The Court of Love

Chapter 23

"No, I won't tell her," Zoilo answered.

"What do you mean no? She already suspects that you've been sleeping with other women. Why won't you just admit it?" Veronica asks.

"Because she doesn't need to know. I'm going to fix everything." Arabella placed her hand over her mouth and silently cried.

"How can you go and fix things when you don't even tell her the truth. Relationships are built on trust not lies."

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"You're honestly going to pretend that none of this happened? That you didn't sleep with-" she paused. "That's not right. I know what we did was wrong, but you keeping it from her is even worse."

"Do you think that I wanted this to happen? Do you really think that I wanted to cheat on my wife? That I wanted to sleep with her best friend?"

Arabella dropped her keys, making a loud sound. Zoilo and Veronica snapped their heads in her direction and widened their eyes.

"Bella," he began to approach her. Arabella raised her hand and he stopped.

"I had a feeling you were cheating. I-I just didn't have the proof. I thought you were cheating on me with multiple women. I would have been mad trust me I would have," Arabella frowned and made her way towards him.

She balled her hands into fists and yelled, "but you slept with the same woman all this time! Out of all the fucking women in the world, you chose her! You slept with my fucking best friend!"

"Bella calm down pl-"

"Why her?!" Tears continued to stream down her face.

"I'm sor-"

"I don't want your damn apology. I want you to answer my question! Why?"

"It was a mistake! I never meant to hurt you Bella! I-"

Arabella looked behind him and narrowed her eyes at Veronica. She made her way around Zoilo and stood in front of her. "What kind of a fucking best friend are you?! After everything we've been through together! After everything I did for you! This is what you do?!"

"Arabella I'm sorry I-" Veronica spoke, but Arabella cut her off.

"I was there with you when we found your sister. I was there for you when you mourned for her. Ever since that moment, you changed."

"Leave my sister out of this. She has nothing to do with this," Veronica said in an angry tone.

"Do you think I want to talk about this? About what happened to her? She was my friend! I miss her everyday." Arabella sniffled.

"Ever since the day she died, you changed Veronica! And don't tell me that isn't true because it is! I was there. I saw everything. You. Changed. I didn't say anything because I understood why you changed, but months after the incident I didn't just lose one friend I lost two. You and your sister!"

Veronica stood there staring at Arabella while remaining quiet.

"And then you moved. You went to a university and I was happy for you. I was happy that you were living your life. You left me, but I was happy for you. When you came back crying I was there for you once again. You told me everything and I listened. You told me about your relationship with that guy and how it didn't end well. I helped you recover from your heartbreak and I-"

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind.

She looked back at Zoilo and turned to look back at Veronica, "i-it was Zoilo?"