[~Song Recommendation: Out of Reach by Gabrielle~]
As Duncan moved deeper into the store and disappeared from view, Cammy quietly followed, pretending to browse through the racks like a regular customer.
Curiosity drove her to find out what he was doing there, of all places. Duncan had never personally bought anything for Dylan when he was a baby—or for the twins. He would simply give her money and tell her to get whatever their children needed.
At first, it hurt her, making it seem as though he had no interest in being involved in the little things that shaped their children's lives. But her mother assured her that many men are like that—they're clueless when it comes to babies and don't know what to do.
Her mother also said that men often bond more with their children once they're a bit older. Cammy clung to the hope that when Dylan grew big enough to play "big boy games" with his father, Duncan would finally show interest. But that day never came.
He remained detached from the basic needs of their son, especially when it came to offering emotional support. Cammy wished he would at least play with Dylan the way her father used to spend time with her when she was young, but Duncan always kept his distance.
For years with Duncan, Cammy convinced herself that it was fine—she could be the emotional support their children needed while Duncan focused on providing financially for the family.
But deep down, it never felt quite right. It was never enough…
She overheard Duncan talking to a saleslady. "Do you have this in other colors?" he asked.
Curious, Cammy peeked and saw him holding a set of white onesies with matching mittens and socks. Doubt crept in—maybe he wasn't buying them as a sentimental keepsake for their deceased twins after all.
"We have green, pink, yellow, blue, and gray. Which ones would you like, sir?" the saleslady responded.
"I'll take the green and yellow. My fiancée is still pregnant, and we don't know our baby's gender yet. Do you have any cute shoes to go with these? I want to surprise her—she loves pretty things," Duncan answered.
Cammy stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what she'd just heard. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Duncan's phone ringing.
"Yes, Babe, I'm heading to the restaurant now. I'm walking there as we speak. See you soon, Babe," Duncan said into the phone with a smile on his face.
The cold, numbing sensation that washed over Cammy was the same as when she'd caught him cheating with the supermodel at their vacation house. It felt like someone had poured ice water over her head.
Silently, she slipped out of the store unnoticed, wiping away the tears that streamed down her face.
'I was only gone for two days, and you're already planning to marry your mistress… You must be happy that I died in that plane crash...' she thought to herself.
Seeing her husband buying things for his unborn child with another woman felt like a dagger to her heart—far worse than catching him in the act of infidelity. It was at that moment that she fully realized the painful truth: neither she nor Dylan had ever truly mattered to Duncan.
Cammy walked past a boutique and spotted a burgundy lace mini-dress with a sweetheart neckline and thin straps displayed in the window. She paused, eyes narrowing as she muttered to herself, "This is war, Duncan. I won't let you find happiness with your mistress. You ruined not only my life but our son's too. I'll never forgive you for that."
With renewed determination, she straightened her posture, held her head high, and walked into the boutique, asking the saleslady for a fresh stock of what the mannequin was wearing from head to toe.
After selecting the dress and shoes, the saleslady led Cammy to the fitting room, where she changed into her new outfit. The saleslady then carefully packed away Cammy's business attire and shoes.
Cammy stopped by the department store to pick up the items she originally intended to buy before getting sidetracked by Duncan. With her shopping done, she headed straight to the bus station for her trip back to Derby County, where Pearl Resort was located.
As she walked through the station, she noticed people glancing her way—not because they recognized her as the wife of a billionaire recently reported dead on the news, but because of how stunning she looked. Keeping her sunglasses on and a scarf draped over her head, she made sure her identity remained hidden.
While on the bus, her phone rang, and her heart raced when she saw the name on the screen.
"Oh no! I totally forgot!" she muttered before answering.
[Cammy! I'm so sorry, but I need to stay here, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to leave. The casting is not done yet. I won't be able to head back to the resort with you,] Ric explained.
Cammy sighed in relief, realizing she had completely forgotten about their ride back together. "That's okay, Ric, I completely understand. It's late, and the resort is pretty far. You should stay in your penthouse tonight. Good luck with the casting, and I'll see you back at the resort." She ended the call quickly, not wanting to drag it out.
As she neared the resort, Cammy texted Ellie, requesting to have Dylan meet her at the entrance since she was excited to surprise him with the things she'd bought.
Ellie texted back: [Dylan and the girls are already asleep. They played all day, and he even joined the girls for a swimming lesson. They were exhausted. Head to the bar once you arrive—an impatient man is waiting for you there, and he's not in the best mood.]
Cammy's expression soured, and she immediately tried to call Ellie, only to find her phone was off. 'Seriously, Ellie? You turn off your phone after dropping that bomb on me?!'
Cammy had no clue who the impatient man Ellie mentioned could be, especially since she knew Ric was still in the city. She couldn't think of anyone else who might be looking for her at the Pearl Resort.
When she arrived, she entered through the employee's gate and headed directly to her room in the employee housing to drop off everything she had bought in the city. Afterward, she made her way to the bar near the beachfront.
She checked her phone and saw that it was already past nine in the evening.
"Who'd be waiting for me at this hour?" Cammy muttered in irritation. She was already exhausted, and the last thing she wanted was to deal with some guy who showed up unannounced.
But her sour mood quickly lifted when she spotted the only guy in the bar. She quickened her pace and playfully sneaked up behind him, covering his eyes with both hands.
The man grinned, gently grasped her wrists, and said, "I know it's you, Cammy!"
Cammy couldn't hold back her laughter and let go, freeing him from her grasp. "Ethan! It's so good to see you. What brings you here?" she exclaimed as they embraced warmly.
"It's great to see you too. I heard what happened and was worried. I tried calling, but your number's disconnected," Ethan said.
"Yeah, it's probably shattered by now," Cammy replied with a shrug.
"Luckily, I was here for a friend's bachelor party earlier, and I ran into Ellie. Thank God you're okay!" Ethan said, holding his chest in exaggerated relief, making Cammy chuckle.
"Did Ellie already fill you in on my situation?" Cammy asked, hoping Ellie had spared her from having to give a lengthy explanation. Ethan is one of her trusted people so she wouldn't mind Ellie telling him the whole story.
Cammy and Ethan had been friends since their college days. They were best friends until Duncan, who was strict and picky about her male friends, came into the picture. Even then, the two never lost touch, although they rarely saw each other anymore.
It was Ethan who told her last year about the Web Developer position at Pearl Resort, which led her to land the job.
"Yes, she did. She almost made me sign a non-disclosure agreement to ensure I wouldn't tell anyone you're alive and staying here. But you know me—my lips are sealed," Ethan said, playfully miming zipping his mouth shut.
Ethan noticed Cammy's eyes reddening and tears starting to well up. Sensing that she was on the verge of crying. "Hey, I didn't wait for you just to make you cry. I wanted to cheer you up but it seems like I am not doing a good job."
"I know that but after seeing him earlier shopping for baby clothes, I was so angry. I guess he got her mistress pregnant…"
"What? You saw him shopping? That's sick! Did he see you too?"
"No, I'll tell you what happened but first, let's buy a drink, my treat. It's gonna be a long story."