Chapter One Camilla ~~~~ After setting up the table I went upstairs to freshen up and wait for Raffael. It was our third anniversary and I made dinner. I also decorated the room with some flowers and scented candles. It was currently ten minutes past 10 and he still wasn’t back. I tried calling him but he wasn’t answering his phone. I called Anthony, his assistant but he also didn’t pick up the phone. It was getting really late but I was determined to stay awake till he came back. I went to make coffee so I could stay awake. “Ms Edwards I don’t think he’ll be back anytime soon. You should go to bed.” Martha, my housekeeper said with a pitiful expression on her face. “I’ll wait one more hour. You can go to bed.” I waved her off picking up my phone to try and call him again. “Not to overstep but you know he’s not coming back. Goodnight.” She said before retiring to her room. She wasn’t wrong. I knew he wasn’t coming back. At least not today. He’d probably show up tomo
Chapter Two Camilla ~•~ “What’s this?” I asked, feigning ignorance. “Open it.” He said.I opened the file he handed to me and brought the documents out. They were divorce papers.I flipped through them and let out a laugh but there was no humor in it.He turned around to leave and then said, “Sign those before I get back.”I laughed again. “I’m not signing these.”He turned back to me. “What do you mean you’re not signing it?”I threw the papers at his face. “I’m not signing it.”“Camilla, don’t be difficult. Sign the papers so we can go our separate ways. I’m tired of this.” He picked the papers up, arranged them, and handed them back to me.“Are you deaf? I’m not signing it. You’re going to divorce me and go be with Tori?”“This is not about Tori. It’s about us and the fact that we’ve been in a loveless marriage for three years.” “I love you Raffael. I’ve always loved you. Why won’t you love me back?” “Love you back?” He scoffed. “You and your grandfather forced me into this
Chapter Three Raffael ~~ I drove my car out of the compound looking at her through the rearview mirror as she watched me leave, looking defeated. She had refused to sign the papers claiming it was because of Tori. That was half true. I’d already planned to file for divorce months ago, Tori coming back was just the tip of the iceberg. Three years ago we got married because she liked me. She persuaded her grandfather to meet with my dad and organize an arranged marriage for us. My father, in a bid to save his failing company, had no choice but to agree. I only agreed to it because of my father but after he passed a year ago, I had no reason to be in a marriage where I didn’t love my wife. My mum and sister weren’t in support of our marriage so I had backup for the divorce. I drove to the hotel where Tori was staying. I parked at the underground parking and made my way to the elevator. I pressed the button to go up to the fifth floor and made my way to her suite. “Tori?” I cal
Chapter Four Raffael ~~~ I looked at her in disbelief. She had just slapped me for saying the kiss was a mistake. I took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t know how those pictures and videos got out.” “I don’t want to hear any of that. Get rid of them before tomorrow. Grandpa shouldn’t find out about it.” She said then went to the bathroom to freshen up. She was right. I picked up my phone and called Tori. “Have you seen the news?” I asked. “Yes, the media is brutal, the headlines are crazy.” “That’s not what this is about. I don’t think we should see each other for now.” “But-” She tried to complain. I interrupted her. “But nothing. I’ll call you when everything dies down.” I let out before hanging up the phone. One of the guards called me and told me there were reporters outside the gate. I looked at the CCTV and sure enough, there were many reporters outside the gate. I ordered the guards to get rid of them and send them away. I was about to go to the office. I didn’t m
Chapter Five Camilla ~~~ The last forty-eight hours have been hell for me. My name had been on the lips of everyone. The media had been putting out the most outrageous news about me. I woke up this morning, deciding to block out any negativity. I showered and then went downstairs to eat my breakfast. Raffael came downstairs and sat at the other end of the table. “Good morning.” He said as he sat down. I didn’t give him a reply. I looked up at him and saw that the handprint from the slap I gave him was gone. Thank God. I wouldn’t know how to explain that to my grandfather. “Grandpa called, he wants us to go to his house after you meet with the shareholders,” I said. “How did you know I have a meeting with the shareholders?” He asked. I merely stared at him and ignored him. I was done with my food so I left the table and went back upstairs. I picked up the phone and texted Skye. I was really thankful for her. She was the only person I had apart from my grandfather and Raffael.
Chapter SixCamilla~~~~~ “Don’t tell him you gave me divorce papers. He shouldn’t even know that you thought about getting divorced. Tell him you’re going to make everything right at the press conference.” I said when we got out of the car and were walking to the front door. We got to the door and the guards standing by the door opened it for us. My grandpa and his secretary were already downstairs. “Lala.” My grandpa said, smiling widely as he saw me. “How are you?” He asked coming to hug me. “I’m doing good Pops, how are you?” I asked. “Your old man’s fine.” He said with a big smile. “Raffael.” He said extending his hand for a shake. They exchanged pleasantries and we got seated. “So, how’s business going Raffael?” Grandpa asked. “It’s good.” He said shuffling in his seat.” I just closed a deal with Mr Smith.” “That’s good.” “Dinner’s ready.” Hailey, one of the helps announced.” “We’ll be right there.” My grandpa said Camilla her off. “We’ll talk later. Let’s go have d
Chapter SevenRaffael ~~~~“Camilla. What was that about?” I asked immediately after I got in the house.“Leave me alone Raffael.” She said attempting to go upstairs.I dragged her back. “You slapped her in public?”“What was I supposed to do huh? She kept provoking me and disrespecting me. Was I supposed to just stand there and watch her?”“Were you stalking her?” I asked. “You sent someone to follow her around so you could watch her every move and then you went to meet her?”“What the fuck Raffael. You think I would do that?”“I mean who knows what your pathetic self is capable of.” I shrugged.She stood still taking deep breaths trying to hold back tears.“Fuck you.” She said and then ran upstairs.“Fuck.” I said kicking the couch. I took a deep breath and then went upstairs to the guest room. I took off my clothes and then went into the shower.I got out a few minutes later and then dressed up. I took my car keys and left the house.I drove aimlessly for hours thinking about ever
Chapter EightRaffael ~~~~I drove to the hotel I wanted I and Tori to meet. It was a small one just outside the city where I was sure we wouldn’t be seen or photographed.I got there in under thirty minutes and checked into the room I had booked under a fake name. I got to the room and waited for Tori to arrive.I waited for a little while then I heard a knock on the door. It was Tori. She threw herself at me immediately when she got inside. I had no choice but to hug her.She withdrew and went to sit. I followed sitting beside her.“How’s your face?” I asked moving it from one side to the other.“It still hurts like a bitch.” She said pointing to the bruise on her cheek.“What actually happened yesterday? Why did she slap you? She said you provoked her.” I asked with a hint of concern in my voice. “Provoked her? She was just mad because you chose me over her. I simply wanted to chat with her and try to explain things then she got angry.”“Hmmm,” I said.“Why did you want to meet?
Chapter Sixty-EightRaphael's POVI rounded up my work and set to leave the office. The driver was already going to pick Jason up so I didn’t have to worry about that. Emily was having dinner with us tonight so I called her to let her know I was off work.I drove to the house and after I had freshened up, Emily had arrived. She offered to cook for the dinner so she arrived early.I let her do the cooking and went to the living room to watch TV.After a few minutes, I got a call from Camilla. It took me by suprise. We hadn’t really spoken all week. I was trying to give her the space that she deserved.“Where are you?” She asked.“What?” I was taken aback by the question.“Where did you go with my daughter?” She asked again.“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Was she drunk or?“What do you mean by you don’t know what Im talking about? The school said you came to pick Rory up.” “What? I'm in New York.”“Are you being serious?”“Yes. What happened?” I was starting to get wor
Chapter Sixty-SevenCamilla’s POVThe past week was just a rush of things. We moved out of our old house into a much safer house. We also hired private security just in case. I was thinking of changing schools for Rory but I just decided to let her continue going there. It’d be hard for her to adapt to a new environment.I spent almost all my time at work. I put in all the hours I’d taken off before. I met with Alexander one time and vented to him. He was a good friend, he reassured me and gave me words of encouragement to keep going. It was finally Friday and I was happy to spend the weekend in bed. I dropped Rory off at school and then went to work. I went to my office and got started on work. During my lunch break, I got a call from Alexander. “Hey. How are you doing?”“I’m fine. How are you?”“Good, good. How’s the new place?”“It’s alright. It’s a lot different than our old house and Rory’s a bit scared to sleep in her new room but she’ll come around.”“I know she will. Any ne
Chapter Sixty-SixRaphael's POVI sat down on the couch in defeat. I’d mange’s to make Camilla angry at me again. Every time we wanted to talk, I somehow always said the wrong thing and pushed her further away from me.It wasn’t my intent to shame her for her decisions when she was younger or make her think Aurora was something to be hidden. I’d fucked up, once again.The chairman who had followed behind her returned to the living room.“She’s leaving, tonight. She’s packing already.”“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say all those things to her.”“But you did. You can’t seem to let go of the past, can’t you? You always bring that up in every conversation you guys have. She’s already apologized for that countless times. Why do you have to keep punishing her? She’s already going through enough.”“I know. I'm sorry but she took those years of my life. I can never get that back. You had a hand in that too.”“You know, you could have refused the marriage. But you didn’t, because of your father
Chapter Sixty-FiveCamilla’s POVI stormed out of the living room after I slapped Raphael. Normally I wouldn’t resort to violence but he riled me up so fast I didn’t know when I walked up to him and slapped him.How dare he? Shame me for being in love. And I thought we were already past that but if seemed we still had a lot to talk about.I went to my room and started packing up my things. I also went to Rory’s room to pack her bags. Whether he liked it or not, we were going to leave tonight.I didn’t know if I was angry with what he said because it was true or not. I wasn’t ashamed of my daughter, I could never be. I was only trying to protect her from the things I was exposed to. No child deserves to grow up under the limelight and scrutiny of the media. I was crying and I didn’t even know it. My eyes were clouded with tears and I could barely see. I sat down on the bed trying to calm myself down.I heard a knock on the door and I looked up to see a figure of my grandpa.“Are you o
Chapter Sixty-FourRaphael's POV“Did you see the news about Camilla?” Sam asked as I came out of the meeting room.“What news?”“They leaked her address, her job back in California, and her phone number. Everything about the life she’s been living these last few years is on the internet.”“What the hell? Did they say anything about Aurora?”“No. They didn’t. But I’m sure they know about her too. They’re just kind enough not to put that out.”“She must be devastated.”“I know right? Have you talked to her? When was she thinking about going back?”“I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything. I’ll call her right now.” I said.“Ok, bro. I’ll get back to work. See you later.” He said and left. I went back to my office and picked up my phone to call her. It seemed her phone was switched off. Of course it would, it would be blowing up by now with messages and calls from random people.I went online to check for the news Sam talked about. It was kind of nasty. The comments said mean things abou
Chapter Sixty-ThreeCamilla’s POVAfter spending the whole night trying to figure out what my next decision would be, I finally made uo my mind to go back to California. I wanted to spend the rest of the week here before returning though.I got up and got ready for the day. I went to check up on my grandpa and took him out for a walk around the compound.“I’ll be leaving next week.” I announced.“That’s good. You’ve spent a long time here anyway. It’s time to return to your normal life.”“But this was my life though. Here in New York.”“And it’s not anymore. You started a new one that you can’t leave behind.”We continued the walk in silence. After circling the compound, we returned to the house. Rory was already up by this time. My grandpa was to return to work in a few weeks after the doctor cleared him. For now, he was taking a break and letting Jeremy handle the company.We had breakfast and then my grandpa headed to his study. He was invested in reading nowadays. Rory kept beggin
Chapter Sixty-TwoRaphael's POVI worked from home today so I could spend a little bit of time with Aurora. Camilla still hadn’t made up her mind about when to leave for California. To be honest, it was making me kind of nervous that I didn’t know when my daughter would be leaving me.Aurora was in the middle of the room playing with her toys while I worked away on my computer. “Daddy, when will Jason be back?” She asked.“He won’t be back for long, honey. He’s at school, remember.”“Why didn't I go to school? I miss my friends.” She said.“You’ll be back to school in a bit. When you guys return home.”“Are you going to come with us?”“Uhm. I don’t know yet.”“Well, I do want you to come. And Jason too.”“We’ll think about it.”“Okay.” She said going back to her toys.After an hour or two, I went to make her something to eat.“Daddy, can we go to the park and then go get ice cream? I don’t want to stay inside all day.” She complained.“I’ll have to ask your mummy first. We can’t go o
Chapter Sixty-OmeCamilla’s POV“I really don’t need the wheelchair. I can walk fine on my own.”“Not according to the doctor. You don’t need to strain yourself.”“I’ll use the cane. I don't want them to see me as weak, going in there with a wheelchair.” He protested.“Fine.” I gave up. “You can use the cane, only for this meeting.”“Thank you.” They put the wheelchair back in the car and handed the cane to him to support himself while he walked. He has been out of the hospital for two days and today he had a meeting with the board of directors.I insisted on accompanying him even though he didn’t want me to. We finally agreed on me escorting him to the office and going back to the house.“Bye.” I said waving at him.“Goodbye. See you later.” He said.I got back in the car and was on my way back to the house.When I got home, I went to lie down for a bit. It was only me in the house apart from the staff. Rory was at Rapheal’s house. She has been spending a lot of time there as we did
Chapter SixtyRaphael’s POVAfter my call with Camilla, I began to think hard and long. I didn't want them to leave. Not just yet. They had only been around for a few days but I liked the fact that they were close to me.I sent a text to Emily instead of calling her and went to get ready for work. It was going to be a long day. I said bye to Jason and left the house. The driver was going to take him to school today.I went to the project site we were working on instead of the office. They were already working by the time I got there so I joined them. I didn’t usually go to sites unless it was an important client, which this was. After an hour or two, Mr Edison arrived.“Hey.” He said.“Hey.”“How’s it going?”“Fine.” I responded. That day he came by the house, he asked me so many questions but I didnr give him a reply. I told him the person he had to speak to was Camilla.“So I talked to Camilla.”“You did? She answer all your questions?”“Yeah. So you’re Rory’s father, huh? And Cami