Lauren Jauregui's Point Of View

*Flashback On*

[...]

"You shouldn't be so upset about it, Camila. You two don't have a serious relationship. You can't want her to be faithful when you're married."

"I just thought that..." She made a brief pause. "That she liked me. Yesterday I was sure that she was going to say something important about her feelings, but I stopped her."

I knew what moment she was referring to, and truly, in that instant I'd make the biggest mistake of my life. Camila and I had just had sex near the creek, we were enjoying a tranquil day in each other's presence, and for some reason, I felt like I should expose my feelings to her, feelings that I nurtured in the course of our so tumultuous relationship. Luckily, or thanks to fate, she stopped me. Maybe out of guilt? Guilt for lying, for using me.

"You wanted her to be in love? Just like you are?"

I sighed heavily as I listened to the private conversation between both women. The listening devices were working perfectly well, giving me free access to find out about any and all subjects discussed between them.

"Dinah..."

"Camila, please. This is madness! You're a felon, do you get that? You've let this go too far. I know that it was just sex at first, but you know that that's not the case anymore."

"I know..." She whispered.

"Then take advantage of this and put an end to it. I know that you didn't plan to fall in love with that woman, but you can try to revert that."

"I'm in love with her, Dinah."

I removed my headphones quickly, throwing them roughly on the car's dashboard. I was in a parking lot a block away from the gallery, I didn't want to be far, when soon I'd have to meet her.

"You're lying even to Dinah, who's your accomplice." I said in disbelief. "You've never been in love with me, Camila. Don't be such a liar!" I yelled, as if she could hear me.

A part of me, as much as I didn't want to believe, regretted such situation. Deep down I wanted Camila to not be a criminal, I wanted her to really be in love with me and, for her to never have used me to carry out her greedy plan against Christopher Collins. But people are never as we imagine them to be, or how we want them to be. Of course, not everyone's part of a multimillionaire theft, but they also end up hurting us somehow.

Too many expectations frustrate us.

I looked at the headphones lying on the dashboard, hearing low murmurs coming from them. I grabbed them again as I struggled to get on with it. It wouldn't be so simple, but I'd have to have strength to get to the end.

"We have to get together." Dinah said.

"Did something happen?"

"Yes, I received Heitor's package. I paid the last part of the payment, and as we had agreed, only after what he had to give us."

"Do you have it?"

"Yes, a pendrive that has everything we need."

"Did you see what was in it?" Camila whispered.

Dinah fell silent for a few instants, but then answered. "A video. The video that will put an end to this story."

"What video?"

"It's better if you watch it, I'd rather not say anything now. We can meet in the usual place."

"Sure. I need to see what this video is all about."

The conversation between them ended, leaving me with a lot of questions. There was a purpose behind those plans, which maybe didn't sum up only to stealing all the fortune of the oil tycoon. Camila and Dinah seemed to want something more, something much more important that I'd have to find out.

"Why are you doing this, Camila? Why?"

I stayed there for a few more minutes, thinking about everything that I intended to do now. Entering this game alone wasn't an easy task, but I had the great advantage of knowing to where all the pieces would move. In that moment, I had the broad view of the board game. It didn't take long and soon I was driving my car into the parking lot of the Cabello gallery. I needed to continue fulfilling my role of private security guard, and now in a much more effective way.

"Can I come in?"

Camila was sitting behind her desk, keeping her attention fully focused on the pile of papers in front of her. She looked beautiful, so fucking beautiful, as always.

"Of course." She answered dryly.

I crossed the office with one of my best smiles, even when inside my urge was to kill her. I got close enough to deposit a quick kiss on her lips, now painted in a light color.

"Did something happen?" I asked when I noticed her serious posture. "I came here earlier today, but you still hadn't arrived. I called your phone and nothing."

"It's dead, no battery." She said as she got up from the chair.

I allowed myself to stare at her for a few instants, noticing her visible lack of humor. What if Camila had discovered the listening devices? Would it be the end of the game?

"Okay, can you tell me what happened?"

She didn't even look at me, just threw some folders into the cabinet and slammed it shut, making her irritation clear.

"How was your night? Good? Did you enjoy dinner with that slut?" She asked furiously.

A kind of relief washed over me. Camila wasn't furious because she had found out about my investigation, she was furious because I was with another woman. As if she cared enough for that.

Two-faced liar.

We initiated a heated exchange of words, filled with anger and cynicism. The Latina was showing herself as a jealous woman, as if she had been betrayed by me. Who was she to talk about betrayal, right?

"Don't test me, Lauren. You don't know what I'm capable of." She threatened.

I stared into her flaming brown eyes and took a step forward, enough to leave us only a few inches from each other. Our breaths mingled at the same time as our eyes connected. My anger was displayed by an exaggerated sarcasm that made her even more angry.

"And what are you capable of, Karla?"

I knew what she was capable of, but I'd provoke her to the last instant, I wanted her to lose control, wanted to see her surrendered before her weaknesses.

"You really want to know?"

She considered our opposite sides, I could see that behind those so intense eyes. Her question came as an enigma, which in her head was still very hidden, but in mine, not so much.

"You don't want to know. You couldn't handle it." She mocked sarcastically before walking away.

"I can handle anything, Mrs. Collins." I challenged her. "Show me what you're capable of."

Camila backed away a few steps before turning her body towards me.

"Don't worry, I'll show you. You'll never forget me, Lauren."

Her words came out laden with a double meaning. Camila wasn't referring to Keana, it was far from it. In that moment, our conversation reached another level. Between the lines, she left small loose ends, showing herself as she really was. She always did that, but I never saw it. And now, seeing everything so clearly, I could only feel anger. Anger for liking someone who lied to me so coldly.

Our argument dragged on for a few more minutes, igniting with every sentence uttered in such a harsh way. There was anger between us, the difference was that both were provoked by extremely different motives. I left the Latina's office and strode to the exit. I was furious, to the point of flaring up, and throw at her everything I knew. I crossed the parking lot as a heavy breath took over me. I leaned against the car, trying to calm myself down.

"Calm down, Lauren. Calm down." I said to myself.

I couldn't lose control, not now. I couldn't simply let my feelings have an influence in that investigation. Everything had to happen like I had planned.

[...]

I shifted once again on the car seat, taking another sip of the hot coffee inside the thermos; that needed to keep me awake and attentive enough that night. It was already past 2AM and here I was, just a few meters away from the Collins mansion. After listening to all the conversations between Dinah and Camila, I took the initiative to surveil the only way out of that property. Camila had scheduled to meet Dinah, and knowing her relatively well, I knew of her escape methods, one that ensured that she didn't have to worry about the possible intervention of her husband.

"Come on, Camila. Where are you?"

Two sleepless nights, that was consuming all my energies. The eagerness to put an end to that case was so great that sleeping wasn't in my plans right now. My body kept moving due to caffeine, and sugar. I sighed heavily as I leaned over the steering wheel.

I was exhausted.

For some reason, my thoughts turned to the Latina, but not to her newly discovered dark side; in that moment, I was replaying in my mind the first time I saw her sitting next to me as she savored a glass of Whiskey. I remember exactly how crazy about her I was just by watching her. Camila emanated a natural sensuality, she didn't have to try hard to draw attention, just a few intense looks, some engaging smiles, and bam, you were mesmerized by her.

"Get out of my head!" I grumbled as I shook my head.

When I looked up, I saw a light coming from the gate. The headlights of the car illuminated the road ahead. Camila took a few minutes before leaving the Collins mansion in her black Ferrari.

"I'm gonna get you now."

I let her drive away and then followed her, keeping my distance, enough for her not to notice that she was being followed. The streets of New York never remained without movement, being it a little or a lot, there were people still circulating around. The woman practically crossed the city, making me wonder during the whole way where she was going to. It didn't take long, and soon we drove into less inhabited area. We were in a place full of warehouses, just a few meters from the harbor. With the road completely deserted, I turned off my headlights, and allowed her to drive farther and farther away, I didn't want to put everything at risk, all the care in the world now wasn't enough. After a few more meters, I saw the Ferrari's brake lights light up. Camila drove the vehicle to the side of one of the warehouses, disappearing from my line of sight. I drove my car to the seventeenth warehouse, still keeping my distance, since she had entered the nineteenth one. I parked the car in the darkest spot, and then grabbed my phone, followed by my gun. I checked to see if it was loaded, and then I left the vehicle and headed towards the nineteenth warehouse.

Silence; that was all that could be heard.

The place was dark. The warehouses didn't have illumination, the only source of light was the one emanating from a single lamppost across the street, leaving its surroundings plunged in an intense penumbra. I continued walking in hurried and silent steps to the side of the fence that separated the warehouses. Upon approaching the nineteenth warehouse, I noticed the bits of light inside. I remained attentive, with my gun ready in my hand, before inching closer and closer. My breathing was controlled, unlike my heart that throbbed frantically in my chest. With every step taken towards that place, my hope died a little more, hope that everything was different from what it really was. Liking Camila made me yearn for her innocence, even when that proved to be impossible.

She was guilty and that wouldn't change.

After analyzing the whole warehouse, I saw a smaller door on the side. I figured that Camila had entered the building through the main entrance, since her Ferrari wasn't parked outside. I approached the iron door, noticing the loose chains that kept it close, and cautiously, I removed them from their supports, making them creak quietly. Shit! I sighed heavily, stopping for a few seconds, just to make sure that I hadn't drawn any attention, before gently pushing the door, opening a small space, but enough for me to enter.

The warehouse was full, there were several old boats, some covered with tarpaulins and others in plain sight. I walked slowly and silently between them, until I got closer to the clarity inside. My gun was raised at the required height, aiming towards where I was walking; not that I planned on using it against Camila, but it was part of the job. Even at a distance, I could already hear some voices, or rather, some murmurs. I kept on walking between the boats, taking all the necessary precautions to not be caught. When I approached the last boat, I had the broad view of the meeting led by Camila.

It can't be...

For a split second I felt my whole body go cold. It was as if my blood had stopped circulating in my veins, and all for a single reason.

Normani Kordei.

The agent approached Dinah as she talked to her about something, they seemed intimate enough for a brief exchange of caresses. I hadn't been betrayed only by Camila, but by one of the members of my own team.

"Camila, I think we need to talk before you watch it." Dinah said anxiously.

I tried to focus on the three women up ahead, pushing away all the fury that was taking over me. Until then Normani was one of the most important agents in my investigation, the woman possessed a vast knowledge of computer science, but her work at the precinct was only a mean for her to obtain information about our every move. It was all in vain, now, I knew that everything was Camila's doing.

"Talk about what? I've been waiting for this video all morning. I want to watch it. Now." The Latina grumbled.

"It's just that..."

"Dinah, the video."

Dinah and Normani looked nervous, almost apprehensive. There was something very heavy there, something that very soon we'd find out. The blonde sighed and nodded, receiving an encouraging look from Normani. Camila looked at them tranquilly before reaching for the laptop that Dinah was holding towards her. I took a few more steps forward, I wanted to stay close enough.

"Calm down, Lauren." I whispered to myself.

Camila sat down and then brought her hand to the laptop, probably starting the video. After a little while, her tranquil expression changed. Her eyes were static before the illuminated screen, and only after a few seconds, could I notice that she was crying.

"Camila..." Dinah whispered.

My head teemed in curiosity. What had Camila seen in that video? The woman turned her eyes to the screen as tears streamed down her face. She didn't have a sad countenance, her features now indicated other emotions. It was anger, outrage and, above all, recklessness.

"He's going to pay for this, today. Bastard... bastard..." She cussed nervously.

"No, Camila! You can't lose your cool..." Dinah said. "You need to stay calm..."

"This will not go unpunished!"

Camila lifted her body slowly, she seemed lost, upset. Something in that video had caused her pain in a matter of minutes. She walked away from the table and only then could I clearly see the golden pistol in her hand.

Jesus, who was that woman?

"Christ! Try to remain calm. We can't make a wrong move now. You can go to jail, or even die."

"And you think I care?!" She shouted. "That fucking man destroyed everything, Dinah! Everything! He..."

She closed her eyes, bringing her hands to her head, visibly upset. Camila looked beside herself. And for a few instants, I felt like comforting her.

No...

You can't, Lauren.

"I know! I know! But we've already planned our revenge, don't do this now. He'll get what he deserves." Dinah said as she approached, touching Camila's shoulders gently, who soon enough backed away.

"It's not enough anymore. I want to see him completely destroyed, and I'll be the one who will do it." She seethed as she pressed the barrel of the gun on the iron desk. "I'm going to kill him just like I've always dreamed during all these years."

I took a step back and slowly leaned back against one of the boats. My breathing was heavy, intense, perfectly in tune with the beat of my heart. What the hell had Christopher done to that woman? Why did she hate him so much? Now Camila didn't carry only her persuasive air, there was something else. Something vindictive, ruthless and evil.

"You've never killed anyone, you can't do that. I know you're not like this..." Dinah begged.

"Are you trying to convince yourself of that?" Camila cried out. "I'm not the person that I used to be before. Can't you see? I'm tired, Dinah! I want to destroy Christopher Collins, and I'm going to do it today!"

"Camila!" Normani exclaimed.

As soon as the Latina took impetus to walk away with the gun in one of her hands, something in me awoke. I couldn't just let her go and commit an even more serious crime because of her clear emotional outburst. I took a deep breath, and moved my body in a jolt.

"You're not going to do anything!"

Camila stopped dead in her tracks almost automatically. Dinah's and Normani's gaze turned towards me, even when they couldn't see me yet, thanks to the darkness between the boats. The warehouse plunged into a fearful and surprised silence, having as background sound the thud of my heels on the dusty floor. After a few more steps, I finally stepped into the illuminated part.

"I don't think that's a very smart thing to do, taking into account that you're already in enough trouble."

The words came out of my mouth in a challenging tone, almost imposing. Between the faces in front of me I could only notice the surprised countenances. Camila, Dinah and Normani stared at me as if they had seen a ghost.

"Lauren... It's not what you think..." Normani whispered.

A sarcastic smile was born on my lips as I continued to approach them.

"Enough of this theater. Enough!" I exclaimed as I raised my gun again. "You played an almost perfect game, girls. Almost. I believe you are the main piece, right Camila?"

"Lauren..."

"Tell me it's you! Come on!" I shouted.

"Calm down! Let us explain everything." Normani spoke tranquilly, even when her eyes showed her nervousness.

"Explain? You want to explain how you've became criminals? Liars? You want to explain how you played with me all this time? I trusted you! And you!"

"What are you going to do? Huh? Are you going to arrest us?" The Latina challenged.

My heavy breathing made my chest rise and fall quickly. My whole body was in a state of pure adrenaline, while my head seethed.

"I should end your life! You fooled me during all this time, you lied to me. You were dirty enough to get involved with me, and get all the information you could get."

"You don't know anything!"

"What? Are you going to tell me that you feel offended?" I asked in a sarcastic tone. "I bet not. You liked playing with me, didn't you? You liked using me like some piece of your filthy, greedy game."

"I've been on your side... I did a lot for you!"

"On my side? Please! You used me! And to think that..." I shook my head, feeling that anger spread throughout my whole body. "You betrayed me."

I turned my back to them for a few instants, and soon enough felt a soft touch on one of my shoulders.

"Lauren... I didn't want to use you..." Camila whispered.

In a jolt, I turned my body towards hers, and gripped her neck with one of my hands, leaving them all alarmed. Camila didn't defend herself, she didn't have time for that. I pushed her against a concrete pillar, dragging a surprised groan of pain from her mouth.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" I seethed furiously.

I didn't want to listen to her. I didn't want any explanation. Nothing would soothe the hell inside me. I felt Camila swallow hard against my hand that gripped her neck tightly.

"Laur..." She choked out.

"Let go of her!" Normani shouted.

"Back away! Back away or I'll kill her!" I shouted as I pointed my gun towards Camila, causing Dinah and Normani to back away.

Camila's face was gaining a reddish color as she struggled to breathe. My hand was squeezing her neck as she stared at me. Her parted mouth choked due to her difficulty in breathing. Her brown eyes stared at me with an indecipherable glow. I couldn't tell whether the woman was scared or angry.

"I trusted you. I allowed myself to like you..."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Please." She begged.

I loosened my hand around her reddish neck, releasing her once and for all. Camila pushed me hard and coughed insistently, as she tried to recover the air that I prevented her from getting. I took a few steps back, taking a deep breath, pulling as much air as I could into my lungs, when I saw the Latina raise her gun towards me.

"You will not kill me now, Jauregui." She said, still breathless.

"And you're going to kill me? After everything you've done to me? You're going to end your game, killing the person you fooled the most?"

"Get out of here." Camila ordered her accomplices.

"We're not going without you..." Dinah insisted.

"Go now!"

"Camila..."

"Go!"

The two women were reluctant for a moment, but Camila stood firm in her order, causing both women to leave the warehouse, leaving us completely alone with that whole tangle of feelings. The atmosphere between us weighed like a ton. Staring at that woman now had a different impact on me. There was disappointment, anger, hatred, but still, I knew that there was love.

"Don't make me do this, Lauren." She said nervously as she pointed the barrel of her gleaming golden pistol at me.

"What? This?" I asked as I raised my gun again.

We were facing each other, both with our guns properly ready to put an end to that game. Camila was staring at me fixedly, as if seeking strength and courage to persist in that fight. Her hands were shaking, just like her teary, lost gaze. Strangely enough, Camila Collins now didn't carry her power like a queen, on the contrary, she was as lost as an orphan.

"Shoot! It's the only way to complete your plan!" I shouted.

"Stop it!"

"Shoot, Camila!"

"You shoot! Aren't you angry enough to do it? Don't you hate me enough to the point of ending my life? Just do it already, it's a favor you do me!"

Her voice was choked, breathless, from one sentence to the other, as if she was going to burst out into a compulsive cry at any moment. Her chest rose and fell in a heavy breath, making me even more unstable before her presence. There was a war going on inside me, a maddening conflict between my feelings for that woman. I hated her right now, I was angry at her, but nothing was enough to make me stop loving her. Camila was a damn drug that made me feel alive.

"Don't provoke me, I can end this right now."

We stared at each other for a long while, as if our gazes could convey all that intense load of feelings that consumed us. Camila sighed heavily, closing her eyes as her index finger moved on the trigger of the pistol. Her hands were visibly shaking, as if she lacked the courage to make the next move.

Was she so cold and calculating to the point of killing me?

Would she do it?

Her brown eyes opened to face mine again, intensely, as if they could penetrate my soul, making me feel an even bigger weight. I felt my whole body tremble, followed by a shiver in the back of my neck. Camila swallowed hard, and after a few instants, her shoulders sagged and her arms lowered, lowering the gun as well.

"I can't do this, not to you, not after everything." She said almost defeatedly.

My gun was still raised and perfectly aimed at her. I didn't want to show weakness, I didn't want her to realize how much she affected me.

"But if you want to, go ahead. Do it! But first..." The Latina walked away and headed for the table up ahead, where she laid her pistol carefully, in a kind of silent surrender, making it clear that she wouldn't do anything else. With a certain care, she turned the laptop towards me, giving me the clear view of the screen. "Watch."

It took me a few seconds to lower my gun, as I tried to trust her so peaceful actions. I approached slowly, without completely letting go of my gun, to then click on the play button that would start the video.

The video was from a security camera, in what seemed to be a parking lot. The place that until then was empty, gained the presence of four men. Three of them were familiar to me; Christopher Collins, Heitor Martinez and Brandon James. The fourth man was unknown to me, but he possessed the same physique as the first two, even though he looked older. They seemed to be arguing furiously, it was noticeable by the way they seethed at each other. The images in the video were a little dark, but still, the confrontation between them was clearly noticeable. The unknown man shook his head and shoved Christopher hard enough for him to lose balance and fall to the floor. Collins, on the other hand, got up from the floor in a jolt and moved towards the fourth man, using and abusing his brute force to the point of knocking him on the floor after a string of aggressive punches.

He was being beaten.

Brandon, in his turn, didn't stop him. Heitor tried to control him, but nothing worked, the man only stopped when the other no longer had strength to get up. The scenes advanced, and now it showed the businessman pacing back and forth, he looked nervous, as the Commissioner exclaimed something that we'd never know. Christopher confronted him verbally, while Heitor showed an upset countenance. He didn't seem to agree with that. Everyone there seemed nervous. But only one of them took the lead.

Collins disappeared from the camera's line of sight for a few instants while the other two men argued, but the businessman soon returned. In one of his hands was a revolver, or a pistol, it wasn't easy to identify with the bad lighting. Brandon and Heitor took a few steps back, fearful, when Christopher aimed the weapon towards the fourth man on the floor, completely hurt. The unknown man shifted slowly, as if trying to react, or even escape from such situation. He coughed nonstop as blood poured out of his severed mouth. He tried to get up, but it was a failed attempt, he didn't have the strength for it. Heitor approached Christopher, as if trying to stop him, but it was too late...

Three shots in cold blood were fired one after the other, and the life of that man was taken.

The scene seemed to happen in slow motion. The shots hit the chest of the man completely hurt on the floor, his body received the impact of the bullets with force, forcing him to shift. It didn't take long, and a pool of blood formed around him. Heitor jumped on Christopher, utterly desperate, but the businessman just shoved him away, knocking him on the floor.

My eyes left the screen and turned to Camila, who remained static in front of me, with an empty countenance, almost lifeless.

"Now you can do whatever you want." Those were her only words.

*Flashback Off*

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NOTE: Intense af lol The flashback will probably continue in the next chapter. When Evelin updates, I'll translate and post it.