Eternal Desire: Risking My Heart On My Devilish Savior

An hour remained before her ex-boyfriend's engagement ceremony.

Camila Stewart stood at the dressing room threshold, staring at the two figures tangled together inside.

Their ragged breaths filled the air, thick with intimacy, and a chill seeped into her chest, numbing her heart.

Pressing her lips into a thin line, she forced her emotions down, refusing to let them surface.

"Ah! Someone's out there!"

A sharp, startled cry shattered the silence.

Camila froze mid-step, still processing the scene, when a furious, strikingly handsome face swung toward her.

"Camila? What the hell are you doing here?" Behind the man, the woman straightened hastily, clutching her half-draped gown as she stepped up beside him, eyes flashing with alarm.

Camila tightened her grip on the bag, her lips pressed into a thin line as she gave them a faint shake. "I'm working part-time as a delivery driver now. And as it happens, this address is listed as my drop-off point."

There was no lie in her words.

Her appearance here today was pure coincidence.

After deciding to leave the past behind, Camila had vowed never to look back.

Aydan Hewitt's brows knitted, his eyes flickering with sharp disdain. "Camila, you're absolutely pathetic."

To him, her explanation was nothing but another weak excuse.

A tremor ran through Camila's fingertips as the sting of his words cut deep, but she refused to let it show.

Meeting his gaze squarely, she took a steady breath and said softly, "I'm sorry if my being here offends you."

Her voice carried no tremor, only a quiet strength that sliced sharper than anger.

The delivery slip indeed pointed to the dressing room door-yet apart from Aydan and Zoie Butcher, not a single soul occupied the space.

Pulling her eyes away from Aydan, Camila lifted her phone and dialed the number printed on the delivery slip.

The call connected after a few rings, and she quietly confirmed the address.

Roughly five minutes later, a tall, lean man strode down the hallway toward them, his steps brisk and apologetic.

"Sorry about that-I entered the wrong address," he said, accepting the food bag from her hands.

Zoie tightened her grip around Aydan's arm, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Camila, are you seriously doing food deliveries now?" Her tone dripped with scorn, her gaze sweeping over Camila as though she were something pitiable.

It was obvious what she wanted to say-without Aydan, Camila was nothing.

With a faint chill in his tone, Aydan's voice carried a subtle edge. "I seem to recall giving you a considerable sum before we parted ways."

In his mind, he'd already fulfilled every obligation. The money had been generous-more than enough for an orphan like Camila to live in comfort for the rest of her days.

Camila's lips curved faintly, though her eyes drifted toward Zoie, who clung possessively to Aydan's arm.

Zoie's gaze shimmered with mock curiosity. "Camila, don't tell me you burned through all that money already?"

Before Camila could speak, Zoie released a delicate laugh. "Some people just can't keep hold of wealth, no matter how much they're given. Aydan, maybe you should have her escorted out. Who knows what she's plotting-she might be here to wreck our engagement."

Lowering his eyes, Aydan softened instantly at Zoie's words, his expression turning tender.

The sight struck Camila like a blade.

Her face blanched, but she clenched her fists at her sides, swallowing the surge of pain and forcing her composure to hold.

"That won't be necessary. I know how to walk out on my own."

Turning her eyes away, she pivoted toward the staircase without hesitation.

Zoie stiffened at the calm dismissal, and then hastily let go of Aydan's hand and stepped forward, unwilling to let Camila retreat so easily.

"Wait." Zoie suddenly caught Camila's wrist, her nails grazing lightly against the skin.

Camila stopped, turning back with composure. "Miss Butcher, is there something you need?" She gently but firmly pulled her hand free.

A sly smile curved Zoie's lips. "Since you're already here, why not stay and celebrate with us?"

Camila studied her for a moment, voice cool and even. "Miss Butcher, are you sure you want your fiance's ex-girlfriend attending your engagement?"

Zoie arched a brow, amusement flickering in her eyes. "So you don't want to?"

That smug tone stoked a quiet spark in Camila's chest.

She had planned to leave quietly-but suddenly, she didn't feel like walking away anymore.

"Alright," she said softly, her gaze steady.

Zoie's intentions couldn't have been clearer, but whatever she had planned wasn't going to unfold the way she expected.

Camila's expression turned serene as she lowered her eyes, her composure masking a quiet resolve.

Aydan's gaze lingered on her, a faint crease forming between his brows as an unfamiliar unease stirred within him.

The sensation flickered and vanished when Zoie suddenly leapt into his arms.

Holding her close, he asked in a gentle voice, "Why the sudden change of mind? Weren't you just about to throw her out?"

Zoie rested her head on his chest, her tone syrupy sweet. "I've changed my mind for a good reason, Aydan. I want her to stay and see how blissful we are, so she'll finally stop clinging to the past."

Her coquettish act softened him instantly. He brushed a hand over her hair with indulgent affection. "Fine."

From a few steps away, Camila watched the scene unfold-Aydan's tender gaze, Zoie's possessive smile. Though her heart had grown numb, the old ache flared anew, sharp and relentless.

Step by step, she descended the stairs, her emotions twisting in silence.

The man before her no longer resembled the Aydan she once knew. The version she loved had disappeared with the car accident; what remained was a stranger wearing his face.

With a faint curve tugging at her lips, Camila halted and turned toward the dimly lit backstage.

Pulling out her phone, she swiftly transferred the photos she'd taken with Aydan onto the computer linked to the venue's massive display, and then reached for the remote control with steady hands.

The backstage area lay deserted at that moment-no one around to question or stop her.

Half an hour later, the engagement banquet unfolded in full splendor.

From a quiet corner, Camila watched the glittering couple bask in admiration under the spotlight. Her expression unreadable, she tightened her grip on the small remote control and then pressed the button.

A crisp click echoed, and a heartbeat later, the giant screen's lights blinked out, plunging the stage into sudden darkness.

The engagement party dazzled with elegance, a glittering event uniting the Hewitt and Butcher families. Beyond their relatives and friends, the guest list brimmed with influential figures from the city's elite circles, lending the evening an air of prestige and scrutiny.

Camila held herself with impeccable poise, her expression serene.

Yet beneath that composed exterior, her heart churned in quiet turmoil, emotions rippling like an undercurrent she refused to show.

"Why did the screen just go dark? Did the power cut out?" someone asked, curiosity laced with unease.

Before the whispers could spread further, the screen flickered back to life-bright and steady once more.

Photos chronicling Aydan and Camila's shared decade shimmered across the screen, each image a reminder of their intertwined past.

The moment they appeared, color drained from Zoie's face. Her eyes darted toward Aydan, searching for a reaction.

Finding his expression calm and unreadable, she released a shaky breath.

"Aydan, this must be Camila's doing. She's being cruel on purpose," Zoie whispered, her eyes glistening with frustration.

Aydan's gaze lingered on the glowing screen, his jaw tightening before he finally turned away, face impassive.

"I'll take care of it," he murmured, voice low and controlled.

Aydan's eyes cut through the crowd, fastening on Camila like a blade. With his jaw clenched and his expression dark, he strode straight toward her.

"Camila, have you gone completely crazy?"

His deep voice rang with fury, slicing through the chatter until silence swallowed the room.

Camila slowly lifted her gaze to meet his.

The tenderness that once warmed his eyes had vanished-only cold distance and biting contempt remained.

Camila had told herself countless times not to feel anything, yet a dull sting still tightened her chest.

Forcing a steady breath, she curved her lips into a faint, defiant smile. "No, I'm not crazy," she said, her voice calm but laced with bitterness. "I just figured you deserved a little trouble for once."

Her fingers tightened around the remote control before she flung it aside with a sharp clatter. Pulling a sleek bank card from her pocket, she tossed it at Aydan's feet. "Aydan, I never touched the money you gave me. And I'm giving it back now," she declared, her tone clear and unflinching. "From this moment on, we owe each other nothing."

She'd been waiting for the right moment to hand the money back, and tonight it had finally come.

And now, doing it here in front of everyone-under the glare of so many watching eyes-brought her a fierce, aching satisfaction, as though she were finally reclaiming the last shred of her dignity.

Aydan had always cared more about his public image than anything else.

Over the past year, he'd trampled her self-esteem beyond repair, leaving her too numb to care anymore.

This time, she wanted him to taste that same humiliation-to watch him lose face in front of everyone-and the satisfaction that brought steadied her heart.

Just as she expected, Aydan's expression darkened on the spot.

"Camila, leave-now!" he snapped, his voice slicing through the tense air.

Camila's voice stayed firm. "Oh, don't worry. I'll leave right now," she said, locking eyes with Aydan.

She refused to be chased out in humiliation-she would walk away with her head held high.

All around the glittering banquet hall, guests turned to watch, murmuring behind raised hands as tension rippled through the crowd.

Among the circle of Aydan and Zoie's friends, one finally snapped and shouted across the room, "Camila, that's enough! Everyone knows Aydan's heart belongs to Zoie now. Who are you trying to fool with these stunts? Stop clinging to him already-don't you have any shame?"

Two years ago, Aydan had been in a devastating car crash. He fell into a coma and only regained consciousness a year later.

When he finally woke, fragments of his past returned-faces, names, memories-but not Camila. Her place in his heart had been erased completely.

Once, Aydan had loved Camila with a fierce, all-consuming passion. Yet after the accident, his heart latched onto Zoie instead.

He adored her with the same intensity he'd once reserved for Camila, pouring his devotion into Zoie until no trace of his former love remained. To him now, Camila was nothing more than a shadow from a forgotten chapter-a flaw on the picture-perfect romance he shared with Zoie.

Camila, however, had been shattered. She refused to accept his indifference, clinging to hope as she tried everything to rekindle what they'd lost. Ignoring the ridicule and the pitying stares, she devoted herself to helping him recover his memory, desperate to restore the love that once bound them.

And yet, fate had a habit of playing its cruel little games.

Despite everything Camila had done, her efforts only tightened the bond between Aydan and Zoie.

A full year had slipped by since then, and reality was no longer something she could deny.

Yet the biting words hurled her way still cut deep. Lifting her chin, she met the speaker's gaze.

"Let's get one thing straight-I didn't come here to chase after him. I had no intention of spoiling such a beautiful occasion. But Miss Butcher insisted I be present to admire their love for each other. So if I showed up today, it was only because she left me no choice."

Camila kept her composure, eyes steady and unflinching, a quiet sincerity radiating from her expression.

Her calmness left the other person momentarily speechless, tongue-tied beneath the weight of her poise.

Aydan's glare hardened, his voice slicing through the tension like ice. "Camila, what kind of scheme is this? Haven't you stirred up enough trouble already?"

She parted her lips to answer, but Zoie swept in before she could speak, voice dripping with false sympathy. "Camila, I understand-you grew up without a family, and when Aydan was still trying to figure things out in life, you seized the chance and made him believe he loved you, hoping to marry into wealth. But love doesn't bend to ambition. No matter how hard you grasp, what isn't yours will never be."

Zoie's voice sharpened, rising just enough to command the room's attention.

"Quit lying to yourself! Aydan's heart is mine now. You were nothing more than a fleeting distraction in the past."

Whispers rippled through the crowd. Everyone knew how fiercely Aydan and Camila had once loved each other.

And Zoie wasn't wrong-Camila, an orphan who'd once seemed destined for fortune after catching the eye of the Hewitt family's heir, had nearly stepped into a life of luxury. Who could easily walk away from that?

To them, Camila was a thorn-unwilling to fade quietly, resorting to desperate schemes to reclaim the man who'd already moved on, even if it meant sabotaging his engagement celebration with another woman.

At those words, Camila slowly lifted her head, a soft, startling laugh breaking the tense silence.

People nearby sent undisguised, disdainful, mocking glances Camila's way.

She felt them, but it no longer mattered.

Her eyes rested on Zoie and Aydan for a moment, and a small smile curled her lips. "I'm perfectly clear-headed now, so don't worry. I won't cling to Aydan anymore."

Turning away, Camila exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

Even though she had gotten her revenge on Aydan and Zoie, it left her empty.

Still, saying what she truly felt in front of them, despite the sorrow, made her feel a little lighter.

Letting go of years together was never easy. She had tried for a whole year with no sign of hope, and a month ago she finally decided to let go.

She and Aydan should have separated peacefully back then, vanishing from each other's lives.

What she had not expected was his ruthlessness. To push her out of Juahset, he used his influence to have her bakery closed for "restructuring."

Debts mounted, and she was forced to take a part-time delivery job to get by.

As for the money Aydan had given her, she had not spent a dime.

She refused to.

As Camila walked away, Aydan's eyes darkened.

Beside him, Zoie felt a stab of anxiety at the change in his expression.

Could it be... that he remembered something?

The thought sent her into a small panic. "Aydan, did her words make you regret getting engaged to me?"

"But, how's that possible?" Aydan snapped back to himself and lowered his gaze to Zoie.

The hardness in his eyes softened as soon as they met her face.

"I should punish her for what happened today, don't you agree?" Zoie pressed, watching him closely.

"Do as you like." His tone was casual, almost detached. "Just don't take it too far and get yourself in trouble."

......

A year had been enough for Camila to lose every last hope about Aydan.

She was not some tragic heroine clinging to fantasies of a future with him against all reason.

As an ordinary woman, her only sensible choice was to walk away with her dignity while she still could.

The money he gave her felt like a shackle, and she had no intention of keeping it.

After all, less than two weeks after he handed her the breakup settlement, her bakery was suddenly hit with "problems," pushing her into debt.

Uneasy about the timing and wary of further complications, Camila had never touched the money. She returned it directly at the engagement party.

Thinking of this, Camila drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Meanwhile, at the Hewitt family estate, Zoie sat before Sharon Hewitt-her future mother-in-law, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her expression pitiful. "Mrs. Hewitt, Camila is..."

Sharon had been brooding over this all day.

Though her anger had not fully faded, she held it back and patted Zoie's hand gently. "Zoie, I won't allow Camila to destroy your relationship with Aydan."

"Mrs. Hewitt, I'm really frightened. What she did at the engagement party today was disgraceful, dragging the names of both the Hewitt and Butcher families through the dirt. How can we just endure that?" Zoie steadied her breathing before continuing, "And who knows if she'll truly leave Aydan alone? For the past year, she's acted like a madwoman, refusing to let go and scheming at every turn to ruin what I have with him..."

Sharon's brows knitted, her distaste for Camila sharpening.

Some people were like stubborn gnats, once they clung on, it was impossible to shake them off.

"Mrs. Hewitt, if only she would vanish from Aydan's life forever." Zoie's voice broke as she spoke, her sobs making her appear all the more pitiful.

Sharon's hand stilled, her eyes flickering with a sudden thought.

A glint of cold determination flashed within them.

Since Camila refused to learn what was best for her, then she would have to pay the price for her stubbornness.

Zoie noticed the subtle shift in Sharon's expression. She lowered her gaze, hiding her satisfaction, while outwardly she maintained her sorrowful, wronged facade.