Camilla's Intention

Camilla was in the masion kitchen supervising the works of the chefs and other kitchen workers when Adrian stormed in and demanded to speak with her.

"Young man, as you can see, I'm very busy. Whatever you want to say to me can wait. Except it's an emergency, I cannot leave what I'm doing." Camilla said casually while avoiding Adrian's gaze and pretending to be occupied.

"Mum it's an emergency, please," Adrian took her free left hand in his and shook it a little.

"Is it about my inviting, Sonia?" Camilla gazed at her son lovingly as a glint of humor danced at the corner of her eyes.

"Mum please, let's talk in private," Adrian said impatiently and tugged at his mum to move forward.

"Okay! You don't have to pull out my arm."

Both Camilla and Adrian left the kitchen and walked into the isolated dining room.

"I thought you and Raphael are attending the wine treading festival or have you changed your mind?" Camilla asked.

"We are still going but I need you to do me this favor," Adrian took both his mum's hands into his and stared lovingly into her eyes. "Can you please cancel the invite you gave to Sonia? I am not ready to see her this evening."

"Come on son, you know that is impossible," Camilla freed her right hand from Adrian's hold and gently stroked his chin. "It will be considered rude and demeaning to withdraw a dinner invite you gave to a beautiful young lady, after making her fly more than a hundred kilometers for that purpose."

"Sonia is already in Rosaltan?" Adrain eyes widened like a saucer.

"Yes, sweetheart!" Camilla beamed. "I was reliably informed that you both took the same flight. She wanted her visit to be a surprise that is why she didn't reach out to you."

"What!" Adrian felt his heart sink at his mum's statement.

"Oh, come on, wipe that surprise look off your face. Don't tell me you are not excited to see her." Camilla grinned.

"No, I'm not!" Adrian's face scrunched in anger.

"Don't worry, you'll be after a few kisses from her." Camilla smiled and winked at him.

"Mum, this is not funny."

"Did you see me laughing?" Camilla's eyes beamed hilariously. "Although Sonia made a mistake in the past, I still feel she's the perfect girl for you. No lady on Earth can understand you the way she does. If you ask me, I would say she is gifted at managing a romantically boring young man like you."

"Mum, I'm not boring. I'm just busy. Moreover, Sonia is a disaster waiting to happen. I couldn't deal with all her excesses in our two-year relationship. You of all people know that I tried to make it work between us." Adrian said between tightened jaws.

"If something doesn't work the way you want it to then all you have to do is try harder. Giving up is not an option."

"Mum, come on, Sonia is a hand full. If I couldn't manage her then, what makes you think, I'll be able to handle her now?" Adrian raked his hand through his hair. "She is reckless. She is wild. She is domineering. She is..."

"The perfect wife material for you." Camilla took the words right out of Adrian's mouth.

"Wife!" Adrian's eyes darkened and his nostrils flared in anger.

"You heard me right." Camilla held her son's stoned gaze.

"Mum, I'm not ready to settle down, and if I want a wife, I am capable of finding one for myself. Sonia can never be my wife." Adrian stressed his last statement with every air of bitterness.

"Young man, for your information, we are all tired of you parading yourself as a bachelor." Camilla lashed furiously. It is high time you settled down. We never forced Sonia on you. You were the one that introduced her to this family and made us fall in love with her."

"But you're aware of what she did, Mum."

"Well for your information, no one is perfect. Not even you, my darling son," Camilla snapped angrily at Adrian. She took in a deep breath to control her building anger and said in a calmer tone.

"Sonia made some mistakes in the past but I can promise you that she is a changed person. She misses you so much and her love for you has never withered. Are you aware that she still wears the engagement ring you gave her?"

"Oh come on mum, you know that's an act." Adrain chuckled bitterly. "I caught her cheating on me red-handed with my friend."

Camilla scoffed at Adrian's reply and said, "I'm not supporting what she did but you were sexually starving her. What do you expect? You keep a beautiful young lady for almost six months and you refused to touch her in the name of work. She's no saint, son, neither is her body made of wood."

"Really, mum! Can you listen to yourself right now? You expect me to feel sorry for her after toying with my heart?" Adrian's eyes flared up.

"Haven't you humiliated her enough? Haven't you punished her enough? The whole family is aware of her crime and everyone had taken out time to tongue-lash her. However, one year has passed and we have chosen to forgive her. Even your dad of all people has forgiven her. So, why can't you forgive her?"

"Mum I never said I hadn't forgiven her but I've moved on."

"With whom?" Camilla asked. "Because I've never seen any girl around you since the breakup."

"I'm working on it." The thought of Stella crossed Adrian's mind, making him smile unconsciously.

"Don't tell me you have your eye on that farm girl because I could see the way you and your cousins were drooling all over her." Camilla scoffed.

"At least, thank goodness that you notice someone has caught my attention," Adrian grinned.

"You must be drunk if you think I will allow my only son and only child to stoop so low for an ordinary uneducated farm girl. You better prepare yourself to give Sonia a befitting welcome." Camilla hissed and walked out on Adrian.