I Am Dead To You Husband

Camilla watched as her marriage crumbled before her eyes. Her cousin Diane stood confidently before the entire Miller family, stroking her protruding belly.

The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on Diane as her gaze swept across the room, locking on Camila briefly before moving on. "I'm carrying the Miller family heir," she declared.

Camila's mind reeled as she tried to process the implications of Diane's announcement. Who was the father? She turned in Lawson's direction, expecting to see shock or curiosity on his face. Instead, his expression was unreadable as he sat silently on the sofa, observing the scene unfold.

She kept searching his face for answers, but It was as though he had no care in the world, didn't care about her reaction or that of his family, and honestly, Camilla couldn't quite grasp what was going on in his mind.

"Lawson, is this true?" Camila asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Did you cheat on me?"

It was an unnecessary question, but Camilla couldn't help it; she wanted to hear it from him.

"ANSWER ME!" her voice flared, taking on a more acidic tone. "Are you going to just sit there and pretend you don't know what I'm talking about?"

Lawson remained unfazed, casually leaning back on the sofa.

"You owe me the truth, Lawson. I deserve to know if you've been lying to me, if you've been cheating on me."

Lawson finally, rose from the sofa and walked over to Diane, who was smiling serenely. "Leave, Diane," he commanded. "Now."

Diane's smile faltered, her eyes darting to Camila before returning to Lawson. "Excuse me?"

"That's enough, Lawson," Lawson's mother chimed in. "Why should she leave? She has made a declaration that affects this entire family. And you want her to leave when you've already got her pregnant?"

Lawson's jaw clenched slightly, but he remained silent.

Meanwhile, Camila just stood, feeling like an outsider in her own home. The feeling of being ignored was suffocating, and the fact that her mother-in-law seemed pleased by the news made Camila's blood boil.

"Mother how could you? This woman is standing here claiming to be carrying the Miller family heir and you're......" She paused, taking a deep breath in frustration. "I am Lawson's wife, remember? Your son cheated on me."

"Oh, yes, Lawson's wife who couldn't give us an heir. How's that for a wife?" her mother-in-law snarled, her lips curled in disdain. All the while, a triumphant smile was plastered on Diane's face, and Camila felt like an ant being crushed under the weight of their contempt.

Her eyes welling up as she stared at Lawson, expecting him to say something-anything at all. But no, he still remained quiet, making her feel like a fool.

"So... this is how it is, right? You're just going to stand there and humiliate me? After cheating on me?" Camila's eyes locked onto Lawson's, searching for any sign of defense, any hint of protection.

Still nothing.

"It's your luck, Camila; Lawson can't just sit back and wait for you to be fruitful. The world doesn't revolve around you," her mother-in-law spat. "You've had years to produce an heir, and what do you have to show for it? Nothing."

A cold realization crept over her. She was alone in this. Her husband, her family-they were all against her. Her husband cheated without remorse, so what would happen next? Divorce her? Because that's the possible action she could predict. Would he even bother to fight for their marriage, or would he simply cast her aside like a worn-out shoe?

With a deep breath, she blinked back the tears threatening to spill and looked up at Lawson.

"Can we talk alone, somewhere quiet and away from the prying eyes?" she requested, trying to keep her composure from breaking.

With his hands deep in his pockets, Lawson turned and walked away, expecting Camila to follow him.

Camila stared at her mother-in-law briefly, then at Diane before following after Lawson, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. She trailed behind Lawson, her eyes fixed on his back as he led her to their bedroom.

Lawson closed the door behind them, his eyes finally meeting Camila's.

"Well?" Camila asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you going to explain what's going on?"

Lawson's expression remained impassive, but Camila detected a flicker of something in his eyes. Guilt? Regret? She couldn't quite tell.

"Explain what?" Lawson asked. "I don't owe you an explanation."

Camila turned speechless as she chuckled in disbelief.

He doesn't owe her an explanation? Really?

"So that child is really yours?" she finally responded. "And you feel you have nothing to explain? Or perhaps you forgot you are married to me?"

Lawson turned away, irritated by the conversation. "It seems you've forgotten our agreement, Camila," he said, with condescension. "We had a deal. You knew what you were getting into when you married me."

Camila's eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her voice steady. "Our agreement was that I'd be your wife, your partner. Not that I'd stand by and watch you cheat on me with my own cousin."

"You're being dramatic, Camila. This doesn't have to be complicated."

"Complicated?" Camila repeated, her voice rising. "You're having a child with my cousin, and you think this isn't complicated?"

"THIS ISN'T COMPLICATED, CAMILA!" Lawson yelled, his composure finally cracking. "This marriage was arranged by my late father as an act of kindness to you. You have no right to question me or my actions. You're just a beneficiary of my family's generosity."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man she thought she knew, the man she loved, was telling her that she was nothing but a charity case.

"How dare you," Camila whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "I GAVE YOU MY KIDNEY, LAWSON! DON'T FORGET THAT!"

For a moment Camila saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes. But it was quickly dismissed.

Tears streamed down Camila's face as she repeated, as though trying to jog his memory, "I gave you my kidney."

"And you were paid for it!" Lawson spat.

"Paid for it?" she repeated, her voice trembling. "You think my kidney was for sale? You think I would have given it to you if I didn't love you?"

"Stop being dramatic, Camila," Lawson said, his voice cold. "Our marriage was based on a clear understanding: I needed a kidney, and you needed financial stability. You can't claim ignorance now."

"I thought I was your wife," Camila whispered. "I thought I was the person you loved. But I was just a means to an end, wasn't I? A way for you to get your health back?"

"If that's the way you see it then, so be it." Lawson replied, his words devoid of any remorse.

"You know I didn't sign up to be a broodmare or a kidney donor. I thought I was marrying a man who would love and respect me, not use me for his own convenience."

Lawson shrugged. "Camila, you're getting upset over nothing."

"You've destroyed me, Lawson. You've taken everything from me: my love, my trust, my dignity..." She trailed off, feeling drained of words.

It was clear as day that her feelings didn't matter; her love didn't matter; nothing mattered to him. And it hurt her that she didn't realize this sooner. Now she was paying the price for loving a man so badly.

"You're ungrateful," she croaked. "You're ungrateful for my kidney, for my love, my support, my sacrifices." Tears poured out like a fountain as she spoke, and Lawson looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"Let's just make this clear, Cami. I don't want to divorce you as a token of my appreciation. Let's just have an open marriage."

Camila laughed, the sound mirthless and filled with bitterness. "Fuck you and your open marriage. Do you hear me? Fuck you!" she spat, and her voice echoed all over the place. She was certain that everyone in the living room could hear.

"Fine. If that's how you feel," Lawson shrugged, unbothered. "Maybe we shouldn't be together. But let's not forget, I've given you a life of luxury and comfort."

. "You've given me nothing but pain and humiliation. And you'll regret every word you say." She declared and pushed past him, going for the locket beside their bedroom.

Lawson gazed after her in confusion, wondering what she was up to. But then Camila grabbed the car keys and her phone and headed for the door. Lawson's confusion turned to alarm as he realized she was leaving. He quickly recovered and strode after her, grabbing her arm to spin her around.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

Take your hands off me!" she spat as she struggled to broke free. She had to escape the toxic marriage.

With quiet dignity, Camila turned and walked away, leaving Lawson standing alone in the room.

The moment she stepped foot in the living room, her mother-in-law and Diane's attention snapped towards her, and Camila quickly wiped the tears from her face.

Diane had already made herself feel at home, swirling a glass of water in her hand as Camila walked past. A triumphant smile still etched on her face.

"Where are you going?" her mother-in-law sounded behind her, but Camila didn't stop. She kept walking, her eyes fixed on the door ahead.

"I'm talking to you," she hollered, but Camila ignored her again. She could feel the weight of their gazes on her, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. She pushed open the door, taking a deep breath as she walked towards the parking lot. Her focus was on getting as far away from him and his toxic family as possible, at least for now, until the fog in her head clears.

She reached the car and yanked open the door, and as she attempted to slide into the driver's seat, a familiar voice called out.

"Ma'am." It was the butler, his eyes widened in alarm as he realized Camila was about to drive away. He rushed to the driver's side door, pounding on the window.

"Ma'am, please don't drive the car!" he exclaimed, his voice urgent. "It's not safe! The AVR system was just repaired a few days ago, and it hasn't been properly tested yet."

Camila hesitated for a moment, her hand on the gearshift. But then her face hardened, and she put the car in gear.

"I don't care," she said, her voice cold. "I'm not staying here another minute."

The butler's face fell, and he stepped back as Camila pulled away from the curb. He watched in concern as the car disappeared into the distance, wondering if he should call Mr. Lawson and report the situation.

Camila's eyes blurred as tears flowed down her cheeks. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to focus on the road ahead. But her mind was a jumble of emotions, her heart heavy with the weight of Lawson's words.

She couldn't believe what had just unfolded. Not only had he cheated, but he had reduced their relationship to a mere transaction. He even mentioned an open marriage now, of all times, after cheating on her.

Camila's sobs grew louder. She felt like she was losing herself, like she was drowning in a sea of pain and heartache.

She didn't know where she was going; she just knew she had to get away. Away from Lawson, away from his toxic family, away from the memories that haunted her.

But she knew one thing-she would never go back to Lawson and never again subject herself to his cruelty, indifference, and the insults from his mother.

She slid one hand off the steering wheel and wiped her tears away, but more poured out like a torrent, and she found herself breaking down into uncontrollable sobs.

Marrying Lawson was the biggest mistake of her life. She was fully aware that Lawson was in love with Diane, yet when Diane rejected Lawson's marriage proposal, she accepted the arranged marriage offer from his father. Now she felt like a fool for entering a marriage devoid of love, in which she had to sacrifice a kidney in the name of affection.

But what did she get in return for her sacrifices? A cold shoulder from Lawson, humiliation from his mother, and Diane getting her way all over again.

The feeling of regret was suffocating, making it hard for her to breathe.

As Camila drove, the city lights gave way to the dark stretch of highway. She had been driving for what felt like hours. The tears hadn't subsided, yet there was a numbness that had settled over her.

She accelerated, the speedometer climbing higher and higher. The wind rushed past her, whipping her hair into a frenzy.

But as she rounded a curve, the car's wheels suddenly locked up. The steering wheel jerked out of her hands, and the car skidded across the lane.

Camila's heart almost leaped out of her chest as she kept slamming on the brakes, trying to get the car to slow down. But they didn't respond.

"Come on, come on!" she hollered, hitting the panel with all the strength she could muster as though her life depended on it. Her eyes widened at the windshield, her legs trembling as she kept slamming on the brakes.

All her attempts were futile. The car continued to skid, heading straight for the guardrail.

"No, no, no," she mumbled, but it quickly turned into screams as panic set in.

The highway was packed with cars, and Camila's skidding vehicle was heading straight for a tanker truck just a few meters away. The truck's large, cylindrical body loomed before her, a potentially explosive payload that made her blood run cold.

Camila's screams grew louder as she frantically tried to regain control of the car. But it was too late. With one last ditch effort, she steered the wheel to the left, but the car still crashed into the side of the tanker truck with a deafening impact, sending Camila's face slamming against the steering wheel.

The sound of crunching metal and shattering glass filled the air as Camila's world went dark, accompanied by searing pain in her face.

Lawson shrugged to himself, feeling no emotional attachment to Camila's outburst. "If she can't handle the truth, that's not my problem," he mumbled, and a soft knock at the door broke his train of thought.

"Mr. Lawson!" The butler's voice came through, and before he could continue, Lawson cut him off abruptly.

"Not now, Charles. Leave me alone," Lawson snapped, his voice firm but controlled. He didn't want to be disturbed, not now, not when he was still processing the events that had just unfolded.

Charles's voice was hesitant, but he eventually backed down. "Yes, sir. Sorry to disturb you."

Lawson nodded to himself, even though Charles couldn't see him. He waited until he heard the butler's footsteps fade away before he turned his attention back to his thoughts.

But his solitude was short-lived. The door swung open, and Diane walked in, flaunting her protruding belly. She looked radiant, her skin glowing with a healthy pregnancy sheen.

Lawson's gaze flickered to her stomach, and for a moment, he felt a pang of... something. But it wasn't guilt or regret. No, it was something else entirely.

Diane's eyes met his, and she smiled, her lips curling up, but before she could speak, she gestured towards the door.

"Get out of my room."

Diane's eyes sparkled with amusement, but she didn't seem offended by Lawson's abrupt command. Instead, she sauntered closer to him, her hips swaying seductively.

"I don't think so, Lawson," she said, her voice husky and confident. "I think we should put our differences behind us and embrace this baby since you seem to think you put it in there by mistake."

Lawson raised an eyebrow, but he was quickly interrupted by the door hinging open and his sister, Madison, bursting into the room, her movements frantic. Her eyes were wide with worry as she spoke.

"Lawson, oh my God, I just heard..."

She trailed off, her gaze flicking to Diane, who was still standing in the room, a smug expression on her face.

Lawson's eyes narrowed. What had Madison heard? And why did she look so worried?

"Heard what, Madison?" Lawson asked, his voice firm but controlled.

Madison took a deep breath before speaking, her words tumbling out in a rush. "There was an accident on the highway. A very bad one," Madison continued, her voice shaking slightly. "A friend who happened to pass by told me. She said it involved a tanker truck and... a car. Then it turned into a multi-vehicle collision. The highway is under lockdown."

Madison's eyes locked onto Lawson's, her gaze searching for any sign of concern or alarm. But there was nothing.

"And how's that our problem?" Lawson replied flatly.

"Camila... she just left..." Madison trailed off, her voice trembling with worry. "Do you think... she's... I don't know... maybe?" She paused and heaved a sigh.

"I have tried calling her, but she isn't picking up my calls."

"She is upset, so she wouldn't pick your calls," Diane spoke up, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And stop worrying for no reason. Perhaps Camila didn't drive through the highway. And even if she did-"

"This isn't the time for your drama, Diane," Madison interrupted, her voice firm but worried. "We need to find out if Camila is okay. We can't just stand here and speculate. Lawson, can you please try to reach her or send someone to find her?"

Lawson hesitated but eventually nodded curtly. "I'll send someone to check on her. But let's not jump to conclusions. We don't know if Camila was even involved in the accident."

Madison snorted, her eyes rolling in exasperation. "Oh, come on, Lawson. Don't play dumb. You know Camila might drive past that highway. And even if she didn't, wouldn't you want to make sure she's safe?"

Lawson shot Madison a warning glance, but her expression hardened.

"I already said I will, and will you shoo?" Lawson added, his voice firm. "And that's all I'm going to do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make some calls."

Madison's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she knew better than to push Lawson further. She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving Diane and Lawson alone.

Diane attempted to make advances toward Lawson, a flirtatious smile spreading across her face. But before she could take another step, Lawson flashed her a warning glance.

"Get away from me. I still haven't forgiven you for ditching me."

Diane's smile faltered, and she took a step back, her eyes never leaving Lawson's face. "Come on, don't be like that." She pouted, trailing her fingers on his chest, but Lawson swiftly grabbed her wrist, his grip firm.

"Don't," he warned. "I mean it, Diane. Don't push me. You've done enough already."

Diane snatched her hand back, her smile returning, but this time it was tinged with a hint of irritation.

"I wasn't ready to get married, and you were so desperate that you got married to Camila instead."

Lawson looked away, heading for the door, but Diane grabbed his arm. "Don't walk away. We both know you love me, and the child... you're going to accept it."

Lawson's eyes blazed with anger as he turned to face Diane. "You think you can just waltz in here, announce your pregnancy, and expect me to accept it?" he spat, his voice venomous. "You're crazy, Diane. Whatever happened between us was a mistake. And this..." He gestured to her belly. "...is just a complication."

Diane's face paled, but she stood her ground. "I'm not going anywhere, Lawson," she said, her voice steady. "And neither is our child."

Lawson's anger boiled over, and he took a step closer to Diane. "You have no right to come into my home, to disrupt my life like this," he growled. "You're the one who walked away, Diane. Don't come crying to me now."

Just then, the door flew open with Madison bursting back into the room, her face etched with urgency. "Lawson, it's Camila," she said, her voice trembling. "Her car was found on the highway."