Chapter 4

Emilia POV:

Cameron moved with terrifying efficiency. Within hours, Dr. Hansen, a stern-faced woman with brilliant, intense eyes, was at Gilbert' s bedside, her team of specialists already poring over his scans. My father was whisked away to a private room in a wing of the hospital I didn't even know existed, a place of hushed opulence funded by Cameron.

The shock of his omnipresence still reverberated through me. How did he know? Was he having me watched? The thought sent a chill down my spine. It felt like a subtle violation, a constant reminder that I was never truly out of his reach.

Later, he called again. His voice, when he spoke, had softened, adopting that pseudo-benevolent tone he used when he wanted to appear magnanimous. "Is everything satisfactory, Emilia? Is Gilbert comfortable?"

"He's in surgery," I replied, my voice tight. "So, no, he's not 'comfortable.'"

"Right, of course," he smoothly corrected himself. "The best is being done. You don't need to worry about anything. Just focus on his recovery." His words were laced with a hidden message: You are indebted. You are beholden. You are mine.

I hated the helplessness that washed over me, the way his "generosity" felt less like a gift and more like a carefully baited trap. But what choice did I have? My father's life. That was the only thing that mattered.

The hospital staff, previously polite but aloof, now treated me with an almost deferential respect. The head nurse, with a nervous smile, informed me that "Mr. Vinson has pre-paid all estimated expenses. You won't have to worry about a thing." It was a declaration of ownership, echoed in every hushed corridor, every deferential nod. I was his, again. Bought and paid for.

The feeling of being utterly controlled, of having my choices stripped away by his immense wealth, was suffocating. He wasn' t just saving my father; he was holding my father' s life over my head, a constant, chilling reminder of my powerlessness. This wasn't charity. This was manipulation, pure and simple.

That night, alone in the sterile waiting room, my phone buzzed. It was Hailee Abbott.

"Emilia, darling!" her voice chirped, sickly sweet, cutting through the silence. "Just checking in on Gilbert. Cameron's been so worried. It's truly touching, isn't it? He always had such a soft spot for you, even after... well, you know." Her laughter tinkled, devoid of genuine mirth.

"What do you want, Hailee?" I asked, my patience worn thin.

"Oh, just to make sure you understand the gravity of the situation," she purred. "Cameron's doing so much. He's even postponing our Aspen trip. Imagine! All for your father. It's a huge sacrifice. You really should be grateful. And sensible."

Sensible. The word hung in the air, weighted with unspoken threats.

"He's even talking about rehabilitating your image, you know," Hailee continued, her voice dripping with false concern. "Bringing you back into the fold, so to speak. People have such short memories, especially when money is involved."

My blood ran cold. "Rehabilitating my image? What does that even mean?"

Hailee giggled. "Oh, you know. Journalists, carefully placed stories... He'll make sure everyone remembers the brilliant Emilia Todd, not... that other thing. He thinks it's the least he can do to atone for his 'guilt'." She paused, letting the words sink in. "He's very good at orchestrating things, Cameron is. You should know that better than anyone."

A wave of nausea hit me. He wasn't trying to help; he was trying to rewrite history, to control the narrative, to erase his own complicity by painting himself as my savior. He was going to gaslight the entire world, and by extension, me. My father' s life was the price of this twisted redemption arc.

My heart pounded with a cold, desperate fury. He wasn't just manipulating me; he was planning to manipulate the truth, to further entrench his own version of events.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was from Hailee. A photo. A picture of her and Cameron, arms around each other, laughing, their faces pressed close. The caption beneath it read: "The past is over, darling. It's time to look forward. @CameronVinson."

My stomach lurched. The lies, the hypocrisy, the sheer audacity of it all. I stumbled to the nearest bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before bile rose in my throat. I vomited until I dry-heaved, the bitter taste a perfect mirror for the disgust churning within me.