Things were tense, Veronica expected it, how could they not be? She just told Liam that she had feelings and cheated with Drake—with his best friend. She told him the bittersweet news that she was expecting a child, but because of a careless mistake during a fling she never should have asked for the paternity was up in the air. Was she carrying the next heir to the throne of Cordonia or final nail in the coffin that held the life that they could have had? Paternity would have to be declared, either way she was making the crown look unstable, weak. Even if the baby was the next heir, would he or she be accepted with open arms or would they be shunned by the court, the nation because of the horrible mistake their mother made?
Veronica hated that Liam couldn’t even look in her direction, she knew she deserved it, deserved everything he threw at her, but she couldn’t stand the silence. She wished he’d throw away his courtly façade and yell at her, throw something, do anything but quietly avoid her. She knew everything she told him broke him, was like crushing his pure selfless heart under the sharp stiletto heel, but she was broken too. Yet, she didn’t deserve to feel sad, broken, her lies, deceit, and selfishness were the cause of all the pain, all of his pain.
It wasn’t just pain for Liam she created, she unilaterally screwed up the lives of three people with a series of insanely bad decisions. She wrecked Liam’s friendship with Drake, left Drake’s life hanging in limbo while he waited to find out if he was the father or not. But Drake didn’t have a clue, she told Liam, but they both had taken to avoiding Drake for completely different reasons.
Liam was avoiding his best friend because he couldn’t bear to look at the face of the man who could betray him so completely, keep so many secrets—lies. Veronica was avoiding him trying to keep her world from completely crashing down around her, but it was too late. The moment she let Drake into her heart she had let that first domino fall causing a long lasting chain reaction. The second she chose to sleep with him at the homecoming ball she put the first nail in the coffin, destroying any hope of a happy future with Liam. The minute she asked for a fling and followed through with Drake she lit the dynamite that exploded what could have been between her and Liam. No—it was far too late to save her relationship with Liam, it would never be the same, she just had to wait for the dust to clear and the search party to tell her what was left of her relationship—her life.
Drake, she needed to tell Drake, she didn’t think she could bear telling him that she wrecked everything between all three of them, things could never, would never be the same. She knew she had to be the one to tell him, tell him that Liam knew—everything, tell him there was a possibility that he would be a father. God! How would he react? Would he think there was hope for them now that her relationship with Liam was in ruins—but there wasn’t. Or was there? How would she tell a man that is just a friend that she may be carrying his child instead of her husband’s? Was he just a friend? How could she tell him without giving him false hope? Would it be false hope? Isn’t this what you wanted—a second chance? How would she tell Liam’s best friend that she had told him, the man she loved, of their shared betrayal? Is Liam the one I love—the one with my heart? If he was would I have cheated so easily?
Veronica found her legs carrying her away from the royal suite to Drake’s room, seemingly of their own volition. She paused at Drake’s door, terrified of what waited inside. Why was she more scared of telling Drake than she was of telling Liam—her own husband? Maybe I made the wrong choice. She shook her head, trying desperately to calm her swarming thoughts before knocking on the door, waiting with bated breath for Drake to answer.
The door opened revealing Drake looking just as handsome as ever, in his dark wash jeans, denim button up shirt—buttoned halfway showing off his white tee underneath. Stop it! He’s not the one I love! But isn’t he? Why did I stray if my heart lies with Liam?! She forced a small smile, trying to hide the conflicted thoughts and feelings flying around her overly crowded brain.
“What’s up Jones?” Drake asked, barely taking in her haggard appearance, just happy to see her after days of avoidance.
Veronica bit her lip nervously, “there’s something I need to talk to you about, can I come in?” She asked, her stomach twisting into knots.
Drake nodded as he stepped aside allowing her to pass him, he closed the door behind her, walking to the small bar cart. He picked up the decanter of whiskey pouring himself some into an empty rock glass, “want some?” He asked holding up the bottle.
“No thank you.” She replied as she sat in the nearby reading chair, she placed her hands in her lap, aimlessly twisting her wedding band.
Drake quirked an eyebrow at her response, she was always up to drinking whiskey with him, “so what’s up?” He asked as he turned leaning backwards against the cart, taking a sip of his whiskey relishing in the burn in his throat.
“Maybe you should sit down first.” She replied softly, still playing with her wedding band.
“That bad Jones?” He joked laughing off her suggestion.
“Yes.” She replied, her blue eyes shining with worry and regret.
Drake’s eyes widened in surprise at the answer, trying to figure out what she could have to say that was that bad as he moved over to sit on the edge of his bed. He rested his rock glass on his knee as he looked expectantly at her to continue.
“Liam—Liam knows—everything.” She said, her voice soft, tears welling up in her eyes at the memory of how broken he was at her news.
“He knows what Jones?” He asked nervously.
“Us—everything, the feelings we shared, the stolen moments during the social season, the stolen kisses during the engagement tour—us having sex at the homecoming ball—” she started her voice shaking from the unshed tears.
“What?! How did he find out?” Drake exclaimed, fear written across his face.
“I—I told him.” She replied, her eyes cast down at her rings as she nervously twisted them.
“Why?” He asked, fear giving way to shock and hope.
“I had to tell him, I told him about the fling too, he never asked if I followed through and with whom if I did, so he knows—he knows it all.” She explained, her eyes still not looking at his.
“Why did you have to tell him?” He questioned, his voice and eyes filled with hope, hope that she was choosing him. She can’t she’s married! But she told him!
“I’m pregnant, and I don’t know if it’s yours or his.” She whispered, the tears falling silently at the memory of her husband’s broken face when she told him.
“What?” Drake asked in surprise, hope bubbling in his chest, “what does this mean for us?”
“I don’t know.” She replied, her gaze finally falling on him.
She didn’t know, she didn’t know what any of this meant for any of them. She didn’t know if things were over between her and Liam, she no longer knew where her heart lay, she didn’t know what would come of this. Only time would tell where they go from here.
