Chapter 9: It was you?
She stepped out and saw the car which Rodrigo brought. The latest model of Lexus, parked at the front of her home. There were no more than two people who had such cars in the entire country.
She never knew Rodrigo was one of them. It implies he was richer than she thought. No wonder someone was after him to destroy him.
She drew closer, Joel came forward to hold the door for her to get in. Camilla stood and stared at the open door. She was reluctant to get into the car.
” Please get inside” Joel urged her and she did. As soon as she did, Joel shut the door. The temperature of the car was chilling. She hugged herself and glanced at Rodrigo sitting next to her.
He was drinking mineral water but saw Camilla get in from his split vision. He soon put the water away and took another sealed one, offering it to her. Camilla wouldn’t take it, she claimed she was fine.
Seeing she hugged herself, Rodrigo perceived that the temperature of the car was too chilling for her. He got the remote and reduced the temperature.
” Hello Mr Campbell ” Camilla said, folding her arms around her chest and didn’t look at her side to avoid meeting his gaze. She still can’t tell who took her first time, she must find out who the rascal was.
” Thank you for saving me” he said next and Camilla pretended not to hear him. Thanking her now when saving him cost her something valuable.
” I doubted you and forced you to take the drinks. When I realised that what you said was true, I couldn’t help it but save you as well…” he was saying when Camilla suddenly turned and glared at him, interrupting him.
” Did you rape me? Was it you who took my virginity without my consent? Are you the bastard that did that?” Camilla yelled at him. She can’t control hervremper surging up within her.
Is this the fellow who did her so much evil? How can he take away her virginity like that? She was glaring at him with fury.
Rodrigo pinched the bridge between his eyes. She’s harsh with her words. She hate her calling it rape. It only implies that he is a rapist. It would be nice if she can just say her life saver.
” I slept with you after..” Rodrigo was going to explain when Camilla interrupted him ” I was trying to save you, but you did bad to me? What kind of a man are you?
You are mean.. I saved you by risking my life. Now you took my virginity without my consent? You are.. evil.. i.. ha.. t.. e…” she couldn’t continue when she started sobbing. He paid her back evil for the good she did to him.
“I’m sorry. I have two options for you. I want you to be my girlfriend” Rodrigo said, trying to take her hand but Camilla threw his hand off.
“I am not interested in your crazy offer. You think I will forgive you for hurting me so badly? Or do you think you are doing me a favour by being your girlfriend?
I have a boyfriend. He loves me as much as I love him. I hate you. Does riches make someone think he can do whatever he likes simply because the other party is poor?” Camilla yelled at him and wanted to open the door and step out when Rodrigo held her wrist.
“Would you let me explain why I did that to you? I didn’t take advantage of you at all. You saved me and I only thought it to be logical when you needed help too..” Rodrigo was trying to explain when Camilla interrupted him again.
“Oh, helping me means you rape me and leave me wounded? Does that help? You were helping me right?” She demanded, eyeing him.
Rodrigo sighed. No matter how much he tried to explain to her, she wouldn’t understand or agree with him. She’s stubborn and adamant.
The best thing is just to apologise to her and let her forgive him. He would compensate her if that would be enough to wipe a little of his fault away.
“I am sorry, I really do. If you don’t want to be my girlfriend, I won’t force you. Tell me what you want and I will compensate you”Rodrigo inquired.
“I don’t want anything from you. Keep your compensation to yourself and let the dogs eat your conscience” Camilla opened the door and before Rodrigo could stop her this time, she had gone.
Rodrigo fixed his eyes on Camilla as she left. She’s slim with curvy shape. She would make a good model if she was in the entertainment circle. Until she was gone out of sight did Rodrigo look away.
He sighed audibly and beckoned to Joel to come over. They soon took off, he can’t help it, she’s mad at him. And he doesn’t really blame her if she’s angry and upset with him. Anybody else would.
Later that evening, Sara called her daughter and asked her if what Rodrigo said about her was true? Was she really his girlfriend?
Camilla said no. He was joking about it. She had helped him the previous night in the hotel and he came to thank her. That’s all. Besides, she asked if her mother doesn’t know her boyfriend Felix Freeman. They have been lovers for years already.
Sara said she was just asking anyway. Meanwhile, she asked her daughter about Felix, it’s been a while since she saw him last. He seldom comes to visit after he has secured his job.
Camilla said work was much she guessed. She would try and see him. It’s been over three weeks since she last saw him and he hardly gets to answer her calls. The last time they spoke, he said she has too much work on his desk and doesn’t answer phone calls as such.
Sara said okay but she should try and pay him a visit. His mother might be worried as well that she doesn’t come and visit them as well.
Camilla thanked her mother and they went to bed that night. But we didn’t tell her mother what really happened between her and Rodrigo. She can’t bear to make her feel sad for her.
For two days, Camilla tried calling Felix and he wasn’t answering. She wondered what was going on, why was he not answering her phone or calling her back? She called his mother and she didn’t answer as well.
She was going to see him the next day. That day was usually his work free day. She would go to his place and pay him a surprise visit. She would buy some gifts for his Mother as well.
She needed to see Felix and let him know what happened to her. She had lost her first time and couldn’t keep it away from him. He would know now or someday right? That way Camilla fell asleep.
Next morning, Camilla was awakened by her phone beeping. She stretched her hand and took the photo. She didn’t look at the caller when she answered the phone.
” Hello Camilla, are you still sleeping?” It was Kemi’s voice. She seemed to be agitating and shivering. Her voice was shaking and Camilla sensed that she was upset or scared.
She removed the phone from her ears and checked the caller to be sure it was Kemi indeed. She took the photo back to her ear and asked “Hello Kemi, are you ok?” She asked.
” Have you checked the internet, did you see the latest news?” She asked and immediately regretted it. ” Ok, I am coming over to see you,” Kemi concluded and hung up.
Camilla squinted. Latest news on the internet? She yawned and raised herself to a sitting position. She remained on her bed as she logged into the internet.
Breaking news she saw stunned her. No, this can’t be. There might be similarities in the name. The pictures gradually came up and she couldn’t believe her eyes.
On the internet were pictures of her fiance and her friend Liliana. They were kissing, dressed gorgeously and classic.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Their pre-wedding photos were flooding the internet and the wedding was taking place that morning. She couldn’t believe her eyes, the sleepiness suddenly disappeared and she looked closely.
Maybe she was dreaming, this can’t be true. How can Felix be getting married with her friend Lilliana? He can’t do that to her. They’ve come a long way now, he can just jilt her suddenly and become someone else’s.
Lilliana was Camilla’s friend in high school. Felix was their one year senior. After graduation, She went to a different University from Camilla. Camilla’s mother couldn’t afford such an expensive school so she went to a less expensive one and was doing some part time work to support herself.
When Felix graduated, he was working in a company when Camilla heard there’s an opportunity at the embassy. She wished Felix could work there, it was better than being a clerk in a company.
She went to her friend Lilliana and asked her to please with her father to help secure that place for Felix. Her father had just been favoured by the President and promoted him to be his personal advisor.
Lilliana agreed and within a few days, Felix got the job and he resigned. He was forever grateful to Camilla and said they were going to get married before the year is over since his salary now triples what he earned as a clerk.
For a month and over, Felix was keeping distance from her but she didn’t term it to be something like this. She never thought Felix would do this to her.
As she stared at the photos, different pictures and taken in different parts of her city, her tears gave way. She sniffled but the tears were pouring down her cheeks.
She has ruined her relationship. She’s the cause of her heartbreak. She asked Lilliana to help him but didn’t know she actually sold him by that action.
Camilla sobbed. She held the phone and looked, the wedding coming up in an hour’s time at the Civil bureau. Felix was going to be a Married man not to her but someone else. This is too much for her to bear.
He said he was busy with work, he was actually busy with Lilliana. Why would her friend do that to her as well? She knew Felix was her man, why did she do this?
Just then, the door pushed open quickly and her mother came in. She heard it on the news, the President Advisor was giving his daughter hand in marriage to ambassador Felix Freeman.
Their pictures were everywhere on the internet. The various Television stations were announcing it and she heard. She knew her daughter would be heartbroken. Hence she hurriedly came into her room.
Behind her was Jared. They both came and hugged her. They didn’t say anything, there was no need to say anything. They saw the reason for her sobbing on her phone.
” Camilla, you are the best thing I have in this life besides mum, Felix had made the greatest mistake of his life to toil with your emotions…” Jared consoled.
“We love you Camilla” that was all Sara could say. Camilla sobbed like a child. Her dears and emotions were poured out.
When she was tired, she told her mother she was going to take a bath. Happy that she was relieved, her mother and brother left her and came downstairs.
Camilla didn’t bathe. She changed into another dress and came downstairs. Just then Kemi walked in. She saw her friend’s eyes puffy and red, she knew she had sobbed.
She held her in a warm embrace and Camilla sniffled. She pulled away from the embrace and was going when her mother and Kemi asked at the same time “where are you going Camilla?”
She looked back at them as her eyes welled up again. Without a word, she walked out and started running towards the road. She wants to get to the bureau and stop the wedding, this can’t be happening, Felix can’t just leave her.
She got a taxi and jumped, asking him to take her to the civil bureau. The taxi nodded and went. When she got there, the wedding was already going on.
She tried getting in, but Donald’s bodyguards stopped her. Donald was Lilliana’s father.
She stayed out and decided to wait at the place where the couple was going to pass when coming out of the bureau.
She kept cleaning her tears. She can’t imagine, is this real or her imagination, can Felix really be with another woman besides her?
No wonder his mother was not answering her phone when she called. She was also a part of this scheme? After so much sacrifice to save his mother, she can also know if something like this and not kick against it?
Eventually the couple walked out their arms intertwined: