Forty Six
Kamille’s POV
As I woke up, grogginess clouded my mind, my thoughts immediately turning to Royer. I gave him an affectionate pat before dragging myself out of bed to clean him up and ensure he had enough food.
Once Royer was sorted, I tended to myself, moving through the morning routine in a haze. The next thing was to check in with Amanda and Belle. I dialed Amanda’s number. “Hey Amy. How are you all holding up? Have the kids eaten?” I asked, my voice etched with concern.
“Hey girl. We’re good and are on our way to the hospital.” She revealed.
“That’s good.” I replied, releasing a breath I didn’t notice I was holding.
“For breakfast, Zeke sent a private chef over.” She added, her tone filled with gratitude for his thoughtful gesture.
“Alright then. I’ll be expecting you guys soon.” I replied, then we hung up.
In that fleeting moment of reflection, I couldn’t help but marvel at Zeke’s meticulous care. Despite his usual fussing yesterday, his unwavering support and consideration for our well-being never ceased to amaze me.
A warm feeling enveloped my heart as I thought about how he went out of his way to ensure our comfort. Just as I was lost in thoughts, the door burst open, and rushed the kids, clad in new and utterly adorable outfits.
“Mummy, mummy, mummy.” My kids chorused as they rushed to her. She enveloped them in a warm embrace.
“How are you doing my loves?” I asks and they respond that they are doing great.
After the initial flurry of excitement and pleasantries, I couldn’t help but notice the kids’ new clothes. “Wow, you all look so adorable! Where did these come from?” I inquired, genuinely curious.
To my surprise, Amanda and Belle exchanged a knowing look before revealing, “Zeke sent them over too.”
Baffled, I furrowed my brows. “But didn’t Dona send their clothes?”
“Yeah, she did, but they left them in one of Zeke’s cars, and it was already returned to his main house.” They explained.
“Oh.” was all I could muster, processing the unexpected turn of events.
Before I could dwell further, Tyris bounded over, clutching a plush rabbit toy. “Look what the man who looks like Reon got me!” She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Amused yet puzzled, I couldn’t help but ask, “How do you know it was him?”
With absolute certainty, Tyris replied, “I just know.” Before dashing off to show her brothers, leaving me and my friends bewildered.
We exchanged bemused glances, shrugging in unison, equally perplexed by the mysterious benefactor. With a shared sense of confusion, they excused themselves to check on Royer.
As I watched my four kids playing together, laughter filling the room, and my friends joining in, a warmth spread through me. It was a beautiful sight, one that eased the worries weighing on my mind.
Yet, my thoughts drifted back to a haunting dream from the night before. In it, my children were taken from me, leaving me helpless and inconsolable. Tears welled in my eyes as I recalled the terror of that moment.
But I remember my grandmother’s comforting presence. In the dream, she had been there, but the details faded as quickly as they came, leaving me grasping at fragments of a fleeting memory.
Before I could go deeper into my thoughts, Amanda and Belle gently interrupted, their voices pulling me back to the present. “We have to head to work soon.” They said.
With a flicker of reassurance, I mustered a smile. “I understand.” I replied softly, the weight of their departure settling in.
As they prepared to depart, Amanda’s voice took on a serious tone, her words laden with urgency. “Kamille, you need to send those pieces of evidence against Gabriel now.” She insisted, her gaze unwavering.
“But why now?” I questioned, feeling it was a bit too early being that we just released Liz’s evidence.
With a solemn nod, Amanda explained, “The blogger has gathered a lot more evidence against Gabriel. He’s been involved in some really dark things-rape, harassment, you name it. And whenever someone tried to speak out, he silenced them or bought them off.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought of the atrocities Gabriel had committed. Why was he so dirty? He should have had some sense of decency in the least. “But why strike now?” I asked, still grappling with the timing.
“Because with the Manor scandal making headlines, people are paying attention. This is our chance to expose him for who he really is.” Amanda replied, her determination unwavering.
With a sense of grim determination, Amanda continued, “Before, they could cover it up easily. But now, with all eyes on the Manor scandal, it’ll be much harder for them to bury the evidence. The pressure will be on, and the police will have no choice but to take action against Gabriel.”
Her words resonated deeply within me, echoing the urgency of the moment. “You’re right.” I conceded, the weight of responsibility settling heavily on my shoulders. “Okay, I will do that.”
I turned towards Belle sitting on a sofa, I couldn’t help but notice her quiet demeanor. “Are you okay, Belle?” I asked, concern lacing my voice. “You don’t have to go out if you’re not up to it.”
Belle offered a weak smile. “Yeah, I’m just feeling a bit tired.” She admitted. “I think I’ll take the day off. My fiance is coming over.”
A flicker of excitement crossed my face. “That’s wonderful! You’ll introduce us soon, right?” I inquired eagerly.
Belle’s response was less enthusiastic than I had hoped. “Yeah.” She replied, her tone lacking its usual warmth.
Amanda chimed in, agreeing to the request, but I couldn’t help but detect a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Before I could address it, Amanda interjected, “I have to go for a meeting.”
As Amanda was about to step out, the sound of the door opening drew our attention. In walked Zeke, accompanied by his friends. I can remember their names but I never really interacted with them. I mean, I never even really interacted with my husband.
Tyris’s eyes lit up at the sight of him, and she darted towards him with uncontainable excitement.
Zeke scooped Tyris up into his arms, eliciting peals of laughter from her as he spun her around. Her joy was palpable, infectious even, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
“She’s so thrilled.” I remarked to Belle, a sense of wonder washing over me. “I’ve never seen her this excited before.”
I felt a bittersweet churn in my belly. While other daughters reveled in such moments with their fathers, for Tyris, this was her first experience with her dad.
Although they didn’t know anything about their relationship.
Torin, noticing his sister’s excited state and also wanting to be a partaker ran along towards Zeke. “I want, I want, I want.”
As Torin eagerly voiced his desires, I couldn’t help but intervene. “Hey, kids, what’s going on?” I rebuked with a calm tone.
But before I could continue, Zeke, with Tyris still in his arm, assured me, “It’s fine, Kamille. I don’t mind.”
I offered a polite smile in response. “Okay.” I replied, avoiding his gaze, although a small part of me remained unsettled by the exchange.
As the moment passed, I noticed Zane casting lingering glances in Belle’s direction. My brows furrowed momentarily at the sight, but I quickly composed myself, returning to a neutral expression.
Inwardly, I couldn’t shake the nagging concern. Belle was undeniably beautiful, and while I trusted her judgment, I couldn’t help but worry about the intentions of those around her. She deserves someone who would cherish and respect her, not someone who would take advantage of her.
And by the way she is engaged to be married.
Zeke then introduced his friends to us. “Amanda, Belle, meet Zane and Fletcher.” Zeke said, gesturing to his companions. “Zane, Fletcher, these are Amanda and Belle.”
Pleasantries were exchanged, and the introductions flowed smoothly. However, as Zeke turned to reintroduce his friends to me, a subtle tension hung in the air. “And this is Kamille, my ex-wife.” He stated, his tone tinged with a hint of feigned formality.
I offered a polite smile, though the weight of the designation lingered in the air.
“Nice to meet you.” I replied, though my voice held a touch of reservation. I had told Zeke I didn’t want my coming here known, so bringing his friends here was a little hard for me to understand exactly what he was thinking.
Amanda had to leave for her meeting. “I have to take my leave now. See you later.” She smiled and hugged Belle and myself.C0ntent © 2024 (N/ô)velDrama.Org.
I returned my attention to Zeke. “Zeke, do you have any idea why all the hospital staff coming to greet Royer?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. “There were so many of them, and they brought lots of gifts and balloons. It was quite surprising.”
His reaction was subtle, but I caught the fleeting glance exchanged between him and his friends before he responded.
“Maybe it’s because you came in with me.” Zeke suggested, his tone casual yet guarded.
Though his explanation seemed plausible, a sense of suspicion lingered in the back of my mind. There was something more to it, I was sure, but for the sake of peace, I chose to let it go, opting instead to focus on Royer’s recovery.
“Perhaps.” I replied with a small nod, though the doubt still gnawed at me.
Zeke flashed me a reassuring smile, but there was a hint of tension in his demeanor that didn’t escape my notice.
I decided to change the subject, not wanting to dwell on my suspicions. “Thank you all for coming.” I said, addressing Zeke’s friends. “It means a lot to have your support.”
They smiled at my gesture.