"Where's Jauregui?"
"Sir, you need to calm down. You can't come in without an appointment."
Selena tries her best to keep the tall, aggressive man at bay. Her employees around her start fearing for their lives as they don't know what he's capable of. He could have a weapon on him for all they know. Security is called quick.
"I don't care. Jauregui is next on my list," Shawn hisses, pushing past her.
"Your press conference is scheduled for tomorrow at 10 so you should be in the auditorium no later than 9:30 to prepare-"
"Oh my god!" Lauren exclaims, causing Ally to snap her head up from her tablet.
"What?!"
"Look how cute they are," Lauren turns her phone to show Ally an adorable photo of Olivia and Jason swinging on the swings together during recess. Camila had snapped the picture and sent it to Lauren right away, knowing she would die at the sight. "I have the best kids in the world," she coos with a cute, pouty face.
"Lauren," Ally sighs, removing her glasses. "I know you have the best kids in the world but we have a lot to do here."
Lately, Ally's job has consisted of getting Lauren to concentrate on work. She's just been so distracted with her children and... well, Camila.
"You're right, you're right. I'm sorry," the boss puts down her phone and focuses on her assistant again.
"Okay, like I was saying-"
"Lauren." Just then, one of the security guards enters her office, sounding out of breath.
"Jesus Christ," Ally rolls her eyes at the constant interruptions. Can she just do her job for once?
"Sorry but, there's been an intruder. A man. He was coming after you," he explains hurriedly, shutting the door behind him and locking it.
Lauren frowns. "After me?"
"Don't worry. We got him in handcuffs now, holding him till the police get here. But the employees are frightened-"
"Woah, who's the man? I need to go out there," Lauren gets out of her chair and heads toward the door.
"I've been told by the head of security to keep you here until he's off the premises," he blocks her from leaving.
"And I'm telling you as the head of head of security to let me out of my goddamn office," she demands. Ally shakes her head, chuckling.
"Yes, ma'am," the guard sure as hell won't say no to the CEO.
He steps aside and follows both her and Ally outside and down the elevator. "Who is this guy? Do we have a name?"
"None that I heard so far. He was tall, though. Six foot something, long brown, curly hair... thin."
"Shawn," both Ally and Lauren say in unison.
"Why would Shawn be trying to break in and come for you like this?" Ally frowns at the boss.
"Because he's a fucking lunatic," Lauren rolls her eyes and once the elevator door opens, the chaos is revealed. Almost every single employee on the first floor is nowhere to be seen. Selena was even with the police, looking frightened.
"Miss Jauregui," the head of security, Bill, approaches her.
"What's the meaning of all this? Where's Mendes?" she asks, peering around at her disheveled business.
"He's in the custody of the police now. We stopped him before he tried anything dangerous," he explains.
Just then an actual police officer comes up from her right. "Miss Jauregui, there's been an incident involving Mr. Mendes and the mother of your child, Veronica Iglesias."
Lauren's eyes slowly widen. "What did he do?"
"He ran into her with his car going seventy miles per hour. She was just rushed to the ER-"
"Oh my god. No," her face falls as the world slows down for a minute. Ally looks up at her, her own stopping as well. "She was... hit? Is she alive?"
"Yes, ma'am, but I'm not so sure for how long. We can get you to the hospital ourselves if you'd like," he offers.
"Please. Ally, can you stay and make sure things are taken care of?" Lauren asks her right-hand woman. "You can send anyone home if they want to go."
"Of course," she nods. "Shall I cancel the press conference tomorrow as well?"
"If you would, I'd appreciate it," she thanks the assistant and they both pull each other in a hug. Although they worked together, their friendship was always before anything else.
"Good luck, boss," Ally sees her off.
Lauren leaves the building with the police immediately. She can't even think straight as her mind and heart are racing. Her hands shake, nerves causing her stomach to ache.
What would she do if Vero didn't make it? How would she explain it to Olivia? Never in a million years did she think she and her daughter would have to go through this. She'd never wish this on anybody.
Lauren is escorted into the hospital and the nurses lead her to where Vero is in the ICU. She hears the heart monitor beep slowly and once her eyes land on the mother of one of her children, time slows down even more.
There lies the woman with her eyes closed, an oxygen mask over her mouth, and tubes in her veins. What's even worse are all the bandages around her head and arms. One of the arms is already in a cast as it's probably broken.
She shudders at the sight of her ex, looking like she's on the verge of death. All the cuts and bruises on her face will surely leave scars. Even her eyes are black and swollen. Everything on her body looked broken.
"Vero..." Lauren is hesitant in her steps that lead her closer. Her shaking hand covers her mouth and she doesn't know whether to just cry or punch something.
Mendes is a dead man.
"Miss Iglesias is currently in a coma. She's suffering from both a traumatic head injury that caused the coma and spinal cord injury. We're still running tests and doing all that we can to figure out the severity but we're thinking she will be paralyzed from the waist down."
"What?" Lauren stares at the doctor in shock. "Paralyzed?"
"Her lower spinal cord is ruptured so part of the brain is unable to send or receive any singles to her lower region," he explains more.
"Fuck," her eyes fill with slight tears. Never in a million years would she have thought she'd cry over an ex. This one in particular especially. But this was regarding Vero's life. Also, something Lauren would have never thought would be in jeopardy. "Is it permanent?"
"We're not sure yet. It could be or could hopefully just be temporary."
"Oh my god," Lauren has to sit down again from the astonishment coursing through her body.
Again, never in a million years would she be this devastated over Vero. But here she was by her bedside in a hospital, shaking in both shock and fury.
"It was just her birthday yesterday," she mutters. "Livvy and I went over to celebrate. They had such a good day together."
How was she going to tell her daughter that her mother was in a coma and would not likely be able to walk again?
"Camz?" Lauren paces around in the hallway of the hospital after dialing the teacher's number.
"Lauren? Hey, what's going on?" she answers on her school's work phone. She immediately knows it's serious since Lauren would call her work phone and not her cell. And it's only for emergencies of course.
Lauren could have just called the secretary and have Olivia released from class but she wanted to let Camila know what the deal was first.
"Vero got hit by a car," she begins, catching Camila off guard. "Shawn fucking hit her with his car."
The teacher opens her mouth but nothing comes out. All she does is look at Olivia who is occupied with coloring a picture. "...W-what?"
"She's in the hospital, in a coma. She might be paralyzed. It's really bad, Camz," her voice cracks and her lips tremble as she watches Vero's parents sob over their daughter by the hospital bed.
"Oh my god," Camila tries to process everything at once. Vero getting hit by a car, Shawn being the one who hit her, Vero in a coma. For fucks sakes. What was going on in this world? "Do you want me to send her there with you?"
"Yeah, I'm on my way to get her. Just wanted to give you a heads up first," Lauren tells her as she exits the hospital.
When Lauren gets to the school, everything happens so fast. Olivia, confused, leaves with her 'mother' but not before Camila gives Lauren a hug. A long one at that. Camila fully embraces the CEO in her arms, whispering how sorry she is.
Lauren looks down at her, baffled. What on earth is Camila sorry for? For her psycho ex-husband?
"Camz, look at me," she places her hand under the teacher's chin. Camila does as she says, eyes looking up at her and then to her lips that are just inches away. "Please don't apologize for that man. This is on him. He knew what he was doing and had full intentions of hurting Vero. Hurting all of us. He was going to come for me next."
Camila's face falls at the thought of Lauren getting hurt. Especially at the hands of her rotten ex-husband. She couldn't bear the thought of her Lauren in the hospital, maybe even paralyzed like Vero.
"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I mean, I'm sorry for doing that."
Lauren chuckles and pulls her in for another hug. Once again, she kisses the side of Camila's head. Luckily, it was nap time so the kids didn't see anything through the door.
***
"Mama, why are we here?" Olivia frowns as she holds Lauren's hand during their walk throughout the hospital.
"Livvy," Lauren stops them right outside Vero's room. "There's something you should know before going to see Mommy."
"...What?"
"Well... you see, Mommy is... asleep," she first explains. "She's in a deep sleep so she might not wake up right now. But it should be only temporary. She'll wake up... but we don't know when."
"She's sleeping?" the little girl tries to understand.
"Yes, honey," the mother nods. "So, let's just let her rest until she wakes up, okay?"
"Okay," Olivia whispers and takes Lauren's hand again.
Lauren was grateful for having talked to the little one beforehand. Olivia thankfully didn't freak out that her mother was unconscious and wouldn't move. Not even an inch.
The mother and daughter just sat with Vero's parents and waited for the woman to come out of the coma. They simply just waited. They waited for hours late into the night.
Olivia's grandmother cried some more and held onto the child closely. She'd be ruined if her daughter didn't come out of this. Her own baby girl. At least she would have sweet, little Olivia there to remind her of Vero. No matter how challenging Vero was, she still brought a treasure into the world. Something Lauren still thanks her for as well. And Vero deserves to be here to watch that treasure grow up just as much.
Cami facetimed Lauren later that night. She feels bad that she can't be there to console her girlfriend as the latter has been going through so much.
However, that stops when Camila walks into the hospital waiting room with Jason in tow. Lauren looks up from her phone at the two of them; the mother with a bag of food in one hand. "Hey, babe, I gotta go. The doctor's coming," she lies as Cami would probably feel uncomfortable at the fact that Camila's there. But that's a whole other issue.
"Okay, I love you, baby."
"I love you, too," she quickly smiles down at her before hanging up.
"Hey," Camila steps closer to the CEO. "How is she?"
"She's... the same. Still won't wake," Lauren sighs. "But she probably won't for some time."
Camila sends her frown and looks down at what she has. "I got you guys some Cuban takeout. Didn't know if you've eaten yet."
"Oh my god, thank you so much. We haven't," Lauren immediately grabs the bag. She can't lie... her stomach has been growling for the past two hours. Not like that's the first time. Some nights she didn't even eat dinner because she'd still be working. "Hi, Jason," Lauren smiles down at her son.
"Hi," he replies in a small voice and goes in to give her a hug.
Lauren has relished the time getting to know Jason and build a relationship with him. She thinks he has too since he's warmed up to her each and every time he'd go over to her house.
The four of them eventually all sit down to eat the Cuban cuisine in the hospital cafeteria. The kids talk and Lauren and Camila discuss all of what's happened in the day. One minute Lauren was talking about her upcoming press conference for her new product and the next minute, there's been an intruder in her building who had just tried to murder her ex-girlfriend. Way too much to handle all in one day.
Camila once again just consoles her and tells her how sorry she is for her. This is the last thing Lauren deserves. Well, especially the last thing Vero deserves. While they never really got along, Camila still would never wish this on anyone. Not even on her own worst enemy which Vero was. She was working hard on bettering herself and improving fast. Camila actually thought that one day she and Vero could eventually become friends. If not friends, just not enemies.
"Do you want me to stay tonight?" the Cuban-Mexican asks after their meal. "I can have my mom come get Jason."
"Oh no, you should go. I'll be fine here. V's parents got the couches in the room so I'll take a chair out here," Lauren replies, not wanting to burden Camila.
"Are you sure? I don't mind spending the night either." Totally not because she'd like to spend another night sleeping next to Lauren. No, not at all.
"I know but... it's okay. You and the kids have school tomorrow," Lauren sends her a look that says she's thankful for the offer. She really is. "Um... do you think you can take Olivia home? I can text my mom and tell her you'll drop her off-"
"Or she just can stay at my place and I can take her in the morning with us," Camila shrugs since that's a much better option. "I'll wash her clothes tonight and lend her a pair of Jason's T-shirt and shorts."
Lauren sighs contently and smiles. "You're the best," she moves to hug her.
Camila will never get tired of her hugs. They're so warm and just... meaningful. Lauren doesn't hug just to hug. They have something special behind them. Or maybe that's just in her head.
"Okay, kiddos, let's go. It's way past your bedtime," Camila calls the kids over and she takes both of them by the hands.
"Am I going to your house, Miss Mila?" Olivia asks politely as she so ever does. She's one of the nicest kids in class and always respectfully raises her hand to ask the teacher a question.
"Yes, you are!" she smiles down at her.
"Yay!" The kids cheer together since they love having sleepovers.
After Lauren helps Camila get the kids into their car seats, she and the latter exchange a few more words before they hug again.
Lauren wraps her arms around Camila's shoulders whereas the other mom nuzzles into her chest. She takes all of her in. Her scent, her warmth, her security. It all just feels like home. Her favorite place.
They pull away just an inch so they can look at each other. Not just look... get lost in each other. Lauren once again, tucks a few strands of hair behind Camila's ear, causing the latter's face to heat up.
This has happened one too many times and no matter how much Camila loved it, they still had boundaries to maintain. "Lauren," she whispers as the other woman's eyes stare at her lips and look up. "Do you love Cami?"
She looks at a loss for words once asked that. The girl she once loved asking her if she loves the girl that she currently loves. Or at least is supposed to love.
Lauren sends her a pained look as her response. She doesn't want to tell her she still loves Cami because... she loves Camila, too. The Camila standing in front of her.
And maybe she just thinks she loves her. What with raising a child together, Cami being far away, and well... having gone months without sex. All of it is just building up tension. Tension that's making her act up inappropriately... apparently.
Look at her. Inches away from pressing her lips against the lips of her child's mother. Her ex-girlfriend. She can't be doing this.
"I... I do," she wished to have answered much more confidently but she stutters.
However, that's enough for Camila to nod and slowly back off. This wasn't going to happen.
It's as if Lauren is pleading for her through her eyes. Their hands lock together only for them to let go within seconds. They wish to not part but it's what they have to do. There's no other choice.
"Goodnight, Lauren," Camila opens the door of her car and gets in, not bothering to look back at the puppy dog green eyes who now don't want her to leave.
"Camz," she tries as the other mom starts the engine. She rolls down the window.
"I'll call you in the morning," Camila sends her a soft smile.
Lauren has one more chance but when she opens her mouth, the thing she wishes to say doesn't come out. She loves Camila Mendes but she loves Camila Cabello, too. Maybe more. But how on earth was she supposed to say that? To either Camila.
"Have a good night," she says, giving up. There's just no use. Not right now at least.
If she was ever going to leave her girlfriend, it wasn't going to be in this fashion. Lauren swears she's not a cheater and goddammit, she keeps her word. She and Cami have just been through too much for her to do that.
And if Lauren and Camila are truly meant to be, it'll happen when it's supposed to happen.
________________________________
Another week passes by and Vero still hasn't woken up. The chances of her becoming permanently paralyzed have dramatically increased which has only devastated her friends and family even more.
Lauren and Olivia visited her about two to three times during the week. It's gone up more after the little girl's last day of school, meaning Camila and Jason also had more free time to join them on their visits. The co-parents would take walks around the halls while Vero's mom watched the twins play in the waiting room.
Finally, the time of Shawn's sentencing trial came and it thankfully went quick and easy. Lauren, Camila, and all the parents and friends sat in the courtroom where Shawn and his lawyer were on the defendant's side of the room.
The young man was dressed in his orange prison uniform and had a face so stone cold, no one could tell if he was remorseful or perfectly content with what he did. He just stared into space so creepily and disturbingly.
The judge ended up sentencing Shawn to life in prison after he pled guilty for attempted murder. His parents and sister cried. Not because they were sorry for him but in shame and disgrace of his actions.
On the other hand, Lauren and Camila were relieved and quite glad that this dangerous man would be placed behind bars for the rest of his life. If he had gotten there quicker, he might have been successful in killing Lauren after almost killing Vero. And then who knows who else? The kids? He needed to be locked away for good.
"Lauren?" Mr. and Mrs. Mendes approach her after the hearing.
"Hey," she turns around awkwardly.
"We just wanted to tell you that we can cover all of Vero's medical bills," the wife offers.
"What?" Lauren frowns.
"Please, allow us," the husband speaks up. "After what our son did to Vero, it's the least we can do. We already asked her parents but they said you insisted on covering the payments."
"And I still insist, Mr. and Mrs. Mendes," she says. "This is not your fault. You had nothing to do with anything. No part of this at all."
"Please. We feel awful-"
"No," she stops them again, shaking her head. "I very much appreciate the offer but we got it all handled." She smiles at their guilty, helpless faces, trying to appease them. "It'll be okay. Just hang in there."
They thank Lauren for handling everything so well. They also apologize again to Vero's parents and Camila and her parents as well. Tons of photographers and press take their pictures as they're the first group to leave the courthouse.
Shawn's sentence quickly made the headlines on Miami's local news. Due to Lauren being kind of famous and the incident being so widespread around the city, the public was grateful to hear Shawn got what he deserved.
"I'm abhorred by Shawn Mendes' actions," Lauren first begins to release to the press. "I'm even more abhorred at the result and effect it had in Veronica Iglesias. She is still in the hospital, in a coma, and suffering from paralyzation. Fortunately, her heart still beats, and she has a good chance of waking up very soon. Although Vero and I have had our differences in the past, I look forward to the day she wakes up and can be with her family again. Our daughter, Olivia, misses her very much and asks me every day when her mommy's going to wake up. I hope Vero and I can continue to raise her together in the near future. All I want is for them to see each other again."
Journalists and news reporters keep pestering her with questions but she escapes them with her security. Two of Lauren's guards also protect Camila who follows after her. She didn't want to give as long of a statement. She simply just said that she is happy justice is served.
_____________________________
Later that night, Camila went home with Lauren while Vero's mom and dad offered to watch Olivia. Jason was sleeping in the room Lauren had set up for him. It was personalized for him and everything.
The two stayed up late talking about the events that happened that day. Mainly because they wanted to express their feelings about it but to also feel comforted by one another. They just feel safe when they're together and know they can trust each other with anything they say.
They lie on Lauren's bed but only on top of the comforter, not under the sheets. Heaven forbid they get that intimate. But they lie down together and dive deep in conversation. Sometimes they'd get off topic but that was one of Lauren's favorite things. It brought her back to high school whenever she and her best friend did this during their sleepovers. And of course when they dated. Camila would just ramble about God knows what and Lauren would just listen because she loved the sound of her voice so much.
She felt the same way tonight listening to her.
Same with Camila. She was hanging on to Lauren's every word, fighting to stay awake. But she didn't care how tired she was... she just wanted to keep listening to Lauren and looking at her all night. She's way too beautiful to not look at.
God, she's so in love. She's in love with everything about her. The way her lips move and the way her eyes shine. Anyone can see that in Camila's eyes, Lauren puts the stars in the sky. She's fallen hard but she can't say anything. Not yet anyway. Not when Lauren is still taken. She hopes she doesn't marry the other Camila. She knows she loves her but she doesn't know what she would do if they tied the knot. No idea.
"Do you wanna spend the night?" Lauren offers in a tired, husky voice.
It's the most attractive sound that falls on Camila's ears. Ugh, if only she could and stay with Lauren in her bed. Her big, warm king-sized bed. Underneath the covers.
"Seeing as how it's one in the morning, I think I should take you up on that," she giggles, slowly lifting herself up.
Lauren feels a pang in her chest and suddenly hates to see the other woman get up from her bed. "Wait-" she stops Camila.
"Yeah?"
She bites her lip and pauses. "...Let me help you get set up in the other room."
It's not what Camila wants to hear and not what Lauren wants to say either. The latter actually wanted to ask her to stay in her bed but thinking over it, would be inappropriate.
Again, if they were to get together, it wouldn't be this way. Not under these circumstances. And not when Lauren still has a girlfriend.
"Okay," Camila grins lightly and lets Lauren lead her out of the master bedroom.
"Well... goodnight," Lauren is first to say as they're outside of Camila's room. It's the guest room she usually stays in whenever she sleeps over. Not like it's a lot of times but she does stay every once in a while.
"Goodnight," the other mom replies in a small voice. "Thank you for... everything. Like, everything, Lauren. I literally couldn't do any of this without you. I mean that."
Lauren's stomach fills with butterflies and she smiles down at the floor bashfully. "Likewise, Camz. You keep me strong throughout all of this."
One last ponder at each other's lips and they have to force themselves to part ways. They say a final goodnight and Lauren pads back to her room with a skip in her step. She gets under the cozy covers with a big smile on her face, thinking about how warm Camila makes her feel. It's risky and quite dangerous but quite exciting and fun.
But it's also hurtful to the one she made a commitment to. Lauren thinks about it some more and maybe she does need to have a serious talk with Cami.
About an hour later when Lauren's deep into her sleep, there's a dip in the king-sized mattress, and a pair of lips press to Lauren's cheek.
The homeowner moans and stirs under the sheets. The more kisses and touching she feels, she tries to blink her eyes open to see in the pitch-black room.
What on earth? Who is touching me?
"...Camila?" she wonders aloud as it's the only other explanation since her girlfriend is thousands of miles away.
"Hi, baby," says the whispering voice.
"Woah," Lauren mutters and quickly turns the lamp on. And thank the heavens above that she does because none other than her own girlfriend sits on the bed before her. "Cami?!"
"Aww, baby, you knew it was me just from my touch?" she coos adorably.
"...Yeah... of course," Lauren lies. Only to not hurt her feelings.
"I love you," Cami moves in to kiss Lauren on the lips as it's their first kiss shared between them in months. "I missed you. I missed you so much," she pants after catching her breath.
"I missed you, too," the Cuban-American says back confused. "And not that I'm unhappy to see you but... why are you back so early?"
"Well, I talked to my agent and director and convinced them to let me come back home for a little while," she starts, making herself comfortable under the covers. "I hated leaving you in the middle of all the chaos. I felt so bad being so far away while you dealt with all this. Especially today during the trial. I'm so sorry I wasn't there."
Lauren looks down and nods. "It's okay, Cami. He got what he deserved. It turned out perfectly. And it's not like it's your fault you were gone. You had a job to do."
"I know, but I still told you I'd be there for you during this and I'm not going to break my promise. You've never broken yours to me," she leans in again and they kiss once more.
The only thing is that Lauren's ex-girlfriend is just "casually" sleeping over in the room down the hall from them.
Shit. How in the hell is she supposed to tell that to her current girlfriend? What's she even going to think? How will she react?
Lauren could be sneaky and text Camila that Cami came home and she should leave early. But what kind of person would she be asking that? What kind of partner does that say about her? She and Cami never kept secrets before so why start now?
"Thank you... baby, for... doing that. It means a lot," she forces a smile. A forced, nervous smile. Godammit, Lauren's never been a great liar anyway.
"You'd do the same for me," the actress smiles and cuddles into her. "So, do you want to talk about the trial now or tomorrow?"
"...Tomorrow. I'm really tired," Lauren says. And because she really didn't want to bother talking about it for another three hours after having talked with Camila about it for so long.
"Okay, goodnight, sweetie."
"Goodnight," Lauren breathes, draping her arm around her girlfriend's side as the latter snuggles closer.
__________________________
A/N: Vero's not dead! 😄
I still have a little ways to go with the story so hang in there! My goal is to have it all done by the end of the summer. Although you never know with me 🤪
Stay tuned for more and expect more Camren to come soon 🥰