Jasmine defends Roth

This is a continuation of the Sister Tiff scene where she's arguing with Ariana. Jasmine defends Roth. 

Ariana’s mouth tightened. “I’m not taking chances with my kids.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to!”

“The way he watches them like they’re infectious or not human puts me on edge.”

“He’s never been around kids so he doesn’t know how to act. He’s more afraid of them than anything else!”

Ariana gave her a scornful look. “He isn’t normal, Jasmine. Even you have to acknowledge that.”

“Who’s to say what is or isn’t normal? Do you think Dad was normal? That Colette’s manipulative grandfather or your narcissistic mothers are normal? You think your arranged marriages are what anyone would consider normal? Roth has his faults. His past that you know nothing about shaped him into the man he is today. He’s trying, which is more than I can say for you. And yes, there’s a lot I don’t know, but he wouldn’t harm a child. Can you honestly say that you and Rami have no secrets between each other?”

Ariana visibly tensed. “Don’t bring my husband into this.”

“You want to question mine, then we’ll bring yours into the equation as well. Answer the question. Do you think Rami is hiding any secrets from you?”

“No.”

The words, you’re wrong, hovered on the tip of her tongue, but now wasn’t the time. But she couldn’t resist adding, “And I guess you don’t have any skeletons in your closet either.”

Ariana stared at her for a moment before she shook her head. “You’re trying to make this about us, but it’s about him. He’s violent and vindictive. I don’t trust him.”

And yet, the vindictive man set aside his plans of tearing Hennessy & Co apart and vowed to rebuild an empire that had done him no favors. He was trying, but her sisters didn’t see that. All they saw was the monster. 

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Confessions. Please do not share or distribute.