Chapter 62

Bella.

"I can't believe both of you have stooped so low and allowed yourselves to engage in such an embarrassing fight over something trivial," Nelly criticized, her face displaying clear disappointment.

After the heated slap and subsequent argument, Nina and I descended into a messy physical altercation, resorting to pulling each other's hair and exchanging blows. Unknown to us, Nelly, who had been asleep in her room, woke up on hearing our commotion and hurriedly intervened to separate us.

I couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed in myself. I prided myself on not allowing my emotions and anger to overpower me, so the fact that I resorted to physical violence against Nina left me furious and upset. It was an uncharacteristic display that left me regretful.

In hindsight, I wished we had never allowed the situation to escalate to this point, as there was truly no valid reason for us to trade insults and engage in such a fight.

"This is not a matter to be dismissed, Nelly. Let's not sugarcoat what has transpired here. Bella is at fault for allowing a man she barely knows to come between our friendship," accused Nina, her tone laced with anger.

Despite knowing she initiated this with her insults, I fought against blaming her. I simply wanted to retire to bed after an eventful evening, but she had managed to ruin it by provoking me and getting on my nerves. Now, she sat in front me, attempting to act innocent and shifting the blame onto me for merely pursuing my interests.

"Don't be ridiculous, Nina. You constantly shut us out whenever it suits you, refusing to communicate with Nelly and me for weeks. We've made several attempts to reach out and understand what's going on with you. How can you expect me to sever ties with Daniel just because you hold some undisclosed grudge against him?" I retorted.

"You always isolate yourself whenever it pleases you, only to return later and pretend we hadn't tried tirelessly to connect with you. It's about time you grew up and stopped acting as though the world revolves around you, expecting everyone to cater to your whims," I fired back, fully aware that this exchange might lead to yet another confrontation.

I've known Nina for quite a while, and she has always had this tendency to isolate herself and place blame on others instead of taking responsibility. She keeps her thoughts and emotions hidden, yet expects us to empathize with her in every situation, even when we're unaware of what's truly going on with her.

"Do you even listen to yourself, Bella? Does anything you just said make any sense to you? I warned you from the start about Daniel, stating clearly that he's not a good person. You even witnessed firsthand the tension between him and me, and despite that, you continued to pursue a romantic connection with him, fully aware that it would upset me," she argued.

"You claim to be a good friend and a good person, but what kind of friend disregards the feelings of their friend and gets involved with someone they barely know? You could have at least pretended to avoid him, but instead, you shamelessly flaunted your outings with him, expecting me to suddenly be okay with it and trust you enough to confide in you," she defended herself, causing me to roll my eyes in exasperation.

"I don't adopt other people's enemies, Nina. I don't know the details of what transpired between you and Daniel, so I have no reason to take sides or interfere. While you and I are friends, Daniel is also an important person in my life, and until you provide me with a valid reason why I should sever ties with him, I'll continue to disappoint you," I responded, making my stance clear.

I distinctly remember discussing this matter with Daniel a few days ago, informing him that Nina and I haven't spoken since they met because she was upset about our friendship.

I shared this with him, hoping to uncover the truth and understand the situation better, to determine if Nina had a legitimate reason for me to distance myself from Daniel.

Of course, Daniel didn't disclose any information I was seeking. However, he did mention that he wasn't directly involved in whatever had transpired and that he was merely friends with the person Nina despised. He also revealed that Nina held certain misconceptions about him and his friend, and instead of seeking clarification from him directly, she resorted to some misguided actions against his friend.

I refrained from passing judgment on Nina or taking sides since I lacked the complete picture. Moreover, I saw no reason to condemn Daniel, as he hadn't done anything wrong to me. It seemed unreasonable to engage in a fight with him or avoid him solely based on someone who wasn't even willing to provide any explanation.

"You're calling me shameless, Nina, but I believe the only shameless behavior here is the way you're trying to dictate my choices and criticize me without even disclosing the reasons behind your animosity toward Daniel," I replied calmly, trying to maintain my composure.

"Perhaps when things don't go well for me, I'll learn from my own experiences. But right now, I'd appreciate it if you respected my decisions and stopped assuming the worst about Daniel without offering any substantial evidence," I added, hoping to convey my standpoint.

I began questioning why I had even befriended someone like Nina, as I generally avoid being around bitter individuals. Her venomous attitude, which I had dealt with for a considerable time, surprised and disappointed me. It was disheartening that she failed to consider the longevity of our friendship and act reasonably.

Nelly, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up, seeking to resolve the ongoing silent treatment and the fight between Nina and me. She expressed her frustration with Nina's recurring pattern of pushing people away while expecting them to understand and support her.

"We've known each other for so long, and this behavior of yours has been a constant struggle for me. You isolate yourself and refuse to communicate your thoughts, yet you blame us for not being there for you. It's exhausting," Nelly expressed her weariness with Nina's attitude.

"I'm tired of your inconsistent friendship, where you expect everyone to cater to your needs but aren't willing to reciprocate. If you truly have an issue with Daniel, it's your responsibility as a friend to communicate that to us rather than demanding that we sever ties without any explanation. Isn't that selfish?" Nelly questioned, her face reflecting her disappointment and frustration.

I could see the genuine upset in Nelly's expression and tone, realizing that Nina's behavior had affected her deeply as well. Nina had a history of treating Nelly similarly, and it was evident that Nelly had reached her limit with such treatment.

"If I wasn't ready to discuss why Daniel and I have issues, you should have understood that it must be something deeply personal for me. You should have given me time, but how could I confide in you when I wasn't sure if you were still my friend or just some infatuated girl falling for a man you barely knew?" Nina retaliated.

"All Bella had to do was keep her distance from him, or at the very least, pretend to do so until I sorted out my emotions and exposed him for the terrible person he is. Instead, she paraded him around, and went on dates with him, fully aware of how it would affect me. It only proves that she never truly cared about our friendship, and nothing you say can change my mind," she argued, her frustration evident. I let out a sigh, realizing the depth of her feelings.

"Perhaps if you had communicated that you needed time to sort out your emotions before speaking to me, I would have understood and kept my friendship with Daniel separate from you. But you made it seem like you were pressuring me to end my friendship with him when I had no valid reason to do so," I explained, attempting to defend myself.

"To me, my friendship with Daniel isn't just about a normal friendship; it's also an opportunity. He holds an influential position in the country, and I won't miss the chance to advance with his support unless I have a valid reason to do otherwise," I continued, feeling the need to justify my actions.

I acknowledged that my reasons may have sounded like excuses, but I genuinely cared about Daniel and didn't believe he was capable of any unforgivable actions.

"This conversation is pointless, and your continued association with him, despite knowing about his upcoming marriage, only shows that you shamelessly use others to climb the ladder, like a prostitute. People like you are blinded by greed and will never listen to advice," she responded, pushing my patience to its limits.

I resisted the urge to slap her again, realizing that escalating the situation would only make matters worse. Instead, I held back, unwilling to let things spiral out of control.

"You claim to be kind, yet your temper and attitude are repugnant. I can't believe I've put up with you as a friend all these years. It's truly embarrassing," Nelly hissed, rising from her seat and storming off to her room.

"You better come to your senses," I warned, finally getting up and leaving Nina by herself.