Page 27 of Staging Love
Jade's swift ascent created a chasm between them that felt far wider than the physical distance as her eyes traced the rigid line of Jade's shoulders, the tension evident in every step she took.
Camilla felt the full impact of her choices. The carefully constructed facade she had built was crumbling, revealing the fragile truth beneath. She had entered into this arrangement thinking she could control the outcome, but now found herself adrift in a sea of emotions she hadn't anticipated.
The sound of distant laughter drifted up from the great room, a reminder of the warmth and joy she had briefly tasted. Now, that happiness felt like a mirage, slipping away as reality set in.
Chapter Twenty
As the bedroom door clicked shut behind them, the silence that enveloped Camilla and Jade was deafening. Jade moved swiftly to the far side of the room, her back to Camilla as she busied herself with removing her earrings. The clink of metal against wood as she set them on the dresser echoed in the stillness, making Camilla flinch.
She stood frozen by the door, her hand still on the knob, as if holding onto it might somehow anchor her in this moment that felt like it was spiraling out of control. She watched Jade, searching for any sign of the tenderness they had shared just hours ago.
"Jade," she said. "I... I don't know where to start."
Jade turned to meet her eyes, and the coldness in them made Camilla freeze. "How about you start by explaining why you didn't tell me about the will?" Jade's voice was calm, controlled, but there was an edge to it that Camilla had never heard before.
Camilla took a hesitant step forward, her handsfidgeting with the hem of her dress. "I was going to tell you. I just…"
Jade crossed her arms over her chest, creating a physical barrier between them. "And when exactly were you planning on telling me? After you lured me into marriage? A real marriage, not just a pretend thing to keep up appearances?"
"No, initially I was going to tell you when we got back to LA, but then I changed my mind and realized I had to tell you tonight. I swear, Jade, I never meant for any of this to happen."
Jade's laugh was sharp, devoid of humor. "What exactly didn't you mean to happen? Hiring an actress to play your fiancée? Lying to your entire family? Or was it falling into bed with me that wasn't part of your grand plan?"
Each accusation hit Camilla like a dagger, and she struggled to keep calm. "The fake fiancée part, yes, that was planned," she whispered. "But I never expected... this. Us."
"Us?" Jade repeated, her eyebrow arching. "There is no 'us', Camilla. There's you and your father’s company, and me, the fool you hired to help you get your hands on it."
Tears pricked at the corners of Camilla’s eyes. "That's not true," she insisted. "What we have, what we've shared these past few days... it's real, Jade. At least, it is for me."
For a moment, something flickered in Jade's eyes - a softening, perhaps, or a hint of the connection they had shared. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced once again by that icy resolve.
"Why did you defend me downstairs?" Camilla asked, clinging to that momentary glimpse of the Jade she had come to know. "You could have exposed everything right then and there."
Jade's shoulders sagged slightly, and she turned away,moving to the closet to retrieve her dressing gown. "Because I'm an actress. It's my job." Her voice was flat, emotionless. "We have a contract, nothing more, and I've never pulled out of a job. No matter how... complicated it might become."
The words stung, each one a reminder of the lie that had brought them together. Camilla watched as Jade slipped out of her red satin dress, the garment pooling at her feet like spilled wine. In any other circumstance, the sight of Jade's bare skin would have sent a thrill through her. Now, it only served to remind her of what she stood to lose.
"Please," she begged, taking another step forward. "Let me explain. There's so much more to this, so much I need to tell you."
But as Camilla moved closer, Jade retreated, wrapping herself in her dressing gown like armor. "You have a lot to explain," she agreed, tying the sash with quick, angry movements.
Camilla's hands clenched at her sides, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. "I know," she said softly. "And I want to. I want to tell you everything."
“Be honest.” Jade's eyes narrowed, a mix of hurt and anger swirling in their blue depths. "Was this your plan all along? To get me here, seduce me, and then pretend you were in love with me so I’d marry you? Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
"No! God, no, Jade. That wasn't... I didn't..." Camilla took a deep breath, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. "I didn't come here with any intentions apart from smoothing things over with my family so they'd genuinely believe I was engaged. That's all it was supposed to be at first - a simple arrangement to get through the holidays." She shook her head and blew out her cheeks. “I was going to discuss the will with you when we were back in LA. It’s onething to hire an actress to play your fiancée, it’s another to ask someone for a marriage of convenience. I wanted to get to know you first, and I was hoping that maybe you’d agree to it eventually as you clearly needed the money and –"
"That's ridiculous," Jade interrupted her, pacing around the room. "I'm a romantic at heart, Camilla. I believe in love, in connection, in building a life with someone because you can't imagine being without them. Marrying for money? That's against everything I stand for."
“I know that now, but I didn’t know that then,” Camilla said. "I never expected to fall for you. I didn't even know I liked women until now. At least... one woman in particular."
Jade paused in her pacing, and shot her a skeptical look.
"My feelings are real, Jade," Camilla continued, her voice gaining strength as she poured her heart out. "I've never felt like this around anyone before. What we've shared these past few days... it's changed everything for me."
Slowly, Jade turned to face her. There was a vulnerability in her expression now, a crack in the icy facade she had been maintaining. "Then why didn't you tell me the truth? Why keep lying, even after we..." She trailed off, but Camilla knew exactly what she meant. The intimacy they had shared, the tender moments and passionate encounters - all of it now tainted by the specter of Camilla's deception.
She closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she knew she had to say next. When she opened them again, she met Jade's gaze unflinchingly. "Because I was afraid," she admitted. "Afraid of losing you, afraid of ruining what we had found together. And... because I had hoped that maybe..."
