Chapter 0005

•CAMILLA•

“Camilla?” My brother, Paxton, gasped when he opened the door.

“Hey, Pax.”

He let me inside the house and then scolded me. “Where have you been all these years? Do you have any idea how worried we were? We couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“I’m sorry, Pax. I promise to answer all your questions. Is our father home?”

Paxton was about to answer as we walked down the hallway when Cecilia approached.

“Well, well, well,” she smirked as she folded her arms across her chest. “Look who we have here. The prodigal daughter finally found her way back home. I was certain that you were dead and buried somewhere we could never find you.”

“Hi, Cecilia.” I frowned as I stood in front of her.

She was my stepmother and had been married to my father for over 15 years after my mother’s passing. She and I never got along.

In fact, Cecilia never liked me from the day she moved in with us. She always preferred my brothers over me, and she was the reason I left home.

“Paxton, please tell your father in his study that his precious daughter is home. That old man almost lost his mind thinking that you were dead or something.”

Paxton nodded before he left me and Cecilia, heading upstairs to our father’s study.

My stomach turned, and I was so scared of what he was going to say after isolating myself for 3 years and refusing to tell them where I was.

Cecilia and I just looked at each other and said nothing. When we heard footsteps striding down the stairs, we both turned and walked into the living room.

When my father saw me, he frowned. “Camilla.”

“Daddy, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have left home and said nothing to you. Please, I want to come back home.”

Cecilia laughed.

“My goodness, baby, didn’t I tell you?” She gloated as she stood beside my father. “Camilla is a disappointment. She’s a spoiled brat who has probably spent all her savings on useless things and now wants her father’s pity and money. She only came back here because of the things that you’re willing to do for her.”

My father looked at her as if considering what she was saying. I couldn’t believe that he was allowing her to control even his thoughts.

Worse, he was allowing her to poison him against me. She had him wrapped around her little finger.

“Where were you?” My father asked, as he turned and looked at me. “There’s nothing that your mother and I haven’t done to find you.”

I rolled my eyes. She wasn’t my mother. She hated me.

She loathed even the air that I was breathing. Being back home probably made her feel a burning sensation inside.

Even though she had been married to my father for 15 years, she couldn’t even pretend that she liked me.

Ever since my father brought her home when I was 9 years old, she scolded my father whenever he came home and wanted to spend time with me.

As the youngest of three brothers and the only girl, she feared extra attention from my father would spoil and corrupt me.

She made sure that I never got above a minute with my father.

On top of that, she arranged my marriage to her cousin’s son so that our family could have a business relationship with the Banks.

Since the Banks family was in charge of major gold mines, and my father was in charge of most factories, the business collaboration had profitable outcomes for both families.

“I have thought of everything that you wanted from me, Father. If this is going to make you happy, then I agree. I will proceed with the marriage arrangement if it is still possible to arrange.”

My father looked at my stepmother as if seeking some sort of approval from her. I swallowed, hoping that he was going to agree.

I had been in a worse marriage before, so this one wasn’t much of a problem for me.

Not only was it going to give me the freedom that I wanted, but it would protect my child from the slander that would come if my father and the public questioned the paternity of my baby.

“You want to go ahead with the marriage arrangement with Santino Banks?” My father asked. “It’s been 3 years, Camilla. How do you think that’s going to be possible? My business with them has been on hold ever since.”

“I know, Father, but Santino is the father of my child.” I placed my hand on my lower abdomen. “Even with the current circumstances, he and I have agreed that our marriage would solely be a business arrangement and raising our baby.”

My father gaped. “What?”

I looked behind me as the front door creaked open, and footsteps drew near. When Santino approached the living room, the room became silent.

“Is this true?” My father finally asked Santino, who was standing beside me.

“Yes, it’s true, Mr. Ross. Camilla and I have agreed to the arrangement, and if you’re still interested in the business collaboration, the paperwork can be finalized once I marry your daughter.”

I looked at my stepmother and saw how perplexed she was by the news. It was as if she never thought that I would agree to her idea so easily.

“This is absolutely BS!” Cecilia exclaimed. “This is all Camilla’s scheme to make sure that our business deal fails! She wants nothing but to bring us more shame! I will not agree to this!”

“She’s pregnant with his child, Cecilia. You wanted this from the beginning. You wanted this business with Santino Banks because you want to keep the wealth in the family, so what else do you want?” My father asked her.

“I will not stand here and watch you spoil this girl any longer and allow her to get away with a lot of things. I can’t believe that you would allow her to disrespect us and then come back and want us to do her bidding.”

Cecilia just looked at me with so much contempt before she turned around and walked away.

My father leaned closer to Santino and shook his hand. “This is purely a business arrangement, Santino. If it’s true that my daughter is carrying your child, then I expect nothing but the best father figure from you, and by any means, I don't expect my daughter to come crying to me because of you. Make sure that you remember the purpose of the arranged marriage before thinking of breaking her heart, because if you do that, I will make sure that you count your days on Earth.”

My father glanced at me before he turned his back and walked away as well.

Paxton was only standing far behind, and he left as well, leaving me and Santino alone in the living room.

As soon as the room was clear, I turned to him. “Well, Mr. Banks, I hope you remember the end of your deal. No one should know of our secret or how we even came to this decision. You and I are going to live our separate lives while married.”

He smirked. “I think I should be the one to remind you to remember the end of your deal. If there’s anyone who’s going to break the rules that we’ve set, it’s going to be you. Admit it, Camilla, I am the man who comes to fulfill your every desire when you’re sleeping at night.”

“See you tomorrow, Santino,” I rolled my eyes as I walked past him. “Don’t be late.” I headed upstairs to my old room.