Andre felt his ability to explain anything to her in his defense vanished away. He became speechless. She confessed her feelings in such a way? It made him feel drained of any strength in him.
Benson Wood stared at Andre. It appears he is not aware of what Camella just said. He didn't have an Idea that she was in love with him at all. But as it is, he is not against anything that Camella wants anymore.
“Will you just give me a chance to explain things to you?” Andre asked helplessly. Her words and interrogations gave him no chance for self defense at all.
“No, I won't. There isn't any explanation you will give, that will justify the fact that you knew that Jack was a scumbag and you couldn't warn me about it. Do you hate me that much?
I am head over heels for you but in exchange, you just hate me and don't care that I am wasting my time on a man who was engaged to someone else and has a daughter?
How can you justify yourself, Andre Torello? Huh, tell me how convincing your words would be to pacify me and make me think otherwise?
I know that I am not a lovable person. But you could tell me this secret, even if you have to do it anonymously, open my eyes to the truth but you didn't. You have hurt me Andre, I don't think I will ever forgive you for this.
You are the second man I love the most in this life and the first one I have romantic feelings towards. I loved dad first, but how he proved his love towards me turned me into a docile woman.
Make me live the life he wants and dictate. I can't live my own life. He wrote the script and made me the actress that acts it out to his desire. He designs my life and he has his way of forcing me into doing exactly what he wants. That's not love, it's a master-servant relationship.
And you, I was wrong to fall in love with you. But I didn't choose it. It wasn't a decision I took, I was obsessed with you, Andre. And you're another species of men like my dad…” she sniffled, swallowing hard.
How can this be happening to her? It's all because mom was dead. Otherwise, maybe she wouldn't feel this miserable.
“I'm sorry Camella. I honestly didn't mean to hurt you. I swear I wouldn't have let you get married to him, I had my plans up my sleeve but I couldn't just barge in and be the reason for the ruin in your relationship with that scoundrel” Andre apologised.
“It's no use crying over spilled milk. I can only trust myself henceforth” she declared and walked past her dad. She was going to walk out of the door when Andre held her “don’t go please” he pleaded.
Camella furiously shoved his hand away and said “Don't ever touch me with those betraying hands of yours” her eyes reddened and glaring at him in fury.
At that instant, Andre knows there isn't anything he would say that would make any sense or meaning to her. It's best, he let her cool off and then talk to her.
He left her, he didn't try to stop her again. Camella walked away and soon, they heard the honk of her as it drove away. Andre felt bad, he knew he didn't betray her at all, but she misunderstood everything.
There's no use waiting any longer. He turned around and was going to leave when Benson Wood said “You're also leaving me, Andre?” His voice choked and he bowed his head as he carefully sat down on the sofa.
Andre was lost.
What was he supposed to do, stay back and share glasses of wine together?
But then, he paused but didn't turn back to glance at the older man. If he had let him talk to him the previous evening, perhaps things wouldn't have gotten this complicated. He would probably have confided in him what kind of man Jack Johnson was.
“I have failed as a father. I feel I was supposed to be the one to die and not my wife. Only now do I realise that all the successes I thought I had made in life and wealth, were actually failures.
Everything I ever did, I thought I was doing the best for my daughter. I builded a world, an empire and I thought I had secured a comfortable future for her. But today, I realised that all I thought I was doing, meant nothing to her.
What mattered to her, was neglected by me. I didn't see through her needs. I was suffocating her and yet, did not realise it. I imposed my decision on her, and I thought I was guiding her right.
The ultimate of them all, was agreeing and insisting that she married Jack Johnson. I thought he was the same boy I knew many years ago. I had forgotten that he's an adult now, his personality might have changed.
I hurt my own daughter. I slapped her because she said it to my face that she's in love with someone else, and that person was you, Andre Torello. I raised my hand on her and she spent the night away from home for the first time.
I don't care about anything anymore, I just want my daughter back. I want her love, I'll do anything to get her smiling at me again. I would give up my life investment and hardwork, just to see Camella happy again, I will give up everything for her…” Benson paused, his voice shaking.
Andre turned carefully to glance at one of the greatest men in N.Y, Benson Wood. He saw the older man's eyes clouded with tears. His face wrinkled and his scanty grey hair appeared to have tripled.
He looked like a man in his eighties. Andre felt a gush of pity flooded his spine. He loved his daughter but he now confesses to giving up everything to win his daughter's love again.
“I think you can talk to her, Andre. Find a way to calm her. Since when Camella was born, you're the first man I saw and heard her say she loves. I was afraid she shouldn't end up being asexual, hence I agreed to arrange a marriage for her.
Try to find my daughter, talk to her and bring her home to me. I will be grateful to you, this old man here, will forever be grateful to you…” Benson Wood pleaded.
Andre sighed helplessly.