Chapter 32
Camilla closed her eyes, overwhelmed with bitterness.
All these years, she had degraded herself for a man like this.
Camilla took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. One last time, she explained, “Charles, you know me. I would never intentionally-”
“Enough,” Charles cut her off, his tone sharp. “Camilla, apologize to Ophelia. Be reasonable.”
Camilla was completely disappointed. She didn’t want to say another
word.
Her silence made Charles’s expression darken even more. The inexplicable sense of irritability had come back again.
He was used to Camilla never refusing him.
Now, he had only asked for a simple apology, but Camilla wouldn’t say it.
Charles took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. He reached out to grab Camilla’s arm–but Ophelia stopped him. “Mr. Hawthorne-”
“Mr. Hawthorne, please don’t make things difficult for Mrs. Hawthorne. I’m really okay. Even if she hurt me, it was unintentional,” Ophelia said. gently, trying to smooth things over. “You still have a meeting later. I’ll go. set up the conference room.”
“I’ll go with you,” Charles said, giving Camilla a cold look. “Camilla, I’m very disappointed in what happened today. Think it over. We’ll talk when we get home.”
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Chapter 32
Then he turned and said to David, “Take Mrs. Hawthorne home later.”
“Yes, sir,” said David.
Camilla stood there, watching Charles and Ophelia walk away side by side. Their backs looked like a perfect match. As they walked, her skirt brushed against his suit pants very closely.
At one point, Ophelia slightly twisted her ankle. Charles immediately. reached out to steady her–so fast, it seemed like instinct.
Even though he knew Camilla couldn’t see, David still felt bad and stepped in front of her to block the view. “Mrs. Hawthorne, let me take you home.”
“David, could you make me a cup of coffee? I’d like to stay in my old office for a while,” said Camilla.
“Of course. I’ll wait outside for you.” David gently closed the door behind. Camilla.
The office had floor–to–ceiling windows with one–way glass. From the outside, no one could see in. Camilla took off her sunglasses and walked straight to the corner. She removed a painting from the wall. Behind it was her private safe.
The keypad was covered in dust. It hadn’t been opened in five years.
The code was her late mother’s birthday. She had only told Charles. But clearly, he hadn’t remembered.
The documents were still there. Camilla quickly took photos of them, then closed the safe and hung the painting back.
A few minutes later, David returned with a cup of coffee, an Americano.
Camilla took a sip. The bitterness spread across her tongue, and she
Chapter 32
frowned.
“Mrs. Hawthorne, should I make you a new one?” David scratched hist head. “You used to drink black coffee without sugar, so I made it the same way.”
“No need.” Camilla took another sip, slowly getting used to the bitter
taste.
She never liked black coffee. She preferred rich, creamy lattes. But because Charles only drank Americano, she changed her taste for him.
‘This is the last time,‘ Camilla thought. From now on, she wouldn’t compromise for Charles anymore.
“David, please take me home,” said Camilla..
“Of course,” David said.
David led Camilla to the nearest elevator, but it was out of order. A maintenance sign was posted. “Mrs. Hawthorne, let’s use the other one. This elevator is temporarily down.”
“Okay.” Camilla nodded.
They walked to the other side. There were two elevators there.
A man was standing in front of them, talking on the phone. As he turned slightly, Camilla saw his face and paused.
She recognized him–Cassius.
He was one of Charles’s close friends. She had seen him many times over the years, from when she was chasing Charles to when they were
together. But he had never been kind to her.
Cassius didn’t like her. She knew that from the very first meeting.
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