Chapter 3

Camilla Varela’s Point of View

I thought starting over would be easy. I even convinced myself that Lucas wasn’t serious when he threatened me the other day. But I was wrong. He meant every word. He made sure I wouldn’t get hired anywhere I applied.

He turned my life into a nightmare. Sometimes, I found myself wondering—can I really do this? Can I really survive without him? Can I stand on my own two feet without relying on anyone?

Right now, I have Cassandra, and that helps. But what if one day she’s no longer around? Where would that leave me? Would I end up with nothing again?

Life is sucks!

As I sat on a chair for another job interview, I felt a flicker of hope — only for it to be crushed almost immediately.

"You’re Mrs. De Luca, right? But why does your resume say Varela?" the HR officer asked, looking at my resume with a puzzled expression.

My heart sank, and the small smile I had disappeared. How long was I going to be seen only as Lucas’s wife? When would people stop tying my identity to him?

 

"I’ve already divorced him, ma’am. And with all due respect, I think that question is a little too personal," I said, keeping my voice polite but firm.

The HR officer shook her head, clearly unimpressed. She handed my resume back without another glance. "I am sorry but you’re not qualified for the position."

I knew I was qualified. I met every requirement listed in the job posting. But I also knew Lucas was working behind the scenes, making sure I never got the chance to prove myself. It was cruel and exhausting.

Still, I managed a weak smile, thanked her for her time, and left the office with my head held high — even though inside, I felt defeated.

This wasn’t the life I had imagined for myself. If I had known that marrying Lucas would lead me down this painful road… I never would have said yes.

But back then, I was young. Naïve. Blinded by love.

Later that day, I sat on the couch in Cassandra’s condo, watching as she packed her bags for a business trip.

"Camilla, I have a work trip with my boss. You’ll be in charge of the condo while I’m gone, okay?" she said while neatly folding her clothes into a suitcase.

I nodded, but deep down, I felt something heavy in my chest. Sometimes, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for myself. When I looked at Cassandra, I saw a woman with a successful career, earning a good salary, moving forward in life. And me? I had nothing to be proud of. No job. No security. Just endless rejections.

Cassandra suddenly stopped what she was doing and turned to me. "Why don’t you just accept the job my boss is offering?" she asked, giving me a knowing look. "The position is still open, Camilla. Plus Lucas has no power there. No connections. He can’t sabotage you.”

Her words made me pause. Maybe… maybe this was the fresh start I had been looking for.

When Cassandra left for her business trip, I decided to stay in the condo. I didn’t even bother looking for a job anymore — after all, every time I tried, it always ended the same way. Rejection. Disappointment. And I knew exactly who was behind it.

But Cassandra’s words kept running through my mind. She told me to accept the job her boss was offering. It was a really good opportunity — I’d be the head of the finance department, which perfectly matched my education. I graduated with a degree in Accountancy and had plenty of knowledge about business. The position paid well, too.

Should I take the job?

As I sat there thinking, my phone suddenly started ringing from the table. I reached for it quickly, but my heart sank the moment I saw the number on the screen. I didn’t even need the name to know who it was.

I had already deleted Lucas’s number from my phone — but it didn’t matter. His number was still burned into my memory. I hated myself for knowing it so well.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check, and answered the call. “What do you want?” I asked, my voice flat and tired.

“Still holding on, huh, Camilla? When are you going to give up?” Lucas’s voice came through the line, full of arrogance.

I couldn’t stop the bitter smile that formed on my face. “Let me ask you something instead — what exactly do you get out of making my life miserable? When are you going to stop?”

I heard him chuckle quietly — that same mocking laugh that always made my blood boil. “I’ll stop when you finally come back to me. When you beg me to take you back. I’m giving you a chance here, Camilla. Just crawl back to me, and I’ll accept you with open arms.”

That was it — I couldn’t help myself. I laughed. A loud, bitter, genuine laugh. The idea was so ridiculous it was almost funny.

“Me? Crawl back to you? Lucas, even in your dreams, that will never happen. I’ve finally woken up from the nightmare I was living in — and guess what? You were that nightmare. Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life.” I paused for a moment, trying to steady my voice. “But you know what? I will survive without you. And when I finally do, I promise you — you’ll be the one filled with regret.”

Before he could respond, I ended the call and immediately blocked his number. I wasn’t going to let him have any more power over me.

He really thought I couldn’t live without him. That I’d be lost and helpless without him in my life. But I proved him wrong. I can stand on my own two feet. And that starts right now. I’m taking the job!

 

When Cassandra returned from her business trip, I immediately told her that I had decided to accept the job offer. She was so happy for me. Without wasting any time, she helped me prepare all the necessary documents and even accompanied me to the company to meet her boss.

"Thank you for accepting my offer, Miss Varela. I know you’ll do great," Mr. Del Castillo said with a warm smile.

Mr. Abdul Del Castillo was my new boss. He owned Del Castillo Tech. He was kind, handsome, and tall — and the shape of his body suited him perfectly. He carried himself with confidence and elegance.

"It’s my pleasure to work for you, Mr. Del Castillo. I promise to do my job well," I replied sincerely, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long while.

 

"No worries. I trust you, Miss Varela," Mr. Del Castillo said warmly.

Our conversation went well, and after that, Cassandra and I left his office. She accompanied me to the Finance Department to introduce me to my future team.

Cassandra worked as Mr. Del Castillo’s executive assistant.

"Good morning, everyone! May I have your attention, please?" Cassandra called out as we entered the Finance Department floor.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at us. Some of them focused their attention on me, so I gave them a polite smile.

"This is Camilla Varela, and she will be your new department head. All your reports, concerns, and questions should go through her. Don’t worry, guys — she’s kind and easy to work with."

"Good morning, Miss Varela! Welcome to our team," one of the employees greeted me warmly.

"Hello, everyone. It’s my pleasure to work with all of you. I hope we’ll have a good working relationship and grow close as a team," I said shyly.

"Aww, Miss Varela’s shy! Don’t be shy, Miss — everyone on this floor is shameless!" someone teased, making the whole team laugh.

I shook my head and smiled at their playful attitude. Turning to Cassandra, I noticed the amused smile on her face, too.

"Thank you, Cass. You can go back to work now," I told her gratefully.

"Yeah, I better get back before the boss turns into a dragon again," she joked, laughing.

She patted my shoulder before walking away, still chuckling.

"Alright, everyone — get back to work. I’ll just set up my workspace," I told the team before heading toward my new office.

As I stepped inside, I took a moment to look around. The office was well-organized and spacious. All it needed now was my personal touch and a few essentials. I figured I could get everything arranged by tomorrow.

Just then, the door opened, and a woman with curly hair walked in, smiling warmly.

"Miss, would you like some coffee?" she offered politely.

I shook my head, smiling back. "No, thank you. By the way, what’s your name?"

"Vanessa Alcantara, ma’am," she replied cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you, Vanessa. Uhmm… before I started here, who was the head of finance? I just want to know."

Vanessa’s face scrunched up a bit as if she was recalling something unpleasant. "Oh, her? She was a bit rude. What was her name again…? Ah! Monique Delos Reyes."

Monique?

Was it… the same Monique who had been my husband’s mistress?