ripping filled the air as Dominic tore at my top, exposing my bra. Cold air hit my skin, making me shiver uncontrollably.
Lorenzo’s voice boomed through the warehouse. “I’ll rip your throat out!”
The click of Camilla’s heels approached Lorenzo. Her hand cracked across his face, the sound echoing off the walls. “Shut up!”
“You don’t get to speak after what you did to me.”
My mind struggled to process her words through the fog of pain and fear. What was she talking about? Even Dominic paused his assault for a moment, confusion flickering across his face.
“What are you” Dominic started.
“Not now!” Camilla snapped, her perfectly manicured finger jabbing toward Lorenzo. “I’ve waited years to make you pay. You destroyed everything.”
Dominic’s attention returned to me, his fingers digging into my shoulders hard enough to bruise. Pain radiated through my body as he struck me again, but my thoughts kept circling back to Camilla’s outburst. There was real hatred in her voice when she’d spoken to Lorenzo – not the manufactured kind she usually wielded like a weapon. This was deep, personal.
Another blow landed. I tasted blood. Through my blurred vision, I saw Camille standing over Lorenzo, her whole body trembling with rage. Whatever had happened between them, it went far beyond the current situation.
“You never even recognized me, did you?” Camilla’s voice cracked. “Never even remembered what you took from me?”
Dominic’s hands wrapped around my throat and I couldn’t focus due to the pressure cutting off my air.
Dominic’s grip loosened slightly as he leaned in close, his breath hot against my face. “All I wanted was a baby. If you’d been able to give me one, none of this would be happening.”
Rage exploded through me. Even with his hands around my throat, I gathered what little moisture I had left in my mouth and spat directly in his face. “Baby? You killed your own baby today! And you dare say this to me?”
His grip released entirely as he stumbled back, confusion replacing the anger in his eyes. “Baby? What baby?”
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Camilla whirled around from where she’d been focused on Lorenzo, her heels clicking sharply against the concrete floor as she approached. Without a word, she struck me across the face, the sting of her palm burning my cheek.
“What baby are you talking about?” Dominic’s voice rose with each word. His eyes darted between Camilla and me, realization slowly dawning on his face as pieces started falling into place.
“The baby…” His voice cracked. “Val, were you…”
“Shut up!” Camilla screamed, her perfectly composed facade cracking. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s dead anyway.”
I watched the color drain from Dominic’s face. His hands began to shake as he stared at Camilla, then back at me. The shock in his expression was genuine – he truly hadn’t known I was pregnant.
“You were pregnant?” His voice came out barely above a whisper. “And you…” He turned to Camilla, horror etched across his features.
“The pill…” Dominic’s face twisted as he turned to Camilla. “You said it would knock her out. That’s what you told me to put in her champagne.”
My laugh came out bitter, hollow. “You idiot.” The words burned in my throat. “I was pregnant. A few weeks along.” Tears streamed down my face as the full weight of what they’d done crashed over me. “That champagne you spiked? It killed our baby.”
Dominic’s knees buckled. He caught himself against the wall, his breathing ragged. “No. No, that’s not…” His eyes locked onto Camilla. “You knew?”
Camilla’s perfect mask cracked further, a cruel smile spreading across her face. “Of course I knew. The nurse at the hospital told me.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “What did you think that pill really was?”
“You-” Dominic lunged at her, his hands outstretched like claws. “You murdered my child!”
Camilla danced backward, laughing. “Your child? Please. You think I’d let her have your baby?” Her voice dripped with venom. “I’ve worked too hard to let some little brat ruin everything.”
The sound that tore from Dominic’s throat wasn’t human. He charged at Camilla again, but this time she wasn’t quick enough. His fingers tangled in her hair as they both crashed to the ground.
Through my blurred vision, I watched them grappling on the floor.
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his usual controlled demeanor shattered.
“Bitch!” His fingers tightened in her hair. “You came to me first, telling me you loved me, that you wanted to bear my child!”
Camilla writhed beneath him, still laughing that hollow laugh.
“You manipulated me against my wife!” Spittle flew from his mouth. “Madel me do all of this! This is your fault!”
Her laughter grew louder, more hysterical. “Oh, you stupid man.” She grabbed his wrist, her red nails digging into his skin. “Even that was fake. The pregnancy test I showed you? Forged. I never carried your baby.”
Dominic’s grip went slack. He released her hair and stumbled backward, his face ashen. “What?”
“You heard me.” Camilla sat up, smoothing her designer dress. “I never was pregnant. Just needed you wrapped around my finger.” She flashed that perfect white smile. “And it worked beautifully.”
The sound that came from Dominic’s throat was raw, primal. He slumped against the wall, sliding down until he hit the floor. His shoulders shook as he buried his face in his hands.
“No, no, no…” The words came out muffled, broken.
I’d never seen him like this – stripped of all pretense, all control. The man. who’d terrorized me for so long looked small, destroyed. Part of me felt a twisted satisfaction seeing him break, while another part recoiled at the depth of Camilla’s manipulation.
She stood over him, brushing dust from her dress. “Oh, come now, Dominic. Did you really think I’d want to have your baby? Please.” She nudged him with her toe.
“You were just a means to an end.”
Chanter 27
