Too Late for Regret novel Chapter 18

New and Improved

Chapter 18

Roger’s POV

Work had piled up while I was gone, and Sasha insisted on coming 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 my company. 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 downplaying Elizabeth’s efforts so much now. They didn’t understand that she was the

lifeblood of the company. 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 flag.

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 accept 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 succeed. 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 place. 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 plans.

She never liked Elizabeth and felt that her appearance was unacceptable 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–figured

women

He would even flirt with her on occasion, 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

MONDOONO

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– New and Interoved :

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 th

dollars 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–signed 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 explain escorting you there?” I pointed out.

“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 play out,” I replied with a sigh. The deception was starting to weigh on me.

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

“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.

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. She complained the whole flight back about what I needed to get her to make this right. Nothing I planned 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.

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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 place in my heart, but I am quickly learning how manipulative she can be, and I don’t like it. I find myself comparing 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 planning or house hunting. She did everything and turned our home into a calming oasis for us. A place that brought me serenity from pressures from the company 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 glaring 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’s completely 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 just last week. Now she’s suddenly attractive. Something isn’t right, and she didn’t return to work yesterday. She was a no–call, no–show, 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–up. 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 looked completely 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 black fitted skirt and had her button–down 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–improved version of her. I loved seeing her like

this, and I could already feel my d**k pulse with need.

I was making plans that involved her wearing those heels and that lipstick to bed on our honeymoon. There

was no way that I wasn’t going to accept Elizabeth now. I had already planned 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.