CAMILLA''S POV


    Ryker stilled behind me at her words and I knew the dinner was over. It took less than a minute to call it off and


    there were sighs of relief all around the table. Peggy stood to the corner while I tried my best to ensure that the girls


    were taken care of and every few seconds, I would see her shiver and pull her hands closer to her chest.


    Once I was guaranteed that Riley was going to put an eye on my girls, I pulled Peggy to the closest private room


    which happened to be the private living room. Ryker and the others came with me and we made sure the door was


    bolted shut before we even started speaking.


    “Tell me everything,” I said as soon as I was sure that we were alone. “How did you remember? What happened?”


    “I don''t know,” she admitted. “I have my memories of everything that has happened in the past few months but it is


    hazy, almost as if I am watching through someone else’s eyes. Before this, thest thing I can remember is being


    forced to n for Marie''s funeral-" her voice choked on thatst word. “I was distraught. I had no idea what I was


    doing. Marie is my life, my daughter was my everything and she died and the bastards responsible were going to go


    free”


    It was clearly taking an emotional toll on her and I wanted tofort her and tuck her into a bubble where she


    didn’t have to talk about any of it but the unfortunate trust was that I needed her to speak, I needed to know


    everything so we could handle it the right way. I opened my mouth a few times but no words woulde out. I


    nced over at Ryker for help and he didn’t hesitate before taking the seat next to me.


    “Peggy, I can only imagine how terrifying this must be for you,” he began in a calm andforting voice. “We are


    going to need you to calm down and tell us exactly how you remembered all this. Can you do that?”


    She nodded before taking a deep exhale. “Marie had been on edge all through today, she imed she was sick but I


    knew that was a lie. She kept snapping at me and I had no idea what the hell was going on so I stayed to give her


    some emotional support. I left to get some food to eat, and she tried to stop me, In hindsight, I can see why. If you


    are not reading this novel on Jobni ;b’, some sentences are iplete. It was as if the moment I was out of her


    reach, it all mmed back into me at once. I was so confused at first because it felt like I had two different lives


    trying to take root in my head. I couldn''t tell which one was real or not.”


    “How did you end up knowing which was real?” Christine asked from her spot behind us and all eyes went on her.


    “How did you realize that it wasn''t just a figment of your imagination?”


    “Because I remembered how my heart broke the moment I saw my child lying on that hospital bed. I remember how


    it felt like my world hade to an end,” she gave a sad smile. “There are certain emotions that you cannot fake,


    certain emotions that cannot be replicated and this- this, is one of them.”


    She looked away and wiped the tears that had leaked from the corners of her eyes. I knew exactly how she felt


    because for a brief second on that cliff, I had lost my child. I reached out for her and squeezed her hand tightly and


    she gave me a small smile. She was still visibly shaken up but she looked a lot better and a bit calmer.


    “What do we do now?” she asked. “Do I go back and pretend like I don’t know what is happening? Do you want me to


    get information on her? I could try.”


    “No,” I cut her off. “There is no need to do that. It will only make matters worse in the end. We know she is dead, we


    know she isn''t who she says she is and there is no use amodating her to make the rest of us ufortable. I


    have a n, but I need your help.”


    Once we had finished discussing the nature of the n, Peggy and I made our way to the room. Marie was still inside


    she was seated cross legged on the bed. When she saw us walk in, she stilled slightly and sat up straight. Whoever


    she was, she had a very good poker face, she acted like she knew nothing was going on as she crossed her arms over


    her chest.


    “Is this an intervention?” she asked with an amused drawl. “I said I didn''t feel well, is this the part where you want


    me to say that it was a lie? I don''t need you toe check on me. I am not sick, I will be fine in the next twenty-four


    hours.”


    “That isn’t why we are here,” I said simply and her brows furrowed in confusion. “I took the seat in front of her all the


    while she watched me with careful suspicion. “Do you remember that incident in the woods?”


    She frowned. “I don’t want to talk about that, Cami. I think it is time that you dropped it. There is no reason for you


    to keep pushing even after-"


    “You died,” I cut her off. “Although, you already knew that because you aren''t Marie.”C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She stared at me for a second before snorting. “I don’t know what the hell you are on but I think I am done ying


    the game,” she turned away from me but I could see the slight fear in her eyes.


    “l don''t want to hurt you but I will if you don’t tell me what the hell you want and why you are here”


    “I think it is time for you to leave,” she announced turning to me. “I think it is absolutely ridiculous that you would


    use me of something like that knowing that-"


    She didn’t even finish her statement, she pushed past me and made a run for it. Peggy screamed in fear but I knew


    she was going to get caught, the others were outside waiting. We had nned for this, for the moment she would rut


    so I was not surprised when she was suddenly pushed to the ground. She let out an ear splitting scream as she


    fought against the hold of the guards.


    Her screams echoed across the walls of the room and I saw the exact moment that Peggy shattered. I rushed to her


    before she hit the ground and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. Ryker was by the door silently asking


    with his eyes if everything was okay but I couldn''t answer because I didn’t know. The truth was that I couldn''t begin


    to imagine the pain that she was in.


    “It sounds just like her,” Peggy managed out. “I know that isn''t my daughter but it sounds like her. It looks like her.


    Can''t I just keep her? We can leave and we will nevere back. I could keep her”


    “Peggy,” I coaxed trying to keep my voice as soft as possible. “That person will never be your child. We don’t even


    know why the person is parading in your child''s body. They probably mean more harm than good.”


    “But I would have Marie back.”


    “You will never have Marie back,” it was a hard pill to swallow but it was true. “Marie is gone and she wouldn''t want


    you to hold onto this stranger in the guise of holding onto her. I know it hurts-"


    She pushed me off and I saw burning anger in her eyes. “You don’t know what this feels like. You can pretend to


    know but you never will. Your children are tucked in bed with their nannies and maids watching over them. Your


    children have never seen a day of sorrow in their lives so do not tell me you know what it feels that my child is


    dead.”


    “It might not seem that way but I do know,” I said and she opened her mouth to refute but I held up a hand to stop


    her. “My oldest daughter was kidnapped and almost burned alive in a house, it is the same ce that I lost my


    mother. Once again, she was kidnapped by vampires and she could have drowned. I know what it is like to have my


    child in danger, Peggy, I know what it feels like to see the life leave your child''s eyes. Both of my children have almos


    died in my arms.”


    “How did-" she trailed off. “You have your memories back.


    I gave her a small smile before nodding. “I do, but that is not important right now, what matters is that you stay here


    and rest. What happened today was awfully traumatizing and it will take a toll on even the best of people. I will have


    guards outside your door to keep an eye on you and keep you updated.”


    “Thank you,” she whispered but her eyes said so more. I squeezed her hand in silent solidarity before slowly making


    my way out of the room.


    Once I was finally away, I let my shoulders sag and I leaned against the wall for support. Ryker was instantly by my


    side, his hand on my lower back and his eyes roaming my body for any signs of an injury. I wanted to tell him that I


    was fine, that I was okay, but my lips couldn''t move. It was almost as if my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth.


    “Cami,” he pushed my hair out of my face and turned me to face him. “Do you need me to call you the physician?


    Do you need to sit down? I could carry you to-"


    “No,” I cut him off but his worried expression did not ease. “I just need a second. Those are memories I did not see


    myself having to relive for a while. It just- everything is too much. I just need a second.”


    Understanding filled his features and instead of asking any more questions, he just pulled me close and wrapped hi:


    arms around me. His scent filled my nostrils and I felt all the tension begin to leave my body as he ran his hands


    down my spine.


    “You can sit this one out if you want,” he whispered. “I can talk to Marie- or whoever- alone. You don''t have to be


    there with me.”


    “I owe it to Peggy to be there,” I cleared my throat and pulled away from him. “I am fine, I can do this.”


    “Cami-"


    I cut him off. “Lead the way to the dungeons, Ryker. We have an imposter to interrogate