The wedding of Rafael Leviste and Amelia Beaufort was the social event of the year. It was a union forged in power, celebrated with champagne, smiles, expensive tuxes, and silk gowns.
The guests poured in massively with flattering words, fake smiles, and congratulations. It was an honor for them to witness such a great day and a privilege to attend the union of the two most powerful families, not just in business.
They were uniting their families through marriage and soon blood. Their empire had just begun, and it began in an unprecedented way. For generations to come, the Levistes and the Beauforts would be untouchable forces. It was wise to befriend them.
Lorena watched with a proud smile as her son forged an alliance with the most powerful political family in their region, expanding their reach and influence. Beside her was her dutiful son Damien, who had played an important role in ensuring that this day came. True to her word, she had brought him back to the family's inner circle. He was useful in more ways than one.
Watching Rafael slip under Camilla's spell made her stomach turn. That peasant, the child of nobody, dared touch her son. It was more than a scandal. It was a betrayal. There was no place for that uncouth lady in her home, so she discarded her like the trash she was and forbade her from coming anywhere near her home.
Lorena had no place for Camilla in her home. It was time for that parasitic leech to go. She was a deadly virus, and she would not allow it to spread much longer.
Lorena also ensured it would be impossible for Camilla to get employment anywhere. Camilla tried to ruin her family, and as such, she would make life a living hell for her in Orsboard. As long as she was alive, she would see to it that Camilla endured a fate worse than death. By the time she was done with her, she would pray for death.
Tears blurred Camilla's vision as she watched the phenomenal wedding of the man she loved to another woman from a grainy news broadcast in her mother's house, a hand over her belly. She tried severally times to see Rafael and give him the news of her pregnancy, but he refused to meet her.
One fateful night, she succeeded after waiting outside the office for a whole day. She stood no chance of seeing him at the hacienda, but she was determined to speak with him. She did not know the cause of his indifference or apathy toward her, but she had important information that could change their lives. As soon as he stepped out of the office building, she ran after him before he could get into the car.
"Raf!" Camilla called his attention over the storm.
Rafael stopped and stared at her disdainfully. The contempt was visible even to untrained eyes. "I do not know what you want, but it will be greatly appreciated if you stop stalking me and leave me alone." He snarled. "I believe I have been making that abundantly clear for a while, and I am sure my mother has settled you. Do you need more money?"
Camilla stared at him in utter disbelief. " I don't understand, Raf," she muttered softly as tears welled up in her eyes. "Why are you doing this? You promised me we would be together. What is going on?" She was devastated, and she believed in him. She thought they could be something, and now he was saying such hurtful things and pushing her away without a reason.
Rafael stared at her disdainfully, "You are nothing but a social climber and a two-timing bitch. I now know better than to give my heart to a peasant. I want absolutely nothing to do with the likes of you. You are a nobody, a useless opportunist, and a money-groveling hoe."
Previously, she assumed Lorena had a hand in her inability to see him. She led herself to believe that there was no way Rafael would know of her presence and not meet with her. It seems she was wrong. Rafael was the person who wanted nothing to do with her. The only thing Lorena had done was fire her from her job and ensure no one else required her services.
Now she knew why Rafael did not look for her. She was nothing to him. He saw her as nothing more than a peasant trying to use him to climb the social ladder. His words stung. Informing him about the pregnancy would be a waste, and he could deny it, but she had nowhere else to go.
"I'm pregnant."
Rafael stopped speaking, stared intently at her, and then cackled. "You would say absolutely anything that comes to your mind so that you can remain by my side, won't you? I thought you were different from all the rest, but I was wrong. You are all the same, and you disgust me. If you are pregnant, like you claim, go and look for the biological father and leave me out of whatever nonsense this is."
With that, he got into his vehicle and drove off, leaving her alone in the rain. It was as though the sky was weeping alongside her. With no other alternative, no job or willing employer, Camilla was forced to return home to her mother in the province. Her heart was heavy with the weight of his words, the hurt, and betrayal from the man she had given her everything to.
She watched the ceremony with a heavy heart. So he left me and our child to get married to the wealthy lady? That was to be expected. She and Rafael were worlds apart. What was she thinking? Why was she hopeful when he made a promise about marrying her? She was such a fool to believe him. The Leviste family had ruined her. They scared her for life.
Their mother, Lorena, had thrown her out of the Leviste mansion after making her life a living hell. Damien had raped her and Rafael had abandoned her with a pregnancy.
Rafael's deep, calm voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. "I, Rafael Leviste, take you, Amelia Beaufort, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health- to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
Camilla's heart pounded wildly in her chest. Those words were supposed to be said to her. It should be her standing there with Rafael, the ring was meant to be on her finger. Why was this happening? He said he would fight for their love, but he was just a liar, a deceiver, and a user.
"I, Amelia Beaufort, take you, Rafael Leviste, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health- to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
That was it, those words were like daggers to her already fragile heart. Camilla's world had crumbled. Rafael had left her and her unborn child without a word. After he promised to be with her, he abandoned her, not just her alone, but with his unborn child. She would not let herself cry again because of him. She had spent days pining and crying for him, but now, she was done with that. She was done allowing them to control or dictate her life.
"I will make them regret the day they touched my life," she whispered, her fingers tightening over the arms of the chair. "Every single one of them."