Chapter Thirteen

Bella

"Babe, seriously, everything you went through yesterday... Instead of discussing it with me, you just came home and went straight to bed. I understand it's not easy to talk about such things, but you should have let me know. I would have confronted that jerk and given him a piece of my mind. How could he even dare to pull such a stunt on you?" Nelly's words hissed, leaving me with a sigh.

"I couldn't bring myself to say anything at the moment because I was overwhelmed with disbelief. It was hard to process that something like that could happen to me. Plus, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to discuss it. The memories were still fresh, and all I wanted was some rest to clear my head," I explained, understanding the concern in Nelly's sigh.

"So, what do you think we should do about this? Should we talk to Mary and report it, or should we go straight to the police and file a case?" she asked, and a slight frown formed on my face.

As angry as I was about the incident and as much as I wanted that bastard to pay for what he did, I knew that he likely had connections and could easily manipulate the situation. Reporting it to the police might only worsen things for me. Going public with what happened could damage my career and leave me even more frustrated.

"I agree that he deserves to be in jail for his actions, but we have to consider the reality, Nelly. He's not just an ordinary person. He has money and power, and he could use that to his advantage, turning everything against me. If that happens, everything I've worked for will be destroyed. I can't let my life become meaningless," I explained, noticing the disapproving look on her face.

"Listen to yourself, Bella. We're talking about a sexual assault case here, and it's a very serious matter. I'm sure you're not his only victim. While we're grateful that you managed to escape, there might be others who weren't as lucky. I strongly urge you not to stay silent. Even if he tries to retaliate because you rejected him, the longer you wait to report it, the more time you're giving him to deny everything," Nelly said, her voice filled with concern.

"I understand how much your career means to you, and I know this situation is undoubtedly taking a toll on you. But you need to find the strength to speak up and report this issue. That bastard doesn't deserve to get away with it so easily. I know it sounds daunting right now, but if you can make him pay for his actions, it will bring you some measure of relief, even though it won't erase what happened," she insisted. Frustrated, I sighed, pushing my paints and brushes aside and rising from my seat.

"What if I report him and he still manages to evade justice? I know it's the right thing to do, but I have to consider the impact on my career. I'm also afraid that if he turns things around, people will accuse me of lying and trying to tarnish his reputation. Everything could spiral downhill for me," I explained, hoping she would understand my perspective.

I've been in situations before where I was falsely accused of fabricating stories about others, and I vividly remember how everything went downhill for me despite telling the truth. I didn't want to experience anything like that again, especially since I had just started rebuilding my life after what happened with Thomas.

"You sometimes forget that you come from a family of lawyers. You can always turn to your father for help. I'm sure if you explain the situation to him, he'll do everything in his power to put that bastard behind bars. You can also seek assistance from Mary and explain what's going on," she suggested, mentioning my family, and I almost scoffed at the thought.

It had been six months since I moved to LA, and I hadn't spoken to my father since I got here.

After what happened with Thomas and when I called off the wedding, my father didn't understand or support me. Instead, he accused me of bringing shame to our family name and making him feel embarrassed. He had boasted to his colleagues and friends about the accomplished man who would become his son-in-law, and when the wedding was called off, he saw it as a personal humiliation.

I couldn't comprehend what was going through my father's mind. Even though I didn't want to admit that Thomas had been unfaithful and deceived me, I ended up explaining the situation to him, hoping he would understand why I had to call off the wedding. However, even after my explanation, he still regarded me with disdain, and I haven't heard from him since then.

"I understand that I come from a family of lawyers, but that doesn't guarantee their support or assistance. My father won't lift a finger to help me. He despises me and wants nothing to do with me. I think I'll try my best to forget everything and move on from this incident because it seems like the most viable option," I replied to Nelly.

Nelly groaned in frustration, staring at me in disbelief. "This isn't the Bella I know. The Bella I know wouldn't be so weak and accepting of something so terrible. Instead of seeking justice against the despicable person who harmed you, you're choosing to let it slide. At the very least, if you don't report it to the police, you should confide in Mary and tell her what happened. She's the best person to talk to about this," she urged.

"I did consider discussing it with her, but I'm unsure if it's a good idea. I believe Mary has some kind of previous business relationship with this man, and if I open up to her, it might upset her and lead to a confrontation. The last thing I want is for him to think I'm spreading the details of what happened," I explained, causing Nelly's mouth to drop open in astonishment.

"Are you serious right now, or is this some kind of joke?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes, Nelly. I'm deadly serious. I genuinely believe that sharing this with Mary won't be helpful; it might only worsen the situation, and I want to avoid that," I replied, emphasizing my sincerity.

"So, in other words, what you're trying to tell me is that your fear of this man is the reason you're willing to bury what he did to you, what you went through, and pretend it never happened? You're subjecting yourself to living with those memories without seeking any form of justice, while he's likely out there, potentially victimizing others with his deceit? You know what? I feel like I've said enough, and I shouldn't stress myself to convince you to do the right thing," Nelly expressed her frustration.

"If you're too scared to do what needs to be done and prefer to hide and ignore the truth, then as your closest friend and the only person aware of this, I have no intention of doing the same. If you won't confide in Mary, then I'll talk to her myself and, if necessary, involve the media without hesitation," Nelly threatened.

"Nelly, I forbid you from doing that. The only reason I confided in you is because I trust you as my friend, and I don't want you to spread the story without my permission. I appreciate your concern, and I'm grateful for your support, but I need to protect myself and my career. Keeping quiet and allowing this to become a thing of the past is the best course of action," I quickly responded, hoping to convey my perspective.

Nelly sighed in response.

"I won't listen to that argument, and I promise not to say anything, but I need you to at least speak to Mary about it. If Mary agrees with you and advises against speaking up, then I promise I'll also keep silent, and we'll never discuss this again," she replied, urging me further. Frustrated, I sighed.

"I regret opening up to you," I hissed angrily before storming away, retreating to my room to find solace and clear my mind.

Deep down, I knew Nelly had my best interests at heart, and her points were valid. However, my fear clouded my judgment, making it difficult to see things from her perspective. I wasn't ready to risk any setbacks in my career, and that held me back.