Camille’s POVI picked the broccoli into my mouth and eat the food like nothing happened, “I must say Irene, Ma’am Rita is doing so well with this food,” I mumbled but Irene has been quiet since I got back home.“What’s it you want to talk about? I miss the talkative Irene,” I chipped in, I heard Irene sighed.“I’m worried about you ma’am, this rumor might take a while before it dies down, I’m scared it might cause a huge-““Irene?” I called gently halting on my meals, I made sure she and I are looking at each other before I continued, “I came home because the office is lousy, I’m home to make peace with myself…. If you keep speaking and looking gloomy like that, I’m afraid I might be really restless so please huh, just let it go, give me that smiley face of yours,” I told her and I could see her grin heartily.“Yes ma’am,” she mumbled.“That’s my girl…”“Oh there you’re Camille, I’ve been waiting for you, are you done eating?” Dad chipped in, coming to the dinning table, he place
AUTHOR’S POV“W-what?” Kate who was behind Camille, exclaimed. Camille simply raised her hand to keep Kate under control, Camille is as shock as Kate.“Okay. I’ve heard you but remember that I won’t just sit back and watch all of you try and chase me out. Never because I did nothing,” Camille defended then swiftly she turned to look at Kate who had all sort of concern on her face.“Let’s go,” Camille instructed and took the lead, Kate trailed off behind.Opening the door ajar, “You can now get me a big bowl of noodles and spicy chicken,” Camille ordered while Kate had her mouth wide open.“But…”“Yes. I know what you are thinking..you’re thinking probably I’d be sulking at my desk right now huh? No. I’m not the weak-heart Camille anymore, this phase will pass,” Camille assured, obviously assuring herself.Kate pressed her lips together, feeling sorry for Camille and Camille noticed, “Just get it done, Kate. You know I don’t entertain such pity looks,” Camille chirped in.Kate get a h
Camille stood there confused, shocked and scared. “Dad!!” She shrieked running over to him, her loud noise woke everyone in the house.“Oh Good God! What happennd?” Irene also exclaimed running over there as well, the head of staff could be seen making call to the emergency ambulance nearby.Everyone else was just shocked and wondered what could be wrong.“P-please wake up,” Camille mumbled lowly as she tap her dad gently but got no response.Her fear grew, This man means a lot to her now, she can’t lose him too?Few minutes later, the ambulance came into the building and Mr Leonard was placed on a stretcher and was carried into the ambulance, Camille followed. In a hurry, the ambulance drive away.And in a split seconds, the ambulance stopped at a nearby hospital, the doctors matched out when they received a code blue. Mr Leonard was rushed to the ER, Camille stood at the entrance with her hand getting sweaty, her hand never left each other.She paced to and fro of the emergency ro
(Two Days Later) Camille’s POVI scrolled down to last post and nothing had appeared on the page for the last two days, I guess they’ve taken down the scandal, but who cares? I cared less.… I looked at dad on the hospital bed, he’s been asleep for the past two days now, the doctor said he’s probably fallen into coma.‘He might take long before he wakes up and if he doesn’t respond to the treatment, we might have to perform the surgery’ My mind flashed to what the doctor had said the other day.“Dad,… please wake up,”My voice failed me as I silently cried, the door to the room slide open, instantly I cleanse my tears, Kate walked in.“Good morning ma’am,” She greeted and I simply nod as we both trailed off to where I designed as an office since I couldn’t go to work. I sat down at the desk while she stood, “Let me have the business proposal of the other marketing company? What did you call it?” I asked.“I don’t we’d need it anymore, RUN Inc reached out to the Marketing team and c
(FEW MINUTES LATER) AUTHOR’S POV Camille squinted eyes opened, “Where—“ she mumbled then sits upright. Looking around , she’s still in the hospital but placed on a bed. The only thing she remember at the moment was when her father was taken away on a stretcher “My dad….” She grumbled then pull out the drip passed to her hand, she opened the door and found Xavier waiting at the entrance talking to a doctor. “My father,,, where is he? Take me to him,” She demanded and Xavier turned to her, he took her hand that’s dripping blood as a result of pulling out the needle forcefully. “Camille you’re bleeding, your father is fine. Let’s address this wound,” Xavier suggested and tried to take her back in but Camille was adamant. “I asked you a question, where is my father?” She requested while Xavier sighed. “Okay fine, he’s undergoing a surgery now. Trust me, he will be fine,” Xavier assured her with a simple smile. Camille found herself shedding tears, her heart wrecks.
(Earlier that evening- Rodrigo’s building)Tiana suddenly barged into Diego’s room, “I thought you meant to ruin Camille?! Why the hell did you suddenly take down those photos?!” Tiana yelled while Diego dropped the video pads and sprang up on his feet.“Don’t you have courtesy? Can’t you see I’m playing games here? Why the hell did you barg in like that!” Diego yelled back, Tiana scoffed.“Answer my question! Are you suddenly having a second thought? Get rid of Camille!”“When did you start to give me advice huh? Tiana, don’t cross the line!” Diego snapped and Tiana folded her hand into a tight fist.“Let’s get married!” Tiana suddenly blurted out, Diego squinted his eyes to be sure he heard her right.“what did you just say?” He asked to be sure, Tiana was so determined.“You heard me, marry me and forget about Camille! She’s not worth it,” Tiana urged but instead Diego laughed out loud.“I thought Camille was kidding when she said you left the psychiatric hospital unannounced but I
AUTHOR’s POV“Thank you Irene,” Camille said to Irene who came to the dining with a well garnished meal. “Please pass me the water,” Camille instructed and Irene gave her a jar of water.“Please help yourself, Xavier,” Camille offered Xavier and he twisted his lips.“Oh princess, can’t you at-least feed me? Be romantic,” Xavier whined making Camille rolled her eyes, Leonard laughed at his joke.“Xavier, your tricks won’t work on me,” Camille said with a snarled, Xavier simply shrugs and took a bite from the food.“I might not be playing tricks…I’m a man of my word.” Camille shook her head and pass a plate to her father, “Whatever,” she hissed and continued her food.It wasn’t long before they finished eating, Camille took the plate back to the kitchen while Xavier helped Leonard back to his room.“You should take a rest. You’ve been under stress for the past few days now,” Xavier urged him and Leonard nod.“Yeah, I know. I should take it slow now that Camille is here, I’m the only o
(The Following Morning- Xavier private Room)Xavier sat at the edge of the chair, the tip of his toe hit the floor countless times as he waited for the large screen in his room to show up, “What is holding him up?” He muttered then was about to pick up his phone when Mike came on the screen.“What took you forever?” Xavier snapped adjusting on his seat. He had sent Mike over there to find more about the private license and the dash-cam. I’d be looking way too obvious if he had gone as well, he’s taken too much leave.“I’m sorry, you know the network here are so private, it took a long while before we could get a server,” Mike replied while Xavier rolled his eyes.Xavier cleared his throat, “So, Tell me what have you found since you got there? Let me hear about the plate number first,” Xavier asked anxiously.“As we both thought, the plate number of the truck is under Leonard Guevara’s holding in fact, all the cars moving at very day was all owned by Leonard Guevara according to the s
Camille rushed out of Xavier’s house, the lingering warmth of their conversation still buzzing in her veins.Her car tires screeched making an abrupt stop at the driveway of their building, She came down from the car and went inside, tears still in her eyes.“Dad!” Camille called as she burst through the front door, her voice echoing through the empty home. She hurried down the hallway, her footsteps quick and determined.Leonard, was in his study, surrounded by sketches and blueprints. He looked up as she entered, his brow furrowed with concentration before melting into a warm smile. “Camille! You’re home early, didn’t you say you will be back by noon? ” he said, setting aside a roll of parchment.“Dad, I need to talk to you.” She snapped ignoring his concerns. Leonard leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “I see…Judging by the way your forehead streams out sweat, is it something serious?”Camille paced the small room, “It’s about Xavier’s parents! Are you by any chance involv
(Following Day)The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over the winding streets of Maplewood. A slight breeze rustled through the trees lining the road as Camille sat in her car, fingers tapping nervously against the steering wheel. Her heart felt as if it were performing a delicate ballet, pirouetting between anxiety and overwhelming joy. Nothing was going to stop it today, “I’m going to tell him we are having a baby,” Camille mumbled as she run her stomach sweetly.Camille’s mind raced as she replayed the conversations she had rehearsed in her head. The way she’s going to bring the news to him.Taking a deep breath, she straightened her posture and turned the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life and zoomed out of her house, she felt joy bubbling forth in her chest as she drove toward his house, taking the winding roads lined with endless trees, her heart as light as the fading dusk..**Xavier wore his usual apron and flip the cooking pan like a pro he w
# 64(A Week Later)The encoded text message buzzed on Tiana’s wrist communicator, a tight knot forming in her stomach. "Cafe Antoinette, 14:00. Urgent. Guevara connection confirmed." It was short, concise, and sent by Sparrow, her most reliable informant.Cafe Antoinette was a place for clandestine meetings, whispered conversations, and the kind of discreet observations Tiana excelled at.She spotted Sparrow in a shadowy corner booth, his face obscured by a worn fedora.Tiana slid into the booth, her movements fluid and controlled. "Sparrow," she greeted, her voice low and even. "What have you got?"Sparrow nodded, his gaze darting around the cafe. "Guevara. I dug deep, Tiana. Deeper than I ever wanted to go.""Just give me the facts," she pressed, her patience thinning.He leaned forward, his voice a raspy whisper. "Leonard Guevara. He wasn't always the polished philanthropist the city sees.“"Get to the point, Sparrow," she urged.He took a deep breath, the air rattling in his ches
Camille stood outside Xavier's house, her heart racing with anticipation. She had been thinking about him nonstop since she found out she was pregnant, and she couldn't wait to share the news with him. She had been looking forward to this moment all day, imagining the look of joy and surprise on his face when she told him.As she stepped out of her car and onto the driveway, she felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. She had been to Xavier's house many times before, but this time felt different. This time, she was carrying a secret that would change everything.She walked up to the door and rang the bell, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, and then the door swung open."Good evening, ma'am," the housekeeper said, a warm smile on her face. "Welcome to Mr. Xavier's house."Camille's smile faltered for a moment as she realized that Xavier wasn't home. "Oh, hi," she said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Is Xavier in?"The housekeep
Few weeks had passed since the tragic loss of Kate,. The Queensway Company was still adjusting to the void left by Kate's absence. Camille, determined to move forward, had employed a new assistant, Emily. However, the transition wasn't as smooth as Camille had hoped.Emily, though eager to please, seemed to struggle with managing Camille's tight schedule. Mistakes were made, and appointments were delayed. Camille's patience was wearing thin, and she found herself growing increasingly frustrated with Emily's ineptitude.One particularly chaotic day, Camille's meeting with a potential investor was delayed due to Emily's lack of preparation. Camille was furious, her anger boiling over as she paced back and forth in her office."This is unacceptable, Emily!" Camille exclaimed, her voice stern. "How could you not prepare for this meeting? Isn’t that what I employed you for?! You wasted close to 3hours organizing the material! How can you be so careless?!” Camille yelled.Emily looked crest
The early morning sun streamed through the large windows of Camille’s office, casting a bright light on the window. This has always been her favorite thing to watch Yet today, that warmth felt suffocating, not after her father had said those words last night.‘How could he ask me to marry someone else?” Her voice was below a whisper.Camille eyes ran to the wristwatch ‘10:30?’ She mumbled and pulled out her phone to reach out to Kate.She went back to her seat, “She should have gotten here by now, isn’t it?” She dialed her number. “Come on, pick up,” she muttered to herself, tapping her fingers nervously on the desk. When the voicemail message kicked in again, she suddenly felt nervous,,Kate has never ignored her calls before, Just as she was about to text Kate, her phone buzzed with an incoming call.An unknown number, “Who…” She muttered but picked it up anyways.“Good day, I’m calling from an accident scene. Am I speaking with an acquaintance of Kate Robert?” The frantic voice o
60:Sleep Mother.(THE FOLLOWING MORNING)Kate walked into the Guevara’s house after waiting at the car park for about 30minutes, she went into the building when she didn’t see Camille come out.“Oh Ms Kate. Good-morning,” Irene was the first to greet her, Kate responded with a smile and searched around.“Are you looking for ma’am Camille?” Irene quickly asked when she noticed Kate kept looking around.Kate nod, “Yes. Is she still asleep? It’s past 9, I’m afraid we might be late to work,” Kate replied.“Didn’t she tell you? She left the house early this morning and yeah, she told me to tell you that you should take her car to the office, she will meet you at work,” Irene informed her and Kate mouthed an ‘o’, then a message popped into her phone.“Oh, she’s just messaged me. I will head back now. See you by noon,” With that Kate walked out of the building, she went back to car park. She unlocked Camille car and in a split seconds, she zoomed out of the premises.It hasn’t been 5 minute
59-I don’t approve! The cab stopped right at the front of the Royalle Restaurant, Tiana came out of it and rushed into the hotel after paying the cab man. Camille was already waiting for her at the lounge so immediately when she walked in, Camille went to her.“Here, take him out of this place!” Camille gave her the key to the room, she had locked Diego inside. She was about turning away when she sudden remembered something and said, “Don’t ever make me call you like this again!” With that Camille left.In a fit of rage, Tiana marched to room number 13 as stated in the gold key Camille had given to her. On getting there, she met Diego on the bed with his shirt opened and his trouser zipper down.Tiana folded her hand into a tight fist, “You ungrateful fellow! All you care about is yourself and that stupid business!” She yelled then pull him up from the bed, Diego sober up a little. His eyebrows drew a firm line, “What are you doing here?! Where is Camille?” He asked looking around,
58- I must sleep with you!Xavier came back few seconds later, “I’m sorry I took long,” He mumbled and they both continued the food.Few minutes later after they were done eating, the lady came back later, “I’ve prepared the couple room, kindly follow me,” She instructed and Camille raised her eyebrows.“Did you book a room as well?” She found herself whispering to Xavier, Xavier simply nod.“Yes. Let’s enjoy the night,” Xavier winked at her then stood up following the lady behind.Camille swallowed the lumps in her throat, “What’s he going to do to me?” She whispered but followed quietly.“Here,” The lady hand a gold key to Xavier, “Have a wonderful night rest,” With that she walked out.Xavier opened the door and urged Camille to walk in but she stood at the door way, “W-what are we going to do? I—” a kiss on her lips shut her up completely.Xavier slowly pull away, “We are not doing anything princess, I won’t do it if you don’t give me a go ahead so, relax and rest,” Xavier whisper