Hugo’s POV
The bedroom door burst open without warning, and Camilla’s voice filled the space with artificial cheerfulness. "Oh my goodness, Zack’s here with you? How on earth did this happen?"
Her sudden entrance made Zack instinctively grab my hand, his small fingers wrapping around mine with surprising strength. The boy hadn’t forgotten her behavior toward Bella during our engagent dinner, and his reaction proved it.
"What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you afraid of ?" Camilla’s tone shifted, attempting warmth as she moved closer to us.
Whether her concern was genuine remained questionable.
Zack’s grip on my hand tightened. "Uncle Hugo, I don’t want to talk to her."
The rejection hit Camilla like a physical blow, her practiced smile wavering at the edges.
"But why not? I’m your aunt, rember?" She dragged a small chair closer to the bed where Zack and I sat, settling herself within arm’s reach.
Sothing else gnawed at beyond the obvious tension. Despite everything he’d likely overheard from the council mbers’ conversation, Zack still called uncle. The boy had certainly been present when those accusations flew, yet he refused to acknowledge what he’d heard.
"Listen, families have disagreents sotis, but that doesn’t an we stop loving each other. Don’t you and your brothers and sisters argue too?" Camilla’s voice carried forced patience.
I watched Zack slowly loosen his grip on my hand, his childlike honesty taking over.
"We argue all the ti. Tara says she wants to kill ." The innocent oversharing that ca so naturally to children spilled out.
Camilla’s posture stiffened, her eyes snapping to mine with sharp concern.
"What exactly is happening here?" Her questions ca rapid-fire. "Where’s Bella? Why is Zack staying with you? And where are the other children?"
The confusion in her voice told she remained completely unaware of the current crisis.
"His mother is at the council center for an interview," I explained, rising to move toward my closet.
"An interview? But why is only Zack here? What did he an about Tara wanting to kill him?" Her persistence bordered on interrogation.
Zack’s pout deepened as he watched our exchange, clearly uncomfortable with being discussed.
"So dical complications. Nothing for you to worry about. I need to get to the center to support Bella. Who knows what kind of questions they’re throwing at her." I kept my explanation vague while pulling a clean shirt from the hanger.
"dical complications? What kind of interview are we talking about here? Is this so sort of success story feature, or sothing more serious?" Camilla’s confusion was understandable since we typically called investigations by their proper na only when formal accusations had been filed.
For suspicions and preliminary inquiries, we used gentler terminology.
"We’ll discuss it later. Right now, I need to leave." I headed toward the bathroom, then paused. "You should probably head ho."
Her frown deepened imdiately. "No, that’s ridiculous. You get ready, and I’ll stay here with Zack. We can play so gas together, can’t we, sweetheart?"
Zack’s reluctant nod spoke volus about his true feelings.
"He’s exhausted, Camilla. He was awake all night. He needs rest while I get ready." I hoped she’d take the hint without forcing to be more direct.
"Of course, I understand. I’ll watch over him while he naps. You go handle whatever’s happening at the center. You can leave him with - I am his aunt, after all." Her smile carried a hint of sadness, but also expectation.
Under different circumstances, leaving a child with their aunt would be the natural choice. But circumstances weren’t normal. The text ssages, the strained relationship with Bella, and most importantly, Bella’s obvious trust in sending Zack to specifically - all of it created a complex web of responsibility.
"I don’t think that’s appropriate, Camilla. Given the tension between you and Bella, I doubt she’d approve of you being alone with Zack."
The words drained color from her face instantly.
"Are you suggesting I’m dangerous to him?" She stood abruptly, moving closer with defensive energy.
"I’d rather not get into this right now." I avoided her gaze, not from guilt but from the conflicted feelings churning in my chest.
"I can’t believe this. After everything I’ve done for you, all the care I’ve provided, you’re questioning whether Zack is safe with . This breaks my heart, Hugo." Her voice trembled with what seed like genuine hurt.
"And the fact that Bella would trust her ex-best friend with her son instead of her own sister makes absolutely no sense." The confusion in her final statent revealed just how much of the bigger picture she was missing.
The weight of keeping secrets, managing family dynamics, and protecting everyone involved pressed down on as I stood there, caught between loyalty to Bella and the complicated history with Camilla that had brought us all to this point.
User Comments
0 comments from readers