Chapter 18
Camilla stood in front of the mirror, her reflection glowing in the ivory lace wedding gown. She smoothed the fabric over her waist, glancing shyly at Don Colen. His eyes were fixed on her, admiration clear in his gaze.
“You look breathtaking, Camilla,” Don Colen said.
Camilla blushed, looking away from the intensity of his stare. “Do you really think so? It’s not too much?”
“Too much? Never. You‘ re perfect.” He stepped closer, adjusting the delicate veil that rested on her shoulders. “You‘ ve outdone yourself, my love. This wedding will be as beautiful as you are.”
Camilla laughed softly, rolling her eyes. “You always know what to say. But seriously, what do you think about the dress? Is it too plain?”
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“Plain? Camilla, I don‘ t think anyone will be looking at the dress,” Don Colen teased, his lips curling into a smirk.
Before she could respond, one of Don Colen’s men entered the room, his face tight with urgency. “Boss, there‘ s a situation.”
Don Colen’s expression hardened instantly, the warmth in his eyes replaced by a steely focus. “Excuse me for a moment, Camilla,” he said, his hand brushing hers briefly before he turned toward the door.
Camilla’s heart sank as she watched him go. “What’s going on? Is everything alright?”
Don Colen paused, glancing back at her. “Just business. Don’t worry, nothing will. happen.” His words were calm, but she
could sense the tension in his tone.
“Are you sure?” Camilla asked, her voice quieter now.
He gave her a reassuring smile. “I‘ ll
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handle it, Camilla. You just focus on the wedding. I’ll be back soon.”
S
As the door closed behind him, Camilla‘ chest tightened with unease. She turned back to the mirror, but the glow she’d felt moments ago had dimmed. Something told her that “just business” wasn’t the whole
story.
Camilla paced the room, her gown brushing softly against the floor as her thoughts swirled. Don Colen‘ s
reassurances replayed in her mind, but the tension in his eyes lingered like a shadow.
“What could it be?” she whispered to herself, wringing her hands. “Business… or trouble?”
A knock at the door startled her, and she turned to see her mother stepping inside, her kind face softening the worry etched in Camilla‘ s.
“You look stunning, sweetheart,” her mother said, her voice warm as she
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approached. “What’s the matter? You look like you‘ ve seen a ghost.”
Camilla sighed, sitting on the edge of the nearby couch. “It’s Don Colen. He just left to handle some business, but… I don’t know. I can’t shake the feeling that something bad might happen.”
Her mother smiled knowingly, settling beside her. “Oh, Camilla. I know that feeling all too well.”
Camilla looked up, surprised. “You do?”
Her mother nodded. “When I married your father, I had the same worries. Every time he left for ‘business,‘ I thought it might be the last time I’d see him walk back through the door. It’s not easy being with a man like that.” She placed a comforting hand on Camilla‘ s knee. “But let me tell you something. Men like Don Colen, like your father, they don
crumble under pressure. They thrive in it.”
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“But what if this time is different? What if
99
Her mother interrupted gently. “Don Colen is strong, Camilla. You’ve seen it yourself. He’s built for this life, and he’s chosen you to be by his side. Trust him. He’ll come back to you every time.”
Camilla bit her lip, letting her mother’s words sink in. She wanted to believe it, to trust that Don Colen could handle whatever challenges lay ahead.
“You really think he’ll be okay?” she asked softly.
Her mother smiled. “I know he will. And
so will you. You‘ re stronger than you think, my dear. Don Colen didn’t choose you just for your beauty. He sees the strength in you too.”
Camilla exhaled, her shoulders relaxing.
“Thank you, Mom. I needed to hear
that.”
Her mother stood, straightening
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Camilla’s veil. “Now, enough worrying. Let’s focus on your wedding. Don Colen wouldn’t want you fretting while he‘ s out there taking care of business.”
Camilla’s mother gave her a reassuring smile. “Why don’t I help you with the invitations? We can sort them out together, and it’ll give us something to keep busy with while Don Colen is handling his
matters.”
Camilla nodded. “I’d like that. There are so many details to finalize. I want everything to be perfect.
Her mother pulled up a chair and started flipping through the guest list. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. By the time we’re done, it will be a wedding everyone will remember. Let’s focus on celebrating this new chapter in your life.”
Meanwhile, back in the Silver Bullets‘
territory, Jackson and Ridge found themselves in their father‘ s study. Jackson’s gaze landed on an ornate
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envelope lying on the desk. Curious, he picked it up, and his heart sank when he realized what it was–a wedding invitation from Camilla.
Ridge stepped closer, noticing Jackson’s silence. “What is it?”
Jackson handed him the invitation, his voice low. “It’s Camilla’s wedding.”
Ridge stared at the elegant writing, guilt creeping into his chest. “She’s really moving on…”
Jackson slumped into a chair, his head in his hands. “And we let it happen. We were so caught up in everything, so blind to what she was going through. Now she’s gone, Ridge. She doesn‘ t even want us in her life anymore.”
Ridge frowned, setting the invitation down.
“We thought we had time. That she‘ d always be here. But Katie… we let her push Camilla away. We didn’t do anything to stop it.”
