HIS SWEET REVENGE

Bryan’s POV

Amazement is an understatement of what I feel as I watch Celine and Jason play together.

The bond between them is unexplainable and I have never seen Jason smiling this way or happy since he was brought here.

The thought is making me ambivalent; I am glad and also angry because I am envious of the attention he is giving to Celine.

Now I know how much she means to him. Now I know the reason why he keeps asking for his mother.

I am like a stranger in his life. He has known Celine to be the only one who showered him love right from birth but I was nowhere to be found. I didn’t know about his existence but if I had known, I would have showered him love too.

She runs his finger through his hazel brown hair as he giggles. She hugs him again with a wide smile, asking him how he has been doing. He shakes his head sadly and turns to glance at me.

Celine follows his gaze and I glare at her. She turns away sharply and continues to play with him. They talk for a while, ignoring my presence.

I shift my gaze to the Rolex wristwatch on my hand and see the time. It is 10 pm already and I feel it is time for her to go. I have no intention to ask my driver to drop her off at her home residence. She will have to take a cab home.

Camilla had gone out the moment she brought Celine in. I need to ask her about the applicants and if there is any success.

Before I can stand up to tell her to leave, my phone rings, and I bring it out. Mom is the one calling. I remember I promised to call her during the day but I was too busy to remember.

I decide to pick and explain things to her. She had traveled to California with my dad two days ago for a business summit and I don’t know when she will be back.

I rise from the sofa and move towards the exit, without saying a thing to Celine, even though I can see her curious look from my peripheral view.

I open the door and get out, almost bumping into the tray of food Camilla is holding. I look from her to the tray of food and stare back at her. She look down with a bow.

“I want to give them to Celine…..”

“Why?” I bark, furiously. Celine is not here as a guest.

“Jason hasn’t eaten anything all day”, she lifts her head to watch me. “I know this is her favorite and I feel her presence here will make Jason eat. I want them to eat this together”, she explains.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

My anger suddenly dissolved at the mention of Jason. I click my tongue and look away. “Go!”

“Thank you, sir”, she bows again in satisfaction.

“Just drop the food and come out. I want to talk to you”, I say to her. She nods and quickly goes in. I stand waiting, hoping she would come out soon. I want to talk to her about the applicants before going to my room to talk to mom.

Once I am done, I will send Celine out. The kind of hospitality Camilla is giving to her will make her feel welcome and wanted, whereas she isn’t welcome.

She is here for a reason because I have no choice. I don’t want her to think she is going to spend the night here.

She lost that privilege the moment she left without my knowledge and consent. No matter how late, she will have to go back to her home.

Camilla comes out. “Boss.”

I wave at her to follow me to the living room as I take long strides towards the room. I can hear her soft footsteps right behind me.

As soon as we are in the living room, I slouch to the nearest chair and face her. She stands in front of me.

“How many applicants do we have now?” I ask, going straight to the point.

“We have 80 applicants already. I asked Johnson to remove the placement immediately because they are up to 80 persons”, she informs me.

“Eighty?” I ask again to be sure. I am shocked.

How can we get 80 applicants in just a few hours of placing the vacancy outside? The day I was in dire need of a secretary and I did the same thing, I didn’t even get up this number.

“Yes, sir.” She replies.

“What about the interviews?” I question.

“That will be tomorrow, sir but I have their details already, including their pictures. I asked Johnson to send them to your Ipad, so you can go to them at your free time.”

I stay quiet, thinking of the best solution, whether to leave the interview to Stella to handle for me or to go through the details of the applicants one after the other and choose whichever one I think will do the job.

My phone begins to ring again and I check the screen to see my mother’s name. I stand up abruptly and pick up the call, gluing the phone to my ears and turning to Camilla.

“Tell Jackson to bring it to my room”, I instruct and move out of the living room.

****

Celine’s POV

I just finished feeding Jason and I am singing a soft lullaby to lure him to sleep before I can slip away. I know Bryan will never let me spend the night here and I don’t plan to either.

Jason had eaten well and I cleared the plate away before laying beside him, watching his eyes open and close.

I smile at the actions. He seems afraid of waking up to see the space because his bed empty.

He is scared that I will disappear. He is indeed a sensitive child and I know he will be well taken care of here. I guess I have no problem since Camilla is in charge.

I am still singing softly as he opens his eyes wide, watching me intensely when the door opens and Camila enters. I sit up and smile at her. She smiles back.

“I’m so happy you are in charge of taking care of him”, I voice out my thoughts as she sits and shakes her head.

“I wish I am”, she utters sadly and I open my eyes wide in surprise.

What does she mean by she wish she is in charge? Isn’t she the one taking care of my child? My heart begins to pound wild in my chest.

“What do you mean?” I ask her sharply.

“I am in charge of the affairs of the mansion and I won’t have enough time to take care of him. I blame myself partially for his sickness”, she reveals.

I gasp softly and turn back to watch Jason’s closed face. I don’t know in whose hands his fate lies.

“We already have a lot of applicants ready to be interviewed tomorrow but I promise we will select the best person”, she tells me as I sigh heavily in worry.

“I’m scared”, I confess, looking down and wishing something can be done to make Jason be with Camilla so I can be rest assured of his safety and survival.

“Don’t worry, I promise to make sure that he is fine. Besides, I would love you to come back here after the nanny has been employed so you can brief her on what he likes and dislikes. You need to inform her of everything about Jason”, she leans forward and holds my two hands.

I nod intermittently, even though I am not rest assured. I hoist my head to meet her intense gaze.

“Everything will be fine, ok?”

“Thank you. I will get going”, I try to stand up but she holds me down, making me sit back on the bed.

“Why not tell him to let you spend the night here? You can leave tomorrow after the interview is done and you have a conversation with the chosen one”, she suggests and I shake my head immediately.

“Bryan won’t allow that. He hates me”, I inform her.

“But it’s late already”, she persists.

“You know your boss, Camilla”, I mutter, with a heavy sigh.

Why is she behaving as if Bryan is a changed man?

The man I saw a few days ago who came to take my child away from me has no conscience. He is still that cruel man I know him to be.

She is silently watching me and I examine her expression. She has a cloudy look on her face.

“Why did you leave?” She finally asks.

I know it. I know she will ask me this question. I know that look has to do with the past that I have tried so hard to put behind me but the presence of Bryan now has brought it all back to haunt me.

I know she won’t let me be if I don’t say something. I open my mouth to tell her, in brief, the reason why I had to leave when someone throws the door open and he comes in.

It is Bryan and he is still in his office wear, with that serious look on his face. His expression turns to rage when he sees me and I stand up abruptly from the bed, leaving Camilla’s large hands.

“What are you still doing here?” He asks me with a frown. I can see the hatred on his face.

“I… was… was just about to leave”, I stammer, trembling with fear. I know Bryan more than anyone else and now I believe I know him more than Camilla. This is what I was telling her.

“Go now!” He orders with stormy eyes and I nod.

I take a step away from the bed and Camilla gives me a sad smile. I move to the bed to peck Jason when he shouts, making me jolt up in fear.

“Go now!”