003

CAMILLA'S POV.

*** A month later ***

“Pregnant?” 

Lily nodded, her eyes wide with curiosity. I shook my head, walking over to the window and closing the blinds. The sun was hot that afternoon, and had gotten even hotter after what my mother's personal assistant had just told me.

My parents had welcomed me back to Paris with open arms after I found my way back to them. But that wasn't before rubbing it in my face that had warned me about Bryan. They gave me back my place in the company, but the pile of work that I had to do caused me to miss my secretary job in Los Angeles.

“I'm just stressed out, Lily. Pregnancy isn't the only reason a woman throws up.” I sniffed, walking back to the bed and sinking into it with a groan.

“I still think you should get a proper test done.” She insisted, walking over to the bed and holding the bed frame firmly. Her calculating eyes roamed by body, and I sighed.

“I'm not getting any tests carried out. I'm not pregnant, I haven't been intimate in forever!” I whined, annoyed by her pestering. 

She finally moved away, her shoulders dropping in defeat. “Fine then. But you should get ready for the board meeting this evening. Your parents will be waiting.” 

“Sure.” I shut my eyes and heard the door close as she walked out. The whole room fell into deafening silence after she left, and her words echoed in my ears endlessly. 

“Impossible.” I shook the thought off, refusing to believe that a night of careless pleasure had resulted in a pregnancy.

Later that evening, I got dressed and left with Lily to meet my parents at the office. The conference room was already filled to the brim with experienced executives and CEOs who had gathered to hear my first pitch since I assumed my position. 

I had prepared an excellent presentation for that day, one that I was sure my parents would be proud of. But as soon as I climbed the podium and started to speak on the rising stock price, my vision blurred. 

I ignored it at first and carried on with my speech, but it only got worse. My head spun like I had just stepped out of a rollercoaster, and my heartbeat seemed to be slowing. Before I could stop myself, my hand flew to my forehead, a sigh escaping my lips. 

“Camilla?” My mother's calm voice echoed, and I looked at her, but her face was barely visible. “Are you alright?” 

I opened my mouth to speak, but I fell back before any word could come out, and landed on the cold, marble floor with a thud.

“Camilla!” 

….

My eyes fluttered open, and I groaned painfully. I recalled everything that happened pretty quickly, and when I turned to my side, I met my mother's angry gaze.

“Do you want to explain what that embarrassment was all about?” She fired, her voice shifting from the gentle calmness I had always known into something filled with resentment.

“Mom?” 

“You're pregnant, Camilla.” 

Like a bomb, my heart dropped to my feet, and my blood ran cold. I stared at her with widened eyes, and ears itching to hear that she was just joking.

“That's not possible, mom.” I tried to play it off.

“The doctor came here and ran two tests and they both confirmed that you are one month pregnant! Your father is boiling right now, he can't even look at you!” 

Tears pooled in my eyes, my head banged with an awful headache as I tried to understand what was going on. I was pregnant for that man? The escort that I had a one night stand with? 

I knew it was him, Bryan hadn't touched me in the two months that led up to our anniversary. 

Oh God! Why me? Why is this happening now?

“Mom.. I…” 

“Save it, Camilla. I'm very disappointed in you. We accepted you back after you humiliated us by following that good for nothing Bryan and now you do this!?” 

She glared dangerously at me before groaning and storming off in a hurry. 

My life crashed before my eyes. How could this happen? How on earth was I supposed to raise a child by myself?

*** Nine Months Later ***

My parents stood by me even when they swore they wouldn't. As I was rolled into the theater for a cesarean section, they held my hands until the doctor pleaded with them to wait outside. 

Loud cries tore from my chest as intense pain rippled through my body. I was in labor, and my body could barely take it. 

I was given an injection, and then they proceeded to cut me open while I lay there in gruesome pain. I couldn't feel the pain of the cut, but every other part of my body burned. 

I had wanted to push, but the doctors examined me and told me that there was no way that I could push three big babies out of my vagina. I had been stunned to discover that I was having triplets, but my mother assured me that I was not alone. 

The cry of the first baby echoed in the theater, and a short smile tugged on my lips. Then, came the second baby, and soon after, the third. I felt a sense of relief washing over me when they were all placed on my chest. 

“Congratulations! You have two boys and one beautiful girl!” The nurse clapped in excitement.

Hot tears ran down my cheeks as I hugged my babies to my chest. I swore there and then, despite the aching pain that travelled through my body, that I was going to love them more than anything, and I was going to raise them alone no matter how stressful it got.

“My babies.” I sniffed, covering their tiny faces with kisses. 

Things were supposed to get better now, or so I thought.