Page 31 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

Roman continued seamlessly, "We've outlined a detailed timeline and budget for the construction phase, ensuring minimal disruption to the surrounding area. Our community engagement plan includes partnerships with local businesses to promote mutual growth."

Yasmin leaned forward; her interest piqued. "And what about the public reception? How do you plan to handle potential backlash or criticism?"

I smiled, anticipating the question. "We've planned a series of events leading up to the grand opening, designed to foster goodwill and excitement within the community. Our marketing strategy includes social media campaigns, local news features, and influencer collaborations to reach a wider audience. The location we chose is popular yet underdeveloped and there is a clear need for jobs which a project like this would provide. We have a rough estimate of 6000 jobs being created from construction to the daily running of the hotel."

Yasmin nodded, clearly impressed. She then asked. "How will you ensure my father's investment is used effectively?"

Roman and I exchanged a look before he replied,"We've earmarked specific portions of the investment for critical phases of the project. Our financial projections show a steady return on investment within the first three years, with a detailed plan to reinvest profits into further development and improvement."

The room was silent for a moment, and I could see the wheels turning in Yasmin's mind. I could already tell she had a lot to think about and even though we were the better choice, she didn't want to make it weird by instantly choosing us. She was giving Ethan false hope, and with the way he stared at her waiting for her to say something, I knew he thought there was a chance he would win.

"Impressive," Ivan finally broke the silence. "Thank you, Roman and Rafael. Yasmin, do you have any more questions?"

Yasmin shook her head, still deep in thought. "No, I think I have everything I need for now. It's thorough. Very thorough. I appreciate the attention to detail and the forward-thinking approach."

Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly outclassed. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Ivan nodded. "Alright, that's it for today. We'll get back to you with our decision, within the next three days."

As everyone got up and began to disperse, I felt a surge of relief. Roman and I had done well, and it was clear that Ivan and Yasmin were considering our proposal seriously. Ethan, on the other hand, looked like he had just walked through a thunderstorm with nothing but an umbrella.

-23-

Yasmin

I watched Ethan's retreating form, his shoulders hunched and steps heavy as he stormed out of the room. A part of me wanted to shout something after him, to release even more anger and frustration. But I remained silent, my eyes cold and distant. Roman and my father were shaking hands, their voices a low murmur in the background while Leah watched. None of that mattered. My entire focus was on my fiancé, who stood a few steps away, looking at me like I hung the sun and moon in the sky.

Rafael moved toward me, his eyes never leaving mine and as he did, the rest of the room faded into the periphery, the sounds dimming to a distant hum. As soon as he was close enough, I threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. His arms wrapped around me, strong and reassuring, and I felt relief wash over me.

He didn't ask why I needed him so desperately at that moment. He held me, understanding without words. The satisfaction I felt from watching Ethan grovel to be part of my family's business was more than I had anticipated. It felt like I was on the verge of euphoria but with how deeply he hurt my pride I needed more. I needed to hurt him just as much as he hurt me.

I cast a look at my father, who was silently ushering Leah and Roman out of the room. He turned to face me, his eyes serious, yet filled with a softness that was all too familiar. With one look I could already tell he had something serious to discuss and based on how he turned on Ethan, I knew exactly what it was.

I reluctantly pulled away from Rafael, who immediately sat beside me, his presence a pillar of support. My father's gaze was steady, watching our every move. I knew this conversation was inevitable, but I had hoped I would have more time to think things through. Who was I kidding? It was over the second he flew here.

"Dad," I began, but he held up a hand, stopping me.

"Yasmin, I know your mother and I raised you and your siblings to be strong and independent, but we never meant for it to get to a point where you felt like you couldn't trust us."

"That's not-"

He cut me off before I could continue. "I need you to tell me the truth about what happened with Ethan and his family," he said calm but insistent. "I already know some of it, but I want to hear it from you."

I shared a look with Rafael, who gave me an encouraging nod. I took a deep breath and began to explain everything, starting from the moment I met Ethan. "He was charming and ambitious, and I fell for him. But his family..." I hesitated, searching for the right words. "They never accepted me. They made it clear that I wasn't good enough for them."

My father's eyes darkened with anger, but he remained silent, letting me continue. "His mother and sister were especially relentless. They criticized everything about me and called me a gold digger more times than I could count."

Rafael's hand found mine, squeezing it reassuringly. "It got to the point where Ethan broke up with me because of photos his mom and sister photo-shopped to make it look like I cheated. I never cheated on him, but he refused to believe me. He would rather listen to the people that hate me."

My father nodded, absorbing my words. "Are you planning on leaving out the part where you married him?"

My lips parted but no sound came out. I glanced over at Rafael, expecting to find him as shocked as I was but he seemed fine. It was like he knew this would happen.

"How long have you known?" I asked the first thing that came to mind. I couldn't imagine him knowing earlier than this week but with him anything was possible.

"Did you think I wouldn't know if one of my children tried to get married?" my eyes narrowed on him, not missing how he phrased his words. "I'm insulted you didn't think to tell your family."

"I'm insulted you've been keeping tabs on me."

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