CHAPTER 5

Camilla’s POV.

The next morning when I returned to the hospital, I took a deep breath before stepping into Lawrence’s room not knowing how I would be able to face him.

Luckily for me, he was still sleeping to my relief. I tried to move quietly in order not to wake him up. I adjusted the IV drip beside him and as I turned to leave, his eyelids fluttered open.

A low groan escaped his lips as he shifted slightly, pain flashing across his face.

“Camilla…” he rasped, his voice barely audible causing me to swallow hard.

“Is that really you?”

I didn’t look at him right away nor give him a reply to his question. I quickly focused back on the drip, on anything but the man lying in front of me.

After I was done, I tried to back away quietly, hoping he’d drift off again. But his hand shot out catching mine before I could move.

“Please, Camilla,” he whispered, holding on tightly. “I need to talk to you.”

I froze, then gently tried to pull away, my heart already bracing for what was coming.

“There’s nothing left to say,” I said.

“You made your choice a long time ago.”

But he didn’t let go. His fingers curled tighter around mine.

“I know I messed up,” he said. “But I want to fix things. I want to be there for our baby. Is it a boy or a girl?”

The question knocked the air out of me. I stared at him, stunned at him mentioning about a baby again. Did he really know I was pregnant?

“Really? Do you think you can just show up and I would embrace you? And for the record, there is no baby.”

His eyes widened in disbelief when he heard my words. I could see him trying to piece things together.

“But… I saw the test kit. In the bedroom. You were pregnant,” he said quietly.

I swallowed hard. I hadn’t expected him to see the test clip, I never knew I had left it behind. I looked away as it finally dawned on me how he managed to find out about my pregnancy.

“I was indeed pregnant,” I admitted.

“But I got rid of it. I didn’t want any part of you anymore. Keeping the baby would’ve meant holding on to a part of you… and I couldn’t do that.”

I was lying, and I think he knew it. His eyes searched my face, reading the truth between the cracks in my words.

“Camilla…” he said gently. “You don’t have to lie. I understand you’re hurting. But let me be there. Let me make things right.”

But his voice only made the pain worse. I couldn’t listen to promises I no longer believed in.

“It’s too late, Lawrence,” I said, the words catching in my throat. “The day I ended the pregnancy… I promised myself I’d never let you back in. Not ever again.”

I reached for strength I barely had, lifting my hand to show him the engagement ring on my finger.

“I’m engaged now,” I said, my voice trembling.

“I have moved on with someone who actually sees me.”

His eyes dropped to the ring. For a moment, he just stared at it, as if he couldn’t quite process what it meant.

“Engaged? Fuck!” he cursed under his breath.

“I should’ve believed you, Camilla. I found out the truth… about Clinton. About how he set you up, he confessed he did it since you found happiness after you ended things with him and he never did on his own end. I am sorry, Camilla,” he apologized with regrets and pain but I didn't allow them to get to me.

“I guess that’s your burden to carry now,” I said quietly, turning to leave. “But please… don't try wanting to fix things ever again.”

I didn’t look back as I walked out, but his voice—soft and broken—followed me all the way down the hall.

I hurriedly wiped away the tears that threatened to spill over as I stepped out of the ward with my mind swirling with conflicting emotions.

Despite everything he had done, a part of me couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. He looked so miserable, so lost as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I couldn't help but wonder what happened to him and Jane, the woman I once thought was my best friend. I wondered why they weren't together anymore, maybe she betrayed him just like she did to me.

*

After my shift at the hospital, I drove home instead of stopping at a bar like I wanted to. Even though I felt like I could use a drink, I knew it wasn't the right thing to do. I have a reputation to maintain, and I didn't want my kids to see me as someone who turns to alcohol in times of trouble.

I sat in the living room and took out a bottle of whisky which was given to me as a gift at an event, hoping to have just a little drink when I felt a buzz.

Sliding my phone out of my pocket, it was buzzing with an incoming call.

I glanced at the screen and It was Raymond, my fiancé, calling from abroad. My heart skipped a beat as I answered the call, hearing Raymond's voice on the other end.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said with a warm and familiar voice. "I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing."

A soft smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I leaned back against the chair where I sat. "I'm okay," I replied with an affectionate voice. "Just... dealing with a few things right now."

"Is everything alright? Do you need me to come back?"Raymond's concern was evident in his voice as he asked.

I hesitated for a moment, tempted to spill everything to him, to share the burden of my troubles but I didn't want him to know about Lawrence's presence.

He would demand I come abroad right away which is against the decision I have already made- I couldn't have him pay such a hefty sum of money for breach of agreement. I didn't have much, I also didn't want to demand much from him.

“No, everything's fine," I lied, forcing a reassuring tone into my voice. "Just some work stuff. I'll fill you in later, okay?"

Raymond seemed to sense my reluctance as he sighed softly.

"All right, but promise me you'll take care of yourself, okay? And call me if you need anything."

"I promise," I said with a guilty heart as I ended the call, knowing that I was keeping secrets from the man I loved.

But there was no time to dwell on my guilt as my phone rang again, this time with my sister's name flashing on the screen.

"Camilla, it's George," Bridget's voice came through the line as soon as I picked up the call. Her tone was however frantic with worry. "He's really sick, we need to get him to the hospital right away."

My heart clenched at the mention of my son's name, the fear and desperation in Bridget's voice sending a chill down my spine.

Without a second thought, I took my keys and dashed out of the house.

But as I made my way to the garage to get my car and head to my sister's place, my phone rang again, this time with Dr Andrew's name flashing on the screen.

"What does he want again?" I grumbled. I didn't want to answer the call but I know I have to especially now Lawrence was in my care.

"Camilla, it's the director," Dr Andrew's voice came through the line when I picked up, his tone urgent and panicked. "He's in critical condition, we need you here right away."

My heart froze the moment I heard Lawrence’s name. I just stood there, trying to process it, but everything in me went still. No… not now. Not when George is sick. This couldn't be happening all at once.

What was I supposed to do?

If I went to George first, it would take hours—I’d never make it in time to attend Lawrence and I was his assigned doctor. And how could I possibly choose to go to attend to Lawrence over my own son?

I stood there, torn and overwhelmed by the weight of both choices.

Who do I go to first?

What am I supposed to do?