All Chapters of If not love, Whatelse?: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The crisp morning air felt lighter now, though Camellia walked with her usual guarded posture, arms folded tightly across her chest.The laugh she had shared with Williams still echoed faintly in her mind.Williams matched her pace, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, eyes subtly watching her every move. Calm, collected... but there was a quiet intensity in him that kept her alert.“So," he said, breaking the silence, "friends, huh?”Camellia kept her gaze on the path ahead."Yeah. Friends."“Friends who talk?" he pressed, one eyebrow quirking, voice teasing yet gentle.She finally stole a quick glance at him. “Maybe."Williams' smile was slow, deliberate. "Maybe's a start," he said, voice low, almost like he was testing the air between them.For a few moments, they walked silently, the rhythm of their steps echoing on the cobblestones. Camellia noticed little things about him….. the slight sway of his jacket as he walked, the way his brow creased when he was thinking, the faint tensi

Amy…. it’s Lucia.”The voice on the other end trembled, thin and strained……like it hadn’t been used in days. Amy froze, her breath hitching. Her fingers tightened around the phone.“Lucia?” she whispered, barely audible. “Why are you…..”“Please, Amy,” Lucia cut in quickly, her words tumbling out between quiet sobs. “Please don’t tell her I called. She hates me too much to want to hear my voice. I just want to help. I swear I’m not here to cause more trouble.”Amy’s chest constricted. The road felt smaller, darker. She could hear the faint hum of traffic, every sound too sharp.“She doesn’t hate you,” Amy managed, even though part of her knew it wasn’t true.Lucia laughed weakly, the sound brittle. “If she didn’t, she’d have come back home. Amy… I can’t sleep knowing she’s out there alone. Please, just tell me she’s okay. That’s all I want to know.”Amy hesitated. “She’s fine,” she lied softly. “She’s… safe.”Lucia exhaled shakily. “Thank God.”Then a pause….. the kind that made Amy’s

The door creaked softly as Camellia stepped inside. The scent of new fabric and fresh soap filled the air.For a moment, she thought she had walked into the wrong apartment. The couch was buried under paper bags….. soft pastels, shoe boxes, folded clothes with their tags still clinging. The table was crowded with groceries……. rice, milk, noodles, and a loaf of bread she hadn’t seen since her childhood.She froze by the door, blinking. “Amy?”Amy’s voice echoed from the kitchen, too bright, too casual. “You’re back already?”Camellia took another step inside, her hand brushing the sleeve of a pale blue dress hanging from one of the bags. The fabric was smooth, untouched. “What… what is all these?”Amy turned, a small smile tugging at her lips….. the kind that tried too hard to look natural. “Nothing much,” she said, wiping her hands on a towel. “Just…… salary came in early. Thought I’d get us some things we actually need.”Camellia’s brows furrowed. “Salary?” She glanced around again.

Hours later, Williams pulled up at Camellia’s apartment.She had finally agreed to go to the café with him, and he was more than excited to spend time with her. Even though she didn’t say much, he was grateful she was gradually opening up to him…. no matter how little.Inside, Camellia was already dressed and waiting for Amy. She felt lighter today and decided to wear the blue dress Amy had bought her. Her hair was styled neatly. Standing before the mirror, she studied her reflection.It had been a long time since she looked this good.“I guess Miss Clara was right after all,” she murmured.“Amy, are you done?” she called.“Few minutes more, please,” Amy replied from the bathroom.“Come on…” Camellia sighed, sitting on the bed.A few minutes later, Amy stepped out….gorgeous as ever.“Wow,” Camellia breathed, “you look so good.”“Thanks, bae,” Amy said with a grin, and together they rushed out.Outside, Williams stood waiting, dressed simply in a white shirt and light denim jeans, sle

The apartment was quiet when Williams got home.Too quiet.His father’s shoes weren’t by the door, his jacket wasn’t on the hanger. The faint hum of the fridge was the only thing that answered him.He stood there for a moment, the leather folder still in his hand….. the same one Cole had dropped earlier, heavy with names and secrets.He told himself to wait.To leave it alone.To respect boundaries.But curiosity was a disease….. and tonight, it itched under his skin.The name “Camellia” ringed a bell in his head.He sat on the edge of his bed, unbuckled the clasp, and flipped the folder open.The first thing he saw wasn’t a report.It was a face.Camellia’s passport photo stared back at him….. the same eyes, the same quiet defiance that had pulled him in since the first day they met.The world stilled.For a heartbeat, he couldn’t breathe.What the hell…? Her name was printed neatly beneath the picture: Camellia Smith. He flipped through the pages….. arrest records, missing files,