Camilla The Secret History Novels & Stories

The file was labeled: CONFIDENTIAL — CAMILLA / IVORY BACKGROUND REPORT. I blinked, then opened it. Photos. Dates. Records. A scanned image of a birth certificate. Fingerprint matches. And then, staring back at me, was the truth I never saw coming. Ivory… was Camilla.

“She’s connected to something valuable. Something the Johnsons have been hiding for years. If we can get close to her, we can expose the truth. But it has to be done right…no mistakes, no loose ends.” I lied to him not wanting him to know why I needed such plan to be done. When it comes to Christopher I cannot trust him with my secret on why I needed such help to bring down Tammie because he may sabotage me and one of the reasons I want him is because he is good with his job. Christopher smirked, tapping ash from his cigarette onto the ground. “You’re being cryptic, as usual. But I’ll play along. What’s my role in all of this?”

“Where did you go last night? You said you were heading to the lobby.” Alex didn’t turn. He pulled a crisp white shirt from a hanger. “Bought cigarettes.” “That’s all?” He buttoned his shirt slowly, methodically, then looked at her—cold eyes, no smile. “What else are you asking?” Renata stood, crossing toward the coffee table beside the sofa. Alex’s phone rested there. She knew the PIN—1332. She’d caught him unlocking it once before. From the bathroom came the faint sound of a toothbrush against enamel. Renata opened the gallery. A folder labeled Backup. Her heartbeat drummed painfully in her chest.

CAMILLA'S POV “I just don't know which one to choose. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that all this is real”. I say as I try on another outfit from the numerous ones that Baron had brought for me. “Okay…. This. This is perfect Camilla”. Lucy said as I twirled around in the mirror. It was a simple dress that accentuated my curves. It was just a trip to the supermarket so it made no sense that I would want my outfit to look perfect. And it made less sense because I was going out with Baron.

Camela flinched, crawling backward as she asked, “What…what is that?” The ghost smirked. “That…is the truth you’ve hidden. Her real name…the one even your father wouldn’t dare to carve.” The fire-woman bent down, her hand hovering above Camela’s scar. The heat made Camela's skin blister. “She isn’t Camela Siegel. She isn’t Castellano either,” the ghost’s voice echoed sharply through the chamber. “She is…Camilla Lorne.” The name thundered through the air, causing every chain on the floor to rattle. The scar on Camela's chest flared painfully, making her scream and double over in agony.

That’s all that mattered right now. But as I got closer to the wing, something felt off. The air was too still, and there was a faint sound like pages rustling. I slowed my steps, my senses sharpening. The healer’s wing was supposed to be quiet, especially at this hour. No one was supposed to be in there except the healers and Zuleika. I crept closer, sticking to the shadows, and that’s when I saw her. Camilla. She was in the small library attached to the healer’s wing, her back to me, frantically flipping through books on the shelf. Her phone was pressed to her ear, and she was muttering something I couldn’t quite catch. My blood boiled. What the hell was she doing here?

Camilla stops suddenly and looks to me. “Who’s that in your head?” she asks the startling questions like she just asked me what my favorite color or movie is. I just blanch at her, completely taken off guard by her. “The girl, who said she liked it here. Who was that?” She asks again, so nonchalantly, like she didn’t just turn my world upside down. “Uhhhh. It’s kind of a secret” I tell her. It’s the best I can come up with.

The little details she shared made me wonder if there was a deeper reason for her secrecy. The kiss we shared was warm, beautiful, passionate. But even when we pulled away, the enigma remained. It was both intriguing and depressing at the same time. Maybe she was hiding a scar? The thought saddened me; everyone had their own burdens, their own stories. The announcement for the crowning ceremony pulled us closer to the stage. The crowd cheered for the winners, who were of course Nina and Enzo. They had been the winners last year, too. Nina’s father rigged the system to make her win, despite her protests. I thought it was hilarious, though, and so did Enzo. Besides, they were graduating this y

She pulled a move worse than I expected. I shook my head. “I can’t Camilla, get someone else. I mean… The safe is biometric. There're cameras in that room. Not to mention the alarms. “You’ll find a way,” she said, and placed the envelope down in front of me. “Don’t look so shocked. You’ve already proven you’re good at sneaking, and at taking what isn’t yours.” She stepped closer. “If you do this, “I’ll keep your dirty little secrets. “I’ll delete every video Lila’s ever taken. Every recording. Every photo. Your secrets stay buried.”

The timestamps were clearly labeled. There weren't any more explicit pictures, but the few that were posted were more than enough when paired with the explosive headline and the flood of comments underneath. ["Innocent" Campus Heartthrob Spotted Sneaking Into Storage Room With Older Woman] It felt as if all the blood in my body rushed straight to my head. My ears rang loudly, drowning out everything else. I could see Wallace's mouth moving in front of me, but I couldn't hear a single word he was saying.