Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Camilla on the bench for what felt like an eternity, long enough for the sky to grow darker and for the streetlights to
ne by one.
The soft yellow light spilled over her, and she remained there, motionless, her gaze distant and hollow. The cars rushed by, their winds tousing her hair, reflecting the chaos of her own life.
Not far away, Owen stood in the shadows, silently watching her. His heart ached as he looked at her fragile figure. It felt as though a thousand tiny needles had pierced his chest, the pain spreading throughout his entire body.
He wanted so badly to step forward, to hold her tightly and tell her how sorry he was, that he regretted every decision, and that he would do anything to atone, if only she would give him a chance to make things right.
he couldn’t bring himself to. He was terrified that his approach would only spark more anger and resistance from her. at the gap between them would grow even wider because of his actions. So, he stayed where he was, watching her from a distance
As the right deepened, Camila slowly stood up, her body weighed down with exhaustion. She took one step after another toward the Jackson family.
Owen snapped back to reality and followed her from a distance…
It wasn’t until the night had fully settled that Camila finally returned to the Jackson family.
As she neared the house, she saw Hazel standing by the front door, anxiously searching for her.
When she saw Camila return, the worry on her face melted away, and she broke into a warm smile as she hurried over.
“Miss Jackson, you’re finally back, Hazel said, inspecting Camila carefully. When she noticed the bandage on her forehead: and the pale look on her face, concern flashed across her features. “Miss Jackson, what happened?”
Camila shook her head slightly. “It’s nothing”
Hazel still seemed uneasy. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah Camila nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She suppressed the heaviness in her chest, striving to keep her voice calm as she asked, “Hazel, how’s Lucy?”
Hazel’s face immediately brightened, her smile filled with relief and gratitude. “Thanks to Mr. Jackson’s help, Lucy won’t be expelled from school
She sighed in relief. If it weren’t for Mr. Jackson, I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done. Miss Jackson, he’s really a good person. Once you both clear up the misunderstanding, he’ll definitely be a good brother.”
Camila didn’t respond, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk curling at the corners of her lips, Watching Hazel look at Harry with such gratitude only made her heart sink.
It was so ironic that someone like Harry, after causing so much harm, could still make the victim grateful for his help
She didn’t ask Hazel about the details of what had happened to Lucy at school. To her, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Harry was behind it all.
As long as Harry wanted, he could find countless ways to manipulate people. This time, he used Lucy to control her. Next time, it could be Hazel.
She wanted to leave it all behind, to walk
away But she couldn’t let Hazel and Lucy fall victim to the madness of Harry.
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Chapter 22
Camila forced a smile and said tb Hazel. “I’m glad Lucy is okay.” Then, she turned and walked into the villa.
As soon as she stepped inside, she saw the Jackson family sitting around the dining table, laughing and enjoying a warm, cozy meal together.
The table was laden with an assortment of dishes, and the four of them seemed so happy, so content–a picture of perfect family harmony.
But her presence shattered that peaceful image.
Harry put down his fork, his face twisted with blatant disdain. Without a hint of concern, he shot her a mocking remark, You finally came back? I thought you’d run away from home again.”
Belinda frowned and shot Harry a disapproving look. “Harry, that’s no way to speak to your sister.”
She quickly turned to Camila, her stnile returning as she waved her hand. “Camila, don’t mind Harry. Come on, sit down and eat with us
Her smile appeared warm, but Camila calmly rejected it. “No, you all go ahead.” She simply couldn’t bring herself to sit at the table with this family.
Belinda’s smile faltered, but she persisted. “You can’t skip dinner; it’s not good for your stomach. Just have a little something.” Her eyes scanned the table, and Camila gave a wry, almost sardonic smile. “Sorry, but I’m not really used to eating leftovers.” Her words dropped like a stone in a quiet pond, freezing the smile on Belinda’s face instantly.
The previously lighthearted atmosphere around the table turned heavy. Arthur furrowed his brow, looking at Camila with clear displeasure, his fatherly authority becoming apparent.
Seeing the growing tension, Agnes quickly set down her fork, her expression filled with feigned “concern.” “Camila, we’ve been waiting for you. We thought you’d already eaten, so we started without you. We just sat down, so don’t be upset. Come on, sit with us.”
Belinda eagerly chimed in, clearly seizing the opportunity. “Yes, yes, Camila, come on, just eat a little. We made all your favorite dishes tonight”
But Harry suddenly slammed his fork onto the table, his eyes narrowing as he gave Camila a warning. “Carnila, Dad, Mom, and Agnes are all worried about you. You come home this late, and no one’s angry with you.
“Stop being ungrateful and causing a scene. If you want to eat, sit down. Stop acting like we all owe you something” Camila’s anger flared as she looked at their insincere faces. The fire inside her burned brighter.
All she wanted was to be left alone. She wondered, “Why is that so difficult? If they’d just leave me alone and treat me like I don’t exist, why is that so hard for them!
If I stay fort
calm, they tur
y turn it into a scene. If they want me to make trouble, fine. I would give them the scene they are looking
Camila took a deep breath and pointed to the leftover food on the table. “Six dishes and a soup, and they’re almost all gone. Agnes, tell me, this is ‘just sat down“?”
Agnes froze, stumbling over her words, unable to say anything in response.
Then Camila turned her attention to Belinda. “So, the esteemed Mrs. Jackson, what exactly do you expect me to eat! Lick the plate clean?”
“Camila, I-
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Chapter 22
Before Belinda could explain, Camila cut her off. “You said these are my favorite dishes. So, tell me, what exactly do I like Helinda’s gaze faltered as she avoided Camila’s eyes
“Can’t answer, huh? Let me tell you something. I’m not picky. I’ll eat anything as long as it fills my stomach. The only thing 1 won’t eat is what I’m allergic to.”
She fired off her next words like bullets, hitting Belinda with a barrage of truth. “And out of the six dishes on this table, three of them I’m allergic to.
“I can’t eat seafood, so no shrimp. I’m allergic to cheese, so I can’t eat the cheese–stuffed chicken either.”
Belinda’s face turned bright red, clearly struggling to come up with a response.
But Camila wasn’t finished. She now turned her focus to Harry.
it my favorite.
“You said Dad and Mom care about me? This is what you call care! You serve me food I’m allergic to and call it and then you have the nerve to act concerned? You want this ‘care‘ for yourself?”
Harry’s face darkened with fury. He hadn’t expected that a simple comment from Belinda trying to ease the tension would backfire like this, leaving the entire family embarrassed and uncomfortable.
He was furious, but Camila had only spoken the truth. His anger simmered, stuck in his chest, unable to be expressed. Arthur, trembling with rage, slammed his fork down on the table, the loud crack ringing through the room. The bowls and plates on the table rattled.
“How dare you speak to us like that, you ungrateful girl!” His eyes bulged with fury. “We gave you life, and now you treat us like your enemies?”
Camila looked him dead in the eye, unflinching. “Did I ask you to have me? If giving birth to me was just to make me suffer. I’d rather you hadn’t bothered.”
