Chapter 7: Camila’s Secret
Chapter 7: Camila’s Secret
By morning, Julian had transferred Elena to a secured suite under Marcus’s protection.
He returned to the Grand Alcazar to find Camila waiting in the penthouse.
Her emerald gown had been replaced by a white silk robe. A glass of champagne sat untouched beside her.
“You disappeared all night,” she said.
“My wife was in the hospital.”
Camila stood.
“She abandoned you. I was the one who stayed.”
“You stayed because Adrian paid you.”
Her face went still.
Julian placed a photograph on the table.
It came from footage Marcus had recovered from a neighboring mansion.
Camila stood outside Julian’s gate eight months earlier, wearing the black coat Elena remembered.
A dark sedan waited behind her.
Adrian was visible in the passenger seat.
Camila looked at the photograph.
Then she laughed bitterly.
“You already decided what this means.”
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
She poured champagne with an unsteady hand.
“Adrian hired me to watch you.”
“To seduce me?”
“To keep you distracted.”
Julian’s disgust was immediate.
“When did you begin working for him?”
“Two years ago.”
“Why?”
“My father owed money to one of Adrian’s companies. Adrian promised to erase the debt.”
“And Elena?”
“I drove her from the mansion.”
“Where?”
“To a private airfield.”
“You knew she was being imprisoned.”
“I knew Adrian wanted to frighten her.”
“She was pregnant.”
“I didn’t know that then.”
Julian stepped closer.
“You stood beside me for four months while I searched for the woman you helped abduct.”
Camila’s eyes filled with tears, but Julian felt nothing.
“Do you know what Adrian plans to do after the merger?”
Camila looked toward the windows.
“Camila.”
“He plans to remove you from the board.”
“How?”
“He arranged loans through shell banks. After the merger, he will reveal that Rossi Holdings violated international lending regulations. The board will vote you out to protect the company.”
“And Adrian will take control.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you telling me now?”
“Because he called me last night.”
She looked directly at Julian.
“He knows you lied about having the drive.”
Julian’s blood ran cold.
“How?”
“Malcolm found the real drive in the cart and delivered it to Adrian. Adrian opened it.”
“Then why hasn’t he destroyed it?”
“It’s encrypted.”
Elena had not mentioned encryption.
Camila continued.
“He believes she memorized the password.”
Julian reached for his phone.
Camila grabbed his arm.
“He already has someone inside the clinic.”
Julian called Marcus.
No answer.
He called Elena.
Nothing.
He was halfway to the door when Camila spoke again.
“Julian, Adrian doesn’t plan to kill her.”
He stopped.
“What does he plan to do?”
“He needs her alive until she unlocks the drive.”
“And after that?”
May you like
Camila’s silence answered him.
Julian seized his coat and ran.
