Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 112

The amber glow of the setting sun painted the elegant Parisian skyline with warm hues, casting a serene and contemplative atmosphere over the city.

In the heart of this charming metropolis, Camilla found herself in the inviting home of her therapist, Dr. Blackwell.

The room exuded comfort, with soft lighting and tastefully arranged decor that put her at ease.

Seated in a cozy swivel chair, Camilla clutched a tissue in her hand as tears streamed down her face.

Her therapist, Dr. Blackwell, occupied a chair opposite hers, providing a reassuring presence that gave Camilla the space she needed to let her emotions flow freely.

After a few moments of tearful silence, the seasoned therapist broke the silence, her eyes locked onto Camilla. "So you slept with him?" Her voice carried a mix of empathy and curiosity.

Dr. Blackwell's gaze never wavered as she held Camilla's gaze, her expression a mixture of patience and empathy.

She waited for Camilla to respond, but when the silence stretched longer between them, Dr. Blackwell finally spoke up again. "I'm here to listen, Camilla. You don't have to hold back."

With a deep breath, Camilla wiped her tears and met her gaze, her eyes revealing a complex tapestry of emotions.

Guilt, regret, anger, and sadness seemed to swirl within her, each feeling vying for prominence.

"It wasn't supposed to happen," she admitted, her voice a mixture of frustration and defeat.

"I thought I could handle the situation, that I could keep my distance, but then everything spiraled out of control."

"I just couldn't tell him to stop before we went too deep...I knew he would if I had just told him to stop but...but I couldn't...because... because..." She trailed off and looked away, unable to continue her confession.

Dr. Blackwell nodded at this and gave a small, encouraging smile. "Camilla... would you like to consider the possibility that you might still have some feelings for your ex?" Her words were gentle, inviting Camilla to delve deeper into her emotions and thoughts though her gaze remained fixed on a distant point.

Finally, Camilla let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping in a mixture of resignation and realization.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

The older woman gave a small chuckle at Camilla's response, "Tell me how did you feel when you two were in the act?"

Camilla's gaze finally met Dr.Blackwell's, she stared at her for a while before speaking, "I...I felt a mix of emotions," She stammered, her voice barely audible.

"I felt a sense of relief...like some kind of thirst in me had been quenched."

Camilla's gaze dropped to her hands, her fingers twisting a tissue into a small ball as she wrestled with the implications of her revelations.

"I know that what I did was wrong, especially considering Edward," Camilla confessed, her voice laced with remorse. "I never wanted to hurt him, but my actions have caused so much pain."

Dr. Blackwell's tone remained compassionate, a steady presence in the midst of Camilla's turmoil.

"I understand how you feel about Edward but aside from the guilt you feel for hurting him now...did you at any time feel a connection to him and I mean sexually as well?"

Camilla hesitated, her eyes meeting Dr. Blackwell as she searched for the right words. "I... no," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I knew right from the start that I wasn't attracted to him in any way...I was just trying to force it and maybe.... maybe...I could... forget about Alexander and truly move on."

Camilla finished with another long pause.

Her words were followed by another moment of quiet, until Dr. Blackwell began speaking once more. "So you do admit that you still feel something for your ex?" Her questions were slow and patient, allowing the younger woman time to process the information and come to terms with it all.

Camilla took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the weight of her emotions.

She looked up, her gaze meeting Dr. Blackwell's with a mixture of apprehension and acceptance.

"Yes," Camilla admitted, her voice stronger now, resolute.

"I can't keep denying that there's a part of me that still wants and cares about him. It's confusing and painful, especially with everything that's happened, but... it's there."

Dr. Blackwell's nod was encouraging, offering a glimmer of understanding in the midst of Camilla's turmoil.

"Emotions are complex, Camilla. They don't always follow a straightforward path. It's okay to have conflicting feelings, and it's okay to take the time you need to sort through them but you need to talk to Edward...you need to make him understand how you still feel about your ex-husband... even if it's going to be difficult."

Camilla nodded, her expression a mix of determination and apprehension. "I know I need to talk to Edward," she said, her voice filled with a newfound resolve. "I owe him that honesty, even if it's going to be difficult."

By the time she was done with her impromptu session with Dr.Blackwell, the sky had already gotten dark, and the city lights began to twinkle outside the window.

She sat inside her blue Lincoln Corsair car, taking a moment to gather herself before inserting the key into the ignition.

With a steady hand, she turned the key, and the engine roared to life with a comforting purr, ready to carry her wherever she needed to go but just then her phone rang.

She picked it up from the car's console, staring at the caller ID she saw it was her mother.

She switched off the car's engine and then took a deep breath before answering the call. "Ciao, mamma,(Hello, Mom,)" she said, her voice filled with a mix of weariness and anticipation.

"Bambina... Che cosa è successo?... Stai bene?...(Baby... What happened?... Are you okay?...)" Camilla's mother's voice was filled with concern, her Italian accent adding a touch of familiarity and comfort to the conversation.

"You were just crying when you called me a few hours ago, and when I asked you what happened, you just ended the call and never answered my calls again..."

"Camilla, vuoi farmi venire un attacco di cuore? Eh?... Ho già detto a tuo padre di prenotare un volo per Parigi perché davvero non capisco. (Camilla, do you want to give me a heart attack? Huh?... I already told your father to book a flight to Paris because I really don't understand.)"

Camilla took a deep breath, her heart pounding as she tried to find the right words to explain the situation to her worried mother.

"I'm sorry, Mamma... I had a tough moment today. I didn't want to worry you, so I hung up the call."

"A tough moment?...Che è successo?(What happened?)" Her mother demanded, her anxiety growing steadily due to Camilla's tone of voice.

Camilla paused for a moment, carefully considering her words before confessing, "I'm not going through with the wedding with Edward."

Silence followed this admission, causing Camilla to shift uneasily in her seat as a sense of unease began to settle in the pit of her stomach.

Alessia, fell silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, processing her daughter's words.

Then, unexpectedly, a soft chuckle escaped her lips, evolving into a full-hearted laughter that reverberated through the phone.

"Che notizia meravigliosa! (What wonderful news!)" Alessia exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine happiness.

"I've had my doubts about that boy ever since you featured in his music video," Camilla's mother remarked with a knowing tone. "I knew he was only with you for your fame and influence... I just knew it."

"Camilla, Il mio bambino,(my baby) you've made a decision that's true to your heart. I couldn't be prouder of you....is that why you were crying earlier on?...oh mio Dio(Oh my God.)...You got us so worried, I thought it was something really serious."

Camilla's brows furrowed in a mix of emotion, anger, irritation, and surprise, not expecting this kind of reaction from her mother, "Mamma...how could you say something like that?"

"...Mamma... l'ho tradito ed è per questo che sto annullando il matrimonio, va bene?... L'ho tradito!...(Mom... I cheated on him and that's why I'm calling off the wedding, okay?... I cheated on him!...)

"E adesso quello che dovresti provare è solo vergogna per tua figlia e non essere orgogliosa di me! (And right now what you should be feeling is nothing but shame for your daughter and not being proud of me!)" Her voice cracked under the weight of her conflicting emotions.

"Mamma...you needed to see the look of disgust and disappointment in his eyes when he caught us." She said quietly, between sniffling breaths her voice trembling slightly despite her attempts to remain calm.

"Mamma.." Camilla choked out, the tears beginning to pour forth once more as a strangled sob left her lips.

"He caught you guys in bed?!" Alessia asked in stunned silence as her daughter's words sunk in, her maternal instinct kicking in as she realized the depth of her daughter's pain.

Camilla wiped the few tears that escaped her eyelids, sniffing, "No, he didn't...I told you I was going on a weekend getaway with him last night...so he came this morning to pick me up while we were still cuddled up in bed."

"I got up...in my robe to answer the door and things escalated from there."

Alessia's voice softened, a mixture of concern and understanding evident in her tone. "Camy, I'm so sorry I laughed...I can't even imagine how difficult this must be for you."

Camilla's voice quivered as she spoke, the memories still fresh and painful. "It was a mess, Mamma. Edward was hurt, angry, and I felt like the ground should just open up and swallow me... I didn't even know what to say or do."

Alessia's words were filled with compassion, "Camilla, mistakes happen, but it's important to face the consequences and take responsibility for our actions."

"Edward deserves honesty, even if it's painful. You can't control how he reacts, but you can control how you handle it."

Camilla let out a shaky breath, her emotions still raw. "I know, Mamma. I need to talk to him, to explain everything. But I feel so disappointed in myself to have let what happened happen."

Her mother's voice held a soothing quality, "It's okay amore mio (My love)...You'll be fine."

Camilla managed a small smile, despite the heavy weight on her heart. "Thank you...for understanding."

A little silence prevailed on the other side of the line before Alessia spoke up again. "Umm...Camy?" She said, hesitation showing in her voice.

Camilla's brows furrowed, curious about what her mother wanted to say. "Yes, Mamma?"

Alessia cleared her throat, her voice tentative. "Umm...Who was the guy you cheated on Edward with?.... Was it Alexander?" She questioned, unable to contain the curiosity that burned in her chest.

The question threw Camilla completely off guard, momentarily making it impossible for her to speak.

A few seconds later, she regained her voice, tinged with a hint of irritation at her mother's behavior.

"I have to go now, Mama... I just want to go home, take a shower, and sleep... I'll talk to you later... Ciao (Bye)," she said, ignoring her mother's question.

She then hung up the phone and placed it back in the car's console.

Feeling emotionally drained and her mother not offering any solace, she leaned back against the soft leather seat of her blue Lincoln Corsair.

She stared ahead for a few moments before wiping away the remaining tear streaks on her cheeks.

The comforting interior of the car seemed to envelop her, offering a momentary respite from the tumultuous emotions swirling within her.

With a deep breath, Camilla inserted the key into the ignition. Her hand hesitated for a moment, as if contemplating the journey ahead.

As her foot pressed down on the brake pedal, she slowly turned the key with a practiced motion.

The engine roared to life with a reassuring purr, vibrations running through the steering wheel and seat.

The soft glow of dashboard lights illuminated the interior, casting a warm ambiance that contrasted with the previous darkness in the car.

Camilla adjusted the rearview mirror, her reflection staring back at her.

With a determined expression, she shifted her attention to the gearshift and pushed it into drive.

Her hands gripped the leather-wrapped steering wheel firmly as she prepared to move forward.

As the car glided forward, Camilla navigated through the city streets with thoughts swirling within her mind, a mix of regrets, uncertainties, closure, and a glimmer of hope.