118 - Camilla Scott

118 - Camilla Scott
Camilla Scott

Two days after my husband traveled, I was discharged and eagerly awaiting the chance to return home. I was anxious to check on Miley, especially since Ralf had gone ahead, and Benjamin stayed with me in New York.

"It's time for us to go back!" he said, running his fingers gently over our babies.

"I want to go too, even though I'm nervous about the long journey..."

My husband understood how I felt, and given my need for absolute rest, flying in our private jet wasn't an option since it didn't have a bed.

We were waiting for Henrique to return from Russia with the findings uncovered by my Bishop and Raul. Henrique had personally gone to warn the Stepanov family about the danger approaching them.

A shadow still looms over my thoughts, the existence of Oleg!

There's something within me that's certain he will do whatever it takes to get close to me and achieve what he wants, especially after Denaro promised me to him.

I gently stroked my husband's face and confirmed, looking into his eyes, that I was ready to leave.

It didn’t take long before I was sitting on the living room sofa with Laís, who was smiling and playing the perfect hostess. Meanwhile, I watched Carol closely as she adjusted her hijab.

"I need to know what you're taking..." I began, interrupting Laís.

"What do you mean, dear?" she asked, furrowing her brows.

"Your skin looks like it's twenty years younger..." I stated the obvious, it was something everyone must have noticed. "How did you manage that?"

I noticed her expression shift, her posture becoming slightly defensive, and the way she glanced briefly at her daughter. It was clear some unspoken exchange was happening between them. At that moment, we were alone; Benjamin had gone out with Victor to organize our departure, and I was sitting there to bid them farewell.

"Just a supernatural miracle..." she said, narrowing her eyes slightly in my direction.

I might be mistaken, but I felt they were trying to hide something from me, possibly related to what Ruby had done for her.

"I’ll pretend to understand, but I’m sure that once I’m home, I’ll figure out what really happened to you!" I said with a faint smile.

Carolina is an exceptional woman, and if she truly achieved the same grace as Sebastian, I’m certain everyone around her is thrilled to know she’ll be with them for much longer.

I saw her smile, and Laís hugged me warmly, the same comforting embrace I always felt when Letícia was near. Thinking about Letícia only deepened my longing for her. Despite exchanging countless messages daily, I missed having her by my side.

I felt sad, knowing I wouldn’t be present for her wedding in three weeks. With my children eager to explore the world, I couldn’t risk putting any of them in danger, and I knew she understood that.

"I’m sure you know how important it is to keep all of this a secret, right?" Laís said while still hugging me.

"No one will ever learn any of this from anyone in my household; you have my word!"

For all of them, I would do anything to keep them safe, just as they took care of everything while I was focused on finding my husband. The Carter and Alcântara families will always have my respect, admiration, and loyalty.

I say goodbye to all the women who appeared just as my husband returned to pick me up and take us to the airport. I felt an immense sense of peace; being able to return home and knowing that Miley was finally out of her agony reassured me. The anxiety about seeing how she was doing kept me restless in the airplane seat.

“Calm down, we'll be home soon!” Benjamin said as he squeezed my fingers.

I desperately wanted to feel calm, but my mind was in turmoil. There was so much to think about my little impatient babies, Oleg meddling in the family business, Miley’s health, and even the realization that we do not inhabit this planet alone.

So many thoughts crowded my mind that I only realized we were finally home when Benjamin opened the car door and helped me out in front of our house.

Once again, I was greeted by Amélia, Sophia, and, for the first time since Ralf came into our lives, Miley was there beside Sebastian, holding his hand gently.

“Hi…” I said, feeling my eyes well up with tears.

I felt Benjamin’s hand on my waist, supporting me as he guided me to the entrance of our home. Everyone gathered around, and I raised my hand to touch Miley’s face. She looked radiant, completely different from how she had appeared days ago.

“Are you okay?” I asked, noticing my Bishop greeting his cousins and uncle.

“Yes, thank you so much for going after him to try to save me,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears.

“You need to go inside. You shouldn’t be standing for too long,” Amélia said, placing a hand on my back.

I glanced at her large belly and felt little Ravi moving inside her.

“And how are you doing?” I asked, knowing she had been pregnant the longest.

“Honestly? I'm terribly tired and desperate for him to be born!” she said as we entered the house.

“If you’re exhausted waiting for just one, imagine me with these four here…” I said, patting my belly gently.

We walked into the house as Sophia made it clear she was still in an endless debate about the name of her baby. It seemed we would only know his name at birth.

“I think we need to see his little face to decide if he looks like a Steve or a Bryan,” I said, laughing.

I looked back and saw Benjamin approaching to help me get to our bedroom. I didn’t want to go upstairs and spend the next few weeks in that room, but for my babies, I would do everything in my power to keep them safe inside me.

“I’ll carry you,” he said, and I saw Amélia, Sophia, and Miley stepping aside. “I’ll take you there and then head back to talk to my uncle and catch up on the latest at Scott.”

I nodded, letting him pick me up. I surrendered to the touch of his arms and the woody fragrance I had imagined would make me nauseous during the first months of pregnancy.

“You’re not going out, are you?” I asked, worried.

I remembered how, last time, he had left me for a week, and I had agonized alone at home.

“I promised you I’d always come back home. Today, I don’t plan to leave, but if the plans change, I’ll come upstairs to kiss you first,” he whispered.

It was impossible not to smile at my husband. I was so in love with him, and the smile he gave me made it clear he knew exactly how much he affected me. It didn’t take much for him to make my knees weak.

We entered our room, followed by my friends. I could hear their laughter and chatter as they shared news.

“Behave. Don’t leave the bed without a reason. If you need anything, I’m sure the girls can help you,” Benjamin said.

I settled comfortably in bed and received a kiss on the top of my head. Smiling, I called my friends over, eager to hear everything that had happened since we left home so I could help.

I watched the three of them glance at Benjamin as he left the room. Then, they climbed into bed, lying beside me.

“Now, tell us what happened to cause the scare with Julian wanting to be born at five months?” Amélia asked, pulling one of the pillows and lying with her feet resting on the headboard.

I looked at her feet, noticing how terribly swollen they were. Not that I could say much; it seemed that since I was hospitalized, swelling had become my constant companion, even though I knew it could be a bad sign.

“No way. I want to know what really happened after Ralf came to Vancouver…”