Chapter 20
Chapter 20
William stared at Camila’s bloodstained face, his irritation mounting. There was no satisfaction, no sense of revenge fulfilled, only an unbearable, suffocating frustration.
His gaze was cold, his lips parting slightly as he spat out two words. “Get out.”
But Camila didn’t move. As if she hadn’t heard him, she continued to bang her head on the floor, her forehead striking floor with dull, rhythmic thuds.
Each impact landed like a heavy hammer against William’s chest, stirring something dark and restless inside him.
His temple throbbed. His jaw clenched. “I said get out. His voice sharpened, thick with irritation. “Are you deat?”
But Camila didn’t react. Her mind was blank, her ears ringing with static. The world around her faded, drowned out by the mechanical instinct to bow, to submit, to beg for mercy.
William’s expression darkened. With long, swift strides, he closed the distance between them, reaching down to haul her up from the floor.
But the moment his hand extended toward her, she flinched violently. Like a terrified animal, her body curled in on itself. Her arms shot up to shield her head, her entire frame trembling as she choked out a sob. “Don’t hit me–please don’t hit me. Her voice cracked, raw and desperate.
And in that instant, reality shattered. She wasn’t in the hospital room anymore. She was back in that dark, suffocating prison
cell.
She could feel the cold cement beneath her knees, the bruises blooming across her skin, the sting of fists and batons striking her again and again.
The helplessness, the humiliation, the agony that swallowed her whole, night after night, until she wished for death. She was back there. She never left.
William’s pupils contracted. His hand froze in midair. For a long moment, he didn’t move.
His gaze locked onto Camila’s trembling figure, curled up on the cold floor, arms wrapped around her head, utterly/
defemeless.
Something twisted in his chest–something he couldn’t name, something that shouldn’t have been there.
And then, for just a second, he saw her as she used to be, the Camila he had once known, the girl with bright, intelligent eyes, filled with laughter and curiosity, the girl who had once shone like scattered stars, quietly illuminating everything
around her.
The first time he had heard of her was from a teacher
“William, the teacher had said, “your biggest competition this year isn’t from our school. It’s Camila–a first–year from Sancho High School. That girl is pure talent”
At sixteen, William had been arrogant, stubborn, unwilling to believe anyone could rival him. “My talent is just as good as
hers
As the undisputes top student of Peroz High School, he hadn’t taken her seriously–until she beat him. And not just once. Again. And again. Defeat after defeat
And before he knew it, she had become an obsession. II Camila was competing, then he had to be there
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Chapter 20
At first, he convinced himself it was just about proving himself. But as time passed, he wasn’t so sure anymore. He had wondered. ‘Is it really about winning? Or is it about her?”
For three years, the results never changed. Camila, first place. William, second.
He could still hear their teacher’s voice, filled with admiration–Camila is the kind of genius this country needs. She’s destined for greatness.”
And he had agreed. She was that brilliant. During their last competition, he had asked her, “Is this why you compete? To get noticed by the top research institutions?”
She had laughed. “Not even close. The prize money is good. That’s the only reason I do it.”
“My dream is to be a teacher, she had said, her voice light, certain. To help students grow, to watch them succeed. That’s how I find meaning in life.”
“You have so much talent. Isn’t it a waste not to go into
research?
She had smiled at him. “And you? What do you want to do?”
“Me?” He had smirked. I’m going back to inherit the family business.”
Camila had chuckled. “You have so much talent. Isn’t it a waste not to go into research?”
They had looked at each other–and, for the first time, they had laughed.
Back then, he had even felt relieved, thinking. Thank God Camila doesn’t want to be a scientist. Because if she did… Even as the heir to the Connor Group, I wouldn’t be worthy of her
He had fought hard against his arranged marriage to Agnes. It didn’t matter whether it was her or the long–lost Jackson family heiress–he wanted neither.
But everything changed the night of Agnes’s coming–of–age banquet. Only then did he realize the girl he had never been able to forget, the one who had haunted his thoughts for years–was the real daughter of the Jackson family.
She was the one who had been engaged to him f
from the very beginning. When he first found out, he had been ecstatic.
He thought, ‘If only the events that followed had never happened… How different would things have been?
The Camila standing before him now bore no resemblance to the girl he once knew. The bright, confident young woman who had once shone so brilliantly–was gone.
William’s expression flickered, emotions shifting beneath his cold exterior.
A tightness formed in his throat. He wanted to say something, but every possible word felt meaningless–hollow, inadequate.
Now, the woman before him was trembling, her eyes filled with sheer terror. And for some inexplicable reason, the sight of it felt like a knife driving straight into his chest. A crack formed in the armor he had spent years fortifying
“You can go. His voice was quieter this time, the sharp edges softened by something imperceptible. Even he could hear the exhaustion laced within it. His hand lowered, slowly clenching into a fist.
But Camila didn’t move. She w
was still curled on the floor, frozen in place.
He frowned slightly, and for a fleeting second, an unfamiliar urge rose within him–the impulse to reach out. To pull her into his arms. But the thought barely had time to settle before he crushed it mercilessly.
“I told you to leave!” His voice snapped like a whip.
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Camila still couldn’t hear him. Blood and tears blurred her vision, makin
making even his silhouette indistinct.
Disoriented, she reached up, hastily wiping her face with trembling hands. Her breath was uneven, ragged as she stared at him, trying desperately to read his lips.
And finally, she understood. ‘Go. He is letting me go. The realization hit her like a wave, a sharp, overwhelming relief crashing through her body. She could escape. She could live.
Her voice shook as she forced out the words “I–I’ll leave. Right now.”
Pain shot through her knees and skull, but she didn’t care. She scrambled to her feet, her injured leg barely holding her weight.
She stumbled, nearly collapsed–but sheer survival instinct kept her moving.
She didn’t dare look back. She didn’t dare give him the chance to change his mind. Without hesitation, she bolted.
William stood still, watching her retreating figure. He didn’t look away until she had disappeared completely from sight. Only then did he exhale, a slow, measured breath.
Turning, he sat on the edge of the hospital bed. His fingers brushed lightly over Emily’s sunken features, his voice low, almost a whisper.
“Emily,” he murmured, “I let her go so easily… will you hate me for it?”
But he wondered, ‘What can I do? When it comes to her–I just can’t be ruthless?
Emily remained silent, as motionless as ever.
The hospital hallway was too bright, the fluorescent lights burning into Camila’s already blurred vision.
She squinted, her steps unsteady as she staggered forward. Her body felt disconnected from her mind, her limbs moving on
instinct alone
She kept colliding into walls, brushing against passing strangers, but none of it registered.
People turned to stare, whispering, but she ignored them all.
She had only one thought–get away from William, as far as possible. She was terrified that if she slowed down, he would come after her.
Panicked, reckless, she didn’t notice someone stepping out of a consultation room beside her. She crashed into him, the impact sending her stumbling backward.
Her body tilted dangerously. But before she could hit the ground, an arm wrapped around her waist. A strong, steady hand. pulled her back with ease.
Then, a voice, low, familiar sounded, “Camila
Her breath caught. She looked up and met a pair of deep, gentle eyes–Owen. His pupils reflected her dazed expression, but beneath them was something else, something softer, something like heartache.
Camila’s entire body tensed. As if burned, she shoved him away with all the strength she had left. Then she averted her gaze, dropped her head, and turned to leave.
But she only managed two steps before a firm hand caught her wrist. Owen didn’t even use much force. Yet somehow, she found herself unable to break free.
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