M.I N.E endless Love
Chapter 18: No one to call her own

That morning at the Campbell's Company, Lola walked in when Rodrigo was about to go for a conference. He sighed, he knew his mother was going to create a scene, trying all she can to separate Camilla from him. "Surprise to see me Son?" Lola said, walking over and taking a seat. She smiled, she wasn't looking like someone who came to quarrel or cause a rift.

"Why are you in the company mother?" Rodrigo asked, looking at his wristwatch, it was remaining a few minutes to the start of the conference. He could forfeit it if it involved his company alone, but he has presidents of other companies coming, it's a meeting for partnership.

"Just stop by and say hi. Well, I want to have a talk with your personal secretary" Lola requested, crossing her legs and staring at her son.

Rodrigo knew it. She wants to see him or Camilla. Why is his mom doing this? He didn't want to be rude to her but she kept pushing him to the wall.

"I don't want you to see her mom, don't hurt my girlfriend's feelings' ' he refused, and was going to Walk out when Lola said "I haven't come to pick a fight or quarrel with your supposed girlfriend. What would be wrong if I talked with her? You now hate me Rodrigo?" She asked, looking offended.

Her son doesn't trust her anymore? He trusts his girlfriend more than her? She glared at Rodrigo and the latter looked away. She's still his mother after all.

"Fine. Be brief and don't make her sad" he agreed and walked out. He told Camilla she was to have a private talk with his mother. But she shouldn't appear timid, but prove herself to be capable of being by his side.

Camilla nodded and went into Rodrigo's office. His mother stared at her from her head to her toes. She didn't look at her too but irritatingly because she knew there was likely a surveillance camera in the office.

"Hello ma' am" Camilla showed courtesy. Lola looked at her from her head to her toes. She snared quietly. " Come to my car, we need to talk" Lola Requested.

Without waiting for Camilla to make the choice of coming to the car with her or not, Lola stood up and walked out. The poor trash has no option than to do whatever she asked.

Camilla signed and followed Lola downstairs. She doesn't have an alternative, she was Rodrigo's mother and it's not logical that she doesn't disrespect her.

When Lola got to the car park where Lola's car was parked, the woman opened the car door and sat down, shut the door and wined down the glass making Camilla stand with her arms folded across her chest quietly, waiting for the woman to say what she wanted to.

"Name your price and I will double it, "Lola blurted out. She now stares at the girl with hostility. Here, Rodrigo isn't going to see her through the surveillance and if he does, she would deny ever doing that.

"Price, for what ma'am" Camilla asked. Of course she knew what Rodrigo's mother was saying. She wants to pay her off to stay away from her son. But she would pretend not to know what she meant.

"Stay away from Rodrigo. Tell me what you want and I will do it for you. All I ask for is for you to stay away from him forever" Lola declared, beginning her words gently. She would go wash with this poor thing if she refused her offer. Camilla sighed. She knew it. This one had come to pick on her and Rodrigo's relationship. It's not her fault that he had made her love him without reservation. He loves her so dearly that she didn't know when she fell completely for him. "I'm sorry, I cannot be paid. No one can put a price tag on what Rodrigo and I feel for each other.." Camilla replied.

Her words came like a bombshell to Lola. Had she fallen head over heels for him as much as he did for her? This might get complicated if that happens.

"I will offer you fifty million dollars and forget about Rodrigo. Remember that would go a long way to wash you and your foster mother off poverty. There's a lot you can do with that amount. And if that is not enough for you, I would double it. And in return, you will stay away from my son forever, go far away from Rodrigo's life" Lola offered.

Camilla squinted. This woman go to this extent to separate her from Rodrigo? Such a huge amount of money to leave her son and end her relationship with him? If she was going to leave him, she is not selling her love for Rodrigo in exchange for Money.

"Even if you give me the entire Campbell's group in exchange to leave Rodrigo, I will not accept it. I'm sorry Ms Lola, but I can't" Camilla insisted and that made Lola squinted.

She thought poor people can be easily persuaded with money. She had promised her such handsome money and promised to double it and yet this thing refused? This is good but also bad.

Good that her love for Rodrigo is sincere and can't be fake. But bad because it will be difficult for her to get them separated. What will she do, her son cannot end up with a girl like her.

"Fine, you don't want to be compensated for leaving Rodrigo. I want you to break up from him. I won't let my son be with someone like you. You are a trash, a girl with no identity and a thing picked from the dunghill. Can you do that?" Lola asked, glaring at her with an unfriendly stare.

"I will not do that. If Rodrigo decides to break up with me, I will understand. But I can't break up with him and thereby ruin so many lives" Camilla declared.

Lola's chauffeur applauded Camilla in his heart. Such a good girl should experience such fate. Who are her parents and why is she so much defeated by the parents of the man she loves.

Seeing Camilla was determined, she decided she would think of an alternative. But Rodrigo must not know about what she said to Camilla. She thought of an idea and grinned.

"Camilla, now I am certain that you love Rodrigo. Fine, I now approve of your relationship. Please go ahead and be with him. But don't put what I said earlier to heart. It was a test of your love. Don't say a word of our discussion to Rodrigo. Can I trust you on that?" Lola asked and for the first time since she started talking with Camilla she smiled.

Camilla believed her. She smiled and said ok. Lola asked her to promise her, and Camilla did. She was happy and laughed. Camilla wondered if Lola could smile with her like this. Eventually the woman waved her and Camilla returned back into the company.

As soon as Camilla left, Lola hissed aloud " that, silly that. Let's see who wins at last" Lola declared and glared at the direction Camilla took in irritation and the Chauffeur was shocked, madam was acting before the poor girl and she didn't know it. Oh no, it's not in his place to tell her, otherwise he would have warned her to be careful in days to come.

Later that evening, Rodrigo took Camilla out for dinner before dropping her off at home. When he arrived at her house, before she alighted, he asked her "what did you discuss with my mother earlier?"

Camilla smiled. She had promised Ms Lola that she was not going to say a word to Rodrigo and she was determined to keep her promises.

"Nothing much, it's a brief discussion. You don't have to worry about it" Camilla saved flippantly and waved it off. She smiled and pretended that nothing serious Indeed.

Rodrigo took her hand in his, " tell me exactly what you both discussed" Rodrigo insisted. He didn't trust his mother to that extent. She can be sly sometimes.

"It's our business Rodrigo. So don't ask. Okay?" Camilla wouldn't tell him. When Rodrigo wanted to insist, she shut him up by bringing her lips on his. Rodrigo felt comfortable with her lips and kissed, thereby forgetting that he was still interested in the discussion they had.

Jenny had sobbed and waited but she received no call from her uncle. She called several times but her uncle would not answer his phone. She sobbed, her mother had finally ended that way. Her mother was murdered and buried or crenated, whichever one they did to her.

"Why, why, why?" she stuttered and sobbed more. She has no one to call her own. She was trapped in this marriage because she wanted her mother to be catered for. The doctor had told her that her mother was already showing signs of recovery and the next day, she was dead and buried?

What is going to do now? Her mother is dead and she is trapped here. She would be out of this unhappy Marriage as soon as possible. What's the use of remaining in that house when the person for which she was here was dead. Eduardo had caused her more pain that her aunt and cousin who conspired with the doctor to murder her mother. He caused it, perhaps if he had let her go, she might still meet her alive and if dead, she would have seen the corpse and not have been disposed of just like that.

She would go even with him when he comes back. She would take the bull by the horn and wrestled with him when he came. Today, she would make him wish he wasn't in the wheelchair.

Few hours later, Eduardo returned. She heard the car honk and waited, with her puffy red eyes. She had cried and it's so obvious in her appearance.

She stood with her hands akimbo. She was going to get even with Eduardo that evening.

When the was pushed open and Eric wheeled Eduardo in, his eyes rested on Jenny and she felt she saw a tenderness on that face. But she's feeling bitter and he was staring at her with a calm, tender look?

Why won't he? He had succeeded in seeing her lose her mother and not be able to see her remains before it was done away with. She was going to make him understand what she had gone through.

Eduardo saw her looks and knew she had been sobbing. He wished he could tell her that her mother was not dead but receiving intensive treatment in a private hospital. He hates to see women like this especially since she was his wife.. As soon as Eric shut the door behind him, Jenny came in fury and pulled Eduardo's wheelchair. She was going to raise the wheelchair and pushed him off. Eric saw it and rushed back, dragging the wheelchair with him. "Let go of me. I need to teach him what it's like to lose a mother and not get to see her remains because he wouldn't let me leave on time..." Jenny was yelling and still struggling with the wheelchair.

She was shaking the wheelchair violently, eager to push him off it. Eduardo held onto the wheel and wouldn't let it move. It was a tussle between the three adults. Eric was pleading that she should be calm but Eduardo didn't even utter a word. Eduardo would never let himself be thrown off. He must ensure that never happened otherwise, he would blame him for it." No madam, you can't blame him like that" Eric was in defence of his boss. She was struggling and since Eric wouldn't let her push him off, she went forward and pulled him by his shirt, dragging him to force him out of the wheelchair. He must have been molested by her that day.

Eduardo grabbed her by her wrist and held her firm. He knew what she was going through. He couldn't get to tell her the truth and he wouldn't let himself be humiliated like she planned.

"I hate you... let go of me..." Jenny was struggling to get free. Eric ensured that he kept the wheelchair balance and Eduardo was holding her arms. He held her tight, completely overpowering her, she was sobbing and sniffling until she was unable to struggle.

She fell at his feet and was sobbing. Her hair poured over her shoulders as she remained at his feet. She was shaking and sniffling, anyone that saw her in that condition will know she is emotionally drained.

He looked down at her. They were married. And in an ideal situation, he should be a shoulder she leans on, he should be there to soothe her and calm her troubled mind.

But now, he can't do it. He had assumed she was his Mansion mate, at least that is what he claimed she was to him. He didn't let her share his bedroom nor did he make her feel loved.

He gently stretched his hands and held her by her shoulders "get some rest Jenny" he said and didn't wait another minute as he signalled to Eric, he wheeled him to his room.

When they got in, Eric shut the door and Eduardo stood up " thank you Eric. Tell the senior among the servants to come keep her company. She must ensure she didn't do anything to harm herself" Eduardo instructed.

Eric nodded and was going to step out when Eduardo asked that his dinner be brought to his room. And informed him further to be ready they needed to see the midwife the next morning since he couldn't make it to her that day.

Eric brought Eduardo's dinner to his room before leaving. Eduardo just sank into the sofa. He felt pity for his wife. She feels so miserable at the time, the pain of losing a loved one is unexplainable.

He knew how exactly his mother and the entire Anderson family was feeling at the time, over their missing daughter and sister. That's someone none of them got to meet

They hadn't met or seen her, they don't know how she looks. Not even his mother was able to see her after she was born. But they all have been longing from the day they knew she was not dead. How can he help her heal fast?