Three years ago, Camilla had a one-night stand that left her with more than just memories—a son, Carlos, whose father vanished into the night. Now, her carefully constructed life is thrown into chaos when her mother, Elena, introduces her new fiancé, Emilio—the same man Camilla thought she’d never see again. Worse, he has no idea Carlos is his son. Torn between her love for her mother and the undeniable connection she still feels for Emilio, Camilla is pushed into a dilemma. Emilio, caught between his loyalty to Elena and his desire to be with Camilla and Carlos, must make a life-altering decision. As their dark past seems to threaten their future, Camilla must decide—can she risk everything for love, or will the weight of their shared secrets tear them apart forever? Will Camilla and Emilio find their way back to each other, or will they let the tempest rocking their lives hinder them?
Lihat lebih banyakCamilla’s POV
Everything seemed to be in place, except one. A loving husband.
Peter Luca and I were best friends right from childhood. He was close with my siblings but of all, I guessed he loved me most as his attention was always showered on me most of the time. I grew up to believe he actually loved me most.
We married three years ago upon seeing him as the most suitable man. Soon after marrying Peter, I proposed we have kids immediately, I wanted a family right away so I'll have them grow fast, then I can become an active CEO again.
“I don't think we should start a family so early, why not focus on your career?” He suggested. Though I didn't really understand why he got so keen on us focusing on my career as a newly married woman, I decided to listen to him. I thought he must be so loving and selfless to point out my needs first.
Since we wouldn't have a family soon, I wanted to achieve a steamy, passionate sexual relationship with him. Same way we were close as best friends, I wanted us to be close in our marriage but in a sexual way. I was disappointed because Peter wasn't steady at home, he became too concerned about taking business trips and courses overseas all for the benefit of my company as he claimed.
“We need to stabilize everything before we go over to that,” he would always tell me each time I complained about him being absent in my life.
“I'm doing this for the good of the company, business before pleasure. We still have many years to sort out our personal needs.”
Upon complaining for several days and getting the same response, I settled in believing he was such a selfless man who wanted his wife's company to grow and flourish. I assured myself that I couldn't have both intense pleasure and great success in my company at the same time. I had to focus on one first, which was the company and when everything is set in place, we will have more fun and bear kids. We even operated a joint account to make everything go smoothly as well as track the success of the company, just as he suggested.
So one day, we both had to go on a business trip. To Venice but to different locations to meet with our business partners here. Though I didn't hope to see him being that we were going to two different places, I really wanted to.
I was in the elevator going back to my hotel room after the meeting when this thought occurred most to me. The door of the elevator opened and a couple walked in, hands clutched with each other, then a little boy, about three years old, came with them.
“These must be foreigners,” I said to myself regarding their dressing pattern. They looked so covered like individuals from the Northern Countries like me where there's much cold. I, myself would be dressing this way if not that I was on a business trip and had to put on my suit. I had my head bowed as usual while alone. I never wanted to pay any attention to them.
“Let's get a good family penthouse with that money in the joint account. She's so dumb.” The woman chuckled.
I furrowed my brows trying to process that voice, the woman's voice sounded so familiar but I couldn't just conclude. I needed to continue listening. It seemed there were already into this conversation before coming in here.
“Camilla is just a naive woman, she really thinks I love her so much and want her to focus on her career as a CEO before we have kids.” He burst out laughing. It was here the oxygen in my throat cut short and I was about to grab the man on his shoulders.
What?
The voice is that of my husband, Jack.
I felt I was going to have a seizure. “Wait! I'm I imagining things?” I paused to ask myself. This is a foreign country and I didn't want to put myself up in a fight or conflict with a stranger over whom I think I know. I needed to be sure.
“So can't you recognize your husband's voice again?” This question hit me deep and I slowly raised my face staring at both of their body structures. If their voices could deceive me, their body structures wouldn't.
My lips slowly pulled wide open as I gawked at both of them. Unknown to me, the little boy in front was watching me as I looked at his parents. He tapped his mom.
“Mommy, look! This lady behind looks so much like you.”
The moment the woman turned and our eyes met, I froze.
“What's this?” This became the first statement that came out of my mouth.
“Camilla!” The lady gasped.
My eyes were already popping out seeing who it was. My twin sister! She had left Brooklyn three years ago and came to live here in Venice alone. Being a daughter from a wealthy family, she had the funds but no one knew why she decided to come to a foreign land to live, not until this moment. She left right after my wedding.
My eyes turned slowly to the left and right as my eyes set on Peter, I felt heat burn in my chest.
“So this is the business trip you told me you were coming for?” I launched forward at him but Bella came in between us.
“Sis!”
“Shut the fuck up!” I growled at her and she shrieked, shifting backward in horror. Even as everything stood out quite obviously, I still couldn't believe it. I stood still, gazing at them both. To my sister, my eyes went down her body and seeing the big baby bump on her stomach, I felt my limps weakened and my eyes blurred. Then I managed to look at the little boy in front of us, he carried exactly my husband’s similarity.
“Wait!” I hit Peter on the head, he was still and overwhelmed with shock as I caught him in this. I'm a hundred percent sure he wasn't expecting this, he told me he had a business trip in London, it's so surprising seeing him here in Venice with my younger twin sister. I didn't need anyone to tell me.
He already had a family with Bella!
Hot tears formed in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. I sank to the floor of the elevator. I was trying to be that strong woman in this situation but I couldn't. Seeing the man I loved so much to the point of operating a joint account with inflow from my company's funds doing this to me broke my heart. Worst of all, my sister and the worst of all, he wasn't satisfied with cheating on me but wanted to run away with the millions of dollars which belonged to me. Eighty percent of the money in the account was from my end.
“I–I can explain!” Peter stammered.
“Keep that fucking mouth of yours shut!” I screamed my lungs out. We've been married for three years and I've never raised a voice at him, I never looked forward to the day I'd disrespect him because to me he was my hero and I'd done my best to be that loving, respectful and caring wife. However, I couldn't control myself in such a situation.
“Whatever!” I heard Bella snap. “Peter loves me and what can you do? You thought it was all to take over the company as the eldest, now I've taken over your husband.”
“Be satisfied with being a CEO!” Her voice was laced with sarcasm.
I stood up slowly from the ground, sending deadly stares towards them. I balled my fist and gnashed my teeth, imagining if Bella, who should be dying of guilt for what she has done, was really saying this to me.
She twitched her lips in fierce mockery. Peter went over to her side shielding her. “I had to go for who my heart wanted. Like she said, you can keep on with being a CEO.”
My eyes cleared. Earlier, they had pretended to be shocked and remorseful but now I knew they were deliberately doing this.
“Peter, after all I've sacrificed for you and listened to you even till waiting to become a mother when I earnestly wanted to take in after marriage.”
I pointed my fist at him, my eyes staggering red. “You tricked me into believing you wanted me to put everything in place before we make kids, not knowing you were already doing it outside and also planning to run away with my money to buy a house with your secret wife.”
My heart was thumping at an unimaginable speed. I nearly forgot what I wanted to do in the heat of this anger. The phone was in my hand, then I remembered what I intended.
Pulling it right before me, I took three shots of them where Peter, Bella and the little boy's frontal view came up.With a sharp wink, I bent, grabbed my bag from the floor. Just then the elevator stopped at the floor I inputted and the door whirled open.
Looking at them for one last time, I muttered, “Wait for my revenge!” and stormed out.
“Huh? What's she up to?” I heard Bella utter to Peter. I could feel their eyes fixed on me but I never for once turned back.
Camilla’s POV “What's that?” I leaned my head across, checking to confirm. The cashier could no longer keep to her serious mode, she burst out laughing. “I'm so sorry but I must say you both are so funny.” She then said, trying to suppress the laughter. Emilio turned to be the one embarrassed, he grinned shyly. Wanting to cover up the awkwardness, he draped his hand over my shoulder to make it seem as though we are together. “Sometimes, it's good to have them in case your partner is on a business trip.” He declared matter-of-factly. I wasn't gonna push his hand away but hearing him say partner, I slap his hand off. “When did we become partners?” I asked in a sarcastic style. “We're just–” He sealed my mouth, I was mumbling, trying hard to redress his words but I was barely audible, I soon gave up. When I did, he released me. By then, the cashier was done and handed his stuff back to him. She wasn't looking at our faces, I just realized. Smiling to myself, I dashed off not wanti
Camilla’s POV “Bella?” I gasped and she hummed. No wonder I haven't noticed her presence here at home. She isn't like mom who could be home and no one notices. Bella was lousy, she would always be heard chatting or arguing with Richard, she couldn't stay silent in their room. “What the hell!” Whatever she was there for wouldn't be a good reason and she didn't even go there under the label of my sister but I in particular, just because we are twins? “Summon all of the staff you have there with you and switch this call to a video call.” Carlos’ presence popped into mind. “Hold on for a moment,” I told her and paused the call. “Kiddo, I want to use the restroom. I'll be right back.” I lied to him. “Okay mummy,” he replied in his little voice, smiling. I returned the smile, rising from the ground. The second I turned, I bit my lower lips, flipping my fingers in reflex relief. I nearly exposed my secret before everyone. First, it was to the doctor, now I was about letting my staff kn
Camilla’s POV I went speechless, not knowing what to say. Even my head became too stiff to nod, I was just staring at him without making any motion. “Yes, I know it's sad but since it's just showing warning signals, it can be averted.” Hearing this, I shut my eyes for a brief moment, releasing a deep breath. My curious mind prompted me suddenly into asking what was the remedy, I would do it with all of my heart. “What's the remedy, doctor?” I asked, leaning across his desk. “When was the last time you had sex?” I heard him ask, I blinked a couple of times, cocking my head to the side. I thought I didn't hear him well so I decided to ask him to repeat. “Huh?” “Sorry it might seem as though I'm intruding into your private life but I need this to verify this result here.” “Three years ago, I would say four though as the last was the night my three year old son got conceived.” “That's a really long time and you don't have a husband or boyfriend?” I was going to say no when I real
Camilla’s POV “Camilla, where have you been?” Mom asked and I withdrew slowly, my eyes flickering. This is the real question I'd tried so much to avoid and would have loved to evade if not that Bella pushed me into coming out. “And were you eavesdropping on us?” Bella cut in. “When you were shouting?” I barked at her. Mom stepped forward with a serious face, she was really curious to know where I'd been but when I looked at Emilio wishing he would at least say something, his face looked elsewhere. Out of shame, I lowered my face to the ground. “I didn't feel like coming home early,” I mumbled. “If you would just excuse me, I want to take my usual morning walk.”“By this time?” Mom sounded suspicious, even her eyes. “Baby, I'll be returning back to my room.” Emilio leaned and kissed mom on the cheek which got me really jealous, I shut my eyes tight for a brief moment. When I opened it, she was smiling radiantly which made me feel even worse. “I thought it was something serious,”
Camilla’s POV “Heyyy sis, it's me.” It was Sarah. “Gosh! You scared me.” I whispered. “What are you doing here?” “I thought as much that you would want to sneak in.”Ever an FBI Agent. “True. I want to sneak in after getting into an argument with Emilio at the office. Let me go, I don't want anyone to know when I came back.” There were footsteps approaching and I knew I had to quickly go away. “Please don't tell anyone I'm here.” I said to her and she nodded. Dashing off to the side, I opened the door of my room and got in, closing it slowly behind me. Now my room is linked with my son’s, everything we needed was right inside. I had a semi-kitchen here, apart from the general one, toilet, bathroom. My refrigerators were stuffed with several foodstuffs, snacks and drinks, even already cooked food. Nancy was in charge of making sure all these are available, her job didn't stop at taking care of Carlos only but I. I greeted her upon going over to my son’s room. “Thanks for taking c
Camilla’s POV We climbed up the floors through the special elevator to the display floors where we had over tens of thousands of elite luxury fashion styles. I walked Isabelle to the women's section. “What do you want, my princess?” I looked beside me upon getting no sudden response to seeing her gazing at me with a sweet smile. Then she extended her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “You look so pretty, no wonder you're lucky to get such a handsome man.” Her words got my thoughts sailing back to her telling who he was. “So he's a billionaire CEO just like me?” But with what I heard, I'm afraid he's richer than me. I was going to check out his net worth once I'm done and alone. To Isabelle, I smiled. “Thanks so much but we aren't together.” “What?” I wanted to tell her that he's with my mom but another instinct quickly refrained me. I couldn't tell what might happen, building a scandal was the last thing on my mind. Instead of speaking about him as my step-dad, I in
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