Chapter 5

Camilla Varela’s Point of View

As soon as we arrived at Cassandra’s condo, I went straight to my room. My mind was a mess—I couldn’t think clearly. Everything felt like a blur. I couldn’t even recall what the doctor said after hearing the news. Maybe Cassandra paid attention, but I didn’t. My thoughts shut down the moment I heard it.

I was still trying to accept the reality—I was pregnant. And to make things even more complicated, my ex-husband was the father.

What should I do now? Should I just hide? Maybe I could walk away and make sure Lucas never finds out that I’m pregnant. But for how long could I keep this secret?

I shook my head. That wasn’t possible! I couldn’t hide forever. I couldn’t hide my child from him. But what if he finds out? Should I run away again?

I sighed deeply and stared at the ceiling, holding my womb gently. “Baby, if your father were a good man, we wouldn’t have to leave him. But he’s not... I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You’ll have to grow up with just Mommy.”

I didn’t even realize that tears were falling until I felt them on my cheeks.

Then, I smiled through the tears. “I promise you, baby. It’s just going to be you and me, and we’ll be happy. We’ll make your father regret everything.”

My eyes shifted to the door as it slowly opened. Cassandra walked in, and the concern on her face was clear. I forced a smile, trying to reassure her that I was fine — but was I really fine?

Cassandra sat on the edge of my bed, and I slowly sat up from where I was lying down, taking a deep breath before turning to face her. She reached for my hand, holding it gently. “Camilla, I’m here for you. You can count on me. We’ll raise your child together,” she said softly.

“Thank you, Cass,” I whispered, grateful. “But that’s not what I’m worried about anymore. What scares me the most is Lucas. I don’t know what will happen if he finds out about my situation.”

“He won’t,” Cassandra said firmly. “I’ll make sure of it. I’ll find a way to keep your pregnancy hidden. You and your baby will be just fine.”

I nodded, feeling a bit of relief. When she pulled me into a tight hug, I held on just as tightly. A warm smile spread across my face. I truly was blessed to have her as my best friend.

After my conversation with Cassandra, she left the condo unit. Before going, she told me she had to head to the office because Mr. Del Castillo had called for her. I watched her leave, and once the door closed behind her, the place fell silent.

Now I was alone in the condo, sitting quietly with nothing but my thoughts. I found myself just staring off into space, trying to rest but unable to calm my mind. Cassandra had told me not to think about Lucas, reminding me that it would only stress me out. And she was right — stressing over him wouldn’t help me or my baby. But no matter how much I wanted to take her advice, I couldn’t stop myself from worrying.

For God’s sake! This pregnancy was never part of my plan — especially not after we had just ended our marriage. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

It’s been a month since our divorce, and I haven’t heard a single thing about him. Honestly, I shouldn’t even care anymore — and yet, somehow, I still feel the weight of his presence in my life.

I let out a deep, steady breath, trying to clear my mind. After sitting there for a while, I finally pushed myself to stand up. There was no point in just staying still and overthinking everything.

Feeling the emptiness of the condo around me, I decided to head to the kitchen. The quiet made the space feel even bigger, and I figured keeping myself busy would help. Besides, my stomach was already starting to protest — I was getting really hungry. Cooking something warm and comforting seemed like the best thing to do at that moment.

I decided to cook something simple—pasta with lots of cheese. To most people, adding vinegar might seem strange, but it was exactly what I was craving. Once it was ready, I grabbed a plate, sat on the couch, and started eating while watching TV. The rich, cheesy flavor and the slight tanginess from the vinegar made me feel a little better.

I got completely absorbed in the K-drama playing on the screen, enjoying every scene. But just as I was getting comfortable, the show suddenly cut to a commercial break. That’s when the news flashed across the screen, and my heart nearly stopped.

The headline was about someone I had been desperately trying to forget—Lucas. The one person I didn’t want to see. The one person I was doing my best to hide from.

“A billionaire businessman, who is reportedly married, was spotted with another woman…” the news anchor reported. Then, as if to make things worse, they showed a picture. It was Lucas, walking into a hotel with a woman I didn’t recognize.

I sat frozen in place, my fork hovering above my plate. My mind struggled to process what I was hearing. How did the media even find out about this? Sure, Lucas was a well-known figure in the business world, but he was usually very private. How did this information leak?

I clenched my jaw as frustration built inside me. Lucas, you’re so dead! I wanted to yell. But then, reality hit me like a wave—I had no reason to be mad. We were already divorced. He was no longer my problem. And yet, despite everything, I couldn’t ignore the sting I felt inside.

 

I shook my head, trying to push away the frustration building inside me. With a heavy sigh, I set my plate of food aside, suddenly losing my appetite. Just then, my phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. I quickly reached for it and glanced at the screen. When I saw Cassandra’s name flashing, I didn’t think twice — I answered right away.

“What are you doing right now?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. The worry in her tone made me frown. I could tell something was bothering her.

“I’m just watching TV and eating,” I replied, trying to sound casual, though my mind was still racing from what I had just seen on the news.

There was a brief pause on her end before she spoke again. “Did… did you—”

“Yes, I already watched it,” I cut her off, my voice tight and a little weary. I didn’t need her to finish the question; I knew exactly what she was talking about. The news report about Lucas. The image of him with that woman walking into the hotel was still fresh in my mind.

I took a breath before asking the question that had been bothering me since I saw the report. “Cassandra… did you have anything to do with that news?” My voice was calm, but there was an edge of suspicion I couldn’t hide.

“The media needed to know, Camilla,” she said without hesitation. “He deserves to be criticized!” Her frustration was clear, but her words only made my irritation grow.

I understood that she was just concern. She was my best friend, and she hated seeing me hurt. But this? This was too much. Why did she have to take things so far? Why did she think exposing Lucas like this was the right thing to do?

“Camilla…” she began again, her voice softer, maybe even a little guilty.

But I didn’t want to hear it — not right now. “We’ll talk when you get home, Cassandra,” I said, cutting her off for the second time. Before she could respond, I ended the call.

I leaned back against the couch, feeling the weight of everything settle heavily on my chest. Closing my eyes, I tried to breathe, tried to stay calm. But the frustration wouldn’t go away. I knew Cassandra meant well — she always did — but this time, she had crossed a line.

 

For sure, Lucas would suspect that I was the one who tipped off the media. Knowing him, he wouldn’t let this go — he’d hunt me down. And if that happened, there was no doubt he’d eventually find out about my pregnancy.

Why did Cassandra even think this was a good idea? Why would she do something so reckless without even asking me first?

I shifted my position on the couch, trying to calm myself down, when my phone suddenly rang again. This time, it was an unknown number. Hesitantly, I answered — and the moment I heard the voice on the other end, I froze.

It was Lucas. And he was furious.

“You will pay for this, Camilla. I will make your life even messier than it already is!” he spat, his anger so sharp it felt like a dagger through my chest.