Chapter Five

Four days later.

The BOLD Fashion Feast was a huge three days annual social event that different fashion houses, accessories companies, players in the fashion industry and celebrities from all over the world attend to commemorate and exhibit the year's latest designs in the fashion industry. The grand finale of the event was a night with lots of pomp and pageantry.

Camilla was seated in the front row next to her mother and father, nursing her fourth cocktail when she spotted a tall handsome man, dressed in a slim-fit bistrech gray suit walking in. He was followed by two other men dressed in dark tuxedo suits.

She couldn't help but stare at him, noticing his broad shoulders and strong, defined jawline; he had dark brown hair which was neatly gelled back with small strands falling on each side of his face. 

His face was oval shaped and striking with light blue eyes, thin lips, and an upturned nose as well as flat-shaped eyebrows.

He was one of the most attractive men Camilla had ever seen but not attractive enough to melt her heart, she thought, when he suddenly caught her gaze.

They locked eyes for a moment before he smiled, revealing perfectly straight white teeth, and dimples appearing on his cheeks as he gave her a wink which instead earned him a scoff from the young lady.

"Show off." She muttered under her breath and looked away, then took another sip of her drink, pretending that she was too engrossed in it to pay any attention to him.

Meanwhile, her parents and PA, Lauren Grant who was seated by her right-hand side seem to notice this as all three of them exchanged knowing glances, smiling discreetly to each other while Camilla just glared into space. The young man, however, seemed not to be bothered by her attitude towards him, and instead nodded slightly at her parents who waved enthusiastically at him.

They never had a problem with Alexander Cena and saw him as a gentleman from a highly reputable family but couldn't tell why their daughter hated the mere sight of him so much.

Still, her dislike for him wasn't enough to stop the plans her mother and father had set up for her that night as the only thing they had to figure out was how to get rid of Lauren, their daughter's PA in order to carry out their plan.

Soon the ceremony was over and everyone began filing out one by one. They were ushered into their cars by their chauffeurs, until the large hall was empty.

Now at Houston Grande Hotel, where most of the celebrities from the BOLD Fashion Feast were lodged, there was an after party going on in the ballroom with a live orchestra playing.

Guests were seated at tables around the room, drinking champagne or wine, some dancing to the music being played by the band, while others mingled among the people of their social circles.They were chatting happily about the things that happened at the event, as well as Camilla being crowned the best dressed and best-on-theme female for the year's event.

Coincidentally Alexander was equally crowned as the best-dressed male of the year and some celebrities who had been shipping them for long were happy for them, despite the antipathy that Camilla never failed to show whenever she was around Alexander or was asked questions about him.

"Fernando," Alessia whispered as she nudged her husband slightly in the arm who turned to her with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, Amore mio(My love)." He said softly while stroking the side of Alessia's face gently with the backs of his fingers.

"Stop acting all sweet, and go. There he is." She whispered again, pointing in Alexander's direction who seemed to be talking to some people standing across the room from them.

Sighing quietly he leaned over to kiss her lightly on the cheek before pushing himself out of his seat, grabbing two cups of wine from a waiter who passed by him on his way to where Alexander was.

Alessia sighed deeply as she played with her fingers nervously, thinking of what idea she could come up with to get Lauren out of the hotel.

"Mamma." A soft voice startled Alessia from her reverie as she turned her head toward her daughter who was sitting two seats from her with her brows furrowed in concentration.

"Yes, honey?" Alessia asked gently, trying to mask up a worry-free face.

"Why did papà just walk up to Mr. Cena?"  She questioned, curiously looking back at Alexander who was now standing beside her father, talking animatedly as they both laughed.

"I don't know, I guess he just wants to say hello and congratulate him on being awarded the best-dressed male for the year," Alessia answered simply, hoping she wouldn't have to go through the hassle of explaining anything else to her daughter. Unfortunately she wasn't that lucky.

"But why?" Camilla asked, sounding confused as well as irritated. 

Alessia let out a tired sigh once more before answering, "Bambina (Baby), just because you don't like him doesn't mean we should also feel the same way about him." Alessia replied, making the young woman huff, displeased with her mother's response.

She turned her head to the other side, refusing to look at her anymore, to which Lauren chuckled at. As soon as that happened, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and taking it out, she discovered that it was her daughter's nanny, Isabel, calling her. 

Excusing herself, she immediately went to a quiet corner of the hotel to receive the call but returned a few minutes looking very troubled and upset, her eyes bloodshot and puffy.

Alarmed by the sudden change in her PA's behavior, both Camilla and her mother asked in unison, "What's wrong, Lauren?" They asked as she looked up from her phone, blinking rapidly to try and clear her vision, and then she said in a shaky voice, "It's Maureen, Isabel just called to tell me she found her lying on the floor in her room gasping for breath." 

"Oh my goodness. Has she been taken to the hospital, is she fine?" Camilla asked, very concerned about her PA's daughter as she and her mother stood up from their seats.

"Yes, yes. She said that the doctor said she had an asthma attack but is fine now." She replied and the other women looked at each other in surprise.

"Asthma attack? But Maureen isn't asthmatic." Alessia said, and Lauren nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she isn't, but my ex-husband, Chad is." She explained and paused for a little while before continuing.

"I just didn't think she'll ever get it too. I mean, she has never gotten an attack before." She said shakily and Camilla placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, just breathe, alright?" She said reassuringly and Lauren nodded, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly before speaking up again.

"I need to go see how she is doing." She said, hastily picking up her handbag.

"Yes, you need to leave right away," Alessia said in agreement, while Lauren turned to leave but stopped as soon as she remembered the position she held as Camilla's PA.

"Oh no." She said as she turned back to them.

"What?..."Camilla asked, wondering why Lauren stopped. 

"I can't leave you all alone here, who's going to help in supervising that everything we used at the BOLD Fashion Feast gets back to Tombell® safe and intact." She replied and Camilla rolled her eyes at her behavior.

"Go to the hospital to check on Maureen and I will manage things here, don't worry." The blonde-haired woman said reassuringly.

"But..." She started protesting but Camilla cut her short.

"Go, and don't forget to call me when you get there." She urged and Lauren reluctantly agreed.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She said in gratitude before leaving the two women standing and dashing out of the ballroom.

"Oh my God, poor Maureen. I hope she's okay." Alessia said as she watched  Lauren's figure disappear, genuinely concerned for the little girl's health but also happy that she didn't have to do anything to make Lauren leave the hotel that night.

"Me too," Camilla responded as she sat down on her seat once again.