"Yes, Miss Jackson. You said you had an important announcement to make concerning your love life," Riele, the interviewer said.
Shantel smiled. "Yes, I finally want to come out clean concerning my love life,"
"Please, go on. Your fans are so eager to hear this," Riele said enthusiastically.
"I'm in a relationship," Shantel dropped the bombshell.
"That's amazing. With whom?"
"Cole Darrel, CEO of Darrel's Corp," Shantel announced and Riele was shocked.
"Same Darrel? The multi billionaire?"
"The same one," Shantel nodded, smiling. Her smile was so perfect that it ached Amy's heart.
"Did you not say earlier that you had nothing to do with him?" Riele asked.
"That's because we agreed to lay low on our relationship till we were sure of it and right now, we are,"
"And the woman that has been trending on the news as Cole's perfect mate is?"
"A nobody. Another fan of Cole's philanthropy. Do you think a woman like that can be with someone like Cole? My man?" Shantel asked, sounding a bit vicious.
"You never can tell where one finds love," was Riele's response.
"I've got proofs that Cole and I have been together for a very long time. In fact we've been together for more than seven years," Shantel said and soon images of her and Cole was displayed on the Cole. The both of them at the park, coffee shop, long walks, selfies and many others.
"There you have it, curious people. It's official that Cole and Shantel are in a relationship and also..."
Amy could not listen anymore as the phone slipped from her hands. Kayla bent down quickly to stop the phone from falling.
"Amy.. are you crying?" Kayla asked as she noticed the streaks of tears on Amy's face.
Amy's heart beat hard against her chest. She could barely think. Emotions flowed through her veins as she felt nothing but pain and betrayal once more. How could he do this to her when she had finally opened up her heart to him?
"Please, don't," Kayla pleaded, tears forming in her eyes too.
"How.. how could he do this to me?" Amy asked, her voice croaked with tears.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shown you this," Kayla apologized as she tried to wipe away Amy's tears.
Amy stood up, her legs shaking as she muttered.
"Where are you going?" Kayla asked, getting up too.
"How could Cole do this to me? How could he be with someone else without telling me?" Amy asked no one in particular as she walked towards the door, her tears becoming heavier.
Kayla was afraid. "Amy, stop," she pleaded as she held her back.
"Let go of me!" Amy yelled, but Kayla wouldn't. She was afraid her friend would do the unimaginable. "Let go of me!" She kept screaming and trying to push Kayla away from her, but Kayla held onto her.
Amy finally broke down in her best friend's arms. "Why?" She asked as she sobbed out loud, slipping to the floor and holding Kayla's legs.
Kayla lowered down and held her as her heart ached.
•
Cole kept on trying to reach Amy but she wasn't picking her calls. He finally got to where Liam was. At a coffee shop.
"What happened?" Liam asked, standing up as soon as he saw Cole.
"You've seen the news, relating to Shantel's recent interview?" Cole asked and Liam nodded. "I think Amy has seen it,"
Liam sighed. "I figured," he said as he sat down. "Have you gone to her? Perhaps she hasn't seen it," he suggested.
"She's not taking my calls. I've been trying to reach her while coming here,"
"Go to her, Cole,"
"Man, I've fucked up big time. I can tell it,"
"You let down your guard while you were around Amy. If not, why would you let a random person take videos of you both, upload it, when you know you've got a crazy famous girlfriend,"
Cole couldn't even scowl at his friend. It was pointless and he knew Liam was right. "This isn't the time to shift blames, "
"Right. This is the time to go after your mate and confirm if she knows about this. And if she does, it's time to explain yourself to her," Liam advised.
" Right," Cole said and without any more words, he literally rushed out of the coffee shop, got into his car and drove over to Amy's place.
By now, the moon was already high up in the pitch dark sky.
With his heart hammering hard against his chest, he drove in high speed towards her house. He finally got there and hurried out of his car.
He walked over to the door and knocked on it. Nobody responded. He literally banged on the door once more and the door opened, revealing an angry, paled face Kayla. As soon as she saw him, she tried to close the door forcefully.
At this point, Cole knew that she had seen Shantel's interview. "Kayla, please, I need to see Amy," he pleaded as he tried to stop her from closing the door.
"She doesn't want to see you. Get lost!" She yelled at him as she banged the door hard against his face.
"Kayla, please. Let me see Amy," he pleaded.
"Leave this place or I'll call the cops on you," Kayla warned from the inside.
Cole's knuckles pummeled against the door. "Amy, I know you're in there. Please open up and let me explain! Please!" He pleaded as he kept banging on the door.
"Aunt, what's going on?" Tris asked, walking out from his room.
Kayla went to him. "It's nothing, go back inside," she said ruffling his hair.
"Amy, please! Just give me a chance to explain everything!" Cold kept pleading.
"Isn't that my dad's voice?" Tris asked.
Amy was laying curled up in the sitting room. She was forced to stand up as she didn't want Tris going to his father.
"Kayla, take Tris inside. I'll go meet him," she said.
"You can't.. " Kayla began to say, but stopped and sighed. "Will you be alright?" She asked.
Amy nodded and wiped her eyes. Kayla took Tris into the room.
Amy walked towards the door and opened it. Cole took a step backward as Amy walked out of the house.
"What do you want?" She demanded, ensuring to hide the fact that she was crying, but her puffy eyes and red nose gave her away.
"Amy, I.."
"Do you want to cause more damage? Haven't you done enough?" She interrupted him.
"Please, give me a chance to explain," Cole felt like he was going mad with pain.
"And let you tell me more lies?" She asked. "Seven years ago, you walked into my life, a total stranger who was my mate, who took my innocence with my consent and it didn't deem you fit to tell me you were with someone else. All those long years passed, and you still didn't tell me. What more explaining do you want to do, that I am not aware of?"
Cole swallowed hard. "I never meant for you to find out this way,"
Amy snickered bitterly. "I should have still been a lovesick puppy that was oblivious to the truth,"
"Amy," Cole's eyes were naked with pain.
"You know what Cole, I've had enough. I've had enough of you and your lies. I can't believe I fell for it. I fell for you. I'm done, Cole. I'm done with this charade. Do not come anywhere near me or my son or else, I'll inform the council of elders," she warned as she turned, walking away.
"Amy, please, you can't do this. You and Tris are my life!" Cole said, falling to his knees.
She swallowed as she looked his way. "You should have thought of that before fooling me," with that she walked away, leaving Cole on his knees in the coldness of the dark.