BRADEN I was at lost for words for a moment as my eyes stared at the one person whom I thought I would never see again till I actually die. My shocked and widened orbs were transfixed onto her profile, taking in every single feature in order to convince myself that I was not dreaming neither were my eyes playing tricks on me. Wait the fuck!? What the actual fuck?My brows creased and my Adams Apple gobbled repeatedly in pure lividness. How dare this gold digger storm into my house and she fucking had the guts to call herself my wife! "Oh you are Braden's wife?" Camilla muttered, turning her head briefly to face me before flashing her eyes back at Ophelia.Ophelia just stood with a mean scowl on her face. Her eyes skimmed Camilla with disgust written over her features."Yes I am his wife. And you.." she scrutinized her scornfully. " You must be one of those cheap sluts he hangs out with. I am guessing you have enjoyed him to your fill" she added in distaste."Excuse me?" Camilla r
"Once upon a time there lived a beautiful girl called Cinderella. Cinderella lived with her two step sisters and her wicked stepmother. They were very unkind to Cinderella and made her do a lot of hard work...." Camilla straddled Vanessa in her arms as she kept reading from one of Vanessa's numerous storybooks.Her worried orbs were too noticeable, Camilla could easily tell that she was disturbed and absent minded. The Vanessa she knew should have been deep in her slumber by this time of the night but tonight was a different case.The story did not seem to move her in any way that it should but that did not stop Camilla from going further. She continuously read through the chapters of the storybook, hoping Vanessa would let go of whatever was causing her discomfort and finally sleep.Things were a little heated right now and Vanessa should not be involved in it. "God! Just when I was enjoying some peace, this lady had to come from nowhere to spoil it all" Camilla groaned on the insid
CAMILLA I was transfixed, glued to the spot and I found it hard to get back the air that had been sucked out from my lungs. "Camilla..." Braden said to me in a fit of shock. I was in a very compromising situation. I had walked in on Ophelia trying to seduce Braden--atleast that was what it seemed to me but I did not know why this sudden sharp pang of pain hit my chest. "Get the fuck out of here!" Ophelia came towards me but Braden swiftly held her back, dragging her.I gulped down my nervousness and adverted my gaze from both of them."I am s-sorry if I-I uhm..intruded i-into anything..I-I...just.." God even my voice was shaky. "No no you did not intrude. It is really not how it seems like" Braden interrupted my hitched statements and came towards me. "The fuck Braden! Why is the bitch even in our private room anyways?!" Ophelia jeered. "Didn't your parents teach you anything about privacy!? How dare you come in between a man and his wife!?" Ophelia spat at me distastefully."E
The sizzling aroma of eggs being fried in the kitchen and the whistling of the teapot filled the air. A mild dulcet tone of a female humming rang in the kitchen too as breakfast was being made.With an eye glancing at the wrist watch strapped to her arm, Camilla let out a shortened gasp after noticing how far the time had gone. Quickly, she arranged breakfast in a tray and shuffled her feet out the kitchen door and towards the dinning room."Vanessa" Camilla called for the young girl with her eyes momentarily trailing upstairs as she arranged the breakfast on the dinning room. "Vanessa baby come eat" Camilla called out again as she took the tray to the kitchen, heading to bring one last dish which was meant for Ophelia. She doubted if Ophelia would even agree to eat her food but to atleast fulfill all righteousness sake, Camilla had decided to cook what would be enough for everyone. It was not in her attitude to sideline people. Her conscience would prick her to death if she did
"Let me in right now, I don't care if he is busy. I can get you fired if you disobey me" Ophelia thundered at a female staff. "Do you fucking know who I am. I am the wife of Braden's Hills. Yes the Braden Hills. My husband and your boss are business partners. Fucking let me in or I will get you fired before today ends I swear!" Ophelia threatened.The young blonde staff instantly grew frightened and her fingers fidgeted on the keypads of her keyboard."I am sorry ma, I did not know. You can go in" the office receptionist apologised quickly with a bow to an enraged Ophelia."Sorry for your fucking self!" Ophelia spat distastefully at her. After eavesdropping on Nicholas' and Camilla's uneventful discussion, Ophelia knew she had to act fast.She had found someone who had the same goal as her and she was going to make sure the opportunity was adequately used.She mockingly washed down the receptionist with her eyes before hissing. The loud tapping from her heels echoed in the hall tha
Nicholas sat on the swirling black chair in his office, his finger tapped away, playing on the table. He was anxious and also fidgety, eager with thumping hearts to meet Ophelia and hear what she had to say. Ever since their discussion in his office, Nicholas had been in deep thoughts. It felt like he was torn between the devil and the sea. He knew what Ophelia wanted him to do. She wanted to enlist his help in separating Braden and Camilla. It all felt wrong, but at the same time it felt so right.He had sacrificed a lot for Camilla in hopes of finally winning her love fully but when it seemed like everything was finally falling in place for him, Braden just switched up his attitude out of the blue and became a different person towards the same Camilla he loathed months ago.Ophelia's offer was so irresistible, it was too tempting to resist.Yes Braden had come to devolop a fierce dislike for Ophelia over the years but if she could get Braden back to her then Camilla would be ope
CAMILLA The days rolled by like a blur as seconds grew into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days and days into weeks. So also my stay in the mansion which had climbed up to four months.A part of me eagerly looked forward to my freedom in an extra one month time but yet another part of me was saddened and also ladened with numerous anxiety attacks. The reason being that I frequently worried if I would ever get to see Vanessa and Braden ever again. I also wondered if Ophelia would win the fight against Braden and maintain her status as his wife.Braden had sent her divorce papers to sign but she blatantly refused to do so. He had called his attorney to talk to her but she was proving really stubborn.Several times, they had gone to court especially for custody of Vanessa but each time, the hearing was adjourned.She was really determined to stay in the mansion as his wife. It was like a tug of war.I just wondered who will win. But my thoughts came with a strange fear.
"Once upon a time, in the middle of winter, the snowflakes were falling like feathers from the sky. At a castle window framed in ebony sat a young Queen working at her embroidery, and as she was stitching away and gazing at the snowflakes now and then, she picked her finger and three little drops of blood fell down upon the snow. And because the red color looked so beautiful there on the snow she thought to herself, 'Oh, if I only had a little child as white as snow, as rosy red as blood, and with hair as black as the window frame!' Ophelia read the snow white story book calmly while Vanessa laid on her bed listening carefully to every word Ophelia had said."Soon after...." "Mummy" Vanessa prod into her storytelling. "Yes love, what is it?" Ophelia dropped the story book and caressed Vanessa's hair with a beaming smile."I want to ask you something" She said to Ophelia mildly, her tone was soft and calm as she spoke."You can ask mummy anything, anything at all and I will tell you
CAMILLASIX MONTHS LATER The church bells rang loudly, creating such a peaceful ambience the moment we drove in. It has been six months since the entire saga we had with Ophelia. It was really not easy for I and Braden to try and overlook everything that had happened between us but thankfully we managed to do so.And our relationship blossomed more than ever. I loved this man so much. Looking back at everything that had happened between us, there was no doubt that I and Braden were fated lovers. We were a match made in heaven. I feel like a teenager in love once again. I feel so nostalgic seeing how everything is turning out; how in love we are is just like when we were back in college. Tears welled up in my eyes but I blinked them away. "Camilla it is way too early to start crying" Mr Harold, the elderly doctor who helped in treating my bother when he needed his surgery for his heart said to me with a hearty smile. I faced him and let out a chuckle. Today was my wedding day
Two weeks Later Camilla speedily picked out all her outfits from her closet and stacked them without even sparing a second to breathe.She was completely fed up and tired of the tribulations and mayhem that caused her heart to break all the time.This wasn't the first, second, third, or even fourth time that she had to face something detrimental to her mental health or emotions.Braden and everyone related to him brought nothing but pain to her. She was finally free from the mansion but a bigger part of her was broken.The sweet memories she had with Braden, in and out of the mansion lurked around her heart.Being free from the mansion wasn't just a reason to celebrate but a reason to mourn because she was now going to be far from the man she loved."I'm just a third wheel in Braden's love life, I was just there to hold him tight because his wife was no longer there and now that she's back he has gone back to her. My time here is over so I need to walk out of his life for the secon
Nicholas burst open the doors and sprinted into the mansion. His gaze immediately fell upon Braden seated on the dinning table and he was endlessly sculling down countless bottles of liquor. They were arrayed before him like numerous trophy prizes. He did not even mind the fact that Nicholas was in his house but instead his entire attention was focused on the alcohol that he kept on drowning himself in. The sight was pitiful. What had come over Braden too?Ever since Camilla left, he had turned into an alcoholic.Camilla on the other hand had become so malnourished and bony. Coming closer to Braden, the strong scent of alcohol hit him at all corners.It was nauseating even for him.Was this the real effect of their conspiracies on both Braden's and Camilla's life? They were miserable without each other and they were both killing themselves with each passing day. Oh God. Nicholas felt like crying on seeing how miserable his friend had become but he held himself together."Braden
Her heart was punctured, torn to pieces and damaged so severely.There comes a stage in life when tears can not even express the severity of grief, pain and heartache you are feeling. That moment in one's life when the ability to cry and shed tears has been taken away from you totally. You want to cry to your heart's content but no. You just can not cry again no matter how hard you try to.Because your body, mind and soul is weak. Your eyes are reddenned, covered with dark spots and swollen. It has no more tears left to give.The pain is too much to bear that even your body can no longer express the type of grief you are experiencing. It is a terrible feeling. And what is more even terrible is when this immense pain is caused by 'heartbreak'. Heartbreak is like a mini death, your heart shuts down your ability to function propely and engage in your daily activities.Even eating may seem so strenuous to you. Depression subdues your thought and you just can not quickly move on no m
CAMILLAMy heart heaved like the weight of a dumbbell as the excruciating pain brewed up in my chest continuously.My heart shattering into a million pieces was an understatement of what I was feeling. I felt like drowning myself to death.I felt my existence disappearing into thin air.I thought we were developing a strong love for each other again but it turns out that I was just been used because I was easy to sway.I feel so foolish for letting myself into his life again, he used me and went back to his wife after promising to never go back to her.What was I expecting? For Braden to leave the woman who he took an oath with on the altar and choose his mere maid? Now it sounds ridiculous.Ophelia did warn me, she said she made it clear to me that Braden is hers no matter what I did and this proves it all. I can not believe I confidently retorted back at her and told her that her plans would never work.Now I see the marital bbond between Braden and Ophelia, it is unbreakable no mat
CAMILLA I arrived back from Olga's place a little earlier than I planned to. I wanted to surprise Braden because earlier yesterday before leaving, I had told him I would be back late in the evening. I told him that to see his reaction and if he would still let me leave but to my utmost shock, he still gave me open doors to leave and go enjoy being with my family. I came back earlier this morning and steathily tiptoed up the stairs with giggles trying to escape my lips. I pressed back my sudden eagerness to see Braden which was coated all over my face when I had begun approaching Braden's room and the faraway sound of two people talking hit my ear walls. As I approached further, the sound grew louder till I had gotten to Braden's door.I could fully recognise the voices now. It was Braden and Ophelia. From the outside, one could tell that the conversation was heated and intense with the intonation of their voices. My curiousity was piqued and a sudden restlessness overwhelmed
The soft rays emitting from the sun through the transparent linen curtain hit Braden's face, toning his skin in the process. He pinched his eyes tight shut before turning his head away from the sun's glistening rays but it was off no use any more.His sleep had been interrupted and he could not sleep back.Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and a yawn escaped his peach lips. Stirring up from his deep slumber, Braden flew his eyes open in an instant only to be hit by a severe banging pain that seemed to almost shatter his skull. Letting out a hiss in pain, he trailed a finger to his temples, massaging everywhere in hopes of calming down the skull shattering ache that throbbed all over his head. It seemed to be as painful as a migraine but it was not. It was affecting all sides of his head. His vision was very much blurry and hazy causing him to close his eyes tight shut in a bid to try and readjust his sight. Opening his eyes once more again, Braden could now see but not ful
The heart they say is deadly, the desires of the heart exerts a powerful influence in the actions of an individual. It could either be good or bad. But in dire cases, when the heart can not get what it wants, the person then goes to extreme measures to get their hearts desire be it a good or bad one. Love they say is another weapon that could be used for either good or bad. Healthy love is like medicine to the body.It heals you even without you realising.That type of love is the love that makes you understand that you actually can not control how people feel about you.You might love someone with your whole heart but if the person is not interested in being with you, you can not hold the person accountable for it.Healthy love makes one understand that in life, some people may never reciprocate how we feel about them no matter how genuine and true it is.So instead of sulking and killing your mental stability with depression, you do yourself a big favour by just letting go of the
CAMILLA With a rush of excitement building in me, I knocked on Olga's front door as I patiently waited for a response.In a split second, the door opened up to reveal the elderly but beautiful face of Olga in a blue long dress standing with a surprised look plastered on her face."Camilla?!" Olga articulated gleefully. With a beaming smile, she rushed to give me a very tight hug. "Olga," I responded calmly as I gave into the warm embrace. I was so happy to see Olga after all these months of staying in Braden's house.She was also very happy to see me, that bright smile and high-pitched voice of hers were enough to know."Jason!! your sister is here!" Olga turned and yelled into the quiet house.Loud footsteps of someone running met my ears immediately, Jason jumped out of nowhere and exclaimed happilythe minute he noticed me and I squealed for joy as well."Camilla!" he cheerfully called out."Jason" Euphoria pulsated through my veins as my eyes landed on his healthy orbs.I felt so