CamilaI glanced at Madam Melania and could see the displeasure etched across her face. Her eyes were cold and accusatory, making me feel small under her sharp gaze.“What were you doing that allowed her to get sick on your watch, Camila?” she demanded, her voice dripping with disdain. “What other responsibilities do you have?”I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. I knew from experience that trying to explain myself to Madam Melania was pointless; she rarely listened and never cared for excuses.“You better pray she recovers quickly,” she continued, her tone threatening. “If anything happens to her, your life is forfeit. You have no other purpose in this family except to take care of that girl. And if something happens to my Katya, I will personally hand you over to the authorities. Useless,” she spat, her words like a slap across my face.She turned her attention to Katya’s room, her eyes scanning every corner with critical scrutiny. “Pack her favorite toys,” she ordere
CamilaAfter Madam Melania left, the doctor returned with Katya's medication. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious; just paracetamol was needed to bring down her fever. I felt a wave of relief wash over me knowing she was going to be okay.Kenneth and Oliver were both incredibly helpful throughout the day, and by five in the evening, we had finished all the work in the kitchen.Ronan had mentioned he wouldn’t be late, but I had a feeling he was buried under a mountain of work that would keep him occupied for a while.Katya’s fever went down soon after I gave her the paracetamol, and before long, she was up and about as if nothing had happened.It was a blessing to see her so lively after the scare this morning. I was immensely grateful for her quick recovery and made a silent promise to myself to be more cautious whenever I took her out to play.The thought of her getting sick again, especially after watching her lie in bed looking so small and helpless, was unbearable. The fear of l
CamilaClosing the door behind me, he moved swiftly, pressing me gently against the wall. Before I could catch my breath, his lips crashed onto mine with an intensity that took me by surprise. It was as if he had been holding back all day, and now all that pent-up desire was pouring out. I realised then that this was something I had wanted, too, all day long, I cared to admit.“You’ve been on my mind all day,” he whispered against my ear, his breath warm and intoxicating. His words sent a shiver down my spine, igniting a fire deep within me.“I thought you said Joseph…” I began, trying to remind him of our impending guest, but he silenced me with another deep, urgent kiss. His lips were insistent, and I found myself melting into him, surrendering to the electric pull between us. His kiss was like a wave, washing over me, drowning out all my doubts and fears, leaving only the two of us in this moment, lost in the heat of each other.With quick, practiced movements, he managed to unbutt
CamilaI heard him exhale, a long breath he must have been holding in. That’s when it hit me—Ronan had been doing his best to keep calm when I first mentioned Katya was ill. His shoulders seemed to relax a little, the tension easing from his body now that he knew she was okay.“I’m sorry I worried you,” I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. His eyes met mine, and I could see the depth of his concern, the love he had for our daughter.“No need to apologize,” he replied, his voice steady now. “I just—I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to her. She means everything to me. You both do.” He pulled me into a gentle hug, and I rested my head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.“And my mother? Did she give you a tough time?” he asked, his eyes searching mine for any hint of the truth. I hesitated. I knew that telling him everything would only add to his worries, and he already had so much on his plate. I didn’t want to trouble him more than he already w
RonanAs I opened the door, Joseph stood there looking like an undercover detective, complete with dark glasses and a long coat. He also had a bottle of wine in hand, which added a slightly comical touch to his serious appearance.“You look pretty obvious, you know,” I said, chuckling as I stepped aside to let him in. I took his coat and hung it up, then accepted the bottle of wine from him with a smile.“I should be in hiding, you know,” he replied with a grin, making himself comfortable as he glanced around the room.“Where are they?” he asked, his eyes searching for Katya’s playpen, which was usually in the living room.“Katya is sleeping, and Camila is in the kitchen,” I answered. His face immediately shifted into a frown.“Don’t tell me you’re going to leave her to do all the work tonight,” he chided, shaking his head at me. I laughed at his concern.“Actually, Oliver and Kenneth took care of most of it before they left,” I said, hoping to ease his worry. He nodded, but his expres
RonanCamila kept glancing toward the back door, her worry about Arya possibly barging in clear on her face. I could tell she was on edge.“Ronan, Kenneth thinks one of the cleaners let her in this morning,” she said quietly, still looking at the door. Joseph frowned, picking up on her concern.“I’ve dealt with it,” I reassured her. “Kenneth called me. Oliver has collected their keys, so there won’t be any more surprises.” At that, I saw her relax a little, the tension easing from her shoulders.“Arya was trying to recruit Camila this morning,” I mentioned to Joseph, watching his eyes widen in disbelief.“After everything she did to you? The woman is delusional,” Joseph scoffed, shaking his head in amazement. Camila chuckled softly, her nervousness starting to melt away.“She actually thought she had something to entice me with,” Camila added, her voice laced with irony. “Freedom, she called it.”I stood up to help her serve the appetizer, and Joseph, clearly entertained, asked, “And
Ronan"I'll be taking Camila and Katya to the house tomorrow evening," I said, glancing at Joseph. "I'll discuss everything with him in person while they settle in." Joseph paused, his eyes moving from Camila to me, concern evident on his face."Will she be safe there?" he asked, his voice serious. "Your mother is friends with the Semenovs." I could see he was genuinely worried for Camila's safety.Camila smiled, trying to reassure him. "I’ll be fine,” she said softly. “The place feels like home to me. I just have to keep my head down, that’s all. Besides, Master Morozov asked my mother to stay with Katya and me in the main house to help with Katya."I frowned, surprised by this new information."Your mother told me today when she came to get some of Katya’s things," Camila explained.I hadn’t expected my father to offer such an arrangement. It seemed uncharacteristically generous of him, but I suspected Uncle Dimitri might have influenced his decision. I knew he still had feelings for
RonanI had never seen Camila so free and happy as she was during dinner. The way she laughed, her eyes lighting up with joy, left an imprint on my heart.Knowing we’d soon be apart for a while made me cling to every moment, every second I could steal to just watch her, memorizing the curve of her smile and the way she leaned in, listening attentively to Joseph’s stories.I wanted to commit every detail to memory—her laugh, her warmth—so I could hold on to them when memories were all I’d have until I returned.We didn’t retire until three in the morning. The food had been amazing, and I had a suspicion Joseph may have gone a little overboard with the dessert. He’d always had a sweet tooth, and Camila, of course, didn’t let him decline any of it.We laughed about it all night. By the time we finally went to bed, I was so exhausted that having Camila nestled in my arms was all I needed to drift into a deep sleep.When I woke up late the next morning, the bed beside me was empty. I glanc