Page 25 of Staging Love
"First and foremost," Uncle Robert said, "I want to remember my dear brother, Weston." He paused, taking a deep breath as his eyes glistened. "This is our first Christmas without him, and his absence is... deeply felt."
Camilla felt a lump form in her throat, her vision blurring as tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to maintain her composure.
"Weston was more than just my brother," Uncle Robert continued, his voice wavering slightly. "He was my best friend, and one of the finest men I've ever known. His passion for life, his dedication to this family, and hisunwavering love for his wife and daughter were truly inspiring." He turned to Camilla, a sad smile on his face. "Camilla, my dear, I can only imagine how much you must miss him tonight. Your father loved you more than anything in this world, and I know how proud he was of you."
A tear trickled down Camilla's cheek, and she felt Jade’s arm slip around her.
"To Weston," Uncle Robert said, raising his glass. "May his memory be a blessing to us all."
The family echoed the toast, a chorus of "To Weston" filling the room as glasses clinked together. Camilla took a sip of her wine, the rich flavor barely registering as she fought to control her emotions.
After a moment of respectful silence, Uncle Robert cleared his throat. "Now," he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "I don't want this evening to be solely about our loss. Weston wouldn't have wanted that. In fact, I'd like to propose a second toast - this time, to love."
All eyes were fixed on Camilla and Jade now, and Camilla shifted in her seat, a little uncomfortable.
"You see," he said, "all your father ever wanted was for you to find someone to love as much as he loved your mother. And if he could see you now, Camilla... well, I think he'd be over the moon."
Camilla felt a rush of conflicting emotions - joy at the genuine happiness she'd found with Jade, however new and fragile, guilt over the deception that had brought them together, and a gnawing anxiety about what her uncle might say next.
"The love between you two is palpable." Uncle Robert gestured to them with his wine glass. "It's a joy to see, truly. And I think I speak for all of us when I say how happy we are for you both."
Murmurs of agreement rippled around the table, but Camilla noticed Theresa remained silent.
"In fact," Uncle Robert continued, his expression growing more serious, "I genuinely believe that's why in his will-"
Panic surged through Camilla. Her heart began to race as she realized where her uncle's speech was heading. She couldn't let him reveal the details of the will - not here, not now. Jade didn't know about the marriage clause behind their fake arrangement. Camilla had been planning to tell her, of course, but back in LA, when they were alone and she could explain everything properly. But not now. Not here.
Without thinking, she reached out and struck the neck of the wine bottle. Time seemed to slow as she watched the expensive bottle of Barolo topple, red wine gushing across the pristine white tablecloth like a crimson tide.
There was a moment of stunned silence, and then chaos erupted. Chairs scraped against the floor as family members leapt to their feet, trying to avoid the spreading stain. Aunt Vivian let out a dismayed cry as wine splashed onto her golden dress, while Jack and Emma giggled at the unexpected excitement.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Camilla exclaimed, grabbing her napkin and ineffectually dabbing at the rapidly expanding puddle. "I'm such a klutz, I don't know what happened!"
Jade was on her feet in an instant, helping Camilla mop up the mess while simultaneously trying to salvage the elaborate centerpiece. Uncle Robert, his toast forgotten, was calling for the staff to bring more napkins and a fresh tablecloth.
As the family and staff bustled around, tryingto contain the damage, Camilla caught sight of Theresa. Unlike the others, her cousin hadn't moved to help. Instead, she remained seated, her narrowed eyes fixed on Camilla with an intensity that made her blood run cold.
In that moment, as their gazes locked across the table, Camilla knew that Theresa had seen through her clumsy act. Her cousin's lips curled into a knowing smirk, and Camilla could almost see the wheels turning in Theresa's mind, calculating how to use this information to her advantage.
Camilla turned away, her hands shaking as she continued to dab at the spilled wine. She felt Jade's arm wrap around her waist, steadying her.
"Hey," she murmured. "It's okay. Accidents happen."
Camilla nodded, not trusting herself to speak. How long could she keep up this charade? How long before Theresa found a way to expose her?
"Don't worry about it, dear," her aunt Lara said kindly, patting her arm. "We’ll have this cleaned up in minutes."
“But your dress…”
“It’s just a dress and look, they’re already bringing over a clean tablecloth. See? Nothing to worry about.”
Camilla wasn’t worried about her aunt’s dress or the tablecloth, but she couldn’t tell her that. Then her eyes drifted to Theresa again, who was still watching her like a hawk. She knew that her cousin wouldn't let this go, and she had to make absolutely sure not to leave Jade alone with Theresa. Perhaps it would be best if she told Jade the truth sooner rather than later.
Chapter Nineteen
Christmas music played in the great room, as the family drank the mulled wine Aunt Lara had insisted on serving.
Camilla sat next to Jade in their usual spot nestled closely against her. Under normal circumstances, this cozy scene would have filled her with contentment. But tonight, anxiety gnawed at her insides, and her eyes kept darting to the ornate grandfather clock in the corner, willing the hands to move faster.
