Chapter 147: Chapter 147

“I…” She swallowed nervously, looking around carefully, afraid that someone might be watching her.

The feeling had been there for a while, and she couldn’t tell if it was just fear or something more sinister. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of things, Noah,” she added quietly. “I’ve tried hard, gathered information and evidence, but in the end, I keep failing. I’ve only ended up hurting a lot of people. I’m not the good person you think I am.”

He looked at her, puzzled. “Camille…”

She shook her head. “Please, let me finish. I… I’ve tried my best, but I’ve made mistakes, and I think I’ve only made things worse. But I’ve just come to a realization.”

He looked at her, his expression cautious. “What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze with newfound determination.

“I can’t do this alone, Michael,” she said quietly. “I’ve realized that I need you. I need your help.”

***

She told him everything.

When she did, he felt as if his whole world had collapsed.

The garden was beautiful. The soft glow of the lanterns cast a warm light over the flowers and neatly trimmed hedges, giving off an ethereal vibe. The air was cool and fragrant, which was a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling inside him.

As she began to speak, he felt a mixture of anticipation and dread. He had waited years for this moment, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for the truth.

Yet when he saw the pain in her eyes, the reluctance and fear, his heart ached for her.

Every word she spoke seemed to cut through the silence like a sharp knife, and every revelation deepened his understanding of what she had endured all this time.

She spoke of her fiancé, Christian’s manipulation, the contract marriage, and the constant threats that kept her in a vice-like grip.

Michael’s hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into the palms of his hands as he felt a wave of anger rise within him.

He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, to shield her from the world, but he knew she had to get this out. She had to rid herself of these painful memories.

He could hardly believe the extent of Christian’s cruelty and mind games, the depths to which he had sunk just to control her.

Michael’s anger bubbled to the surface. It was taking everything in him not to burst.

How could someone be so heartless and completely devoid of empathy?

But in the midst of his anger was a deep sense of sorrow. Sorrow for the young woman who had given up her identity, her family, and her dreams. Sorrow for the years she had spent in fear, isolated and alone.

He felt a pang of guilt for not finding her sooner, for not being there when she needed him most.

As she continued to tell him these painful things, Michael’s resolve hardened. He was not going to let Christian get away with this. He would protect Camille no matter what.

He also felt horror when he found out that Christian was the mastermind behind Joanna’s accident. Christian was the one who had threatened Grady. Christian had forced him to choose between tampering with Joanna’s car or Michael’s car.

Grady had chosen Joanna’s.

Christian had threatened Grady’s young son, who had been sick as a child and was in and out of the hospital. Christian said that he could either treat Grady’s son and even Grady’s ailing mother abroad with the help of a renowned doctor who was a close friend of Gregory Callahan, just like he did with Camille, if Grady chose to help. Otherwise, Grady would just be forced to let them die or possibly die a mysterious death instead.

It struck a chord with Michael because he knew of Grady’s situation, but he couldn’t do anything about it.

Even the best doctors couldn’t treat Grady’s family. There was a treatment abroad that might help, but it was strictly for those who had the right connections. Even the doctor in charge said they were not accepting patients for now because they were overloaded, and there was nothing Michael could do except wait for the applications to open up again.

The doctor could not be swayed with money or influence, so that was a moot point.

But Grady’s son’s health and Grady’s mother’s health were deteriorating every day with her genetic disease, and it seemed to be driving Grady to despair. He was having problems with his rebellious daughter, too.

Camille said that she felt so guilty because she was the one who told Christian about Grady’s son and mother’s health, as well as his daughter’s current situation. She was also the one who told Christian about Michael’s strained relationship with his sister Joanna.

When Camille finally finished speaking, she sobbed openly, and it broke Michael’s heart.

He had never seen her cry like this before, and it only added to his feelings of guilt.

He had failed in his promise to protect her.

Damn it. He was supposed to protect her from things like this. He should’ve tried harder to find her.

‘I’m so useless,’ he thought.

To reassure her, Michael gently squeezed her hand and rose from his seat to hug her. As he held her, he could feel her tears soaking through his shirt, but he didn’t care.

He let her cry, offering her the comfort she needed at that moment.

“I don’t know what to do,” she cried out through her tears. “I can’t go on living like this, so I…”

Michael patted her back tenderly and offered his support. “We’ll find a way to protect your father and expose Christian’s crimes. You’re not in this alone, Camille. I promise to help you, no matter what it takes. Will you give me your consent to help you?”

“I…” Camille sniffed, feeling a mixture of relief and fear flood her heart. For the first time, she felt like she had a true ally on her side, and the feeling overwhelmed her. “Yes. Yes, please help me, Michael.”

“All right,” he replied, embracing her tighter. “We’ll figure this out together. But first we have to be careful. Christian can’t suspect anything, so we have to plan our next steps thoroughly.”

Michael pulled away gently and met Camille’s reddened eyes with his own.

“Christian told you to get closer to me, didn’t he?” Michael asked, noticing Camille’s trembling nod.

He smiled softly. “Then let’s give him what he wants.”

Camille looked at him in surprise. “…What?”