Chapter 9
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The scandal spread like wildfire in Washington, and the Ceppetelli Co. took a nosedive.
Their rivals fanned the flames, making it sound even worse–Mr. Ceppetelli, the despicable bastard, had a kid outside of his marriage while claiming his wife was infertile.
At first, the old folks of the company were furious, cursing Brent to hell and back. Then they got so worked up they landed in the hospital.
By the time Brent finally stepped away from the chaos, most of the company was already in ruins.
But he didn’t give a damn. He handed over everything to the shareholders and took off, searching for his wife.
He couldn’t waste any more time–it had already been a month. If he didn’t find her now, she might never come back.
A month later, Brent stood, exhausted and travel–worn, on the vast land of the northwest.
Camryn’s POV
I was sitting in a makeshift office, hard hat on, discussing factory details with the engineers.
He stood at the doorway, staring at me like he’d finally found water in a desert. After a long silence, he shouted, “Cammie! Oh, god, I missed you so much!”
Tears streamed down his face, and the engineers quietly gathered their documents and stepped out.
I frowned at Brent–his face was worn, the sharp arrogance long gone.
“You need something? I’m busy. I don’t have time to reminisce.”
He looked at me, eyes red, choking up before he finally forced out, “That night when Galvin got hurt… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hit you. I should’ve believed you.”
I let out a small laugh, indifferent. “Doesn’t matter. It’s over.”
He froze. His voice trembled as he spoke again.
“Cammie, I was deceived too. I had no idea Shalane was that kind of person!
“Galvin and Devin… they’re not my kids. Shalane… she lied to me!”
His hands covered his face, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.
I scoffed. Did he really think I’d just pat his back and tell him, “It’s okay, it’s not your fault?” Seeing my unmoved expression, he wiped his tears and grabbed my arm, desperate. “Cammie, I know I hurt you. But it’s okay, we still have time. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll give you all
my shares in the company.
“You said you wanted to see the snow–covered mountains, right? Let’s go to Switzerland. Or Mt. Everest. Anywhere you want!
“I already handed over the company. From now on, I’ll go wherever you go. And if
you go. And if you want
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stepped out.
I frowned at Brent–his face was worn, the sharp arrogance long gone.
“You need something? I’m busy. I don’t have time to reminisce.”
He looked at me, eyes red, choking up before he finally forced out, “That night when Galvin
got hurt… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hit you. I should’ve believed you.”
I let out a small laugh, indifferent. “Doesn’t matter. It’s over.”
He froze. His voice trembled as he spoke again.
“Cammie, I was deceived too. I had no idea Shalane was that kind of person!
“Galvin and Devin… they’re not my kids. Shalane… she lied to me!”
His hands covered his face, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.
I scoffed. Did he really think I’d just pat his back and tell him, “It’s okay, it’s not your fault?” Seeing my unmoved expression, he wiped his tears and grabbed my arm, desperate.
“Cammie, I know I hurt you. But it’s okay, we still have time. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll give you all my shares in the company.
“You said you wanted to see the snow–covered mountains, right? Let’s go to Switzerland. Or Mt. Everest. Anywhere you want!
“I already handed over the company. From now on, I’ll go wherever you go. And if you want
a kid, we can have one, okay?”
Over and over, he pleaded, his eyes full of hope, waiting for me to say yes.
I thought for a moment, then picked up my phone.
A few minutes later, a little girl with pigtails came skipping in, holding up a pastry.
She ran straight to me, beaming. “Mommy, Uncle Pete gave me this cake! I saved a piece just for you!”
I smiled, took a bite, and ruffled her hair.
Brent froze. His voice cracked.
“Sh–She… who is she? How do you have a kid?”
I smirked. Did he think everyone was as selfish and heartless as him?
“This is my adopted daughter Dolly.”
When I first came here, some friends and I went to town for some skewers.
Dolly was there, standing off to the side, wrapped in tattered clothes, watching us with a mix of longing and fear.
I held out two skewers, gesturing for her to come over. She hesitated, then snatched them and bolted.
A few minutes later, she came back–still keeping her distance, still watching.
I asked the restaurant–owner to make her a bowl of chicken soup. She took it with both hands and devoured it like she hadn’t eaten in days.
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“Sh–She… who is she? How do you have a kid?”
I smirked. Did he think everyone was as selfish and heartless as him?
“This is my adopted daughter Dolly.”
When I first came here, some friends and I went to town for some skewers.
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Dolly was there, standing off to the side, wrapped in tattered clothes, watching us with a mix of longing and fear.
I held out two skewers, gesturing for her to come over. She hesitated, then snatched them and bolted.
A few minutes later, she came back–still keeping her distance, still watching.
I asked the restaurant owner to make her a bowl of chicken soup. She took it with both hands and devoured it like she hadn’t eaten in days.
That’s when I learned about the abandoned girls in the northwest–thrown away by their families.
Something in me just couldn’t walk away, so I took her with me to the construction site. I gave her a name–Dolly.
