Chapter 16
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Although Camila had long known they didn’t care about her, Arthur’s words still struck a nerve, sending a dull ache through her chest. He didn’t even bother to pretend–not even for show.
But she hid it well. From her unwavering, composed expression, no one could see the wound his words had left behind.
“Alright.” Her voice was calm, almost indifferent.
Arthur’s brow furrowed. “What did you just say?”
Camila lifted her gaze, looking directly at the four people standing on the second floor. Her tone was steady, devoid of hesitation.
“Alright. I’ll leave the Jackson family right now. From this moment on, we are no longer connected. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, you don’t have to worry–I won’t trouble you again,” she said.
‘Even if I die out there, I will never come back.‘ She added the last thought silently to herself.
And just like that, all attachment to this place was severed. Those three years had left her broken beyond repair. She had already learned her lesson. She wondered, ‘How can I still long for a family that has never truly been mine?‘
This time, she didn’t hesitate. Even with the sharp pain shooting through her injured leg, she pushed forward. Step by step, she moved faster, her determination outweighing her discomfort.
For the first time in years, there was a glimmer of light in her dark eyes–the kind that comes from breaking free.
Within moments, she reached the front door, pulled it open, and stepped outside. She never looked back. Her silhouette was firm, decisive–without a trace of hesitation.
Harry’s pupils contracted in shock. He wanted to chase after her, but the searing pain in his stomach drained all his strength.
He could only watch helplessly as the door slowly swung shut, his voice hoarse with desperation as he roared, “Camila! Come back-!”
His shout echoed through the vast living room, consuming the last of his energy.
But Camila never turned around. She vaguely heard someone yelling behind her, but the words were muffled, distant.
It didn’t matter. The door had already closed. Her right ear had never been great at picking up sound anyway, and whatever
they were shouting… it had
The moment she stepped beyond the Jackson family’s gates, the weight pressing on her chest finally liftvere
nothing to do with her anymore.
Her steps felt lighter, quicker. She walked for about five minutes before spotting someone in the distance,
It was late at night–seeing a man suddenly appear made her instinctively wary. Her first reaction was to step back, slipping into the shadows, away from the streetlamp’s glow.
The man walked briskly, and as he got closer, she recognized him immediately. He was Michael, Harry’s friend.
Her strongest impression of Michael could be summed up in words: sharp–tongued and cruel.
She still reme” Harry, I never would’ve guessed you were part of the Jackson family.”
their first meeting. He had given her a once–over, scrutinizing her from head to toe, before casually remarking, “So shabby. If you
didn’t look a
Harry had been standing right there. And he hadn’t said a word to stop it. He had only let out an indifferent breath of laughter, making no effort to defend her.
Back then, the words themselves hadn’t hurt as much as Harry’s silence.
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Chapter 16
She had been fifteen. She had finally found her family, yet when she was humiliated in front of them, not a single person had stood up for her.
At that moment, she had felt like nothing more than a stray dog–pitiful and unwanted.
Michael walked past her without noticing the figure hidden in the shadows.
Her gaze followed him until he stepped into the Jackson family’s villa. That was when she realized–he was probably here to treat Harry.
Stepping out from the darkness, she quickened her pace.
Originally, she had planned to find a hotel for the night and look for a job in the morning. But now, she had changed her mind. She was leaving Sancho.
Camila had overheard everything the Jackson family discussed in the study.
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Chapter 17