It hits her as she watches the two men she had to choose between for the first time since that hard night when everything stopped for a split second and William Regal held his hand out to her, like he was choosing her before she even realized a choice had to be made.

Regal is, on paper, everything she would want, and more. He is well known, powerful (Especially if you compare him to Jamie...), and exudes confidence.

All Jamie has to offer, after all, is cheap dates, a weak win/lose rate, and no titles on his horizon either.

So the choice is easy. Especially after a week of Regal keeping her away from Noble-- as soon as they leave the titantron area that one Monday, he immediately drags her off to his expensive looking rental car and they arrive at the equally expensive hotel which, thankfully, has two beds in Regal's room. He doesn't react when she lays awkwardly down on the second bed and watches as he slowly gets ready for bed himself, every move calculated. It's as though she's not there. Invisible.

Regal is not stingy, he barely acknowledges her, but also is not against buying her things she likes. Before the two weeks from when she last sees Jamie to when she sees him next are up, she gains nearly a whole new wardrobe, and many other expensive things that she could never have afforded on her own. She thinks she likes this, with Jamie's desperate attempts at making her happy and failing miserably in the past, and wealth and all the things she could ever want right in front of her thanks to William Regal.

However, on Monday, September 29th, 2009, she watches as he paces around the ring, trying not to stare too much at her, guarding the broken look in his eyes from her piercing stare, and her happiness shatters as quickly as his heart did two weeks ago.

Mickie James comes out then, sunshine and happiness, whereas Layla herself is always snappy comments and shadows, to be his tag partner and his face lights up as he hugs her-- like he's already replacing her-- but what does she care-- how dare he look at her like that...-- she's perfectly happy with Regal-- he's only supposed to look at me like that! ME!-- and that's the only reason she's out here.

To show off her new, better relationship to Jamie.

Right?

And if she ends up crying in the bathroom back at the hotel afterwards-- Oh, God, what did I do... What did I DO...-- and Regal doesn't ask any questions afterwards, barely even blinks at her when she comes out to the cold, lifeless bed across from his ten minutes later, there's nothing she can do about it.

She chose this, after all.