Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 25

Harriet smiled back. "That's great, sweetie."

Just then, a woman dressed in a fancy, bright red dress appeared behind Harriet, her dark curls cascading down her shoulders.

She was accompanied by a younger man, who was also dressed in formal attire.

"Mom!" Isabel cried out as she went over to hug the woman, who patted her on the back.

"Hey, honey," the woman replied.

Harriet gasped as she turned to look at the duo. "Didn't you two say you weren't coming?"

"We decided to surprise you, grandma," the young man spoke softly beside the woman.

Harriet gazed at the new arrivals for a moment before turning back to Camilla and Alexander, who was already staring at the woman with a sheepish grin.

"Dear," Harriet addressed Camilla. "This is Harvey, Alexander's mother."

Camilla smiled slightly and nodded, extending her hand towards Harvey.

"Oh no, dear," Harvey said, putting her arm around Camilla and pulling her close into a warm embrace. "I prefer a hug."

Then, Harvey pulled away from Camilla, smiling warmly at her. "Welcome to the family, dear."

"Thank you, ma'am," Camilla replied, bowing her head slightly.

"Oh no, thank you for accepting this naughty son of mine," Harvey said, winking at Alexander.

"Oh please, don't start, Mom," Alexander muttered, rolling his eyes at his mother.

Camilla raised an eyebrow and glanced at Alexander, seeing his cheeks flush. She smiled in response.

"Start what? You haven't seen me in three weeks and this is how you greet your mother?" Harvey teased playfully.

Alexander rolled his eyes again before going over to give his mother a hug.

"Now that's more like it," Harvey smiled happily, patting Alexander's shoulder.

"Ahem... Sorry to cut the reunion short, but is someone going to introduce me?" the younger man who had been standing and watching the whole exchange between mother and son spoke.

His words caught the attention of the other five adults, who all turned to look at him.

"Oh yeah, right," Alexander said.

"Camilla, meet my cousin, Charles. He's the first grandson of the family," Alexander introduced, giving Charles a pointed glance.

"Pleased to meet you," Camilla responded with a polite smile as she offered her hand.

Charles shook it politely. "Nice to meet you again, Miss Kings," he said, causing a confused frown to appear on everyone's face.

"Excuse me, have we met before?" Camilla asked, withdrawing her hand.

"Yes, actually, the guy you thought was a waiter in Tokyo...?" Charles replied, hoping that Camilla would remember their first encounter, but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember." She shrugged apologetically, causing a sigh to escape Charles' lips.

"No problem, it's been a long time and I understand if you don't remember. I looked a lot different back then," he said with a lighthearted chuckle.

Just as they were talking, two teenage girls suddenly burst into their midst and tightly hugged Alexander, nearly suffocating him.

"Brother Alex!" They both cried out in excitement.

"Hey guys how are you?" Alexander exclaimed, finally breaking free from the embrace of the two excited girls.

"We've missed you so much!" one of them chirped, turning to greet the rest of the group before returning her gaze to Alexander.

"Our dad told us you were here, and we just had to come say hello," she continued, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

The other girl, meanwhile, was completely entranced by Camilla's presence, her eyes wide with awe.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's really you!" she cried out, jumping up and down before impulsively pulling Camilla into a tight hug.

"Whoa, sorry about that," She said as she took a step back, still visibly excited.

"Pay up, sis," The other girl chuckled, holding out her hand.

"What for?" Her sister asked, a little confused.

"Remember, you bet me a hundred bucks that you wouldn't get too excited when you see her," The other explained with a smirk.

"Fine, I'll handle that when we get back home," Her sister replied with a huff.

Turning to Camilla, the first girl who was the first to speak greeted her with a smile, "Hi, I'm Juliana Becknard and this is my sister Jennifer, who's been a fan of yours for years."

"Nice to finally meet you," Jennifer chimed in, as both shook hands with Camilla.

"Nice to meet you too." Camilla replied, still a little in shock at the enthusiastic greeting.

"Wow, I've never seen twins who look as identical as you two." Camilla complimented, causing the sisters to blush and giggle in delight.

"Actually, they're triplets," Isabel chimed in with a smile.

"Oh, really?" Camilla exclaimed with a look of wonder.

"Yeah, our brother is somewhere in the crowd," Juliana added with a knowing nod.

"What a shame that we have to leave now, I would have loved to meet him too," Camilla said with regret.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have the chance to meet him another time," Harriet reassured, brushing off the subject.

"Alright everyone, time to hit the road," Alexander declared, pausing briefly before reaching for her hand instead of her waist.

'Can't make the same mistake twice, right?' He thought to himself, reminiscing about what happened the last time he went for her waist.

"Goodnight, lovelies," Alexander's mum called out as they all waved goodbye.

Just as they stepped outside the hall where the chatter of others could still be heard, they were greeted by John Fraser.

"Hello there, Miss Kings," John greeted with a sly smirk on his face.

Turning to Alexander, he added, "Mr. Cena."

Camilla stood by Alexander's side, her curiosity piqued by the sly tone in John's voice.

Without hesitation, she asked directly, "What do you want, John?"

"Just wanted to offer my congratulations on winning the painting," John replied, the smirk still on his face.

"But I have to wonder, why spend so much money on such an ordinary drawing of a woman?" He asked with a teasing grin.

Camilla rolled her eyes at John's remark, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smirk.

"My apologies, but I don't believe you comprehend the full significance of this piece." Camilla stated.

"Art is not just about what's on the surface, it's about the story it tells and the feelings it evokes."

"I, as a woman, know what I want and am not afraid to pursue it with everything within my power. So I believe that no matter the cost, it is worth it."

John turned to Alexander, his eyebrows raised. "And what about you, Mr. Cena? What are your thoughts?" he asked with a clear intention to provoke a response.

Alexander smiled slightly, his left hand slipping into his pocket while his right hand rested on Camilla's back, pulling her closer to him.

"I understand your reservation, Mr. Fraser. But just like she said, it's not just the price tag or the subject matter that matters. The emotions and message behind the artwork are what make it truly priceless." Alexander replied calmly.

John slowly nodded his head. "I have a strong feeling that both you and Miss Kings have a deep connection to this painting."

"What do you mean by that?" Camilla asked, her curiosity again piqued by John's statement.

"Just like the painting, you, Miss Kings, are a sought-after item in the art auction, with many men vying to own or add you to their collection," John explained, casting a fleeting glance in Camilla's direction.

Despite her rising frustration, Alexander's hand resting on her back seemed to calm her, almost as if he were anticipating her next move.

"To speak of someone as an object to be possessed is totally wrong and unacceptable," Alexander interjected, his voice measured and steady as he sought to maintain his composure.

"Camilla is indeed a work of art, not only in beauty but in her strength, independence and spirit. To even suggest that she's merely a possession is a gross underestimation of her worth and character." Alexander corrected with a calm tone, his hand still resting protectively on Camilla's back.

John chuckled briefly before continuing. "You're right, please accept my apologies."

"It's just that I've always been puzzled by why Miss Kings rejected suitors who were both wealthy and attractive. I thought those were the qualities that most women desired in a partner."

"But now I understand why." He paused for a dramatic effect.

"Miss Kings was merely waiting for the highest bidder to...well, you know." He trailed off,

"Spread her legs wide open for." He finished, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he was met with a swift punch to the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.