Chapter 3 New Beginning

(Camilla's POV)

A week passed with me doing nothing but confining myself to the four corners of the room Butler Jin arranged for me. I had no appetite for anything, and I couldn't even bring myself to care about food.

It feels like my life has lost all meaning.

For five years, all I ever dreamed of was being a good wife and homemaker to Lester, but in an instant, all of that was shattered because of his betrayal. Until now, I still can't accept everything that happened.

Butler Jin decided to keep the discovery of my situation hidden because he believes I'm not ready to face and fulfill the responsibilities I've been avoiding for the past five years.

The only remaining descendant of Don Giovanni Salvador, the founder of Atlas Innovations, who disappeared like a bubble five years ago, is no one else but me.

I was only eighteen when my only family died of a cardiac arrest. I didn't grow up with my parents, who died in a plane crash accident, so losing my grandpa inflicted great pain on me. On top of that, I was deprived of the right to mourn because all grandpa ’s business and wealth that were immediately transferred to my name. I was seen as the hope to continue my family's legacy.

But I couldn't handle it.

I was just a child then, ignorant and still deeply mourning my grandfather's death, so I fled my fate as an heiress.

I lived a normal life, far from the luxury I was accustomed to. I learned to work hard to support the life I chose.

Then, I met Lester at the club where I worked as a janitor. Our first meeting wasn't pleasant because he took advantage of me when he was drunk that night. His actions immediately bore fruit, and he stood by me, offering marriage. I taught myself to love him, thinking it was the new destiny God had laid out for me.

But it was all just a lie.

In the Agravante clan, only Don Rafael wanted me as Lester's wife. It was only recently that I found out he was the reason Lester married me. It was because he threatened not to give all his inheritance to his son if he didn't take responsibility for what he ’s done to me.

And now that Don Rafael is dead, he has no reason to pretend anymore. The truth is, I was just an ornament he used to get what he wanted.

He never loved me.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I stared lifelessly at the door as it opened and a maid dressed in a household uniform came out.

" Please, have your meal, Madam." I didn't respond.

The maid left without saying a word after receiving no response from me. How long will I be like this?

I am physically alive, but I ’ m better off dead. My gaze returned to the open door.

I grabbed my cardigan and quickly left the room.

*****

I found myself at the cliff near the beach of my house. I squint my eyes as the wind blows against my face. I feel the dance of my dress following the wind's flow.

I stood on the edge of the cliff and tried to call Lester again. This time, for some reason, he answered quickly.

"What's the matter again?"

I pressed my pain, trying to ignore his impatience, my hand on my stomach, and said, "Lester, I'm pregnant. Will you give up your lover and go back to your family?"

"Damn it! Pregnant?! What does that have to do with me. Please, stop bothering me!"

"Don't hang up!" I grabbed my phone and shouted.

"Lester, is it your annoying wife's phone again?" A woman's voice came from the paragraph. I clenched my phone tightly, and tears flowed quickly again.

"Speak quickly, I have something else to do." Lesseter's voice rang out.

"Lester... if, if, if I really die, will you regret your actions?" I gathered my courage to find evidence that he still cared about me again.

"That's it? Then go die."

Lester's indifferent tone came through without incident. I laughed at my own stupidity. When a man has an affair, the first thing he does is to let his wife die, while I still want to arouse the love I once had.

I lowered my gaze to the rugged cliff.

I closed my eyes and whispered to the wind, "Maybe my fate is truly bitter. Maybe there's really no place for my happiness in this world. It's better if I end my life. . ."

I closed my eyes again.

I didn't know how to swim since I was a child. It was one of the things I feared despite my love for the sea.

But I have nothing to fear now...

I stepped closer to the edge of the cliff. "I'll be with my baby too. . ."

Next thing I knew, I jumped off the rugged cliff. I felt like I was flying for a few seconds before feeling the painful impact of the water on my skin. The sea quickly embraced me underwater. I tried to surface but failed. It seems there really is no turning back from the decision I made.

I let my body sink deeper to the water, accepting the fate I have selfishly given to myself. Then. . .

I saw the eyes of the sea.

I saw the blue eyes of a person???

Fearfully, I moved my hands away from the stranger, trying my very best to swim away from him, but I felt his hand wrapped around my waist and our bodies slowly moving in the water. I struggled to breathe as he pulled us both to the surface of the water. He carried me to the shore where he gently laid me down.

"W—Who are you. . ." I struggled to ask.

I couldn't see his face because of the sunlight behind him. Adding to that was my still unclear condition, making it difficult for me to clearly see the figure of the man standing in front of me. All I could see was his large frame and tall figure.

" Killing yourself will not bring pain to those who have wronged you. . ." I furrowed my brows at what the man said.

Staying awake was becoming more and more difficult. My eyelids were starting to get heavier. I felt like I was about to lose consciousness at any moment.

" Live through your pain and make them regret."

Those were the last words I heard before I was completely engulfed in darkness.

*****

[ 1 year later]

I gasped for breath as I turned off the treadmill after using it for half an hour. I quickly grabbed the towel to wipe the sweat off my face and neck.

I was in the middle of taking a sip of water when I caught a man staring at me.

I lowered the tumbler I was holding to give the man a seductive smile, who had been watching me earlier. His ears turned red as he averted his gaze.

A mischievous grin formed on my lips. " Hello!"

The man almost dropped the dumbbell on his face in surprise when I suddenly appeared in front of him. His eyes stopped at my chest, proudly pointing at him.

"I ’ m Cams. . ." I introduced myself, extending my hand to the man. He hesitantly wiped his sweaty hand on his shirt before shaking mine. "It ’s alright. I ’ m already sweaty anyway. . ." I said meaningfully as I held his hand.

I couldn't help but notice the man's gulp.

Cute

"I didn't catch your name."

The man seemed to regain his composure and awkwardly introduced himself. "V—Vincent."

I flirtatiously glanced athis massive biceps. " Nice to meet you, Vins, ” I replied, making him his own nickname. It was obvious that he was restraining himself from flirting with me, so I decided to play my final card before leaving him with a hard problem.

I pressed the towel I used to wipe my sweat on his forehead. The bulge inside his sweatpants grew even bigger.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

I quickly separated myself from the man and walked away as if nothing happened to answer the call.

" Hello?" I grinned as I looked back at the man who was currently clutching his stomach in pain.

"Cams?!" the man called out. I innocently raised my eyebrows at him.

"Sorry, I ’ m on call," I said with a smile, raising my cellphone, which was actually ringing. "What is it, Jin?" I asked seriously after turning my back on the man I just victimized.

[Where are you, heiress?] "At the gym."

[You have your own personal gym in the mansion.] I shrugged even though he couldn't see me.

“There's no audience, and can you stop calling me heiress? I am the CEO now. ” [My apologies, Miss CEO.]

I chuckled at Butler Jin's teasing.

"What's my schedule for the day?" I asked as I packed my things into my gym bag.

[You will be attending together with our representative to present our project proposal to the organization this later afternoon.]

"Okay."

[Other CEOs will be there to present their project proposals, too.]

I paused in packing my things. "Other CEOs?"

[Yes, heiress.]

I bit my lip at what I heard.

“Then, that means Nexus Innovations will be there, too? ” I whispered. I smiled as I looked at myself in the large mirror in front of me now.

I will see them again.

And as promised, a different Camilla will face them now. A lot has changed in a year.

And I can't wait to show them that.

*****

Lester’s P.O.V.

I could have been home a long time ago if we hadn't waited for the damn CEO of Atlas Innovations.

I just don't get it.

Their representative is already here. What's so important about her that we need to wait for her?

“She must be some old divorced hag … ” Kristoff quipped.

I chuckled, amused.

We heard that the CEO of Atlas is a woman, which is very unsettling for a top company in this industry.

Men rule this industry.

There is no place for women here.

As a matter of fact, she can't even practice punctuality. She's wasting everyone's time.

“ Hey! ” I called out to one of the organizers who couldn't seem to stay still. She immediately approached me like a dog. "Can we just start now? We don't have all the time in the world for this fuc— ”

I closed my eyes in frustration.

Nah. . . I need to take care of my reputation if I want to enter politics.

“We are all busy people. I hope you understand that we want to maximize our time, ” I said, sounding a little more polite than earlier.

I forced a smile at the woman.

“ I ’ m so sorry, Mister Agravante, but we can't start with incomplete participants. ”

I clenched my fist under the roundtable where we were all seated. I wanted to yell at the woman, but I decided to calm myself down.

I ’ll embarrass that old hag later! “SHE ’S HERE! ”

The organizer quickly left my side to meet the new CEO of Atlas Innovations. Finally, we can start.

I glanced at Kristoff, who was staring blankly at the entrance of the Arc room. I raised an eyebrow athis obvious amazement.

“The fuck is wrong with you, man? ”

If he wasn't my friend, I might have mistaken him for being crazy. “She ’s not some divorced old hag, dude. ”

I furrowed my brows at what he said. “She's a goddess. ”

I couldn't help but follow his gaze and my mouth fell open in awe when I saw the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my entire life.

As the door swung open, a stunning woman entered the room, her presence commanding attention. She was adorned in a sleek and elegant formal dress that accentuated her beautiful curves. The fabric of her dress shimmered in the light, enhancing her beauty as she captured the gaze of everyone in the room with her effortless charm and poise.

“ Is that … ” I mumbled like a kid who had forgotten to speak straight sentences. Our eyes met.

I can't be mistaken, those green eyes, I know them so well. When did she become this beautiful?!

She smiled seductively.

“Ah, my apologies for the delay, loves. I'm Cams, and I must admit, keeping you waiting has its own charm, wouldn't you agree?, ” she said, biting her lips as she maintained eye contact with me.