Breaking Point

Chapter 8

"You know, Camila, I'm really glad to have you here. Ever since Damian proposed the idea of you marrying one of our sons, I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed," Mrs. Miranda said, her voice warm and eyes shimmering with both nostalgia and joy. "To be honest, I know what we did to you in the past wasn’t fair—taking Adrian away like that."

She paused, her smile softening as her mind wandered into memories long buried beneath time. "When and Roderick were taken away from you that day… both boys cried for the first time. Not together, but in separate vehicles. I was with Adrian, and his father rode with Roderick. I remember Adrian’s tiny fists pounding on the car window, tears streaming down his cheeks, calling out your name. Roderick too—his pain was quieter but just as deep. They really loved you for some reason, even as children."

Her words hung in the air like smoke, heavy with sentiment.

"And thanks to you," she continued, "despite how complicated things are within this family, despite the rivalry and the distance between those two boys, I finally found something that connected them together. It was you. You, Camila."

Tears began to roll down her cheeks, but she was smiling through them.

"I thought those two would never have anything in common," she said. "They were separated as kids, you know. Forced to compete with each other, trained to survive in the cruel world of power and money. Their grandfather made sure of that. It drifted them apart and stole their childhood. But somehow, you managed to win both their hearts… like it was nothing. Like love wasn’t the rarest thing in this cold house."

She paused again, her voice trembling with gratitude. "It’s really a shame you’re with someone else, Camila. I would’ve really loved it if you had stayed with us as family."

It was obvious she was trying to convince me to remain. Her words, laced with emotion, tugged at something deep inside of me. But then again, did it really matter anymore? I mean, I was basically marrying one of her sons. That’s exactly what they all wanted—not just the family, but my grandfather too.

Honestly, this felt great. And thanks to Roderick, I could finally be certain of Grandpa's happiness. A smile crept onto my face as I looked into Mrs. Miranda's hopeful eyes.

“Um… Mrs. Miranda,” I began gently, “you don’t have to wish anymore. I’m glad you’re happy to be my mother-in-law because… my fiancé is Roderick.”

She froze. Her mouth parted slightly, and her brows furrowed in disbelief.

“Wha—what did you just say, Camila?” she asked, clearly stunned. “You mean to tell me that the man you've been dating is… Roddy?”

I nodded, a bit nervous now. It was almost as if she didn’t believe me. Her reaction made me uneasy. Was it that impossible for Roderick to be with someone like me?

A surge of anxiety bubbled in my chest. What would they think if they discovered I had lied during my very first real conversation with my future mother-in-law?

Then again, I could hardly blame her. Roderick never really gave off the kind of vibe that screamed “romantic partner.” He was more the type to pay someone for a night than fall in love. I thought about him and Sisi and how much I still didn’t know.

Mrs. Miranda leaned in slightly, her tone softer this time. “Are you sure, Camila? Or is this a sudden change of heart? Don’t get me wrong—I’d love to see you two together. But I don’t want to ruin another man’s chance with you either.”

Her concern caught me off guard.

“Yes. Roddy and I… we’ve been dating for a while now,” I said, trying to look more confident, more convincing.

Suddenly, she broke into a huge grin and embraced me with unexpected excitement.

“It all makes sense now! No wonder he refused every marriage proposal we arranged for him. Thank you, Camila!”

Tears escaped her eyes again, but this time they were joyful. “But to be honest, I always thought you’d choose Adrian. You two seemed closer growing up.”

She chuckled, and I couldn’t help but laugh along, even though a part of me still felt unsure.

“I know your grandfather and my husband are having a little talk of their own,” she added with a wink. “I should go spread the news. They’ll be so happy.”

She left the room with an energetic stride, leaving me in stunned silence.

I stood there, letting everything soak in. The joy in her voice, the tears, the history. And now, the confusion building inside me.

I began walking toward Roderick’s room, eager to tell him what had happened and to finally get answers—especially about Sisi. There was something off about their relationship, something I needed to understand before I could move forward.

But before I could reach his door, I saw Sisi coming out.

She looked… broken.

Her eyes were red, and tears were streaming down her face. She didn’t look at me. She didn’t say a word. She just walked past me, slowly, like someone carrying the weight of an invisible storm.

I turned and watched her until she disappeared around the corner.

“What happened?” I whispered under my breath, suddenly afraid of the answer.

Taking a deep breath, I walked into Roderick’s room. He was standing by the window, back turned, fists clenched.

“Roderick, what—”

“Camila,” he interrupted, his voice sharp and cold. “This marriage is off.”

Silence.

I blinked, unsure if I had heard correctly. My heart stopped, then pounded violently against my chest.

“What did you just say?” I asked quietly.

He turned around, his expression unreadable, eyes burning with something I couldn’t place—anger? pain? guilt?

“This marriage is off,” he repeated, his voice steady this time.

I felt the floor vanish beneath me. Just moments ago, everything had felt so certain. Now it all shattered in a single sentence.

And standing there, staring into Roderick’s stormy eyes, I felt a painful emotional wave running through my spine.