Chapter 122
Bella stood there, her chest heaving, tears streaking her face, her hand still shaking from the slap. Her knees gave way, and she sank to the floor, sobbing quietly into her hands.
Her throat felt scorched from holding back tears, and her chest hurt so much she wondered if heartbreak could physically bruise you.
She’d imagined this night so many times before; telling him the truth, explaining everything, and finally unburdening herself. Yet, she had never imagined it would end with him calling her a liar.
She raised her legs, so that her face was resting on her knees. The air left her lungs in a strangled gasp as she wrapped her hands around her legs, the sound of her quiet sobs mixing with the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
She buried her face in her knees, shoulders trembling violently. She didn’t even hear them coming.
“Bella?” Chloe’s voice came softly at first though with a hint of cautiousness, and worry.
Rachel was right behind her, the faint click of her slippers on the tiles cutting through the stillness. “Did you tell him?” she asked quietly.
Bella didn’t look up. She couldn’t. Not when her heart was breaking into pieces.
“Bella?” Chloe knelt beside her, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder. “Hey… talk to us. Please. What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Did something go wrong p>
Rachel crouched on the other side, frowning as she saw Bella’s tear-streaked face. “Oh no… Bell, what happened? Where is he p>
Bella shook her head, her voice breaking. “He left p>
Chloe’s brows furrowed. “Left? You mean p>
“I told him everything,” Bella whispered. “Just like you both said I should p>
Rachel glanced at Chloe, her heart sinking. “And p>
Bella laughed, a dry, broken sound that didn’t reach her eyes. “And he said I lied. Can you believe that p>
Chloe froze. “What p>
“He said I made it up. That I was trying to trap him with someone else’s child p>
Rachel’s mouth fell open, disbelief and anger flashing across her face. “He said what p>
“What the hell?! How can he say that? What is wrong with him?” Chloe asked, anger flashing in her eyes.
She never would’ve thought Jake would accuse Bella that way. How could he?
Bella lifted her head finally, her eyes red and glistening with tears. “He said he can’t have children. That he had a vasectomy p>
For a moment, neither woman spoke. The word hung in the air like a foreign language none of them wanted to understand.
Chloe blinked slowly. “A… vasectomy p>
Bella nodded, her voice shaking. “I didn’t even know what it meant at first. I had to ask him. And he said it means he can’t have children. That he made sure of it p>
Rachel frowned, trying to make sense of it. “But… that doesn’t make sense. Timothy exists. He’s flesh and blood p>
Bella wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “He said he got it done two weeks before we met. That I was the first person he was with after that p>
Chloe’s hand fell from her shoulder. “Oh my God p>
Bella nodded weakly. “He said there’s no way I could’ve gotten pregnant with his child p>
“But you got pregnant! Shouldn’t he be trying to find out how it was possible if he’s so sure he had vasectomy or whatever it is he said?” Chloe said in frustration.
Now she wished she hadn’t pushed Bella into telling him the truth but at the same time, she was glad she did. At least, now they know how much of a jerk Jake was.
Rachel exhaled sharply, her anger rising as well. “He didn’t think of finding out how exactly it happened. Rather, his first reaction was to accuse you p>
Bella swallowed, her voice trembling. “He said the reason he even got it done was because his ex told him she was pregnant, and he raised the child until he found out it wasn’t his. He said he wasn’t going to make that mistake again p>
Rachel’s eyes went wide, her voice tight. “That doesn’t excuse it. Not one bit.” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ.net
Chloe’s voice broke, soft but firm. “And he said that to you? Knowing you’d never hurt him like that? Doesn’t he trust you at all? How can he confess love to you if he never trusted you p>
Bella nodded again, her tears spilling anew. “He said if I’d just told him Timothy was mine and that I didn’t know who the father was, he would’ve accepted him — maybe even adopted him. But because I said he was his… he thought I was lying p>
Chloe’s mouth dropped open. “He didn’t. No he didn’t say that to you p>
Bella let out a broken sob. “He did. So I slapped him. Hard. I couldn’t help it. I just couldn’t stand it anymore. And then he told me we should do a DNA test, that it would prove I was wrong. I threw him out p>
Rachel moved closer immediately, wrapping her arms around her sister. “You did the right thing,” she said fiercely. “You don’t need to let anyone talk to you like that p>
Bella leaned into her, sobbing quietly. “I didn’t even know I could hurt this much p>
Chloe rubbed her arm gently. “You told the truth, Bella. That’s all we could’ve asked you to do. The rest is on him p>
Bella shook her head. “But what if he’s right? What if something had happened p>
Chloe stopped her immediately. “Don’t say that p>
“What if he’s right?” Bella’s voice cracked, panic rising. “What if something happened that I didn’t know about? What if I’m the one mistaken? What if I was drugged and maybe I don’t remember anything p>
Rachel pulled back slightly, cupping Bella’s face in both hands. “Oh, my God, Bell. Don’t say that. You’re not mistaken. You know what happened. You know who the father is. He’s the only one so stop saying those things p>
Bella’s lips trembled. “Then how do I explain this? How do I explain being pregnant if he really can’t have children p>