Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 97

Alexander's car came to a halt in front of the building of Camilla's luxury serviced apartment.

The engine's low hum faded into silence, leaving a moment of quiet between him and Camilla.

Finally, Camilla tried to break the silence by opening the car, but she was interrupted by Alexander's voice.

"Camilla...." Alexander's voice was filled with a mix of hesitation and longing as he called out her name, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm.

Camilla paused, her hand still on the door handle, but she didn't turn to face him just yet.

After inhaling deeply, as if gathering her composure, she let his hand slide off her arm and rose from her seat.

Without a second glance towards Alexander, she swiftly exited the car and headed straight for the building entrance, determined in her stride.

Alexander watched still seated as Camilla walked briskly towards the entrance of the building, her back facing him.

And running a hand through his hair, he sighed heavily before starting the car's engine and driving off.

As Camilla hurriedly walked down the hallway to her apartment, her feet moved with purpose.

Her heart felt heavy, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions.

The encounter with Alexander brought back memories and feelings she thought she had left behind.

She felt on the verge of breaking down, and all she wanted was to reach her apartment. There, she could let herself cry until she felt better.

Lost in her emotions and thoughts, Camilla was completely oblivious to Edward's presence as she passed by him.

Unbeknownst to her, Edward had been anxiously waiting outside her apartment all morning, growing increasingly worried.

With no knowledge of where Alexander had taken her and numerous unanswered calls going straight to voicemail, he felt helpless.

As he observed Camilla walking past him, her visibly distressed expression catching his attention, Edward quickly realized something was wrong.

Without a moment's hesitation, he hurriedly followed after her.

"Camilla." He called after her, his voice filled with concern and urgency.

Camilla turned at the sound of her name, her eyes filled with surprise as she saw Edward standing there.

"Edward?" she said, her voice momentarily faltered. "What are you doing here?"

Edward's face softened even as he approached her, his concern evident in his eyes.

"I was worried... your crazy ex didn't let me take you home yesterday night... literally grabbing you away from me like I was some kind of threat," he said, frustration and worry lacing his voice.

"And then I couldn't get hold of you this morning. I didn't know where you were, and I was so worried something had happened so I came here hoping to find you at home."

Camilla just nodded slightly in response to Edward's words.

At least now she knew from his tone that he hadn't given her up to Alexander like she was some object to possess.

But a bit taken aback by her subtle response, Edward furrowed his brows and tilted his head seeking a glimpse of her beautiful gray eyes.

To his dismay, he noticed the glistening of tears in her eyes, causing his concern for her to intensify rapidly.

"...You're crying." Edward blurted the word out in an almost breathless whisper, his voice filled with a mix of worry and empathy.

Edward took a step closer to Camilla, instinctively reaching out a hand to offer comfort, but she moved away, creating distance between them.

She needed a moment to compose herself before speaking, knowing that if she responded too quickly, she would break down in tears.

Her lower lip trembled, and she hastily wiped away a stray tear that trickled down her cheek.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she managed to speak, although her voice quivered.

"I... I'm okay... It's just been a tough morning," she whispered, avoiding his gaze, not wanting him to see the pain reflected in her eyes.

However, Edward wasn't convinced and, with an unexpected swiftness, he cupped her cheeks with both hands, looking directly into her eyes, searching her face.

"You don't have to lie to me. Tell me what happened."

"Did he hurt you?" Edward's voice carried a protective instinct, ready to confront any threat to Camilla's well-being.

However, Camilla, who disliked physical contact, especially from someone she was just reconnecting with, swiftly removed his hands from her face.

Her expression turned into a glare, her brows furrowing in irritation.

"I told you, I'm fine!" She unintentionally raised her voice, causing Edward's expression to shift from concern to surprise, caught off guard by her reaction.

Realizing he had overstepped a boundary and didn't fully understand the depth of her emotions at that moment, Edward's tone turned remorseful.

"I... I'm sorry, Camilla," he stammered. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I was just worried about you, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Camilla let out a sigh, her anger dissipating as she noticed the sincerity in Edward's eyes.

Feeling a pang of guilt, she turned away. "...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice... It's just that... I prefer to handle my problems on my own, in my own way," she whispered, barely audible.

Edward's gaze softened as he carefully observed her. He nodded understandingly, his voice gentle. "I understand, Camilla."

After an awkward silence, Camilla forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"You should go... I... thanks for coming," she said, her words tinged with a hint of sadness.

Edward hesitated for a moment, torn between wanting to respect Camilla's boundaries and his genuine concern for her well-being.

But he knew that pushing further would only cause more distress, so he nodded reluctantly.

"Right... so I suppose I'll see you another time," he said, but Camilla remained silent, avoiding eye contact as her gaze shifted away from him.

Understanding her unspoken response, Edward simply nodded before turning around slowly and walking away.

Camilla didn't hesitate as she watched him leave. She turned as well and made her way to her apartment door.

Unlocking it, she entered and headed straight to her room, where she collapsed onto the bed, her mind consumed by countless thoughts.

Why was he suddenly back and just when she thought she had started to get her life back?

Why?

The question echoed relentlessly in her thoughts.

As she lay on her side, seeking comfort, Camilla felt a slight bulge beneath her.

Curiosity piqued, she sat up and discovered it was her phone.

Apparently, she had forgotten to bring it with her when she went out the previous night.

Letting out a tired sigh, she ran her hand through her hair and unlocked the phone with her other hand.

To her surprise, she found numerous missed calls from Edward, her parents, her grandmother, and even her personal assistant, Lauren.

She swiped through the list of missed calls until she reached Lauren's name and tapped on it.

The phone rang for a while before Lauren's voice filled the line, exuding a sense of relief. "Ma'am!... We've been trying to reach you since last night... Are you alright?"

Camilla took a deep breath, her voice slightly trembling as she replied, "Yes... I'm alright. I just went out for a drink with a classmate and left my phone behind. I apologize for causing you to worry. Is everything okay at the office?"

Relief and concern mingled in Lauren's voice as she responded, "Oh, thank goodness you're safe, ma'am. Yes, everything is going smoothly. I'll ensure the monthly report is sent to you by the end of the day."

Camilla managed a faint smile, even though Lauren couldn't see it. "That's good to hear. Thank you for your dedication, Lauren. I truly appreciate your hard work."

Lauren's tone softened. "Of course, ma'am. I'm here to support you. Just remember to take care of yourself. If you need anything or if there's anything I can do, please don't hesitate to let me know."

Camilla felt a surge of gratitude for Lauren's understanding and support. "Thank you, Lauren. I will. Take care as well."

Camilla was preparing to end the call, assuming their conversation had concluded, when she heard Lauren's voice resurface on the device, "Ma'am?..." The tone held a hint of hesitation.

Camilla paused, sensing something in Lauren's tone. "Yes, Lauren? Is there something else?"

There was a brief silence on the other end before Lauren spoke again, her voice filled with concern.

"Well... I... the main reason I was calling is that your mom... She wanted to speak with you. She's been worried since you haven't been answering her or your dad's calls, and it escalated when you didn't respond to mine either."

"She just wants to hear from you, to know that you're okay. Would you consider giving her a call to ease her concerns?"

Camilla let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. "Just let her know that I'm fine... as always. I went out and forgot my phone."

"There's nothing for her or my dad to worry about because I'm perfectly alright," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.

Lauren sensed Camilla's unspoken emotions and, despite not being physically present, could sense that she wasn't truly fine despite her words.

However, knowing Camilla's stubbornness and the lingering resentment she held towards her parents, Lauren understood that she might not be ready to have that conversation yet.

"I understand, ma'am," she responded softly. As their conversation drew to a close, they exchanged their goodbyes, and Camilla ended the call.

Holding the phone away from her ear, Camilla stared at it for a moment, contemplating whether or not to call her mom.

She had hardly spoken to her since moving to Paris, and deep down, she yearned to hear her voice amidst the overwhelming emotions resurfacing within her.

However, knowing that she was the cause of these emotions, she let out a heavy sigh and dropped the phone onto the bed, feeling conflicted.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her, both mentally and emotionally, and turned her gaze back to her phone.

She contemplated for a few minutes before finally picking up the phone, she swiped up, scrolling through the options until she found the voicemail icon.

She tapped on it, and a list of voicemail messages appeared on the screen.

Her gaze settled on the voicemail her mother had left that morning.

It was the most recent one, and hesitation mingled with apprehension as she clicked on it.

As the voicemail played, her mother's voice resonated through the room, carrying a strong sense of concern and longing, accentuated by her Italian accent. "Cami, è mamma (Camilla, it's Mom)," Alessia said.

"Sto cercando di raggiungerti... Sono preoccupata per te, tesoro. È passato così tanto tempo da quando abbiamo parlato e mi manchi. (I've been trying to reach you... I'm worried about you, sweetheart. It's been so long since we've talked, and I miss you.)"

"And I just want to hear your voice... Are you eating well?... Are you getting enough sleep?... These thoughts constantly occupy my mind, and I cannot find peace until I hear from you."

"My love, I understand you're still angry about what I did, and if I had the power, I would take away all the pain you're experiencing. But I can't... and it hurts even more when you shut me and your father out."

"Please, at least give me a chance to talk to you... Let me explain myself or at least have a conversation with your father. He had no involvement in the plan; I forced him to join me."

"Per favore, semplicemente rispondi al telefono,(Please just answer the phone)" she pleaded, her voice trembling.

"Ti amo, tesoro. (I love you, sweetheart.)" She added, her voice filled with emotion. Then, the line went silent.

Camilla sat on the edge of her bed, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions.

She couldn't deny that she missed her mother, but the pain and resentment from the past still lingered within her.

She knew her mother had made choices that had deeply affected her and their relationship.

It was hard to forgive and forget, even if her mother expressed remorse.

Tears welled up in Camilla's eyes as she listened to the voicemail again, her mother's words sinking into her soul.

The longing in her mother's voice was palpable, and it also stirred a sense of longing within Camilla as well.

But could she truly let go of the past and give her mother another chance?

She stood up, going back and forth in her room feeling a mix of exhaustion and emotional turmoil.

She knew deep down that avoiding her parents wouldn't solve anything.

The unresolved issues would continue to haunt her until she faced them head-on.

She looked back at her phone that she dropped on the bed.

Taking a deep breath, Camilla returned to the bed and reached for her phone.

Her hand trembled slightly as she dialed her mother's number and brought the phone to her ear, anxiously waiting for her mother to answer.

After a few rings, her mother's voice came through, filled with a mix of surprise and hope. "Cami? È davvero tu? (Cami? Is it really you?)"

There were several seconds of silence from Camilla, but Alessia patiently waited on the other end, since the call was still connected.

Camilla swallowed the lump in her throat, her voice finally coming through.

"Yes, Mom, it's me," she replied, her voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and uncertainty.