CHAPTER 5

CAMILLA

I had woken up with regrets. Seeing Lawrence lying helpless on the hospital bed made me want him as good as dead. However, I turned out to be his superhero after all he's done to me.

When I was done seeing my children, I kept them with my sister while I went to get a shower. I was almost late for work, and I wouldn't want Mr. Kimber, the hospital director yelling down the entire building at me.

Thankfully, I escaped traffic and I was able to arrive at the hospital ten minutes earlier than the actual time.

 I headed for my office to start the day's job. A few minutes after I had walked in, Desmond stood by the door.

"Good morning," he greeted, drawing my attention.

I waved a smile at him. "Hey, good morning."

"How was your night?" He asked,

I shoved the strands of my hair to the back, nodding my head. "It was fine but short."

"Kids."

I chuckled. "Not like I have a choice. So, how is the victim?" I asked, changing the topic.

He shrugged his shoulders, walking in. "Still unconscious."

"Is he breathing?" Not like I cared to know, and I'd be glad if he said "No." "Yes. So we have hope he's gonna survive the trauma."

I nodded again.

"Well, Mr Kimber wants to have a word with you."

I knew I wasn't late to work, though I was close to it, but I didn't feel bothered why he was calling me. I left my office, trailing behind Desmond, my new assistant as we cautiously made our way to Mr Kimber's office.

He was busy with his computer but stopped as we walked in. "You called me, sir."

"Yes, please. Have a seat."

 I glared at Desmond and Mr Kimber at the same time. Why do I feel like there's more to it than just a boss and worker's talk?

"Is everything alright?" I asked, worried. "Yes, Mrs. Wilmer, everything is alright." "So?"

He adjusted himself on his leather chair, folding his palms together. "Well, Mrs. Wilmer, we appreciate your effort to save the victim from yesterday's incident. However, he survived the incident and he is alive as we speak."

That's a relief.

"The victim was reported to have woken up at exactly 12 am, and he kept calling your name repeatedly. So, if you don't mind me asking, do you have any relationship with the victim?"

"No, I don't."

He looked at Desmond, then at me. "Well, he requested to see you, as well as, he wants you to be his personal doctor until he fully recovers."

"Please tell me you didn't agree to his request, who told him about me being the doctor who saved him?”

“I did after he kept demanding to know the doctor who saved him. He had insisted on seeing you in his dreams, I had to show him your picture, I'm sorry,” Desmond apologized after confessing.

"I didn't know you had nothing to do with him. I felt like since he was mentioning your name in the middle of the night, maybe – somehow – you two must have known each other from somewhere." Mr. Kimber said after Desmond’s confession.

 "I appreciate your kindness, Mr Kimber but this is my job. I'm the one to decide whether or not I wish to be anyone's personal doctor."

"I understand, Mrs Wilmer."

"No, you don't!" I yelled. "I'm a mother who doesn't have time for her kids, not to talk of herself. I'm trying to save lives, dying to see that victims stay alive. Now, I've got to be some kinda sidekick doctor for some kinda stranger who got involved in an accident."

I sighed, realizing how loud my voice was. "I'm sorry." I apologized.

"It's okay, it's my fault."

"Mr Kimber..."

"I should have told you first before approving his request. I'll give the duty to Doctor Ivan, but at least you should see the victim."

I nodded.

"You can go now."

I dragged myself to leave Mr Kimber's office, walking back to mine. Why does life have to frustrate me this much? Why do I have to be a helping hand to the very man who almost made my life miserable?

Why do I have to save him when he almost ruined mine?

"Hey." Desmond held my hand, turning me so we stood face to face. He pulled me in for a hug, tapping my back soothingly. "I understand how you feel, and I don't blame you for acting rational back there."

"Thanks for understanding," I said, my voice cracking.

 He broke the hug, staring at me. "You can shift seeing him today, maybe tomorrow would do."

I nodded my head.

He hugged me again, pecking my forehead. "Take your time." He said, waving a soft smile at me.

I reciprocated, "Thank you for always being there for me." "It's nothing. What are friends for?"

—

It was a hot afternoon, and I was done with all I was doing. I had already forgotten about my conversation with Mr Kimber and my meeting with Lawrence.

I was busy with my phone, and I felt I should give my sister a call to check on my children. Just then, a knock came on the door.

I would be grateful if it were Desmond, I think I need someone to talk to and keep my day lively. "Come in."

To my disappointment, it was a nurse. "How may I help you?"

"The patient is requesting to see you." She reported. It was then I recalled I had assured Mr Kimber that I'd visit Lawrence.

"I'll be there in a minute." She left the room, I wasn't in the mood to see Lawrence.

After so many contemplations, I ended up leaving for Ward 210, which is his new ward.

 The nurses excused themselves as soon as I walked in. I would have told them to stay back and that I wasn't going to spend up to five minutes there, but they didn't look like they'd stop even if I had to make them.

He was looking out of the window but suddenly turned his face in my direction. He looked surprised, and I could tell that from the look on his face.

"Cam–"

"I heard you wanted to see me. What is it and I'll be out of here. Perhaps, I'm a little busy at the moment." I didn't mind how rude I sounded, he deserved worse than this.

"Camila, I know you don't want to look at my face, but if you can just give me a minute of your time. I want us to–"

"Talk?" I scoffed. "You never gave me the chance to talk when I wanted to, you shut me up, rejected me. So, I see no god-damn reason why we should be talking right now. Or else you have something else to tell me."

"I just wanna say, I'm sorry." His voice was cold, more like in a pleading way.

I felt unmoved by his words, I acted like I didn't care. Of course, I don't seem to care. This asshole made me look like a nobody.

"I know I hurt you in the past, I know I made things difficult for you but...please, Camila, I need you more than ever."

What does he take me for? Someone he can throw a sweet tongue at and I'll have no choice but to accept him?

I don't need his love and care, and I don't need anything about him in my life. Besides, I've been doing fine all those years without him.

 "You know, I'm more than grateful that you've realized my importance, which was something you couldn't see when you had me with you. But I'll tell you something, Mr. Knight, whatever we shared in the past remains with the past. I'm living my life in the best way, and I don't think I need any care, especially not from you."

"Cam..."

"I think you should get some rest, I'll send the nurses to check on you later." With that, I walked out of the room.

Feeling pitiful for him was the last thing I wanted right now. I won't try to mix my feelings with my job.

I went to Mr. Kimber's office, thankfully he was around. "Mrs. Wilmer, I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Me neither. Doc, I've got something to tell you."

He looked ready to hear what I've got to say. "I'm listening."

"I have agreed to be Mr Knight's personal doctor, but whatever that I have to do with him will only be my duty as a doctor and nothing else."