Chapter 55
Willie instinctively touched his lips, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably. He lowered his lashes to avoid her gaze. "No."
Camila didn't think much of it. "It's fall now, and it's easy to get dry. Make sure you drink more water."
The tips of the boy's ears turned a faint red. His fingers curled slightly at his sides as he turned and quickly walked into the kitchen.
His muffled voice came from behind the counter, "What do you want to eat today? I'll make it for you."
Before he finished speaking, a loud banging suddenly erupted from the door, as if someone was trying to break it down.
Accompanying the urgent knocking, Clifford's angry roar pierced through the door.
"Open up, Camila! Open the door!"
Camila's brows furrowed instantly. She walked to the entryway and looked through the peephole, seeing Clifford's furious face.
She opened the door, and Clifford stormed in with a menacing aura.
He shot a fierce glare at Willie standing by the kitchen door, then yanked Camila behind him, gripping her shoulder tightly. "Are you okay?"
"I was drunk last night too and actually agreed to let Fiona bring you home alone," he panted, his eyes still darting to Willie, his voice filled with fear. "I almost forgot you had a..."
"What do you mean by that?" Willie took a step forward, clearly displeased with Clifford's words.
Clifford sneered, raising his chin slightly. "I mean exactly what I said. Don't like it? Tough."
The tension between the two grew, their eyes sparking with hostility.
Caught in the middle, Camila felt a headache coming on.
She suddenly broke free from Clifford's grip and slapped her hand on the shoe cabinet beside her. "Enough! Both of you, shut up!"
She glanced at Clifford with exasperation. "Willie's just a kid. Stop jumping to conclusions."
"What conclusions? He's an adult now, and at his age, boys are already..."
Before he could finish, Camila clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him towards the study. "If you have something to say, say it in here."
The study door slammed shut, cutting off the outside view.
They stood face to face in front of the bookshelf, Clifford's anger still simmering, his gaze sharp. "How long are you planning to let that damn boy stay at your place?"
Camila sat down in a chair, her fingers tapping the computer's power button.
She thought for a moment and said, "He should be starting school soon. He'll leave once the semester begins."
"That's over half a month away!" Clifford's eyes widened. "No way! Either you send him away now, or I move in too!"
Camila almost laughed at his audacity. Just as she was about to retort, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
The moment the screen lit up, her smile vanished. Her fingers swiped across the screen, her voice dropping. "He's dead."
Clifford's anger froze on his face. It took him a couple of seconds to realize who she was talking about.
His fury dissipated instantly, replaced by a serious expression. "How did he die?"
...
They rushed to the police station. As they entered the conference room, they saw several officers huddled around a table, speaking in low tones.
Noticing their arrival, the officers stood up in unison. The lead officer pointed to a file on the table, his voice grave.
"He was found this morning. He was already dead when they brought him to the infirmary. Preliminary tests show he was poisoned, cyanide, very fast-acting. His cellmates said they saw him have dinner last night and didn't notice anything unusual."
Clifford tapped his fingers on the table, the sound heavy. "He was just a scapegoat."
He looked up at the officer. "What about his associates? Have they been questioned? Do they know anything?"
The officer shook his head. "They've been interrogated thoroughly. They claim to know nothing."
With the last lead gone, they were at a dead end.
As they left the station, the sun was blindingly bright, making their eyes ache.
Camila kept her head down, her shadow stretching long.
Clifford quickened his pace to catch up, gently taking her hand. "Do you have any suspects in mind?"
Camila slowly lifted her head, a faint, cold smile on her lips, her eyes devoid of warmth. "Who else could it be? The same few people who can't stand me."
Camila had suspected Stella, but with all the spies she had planted in the company, she knew exactly what their situation was at the time.
Logically, there was no need for anyone to kidnap her.
"I need to go to the Garcia Group." Camila suddenly stopped, her tone resolute.
Before Clifford could react, she flagged down a cab.
Ignoring his calls, she got in and left.
At the top floor of the Garcia Group, the hallway outside the CEO's office was carpeted thickly.
As Camila approached the door, several secretaries in suits blocked her way.
Their makeup was flawless, and their mixed perfumes were cloyingly sweet, just the way William liked it.
"Ms. Wilson, you can't go in right now. The chairman is in a meeting."
"Move." Camila's tone was calm but carried an undeniable authority as she stepped forward.
Just as she took a couple of steps, the office door suddenly opened from the inside. Stella walked out, looking defeated.
Her eyes were dark with fatigue, and her hair was a mess, a far cry from her usual polished appearance.
The moment she saw Camila, her pupils contracted. She pointed a trembling finger at her, shouting, "Camila, how dare you deceive me?"
Camila didn't move, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Stella, I don't understand what you're talking about."
"I never lied to you," she said, tilting her head slightly, her tone as innocent as a child's. "I was just doing my job."
Stella lunged forward, but the secretaries held her back. She struggled and screamed, "You dare say you didn't deceive me? You secretly filmed other movies and hid it from me, deliberately making our release dates clash."
"The contract never said I could only make one movie," Camila interrupted her calmly, brushing her sleeve with her fingers. "I can make as many as I want."
"Besides," she looked at Stella, her smile turning sharp, "it seems my movie is quite successful, isn't it?"