Chapter 71: Will you fall in love again?
Sara looked hurt. She had to put on an expression and outlook before others not to make anyone, including Rodrigo, suspect that they knew Camilla’s whereabouts.
Rodrigo sighed. She still thinks he murdered her. That is the last thing he could ever do to his woman. She thinks so filthy and inhuman of him.
Rodrigo’s eyes suddenly went red. He looked troubled already. He doesn’t want anything death of Camilla to be mentioned in his ears let alone, he was thought to be the murderer.
“I didn’t murder Camilla neither do I know anything about how she went missing. I swear on the life of my baby she was pregnant with. I don’t know a thing.
I am as worried as you are. But I caused the whole mess and regretted everything. Please believe me just this once that I didn’t murder Camilla.
For everything I did to her, the only thing I can never do is to let such unhealthy thoughts or ideas cross my mind, ” Rodrigo explained.
He looked at Sara and Jared and saw them quietly staring at him. He became fed up. They don’t believe him. They probably thought he murdered Camilla.
He turned and quietly walked out. He doesn’t know what to say or do next. He would send a cheque to Ms Sara the next day and buy another Mansion, similar to his and send it to Jared in place of the one he destroyed.
As he drove home, he felt lonely. That kind of loneliness that sprang from within. He was seeing people but he didn’t feel anyone was close to him.
By the time he arrived at his Mansion, he saw Mirabel was home. He asked her what she’s doing there and the latter said she knew he needed someone close to him.
She had come to keep him company. Rodrigo said she shouldn’t have bothered. He is fine and can take care of himself.
Mirabel said all the same, she had come to stay for a while. He could confide in her and tell her whatever was bothering him.
Rodrigo smiled. She won’t understand a bit of the pressure in his heart. The emotional breakdown he felt and above it, the height of loneliness he felt.
He appeared to be cheerful to make her feel happy and pleased that she was right to have come over. But after they had dinner and retired to their bedroom, Rodrigo felt like a weight of guilt was hanging around his neck.
He felt heavy and restless. He dragged himself to the bathroom and had a warm bath but he couldn’t find his mind and thoughts drifting elsewhere except to Camilla.
He got a bottle of alcohol and gulped it down. He should have used sleeping pills, but he seemed to be getting addicted to alcohol as his companion.
Next morning, Rodrigo arrived at the company and found press men surrounding the entrance, completely blocking his path.
He was surprised when he was being asked why he visited Camilla Dickson’s mother and brother? What business was he having to do there?
Rodrigo was surprised. We’re they trailing him or spying on his movements? How did they know he went to see Sara and Jared the previous evening?
But since they have created a scene, it was better he made any clarification that needed to be done. But he smelled a rat in the whole thing.
It appeared like a set up. This cannot just be happening. Someone was interested in something about the whole scenario there. But he cannot yet lay his fingers on it.
“Are you wishing that you got reconciled with Camilla if she suddenly appears?”, “You once said there’s nothing real going on between you both…” different questions asked by different journalists.
Rodrigo’s bodyguards arrived and cleared paths for him to walk through the midst of the journalists. But a particular journalist yelled out “Tell us what is your relationship with Miss Emma after you left her waiting at your wedding and did not show up?”
Then Rodrigo paused. His eyes suddenly became frosty, giving out a chilling aura. He turned briskly and answered “I am making this public that I have broken up my engagement with Emma Martins”Rodrigo answered looking at the entire journalists one by one.
“If you had another chance, would you love to be with Camilla Dickson again?” Another journalist asked.
Joel was waiting to know if Rodrigo would answer that question and what is his response going to be? This would be a time, he would undo part of what he’s done.
“Yes. I would love to be with Camilla again, until my seventh life, I will only be with her ” he replied and as if it’s an afterthought, he added “everything I said about Camilla back then was false. They were not true and I sincerely apologise for defaming her back then..” Rodrigo tendered a public apology.
After he finished talking, there was silence. Almighty Rodrigo Campbell apologised publicly and said he defamed his ex-girlfriend?
This is the height of humility. No one dares to ask him any questions further. No one expected such an arrogant man to apologise to his ex-girlfriend.
He even said to his seventh life, he would only want Camilla. Everyone knew him as the richest and most handsome dude in that part of the world.
And being wealthy, no one expected him to bring his reputation so low to apologise publicly to his ex-girlfriend who couldn’t even be found.
It’s been months now and she was nowhere to be found. Many believed she was dead already or had disguised herself to live in some hidden remote area of the country.
Emma’s tears fell off her eyes. Finally, it was over between her and Rodrigo. Her parents had advised her to do so since they couldn’t approach Rodrigo and ask him his stance on the engagement knit he tied with Emma.
Larry Campbell had told Martins that Camilla hid the real documents and gave empty papers in its place. He was free and that is his last favour he showed to Martin’s for his father’s sake.
That was when the latter felt relieved. The documents were found and his family will be free again. The old man of the Campbell’s family had said he wasn’t going to make a case with his wife and daughter because of his daughter in-law’s involvement.
But on the issue of whether Rodrigo and Emma’s engagement still stand, Larry Campbell said he is not concerned about that anymore.
That was what led Martins and Ella to decide to use such a mean method of knowing what was in Rodrigo’s mind. Now that they heard it through his lips, Emma she’s a few tears.
Her parents consoled her and told her that they would arrange a blind date for her. She would find another man soon and be married.
When Jared saw the breaking news that contained Rodrigo’s speech and the things he said last, he couldn’t help but be a little comfortable about it.
Sara was happy too. First her daughter was cleared off the charges against her and now, Rodrigo has eaten up his vomit. It appears things are taking a proper shape.
But Rodrigo’s statement took Felix Freeman by surprise. He least expected things to turn out the way they are.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
So Camilla was not only free of the charges against her, Rodrigo apologised to her. That is something amazing. Not only Rodrigo now, but himself knew to his tenth life, that if there’s anything like that, Camilla will be his.
He hasn’t stopped regretting his marriage to Lillian. He wished he didn’t get entangled with her but love Camilla alone, his life probably would have been better.
Just recently, it was discovered that his baby had a sickle cell. There was no assurance that he would live long.
Because of the emergency wedding they had, they didn’t take their time to know if they were medically fitted to be a couple.
Lillian became pregnant and they went ahead to be married because she can’t have an abortion. Besides the issue with his baby, his marriage has not really been fine.
Two months later
The news of Emma Martin’s wedding was everywhere on the internet. He was going to be married to one of the young entrepreneurs whose business was trying to find its feet.
Rodrigo was in his office when the news of Emma’s wedding came to his notice. He looked at it and nodded, so Emma wants to be married after she joined others to ruin Camilla and his relationship?
Everyone who made Camilla suffer, who brought a rift between them and sent them apart will also not have happiness.
That wedding will never hold!
Mirabel found herself so full of excitement. She was going to accompany her brother to a mini party organised by Justin Swaras.
He was going to launch a paper processing company and invited top entrepreneurs such as Rodrigo Campbell.
When she heard her brother was invited, she pleaded with him to take her along. Reluctantly, Rodrigo accepted. He said they would leave that evening.
But it wasn’t the launching of the company that interested her, it’s meeting Jared Dickson. She had accompanied her brother a few months ago to see Jared.
He had offered him a certificate to the ownership of a Mansion and a cheque of a hundred million dollars as compensation for what he’s damaged.
Jared had smiled and said he was not going to take it. His sister was worth much more than that and what mattered to him the most was finding her and holding her in an embrace again.
As for the Mansion he acquired for him, he already sees that they own a Mansion as well, they possibly can’t be living in two buildings at a time.
And Rodrigo should keep the money. At this time, fortune had smiled on them and they didn’t need anything from him. He was polite but he rejected the offer.
Mirabel got attracted to him immediately. She liked him at first sight. She already admired him. But that day, she shut her emotions.
But many weeks have passed and she realised she’s fallen in love with him. She’s having a crush on him already and meeting him again is what she looked forward to.
She had spent sleepless nights, thinking of a better avenue to get closer to him. This party is just what she needs to see him and possibly get closer to him.
He is Camilla’s brother though, but she can’t help the fact that she’s head over heels for him.
Eventually, Rodrigo got dressed and set out with Mirabel to the venue of the meeting at ‘Hotel de Charvid’.
Rodrigo saw the brightness on Mirabel’s face and asked her if she hadn’t been to a party before? He said further that he knew she had been in a relationship before.
Hasn’t her boyfriend taken her out to a party before? She looks sophisticated and fragile as if she was the one to be celebrated that evening at the party.
Mirabel said she’s been to a party before but she’s not having a boyfriend anymore. She’s single and ready to fall in love again.
Rodrigo glanced at her and chuckled. The chauffeur was driving the car but the two siblings were seated together in the back seat.
Rodrigo remembered the past when he would sit with Camilla and chuckle like this. She’s capable of reducing him to a playboy, making him laugh out loud and long.
But that was in the past. He can’t find her anymore. He has turned the entire city upside down and Camilla is nowhere to be found. Is she dead? Oh no, she can’t die, he still feels her heart is still beating. But where is it?
“Will you one day fall in love again?” Mirabel asked, taking her brother’s hand in hers. She discovered he suddenly became quiet and knew he had lingered off in his thoughts and it’s possibly about Camilla.
“No. I can’t imagine myself with anyone else besides Camilla. I love her a lot. I really do” Rodrigo replied simply, his eyes going red again and he sighed.
Mirabel didn’t ask further. She doesn’t need to be told that he loved Camilla. But she wished her mother wasn’t involved with those who schemed against her.
“You need to keep your interactions with mum intact. She hasn’t done anything to you. She hurt me and I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive her but you, she didn’t offend.
Don’t let anything cause a rift between you and her. She’s your mother, remember. Don’t take my relationship with her as a yastic for you to treat her unfairly. Is that clear?” Rodrigo asked.
Mirabel nodded. She was indeed unhappy with what her mother had done. She wants her to know that she’s displeased with her. But from what her brother had said, she would let it go.
When they arrived at the hotel, Rodrigo showed his IV and he was allowed in. He was in front and Mirabel walked behind. They were not a couple, otherwise they would have intertwined fingers.
As they were ushered to the private booth where others were waiting, Mirabel still followed behind. As soon as Rodrigo walked in, every other person stood up in courtesy.
He stood and gazed at everyone present with an expressionless face. Suddenly Mirabel felt as if she didn’t know her brother anymore.
He suddenly resembled a demigod. She glanced round and besides Justin was Jared, one of his hands in his pants pocket and the other, holding a glass of wine.
Others looked respectfully at Rodrigo but Jared didn’t care at all. He just looked away. As Mirabel stood gazing and admiring Jared, the latter looked at her direction and their eyes locked.
It suddenly dawned on Jared that Rodrigo was there in Company of another woman. That made him feel infuriated and glanced at the woman he came with.
His eyes and Mirabel locked and his eyes lingered on her slim figure. He turned his eyes away when he realised that she’s Rodrigo’s sister and not another woman.
Rodrigo looked at Jared and gently walked round and shook hands with everyone present, exchanging a few pleasantries.
Mirabel did the same. She’s Rodrigo’s sister and rated as one of the rich ladies in town. And in reality, she Carries that air around her. Many young men admire her and wish that they might begin something with her.
When Rodrigo stood before Jared, he didn’t feel like shaking hands with him. He has hurt him too much and no amount of handshake can calm his unhappy mind.
He smiled and asked “good to see you again Jared”. The latter shrugged and said he feels the same about him too. When Mirabel got to Jared, she felt her belly was sweet.
“Hello” she said, stretching her delicate, fragile hand and Jared took it, saying Hello and quickly took his hands away.
He doesn’t feel comfortable with the way she was staring at him. He is trying his best to avoid her as much as he tries avoiding her brother.
The party began as they started off with drinking. Justin Swaras already knew about Rodrigo and Camilla. He also knew she was pregnant with his baby.
And he also knew that Jared dislikes Rodrigo now because of how he treated his sister. But the party was all about Jared. He owns the company and the product about to be launched.
Camilla had said that she doesn’t want it to be so glaring. Otherwise, Jared would be suspected of knowing something that others don’t know.
Hence it appears as if Justin Swaras was the one launching the project. They deliberated and all the Presidents present promised to cooperate and collaborate with the new company.
They signed that their companies accept and acknowledge the presence of the new company. Everyone wants to associate with Justin Swaras.
He is the Son of the prime minister and hardly shows himself in places except where necessary. And being his type of person, he doesn’t like staying late at parties or dinners.
He also introduced Jared Dickson as his friend and assistant. But from the looks of things, he would cease from being his assistant and therefore he is the President of the new company.
Everyone was surprised but congratulated him. Rodrigo knows there’s something that he needs to know. How did Jared meet and encounter so many favours from Justin?
In his concluding speech, Justin Swaras said he had only known Jared for a few months, but it seemed to him that he had known him all his life.
And therefore he urges everyone to be an instrumental support to him and the new company…..
But while Justin Swaras was saying all about the company and Jared, Mirabel who sat poised like a classic lady that she truly is, never stopped stealing glances at Jared.
The latter knew she was exceptionally glancing at him, that left him in awe of why she was glancing at him. But there’s one thing he could deduce from it, those glances were filled with admiration.
They all drank, making a toast to the newly appointed president of a company. Jared drank to all of them and soon began to feel tipsy.
When the party was over, Jared knew he was deadly drunk. The last bit of sanity left in him was what he used to maintain his stability, making his staggering not so observable as he made his way to the parking lot.
As he arrived at his car, he heard his name ” Jared” he paused and looked back to find Mirabel walking towards him.