Too Late for Regret (Annalise and Roger) novel Chapter 145

Ana’s POV

I needed to shut this down. My parents are crying. Seth looks like he’s about to collapse, and Holden doesn’t look much better. But before I could even try to confront her, my father spoke.

“You’re right, Tiffany. We failed her. We didn’t see the cry for help, and we allowed it to go way too far. We should have sat her down and got to the bottom of it once we realized Ana had changed. We should have refused to accept her answer that everything was fine. We should never have forced her to eat holiday dinners at a table with the same people who hurt her. All I can do now is be there for her. We love Ana. We knew she was struggling, and I wish she had let us know sooner what was going on. But I wouldn’t be so hasty with thinking that it’s done and over with. This isn’t over by a long shot,” my father replied.

“Get out! Get out of my room. I don’t want to speak to you people anymore. You can’t just stand there and harass me. Officer, I don’t want to speak to them. Make them leave,” Tiffany insisted.

“They haven’t entered your room. This is the hallway. They haven’t done anything for me to make them leave,” he replied.

I looked at him, and he gave a slight nod at us. I don’t remember him from the scene earlier, but I was still in shock. I’m sure he was advised of what happened. I’m glad. She is a master manipulator and will try to use her injuries to gain sympathy with anyone who will let her.

“We can go ahead and leave Dad. Nothing that comes from her is something we can depend on as being the truth. She twists things around to fit her agenda. She can’t lie her way out of this, so she’s attacking. It’s what she does. There’s no point in prolonging this. I know the reason why. She can try to play the poor pitiful me act, but I’m not biting anymore. I don’t want to hear another word out of her mouth,” I responded.

“I know you can’t stand the not knowing, Ana. Like you’re actually going to leave,” Tiffany scoffed.

“I am. It just hit me that you want the attention we’re giving you. You want to play the victim, but nobody is falling for your act, Tiffany. Your parents aren’t here. They would be the only ones foolish enough to believe it. The rest of us witnessed just how ruthless you actually are earlier today. My parents saw the video, Tiffany. We have cameras in our home. We have everything documented and turned in to the police and our attorney. We will be ready to go once you heal up and can go to trial. But your parents won’t be showing up for you. They can’t, because they fell for your lies,” I replied.

“What do you mean?” Tiffany asked. “My parents didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing that can be used against them. They didn’t even know I was going by Ana’s home, or what I was planning to do.”

“Falsifying legal documents and identification, and purchasing plane tickets using the falsified documents to help you flee the country. That’s illegal. They’re going to be going to jail right along with you. What do you think is going to happen to your father’s company when that happens?” Charlie asked.

She has finally spoken with a respectful tone. She’s finally realized that she’s dragged her parents in too deep. This was all just an act. Once she gets my parents to back off and her parents out of trouble, she will revert to her usual self.

“I’m afraid not, Tiffany. The evidence has already been handed over. You came into our home with the sole intention of hurting my pregnant wife. I won’t be letting them or you -off with a warning. Every word you said, everything you did, is noted. None of us is going to fall for your poor pitiful me act, because we all know that’s what it is. You need your parents to be free so you are still taken care of, but that’s not going to happen. It’s just like Mrs. Caldwell told you. You were warned, but you wanted to move forward with your plan. You are where you are because you wanted to disfigure Ana. Why would we let that pass? Isn’t Ana their daughter? Is it so wrong they want to protect her?” Charlie asked, throwing her words right back at her.

“I’m not going to step in and fix this, Tiffany. Not for our parents, and not for you. You know right from wrong; you knew better than to do what you did. They kept shielding you from the punishment you earned. They ended up making you think you could get away with anything. Ana’s silence about what you were doing to her only reinforced that assumption. But you knew you were going too far. You knew that if someone had treated you once the way you treated Ana. Our parents would have gone after them immediately. So why can’t you understand her own parents wanting to protect her? If you had only left her alone, instead of attacking her at my restaurant, none of this would have happened. I know it, and you know it. You’re about to get a reality check, Tiffany. Your attitude is going to get you in a lot of trouble in prison. You need to spend the little time you have in the hospital trying to figure out how to get along. Because I’m telling you, your life as you knew it is over,” Holden announced.

“You can’t do that? Mom and Dad aren’t going to let you just stand by and watch me suffer. I know they’re worried about me. They sent you here to check on me. Are you seriously going to go back and tell them that you don’t care about what’s about to happen to me? How about what’s going to happen to them? You’re willing for them to lose everything, just to punish me? You can’t be that spiteful. You’re my big brother. You wouldn’t dare tarnish our name. Can’t you just step up and help out?” Tiffany asked. She was visibly upset. She never anticipated that Holden wouldn’t help her.

“I don’t recognize you anymore, Tiffany. I haven’t for a while now. You caused issues not just for my business but for Dad’s, too. You dragged them into this. Your lies brought us here. You worked them like you always have. Well, listening to the golden child is going to end up costing them everything. I won’t let you try to guilt me into bailing them out. They knew right from wrong. Dad’s company was already struggling because he was focused on saving you. The Caldwells stopped supporting him because of what you did. Your actions brought us here. So, congratulations, Tiffany. You ruined their company, you made them accessories, and yet you still have no guilt about anything you’ve done. You must be really proud of yourself,” Holden snapped out.