Too Late for Regret novel 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 a computer 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–minute 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 bathroom laughing would be hard to explain. 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.

but th

I didn’t wait. I called the police, knowing I needed the report to help my case. I was still recovering, so they had to come 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 planning to file a report, but they only had their eyewitness account 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

the last 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 glad 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 a complete surprise. I was having Gretchen named as

an accessory. 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,

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and was screaming at me.

After the police officers left, Gwen asked, “When did the doctor say you could be discharged?”

+8 Points>

“If I don’t get ill today, he said I could leave tomorrow mid–morning. We can shoot the ad then. I also want you to wait until after I’ve shown them the evidence, and then take my laptop back to the company 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 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 my company, with my proof.

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 my laptop so they could see the screen. It

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+B Points >

showed me entering the bathroom before they arrived. A few minutes later, they exited, laughing, and two minutes later, Charlie and Drew were in the shot and entering the bathroom. They ran out, carrying me, less than a minute later. 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 played 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 glad I did. Tiffany’s voice filled the room as I let the recording play. 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 my laptop 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 w***e 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 black so they wouldn’t show up. Silence as a hundred pictures showed some of what I’d gone through over the years.

“That f*****g b***h. 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 glad 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.

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