Thirty eight
Kamille’s POV
Suddenly my phone blared loudly, I rushed to pick it up, careful not to wake Royer who was sleeping soundly nearby.
Zeke’s presence lingered in the room, his eyes watching me with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Although he was divorced, it still didn’t change shit. I still ensured my privacy was intact as I attended to the ringing phone.
I answered the call, relief flooding through me as Christopher’s voice filled the line. “What happened? I’ve been trying to reach you.” He exclaimed, his worry evident in his tone.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before responding. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.” I reassured him, feeling a pang of guilt for not responding to his earlier attempts to contact me. “It was Royer, he got injured, but he’s receiving treatment now and he’s okay.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Chris spoke again, his voice tinged with remorse. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” He said softly, his words heavy with regret.
“It’s okay. Thank you for your concern.” I replied.
Chris let out a sigh. “I even had this crazy idea of checking through hospitals in hopes of finding you.” He admitted.
A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “That’s thoughtful of you, but you didn’t have to go through all that trouble.” I said sincerely, touched by his gesture.
“No, it’s the least I could do.” Chris insisted, determination coloring his words. “I’ll feel bad if I don’t visit, especially since I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”
I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me at his words. “Alright then. I’ll send you the address.” I said softly.
I quickly sent him the address of the hospital. “Thank you so much. This means a lot.” I said before ending the call.
I felt Zeke’s stares. But I ignored it.
In less than five minutes the nurses at the reception called.
“Hello Ma’am.” A voice echoed on the other end of the line.
“Hello.” I replied.
“Someone is here to see you. He is named Mr Christopher George. Should we let him in?” The nurse asked.
Chris? How did he come around so fast? I turned towards Zeke. His expression was unreadable.
I sighed. “Let him in.”
There was a brief pause before the nurse responded. “Of course, we’ll send him up right away.” she said before hanging up.
I glanced over at Zeke, uncertainty flickering in my eyes.
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ZEKE’s POV
“Who was that?” I asked Kamille as she finished her call.
“Uhh, it’s the kid’s teacher. He wanted to visit Royer.” She replied, avoiding my gaze.
“But Royer’s asleep.” I immediately said.
“Well, I guess he’ll see me then.” Kamille shrugged and walked out of the room.
She was dressed in her nightwear, which revealed more than I could allow another person to stare at. I followed her out to the reception area of the private ward to wait for Chris, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
“Oh my God, Kamille. How are you doing? How is Royer?”
Kamille and I turned in the direction of the voice whose words were tumbling out in a rush.
What the fuck?! How did this son of a bitch get here so fast?
“I’m fine Mr. Chris. Thank you for coming around.” She smiled at him.
I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as I watched the interaction between them. Despite my best efforts to keep my emotions in check, a sense of unease settled over me. How could Chris be here so quickly, mere minutes after speaking to Kamille on the phone? And now he dares to act loving in front of me?
“Chris, how did you get here so fast?” Kamille asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
Chris hesitated for a moment before responding, his eyes darting between Kamille and me. “I was in the area.” He said vaguely, his tone evasive.
I narrowed my eyes, a sense of suspicion gnawing at me from within.
“In the area? That’s quite the coincidence.” Kamille remarked, unable to hide the skepticism in her voice.
Chris’s expression faltered for a brief moment before he recovered, plastering a smile on his face. “Well, I was worried about you and Royer, of course.” He said, his words lacking the conviction they had earlier.
Looking at him, I could sense there was something different about him, something in the way he carried himself that set off alarm bells in my mind. His calm demeanor felt almost too calculated, too rehearsed.
Then suddenly, Chris stepped forward and enveloped Kamille in a tight hug. I watched the embrace unfold, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach as I struggled to suppress the surge of jealousy and anger that coursed through me.
As Chris’s words pierced the tense atmosphere, the anger bubbling up within me intensified.
“How’s Royer? I hope he’s okay.” He began, his voice laced with a hint of concern that only served to fuel my frustration. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you. I saw the news.”
Kamille nodded, breaking away from his arms. “Thank you, Chris. Royer is stable now, thankfully.” She replied, her voice tinged with exhaustion.
“What do you want me to do? Do you want me to crush them? All you have to do is say the word.” He offered, his tone confident and assured.
I could feel my blood boiling as I listened to Chris’s audacious offer. Who did he think he was, swooping in with his grandiose promises of vengeance as if it were his right to dispense justice on Kamille’s behalf?
Who was this primary school teacher to offer such bold declarations of retribution? And why did he seem so familiar with Kamille, enough to discuss her personal matters with such ease?
Suppressing the urge to lash out, I clenched my fists tightly at my sides, struggling to maintain my composure.
Kamille’s laughter cut through the tension like a sharp knife, momentarily distracting me from my seething anger. “Don’t worry, they’ll meet their karma.” She assured him, her voice carrying a weight of finality that left no room for argument.
“Meanwhile, Mr Chris, Meet Mr Ezekiel Reid. Zeke, meet Mr Christopher George. My kids’ teacher.” Kamille introduced.
I forced a tight-lipped smile, my jaw clenched with pent-up frustration as Chris greeted me with familiarity, addressing me by name as if we were old acquaintances. “Oh, Mr. Reid, you’re here.” He remarked, his tone casual despite the tension crackling in the air.
I have been here the whole time you asshole.
I met his gaze with a steely glare and was about to speak up but Kamille beat me to it.
“You guys know each other?” She asked.
“The whole of London knows Mr Reid of course.” Chris chuckled. His voice kept clawing into my flesh.
“Great then. How about you gentlemen keep each other company while I go to bed? I really need to sleep.” She insisted, her exhaustion evident in her voice.
“And thank you once again Mr Chris for coming.” She added. He nodded in response.
As Kamille was about to make her exit, Chris reached out and grabbed her hand. My eyes burned a thousand times hotter than the fiery furnace.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, his eyes searching hers for any sign of distress. “Please, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. How about the bills? Can I sort it out for you?”
I gritted my teeth, my fists clenched at my sides as I struggled to contain my anger. Who was this man to offer Kamille his support so freely? His presence irks me so deeply.
But Kamille merely smiled and reassured Chris that she was fine before politely declining his offer to sort out the bills. “I have health insurance for my kids.” She explained, her voice firm and resolute.
I felt a surge of pride swell within me as Kamille spoke. And finally finding my voice, I spoke up with a firm resolve of my own.
“That’s not necessary.” I interjected, my tone clipped with barely contained anger. “She doesn’t have to worry about health insurance in my hospital.”
“Sure. Thank you Zeke. Goodnight gentlemen.” Kamille said and disappeared into the darkness of the hospital corridor that led to the private ward.
I turned to Chris with a freezing glare. “You heard her.” I said firmly, my voice laced with a warning. “She doesn’t need your help. She has me.”