~ SAND CASTLE ~ MARIANO’S ROOM ~
Mariano kept feathering Camila naked back with kisses while wondering what is wrong with him.
He’s been drawn to a lot of women in the past and that’s all due to s*x but with Camila, it’s different.
Could it be what he’s thinking…could this feeling be that of….No!
He thought fiercely, sitting upright on the bed.
It can’t possibly be what he thinks… Nothing makes Camila different from her specie, she’s just like everyone of them and the sooner it gets stuck in his head, the better for him.
Camila woke up from her deep slumber, expecting to find Mariano beside her but she was surprised to find the spot empty.
She sat up, using the sheets to cover herself just as Mariano came out of the bathroom, having just a towel around his waist.
As soon as she saw him, memory of what took place last night came back to her, making her cheeks go red.
“If you are done reminiscing, do me a favour and leave ” he said harshly.
“You want me to leave?” Camila asked thinking that she heard him wrong.
“You aren’t deaf” he turned to her, looking very angry.
Slowly, she got down from the bed using the sheets as cover, she picked up her clothes and went into the bathroom.
Back in her previous wear, Susie stood starring at the mirror while wondering what got Mariano angry.
He had been rough at first but then he became gentle and she wouldn’t deny that she enjoyed every bit of what happen last night.
What on earth happen? What happen to that gentle man she saw last night?
Camila left the bathroom wanting to talk to him but he already left.
*****
“Guess what? We failed again” Lenora said as she join Bianca at the balcony.
“I know” Bianca said, doing her best to look unbothered.
She had been expecting Mariano to throw Camila out after finding the poisonous dagger but then their Mõ@ns were what greeted her when she stood at their doorway last night.
“Why do our plan keep on failing?” Lenora ask not being able to control her emotion.
“That’s because we aren’t doing the right thing” Bianca said starring downstairs.
Her interest on Lucas and his chaperone (maid) who were headed to the kitchen.
“Don’t tell me you….”
“A mother tends to get weak when it comes to her child and am sure that Camila isn’t different” Bianca said, cutting Lenora off.
“Tell me about your plan” Lenora said, a cruel smile on her lips.
*****
Later that day, Camila was having a walk In the garden when a maid attending to Lucas came to her.
“Boss lady! You need to come with me, it’s Lucas” The maid said. Immediately, Camila followed her to the kitchen.
“Stop screaming at him, can’t you see you are scaring him?” Cora said, holding onto a scared Lucas.
“Am not screaming. Am only reprimanding him” Bianca return, sending a glare at Lucas, who hid behind Cora.
“What’s going on?” Camila ask as Lucas went into her arms.
“Thank God you are here. Your son did something wrong and he won’t admit to it” Bianca began and by now some of the maids along with Cora and Lenora kept shut to watch in silence.
“What did he do?”
“He tried to steal my purse. If I hadn’t seen him then he would have stolen it” Bianca accuse.
“That’s a lie! My son never steals” Camila defended.
“That’s what you think but Lucas here tried to steal my purse and the maids can all attest to it. Didn’t he try to steal my purse?” Bianca asked and three to four maid nodded in reply.
“Am sorry, I wasn’t here earlier” Cora whispered to her just as Lucas stole her attention.
“I didn’t steal it mommy! I didn’t steal it” Lucas said, clutching her skirt tightly.
“I know sweetheart, you won’t ever do something like that. She must have got it wrong” Camila replied, hugging him to her.
“I didn’t get it wrong! Your son is a thief and…”
“Don’t you dare call my son a thief!”
“He is a thief!”
“What the hell is going on here?” A gruff voice ask at the door way and everyone made way as Mariano walk in.
“Am glad you are here Mariano, I need to tell you what….”
“Silence! Not a word from you Bianca” Mariano warn, shutting her up then he knelt in front of Lucas.
“Papa” Lucas called sadly, looking very cute with it.
“Let’s go talk” Mariano said, picking him up and leaving the kitchen.
Sending a glare at Bianca, Camila went after them.
She stood outside his office wondering what he was saying to Lucas and it wasn’t until a while later that the boy came out.
“What happen, sweetie?” Camila asked worriedly.
“Daddy didn’t believe me” Lucas said bursting into tears.
“I told him that I didn’t take it but he wouldn’t listen. I didn’t try to steal it mom, I was only admiring the purse, I didn’t touch anything else” Lucas continued weeping in her arms.
It took a while for her to calm him down and when the maids took him back to his room, she went into Mariano’s office not bothering to knock.
“What the hell did you say to him? Have never seen him that way before! You made him cry for Pete sake!” She yell at him.
“I only reprimanded him. Is it wrong for a father to reprimand his son?” He ask, sounding more cool.
“You have all the right to reprimand him but not on this one. Lucas didn’t try to steal her purse, I trust my son and I brought him up well”
“Didn’t your upbringing teach him not to touch what doesn’t belong to him! This wouldn’t have happen if he never touched her purse”
“He’s a child. He saw something attractive and touched it to admire it, he wouldn’t take what doesn’t belong to him. I wouldn’t teach him to steal, you should have some faith in me” Camila said softly this time.
“Says a woman who stole a sperm box with her friend and kept my son hidden from me for years!”
“That was uncalled for and you know it didn’t happen that way!” Camila said feeling hurt.
“How did it happen then? Cause no matter what you say, you are nothing but a liar and a cheat. You claim am a bad influence to our son whereas you are the one who’s a bad influence to him”
“Am not surprise about what happen today, after all Lucas must have learnt it from you” he added cruelly.
“Am not a thief!” Camila said, holding back the tears that threaten to spill.
“Quit it with the innocent act! You were like this years ago. You looked at me as if I was thrash whereas you are no different at all. You are even worse, you make me sick!” He blurted and left but she went after him.
“I will prove to you that Lucas is innocent and you will regret everything you’ve said to me today, I swear it!” Camila vowed and left him there.
Camila had just gotten outside the building when Selena came to her.
“I heard about what happen from Cora, are you okay?” Selena asked.
“I am but then I need to prove Lucas innocence. There’s a CCTV camera in the kitchen, right?” Camila asked.
“There is but I don’t think you will be able to get anything out of it. That will be the first thing Bianca will destroy since she wouldn’t want to leave a trace of her lies” Selena said making Camila more agitated.
“But I have a plan, that’s if you want my help” Selena offered.
“Tell me about it”
*****
~ BIANCA ROOM ~
“That was fun. I enjoy making that Bîtch angry” Bianca said as she fell back on her bed.
“Am sure Mariano supported me. It’s good to know that he still take my side but I’d rather have him back in my arms and in my bed” She added lustfully.
“Aren’t you worried at all? I heard that Camila and Selena are trying to prove Lucas innocence” Lenora said.
“Relax! Even if they dig the whole kitchen, they won’t be able to prove that kid Innocence, it won’t ever happen” Bianca said.
“If you say so but then, how on earth did you get the maids to lie along with you?”
“It wasn’t that hard. They were present in the room and so, I just kept my purse beside Lucas and since it has comic stuffs all over it, I knew it would draw his attention. Immediately, he picked it up, I began my attack”
“And there was no way the maids could deny since they saw him taking the purse” Bianca added.
“Genius! Sometimes I often forget how excellent you are” Lenora praised.
“Keep it mind for good then!”
*****
“You should have let me accompany you” Alexis said down the line as Mariano drove to Sand Castle Villa.
“I just need sometime alone, don’t worry about me, take care of my wife and son” Mariano ordered and after some more discussion, he ended the call.
He let out a sigh as he remembered the sad look on Camila face.
He stop the car right in front of the Villa and went in calling out to his grandfather but there was no reply.
He was about to call the house keeper when someone hit him hard with something from behind.
Mariano fell on the floor while two men stood, looking down at him.
“Don’t hurt him, Lilo said we must bring him alive, just make him unconcious” one of them said as the other pulled out a handkerchief and use it cover Mariano nose.
*****
~ BACK AT SAND CASTLE ~ EVENING ~
Camila, Selena, Cora and the maids from earlier were waiting in a room when Bianca arrive with Lenora.
“What’s this? Why the sudden call? Don’t tell me you’ve been able to prove your son innocence?” Bianca mock as she stood in front of Camila.
“Am only going to do three things and I expect you to watch and listen carefully” Camila said bringing out a tape which she played.
The tape contained the conversation Bianca had earlier with Lenora in her room.
“How on earth did you get that?” Bianca asked as she tried to snatch the tape.
“If you can play dirty, so can I” Camila replied.
“You destroyed the CCTV footage and so, we put up this tape recorder in your room and just like we expected….you confess to your crime ” Selena said, looking triumphant.
“You had no right to spy on me! Am not going to sit back and let you….arrgh!” Bianca gasp when Camila slapped her hard on the cheek.
“How dare….” Another slap was added to it and when Bianca tried to hit back, Camila held her hand and gave her a head butt which sent Bianca falling on the floor, clutching onto her bleeding nose.
“You can mess with me all you want, am willing to take it but if you mess with my son, you recieve my wrath. Guards!” Camila called and immediately three men arrive.
“Lock her up and under no circvmstance must you give her food and water. A few days of starvation will make you come to your senses!” Camila ordered and immediately, they pulled Bianca up roughly.
“Am not going to let this slide! Mariano will come for me, he won’t let you do as you please” Bianca yelled at her.
“Seems like you still don’t get it yet! Am married to Mariano and that makes me second in command. I can do wh@tëver I want and that’s because I am the boss lady! Get it! ” Camila said angering Bianca more.
Bianca was screaming curses at her as she was pulled out of the room.
At that moment, a worried Stephan showed up.
“Something bad has happen” he said, earning everyone’s attention.
*****
~ SOMEWHERE IN FLORENCE CITY ~ ABANDONED BUILDING ~
A cold bucket of water on the face woke a sleeping Mariano.
“Wake up, sleepy head” Lilo said, hitting him lightly on the head.
“Who the hell are you and what do you want?” Mariano asked.
“You mean you can’t guess who we are yet?”
“The devils”
“Bingo! I knew you weren’t that dumb” Lilo said tapping him on the head once again.
“You must be thrilled to finally have me in your grasp. What are you waiting for? Kill me cause if you don’t, I will kill you” Mariano threaten.
“Easy dude. There’s nothing else that I would love than to kill you right now but we will have to save it for later since you are a bait” Lilo said.
“A bait?”
“Actually we’ve brought you here to lure someone else, who do you think it is?” Lilo asked…..
TBC💚
