Chapter 7

CAMILLA.

Tomorrow, I was finally going to tie the knot with that bastard. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or shout. I sat right In Front of my dressing table and stared at my reflection with pity for myself. I didn’t look like one of those happy brides, those ones who couldn't wait to walk down the aisle and say 'I do'. I looked more like a widow who just got kicked out from her late husband's house and stripped of every inheritance that her husband left her.

Abruptly, I got up to pace around the room that had been mine since I was a child. It was very big, with one area totally occupied by the huge sized bed, and the other given over to a soft cushion chair and several paintings on the wall. The room was decorated in shades of royal purple and white. The four double windows on the far wall looked out on my most favorite part. I pushed one open. It was a hot summer day, and the park, carpeted thickly with grass, sparkled in the sun. The hot air seemed to invigorate me. At least, it eased some of the awful apathy that possessed me.

Today was unfortunately my birthday too, my twenty-second birthday. I should be happy, considering how lucky I was. Already over the hill, I was about to wed one of the finest catches in the entire city after Grey. I should be thanking my mother. I should be grateful.

The problem was, I wasn’t any of those things.

And just then, his image loomed, dark, mocking.

Gush, I tried to shove it away. I shouldn't allow him to invade my thoughts so frequently; indeed, there were times when I did not think of him at all for an entire hour—then I would remember, and in the remembering, know I had not forgotten him at all. I had not forgotten how he rudely sent me out of his office without giving a damn about his unborn baby in my womb! Just a selfish bastard that thinks solely of himself alone!

I hated that I couldn't get him out of my head. And probably never would. The hurt after the rejection was long since gone. There was only anger replaced with it instead.

My instincts had been right all along. He was not the man I saw in those magazines and newspapers. He was a bum and a bastard. There was only one person he cared about, and that was his foolish self. I was better off without him, and I knew it. If he had cared at all for anyone at all, he would have never asked me to get rid of his child. It had been a shock.

I barely remembered the ride back to the house. I had been in a state of hysteria, thinking Alexander Grey was going to call my phone and regret his actions. But instead he looked at me in the face and showed me a forged medical report of his impotence. I had begged him to let me prove him wrong with a DNA test. His foolish friend had grabbed me roughly.

"What is going on, madam?"

I didn’t give a thought to the consequences of revealing the truth. "I don’t want to get married to him, and you're the only person that can save me!" I sobbed. "Please you have to help me get back all that I've lost."

"I don’t understand." But Grey was pale with comprehension.

"You know I'm not lying, this child belongs to you!"

Everything that happened played back in my head like it was happening again right before.

Now I know part of the truth. They want me to get married to Benjamin so they could take over the remaining part of the inheritance and render me helpless or possibly kill me. And as always, Julia succeeds in whatever she decides to do.

My mother's sudden furious entrance took me back to reality and I remembered that today was my introduction to Benjamin's family, which I so badly didn't want to be part of. Seeing that I wasn't even ready, my mother dragged me from the window, and straight to my dressing table.

"How dare you!" I was furious. "I’m done with this marriage, damn it! I have every right—"

"You have no rights!" my mother shouted, raising his hand.

I shrank against the wall. Never had I seen my mother so enraged—and so close to violence. I didn’t move, understanding that she was fighting for control—and that the violence she so barely restrained was directed at me.

She recovered. There was no sound in the small room except for our harsh, uneven breathing.

"Mother?"

My mother turned away, covering her face with her hands. "My God! I almost hit you, Camilla!"

I went to her and touched her shoulder. "It’s alright. I understand that you want me to marry Benjamin because you know he's right for me and you love me."

She turned to me and embraced me hard. I closed my eyes and clung to her. This was the mother I knew and loved—my hero since I had been a tiny girl, someone who could make anything right.

But this time, my illusions were rudely shattered. She didn’t help to fix my world. She's destroying it without even knowing.

My mother insisted I didn't waste any more time. She insisted I get dressed and ready for the introduction. I refused. I demanded I needed time to process everything; my mother forbade it. Beneath our battle of wills existed intense, anguished emotions, and soon we were embroiled in a frightening screaming match. Neither Benjamin, his mother or Julia could reconcile the two of us. And to make matters worse, everyone was on my mother's side, everyone was trying to convince me that I must get ready for the introduction since I can't go back on my plans of getting married to Benjamin. I almost stopped and wanted to tell them that I did not have any form of love for that man, but I kept quiet. Apparently, no one was listening to me; apparently, no one cared. So what was the need of talking?

That evening after the awful introduction, my mother brought me the papers. Despite the trauma of the day, I was exhausted and dozing. At my mother's knock, I sat up. She came in carrying hot chocolate, but I saw only the documents in her hand.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I wasn't asleep yet."

"Brought you some hot chocolate." She smiled.

I couldn’t smile back. I was still too close to tears. I watched her sit by my feet and hand me the mug.

"How are you?"

I grimaced. "I am confused, mother. I have a lot of things in my mind but I can not tell anyone. I don't know if I'm making the right decision. I'm scared."

I know I should tell her the truth, but how? How could I possibly look her in the eyes and tell her that her favorite daughter is plotting my demise? Hell, she wouldn't believe me. There was absolutely no need. 

My mother looked at me for a while then she said. "I believe it must be the wedding doubts. Trust me, it will go away soon. Benjamin is the best thing for you."

I've lost count of how many times I've heard her say that! Why is everyone detecting what's best for me? Why don't they look and see that I'm actually not happy?

I stared.

"I’m sorry, Camilla," my mother said, standing. "But the wedding must be held tomorrow."

I didn't answer her, I was too weak to even say anything.