Chapter 3 - CAMILLE’S FIRST TRUTH
Camille woke twenty hours later.
Damian did not visit her immediately.
That surprised Grace.
She expected rage.
Interrogation.
Threats.
Instead, Damian stayed beside Noah.
The pediatrician confirmed the baby had no serious injury.
His shoulder was bruised.
His wrist was tender.
But nothing was broken.
Damian listened to every word.
Then he carried Noah into the library and held him for nearly an hour without speaking.
Grace watched from the doorway.
Damian Hawthorne frightened half the city.
But with Noah sleeping against his chest, he looked less like a mafia boss than a father realizing how close he had come to losing everything.
When Camille finally became conscious, Damian entered the hospital room with Grace and Cole.
Camille looked terrible.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
Terrified.
She saw Damian.
Then Grace.
“You told him.”
Grace said nothing.
Camille laughed bitterly.
“Of course you did.”
Damian pulled a chair forward.
“Who is Gabriel working with?”
Camille’s eyes widened.
“You already know about Gabriel?”
“I know his name.”
“That’s not enough.”
“Then make it enough.”
Camille turned toward the window.
“I met him three years ago.”
“Where?”
“Monaco.”
She swallowed.
“I was modeling for a jewelry house.”
“Gabriel approached me after a charity dinner.”
“He knew everything about me.”
“My debts.”
“My brother.”
“My father’s gambling.”
“He offered to make it disappear.”
“In exchange for what?”
Camille looked at Damian.
“You.”
Grace felt the room tighten.
Camille continued.
“He said you were lonely.”
“That Noah’s mother was gone.”
“That you needed someone polished enough to enter your world without asking questions.”
Damian’s voice became cold.
“You were assigned to me.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever love me?”
Camille looked away.
“That stopped mattering.”
“It matters now.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I tried.”
Damian said nothing.
Camille looked at Grace.
“Then Noah became the problem.”
Grace’s jaw tightened.
Camille’s voice shook.
“Gabriel wanted documentation.”
“Behavioral reports.”
“Medical concerns.”
“Incidents.”
“He said we needed a record showing the child was unstable and the nanny negligent.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t know at first.”
“You knew enough to hurt him.”
Camille closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Grace could barely look at her.
Camille continued.
“Then Gabriel showed me the trust.”
“The real trust.”
Damian leaned forward.
“What do you mean, real?”
“There’s another clause.”
Silence.
“What clause?”
“If you die before Noah turns twenty-five, Noah inherits controlling ownership.”
“I know that.”
“No.”
Camille looked at him.
“You know the public trust.”
“The sealed addendum says if Noah dies before legal transfer…”
Damian’s expression hardened.
“…control goes where?”
Camille whispered one name.
“The Continuity Council.”
Cole went pale.
Grace noticed.
Damian noticed too.
“What is that?”
Cole answered.
“Three men your father trusted to preserve Hawthorne operations if the bloodline collapsed.”
“Names.”
Cole hesitated.
“Gabriel Voss.”
Damian stood.
“Who else?”
“Judge Adrian Mercer.”
“And?”
Cole’s face tightened.
“Me.”
Silence filled the room.
Grace stared at him.
Damian’s eyes became lethal.
“You’re on the council?”
“I didn’t know the addendum was active.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
Damian stepped toward him.
Cole did not move.
Camille laughed weakly.
“You see?”
Everyone looked at her.
“That’s what Gabriel does.”
“He doesn’t need everyone guilty.”
“He only needs everyone suspicious.”
Grace suddenly understood.
The cameras.
The planted documents.
The hidden trust.
The secret council.
Every clue created distrust.
Damian against Grace.
Damian against Cole.
Eventually Damian against everyone.
“Why?” Grace asked.
Camille looked at her.
“What?”
“Why destroy Damian’s trust in everyone?”
Camille’s face changed.
“Because isolated men are easier to kill.”
Damian froze.
Camille whispered,
“Your father learned that too late.”
Then she reached beneath her hospital blanket.
Cole moved immediately.
But Camille only pulled out a folded piece of paper she had hidden beneath the mattress.
A nurse must have brought it.
She handed it to Damian.
Three words were written inside.
ASK ABOUT ISABEL.
Damian stared.
Grace frowned.
“Who is Isabel?”
Damian looked as though the ground had disappeared beneath him.
“My wife.”
Grace went still.
“Noah’s mother?”
Damian nodded.
“She died nine months ago.”
Camille whispered,
“No.”
Damian looked at her.
Camille’s lips trembled.
“That’s the second lie.”
“What are you saying?”
Camille stared at him.
“Isabel didn’t die from complications after the accident.”
Damian’s face emptied.
May you like
Camille finished quietly.
“She was murdered.”
