Chapter 98
Camille POV.
I climbed into the car and drove down the street. My eyes blurred with tears as I bit into my lower lip to stop myself from sobbing. I didn't know why I wanted to cry so badly. He was nothing but an asshole to me, so why did I feel this way? I hated him, and I hated myself. I gripped the steering wheel while pressing my head against it. "I don't know how to feel!" I straightened up and rode to the address Harry gave me. It was just a few miles away from Scott's farmhouse. After a while, I pulled into the driveway of Harry's house. It was a multi-story house with a huge garden. Before getting out of the car I fixed my hair and makeup. I sighed and walked up to the door, ringing the doorbell. I tapped my feet while waiting impatiently. After a few moments, I heard the bark of a dog and a second later the door was answered by an attractive redhead woman. I suppose she was Harry's wife.
"Hey, it's Camille..." I cleared my husky voice. "Camille Davidson." I forced out a smile and she watched me with confusion and said nothing. "Scott's..." My voice trailed off as I didn't understand how to address myself. I didn't know what I am to Scott. I was not his girlfriend nor was I his wife. Maybe fuckfriend was a good word to describe our relationship. But we always had something more than sex.
"I saw you on television," she chirped out, staring at me from head to toe. "I could say you're more beautiful in person."
Oh, I never expected that. That's why she stared at me without blinking.
"Thanks." I smiled. My smile came out genuine. "I thought you scared me, that's..."
"Please, come on in." She cut me off and stepped back, letting me get inside. As soon as I entered the house, warmth enveloped me. I could smell the delicious aroma of muffins, chocolates, and bread. Her house was a real house, unlike mine. I looked at the scattered toys and stationery in the living room. The dog sniffed my legs before licking me. I giggled and bent down to stroke his neck. The redhead glanced at me over her shoulder, giving me a warm smile. "He begins to like you. He is not used to strangers in his house."
She gestured to me to take a seat on the couch and I plopped down. She sat across from me. "Um...I forgot to introduce myself." She threw an embarrassed smile before holding out her hand. "My name is Jasmine Stapleton, Harry's wife. Nice to meet you, Camille Davidson."
I shook her hand with the same broad smile. "Nice to meet you too, Jasmine."
"You can call me Jas." She grinned widely. "Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you." I looked around the hall. "Where is Harry?"
"He is just taking a shower." She glanced at one of the rooms on the ground floor and looked at me. "It will take him just a couple of minutes," she replied. "So how is Scott?"
"Actually..." I cleared my throat, suddenly getting uncomfortable with her question. I don't even know where he is. "I'm here for him. I don't know where he is. It has been four months since I last saw him. I went to his farmhouse and I found..." I fished out his phone from my purse and held it in front of her. "His broken phone." I caught her concerned eyes. "I hope Harry can help me find him."
She sighed, clearly disappointed by my answer. "Scott is a kind person. Though we hadn't spent much time together I knew him better than his best friend. I read about his interview and my brother used to work in his company in the acoustic department. He was such an excellent boss and the kindest actor of all time. When I met him for the first time five years ago in the hospital when Miley was born." She smiled at that moment. "Wow, he looked so adorable with my baby girl. I could tell you are the lucky one who he loves the most." I frowned and she explained. "Harry has told me everything about you two. Your on-and-off relationship with him. I'm sorry I'm getting too personal. Your relationship is not my concern but still..."
"No, it's okay." I interrupted her with a plastered smile. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Hey, ladies..." Harry walked out of the room in a pants and t-shirt. His hair was damp from the shower. He sat next to his wife and placed his hand on her thigh, smiling at her before he gave me his attention. "You're just..." His eyes scanned me from head to toe. "If Scott were here he would have killed me by leering at you." He laughed when his wife slapped his shoulder playfully. "So how is it going? How is Colette?"
"She just started school and is enjoying it very much."
"She seems like a bright student."
"She is a genius. She is always this curious mind, asking questions all the time."
"Scott told me about her uncountable questions," Harry said while breaking into a laugh. "He always talked about her like his world revolved around her."
"Do you have any idea where he could be?" I asked him all of a sudden and he paused like he didn't expect that.
"I thought he was staying with you."
"I asked him to leave," I said honestly and Harry frowned.
"You asked him to leave?" Jasmine blurted out in surprise. "But why?"
"Because I didn't want him in my life." It was difficult to be honest with them because they were watching me like I was a criminal.
"Wait." Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't understand what you are talking about. I assumed you two were getting along nicely."
"I didn't like him in Colette's life because of what he did to me in the past. I expected him to tell you how he treated me four years ago."
"It was just a misunderstanding, Cami." Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Jesus Christ, you just asked him to leave after taking away all his money?"
I winced at his words and taunts. Jasmine squeezed her husband's hand in warning when she caught my hurt expression. "Watch out, Harry."
"Um...I'm sorry." He sighed. "I have become protective of him. He just lost everything, Cami. But still he was happy because it all belonged to Colette."
I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply. "I've talked to my lawyer. I'll return everything as soon as I find him. I don't want a penny of that." I stood up and grabbed my purse. "Can you please give his driver's contact number?"
"Amos?" Harry asked and I nodded. Then he quickly scrolled the screen of his phone and gave me his number. He sighed and stood up, staring into my eyes. "I'm sorry I'm being rude, Cami. I don't want to hurt you. I could feel how you are feeling at this moment. I should not have made assumptions without knowing anything."
"No, it's fine, Harry. I am used to it. People always judge what they see and what they hear." I walked off without waiting for his response. I breathed hard when I got into my car. Harry's words stabbed right into my heart. He was right. I just asked Scott to leave after taking away all his wealth.
*********
I parked my car in front of an old house. I double checked the address and it was correct. It looked like no one lived there. As there was no doorbell, I inhaled deeply and knocked on the door with my fist. Minutes passed and no one appeared so I knocked on it again. After a moment I heard the creak of the floor when someone walked up to the door. I felt my palms sweating and my breathing was irregular due to nervousness. Amos answered the door.
"Hi..." I hesitated to smile but he looked at me with a hard expression. "It's Camille Davidson."
"You don't have to introduce me. I'm well aware of you," he replied, and then he invited me into his house. I hesitated only for a moment before stepping inside and looking around. That place was old but clean. "Have a seat, Miss Davidson. I'll bring you water."
I didn't refuse him because I was really thirsty and my throat was dry. He returned with two glasses of water and set the tray on the table. I reached out to the glass and gulped the entire contents. "Thanks." I breathed and wiped my mouth with my hand.
"Why are you here?" He asked in a demanding way like he didn't like my presence there.
"Um...maybe you know about Scott." I watched him with hopeful eyes but he looked away and shook his head. "Please..." I begged him. "I want to meet him."
"Unfortunately, I don't know about him." He released a sigh. "I never expected that you would be doing that to him."
"Please, Amos..." I knew he knew about Scott. I could tell that by his expression. He knew everything about him. "I regret my actions, trust me. I'll fix everything once I meet him."
"It's too late to regret it, Miss Davidson. You're late."
"What do you mean?"
"God, you know nothing about him. How could you possibly love him?"
"I love him," I said firmly.
"You don't, Miss Davidson. You've never loved him." He gritted his teeth. "You just used him for your benefit." He inhaled deeply, clenching his hands into fists. "He loved you twelve years ago, he loved you four years ago and he loved you four months ago. But you..." He sighed in despair. "But you never understood his love."
I didn't know when tears rolled down my cheeks as I quickly wiped them away. "Is he okay?"
He shook his head slowly. "Camille..." Amos breathed out. His expression turned serious and his voice softened. He reached out to me and placed his hand on mine. I panicked when I sensed what he was about to tell me. "He is..." He exhaled nervously again. "He is dying."