Chapter 3

"You only need one man to love you. But love you like freedom from a fire, mad as the moon, always like tomorrow, sudden as an inspiration and unsurpassed as the tides. Just one man and all that." — C. JoyBell C.

Camila immediately went upstairs to hide. She was pacing her room trying to calm her nerves. She still felt mad at Eduardo Villa-Lobos for scaring the hell out of her.

"How dare that idiot follow me?" She gritted her teeth. Then she wondered why he knew where she was. She hadn't told anyone, not even her best friend, Toni.

“Camilla, come here. — She heard her aunt call her.

Camilla sighed. She really hated the idea of ​​facing Eduardo Villa-Lobos again. He was the most arrogant man she had ever seen. She'd hated him before, when her father had filled her in on this marriage story, and now that she'd met him, she hated him more. Damn it! However, she had no choice now, he was downstairs and she didn't want to upset her Aunt Beatriz by being so childish in facing the situation. She was going to find him eventually, anyway.

Hmm... Let him wait. she thought evilly. Camila decided to spend some time doing breathing exercises first to calm her nerves.

But Eduardo was nervous, Camila's parting words made him very angry. The realization that she loathed the idea of ​​marrying him hurt his masculine ego to gigantic dimensions. Eduardo was irritated by the girl's behavior. He wasn't usually ignored by anyone, especially women. He was a billionaire, CEO of a worldwide chain of hotels, casinos and beach resorts. He was one of the youngest billionaires in the world, according to the latest issue of Forbes magazine. And Camila's treatment of him, as if he didn't exist, pissed him off.

Oh girl... haven't you heard that women run after me from all over the world just to get noticed? He thought disdainfully. Beautiful models and famous celebrities dreamed of being asked on a date or to have their names linked to his. He was Eduardo Villa-Lobos. It was the women who pursued him, not the other way around. Yes, he had been aware of his good looks since elementary school. The girls ran after him, as their own mothers instructed them to do so. He was what they called "rarity."

However, Camila Cavalcanti was oblivious to this. She totally ignored him like he was dirt on her shoe. What irritated her the most was that he pursued her. This wasn't his style with women, it never was. She should be very grateful and aware of how lucky she was that he'd agreed to this arranged marriage. It was like winning the jackpot in the lottery, after all, women dreamed of dragging him down the aisle every night.

Eduardo was waiting in Beatriz Rodrigues' living room. He leaned back in an antique chair and waited for Camila. Again, he thought. He kept looking at his watch and counting the minutes since he got there. Nine minutes had passed and still she hadn't appeared. He decided that if she didn't come down within ten minutes, he would go to her room and give her a taste of her own medicine. She made him waste a lot of his precious time.

In exactly ten minutes, Camila appeared. Eduardo's eyes glared at her as he rose fluidly from his chair. Then, slowly, her gaze slid down her face, to her shoulders, her breasts, and her legs. Camila's skin glowed as she was hit by the sun's rays as she walked down the stairs. Her face looked sweet and innocent even without any facial expression, her long wavy black hair bounced with every step she took, and the sensuality of her beautiful body left him speechless. He was so mesmerized by her beauty that he couldn't stop looking at her. Camila was a seductive woman without even knowing it.

At that moment, Eduardo could no longer deny that he was extremely attracted to her. No matter how much he was controlling himself, he wanted her badly. Naked and delivered to her bed. He decided he was going to have her by any means. He'd never felt this kind of potent attraction to a woman before.

Camila tried to hide her anger towards Eduardo when they faced each other again. Her eyes like a hawk, unabashedly surveying her figure, face, breasts, hips and legs, then back to her breasts again! He really was a sex-hungry maniac, staring at her as if he undressed her in his mind, as if she were a whore! I hate that pig, his thought hissed. I can't even imagine marrying him.

“I've already made my point. There's nothing more to discuss, Mr. Villa-Lobos. Camila snapped disgustingly as she faced Eduardo squarely, one hand on her hip and one eyebrow raised.

Eduardo walked towards her. His powerful, well-muscled body moved with grace. Then he came close to her, looking at her intensely.

“But I didn't say mine. She took an abrupt step back, avoiding any physical contact. A quick shadow of anger swept across his face.

“So say it, and then leave.

“Wow… calm down. I came here to get you. As your fiancé, it's my duty to take care of you.

- There is! There is! There is! Are you deaf, Mr. Villa-Lobos? I already told you I won't marry you. I'm not your fucking fiancée. Camilla replied furiously. “But satisfy my curiosity and tell me how you found me.

“You underestimate me, sweetheart. I have many connections.

"You mean private investigators?" You are just like my father, controlling, manipulative and arrogant.

- No... Don't compare me to your father, dear, when you get to know me better, you'll see that there is no other man like me. Her voice, deep and sensual, sent a wave of awareness through Camila's body.

“I'm not going home. They can't force me to marry you. she said firmly, though.

“Oh, that hurts. Eduardo scoffed, holding his heart as if in severe pain. Then he responded calmly. “Believe me darling, I don't want to marry you either. You are the opposite of the kind of woman I want.

Strike one! Camila's face turned red as if a bomb had exploded in front of her. In other words, I'm not his type, she thought to herself. She felt insulted by his statement. Then she crossed her arms together and swallowed a lump in her throat.

“So the feeling is mutual. There is no need to proceed with this arranged marriage. We would end up stabbing each other in the back.

“Yes, you may be right. But unlike you, I am a very rational person and I value my family. I understand how important this arranged marriage is to my father and yours. Together, through sweat and blood, they worked hard, fought hard to succeed in their lives, businesses and family relationships. I am not so selfish as to defy your desire to unite the fortunes of both families. I have high esteem for your friendship and love.

Strike two! Camila was angrier now. What did he mean by that statement? This man was really testing her nerves.

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Villa-Lobos, that I am irrational and selfish?

She looked at him with eyes burning with disapproval.

“Think what you want, dear. He said in a rough, raw voice.

“Don't ever call me that again. She snapped angrily. He smiled at her.

- As? From dear? He chuckled evilly and leaned closer, looking at her intensely. "I'll call you whatever I want." Camila, love, honey, baby... Anyway, whatever I want, because sooner or later, we'll be sharing each other's beds, whether we're married or not.

- What? You are a bastard! She raised her hand to slap him, but he was faster.

He took her wrist and held it tightly in her powerful hand. Then he pulled her roughly and almost violently to him. She gasped at the contact. She had no way of reacting, for she felt the electricity of his touch. Dipping his head a little, he clicked his tongue teasingly.

“Oh, Oh… Don't ever do that again, honey, because I'm a difficult man to deal with. You will not like the result for sure. She didn't feel wrongly threatened, nor did she feel afraid, for her breath was fanning her face and her lips were mere inches from her neck. The fear she had was that he was man enough to make her really want him.

No! No fucking way, Camila thought. Then she arched her body and forcefully pushed him away.

- Let me go!

He let her go immediately and said in a deep tone.

“Think about what I said, Camila. Don't let your father be disappointed in you. I'm leaving for the United States in a few days. I don't know when I will be able to return to Brazil. I am a very busy person and most of my business is there.

He took a card from her wallet and handed it to her.

“Call me tomorrow and tell me your decision. Camila looked at him suspiciously, but took the card.

“My decision will still be the same. I will not marry you. She sighed and said. “They're being so selfish. I believe marriage is based on love, trust and respect, not a joint venture to protect family assets.

Eduardo's eyebrows rose in astonishment.

"So you believe in fairy tales?" In "happily ever after"... Sure, isn't it? He smiled and shook his head. - Sorry I do not. I never knew love.

- Because? Don't you have a girlfriend now? Camilla asked. Eduardo was amused by her and shrugged.

“No, we broke up last night.

- Last night? You must be heartbroken. Camilla looked surprised.

— Of course not, our relationship was based only on physical contact.

The meaning of S-E-X-O! Camilla gasped. The newspaper headlines about him were true. He was a playboy with a string of lovers, who he used and threw away night after night. Ugh!

- And you Camilla? Do you have a boyfriend now? Eduardo asked her curiously. Camila's eyes suddenly mirrored her sadness. Her lips quivered as tears pooled in her eyes. So she told him the truth.

“I broke up with him a few weeks ago. I'm still trying to move on.

Eduardo was taken aback by her response.

"So you're the one who needs to heal a broken heart?" He spoke bitterly. Camila was silent and just shook her head.