The men were quiet. They had anticipated this. No one is going to easily let go of a son she'd known since he was three months old and has gotten bonded with. And hearing her blunt decision, thrown to their faces, they were lost for words.
They exchanged glances and the detective said “Mrs Torello, there's been a great misunderstanding and his parents had always thought he'd died…” he was saying when Alice interrupted him.
“Yes, they should hold onto that belief. He is dead to them. They shouldn't look for someone who is dead. After so many years, they're now ready to check his pulse to see if he was still breathing?
He'd died twenty eight years ago when they dropped him off at the orphanage and went away. If you have come to see me for any other reason, then speak but if it's because of my son, this discussion is over” Alice declared.
Meanwhile, Andre drove Camella, and at intervals, she would glance at him. How perfect would it be that they're together as lovers. He should be her boyfriend or even fiance and she's his woman, that would be great.
“I don't know why your father wants you to be married to Jack without knowing who Jack really is, behind closed doors. All I am going to advise you is to resist marriage.
If you marry that dude, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Even your dad, who's urging you and pressuring you to be married to him, would wish he hadn't pushed you into that pit, called marriage.
You should have a say, it's about your happiness. You're the one who is going to be in that marriage not your dad. If anything goes wrong and your happiness is jeopardised, you bear the larger amount of the brunt, not your dad.
Love walks you to the altar to be joined to your heartthrob not walking into a loveless marriage with your eyes open and expecting to find happiness. Those marriages in movies and romcoms don't always work in real life…” Andre mumbled.
He doesn't know why he was feeling so angry at Camella's foolishness. But more than her, he is more furious with her dad. No parents get their daughter married to a scumbag like Jack. That dude only cares about her body and her company.
And the confidence in Sona's words is so filled with certainty that her union with him would not last. He would soon throw her out and then bring in Sona and their daughter.
What would happen to Camella then?
He wishes he could just sit back and fold his arms, this is entirely not his business and for some time now, he'd learn to look away from things that don't concern him.
But now, how can he do that, look away and see Camella ruined, how?
“Thank you Andre. I wish I had met you earlier, this whole shit wouldn't be happening now” Camella stuttered. She could deduce from his words that he was not feeling pleased with this marriage saga.
How she wished, she was getting married to him instead.
Andre remembered, Rita said those same exact words and he smiled. Just that day alone, he'd heard the same lines of words from two different women. Had he suddenly become a good companion to ladies?
That soft nature of his, that he had before Jasmine left him,was not something he wanted to get back. He wants to remain that cold aloof guy that doesn't care about anyone except himself and his mother.
“We met when we needed it and it wasn't a nice one at our first meeting” Andre replied, a brief memory of their first meeting flashed through his mind. Camella was a terrible woman, when first he met her.
Only now, did she make up with him and offer him an opportunity that made him forget the grudge of the past. Now, they have a cordial relationship and he hopes this continues for a long time to come.
Camella's eyes welled up with tears, she placed her hand on Andre bicep and gave it a soft caress “I'm sorry for everything, Andre, I'm really sorry” she apologised. It seems so easy to say those words she thought she couldn't do because of her arrogance.
Gently, Andre removed her hand and said “it's alright, it's in the past now. Make people feel loved and appreciated when they are around you. Who knows the next door you'll have to pass to get to your destination? So shut every door carefully, you might need to use them again” Andre advised.
For a long time, Andre's words stuck to Camella's mind. His words were true. She'd shut the door against him and she knew how difficult it was for her to open the door when she needed it again.
“I have a request Andre, and I want you to say yes” Camella stated, adjusting herself to face him sideways. Andre turned briefly and glanced at her but said nothing. He's feeling uncomfortable around her because of what Fred said earlier.
“You and I are friends now, right?” Camella asked and before Andre could say anything, she ticked him “say yes, Andre, just say yes” she said and pulled his pinky finger.
“What now, Camella, are you silly? Can you see that I'm driving?” Andre scolded but Camella ignored him and forced her pinky finger to get hooked up with his long slim pinky finger.
“Yeah…we are friends now” she said and was excited. She placed her head on his biceps and was smiling. She wants to remain that way forever, her head on his arms and then, she would go to sleep without any worries.
Andre just glanced at her and smiled. She's acting naughty and spoiled indeed. As he drove and arrived at the giant gate leading into the Wood's mansion, he said “Jack and his parents would be impressed to see you this way, right?”
Camella jerked up and sat properly like a good girl. She stopped laughing just as the security approached the car, Andre wind the tinted glass down and they saw Miss Wood. Quickly the gate was opened and he drove in.
“Are you so afraid of Jack and his parents?” Andre asked, staring at her blankly.
“Hell no, I'm not, not in the slightest” Camella rebuffed, glaring at him with confidence. Against her words, Andre insisted on bringing her home and now, they're in her dad's mansion. Even her dad is upset with him.
Andre glared at her and said “I'll say hello to your dad first before I leave…” he was saying when one of the Bodyguards of the mansion forced his door open and ordered:
“Get off”