CAMILLA'S POV
Heavy would have been an understatement, with the silence fogging that office, nobody even dared breathe. All eyes were glued on Dante, who was standing near the door, his stare unflinching down at Megan. The weight of the words spoken fell into the room so strongly it almost made me dizzy."Camilla is my wife," Dante repeated, articulating the syllables slow and deliberate, "and the mother of my child." He gave Megan a hard look, brooking no misunderstanding. "From now on, I expect you all to treat her with the same respect you'd give me."It was written across all faces, but Megan looked almost comical, with wide and pale eyes, fumbling over her words. "Mr. Draven, I. I didn't know." Her voice had trembled so unlike the venom she had spewed at me just minutes before.Dante's face still did not give an inch of emotion. "That is no excuse. Now, apologize to her."My face was afire as Megan turned to me, half rCAMILLA'S POV I was still in shock as I wrapped my arms around My Dad, Benson, the one who raised me, inhaling the now-familiar scent of his cologne. It brought back memories of the years he and My mom, Olivia, had brought me up as their own. I had clung to them countless times, drawing strength from their warmth and love. I leaned back from My Dad, Dante's hand lying casually across my back. "Dante, this is My Dad, Mr Benson," I said, the rush of emotion upon seeing him making my voice sound sad and happy all at once. Turning to Dante, I added, "And this is Dante, my husband." The sudden news made my Dad blink, but he recovered fast enough, extending a hand to Dante with a respectful nod. "Mr. Draven, I'm honored to meet you. Thank… you for taking care of her." Dante nodded, his face respectful. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Benson. And thank you, for all you've done for Camilla.” Dad settled heavily into his chair-the
CAMILLA'S POV. While Dante was getting ready to leave for work, he turned back to me and raised his brow in my direction. "You are not going today?" he teased, though sincerity was etched beneath the words. I smiled-the movement drew a faint curve on my lips. "I want to help Dad get settled in today. I'll see you later," I said, but a little annoying bit of me wanting him not to go at all was already outbalancing the remainder of my brain. He took a step closer, his eyes softening as he looked down at Jasper cradled in my arms. Bending, he dropped a light kiss on Jasper's forehead before he turned to me, that playful smirk twisting his lips. "You know, you are the boss' wife. You come into work whenever you want." His voice was low and a thrill ran down my spine as he pulled me close, and kissed me, his mouth moving slow against mine. The fire coursed through me, his lips leaving mine, and I was just a bit breathless. He turned t
Camilla's POV The doors opened, and I swear, every eye in the conference room swiveled to us as Dante stepped in first. His powerful stride actually seemed to command space. I followed with Jasper clutched tightly in my arms, my heart hammering with a mixture of nerves and pride. Dante had said this was going to be a day of introductions, but I still wasn't prepared for the sudden weight of dozens of interested gazes. Dante's hand pressed into my lower back, urging me further along. "You're doing great," he softly whispered. I looked up at him-the soft assurance in his tone lengthening a little smile. "Good morning, everybody," Dante boomed aloud, silencing the room. He turned to me with settled reassuring eyes. "Today, I would like to introduce you to my wife, Camilla, and our son, Jasper. The room erupted in murmurs, I watched the ripple run through the faces of the people. Most of them didn't know about us, much less that I was marr
Camilla's POV Just after a few days, I had hardly warmed into my new seat when the first appearance of trouble began. Subtle at first, even a little laughable as if I weren't taking my job quite so seriously, a missing file here, an overlooked deadline there; nothing that couldn't be rectified with a bit of extra work. While these "accidents" were progressively becoming more frequent, suspicion began to take shape, gnawing within, that they were not quite so accidental. Ella came into my office on the fourth day, as I was just beginning to work my way through a stack of papers, most of which I already knew I'd read. They'd somehow worked their way to the top of my desk in a sea of papers I hadn't yet filed. "Need some help with those?" she asked in that too-sweet of a tone. I looked up at her, trying not to show my poker face. "Actually, yes," I said. "I am unable to find last week's report on shipments. I went over it yesterday, but n
Camilla's POV The morning he was due to return, I marched into the office with my head held high and my shoulders thrown back. Today was going to be different. All that had come my way, I faced and survived to emerge even stronger, and now all that remained was to show them what I was made of. The office hum was almost palpable when I came in. Eyes from my colleagues were on me; each whisper trailed into my wake as I walked toward my desk. The word was out: Dante was back, and shortly there was going to be a board meeting. It would be the best time to let him know, once and for all, that yes, I was able to bear the responsibility given by him. She sidled up to me as I took a seat, her eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite catch. "Camilla," she said, every word dripping with sweetness. "I understand the board is going to discuss recent progress within the company. Should be an interesting meeting." I smiled politely at her. "I'm
Camilla's POV I moved to make my exit when Dante stopped me "Camilla," Dante's husky voice wrapped warmly around my spine. I spun back, and behind me, his eyes gleamed dark with equal parts desire and relief. “Where are you running off to?" "Dante," I said, the smile breaking across my face. "I was just- He leaned in closer, the space between us condensing. "I missed you, you know," he said; his voice was gentle. "I couldn't wait to get back home to you." My breath caught, my heart racing with flutters. "I missed you too," I said, turning again to make sure nobody saw us, but the thrill of our moment together sparked a charge through my nerves. "Someone might be watching us, Let's go.” That devil-may-care smile played across his lips and flipped my stomach over. "Let them watch, I don't care. All I can think about is
78. TAKING CHARGE. CAMILLA'S POV I stepped inside the halls of C-Care Cosmetics with Dante, my heart galloping inside my chest. This was it, the moment I'd fantasized about since the day I found out what John had done. However, the reassuring firmness of Dante's hand on the small of my back steadied me as the weight of what lay ahead gnawed at my nerves. We would be interrupting a board meeting, and today beneath the mask of civilities, there would be no holding back. Today, I'd be laying it all bare. When we got to the doors of the board room, Dante nodded to me, fire and confidence dancing in his eyes, as I had known. He had trusted that I could do this, and I had to live up to it. I took a deep breath and opened the door. The room was full of people; John at the head, a smirk on his face when he saw us come in. It didn't take him too long until his face twisted in surprise, then annoyance. Instant thick silence while all eyes shif
Camilla's POV I sat at the edge of the bed, running my fingers over the sleek fabric of my gown. Tomorrow, I was going to officially take over the CEO reins at C-Care Cosmetics. The thought was exciting to the bones, yet terrifically overwhelming in equal ways. Dante was by the window, sleeves rolled up to his elbow as he looked across at me with a little smile playing on his lips. “You ready for tomorrow?" he asked, his tone warm but laced with that tiniest hint of concern. I nodded, my gaze locking with his. "I think so. I mean… it's what I've been fighting for, right? It's just that taking over the company feels different than fighting for it. It's real now.” He stood, crossed the floor, and sat beside me, his hand finding mine. "You're going to be amazing, Camilla. You've fought so hard to get here-you deserve every bit of this. And I'm sure your mother will be very proud of you." The mention of my mother s
CAMILLA'S POVBefore us was the stretched Italian countryside-endless rolling hills of vineyards bathed in shades of gold by the afternoon sun. If anything, the villa where the wedding was held wasn't less than magnificent, a true melting pot of old-world charm and modern-day elegance. Marble columns framed the entrance, while a string quartet floated its music across the open courtyard.I really should have been utterly mesmerized by the view, but Dante's tense attitude was impossible to overlook."Relax," I whispered, tugging at the hem of my silk dress as I leaned in toward him. "Why are you so tense over a wedding?"Dante's jaw clenched, his sharp features lit for a moment by a flash of annoyance. "This isn't just some random wedding.""What do you mean?" I pressed, my curiosity getting the better of me as far as letting him stew in silence went.He said nothing for a second or two, his dark eyes scouring the crowd ahead of us. "This is Rocco Cafaro's domain." he finally said; his
TOM'S POV.I had been confined to a wheelchair for weeks, because of these symptoms. Whereas earlier I used to tower above all others because of my unbridled force, now I sat in this damned chair, legs useless weights, arms losing strength day by day. Irony indeed was bitter. People feared my dominance; now they pitied me. I hated it. Hated them.My fists knotted, my nails digging into my palms. The pain anchored me in the now. It wasn't some random event that had happened. My body hadn't betrayed me of its own volition. There'd been a puppet master yanking on strings, and I knew full well who was on the other side of them.That afternoon, My assistant wheeled me into my office, her soft footfalls barely audible over the dull roar in my head. Now she treated me as if I were glass, her voice perpetually soft, and guarded, as if some wrong word might shatter me."Anything else for you, Mr. Lockwood?" she asked, honey dripping with pity from her tone. She jerked at the blanket on my lap
TOM'S POVIt had started as no more than a whispered unease, a faint haze across my sight that cleaned itself a second later, and I'd been sure I'd just imagined it. But as days slid by, that haze grew darker, creeping into my mind, weaving itself into my body like a parasite.I sat in my office, staring down at the contract I'd spent the last hour trying to read; words on the page blurring and swimming before me until they finally dissolved into nonsense. Frustration prickled along my spine, and I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers into my temples. "Mr Lockwood?" I jerked my head up, to find my assistant, standing in the doorway with a look of concern."What?" I growled, sharper than I meant to, but I didn't care. There was just something wrong, off-the-charts disturbingly wrong-and I wasn't in the mood for questions.She stepped back, her hand releasing the door as she took a second to recompose herself. "You asked for the quarterly reports by this afternoon. I wanted to check to
Camilla's POVSoft light from the chandelier bathed the sitting room in a warmth that casts a gold sheen over plush furniture and polished hardwood floors. Jasper sat center of it all, his tiny fingers digging into the edge of the coffee table for balance as his eyes locked onto Dante and me with that determined glint I was starting to recognize as pure Draven spirit. My heart swelled as I looked at him-my beautiful boy.“Come on, Jasper," I cooed, holding my hands out to him. "You can do it, baby. Just one step."Dante knelt beside me and set his gaze in the middle of our son. "Just one, little man," he said softly, filled with excitement and warmth. "One step, and your mom and I will give you the biggest cheer of your life.”Jasper wobbled, holding onto the edge of the table with chubby hands and a fierce grasp that spoke volumes to someone who was determined not to fall. His great big grey eyes, mirrors of his father's, stared at us with such concentration and excitement. He wanted
ELLA'S POVI slammed my glass down, the echo slicing through the silence of my apartment. Red wine splashed onto my fingers, but I didn't bother wiping it off. All that lined my vision was Tom's face, his smug expression, as if he held the upper hand—as if I was the one failing. As if I was the problem.How dare he.My phone buzzed on the coffee table, lighting up Tom's name. A single word text: "Meet me. Now!"I rolled my eyes and took another gulp of wine, reaching for my coat, the cabernet tasted bitter like the failure. If Tom wanted to talk, he better come prepared. Because I wasn't letting him brush off his failures on me.I found him waiting in the shaded corner booth of his favorite club, fingers drumming impatiently on the table. The sound of my footsteps made his head snap up. Dark eyes locked onto mine with that far-too-familiar spark of control he seemed to think he had over everybody. But tonight, I wasn't here to play nice."Ella," he greeted without preamble, the tensio
CAMILLA'S POVI stood at the window of the study room, watching as city lights blurred against the dark skyline, my mind calm, and precise. Tonight, Tom thought he finally outmaneuvered Dante, thought they'd caught him in a move that would bring Draven LTD to its knees. But I knew Tom better than he thought, knew exactly how he operates, thanks to my past life. His plan wasn't original, as he'd like to believe.It was en route and right on schedule, but this time it had a few subtle changes, and adjustments to make it look completely legitimate. The standard cargo with ironclad paperwork would be all the authorities could find, leaving Tom's tip hanging in the wind.A knock on the door pulled me from my reverie. "Come in," I called, and Dante stepped inside, his normal preppy, clean-cut but a little haggard, with tension tugging at the edges of his features."Camilla," he said, and there was a hint of relief tangling his voice. "It's almost midnight. What are you still doing here?""O
ELLA'S POVIt wasn't really Tom's usual meeting place, but then tonight was different; the urgency was electric in the air and tingling my palms. I looked down at my phone glowing bright amongst the shadows and smirked. In three weeks' time Dante would regret the day he ever smiled in my direction, looked at me as though I did not exist, but focused on her instead, Camilla.First, I heard the echo of his footsteps draw near, and there he was: Tom, smooth as ever, stepped into the room with that glint in his eye-like a predator."Calling it close, aren't we?" he said to me, one eyebrow cocked, as he approached me."You gonna wanna hear this," I said, my voice low, words dripping with the kind of malice I knew he'd like. "It's bigger than the last info. Dante's got a whole lineup of imports coming in, and… they're not exactly legal, he's sneaking them in."A satisfied grin stretched across Tom's face. "Go on."I leaned forward, my excitement barely contained within my tone, and extended
88. FIRE UNDERNEATH CAMILLA'S POVIt had just gone past six in the evening, and office lights at Draven LTD headquarters were still bright. I had gone off hours ago at C-Care and came to meet Dante. But Dante and I dropped deep into an unplanned brainstorming session. The new expansion plans for Draven were both thrilling and intense, and tonight, in this quiet after-hours calm, there was a rhythm 990. My cell phone buzzed, no doubt a reminder that the world was still spinning outside this room. I ignored it, choosing instead to focus on Dante."How about a launch event in March?" I suggested, tracing the plans across the table with my finger as a feeling of excitement rushed over me.Dante gave me a reflective glance, his eyes shining with that familiar intensity. "It's risky but bold. March it is."I couldn't help but smile at the triumph of it all-being here, working with him as partners feels surreal yet natural."I think this partnership suits us," I said, a thread of warmth lac
TOM'S POV.The rain was reduced to a light drizzle by the time Ella slipped into the passenger seat of my car, as poised and polished as ever. She said nothing immediately, just buckled her seatbelt and waited, like she was used to men taking the lead.I coughed into my hand and threw a sideways glance at her. "Are you always this silent?"Trace of a smirk playing on her lips, wordless dare. "You were the one who called me, Tom. So tell me-what's on your mind?”The most flickering light of amusement was standing in her eyes, but I was buying none. Ella was clever, dangerously so, and I knew she would never walk into a room or even a car without having something of a scheme already in motion; that's just the reason I knew I should know what she was really aiming for.I leaned back, my tone casual, but pointed. "I'm just curious. You say you're loyal to Dante, yet here you are scheming behind his back. Why?"She laughed softly, but devoid of even a hint of mirth in it. "Loyalty? Tom, yo