Chapter 2

Camilla Varela’s Point of View

“Have you lost your mind, Camilla? Why are you divorcing me?” Lucas asked, his voice sharp and angry.

“I’ll go insane if I stay in this marriage, Lucas,” I replied, looking straight into his eyes. “Why are you even surprised? Isn’t this what you wanted from the start? That’s why you kept bringing other women into our house,” I added, making sure to emphasize his affairs.

“Camilla…” He took a deep breath, clearly trying to control his anger. “Go home now, or you’ll regret it. I’m willing to give you a second chance.”

Go home? Second chance?

Coming from him? The man who destroyed our marriage?

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. “You want me to go home?” I asked, pointing at myself while still laughing. “You actually think I’d be foolish enough to come back? No, Lucas. Just sign the divorce papers. I’d rather live alone than stay with someone like you. You’ve been the worst nightmare of my life.”

He glared at me, his eyes burning with rage. I saw his jaw tighten, his hands clenching into fists as he took another deep breath. “You’ll come crawling back, Camilla. You’ll beg me to take you back — you can’t survive without me. I’ll give you three days… you’ll see.”

I smirked, completely unfazed by his threats. “You really think too highly of yourself, Lucas. You don’t know me at all.”

I stood up, straightened my clothes, and gave him one last cold, defiant look before walking away.

This café used to be our special place — where we’d sit for hours, sharing our favorite meals and making memories. But now, it was just another reminder of how far we’d fallen.

And Lucas thought I’d ever beg him to take me back? That would never happen even in his fucking dreams.

 

I walked back into Cassandra’s condo with a big smile on my face. I still couldn’t believe it — I had finally stood up for myself. For the first time, I chose me over my unfaithful husband.

Cassandra noticed right away. “What’s with that smile, Camilla?” she asked, curiosity in her voice.

I shook my head, feeling light and free. “Nothing… I’m just really happy for myself,” I said, my heart swelling with relief.

Cassandra squinted at me, trying to figure out if there was more to it. But when she saw I was genuinely happy, she just shrugged and went back to what she was doing.

After a moment, she spoke again. “So… what did you two talk about? Is he asking you to come back?”

No. He just insulted me.

I smiled, trying to keep things light. “Well… sort of. Lucas was furious. He even asked me if I’d lost my mind just because I told him I wanted a divorce,” I said, shaking my head at the memory. “But then he told me that if I couldn’t stand him anymore, I should just leave the house.”

Cassandra froze, her knife hovering above the vegetables she was chopping. She looked at me with warmth and concern. “Did he insult you? Did he try to make you feel small?” she asked softly.

I nodded, my smile fading a little. “He said… he said I’d come crawling back to him. That I wouldn’t be able to live my life without him.” My voice broke a little, but I pushed the hurt aside.

Cassandra clicked her tongue in frustration. “Ugh, he thinks way too highly of himself!” she said, her eyes flashing with anger. “Don’t let his words get to you, Camilla. I know you — and I know you’re going to live a beautiful, happy life. You’re going to be untouchable, and nothing he says can change that.”

Her words filled me with warmth. For the first time in a long while, I started to believe them.

Days turned into weeks, and I was still searching for a job so I could support myself. I didn’t want to depend on Cassandra for everything. It was already enough that she let me stay at her place — I couldn’t keep burdening her.

The sun was hot, and I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I stood at a waiting shed. In my hands was a folder filled with my credentials — my resume, my certificates — everything I needed for my job interview today at a fast-food chain. I was just waiting for a ride, feeling a mix of nervousness and hope.

But it seemed like fate had other plans because a car I knew all too well suddenly pulled up in front of me. My heart sank. I didn’t even have to see the driver’s face to know who it was. It was him — Lucas — the very person who had hurt me over and over again.

He rolled down his window, his eyes full of arrogance. “I told you, Camilla… you can’t live without me,” he said in a cold, mocking voice. He even shook his head as if he pitied me. “Just look at yourself now… you look pathetic. Like trash.”

His words stung, but I refused to let him see that. I kept my head high and stared at him sharply, hiding the pain I felt inside.

“At least I finally woke up from the nightmare I was living in,” I said, my voice steady. “I’d rather struggle and look like trash than stay with someone who acts like trash.”

The smug smile on his face disappeared in an instant, and his eyes darkened with anger.

“You’ll always be trash in everyone’s eyes,” he spat.

But I just shrugged, refusing to give his words any power. “I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks, Lucas. You’re not part of my life anymore — so stop wasting your time trying to bring me down.”

His face twisted with rage. “I’ll make sure you regret this, Camilla. Your life will be miserable. You’ll never find a job,” he threatened  before speeding off, leaving me standing there — but I refused to let his words break me.