Chapter 9

It had been over a year since I last saw Camille Grandelle, and she had changed completely.

The innocence she once had was gone, replaced by a sharpness in her eyes. Yet, a heavy, oppressive aura surrounded her, making it hard to breathe.

The two young boys nearby covered their mouths, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Oh my God, it's the CEO of Grandelle Corporation! She's even more stunning than in the photos!"

Camille shot them a cold glance.

"Get lost."

The icy tone in her voice made the boys' eyes well up with tears, and they scurried away timidly.

I frowned at her.

"Ms. Grandelle, you scared my guests."

Camille's gaze was fixed on the hands Chloe Roscente and I were holding together. Her voice came out through clenched teeth.

"Chloe, I'm counting to three. Let go."

Instead of releasing my hand, Chloe tightened her grip.

"It's my boyfriend's hand. I'll hold it whenever I want."

She smirked, her expression full of challenge.

"What, Ms. Grandelle? Are you going to send me to a psychiatric hospital again? Or maybe a nursing home? You're getting crueler by the day."

My eyes widened in shock.

I had no idea Camille was behind those incidents.

Didn't she love Liam Valentine? Why would she do such things to him?

The word "boyfriend" seemed to trigger Camille.

She lunged forward like a madwoman, her fist connecting with Chloe's face.

Chloe immediately shielded me, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of her mouth.

Camille raised her fist again, but I stepped in front of Chloe.

"Camille, have you lost your mind?!"

Her fist froze mid-air, and she stared at me in disbelief.

"Ethan, you're protecting her?"

"Shouldn't I protect my girlfriend? Or should I protect you instead?"

Camille's face turned pale, and she grabbed my wrist frantically.

"No, I'm your girlfriend! I'm the one you love!"

"Ethan, I know you're angry. I admit I was wrong at first. I couldn't forget Liam, couldn't break my promise to him, so I lied to you. But we were together for three years, and I truly fell in love with you."

"But my mother threatened me with the heir position, forcing me to marry Liam and bear the Grandelle heir. Only then would she allow us to be together. I had no choice but to agree, forcing myself to sleep with Liam, hoping to get pregnant quickly. If I lost my position as heir, I'd have nothing left, and I wouldn't be able to give you a happy life."

"But now it's all over. I've secured Grandelle Corporation, had the child, sent Liam to a psychiatric hospital, and filed for divorce. My mother can't threaten me anymore. We can be together forever. I did all of this for you, Ethan!"

Listening to her, I felt nothing but absurdity and bitterness.

I pulled my hand away and spoke softly.

"But Camille, when we were together, you had nothing. And you know what? I felt like the happiest man in the world."

"I never needed you to give me anything. All I wanted was to be with the person I loved, to have honesty and loyalty. Even if we lived in a rented apartment for the rest of our lives, I would have been content. But you trampled on my sincerity."

"You keep saying you did all of this for me, but it was really for yourself. You could play the 'princess pretending to be a beggar' game on a whim, but you would never truly accept being an ordinary person. I was just an excuse for you."

Camille staggered, her face growing even paler.

"But I really do love you, Ethan. Can't you forgive me just this once?"

I smiled wearily.

"Camille, you might not know this, but I've forgiven you many times before."

"That day in the escape room, if you had just denied being Liam's girlfriend, I would have forgiven you. That night at the hotel, I was outside your door, calling you. If you had come back to me right then, I would have started over with you. But you didn't."

"Do you know how much I hated myself for being so pathetic? Now, I'll never sacrifice my self-respect for anyone again. Go back, Camille. Take care of Liam and raise your child. You've already trampled on one man's heart. Don't destroy another."

In the end, Camille left.

Before she went, she left a property transfer contract on the table. I knew she wanted to make amends.

Chloe snatched the contract, tore it to pieces, and threw it in the trash.

"What kind of dirty thing is this? I don't need someone else to support my husband."

I looked at her helplessly but didn't stop her.

The sincerity I once gave could never be bought back with money.

Later, Chloe and I got married, had children, and then grandchildren, living happily together until our golden years.

Camille never took Liam back.

She raised the boy alone and even bought the neighborhood where we used to rent.