Part One

3 Days Later...

Taker and Xandra were out shopping for her engagement ring. Xandra had been looking at solitaire diamond rings, but Taker had wanted a non-traditional ring. Finally, the two decided to shop together.

"What about that one?" Taker asked, pointing to a round cut diamond with 3 stones on each side.

"No. Not feeling it." Xandra said flatly.

"Xandra, I promised you a ring before I left for Europe and I intend to keep that promise."

"I know, I know. I just can't decide what I want. All I want is-" She stopped to get a closer look at an oval cut chocolate diamond ring with baguette cut clear diamonds. "That's the one!" She squealed happily.

"A beautiful ring, definitely." Said the salesperson.

Taker walked over to the display case and asked to see the ring. The salesclerk took it out and Taker placed the ring on Xandra's finger.

"What do you know? A perfect fit!" Xandra said.

"If that's the ring my lady wants, that's the ring she shall have." Taker told the salesclerk. "We'll take it."

"Excellent choice. We'll just ring that up over here." The salesclerk said.

Xandra and Taker kissed and looked down at her new engagement ring.

"It's lovely." Xandra said.

"Just like its owner." Taker replied. "Have I told you how much I love you lately?"

"Not in the last hour." She joked.

"Well, I do and soon everyone will know it. I can't wait until our engagement party tomorrow."

"Me either. I'm so glad you planned this before you headed off to Europe. I'm going to miss you so much."

"Well, now you have that ring to remind you that we have something to look forward to when I get back."

"I do."

"Save that for the wedding." Taker joked. Xandra playfully swatted him.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was at home watching TV, but her mind was far away from anything on the screen. It had been a few days since she had been savagely raped by Taker at Wrestlemania. She didn't make it to the afterparty. She had barely composed herself long enough to get back to the hotel and take a long shower, hoping to wash away the nightmare she was facing yet again.

And if she thought she had sleepless nights before the rape, she was wrong yet again. Stephanie had barely gotten any sleep since that horrible night. All she could see, all she could hear...was Taker. His face, his evil grin, his voice...all horrible reminders of the many violations she had suffered at his hands.

She found herself in a sickening sense of deja vu from 4 years ago. She had tried to continue her life as if nothing had happened. No one except her knew of the torment she had to face daily. Except this time, she longed to tell someone, in particular, her sister. She had the right to know the person she was going to marry.

"Steph, I'm home!" She heard Xandra call out.

She cut off the TV and stood up to greet Xandra with a hug.

"Guess what I got today!" She said excitedly.

"What?"

Xandra held out her left hand. There, on her ring finger, was the ring that she and Taker had picked out earlier.

Stephanie forced a fake smile. "Looks great. Just beautiful." She said.

"Thanks! I forgot to tell you earlier, you're invited to our engagement party tomorrow night. I know it's kind of last minute but-"

"Gee, thanks, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it."

"Are you sure you're OK? You've been awfully quiet the past few days. You must be concentrating on the WWE's European tour coming up. Looks to be exciting, especially with Taker being added to it."

"Yeah, I'd rather focus on preparing for it. Plus, I haven't had the best sleep in a couple of days so I'm hoping to catch up. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's OK. Your health and well-being should come first. It's understandable. Especially before traveling to another continent."

"Yeah. Thanks for understanding."

"No problem, sis." Xandra headed up to her room.

"I hope you'll be as understanding when I tell you the truth about your fiancee." Stephanie said under her breath.