“I’ll have that as well. We’ll call you later if we need you.”
“All right.” The server left, and the noise faded into the background.
Loredana sat in awkward silence in her seat, waiting for Camilla to start a conversation. Camilla was the one who went looking for her, and Loredana guessed she wasn’t simply looking for a cup of coffee.
Camilla took a sip of the water before speaking. “How did you meet my son, Sampson?”
“He was my younger brother’s doctor several years ago, and we gradually got to know each other over time,” Loredana replied honestly.
“Oh, then how long have you two been together then?” Camilla smiled and looked Loredana up and down before she continued. “You look young. Is my son your first lover?”
Camilla’s question caught Loredana off guard and Loredana nearly choked on her water. Why did Camilla think Loredana was Sampson’s girlfriend?
Loredana suddenly remembered that when Sampson introduced her to everyone at the banquet, he used the word “girlfriend” in the introduction. That must be why Camilla assumed they were dating.
Just as Loredana was about to explain, Camilla spoke up. “I don’t want to see you two falling into love,”
Camilla said in complete seriousness. “I want his wife to have a similar family background. I’ve heard so many catastrophes have happened to your family recently.”
Loredana’ lips pressed into a straight line as she finally understood why Camilla wanted to speak with her.
“With your current family conditions, I’m even more hesitant about you being his girlfriend. I’m sure you understand my reasoning, right?” Camilla asked in a soft tone, reaching into her handbag, placing a card on the table, and pushing it toward Loredana. “There’s some money in the card. Although it’s not enough to get your family completely through the crisis, it can at least lessen the stress.”
Loredana slid the card back to Camilla and smiled. “Mrs. Herbert, I’m thankfully still healthy and quite young. I’m still able to work. How can I accept your money?”
‘Is Camilla trying to use the money to scare me away?’ Loredana bitterly smiled internally. Her father sent her and her mother away when Loredana was eight , and it was only because Cormac was ‘paralyzed’
that they gave her the chance to go back home.
She’d never enjoyed the benefits that the reputation of the Flores family had to offer, but now she had to suffer from the impact of the downfall of the family.
“Mrs. Herbert, I understand your desires and concerns. There are no worries about me falling in love with him because I’ve always thought of him as my brother. Now, if there’s nothing else, I have to go back to work, as there are some important translations I need to finish,” Loredana explained as she stood to leave.
“Wait a minute,” Camilla called out, stopping Loredana from leaving.
Camilla prepared a lot in advance for the meeting, but she found her verbal tricks would only work under the assumption that Loredana would reject the request that she break up with Sampson. However, when Loredana agreed to the request, Camilla appeared to be the callous one.
“I don’t know if Sampson told you the accident that his younger sister suffered. That accident was a great shock to him and me and so he has been abroad taking care of her . Now, he finally returns after gaining the courage to confront the past. And, I must say, I’m quite relieved to see this. And now you’ve told me you’ve regarded him as your elder brother. I think he may also have similar feelings for you.
Maybe it’s because you look so cute that he thinks of you as Maria.”
Loredana realized the same thing when she learned Sampson had a younger sister who had been lost.
She guessed Sampson’s care and concern for her was because she reminded him of his younger sister.
Camilla looked so crestfallen and had trouble talking about her lost daughter. She had three children, and she’d lost her only daughter.
Nevertheless, as the lady of the Herbert family, Camilla couldn’t be immersed in the past or feel her sorrow in front of her husband, as she handled the affairs of the family, trivial or critical.
‘As the saying goes, Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.’
Naturally, Camilla was required to put in efforts in exchange for enjoying the reputation and status of the Herbert family.
“I wish my son will one day be with a woman whom he loves and one that appreciates him. However, he was born in the Herbert family and has enjoyed the honor given by the family without having to want for anything, so he will most likely have to sacrifice something for the family’s reputation.” Camilla reluctantly put the card back in her bag and handed Loredana a business card instead. “Since you’re so kind and I want to help you, so if you need any help in the future, please don’t hesitate to find me.”
Loredana knew it would be impolite to keep refusing Camilla’s help, so she gratefully accepted the business card. “Thank you, Mrs. Herbert. I will be certain to reach out to you if the need arises.”
Loredana then got to her feet. “If there’s nothing else, I have to leave.”
“Wait… one more thing, please. I hope you won’t tell Sampson about our meeting today. He’s a stubborn person. If he knows about this, I’m afraid…”
“Mrs. Herbert, rest assured there’s no reason to worry. I won’t tell him about this.”
Loredana originally had no romantic feelings for Sampson anyway. People like her were told they didn’t deserve to be in love. No matter how pure the intentions were, Loredana was no longer a virtuous woman and therefore wasn’t permissible for her to be in a romantic relationship.
Loredana politely excused herself and walked out of the café. She subtly rubbed her belly as she walked outside. “Don’t worry, Mommy won’t feel lonely or helpless with you by my side.”
Her unborn child was her source of courage as well as her future. So, she took a deep breath before departing.
Loredana walked back to work, people watching along the way, and was surprised to run into Abbott
Baron who was just pulling up in front of the office building.
“Where did you go?” Abbott asked as he closed the car door and walked toward. Loredana. “Didn’t you say you were going to the hospital? Why is it I didn’t find you there then?”
Loredana had informed Cormac of her planned visit to the hospital because she was working for his company and wouldn’t be available during normal business hours that day.
“I came back early but I ended up bumping into an acquaintance and we went to a local café to chat.
What’s wrong?” Loredana asked, bothered by Abbott’s anxious expression. “Did something happen?”
“Please, follow me.” Abbott turned and strode into the building, not waiting to see if she was following.
Loredana hurried to catch up, uncertain of how to feel about the situation. “What happened? Is it related to me?”
Abbott stopped at the doors of the elevator and clicked his phone while stealing glances at Loredana from time to time.
“See for yourself.”
Loredana moved her lips, trying to say something. What did he mean by ‘see for yourself?’
Just as she was about to ask what he meant, the elevator dinged softly and the doors opened. Abbott hustled into the elevator, whereas Loredana, who was growing quite anxious herself, was slow.
Abbott tapped his foot. “Quickly.”
Loredana hurried into the elevator and glanced at Abbot as the doors close. “Does it have something to do with my father?” Loredana asked again, trying to glean information.
She had just seen her mother at the hospital no more than half an hour ago, so it couldn’t have anything to do with Maxina. So, then, by default, it had to be something involving Garrett. After all,
Maxina and Garrett were the only two people left in Loredana’ life that mattered to her.
Abbott scoffed, and the elevator dinged again as they reached their destination. The doors rolled open, and Abbot strode out of the elevator toward Cormac’s office. Loredana struggled to keep up.
When they arrived at the office, Abbot gave a few quick raps on the door.
“Come in,” a low voice called.
Abbott pushed open the door…
Abbott walked into the office with Loredana on his heels. Cormac was talking on the phone and gestured for them to keep quiet as they entered.
Although Loredana anxiously wanted to know what happened, she knew she needed to wait for the time being.
Several minutes later, Cormac hung out the phone and waved at Loredana. “Come here.”
Loredana walked over and stood in front of the desk, wiping her sweaty palms on her clothes.
“Give me your phone?” Cormac said, reaching out to her.
“What?”
Loredana’ eyes widened. Wasn’t he going to tell her what happened? Why did he want her phone?
What the hell was going on?
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.
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