him everything. I might have before, but I had realized something in thest week. I didn¡¯t love Roger as much as I thought I did. He was attractive and eptable to me as a husband. The harder revtion had been that I had truly loved Holden. To the point where I could have forgiven him anything, until I realized that I did have a bottom line. He didn¡¯t just step across it; he obliterated it. I knew after that, it would be hard to fall in love again. What he did to me hurt much more than what I felt about Roger. It still hurts me to this day. I thought Roger respected and appreciated me. It was why I was willing to marry him and help him soar, as long as he was faithful to me. I was so na?ve. I should have known better than to trust him, especially when he kept allowing his best friends to be so derogatory towards me. I won¡¯t be fooled again. I had heard his mother and him discussing what needed to be done as they discussed their ns in my living room. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I¡¯m quite sure that he will try toe looking for me on Sunday. He¡¯s flying back on Saturday, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to go to the office to see what the letters say. I already printed off the paperwork I needed to verify how many units were made earlier this morning. They breached the contract and continued to make my designs. That was something he knew better than, and there was no glossing over it. I intended to ensure that each of those pieces was either paid for or melted back down after the stones were removed. I wasn¡¯t going to fall for anything. I had asked my attorney, Rodney, to clear some of his day to help me. I told him what they were up to, and he was infuriated by their actions. I¡¯m not stepping back into thatpany alone. Mr. Briggs will be with me, and I¡¯m going to have him go over Roger¡¯s new contract. I¡¯m going to act outraged by what Roger was nning to do to me. But I won¡¯t be signing anything. I also won¡¯t be telling him that we¡¯re done. I¡¯ll cry, ask for space to think, then ghost him. I paid a great deal of money to investigate Sasha Elliott. I know more about her than he does. I even sent the investigator to Paris with them, and I¡¯m d I did. Sasha has Roger so wrapped around her finger that she was bold enough to go out with her ex¨Cboyfriend. My investigator was good and got hired on at a club her ex¨Cboyfriend owned. As a janitor, he had ess everywhere. He set up a camera in the owner¡¯s office and in two of the VIP rooms that included a bed. I had what I needed, and he managed to hack into the owner¡¯sputer early one morning. I had plenty of evidence. Apparently, her ex liked to watch and had even taken pictures. Everything was set up and ready to go. After the wedding, no one would be condemning me. Roger¡¯s name would be a joke in high society for marrying her willingly. I even included the best information at the end of the slideshow. Her pregnancy was much further along than she told him. He couldn¡¯t be the father. I would be remiss if I didn¡¯t make sure he found out that juicy piece of information. Consider it thest nice thing that I¡¯m willing to do for him. Her reputation would bepletely destroyed. If he made an announcement that he had hired her, it would help sink thepany even quicker. I knew the aftermath was where the best part would be, but for now, I¡¯m thoroughly enjoying this. My Condo had sold, even before the vi did. Both were sold as is, along with the furniture. I was starting fresh. A new home and all new furniture. I wasn¡¯t moving anything, and I wasn¡¯t asking anyone for help. Christine had found me a new home, and tomorrow I¡¯m selling two homes and buying a new one. Gwen and Emily were with me when I toured the new homest night. It was in a gatedmunity. I already knew that Roger would be trying to follow me. I felt safe as they took down my car¡¯s information, and I met the man who worked the gate during the day. There were a total of five guards who worked there, and the newest one had started five years ago. I felt safe here. The seller needed a quick sale, and I gave him just under market value for it. Selling usually takes time, and he had just been transferred for work and didn¡¯t want to leave his wife behind to sell the house. It had four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. More than I need, but one day I had faith that I would find a man that wasn¡¯t an absolute a$$hat. It was a modern, two¨Cstory home with a pool. I loved therge windows. I was already nning to install electric shades to block the sun when it was too bright, and so I could sleep in on the weekend. I loved how open the windows made it feel. Gwen and Emily had picked out their rooms. Theyughed and teased each other. I really liked the sunroom out back near the pool, which would allow me to have some coffee and watch the sun rise. The kitchen was gorgeous, and I couldn¡¯t wait to use it. I¡¯m d I walked out today. I did it early enough to call and have the decorator meet me at my new home, after closing tomorrow. I will also have the installer for my electric shades meet me there to start the instation. After I¡¯m done with that, Gwen and Emily are meeting me at the furniture store. My mother helped me decorate my condo. She had also helped me with my vi. This time around, I¡¯m in charge. I¡¯m nning on going to the auction this Sunday to pick out a few pieces for my new home. I researched paint colors and was going to decorate my room with items I liked. My home was going to reflect me in the best way possible. I hadn¡¯t designed anything this week. I did exactly what Roger was nning on letting Sasha do. Sit there and supervise the team. I helped them as little as I possibly could. I liked my team, but they¡¯ve grown too dependent on me for ideas. I¡¯d warned them yesterday in an impromptu meeting. They needed to tighten up; they¡¯ve been designing for a while. They needed to step out of theirfort zone and design from the heart. I do like them, and several of them have talent, but Roger wouldn¡¯t allow me to run my department. I wouldn¡¯t have coddled them, but Roger had tied my hand. Refusing to let me properly develop them, stating he was the boss. When I reminded him that I was the ¡®boss¡® too, he said it would be confusing for the team to have two bosses. This was hispany, and he would be the one to handle his employees. I grimace thinking about what I put up with here. I let the incidents that caused me trauma years ago form me into who I am. But that won¡¯t happen ever again. I¡¯m going to try therapy again. This time, my parents can¡¯t go behind me and ask my doctor what I¡¯d told them. When your parents have as much power as mine did, and still do, you learn quickly that confidentiality is not something you can have. It didn¡¯t exist for me. They finally realized that I wasn¡¯t going to cooperate and dropped pushing me into therapy. I knew part of the reason they stopped was that they suspected it would be bad enough to tear their friendship apart. They were right. My mother would have lost her best friend. My father was great friends with Mr. Vaughn, and Seth would have lost his best friend, I mourned the loss of some of the Vaughns, but not all of them. I couldn¡¯t ruin their friendship. Ipletely avoided Holden and Tiffany. I will never willingly speak to either of them again. I hope Seth and Holden learned that I wasn¡¯t going to fold anymore. I knew with each passing day that my newfound confidence was making a huge difference in how people perceived me. I¡¯ve been getting much more attention over thest few days. In fact, I knew that Holden and Seth had both been shocked when they first took a good look at me. They were trying to figure out what was different, but hadn¡¯t quite put their finger on what the changes were just yet. They just noticed that I looked nicer than I did before, before I ran away. Which is ridiculous. Does my appearance make me nicer, happier, or more worthy than anyone else? I know many attractive people, but some are horrible. Just like Tiffany and her best friend Gretchen. I made sure that they found out that I refused to hire them as models. It had truly pissed them off when they saw me wave o over at them. I almost wish I could do it again. Both she and Tiffany were terrible people. Vain and arrogant bullies, wrapped in beauty. They were both rotten on the inside. There is a reason why they are both still single. I¡¯m sure that their still waiting for Holden and Seth to make honest women of them. Seth avoids Tiffany like the gue to this day. But every holiday, he gets drug into having to y nice. Tiffany is never going to let him go. As far as she is concern, Seth is the man of her dreams. She doesn¡¯t love him, but he is the eptable choice to keep her in the lifestyle she wants. I know something happened between them, but having her as a sister¨Cinw would be the worst. They still think they can bully me. I know they will be at the auction, and I dread seeing them. I will leave them alone unless theye for me; then the glovese off. I¡¯m not the same Analise that they knew. Gwen and Emily will be there as well, as it is an invitation¨Conly event. You can¡¯te unless you have a certain amount verified in your bank ount. As the owner of Fashion Forward, the invitation is technically mine, I think it¡¯s a good time to start going out more and making an appearance. I hope to see Roger there, with Sasha. I want to see him try to exin to his fianc¨¦e why he¡¯s there with another woman. It will be the start of his demise. I didn¡¯t ask Seth if the investors had backed out yet. I also don¡¯t n to ask my parents either. They know thispany is headed for disaster. They would have already reached out to the investors. I sold my shares, and the other investors knew to flee a sinking ship. They¡¯ll lose their money if they drag their feet about it. I¡¯m sure that by Monday afternoon, the news will be out. Roger won¡¯t be able to stop the mass exodus. After that, nothing will save him. Chapter 17 Holden¡¯s POV I had my driver take me back to my parents¡® home after we lost Ana in the parking garage. Her words caused both Seth and me a great deal of confusion. I know she loves Seth, and for her to say what she said, we both agreed that we had to have missed something. It was around the time we went to our second year of college that things changed. Had Tiffany hurt Ana? Is that why she was so angry with me? Because I didn¡¯t protect her. I knew for a fact that I wouldn¡¯t have done anything to hurt her. I cared for Ana, she was a sweetheart, and I couldn¡¯t for the life of me remember anything that I had done that would have hurt her. She has been avoiding Tiffany for years as well. Since Mom wanted to pin this on me, she always said it was something that I had done. But maybe she was wrong. Maybe this was something that Tiffany had done, and I was just guilty by association. Tiffany wasn¡¯t nearly as nice as Ana was. Tiffany was willing to sell her soul to maintain her current lifestyle, and she knows her time is running out. Tiffany was twenty¨Ceight years old, and she was still trying to find someone she considered her equal, or worthy enough to marry. She was always on me to speak to Seth about marrying her. I already knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. He could barely stand to look at her, let alone talk to her. He hadn¡¯t made a secret about it, and our parents had finally stopped bringing it up after Alicia had gently told my parents that Seth was never going to marry her. It didn¡¯t mean she still doesn¡¯t have her sights on him. It just means that while she is test¨Cdriving the other men in our circle, she still has her eyes on Seth. My mother was excited to see me and immediately came to greet me. ¡°Holden, I¡¯m so d you came to visit. To what do we owe the honor?¡± she asked before heading back to the ind in the kitchen to continue trimming the flowers she was putting in a vase. I had been gone for thest five years. Onlying home asionally. I knew I¡¯d eventually take over thepany for Dad, but I also wanted to leave my own mark on the world. ¡°I wanted to talk to you privately, Mom. Is Tiffany here?¡± I asked. before taking a barstool on the other side of the ind from her. ¡°No, she and Gretchen are out buying dresses for the auction on Sunday. Which reminds me, son, Tiffany wants you to take her and Gretchen into the auction with your invitation,¡± Mom replied. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to escort them, Mom. Tiffany will just walk off and leave me with Gretchen again, trying to force some sort of love connection. Which is not going to happen, Mom. Gretchen makes my skin crawl. I hate every interaction that we¡¯ve ever had. Plus, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to escort them. Seth and the Caldwells are asking me to follow through with the arranged marriage. We have all agreed it¡¯s what¡¯s best for Ana, but we¡¯re still trying to get her to agree with it,¡± I responded with a smile. I already knew my mother would be thrilled, and she was, for several minutes. ¡°So, have you sat down with Ana and discussed what her issues were? You have to clear the air before you get married. It would be best for you to know, so you can get past whatever it was. She still hasn¡¯t told me, or Alicia. We¡¯re still concerned about it, but I was so happy when Alicia told me that Ana¡¯s engagement was over. I knew you had a good chance to get her back. You need to make sure to charm her son. She is such a sweet girl, and she would make a wonderful wife. I¡¯ve known her since she was born. She¡¯s never acted this way before. I wish she would just say it and get this whole thing over with,¡± she asked. ¡°I think the issue might have been less on me and more on Tiffany if what she said earlier was true,¡± I replied. ¡°Seth was saying that we¡¯ve both always tried to protect her, and she asked if we would be willing to bet our lives on that being true.¡± Mom froze in ce, then slowly turned towards me, giving me her full attention before asking. ¡°Tiffany? Are you sure, Holden? I thought we sat Tiffany down after Ana changed. Tiffany swore that she had always protected Ana. Do you think she was lying to us? If that is the case, Alicia would never forgive me. I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself either, as it would be my fault.¡± ¡°Mom, it wouldn¡¯t be your fault. Tiffany has always done as she liked, but she wasn¡¯t a bully. Also, if she had done something to Ana, that would be on her, not you. You and Dad taught us right from wrong. It¡¯s the only thing that makes any kind of sense. I honestly can¡¯t remember a reason for Ana to have made such a drastic change. I liked her, and she followed us around for years. We did protect her in high school. You know as well as I do that Gretchen¡¯s a bully, too. She was so jealous of Ana. That¡¯s why we asked Tiffany to keep an eye on her. Only Tiffany would have been able to protect her from Gretchen. Seth and I were heading back to college, and we both wanted to ensure Ana¡¯s safety. She didn¡¯t have many friends, which worried us. Tiffany might be spoiled, but I don¡¯t believe she was a bully. I also don¡¯t think that she would allow it to happen in front of her. I just know that something bad had to have happened for Ana to still be holding a grudge,¡± I replied. My mother chewed her lip before looking at me. ¡°Let me ask Tiffany about it first. She might get defensive if you do it. She always hated how protective you and Seth were over Ana. You¡¯re not the most diplomatic person in our family. I will ask her and get back with you. I think you¡¯re right. Tiffany liked Gretchen and might not have protected Ana very well. I will hate it if that¡¯s what urred. Alicia and I are best friends. I won¡¯t be able to apologize to her or Ana enough if that¡¯s the case. I hate to admit it, but it does make sense. Gretchen was always jealous of Ana and always madements about her weight. I hope you¡¯re wrong, Holden, but I think you¡¯re onto something. I¡¯m sorry for using you all this time. It¡¯s just she hung on your every word. Then all of a sudden, she couldn¡¯t even bear to look at you,¡± she said. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know it wasn¡¯t me yet, Mom, I just can¡¯t imagine what I could have done to make her so angry that she¡¯s still holding a grudge. However, I can see her gaining weight over the years because of being bullied. I want to find out too, so we can get past this. I asked her if she would go to the auction with me. I also asked if we could talk. She hasn¡¯t answered my text. I¡¯m still blocked. So, I had to send it through my assistant Kevin¡¯s phone, but she hasn¡¯t replied. He¡¯s supposed to send me a screenshot when, or if, she replies. She probably won¡¯t answer, but I¡¯m not giving up. I want to marry her; she has grown up to be a beautiful woman,¡± I replied. ¡°Who¡¯s a beautiful woman?¡± a voice asked from behind us. I turned to see Tiffany and Gretchen looking at me with smiles on their faces. I knew I needed to leave, as I could already tell that Gretchen was thinking that I was talking about her. I have to shut this down quickly. ¡°This was a private conversation, but I wasn¡¯t speaking about the presentpany,¡± I said in a cold tone. ¡°Well, I¡¯m still d you¡¯re here, Holden. Can you take me and Gretchen to the auction? We just got some new dresses for it,¡± Tiffany asked. She even pouted, thinking that it came off as cute, but she¡¯s nearing thirty. There¡¯s no need for her to do that, it justes off as childish. I can¡¯t. The Caldwells have asked that I honor the arranged marriage with Ana, and I¡¯ve agreed. In fact, that is who I was talking about earlier. Ana is an aplished designer and a beautiful person, inside and out. So, I can take you, Tiffany, as you are my sister. But I will not be able to escort, Gretchen. It wouldn¡¯t be proper as I¡¯m now officially off the market.¡± I replied. ¡°Ana is already engaged to be married, in just two weeks¡® time, Holden. You must be mistaken. You can¡¯t be marrying her; it doesn¡¯t make sense. She can¡¯t marry two people,¡± Tiffany cried out. ¡°Her engagement is off. If everything works out, I will be taking his ce at their ceremony. But you need to keep that to yourself. If you report it, don¡¯t think the Caldwells are going to just let you off. They will find out who leaked it ande after you,¡± I stated confidently. I wasn¡¯t lying. There would be nowhere for them to hide if either of them ¡®identally¡® let it slip to a reporter. I see Gretchen react to that with a start. She was the one I had been talking to. I could almost see the wheels turning. She was definitely going to try to leak it. ¡°Well, who can tell where rumors evene from. I can¡¯t see Ana forgiving you or epting you. She has been mad for a decade. I don¡¯t believe that she would forgive you all of a sudden,¡± Gretchen replied. ¡°Well, the fact that her family, and our family, are the only ones who know, it person would be exposed quickly. There¡¯s no way for it to stay hidden, as I can promise you that not only would they sue whoever reported it. I would join in with them. Even if it¡¯s my own sister,¡± I replied, keeping my eyes trained on Gretchen. I was letting her know that if she thought she could get away with it, she needed to think again. The reporter would eventually cave and tell the truth. Gretchen is one of the few who know the truth now. It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch of imagination to figure out who did it. ¡°Holden is right. If the news leaks, you and Tiffany would be the primary suspects. You both need to think carefully about what you do with this information. We will coborate with them to ensure the guilty party is discovered. There will be a fitting punishment for whoever did it,¡± my mother stated in an icy tone. ¡°You¡¯re acting like you love her more than you love me?¡± Tiffany gasped out. ¡°Why? Are you nning on being the weak link, Tiffany? Because I swear if you do, your allowance will be cancelled, forever. You will also have to get a job and pay your own bills. Ana does, and she is younger than you. I can promise you that won¡¯t be all of it, either. You¡¯d better think long and hard, Tiffany, because there won¡¯t be anying back from this,¡± Mom coldly stated. Chapter 18 Roger¡¯s POV Work had piled up while I was gone, and Sasha insisted oning to the office with me. Since she insisted, we came straight to the office from the airport. I didn¡¯t want her here with me today; I needed to focus on my work. I knew why she was here. She knew I needed to call Elizabeth and charm her into signing the paperwork. Sasha was trying to prevent me from doing that. She has no idea just how serious this situation was for mypany. Elizabeth¡¯s designs are the best and have been the reason we gained so much traction. Dixon is sitting next to her and trying to kiss up. I know that he was the one who had told Sasha what had happened. I regret downying Elizabeth¡¯s efforts so much now. They didn¡¯t understand that she was the lifeblood of thepany. Her designs, her ideas, and her business acumen all came naturally to her. She was a highly talented woman who knew what it took to thrive in the market. She was also angry with me. She was reading my texts, but she hasn¡¯t responded to any of them for two whole days. That¡¯s not like her. I¡¯m starting to suspect that she heard something. For her to just quit and walk away is a huge red g. Sending those letters, and so many of them, she means business. I feel like I¡¯m losing control, and I have no idea how to fix it. The only thing that makes me think she is just angry with me is that she hasn¡¯t cancelled our wedding. I wish I had held off on the honeymoon, but Sasha had insisted on it. She couldn¡¯t wait, even after I told her that we needed to be careful. She knew if Elizabeth ever found out that we were married and Sasha was pregnant, I would lose everything. No woman could ept what I had done to Elizabeth. I couldn¡¯t help it. I don¡¯t know why, but when I get around Sasha, I just can¡¯t control myself. I loved her, and she was the reason I was so determined to seed. I was furious when Elizabeth demanded I marry her. Well, maybe not demanded, but I was under a great deal of pressure to keep her happy. It was the very reason I stopped enjoying being around her. She took advantage of me, forcing me into this. How could she have forced my hand like that? I was caught between a rock and a hard ce. Sure, I could have turned her down, but she would have walked away and taken everything with her. My fledgling business would have paid the price for my actions. Getting engaged to Elizabeth was the main reason I married Sasha when I did. Mom helped me make the ns. She never liked Elizabeth and felt that her appearance was uneptable for our family. She even told Elizabeth that once. She demanded that Elizabeth should diet and lose weight. Otherwise, we would be too ashamed to introduce her as a member of our family. Elizabeth was embarrassed, but she was the one who insisted on joining our family. She needed to know that it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Dad never gave her any issues, but my mother and sister were always on her. My brother, Charlie, liked her, but he¡¯s always liked fuller¨Cfigured women. He would even flirt with her on asion, right in front of me. No matter what our parents said to correct him, he wouldn¡¯t listen. He even went as far as to say that he would step in for me if I didn¡¯t want her. What the hell? I didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t want her, I just didn¡¯t want her to be my wife. There¡¯s a difference. My wife is someone I would be proud to stand by my side. Someone who would make other men jealous. Someone like Sasha. ¡°Roger, there¡¯s an auction being held tomorrow. I want to go,¡± Sasha¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see her waving a gilded card in the air. Of course she does, it¡¯s not like she hasn¡¯t spent over fifty thousand dors in just three shopping trips in Paris. It¡¯s no surprise that she wants to spend more. I know that she¡¯s punishing me for not buying her that car. The thing is, I¡¯ve started to realize that even if I had co¨Csigned for her car, she would have still spent that money in Paris. She is spending as if we have unlimited funds, which isn¡¯t the case. ¡°We need to stop spending, Sasha. My wallet took a hit in Paris. Can¡¯t you be satisfied with what you just bought? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m engaged to Elizabeth. How could I exin escorting you there?¡± I pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m your new Design Director. It¡¯s only natural that you show me around. What? Are you trying to keep me hidden? I agreed to hide our marriage while you dealt with Elizabeth, but I won¡¯t just stay locked up and kept away from society. You¡¯ll have to introduce me soon enough. People need to learn who I am,¡± Sasha whined. Shimmering tears shone in her eyes as she looked at me like I had said something unforgivable. ¡°Fine, we will go, but you can¡¯t be so affectionate. I still need Elizabeth to give me her designs. I can¡¯t offend her, not this close to the wedding. I need her to think that we¡¯re actually getting married, Sasha. You know yourself that women have limits. Having you live with us is already too far as it is. I know you want everyone to know that we¡¯re together, but you swore you would let this y out,¡± I replied with a sigh. The deception was starting to weigh on me. ¡°Fine, I will act properly, but I would like a reward for it. I want to pick an item at the auction,¡± Sasha replied with a pout. ¡°1 already told you we have to be careful, Sasha. How would it look buying you something when I¡¯m engaged to Elizabeth?¡± I asked in shock. She wasn¡¯t even listening to me. ¡°Just something small, like less than twenty thousand. You can im it¡¯s a gift to wee me to thepany,¡± Sasha suggested with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sasha. Rumors can fly around quickly. Right now, I need to calm Elizabeth down, not incite her. Elizabeth never goes to these types of events, so we won¡¯t run into her. That way, you can be introduced properly. You need to be on your best behavior, and instill faith in them that you deserve your new title,¡± I replied. ¡°Fine, Roger, but you need to deal with Elizabeth quickly. I don¡¯t like this at all. I won¡¯t dull my shine, not for her,¡± Sasha announced before leaving my office and going down the hallway. ¡°Roger, before I forget, you got a big delivery in yesterday. I told your secretary to put it in her storage room. I didn¡¯t want it cluttering up your office. There¡¯s something else I wanted to tell you,¡± Dixon told me. ¡°What else is there?¡± I asked angrily. I was already mad because Sasha was acting like she hadn¡¯t agreed to take the backseat while I dealt with Elizabeth. Now she¡¯s acting like I lied to her, when she knew I had to go through with the fake marriage. Sheined the whole flight back about what I needed to get her to make this right. Nothing I nned is going right. I hate that I married her so quickly. She is already showing, and I have some doubts about the baby actually being mine. We only got back together less than three months ago. I had bought a few books on pregnancy, and she shouldn¡¯t be showing just yet, not like she was. Sasha said she loved me and that the baby was mine. My mother insisted that we get married, and I was happy to do so. Sasha was my first experience with love. She holds a special ce in my heart, but I am quickly learning how maniptive she can be, and I don¡¯t like it. I find myselfparing her to Elizabeth quite frequently these past two days. Although I find Sasha to be sexy and beautiful. I also find her shallow and spoiled. She spends way too much, and only for herself. She didn¡¯t even buy me anything on her spending sprees. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is calm and soothing. She takes care of me. I hadn¡¯t had to lift a finger with the wedding nning or house hunting. She did everything and turned our home into a calming oasis for us. A ce that brought me serenity from pressures from thepany or the outside world. She poured her heart out into our home, and I never once thanked her. She bought it with her own money, and I know she spent millions on it. I felt a hot stab of guilt at the ring differences between them. ¡°Elizabeth looks good, Roger. I would be willing to date her now, for sure. I don¡¯t know how she did it, but in just a week, she¡¯spletely unrecognizable. She got new clothes and even cut her hair. I thought it was for the wedding. But after those two men showed up, maybe she found someone new? She¡¯s never had visitors here before. It¡¯s weird, she was a blob justst week. Now she¡¯s suddenly attractive. Something isn¡¯t right, and she didn¡¯t return to work yesterday. She was a no¨Ccall, no¨Cshow, I know she said she was done when she left on Thursday, but I didn¡¯t believe her,¡± Dixon admitted. ¡°How could she lose weight that fast?¡± I asked in disbelief. I didn¡¯t buy it, but Dixon had been the most vehement against Elizabeth all these years. If he said she looked good, he was serious. ¡°I can tell you don¡¯t believe me, but just look at this, Roger,¡± Dixon replied and crossed the room, pulling up something on his phone. ¡°I hadn¡¯t believed it either when I saw the video, not until I approached her with the write¨Cup. She¡¯s changed. She didn¡¯t back down, no matter how hard I pushed.¡± He handed me his phone, and I watched as someone who looked like Elizabeth crossed the lobby. She greeted Security and the receptionist, just like normal, but this wasn¡¯t normal. Elizabeth lookedpletely different than she had just two weeks ago. Gone was the frumpy clothing that made her look like she was wearing a potato sack. She was wearing a ck fitted skirt and had her button¨Cdown shirt neatly tucked into it. She was wearing heels and looked utterly confident as she walked across the lobby. The sway of her hips hypnotized me, and I wasn¡¯t the only one. Men noticed her and turned to watch as she walked toward the elevators. Some even hurried to catch the elevator with her. Her hair was down, and her waves moved with each step. She was only wearing lipstick, but it was a bold, red color. One that caught your eye and sparked ideas. This wasn¡¯t Elizabeth; this was a much¨Cimproved version of her. I loved seeing her like this, and I could already feel my d**k pulse with need. I was making ns that involved her wearing those heels and that lipstick to bed on our honeymoon. There was no way that I wasn¡¯t going to ept Elizabeth now. I had already nned to get her pregnant to make sure she stayed by my side. It was going to be a daunting task before, but not anymore. Getting her pregnant was going to be so much easier. Chapter 19 Sasha¡¯s POV Roger was so distracted by whatever was ying on the screen, he didn¡¯t even notice that I had returned. Dixon didn¡¯t notice me either. I was just about to ask what they were looking at when Dixon spoke. ¡°See what I mean, Roger, she¡¯s changed a lot. I don¡¯t know how she hid it, or why she hid did, but she¡¯s not the same woman she used to be. She¡¯s much more confident now. She even raised her voice to me when I was trying to get her to sign the write¨Cup. She said she needed to be paid for the overtime she had worked since starting here. It was like we owed her the money or something. But nobody asked her to put in all those hours getting thepany off the ground. She¡¯s gotten too bold. I tried to get her in line, but she quit and walked out. She¡¯s serious about quitting. I still can¡¯t reach her. I just wanted you to see how much she¡¯s changed. She¡¯s not going to be easy to deal with,¡± Dixon advised me. ¡°Who¡¯s changed?¡± I asked brightly, like I didn¡¯t already know who they were talking about. I already knew, but I wanted to see if Roger was going to tell me the truth. He immediately cleared out the video and handed Dixon his phone back. I really didn¡¯t want to be dealing with this right now. Roger has beenpletely agreeable to everything I¡¯ve asked for over the past few months. He even let me move into the vi with him without telling Elizabeth. I didn¡¯t find out that the vi belonged to her until the ne ride back from Paris, which pissed me off. He let me assume that it was his. He made it seem as if everything belonged to him, which was why I married him. I needed financial security for me and my baby. The baby¡¯s father had kicked me out when he found out I was pregnant. Running into Roger in Paris had been a happy coincidence. After he had had a few drinks at dinner, he confessed to me again. I already knew he liked me in high school, but his family had less money than mine did. My goal had always been to increase my value, not decrease it, and I rejected him. I was brutally truthful about it, so he would understand. I never expected to light a fire in him. He told me that he wanted to be a sess, just to be able to marry me. I thought I had everything I ever wanted within my grasp, until he revealed that his leading designer was the key to his sess. That he was going to marry her, as it was her only requirement for all her help. I was furious. He was perfect up until this moment. Now, all of a sudden, someone was trying to keep us apart. I wasted no time. I helped the intoxicated man to his room and out of his clothes. I made sure we had sex several times that night. I needed him to believe that he had gotten me pregnant. I was already over a month pregnant before he even arrived here. I¡¯ve been very focused on my diet and watching what I eat. I couldn¡¯t lose him by gaining weight too fast in my pregnancy. I was four months pregnant, but I barely had a baby bump. The doctor we went to see had warned me that I needed to ensure the baby was getting the proper nutrients. But I assured her I was, and that morning sickness was just making it hard for me to keep anything down. Both she and Roger had bought it. I was just going to tell him the baby hade early. I just hoped the baby favored me, or else Roger would ask why we had a baby with dark brown hair and green eyes, because that would be much harder to exin. Roger didn¡¯t answer me about who he was talking about. He looked me right in my face and dismissed my question. Telling me, ¡°We were talking about an employee.¡± I could barely keep from calling him on his lie, but I guess she was an employee. I foundfort knowing that his mother and sister were my biggest supporters. They weed me and were happy to help me ensure Elizabeth leaves with nothing. It was what she deserved for trying to take my man away from me. I don¡¯t care how helpful she had been to Roger or thepany. Roger was my husband, and this was our money, not hers. I sat down in Rogers¡®p and wiggled in close to him. ¡°I¡¯m going to need an evening gown for the auction,¡± I told him. It hurt to watch him close his eyes and sigh. He was acting like I was causing him problems. He was the one who wanted me, not the other way around. It was infuriating to see his reaction, but I stayed quiet because my temper was about to explode. ¡°Sasha, didn¡¯t you just spend a fortune in Paris? Are you seriously telling me that you don¡¯t have an evening gown among all your new clothes?¡± He finally asked. ¡°I bought clothes to wear to work, Roger, I¡¯m your wife. I need to represent not just thepany, but you as well. You¡¯ve alwaysined about how Elizabeth looked. You said that she was frumpy and never looked good enough to represent Cook Custom Jewelry. Who else needs to look good here, if not me? Your mother was the one who told me to do it. That I would be the new face of thepany, and insisted that I needed to represent it well,¡± I sobbed, calling up tears as I kept my face lowered. I was pissed, but I knew how to y this game well. I¡¯ve done it since I was a child. I knew exactly what I was doing. When I heard him sigh again, I knew I¡¯d won. ¡°I will take you to the mall tonight, but you need to keep it under a thousand dors, Sasha,¡± Roger replied. At my huff, he exined, ¡°You are our new Director of Design, not my wife. Once everything is in my name, you can buy the things you want, but not right now. Don¡¯t forget our deal, Sasha. Elizabeth will dig in, and we could lose investors if news of my marriage to you gets leaked. I love you, but we need to keep our rtionship under wraps for now,¡± Roger replied. ¡°As long as it isn¡¯t because you¡¯re embarrassed of me,¡± I said, as I snuggled into his chest. He was easy to control. A few tears, and he always caved, right now, we¡¯re in the honeymoon era of our rtionship. He will be harder to control after a year, so l need to get as much out of this marriage as possible. Jerrod, my ex, had already told me that he had grown tired of me. He implied Roger would too, but I¡¯m not going to let that happen. He married me, and I will never let him go. Til death do us part, or he ends up broke. Nothing else matters. I didn¡¯t care if he cheated, as this wasn¡¯t a love connection. ¡°We can go to the mall on our way home,¡± Roger sald, and I quickly got up and headed for the door. Once his office was locked, he headed towards the door behind his secretary¡¯s desk. ¡°I need to get the delivery that came yesterday,¡± he told me at my questioning look. He found the key and opened the door. I had been expecting a small to medium box. We were all stunned to see her closet almost full of boxes. I broke out of my shock first. I noticed that the boxes were marked as follows: master bedroom ¨C women¡¯s clothing, master bedroom ¨C men¡¯s clothing, severalbeled as shoes, and two marked as bathroom items. I started to realize what they might be as I stepped forward to get a closer look. I went back to grab the scissors on the secretary¡¯s desk and cut open the tape on one of the women¡¯s clothing boxes. Seeing my clothes inside, my heart dropped. ¡°Roger, these are my clothes. What in the hell is going on?¡± I asked in a panic. I had a really bad feeling about this. Roger put the legal envelope he was taking home on the desk and grabbed the scissors from my hand. He opened one of the men¡¯s clothing boxes, and I watched him pale as he realized that his clothes were inside the box. He pulled out his phone and tried to call Elizabeth several times. She never answered his calls. He started texting, but I knew it was a waste of time. He had been texting her for days, with no reply. I think that she suspects something, but I haven¡¯t told her anything, I was d that she knew she had been reced. But I was also terrified that she had just kicked us out of our home. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the delivery was this big, Roger. I had just left to go home. When she said a big delivery had arrived. I thought it was just a few boxes. If I had known Elizabeth had done this, I would have mentioned the delivery earlier,¡± Dixon stated. He was just as stunned as we were about this. ¡°Where are we supposed to go now? I need to get myundry done. I was looking forward to getting a good night¡¯s rest before the auction tomorrow. Why would Elizabeth do this to us? She doesn¡¯t even know what we¡¯ve done yet. There was no reason to kick us out of our home,¡± I cried out. Roger looked upset. I knew he didn¡¯t have an answer for me. ¡°Let¡¯s go by the house and try to talk to Elizabeth. She loves me. She¡¯ll understand,¡± he said. But this time around, it seemed like even he didn¡¯t believe what he was saying. ¡°We can go to a hotel, but we need to find a ce quickly, Roger,¡± I pressed. He needed to snap out of it and man up. We had two options: his family¡¯s home or a hotel. This wasn¡¯t rocket science. He was acting like his world was over. It¡¯s just a fucking house. Get over it. ¡°Stop pushing me, Sasha. I¡¯m trying to think,¡± he snapped at me. ¡°Elizabeth has never acted like this before. She¡¯s more than angry. I¡¯ve never seen her like this. Could it be she knows what I¡¯m trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to help, Roger. You approached me, not the other way around. You¡¯re acting like your life is but isn¡¯t this what you wanted? A life and a business free of Elizabeth¡¯s presence. You already have me; you don¡¯t need her. I¡¯m invested in thispany too, even though I¡¯ve just joined. I¡¯m your wife. If you fail, I fail, No one cares more about your sess than I do. So what if she¡¯s angry? What can she do to you? You¡¯re the boss here,¡± I reminded him. I should have known by his sudden anxiety that he had lied to me about that, too. It¡¯s toote for doubts now. Whether she knows or not, no longer matters. I¡¯m Roger¡¯s wife, and I refuse to let him go. What can she possible do about it anyway? She¡¯s nothingpared to me. Let her do her worst. I¡¯ll be happy to show her the error of her ways. Chapter 20 Analise¡¯s POV I went to sleep earlyst night to make sure I was well rested. I knew that tonight would start the battle. Roger was back now, and every year he took his family to this auction. I never went because I wouldn¡¯t be able to hide my identity. Roger is already married, and Sasha is not going to give him up for anything. He thinks she loves him, but to her, he¡¯s just a means to an end. This year, I¡¯m sure he will include Sasha. She wants to be by his side, even if our engagement is still valid. We are to be getting married in two weeks. I¡¯m not going to cancel it just yet. I want to showcase just how big a jerk he is and expose exactly who he married in my ce. Once that happens, there will be nowhere to hide for either of them. They will never recover from the scandal. I can¡¯t wait to see Joyce¡¯s face when she finally realizes that the girl she¡¯s always put down over the years belongs to the very family she wanted Roger to marry into. She¡¯s going to be mad enough to faint when she finds out. After she finds out, she¡¯ll pretend she wanted us to be together. But I¡¯m not going to let her get away with the deception. I have a surprise in store for her as well. I slept in and started my coffee maker. I splurged and got myself a drip coffee maker, and the fancy one for when the mood strikes. I love it. I had to rearrange my office while making a dress¨Cone for me to wear for the auction. I knew my parents and brother would be there, and this outfit was my armor. I found some gorgeous copper colored fabric this week. I decided that this auction would be the perfect time to show everyone that I was no longer going to be pushed around. My family needed that message as much as Roger and his family did. I knew my parents would keep their distance. They knew the engagement was over. But until the wedding was called off, Roger was officially still my fianc¨¦. I lined the dress, and had been very intentional about how I wanted it to look. I didn¡¯t make it over the top. I made the top part deep, but ensured the straps are wide enough to amodate a bra. I left the back as open as possible, still allowing me to wear a bra, as there was a strip of fabric that covered the bra, but left the rest of my back exposed, down to my waist. We have a gym here at thepany, and I¡¯ve been using it all week. Christine¡¯s husband, Darren, was also a sought¨Cafter personal trainer. They havee over twice this week for him to show me what I needed to do. Darren was a nice guy, and he kept refusing payment, but I finally talked him into epting my help. I gave him the capital to start his second gym. One that happens to be near my home. I now have a lifetime pass to go anytime I choose, So I can use the one at thepany, or hist gym, when I need him to give me some tips. I admit that using the one here at mypany allowed me to be less self¨Cconscious. I know now that I needed to start therapy. My first appointment is on Monday, and I¡¯m not looking forward to it. Gwen and Emily had kept insisting that I needed to do this for myself. It wasn¡¯t healthy for me to hang on to my anger. They said I needed an outlet, and even offered to go with me. But I knew I needed to do this on my own. In fact, Gwen had an epiphany that Emily and Christine had jumped on. Darren had been trying to figure out if he wanted three or four bays at his new gym. Christine mentioned to him that I was going to look into boxing, or some kind of self¨Cdefense, as a stress reliever. He had already been toying with the idea himself, and that settled it. The fourth bay was going to have a boxing ring and a sparring pad. He was going to be able to hire three friends to run that area. The boxing ss was initially scheduled by appointment only, as his friend was teaching in another gym at the moment. The self¨Cdefense sses would be on weekdays. They would both be there on weekends to handle the increased traffic and offer options for more challenging sses to be held. After hearing about the gym expansion, both Gwen and Emily also contributed to it, which helped him get everything in ce without needing to take out a second loan. He appreciated our faith in him, and they got lifetime passes as well. They would be going with us to the auction tonight. Christine was one of the top sellers at her job. My purchases and sales had pushed her to the top this year. She had bought one of our gowns from the showroom to wear tonight. Gwen¡¯s eye was unmatched. The dress looked like it had been made for Christine, despite it not being custom¨Cmade for her. Tonight was an opportunity for her and Darren to promote the gym to potential investors and gauge interest in finding someone a new home. Christine really looked gorgeous in her gown. I spent the next three hours finishing up my dress. My shoulders and back hurt a little from bending over, but when looking at it on my dress form. I¡¯m thrilled at how it turned out. It is totally opposite of anything I¡¯ve ever worn. It¡¯s a little bold, but not over the top. When you stand still, the slit is not noticed, but when I walk, it will appear as if by magic. This was not the demure dress that my mother liked for me to wear, but it wasn¡¯t scandalous either. The copper color on the dress changed as I moved. The dress flowed well, and the shimmer gave it additional movement. The color would get deeper or lighter depending on the light I¡¯m in. The funny part is that Gwen and Emily were more excited about it than I was. I had RSVP¡¯d that my group would be a total of three this year. There were only a certain number of chairs avable at this event. So, a head count started about three years ago. Whatever you RSVP¡¯d was the number allowed into the auction. Since Roger was out of town, he won¡¯t have had time to RSVP. I¡¯ve always done it for him, and advised that his group would be a total of five. That way, he could take his family. I¡¯ve always been much more helpful to him than he ever realized. Tonight, I hope I¡¯m nearby when he and his family try to enter. If you haven¡¯t RSVP¡¯d, you were limited to two entries. The resulting show is going to be fun to watch. Gwen hired a team to help us get ready tonight at her home. She wanted me to look my best as I reentered society. Three women who would m us up as we got ready on time. Roger¡¯s mother like to arrive about an hour before the event. She liked to be photographed and respected. I¡¯m thrilled that the entrance to the event is near where the paparazzi are stationed. They should get some great shots of her meltdown. This was my first time targeting Joyce and her daughter, Regina. They had both been ruthless to me and deserved the humiliation that wasing they¡¯re way I had already targeted her husband, Scott. He was the one who involved his youngest son in this mess. There was no love lost between Charlie Cook and me, but he had never hurt me. He might have flirted with me asionally, but that was it. He was and he was the only one in that family that I felt bad for in all of this. If he doesn¡¯t cause me any issues, I will see about finding him a job after the dust settles. By the time this is over, they are all going to need one. I showered and headed over to Gwen¡¯s house with my dress in a garment bag. I was looking forward to tonight. This was one of the targeted attacks that I hade up with on my own. I was going to use the opportunity to watch Joyce and Regina¡¯s meltdown and send a message at the same time. Scott and Charlie Cook would just step back and ept they couldn¡¯t enter, but not Joyce. She was going to throw a fit, and so was her daughter. But no matter what they said, I¡¯m positive Roger would insist that Sasha be the one who was allowed entry. And just like that, Joyce will no longer like or ept Sasha as her daughter-inw. Regina will end up turning on her, too. They¡¯re all about appearances. Once they¡¯re refused entry, they will be humiliated, and that¡¯s going to be the end of Sasha. She won¡¯t be able to console them. Once she enters that venue, they are going to be pissed. Then the real games begin. I¡¯m hoping against hope that I get to see at least some of it in person. That would be wonderful. Roger is going to fold like a card table. He is going to try to me me for it, and I wee the usation. I¡¯m ready for him. This is my time to shine now, and I won¡¯t be letting him use me as a scapegoat again. Thedies getting us ready looked at our dresses to get inspiration. They were excited about my gown and kept asking where they could get it. I had to admit that it was stunning. I was ready to get dressed and head to the venue. I was d that they hadn¡¯t cut a lot of my hair now. I might have made a bad decision if I had told them to just cut it off. My high ponytail was about two inches past my shoulders. Curled to perfection, with a few tendrils pulled down on either side of my face to soften the look. When she did my makeup, she used a beautiful copper shade for the main part of my lid, and made my eyes look even deeper by putting a darker brown at the far corners. She came in with a lighter color on the inside, near my nose, and I was impressed. I had to admit my eyes looked even more intriguing. She added false eyshes, which ended up making my eyes look even bigger than they normally did. I had to admit that my eyes were captivating tonight. She did a semi¨Cnude lip, as my eyes were the star of the show. Gwen and Emily squealed with excitement when they saw me, as I was thest one dressed. I admit I took a few minutes to grab a few selfies, which wasn¡¯t something that I would normally do at all. It took a few minutes for me to ept that this was me. I didn¡¯t look like I used to, at all. I looked like a confident, sexy woman. Which was a first for me. We had hired a SUV to drive us tonight, as we nned to have a few drinks and enjoy our evening. I was nervous on the way there. It wasn¡¯t over my transformation, because I loved how I looked tonight. It was because this was the first real throwdown. By the end of tonight, they¡¯re all going to learn that I¡¯m not the woman I was before, and I never will be again. Chapter 21 Holden¡¯s POV I had been standing near the entrance of the event for over five minutes, speaking to Seth. I hadn¡¯t told him why I was standing here, but he probably knew why I was here. I wanted to talk to Ana alone. I was going to start my n to win her over tonight. She had always liked me, and she seemed more epting of me the day we visited her workce. I was d I had entered her office like I had. If that man had kept yelling at her, I would have punched him in the face, even if I knew he would try to sue me. Who is he to talk to her like that? She didn¡¯t say that she wasing tonight, but I had a gut feeling about it. Seth usually just lets his parentse, but he came as my plus one tonight, because he is really upset at how Ana has been avoiding him. He can speak to her after I do. I need to get her to ept the arranged marriage. Not because she had to, but because I wanted her to. Seth was pretty sure she wasn¡¯t going toe but still came just in case she did. I know that she didn¡¯t want to blow her cover, but I¡¯ve had feelers out about her recent movements. She¡¯s already sold all her stocks, and she sent a letter to thepany demanding that they stop using her designs. That isn¡¯t subtle; that is an act of war. Seth doesn¡¯t understand Ana like I do. She¡¯sing out swinging, and I want to be there for her to help her as much as I can. Once Roger finds out what she¡¯s done, he is going to be furious. I want her to learn to lean on me so she¡¯ll unblock me. I want her to acknowledge our feelings for each other and be willing to agree to marry me. I want to take care of her. I want to be able to go back to how things used to be between us. I¡¯ve missed that so much. I¡¯ve cared for her since I was young, but the feelings that I¡¯ve been having about her recently have seriously changed. I watched as a limo pulled up, and the Cook family exited. His mother was acting like a Hollywood starlet as she posed and waved to the paparazzi, stopping every single step to wave again. Both she and her daughter were really putting on a show for the crowd. They weren¡¯t moving along; they were standing there, like they were paid to hold up the other guests. They finally approached the door, and Roger handed over his card. They stepped forward to enter, but were stopped. The man at the door had refused them entry, and I knew something was up. ¡°What do you mean, only two of us? Every year, my family has been allowed toe with me. Call you your supervisor, I demand to be allowed to enter,¡± Roger¡¯s nasally voice carried. What in the hell had Ana seen in him? He was weak; he was not strong enough to handle her. The man refusing them entry stood blocking the door as he spoke into a handheld radio. An older woman arrived within a minute and a half. This was an important event, and the Cook family was blocking the door and refusing to move out of the way. ¡°What seems to be the problem?¡± she asked. ¡°I have an invitation, and this man refuses to allow us to enter,¡± Roger responded. ¡°Did you RSVP to the event, sir? This invitation is a week old. If you look at the fine print at the bottom of the invitation, it states that unless you RSVP, this invitation is only valid for two to enter the auction,¡± she replied. Her voice was polite, but direct. I started smiling as I could tell he wasn¡¯t going to let it go. ¡°When did this start? I¡¯ve never had to do it before,¡± He huffed out in anger. ¡°Well, if you were allowed entry, then someone at yourpany had made the arrangements. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been allowed to enter. These rules have been in ce for thest three years, sir. Two of you may enter, but the rest have to leave, unless they have their own invitation and RSVP¡¯d,¡± She stated matter¨Cof¨Cfactly. When she finished, three bodyguards walked up to block the door. She had motioned the bodyguards over. Clearly, this wasn¡¯t her first time heading this event. She knew what they were thinking. ¡°This is outrageous. We¡¯ve beening here for years. How dare you deny us entry? Do you even know who we are?¡± Joyce¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Yes, I do. Someone who didn¡¯t follow the instructions on the invitation,¡± the woman replied over her shoulder as she walked away. I had to bite my lip to keep fromughing. ¡°Roger, I guess we will make sure to properly fill it out next year. I, as your mother, should be allowed to enter with you,¡± Joyce stated as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m trying to find a quality man to marry. I¡¯m the one who needs to enter with Roger. He can introduce me around. You¡¯ve been saying that I need to find a husband. It¡¯s only right, and what¡¯s best for our family,¡± Regina advised. ¡°Excuse me, as his wife, the honor to enter belongs to me,¡± Sasha announced. It was clear that she had long forgotten that the fact that they were married was supposed to be a secret. She didn¡¯t yell, but her voice carried. A line had built up, and I saw someone outside recording the argument as it yed out. Whoever they were, they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this. The Cook family should have just backed off. They should have epted that with Roger being out of town, they missed the opportunity this time around. With Ana¡¯s ns, this might be theirst chance to attend the auction. They just didn¡¯t know it yet. ¡°I need to take Sasha in with me tonight,¡± Roger lowered his voice to reply to his family. ¡°What? You¡¯re willing to take her instead of your mother?¡± Joyce¡¯s voice rang out like nails on a chalkboard. ¡°Roger, you two are already married. This is a special opportunity for me. What if I managed to meet someone who can help your business? I¡¯m already twenty¨Cfive. Are you trying to make me a spinster like Elizabeth? How can you do this to me?¡± Regina¡¯s wailing was drawing even more attention to them. ¡°How dare you say that? We¡¯re married. There¡¯s no one more qualified than I am to go into this auction. You two are causing a scene. Just get back into the limo and go home. We can discuss itter, but introducing me will help thepany, and in turn help you. You need to think of the bigger picture here. You don¡¯t see Scott or Charlie out here pitching a fit. You do realize that people are watching us,¡± Sasha responded, lowering her voice more with each sentence she spoke. Joyce and Regina then turned around and noticed that pictures were being taken one after the other by the paparazzi. Joyce put her hand over her face, but then saw someone recording them a few people behind them. She was furious and stepped towards them to try to take their phone away. When the phone lowered slightly, my breath was stolen from my lungs. Ana stood there with a bright smile on her face as she looked down at Joyce. Joyce was flustered for a minute as she looked at Ana in shock. She looked her up and down before finally saying, ¡°What are you doing here? Trying to get in on Roger¡¯s ticket? You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh, I know, Joyce. I know you have to RSVP to have more than two enter. I was here for the whole show. Very entertaining. I might have missed it if you hadn¡¯t been standing on the red carpet posing like you own the ce. Regardless, I¡¯m happy you did it. I was scared that I would miss you getting kicked out. As I was the one who always notified them that Roger¡¯s group would be a total of five. He will have to get someone else to do that from now on. Here¡¯s a tip for you: always read the fine print. It¡¯s where they get you,¡± Ana replied with a smirk. ¡°How could you talk to your elder like that. I¡¯m about to be your mother¨Cinw, Elizabeth. You can¡¯t speak to me like that,¡± Joyce spat out. ¡°Well, who knowns if the wedding is still on, at this point. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Maybe I¡¯ll change my mind. I think that with this week of peace I¡¯ve had away from you, that I don¡¯t want a shrew for a mother¨Cinw, or a sister¨Cinw anymore,¡± Ana responded. No one expected her to p back. ¡°Roger, did you cancel the wedding?¡± Joyce called over. The moment Roger¡¯s attention was draw to Ana, he froze. He¡¯s lucky I know she hates him even more than me, as he jerked in surprise and immediately walked over to her. The rest of the Cook family followed, and the line started to move again. I motioned to Seth to let him know Ana was here. We both watched as that jerk ran his disgusting eyes over her. I knew what he was thinking, and hell would freeze over before I allowed him to touch her. We both moved closer to the door to hear their conversation. ¡°Elizabeth, what are you doing here? Is something wrong with your phone? Because I¡¯ve been trying to contact you for two days now. Where have you been? Why did you sell our home? Are you facing money issues? You know that I would have helped you. You should have reached out to me. I¡¯m your fianc¨¦, You¡¯re supposed to lean on me when times are tough,¡± Roger told her. He should have been an actor. He sounded genuine. No wonder she fell for his act; he¡¯s a natural liar. ¡°Is this the woman recing me?¡± Ana asked him as she motioned to a stunned Sasha. Roger flushed before saying, ¡°You could never be reced, Elizabeth. You¡¯re the star of ourpany.¡± ¡°I am the one who¡¯s recing you. My name is Sasha, and Roger¡¯s taking me to the auction tonight to introduce me to the investors. So if you were hoping to get in on his invitation, you can¡¯t,¡± Sasha coldly told her. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything from Roger in order for me to get by. It¡¯s the other way around, actually, but you two will be finding that out soon enough,¡± Ana said as she walked past them and headed to the door. Ana has always been beautiful, but tonight she was unbelievable. I have never before seen such a stunning woman. She exuded beauty and grace. Her confidence was unmatched. She strode forward, passing the paparazzi, and heading straight to the door. Gwen and Emily were right behind her. The man at the door kept staring at her, and hadn¡¯t taken the invitation yet. Ana smiled and waved it in front of his eyes. He apologized and quickly motioned them through. I need to get to her before anyone else moves In on her. With the way she looks tonight, she could easily rece me as her groom. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m ever letting her go again. Chapter 22 Roger¡¯s POV I knew Elizabeth had lost weight and changed her wardrobe. But it¡¯s impossible for the woman who was standing in front of me now to be Elizabeth. This woman was gorgeous. If she didn¡¯t have the same color eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it was her. But when she spoke, I knew it was her, as impossible as it seemed. How has she changed so quickly? Have I really missed all her recent changes? I¡¯m usually pretty observant. Have I ignored her in favor of Sasha so much that I missed her transformation? I watched her walk away, and I knew at that moment that I had messed up. Sasha wasn¡¯t better than Elizabeth. A spark of fear raced up my spine. Dixon had been correct about one thing. Elizabeth had changedpletely. Sasha discreetly hit me in my ribs with her elbow and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Roger, you¡¯re embarrassing me. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the one you married.¡± My mother power¨Cwalked behind Elizabeth, trailing after her as if she intended to confront her again. Dad managed to stop her, but we all heard her shrill voice cry out, ¡°How did Elizabeth even get an invitation to this event? How is she allowed to enter the event, but not us? There were three of them, yet you allowed them entry. Don¡¯t try to tell me that she belongs here, because I simply won¡¯t believe it,¡± my mother scoffed. ¡°Mrs. Cook, their invitation included three guests. It is not our fault that the RSVP for Cook Custom Jewelry was not followed. We¡¯re not to me for the confusion. As stated before, this has been an ongoing policy for thest three years. We do it this way so we have seating avable for all our guests,¡± the man at the door replied. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a stupid rule. You should have extra chairs avable for emergencies like this,¡± my mother replied. Again, Mrs. Cook. My apologies, but nothing can be done about it tonight. Maybe next year you¡¯ll RSVP¡± he replied calmly. ¡°Please step to the side, you¡¯re blocking our Guests from entering the venue.¡± My mother whirled around to face me, ¡°Roger, as your mother, I demand to enter the auction with you tonight. Sasha was standing in line, ring at me, motioning me toe over to her. She heard what my mother just said, and she was pissed. I hadn¡¯t even done anything to make her mad, but she was very angry with me. I wasn¡¯t in any hurry to arrive at the door with her and my mother. It was clear to me that Sasha wanted to enter to confront Elizabeth again. Most likely because she sold the vi. Sasha was furious about that and spoiling for a fight. I still remember the shame I felt when we went to the house and couldn¡¯t get past the gate. It had been the most humiliating experience of my life. I found out from the new owner that it had been sold in less than a week. Elizabeth demonstrated her efficiency in selling the house out from under us. It was a power move to be able to make something like that happen. Was she so angry with me that she was willing to lose money on the deal just to get back at me? I¡¯m realizing the depth of my mistakes now. I¡¯m now bound to a woman who has proven over and over again this week that she makes bad decisions and refuses to listen to what I need her to do. I had already told Sasha that we need to handle Elizabeth with kid gloves. That we needed to y nice until could legally get the upper hand. Yet, Sasha prevented me from returning a day early after I heard about the legal warning. She continues to spend money as if she¡¯s the one who earned it. Worst of all, she just got in Elizabeth¡¯s face. It¡¯s only a matter of time before Sasha blurts out in anger that I married her, and she¡¯s pregnant with my child. At that point, I¡¯ll lose everything. Elizabeth is one of the most intelligent women I know. She won¡¯t just calmly step back. She is going to destroy me, and she knows how to do it. I might not have mentioned just how much she¡¯s done to get mypany up and running to my family. But I was fully aware I wouldn¡¯t be where I am now without her. She created the designs, provided the capital, and secured our investors. I felt a little guilty knowing that I¡¯m doing this to her. She has done nothing but help and support me through the years. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t deny her when she asked me to marry her. I had to y along, or lose everything. But the way she looks now, I see just how big a mistake I made. I traded in a kind and intelligent woman for Sasha. What in the hell was I thinking at the time? I knew I was intoxicated when Sasha and I finally got together. But I was sober when I married her. Sasha knew we needed to leave Elizabeth alone until I got her copyrights under my name. I can tell now that Sasha isn¡¯t going to make it through the two weeks before she confronts Elizabeth. I have to keep them separated. ¡°You messed up so bad, big brother, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to swoop in and take care of Elizabeth for you. I¡¯ll help heal her broken heart. I¡¯ve always found her attractive, even when you didn¡¯t. Maybe I¡¯ll manage to take your spot at the wedding? I mean, you¡¯re already married, you can¡¯t legally marry her. You didn¡¯t deserve her anyway, you never have. I¡¯m d I got a front row seat to see what happened tonight. This has been the only time in my life that I¡¯ve been happy to look like you. Only I¡¯m the better version because I¡¯m not a cheating jerk,¡± my younger brother told me, before smirking and walking back to where our limo was parked. No, it¡¯s impossible, he wouldn¡¯t do that to me? Would he? Deep in my heart, I knew he would. He liked her from the moment they met. If the wedding proceeds, I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to stand up and interrupt. He would tell Elizabeth what I¡¯ve been doing to her. He looks just like me. So if she found me attractive, she would find him attractive, too. The most significant difference between us was that he was much nicer than. me. He wasn¡¯t a self¨Cstarter like I was, but he was a good guy. He hasn¡¯t been a jerk to her, despite our mother instructing him to do just that. Clearly, he saw what I missed.¡± I¡¯m going to tell Mom what he just said. She won¡¯t allow him to do that. She, unlike Sasha, knows precisely what¡¯s at stake here. I quickly walked to the door and handed the invitation to the man standing there. Tonight, my mother would be the better choice of the two of them. Sasha isn¡¯t going to pass up the opportunity to confront Elizabeth. It would only cause my rtionship with Elizabeth to be even more fractured. ¡°Sasha, I¡¯ve changed my mind. My mother needs to apany me tonight. Although you are the new Director of Design at mypany, it would be inappropriate to escort you alone. I¡¯m getting married in less than two weeks. It just wouldn¡¯t look right, sorry,¡± I called back over my shoulder in a loud voice. I wanted my voice to carry over to Elizabeth. Sasha was stunned for a minute before opening her mouth to argue with me. I gave her a pointed look and said, ¡°Just go back home with my family. Mom and I will find a ride home. We will discuss it tonight when I return.¡± Sasha¡¯s anger was palpable. Elizabeth turned to look back to look at me, when the man at the door said, ¡± Wait, didn¡¯t you both admit that you two are married. I remember it clearly, it was only a few minutes ago. Are you trying to scam thedy who just entered?¡± I leaned down and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything. Just let us through.¡± He stepped back, and I almost ran towards Elizabeth. My mother headed off to try to make friends with the socialites here. I released the breath that I was holding. I had made the best decision, as my mother would avoid Elizabeth. I needed time to try to calm her down and get her to agree to sign my document. As I approached Elizabeth, I saw two men speaking with her. I hated seeing how close one of them was to her. I stepped forward and pulled her into my side. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me, love?¡± I asked. She pulled away from me and asked, ¡°Are you being serious right now, Roger? I¡¯m having some serious doubts about our engagement. Especially after you acted like it was fine to use my designs after the contract had expired. I don¡¯t care what you say; you were sent the renewals before the contracts expired. You¡¯ve had seven months, and you still refuse to sign them. I¡¯m not going to let you off. We were engaged, but now is just as good a time as any to end it.¡± I watched in horror as she pulled the engagement ring off her finger. She was being serious. The finality of it was causing me to have chest pains. This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to go down. ¡°Take it, Roger, and don¡¯te to me again. We¡¯re done. It seems a new woman had caught you¡¯re eye,¡± Elizabeth said as she held her engagement ring out to me. She nced pointedly towards the door, where Sasha was ring over at us. ¡°Your new Director of Design seems to be upset. Maybe you should skip the event andfort her. She seems to have caught feelings for you in thest week. You should just reassure her. She might get angry and fly back to Paris, refusing to work for you. That would be bad for thepany because I¡¯ve already put in my notice. I won¡¯t being back,¡± Elizabeth told me. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand her, Elizabeth. She doesn¡¯t know anyone, so I brought her here to introduce her to some of our investors and clients. You usually don¡¯te to this type of event, but she and I are not together,¡± I managed to say. My heart was beating out of my chest in anxiety. ¡°You know my heart only belongs to you.¡± It was easier to say that to her tonight. I was attracted to her now, and couldn¡¯t wait to marry her and then sweep her off to Paris, I was excited to get her pregnant now, to keep her by my side. It wouldn¡¯t be the tough assignment that I previously thought it would be. I studied her face. How did I not notice how beautiful she was before? I should have been paying more attention. ¡°Do you want to sit with me at the auction tonight?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯ll be sitting with me, Roger. I¡¯ll thank you to keep your dirty hands off of her from now on,¡± one of the men next to her spoke. ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦, you need to keep your nose out of our business,¡± I snapped back. I didn¡¯t care which one of them said it. I¡¯m not just going to stand here and be disrespected. I won¡¯t be handing Elizabeth over, not without a fight. Chapter 23 Analise¡¯s POV I gave you back your ring, Roger. I¡¯m no longer your fianc¨¦,¡± I quietly replied. ¡°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. 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. ¡°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¨Copener. 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. ¡°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?¡± ¡°How dare you speak to her like that. I¡¯m her brother, for God¡¯s sake, what a disgusting thing to say,¡± Seth replied. ¡°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. ¡°I love you, Elizabeth. How could I cheat on you?¡± Roger tried to sidestep. Say the words, Roger. Do you bet your life?¡± I asked. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°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. 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. 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. 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¨Cins 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. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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. 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. ¡°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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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. Chapter 24 Seth¡¯s POV ¡°Well? What did she say?¡± I asked when Dad returned. ¡°She¡¯lle, but not to the house. She asked us to make a reservation. She is so stubborn. You would think that she understood that we are doing this to help her, not hurt her,¡± he replied with clear frustration in his voice. ¡°Dad, we just need to sit her down and exin, but I don¡¯t want to push her too far. It¡¯s not worth losing my sister over. Ana¡¯s smart. She has made even more ns than the ones she made with you. She just gave Roger her engagement ring back. She¡¯s going to humiliate him and leave him, and Sasha looking like the bad guys. She was twisting the script on them and nning to walk away with her head high. I don¡¯t think she needs to marry Holden anymore,¡± I replied. Holden stiffened next to me and said, ¡°I already booked us a VIP room for us to discuss this over dinner tomorrow at six. She doesn¡¯t have to marry me, but I would like to marry her. I hate that something happened to make her change so drastically. I spoke to my mother about it, and she is going to talk to Tiffany again. After Ana¡¯sments yesterday about whether she was protected, it seems something happened to her that we weren¡¯t aware of. I need to know what happened. I can¡¯t take how she looks at me anymore,¡± Holden announced. ¡°Reid, please tell me you didn¡¯t bully our daughter. Are you trying to make herpletely cut ties with us?¡± my mother asked. ¡°Alicia, you know as well as I do that Ana has always been too stubborn for her own good. I know what¡¯s best for my daughter. Do not forget that I love her to the moon and back. I would never do anything that I thought would hurt her, but right now, she¡¯s not thinking clearly. She refuses to budge, and the scandal could ruin her. She was already engaged to Holden, and it¡¯s best for her to go along with it. She loved Holden; it was obvious to anyone around them. Whatever this is, it needs to be dealt with, cleanly. We don¡¯t need everyone to know our business. It really is the best option,¡± my father answered her. Hearing his reply didn¡¯tfort me. In fact, I knew that whatever he told Ana probably didn¡¯t reflect the love he had for her. I offered to go, but he insisted. He is treating this like a business deal, forgetting that Ana was already hurt. She had already blocked me. I guess he¡¯s going to be the next one to get cut out of her life. I need to make him see reason. I started this mess; I needed to fix it. ¡°Dad, you need to think carefully about what you are going to say at dinner tomorrow. Ana is guarded and upset. She blocked me after we went to Cook¡¯s Custom Jewelry on Thursday. She has been put through more than we were aware of, and this whole situation is a mess. I don¡¯t want to lose my sister. You need to remember that we don¡¯t even know where she lives anymore. She has be very good at avoiding us, do you think that a high¨Cpressure situation is going to help, or hurt us, Dad?¡± I asked. ¡°Seth is right. I believe we need to take a much softer approach. Ana¡¯s like a feral cat. She¡¯s willing to strike at any of us if we get too close to her right now. I think we just need to sit down and talk, clear the air. We don¡¯t need to force the marriage to be held on the original date. We just need to cancel the wedding with Roger and make that information official. He¡¯s already married, so he can¡¯t kick up too much. I already have a copy of his marriage certificate. I won¡¯t let him make Ana a mistress or humiliate her. Then we can let it ¡®slip¡® that and I have been talking for a couple of months, and rekindled the feelings we had for each other. All we have to do is let a picture of us holding hands surface, and this whole thing should all be behind us. No one would be willing to go against the Caldwell and Vaughn families over this,¡± Holden pointed out. ¡°Holden is right. The harder we came at her, the more she backed away. I also agree with him that Tiffany didn¡¯t do as we asked. I¡¯ve put a lot of thought into when the real changes came, and it started our second year of college. Ana started to gain weight. But things were obviously bad when we came back the summer after our first year. I always thought she was going to let her anger go, bute on. Holding a grudge for ten years? That¡¯s more than a third of her life. It¡¯s not a tantrum; there¡¯s something we missed, and we need to fix it. Holden¡¯s right, she might just be angry with us for not protecting her. Just look over at the Vaughns¡± balcony. Tiffany and Gretchen look like they would like to kill Ana,¡± I advised, and everyone leaned forward to see what I was talking about. Thankfully, Tiffany and Gretchen didn¡¯t notice us. So my parents and Holden all got to see the look on their faces. It was apparent they hated Ana, and I know for a fact that she has never done anything to them Holden was right to speak to his mother about this. I think we¡¯ve now discovered the issue, but my mother¡¯s reaction suggests she was scared to confront Naomi. We all knew how Tiffany was, spiteful and jealous of Ana when they were children. As Tiffany got older, she managed to hide it better, but I just think the mystery was solved. We just need to know what happened. Naomi was the first to notice us looking at them and waved towards my mother. That got Tiffany a Gretchen¡¯s attention, and they quickly masked they¡¯re looks of disgust and smiled gently at us. My stomach turned. I was never going to ept Tiffany, especially not as my wife. My mother looked at me, and the pain. on her face was unmistakable. I heard a low sob, and Dad wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. Well, at least we know why Ana kept quiet. Because whatever this mess was, it would have torn apart her friendship with Naomi. ¡°Maybe we should invite the Vaughns to the dinner, and get it all out in the open,¡± my mother hesitantly suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mom. I think it would be best for the four of us, and Ana. She doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, and having Tiffany there won¡¯t make it any easier. But if we¡¯re going to confront them, we need to have Tiffany and Gretchen both there. Otherwise, Tiffany will defect everything onto Gretchen. Her family isn¡¯t as powerful as the Vaughns, and unless she¡¯s there to defend herself, we won¡¯t get the actual truth. I want the truth, no matter how painful it will be. I¡¯ve felt like a disappointment to her all these years. She used to look up to me, she loved me, and things are not the same anymore. She still loves me, but she is holding me and Holden ountable for what happened. I know she is, I can tell that our rtionship is much different than before.¡± I replied. My parents are upset, but Mom ispletely shattered. She loved Ana, and she tried to be there for her, for us, our whole lives. To know that Ana took the me and refused to speak about it is tearing us apart. She was trying to protect us from whatever it was, and none of us supported her in her darkest time. I want to go over there and force those two to tell me what they did to my sweet sister. We all know that every time we tried to force Ana to let it go or be nice to them, it had hurt her deeply. I didn¡¯t mean to, but I keep messing things up. For instance, by using the guise of helping, I offered the solution of Ana marrying Holden. At the time, it seemed like a great idea. I thought she would be so grateful that Holden saved her from being ruined, she would be willing to make it work. I thought it was a done deal when Holden agreed to go through with it. I remember that timeframe well. Holden and I were only interested in finding the next girl. We thought Ana was fine because only a fool would have hurt her. I guess I was so used to having my orders followed, even back then, that I didn¡¯t once stop to think that there was an issue. Tiffany had better stay away from me from now on. I don¡¯t put my hands on women, but I could still call in a favor to have another woman deal with her. I can feel someone staring at me, and when I turned to look, Tiffany gave me a little finger wave. I turned back to the stage. She ys an innocent very well, but I know better now. I would have never imagined that she was the same person who was ring daggers at Ana earlier. How she was acting now was an illusion. The person we saw earlier was the honest, unfiltered Tiffany. A snake in the grass. I leaned over to speak to Holden quietly. ¡°We need to find out what Tiffany did to Ana. I don¡¯t want to let her out of the room until she tells us. I will bring security, and you can too. We need to deal with whatever it was. We need to remind her that she can always count on us to be there for her. So, no matter what happens tomorrow, we need to make sure that she knows that we love her, and we will never let her get hurt again,¡± I advised. ¡°Already ahead of you, Seth, I have already purchased an engagement ring for her. She will be Mr. Holden Vaughn. I hate to say this, but I support your father¡¯s decision to push her into marrying me. I will love and take care of her for the rest of her life, but I might need some help getting her to the altar. But after she¡¯s my wife, I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt her again, even her own family,¡± Holden answered me. ¡°Then we¡¯re in agreement, Holden. You¡¯re still the man she loves, but she¡¯s hurt. We just don¡¯t know how badly. yet. You need to convince her that you will be the best husband she could ask for, Holden. I¡¯m entrusting you with one of the most important people in my life. Even if you are my best friend, I won¡¯t let you hurt her,¡± I replied. ¡°I love your sister, Seth. I¡¯ll never hurt her,¡± Holden replied. ¡°After the auction is over, I¡¯ll go over and smooth things between us out, so she will be more willing to talk to us tomorrow at dinner,¡± I responded. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, Seth. I can see her balcony, and they all left,¡± Holden replied. I quickly turned to look at her balcony, and he was right, she was gone. I hope she actually shows up tomorrow. I need to apologize and make things right between us. After I find out what she did, Tiffany will be dealt with appropriately. Chapter 25 Analise¡¯s POV After my father made an appearance, my headache got even worse. Noticing Tiffany and Gretchen giving me the death re, I just wanted to leave. I had no energy to put up with anything else tonight. I was done. I told Emily and Gwen to stay there and enjoy their night, but they insisted on leaving with me. My head was pounding so badly that I didn¡¯t argue when Gwen insisted I stay the night at her house. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to go back to Fashion Forward. Gwen gave me a nightgown to wear while she washes my clothes today. I took a long shower as I plotted my next steps. I needed to move a few things forward. I had tipped off Roger and his family that I was only getting started. As much as I loved my new car, I was going to have to leave it here in Gwen¡¯s garage until I moved into my home. I needed it to be safe. Hiring a driver/bodyguard as well as a bodyguard was going to have to be two weeks early. I could tell that Sasha, Joyce, or Tiffany would be happy to hire someone to cut my break lines. I would be making that call in the morning. I had already set it up. I just needed to call them and tell them when to start. I knew that my father hated it when I didn¡¯tply. I knew I was in for an argument tomorrow night, and Dad wasn¡¯t going to back down. I also knew it would be four against one, which was fine. We did need to have a family meeting. I¡¯m going to make sure that this is the first andst time that Dad ever threatens my business. I finished my shower and just went through the motions tonight, as I did my skin care. I had just started a routine. Thedies suggested that I needed to start a skin care routine when they helped me pick out my makeup. I hadn¡¯t spoken to Gwen or Emily on the way home. My mind was working overtime. Gwen knew what the issue was, but I hadn¡¯t told Emily. It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t a valuable and trusted friend. It was because I didn¡¯t like to talk about it. Gwen only knew because we always went over the applications together. When I saw that Tiffany and Gretchen had applied to be brand ambassadors for Fashion Forward, my hands started to shake. Gwen doesn¡¯t know the whole story, but she heard some of it that day. She was happy not just to kick them out of ourpany, but also to ensure that otherpanies heard what we had done. Some were surprised, as they hadn¡¯t expected us to reject Tiffany Vaughn because of who her family was. She considered herself an influencer, but she didn¡¯t have that many followers. She had applied several years ago. She didn¡¯t haven many followers back then either. She was trying to gain more followers by working here. She has about fifty thousand followers now, which honestly wasn¡¯t very many. I didn¡¯t eat, I wasn¡¯t hungry. I just went straight to bed. I knew that tomorrow was going to be a tough day. I already anticipated how tonight would go. I tossed and turned for hours, unable to sleep. When I fall asleep, the ping of a notification would wake me up. I finally had to turn my phone off at one in the morning. When sleep did finallye, it was filled with nightmares. I woke up when Gwen entered to put my clothes on the dresser for me. I probably got three hours of sleep. I was sure that I would need a driver today. I turned my phone back on and saw about forty text messages. Half of them were from Roger. I¡¯ve never received twenty text messages from Roger in a month before. This had to be some kind of record for him. I didn¡¯t read any of the texts. My head still hurts from the stress ofst night, and theck of sleep hasn¡¯t helped. I rode to work with Gewn. Emily didn¡¯t have to be there untilter. I used the time to call and start my security team today. It was short notice, but they would be here this afternoon. I had looked through Roger¡¯s texts to see that he wanted me to drop by thepany at one. I told him I would be there, but I didn¡¯t tell him I would be alone. I went straight to my office and decided to take a nap. I needed to get more sleep today. As much as they all deserved it, I still needed to control myself and what I said. I turned off the light andy down on my couch. This time, I managed to sleep a few more hours, with no nightmares. Maybe it was because my office had a special scent in it. I felt safe here, but I felt better when I woke up. My new security detail would be here in thirty minutes, and I had gotten ready to go to see Roger. The gate guard had been notified that they would be driving me around for the foreseeable future. I had sent a message to Rodney Briggs before I took my nap, so he was ready to meet us there at twelve fifty. Roger won¡¯t be alone. Of that, I am sure. He is going to be very surprised that I¡¯m not alone either. I already know that this isn¡¯t going to be as fun as I had imagined. I learned that the hard wayst night. I curled my hair and left it down. I liked the waves it made. I quickly put some mascara on and a little eyeliner. I had bought arge brush set, and smudged the copper colored liner, which made my eyes pop. I put on red lipstick, as I was preparing for war. I put on my new favorite outfit. It was a ck button¨Cdown shirt and my ck pencil skirt. I put a slim gold belt around my waist. I never used to wear a belt, but this one was a gift from Emily. She insisted that the belt would emphasize my new hourss figure. She was right, it did, I slipped on my ballet ts and put my heels into my purse. I hadn¡¯t eaten yet, but I was ready early as I wanted to stop and get a coffee, one that I knew I needed. I was in front of Fashion Forward offices at the appropriate time, and they were already there. The one in the passenger seat got out to open my door for me. They both had earpieces and looked formidable. ording to the man I spoke with when I called, all of their employees were former military. I didn¡¯t ask for handsome guys, but hey, if that¡¯s who I was assigned, who am I to argue? The man behind the wheel was a charmer named Charlie, and Drew was in the passenger seat. Charlie pulled out to leave, and the guard at the gate waved us out. After we pulled out into the street, I asked, ¡°Can we stop for coffee? I know it¡¯ste, but my sleep was terrible, and I need a pick¨Cme¨Cup. It¡¯s my treat if you want one too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Ms. Caldwell. We can get our own,¡± Charlie replied. ¡°I want to, you guys might end up in a fight, sooner thanter, so I want to make sure that I take care of your both,¡± I responded with a smile. ¡°Gun fight? Or fist fight?¡± Drew asked. ¡°Fist fight, it isn¡¯t that serious, well, not yet. But please, for the time being, call me Ms. Wade. My ex¨Cfianc¨¦, Roger Cook, doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m a Caldwell, and he won¡¯t until after our wedding date has passed. But I am from the Caldwell family, and you will be seeing them tonight. You don¡¯t have to speak to them. I don¡¯t n on speaking to them either,¡± I replied. ¡°Your ex¨Cfianc¨¦ doesn¡¯t know who you are?¡± Charlie asked in surprise. ¡°No, my parents didn¡¯t show me off; they like to be private. I want to get you up to speed. Roger and I were co¨Cowners until I found out that he had married his first love. Making our wedding a sham. He won¡¯t file it since I mean so little to him. I sold my shares and informed the investors I had brought in that I am no longer part of thepany. Thepany won¡¯t be able to survive without me. He wants me to sign a document that would allow him to steal my jewelry designs today. That is what the one p.m. meeting will be about. My attorney will be meeting us there, and I won¡¯t be signing anything. Try to keep a straight face. I¡¯m sure his wife will be there. She was being given my former position in thepany. Roger¡¯s going to lose it. He needs my designs for thepany to be sessful. He¡¯s about to learn a hard lesson today,¡± I replied. Charlie pulled into a drive¨Cthrough and I gave him my order. He ended up paying for all of our drinks, despite my trying to give him a twenty. ¡°Ms. Wade, you¡¯ve been through enough, so it¡¯s my treat today. We have your back. We won¡¯t let anything happen to you. ¡°Thank you, Charlie,¡± I replied in almost a whisper because that was one of the nicest things I¡¯ve heard in al long time. The fact that it came from a stranger who doesn¡¯t even know me hit home. I had to look up and start blinking to keep the tears from escaping. I¡¯m not going to cry, not in front of anyone else. I will probably be crying in the shower tonight, like I usually do.. They could tell that I was upset, so they stopped speaking, and we rode in afortable silence as we headed to thepany. I had them pull into the visitors¡® parking in front of the building. I wasn¡¯t an employee anymore. I changed my shoes. I wore the ck heels with the red bottoms, and refreshed my lipstick. I felt like I had my armor on. No matter what Roger does or what Sasha says, they can¡¯t hurt me. Not anymore, they¡¯re not important to me at all. We didn¡¯t get out until Rodney pulled up. We all got out together, and I introduced my bodyguards to Rodney. ¡°Roger is going to hate seeing you with them,¡± Rodney teased. He knows me. He knew that I was already anxious about this. I have been non¨Cconfrontational for most of my life. They all walked behind me as headed towards the entrance. I could already see Sasha and Dixon standing at the receptionist¡¯s desk. The moment I entered, I heard Dixon call out, ¡°Elizabeth, this was a meeting between you and Roger, Who are all these people?¡± ¡°My attorney and my security. I don¡¯t feel safe here anymore,¡± I replied calmly. ¡°Well, they can¡¯t be present for the meeting. I¡¯m sorry, but they have to stay down here in the lobby,¡± Sasha said as she walked up to block me. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Sasha. Please inform Roger that you¡¯re the reason for the cancetion of today¡¯s meeting. Rodney, prepare another letter, Please, include the number of units they produced after the contracts expired. I want payment for them, immediately. Also, send Roger a bill for your time. You lost an houring here today,¡± I said as I headed right back to the front doors. Chapter 26 Analise¡¯s POV ¡°Wait, Elizabeth, don¡¯t leave. They don¡¯t speak for me or thepany. You didn¡¯t need to bring them. This isn¡¯t going to be a battle. I just needed to discuss the contracts. Please stay, we need to talk,¡± Roger pleaded. ¡°You sure? They both seemed pretty sure that they were speaking for you,¡± I replied. ¡°Juste up to my office with us, please,¡± Roger asked. ¡°After you,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t want to go up in the elevator with them. Sasha immediately tried to grab Roger¡¯s arm as they walked to the elevator. He shook her off and looked back at me with a sheepish grin. ¡°She¡¯s still new here. She doesn¡¯t know anyone else,¡± Roger advised. I guess he really did think I was stupid. ¡°She knows Dixon. They were talking before I came in, but I don¡¯t see her trying to grab his arm. It¡¯s weird. I worked here for seven years, and Dixon could never speak to me properly. I guess he likes Sasha,¡± I replied as we waited for the elevator. The moment it opened, Roger stepped in with Sasha and Dixon, Roger held the door open. ¡°Elizabeth, you can ride up with us.¡± ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll stay with the people I can trust,¡± I responded. Roger looked hurt, but Sasha looked like she was going to cry. Tears spilled out, ¡°I don¡¯t even know you. Why would you say something like that about me?¡± she sobbed. ¡°Please try to end the waterworks before the meeting starts. Your crying is really distracting. Plus, they don¡¯t know where they¡¯re going,¡± I replied. ¡°We¡¯ll see you upstairs, right?¡± Roger asked. I guess he thought I was going to make a run for it. Not today. I needed to get this handled. Roger¡¯s perfect world was about to copse around him, and I needed to be here to get the ball rolling. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. Roger took his hand off the door and let them shut. I could see he was worried. He should be. I¡¯m quite sure that Sasha is not done, not by a long shot. ¡°Let me get this straight. He reced you with her? Charlie asked. ¡°He did,¡± I answered. ¡°What a dumbass,¡± Drew muttered just loud enough for us to hear. ¡°He is,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I think this job is going to go down as one of my favorites,¡± Charlie said with a lowugh. ¡°I certainly hope you can hold yourughter. I¡¯m sure Sasha is going to win an Academy Award today for her acting. She¡¯s only with him because he has money now. She rejected him before. Once his money is gone, she¡¯ll be gone too, but that won¡¯t be my problem. There¡¯s more, but just try not to react,¡± I announced as we entered the empty elevator. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this is happening to you, Analise,¡± Rodney told me. ¡°Me too, Rodney, but once this is done, I¡¯m not going to be the one who looks bad. I¡¯m going to fight fire with fire,¡± I said as the elevator pinged, signaling we had arrived on Roger¡¯s floor. I was surprised to see Roger standing there when the doors opened. He looked relieved when he saw me. He was unhappy that Rodney was there. He genuinely believed the conditions were clearly hidden in the contract, but not from an experienced attorney. I had given Rodney options. If I had security with us, he could point out the problems here in thepany. If we didn¡¯t have security, he could im he needed to review the paperwork. This was thest time I¡¯ll being back here, voluntarily, that is. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what my mother saidst night. You know how she is,¡± Roger said as he led me to his office. A few employees greeted me as we walked across the floor. I replied, reminding myself to wish them well as I left today. I felt safe with Charlie and Drew with us. I knew that they would protect me and Rodney if it came down to it. We entered Roger¡¯s office, and I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Sasha and Dixon sitting in the only two chairs in front of Roger¡¯s desk. I took a quick nce at Roger, and he was angry. I¡¯m sure he asked them to behave. I wonder when he¡¯s going to realize that Sasha won¡¯t stop baiting me until their secret is out. I hope she¡¯s not thinking I¡¯m going to respond to her attempts to irritate me. I was already willing to leave. If she keeps pushing, I will. I was only here to let him know that he can¡¯t use my designs anymore. It was a courtesy for me to even be here. But I didn¡¯t have to stay. ¡°What are you two doing? Get up. Those chairs are for Elizabeth and her attorney. Go sit on the couch,¡± Roger insisted. ¡°Why do I have to sit on the couch? I¡¯m your Design Director,¡± Sasha hissed out. ¡°I was Design Director here for five years. Guess how many meetings I sat in on?¡± I asked. Roger flushed as he already knew the answer. I had never sat in on a meeting like this. Even when I spoke to investors, I met them either in my office or at a restaurant. Roger didn¡¯t include me in this type of meeting. I sighed before saying, ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t as talented as Ms. Elliott clearly is. We stood there for over a minute, but neither of them moved. ¡°Roger, just give us the copy you wanted us to look at. Rodney and I will review at his office and get back to you about it. It¡¯s clear they don¡¯t respect me or Rodney, I¡¯m sure that will change when you get served for thewsuit,¡± I stated, and opened the door of his office. ¡°No! Wait, Elizabeth. They will move,¡± Roger cried out as he chased me to the elevators. ¡°I no longer work here, Roger, and time is money. You told them to move, and they didn¡¯t respect you enough to do so. I was already confrontedst night by my recement. I came here out of respect for what we had, but I¡¯m still not respected. I¡¯m done. I will not return. You can stop texting me. Pleasemunicate any further business with Rodney. He will be dealing with you from now on. We¡¯re done, and I no longer have the desire to put up with the crap I did before. Lose my number. The wedding is off. I will make sure that it¡¯s announced officially this week,¡± I told him. The look on his face was almostical. We stood there as Roger tried to figure out a response to what had just said. Rodney broke the silence. ¡°Mr. Cook, either go get the paperwork or step out of our way. We intend to leave.¡± ¡°The paperwork isn¡¯tpleted, just yet, Mr. Briggs. Please give me a day or two to get back with you,¡± Roger managed to get out. ¡°You made mee here and knew you didn¡¯t have the paperwork ready? That doesn¡¯t sound like you, Roger. You insisted Ie here. I think you believed that I would just show up here and sign whatever you wanted. There was a time when I cared about you, about thepany. But those days are over. I¡¯m no longer a part of thispany, and I don¡¯t care if it sinks. What I do know is that if you continue to produce my designs without a contract, I¡¯ll see you in court. I will not settle, and I will ensure that it isn¡¯t handled discreetly. I won¡¯t stop until the whole city knows what Cook Custom Jewelry has done,¡± I replied as I looked Roger in the eye. I didn¡¯t flinch, and that¡¯s when he started to sweat. ¡°Elizabeth, don¡¯t be like that. Why would you do this? We were to be married in just two weeks. You¡¯ve changed so much, I don¡¯t even recognize you anymore. You returned my ringst night, and now this. You are a part of Cook¡¯s; if not for you, thepany wouldn¡¯t be where it is. I thought that once we were married, the designs would belong to both of us. Don¡¯t you understand that if thepany fails, you¡¯ll never get your money back? If thepany fails, we all fail,¡± Roger refuted. Before I could respond, the elevator door opened, and Joyce walked out with a pleased look on her face. ¡°This is her officers. She illegally sold my son¡¯s home. Please arrest her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interfere, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I quietly told Charlie and Drew. ¡°Rodney, follow us to the police station. Call Gwen and have her call Christine to meet me at the police station. I warned Rogerst night, but apparently, he can¡¯t control his mother. Oh, and I want to sue Joyce Cook and Roger Cook for false arrest.¡± I was very calm as I spoke. Getting arrested with my attorney standing right next to me was perfection. There¡¯s no sense getting my security team involved in this. ¡°Can you pick me up at the station. I¡¯ll be tied up for two hours, so feel free to grab something to eat and pick me up around three¨Cthirty. Can you bring me some food, too, when youe? That coffee is all I¡¯ve had today. Joyce was just as stunned as the officers were. If she thought I was going to beg her not to arrest me, she could keep dreaming. The police officers apanying her looked very confused. ¡°Mom, I told youst night that the house belonged to Elizabeth. Did you not hear what she said? If you push this, it will be bad publicity for not just mypany, but Dad¡¯s too,¡± Roger cried out. ¡°No, it was your home, you told me it was,¡± Joyce replied. ¡°It¡¯s illegal to sell what doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡± But she was less assured about it now. I just wanted them to put the cuffs on me. Because the moment that happens, I wille after everything the Cook¡¯s own. Stripping her of every shred of dignity she has. That is what will hurt her the most. Not being able to hold her head up in public is going to ruin her. ¡°Officers, I¡¯m sorry my mother got you involved. She is incorrect. Elizabeth and I were engaged to be married. She ended the engagement and sold the home that she had bought for us. My mother misunderstood who the actual owner of the home was. Thank you foring, but Elizabeth hasn¡¯t broken anyws,¡± Roger assured them. ¡°Yes, she has, Roger. Just because you¡¯re too scared to punish her doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not going to. I warned herst night that she would go to prison for what she did. I know you think you need her, son, but you don¡¯t. Elizabeth is only holding you back. I showed you the deed to the property. I demand that she be brought up on fraud charges. I want to share her mugshot so everyone will know what you did, Elizabeth,¡± Joyce said with satisfaction. She was looking forward to humiliating me, and as the handcuffs were ced on my wrists, I looked at Roger and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be taking care of this myself,¡± I advised him. Chapter 27 Roger¡¯s POV Holy shit, I can¡¯t believe my mother actually made the police arrest Elizabeth. I knew exactly what Elizabeth meant, and I was scared. My lies were catching up with me fast, but with my mother insisting that she be arrested, there was nothing I could do. She was already in handcuffs, and I needed to get her out of this as quickly as possible. I can only go to the station and bail her out, and talk Mom out of the bogus charges. I had spoken to my mother at length in the car ride homest night. She acted as if she heard me, that she understood it wasn¡¯t my house in the first ce, yet she¡¯s here pushing this today. Wait, why is she here now? I turned and looked at Sasha, and with the big smile on her face, I knew she had told my mother that Elizabeth was going to be here today at one. This was not a coincidence. This was a coordinated attack. How could they be so stupid? This is going to backfire so badly on thepany, and them. Did they not understand that? I wanted to scream. Elizabeth didn¡¯t even argue. She just started firing off instructions like she expected this to happen. I knew she told me that Mom had threatened herst night, but I hadn¡¯t expected Mom to go this far with it. Arresting Elizabeth for selling her own house, my head is really starting to hurt. I can almost see the headlines on this now. Both bodyguards started recording the moment they saw the police. They weren¡¯t involved in this, so why are they recording? ¡°Mom, please stop what you¡¯re doing. Do you want to go to jail yourself? Please think about what you just said. Elizabeth is in handcuffs now, and you¡¯re swearing out a statement that shemitted fraud. Are you so willing to take the chance of going to jail yourself if they find out you lied? Why would you do this?¡± I asked. This entire situation has gottenpletely out of hand. ¡°What¡¯s she going to do, Roger? She¡¯s an orphan. Who¡¯s going to help her? These men are only actors. Sasha already told me what Elizabeth¡¯s trying to do. Elizabeth¡¯s just here trying to get you back, but it¡¯s toote. I will never let her be with you. I told you when she begged you to marry her, that she wasn¡¯t worthy of the Cook name,¡± Joyce replied with a smug smile. I hear one of the men scoff, but I couldn¡¯t tell who did it. I red at the group of men before speaking, regardless, Mom, Elizabeth helped me create mypany from the ground up. She¡¯s owed respect if only for that. She¡¯s tied to mypany. If she looks bad, we look bad. Why would you do this? I¡¯ve exined to you several times that the vi was never my home. It never had my name on the title. Are you trying to ruin me?¡± I asked. ¡°You lived there, Roger; it was your home. You had possession of the house, son. Until it was legally taken from you, you couldn¡¯t break in and pack you up like that. Stop defending her. I warned her, and yet she still humiliated you. I won¡¯t let her go,¡± my mother snapped out. Before turning to the officers and saying, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Take her to jail.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, if you wille with us. I¡¯m sure we will have it sorted quickly,¡± one of the officers politely told Elizabeth. The female officer took her upper arm and led her to the elevator. ¡°We will sort it quickly. My attorney has already called my realtor. She will bring the necessary paperwork to clear this up quickly. If I might ask, what proof did she provide that the home didn¡¯t belong to me?¡± Elizabeth asked calmly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Elizabeth. If you doe up with any paperwork saying you¡¯re the owner, it¡¯s going to be forged,¡± Joyce answered before they could. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t say that I¡¯m the legal owner, then it was actually forged. I can¡¯t believe that you would involve your daughter in this, Joyce. You do know that Regina is going to go down with you. Forging legal documents is against thew. Whoever forged that paperwork for you is going to lose their job. Do you think they¡¯ll remain silent about who asked them to do it, once that happens? I can assure you that I won¡¯t be pursuing the man who helped her. That will be between his job and the police. But the fact that you and Regina hate me enough to do this doesn¡¯t shock me. I don¡¯t know who came up with the idea, but this is going to backfire on you spectacrly. I already know that you have people waiting downstairs for me to be brought out in handcuffs.¡± Elizabeth stopped speaking to nce over at Sasha with a pointed look, before looking back at my mother and giving a lowugh. ¡°Joyce, one day, very soon, you¡¯re going to be very sorry for what you¡¯ve done to me. It¡¯s one thing to waste my time, but to do all this, in order to try to make me look bad? It¡¯s truly pathetic,¡± Elizabeth said with a small smile. It was as if she had already known what my mother was nning to do all along. This was really not good. My mother ispletely delusional. I¡¯m sure Sasha had her hand in this as well. They both think Elizabeth will be unable to defend herself, but they¡¯re wrong. She showed up with her attorney. I knew they were up to somethingtest night. I hate that I knew Elizabeth was correct. Which means that there were reporters outside. This was going to be so bad for my business. Do they not care, or do they simply not understand the problem they¡¯ve created for me? I have to go downstairs with my mother. I need to stop her. She¡¯s about to ruin me, to try to hurt Elizabeth. I¡¯m trying to be nice to her, as I need her designs. Now they¡¯ve pushed her so far, she¡¯ll never sign my documents. Rodney was on the phone before Elizabeth was even handcuffed. ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Central booking,¡± they answered as they guided her to the elevator. ¡°They¡¯re taking her to Central, okay, see you soon,¡± he said before ending the call. ¡°Christine is on her way.¡± ¡°Good, this should be settled quickly. Make sure that Joyce carries the bulk of the charges,¡± Elizabeth replied. ¡°Already ahead of you,¡± Rodney answered with a smile. ¡°While I¡¯m waiting to get you out, I¡¯ll call around to see if a judge will sign an injunction to stop all jewelry production for Cook Custom Jewelry until we get this straightened out. The charges are really piling up.¡± ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t have to do that. I can assure you that I¡¯ll stop production myself. Don¡¯t do this, Elizabeth. Please, I swear I won¡¯t use your designs anymore. Don¡¯t you understand that ourpany can¡¯t survive for long if you do that?¡± I stated as a reminder. I could see that Rodney is fully intent on ruining me. ¡°Your promises mean nothing to me, Roger. I do know exactly what¡¯s about to happen. You chose this when you refused to tell the truth to your family and friends. You told them that I was just an annoying designer who refused to leave you alone, instead of your partner and Co¨Cowner of thispany. I also know that when I exit this building handcuffed, there will be a number of reporters stationed outside. There¡¯s a reason I was so put together today, Roger. I already knew that they would try to humiliate me. But we¡¯ll see who has thestugh. I was wrong. I should never have asked you to marry me. I know that, now. You were never the man I thought you were. You deceived me into believing you cared for me. I hate I fell for that fantasy because that man never truly existed,¡± Elizabeth replied. ¡°What are you talking about, Elizabeth? It¡¯s ourpany. We¡¯re in this together. Stopping production affects both of us,¡± I insisted. Elizabeth¡¯s smile made me freeze in ce. Didn¡¯t she realize that, or did she just not care anymore? The elevator pinged, and as they entered, I heard Elizabeth ask, ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to ride down with her. Can she ride down on the next one? I¡¯ve had about as much of her as I can take today.¡± ¡°Not a problem. She can follow us to the police station. She still needs to fill out her statement,¡± the female officer quickly replied. ¡°No, I¡¯m going down with you,¡± Joyce insisted. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s no more room,¡± one of her bodyguards responded as they both stepped into the elevator. Her bodyguard then motioned for Rodney toe stand between them, stepping over to make room for him. The doors closed with Elizabeth grinning at my mother. I knew my mother wanted to be there to incite the reporters. This is really bad. My mother¡¯s going to cause a scene that¡¯s about to be recorded. I want to scream at my mother and Sasha, but several employees were standing around watching what happened. Some were even recording. This is horrible publicity. Why would Sasha and my mother do this to me? Are they truly that clueless? Were they trying to ruin me? I called the elevator back up, and I was starting to sweat by the time it arrived. It seemed like it took forever to catch up with them. There were several reporters outside, just as Elizabeth predicted. My mother and Sasha smiled as they saw the reporters surrounding Elizabeth and calling out questions as she was escorted to the squad car. It was obvious they had nned this. They were making my business look bad. Elizabeth¡¯s bodyguards helped block her from the cameras, but there were at least twenty reporters out here. This had been a set¨Cup, and Elizabeth had fallen into their trap. I used to respect my mother, but thest few months she¡¯s really shown her true colors. She wanted Elizabeth thrown out on her ear, with nothing. Why did she think Elizabeth didn¡¯t deserve to get her investment back? I was going to pay her the millions I owed her, with interest. I just hadn¡¯t told them that. I was going to go forward with our marriage. It might not be legal, but I needed Elizabeth. She knew what she was doing in the business world. I wasn¡¯t a fool. Only with Elizabeth by my side would thepany continue to flourish. The reporters left Elizabeth as she wasn¡¯t responding, and rushed back to us. I see my sister is now here, also dressed up. I was gritting my teeth so hard, my jaw actually ached. I would straighten them all out tonight. I walked away right before the reporters descended on us like vultures. Firing off question after question. Some called out after me as I walked away, but I ignored their questions. I needed to get Elizabeth out of jail before she got really pissed and refused to cooperate at all. This was a fucking mess. I don¡¯t know how it got to be this bad, this fast, but it¡¯s not what I wanted to happen at all. I will deal with them tonight, but they¡¯re actions may have just destroyed my business. Chapter 28 Analise¡¯s POV Things worked out even better than I had hoped. Roger wasn¡¯t stupid. I watched as he realized that his wife, mother, and sister had colluded together. He loved hispany more than anything else, even his parents. I knew, but apparently they didn¡¯t. Or at least they didn¡¯t care enough to keep from publicly embarrassing him. He was furious with them. I knew he was nning oning down to the station to bail me out, but I didn¡¯t need him or his help anymore. I didn¡¯t know they would be going quite this far, or this quickly, but I knew they were going to pay me back. I embarrassed themst night because they didn¡¯t get to enter the auction. Forcing Roger to choose who would enter with him. They couldn¡¯t get mad at him; he¡¯s the Golden Boy. That forced them to take their anger out on me. I was surprised by how quickly my security team reacted. They did well, as they tried to protect me from view as I was escorted to the police cruiser. ¡°I have a feeling that you were prepared for her to show up. You didn¡¯t act surprised,¡± one of the officers remarked. ¡°His mother has always hated me. She wanted her son to reach great heights. She didn¡¯t want him to marry me. It¡¯s fine. This is just a small issue. What¡¯sing to them soon will be a surprise I¡¯ll be happy to deliver to him and his family,¡± I replied, and shifted to make myself morefortable. Being handcuffed was extremely ufortable. They were respectful, and no one spoke again until they assisted me out of the cruiser. I asked if I could put my slippers back on for my mug shot after I had the cuffs taken off. They allowed me to do so, probably for an urate height, but I was relieved nheless. I didn¡¯t want to keep wearing the heels. Christine was already there, along with Gwen. They looked relieved when they finally saw me. I saw my bodyguards already out there, waiting for me. Charlie winked at me when I noticed them sitting there. He was a flirt, but it helped to calm me down. After what just happened, I trusted them both much more. They had been quick to help protect me. Even if Roger managed to suppress the news on TV and social media, it still had an impact. I would still have proof because my bodyguards had recorded my arrest. I knew that Rodney knew what to do. He was pacing while speaking into his phone. He was a great attorney. ording to the clock on the wall, it was a little after three¨Cthirty. I was starving, as I hadn¡¯t eaten in almost twenty¨Cfour hours now. I couldn¡¯t wait to get this over with and get out of here. I saw a movement and looked over to see Roger standing there near my bodyguards. He looked worried. I don¡¯t know if he was worried for me or his mother. But I didn¡¯t need it. The only thing I was worried. about was my parents and brother finding out about me being on the news. They were going to be very upset. Thankfully, my real name wasn¡¯t being used, but if it got out, there would be hell to pay. They locked me in an interview room. I kept waiting for someone toe and question me, but no one ever came. I guess Rodney and Christine were handling everything. I folded my arms on the table andy my head down to wait. About thirty minutester, the door opened, and they told me that I was free to go. They didn¡¯t have to tell me twice; I hurried to follow them out. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Christine and Gwen asked at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I knew you would prove I owned the vi. Thanks foring over so quickly to help me,¡± I replied. ¡°Elizabeth, I¡¯m so sorry, I will deal with them when I get home. I can¡¯t believe they did this,¡± Roger said as he approached. Charlie and Drew intercepted him and nked me on either side. Rodney stood in front of me, showing a united front. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Roger. I¡¯ll be dealing with them myself. I¡¯m quite sure I was ndered by one or more of them. I will discuss with Rodney how we will move forward. Thanks foring, but I don¡¯t need your help. They thought they could get away with this because of you and your actions. You were the one who lied to them about my position in thepany. You treated me badly, so they thought they could too. So you¡¯ve got what you wanted from this. I¡¯m not a part of thepany anymore. But you can tell them to wait for my good news. They were warnedst night. I¡¯m not willing to forgive them again. I look forward to seeing them in court,¡± I replied. Roger paled upon hearing what I told him. I knew that whatever they had said was bad, and I¡¯m fine with it. That just means they will face several charges. The more charges, the better, as I don¡¯t want this swept under the rug. Plus, when the truthes out, it will make them look even worse. Rodney turned to look at me and at the arch of my eyebrow. He smiled and nodded. I was silently assured that we had what we needed to move forward. ¡°I would like to take you all to lunch. I¡¯m starving. We can speak when we get there,¡± I told them. I walked past Roger and headed for the door. As much as this needed to go down like this, I never wanted to return here again. Well, not as a prisoner. I was just d that I hadn¡¯t been taken to a cell. I had reaffirmed the need for me to learn some self¨Cdefense after what happened in thest twenty¨Cfour hours. Seeing Tiffany again really drove the point home. I didn¡¯t want to be defenseless anymore. Charlie headed out first to show me where the vehicle was, while Drew remained by my side. Rodney had been parked next to them, and Gwen and Christine were right behind us. I knew that Roger hade here to smooth everything over, but that was not going to happen. I needed to speak to Rodney to see if Roger had handed over the document that he wanted me to sign so badly. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Charlie asked as he went to pull out. ¡°Really, I could eat anything. So, whatever sit¨Cdown restaurant is closest to us is fine with me,¡± I answered. ¡°I also wanted to thank you for being so quick to record what happened today. That¡¯ll help, as I n on suing Joyce and Sasha.¡± ¡°I asked Rodney to record their faces when they came outside after us. We were trying to run interference for you as best we could. We already saw the video. Your ex looked horrified, but the women were smiling about you being arrested. You are going to have a lot to work with. Rodney called and had his assistant record what made the news. They went a lot further than using you of selling his home. They¡¯re going to look pretty bad once they discover who you are. I hope I¡¯m around to be around to see how it ys out,¡± Drew advised. ¡°Oh, I can assure you that you both will be assigned to me. Trust is hard toe by, and you two stepped up in a big way for me today. I just want you to know that tonight is probably going to go even worse because of what happened. I thought Joyce might wait toe up with a n, which is how she usually operates. Them pulling this today has Sasha written all over it. But since you know who my family is, you need to know it is going to turn ugly tonight. My father is forcing me toe by threatening mypany, Fashion Forward. I can promise you that tonight will not go smoothly. I¡¯ll try to keep you out of it as much as I can. As things progress, the risk of threats will increase. I might consider hiring a third, so if you have suggestions, feel free to give them. I would want him to fit in well with you,¡± I replied. ¡°If you can afford it, I think that¡¯s a good idea. Your family has a number of resources. I think it might be best to keep us with you whenever you are out. He has had years of experience behind the wheel and as a bodyguard. I¡¯d suggest that you ask Jon Wolfe to rece me as your driver. That way I can keep youpany back there,¡± Charlie said. My eyes flew to his in the rear¨Cview mirror. I was shocked that he had said that, but then he winked at me again. I heard his lowugh at my response. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re just too easy to tease,¡± he said. Drew hit him with the back of his hand on his bicep, but it wasn¡¯t a hard hit. He was warning Charlie to stop flirting with me. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just not used to being flirted with. I¡¯ll call after we eat,¡± I replied, and just left it at that. I was d as he pulled into the restaurant. Drew got out and looked around before opening my door. I appreciated his caution, but at the moment, I felt I was still safe. Things will be more dangerous when my identity is exposed. ¡°I¡¯ll text our boss, so he doesn¡¯t assign Jon somewhere else. He will wait on your official request,¡± Charles advised as he met us at the back of the SUV. I could see Rodney pulling into the parking lot, with my friends right behind him. It was a sushi restaurant, and I was excited to eat here. Roger didn¡¯t like seafood, so I didn¡¯t get to eat it very often. I had to either pick it up or eat by myself. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess immediately checked Charlie and Drew out. ¡°How many?¡± she asked. ¡°Six, and we would like to sit there,¡± Charlie answered and pointed at therge private room next to us. It waspletely empty, with doors to shut out prying ears. ¡°We don¡¯t open that room up until dinner. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she replied. ¡°I can seat you in the main room.¡± ¡°No, we need to speak privately; we need the private room,¡± Drew replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have servers to work in there,¡± the hostess tried to deny us again. ¡°I¡¯ll give a hundred¨Cdor tip to whoever is free to serve us in there,¡± I spoke up. I was tired and hungry; I needed to eat. If this didn¡¯t work, we would go somewhere else. A nearby server heard me and came over. ¡°I¡¯m d to help. I will seat you now. Nancy, I¡¯ll clean the room after they leave. It won¡¯t be an issue,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied as she escorted us into the room. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. The Manager prefers the room to be kept clean, so it¡¯s not used during the day. I was the one who cleaned it yesterday. I¡¯m happy to help,¡± she replied. She took our order and left, closing the door behind her. I didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°What did they say about me?¡± I asked. Chapter 29 Analise¡¯s POV ¡°Your mother¨Cinw basically stuck to saying youmitted fraud by selling a house that didn¡¯t belong to you, but that is already cleared up. It¡¯s what Roger¡¯s wife said that is causing the biggest stir,¡± Gwen hesitantly said. ¡°Go ahead and tell me what happened. You already know that I¡¯m going to see it online anyway. Just rip off the band¨Caid and tell me,¡± I replied. We stopped speaking when the server returned with our drinks. We sat at a table in the back corner so Charlie and Drew could see anyone who entered. We sat with our backs to the wall. I sat between Charlie and Drew, and I wasn¡¯t worried about anything that Joyce and Sasha had done. I wanted them toe at me. I wanted them to bepletely ridiculous with their allegations. That way, when the bottom drops out, they won¡¯t see iting. ¡°I already have my team working on it, Ana. Sasha alleged that you were fired from your job as Director of Design for giarism. She graduated with Roger, which means she graduated a year before you. She believes that being your senior might make people more likely to believe her ims, assuming she is more experienced than you. It¡¯s a desperate move to try to keep production moving. We can prove she was lying. She just wants thepany to continue to make money. From what I hear, she is going through Roger¡¯s money very quickly. She also imed that hertest creations had been stolen by you. That was the main reason you were terminated. She implied that if anyone hires you, or ends up using ¡®her¡® designs, they will sue,¡± Rodney said with a sparkle in his eye. ¡°Good,¡± I replied. Both Drew and Charlie jerked in surprise at my response. They were clearly not expecting me to say that. ¡°We had my designs copyrightedst week, right, Gwen?¡± I asked. ¡°You know I did. The first production is ready to hit our stores at your say so. We were going to be shooting the ad for them this week. Do you want us to hold off on shooting the ad for the moment?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°No, let¡¯s move forward. I would like the first print ads to be ready by this Friday, if possible. See if Emily can shoot them tomorrow. I tweaked the design before I left Cook¡¯s. I made the design I left behind look bad, intentionally. It¡¯s unusable, but I¡¯ve left an Easter egg in it. My initials are intertwined in it. So if they allege I stole it, I can prove their lying. I can prove that all my designs are copyrighted. I can prove that my designs are the best sellers, and I can prove their mine from concept to production. I¡¯m not worried about anything she said. I wasn¡¯t an employee there; I was the co¨Cowner. Everything I designed was always my intellectual property. She only got away with saying that because Roger wasn¡¯t there to stop her. He didn¡¯t follow us here because he has a bigger issue now. Sasha just lied, and we can prove it. I¡¯m d you already have the video evidence, Rodney. I want this to go to court quickly. All of it, from the contract vitions to this nderous usation. I want Sasha to have to provide proof of her own work in court,¡± I coldly stated. A knock sounded at the door before it was opened, and our server entered with two people following her, all carrying trays. She made sure everything was in order before refilling our drinks. I made a mental note to tip her even more. She was great, and the food was delicious. I was really hungry. I had already hit Roger with apany¨Cending strike by notifying the investors that I was officially leaving thepany. He just didn¡¯t know it yet. I happen to know that as soon as people see what happened today, they will all be selling. With the scent of blood in the water, their stocks will be hard to sell, and with word of what happened, things will go downhill even faster. Now that Roger is dealt with, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to aim my sights on Joyce, Regina, and Sasha now. They deserved it. We ate our meal quietly, and I made several decisions as we ate. When we finished, I started outlining where I wanted to move forward. ¡°Gwen, I want to work with Emily tomorrow, as a second model. I will need hair and makeup, too. I will wear the dress from the auction. I¡¯m going to push Sasha into making more nderous statements. She¡¯s going to lose it when she sees me in the ad. I want it up and on billboards by next Monday. I want them to react, it makes this so much more interesting,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear the same dress. I have one in mind for you, very simr to the style Emily is going to wear. I¡¯ll make sure that it¡¯s ready in the morning for you,¡± Gwen said, and her eyes sparkled. I can see that she is loving this, and that makes me suspicious. ¡°What is it? Why are you smiling like that?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m just happy that you arepletely out of your shell. I don¡¯t even care that it was the douche canoe that got you here,¡± Gwen responded, and Drew started to choke on his drink. He was taking a sip when she said that, and I guess it was unexpected. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you choke. But you¡¯ll see that I¡¯m totally correct the more time you spend around him.¡± ¡°Seems an urate description. We got that impression when we saw him earlier. We are used to getting up to speed quickly; we have to have the ability to read people quickly. I just wasn¡¯t expecting you to say that. No need for apologies,¡± Drew said after he caught his breath. ¡°I¡¯m d that Ana has you with her now. I saw you protecting her when it went down,¡± Gwen told them. They both nodded at her. They were always trying to be ¡®on duty¡®, but they didn¡¯t get to eat as I told them to earlier. They followed me to the police station and stayed there until I could leave. I haven¡¯t known them long, but I trust them more than I do Seth and Holden at the moment. I had to insist that they join us to eat, instead of standing at attention. My father won¡¯t allow them to eat with us tonight. I noticed that they worked well together. One would take a bite, while the other watched the door, and vice versa. They were still ready and able to take action at the drop of a hat. I smiled as I opened my phone and sent a text to my father. ¡°Please add two more to the reservations for dinner tonight.¡± They would assume it was Emily and Gwen, but they would be wrong. They can figure that outter on. I felt safe sitting between them, and that is what was going to happen tonight. If I had to sit through an insufferable meal, I would do it on my own terms. I made a mental note to tell them once we were back in the SUV. Christine left first, and then Rodney. Gwen left with us after I paid and gave our server double the tip I promised. I didn¡¯t want to eat with the rest of them tonight. This was going to be my meal for the day, and our server did a great job. We took our time driving over, as we were just ten minutes away. It was already close to the six p.m. reservation time, so there was no point going anywhere else. We sat in silence in the parking lot before I finally cleared my throat. I needed to get them up to speed. ¡°Tonight is not going to go smoothly,¡± I told them. ¡°Can you borate on that?¡± Drew asked, before turning to face me. ¡°You already know who my father is, so you know my parents will not show up alone. My brother, who started this mess, will also have security with him. I was the one who hadn¡¯t had security since I graduated high school. I stayed to myself, and most people didn¡¯t know who I was, as I used my mother¡¯s maiden name instead of Caldwell. I moved things up because I had that meeting with Roger and dinner with my parents. There is one other thing I need to tell you. Holden Vaughn will also be here tonight. I¡¯m d we got here early so I could see who they will bring with them. I don¡¯t think it will end in a fight; I would leave before that happened. But you are going to hear things tonight that you wouldn¡¯t normally be privy to. I¡¯m going to give you the basic story, but not the whole story,¡± I told them. I then started from my crush, the arranged married, Holden¡¯s sister, to the present day. I left out some things that were not important at this time. I wouldter learn that was a mistake. I just didn¡¯t know it yet. They listened, but did not interrupt until I was done. Then started firing off questions. I answered as truthfully as I could. ¡°Respectfully, Ms. Wade. I don¡¯t think we should wait to see whoes. I think we need the first to be seated. If things are as bad as you told us, they won¡¯t want us in the room. Plus, getting their first ensures that we take the best seating. I think you¡¯re right. It sounds like you are going to be threatened again tonight. I think it¡¯s best for you to save our numbers in your phone and make them a priority, in case you need us,¡± Charlie advised. ¡°I¡¯m good with that. They¡¯re probably expecting me to arrivest. Let¡¯s go ahead and go in to pick our seats,¡± I agreed. We headed in and arrived at the hostess stand. ¡°Three?¡± she asked. ¡°No, there should be a reservation for Caldwell in the system,¡± I replied. I saw her stand straighter at my words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s no reservation for Caldwell tonight,¡± she replied. Her attitude was much less respectful than it was moments ago. ¡°Tanya, it¡¯s under my name,¡± came a voice from behind me. I turned to see Holden standing there. He was looking at Charlie and Drew like he already wanted to ask them to leave. That was not going to happen. ¡°I¡¯ll escort them, just hand me menus for nine.¡± ¡°Nine? Whose supposed to be here tonight?¡± I asked. That number didn¡¯t work out, no matter how I tried to figure it out. ¡°My parents and sister will be here along with Gretchen and your family. That¡¯s nine,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Well, I need two more chairs to be added. I texted Dad that information earlier. I didn¡¯t know that you were the one making the reservation,¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but all security personnel will be staying outside the room. There will be confidential subjects being discussed tonight,¡± Holden replied, but kept looking at them, instead of me. ¡°Well, they happen to be my friends, and I want them here. If they¡¯re not wee, I won¡¯t be staying here either. I don¡¯t feel safe without them,¡± I replied. Chapter 30 Holden¡¯s POV I was surprised to see Ana arrive so early. I wasn¡¯t actually sure if she woulde tonight. I saw her reaction to hearing that Tiffany and Gretchen would be here. I had been watching for it, and I know for a fact that they¡¯ve done something to Ana now. It was just a sh, but I saw the fear in her eyes before she masked it. I knew she was serious about them staying with her. I¡¯ll allow it if it makes her stay, but I don¡¯t like it at all. She hasn¡¯t had a security team for nine years. Now, all of a sudden, she has two men with her. Which was an unpleasant surprise. Not just any men, either; they were both attractive men, and neither wore a wedding ring. It seemed like she had chosen them because they were handsome, which didn¡¯t make me happy. They were both very fit and looked like they were good at their jobs, which didn¡¯t help matters. The fact that she said that she felt safe with them was the worst news she gave. They will be spending a lot of time with her, which I really don¡¯t like. I recognize that look on her face. She¡¯s trying to hide her emotions, but if I refuse to allow them in the room, she is going to leave. She¡¯s not bluffing right now. We don¡¯t know where she lives, and she has Seth and me blocked. If we lose her this time, who knows if she¡¯ll block her parents? Then it will be radio silence unless we go to Fashion Forward to try to see her. My hands were tied; I needed her to stay. I have to get her to agree to ept the arranged marriage. ¡°Tanya, I will need Justin to add two more chairs to the private room, and potentially a table if needed. He will need to check the room to see. I will also need two more menus,¡± I asked. She quickly hands me the menus before going to find Justin. I escorted Ana and her bodyguards to the private dining room. ¡°Go ahead and make yourselffortable. I¡¯ll send a server to take your drink order soon,¡± I told them. I watched as they all walked over to the far side of the table to sit down together. I watched as they took the chairs on either side of her. Well, I guess Seth and I will be finding somewhere else to sit. This was supposed to be my chance to smooth things over with Ana. I wanted to sit next to her. I wanted her to look into my eyes and see the truth, that I care a great deal about her, I think it¡¯s love, but I¡¯ve never been in love before. I just know that I want her in my life. I walked out and was d to see Seth standing at the Hostess desk. I quickly exined that Ana wasn¡¯t alone and that she was insistent on her bodyguards staying with her. I told him to go in there and make sure to get the seats across from her. At least then I can be near her and get to see her. Seth didn¡¯t waste any time and headed in. I stayed with Tanya for a few minutes and told her who wasing. She knew my family, and everyone in the city knew who Reid and Alicia Caldwell were. I headed back to the room. I wanted to be there when Tiffany arrived. I needed to see how Ana reacted. They were speaking when I entered. I held the door for Justin as he brought the two chairs into the room. I had originally left the room with both families to be sitting across from each other. I had deliberately left the chairs at the heads of the table empty. I didn¡¯t want things to turn into a power struggle. I was trying to make it more like afortable dinner between our families. Justin turned to us to take our drink orders. Ana ordered a Crown and Coke, and her bodyguards ordered water. I had a feeling I was going to need a drink too, but I just ordered atte. I needed to be focused tonight, so I wouldn¡¯t be drinking. Seth followed my lead. We spokest night after the auction. We were both going to focus on getting answers and repairing what was broken. Unless Tiffany was at the root of it. If she were, then I won¡¯t be going easy on her, and Mom better do what she said she would. I won¡¯t be giving her a free pass for hurting Ana. Justin had just put thest of our drinks down in front of us when the door opened, and my parents walked in. My mother ran over to Ana to hug her tight. ¡°I missed you, sweet girl. I love you, Ana. Whatever happened, I swear we will make it right,¡± my mother told her. ¡°I missed you, too,¡± Ana whispered back. She loved my Mom, and I saw tears shining in their eyes. The cozy atmosphere disappeared when Tiffany¡¯s voice filled the room, ¡°Why is she here? I thought this was supposed to be a family dinner.¡± ¡°It is a family dinner, Tiffany. Your opinion doesn¡¯t need to be shared if it is going to be something vile. I told you before we left the house that you didn¡¯t have toe for dinner. You chose toe, so choose to be quiet if you have nothing nice to say. Our families are about to be joined through marriage. I¡¯m so d that we will be getting such an aplished and lovely daughter¨Cin¨Clove.¡± My father, Holden, announced. I was d that Dad had already stopped Tiffany before she could really start up. Ana was tense and quickly picked up her drink to take a long sip. I guess she did that instead of arguing. But I could tell she was preparing to say something. She was just going to wait until her parents arrived. I didn¡¯t take her silence as eptance at all. I wanted to see what her father was going to say before I said anything. I was willing for him to be the bad guy, and I would swoop in as the voice of reason. I would much rather her be mad at him than at me. So I just drank mytte and kept quiet. Reid and Alicia arrived a few minutes before six. By that time, Tiffany had taken the seat next to Seth. Unfortunately for me, Gretchen was sitting in the seat next to mine. They both kept trying to speak to us, and we both steadily ignored them. I found out this afternoon that Tiffany had demanded that Gretchen be allowed toe with her. I know that even after I get married, they will probably still try to force me to be around them. But if they did something to Ana, I would deal with them. They had both been quietly checking out Ana¡¯s bodyguards. They weren¡¯t discreet about it either. My mother had to clear her throat several times, as they weren¡¯t taking the hint. Justin had everyone¡¯s drinks served and started taking the food orders. Her bodyguards refused, and Ana did as well. ¡°This is supposed to be a dinner with your family, Ana. Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± her mother asked. ¡°I was nning on eating, but something came up, and I was taken to the police station for a few hours. Since I hadn¡¯t eaten today, we had ate lunch at four. I¡¯m not really hungry right now,¡± Ana replied. ¡°What did you say?¡± Reid shouted. He was furious that Ana was arrested. ¡°It made the news. I¡¯m surprised you hadn¡¯t heard about it, Mr. Caldwell,¡± Tiffany said innocently. ¡°Your arrest was on the news?¡± Reid was so angry that the veins on his neck were standing out. ¡°Yes,¡± Ana answered. She gave no exnation as to why it happened. ¡°Mr. Caldwell, she was arrested because of a lie. They made several allegations against Ana, all of which were untrue, which is why she is here now. Roger left with Ana, so his mother, sister, and wife all took the opportunity to nder Ana,¡± I defended. Ana looked at me in surprise, but didn¡¯t correct me. Reid calmed down before speaking again, ¡°Did it involve what we nned?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Joyce felt I humiliated her son, so she wanted to humiliate me. I sold the vi and my apartment. So you can all call the investigators off. I won¡¯t go back to either ce. Sasha decided to nder me because I had Rodney serve them with a letter to force them to stop all production of my designs. Several of the contracts had expired, some for over six months. Roger refused to sign the renewal contracts when they were sent. That¡¯s on him, I¡¯m d he didn¡¯t know, or I would have to pay even more to breach the contracts,¡± Ana answered her father. ¡°That¡¯s not the whole truth. ording to thepany, you stole their copyrighted work. That¡¯s why they made sure no one else would hire you. Quite convenient of you to forget that part. They also said that if they were used, they would sue. I think that¡¯s the most important part in this,¡± Gretchen announced to the silent table. ¡°Why are you here? You don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s going on, so sit there and stay quiet. This doesn¡¯t involve you at all,¡± I snapped out. ¡°Holden¡¯s right. You know nothing. Ana has been the driving force behind Cook Custom Jewelry. Ana was smart and copyrighted all of her designs. There is too much tant theft and giarism going around. So she protects her work. Ana will survive the allegations. I can assure you that Roger can¡¯t, because it¡¯s Ana¡¯s work that put them on the map,¡± Seth advised her. He was pissed at Gretchen for trying to cause an even bigger issue. ¡°You don¡¯t need to try to interfere again, Gretchen. We can all tell what you¡¯re doing. You and Tiffany can both leave and go somewhere else for dinner,¡± my mother stated with ice in her tone. My mother loves Ana; she barely puts up with Gretchen. She¡¯d better watch it, or else she won¡¯t be wee in my parents¡® home anymore, which would be great for me. Tiffany and Gretchen were both upset at my mother¡¯s attempt to kick them out. ¡°They don¡¯t bother me. They are still angry and me me because they didn¡¯t get hired to work for Fashion Forward. They¡¯re still resentful, so they keep trying to cause trouble for me. I¡¯m not a teenager anymore, and neither are you. It¡¯s time to grow up. I¡¯m not scared of anything they can do to me.¡± Ana replied as she stared at Tiffany. I looked down the table to make sure my mother heard that. She was looking at Tiffany, too. Well, Ana as good as said it. Tiffany and Gretchen were definitely involved in why Ana was angry with us. Had I missed something? I still don¡¯t have an answer as to why Ana would be mad at me for something Tiffany did to her. I nced down at Gretchen. She was staring at Ana with hate in her eyes. I knew they didn¡¯t get long, but Ana had never done anything to them. The fact that they both clearly hated her was news to me. Is that why Ana is mad at me? Because we ask bullies to watch out for her? Chapter 31 Analise¡¯s POV It was almostughable that Tiffany and Gretchen were able to get my father so angry. ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you realize that Roger and his family would try toe after me? I¡¯m a powerless orphan, as far as they¡¯re concerned. So why wouldn¡¯t they? They don¡¯t know who I am yet. Of course, they would try to control the narrative. Mr. Griggs is already on it. I have copyrighted each and every design, including the newest ones that Sasha ims are hers. I¡¯m not going to have Rodney rush. I want the facts to be undeniable. It¡¯s my work, and they stole it. Sasha and Roger will be the ones humiliated by this. My arrest? Allows me to sue them, and Joyce, for several things. No one knows I¡¯m a Caldwell. If and when ites out, I won¡¯t be the one in the wrong. I¡¯m just ying along until it¡¯s time to destroy them,¡± I announced to the room. ¡°I thought you loved that vi?¡± my mother said sadly. ¡°I did, until he let her move in over two months ago so they could y house together. I no longer want it. It¡¯s been vited, and I don¡¯t want anything more to do with it. It¡¯s already sold, and I¡¯m moving on. I bought a new home, and it¡¯s being prepared for me to move in,¡± I replied. ¡°Where are you going to live?¡± Seth asked. He was trying to sound nonchnt, but she wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡°I will let you know when I¡¯m ready,¡± I replied. ¡°We¡¯re your family, Analise. We haven¡¯t seen you, and didn¡¯t even know if you were okay. You¡¯re treating us like outsiders, and it¡¯s uneptable. You even dare to have two strangers sitting at the table with us. We have our own security outside, out of respect for the room and the nature of our discussion. Yet you sit there between them, keeping us away from you, like they belong. They¡¯re not family,¡± my father shot back at me. I knew he wasn¡¯t going to be happy that they were here. ¡°Gretchen¡¯s not family either, yet she sits there like she belongs. She also keeps touching Holden every chance she gets. Holden, my alleged fianc¨¦, sits there, allowing it yet again. I¡¯m fine with my bodyguards leaving, but I¡¯ll be leaving with them. I won¡¯t stay here where I don¡¯t feel safe. So, you go ahead and say whatever you want to say. But I won¡¯t be bullied intoplying for much longer,¡± I shot back. Charlie and Drew had quietly slid their chairs back a few minutes ago when Tiffany started up. They knew what she was doing. It was obvious to all of us, yet her parents didn¡¯t intervene. It was just like back in high school. Mr. Vaughn worked a lot, and Mrs. Vaugh fell for her daughter¡¯s little Ms. Innocent act. It was one of the many reasons why clearing the air between our families was pointless. My bodyguards were both prepared to stand and defend me, physically if necessary. They were willing to protect me, even when my family wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you trying to threaten me, Analise?¡± my father asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you threaten me in order to get me here tonight? So, how could you be so shocked that I¡¯m unhappy about being forced toe? All I said was that if you make them leave, I¡¯m leaving too. That wasn¡¯t really a threat now, was it? It was a promise. Just say what you want to say, Dad. I know it¡¯s probably going to be another threat, so go ahead and let me have it. I know what the real issue is: you¡¯re trying to keep your reputation as a benevolent and loving father intact. But you don¡¯t have to worry about Charlie and Drew. They won¡¯t be the ones letting anything slip. If you truly wanted to keep things private, then Tiffany and Gretchen wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± I replied. I stared back at my father as he struggled to maintain his anger. I needed him angry because I wasn¡¯t going to sit here all night. Not going to happen. I have had a long and frustrating day. I¡¯ve had to hold my tongue as I needed to do this step by step. I won¡¯t warn Roger of what¡¯s toe. It killed me not to throw his precious Sasha under the bus today. It was so hard not to tell him that the baby he¡¯s so happy about isn¡¯t his. But I need to do this the right way. I don¡¯t want to give him any way to try to wiggle out of this. My father finally looked away and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t threaten you. But you have be increasingly hard to deal withtely. I helped you make the outline. Don¡¯t you know that I love you? I would do anything to protect you. But you are digging in and can¡¯t even see what¡¯s best for you right now. You need to understand what¡¯s at stake. People talk, even if you¡¯re not at fault; there¡¯s a stigma attached. You may never get past it. I know how the real world works, Ana. Please listen to me. Yes, I forced you toe, but what else could I do? You tell me, Ana. How else could I have got you toe here if I hadn¡¯t?¡± my father asked. I feel a little bad, as I could hear the pain in his voice. I saw the tears on his face. He honestly felt that he was looking out for my best interests. I got up and walked over to hug him, and then my mother. I returned to my seat, but I didn¡¯t pull my chair back up to the table. I was drained and done with the day. It had only been seven hours, but my strength was sapped. I needed to go back to thepany and rest. ¡°I¡¯ve had a hard day, and I just want to get some rest. Just tell me why I¡¯m here,¡± I asked as nicely as I could. ¡°We want to announce the change in your groom, Ana. We want to do it as soon as possible, so it looks like you realized you made a mistake in choosing Roger. Holden cares for you, and I know with time, you¡¯lle to love him again. We also wanted to clear the air. We have been friends with the Vaughn family for decades. We want things to go back to how they were before. What do we need to do to make that happen?¡± My father asked. I was frozen in shock; those were two really big¨Cticket items, and my father just acted like they were nothing. My eyes shot right towards Tiffany, who was just as stunned as I was. Her eyes narrow at me, and the message was clear. I needed to keep my mouth shut, but I¡¯m no longer a frightened teen. I hadn¡¯t had them for a while now, and thest thing I needed was for them toe back. I looked at Holden, but he was looking at Tiffany. I could see that he was starting to put together that she had done something, but it was far toote to fix it. I can¡¯t trust Holden, and Tiffany is thest person I want to be rted to. If they honestly wanted to find out, it should have just been Seth and my parents. I didn¡¯t want to discuss this in front of the Vaughns. I already knew things would go very badly. I couldn¡¯t afford for that to happen. Not right now, and especially not tonight. ¡°I need time to think about this, I just can¡¯t discuss it tonight. I am exhausted, and Ick the emotional stamina to handle this. I¡¯m willing to talk about it. But right now, with everyone here, I just don¡¯t want to get into it. Please don¡¯t try to force me to do this,¡± I finally managed to say. I was so overwhelmed that I just couldn¡¯t handle anything else tonight. I was about to burst into tears if I were pushed any further tonight. ¡°Okay,¡± my father said slowly, drawing it out. He has been a leader in the business industry for a number of years. I think he was suddenly realizing something, and although he usually doesn¡¯t concede to anyone, he was doing it for me. ¡°If not tonight, how about lunch tomorrow? Or dinner tomorrow, just us,¡± Seth offered. He saw my eyebrow raise and knew exactly what I was asking. ¡°Just our family, you, me, and our parents. Is that eptable?¡± ¡°It is if Charlie and Drew are included. They will be with me every time I leave my home. I cane to the house to meet with you,¡± I replied. ¡°Ana, I would like to be there, too. I¡¯ve wanted to speak with you privately since I returned. I want to marry you, and not because our marriage was arranged. I want you to know that. No one would be able to make me marry them if I didn¡¯t want to,¡± Holden said as he nced at Gretchen. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I really miss you. I miss how we used to be together. How you used to love me, I want us to get back to that.¡± He was trying really hard to stay calm, but I could tell that he was anxious about how I would respond to his request. ¡°I think that it would be best for me to speak to my family first, Holden. If you want toe over after we¡¯ve talked, that is eptable. It really just depends on my state of mind. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to go over it twice. I guess if you can stay quiet and let me get through it, you cane, Holden. I will unblock you and Seth; just let me know when you¡¯d like me toe for lunch or dinner. I¡¯m leaving now. I will see you tomorrow. Mrs. Vaughn, it was lovely to get to see you and Mr. Vaughn again. I hope to meet up with you soon,¡± I said before getting up and walking over to exit the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to head to the restroom. I shouldn¡¯t have had two drinks tonight,¡± I told them as I headed to the restroom. They both started to follow me, but I felt safe here in the restaurant. Even Tiffany wasn¡¯t dumb enough toe after me here. ¡°We will wait here for you. It isn¡¯t safe for you to cross the parking lot on your own,¡± Charlie told me. They both stood across from the hostess desk to wait for me. I wasn¡¯t going to argue with them. This was their area of expertise. I did my business and was washing my hands when the door opened. I stepped over to the towel rack to dry my hands when Tiffany¡¯s voice filled the room. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still supposed to be leaving, Ana? You know what, let me congratte you on forcing Roger to marry you. How desperate do you have to be to do something like that? You know, when you have to push someone into epting you, it never works out. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still willing to show your face in public. You¡¯re going to humiliate your family in front of the whole city. You need to make sure that my family doesn¡¯t get humiliated right alongside you. You¡¯re about to look like the pathetic loser you¡¯ve always been.¡± Chapter 32 Analise¡¯s POV ¡°I don¡¯t need congrattions, Tiffany. If memory serves, you¡¯re still chasing my brother around trying to get his attention. Maybe you should take your own advice and stop stalking him. I happen to know he can¡¯t stand you. Lucky for him, there¡¯s no way you could force him to marry you. I know that makes both Seth and me very happy. You can stop pretending to be a good person, Tiffany. No one else is here. I know a fake bitch when I see one,¡± I replied coldly, stepping forward to leave. They stood just inside the doorway, holding the door open, but refusing to move. ¡°How disgusting, Ana, going from man to man like that. Everyone should know what a shameful whore you are after this. How will you ever show your face again? You¡¯re about to be totally humiliated by the Cooks,¡± Gretchen said. Her voice was much lower than Tiffany¡¯s. She knew better than to let anyone besides Tiffany know her true colors. ¡°I can show my face just fine, as we all know who the actual whores are in here. By the way, how¡¯s that been working out for you? You two make an art form out of sleeping around, yet call me the whore. Well, thankfully, I don¡¯t care what you two think of me. Your opinions don¡¯t matter. You two are just desperate bullies who want what they can¡¯t have. I¡¯ve distanced myself for a decade, yet neither of you managed to catch the men you wanted so badly. Unlike you two, I don¡¯t need a man in my life to make me feel important. I also don¡¯t have to depend on my parents to support me. I can do that all by myself. But I really don¡¯t me you for bleeding your parents dry. The only talent you two have is on your backs. Now, move out of my way, and let me out,¡± I replied. ¡°Oh, no, you¡¯re not leaving. When will we get another chance like this? You cost us jobs at Fashion Forward, Ana. I don¡¯t know why Gwen even listened to you, but I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about it for quite a while now. You can¡¯t go around ruining other people¡¯s lives just because you feel like it,¡± Gretchen said with a smile that didn¡¯t meet her eyes. Great, just what I wanted to deal with tonight. I didn¡¯t need this, not until after I have the Cook family sorted.¡± I¡¯ve seen your resume, Gretchen. An influencer is hardly what I would call you. You barely had five thousand followers at the time. The followers you do have are all men liking your scantily d body; it¡¯s really just a thirst trap. You do know that acting important and being important are two totally different things. I didn¡¯t want either of you trying to represent anything for Fashion Forward. We didn¡¯t need to be embroiled in whatever scandal you two ended up in. I won¡¯t tell you again. You two need to let me out of here. I can assure you that this is going to end badly,¡± I replied. Tiffany shoved me into the wall behind me. I grunted in pain, as it hurt, and I also wanted the assault noted. I thought she was smart enough to keep her hands off of me. I guess I was wrong. Despite my words, she still thinks that I¡¯m the same pitiful girl I used to be. She¡¯s made a huge mistake tonight. She¡¯s going to realize that very soon. I¡¯m positive she wants to threaten me, and I hope she does. I need her to say what she wants to say so very badly. She¡¯s jealous of me; she can¡¯t stand it. It¡¯s been like this since we were children. It¡¯s never been my fault, but Tiffany has always med me. ¡°You¡¯ve always thought you were so much better than us, but you¡¯re not, Ana. You will never be anything more than a scared, pitiful bitch. You¡¯re not worthy enough to marry my brother. You weren¡¯t then, and you aren¡¯t now. I see you¡¯ve finally grown a backbone, but you¡¯re still the same pathetic girl deep down inside. Don¡¯t even think of marrying Holden. He¡¯s going to marry Gretchen. Don¡¯t forget what he said about you back then. I know you remember it clearly. He doesn¡¯t like you. He¡¯s just trying to keep the peace between our families. He could never be interested in someone like you,¡± Tiffany said. She mmed me against the wall again, before leaning forward to where our heads were almost touching. She lifted my chin with her fingers, gripping tightly. She forced me to look at her. I could tell I was going to have bruises on my face from how tightly she was holding me in ce. Gretchen was nervous and said, ¡°Tiff, you know there are cameras here at Holden¡¯s restaurant. Don¡¯t hurt her. Even if she talks, who¡¯s going to believe her? She has no proof of what happened at all. We never left marks on her that anyone could see. It will still be her word against ours, and I¡¯m sure your family will believe us. You¡¯re their daughter, why wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what my mother wants, Ana. I will never allow you to marry Holden. Just marry that pitiful Roger guy, and move on. Our mothers will remain friends, and you¡¯ll keep my name off your lips. You¡¯ve yed the victim for long enough; what¡¯s a couple more years? You¡¯ve got my mother involved now. She was so worried about what happened to you that she¡¯s never let it go. She brought it up just this morning. Just keep your mouth shut, Ana. You know the truth would break our families apart, so you had better be smart about what you do next. If you think what happened before was bad, just wait and see what we do to you next,¡± Tiffany said, before mming my head back into the wall as hard as she could. ¡°Tiffany, what are you thinking. She¡¯s hurt. How are you going to exin this? She came in fine, and we were the only ones who came in here after her. It¡¯s all on camera. What are we going to do?¡± Gretchen asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to go into Holden¡¯s office and delete it all now. He won¡¯t know it was us. Plus, she said she was leaving. She won¡¯t talk, or I¡¯ll have one of my friends help us out, just like I did in high school. Ana¡¯s smart, she knows better than to mess with me, don¡¯t you, Ana? Keep your damn mouth shut, or I¡¯ll hurt you again. If Seth finds out about this, and it keeps him from marrying me. I swear I¡¯ll kill you, bitch,¡± Tiffany said before pressing her heel into the back of my hand on the floor. I saw stars, but I was too dizzy to get off the floor. They both left the bathroomughing. I can only me myself, as Charlie was right. I should have known thating back wouldn¡¯t go smoothly. It¡¯s been ten years, and those two are still as vicious as ever. If Seth or Holden intended to marry either of them, they would have by now. That¡¯s not on me. They just wanted someone else to me, as they couldn¡¯t ept that they weren¡¯t wanted by the men they desired. They need to ept it as fact and move on. They didn¡¯t have a chance with either one of them. I closed my eyes, but that didn¡¯t help; I was even more dizzy. I put my hand on the back of my head and stilled as I felt something wet. I looked and saw a great deal of blood on my hand. Great, well, at least their consistent. Only leaving marks where no one can see them. I tried to stand again, but I couldn¡¯t. Dizziness was overtaking me. I pulled my phone out and stopped the recording. I had added a recording button to my wallpaper background when I knew Roger had returned to the country. The recording feature can be started with just a touch. It kept the other party clueless that they were being recorded, which helped me a great deal in this case. I called the top number to have theme and get me. I heard footsteps in the hallway, and finally someone pushed the door open. They immediately took action, checking my eyes and looking for injuries. When they found the open wound on the back of my head, I couldn¡¯t hold in the quick inhale of breath; it hurt. ¡°Please take me to the hospital, but don¡¯t let anyone see me,¡± I told them before I passed out. I woke up with a headache. I knew I was in the hospital before I opened my eyes, as I could smell the disinfectant. I heard the rustle of motion before the blinds were closed, which helped a lot. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Emily and Gwen in my room with me. ¡°Water,¡± I asked. My throat was really dry. Gwen held the cup for me while I drank from the straw. ¡°Thanks, what time is it?¡± I asked. ¡°Three p.m., Charlie called mest night and told us what happened. He stayed with you for the first five hours, and then Drew took the next five. We arrived at eight so they could get some rest. Charlie said, and I quote, Do not let anyone know where Ana is, until we return. I know something is up, as your parents, Seth, and Holden have been blowing my phone up for hours. So what happened?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°Tiffany mmed my head into a wall a couple of times before stepping on my hand. She thinks it¡¯s over with. But I¡¯m not going to let it go this time. Emily, can you go to my office and get myptop? I need to recover the footage she deleted. Once I get it, I¡¯m going to call the police. After that, Charlie and Drew should be here, and we can let my family know that I¡¯m in the hospital.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to call the police?¡± Emily asked. I could tell that she was not expecting me to do that. ¡°I am. Is my phone here?¡± I asked them. I need to make sure that I save my recording. It will help my case even more. ¡°It¡¯s right here,¡± Gwen said, handing it over. I pressed y and listened to make sure that it was still intact. Thankfully, it was all there. That, plus the video from the restaurant, should be enough evidence to have her arrested. Gwen and Emily were shocked. Tiffany has always prided herself on being sodylike. They just haven¡¯t even seen the real Tiffany. The one who isn¡¯t ady. The one who has others do her dirty work for her. ¡°Do you need anything else? PJ¡¯s? Or a nightgown? Never mind, I¡¯ll figure it out. I will be back in less than thirty minutes,¡± Emily told me. ¡°We will stand behind you. I¡¯m so sorry it happened. I can¡¯t believe that Tiffany was willing to do this to you. What in the hell was she thinking? Has she lost her mind?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°I had finally agreed to talk to my family about what happened. Tiffany was scared and couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. She just doesn¡¯t realize that her actionsst night proved her guilt. I have proof of everything. Once I¡¯m able to get the video back, people will know who she really is,¡± I answered. Chapter 33 Analise¡¯s POV It was very easy to find and save the video I needed. Holden really needs to install a better firewall, but it wasn¡¯t like Tiffany was aputer expert. She likely had someone do it for her without realizing it needed to be removed from the system. I didn¡¯t mind her making it easy on me. I saved the video for a few minutes before and after, for the police. I saved a thirty¨Cminute window, before and after, for myself. Tiffany¡¯s only real skills are in putting on her makeup and being devious. I knew that if this went to court, she would allege they found me in that state. She¡¯s done it before. Although their exiting the bathroomughing would be hard to exin. I had already. called Rodney and sent him both pieces of evidence. He will be having Tiffany served tonight. He was already working on it. I didn¡¯t wait. I called the police, knowing I needed the report to help my case. I was still recovering, so they had toe to the hospital for me to make my report. Charlie and Drew arrived about the same time as the officers did. They were surprised that I had already called them. They were nning to file a report, but they only had their eyewitness ount to give, and she was Tiffany Vaughn. They were proud as they watched me provide the recording from the hallway camera and the one from my phone. The police also spoke to my doctor, and I allowed the doctor to release my injuries to them. I needed them noted as I wasn¡¯t going to back down. I called Seth, who immediately started off by yelling at me for ignoring their calls. I had him on speaker phone, and once he stopped yelling, the officer next took my phone and identified himself. He told them I was in the hospital. I wasn¡¯t going to have anyone else speak; it was just thest step in what I needed to do. The officers were still here, standing at the door speaking to my doctor, when he heard Seth yelling at me. I was d that the officer had torn into my brother. He didn¡¯t know who he was, and he didn¡¯t hold back. Seth immediately calmed down and asked which hospital I was at. Charlie had taken me to the one that was closest to the restaurant. ¡°Don¡¯t bring Holden, not today, I need it to just be you, and our parents, that¡¯s it, Seth,¡± I warned. ¡°Ok, but Holden¡¯s going to be upset,¡± Seth agreed reluctantly. ¡°We¡¯ll be there in thirty.¡± I knew Holden was going to be upset. The whole Vaughn family was about to be really pissed off. But I wasn¡¯t going to tell him that, not just yet. He needed to get here first, and then we¡¯ll have a talk. I think it will be better for Tiffany¡¯s arrest for assault and battery to be aplete surprise. I was having Gretchen named as an essory. She guarded the door, allowing Tiffany to assault me. The officer was stunned by the identity of my attacker, but the video had a timestamp. I was at the hospital emergency room ten minutes after she followed me into the bathroom. I had passed out, and Drew and Charlie were extremely worried about me. I checked the parking lot of the restaurant. Charlie never let me go. Drew opened and shut the door for us and drove me to the hospital. They¡¯re concern for me was obvious. On the other side of the coin, own brother thought I was ditching them, and was screaming at me. After the police officers left, Gwen asked, ¡°When did the doctor say you could be discharged?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t get ill today, he said I could leave tomorrow mid¨Cmorning. We can shoot the ad then. I also want you to wait until after I¡¯ve shown them the evidence, and then take myptop back to thepany and lock it in my safe,¡± I replied. ¡°Honey, you have an open head wound. You don¡¯t need to be overdoing it,¡± Gwen replied. ¡°I agree, photoshoots can be tough, Ana. Let¡¯s wait until your injury has had time to really heal before we do this,¡± Emily agreed. ¡°I¡¯m on a tight timeline. I¡¯m fine; I just need this done because it will take at least a week for the ads toe back. If Roger doesn¡¯t know by now, he will soon. He is on a sinking ship. Sasha is waiting to see what I do next. I want her to think I work for Fashion Forward and have here at me. This has to be done days before the wedding. I want to give Roger and his family the final blow before the wedding,¡± I stated with confidence. ¡°I would feel better if you would wait, but I know how you get. If you promise me that you will sit between sets, I¡¯ll allow it. But, if you feel off, you have to tell us, right then, or so help me, I¡¯m sending you to your office for a time¨Cout,¡± Gwen said with augh. She was trying to lighten the mood, but things were tense. Everyone was thinking about how my family was going to react when they arrived. We didn¡¯t have to wait long. My parents showed up first, and my mother started crying when she saw me in the bed. ¡°What happened? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Where is your doctor? I need to speak with him. When are you going to be released? You need toe home and have your mother take care of you. Were you attacked? Where did it happen?¡± my father just kept firing off questions as he walked over and held my hand. ¡°As soon as Seth gets here, I will answer all your questions. I don¡¯t want to go over this twice, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll probably want to see the proof. I¡¯m sorry, Dad, but you and Mom are going to have to stay calm when you see it. You¡¯re going to have to stop Seth from leaving,¡± I replied, and squeezed his hand. I looked at Drew and Charlie, and they already knew. I don¡¯t want Seth calling Holden or going to the Vaughns¡® house to try to deal with Tiffany. It¡¯s best to let the police deal with her. There would be additional. charges against her, but I was happy to start here. This was enough to show her that I wasn¡¯t going to be bullied again. I felt safe having Charlie and Drew here with me. Tiffany wasn¡¯t going to get another shot at me; I will make damn sure of that. My old phone was in my safe at mypany, with my proof. Seth entered the room and immediately apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ana. I thought you were hiding from us again. I was worried. I¡¯m sorry, what the hell happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to show you, and I have a recording for you to listen to as well, but she admits something on the recording that you need to hear. This is going to be hard, but I need you to stay here, Seth. The police just left twenty minutes ago. They are going to be arresting Tiffany Vaughn tonight. I don¡¯t want any of you to call and warn them,¡± I announced. They were too shocked to speak. The Vaughns had been close family friends for decades. They couldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯d just said, but they didn¡¯t argue with me. I turned myptop so they could see the screen. It showed me entering the bathroom before they arrived. A few minutester, they exited,ughing, and two minutester, Charlie and Drew were in the shot and entering the bathroom. They ran out, carrying me, less than a minuteter. It was clear that I was unconscious. My hand and Charlie¡¯s hand, and shirt had blood on them. I froze the image and then yed my phone recording, which had been in my pocket. When they came in, I knew it was going to be bad, and I had immediately started recording. I was d I did. Tiffany¡¯s voice filled the room as I let the recording y. There was no video, but they didn¡¯t need it. They knew Tiffany¡¯s voice. My mother was the first to start crying, but my father and Seth weren¡¯t too far behind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± my father managed to say. ¡°How long? How long did she do this to you?¡± ¡°Two years, but the worst year was when I was starting my Junior year, when she was a senior. I¡¯m going to show you something, but I need you to promise that you will stay here. I¡¯ve already called Rodney, and he is getting the first of the charges together,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s more? What has she done?¡± My mother whispered. She looked like she was about ready to pass out. I motioned for someone to bring her a chair. She needed to sit down for this. Gwen and Emily didn¡¯t know about this. No one did, except for my bullies and me. I really didn¡¯t want to do this. I could feel the tears building in my eyes. This was humiliating, but they needed to know. I opened myptop and pulled up a hidden folder. I didn¡¯t open the one that contained the most disturbing pictures and videos. ¡°Tiffany spent years tormenting me, starting in my sophomore year. She would catch me alone and hit me, but never anywhere that would show. I took pictures of each incident to document the injuries about six months in. Sometimes when she was humiliating me, she would have someone record it. The worst times were when she took pictures of me naked in the showers after P.E. She let some of the football team in once when I wasn¡¯t fully dressed. Then acted like I¡¯d done something inappropriate with them. She filmed it and called it insurance. Just to make sure Holden didn¡¯t marry me. She didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d already given that dream up before my junior year. These were some of the tamer pictures that she sent to remind me to keep quiet, or she and Gretchen would release them. I couldn¡¯t let her do that. I know how much you value the Caldwell name, Dad,¡± I stated. ¡°Do you need us to leave?¡± Charlie asked. I shook my head. They could stay; they needed to know just how far Tiffany would go. I started a slideshow. It showed various incidents. She liked to write on my face with a permanent marker. She changed up each week. Slut, whale, fat ass, and whore were her favorites. A picture where Tiffany was holding up my bleeding head in her hands, to show off my injury. My clothes being ruined with paint or other liquids. Hateful words were written on my clothes, so I just started to wear all ck so they wouldn¡¯t show up. Silence as a hundred pictures showed some of what I¡¯d gone through over the years. ¡°That fucking bitch. Did Tiffany do all this to you? I¡¯m going to kill her,¡± Seth roared out and headed for the door to leave. I heard a scuffle, and I was d that Charlie and Drew were able to keep him here. I kept my eyes down. I didn¡¯t want to see the sympathy, or the pity, that I knew would be there. ¡°How dare she do this? I will ruin them. What kind of monster did they raise?¡± my father cried out. Chapter 34 Seth¡¯s POV ¡°What else, Ana? I know that¡¯s not all of it. Tiffany is obviously psychotic. When did this happen?¡± I asked. ¡°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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. His sister had bullied her relentlessly for years. 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. 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. 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. ¡°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. 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. 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. ¡°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. 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? 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? ¡°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. 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. 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?¡± ¡°Holden, don¡¯t cause a scene. Get in here, we have things that we need to discuss,¡± I told him. 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. ¡°What happened?¡± Holden asked as he set the flowers on the counter of the VIP room. ¡°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. ¡°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. 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. 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?¡± ¡°Just listen, Holden. You¡¯re about to find out who tampered with it,¡± Ana curtly replied. 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.¡± ¡°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?¡± ¡°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. ¡°I appreciate what you are saying, Charlie. I know you and Drew take your job protecting me very seriously. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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¨Ctogethers. 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. 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. ¡°What did you do to my sister?¡± I growled out in anger. Chapter 35 Holden¡¯s POV The man in charge of my surveince had contacted me to say that it had beenpromised. I had just hoped that no one had fallen while it was down. Seeing Ana with a segment of the footage that I was missing had really concerned me. Had she been the one to do it? Then she yed the audio, and I knew it had been Tiffany. I had heard several loud blows, but Tiffany had soundedpletely different than she usually does. The hate she felt for Ana was evident. To hear her threaten her at the end was an eye¨Copener. When Ana suggested that her mother and her best friends leave the room, dread crept in. What I just witnessed and heard was pretty bad. What could be so much worse than that she had to send the others away? Her brother and father were here, but Ana had a hard look in her eyes. I wanted to leave with them. I no longer wanted to know why she hated me. I could tell from the look on her face that, as far as she was concerned, she had a valid reason for it. They exited the room, with her bodyguards exitingst. Both of them gave me a death re, as if they were warning me not to do anything to her while they were gone. I would never intentionally hurt her. The only thing I have to look forward to is finding out what I did so I can fix it. I will help her deal with everything else. Even against my own sister. The room was quiet for a few minutes before Ana motioned for us to sit down. ¡°You¡¯ll need to take a seat. Just let me get through as much as I can. My head still hurts, and I honestly didn¡¯t want to go through this just yet, but there¡¯s no point in hiding what happened anymore. Might as well get it all out in the open,¡± she said. He father took the seat next to her and took her hand in his. She smiled at him, but it wasn¡¯t the same smile that she used to give. She is still pretty upset with the three of us. ¡°Okay, do you want me to bring you up to speed about what Tiffany did, or start with Holden?¡± she asked. I knew for a fact that I didn¡¯t want to start with my sins, so I promptly said, ¡°Tiffany.¡± Thankfully, Seth said the same thing. ¡°You and Holden told me to stay near Tiffany, that she would protect me. Except my Sophomore year, which was your first year at college, that wasn¡¯t the case. That¡¯s when the bullying started. You both knew that Tiffany had a thing for you,¡± Ana pointed at Seth, ¡°and Gretchen had a thing for you,¡± she now pointed at me.¡± Knowing that, how could either of you seriously think that either of them would help me? Let alone protect me. How could you think it would end well?¡± ¡°She promised she would look out for you. Naomi assured us that she would also keep an eye out for you,¡± Seth argued. He was already trying to pin the me on someone else. ¡°Right, because Tiffany always told the truth. Like how she told her parents she was a good girl because she didn¡¯t date. She didn¡¯t have to date; she did whatever she wanted at school. She didn¡¯t have to date. You know first¨Chand about Tiffany, don¡¯t you, Seth? She loved telling me how good you were. She then told me that one day she would be my sister¨Cinw and continue doing the same things she always did to me. It was the very reason I made sure to stay in the dorms in college and didn¡¯t return home. Not unless I was forced to. You all were just caught up in your own lives. No one cared about what had happened to me or was still happening. I was told to ¡°Get over it¡± and to ¡°Stop being petty¡°, instead of anyone making any real effort to check on me. Sending me off to therapy as a cover for you to get someone else to figure it out, and just tell you what happened,¡± Ana faced her nket on the bed, but I saw the first tears drop onto her sheets. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ana,¡± Seth said, but his voice was husky with tears he was fighting not to spill. ¡°We were only trying to help. You didn¡¯t want to talk to any of us,¡± her father¡¯s voice was raw with guilt as every word she spoke was the truth. We had all failed her, in one way or another. ¡°If I had spoken up, would you have believed me back then? Or would it just be my word against hers? Wouldn¡¯t it have torn your close friendships apart? Or would I have just been shipped off to a facility to get the ¡®help¡® I needed? I didn¡¯t need that to happen. I needed someone who was willing to stand up for me, to protect me. Like I now have with Charlie and Drew, they stand up for me,¡± Ana said. I felt jealousy bubble up inside me. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have said anything, but I couldn¡¯t hold it in. ¡°Ana, they don¡¯t care for you; of course, they stand up for you. It¡¯s their job. It¡¯s what they¡¯re paid to do.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s more than that. I trust them. They¡¯ve proven themselves to me over and over again, despite it only being a short amount of time. They blocked me from the cameras when they certainly didn¡¯t have to. I told them to go grab lunch ande to the police stationter, but they were behind me every step of the way. I¡¯ve had security before; they are different from the teams that you three have. They actually care about my well¨Cbeing,¡± Ana replied. She pointed to herptop, the screen frozen as that jerk carried her out. He had her blood on him, but it was obvious that he was worried about her. She was right. Now that hurts, because she is willing to defend them when she¡¯s only known them for a day. That¡¯spletely ridiculous. I hate that she is willing to trust them so easily, when we¡¯ve known each other our whole lives. Seth didn¡¯t like it either, but he stayed silent. ¡°Tiffany and Gretchen left me alone for the first few months. They were too busy cheering and doing other stuff, and I was fine. Just a little bullying, a shove here, a trip there, from their friends. But then, things changed about two weeks before Thanksgiving. Our team hadn¡¯t made the yoffs, and suddenly, they had a lot more time on their hands. By November, they had my ss schedules down. I had a free period right after P.E., which one of my favorite teachers ran. She knew why I showeredst. She knew that I had gained weight and didn¡¯t want to be made fun of. So she let mee to sste,¡± Ana statedly with almost no emotion as she spoke. She had to shut down to do this. She stared out the window at something far away. Why did she have to shut down to do this? I looked at Seth, and he was ring back at me. I¡¯ve never seen him so angry in all the years that we have known each other. ¡°Tiffany took pictures of me naked in the showers. She shared some of those pictures with her friends. She put arge sticker that said fat ass on my locker with super glue that I got med for, and it couldn¡¯t be removed because of the super glue. The camera in the hallway malfunctioned during the time frame that the sticker was put on. Just like they malfunctioned the time she let some of the football yers into the girls¡® locked room while I was trying to get dressed. No camera, no crime,¡± Ana said. ¡°Did they touch you?¡± Seth asked through clenched teeth. ¡°No, but they took more pictures of me. It was bad enough they were even there. Then Tiffany released photos she took that looked like I wanted to be in there with them. Hiding my face, so you didn¡¯t see I was crying. That experience was the very reason I learned how to hack. I was isted and tormented. I became anxious and depressed. Designing became the only thing that helped me get past it. I started to see a therapist in college, and that helped,¡± Ana answered. ¡°I am so sorry, Ana. I hope you know that I condemn her actions. I speak for my parents as well. None of us knew what she was doing to you, or we would have stopped her. I would never hurt you like she did.¡± I replied. I was so d they hadn¡¯t touched her. I know that would be something that Ana might not have been able to get past. ¡°But you already have, Holden. Tiffany wasn¡¯t the only Vaughn that hurt me back then. Why would I punish you for her actions? I didn¡¯t me you or Seth for what she did. She was just a horrible choice to assign as a protector when she was my biggest bully. Tiffany¡¯s actions are just that, her own actions. Gretchen¡¯s actions. were her own. Although Gretchen never put her hands on me. What she did, in my opinion, was worse,¡± Ana said. ¡°Whatever you need, we will help you with. I will pay for your stay here. I will also pay for any therapy you need. I wish I could take it all away, but I swear to you that I never knew that you were put through so much. I want to make this right,¡± I offered. ¡°Ana is a Caldwell; she doesn¡¯t need your money, Holden. I won¡¯t let Tiffany traumatize my sister any longer. We don¡¯t need your help; we will handle this ourselves,¡± Seth advised quietly. Things were going very badly, and I wish I had just listened to Seth and left. This conversation might have been better just between the two of us. I didn¡¯t want to ask, but I knew that was exactly what she was waiting for me to do. ¡°What did Gretchen do?¡± I managed to ask. Ana¡¯s low chuckle let me know immediately that I wasn¡¯t going to like what she said, ¡°What did Gretchen do? Funny how you would phrase it that way, Holden. Like it was all her fault.¡± My scalp tingled at her reply. I could tell from the way Seth was ring at me, he was waiting to find out exactly what I did to her, too. His hands were clenched into fists as he stared at me. I think Seth was actually ready to swing on me. Her father looked the same way. Like he was ready to burn the world down to protect Ana. Chapter 36 Analise¡¯s POV They were all struggling to stay calm. My father had to put his head down to face the floor. My father hated to show emotions. He was a tough man who felt that showing emotions made him look weak. He was always stoic. We knew he loved us, but he rarely told us. He was raised in another generation, one that was much tougher than the one I was raised in. There were times growing up when he did show us, but usually only on milestones in our lives. High School and College graduations, buying a home, and getting our businesses off the ground. He let Mom be the one who nurtured us, and he was the protector, nd the one who handed out punishments to us. I knew that for thest ten years, he had thought that Mom had missed something. That my ¡®tantrum¡® was because she had coddled me too much. But now he knows that it was because they both missed the signs they should have seen. He had security for me, but they always stayed back. They couldn¡¯te into the bathrooms or gym showers with me. I saw his tears fall, and I squeezed his hand. This really wasn¡¯t his fault, and it really wasn¡¯t on Seth or Holden. This was solely on Tiffany, Gretchen, and the friends they used to hurt me. ¡°I have proof of most of what happened. Tiffany texted me quite often, so I have hundreds of them. Half of them were the ones that warned me that she would kill me if I told. That she would know if I did, as our families would have a falling out. She thought she could do anything to me and get away with it. She assaulted me in Holden¡¯s restaurant because she was positive she could delete the footage. She did, but it took me all of five minutes, including booting up myptop, to find it. You need a better firewall system, Holden,¡± I said as I finally looked up at him. He looked wrecked by what I had shown him. He met my eyes and flinched at the pain in mine. ¡°What, what is it that I did, Ana?¡± he asked hesitantly. Now came the hardest part. ¡°You remember the day that Seth and I came over to swim? The day Tiffany held Seth up, to let me go out and find you?¡± I asked. ¡°The day you walked back home instead of asking us to drive you?¡± Holden asked with a frown. He was still clearly confused. ¡°Yes, that day,¡± I replied. ¡°But I never saw you that day,¡± Holden responded. The frown on his face grew as he became increasingly confused about where I was going with this. ¡°But I saw you, Holden. What¡¯s worse, I heard you,¡± I answered. ¡°What were you doing that day before we were supposed to arrive?¡± I watched his face as he went from bewilderment to rity in about thirty seconds. His eyes flew up to mine, and I saw him swallow hard. ¡°Is it alling back to you now, Holden?¡± ¡°What? What happened?¡± Seth asked. He was watching Holden like he expected him toe out with it, only he couldn¡¯t. My father was in the room, and he wasn¡¯t going to react well to what Holden had done. ¡°Seth, it was the same thing that happened with Tiffany,¡± Holden snapped out. ¡°What is going on? Stop speaking in riddles. Just spit it out. We¡¯re all adults here. What happened, Ana? Whatever it is, I can take it. Your mother and I are here for you. We love you, and we won¡¯t allow you to suffer a minute longer. Just tell us, I need this finished to know what steps I need to take,¡± my father asked. He knew it wasn¡¯t going to be good if neither Seth nor Holden wanted to discuss it. ¡°Ana, I¡¯m sorry. You know I didn¡¯t mean any of it. I was just saying what she wanted to hear. It was just sex,¡± Holden carefully said to me. His hands were raised as if he thought I was going to lose it. He was trying to keep me calm, but I was past all of that. I didn¡¯t care anymore. About any of this. It was my past, and after today, I didn¡¯t want to go back there again. ¡°If that¡¯s what you need to tell yourself, Holden, then sure. Just sex, with a side of betrayal. You were fine with what you said that day, and don¡¯t forget that you also acted on it. You made good on what you felt was your only recourse, because you did just that. I know you were led into saying it, but that doesn¡¯t mean that it wasn¡¯t the truth you spoke at that time. She saw me, Holden. She saw how upset I was, and still pushed you to say it. I couldn¡¯t walk away. She used your very words against me, for years, Holden,¡± I replied. ¡°What did he say?¡± Seth asked, but he was looking at Holden. ¡°Seth, we need to discuss this at another time, privately. This doesn¡¯t need to be a factor in our arranged marriage. Both of our parents would be very unhappy with me if they found out. You know how it is, Seth. Gretchen offered herself up, and I had been drinking by the pool. What was I supposed to do, Seth? She was wearing a barely there bikini, and she kept rubbing herself against me. So, I took her up on her offer and we went into the pool house. It was just a one¨Ctime thing. You and Ana weren¡¯t supposed to arrive for another half an hour. She was never supposed to know. I knew she didn¡¯t like Gretchen, hell, I don¡¯t like her either, but you know how things happen,¡± Holden answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you what happened, Holden. I already know what happened. Tiffany was set on holding me up that day, too, so I didn¡¯t go out there with Ana. She was so excited that day and couldn¡¯t wait toe over, so we came over early. Tiffany and Gretchen teamed up toe after Ana that day. I got it. Stop being evasive. I asked you what you said,¡± Seth said as he stepped closer to Holden. ¡°You know it won¡¯t stay hidden any longer, Holden. If I have to ask Ana, things are going to get worse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already worse, Seth. I can¡¯t say the words. You know how it is, we say things they want to hear at the time. Gretchen didn¡¯t mean anything to me. I didn¡¯t mean anything I said. We¡¯ve spoken about what happened that day before, Seth. We let things go too far with them both. Both of us had a one¨Cand¨Cdone. They were looking for a romantic connection, while we were seeking a release. That was all it was,¡± Holden insisted. Holden turned to me in panic, ¡°Analise, you know I was young and dumb back then. We slept with a lot of girls while we were in college. I was just doing what most guys did back then. I¡¯m not that guy anymore. I have nothing but disgust towards Gretchen. I never wanted to date her, Ana, let alone marry her. She might have wanted me to marry her, but it was always just sex. She was never the person I wanted to marry. I¡¯m sorry I hurt you, Ana, I really am. Not having you in my life thesest few years made me realize just how much I missed you. When Seth called and said that he wanted me to marry you, I immediately epted. Not out of pressure from our families. I did it because I miss you, Ana. I really care about you. Please don¡¯t hold my ignorant words I spoke when I was young against me,¡± Holden pleaded. ¡°What did he say?¡± Seth asked as he looked at me. ¡°When we got there, I ran straight through the house. I didn¡¯t want to deal with Tiffany or her snarkyments about how I shouldn¡¯t be wearing a two¨Cpiece. I headed out back and put my things down on a pool chair. When I didn¡¯t see Holden, I went looking for him. I found him in the pool house with Gretchen, having sex. The moment she saw me, she smiled. I knew things were going to get much worse when I saw her smile. It was like she had been waiting for me to show up the whole time. I wanted to leave, Seth, but I couldn¡¯t. It was like I was frozen in ce. I couldn¡¯t move. Apparently, seeing the guy you love, willingly having sex with someone you just can¡¯t stand, can tear you apart. Especially when their one of your biggest bullies. It changes you. But that wasn¡¯t the worst part,¡± I answered. ¡°I had epted the fact that you two were living it up with girls at college. But knowing that he was doing that, and seeing it y out in front of you, are two very different things. I could lie to myself about what Holden was doing, as it wasn¡¯t real. It was easier to put it away as something I knew was happening, but also something that wasn¡¯t truly real. Except I was just fooling myself. shback to ten years ago: I could feel the heat from the sun on my back as I excitedly ran over to save my chair, right next to Holden¡¯s chair. Leaving the other chair for Seth. I nced over at the pool house, trying to see where Holden was. I would grab a drink from the fridge with him and let him know that we were here. I knew that Seth would be out here with us soon. He wasn¡¯t a big fan of Tiffany¡¯s, so he wouldn¡¯t just hang out with her. Holden was so handsome. I was already wearing my dark sunsses so I could check him out without being caught again today. I had annoyed Seth until he finally gave in and agreed to drive us over. In my excitement, I never once thought. that I was going to catch Holden having sex. I knew that he and Seth both had girls they slept with at college. Not official girlfriends, but more of a friends with benefits type of thing. It hurt, but I knew they wouldn¡¯t be celibate at college. Both sets of parents had agreed and acknowledged the arranged marriage between us. I had been thrilled thinking that one day I was going to be Mrs. Holden Vaughn. That¡¯s a worthy title, and I was ready to im it as soon as they would let me. I wanted to get married at twenty, but my mother kept insisting that I should graduate from college first. She said things happened quickly in a marriage, and she wanted me to graduate before she became a grandmother. I can still feel the blush on my cheeks just thinking about it. I wasn¡¯t worried about the girls at college. Seth assured me that yes, they both had sex, but there were no feelings involved with any of them. They always used protection no matter who they were with, and that Holden cared about me. Seth assured me that there was nothing for me to worry about. Except, there was something to worry about, and I heard it straight from Holden¡¯s lips. Chapter 37 Analise¡¯s POV I ran towards the pool house, stopping dead in my tracks. I could see through the window, and before I could stop them, my feet took me straight over. I hadn¡¯t had sex yet, but I knew what they were doing. Gretchen¡¯s bikini bottoms were on the floor next to her feet, and she had pulled up her bikini top to uncover her breasts for Holden. She was older than I was, so of course, she filled out her bikini better than I did. I was about to turn seventeen, but I was overweight by conventional standards. I knew Gretchen had a crush on Holden. She had been furious when our families decided to pair me and Holden together. Seth tly refused to marry Tiffany when the suggestion hade up. I, however, foolishly believed what my mother and Naomi told me. That Holden cared for me, and would one day be honored to be my husband. Holden seemed okay with the arrangement, so I agreed to the arranged marriage as well. I was blissfully happy waiting for the day that I would be able to marry him. But just like with all fairy tales, there has to be a viin. Or in my case, several viins. Holden was only focused on thrusting into her, and never once noticed me. Gretchen, however, took the opportunity to start moaning loudly. She knew no one, except for me, would catch them. She hadn¡¯t been this loud before I arrived, but the moment she saw me, sheunched into a p**n¨Cstar performance. I watched in horror as he cupped her breasts in hisrge hands before pulling her back into his chest. He nipped her neck and then started to suck on it. She reached up, tugging on his hair as he gave her a hickey, marking her skin as he continued to push into her. You would think that would be the worst of it, but Gretchen clearly wanted to finish me off. In her mind, only when I had totally given up on him and called off the marriage could he truly be hers. Holden groaned out loudly, finishing a short timeter. He pulled out of her and rolled off the condom, throwing it in the trash. Like this was just a normal situation. He pulled up his trunks and started to walk away. Gretchen stepped in front of him and stopped him. She didn¡¯t try to cover up. She enjoyed his eyes skimming over her body, but I almost lost my lunch. He actually wanted her and enjoyed being with her the whole time. Disappointment filled me. I had to brace my hand against the wall. She smiled up at him and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his neck, and rubbed her breasts against his chest. She tried to sound seductive when she asked, ¡°Up for another round, Holden?¡± ¡°No time. Seth and Ana will be here soon. If she sees you with me, she¡¯ll be angry. Then I¡¯ll have to listen to another lecture from my mother about not hurting Ana¡¯s feelings. I don¡¯t want to hear another bitch session again. They should never have done this. She¡¯s still too young. They should have waited until we were older to try to put this kind of pressure on us.¡± Holden replied. ¡°So you were forced into epting the arranged marriage?¡± Gretchen asked him as she straightened her suit and pulled her bottoms back on. ¡°Yes. My mother told me that I would lose my inheritance if I hadn¡¯t agreed to it. I wanted to pick out my own wife, but my parents insisted I marry someone of their choosing. They said it was a great match because Ana already liked me, and not because of my money. But I¡¯ve only ever thought of Ana as a sister. This whole situation is weird. I just don¡¯t think of her like that, and I don¡¯t want to. I won¡¯t ever like her enough to be willing to have sex with her. Just the thought of it makes me sick. She¡¯s just holding onto me because she likes me. Eventually, she¡¯ll have to give up and let me go. It would be the kindest thing she could do for me,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Is there nothing you can do to break the arrangement? Gretchen asked with sympathy. ¡°Nothing that I can do, but once Ana gets over her little crush, maybe she¡¯ll be willing to break it off. Otherwise, all I can do is leave the country to buy myself some time,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll take the opportunity to lose some weight in the meantime?¡± Gretchen said with augh. ¡°I hope so, because right now, she¡¯s definitely not my type. She¡¯s pretty enough, but her being overweight kind of grosses me out. I¡¯ve never been with someone her size before. I¡¯m not in any kind of hurry to do so, either,¡± Holder said. I could see his expression clearly through the window. He didn¡¯t know I was there, so he didn¡¯t hold back the fact that Ipletely disgusted him. ¡°Well, whenever you want to hook up again, just give me a call,¡± Gretchen offered with a wink. ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m about to go back to college. I usually don¡¯t do things here, just to keep the peace. So, don¡¯t start thinking that we¡¯re a couple or anything. You need to let that dream go. I knew what you were offering, and I went along with it, but we¡¯re not together. So don¡¯t try to push things. I¡¯m in more of a rtionship with Ana than I¡¯ll ever be with you,¡± Holden told her. ¡°But I¡¯m way more attractive than she is,¡± Gretchen wailed out, sobbing at the way she was so harshly shut down. ¡°Stop crying, calm down. Don¡¯t draw attention; I don¡¯t want Ana to find us out here. You were the one who wanted to have sex with me. You knew what would happen when you started stroking my cock, so stop ying innocent. Don¡¯t get mad because your n to force me into a rtionship didn¡¯t work,¡± Holden coldly stated. ¡°But didn¡¯t you just tell me that I was much attractive than Ana? Didn¡¯t you say that she was just a fat ass you had no interest in? Why are you trying to get rid of me now? Didn¡¯t you say that I was better than her? Why can¡¯t we be together, Holden?¡± Gretchen begged. Holden didn¡¯t correct her. So I was absolutely sure he had said exactly what Gretchen just said. Otherwise, he would have said something. Holden doesn¡¯t hold back when ites to his opinions. I turned and walked away as they went to grab some drinks from the pool house fridge. I ran to get my stuff and exited through the side gate. I wasn¡¯t going to go through their house for Tiffany toe at me about my weight. Or worse,ugh because Gretchen just had sex with Holden. I was in a low enough ce as it was. I walked the two miles back home and went to take a shower. By the time I arrived home, I had realized that this whole thing had been a setup. I grabbed a shower and went to bed. I stayed up in my room for the night. I wasn¡¯t hungry. I cried myself to sleep that night. Nobody cared enough toe check on me anyway. What hurt the most was that I felt my world had crashed down around me, but no one knew or cared. shback Ends I tried to blink away the tears that still clung to myshes. I wasn¡¯t going to look at him. I knew I couldn¡¯t trust the words that woulde out of his mouth. I doubt he remembered what he said that day. He would always act the same way toward me after that. He acted excited to see me when he came home for the holidays. But I had already started to avoid both him and Seth by that time. They only noticed when things got much worse in my senior year. I had tried to get out of the arrangement several times, but my mother and Naomi just waved it off. That Holden and I just had a harmless falling out. Their desire to be rted by marriage clearly meant more to them than I did. I was told that I was too young to know what I wanted. They didn¡¯t like me pointing out that if that was the case, then why was I in an arranged marriage in the first ce? Then, after Holden graduated, he left. Just like he said he would. That was it. I started actively avoiding not just my parents, but his as well. There was no way in hell that I was going to go through with the marriage. ¡°And then I opened my mouth and got Mom and Dad on you. I was so worried about saving face that I made a horrible mistake. You don¡¯t have to marry Holden, Ana. The marriage is off. We don¡¯t need you to hurt my sister for a second more, Holden. How could you be so hurtful? The only thing she did wrong was fall for you, and look what you did to her. Have sex with her bully, and talk bad about her. I already know those bitches made my sister¡¯s life a living hell. If Tiffany hadn¡¯t stopped me that day, I would have been there to help my sister. Those vindictive bitches, set us up. I¡¯m not going to stop until the whole city knows what they¡¯ve done,¡± Seth snapped out. ¡°I don¡¯t want everyone to know, Seth, but I¡¯m sure Tiffany is going to fight when she gets arrested tonight. I told the police that I would bring in additional evidence soon. I wanted to give it to Rodney first. We¡¯re also going to put in a request to my phone carrier to get printouts of the texts she and Gretchen sent to me,¡± I answered. ¡°Seth is correct. The arranged marriage is over. I won¡¯t force my daughter to marry you. You had nothing good to say about her, and acted like you were forced into it. Your mother never intended to take your inheritance away. But you were young and willful. My beautiful daughter doesn¡¯t need you or your pity, Holden. I suggest you go home to try tofort your parents. Tiffany won¡¯t be getting out tonight. If I have any say in it, she won¡¯t be able to get out for several days, not after what she did. You can tell Gretchen that we¡¯reing after her as an essory. I won¡¯t be letting this go. You should tell your parents what¡¯s about to happen,¡± my father calmly told him. My father was dead serious. He spoke like this before he tore hispetitors apart. He wasn¡¯t going to go easy on them. ¡°Please, Ana, let me exin. I know what I said was wrong, but back then, I knew nothing about love. Seth, you did the same thing I did. We take what¡¯s offered and agree with what they say while we¡¯re with them. It didn¡¯t mean anything. How could I have known that Gretchen had tricked me into saying all those things? If I had known you were there, Ana, I wouldn¡¯t have said them at all,¡± Holden told me. ¡°Then answer me this, Holden. If you weren¡¯t avoiding me, why did you leave the country after graduation? Your business waspleted over two years ago,¡± I asked. Chapter 38 Roger¡¯s POV I woke up with a fierce headache, and my mouth tasted like I had licked cotton balls. I was surprised to see it was noon. I was reallyte for work. I had a few drinksst night. I was furious about what my mother had done, and couldn¡¯t fall asleepst night. My father even backed me up that they should never have done it. Sasha made my drinks, and by the third one, I didn¡¯t remember anything else. It was just like when we reconnected in Paris almost three months ago. My mother had been so smug when I got homest night. She really thought she had dealt with Elizabeth. She didn¡¯t even understand that filling a false police report was against thew. Add the false statements she made and the bogus deed. Mom doesn¡¯t know that she¡¯s in deep. She was smiling andughing about having Elizabeth arrested. I had looked around the room, at the three of them. Mom, Regina, and Sasha were all acting like they had won. Because they honestly believed they had. They believed that as long as Elizabeth was on her own, they could do whatever they wanted to her. Dad was pissed. He actually yelled at Mom for what she had done. I was d that he was backing me up on this. At least he was taking this seriously. I came into the living room, and Mom seemed surprised that I was still home. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡± ¡°Production was stopped, as I didn¡¯t sign the expired renewals. I thought we would both own the copyrights after we got married, but Elizabeth canceled the wedding. I don¡¯t know what else I¡¯m going to do. After what you three did to her yesterday, I know she isn¡¯t going to allow me to use any of her designs anymore,¡± I replied. ¡°Just make new designs, Roger. Do I have to tell you how to do everything?¡± Mom huffed, rolling her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Mom. I have a design team, but a great design doesn¡¯t just happen because you want it to. It takes time and effort to create a timeless piece. One that speaks to people. Hertest creations were exceptional, but she didn¡¯t give them to us. It¡¯s like she knew what I was nning to do, and blocked me at every step,¡± I replied. ¡°Roger, you run thatpany, not Elizabeth. Don¡¯t worry about it. Losing one designer won¡¯t destroy yourpany. Where else can she go? Sasha was smart enough to put the word out about those stolen designs. They belong to yourpany, not just Elizabeth. If she tries to use them, we will just sue her. Once she calms down and realizes that she has nowhere else to go, she¡¯ll be forced to return. She has to, who would hire her after we used her of theft? You have Sasha now, and she¡¯s a designer, too. Elizabeth has always thought too highly of herself. She can¡¯t go against us. She doesn¡¯t have the money to do that. Just sit back and wait for her to return. She¡¯ll be back by the end of the week, I guarantee it,¡± Mom told me. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, but seeing the way she smiled yesterday has me worried,¡± I replied. Elizabeth wasn¡¯t upset; it was like she had anticipated what happened. ¡°Just go on to work. I¡¯m sure things are going to work out just fine. You just need to give it a little time,¡± Mom said as she ushered me out the door. Nothing worked out. The normally busy secretaries on my floor were quiet as I exited the elevator. There was always noise before, but you could have heard a pin drop today. Upon arriving at my office, I checked the market and saw that mypany¡¯s stocks had dropped by thirteen percent overnight. When I started to open my emails, things got worse. My secretary then brought in official letters delivered from my investors, requesting their money back. They are demanding that I purchase their stocks back from them. What in the hell was going on? I tried to work for two hours, but ended up leaving because my headache was just getting worse. Medicine wasn¡¯t even taking the edge off of it. When I arrived back at my parents¡® home, I just passed her and went straight up to my room. I needed peace, but I didn¡¯t get any. My room is full of boxes. My parents didn¡¯t have anywhere to store our belongings. I changed out of my suit to getfortable andy down on the bed. I needed to think. I had promised Sasha I would buy us a home as soon as things settled. I needed to get thepany back on track before I could make arge purchase. I couldn¡¯t figure out if this was because of what my family had done yesterday. The scene they caused in front of thepany probably got the investors in an uproar. I had watched the footage, and it was exactly as bad as I thought it would be. I doubted the sudden mass exodus was because Elizabeth told the reporters, ¡°I¡¯m no longer with Cook Custom Jewelry.¡± Elizabeth had truly been the heart of thepany. Without her, it¡¯s going to crumble. That was the entire reason I had expressly told my mother and Sasha that everything had to be done a certain way. I needed control of her designs. Yet Sasha and my mother, the very ones who came up with this n, weren¡¯t following it. It seems like every time I turn around, they are trying to incite Elizabeth. They want to push her beyond her limits. It¡¯s like they can¡¯t control their actions anymore after they swore they could. I know with Sasha, it¡¯s due to jealousy. Not because she loves me, but because she knew Elizabeth loved me. She feels threatened by Elizabeth and has been acting out. Elizabeth took a chance and jumped into this with me. My parents didn¡¯t want to help me at all and were shocked by how well things had turned out for me. I admit my pride made me take the credit for our sess. I enjoyed how my parents and the rest of my family were treating me now. Now that I was a verified sess, I felt like I was more important to my family. But it was all Elizabeth. She took my idea and made it happen. Seeing her now, I hate that I ruined things between us. I made a mistake; Elizabeth would have been a much better choice to marry than Sasha. I really need to look into getting a divorce. I need to figure out how to get Elizabeth back. I need to marry her before mypany ends uppletely ruined. Once we are married, I¡¯m sure she will give me the designs to use again. I just needed to pour on the charm. Sasha doesn¡¯t respect me for anything more than a way to get what she wants. Elizabeth doesn¡¯t spend money like Sasha does. She was clearly the better choice between the two of them. Now that Elizabeth has slimmed down, I¡¯m more than happy to be the husband she always wanted. I¡¯m racking my brain trying to figure out how I can get her back. I doubt she knows that I married Sasha. If she did, I know she would have confronted me about it, instead of just giving me my ring back. She loves me. She wouldn¡¯t just calmly walk away from me. She was the one who demanded we get married. Even if she were mad, she wouldn¡¯t let thepany we created together be destroyed. Yet the more I think about it, I think she¡¯s fine with letting mypany copse. She mentioned a sinking ship yesterday after Mom came with the police officers. Is she really willing to lose everything she put into thepany just to prove a point? No, that¡¯s not possible. She doesn¡¯t have the kind of money to lose the millions she invested. Elizabeth was a highly intelligent woman. She wouldn¡¯t do something like that. I¡¯m having trouble figuring things out because Elizabeth has always been the one who ran things. I was the figurehead. I liked everything to be run by me, but I appreciated her handling the more mundane details. Why now? Why did she decide to do this? Could it be that Sasha told her that we were married? I wouldn¡¯t put it past her. She swore to me that she would wait, but she kept hinting at it. Sasha¡¯s always going through my phone. She could have got Elizabeth¡¯s number. She might have sent something to Elizabeth¡¯s phone, telling her what I did. I honestly wouldn¡¯t put it past her after yesterday. I had been humiliated by what they had done. I finally gave up and went downstairs. Dad was home now, and when he saw me, he frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at work?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well, I can¡¯t shake this headache. I¡¯m also trying to figure out how to get Elizabeth to return to work,¡± I replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need her son. You told me what a good designer Sasha is; just let her do her job. That¡¯s how you run a business. Hire talented people, and let them do their jobs,¡± my father replied. ¡°All of our best designs belonged to Elizabeth. If she won¡¯t sign them over to me, I¡¯m ruined. Her design team is okay, mainly because she always helps them. The first drafts were always off, but she managed to help make them better. She has a gift to elevate any design. Sasha is nowhere near her level,¡± I replied truthfully. ¡°Then why in the hell did you go off and give her job to Sasha? That doesn¡¯t even make sense,¡± my father fumed. ¡°Sasha wanted Elizabeth¡¯s job. I was going to make her step down into the Design Manager¡¯s position. That way, Elizabeth could still continue to make the necessary corrections. I had it all nned out. But Mom and Sasha can¡¯t seem to let her alone. They both knew how this needed to work out. Instead of helping me, they are single¨Chandedly dragging mypany down. We¡¯re down today in the stock market. I¡¯m losing several investors because of the stunt they pulled yesterday,¡± I replied. Dad froze and turned to face me. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said, mypany is taking a hit because of what Mom and Sasha pulled yesterday,¡± I replied. ¡°Your investors are pulling out? Why? Is there something you haven¡¯t told us?¡± my father asked. ¡°All our best designs belong to Elizabeth. She owns them, but she allowed thepany to use them. I downyed how important she was to thepany because I liked how you both started to respect me more. If I told you that we both owned thepany, you wouldn¡¯t have been quite so proud of me. How could I have known this would happen? Everything¡¯s falling apart now, and I don¡¯t know how to fix it,¡± I answered. ¡°What in the hell do you mean you don¡¯t know how to fix it? You¡¯ve been running yourpany for thest five years. What have you been doing all this time, if you weren¡¯t the one running it?¡± My Dad asked in shock. ¡°What else haven¡¯t you told us?¡± Chapter 39 Roger¡¯s POV ¡°Elizabeth did what needed to be done for thepany. She knew exactly what she was doing, and it just worked. She even brought in all the investors. I was just the head of thepany. I chose what was sent off to be produced, but Elizabeth always gave me her opinion of what would sell best. Elizabeth allowed thepany to use her designs for free because she had a stake in thepany¡¯s sess. The old contracts expired, and I never signed the new ones. I was betting that she would give them to me as a wedding present when we got married. That¡¯s why I told them to leave her alone, at least until I could get her to sign them over,¡± I stated, before ring at my mother. ¡°Did she sign them over?¡± my father asked quietly. ¡°No, she brought her attorney with her, Rodney Briggs. He¡¯s a sharp attorney. I didn¡¯t expect her to bring him with her; this was supposed to be easy. I was scared he would notice the hidden addition in the contract and tell her. So, I didn¡¯t hand over the document. Her attorney arrived with paperwork instructing me to halt production on her designs, or she would take me to court. I was trying to smooth everything over. But then Mom showed up and had Elizabeth arrested before I could,¡± I replied. My father looked at me in disappointment before his face slowly turned red. His anger was palpable, but I had no idea why. It was mypany being drug into the abyss, not his. I honestly don¡¯t think that I¡¯ve ever seen him as angry as he was at this moment. This was all Mom and Sasha¡¯s fault. I thought he was outraged for me, as he had backed me upst night. But now I knew it was more than that. ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me, Roger, is that because you were merely acting as the power behind thepany, but not the one in charge. That, despite knowing you were just a figurehead, with no actual business savvy, you deliberately ran off and married Sasha. I can¡¯t believe this,¡± he stood up and started to pace the room. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me, Roger? So you essentially lied to us for years. When it turns out that Elizabeth was the one with the talent, do you even get what you¡¯ve done? Son, you allowed your mother here to bully the one person who cared enough about you to create the life you¡¯re currently enjoying. I can¡¯t believe you thought that you were smart enough to fool her. No wonder your world is crashing down around you. Here I was, thinking you had followed in my footsteps and received my business acumen. That you had created something from nothing, just like I had. I was so proud of you. Instead, I find out that you are your mother made over. Enjoying the benefits of someone else¡¯s hard work, but adding nothing in return,¡± my father roared out. ¡°How dare you say that, Scott. I¡¯ve supported you all these years. How dare you act like I¡¯ve never done anything?¡± my mother snapped at him. ¡°Besides spending my hard¨Cearned money? Please enlighten me about what you¡¯ve done, Joyce? I pay maids and cooks to work in our home. When was thest time you prepared a meal? Do you even know how anymore? You haven¡¯t lifted a finger here in twenty years, and I allowed it because I loved you, and I wanted you to be happy. But you and Sasha have ruined everything. Don¡¯t you see what¡¯s going on here? Or are your so focused on trying to hurt that poor woman that you don¡¯t care what¡¯s happening?¡± my father asked. His tone was definitely lethal. He got on his phone and made a call. ¡°Hey, I need to sell the stocks I have in Cook¡¯s Custom Jewelry. Yeah, I know I just bought themst week. Get rid of them. All of them. The ones I bought, and the ones that my son bought. I don¡¯t care if their hard to sell, just do it. I¡¯d like to get at least half of my money back. Thanks,¡± he said before dropping the call and looking at me. ¡°How did you get stock in mypany?¡± I asked. I hadn¡¯t heard of anyone selling their stocks. ¡°I bought them while you were on your honeymoon, living it up. An opportunity came up, and I took it. I bought shares in yourpany, along with your younger brother. I had him buy half, as I didn¡¯t want you to be alerted that I had purchased so many shares. Now look at what you¡¯ve done. You might be going bankrupt, and end up taking us down with you,¡± my father bluntly stated. ¡°Scott, how dare you make such arge purchase without telling me. Plus, hispany will be just fine with her. She is just one employee; how important can she be? She can¡¯t help him rise to greater heights, unlike Sasha. Sasha is an award¨Cwinning designer. Elizabeth is nothingpared to her,¡± my mother replied, her voice shrill and grating. I suddenly remembered that Elizabeth¡¯s walls had been covered in awards. Sasha had only one, while Elizabeth had several, at least ten. I hadn¡¯t cared to really look at any of them. A month ago, while we wereing up with the idea, I thought Elizabeth was easily reced. I was getting my dream girl and a baby out of it. It made total sense to do it, at least until I could get Elizabeth out of thepany. ¡°Do you let me know when you¡¯re going to go out shopping and blow ten grand, Joyce? No, you don¡¯t. If it had panned out, I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t have been upset at all the money those stocks would have been earning, would you? But now that it¡¯s proving to be a loss, you¡¯re angry. That¡¯s just perfect. Are you willing to ept that you cost your son his business over wanting Roger to marry someone else? You can¡¯t ever see the big picture, Joyce. If Elizabeth were his legal wife, he would have had everything. He would have risen up in society, just like you wanted him to. Yet you kept after her. You made Roger think she was uneptable,¡± my father responded. ¡°She wasn¡¯t good enough for my son,¡± my mother stubbornly replied. ¡°A mother knows. Elizabeth might have helped him, but she¡¯s nowhere near as good as Sasha is for Roger.¡± ¡°That woman was a terrible choice. They just got together a short time ago. She eats nothing, yet her stomach isrger than it should be. You were pregnant three times, Joyce; you should have noticed that yourself. Her pregnancy is clearly further along than she said it was. Sasha is the gold¨Cdigger, not Elizabeth. If you think that she¡¯s carrying Roger¡¯s child, you are just as delusional as he is. Once the baby arrives, I¡¯m having a paternity test done. Before she tries to put his name on the birth certificate. Just because you refuse to see the truth doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve had her investigated. I¡¯m not just going to blindly ept her, or that child, unless that baby turns out to be a Cook,¡± my father stated coldly. ¡°You always thought Elizabeth was so smart, so efficient. Such a big help to Roger. But she was just attaching herself like a barnacle to him to ride on his sess. Demanding to be married in return for the little help she gave him. I know I don¡¯t work my fingers to the bone anymore, but I¡¯m still in charge of the household. We do have an easier life, but is it so wrong for me to want the best for my children? For my grandchildren? I want them to rise higher than we did, to have an easier life for their children. I was already nning on having a paternity test done. I did notice, but I was just going to quietly have it done. Not announce it like this,¡± my mother replied in anger. ¡°No, Joyce, you¡¯re allowing your own bias against Elizabeth to make you ept literally anyone else for Roger. I¡¯m disappointed in you. All the issues between us have stemmed from your wanting us to be better than who we are for thest three years. You¡¯re obsessed with being a member of high society. Why? I¡¯m not ashamed of who I am. I worked hard to get my family to where we are today. Even if I don¡¯t progress higher, I¡¯m still proud of what I¡¯ve aplished. Can¡¯t you just be happy with that? Roger needs to take her to a hospital and have them determine just how far along she is. Neither of you understands what¡¯s at stake here. Roger needs to annul the marriage immediately if the baby isn¡¯t his. It¡¯s much quicker than divorce. He needs to distance himself from Sasha and get Elizabeth back,¡± my father insisted. ¡°I¡¯m trying, Dad, she¡¯s furious because Mom had her arrested,¡± I replied. ¡°She wasn¡¯t joking about dealing with you, Mom. I¡¯ve never seen her so serious. You need to be prepared for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared of Elizabeth. What can she do to me? Like I told youst night, I¡¯m not scared of her. She can do her worst; she can¡¯t win against us,¡± my mother replied haughtily. ¡°You need to try harder, son, if you can¡¯t win Elizabeth back, I¡¯m telling you that you¡¯re done for,¡± my father assured me. ¡°How do you know that? Because I honestly think someone told her I married Sasha. Elizabeth is so cold to me now. I suspect Sasha did it. She keeps trying to flex in front of her and keeps touching me. Elizabeth noticed it. I don¡¯t know how to fix it,¡± I replied in frustration. ¡°Take her out, use your charm. Don¡¯t let her slip through your fingers. She loved you once; you can get her to love you again. I will keep your mother and sister away from her. Tomorrow you need to take your prenup and go find a good attorney,¡± my father told me. ¡°I don¡¯t have a prenup. We didn¡¯t have time to get one prepared before we got married. Mom said that since Sasha was pregnant with my child, it really didn¡¯t matter,¡± I answered. My father whirled around to face my mother. ¡°My God, are you trying topletely destroy this family, Joyce? Do you even realize that Roger¡¯spany is on the verge of copse? I¡¯m about to be out all that money on the stocks I bought, all because of you. My broker just warned me that everyone is selling their stocks in Roger¡¯spany. Like rats off a sinking ship. Everyone, that is, except Roger. Think about it, whose stocks do you think we managed to buy? I just watched the video from yesterday on the ride home. You know, the one you caused. She only said one thing. She made sure everyone knew that she was no longer working there. You¡¯re so focused on high society, you don¡¯t even know that her attorney isn¡¯t someone that just anyone can hire. Elizabeth bought the vi for them to live in. Can a regr person do that? I promise you, if Elizabeth doesn¡¯te back to save thepany, it will have copsed by the time their wedding date rolls around,¡± my father advised. Chapter 40 Analise¡¯s POV I was discharged this morning, with my doctor allowed me to leave early as I hadn¡¯t been dizzy for over twenty¨Cfour hours. I was also instructed not to wash my hair for the next few days. Since I have an open wound, I can¡¯t use dry shampoo either. I showered this morning, and just washed the ends of my hair. I stayed away from the open wound. I felt better after I showered. I was wheeled down to the lobby, with Drew walking with me. I was happy to see Charlie pull up to the curb with the SUV. Gwen had taken an Uber toe to the hospital. She was riding back with me. We would go over the shoot as we headed back to mypany. I created a group text for important matters that included my parents and Seth. I told them that I had been released and that I was fine. ¡°Has everything been prepared?¡± I asked Gwen. ¡°Yes. Emily¡¯s in makeup now, and they understand about your wound. They will be very careful. I told them that nothing can be sprayed on your hair. So one of them will stay behind to re¨Ccurl your hair if necessary. Your dress is already in the dressing room, along with everything else you need. We¡¯re ready to go when you are. Emily will teach you her patented moves. You know, the one that manages to show off each piece of jewelry. Emily makes it look effortless, but you were always a quick study in college. I know that you¡¯ll shine. We¡¯ll be doing a much bolder makeup on you today, since this is an advertisement, and the lights can wash you out. Just a heads up,¡± Gwen advised. ¡°I see you glossed over it again, Gwen. It¡¯s starting to worry me. What are you putting me in?¡± I asked. ¡°Ana, you know what a print ad andmercials look like for jewelry or perfume. This isn¡¯t your first go¨Caround. You know what Emily usually wears. You know it¡¯s usually a slinky dress. She dresses more conservatively for the handbags and watches. Jewelry has always been, what¡¯s the best word for it, suggestive. When a woman is given an expensive set of jewelry, it is usually for her birthday, an anniversary, or for a reason. sex is usually just around the corner. Just like with perfume ads, why are they wearing perfume? Because they are trying to attract someone, such as a husband or boyfriend. They want to feel sexy or special, in that moment,¡± Gwen replied. Charlie winked at me in the rear¨Cview mirror, and I looked away, flushing. His lowugh didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Gwen, who was now looking back and forth between me and Charlie. I see a small smile ying on her lips, and the wheels turning in her head. Thankfully, this photo shoot should wrap up quickly before she cane up with some kind of harebrained n to try to hook us up. I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t interested in him. He¡¯s very attractive. I was ushered into a makeup chair as soon as we arrived. They got me ready quickly, and I was turned over to the hairdresser. He was quick and professional. He used a pick to make my waves stand out, but ced ab between the pick and my scalp to keep from hitting my injury. I gasped when I saw Emily¡¯s dress. She wore a cream colored slip dress with thin spaghetti straps. It was my design, but it was intended for a much slimmer person, who could go braless. Giving a delicious view, but not scandalous. It was a best seller in our line, and came in a variety of colors. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t going to work for me. I red at Gwen in the mirror, and she gave a little grin. She had disappeared for twenty minutes while I was getting ready. Now she was back, acting as if I should be happy with her dress choice. She knew why I was upset. Emily entered the dressing room behind us, and I saw my dress. Unlike Emily¡¯s dress, which was straight down, mine gathered at the waist, with an almost invisible stic band. You didn¡¯t even notice it, but it would help emphasis my hourss figure. ¡°You know I can¡¯t wear that, Gwen. What in the hell?¡± I stated. I rarely cussed, but what is she thinking? I can¡¯t go out there without something to prevent a nip slip in the ad. The neckline was low, I won¡¯t do it. I would be utterly humiliated. ¡°Just try it on. But first, we have something that will help. Put these pasties on, and we will help you put the adhesive bra on,¡± Gwen replied as if I was just making excuses. ¡°Adhesive bra? What are you talking about?¡± I asked in confusion. ¡°Everyone uses these, especially in low¨Ccut clothing. Emily¡¯s used them before, but usually she can just go without. I knew you would need them, and nothing is a bigger ¡®for you¡® than you looking all hot and sexy and moving on. Roger and Holden both need that message. Holden thought you would just hang on after all these years. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence that he came back just three weeks before you were getting married. He came to stop your wedding. We all heard what he did. We wereing back to the room, and it wasn¡¯t soundproofed. I know how much he hurt you. I was d your dad threw him out of your hospital room. You don¡¯t need either of them; you never did. Now you are free to move on to greener pastures,¡± Gwen replied with a smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move on. Clearly, I make bad choices when ites to men. I think I¡¯ll stick to growing mypany and creating new designs from now on. I really don¡¯t want to put myself out there like that anymore. It¡¯s hard for me to trust anyone now. Nothing¡¯s worked out like I wanted it to,¡± I replied. ¡°We all heard him talking. He definitely wants you back. He was backing you, not his sister,¡± Emily gently replied. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Emily. Seeing him having sex with her is something I will never forget. But hearing what he said about me after they were done was what really hurt. He broke my heart that day, showing no regard for my feelings. I might be able to forgive him one day, but I don¡¯t feel the same about him anymore. I don¡¯t care why he had sex with her. He said that he was willing to leave the country to escape our arranged marriage, and that¡¯s exactly what he did. He can¡¯t try to wrap a bow on it, or say oops, try to excuse it. I don¡¯t care if he did return to stop me from marrying Roger. I won¡¯t marry him,¡± I replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Ana. You know we are always here for you, no matter what. We have your back. We need to get you ready because the photographer will be here in twenty minutes. I need to show you my signature move, and we can see how you can tweak it to make it your own,¡± Emily told me. I had put the pasties on, and they showed me how the adhesive worked. I have to admit I was impressed, as I wasn¡¯t worried about a nip slip now. I felt covered, and my breasts looked great. I mean, seriously great, like I would go out to dinner in this dress after the photoshoot, great. The neckline was low, but you couldn¡¯t see the adhesive bra. It was like gravity had been kind to me all these years. The dress skimmed me, clinging to my breasts and tapering in at my waist before ring out. I was d that Gwen got my undergarments from I turned around and loved the view from the back as well. The deep V was replicated on the back, showing even more skin than the front, in arger, more daring neckline. I have to admit, Gwen was right. This dress looked fantastic on me. I was still so caught up with how I used to look, my mind couldn¡¯t fully wrap around the fact that my body was much different from what it was before. Her grin told me that she already knew what I was thinking, and I didn¡¯t have to say it, but I would. ¡°You were right,¡± I told her. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would work, but it really does. I think I will have him take a few pictures for our online catalogue for others at the same size, orrger, can see how it looks on arger figure. ¡°Absolutely, I think it will open us up to getting more business. I have more ideas, we should get together so I can outline what I was thinking,¡± Gwen replied. ¡°Set it up, Gwen. I have some ideas that I¡¯d like to discuss with you, but thest week and a half have been incredibly busy. I have Roger and Holden dealt with now. I can move on to my own business,¡± I responded happily. I knew that Gwen was going to be on board with my ideas when she saw them, especially after she put me in this dress. ¡°We entered the studio where we filmed our ads. The walls were a glossy white color, and we added asional decorations, like stacked blocks in various colors. Today, it was a light gray color. The colors were to enhance the clothing or whatever essory we were promoting. The other side of the room was dark, and you couldn¡¯t see anyone because of the lighting, which helped. I felt awkward, but I had practiced Emily¡¯s move. The move was primarily for the video ad, but I continued practicing while we waited for the photographer to get everything set up as he wanted. Emily watched me practice and smiled. ¡°You always try to emte it, as you were shown, but you just need to rx. You need to make it yours Ana. You need to act like you want your lover to get rock hard at seeing you in your jewelry. It¡¯s a seduction, Ana. So don¡¯t be afraid to show your feminine side. You¡¯re not the boss right now. You¡¯re a woman who loved the gift she was just given. A gift given to the woman he loves. It means something, so focus on the love. You need to show it by your eyes, lower your gaze to the floor. Then, when you lift your eyes, show him the desire that you have for him. Bite your lip, like you¡¯re fighting back your desire to kiss them,¡± Emily quietly instructed me. ¡°Easy for you to say. I¡¯ve been waiting for marriage,¡± I replied. I was trying, but it was hard. I feel good, but I didn¡¯t feel sexy. ¡°Not even with Roger after you were engaged?¡± Emily asked in shock. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to sleep with me. I found out I was too fat for him. I was waiting for marriage to sleep with him. I¡¯m so d I waited. Out of everything, I¡¯m thankful for that,¡± I replied. ¡°Then picture someone you¡¯d like to sleep with, and use them to get the desired result, no pun intended,¡± Emily said with a wink. I just wish I didn¡¯t know exactly who I would be using as my muse. Chapter 41 Analise¡¯s POV Once the photographer started, things went quickly. We got several shots done, and then we got to rest while he got everything prepped for themercial to be shot. The photographer told us that we would get more pictures taken after the video was filmed. He wanted to move to the video part of the shoot before I got too tired to continue. He was right. I was getting tired. Gwen brought me a drink and mentioned that since summer wasing, she wanted to promote our wedding ring line. Which was another brilliant idea. I was all for it, never thinking anything more about it. I really should have, as Gwen was sneakytely, but I was tired. I was still recovering, so I just went with the flow. I was just d that the photographer was going to allow me to sit on the white blockster on while finishing up our shoot. My head was hurting, and I just wanted to get it done. My hair was redone, and my makeup retouched while I sat in my chair. Emily¡¯s hair was fine, as they could use products to set it. Her blond hair had been piled up in a messy bun, with tendrils falling down, giving her a softer look. They had yed up her blue eyes, and she looked stunning, just like always. I was impressed with her. She always made this look effortless, but it turned out to be much harder than I thought. I think it¡¯s time for her to get a raise. A guard entered with a locked suitcase, and I knew our jewelry had been brought in. I froze when I saw the ring I had created back when I thought I was going to marry Holden. My eyes flew up to Gwen, who shrugged and said, ¡°You need a piece that you had a connection to. Don¡¯t associate it with Holden anymore. He¡¯s your past. That ring is stunning and needs to be showcased. It¡¯s beautiful, and what better way to move forward than by showing that you aren¡¯t clinging to the past? It has always been the ring you¡¯ve wanted to receive your whole life. Don¡¯t let Holden, or Roger, take that joy away from you.¡± I took off the set I was wearing for my new collection and passed it to Gwen. I had chosen my birthstone, amethyst, for my set. Emily had been wearing a ruby set, one that had shed against her skin and was a brilliant foil to her colored dress. ¡°Emily, you¡¯re going to go first, so you can show Ana what to do here. This is the motivation, or direction, that we¡¯re going with this ad. You just got engaged, and you¡¯re showing off your new ring. You¡¯re thrilled to be getting married. You¡¯ll have a fake fianc¨¦ with you in the video. Just pretend you¡¯re in love. Stare into his eyes, use his bicep to show off your ring. Just do whates naturally between you. You don¡¯t have to kiss or anything. This is just to showcase the ring,¡± Gwen said. Before I could ask her what she was thinking, Drew stepped out and came over to Emily. I could see the surprise in her eyes as she turned to look at Gwen, too. What in the hell is she doing? ¡°Gwen, you shouldn¡¯t use Drew like this. He is working for me; he shouldn¡¯t have to do this,¡± I started to say. ¡°Thepany is paying him for today. Not you personally. Why hire a model when we have such a handsome guy who¡¯s already here? It¡¯s a win/win for us both, don¡¯t you think?¡± Gwen said, and nodded to the photographer. The silence was heavy in the room as Emily, who always works alone, got her bearings back. I watched her get back into model mode, and she did what was needed. The photographer called out instructions to them, and Drew seemed really into it. I think he might have a thing for Emily. I saw the flush on her cheeks when he came out. He was in a jacket when he first appeared. I knew he was dressed in a sports coat earlier with a pair of dress pants and a white shirt, but he wasn¡¯t wearing that now. He had changed clothes, and he truly looked like a model now. I watched them, and they honestly looked good together, like an actual couple. They were natural together, and I approved of Gwen¡¯s little surprise. I just didn¡¯t want Drew to think we were using him, and I don¡¯t mind him doing a little side work. He suddenly dipped her, and sheughed up at him. The assistant to the photographer snapped several shots as the photographer continued to film them. She clung to his arm at the unexpected dip. Her ring, a nice three¨Ccarat oval, shone brilliantly from the lighting. After about ten minutes of film, they then went back to the pictures. One of her hugging him, his jacket now off, and his ck button¨Cdown the perfect backdrop to let the ring be the star. Drew¡¯s profile was there, but they made sure that the ring was the main focus, and it worked out well. They were done, and as they walked towards us, Gwen pped in excitement. ¡°Excellent job, Drew. See, that wasn¡¯t so hard, now was it?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°Working with Emily was easy. She¡¯s a professional,¡± Drew said with a grin down at Emily. ¡°You can keep the clothes, they are yours. Plus, I have the payment I told you already paid directly into your ount,¡± Gwen told him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do both. I told you I was here already. It¡¯s fine. I actually enjoyed it,¡± Drew replied. His eyes darted down to Emily again, which made me smile. He really likes her. I hope she gives him a chance. He¡¯s a good man. ¡°Okay, your turn, Ana,¡± Gwen pulled me up. ¡°I gave Emily an oval¨Cshaped ring to wear, just to showcase that it doesn¡¯t have to always be round. I think it needs to be whatever shape the bride prefers. It will y well against your pear¨Cshaped diamond in the print ads. They will give people more ideas so that they can make their engagement ring their own.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± I mumbled. I was now worried about what surprise Gwen had in store for me. I felt exposed, as now I was alone. Emily had Drew, but I felt like I was by myself. I would just power through, as I always did, but I had a gut feeling that I knew what she had done. I hope I¡¯m wrong. I¡¯ve just managed to get my family back on my side, but this might just set them off again. I stepped back in front of the lights and waited for instructions on what to do next. I was suddenly d that I had my nails done now. This could have ended up even worse if I hadn¡¯t. I watched as a shadow walked towards me from the doorway, and as he appeared, he gave me a wink. I really tried to stop the smile, but I couldn¡¯t. Charlie walked up and stood right next to me, but didn¡¯t touch me yet. He was waiting too. He had the same outfit on, a ck jacket, a ck button¨Cdown shirt, and ck dress pants. He still managed to look dangerous in the very best way. ¡°You two need to rx, you¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t you. This isn¡¯t an actual engagement, so just calm down,¡± Gwen¡¯s words broke the silence. Charlie gave that low chuckle that made me feel tingly in the pit of my stomach. I tried to push them down, but the moment he slid his arm around my waist, I couldn¡¯t tamp them down anymore. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Ana,¡± he told me, and I rxed. Things went smoothly, as I just listened to what the photographer called out. We took pictures with his jacket on, and then he followed Drew¡¯s example and took the jacket off. My mouth went dry. The shirt fit him well, too well. I hated that he might wear this to take another woman out. It couldn¡¯t hide the fact that he was extremely fit. He had left the first two buttons undone on his shirt. But he kept the sleeves rolled down. He knew this was for an ad, but I wanted to see his arms. I knew he had tattoos, and I suddenly wanted to see them so badly. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him taking that shirt off and getting to touch him. I could feel his muscles through the shirt. Pressed against my back as we worked through simr poses that Emily and Drew had done earlier. I was starting to get tired, but I hated that it was about to end. I liked being held by Charlie.. The photographer then called out, ¡°Try dipping her, or something like that. It worked out well in the first shoot. You can decide what you want to do. Sometimes the unnned moments work out the best.¡± ¡°Trust me?¡± Charlie asked. His voice was so soft I barely heard it. I nodded, and he said, ¡°Use your words, Ana.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I replied. Before I could blink, Charlie held me tighter in his arms, his head lowering to kiss me. My mind froze. Is he about to kiss me for themercial? I wasn¡¯t very good at kissing. I had never kissed Holden, and with Roger, our kisses were really just pecks on the lips. Not the kind of passionate kisses you see in movies where they French kiss. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I had to force myself to rx and enjoy the moment. Charlie ended up nuzzling my neck. His nose was running up until I felt his breath on my ear. His teeth suddenly nipped my earlobe, and I swear I had to hold back a moan from the sexual tension. The photographer kept encouraging us to continue, and I raised my left hand to cup his cheek. I wanted him to know I liked what he was doing, oh, and to promote the ring on my finger. He nuzzled into it, my touch like he craved it. I could feel my panties getting wet. How is he able to do this to me? I forgot about everyone here; as far as I was concerned, it was only us in the room. I gripped his shoulder as he dipped me down before his lips touched mine. I rubbed my hands through his day¨Cold scruff and felt a thrill run through me as the short hairs teased my palms. He nipped my bottom lip, and when I gasped at his actions, his tongue suddenly plunged into my mouth. Probing, stroking my tongue, waiting for me to respond. I gripped his hair in my hands and pulled him even closer. I never wanted this moment to stop. When he broke the kiss, we both looked at each other, desire evident in our eyes. We stared at each other in surprise as we caught our breath. ¡°Perfect, that¡¯s enough for several ads. Now we need to get a few more pictures taken, and then we¡¯re done,¡± The photographer¡¯s voice broke us both out of our trance. I can¡¯t believe I just kissed Charlie. He seemed almost as stunned as I was. He was stiffening up just like I had, and the moment was lost. Was he suddenly ashamed of kissing me? Chapter 42 Analise¡¯s POV We only worked together for five more minutes before I finally begged off, iming exhaustion. My head was full of doubts. Did Charlie just get caught up in the moment? What got him carried away? It really seemed like he was into me. Much more than the regr flirting he did when he would tease me by winking at me. Who am I kidding? To me, Charlie was much hotter than Roger and Holden. I managed to hold it together until our photos were done. I tried not to get even more worked up than I already was. I tried to calm myself down as I faced the camera, wrapping my arms around his neck to show off my ring. I tried to ignore the minty smell of his breath as I smiled at the camera, waiting to be excused. Am I feeling like this just because I¡¯m lonely? Do I want to feel desired so badly that I¡¯m willing to kiss anyone? I¡¯m disappointed in myself. Technically, I¡¯m his boss. I don¡¯t want to be used of sexual harassment, but he kissed me. It¡¯s obvious who instigated the kiss. Did I respond, yes, but I don¡¯t know anyone else who wouldn¡¯t have in that moment. I tried to remain calm, but as soon as we were cleared, I took off. Like a pack of dogs were after me. Charlie didn¡¯t notice me fleeing at first, but Drew did. He tried to call me back. I knew why; they were supposed to stay with me at all times. But I¡¯m inside my ownpany. I¡¯m safe here. Once I locked myself in my office, I texted them both that as soon as Gwen paid them, they were done for the day. I won¡¯t be leaving thepany today. I was just going to take it easy and rest. Then I texted Gwen the same thing. I just wanted to be alone. I haven¡¯t been alone for a while, not since before the auction. I just needed a break. I plugged in my phone to charge and turned the volume down. I cleaned my face and took a shower, making sure not to get my hair wet. My head was starting to really pound, and my mind was all over the ce. I needed to rx. I couldn¡¯t help but reach down and rub my clit. It was begging for attention and was a great stress reliever. This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve done this. But it was the first time that I¡¯ve done it because I was so worked up by a man that I needed the release. Usually, it was because I was just stressed out. I shuddered as my released came easy, too easy, with Charlie¡¯s name on my lips. How am I ever going to face him again? I felt humiliated. Like Gwen had paid him off to do what he did. How could he possibly find me attractive enough to kiss? Not one, but two men have already deemed me unworthy of them, so how could he be interested? Just like Tiffany and Gretchen always said that no man will ever want me. He¡¯s only known me for two days. How could he possibly be interested in someone like me? If he was, it¡¯s only because he knew that I was a Caldwell. I dried off and turned off the light. It wasn¡¯t even five p.m., but I was exhausted. Iy down on my sofa and allowed my tears to fall. I¡¯m not stupid. What other reason could there be? I needed to nip this in the bud. It can¡¯t go any further. I won¡¯t allow myself to even dream about it. What purpose would it serve anyway? I thought we had a moment, but I know I¡¯m overthinking it. I wish I could say that I had fallen into a dreamless sleep. But nightmares gued me all night long. Tiffany and Gretchen wereughing at me for falling for it again. Mocking me for even thinking that someone could care for me. My past insecurities came back to me at full st. Totally destroying my newfound confidence. My tears soaked my pillow, and I was up at four a.m. I had stubbornly tried to sleep, but finally just gave up. I looked terrible. I had dark circles under my eyes fromck of sleep. I was pale, likely because my head hurt so badly. I took some pain medication and made out my to¨Cdo list. I needed to make some changes. I hated even writing down that I needed to keep Drew and change Charlie out with Jon, but I couldn¡¯t face him again. I could feel my face burning now at the thought of it. I needed to have a serious talk with Gwen this morning. I felt my eyes burn with tears at the thought of having to let Charlie go. But right now, I just couldn¡¯t afford any scandals. Not until Ie clean about who I am. Maybe after the reveal, I¡¯ll be able to face him again. That gives me about a week and a half to get over my embarrassment. But I have a feeling it won¡¯t be enough. My head hurts too much for this. I would start making the calls as soon as the businesses opened this morning. I called the therapist Rodney referred me to and made an appointment. It¡¯s obvious afterst night, the bullying they put me through wasn¡¯t just going to go away. I also needed to deal with mytest embarrassment, as well as what Roger had put me through. I made the initial appointment for tomorrow. I really didn¡¯t want to deal with anyone today. I put my towel fromst night at the bottom of my door, so Gwen wouldn¡¯t see the light was on and know I was here. I had a life, kind of. Maybe not a great one at the moment, but I¡¯ve been focusing on my happiness. I then called the securitypany and advised them that I wasn¡¯t going anywhere today, and no one was needed. As soon as they confirmed my request, I decided to officially make the change. ¡°Is there any way that I can add Jon Wolfe to the team?¡± I asked. ¡°Charlie had already notified us that you wanted Jon added,¡± she replied. ¡°Um, I was just going to stay with two, Drew, and Jon, for the time being. I will add Charlie backter,¡± I quickly replied. I knew I needed to just get it out before I chickened out. I didn¡¯t want to rece him; I already missed him. That means I had no choice but to rece him. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Ms. Wade. It¡¯s set in the system. Only one of the owners can change it. Charlie and Drew are set as your team. Is there a problem?¡± she asked. I don¡¯t want to get him in trouble, but I¡¯m going to be the one in trouble if I don¡¯t make sure I guard my heart. I can¡¯t be deceived a third time. Haven¡¯t I been humiliated enough? I¡¯m an intelligent woman. I can¡¯t keep falling for men who don¡¯t care for me or find me attractive. But I can¡¯t think of a reason to ditch him. I let out a sigh and said, ¡°There¡¯s no problem. I will need an escort at ten tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it noted. Have a good day,¡± she replied before hanging up. How can I possibly have a good day? I have to face him tomorrow, whether I want to or not. I¡¯m just going to have to keep it strictly professional. I won¡¯t let him flirt, and I won¡¯t be catching his gaze in the mirror anymore. I will just look out my window and mind my own business. I¡¯m sure after he touched me yesterday, he is no longer interested in me. I already acted like things were fine in front of him for the pictures. I will get past this, just like I¡¯ve gotten past everything else, one day at a time. I spent the day hiding out in my office. I only answered the door for security twice. Once to get brunch, and once to get a small pizza for dinner. My nerves were frayed, but I actually got a lot done today. Two nes and a bracelet were created, along with two dresses. I don¡¯t know why I was so creative, but things went very smoothly today. I showered and took my medicine before I went to bed. I was praying that the medicine and theck of sleep. would knock me out, and I wouldn¡¯t suffer the nightmares again. I finally checked my phone and ignored the texts from Holden, Charlie, and Drew. I also ignored the texts from Emily and Gwen. I needed more time. If I answered Emily, Gwen would be upset. I didn¡¯t want to hear Charlie make excuses for why he decided to kiss me. If I have to. I will call and speak to one of the owners to get my security detail changed. Thankfully, my sleep was much better. I felt better getting dressed as I pulled out a blush pink silk shirt and a pair of ivory pants. I paired the gold belt Emily got me with some nude heels. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes looked sad, but the rest of my face looked fine. No more dark circles, after some light makeup. I put on some mascara, and this time, I used the nude lipstick. I pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail, passing over the spot where I was injured. I was ready ten minutes early. But I waited until ten to exit the building. They were already there, and Drew got out with a smile. I smiled back, but he noticed it wasn¡¯t my regr smile. He opened my door, but didn¡¯t ask what was up. That didn¡¯t stop Charlie, ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just haven¡¯t been sleeping well, and still have a headache,¡± I replied. I gave them the address where we were going, and then stared out my window as we headed there. ¡°Do you want us to stop and get coffee?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, thanks,¡± I replied. I didn¡¯t nce at him. I didn¡¯t want to meet his eyes. I certainly didn¡¯t want him to wink at me again. I felt tears pricking my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I thought of Joyce and how she was going to react when she found out who I was. That helped, but I was now worried about crying in front of my therapist. I ugly. cried, and I¡¯m barely holding it together right now. I¡¯m just d the foundation will cover my blotchy red face; well, I hope it will. But I knew I needed to do this. I¡¯m struggling enough already. Charlie parked, but didn¡¯t shut the SUV off or unlock the doors like he normally did. I just stared out the window. Nothing could possess me to meet his gaze in the mirror. He finally sighed and said, ¡°Drew.¡± The next second, the locks disengaged, and Drew threw his door open as Charlie locked the doors back. ¡°Wait,¡± I called out, but Drew just shut the door and walked to the hood of the vehicle. I kept my eyes on Drew, but calmly said, ¡°Charlie, you can¡¯t keep me prisoner. I have an appointment in fifteen minutes.¡± ¡°Look at me, Ana, Charlie stated. I just shook my head and stared out of the SUV. ¡°Ana, either you look at me, or we¡¯ll just stay locked up in here together until you do.¡± Chapter 43 Analise¡¯s POV My eye flew towards the mirror, but he had turned in the seat and had his piercing blue eyes focused on me. Frustration was all over his face, but he sounded hurt when he finally asked, ¡°Why did you call thepany and try to have me changed out? Why are you trying to avoid me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to feel forced to work with me anymore. I know that Gwen forced you into helping out. I didn¡¯t want you to be forced into doing it again. I¡¯m sorry that you were ced in that position. It wasn¡¯t my intention to use either of you like that. I will get Gwen to apologize to you as well. It won¡¯t happen again. I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble at the security firm.¡± I stated before averting my eyes again. ¡°Gwen didn¡¯t force us to do anything. It was our choice, and I volunteered to work with you,¡± Charlie told me, and smiled when my eyes flew back to his. His low chuckle was doing things to me. ¡°I need to go up, please,¡± I replied. I didn¡¯t want to get into this right now. Not when I¡¯m about to go and bare my soul to the therapist. ¡°Say my name,¡± Charlie demanded. ¡°Please, Charlie, I need to go up,¡± I said after a minute¨Clong stare down. ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Charlie said as he unlocked the doors and turned the SUV off. ¡°I¡¯m not your girl,¡± I muttered. ¡°Maybe not yet, but you will be,¡± Charlie said as he approached to escort me. His hand on my lower back felt more possessive than anything else. Neither of them has touched me to conduct their duties until the photo shoot. That¡¯s when everything changed. We were quiet as we headed up. I would have preferred for them to stay in the lobby, but they refused. It was hard enough to reach out for help, as there¡¯s a stigma attached to anyone who seeks help, but why? I never asked to be bullied. I never asked for them to do what they did to me. They were the ones at fault. I was just trying to piece myself back together. They said nothing as we entered or while I filled out my paperwork. I deliberately sat at the lone chair in the room, leaving the sofa for them to sit at either end. Except Charlie didn¡¯t sit on the couch; he stood directly behind my chair. Drew shot him a look, but sat on the couch. Where he could watch out for us. No one would see him until they fully entered the room. I turned my paperwork in and sat back down to wait. Charlie came closer to me now that I was done filling out the paperwork. I appreciated him giving me privacy, but he was now hovering over me. I knew he wanted to say something. But he knew I was actively ignoring him. I didn¡¯t want to have this discussion in front of Drew or thedy watching him from the receptionist¡¯s desk. She was practically undressing Charlie with her eyes, and I didn¡¯t like it. I knew the moment I was called back, she was going to flirt with him. The only positive about it was that at least I wouldn¡¯t have to witness it y out in front of me. Small blessing that was. When the doctor called me back, I didn¡¯t want to go. I had just gone over this recently, but I didn¡¯t want to keep having nightmares. I also didn¡¯t want to have to battle anxiety or depression again. ¡°We¡¯ll be here when youe out. It¡¯s okay,¡± Charlie shortly told me. I headed to the door and turned back to look at him. He nodded at me and sat down in my chair to let me know he would be waiting for me when I returned. I entered with hesitation, but knew I needed to do this. The doctor was kind to me. She didn¡¯t dive right into it. She asked questions and let me control the speed of the session. I liked that she actually listened to me. When she asked me what had brought me here, I answered truthfully. I told her what Roger had done and about what he nned to do to me. I then told her about the assault Tiffany had inflicted on me on Sunday night, and that my nightmares were back. I didn¡¯t want to allow Tiffany to be able to mentally scar me again. She let me speak, asionally asking me a question to rify. When our time was almost up, she spoke, ¡°I see you don¡¯t want to be put on any medication. I agree. You seem to be doing a good job atpartmentalizing everything. I think it would be beneficial for you to return and share your experiences. I also know that you probably only scratched the surface of what happened in order to keep from upsetting your family. I think one session a week, until you have a better handle on this, will work. I think that you¡¯ve done so much to protect your family. It¡¯s clear that despite what you were put through in high school. You still wanted their friendship to remain,¡± she advised. She studied me for a little while before saying, ¡°I think being able to get this off your chest, in a no¨Cjudgement space, was a good idea on your part. When would be a good time for you to return?¡± she asked. I was surprised that an hour had passed so quickly. I had needed this. I quickly set my next appointment and headed for the door. Charlie was out there, but Drew was gone, which was weird. Charlie got up with a smile and held his hand out to me. I didn¡¯t take it. We needed to set some boundaries. But as soon as I passed, he stepped forward and opened the door for me, before cing his hand gently on my back, as we headed for the elevator. ¡°Where¡¯s Drew?¡± I asked as we exited the lobby, and I still didn¡¯t see him. ¡°He left. It¡¯s you and me today, love. I¡¯m taking you to lunch, and then to see Attorney Griggs. He sent a message that he needed to see you,¡± Charlie replied. He led me to the SUV and opened the front passenger door for me. ¡°I usually sit in the back,¡± I said with a frown. ¡°I can¡¯t reach you in the back. So you need to sit near me, in case of emergency,¡± Charlie replied smoothly. He seemed to have all the answers today. ¡°I don¡¯t feelfortable up here. I would rather sit in the back,¡± I told him when he got into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°I know, but you¡¯ll just have to get over it today. Drew has to work a special detail tonight, so he got sent home. I¡¯m sorry that he¡¯s missing. I assure you that I will keep you safe. Scout¡¯s honor,¡± he said. He then held his arm up, with his thumb and pinkie together, and his other three fingers extended straight up. ¡°You were a Boy Scout?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°I was, I made it all the way up to Eagle Scout. I¡¯m sure my mother probably has my sash with all my badges sewn on it stored somewhere,¡± He told me as he drove out of the parking lot. ¡°Is Italian okay with you?¡± He asked after a couple of minutes. ¡°I love Italian,¡± I replied. Still confused as to why he¡¯s taking me to lunch, and not straight to Rodney¡¯s office. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten muchtely. We need to eat, and I need to talk to you,¡± Charlie replied. ¡°We can hit a drive¨Cthru,¡± I replied. I knew what he wanted to talk about, and I would rather face the conversation either in this SUV, behind the window tint, or in my office. I didn¡¯t need a group of people I don¡¯t even know to see me get rejected. ¡°No, you aren¡¯t someone I want to hide. You are someone to show off, someone to treasure. It would be my honor to take you out. Please allow me to do that,¡± Charlie told me as we were stopped at the light. He was looking right at me, and he seemed to be telling the truth, but clearly, I¡¯m not good at reading people. Someone honked behind us, and Charlie turned and started moving forward when he saw the green light. Roger used to do the same thing. Act like I was important, act like he cared, but it was all a lie. I don¡¯t think that I¡¯m strong enough to go through something like that again. ¡°No pressure, Ana. I just want to talk to you. You ran off on me and then ghosted me. I just wanted to have a meal together, it¡¯s just a few questions,¡± Charlie spoke again as he pulled into Benvenuto. I stiffened, as thest time I saw this ce was in the video of Roger and his group mocking me. ¡°Can we go somewhere else, please?¡± I asked. I must have looked bad, because he pulled right back out of the parking space and left. ¡°It has the best Italian in the city. Do you not like it there?¡± Charlie asked as he pulled out again and drove us closer to Rodney¡¯s building. We stopped at a steak ce, and I let out the breath I was holding. ¡°I¡¯ll show you whyter. I don¡¯t want anyone else to see or hear it,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± he replied. The steak ce was a little busy, but he managed to get the hostess to seat us away from everyone else. We ced our order, and when she walked away, he asked. ¡°I heard you liked Benvenuto. Will you tell me why you have an issue with it now?¡± ¡°When we get back to the SUV, I¡¯ll show you. It was the video Holden sent me. The one where I found out Roger went and got married to keep me from being able to legally marry him,¡± I quietly answered him. The server came with our drinks and a bread basket. She smiled at Charlie the whole time, ignoring me. I was d when she walked away. I was getting pretty pissed at her attempts to flirt. No matter how many times he shut her down, she persisted. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± I asked when she finally walked away. ¡°Would you date me, Ana? Go out, be exclusive? I think you¡¯re the one, but I want to make sure you want to be with me, too. Our kiss was one of the best ones I¡¯ve ever had. I could tell you¡¯re inexperienced, but you¡¯re passionate. I¡¯ve liked you since I met you. Unlike Holden and Roger, I knew you were a treasure. I don¡¯t want to let you slip out of my hands. So, will you date me, officially?¡± Charlie asked. At first, I was truly stunned. Too stunned to even answer him. ¡°I would, but my father isn¡¯t going to allow it. He values our name, he wants to choose who I date,¡± I carefully replied. Chapter 44 Charlie¡¯s POV I knew the moment we kissed yesterday that Ana was the one I¡¯ve been waiting for. As soon as she went back for her therapy session, I told Drew to stay put to watch out for her, and I went into the hall to make the call. ¡°I see you finally remember that you have a family, brat. What do you want? That¡¯s usually the only time you call me,¡± My grandfather asked. ¡°I need a favor, and you are one of the only people I know who can help me,¡± I answered. I wanted to get him a little worked up. Once he finds out what the favor is, he¡¯s going to be thrilled. ¡°What kind of a favor? Is yourpany in trouble? I can help if you need it,¡± He quickly asked. ¡°No, thepany¡¯s fine. What I need is for you to arrange a meeting with Reid Caldwell for me,¡± I replied. ¡°Reid Caldwell? Why?¡± Suspicionced my grandfather¡¯s voice. ¡°I want to talk to him about his daughter. I would like to marry her,¡± I replied. I had to hold my phone away from my ear, as he loudly shouted for my mother and grandmother toe to his study. ¡°When do you want the meeting? I want toe with you. I would like to meet this youngdy,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to scare her away, are you?¡± I teased him. I knew he would be weing her with open arms. ¡°No, but it shows respect to show up with your family. It shows that we are taking this union seriously. This meeting is important, Charles. Don¡¯t mess around. This is a meeting between two strong families. I will be happy to call him as soon as we get off the phone. How did you meet her?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m part of her security team. But she is beautiful and kind. There¡¯s a small issue, but Iwill fill you in on the way to meet her family. I believe that Reid will give us his blessing on it. He¡¯s in a little bit of a bind. Her former fianc¨¦ is worthless and didn¡¯t deserve her. She doesn¡¯t need a weak man like him anyway. She needs to be loved and protected. She needs me, so his loss is my gain. Once I get her to ept me, I will never let her go,¡± I replied. ¡°That sure of her epting, are you, Charles? Good, I¡¯m d. We¡¯ll discuss the rest in the car. I¡¯ll prepare the gifts to take with us. Your father¡¯s out of the country on business, or I¡¯d have hime there with us to show our family¡¯s support. Your grandmother and your mother are just as happy to hear this as I am. We would love to spend time with our great¨Cgrandbabies as soon as possible. We¡¯re not spring chickens anymore, Charles,¡± my grandfather responded. I could hear how excited they were in the background. I knew it would make them happy. They have been after me for thest several years, wanting me to get married and settle down. I was thirty¨Ctwo, and it was time, but I wanted to wait for the right one this time around. I had been impressed by Ana from the beginning. She calmly instructed us on what to do, even though I could tell she was scared about being arrested. It was all I could do not to beat Roger into a pulp that day. I will help her deal with all of them from now on. She will always be able to count on me. I knew on Monday when I heard Holden crying about wanting her back that I needed to work fast. He was a good guy, but he had burned his bridge down to the ground as far as Ana was concerned. I don¡¯t mind swooping in and taking her away from anyone who had caused her pain. I respected Ana. She was kind and treated people well, regardless of their title. I liked that about her. I¡¯ve been looking for a woman whom I could love for the rest of my life. When I toyed with her during the photo shoot, rubbing her neck with my nose, that was all I had intended to do. But after I heard that low moan escape when I nipped her ear, I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I needed to kiss her like I needed my next breath. I wanted to see if we werepatible. We were more thanpatible; I wanted so much more I only stopped because we weren¡¯t alone. I couldn¡¯t chase her because I still had a hard¨Con. That¡¯s the only reason she got away. It hurt that she called and tried to get someone else assigned. I knew why Roger had killed her self¨Cesteem. But I¡¯m here to build it right back up again. She was too good for him, and I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life making sure that she knows that she is wanted and loved. I was co¨Cowner of the business. I knew who she was the day she called to start the security detail. I just happened to win the flip of the coin against Mark. She was considered a VIP client. We both felt that one of us needed to be on her team. We trusted all of our men. We worked closely with half of them during our time in the military. But this job wasn¡¯t just about trust, it was about ensuring her safety. The moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her. She is quite the dichotomy. She has moments where she is quite bold, handing out instructions to others like a drill sergeant. Then she can be unsure of herself when she¡¯s in an unfamiliar situation, or around people she doesn¡¯t trust. She shrinks herself in those moments and tries to fit into their perception of her, like when she¡¯s around Roger. She¡¯s hesitant, and I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s not who she is. Modeling yesterday. I was barely able to keep from running to her and iming her as mine in front of everyone. I imed her as my partner in the photo shoot. Her friend, Gwen, saw me flirting with Ana, and she decided to test the waters. She was looking at me the whole time as she asked if we were willing to ¡®help¡® them out. After she told us what she needed, I was all in. Allowed Drew to ept this side gig. He wanted to work with Emily anyway. I¡¯ve caught him checking her out several times. I was happy to do this to help Ana out. I didn¡¯t want them to get a male model to take my ce. I was happy to y along as Ana¡¯s ¡®fianc¨¦¡® for the ad. I already know my family will be thrilled when they see the ade out. Ana was fire, and she was melting the ice around my heart. I knew where she wasing from. I had a fianc¨¦e before. One who knew exactly who I was, and hade after me with single¨Cminded focus. Thankfully, I found out exactly why she was so in love with me. It wasn¡¯t insta¨Clove as she professed. One of my friends tipped her off who I was. She almost got her ws in me, that is, I had fully intended on marrying her, not knowing that she was just after me for my money. She was beautiful, and a year older than me. I believe she loved me. Thankfully, I was shown the error of my ways before we could get married. After that, I didn¡¯t date anymore. I became an employee of my ownpany. Some women flirted, but most ignored me, as I was only the help. But not Ana, from the minute she entered the SUV, she was offering to pay for coffee for us too, which is not what our clients do. They only care about us if they are in danger. Ana was even concerned about us when she was getting arrested. She sent us to get something to eat, to keep us from being implicated in her arrest. Her actions showed me who she was. Roger and Holden lost someone who would have been the perfect wife. But she¡¯s going to be my wife now. Ana sighed and then said, ¡°I need an escort tonight. I need to go see my father at six p.m. He wants to have dinner and discuss something. I hope Holden isn¡¯t still thinking that I¡¯ll just let everything go. Because that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°Since I worked today, you will have someone else with you tonight. I¡¯ll make sure Drew is one of the two, so you have someone you already know on your team,¡± I replied. He meeting is to discuss marriage with me. She just doesn¡¯t know it yet. I saw her disappointment that I wouldn¡¯t be escorting her. It was quickly gone, but I had been watching for it. I think she¡¯ll be happy when she finds out I want to ask for her hand in marriage. I had already called Gwen and bought the ring that Ana designed. I knew it was special to her. Gwen told me that there was a story behind the ring¡¯s design. I haven¡¯t paid much attention to engagement rings before. I didn¡¯t put much stock into what I bought for Samantha. She picked it, and had only picked it for its cost. I don¡¯t think she really cared one way or another. She just wanted arge diamond to show off to her friends and family. I should have seen all the gs, but I didn¡¯t. I was in a sex fog, and she happily kept me there. I mistook sex for love. She couldn¡¯t get enough of me in bed. I foolishly thought that love was the reason for it. I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong about it. Ana designed this ring herself. She loved it. Even though she designed it with her marriage to Holden in mind, I didn¡¯t care about that. It was put aside and left in their store to be seen, but never sold. It was recreated for two other brides over the nine years that it was on disy. Ana loved it enough to rmission it in her current ring size. I sent Drew over to buy the ring with my card. Gwen was so excited about it that she was bursting to tell Emily. But I asked her to wait. Ana hasn¡¯t said yes yet; once she does, they can tell the whole city for all I care. Gwen exined that the pear cut was meaningful to Ana because the point would always be aimed up, towards Ana¡¯s heart. She wanted the reminder of the love she and her husband would share each time she looked at it. To remember our love just by looking at the ring she created. To me, it didn¡¯t mean anything about Holden anymore. It was about the emotions and hope she had while designing it. She had given up on Holden long ago. I saw her face when she slipped it on. She still loved this ring. The emotions she held when she created that ring returned with a vengeance. She wanted it to represent everything she believed it stood for: love, care, andmitment. She¡¯s been severely disappointed before, but I won¡¯t let her be disappointed again. Analise is my forever. I can¡¯t wait to slide that ring on her finger tonight. Chapter 45 Analise¡¯s POV I sat silently in the back of the SUV as they drove me to my parents¡® home. I doubted that Holden was involved. My father had been upset with not just him, but Seth, too. Dad knew Mom was the one the moment he met her. He was angry that Seth and Holden seemed to still be sowing their wild oats at thirty. They weren¡¯t dating with the intention of marrying. They were dating people they wanted to have sex with. Yet my life was the ¡®scandalous¡® one. Seth and Holden had argued that everyone did that these days. Most guys did it. I was d Dad agreed with me. It also brought Seth¡¯s former indiscretions right back to the forefront. Dad had been livid with them both and had kicked them out of my hospital room. But not before dropping a bomb on them both. ¡°Seth, you acted like it was imperative to get this fixed as quickly as possible, but what of your actions? You¡¯ve had three scandals over thest four years. Never once was getting married an option for you. I¡¯m disappointed in not just my actions, but you¡¯re as well. You need to support her and make changes until this passes. She¡¯s done nothing to be ashamed of,¡± my father told him. ¡°And you, Holden, to say that I¡¯m disappointed in you isn¡¯t enough. It doesn¡¯t matter that you didn¡¯t know she was there. You spoke your truth that day. You avoided her, but now that you¡¯ve had a change of heart, you want her to fall into your arms. It¡¯s not going to happen. You made your choice, and now you have to live with it. Ana is allowed to marry whomever she wants. I will not step in and put a stop to it. My only wish is for her to find a man who loves her, for her. Not because she¡¯s a Caldwell, or the owner of her ownpany. You can both leave now. Your presence here is upsetting Ana,¡± my father told them. I¡¯ve only texted with Seth in the group text to let him and my parents know I was released. They are giving me space, probably because the guilt of what had happened was still fresh. I¡¯m sure dinner tonight will be a way to break the ice. But I still missed Charlie. I wish he were sitting next to me tonight. I like Drew, but I don¡¯t really know Jon yet. He seems very capable, but he¡¯s not Charlie. I smiled, remembering Charlie teasing me about Jon driving, so he could sit in the back and flirt with me. I will miss him sitting next to me tonight, but I really hope that this isn¡¯t another ambush by the Vaughn family. I didn¡¯t want them to try ast¨Cditch effort to save Tiffany and have me agree to marry Holden. Because neither of those things will be happening. Rodney was adding he additional charges of the hundreds of threats against my life. All documented and submitted with the corresponding evidence. We both want her and Gretchen to face prison time for what they had done to me, but they probably won¡¯t. I haven¡¯t asked my mother how things were going between her and Naomi. I¡¯m not going to try to push them together or force them apart. I hope their rtionship can survive it. But I¡¯m not going to just let Tiffany go. I know her too well. She¡¯ll never stop trying toe after me unless she learns a hard lesson. When we pulled up, we parked next to a limited¨Cedition Bentley Bentayga. I briefly wondered who it belonged to, but dismissed it. Sometimes my father¡¯s friends dropped by for business or to just have a drink and a cigar. They were probably in his study. That vehicle didn¡¯t belong to the Vaughn family, so I wasn¡¯t concerned about who it belonged to. Dad would join us for dinner right on time. He was an expert at time management. Drew entered in front of me, and Jon trailed behind me. I was relieved to see that no one from the Vaughn family was present. I was able to rx a little after seeing that. My mother and Seth greeted me with a hug and sat me between them on the sofa to catch up. Jon and Drew took up positions beside the two doors that allowed entry to the room. Standing right next to the entrance, just in case I needed them. Now that things had been brought to light. I doubt that my parents would ever consider Holden as a potential suitor anymore. I know I didn¡¯t. Despite our family ties, that ship has long sailed. Holden could have done anything to support me. He could have encouraged me to eat better or exercise with him. He could have had Seth help him. I would have done anything to make Holden happy back then. But knowing how disgusted he seemed to be about me back then, had left me heartbroken. Which made what Tiffany and Gretchen did that much worse. Because I knew that they were telling the truth. It was a blow I couldn¡¯t recover from, and one that I would never forgive. My mother looked at her watch before getting up and leading us to the dining room. The table was set, and I was d that I wasn¡¯t going to have to ask for seats for Drew and Jon. The table was set for six. I motioned for them toe and sit next to me when the doorbell rang. I sat down quickly, suspecting a trap, and said, ¡± Drew, can you and Jone and sit next to me?¡± They hesitated for a minute, until Holden appeared in the doorway. Then they immediately came to sit next to me. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± I asked. I was angry, and I was just toying with just standing up and leaving, when I heard another voice ask, ¡°I agree, Ana. What exactly are you doing here, Holden?¡± My head snapped to the man standing behind Holden. Charlie was here, and I didn¡¯t care who saw me. I got up and ran past Holden to get to Charlie. Only then was I able to calm down. Charlie remained respectful, putting me behind him, as he focused on Holden. ¡°She is my fianc¨¦e, and this is none of your business. I just need to talk to her. She hasn¡¯t let me tell her my side of things yet,¡± Holden said as he tried to push past Charlie. Charlie didn¡¯t move and pushed back. ¡°Fine, you can tell her the story you came up with in thest two days. I know you want to convince her that you have suddenly realized she¡¯s worthy of you. But this is it, feel free to speak over dinner, but you need to stay away from her. I won¡¯t allow you to touch her,¡± Charlie replied, his voice hard. The most surprising part was that my father let him. He didn¡¯t correct or disagree with Charlie. Charlie took my hand in his and led me back to the table. The table was set for the three unexpected visitors. Charlier, Holden, and an older gentleman who seems to be very interested in the drama. Not in a gossipy way, but in a way that he found it to be greatly entertaining. If Dad knew him and approved. I didn¡¯t mind. Come the follow weekend, the whole city will know my embarrassing story. We sat down at the table with my father at one end of the table, and the older gentleman at the other end. I sat between Charlie and Drew, with Jon on the other side of Charlie. My mother, Holden, and Seth sat across from me. ¡°Seth, is there anything that you would like to tell me?¡± I fumed. It was quite the coincidence that he all of a sudden showed up after I arrived. He must have been at the Vaughn¡¯s home to have arrived here so quickly. ¡°Ana, I love you and I want you to be happy. Now that everything is out in the open, you should give Holden. the chance to make it right. You have to have some feelings left for him. We both want you to be happy. Holden is willing to wait for you, until you can learn to trust him again. He would do anything to make that happen,¡± Seth admitted. ¡°So, let me get this straight, Seth. You went from wanting to punch your best friend out to defend my honor to forgiving him? Why? What has he done that warrants me being able to trust him again. I don¡¯t, and probably never will. How can I get back to that point again?¡± I asked. ¡°We think that you need to go to couples therapy, and hash everything out. He¡¯s your best option. His family is the closest to ours in society. I see your little bodyguard trying to defend you, I can tell he likes you, but he is just after your money. You can¡¯t trust him, Ana. Not with your heart, or with your money. He¡¯s just a pretty boy who sees you as an easy target. You are so starving for affection, it¡¯s obvious to see. I can¡¯t me him, you are a catch, but he isn¡¯t worthy enough to stand by your side. You need to know what he¡¯s thinking, Ana. Don¡¯t let him seduce you and allow your emotions take over. You are a Caldwell, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be happy in the long run with your little bodyguard. I¡¯m surprised to even see him here. I was d when you showed up and he wasn¡¯t with you. I thought Holden would have the opportunity to beg your forgiveness and straighten this whole thing out,¡± Seth replied. ¡°He didn¡¯t ask to beg for forgiveness. He asked for time to tell his side of it,¡± Charlie mockingly replied. ¡°I think we should just eat, and then your father can mediate in his study. We have guest¡¯s, and this is inappropriate. At the end of the day, we just want Ana to be happy. Holden no longer makes Ana happy, Seth. If I were in her position, I wouldn¡¯t let it slide either. You had no right to intervene in this. You swore you would leave it alone,¡± my mother responded. ¡°It¡¯s already out in the open, Mom, everyone here knows what happened. Go ahead, Holden. Tell me the excuse that¡¯s going to change my mind,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was going to change your mind, Ana. I was thoughtless with my words. I didn¡¯t mean what I said; you don¡¯t understand. When you are having sex, sometimes you say things. But it doesn¡¯t mean that I meant any of them,¡± Holden stated. He red at Charlie, then the men sitting with us. ¡°Look, this is a highly personal conversation. I don¡¯t want to have it in front of them. They don¡¯t belong here, and that guy only wants you for your money.¡± ¡°Well, too bad, Holden, they¡¯re not leaving. You either say whatever it is you wanted to say now, or I will be leaving with my bodyguards. The difference between you is that I trust them, but I don¡¯t trust you. Do you really think you can just feed me lies, and I would fall into your arms? I promise you that¡¯s not going to happen. But you¡¯re wrong, Charlie doesn¡¯t want me for my money, we have a connection,¡± I replied. I looked up at Charlie with a smile, rxing as I felt him gently squeeze my hand in support. Chapter 46 Holden¡¯s POV ¡°You¡¯ve known him all of three days, Ana. You don¡¯t know him at all. You can¡¯t fall in love with someone like him. You¡¯re so desperate to find someone to rece Roger that you¡¯re willing to ept anyone. I¡¯ve known you from the day you were born. I¡¯ve loved you your whole life. How can you just write me off like that? You¡¯re a Caldwell, one of the five main families in the city. Anyone else would jump at the chance to be with me. Why can¡¯t you forgive me?¡± I asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to beg. I¡¯m not going to change my mind. Physical pain fades, but emotional pain stays with you. It eats at you, causing you to change who you are. It makes you doubt yourself, and you¡¯re value. You can¡¯t erase all that because you suddenly decided that I¡¯m eptable now. You lost me a long time ago. I¡¯ve had your own words drilled into me for the next two years, just in case I¡¯d forgotten them,¡± Ana refuted. ¡°Seth and I both dropped the ball on that. I know you¡¯re angry at us, and I get it. I¡¯m sorry for thinking Tiffany had gotten past her jealousy. I swear that I¡¯ll never let her hurt you again. But you knew what both Seth and I were doing in college. If you can let that go, why can¡¯t you let go of what happened with Gretchen?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°This isn¡¯t about Tiffany. Stop trying to shift me. This is about you, and your own words, Holden. You belittled me in front of Gretchen. You crushed me seeing that you want to be with her. You made a conscious choice, one you didn¡¯t want me to find out about. Don¡¯t im ignorance, Holden. You spoke to her about me behind my back. Disgusted to be engaged to me because I was overweight. Apparently too grossed out to even consider me your fianc¨¦. Don¡¯t you remember? I¡¯m just like a sister to you. You could never imagine sleeping with me. It doesn¡¯t matter if you forgot, Holden. I didn¡¯t, and I won¡¯t. I feel the same way now, disgusted at the thought of being with you,¡± Ana replied with venom. Her eyes flickered over to the man who was sitting at the other end of the table. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry for being so forward in front of you. But I will not sit here and allow someone to try to change what I know to be true. He¡¯s trying to twist things around and control the narrative. I¡¯m not ignorant, I know exactly what happened,¡± she said. ¡°You haven¡¯t offended me at all, my dear. I happen to believe the same thing. Honesty is always the best way to go. I¡¯m sorry if my presence here tonight has caused you any embarrassment. I assure you, you¡¯ve done nothing to be embarrassed about. I¡¯ve seen a lot in my years. I¡¯m actually quite impressed with you, Analise, for standing your ground,¡± he replied. Ana shed a smile. Her actual smile, not one that she¡¯s been using over the years to us, but a real smile. I couldn¡¯t look away from it. I missed seeing her smiling at me. I missed her hanging on my every word. I messed up, but she doesn¡¯t even know who that man is. I don¡¯t either. Seth didn¡¯t even mention that there would be guests joining us here tonight. I wouldn¡¯t havee here and done this if I had known. I¡¯m humbling myself for her, but she¡¯s not bending at all. She¡¯s digging in, and I know it¡¯s because he¡¯s here. I hate that jerk is getting to sit next to her, like she somehow now belongs to him. Who the hell does he think he is anyway? Sitting there, smirking at me like that. Like he¡¯s already won Ana over. That will happen over my dead body. I smiled back at him. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to look into purchasing the security firm he works for. Then I¡¯m going to fire him and ckball him here in the city. He will be forced to leave with his tail between his legs. He should never have made this so hard for me. Ana always listened to me and Seth before. Why is she all of a sudden refusing to listen to anything we say? I can tell that she feels safer with him by her side. That¡¯s why he has to go. She¡¯ll be sad for a little while, but she wille to feel safe by my side soon enough. Tiffany will be sent away to prevent her from causing any more trouble. My parents already agreed to it. They were horrified when they found out what she had done. They¡¯ve arranged a marriage with a family that lives five hours away. As long as Tiffany doesn¡¯t get prison time, she can still marry him. Seth hasn¡¯t told me what Ana has, but we both knew it was going to be bad. Especially if she was working with Rodney about it. I tried to go by and speak to him, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me anything. ¡°Ana, I¡¯m sorry you saw Gretchen and me together. I know it was painful. I never wanted to hurt you. I was speaking out of turn. I was frustrated at the time. I didn¡¯t want Gretchen; I just needed a release. I¡¯d been drinking that day. I know it¡¯s not an excuse, but I wasn¡¯t myself. I was young and ignorant of what held value. Seeing you with this asshole makes me upset, too. Is there no room in your heart for you to forgive me? I want to make this work, Ana. I¡¯m invested. I only want to be with you for the rest of my life. I see the mistakes I made now, and I am taking responsibility for them. Please, just give me a chance to make this right,¡± I told her. She ignored what I said and ate her dinner like she was just trying to find a way to leave. I knew I was running out of time. Seth was pissed because his father had red at him for telling me she wasing tonight. Seth and I weren¡¯t back like we used to be. I felt like I was losing my best friend, and Ana as well. ¡°I want us to go somewhere together and talk this out. Somewhere private so it¡¯s just the two of us. I¡¯m sorry for not valuing you for who you were. You¡¯re right. I caused you pain, and I get that I can¡¯t take that back. But I can work every day for the rest of my life to show you that I¡¯ve changed,¡± I spoke gently, maintaining eye contact. I wanted her to know that I was absolutely serious right now. Ana was it for me, I¡¯m not going to lose her again. ¡°That¡¯s the thing about trust, Holden. Once it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s impossible to get back. You say you care. That you want us to go back to where we were before, but where is that exactly? The ce where I follow you and Seth around like a loyal pet, waiting for either of you to notice me? Begging to be included, but knowing I wasn¡¯t wee. How long did it take you to realize that I left that day? You didn¡¯t even check on me, Seth, or ask what happened. Neither did you, Holden. Because you¡¯re bottom line was you. I walked home on my own, and no one noticed or cared. All anyone noticed in the months toe was that I gained weight. No one cared about my well¨Cbeing or why I was gaining weight. You just had a problem with it because you¡¯re embarrassed by me. No one ever cared to find out the reason for it,¡± Ana asked. ¡°I came back here for you, Ana. Even before I knew what that piece of crap you were engaged to was nning to do. I was trying to figure out a way to see you, to make you mine again. You had me blocked, but I still cared about you. I¡¯m ready to step up and be the man you need me to be. I would happily rece Roger in a heartbeat. I want to marry you in a week and a half in his ce, to take his spot as your groom. I want to let the whole world know that you¡¯re my wife. The only woman I¡¯ve ever wanted as my wife,¡± I told her. I didn¡¯t care about baring my soul to her. I was absolutely serious about what I said. But it didn¡¯t escape my notice that the jerk had leaned over towards her and started to rub small circles on her back. He knew she was upset, and he was trying to calm her down. She allowed him to do it. Right there, in front of me, like she didn¡¯t even care that she was hurting me. I had been honest with her about everything. I messed up. I owned it. I wasn¡¯t out there fathering children, she needed to let this go. I was a well¨Crespected businessman. One of the city¡¯s most coveted bachelors. The sooner she realized that, the better. Since she seems so bent out of shape over Gretchen, maybe I can take her out. I¡¯m sure Gretchen will be only too happy to help me make Ana jealous. I wasted so many years thinking I knew what was best for me. I¡¯m not willing to lose any more time with Ana. I know what I want now, and I¡¯m ready to make her mine. ¡°Are you done now? It seemed like you had a lot on your mind. I¡¯d like a turn to speak if you¡¯re through,¡± the jerk said with a smile. ¡°Can I say something first, Charlie? I also wanted to tell my parents and Seth something,¡± Ana asked. ¡°Of course, Ana,¡± he replied smoothly. Ana leaned forward and looked from her mother to her father before she finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m going to be in the uing ad, along with Emily. We just filmed the new ad for mytest collection. We also did something new this time around. Since it¡¯s almost wedding season, we filmed amercial, as well as print ads. I¡¯m going to have them start running next week. You should all be warned that Charlie stepped in, acting as my¡® fianc¨¦¡® for the ad. He will be with me in themercial. Drew will be with Emily, acting as her ¡®fianc¨¦¡®. I just wanted to tell you before you saw the advertisement and got upset,¡± Ana said. My heart almost stopped at her words. Why would she choose him when I would have done it? I was about to point that out when my attention was grabbed by a small jewelry box being passed to the jerk from one of her other bodyguards. I know what he was about to do, and I can¡¯t allow him to do it. He can¡¯t have her; she was always meant to be mine. ¡°That is so exciting, Ana. I can¡¯t wait to see it,¡± my mother chirped. ¡°Charlie is a good man. I¡¯m sure themercial is going to do well,¡± my father agreed. ¡°Are you out of your minds? How can you support this? I would have done it, Ana. You didn¡¯t even ask me to be in amercial with you. I¡¯m more well¨Cknown. Why wouldn¡¯t you allow me to act as your fianc¨¦? Why would you allow him to touch you? What were you thinking? You don¡¯t even know him,¡± I asked, horrified. Chapter 47 Charlie¡¯s POV Holden was losing his mind, and I had to hold back myughter. I texted Drew to pass the ring over to me behind Ana¡¯s back. But her whole family, and Holden, saw the exchange. Her brother has finally been shocked into silence. Her mother is happily waiting for me to ask; her phone was already in her hands to film me pop the question. Reid Caldwell had been surprised when my grandfather told him what we were here to do. Reid had recognized me after a minute as one of Ana¡¯s bodyguards. He also remembers seeing me run with Ana in my arms after Tiffany attacked her. Once he realized who I was, he was happy that I was there to propose. I know that I¡¯d only asked Ana if she was willing to date me, not marry me. But Holden wasn¡¯t going to be held off for long. He would keep after her, trying to wear her down to get her to ept him. We can still date while we¡¯re engaged and when we¡¯re married. Who said I had to stop trying to impress Ana after we were wed. I will never stop trying to show off my wife. I wanted everyone to see my ring on her finger, and her on my arm. ¡°Ana, for God¡¯s sake, don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Holden said as he stood up. I expected him to try to stop me, which was why Jon and Drew were there with me. I wasn¡¯t nning on allowing anyone to stop my proposal. I thought it was going to be Seth who caused a scene. I had his parents¡® blessing; he had to ept it. What else could he do? 1 ignored Holden and slid my chair back. Holden started charging to the other side of the table, as anticipated. Ana didn¡¯t know what he was doing and was carefully watching him. She leaned towards me for safety as Jon and Drew held him back from Ana and me. ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Ana. You deserve more than just a bodyguard. I can give you everything you ever wanted. Please don¡¯t do this,¡± Holden pleaded, his voice rising with every word he spoke. He was furious that he couldn¡¯t get through. He worked out to look good, while we focused on strength. Ana didn¡¯t notice that I was down on one knee. She just instinctively moved closer to me. My grandfather and her parents noticed that, and I saw their silent approval. Her mother¡¯s, filming was the next thing Ana noticed. She then turned towards me and gasped. ¡°You said date.¡± ¡°I know what I said, Ana, but I also know a treasure when I see one. Holden isn¡¯t going to leave you alone. He¡¯s going to keeping for you because he now realizes his mistake. I¡¯m not foolish enough to make the same mistake. Analise Elizabeth Wade¨CCaldwell, will you marry me? I can¡¯t promise you the world that Holden just offered. What I can offer you is my heart and the fact that I will always be faithful to you. I will be there for you on your good days and on your bad days, too. I can¡¯t promise you a perfect life, but I can promise you that I will love you for a lifetime. I also promise you that we¡¯ll still continue to date while we¡¯re together. I will never lie to you, Analise. You caught my interest from the moment we met. Kissing you yesterday just confirmed everything that I¡¯ve been feeling this whole time. You are my future, Ana, please say yes,¡± I asked. Ana¡¯s eyes filled with tears at seeing the ring she designed shining before her. I know she didn¡¯t design it with me in mind. But she did design it with a forever kind of love in mind. I was about to start speaking again. It had been a minute with no answer before she leaned over and hugged my neck. I could feel the tears on her face as she held me tight, She whispered, ¡°Yes, I will marry you, Charlie,¡± into my ear. She then cupped my face in her hands and kissed me. It was an innocent kiss, but I¡¯ll im a better one from her tonight when we drop her off. I thought my proposal had been ruined. Holden had been fighting and yelling the whole time. I thought that he would guilt her into rejecting me, but this wonderful woman had me crying and hugging her back. She finally turned towards her mother and said, ¡°I said yes!¡± I could hear how happy she was, and I sagged in relief. I was honestly worried that she would think I didn¡¯t mean it. I was sliding the ring on her finger when Holden broke free. I had just got it positioned in ce when his fist mmed into the side of my face. I stood quickly and ced myself in front of Ana to shield her. Holden had be unhinged, and I wasn¡¯t going to let him hurt her. I¡¯ll deal with him. I¡¯ve been wanting to do this since I met him Sunday night. ¡°Drew, make sure Ana¡¯s safe,¡± I told him. He and Jon quickly got her moved to the other side of the table.¡± Now that I¡¯m expecting it, why don¡¯t you want to fight anymore?¡± Not going to lie, my cheek hurt, but thankfully, he missed my nose. I¡¯m nning on getting married in a little over a week. I won¡¯t allow Ana to be embarrassed by my appearance, not like that. Holden was backing away. I guess he felt that I should¡¯ve been knocked out by his punch. He thought wrong. ¡°You¡¯re trying to take my fianc¨¦ away. Of course, I won¡¯t just stand back and allow it. Ana is mine; she is to be my wife. You¡¯re taking advantage of the situation. You need to stop being ridiculous right now. How could you marry a Caldwell? You¡¯re nothingpared to them,¡± Holden replied, as he continued to try to walk away from me. I didn¡¯t make any fast moves; I just followed him. I wasn¡¯t just going to take a punch like that and allow it. Holden needs to learn that he picked the wrong man to punch. I teach my men to fight, and today Holden is going to learn a hard lesson. ¡°Dad, are you seriously going to allow this? This jerk¡¯s just after Ana¡¯s money. You need to have a prenup written, Ana. You have to protect yourself,¡± Seth finally piped up. ¡°I gave my blessing. Charlie loves Ana, and that¡¯s what¡¯s most important. Just like when I met Alicia, it was love at first sight. I see myself in him and I know he will take excellent care of my baby girl. This doesn¡¯t involve you, Seth. She made her choice, and I¡¯m happy with it. How could you expect me to allow her to marry into a family whose children have hurt your sister so badly? Did you even think of that, Seth? Holden just sucker punched Charlie while he was putting the ring on your sister¡¯s finger. Where was your outrage at that? She could have been hurt. Charlie¡¯s first instinct was to protect her. I think Holden earned the punch he¡¯s about to get. Only Charlie isn¡¯t going to hide and do it. I believe Charlie is exactly who your sister needs to marry. She already told us that he made her feel safe. That¡¯s all I need to know,¡± Reid replied. ¡°If you hit me, I¡¯ll sue you,¡± Holden threatened, sensing Reid wasn¡¯t going to stop me. ¡°It would be worth it. But you hit me first, Holden. Would you rather join your sister in jail? Because that is a satisfactory end to this as well. In fact, I think that¡¯s what I should do. Have you picked up for assault so you can¡¯t stop our wedding. Because we both know you¡¯re going to try to interfere. Ana, what do you say? Are you okay with turning that sham wedding into a real one?¡± I asked, Holden¡¯s wide¨Ceyed look of shock was almost cartoonish. He spun around to look at Ana as if he hadn¡¯t even considered that possibility. Her slow smile gave me the answer I was hoping for. ¡°That would be perfect, Charlie. I¡¯ve already paid for the honeymoon. I was just going to take it by myself, but we can make it a real one. I¡¯ll have the matching wedding band made for my ring, and design yours as well. They should be ready by the time the wedding gets here,¡± Ana answered. ¡°No, I won¡¯t allow it, Ana. I get it. You¡¯re marrying him because he makes you feel safe. But there is no way he loves you, Ana. You don¡¯t even know this man. You¡¯re just trying to punish me at this point, and I don¡¯t deserve it. Why are you doing this to me? To us?¡± Holden asked. He was getting really worked up, and I was d Seth finally realized that Holden was bing a threat. ¡°Holden, let¡¯s just go. You need to calm down, man. They¡¯re not married yet. Let¡¯s hit the club and talk this out. You¡¯re starting to scare Ana,¡± Seth asked. Holden thought about it for a minute, but finally nodded in agreement. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, Ana. You just need to know how much you mean to me. I made mistakes, but I want to make you my wife. Please don¡¯t hurt me like this. Don¡¯t forget, if I hadn¡¯t warned you, you could have lost everything to Roger. Isn¡¯t that worth something?¡± Holden asked quietly. He had calmed down quickly once he realized that he had scared Ana. He told Ana¡¯s parents goodnight, then sent me a look that told me he wasing for me, before leaving with Seth. We heard their vehicles leave, and my grandfather said, ¡°This was the most excitement I¡¯ve had in twenty years. Ana, I am so d to meet you. I thought this brat was never going to give me the grandchildren we wanted. No one could be more pleased than we are for you to join our family.¡± ¡°Ana, this is my grandfather, Charles Billingsley. He wanted toe and meet the woman who finally won my attention, and my heart,¡± I said with a smile, before wincing in pain. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir. Please excuse me for just a minute. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Ana said before running out of the room. She was back less than a minuteter with a bag in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s frozen corn, I couldn¡¯t find peas,¡± Ana told me as she lifted the bag up to my face. She still didn¡¯t realize yet. That my family was right behind the Vaughns in stature in the city. If you added my business in with the rest of our wealth, we would be even with the Vaughns. But I couldn¡¯t find myself caring about that. Ana held the bag to my face, and her eyes were filled with concern. My ring was on her finger, and that was all I cared about. ¡°She is a keeper, Charlie. Don¡¯t you ever let her go,¡± my grandfather said with a nod. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I replied. Tell Mom and Grandma that we¡¯ll being by tomorrow to give them the wedding details. I n on making Ana my wife in just ten days. I want her to have the wedding of her dreams,¡± I replied. ¡°I believe we can help make that happen, Charlie,¡± Alicia Caldwell said with a smile. Chapter 48 Holdens POV Seth and I were sitting in a VIP room with women seated all around us. Usually, I would be fine with having a go, but not anymore. I dream about Ana now. The guilt I felt over what I said has kept me from sleep well since she told me what she overheard. I hated Gretchen and Tiffany for what they did. They knew that Seth and Ana wereing. Of course, Ana was going to try to dodge Tiffany; she always did. It was a clear setup, and we fell for it. It didn¡¯t matter that we never touched them again. I was furious that my sister had lied right to my face. She told me that she would take care of Ana. When I confronted her about it Monday night, before the police took her away, sheughed. ¡°I did take care of her. She was never worthy of you. I would do it all over again if I could. Make sure you get me bailed out. I did you a favor getting rid of her for you. You owe me now, brother,¡± Tiffany replied, as if she really believed that. My mother cried so hard once she found out what happened. Dad didn¡¯t cry, but he was angry. Angry that Tiffany had hurt Ana. He wasn¡¯t going to bail her out. Mom told him that we needed to send her away. One of her friends had an older brother who needed a wife. He was ten years older than Tiffany, but he owned a business, and seemed to be a good guy from all reports. He was strict with his business dealings, so he should be able to handle Tiffany. I was d that he hadn¡¯t jumped at the chance. I was there when my mother was speaking to her friend and her brother. He didn¡¯t sugarcoat his questions. But he was attractive and seemed to be Tiffany¡¯s type, a man. So I was really hoping that he would take her off our hands. The fact that he lived ten hours away was perfect. There would be no drop¨Cins, I would make sure of that. The least I could do was ensure that Tiffany never hurt Ana again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her. She¡¯s attractive, I¡¯ll give you that. But she¡¯s never married, there¡¯s got to be something you¡¯re not telling us,¡± he said. My mother was a terrible liar, so she told the truth. ¡°She¡¯s gotten into a little trouble here. She needs someone who can handle her. Clearly, I was too soft on her. But I want her to be happy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never put my hands on a woman, and I don¡¯t intend to start now. What did she do? I know it¡¯s serious. She is a member of a very wealthy family. I can¡¯t have her personal issues affecting me or my business. I can¡¯t allow that to happen,¡± he replied. ¡°She assaulted someone. Put them in the hospital with a head injury. I¡¯m hoping that is all, but I honestly don¡¯t know. I thought she was a sweet girl, but apparently, I couldn¡¯t see her for who she is. We can help your business with any cash flow issues that you might have,¡± my mother offered, trying to sweeten the deal. ¡°If she manages to get released with no charges against her, I will ept her. But if this goes to trial, I won¡¯t put myself, my family, or my business in jeopardy. I¡¯m sorry, I have to draw the line somewhere. I want to help; it¡¯s time to have children. But I don¡¯t want someone with violent tendencies to be the mother of my children,¡± he said before dropping the call. ¡°You know that she¡¯s not going to get a p on the wrist, right, Mom?¡± I had asked. My mother was sniffling, ¡°I¡¯m hoping for the best, Holden. I¡¯m so disappointed with her. We gave her everything. Why would she intentionally hurt Ana? I¡¯ve never liked Gretchen. She probably had a bigger part in this and led Tiffany astray. I know she did wrong, but I¡¯m hoping that Ana will let us send Tiffany away. It¡¯s better than prison. Your father told me what Reid said. Ana had another folder containing other, worse crimes. What do you think is in there? Would a good attorney make it go away?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what she did to Ana, Mom. But after listening to that audio clip of what she and Gretchen said to Ana, it¡¯s probably really bad. She will need a good attorney, but Ana already has one. I honestly think that Ana just wants to expose Tiffany and her group. I think she¡¯s angry that she tried to tell the school, and nothing was done. Ana may go after the school too, I would,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°I still want Ana to marry you. You didn¡¯t realize it at the time, but she was the clear choice. She loved you, Holden. I won¡¯t ask what happened between you. Your father said to leave it alone, but I don¡¯t understand why it can¡¯t work out. I think if you really tried to win her over, you could win her heart again,¡± she told me. She brought it up again tonight, as I was waiting for Seth to text me when Ana arrived. It took me two days to convince him to help me. Now that¡¯s all shot to hell. I knew why I wanted her so badly now; I hadpetition. That jerk loved her. How the hell do you fall in love in less than a week? I admit, Ana is a quality woman: loyal, trustworthy, intelligent. She¡¯s also beautiful now. I always loved the color of her eyes. I liked that she¡¯s wearing makeup now and enhancing them. Seth told me how Roger kept her wearing hideous clothing and ignored her. I downed another drink. I would call my driver toe get me. I really needed to calm down. Why in the world would Reid give his blessing like that? He was always so careful of their family name. Why isn¡¯t he worried about her marrying her bodyguard? I swear, if I found out that he¡¯s forced her or taking advantage of her, I will have him dealt with. I still can¡¯t believe that he didn¡¯t get knocked out. I hit him hard, as hard as I could. I can¡¯t catch a break. I was nning on knocking him out, grabbing her hand, and taking her with me to talk. Seth would have helped run interference for me. Now what are we going to do? She¡¯s already agreed to marry him. How can I stop the wedding? I live in the real world. Tiffany won¡¯t be dodging any charges. She is going to end up in trouble. She¡¯s still in jail. Dad wanted to teach her a lesson, but she¡¯s pissed. If the news gets out, Dad will probably bail her out. But honestly, he needs to leave her there. She is a flight risk. I know for a fact that she would definitely bounce. ¡°Holden, just stay calm. I¡¯ll help you. Until Ana gets married, she¡¯s still fair game. It¡¯s going to take months to get it set up anyway. I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about. Dad just feels guilty for what she went through. So he¡¯s letting her choose. You know what to do. The same thing we¡¯ve always done when chasing thetest conquest. Charm her. Buy her flowers. Get her a thoughtful gift, but that¡¯s going to be pretty hard. Ana¡¯s happy with what she has. She is a designer; she makes what she likes. I saw her ring. Ana designed that ring for herself. He gave her the perfect engagement ring, and it wasn¡¯t cheap. That ring is over three carats, and well over ten grand. I don¡¯t know how he managed to buy it, unless Gwen gave him a discount,¡± Sethughed at the thought of it. ¡°So you¡¯re going to help me win her back?¡± I asked, hopeful that he was still willing to help me. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re my best friend. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but Ana doesn¡¯t act like this. She always thinks things through. So I doubt she is actually going to marry him. She¡¯s probably trying to punish you for what you said. I screwed up, too. I had sex with Tiffany. I didn¡¯t go there that day wanting to have sex with her. If I¡¯d known what she and Gretchen were nning, I would have left. Not going to lie, Holden. I hate how much your sister has hurt Ana. Tiffany is the one who turned everything into apetition. She needs help, more help than just support. Like a ce she can be sent to get past this. She is a danger to others. I swear if she puts her hands on Ana again, I just might forget she¡¯s a woman,¡± Seth replied. I saw his face when Ana paused that video. I know that head wounds bleed, but it was a frightening sight to see. I also saw how scared her bodyguard was. That wasn¡¯t faked. He was honestly terrified for her. I had gone back to work on Tuesday and watched him run outside with her and over to the vehicle. He clearly cared for Ana, which made him dangerous to me. He wasn¡¯t just going to roll over or step back. He was going to fight me, physically if necessary. One of the women next to me slid her hand up my thigh. But I shifted away from her. I could still see the betrayal all over Ana¡¯s face when I think of her. I was searching my mind, trying to find a way to try to get her to care for me again. I know she¡¯s too mad to love me right now, but the first step is bing friends again. Then move forward with single¨Cminded focus. I will wear her down eventually. Our families have a strong connection, and marrying me was the right thing to do. She wille to ept that as the truth very soon. We will make sure that Tiffany neveres near her again. We drank infortable silence for a while, after sending the women away. We both knew we needed to stop with the random hookups. We needed to focus on settling down. The thought of waking up next to Ana every morning brought a smile to my face. On the other side of the coin, waking up next to Gretchen would be a literal nightmare. I knew I had been drinking, but I had never once thought of Gretchen like that before I had sex with her. I guess I just needed to knock one out so I could think clearly. It had been over a month since I had slept with anyone. Seth was checking his phone when he suddenly sat up and said, ¡°Holden, we have a problem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. No matter what it was, it couldn¡¯t be more serious than trying to figure out how to win Ana back. ¡°Ana¡¯s getting married,¡± Seth announced. I shrugged, I already knew that, why is he panicking. ¡°No, Holden, you need to listen to me. Ana is getting married at the wedding she prepared for her and Roger, in ten days,¡± Seth advised. He turned his phone towards me, and I saw that his mother, Alicia, had sent him a message. [Seth, you need a new tuxedo. Ana will be marrying Charlie in a week and a half. I know it¡¯s short notice, but Ana can make you a tux. You just need to go get measured tomorrow.] Chapter 49 Analise¡¯s POV I held Charlie¡¯s hand as Jon drove me back to mypany for the night. My home will be ready for me to move into on Monday. I was already nning to move the bedroom suite I ordered for my room into the extra bedroom. I wanted to pick out our bedroom suite together. Charlie was rubbing slow circles on the back of my hand; the gentle circr motion wasforting. He was happy, and I have to say that I am, too. I was shocked by my own agreement, but I already knew my parents supported the marriage. The evidence was all there. Dad having a meeting, and then Charlie and his grandfather suddenly appearing with him. They had already received his blessing, or he would have shut them down quick when Charlie asked me to marry him. The second tip¨Coff was that my mother was recording the proposal. She had been moved to tears, and there was another reason that I held closer to my heart. Charlie already loved me. I felt it during our kiss. He was passionate but gentle. He remembered my injury, but I felt that kiss in a way I¡¯ve never felt a kiss before. He held me so close that I could feel his desire for me, both in the video and during the photo shoot. I smiled at the memory. I¡¯ve never had that kind of reaction from a man before. Charlie wasn¡¯t ashamed of me. He wanted to show me off to everyone he could. He wanted to whole world to know that I was his. That was also a first. I wasn¡¯t going to look at the reason why too closely. I could work with the fact that he obviously wanted me, at least for the time being, and that was enough. Maybe after some time together, it could blossom into love. Marriages have been built on less, and I¡¯m being greedy for once. I wanted Charlie very much. He was very attractive, and I could tell he cared for me much more than Roger or Holden, even did. I could see the fear growing in his eyes as he waited for me to answer him after he asked me to marry him. He was actually scared I was going to reject him. I remember feeling the same way as I waited for Roger to answer me when I insisted all I wanted in return, for my help was for him to marry me. It had been a paralyzing few minutes while he looked down at me, like I was crazy. But that was really the only thing I wanted from him in payment for making his dream a reality. I had money, but what I wanted was for someone to love me. I naively thought Roger could be that man. I¡¯m so d that he did what he did to me now. At the time, I truly was heartbroken, but now, all I feel is relief. I knew the fear of being rejected. I couldn¡¯t breathe while Roger slowly yed out the pros and cons in his head. He knew that without me, hispany was dead in the water. Did I force him into it? Yes. Yes, I did. I had worked tirelessly for over five years to get him where he is. What did he do to repay me? He lied and deceived me. I hadn¡¯t deserved that. He could have tried to hire someone in my ce, but I smiled at that thought. I knew that no one would have been able to stop the inevitable. He was done. I also knew the fear of finding out that someone you love doesn¡¯t love you back. Someone you care about more than yourself. Someone you find out doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re good enough for them. But that was my past; Charlie had flirted with me from the first day we met. His gentle teasing, checking me out when he thought I hadn¡¯t noticed. It made me feel wanted, desired even, for the first time in my life. I didn¡¯t want to give that up. I wanted to thoroughly explore it. Better yet, I wanted to thoroughly explore him. The cherry on top? He asked me to marry him, and that was a first. Holden was ckmailed by his parents into the arranged marriage. I had to ckmail Roger into proposing to me. Charlie had not only wanted me, but he actively went out of his way to buy my ring. The one that I designed. Which meant that he had cared enough to ask those closest to me what I truly wanted. He wanted to give me the ring of my dreams, and I felt fresh tears burn my eyes. I can¡¯t remember a time when I was this happy, and I pray that it isn¡¯t a fluke. I believe he wants me and cares for me. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s love yet, but I can patiently wait for that. I care for him more than Roger and Holdenbined. I can only speak for myself, but I believe I¡¯m falling in love, and I couldn¡¯t be happier about it. ¡°I hope those are tears of joy?¡± Charlie quietly asked. I nodded and wiped at them with my free hand, ¡°They are,¡± I replied. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re alright with us using the wedding you nned to marry Roger, for us to marry? I¡¯m seriously fine with waiting, but I don¡¯t want all that nning, time, and money going to waste,¡± Charlie told me as he slid closer to me. He let go of my hand and carefully wiped a lone tear from my cheek with his thumb. ¡°Absolutely sure,¡± I told him with a smile. He stopped moving and looked at me, captivated. ¡°So this is what your actual smile looks like. Promise me that you will always smile at me like this. I can promise you that I will make sure I do everything in my power to make you smile like this for the rest of our lives,¡± Charlie told me. We pulled off the main street and up to the gate at mypany. Charlie quickly unbuckled and moved closer to me. He lifted my left arm and kissed the pulse point on my wrist. He smiled as he felt my pulse pick up immediately. How can he make me feel like this? With just a small kiss? I wanted more. No, I needed more, but I can wait ten more days. I¡¯ve waited this long, what¡¯s another week and a half? The gate guard waved us through. He stopped us because he didn¡¯t recognize Jon. I was d that they were cautious, and Charlie was too. He walked me to the entrance of my office, and let me slip in to turn off the rm. I turned back towards him, and he was right there behind me, waiting for me to turn into his arms. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered. ¡°For what?¡± I asked, truly puzzled. ¡°You are taking a chance on someone you just met. But I can promise you that I will never take your feelings or your love for granted. I can¡¯t promise you a perfect life, but I can promise you a perfect love. I would do anything to keep you safe in my arms. I know it¡¯s quick, but I do love you, Ana. I won¡¯t let Holden try to take you away now that he¡¯s changed his mind. He messed up, but I don¡¯t mind swooping in and saving you from a life that wouldn¡¯t make you happy. See you at ten tomorrow morning?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°Yes, and I will bring swatches of the color palette and my measuring tape, in case they want me to make their dresses,¡± i replied. ¡°They are going to love you, grand¨Cdad already does,¡± Charlie told me. I saw his head tilting down, and I lifted onto my toes to meet him. I wanted this kiss. He started off gentle, but groaned into my mouth and gave up all pretense of patience. His kiss deepened, and his fingers cupped the back of my neck as he ran his tongue into my mouth. I moaned back, and it sent him over the edge, using one hand to hold me in ce against him, and the other wrapped around my waist to pull me closer. When he broke the kiss, I was looking up at him. Desire filled his eyes, and his chest heaved as he tried to control his emotions. I know he saw lust in my eyes, and my chest was heaving as well, trying to get my breath back. ¡°What you do to me,¡± He said as he pulled me in for a hug. I could hear his heart racing as I turned and ced my ear on his chest and felt the same strong heartbeat that my heart was making. ¡°I want to stay, but I want our first time to be everything you ever dreamed of, Ana. I won¡¯t ruin it by taking you here, no matter how badly I want to do just that,¡± Charlie told me. We held each other for a few minutes before he finally pulled away. I¡¯ll see you at ten sharp, angel,¡± Charlie told me before squeezing my hand and then walking outside. He waited for me to lock the door and reset the rm before he went back to the SUV. My heart ached before Jon even backed out of the parking space. I already missed Charlie. I headed to my office, locked my door, and headed to take a shower. My wound was healing nicely, and I was given the go¨Cahead to wash my hair tonight. I made sure to avoid the area as much as I could, but I wanted to look nice when meeting his family tomorrow. I dried off and grabbed a new set of pajamas. It suddenly hit me that I need to get something nicer than regr pajamas for our honeymoon. I hadn¡¯t really done that yet. Roger¡¯s kisses had never made me feel them in the pit of my stomach. They didn¡¯t make my toes curl the way they did when Charlie kissed me. I knew that Roger was probably nning on a minimal amount of sex, and I had been okay with that. I suddenly realized that I had settled for Roger. He was attractive, and I thought I loved him, but now I¡¯m seeing the difference. I miss Charlie so much that I feel like a part of me is missing at the moment. I felt more anger and embarrassment when Roger did what he did. That feeling was probably made stronger because Holden had sent me the video. My shame wasplete at Holden knowing that my own fianc¨¦ didn¡¯t want me either. That was the real reason for feeling humiliated. The fact that Roger was going to intentionally make me a mistress, after all I did for him. That was a p in the face that I had to pay back. Roger and his family thought they could walk all over me, but they¡¯ll soon know that they never had the upper hand. I allowed their disrespect, thinking they understood I was giving them respect in doing so. I appreciated that Holden saved me from what Roger had nned. I don¡¯t know if I could have ever recovered from that disgrace, but I know Holden hadn¡¯t done it out of love. I didn¡¯t know what Holden¡¯s game was, but I did know that whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t going to work on me. Chapter 50 Roger¡¯s POV I can¡¯t seem to get in touch with Elizabeth. I¡¯ve tried for over a week, but I can¡¯t find her anywhere Our wedding is less than a week away, and she¡¯s a runaway bride. No one outside my family and friends will even help me look for her. My mother is very happy. She ns on going to the wedding venue and shaming Elizabeth either way. Humiliating her if she shows up, and mocking her for demanding I marry her. I know Mom, she¡¯s not going to allow the wedding to pass without trying to hurt Elizabeth as much as she can. Neither she nor Sasha feels like the situation with mypany is serious. Sasha is doing everything but put an ad in the paper that we¡¯re married. The wholepany knows, and they are judging me. They all knew 1 was engaged to Elizabeth, and the wedding was to be this Saturday. We were having an emergency meeting today, as the stockholders demanded it. I was losing control of my ownpany, and I felt real fear over what my father told me that day. I had been furious when Sasha finally showed up at the house, with Regina. I thought Sasha was at thepany working, but she was actually out shopping. She¡¯s spent so much money. She actuallyughed in my face when I asked her why she wasn¡¯t working and why she was trying to help me save thepany. They couldn¡¯t see what was so clear to the rest of us. The worst part was that it was all my fault. I¡¯d been so angry at Elizabeth for trying to force me to marry her that I made a huge mistake. Why couldn¡¯t Elizabeth have shown me that she had lost weight earlier? Her sudden transformation made her much more pleasing to the eye. If she had made this transformation before I married Sasha, I would have changed my ns. But in my heart, I knew that wasn¡¯t true. I had been wrapped around Sasha¡¯s finger for a long time. We had the worst fight that we¡¯ve ever had that night. ¡°There is no room for anything else, Sasha. You have plenty of clothes Why did you go shopping?¡± I asked. ¡°I was bored I wanted to go with Regina Stop making a big deal out of it. I¡¯m your wife. I¡¯m entitled to have nice things¡± Sasha replied She ignored me and tried to find a ce in the closet, but there was no room. ¡°Hand over your card Until you start working and earning money, you won¡¯t be going any more shopping again¡± I replied when she didn¡¯t give it to me. I grabbed her purse to take it myself, ¡°Not Roger, you can¡¯t do that That¡¯s my card? Sasha wailed 3 slipped it sot of its slot and turned it to face her ¡°That¡¯s my name, Roger Cook, not yours,¡± I coldly pointed out ¡°I¡¯m Mrs Ruger Cook I needed a dress for the wedding fun going with you. You might be fake marrying her, but I still need to outshine her How could I let her look better than me? I¡¯m your actual wife, Roger, She needs to know from day one that she will never be above me or outshine me,¡± Sasha replied, and there it was. Sasha had nned to confront Elizabeth after the wedding i cant let her do that I don¡¯t even know if there will even be a wedding, and she was nning on ruining everything Eizabeth could get it annulled if Sasha goes too far. I knew that I needed to do what my father told me to do. The following day, I went to find a shark of a divorce attorney. I exined what had happened, and he saved me some time. His private investigator quickly found something that I¡¯d been hoping for, a way out. Sasha¡¯s baby wasn¡¯t mine. I felt both relieved and enraged. How dare she use me like that? Any feelings that I had formerly felt for her had been shattered. She knew something had changed between us. She kept trying to get me to have sex with her, but I was done with her and her lies. I wanted to kick her out of my parents¡® home. But my attorney told me to hold off on any knee¨Cjerk reactions. She was being served today, that is, if they can find her. She¡¯s probably out shopping again. I felt like the biggest fool on the. My Dad had pointed out that I had traded a jewel for trash, and he was right. Dad knew that the baby wasn¡¯t mine. But we kept Mom in the dark. She wouldn¡¯t keep it to herself; she would rage at Sasha and kick her out. The attorney was expensive but worth it. I knew Sasha would fight to the death to avoid divorce, but I needed her gone so I could marry Elizabeth. The meeting went as expected. Calling for my dismissal, citing that I wasn¡¯t qualified for the job. They were right, I wasn¡¯t. But I assured them all that I was actively trying to get Elizabeth back. They calmed down at hearing what I said. We all understood what was at stake if I couldn¡¯t get her back. We had to move fast. I got a call from my attorney as soon as I left thepany. ¡°Just confirming that you still want to move forward. Once this is done, there is no going back. Once you approve this, everything will be set in motion. I have my best man on it; hopefully, she will be calm as she¡¯s in public,¡± he advised. ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked, already suspecting where she was. ¡°She is at the mall,¡± he dryly told me. ¡°Serve her,¡± I replied. I opened my wallet and noted that my credit card was missing. I guess she took it out of my wallet. I was calling the bank to have my card closed when her first call came in. She just kept calling, but I let them go to voicemail. I finished my call with the bank before answering her on the fifth call. ¡°How dare you, Roger? You think I¡¯m just going to be nice and roll over like Elizabeth did? Not on your life. I¡¯ll never agree to the divorce. You¡¯re stuck with me forever,¡± her voice was high and shrill. I guess she didn¡¯t care about making a scene. ¡°You lied, Sasha. You¡¯re attempting fraud when you had me marry you to secure your bastard. You wanted to put me on the birth certificate to try to make me responsible for your child. It couldn¡¯t be mine,¡± I told her. ¡°Who told you that? That¡¯s a tant lie. Who was it? Elizabeth? Why would you say that? You were the one who seduced me, Roger, not the other way around,¡± Sasha cried out. I knew this wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but ! wasn¡¯t going to fall for her tricks anymore. But I knew she was serious about not agreeing to the divorce. ¡°I will give you one million dors to sign the divorce paperwork. Until you agree to the divorce, you won¡¯t be getting anything else from me. I have proof of your deception. I swear, if you cost me my business, I will make I sure you go down with me. No more shopping trips. No more hair and spa appointments. Just you and me, sitting at home, staring at each other. I won¡¯t let you have a good life, Sasha. Not if you¡¯re so set to destroy mine,¡± I told her. I didn¡¯t raise my voice. She needed to hear just how serious I was about this. ¡°So you can just waste my time, Roger? Is that it? You acted like you wanted me, but then refused to take responsibility for your child?¡± Sasha asked, before her coldughter came through the phone. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want. You¡¯ll never be free of us. A million isn¡¯t enough for me to raise your child.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do it your way. I¡¯ll schedule you to have a DNA test done now. Then cut you off with nothing. How does that sound? We¡¯ve been married for two weeks today, and you¡¯ve done nothing but spend my money like it¡¯s about to disappear,¡± I snapped back. I¡¯m so sick of her lies. She honestly thinks that simply stating it¡¯s my child can somehow make it true. ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that,¡± Sasha replied. Her tone nowpletely changed to fear. ¡°I can do that, and I swear I will. You don¡¯t even realize that we don¡¯t have to wait for the baby to arrive to run the test. We can run one right now. I can ensure my name is never put on that child¡¯s birth certificate. Then what will you do? I won¡¯t be roped into raising your child. Take the money I¡¯m offering, and go back to Paris and try to get the baby¡¯s father to pay child support for them. I can promise you that I won¡¯t be the one paying it,¡± I replied. Sasha changed tunes now and started crying. ¡°Baby, please, I¡¯m sorry. I picked you because you¡¯re a good man. You would be a better father to my child. You might not be their biological father, but you would be their father in all the ways that count. Their father is not a good man,¡± Sasha sobbed out. ¡°If he¡¯s not a good man, then why were you with him on our honeymoon? You act like I¡¯m an idiot, Sasha. I fell for your tricks before, but I see you for who you are now. You managed to get money from him, too, from what I heard. I heard that you took some racy photos that I need to see. But I hate having to spend extra money to ess them. Seems like you¡¯ve made many enemies along the way. Just know that if I have to purchase them, it wille out of your money. The start was one million; if you don¡¯t agree by Monday morning, I will proceed with purchasing them and taking that out of your money. Push me hard enough, and you might end up owing me money by the time this is over with,¡± I replied. Sasha¡¯s sobbing stopped, and I heard her say, ¡°Five million.¡± ¡°Two million, five hundred thousand, and it¡¯s myst offer. At least you¡¯ve stopped pretending now. You need to ept that you¡¯re the liar and the cheat in this. Don¡¯t forget you ndered Elizabeth as a representative of mypany. I could still be held liable for what you said,¡± I responded. What had I ever seen in her? It has to be the fact that I found her attractive. Because that¡¯s all she has, a beautiful face and body. ¡°Fine, I will sign the divorce papers for two and a half million. Again, let me remind you that you were the one who chose me, Roger. I didn¡¯te crawling to you; you chased me, so ept your me in this. I never pretended to be anyone but myself. I wouldn¡¯t have even epted you, except I needed a father for my baby. Oh, and don¡¯t forget, if you hadn¡¯t been trying to fuck Elizabeth over so badly, it wouldn¡¯t havee down to this,¡± Sasha snapped out. ¡°I will have the papers amended and call you tomorrow. I want to hand them to my attorney Monday morning,¡°I replied before hanging up. One problem down, and one to go. Chapter 51 Holden¡¯s POV I hired a different private detective to follow Ana around. I couldn¡¯t get close to her. That jerk and his co¨Cworkers were always with her. I¡¯m sick of it. I needed to speak to her, but when I pulled up at Fashion Forward, they refused to allow me entry. It didn¡¯t matter what I said; I couldn¡¯t get in. The same thing happened with the securitypany. They refused to sell, and the ownerughed at me on the phone. There was one positive that came from having her followed. I know where she¡¯s about to live. I managed to find a home near hers, just a block over on another street. I could walk over to her house in just a few minutes if I needed to. My backyard is near her side yard, which works out well for me. I¡¯ve purchased the home and started moving in the same day. I hired a designer to transform my house into a home. I wanted it to be weing. I wanted Ana to feel safe in my home. Plus, buying the house allows me to enter the gated subdivision. I had the same bedroom suite I had in the penthouse set up in my new master bedroom. Just because she¡¯s marrying her bodyguard means nothing to me. Once she realizes he¡¯s after her money, I¡¯ll be able to help her get a divorce. I made her wait for me; it¡¯s only fair that I have to do the same. I¡¯m not giving up on having Ana as my wife. I¡¯ve been around, just not close enough to alert her. Her little boy toy has seen me and always lets me know that he saw me, and it¡¯s infuriating. He doesn¡¯t fit into her world. He is even lower than Roger was, so how in the hell does he think he deserves someone like Ana? The worst part? I can tell that she loves him. He¡¯s her knight in shining armor. I have tried to get Seth to help me get past the gate, but Ana refuses to let me through. It¡¯s like she¡¯s decided to cut me out of her life entirely. At the very least, we should still be friends. I¡¯ve known her my whole life. I can¡¯t even get an invitation to her wedding. The old invitations have been canceled; you now need a new invitation to gain entry. Guess who¡¯s handling security for the wedding? I know he will probably have my picture posted to block my entry. My parents received an invitation, but my sister and I weren¡¯t invited. I could see it for Tiffany. But I¡¯m very insulted that I can¡¯t seem to get anyone to let me be their plus one. I know that someone had to have said something. I was going to cause a disruption, but I have calmed down a little bit now. I realize that I need to y the long game. I need to be patient and wait for him to slip up. Then I can rush in and take her away from him. I had the private investigator look into him, but there was nothing there. I know his background is deliberately hidden. I wanted to be able to expose him before she married him, but I remember her tears in the hospital. I can¡¯t force this. All I can do is let her know that whenever she needs me, I¡¯ll be there for her. I told Seth I was backing off, and meant it. There¡¯s nothing better about him than me. I know that someday soon, Ana will figure that out for herself. I n to be there, waiting for her with open arms, when that happens. He can smirk all he wants because Ana will be mine in the end I can tell that he makes her happy. and I absolutely hate it. I wished that I hadn¡¯t been so cruel to her. I wasn¡¯t actually angry with Ana, I was angry with the situation. I took it out on her when she was innocent in all this. I lied to Gretchen. I was interested in Ana, and I had been fighting it. I felt guilting for wanting someone I watched grow up in front of me. I knew she was into me, and I used to mess with her because of it. She used to look at me when we were at the pool. She thought I didn¡¯t notice what she was doing. But I knew, I always knew. I made sure she had a good view, too. I was just messing with her at the time; she was young, but it was vanity on my part. It¡¯s those moments between us that I know she will take me back. I know she wille around again. So, I make ns while I have downtime at work. I think about what¡¯s important to Ana. I try to figure out what I need to do to get her back. What she liked best about me. I spoke to my mother about it. She was willing to help me. Despite everything that¡¯s happened, Mom still has faith that everything will work out between us. My phone rang, and I rolled my eyes, it¡¯s Tiffany, again. She keeps calling me, and I¡¯m so tired of it. It¡¯s always the same thing. ¡°Hello?¡± I answered. ¡°Holden, have you thought about what I asked? Can you help me get an attorney? Dad¡¯s still refusing to do anything to help me out. I can¡¯t go to prison. Everything I did, Holden, I did for you. To help you, I had to drive her away. Stop ignoring me. I need your help,¡± Tiffany pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about what you asked, Tiffany. I never asked you to step in, and I didn¡¯t need your help. The marriage was set in stone, and because of your actions, I lost¨CAna. Things are so tense now, I don¡¯t know if Ana will ever look at me the same again,¡± I replied. ¡°You wanted her gone, Holden. I made it happen. Stop trying to put it all on me. You told Gretchen and me that you couldn¡¯t stand Ana. We got you out of a bad situation. The least you could do is hook me up with Seth for assisting you,¡± Tiffany replied angrily. ¡°You took that upon yourself, but I know that Seth will never be with you. He is just as angry with you as I am. Don¡¯t act like what you did to her was a good thing. You intentionally hurt Ana. I never wanted you to do that. Stop trying to shift the me onto me. You did what you wanted to and took your anger and jealousy out on an innocent teenager. You act like she came up with it when you know our parents did. I won¡¯t be helping you. You deserve to be punished. Your actions scarred Ana. All you care about is trying to dodge the punishment you deserve,¡± I replied. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t help. I just want you to know that I have dirt on you, big brother. Video of you in action at college from some friends of mine. So, if I go down in mes, you will too. I know you¡¯re trying to get her to forgive you. What do you think your chances are if she sees you with more girls than Gretchen? How do you think she¡¯ll feel about that?¡± Tiffany asked. ¡°She knows I messed around in college. If you want to do that, it¡¯s fine. She¡¯s about to marry another man. Once that happens, I believe we will be on equal footing. She slept with someone else, and so did I. The number of times doesn¡¯t matter, Tiffany. None of those girls mattered to me, only Ana does. So go ahead, do your worst, Tiffany I¡¯ll make sure that if I see, or Ana sees any of them, I know who to tell the police who leaked them. This isn¡¯t high school anymore, Tiffany. You can¡¯t bully people into submission anymore. No one¡¯s going toply with your wishes. I won¡¯t, our parents won¡¯t, and Ana won¡¯t. Do your worst, but don¡¯t cry to us when Reid Caldwell destroys you for hurting Ana,¡± I replied cooly. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole, Holden. I¡¯ll figure out another way to get out of it,¡± Tiffany replied before hanging up on me. Good, maybe she won¡¯t call back, but I already knew that was just wishful thinking. Tiffany didn¡¯t have many friends. She burns bridges and then has no support system. Then she wonders why everyone is against her. I was headed back to my penthouse to pack up some clothes when I saw it. A huge billboard in front of me, with a print ad for Ana¡¯s wedding ring promotion. I almost drove onto the curb. I had to pull over so I could get out and really look at it. She looked sexy. She was in some kind of slinky dress that I had never seen her wear before, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. Her fianc¨¦ was with her. He was looking down at her, and even from a distance, I could see he was looking at her with adoration. He held her possessively in his arms, and you could tell that he wasn¡¯t just a model. He cared for her, and anyone looking at the billboard would be able to see that for themselves. I didn¡¯t want to admit they looked good together. She was looking up at him like he hung the moon, and that was what hurt the most. She used to look at me like that. Now I seriously wondered if she ever would again. Someone honking repeatedly brought me out of my thoughts. I was double¨Cparked, and apparently, they were tired of waiting for me. I snapped a picture of the billboard before getting back into my car. As I drew closer to my penthouse, my decision to move was set in stone. There was another billboard, and this one was even worse. The jerk had her dipped over, and the look on her face that was captured hurt me to see. Her face was that of a woman in love. It was real, and it was likely to spark a frenzy of purchases at herpany. Her hand held his bicep as she clung to him, her ring prominent in the shot. But it was the clear chemistry between them, the realness of the moment, that pulled you in. It wasn¡¯t just an ad. It was a stolen moment between them captured. There was a clear longing between them. One that made it more than an advertisement, it made it real. My gut twisted. I can¡¯t me anyone else for my mistakes. I wanted to me Tiffany and Gretchen for what happened. But just like I had just told Tiffany, she had to suck it up and ept her punishment. I did too. I didn¡¯t have to sleep with Gretchen. I could have turned her down. Did they set me up? Yeah, they did. They knew I was out there drinking while I hung out at the pool, and waited just long enough to get me to make a bed decision. I messed up royally. But that¡¯s not where I was going to stay. No matter what, Ana loved me once. I believe she could again, and that is what I¡¯ll do. I will slowly grow our friendship again. I would be there for her and support her in anything I could. Then I¡¯ll wait for him to make a mistake. That, or force him into one if he takes too long. All I know is that one day, Ana will be Mrs. Holden Vaughn. No matter what I have to do to make that happen. Chapter 52 Roger¡¯s POV The front door mmed shut, and my sister¡¯s shrill voice cut through the house, screaming out, ¡°Roger!¡± came out slowly, because as far as I¡¯m concerned, nothing she had to say was actually important to me. I¡¯ve been hiding out in my father¡¯s study while at home since Sasha agreed to the divorce. My mother came downstairs, looking at Regina like she had grown a second head. ¡°Regina, why are you screaming like a fishwife? All those etiquette sses I sent you to, and still you behave like this. You have manners, use them. There is nothing that could happen to constitute an emergency,¡± my mother told her. ¡°It is an emergency. Look at this,¡± Regina cried out, turning her phone towards us to show us what was on her screen. I grabbed the phone and brought it closer to my face to see it better. Elizabeth was in a jewelry advertisement. She was dressed provocatively, but not quite as scandalous as Sasha usually dressed. I was shocked, Elizabeth looked great. It had only been a week since she quit thepany. She looked good. No, better than good, she looked beautiful. No, she looked desirable, and I quickly sent the photo to my phone. ¡°Where did you see this?¡± I asked. The ads are on billboards all over downtown. I saw them on the way home. I can¡¯t believe she works for Fashion Forward. How could she get a job there after she was fired from yourpany, Roger? That¡¯s not the only thing, either. They had amercial ying on repeat in their store in the mall. The usual model was also in it, but this time they both had a sexy male model with them. Usually, it¡¯s just the same model that does all of theirmercials. But that wasn¡¯t the truly shocking part. I saw Elizabeth kissing the male model assigned to her. It looked pretty sexy, Roger,¡± Regina told me. ¡°See, Roger? This is the reason why I told you that Elizabeth wasn¡¯t good enough to marry you. What does your father even know? It¡¯s better for you to find this out now. Elizabeth seems to have turn into a wild woman. She would have embarrassed you after you married her. She was just using you, son. Frankly, I¡¯m d she¡¯s gone. A mother always knows what¡¯s best for her children,¡± my mother advised sagely. ¡°Embarrass me? Like by iming a baby from another man was my child? Making false ims against another Elizabeth, knowing they were lies. How about sleeping with another man while we were on our honeymoon? You mean that kind of wild woman?¡± I asked as I looked down at my mother with scorn. My mother flushed at my rapid¨Cfire questions. She had been the one to tell me to marry Sasha, as we thought that Sasha was carrying my baby. Mom came up with this whole n, and never once thought to make sure that Sasha was telling us the truth. She was in such a hurry to hurt Elizabeth that she hadn¡¯t thought any of this through. She was on a mission, and I knew she couldn¡¯t wait for the wedding this weekend to pull the rug out from under Elizabeth¡¯s feet. At the time, I was in love with the idea of being with my first love. I never actually questioned the red gs that were starting to pop up everywhere. Mom was acting thrilled at the thought that she was right about Elizabeth. She still doesn¡¯t care that she and Sasha ruined everything for me. Now Elizabeth¡¯s working for Fashion Forward. That¡¯s a really strongpany. It¡¯s pretty hard to get hired on there, let alone be in theirmercial. How had that even happened? I mean, I know that she is talented, that is a given. How did she get hired on, let alone be allowed to be in theirmercial? Fashion Forward was on another level. You either have to know someone or be at the top of your game to get hired on there. So how did she manage to start working there so quickly? Even with a rush ad, it would still take at least a week. I had to sit down. I felt sick. I can¡¯t believe Elizabeth is working for one of ourrgestpetitors so quickly. The odds of hering back to mypany are dwindling quickly. I need to give her a meaningful gesture, one that tells her I care for her and that I need her. One that says that I want her, and not just as a co¨Cowner. But one that says I¡¯ve always trusted and respected her. I need to say something now, because if my family goes after her again, it¡¯s going to end badly. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t start anything else with Elizabeth. I was the one in the wrong. I married someone else while I was engaged to Elizabeth. I should never have listened to you and Sasha in the first ce. Elizabeth is loyal and honest. Do not try to embarrass her again. Don¡¯t think she¡¯s forgotten what you¡¯ve already done. Elizabeth doesn¡¯t forget, so she¡¯s probably too busy to deal with you at the moment. If any of you want to go after Elizabeth again, don¡¯t. I¡¯m telling you that you¡¯re going to be sorry if you do,¡± I advised. Sasha was living here with us, for the moment. She will leave when the divorce is finalized. She had nowhere else to go because I refused to pay for the hotel room she wanted. I¡¯m not paying a thousand dors a night. I can¡¯t trust her not to damage her room to spite me. I want this whole ordeal to be over with. Despite the fact that Elizabeth returned my ring, she hadn¡¯t canceled the venue. I believe I still have time to win her back. I¡¯m sleeping on the couch for the time being. Now that I know Sasha is willing to leave after the divorce, I¡¯m sticking with her until everything is signed andplete. ¡°What are you excited about, Regina?¡± Sasha asked as she came down the stairs. ¡°Elizabeth is working for Fashion Forward. She was in thetest ad for them. Look at how she¡¯s dressed, and she had a male model working with her,¡± Regina excitedly repeated as she ran over, holding her phone out towards Sasha. ¡°Roger, have you called our attorney? She is wearing the new line in these pictures. Both she and the other model have one of the sets on. The piece where you can change the stone. I warned her, those drafts were ours. She has no right to hand them over to Fashion Forward. We need to move with this quickly. We need to get those designs back, so we can start production to save thepany. I warned her, and she didn¡¯t listen. She¡¯s challenging us, and we have to respond,¡± Sasha told me as she brought the phone back to me. I had been so caught up in looking at Elizabeth that I hadn¡¯t looked at what the ad was promoting. Sasha was right, these were the drafts that Elizabeth had been working on. No, actually, this design was better. It was more elegant and a clear improvement on her original design. It was much more fluid, and it caught your eye. The ones we had were the original rough drafts that one of the members of the design team had made copies for Elizabeth. She liked to keep a hard copy, for backup in case something happened on her tablet. The team member had put them in their desk drawer, went to lunch, and forgot about them until after Elizabeth left thepany. When they asked Sasha about them, Sasha brought the designs to me. We had wanted to use them to keep our heads above water. I was hoping that Sasha could clean them up so we could use them. That¡¯s when I found out that Sasha had used someone else¡¯s design to win her award. She wasn¡¯t a good designer at all, and couldn¡¯t do the necessary changes to make the design better.. That fact could have been found out sooner. My mother assured me that she had Sasha investigated. That little nugget of information should havee out if she had actually investigated her. I suspect my mother just wanted to rece Elizabeth so badly, she was willing to take anyone in her ce. My mother, usually a stickler for information, had dropped the ball on this. I was so caught up in a sex haze with Sasha that I was very happy to marry her. I felt like I had it all at the time. A sexy new wife, a baby on the way, and a top new designer. Never realizing that my house of cards was built on quicksand. ¡°Sasha¡¯s right. You can¡¯t let her get away with this, Roger. That¡¯s tant theft, those designs don¡¯t belong to her. They belong to you and yourpany. You have the original sketches. You have to pursue this. You can¡¯t let her get away with this, son,¡± my mother stated with venom. Here we go again. ¡°Mom, I told you to stay out of this. Sasha is just getting you fired up to go after Elizabeth again. If we do this, the wedding between Elizabeth and me will definitely be canceled. You know we can¡¯t go up against Fashion Forward. They will tear us apart if we even try. We don¡¯t have the capability to beat them; it would be a waste of time and resources,¡± I replied. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to roll over and let her get away with it?¡± Regina shrieked out. ¡°I¡¯m not letting her get away with anything. They were her designs. Not thepany¡¯s. My hands are tied. You two listened to Sasha clowning, and she¡¯s somehow convinced you two that she¡¯s right. Leave it alone. Sasha is no longer an employee of mypany. I¡¯m still trying to get Elizabeth to marry me. I have to get her back. I will give her the Design Director¡¯s position after we¡¯re married. I don¡¯t want to see any more issues between you three, concerning Elizabething up again. Let me be clear about this, as I can tell that you¡¯re not going to listen to me. Leave her alone. If you do anything else to her, I¡¯ll being after you three for the copse of mypany. Don¡¯t forget, I have proof of what you¡¯ve done,¡± I warned them. I knew just by looking at them that they weren¡¯t listening to me. I could almost see the wheels turning in their minds on how to twist this around to make Elizabeth look guilty of giarism. ¡°Do you have themercial recorded?¡± I asked Regina. She nodded and pulled it up for me to look at. I was stunned as it was an engagement ad. One that definitely caught your attention, as the palpable tension between them almost sizzled. You could feel the passion, the love, between them. That wasn¡¯t acting, and my fear came back tenfold. I had bet everything on Sasha, and now what did I have to show for it? A copsingpany, a wife pregnant by another man, and almost a million dors lost due to Sasha¡¯s ridiculous spending habits. I¡¯m about to be out even more with the divorce, but I have to get this albatross off of me. I sent the video to my phone and grabbed my car keys. I needed to find her before it¡¯s toote. I felt like a drowning man, and Elizabeth is the only way I¡¯ll be able to breathe again. Chapter 53 Analise¡¯s POV Thest few days have been wonderful. My house was ready, and I had already moved my car into one of the garage bays. Charlie and I have chosen our bedroom suite, and we¡¯re just waiting to pick up thest few items. Our home is warm and inviting, and I love it. I liked this home even better than the one I bought for Roger and me to live in after we got married. Roger insisted on having a home to his tastes, so I deferred to him. I did my best to decorate the first vi, but I didn¡¯t love it, not like I loved this house. Maybe because I never lived there, or possibly because he had moved another woman in there. But I have never felt the sense of peace there that I feel in our new home. Charlie has started bringing his clothes and shoes over. Saturday, just four days from now, we will be married. It¡¯s almost surreal how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time. But I am happier than I have ever been. My day was going well. The advertisements were up, and we were catching everyone¡¯s attention. The initial jewelry sets that we had produced were flying off the shelves. There was also a huge increase in engagement ring sales. The pear¨Cshaped set like mine hadpletely sold out. People want to recreate themercial, and they are loving my ring. They don¡¯t have to know the story behind it or what it represents. I just like the fact that the beautiful ring is speaking to them, too. I was waiting for Charlie to call to say that he had arrived to pick me up for lunch. I was dropped off early this morning. I was trying to get ahead of everything. My honeymoon starts soon, and I won¡¯t be here to deal with the day¨Cto¨Cday things. Gwen and I have had numerous meetings with the different teams, as I wouldn¡¯t be taking calls or messages while I¡¯m out of the country. I¡¯m very happy to say that the dress I wore in the ad was also flying off the shelves. We were increasing the line and adding new color options as well. I was picking which of my jewelry designs to send to production next when I received the call that I was needed at the gate. I knew it had to be one of four people, and I made myself calm down. There was nothing to get upset about. I know that they were here to argue about the ¡®stolen¡® jewelry. ¡°Who is it?¡± I asked. ¡°He says his name is Roger Cook,¡± Randy answered. ¡°I¡¯ming, but don¡¯t open the gate,¡± I replied. I grabbed my cell phone and headed out. This would be less annoying than dealing with Joyce or Sasha. It should also be quick. I texted Charlie and told him that Roger was here, so it wouldn¡¯t catch him by surprise. I left my heels on. I was about to put on ts, but the heels were part of my armor. Charlie loved my heels, and I knew I looked good in them. Roger saw me the moment I stepped out. He watched me like a hawk until I was twenty feet away. ¡°You look good, Elizabeth,¡± Roger told me. His eyes trailed all over me. Randy almost rolled his eyes at Roger¡¯s words. All of my gate guards knew the reason why anyone asking to speak to Elizabeth should not be allowed entry. They thought that it was funny that they didn¡¯t know who I was, not yet. ¡°Why are you here, Roger?¡± I replied. ¡°My sister saw your weddingmercial at the mall. I¡¯m here because you¡¯re kissing another man. You¡¯re my fianc¨¦, Elizabeth. You shouldn¡¯t be doing anything that would reflect badly on me or my family. My mother is upset. Frankly, I¡¯m upset too. I would have preferred thatmercial to include me and allow mypany to profit from it. Fashion Forward is a goodpany, but they won¡¯t care about you like I would. Pleasee. back to me and take your ce by my side. I fired Sasha. Your job is already waiting for you,¡± Roger told me. ¡°Roger, I returned your ring over two weeks ago. You¡¯re no longer my fianc¨¦. We¡¯re not getting married. You should have received a notification of that already. You and your family are not wee to attend anymore,¡± I replied. I saw the frown on his forehead. I knew that whoever received it hadn¡¯t passed that bit of information on. I pulled out my phone and started looking to see who signed for it. I suspected two people, as Regina would have immediately shown everyone the new invitation. The other two would have hidden it and said nothing, hoping to cause more drama at the wedding. That¡¯s not going to happen. Charlie has handled security for the event. If you don¡¯t have the updated invitation, you won¡¯t be entering the venue. No matter what they had nned to do. I pulled up the email and saw that Joyce had signed for it. She believes that I can¡¯t do anything to stop her. She doesn¡¯t know about the new invitations or that the groom has been changed out. She is fully nning on showing up and trying to humiliate me. I almost wanted to let her try to cause a disruption, but I just can¡¯t do it. I want my special day to go smoothly. I wanted wonderful memories of family and friends. The Vaughns are invited, but neither of their children is. I won¡¯t be allowing anyone to spoil my day. Dad had even warned Seth not to bring Holden. Several vehicles pulled up to the gate as I turned my screen towards Roger to show him. ¡°Your mother signed for the delivery. She¡¯s well aware that the Cook family is not wee at the wedding,¡± I assured him. ¡°How could you have reced me already, Elizabeth?¡± Roger asked. He was shocked that I would do that to him. ¡°Why would you hurt me like this?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Roger,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s because she never loved you, son. She is nothing but a liar and a thief. She stole your designs and left you when yourpany was in its darkest hour. I don¡¯t know what you told them, Elizabeth, to get hired on here, but don¡¯t getfortable. I assume you lied on your resume. You can¡¯t just steal another designer¡¯s work and try to pass it off as your own. I already called Roger¡¯s attorney for thepany. You¡¯re going to pay dearly for what you did. I demand that Fashion Forwardpensate Roger¡¯spany for the lost revenue. You¡¯re a disgusting person, Elizabeth. I don¡¯t know how you can hold your head up in public. You shameless Whore, I¡¯m going to make sure everyone knows that Joyce¡¯s shrill voice rang out. ¡°Yes! She is a homewrecker. Roger¡¯s loved me for years But Elizabeth pressured him into agreeing to marry her. He agreed to marry me, for the sake of our child. Now, he¡¯s demanding a divorce from me, it¡¯s all because she won¡¯t save hispany unless he marries her What about me? What about our unborn child? Don¡¯t you care about the stress you¡¯re putting me under, Elizabeth? I¡¯ve never met anyone so shameless in my life,¡± Sasha cried out Fat tears rolled down her face as she faced the cameras. ¡°Why are any of you here?¡± I asked ¡°This is a ce of business I¡¯ve already canceled our wedding Sasha, since you enjoy milking this so much, let me help you with the truth. I was engaged to Roger for over nine months. You got with him three months ago, while he was still my fianc¨¦, even knowing we were engaged. Your little love child belongs to your ex, not Roger, I can prove that as well. You and Joyce think I¡¯m so easy to deal with. Let me assure you both, that¡¯s no longer the case. Since you can¡¯t learn from your mistakes, I¡¯ll be happy to help you out. Those designs are mine, and only mine. I will make sure to sue you both for nder for what you said about me. We will meet in court to determine who owns the designs, so please be sure to bring proof. I will also sue you for any issues that result from your little performance here. Knowingly lying, especially when you are trying to cause intentional harm to my character, is a slippery slope,¡± I replied. My words seemed to wake Roger up. ¡°I¡¯m the owner of thepany in question. I have never and will never use Elizabeth of any wrongdoing. I came here to speak to Elizabeth privately about our uing wedding. Anything else you promote is a lie, and Elizabeth won¡¯t be the only one who sues you. Any lies you were given toe here today and cause trouble are entirely on the person who called you to get you out here. I hope you have a recording of their allegations. Otherwise, I will be suing you for creating this circus. Please leave, you¡¯re not wee here,¡± Roger announced. He was trying to block me from view, but I¡¯m no longer ying along. There are too many people here with cameras for him to be able to protect me. I can¡¯t believe he thought that his mother or his wife would ever y nice. But that is no longer my concern anymore. I¡¯m done with the lot of them. ¡°Roger, how could you say that? Sasha is your wife,¡± Regina gasped out. ¡°Regina, stop talking right now,¡± Roger snapped out, but it was toote. ¡°You married Sasha Eliott while you were engaged to Ms. Wade?¡± one of the reporters cried out. I turned to Roger to watch his face as he realized he was exposed. I need to send something nice to Regina for doing the heavy lifting for me. I was going to wait until our wedding day to share that news. But it works for me to have it exposed today. I Didn¡¯t want to deal with any of them anymore. The scandal was going to break today, and I was about to fan the mes. ¡°Save your breathe, Roger. I already knew. You wanted to humiliate me by making a mockery of me. Intent on marrying me, and then not filing it to make it official. No sense in keeping it a secret anymore. I¡¯ve known you¡¯re married to Sasha for almost three weeks. Let me assure you, I won¡¯t be marrying you, but a wedding will be taking ce. I won¡¯t be used for one more second, Roger. Take your wife and your family and leave. Do not return, or I will have you arrested for trespassing. Oh, and just so you know, if you try toe at me again, I¡¯ll be ready. I don¡¯t mind making sure that everyone sees just how vile the Cook family can be,¡± I told him. ¡°Vile?!¡± Joyce shrieked out. ¡°How dare you, Elizabeth. You are nothing but a shameless woman. Parading around in a nightgown in thatmercial. Acting like a slut. It¡¯s a good thing Roger didn¡¯t marry Sasha. You are not worthy enough to join our family. The sooner you ept that fact, the better off we will all be. Chapter 54 Roger¡¯s POV ¡°Mom, stay out of this. It¡¯s not your concern. No one asked you to follow me here. Haven¡¯t you caused enough. trouble? You need to leave. This is a ce of business, and you three are causing a disturbance here. I don¡¯t want you here, and if you continue to lie, I¡¯ll make sure you three will be the ones dealing with the fallout,¡± I snapped out. I turned back to Elizabeth. I needed to make sure she knew the truth. ¡°Elizabeth, please, just give me another chance. I¡¯ll pay to use your designs from now on. I swear I¡¯ll treat you how you deserve to be treated. I¡¯m divorcing Sasha; it should beplete any day now. She cheated on me on our honeymoon, and she¡¯s not who I want to be with. I never should have married her in the first ce. I know that now. My mother lied to me and led me to marry Sasha because she wanted me to have a child. I¡¯ve seen Sasha¡¯s true self; I no longer want to be with her. I know the best person to be my wife, my partner, was the partner I already had,¡± I pleaded. Elizabeth didn¡¯t know about the baby not being mine or that I was trying to get a divorce. I wanted her to know that first. Elizabeth has always been a kind¨Chearted woman. I know she still loved me. She¡¯s just mad right now, but she wille around. I just needed to charm her, and she would fall right back in line. She always has before. ¡°Roger, what are you saying? None of that is true. You¡¯re making horrible usations about me, with no proof. I still want to be your wife. I want to raise our child together. I never wanted this divorce. You¡¯re the one forcing me into this,¡± Sasha interjected. Sasha knew she looked bad. But I am not going to let her twist this around and make Elizabeth look bad. I needed to rectify this situation, not make it worse. She¡¯s very good at portraying a part with her innocent act, but I¡¯m not falling for it anymore. ¡°Brother, how could you be so cruel?¡± Regina asked. She was honestly shocked. She had intentionally been left in the dark. Regina couldn¡¯t keep a secret. Dad knew I would look worse if the information got out. But we are well past that now. It¡¯s out and I don¡¯t care. I just need Elizabeth to know that I am willing to do anything to got her back. Everything I used to believe was different now. I wanted to marry Elizabeth, to make her my legal wife, and have her be the mother of my children. I had learned my lesson. I had been so wrong and was only now realizing that Sasha was the one who was inferior. I reached through the gate towards Elizabeth. I needed her attention on me, and not on the women behind me. I needed to take control of this right now, before it spirals even more out of control. ¡°Elizabeth, I made a huge mistake. I hurt you, and I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you¡¯ll let me. If you don¡¯t hear anything else I say, hear this. I¡¯m sorry. I know I was wrong. I promise you that if you marry me and return to thepany, everyone will know that you are mine. They will know exactly who you are, the heart and soul of thepany,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Roger, you only say that now because yourpany is crumbling faster than your marriage. I know you, Roger. Yes, your mother pushed you in the direction she wanted you to go. But we both know that you don¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t want to do. You wanted to marry Sasha, to make her your wife,¡± Elizabeth replied coldly. ¡°Sasha was my first love, I admit that. I wanted her, but I was wrong. She¡¯s not who I thought she was. I still care for you, Elizabeth. I was angry that you were forcing me to marry you. I admit, I took it too far, but how can you me me? If someone forced you to marry them, how would you feel? I¡¯ll tell you the answer, Elizabeth. You would feel used and helpless. Like your own wishes didn¡¯t even matter to the personpelling you to do it, I know I was wrong. I see that now. I was getting input from people who didn¡¯t like you. I felt like they were right, and you deserved what I was going to do to you,¡± I replied. ¡°Your ns to use me until I was no longer useful to you were disgusting. I gave you everything you ever dreamed of, Roger. I made your dream a reality by using my own money. What did you do to me in return? You tried to leave me with nothing. As I mentioned before, I was the only one who invested my time and money. I poured everything I had into yourpany. I was the one making all the effort, while you acted like the sess was all yours,¡± Elizabeth told me. ¡°You vile woman, how dare you act like this is all because of you? My son is the reason for hispany¡¯s sess. Without him and his vision, there would be nothing there. Yet you stand there and act like it was all you,¡± Joyce scoffed. ¡°Elizabeth, you¡¯re shameless to the end. Do you see it now, Roger? You look like an idiotright now begging her to return to you. I have told you repeatedly, one employee can¡¯t destroy apany. Let her go. We will get thewyer to battle this out. I don¡¯t believe Fashion Forward will back her once they realize what she¡¯s done. They¡¯re argepany, and they can afford to pay you what you deserve after she took your designs.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying about getting married, Roger. Who would marry her? She has no one willing to ept her. She¡¯s used goods. She¡¯s just trying to manipte you into taking her back. Don¡¯t fall for it. You finally got rid of her; don¡¯t let her worm her way back in. You know how badly you wanted out of the engagement. Just look at it as a positive. You can focus on yourpany and take it to the next level now. Mom is right, you never needed Elizabeth,¡± Regina stated, backing our mother up. ¡°Regina, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, so stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you. You already knew what you were doing by getting Mom started up,ing into the house like you did. Mom was wrong about many things, Regina. She knows nothing about Elizabeth. I¡¯ve already asked you all to leave. I need to speak to Elizabeth, privately. How will she decide toe back to me with all of you here? You¡¯re just making it harder on me. I see how badly Elizabeth was treated in our home. Your presence here is a reminder of that. Bottom line, my rtionship is none of your business. I don¡¯t need your approval, or Mom¡¯s, for me to move forward,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need a reminder of how they treated me, Roger. I remember it vividly. They¡¯ve treated me horribly since the day we met. But I will save you some time, you can leave with them. I won¡¯t be taking you back for any reason. You are not listening to me at all. I am getting married, just not to you. You don¡¯t have to get a divorce to try to get me back. Just keep your dream girl. No need to lose money on a divorce,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. He married me because he wanted to. Unlike you, having to force him into doing it. You just hate to admit he loves me I¡¯m the one that he¡¯s always wanted, and you¡¯re the pathetic bitch who can¡¯t keep a man Joyce used to tell me about you, and I agree with her. You are a sad, ugly woman. You might have lost weight, but you¡¯re still big You believe that the tiny bit of help you provided thepany makes you worthy of being Mrs Roger Cook It¡¯s not You need to go find a ce to lick your wounds. I changed my mind I¡¯m not going to divorce Roger. I won¡¯t make it easy on you to get your ws in him again,¡± Sasha announced to the group Looking into a camera as she wiped the tears off her face. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you divorce him or not, Sasha. I hope you stay with him. I mean, he gave me up to get with you. The least he could do was stay with you. I don¡¯t want him back. I¡¯ve moved on to bigger and better. The difference between us is that I never needed Roger. I wanted him, but I have always been self¨Csufficient. You, on the other hand, enjoy being given everything you have. You¡¯ve managed to make it to work, two days this week? You¡¯re really on a streak, aren¡¯t you?¡± Elizabeth mocked. ¡°Are you spying on me?¡± Sasha shrieked out. ¡°I would have to care to do that. Someone mentioned it in passing. I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t go to work at all. I find it unfair that I worked at least sixty hours a week for five years, yet you¡¯re lucky to clear ten hours in a week. Must be nice to have that kind of cushy job because you¡¯re sleeping with the boss,¡± Elizabeth snapped back at her. Sasha ran over to the gate and spoke softly, ¡°At least he wanted to sleep with me. The difference between us is prettyrge.¡± Sashaughed, eyeing me before saying, ¡°You think you canpete against me, but you can¡¯t. I won¡¯t be divorcing Roger. I think that would make you happy. After all you¡¯ve done to ruin everything, I just can¡¯t allow that. Roger¡¯spany was doing well until you decided to undermine it. Now it¡¯s just a shell of its former glory. I won¡¯t let you get away with it, bitch. I¡¯ll get those designs back. This time, the praise ising to me. I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯re ruined in the designmunity for giarism. We will see who¡¯s willing to hire you after that.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you designed them, Sasha? Or perhaps the design team? You weren¡¯t even around when I started working on those designs. I can¡¯t see you being able to prove it. They were mine from the first tracings until the final product. But I have to admit, I like your way better. We need to make this public; let the people decide who¡¯s lying about and trying to steal the designs. We will see who admits defeat,¡± Elizabeth replied. She gave the same smile she gave Momst week when she was arrested. ¡°Elizabeth, I know you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. The people who alleged a theft do not represent me or ourpany. Please leave ourpany out of this. Think of our employees, many of whom could lose their jobs. Please just put the punishment where it belongs, on the ones who started this, the day you were arrested. Mom and Sasha are here again today, causing you problems again. If you¡¯re not willing to do that for me, at least do it for the people who work for ourpany. They didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± I begged. Chapter 55 Analise¡¯s POV ¡°Why is that on me, Roger? You were the one who put them in that position. Please have your family leave. You¡¯re trespassing on private property. We have nothing more to discuss here. I will not marry you, and that¡¯s final. It¡¯sughable. You were engaged to me, yet married Sasha. Now you¡¯re married to Sasha, and want to marry me. You don¡¯t have the right to get upset with me. This whole situation was never my fault. It was yours. I bowed out gracefully for you to have what your heart desired. You made your choice, and I made mine,¡± I replied. ¡°At least you¡¯re self¨Caware,¡± Joyce grumbled out. ¡°Elizabeth, I told you I was wrong. I admit it was my fault. Can¡¯t you just ept my apology and move past this? I swear that it will never, ever happen again. I know how big a mistake I made. There¡¯s still time to fix this. My attorney said the divorce will beplete by Friday, that is only two days away. Can¡¯t you give me two days? I can marry you on Saturday. I made a promise to you, and I¡¯d like to carry it out,¡± Roger replied. ¡°You made a promise to your wife, too, Roger. Honor that one. I know you are only here to get me back, to prevent losing everything. Weren¡¯t you bragging to Dixon and Conner just a few weeks ago about your talented wife? How she was better than me in every way. She¡¯s an award¨Cwinning designer. If she¡¯s so great, why did you want to let Sasha im mytest designs? You thought she could help you take your business to the next level. Now all you have is her designs. Which, frankly, I¡¯ve seen her designs, and they¡¯re not very good. No wonder she wants to steal mine so badly. You were right, your business has gone to the next level, decreasing in value every day,¡± I said. Roger was so shocked that he had to grab the gate to hold himself up. Sasha was equally stunned, and now she realized that the whole incident had been recorded. She had refused to leave and take the circus with her. No sense in wasting the opportunity. She was going to need to turn this around, but I spoke the truth. No matter what she said, I was going to be able to prove it with thewsuit anyway. She needs to ept the loss and stop trying to confront me at every turn, bringing a camera crew with her to try to humiliate me. ¡°You took my designs, Elizabeth. You are trying to make me look bad, but the designs in themercial belong to Cook Custom Jewelry. You can¡¯t win. You¡¯re just jealous that Roger ditched you to marry me. Maybe if you weren¡¯t a fat bitch, he might have wanted you,¡± Sasha yelled back at me. She was trying so hard to save face. ¡°You can yell all you want, Sasha. The louder you protest, the more evident it bes that you want to im my work as your own. The truth wille out. I n on moving forward with thiswsuit. Once I return from my honeymoon. We can battle it out in court. The best part is that I can return the favor by bringing the media to court to see it all y out. No thanks needed, Sasha. It¡¯s my gift to you all as I just want to do my part. I know how badly you and Joyce seem to enjoy a media circus,¡± I replied. ¡°Randy, please call the police to have them all removed Anyone who remains should be asked to provide their information, and we will issue a trespassing warning Fashion Forward owns this drive. If they refuse to leave, just have them stand on the sidewalk off the main street. But they can no longer block our business,¡± I called out to the gate guard. ¡°Stay in the shack until the police arrive.¡± I didn¡¯t want him to get hurt by anyone for doing his job. I wasn¡¯t going to be ying nice anymore. They were always draining to deal with, and I was busy. I was still making changes to my wedding gown. Roger wanted mepletely covered, with only my hands and my neck exposed. I should have realized then that he was embarrassed by me. He never wanted to show me off. When we did run into someone who asked, he always introduced me as his Director of Design, not his fianc¨¦e. I made excuses for him. Telling myself that once we were married, he woulde around. He would have to admit we were married, and I was his wife. I could hear them yelling at me, demanding that Ie back. Joyce and Sasha were the loudest. The further away I got, the louder Roger became. I don¡¯t have time to waste on them. I had to finish my wedding dress today. I had to start over on my dress. The dress Roger wanted me to have was a duplicate of what his mother had. Puffy satin sleeves that made me look like a linebacker, even after I lost weight. I preferred the delicatece that I had reced my dress with. I started over, drafting itst Sunday, and working on it every day. I was now making the dress I¡¯d always dreamed of since I was young. Charlie didn¡¯t give me input or tell me what to make. He told me to make the wedding dress of my dreams. Because whatever I wanted was what he wanted. He made my heart melt when he said he already had what he wanted ¨C I had agreed to be his wife. I knew what Roger wanted to do, he was embarrassed by me and wanted me to look my worst when I married him. Suggesting a recreation of his mother¡¯s dress didn¡¯t help at all. I had looked horrible in it. I was happy to trash it and get start on my new dress. I worked with my head seamstress on it. Showing her the new design, she beamed at the choice. She had hated the other dress and was happy to help me get this done quickly. I had freed up my week to make sure that everything on my end was done. I needed the dressplete before rehearsal this Friday. The wedding was scheduled to start at three on Saturday, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t have time for any final alterations. I wanted it to beplete by tomorrow night. I can¡¯t wait for Charlie to see me in my dress. When I was busy, she worked on it, and when she had something she had to do, I worked on it. The new dress was beautiful. One I was proud to wear. She had suggested making a wrap that secured at my waist. I had always wanted a train, so I quickly agreed. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to adding anything bulky; I liked the silhouette I had in my new dress. I just wanted to look good in my wedding pictures. I wanted to look back on my wedding day with happiness and joy. I wanted tomemorate our day by hanging our favorite wedding pictures in our bedroom, so I can start my day off right with a smile. The top part of my wedding dress was a strapless sweetheart neckline. The dress was slim, but not tight. I wanted to enjoy my reception and befortable. As I know my mother and her expectations. I had covered myself well, but the sweetheart neckline gave a little glimpse of skin. I hade up with thece, over the bodice. The while dress had the samece on it. I liked that it was simr, but not exactly the same as Princess Kate¡¯s wedding dress. Thece was different, and I made a few other changes to make it mine, and I loved it. I chosece because it symbolizes elegance and new beginnings. It¡¯s also timeless and beautiful. But the new beginnings spoke the most to me. I wanted a redo on love. I know Charlie cares for me, much more than Holden or Roger ever did. I am cautiously optimistic that he¡¯s going to be the man of my dreams. I hope that feeling continues to grow into love. I already care for him, but I felt like you needed to know someone very well to love them. Charlie says that he can wait for me to fall in love with him. That no matter how long it takes, he¡¯s in it for the long haul. He acts like he¡¯s already in love, but it¡¯s too quick. I can¡¯t bring myself to ept that he already loves me. I¡¯ve wanted to be loved for so long. But after everything that I¡¯ve been through, I know that I still have my heart protected. I¡¯m scared to open it up again and risk it being broken a third time. I¡¯m just not strong enough for that. My mother and fatherpletely support him. My father even mentioned that he knew the first day he met my mother that he loved her. They are still going strong thirty¨Ctwo yearster. My father said that Charlie reminded him of himself. That he could tell that Charlie loved me, and he was happy topletely support this union. He was quick to point out that he hasn¡¯t seen me this happy in a long time. I hadn¡¯t even realized it myself until I stopped and thought about it. He¡¯s right, I do feel happy. I feel lighter. I didn¡¯t even get upset when I went out to deal with Roger and his family. They were just a pesky annoyance to me now. Seeing Roger today, I felt nothing, and I was d. The pain was still fresh when I saw him at the auction. The day he let his mother get me arrested, he also let his wife try toe at me. That was the day I lost all my feelings and respect for him. I finally saw him for who he truly was, weak and easily led. He was a pitiful excuse for a man, and he made Charlie shine like a beacon whenpared side¨Cby¨Cside. There was no contest at all. Charlie built me up and reminded me of my value every day. He cared for me and protected me. He went above and beyond what was expected of him. He always did, and that was why I decided to marry him. I had looked at the footage of Charlie carrying me out of the restaurant several times. The look on his face, sheer panic, told me that he truly cared for me. He even signed a prenuptial agreement, with no argument at all. He read it and the onlyment he made was, ¡°This seems very fair.¡± I tried to make it fair and didn¡¯t look down on him. Whatever we came into the marriage with was what we would leave with. I was even giving him two hundred thousand a month alimony if we made it to the five¨Cyear mark before divorce. Charlie has brought a level of calm, of peace, to my life that was priceless. He deserved every penny of it. I doubt that we would ever get divorced, but you never know. I just wanted to be prepared. I hated that Seth continued to harp on it. He can keep his opinions to himself now. I know that Charlie is a good man. I can tell that he doesn¡¯t care about my money or my business. He cares about me, and that¡¯s all that matters. Chapter 56 Charlie¡¯s POV I was here for the show. I entered the crowd of cameramen without anyone noticing me. I wanted to be here for Ana, but I wanted to see how she dealt with them before I stepped in. I wanted her to realize her strength, knowing she could do it on her own. She amazes me. She was confident and poised, and she didn¡¯t let any of them get the upper hand. Once the police arrived, the crowd was ushered to the sidewalk. Now that Ana was gone, most of them left. Roger remained at the gate. He held on to the bars like he was going to fall without them. Randy and I had spoken to the police, so they knew who I was. I told them I would get Roger, while they warned the rest of the stragglers not to block the drive from deliveries or employees. Roger looked bewildered. Like he couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. I heard their argument. I guess he honestly thought that divorcing Sasha would bring Ana back to his side. He was absolutely incorrect. Ana would never take him back. He humiliated her in front of the whole city. He allowed his mother and sister to torment her over and over again. He never thought this would spin out of control like it had. He honestly thought that he could have his cake, and eat it too. ¡°You need to go to the sidewalk with the rest of your group,¡± I told him. He turned to look at the people on the sidewalk and said, ¡°I came alone. They¡¯re not with me.¡± ¡°They¡¯re your family. You know how they are, especially after your mother had Ms. Wade arrested. How could you expect anything different from them?¡± I asked. That got his attention, and he finally looked at me. I guess he expected to see Randy, the security guard. ¡°Do I know you?¡± he asked, his eyes narrowed as he looked at me, trying to remember where he saw me before. ¡°You don¡¯t know me, but you have seen me before. I work on Ms. Wade¡¯s security detail. You saw me at your office, and then again at the jail a few hourster. But you probably recognize me from seeing me in themercial with Ms. Wade in the engagement ring advertisement. I yed her fianc¨¦, now I¡¯m ying that part in real life,¡± I told him. 1 enjoyed seeing how angry he became with eachment I made. Once I told him that I was going to marry her, he lost it. ¡°You! How dare you take advantage of her while she was heartbroken? Was it you the one who told her that I was married? It was none of your business. You¡¯ve ruined everything. Break off the engagement, and stay away from her. I¡¯ve known her for years, I know how to make her happy.¡± He ground out. ¡°I highly doubt that. She was miserable with you. You hurt her and allowed her to be bullied by your own family. Expecting her to just ept that it was part of being with you. She made that decision on her own. You want to me everyone else for your difficulties. I saw you just try to pin everything on your wife. She did y a part in it, but you were the one who thought your mother¡¯s idea was a good one. It¡¯s one thing to have respect for your parents. But your mother is a real piece of work. You need to make sure that she doesn¡¯te to the wedding in two days. You will not be allowed entry,¡± I replied. ¡°Who the hell are you? I saw in the video that Elizabeth likes the attention that she is getting from you. I can see why she would, you¡¯re attractive enough, but she deserves better than a bodyguard. I know I hurt her, and she¡¯s looking for a way to pay me back for what I did to her. Cheated on her with Sasha, so I guess fair is fair, but this isn¡¯t a love connection. You can¡¯t keep me away from her or stop me because Elizabeth loves me. You¡¯re just some rebound she found, a stray. I know her very well; she¡¯s just caught up in you paying attention to her. She doesn¡¯t love you,¡± Roger snapped out. ¡°You¡¯re entitled enough to think that you can get her back. But I was here, watching you shoot your shot and crash and burn. She won¡¯t take you back, no matter what you say. Every good thing that you havees from her. She was the real powerhouse at yourpany. Now it¡¯s withering away, like a deted balloon. You know it, I know it, and she knows it. She knew why you were here. You¡¯re really desperate to say what you did. The reporters caught it all on camera,¡± I mockingly told him¡­ ¡°You piece of s**t. How dare you try to rub it in my face? We were a team that worked well together for years. I disappointed her, but I know she is willing to overlook my actions. I made a huge mistake, but one that I cane back from. You¡¯re trying to threaten me because you¡¯re scared. You know that once she stops to think about it, she will see that you have nothing going for you. You¡¯re just riding her coattails; you¡¯re basically a paid escort. I¡¯m not worried about you at all. Because I know Elizabeth. She dropped everything to help me before, to create ourpany. You¡¯ve known her what? Ten Minutes? You should be worried because the moment she stops being upset with me, she¡¯lle back,¡± Roger growled out. The news crews were still here, knowing that there could be another newsworthy event. They¡¯re filming Joyce, Sasha, and his sister out by the street. I could see that they were watching us to catch any sign of a fight about to break out. Before they were forced to step back, they were filming. They captured the police asking them to leave, and the signage. Wanting to turn this into something sensational. ¡°Just know that my ring is the one on her finger, Roger. I know what I have, and I won¡¯t be allowing you an opportunity to get near her again. She knows why you want her back. We both do, and it¡¯s not for love, no matter what you¡¯re trying to say. She knew what you were nning, and she cut you off at the knees. I didn¡¯t tell her, but if I¡¯d heard what you were nning to do to her, I would have. You deserve everything that¡¯sing to you. You earned it by dismissing a brilliant and talented woman. You made the wrong choice, and now you¡¯ll have to live with it. Get used to living with your parents, Roger. Things are only going to get worse for you from now on,¡± I told him. I wasn¡¯t going to tip him off about who Ana was. I knew once he and his family realized what they lost, they were going to be sick. I was d that I had already ensured that we would have that caught on film. Ana wanted to see it, and I admit I did too. We both wanted to see how they reacted to the news. I¡¯m going to have Drew tell them at the entrance to the venue. Since they love reporters so much, I have already made sure that we will get their reactions recorded. I¡¯m not going to let anyone upset Ana on our wedding day. She is mine to protect, and protect her I will. Even from her own family, if necessary. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Roger¡¯s voice rose, trying to cause a scene. ¡°I didn¡¯t threaten you. I stated the obvious. I gave you a little heads up. You lost her, and she is mine now. I don¡¯t share. You need to grow up. Roger. You should consider getting your super talented wife, Sasha, or your design team to try to create something. You need to pull yourself out of the fire. Not hope Elizabeth will do it for you. If you do, yourpany will be finished in no time. I¡¯ve heard that your mother told you that losing one employee is no big deal. You listened to her before. So, figure something out yourself. I¡¯m just trying to give you a word of advice. I can tell you need it, clearly, no one else is trying to help you,¡± I told him. I don¡¯t need your help. You just want me to bow out and let you have Elizabeth, but I¡¯m not going to do it. Once I get rid of Sasha, Elizabeth will forgive me, no matter what you say.¡± Roger abruptly stated. He sounded confident, but I could see the panic rising in his eyes. ¡°Get rid of me? Oh, I don¡¯t think so, Roger. I¡¯m here to stay. You¡¯ve humiliated me, and now the whole city will see what happened today on the news. I already called my attorney. I¡¯m not going to let you cut me loose for just two and a half million. No, fill be staying by your side, through it all. We will rise together this time. You don¡¯t need Elizabeth anymore. You need to let that thought go. She has gotten you this far, her assistance is appreciated, but we no longer need her handouts. We¡¯re in this together, baby I won¡¯t let you cut me out of what I deserve,¡± Sasha snapped out. I don¡¯t know how long she¡¯s been there, and it doesn¡¯t really matter Her anger is not aimed at me; she was aiming it at Roger. She didn¡¯t hide the fact that she was checking me out as we both turned to look at her. My stomach turned, seeing her, she reminded me a great deal of mt ex¨Cfiancee, Samantha They both had blonde hair and brown eyes, and were ville creatures, as both of them were willing to sleep with someone to get what they desired most. I felt a shiver run up my spine I couldn¡¯t imagine being tied down to Samantha I felt a little bad for Roger. Sasha was serious I guess she figured that the hadn¡¯t offered her enough to agree to the divorce. I wasn¡¯t going to correct her Roger¡¯spany was copsing quickly. She didn¡¯t even realize that without Elizabeth at the helm, the business was wrecked She would be lucky to get half a million in the future. But she wasn¡¯t willing to face the facts, and clearly neither wars Roger. ¡°You already signed the paperwork, Sasha it¡¯s done. You have no recourse, Roger stubbornly argued. I could tell that he was sick of het, but he had no way to force her into it if the changed her mind. ¡°I already called mywyer on the way here, with your mother if you think that I¡¯m just going to leave with that paltry amount of money, you¡¯re more delusional than I thought I¡¯ve decided to stay and get what I deserve.¡± Sasha replied. ¡°What you deserve is a divorce for trying to pin your kid on me I won¡¯t ept someone else¡¯s child as my own. If you want to y hardball, I¡¯m game. It¡¯s going to take me some time to win Elizabeth¡¯s heart again. If it¡¯s a war you want, then I¡¯m happy to give it to you¡± Roger resolutely stated before walking away towards his vehicle. Sasha looked at me before running after him. I¡¯m thankful the universe made her his problemn, not mine, and happy to have dodged Samantha, too . Chapter 57 Analise¡¯s POV We were about to start the wedding rehearsal when Seth showed up with Holden. He knew that neither Charlie nor I were going to be pleased. He acted surprised when our parents said something to him about it. I hadn¡¯t expected him toe, but Charlie had. He actually smiled when he saw Holden. I knew that he had ns for dealing with him. His best friend Mark was his best man, and Drew was standing for him as a groomsman. ¡°Holden was kind enough to spring for everyone¡¯s dinner after rehearsal, so I thought it was only right to bring him with me tonight. He won¡¯t be causing an issue, I swear. He just wanted toe,¡± Seth quickly announced. ¡°Do you honestly believe that, Seth?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t trying to start anything; I just honestly wanted to know how he suddenly got to this point. Just the other day at the hospital, he was ready to fight Holden. Then, when Charlie proposed, they were suddenly a united front again. I honestly wonder what Holden said to convince Seth that he deserved redemption. ¡°We already have a reservation for after rehearsal, but thanks for the offer,¡± Charlie replied. Our families watched the interaction between us. When I had lunch with them, the day after our engagement. I found that telling my story had both Charlie¡¯s mother and grandmother quickly reaching across the table to hold my hand in support. Charlie had talked me into going back to Benvenuto. It was my favorite restaurant, and apparently, his grandmother owned it. We met for lunch in a private room the day I met his family for the first time. I¡¯ve been here several times, and I hadn¡¯t even known this private room existed. His grandmother, Teresa, had already set everything up for tonight, and I had been looking forward to it all week. I didn¡¯t want to take Holden¡¯s offer. I know him, how he thinks. He would use it to try to make me feel like I owed him something. I¡¯m not going to fall for it. Seth wasn¡¯t a member of the wedding party, so I don¡¯t even know why they were here now. He knew that we were going out after this. The whole purpose of that was for our families to get to know each other better. So why would he do this? I was disappointed in him, and I didn¡¯t try to hide it. Seth had the good sense to avoid eye contact with me. He knew I was upset with him. But I just turned my back on them both. I¡¯m not ying along with whatever ns they¡¯ve got going on tonight, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, where were we?¡± I asked the wedding nner. She started giving everyone instructions again, and I looked over at my mother. I had already spoken to her about tonight and tomorrow. I wasn¡¯t going to put up with the Seth and Holden show. They always acted as if they had my best interests at heart. But in reality, it was always a power y to try to force me to do whatever they wanted. I¡¯ve stopped ying along, they just refuse to acknowledge it. My parents, and Charlie, are backing me up now. My father took my arm as we watched everyone go through the motions. Seth and Holden had sat down at first. Quietly minding their own business. I had finally rxed when they came out to the hallway where Dad and I were waiting. ¡°You look beautiful, Ana,¡± Holden told me. Seth immediately agreed, ¡°You do. I¡¯m so happy for you. But are you sure that he¡¯s the one?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. More sure of this than I¡¯ve ever been in my life. Neither of you needs to worry about me; I¡¯m very happy,¡± I replied without looking at either of them. I had my eyes on Charlie, who was watching them carefully. I knew Charlie was up to something. He knew I was worried about our wedding being disrupted. It was odd; it was as if Charlie was genuinely happy about Holden showing up. He expected that Holden would try to cause an issue at the rehearsal. Mark was next to him texting. I knew that they were good friends and had served together for several years. They had something nned. I¡¯m sure whatever it was will not be good for Holden. Charlie had very loyal friends. Mark had told me earlier that tomorrow, everyone assigned to work would be at our wedding. He told me not to worry. Our wedding would go off without any issues. I believed him. He was just as confident and charismatic as Charlie, and just as experienced. They both could assess a situation and see what needed to be done quickly. The wedding nner motioned for us to wait one moment for Emily to get to the front of the venue. Walking slowly after Gwen. Holden suddenly asked, ¡°Are you sure about this? Is he threatening you? Forcing you to marry him? You don¡¯t even know him, Ana. How are you so sure you can trust him? You¡¯ve known him for less than three weeks, Ana. I don¡¯t know how he got your father on his side, but something isn¡¯t right here. I can¡¯t believe that you would rather marry him than me.¡± At this, I turned to look at him. I knew Dad was about to let him have it, but I squeezed his arm. I needed to be the one to shut them down. They seemed sure I was doing this against my will, and I needed to set them straight. ¡°Charlie wants me, for me. He¡¯s a good man, and he loves me. He saw who I was, and he wanted to be with me. Despite the fact that I¡¯mrger than the women you and Seth seem to prefer. He didn¡¯t hold that against me. In fact, he loves my curves. He desires me, and didn¡¯t run away to another country to try to avoid me. I know you saw the video of him and Drew finding me after Tiffany assaulted me. You should take another look at that video, because you clearly missed something. He was concerned for me. He didn¡¯t call an ambnce and wait. He took action because that¡¯s who he is. I care for him and trust him very much. I¡¯m thankful I finally got it right the third time around,¡± I stated coldly. ¡°Ana, you know you can trust Holden now. He¡¯s changed. He hasn¡¯t been with anyone since he returned,¡± Seth interjected like that even mattered. ¡°Wow, congrattions. Three whole weeks, that must be some kind of a record for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± I mocked before looking away. ¡°Excuse me, I need to walk down the aisle towards my future now.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Ana. I will take his ce. Even if you don¡¯t trust me at the moment, I can wait. We will get married and wait until you decide we can move forward. I will do anything to get you back,¡± Holden quietly replied. ¡°Get me back?¡± I stopped to look at him. ¡°You were never mine. That was your decision. You took it out of my hands. That was what you wanted. You can¡¯t take it back now that you¡¯ve decided I¡¯m more eptable than I used to be. I¡¯m still the same person I was. The only difference is that I know now that some things, like words and actions, can¡¯t be taken back once they¡¯re exposed. The damage is too great for me to ever do that. I wish you well, Holden, but you¡¯re my past now, not my future. I¡¯m not trying to hurt you when I say that. I just don¡¯t want to ever go back there again,¡± I replied before stepping into the venue with my father. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t see what happened to you, Analise. But I don¡¯t think that I could be prouder of the strong woman you are today. You handled that with grace, more than he deserved,¡± my father whispered as we walked slowly down the aisle. I know they weren¡¯t aware of what I was going through at the time, but I had to push down my frustration. My parents were both busy with their businesses. Too busy to sit down and have a serious discussion with me about what happened and why I changed. They hadn¡¯t wanted to give up their dream of being rted to the Vaughns. They knew I had a good head on my shoulders. I never had any drama going on. So they already knew that whatever it was, it was serious. That is why they felt guilty. As much as I love my parents, it still hurts that it was eptable for me to suffer, as long as their rtionship was still intact. Now that everything is out in the open, their rtionship has changed. It was not the same, despite inviting them to the wedding tomorrow. I know that they still dreamed of me bing a member of their family. Seems like Holden was still holding onto that idea tightly. Why he¡¯s suddenly unwilling to let me go is anyone¡¯s guess. I think it¡¯s because his pride is hurt. Offended, I would dare choose my bodyguard over him. Honestly, I would do it all over again. Charlie was watching me as I walked down the aisle. He didn¡¯t hide the love and affection that he felt for me. It was there for the whole room to see. I focused on his handsome face, and I couldn¡¯t wait to be his wife. To me, it didn¡¯t matter if he was rich or not. I knew that he loved me, that was what mattered. I could feel the desire he had for me when he kissed me. It was different than with Roger. Roger never kissed me passionately, unlike Charlie. He made my toes curl and anticipation race through me. I wanted more when Charlie kissed me, much more. I wanted him to show me just how much he loved me. I couldn¡¯t wait for our honeymoon. I had changed the flight to five hours after the wedding started. We would have our fun, and then fly to Italy for two blissful weeks. I wanted to get Charlie all by myself. We¡¯re using my father¡¯s private jet, so we can skip the line at the airport. Charlie never took his eyes off me. He came down the stairs to take my hand. He brought it to his lips, kissing my hand before turning to lead me to where I was to stand. Gwen and Emily were grinning at me. They were both so happy for me. Before we could get to the end. Holden had to interject again. ¡°Ana, please. Don¡¯t do this to me. I deserve to be punished for what I did, but if I could go back and change it, I would. Please don¡¯t let him touch you. I want to marry you. I¡¯m willing to be the man you need me to be. I swear I can make this right. Please just allow me to make it right,¡± Holden begged. He kneeled at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at me. He seemed like he was serious. Why now, all of a sudden? Can he really not stand to lose to Charlie? Suddenly, the outer doors opened, and three police officers entered the venue. ¡°We¡¯re here for Holden Vaughn. Pleasee with us. A report has been filed against you. Chapter 58 Charlie¡¯s POV I¡¯m sick of Holden just showing up, but I knew he would tonight. Her father, Reid, explicitly told Holden not to disrupt the wedding. Holden wasn¡¯t going to let Ana marry me without ast¨Cditch effort. He didn¡¯t want me to touch her. I¡¯m going to make sure that he knows that I intend to touch every square inch of her on our honeymoon. God willing, she will be pregnant by the time we return. I knew what he was doing out there; it¡¯s his Hail Mary trying to stop the wedding. He was out there pleading his case. I also knew that there was no hurry tonight. Mark had friends in the police force, and he had submitted everything earlier this week. I asked them to wait to pick him up for the assault until tonight. Holden thought he was so smart, but this was my n all along. I had him admit that he hit me. Jon was quick to start filming after Holden sucker punched me. None of us thought the pretty boy was willing to go that far. But there was no way in hell I was going to give him a pass for what he did. He will be in jail all weekend long, as he will need a judge to sign off for him to be bonded out. I was serious when I told Ana I wouldn¡¯t allow our wedding to be interrupted. I see Seth speed walking behind the officers. I knew he wasn¡¯t going to stay out of it. He needs to, because if he interferes, he might be missing the wedding, too. ¡°Do you know who he is? Holden Vaughn is a business leader, along with his father, Hudson Vaughn. He¡¯s an important member of our society. I don¡¯t see how this is legal? What are the charges against him? Do you really think that you¡¯ll get away with arresting him without some serious repercussions?¡± Seth snapped out. He was mad and wasn¡¯t trying to hide it. Holden was too stunned by the police showing up to arrest him to speak. ¡°Assault charges,¡± one of the officers briefly replied as he removed his handcuffs from his duty belt. He then instructed Holden, ¡°ce your hands together like you are praying.¡± Holdenplied, but still seemed stunned that he was being arrested. Once the cuffs were on, he finally snapped out of it, with reality setting in. He looked at me and said, ¡°You did this, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Actually, I filled out the paperwork and handed over the evidence. But you were the one who did it, not Charlie,¡± Mark replied. ¡°So you are so scared that Ana is going to change her mind ande back to me that you¡¯re willing to do this? I didn¡¯t take you for a petty person, Charlie. Take the charges back. I swear I will leave right now, and I won¡¯t interrupt the wedding tomorrow,¡± Holden assured. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do that, Holden. I can¡¯t trust you to follow through with what you just said. You sucker punched me while I was putting my ring on Ana¡¯s finger. She could have been injured. I can¡¯t just let that go. Let this be a reminder for you from now on. Don¡¯t put your hands on or near Ana again. She is mine to protect, and mine to love. She never really was yours anyway. You made sure of that yourself. I underestimated your willingness tosh out in frustration. You lost out on a wonderful woman, but don¡¯t expect me to be willing to listen to you. You don¡¯t know me or what I¡¯m capable of, so I would suggest you leave her alone. Your time with her was up ten years ago. I won¡¯t be caught by surprise by you ever again,¡± I responded. ¡°Charlie, you need to stop this madness right now. Is this how you n to start a rtionship with your new family? Going after Holden? He already said he wouldn¡¯t disrupt the wedding. You could easily withdraw the assault charges if you wanted to. Holden won¡¯te tomorrow if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Seth stiffly stated. ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to do that because we forbade him toe to the wedding. You two decided in your infinite wisdom that the next best thing to do was to crash our rehearsal? Seth, can you even hear yourself right now? Oh, and who are you referring to about family? Mom and Dad are on my side in this. We made it clear that Holden wasn¡¯t allowed toe to any wedding¨Crted events. You have to stop. The overprotective brother routine is getting old. You keep trying to shove what I ¡®need¡® to do down my throat. I¡¯m twenty¨Cseven, Seth, not seventeen. I know what¡¯s best for me. You¡¯re not helping matters. You seem to be solely focused on Holden¡¯s happiness, but not mine. I know you two are like brothers, but I¡¯m your sister, Seth. Don¡¯t I deserve the same love and consideration as Holden?¡± Ana asked. That got his attention. ¡°Ana, of course, you matter. You¡¯re my baby sister, and I¡¯ve spent most of my life looking out for you. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re upset. I never intended for you to go through what you did. Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m trying to make it up to you? I trust Holden. We know him. We don¡¯t know anything about this guy,¡± Seth said before motioning towards me. ¡°Holden has promised me that he will love and take care of you. You don¡¯t have to worry about Tiffany anymore. She¡¯s going to be sent away. Holden is the better choice for you. He¡¯s the one our parents picked out for you to marry. We would all be thrilled for you to unite our families. At the very least, you know he¡¯s not after your money. You loved Holden once, Ana. I get that you¡¯re angry with him. But I know you can learn to love him again. He wants to make this work, Ana. I¡¯ll be there for you if his foot ever slips again.¡± ¡°So this is the brilliant idea that you two came up with in thest few days? Let me be clear, as I can tell you are not getting it. Charlie has cared about me from day one. Not because I pay him, but because he saw me. He saw the real me, and he started paying attention. He wasn¡¯t deterred by my weight, like Holden and Roger were. He wants me, for me. You think you know everything, but you don¡¯t. Our rtionship doesn¡¯t need either of you involved in it. I want to be Charlie¡¯s wife. I love him, and he loves me. I feel safe and protected when he¡¯s with me. I know what I feel. Please stop, it¡¯s getting to the point of harassment now,¡± Ana advised. ¡°Seth, I warned you, and Holden, not to do this. You¡¯ve already said your piece, but Analise has made her decision. You¡¯ve been thinking of this from your own perspective. When she told us why she changed her mind about marrying Holden in the hospital, you were on her side. You were outraged for her and willing to fight Holden over it. How has that changed? How did you get to where you forgave him? Are you seriously willing to threaten Charlie and coerce Ana into doing what you want her to?¡± Ana¡¯s father snapped out. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m just trying to stop her from making a mistake. I am thinking of her. I¡¯m trying to protect her from a man who only wants her for her money. He doesn¡¯t care about her at all. He knew who she was, and came after her. I don¡¯t believe for a second that he loves her for who she is. He just sees dor signs when he looks at her,¡± Seth replied angrily. ring at me like it¡¯s true. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about him, Seth. He already signed a prenup. The one you kept harping on. Charlie is just as excited as I am to start our family. He¡¯s a good man, but you never gave him a chance. I don¡¯t have to beg for his time or attention; he willingly gives it to me. He actually desires me. He didn¡¯t need to be forced into an arranged marriage or extorted to marry me. He decided to marry me on his own. He said that I was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and I want that too. I want the same love that our parents and grandparents have. Both Dad and Charlie¡¯s grandfather know the kind of love he has for me. They fell in love instantly. So I know it can happen. If you continue to press Seth, we will have to avoid each other for a while until you can learn to ept and respect Charlie,¡± Ana replied. ¡°It¡¯s like he put a spell on you, Ana. You¡¯re smarter than this. Are you so desperate for love and affection that you¡¯re willing to fall for him?¡± Seth asked. ¡°Get out. Get out of here right now You¡¯re not needed for this rehearsal to continue. If you can¡¯t be kind of at least use manners, you¡¯re not wee tomorrow, either. I won¡¯t forgive you if you dare to cause a disturbance. Seth,¡± Ana snapped back. Things were tense with Ana and her brother ring at each other when Holden spoke again. ¡°Cancel the charges, Charlie. I won¡¯t disrupt your wedding, but I won¡¯t give up on getting Ana back. I messed up, but I know she¡¯ll eventually forgive me. But I will destroy you if you go through with this, Charlie. If I get arrested, I¡¯ll find a way to buy thepany you work for, and make your life a living hell. I have the means to do just that. You need to think carefully before you make a career¨Cending decision like this.¡± Markughed first, and I gave a chuckle as well. ¡°The reason you couldn¡¯t buy thepany the first¨Ctime around, Holden, was because we own it. Ana was a high¨Cvalue client, so Mark and I flipped a coin to see who would get the honor. I know now that a higher power made me win it, as Ana and I were meant to be,¡± I responded. ¡°You spoke to me, Holden. You seemed pretty shocked that I refused to sell. I knew what happened and knew what you wanted to do. We got a pretty goodugh out of it, actually,¡± Mark stated beforeughing again. Holden and Seth looked shocked once they realized we owned it, but when Mark mocked Holden, he became furious. ¡°I might not be able to buy you out, but I can start my own securitypany and run you out of business,¡± Holden snarled out. ¡°You do that, but there was a reason that Ana went with us; we¡¯re the best. Good luck wasting your money trying topete against us,¡± Mark replied. ¡°Do you really think that you can threaten Charlie and get away with it?¡± someone asked from the aisle. ¡°Dad, I appreciate the backup, but I don¡¯t need it to deal with these two. There¡¯s nothing they can do to me to hurt me. I just haven¡¯t clued them into that fact yet,¡± I replied. ¡°What are you doing here, Mr. Billingsley?¡± Seth asked. ¡°I¡¯m a littlete, due to a meeting I couldn¡¯t reschedule. But why on earth would I miss my only son¡¯s wedding rehearsal?¡± Chuck Billinsley replied. Chapter 59 Seth¡¯s POV ¡°He¡¯s your son?¡± I asked in shock. Wait, this changes everything. I suddenly feelpletely humiliated by my words and actions this week. I looked over at Dad, and he gave a small shrug. ¡°You could have told me, Dad,¡± I snapped out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my story to tell,¡± Dad replied. ¡°I was wrong, Charlie is eptable as your husband. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know who you were. I was just trying to protect Ana,¡± I responded. ¡°You could have just asked, instead of just assuming. There¡¯s no need to get upset. Ana was doing the same thing to Roger. I just happened to know who I was dealing with from the beginning. But that¡¯s not why I fell in love with her. She¡¯s special. The moment we picked her up, she offered to buy me and Drew a coffee for stopping for her. That¡¯s not normal spoiled heiress behavior. The more I got to know her, the more I fell in love. Ana¡¯s a treasure that I will never let go of,¡± Charlie replied. He was looking at me, at first. But once he mentioned that he was never going to let her go, he directed thatment towards Holden. What¡¯s worse, he wasn¡¯t even rude about it when he spoke to me. Not like I¡¯ve been to him all week, every time I brought him up to Ana. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have treated him as badly as I did. I was just trying to keep Ana from being scammed. Ana seemed a little surprised herself. I guess Dad had kept the secret from us both. But she didn¡¯t seem upset. She had been nning on doing the same thing to Roger, so I guess she understood. The Billingsley family was equal to the Vaughn family in wealth. Knowing that Charlie co¨Cowned the security business, they might edge the Vaugh¡¯s out of the second spot. They kept a very low profile. It was a well¨Cknown fact that we were at the pinnacle of our peers. It all made sense now. This was the whole reason Dad was happy to go along with everything. Charlie wasn¡¯t a broke bodyguard; he co¨Cowned thepany. I can see from my father¡¯s expression that he was trying to teach me a lesson. He¡¯s warned me about blindly following Holden before, but I¡¯m getting it now. Holden and have been friends since birth. We both know how to work each other around to get what we want. I felt the weight of embarrassment as everyone else here, except Holden and Ana, watched me realize just how far I had gone. ¡°Yes, I could have asked, but you have to see my side of it, too. Some guy just shows up, and allegedly falls in love with my sister in a week. I¡¯m sorry, but that just seems suspicious to me. I¡¯ve changed my mind. You have my blessing, Charlie. Not that you needed it. Ana seemed intent on marrying you, no matter what I said about it,¡± I replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t know either, Seth, but I trust himpletely. He could see past all the barriers I put up. I look forward to seeing him. I know that he loves me. You would like him if you would just give him a chance,¡± Ana told me, ¡°Now, let¡¯s get this done. I would like to eat dinner and speak to my soon¨Cto¨Cbe inws.¡± Just like that, the focus was off me, and everyone gave a smallugh at how excited she was to get to know them better. The only one who was still upset was Holden. ¡°You said that you would help me win her over, Seth,¡± Holden ground out. ¡°I did try. It¡¯s time to admit defeat. Ana made her choice, and the wedding will proceed as nned. I can¡¯t help you, but I will bail you out on Monday. We should have expected this, Holden. Charlie has been two steps ahead of us the whole time,¡± I replied. ¡°Ana, do you see what he is doing? He is taking your choice away because he¡¯s scared you¡¯ll pick me. Can¡¯t you find it in your heart to forgive me? I didn¡¯t know I hurt you like that. I would never have said what I did if I had known you were there. I swear on my life I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Holden quietly stated. I felt bad for him as the fight had drained from him. He knows that he won¡¯t be able to stop the wedding now. He was upset, but this was Ana¡¯s choice, and she¡¯s already made it. ¡°Holden, whether you knew I was there or not, doesn¡¯t matter. It was intent. You willingly left the country to get away from me. Even if I hadn¡¯t overheard you, I would have suspected why by the third year you were gone. I trusted you, and you destroyed it. Whether you meant it or not. If the roles were reversed, and you had caught me, your arranged bride, having s*x with someone else, what would you have done?¡± Ana asked, her tone serious. The expression on his face gave his answer without him having to open his mouth. He sought forgiveness for something he would never have forgiven her for. I¡¯m not going to help him again. He had me on his side, but now that I see his double standard, I can¡¯t support him anymore. I know better than anyone what he¡¯s done over the years. I was in college with him, so I know exactly what he did while engaged to my sister. I originally thought he was the better choicepared to Roger or Charlie. Now that I know who Charlie actually was, I¡¯m no longer worried. The fact that she clearly loves him makes it even better. She wasn¡¯t even trying to stick it to Holden. I would have, if it had been me, but the universe helped to make that happen. He¡¯s got no one else to me for losing her. His own actions were the very reason he lost her. I know Ana, and she might have forgiven him for having s*x with Gretchen. But he left not just the city, but the country, to get away from her. That act had sent a clear message and was an insult to Ana. ¡°Officer¡¯s you can take him away. My soon¨Cto¨Cbe,wife wants to get thisplete. I¡¯m not changing my mind about pressing charges. I know better than to listen to Holden. He would do anything to cause us problems during the wedding. Ana wants a drama¨Cfree wedding, and that is what I¡¯m going to give her. Holden, you¡¯re angry at me for pressing charges when you punched me. If I had done it to you, you would have had me arrested the same day. If you ever decide you want a shot at me again, let me know. We have a boxing ring and a sparring pad at thepany. We can have a little match whenever you want to try your luck again. But I would suggest against it,¡± Charlie advised. ¡°You just heard him. He threatened me. I want him arrested for it,¡± Holden snapped out. He was frantically looking at all the officers, willing them to step forward and do something. He was upset and looking to cause any issue to try to stop the wedding ¡°That wasn¡¯t a threat. He offered you an opportunity to spar or box. A threat is when someone says, ¡°I¡¯m going to kick your a$$, that¡¯s a threat. But don¡¯t worry, once you and Seth showed up, we started recording. We knew what you were here to do, and we weren¡¯t going to get caught up in it. We know what a threat is, and believe me, that wasn¡¯t a threat. Keep it up, and you¡¯ll find that out the hard way. If you wanted her so badly. why did you leave her? Don¡¯t act like the victim now. No one here believes it. I think you saw her and wanted to bring back the old arrangement. I don¡¯t me you. Ana is a beautiful woman. Trust me when I say that it¡¯s too little, and way toote, at this point,¡± Drew pointed out. ¡°Of course you would say that. You work for him. But I feel threatened. I still want to press charges,¡± Holden angrily demanded. One of the officers called for an avable Sergeant toe to our location. ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead and finish the rehearsal up, while we are waiting for their Sergeant to arrive. That way, the wedding nner and the minister can go ahead and leave instead of being dragged into this. I don¡¯t want to hold them up,¡± Ana said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Analise. This isn¡¯t my first time this has happened, but not necessarily to this extent. I would like to help you out if I could,¡± our officiant advised. I took a seat and watched as they finished up. I hate that I still think of Ana as needing me to protect her. She has Charlie now, and he seems intent on doing that for her from now on. What was Holden thinking? Trying to get Charlie arrested because he¡¯s not going to be able to crash their wedding like he wanted to. Holden¡¯s hands are tied, quite literally, yet he¡¯s content to be this spiteful? I¡¯m disappointed in my friend. We were still rebuilding our friendship, but he¡¯s willing to do this to Ana? Because at the end of the day, he¡¯s only hurting her. ¡°Holden, it wasn¡¯t a threat. You need to stop this now. Are you willing to humiliate Ana like this? If the wedding doesn¡¯t go as scheduled, she will be the one to bear the embarrassment of it. The whole city will be talking about her, which gives Roger and his family ample opportunity to make things so much worse. Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to be her friend again? That you had epted the fact that they were getting married and would wait and see if she was happy? When did that change? You have had your fun over the years, and Ana never said anything about it. Not until we confronted her about why she had an issue with you. You know that as well as I do. Ana had every right to cancel your arranged marriage. Knowing what you and your sister did. How can you cause her even more pain?¡± I asked. I waspletely serious. I wanted to know. He needs to understand that arresting Charlie would ruin everything. Ana would never forgive him for that, not in this lifetime. He¡¯s so angry at the circumstances that he¡¯sshing out, trying to hurt Charlie. When he would actually be hurting Ana. Because if this wedding doesn¡¯t happen tomorrow, she¡¯s going to be the talk of the town for a long time. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let this go. But I¡¯m only doing it for Ana, not you, asshole. I¡¯m telling you now that you¡¯d better treat her well. Because if your foot slips, even a little, I¡¯ll be there to catch her. We will be on equal footing then, as we will have both made mistakes. So don¡¯t think that I¡¯ve given up, Charlie. I¡¯m never going to give up trying to get her back. Ana will forgive me for what I did, one day, and you best believe I¡¯ll be waiting for that day toe,¡± Holden resolutely answered. Chapter 60 Charlie¡¯s POV I believed him. I knew that he was telling the truth. He was not going to give up. He was furious, and he wanted to drag me down with him. But I hadn¡¯t threatened him, and I made sure that what I said couldn¡¯t be construed as a threat. It was a promise. If he came back around Ana again, I¡¯m going to deal with him. I was toying with him now because Ana isn¡¯t my wife yet, but the moment she is, the glovese off. ¡°You¡¯re not letting anything go, Holden. I never threatened you. I just offered you another shot at me, one where you¡¯re not trying to sucker punch me. Don¡¯t act like a martyr because we both know that you¡¯re not doing this for Ana. You already know that the Sergeant isn¡¯t going to be able to support your im. You just want to bow out before they arrive. Do you honestly think that Ana is going to fall for your little act? I can assure you she won¡¯t. She¡¯s too smart for that. I know you, Holden, I know who you are. I¡¯m not going to give you an inch. The wedding will go on as nned, without you. You can hope for another chance with Ana all you want, but my foot won¡¯t be slipping. Ana is the woman of my dreams. I don¡¯t want anyone else,¡± I replied. Holden wasn¡¯t going to let that pass. ¡°You keep thinking that, Charlie,¡± he replied. The officers waited for their sergeant as they didn¡¯t want to get involved in a legal battle with Holden. I couldn¡¯t me them for that. We finished the rehearsal, and after a few short words, the wedding nner left. It wasn¡¯t personal; neither of the Vaughn siblings was married, and she didn¡¯t want to be involved. We waited another five minutes before the Sergeant arrived. We let Holden share his version before Drew stepped in to show him what actually happened. I don¡¯t know why Holden would think that any of us trusted him enough not to protect ourselves. We knew better. He¡¯s dered war on me, and he¡¯s not going to stop unless he is forced to do so. ¡°He didn¡¯t threaten you. A threat is someone telling you that they are going to cause you bodily harm. Whoever spoke earlier was right. Telling you that they are going to kick your¡­butt¡­is an example of a threat, and also considered simple assault. I understand that you are upset, Mr. Vaughn. But I¡¯ve already seen the evidence against you. You assaulted Mr. Billingsley, and he sustained injuries as a result of it. You can be bailed out on Monday. But you¡¯re going to have toe with us now. Please do not fight the officers, or additional charges will be filed,¡± the Sergeant advised. They led Holden out, but the look he gave me as he turned the corner to go into the hallway was a promise. I needed to be careful for the foreseeable future. He was gunning for me now. I could tell he was willing to do just about anything to get Ana back. Where was that same energy before? He had all this time to change his mind, but he only showed back up three weeks before Ana¡¯s wedding. He¡¯spletely delusional, nd that makes him dangerous. That isn¡¯t love, it¡¯s seriously messed up. I need to ensure that whenever we go out after our honeymoon, we have men with us. Holden has an unhealthy obsession, and I¡¯m sure his behavior is only going to get worse from here. I know that Ana saw his expression. It might have been aimed at me, but she knew it was because he wanted to get rid of me, to get to her. She drew in closer to my side. She was frightened, and she should be. That kind of obsession will only grow stronger. Mark saw it too, and he looked at me. He wanted to know if I was aware. I nodded, just a slight movement, but he got it. We will have to make ns to protect Ana, without scaring her. I already had an idea in mind. I will have her design a ne, and once it is made, I will have a tracker hidden inside it. I will order the tracker tonight when I get home. I looked over at Seth, and I could tell that he was concerned for Ana. I will need to speak to him tonight about getting close to Holden again. Seth will have to take one for the team. Holden always knows how to draw him back in. I may need Seth to help Ana at some point. If Holden believes Seth is on his side, he might include him in his ns. I¡¯m not a fan of Seth. He is wishy¨Cwashy. He should be loyal to his sister, yet he was back on Team Holden not two weeks after he found out what Holden had done. I will speak to Ana in the SUV about it. I haven¡¯t known Seth for long. I need to confirm with Ana whether my beliefs about him are urate. He seemed willing to back Holden even after a fight. Holden was pissed at Seth, but he needed him. I think he will go back to being friends with Seth just to stay close to Ana. I don¡¯t want to be blind to what Holden has nned. We¡¯re going to need him on our side. I think we should speak to her parents and her brother after we get back from our honeymoon. Ana was back to normal by the time we arrived at the restaurant. She was caught up in the excitement of the dinner and ready for the wedding. I am too. I can¡¯t wait to get it done, because then I get to take my bride to Italy. I n to take another trip there with her for our one¨Cyear anniversary, as I don¡¯t intend to get much done on this one. I want to keep her all to myself and depend on room service. I just wanted to get her far enough away from everything and everyone for her to truly be able to rx. I watched as she interacted with my family. They all loved her. Tonight was the first time that she had met my father. He is always busy withpany matters. He¡¯s Charles Billingsley II, and he goes by Chuck. He got the nickname in college, and it stuck. Although very few people actually get to call him Chuck. Ana now has that distinct honor. He is very impressed with her and all that she has aplished in her young life. He told me that before we even got to dessert. He took the whole weekend off for our wedding. He normally works at least six hours on Saturdays. He is still waiting for me to help him, so he can slow down. I just don¡¯t want to work as hard as he does. It¡¯s too much. I know Mom misses him. She¡¯s used to it and doesn¡¯tin, but we all miss him. If I do take over. I¡¯m not going to run thepany alone. I¡¯m going to get someone I trust to do the trips out of town. I¡¯m not going to leave Ana. I will only go if she cane with me. That is something I will discuss with her down the road. My grandparents and mother already adored her. She had Drew wrapped around her finger. Mark and Jon were quicklying around to her as well. They weren¡¯t around her as much as Drew and I were, but they found her just as impressive as my father had. Mark was currently sitting with Gwen, and I could see he was interested in her; so far, she wasn¡¯t shooting him down. Drew had already staked his im on Emily after their photo shoot. She was just as interested in him as he was in her. Everyone had been speaking, and the room had been filled withughter. Even Seth had finally settled down and was having a good time. My grandfather tapped his wine ss and stood up to make a toast. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier to wee Analise into our family. You are a lovely young woman. I¡¯m wishing you both a long and happy marriage. I also hope that you two can bless us with some great¨Cgrandchildren as your grandmother and I aren¡¯t getting any younger,¡± He announced. His words were met with Ana fiercely blushing and shyly leaning into me to hide her face. ¡°I will do everything in my power to make that happen for you. I know how much you two have dreamed of me having children, I finally found someone who will be a wonderful mother,¡± I said as I wrapped my arm around Ana and pulled her even closer into my side. Ana gave a tiny swat against my chest in embarrassment, but I loved how cute she was right now. I can¡¯t wait for us to leave for our honeymoon. I wanted to have her all to myself. I know she thought I was teasing her, but I fully intended to make their dream a reality. I believe Ana is open to it, as she mentioned that she would like to have at least two children. No time like the present to make that happen. I slid my chair closer to hers, cing our seats together. I loved taking in her sweet scent. I can¡¯t remember being this content ever before. If I could just sweep Ana up and take her straight on the Honeymoon, I would. But I know from my mother and grandmother that women dream of their weddings, and I won¡¯t take that away from her. I¡¯m willing to do anything to keep her happy. Plus, I really want to see Roger, Sasha, and especially his mother, learn exactly who Ana is tomorrow. I can¡¯t wait to watch it y out. His mother is going to lose her mind. She has said such terrible things about and to Ana. Once she discovers that Ana is exactly who she wanted for her precious son all along, she will lose it. She might even pass out once she realizes that she had the daughter of the Caldwell family arrested on bogus charges. Ana had waited to move forward for this reason specifically. The charges against Ana had been dropped, as they were unfounded. But Joyce still filed a false police report on Elizabeth. Joyce believes that what she did to Ana is all over with, but it¡¯s not. Ana has everything ready to go for Joyce and Regina. She will deal with Sasha and the giarism charges when she returns. Rodney will be filing all the paperwork at once, but he will ensure that the giarism trial doesn¡¯t start until three weeks from now. Ana has systematically gathered her evidence and given the copies to Rodney. Tiffany will also be dealt with at that time. Ana wants all the loose ends handled, including restraining orders against Tiffany and Gretchen. ording to Rodney, it won¡¯t be a problem getting them approved with all the evidence Ana had. I kissed the top of Ana¡¯s head and looked down at her, ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy. I can¡¯t wait to be Mrs. Charles Billingsley III,¡± she replied. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing my Ana walk down the aisle to me tomorrow. I just can¡¯t wait to make her mine. i want the whole world to know that Ana is my wife. I¡¯m ready to start the rest of my life with her by my side. Make that the best of my life. Because that is what it feels like, as the best is yet toe. Chapter 61 Roger¡¯s POV I put my tuxedo on and headed downstairs. I was going to the venue alone. Despite what Sasha said, she had already signed all the documents. She couldn¡¯t stop the divorce from happening, and it waspleted yesterday. I was a free man, and I was going to im Elizabeth. I got my hair cut earlier today, and I felt like a million bucks. She always thought I was handsome, and with a fresh shave, I looked better than I normally did. I felt a little anxiety when I got downstairs, and my family was also dressed to go to the wedding. ¡°What are you doing? Things would go better without any of you there,¡± I suggested. ¡°How can my son get married without me?¡± my mother asked. ¡°Do you swear on your life that you will not cause a disturbance? Are you going there to support me, or cause trouble for Elizabeth? Because I am fine with just Dad going with me if you¡¯re nning on causing trouble,¡± I replied. ¡°Why would you have me swear on my life, Roger? Are you wishing death on me?¡± my mother gasped out. ¡°I just want the truth. I¡¯m under a great deal of pressure here, Mom. I need you to promise me that you¡¯re not going there for any other reason than to support me marrying Elizabeth,¡± I stated calmly. I know her. She has shown me just how deceitful she really is, and she doesn¡¯t care about what problems arise from her actions. She isn¡¯ting to bless the union. I need her to know that if she causes any problems, I¡¯m cutting her off. I won¡¯t continue to y along with her anymore. ¡°How dare you say that, Roger. I¡¯m your mother. No one wants better for you than I do,¡± she cried out. ¡°Stay home, Mom. Dad wille with me. He can help smooth over your recent actions. I need to win her back, or mypany is done for. Do you understand that? I¡¯ll be backter. You can help Sasha pack and get out. I don¡¯t want her here when I return,¡± I replied. ¡°I won¡¯t be left behind. The maids can watch Sasha. I want to be there for you. I won¡¯t let Elizabeth bully you son. She has a horrible, condescending attitude. I want to be there so I can protect you. We¡¯re all ready to go with you. We¡¯re your family. We want what¡¯s best for you,¡± my mother said. I looked at them, and I could see that Regina was ready to help Mom with whatever she had nned for the day. My father and brother looked like they were here to support me, but I remembered what my brother had said. He would take my spot with Elizabeth in a heartbeat. Looking at his smirk, I knew he was still willing to make a move on her. I was alreadypeting with the bodyguard. I didn¡¯t need morepetition for Elizabeth¡¯s attention, ¡°Dad, pleasee with me. Everyone else, stay here,¡± I replied. My mother¡¯s cries followed us out to the car. My father drove to the venue and kept drilling into me what was at stake. I already knew what would happen if I couldn¡¯t make this right. The price was too high, and this was do¨Cor¨Cdie time. Either I got this done, or mypany was dead in the water. ¡°I got it, Dad. Just do me a favor and don¡¯t let Morn or Regina near Elizabeth. I need her to marry me. If they get near her, my chances of that happening are zero,¡± I replied. ¡°I warned your mother that she had better note to the wedding to cause trouble. If she does, I might look into divorce, too. I can¡¯t even recognize her anymore. She wants to rise up in society, but isn¡¯t happy with where we are in life. I worked hard to get where I am, and it¡¯s clearly not enough for her anymore. If this goes badly, your mother will have cost me a great deal of money because of her actions. She was the one who pushed you into marrying Sasha. Although she didn¡¯t have to work hard to get you to do it,¡± my father pointed out. ¡°I had a thing for her. But after I found out she cheated on me on our honeymoon, anything I felt for her is gone. She lied to me from the very start. Mom swore she had Sasha investigated. I thought Sasha was the better choice between them. Sasha was a designer, and I wanted to be with her. I never wanted to be with Elizabeth like that until I saw that she had lost weight. She¡¯s the perfect wife now. I will get on my knees and beg if I have to, to get her back,¡± I replied. ¡°Good, because you might just have to do just that. I remember you have wanted Sasha since high school. I never saw why she held your interest. Sure, she¡¯s an attractive woman, but she has nothing else going for her. You need someone who will challenge you, and Elizabeth actually did that. She pointed you to the right path. You had a jewel in your hand and traded it for trash. I¡¯m sorry to be so harsh, son, but you need to hear the truth. Stop listening to your mother; she doesn¡¯t have your best interest at heart. She¡¯s jealous of Elizabeth because I was so impressed by her business acumen, and she has never let it go. I¡¯ve exined why you need to get Elizabeth back several times, but she refuses to listen. I¡¯m very concerned that she will show up and cause problems. That is why I gave her that strict warning. I¡¯m serious about what I said. If she causes you to lose any chance with Elizabeth today, I¡¯m done. I can¡¯t be with someone who refuses to listen to reason,¡± my father stated. He was absolutely serious, but I am too. This was a serious situation. I really hope Mom listens, but I¡¯m not counting on it. I¡¯ll be cutting her off as well, along with anyone else who shows up to cause problems. This is my livelihood that they are messing with now. I have to charm her and win her back. Anything else will be met with severe consequences. As we pulled in to park, I mentioned, ¡°Dad, Elizabeth has reced me as the groom. I¡¯m not sure if I can reach her in time to fix this. Her fianc¨¦ told me not toe here, that the invitations have been changed, but I don¡¯t know if he was telling me the truth or lying to me.¡± My father turned off the car before turning to look at me. He was quiet for a minute before asking, ¡°And you waited until now to tell me that? Son, I don¡¯t think you understand the gravity of the situation you¡¯re in. You could be fired from your ownpany. Your ownpany, Roger. You could lose everything you¡¯ve worked for over the years if you aren¡¯t sessful. Why didn¡¯t you mention this to me sooner? I voted to give you a chance to rectify this. I now think we¡¯re on a fool¡¯s errand. You made me think that since the wedding was still being held, you had a chance to right the cart. Why didn¡¯t you try to win her back sooner?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know where she was, Dad, I tried to find her, but it was as if she had vanished after Mom had her arrested. I only went to Fashion Forward because Regina saw that she was working there, I took a chance, and lucked out, but she¡¯s changed. She refused to listen to anything I told her. I don¡¯t know how she even got hired on there, I¡¯m desperate, and know the trouble I¡¯m in. My only hope is that even if she refuses to marry me, I¡¯m praying I could talk her intoing back to work for me. But now that she¡¯s working for Fashion Forward. Why would shee back to me? I¡¯m sure she¡¯s making more there than I could pay her,¡± I admitted. My heart was racing because this was it, myst chance. I suddenly realized that I had no hope to hold on to I remember how she looked at me. No love, no care, just an annoyance standing in front of her. I had to lower myself to the ground today if I had any hope of rectifying this. But I¡¯m willing to do it. I can¡¯t lose everything for one stupid mistake. I¡¯ve been having nightmares about what I did to her for weeks. I know how badly I treated her. Humiliating her for no reason, other than I was mad at her for forcing me to marry her. ¡°The answer will always be no unless you ask. Don¡¯t think about anything else but getting her back. I am telling you that she has a gift. She understands how to run apany. She has done so much for you over the years, Roger. She was the only one who truly backed you this whole time. I wanted you to seed, just like I did. To work hard and create something from nothing. You managed to find Elizabeth, and she helped you carve years off a normal timeline. For that alone, you own her everything. It doesn¡¯t matter if others see you beg her. You¡¯ve imed all the glory this whole time. It¡¯s time to show your appreciation for everything she did to make your visione to life,¡± my father told me. ¡°Got it. I¡¯m willing to do what it takes to get her back. Whether it¡¯s as my wife, or just getting her to return to thepany. I¡¯ll do it,¡± I replied. We approached the venue, and several people were heading there with us. The grey stones outside the cathedral were massive. It was arge ce, and I never understood why she needed such a venue to hold our wedding. Mom had refused to allow Elizabeth to invite our side of the family. She imed that no one wanted to see me having to marry her. Yet, she still insisted oning here to get married. I recognized a lot of the people here. I noticed as we approached that there were three men checking invitations. My heart started beating harder. I thought that guy had been joking, but I see that he wasn¡¯t. There were two men, evenrger than the ones checking invitations, standing up at the top of the steps. It was clear that they were serious about not letting anyone in who didn¡¯t have the proper invitation. As we got closer to the checkpoint, my father looked at me. ¡°Did you bring an invitation?¡± he asked. ¡°The guy said that the invitation had been changed out. The old one stopped working. Elizabeth even told me that she sent a letter advising that the Cook family was no longer wee at the venue. Mom signed for it, but she still refused to admit that she received it,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°Elizabeth is even smarter than I thought she was. We may not be able to get in son. You need to be prepared for it. This might be aplete waste of our time,¡± my father quietly answered. ¡°Invitation?¡± the bodyguard asked. ¡°I left it at home,¡± I replied nervously. ¡°Name?¡± he asked. ¡°Roger, I have our invitation,¡± my mother¡¯s voice called from behind me. Chapter 62 Roger¡¯s POV Of course, she came here after we both asked her to stay home. I turned to see my mother, Regina, and Sasha quickly walking towards us. Why are they even here? ¡°I told you to stay home, so did Dad. You need to leave immediately. You are not wanted here and you will only cause more problems,¡± I hissed out. ¡°Nonsense, I wouldn¡¯t miss getting to see my son get married,¡± my mother said as she handed the invitation over to the security guard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is the old invitation. You cannot enter without the new invitation,¡± he replied. He turned and nodded at one of the men at the top of the stairs. That can¡¯t be good. Someone spoke to him in his earpiece, and he replied, ¡°I believe the Cook family has arrived.¡± I know for sure that it isn¡¯t going to be good. I have a really bad feeling about this. ¡°Roger Cook?¡± he looked at me and asked. I nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m the groom.¡± ¡°Not anymore, you¡¯re not,¡± he replied and then confirmed in his earpiece that it was us. ¡°Now that you know who we are, I demand entry,¡± my mother insisted. She wasn¡¯t going to back down, and I knew this was about to get embarrassing for our group. ¡°None of you will be allowed to enter,¡± he answered calmly. He was going through his tablet looking for something before saying, ¡°Please step away and stop blocking the line.¡± ¡°How dare you speak to us like that?¡± my mother cried out. ¡°There had to be some kind of misunderstanding. My son is supposed to be marrying Elizabeth today. This is the first of I¡¯ve heard about this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this your handwriting?¡± he asked as he turned his tablet towards us. I guess that was what he had been looking for this whole time. He had the same picture that Ana had shown me showing on it. ¡°You signed for this over a week ago. You were already aware that the groom had been changed. Yet you still showed up here to cause a scene. If you want to embarrass yourself, go ahead. But no matter what you say, none of you will be allowed entry into the venue today.¡± ¡°I want to speak to your supervisor,¡± my mother snapped out. A smile yed on his lips before he spoke into his mic again. ¡°Mrs. Joyce Cook requests to speak to my supervisor,¡± he stated. Two minutester, the man who spoke to me at Fashion Forward the other day came down the steps. He was dressed to impress in a nice tuxedo and was clean shaven today. He walked up to our group, but stayed two steps up from us before asking. ¡°You wanted to speak to me?¡± ¡°My son was supposed to marry Elizabeth today Yet were are being prevented from entering. I demand that we be allowed to enter the venue. How is the wedding even going to happen if the groom himself isn¡¯t there?¡± She asked in frustration. ¡°You came early, as anticipated, so I had time toe and deal with you myself. You¡¯re not wee here. Elizabeth gave up on Roger after you had him marry her,¡± he stopped speaking to point at Sasha. ¡°Since he was married, I was able to talk her into marrying me. I¡¯m very happy to take his ce.¡± ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°Charles Billingsley III,¡± he smoothly responded. I froze. Is he saying that he is the heir to the Billingsley financial group? That can¡¯t be right. He has been following Elizabeth around like a puppy for weeks as her bodyguard. So that can¡¯t be right; he can¡¯t be a member of the Billingsley family. It doesn¡¯t make sense. Why in the hell would he be willing to marry Elizabeth? ¡°Why would you marry a nobody?¡± Regina asked. She was clearly jealous; it was evident in her tone. ¡°A nobody?¡± he scoffed. It was then that I noticed two reporters were filming our interaction. Before I could even ask him to rify, he continued to speak. ¡°You consider Analise Elizabeth Caldwell to be a nobody? You must have more to you than meets the eye to think that,¡± he replied. ¡°What in the hell are you trying to say? There is no way that¡¯s possible. I refuse to believe what you are trying to imply. How much did Elizabeth pay you to pretend to be a Billingsley? You know impersonating someone else is fraud, right? You could be arrested for pretending to be a member of a noble family. You are just as sad and pathetic as she is to try to pull this kind of trick on us,¡± my mother snapped out in disbelief. I¡¯m starting to have a really bad feeling about this. The people passing by were watching us with amusement. They¡¯re not regr guests either. The mayor is here, along with the Chief of Police and several members of high society. I recognize some of my stockholders here. Some looked at me with pity, and others looked at me with scorn. It¡¯s like they all knew something that I don¡¯t, and suddenly, I can see it all very clearly. ¡°Stop talking, Mom,¡± I warned quietly. ¡°We¡¯re being recorded.¡± ¡°Let them record. I can¡¯t believe that she actually paid someone to im that she¡¯s from the Caldwell family. It¡¯s a joke. Once it gets made known that she did this, she will be the one in trouble, not me. How dare she try to lie to us like that? What did I tell you, Roger? She has no ss, no upbringing. This was why I told you not to marry her. Your social life would be destroyed by her pitiful attempt to act more important than she is. No one would ever try to do something like this, except for Elizabeth. She not only forced you to propose to her. She¡¯s now trying to make you think you made a mistake by marrying Sasha. She will never stop this poor attempt to make you feel guilty. It¡¯s a good thing you got rid of her when you did, Roger. That way, we¡¯re not connected to her. Can you imagine the publicity we would get being involved in a fraud scandal?¡± my mother screeched out. Instead of being quiet, my mother got even louder. She was intent on smearing Elizabeth¡¯s name as badly as she could today. People were now tantly watching us. Even those who had passed through security were standing on the stairs above us and watching my mother. All her talk about no ss, and yet she stands there and does this? Who was she trying to fool? She sent Regina off to learn etiquette, which she stillcks. I looked at my father, and his lips were pressed together like he was trying to keep from speaking. But it was a struggle for him. I can see that he was seriously considering what this man had said. That Elizabeth Wade wasn¡¯t actually her name, it was just a part of her name. This exins how she managed to invest so much money in mypany. It also exins how she was able to get investors for thepany so quickly. How she was able to buy us a home without worrying about the cost. My panic only increased as I realized that she had paid for everything inside our home. It wasn¡¯t cheap, she went all out with the furniture, all the art, and made it a home. I had been pissed about having to marry her, so I had put nothing into our vi. I hadn¡¯t even bought a nket. Elizabeth had purchased everything in an attempt to make our house a home, and she had. It was weing and I loved living there. I didn¡¯t help her because I hadn¡¯t wanted to marry her. What have I done? Dad wasing to the same conclusion as I was, and he was getting upset. But my mother, sister, and Sasha had not clued in yet. They were just getting started. ¡°Nice try. You¡¯re attractive, I¡¯ll give you that. But none of us believes what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯ve never seen you at any of the auctions or events. If you are who you say you are, then I would have seen you before. I do recognize you from themercial. I saw you worked as her bodyguard, but you two aren¡¯t who you say you are. You¡¯re being recorded, do you dare to say it again?¡± Regina asked. ¡°I do. I am the heir to the Billingsley family. Ana is the daughter of Reid and Alicia Caldwell. Do you dare to argue with me about it?¡± he replied. It was clear that he wanted her to argue about it. He was toying with all of us, and dread started to grow inside of me. He is about to get married, yet he is out here arguing. He knew he was right, and the more any of us argued, the more ignorant we looked to the growing crowd. ¡°Please, you¡¯re just as pathetic as she is. Setting all this up to try to y like Elizabeth wasn¡¯t the woman Roger dumped because he wanted to be with me. She¡¯s still angry about it, isn¡¯t she? It¡¯s really sad that Roger has always desired me. She was always just an employee to him. Never worth anything more than that, and she never will. You¡¯re handsome, I¡¯ll give you that, but that won¡¯t make up for the fact that you¡¯re just a pathetic bodyguard. You¡¯re good enough for Elizabeth, but some of us deserve more in life. You two clearly deserve each other. Neither of you will ever be a sess. Content to live in your sad little house, and be jealous of the lives that Roger and I are making for ourselves. Lives that you will never be able topare to. You¡¯ll never be able to rise to our level,¡± Sasha advised, followed byughter. ¡°You¡¯re right, Sasha. Ana spent every dor she earned trying to y the perfect wife, but Roger didn¡¯t want her. He just wanted someone who wouldn¡¯t embarrass him. He was happy to marry you, Sasha. There¡¯s nothing that Elizabeth has on you. Roger really dodged a bullet when he married you. Can you imagine her being a Cook? She would have shamed us all. Mom was right to get rid of her when she did. She was an albatross around Roger¡¯s neck. Weighing him down and keeping him from soaring higher. She doesn¡¯t even know what she was doing. Not like the beautiful designs that you made. I can¡¯t wait for you to prove in court that she stole those designs from you and Roger. Once you prove she giarized, she won¡¯t be able to work here again. She will have to hang her head in shame,¡± Regina replied. ¡°It¡¯s no more than she deserves, Regina. I¡¯m disappointed that I¡¯m not going to get to see her face. I had hoped to make her cry before the wedding so her makeup would be ruined. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be happy. not after what she did to my son and my family thesest few weeks. But I¡¯m sure that when this airs tonight, she will see it. I hope it goes viral, so everyone will know what kind of person she really is. She deserves to be humiliated, after all that she¡¯s done,¡± Joyce stated. Chapter 63 Charlie¡¯s POV Sasha and Roger¡¯s younger sister thought that what she said was an insult to us, which was amusing. I see that Roger and his father have both realized that I¡¯m not joking around. They wanted to leave, but Joyce wouldn¡¯t let them. She was set on trying to humiliate Ana, even if she wasn¡¯t allowed into the venue. She was fine with shaming her from out here, in front of our guests. I didn¡¯t mind her doing it either; the higher the climb, the harder the fall. I was going to make sure that her fall was going to be a long one. ¡°Regina, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Please, stop speaking,¡± Roger quietly stated. ¡°Roger, please, what can she do? She¡¯s having to marry to bodyguard to save face. The whole city is about to find out that no one wants her. He¡¯s handsome, but he is more of a guy on the side, rather than a husband. He is so far below you, Roger. I honestly can¡¯t believe that she painted herself into the corner like this. She would have had a good life if she had just stayed in herne and not expected to be your wife. She only has herself to me for the situation that she¡¯s in,¡± Regina responded before eyeing me again with a smirk. She winked at me before stepping back at the look on my face. ¡°Funny, that doesn¡¯t sound like the woman I know. She is kind, intelligent, and she cares about people. Something you three seem to becking. Sasha, you wereing to a wedding, not the club. Regina, you have no manners or breeding. Joyce, you are one of the most vicious women that I have ever met. Your husband and son totally outshine you. I can see just how embarrassed they are at the moment. Seems like. your whole family isn¡¯tcking in intelligence, just you three,¡± I told them. ¡°How dare you say something like that to me. I have more ss in my pinkie finger than you have in your whole body,¡± Joyce snapped back. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad, Mrs. Cook, it¡¯s just an observation. If you want, I can tell you how I really feel,¡± I said as I stepped down another step to step closer to them. ¡°Stay away from me! Are you trying to intimidate me? I didn¡¯te here to be assaulted,¡± Joyce cried out, looking around for help. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dirty my hands by touching you. You are a vile human being, Mrs. Cook, and definitely not worthy of my time. I just wanted to get closer to you to say something privately, but since you want everyone to hear, so be it,¡± I said as I stepped back up another step. This was what I wanted, for everyone to know what a piece of work she truly was. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. We will leave,¡± Roger responded and turned to go. I made sure that my voice carried as I spoke, ¡°You think you know so much about Elizabeth, but you have no idea who she is or what she did for Roger. Let me enlighten you. You were so proud of Sasha here, and her one international award. Elizabeth has four of them. She also has eight designer of the year awards. Sasha has none. So please exin why you thought that this woman,¡± I motioned towards Sasha, ¡°Was better than Elizabeth. Why did you value her so much? Don¡¯t give me the excuse that she¡¯s carrying your grandchild because she¡¯s not. Elizabeth and I have known that for over two weeks. Yet she¡¯s here, at a ck¨Ctie wedding, wearing a dress like that. You value propriety and appearance so much, yet clearly don¡¯t mind the scandal Sasha brings with her. But I have to admit that she was an excellent choice for Roger. They both deserve each other, one cheater deserves another, don¡¯t you think?¡± I knew that people would start hanging out around us after they passed the checkpoint. Everyone enjoys drama, especially the wealthy, as long as it doesn¡¯t involve them. I was taking this opportunity to destroy what Joyce cared about the most. Not her family, her reputation. To do that, I needed people to know how she operated. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about them at all. Roger wasn¡¯t married, and he found his first love. They reconnected. They love each other very deeply. I know that Elizabeth must be hurt, but attacking us and our character won¡¯t change anything. Roger said we will leave, and we will. We only came because Roger felt so bad about what he had done. He wanted to fix things between them, as he does care very deeply about Elizabeth. He came to repair their rtionship, not to have his character viciously attacked,¡± Joyce argued. She was now realizing that she and her family were on disy. The narrative being given was not beneficial to her or her family. She was about to flee, but I¡¯m not letting them go quite so easily. ¡°Roger isn¡¯t a good man, or a good business owner. He let Elizabeth bring his dream to life, and then betrayed her. What else would you call it? He knew his actions were wrong, yet heughed about them. I know he did, as I have seen the video. All four of them thought what he had nned for Elizabeth was funny. She created hispany, and he couldn¡¯t wait to not just rece her, but attempt to steal her hard work away from her. He wanted to marry her today, but never file the marriage. Don¡¯t act shocked, Joyce. That was your n that he was carrying out. Except for your husband and your youngest son, your family ispletely despicable,¡± I announced loudly. Gasps rang out, even from the cameramen and the reporters. ¡°You can¡¯t say something like that about me. It¡¯s aplete lie. I¡¯m going to sue you for nder. You can¡¯t just make stuff up and say what you want. You will spend the rest of your life behind bars for what you just said. You won¡¯t have the money to pay for my pain and suffering at being disgraced in front of my friends and fellow members of society. You can¡¯t just go around making things up. He¡¯s lying about everything. The only truth he said was that Roger and Elizabeth were engaged. Sasha and Roger reconnected and found their love was still there. You can¡¯t fault him for wanting to be with the woman he loves, now can you? How heartless can you be?¡± Joyce screeched out. She was trying to clear her name, but I wasn¡¯t going to allow that to happen. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re wrong about that, too, Joyce. I guess I need to remind you, Elizabeth owed that vi. You remember, don¡¯t you, the vi you had her arrested for selling? It only had her name registered, as she was the one who purchased it by herself. Once they got married, she was going to add Roger¡¯s name. She had a great number of valuable iterns in her vi. Paintings and statues, to name a few. So she did what any homeowner would do to protect her beloved artwork. She added discrete cameras to the main living area to safeguard her prized possessions. It¡¯s a normal practice among the wealthy to do so,¡± I stated. I nced around to see everyone hanging on my every word. Most of them nodded in agreement with my statement about protecting their own artwork. I looked back at the group to see Joyce realizing that they¡¯re conversations in the living room had been recorded. I can see that Roger and Sasha are also looking pale. They were shocked to discover that their actions in the living room had been captured on camera. My smirk gave them the answer they were worried about. ¡°You can¡¯t film people without their knowledge like that. We were in our own home. A certain level of privacy is expected,¡± Sasha stated before breaking out in tears. ¡°Those were private moments between me and my husband. She had no right to record us.¡± ¡°First of all, you lived there for two months before you married Roger. Second of all, it was never your house. or Roger¡¯s. He was allowed to live there because Elizabeth wanted it to be their home. Not for you to y house in. You two are the ones at fault, yet you want to shift the me onto an innocent person. Her only mistake was loving Roger. She believed in him, she trusted him, she did everything in her power to give him. what he wanted. Only for him to turn around and try to take everything from her. She even used her own money to start hispany from the ground up. With a love like that, who needs enemies?¡± I asked. Roger looked guilty. But Sasha just shrugged like it didn¡¯t matter. Her tears that she had summoned so quickly just a few minutes ago were now gone. Her makeup looked fine. It was apparent to everyone here that she hadn¡¯t actually been crying; she was just pretending. Her short skirt and tight clothing only made her look even worse in this ¡°She¡¯s a big girl; she¡¯ll get over it. She forced Roger to divorce me so he could marry her. Isn¡¯t that enough? She is costing me and our child to have a broken home. She clearly doesn¡¯t care about Roger at all. She already reced him with you. So how exactly is she suffering? She¡¯s tearing down Roger¡¯s business as we speak. So why should any of us feel sorry for her? She¡¯s nothing but a vindictive b***h. She sent you out here to humiliate us in front of everyone. I don¡¯t believe that she had cameras in our house. If she did, why would she wait to confront Roger? I think you¡¯re making this whole thing up to try to make us look bad. We were in love; how was that wrong of us?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°You were never in love, Sasha. Your boyfriend didn¡¯t want the child you were pregnant with, so you had to find someone willing to take care of you. You left Roger years ago after college when he told you that he loved you. He didn¡¯t have any money at the time, and you needed a man to take care of you. Someone you felt was more worthy of you and your time. If you had actually loved Roger, you would have stayed here and beer: with him, but you conveniently left that out. Your story is not a love story,¡± I replied. ¡°I do love him. I wanted to stay married to Roger, but Elizabeth forced us apart. She demanded that Roger leave us, knowing that I was pregnant with his child,¡± Sasha cried out. Cue the waterworks, right on time. ¡°That child is not mine. You are pregnant by your ex, don¡¯t forget we had a test done. You are nothing but a slut. You slept with your ex on our honeymoon. That¡¯s the reason for our divorce, not Elizabeth. You won¡¯t ept any me in this when you¡¯re the one who caused the whole thing. I was fooled by your innocent act, until we got married, and then you changed. So, stop putting it on anyone else. You are the most vicious woman I know. You kept me under your thumb using s*x, but I know now it wasn¡¯t love. It was just lust, and when I look at you now, all I feel is disgust,¡± Roger snapped out. Chapter 64 Joyce¡¯s POV Everything¡¯s falling apart. If I had known that this would happen, I would have nevere here at all. I can feel the weight of my husband¡¯s gaze on me. But I¡¯m not going to admit to any wrongdoing. He might say she has proof, but I don¡¯t believe it. She never said a word about it, so if she did have proof, she would have confronted us by now. She wouldn¡¯t have held it back; she would have led with it. I feel sure enough to challenge him about it. I refuse to lose face in front of so many. They¡¯re acting like this is the wedding of the year. Now I know how Elizabeth felt. Being caught off guard by reporters was humiliating. I had been on the other side of it and had the upper hand. Now, I¡¯m the one being humiliated, and I will not stand for it. This has to stop. Hearing what Roger just said, I can tell that he¡¯s angry. He might even be angry enough to throw me under the bus as well, and I need to stop him before he does. How can I hold my head up in polite society again if he did to me what he just did to Sasha? I couldn¡¯t care less about Sasha. She had been a means to an end. A way to get Roger away from Elizabeth, and it needed to be done. Only Sasha had lied to me. She lied about her baby being Roger¡¯s. She lied about being a qualified designer. She lied about caring for my son. She told me about her award and how prestigious it was to have been able to win one. How few designers had even won it, yet Elizabeth had won it many times over. She also had awards that Sasha didn¡¯t have. I originally thought Sasha was heaven sent. The perfect person to rece Elizabeth. Recing a designer with a designer was the perfect solution. How could I have been so wrong? ¡°Roger, this is not the time, nor the ce, to air our drama. Let¡¯s just leave and go home to talk this out. We are clearly not wanted or needed here,¡± I suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not quite done yet, Joyce. You recall that you received a lot of airtime while ndering Elizabeth. Thewsuits against you will be filed this week. Don¡¯t you want to know what¡¯sing? Don¡¯t you need time to try to think of the lies you will use as an excuse? Or need time to figure out a way to spin it? I know you thought you had gotten away with it, but let me assure you that you didn¡¯t. I already mentioned the false arrest, and that will alsoe with filing a false police report as a bonus. Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to do anything about that. We¡¯ve done it for you. Instead of going through everything, as I do need to get to a wedding. I would suggest that you hire a good attorney, because Elizabeth already has one. You can review the two incidents that led to her being ambushed to see what you will be answering for Joyce. I¡¯ve decided against helping you. You never helped Elizabeth, so why should you expect any help from us?¡± he advised. ¡°I spoke the truth. I had proof,¡± I managed to say. ¡°You had a forged document that your daughter, Regina, gave you. Which brings us to your daughter. Her friend, who printed it for her, has already confessed to the police. She pretended to be his girlfriend, iming it was just a ¡®prank¡® on the homeowner. He turned on her as soon as the door shut on the interview room. He wasn¡¯t made for going to prison. We can prove what you three did. Oh, and to make sure that you don¡¯t leave the city, or the country, all three of your passports have been red¨Cgged. You won¡¯t be going anywhere until this has been dealt with. Good luck to each of you, as you¡¯re going to need it. We will not be letting any of this go. Your lies are about to be exposed to the whole city. I can assure you that you will end up getting the same thing you wanted for Elizabeth, total humiliation,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to her. I only spoke the truth. I didn¡¯t realize that the document was forged. Nothing bad actually happened to her, and the charges were dropped,¡± I sputtered out, trying to find a way out of this. ¡°You brought the media after her twice. Both times were attempts to embarrass her in front of everyone. You can¡¯t try to twist this around and act innocent. You knowingly lied about Elizabeth because you thought she was an orphan. You thought she couldn¡¯t fight back, but you¡¯re wrong. Maybe this is the life lesson you needed to learn to leave people alone. You wereplete shameful in what you did. You are nothing but a bully who tries to put on airs, attempting to act like ady, but you¡¯re anything but,¡± he snapped back at me. ¡°He¡¯s quite right about everything.¡± A voice came from behind the cameras. I turned to look, and the first real stirring of fear rose up. Erika Carrington, the CEO of the top financepany in the city, was walking towards us. I suddenly remembered the incident in the restaurant months ago. The one where I went off on Elizabeth after she nodded towards Erika. I thought Elizabeth had overstepped with how she always acted all high and mighty. I was fed up with it, and I wanted to put her in her ce. I had Roger deal with her afterwards, but I always wondered how she knew Elizabeth. Seeing her at the venue, I¡¯m suddenly concerned. ¡°I¡¯ve watched this little show of yours, Joyce. It¡¯s unfortunate that you don¡¯t even have the sense to be embarrassed about what you¡¯re doing. You have ruined your two oldest children. There is only hope for your youngest and your husband. The other two have clearly taken after you,¡± Erika stated. ¡°Wait a minute. I don¡¯t even know you. You can¡¯t make a statement like that about me. I have sessfully run my ownpany for several years,¡± Roger corrected her. ¡°You did it? Or was it Elizabeth who actually made it sessful? She built yourpany from the ground up, and you turned your back on her,¡± Erika replied. ¡°I¡¯m here to correct what I did. I¡¯m willing to marry her today if she will agree to it,¡± Roger responded. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you marrying this¡­.person¡­in her ce. I¡¯m talking about the night your mother threw a fit at her nodding at me. It had nothing to do with her, and yet, she got you to hurt her. I left my assistant behind to take care of her. I have a copy of the video he took, as well, in case she ever needs it. You sprained her wrist. No, don¡¯t try to argue with me, it¡¯s a fact that can be proven quite easily. She could have retaliated, believe me, she could have leveled yourpany, much like she¡¯s doing now. But she didn¡¯t, all because she loved you, well, at the time she did. I had lunch with her two weekster. I implored her to rethink the engagement. I¡¯m so d she did. You and your family do not deserve her,¡± Erika smugly stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she told you, but it isn¡¯t true. My son never hurt her,¡± I replied. The group is growing muchrger, and a few are even recording us now, ¡°My assistant sent it to me. I saved it. I¡¯m not here to argue with you. I¡¯m telling you that your son really made a huge mistake. Your little n to have him marry someone else, instead of Elizabeth, was the biggest mistake that I¡¯ve ever heard of. Let me put it to you like this: I would¡¯ve never insulted the Caldwell family like you did. But the damaged is already done, and it cannot be corrected. I have to say that I like her style. There¡¯s no sense in keeping trash around. She has withdrawn her support of your business and taken back her designs. Therefore, it will copse on its own. You¡¯re right to panic, Roger. You just need to ept the fallout from your own bad choices. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to thank your mother for all her input on what you needed to do. She might havee up with it, but you carried it out willingly,¡± Erika replied before turning and walking up the steps to enter the venue. ¡°Mom,¡± Roger said. His voice was tense and anxious. ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it. I couldn¡¯t have been so wrong about her. She¡¯s an orphan,¡± I managed to say. ¡°If she¡¯s an orphan, who the hell am I?¡± an angry voice sounded from behind the groom. ¡°Charlie, I¡¯ve got this. You need to go ahead and take your ce. The wedding is about to start,¡± the man stated. ¡°Seth Caldwell,¡± Roger whispered. All hope sank at that time. The new groom might have lied, but Erika Carrington and Seth Caldwell vouching for Elizabeth made my stomach drop. I had to fix this immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. How could I have known? I swear, if I had known who she was. I would have happily endorsed their wedding. She loves my son. Please, allow him to marry her. He realizes his mistake. I should never have interfered with their engagement. Roger loved Elizabeth. He didn¡¯t want to marry Sasha, but she swore she was pregnant with his baby. I thought I was doing the right thing,¡± I cried out, before kneeling on the ground. ¡°I never liked Roger for my sister. He wasn¡¯t worthy of her, but she wanted him, so I stepped back. Do you honestly think you can humiliate a Caldwell like you have done over and over again, and get away with it? You don¡¯t want any consequences, but you didn¡¯t mind throwing rocks at my innocent sister. You¡¯re living in a ss house, Joyce. You¡¯re the one who has done wrong. You need to get a good attorney, because if I have anything to say about it, you¡¯re going to suffer a lot. I had you investigated, and the thing you value most is your reputation. I¡¯m going to make sure that your reputation takes such a hit that no one will want to be seen with you ever again. How does that sound?¡± Seth told me before shaking his head and walking away. The Security team was the only people left out here with us, besides the reporters and cameramen. The Security Team had gone up the steps and were now watching to see if any of us were willing to try to make it past them. I was too stunned to speak. I never anticipated this. Our group was dead silent until my husband and Roger spoke at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t ever speak to me again, Mom. I¡¯m through with your bullshit. You and Sasha are responsible for mypany¡¯s demise,¡± Roger stated. ¡°I want a divorce, Joyce. You¡¯ve changed so much that I don¡¯t even recognize you anymore. You ruined our son¡¯s life and business for what? Petty jealousy. I¡¯m done,¡± my husband Scott told me before walking away with Roger. Chapter 65 Charlie¡¯s POV I had deliberately kept some information back. We wanted to keep the fact that Ana owned Fashion Forward a secret for the time being. Seth had agreed, and Erika only stepped in to let them know that I had been telling the truth. We all thought that Roger finding out at the giarism trial would be the best time to let him know. I knew how his mind worked. He didn¡¯t get her to marry him. But he needed her designs, or he would have to get Elizabeth to return to hispany. It wasn¡¯t going to happen, but I didn¡¯t want topletely crush his dreams. Well, not today. There¡¯s plenty of time to let him think he has a chance. I was d that Seth took my ce. Seeing him there, hearing it from his own mouth, what they lost. It was going to hurt much more than anything I said. Plus, I was sick of seeing Joyce¡¯s vicious face. I don¡¯t me Roger or Scott. She has cost them millions because of her actions. Her malicious ns were the reason that it happened. There is no way to sugar-coat it. I had to walk away because I wanted to hurt Roger. Hearing what Erika had said about Roger spraining Ana¡¯s wrist. He is going to get that and more if I ever get my hands on him. I already asked Mark to get the video from Erika. My entire focus was going to be on my bride and making her cry my name out over and over again. I had to shift in ce and put my hands together in front of me. I needed to calm down, right now. I can¡¯t be doing this in front of all our family and friends. I would never live it down. I thought about my family, which helped me refocus. I was excited when the music started, Emily came out first, and took her ce. She and Drew were focused on each other and nothing else. I guess things are progressing well for them. Gwen came out next, and she looked just as lovely as Emily had, but I was focused on the closed doors. Ana and her father were behind them, and I couldn¡¯t wait for the doors to open so I could get my first glimpse of my bride. When the music changed, I let out the breathe I had been holding. Everyone stood up, and I suddenly realized that my sightline was blocked. I knew Ana hade out, but I could only see the top of her head. Why had we invited all these people? I can¡¯t wait to see her. I knew that Ana was going to look absolutely stunning, and I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I needed to see my beautiful bride as much as I needed my next breath. I stepped out of my spot and took a few steps to get a better look at my bride. Ana took my breath away; she was stunning. She was always beautiful, but she looked like a goddess today. As she continued to walk toward me, she was all I could see. It was as if we were alone, and with every step she took, she was one step closer to bing my wife. I couldn¡¯t wait until she was mine. I was so overwhelmed that I hadn¡¯t even realized that our officiant had to step around me to speak. He gave me a smile before saying, ¡°Who gives this woman to be legally wed?¡± ¡°Her mother and I do,¡± Reid replied. He gave me a grin as I stepped down to take Ana¡¯s hand. The room had muffledughter at me hurrying down the steps to im her. Once we stepped into ce, the officiant began. I wasn¡¯t listening to a single word he said. I just stared at Ana. Her hair was up, in a cute style that women often wear. I¡¯ve never seen her with her hair up. It brought more attention to her gorgeous face, and as I held her hands in mine, I felt like I could stare at her for hours, and never get tired of looking at her. Her beautiful eyes had been yed up. I couldn¡¯t look away. I hope our children have her eye color. I felt her squeeze my hands to get my attention, and I quickly said, ¡°I do.¡± The officiant gave a small chuckle, along with the guests present. ¡°We¡¯re not quite there yet, Charlie. I need you to repeat after me,¡± he replied. Ana had a small smile on her face as I repeated after the officiant. She went next, and I rubbed the back of her hands with my thumbs. I wasn¡¯t worried myself, but I know that Ana is a very private person. Being in front of all these people was causing her stress. I would do anything to keep her mind on me, and not on the people who were staring at us. They saw some of the drama outside. I hated that it happened here, outside the venue. However, I was d that I had personally delivered the bad news to her, whether she believed me or not. The whole wedding seemed to take just a short amount of time, but I probably spent the majority of it staring at my bride. There were no disruptions, and everything went smoothly, just like Ana wanted. All I cared about was the fact that my wife was happy. My wife, I really liked the sound of that. Everything passed in a whirlwind after that. So many guests stopped to congratte us. We had so many things to do before we could leave. I wanted Ana to have the wedding of her dreams. That means, even if I wanted to whisk my bride away to start our honeymoon, I wasn¡¯t going to do it. She deserved the whole experience, and I was determined to give it to her. We had our first dance, her dance with her father, and I danced with my mother and my grandmother. They were both giddy with happiness. I removed her garter belt and slipped it into my pocket. I then took out an identical garter belt to use for the single males there. I had also made sure they all turned around while I got the garter off of Ana. My possessiveness of my bride did not go unnoticed. But I wasn¡¯t going to let some random guy have anything that had been on her body. The garter was still warm from her skin, and carried her scent. That garter was mine to keep. Markughed and said I needed to rx, that it wasn¡¯t that serious, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen. I looked at him and he settled down. Catching the garter was enough, and Mark had caught it, just beating Drew. Ana did the bouquet toss, and Gwen caught it. We didn¡¯t even have time to eat tonight. We were on a timeline, but I had spoken to the caterers earlier this week to see if they could pack us each a meal to eat on the ne. Elizabeth went to change, so I went to change, too. We wanted to befortable on the ne. I had ns for my bride, not too much, because I was going to get her into bed the first time we made love. I wanted her to have the perfect experience. But there¡¯s no sense wasting any time showing my wife just how much I love her. I slipped her garter belt into my jeans pocket. I suddenly felt like a horny teenager, and had to force myself to calm down again. Gwen nned to pack up her wedding gown and have it preserved while we were on our honeymoon. I waited for Ana outside her dressing room, and quickly took her hand as we headed outside. Our guests stood on the stairs to send us off. Throwing the same blush and cream flower petals that had been in Ana¡¯s bouquet. I didn¡¯t rush her; we were still on time. I wanted this to be a day that she looked back on with happiness and joy. I nodded at friends and family as we headed down the steps. I nodded at Erika Carrington as we passed. I knew if she hadn¡¯t stepped in to speak up for us. The Cook family would have continued to think I was lying until Seth showed up. I was d I texted him toe out. I wanted them all to worry about what was toe. I wanted them to know that once Ana dealt with them, they had no chance of winning. Seth had told me what they said after I walked away. I¡¯ve never met a more controlling and vicious woman in my life. I¡¯m also d that Roger was finally getting his balls out of his mother¡¯s purse. He needed to do that years ago. If he had focused on his business after Ana quit, he wouldn¡¯t be in this state. He should have focused on creating new designs to keep from losing everything. That was on him, as his own choices led him here. We hugged our parents and grandparents goodbye. Iughed as both sets of my grandparents reminded me I needed to get to work on their great-grandchildren. Iughed, but I was already nning on that. I nned to ensure that my wife would not only be happy but also pregnant by the time we returned. Ana wasn¡¯t on birth control. She wasn¡¯t sexually active, and when she asked me if I wanted her to start, I answered honestly. Just thinking about her flushed face when I told her that we didn¡¯t need it is getting me hard again. We really need to go now. I opened the door, and Ana waved goodbye to everyone again before sliding into the SUV. Jon drove us to the airstrip and helped me carry our bags onto the ne. He was returning to the wedding after he left, as the party was going to continue on without us. The pilots greeted us, informing us that we were ready to leave. The steward escorted us to our seats and advised that he would return with some champagne after we got to cruising altitude. He was very professional, as were the pilots. I could finally calm down. I know that I¡¯ve been unnaturally possessive about Ana today. I also knew why. I knew that as soon as we returned, both Holden and Roger were going to be trying to get Ana back. I¡¯m not going to allow that to happen. They both hurt her. They both had their chance, and they both blew it. She is my wife. I don¡¯t want either of them toe around her. Of the two of them, Holden is the most dangerous. I had cameras added to our home. Holden thinks he¡¯s slick, but he¡¯s seriously forgotten what I do for a living. I¡¯ve been having him watched. I know that he has a home in our gatedmunity. It was part of the reason why I had him picked up on assault charges. The stalking charges are what will being for him next. Through the cameras, I observed that someone came out to redo his fence. He had a gate installed on his side of the fence, one that had a handle that allows him entry into our back yard whenever he wants. But the surprise is on him now. I¡¯m going to have a storage shed, or some reallyrge nters of flowers, built to keep him from being able to use that hidden gate. I hope he learns quickly that he just needs to give up. I won¡¯t stand by and allow him to upset Ana, or try to take her from me. Chapter 66 Ana¡¯s POV The wedding was wonderful. The best part? When Charlie stepped out to watch me walk down the aisle. He didn¡¯t try to hide the fact that he loved me. He wanted everyone to know that this wasn¡¯t me trying to save face. Most of them hade to witness my humiliation. Charlie wanted them to know that he wanted me, that I mattered to him. I had changed the groom out three weeks ago, and rightly so. I expected to be the talk of the town, and not in a good way. However, Seth assured me that the Cook family and Sasha were the ones who looked bad. Charlie had gone out there to assure them that they would never be able to get past this. Seth even had a picture of Joyce begging him. Normally, I would never find humor in someone on their knees. But Joyce has made me do it to her on several asions. The first time was because she said I didn¡¯t deserve to join the Cook family. It was my punishment for asking Roger to marry me. She told me that I had humiliated their family by doing so. Seth told me that it was only after he and Erika told them I was a Caldwell that Joyce understood just how badly she had messed up. She¡¯s always hated me, from the moment Roger proposed. I knew it was because he went crying to her about it. That is what he always did. Whined to her when he didn¡¯t get his way. I see them for the opportunists that they are now. I rxed in my seat, and Charlie rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb again. His doing that earlier had really helped at the wedding. I knew that only half the people there actually supported me. The rest were there to see a show. It was funny, they got one, but not the one they were expecting. Charlie made sure that they knew that we loved and cared for each other. I enjoyed taking our photos together, and with the small bridal party, before we took pictures with our family. The photographer would continue taking candid shots throughout the reception. Once we leveled off, it got a little chillier on the ne. Charlie asked the steward to bring a throw to me. He then had me follow him further back in the ne to one of the small sofas. The look he gave the steward told him to get lost. Even I knew what he meant. The steward nodded and walked away, pulling the partition to give us privacy. Charlie advised him that we were good for the time being. He coulde back in thirty minutes, telling him that he would like some alone time with me. I had flushed, but I agreed. I wanted some alone time with him, too. I thought we were going to snuggle together under the nket and kiss, but I was oh so wrong. Charlie sat down on the couch and ced the fluffy nket next to him. He pulled me to him, guiding me down to where I was straddling his legs. He spread his legs further apart, forcing my legs to spread even wider before giving me a wicked smile. I couldn¡¯t help the shiver of anticipation that ran through me. He wrapped the nket around my waist, covering us both. He then pulled my head down to kiss me. He started pulling all the hairpins out of my hair as he kissed me. Once he had removed all the pins from my hair, he deepened his kisses. He moaned into my mouth as he gently tugged on my hair. He kissed me like he was a starving man, and I was his next meal. I could feel just how much he wanted me, and that was a heady boost to my confidence. I¡¯d never had someone want me, truly desire me. There was always a reason for it before. Help with the hard courses in college. Befriending me in an attempt to get near Gwen or Emily in college. I was enjoying every second of it. Holden had never touched me, not once, until recently, when he finally decided that he wanted me. Roger never touched me. He had only kissed me a total of three times. But those kisses had never been like this. Charlie¡¯s kisses made me feel things. I felt that familiar ache. I wanted more than just a kiss. I wanted more of him, more from him, but I didn¡¯t know how to ask. I wasn¡¯t going to have s*x here on the ne. I knew the steward, and I would never be able to look him in the face again if things went too far. He was only 20 feet away, and that small partition was not going to hide anything from him. He probably expected it since we were starting our honeymoon. But I just couldn¡¯t put on that kind of a show. I doubted that whatever Charlie wanted to do would be enough to alleviate this ache. I wanted something from him, but I didn¡¯t even know what to ask to get him to do it. So when he broke off our kiss again, for us to catch our breath, I pleaded, ¡°Please, Charlie.¡± Charlie¡¯s half-lidded eyes looked from my lips to my eyes, searching for something before saying, ¡°Of course, my love.¡± He put the nket back into ce as it had shifted during our make-out session. I had worn some flowing linen pants as I wanted to look good as we left. I had a button-down ivory shirt on, which Charlie started to unbutton. I wanted to stop him, but I also wanted to see what he would do once he saw what I was wearing underneath. I was hoping that once we got to the hotel, things would progress quickly, and I didn¡¯t want to changeter. I had a cream and blush bra and panty set on. I also wore the same garter, stockings, and heels that I wore on our wedding day. I heard his hum of approval once he untucked my shirt. I have never been this exposed before, except for the few times I was shamed in the girls¡¯ locker room. There was nothing s**** about that at all. Just a horrible, vited feeling. I stiffened up just thinking about it, and Charlier stopped and cupped my chin to get me to look at him. ¡°You are a vision, but you will always be for my eyes alone, love. Nothing bad is going to happen to you again, Ana, not if I have anything to say about it,¡± he quietly told me. I nodded; his words helped. Once you¡¯ve gone through something like that. It stays with you. It rears its ugly head to chip away at your confidence. I decided that I needed to go to trauma therapy. My current therapist had suggested it for me, and I believe that he was correct. I needed to address the issues I had pushed back and buried. It was time to vanquish all my dragons. I had Charlie with me, and he would be there to support me as I went through this. I felt his hands on my ribs, right under my breasts, rubbing his thumb as he waited for me to get out of my own head. His hands were slightly rough. A tell-tale sign that he worked for a living. His slight callouses caught my attention as I wondered how they would feel on my breasts. I couldn¡¯t wait to find out. He smiled when he saw that he had my full attention back on him. ¡°We can¡¯t do as much as I want to on this ne, but I still want a taste of you before wend. I will take my time with you once we get to our hotel, but I want to see your face as youe undone, love,¡± he told me. He started rubbing my n*****s through my bra, and I couldn¡¯t hold back my moan. They were hard, aching for him to remove my bra and give them the attention they wanted. But he moved slowly, with intention, as he slid his hands back down the sides of my body, and slid the sp on my pants open. I didn¡¯t know what he was about to do, but I wanted him to touch me. Wherever he wanted, and however he wanted, and help the ache go away. His hand slid in, and I was suddenly d I hadn¡¯t worn jeans. I wanted his hand to have the freedom to move freely, and I wiggled as his hand covered my mound. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from rubbing against his hand, wanting some friction. I have used my clit to get my release before, but it was always me doing it. I know what and when I¡¯m doing it. I wanted his hand on my most intimate parts. I rolled my hips again, pressing down on his hand. Asking him, without saying a word, for what I needed. His hand slipped my panties to the side, and he went right for my clit. Stroking my entrance with two fingers and pressing on my clit with his thumb. I won¡¯t stop him. I wanted this. My legs were spread and ready for whatever pleasure he wanted to give me, and I wanted it all. I felt the familiar pressure building up inside of me as Charlie watched my face. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, but he used his other hand to pull my lip free. ¡°I want to hear you, love,¡± he told me. I wanted more than what I was getting, but realistically, I knew I shouldn¡¯t. I wished Dad¡¯s ne had a bed in it, but he would never do that. It was part of the reason that the whole crew was male. My father loved my motherpletely. He never wanted to give her a moment¡¯s doubt. Charlie slid his two fingers into me again and groaned. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re so tight.¡± his voice, almost reverent, was low, hoarse. That ramped me up even more. It was like he was barely holding on. He wanted me. He spread my wetness up to my clit, and used the same two fingers to rub, tug, and stroke me to the edge. I wanted this release so badly, and he didn¡¯t tease me. He pulled my face down to his and kissed me passionately. His fingers were tight in my hair as if he was about to lose control of himself. He caught my cry of pleasure in his mouth as I went over the edge. My legs shook, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed him back with the same amount of passion. Suddenly, I no longer cared that the Steward could hear us. I wanted my husband badly. After our kiss was broken, he slid the two fingers he used on me into his mouth and groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to taste you properly, Ana.¡± My shudder at his words had me wanting him to do just that. I felt his c**k hard against me, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from wiggling against him. I still wanted more. He leaned forward and said, ¡°I want you so much, Ana, but I want your first time to be special. A precious memory for you to look back on after we return home. So, as much as I would love to take you right now on this couch, I just can¡¯t do it. You¡¯re the love of my life. I¡¯m going to take things slow. I want to cherish your body until you know in your heart that you¡¯repletely and totally mine.¡± Chapter 67 Charlie¡¯s POV Ana was so responsive. Asking her to wait until we got to the hotel was one of the hardest things I¡¯ve ever had to do. Normally, I would just move forward because the women I was usually with knew the score. But Ana was my wife, and this was her first time. I wanted to make this a memorable experience for her. I wanted her more than anyone else I¡¯ve ever been with. She is my future, my life. She¡¯s my everything, and I want her to know that with both my words and actions. I led her back to our seats, with my c**k aching inint every step of the way. I put the nket on her and told her that I would be right back. I took one step away and then leaned across my seat to kiss her lips and say, ¡°Sleep, you are going to need to rest, love. Once we get to the hotel, you won¡¯t be sleeping anytime soon.¡± She looked into my eyes, searching for something, and I guess she saw what she needed to. I realized what she had been thinking. She let her doubts creep in, and I knew I would have to do better to exin myself until she knew for certain that she was it for me. She never had to worry. I wanted her with a passion that scared me. I was already a goner for her, willing to do anything in order to make her happy. That was a promise I was happily going to keep for the rest of our lives. I headed for the bathroom to work out my problem. We had just started the flight thirty minutes ago. I needed to ease this ache. Things went quickly as I thought back to how Ana was biting her lip to keep from crying out. Her lips swollen from kissing me. I found my release quickly and cleaned up before heading back to sit with Ana. The Steward had brought us each a drink. Instead of champagne, we each had two fingers of whiskey. I looked at Ana with surprise at the drink. ¡°To help us rest,¡± she said with a wink. My wife is a minx teasing me, and my c**k rose back up. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the death of me, love,¡± I told her as I shifted in my seat. She is the very best kind of tease. We couldn¡¯t arrive fast enough for me. We eased our seats back, and she leaned against my shoulder and fell asleep quickly. I didn¡¯t, I couldn¡¯t. This was the kind of intimacy that I had always craved. Ana trusted me, and she wanted me. I leaned down and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Gardenia, mixed with something else. I will have to find out what it is and make sure that she never runs out of it. Her scent was delicate and floral. It was her distinct scent that always soothed me. I fell asleep about an hourter, despite wanting to stay awake and watch her. I woke to the steward speaking in a low tone, ¡°We will be beginning our descent in fifteen minutes.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, and turned to Ana to wake her up. She looked so rxed, so happy, that I almost let her sleep. But I knew she would want to be ready to head to the hotel. I kissed the top of her head and said, ¡° We¡¯re almost there. It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± I watched as her eyes slowly opened. It took her a moment to look up at me as she finally realized that we were on our honeymoon. That sweet smile she gave nearly undid me. I need to work another one out, or I was going to disappoint her when I finally got my hands on her. I wanted to impress her, not shoot my shot after a few strokes. She got up and gave me a kiss before heading to the bathroom. Yes, I was definitely going to need a few moments to myself to attend to this. I dealt with my issue and was back in my seat before the pilot announced we would bending soon. Our driver got us to our hotel fairly quickly. I was d, as I had been handling business on my own for months now. I made the mistake of thinking about how tight Ana was, and had to cover it by sliding my duffel bag in front of me. Thankfully, we checked in quickly, and a bellhop loaded all of our bags onto a cart to take up for us. Ana¡¯s emotions were right there under the surface. She wanted this, but she was also anxious about it. I was going to have to remind her that she was perfection in my eyes. I grabbed Ana and spun her around until her back met the door after the bellhop left with his tip. ¡°Finally,¡± I growled out. I loved the little shudder of anticipation that ran through her. I made sure the door was locked secure before taking my bride to the bedroom. Ana was just as excited about this as I was. I had to force myself to calm down. I needed to be gentle with her, at least at first. Whatever she wants, I¡¯m happy to give her. I walked her backwards to the bedroom. Unbuttoning her shirt and removing it as we went, dropping it on the living room floor. I couldn¡¯t wait to touch her. I had her bra off the moment we stepped into the bedroom. The weight of her breasts was heavy in my hands. I know she felt a little anxious about her weight. She let those men tell her that she wasn¡¯t good enough for them. But they were wrong. I¡¯m d to enjoy the rewards of my perfect wife. I yanked my Henley over my head and ced her hands on my chest. I stopped walking because I wanted her to touch me. I was very happy with her reaction to me. Her fingertip traced my muscles, moving from ridge to ridge, as her hands moved down. My heart raced at the feel of her touch. I unbuttoned my jeans so she could explore further, but her hand stopped right at my V-cut. She seemed to be getting shy, but I wanted her to start touching me again. It felt like she was marking me each time she traced her fingers on my body. I can wait. I wanted to be with my wife. I¡¯m sure once we have s*x a few times, she will be much less inhibited when ites to touching me. I want her to tell me what she wants from me, and to be able to do the same. I slid the sp off her pants to let them slide down her legs. That is when I saw that she was still wearing a garter set underneath. Is she trying to kill me? Seeing her standing there in her underwear, with that garter emphasizing her waist, made my c**k want to break out of my jeans. I¡¯m so painfully hard right now, despite working out that issue twice. The ivory set showed off her small waist and curvy hips. Thece teased me, mocking me as my throat dried up and I couldn¡¯t speak. This was the very best gift I¡¯ve ever received. The straps clipped to thece trimmed tops of her thigh-highs. My innocent love has stunned me into silence, but I can¡¯t hold back anymore. I need to im her in the worst way. I almost lost control when I saw her standing there. The most innocently sexy woman I¡¯ve ever seen. I know she did this for me. She wanted me to desire her, but honestly, she could be wearing a potato sack, and I would want her desperately. Her pants piled around her feet, and standing there like she didn¡¯t know what to do next, but I did. I picked her up and set her on the bed. ¡°Baby, if I happen to ruin any part of your outfit, just know that I will be buying you more of them, in every color,¡± I told her. I grabbed the sides of her underwear and easily tore them, before stripping them off and tossing them to the ground. Yes, this is going to be an expensive habit I¡¯m developing. I wanted to taste her. I needed her to be ready to wee me inside her. I left my jeans on; she was already nervous enough as it was. I crawled up her body, my chest muscles flexing as I felt her hard n*****s rubbing against me. I wanted her so badly. I needed to get her ready for me. I kissed her, enjoying how she wrapped her arms around me. Pressing against me as she kissed me back. I loved the fact that she trusted mepletely. Holden will never get a chance toe between us, as I would never give Ana even a moment¡¯s doubt about me or where my heart belongs. I broke off the kiss. I needed to move this forward. I couldn¡¯t wait to be buried inside her. I got up and unsnapped my jeans, as I needed more room. I was swollen with need, and it helped to ease some of the pressure I was feeling. I knelt on the floor and pulled her to the end of the bed. I was now eye level with her pink lips and saw that she was already swollen and ready for me. I had to taste her. Get her fully prepared for me. I needed to send her over once, and then I will take my bride once she¡¯s ready for me. Ana had pushed up onto her elbows to look down at me. It was clear that she had no idea what I was about to do, and that made my smile grow evenrger. ¡°Trust me, baby. You are going to love this, just rx,¡± I told her. Shey back, but I could tell she was nervous. I dove in before she could close her thighs on me. I used my shoulders to give me working room, as I sucked her clit into my mouth. Her cry of surprise and pleasure was music to my ears. I continued to work on her clit, while I used two fingers inside her again. I felt her mp around me, and my c**k grew evenrger in his confines. He wanted out, he wanted her, but I had to be patient. We would get what we needed soon enough. I could feel Ana¡¯s hands in my hair. Pulling and tugging. Saying words that didn¡¯t make sense, but I knew what I was doing to her. She was about to go over, and I was ready for it. She cried out my name like a prayer on her lips before she copsed back onto the bed. Her legs were still shaking from how hard she came. I stood up quickly and shoved my pants and boxer briefs down at the same time, kicking them off. I needed her to still be riding out her high before I engaged. I settled her in the middle of the bed before I ran to grab a towel,ying it under her. I didn¡¯t want her to get embarrassed with a stain on theforter. I was between her legs and drawing my c**k up and down against her still dripping slit, covering myself in her juices. Ana¡¯s legs weren¡¯t shaking like they were before, but she had a glow on her face. Her hair spilled all around her. I couldn¡¯t wait to make her mine. ¡°Are you ready, love?¡± I asked. Chapter 68 Ana¡¯s POV ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered. I¡¯m more than ready to be his. He kept rubbing himself against me, my still sensitive nub reacting each time he rubbed across it. I felt sexy remembering how his eyes took me in once he had my clothes off. I didn¡¯t have time to feel self-conscious. The way he looked at me, like he had never seen a more beautiful woman, made me more confident. I liked how surprised he was at my ivory set. If he liked this one, he was really going to flip for the other sets I brought with me. I bought them with his pleasure in mine. Men are visual creatures. I wanted to distract him from the areas that might not be as firm or toned as the women he was used to. Seeing his bare chest made me want to wrap myself around him and never let go. I knew he was in good shape. I felt him against me during themercial. But knowing and seeing were two totally different things. I was bracing myself for the pain, but instead he kissed me. A kiss filled with longing and love. One that told me that he wanted me to be ready, and that he would wait. His eyes looked into mine, and I smiled and said, ¡°Yes, Charlie. I¡¯m ready.¡± This time louder. Gwen and Emily had both told me what to expect. That the pain would be gone quickly, and after that, nothing but pleasure. I hadn¡¯t wanted to have that talk with my mother. She had wanted me to wait, but I was twenty-seven. She probably thought I had long given up on waiting for someone. She probably thought I had slept with Roger. I was very d that I had taken her advice and waited. I wanted Charlie like I¡¯ve never wanted anyone else. I hadn¡¯t looked at him; I knew it would probably make me more anxious. I felt him as he entered me slowly. He was thick, and I felt full. I also felt like he wouldn¡¯t fit. When he reached my barrier, he pulled back and then pushed forward harder this time. It was just a sting, and he had waited until I looked up at him and nodded. He started moving his hips again. I didn¡¯t even realize it when I spread my legs wider. He took my unspoken request and increased his tempo. I had never felt anything like this before, but I was a quick study. I dug my nails into his back as I started to cry out again. Words that made no sense, and then begging for him to make mee. My words seemed to push him over the edge as he started to pound into me like a man possessed. My cries encouraged him to go even faster as I held onto him. I felt the edgeing, and I screamed as I found my release. Charlie managed one more thrust before he cried out, too. We both had to catch our breath as we calmed down. Charlie took the towel, which was stained with blood, and took it to the bathroom. He turned the shower on and came back to get me. I took off the garter, thigh-highs, and heels, and he guided me into the shower. I felt a little shy. Hethered up his hands with the body wash in the shower and rubbed his hands all over me. I have to admit, him on his knees, washing me with his hands, felt very erotic to me. He seemed to want to be very familiar with my body, and with every touch, every stroke, I wanted more. I wanted to return the favor, but I could see that he was ready to go again. Which is odd because I thought it took some time in between rounds. I also wanted to learn about pleasing him. I had getting some tips and tricks from Gwen and Emily. I was going to make sure he let me have a chance to try out my new knowledge on him. He rinsed me off, and ran a finger across my slit, he smiled we he realized that I was ready for him. He picked me up and then slid me down onto his swollen member, and I sighed in happiness. Everything about Charlie was perfect. It was like we had been made for each other. I know he wanted me to get pregnant on our honeymoon. I was good with it. I wanted a family, so we needed to get started now. Charlie braced one arm under me, and one across my back as he used the wall of the shower to help him bnce. He acted like it was nothing to hold me up. After years of people taking digs at me for being fat, I almost wanted to cry with joy at Charlie acting like I was perfect in his eyes. He must have seen something he liked because he is definitely losing himself with me. I have to admit that I¡¯m enjoying the hell out of my honeymoon. ¡°Oooh, Charlie,¡± I cried out. He hit something on thatst thrust that made my toes curl in pleasure. He smirked and continued to hit that spot as I came undone in his arms. I cried out several times before I went over the edge. I was holding onto Charlie as tightly as I could, craving the connection between us. I loved how he didn¡¯t hide anything when he came after me. He cried out just as loudly as I had, and I loved it. This was much better than I thought it would be. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I knew it was going to be good, but I didn¡¯t know that it was going to be this good. I felt like I was boneless. I didn¡¯t know if I was going to be able to stand as he put me down; my legs were still shaking. He sat me on the tiled bench, rinsing us both off again. I was tired, and I wanted a nap. Charlie wordlessly dried us both off and led me back to bed. I turned on my side, and he snuggled up behind me. Thest bit of ice around my heart had been melted. This was like a dreame true, and I hope that it never ends. I fell asleep with a smile on my face. I woke up disoriented, unable to recognize the room. Seeing all our clothes scattered around made me smile. I knew where I was now. I felt Charlie¡¯s warm body right behind me, with his d**k pressing into my back. I looked over my shoulder to see him watching me. ¡°You want to eat, or would you like to go for round number three, and then eat?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, it seems like there¡¯s already a pressing matter going on. We can eatter,¡± I answered. ¡°Have I told you how much I love you, Mrs. Billingsley?¡± Charlie asked as I turned towards him. ¡°Not since we¡¯ve arrived here in Italy,¡± I said before I pouted like I was sad. ¡°No matter where we are, you need to know that I love you, Ana,¡± Charlie told me. ¡°I love lying next to you, but I want to face you next time. I want to watch your face as you sleep. You are the most beautiful woman that I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°I highly doubt that, Charlie,¡± I replied. I know better than that. There are women who make me feel like I¡¯m unworthy. That list started with Tiffany and Gretchen, who hammered at my self-worth for years. Crushing it under their heels, as they showed me that I would never be worthy enough for anyone to want me. ¡°No, look me in the eyes, Ana. Don¡¯t listen to anyone else by me. I love you, and I want you. I wish I had known you sooner. I hate what happened to you, and I will make damn sure that Tiffany and Gretchen don¡¯t get near you again. If you don¡¯t hear me say anything else, hear this. A hundred of them aren¡¯t worth half of you. You are one of the kindest women that I have ever met. You take care of your employees and everyone youe in contact with. Even when you were hungry after being arrested, you were still willing to help the server. We will deal with each and every person who hurt you after we return. But this is our honeymoon. I want your thoughts on me, and only me. All I want you to think about is how much your husband loves you, that¡¯s it,¡± Charlie told me. He spoke with absolute certainty. His eyes told me that he was telling me the absolute truth, and I felt my eyes sting with unshed tears. He loved me, and he wanted me. I didn¡¯t want to cry, but hearing what he said made me so happy. Being here with him was already the highlight of my life. Almost better than running Fashion Forward. I believed him. I hope he does just what he told his family that he would do. That by the time we returned home, I would be carrying his child. I held his face in my hands and kissed him. Not a passionate kiss like we had been sharing, but a softer one. One that spoke without me having to say a word. I expressed all my love and care for him in that kiss. I had full trust in him and what he told me. This time around, he showed me his gentler side as he made love to me this time. His slow thrusts as I wrapped my legs around him, holding him to me tightly. His kisses made me moan lowly into his mouth as he showed me just how much he loved and cared for me. Tears of joy slipped from the corner of my eyes as he brought me to my release. This time around, it was different, even more special as we both went over. It might not have been the frenzied passion that we shared earlier. This time, it was more intimate. There was a closeness between us that had made me cry, in the very best way. He loved me, and he showed it in every kiss, every thrust, and every moan between us. I was his, and he was mine. I won¡¯t let anyonee between us. I believed what he told me. I know that things are going to get rough before they get better after we return. We will address each of them directly. I won¡¯t allow anyone to take him away from me. He had told me about his ex-fianc¨¦. I was d that he told me that he hadn¡¯t actually loved her. That it was basically s*x between them, but that wasn¡¯t easy to hear. She had slept with him for a long time before he knew who she was. I don¡¯t want her to have any chance to return to his life. I will have her looked into once we return. I¡¯m not going to allow anyone to enter our perfect little bubble. I know what he said, but I¡¯ve learned never to underestimate anyone. Sometimes, the one who got away makes the one who lost them really angry. Just like Holden. I will discuss it with Charlie. I don¡¯t want anyone to have an opportunity to destroy what we have together. I know that I¡¯m done with Holden and Roger. I¡¯m going to keep my eyes open for any threats. Because I know Tiffany and Gretchen. If I¡¯m happy, then they will stop at nothing to ensure that doesn¡¯t continue. Chapter 69 Charlie¡¯s POV Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. I think Ana is pregnant, but we don¡¯t have any proof of it, at least, not yet. I wish we could just stay here and live off our money. No stress, just us together, living our best life. However, we have family, work, andmitments to attend to. We had to return, whether we wanted to or not. We were flying back home when she finally brought up Holden and Roger. Which, I¡¯m not going to lie. Neither of them is my favorite subject. ¡°You know, once they realize that we are back, they will be all over me,¡± Ana advised. ¡°I do, but don¡¯t forget. I¡¯m going to be with you from now on. I will only leave you with my men for scheduled meetings I can¡¯t get out of. But I will always have Drew and Jon there with you. Oh, and just to let you know, Holden bought a home in our gatedmunity. He installed a gate that will allow him toe into our backyard. I haven¡¯t decided whether to trap him while he¡¯s trespassing or stop him by building something to keep him out of our yard. I¡¯m thinking of a storage shed. What do you think?¡± I asked. ¡°I wish I could say that I was surprised that he did that, but I know Holden. He would just build another gate, Charlie. You would literally have to block the whole fence line to keep him out, and then he would just get adder. He doesn¡¯t let obstacles get in his way. Just like he left me, when I was an obstacle to his happiness. I just wish he would stay away. There is nothing that he could do, or say, to get me back,¡± Ana replied. I lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. The love I felt for her has only increased after our time together. My men had moved me out of my apartment while we were on the move. We would be going straight home after wended. We just wanted one more day where it was just the two of us. We will return to our regr life tomorrow. I really didn¡¯t want toe back. I enjoyed having Ana to myself thesest two weeks. But we can¡¯t avoid it; we both have things we need to do. Hopefully, everything will calm down for us both in a month¡¯s time. We both got to work as we flew home. I enjoyed sitting next to her as I went through my work emails. Until I got to one fromst week. Mark had forwarded a request for me to lead a team for a month. I responded very quickly to him, stating that I would stay at the business and run things for the month in question. Mark could take the job himself. I wouldn¡¯t be doing it. I told him to reject the job and not sign the contract. It should be easy enough. I wasn¡¯t going to do it. ¡°Charlie, is there a problem?¡± Ana¡¯s soft voice asked. ¡°Kind of, but I won¡¯t let it be a problem. Someone asked me to personally lead their security detail. I had already told Mark before we got married that, unless I couldn¡¯t avoid it, I wouldn¡¯t take any jobs until we had everyone settled. So for the next six months, to a year, I would be by your side every day, until you¡¯ll probably get sick of me.¡± I replied. ¡°What¡¯s the job. I¡¯ve never seen you so tense. I can tell that you¡¯re upset. What can I do?¡± Ana asked as she reached for my hand. I love that she does this. What I started at the wedding has be something sweet between us. Wefort each other by listening, supporting, and holding hands. It really connects us and helps us work through things quickly. I love how Ana has gone from someone who avoided physical touch to craving it.. I won¡¯t let her go back to how she was before. I needed to give her my attention and exin why I was refusing the job. I swore to her that there would never be secrets between us. ¡°The security detail, it¡¯s for Samantha,¡± I blurted out. Trying to get this over with quickly. Ana frowned, searching her brain for who Samantha was, and I saw her face when she finally recognized it. ¡°You¡¯re Ex-fianc¨¦e, Samatha?¡± ¡°Yes, and I highly doubt that it¡¯s a coincidence. She went out and married someone else, very quickly after me. Like she wanted to prove to me that she was wanted. He has a lot of money, but he¡¯s also twice her age. I know why she married him, and it was to acquire the money and power that she had always wanted. I haven¡¯t heard from her in eight years. So either she saw that we were married, or someone dug into my past, and wants to cause problems between us. Whoever takes the detail. Whether it¡¯s me or someone else, she will be trying to seduce,¡± I answered. ¡°Holden,¡± she whispered. I nodded my head. There wasn¡¯t a lot in my past that was avable for public consumption. I could control what was on my bio for the business. But I had been engaged before, and that was public record, and had been in the newspaper under engagements. If I could have that information removed from public records, I would. I still feel the sting of shame that I hadn¡¯t realized who she was until it was almost toote. Roger wouldn¡¯t have the money to get her to do this. Roger¡¯s focus would be on saving hispany. Joyce, Sasha, and Tiffany didn¡¯t have the money it would take to bring Samantha here. It quickly narrowed down the suspects. ¡°I trust you, Charlie. I don¡¯t have a problem with you doing your job,¡± Ana told me. ¡°I love you, too, Ana, but I know Samantha. She was angry when I cancelled our engagement. She would be happy to tear us apart. She wouldn¡¯t be able to, because I have no interest in her. I haven¡¯t for a really long time, not since I realized who she was. I have no problem with denying her request. We don¡¯t need her business for any reason. What Holden is trying to do is cause doubt between us. I would never cheat on you, but if he could get pictures that made Samantha and me look closer than we are, using certain angles, that would nt doubt. I¡¯m not going to y his game. I can always go work with my father. I have a degree in business. I wanted to work with Mark and provide a needed service to the public. But if I need to, I would step back for you,¡± I replied. ¡°We can discuss it with Mark. I don¡¯t want her to give you a bad review or cause an issue between you and Mark. I am sure that he will step up and either do it himself or assign one of your men to do it. We just need to warn whoever takes it to watch out for her. Why does she even need security? Doesn¡¯t she already have her own? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of her?¡± Ana asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know why either, but we will find out together. She doesn¡¯t have enemies, other than the women she¡¯s pissed off before. She has been known to steal men away, at least that was the rumor before she sank her ws into me. She stopped for a while when we were together, but once I cut her loose, she went right back to it. She just wanted a wealthy husband; she really didn¡¯t care who it was,¡± I replied with scorn. At that time in my life, I honestly thought I loved her. I had watched my reputation, just like my family had warned. We kept running into each other, and then one day she barreled into me, running away from a man. I went to give chase to catch him, but she grabbed my arm. Told me to stay with her because she was scared. In hindsight, I thought I had saved her. Now, looking back, I knew it was a setup. She didn¡¯t report him or give a description of him. She didn¡¯t want the video to be pulled for the police either. She just wanted me to stay with her because she said she felt safe with me. There were so many red gs, but I ignored them all. I felt like a hero. She had me wrapped around her finger after that. That had been my junior year in college, and six monthster, I proposed. She passed a background check, but I found outter that she had her background cleaned up for her. The only thing she ever told me that was the truth was her name. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know you don¡¯t like to talk about her, or what happened,¡± Ana spoke to me with sympathy in her voice. She knew just how badly it hurt. When people only wanted to be with you because of who your family was, instead of who you were as a person. My phone pinged with a text from Mark. [I had to ¡®officially¡¯ deliver the request via email. But we have plenty of work at the moment. She came in here acting like she was the Queen of Ennd and needed you to personally escort her. She already had a personal bodyguard with her. It¡¯s clear that they¡¯re sleeping together. She seemed angry when she demanded to speak to you, and I told her that you weren¡¯t here. She tried to act like she didn¡¯t know you were on your honeymoon, but she knew. I sent the official request, but I knew who she was. I told her she needed to find another securitypany to assist her with her needs. But she insisted on hearing that from you. She seems to think that you will override me on this.] [Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell her. Have here in tomorrow morning at ten. I¡¯m going to bring Ana with me. I want Ana to see her and know I have no interest in Samantha or anyone else. Ana, is it for me.] I needed to nip this in the bud from the start. ¡°What does your day look like tomorrow, love? Would you like to go to the office with me? I need to personally tell Samantha to find another securitypany. I¡¯m not going to let this drag out,¡± I told her. ¡°Sure, I need to go see Rodney to sign a few documents and get prepared. The giarism trial is scheduled to begin in two days. Sasha¡¯s up first. I wanted that one straightened out quickly. I don¡¯t want them to have a leg to stand on. The next ad is due to start thising weekend. She thought I would being for Roger and thepany. But she was the one who lied and said I took her designs. Now she¡¯ll have to prove it,¡± Ana replied. I love how much she has bloomed in our two weeks together. She no longer hesitates, not like she used to. She knows that I will be there, backing her up every step of the way. She is my fiery little temptress, and I felt my c**k immediately respond to what she just said. I can¡¯t wait for her to show them all that they can¡¯t hold Ana down. Those women won¡¯t know what hit them once she¡¯s done. Chapter 70 Holden¡¯s POV The previous week Seth said that they would being back soon. I saw his things being moved into the house by his men, and the sight made me sick. I wanted to punch that jerk again, but I knew that wasn¡¯t the right route to take. I needed toe at him another way, from an unexpected direction. Mom and Dad had bailed Tiffany out. People were starting to talk. They did it to save face, not because they were backing Tiffany. I had visited herst week when I came for a family dinner. She asked to speak to me in her room. She had me hooked, telling me that she needed my help with Ana. I had originally gone up to tell her to leave Ana alone. That her little vendetta was over. But Tiffany had a better n than I had. She told me about Charlie¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e and how we could use her to drive them apart. In my heart, I knew that she was doing this to hurt Ana. But it made sense to use this woman to get Charlie out of my way. I would be there tofort Ana and win her back. It was actually a good n. Tiffany needed me because my parents had cut her off. They told her to get a job, and she was furious. She seemed fine with marrying the man that Mom was setting her up with. However, the oue of her trial was still uncertain. Tiffany had assured our parents that she really didn¡¯t do anything. It was just regr teenage bullying, but I knew differently. Ana had totally changed. She was no longer the fun-loving girl she used to be. Our parents reminded Tiffany that she needed to disclose everything to her attorney before the trial. But even a week out, Tiffany was still sticking to her guns and saying that Ana was just a weak crybaby. She told Mom that it had been Gretchen, not her, who had hurt Ana. My mother had clung to that statement. She had never liked Gretchen, and she felt that she was a bad influence on Tiffany. Dad and I knew that she was lying through her teeth. Dad had stopped all her cards. If she wanted something, she had to ask for it. Dad was fine with all her hygiene items. But he wouldn¡¯t let her go shopping like he used to. No more clothes, bags, or shoes. He reminded her that she had two closets full of items to wear, and to find something in there. Tiffany had a full-on meltdown. She insisted that she needed clothes for court. He attorney told her to dress modestly. That the jury would be looking at her and judging her from the start. Tiffany was right. She only had skimpy dresses and high heels. But Dad refused to give his card to Tiffany. I wouldn¡¯t have either. He gave it to Mom and told her to go get her two outfits and low heels to wear to court. Tiffany hadn¡¯t expected him to do that. But the days of her fooling Dad were long gone. This was just to protect our family name and thepany¡¯s reputation more than anything else. Finding Samantha had been easy. She even agreed to meet me at a coffee shop in town. She arrived with her bodyguard, and it was soon very clear that this was more than a boss-employee rtionship. Which quickly pissed me off. I was furious at Ana for choosing him over me. I knew I hurt her, but I knew he managed to seduce her when she was vulnerable. I just don¡¯t know how she fell for it so quickly. I was confident that she was just angry with me and had chosen him just to spite me. But I saw the pictures and videos from their wedding, they were everywhere. He had charmed the whole city by moving to watch her walk down the aisle. Any doubt that this wedding was for her to save face was quickly dispelled. He loved her, and he didn¡¯t try to hide that fact from anyone. He wanted her, and that was in to see. My heart clenched at the thought of my Ana giving herself to him. Well, fair was fair. God knows that I had my fun with other women. She deserved to have her fun, too. But I¡¯m not just going to let them be happy. I¡¯m going to show up to every event I can, to remind her that she once loved me, too. I know I can win her back with patience and care. She would learn to love me again. Samantha had cleared her throat after I sat down, but I didn¡¯t speak. I didn¡¯t mean to get caught daydreaming, but seeing her with her bodyguard was a nasty reminder of what I¡¯d lost. ¡°I would like you to try to win Charlie back,¡± I stated. Getting right to the point. I shocked her and her bodyguard with my forwardness. But his face barely changed expression. Sheughed at my bold request. ¡°Mr. Vaughn, I¡¯m a married woman,¡± she replied with a smirk.. ¡°I know that, but I also know you have, let¡¯s say, several men on the side. I don¡¯t need you to sleep with him. Surely you want to get him back for dumping you? Don¡¯t you? He won¡¯t sleep with you; I already know this. I just need you to make it look suggestive enough to drive them apart,¡± I replied. ¡°Oh, so you want his wife. You need me to paint him as a cheater?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do that. I don¡¯t think my husband would understand.¡± ¡°Does he have to know? I wasn¡¯t going to put anything in the local gossip magazines. Not unless I have to. I think just a few well-angled photos would be what we need to give the hint of impropriety. We could have other pictures taken to show that nothing happened. I just need to get him away from her. I¡¯m willing to pay you to do it. Half a million to break them up, and you get the pleasure of hurting him, like he hurt you,¡± I answered her. I could see the wheels turning. I could tell that she wanted to get back at him. Their breakup had been a scandal. He left soon after it happened and went into the military. Leaving her behind to face the brunt of it. Since returning, hey low to avoid attention. She didn¡¯t even know that he was back. She lived in another city and hadn¡¯t even known he got married until I told her. ¡°If I did decide to help you, Mr. Vaughn. What exactly do you need me to do?¡± she asked. I knew I had her at that point. Her eyes burned with malice, and I could tell that she wanted to help me out with this. It wasn¡¯t about getting back together with him. Reading about how he publicly shamed her, she wanted him to feel the same disgrace she felt. She wanted him to regret what he had done. She knew that by doing this, she would destroy his brand-new marriage, and she wanted to do just that. ¡°Not much. Just make sure that he¡¯s on your security detail, and keep my private investigator informed of all your itinerary. He will take care of the rest. Just act normally. Perhaps remind him of how it was when you were dating. Back when he loved you and wanted to marry you. I just need him to get close enough to you so we can send the pictures to Ana. She needs to know who he is at the start before he breaks her heart. I won¡¯t allow him to do that to her. She is mine, and I want her back,¡± I replied. ¡°Do you think that she¡¯s willing toe back to you. You know rumors are flying all around, even weeks after the wedding. I even heard that Charlie had you arrested, to keep you froming to stop the wedding,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°I would do anything to get a second chance with Ana. I messed up. I¡¯m willing to admit it, but there is no f*****g way he fell in love with her in less than three weeks. I just don¡¯t believe it. He doesn¡¯t deserve her. Only I¡¯m worthy to dry her tears, to love her the way she deserves to be loved,¡± I snapped. She held her hands up, palms toward me like she was trying to calm a skittish animal. ¡°I was just teasing you. I see it¡¯s a sore subject. I¡¯ll try, but I can¡¯t promise you anything. Charlie no longer wants anything to do with me. He was angry because he felt I used him. Anyone would want to catch an attractive and wealthy man. I¡¯m sure you have people chasing you as well, wanting to get you tomit. I truly cared for Charlie, but he humiliated me when he ended our rtionship. I had memes made of my picture when he caught me by surprise. People recorded him breaking up with me. It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. I would be d to repay him for that,¡± she replied. ¡°I will give you half of the money once you make sure he¡¯s your security detail. I will give you the other half once we have the necessary evidence. I don¡¯t want just one set of pictures. Additionally, he will be suspicious and not rx initially. It will probably take him at least two weeks to settle down. You just need toe up with a valid reason for him to escort you. That part will be up to you. Once we have at least five or six different days of pictures, that should be enough. We can¡¯t just show the same day. Ana is smart; she would realize that. We need to show a progression. Different days, different outfits, and different actions. Tell him some jokes, get him to smile at you. I need you to remind him of the time you had him wrapped around your finger,¡± I responded. ¡°You seem certain that I can do this, Mr. Vaughn,¡± she replied. Her voice was low and throaty. She was trying to flirt with me, but she was barking up the wrong tree. I¡¯m not interested in her at all. I learned that I am totally screwed if Ana refuses toe back to me. I¡¯ve started therapy, but I can only rise to the asion if I¡¯m thinking about Ana. But thinking about her doesn¡¯t always allow me to finish. I can when I¡¯m dealing with my hard on. But if there is another woman involved. I can¡¯t finish, even with thinking about Ana. She has ruined me. I need her back, and as soon as possible. I can¡¯t continue to live like this. The guilt I felt in the hospital alwayses back to me. I remember her tears and her pain. I screwed up so bad. I don¡¯t know how to fix it. But I will figure something out. I have to. I¡¯m desperate to have her back in my life. I swear, if I had known this was what would happen, I would have never had s*x with Gretchen. I would have hidden what I did at college from everyone. I would never have left. I would have stayed and married Ana after she graduated from college. But it¡¯s toote to go back. I can only move forward. No matter what I need to do, I will get Ana back by my side. Chapter 71 Ana¡¯s POV I stretched after waking up. I felt rxed and happy. Charlie was insatiablest night. He let me sleep in until nine, and then woke me up. He told me to take my time getting ready; he wasn¡¯t concerned if we arrived there by ten or not. He knew that she would be waiting as long as it took. He then opened the curtains over the backyard, and before I could ask what he was up to, he got rid of his lounge pants and climbed back onto the bed with me. The look in his eyes was clear, and I was happy to oblige. He took his time, bringing me close to an o****m, before moving to kiss me somewhere else. I would have been frustrated, but it felt so good, I couldn¡¯t say a word about it. He paid close attention to my n*****s. They were puckered and tight, wanting more attention as he went lower. When he ran a finger across my slit, I was wet and ready for him. He smiled down at me and teased my entrance with the head of his c**k. Rubbing it back and forth, making sure to push as he rubbed against my clit. He enjoyed my mewling; my response was music to his ears. I knew it got him going, and when he finally slid into me, I couldn¡¯t help the loud moan that escaped. I was blissfully happy; each time we were together was better than thest. Charlie was everything to me. Despite knowing that he didn¡¯t want to see, let alone speak, to Samantha. He was going to do it. He wanted me in the room with him, so I could see her and recognize her if she ever tried to approach me again. He was so protective of me. I reached up to cup his cheek, rubbing my hand across his stubble. I loved how sexy he looked. I enjoyed feeling his stubble against me. He was going slow this morning. He was taking his time and making sure that I enjoyed our time together. He kissed me, but this one wasn¡¯t full of passion like it normally was. This kiss was full of promise. A promise of a future together so wonderful that tears sprang to my eyes. A silent deration that he would do what was needed to ensure that we stayed together, forever. We showered together before getting dressed. I got dressed in my closet, like he asked, as the curtains hadn¡¯t been put back into ce. Charlie was driving today, but he would be driving my car. We made good time getting to hispany, but we were ten minuteste for his meeting. We headed for the conference room, and the atmosphere was tense upon our arrival. Mark looked happy to see him, and then grinned when he saw me right behind Charlie. As soon as the door opened, I heard a shrill woman¡¯s voice cut through the room. ¡°Finally! Why are youte, Charlie? You set the appointment, yet youck professionalism. You are starting this whole thing off on the wrong foot. I might just have to go with anotherpany.¡± The woman snapped out. ¡°That would actually be for the best, Samantha. I can¡¯t ept the job,¡± Charlie answered. ¡°You haven¡¯t even asked me why I needed help,¡± she sputtered out. Changing gears after she saw that he wasn¡¯t going to agree to help her. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t matter. You show up here, with a bodyguard, wanting another bodyguard. So either he is horrible at his job, or you think bodyguards are just like paid escorts. We¡¯re not escorts here. You can¡¯t use us like interchangeable boyfriends. I won¡¯t put my men in that position. I won¡¯t put myself in that position, either,¡± Charlie¡¯s tone was sharp and direct. He sat down in a chair and pulled me into hisp. Pulling me into his chest, like he needed myfort to get through this meeting. Everyone in the room got the message. It let her know that he knew she was sleeping with her bodyguard, and that no one here would be stepping in to work with her. The look of shock and then anger spread across her face. The moment she focused on me, she immediately attacked. ¡°Why is she even here? Are you joined at the hip now or something? This is supposed to be a professional meeting between us. Not essible to the public. Where is the discretion? I don¡¯t want my business stered all over the ce. She¡¯s not a member of thispany. There is no reason for her to be here. Or are you just scared to be alone with me, Charlie? Do you still think about all the time we spent together? I remember it, and I miss it. No one has been able to live up to your level since you ended our engagement. Aren¡¯t you willing to do this one little thing for me? For old times¡¯ sake?¡± she asked with a pout. ¡°You mean since I found out who you actually were? A slut who is willing to sleep with anyone to get what she wants. No, I moved on a long time ago. You are a distant memory, and a bad one at that. I don¡¯t want to dwell on anything rted to you. Analise is my wife. We were out running a few errands on our first day back. Don¡¯t think that I care about or want you, Samantha. Any thoughts I have of you are always bad ones. I wanted you to see that I¡¯ve moved on, and more importantly, I wanted my wife to see you, too. So she knows who you are, as she already knows how devious you are. Go back and tell Holden, nice try. He¡¯s going to have to work much harder than this pathetic attempt to try to break us apart,¡± Charlie told her. She was caught by surprise, so she couldn¡¯t keep her expression nk. Her bodyguard did a much better job of it than she did, but even he flinched. I guess they thought that we wouldn¡¯t know why they were there. I had a long list of people who would love nothing more than to tear me down and try to hurt me again. They wanted to tear Charlie and me apart. I knew he loved me, no, much more than that, he adored me. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt me. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who that is,¡± she blustered. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to y your little game, Samantha. You have no reason for additional security; you already have him. You have no business that requires your presence in this city, I checked. You came here with the intention of trying toe between my wife and me. Let me assure you that it will never happen. I don¡¯t feel anything for you, other than revulsion at the fact that I slept with you. I thought I cared for you, but I know better now that I met Ana. She came with me, because my half of the business is now split between us. So she is one of the owners now, along with Mark and me. I will keep no secrets from her. You are wasting all of our time now. I will have the receptionist show you out,¡± Charlie instructed. He picked up his phone and called her right in front of all of us, asking her to show them out. He gave them no face at all, and she had been shocked into silence. She red at him before finally getting up out of her chair. Her bodyguard was trailing behind her, with what could be noted as a small smile on his face. He liked the fact that she wasn¡¯t able to force Charlie into doing anything. ¡°If you ever want another job,e back here, and we will test you out. Our men are never forced into doing things against their will or against their moralpass. We always have room for a qualified new employee,¡± Mark told him, before passing a card to him as he walked towards the door. ¡°Thanks,¡± he replied before nodding at Mark and exiting the door. Her heels made a great deal of noise as she hurried across the lobby. She couldn¡¯t get out of here fast enough. ¡°Did you have to be so mean?¡± I teased with augh. ¡°She really thought she was going to hurt you, and got hurt instead. She is not going to be happy about what just happened.¡± ¡°Yes, I did, and she deserved it. She¡¯s just like Tiffany Vaughn. She doesn¡¯t care who she hurts. She came here to try to tear us apart. She forgot that I was the one who cut her loose, not the other way around. I¡¯m pretty sure Holden is behind it, but I¡¯m going to keep my guard up. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you again,¡± Charlie replied, holding me tight. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were giving me partial ownership in thepany. But you really don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I replied as I leaned down to kiss him. ¡°I¡¯m going to head out now. You two really need to get a room, preferably one at home,¡± Mark said with augh as he walked out. ¡°He¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go see Rodney, and then we can grab some lunch. I will grab us some coffee, and we can drop by Fashion Forward so you can catch up on your meetings. Then we can go home early. I want to spend some time alone with my wife. We can pick up something from Benvenuto for dinner on the way home,¡± I offered. ¡°They don¡¯t have take-out, Charlie,¡± I reminded him. ¡°They do when your grandmother owns the restaurant. Just leave it to me,¡± he replied. I was pleased that he had rejected Samantha so quickly. She was a beautiful woman. I could see why he would have been interested in her. She had a shapely figure. I have to admit that seeing her made me a little concerned. But Charlie¡¯s eye never wavered. Even on the few asions when I talked him into leaving our room, his eyes never strayed to any of the beautiful women in Italy. He acted as if I were the only woman he wanted, and with each passing day, my confidence grew. His attentiveness and his actions were wearing me down. I had brought down all the walls around my heart. He was firmly lodged there now. I realized that with Holden, it was just a childhood crush. With Roger, I wanted a gentle soul to nurture me. Maybe I expected too much. He was weak, and I was now aware of that. He always let his mother be between us. I¡¯m d that I dodged that marriage. I would have suffered my whole life with Joyce as my mother-inw. But with Charlie, I can be my true self. He never judges me. He sees me, and none of my rtionships have been like this before, not with anyone. I snuggled deeper into Charlie¡¯s chest and let out the breath I¡¯d been holding inside. I¡¯d been worried. Even with Charlie¡¯s warning that he knew this was aplete setup. I still had that nagging worry that he would turn his back on me after he saw her. They had been engaged. I was worried that some residual emotions might still be there. I was d that he was with me because I thought this was going to be the worst part of my day. But I was dead wrong about that. Chapter 72 Roger¡¯s POV Dad and I had moved out of the house and were living in an apartment together. Things were much more peaceful for both of us. Mom still blows his phone up daily, trying to beg him toe home. But he just kept blocking the numbers she¡¯s calling from. We were both working long days as we tried to fix the mess we were in. I¡¯m d that Dad hadn¡¯t pointed out that I was the one who had ultimately messed everything up by listening to Mom. He had contacted the best divorce attorney in the city the Monday after the wedding. He wasn¡¯t ying. I had been looking at ces to stay, and had bought this two¨Cbedroom condo. It worked out well for us, and I already felt the me for putting Dad in a tight spot. Dad hadn¡¯t mentioned it since the day we were heading to the wedding. It seems like he is putting the me on Mom. I guess it¡¯s because he asked her to stop, and she hid what she was doing from him. My father¡¯s attorney mentioned that it could y out in his favor. He had lost a lot of money buying up those stocks. They said it would work out to his advantage, especially since I was attempting to rebuild. Right now, they weren¡¯t worth much. But after the divorce, if I can get Elizabeth, I mean Ana, back. I might just be able to survive the biggest mistake of my life. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that she returnedst night and will be returning to work this afternoon. The private investigator is trailing them. He said that she went to her attorney¡¯s office and is now at lunch. I believe that she will be heading to work after lunch,¡± my assistant advised. ¡°Got it, thanks,¡± I replied. I grabbed my suit jacket and headed out the door. I grabbed something to eat on theway to Fashion Forward. I knew she would be here soon, so I quickly ate. I wanted to speak with the privateinvestigator and confirm that she¡¯s in the same SUV. I wanted to know what vehicle to look for today. I didn¡¯t care that she went to her attorney¡¯s office. That was going to fall straight on my mother and Sasha. I wasn¡¯t going to help them out of the hole they dug either. They knowingly lied; now they can deal with theconsequences of those lies. I was sitting there, waiting for a blue Porsche to arrive, when I saw my mother¡¯s car pull up. My mother, sister, and Sasha pulled up behind me, with a white van behind them. Clearly, they¡¯ve learned nothing from their previous interactions. I got out of my car and headed over to them. ¡°You three need to leave, now. Haven¡¯t you done enough damage to me and mypany? I need her toe back. I won¡¯t allow you to cause more issues. You know who she is now, yet you still came here to cause problems,¡± I snapped out. They needed to know what a dangerous game they¡¯re ying. I¡¯m not going to help them, and neither is Dad. They needed to leave now. I know she¡¯ll be here soon. I¡¯ve been here for forty minutes. Between stopping for lunch and driving here, it¡¯s been an hour. The reporters approached us and started firing off questions. ¡°Are you here to win your ex back?¡± ¡°Will yourpany survive without those stolen designs?¡± ¡°Is it true that your parents¡® divorce is because your father was interested in your ex¨Cfianc¨¦e?¡± My head snapped towards my mother as thatst question was a tant lie. ¡°Are you seriously acting like Dad cheated on you? He respected her, but there was nothing between them. Your jealously knows no bounds, Mom. You¡¯ve lost it,¡± I told her before turning toward the cameras. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get Elizabeth, I mean Ana Caldwell, to return to mypany. Her designs have been our best sellers over the years. She¡¯s an expert in design. But they are her designs. She didn¡¯t steal them. I believe that the court case will prove that. Anyone who implies or states that the designs were stolen will be the one who needs to prove it. I never alleged that, and have not received any legal documentation about it. My¨Cex¨Cwife, along with my sister and mother, was the one who implied that. They will be the ones to bear the burden of proof. But those designs belong to Ana. I¡¯m hoping that she will be kind enough to allow me to use some of them in the near future,¡± I stated. ¡°You were too soft on her. Don¡¯t you know that she cheated on you? She had to be cheating this whole time, Roger. How else could she find someone to marry in such a short amount of time? I saw the pictures. He loves her. That kind of love isn¡¯t instant. It develops over time. You just want to believe that it¡¯s new tofort yourself. But you need to realize, brother, that she was nothing but a low¨Clife cheater. Despite her family name. Look at what her brother does; it runs in the family. He unts his rtionships, as if they¡¯re something to be proud of. So what if their Caldwell¡¯s? That doesn¡¯t make them any better than us, brother,¡± Regina stated. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you here. You three need to leave and take this film crew with you. If Ana shows up while you are still here. I swear I¡¯ll never forgive you. I need her toe back, or at least help me by selling me some designs. Mypany¡¯s about to be ruined thanks to Mom¡¯s brilliant idea. Listening to her and Sasha was the most ignorant thing I¡¯ve ever done,¡± I snapped out. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s toote, because we¡¯re already here,¡± Ana¡¯s voice came from beside me. She sat in a Porsche that I¡¯d never heard pull up. I suppose all the yelling drowned out the sound of the engine. ¡°You b***h, that¡¯s my car!¡± Sasha screeched out. She started walking over to Ana, and the car immediately took off. The gate was already open. I guess they knew her car, because they shot right through and parked about sixty feet away from the gate before getting out of the car. Sasha was screeching at the top of her lungs about Ana¡¯s car. I realized that the car she wanted so bad, but was too expensive, had to be the one I was currently looking at. I must admit, it was a nice car. I could understand why Sasha was pissed, but if she hadn¡¯t been spending my money like water on clothes, shoes, and purses, she would have had the money to buy that car. ¡°Are you trying to take everything away from me, Elizabeth? Is that what you¡¯re doing? Because that was supposed to be my car. It¡¯s the only one like it in the city. When will you be satisfied?¡± Sasha spat out as she shook the now closed gate. She was furious and only got madder as Ana stopped walking about ten feet from the gate. ¡°Exactly what have I taken from you, Sasha? If memory serves, and it does, you¡¯ve been the one to take everything away from me. First, my fianc¨¦, whom you married secretly. You couldn¡¯t afford the car because you didn¡¯t want to work and had been overspending for months. It¡¯s not your car, it¡¯s mine. Bought and paid for. Guess what? If you take money to the dealership, they¡¯ll sell you a car, too. You just have to be able to pay for it. You even tried to steal my jewelry designs. So please, enlighten me, what exactly did I take from you?¡± Ana asked. ¡°You knew I wanted that car, don¡¯t act innocent. How else could you end up with the exact one that I wanted?¡±Sasha continued to try to shift the me onto Ana. ¡°It didn¡¯t have your name on it, and I liked the color. So, how could I possibly have known? I was told that the deal had fallen through when I was on the lot. However, your name was never mentioned. What I want to know is how any of you knew I was back in town? Are you having me followed? If you show up to ambush me again, I¡¯ll get restraining orders against all three of you. The days of me allowing you to clown around me are over. I don¡¯t care what happens to any of you. Especially you, Joyce. I¡¯m done,¡± Ana snapped back.- Sasha suddenly went quiet. She had no way to twist it; Ana had clearly told her what was up. My mother went to speak, but I stopped her. ¡°Ana, I know how badly I messed up. I don¡¯t want your work for free. May I purchase the rights to some of your work? I¡¯m asking you as a friend and because we share a rtionship as former co¨Cowners. I would love for you toe back and work with me again. I was angry and devalued all the work and effort you had put into my business, our business. Please don¡¯t let it copse, and put all our employees out of a job because of my mistake. Just a few designs? Please.¡± I asked. I was humble now. I knew this was myst chance to save my business. ¡°So, now that reality has set in, you suddenly know what you did to me was wrong. Why should I help you?¡± Ana asked. Her voice was hard. I could tell that she wasn¡¯t going to make this easy on me. ¡°I was disloyal and maniptive. I was angry and took it out on you, even though you had done nothing wrong. I see that now. You had been the only one who supported me all these years, and I failed youpletely, I failed to protect you from my family. I failed to show thepany how valuable you were. I allowed my friends to disrespect you for no reason other than I wanted to im thepany¡¯s sess as my own. I was wrong for it. I sat at the helm, acting like I got myself there. Taking everything from you and trying to leave you with nothing was a d**k move. I¡¯m sorry, Ana. I was sorry before I knew who you were, but I truly wish I could go back and change everything. I wish I knew then what I know now,¡± I admitted. ¡°I bet you do. But no one twisted your arm, Roger. This is what you wanted. Don¡¯t get upset at me for giving you exactly what you wanted. Don¡¯t forget, and I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t, because your mother has mentioned this to me several times. Losing one employee won¡¯t, destroy apany. Sasha was on the payroll for months, yet still hasn¡¯te up with one design. Maybe you should ask your mommy what to do next? You seemed to enjoy following her advice before,¡± Ana mocked. I knew that was going to be her answer, but I had to try to see if I could win her back over. ¡°You should be happy that he¡¯s giving you an opportunity toe back. Once you embarrass Fashion Forward when you lose the giarism case, they¡¯ll drop you like a hot potato,¡± Joyce cried out in frustration. Chapter 73 Ana¡¯s POV ¡°Who in the hell said I was going to lose? You do know that Sasha can¡¯t create or design anything. She paid to use someone else¡¯s design. That¡¯s how she won her award. Not off her talent, but off someone else¡¯s. You bought her lies. nning a wonderful life for your son, based on what she told you. That she was carrying Roger¡¯s baby, and she could elevate hispany. More so than I could. So, how¡¯s that n of yours working out for you? Because from what I heard, you lost your husband and son, over Sasha¡¯s lies,¡± I asked. Charlie had said nothing; he was just watching it all y out. He had texted someone, probably the gate guard, Randy. But I wasn¡¯t worried or afraid of these people. They were all bark and no bite. They didn¡¯t concern me, not like Tiffany and Gretchen did. ¡°Even if you came up with them, Elizabeth. You created them while working for Roger. So, they belong to thepany, not you,¡± Joyce proudly stated. ¡°I actually created them at home and at thepany. But you¡¯re wrong, Joyce. You seem a bit confused, so let me rify it for everyone. I was not an employee of thepany. I was the co¨Cowner. There is a big difference right there. I didn¡¯t have to work if I didn¡¯t want to; Roger sure as hell didn¡¯t. But I did work. I worked my butt off working twelve and sixteen¨Chour days. Building hispany from the ground up. Using my contacts to be investors. I used my own money because I wanted to help support him by bringing his vision to life. All while he sat in his office, letting me work myself into the ground,¡± I answered her. ¡°Lies, all of it. Thatpany bears his name. He is the boss. He makes the decisions. He¡¯s in charge,¡± Joyce angrily rebutted. ¡°Yes, because I left it, and him. Thepany was sessful until I found out what he had done. I backed out, sold my shares. I informed the investors that I was no longer with thepany when you had me arrested. That¡¯s the reason why it¡¯s crashing and burning. My designs don¡¯t belong to hispany; they belong to me. He would only be allowed to use them if I allowed it, and I don¡¯t. In fact, I won¡¯t be allowing it ever again. I don¡¯t want to muddy the water or cause confusion. It would be best for Roger to use the money I paid him from canceling all the remaining contracts between us. If you want to push me, Joyce. I can go ahead and have him fined for sending my designs to be produced after the contracts had expired on them. I have the numbers, I know exactly how much money that will be,¡± I replied. ¡°Mom, stay out of this. You are just making it worse. Ana was the reason mypany has done so well. I need her help, and all you are doing is causing her to attack. She won¡¯te back if you keep this up. I need her!¡± Roger cried out. ¡°Too bad you didn¡¯t realize that sooner, Roger,¡± I replied, ncing over at him. ¡°I¡¯m d he did what he did, love. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have met you. I wouldn¡¯t change a thing,¡± Charlie said as he wrapped an arm around me and then kissed me when I looked up at him. I hadpletely forgotten about the people at the gate until Regina started another tantrum. ¡°See, Roger. I told you. They were probably together before you married Sasha. She was probably cheating on you this whole time,¡± Regina snapped out. ¡°I agree, something was always off about her. She always thought she was too good, better than the rest of us. She might be a Caldwell, but she is also a thief and a slut. I wouldn¡¯t have put it past her to have set her sights on your father if she hadn¡¯t gotten you to propose. They always got along too well, too close, both he and your younger brother. It¡¯s absolutely disgusting behavior. That¡¯s why I wanted her gone. You can¡¯t keep a woman like that around. I wasn¡¯t going to allow it,¡± Joyce stated. She seemed to genuinely believe she was right. She would do anything to nder me. ¡°Wrong again, Joyce. You should get used to hearing that, maybe put it on a t¨Cshirt as you¡¯re wrong quite often,¡± I told her. I looked over to the two men recording this debacle. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a copy of today¡¯s events. I¡¯m going to add thatst statement to the nder charges that areing. Perhaps losing all the money you have will remind you not to say things that you know aren¡¯t true. Oh, and by the way, Joyce. I had specific contracts written up, ones that allowed him to use my designs on a yearly basis. My designs are the very reason ourpany flourished, but they always belonged to me. Now they belong to Fashion Forward.¡± One of the cameramen nodded at me, but I already knew they would have to give me the footage. Now that my identity has been exposed, they know awyer¡¯s letter will being to them quickly if they refuse. I could take them to court and drag this out. I know that would be messing with their livelihood, but they are making money off the nderous words of vicious women. They might want to rethink their jobs. I heard someone approaching us a few minutes earlier. She probably came out and stuck to the sidewalk so they wouldn¡¯t see hering. I didn¡¯t turn around to look. I already suspected it was Gwen. She was my Maid of Honor, but they weren¡¯t allowed into the venue. They also didn¡¯t know that we were close friends. Since I wasn¡¯t going to y along with them, they changed tactics. ¡°Ms. Simpson, I¡¯m sorry toe here, but you need to know about your employee. Not only did she take designs from ourpany when she left, but she also refuses to return them. This is going to reflect very badly on not just her, but yourpany, too, if this goes to court. You need to talk some sense into her. Thereis no need for her to go this far. She needs to just return them to us, and I¡¯ll nevere back. Please think of the negative publicity that this is going to bring,¡± Sasha pleaded. I see that she¡¯s back to her innocent act. I¡¯m sure that if I were to hand those designs over, she would be iming them as hers within the hour. She would try to tell the world that they were hers all along. She obviously didn¡¯t mind iming someone else¡¯s work. ¡°Well, I think we can withstand it. Ourpany was built on transparency. We know our worth, and wpletely stand behind Ana. I know her and her talent. I believe that you¡¯re scared to go to court, Mrs. Cook. Rest assured, we don¡¯t need to do anything further for the truth to be exposed. Ana¡¯s one of the most talented designers I¡¯ve ever met. It¡¯s been a pleasure to work with her. I believe her name will be cleared very quickly once this goes to court. She can withstand this storm, can you?¡± Gwen replied. ¡°Wait a minute. Weren¡¯t you with her at the auction?¡± Joyce suddenly asked, her voiceced with suspicion. ¡°I was,¡± Gwen replied. ¡°Did you ask her to steal those designs from my son?¡± Joyce shouted. It was clear that she was trying to drag thepany down along with me. They were grasping at straws now, and I could tell this was the new spin they were going with. ¡°Thispany has been up and running for nine years. Almost twice as long as your son¡¯spany. We¡¯ve had no scandals or issues this entire time. We have high standards, not just as professionals, but as apany as well. I can assure you that we always operate with integrity. I won¡¯t allow anyone to nder Ana, thepany, or me. I thought you had enough going on that you would realize that you can¡¯t just use someone of what you just did. Especially hot on the heels of your own son admitting that those designs were Ana¡¯s, but I was wrong. You will have to answer for what you just said,¡± Gwen coldly stated. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you or yourpany. The fact remains that the designs that belonged to my son¡¯spany ended up here. If you don¡¯t want to be used of something like this, then you should never have instructed her to steal someone else¡¯s work. I believe Sasha, when she said that Ana stole her designs. That¡¯s good enough for me. People need to know what you did. They need to buy from thepany that owns the designs. You shouldn¡¯t have stepped into this. No matter who Ana is, she can¡¯t change what she did. She is a liar and a thief. You¡¯re backing the wrong person in this. You need to cut her loose and return the designs back to us before she ends up destroying yourpany, too,¡± Joyce assured her. Gwen was always happy. She was vocal and bold. She was never scared to go toe¨Cto¨Ctoe with anyone. But when she was calm, she was done. She knew the truth, but she wasn¡¯t going to stand here and let them continue to nder me or thepany. She knew when to push and when to step back. She considered thispany to be as much hers as it was mine. She wasn¡¯t going to allow Joyce to try to ruin our reputation. Gwen pulled out her phone and made a call. ¡°Hey, I need you to save the footage from both sides of the gate for the time frame before anyone arrived until they leave the premises. So want you to call the police and report trespassers at our gate. I want whoever is here when they arrive to be arrested. Burn three copies and send two of them to Rodney Briggs and have him add Joyce Cook to the giarism trial. The third copy can be ced on my desk.¡± There was a short pause before Gwen said, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Joyce, you¡¯re about to learn a hard lesson, but it¡¯s one that you need to learn. You¡¯re not nearly as smart as you think you are. After thest incident. I had cameras installed while Ana was on her honeymoon. Audio and video, she didn¡¯t even know that they were there. We have five cameras in total, as I didn¡¯t want any allegations of edited videos. I already know people will do anything for money. Since you love being in the public eye, I¡¯m going to help make you famous. The whole city is about to find out what a shrew you really are. You act like ady, but say vile things about others. Ignoring the vile things that your own family does,¡±Gwen told her. ¡°I¡¯m not signing a release for you to use my likeness,¡± Joyce replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. We will use them in court. I don¡¯t need your permission to release them. I just won¡¯t do so until the verdict is in, and your shame isplete. Don¡¯te back here again. I would suggest leaving quickly. The police are on their way now. I¡¯m not ying with any of you,¡± Gwen replied. Chapter 74 Ana¡¯s POV ¡°Ana, I¡¯m sorry. They didn¡¯te with me, I swear. I¡¯m leaving, but please answer my calls. I was serious about purchasing some of your designs. Please don¡¯t punish the wholepany for my mistakes. I screwed up, but I still want to make mypany a sess. Perhaps not as big a sess as it was when you were leading it, but I want to prove to myself that I can do it. I¡¯m not doing it to catch Sasha¡¯s attention anymore. It was foolish of me to do that in the first ce. She only wanted some to pay for what she wanted. She never loved me. I should have realized that when I confessed my love for her, she left me because I was broke. I have the design team working on new pieces, but without you helping them, their designs are not where they need to be,¡± Roger admitted. He looked pretty sad before turning and walking away. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad for him, love. He wanted to make you a mistress and take everything away from you,¡± Charlie quietly told me. He was right to remind me. I was feeling guilty, not for Roger¡¯s sake, but for all the employees who could lose their jobs if he couldn¡¯t turn this around. ¡°You¡¯re right, but I do feel bad for the employees who are depending on him to fix things. We can discuss it further at home. I want your opinion on what I need to do next,¡± I replied. I¡¯m honestly not willing to bail him out. He caused this whole mess, but I agree with Charlie. If he hadn¡¯t done what he did, and if Holden hadn¡¯t recorded it, I would have suffered. I won¡¯t give Roger money to bail him out or help him bring back investors. But I might sell him a few designs. Not my best, but not the worst ones either. I don¡¯t want the guilt of people I worked with for five years having to struggle. I didn¡¯t care about Dixon or Sasha, but I had heard that Sasha had been officially fired from thepany after the divorce wasplete. Charlie moved the car to a parking space and followed us into the building. ¡°How did you know that we were out there?¡± I asked Gwen. ¡°You¡¯re always on time for meetings, and we have several team reports that we need to get through. Once you didn¡¯t show up, I called the gate, and Randy told me what was going on. I can¡¯t believe the nerve of them thinking that they can just say whatever they want to and get away with it. I know that you don¡¯t want them to know that you own thepany yet. I wasn¡¯t trying to throw my weight around. I was just angry at the absolute gall they have showing up here like they did. Roger seems to be cluing in now, but his sister and mother are real pieces of work,¡± Gwen replied as we headed to the conference room. Charlie slipped into his chair next to mine at the head of the table, with Gwen on the other side of me. The meeting started quickly. The design team was the first to report on the next jewelry pieces that would be going into production and on the current sales status. Then we will move on to clothing. They were followed by the essory department, which included shoes, bags, and now intimates. Marketing presented their. ideas, and we decided what would be featured in the next advertisements. I was surprised when one of the marketing team members mentioned the huge increase in sales of the dress I had worn in thest ad. Everything Emily promoted did well. She was our only model. But I never thought that I would hear the new numbers. ¡°Thepany has seen an increase of ten percent in total sales for clothing this quarter. Thergest increase since thepany was started. The engagement ringmercial and the dress you wore in themercial had the biggest gains. The sales were off the charts. I think that we should promote you again in the next ads we do,¡± she stated when it was her turn to speak. ¡°To prove that it wasn¡¯t just a fluke, because I don¡¯t believe it was. I believe that it was something that resonated with our clientele. The chemistry between you and your husband was off the charts for that shoot. Women want that in their own lives. I think that we should have the same men step in for the next advertisement. We spoke with Emily and Drew, and they were both on board. We just need to see if you and Mr. Billinsley are willing tomit to being in the nextmercial?¡± another member of the marketing team asked. I looked over at Charlie. His smile told me that he was willing to do it if I agreed. But I¡¯m not sure. I alreadysuspect something is up from the grin on Gwen¡¯s face. She was sitting right next to me, to my left. I needed to be cautious here beforemitting to anything. ¡°What were you thinking of promoting? Jewelry again? Or something else?¡± I asked carefully. I needed specifics before I agreed to do themercial. I believe I already knew where this was headed. ¡°Before you say no, we all agreed on what we needed to do. We wanted to promote the new line,¡± Gwen started to say. ¡°No,¡± I replied sharply. That is not going to happen. ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me finish, Ana. It would be tastefully done, basically art. We would build up your positives, so there is nothing to worry about. I know how you feel about your body, but I¡¯m telling you, this is a good idea. The increase in sales is because of you. You represent the average woman here in America. A sixteen to eighteen is the norm. I¡¯m telling you that you look fantastic. Plus, women want to see someone who looks like them, who represents them. That way, they can see how it will look on them if they were to buy our product,¡± Gwen spoke quickly. ¡°Not going to do it, Gwen. I just can¡¯t get my picture taken wearing basically underwear,¡± I replied. ¡°Lingerie, and it would let everyone know about our new line. It reminds them that they can look sexy and beautiful, no matter their size. In a world where everyone is being told what they should look like, body positivity is even more important. You know that I¡¯ve struggled with my weight as well,¡± Gwen reminded me. ¡°I don¡¯t see you offering to prance around in your underwear with us,¡± I replied sarcastically. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it, too,¡± Gwen replied. I was stunned because I know how she has struggled herself. I wasn¡¯t trying to push her into doing it. I was pointing out that she wanted me to do what she wasn¡¯t willing to do herself. She battled anorexia for years in college. Currently, she was a healthy size 9 or 10, depending on the clothing brand. Emily was a size 4 or 6. So she never minded doing any of the ads, as she was made for it. But the lingerie line was new. It would be a good idea to promote it and see what the promotion would do. It was brand new, like I had some of the first pieces made specifically for our honeymoon. I already had what I could wear, ready to go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to hurt you,¡± I replied softly. ¡°I know you weren¡¯t, Ana. I know you very well. You were just calling me on it, but you¡¯re right. I was pushing you into something I knew you weren¡¯tfortable with, just like thest ad. But look at how that turned out. I think that this can really push us into the stratosphere with the new line. I saw you trying on the ivory set, Ana. You looked gorgeous. I promise that it will be tasteful. I wouldn¡¯t do anything that would reflect badly on us or thepany. Something tasteful, but sexy,¡± Gwen replied. ¡°Do I get a vote?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°Always,¡± I replied and turned to look at him. ¡°I was originally going to shoot it down. I don¡¯t want men checking out any part of my beautiful wife. But after hearing what you said, I want you to do it. I have some suggestions to apany it. Ana looked gorgeous in every one of her outfits, but I have a favorite. I think every man should want to get an outfit, or two, for their partner. I think that your clients do want to see how the outfits would look on each of you. My only request is that the area needs to be private when it¡¯s time for each of us to be photographed. Just the photographer and us in the room, with whoever else is necessary. The same with you and Emily. I¡¯m pretty sure that Mark would be willing to step in to help you, Gwen,¡± Charlie advised. ¡°I think that would help, but I would like to hear your suggestions first. I have a sneaking suspicion that you and Gwen have the same line of thought. Can you give me a suggestion of what it is that you want?¡± I asked. When I saw his eyes darken, I suddenly wanted us to be alone. He leaned forward and whispered into my ear, ¡°I want to pay him to get additional pictures for us. I want them hung in our room, just like our wedding pictures. I want to see my gorgeous wife in my arms, wearingthose garters, undies, thigh¨Chighs, and shoes. With my arm across your breasts, blocking them from view. That¡¯s what I want.¡± He leaned back and smirked at me as I felt my face heat up. His voice had done things to me, and suddenly I wanted to go home, right now. I missed being able to have s*x whenever I wanted to on our honeymoon. He knew what he was doing to me. I couldn¡¯t even speak; he had me so wound up. I could see his vision, and I wanted to see if that could be an option. One that I could pay for separately, after the ad photographs wereplete. Even I could tell that my voice was huskier when I spoke. I could see the curious nces being directed towards us. They all wanted to know what he said, but that was personal. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m in, but I want this to be more of the art side of it than the sexy side of it! I just want to promote my best features.¡± Gwen was smiling at me when her phone pinged. Her smile disappeared, and her face turned red as she looked up and asked Charlie, ¡°You asked him?¡± ¡°Of course I did. He¡¯s happy to help,¡± Charlie said casually. ¡°Not so fun when you¡¯re the one being caught off guard, is it?¡± I replied with augh. ¡°Now we¡¯re both locked in, aren¡¯t we? Just pick your and Emily¡¯s outfits. I have my own clothes that I can wear,¡± I replied. And just like that, I was now about to be in anothermercial. But I was looking forward to this one. I have my own ns, and Charlie won¡¯t be needing a shirt for this one. I bit my lip and finished the meeting. It was time for us to go home. Chapter 75 Charlie¡¯s POV Ana, biting her lip, always gets me going. We almost didn¡¯t make it home. I totally changed my mind about dinner and decided we needed to get home first. We could order outter on. I wanted my wife in her lingerie so I could take my time and decide exactly how I wanted to pose with her. I knew what I wanted, but the photographer might have even more ideas. I knew I wanted the one I suggested to Ana. I also wanted one from the side, where her n*****s are pressed into my chest, and you see her full breasts, the shot taken from the side. I was getting hard as I thought about what shots we could do all the way home. Thest shot that I knew I wanted was her bare back to the camera, chest pressed against me. I wanted her to wear her thong, garter, thigh¨Chighs, and heels. I wanted that luscious ass to be something I get to see every day of my life. The racier photos would be ours. I couldn¡¯t wait to hang the pictures up, maybe make one of them my screensaver. My d**k was ufortably hard. I drove as fast as I could home. I didn¡¯t want to get pulled over, so I just drove seven miles over the speed limit as I headed back home. Ana was quiet as we headed home. I think she was just as worked up as I was. I was d that her confidence was growing back so quickly. I had already decided that if necessary, I would hire another photographer to do this kind of boudoir shoot. I was ready to get this done tomorrow if possible. I was loving. this idea. Ana has no idea what she does to me. She¡¯s still a little innocent. But she knows how much I adore her, how much I want her. I think the suggestion to clear everyone out who didn¡¯t need to be there helped her agree to do the ad. I knew Ana was self¨Cconscious about her body. So, I was surprised that she agreed to do it. Ana had an impressive business mind. So, I¡¯m sure that this was going to be one of their best campaigns. Much cheaper than an engagement ring. I was sure that they would sell out quickly. I pulled into the garage and killed the engine. I unbuckled my seat belt and leaned over the console to kiss my wife. She had unbuckled her seat belt, but I caught herpletely by surprise when I kissed her. But she quickly got into it. Once I pulled back, I told her, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can make it upstairs, babe. I need you, right now. The images of you in my mind have been haunting me for thest hour.¡± We entered the house, tangled in each other¡¯s arms. I slid her skirt up with my palms and then pulled her underwear off with my fingers. I lifted her onto the ind, and she gave a small cry of surprise at the cold counter underneath her. I pulled her to the edge with one arm, as I unsnapped my jeans with my right hand. I was d to see that she was wet and ready for me when I checked. I felt like I was going tobust if I didn¡¯t have her now. I slid my c**k against her entrance to get her juices on me before sliding in. Ana wasn¡¯t prepared for the sudden invasion, as I usually ensure she has had an o****m before I enter her. She gave a whimper at the intrusion before a long moan followed. Shey back on the ind, which gave me better ess to her. I pulled her further towards me. She wrapped her long legs around me, encouraging me to pound into her even harder. She had me ready to explode inside her when she encouraged me to go faster. Pleading with me, and I felt my balls tighten up in response to her words. What this woman does to me. I let that go and focused on her getting there first. I had both hands on her waist, but then I dropped one hand to her hips, digging in, as I grew closer. I then used my free hand to press on her clit. I knew what she needed to go over, and I wanted to give it to her. I gave it a slight tug, and she screamed out her o****m. Her walls mped around me as she milked me of every drop of c*m I had. We took a minute to catch our breath. That was such a powerful experience. Before we could separate, I saw motion on the covered patio. f*****g Holden. How dare he trespass? I don¡¯t mind him seeing me, but I didn¡¯t want him to see Ana. Thankfully, he only saw her from the side. I was going to have to deal with him sooner, rather thanter. He should have known we would be together. I didn¡¯t want to upset her, but she needed to know. I will keep no secrets from her. Plus, he just knocked over a table out there, she heard it. ¡°Love, we had a visitor,¡± I told her, still looking through the wall of ss. We had left the curtains open, as Ana loved light in her space. It was the main reason she chose this house. She leaned up and followed my gaze, and froze when she saw Holden. He turned back towards us as he slipped back through the gate. I guess he wanted to see if he had been caught, and he knew he had. I swear that tomorrow I will have somethingrge there to prevent him from returning to our backyard. He is escting. First, getting Samantha to try to break us up, and now he¡¯s literally bing a stalker. He needs to learn that I won¡¯t allow him to do that. I think a meeting is in order. Somewhere neutral where we can talk, but still have witnesses around. Ana was still shocked at realizing that he caught us having s*x. She was a very private person, and she still had issues about her body image. Issues instilled in her by Tiffany, Gretchen, and their group of friends. I don¡¯t want her struggling with this. We didn¡¯t do anything wrong. We are inside our own home, and with that, you believe that you have a certain level of privacy. I wrapped my arms around her and assured her, ¡°He didn¡¯t see much. He just knows we had s*x. He saw more of me than he did you. You were to the side, so he only saw your hip and legs. I will deal with the gate issue tomorrow.¡± I helped her down from the ind and pressed my lips to the top of her head as I wrapped my arms around her. I gave her some time to settle before sending her up to shower. Normally, I would go with her, but I needed to deal with a few things first before I came up. I¡¯ll be up soon, but I needed to make a call first. I had pulled my jeans back up, but I hadn¡¯t snapped them. I was about to take a shower with Ana, so there was no need for it. I grabbed my phone and walked to the wall of ss that Holden had just standing at. He had knocked over a small table at the end of our outdoor couch. It was still lying on its side. I noticed that one of the blinds on the back of his house was raised. He was probably watching me now. Let him. He lost, and I won. No one forced him to give Ana up; that was his own dumb idea. He can live with his mistakes. I called Mark, and he answered on the third ring, ¡°What¡¯s up, Charlie?¡± he asked. ¡°Ana and I just got home, and were in the middle of something, when I heard something outside. Apparently, Holden has decided to stalk Ana! I want the cameras checked, and any footage of him exported for today. I also want someone to check all the motion sensors that were tripped while we were in Italy. If you see him, export that as well. I¡¯m not going to allow him to just pop into our backyard whenever he wants to. Does your friend still have a business of those storage sheds? The ones that you can have built on your property?¡± I asked. ¡°He does,¡± Mark replied. All hint of teasing was gone from his voice now. ¡°I want the tallest building he makes, installed tomorrow if he can. Pay him with the credit card I have on file. I can see Holden now, peeking over here, and I want to block his ess. I don¡¯t want him to be able to look into our home. I will see about getting something installed on our windows, so he can¡¯t see us again, unless we want him to,¡± I responded. ¡°If we need to, we can have one of our men shadow you. I believe that you¡¯re safe in the house. I never thought Holden would be bold enough to move into the samemunity as you and Ana. He needs to stop before he esctes the situation even further. We will have to move carefully, as his family is just as powerful as yours. So we need to think before we move forward,¡± Mark answered. ¡°I¡¯m nning on speaking to him at his restaurant, if I need to. I¡¯m not going to bring Ana. She is upset at the thought of him watching us at such an intimate moment. I¡¯m going to go check on her now. I will let you know when the meeting will be. I would like you to go with me. I want Jon and Drew here with Ana to protect her while I¡¯m gone. I don¡¯t trust him at all. But I will warn him that he needs to stay away from her and from our home. I want us to both wear hidden cameras when we go. I don¡¯t trust him at all. So I want us both protected. He wants me out of the way. He isn¡¯t going to stop, unless I stop him,¡± I advised. ¡°See you tomorrow. I will put some thought into what we need to do next. I will call my friend for him toe out and build the storage shed,¡± Marked answered me before dropping the call. I waved at the raised blind and smiled when it dropped. I knew he was there. I just wanted him to know that I was aware he was watching me. Holden¡¯s not a criminal mastermind. He¡¯s just an obsessed businessman. I believe that a stern warning would be enough to get him to realize that he¡¯s gone too far. His behavior is getting extreme. He needs to realize that just because he wants her back doesn¡¯t mean that she is willing toe back. I quickly stripped off my clothes and entered the shower behind Ana. I wrapped my arms around her, and she turned towards me. Putting her own arms around me, hugging me back. We stood there for a few minutes, in the moment. Quietlyforting each other as we acknowledged that Holden was not going to back down. Neither of us had to say a word. He was only going to be more unpredictable and bold in his actions. His actions had taken away the spark we had when we returned home. I can¡¯t allow this to continue. He needs to be dealt with before he continues to spiral out of control. Chapter 76 Holden¡¯s POV I honestly hadn¡¯t known that they would be home. It was only four in the afternoon. I was just going to go check and see if her back door had been left unlocked. I wanted to see the inside of her home. How it was decorated, what she liked. I was going to take some pictures of her interior, that was all. Not only was the door locked, but that bastard had herid out across the ind in the kitchen. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. I never thought that I would get caught, let alone see them together like that. I hated seeing how she responded to him. I always thought Ana would be stiff in bed. That she would be a properdy in the bedroom, just waiting for it to be over with. I hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of her being so responsive to her lover. I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong about my assumptions. I could tell that they cared for each other. I could see it from here, and it caused my heart to ache. Her legs were wrapped around him, and they were so into each other that they never even noticed me standing there watching this y out. I wanted to rip the door off its hinges and force him to stop. Ana was never supposed to be his. He had no right to touch her like that at all, but Ana clearly had other ideas about that. I felt sick when I realized he wasn¡¯t using protection. I knew what he was doing. He wanted to get her pregnant, so they would be bound together forever. She might have married him, but there was no way in hell I was going to allow her to bear his child. I wanted to pound on the door, to make them stop, but I didn¡¯t want them to know I was here. Ana is already furious with me; I didn¡¯t want to piss her off even further. I wished I had been able to turn around and leave, but I couldn¡¯t look away. Now I know exactly how she felt when she caught me and Gretchen together. I felt a range of emotions at this moment, primarily rage, frustration, and pain. Rage at the fact that she was supposed to be with me. Ana was always meant to be mine. She was only supposed to want me, not him. So I got why she still had so much pain from my actions. She cared for me so much, and I ended up hurting her so badly. It didn¡¯t matter that it wasn¡¯t intentional. What mattered was that someone else was pounding into my woman like she belonged to him. I couldn¡¯t look away, even though seeing them together hurt me terribly. I finally understood what Ana had been telling me in the hospital, as I wish I could make them stop. I heard her cry out. She looked beautiful as she climaxed. She went over hard, and that made me want to kill him for taking what was always meant to be mine. He went over soon after. The jerk then bent over her, as her o****m slowed, and her legs stopped shaking. I knew they would see me, and I turned to leave. I never meant to knock that table over, but it was toote now. I had to get the hell out of here. As I went to slip through the gate, I turned back towards them. I was hoping against hope that they were so caught up in each other that they hadn¡¯t heard the table fall. I was about two hundred feet away from them now, but when I turned to look, they were both staring back at me. I locked my gate back and headed quickly inside. I should have known he would notice that stupid table fall. He was her bodyguard, of course, he would be alert to the noise I made. I headed up the stairs to my bedroom. I needed to see the aftermath as I looked through my blinds. He had helped her down and was kissing the top of her head. He acted like he loved her but that just isn¡¯t possible. It took me years to decide that what I felt for Ana wasn¡¯t an affection for a sister, but much more than that. I had fought against it for so long. All because I didn¡¯t like my parents, or hers, trying to force me into marrying her. I hade back to stop her from marrying Roger. I had already been trying to figure out a way to stop their wedding when it dropped into myp. I had recognized him from the engagement announcement. I hadn¡¯t known what I was about to capture at the time, but I was thrilled that they were done. I was hesitant to swoop in to be the hero. But Seth talked me into it. Everything was working out perfectly, until it wasn¡¯t. I had always thought that Ana was just upset about something small. Some slight that we had identally done to make her angry with us. We hadn¡¯t given it much thought. She had always deferred to Seth and me over the years. We both thought that all we had to do was cate her, and everything would go back to normal. Seth was furious with me once we learned why she was so pissed off. I have been trying to make amends, but Ana keeps shooting down all my efforts. She refused to talk it out. It wasn¡¯t fair that she just wrote me off like that. She needed to hear my side of it. But even I knew that my side of it wasn¡¯t really a defense for my actions. I knew it, and so did she. I can still see them together. Would I remember what I just saw forever? That has to be why she was so furious with me. Because she couldn¡¯t get that image out of her head. I get it now. I get why she had been so angry with me. I knew that he wasn¡¯t going to give my actions a pass. He¡¯s already had me arrested. I¡¯m certain that he is going toe after me. I need to be prepared. My corporate attorney suggested a personal attorney to me. I¡¯m not going to be going back to jail again. Her husband is much smarter than I gave him credit for. When my sister told me who he was, I was furious. He could have just said that at the beginning. Then I would have known who I was actually dealing with. He wasn¡¯t broke, and I had to tread more carefully because of it. He was ending his call, and I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to be calling the police. I was trying to figure out if I needed to stay home or go to my penthouse when he waved at me. As if he already knew I was watching him. I snapped the blinds closed and headed downstairs to grab my keys. I¡¯m not going to stay here. I already knew that he wasn¡¯t scared to engage with me. He¡¯s probably still smirking at me, threatening to buy hispany and fire him. I hated that the most. I hated that he knew who I was, but I hadpletely underestimated him. He wasn¡¯t any better than me, in any way. In fact, we were pretty much equal in wealth. He just didn¡¯t unt it like I did. I needed a release, and I needed a drink. I headed to the restaurant located in the lobby of the building where I used to live. Thankfully, I still have clothes here as well. I needed to drink, and maybe find a willing woman to help ease this ache. It¡¯s been less than a month and a half since I had s*x, but this is the longest dry spell I¡¯ve had since I was sixteen. I wished that I¡¯d seen more of Ana, but she had been basically covered. It was clear that they had barely made it inside their house before they couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. I scoffed and motioned for another drink. I had downed the first one, as if it were water. ¡°You¡¯re going to need to slow down, buddy. Maybe get some food in you,¡± the bartender advised. I ced a food order, just to get him to shut up. I didn¡¯t need his judgmental gaze on me. He passed me the second drink, and this time I sipped it. I just wanted to numb the pain. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you here,¡± my sister¡¯s voice came from behind me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked. Surprised that she had managed to get away from our parents. They had taken her car keys away. She was trapped at the house, so someone must havee to get her. I see Gretchen walking up, and groan. Of everyone in the city, they were thest two people I wanted to see. ¡°Easy, big guy, we were just checking on you. You seem upset,¡± Gretchen cooed at me. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, Gretchen. This was all your fault. You and Tiffany wanted to be with us so badly that you were both willing to hurt an innocent person. What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?¡± I asked. I honestly wanted to know. ¡°Stop whining, you didn¡¯t want her, Holden. If you did, you wouldn¡¯t have had s*x with me. You knew she wasing over; we all did. You know how excited she always got. If we knew that she wasing early, you should¡¯ve known too. She was like a golden retriever around you. So stop trying to me this on us. She wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Her taking off like that after your foot slipped showed that she wasn¡¯t strong enough to be with you,¡± Gretchen answered. ¡°Look, Holden, you slept around a lot. She wasn¡¯t going to allow that to happen once you got married. She¡¯s a good girl. Your marriage would have just ended in divorce. Our families would have been torn apart if that had happened. I did what needed to be done. Seth would have been the only one standing by your side, as he was doing the same thing you were. We both know that Reid Caldwell would have ruined us. So, I took one for the team,¡± Tiffany said with a shrug. ¡°Is that your ¡®official¡® statement. Because you told me that she was fat and didn¡¯t fit in before. So you¡¯re trying to act diplomatic, and throw me under the bus, instead of Ana now, right?¡± I asked. ¡°My attorney needed the narrative to change. That¡¯s what we came up with. He assured me that the earlier charges would be thrown out of court. But just in case, I wanted a night out, as I need to rx. I was hoping that you could let us hang out at your ce tonight. I no longer have my credit card. Daddy won¡¯t give it back, ¡°Tiffany said with a pout. I looked behind them and saw two men sitting at a table looking over at us. ¡°No, you can¡¯t use my home to have s*x. Go get a motel room. I¡¯m not going to be a part of whatever this is,¡± I replied before throwing a hundred on the bar. ¡°You can have the meal. I¡¯m no longer hungry.¡± ¡°Are youing to court tomorrow. I need support.¡± Tiffany called over as I headed to the exit. ¡°If I do, it won¡¯t be for you,¡± I replied over my shoulder, as I continued to walk away. Chapter 77 Ana¡¯s POV Today was the first day of court for my case against Tiffany, and it should be the easiest. I had plenty of proof against her. I know Tiffany. She never admits to any wrongdoing. She is going to show up, act innocent, and hope that the jury is filled with men. Yeah, good luck with that. Charlie was wearing ck dress pants and a ck button-up shirt, and he looked yummy. If we didn¡¯t have to be at court early, I would have taken him right back to bed after he got dressed. Jon and Drew picked us up in the SUV and drove us to the courthouse. I hadn¡¯t mentioned how nervous I was, but Charlie already knew. He held my hand in his and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. I wish he could sit next to me in court, but it would just be me and Rodney sitting at the table. Charlie assured me that they would be right behind me. He told me that Tiffany would never be able to get her hands on me again. Zera¡¯sshes fluttered, and she heard grunting soundsing from outside the bedroom. Daniel had offered her the bedroom for herfortst night. He told her he will stay in the living room and when she insisted; he told her the couch wasfortable, and that he hadid in there most days. She gave in and epted his offer of the bedroom. And after bathing and changing into the clothes he brought, she went to bed. Sleep didn¡¯te, her mind had no rest. She wanted to remember everything, but the more she tried, the harder it became. Daniel told her everything he knew about her. Her job, her son, her rtionship with Aaron and her family, and they created a sort of image in her mind but not an actual memory of them. She felt as if those memories were locked in a room and she needed a key to open it. It wasn¡¯t far away; she knew it, but needed a key, perhaps a click in her mind that would send them alling back. Also, judging from what Daniel told her about herself, she was very much human. At least, until thest time he saw her. She thought about the ident, what could have caused it and, most importantly, why she had energy as if she wasn¡¯t involved in one yesterday. The doctor had spoken about the mysterious disappearance of her wounds and also the presence of her strength. She knew the only ones with the answers were the ones she ran from at the hospit al and she couldn¡¯t trust them. The grunting noiseing from outside wasn¡¯t loud, but she had somehow heard it from her subconscious and woken up to the sound. She made her way out of the bedroom into the living room but found no trace of Daniel there. Then she opened the front door and stepped out and there Daniel was, far away, naked from the waist up and sword training in the cold. Her heart went out to him and she feared what being exposed to this weather could do to him, but she stayed silent. He trained as if he had don¡¯t this over a thousand times and she told herself she did not need to worry about him. She sat outside before the door and watched him train with all his might, moving swiftly with the de in his hand. It was impressive to watch and never in a million years would she have seen this side of Danieling, but here he was, a man of fast speed, endurance, and stamina. A part of her wanted to learn how to fight and how to be in control. She felt like she needed it, but another part knew that would be the death of her. She didn¡¯t possess the strength Daniel did, nor the zeal. She would die if she pushed herself this far. She would stick to running because whatever happened in thest few years of her life, which she couldn¡¯t remember, had given strength to her legs to run for miles and at a quick pace without getting tired. What had happened to Daniel had pushed him into this level of endearing training and perfection, but such hadn¡¯t happened to her yet. Maybe it had, and she couldn¡¯t remember. Daniel returned the de to its scabbard and made his way toward the house. Zera rose to her feet as she watched him draw closer. ¡°Daniel¡­ G good mornin¡­ ggg¡± she stuttered, her eyes staying focused on his face and not the other parts of his naked upper body. He must have seen her dilemma as he got close because he raised a brow. ¡°Zera, good morning. Why are you up so early?¡± ¡°You woke me up,¡± she mumbled, maintaining eye contact with him so she wouldn¡¯t sway her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± he gave her an apologetic look. ¡°Why are you out here in the cold practising? Isn¡¯t it harmful or something?¡± ¡°It is if you¡¯re not used to it. After three weeks of doing something constantly, it bes a part of you. So it¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± Zera didn¡¯t believe him, but he seemed to believe what he said and she had to let it go, ¡°Okay, as long as you¡¯re safe.¡± He smiled, and his warm brown eyes softened on hers. ¡°I am.¡± he patted her shoulder before walking in. ¡°what do you want for breakfast? ¡° She opened her mouth to say meat, but she snapped it shut. She couldn¡¯t request meat again, even though that¡¯s what she really wanted. That would make him suspicious of her and that was thest thing she wanted. He was the only one she could trust, the only one whose memory lingered in her brain even after everything, and she couldn¡¯t afford to have him think something was wrong with her. ¡°I¡¯ll have whatever you are having,¡± she answered, and they stepped into the house together. It was an hourter, and they were both bathed and in the kitchen while Daniel made egg sauce and potato. Zera sat at the counter, watching. He had put on his shirt, which was a good thing because she noticed one thing shecked now was control, and it took little things for her to snap and lose focus. ¡°Was he a good person?¡± She asked out of the blue, and Daniel stared at her with a narrowed brow. ¡°Who?¡± he asked, pouring the egg into the pan. ¡°Aaron,¡± she said, rifying her statement. She knew it was an odd question to ask since he was her ex and Aaron was her current boyfriend, but Daniel was the closest she had to a mirror with honesty. ¡°I know this is difficult to answer, but I really need to know.¡± He pressed his lips and thought about it for a minute. ¡°Yes, to the best of my knowledge.¡± he answered, stirring the pan for a bit before covering it up and turning to face her. ¡°I mean, I hated him, probably more than life, and still consider him a bastard. He got to have you and you were the girl of my dreams, so I hated him for that. But I still cannot deny how much he loves you. I saw you two together a few times, and he had nothing but adoration for you. He¡¯s also a good father to Zion.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± He shrugged, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be with a man that didn¡¯t love Zion as he deserves.¡± The grunting noiseing from outside wasn¡¯t loud, but she had somehow heard it from her subconscious and woken up to the sound. She made her way out of the bedroom into the living room but found no trace of Daniel there. Then she opened the front door and stepped out and there Daniel was, far away, naked from the waist up and sword training in the cold. Her heart went out to him and she feared what being exposed to this weather could do to him, but she stayed silent. He trained as if he had don¡¯t this over a thousand times and she told herself she did not need to worry about him. She sat outside before the door and watched him train with all his might, moving swiftly with the de in his hand. It was impressive to watch and never in a million years would she have seen this side of Danieling, but here he was, a man of fast speed, endurance, and stamina. A part of her wanted to learn how to fight and how to be in control. She felt like she needed it, but another part knew that would be the death of her. She didn¡¯t possess the strength Daniel did, nor the zeal. She would die if she pushed herself this far. She would stick to running because whatever happened in thest few years of her life, which she couldn¡¯t remember, had given strength to her legs to run for miles and at a quick pace without getting tired. What had happened to Daniel had pushed him into this level of endearing training and perfection, but such hadn¡¯t happened to her yet. Maybe it had, and she couldn¡¯t remember. Daniel returned the de to its scabbard and made his way toward the house. Zera rose to her feet as she watched him draw closer. ¡°Daniel¡­ G good mornin¡­ ggg¡± she stuttered, her eyes staying focused on his face and not the other parts of his naked upper body. He must have seen her dilemma as he got close because he raised a brow. ¡°Zera, good morning. Why are you up so early?¡± ¡°You woke me up,¡± she mumbled, maintaining eye contact with him so she wouldn¡¯t sway her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± he gave her an apologetic look. ¡°Why are you out here in the cold practising? Isn¡¯t it harmful or something?¡± ¡°It is if you¡¯re not used to it. After three weeks of doing something constantly, it bes a part of you. So it¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± Zera didn¡¯t believe him, but he seemed to believe what he said and she had to let it go, ¡°Okay, as long as you¡¯re safe.¡± He smiled, and his warm brown eyes softened on hers. ¡°I am.¡± he patted her shoulder before walking in. ¡°what do you want for breakfast? ¡° She opened her mouth to say meat, but she snapped it shut. She couldn¡¯t request meat again, even though that¡¯s what she really wanted. That would make him suspicious of her and that was thest thing she wanted. He was the only one she could trust, the only one whose memory lingered in her brain even after everything, and she couldn¡¯t afford to have him think something was wrong with her. As Rodney made his opening statements. I felt Tiffany¡¯s eyes on me. I looked over at her, and she was enraged. She thought I was just crying about being mistreated. She had no idea that I had proof, including doctors¡® reports, going back to the start of it. With eachment Rodney made, she became even angrier. Her attorney was trying to get her to calm down. Whether she was aware of it or not, she was being watched by a jury of her peers. She couldn¡¯t stop this now. Everyone in this room was going to hear what she had done. Chapter 78 Tiffany¡¯s POV Why is she bringing up the past? It was a freaking decade ago, and it wasn¡¯t even pertinent anymore. It was just a little bullying, not a big deal. I hadn¡¯t really done anything to her; it¡¯s water under the bridge, now. She can¡¯t use that against me anymore. I hadn¡¯t done enough to her for it to result in a damn trial. I thought this trial was just for the incident that happened at Holden¡¯s restaurant. There was no proof of what I¡¯d done, as I had wiped the evidence. It was aplete waste of time to bring us all here, but once it started, it would be over quickly. It would be her word against mine, but she had no proof. I have no idea what Ana is trying to do to me. But I won¡¯t just sit here and let her destroy my reputation because she¡¯s being a whiny little bitch. ¡°Maybe you two had issues before the ident and somewhere deep inside you know you¡¯re yet to resolve it? But you were happy with him. I know he wouldy his life on the line for you without thinking twice about it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your honesty, Daniel.¡± to an extent, she wished she could be this honest with him about everything, but she feared what that would mean. ¡°I wish I would just remember.¡± He turned the cooker off and stepped towards the centre counter where she sat. ¡°It¡¯s alright, you will remember. Everything is possible if you put your mind to it,¡± he told her. She wanted to remember things, and she had put her mind to it before falling asleepst night, but the saying had not worked for her yet. She still had a huge nk in her brain, and how she had memories of Daniel was still a mystery to her. ¡°I want to believe that¡¯s true.¡± She told him, sighing heavily. He said little after that before serving breakfast. They ate in silence and when she finished; she spoke. ¡°Thank you for breakfast and kind words. What are your ns for today?¡± ¡°Following the trail, I have had since the past week.¡± He answered and rose to his feet, picking up their tes and taking them into the kitchen. ¡°What trail? ¡° Pain shed in his eyes. ¡°Of the one responsible for the death of my mother. I think it¡¯s about time I settled that score.¡± The one responsible for the death of his mother was a werewolf, and she had also attacked and left him for dead. ¡°Killing her will not bring my mother back, but I would be happy to know a threat to the world has been taken care of. That¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s as deadly as you say, do you think you can take her alone?¡± Zera asked. ¡°I have to keep the fate that I can.¡± ¡°So where did the trail say she would be?¡± ¡°At the south park by three p.m., this is the only opening I¡¯ve had in days and I have to take and use it.¡± He reach for the towel beside the sink and wiped his hands with it after finishing. ¡°And when she¡¯s dead, what next?¡± He halt, he probably had no thought that far and now that he was, he didn¡¯t have the answer to the question. ¡°I guess I will return to my job of lecturing at Stanford University by day and hunting at night.¡± Daniel helped set the TV up since Zera would stay here while he was away and when he was about to leave, he informed her food was in the fridge and told her to make herself at home. At eleven a.m., Daniel left the house and Zera, seeing the opportunity, searched the freezer in search of meat. It was what her body wanted, but she found none there. Daniel must have cooked all he had yesterday. She still needed meat, and the craving grew to the peak that she couldn¡¯t control anymore and she had to leave the house. She picked Daniel¡¯s jacket from the hangar and shrugged it on before leaving the house. She wandered into the woods, not knowing where her legs took her, but not being able to stop it either way. She came to a stop and looked around, seeing nothing but grass and trees in the woods and wondering why she was there. Just then, she heard the sound from not so far away. She hurried in that direction. She stooped and found a white rabbit beside a tree on her right side, and the urge to feast on it took over her. In a second, she darted to it and caught it in her grasp. She tore at it, eating as if she was a food-starved beast. The hunger disappeared after she got her fill, and her senses returned. She stared at her hands covered in blood and she shook in fear and disgust. She threw up before she could stop herself, tears running down her face at what was happening to her. Why did she find delight in harming and killing this poor creature? Why did she find satisfaction? What sort of monster was she bing? She wiped her hands on the grass before her and rose to her feet, running from the spot and toward the house. She arrived in no time and made her way into the house and the bathroom. Daniel was still off fighting Nicole, and she was d because he wouldn¡¯t get to see her like this. She washed off the rest, bloodstains on her hands, and in the bathroom basin, and stared at herself in the mirror. She saw her mouth covered with blood like a monster in a horror story. Tears ran down her face and she sobbed for a while, then washed her mouth over and over to get the stain and the stench off her. She stared back at herself in the mirror. She looked neater than a few seconds ago, but she didn¡¯t feel any better. She could still smell the blood and she tore at the T-shirt she had on and tossed it onto the floor, leaving her naked from the waist up. She took off her trouser and walked into the shower. The water descended on her skin after she turns it on. She took the bar soap, rubbing it all over her body before washing it off. The dirt lingering on her skin came off, and the smell reduced. Then she returned to stare at herself in the mirror before the basin. She looked better and neater, and the stench had also reduced. This was good news. Just then, her eyes caught sight of the marking on the space between her neck and shoulder and her eyes narrowed. Her hand lifted to trail the mark that looked like the shape of fangs slowly, wondering how they got there. She hadn¡¯t noticed the mark since waking up and now that she had, she couldn¡¯t unsee it. She had noticed the healed fang mark on her right hand immediately after she woke and though she wondered what it was; she hadn¡¯t found an answer yet. This, however, was something else. It looked as if she had been bitten with the intention of leaving a mark, but why? What was the aim? What could have left such a mark? Whatever did, this wasn¡¯t human. Her breath hitched in her throat at the many thoughts running through her head and as she stared at herself, she saw her eyes transform from their blue orbs into a silver colour that she had never seen before. She stumbled back, hitting the wall, and just then she felt the snap. What she had seen was the key to unlocking her memories, and they came rushing back like a flood. She remembered everything and everyone¡¯s, every heartbreak and sad memory. The good times and times she had regrets for. She remembered the funeral and Nicole being there. She remembered Nicole telling her the truth and Aaron confirming it. She remembered the road and the crash. She remembered hearing Aaron¡¯s voice before cking into nothingness. It was a terrible crash, and she shouldn¡¯t have survived it. But she had, which meant something far from natural had happened. She had experienced the strength and speed of a supernatural being since waking and her increased sense of smell and craving. She had read all these while doing research in the past, and these traits only meant one thing. She was a werewolf. Her head banged at the truth and she held onto it as the pain increased and she wanted it to stop more than anything. Her hands grew bigger and veiny and her ws grew out. She groaned in pain and dropped to her knees and as the pain grew beyond her control; she screamed out. ¡°Zera!¡± she heard Daniel¡¯s panicked voice call from not far away. He heard her scream and already knew something was wrong. She panicked, knowing he would find her in this form if he came into the room and would kill her immediately. She wanted him to stay out or at least change back to her normal form, but that was impossible, not with her memories and the truthing into y. The door flung open and in came Daniel, ¡°Zera, are you alright?¡± He raced over to the floor where she was and tilted her face, only to see it glow, making him gasp aloud. He fell back and rose to his feet, his eyes filled with surprise. ¡°You¡¯re one of them.¡± I heard my mother sob, and turned to see my father wrapping his arms around her tofort her. But I noticed that they had moved. No one was sitting on my side anymore. My parents were now sitting behind the Caldwells. It was crystal clear that they were no longer supporting me. How can they do this to me? I¡¯m being humiliated, yet they¡¯re now supporting the one who¡¯s humiliating me. I¡¯m their daughter; they¡¯re supposed to protect me. How can they do this? I heard the door open and footsteps entering the room. I turned to see who entered, and my heart stopped. The three of them entering lets me know what her attorney was about to do. I need to put a stop to it, right now. Because even if Ana didn¡¯t have proof of what happened that day, they did. I wish I¡¯d left her alone. I just wanted to feel superior to her for once. I¡¯ve hated her since she arrived and took all their attention away. With this turn of events, I know Gretchen and I are in deep trouble. Chapter 79 Holden¡¯s POV I already knew that things were about to get worse. Gretchen just basically admitted that what Tiffany had been used of, she had actually done. I felt sick. We had asked them to help Ana, yet they both took the opportunity to hurt her as much as they could. Then tried to threaten her into silence. My mother was crying: she had held out hope for Tiffany. But I think Dad already suspected what had happened. I believe that¡¯s why he left her in jail until someone tipped off those reporters. Tiffany probably told Gretchen to do it because she wanted to get out of jail. I saw her face, and Tiffany was scared, which meant that things were going to get even worse for her. I knew who those guys were. They used to be jocks at our high school. The minute she saw them, she paled. What in the hell has she done? If she hurt Ana, I won¡¯t let her off. Dad already said that he would be cutting her offpletely if Tiffany were convicted. Mom was still thinking that she could still find Tiffany a husband. But I¡¯m not so sure that Tiffany is going to be able to dodge a conviction. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Grandville centre at the south of the state,¡± he answered, and it took Aaron back a little. ¡°That¡¯s almost out of the state. What do you think she would be looking for there?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with Daniel,¡± he replied, and Aaron¡¯s face paled up at his words. ¡°Daniel?¡± he echoed in confusion. ¡°I think she remembers him somehow and I think that¡¯s where she has been since she left the hospital.¡± Aaron wondered why Daniel, of all people, was the only one she remembered, but he was happy she was with him. Happy because if she had been with him since she left the hospital, then she hadn¡¯t had the time to mingle with others or had a reason to kill anyone. It meant her powers hadn¡¯t overridden her, and she was still in control. He also wondered if he had discovered what she was or if he was still in the dark about it. He wondered what his reaction would be when he did. He was human thest time he checked and might have little knowledge of who or what Zera now was. Daniel wasn¡¯t a bad guy from what he knew about him, he just didn¡¯t like him because Zera had a soft spot for him. ¡°Why Daniel?¡± he mumbled, more to himself than to Ivan. His brother who heard answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t get into her head anymore and so I can¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°We need to find her now.¡± He reached into the wardrobe and picked up his long ck coat from the hanger. He shrugged it on and turned to Ivan. ¡°Yes, we do. But we also need to inform the others.¡± ¡­ Lionel and Sesi were both passionately kissing while standing on the balcony of the house. ¡°From what I heard, Ivan is closing in on finding Zera,¡± she told him and heard his heart pick up in its beat. She had seen him miserable since Zera ran away from the hospital and the only way to take his mind from overthinking was by seducing him. She had to make herself the centre of his attention, and that distraction had worked so far. This news had also helped lighten his mood and knowing it wasn¡¯t false hope made her happy. ¡°You mean it?¡± he breathes against her mouth. She nodded, smiling, and she leaned in to take his lips between hers. ¡°Soon we will have her back.¡± Her hand glided down into his trouser to y with him slowly when their lips met, earning a thick moan from his mouth. ¡°You do know the bedroom was created for this sole purpose. Right?¡± Damor asked, making his presence known from not so far away. Without turning to her brother, who just interrupted, ¡°Or you can ignore it and walk away.¡± She said. Damor didn¡¯t seem to care that he had invaded their privacy because he spoke. ¡°Why should I be the one to ignore when you¡¯re the one overstepping boundaries?¡± he argued. Sesi sighed and pulled her hand out of Lionel¡¯s trousers before turning to Damor with her arms folded over her chest. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°From you, nothing. Aaron wants to have a word with us, which is the only reason I¡¯m here.¡± he said and walked away mumbling, ¡°and I¡¯m the annoying one.¡± Sesi turned with an apology to Lionel, and he nodded in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s okay, go. I will wait.¡± he leaned in and kissed her lips and she kissed back, before pulling away. ¡°Next time, it will be in the bedroom and with the doors shut,¡± she promised. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Sesi was thest to step into the study, and Aaron didn¡¯t look too pleased about that. ¡°Where were you?¡± She stayed quiet. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer, Sesi?¡± Damor asked, and she cast him a hard re before turning to face Aaron. ¡°I was with Lionel.¡± the displeasure in his eyes reduced and an understanding look sets in. ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°Getting better. Thank you. Damor called for me. He said you wanted to talk.¡± Aaron bobbed his head. ¡°Yes, we finally located Zera. Ivan informed me earlier, and I wanted to pass the news on to you two. We will set out to bring her home. Damor will be in charge of the pack, he will lead and tend to them until our return, and you will be in charge of Zion and the household. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t you think Lionel should be here in this meeting as well? She¡¯s his little sister, after all.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You can deliver the message to him. There¡¯s no reason to involve him.¡± Ivan and Aaron departed, taking the Ford car at Ivan¡¯s instruction. Aaron didn¡¯t see the need for them to take a car. They could race there faster, but Ivan told him this was the way, and he had to give in. He had no other choice. The most important thing for him right now was to find Zera. Two days without her felt like twenty years, and he couldn¡¯t wait to see her again. In her absence, he had kept his mind upied by reading up all he knew about Sages. This was his way of not being left wanting when he finally met her. They were supernatural being just like them, but with abilities and strength than any supernatural being has ever known. They were human and could blend and live amongst humans without being detected, because the full moon did not affect them. There were rarely ever Sages and there had been no record of one in thest hundred years. It took four hours to get to the south and Aaron surprised himself with the level of patience he possessed throughout the drive. He would get to see Zera in the end, so it was worth it to him. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± he asked as Ivan packed the car by the side of the road, which had no house or station close by. ¡°No, it¡¯s not, but I think it¡¯s best we use our legs from here on.¡± he opened the door and stepped out and without asking a question Aaron did the same. Ivan took a left turn after about ten minutes of walking. And not long after, there stood a cottage before them. Aaron¡¯s heartbeat res as he picked the scent that belong to none other than Zera. His whole being came to life, knowing he would get to see her¡­ Now¡­ The bedroom door opened and Aaron and Zera pulled away from the kiss and turned around to find the emotional Lionel in the bedroom. Zera rose to her feet and stepped forward, and there was a look of guilt on her face as she approached her brother. Aaron understood why he was emotional. He had lost Tia and not long after, almost lost her too. Even in his misery these past few days, he felt pity for Lionel. He smiled cheerfully, ¡°Hey, sis.¡± Tears ran down her face. ¡°Lionel,¡± she called out and threw her arms around him. He tightened his arms around her, and they stayed that way for another minute before pulling away. ¡°I am sorry I ran away from the hospital.¡± She hups, ¡°I never meant to make things difficult. I couldn¡¯t remember anything. I¡¯m sorry if I scared you.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand. You were afraid and confused. It happens to the best of us. I am d you¡¯re here now.¡± He pulled her into aforting hug. Everything was falling into ce and Aaron loved the feeling it brought. ¡­ ¡°Make love to me.¡± was thest word Zera offered after stepping back into the room and closing the door behind her. Her eyes glowed and the lust she felt for him red in her eyes. He had no choice but to obey. He watched her sleep. It was a sight he couldn¡¯t pass off. This was not a dream. This was the reality. She was alive and with him, the woman he loved. There was still so much more to discover, but he knew it would only get better. In the past hour, he had shown her just how much he missed her and reminded her just who she belonged to. Each kiss, each touch, every caress. Perfection. He would never tire of her, not now, not ever. She twirled in bed and a few secondster she sat down abruptly, and his arm around her dropped. He sighed in discontentment and he sat up as well, not liking the sudden change. ¡°Already changed your mind?¡± he asked, and the uncertainty in his voice came forth. ¡°I¡¯m never leaving again, Aaron. Unless you ask me to.¡± ¡°Never.¡± he leaned in and kissed her shoulder. She shivered at his kiss but didn¡¯t pull away. He kissed further up her shoulders to her neck when his mark was. She must have sensed the thought that almost crossed his mind because she asked. ¡°I am no longer human, am I?¡± He nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not. We were out of time and we weren¡¯t ready to let you go yet. I wasn¡¯t ready to let you go.¡± ¡°Will the ritual work now that I am a werewolf?¡± He stayed quiet, and she turned to stare at him with a narrowed gaze. ¡°You¡¯re not a werewolf, Zera.¡± Her eyes narrowed on his trying to find the humour, but she saw none. ¡°What am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a sage.¡± ¡°A sage. What is a sage?¡± Ana suffered for no reason, and my heart hurt for her. The other two men got up and basically said the same thing. Not verbatim, but close enough that we all knew that they were telling the truth. My mother looked horrified as more information eventually came out as to how it all worked out with two girls and three guys. My father looked like he had sucked on a lemon. I wanted to tear them all apart for not helping Ana. They were practically adults when the incident urred. They had no excuse. The worst part was that one of them, Greg, still had the video saved. yton and Michael had deleted theirs. It was good, for proof, but absolutely humiliating for Ana to have to sit through it. They pixted her important bits, but you could tell that she was naked when Tiffany ripped the towel off of her. Tiffany deserved to be punished for what she had done. Chapter 80 Ana¡¯s POV It was hard to listen to them speak. That moment was one of the most traumatic of my life. I¡¯d been scared that I was going to be vited that day. I think if any of them had shown any interest in wanting to have s*x with me, Tiffany and Gretchen would have helped them get that done. They would have liked nothing more than to try to ruin mepletely in Holden¡¯s eyes. The double standard was shocking, considering what Holden and Seth were doing in college. I doubt that I¡¯ll ever be able to get over it. It lingers in the back of my mind like a specter. I dread when those nightmares will return, but know in my heart they will. The fun isn¡¯t over yet, as I will have to take the stand myself. I will have to speak out about what she did. I already know that I will have to look at Charlie while I do that. I know that my parents and Tiffany¡¯s are going to be crushed by what I have to say. Rodney coached me. Zera returned from putting Zion to bed like she had promised to and found Aaron seated quietly in bed facing the other side and deep in thought. She didn¡¯t step away from the door, and neither did she make him know she was watching him. She stayed that way for a while. The happening had left him so lost in thought he didn¡¯t even notice her presence. After a few minutes passed in silence; she stepped further into the room. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He snapped out of his thought and turned to look at her, his eyes flickering. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°For a while now,¡± she answered before asking again, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Thest crimson moon is a week away, hun,¡± he told her, stretching his hand out to her, and she moved into it. They had first thought the ident and being a sage would ruin the ritual, but Ivan had embarked on a search for answers. He found out it didn¡¯t ruin the ritual and instead reduce the amount of risk that would be involved for her. It seemed fate had yed its card this time in their favour. The crimson moon, which was six weeks away from the Luna eclipse, drew closer and everything was in ce. At least that¡¯s what she thought untilst week and though they navigated through it, it got harder with the passing day. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel and I just received words that more than half of the pack members have deserted the pack estate in thest week.¡± It was getting worse than expected. She thought to herself. ¡°They believe safety isn¡¯t close and I can¡¯t me them. Theo had proved that they weren¡¯t safe in their territory, and they had decided to seek safety elsewhere. Nowhere is safe, though.¡± Despite Zera being back, her presence was kept a secret from everyone who wasn¡¯t her family. Even Diya had heard nothing from her in weeks, but somehow alpha Theo found out. He began issuing death threats to the Dominio pack, as well as terrorising other members of the pack at their ce of work and school. Last week, they received news that about three other packs had joined forces with the alpha Theo to take out the Dominio pack. The rebellion pack increased with every passing day while they decreased. He rose to his feet, holding her hands in his. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you will need it, but you have to train. We have a week and it should be enough with practice and dedication.¡± ¡°You said I have no weaknesses.¡± She reminded him of the same words he used a week ago when he told her who she was. He released her hands and ced his hands on her shoulders. ¡°None that we know of, but the rebellion pack would stop at nothing to destroy this ritual, and they wille for you. I will protect you with everything I have, but you need to be strong.¡± He looked terrified, but not for himself. ¡°Fine, who will train me then?¡± ¡°Me,¡± he answered. ¡°No.¡± she refused. His hands dropped from her shoulder. ¡°No?¡± ¡°If I need to train and control my power in such a short time, then I need someone who would train me without holding back.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡± ¡°Yes, Daniel.¡± ¡°No,¡± was the single word that left his mouth, and he stepped away from her. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°No? You suggested I train.¡± ¡°Yes, I said train, not get yourself killed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing.¡± She denied. ¡°Daniel might be a nice guy, but he¡¯s also a hunter. His first goal is to kill, and he will if he gets the chance.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t get the chance.¡± Ivan, who had kept a close watch on Daniel¡¯s activities amongst other things in thest week, pushed the boundaries and teleported Daniel from the south into the pack estate at Zera¡¯s request. He, just like Aaron, believed it was madness to make him train Zera, but he couldn¡¯t object to it. He told them the remaining pack members would leave when they discover a hunter had been brought into the pack estate and so Zera told him to tell no one else. Then she asked him to ce a barrier around the estate that would not allow Daniel to cross certain territories. Daniel, as expected, was furious when he realised where he was and who had brought him there, and his anger was murderous. ¡°Why am I here?¡± he shouted, turning around in the open field of the Dominio pack estate territory. ¡°You¡¯re in the pack estate.¡± She said, stepping into the field. He turned to face her. ¡°Do you know what I was doing before I was zapped here?¡± ¡°You were training. Ivan told me.¡± His anger red at her response. ¡°Has he been watching me?¡± Zera didn¡¯t lie or try to deny it. Ivan had told her he had his eyes on Daniel sinceing for her a week ago. He told her he wanted to look out for the Dominio pack, but she figured he might have done that because he cared about him more than he let on. ¡°Yes, he has a soft spot for you and wanted to keep an eye on you. Ivan is caring like that and that¡¯s why he brought you here, so you can train with me.¡± ¡°Why would I want to be here and train with you? And why would you want that?¡± he demanded, seeing how serious she looked. ¡°Because I need you and I will be honest with you.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the only one who will train me without holding back. If you know anything about a werewolf pack, then you would know that it needs members to be even considered a pack. Aaron¡¯s pack is losing its member with each passing day and the lesser we be, the more vulnerable we will be.¡± ¡°Why should I help you?¡± he demanded. ¡°I was trained to hunt and kill your kind, not help them.¡± ¡°I know that, but helping us brings you one step closer to what you want the most. Nicole.¡± His teeth clench at her words. ¡°What do you know about Nicole?¡± ¡°I know she had a hand in Tia¡¯s death and I know she had a hand in the ident that brought me to this point. I also know she has sided with the rebellion pack, a sworn enemy of the Dominio pack. Helping me would mean helping the pack, and that would bring Nicole to you in the end.¡± ¡°Why should I trust you now?¡± ¡°I would never lie to you.¡± ¡°You brought me without my sword and dagger!¡± he told her, still furious. ¡°For all I know, this could be a trap!¡± ¡°They are all here.¡± She answered and moved away to reveal Ivan behind her. He stepped up towards them, holding Daniel¡¯s sword and dagger in his hands. At his sight, Daniel¡¯s hands balled into a fist and his teeth clenched. ¡°You have no right to touch those.¡± he stormed forward and yanked them out of Ivan¡¯s grip. He pulled his sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Ivan, who just stared at him. ¡°You¡¯ve been watching me?¡± Ivan nced at her, and Daniel snapped. ¡°You look at me when I¡¯m talking to you! Why have you been watching me?¡± ¡°Because just like Zera, you¡¯re thest of your kind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Pedro is a hunter,¡± he argued. Pedro was the hunter who trained him and all he knew. He never told her his name, but from the look on his face, she could tell. ¡°He was.¡± Ivan corrected and Daniel¡¯s face paled. ¡°Hunters are being hunted and going extinct all over the. You¡¯re the veryst of them. Those who we are up against kill him just like they did your mother and Zera¡¯s sister. If you¡¯re angry, that¡¯s good. Use that anger and train her to control her powers. And when the rebellion pack attacks, we will be ready enough to defend ourselves and to put up a fight.¡± ¡°Which do you consider necessary at this moment?¡± Zera spoke and his eyes flew to her. ¡°Your hunter¡¯s code, or getting vengeance for your mother?¡± Zera returned from putting Zion to bed like she had promised to and found Aaron seated quietly in bed facing the other side and deep in thought. She didn¡¯t step away from the door, and neither did she make him know she was watching him. She stayed that way for a while. The happening had left him so lost in thought he didn¡¯t even notice her presence. After a few minutes passed in silence; she stepped further into the room. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He snapped out of his thought and turned to look at her, his eyes flickering. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°For a while now,¡± she answered before asking again, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Thest crimson moon is a week away, hun,¡± he told her, stretching his hand out to her, and she moved into it. They had first thought the ident and being a sage would ruin the ritual, but Ivan had embarked on a search for answers. He found out it didn¡¯t ruin the ritual and instead reduce the amount of risk that would be involved for her. It seemed fate had yed its card this time in their favour. The crimson moon, which was six weeks away from the Luna eclipse, drew closer and everything was in ce. At least that¡¯s what she thought untilst week and though they navigated through it, it got harder with the passing day. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel and I just received words that more than half of the pack members have deserted the pack estate in thest week.¡± It was getting worse than expected. She thought to herself. ¡°They believe safety isn¡¯t close and I can¡¯t me them. Theo had proved that they weren¡¯t safe in their territory, and they had decided to seek safety elsewhere. Nowhere is safe, though.¡± Heather looked stunned as she was led away. She wasn¡¯t handcuffed like Gretchen. She just quietly allowed them to lead her out of the back door of the courtroom. I took a deep, calming breath. I knew what was about to happen now. ¡°Your honor, I want to call Ana Caldwell Billingsley to the stand,¡± Rodney announced. I stood up, and the entire room silent as I walked over to be sworn in. Chapter 81 Tiffany¡¯s POV I looked at my attorney, giving him a pressing look. He needed to pay attention so he could get her to fold. Ana has always backed down when I applied pressure. I know she will again; he just needs to be smart about it. I¡¯m not going to prison, no matter what Ana wants. She needs to calm the f**k down and shut up. This was it. He needed to make notes, so he could tear about her ount of things. I haven¡¯t looked back at my parents since the guys were up there testifying. Everything waspletely falling apart. No wonder she pushed this; she waspletely prepared. Just like in school, she always had everything so perfectly worked out. Always handed in her reports early. Always got perfect scores. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand why I hated her. She didn¡¯t even try to make me look bad, yet she always did. That was the worst part of it all; she wasn¡¯t even trying to do it, it just happened. She was naturally gifted. I eventually gave up trying to best her. Despite her being a year younger than me, her talent was evident. My parents praised her for everything she did, big or small. When I finally got the best of her, I was thrilled. I wanted her punishment to carry on, even after I graduated. I had made deals, even more deals than they knew about, and I stand by them. An deserved what she got, and I would do it all over again if I could. I would just n it out better. I saw how her parents, and mine, had reacted to her weight gain. They were disappointed in her. I managed to twist it around and im that she was just ming me and Holden because she was angry about gaining weight. They all believed me, and that only ended up pissing Ana off even more. I had already told my attorney to mention that she had gained weight because of her jealousy of me. That I had done nothing wrong, but she always looked for a way to try to pin things on me. Now we will have to take a different route. That¡¯s not going to work anymore. I was going to have to listen to what she had and try to find something that I could pick apart. She¡¯s already got Gretchen and Heather in trouble. I need her to appear as if she had lied, too. There has to be some way to make her look bad. I¡¯m not going down alone. I have to admit that I¡¯m much less confident now than I was before. I hadn¡¯t realized that she had so much evidence against me. I know that she has some more surprises in store for me, and my heart is racing. This is likely to make me look even worse, although I¡¯m not sure how that would work. I took a quick nce over at the jury while Ana was being sworn in. They were all staring at me. Some are angrier than others. The foreman, a middle¨Caged, heavyset female, was clearly the angriest of them all. Ana was now seated and looking at her Attorney, waiting for him to begin. He didn¡¯t speak for a minute; they seemed to be wordlesslymunicating. He finally spoke, ¡°I know this is tough for you to go through. But could you tell us in your own words, why you brought this to trial after ten years had passed?¡± ¡°At first, I stayed quiet about it because I was being threatened,¡± Ana started to say. My Attorney quickly jumped out of his chair and cried out, ¡°Objection, facts not in evidence.¡± Good, he¡¯s finally doing something to stop her. ¡°Your honor, I have evidence to support. I was just wanting my client to give us some background on what she experienced. However, we can present the evidence at this time. I can let Ana go through it, piece by piece, before I let her give her reasons why we¡¯re here today,¡± Rodney answered. What evidence is he talking about? Is it possible that she has my text messages? Why would she keep them? This had to have been her n all along to one daye after me and get me back for what I had done to her. If she has what I think she has, my parents will never forgive me. I¡¯m going to lose everything. I can¡¯t let that happen, or I¡¯m finished. ¡°Counselor Stevens, the evidence was submitted weeks ago. You¡¯ve had this whole time to look at it and have it verified. Why you didn¡¯t take advantage of doing just that is anyone¡¯s guess. You can continue to speak, Mrs. Billingsley,¡± the judge advised. I know why he didn¡¯t check out what they submitted. He had believed me when I downyed it as regr teenage issues. I thought I had deleted the more recent incident, so I thought she had nothing. But my father is paying him for results. He should have checked instead of listening to me. He should have assumed that she might have something that could be used against me. That was on him, as he¡¯s being well paid to provide me with some kind of defense. ¡°The abuse stopped when I went off to college. I made friends who cared about me and stood by me. But thosest two years of high school scarred me for life. At first, I stayed quiet because I was scared of what Tiffany would do if I actually spoke out. She is vicious. I didn¡¯t want to suffer even more by trying to defend myself. The second reason, and really, it¡¯s the reason I never said anything, was to protect my parents and the Vaughns. They have been best friends since before I was born. Tiffany reminded me quite often that if I spoke out, it would destroy their friendship,¡± Ana replied. ¡°That¡¯s a lie. I never threatened you,¡± I cried out. She is trying to destroy me, and I won¡¯t sit here and let her do that. ¡°Ms. Vaughn, you will have your chance to speak after Mrs. Billingsley gives her testimony. Do not disrupt her testimony again. Your attorney will have a chance to question the witness soon,¡± the judge advised. ¡°You alleged that Tiffany threatened you. Do you have proof of that?¡± her attorney asked. This was it, where I found out if Ana had evidence or not. She might have a little, but I doubt it will be enough to prove anything. This happened a decade ago. What are the odds? ¡°I do. I couldn¡¯t speak out about it at the time. So I just documented it. I saved her vicious texts. I waited. I didn¡¯t want to be the one who destroyed my parents¡® friendship. My brother was best friends with her brother, Holden. It would have torn our families apart, so I just bore the abuse myself and waited to go to college. I made sure to avoid Tiffany and Holden for the next ten years as much as I could. My parents wanted me to pretend that I was happy to be around them. They pretended that myplete one¨Ceighty was because of some kind of petty slight I¡¯d received. That¡¯s the narrative that Tiffany gave them, and they grabbed onto it with both hands. They tried to force me to act like I wasfortable around them, but I wasn¡¯t. I will probably never befortable around Tiffany or Gretchen, ever again,¡± Ana replied. ¡°So, can you tell me what brought us here today, after you worked so hard to keep the peace between your families?¡± her attorney asked. ¡°During a forced reconnect, my father demanded I show up for a family dinner at Holden¡¯s restaurant. I showed up, as requested, but was upset to see Tiffany and Gretchen had also been invited there. They were not happy to see me. Angry for perceived slights and for keeping them from getting their dream jobs at Fashion Forward. They didn¡¯t get the jobs they wanted because they weren¡¯t qualified for them. Instead of learning more about what it takes to get the jobs they wanted, they preferred to me me for being denied. That night, I left my bodyguards behind to go use the restroom. I hired them because I knew I needed them with a separatesue I was having. I¡¯m thankful I hired them. They got me to the hospital and got me treatment quickly. They also helped me be prepared for confrontations. Which was how I was able to record the audio of what happened to me inside the bathroom,¡± Ana replied. I knew it was her, but hearing that she was prepared for us toe after her makes me furious, isn¡¯t that entrapment? She set us up. Her refusal to back down was why I went so far that night. If she had just taken her punishment and apologized, like she used to, nothing else would have happened. Instead, she pushed us Did she honestly think that I was just going to let that go? She knows better than that. That beh set me up. Next time, I¡¯m going to make sure that I have an iron¨Cd alibi. She won¡¯t be getting off so easily the next time Ie for her. ¡°That was the night a month ago?¡± Rodney asked. ¡°Yes. The footage had been deleted from the system, but it was an amateur job. It was able to be restored and burned as evidence,¡± Ana answered. I had to bite the inside of my cheek. Thatment was intentional. She knew I had deleted it and was trying to shame me. I have to admit it looked bad. We left that bathroomughing, and she was carried out a short timeter, a bloody mess. Even her bodyguard had a lot of blood on him. I wished I¡¯d hurt her even worse now. I was already in trouble; I should have made it worthwhile. I never expected to be on trial for assault, or for what we did so long ago. How is he going to get that to stick? It¡¯s been a decade. My attorney assured me that, regardless of what I had done, she had no recourse. Other than trying to make me look bad. There had been no point, other than that. ¡°So, that was the reason? Her assaulting you in a restroom less than fifty feet from where not just your family was seated, but her own family as well? She must have been very confident in the fact that she believed that you would continue to keep her secret,¡± Rodney asked. ¡°She was, as she mentioned it that night, and reminded me to keep my mouth shut. But I had had enough of listening to her. She¡¯s just a bully. The only thing she has going for her is her appearance. She¡¯s beautiful, but it hides how vicious she is on the inside. She goes around pretending to be innocent and kind, when in fact she is far from either. If she had applied her deviousness to other things, like finding out what she wants to do. She could have gone far. Instead, she let her anger and jealousy over something I couldn¡¯t control destroy her. I didn¡¯t plot or try to take attention away from her. She was a year older than me. Her parents adored her, as did mine. It was the very reason they listened to her when she twisted everything around to them,¡± Ana replied. ¡°That¡¯s a lie. They were wrapped around your fingers, not mine. Stop lying. You¡¯re under oath,¡± Tiffany eximed. Chapter 82 Holden¡¯s POV The testimony was hard to watch. Tiffany was losing it, and she refused to see that Ana was right in doing this. I was the one who was actually forgotten when Tiffany was born. They adored her, as did the Caldwells. They spoiled her so much. Ana was loved from the moment she arrived, but they still got Tiffany something every time they got something for Ana. Tiffany just has a selective memory with this. She was the one that they doted on the most, not Ana. But clearly she didn¡¯t think that was the case. Or maybe she just wanted all their attention, and none for Ana. Which was a possibility as well. Tiffany was at pick me from before anyone even knew what that was. Our parents shouldn¡¯t have encouraged it like they did. I nced over at them, and I could see the pain on their faces. I can see that they are now both realizing that they enabled her too much. They¡¯re the reason she went this far, and they felt sick about it. Tiffany¡¯s sudden outburst didn¡¯t help matters. The full moon rose over ckwood Forest, casting its silver glow on the silent trees. Elena¡¯s heart pounded as she clutched the silver dagger in her hand. She had been warned¡ªmany times¡ªnever to betray the pack. But ambition had whispered louder than loyalty, and now, her choice could not be undone. Weeks earlier, Elena had struck a secret deal with hunters. If she revealed the pack¡¯s hiding ce, they promised her freedom from the curse and a new life among humans. She thought she was clever. She thought she was strong enough to outsmart both wolves and men. But betrayal has a way of circling back. The hunters had lied. Instead of releasing her, they had chained her, forcing her to watch as they set traps for her family¡ªthe wolves she had once run with,ughed with, bled with. One by one, she heard their howls turn into screams, echoing through the forest. When the chains finally broke loose, Elena ran. Her wolf side tore through the woods, desperate to save what remained. She found them¡ªher Alpha lying lifeless, her pack scattered, their blood staining the earth. Her knees buckled. The dagger slipped from her hand. In the distance, the hunters retreated, their workplete. And Elena was left in the ruins of what she had destroyed with her own greed. A low growl rose in her throat, but it was drowned by the crushing weight of guilt. She shifted back, tears streaming down her human face. She wanted to scream, to beg, to undo it all. But no one was left to hear her. And in that moment, Elena realized the cruel truth of her choice: It was toote to regret. The night was unnaturally quiet in ckwood Forest. Not a single owl hooted, not a leaf stirred. The silence pressed down on Elena¡¯s chest like a warning¡ªbut she ignored it. She tightened the cloak around her shoulders and walked faster, clutching the pouch of coins the hunters had given her. ¡°This is it,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°My way out.¡± For years she had served the pack¡ªfighting, hunting, enduring the endless bloodshed that came with being a wolf. But deep inside, Elena had always wanted more. Freedom. A life without the curse. The hunters promised her exactly that. All she had to do was betray her Alpha¡¯s trust. She told herself it was fair. She told herself she had no choice. But when the hunters¡¯ traps snapped shut around her pack that night, Elena¡¯s chest tightened with something far heavier than fear. She heard the Alpha¡¯s roar, full of pain and disbelief. She smelled the blood of wolves she had grown up with, staining the earth. The pouch of coins slipped from her fingers, spilling into the mud. ¡°What have I done?¡± she whispered, but her voice was lost in the chaos. When the moon reached its peak, Elena realized there was no turning back. She had delivered her family into the hands of their enemies. And the hunters¡ªsmiling in the shadows¡ªhad no intention of keeping their promises. Her heart shattered with the truth: It was already toote to regret. Yes. For those that the hotel can¡¯t room we will have them here. We should be able to make room,¡± Exined Colt. ¡°Sloane we need to get busy preparing everything,¡± I told her. ¡°Mathew, Melissa I am going to need your help with figuring out the best way to approach this with the Alphas,¡± Colt said. ¡°Not a problem,¡± My dad said. ¡°Does anyone else have any thoughts on anything?¡± Colt asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be as we n this,¡± Mac said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we call it a day and Mathew and Melissa we can meet tomorrow and get started.¡± ¡°Sloane we can start tomorrow as well. Noon my office.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sloane said as we got up to leave. It wasn¡¯t even dinner time but I was exhausted and could really use a nap. We walked upstairs to our room where Iid Callen down and took my pants off and crawled under the covers. ¡°Princess, are you tired?¡± ¡°Exhausted, want to join me for a nap?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He took his pants off and his shirt and quickly crawled into bed and pulled me to him. It didn¡¯t take long for both of us to be sound asleep. I don¡¯t know how long we had slept, not nearly long enough when Callen started crying. I groaned and started to get up. ¡°Sleep princess, I know you are still recovering. I will take care of him,¡± he said and got out of bed. This man was literally a godsend to me. He really took care of me and Callen and did it withoutints. ¡°Thank you, love,¡± I told him rolling back over and going right back to sleep. When I woke up from my nap I got out of bed and walked out to the living room and found that he had fallen back asleep holding Callen on the couch who was awake but seemed content right now. Since he was not fussing right now I was going to take this chance and get in the bath. I quietly slipped into the bathroom shutting the door as softly as I could. I turned the water on and filled the bathtub. ¡°How are you girls holding up?¡± I linked my wolves. They have been quiet since having Callen. ¡°We are good. We just wanted to give you time with your mate and our beautiful pup,¡± Jade linked back. ¡°He is beautiful isn¡¯t he,¡± Storm said. ¡°I sure think he is,¡± I told them both. ¡°We could go for a run, however. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been out and we can now,¡± Jade said. ¡°Yes, I will see if maybe my dad and Melissa want to watch him for an hour or two so you girls can get out,¡± I told them. ¡°Oh yes please we need it,¡± Storm said. ¡°Hey, dad would you and Melissa be willing to watch Callen for like two hours so my wolves can run? It¡¯s been a while since they were able to get out.¡± I mind-linked him. ¡°I would love to watch my grandson. You never have to ask we will always watch him,¡± he linked back. ¡°Thank you, it will be after dinner.¡± ¡°We will see you then.¡± I cut my link with him and just enjoyed the hot water. I had added some bubble bath and I had bubbles going over the edge but I didn¡¯t care. I would deal with the messter. Iid back and just closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t hear Colt open the door. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± He asked and tried to refrain fromughing. ¡°Taking the most amazing bath of my life,¡± I told him without even opening my eyes. ¡°Looks like it, do you want somepany?¡± he asked. I turned the shower on and stripped out of my nasty pajamas. I felt like a milk cow that was failing at her job. I was struggling to nurse him and am not sure why. ¡°Lex, you are doing an amazing job. Our pup is doing amazing. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,¡± Jade linked me. ¡°I know. I just didn¡¯t know how hard being a mom is,¡± I linked back. ¡°Well, you are the best mom ever,¡± Storm linked to me. They sure knew how to make me feel better. I cut my link and stepped under the hot water and it felt amazing but I didn¡¯t have a lot of time. I washed quickly and got out. I rushed to get dressed and ran a brush through my hair. I walked out into the pur living room and found Colt singing to our son and it was really the sweetest thing. ¡°Are you boys ready?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Princess we are.¡± We headed down to his office. We were meeting with my dad and Melissa and Mac and Liam. We were going to discuss what we all thought was the right way to approach the council. As soon as my dad walked in he came over and took Callen from me. He took any chance he could get to hold him. He was the best grandpa ever. We all sat down and Melissa pulled out a bunch of papers and some books. ¡°Ok we need toe up with a n to approach the council,¡± Colter said. ¡°This could be hard. We are going to need more on our side than just us,¡± My dad said. ¡°Ya but how are we going to do that, most people don¡¯t even know you exist,¡± I said. ¡°Then we tell them. We teach them about the history they never learned,¡± Melissa said. ¡°Again how do we teach them that?¡± I asked. ¡°Well we need to get them all in one location,¡± Melissa said. ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done,¡± Colt said sounding frustrated. ¡°Do we know how many packs were talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°A couple hundred if not more and that¡¯s just the states,¡± Colted said. ¡°What if we held an Alphas meeting and invited them for a meeting and a ball and have the council show up the day after the meeting and anyone who is with us can attend the meeting with the council and the third day we can hold a ball,¡± I suggested. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea but where do we hold this? We can¡¯t house that many people,¡± Colt said. ¡°The hotel in town can,¡± Mac said. ¡°This may work,¡± My dad said. ¡°We have to see how many the hotel can amodate and we need to see how big of meeting rooms they have. We will also have to provide daycare for those with young pups.¡± Colt said. ¡°We can do all of that,¡± I said and just as I finished Callen started to fuss. I am sure he is hungry. I walked over to my dad and took him. I walked over to the couch and sat down to feed him. I covered myself and hetched on and it had tears in my eyes. It was like this every time and I had yet to figure out why. Colt looked over at me and I could see the sympathy in his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t break for a bit ande back in an hour,¡± He said. Sloane looked back at me and saw me crying and was at my side. ¡°Lex, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked me. ¡°How did you get past the pain of nursing?¡± Chapter 83 Ana¡¯s POV Thank God for Charlie. He always knows how to calm me down. Lunch was nice. We had lunch with his grandparents and mother at their restaurant. I had found out that Charlie had asked them not toe. He knew that this trial was humiliating for me, and he didn¡¯t want to make a hard situation even harder. He knew I would worry about their opinion of me, so he exined why he hadn¡¯t wanted them there. It was another reason I loved his family. They already loved me and had weed me with open arms from the first time we met. Charlie hadn¡¯t wanted to add to my stress over the situation. They assured me that their love for me would never waver. All three of them had assured me that no matter what, I would never need to doubt how they felt about me. They also pointed out that I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Charlie had given them the gist of things. ¡°Of course Princess.¡± I handed him Callen and went to our bathroom while he went to the other bathroom to bathe him. I turned the shower on and stripped out of my nasty pajamas. I felt like a milk cow that was failing at her job. I was struggling to nurse him and am not sure why. ¡°Lex, you are doing an amazing job. Our pup is doing amazing. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,¡± Jade linked me. ¡°I know. I just didn¡¯t know how hard being a mom is,¡± I linked back. ¡°Well, you are the best mom ever,¡± Storm linked to me. They sure knew how to make me feel better. I cut my link and stepped under the hot water and it felt amazing but I didn¡¯t have a lot of time. I washed quickly and got out. I rushed to get dressed and ran a brush through my hair. I walked out into the pur living room and found Colt singing to our son and it was really the sweetest thing. ¡°Are you boys ready?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Princess we are.¡± We headed down to his office. We were meeting with my dad and Melissa and Mac and Liam. We were going to discuss what we all thought was the right way to approach the council. As soon as my dad walked in he came over and took Callen from me. He took any chance he could get to hold him. He was the best grandpa ever. We all sat down and Melissa pulled out a bunch of papers and some books. ¡°Ok we need toe up with a n to approach the council,¡± Colter said. ¡°This could be hard. We are going to need more on our side than just us,¡± My dad said. ¡°Ya but how are we going to do that, most people don¡¯t even know you exist,¡± I said. ¡°Then we tell them. We teach them about the history they never learned,¡± Melissa said. ¡°Again how do we teach them that?¡± I asked. ¡°Well we need to get them all in one location,¡± Melissa said. ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done,¡± Colt said sounding frustrated. ¡°Do we know how many packs were talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°A couple hundred if not more and that¡¯s just the states,¡± Colted said. ¡°What if we held an Alphas meeting and invited them for a meeting and a ball and have the council show up the day after the meeting and anyone who is with us can attend the meeting with the council and the third day we can hold a ball,¡± I suggested. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea but where do we hold this? We can¡¯t house that many people,¡± Colt said. ¡°The hotel in town can,¡± Mac said. ¡°This may work,¡± My dad said. ¡°We have to see how many the hotel can amodate and we need to see how big of meeting rooms they have. We will also have to provide daycare for those with young pups.¡± Colt said. ¡°We can do all of that,¡± I said and just as I finished Callen started to fuss. I am sure he is hungry. I walked over to my dad and took him. I walked over to the couch and sat down to feed him. I covered myself and hetched on and it had tears in my eyes. It was like this every time and I had yet to figure out why. Colt looked over at me and I could see the sympathy in his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t break for a bit ande back in an hour,¡± He said. Sloane looked back at me and saw me crying and was at my side. ¡°Lex, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked me. ¡°How did you get past the pain of nursing?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t hurt. If it hurts that bad something is wrong. You need to see the doctor she can help.¡± ¡°Thank you, I thought I was just being a baby about it.¡± ¡°Come on Princess. We¡¯re going to the doctor¡¯s. I just mind-linked her,¡± Colt said. ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked him confused. ¡°I could hear your conversation.¡± I just smiled at him and pulled Callen off me and it was like instant relief. I put myself back together as Colt took Callen from me. We walked to the hospital and Colt took me to a room and we waited a few minutes for the doctor toe in. ¡°Hello Luna Alpha, I hear you are having problems nursing. What to exin what is going on?¡± The doctor asked as she came in. ¡°It hurts. Like brings me to tears every time and he seems to want to eat all the time.¡± ¡°Can I see how hetches on?¡± She asked. Colt handed me Callen and I let my boob flop out. You could see Colt was a little ufortable but wasn¡¯t saying a word. I brought Callen up and hetched right on and I wanted to cry. She moved his head around some and my boob. ¡°Ok let me take a look at him now.¡± I pulled him off and was filled with instant relief but he cried. He wasn¡¯t done. She did a quick exam on him and got his weight. ¡°Ok, guys I think there¡¯s a few things going on. He istching correctly but I think it¡¯s just a very strongtch which can be painful. I also don¡¯t know that he is getting enough to eat and that¡¯s why he is eating so much. He is gaining weight but not where I would like. I want you to supplement with form for a while.¡± ¡°What would happen if I stopped nursing and went to form?¡± I asked her. ¡°Nothing. He would be just as happy and healthy as he is now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore. It just hurts and his strongtch isn¡¯t going to just get weaker.¡± ¡°No, but you could adjust or it may continue to hurt. There¡¯s no way to know.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Colt said and the doctor left. As soon as the door shut I broke down crying. Nursing was important to me but I just can¡¯t do this pain anymore. ¡°Princess, why are you crying?¡± ¡°Because I wanted to nurse so badly but I can¡¯t anymore and I don¡¯t want to fail him.¡± ¡°You heard the doctor. He will be just as happy and healthy as he is now. You are not failing him but helping him by making this choice. He will get more to eat and not be as hungry. You need to do what¡¯s best for you and him.¡± ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not a bad mother if I don¡¯t nurse him?¡± I asked between sobs. ¡°No, he is the luckiest pup ever to have you. I promise.¡± I was feeling better after my little meltdown. These hormones were still a little out of control and made me a crybaby but they were getting better. We headed back to the pack house. The nurse came in and gave us some bottles and form for a few days. We would need to order some. We walked into the dining hall and found everyone eating lunch. I went and grabbed a te and then took Callen from Colter and he went and got a te. ¡°Everything ok?¡± Sloane asked. ¡°Yes, I will tell youter.¡± I got a few questioning looks but ignored them and tried to eat my lunch one-handed After everyone finished we headed back to Colter¡¯s office to continue the meeting. ¡°Ok, I had someone reach out to the hotel at the time frame we talked about they have 250 rooms avable. Their conference room can hold over 500.¡± Colt said. ¡°So we should be able to do it there?¡± Liam asked. The forest burned with howls of pain. Elena¡¯s lungs ached as she stumbled through the thick undergrowth, the cries of her pack echoing behind her. Every snap of a hunter¡¯s trap, every scream of her kin, carved deeper into her chest. She wanted to block her ears, to shut it out, but the truth was louder than the chaos¡ªthis was her doing. She had led them here. The hunters had promised her freedom, had spoken sweetly of a cure, of a life without the curse of shifting beneath the moon. Foolishly, desperately, she had believed them. And now the night was painted with blood. ¡°Elena!¡± a familiar voice roared through the trees. Her heart lurched. It was Alpha Dorian, his massive wolf form thrashing against a steelced with silver. The hunters circled him, their crossbows glinting in the moonlight. Elena froze, her breath catching. She had grown under hismand, had been raised like his own daughter after her parents died. And now, she was watching him fall. Dorian¡¯s golden eyes locked with hers through the chaos. In that brief moment, Elena saw the truth reflected back at her¡ªnot anger, not confusion, but betrayal so deep it seared her soul. ¡°Elena¡­ why?¡± The words were broken, half growled through his muzzle, but she heard them clear as the night sky. Her lips parted, desperate to answer, but the hunters¡¯ silver bolts struck. Dorian¡¯s howl cut through the night before silence swallowed him whole. Elena¡¯s knees gave way. She pressed her fist to her mouth, stifling the scream wing its way up her throat. This was the cost of her freedom. A rustle behind her snapped her head around. A pair of eyes gleamed in the shadows¡ªdeep, dangerous, burning with rage. Lucian. Chapter 84 Tiffany¡¯s POV Today hasn¡¯t gone as nned. It should have been quick, painless. Ana should have had no evidence, and then the judge would have got onto her for wasting the court¡¯s time. That¡¯s how it should have gone. Instead, I¡¯m sitting in a cell, furious. How dare she plot against me? It wasn¡¯t that big a deal. I know she has more evidence against me. The photos she shared weren¡¯t even half of what I¡¯d done to her. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s waiting for. Some sort of apology, at least that¡¯s what Craig told me. He said I needed to apologize. He suspects that they haven¡¯t yet brought out the most damning evidence. He knows Rodney. He said that Rodney was a shark. It¡¯s part of the reason that no one wanted to take me on as a client. Craig had been the best of everyone avable. He was really pissed at me. He felt that I was to me for not admitting to what I had done. My excuse of it being so long ago didn¡¯t really cate him. He knew I was lying to him. I loved every minute of what I did. I got away with all of it because she was too pathetic to fight back against me. Sure, I¡¯ll give Ana the apology she wants. But I won¡¯t mean a word of it, and she¡¯ll know that too. But she didn¡¯t say I had to mean it; she just said I just had to do it. I turned the shower on and stripped out of my nasty pajamas. I felt like a milk cow that was failing at her job. I was struggling to nurse him and am not sure why. ¡°Lex, you are doing an amazing job. Our pup is doing amazing. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,¡± Jade linked me. ¡°I know. I just didn¡¯t know how hard being a mom is,¡± I linked back. ¡°Well, you are the best mom ever,¡± Storm linked to me. They sure knew how to make me feel better. I cut my link and stepped under the hot water and it felt amazing but I didn¡¯t have a lot of time. I washed quickly and got out. I rushed to get dressed and ran a brush through my hair. I walked out into the pur living room and found Colt singing to our son and it was really the sweetest thing. ¡°Are you boys ready?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Princess we are.¡± We headed down to his office. We were meeting with my dad and Melissa and Mac and Liam. We were going to discuss what we all thought was the right way to approach the council. As soon as my dad walked in he came over and took Callen from me. He took any chance he could get to hold him. He was the best grandpa ever. We all sat down and Melissa pulled out a bunch of papers and some books. ¡°Ok we need toe up with a n to approach the council,¡± Colter said. ¡°This could be hard. We are going to need more on our side than just us,¡± My dad said. ¡°Ya but how are we going to do that, most people don¡¯t even know you exist,¡± I said. ¡°Then we tell them. We teach them about the history they never learned,¡± Melissa said. ¡°Again how do we teach them that?¡± I asked. ¡°Well we need to get them all in one location,¡± Melissa said. ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done,¡± Colt said sounding frustrated. ¡°Do we know how many packs were talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°A couple hundred if not more and that¡¯s just the states,¡± Colted said. ¡°What if we held an Alphas meeting and invited them for a meeting and a ball and have the council show up the day after the meeting and anyone who is with us can attend the meeting with the council and the third day we can hold a ball,¡± I suggested. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea but where do we hold this? We can¡¯t house that many people,¡± Colt said. ¡°The hotel in town can,¡± Mac said. ¡°This may work,¡± My dad said. ¡°We have to see how many the hotel can amodate and we need to see how big of meeting rooms they have. We will also have to provide daycare for those with young pups.¡± Colt said. ¡°We can do all of that,¡± I said and just as I finished Callen started to fuss. I am sure he is hungry. I walked over to my dad and took him. I walked over to the couch and sat down to feed him. I covered myself and hetched on and it had tears in my eyes. It was like this every time and I had yet to figure out why. Colt looked over at me and I could see the sympathy in his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t break for a bit ande back in an hour,¡± He said. Sloane looked back at me and saw me crying and was at my side. ¡°Lex, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked me. ¡°How did you get past the pain of nursing?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t hurt. If it hurts that bad something is wrong. You need to see the doctor she can help.¡± ¡°Thank you, I thought I was just being a baby about it.¡± ¡°Come on Princess. We¡¯re going to the doctor¡¯s. I just mind-linked her,¡± Colt said. ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked him confused. ¡°I could hear your conversation.¡± I just smiled at him and pulled Callen off me and it was like instant relief. I put myself back together as Colt took Callen from me. We walked to the hospital and Colt took me to a room and we waited a few minutes for the doctor toe in. ¡°Hello Luna Alpha, I hear you are having problems nursing. What to exin what is going on?¡± The doctor asked as she came in. ¡°It hurts. Like brings me to tears every time and he seems to want to eat all the time.¡± ¡°Can I see how hetches on?¡± She asked. Colt handed me Callen and I let my boob flop out. You could see Colt was a little ufortable but wasn¡¯t saying a word. I brought Callen up and hetched right on and I wanted to cry. She moved his head around some and my boob. ¡°Ok let me take a look at him now.¡± I pulled him off and was filled with instant relief but he cried. He wasn¡¯t done. She did a quick exam on him and got his weight. ¡°Ok, guys I think there¡¯s a few things going on. He istching correctly but I think it¡¯s just a very strongtch which can be painful. I also don¡¯t know that he is getting enough to eat and that¡¯s why he is eating so much. He is gaining weight but not where I would like. I want you to supplement with form for a while.¡± ¡°What would happen if I stopped nursing and went to form?¡± I asked her. ¡°Nothing. He would be just as happy and healthy as he is now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore. It just hurts and his strongtch isn¡¯t going to just get weaker.¡± ¡°No, but you could adjust or it may continue to hurt. There¡¯s no way to know.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Colt said and the doctor left. As soon as the door shut I broke down crying. Nursing was important to me but I just can¡¯t do this pain anymore. ¡°Princess, why are you crying?¡± ¡°Because I wanted to nurse so badly but I can¡¯t anymore and I don¡¯t want to fail him.¡± ¡°You heard the doctor. He will be just as happy and healthy as he is now. You are not failing him but helping him by making this choice. He will get more to eat and not be as hungry. You need to do what¡¯s best for you and him.¡± ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not a bad mother if I don¡¯t nurse him?¡± I asked between sobs. ¡°No, he is the luckiest pup ever to have you. I promise.¡± I was feeling better after my little meltdown. These hormones were still a little out of control and made me a crybaby but they were getting better. We headed back to the pack house. The nurse came in and gave us some bottles and form for a few days. We would need to order some. We walked into the dining hall and found everyone eating lunch. I went and grabbed a te and then took Callen from Colter and he went and got a te. ¡°Everything ok?¡± Sloane asked. ¡°Yes, I will tell youter.¡± I got a few questioning looks but ignored them and tried to eat my lunch one-handed After everyone finished we headed back to Colter¡¯s office to continue the meeting. ¡°Ok, I had someone reach out to the hotel at the time frame we talked about they have 250 rooms avable. Their conference room can hold over 500.¡± Colt said. ¡°So we should be able to do it there?¡± Liam asked. ¡°Yes. For those that the hotel can¡¯t room we will have them here. We should be able to make room,¡± Exined Colt. ¡°Sloane we need to get busy preparing everything,¡± I told her. ¡°Mathew, Melissa I am going to need your help with figuring out the best way to approach this with the Alphas,¡± Colt said. ¡°Not a problem,¡± My dad said. ¡°Does anyone else have any thoughts on anything?¡± Colt asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be as we n this,¡± Mac said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we call it a day and Mathew and Melissa we can meet tomorrow and get started.¡± ¡°Sloane we can start tomorrow as well. Noon my office.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sloane said as we got up to leave. It wasn¡¯t even dinner time but I was exhausted and could really use a nap. We walked upstairs to our room where Iid Callen down and took my pants off and crawled under the covers. ¡°Princess, are you tired?¡± ¡°Exhausted, want to join me for a nap?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He took his pants off and his shirt and quickly crawled into bed and pulled me to him. It didn¡¯t take long for both of us to be sound asleep. I don¡¯t know how long we had slept, not nearly long enough when Callen started crying. I groaned and started to get up. ¡°Sleep princess, I know you are still recovering. I will take care of him,¡± he said and got out of bed. This man was literally a godsend to me. He really took care of me and Callen and did it withoutints. ¡°Thank you, love,¡± I told him rolling back over and going right back to sleep. When I woke up from my nap I got out of bed and walked out to the living room and found that he had fallen back asleep holding Callen on the couch who was awake but seemed content right now. Since he was not fussing right now I was going to take this chance and get in the bath. I quietly slipped into the bathroom shutting the door as softly as I could. I turned the water on and filled the bathtub. ¡°How are you girls holding up?¡± I linked my wolves. They have been quiet since having Callen. ¡°We are good. We just wanted to give you time with your mate and our beautiful pup,¡± Jade linked back. ¡°He is beautiful isn¡¯t he,¡± Storm said. ¡°I sure think he is,¡± I told them both. ¡°We could go for a run, however. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been out and we can now,¡± Jade said. Chapter 85 Charlie¡¯s POV ¡°Are you sure that you want to do that, Ms. Vaughn? Attorney Stevens is one of the best attorneys in the city. I doubt that you will be able to rece him with someone better,¡± the judge asked. ¡°He hasn¡¯t taken this trial seriously,¡± Tiffany replied angrily. I could see her attorney¡¯s expression as he looked straight ahead. No one wanted to go up against Rodney, he was the best trial attorney that money could buy. The other issue was that Ana was a Caldwell. No one wanted to go against the Caldwell family by helping Tiffany out. She really hadn¡¯t thought this out. Her attorney was pissed, shamed by her ming him for what happened. If she really fired him, she wasn¡¯t going to be getting him back on her side again. no matter what she said. The worst part? Her attorney had believed in her. That was why he had been caught unaware. He should have looked at the evidence against her and discussed it with her. They both bore some of the me, but Tiffany bore the brunt of it. The Shadow Wolf. Thest surviving heir of the Alpha bloodline, feared even among their kind. He stepped forward, his dark fur bristling, lips curled in a snarl. Unlike Dorian, Lucian wasn¡¯t caught in the traps. He had survived, watching, waiting. And now his gaze was fixed on her. ¡°You,¡± he growled, voice deep, raw with fury. ¡°You led them.¡± Elena shook her head, tears streaking her face. ¡°No¡ªI¡­ I didn¡¯t mean for this. I just wanted¡ª¡± ¡°Wanted?¡± Hisugh was cruel, hollow. ¡°You wanted freedom? You sold your family for scraps of silver.¡± The hunters turned then, spotting Lucian. Their crossbows raised as one. But Lucian was no ordinary wolf. He moved like a shadow, faster than their eyes could track. In a blur of ws and teeth, he ripped through them, their screams splintering the air. Blood stained the ground, but his rage was unquenched. When thest hunter fell, silence returned to the forest, broken only by Elena¡¯s sobs. Lucian stood over the bodies, his chest heaving. He turned to her slowly, his eyes glowing like coals. ¡°You¡¯ll carry this blood on your hands until yourst breath, traitor.¡± Elena¡¯s throat closed. She tried to reach for him, to beg, to exin, but he stepped closer, towering over her trembling form. ¡°I curse you, Elena,¡± he snarled, the wordsced with ancient power, older than the forest itself. ¡°You will never know peace. The bond of wolf and pack is severed, and yet you will feel it¡ªevery howl, every death, every drop of blood you caused. It will haunt you.¡± The blood moon above pulsed red as if answering his oath. Shadows curled around him, his power darkening the air. ¡°You will see me again,¡± Lucian whispered, his voice low, deadly. ¡°And when you do¡­ it will be thest face you see.¡± Then he vanished into the forest, leaving her alone with the corpses of her kin and the curse burning in her veins. Elena copsed to the ground, clutching the earth as if it could swallow her whole. Her chest heaved with broken sobs. She had thought she was escaping the curse. Instead, she had forged one far worse. For the rest of her life, she would carry the weight of this night. And already, she knew the truth she could never escape: It was toote to regret. We walked upstairs to our room where Iid Callen down and took my pants off and crawled under the covers. ¡°Princess, are you tired?¡± ¡°Exhausted, want to join me for a nap?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He took his pants off and his shirt and quickly crawled into bed and pulled me to him. It didn¡¯t take long for both of us to be sound asleep. I don¡¯t know how long we had slept, not nearly long enough when Callen started crying. I groaned and started to get up. ¡°Sleep princess, I know you are still recovering. I will take care of him,¡± he said and got out of bed. This man was literally a godsend to me. He really took care of me and Callen and did it withoutints. ¡°Thank you, love,¡± I told him rolling back over and going right back to sleep. When I woke up from my nap I got out of bed and walked out to the living room and found that he had fallen back asleep holding Callen on the couch who was awake but seemed content right now. Since he was not fussing right now I was going to take this chance and get in the bath. I quietly slipped into the bathroom shutting the door as softly as I could. I turned the water on and filled the bathtub. ¡°How are you girls holding up?¡± I linked my wolves. They have been quiet since having Callen. ¡°We are good. We just wanted to give you time with your mate and our beautiful pup,¡± Jade linked back. ¡°He is beautiful isn¡¯t he,¡± Storm said. ¡°I sure think he is,¡± I told them both. ¡°We could go for a run, however. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been out and we can now,¡± Jade said. ¡°Yes, I will see if maybe my dad and Melissa want to watch him for an hour or two so you girls can get out,¡± I told them. ¡°Oh yes please we need it,¡± Storm said. ¡°Hey, dad would you and Melissa be willing to watch Callen for like two hours so my wolves can run? It¡¯s been a while since they were able to get out.¡± I mind-linked him. ¡°I would love to watch my grandson. You never have to ask we will always watch him,¡± he linked back. ¡°Thank you, it will be after dinner.¡± ¡°We will see you then.¡± I cut my link with him and just enjoyed the hot water. I had added some bubble bath and I had bubbles going over the edge but I didn¡¯t care. I would deal with the messter. Iid back and just closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t hear Colt open the door. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± He asked and tried to refrain fromughing. ¡°Taking the most amazing bath of my life,¡± I told him without even opening my eyes. ¡°Looks like it, do you want somepany?¡± he asked. ¡°Where is Callen?¡± I asked him and opened my eyes. If I would have opened my eyes sooner I could see that he had him in his bouncer all buckled up. He sat him by the door so we could see him and still have our bath. He stripped down and got in with me. He got behind me and started to rub my shoulders. ¡°Princess, you did the most amazing job ever bringing him into this world and I can never repay you for making me a dad.¡± ¡°There is nothing to repay. I would do it again if it meant that we got him.¡± ¡°So you are ready for another one?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be lucky if you get any more.¡± ¡°I would like a little girl, but let¡¯s wait until this one is out of diapers.¡± This man thought he was funny but I wasn¡¯t kidding. I don¡¯t know if I want any more kids, but that is an argument for another day. The words were broken, half growled through his muzzle, but she heard them clear as the night sky. Her lips parted, desperate to answer, but the hunters¡¯ silver bolts struck. Dorian¡¯s howl cut through the night before silence swallowed him whole. Elena¡¯s knees gave way. She pressed her fist to her mouth, stifling the scream wing its way up her throat. This was the cost of her freedom. A rustle behind her snapped her head around. A pair of eyes gleamed in the shadows¡ªdeep, dangerous, burning with rage. Lucian. The Shadow Wolf. Thest surviving heir of the Alpha bloodline, feared even among their kind. He stepped forward, his dark fur bristling, lips curled in a snarl. Unlike Dorian, Lucian wasn¡¯t caught in the traps. He had survived, watching, waiting. And now his gaze was fixed on her. ¡°You,¡± he growled, voice deep, raw with fury. ¡°You led them.¡± Elena shook her head, tears streaking her face. ¡°No¡ªI¡­ I didn¡¯t mean for this. I just wanted¡ª¡± ¡°Wanted?¡± Hisugh was cruel, hollow. ¡°You wanted freedom? You sold your family for scraps of silver.¡± The hunters turned then, spotting Lucian. Their crossbows raised as one. But Lucian was no ordinary wolf. He moved like a shadow, faster than their eyes could track. In a blur of ws and teeth, he ripped through them, their screams splintering the air. Blood stained the ground, but his rage was unquenched. When thest hunter fell, silence returned to the forest, broken only by Elena¡¯s sobs. Lucian stood over the bodies, his chest heaving. He turned to her slowly, his eyes glowing like coals. ¡°You¡¯ll carry this blood on your hands until yourst breath, traitor.¡± Elena¡¯s throat closed. She tried to reach for him, to beg, to exin, but he stepped closer, towering over her trembling form. ¡°I curse you, Elena,¡± he snarled, the wordsced with ancient power, older than the forest itself. ¡°You will never know peace. The bond of wolf and pack is severed, and yet you will feel it¡ªevery howl, every death, every drop of blood you caused. It will haunt you.¡± The blood moon above pulsed red as if answering his oath. Shadows curled around him, his power darkening the air. ¡°You will see me again,¡± Lucian whispered, his voice low, deadly. ¡°And when you do¡­ it will be thest face you see.¡± Then he vanished into the forest, leaving her alone with the corpses of her kin and the curse burning in her veins. Elena copsed to the ground, clutching the earth as if it could swallow her whole. Her chest heaved with broken sobs. She had thought she was escaping the curse. Instead, she had forged one far worse. For the rest of her life, she would carry the weight of this night. And already, she knew the truth she could never escape: Chapter 86 Ana¡¯s POV ¡°Small?¡± I couldn¡¯t hold that word in. ¡°Are you seriously saying what I went through was so small, so insignificant, that it¡¯s not worth mentioning? Are you saying that I should have just kept sucking it up and allowing her to continue to abuse me?¡± I asked. Their level of delusion was rming. ¡°But you¡¯re fine now, that¡¯s what matters. No real scars or visible injuries. No harm done, and look at you now. A sessful business owner. You managed to thrive despite what you went through. You¡¯re stronger than Tiffany. She needs you to let this go. You don¡¯t need our help or your parents to seed. But Tiffany doesn¡¯t have that. She needs our help to survive. Surely you won¡¯t condemn her to prison? Why would you punish her by having a record that would stay with her for the rest of her life? Please let her go, Ana,¡± Hudson pleaded. ¡°What, scared to deal with me, Hudson? Ignoring what I said and trying to guilt¨Ctrip my daughter into letting your devious daughter go? I hope you don¡¯t think ignoring what I said will make it go away; it won¡¯t. You and your wife were the very reason that my daughter has suffered for so long. I had Sloan and Aubree helping me today. They had Alexa at a spa and they had strict instructions that they couldn¡¯t bring her home until six pm. They were supposed to take her shopping after the spa for a new dress. She is smart, so I am sure that she will figure out what is going on but still, I am going to try. I was currently cing rose petals on the bed in our room. I still had to go to town and get the flowers I had ordered for her and also pick up her ring. I also needed to set up our small dining area for tonight. I was trying to make the room romantic. I wanted to fill both with candles and more flowers. ¡°Mac, want to go to town with me, I have to pick everything up for tonight,¡± I mind-linked him. ¡°Ya, man. I just got done with my training ss. Let me grab a quick shower.¡± He linked back. I got Callen ready to go. He was with me today. Michael and Melissa are taking him for the entire night. This was the first time we would spend more than an hour or two away from him. I am not sure how we will handle that. We didn¡¯t like to be away from him. I got him changed and gave him a bottle and made sure that I had enough diapers and wipes in his bag and headed downstairs to wait for Mac. It didn¡¯t take Mac long to get down here to head out. He had Kaden with him. ¡°I thought we could make it a boy¡¯s day,¡± He said grinning at me. ¡°Did you ever think this is how our life would turn out? Were both toting our boys around. They are close in age like we were growing up,¡± I told himughing. It was strange to see both of us like this. ¡°Dude, are you going sensitive on me?¡± ¡°No just remembering back to everything we have been through together and knowing that our sons will be able to be there for each other.¡± ¡°Being a parent has made you soft,¡± he saidughing at me. We got to the SUV and loaded the babies into their car seats. I drove to town. It wasn¡¯t a far drive but had to be careful to not run into the girls. We stopped at the jewelry store first. We got the boys out and went in. I had given the jeweler my mom¡¯s ring and wanted the diamond taken out and ced in a new setting. I wanted the diamond on the top and the band to be covered in three different blue stones all the way around the band. The three different blues represented each of her and her wolf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hello Alpha. I have your ring all done and ready for you. Let me just go get it out of the back,¡± said Mrs. Becker. She was an older wolf who ran this shop when her mother passed away and then her mother. It had been in their family for years. She came back out and handed me a small box. Mac came over to see what I was getting. I hadn¡¯t really told anyone yet. I opened the box and the ring took my breath away. It was exactly the way I wanted it and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined. ¡°Holy shit dude, are you finally going to put a ring on it?¡± He askedughing. ¡°Yes, tonight that¡¯s what this whole trip into town is about and the girls taking her away for the day.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something, I could have helped you n.¡± ¡°It was something I wanted to do all on my own. What do you think of the ring?¡± I asked him as I turned around and showed him. ¡°That is beautiful. She will love it.¡± ¡°I hope so. I am really nervous to ask her.¡± ¡°Why she just had your son a month ago, do you think she is going to tell you no?¡± ¡°Ya kind of.¡± ¡°That girl loves you. Trust me she is perfect for you and you for her. She won¡¯t say no.¡± His words oddly made me feel better. Grey was also helping. He was so excited about tonight. He has been bugging me to do this well since I found her but so much had happened that it never felt right until now. ¡°OK, I need to go to the flower shop and then I need to find a store with candles,¡± I told him putting the ring back in the box and in my pocket. I paid for it and we left. ¡°What is your n for tonight?¡± He asked me. ¡°Well I have the kitchen doing up her favorite dinner and we will have it in our room. I n to fill it with flowers and candles and I also did up our bedroom to take the celebration in there.¡± ¡°Sounds nice,¡± he said. We spent the next few hours getting everything in town and headed back to the pack house. We dropped the boys off with Michael and Melissa for a few minutes while we brought everything up. After getting everything brought into my room, we went back to get the boys from Michael and Melissa but both had a baby on them and they were sound asleep. ¡°You leave the boys with us. They are sound asleep and you don¡¯t need to wake them,¡± Melissa said smiling. ¡°Thanks, guys. I wille backter for them.¡± They just waved at us to get out. We headed back to my room and started setting up everything. I filled the room with flowers and candles and had a single red rose on the table and also candles. ¡°Ok, I think we are done,¡± I said and looked at Mac. ¡°Looks great to me, she is going to love this.¡± ¡°Come on let¡¯s get our boys. I only have two hours until she gets here and I need to shower.¡± We walked down to Michael and Melissa¡¯s room and knocked on the door and when Michael yellede in we opened the door and walked in to find themying on the floor ying with the babies. ¡°We¡¯re having a good time here with the babies. Why don¡¯t you two spend the night with your mates. Both of you.¡± Melissa said smiling at Kaden. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you but you don¡¯t have to keep Kaden,¡± Mac said sounding unsure of himself. ¡°Nonsense. We were never able to have kids so this here is my grandson and this one here is my adoptive grandson and you know what we are missing our adoptive granddaughter, but I don¡¯t know if we can handle all three of them overnight. We will take her another night,¡± Melissa said smiling. We both said thank you and ran out the door before they could change their minds. ¡°I think I love those two,¡± Mac saidughing. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Now I have to go and get ready because I am going to take my mate out tonight.¡± He said wiggling his eyebrows at me. We parted ways and I went and got in the shower and got ready for her to arrive. It didn¡¯t seem like it took long to get ready and before I knew it I got a link from Sloane letting me know they were headed down the driveway. I ran down the stairs to greet her at the door. I saw the car pull up and that¡¯s when I got nervous. I watched her step out of the car and holy shit she looked amazing. If we made it to dinner it would be a miracle. I opened the door and took the longest strides I could to get to her. I had to touch her. She looked like a sex goddess. Her hair had grown out some and she had it curled in soft curls. She had on some makeup not that she needed it. But the dress and heels are what put me over the edge. It was red with a plunging neckline and was tight. I could see every curve of her body. I finally made it to her and pulled her into me and bent my neck so that I could inhale her scent. It has always done something to me. It was my favorite. ¡°Princess, you look absolutely gorgeous. I can¡¯t wait to peel this dress off you tonight,¡± I whispered into her ear and started to pepper her neck with kisses. ¡°You think this dress looks good, you should see what I have on underneath,¡± she whispered back. I just groaned out because I don¡¯t know if I will be able to keep my hands off her. She looked so damn sexy in this dress. ¡°Come on, I want to show you something,¡± I told her grabbing her hand. I took her up to our room and stopped at our door. ¡°Colt, where is our son?¡± She asked me when we stopped. ¡°He is spending some time with his grandparents,¡± I told her as I opened the door. She let out a little gasp as she took in the room. It was lightly lit with candles everywhere and where there weren¡¯t candles there were flowers. Red roses and white daisies. ¡°The room looks absolutely beautiful, but what is this about?¡± She asked looking confused. I took her hand and took her to the table and when we got there I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I needed my lips to hers. I gently ced my lips to hers and swiped my tongue over her lips and she quickly opened up. We stood there for a few minutes just emersed in our kiss. She tasted so sweet. Like strawberries and cream. I brought my hand around behind her head and deepened the kiss. She finally pulled away and was breathing heavily. Her arousal was filling the room. I started to kiss down her neck and found her mark and sucked on it and her arousal got even stronger. ¡°Colt I need you right now,¡± she moaned out in a breathy tone. I had her right where I wanted her. It was now or never. I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out my box and dropped to my knee. I grabbed her hand and looked up to see tears brimming in her blue eyes. Chapter 87 Holden¡¯s POV Things were falling apart quickly. I can now see my mother¡¯s actions for what they were. Ana exposed my mother, and we all knew it was the truth. My mother did that to this day. They would go out for a meal, and my mother would always let Alicia pay. My mother would willingly spend her money on Tiffany for anything. But she would always let Mrs. Caldwell buy her something when they were out. There was arge gap between the Caldwell family¡¯s wealth and our family¡¯s. I guess my mother thought it was better to get what she wanted from her friend than spend her own money. My mother stood there with tears shining in her eyes, but she wasn¡¯t willing to back down. She was going to try to manipte and guilt Alicia into backing down. The truth was out. It couldn¡¯t be taken back. She wasn¡¯t going to admit what she had done, but it didn¡¯t matter; we all knew that it was the truth. No wonder she pushed me so hard, threatening my inheritance like she had. It made perfect sense why she had insisted that I keep Ana happy. She forced it down my throat so much that I started rebelling against her wishes. I med Ana for being trapped. When my own mother was the one who was actually forcing me into it. ¡°Let me finish before you go getting all mad,¡± I told him gently. He just looked at me confused. ¡°I am not a Luna because I have never seen myself that way. I had a horrible example of what a Luna should be. Once I found out I was a female Alpha that is all I ever wanted and with you by my side I became the best Alpha I could be but now it¡¯s time for me to learn how to be a Luna. Your Luna and your wife.¡± ¡°Wait did you just say yes?¡± He asked looking confused. ¡°Yes, baby I did.¡± He dropped the box and jumped up and picked me up spinning around. ¡°Really you will marry me?¡± ¡°Baby I was getting a little nervous that you hadn¡¯t asked. I mean I pushed your giant son out of me and you still didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to for a long time but was waiting for the right time.¡± ¡°I love you so much.¡± ¡°I love you too but let¡¯s make apromise,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Be my co-alpha. I know it¡¯s different and not traditional but female Alphas are also rare.¡± ¡°I love that but I also want to be your Luna. Well, do it all together.¡± I wrapped my legs around him and smashed my lips to his. We both fought for dominance for the kiss but I backed off and let him have it. This was his night and he could Alpha me all night. I broke the kiss and whispered, ¡°why don¡¯t you take this dress off and see what¡¯s underneath it Alpha.¡± He just growled and walked towards the couch. He ced me on my feet and started to run his hands up and down my arms and shoulders. This caused goosebumps to break out over my skin and shiver to run down my spine. ¡°Princess you are so beautiful. I can¡¯t wait to see what¡¯s under this dress,¡± he said leaning toward me and kissing my neck. I could feel his hot breath over my mark and it was making my pussy ache for his touch. He ran his hands up to the straps on my dress and pushed them down and slowly pulled my dress down until it was under my breast. He was met with a redcey bra that had slits cut out so my nipples were sticking out. He let out a small growl of approval and brought his head down and ran his tongue over each nipple and then blew on them causing them to get hard and a burst of pleasure to run through me. He started to pull on my dress again until it was around my ankles and he was on his knees, face right in front of my pussy. I had on a matching pair of redcy crotchless panties. ¡°Princess, are you trying to kill me?¡± He asked ¡°No, I just knew you were up to something so I thought I would get up to something myself.¡± ¡°Well, I like what you got up to. Now, let me examine all of you,¡± he said as he stood up and made me spin around. He pushed me onto the couch and quickly spread my legs and ran his hand over my slit. ¡°Princess, I want to try something do you trust me?¡± ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything else and thrust a finger into me and I let out a moan as it felt so good. I could feel myself getting wetter. He removed his finger and started to rub my clit but what caught me off guard was when his finger slipped into my ass a little. I shot my head up and gave him a questioning look. ¡°Princess, are you ok with this?¡± He asked with his eyes turning ck with lust. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is something I have never done before.¡± ¡°Me neither but I want to try.¡± I just nodded my head at him and he started to slowly push his finger in a little further and started to rub my clit at the same time. It was a new feeling and it felt good. He pulled his finger out of me and flipped me over so my ass was in his face. He stood up and lined himself up with me and push his hard cock into my pussy and started to push his finger into my ass again. I felt so full having something in both of my holes. It was exciting and I wasn¡¯t going to lie I liked it. ¡°Yes, Colt,¡± I screamed out. ¡°Do you like that princess?¡± ¡°YYYEEESSS!¡± He started to add a second finger and thrust harder into my ass. Before I knew I was cumming and cumming hard. Colt pulled out of me and began to finger my ass hard and it was just turning me on even more. I could feel him start to stroke himself as he continued to finger my ass. ¡°Princess, do you want me to put it in your tight little ass?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I moaned out. I wanted to try it. It felt good what he was doing but it scared me. I have never tried this but I was usually up for trying anything once. He pulled his fingers out and spit on his hand and rubbed it over his cock. I turned my head back so I could see him. He ced the head of his cock at my ass and started to push it in slowly. It felt wrong but wrong in a way that was dirty and right at the same time. He had gotten about halfway in and I was breathing hard as it hurt but I wanted him to continue. I wanted to know what the hype was about. At least I could say I tried it. ¡°Princess, are you ok?¡± He asked sounding concerned. ¡°Yes, just go slow please.¡± He continued to slowly move into me. The further in he got the more it hurt and felt good. He was finally all the way in. ¡°Princess it¡¯s in all the way, goddess it¡¯s so tight. Can I move?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He slowly pulled out and pushed himself back in and continued at a slow pace for a while so I could adjust. It took a minute for me to adjust but once I did it started to feel good, really good. It was different but I liked it. ¡°Harder Colt,¡± I breathed out. He picked up his pace and I could feel him getting close. I reached my hand down and started to rub my clit. If I was going to cum this was the only way I would get there right now. ¡°OH god baby it¡¯s so tight,¡± he moaned out. He was now mming into me hard and I was close to cumming. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, fuck I am going to cum,¡± I screamed out just as my orgasm took over and so did his. As soon as he was done heid over the top of me breathing hard. ¡°Princess that was, I don¡¯t know but I liked it.¡± ¡°Me too but it won¡¯t happen often I can promise. It kind of hurts but I liked it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go clean up.¡± He took me to the shower and washed every inch of my body and then took my pussy in the shower and then again when we got out. We finally sat down to eat dinner. As soon as we sat down he got back up and went to his pants and pulled out the blue box again. ¡°I am sorry I meant to put this on you but we got a little distracted.¡± He came over to me and grabbed my left hand and slipped the most beautiful ring on my finger. It had arge diamond on the top and the band was covered in three different blue-colored stones. ¡°Colter, this is absolutely beautiful.¡± ¡°The diamond was my mom¡¯s and the blue represents you, Jade, and Storms¡¯s eye colors.¡± ¡°Mate is amazing,¡± Jade said and smiling. I didn¡¯t know a wolf could smile but she was. ¡°Mate is the best,¡± Storm said also smiling. ¡°Well, the girls and I absolutely love it. Thank you.¡± ¡°Anything for my princess.¡± He said kissing me. He finally went over to his side of the table and sat down. He had the kitchen prepare a steak and potatoes. One of my favorites. ¡°This night has been perfect Colter. I couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better. I love you so much.¡± ¡°Well how about we turn this ball next month into your Luna ceremony and wedding? Everyone will be here.¡± ¡°I love that idea.¡± We ate the rest of our food in silence both of us hungry from our earlier events. I still can¡¯t believe he finally officially asked me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was going to happen or not, but I am so happy that it did. I had to tell Sloane but it waste so it would have to wait until tomorrow. After we ate we crawled into bed and quickly fell asleep. It was the best night¡¯s sleep that I¡¯ve gotten since having Callen. When I woke up in the morning or afternoon I wasn¡¯t really sure what time it was, all I knew was that I missed my son and was ready to go and get him. ¡°Colt wake up. It¡¯s like noon and we need to get Callen.¡± I said hitting his shoulder. ¡°I know but damn that sleep was amazing.¡± We both rolled out of bed and got dressed and headed to my dad¡¯s and Melissa¡¯s room. As we walked up to their room so were Mac and Aubree. ¡°Hey guys, what are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°Coming to retrieve Kaden,¡± Mac said. ¡°Did they watch him too?¡± ¡°What in the hell is that?¡± Screeched Aubree grabbing my hand. ¡°Well Colt asked me to officially be his Luna and wifest night and I said yes,¡± I told her smiling. She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. ¡°Congrats, you deserve this. You will make an amazing Luna.¡± She said smiling at me. ¡°Congrats man, I told you that you had nothing to worry about,¡± Mac said. The door flew open and my dad was standing there staring at us. ¡°It¡¯s about time. Did you know that those boys don¡¯t sleep?¡± He said as he yawned. Chapter 88 Analise¡¯s POV Charlie was right. Holden has a lot of nerve even suggesting that to me. I¡¯m not going to allow him to stand there and disrespect my husband. I quickly stepped around my mother and stood in front of Charlie. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you my answer, Holden. Just because you don¡¯t want to ept it, doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ll change my mind. I won¡¯t waste my time on you or your family members. I never realized just how low you could sink until today. Please leave us alone from now on. Don¡¯t push too hard, or your family will be the one who ends up suffering,¡± I advised. I turned and headed for the door, holding Charlie¡¯s hand in mine as we walked away. My father gave a lowugh before saying, ¡°You heard her.¡± They followed us out, with my brother, Rodney, Drew, and Jon, right behind them. I didn¡¯t have to turn back to know that the Vaughn family was shocked by what I said. They deserved what just happened to them. They had been ying my family like a violin for years, and they were good. I had to admit that it really seemed like they cared about us. Like, their friendship was real. I felt sick at the thought that I had protected them for thest ten years. I should have told my parents what was happening from the very start. ¡°Nice try be ready at eight,¡± Liam said and walked out the door. I tried as hard as I could to focus on my work but I really didn¡¯t want to go out tonight. I was content to stay in with my mate and son. I gave up and decided I would find them. I locked up my office and went upstairs and found her in our room dancing around with Callen and singing. She didn¡¯t hear mee in and it was the cutest thing. I snuck in behind her and started dancing with them. ¡°Princess I like when you dance. Why haven¡¯t I seen it before?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯ve never taken me dancing.¡± ¡°True but we may have to change that soon.¡± ¡°Well I am going out with the girls tonight and you will with the boys so I am told.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told as well.¡± She handed me Callen and headed into the closet. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I need to find clothes for tonight.¡± I followed her into the closet where she was sorting through her dresses and pulled out the shortest ck dress I¡¯ve ever seen. It was sparkly and was backless and her tits would be hanging out. ¡°You are not wearing that dress tonight,¡± I growled at her reaching for the dress. ¡°Oh I, am wearing this dress and a pair of ck heels.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. That is way too revealing.¡± ¡°I am a grown adult and if you haven¡¯t noticed I can do whatever I want.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it.¡± She just shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the closet and walked to the bedroom with her clothes and threw them on the bed. ¡°Julian and Nicki are here. He just mind-linked me,¡± Alexa said. I grabbed her hand and we went downstairs with Callen. We hadn¡¯t met their baby yet either, it¡¯s been far too long since we have seen them. ¡°Hey man, so d you could make it,¡± I said as we got downstairs and they were walking into the house. The girls were switching babies and talking about how cute each one was. ¡°You ready for tonight, Mac called and told me the ns.¡± ¡°No, I was really ok with just staying in.¡± ¡°OHe on, it will be a good time.¡± We all moved into the living room to visit. Julian and Nicki had a little girl that they named Ellie. She really was adorable. After several hours Alexa got up to go get ready. I had to find a way so that she didn¡¯t wear that dress. We headed to our room so that she could shower. While she was in the shower I hid the dress under our bed. She came out of the bathroom in just her bra and underwear and the sight had me getting a little hard. She grabbed a couple of things and went back into the bathroom and I heard the blow dryer click on. I continued toy on the bed until she came back out a whileter still in her bra and underwear. She came over to the bed and I really just wanted to rip them off her and fuck her all night. ¡°Come here princess,¡± I told her and I was fighting Grey for control he wanted her right now. ¡°No, where is my dress? I know you did something with it.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know,¡± I feigned innocence. ¡°Yes, you did Colter. I know you didn¡¯t want me to wear it but my god it¡¯s a dress. We were going to dinner and then some dancing.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t be there to protect you when someone tries to put their hands on you.¡± ¡°I can protect myself,¡± She yelled. I wasn¡¯t going to win this battle. I would just have to show up where ever they go. I can hang around in the background. I am sure the other guys won¡¯t mind since their mates will be there as well. ¡°Come on, Colter where is my dress!¡± She demanded. I groaned and reached under the bed and pulled it out and handed it to her. She got a big smile on her face and went to the bathroom. ¡°You better show up to where ever they go dancing.¡± Grey linked me. ¡°I will don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Mac, I don¡¯t know your ns for tonight but we better be going where ever the girls are going dancing.¡± I linked him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry we are. They don¡¯t know it but I just saw Aubree¡¯s dress and shoes and she isn¡¯t going without me.¡± ¡°I told Alexa the same. Don¡¯t tell them. I want to surprise them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be a surprise,¡± Mac said and then cut the link. I heard the bathroom door open and out walked a goddess. My mouth was literally hanging opening. She was a knockout. I don¡¯t know what I ever did to get so lucky because my mate was not only amazing she was the most gergouse she wolf to ever live. ¡°Princess, I can¡¯t let you go out looking like that. You are way to hot.¡± She justughed and walked into the closet. I got up and followed her. I wanted her to know how she was affecting me. I was hard as a rock right now and wanted her. She was looking for something and I walked up behind her and pulled her back to me so she could feel me. I bent down just inhaling her scent. ¡°Colt, I have to go or I am going to bete. I still have to take Callen to my dad and Melissa.¡± ¡°You could take Callen and thene back here and we can both forget tonight and spend it tangled up in the sheets.¡± ¡°Nice try, I am really looking forward to going out tonight.¡± ¡°OK, fine,¡± I mumbled into her neck and started kissing and sucking and she started moaning. ¡°Stop it, I need to go. If you¡¯re good when we get home tonight we can continue this.¡± She said stepping away from me. ¡°What do you mean if I am good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯te home drunk.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen me drunk?¡± ¡°No, but this night is about that.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t be drunk!¡± I said wiggling my eyebrows at her. She just smiled at me and slipped on her shoes, kissed my cheek and went to grab Callen and his bag. ¡°Come on I will walk with you.¡± We dropped Callen off with her dad and Melissa and headed downstairs and they were all waiting for Alexa and everyone¡¯s mates didn¡¯t look happy with this. There were a few guards standing at the door waiting. ¡°Princess have fun tonight,¡± I told her as I pulled her to me and kissed her deeply. When she broke away from the kiss her eyes were ck with lust. ¡°I will see youter baby,¡± She said and kissed my cheek. The girls walked out together and loaded into a few SUVs. ¡°Boys get ready. We¡¯re not leaving them for long,¡± Mac said. I headed back upstairs and showered really fast and went into my closet and pulled out some dark jeans and a ck button-up shirt and put it on and rolled the sleeves up and threw my boots on and headed back downstairs. Everyone showed up at about the same time as me. We piled in the SUV. ¡°They¡¯re still at dinner so I thought we could grab food and we will meet them where they are dancing,¡± Mac said. ¡°Sounds good,¡± I said but my mind was on Alexa in that dress. We all ate in silence. I think everyone had the same thing on their mind. Their mates. We hurried to eat our food and then rushed to the club the girls were going to. We were there before them. We were led right in and up to a VIP room. It was above everything and we had a bird¡¯s eye view for when the girls got here. We all ordered some drinks and sat down waiting. ¡°Where are they?¡± Whined Mac. ¡°I don¡¯t know! You and Aubree are the ones who organized this,¡± I shot back at him. ¡°Guys chill, they will be here soon,¡± Julian said trying to calm us. I took some deep breaths to calm down and it seemed to be working some. The waitress came back and sat our drinks down. An hour passed when the girls walked in and went straight to the bar to get drinks. I walked to the window and was followed by everyone else. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see what they do,¡± I said. The girls downed a few shots and headed straight to the dance floor. They were all dancing together. It was cute. The club started to fill up quickly along with the dance floor. The girls swept up in the middle. I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡°Let¡¯s go boys!¡± I said and walked out and went down to the dance floor. The whole ce smelled like booze, sweat, and sex. I made it to the dance floor and found my little mate pushing someone off her. I stormed over trying to push Grey back as I got to her. I grabbed his shirt cor and ripped him back and threw him to the ground. I moved in behind Alexa and didn¡¯t say anything but started to dance with her. Her hips swayed and she rubbed her ass on my cock which was quickly getting hard. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, ¡°Princess you keep doing that with your ass and you will find yourself bent over something with my cock shoved in you.¡± She just giggled and kept doing it. I ced my hands on her hips and slowed her movements and started kissing her neck. Sheid her head against my chest and just let out a little moan. I grabbed her hand and dragged her off the dance floor. I need to be in her now. I stopped in front of the bathroom. ¡°Colt, what are you doing?¡± Chapter 89 Analise¡¯s POV I saw they were all in good spirits, and wondered what was going on. I didn¡¯t think anything more of it until we stopped down the hallway outside of the half bath. My mother opened the door with a flourish, and I saw two different pregnancy tests lying on the counter on a paper towel. I looked at her, and then at my inws. They were almost too excited to speak. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mom?¡± I asked. I knew what was up, but I¡¯ve only been married for less than three weeks at this point. We were hopeful, but letting things proceed naturally. I¡¯ve never been on birth control, and I knew that we could get pregnant quickly. I just didn¡¯t think it would happen this quickly. I hadn¡¯t given much thought to having a baby, not quite this soon, but I was enjoying trying to conceive one. We practiced every day to achieve just that. I knew I wanted a few, but I wasn¡¯t pressuring myself about it. It would eventually happen, no rush. Seriously we need to get ready,¡± I told him with my most serious face. He kissed the top of my head and let me go. I stepped into the shower and the hot water felt amazing. I started to wash my hair when he stepped in with me and took over washing my hair. After washing each other and some kisses we finally wrapped up our shower. I walked into the closet and found some skinny jeans and a blouse to put on and a pair of heeled boots. This was about as professional as I got. I dried my hair, ran the straightener over my hair, and put on some makeup. I stepped out of the bathroom and found Colt waiting on the bed for me. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go find our beautiful baby boy,¡± I told him. ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me twice. I miss him.¡± We walked down to my dad¡¯s and Melissa¡¯s room and found my dad sitting in a rocker holding him. I walked over and took him from my dad and sat down on the couch. ¡°How wasst night? What did you guys do?¡± My dad asked. I couldn¡¯t help it and looked at Colter and startedughing. I didn¡¯t know how to answer that questions. I couldn¡¯t tell my dad that it was spent drinking and fucking my soon-to-be husband. ¡°It was a great night, we met up with the girls and had some drinks and danced,¡± Colt said saving me from what I was thinking. ¡°Was Callen good for youst night?¡± I asked, trying to change the topic. ¡°He¡¯s perfect!¡± Melissa said. ¡°He¡¯s not when he cries at two am,¡± Colt grumbled. We sat there visiting with them for an hour before we had to take Callen to Sloane and Aubree. They were watching the kids for us today. ¡°We should get Callen to Sloane and Aubree, so we can get to the hotel,¡± I told everyone. We all got up and we went to Sloane¡¯s room and knocked. I could hear the kids on the other sideughing and ying. Someone was headed to the door and Sloane opened it. She looked a little rough today. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked her walking in. ¡°Exhausted.¡± ¡°I know the feeling but in a few days we can catch up on sleep.¡± ¡°I need it now.¡± We allughed as I kissed Callen goodbye. I feel like I am leaving him a lottely but as soon as this is over I will smother him with so much love. I handed him over to Sloane and we turned to leave. When we stepped out of the room there was a guard there. We weren¡¯t taking any chances with so many Alphas in the area. We loaded into the cars and made our quick twenty-minute drive. We arrived the hotel was full. There were people walking everywhere. Most of them I didn¡¯t know, but Colt seemed to know a lot of them. He just waved at the ones he knew and kept walking. We needed to get to the meeting room where this was being held. My nerves were getting the best of me. I was so nervous I felt like I was going to vomit. ¡°Girl, chill. It will be ok, this is your birthright, you are just taking it back,¡± Jade linked me. ¡°And if they protest I will put them in their ce,¡± Storm said. ¡°No we can¡¯t make them submit like that, it has to be their choice,¡± I told Storm. Colt lead us up on stage and we took a seat. ¡°Princess, it will be ok. Everything is going to work out I promise,¡± Colt linked me. I just looked at him and tried to give him my best smile but it failed me. People were filling the room and taking a seat. I knew we didn¡¯t have enough seats and people would be standing, so hopefully, this didn¡¯t take too long. Five minutester they stoppeding in and the doors were closed. You could feel all of the Alpha aurora in here. It was a little stifling. I could feel minee out as well and I had to concentrate to bring it back in. Most here didn¡¯t know that I was a female alpha, let alone have two wolves, and were more powerful than them. Colt stood up and went to the podium. I could feel his nerves as well. It was making mine worse. ¡°Wee everyone. I would like to get started and we have a lot to discuss today so if we could keep questions to the end and please try to keep tempers in check,¡± Colt said as he started. ¡°We are going to start with a little history lesson, now some of you may or may not know this but before the council was formed wolves were run by a King and Queen.¡± There were instantly a lot of hushed mummers about this. I am guessing most didn¡¯t know this. It doesn¡¯t surprise me. I didn¡¯t know and neither did Colt. ¡°The King and Queen were a special type of wolf called a dual wolf. They actually possess two wolves and could shift into both of them. It depended on the situation that was at hand but they were powerful because of their two wolves. They also possessed other powers such as being able to mind link with anyone. The council was formed and they annihted everyone in the kingdom or so they thought. The Queen was able to escape with some of her pack and they have been in hiding since.¡± This had the crowd erupting in chaos. Colt just stood up there and let everyone talk amongst themselves. This was big news, that most didn¡¯t know. He started to try and calm them down. After a few minutes, people started to calm down and sit back down. ¡°Alpha Colter, I am sorry but you¡¯re full of shit,¡± should someone in the back. ¡°I have proof. The council was good when they did it and destroyed any traces of them and that is why you have never heard of them. This was hundreds of years ago.¡± ¡°My grandfather actually used to tell me a tale about a wolf who used to have two wolves and how powerful they were but he would end it with how violent they were also,¡± someone in the middle shouted. ¡°They are not violent,¡± Colt said getting a little upset. ¡°How can you be so sure? I am guessing you are asking us to boycott the council and follow this pack?¡± Someone else shouted. ¡°Yes, they deserve their rightful ce as our King and Queen,¡± Colt said. ¡°So they can wipe us all out,¡± was shouted out. ¡°I can assure you that they do not want to wipe you out and are actually very kind people,¡± Colt shouted back. ¡°Well then the council will wipe us out if we turn our backs on them and their pack will start a war, so it¡¯s a lose-lose situation for us. What have you brought us, Alpha Colter?¡± ¡°I assure you that they do not want a war and will not attack unless attacked first.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Someone else asked. ¡°Because they have been sitting on stage this entire time. Please the rightful King Michael and Queen Melissa.¡± They both stood up and walked to the podium and all hell broke loose in the room. Everyone was shouting and getting nervous. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. They needed to let them show who they were. I stood up and went to the podium. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± I shouted into the microphone and put my Alphamand behind and everyone single person including my father and Melissa dropped to their knees and bared their neck at me. ¡°Please have some respect and hear them out. If you don¡¯t want to then you can leave but don¡¯t expect their support in the future.¡± I turned to take my seat again when someone asked ¡°how did you do that?¡± ¡°Please give them a chance to exin,¡± were my words to them. My dad and Melissa stepped up to the podium and everyone finally calmed down after my little show. ¡°Thank you everyone for giving us your time. What Alpha Colter has said is true. My great great great great grandparents were King and Queen. We have been hiding since the council ambushed us and ran us out. We are a small pack that has actually joined Alpha Colters and Luna Alexa¡¯s pack now. We are done hiding and we are ready to take our rightful ce back. If you as a whole do not believe that we will rule over you and do right by you then we will not continue this but if you give us a chance then we can work together and make this work.¡± ¡°This is a lot of information to process. How do we know we can trust you? Stories say you are violent.¡± Said the same man as before. ¡°If we were violent then don¡¯t you think that we would have been attacking much sooner than this and wouldn¡¯t we have attacked when things got a little crazy a while ago?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. I knew the King and Queen that ran off and they were good people just like these guys. They deserve to take their rightful ce back,¡± someone in the back corner said but they were walking forward. As they got closer I realized it was Roscoe. I didn¡¯t know he was here. People started to mummer about who that was. He walked right up to the podium and shook hands with my dad and hugged Melissa. ¡°If I may, I am the Vampire King and I can tell you right now that I knew them and they were great rulers. They were kind and fair and wanted what was best for the werewolfmunity. They were run off by power-hungry wolves and they deserve their rightful ce back,¡± Roscoe said. ¡°How do you suggest we overthrow the council? I had asked for help a while back and it wasn¡¯t answered. In fact, they seem to be slipping on a lot of thingstely,¡± someone said. ¡°It¡¯s easy, you just pledge your loyalty to them as Alpha and Luna¡¯s and there is a ceremony to go with it. I do believe that Michael has the correct procedure for this,¡± Roscoe said. Chapter 90 Charlie¡¯s POV As Ana walked away with thedies. I thought about speaking with Holden. I couldn¡¯t do it at the courthouse We might havee to blows during our discussion, and I didn¡¯t want Ana to be caught in the middle. The gloves are off now. Holden¡¯s suggestion that Ana date him, while we¡¯re married. I almost punched him today. The only thing that stopped me was that I didn¡¯t want to do it where I knew it would be recorded. I¡¯m not leaving Ana unprotected, that¡¯s not going to happen. Ana had shot him down hard. He was hurting, and that was enough for me, as far as the day went. She told me on the way to the SUV that we were going to dinner with her parents. I had assumed as much. Now that they knew more about what she suffered through. They were going to want to circle the wagons and shut the Vaughn family outpleted. Which I fully support. ¡°Nice try be ready at eight,¡± Liam said and walked out the door. I tried as hard as I could to focus on my work but I really didn¡¯t want to go out tonight. I was content to stay in with my mate and son. I gave up and decided I would find them. I locked up my office and went upstairs and found her in our room dancing around with Callen and singing. She didn¡¯t hear mee in and it was the cutest thing. I snuck in behind her and started dancing with them. ¡°Princess I like when you dance. Why haven¡¯t I seen it before?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯ve never taken me dancing.¡± ¡°True but we may have to change that soon.¡± ¡°Well I am going out with the girls tonight and you will with the boys so I am told.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told as well.¡± She handed me Callen and headed into the closet. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I need to find clothes for tonight.¡± I followed her into the closet where she was sorting through her dresses and pulled out the shortest ck dress I¡¯ve ever seen. It was sparkly and was backless and her tits would be hanging out. ¡°You are not wearing that dress tonight,¡± I growled at her reaching for the dress. ¡°Oh I, am wearing this dress and a pair of ck heels.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. That is way too revealing.¡± ¡°I am a grown adult and if you haven¡¯t noticed I can do whatever I want.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it.¡± She just shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the closet and walked to the bedroom with her clothes and threw them on the bed. ¡°Julian and Nicki are here. He just mind-linked me,¡± Alexa said. I grabbed her hand and we went downstairs with Callen. We hadn¡¯t met their baby yet either, it¡¯s been far too long since we have seen them. ¡°Hey man, so d you could make it,¡± I said as we got downstairs and they were walking into the house. The girls were switching babies and talking about how cute each one was. ¡°You ready for tonight, Mac called and told me the ns.¡± ¡°No, I was really ok with just staying in.¡± ¡°OHe on, it will be a good time.¡± We all moved into the living room to visit. Julian and Nicki had a little girl that they named Ellie. She really was adorable. After several hours Alexa got up to go get ready. I had to find a way so that she didn¡¯t wear that dress. We headed to our room so that she could shower. While she was in the shower I hid the dress under our bed. She came out of the bathroom in just her bra and underwear and the sight had me getting a little hard. She grabbed a couple of things and went back into the bathroom and I heard the blow dryer click on. I continued toy on the bed until she came back out a whileter still in her bra and underwear. She came over to the bed and I really just wanted to rip them off her and fuck her all night. ¡°Come here princess,¡± I told her and I was fighting Grey for control he wanted her right now. ¡°No, where is my dress? I know you did something with it.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know,¡± I feigned innocence. ¡°Yes, you did Colter. I know you didn¡¯t want me to wear it but my god it¡¯s a dress. We were going to dinner and then some dancing.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t be there to protect you when someone tries to put their hands on you.¡± ¡°I can protect myself,¡± She yelled. I wasn¡¯t going to win this battle. I would just have to show up where ever they go. I can hang around in the background. I am sure the other guys won¡¯t mind since their mates will be there as well. ¡°Come on, Colter where is my dress!¡± She demanded. I groaned and reached under the bed and pulled it out and handed it to her. She got a big smile on her face and went to the bathroom. ¡°You better show up to where ever they go dancing.¡± Grey linked me. ¡°I will don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Mac, I don¡¯t know your ns for tonight but we better be going where ever the girls are going dancing.¡± I linked him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry we are. They don¡¯t know it but I just saw Aubree¡¯s dress and shoes and she isn¡¯t going without me.¡± ¡°I told Alexa the same. Don¡¯t tell them. I want to surprise them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be a surprise,¡± Mac said and then cut the link. I heard the bathroom door open and out walked a goddess. My mouth was literally hanging opening. She was a knockout. I don¡¯t know what I ever did to get so lucky because my mate was not only amazing she was the most gergouse she wolf to ever live. ¡°Princess, I can¡¯t let you go out looking like that. You are way to hot.¡± She justughed and walked into the closet. I got up and followed her. I wanted her to know how she was affecting me. I was hard as a rock right now and wanted her. She was looking for something and I walked up behind her and pulled her back to me so she could feel me. I bent down just inhaling her scent. ¡°Colt, I have to go or I am going to bete. I still have to take Callen to my dad and Melissa.¡± ¡°You could take Callen and thene back here and we can both forget tonight and spend it tangled up in the sheets.¡± ¡°Nice try, I am really looking forward to going out tonight.¡± ¡°OK, fine,¡± I mumbled into her neck and started kissing and sucking and she started moaning. ¡°Stop it, I need to go. If you¡¯re good when we get home tonight we can continue this.¡± She said stepping away from me. ¡°What do you mean if I am good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯te home drunk.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen me drunk?¡± ¡°No, but this night is about that.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t be drunk!¡± I said wiggling my eyebrows at her. She just smiled at me and slipped on her shoes, kissed my cheek and went to grab Callen and his bag. ¡°Come on I will walk with you.¡± We dropped Callen off with her dad and Melissa and headed downstairs and they were all waiting for Alexa and everyone¡¯s mates didn¡¯t look happy with this. There were a few guards standing at the door waiting. ¡°Princess have fun tonight,¡± I told her as I pulled her to me and kissed her deeply. When she broke away from the kiss her eyes were ck with lust. ¡°I will see youter baby,¡± She said and kissed my cheek. The girls walked out together and loaded into a few SUVs. ¡°Boys get ready. We¡¯re not leaving them for long,¡± Mac said. I headed back upstairs and showered really fast and went into my closet and pulled out some dark jeans and a ck button-up shirt and put it on and rolled the sleeves up and threw my boots on and headed back downstairs. Everyone showed up at about the same time as me. We piled in the SUV. ¡°They¡¯re still at dinner so I thought we could grab food and we will meet them where they are dancing,¡± Mac said. ¡°Sounds good,¡± I said but my mind was on Alexa in that dress. We all ate in silence. I think everyone had the same thing on their mind. Their mates. We hurried to eat our food and then rushed to the club the girls were going to. We were there before them. We were led right in and up to a VIP room. It was above everything and we had a bird¡¯s eye view for when the girls got here. We all ordered some drinks and sat down waiting. ¡°Where are they?¡± Whined Mac. ¡°I don¡¯t know! You and Aubree are the ones who organized this,¡± I shot back at him. ¡°Guys chill, they will be here soon,¡± Julian said trying to calm us. I took some deep breaths to calm down and it seemed to be working some. The waitress came back and sat our drinks down. An hour passed when the girls walked in and went straight to the bar to get drinks. I walked to the window and was followed by everyone else. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see what they do,¡± I said. The girls downed a few shots and headed straight to the dance floor. They were all dancing together. It was cute. The club started to fill up quickly along with the dance floor. The girls swept up in the middle. I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. ¡°Let¡¯s go boys!¡± I said and walked out and went down to the dance floor. The whole ce smelled like booze, sweat, and sex. I made it to the dance floor and found my little mate pushing someone off her. I stormed over trying to push Grey back as I got to her. I grabbed his shirt cor and ripped him back and threw him to the ground. I moved in behind Alexa and didn¡¯t say anything but started to dance with her. Her hips swayed and she rubbed her ass on my cock which was quickly getting hard. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, ¡°Princess you keep doing that with your ass and you will find yourself bent over something with my cock shoved in you.¡± She just giggled and kept doing it. I ced my hands on her hips and slowed her movements and started kissing her neck. Sheid her head against my chest and just let out a little moan. I grabbed her hand and dragged her off the dance floor. I need to be in her now. I stopped in front of the bathroom. ¡°Colt, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I told you if you didn¡¯t stop dancing like that I was going to bed you over something.¡± She just giggled again and opened the women¡¯s bathroom door. It was empty. I turned and locked it and took her to the counter and bent her down and ripped her dress up. She had a thong on that I reached down and pulled to the side. She was soaking wet. ¡°Princess you¡¯re so wet for me. Do you want this in here?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha. I need to feel yourrge hard cock pumping in and out of me.¡± I undid my pants and pulled my cock out and lined it up with her and mmed into her. She let out a small scream with the intrusion. Chapter 91 Ana¡¯s POV My mother had contacted our family doctorst night. He agreed to squeeze me in today to perform some. blood work to confirm the pregnancy. I was so happy, even when they were taking my blood. Nothing was going to wipe the smile off my face today, but I spoke too soon. The pregnancy had been officially confirmed, and Jon drove us to mypany. I had sent Roger a text message telling him to meet us at Fashion Forward at ten¨Cthirty. Pulling up, I see the now familiar circus going on,plete with posterboard signs. Their nothing if not reliable. At least this time, they¡¯re not blocking the entrance; they¡¯re on the main street just outside. The court case against Sasha, Joyce, and Regina is scheduled to begin tomorrow. I¡¯m sure their worried about the oue. I knew they were just trying to convict me in the eyes of public opinion. I was never going to try to prove myself to the public. Because it wouldn¡¯t matter what I said. People would argue with you based solely on their opinion, not proof. I knew my designs were locked down. They¡¯re the ones scrambling to try to turn things around. I knew the truth and the oue. Rodney was more than ready. ¡°Let me finish before you go getting all mad,¡± I told him gently. He just looked at me confused. ¡°I am not a Luna because I have never seen myself that way. I had a horrible example of what a Luna should be. Once I found out I was a female Alpha that is all I ever wanted and with you by my side I became the best Alpha I could be but now it¡¯s time for me to learn how to be a Luna. Your Luna and your wife.¡± ¡°Wait did you just say yes?¡± He asked looking confused. ¡°Yes, baby I did.¡± He dropped the box and jumped up and picked me up spinning around. ¡°Really you will marry me?¡± ¡°Baby I was getting a little nervous that you hadn¡¯t asked. I mean I pushed your giant son out of me and you still didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to for a long time but was waiting for the right time.¡± ¡°I love you so much.¡± ¡°I love you too but let¡¯s make apromise,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Be my co-alpha. I know it¡¯s different and not traditional but female Alphas are also rare.¡± ¡°I love that but I also want to be your Luna. Well, do it all together.¡± I wrapped my legs around him and smashed my lips to his. We both fought for dominance for the kiss but I backed off and let him have it. This was his night and he could Alpha me all night. I broke the kiss and whispered, ¡°why don¡¯t you take this dress off and see what¡¯s underneath it Alpha.¡± He just growled and walked towards the couch. He ced me on my feet and started to run his hands up and down my arms and shoulders. This caused goosebumps to break out over my skin and shiver to run down my spine. ¡°Princess you are so beautiful. I can¡¯t wait to see what¡¯s under this dress,¡± he said leaning toward me and kissing my neck. I could feel his hot breath over my mark and it was making my pussy ache for his touch. He ran his hands up to the straps on my dress and pushed them down and slowly pulled my dress down until it was under my breast. He was met with a redcey bra that had slits cut out so my nipples were sticking out. He let out a small growl of approval and brought his head down and ran his tongue over each nipple and then blew on them causing them to get hard and a burst of pleasure to run through me. He started to pull on my dress again until it was around my ankles and he was on his knees, face right in front of my pussy. I had on a matching pair of redcy crotchless panties. ¡°Princess, are you trying to kill me?¡± He asked ¡°No, I just knew you were up to something so I thought I would get up to something myself.¡± ¡°Well, I like what you got up to. Now, let me examine all of you,¡± he said as he stood up and made me spin around. He pushed me onto the couch and quickly spread my legs and ran his hand over my slit. ¡°Princess, I want to try something do you trust me?¡± ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything else and thrust a finger into me and I let out a moan as it felt so good. I could feel myself getting wetter. He removed his finger and started to rub my clit but what caught me off guard was when his finger slipped into my ass a little. I shot my head up and gave him a questioning look. ¡°Princess, are you ok with this?¡± He asked with his eyes turning ck with lust. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is something I have never done before.¡± ¡°Me neither but I want to try.¡± I just nodded my head at him and he started to slowly push his finger in a little further and started to rub my clit at the same time. It was a new feeling and it felt good. He pulled his finger out of me and flipped me over so my ass was in his face. He stood up and lined himself up with me and push his hard cock into my pussy and started to push his finger into my ass again. I felt so full having something in both of my holes. It was exciting and I wasn¡¯t going to lie I liked it. ¡°Yes, Colt,¡± I screamed out. ¡°Do you like that princess?¡± ¡°YYYEEESSS!¡± He started to add a second finger and thrust harder into my ass. Before I knew I was cumming and cumming hard. Colt pulled out of me and began to finger my ass hard and it was just turning me on even more. I could feel him start to stroke himself as he continued to finger my ass. ¡°Princess, do you want me to put it in your tight little ass?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I moaned out. I wanted to try it. It felt good what he was doing but it scared me. I have never tried this but I was usually up for trying anything once. He pulled his fingers out and spit on his hand and rubbed it over his cock. I turned my head back so I could see him. He ced the head of his cock at my ass and started to push it in slowly. It felt wrong but wrong in a way that was dirty and right at the same time. He had gotten about halfway in and I was breathing hard as it hurt but I wanted him to continue. I wanted to know what the hype was about. At least I could say I tried it. ¡°Princess, are you ok?¡± He asked sounding concerned. ¡°Yes, just go slow please.¡± He continued to slowly move into me. The further in he got the more it hurt and felt good. He was finally all the way in. ¡°Princess it¡¯s in all the way, goddess it¡¯s so tight. Can I move?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He slowly pulled out and pushed himself back in and continued at a slow pace for a while so I could adjust. It took a minute for me to adjust but once I did it started to feel good, really good. It was different but I liked it. ¡°Harder Colt,¡± I breathed out. He picked up his pace and I could feel him getting close. I reached my hand down and started to rub my clit. If I was going to cum this was the only way I would get there right now. ¡°OH god baby it¡¯s so tight,¡± he moaned out. He was now mming into me hard and I was close to cumming. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, fuck I am going to cum,¡± I screamed out just as my orgasm took over and so did his. As soon as he was done heid over the top of me breathing hard. ¡°Princess that was, I don¡¯t know but I liked it.¡± ¡°Me too but it won¡¯t happen often I can promise. It kind of hurts but I liked it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go clean up.¡± He took me to the shower and washed every inch of my body and then took my pussy in the shower and then again when we got out. We finally sat down to eat dinner. As soon as we sat down he got back up and went to his pants and pulled out the blue box again. ¡°I am sorry I meant to put this on you but we got a little distracted.¡± He came over to me and grabbed my left hand and slipped the most beautiful ring on my finger. It had arge diamond on the top and the band was covered in three different blue-colored stones. ¡°Colter, this is absolutely beautiful.¡± ¡°The diamond was my mom¡¯s and the blue represents you, Jade, and Storms¡¯s eye colors.¡± ¡°Mate is amazing,¡± Jade said and smiling. I didn¡¯t know a wolf could smile but she was. ¡°Mate is the best,¡± Storm said also smiling. ¡°Well, the girls and I absolutely love it. Thank you.¡± ¡°Anything for my princess.¡± He said kissing me. He finally went over to his side of the table and sat down. He had the kitchen prepare a steak and potatoes. One of my favorites. ¡°This night has been perfect Colter. I couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better. I love you so much.¡± ¡°Well how about we turn this ball next month into your Luna ceremony and wedding? Everyone will be here.¡± ¡°I love that idea.¡± We ate the rest of our food in silence both of us hungry from our earlier events. I still can¡¯t believe he finally officially asked me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was going to happen or not, but I am so happy that it did. I had to tell Sloane but it waste so it would have to wait until tomorrow. After we ate we crawled into bed and quickly fell asleep. It was the best night¡¯s sleep that I¡¯ve gotten since having Callen. When I woke up in the morning or afternoon I wasn¡¯t really sure what time it was, all I knew was that I missed my son and was ready to go and get him. ¡°Colt wake up. It¡¯s like noon and we need to get Callen.¡± I said hitting his shoulder. ¡°I know but damn that sleep was amazing.¡± We both rolled out of bed and got dressed and headed to my dad¡¯s and Melissa¡¯s room. As we walked up to their room so were Mac and Aubree. ¡°Hey guys, what are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°Coming to retrieve Kaden,¡± Mac said. ¡°Did they watch him too?¡± ¡°What in the hell is that?¡± Screeched Aubree grabbing my hand. ¡°Well Colt asked me to officially be his Luna and wifest night and I said yes,¡± I told her smiling. Chapter 92 Roger¡¯s POV Things went better than I had expected. The bodyguard who escorted me out jogged to the gate as I headed for my car. As I exited the gate, I saw him standing there. Waiting to see if anyone would be bold enough to try to enter while it was open. No one tried. That was probably the first smart thing that my mother and Sasha had dely. They tried to stop me, but I drove around them before they could get in front of my car. Mom is furious that neither Dad nor I told her where we are living. Regina tried to find out where we were, but after nearly getting someone fired for her little prank involving the forged title on the vi. No one was willing to even check the system for her now. They don¡¯t want to get fired over her actions. It was well known that the guy who helped her before was almost terminated. The only reason they kept him was because he was one of the best employees there. But he¡¯s on a year-long probation. If his foot slips, he¡¯s fired. I had Sloan and Aubree helping me today. They had Alexa at a spa and they had strict instructions that they couldn¡¯t bring her home until six pm. They were supposed to take her shopping after the spa for a new dress. She is smart, so I am sure that she will figure out what is going on but still, I am going to try. I was currently cing rose petals on the bed in our room. I still had to go to town and get the flowers I had ordered for her and also pick up her ring. I also needed to set up our small dining area for tonight. I was trying to make the room romantic. I wanted to fill both with candles and more flowers. ¡°Mac, want to go to town with me, I have to pick everything up for tonight,¡± I mind-linked him. ¡°Ya, man. I just got done with my training ss. Let me grab a quick shower.¡± He linked back. I got Callen ready to go. He was with me today. Michael and Melissa are taking him for the entire night. This was the first time we would spend more than an hour or two away from him. I am not sure how we will handle that. We didn¡¯t like to be away from him. I got him changed and gave him a bottle and made sure that I had enough diapers and wipes in his bag and headed downstairs to wait for Mac. It didn¡¯t take Mac long to get down here to head out. He had Kaden with him. ¡°I thought we could make it a boy¡¯s day,¡± He said grinning at me. ¡°Did you ever think this is how our life would turn out? Were both toting our boys around. They are close in age like we were growing up,¡± I told himughing. It was strange to see both of us like this. ¡°Dude, are you going sensitive on me?¡± ¡°No just remembering back to everything we have been through together and knowing that our sons will be able to be there for each other.¡± ¡°Being a parent has made you soft,¡± he saidughing at me. We got to the SUV and loaded the babies into their car seats. I drove to town. It wasn¡¯t a far drive but had to be careful to not run into the girls. We stopped at the jewelry store first. We got the boys out and went in. I had given the jeweler my mom¡¯s ring and wanted the diamond taken out and ced in a new setting. I wanted the diamond on the top and the band to be covered in three different blue stones all the way around the band. The three different blues represented each of her and her wolf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hello Alpha. I have your ring all done and ready for you. Let me just go get it out of the back,¡± said Mrs. Becker. She was an older wolf who ran this shop when her mother passed away and then her mother. It had been in their family for years. She came back out and handed me a small box. Mac came over to see what I was getting. I hadn¡¯t really told anyone yet. I opened the box and the ring took my breath away. It was exactly the way I wanted it and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined. ¡°Holy shit dude, are you finally going to put a ring on it?¡± He askedughing. ¡°Yes, tonight that¡¯s what this whole trip into town is about and the girls taking her away for the day.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something, I could have helped you n.¡± ¡°It was something I wanted to do all on my own. What do you think of the ring?¡± I asked him as I turned around and showed him. ¡°That is beautiful. She will love it.¡± ¡°I hope so. I am really nervous to ask her.¡± ¡°Why she just had your son a month ago, do you think she is going to tell you no?¡± ¡°Ya kind of.¡± ¡°That girl loves you. Trust me she is perfect for you and you for her. She won¡¯t say no.¡± His words oddly made me feel better. Grey was also helping. He was so excited about tonight. He has been bugging me to do this well since I found her but so much had happened that it never felt right until now. ¡°OK, I need to go to the flower shop and then I need to find a store with candles,¡± I told him putting the ring back in the box and in my pocket. I paid for it and we left. ¡°What is your n for tonight?¡± He asked me. ¡°Well I have the kitchen doing up her favorite dinner and we will have it in our room. I n to fill it with flowers and candles and I also did up our bedroom to take the celebration in there.¡± ¡°Sounds nice,¡± he said. We spent the next few hours getting everything in town and headed back to the pack house. We dropped the boys off with Michael and Melissa for a few minutes while we brought everything up. After getting everything brought into my room, we went back to get the boys from Michael and Melissa but both had a baby on them and they were sound asleep. ¡°You leave the boys with us. They are sound asleep and you don¡¯t need to wake them,¡± Melissa said smiling. ¡°Thanks, guys. I wille backter for them.¡± They just waved at us to get out. We headed back to my room and started setting up everything. I filled the room with flowers and candles and had a single red rose on the table and also candles. ¡°Ok, I think we are done,¡± I said and looked at Mac. ¡°Looks great to me, she is going to love this.¡± ¡°Come on let¡¯s get our boys. I only have two hours until she gets here and I need to shower.¡± We walked down to Michael and Melissa¡¯s room and knocked on the door and when Michael yellede in we opened the door and walked in to find themying on the floor ying with the babies. ¡°We¡¯re having a good time here with the babies. Why don¡¯t you two spend the night with your mates. Both of you.¡± Melissa said smiling at Kaden. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you but you don¡¯t have to keep Kaden,¡± Mac said sounding unsure of himself. ¡°Nonsense. We were never able to have kids so this here is my grandson and this one here is my adoptive grandson and you know what we are missing our adoptive granddaughter, but I don¡¯t know if we can handle all three of them overnight. We will take her another night,¡± Melissa said smiling. We both said thank you and ran out the door before they could change their minds. ¡°I think I love those two,¡± Mac saidughing. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Now I have to go and get ready because I am going to take my mate out tonight.¡± He said wiggling his eyebrows at me. We parted ways and I went and got in the shower and got ready for her to arrive. It didn¡¯t seem like it took long to get ready and before I knew it I got a link from Sloane letting me know they were headed down the driveway. I ran down the stairs to greet her at the door. I saw the car pull up and that¡¯s when I got nervous. I watched her step out of the car and holy shit she looked amazing. If we made it to dinner it would be a miracle. I opened the door and took the longest strides I could to get to her. I had to touch her. She looked like a sex goddess. Her hair had grown out some and she had it curled in soft curls. She had on some makeup not that she needed it. But the dress and heels are what put me over the edge. It was red with a plunging neckline and was tight. I could see every curve of her body. I finally made it to her and pulled her into me and bent my neck so that I could inhale her scent. It has always done something to me. It was my favorite. ¡°Princess, you look absolutely gorgeous. I can¡¯t wait to peel this dress off you tonight,¡± I whispered into her ear and started to pepper her neck with kisses. ¡°You think this dress looks good, you should see what I have on underneath,¡± she whispered back. I just groaned out because I don¡¯t know if I will be able to keep my hands off her. She looked so damn sexy in this dress. ¡°Come on, I want to show you something,¡± I told her grabbing her hand. I took her up to our room and stopped at our door. ¡°Colt, where is our son?¡± She asked me when we stopped. ¡°He is spending some time with his grandparents,¡± I told her as I opened the door. She let out a little gasp as she took in the room. It was lightly lit with candles everywhere and where there weren¡¯t candles there were flowers. Red roses and white daisies. ¡°The room looks absolutely beautiful, but what is this about?¡± She asked looking confused. I took her hand and took her to the table and when we got there I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I needed my lips to hers. I gently ced my lips to hers and swiped my tongue over her lips and she quickly opened up. We stood there for a few minutes just emersed in our kiss. She tasted so sweet. Like strawberries and cream. I brought my hand around behind her head and deepened the kiss. She finally pulled away and was breathing heavily. Her arousal was filling the room. I started to kiss down her neck and found her mark and sucked on it and her arousal got even stronger. ¡°Colt I need you right now,¡± she moaned out in a breathy tone. I had her right where I wanted her. It was now or never. -Chapter 93 Ana¡¯s POV Rodney and I knew that, despite the jury being warned, we were certain that a few members of the jury would believe the lies that had been told. We expected it. As the opening statements were made, I heard a slight movement behind me. I turned to see Charlie passing Roger¡¯s cell phone back to him. That¡¯s odd. I guess Roger needed to say something. I know that he didn¡¯t have Charlie¡¯s number. We were starting with Regina, as her trial was cut and dried. It would be the easiest of the three. Christine Arnold took the stand, and Rodney started off by showing a copy of the actual deed to the home. She testified that she had sold me both my apartment and the vi in question. She also testified that she had sold them both for me, at my request, before I bought mytest home. The proof was all there. Bank statements, the electronic transfer to pay off the home in full. Everything was in order, proving that I had purchased the home, with no funds from Roger. No funds had been provided to me by Roger. Everything inside, and concerning that home, had been purchased by me. I wanted to ensure they had nothing toe back on me with after the trial. I¡¯m not doing this again. This was a warning for them to stop. I have gone through 5 already and they all are a long list of dates and times of intercourse and some even have explicit s*x scenes written out. I sigh and put down thetest folder that is describing how Hadley had been a dom to my warrior. Looking over at Evan, I smile. Her brows are drawn and her dark hair is up in a messy bun, revealing her neck. The shirt that she changed into is a nice floral blouse that hangs off her shoulders. The shirt reveals therge scar at the base of her neck, and a few more small ones that I didn¡¯t notice before. Before I even realize what I am doing, I reach out and touch the biggest one. She jumps and turns to smack my hand away, ring at me. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask gently and she narrows her eyes. ¡°If you must know. The big one was an ident from my torture training and the rest are from my fun time with Frankf*ck.¡± She answers and turns her attention back to the file in front of her. ¡°Torture training? You shouldn¡¯t have gotten scarred from that.¡± I ask in confusion. ¡°Yes. Torture training. Once Alpha Gerold saw that I was ¡®special¡® he enrolled me in all of his special sses. Including Luna duties,bat, and torture training.¡± She answers with the wave of her hand as if this conversation is no big deal. ¡°How did it happen?¡± I ask. ¡°I was injected with a little too much wolvespain. They grabbed the dull silver knife, to inflict more pain. Once they stabbed the base of my neck they were startled and identally dragged the de across my back. Mother was horrified when I was taken to the hospital. They had to restrain her from rushing to Alpha Gerold and attacking him.¡± She says with a slight smile on her lips. ¡°How old were you?¡± I all but growl out and she shrugs. ¡°Shortly after I shifted, so 12.¡± She answers and I can¡¯t help the growl thates out of my mouth, startling her. Her face turns to me with wide eyes as Viggo pushes me. ¡°YOU WERE A CHILD?¡± He roars and I begin huffing, trying to control him. I don¡¯t register anything until Evan climbs on myp and grips my face with her hands, forcing me to look into her beautiful crystal gray eyes. ¡°It is a part of what made me who am today. Was it the right thing to do? No. BUT I don¡¯t think I would have survived Franklin if I hadn¡¯t of had the training. That training, as f*cked up as it sounds, saved me. More times than one.¡± She says, giving me a pointed look and I realize that she is talking about the first Added to the library her. When she was being tortured here by disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologize and she forces my head back up to meet her gaze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying that as a dig. I was saying it to try to get you to calm down. I understand why you did it, even though it hurt like a b*tch.¡± Sheughs out and I pull her tight against me, surprising her. I ce me the crook of her neck taking a deep inhale of her choctevender scent. She cradles my head, holding me close to her as well. This makes me and Viggo content, but also almost feel worse. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± I mutter. ¡°Don¡¯t ever say that. We are second chances for a reason.¡± She scolds, and I shake my head, but don¡¯t argue She is right, but of course I still don¡¯t feel that way. She is a much better person than me. I can only hope that I can be half the person she is. ¡°Tell me about your parents.¡± I mumble into her neck and she pulls away, looking at me questioningly and i shrug. ¡°You mentioned your mother. I would like to know about her.¡± I say and she smiles sadly. ¡°Mother was a gothic hippy.¡± She chuckles. ¡°At least that is what some people in the pack called her. She was a pack doctor and had some more holistic approaches to things. Either way, they worked. She loved to bake and would experiment with different vors. My favorites that she would make are the breakfast items, especially muffins because it was like eating a cake for breakfast. She was carefree, loving, and helped as many people as she could. My father on the other hand was more strict, not very, but he is the one who instilled in me the discipline for school and training. He was a¨Chead warrior and although he could be a little rough around the edges, he loved me and mom with his whole heart. He is actually the person who taught me how to fight in the first ce. A Lot of his and my mom¡¯s beliefs are a part of me. My caring and nurturing I learned from mom and my discipline and tough love, I learned from dad.¡± She tells me with a sad smile on her face. I hugged her again. ¡°Not a day has gone by that I don¡¯t miss them.¡± She sniffles and I nod. ¡°I understand.¡± I say as she pulls back to look me in the eye. ¡°What about your dad?¡± She asks and now it is my turn to smile sadly. ¡°He was the best. He came off as gruff to people on the outside, but was weing and cared for his people. Even though he was strong and stern, he was also loving. He was always one for jokes and a good time with family. He tried to put us first, and in most ways he did, but he still had a kingdom to run. Everybody loved him and when the time came to start training me, he was patient and took the time to actually teach me. I was lost without him when I took over.¡± I exin and she nods. ¡°He sounds like a good man. I wish I would have gotten to meet him.¡± She says and I smile and grab the back of her neck, bringing her lips to mine for a brief kiss. ¡°He would have loved you.¡± I say, pulling back and she smiles. ¡°My parents would, well they would love this you, but hated the before you.¡± She says and Iugh as she climbs off myp.. ¡°I hated the before me.¡± I say and she shakes her head as she reaches back to the file. I huff and grab the one I was working on. After another 20 minutes Evan interrupts my reading. ¡°I think I might have found something.¡± She says as she turns the file open and begins reading and looks back up to me. ¡°This one was Ingrid¡¯s note. She saw that the head of pack support, Chadwick, we deleting pack requests on hisputer/right before Hadley came in and, well you know.¡± She says, pulling a slight face. Honestly at this point I am almost numb to the fact Hadley was a wh*re. ¡°So Chadwick is the one deleting the requests from packs. Why?¡± I ask and she shrugs her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you have to know it isn¡¯t just one guy. There is no way that one guy can cover up the fact that pack¡¯s are not getting the support they need. Especially when they do, it is little to none. Not to mention the cover ups on packs disappearing.¡± She says and I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and look towards the coffee table holding the rest of the reports. We are only a quarter of the way through this. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± I say gesturing to the files and she smiles slyly. I look at her in confusion, when there is a knock on my office door and it opens without me telling the person to enter. I look over to see Jax strutting in and I grumble about him not waiting for me to tell him to enter. Then a few secondster Linc, Henry, and Marie enter. I look at them all in confusion and Evan grabs some folders and hands them out. ¡°I know most of you did the interrogations, but we need to go through the transcripts and notes on anything that may be useful with the war, who helped Hadley, and any corruption there may be in the pack system.¡± She says and they nod. Jax puts his hand to his forehead and says ¡®yes ma¡¯am¡® before turning to the first page of the file. Shees back and sits down and smiles at me. ¡°I figured it would be easier with more eyes.¡± She says as she turns back to her folder. I lean down to whisper in her ear. ¡°Thank you.¡± I say and she just shrugs in response. Hopefully the rest of these won¡¯t take as long. ¡°YOU WERE A CHILD?¡± He roars and I begin huffing, trying to control him. I don¡¯t register anything until Evan climbs on myp and grips my face with her hands, forcing me to look into her beautiful crystal gray eyes. ¡°It is a part of what made me who am today. Was it the right thing to do? No. BUT I don¡¯t think I would have survived Franklin if I hadn¡¯t of had the training. That training, as f*cked up as it sounds, saved me. More times than one.¡± She says, giving me a pointed look and I realize that she is talking about the first Added to the library her. When she was being tortured here by disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologize and she forces my head back up to meet her gaze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying that as a dig. I was saying it to try to get you to calm down. I understand why you did it, even though it hurt like a b*tch.¡± Sheughs out and I pull her tight against me, surprising her. I ce me the crook of her neck taking a deep inhale of her choctevender scent. She cradles my head, holding me close to her as well. This makes me and Viggo content, but also almost feel worse. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± I mutter. Chapter 94 Joyce¡¯s POV Regina assured me that they weren¡¯t in a rtionship. I could wring her neck for lying to me about this. But themunication between them was all right here in front of me in ck and white. Now our attorney is furious and ring at me. This wasn¡¯t my fault; this is on Regina. The trial is starting off badly. He warned us that Rodney Briggs. He said that Ana¡¯s attorney was one of the best, but I wasn¡¯t worried. We were essentially here because of those stolen designs, which she had stolen. Why would she do this to Regina? She was being portrayed badly, and I knew we wouldn¡¯t be able to change the narrative. She needed to be able to seduce a member of the city¡¯s elite. Preferably an innocent one, so he would fall in love quickly and agree to make her his wife. I already knew how to get around the virgin part of it. A small vial of blood, with some ced on her thigh, and on the sheets, and it¡¯s a done deal. It¡¯s the same trick I used on Scott to get him to marry me. He was poor at the time, but I saw his drive, his vision. I knew that he would go far, and I was right. So far there has been little to no news or action regarding the war. The packs that we have called in to help all arrived a few days ago. Warrick called all of the packs and only 6 out of the 28 said they woulde or send warriors to help.I called the ones who I dealt with and 7 more said they woulde, even though they didn¡¯t really want to. I also called a few allied witch and vampire covens, as well as shifter packs. They all declined, but said they would leave it up to the individual. They weren¡¯t going to force their members toe and help. I understand that. Once they arrived we put them on the training schedule and there have only been some minor shes of personalities. When reading the interrogations, we found that there were 6 people who were helping Hadley. She also nned the attack on me and Iris on our drive here. I think that she and her pack are working with Franklin, and Warrick partially agreed. We don¡¯t know how many other packs are working with him, and it has us worried. Warrick and I have been getting to know each other more and I have got to admit that he has changed. He is more weing and happy, even in this time of stress and it is a wee relief. Multiple people havemented on it, and even if they haven¡¯t you can tell with just how many people are starting to approach him more. I think that the mate pull has been on it¡¯s worse behavior because everytime I see him I just want to say f everything and have him mark me. He hasn¡¯t pushed for it, which makes it even harder to say no to the bond. I am pulled out of my thoughts with a knock on my bedroom door. I finishcing my shoes and get up to answer it. When the door opens I see a smiling Iris and Ingrid waiting for me. ¡°Ladies. What can I do for you?¡± I ask. ¡°Oh we would like to speak with you over breakfast, privately.¡± Iris says and I furrow my brows in confusion. ¡°Okay.¡± I say hesitantly. Iris ps her hands and begins to lead the way. We enter a small room that looks as if it were meant to hold tea parties and I take ¨¤ seat. There are already three ces set. Each holding an omelet, muffin, and a cup of coffee, and utensils. I raise a pointed eyebrow at Iris and she shrugs. ¡°I knew you would say yes.¡± Ingrid shrugs and digs into her food. Iris does the same and I follow suit, wondering what they need to speak with me about. We eat in silence and once we are finished and sipping our coffees, Ingrid starts the conversation. ¡°You and Warrick seem to be getting along a lot better.¡± She says and I nod slowly. ¡°Yeah. I guess we are.¡± I answer and she smiles. ¡°Are you going to say yes to mating anytime soon? It¡¯s clear that you two were meant for each other. Just seeing you two interact reminds me of me and William.¡± Iris says and I pause in putting my coffee down. ¡°Um.¡± I answer in hesitation. ¡°Look, I am going to cut to the chase. I received a message. You need to mate soon. The war is cami quickly.¡± Ingrid say, cutting the bullsh*t and creating tension. ¡°So you two are telling me I have to do this. I¡¯m not going to be pressured into saying yes when I am not ready.¡± I argue and Iris huffs as Ingrid stares at me. ¡°We aren¡¯t TELLING you to do anything. Only informing you that you need to make your decision soon or else it will be toote. Iris is only trying to make you realize that you two are already acting like a mated couple, without the s*x, obviously. But the point is you have already epted him, you need to realize that and just get on with it.¡± Ingrid lectures and I fall silent. ¡°I appreciate your concern and heads up. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to get to training.¡± I say, standing up and ignoring their protests as I leave. I walk down the stairs to find Warrick waiting for me. ¡°Everything okay? I didn¡¯t see you at breakfast.¡± He says and I shug. ¡°Just peachy.¡± I answer and begin to walk towards the door. ¡°I know everything is not ¡®just peachy¡® make our way to the training grounds. Veena perks up inside me and begins to put her two cents in. ¡°They¡¯re not wrong. AND did you just hear that? He knows that something is wrong and didn¡¯t push us for an answer. Evangelina, you need to get your head out of your a*s and look at this man. He has changed so much in the past week. He is apletely different person. This is the REAL him and you know that. Please don¡¯t let us miss out on our chance at happiness.¡± She practically begs me and I stop in my tracks at what she said. Y and I am here if you need to talk.¡± He says, following beside me as we I look to Warrick, who has stopped and is looking at me in concern, and I realize that this is the happiest Veena and I have been in a very long time. Before, I was just going through the motions of the day, stering a fake smile and putting on a show. Only people who were close to me saw through it, knowing that the pain and loneliness I felt was pushed deep down. But in the past week I haven¡¯t felt any of that. I know Ziana is alive and wille home to me and I know that Warrickpletes me. ¡°Hey.¡± I hear and feel a gentle nudge on my shoulder. I snap out of my thoughts and look up, into the worried eyes of Warrick, my mate. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You seem, I don¡¯t know. Out of it.¡± He asks as he brings a hand to my stroking it with his thumb, while sending sparks throughout it. I nod, and close my eyes. Awkwardness seeping through me. How do I even initiate something like this? Do I propose to him in some way? Just jump on him and tell him to take me? No, both of those seem wrong. Panic begins to take over as I think through the options. During the spiral down I hear Veena growl ¡°f*ck this¡± as she takes control of my body. She brings our hand up to Warrick¡¯s head and pulls him, roughly to us. Crashing his lips to ours. There is a deep rumble in his chest as she jumps on him, wrapping or legs around him. He catches us and holds us against him by our a*s. ¡°Take us.¡± Veena growls into his mouth and he pulls back, breathing hard. Viggo is trying to push through, but unlike me at the moment he has control over his animal. ¡°I need permission from Evan.¡± He croaks out. Veena lets me have control back, and I stare into his eyes as he holds me. ¡°Please.¡± I say and that is all he needs to practically run back to the pack house and to my bedroom, which is closer. I also called a few allied witch and vampire covens, as well as shifter packs. They all declined, but said they would leave it up to the individual. They weren¡¯t going to force their members toe and help. I understand that. Once they arrived we put them on the training schedule and there have only been some minor shes of personalities. When reading the interrogations, we found that there were 6 people who were helping Hadley. She also nned the attack on me and Iris on our drive here. I think that she and her pack are working with Franklin, and Warrick partially agreed. We don¡¯t know how many other packs are working with him, and it has us worried. Warrick and I have been getting to know each other more and I have got to admit that he has changed. He is more weing and happy, even in this time of stress and it is a wee relief. Multiple people havemented on it, and even if they haven¡¯t you can tell with just how many people are starting to approach him more. I think that the mate pull has been on it¡¯s worse behavior because everytime I see him I just want to say f everything and have him mark me. He hasn¡¯t pushed for it, which makes it even harder to say no to the bond. I am pulled out of my thoughts with a knock on my bedroom door. I finishcing my shoes and get up to answer it. When the door opens I see a smiling Iris and Ingrid waiting for me. ¡°Ladies. What can I do for you?¡± I ask. ¡°Oh we would like to speak with you over breakfast, privately.¡± Iris says and I furrow my brows in confusion. ¡°Okay.¡± I say hesitantly. Iris ps her hands and begins to lead the way. We enter a small room that looks as if it were meant to hold tea parties and I take ¨¤ seat. There are already three ces set. Each holding an omelet, muffin, and a cup of coffee, and utensils. I raise a pointed eyebrow at Iris and she shrugs. ¡°I knew you would say yes.¡± Ingrid shrugs and digs into her food. Iris does the same and I follow suit, wondering what they need to speak with me about. We eat in silence and once we are finished and sipping our coffees, Ingrid starts the conversation. ¡°You and Warrick seem to be getting along a lot better.¡± She says and I nod slowly. ¡°Yeah. I guess we are.¡± I answer and she smiles. ¡°Are you going to say yes to mating anytime soon? It¡¯s clear that you two were meant for each other. Just seeing you two interact reminds me of me and William.¡± Iris says and I pause in putting my coffee down. ¡°Um.¡± I answer in hesitation. Chapter 95 Ana¡¯s POV It was hard to stay silent. I had so many things I wanted to say to her and her mother, but I kept my mouth shut. I trusted Rodney to effectively deal with all three of them. ¡°I have no further questions for this witness, at this time,¡± Rodney stated beforeing back to sit next to me. Her attorney tried everything in his power to rectify the situation. He was actively trying to defend her actions, but she had already admitted to the usations against her. Her own words had trapped her, and there wasn¡¯t much she could do to negate them. The judge reminded the jury of their role before sending them out to deliberate. What should have been a quick deliberation was over an hour before the judge sent one of the bailiffs to go check on them. When he returned, the judge motioned for both attorneys toe up and speak to them. After speaking for a short time, they returned to their desks. ¡°The jury is still deliberating, so I¡¯m going to dismiss everyone for lunch. We will resume the trial at two p.m. this afternoon,¡± the judge announced. Evan stirs in my arms and I smile warmly at her. I shouldn¡¯t be worried, she is my mate and I am going to spend the rest of my life treating her like the queen she is. She shoots up, her eyes wide and whips her head around to look at me. ¡°Why do I feel more pack links?¡± She asks in panic and I smile. ¡°I believe that our pack¡¯s have merged since we have marked each other.¡± I exin and her eyebrows shoot up. ¡°What?¡± She asks in a panic. I stroke my hand up and down her back in aforting motion. ¡°There is no need to panic. Our packs were practically merged anyway. They have been getting along the past few months and we cane up with a more permanent solution to living arrangements and everything else that will need to be figured out. It will all work out, by the goddess¡¯s will.¡± I say and and she smiles, cing amhand on my cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡± She says as she kisses me, then pulls back. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s why we sleep for¡­¡± She looks at the clock next to her bed. And her eyes almost bug out. 4 hours?!¡± She shrieks and moves to get up out of the bed, but I hold her back and she squeals. ¡°What¡¯s another hour?¡± I ask and she eyes me incredulously. I smile slyly. ¡°We need to shower and speak with the pack.¡± She admonishes. I let her up, and move to follow her. She turns around and squints her eyes at me as I follow her into the bathroom. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asks and I smile. ¡°You said WE need to take a shower. I think that is a great idea. And I am just following orders. My queen.¡± I say and she shakes her head, entering the shower as a blush spreads up her cheeks. I enter soon after admiring her beautiful body. I walk up behind her and hold her back to my chest. Leaning down I kiss the side of her neck, taking in the smell of choctevender that I can¡¯t seem to get enough of. ¡°You¡¯re so f*cking perfect.¡± I rumble and I feel her body shiver against mine. I know that she can feel length pushing into her back. ¡°Damn it.¡± She whispers under her breath as her heartbeat picks up. She turns around to face me, letting the water begin to spray her and goddess she is just so perfect. I growl in hunger for her and her eyes sh with desire, as lust fills the bond. I take the small step towards her and smash my lips against hers. Swallowing all of her little moans. I grab the back of her thighs, bringing her up as she wraps her leg around me. Her hands are running through my hair in a panicky way, that tells me she needs this as much as I do. Not wasting any time I position my c*ck at her entrance and m her down. She cries out, fingers digging Into my back as I ce her against the shower wall and begin to f*ck her hard. All that is heard is the pping of our two bodies, her moans and my grunts. ¡°Yes. Yes. Please. Right there.¡± She pants and I listen. Continuing my onught of pounding deeper and harder. ¡°F*CK. WARRICK I¡¯M GONNA.. AHHH!!¡± She screams as her walls clench around me, but I don¡¯t stop, not even as she begins to shake.I keep thrusting, feeling the sparks through my body as her breath hitches. ¡°F*CK!¡± She screams as her walls tighten so hard around me it brings me over the edge. I spill my seed inside her growling at the blissful sensation. After standing there and catching our breaths. I stare deep into her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will ever get enough of you.¡± I rumble as I kiss her lips and set her down. We continue the shower with no more extra detours. When we exit the bathroom I see clothes on the bed and she smiles. ¡°I had Jaxon bring you some clothes.¡± She says and I bend down, sealing our lips. ¡°Thank you, love.¡± I say and she kisses me back telling me you¡¯re wee. She goes and begins to put her clothes on, making me frown. I wish we could just stay here all day, but I know better. With that thought I put my clothes on and we exit the room, calling for an assembly in 30 minutes. We head down to the kitchens hand in hand. Pack members stop and bow, looking at me strangely. Probably because I can¡¯t stop smiling. I still can¡¯t believe that she let me mate her. That I can feel everything she feels, and the best part is I feel no regreting from her bond. I frown as we enter the kitchen as I feel the apprehension from her. Taking some leftover muffins from this morning and handing her one, I see the deep creases in her brow, like she is thinking too hard. ¡°Hey.¡± I say, reaching and cupping her face. ¡°Talk to me.¡± I say and she smiles. But it isn¡¯t a real one, it¡¯s forced. ¡°What if the packs don¡¯t like the news? The royal pack was only tolerating us because of the war. In their minds, we are still rogues.¡± She says, causing me to growl. ¡°In case you didn¡¯t notice, only a few have not been getting along and it is only the bigoted as*holes who think that the royal pack is superior to others. Which is not true whatsoever. The ones who take issue with the merge can leave if they wish, if they cause problems then we may have to make an example out of one or two.¡± I say and she frowns. ¡°We are NOT killing somebody for their emotions or perceptions.¡± She admonishes, and Viggo and I huff. ¡°That¡¯s not..¡± I begin to argue but she lifts a brow in challenge. ¡°Fine.¡± I grumble. ¡°How would you like to handle it?¡± I ask and she smirks, but then goes back to thinking. After a few moments she nods as if she was having a conversation with another person and she them. Her grey eyes focus on mine. ¡°Veena and I like the idea of giving people the choice to leave. We also think that in order to ease people¡¯s minds we should open the doors to the office and allow people to speak their grievances. This will give us a chance to address their worries. If a person is outright hostile they can spend the night in the cells until they calm down. If after the cells, they don¡¯t, then we dismiss them from the pack.¡± She says and I nod. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t killing them be better than turning them rogue?¡± I ask and she shakes her head. ¡°Dismissing them from the pack gives them an option to join another, they won¡¯t be rogue until they decide they are.¡± She answers and I nod my head. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡± I say and she huffs a little. ¡°Dismissing a person is different from banishing them. They can choose to join another pack, be a nomad, or be rogue. It is up to them. A nomad is a wolf that normally finds one or two others and just roams around. They don¡¯t have a pack, but they also don¡¯t have the rogue tendencies to kill and steal. Nomads hunt game and pick berries, true rogues hunt people and enjoy spreading terror. There is a difference.¡± She exins and I nod my head in understanding. ¡°Makes sense.¡± I say as she finishes her muffin and pats me on the cheek like a child. I narrow my eyes at her and sheughs. A soft delicate sound that makes my heart skip a beat. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re perfect.¡± I say and she quiets down, locking eyes with me. I lean in to kiss her when we are interrupted. ¡°Good goddess. I knew you would make the right decision.¡± My mother says,ing up beside us and bringing us both into her embrace. I lift an eyebrow at Evan and she smirks. ¡°Your mother and aunt pulled me in for breakfast this morning to.. Chat.¡± She exins and before I can question further, I swear I hear my mother squeal as she lets us go. ¡°YES! And because of that chat Evan came to her senses and realized that she already epted you, she just needed toplete the eptance.¡± My mother says, wiggling her eyebrows and I scrunch my nose. ¡°Mom.¡± I groan, putting a hand to my face in embarrassment. ¡°Oh hush child. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what happens when you ept your mate.¡± She says smacking the back of my head. Evan chuckles and stands up, holding her hand out to me. ¡°Come on, we have a pack to inform.¡± She says and I smile, taking her hand and walking with her to the outlook of the training grounds. When I refocus I see her eyeing me hungrily. I return to her, kissing down her neck as she breaths heavily and lets out soft moans. I suck on the her marking spot, right at the base of her neck and corbone and she gasps hard. I look into her eyes and see no reservation. ¡°If we do this, I don¡¯t think I will be able to stop Viggo from marking you, love.¡± I warn and she smiles shyly. ¡°I want him to, only if Veena can return the favor.¡± She says as a blush makes her way up her neck. That¡¯s all I needed to hear to skip the forey and dive straight in. I have lost all sense from those words. I use my ws to tear through her shirt and sports bra, causing her breasts to spill out. Without waiting I tug down her pants and panties, not even stopping to question when she took her shoes off. I pause just slightly as I see her naked body for the first time, and growl in approval. Chapter 96 Sasha¡¯s POV Wait, did he say Mrs. Cook? Is he speaking about me, or Joyce right now? I really couldn¡¯t tell. Now I¡¯m hoping it was Ms. Cook that he said? It couldn¡¯t be me. I covered my trail. I deleted everything after lunch, just in case. No text chain, no social mediaments, or DM¡¯s. Nothing could attach me to my helpful friend. I leaned back in my chair and forced myself to rx. It had to be Joyce that he was speaking about. She¡¯s absolutely ruthless. She even has her own daughter in serious trouble. Joyce was the one who told Regina to have her friend create a fake deed. She was a real piece of work that one. She never gives up her plotting, I¡¯ll give her that. I¡¯ve learned a great deal by being around her. I¡¯ve learned a lot from being around her. If she tries to turn on me, I will bury her. I honestly think she would make a deal with the devil if it would benefit her. The jury was led back into the room, but my friend, Joshua Greggs, was no longer among them. That was my first inkling that I was the one the judge was referring to. My breathe caught at seeing that. I had to force myself not to look around. I just stared forward at the wall. Ignoring the empty chair on the jury, shining like a beacon. My heart started to race. What¡¯s about to happen? He just mentioned additional charges. That¡¯s going to make me look even worse. Evan stirs in my arms and I smile warmly at her. I shouldn¡¯t be worried, she is my mate and I am going to spend the rest of my life treating her like the queen she is. She shoots up, her eyes wide and whips her head around to look at me. ¡°Why do I feel more pack links?¡± She asks in panic and I smile. ¡°I believe that our pack¡¯s have merged since we have marked each other.¡± I exin and her eyebrows shoot up. ¡°What?¡± She asks in a panic. I stroke my hand up and down her back in aforting motion. ¡°There is no need to panic. Our packs were practically merged anyway. They have been getting along the past few months and we cane up with a more permanent solution to living arrangements and everything else that will need to be figured out. It will all work out, by the goddess¡¯s will.¡± I say and and she smiles, cing amhand on my cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡± She says as she kisses me, then pulls back. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s why we sleep for¡­¡± She looks at the clock next to her bed. And her eyes almost bug out. 4 hours?!¡± She shrieks and moves to get up out of the bed, but I hold her back and she squeals. ¡°What¡¯s another hour?¡± I ask and she eyes me incredulously. I smile slyly. ¡°We need to shower and speak with the pack.¡± She admonishes. I let her up, and move to follow her. She turns around and squints her eyes at me as I follow her into the bathroom. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asks and I smile. ¡°You said WE need to take a shower. I think that is a great idea. And I am just following orders. My queen.¡± I say and she shakes her head, entering the shower as a blush spreads up her cheeks. I enter soon after admiring her beautiful body. I walk up behind her and hold her back to my chest. Leaning down I kiss the side of her neck, taking in the smell of choctevender that I can¡¯t seem to get enough of. ¡°You¡¯re so f*cking perfect.¡± I rumble and I feel her body shiver against mine. I know that she can feel length pushing into her back. ¡°Damn it.¡± She whispers under her breath as her heartbeat picks up. She turns around to face me, letting the water begin to spray her and goddess she is just so perfect. I growl in hunger for her and her eyes sh with desire, as lust fills the bond. I take the small step towards her and smash my lips against hers. Swallowing all of her little moans. I grab the back of her thighs, bringing her up as she wraps her leg around me. Her hands are running through my hair in a panicky way, that tells me she needs this as much as I do. ¡± Not wasting any time I position my c*ck at her entrance and m her down. She cries out, fingers digging Into my back as I ce her against the shower wall and begin to f*ck her hard. All that is heard is the pping of our two bodies, her moans and my grunts. ¡°Yes. Yes. Please. Right there.¡± She pants and I listen. Continuing my onught of pounding deeper and harder. ¡°F*CK. WARRICK I¡¯M GONNA.. AHHH!!¡± She screams as her walls clench around me, but I don¡¯t stop, not even as she begins to shake.I keep thrusting, feeling the sparks through my body as her breath hitches. ¡°F*CK!¡± She screams as her walls tighten so hard around me it brings me over the edge. I spill my seed inside her growling at the blissful sensation. After standing there and catching our breaths. I stare deep into her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will ever get enough of you.¡± I rumble as I kiss her lips and set her down. We continue the shower with no more extra detours. When we exit the bathroom I see clothes on the bed and she smiles. ¡°I had Jaxon bring you some clothes.¡± She says and I bend down, sealing our lips. ¡°Thank you, love.¡± I say and she kisses me back telling me you¡¯re wee. She goes and begins to put her clothes on, making me frown. I wish we could just stay here all day, but I know better. With that thought I put my clothes on and we exit the room, calling for an assembly in 30 minutes. We head down to the kitchens hand in hand. Pack members stop and bow, looking at me strangely. Probably because I can¡¯t stop smiling. I still can¡¯t believe that she let me mate her. That I can feel everything she feels, and the best part is I feel no regreting from her bond. I frown as we enter the kitchen as I feel the apprehension from her. Taking some leftover muffins from this morning and handing her one, I see the deep creases in her brow, like she is thinking too hard. ¡°Hey.¡± I say, reaching and cupping her face. ¡°Talk to me.¡± I say and she smiles. But it isn¡¯t a real one, it¡¯s forced. ¡°What if the packs don¡¯t like the news? The royal pack was only tolerating us because of the war. In their minds, we are still rogues.¡± She says, causing me to growl. ¡°In case you didn¡¯t notice, only a few have not been getting along and it is only the bigoted as*holes who think that the royal pack is superior to others. Which is not true whatsoever. The ones who take issue with the merge can leave if they wish, if they cause problems then we may have to make an example out of one or two.¡± I say and she frowns. ¡°We are NOT killing somebody for their emotions or perceptions.¡± She admonishes, and Viggo and I huff. ¡°That¡¯s not..¡± I begin to argue but she lifts a brow in challenge. ¡°Fine.¡± I grumble. ¡°How would you like to handle it?¡± I ask and she smirks, but then goes back to thinking. After a few moments she nods as if she was having a conversation with another person and she them. Her grey eyes focus on mine. ¡°Veena and I like the idea of giving people the choice to leave. We also think that in order to ease people¡¯s minds we should open the doors to the office and allow people to speak their grievances. This will give us a chance to address their worries. If a person is outright hostile they can spend the night in the cells until they calm down. If after the cells, they don¡¯t, then we dismiss them from the pack.¡± She says and I nod. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t killing them be better than turning them rogue?¡± I ask and she shakes her head. ¡°Dismissing them from the pack gives them an option to join another, they won¡¯t be rogue until they decide they are.¡± She answers and I nod my head. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡± I say and she huffs a little. ¡°Dismissing a person is different from banishing them. They can choose to join another pack, be a nomad, or be rogue. It is up to them. A nomad is a wolf that normally finds one or two others and just roams around. They don¡¯t have a pack, but they also don¡¯t have the rogue tendencies to kill and steal. Nomads hunt game and pick berries, true rogues hunt people and enjoy spreading terror. There is a difference.¡± She exins and I nod my head in understanding. ¡°Makes sense.¡± I say as she finishes her muffin and pats me on the cheek like a child. I narrow my eyes at her and sheughs. A soft delicate sound that makes my heart skip a beat. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re perfect.¡± I say and she quiets down, locking eyes with me. I lean in to kiss her when we are interrupted. ¡°Good goddess. I knew you would make the right decision.¡± My mother says,ing up beside us and bringing us both into her embrace. I lift an eyebrow at Evan and she smirks. ¡°Your mother and aunt pulled me in for breakfast this morning to.. Chat.¡± She exins and before I can question further, I swear I hear my mother squeal as she lets us go. ¡°YES! And because of that chat Evan came to her senses and realized that she already epted you, she just needed toplete the eptance.¡± My mother says, wiggling her eyebrows and I scrunch my nose. ¡°Mom.¡± I groan, putting a hand to my face in embarrassment. ¡°Oh hush child. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what happens when you ept your mate.¡± She says smacking the back of my head. Evan chuckles and stands up, holding her hand out to me. ¡°Come on, we have a pack to inform.¡± She says and I smile, taking her hand and walking with her to the outlook of the training grounds. His steps were calm, measured, but something about them felt heavy. Final. Like I was being marched somewhere I wouldn¡¯t want to be and he wasn¡¯t ready to change his mind¡­ I tried to keep my voice light. Friendly. ¡°You know, I actually kinda liked Leo and Cara¡¯s lunch group better. It was¡­ I don¡¯t know. Calmer. Less intense.¡± No response. I tucked a strand of hair back behind my ear, feeling stupid for even trying. ¡°I mean, maybe it¡¯s just because I don¡¯t know most of the people in that rotation now, it felt¡­ safer? I didn¡¯t feel like I had to keep my back to the wall the whole time.¡± Still nothing. Okay. So he wasn¡¯t in the mood for lunch reviews. I let the quiet stretch between us again, tension coiling in the pit of my stomach with every step that brought us closer to the cell. -Chapter 97 Joyce¡¯s POV I fell back in my chair as I watched a video of me talking to Roger and Sasha. I looked like a shrew. Yelling at Roger and telling him what he needed to do. How did they even have this? I nced over at Roger, who was ring at me in anger. He¡¯s ming me for this? I was only trying to help him. She had been a threat to him and hispany. He needed to get rid of her while he still could. I looked over at Ana, and she was watching the monitor. She showed no surprise at what was ying at all. I guess she was the one who provided the video. I forced myself to look back at it. Roger and Sasha were huddled together on the sofa. I made sure that it was just us. That way no one else knew what we were about to do. This video is going to make me look like a monster. I nudged my attorney and whispered, ¡°Can we get this thrown out?¡± He just looked at me, and gave a barely perceptible shake of his head before turning back to the video. He was making a few notes, but my words were ruining everything. Not just for Sasha, but for me as well. Too fucking silent. As I felt my temper re¡­ My eyes locked on the small notebook still sitting on the desk, finding it to be closed now, not the way I¡¯d left it. She¡¯d fucking read it. She¡¯d seen the damn note I¡¯d left. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the cell¡­ how hard was it to understand? I think she enjoys this¡­ enjoys tempting me to rip out her fucking hair¡­¡± I mutter to myself, shoving the book from the desk ¨C sending it hurtling across the floor. Clear. Unmistakable. Not a fucking suggestion. And she¡¯d just decided to ignore it anyway. ¡°Stupid little bitch,¡± I hissed under my breath, my teeth grinding as my hands balled up into tight fists at my sides. The fucking nerve of her to keep doing this to me¡­ Nobody had ever disrespected me more than once and got away with it, yet here she was, doing it again and again as though I was nothing more than a weak man¡­ After everything I¡¯d done for herst night too? After the meeting this morning where I¡¯d stared down three guards and a camera feed defending her? I¡¯d trusted her to listen today. To follow orders. Yet, now she was gone! I tore out of the cell, moving through the corridors like a storm in motion, my steps mming the floor in a quick pace. I stopped two guards outside the block. ¡°You seen my little blonde? The girl I¡¯m always with? The one who looks like she wouldn¡¯tst two minutes in here without someone holding her fucking hand?¡± One of them blinked, startled. The other, a woman, gave a small nod and gestured with her chin. ¡°I¡¯m certain I saw her go in for lunch, Santorelli.¡± She mused. Lunch? My jaw tightened so hard it cracked. That wasn¡¯t even our designated time slot for lunch either¡­ So not only did she leave the cell ¨C she did it outside of schedule? Up for a new challenge today it seems? Fresh fucking meat?! ¡°Who was she with?¡± I growled, but the woman shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t see, I only noticed her.¡± I didn¡¯t say thanks to them, because I didn¡¯t have any time for polite. I was already charging toward the cafeteria. Blood boiling. Heart thudding. If she came here alone just to eat something, I swear to God¡­ I shoved the doors open and strode inside, eyes immediately scanning the room. Different faces today. Different colours everywhere. This wasn¡¯t our rotation. This wasn¡¯t the group that knew by now to stay away from her. If she got mixed up with the wrong crowd without me here then it could be worse than just bad! And then I saw it, Not the deer¨Ccaught¨Cin¨Cheadlights that I¡¯d been braced for. Or the tiny scared girl stood in a corner somewhere, panicking over her poor choices¡­ No¡­ Just a fucking hand. Waving at me. She was sat at one of the back tables like she owned the ce, tucked between Leo and the other girl, Cara, with a damn grilled cheese in front of her like it was a pic date. At least she didn¡¯t fuckinge in here alone like a fool¡­ Leo¡¯s presence dulled the rage by a thread, but not nearly enough to stop me from stalking toward them with fury bleeding off every step. They saw meing, of course they did. Leo turned, always too casual for his own good. Cara blinked like she¡¯d just seen a ghost. Margot¡¯s whole body jolted, shrinking into herself the moment I locked eyes with her. Good. She should be scared. I wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°You out of the dog house already, Santo?¡± Leo smirked like this was some joke, like I wasn¡¯t half a second away from flipping the goddamn table upside down. I ignored him, my stare fixed only on her. ¡°I told you not to leave the fucking cell,¡± I snapped, my voice sharp enough to slice through the whole damn cafeteria. Margot stiffened, eyes wide, lips parted like she wanted to defend herself but couldn¡¯t find the words. Good. Maybe that meant she knew just how badly she¡¯d fucked up already. Before she fully attempted to mumble anything, Leo leaned back to face me, calm as ever. ¡°Fortunately for her,¡± he said, ¡°I went to your cell to figure out why you skipped the gym ¨C thought you were just beingzy. Little Be here told me you¡¯d been at a meeting with the guards, so I brought her with us for lunch so she wouldn¡¯t miss another meal. She hasn¡¯t been walking around anywhere on her own, don¡¯t worry.¡± He held my gaze, not challenging, just firm. Leo was the only man in this ce I tolerated talking to me. He had been my closest friend since we were kids. The one who¡¯d put his neck on the line and had gotten caught alongside me ¨Cnding us both in here. Still, I didn¡¯t speak right away. ¨C I let the weight of my silence hang. Let her squirm a little more while I studied them both the guilt on her face, the concern on Cara¡¯s, and the casual, near¨Cbored ease on Leo¡¯s. He never gave a shit. Finally, I let out a short grunt. ¡°Guess I better go grab something then before they kick us out.¡± I turned and walked to the front of the line, of course I did. Nobody in this ce was going to tell me to wait behind them. I didn¡¯t care that the guards called me in this morning to tell me that surveince saw her get hit. That the girl had attempted to make aint against me. Snitches get stitches¡­ I sniggered at the thought, piling a tray of two grilled cheese sandwiches and fries, knowing that even the guards didn¡¯t care about what I¡¯d done¡­ I¡¯d risked everything ¨C even a potential day in solitary, all because some bitch thought she couldy hands on my girl. And Margot had repaid that by ignoring the one instruction I left her? Still¡­ she hadn¡¯t gone far and at least she¡¯d gone with Leo¡­ That was the only thing keeping me from dragging her out of here by the back of her neck. As I returned to the table, I didn¡¯t look at her. Not yet. Let her sweat a little more. Let her think about what she¡¯d done. But deep down, beneath the fury, something else was boiling. Not rage. Not quite. It was that twisted, familiar itch that came with her. The part of me that liked knowing she was scared of what I might do to her¡­ The part that liked knowing she wanted to make it up to me¡­ She wanted me to reward her. To treat her decent. To kiss her. To let her sleep on the bed with me. I had full control already, and I liked it that way¡­ The notebook was still to be brought up too¡­ I was saving that. She had no idea how much trouble she was really in. Not yet¡­ As we reached our cell door, he opened it with a single push, stepping inside without even ncing over his shoulder. I hesitated for a second. Just one. Then I stepped in after him. Bang. The door mmed shut behind me with a force that made me jump. My breath caught in my throat, spine locking as the echo rang out around us like a gunshot. Caged in once again. I turned toward him, heart thudding. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left the cell,¡± I said quickly, handsing up in front of me, almost in surrender. ¡°Leo promised he¡¯d tell you I was with him the whole time. I thought ¨C I just thought you wouldn¡¯t want me to miss another meal, not after I skipped breakfast and¡­¡± His hand came up to silence me. I froze. Silence again, but this time it wasn¡¯t the cold kind. This was deliberate. Controlled. That same unnerving calm I¡¯d seen once or twice before ¨C the kind that made me more afraid than all his shouting ever could. ¨C ¡°Take a seat, Be,¡± he said, nodding toward the bed. I stared at him, searching his face for something. But his eyes were unreadable ¨C cool, dark, and watching me like a hawk. Still, I obeyed, Slowly backing up, I sank down onto the mattress, trying to still my racing pulse. The silence between us was so thick I felt like I had to whisper just to breathe. Then, without another word, Coban bent down to retrieve something from the floor. The notebook? It looked like it had been thrown with the pages now bent, spine warped, lying in the corner like it had been hurled there with force. I swallowed hard. So he really hade back here before lunch and found me gone¡­ his temper obviously spiking in response¡­ He didn¡¯t look at me. Just flipped back through the pages, the crinkled sound sharp in the quiet. ¡°We have some notes here,¡± he said after a long pause, ¡°that I¡¯d like to discuss before you pass over tomorrow¡¯s report.¡± His tone was dry. Mocking. Like this was a school assignment he¡¯d been forced to review. Like none of it meant anything to him¡­ and yet I could tell by the tightness in his jaw ¨C it meant something. A lot, probably. He didn¡¯t like what I had wrote, and I didn¡¯t me him¡­ I sat perfectly still, hands gripping the edge of the bed, knees close together. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I whispered. Coban cleared his throat and flipped to the first page. His voice was smooth. Controlled. But the words felt like loaded bullets. ¡°Number one,¡± he read aloud. ¡°Doesn¡¯t follow a strict routine. Does whatever he is in the mood for in that moment. Doesn¡¯t care if we¡¯rete, or miss meals, or skip the schedule entirely. Time means nothing to him, but he hates being made to wait on others.¡± He paused, ncing up at me for the briefest second and I felt my palms grow mmy under his mocking tone¡­ ¡°I disagree,¡± he then said tly. ¡°I admitted that I do care about missing meals with you and said I would avoid it happening again, did I not?¡± He snaps, as I nod quickly. ¡°Y¨CYou did yes, but I wrote that before¡­¡± I attempt to speak, only for him to cut me off sharply. -Chapter 98 Sasha¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t care who he ended up calling up to the stand. I¡¯m just d to be out of the hot seat for a little while. Her attorney acts polite, but he¡¯s actually pretty sharp. I don¡¯t know if I can outsmart him or evade his questioned for too long. I just need to pray that the jury sees reasonable doubt and allows me to get the hell out of this country. Once I get my passport back, I¡¯m gone. I¡¯m nevering back here if I can help it. I was sick of ying it safe. I knew that it was my word against hers. She¡¯s the one who has to prove that the designs were hers. I didn¡¯t have to prove they were mine. I just had to refrain from admitting anything that could be disproven while on the stand. Roger needed those designs, so he would have to be out of his mind if he contradicted me on this. I¡¯m going to make sure that I end her career with this giarism allegation. There was no way for her to be able to prove me wrong, not with Roger backing me up. ¡°I¡¯d like to call Ms. Gwen Simpson to the stand,¡± her attorney called out. The hours passed slowly. Long. Agonising. Suffocating. I had no idea what time it was anymore. There were no clocks in the cell, no sunlight slipping through windows to measure the day. Just the same dim, artificial glow from the ceiling panel that buzzed faintly when the silence dragged too long. And God, it dragged. I hadn¡¯t heard a single sound from the corridor since I sat back down on the bed. No voices. No footsteps. Not even the distant ng of a door mming. It was like I¡¯d been dropped into some vacuum ¨C sealed bubble where time stretched into infinity and I was the only one left breathing. The only one left in the entirepound! My stomach growled again ¨C louder this time. A deep, aching twist that folded me over where I sat. Just when I was getting used to the three meals a day routine¡­ I pressed my hand t against it, as if that would quiet the sound, but the hollowness only seemed to deepen. I hadn¡¯t eaten all day ¨C not a bite or a sip. I¡¯d skipped breakfast due to sleeping in with Coban ¨C the memory seeming humorous now amongst what was currently going on between us. Lunch had also most definitely been missed entirely too, swallowed up by the gym disaster and everything that followed. Now it had to be nearing dinner time, if it hadn¡¯t already passed¡­ I was being starved again, which I realised quickly¡­ Was it intended as a new punishment from him? For revealing too much skin in a male dominated zone? For not listening to him? For not understanding most of this ce yet? Starvation as a punishment was something I was ustomed to living back with my father. I figured it would mostly be down to poverty and not having money, but even when there was food, he never shared it¡­ The thought made my stomach churn in a different way now, an array of fresh tears rising to my eyes¡­ I stood up quickly, unable to sit still a second longer trapped in my thoughts of the past and how they linked with my present. My legs were stiff from how long I¡¯d been curled on the bed, but pacing felt better than just waiting for him. Back and forth. From the edge of the bed to the locked cell door. Back again. Each step was deliberate, but frantic. I chewed the edge of my thumbnail until it bled, forcing myself to stop only when I tasted copper. I couldn¡¯t read. The book I¡¯d started yesterday sat unopened on the desk, the corner of the page still folded neatly from when Ist dog¨Ceared it. A fantasy novel twisted with a romance ¨C a vampire love story. I¡¯d been so eager to escape into it before, to let myself believe in some other world beyond this one. But now? Now it felt too cruel to allow myself the pleasure¡­ I kept ncing at the door like it might swing open any second and reveal him standing there ¨C Coban. With that unreadable look in his eyes. That brooding, predatory stillness in his body. The memory of the gym kept shing behind my eyes. The way he grabbed me. The sound of my own breath catching in my throat as he dragged me away. The sharp m of the cell door behind me like a cage snapping shut. He hadn¡¯te back since. And that wasn¡¯t like him. Coban didn¡¯t leave me alone often. He loomed. Hovered. Controlled me. He always needed to be watching. So where was he now? The silence pressed in harder now. I paused at the door again, straining to hear anything ¨C any sign of life beyond these four concrete walls. Nothing. Had the ce been evacuated? Had everyone been set free? It felt like I had been isted entirely now¡­ the only prisoner left here to rot¡­ I wondered if Coban was still furious, somewhere in the gym or tearing up another inmate just to cool himself down¡­ Would I rather him rage at me or disappear entirely? It was hard to say¡­ I pressed my forehead against the cold metal of the door, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, trying to calm the rising dread I couldn¡¯t shake. I couldn¡¯t sleep. I couldn¡¯t read or breathe or think or do anything other than wait. Wait for him toe back. Wait for the moment my nickname would be barked like a curse. ¡®BELLA!¡¯ The pet name sent shivers through me every time¡­ But what if he never came back? What if he handed me off to someone else, asked for a swap? Decided I was too much hassle for him? ¨C Thest one twisted something sharp inside me because I knew that was the worst case scenario ¨C being paired with another inmate. Coban had be myfort in this ce, despite everything else. I looked to him for praise and protection. I hated that I was even thinking like this. ¨C I hated that this ce was changing me rewiring something deep inside that used to understand right from wrong, safety from danger. Coban was danger. He was violence and fury and shadows you don¡¯t dare poke. And yet¡­ He hadn¡¯t hurt me physically yet. Not like how my father would. He hadn¡¯t struck me, even in his angriest moments. He¡¯d thrown and grabbed me, sure ¨C but that was restraint for someone like him. He chose not to be here. Not to explode. I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling the tremble in them, then turned abruptly on my heel and marched to the small sink in the bathroom. I sshed more cold water on my face. Third time today. Didn¡¯t help much now. But it gave me something to do. I inhaled a steadying breath, whispering reassurances aloud in an attempt to distract myself, before a knock made me jump violently¡­ ¡°Hurry up ande out before we miss dinner!¡± I heard him break out in to the silence, causing me to flinch at the sound I¡¯d almost hoped to hear for hours on end now. He was back. I quickly fumbled with the bathroom handle, revealing myself to him to show that I was fully dressed and definitely ready to eat something today¡­ Thank the lord he¡¯s decent enough to take me to eat something before bed! ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m starving!¡± I admit, my voice careful and quiet around him as I nced up to find him waiting for me by the cell door. ¡°Come on then, hurry up!¡± He mumbled, motioning his head as I hurried towards him, inhaling a fresh breath as I stepped out in to the cell block. It had only been a few hours but it had felt like an eternity alone in there with so little to do¡­ ¡°Coban, I¡¯m sorry about earlier, I just d¡­¡± I begin, staring at hisrge back in front of me as we walked. ¡°Save it forter when we get back!¡± He snapped, and with that, my lips were sealed¡­ About watching her squirm a little. About reminding her of why I was set on making her wear it in the first ce. She had made a big mistake¡­ So letting her sweat was the consequence of her actions yesterday in the gym. Simple as that. She would think twice next time before stripping herself off around this damn prison! Leo¡¯s dumbass question about the report shouldn¡¯t have meant anything either, but the way she answered¡­ ¡°Of course¡­¡± Like it was a maybe.. Like I hadn¡¯t protected her all week. Like she hadn¡¯t kissed me backst night with her little fingers twisted in my shirt like she wanted me to ruin her entirely. Like she didn¡¯t enjoy cuddling and sleeping next to me whenever I gave her the chance¡­ I was fair with her about the whole notes thing too, telling her to write a better list after I exined why most of her original points had been total bullshit¡­ I could have flipped out on her, dragged her across the damn room¡­ spanked her bare ass with the leather of the pad, but I didn¡¯t. I had been fair. Which was what pissed me off the most! I even let her take the damn jumper off eventually, and that was more generous than what I¡¯d nned on being to begin with. And still¡­ she looked at me like I might explode any second. What the fuck was she scared of? My temper? Because she hadn¡¯t seen the half of it yet. She had no idea how mild I¡¯d been keeping things for her sake this week. I clenched my jaw as we stepped back into the corridor that led to our cell. The air inside was cooler, and I noticed the way her shoulders rxed the second we crossed into shade. The tops of her shoulders had began to burn outside, I noticed. That damn vest. Too thin. Too tight. Too exposed. I narrowed my eyes as we walked inside, but said nothing. Just watched the way her fingers yed nervously with the hem of her jumper like she was waiting for permission to breathe again. Good. I wanted her like this. Uneasy. On edge. Because if she was worried about what I might do, maybe she¡¯d think twice tomorrow when the guards hand her that nk sheet and ask her to summarise her ¡°progress¡± with me. I was going to find out what she nned to say, one way or another¡­ Bribes always worked. The right food. The right pills. Enough cigarettes to buy loyalty for a week. The guards would tell me everything ¨C what she put down, what she said. If she gave me a glowing review, fine. We¡¯d move forward, But if she so much as implied I was a threat to her, a danger¡­ She¡¯d see my real temper then. The second I closed the cell door over behind us, her jumper was already halfway unzipped, as she tugged the rest of it off with a deep exhale, throwing it toward the corner of the room with more drama than necessary. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. ¡°Did I say you could take that off?¡± I asked, voice calm too calm. Testing her again. She froze. I watched her spine go stiff, watched the heat rise in her cheeks again as she turned halfway to look at me. ¡°But¡­ we¡¯re alone now,¡± she said, voice small, almost confused. -Chapter 99 Analise¡¯s POV Gwen was intentionally trying to push them into disrupting the court again. She was tired of them picketing outside our business, costing us revenue. Their lies were affecting our bottom line, and we had both had enough of them. They both looked like they had sucked on lemons. It was killing them not to respond, but their attorney was looking at them both, almost daring them to engage. They saw what happened to Regina, and they didn¡¯t want it to happen to them. It won¡¯t stop it from happening. Things are far from over for them. ¡°Objection, your honor. Ms. Simpson is clearly trying to nder and incite my clients. She¡¯s clearly trying to get them in trouble. But just like my client can¡¯t prove that she made the designs in question, neither can Ms. Simpson,¡± their attorney stated. Oh, he is so wrong, and he¡¯s about to find that out very quickly. ¡°That¡¯s actually not true. I can prove that they belong to Ana. I can do it by using your own evidence against you,¡± Gwen replied before the judge could rule. Leo and Cara returned to the bench, each of them holding two dripping bottles of cold water. I could¡¯ve cried at the sight of it alone. Cara tossed me one with a grin. ¡°Here, you need this more than I do,¡± she said as she sank down beside me again, a sheen of sweat glistening on her own forehead, though she still managed to look breezy in her lc tee and easy confidence. I caught the bottle mid¨Cair and twisted the cap off quickly, taking a greedy gulp. The coolness hit my tongue and traveled down my throat like salvation. ¡°You¡¯re a saint,¡± I muttered, sighing to show my relief. ¡°I try,¡± she winked, nudging me lightly. I shifted slightly, still pinned tightly under Coban¡¯s arm, his grip not loosening in the slightest since Cara and Leo had left. My side was practically merging in to his now. Every breath I took pressed my ribcage up against the wall of his chest, and I could feel the heat from him more than the sun itself. He hadn¡¯t said another word since the others had walked off ¨C just sat there, watching, brooding, his fingers curled possessively at my hipbone like I might try to run from him. I wasn¡¯t sure if I found it reassuring or suffocating. Maybe both. Probably both. Leo took a long drink from his bottle before settling back into a slouched position, one ankle propped on his knee, arm resting along the back of the bench behind Cara. His eyes flitted between all of us, and I could tell he was amused by the shift in dynamics, especially Coban¡¯s intense im on me. ¡°I hope you two will be passing over good things about the pair of us tomorrow at the first report,¡± he said lightly, shing that cheeky grin that always seemed toe easy to him. ¡°Don¡¯t go breaking our hearts with some tragic stories, alright?¡± I felt Coban¡¯s body stiffen beside me before his gaze shifted down to mine. I didn¡¯t dare to look up, but I could feel the weight of his stare burning into me, sharp as a de. Cara, oblivious or maybe just unbothered, beamed. ¡°Always!¡± she chimed, practically glowing. ¡°I¡¯ll make you sound like a gentleman, Leo. You¡¯ll be reformed in no time.¡± Leoughed, pleased, and leaned over to kiss her cheek dramatically. Cara flushed a little but didn¡¯t move away. I hesitated at the sight¡­ They seemed to be moving fast¡­ and now I knew that Cara had even been considering sleeping with him¡­. I just hoped that she knew what she was getting herself in to. ¡°What about you, Be? Passing over good things about my brother Santo too hmm?¡± Leo hums, involving me more than what I had liked to be in his little conversation. My mouth opened automatically, and I answered before I could stop myself. ¡°Of course¡­¡± I said. But my tone betrayed me. The words came out too soft, too unsure, and immediately I knew it didn¡¯tnd the way I had meant for it to. Coban¡¯s fingers twitched at my side. Just a small movement. But I felt it. Like an unspoken warning. I nced up nervously at him, already knowing I hadn¡¯t sounded convincing. His jaw was tight. Eyes cold. Watching me like I¡¯d just admitted that I nned to betray him in front of the entire yard¡­ I swallowed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for it to sound so¡­¡± I started to exin, but stopped myself. Backpedaling would only make it worse. It was the tone he didn¡¯t like. Not the words I¡¯d said. I quickly looked down at the bottle in my hands, twisting the cap back and forth even though it was already open. Cara, sensing the shift in the air, cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s crazy how fast this week has gone in, isn¡¯t it?¡± she tried, attempting to steer the conversation away from the awkward turn. ¡°Feels like we¡¯ve been in here forever with you guys!¡± ¡°Time flies when you¡¯re living with a psychopath,¡± Leo joked, motioning between himself and Coban, Coban didn¡¯tugh. He just stared ahead, unreadable. Thinking. Always thinking. Leo raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, Santo. Don¡¯t go stabbing me with your mind now¡­¡± Finally, Coban spoke. His voice was low. Measured. Dangerous. ¡°If I could stab you with an actual object, then I¡¯d prefer that.¡± Coban retorts dryly, announcing his mood to the rest of us. Leo whistled under his breath and turned to Cara. ¡°See? Always so charming¡­¡± She giggled nervously, unsure of what to do or say, but I didn¡¯t dare tough. I stayed entirely silent, the bottle now slick in my hands from my sweaty grip. I didn¡¯t know what Coban was thinking or what he nned for me next. That was the worst part. After everything that had happened in thest twenty¨Cfour hours, I thought we might¡¯ve been making progress. But clearly, one unsure word from my mouth could still flip a switch in him. I nced up again, cautiously. His eyes met mine this time. Steady. Direct. He didn¡¯t blink. I offered a small smile as a peace offering, weak, but genuine, hoping to soften whatever storm might be stirring behind that stare. After a moment, he finally looked away, exhaling out through his nose. But he didn¡¯t let go of me, not yet. In fact, his hand moved slightly, fingers spreading across the small of my back now, pressing firmer, like he wanted to remind me he was still in control of me. Like he wanted everyone else to see that too. I shifted subtly, leaning a little more into him. Not because I wanted to. But because I needed to, needed him to believe I understood the line I was walking on. That I didn¡¯t mean to upset or offend him all of the time. Because I really didn¡¯t. He was tricky to navigate, and I had tried my best all week, despite being a major fail at it so far. I was trying. Leo and Cara continued chatting, their conversation drifting toward something lighter, music, I think, or some artist Cara used to like growing up as Leo mocked her for it. I didn¡¯t follow much of it¡­ I was too busy watching the shadows shift across Coban¡¯s face. Waiting to see if he¡¯d speak to me again. Waiting to see what version of him I¡¯d be walking back to the cell with. Waiting to see if tomorrow¡¯s report would be our first step toward peace¡­ ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back in.¡± He suddenly announced, his cheeks slightly rosy now from the sun. I was grateful, just as I was beginning to feel my own shoulders burn, before he stood, turning to stop me from standing up with him¡­ ¡°Jumper.¡± He snapped out one word, as I sighed and reluctantly pulled the thick material back on top of my sweat coated skin all the while he shielded me from view. The way it stuck to me turned my stomach, as I felt like the world¡¯s biggest idiot¡­ Next time, I¡¯ll wear the damn tee!¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± I murmured, pushing off the wall and taking a slow step forward. ¡°And I¡¯m the only one allowed to see any extra skin on you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Her lips parted, breath catching as her eyes flicked down and then back up. I saw the understanding dawn there. Control. Ownership. That¡¯s what I was reminding her of. Everything she does in here belongs to me. I stepped closer, slow, letting the silence stretch. She backed up a little on instinct maybe, until the backs of her legs touched the edge of the bed. I reached out, dragged my fingers lightly along the edge of her shoulder where her skin had turned the darkest pink. She sucked in a breath. ¡°You were burning¡­¡± I muttered, mostly to myself. ¡°And so I brought you back inside.¡± I told her, expecting a thank you of some kind, but none came. ¡°I¡¯m still d you said I could take it off,¡± she whispered, clearly not regretting the burns in the slightest over cooking herself alive in the zipper. My gaze snapped down to hers, my height always towering over her petite frame¡­ ¡°I say a lot of things,¡± I said darkly. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to figure out which ones I mean and which ones I don¡¯t.¡± ¨C The thick, grey material clung to my back already, trapping heat like a cage around me, and I resisted the urge to tug at the hem. I kept my arms down, nervous, even as my skin began to prickle with sweat. I should have worn the T¨Cshirt like Cara. Smart girl. I thought, as we approached them on the benches. Cara spotted me tugging gently at the cor and smiled knowingly. ¡°You¡¯re going to boil in that,¡± she said lightly as she and Leo sat a little closer than what they usually did before. She wore a soft lc tee shirt with sleeves that ended mid¨Cbicep, and even that looked hot, but at least she could breathe. I envied her immediately. Coban didn¡¯t say much as we joined them, already sitting down and bing wrapped up in some quiet conversation with Leo. Something about a fight that broke out in the gym that morning from what I could hear. I could barely concentrate, my thoughts too focused on the way the sweatshirt felt like it was suffocating me one sticky second at a time. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, unsure whether I was allowed to speak yet, Coban hadn¡¯t said anything since we left the cell, hadn¡¯t even looked at me twice, I think he was still ying it cool after the whole notebook ordeal, like his approval had tost for exactly one hour before he went back to treating me like a misbehaving pet. I watched Coban peel off his own tee¨Cshirt, his bare torso weing the sun to top up his natural tan¡­ I was instantly jealous. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Coban,¡± I murmured, turning to him, tugging gently at the sleeve of his shirt to gain his full attention. ¡°Mind if I take this off? It¡¯s really hot.¡± I whisper, embarrassed that I even had to ask in front of the others¡­ His eyes snapped down to me instantly. Cold. Sharp. Unforgiving. ¡°No, should¡¯ve thought about that inside!¡± he said tly. I blinked. My stomach turned. But I tried again. ¡°But I¡¯ve got the vest on today,¡± I said quickly, my voice rising slightly in pitch. ¡°I made sure, just like you said no sports bra I promise.¡± ¨C He stared at me. Calcting. Then, ¡°Still not enough coverage. No.¡± -Chapter 100 Joyce¡¯s POV That little b***h has hemmed us in so good, we both knew we were toast. I was just d that I hadn¡¯t taken the stand yet. Sasha hadmitted perjury on the stand, but I should be safe. I hadn¡¯t made the same mistakes that they had. I believe that with a little creative wordy, I would be home free. Sasha was grasping at straws now. If she can¡¯t get this to work, she¡¯s done. She had wanted Ana¡¯s designs all along to build a bigger name for herself as a designer. She had been the one pressing Roger to move forward against Ana since she arrived. I still have total deniability at this point. I did cause problems, but not to the same extent as Sasha. She lied from the start, so maybe it¡¯s justice for her to have to give birth in prison. She¡¯d better call that baby¡¯s daddy and get him toe get it when she does. We¡¯re not taking care of her bastard child. ¡°Your honor, part of our im was that Ana Caldwell had been working on those design drafts while working at Cook Custom Jewelry. She also worked on her own designs while she was there. She had a great deal of downtime toe up with her designs. Designs that were created while she was on the clock. Due to her making those designs while at work. That makes them the property of Cooks¡® Custom Jewelry,¡± he announced. The hours passed slowly. Long. Agonising. Suffocating. I had no idea what time it was anymore. There were no clocks in the cell, no sunlight slipping through windows to measure the day. Just the same dim, artificial glow from the ceiling panel that buzzed faintly when the silence dragged too long. And God, it dragged. I hadn¡¯t heard a single sound from the corridor since I sat back down on the bed. No voices. No footsteps. Not even the distant ng of a door mming. It was like I¡¯d been dropped into some vacuum ¨C sealed bubble where time stretched into infinity and I was the only one left breathing. The only one left in the entirepound! My stomach growled again ¨C louder this time. A deep, aching twist that folded me over where I sat. Just when I was getting used to the three meals a day routine¡­ I pressed my hand t against it, as if that would quiet the sound, but the hollowness only seemed to deepen. I hadn¡¯t eaten all day ¨C not a bite or a sip. I¡¯d skipped breakfast due to sleeping in with Coban ¨C the memory seeming humorous now amongst what was currently going on between us. Lunch had also most definitely been missed entirely too, swallowed up by the gym disaster and everything that followed. Now it had to be nearing dinner time, if it hadn¡¯t already passed¡­ I was being starved again, which I realised quickly¡­ Was it intended as a new punishment from him? For revealing too much skin in a male dominated zone? For not listening to him? For not understanding most of this ce yet? Starvation as a punishment was something I was ustomed to living back with my father. I figured it would mostly be down to poverty and not having money, but even when there was food, he never shared it¡­ The thought made my stomach churn in a different way now, an array of fresh tears rising to my eyes¡­ I stood up quickly, unable to sit still a second longer trapped in my thoughts of the past and how they linked with my present. My legs were stiff from how long I¡¯d been curled on the bed, but pacing felt better than just waiting for him. Back and forth. From the edge of the bed to the locked cell door. Back again. Each step was deliberate, but frantic. I chewed the edge of my thumbnail until it bled, forcing myself to stop only when I tasted copper. I couldn¡¯t read. The book I¡¯d started yesterday sat unopened on the desk, the corner of the page still folded neatly from when Ist dog¨Ceared it. A fantasy novel twisted with a romance ¨C a vampire love story. I¡¯d been so eager to escape into it before, to let myself believe in some other world beyond this one. But now? Now it felt too cruel to allow myself the pleasure¡­ I kept ncing at the door like it might swing open any second and reveal him standing there ¨C Coban. With that unreadable look in his eyes. That brooding, predatory stillness in his body. The memory of the gym kept shing behind my eyes. The way he grabbed me. The sound of my own breath catching in my throat as he dragged me away. The sharp m of the cell door behind me like a cage snapping shut. He hadn¡¯te back since. And that wasn¡¯t like him. Coban didn¡¯t leave me alone often. He loomed. Hovered. Controlled me. He always needed to be watching. So where was he now? The silence pressed in harder now. I paused at the door again, straining to hear anything ¨C any sign of life beyond these four concrete walls. Nothing. Had the ce been evacuated? Had everyone been set free? It felt like I had been isted entirely now¡­ the only prisoner left here to rot¡­ I wondered if Coban was still furious, somewhere in the gym or tearing up another inmate just to cool himself down¡­ Would I rather him rage at me or disappear entirely? It was hard to say¡­ I pressed my forehead against the cold metal of the door, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, trying to calm the rising dread I couldn¡¯t shake. I couldn¡¯t sleep. I couldn¡¯t read or breathe or think or do anything other than wait. Wait for him toe back. Wait for the moment my nickname would be barked like a curse. ¡®BELLA!¡¯ The pet name sent shivers through me every time¡­ But what if he never came back? What if he handed me off to someone else, asked for a swap? Decided I was too much hassle for him? ¨C Thest one twisted something sharp inside me because I knew that was the worst case scenario ¨C being paired with another inmate. Coban had be myfort in this ce, despite everything else. I looked to him for praise and protection. I hated that I was even thinking like this. ¨C I hated that this ce was changing me rewiring something deep inside that used to understand right from wrong, safety from danger. Coban was danger. He was violence and fury and shadows you don¡¯t dare poke. And yet¡­ He hadn¡¯t hurt me physically yet. Not like how my father would. He hadn¡¯t struck me, even in his angriest moments. He¡¯d thrown and grabbed me, sure ¨C but that was restraint for someone like him. He chose not to be here. Not to explode. I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling the tremble in them, then turned abruptly on my heel and marched to the small sink in the bathroom. I sshed more cold water on my face. Third time today. Didn¡¯t help much now. But it gave me something to do. I inhaled a steadying breath, whispering reassurances aloud in an attempt to distract myself, before a knock made me jump violently¡­ ¡°Hurry up ande out before we miss dinner!¡± I heard him break out in to the silence, causing me to flinch at the sound I¡¯d almost hoped to hear for hours on end now. He was back. I quickly fumbled with the bathroom handle, revealing myself to him to show that I was fully dressed and definitely ready to eat something today¡­ Thank the lord he¡¯s decent enough to take me to eat something before bed! ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m starving!¡± I admit, my voice careful and quiet around him as I nced up to find him waiting for me by the cell door. ¡°Come on then, hurry up!¡± He mumbled, motioning his head as I hurried towards him, inhaling a fresh breath as I stepped out in to the cell block. It had only been a few hours but it had felt like an eternity alone in there with so little to do¡­ ¡°Coban, I¡¯m sorry about earlier, I just d¡­¡± I begin, staring at hisrge back in front of me as we walked. ¡°Save it forter when we get back!¡± He snapped, and with that, my lips were sealed¡­ Leo and Cara returned to the bench, each of them holding two dripping bottles of cold water. I could¡¯ve cried at the sight of it alone. Cara tossed me one with a grin. ¡°Here, you need this more than I do,¡± she said as she sank down beside me again, a sheen of sweat glistening on her own forehead, though she still managed to look breezy in her lc tee and easy confidence. I caught the bottle mid¨Cair and twisted the cap off quickly, taking a greedy gulp. The coolness hit my tongue and traveled down my throat like salvation. ¡°You¡¯re a saint,¡± I muttered, sighing to show my relief. ¡°I try,¡± she winked, nudging me lightly. I shifted slightly, still pinned tightly under Coban¡¯s arm, his grip not loosening in the slightest since Cara and Leo had left. My side was practically merging in to his now. Every breath I took pressed my ribcage up against the wall of his chest, and I could feel the heat from him more than the sun itself. He hadn¡¯t said another word since the others had walked off ¨C just sat there, watching, brooding, his fingers curled possessively at my hipbone like I might try to run from him. I wasn¡¯t sure if I found it reassuring or suffocating. Maybe both. Probably both. Leo took a long drink from his bottle before settling back into a slouched position, one ankle propped on his knee, arm resting along the back of the bench behind Cara. His eyes flitted between all of us, and I could tell he was amused by the shift in dynamics, especially Coban¡¯s intense im on me. ¡°I hope you two will be passing over good things about the pair of us tomorrow at the first report,¡± he said lightly, shing that cheeky grin that always seemed toe easy to him. ¡°Don¡¯t go breaking our hearts with some tragic stories, alright?¡± I felt Coban¡¯s body stiffen beside me before his gaze shifted down to mine. I didn¡¯t dare to look up, but I could feel the weight of his stare burning into me, sharp as a de. Cara, oblivious or maybe just unbothered, beamed. ¡°Always!¡± she chimed, practically glowing. ¡°I¡¯ll make you sound like a gentleman, Leo. You¡¯ll be reformed in no time.¡± Leoughed, pleased, and leaned over to kiss her cheek dramatically. Cara flushed a little but didn¡¯t move away. I hesitated at the sight¡­ They seemed to be moving fast¡­ and now I knew that Cara had even been considering sleeping with him¡­. I just hoped that she knew what she was getting herself in to. ¡°What about you, Be? Passing over good things about my brother Santo too hmm?¡± Leo hums, involving me more than what I had liked to be in his little conversation. My mouth opened automatically, and I answered before I could stop myself. ¡°Of course¡­¡± I said. But my tone betrayed me. -Chapter 101 Analise¡¯s POV I knew Joyce would take the opportunity to confront me. What I didn¡¯t expect was the judge to warn opposing counsel that his defendants hadn¡¯t been entirely truthful. The judge is fed up with them lying on the stand, as it is clear disrespect to do so. Some of the warnings were to protect the attorney. It was likely a reminder of what had happened earlier that day, involving jury tampering, with additional charges being brought against Sasha. Whether she was expecting them or not. Things went well in the second half of the day. I had to admit that I was looking forward to seeing the video from today going viral. The designs that were proven to be mine might not garner as many views as they initially did. Mostly due to their vicious attacks against me. I was surprised to see that their group of hardcore supporters was no longer waiting for me outside. Charlie had Jon drive us to hispany, where we changed SUVs. Charlie was scared that someone would try to follow us home. Charlie drove us home with his hand on my knee, rubbing soft circles, as he drove us back. He could always read me like a book. He knew what I needed before I did. He gave me a hug and a kiss when we entered our home, cutting up an apple for me. He had me sit down to have the snack while he ran up to run a tub for me. About watching her squirm a little. About reminding her of why I was set on making her wear it in the first ce. She had made a big mistake¡­ So letting her sweat was the consequence of her actions yesterday in the gym. Simple as that. She would think twice next time before stripping herself off around this damn prison! Leo¡¯s dumbass question about the report shouldn¡¯t have meant anything either, but the way she answered¡­ ¡°Of course¡­¡± Like it was a maybe.. Like I hadn¡¯t protected her all week. Like she hadn¡¯t kissed me backst night with her little fingers twisted in my shirt like she wanted me to ruin her entirely. Like she didn¡¯t enjoy cuddling and sleeping next to me whenever I gave her the chance¡­ I was fair with her about the whole notes thing too, telling her to write a better list after I exined why most of her original points had been total bullshit¡­ I could have flipped out on her, dragged her across the damn room¡­ spanked her bare ass with the leather of the pad, but I didn¡¯t. I had been fair. Which was what pissed me off the most! I even let her take the damn jumper off eventually, and that was more generous than what I¡¯d nned on being to begin with. And still¡­ she looked at me like I might explode any second. What the fuck was she scared of? My temper? Because she hadn¡¯t seen the half of it yet. She had no idea how mild I¡¯d been keeping things for her sake this week. I clenched my jaw as we stepped back into the corridor that led to our cell. The air inside was cooler, and I noticed the way her shoulders rxed the second we crossed into shade. The tops of her shoulders had began to burn outside, I noticed. That damn vest. Too thin. Too tight. Too exposed. I narrowed my eyes as we walked inside, but said nothing. Just watched the way her fingers yed nervously with the hem of her jumper like she was waiting for permission to breathe again. Good. I wanted her like this. Uneasy. On edge. Because if she was worried about what I might do, maybe she¡¯d think twice tomorrow when the guards hand her that nk sheet and ask her to summarise her ¡°progress¡± with me. I was going to find out what she nned to say, one way or another¡­ Bribes always worked. The right food. The right pills. Enough cigarettes to buy loyalty for a week. The guards would tell me everything ¨C what she put down, what she said. If she gave me a glowing review, fine. We¡¯d move forward, But if she so much as implied I was a threat to her, a danger¡­ She¡¯d see my real temper then. The second I closed the cell door over behind us, her jumper was already halfway unzipped, as she tugged the rest of it off with a deep exhale, throwing it toward the corner of the room with more drama than necessary. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. ¡°Did I say you could take that off?¡± I asked, voice calm too calm. Testing her again. She froze. I watched her spine go stiff, watched the heat rise in her cheeks again as she turned halfway to look at me. ¡°But¡­ we¡¯re alone now,¡± she said, voice small, almost confused. She was right. I just liked keeping her unsure of it. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± I murmured, pushing off the wall and taking a slow step forward. ¡°And I¡¯m the only one allowed to see any extra skin on you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Her lips parted, breath catching as her eyes flicked down and then back up. I saw the understanding dawn there. Control. Ownership. That¡¯s what I was reminding her of. Everything she does in here belongs to me. I stepped closer, slow, letting the silence stretch. She backed up a little on instinct maybe, until the backs of her legs touched the edge of the bed. I reached out, dragged my fingers lightly along the edge of her shoulder where her skin had turned the darkest pink. She sucked in a breath. ¡°You were burning¡­¡± I muttered, mostly to myself. ¡°And so I brought you back inside.¡± I told her, expecting a thank you of some kind, but none came. ¡°I¡¯m still d you said I could take it off,¡± she whispered, clearly not regretting the burns in the slightest over cooking herself alive in the zipper. My gaze snapped down to hers, my height always towering over her petite frame¡­ ¡°I say a lot of things,¡± I said darkly. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to figure out which ones I mean and which ones I don¡¯t.¡± ¨C Her eyes flicked to my mouth. Just a second. Barely noticeable. But I caught it. ¡°So you wanted me to keep it on?¡± She tests, unsure, as I nodded slowly. Of course I did. Ignoring her, I move on quickly, my hand reaching up to grasp her chin in a firm grip. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I said, voice dropping lower, more intimate, more dangerous. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell them what a good little prisoner I¡¯ve been. Aren¡¯t you?¡± She hesitated again. Not long. But enough to piss me off. I grabbed her hip with my free hand suddenly, dragging her forward until she stumbled flush against me. My hands slid down and around to her ass, gripping it firmly, forcing her body to arch slightly into mine. She gasped, breath shallow, hands instinctively pressing against my chest for bnce. ¡°I¡¯ve protected you,¡± I said, my voice hot against her neck. ¡°I haven¡¯t hit you. Haven¡¯t forced you in to anything you didn¡¯t want. You think anyone else in here would¡¯ve treated you this soft?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Didn¡¯t need to. I could feel her pulse fluttering at her throat like a scared rabbit. ¡°Andst night¡­¡± I continued, brushing my lips just beneath her ear, ¡°you kissed me back. Remember that?¡± Her fingers gripped my shirt. Not pushing me away. Just holding on. Good. I pulled back just enough to look at her face. She was flushed, confused, lips slightly parted like she was trying to figure out which part of her liked this and which part was terrified. ¡°You scared of me, Margot?¡± I asked quietly. She blinked, and then, after a beat, nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered. I smirked. ¡°Good.¡± I leaned in again, this time letting my mouth brush hers softly, barely a kiss, more like a warning dressed as affection. ¡°Because scared girls don¡¯t write bad reports,¡± I said. Before mming my lips in to hers, the heat growing between us in waves. The thick, grey material clung to my back already, trapping heat like a cage around me, and I resisted the urge to tug at the hem. I kept my arms down, nervous, even as my skin began to prickle with sweat. I should have worn the T¨Cshirt like Cara. Smart girl. I thought, as we approached them on the benches. Cara spotted me tugging gently at the cor and smiled knowingly. ¡°You¡¯re going to boil in that,¡± she said lightly as she and Leo sat a little closer than what they usually did before. She wore a soft lc tee shirt with sleeves that ended mid¨Cbicep, and even that looked hot, but at least she could breathe. I envied her immediately. Coban didn¡¯t say much as we joined them, already sitting down and bing wrapped up in some quiet conversation with Leo. Something about a fight that broke out in the gym that morning from what I could hear. I could barely concentrate, my thoughts too focused on the way the sweatshirt felt like it was suffocating me one sticky second at a time. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, unsure whether I was allowed to speak yet, Coban hadn¡¯t said anything since we left the cell, hadn¡¯t even looked at me twice, I think he was still ying it cool after the whole notebook ordeal, like his approval had tost for exactly one hour before he went back to treating me like a misbehaving pet. I watched Coban peel off his own tee¨Cshirt, his bare torso weing the sun to top up his natural tan¡­ I was instantly jealous. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Coban,¡± I murmured, turning to him, tugging gently at the sleeve of his shirt to gain his full attention. ¡°Mind if I take this off? It¡¯s really hot.¡± I whisper, embarrassed that I even had to ask in front of the others¡­ His eyes snapped down to me instantly. Cold. Sharp. Unforgiving. ¡°No, should¡¯ve thought about that inside!¡± he said tly. I blinked. My stomach turned. But I tried again. ¡°But I¡¯ve got the vest on today,¡± I said quickly, my voice rising slightly in pitch. ¡°I made sure, just like you said no sports bra I promise.¡± ¨C He stared at me. Calcting. Then, ¡°Still not enough coverage. No.¡± I had no idea what time it was anymore. There were no clocks in the cell, no sunlight slipping through windows to measure the day. Just the same dim, artificial glow from the ceiling panel that buzzed faintly when the silence dragged too long. And God, it dragged. I hadn¡¯t heard a single sound from the corridor since I sat back down on the bed. No voices. No footsteps. Not even the distant ng of a door mming. It was like I¡¯d been dropped into some vacuum ¨C sealed bubble where time stretched into infinity and I was the only one left breathing. The only one left in the entirepound! My stomach growled again ¨C louder this time. A deep, aching twist that folded me over where I sat. Just when I was getting used to the three meals a day routine¡­ -Chapter 102 Charlie¡¯s POV These trials have been frustrating for me. I¡¯m a man of action. I¡¯m a problem solver, but with this, my hands are tied. I feel like I can¡¯t protect my wife, not as much as I want to. She had Tiffany to deal with, but here we go again to court to see Joyce and Sasha. I knew that Roger was there to help her, but I couldn¡¯t stand to look at him. I can sense his interest in Ana. I watched as she got dressed today. Although I know our baby is there, you can¡¯t even see a baby bump yet. I can¡¯t wait until the proof of our love is evident for all to see. I would ensure that I had at least three of us there for the remainder of this trial. When we start Tiffany¡¯s trial again. I n on sitting next to my wife. Rodney is already helping me with that as we speak. Tiffany assaulted me when I kept her from getting to Ana. Which thank God I did, or else Tiffany would have a many more charges against her. The judge allowed those charges to be include. He was very upset that she would try to attack Ana inside his courtroom. Rodney pushed the fact that Ana was pregnant, which could have terminated the pregnancy. Just thinking about that infuriated me. Tiffany needs to go to prison and leave Ana alone. ¡°Time flies when you¡¯re living with a psychopath,¡± Leo joked, motioning between himself and Coban, Coban didn¡¯tugh. He just stared ahead, unreadable. Thinking. Always thinking. Leo raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, Santo. Don¡¯t go stabbing me with your mind now¡­¡± Finally, Coban spoke. His voice was low. Measured. Dangerous. ¡°If I could stab you with an actual object, then I¡¯d prefer that.¡± Coban retorts dryly, announcing his mood to the rest of us. Leo whistled under his breath and turned to Cara. ¡°See? Always so charming¡­¡± She giggled nervously, unsure of what to do or say, but I didn¡¯t dare tough. I stayed entirely silent, the bottle now slick in my hands from my sweaty grip. I didn¡¯t know what Coban was thinking or what he nned for me next. That was the worst part. After everything that had happened in thest twenty¨Cfour hours, I thought we might¡¯ve been making progress. But clearly, one unsure word from my mouth could still flip a switch in him. I nced up again, cautiously. His eyes met mine this time. Steady. Direct. He didn¡¯t blink. I offered a small smile as a peace offering, weak, but genuine, hoping to soften whatever storm might be stirring behind that stare. After a moment, he finally looked away, exhaling out through his nose. But he didn¡¯t let go of me, not yet. In fact, his hand moved slightly, fingers spreading across the small of my back now, pressing firmer, like he wanted to remind me he was still in control of me. Like he wanted everyone else to see that too. I shifted subtly, leaning a little more into him. Not because I wanted to. But because I needed to, needed him to believe I understood the line I was walking on. That I didn¡¯t mean to upset or offend him all of the time. Because I really didn¡¯t. He was tricky to navigate, and I had tried my best all week, despite being a major fail at it so far. I was trying. Leo and Cara continued chatting, their conversation drifting toward something lighter, music, I think, or some artist Cara used to like growing up as Leo mocked her for it. I didn¡¯t follow much of it¡­ I was too busy watching the shadows shift across Coban¡¯s face. Waiting to see if he¡¯d speak to me again. Waiting to see what version of him I¡¯d be walking back to the cell with. Waiting to see if tomorrow¡¯s report would be our first step toward peace¡­ ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back in.¡± He suddenly announced, his cheeks slightly rosy now from the sun. I was grateful, just as I was beginning to feel my own shoulders burn, before he stood, turning to stop me from standing up with him¡­ ¡°Jumper.¡± He snapped out one word, as I sighed and reluctantly pulled the thick material back on top of my sweat coated skin all the while he shielded me from view. The way it stuck to me turned my stomach, as I felt like the world¡¯s biggest idiot¡­ Next time, I¡¯ll wear the damn tee! I had no idea what time it was anymore. There were no clocks in the cell, no sunlight slipping through windows to measure the day. Just the same dim, artificial glow from the ceiling panel that buzzed faintly when the silence dragged too long. And God, it dragged. I hadn¡¯t heard a single sound from the corridor since I sat back down on the bed. No voices. No footsteps. Not even the distant ng of a door mming. It was like I¡¯d been dropped into some vacuum ¨C sealed bubble where time stretched into infinity and I was the only one left breathing. The only one left in the entirepound! My stomach growled again ¨C louder this time. A deep, aching twist that folded me over where I sat. Just when I was getting used to the three meals a day routine¡­ I pressed my hand t against it, as if that would quiet the sound, but the hollowness only seemed to deepen. I hadn¡¯t eaten all day ¨C not a bite or a sip. I¡¯d skipped breakfast due to sleeping in with Coban ¨C the memory seeming humorous now amongst what was currently going on between us. Lunch had also most definitely been missed entirely too, swallowed up by the gym disaster and everything that followed. Now it had to be nearing dinner time, if it hadn¡¯t already passed¡­ I was being starved again, which I realised quickly¡­ Was it intended as a new punishment from him? For revealing too much skin in a male dominated zone? For not listening to him? For not understanding most of this ce yet? Starvation as a punishment was something I was ustomed to living back with my father. I figured it would mostly be down to poverty and not having money, but even when there was food, he never shared it¡­ The thought made my stomach churn in a different way now, an array of fresh tears rising to my eyes¡­ I stood up quickly, unable to sit still a second longer trapped in my thoughts of the past and how they linked with my present. My legs were stiff from how long I¡¯d been curled on the bed, but pacing felt better than just waiting for him. Back and forth. From the edge of the bed to the locked cell door. Back again. Each step was deliberate, but frantic. I chewed the edge of my thumbnail until it bled, forcing myself to stop only when I tasted copper. I couldn¡¯t read. The book I¡¯d started yesterday sat unopened on the desk, the corner of the page still folded neatly from when Ist dog¨Ceared it. A fantasy novel twisted with a romance ¨C a vampire love story. I¡¯d been so eager to escape into it before, to let myself believe in some other world beyond this one. But now? Now it felt too cruel to allow myself the pleasure¡­ I kept ncing at the door like it might swing open any second and reveal him standing there ¨C Coban. With that unreadable look in his eyes. That brooding, predatory stillness in his body. The memory of the gym kept shing behind my eyes. The way he grabbed me. The sound of my own breath catching in my throat as he dragged me away. The sharp m of the cell door behind me like a cage snapping shut. He hadn¡¯te back since. And that wasn¡¯t like him. Coban didn¡¯t leave me alone often. He loomed. Hovered. Controlled me. He always needed to be watching. So where was he now? The silence pressed in harder now. I paused at the door again, straining to hear anything ¨C any sign of life beyond these four concrete walls. The second nonded like an extra p. An additional punishment for yesterday¡¯s incident. I sat there, stunned for a moment, the heat feeling ten times worse now that I¡¯d been denied escape from it. I swallowed hard, feeling sweat drip down my spine. ¡°You okay?¡± Cara whispered softly beside me, concern on her face as she leaned closer. ¡°You¡¯re turning purple girl.¡± Iughed nervously, but even my chuckle sounded weak. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m physically melting.¡± She nodded toward the shaded side of the yard. ¡°Try him again, or ask if we can go back inside. It¡¯s brutal out here, I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve evensted so long in that.¡± I hesitated, but I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My heart was thudding too fast, the heat making me dizzy and my mouth turning dry. ¡°Coban,¡± I tried again, louder this time, stepping forward until he had no choice but to acknowledge me. ¡°I can¡¯t cope with this. Can I please take it off or can we go back inside?¡± He didn¡¯t look up from the conversation he was having with Leo. Not right away. But I saw the way his jaw clenched at hearing me speak. The way his knuckles flexed. Then, without warning, he turned and snapped, ¡°Fucking take the damn thing off then we will discuss thister!¡± I nearly flinched at the venom in his tone, but my hands were already moving, too desperate to care. I yanked the zipper down and peeled the sweatshirt off with shaking fingers, the cool air instantly kissing my damp skin. The cotton of my vest top clung to me, thin and light, and maybe too tight in ces I knew he didn¡¯t like but I couldn¡¯t care less. I could finally breathe. ¡°Thank God,¡± I muttered, exhaling a shaky breath as I looked to Cara, who fanned herself in sympathy. ¡°Why is it so warm today?¡± I groaned, tugging the cor of my vest to let more air in. Cara chuckled. ¡°They¡¯ve got bottled water over there.¡± She pointed toward a cooler positioned near the fence. ¡°Leo told me earlier if I wanted one¡­¡± My eyes lit up. I¡¯d kill for water right now ¨C especially ice cold. ¡°Leo, mind if we go grab some water real quick?¡± Cara asked, turning to her inmate sweetly and pointing at what she meant. Leo nced back from his story about the gym brawl and nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± But before I could move, Coban¡¯s voice cracked through the air like thunder. ¡°You ain¡¯t moving.¡± I turned, surprised, just as his arm snaked around my waist and yanked me in close ¨C holding me there. My side collided with his, solid and hot from the sun, and I sucked in a breath. ¡°Come on then, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Leo told Cara,pletely unfazed, and the two of them peeled off toward the cooler together, Cara tossing me an apologetic nce over her shoulder. Coban¡¯s arm didn¡¯t budge from around me. If anything, it tightened. I sat there, tense, unsure what to say, unsure what this was. Possessiveness? Punishment? Protection? Or all three? Leo nced back at us and smirked. ¡°Under the thumb, Santo¡­¡± he called out. Coban scowled. ¡°Look at you, bro. You ain¡¯t any better.¡± Leo shrugged, not at all offended. ¡°I never imed to be.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a small breath of amusement. It felt weird tough around Coban, but it happened asionally anyway. Maybe the heat had melted a few of my brain cells along with it. Chapter 103 Ana¡¯s POV I was going to set her straight, but thedy next to me beat me to it. ¡°So you¡¯re not here for the job? Are you just looking to hook up or find someone to take care of you? You were taught integrity. I know you were, as we were both in the Marines. You always managed to disgust me with your behavior. Abby, you¡¯ve gone too far by trying to insult this woman. You don¡¯t even know her. I think you said it because you felt threatened. She¡¯s a beautiful woman. I highly doubt that he would give her up for a shot at you,¡± thedy with the pony¨Ctail replied with contempt. I see they know each other. But the blonde, Abby, wasn¡¯t just going to back down. She¡¯s clearly been spoiling for a fight with this woman. She knew what buttons to push to get the woman with the ponytail to respond. As we reached our cell door, he opened it with a single push, stepping inside without even ncing over his shoulder. I hesitated for a second. Just one. Then I stepped in after him. Bang. The door mmed shut behind me with a force that made me jump. My breath caught in my throat, spine locking as the echo rang out around us like a gunshot. Caged in once again. I turned toward him, heart thudding. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left the cell,¡± I said quickly, handsing up in front of me, almost in surrender. ¡°Leo promised he¡¯d tell you I was with him the whole time. I thought ¨C I just thought you wouldn¡¯t want me to miss another meal, not after I skipped breakfast and¡­¡± His hand came up to silence me. I froze. Silence again, but this time it wasn¡¯t the cold kind. This was deliberate. Controlled. That same unnerving calm I¡¯d seen once or twice before ¨C the kind that made me more afraid than all his shouting ever could. ¨C ¡°Take a seat, Be,¡± he said, nodding toward the bed. I stared at him, searching his face for something. But his eyes were unreadable ¨C cool, dark, and watching me like a hawk. Still, I obeyed, Slowly backing up, I sank down onto the mattress, trying to still my racing pulse. The silence between us was so thick I felt like I had to whisper just to breathe. Then, without another word, Coban bent down to retrieve something from the floor. The notebook? It looked like it had been thrown with the pages now bent, spine warped, lying in the corner like it had been hurled there with force. I swallowed hard. So he really hade back here before lunch and found me gone¡­ his temper obviously spiking in response¡­ He didn¡¯t look at me. Just flipped back through the pages, the crinkled sound sharp in the quiet. ¡°We have some notes here,¡± he said after a long pause, ¡°that I¡¯d like to discuss before you pass over tomorrow¡¯s report.¡± His tone was dry. Mocking. Like this was a school assignment he¡¯d been forced to review. Like none of it meant anything to him¡­ and yet I could tell by the tightness in his jaw ¨C it meant something. A lot, probably. He didn¡¯t like what I had wrote, and I didn¡¯t me him¡­ I sat perfectly still, hands gripping the edge of the bed, knees close together. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I whispered. Coban cleared his throat and flipped to the first page. His voice was smooth. Controlled. But the words felt like loaded bullets. ¡°Number one,¡± he read aloud. ¡°Doesn¡¯t follow a strict routine. Does whatever he is in the mood for in that moment. Doesn¡¯t care if we¡¯rete, or miss meals, or skip the schedule entirely. Time means nothing to him, but he hates being made to wait on others.¡± He paused, ncing up at me for the briefest second and I felt my palms grow mmy under his mocking tone¡­ ¡°I disagree,¡± he then said tly. ¡°I admitted that I do care about missing meals with you and said I would avoid it happening again, did I not?¡± He snaps, as I nod quickly. ¡°Y¨CYou did yes, but I wrote that before¡­¡± I attempt to speak, only for him to cut me off sharply. ¡°I also don¡¯t agree with the fact I don¡¯t follow a strict routine when I attend the gym every single morning and stick to a strict workout routine? That sounds likemitment if I¡¯ve ever heard of it!¡± He hums, as though I were stupid as I all but nod and sigh again. He had a point there¡­ But I had wrote the dumb list when I wasn¡¯t thinking straight¡­ ¡°Power. He¡¯s always in control ¨C he needs to be. When he¡¯s not, heshes out. That said, he has a wild temper that can re quickly but he hasn¡¯t hurt me as of yet.¡± He recites the next point, making me cringe. ¡°As of yet?!¡± He pushes thest part at me again, raising a brow at me as I shrug and lick my drying lips. ¡°You think I¡¯ll hurt you eventually?¡± He pressed on further, as I shake my head quickly. ¡°N¨CNo¡­ I¡­ just¡­¡± I blunder nervously, mortified that he was reading these back to me. ¡°Well, just so you know, it would take you doing something pretty severe to piss me off enough to actually hit you, Be, which in that case, would be your own fault, however, I might bring pain to you in other ways¡­ ways that I think you¡¯d actually enjoy¡­¡± He cocks his head to the side to study me, as my veins. grow cold at his words. That sounded like a promise¡­ ¡°Ready for me to carry on?¡± Coban¡¯s eyes bore in to my own as I chew my lip aggressively, drawing blood as I hum in response. This man was going to be the death of me¡­ Too fucking silent. As I felt my temper re¡­ My eyes locked on the small notebook still sitting on the desk, finding it to be closed now, not the way I¡¯d left it. She¡¯d fucking read it. She¡¯d seen the damn note I¡¯d left. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the cell¡­ how hard was it to understand? I think she enjoys this¡­ enjoys tempting me to rip out her fucking hair¡­¡± I mutter to myself, shoving the book from the desk ¨C sending it hurtling across the floor. Clear. Unmistakable. Not a fucking suggestion. And she¡¯d just decided to ignore it anyway. ¡°Stupid little bitch,¡± I hissed under my breath, my teeth grinding as my hands balled up into tight fists at my sides. The fucking nerve of her to keep doing this to me¡­ Nobody had ever disrespected me more than once and got away with it, yet here she was, doing it again and again as though I was nothing more than a weak man¡­ After everything I¡¯d done for herst night too? After the meeting this morning where I¡¯d stared down three guards and a camera feed defending her? I¡¯d trusted her to listen today. To follow orders. Yet, now she was gone! I tore out of the cell, moving through the corridors like a storm in motion, my steps mming the floor in a quick pace. I stopped two guards outside the block. ¡°You seen my little blonde? The girl I¡¯m always with? The one who looks like she wouldn¡¯tst two minutes in here without someone holding her fucking hand?¡± One of them blinked, startled. The other, a woman, gave a small nod and gestured with her chin. ¡°I¡¯m certain I saw her go in for lunch, Santorelli.¡± She mused. Lunch? My jaw tightened so hard it cracked. That wasn¡¯t even our designated time slot for lunch either¡­ So not only did she leave the cell ¨C she did it outside of schedule? Up for a new challenge today it seems? Fresh fucking meat?! ¡°Who was she with?¡± I growled, but the woman shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t see, I only noticed her.¡± I didn¡¯t say thanks to them, because I didn¡¯t have any time for polite. I was already charging toward the cafeteria. Blood boiling. Heart thudding. If she came here alone just to eat something, I swear to God¡­ I shoved the doors open and strode inside, eyes immediately scanning the room. Different faces today. Different colours everywhere. This wasn¡¯t our rotation. This wasn¡¯t the group that knew by now to stay away from her. If she got mixed up with the wrong crowd without me here then it could be worse than just bad! And then I saw it, Not the deer¨Ccaught¨Cin¨Cheadlights that I¡¯d been braced for. Or the tiny scared girl stood in a corner somewhere, panicking over her poor choices¡­ No¡­ Just a fucking hand. Waving at me. She was sat at one of the back tables like she owned the ce, tucked between Leo and the other girl, Cara, with a damn grilled cheese in front of her like it was a pic date. At least she didn¡¯t fuckinge in here alone like a fool¡­ Leo¡¯s presence dulled the rage by a thread, but not nearly enough to stop me from stalking toward them with fury bleeding off every step. They saw meing, of course they did. Leo turned, always too casual for his own good. Cara blinked like she¡¯d just seen a ghost. Margot¡¯s whole body jolted, shrinking into herself the moment I locked eyes with her. Good. She should be scared. I wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°You out of the dog house already, Santo?¡± Leo smirked like this was some joke, like I wasn¡¯t half a second away from flipping the goddamn table upside down. I ignored him, my stare fixed only on her. ¡°I told you not to leave the fucking cell,¡± I snapped, my voice sharp enough to slice through the whole damn cafeteria. Margot stiffened, eyes wide, lips parted like she wanted to defend herself but couldn¡¯t find the words. Good. Maybe that meant she knew just how badly she¡¯d fucked up already. Before she fully attempted to mumble anything, Leo leaned back to face me, calm as ever. ¡°Fortunately for her,¡± he said, ¡°I went to your cell to figure out why you skipped the gym ¨C thought you were just beingzy. Little Be here told me you¡¯d been at a meeting with the guards, so I brought her with us for lunch so she wouldn¡¯t miss another meal. She hasn¡¯t been walking around anywhere on her own, don¡¯t worry.¡± He held my gaze, not challenging, just firm. Leo was the only man in this ce I tolerated talking to me. He had been my closest friend since we were kids. The one who¡¯d put his neck on the line and had gotten caught alongside me ¨Cnding us both in here. Still, I didn¡¯t speak right away. ¨C I let the weight of my silence hang. Let her squirm a little more while I studied them both the guilt on her face, the concern on Cara¡¯s, and the casual, near¨Cbored ease on Leo¡¯s. He never gave a shit. Finally, I let out a short grunt. ¡°Guess I better go grab something then before they kick us out.¡± I turned and walked to the front of the line, of course I did. Nobody in this ce was going to tell me to wait behind them. I didn¡¯t care that the guards called me in this morning to tell me that surveince saw her get hit. That the girl had attempted to make aint against me. Snitches get stitches¡­ I sniggered at the thought, piling a tray of two grilled cheese sandwiches and fries, knowing that even the guards didn¡¯t care about what I¡¯d done¡­ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 104 Sasha¡¯s POV We¡¯re the hell did this videoe from? No wonder she was so effective against Roger. She knew exactly what he nned to do. The bad part was that I had spent the night with Dixon for nothing now. He wasn¡¯t going tomit perjury; he was just nning on being evasive with his answers. That might have worked earlier, but with this video, everything was shot to hell. That video made us all look bad. Joyce and I spoke with our attorneyst night. We assured him that he knew the whole story. He was working on a good defense, but we needed him to stick with the hourly employee defense. Dixon said that he could obtain something for us that would make it appear as though he had received a weekly paycheck. Well, if you didn¡¯t look too closely at it. Thepound still hummed fromst night¡¯s spectacle¡ªechoes of voices, whispered disbelief over the Moon Dew Nectar, air charged with a promise too big to ignore. Even in its quiet hours, the ce felt alive, pulsing like a heart that beat in rhythm with my own ambition. I didn¡¯t allow myself too much time to bask in it. There was a lot to do. With the preliminary rounds looming closer, my desk was littered with reports, schedules, andst-minute revisions. I moved through them with brisk precision, my pen shing signatures across pages, my voice sharp andmanding as I dictated responses to my staff. Every detail mattered. Every piece had to fall perfectly into ce. But even as I leaned over the glowing monitors, watching the Arena, my focus slipped. The rigid control over my thoughts loosened in that brief reprieve. And then she was all I could see. Zara. Once one thought slipped past my mind¡¯s blockade, more followed. For once, I didn¡¯t resist. I closed my eyes and let the wave wash over me. The twinkling music of herughter, the bright sparkle of her eyes, the searing ache of her touch. It felt so wrong that I was here, making all these preparations, without her. After all, OTS had been her dream as much as it was mine. I remembered her perched on the edge of the table in one of these conference rooms, gesturing wildly with her hands as she described how she wanted the Arena to feel: grand, yes, but not suffocating; dangerous, but not reckless. A ce where warriors would be tested to the marrow of their bones, yet also given the stage to prove their worth before the world. Her passion had been a storm I willingly walked into; her brilliance had ignited me in a way nothing before or after her had. My eyes tracked thetest projection of the Arena¡¯syout¡ªpirs rising like ancient monuments, shadows cut sharp across the sand, the faint shimmer of protective wards designed to heighten the trial¡¯s intensity. I could almost hear her voice again, teasing, insistent, challenging. I could imagine her next to me, peering over my shoulder. ¡®Perfect, Luc,¡¯ she would whisper, pressing her lips to my temple. ¡®It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ But then¡ªjust as suddenly as the ghost appeared¡ªZara faded, leaving behind an unfortunately familiar hollow ache. In her absence, Seraphina¡¯s face surfaced, vivid and inescapable. It happened without my consent¡ªa cruel trick of my mind. And of course, like I¡¯d been doing since I met Sera, I began topare them. Sera didn¡¯t burn with the same fever Zara had, no. But her quiet strength, her refusal to bow even when the world had all but broken her, lit something fierce, determined, unyielding in me. This time, thinking of Zara¡ªand the way I measured Sera against her¡ªdidn¡¯t wound me as it once had. Something like¡­eptance murmured beneath the old ache. It still carried weight, but the sharp sting of grief had dulled into something quieter, almost reverent. I would always carry her in the bones of this ce, in the very fabric of my soul. But the radiance OTS was about to witness would not belong to Zara. It would belong to Sera. And soon, so would I. Still, unless the opportune moment arose, I would keep her true purpose¡ªher true power¡ªveiled. Sera¡¯s role in this legacy was not for careless spection or the greedy whispers of rivals. The truth about her would be revealed when I decided the world was ready¡ªwhen she was ready. I straightened, rolling the tension from my shoulders. I¡¯d slipped into my mind for far too long; I needed to rein in my thoughts and refocus on what mattered. I exhaled slowly and dragged my attention back to the present, letting the rhythm of order steady me. Fingers skimmed across the table¡¯s surface, pulling up the next set of reports, my mind snapping into the familiar cadence of logistics andmand. The hum of screens, the shuffle of staff, the low crackle of intes¡ªthese were my anchors, and I let them pull me back into motion. The work, for all its weight, was strangely fulfilling. The closer we came to the opening of the tournament, the more I felt OTS aligning¡ªnot just with Zara¡¯s vision, but with my own. The edges had been honed sharper, the foundations deepened. It was bing something worthy of the legacy it was meant to bear. By the time I dismissed thest aide, my temples ached with fatigue. I loosened the cuffs of my sleeves and leaned back, finally letting exhaustion creep in¡ª The door burst open, and a young staffer nearly stumbled inside, chest heaving, eyes wide with panic. ¡°Alpha Reed! There¡¯s¡ªthere¡¯s a crisis!¡± My jaw tightened. ¡°Compose yourself. Speak.¡± He swallowed hard, visibly trying to rein in his trembling. ¡°The Alpha we secured to serve as the final Gatekeeper Boss¡ªhe just received word of an emergency. His pack needs him immediately. He¡¯s already departed.¡± The words dropped like stones in my stomach. The Gatekeeper Boss: the final, most critical challenge of the LST, demanding not just strength but impartiality¡ªqualities few Alphas possessed. That position wasn¡¯t just ceremonial¡ªit was a cornerstone of the tournament¡¯s integrity. And now, less than a day before the first trialmenced, it was empty. I leaned forward slowly, steepling my fingers against my lips as I considered the options. ¡°We can¡¯t simply rece him with any Alpha¡ªthe wrong choice would jeopardize the entire event¡¯s fairness.¡± The staffer nodded vigorously, sweat beading on his brow. ¡°We¡¯ve already reached out to several candidates, but¡­time is short, and most are entangled in obligations to their packs. None can arrive before the trial begins.¡± Damn it. The Gatekeeper wasn¡¯t just another piece of this puzzle. He¡ªor she¡ªwas the crucible, the force that would push the contenders to their limits, the mirror against which their strength and resolve would be measured. Without the right candidate, the final trial would lose its teeth. Worse, it would lose its legitimacy. I pinched the bridge of my nose, mind racing. Possibilities shed through me like cards shuffled too quickly to grasp. Each name I considered was discarded in the same breath. Too weak. Too biased. Too far away. What I needed was someone formidable. Someone whose presence alonemanded respect, whose strength was beyond question. And above all, someone whose loyalty to me, orck thereof, would notpromise the perception of fairness. And then¡ªunbidden¡ªa name surfaced. Kieran. Of course. The thought was absurd. Dangerous, even. Yet as soon as it struck me, I couldn¡¯t shake it. Alpha Kieran ckthorne of Nightfang. His reputation was irond, his dominance undisputed. Every wolf alive knew his name, whether it was because they respected him or despised him. And though his presence would no doubt ignite tension, perhaps that was exactly what the LST required. Formidable. Impartial. Untouchable. Except to me. And to her. My lips curved faintly, although I felt no amusement. Fate was cruel, weaving us intoplicated knots. To put Kieran in that arena was to ce him a step away from Seraphina¡ªcloser than I would ever allow under ordinary circumstances. But this wasn¡¯t about my personal war. This was about OTS. About the legacy Zara had dreamed, and the future Sera deserved to shine in. The staffer¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts again, tentative. ¡°Alpha Reed¡­what are your orders?¡± I rose from my chair slowly, the decision solidifying in my chest like tempered steel. ¡°I have someone in mind,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to him myself.¡± The staffer opened his mouth¡ªperhaps to question me¡ªbut the look I gave him silenced the words on his tongue. He bowed stiffly and hurried out of my office. Alone once more, I stood before the broad window that overlooked the training grounds. Wolves were already gathering below, sparring in the early light, their movements crisp and powerful. The hum of their energy seeped through the ss, thrumming in my bones. Yes. It had to be Kieran. Not because I trusted him. Definitely not because I weed him. But because, on such short notice, he was the only one who could stand as a gate no contender could simply walk through. And if I hated the thought of himing even a hundred yards from Sera, I leashed those feelings. Decisions like these could not be made based on sentiment. Chapter 105 Ana¡¯s POV Sasha was really pissed off, and she wasn¡¯t even trying to hide it. I suppose she thought ignoring the official letters and emails would work in her favor. She did the same thing with them as she did with me. She couldn¡¯t prove that the design was hers. This started because after the first time they challenged me, when I was arrested. I asked Rodney to send his investigator to look into who actually did create the design. The process was quick because a week after Sasha left, the designer came forward and admitted to what she had done. There is nothing that Sasha can do to stop this. It clearly shows a pattern, and one that was not going to work in her favor. That video was the ultimate proof. She had admitted what she wanted to do herself. When Gavin handed me the phone and told me who was on the line, my first instinct was tough it off¡ªmaybe even toss the damned thing into my office fire pit. I had a hard time getting a handle on the kind of man Reed was, but from my experience, he wasn¡¯t the type who sought others out¡ªor at least, me¡ªunless there was a calction behind it. And I was sure, this meeting request from him wasn¡¯t courtesy¡ªit was strategy. And, of course, there was a chance that it was just in old provocation. The LST was already making waves across the entire werewolf world¡ªand my ex-wife was at the center of it all. Seraphina, once overlooked and hidden, was now shining under the spotlight as Lucian Reed¡¯s star trainee. The image of her at the g still wed at me at the most inopportune times¡ªthe way she¡¯d stood beside him, luminous in her gown, her chin tilted high enough to tell the world she wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. More than her beauty and fierce confidence, what really gutted me was the way she looked like she belonged there¡ªnext to him. It seemed that she had made her choice and was sticking firmly to it. And she¡¯d chosen him. I should have hung up. I nearly did¡ªmy thumb hovered over the disconnect button, pulse pounding. But then¡­I didn¡¯t. Because wouldn¡¯t that be dering that Lucian had some kind of hold over me? Maybe curiosity, maybe pride¡ªmost likely both¡ªforced me to ept. The meeting location he proposed was the OTS Arena itself. In the hours before our meeting, I¡¯d struggled to find his angle ande up empty. As soon as I noticed he was bing something of a fixture in Sera¡¯s life, I¡¯d had Gavin investigate his background¡ªmore than once. But every report came back spotless¡ªno illicit trades, no political missteps, no exploitable weaknesses. It was almost too perfect, as if he curated what people were allowed to see. And that was enough to make me suspicious. How had he built his empire so quietly and steadily? What were his ns now that he was stepping into the light? I had no answers for my countless, gnawing questions. So all I could do was watch patiently, waiting for inevitable cracks in his wless facade to show. And what better way to monitor him than on his turf? *** The OTS Arena rose before me like some ancient coliseum reborn, its edges gleaming in the morning sun, shadows slicing across its structure. The closer I came, the more I had to admit¡ªreluctantly¡ªthat no secondhand ount had done it justice. This ce wasn¡¯t just built; it was forged. Every stone screamed permanence, every curve of the stands bent toward spectacle, every shimmer of protective wards along the perimeter promised something both brutal and glorious. Lucian was already there, of course, waiting for me like he owned not just the Arena, but the very air itself. His posture was easy and controlled, his hands sped behind his back. The way his scrutinizing gaze washed over me made me bristle. ¡°Alpha ckthorne,¡± he greeted, his low voice calm¡ªto the point that it was unsettling. ¡°Cut the pleasantries, Reed,¡± I said, stepping onto the sand of the Arena floor. The grit shifted beneath my boots, and I couldn¡¯t help imagining what it would feel like when soaked with blood. ¡°Why did you ask me here?¡± His mouth curved slightly in the barest suggestion of a smile as he swept his arm around us. ¡°You don¡¯t find it impressive?¡± I swept my gaze across the vastness of the ce, the tiered seating that seemed to swallow the horizon, the wards that shimmered faintly like heat mirages. It was impressive. But I¡¯d be damned before I admitted it aloud. ¡°You didn¡¯t summon me here just to give me a tour of your yground,¡± I hissed. ¡°What. Do. You. Want?¡± He turned his head, studying the light as it fell over the pirs that jutted from the ground. His silence stretched long enough to irritate me, until finally he asked, almost idly, ¡°Do you expect to witness her transformation here?¡± My chest constricted. I didn¡¯t need him to say her name¡ªI knew exactly who he meant. Rage and regret battled in me as the memory of the g returned in vivid detail. Seraphina¡¯sughter spilling out, bright and bittersweet, her hand resting on his arm as if it belonged there. The pride zing in her eyes¡ªfor him. Never me. Realization hit me like a sucker punch. Lucian Reed hadn¡¯t called me here for business. The fucker called me here to gloat. ¡°You bastard,¡± I hissed, spinning on my heel. ¡°You dragged me all the way here to what? Rub it in my face?¡± I was halfway to leaving when his voice carried after me, sharp as a whip. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious?¡± I stopped. Against my better judgment, I stopped. Because that was exactly what I was: curious. Lucian¡¯s tone deepened, deliberate. ¡°Don¡¯t you wonder what allowed her to step out of the shadows?¡± He smirked, obviously proud of his wordy. ¡°To stand tall, confident, unbreakable? To be so¡­captivating?¡± My fists clenched at my sides. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything extraordinary,¡± he went on smoothly. ¡°All I did was what you never managed. I didn¡¯t neglect her. I didn¡¯t hurt her.¡± I whirled, fury burning hot in my veins. ¡°You have no fucking right to lecture me.¡± Hisposure cracked, but all it did was reveal the steel beneath. ¡°On the contrary, I find I do. Before I knew your history, I thought you were a great Alpha. A wise man. Someone worthy of respect.¡± He shook his head, and the disappointment etched into his features made my teeth grind. ¡°But now? All I see is weakness. A wed man.¡± The insult exploded inside me, a raw detonation of shame and fury I couldn¡¯t contain. ¡°You think you can judge me?¡± My voice thundered, echoing through the empty arena. ¡°You¡¯ve known Seraphina for what¡ªmonths? I shared a life with her¡ªa marriage. We have a son together, Lucian. A son. That bond outweighs anything you can im.¡± He didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°And yet, the time I will spend with her from now on will surpass yours. The ce I will hold in her life will surpass yours. And perhaps¡±¡ª his voice dropped, almost taunting¡ª¡°we will have children together too. What flimsy thread will you then hold on to?¡± I snapped. I closed the distance in a heartbeat and drove my fist into his jaw. The impact reverberated up my arm, sharp and satisfying. Lucian staggered back, but he didn¡¯t fall. In fact, he straightened, wiped the blood from his split lip with the back of his hand, and smiled. ¡°Finally,¡± he murmured. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this for a long, long time.¡± The fight was instant, feral. Lucian came at me hard, his strikes clean and merciless, honed by years of training. I countered with brute force, each blow fueled by the rage boiling in my chest. Sand erupted beneath our boots, the walls of the arena vibrating with the echo of our sh. We weren¡¯t just fighting¡ªwe were venting. Every insult, every resentment, every buried frustration exploded into fists and ws and sweat. I caught his ribs with a savage hook, felt the satisfying crunch beneath my knuckles. He retaliated with a spinning strike that split my cheek open. Painnced through me, bright and hot, but instead of slowing, I roared and threw myself back into the fray. And gods help me, for a fleeting moment, I felt¡­exhration. It had been too long since I¡¯d fought someone who matched me blow for blow. Lucian wasn¡¯t just strong¡ªhe was disciplined, precise, relentless. Each strike met resistance, each push found counterforce. The symmetry of it was maddening and intoxicating all at once. Minutes blurred into eternity. Sweat stung my eyes, blood dripped down my chin, muscles screamed in protest. Neither of us yielded. Finally, in onest furious exchange, we both struck at the same time. My fist mmed into his chest just as his elbow cracked against my temple. The force sent us both stumbling, copsing into the sand. Wey there, panting, breath ragged and raw. The sky spun wildly above us. Pain tore through my limbs, mingling with a fierce surge of pride. I¡¯d edged him out¡ªbarely, but undeniably. Lucian sat up first, blood trailing from his mouth, and looked at me with something strange in his eyes. Not hatred. Not anger. Something closer to¡­respect. And then he said it. ¡°I want you to be the Gatekeeper Boss.¡± I blinked, the words almost absurd in the silence after our brawl. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me,¡± he said, voice steady despite the fight we¡¯d just had. ¡°The final gate of the tournament. The one no contender can walk through without proving themselves.¡± I barked a harshugh, wincing at the pain in my ribs. ¡°You brought me here, provoked me, fought me into the dirt¡ªall to ask me to y doorman for your games?¡± His mouth curved, faint and infuriatingly sure. ¡°Not a doorman. The gate itself. The crucible. The one challenge no wolf can dismiss.¡± Anger red again, though this time it tangled with confusion. ¡°And why the hell would I help you?¡± Lucian rose smoothly, brushing the dust from his clothes. Then he smiled at me amiably, as if we hadn¡¯t just tried to kill each other. ¡°I have a feeling you will.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure.¡± He leaned down just slightly, his gaze piercing. ¡°I am. You¡¯re the only one strong enough to carry that weight. And I know you want to prove yourself. To her.¡± Then he straightened, already walking toward the exit. His voice drifted back, calm, final: ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Noon. You know where.¡± The arrogance in his certainty scorched hotter than my wounds. I surged to my feet, fury thrumming in my veins. With a roar, I mmed my fist into the arena wall. Stone cracked, fragments raining down around me. ¡°Damn you, Lucian!¡± The echo carried, mocking me. But deep down¡ªtoo deep to admit aloud¡ªI knew the bastard was right. I would ept. I could never walk away from a challenge. Or from her. Chapter 106 Ana¡¯s POV ¡°How dare you insult me, or my work?¡± Sasha roared out. She pushed her attorney¡¯s hand off her shoulder and sprang up from her chair. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to design. So how could you imply that my work isn¡¯t sufficient? You¡¯re not qualified to judge my work.¡± Sasha scoffed as if Rodney¡¯s words didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°I might not be qualified, but I can tell good designs from bad, and your work is clearly bad,¡± Rodney replied. Her shriek of frustration and anger made him give a small grin. The judge hadn¡¯t stopped her outburst this time, and she took full advantage of it. ¡°None of you know anything about art or design. If my old tablet hadn¡¯t broken, I could have shown you my work. The problem was that I had toe up with these two designs quickly. The hum of voices, the scrape of boots across polished and rough stone, the scent of nerves sharp as copper in the air¡ªall of it churned together into a current that dragged me forward. Today marked the first day of the LST, the beginning of a series of trials that would push us to our limits, revealing how far each of us hade since stepping into OTS, and ultimately deciding the fate of the alliances and fractures among the packs watching from the stands. I¡¯d memorized the structure, chanted it back to myself like a mantra. Twelve teams. Five wolves each. Nine from packs scattered across the continent¡ªFrostbane, Cypress Vale, Seabreeze, Granite Fang, Shadow w, Ashveil, Duskbane, Moonfang, Bloodspire. And then, three teams from the OTS itself. One of them was mine. I adjusted the hem of my jacket and felt the weight of Lucian¡¯s gift wrap around me like armor. I slipped my hand in my pocket and my fingers curled around Maya¡¯s moonstone. I drewfort from my gifts, knowing that even if I wouldn¡¯t see Maya and Lucian during the trials, I would carry a piece of two of my greatest cheerleaders into what felt like my most intense journey yet. The assembly hall was cavernous, its high ceilingtticed with banners from every participating pack, including customized logos for the three OTS teams. Wolves clustered in corners, voices low and charged, sizing one another up before the horns even sounded. When I found the card with my team¡¯s designation, the tightness in my chest loosened. ¡°Seraphina!¡± Judy bounded toward me, her ponytail swinging animatedly behind her. She was grinning so wide her cheeks looked ready to split. ¡°You¡¯re with me?¡± I asked, surprised warmth rising inside me. ¡°Damn right I am.¡± She nudged my arm with augh. I couldn¡¯t help it; I smiled. In this jungle brimming with tension and agitation, Judy¡¯s familiar face was a tether I hadn¡¯t realized I needed. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± she said, tugging me toward two others who hovered a little apart from the crowd. ¡°Meet the rest of our merry band.¡± The woman was plump, her eyes downcast beneath a curtain of chestnut hair. She fiddled with the hem of her sleeve, shifting her weight like the floorboards burned her soles. ¡°This is Talia,¡± Judy announced. ¡°Hi,¡± Talia murmured, so softly I had to lean in to catch it. ¡°And this is Finn.¡± The man beside her gave a small nod. Tall and lean, his posture folded inward like a book unwilling to be read. Which was ironic, because I remembered seeing him once or twice in the OTS library, tucked away in the corners between shelves. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you both,¡± I said brightly, smiling warmly. Talia flushed crimson, eyes darting anywhere but me. Finn only gave another tight nod. Before I could press further, a voice cut through the air like a knife. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± We turned. Roxy, thest of our team members, stood there, arms crossed, scowl deep enough to bury us all. Thest time I¡¯d seen her, she¡¯d been glued to Jessica¡¯s side in the locker room, more like a shadow than a person. Now her eyes swept over our group with disdain so vicious it made Talia shrink behind Judy. ¡°My rotten luck,¡± Roxy muttered. ¡°Stuck with a pack of weaklings.¡± My stomach tightened, but I didn¡¯t speak yet. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Judy snapped, squaring up immediately. Roxy¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. This isn¡¯t a team, it¡¯s a death sentence. An Omega parade with an Alpha-born reject thrown in as a pitiful attempt at vor.¡± She shook her head. ¡°This has to be some kind of setup.¡± I arched a brow. ¡°How so?¡± She folded her arms, her eyes sharp with challenge. ¡°Everyone knows Jessica and I are a team, and we work seamlessly together. Throwing me in with this¡±¡ªher nose scrunched up¡ª¡°pathetic mix is an attempt to weaken Jessica¡¯s team.¡± She glowered at me. ¡°I wonder for whose benefit.¡± I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re not seriously insinuating that¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m insinuating,¡± she hissed. Talia¡¯s shoulders curled inward. Finn¡¯s jaw ticked once, but he said nothing. I inhaled slowly, letting the words wash over me. Then, with deliberate calm, I stepped forward. ¡°I don¡¯t care how you think we came to be, Roxy. Like it or not, we¡¯re a team now,¡± I said. My voice didn¡¯t rise, didn¡¯t strain, but it carried. ¡°If you can¡¯t ept that, we won¡¯t even survive the first round.¡± But Roxy wasn¡¯t done. She shoved past Judy and jabbed a finger toward me. ¡°If I have to do this, then I¡¯m leading this team. I¡¯m the strongest here. That¡¯s the only way we make it past round one.¡± Judy snorted so hard she nearly doubled over. ¡°You? Lead? You couldn¡¯t lead an army of ants.¡± She threw an arm around me, pulling me forward. ¡°If anyone¡¯s leading, it¡¯s Sera. She¡¯s Alpha blood.¡± ¡°She¡¯s abandoned blood,¡± Roxy spat instantly. ¡°No pack. No backing. No worth.¡± Heat red in my chest, but before I could answer, Judy snapped, ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Roxy¡¯s smirk widened. She liked the sting she caused. I took a slow step closer, meeting her eye. ¡°If you¡¯re so sure, then let¡¯s make a wager.¡± Her brow twitched, and I saw her intrigue. I continued. ¡°I will lead our team, and if I can¡¯t lead us to victory, I¡¯ll leave OTS entirely. Or you can lead the team¡ªand if you lose, you leave.¡± I heard Judy¡¯s sharp intake of breath and wondered what the fuck I was thinking. But for a flicker of a moment, Roxy¡¯s bravado faltered, and I knew there was no going back. She snarled, arms crossed tighter, fury simmering at my audacity. Judy let out a roar ofughter. ¡°Oh, I like this. Look at you, Roxy¡ªyou¡¯re shaking. Afraid of being shown up?¡± Roxy bristled, cheeks darkening, but she said nothing more. ¡°Well?¡± I pressed. ¡°Fine,¡± she bit out atst. ¡°Lead us, Alpha-born. But don¡¯t you dare drag me down. If we lose because of you, you¡¯ll wish you had left.¡± Her words hung like a guillotine in the air. I didn¡¯t flinch. I only inclined my head, solemn. ¡°We won¡¯t lose¡ªif we stand together. That¡¯s the key. If we fracture, we¡¯re done.¡± Talia peeked at me from behind her curtain of hair. Finn¡¯s gaze lifted briefly, something like respect flickering there before it was gone. Roxy turned away with a scoff, muttering under her breath. Judy, however, pped me on the back with enough force to jolt me forward. ¡°Gods, I¡¯m d you¡¯re leading,¡± she crowed. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d have to kill her before the tournament even started.¡± I exhaled, the smallest ghost of a smile tugging at my lips. But with it came the weight of the responsibility I¡¯d just willingly ced on my head. I only hoped to goddess I could put my money where my mouth was. *** Once the final rosters were confirmed, I stepped forward to retrieve our entry passes. Each was a slim strip of obsidian etched with glowing runes, humming faintly against my palm. When pressed together, the five strips lit up as one¡ªour bond, temporary though it was. ¡°Team assembled,¡± the examiner at the desk confirmed, his voice deep and bored. ¡°You¡¯ll enter through Gate Seven. Good luck.¡± I nodded and turned to my team. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We walked together toward the waiting arena, the sound of thousands of voices swelling beyond the stone walls. My heart pounded, not with fear but with a strange, fierce rity. For better or worse, these were my people now. Judy, with her surprising, unwavering faith in me; Talia, with her trembling awkwardness; Finn, with his gentle reserve; Roxy, with her bitter fire. Five wolves bound together by chance. And I at their head. The g was essentially the opening ceremony, so the LSTs would begin without preamble. There was nothing more between me and my hardest challenge yet. The gates loomed ahead, shadows stretching long across the sand. The first round awaited. I tightened my grip on the obsidian pass and whispered to myself, a vow no one else would hear¡ª ¡®We will endure.¡¯ I exhaled, the smallest ghost of a smile tugging at my lips. But with it came the weight of the responsibility I¡¯d just willingly ced on my head. I only hoped to goddess I could put my money where my mouth was. *** Chapter 107 Joyce¡¯s POV Her attorney was about to ruin everything. I want to cry out, to do anything in order to make them stop this trial. But I don¡¯t want to be held in contempt. It¡¯s killing me to stay quiet, but the judge is pissed. He¡¯s going to throw the book at Sasha for her disrespect. It¡¯s unbelievable how she thinks she could get away with it. She was warned. She should be scared as he waved off the Bailiff who wasing to deal with her. It¡¯s impossible that she didn¡¯t see it. Just because he hasn¡¯t said anything else to her after thatst warning to stay quiet doesn¡¯t mean he is giving her a pass. She ignored his instructions. She¡¯s making me look bad before I even get to take the stand. This isn¡¯t fair. I should have gone second. Thepound still hummed fromst night¡¯s spectacle¡ªechoes of voices, whispered disbelief over the Moon Dew Nectar, air charged with a promise too big to ignore. Even in its quiet hours, the ce felt alive, pulsing like a heart that beat in rhythm with my own ambition. I didn¡¯t allow myself too much time to bask in it. There was a lot to do. With the preliminary rounds looming closer, my desk was littered with reports, schedules, andst-minute revisions. I moved through them with brisk precision, my pen shing signatures across pages, my voice sharp andmanding as I dictated responses to my staff. Every detail mattered. Every piece had to fall perfectly into ce. But even as I leaned over the glowing monitors, watching the Arena, my focus slipped. The rigid control over my thoughts loosened in that brief reprieve. And then she was all I could see. Zara. Once one thought slipped past my mind¡¯s blockade, more followed. For once, I didn¡¯t resist. I closed my eyes and let the wave wash over me. The twinkling music of herughter, the bright sparkle of her eyes, the searing ache of her touch. It felt so wrong that I was here, making all these preparations, without her. After all, OTS had been her dream as much as it was mine. I remembered her perched on the edge of the table in one of these conference rooms, gesturing wildly with her hands as she described how she wanted the Arena to feel: grand, yes, but not suffocating; dangerous, but not reckless. A ce where warriors would be tested to the marrow of their bones, yet also given the stage to prove their worth before the world. Her passion had been a storm I willingly walked into; her brilliance had ignited me in a way nothing before or after her had. My eyes tracked thetest projection of the Arena¡¯syout¡ªpirs rising like ancient monuments, shadows cut sharp across the sand, the faint shimmer of protective wards designed to heighten the trial¡¯s intensity. I could almost hear her voice again, teasing, insistent, challenging. I could imagine her next to me, peering over my shoulder. ¡®Perfect, Luc,¡¯ she would whisper, pressing her lips to my temple. ¡®It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ But then¡ªjust as suddenly as the ghost appeared¡ªZara faded, leaving behind an unfortunately familiar hollow ache. In her absence, Seraphina¡¯s face surfaced, vivid and inescapable. It happened without my consent¡ªa cruel trick of my mind. And of course, like I¡¯d been doing since I met Sera, I began topare them. Sera didn¡¯t burn with the same fever Zara had, no. But her quiet strength, her refusal to bow even when the world had all but broken her, lit something fierce, determined, unyielding in me. This time, thinking of Zara¡ªand the way I measured Sera against her¡ªdidn¡¯t wound me as it once had. Something like¡­eptance murmured beneath the old ache. It still carried weight, but the sharp sting of grief had dulled into something quieter, almost reverent. I would always carry her in the bones of this ce, in the very fabric of my soul. But the radiance OTS was about to witness would not belong to Zara. It would belong to Sera. And soon, so would I. Still, unless the opportune moment arose, I would keep her true purpose¡ªher true power¡ªveiled. Sera¡¯s role in this legacy was not for careless spection or the greedy whispers of rivals. The truth about her would be revealed when I decided the world was ready¡ªwhen she was ready. I straightened, rolling the tension from my shoulders. I¡¯d slipped into my mind for far too long; I needed to rein in my thoughts and refocus on what mattered. I exhaled slowly and dragged my attention back to the present, letting the rhythm of order steady me. Fingers skimmed across the table¡¯s surface, pulling up the next set of reports, my mind snapping into the familiar cadence of logistics andmand. The hum of screens, the shuffle of staff, the low crackle of intes¡ªthese were my anchors, and I let them pull me back into motion. The work, for all its weight, was strangely fulfilling. The closer we came to the opening of the tournament, the more I felt OTS aligning¡ªnot just with Zara¡¯s vision, but with my own. The edges had been honed sharper, the foundations deepened. It was bing something worthy of the legacy it was meant to bear. By the time I dismissed thest aide, my temples ached with fatigue. I loosened the cuffs of my sleeves and leaned back, finally letting exhaustion creep in¡ª The door burst open, and a young staffer nearly stumbled inside, chest heaving, eyes wide with panic. ¡°Alpha Reed! There¡¯s¡ªthere¡¯s a crisis!¡± My jaw tightened. ¡°Compose yourself. Speak.¡± He swallowed hard, visibly trying to rein in his trembling. ¡°The Alpha we secured to serve as the final Gatekeeper Boss¡ªhe just received word of an emergency. His pack needs him immediately. He¡¯s already departed.¡± The words dropped like stones in my stomach. The Gatekeeper Boss: the final, most critical challenge of the LST, demanding not just strength but impartiality¡ªqualities few Alphas possessed. That position wasn¡¯t just ceremonial¡ªit was a cornerstone of the tournament¡¯s integrity. And now, less than a day before the first trialmenced, it was empty. I leaned forward slowly, steepling my fingers against my lips as I considered the options. ¡°We can¡¯t simply rece him with any Alpha¡ªthe wrong choice would jeopardize the entire event¡¯s fairness.¡± The staffer nodded vigorously, sweat beading on his brow. ¡°We¡¯ve already reached out to several candidates, but¡­time is short, and most are entangled in obligations to their packs. None can arrive before the trial begins.¡± Damn it. The Gatekeeper wasn¡¯t just another piece of this puzzle. He¡ªor she¡ªwas the crucible, the force that would push the contenders to their limits, the mirror against which their strength and resolve would be measured. Without the right candidate, the final trial would lose its teeth. Worse, it would lose its legitimacy. I pinched the bridge of my nose, mind racing. Possibilities shed through me like cards shuffled too quickly to grasp. Each name I considered was discarded in the same breath. Too weak. Too biased. Too far away. What I needed was someone formidable. Someone whose presence alonemanded respect, whose strength was beyond question. And above all, someone whose loyalty to me, orck thereof, would notpromise the perception of fairness. And then¡ªunbidden¡ªa name surfaced. Kieran. Of course. The thought was absurd. Dangerous, even. Yet as soon as it struck me, I couldn¡¯t shake it. Alpha Kieran ckthorne of Nightfang. His reputation was irond, his dominance undisputed. Every wolf alive knew his name, whether it was because they respected him or despised him. And though his presence would no doubt ignite tension, perhaps that was exactly what the LST required. Formidable. Impartial. Untouchable. Except to me. And to her. My lips curved faintly, although I felt no amusement. Fate was cruel, weaving us intoplicated knots. To put Kieran in that arena was to ce him a step away from Seraphina¡ªcloser than I would ever allow under ordinary circumstances. But this wasn¡¯t about my personal war. This was about OTS. About the legacy Zara had dreamed, and the future Sera deserved to shine in. The staffer¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts again, tentative. ¡°Alpha Reed¡­what are your orders?¡± I rose from my chair slowly, the decision solidifying in my chest like tempered steel. ¡°I have someone in mind,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to him myself.¡± The staffer opened his mouth¡ªperhaps to question me¡ªbut the look I gave him silenced the words on his tongue. He bowed stiffly and hurried out of my office. Alone once more, I stood before the broad window that overlooked the training grounds. Wolves were already gathering below, sparring in the early light, their movements crisp and powerful. The hum of their energy seeped through the ss, thrumming in my bones. Yes. It had to be Kieran. Not because I trusted him. Definitely not because I weed him. But because, on such short notice, he was the only one who could stand as a gate no contender could simply walk through. And if I hated the thought of himing even a hundred yards from Sera, I leashed those feelings. Decisions like these could not be made based on sentiment. Chapter 108 Roger¡¯s POV I had finally admitted it. The truth was out. I had messed up the whole thing, but I was trying to make it right again. My mother looked shocked that I said it, but Sasha was pissed. I¡¯m onto her tricks now, and I know what happened. Dixon had always liked her, but she always ignored him. I knew that she was willing to make a trade if it meant she woulde out on top. He had been dancing all over the ce and not answering direct questions. I was going to admit what I had done. It had already been exposed, so there was no point in trying to hide it. Now that Dixon had finally realized what Sasha had done, he was looking at me in shock. It was clear he hadn¡¯t even realized just how wrong he was about either of them. He nced over at Ana. My lungs drew in air that should have burned or muddied my senses, but the fog slid past me like it didn¡¯t quite know what to do with someone who was half-empty. No wolf to drown, no heightened senses to dull¡ªjust me, raw and bare. Take that, fate. Unfortunately, the others weren¡¯t so lucky. As harmless as it had been at first, the longer we stayed in the fog, the more it affected my Omega teammates. Judy¡¯s eyes kept flicking almost erratically, straining to pierce the haze, while Talia stumbled on roots hidden under the gray carpet of air. Finn¡¯s voice wavered as he spoke lowly. Still, surprisingly, he led us, asionally pointing to faint imprints on the ground, guiding us with the sharpness of someone obviously used to watching and paying attention when others rushed ahead. And Roxy was still gone. For now, I told myself not to think about her. She was a distraction best left to stew. We had our mission¡ªthree shards, a finish line, and a ticking clock¡ªand like I¡¯d told the rest of the team, I was sure we would find her again. We broke into a clearing where the ground sloped into a marsh, stagnant pools reflecting what little light filtered through the fog. ¡°There it is,¡± Finn said, pointing ahead. I followed his line of sight, and sure enough, a glow pulsed faintly between the trees. Hope surged through me. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ª¡± But before we could move, we heard it: thrashing. ¡°Help! Get me out of here!¡± Roxy. Never thought I¡¯d hate being right. I rushed forward, skidding to a halt at the water¡¯s edge. The smell hit me first¡ªrot and damp earth¡ªand I might haveughed at the sight before me if it was anything but funny. Little Miss I¡¯m-the-strongest-here was waist-deep in muck, one arm hooked desperately around a protruding root. Every time she thrashed, the swamp pulled harder, dragging her down with greedy hands. ¡°Gods,¡± Judy muttered, rolling her eyes. ¡°Of course.¡± Talia¡¯s face paled. ¡°I-if she sinks any lower, she won¡¯t be able to breathe.¡± Finn scanned the area, his voice calm but strained. ¡°The mud¡¯s thick¡ªif anyone goes in, they¡¯ll get trapped too.¡± Lovely. Before I could form a n, a metallic crackle cut through the fog, and a voice boomed across the woods, carried by invisible speakers. ¡°Attentionpetitors. Six teams have sessfullypleted the challenge. Three advancement slots remain.¡± The words hit like ice shards on my skin. Six teams had finished. That left uspeting for scraps. ¡°Shit,¡± Judy echoed my thoughts, spinning toward me. ¡°We haven¡¯t even found the second shard; we don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I looked at Roxy, then back to my team. I knew what they were thinking: leave her, cut our losses, push ahead before it was toote. Logical. Efficient. Survival at its most ruthless. But dammit, I wasn¡¯t built that way. I crouched low, eyes locked on Roxy¡¯s panicked face. ¡°You¡¯re a bitch,¡± I said. ¡°But you¡¯re not dying here. Hold still.¡± Her teeth snapped together in what was probably more embarrassment than pride. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t act like you care. You¡¯ll only slow down your precious team if you waste time on me.¡± But beneath her abrasive words, I caught the flicker of terror she couldn¡¯t hide. She didn¡¯t want to be left alone. No one ever did. ¡°Finn,¡± I barked, pulling a coil of rope from our supplies, ¡°find me a sturdy trunk¡±¡ªI tossed one end of the rope at him¡ª¡°and secure a knot. Talia, Judy, stay ready¡ªif she slips, you help me pull.¡± They hesitated, and I snapped, ¡°I would do the same for any of you. We¡¯re a team!¡± My tone left no room for debate as I red at each one of them, making it clear I expected them to act. Now. Judy muttered a curse but grudgingly obeyed, stomping over to stand beside Talia. Finn¡¯s hands steadily tied a loop, his fingers moving with quick precision. ¡°On three,¡± I called, tossing the rope toward Roxy. ¡°One. Two. Three!¡± She lunged, fingers scraping over the wet coil. For a sickening second, it slid through her grasp. Then she mped down, knuckles white, body jerking against the marsh¡¯s greedy suction. ¡°Pull!¡± The rest of the team joined in as the rope strained, biting into my palms as the swamp tried to im Roxy. Judy¡¯s muscles bulged, Talia whimpered but dug in her heels, Finn angled the rope around the trunk for leverage. My heart pounded, my arms screaming with effort, until atst Roxy¡¯s body broke free with a wet, sucking sound. She copsed onto solid ground, coughing, smeared from shoulder to toe in muck. For a long moment, none of us moved, breaths ragged in the choking fog. Then Finn stiffened. His gaze darted to the right, toward the faint shimmer we had seen beyond the marsh. ¡°The second shard¡ªit¡¯s gone.¡± My eyes widened as I searched for the glow, but it had vanished. Judy swore viciously. ¡°That was it. Gone. Gods damn it!¡± Talia¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°The other shards are in the opposite zone, and we¡¯ll never make it there in time to find two.¡± Their despair pressed heavy in the air, gnawing at the strands of fragile unity we had left. For a heartbeat, even I felt it¡ªthe crushing weight of inevitability. We were toote. But surrender wasn¡¯t an option. I straightened, wiping muck from my hands. ¡°We¡¯re still breathing. That means we still try. The other shards are across the woods. Longer route or not, we move.¡± Judy opened her mouth, then shut it again, jaw clenched. Finn gave a single, steady nod. Talia bit her lip but whispered, ¡°Okay.¡± Behind us, Roxy staggered upright, eyes zing. ¡°You guys really are stupid, you know that?¡± I arched a brow. ¡°Excuse you?¡± She wiped a sleeve across her face, then reached into her mud-soaked bag and rummaged blindly. After a while, she pulled out a glowing fragment of stone, slick with swamp water but unmistakable¡ªthe second Moonstone Shard. My breath caught. ¡°You had it?¡± She shrugged, her voice trembling. ¡°I grabbed it before I¡­¡± She nced at the swamp and shuddered. ¡°Another team was close, I thought they¡¯d take it from me, so I ran. Then¡­well¡­¡± She gestured at the swamp. The others stared in stunned silence. Judy finally barked out augh, sharp and delighted. ¡°You almost drowned sitting on the damn thing?¡± Color red in Roxy¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Shut up. You guys were the ones who risked the whole damn challenge to get me out.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Judy snorted. ¡°Pretty stupid of us.¡± Roxy scoffed and said nothing. But something shifted in that moment. The tension that had crackled between us since the start softened. Just a little. And just like that, Roxy wasn¡¯t a rival or a burden now. She was a teammate, mud-stained and stubborn, but ours. I met her gaze. ¡°We¡¯re not done yet. Two down, one to go. Together.¡± Roxy held my stare for a long, bristling second. Then she gave a sharp nod. We set off again, forging toward the far side of the woods. Every step sucked at our boots. Branches wed at our clothes. But the fog no longer felt as suffocating. We had momentum. We had a chance. ¡ªUntil we stumbled upon our next obstacle. A faint rustle, too deliberate to be wind, brushed against my ears. I froze, raising a hand for silence. The others stilled, eyes wide, listening. The sound came again¡ªa shift of leaves, the crunch of weight on damp soil. We weren¡¯t alone. Judy¡¯s hand slid to the knife at her belt as she whispered, ¡°Another team.¡± Talia¡¯s breath quickened. ¡°What do we do?¡± Combat wasn¡¯t against the rules. In fact, the history of the trials was painted with blood¡ªteams sabotaging each other, brutally shing to secure their advancement. If another group thought we were weak, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to strike. ¡°Lay low,¡± I whispered, motioning them behind the thicker brush. ¡°The fog will hide us. Wait for them to pass, then we move.¡± But then the figures emerged from the fog. At their head strode a tall man with broad shoulders, his gaitmanding, his presence sharp enough to prate through the mist. The silver in his dark hair glinted even in the fog, his jaw set in grim determination. Recognition crashed into me like a blow, and I hesitated, not knowing whether to feelfort or stay on guard. Would I get William Reed, Lucian¡¯s brother, or Alpha William, leader of Ashveil pack? Friend or foe? Chapter 109 Sasha¡¯s POV ¡°See what I mean?¡± I cried out. I then sobbed out. ¡°I would be better off on my own than waiting for my attorney to finally provide a defense for me.¡± ¡°Mrs. Cook, you can¡¯t just fire your attorney because you didn¡¯t fully apprise him of the information he needed to properly defend you. That¡¯s on you. You¡¯re wasting the court¡¯s time trying to drag this out. Your attorney has repeatedly attempted to defend your actions. The problem is that evidence is steadily piling up against you. There¡¯s no need for dy of court. We still have several more witnesses to get through today. Including yourself and Joyce Cook, taking the stand. We need to move forward with the witnesses. Bailiff, please ask Adrian to get ready. I think it¡¯s about time. As soon as I recognized William, he turned in our direction. We would have remained hidden, but then the fog shifted, curling like restless spirits around the clearing, and we were suddenly exposed. Our eyes met and, for a tense heartbeat, the forest itself seemed to hold its breath. Then William¡¯s shoulders loosened, his rigid stance softening. ¡°Seraphina,¡± he said, voice warm enough to cut through the chill. ¡°It¡¯s just you.¡± Relief flickered in his expression, chasing away the hard mask of an Alpha on guard, and I found myself rxing slightly. For a moment, I almost forgot we stood in the middle of a brutalpetition. He looked like the man I¡¯d met at the g¡ªgracious, steady, carrying his brother¡¯s sharpness in his jawline but softening it with his own brand of kindness. ¡°William.¡± My voice came out steadier than I felt. ¡°You startled us.¡± His lips twitched with the faintest smile. ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± His eyes flicked past me and hardened ever so slightly as he assessed the rest of my team. Judy bristled like a cat, her hand still on her de, Finn¡¯s stare was cautious but unblinking, and Talia shrank behind them. Roxy, mud-stained, yet defiant, folded her arms and looked ready to snap if he so much as breathed wrong. William spread his hands in a nonthreatening gesture. ¡°We don¡¯t need to be enemies here. Not when the woods themselves are enough of one.¡± The tension in my chest loosened another fraction, and I took a shallow breath. I gave a slow nod. ¡°Agreed.¡± His team emerged from the haze¡ªfive in total, including William. They looked like warriors bred for endurance: broad shoulders, sharp eyes, every movement deliberate. But there was strain in their pale faces, a tightness around the mouth and eyes. The fog was wing at them a lot harder than it wed at us. The smile William gave me reminded me longingly of Lucian. ¡°We should move together. Strength in numbers and less chance of ambush. What do you say?¡± I hesitated. It was a risk. Traveling with another team meant exposing our strengths and weaknesses¡ª and splitting any discoveries. But it also meant security in the face of predators¡ªboth human and otherwise¡ªthat may lurk in the fog. We¡¯d been lucky so far, but just because the fog didn¡¯t affect us didn¡¯t mean dangers didn¡¯t exist that could. I measured his expression, looking for the flicker of duplicity, the calction of someone ready to use us. What I found instead was sincerity. And the quiet trustworthiness I¡¯d glimpsed before at the g. ¡°Okay,¡± I said atst. ¡°Until the shards are gone.¡± He inclined his head, sealing the verbal pact. ¡°Side by side.¡± We set off together in a wary procession of near strangers united by necessity. My team stayed close together, vigntly watching our surroundings, while William¡¯s group moved out slightly ahead, scanning the path and maintaining vignce, their formation signaling practiced coordination. It was almost peaceful for a stretch. The damp earth squelched beneath our boots, the mist swallowing our outlines and spitting them back in fractured silhouettes. Our breaths mingled, warm against the cold bite of the woods. Then one of William¡¯s men staggered. ¡°Mark?¡± William turned sharply, just in time to catch hisrade¡¯s shoulder. The man¡¯s eyes rolled back, his knees buckling, before his body slumped fully into his Alpha¡¯s arms. ¡°Shit!¡± one of the others cursed, rushing to help. ¡°Maven!¡± William barked, and a woman with dark braids tied back tightly and eyes shadowed with fatigue surged forward, dropping to her knees at once. Her hands worked with brisk efficiency as she checked the man¡¯s pulse, lifted his eyelids, pressed fingers against the side of his throat. ¡°He¡¯s breathing,¡± she announced, though her voice carried a thread of unease. ¡°But he¡¯s not conscious. His symptoms are worsening.¡± William¡¯s brow furrowed, his grip tightening on his unconscious teammate. ¡°Symptoms?¡± I asked. ¡°What symptoms?¡± Maven didn¡¯t answer. Or perhaps she couldn¡¯t¡ªher hands trembled faintly as she reached for her satchel, pulling out herbs and salves with jerky haste. We¡¯d all been given the same resources in packs, but she didn¡¯t look like she knew what to do with theirs. Sweat gleamed along her brow as her shaky fingers fumbled with the vials. I exchanged a nce with Judy, then with Finn. Our gazes all said the same thing: Something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°It¡¯s the fog,¡± another of William¡¯s men¡ªBob, I recalled dimly¡ªsuddenly growled. His eyes burned with suspicion as he turned on me and my team. ¡°The Omegas. Look at them. They¡¯re fine. Too fine.¡± The others shifted uneasily, their gazes sliding toward us, replicating Bob¡¯s suspicion. My stomach clenched, and suddenly pairing up sounded like the stupidest thing I¡¯d ever done. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± I asked, calmly stepping between their using stares and my team, despite the nerves ring up under my skin. Bob sneered. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting this isn¡¯t an ident. I¡¯m suggesting that your precious Lucian Reed designed this fog to cripple the strong and let his little pets waltz through unharmed.¡± He scoffed bitterly. ¡°Poison masked as a trial. A rigged game to guarantee OTS¡¯s victory.¡± Roxy bristled, stepping forward with her fists clenched. ¡°Hey, watch your fucking mouth¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± William barked. He shot a reprimanding look at Bob. ¡°Take heed how you speak. Lucian is my brother and a former member of our pack. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± Bob ducked his head. ¡°I understand, Alpha¡­but,¡±¡ªhe pointed at Talia, at Finn, at me¡ª¡°they¡¯re walking like the fog¡¯s nothing. Our brothers are copsing, and they¡¯re barely blinking. You call that a coincidence?¡± William¡¯s jaw flexed, and he said nothing, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. For some reason, that doubt in his eyes scorched me. I wanted to rush to Lucian¡¯s defense; he would never do something so underhanded¡­ But hadn¡¯t I myself had the same doubts about the strategy behind the fog? But whatever reason Lucian had, I wouldn¡¯t stand here and listen to his name be tarnished. I folded my arms and met the heat of Bob¡¯s re with ice. ¡°Do you have proof of your usations?¡± Bob¡¯s mouth opened¡ªthen closed. All the fight left me as his hands twitched, as if grasping for something invisible. Before he could muster words to further fuel his argument, his body jerked violently¡ªand he crumpled. Maven let out a strangled cry, dropping her herbs to reach for him. But even she swayed on her knees, her breath hitching, skin paling to almost translucent. ¡°Shit,¡± Judy hissed, drawing closer to me. I crouched immediately beside Maven, my voice sharp with urgency. ¡°Finn! Do we have anything that can¡ª¡± He was already moving, slipping his pack from his shoulders, retrieving a vial of pale powder and a small jar. ¡°Here.¡± His voice was calm, practical. He pressed the jar into Maven¡¯s hands, steadying them when they shook too badly to hold it. ¡°Breathe this in¡ªslow, not too deep. It¡¯ll ease the pressure for now.¡± Her eyes fluttered shut as she obeyed. Her breathing slowed, steadied faintly. Finn turned to William, his tone respectful but firm. ¡°She¡¯s overexposed. They all are. This isn¡¯t sustainable. They need proper treatment, not makeshift remedies.¡± Silence fell heavily. William¡¯s gaze lingered on his fallen men, the fog curling around them like vultures circling prey. He looked much older in that moment, weighed down by more than the forest. Finally, he exhaled, slow and pained. ¡°We withdraw.¡± The word hung between us like a death knell. ¡°No,¡± one of his remaining men rasped. ¡°Alpha, we can still¡ª¡± William cut him off with a single sharp look. ¡°No. I won¡¯t gamble your lives on pride. We¡¯re leaving while you all can still crawl out of here.¡± He turned to me then, and I was surprised at the warmth still lingering under his exhaustion and frustration. ¡°This isn¡¯t your burden, Seraphina. Don¡¯t carry the weight of my choice. I¡¯ll get the truth from Lucian myself. Whatever his reasons for designing this,¡±¡ªhis jaw flexed, but his voice remained steady¡ª¡°I¡¯ll hear them from his lips.¡± I swallowed hard, and even though he¡¯d told me not to feel otherwise, I couldn¡¯t help the guilt knotting my insides. ¡°William¡ª¡± He lifted a hand, forestalling me. ¡°No regrets. Just finish this. Secure your ce. One of us must advance, and right now that has to be you.¡± The words settled into me like stone¡ªequal parts blessing andmand. And then the forest itself cut short any reply. The broadcast voice thundered through the fog, metallic and merciless: ¡°Attentionpetitors. Eleven teams havepleted the challenge. One advancement slot remains.¡± A shiver rolled down my spine. One left. And every step mattered. William gave a wry, weary smile. ¡°There. The decision is made for us.¡± I nodded, my throat too tight for words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to withdraw like this.¡± He sped my shoulder, firm and warm. ¡°Don¡¯t be. Now go. And may the moon favor your path.¡± As his team began to gather their fallen, lifting and supporting those who couldn¡¯t walk, I turned back to my own. Judy¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely with renewed determination. Talia looked shaken but nodded, whispering hopefully, ¡°We can still do this.¡± Finn adjusted his pack, calm as ever, while Roxy muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, ¡°About damn time.¡± I drew in a long breath, as if daring the fog to try its worst on me. One shard left. One slot left. Chapter 110 Analise¡¯s POV ¡°After seeing that video. What did you do?¡± Rodney asked. ¡°He was plotting my downfall, as if I somehow deserved it. So, I decided to destroy him instead. He wanted to humiliate me in front of the entire city. He was already using our marital home to y house with Sasha. I couldn¡¯t allow him to continue to disrespect me. The feelings I had for him went away after I saw that video. Seeing him having s*x with her, all over my home, was disgusting. It was like they were trying to erase me from it. I never wanted to enter it again, and I didn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t live there anymore, so I sold it. I was disgusted by his behavior. Clearly, I never knew him. I went back and watched the videos from the hidden cameras in my home. At least¡­ a little sense. But I wasn¡¯t buying it. Not fully. ¡°I don¡¯t agree to this.¡± My arms folded tight across my chest, my voice sharp as a de. ¡°I already have a n. I¡¯ll find the vessel, destroy it, and kill Frederick myself. I don¡¯t need a stranger to get involved. A stranger I don¡¯t trust.¡± The words spat out of my lips. And I couldn¡¯t even tell if I said them because I didn¡¯t trust her¡ªor because I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her standing so close to my mates. Either way, I didn¡¯t care. I wasn¡¯t epting this idea of theirs. Louis stepped toward me, his expression calm but his wolf restless inside him. ¡°Olivia, you can¡¯t face Frederick alone. You know that. He¡¯ll tear you apart before you even touch the vessel.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Better me than letting her be near you three.¡± My re flicked toward the door as if I could see her from there. ¡°Liv,¡± Lennox said carefully, his voice deep and pleasing. He moved closer, close enough that I could feel the heat of his presence. ¡°She¡¯s a weapon Frederick doesn¡¯t expect. That makes her valuable.¡± My wolf growled inside me, furious at his calm tone. ¡°Valuable?¡± I snapped. ¡°So am I worthless to you now? You¡¯d rather rely on her than on me?¡± Levi stepped in quickly, his voice firm but soothing, the peacemaker as always. ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re saying. You are everything, Olivia. But Frederick¡­ he¡¯s not just another enemy. He¡¯s older, stronger, and darker than anything we¡¯ve fought before. If we ignore Selene¡¯s blood, we¡¯re walking blind into death.¡± I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body trembling with anger and hurt. Their logic pressed against me like iron, but my heart screamed louder. I didn¡¯t care if Selene¡¯s blood was poison or power. I didn¡¯t care if she was the ¡°key.¡± All I saw was another woman in my house, too close to the men who were mine. And gods help me¡ªI wasn¡¯t ready to sit back and watch it happen. My frown deepened, my voice sharp. ¡°It¡¯s not happening. We don¡¯t need her help. I have a n, remember? And besides, we can¡¯t trust her. What if she betrays us?¡± Louis¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°She won¡¯t. Selene can¡¯t betray us, Olivia. She¡¯s family. Her bloodline ties her to us just as much as it ties her to the fight against Frederick. She gains nothing by standing against us.¡± I scoffed, my wolf snarling inside me. ¡°Family means nothing. You should know that better than anyone. Blood betrays. Blood lies. Don¡¯t stand there and act like it¡¯s a shield.¡± Lennox stepped closer, his eyes full of worry. ¡°Olivia, listen to me. You can doubt her all you want, but the fact remains¡ªwe can¡¯t do this without her. Selene is the weapon Frederick won¡¯t seeing. She¡¯s the reason we might finally have a chance at ending him.¡± I red at him, my chest heaving. ¡°So you¡¯d rather put your faith in her than in me?¡± God, I was drowning in jealousy. Levi¡¯s voice cut in before Lennox could answer, calm but carrying weight. ¡°This isn¡¯t about choosing her over you, Liv. It¡¯s about using every advantage we have. Selene doesn¡¯t rece you. She strengthens us. With her, and with you, we stand a chance.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes locked on mine, his tone final. ¡°She can¡¯t betray us, Olivia. Not with what¡¯s at stake. She knows Frederick as well as anyone, and she wants him dead just as much as we do. That makes her an ally we can¡¯t afford to throw away.¡± Their voices suffocated me. My wolf wed inside me, screaming for me not to yield. But for the first time, I realized¡ªthey weren¡¯t bending. They weren¡¯t going to let go of this n, no matter how much I fought it. And that made my blood boil. The silence between us was suffocating. Their arguments stacked against me, their n was logical, but all I could feel was the heat of my jealousy burning through my chest. And before I could stop myself, the words slipped out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say it? You like her.¡± The second it left my lips, I wished I could swallow it back down. The room went still. Their faces changed¡ªLouis¡¯s jaw tightened, Levi¡¯s eyes widened, and Lennox¡¯s gaze snapped to me like I¡¯d just ripped something vital out of him. The hurt in his eyes sank into me before he even spoke. ¡°Olivia,¡± Louis said softly, his voice pained. I cursed myself immediately, guilt crashing through me. I hadn¡¯t meant to say it, not like that. But the words were out, and I couldn¡¯t take them back. Lennox¡¯s chest rose and fell heavily, his wolf restless inside him. He stepped closer, his voice low and pained. ¡°So that¡¯s what you think of us?¡± I froze. His eyes burned into mine, full of anger and heartbreak. ¡°You think we¡¯d look at another woman? You think we¡¯d do something with Selene?¡± His voice cracked, just a little. ¡°Don¡¯t you still get it? We love you. So, so much.¡± My throat tightened, my eyes stinging. He didn¡¯t stop. ¡°What happened with Anita¡­¡± He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. ¡°We weren¡¯t in our right minds, Olivia. We were charmed. Twisted. And goodness we hate ourselves for it every single day. But you¡ª¡± His voice broke, his hand curling into a fist. ¡°You¡¯ll never let it go, will you? You¡¯ll always see us as men who would pick another woman over you.¡± My wolf whimpered inside me. Guilt shredded through my chest, leaving me breathless. I wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, but my silence betrayed me. Because maybe, deep down, that was the fear I could never shake. Lennox¡¯s chest rose and fell like he was holding himself back from saying more. He just turned around and faced the window¡ªand that broke me more than his anger. ¡°I¡­¡± My voice faltered. The guilt was sharp, burning, but the fear still wed inside me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think that. I don¡¯t. But every time I see her near you¡ªI see anotherdy near any of you¡ªI feel like I¡¯m back there again. Back when Anita happened. Back when I wasn¡¯t enough to keep you from¡­¡± My throat closed. I couldn¡¯t finish. Louis¡¯s face twisted with hurt. ¡°Olivia, no.¡± His voice was firm, but it trembled underneath. ¡°Don¡¯t do that to yourself. Don¡¯t do that to us. You are enough. You¡¯ve always been enough. What happened with Anita will never happen again.¡± Levi stepped closer, his wolf brushing against mine through the bond, warm, steady, begging me to hear him. ¡°We will never want Selene. We will never want anyone else. We only want you. That¡¯s the truth, Liv. That¡¯s the only truth that matters.¡± I swallowed hard, my chest aching. Their words should have soothed me, but the war inside me raged louder. Love and jealousy, trust and fear, shing until I didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore. And the worst part? I hated myself for saying it¡ªfor doubting them, even for a moment. But the scars Anita left weren¡¯t easy to erase. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± I said sharply, moving before I could even think about it. I nted myself in front of the triplets, my body a wall, blocking Selene¡¯s line of sight. My wolf bristled inside me, daring her to try and step closer. Oh, gods¡­ I probably looked insanely possessive, but I didn¡¯t care. Selene¡¯s lips curved into the faintest scoff, like she wanted to mock me, but she must¡¯ve caught the warning sh in my eyes because¡ªfor once¡ªshe was smart enough not to make any silly remarks. Instead, she straightened her back, trying to lookposed, but when she tried to peer over me toward the triplets, I shifted right back into her path, my re fixed on her. ¡°What?¡± I arched a brow, my tone dripping with challenge. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me what you have to say? Whatever you think you can tell them, you can also tell me.¡± Her eyes flicked to mine, and I didn¡¯t flinch. I wanted her to know I meant every word. ¡°The triplets are my mates,¡± I continued, my voice authoritative, heavy with warning. ¡°We are one.¡± I made sure to stress thest word¡ªone¡ªjust in case she was harboring even the faintest little fantasy of worming her way into their lives. Deep down, I knew she was. My instincts never lied. Selene¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing. She just stood there, waiting. For a moment, the silence between us burned hotter than fire. Then she finally spoke. ¡°Frederick is attending a birthday party tomorrow,¡± she announced. ¡°The celebrant happens to be¡­ someone I know. Which means I have a way in. I can get close, and if the opportunity shows itself, I can set the n in motion.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her, my arms crossing tighter. ¡°Very well then,¡± I said, my tone sharp, leaving no room for argument. ¡°I¡¯ll be at the party too. With Frederick. That way I can watch you myself, make sure you don¡¯t make any mistakes.¡± Herposure cracked. She frowned, her voice rising with sudden frustration. ¡°You don¡¯t need to babysit me, Olivia! I¡¯m smart enough to handle this. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Chapter 111 Joyce¡¯s POV ¡°You can¡¯t do that, William. No one asked for those videos to be shown. Why would you do that? Are you trying to ruin us? Aren¡¯t you supposed to defend us?¡± I cried out. ¡°I am defending you, Joyce. You and Sasha assured me again justst night that the videos were never threatening or nderous. That you didn¡¯t intentionally defame the intiff. I¡¯m just trying to prove that what she alleged never happened. They¡¯re part of the chain of evidence in this trial. I¡¯m going by your own words. I want everyone to see that the videos in question weren¡¯t that bad. Most of the jury has never even seen them. I know that for the jury to make an informed decision, they need to have all the facts. I¡¯m trying to diligently defend you. I had to tell them. I couldn¡¯t keep swallowing it down, pretending like I was fine, pretending like what happened didn¡¯t still haunt me every single day. ¡°I know,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling. ¡°I know we were supposed to leave everything behind. To move forward. To heal. But I can¡¯t. Not fully.¡±Their eyes stayed on me, heavy and piercing, but I pressed on, because if I stopped, I¡¯d break. ¡°Even knowing you were spelled¡­ even knowing it wasn¡¯t your fault¡ªI still can¡¯t cope with it sometimes. I still get¡­ triggered. Every time I see another woman close to you, every time one of you smiles or lets someone touch you¡­¡± My throat closed, my wolf whimpering inside me. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m right back there. Like I¡¯m about to live that trauma all over again.¡± I wrapped my arms around myself, holding in the ache that wed through me. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± I admitted, my voice cracking. ¡°I¡¯m so scared of losing you. And that fear¡ªit¡¯s eating me alive. It¡¯s making me jealous, bitter, insane. And I hate it, because I hate who it makes me. But I can¡¯t stop.¡± Silence hung in the air, and through the bond, I felt their emotions full of pain, love, and worry. Levi was the first to move. His arms wrapped around me gently, pulling me into his chest. The warmth of him, the steady beat of his heart, made my wolf exhale shakily. ¡°Liv,¡± he whispered into my hair, his voice breaking with love, ¡°that will never happen again. I swear it. You¡¯ll never lose us like that. You¡¯ll never have to relive that pain.¡±I shook against him, my fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt. ¡°I know¡­ I know you say that. But I¡¯m still scared.¡±His hand rubbed slow circles down my back,forting me. ¡°Then let us carry that fear with you. Don¡¯t hold it alone. We love you so much, Olivia. We¡¯ll spend the rest of our lives proving that to you.¡± Before I could answer, another warmth closed around me. Lennox. His presence was overwhelming and strong, like a wall shielding me from everything else. He pulled me into his arms, cupping my cheek with one rough hand. His thumb brushed away a tear that had escaped, and his eyes¡ªgoodness, those eyes¡ªburned straight into me. ¡°We cannot be spelled again,¡± he said firmly, his voice calm and unshakable. ¡°We¡¯re Alphas now. No witchcraft, no spell, no trick can touch us. That mistake only happened because we weren¡¯t yet what we are today. And it will never happen again.¡± His hand pressed tighter to my cheek, his forehead almost touching mine. ¡°I love you, Olivia. So much. Sometimes I wish you could see my heart¡ªjust so you¡¯d know there¡¯s no space in it for anyone else but you.¡±The truth of his words hit me like a wave. I couldn¡¯t see his heart, but gods¡­I could feel it. His love. It was real, deep, burning through me until I couldn¡¯t breathe. And then Louis¡¯s arms slipped around me from behind, pulling me fully into the safety of all three of them. His lips brushed the top of my head, his voice low and fierce. ¡°You¡¯re ours. Always. No spell, no woman, no mistake will ever change that. We¡¯ll fight for you until ourst breath. Surrounded. Shielded. Loved. For the first time, the fear inside me loosened, just a little. I hugged Louis, and he wrapped his arms around me. I let the tears fall as I rxed in thefort of his arms. I knew my healing process would take a long while, but having this conversation with them gave me a little assurance, and I felt a heavy load leave my shoulders. Louis kept whispering words to me as he rubbed invisible circles on my back while I just remained in his arms. My eyes closed. I pressed my face into Louis¡¯s chest, listening to the rise and fall of him. My hands found Levi¡¯s and Lennox¡¯s and I squeezed, a small, stunnedugh escaping me. God, I loved these men so much. If something happened¡ªif I lost them¡ªI didn¡¯t know how I would live with it. Louis lifted up my head and leaned down to kiss me. I opened my mouth and kissed him deeply, pouring out my emotion into the kiss. The kiss deepened. I melted into it, parting my lips, tasting him, letting all the emotions I had bottled up for so long spill into the way I kissed him back. My hands slid up his chest, clutching at him like he was the only thing keeping me tethered. His arm tightened around me, his tongue brushing mine, and for that brief moment, I felt whole. Safe. Loved. Levi began trailing soft kisses on the back of my neck while I felt Lennox lifting up the hem of my gown. God, I loved them. All of them. The thought of losing even one made my chest tighten, but here¡ªlike this¡ªI could almost believe we were inseparable. And then¡ªknock. Knock. The sound shattered the bubble we had built. We froze. Louis pulled back, his breathing rough, his forehead still pressed against mine. The knock came again, softer this time, followed by a too-familiar voice. ¡°Brothers? It¡¯s me. Selene. Can we talk?¡± My frown deepened. Why was she calling them brothers? It sounded so fake to me. The tension in the room snapped back like a whip. My wolf bristled instantly, ws raking at me from the inside. The warmth of the kiss drained, reced by cold anger curling in my stomach. Louis muttered a curse under his breath. Lennox¡¯s jaw clenched. Levi squeezed my hand tighter, his eyes flicking toward the door. And me? I wanted to rip it off its hinges. The door creaked open before anyone could answer the knock. Selene stepped in, her eyes sweeping the room, and that little smirk I already hated tugged at her lips. ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting,¡± she said sweetly, though her tone dripped with anything but innocence. ¡°You are,¡± I snapped, my frown deepening as I red at her. Her eyes flicked to me, and she rolled them like I was nothing but a child throwing a tantrum. My wolf growled inside me, but before I could lunge, she turned her attention away from mepletely¡ªstraight to the triplets. ¡°I just got some information,¡± she announced, her voice suddenly serious. The shift in her tone made Lennox stiffen, Louis¡¯s hand drop from my waist, and Levi¡¯s posture straighten instantly. I hated it. I hated the way shemanded their attention in seconds. I arched a brow, tilting my head slightly. ¡°Smart? Maybe. But you¡¯re not wless. And when ites to Frederick, one mistake is all it takes. I won¡¯t risk it.¡± Selene¡¯s jaw tightened, and for a moment I saw her wolf bristle in her eyes. But she didn¡¯t argue further¡ªshe just scoffed under her breath and turned her face away, clearly biting back whatever insult she wanted to throw. Lennox¡¯s jaw tightened as he finally spoke, his voice low but edged with frustration. ¡°I hate it,¡± he admitted, his eyes locked on me, burning with possessiveness. ¡°I hate the thought of people seeing you with Frederick. Of him even standing beside you.¡± My chest ached at the raw honesty in his tone. I reached for him without hesitation, my hand curling around the back of his neck as I pulled him down to me. Our lips met, and I kissed him deeply, pouring all my defiance and love into it. ¡°It¡¯s only for a while,¡± I whispered against his mouth before kissing him again, harder this time. My wolf hummed with satisfaction as I made sure the kiss lingered, hot and passionate, knowing full well that Selene was watching. Her presence prickled at the edge of my awareness, and the thought of her seeing us like this made me press even closer to Lennox. My nails dug lightly into his shirt as I deepened the kiss, staking my im without words. Through the bond, I felt Lennox¡¯s wolf purr, and then his chuckle brushed against my mind link. ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re doing, Liv. And gods, I love it.¡± That made me smile against his lips, even as Selene scoffed faintly in the background, her annoyance rolling off her like smoke. I finally pulled back from Lennox, my lips still tingling, my chest rising and falling. Turning to Selene, I forced a sharp smile that held no warmth. ¡°Thank you for the information,¡± I said, my tone clipped. ¡°Now you can leave. We were in the middle of something before you interrupted.¡± Her lips twitched, but instead of walking out quietly, she tilted her head, her eyes glinting with something sharp. ¡°I just hope,¡± she said smoothly, ¡°that you can keep them forever.¡± Her words sliced through the air like a de. My wolf bristled, but before I could fire back, Levi¡¯s voice cut through the tension, loud andmanding. ¡°Watch your tongue, Selene.¡± His gaze was steady, hard. ¡°Olivia isn¡¯t just anyone. She is our mate. Ours. She doesn¡¯t have to ¡¯keep¡¯ us¡ªwe belong to her. That¡¯s how it is, and that¡¯s how it will always be.¡± Louis stepped closer too, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist. His voice was sharp, edged with finality. ¡°If you¡¯re here to help against Frederick, then focus on that. But don¡¯t you ever forget your ce when ites to Olivia.¡± Selene¡¯s smirk faltered, her eyes flicking between the three of them before finallynding on me. For a heartbeat, I swore I saw irritation and hate sh across her face¡ªbut she said nothing more. With a scoff, she turned on her heel and walked out, her footsteps echoing down the hall. I exhaled slowly, leaning into Louis¡¯s hold as my wolf hummed in satisfaction. For once, I didn¡¯t have to fight. My mates had spoken for me. And it felt damn good. Lennox¡¯s gazended on me, his lips curling into that half-smirk that always made my stomach tighten. ¡°So,¡± he drawled, his voice low, ¡°we were in the middle of something, huh?¡± My breath caught as his fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. One by one, he began undoing them with deliberate slowness, his eyes never leaving mine. The sound of fabric sliding against skin filled the silence, and heat rushed up my neck. My wolf stirred restlessly, caught between pride and the undeniable pull of him. ¡°Lennox¡­¡± I whispered, warningced in my tone, but my voice betrayed me¡ªit was already trembling. Chapter 112 Analise¡¯s POV I don¡¯t know why Joyce has suddenly decided to help, but I don¡¯t trust her. I told Rodney not to cut her any deals when he went back to review the evidence. Her willingness to cross Sasha goes against everything she¡¯s done over thest two months. I suspect that she¡¯s going to throw Sasha under the bus to avoid her own punishment. They both deserve to pay for what they¡¯ve done. I can¡¯t let her off with a warning. I honestly don¡¯t want her anywhere around me while I¡¯m pregnant. Charlie took my hand and led me out of the courtroom. My parents were behind us, with Drew and Jon right behind them. Holden didn¡¯t approach, and I was grateful for that. I¡¯ve been worried about how he will react once he realizes that I¡¯m pregnant. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. Gods, I had no defense against them when they closed in like this. Lennox shrugged his shirt off, his chest bare, his wolf burning in his eyes. He tilted his head, daring me. ¡°So tell me, mate¡­ do we pick up where we left off?¡± Of all the people to run into this early¡ªin OTS of all ces¡ªI would have wagered on literally anyone else. But no. Fate¡ªor cruelty¡ªhad deemed it fit to nt Kieran ckthorne right in front of me. The cavernous cafeteria seemed to shrink around us, voices fading to muffled static, dishes ttering like a far-off storm. He didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t speak. Just¡­watched me. And fuck, I burned under his gaze. Or maybe it was from the way his hands lingered¡ªone still curled around my arm, the other braced firmly at my waist from when he caught me. His grip tightened¡ªnot painful, but firm enough that my pulse jumped beneath his touch. Almost possessive. As if letting me go wasn¡¯t an option. His hands were warm. Steady. The longer they stayed on me, the more acutely aware I became of every inch of contact. Then, as if suddenly realizing how tightly he held me, he released me. Too quickly. I nearly stumbled back, losing the precarious bnce he had given me. My skin tingled where his hands had been, phantom heat rushing in to fill the abrupt chill of his absence. ¡°Sorry, I¡ª¡± I mped my mouth shut instantly. I didn¡¯t know who owned the raspy, shaky mess of a voice that hade out of my lips, but it sure as hell wasn¡¯t me. The corner of his lips twitched in what I would have called amusement if the look in his eyes wasn¡¯t so fucking intense. His gaze pinned me, the air between us so charged that the whole OTS was in danger of exploding at the slightest spark. My pulse drummed painfully in my ears. And even though I didn¡¯t trust my voice, every instinct screamed at me to demand answers. A dozen questions tangled in my mind, weighing down my tongue. But it all boiled down to one¡ªwhat the fuck was he doing here? But what right did I have to ask that question? Boundaries. I was the one who¡¯d asked for that; I was the one constantly sick of him prying into my business. What he did and where he frequented should not¡ªdid not¡ªmatter to me. So no words escaped my parted lips, and we just¡­stood there, locked in a silence that vibrated with all the things neither of us could voice. Then he took a deep, shuddering breath, and for a split second, I thought he might break the silence. Part of me braced for it¡ªthe sh, the inevitable storm that always raged when we were together. But he stayed mute, his hands curling into tight fists at his side as his eyes bore into mine, scorching, searching, as if they were trying to force words out of me, pull me into a conversation I refused to start. ¡°Sera!¡± I jolted like I¡¯d been struck by lightning. I blinked, the air rushing back into my lungs all at once as whatever spell had been woven between me and Kieran shattered. Judy¡¯s cheerful voice rang out, startling in its brightness. She stood at the entrance, waving one arm high above her head excitedly. ¡°Um¡ª¡± My gaze darted back to Kieran¡¯s. ¡°I should¡ª¡± Without a word, he stepped aside, inclining his head slightly. I nodded once, the motion jerky and awkward as I forced myself forward, only stiffening slightly when my shoulder lightly brushed the front of his shirt. Each step was deliberate, measured, while my insides burned with the effort it took not to look back. The scent of coffee and Kieran lingered, heavy, clinging to me as the doors loomed closer. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re here!¡± Judy beamed as I approached her. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun; her uniform had been traded for afortable sweater and jeans. She giggled as she slipped her arm through mine. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re around.¡± I smiled at her, forcing back the shadow of my encounter with Kieran. I was grateful that she didn¡¯t ask why I¡¯d been standing in the middle of the cafeteria staring at my ex-husband for goddess knows how long. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She tugged me gently. ¡°Come on. You¡¯reing home with me.¡± I blinked. ¡°Home?¡± She nodded. ¡°My family is around for the LSTs, and I¡¯m spending the day with them.¡± She began to pull me along before I could protest. ¡°And now you are too. My sisters will never forgive me if I don¡¯t bring you along.¡± I didn¡¯t want to intrude on her family moment, but the prospect of spending my off day alone¡ªwhere I would either spend it missing my friends or scrutinizing the run-in with Kieran¡ªwas not an appealing one. So I let my smile widen and let Judy pull me along with her. *** Her family had rented a modest house on the edge of the neutral zone, just a short walk from the OTS headquarters. From the outside, it looked unremarkable¡ªwhite siding, flowerpots on the porch¡ªbut the moment Judy pushed open the door, warmth and noise spilled out like a tidal wave. ¡°Judy!¡± squealed a small voice before a boy no taller than my waistunched himself into her arms. She caught him easily, spinning him in a circle while three more children barreled into the entryway. Behind them came two women¡ªher sisters, I realized at once. They shared Judy¡¯s lively eyes and infectious smile, though one wore hers more softly, the other more broadly. ¡°Seraphina, wow,¡± one of them said, brushing a strand of hair back as she stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯ve heard a lot about you. We¡¯re huge fans.¡± The words tugged at my stomach. Fans? Huge?? Before I could respond, an older woman who had to be Judy¡¯s mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a flour-dusted apron. Mrs. Barnes was taller than I expected, her presence solid and radiant, like a hearth fire. She enveloped my hand in both of hers. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said simply. ¡°For looking out for my Judy.¡± I almost stumbled on my response. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need looking after.¡± I smiled at Judy, remembering how fiercely she stood up to Brynjar and Roxy. ¡°If anything, she looks out for me.¡± Mrs. Barnes chuckled, her eyes softening. ¡°Still. I can see she values your friendship. That¡¯s enough.¡± And then I was swept inside. The house was alive in a way I had forgotten homes could be. Children¡¯sughter spilled from every corner, the aroma of baking pies and roasted meat filled the air. The sisters moved around each other with an ease that came from years of living together, their conversation ovepping without ever missing a beat. They treated Judy like a hero, each story she shared from the Trials and her time in OTS sparking gasps,ughter, or proud nods. Her nieces and nephews crowded around, tugging at her sleeves, begging her to recount the moment she¡¯dnded a decisive strike against anotherpetitor. Listening made me so happy, especially knowing Judy had joined in the first ce to give her family a better standing in their pack. At some point, I found myself on the couch with two of the smaller ones pressed against my side, their wide eyes fixed on me. ¡°Is it true you beat the mist?¡± the little girl whispered reverently, like she was referring to some ancient artifact. I blinked. ¡°The mist?¡± ¡°The fog,¡± Judy supplied from across the room,ughing as she held another niece upside down by the ankles, ¡°in the Misty Woods.¡± I smiled faintly. ¡°Yes. But I didn¡¯t do it alone. We worked together.¡± The children¡¯s awe didn¡¯t dim, though, and one of them dered, ¡°You¡¯re like a real Luna!¡± Iughed, but the words cut deeper than I expected, happiness outpaced by a sudden pang, emptiness welling up underneath the surface of my smile. Later, Mrs. Barnes insisted I sit at the kitchen table while she prepared something she called her good luck pie. ¡°It¡¯s tradition,¡± she exined, rolling the dough with decisive movements. ¡°I bake one before every big challenge. It¡¯s kept our family safe this long. Now it¡¯ll keep you safe, too.¡± I shook my head, my cheeks warming. ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly¡ª¡± ¡°You can and you will.¡± Her tone brooked no argument. ¡°Judy isn¡¯t the only one I¡¯m rooting for anymore.¡± The lump in my throat was sudden as a mix of longing and difort struck me all at once. I wasn¡¯t used to mothers like this¡ªwarm, proud, unquestioning in their eptance. I didn¡¯t know where to put the feeling it stirred. And oh, gods, the longing. It was actually painful, the knowledge that I didn¡¯t have a family as warm and bright and happy as Judy¡¯s. Siblings who adored me. A mother who doted on me. What did that woman in the forest say? ¡®There is no loss greater than that which you barely had.¡¯ When the pie came out of the oven, golden and steaming, the entire family cheered as if it were some great victory. Mrs. Barnes sliced it generously, pressing the first te into my hands. It was sweet, tart, richfort baked into a crust. ¡°Take some with you,¡± she saidter, packing not only the pie but an entire collection of baked goods into bags I tried, and failed, to refuse. ¡°Food is love. And we have plenty to give.¡± By the time I left, my arms were full, my chest lightened by something I hadn¡¯t expected to feel today¡ªbelonging, even if borrowed. That feelingsted until I reached my own doorstep, and there she was. My own mother. And just like that¡ªin a pattern that was bing as familiar as breathing¡ªthe warmth I had carried all the way home chilled, brittle as ice. Chapter 113 Joyce¡¯s POV I stood and walked up to be sworn in, with my heart racing. This was it. I had epted what was toe. I was fine with it, as long as Sasha got the greater amount of time. Now that I know she had those jury tampering charges against her, I knew that anything else would just be the cherry on top. I hadn¡¯t realized how it felt to be sitting up here. So close to the judge who was watching me. along with all the people in the gallery. I hadn¡¯t realized how many people were actually here. There were even more cameras in here now. All were waiting to see what was about to happen. I had already spoken to William about it. He was going to phrase the question in a way that would allow me to say my piece at the end of my questioning. His hand pressed tighter to my cheek, his forehead almost touching mine. ¡°I love you, Olivia. So much. Sometimes I wish you could see my heart¡ªjust so you¡¯d know there¡¯s no space in it for anyone else but you.¡±The truth of his words hit me like a wave. I couldn¡¯t see his heart, but gods¡­I could feel it. His love. It was real, deep, burning through me until I couldn¡¯t breathe. And then Louis¡¯s arms slipped around me from behind, pulling me fully into the safety of all three of them. His lips brushed the top of my head, his voice low and fierce. ¡°You¡¯re ours. Always. No spell, no woman, no mistake will ever change that. We¡¯ll fight for you until ourst breath. Surrounded. Shielded. Loved. For the first time, the fear inside me loosened, just a little. I hugged Louis, and he wrapped his arms around me. I let the tears fall as I rxed in thefort of his arms. I knew my healing process would take a long while, but having this conversation with them gave me a little assurance, and I felt a heavy load leave my shoulders. Louis kept whispering words to me as he rubbed invisible circles on my back while I just remained in his arms. My eyes closed. I pressed my face into Louis¡¯s chest, listening to the rise and fall of him. My hands found Levi¡¯s and Lennox¡¯s and I squeezed, a small, stunnedugh escaping me. God, I loved these men so much. If something happened¡ªif I lost them¡ªI didn¡¯t know how I would live with it. Louis lifted up my head and leaned down to kiss me. I opened my mouth and kissed him deeply, pouring out my emotion into the kiss. The kiss deepened. I melted into it, parting my lips, tasting him, letting all the emotions I had bottled up for so long spill into the way I kissed him back. My hands slid up his chest, clutching at him like he was the only thing keeping me tethered. His arm tightened around me, his tongue brushing mine, and for that brief moment, I felt whole. Safe. Loved. Levi began trailing soft kisses on the back of my neck while I felt Lennox lifting up the hem of my gown. God, I loved them. All of them. The thought of losing even one made my chest tighten, but here¡ªlike this¡ªI could almost believe we were inseparable. And then¡ªknock. Knock. The sound shattered the bubble we had built. We froze. Louis pulled back, his breathing rough, his forehead still pressed against mine. The knock came again, softer this time, followed by a too-familiar voice. ¡°Brothers? It¡¯s me. Selene. Can we talk?¡± My frown deepened. Why was she calling them brothers? It sounded so fake to me. The tension in the room snapped back like a whip. My wolf bristled instantly, ws raking at me from the inside. The warmth of the kiss drained, reced by cold anger curling in my stomach. Louis muttered a curse under his breath. Lennox¡¯s jaw clenched. Levi squeezed my hand tighter, his eyes flicking toward the door. And me? I wanted to rip it off its hinges. The door creaked open before anyone could answer the knock. Selene stepped in, her eyes sweeping the room, and that little smirk I already hated tugged at her lips. ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting,¡± she said sweetly, though her tone dripped with anything but innocence. ¡°You are,¡± I snapped, my frown deepening as I red at her. Her eyes flicked to me, and she rolled them like I was nothing but a child throwing a tantrum. My wolf growled inside me, but before I could lunge, she turned her attention away from mepletely¡ªstraight to the triplets. ¡°I just got some information,¡± she announced, her voice suddenly serious. The shift in her tone made Lennox stiffen, Louis¡¯s hand drop from my waist, and Levi¡¯s posture straighten instantly. I hated it. I hated the way shemanded their attention in seconds. At least¡­ a little sense. But I wasn¡¯t buying it. Not fully. ¡°I don¡¯t agree to this.¡± My arms folded tight across my chest, my voice sharp as a de. ¡°I already have a n. I¡¯ll find the vessel, destroy it, and kill Frederick myself. I don¡¯t need a stranger to get involved. A stranger I don¡¯t trust.¡± The words spat out of my lips. And I couldn¡¯t even tell if I said them because I didn¡¯t trust her¡ªor because I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her standing so close to my mates. Either way, I didn¡¯t care. I wasn¡¯t epting this idea of theirs. Louis stepped toward me, his expression calm but his wolf restless inside him. ¡°Olivia, you can¡¯t face Frederick alone. You know that. He¡¯ll tear you apart before you even touch the vessel.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Better me than letting her be near you three.¡± My re flicked toward the door as if I could see her from there. ¡°Liv,¡± Lennox said carefully, his voice deep and pleasing. He moved closer, close enough that I could feel the heat of his presence. ¡°She¡¯s a weapon Frederick doesn¡¯t expect. That makes her valuable.¡± My wolf growled inside me, furious at his calm tone. ¡°Valuable?¡± I snapped. ¡°So am I worthless to you now? You¡¯d rather rely on her than on me?¡± Levi stepped in quickly, his voice firm but soothing, the peacemaker as always. ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re saying. You are everything, Olivia. But Frederick¡­ he¡¯s not just another enemy. He¡¯s older, stronger, and darker than anything we¡¯ve fought before. If we ignore Selene¡¯s blood, we¡¯re walking blind into death.¡± I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body trembling with anger and hurt. Their logic pressed against me like iron, but my heart screamed louder. I didn¡¯t care if Selene¡¯s blood was poison or power. I didn¡¯t care if she was the ¡°key.¡± All I saw was another woman in my house, too close to the men who were mine. And gods help me¡ªI wasn¡¯t ready to sit back and watch it happen. My frown deepened, my voice sharp. ¡°It¡¯s not happening. We don¡¯t need her help. I have a n, remember? And besides, we can¡¯t trust her. What if she betrays us?¡± Louis¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°She won¡¯t. Selene can¡¯t betray us, Olivia. She¡¯s family. Her bloodline ties her to us just as much as it ties her to the fight against Frederick. She gains nothing by standing against us.¡± I scoffed, my wolf snarling inside me. ¡°Family means nothing. You should know that better than anyone. Blood betrays. Blood lies. Don¡¯t stand there and act like it¡¯s a shield.¡± Lennox stepped closer, his eyes full of worry. ¡°Olivia, listen to me. You can doubt her all you want, but the fact remains¡ªwe can¡¯t do this without her. Selene is the weapon Frederick won¡¯t seeing. She¡¯s the reason we might finally have a chance at ending him.¡± I red at him, my chest heaving. ¡°So you¡¯d rather put your faith in her than in me?¡± God, I was drowning in jealousy. Levi¡¯s voice cut in before Lennox could answer, calm but carrying weight. ¡°This isn¡¯t about choosing her over you, Liv. It¡¯s about using every advantage we have. Selene doesn¡¯t rece you. She strengthens us. With her, and with you, we stand a chance.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes locked on mine, his tone final. ¡°She can¡¯t betray us, Olivia. Not with what¡¯s at stake. She knows Frederick as well as anyone, and she wants him dead just as much as we do. That makes her an ally we can¡¯t afford to throw away.¡± Their voices suffocated me. My wolf wed inside me, screaming for me not to yield. But for the first time, I realized¡ªthey weren¡¯t bending. They weren¡¯t going to let go of this n, no matter how much I fought it. And that made my blood boil. The silence between us was suffocating. Their arguments stacked against me, their n was logical, but all I could feel was the heat of my jealousy burning through my chest. And before I could stop myself, the words slipped out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say it? You like her.¡± The second it left my lips, I wished I could swallow it back down. The room went still. Their faces changed¡ªLouis¡¯s jaw tightened, Levi¡¯s eyes widened, and Lennox¡¯s gaze snapped to me like I¡¯d just ripped something vital out of him. The hurt in his eyes sank into me before he even spoke. ¡°Olivia,¡± Louis said softly, his voice pained. I cursed myself immediately, guilt crashing through me. I hadn¡¯t meant to say it, not like that. But the words were out, and I couldn¡¯t take them back. Lennox¡¯s chest rose and fell heavily, his wolf restless inside him. He stepped closer, his voice low and pained. ¡°So that¡¯s what you think of us?¡± I froze. His eyes burned into mine, full of anger and heartbreak. ¡°You think we¡¯d look at another woman? You think we¡¯d do something with Selene?¡± His voice cracked, just a little. ¡°Don¡¯t you still get it? We love you. So, so much.¡± My throat tightened, my eyes stinging. He didn¡¯t stop. ¡°What happened with Anita¡­¡± He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. ¡°We weren¡¯t in our right minds, Olivia. We were charmed. Twisted. And goodness we hate ourselves for it every single day. But you¡ª¡± His voice broke, his hand curling into a fist. ¡°You¡¯ll never let it go, will you? You¡¯ll always see us as men who would pick another woman over you.¡± My wolf whimpered inside me. Guilt shredded through my chest, leaving me breathless. I wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, but my silence betrayed me. Because maybe, deep down, that was the fear I could never shake. Lennox¡¯s chest rose and fell like he was holding himself back from saying more. He just turned around and faced the window¡ªand that broke me more than his anger. ¡°I¡­¡± My voice faltered. The guilt was sharp, burning, but the fear still wed inside me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think that. I don¡¯t. But every time I see her near you¡ªI see anotherdy near any of you¡ªI feel like I¡¯m back there again. Back when Anita happened. Back when I wasn¡¯t enough to keep you from¡­¡± My throat closed. I couldn¡¯t finish. Louis¡¯s face twisted with hurt. ¡°Olivia, no.¡± His voice was firm, but it trembled underneath. ¡°Don¡¯t do that to yourself. Don¡¯t do that to us. You are enough. You¡¯ve always been enough. What happened with Anita will never happen again.¡± Chapter 114 Sasha¡¯s POV ¡°So you have a n in ce. That¡¯s good. Because I believed her when she said she was going to deal with us. I only wanted to get my son¡¯s designs back. Are you sure that copies of your first drafts are going to hold up in court?¡± Joyce asked. ¡°Of course they are. There is nothing on them. Even though I can¡¯t prove their mine, she can¡¯t prove they belong to her either. We¡¯re at an impasse. Now that we¡¯re pushing Fashion Forward to act, they will force her to return them to us. They can¡¯t be involved in this kind of scandal. Their business will take a hit. They¡¯ll probably fire her, and that will also work in our favor. Once she¡¯s forced to return them, she¡¯ll be unable to get a job. Not with a giarism scandal hanging over her head. I hit thending, and Rowan walked over to me. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No¡­but it will have to be. We have to go.¡± I looked around the room and frowned. ¡°Toya?¡± He pointed behind me. ¡°Wendy ran down here asking about a tripod for something. Toya ran upstairs to help her find it.¡± Toya ran down the stairs. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m ready.¡± She had a bag with her that she tossed at me. ¡°This is for you.¡± She held up a hand as my mouth opened. ¡°I don¡¯t know what for. But Carl told me you would need it today.¡± Carl¡­ ¡°He never quits, does he?¡± Toyaughed. ¡°This was myst note. But I think Wendy has one more, and I know for a fact you have a full stack.¡± I watched her smile dim. ¡°He spent thest year of us life preparing us for the years without him.¡± She took in a deep breath. ¡°I can only hope I have as much courage as he did near the end.¡± I puffed out my cheeks. ¡°Me too.¡± I turned back toward the soft giggles from the dining room. I headed back there to kiss my pup goodbye for hopefully thest time. ¡°Hey baby girl.¡± I leaned against the door frame as Abby and Carly turned to me. ¡°I have to go.¡± Carly¡¯s smile faltered for a second. ¡°I know.¡± She hopped up and ran to me. She wrapped her little arms around my middle. ¡° Please be safe.¡± Her words broke my heart. We had forced this little girl to grow up far too fast. ¡°Of course.¡± I dropped to my knees to pull her into a proper hug. ¡°I need you to be strong for Grandma Ainsley, okay? Promise me.¡± I could hear her pull in a deep breath, scenting me, like she was trying to remember my smell. It hurt me a little that she felt like she had to. She rubbed her cheek against my shoulder before her soft answer came. ¡°I promise.¡± She pulled back and kissed my cheek. My stomach flipped, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°And what should you do if someone gets in here?¡± She pulled back fully to stare at me. I shook off the weird feeling and focused on my pup. She smiled up at me. ¡°Run to the closet door, and make sure it closes behind us.¡± I poked her nose. ¡°Exactly.¡± I looked over at Abby, who was still at the table eating a snack. ¡°Where is your dad, sweetheart?¡± Abby¡¯s eyes widened for a second, as her cheeks were stuffed with food. She mumbled something, and Carly giggled. She poked me, grabbing my attention back before she answered. ¡°Abby¡¯s mommy and daddy are in the kitchen. They wanted to talk about adult stuff, so they gave us a snack.¡± I rubbed her back and stood. ¡°Okay.¡± I turned away and headed for the kitchen, but Abby¡¯s muffled yell had me spinning around to see Carly¡¯s eyes clouding over, and her tiny frame swaying. ¡°Another one?¡± I dropped down as her knees buckled. ¡°A vision doesn¡¯te when it¡¯s expected, Three-spirit, only when it is needed.¡± Carly¡¯s voice dropped several octaves. Her voice aged a hundred years as her tiny body fought to channel the vision she was seeing. ¡°She¡¯s already weak.¡± I tossed back as I stood with my pup in my arms. ¡°Well then, this just proves she needs to get stronger.¡± Her white eyes danced for a second before her lips opened. ¡°The crack is open, but the path is still sealed. When the path is fully opened, then you will know the Shaman¡¯s time hase.¡± She took a breath. ¡°But her time won¡¯te if you do not fight thising battle. Your time here is now done. Run for the bridge to the pack. Your time is running out.¡± ¡°What do you mean my time is running out?¡± My stomach flipped again, and I felt a new feeling unfurl in my belly. A deep pool of dread opened up inside of me. The panic that was eating away at the edges of my sanity started to take bigger bites. And my mind spiraled as sweat broke out on the back of my neck, and I felt my fangs pushing at my gums. My fear must have filled the room, causing Rick and Shelly toe out of the kitchen in a rush. They looked around the room, looking for the danger, but I watched confusion rece the alertness when they saw nothing. Rick took a step into the dining room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rowan stepped against my back, steadying me. ¡°We have to go.¡± Carly grabbed my face. ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± She looked over my shoulder at Rowan, and I saw something like almost pity hit her face. ¡°And trust in the Goddess¡¯s path.¡± Her eyes closed, and her body bowed back. Abby screamed. ¡°Is she okay?¡± I just nodded as I stood and hurried into the living room. ¡°She just passed out from the vision.¡± I ced her on the couch and draped a nket over her. ¡°She just needs a nap.¡± I stepped back as Abby climbed onto the couch and checked on her friend. ¡± Watch her for me?¡± She nodded. ¡°Amy?¡± I heard a voice call out, but I was already running out the front door. ¡°Okay, calm down,¡± Violet muttered to herself, taking deep, forceful breaths. ¡°This isn¡¯t permanent. You¡¯ll go back to normal as soon as this is over. Easy as breathing.¡± She tried to sound hopeful, but inside, she was freaking out. Badly. She turned to Griffin, her voice mixed with nerves and determination. ¡°This is a good thing, right? At least everyone knows Oscar is your beta, so I won¡¯t be refused entrance.¡± Griffin gave a short nod, his expression serious. ¡°You¡¯re right about that part. While I keep Zara upied, you¡¯ll sneak off to ric¡¯s room and release him. We¡¯ll figure out the rest from there.¡± His intense gaze locked on hers. ¡°You still remember theyout of the house from the map I showed you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Violet said obediently. ¡°As long as Zara hasn¡¯t made any major changes, this should be straightforward. Once ric is free, we¡¯ll regroup and hopefully settle things with his mother peacefully.¡± ¡°Alright, captain. Let¡¯s go get our boy back.¡± Violet gave Griffin a yful salute, her nerves hidden behind bravado. Griffin nodded once, and started toward the vige where they¡¯d find a ride straight to the packhouse. Violet followed close behind, her boots crunching softly in the snow. Neither of them said a word, both focused on the mission ahead, blissfully unaware of just how dangerous the mission they had taken truly was. Meanwhile, back at the Packhouse : ¡°What is it this time? Where are you taking me?¡± ric¡¯s voice rose in panic as he shot up from the bed the moment the guards entered the containment room. Two of them came inside while the other two stayed posted at the door, their expressions hard and watchful. One guard stepped forward, saying in a calm, nearly coaxing tone. ¡°Alpha ric, we just need you toe peacefully with us. It¡¯s your mother¡¯s orders. There¡¯s no need for violence.¡± But damn it if ric was going to let themy a single hand on him. His muscles tense as his mind raced. What the hell was his mother up to now? From the wild, rugged look in his eyes, it was clear he was nearing his breaking point. It had been more than two days since they¡¯d locked the suppressor cuffs on him, and he was starting to lose it. This was the longest he had ever been separated from his wolf, and it was beginning to take its toll on him. Suppressor cuffs were designed for criminal werewolves locked up in prison. Even then, the prisoners were given brief, scheduled releases to breathe and reconnect with their wolves. Official source is Find1Novel But prolonged continuous use of the suppressor cuff was practically a death sentence. Weeks of this would lead to madness, and finally, death. However, ric was no criminal. He had been raised like royalty, treated like a prince all his life. And now, here he was, chained, humiliated, and stripped of his freedom by the very people who should have protected him. He knew why his mother wouldn¡¯t release him. Unlike ordinary wolves, he had powers ¡ª and he wasn¡¯t afraid to use it. Once these cuffs came off, he would roast every single traitorous fool who had stood by and let Zara do this to him. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go, Alpha ric,¡± the guard said. ric let out a bitterugh. ¡°Oh, suddenly you remember I¡¯m your Alpha?!¡± His voice dripped with sarcasm and rage. ¡°You dare call me Alpha while standing there, letting my mother treat me like her personal prisoner?!¡± ¡°Alpha ric, this isn¡¯t the time for talks¡ª¡± the guard began, trying to cate him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ric snarled, his voice a guttural hiss as he jerked back. The sound was so feral it made even the seasoned guard hesitate. The man¡¯s jaw tightened, and after a tense beat, he gestured to the second guard. The two of them began circling ric, moving slowly and cautiously, like hunters closing in on a cornered beast. With a guttural snarl, ric mmed his shoulder into the nearest guard, ramming him hard against the wall. The second guard then lunged in from behind, his arms locking around ric¡¯s torso. But ric roared and dropped his weight, twisting violently. They both went down in a messy tangle, the sound of their bodies hitting the floor brutal. ric tried to roll on top, his fists swinging wildly. But before he could regain control, the two guards stationed at the doorway charged in. It was now four against one, and with theirbined strength, they crushed down on him. ¡°Get off me!¡± ric snarled with his teeth bared, electric blue eyes zing with fury. He bucked and twisted, his muscles straining, but the suppressors were doing their job. His wolf¡¯s power was still there, howling furiously, yet unreachable. They pulled him up to his feet, dragging him across the corridor. ric fought them with every ounce of strength he had left, snarling and thrashing, but exhaustion quickly settled into his bones. The corridor felt endless, and by the time they reached his mother¡¯sboratory, his strength hadpletely waned. His head hung low, sweat dampening his hair, but his eyes still burned with defiance. Zara barely spared him a nce when they arrived, too busy arranging the instruments on the nearby table. Her voice was calm, if not detached, as she gave her order. ¡°Put him there and make sure he¡¯s strapped tight. As you can see, my son¡¯s a little rabid at the moment. We wouldn¡¯t want him hurting himself during the procedure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s fucking sick, you bitch!¡± ric roared, his voice cracking with fury. Chapter 115 Ana¡¯s POV I knew things would be interesting. I didn¡¯t realize just how damaging this evidence would be to Sasha and Joyce¡¯s defense. She had no way ofing back from this. She had extorted them intoing to trial. They could have paid me for the loss of revenue and issued a public apology. Their part in this would have been done. That¡¯s all I really wanted anyway, was for them to admit their guilt. I felt a little bad for Joyce. I get it now; Charlie is much hotter than I am. When other women flirt with him, it bothers me. He shuts them down, quickly. His loving attention andforting words always bring mefort. I trust Charlie, and he always makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. The debrief felt longer than the time in the Resonant Labyrinth itself. We were herded into one of the OTS conference rooms, still carrying dust in our hair and bruises on our bodies. The adrenaline that had carried us through the Labyrinth had long since burned out, leaving only raw weariness behind. An instructor droned on about ¡°strengths disyed¡± and ¡°areas for improvement,¡± but all I could focus on was the ache in my legs and the image of the warm bath I would draw when I got home. Judy kept yawning into her sleeve, swaying like she was about to facent onto the desk. Roxy fidgeted through the entire thing, tapping her nails against the table until the instructor snapped at her¨Cand she nearly bit his head off. Finn, the model student, nodded solemnly at everyment like he was filing it all away for future examinations. Talia sat quietly, though her hands were still trembling faintly; I suspected that no matter how much time had passed, she was still reeling from the shocking show of power she¡¯d exhibited in the Labyrinth, unable to let the adrenaline go. When we were finally dismissed, we spilled into the night air like prisoners set free. ¡°Never again,¡± Roxy groaned, throwing her head back. ¡°Never again am I sitting through a lecture about ¡®team cohesion.¡® I¡¯d rather drown in a swamp in the Misty Woods.¡± Judy snorted. ¡°That¡¯s funnying from you, considering you nearly turned us all into pincushions.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Roxy snapped, though there was no bite behind it. ¡°I was stress¨Ctesting the traps.¡± ¡°You definitely stress¨Ctested my spleen,¡± Finn muttered. Despite my exhaustion, I found myself smiling, The bickering didn¡¯t feel sharp anymore¨Cit was the easy kind. The tension from before had melted away, reced by banter born from surviving something together. Relief eased my shoulders; this shift in our dynamic was wee, almost¡­precious. Unfortunately, I was two seconds away from passing out to fully appreciate it. ¡°Alright,¡± I said, pping my hands together lightly. ¡°That¡¯s enough excitement for one day. Go home, sleep, let you bones remember what it feels like not to move.¡± ¡°Now that,¡± Roxy said, stretching like a cat out in the sun, ¡°is an instruction I have absolutely no problem following¡± Iughed softly as Judy snorted. But then Finn surprised me. ¡°Wait¨Cbefore we all go home¨Cuhm..¡± His cars turned red as we all blinked at him. ¡°We should make a group chat. Just to¡­you know. Coordinate. Share strategies. Or¡­memes?¡± ¡°Memes?¡± Roxy echoed, looking at him like he¡¯d just grown another head. His blush deepened, and I had the ridiculous urge to squeeze his cheeks. ¡°I just thought it¡¯d be¡­nice.¡± I fully expected Roxy to shut him down. I could almost hear her readying some cutting remark about wasting time on stupid social crap. But instead, after a beat, she shrugged. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Just don¡¯t add me to some never¨Cending notification hell. If my phone blows up at 3 a.m., I¡¯ll kill all of you before the next challenge can.¡± Finn¡¯s grin was so startled, so openly relieved, that I felt something warm bloom in my chest. Within minutes, numbers were exchanged, with Judy taking charge of setting everything up. My phone buzzed a few times before I even left the vicinity. Finn: We need a team name. Judy: Name suggestions: The Survivors? The Misfits? Trap Dodgers? Roxy: Trap dodgers make us sound like cowards. Hard pass. Talia: I like Misfits. It fits us. Roxy: Makes us sound like we can¡¯t get our act together. Me: Which is pretty urate lol Finn: I was thinking something more¡­distinguished. Like Echo Squad. You know, tomemorate thebyrinth. Roxy: Distinguished? What are we, a senior citizens¡® bowling team? Judy: We would look super cute in matching polo shirts with embroidered logos Roxy: Lovely. Now I have that nauseating visual burned into my brain. Judy: You¡¯re wee ?? I let out a snort as I slid into my car. My smile lingered as my phone continued buzzing in the center console while I drove home. Watching them argue about something so trivial after everything we¡¯d been through felt strangely¡­healing. My teammates weren¡¯t just tolerating each other anymore¨Cthey were reaching out, connecting, the gap between us shrinking with every grumble andint. Later, lying in bed with themp turned low, I scrolled through the stream of chatter. Finn had already spammed about a dozen ridiculous memes and GIFS, and he¡¯d somehow managed to edit all our faces onto an actual, honest¨Cto¨Cgoodness senior citizens¡® bowling team. Judy sent voice notes,ughing so hard she snorted in the middle. Even Talia chimed in with the asional dry one¨Cliner. Roxy didn¡¯t contribute much¨Cjust a couple of curtments and emojis¨Cbut the fact that she hadn¡¯t left the chat spoke volumes. I set my phone aside finally, my jaw aching with the smile that just wouldn¡¯t fade. In the span of only a few days, this strange little crew had be¡­something. Not just allies, but a unit. A team. My team. The hollow ache of my missing wolf stirred faintly. Once, the thought of leading anyone had seemedughable. Unfathomable. Me, the wolfless girl, the discarded daughter. Yet here I was, watching four others slowly, surely orbit closer to me, like stars pulled into a constetion. Would having a pack of my own someday feel like this? But amplified a hundredfold? Would that invisible bond threading between hearts, souls, and instincts give me strength I¡¯d never dreamed of? The thought made my chest swell. For once, the future didn¡¯t feel like a void of uncertainty waiting to swallow me. It felt like possibility. Growth. Sleep imed me before I could overthink it. *** Goddess bless whoever came up with the LST schedules. The following day was another rest day, and I let myself move at my own pace. I blocked out all the pressures¨Cthe anxiety surrounding thest challenge, the lingering weight of the sh with my mother, the subsequent dream about my father, the bout with Celeste, the awkward run¨Cin with Kieran. I mmed a mental door on anything not in line with a restful, peaceful day. Latest content published on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l? I spent most of the morning indoors doing mundane chores andzing about. But as the day went on and familiar restlessness set in, I changed into afortable romper, slipped on sandals, and stepped out of my house. Abandoning my car, I strolled the city streets leisurely, lingering at shop windows, smiling to myself as I imagined Maya and meughing ourselves to tears as we tried on outrageous items. Byte evening, the sun dipped low, and the streets grew livelier, Music spilled from open doorways,ughter and clinking sses drifting into the cooling air. That was how I found myself pausing outside a bar, neon lights flickering across the cobblestones. Inside, the hum of conversation was vibrant, electric. I hardly ever visited bars¨CI already had an aversion to alcohol, not to mention that inebriation was not advisable during the LSTS. But then, something inside the bar caught my eye¨Csomething ying on therge screens mounted on the walls. I smiled and let my curiosity draw me inside. I chose a stool near the corner of the counter. ¡°Hi, love,¡± the bartender said, her pierced lip curling into a customer¨Cfriendly smile, ¡°What will it be¡± ¡°Uhm¡­just a Coke with ice, please.¡± She nodded. ¡°Not looking for a buzz tonight?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not tonight.¡± She shrugged and, a minuteter, slid me a ss of Coke, the ice softly clinking against the ss. I nodded my thanks before taking a sip, letting the chill soothe me. And then I turned my attention to what had caught my eye. The screens shed with highlights from yesterday¡¯s Trials. I watched brief reys of the other teams¡® progress through the Labyrinth¨Csaw how quickly and effortlessly the Seabreeze wolves made it to the Echo Altar, winced when the Shadow w wolves triggered a haze of fire within the first two minutes, and rolled my eyes as Celeste indeed trailed behind the Frostbane wolves, doing absolutely nothing. And then, when they reyed Brynjar¡¯s defeat at Judy¡¯s hands, the crowd inside erupted intoughter and cheers as I snickered. ¡°OTS is making waves this year,¡± someone at a nearby table said, clinking their ss. ¡°No kidding,¡± theirpanion replied. ¡°This has to be the best LST yet.¡± ¡°Love the Arenas. Did you see the Labyrinth run? How that OTS team knocked the Shadow w wolves down a peg?¡± ¡°Literally my favorite part of the whole thing.¡± ¡°Bet they make top rankings. I¡¯m putting money on them.¡± I lowered my gaze into my ss, a battle between pride and disbelief tightening my throat. Strangers, faces I¡¯d never seen before¨Cthe majority of them humans¨Ctalking about us like we mattered. Like I mattered. It was all so surreal. I was still reeling from the sensation when the bartender appeared again, setting down a small, decorated box before me. ¡°Anniversary event,¡± she exined with her polite smile in ce. ¡°Everyone gets a raffle ticket. Winners get called on stage at the end of the hour for a fun event.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You sure, hon?¡± she asked. ¡°You could get lucky.¡± I almostughed. Me, lucky? As if. Still, what was the harm? I slipped a hand into the box and curled my fingers around a slip of paper. I scribbled my name on it hall¨Cheartedly before dropping it back in. Time passed, filled with more chatter, more debate about which teams had promise. Talk about my team came up again and again. Each mention sparked a glow deep inside me. ¡°Seraphina ckthorne!¡± I paused, my mouth pressed against my straw. I¡¯d withdrawn into myself so much that I hadn¡¯t noticed the man on stage¨Ca raffle box in hand, his ck suit shimmering under the lights, silver threading through the dark curls of his hair. He must have been talking for a while, but I¡¯dpletely phased out, and now- ¡°Seraphina ckthorne,¡± he repeated with a grin, his eyes sweeping over the bar. ¡°Where¡¯s our lucky winner?¡± My stomach lurched. No. Surely not. The crowd pped and whistled, and the bartender gave me a nudge, her smile a little more genuine. I wanted to sink through the floor, but my legs carried me toward the stage, propelled by a strange mix of foreboding and curiosity. But then¨Chalfway up the steps¨CI came to a halt. Because standing at the other end of the stage, summoned, no doubt, by fate¨Caka cruelty¨Cwas Kieran. Chapter 116 Joyce¡¯s POV I hate Sasha. I knew she was going to be angry at my exposing her like that. She said we had to stick together, but that was for her benefit, than ours. Her hollow promises didn¡¯t help Regina, did they? Sasha¡¯s going to get what she deserves out of this. She has to. I can ept my punishment, but hers continues to grow. That¡¯s the only thing that gives me any joy at the moment. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my baby. His father wille to pick him up once he¡¯s born. When I get out, I will raise him from them on. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I can¡¯t really me your husband for leaving you. You¡¯re nothing but a vicious b***h. I honestly can¡¯t believe he stayed with you as long as he did. He¡¯s a handsome man, Joyce. I broke eye contact with Celeste first as my team was ushered towards the rest area, the roar of the crowd still ringing faintly in my ears. Our surroundings buzzed with the restless energy of teams regrouping, healers weaving between them, and spectators craning their necks from the terraces above. My lungs burned, my ribs still throbbing from the desperate dive I took to avoid the Labyrinth¡¯s traps. Each breath scraped against exhaustion and raw relief. My teammates clustered close. Judy was flush with delight. Roxy stretched her shoulders like she was still spoiling for the fight she hadn¡¯t gotten. Finn looked pale, but his eyes gleamed with pride, his hands twitching nervously as though he was still working outbinations in his head. Talia lingered at the back, chin raised despite the tremor in her legs. But the glow of triumph flickered out as a too¨Cfamiliar perfume cut through the salt¨Cscented air¨Cjasmine with the bitter edge of snake venom. I braced myself. Here we go. ¡°I guess congrattions are in order.¡± Celeste¡¯s voice was honeyed, sweetened for the audience, but the toxin beneath it was unmistakable. She swept into view with the grace of someone who had never once fallen in the mud she ordered others to clean. Where the rest of us looked like we¡¯d crawled through a brutal sand storm, she looked like she¡¯d walked out of a ballroom. Not a strand of hair was out of ce, and her white blouse¨Cfucking white!-gleamed, untouched by the grit and grime around us. I gritted my teeth and didn¡¯t reply, clinging to myposure. I could sense my irritation rising, waiting for her to add the barbed tail of her statement. Dear Celeste didn¡¯t disappoint. She held her hands out in front of her, positioning her fingers like a square frame, and chuckled as she peered through. ¡°What a sight. The triumphant little underdogs.¡± Her lips stretched as her gaze swept over us¨Cscuffed boots, sweat¨Csoaked clothes, tangled, dust¨Ccoated hair, blooming bruises. ¡°Disheveled doesn¡¯t even begin to cover it.¡± She dropped her hands and shrugged. ¡°Though I suppose that¡¯s what happens when one takes on a challenge they aren¡¯t qualified for.¡± I exhaled slowly through my nose and chanted loudly in my head, ¡®Don¡¯t bite. Don¡¯t give her the satisfaction.¡® But then she leaned back, pitching her voice just loudly enough for nearby ears to catch. ¡°Of course, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you managed to stumble out of the Labyrinth alive. I suppose we have Lucian to thank for that. Without his¡­ special attention, I can¡¯t imagine how you would have survived in there.¡± Heat prickled up my neck. My fists clenched, nails biting into my palms. This was exactly why Lucian and Maya had had to distance themselves from me, so that vultures like Celeste wouldn¡¯t pick apart their honor¨Cand mine. ¡°Careful, Celeste,¡± I said evenly, though my voice was tighter than I wanted. She scoffed. ¡°What? Like it¡¯s news that you¡¯re Lucian Reed¡¯s favorite little pet project?¡± She leaned in, sneering. ¡°Everyone knows the truth, Sera. Whatever you and your motley team aplish in these trials isn¡¯t earned by your own merit.¡± My teammates shifted, and I could feel their gazes on me, waiting for my response. My heart battered my ribs as the heat spread to my chest. After what we¡¯d just gone through, the idea of Celeste¨Cor anyone¨Cinsinuating that we didn¡¯t deserve to pass made me want to breathe fire. The injustice of it burned, tightening every muscle in my body and threatening to unravel all the pride I¡¯d felt moments before. But then I glimpsed the delight in her icy eyes, saw how much pleasure she took from riling me up¨Cand decided to give her a taste of her own medicine. So I took two deep breaths to calm myself down, and I crossed my arms. A spark of satisfaction went through me when she blinked at my sudden switch¨Cup from ire to ease. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about special treatment,¡± I continued, forcing my voice steady, ¡°then let¡¯s not forget that Kieran himself drilled me before the Trials. Or that our dear brother Ethan spent hours teaching me strategy. So if I¡¯m used of being ¡®favored, at least let¡¯s not pretend it was only Lucian.¡± I smirked. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve been collecting wisdom from all the golden Alphas.¡± Of course, that was all a bald¨Cfaced lie. Kieran hadn¡¯t so much as given me stance tips, Ethan had crashed one lesson, and Lucian had trained me since Maya took over. But ohhhhhh, the look on Celeste¡¯s face! Imagine a tomato. Then poke a hole in it. And pump juice in. More. More. Till it¡¯s so full it¡¯s about to pop. Now, give it curly golden hair and cial blue eyes. So. Fucking. Worth. It. I had to mp my mouth shut to keep from bursting intoughter as satisfaction rushed through me. My teammates had no such reservations. Judy snorted outright. Roxy smirked. Talia turned, mping a hand firmly over her mouth to muffle her giggles. Even Finn cracked a small smile. For a second, there was only the sound of Celeste breathing like an overheated engine, her tomato face looking primed to burst. I tilted my head, raising a brow in mock concern. This text is hosted at f?ndnovel ¡°Problem?¡± Her mouth opened and closed, and I saw the exact moment she realized that she had nothing in her arsenal that could counter my attack. So she turned to my teammates. ¡°Tell me this¡­¡± I stiffened as her gaze slid slowly, pointedly, across each member of my team. ¡°How does it feel, following someone wolfless? Someone so fundamentally iplete? Someone who¡¯s basically dead weight?¡± Each questionnded with the force of a meteor, and I had to press my hands tightly against my thighs to keep them from trembing. ¡°Does it inspire confidence?¡± Celeste¡¯s expression morphed into one of pity. ¡°Or do you simply grit your teeth and pray she doesn¡¯t drag you down?¡± And there it was¨Cproof that no matter how much I reinforced my armor, Celeste would always find the chink, the entryway to wound me. A familiar ache pulsed in my head¨Cmy wolf¡¯s silence, the hollow where her voice should have been. I didn¡¯t turn to my team. This time, I didn¡¯t want to see their reactions. Jessica, even Roxy herself, had pointed out the disadvantage of a wolfless leader, but this was the first time it actually hit home. And gods, I hated how familiar the sting of humiliation felt. Fucking Celeste. A bark ofughter startled me, and I instinctively turned towards the sound. Roxy stepped forward, crossing her arms over her chest, her legs nted in a fighting stance. ¡°Tell me this, you self¨Crighteous harpy she said, eyes gleaming dangerously. ¡°What was theposition for the Echo Altar?¡± Celeste faltered. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She flinched as Judy moved closer and grabbed a lock of hair in her hand. ¡°Barely any dust.¡± Judy tsked. ¡°I bet you just stayed safe and protected, trailing behind your team. What do you know about leading?¡± Roxy smirked. ¡°I doubt you could even lead an army of ants.¡± Judy snorted so loud I startled again. She and Roxy shared a knowing look. Celeste¡¯s face was back to tomato red. ¡°How dare-¡± Roxy didn¡¯t let her finish. She gave Celeste a sharp shove to the shoulder, not enough to knock her down but enough to make her stumble half a step. ¡°You wanna talk about dead weight? Look in a mirror, bitch.¡± Gasps rippled through the onlookers. Even I froze, caught between shock and a sudden, fierce swell of gratitude. Roxy¨Csnarky and reckless and hot¨Cheaded¨Cwas defending me. If I looked outside, I was sure I would see pigs flying. Celeste¡¯s hand flew to her shoulder, eyes shing with outrage. ¡°You-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The voice was calm and measured, yet it rang through the courtyard like a gong. A tall woman stepped forward from behind Celeste. Bronze skin slick with sweat, dark hair shorn to her scalp and crusted with grit, eyes keen as silver daggers. She exuded authority¨Cthe kind born not of bloodlines but of battle. ¡°ra,¡± Celeste hissed, scandalized. ¡°She just assaulted me.¡± She stabbed a finger at Roxy. ¡°You¡¯re just going to let her-¡± ¡°Considering you provoked it?¡± ra arched a brow, a piercing glinting in thete sunlight. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll allow it.¡± The corners of my vision blurred as recognition hit me. ¡°ra?¡± My voice came out softer than I meant, disbelieving. Awed. Her gaze flicked to me¨Cand softened. ¡°Hi, Sera.¡± I let out a disbelievingugh. ra¡¯s father had been my father¡¯s Gamma. She¡¯d been among the very, very few pack members who hadn¡¯t shown me cruelty or treated me like I was a walking pile of steaming feces. We weren¡¯t exactly friends, but her presence had never made me want to cower in my skin. I had only a handful of good memories from my Frostbane days, and ra was in many of them. A kind smile in a sea of cruel faces. An outstretched hand after I had been kicked into the dirt. A slice of pie waiting outside my door the morning after I¡¯d locked myself in my room to cry. A foot stuck out to trip the assholes who thought it fun to chase the wolfless outcast. But then she¡¯d enrolled in the warrior academy just before the Blood Moon Hunt. And of course, shortly after that disastrous night. I married Kieran and left my pack. ¡°You-¡± I swallowed, words tangling in my throat. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Ethan¡¯s Gamma now,¡± ra said simply, pride glowing in her voice. ¡°Appointedst spring.¡± Celeste was still standing inches away, bristling with indignation. But that didn¡¯t stop the smile that spread across my face. ¡°ra, that¡¯s incredible! Congrattions!¡± Her grin matched mine. ¡°And look at you. Leading a team through the LST? I was watching the rebroadcast of your team¡¯s progress. Outstanding, Sera.¡± Never one to be shoved aside, Celeste cut in, acid dripping from her words as she sneered. ¡°Oh, what a touching reunion. Shall we all sit in a circle and braid each other¡¯s hair next?¡± Her eyes narrowed at ra. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, ra¨Cwe¡¯re rivals now.¡± ra didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°It isn¡¯t challenge time,¡± she said coolly. ¡°And if I recall, the only one stirring conflict here is you. Do you know how annoying it is that a member of my team is too busy trash¨Ctalking to be present for debrief?¡± Celeste sputtered. ¡°I was-¡± ¡°You were provoking other teams, which is against regtions.¡± ra¡¯s tone sharpened. ¡°We would have made better time, our overall scores would be better, if you spent half as much energy pulling your weight instead of posturing like a fucking peacock.¡± Celeste¡¯s face went rigid, her practicedposure cracking. ¡°You¨Chow dare you speak to me like that?¡± ¡°Easily,¡± ra said almost boredly. Chapter 117 Sasha¡¯s POV Nothing is working, or has gone to n. Now Joyce is trying to pin this all on me. She¡¯s trying to wiggle out by gaining sympathy because he husband left her. Well, that¡¯s not going to happen. I knew exactly how to set her off, and it was far too easy. I wouldn¡¯t actually have gone through with it. He¡¯s okay looking, but he¡¯s old, and it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. I just wanted to remind the jury of who she was. A reminder of what they saw in the videos this morning, and it was worth it. Right up until this b***h of a judge got involved. It¡¯s obvious that the judge can¡¯t stand me. Because I took a shot. What? Do they think that I¡¯m just going to sit here and ept my fate? I¡¯m going to fight like hell to get out of whatever charges I can. Silence stretched like a rubber band bound to snap at any moment. Then Celeste spun on her heels, hair swinging behind her as she stalked back toward her waiting teammates. Only when she was gone did ra exhale, rolling her shoulders as though shaking off the weight of Celeste¡¯s tantrum. She turned back to me and smirked. ¡°On a scale of one to ten, how likely am I to be gifted a knife in my back?¡± Iughed, a little breathless. ¡°Eleven. But she¡¯s so braggadocios, she¡¯d probably announce her attack to the world before she actually tried it.¡± She took a step forward till her scruffy boots touched Celeste¡¯s pristine ones. Celeste had to crane her head back to meet ra¡¯s eyes. ¡°I am the leader of the Frostbane team,¡± ra continued, ¡°and therefore, I am your superior. Put your stupid fucking ego aside and try not to drag us down any further. Got it?¡± The courtyard went still. Even the murmuring spectators hushed, straining to catch every word. For once, Celeste didn¡¯t have a ready retort. Her mouth opened, closed, opened again¨Cbut no sound came out. Her cheeks burned crimson, eyes glittering with humiliation. ra arched a brow. ¡°Now, would you like to continue embarrassing your pack or do you want to focus on the final challenge?¡± Celeste bared her teeth. I wonder if she knew how truly ugly she looked when she got like this. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten that I¡¯m your Alpha¡¯s sister,¡± she spat. ¡°And the future Luna of Nightfang pack.¡± I refused to acknowledge the tiny jolt thest part of her sentence sent through me. ra wasn¡¯t fazed in the slightest. ¡°I¡¯m only going to say this once, Celeste, so listen well. Here, your princess status means absolutely nothing.¡± I hit thending, and Rowan walked over to me. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No¡­but it will have to be. We have to go.¡± I looked around the room and frowned. ¡°Toya?¡± He pointed behind me. ¡°Wendy ran down here asking about a tripod for something. Toya ran upstairs to help her find it.¡± Toya ran down the stairs. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m ready.¡± She had a bag with her that she tossed at me. ¡°This is for you.¡± She held up a hand as my mouth opened. ¡°I don¡¯t know what for. But Carl told me you would need it today.¡± Carl¡­ ¡°He never quits, does he?¡± Toyaughed. ¡°This was myst note. But I think Wendy has one more, and I know for a fact you have a full stack.¡± I watched her smile dim. ¡°He spent thest year of us life preparing us for the years without him.¡± She took in a deep breath. ¡°I can only hope I have as much courage as he did near the end.¡± I puffed out my cheeks. ¡°Me too.¡± I turned back toward the soft giggles from the dining room. I headed back there to kiss my pup goodbye for hopefully thest time. ¡°Hey baby girl.¡± I leaned against the door frame as Abby and Carly turned to me. ¡°I have to go.¡± Carly¡¯s smile faltered for a second. ¡°I know.¡± She hopped up and ran to me. She wrapped her little arms around my middle. ¡° Please be safe.¡± Her words broke my heart. We had forced this little girl to grow up far too fast. ¡°Of course.¡± I dropped to my knees to pull her into a proper hug. ¡°I need you to be strong for Grandma Ainsley, okay? Promise me.¡± I could hear her pull in a deep breath, scenting me, like she was trying to remember my smell. It hurt me a little that she felt like she had to. She rubbed her cheek against my shoulder before her soft answer came. ¡°I promise.¡± She pulled back and kissed my cheek. My stomach flipped, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°And what should you do if someone gets in here?¡± She pulled back fully to stare at me. I shook off the weird feeling and focused on my pup. She smiled up at me. ¡°Run to the closet door, and make sure it closes behind us.¡± I poked her nose. ¡°Exactly.¡± I looked over at Abby, who was still at the table eating a snack. ¡°Where is your dad, sweetheart?¡± Abby¡¯s eyes widened for a second, as her cheeks were stuffed with food. She mumbled something, and Carly giggled. She poked me, grabbing my attention back before she answered. ¡°Abby¡¯s mommy and daddy are in the kitchen. They wanted to talk about adult stuff, so they gave us a snack.¡± Checktest chapters at F?ndNovel I rubbed her back and stood. ¡°Okay.¡± I turned away and headed for the kitchen, but Abby¡¯s muffled yell had me spinning around to see Carly¡¯s eyes clouding over, and her tiny frame swaying. ¡°Another one?¡± I dropped down as her knees buckled. ¡°A vision doesn¡¯te when it¡¯s expected, Three-spirit, only when it is needed.¡± Carly¡¯s voice dropped several octaves. Her voice aged a hundred years as her tiny body fought to channel the vision she was seeing. ¡°She¡¯s already weak.¡± I tossed back as I stood with my pup in my arms. ¡°Well then, this just proves she needs to get stronger.¡± Her white eyes danced for a second before her lips opened. ¡°The crack is open, but the path is still sealed. When the path is fully opened, then you will know the Shaman¡¯s time hase.¡± She took a breath. ¡°But her time won¡¯te if you do not fight thising battle. Your time here is now done. Run for the bridge to the pack. Your time is running out.¡± ¡°What do you mean my time is running out?¡± My stomach flipped again, and I felt a new feeling unfurl in my belly. A deep pool of dread opened up inside of me. The panic that was eating away at the edges of my sanity started to take bigger bites. And my mind spiraled as sweat broke out on the back of my neck, and I felt my fangs pushing at my gums. My fear must have filled the room, causing Rick and Shelly toe out of the kitchen in a rush. They looked around the room, looking for the danger, but I watched confusion rece the alertness when they saw nothing. Rick took a step into the dining room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rowan stepped against my back, steadying me. ¡°We have to go.¡± Carly grabbed my face. ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± She looked over my shoulder at Rowan, and I saw something like almost pity hit her face. ¡°And trust in the Goddess¡¯s path.¡± Her eyes closed, and her body bowed back. Abby screamed. ¡°Is she okay?¡± I just nodded as I stood and hurried into the living room. ¡°She just passed out from the vision.¡± I ced her on the couch and draped a nket over her. ¡°She just needs a nap.¡± I stepped back as Abby climbed onto the couch and checked on her friend. ¡± Watch her for me?¡± She nodded. ¡°Amy?¡± I heard a voice call out, but I was already running out the front door. Aspen slips right back into her game as if nothing ever happened. She¡¯s so absorbed, you¡¯d never guess that just a few minutes ago she was asking me for rainbow doors and butterflies. Sometimes I wonder, do we all secretly wish our lives were as simple as that of children? Stress-free, carefree, their entire world wrapped up in pixels,ughter, and small wonders. I envy that ease. I miss it too. The days when my biggest concern was how long I could y before my parents called me in to finish my homework. A sigh escapes me. I shake the thoughts away before they can drag me under. That time is gone. What matters now is making sure Aspen and every other child in this pack get to enjoy their childhood like I did. That won¡¯t be possible with Xena and Kaden around. ¡°Nyx went MIA on me,¡± I admit, more to distract myself than anything else. Raven pauses, her gaze flicks to mine in the mirror. ¡°What do you mean, MIA?¡± The ache in my chest sharpens and my throat tightens. ¡°She said she had to go away for a while. Some sort of hibernation or something, but she didn¡¯t exin much¡­ She said I¡¯d be fine without her, but I don¡¯t feel fine. It feels like she abandoned me, Raven.¡± My voice wavers and fingers knot in myp. ¡°Like she left right when I needed her most.¡± It¡¯s only been a couple of hours and I already miss her so much. The emptiness inside me is a cold ache that settles into bone in a way I can¡¯t ignore. It feels as if someone has ripped a part of me away. I want her back. I want her with me, but a part of me remembers that Nyx never asks for much. All she¡¯s ever asked is that I trust her¡­ So, no matter how hollow I feel, I have to trust her and believe she left for a reason and that it¡¯ll all make sense when shees back. Raven sets the eyeliner down and rests her hands on my shoulders, grounding me. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s cultivating.¡± ¡°Cultivating?¡± I echo, blinking at her. She nods, giving me a small encouraging smile. ¡°Witches do it all the time. We leave our covens for months, sometimes years, to master our magic in solitude. It¡¯s in the solitude that they push their power until it blossoms into something greater, and then theye back stronger. Nyx might be doing the same.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± I say quickly. ¡°We are one and the same, so if she needs to cultivate, shouldn¡¯t I be with her?¡± Raven tilts her head, patient, like she¡¯s used to exining things to people who panic first and thinkter. ¡°Think of it this way, Sadie. Yes, you are one and the same, but you¡¯re also individuals. You share a soul, yes, but you have different strengths. There are things only she can do and things only you can do. And remember, she¡¯s older than you. Older in memory and in experience. That age gives her tools you don¡¯t have yet.¡± She steps closer, her hand warm on my shoulder. ¡°When witches cultivate, when someone withdraws to grow, they don¡¯t always needpany. Sometimes the process demands solitude. Nyx pulling away doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t trust you; it means she trusts you enough to stand without her while she goes to do what only she can do.¡± Her wordsnd like a boulder. I want to argue, to beg her back, but the stubborn part of me that isn¡¯t just grief listens instead. Tears prick my eyes, but her words ease something tight in me. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!