Today's agenda - A date with De La Cruz and a late-night dinner with the Miller family.What a day it is.Camila smiled, staring at her reflection.It feels good to be back. When she meant 'back,' she meant - blonde hair perfectly styled; she had her brown hair dyed back to the way it should be.Blue eyes - no more brown contact lenses.Earrings in both piercings.Flawless makeup, and a luxurious or maybe slightly intimidating fur coat draped over her shoulders. A short cocktail gown to complement her long legs.She bet it'll give Lawson a bit of déjà vu tonight. Or maybe a heart attack.She looked… intimidating, powerful. Like she could conquer the world.Good.Exactly the vibe she was going for.And as for the name - well, she'll wipe off Hazel for now. Or probably erase it entirely.With a final touch of her signature red lipstick, Camila turned away from the mirror, her movement slow, deliberate, like she had all the time in the world...She wasn't going to linger; she wasn't goin
"So are we going to just sit here and keep staring at each other like shy teenagers, or are we going to order something to eat?" Camila said, her nails drumming on the table. She would rather be somewhere else. But, well, because of his threats, she had no choice… does she? But Antonio just kept looking at her, no usual smirk this time. His eyes hadn't left her since she walked in. Her hair... Her blue eyes... Every inch of her was being observed, and it was making her skin crawl. And the look in his eyes, the way it narrowed and laid silent altogether, was like he was piecing together a puzzle. Finally, he stirred, leaning back. "I like the new look." Camila chuckled. It's all about her changed appearance, isn't it? Antonio gestured to the waiter, who appeared as if summoned by magic. He ordered for himself and also for Camila, who had just shrugged, preferring to be served any meal knowing she wouldn't even touch it. She had only thirty minutes to spend in this charade.
Camila: *Are you there yet?*Cole: *Please don't go in without me.*Camila: *Why? Worried I might cause a scene?*Cole: *Camila, please, I'm begging you. If you get there first, just hang around. Don't see them without me by your side.*No response.Cole frantically typed another text.*Camila.*No response. "Damn it!" he muttered, tossing his phone onto the dashboard of the car. His eyes, however, were immediately caught by Madison, who sat silently by his side, her gaze fixed on him, too intense."Seriously, Cole? You know I've warned you about texting while driving." She crossed her arms, but there was something else in her eyes Cole couldn't place. "If it was that big of a deal, you could've asked me to type it for you.""No, thank you," Cole replied quickly. "It wasn't...." He trailed off, a knot forming in his stomach under her unwavering stare."Who was that on the phone?" Madison cut in sharply.Cole hesitated for a fraction of a second too long. "Camila."Madison's expressio
"Where are you going?"Lawson froze at his mother's voice, already halfway to the hall that led to the front door."Out," he said, not breaking his stride."Lawson." Her voice rose, and he stopped, letting out a frustrated sigh."Remember, we have dinner tonight with Madison's boyfriend.""I trust you, Mother. You wouldn't let Madison marry just anybody, so... this dinner? My presence isn't necessary," he shot back, not bothering to turn.His mother shot up from the couch, her voice sharp. "Are you out of your mind, Lawson? We agreed on this already! Before Madison goes through with the wedding, we meet his family."She scoffed, a harsh sound. "Your first marriage was a disaster, and this one, with Diane, has proven to be useless and a..." She trailed off, muttering about Diane's inability to have children and the loss of their first child due to carelessness. Then, her voice rose again, firm. "We – and I emphasize we – are not letting Madison make a mistake."Lawson scoffed, a famili
"Sorry I'm late; I got caught up in traffic."A woman.That same woman. At the elevator. But something's different about her today.The hair, the eyes... what hit Lawson most were the legs.Long, slim, so familiar. At the hospital, he hadn't taken notice, too engrossed in her mysterious behavior and the argument with Diane. Now it's so... even more mysterious.Lawson's eyes narrowed at the figure striding in with an air of confidence. Jaw set, shoulders squared, her smile seemed to hold a thousand secrets... so much arrogance in every step, like she owned the world and it should fall at her feet.She reminded him of a certain someone—same blond hair and blue eyes...Wait...He paused, brow furrowed...Who is she? How is she related to Cole? Or was it a family resemblance? It's so striking.Lawson began to walk over, hand outstretched, prioritizing formality first before going deeper.He smiled, eyes crinkling."And.. you are?"She stopped, her eyes trailing to his hand. She didn't tak
No one spoke.No one moved.The silence was heavy, suffocating. The room suddenly felt too small.Lawson just stood staring at the space Camila had occupied. Her words echoed in his mind like a mantra: "Lawson had my kidney, and yet treated me like I was less than dirt."The truth hit him hard. She was right. He had.He never loved her. He was distant, only saw her as his father's pawn. He could still recall the look in her eyes, the hurt, the resentment as she stormed away that day, like she would shatter if she stayed a minute longer.He should have stopped her. He should have tried harder. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't have led to this very moment.The silence stretched, taut and uncomfortable, before Diane finally shattered it. She turned on Cole, her eyes wild."You didn't come here for the dinner, did you? You don't want Madison. You just used her... and that woman... you willed her to appear to prove that she's the real Camila because..." Her voice trailed off, the words seemi
Cole watched her, his own eyes wet. He wanted to hold her, but he didn't dare. "What can I do, Cami?" he asked, his voice shaky. "Tell me anything. I'll do anything to fix this." Camila let out a bitter chuckle. "You can't change what happened, Cole. Right now… I just need you to leave. I need to be alone." Cole stood there, looking at her, took one step back, then hesitated. His words seemed trapped in his throat. But he could only mutter one sentence. "I'm not giving up." And this only fueled Camila's anger. Her face scrunched up, and she pushed herself up from the bed, but then, there was another knock on the door. "Come in," Camila didn't hesitate. Anything to get rid of this suffocating tension with Cole. The door opened slowly, and someone stepped in—someone unexpected. Madison. Camila let out a short, humorless laugh. As if this confrontation with Cole wasn't bad enough. Now here comes a Miller with a pity face, here to play the good girl of the family. Madis
Antonio watched himself in the mirror, carefully fastening the buttons on his jacket. Simple and smooth, just as he liked the party to go. It’s Abuelo's birthday party orchestrated by the good daughter-in-law, Emily.So sweet, wasn't it? But he knew better. He knew the gears turning in her head while she planned this messed-up celebration. She always wanted to crawl back to him; well, today she'll know there's nothing to crawl back to anymore.He gave his reflection a little nod, liking what he saw. But then a familiar face appeared behind him in the mirror—Emily.Dark eyeliner, glossy lipstick, and a dress too daring for an old man's birthday. Cleavage on full display on her off-shoulder. She was a vision of calculated allure.Her arms circled his waist from behind. "Good afternoon or evening. Didn’t keep track of time," she whispered, her cheek soft against his back.Without a word, Antonio peeled her hands off; it was a struggle at first, but there’s an advantage to being a man.Sh
Silence hung for a breathless moment. Lawson's mind struggled to catch up with the sudden shift in power. One second he was the pursuer, the next he was pinned, interrogated by the very person he was trying to find.His eyes locked with Camila's. Gone was the carefree laughter he had witnessed earlier. If eyes could kill, he would have dropped dead by now."So what now? You're stalking me?" she spat, slipping her hand off the wall."Cami—""Not only did you choose the long, drawn-out way of divorce, but you're also stalking me. Or perhaps you're trying to provoke me into filing a lawsuit for—""You've got a lot of cash to spend on lawsuits, don't you?" Lawson cut her off suddenly, pushing himself off the wall.Camila didn't flinch, her feet tapping on the ground. Lawson noticed the sound, looked down, and then back up. He chuckled; he bet she wanted to strangle him right then."You haven't changed a bit. You're still the same short-tempered, emotional woman behind this," he pointed to
She was laughing... like really laughing.The other guy was saying something in her ear, and the way she flinched as his breath touched her skin, the way she leaned so close to him that there was a space between them, was all a punch to his gut.It wasn't just that she was with someone else; it was the easy intimacy, the unrestrained joy on her face, the comfortable closeness that felt so... exclusive.She acts like a saint, yet despite them still being married, she's having an affair? Then she is no better than he is.He tore his gaze away, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He focused on the woman still holding his arm, her smile now seeming almost mocking."Looks like she's having a good time," the woman commented. "Perhaps your grand entrance wasn't as impactful as you'd hoped?"Lawson frowned, but she didn't let him speak."Oh right, how do I know?" She chuckled, glancing at Camila again. "She's on my watch list, so I know everything about her.""You're stalking her?" Lawson's brow f
Antonio felt his thigh flinch; it was subtle but enough for him to register her threat.Instantly, he pulled back, the smirk disappearing from his face, replaced by a serious, almost dismissive expression."Speaking of personal space," he said coolly, "you're way too close. Shift, please." He then nodded curtly toward the staircase. "And go get dressed."He turned his gaze away from her, his attention fixed on something across the room, effectively ending the close confrontation.He could practically see the smug look on Camila's face as she climbed up the stairs with an air of confidence that came out of nowhere.She had officially become the only woman who could balance the power imbalance; even Emily, this deranged sometimes, wouldn't dare cross him using methods like that.Deflecting intimidation.A few minutes later, Camila descended the stairs, her hair curled and cascading down her back, a short cocktail gown clinging to her curves in all the right places, heels high enough to
It has been exactly four weeks since Camila paid a visit to the Millers, and exactly four weeks since she'd given Diane and her mother a warning.But of course, it's clear they didn't take her words seriously.They never did. They never ever thought she would be capable of standing up for herself because she had been too weak all these years enduring all the abuse from her Aunt Julie.Julie had been Cole and Camila's guardian since the devastating car accident that claimed their parents' lives when they were eight.Their parents, pillars within the family, had placed their trust in Julie, entrusting her and her brother with the care of their children and their wealth, to be managed until the twins reached eighteen.Camila couldn't understand how her parents' death, so sudden and awful, could have felt like something they knew was coming.That thought had haunted her for years until she finally let it go.Upon their eighteenth birthday, Julie's manipulations began. She insisted they we
Camila's phone buzzed – Mr. Hernández's name flashed on the screen. Camila answered, a familiar knot tightening in her stomach. "Ms. Lopez," the lawyer said, his voice carrying bad news, "Lawson. He refused to sign the divorce papers." Camila's breath caught, but she kept her voice steady. "So, what do we do now?" "It complicates things," he explained simply. "Without his signature, we'll have to file a petition with the court to start the divorce ourselves. He'll have a deadline to respond, and depending on that and the court's schedule, it could take several months." "A trial?" The word felt heavy. She'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, that Lawson would cooperate. Now, it seemed like a long road ahead. "A trial is possible later," he confirmed. "But first, we file that petition. Please gather any financial records, the separation agreement, and any communication with him we haven't discussed. We need to prepare our case." "Alright. I'll get those documents to you soon.
Lawson stared at the "DIVORCE AGREEMENT" in front of him. Cold papers. He scanned every font, but he wasn't reading a single word. Alive. Camila was alive. That's all that screamed in his head.And divorce? That was the first thing she thought of? After all this time?He knew he'd messed up before. Badly. Hurt her.But this... this felt like a punch after barely catching his breath.She was back. He'd imagined this moment a thousand times – tears, hugs, relief flooding him. Not this stark white paper. Not a lawyer's polite cough. Judgmental stares and annoying impatience.A lifetime of grief had lifted, replaced by a fragile, unbelievable joy. He didn't even get the chance to apologize, hold her, or even have a normal conversation.And now this. No time to even register she was safe. Just this demand. This ending. He shook his head slightly, a bitter laugh escaping him. It was almost cruel.The lawyer cleared his throat, bringing him back to reality."Mr. Miller, once you've reviewed
Antonio went wide.What? Was he surprised? Why?It's what he wanted, wasn't it?Camila kissed him harder, her fingers tangled in his hair.Antonio held her tight. His fingers dug into her waist. The kiss felt strong, too rough for a charade. His lips moved with hers. They breathed hard.This wasn't just acting. Camila felt something new. A hot feeling. A little scary, but it would go away the moment she pulled away. She was sure of that.His hand moved on her back. His scent filled her nose. The music went soft. Too soft for what it should have been. It felt just like them.Camila pulled back; her lips felt full. Her face was hot, her toes curling restlessly. Her heart pounded in her chest.Antonio's eyes were dark, his fingers still framing her chin.A quiet moment. They breathed fast, eyes locked.And then it snapped.Camila slid her fingers from his hair, shifted back a little, and flashed him a brief smile."Well," she said, her voice soft. "That was… something.""Something… good?
"Dress as sexy as yesterday. We are going to a party. I'll text you the address and time," Camila said, a sarcastic laugh in her voice."You do know I'm not a puppet you string, Antonio. If I'm going to be your girlfriend, you're going to give me an explanation. At least tell me where I'm going, whose party it is. So we won't have any problems."Antonio smirked, impressed. "What a threat." He intercepted a passing tray, snagging a glass of red wine and offering it to her. "Drink this and calm down. I like you better when you're not angry."Camila's eyes stayed on him for a moment. Without a word, she snatched the glass from his hand. "Yeah," she said, her voice cool, "it's definitely better for you when I'm calm."She gulped the drink all in one go.Antonio smiled at the sight and took the empty glass from her while offering his hand.Eyes narrowed. Jaw set. Charming like a gentleman."Wanna dance?" he asked.Camila laughed. To be honest, she was flattered. She had come here thinking
Antonio watched himself in the mirror, carefully fastening the buttons on his jacket. Simple and smooth, just as he liked the party to go. It’s Abuelo's birthday party orchestrated by the good daughter-in-law, Emily.So sweet, wasn't it? But he knew better. He knew the gears turning in her head while she planned this messed-up celebration. She always wanted to crawl back to him; well, today she'll know there's nothing to crawl back to anymore.He gave his reflection a little nod, liking what he saw. But then a familiar face appeared behind him in the mirror—Emily.Dark eyeliner, glossy lipstick, and a dress too daring for an old man's birthday. Cleavage on full display on her off-shoulder. She was a vision of calculated allure.Her arms circled his waist from behind. "Good afternoon or evening. Didn’t keep track of time," she whispered, her cheek soft against his back.Without a word, Antonio peeled her hands off; it was a struggle at first, but there’s an advantage to being a man.Sh