Too Late for Regret (Annalise and Roger) novel Chapter 135

Analise’s POV

Tiffany is a b***h. There, I said it. There was no other reason for her to have even mentioned that, other than to hurt them both. But I don’t want to argue the point with her right now, not until she’s dealt with. I defended them in court, but I won’t defend their actions at this time. She was telling them the truth, as she knew it to be. They were the reason that she and Gretchen made my life a living hell.

Their little visit and just walking in like that could have gotten me shot. I know why they came, but this wasn’t their best idea. I also knew this was Seth’s idea. Holden just came along for the ride because I was still avoiding him. He was still trying to get me to speak privately with him. He thought that I was the same naïve girl who thought he hung the moon. That girl has long been gone.

“Ana?” Holden spoke; his question was clear when he said my name. “Are you going to answer? Go ahead and tell Tiffany that she’s wrong.”

“Ana, I know you’re upset, but you need to clarify this to Holden. You know that neither of us wanted you to get hurt. We didn’t know what she was doing,” Seth spoke. They aren’t going to leave this alone. I guess we’re hashing it out then.

“You knew what you were doing, Seth. You knew Tiffany had an unhealthy interest in you. You knew she would confront you every holiday you had off from college. You knew for a fact that she was aware of your every move. Why would I say she was wrong when she’s absolutely right? She might have physically and emotionally hurt me, but you two did it, too. How dare you sit there acting innocent after insulting me for the last decade? You made me feel even worse about myself because I was gaining weight. Like I had shamed both you and our parents in doing so. Don’t you think that hurt? Especially since I was protecting you all. Keeping your precious friendships together despite the fact that you all decided to turn your backs on me. I gained weight from everything I was dealing with. I had no one to turn to, no one to help me when I needed you most. Yet you sit here and want me to tell Tiffany she’s wrong. She’s been wrong about a great many things, but in this, she’s correct,” I stated.

“Now do Holden,” Tiffany said with a laugh. She was enjoying this, and I have to admit this was kind of cathartic. When would I get this opportunity again? Might as well take the time to set them both straight as we waited for backup to arrive.

“She’s right, Holden. You hurt me more than anyone else ever has. That includes Tiffany. You broke my heart into a thousand pieces. A shattered heart that I built a wall around to protect it. I didn’t love Roger, but I liked him well enough, and he owed me. If I had known that he wanted to be successful just to marry Sasha, I wouldn’t have pushed him to propose. You both hurt me, but your actions were hands down the worst. I looked up to you. I trusted you. I loved you, Holden, before I even knew what love truly was. But you let me know the truth, maybe for the first time ever, on that day. You had been forced into the arranged marriage. I thought you were happy with it, but you resented me. I made excuses for you, and I bore all of Tiffany’s fury. But once you left the country, like you told Gretchen you would, we were done,” I answered, looking him in the eye as I spoke.

“You never said anything to me about it. I didn’t know you knew. I thought you would wait for me,” Holden replied. He had the nerve to act hurt. Like I was the one who hurt him, not the other way around.

“You’re twisting it around, Holden. You need to remember that you’re not the victim here. I was. I had to bear not just your insults about my weight, and how you were forced into the arrangement. I also had to bear your sister’s assaults and insults. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have vile words written on your face, for the whole school to see? Have to walk out to your car, with three hundred students laughing at you? How bad it stings to use rubbing alcohol to get the Sharpie off my face. I still remember the laughter and the fingers pointed at me. She didn’t have to leave bruises to hurt me. But the very worst was everyone being so disappointed in me for gaining weight. I don’t know how you all managed to get over all the embarrassment that I caused you,” I responded coldly.

“We didn’t know, or we would have stopped her,” Seth insisted.

“I don’t want to discuss this anymore. Agree to disagree for now. What else do you have, Tiffany? Because from where I’m sitting, I’m the one who has been hurt the most. So stop trying to act like you were so tormented that you couldn’t control yourself. Because I managed to live my life with what you did to me, and I didn’t strike out at others. I didn’t punish my parents or yours for their humiliating remarks about my weight gain. I didn’t strike out at Seth or Holden for refusing to be seen with me because I was fat. I grew accustomed to being left behind, and I channeled all my anger into rising above. I didn’t wallow in how unfair it was, and believe me, what you did to me has no excuse. I grew my business with my own two hands, and it is successful because of me. You could have had the same opportunity, Tiffany. But instead of wanting to build something, you prefer to tear others down. So, forgive me if I’m not going to fall for your oh poor pitiful me act. You are where you’re supposed to be, so don’t try to blame anyone else for your actions. I feel no pity for you. You created this situation, you don’t get to cry about being in it,” I coldly stated.

“My mother doted on you, Ana. You had two mothers. You took mine away from me,” Tiffany snapped back.

“Your mother came over usually twice a week for an hour. They went shopping during the week while we were in school. You had her all the rest of the time. I think that you’re so intent on trying to excuse your behavior that you’re making things up as you go along. You came over with her, so again, I’m calling you on your lies. Willing it to be true doesn’t actually make it the truth. We both know that you’ll have to leave soon, so you need to get to your point. Gretchen and Eddie might believe your sob story because they want to, but I know better. I was there, and I know the truth. I won’t let you twist everything around just to try to make yourself look like the victim in this. You aren’t the victim, Tiffany. You’re the villain, and no amount of lies will ever change that,” I calmly stated.

“Go check on him,” Tiffany instructed Gretchen. Gretchen looked up the stairs and then back at Tiffany.

“I don’t want to go up there. I’m scared. Let’s just leave, Tiffany. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this,” Gretchen replied.

“How are we going to leave if Eddie’s got the keys on him? I need to stay down here to deal with Ana. Or are you willing to do it?” Tiffany argued.

I wasn’t going to suggest they take the keys to whichever vehicle Seth and Holden brought. I wasn’t going to help them at all. I just stood there watching it all play out. Interested in seeing when one of them finally realizes that they have other options.

“You go upstairs then, Tiffany, if you want to go up there so bad,” Gretchen replied.

“Then are you willing to do the next step, Gretchen? Are you willing to end this for us all? Because I’ll go upstairs, but you’re going to have to finish this,” Tiffany hissed out.

I can see Gretchen hesitate. I can see the greater fear is whatever the final act will be, and my stomach started to churn. This is going to be bad, really bad. I’m worried about what Tiffany’s endgame will be.