The Womanizer

Chapter 59: Spend My Life With You

A/N: a little fluff for you.

** play Spend My Life With You by Eric Benét when you see (*) for a better read

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Malibu- Los Angeles

This had to be, without a doubt, the worst—or perhaps the best—day of Camila's life, depending on the perspective one chose to adopt. The living room was dimly lit by the late afternoon sun filtering through sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over Camila as she lounged on the sofa, her eyes glued to the television. The screen was alive with the chaotic antics of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, the latest spectacle of reality TV that had just begun airing, a melodramatic portrayal of celebrity life that Camila watched with a mixture of amusement and genuine curiosity. Every so often, her gaze would drift away from the scandalous escapades of Britney and Kevin, drawn to the window overlooking the garden where Lauren was frenetically dashing about.

Outside, Lauren moved with a kind of manic energy, her every action driven by an obsessive need to inspect her lemon tree, which stubbornly refused to grow even an inch. Her movements were a blur of urgency, as she darted from one corner of the garden to the next, her face a portrait of frustrated determination.

Lauren's focus on the garden wasn't merely about the lemon tree. It was part of a larger frenzy to ensure that her home appeared immaculate, as though cleanliness could somehow stave off the anxiety that accompanied the day's upcoming events. Sydney was scheduled to visit, and this had Lauren in a whirlwind of activity. The call from the court earlier that morning had granted Lauren a rare opportunity: a brief, precious visit with her daughter, Lola, before their court date. Lauren's joy at this news was palpable; she was practically vibrating with excitement. Yet for Camila, the situation was fraught with a different kind of tension.

The prospect of Sydney's visit filled her with a sense of unease that she couldn't quite shake. It wasn't just about the ex who had been part of Lauren's past; it was about the implications of this visit, about what it meant for their present and future. Camila's feelings were tangled in a knot of jealousy, insecurity, and dread, a gnawing anxiety that threatened to overshadow the blissful distraction of Britney's public breakdowns.

Camila was all too aware of her irrational fears. Rationally, she knew there was no real reason to worry about Sydney. Everyone knew Sydney harbored a deep resentment for Lauren, especially after being left at the altar. But logic did little to quell the storm of jealousy and insecurity brewing inside her. The thought of Sydney's historical connection to Lauren, and Lola, who was a living, breathing embodiment of Lauren's past, gnawed at Camila's composure. Her mind, too fertile with dark imaginings, concocted every possible scenario of revenge, fantasies she quickly had to shove aside.

Just as she was about to descend further into her jealous musings, a sharp knock at the door snapped her back to reality. The sound jolted her from her seat on the sofa. Lauren, already flustered from her fruitless garden work, heard the knock and instantly tensed. She scrambled to adjust her appearance, tugging at her baseball cap and smoothing out her clothing in a futile attempt to look presentable. Her panic was evident, but Camila was having none of it. With a resigned sigh and a knowing glance at Lauren, she took matters into her own hands.

Camila strolled over to the door with deliberate nonchalance, determined to mask her anxiety behind a façade of effortless confidence. She tousled her hair to give it that disheveled, just-got-out-of-bed allure and ruffled her clothes to make it look as though she'd been manhandled. Taking a deep breath to steady herself and calm her racing heart, she yanked the door open, greeting the visitor with a smile that was a shade too bright, as though she had just engaged in some invigorating sex.