Chapter 4

Camilla’s POV 

THREE YEARS LATER 

My mom who got divorced a few months after finding out I'm pregnant from my reckless sex with that stranger in Venice is getting married but I'm still a single mother. My son, Carlos is three years old and was raised by me. Since our family is really conservative, the social media isn't aware of my divorce with my ex-husband, Peter, neither do they know that he's now with my twin sister in Venice. 

That's the joy of coming from a conservative family where everything is shielded from the prying eyes of the public. So far, I've learnt to keep my personal life from the internet, lest having a son from a one-night stand would have created a big scandal which would drastically affect my company and my career as a CEO. I'm glad as well that I was able to retrieve all my money from the joint account and Peter left without a dime. Good for him! 

Thanks to my divorce lawyer!

I don't give a fuck of how he and Bella are faring over there in Venice. I haven't heard from them ever since but I know they exist. 

I peered into my watch and it's 3:48 PM. It's almost time for my dismissal. 

“Caroline,” I yelled. 

“Yes ma’am.” My assistant who sits at the extra end of my office rose up and rushed towards me. 

“Yes? You called me?” 

“Yes,” I snapped. “Get the files packed and arranged. I will be off in the next ten minutes.” I told her and she gave me a sharp nod. 

“Good!” I muttered. 

Mom actually asked me to return home early, she had scheduled us to meet with her potential husband and she gave us a hint he's much younger, one fact I don't support but I have no say for sure. I can't tell her not to love whoever she wants to love. 

For tonight, her fiance will be flying in from abroad. At least I'd get to see him, she's been hiding him for a long time now. Among us, I'd say she's the most secretive member of the family. 

I left the office and drove back home, and in thirty minutes I arrived. Richard came out, he's a remote worker, one of America's bestsellers. 

“You're back so soon?” He saluted me with a slight grin. He knew well I wasn't a fan of hugs. 

“Yes,” I snapped. “Is Sarah back?” I moved straight to the most important thing. Mom can't conduct the meeting without us all being present. 

“You know she can't come back without being discharged. You know how working with the FBI can be?” 

“Hmm,” I sighed. She comes back by 5 PM on a normal day, I just wish she would be back at the same time or at least earlier. Mom had informed all of us. It's an important event in our lives as a family, that's why I treat it as important. 

“I'll see you later!” I walked up the verandah, almost getting to the hallway when he grabbed me by the arm. I turned in a flash to him, giving him a dead stare. I was wondering what audacity he has. 

What sort of news does he want to tell me? 

His eyes flared up but I knew there's something he wanted to tell me. 

“Have you heard Bella is flying in with Peter to meet mom's fiance?” 

“Huh!” 

Immediately I heard this, I dropped my bag on the floor. My heart stood still and I gazed straight into his eyes, almost pulling out. I took to my heels, running through the hallway straight to mom's room. She would surely be home, she really had nowhere to go aside from going out shopping. She inherited the company from her dad and ever since I took over as the eldest, she has enough time to rest. 

My head was clouded with frustration that I banged into her room without knocking. She sprang up from the sofa, her fierce eyes shot directly at me. 

“What's it, Camilla?” 

“Mom, Bella is coming home?” I leaned my head towards her, waiting for her response. I felt Richard's statement wasn't true, it wasn't final until I heard from mom. 

“Yes, she's coming!” 

*******

It was 8 PM and we were all seated at the state-of-the-art living room we got here, screaming luxury. Mom looked into her phone and raised her face up to us with a slight grin. 

“Bella, Peter and my fiance have a few minutes to arrive here.” 

“They are from the same place?” I asked, confused. 

“My fiance lives in Venice, so they joined the evening flight.” 

My jaw dropped and I turned around to my siblings, Sarah on my right and Richard on my left. They weren't as shocked as me, why I was shocked is because of my ex and Bella coming back. I'd tried to forget about the hurt Peter caused me, Bella’s betrayal but it seemed now everything was coming back fresh and more intense than before. I began to feel rising heat in the room. I stood up. 

“Let me get my son here.” I walked out. 

I wasn't myself any longer, the only thing which would ease my mood was spending some time with my son. Carlos was my happiness, even though his dad is a stranger and remains a stranger. 

I went into his room and discharged the nanny. “I want to spend some time with my son,” I told her. 

“Okay ma’am.” She nodded. She couldn't refuse me even when she was so keen at her job. We talked and played Carlos and I until I lost track of time. When footsteps approached the room we stayed in, I sprang up. I guessed it was Richard from the pattern of his footsteps. 

“Camilla, mom’s fiance, has pulled up through the gate. Come out!” 

Being a conservative family and trying to put up with a perfect first time impression, I couldn't be different. I had to be seated. In the tension of the moment, I jacked Carlos up and rushed to the living room. Upon seeing Peter and Bella seated, my heart fell. I released Carlos from my arms as I felt my arms weakened. My eyes turned bloodshot. 

Richard tapped on my shoulder. “Please Camilla, not today. Even though you are enemies, at least not for today. Cover up your hate!” 

For the first time I felt my younger brother exert an influence on me. I sat on the couch beside Sarah gently, pulling Carlos to my hips and folding my lips while stamping my foot on the floor. Richard tapped on my shoulder, stretching his lips in a gesture that I should put up with a smile. 

Mom had gone out to take her fiance in. She must really love the guy being that she's a serious type, one I would never think would fall in love again after dad and her divorced. 

The moment I heard footsteps approaching the living room, everyone sat up. In fact, we almost stood up to welcome him. The door opened. 

The moment is here! 

We rose up as per ethics required welcoming such an important personality, a man who would be our step-dad. Age didn't matter.

Mom walked in first. 

She clapped her hands to get our attention. With a radiant face, she stepped aside to introduce her man. “Everyone, this is Emilio Georgio. The man I want to marry and who will be your new stepfather.” 

I raised my eyes from his shoes to look at this huge, muscular man dressed in a fitting navy blue suit. A wave of his hand and his “Hello” utter clashed with my eyes landing on his face. 

“Huh?” I reflexly shifted back, falling to the sofa behind me. All the adrenaline in my body rose up, rioting over me. My eyes lingered on his face and that night, three years ago, began playing in my head. 

“Camilla, what's wrong?” Mom's panicked voice sounded faint to my ears as I got carried away by this surprise meeting. I never expected to meet this man again, how could it be he's my new stepdad and we'd be seeing each other everyday from living in this mansion. 

His eyes were gawking on me, his jaw dropped. From me, he glared at my son who was right in front of me. No one needed to say it out, they got the same face. 

“Do you know each other?” My siblings’ voice came up right after mom. Without thinking twice, I uttered. 

“He's the father of my son!”