Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 42

The old woman picked up the teacup delicately from the saucer on the table and blew a soft breath over the surface of the liquid before taking a sip, exhaling contentedly. "è perfetta (It's perfect)," she said, noticing the surprise on Camilla's face.

"Don't be surprised," Harriet chuckled, placing the teacup on the table. "That's the only Italian word I know." Camilla nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.

After a brief pause, Harriet asked, "How are you feeling?"

Camilla's response was hesitant and noncommittal as she shrugged her shoulders. "Umm...fine I guess..." she said, causing Harriet to lean forward with concern.

After a pause, Harriet spoke again, her tone gentle yet firm. "No, you're not," she said, sensing that there was more to Camilla's emotional state than she was letting on.

Camilla's eyes fell to the ground, her throat feeling tight as she struggled to find the words.

Finally, she forced out the truth. "I and Alexander lied about being in a relationship," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"After the incident at the hotel, I wanted to sue Alexander because I felt he had taken advantage of me in a vulnerable moment." she continued.

"But after a long back-and-forth with our attorneys and a conversation between just the two of us, we decided to fake a relationship to lower the public's attention on me," Camilla explained, her voice heavy with emotion.

"I never expected that one night would lead to all of this. Now I feel pressure from my family, especially my mother, who has been pushing me to settle down and have children."

"But I don't feel ready for that, and it's all just so exhausting," she continued, sighing heavily.

Harriet leaned forward, her expression filled with concern. "I understand how you feel.

"And I knew that your relationship with my grandson was fake from the very beginning," Harriet calmly stated after a brief pause, causing Camilla to raise her head in surprise.

As she processed Harriet's words, Camilla couldn't help but feel surprised at her own admission too, realizing she had spoken aloud instead of just thinking it.

Confusion and surprise played across her face as she spoke hesitantly, "H...How did you know that it was fake?" Her brows furrowed in disbelief, unsure of what to make of Harriet's admission.

Harriet's smile only widened at Camilla's reaction. "My dear, I might look like a simple old rich lady, but I have other specialties," she replied with a hint of mischief in her voice, leaving Camilla feeling even more bewildered.

Harriet then sighed, her tone turning serious. "Camila, I know this must be a very difficult time for you," she began, her eyes full of empathy.

"I faced a similar choice when I was younger," Harriet continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

"I worked in a mine with my late husband George, and we fell in love despite the odds against us. Our relationship had to be kept a secret to keep our jobs, and when I became pregnant, we were faced with a choice: get rid of the baby and stay away from each other or leave the mine and get blacklisted from any other job."

"But we decided to keep our baby and that meant we had to leave the mine, leaving us homeless with only a few savings to our name," Harriet recounted, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

"It was a difficult time, and at times, the suffering was unbearable. I found myself getting frustrated with the situation, and I even started to hate myself for choosing to keep the baby."

"I may have even harbored some resentment towards George for putting the baby inside me, or maybe it was just my hormones at the time," Harriet chuckled before continuing.

"He stood by my side throughout those tough times, even when I would lash out at him. He reassured me that we would find a way to get through it all."

"When our child was finally born, all the anger, frustration, regrets, hate, and doubts I had towards myself vanished the moment I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. I knew then that I could do it," Harriet said with a warm smile.

"With what little savings we had left, we managed to purchase an extremely cheap plot of land. Unbeknownst to us, it was an underground mine for gems. To this day, I still believe the old man who sold it to us was an angel," Harriet chuckled through the tears glinting in her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again, "In comparison to you, Camilla, I had no one, no resources, and no money to care for myself, let alone a child."

"I was a poor orphan with nothing but the love of my life by my side. I thought having a child would be my downfall, that I wouldn't be a good mother to her."

"Even as the mine continued to progressed, doubts crept into my mind on how to balance family and business after I lost my husband. Yet, here I am," she said, her voice filled with a mix of strength and vulnerability.

Harriet's warm smile conveyed admiration as she spoke, "You have achieved so much at such a young age, and that is something to be proud of. However, family is equally important."

"Trust me, holding your child in your arms for the first time is an indescribable feeling."

She paused for a moment and then continued, "Life is not always smooth sailing. But the ups and downs are what make it worth living."

"I won't tell you to keep the child, but I implore you to consider your decision thoughtfully before making a final choice. Balancing work and family is possible. You don't have to choose one over the other."

Harriet took a sip of her tea before picking up her white cane and standing up. "And remember, you are not alone. Your parents, I, and even Alexander are here for you."

"Although your relationship with my grandson may be a facade, I can see something real and special between you two."

"Perhaps you should talk to him," she advised, leaving Camilla deep in thought and speechless as stared at her.

Harriet smiled before turning to leave, and in that moment, Camilla snapped out of her thoughts and quickly stood up.

"Ma'am," Camilla called, and Harriet turned to face her.

"Thank you so much for coming over today. Your presence means a lot to me," Camilla said with genuine gratitude, and Harriet smiled in response.

"I'm also glad to have come," Harriet replied with a smile. Camilla gestured to escort her outside, but Harriet stopped her before she could leave.

"It's alright, I remember how I came in. You don't need to escort me back," Harriet insisted with a smile.

Camilla hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded with a smile in return.

As Harriet walked out the door, Camilla watched her leave before turning around to find her mother standing on the stairs staring at her, having overheard their conversation.

She let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair before settling down and closing her eyes to think for a while.