Chapter 113 113. Put Camila In Her Place
The screen showed footage from Damon's birthday dinner. Camila and me on the couch, her tucked against my side, my arm around her shoulders. We looked exactly what we were: a couple in love.
Natasha's caption: Family time with my favorite people. #blessed #Ashfords
I scrolled. The following posts were from media outlets and it was one headline after another, each worse than the last.
Lucien Hayes Caught Cheating With Ex-Girlfriend.
Jessica Bloom's Engagement in Jeopardy?
Billionaire's Secret Romance Exposed.
"Mr. Hayes?" Marcus stood, concern etched across his face. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." The word came out sharp. "Meeting's over."
"But we haven't resolved-"
"I said it's over." I shoved back from the table, already moving toward the door. Behind me, voices rose in confusion, murmuring my name, demanding answers I didn't have time to give.
The elevator ride to my office felt like drowning. My phone started vibrating before the doors even opened. Board members or Investors who'd just seen the headlines and wanted explanations I couldn't provide.
I headed straight for my office and Vanessa was already at the door, holding a laptop.
"We need damage control," Vanessa said without preamble. "Now."
My ever active PR head. Sharp-eyed, silver-streaked black hair. A woman who could spin a scandal into a redemption arc before most people finished their morning coffee.
They-Vanessa and Estella-followed me in.
My phone hadn't stopped vibrating, and I didn't bother checking the callers. It wasn't an attention I could give right now.
"Sir, we should-" Estella started.
"Everyone sit." I dropped into my chair, pulling up the video again. Watching Camila smile at me, watching myself look at her the way a man looks at his entire world.
"This is fixable," came Vanessa, already typing on her laptop. "But we need to move fast. The narrative is getting away from us."
"What narrative?" I asked, though I already knew.
"That you're cheating on your fiancée with your ex-girlfriend." She looked up. "Honestly, sir, I have to ask. Why is Ms. Sterling still inserting herself into your life? You're engaged now. Someone needs to put her in her place. She should have the decency to move on instead of creating drama that damages your reputation and-"
"Are you okay?" My voice came out cold enough to frost the surrounding.
"Sir?" Vanessa's mouth dropped open. Estella retrieved her tablet from my desk and took a careful step back.
"Camila Sterling is not inserting herself anywhere. She is not creating drama. She is the woman I love, and if you ever speak about her that way again, you'll be updating your resume before lunch. Are we clear?"
"I-yes, sir. I apologize." Vanessa blinked rapidly, struggling to regain her composure. "I didn't realize the situation was-"
"The situation is that I'm in love with her. We are together. The engagement to Jessica Bloom is complicated, but Camila is mine and I am hers. That's the only truth that matters."
Silence filled the office. My phone resumed another round of buzzing, each vibration another crack in my composure.
"Then we need to control this carefully," her professional mask slipped back into place. "If the truth isn't an option right now, we need a believable alternative."
"Which is?"
"We say the video is old, from before your engagement. The Ashfords posted throwback content without realizing how it would look. It protects Ms. Sterling from scrutiny, protects Hayes Corp's reputation, and buys you time to resolve whatever's happening with Ms. Bloom."
Fuck!
Erasing Camila again. Throwing her into past tense when she was my present and my future and everything in between.
"Sir, we need to decide now," Estella pressed. "Every minute we wait, the story gets worse."
My phone rang again. Another goddamned impatient board member or dickhead investor. My teeth chattered with rage.
"Mr. Hayes?"
"Mr. Hayes, just give me your approval."
"She is right about us losing time."
"You know how quickly these things spread."
Their voices overlapped in my head. The pressure built until I couldn't breathe under the weight of it.
"Do it," I forced out. "Release the statement."
Vanessa's fingers flew over her laptop. Barely minutes later, she made a low whistle.
"I have released the statement. Check our official pages," Vanessa spoke so cheerfully as though she'd just sent a love letter to her celebrity crush and he acknowledged it.
I'm about to push the number one thing that matters to me to the side, and she's finding it amusing? I glared at her until the smile vanished off her face.
She lowered her head, and only then did I check the published statement.
"...The video circulating online is from several months ago, before Mr. Hayes's current engagement. The Ashford family posted archived footage without clarification of the timeline. Mr. Hayes and Ms. Bloom's engagement remains solid and they ask for privacy during this time."
Reading it made bile rise in my throat. I really erased her again.
Why do I keep doing these things that hurt her? And all for what? Inheriting a sixty billion dollar empire for my revenge against Don?
I texted her before I could think better of it:
"I'm sorry, mi Fiera. The statement was necessary. I'll make this right, I promise."
"We should monitor social media response," Vanessa was saying. "Issue follow-up statements if needed, and-"
My phone that had been quiet for a few minutes rang again. I decided to check the caller this time, and it was Ronan.
"Everyone out," I ordered the women.
Vanessa and Estella exchanged glances but left without questioning me. Once the door clicked shut, I answered.
"Brother." Ronan's voice was quite high. "We need to talk about your wedding. You had seven days. That was a week ago. Where's my inheritance?"
My jaw tightened. "I told you I'm not playing your games."
"Games?" He laughed. "You think this is a game? I've been too lenient with you, Lucien. Too patient. But I'm done waiting."
"Good for you. Now leave me alone and-"
"I'm going to do you one last favor. Since you can't seem to marry Jessica on your own, I'll make it easier for you." His voice dropped to something dangerous. "Camila's going to have an accident. A tragic one. Then you'll be free to do what you should have done months ago."
"You touch her and I'll-"
The call ended.
"Ronan!" I slammed my fist on the desk. "RONAN!" But he was gone. The call ended with the finality of a threat delivered and a decision made.
I swept my arm across the desk as I simmered with rage. Papers, pens, screens fell to the floor but none of it mattered except getting to Camila before Ronan did.
I pulled up her contact. It rang, and rang, and rang but no answer.
It was faint, but I felt it. The fear creeping into my veins. I tried again, and she still didn't answer.
Rafael. I called Rafael next.
"Lucien." He sounded tired but alert.
"Is Camila with you?"
"No, why would she-what happened?"
"Nothing. It's nothing. I just need to-"
"Don't lie to me." Steel entered his voice. "Tell me what happened."
The words spilled out then. The headlines, Ronan's threat, how I couldn't reach Camila and didn't know if she was safe or already in danger.
"I'm leaving the hospital," Rafael said immediately. "I'll meet you at her building."
"Don't even dare!" I warned him.
"My health is secondary to stopping Ronan from hurting Camila. I'm getting dressed now."
"Rafael, I'm telling you not to-"
"And I'm telling you that you don't get to make this decision for me. Camila is family. If she's in danger, I'm there. End of discussion."
The line went dead. Everyone was hanging up on me today.
I grabbed my keys, heading for the door when my head of security called.
"Sir, we have a situation at Ms. Sterling's building."
My heart stopped. "What kind of situation?"
"A van's been parked across the street for three hours. None of the occupants have gotten out, so we ran the plates." He paused. "It's registered to Cosmic Veil."
Ronan's company.
He wasn't bluffing.