POV Lauren Jauregui
"I-I don't know if I can call you 'dad'." I said awkwardly, running the tip of my index finger around the brim of the mug in front of me. I lowered my gaze and remembered how many times I called Mike 'father' out of obligation.
"I know that that will happen naturally, Lauren." The man said with a smile on his lips, comforting me.
"Listen..." I said and took a deep breath. "Have you ever felt like you're doing the right thing, but your 'right' isn't most people's standard of 'right'?" I asked quickly, gesticulating with my hands, and Ronald laughed. "What?"
"You look just like your mother when you're like this." Ronald laughed, shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" I asked smiling. Anything that reminded me of my mother made me happy, anything that would bring me closer to her.
"This way you have of speaking when you're nervous about something." The man's smile faded, and with it, the glint of his eyes. Ronald was lost in his thoughts. "When she was nervous, she always spoke fast and stumbled over her words." He was staring at a fixed spot as he spoke of my mother with such passion. "She gesticulated with her hands a lot just like you do." He finally looked at me, and flashed me a grateful smile, as if finding me was the best thing that has ever happened to him.
"Do you want more coffee?"
"Yes, please, Lauren." He said, so I signaled the waiter who soon brought us more of that drink I loved so much. "But going back to what you said, about things being right or not." Ronald touched my hand and then proceeded. "No one ever does what is right all the time, what is right to you may not be right to me, and vice versa. Just follow your intuition, something good always comes out of it."
Ronald was absolutely right. I knew that killing those people wasn't the best way to do justice, but it was the best way I found, so that was the right thing to me, at that moment. Camila had asked me to turn myself in, that was her way of doing what was right to her, and as much as I think I deserve better than a filthy cell, bad food and sunbathing at monitored times, she deserved better, Camila deserved peace, and I'll give that to her.
"Indeed, thank you... dad." I said awkwardly. Ronald squeezed my hand and smiled in satisfaction. "It's really hard to say that word, it's uncomfortable, it never meant family to me."
"Call me whatever you want, Lauren, but just call me." I smiled at the man and took another sip of my coffee.
"How are things at the company since Mike's death?" I asked.
"Rob's in charge, and I don't understand why to be honest, it should be you there."
"Or you..."
"What? No, it wouldn't be fair." Ronald said and removed his hand from mine, and his serious posture made a comeback.
"Why not? That company was my grandfather's and then it was my mother's, and Mike only got his hands on it because my mother died. And now Rob's in charge, and he's not even family, you are, you're my father."
"That situation is very conflict of interest-ish." The man said.
"Of course not, I wanted you in the presidency before I even knew you were my father, do you remember?"
Ronald looked thoughtful and then nodded. "Yes, I remember..."
"I don't have enough competence to run that company, you do." I took another sip of the coffee to then proceed. "Rob is only still in charge because I haven't had time to meet with a lawyer to take care of things."
Lawyer... Well remembered! I was going to need one, and one of the best in Miami.
"What about your sister Taylor? Will she accept it?"
"Of course she will, don't worry about that. If I can't help you with this, Taylor will take care of everything."
"And why wouldn't you be able to? Are you going somewhere?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
"It's just a manner of speaking." I said, flashing an awkward smile. "Now I have to go, thank you so much for the advice and the coffee."
"I think that's what parents do, isn't it?!"
As soon as I said goodbye to Ronald, I was determined to meet with Camila. I needed to take all that weight off my back, at least once in my life, I had to be honest with everyone around me and with myself.
Inside my car parked in front of the police station, I took a deep breath to then get out and walk to the entrance. I walked through the doors, and nothing had changed, everything at the front desk was organized, there was people reporting whatever and cops leading criminals to their proper places. I approached the police officer who was behind the counter handling people's complaints, and it didn't take long for my turn to arrive.
"How can I help you?"
"I'd like to speak to Deputy Cabello, is she here?"
"What do you want to discuss with Deputy Cabello?"
Bitch... It's none of your business.
"It's personal, can you please tell her that I'm here?"
The police officer looked at me, arching her eyebrows in disbelief, but immediately turned her attention away and began to organize a pile of papers, ignoring me completely.
"Deputy Cabello is busy, whatever your personal matter is with her, wait until her shift's over-"
"Denise! If you don't want to be out of a job for the rest of your life, you better change your tone when you're talking to people who come here for help!" Dinah's voice sounded, firm, drawing my attention and the other officer's. The rude woman's eyes widened at the severity of my friend, who was now walking towards us. "Especially if that person is Lauren, who is family!"
"I-I'm sorry, Officer Hansen. I sw-wear I wasn't-"
"Save your excuses for later, when Camila questions your attitudes here!" Dinah looked in a serious way at the other woman, who cringed with every word. I confess that that wasn't completely necessary, but Dinah should know what she was doing. "Come, Lauren." Dinah called me as she entered one of the rooms there. I took one last look at the police officer and then follow Dinah. "How can I help you?"
"I need to talk to Camila."
Dinah, who was smiling, frowned, not understanding my sudden urge to speak to the young deputy.
"Look, Lauren, I don't know if this is a good place for you two-"
"No, Dinah! It's nothing like that." I let out a heavy breath. "It has nothing to do with our old relationship. I just... I just need her help, only she understands me!"
Dinah, who was leaning against the wall, approached me slowly, and what I least expected happened... Dinah enveloped me in a tight hug. My body remained tense, but soon relaxed.
"I know that things between you aren't going well, I see it in her face, but I don't question her or you. She hurt you and if you really need her help it's because it's something serious." I nodded my head as soon as Dinah pulled away a little to look at me. I was praying inwardly for Dinah not to fill me with questions and to let me go as soon as possible so I could see the deputy. "Alright... Camila didn't come to work today. She took the day off, and with good reason! She really hasn't been feeling well, I even suspect that she's..." Dinah realized that she was saying too much, so she took care of closing her mouth, which made me even more intrigued.
"That she's what, Dinah?"
"Nothing, Lauren! Camila is in her apartment..."
"Tell me, Dinah! What do you suspect?"
I was already losing what little patience I had left. Weren't we too old to play this game?
"Look, Lauren... Go talk to Camila about what you need, I will no longer meddle between you two." Dinah didn't even give me the chance to say anything else, because she left me there, standing like an idiot.
I left the precinct more nervous than before, if Dinah thought that I'd let that go, she was completely mistaken, if she wouldn't tell me anything, Camila would have to.
An indisposition struck me, I felt suffocated, my throat burned, and everything told me that that sudden lack of air was related to Camila. I never drove as fast through the streets of Miami as I did today. I stopped the car abruptly next to Camila's building, the fear that something bad was happening to her drove me out of control, my chest rose and fell uncontrollably, it burned like never before, warning me that something was wrong. I opened the car door with certain desperation, but as soon as I closed it, I saw Robert talking to the doorman. I hid behind the car so he wouldn't see me, and remained alert. I had to wait for him to get into his car and drive out of there before I could head to Camila's building.
The lack of air increased, everything seemed to be in slow motion. I didn't have to identify myself to the doorman, the man knew me and granted my access immediately with a smile on his face, greeting me with a 'good afternoon'. I ignored him and went on my way. The elevator was slower than normal, everything was slow, even my thoughts, I couldn't think about anything. The enclosed environment only worsened my lack of air, if that thing didn't move fast, I'd end up having a panic attack in there. The beep of the elevator informed me that I had already arrived to my destination, and my body practically threw itself out of that small can. When I finally stopped in front of Camila's door, I took a deep breath.
It may be nothing, Lauren, after all, Camila and Rob were together. – I thought to myself.
But something told me that it wasn't just that. I looked at the door and tried to catch my breath, to calm myself down, I was in a deplorable state. I took a deep breath once, twice, thrice before knocking on the door. No one answered, a chill ran down my spine, so I knocked on the door in a more desperate way, but nothing happened.
"CAMILA!" I shouted. "CAMILA!" I knocked a few more times on the door, and someone from the apartment next door came out and looked at me with a not very friendly face. If I wasn't so desperate and in a hurry, I could waste my time explaining what was going on, but I couldn't afford that now. So I repeated the scandalous knocks.
I brought my hand to the doorknob and turned it, and strangely, it was unlocked. As the door opened, I could hear the TV on, but no trace of Camila.
I walked in and swept my eyes quickly around the room, and nothing. I approached the couch and a body on the floor came into my line of sight. I knew those curves very well. My heart hammered in my chest in a strong beat, and the only thing I was able to do was run to Camila's body, which was unconscious.
POV Camila Cabello
The strong smell of alcohol slowly forced me to abandon the darkness. Light slaps were being given on my face, so I closed my eyes tighter, squeezing them, reflex of the slaps.
"Camila!" That voice... "Camila, wake up please!"
Lauren!
Slowly, I struggled to open my eyes. A tear fell on my face, making me blink.
"Lauren?" I asked, my voice came out hoarse and weak. An ache bothered me, making me frown and close my mouth involuntarily.
"Camila! Camila!" Lauren pulled me to her lap and hugged me. "Goddammit... You scared the shit out of me!"
I felt lost, I couldn't remember exactly what had happened, I just found the brunette's sudden appearance strange.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked with a bit of difficulty.
Lauren, who was hugging me, gradually released me and looked at me seriously, her jaw was clenched.
"Excuse me?! Are you kidding me right now? What did Rob do to you?"
Rob? Like a blink of an eye, the events of minutes ago flashed in my mind, our argument, our physical fight and his threats before I blacked out. But how did Lauren know that Robert had actually done something to me? She wasn't here and I also don't remember scheduling anything with her in my apartment.
"Robert? Why do you think Robert has something to do with this, Lauren?" I freed myself from her arms and supported myself on the couch, and with a boost, I got up, but a slight dizziness made me grasp the leather of the couch tighter.
"Are you serious, Camila? I saw him leaving your apartment!" Lauren was now standing as well. Her voice tone indicated certain incredulity.
"Him being here doesn't mean he did something..."
"Oh really? So you were simply hugging the floor when I walked in?" Her voice tone was totally ironic, and there was disappointment in her countenance.
"Maybe I was! What are you doing here? You still haven't answered me." I arched my eyebrows and crossed my arms under my breasts. That whole reaction of mine was an armor, because inside, I was in shambles. Having to lie to Lauren after so much was revealed, was destroying me little by little.
"Seriously, Camila? Does my presence really bother you so much?" Her voice sounded hoarse and weak, I could see the pain behind those emerald orbs. I wanted to run to her and hug her, feel her scent, tell her everything, tell her how much I love her even after everything, even after she hid her biggest secret from me and deceived me for months. The idea of her turning herself in still hammered in my head, after all... it was the right thing to do, but her love and how much I missed her screamed louder. "No! You don't have to answer me." Lauren let out an ironic laugh, shaking her head, pulling me from my thoughts. "I came here to turn myself in, Camila... Not because I think it's right, but because of you, so you can feel at peace! I thought that all the weight you were feeling on your back was because of my actions, but in reality, it's about you! It has always been about you, and when it comes to your wishes, I do everything! Even continuing that endless little game with you!"
Her words hit me so hard, they affected me in such a way, that I barely noticed that I had stepped closer to the brunette. My hands crashed against her shoulders, pushing her back. "DON'T THROW ALL THE BLAME ON ME! I AM TIRED OF EVERYHTING BEING ON ME ALL THE TIME!" I pushed her again. At that point, the pain in my throat didn't even come close to the truth in Lauren's words.
"Camila!" I wasn't pushing her anymore, now I was slapping her. At first, Lauren allowed me to slap her in the most childish way, but it didn't take long for her strong arms to envelop me, making my movements impossible. "Tell me, Camila! Take all that weight off your back... Tell me that those marks on your neck and that your blackout were caused by Robert! Tell me why you really ended our happiness! Tell me everything you've been keeping to yourself, you have nothing to lose, or do you?"
"IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW? THEN YES! ROBERT WAS THE ONE WHO CHOKED ME UNTIL I BLACKED OUT, HE WAS THE ONE WHO THREATENED ME, THREATENED THE PEOPLE I LOVE MOST, HE WAS THE ONE WHO INVOLVED THE NAME OF YOUR FAMILY IN THIS, INVOLVED RAMON!"
"Involved in what, Camila?" Lauren looked at me, confused, her eyes were damp, she was probably holding back her tears just like me. The words came out so easily out of my mouth, but I couldn't be telling her that! I shouldn't, but at the moment nothing else mattered.
"Lauren... Robert isn't the man I thought he was." I shook my head. "I should've listened to you, listened to my friends from the beginning! Maybe then this burden wouldn't be on my back, maybe then I'd be in a good place with you, happy!"
"For the love of God, Camila, tell me what that pig did once and for all!" Lauren's hands grabbed mine, and her touch conveyed me safety.
"Please, Lauren..." I sobbed, letting the tears fall. "Please! Don't do anything stupid!"
"IF YOU DON'T START TALKING SOON, I'LL DO SOMETHING WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING WHY!" She exploded. I cringed a little, closing my eyes tightly.
"Robert is a child enticer!" I finally said it, feeling a relief flow through me. Lauren released me, taking two steps back. Her gaze was vague, she was shaking her head, perhaps denying what she had just heard.
"H-how... How could you get back together with him?! How could you let Taylor hang around with him? And Sofi..."
I approached Lauren quickly, held her face in both hands and made her look at me. I couldn't let her think that I had any blame in all this.
"Lauren!" I held her face tighter when she tried to pull away. "Listen to me! Look at me!" In the same instant, Lauren looked at me. I knew exactly the fear she was feeling, the fear of him having done something bad to Taylor. "I didn't know anything at all." I took a deep breath. "I only found out about it a little after we started dating, my boss contacted me, he wanted me to take this case, wanted me to help him catch Robert,-"
"So that's why you had to break up with me?" Lauren interrupted me. Her voice came out almost like a whisper.
"Yes!" I said. "I had to break up with you to try to arrest him, and that's how I found your warehouse... Lauren, you killed one of the few alternatives I had to put Robert in jail. Walter was his partner." I made a brief pause, I needed to be careful with what I spoke, I couldn't tell her everything, not now. "Robert is smart, Lauren... He found out I was investigating him, and that's why he did this to me, that's why he threatened me."
Lauren analyzed every inch of my face, in search of some bluff, in search of some trick or lie, but there were no lies, only facts.
"A-and what does my name and Ramon's have to do with this?"
Dammit! I really had talked too much. If I told her about the website, Lauren would most definitely go after Robert, and now that I knew what she really was, I was sure that she wouldn't go after him to talk.
"H-he... He threatened to hurt you two, Lauren." I made a brief pause to analyze her expression. Lauren clenched her jaw. "He saw us in the park with Ramon, and he said that if I didn't get out of his way, he'd hurt you, Ramon and Sofia."
"MOTHERFUCKER!"
"Lauren, calm down, please! Don't do anything stupid!"
"SON OF A BITCH! HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO HE'S MESSING WITH!" Lauren seemed to have entered another world, a world of her own, she was talking to herself. Her hands were balled into fists. I tried to hold her face, but she didn't let me. "HE'S NOT CRAZY ENOUGH TO TOUCH YOU AGAIN, HE BETTER NOT, AND HE BETTER NOT EVEN LOOK AT SOFIA AND RAMON!"
"LAUREN!" I held her face again, making her stop. "Don't do anything, please!"
"HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO NOT DO ANYTHING, CAMILA?! THAT PIG IS RUINING YOUR LIFE! RUINING MY LIFE!"
Lauren was right, ever since I found out about Robert, he's been ruining not only my life, but Lauren's as well.
"Listen to me, baby, please!" Lauren fell silent. "I know what you're feeling, because I felt the same, double even. You don't know how much I want justice to be done, but, please, Lauren, for me! Don't do justice with your own hands! Trust me, let me handle this."
I needed her to really hear me. I needed her to understand me. I needed her to be careful. I wouldn't be able to bear seeing him doing something bad to her. Robert was much more dangerous than I imagined.
Lauren stared at me, her gaze was intense, it was as if she was reading my every thought, every supplication that went through my mind. Her hands suddenly went to mine, taking them off her face. At first I even thought she hadn't accepted anything of what I had said, but she put my hands on her shoulders and then released them, enveloping me in a hug. I leaned my forehead against her chest and let the tears roll down my face, I was exhausted, everything in me screamed in exhaustion, my body and mind.
"I-I'm tired..." I said, choking on a desperate sob. "I'm lost, Lauren!"
Lauren didn't say anything, just led me to the couch. When she sat down with me on her lap, I snuggled up to her and cried, I cried nonstop.
"Shhh... Everything will be okay, Camila." Lauren whispered in my ear.
"Promise that you won't go after him and try to solve things your way." I needed her to promise, only then would I be at peace. Lauren stayed in silence for a while, her caress on my body stopped, as if she was in an inner battle with herself, to accept or not to accept.
"I promise!"
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NOTE: I guess Lauren is off the hook for now. Let's see if she's going to keep her promise or break it. I'll update again this week.