Camilla Ava tugged on my dress in the morning, her eager eyes gleaming with joy. Her smile had a note of fun to it, and I knew she was about to ask for something I might refuse."Mom, can I follow the school bus today? "Just this once," she whispered, raising her small index finger to make her point. She squinted one eye halfway, as if we were negotiating a secret deal that only the two of us knew about.I breathed. This was not the first time she had asked. "Ava, we've discussed this before. I prefer taking you to school myself.""But Mommy," she moaned, bouncing on her toes, "all my friends take the bus." They claim it's fun! Please? I'll be careful. Only this once. "I promise."Her excitement was infectious, yet a familiar knot grew in my stomach. My heart raced at the idea of her alone in a car, surrounded by strangers. What if something happens? What if she became frightened or forgot her lunch? These were nonsensical worries, but as a mother, they seemed very real.I knelt down
Camilla The invitation to the dinner at Millach LTD had been waiting on my desk all week. I had considered about declining. In fact, I almost convinced myself it was the proper thing to do. But I knew better. As a partner to the company, my absence would have raised questions — questions I wasn’t ready to address. Questions that would circle back to Alex.So, I decided to attend. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to.As I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my outfit, a knot clenched in my gut. I brushed my fingertips over the slick black fabric, smoothing out unseen wrinkles. The dress embraced my physique in all the right places – exquisite, reserved, a firm display of authority. Yet, beneath the polished façade, my heart was a disaster.*What would I say if I saw him?* *Would he even speak to me?* *Or would we pretend, as we had for so long, that we were nothing more than two partners crossing paths?*Ready or not, it was happening.---A quiet laugh from the livin
ALEXI scanned the hall again, my pulse rising. She had refused to come.The staff member who was incharge of this dinner had told me she would come, that Camilla had agreed to attend. But now, as I sat there, a tight knot formed in my stomach. Maybe she had changed her mind. Maybe she's trying to avoid me.I tried to push the thought away, but it remained, gnawing at me. The guilt. The regret. I had caused so much pain — not just for her, but for myself too. All the times of pretending everything was fine, acting like I didn’t care, when inside, all I could think about was how badly I messed up.I had hurt her. I walked away when she needed me most. And now, here I was, hoping for a second chance. But what if she didn’t want to give me one? What if my mistakes were too much for her to forgive? The fear of rejection rang in my chest, and it made it harder to breathe.I thought back to the years we spent together. The love she had for me was real, even if I hadn’t appreciated it at the
ALEX I could see the work it took for her to keep her tone neutral. The brief flicker of something in her eyes — anger, pain, or maybe just weariness — disappeared quickly. She turned her attention back to Julie, engaged in polite conversation. But I saw it. She was doing her best to keep me at arm’s length. It hurt more than I thought it would. I watched them talk, every laugh, every smile Camilla gave Julie, twisting something deep inside me. She’d always been able to laugh, even when everything around her was collapsing. It used to draw me in. Now, it felt like a reflection of what I lost. The music started, its soft rhythm filling the room, but it did nothing to ease the tension that settled between Camilla and me. Julie stood up, leaving me alone with her. The silence that followed felt like a weight pressing down on my chest, and my hands began to sweat. I could feel the heat rising in my face, the awkwardness overwhelming. This was it. I had to speak. I had to say somet
CamillaI stood still by my car and couldn't think straight when Julie went back inside. As I thought about what happened, my chest got tight and my heart beat faster. Alex's voice kept going over in my head. It was steady, calm, and full of regrets. His regret wouldn't change what he had done, though. No excuse could work.My fingers turned white as I gripped my bag tighter. He had the nerve to come back after all these years and act like saying sorry would fix things. Did he think I'd forget the times I cried myself to sleep? The shame of being left behind while he went after another woman?I tried to steady my breathing, but the weight of his words remained. “I’m sorry for everything, Camilla.” I had waited so long to hear those words then, but now that he had said them, they felt empty. Too late. Too rehearsed.My chest burned with silent anger. He thought he could ease his shame by apologizing. As if my pain was just a passing storm, something that could be swept away with a few
CAMILLA Every little sound from outside made me jump. The creak of the stairs, the faraway hum of a car engine—it all set my nerves on edge. I kept imagining someone lurking in the shadows, ready to strike.By morning, my body was exhausted, but my determination was stronger. I wouldn’t let fear control me. Ava would stay by my side. Always.David called mid-morning, reminding me of our lunch. I was hesitant at first, but I knew Ava needed a change of setting. So did I.I got Ava ready, dressing her in her favorite pink dress with matching shoes. She twirled in front of the mirror, laughing. Her laughing eased some of the tension in my chest.When David arrived, I explained why Ava would be coming along. He listened carefully, his expression getting serious as I recounted the note.“This isn’t something to take lightly, Camilla,” he said, his brows furrowed in worry.“I know,” I answered. “That’s why I’m keeping Ava close.”David put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure th
Alex Camilla called me a stranger. The words stayed, cutting deeper than I expected. I earned it, though. I had broken her trust and walked away when she needed me most. But hearing her say it out loud made me realize how far I had fallen in her eyes. Still, what hurt more was seeing her pretend that everything was fine—that she had fully healed. As I turned to leave the restaurant, Ava’s crying eyes tugged at my heart. Her innocence made the rejection more painful. “I’m sorry, my little princess,” I whispered, crouching to her level. I gently patted her back, feeling the connection I hadn’t fully understood before. Then, I walked away, each step heavier than the last. ---I had seen Camilla before Ava ran toward me. She was laughing—truly laughing—with David. Her smile reached her eyes in a way I hadn’t seen before. She looked happy, at peace. It was a hard pill to swallow. Camilla has moved on. She has someone who knows her worth. And I’m just a ghost from her
Camilla"Mom, is he a bad person?" As we entered the house, Ava's soft voice broke the silence. Her teary look made me feel guilty, and it pulled at my heart. She had been quiet the entire way home because she was crying so hard that her little body shook. She eventually fell asleep in the car. I noticed in the rearview mirror that her small hands were grasping her garment as she slept. Her lips were trembling with words she couldn't express.Now she was looking at me with huge, curious eyes, waiting for me to respond. I dropped down on my knees beside her and placed my hands on her small shoulders. "No, honey. He is not a bad person."Her eyes furrowed in perplexity. "Then why didn't you let me talk to him?"I paused, my throat tightening as emotions raced inside me - dread, regret, and a persistent aching I couldn't shake. How can you convey a very difficult past to a child who only sees everything in black and white?"All I want is for you to be safe," I said quietly, attempting
AlexThe air was thick with anxiety as our car sped down the deserted road, tires buzzing against the asphalt. The black SUV ahead of us faded into the distance, its taillights blazing red and flickering like a heartbeat. We were getting near, but not fast enough.We'd been after them for over half an hour. The police used a GPS tracker concealed on their car. We knew they were going south on Route 19, but every second felt like we were losing them. My stomach twisted from anger and anxiety. I should have acted faster. I should've been more prepared. If I had, Ava might not be in danger now. But now all I could do was track them down. As the SUV's red taillights flashed in front of us, I grasped the armrest tightly. My heart was rushing and thumping inside my chest. Every second seemed like an eternity. I couldn't let them leave with her. We needed to get her back. "Keep on them!" The officer next to me ordered, his voice tense with urgency.The officers in the car with me were doin
Camilla The front door was slightly opened. As I pushed, the wood creaked, ringing through the silence like a warning. A moist chill crept across my skin. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of mold, dust, and something more. Something metallic. The room was consumed by darkness, but a dim light flickered in the distance. It hummed weakly, throwing long, fragmented shadows on the walls. My breath came out in short, uneven gasps. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, run, and seek help. But I couldn't, I kept moving. Because somewhere in the darkness, Ava was waiting for me.Then, from the darkness, came a voice. "Hands up." I froze. The voice was calm. Too calm. Possessing such control implied power.Footsteps were the next sound, which was slow and measured. Heavy. Deliberate. A rough, hard hand clamped around my wrist. Not cruel, but uncompromising. A silent warning. "Move." The grasp tightened slightly, guiding me forwards. My legs felt weak, but I
CamillaThe jet's hum filled the silence around me, but inside my head, all I could hear was noise—loud, excruciating noise. Ava. Her name rang repeatedly, pressing my heart even more. I gazed at my phone screen, my fingers quivering as I dialed Marta's number again. Still turned off.I tried again. Still nothing.Tears blurred my vision. My daughter was out there, in the hands of a dangerous person. Was she crying? Was she afraid? Did they injure her? My gut wrenched in misery at the thought. Across from me, Alex stood with his phone to his ear. His voice was steady and controlled, in stark contrast to the conflict inside me. "Alexander Brookes, CEO of Millach LTD," he said while listening to the other end of the line. His expression was unreadable, but I could sense the strain in his jaw. "There was an emergency that we needed to attend to. We already left. Tell Ms. Montgomery for a reschedule of this meeting if feasible." There was a delay before he said, "Alright, sorr
CamillaMy heart raced as I entered the room, my trembling fingers on the door just as it closed behind me. The silence around me was intense, broken only by my choppy breaths. I leaned my back against the door, feeling its coolness, but it didn't help quiet the turmoil inside me. Alex. The memory of his touch and the feel of his lips stayed with me like a haunting presence I couldn't escape. My resolve and the walls I carefully built around myself fell apart whenever he got near. I tried really hard to keep him away to protect myself and my daughter, but when he looked at me with those pleading eyes, I lost my strength. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to manage my feelings. It wasn't just about him; it was how he made me feel and how he could always remove the walls I felt I needed. The best thing I could do was put some space between us, lock the door, and guarantee that the mistakes of the previous night were never repeated. Sliding down to the floor, I sat with my knees t
AlexShe pulled the room door open without speaking, allowing it to swing close behind her. I caught it before it closed fully and followed her inside. Camilla walked straight to the couch and dropped herself upon its edge with a stiff motion. She crossed her arms again, her fingers grabbing her sleeves as if bracing for a blow. Her eyes was concentrated on a faraway location, her expression opaque yet heavy with thought. I paused near the door and watched her. She didn't recognize my presence as she moved her head slightly away. I took a breath and stepped closer, each movement slow and deliberate. The cool floor muffled my footfall, but I could feel the space between us. When I got close enough to talk, I stopped and kept my voice low. "Camilla, please listen to me." Her body tensed slightly, but she did not glance at me. The silence extended, dense with tension, and her only reaction was a tiny twitch of her fingers against her arm. "There's nothing to talk about," she st
ALEX The warm rays of sunlight crept through the blinds and woke me up. I stirred, slipping into the mattress, the warmth strange but weirdly soothing. As I opened my eyes, images of the previous night flooded back to me. I was on Camilla's bed. I sat up gently, putting my elbows on my knees and running a hand through my hair. A faint smile pulled on the corner of my lips. For the first time in years, the nothingness inside of me didn't feel so overwhelming. Being with her filled a gap I had no idea was so profound. As I shifted, the covers slipped down, showing my bare chest and the empty space next me. My heart dropped slightly when I realized Camilla was not there. I looked around the room, my eyes scanning every angle. Her scent lingered slightly in the air, but she was nowhere to be found. I pushed the blankets away from my legs and found my clothes lying on the floor. I picked them up one by one, the room's silence disturbed only by the subtle rustle of cloth as I dressed
Camilla. I felt his breath on my lips. He knelt between my legs and looked down at me, his eyes glowing. I am interested and fascinated as I watch."Please fuck me, Alex."He raises his eyebrows and moves his hand up and down his fantastic length.I am simply a ball of sexual, stressed, and need. He peered down at me for a time, as if calculating my desire, before grabbing me and flipping me over. It caught me by surprise. Before I could answer, he thrust inside me. I yelled out in response to his abrupt thrusting, and I came instantly again and again, breaking apart beneath him as he continued to crash gloriously into me. He didn't stop. I was finished. I loved it. And he pounded on and on... then I was building again.Alex had a nice attitude.My body convulsed around him as I climaxed again, yelling out his name. I shattered again into small bits, while Alex stayed still, finally letting go and softly finding his release. He collapsed on top of me, breathing hard.I laid on the
Camilla The door clicked shut behind us, and for a moment, the room was very quiet. The storm outside was strong, with lightning flashing up the sky for a moment. The constant sound of rain against the windows matched the beating of my heart. Alex stood right behind me, feeling warm and intense. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck; it was steady but also unsure. It gave me an unshakeable chill. I turned slowly to look at him, my hands shaking a bit by my sides. His eyes looked into mine, deep and curious. For the first time in a long while, he didn't seem arrogant or defensive. Only weakness. “Camilla…” he whispered, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through me. I reached up and lightly touched his face with my fingers. His skin was warm, and he leaned into the touch, closing his eyes for a short moment as if savoring it. When he opened them again, they were filled with a kindness that made my chest ache. He brought his face closer to mine, reminding
Alex The storm outside mirrored the one inside my chest. Thunder echoed through the night as I lay in bed, staring at my room's ceiling. Rain pounded against the windows, heavy and unrelenting, like the thoughts racing through my mind. I could not sleep. I ran my fingers through my hair, annoyed. Camilla's presence in the next room hung over me like a heavy chain. Knowing she was so close but felt so far away was heartbreaking. I tried to talk to her, apologize, and make her understand, but she always shut me out. Maybe she was right. I had broken her in ways I didn't think I could ever make up for. But I wasn't the man I once was, and I wanted—need—to show her that. Lightning flashed outside, briefly lighting the room. I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, bare feet on the icy floor. My chest clenched with a frantic, gnawing pain. I couldn't simply lie here. I took a big breath and stood, padding out into the common area. The room was poorly lit, with the