CHAPTER 1

Pain……

Sometimes pain is a horrible thing that can destroy you and make you feel like exploding.

Have you ever felt useless because you have no say in whatever someone above you declare?

That is exactly how Camilla Lorenzo felt right now. The delicate tea cup clutched around her hand felt warm in her palm but her whole body was cold.

She held the sharp blade in her other hand tightly while placing the teacup down, one could even catch a glimpse of the sharpness from a far distance, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly while she let the blade cut through her soft delicate skin.

The dripping sound of her blood on the floor made it weird as it spilled everywhere. To be honest, it was a total relief. Feeling those pain relieved her from the things she felt and couldn't share.

“Everything will be fine.” She tried to comfort herself.

Her uncle’s wife wants her to get married and carry a stranger's baby. Point of correction, she was forcing her into this even when she was clearly not interested.

She had left Camila with no choice because she keeps using their goodwill against her. She wanted to run, hide or even lie low for some time but she just couldn't for unknown reasons.

Her whole life has been one to make her angry. She had done nothing but love her aunt but she always felt so much anger towards her in return, Camilla felt like she was nothing but a big burden to her.

She felt like she was someone who her aunt could fling around whenever she wished and yearned for. She was already trying to trade her for money, how nice of her.

She had never in her life loved Camilla as her child because she would never get her approval as one of hers.

She breathes out deeply.

Camilla Lorenzo has lived with her uncle and his wife since she was a little baby and she has considered them as the only family that she has. Sadly enough, her uncle and his wife bore no child and that was something that had solely angered her aunt so much.

Her uncle was a wealthy businessman and she had ended up taking up his whole business which was another reason to anger his wife but sadly he had passed away and ended the business to Camilla.

Even if she ran the business alone, his wife still had so much say in whatever ran in the company.

“You should have died when your parents did but you ended up taking my husband!” These were the exact words Camilla would listen to every day since the passing of her uncle.

I think that’s enough for now, she was presently seated on the floor thinking of a way out of this predicament that had Chosen to befall her on this shitty morning.

She wanted to elope so badly but this business was given to her to take care of and if she was to do anything stupid. She might end up regretting it so badly.

Camilla was only twenty-two. She was being given out without her own consent which was unfortunate, why was she even expecting to be told about all of this?

Never in her life had she thought of marriage at such a young age, she knew that her uncle would never be in support of any of this if he was alive and not six feet under the ground.

Alright, maybe she had thought of getting married a few times but it never crossed her mind lately and she had always thought of marrying for love and not for some contract arrangement.

Of all the people to be married to, why did it have to be Oscar Vicente? He was a well-known brutal billionaire who was manipulative, rude, arrogant, and brutal. Most rumours around said that he was deadly. Even Camilla was afraid of him,

Not like she was afraid of him but why was he the person chosen as her contracted husband?

Mainly, the company wasn't doing well and investors kept taking out their shares and then her aunt's credible solution was marrying her into that family.

“Mandy?” She yelled as the door to her room flung open showing her closest friend ever since she was young, her mother was the nanny who had raised Camilla since she was little.

But sadly she had passed away and Mandy had taken up most of her responsibility to look after Camilla. She was the only one Camilla could trust in the house since her uncle passed away.

“Mandy, I have somewhere to go tomorrow, can you make sure that my things are being stacked for a short trip?” She said,

Mandy instead glanced at her hand and the floor in shock. She uttered nothing more as she staggered towards where Camilla sat with her hand cut very deeply!

She slowly held Camilla's hands as a tear escaped her eyes. Mandy was the exact version of her mother and that was the reason why Camilla felt very much comfortable with her. Instantly, she felt that dull pain piercing deep within her heart and the president sent of loneliness she felt when she lost her uncle.

Mandy had ended up making the blood stop but there was still dried blood coated around Camilla's hand. Not like the hand was hurting Camilla anymore, this was nothing compared to what she felt inside.

“Why did you have to do this? You are a strong woman who can overcome anything.” She said while collecting the sharp object from Camilla's grip.

“It’s noth___” Camilla tried to speak but she was instantly interrupted.

“This is everything, Camilla, what’s wrong with you? You can’t just end things now when I need you the most!” She said as the gushes had increased.

“I wasn't planning on dying!” Camilla finally said after a moment of silence between the two.

“Let's just get your hand cleaned before it gets infected,” she said, going to get the first aid. She didn't even question Camilla on why she had done this because she obviously knew why she had done something like this.

Soon, she was back while Camila watched her clean the wound and apply the pristine and neat bandage around the extremely red area.

Her head had begun to throb badly from the pain she now felt, this must be from the few antidotes Mandy had applied to her wounds.

“I know that you might be feeling bad but I know you would be fine because you have me. Does your aunt still want you to marry Oscar?” Mandy questioned very slowly while she put all the items back in the first aid.

Mandy had practically heard them arguing the day her aunt showed up at her house unexpectedly. They practically don't leave together or one person might end up dead.

Mandy knew that Camilla’s aunt had so much say in her life. She would always find a way to make her look low and cheap in front of the workers at the company.

“Yes!” She finally answered, getting up from where she sat to glare at the window. Her eyes were beginning to glitter in tears because She knew that nobody was going to help her out of this predicament.

Camilla felt helpless, vulnerable, and powerless. She had argued so much with her auntie but that only seemed to bring more menace and threat. It seems like she had made up her mind and nothing could be done about it.

She quickly rubbed out the tears that had rolled down my cheeks, her eyes inched badly but she cared less about that.

“You would be fine!” the gentle voice of Mandy came but that only seemed to awaken more tears. The look in Mandy's eyes was that of pity and Camilla hated that look.

She appreciated her for being here with her but she didn't like the look she was giving her.

“You don't understand any of the things i’m going through right now, so I wouldn't want you to say everything would be fine!” Camilla voiced out as Mandy nodded slowly.

“Can I have a little privacy right now?” Camilla said afterwards with a shaky voice and trembling lips.

Mandy's hands slowly rubbed her back before she slowly kissed Camilla's forehead.

“You don't have to do anything stupid to overcome any hard time, you would be fine. Trust me!” she said, squeezing Camilla's shoulder gently before taking her leave.

She felt herself shaking uncontrollably. “He is not here!” she tried to assure herself.

“You are not close to him!” she assured herself further.