Chapter 18
Camilla clenched her white cane tightly, barely holding back her emotions as the sound of Ophelia’s high heels drew closer. She quickly stepped into the nearby fire escape.
Through the crack in the door, Camilla watched helplessly as Ophelia led Cecilia past her.
Cecilia, dressed in a cute princess dress, skipped along, holding Ophelia’s hand and occasionally looking up at her with a sweet smile.
Camilla’s eyes grew moist. Her beloved daughter, whom she had risked. her life to give birth to, now regarded another woman as her mother.
Camilla followed them quietly. Ophelia led Cecilia to the door of a private room, and pushed it open, and Camilla, trailing behind, heard the room filled with the sound of laughter and someone calling out, “Ophelia’s here.”
The voice was familiar–Bastian, Charles’s childhood friend and college.
roommate.
Since Camilla had started dating Charles, Bastian had always looked down on her, treating her with coldness and even disdain. Even after she married Charles, Bastian would only address her indifferently.
Charles had once comforted her, saying that Bastian was just spoiled and a playboy, advising her not to take his attitude to heart.
Camilla let out a bitter, mocking laugh.
Bastian and Charles were college roommates; he must have known about Ophelia all along. Bastian’s dislike for Camilla stemmed from his desire.
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Chapter 18
for Ophelia to be with Charles. He saw Camilla as the one who had come between them.
Camilla suddenly felt utterly pitiful. She was Charles’s legal wife, yet in the eyes of his so–called friends, she was even less valued than a mistress.
Standing in the corner, Camilla peered through the crack in the private room’s door. She saw Charles sitting on the sofa, his head slightly lowered as he looked at his phone. Her view was limited, and she couldn’t see Lucius.
“Daddy,” Cecilia called out sweetly, throwing herself into Charles’s arms.
The person next to Charles quickly moved to make room for Ophelia. “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was taking your spot.”
Ophelia smiled shyly but didn’t object, instead settling close to Charles.
Cecilia, with a mischievous grin, tried to place Charles’s hand on
Ophelia’s. “Daddy, your hand is so warm. Mommy Ophelia’s hand is cold. Warm it up for her, will you?!!
The scene was almost too much for Camilla to bear. Her chest tightened with a mix of pain and anger.
During the five years she had been in a vegetative state, Ophelia had brainwashed Cecilia into thinking of her as her mother. And Charles, her so–called husband, had just stood by and let it happen.
No, it was more than that. Perhaps this was exactly the outcome Charles had wanted.
Afraid that she would lose control and burst in to slap some sense into that despicable couple, Camilla put on her sunglasses, turned around. quietly, and left.
Inside the private room, Cassius, sitting in the corner, glanced at Ophelia,
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Chapter 18
whose face was flushed from the teasing. He took a sip of his drink, feeling somewhat sour, and downed the rest of it in one go.
As he put the empty glass back on the table, Cassius caught a fleeting glimpse of a figure outside the door from the corner of his eye. He paused, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.
“Stop messing around, Cecilia,” Charles said, pulling his hand away from Cecilia’s grasp on Ophelia’s hand. He lifted Cecilia off Ophelia with a hint of exasperation. “Go play with Lucius inside.”
Cecilia pouted, clearly unhappy with the suggestion.
“Cecilia, I-” Ophelia bent down to coax her, glancing at Charles and changing her tone. “How about I go with you?”
Cecilia, who always listened to Ophelia, nodded obediently.
Cassius watched as Ophelia took Cecilia into the inner room. He then got up without drawing attention to himself and sat next to Charles.
“Charles, what’s the situation with Camilla? Is she still not awake?” Cassius asked straightforwardly.
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