“Look at her! Take a good look at what Cole is doing to her. There’s nothing left of her anymore, just leave her the fuck alone. She’s at breaking point, are you trying to drive her to the point of insanity!” Aimee shouts angrily. “I hope for both your sakes Cole is okay, but I will not allow you both to destroy my friend, she’s been through enough, now get the fuck out!” Aimee exclaims as she comes to my side as I rock back and forth on the floor with my head in my arms sobbing. Sophie walks out of the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her. “Shayla.” Aimee kneels next to me, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into her chest. “Shhh, it’s okay, she’s gone, she’s gone, babe.”
“He’s gone, and it’s all my fault.” I wail and Aimee shakes her head tightening her hold on me.
“He’s not gone, he’ll be back.” She reassures me and help
“ENOUGH!” I scream glaring at both of them, my chest rising and falling with every desperate breath I took. Cole lifts his gaze to me, and his eyes soften instantly when our eyes meet. He drops his hands from Josh’s shirt, and he looks me over. “Josh, leave us,” I tell him my voice hoarse.“Shayla..” he interjects.I look at him. “Please..” He nods and stops when he sees the bruise and cut on my left cheek.“Shayla, what happened to your face?” He questions, reaching out to touch me, but I move my face away.“Leave us,” I whisper pleadingly, and he nods and walks out of the apartment, leaving Cole and me alone. I stood there staring at him tears streaming down my face while he stood staring at me apologetically.“Shayla, what happened to your face?” He questions walking toward me. I reach up and slap him hard across the face. He lifts his eyes to mine, a look
“Tristan?” I blink and look at my father, who was watching me expectantly. “How do you like this one, son?” He asks gesturing to his black tailored Armani suit.“Looks good, Dad,” I tell him, staring at the mirror at my reflection as they tailor my suit for the wedding. I can’t believe I’m getting married in two days. The closer the date got, the tougher it got to breathe. Sophie has us running around doing all this wedding stuff, and I’m really trying to pay attention, but I’m struggling. I keep thinking about her. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it. Ninety-nine percent of my day is spent thinking about her. I was hoping I would see her when she comes to return to the papers signing her rights to her design entirely over to Cult Designs. I was left disappointed when I saw Jo walk in and hand the documents to Jess to give to me.“Jo?” I call out to her while she was waiting by the
The next day was the rehearsal dinner. Another day where I have to act like the happy groom, excited to be marrying the woman he supposedly loves. Thank God for scotch, I was currently on my fifth scotch, and it was taking the edge off somewhat. I’ve been drinking a lot lately, it’s the only way I can sleep and ignore that big fat gaping hole inside of me. I can’t even look at myself. I can’t stand the sight of myself; it makes me sick to the stomach.“Cole?” I lift my eyes and look at the therapist sitting opposite me. “Do you want to tell me why you’re here?”“You look like her,” I tell her, and she frowns a little and licks her lips. She was a beautiful woman, long dark hair, green eyes, but older. She bears a striking resemblance to Shayla, and I found comfort in that. Shayla was miles more beautiful though, in every way.“Cole, this is your third session, and we haven’t discussed
“Thought you could use a friend.” He says, taking a sip of his scotch.I snort, “Yeah? Do you see one cause I fucking don’t?” I retort coldly and knock back my drink. Is this kid for real? How dare he call himself a friend after what he did—impudent bastard.“Cole, you’re my best friend, beyond that you’re my brother man. We’ve known each other for years. If you’re waiting for an apology, you’re not going to get one.” He tells me, and I glare at him darkly. “Maybe going after Shayla wasn’t the best decision on my part, but she was single, and you’re engaged to be married to another woman. I would think if you cared enough about this girl, you’d want her to be happy with someone you know would treat her right.”“You can tell you’ve never been in love.” I sigh, pouring myself another drink and knocking it back. “Shayla wasn’t so
“Shayla Hart, what is your sexy bum doing out here in the cold?” Jo asks, walking out on our terrace as I lay there on a pile of cushions looking up at the dark sky.“Waiting for the sky to open up and swallow me whole?” I sardonically utter as Jo lays down beside me and looks up at the sky.“Looks like you might be waiting a while on that one, Bish.” She sighs, and I smile sadly, staring up at that one bright star in the sky.“I can’t believe I’m leaving in a few hours,” I sigh and lace my fingers with Jo’s as we stare up at the sky together.“Oh, Shayla, I really wish you wouldn’t. Can’t you just pretend you left and let him think you’ve gone?” She suggests, and I close my eyes and shake my head.“I can’t, Jo,” I tell her. “I can’t be here anymore. Too much has happened. I have too many memories, I know it’s stupid,
“You bet your sexy arse he’s thinking about you when he’s with her!” Jo shouts, throwing her arms around me, and we topple over laughing. “Cayla foreveeeerrr!”Aimee and I look at Jo, confused. “Who the hell is Cayla?”Jo giggles, “Your portmanteau, silly! It’s your names together. Cole and Shayla equal Cayla!” I laugh, shaking my head.I look at Aimee, who is laughing hysterically. “Don’t let her drink anymore.”“Hey, it’s better than Cophie! What kind of lame arse name is that?” Aimee hands me another shot, grinning, and I groan. I was already tipsy, and honestly, tequila makes me go stupid.“She has a point.” Aimee giggles, taking her shot. “Their names don’t even sit right together. Should have let me punch the bitch square in her fake nose.”“Team hashtag Cayla!” Jo chirps, making a hash sign wi
“Aimee, what are you talking about? How do you know this?”“Derrick told his cousin he and Sophie had sex after they broke up when she went to pick up her things, and she got pregnant because they didn’t use protection! Derrick confronted her, and she admitted it to him, but then slapped him with a confidentiality agreement and a payout to keep his mouth shut and sign away his rights to the baby.” She explains, and I gape at her in utter shock. “That stupid bitch Sophie’s been lying to trap Cole and force him to marry her.” I felt paralysed; my feet felt like led. “Shayla, what are you waiting for? GO TELL COLE!” She screams at me, and I pace back and forth. My hands and knees were shaking frantically.“Oh, my God!” I shout my fingers in my hair. “What if I’m too late?!”“You fucking will be if you keep standing there!” She shouts, and I look at her, still stunn
“Hi,” I frown while I look at Derrick standing in the doorway. “Can we talk?” He requests. I nod and gesture for him to come in, and he does, closing the door behind him.“What are you doing here?” I question, puzzled, leaning against the wall and watch as he paces the small room rubbing the back of his neck, seemingly troubled.“Tristan, I should have done this a long time ago. I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking, keeping it from everyone this whole time.” I straighten from my position leaning on the wall, and look at him, baffled.“Told me what, Derrick, spit it out?”Derrick sighs, “That baby isn’t yours. It’s mine.” He blurts out, and I stare at him, my hands fisted at my sides. “After Sophie broke it off with me, she came over to collect her things one night, and we got into an argument, things got pretty heated, and well, we had sex. I didn’t