Indebted to the Billionaire

Chapter two

Camelia POV

I picked up the envelope, the paper feeling smooth against my fingers, pulled it out and my eyes scanned the pages, tracing the lines of text down to the bottom where there was space for signature and there was Brady's signature boldly sitting there.

“Brady, please”, I whispered, the papers slipping from my fingers to the floor. "I don't have anywhere else to go." My voice cracked as I begged him, my body trembling.

I sank to my knees, the cold floor biting into my skin. Tears streamed down my face, and my sobs echoed through the room.

Maddie can keep the child. I'll raise the child, but please don't let us get a divorce. I was making such horrible bargains, but that was the only choice I had left. There was nowhere to run or turn to. I've invested all I have into this marriage.

"Don't do this to me," I pleaded, my hands grasping Brady's legs. But all my pleas fell on deaf ears.

Enough of all this sentiment! Brady angrily shunned.

Just sign the papers and leave this house!

“You heard him Camelia”, the witch Maddie standing beside him yelled, my heart was filled with anger and hate for her, “sign the f*****g papers”! and leave this house she added pacing around the room.

I stood there, frozen in shock, then it hit me: I was the only one left in the dark. They had teamed up and made their conclusion. My naivety has brought me such pain.

With my hands trembling, I picked up the pen and signed the divorce papers, the scratch of the pen on paper echoing through the silence. Brady's voice cut through my haze: "You can leave now." He muttered, his voice devoid of emotion, as he opened the door.

Brady has never laid his hands on me during the course of our marriage, but his next line of action kept my mouth wide open. He grasped my hands and pulled me up from my knees and led me to the door. His fingers dug into my skin, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Just as we reached the door, He paused for a while when he heard my phone ring.

“Oh! your phone”, you should take it along. He picked it from the sofa and threw it at me.

It was an unknown caller. I quickly dropped the call, It was the least of my worries right now. Brady's hands on my shoulders propelled me forward, and I stumbled out of the house, my legs trembling beneath me.

The whole crying and pleading took the little strength I had left. I saw Maddie letting out a soft smile as Brady pushed me out of the house, “I'll send your luggage over to you," he said , shutting the door in my face.

****

The street was dry, it was past midnight and only a few cars were going by, the only audible sound was that of the rain that started a few minutes after Brady threw me out of the house. I was drenched, my skin was cold and clammy, making me shiver to my bones. Luckily, I took my purse and I still had a few dollars left.

I dropped my phone inside the purse, finding my way to the bus stop to get a taxi. Thankfully the street light gave a path, finally I got one.

I finally settled into a taxi.

“Madam, where are you heading to?” I hesitated, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm heading to Washington DC." The driver's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, his face softening. "Should I turn off the AC?" he asked, noticing my shivers. I nodded, trying to muster a smile, but it faltered.

The driver handed me a tissue. "Thank you," I whispered, taking the tissue to dab my tears.

On one night, I lost my husband to my friend. I got divorced and was also chased from where I call home. Now I'm on my way back to my parents'.

I could only imagine what my father would say once he saw me. He was strongly against my marriage to Brady, but his reasons were not sitting well with mine and I went against all odds and got married to him. Maddie was happy I was getting married to the man. She claimed I was lucky to have Brady. Little did I know she wanted him too “stupid me”!

We even planned the wedding together. Maddie was there for me when I lost my mom during her surgery. That made me trust her more, but now the trust has been broken into shackles.

The thought of her being pregnant with Brady's child made my heart sink. Brady said he didn't want a child for now and wanted to make enough money before he could bring any child into this world. I believed his lies and trusted him, not knowing he just didn't want to have a child with me!.

****

I arrived home a few hours later, handing over a $500 bill to the driver and watched him as he zoomed off into the darkness. For a moment, I was all alone again.

I sluggishly walked to the gate and knocked. “I could tell, a whole lot had changed, more like a renovation had been happening ”waiting for the door to be opened.

There wasn't any response. “Knock, knock Lily! It's Camelia. Open the door! A few seconds later, Lily's voice drifted from inside, "Camelia?” She called out, creaking the door open. Lily's eyes scanned me from head to toe.“You look like a mess," she said, looking at my soaked clothes and swollen eyes from crying, her brow furrowed with concern.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. I ignored her question and made my way to the living room, the smell of the house wafted around me, my eyes drawn to the family portrait on the wall.

My mother's smile remained as bright as ever. It's a picture! Jolting myself back to reality.

Lily was still standing staring at me. I could tell a lot was going through her mind.

Where's father? I muttered.

"He went into his room some minutes ago". I hope our little noise won't wake him."

I sighed.

"I really hope it doesn't," I said, sitting on a brown sofa centered in the parlor.

"Lily!" I heard my father's voice from upstairs. As I thought we could probably wake him up, I felt a sense of dread. It was time to face the music.

"Yes, Father?" she responded.

"Was that Camelia's voice I just heard?" he smirked, finding his way downstairs. I could tell from the sound of his footsteps on the stairs.

What was he going to say? Despite his warning, he never liked Brady; he believed he wasn't good enough.

But I had fallen deeply for him; he gave me comfort when I lost my mom. You could say I was blinded by those things.

Camelia?? His face went pale when he saw me.

What happened?

Father….r, I stammered and tears fell down my chin.

“You're yet to tell me what happened”! He shunned. He was getting worked up already. Brady left me for another woman and divorced me.

I blurted out, hiding Maddie's name and laying my head down in shame.

“I told you not to get married to that bastard”! He barked.

But you got married to him and this is the result. Hope you're happy with it??

What?? Lily screamed,"Did he really do that to you?

So why are you back here? Fear gripped my heart when he asked that question. I knew it wasn't going to end at that.

" There's no place for you here," he added.

The day you went against my words, as your father, was the same day. I decided not to look at you if anything should happen to you because of Brady.

" Take yourself back to your cheating husband," he yelled.

But fa…ther I was dumbfounded. I knew he was going to get mad, but not to the extent of asking me to go back to Brady.

I was stil

l in a moment of shock when my phone rang and it was the same strange number.

Who could this be?