M.I N.E endless Love
Chapter 70: Until Camilla is found.

In City A, two days later, Joel told Rodrigo that he couldn't get to fix a meeting between him and Jared. The latter was too busy to spare time.

But truly, Jared had refused to say or agree to a private meeting with Joel. His mother had told him about Rodrigo and Joel's visit and hence, already knew that meeting with Joel was the same as meeting with Rodrigo. When Rodrigo heard, he knew the latter had refused to meet him. It wasn't that he was too busy, it's just that he doesn't want to see him or have anything to do with him.

He would think of what to do again. He just needs to meet Jared. If he must be forgiven by Camilla wherever she is, he must first be pardoned by her mother and brother.

That evening, Rodrigo went to the glass house as summoned by his grandfather. He hadn't been there after the discovery that his mother was part of the conspiracy against Camilla.

But his grandfather had called him and pleaded with him to be in the house. He left the company and drove himself to the glass house.

Mirabel was already home long before he arrived and came to hug him, giving him an embrace. Rodrigo got in and discovered the table was set for dinner.

Lola was home and wouldn't even look at how Rodrigo's eyes were cold towards her. She had hurt him. No reasonable mother would do this to her child, but she did it and now, couldn't even look at her own son's face. She had tried several times to call him but he wouldn't answer him. She knew he not only felt hurt by the part she played in enstraning him and Camilla apart but he was disappointed in her act.

He probably wouldn't believe that she could do something so unimaginable to him. He thought her to be a saint, but she has shown an ugly part of herself to him and he couldn't bring himself to accept it.

Larry Campbell was glad when he saw Rodrigo. He had thought he wasn't going to honour the invitation. He only said ok and yes when he said he should ensure to be around.

When Rodrigo saw his grandfather he bowed slightly before the old man but didn't show the slight interest in sitting down to have dinner.

"Rodrigo dear" Lola took the first initiative. Since Rodrigo didn't want to spare her a glance, she talked to him first.

Rodrigo nodded and next asked his grandfather why he wanted to see him. The latter told him to have a seat and have dinner first.

But Rodrigo said he wasn't interested and he had only stopped by to inform him in particular that he wasn't going to visit the glass house again until he found Camilla and pleaded for her forgiveness. He will keep searching for Camilla and if it takes him his entire lifetime to do that, he was never going to step his feet into that house.

As for eating dinner with them, does he look like he trusted anyone in that house? If his mother whom he trusted most in his life could do that to him, he was never going to make the same mistake to trust anyone else.

He turned back and was heading towards the door, when his grandfather said he had called him to ask him to forgive his mother.

They all are going to put heads together and replace Camilla. It wasn't his responsibility alone to look for her, they all are into it together.

That even infuriated Rodrigo the more." Who says it isn't my responsibility alone? It was I who ruined her and pushed her to this extent in her life.

If I hadn't made her fall in love with me, perhaps she would have still been free, living with her family and enjoying the simplicity of a quiet life.

But I made her cross paths with scheming people who already have lost their consciences and this is the point she now replaces herself.

And her only crime was to have loved me. She did wrong to have loved me her entire life. She protected me first and in exchange, she lost her purity.

And now, she risked her life again and protected the company. For everything bad that has happened to Camilla, it's all caused by me and you tell me you are all involved?

She had kept the company's documents safe and it was delivered to me already intact and complete. What else does a woman need to do to prove how much she loves a man?

Does she have to die to prove it to everyone? But Camilla's case was the same as someone who had died. She died because I came into her life.

I will never forgive everyone who played a part in separating Camilla and I! Took her away from me and separated me from my unborn child. What worse thing can someone do to hurt another human more?

If she was your daughter, would you be able to organise a family dinner and sit back to say we all are involved in this and would replace Camilla?" Rodrigo bellowed.

He turned and strode out of the house in large strides. No one tried to stop him again. No one could, not after everything he said.

Lola felt a cold shiver run through her spine as her eyes welled up in tears. The extent of the damage she caused in Rodrigo's heart, will she ever be able to be pardoned?

The documents were found already? No wonder she didn't hear Rodrigo say anything about it nor her father in-law. Camilla really didn't give Ella then.

For the second time, she has found another great virtue in that woman. First she refused money when she told her to break up her relationship with Rodrigo.

And now, she went to jail because she protected her loved ones. How much she regretted it. Her son had said he would never forgive those who separated him from Camilla.

She was included. He was so hurt that he felt he wasn't going to forgive her? She's sorry. All she wants is to apologise to him and tell him how sorry she was. Larry Campbell gently turned back with his wooden staff and left the dining room. He couldn't bring himself to remain seated after what Rodrigo had said.

Rodrigo is his grandson. He wouldn't have gotten involved in the whole scenario but his son Brian, who was Rodrigo's father, was dead.

If Brian was alive, he would have handled the whole misunderstanding between his wife and son. But he's no more, he left him to carry on a responsibility he should have stayed back to take care of. How much he missed his son. What would he do now? He had cleared Camilla's name from being a criminal and even offered her family a compensation, but they completely ignored it. He had lost that focused, smart grandson that he had. Lola has ayed a shameful part in all that has happened. How will she feel after Rodrigo's words?

Maybe someday, Rodrigo would replace a place in his heart to forgive his mother. Maybe by then, he would have gone to Join his Son Brian at Paradise. Mirabel quietly stood up and left for her room. Only Lola was left alone. She started sobbing. Her tears run down her cheeks and no one can console her. Rodrigo will not come to the glass house until Camilla is found? What if... if... she, that is Camilla... if she's... dead?

Does that mean he would visit her again? She looked up and pleaded with Camilla to forgive her.

As Rodrigo drove from the glass house he found himself driving around the town with no slightest interest in going back home.

He eventually drives himself to where Sara and Jared live. He wondered how much money did those people have to live in such an expensive house.

He would have gotten them something like this in compensation for what he has done, but Sara and Jared seemed not to be interested in compensation.

He parked his car and went to press the bell. After some time, the door opened and Sara stood, staring at him expressionless.

The two adults stood, staring at each other until Rodrigo said "I'm sorry to bother you, but would you please let me in?" He asked politely as if he wasn't the same Rodrigo who was behaving like a demigod a few months ago. She didn't want to let him in initially, but she suddenly had a grin on her lips and told him to come in.

Rodrigo thanked her and came in hoping and wishing that he doesn't get to meet Jared. But he was wrong as he saw Jared sitting with a laptop on his thighs.

As Jared raised his head, to look at the fellow who his mother went to welcome, he was surprised when he saw the fellow was none other than Rodrigo.

His surprise quickly disappeared and was replaced by a grin. A chuckle followed and Jared looked at him from his head to his toes.

He cannot dispute that Rodrigo always appears in expensive suites and footwear. His pair of shoes was glittering and despite it getting dark, it can still be seen shining.

Rodrigo stood and refused to take a seat. Although, no one offered him a seat. He was glad that this second time he came to see Sara and Jared, he was allowed to step in.

That's progress. First time, he was told to go rudely and he did even get a peep of the interior part of the house, but this time he was allowed in.

The next time he comes, he would be offered a glass of chilled water or better still, a bottle of Vodka considering how expensive they now live.

Jared carefully placed his laptop on the sofa and stood up. He stood before Rodrigo with his hands in his pants pocket. He didn't yet say anything but just stood, staring at Rodrigo. Rodrigo avoided locking eyes with him. He deliberately glued his eyes on Camilla's large portrait hanging on the wall. She looked splendid and beautiful.

In the portrait, Camilla was smiling, her beautiful usual smile. He remembered how often he had seen her smile so broadly. How excited and enchanting her smile and laughter is.

He closed his eyes and felt hurt the most. He really missed her, he missed her as much as her family does. How he wished he could turn back the hand of time.

"You got guts Rodrigo. You walked into our home and could even look around and stare at my sister's picture? You really can look at it without your heart beat skipping?

You're such a good player. You succeeded in kicking a baby into her and left her to suffer and opened those eyes of yours wide and let her go to jail with your seed in her belly. You need to applaud yourself for your senselessness.

You know what, in the past I thought highly of you, I thought you would be a perfect fit for my sister. But after the foolish act you displayed, everything about you detest me.

So tell me, what do we owe this visit? Are you here with your bodyguards again, to hit me or you came with that spoiled filthy thing you called a fiance to slap my mother. Tell me why you are here?" Jared demanded, giving a stare that contained a killing intent.

Rodrigo sighed. His mistakes are really many and his sins are mounting up to the sky. He ordered his men to tortured Jared and that stupid girl slapped Sara, accumulating the grievance to his already heap of errors.

Sara just stood at the sidelines and stared at Rodrigo with an unfriendly gaze. If she hadn't known about her daughter's safety and that she's better off than when she was with them, she already would have bounced on him, and tore his suite in pieces for daring to bring himself to her house.

But now, her daughter was safe and free from harm's way. Her baby, which invariably was Rodrigo's, was doing well as well. What else could she ask for.

No more humiliation or insultice words at Camilla. No one recalling her ugly past. She's now living like a white Phoenix that she truly is.

"I am sorry Jared, for everything I did. To Camilla, to you and your mother. I was wrong all along but I failed to realise it on time..." Rodrigo was still apologising when Jared cut him off.

"Sorry for what? For turning your back on my sister when she needed you the most or for torturing her emotionally?

Which are you sorry about? You thought you had all the money in the world and could do or undo whatever you like.

But your money couldn't even stand in defence of a woman you claimed to love. Now, I know you never loved my sister, you were only using her to satisfy your sexual desires right?

You kicked a baby into her and next turned around and described her as a play thing. You are the worst of men Rodrigo. Even if I go to the hotel and sleep with a prostitute, I won't still go public and call her a whore.

I won't even say anything about what you did to me nor how my mother was treated by you and your fiance. Our house and business that you crushed, I won't say anything about it.

But for what you did to my sister, do you think you deserve to be forgiven?" Jared requested.

Rodrigo couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. He had known all these that Jared was saying but he never wanted to hear it rehearsed in his ears.

He found it to be torture. He knew his conscience will be hunted for days and it will lead him to drunkenness again.

"I'm sorry Jared" Rodrigo said and turned to Sara " I'm sorry Ms Sara. Please forgive me for everything I have done to your family.

I am ready to pay whatever price you want me to pay. I just want to ask for your forgiveness. I was wrong, everything I said about Camilla was not true.

For how I had Jared treated, I am sorry. For what Emma did to you, I am sorry. And for your house and business, I am sorry and willing to compensate you however you want it.

You are not with your daughter today, it's all because of me. I am willing to bear the blame for the rest of my life. Until Camilla is found, blame me however you want.

But I promise to do all I can to bring Camilla to you again. She's not dead, I am certain. But however I can, I will replace your daughter Ms Sara..." Rodrigo went on and pleaded.

Sara already saw his remorseful act. He knew he had regretted his actions but she can never tell him she's forgiven him. She wants him to bear the pain of emotional torture like he made Camilla to do.

"I only want my daughter back. Bring me my daughter. If truly you didn't murder her, then replace my daughter and bring her to me only then can you be certain of having my forgiveness" Sara declared.