“Isabella, when did you first find out about the affair?” Renee inquired.
“Just before David and I split up. Arabella was always jealous of our relationship; she tried to convince me to end things before we married; now I see why.”
“You and David had been a couple for years is that correct?”
“Since I was sixteen, before that we were friends; I suppose it was just to get to Arabella though.”
“You and your sister, your entire family really, had a falling out before her wedding to Tyler is that correct?”
“We did; we tried to be supportive of her career, but she would never let us near her. When the truth came out, she shrugged it off and told us we were no longer welcome, unfortunately she’d warped the Reed’s minds and they cast us in a bad light. I lost everything because of Arabella…my husband, my children’s father, my godparents…and now it seems Arabella is doing the same thing to Tyler and his family. That’s the real Arabella though; she only wants what she wants, no one else matters to her.”
Not the Arabella we’ve all seen is it folks? Is this simply a sister with sour grapes or is Arabella playing us all? Then again when compared with men like Tyler Reed and Quinn Ross what does David Allen really bring to the table? We’re waiting on word back from Arabella’s camp, but I’d hazard a guess that there’s more to this story and I can’t wait to get Arabella’s side of it.
Her heart dropped and she slipped into a place she hated. She could hear voices talking around her, but the words didn’t make sense as she allowed the blackness to wash over her.
***
Tyler was staring out the window at Bella’s picture when he heard the commotion going on outside his door. He turned in time to see his parents and Quinn stalk into the room.
“Get the hell out of my office you son of a…”
“Tyler Matthew Reed,” his mother reprimanded.
“You have some nerve showing up here,” Tyler said over her. “It’s not enough to steal my wife, now you’re barging into my workplace?”
“I didn’t steal your wife, you moron; Bella lovesyou. If you would have simply listened, you would know what you saw was not what you thought but for the third time you instantly jumped to the conclusion that I’d seduced her. I haven’t. Ican’tbecause she’s completely crazy about you but right now that’s not what matters.”
“I said get out,” Tyler ordered clenching his fists.
“I’d suggest you save your anger for the people who really deserve it,” Quinn suggested.
“You haven’t seen the news have you Tyler?” Steven inquired tossing the magazine onto his desk.
He stared at the headline and then up at Quinn, seeing the knowledge behind his gaze.
“Bella told you?” he asked the man.
“Those pictures from before your anniversary, her being upset, were all because she’d admitted what happened to her. I knew there was something off when we were shooting the love scene; she tensed the instant I touched her, and it wasn’t just because there were a million people around. There’s also something else I think you should see,” he added tossing him a few other pictures, including a smaller copy of the billboard outside his window. “I wasn’t anywhere near that shoot Tyler,youwere.”
He sifted through the pictures and felt the hope returning but he tamed it down quickly knowing it wasn’t real. She might not have slept with him then, but she was now.
“So what? She’s with you now.”
“Good god man, Bella and I haveneverhad sex of any sort and right now she needs more than me. She’s at the hospital Tyler; she blacked out after seeing the video of her sister blaming everything on her and she hasn’t come to yet.”
“WHAT!?” Tyler shouted as his parents gasped.
“I can help her try and deal with your jealousy but this…you’re the only person who can help her with this, help her make a decision so get off your ass and go to her.”
Tyler wasn’t listening as he hurried out of the room and blindly made his way to the hospital. Somehow, he managed to find her room and he walked in ignoring the stares from her friends. She looked tiny laying in the bed and too pale.
“Bella, baby,” he whispered sinking down onto the chair beside the bed. “Come on honey; come back to me.”
He took her hand into his and held on as he cursed himself for being so stupid. Whatever it took he’d find a way to convince her to forgive him. His parents came in and kissed her cheek before going back out into the hallway as the doctor arrived with Evan.
“Why isn’t she waking up?” he asked as they checked the monitors.
“She may simply not want to, Tyler. She’s dehydrated which is why we’re giving her fluids, but her friends said she’s received a few shocks today. Physically she’s good but emotionally she’s been through hell I’d say,” the doctor told him.