Page 36 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

“We’re sorry, Yasmin,” Ava said through gritted teeth. “Please forgive us.”

The sight of them on their knees, the mighty brought low, filled me with a sense of power I had never felt before. They had made my life a living hell, and now they were at my mercy. Maybe I should have told them who I was sooner.

“Louder,” I demanded, my voice icy. “I want everyone in this cafe to hear you.”

Cheryl looked up; her eyes filled with tears. “We’re so sorry, Yasmin. We treated you horribly. Please forgive us.”

Ava’s voice wavered, her humiliation complete. “We’re sorry, Yasmin. We shouldn’t have treated you that way. Please forgive us.”

I let the moment stretch, savoring it. “Forgiveness isn’t something either of you deserves,” I said. “Not ever, and certainly not from me.”

I looked around at the other patrons, their eyes fixed on Ava and Cheryl, their whispers like a wave of justice washing over me. “Do you remember when you called me a gold digger?” I asked, my voice cutting through the silence. “And all the times I assured you I wasn’t?”

Ava flinched, her eyes widening in shock. “Yasmin, that’s in the past. We didn’t know any better. You should have told us who you were.”

“The past?” I echoed, my anger rising. “The past was a mere few days ago. Have you already forgotten accusing me of being a prostitute? Is the ‘past’ so easily forgotten?”

Cheryl’s voice was barely a whisper. “We’re sorry. We are.”

I stepped closer, my voice low and fierce. “Do you remember the pictures you sent? The way you painted me as a cheater when I wasn’t?”

They shared a confused look, but I was too far gone to notice. “Yasmin, please...”

“You want forgiveness?” I said, my voice trembling with rage. “You want to make things right? Travel to the depths of hell and make a home down there.”

Amirah stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “Stay away from my sister or forgiveness will be the last of your troubles. Consider this first and only warning.”

Together, we turned and walked away, leaving them kneeling there, the eyes of the other patrons on them, their humiliation complete. For the first time in a long time, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I stood up for myself. I had reclaimed a piece of my pride. And I had my sister by my side, supporting me every step of the way.

As we exited the cafe, the sunlight hit my face, and I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of liberation I hadn’t felt in years. Amirah wrapped an arm around my shoulders, her fierce gaze softening as she looked at me.

“That was exceptional.”

“You’re right. It does feel awesome.”

I’ve always wanted to stand up to them, to give them a piece of my mind, but I always refrained from doing so. I didn’t want to burn the already fragile relationship I had with my in-laws, so I sucked it up and pretended it didn’t bother me. It bothered me a lot, but I handled it. That was, until Ethan followed in their footsteps, tearing down whatever love I had left for any of them.

Now all I wanted to do was seek revenge for the woman who put up with so much just to be dumped. She didn’t deserve any of that; she deserved to be catered to and protected. She deserved to be treated the same way in which Rafael treated me, like a queen. And after proving to myself that I could be better, stronger, and protective. I finally felt like I could do what I’ve been wanting to do for a while now.

It was time I admitted a few things, starting with my feelings for Rafael.

-26-

Rafael

The revolving doors of the hotel swung open, ushering me into the cool, marble-floored lobby. As I scanned the area, I saw a familiar figure leaning against one of the ornate columns. Ethan. He looked nervous, his fingers tapping an erratic rhythm on the column's surface. I contemplated walking past him, pretending not to notice, but he saw me before I could decide.

"Rafael!" he called, pushing himself off the column and striding toward me. There was a forced cheerfulness in his voice and an awkward brightness that made me uneasy.

I sighed and stopped, crossing my arms over my chest. "Ethan. What do you want?"

Ethan shifted from foot to foot, glancing around as if afraid someone might overhear us. "I... I owe you an apology," he said finally, his voice dropping to a quieter tone. "I shouldn't have accused you of being a thief. I should have checked things for myself instead of blindly believing my sister."

I raised an eyebrow, barely containing my irritation. "Is that so?" I said, my tone as flat as I could manage. I wasn't in the mood for his half-hearted attempts at reconciliation.

"Yes," he continued, his voice wavering. "I was wrong, and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

I shrugged, looking past him at the elegant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "We'll see about that."

---