Page 28 of Staging Love
She faltered, the words sticking in her throat. Jade took a step closer, her expression a mix of curiosity and wariness.
"Maybe what, Camilla? That I’d marry you within six months?"
“No.” Camilla let out a long breath as her shoulders slumped. “I hoped this was something real and I didn’t want to ruin it.” She sat down on the bed, her tears flowing freely now. “Uncle Robert was right. I get why my father put the clause in the will. He wanted me to be open to love, to the possibility of marriage. It was a foolish plan, but it was the only way to make me get out there and date, I guess. I’ve never been interested in dating, in men. I know why now.”
For a moment, something flickered in Jade's eyes - a softening, perhaps. “I don’t even know what to believe anymore,” she said, sounding defeated. “But I know one thing. I don’t like seeing you cry.”
Jade hesitated for a moment, her internal struggle visible in the set of her jaw and the tension in her shoulders. But as she watched Camilla's tears fall, something in her expression changed, and with a quiet sigh, she crossed the room and sank down onto the bed next to her.
Tentatively, as if afraid the touch might burn her, Jade wrapped an arm around Camilla's shoulders. The gesture, so familiar and yet now fraught with uncertainty, caused Camilla to let out a choked sob.
"Shh," Jade murmured, her voice gentle despite the hurt and anger still simmering beneath the surface. "It's okay. Just... breathe."
Camilla leaned into her embrace, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. "I'm sorry," she managed to choke out between sobs. "I'm so sorry for everything. I just don’t want to lose you and I … I don't even care about the marriage clause anymore. Not really."
Jade stiffened slightly, but she didn't pull away. "Whatdo you mean?"
"I mean, yes, I care about my father's company. It was his life's work, and I want to honor that. But what I've discovered here, with you... it's far greater than the company."
She turned, looking up at Jade through tear-soaked lashes. "It's the possibility of truly being happy with someone. Of potentially sharing my life with someone I care for deeply, someone I could grow to love the way my father loved my mother."
Jade's expression was unreadable, a mix of emotions flickering across her face too quickly for Camilla to decipher. "Camilla," she began.
"No, please, let me finish." Camilla’s words came faster now as if she were afraid she might lose her nerve. "I know I've messed everything up. I know I hurt you, and I'll never forgive myself for that. But these past few days with you... they've shown me what's possible. What life could be like if I allowed myself to open up, to be vulnerable, to... to love."
She reached out, hesitantly taking Jade's hand in hers. To her relief, Jade didn't pull away. "I'm not asking you to forgive me right away. I'm not even asking you to stay. I just... I need you to know that what we shared was real for me. It still is."
Jade was quiet for a long moment, her gaze fixed on their intertwined hands. "I want to believe you, Camilla. But I don’t know how to feel right now."
"I understand," Camilla said through sniffs. "And I don't know how to make this right, but I want to try. If you'll let me."
Chapter Twenty-One
Camilla’s mind gradually emerged from the haze of sleep. As awareness seeped in, she became acutely cognizant of the warm body pressed against her, and the protective arm draped over her waist. For a moment, she lay perfectly still, afraid that the slightest movement might shatter this fragile peace.
The events of the previous night came rushing back - Theresa's cruel revelation, the hurt and betrayal in Jade's eyes, their tearful conversation that had stretched into the early hours of the morning. They had talked until exhaustion overtook them both, falling into an uneasy sleep tangled in each other's arms.
Now, in the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, Camilla felt a surge of emotion so powerful it slayed her. Despite everything - the lies, the misunderstandings, the pain she had caused - here was Jade, still holding her close. The realization of how much this moment meant, of how desperately she wanted to wake up like this every morning, hit her with the force of a tidal wave.
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling silently down hercheeks. She tried to stifle a sob, not wanting to wake Jade, but her body betrayed her with a slight tremor.
Behind her, Jade stirred. "Camilla?" Her voice was thick with sleep, concern evident even in that single word. "What's wrong?"
Camilla didn't trust herself to speak. She shook her head, pressing her face into the pillow in a futile attempt to hide her tears.
Jade's arm tightened around her waist, gently urging her to turn over. Camilla complied, rolling to face her, her tear-stained cheeks now fully visible in the morning light. With infinite tenderness, she reached out, her thumb brushing away the tears that continued to fall. "Don't cry. We'll figure this out, okay?"
Camilla nodded, her lower lip trembling as she struggled to regain her composure. Jade's gentle touch, her soothing words - they were almost too much to bear. How could she still be so kind after everything?
"Come here," Jade said softly, pulling her closer. Camilla went willingly, burying her face in the crook of Jade's neck, inhaling the familiar scent that had become a source of comfort over the past few days.
They lay like that for several minutes, Jade's hand running up and down her back, until her tears finally subsided. When Camilla's breathing had evened out, Jade pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her gaze.
"Do you want to talk?"
Camilla nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. They both sat up, leaning against the headboard, their shoulders touching. The physical contact, however slight, provided a lifeline that Camilla clung to so desperately.
"How are you feeling?" Jade asked.
