Chapter 3
Camila really hadn’t seen the message. By the time she did, it was already two days later.
Back at Hollowbrook, she’d simply turned off her phone and, for once, enjoyed a quiet weekend.
“Ms. Bateman, are you heading back to Emberwick?” asked Lily Norris, her grandmother’s caregiver.
Camila nodded and pulled out a stack of cash from her bag. “Lily, here’s your salary for the month, plus an advance for medical expenses. Thank you for taking care of my grandmother”
Lily
quickly waved her hand. “Oh, don’t mention it. You’re paying me. It’s just part of the job,”
Camila gave a faint smile as her eyes drified to her grandmother Matilda Shaw, lying quietly on the hospital bed, still unresponsive. Her chest tightened. If it weren’t for work, she would never have left her grandmother alone in Hollowbrook General Hospital.
Matilda had been like this for two years, ever since the car accident
A doctor had once said there was still a chance she could wake up if they could find a top specialist. But Camila had spent two years searching, and she hadn’t found anyone yeL
She held Matilda’s hand tightly, her gaze firm. S
bring Matilda back.
She wasn’t giving up. No matter what, she would find a way to bring
On the train back, Camila finally saw the message from Tyrell but ignored it. She and Noel had already broken up. There was no reason for her to go back and play housekeeper for Noel anymore.
Noel was the Vice President of Anderson Group. Busy was his default state. He worked late all the time and often forgot to eat,
Back then, worried that he wouldn’t be able to handle the workload, Camila had taken a job at his company as a personal assistant before she even graduated
She’d been running around like a full–time nanny, taking care of him at home and then doing the same at work. After years of this, she had become highly skilled at it, but her own dreams felt further and further away.
She graduated from Emberwick Music College as a violinist. Naturally, her dream had always been to become an outstanding violinist. But after injuring her hand three years ago, she hadn’t touched anything related to professional violin work.
Still, she couldn’t give it up entirely. On weekends, she worked part–time at a music studio, earning a litle extra cash and keeping her hands from getting rusty,
Her injury kept h
her from playing at a professional level, but she could still handle amateur pieces without a problem.
Half an hour on the train was enough for her to pull up a resignation letter online, make some edits, tweak it here and there, and finally, just as the train arrived at the station, she hit send and emailed it to HR
She thought, ‘Let someone else be the nanny. I’m done.
It was about an hour later when Camila finally returned to Springside Villa.
This villa had been her and Noel’s shared home ever since they got engaged. Technically, they lived under the same roof, but calling it living together was a stretch. Aside from the occasional kiss, there had never been anything more intimate between them.
She used to think Noel was just trying to save the most special night for their wedding. But after seeing him with Shirley in that private room, she finally understood–he just wasn’t interested in her.
Camila pondered. ‘Fine by me. At least I won’t have to look back and feel disgusted:
It was almost noon. Maria was about to start preparing lunch when she spotted Camila coming home. She brightened instantly. “Ms. Bateman, welcome home. Did you take the day off!”
During the two days Camila had been gone, the villa had felt like an icebox, cold and suffocating under Noel’s heavy mood.
Camila gave a half–hearted response and went straight upstairs to pack.
She didn’t have much. One suitcase was enough. As for all the clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry Noel had given her, she left them all behind. She figured Shirley would probably find them useful when she moved in
Camila thought. Then again, with how much Noel treasures her, he probably won’t let his precious darling touch anything I’ve used. Not that I used any of it much, anyway!
12
Chapter 3
She stood at the door, taking one last look at the run she had lived in for three years. It should have felt tausiliar, but there wasil even reluctance in her heart. If anything, she felt relieved
She sneered inwardly. Of course I’m relieved. No or living under someone else’s out. No more walking on egot getting called a freeloader by his mother. Damn right, this feels good.
Camila lelt Springside Villa ant headed straight to her best friend Jaunin place.
“Leaving that jerk is the smartest thing you’ve ever done in your life” Jastnin saist, handling “That scumbag’s got nothing going for him besides his looks and his family me. He doesn’t
ja bottle of coconut water, furious nutcher behalt
Camila took a sip. The sweet taste couldn’t wash away the bitterness in her heart. She said quietly, Tonestly, Ishonill from yesterday. Oslerwise, Fl still be clueless while getting completely player”
Jasının let ou
out a breath. “I was actually worried you’d think I was meddling too much”
Thanking
“How could I? I’m grateful you did. What was I supposed to do, wait until they ended up in bed to call it quits Camila gave a faint smile. “I’d rather not be that big of a fool”
Jasmin immediately snapped and scotted. “That jerk and his little side chick have been broken up for five years anil still tangles up like it’s unfinished business. That scam chased you like a lovesick piggy back then, lotus fooled into thinking he was serious
And what’s he done these past few years! ite cold–shouldered you, acting like you don’t exist, never treating you like his fiancée. And that Shirley! Her husband’s barely in the ground, and she’s already out here playing the victims, pregnant and still stirring up trouble.
“Couldn’t just be a decent person, huh? No, she just had to be a manipulative two–faced witch. With her as a father, I wouldn’t expect much from the kid either
Camila was momentarily speechless, thinking, “Yep, still the same bold, no–filter jasmin”
Jasmin chuckled awkwardly, “Okay, okay, maybe I went too far, Who knows if the kid’ll nam o bad! But come on, from the looks of it, that wereich came back just in break you two up and reel him back in.”
She gave Cumila a sharp look. “You’re really gonna just hand it to her like that? You’re okay with ir
Seeing Jasmin so riled up. Camila let out a bitter smile. “What choice do I have! I was never really part of their story. Forcing myself into it woul be meaningless.”
Jasmin couldn’t I hide the worry on her face. “But what about your grandme? How are you gonna handle these crazy hospital bills on your cont And you just quit your job too.
Before Camila could answer, Jasmin’s eyes lit up. She bolted into her rooms, rummaged around, and came back with a bank card, placing it right front of Camda. “There’s sixty grand in here. It should hold you over for a while.”
Camila pushed the card back. “It’s okay. I already paid a month’s worth of my grandma’s hospital bills, so I don’t have to stress about that for now,
*1 still have eight grand saved, I make around two grand a month from my pan–tane work at the music studio. If I switch to full–time and pick up a Tew side gigs, pulling in four thousand a month won’t be a problem.”
Jasmin looked at her with concern. “That’s way too much. Your hand’s still injured–there are long–term effects. If you play too much, it’s gotta burt again”
Camila shook her head. “I have to make ends meet. Even if it’s tough, I’ve got to do it
got Jasmin fired up again, and she started cursing Noel without missing a beat. “Your dad died saving Noel’s grandfather, James Anderson, and because of that, you had to start working way too young, just to support your family.
“You were this close to marrying into the Andersons and finally getting a break in life–and now this cheating dramat I seriously wanna stab that jerk”
Camila let out a small laugh. “If you really chist, you’d end up in prisons. Not worth it for a piece of trash like him
Ras
“True.” Jastin muttered, then looked at her. “Anyway, you stay here as long as you need. If you need anything–anything at all–just tell me, okay?
“Yeah.” Camula nodded.
