The story of a woman who pushes through the bad times and enjoys the bliss of the good times. It's not an easy path for Camilla as she marries and experiences the life of living with an alcoholic, womanizer and abuser. She finds solace in the arms of a man who truly treats her like the queen she is. Camilla faces insurmountable challenges but beats the odds. Her support system are her uncles and aunts as they raised her after she lost her parents in a car crash. Her children are her center of everything. Bradford Hemmingway is the man of all men. After his fiancé ran off with another of his best friends just before their wedding. He was not interested in other women and his full focus was being the CEO and Heir to Hemmingway International. To be the successor of his grandfather's enterprise. He meets a young lady, and despite her being married, he stands by her side, helping her where he can. He falls head over heels in love with her. He isn't only crazy about her, but he is crazy about her children as well. Will this marriage last? Will the CEO get a second chance at love? Will the woman find true love?
Chapter 1 Younger Days
As a young adult in her early 20s, Camilla led a quiet life. Growing up in Cheshire was something she loved. On the street where she lived they all knew each other.
Camilla fell in love with a man who was 23, but after 2 years they parted ways.
At the age of 25, she met her, to be, husband Steven Middleton. They started courting and what a whirlwind of a courtship it was.
6 months after dating, Steven asked her "Camilla?"
"Uh huh" she replied, while sitting in the living room by the fireplace, gazing at how the fire was blazing in front of her. It was so mesmerizing. "Camilla, will you marry me?" Camilla was elated and immediately jumped up and said "Yes, yes I will marry you". Camilla threw her arms around his lean, masculine, well-trained waist. He drew her in for a slow, long lingering kiss.
Camilla wasn't a very attractive young lady, but her qualities were something to behold. She was an ordinary country girl with a slightly bigger bodice, beautifully contoured chest and the most beautifully curved legs you have ever seen. She had jet-black hair that hung below her waist line in voluminous curls, hugging her. Her sea-green eyes sparkled as she looked up at Steven and said "I love you".
"I know you do," he said in a deep, husky voice.
Steven was a very attractive man and women left, right and center wanted his attention. He was 6 ft 2 while Camilla was only 5 ft 7 not too short for a female, but compared to Steven she was. His hair was chestnut brown and dead straight. He was also a bit younger than Camilla. He was only 23 years of age.
About a week before their wedding, "Steven, I'm pregnant. Doctor says I'm 3 months already," she announced. "Wow, I didn't really expect this now, but it is what it is and we will embrace it," he answered nonchalantly.
In August of that year, Camilla Jones and Steven Middleton tied the knot. "I, Camilla Jones, take you, Steven Middleton, to be my husband from now until forever," she said. "I, Steven Middleton, promise to love you, Camilla Jones, for the rest of our lives," he concluded.
Their celebration wasn't grandiose or lavish. It was simple, just family and friends all around.
Camilla's uncle, Toby, had given her away at her wedding as her parents had died tragically in a car accident a few years prior to meeting her husband, Steven. Her Aunt on her father's side had taken over raising and caring for Camilla until she got married. Her mom didn't have any sisters, so it was left to her dad's family. Thankfully, her aunt and uncle had always loved her as their own.
As the ceremony and reception ended, the newly-wed couple went to their marital home. A quiet little cottage in the country. Camilla had always dreamed of a honeymoon, but unfortunately their circumstances didn't allow for this, and she settled for just going to her marital home for her honeymoon. Camilla was never the one to complain. She had never questioned her husband about why they couldn't have a honeymoon like everyone else. She just accepted that circumstances didn't allow.
As their "honeymoon" came to it's end, Steven and Camilla had to get back to the mundane things of life, such as working and daily chores.
Camilla worked for a Realtor in the city which was 10 minutes from home by bus, Steven worked at an accounting firm. 20 minutes from home by car. Because of his late hours during certain times of the month, he used to take their Camry to work, and she would catch the bus. Though she would often ask if he could drop her off at work, he always had an excuse.
As the winter started to set in, Camilla, now 5 months pregnant, asked Steven, "babe, is it possible, now that the weather is getting colder, can you start dropping me off at work, so I don't get sick. The further along in my pregnancy, the harder it will be to take the bus?" Steven sighed. "This would mean that I would have to leave work earlier to pick her up," he mumbled to himself. "Fine" he retorted, not very happy.
The first 3 months of marriage weren't too bad. They did things together, they enjoyed being a married couple, but then things started changing. Steven started going out to bars and drinking. "Steven, I'm pregnant, you can't leave me home like this while you out drinking," she said.
"Listen I'm not a child, you can't control me! I will come and go as I damn please!" he said with a chip on his shoulder.
Some days he would come home, clean up, shower, take out the trash and go to the bar. He would come home all hours of the night drunk and smelling of cigarette smoke. Many nights she would lie awake crying because of her uncertainty. "Steven, why do you persist in behaving like this?" she questioned him one evening.
As was usually the case he responded, "I work hard, I just need a place to relax!"
"Steven, we both work hard, it's not like I don't work. I'm pregnant and I am working and I still do the chores in the home. Don't I also deserve a break?" she rebutted.
Camilla was constantly tired during the first 3 months of her pregnancy and as her pregnancy progressed she had different changes in her hormones. When the 5th month came, Camilla decided to keep working as this was peak season for selling homes. Steven took leave in December as this was when their company had their annual shut down.
Even though Steven was home, Camilla was still having to cook and clean after work. During his leave he didn't even bother taking her to, or picking her up from, work. She often tried taking the car, but he would always stop her. "You can't take the car!" he exclaimed. "But you home!" she retorted. "Yes, but I need the car."
"Fine, then can you at least drop me off at work and pick me up?" She asked. "It's too early!" was his response. "What is happening?" Camilla wondered, "why was this man being like this? He's on leave and can't be bothered to think of me."
Camilla didn't see it then, but this was going to be the start to a very turbulent marriage, one filled with sorrow, grief, insecurity and anger. A marriage that would put her in a very different mindset as she gets a lot older.
During that December, Camilla would come home every day, no food cooked, the place left untidy by Steven leaving dishes to be washed. She was angry and upset and even hurt. "Steven, you are on leave, can you not, at least, just keep the place clean and prepare dinner for us in the evening?" she bit, one evening, frustrated as everything was always left for her.
Camilla wasn't used to this kind of thing. In her home, growing up, for as long as she could remember, her dad had always helped her mother with the household duties, saying, "We both work, we both make a mess, so we must both work inside the home as well." Thinking of her parents, her heart broke. She missed her mum and dad daily.
Camilla was exhausted, some nights she would only get home at 8 or 9 pm after house viewings and trying to seal a deal or two. Some nights she would get home and the house would be in darkness and cold. Steven, who couldn't be bothered to cook for his wife or even be home when she got home from a long day at the office, would come in drunk. "Where is my food? I'm hungry!" He would demand. Camilla would reheat the food, put it in front of him and walk to the bedroom exhausted and angry.
"Is this what married life was meant to be like?" she pondered, "am I destined to live forever like this?"
Chapter 1 Younger Days
05/08/2024
Chapter 2 First Born
05/08/2024
Chapter 3 Pulled Over
05/08/2024
Chapter 4 You Are Busted
05/08/2024
Chapter 5 Unexpected Surprise
05/08/2024
Chapter 6 The Confrontation
05/08/2024
Chapter 7 The Truth Is Finally Out
05/08/2024
Chapter 8 A Second Chance
05/08/2024
Chapter 9 Making Decisions
05/08/2024
Chapter 10 It's Your Choice
05/08/2024
Chapter 11 The Audacity
05/08/2024
Chapter 12 The Family
05/08/2024
Chapter 13 Text Messaging
08/08/2024
Chapter 14 Meeting Grandpa
10/08/2024
Chapter 15 Name-calling
11/08/2024
Chapter 16 Enough Is Enough
13/08/2024
Chapter 17 The Final Straw
22/08/2024
Chapter 18 Family Issues
22/08/2024
Chapter 19 Old And New
22/08/2024
Chapter 20 Out Of A Job
22/08/2024
Chapter 21 You Reap What You Sow
22/08/2024
Chapter 22 Waking Up
22/08/2024
Chapter 23 Moving Forward
22/08/2024
Chapter 24 Don't Try Me
22/08/2024
Chapter 25 Mixed Emotions
22/08/2024
Chapter 26 Finally Divorced
22/08/2024
Chapter 27 The Interview
22/08/2024
Chapter 28 Unethical Conduct
23/08/2024
Chapter 29 Pre-Gala Event
24/08/2024
Chapter 30 Foiled Gala Antics
24/08/2024
Chapter 31 No Turning Back
12/09/2024
Chapter 32 The Ruins Of Your Demise
12/09/2024
Chapter 33 Broken Hearts
13/09/2024
Chapter 34 Love Confessions
14/09/2024
Chapter 35 New Year's Eve
15/09/2024
Chapter 36 New Year, New Beginnings
15/09/2024
Chapter 37 Car Crash
17/09/2024
Chapter 38 Near Fatal
18/09/2024
Chapter 39 Recovery Process
18/09/2024
Chapter 40 Big Adjustment
18/09/2024
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