NOTE: For a better reading, start this chapter with the song "Sacrifices" by Tinashe, and when I point out in the chapter listen to the song "The Gunner" by MGK.

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Katherine Cooper's Point Of View

Phoenix.

The phoenix is a mythical bird, universal symbol of death and rebirth. It also symbolizes the fire, the sun, life, revival, resurrection, immortality, longevity and invincibility. Of Ethiopian origin, the phoenix, whose tail has beautiful red and gold feathers, is portrayed by a sacred bird that rises from the flames. And that's because it possesses the ability to be reborn from its own ashes after being consumed by fire.

I closed the book resting on my desk after reading those words printed on a yellowish page. A sigh escaped my lips after assimilating every little detail of that paragraph that represented so much of me. I removed my reading glasses, leaving them on top of the pile of papers in the corner of my presidential desk. I subtly drummed my fingers on it before lifting my body from the chair and walking slowly to the reddish-brown mahogany counter in the corner of the large room. I poured a good amount of Scottish Whiskey into a glass, to then add two ice cubes.

That morning carried a considerable weight on the plans that I traced after that whole disaster a year ago. Today would be the day when everyone could see the rebirth of who I am and still can be. The path of life that was destined for me, didn't allow the existence of gaps for failures or defeats. I had been raised and strictly trained to fight those who stand in my way. And it was due to following those teachings that I was here now, more alive than many might think.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

I lifted the glass with the Whiskey to my mouth, letting the lightly copper-colored liquid wet my lips now painted in a dark, opaque red. After feeling the inside of my body warm up with the drink, I replied:

"Yes, Amber?"

"Ms. Jauregui is here to see you." Those were my private secretary's words, which made a satisfied smile appear on my lips.

I took a step forward, approaching the massive glass wall that gifted me with a broad view of the skyline of the beautiful and structured city of Zurich. My eyes landed on the flow of cars that drove into my company's frontal parking lot.

Cooper Industries.

"Let her in, I'm waiting for her."

"Yes, ma'am, excuse me."

As I got closer to the windowpane, I could partially see my reflection. My hair was still long, falling down my back like a beautiful waterfall, although now it had a different color, blonde, bringing a radical change to my appearance. The light strands of hair contrasted perfectly with the black tube dress that had 3/4 sleeves and a rectangular front neckline. The lightweight and very elegant fabric clung to my body in a divine way, exuding a social and at the same time attractive air. Could I say with modesty how exuberant I looked that morning? After all, it wasn't a bad thing for a woman to think she looks incredibly beautiful, right? Especially when in a few minutes she'd become the center of attention of hundreds of people who waited eagerly in a huge auditorium inside that building.

On that Autumn morning, in Swiss lands, inside the monumental building of Cooper Enterprise, company born by the hands of the late Charlie Cooper, a new cycle commanded by me will begin.

"Katherine Cooper?" I heard the hoarse, feminine voice flood the environment, causing a loving smile to appear on my lips. I let the air that filled my lungs escape through my mouth in a heavy sigh. The sound of Lauren's heels on the oak floor indicated her proximity, making me yearn for her contact, when finally, I received her hands on my waist. "Are you ready, Queen?"

That question was asked close to my ear, like a whisper. I felt a subtle shiver go down my spine, though I tried not to show my body's reaction. I took another sip of the drink in my glass before turning towards her and staring at her hypnotizing green eyes. Lauren looked incredibly beautiful that morning, as usual. The deputy was wearing a dark blue feminine pantsuit that had chalk stripes on the side. The sophisticated-looking fabric contrasted with the pearly tone of her silk blouse inside the open blazer. I slid the tip of my fingers over the badge hanging from a thin and delicate chain around her neck.

"I'm always ready, Jauregui." I answered in a cocky tone.

Lauren smirked, taking the glass from my hand to sip a bit of the alcoholic liquid.

"Of course you are, especially to be the main piece, huh?"

I curled my lips in a mischievous grin before walking to my desk, where I sat partially. I crossed my legs, letting a part of my thighs visible through the subtle slit of the dress.

"You can't blame me for being born to be the protagonist of this game, Lauren. The fate of being a Queen is in my blood."

"I thought Camila Collins had been left behind." The police officer murmured as she approached, setting the glass aside.

I stared at her intense gaze, which made me give tit for tat in a defiant and imposing way. With a smirk on the corner of my lips, I slid my hands down Lauren's chest, noticing that she followed my every move with her eyes. With the tip of my fingers, I drew on her skin until I reached the hem of her blazer, which I tugged to bring her closer to me.

"And she was left behind. Camila Collins is dead in some cemetery in New York now." I whispered as my hands moved up the sides of her neck. "However," I felt Lauren's breath falter for a moment, in a perfect sign of what I could do to her, how much I still affected her. Even after all this time, the deputy hadn't become immune to my power, let alone to my touches. I smirked and subtly leaned my body forward, inching my lips closer to the crook of her neck. She swallowed hard, sighing at the closeness, but didn't say anything. I placed a slow kiss there, allowing my tongue to slide over her skin. "Katherine Cooper is here now, like the rebirth of Camila Collins who was consumed by fire." I said, to then stare back into her eyes.

"Like a phoenix?"

"Like a phoenix." I confirmed.

Lauren's green eyes flashed with lust, almost arousal. She took a deep breath, as if trying to hold onto her sanity.

"What should I expect from you, Katherine?"

"What did you expect from Camila Collins?" I countered with a question that made her smile. "We're still one, Lauren. Now you'll have both."

I lifted my body from the desk and walked to the other side as I tried to compose myself.

"That means I should worry." She said after drinking the Whiskey in the glass at once. "Two of you is always a sign of trouble, it's as if I've lived this in another life." She completed, making me chuckle.

"You should feel honored to have two sides of me." I said as I stopped in front of the door. "Not everyone's born with such luck."

"I'll have to have a lot of control." She said as soon as her hands landed on my waist.

"You can't control the owner of the game, Jauregui. I taught you that from the first chapter of this story, remember? It's my reign."

"Ms. Cooper, everyone's waiting for you."

Lauren and I looked at each other for a few instants, in complicity.

"Let them know I'm coming, Wiliam." I ordered.

The intimidated employee nodded and immediately left. We walked together, side by side, towards the main elevator. Lauren stared at me for a few seconds, making sure I looked the part. I knew of her fear for my exaggerated exposure, she was against it just like Dinah and Normani had been. However, my decision had been made. Katherine Cooper hadn't been born from a fatality to live in the shadows of an obscure past. I had won that game, I deserved to enjoy my victory.

"Whenever you're ready, ma'am." The security guard said as soon as we stopped before the double door of the auditorium.

Lauren stepped to the side, leaving me in the center of both doors. Her gaze towards me conveyed confidence, as if in the depths of those green eyes, she could transmit me her assurance.

"Control your new army, Queen." Those were Lauren's words as soon as the doors of the auditorium opened, making room for my entrance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you our newest majority partner and president of the largest oil industry of today. Katherine Cooper." The master of ceremonies exclaimed when my body was bathed in flashes.

In that split second, my ascension to the position of president of Cooper Industries, initially founded by my father, Charlie Cooper, was the culmination of my victory against Christopher Collins. After long years of suffering, planning perfect strategies for a dangerous game driven by justice and revenge, it was right here that I was. Camila Collins could've been burned to death beside her corrupt and murderer husband, responsible for the arson of his home about eight months ago. However, on the same day that Mrs. Collins left her position of Queen, she appointed the crown to another side of her. A side as intelligent, effective and powerful as her previous one. After all, no one would be able to handle the heavy burden of that reign, would they? None of those people could bear with such strength what Camila had lived. Just me, Katherine. And if you're curious about how that happened; I can explain how the newest president of Cooper Industries was born, or rather, revived.

*Flashback On*

I squirmed slowly, dragging myself over the dark floor, feeling that sharp pang in the upper part of my rib, accompanied by the burning in my left thigh. A groan of pain escaped my lips as I struggled to keep my eyes open. In that moment, I felt my body heavy, almost motionless, as if it wasn't receiving all the commands it needed to get me out of there. Perhaps it was the effect of the fear and desperation that dominated me in that moment, or even the violent blow I suffered after the explosion of the room next door. Another groan of pain, followed by the failed attempt to sit up. I lay back on the floor as I tried to focus my vision that was blurred, foggy. The beam of the intense flames took over the room, consuming all the materials existent there. The fire was approaching more and more, making me watch closely how I was going to die. The feeling of seeing death so close and not be able to do anything to stop it was despairing.

"I can't die..." I whispered with difficulty as the contaminated air filled my lungs. "I can't..."

My body shook as a violent cough took over me. I was suffocating in that place. I closed my eyes for brief seconds, vaguely hearing the crackling of the fire, being overshadowed by that buzzing that left me almost deaf. Deep within all those sounds, I heard cries of dread.

I turned my body slowly to the side, feeling that unbearable pain. My hand slid over the skin of my thigh, being wet by a dark liquid. I lifted my trembling hand slowly, noticing the redness that trickled between my fingers down to my palm.

Blood.

"This is your fault, Camila." The man grunted in desperation.

My breathless breath made me inhale more and more the contaminated air in that room. As much as my head worked frantically, my body didn't seem to correspond in the same intensity. My strength deserted me when I needed it most. I was desperate. Death was right there, vibrant and intense, approaching me in a torturous way. Was I really going to die? Was that how everything was going to end?

"No..." I murmured, wetting my lips with the tip of my tongue.

A side of me said that I had no alternatives left, that the fire was going to consume me wholly. I was going to hell, right? After a life ruled by such bad feelings, nothing nor no one could save me now. During all this time, I thought that at some point something could go wrong, I just didn't think it could be like that. For most of my life I had been driven by the feeling of hatred and anger, my end couldn't be any different, could it?

"You're going to die with me! You're going to die with me, you bitch!" The man exclaimed, making my eyes fill with tears.

They weren't tears of sadness, I wasn't sad in that moment. My tears were tears of anger. I was going to fall, but I was going to take the man who caused all this with me.

"You're going to hell with me..." I whispered, even though I knew he couldn't hear.

"You can't fight me." He murmured even amid a groan of pain.

I stared at the ceiling, watching the fire spread more and more. It expanded with such speed that left me completely terrified. The flames grew to the plaster ceiling that threatened to collapse completely over our heads at any moment. The noises intensified, giving clear signs that at any moment all that could collapse. My breath slowed and grew heavier, as if my body was losing strength. That pain was unbearable, it left me weak and hopeless to fight. Christopher Collins had knocked me down.

"How do you feel, Queen? How do you feel dying by my hands?" His voice sounded thick and sarcastic. He was going to die, but he would step on me as much as he could before he died.

A single sigh left my lips as my hands balled into fists. I saw him approaching. Christopher carried a sick, wicked expression on his face as he struggled to cross the suite with all his bruises. My breath returned abruptly, causing me to close my eyes in pure impulse. I was going to die.

"You're weak! Like Charlie was!" He shouted.

That small sentence sounded violent and intense, overlapping my thoughts. Like a precise shot, causing that immeasurable pain with its bullet, but unlike all the other pains, that one didn't hit me in a bad way. On the contrary, the words uttered by Collins came like an outburst of adrenaline, and that was the only thing I needed. My eyes opened at once, landing on the vibrant flames that consumed all that was left. He wouldn't tarnish Charlie with my defeat. I turned and lay on my stomach, supporting myself with my hands on the quivering floor. The fire was more and more close, the flames burning over the fabrics, curtains and carpets. I gritted my teeth, feeling that pang of pain in my thigh. I felt hopeful again when my eyes landed on the gleaming silver object a few feet away from me.

"You shouldn't underestimate me, Collins." I murmured, dragging myself across the floor.

"You're over, Camila." He laughed ironically. "This time, your game is over."

They say that moments before death, your life flashes like a movie before your eyes. From the first moment until the last. I didn't know if that would finally be my time to leave. But inside my thoughts, my whole life flashed through. My arrival at the orphanage, my friendship with Dinah, my first encounter with Charlie. His broad smile, accompanied by his light eyes materialized in my mind in such a clear way that I could have sworn I had seen him. 'You can do it, Camila', he said. However, his so joyful and lively expression turned into a melancholic, opaque, dead face. Bringing with it the evil eyes of the man a few feet away from me. That feeling of outrage inflated my chest, yanking away the shred of happiness that had settled in the midst of that disaster. I opened my eyes, returning to that violent reality that surrounded us. My heavy breathing bombarded my lungs, just as my heart pumped intense streams of blood through my body. For a few seconds, images of Lauren flashed through my mind, reminding me of everything that we could still experience and live together.

"Lauren..." I whispered, dragging the back of my hand to wipe away the blood that dripped near my mouth.

*(Play song – The Gunner by MGK)*

I closed one of my hands firmly around the revolver brought by Collins and lifted my body, being surrounded by the vibrant flames that he himself had caused.

"The game is only over when the king is destroyed." Those were my words when I lifted the gleaming gun towards him.

Christopher stopped dead in his tracks, staring at me with evil and wicked eyes. I could easily notice his breathless breath as he clenched his fists. We stared at each other for valuable seconds that made me remember all the revulsion he caused me during all these years.

"You don't have the guts..." He murmured as he took a step forward, making me frown.

"Don't come any closer!" I shouted, pointing the gun towards him.

Collins expanded his lips into a devilish grin that made me shudder. For a few instants, I mentally considered that that was the imagine that Charlie had before he died, I couldn't have the same end. I swallowed hard, feeling the heat in that room cause the beads of sweat that trickled down my skin, which, mixed with blood, spread over some parts of my body.

"You're not that brave, Camila. You're as coward as your late father."

"Don't you ever talk about him again!" I exclaimed as I pulled the trigger at once.

The subtle click from the revolver indicated the unbelievable failure of that moment. My eyes widened in disbelief. Christopher laughed devilishly, making me shudder wholly. I took a step back, squeezing the trigger that failed again. The man fixed his demonic eyes on me, his light irises carrying the gleam of death.

"No, no..."

"It's over, Queen."

When Christopher advanced towards me in an impulsive act, the violent fire caused an explosion near the roof, causing a part of it to collapse between us. My body was abruptly hurled to the floor, ripping out a groan of pain that ripped through my throat. I groaned painfully as I crawled away from the fire that almost scratched my left arm. I turned on my stomach and lifted my body from the floor again, with the remnants of the strength that I had left. The smoke mingled with the dust swept through the environment amidst the vibrant flames, hindering my view of that destroyed room. I took a step forward, even though I could still feel the intense pang in my right thigh; when at last my eyes found what I really needed.

I pushed away the thick pieces of plaster that collapsed from the roof, to finally pick up my golden gun, which gleamed in a shiny way amid the destruction. As soon as I grabbed the object, I heard enraged groans of pain. I hurried my steps, with difficulty, dragging my right leg to then see him lying on the floor among the wreckage.

"Get me out of here! Get me out of here right now!" He exclaimed in a choking way as he tried to push away the huge wooden girder that crushed his legs. "You bitch, get me out of here!"

Even though I knew that that place was about to succumb to the fire, I allowed myself to watch that scene with certain pleasure. In that moment, there was no sign of compassion left in me, much less solidarity. Christopher didn't deserve me to sympathize with his state, he wouldn't lift a finger to save me.

"You're going to leave me here to burn?" He shouted amid his groans of pain. They were dreadful. "If you do that, you'll be showing that you're as wicked and sick as me."

My chest rose and fell in a heavy breath as my heart pounded frantically. I looked around, noticing that there weren't many options. I knew that my place in hell was reserved, it wasn't going to be a good deed that was going to get me out of there. However, allowing Christopher to feel the flames consuming him in a slow and painful torture would make me someone much worse than him. Collins was doomed, and I couldn't die in that fire.

"I'm not like you, Christopher."

I lifted one of my legs and pressed the tip of my foot on his belly, receiving a pained growl from him. I lifted my head and stared at him with a defiant expression to then point the golden gun at him.

"I should let you burn in the fire, but I'm not like you. Thank me for ending your suffering when we meet in hell." I swallowed hard, resting my finger on the trigger of my gun.

"Ca-Camila..." He murmured, making me notice the blood coming out of his mouth.

"Checkmate, Collins." Those were my words before firing twice in his chest.

The man's body received the strong impact of the shots emanated by my gun, ending his suffering, and consequently mine.

"It's over." I sighed, dropping the gun on the floor.

For brief seconds, I analyzed all the probable exits of the place, realizing that there weren't many left. The fire took over everything in its wake. I walked away from the body, heading towards the partially broken wall that would lead to the room next door, since everything in the opposite direction had collapsed. The space was still not enough for me to move to the other room, there were a few thin wooden girders that weren't completely broken.

"Fucking hell!" I exclaimed nervously before grabbing one of the wooden chairs present in the room.

Driven by adrenaline, I threw the object hard against the girders; and only after three attempts did the material break. With my hands, I pushed away the thin wood scraps and leaned forward, feeling my thigh bleed more and more. I groaned in pain as soon as my body fell on the floor, near the flames of the living fire, which almost devoured the robe that covered me.

"I need to get out of here..." I groaned, trying to get up.

When I took impetus to get up from the floor, the bathroom door was hurled with the impact of another explosion. I lowered myself again, completely terrified; when my eyes landed on what was inside the small bathroom.

A body.

My eyes widened, causing me to get up at once. A scream escaped from my throat as soon as I saw the partially burned face.

"Eliza!" I exclaimed in an unsteady voice tone. "Oh my God..."

I brought one of my hands to my mouth, feeling my whole body tremble before the frightening sight of the body being consumed by the intense fire. Eliza's skin was being devoured by the flames, with no hope of salvation. I closed my eyes for a few instants, feeling that damn tightness in my heart. I couldn't let the guilt take me down now, Eliza didn't die because of me, right?

"Forgive me for this, Eliza..."

I lifted one of my hands to the necklace around my neck, yanking it at once. The valuable object broke, letting some of its so expensive precious stones fall to the floor. I clasped it with my hands before throwing it close to the body that in no time would become unrecognizable. I took a few steps back, watching the fire overcome her completely before heading towards the balcony. With some difficulty, I opened the double door, letting the wind of that dreadful night blow against my face. I rested my hands on the ledge of the balcony, leaning forward. My heart was still beating uncontrollably inside my chest.

"Jump..." I said to myself.

My eyes fixed on the large pool a few feet below. There was a great possibility of everything going wrong, since the pool wasn't located right under the small balcony where I was. I leaned over the ledge again, completely breathless.

"You can do it, Camila..." I repeated that sentence over and over again as I moved to the outer side of the balcony, now stepping with the tip of my feet on the tiny space there was on the other side.

I was standing on the outer side of the balcony, staring at the calm water of the pool farther ahead. I felt that damn pang in my right leg, making me doubt my escape plan even more. My jump to the bottom of the pool had a great chance of failing, since one of my legs was hurt. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath several times, in a failed attempt to gain courage and jump. My body trembled uncontrollably. In that short amount of time, the images of Eliza being burned took over my mind, making me assume that Christopher would soon look the same way. I couldn't have that end, not because of fear or weakness. Camila Collins had faced worse things, it wouldn't be a leap from a burning mansion that would be her end, would it?

"This is not the end." Those were my words before I took impetus and jumped forward.

The scary feeling brought by the free fall was erased when my body sank into the water. For a few seconds, the silence at the bottom of the pool brought me a calmness that made me take impetus to emerge to the surface. I coughed violently as I grabbed onto the edge of the pool. I leaned over it, struggling, to then get out of the pool. Even with difficulty, I lifted my completely drenched body, being covered only by my lingerie and the torn robe. I spun on my heels, feeling the water drip down my body, to then stare at the frightening sight of the Collins mansion, which was now being completely engulfed by the living flames inside.

"It's over..."

*Flashback Off*

That image of the so vibrant colors displayed in front of my eyes carried a bigger representativeness than you could imagine. Watching the Collins mansion being utterly destroyed, gave me that sweet taste of ending, like the closure of a so arduously planned and executed cycle. Inside that place now overcome with flames, a part of me was dying. Figuratively speaking, Camila Collins hadn't escaped. She was there, being completely consumed by the fire of revenge; the Queen was decomposing into ashes that would now give life to a new me.

Which Camila could I be?

*Flashback On*

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, noticing the violent marks of that night. Upon lowering the zipper of the black industrial jumpsuit, found in one of the maintenance rooms outside the Collins mansion, I noticed the bruises and the burns scattered all over my body. With some difficulty, I lowered the rest of the piece of clothing that now slid down my legs to the floor. A groan escaped my mouth as soon as the thick fabric slid down the cut on my thigh. Almost without strength, I sat down on the bathroom floor as I leaned against the cold wall.

"Pick up, please." I whispered as I clicked once again on the policewoman's name on my phone. "I need you to know..."

In that instant, the fire of the Collins mansion was no longer a secret. Firefighters and police cars drove fast and attentively through the streets of New York on their way to the destroyed place. Lauren, being an important part of the police department, surely, must have been informed by now. I felt my chest clench just at the idea of seeing her suffering for my death, I knew how much that could affect her. The deputy carried an intensity disguised by her uncompromising way of being, which had gone down the drain from the moment she joined me in a single goal.

"Come on, please..." I clicked once again on the name on the screen of my phone.

"Hi, this is Lauren Jauregui. I can't come to the phone right now but leave your message."

I couldn't leave a message, dead people don't leave messages, I thought. I tried a few more times, all the cell phones, including Normani's and Dinah's, but none of them answered.

"Fucking hell!" I exclaimed as I dropped my phone on the floor.

I lifted my body from the floor, holding onto all the furniture that served me as support, to head into the shower-box. I gasped when the cold water touched my skin, sliding down in a constant and relaxing manner. It felt good to feel something with a lower temperature after all that happened that night. I spent a few good minutes under the shower, while my thoughts worked on everything I needed to do from then on. After the shower, I searched for my clothes stored in some room in that rented house. It was the same place we used to set our plans at night while Christopher slept.

"Hi, this is Lauren Jauregui. I can't come to the phone right now but leave your message." The same answer, which made an angry sigh escape through my lips.

I finished the dressings on my leg, followed by a few on my arms and others on my rib. It wasn't one of my best moments, I observed as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Carefully, I put my arms into the sleeves of the black coat, to then put the hat on my head. After being completely ready, I headed to the small room in the basement of the house, where I kept all the materials I needed inside a backpack. There were clothes, shoes, money and credit cards.

"Where is it?!" I exclaimed in a hurry as I rummaged through the folders that were on the rusty iron shelf. "It's here!"

My eyes landed on the unfamiliar names, accompanied by our familiar faces. There were countless alternatives for a new identity, and among them, I familiarized myself with one.

"Katherine Camila Cooper..." I whispered as I gently touched my face printed on the small photo.

All the documents were previously falsified on my last trip to Switzerland. While Lauren wasted long hours on the Collins case, I was in a business lunch with one of the best counterfeiters in the country. At that moment, it was a safe alternative, since I was under the watchful eyes of the deputy, who was anxiously looking for the culprit. After grabbing everything I needed, I left that place and headed to the simple pickup truck parked in the garage of the house. During the drive, I heard the news announced by the radio hosts, who updated those who might be interested in the big tragedy of the Collins mansion.

"According to police reports, the Collins mansion was set on fire by the oil tycoon himself. The businessman was convicted of a list of crimes, and after a psychotic breakdown, he escaped on his way to the Downstate penitentiary. His wife, Camila Collins, had her body completely burned. There are rumors that the police were unable to identify the DNA, since none of her close relatives were found. But according to the testimony of some informants, she was the only person present inside the mansion." The voice emanating from the speaker informed.

I kept my eyes focused on the avenue, as my brain took care of processing all that information. To the whole world, in that moment, Karla Camila Collins was killed in an arson caused by her husband. A tragic end, right? I sighed heavily and slowed down as I stopped on the other side of the police department building. My eyes turned to the entrance, seeing a frenzied flow of police officers entering and exiting that place. I huffed somewhat impatiently and got out of the vehicle in search of a pay phone. I dialed the department's reception number, and soon enough someone answered.

"New York Police Department, how may I help you?" A feminine voice greeted.

In a different voice tone, I began to speak:

"I'd like to speak with Deputy Jauregui."

"She's not in at the moment."

"Can you tell me where she is? I'm her sister, I've been trying to reach her for hours but I can't, her phone goes straight to voicemail."

"I'm sorry, Ms. But I can't give you any information about the agent."

"Please, I'm really worried about my sister. My name's Taylor Jauregui."

The woman was silent for a few seconds, she seemed to think about my so convincing pleas.

"Agent Jauregui was hospitalized in the central hospital, but don't worry, it was nothing serious..."

I was silent for a moment, absorbing that sudden information that weighed on my back. The woman on the other end of the line called the name of Lauren's sister several times, but I didn't answer, just hung up and ran to the car, driving away. Minutes later, I was entering the lobby of the central hospital, even though there was a huge possibility of me being discovered beneath that coat, hat and dark sunglasses. Vania, the very tired-looking receptionist, told me the number of the room where Lauren was in, but upon realizing her mistake, she said I couldn't go there. Discontentedly, I pretended to follow her orders, waiting for the minute she would get distracted again. And that moment finally happened. When the woman got distracted by the arrival of a new ambulance, I escaped through the corridors in search of the room where my woman was in. I confess that I felt my heart clench inside my chest upon witnessing the image of Lauren completely unconscious on that hospital bed. Her countenance didn't express her emotional state, but I knew how devastated she could be. I took a deep breath, feeling my eyes watering as I touched her face in a subtle caress.

"I'm sorry, baby..." I whispered between a sigh and another. "I didn't want to make you go through this."

With my thumb, I traced her cheek, going up to the small bandage on her eyebrow. The silent room was filled only by the sound of her breathing, accompanied by the insistent beep of the machine that was beside the bed.

"I'm happy to see you." I whispered, still caressing her face.

It felt good to be with Lauren after seeing my death so closely. Even in such situations, I could feel incredibly relieved in her so sweet presence. The deputy, perhaps feeling my presence, moved her eyelids as if she wanted to open her eyes and look at me.

"Don't move, just rest. It's alright."

Slowly, she opened her eyes, focusing her gaze on me with apparent difficulty.

"Cami-la..." Her choked voice, accompanied by her struggle to see me, made a few tears escape my eyes.

"Shhh, don't speak, just rest. I'm here with you."

I confess that seeing her so fragile made me feel even more guilty. In none of my plans would Lauren be affected in such a cruel way. To be honest, Lauren was never in my plans until she looked at me in that bar in Mount Vernon. In a surprising way, fate made me see that no plan is completely calculated. In none of my previously studied hypotheses was the arrival of an American deputy who would turn my feelings inside out. Lauren, in a sneaky and unintentional way, took over my weaknesses, giving me something that I didn't know I needed: love.

"You didn't leave me..." She said in a whisper.

I smiled, feeling more tears stream down my face. With the back of my hand, I wiped away the salty liquid and stared at her face.

"I will never leave you."

"Never." She repeated.

[...]

After leaving that hospital, I drove to a coffee shop on the corner of the street where Lauren lived. Somehow, I needed to sneak into her apartment without being discovered by anyone. My new plan was building gradually as I sought the right pieces to start this new era. With Camila Collins' 'death', my stay in New York had come to an end, but before leaving I needed to say goodbye. I allowed myself to watch the movement in Lauren's building, which by the way was very weak. Tommy, the doorman, was careless during his shift all the time, making it easy for me to enter the place without any kind of hindrance. I walked through the corridors with a natural countenance; in spite of my weird and different clothes – coat, hat and dark sunglasses were enough to hide my identity. For all intents and purposes, I was nothing more than a visitor, or even a resident. I greeted some of the residents in the elevator and got out on Lauren's floor, to then walk towards her apartment door. During the several times I visited that place, Lauren made a point of informing me where she left her spare keys, now making it easier for me to enter her apartment.

The apartment was empty and quiet, just like I expected. It was strange to be here without Lauren's presence, but I knew that she wouldn't be long. I didn't dare touch anything, I didn't want to leave any evidence of my presence to her best friend, who could show up at any moment. I stayed inside the deputy's bedroom, taking advantage of the familiar warmth of her bed, for long, endless hours. As tired as I was, I couldn't afford to fall asleep and be discovered. Today, being anywhere could be too dangerous for someone considered dead. I lifted my body from the bed, in a lazy and somewhat hesitant way, and allowed myself to walk around the apartment, watching the sun go down outside.

Where are you, Lauren? I thought.

A sigh left my lips as I watched attentively the tranquil flow of cars on the avenue further ahead. In a few hours, my life would take a different turn, and I couldn't do it without saying goodbye first. I knew how reluctant the deputy would be, but I also knew that in that moment, I couldn't afford to choose. At the beginning of everything, the idea of leaving that place and those people brought me a sense of relief; like a kind of liberation from all that evil. But now, everything was different. Lauren turned my so meticulously traced plans into weak strategies in the face of all the feelings I nurtured for her. After Charlie's death, I promised myself that no one could stop me, or even make me give up. I transformed all those feelings of pain and desperation into hatred. And as strange as it was, it wasn't those feelings that made me get here. For a while, they guided me on that so dangerous board game, making me advance without fearing the end of it all, but halfway through it, in a totally unexpected way, it was Lauren's love that made me survive. It was with the strength of that feeling that I felt hopeful for something better in the midst of such tragedy. Lauren had changed me. She had shown me that nothing was completely over. The world could be cruelly painful, but still it was capable of giving you a safe haven.

Lauren Jauregui was mine.

I took a few steps back, staring at every little detail of that place, feeling weirdly nostalgic. All my visits to that apartment were driven by unbridled impulses, a tremendous lack of emotional control. It was like getting off the rails and finding myself lost amid my deepest feelings and desires. I didn't regret any of them, I'd do it all over again, due to the simple fact of having Lauren every time.

"Jauregui..." I whispered softly as I grabbed the portrait.

I stared at her happy countenance, very explicit by that broad smile and bright eyes. Lauren was properly uniformed as a police officer, alongside her best friend, Veronica Iglesias. Do I really need to say how good that outfit looked on her? I touched her face subtly, letting a sigh escape through my mouth. It was embarrassing the way how I felt about that woman. How could I surrender myself so much?

"You're the only one who managed to do such a thing."

Before I could put the portrait on the table, I heard the subtle clatter of keys on the other side of the door. My eyes widened in sheer fright, making me run away from there. In quick steps, I locked myself in the bathroom at the end of the corridor. The silence of the apartment gave me the opportunity to hear the delicate steps on the wooden floor, indicating that there was only one person in the apartment. I took a deep breath, in an attempt to control the nervousness that threatened to attack me. The last few hours were traumatic.

"Slowly... slowly..." I murmured softly as I opened the bathroom door slowly.

The clatter of glasses clearly indicated the presence of someone in the kitchen. I sighed slowly and started to walk in careful steps down the partially illuminated corridor. I stopped dead in my tracks when the person moved, now touching other objects that I couldn't identify.

"Why did you have to go?"

Lauren's voice sounded in an anguished way, bringing that twinge of pain because of her suffering. I approached slowly, now having the clear vision of the completely unhappy woman. Lauren sat down on the kitchen floor, leaning against the counter behind her, as she gulped the alcoholic drink in her glass. She cried in such a pained way that I felt so incredibly touched by her pain. As depressing as that was; seeing her so deeply affected by my absence made me realize the greatness of her love. Not that I doubted it. Lauren had given me enough proof of her true feelings when she joined me in favor of my justice. When I took impetus to call her name, she lifted her body from the floor in a jolt, making me back away. In an upset way, the woman tore a heap of papers, making the pieces that looked like newspaper scatter on the floor. Her sobs, accompanied by her uncontrolled crying tore at my chest mercilessly. The deputy placed her hands on the counter, leaning her body forward, as if seeking strength.

"Why did you leave me, Camila?! I can't live without you!" She shouted as she hit the counter hard. "I... I love you, goddammit." She shouted amid her sobs.

"I didn't leave you."

She lifted her body at once, turning to me in a swift movement. Her green eyes widened, making the glass present in her hand break when it fell to the floor.

"Oh my God..." She gasped, completely incredulous. "Ca-Camila..."

Her face twisted in a frightened and incredulous expression. The deputy brought one of her hands to her mouth, making me realize how shaky they were.

"Lauren..." I took a step forward, somewhat hesitant, making her sigh. "I'm here, baby." Those were my words before I ran towards her, causing my body to collide with hers firmly.

The agent took a few seconds to react, as if she still hadn't processed that moment. I turned my face towards hers and kissed her lips with urgency.

"I never left you." I whispered, letting my tears stream down my face.

She pressed me against her in sheer reflex. Her uncontrolled breathing and her completely bewildered movements indicated her surprise to see me. It wasn't for less, until a few minutes ago the woman truly believed in my death.

"Camila, oh my God! I..." Her hands moved to my face, touching every inch as if she wanted to believe. "It can't be... I saw, the body. But... God."

I closed my eyes, allowing her trembling hands to glide all over my face in a totally desperate act. I sighed heavily, feeling that knot form in my throat. I felt like crying even more, but not out of sadness. In that moment, all I felt was relief.

"I escaped! I did it! I'm here. I never left you." I exclaimed as I touched her.

"You're alive..." She smiled in disbelief, as tears streamed down my face. "Tell me I'm not dreaming, please. Tell me you're really here." She hugged me tightly, making me groan softly in pain.

I held her face, forcing her to look at me. Lauren's green eyes stared at me with such surprise and nervousness. Her dilated pupils moved frantically, as if trying to commit to memory every little detail of mine.

"I'm here with you." I held one of her hands and lifted it to my face. "Feel."

A tear escaped Lauren's eyes, sliding melancholically down her face.

"I thought I had lost you." Her voice sounded sad. "It was horrible!"

"That's over. I'm alive, here with you."

I pulled her to me, snuggling into her warm body, in an embrace that lasted long minutes. During that time, I felt truly relieved, as if all that evil had finally come to an end. It was like getting to the end of a violent battle, with the spark of hope for something better. Had we really won? Was that really the end?

I released the woman's body, allowing her to look at me. Her eyes were still teary, but now they carried a glow of happiness and relief. I brought both of my hands to her face, letting my thumbs slide on her skin slowly, wiping away the tears that still streamed down.

"Don't cry..."

"It was horrible." She murmured as she looked away, staring at a random spot on the wall. "Seeing that place on fire and thinking that you had died and that I didn't do anything to stop it."

"Don't feel that way, it wasn't your fault." I held her face, forcing her to stare at me. "They were the consequences of this perverse game."

"The game is over, Camila. We're going to do things my way from now on."

Her bright eyes grew firm and confident. I stared at them for a few instants before backing away slowly. Lauren swallowed hard, now with a confused countenance.

"I can't..." I whispered as I stepped back.

"What are you talking about?" She took a step forward.

I slid one of my hands down my arm, feeling oddly nervous. Tracing a plan now wasn't as simple as it once was. Today, my actions had bigger consequences, and not just for me, but for Lauren as well.

"I can't let things be the way you want, not yet." I said with certain apprehension. "It's not safe."

"Camila, please..." She approached and grabbed my arms slowly. "He's dead, okay? Believe me. He died, and you have nothing to worry about. I promise that-"

"I know he is, Lauren!" I exclaimed. "I killed him." I said as I lowered my head.

She was silent, letting a heavy sigh escape through her mouth as her hands slowly left my body. The expression on her face was a real enigma, preventing any knowledge whatsoever. Maybe her head was trying to process the mistake she had made when she fell in love with me. The police officer carried a worthy reputation of a good person, with enviable virtues that would now be stained by me, a killer. How unfair could that be?

"Before you think the worst, I need you to know that..." I couldn't look at her. "That I didn't kill him for revenge."

"Camila..." She interrupted me.

"Hear me out..."

Lauren nodded and sat down on the couch, pulling me to her side, to then stare at me with that pair of indecipherable green eyes.

"I was dying, Lauren. The fire was consuming everything in that place, and I was going to burn to death. He crawled closer, with that sick, wicked look, saying how weak I was. Saying that I was going to die by his hands like Charlie had died. Can you imagine? The only thing I could think about was that that image had been the last one seen by my father before he died, and it couldn't be mine." I took a deep breath, feeling that knot form in my throat. "I thought about you and about everything that we could still experience and live together, and I thought about Dinah..." Subtly, Lauren lifted one of her hands to my eyes, wiping my tears away. "I got up with the gun in my hand, and it failed. When Christopher advanced towards me, a part of the roof collapsed between us. The house was crumbling." The images formed in my mind with perfect clarity, as if I was in that infernal place again. "Christopher's legs were crushed by a wooden girder. He screamed in pain as he cried for help. For a moment I thought about saving him, but I couldn't..." A melancholic smile appeared on my lips. "He wouldn't do the same for me, I know. But seeing someone burn to death is too cruel death even for someone like him. So I..." The words vanished from my lips, but then I turned my eyes to hers. "I shot him and ended everything, like he did to Charlie."

Lauren shook her head and pulled me into a hug.

"No, it wasn't the same thing he did to Charlie." I felt the deputy's hands hold my face, forcing me to stare at her. "You did the right thing, okay? It was better this way. There were no strategies at the time, Camila. You only had two choices, and I assure you, that one was the best."

"I never wanted to be a killer, Lauren."

"You are not! You saved him from a painful death that he himself caused. Look at me..." She smiled weakly. "It's over." She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against mine. I could hear her heavy breathing as she kept her eyes closed. "I'm here, Camila."

"I can't stay here anymore." I whispered at once.

I felt the agent's hands release my face slowly.

"What?"

"I can't live here anymore, Lauren. Everyone thinks I'm dead."

"We can clear this up, we can go to the police station! Rigth now!" She exclaimed nervously.

"No, Camila Collins is dead." I said, making her frown.

"No, she's not!" Lauren countered, confused.

"There were two bodies in that house, remember? For everyone, one of them is mine. Camila Collins is dead, Lauren. I can no longer stay here, with these people. It's not safe."

"Whose body is that, Camila? Who died with Collins?"

I lifted my body from the couch, walking away from her as soon as the images of Eliza popped into my mind. I closed my eyes quickly, shaking my head.

"Eliza." I answered. "I don't know how that happened, I told her to leave and gave her the week off in the morning, but when I escaped my bedroom, I saw her. It was horrible, seeing her being devoured by those flames. Lauren, she died because of me."

"No, no... you didn't know!"

Eliza, just like me, had no one else. She moved to the US looking for work a few years ago, when she landed a job working at the Collins mansion. At that moment, her disappearance wouldn't be noticed, and her body couldn't be identified. There were no relatives to provide a DNA sample that could be compared with the completely disfigured body. Eliza was Camila Collins' body.

"I think everything went too far, and it's not over yet. Keana's out there, and so is Heitor and Brandon. They all lost something thanks to me, Lauren. I'm not one to run away, but now everything's uncertain, and I'm tired of living like this."

"You can't leave, I can't allow it!" The woman exclaimed, confused. "What about us, Camila? Where do we stand?"

"We'll be fine."

"I'm going with you!" The woman exclaimed.

"No, you won't. You can't come with me."

"Why?"

"I won't risk your career like this, not more than I already did. I'm going alone."

Lauren shook her head.

"You can't decide for me!"

She lifted her body from the couch, turning her back to me. Lauren took a deep breath, as if trying to remain firm in the face of everything. I felt even more guilty for making her go through situations like that one, but now, there was no other choice. We stayed in silence for a few seconds that seemed endless; when I decided to approach her. Slowly, I snuggled against Lauren's back, allowing myself to feel the warmth of her body. Upon wrapping my arms around her, I felt her release all the air in her lungs.

"Please try to understand me." I said as I rested my head on her back. "I need to be someone different, and I really wanted to do this with you, but I can't yet."

"I don't want things to be like this..." She said.

"And what do you want, Lauren?"

The woman freed herself from my arms, turning towards me. A shiver ran down my spine when she inched closer, staying a few centimeters away from me.

"I want you." She stated, staring into my eyes.

"I'm yours, Jauregui."

Lauren took a deep breath without taking her eyes off mine. There was a unique connection between us. I stared into that pair of so intense green eyes until one of her hands rested gently on the side of my face. With her thumb, I felt the subtle caress on my skin, making my eyes close, in a greedy plea for more. I swallowed hard as my heart beat frantically, accompanied by my breathing that was now irregular, just like my heartbeat. Even with my eyes closed, I noticed the woman's closeness; who now slid her soft lips over mine.

"Then don't leave me, please." Her voice sounded like a plea, contrasting with the impulsive act of her hands around my waist. "I need you, do you understand?"

I needed Lauren too, even more than she needed me. However, I knew that in that moment, giving in to my feelings wasn't an option, as tempting as the idea of staying was. I needed to leave, for Lauren and for me.

"I love you, you hear me? So very much. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Lauren."

"Don't talk like that..." Her voice tone sounded sad.

"I need to. I feel stupid for asking this, but..." I sighed, trying to contain my embarrassment. "Promise that you'll love me forever?"

Lauren knew that that was our goodbye, I could see the disappointment in her teary eyes. She was reluctant for a few minutes, she looked thoughtful.

"Promise." I asked.

"I promise, Camila."

Time seemed to go by faster that night, when my urge was to scream for it to go by as slow as possible. Unfortunately, I couldn't control time; all I could do was enjoy every second of those last moments with Lauren. And that was exactly what I was going to do. I snuggled into her arms, resting my head on her shoulder as her arms wrapped around me in a comforting way. Being in her arms made me feel incredibly safe, as if the police officer could solve all the chaos that my troubled life possessed, but I knew it wasn't like that. Lauren could have all the willpower and desire to solve it all, but not everything was in her hands. I needed to take a different path so that things could settle down.

"Forgive me for this." I whispered softly as I stroked the skin of her arm affectionately.

I stared at the woman's serene face, noticing the small bruise covered by the bandage on her eyebrow; I slid my thumb subtly over it before sliding my thumb to her soft lips. A smile appeared on my lips in the exact moment the memories of our first months together filled my mind. It was somewhat nostalgic to remember how everything had started. Our teasing, our fights and our nights of sex. At first, everything came down to a colossal carnal desire that brought us together in a unique way. It was incredible how my body reacted to her presence, how it yearned for her touches and her kisses. It was only the beginning of everything that was to happen, and it happened. It was no wonder that I was here now, reluctant to leave. Lauren had become more than I could imagine.

"I love you, so please wait for me." I whispered before pressing my lips against hers in a simple kiss. "I'll come back."

Carefully, I moved away from her arms, avoiding making any kind of movement that would wake her. Lauren just moved, taking a deep breath, now turning her body to the side. I allowed myself to watch her for a moment before packing my things that were scattered around the room. It wouldn't be long before dawn, and by daylight, I needed to be far away from New York.

"Alright, I think I have everything." I said to myself as I looked inside the backpack with all my belongings.

I turned my eyes to the deputy again before approaching the table in the corner of her room. I spent a few minutes there as I wrote my goodbye letter.

* Dear Deputy,
Forgive me for leaving like this, without saying goodbye. I believe it's easier for you this way, I know it is for me. You can hate me now, but I hope that with time you can understand this decision. Decision that is strangely being one of the hardest to make. It's funny how you changed everything. Months ago, leaving this place was one of my greatest desires, but today, I'm completely reluctant to leave.
What did you do to me, Lauren?
You were the most dangerous pawn I had to face, or rather, ally myself with. Falling in love with you was like advancing a square in this board game blindfolded, without being sure if it was a mistake or a victory. Luckily, or thanks to fate, it was a victory. You were the best thing that happened to me since I got here. I can honestly say that you saved me, and I really hope you believe my words. I love you, Agent Jauregui, but I need to leave...
It won't be forever, I promise.
And if possible, wait for me.
I'll come back.
K.C.C *

I stared at that piece of paper for a few instants, thinking about giving up, but I knew that if I wanted to have a life together with Lauren, some sacrifices needed to be made. And the first one would be the hardest: leaving her. I don't know for how many minutes I stared at the body of the woman who rested so serenely on the bed, with the illusion of my presence at to her side. Lauren could hate me at dawn, it was one of the possibilities I would have to face.

"Just a year, Lauren." Those were my last words before I left that place.

[...]

My meeting with Dinah and Normani that night yielded good explanations, and countless tears. Both women, now totally relieved to see me, accepted my decision and promised to follow my steps as planned. Dinah didn't like the idea of having me far away, but she knew that I needed to follow that new path alone.

And that was exactly what I did.

Inside that aircraft, I could see the gray buildings of New York being left behind, under the beams of light of that sunny morning. I watched the buildings for a few instants, feeling that familiar tug on my chest as I remembered what I was leaving behind. After a few hours into that exhausting trip, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I focused on the completely different landscape displayed by the small window of the private jet. A sigh left my lips as I turned my eyes to the small journal that rested on my legs; it possessed caramel-toned pages, perfectly matching the brown leather cover. I subtly touched Charlie's beautiful handwriting, which was interrupted by the emptiness of the lines below. Where I promptly wrote carefully. It was strange to think that from that moment on my life would take a completely different course, once again. Leaving New York now represented the birth of a new phase of me. The closure and the beginning of a new cycle. In the story of my life, I would now begin chapter number 5.

"So many phases, Camila." I whispered to myself as I drew the number five below its predecessors. Beside the number was a new description.

The first chapter was marked by the child born in Cuba, who fought for a better future by moving to Mexico City with her parents. The second chapter told the story of a little orphan girl, living in an orphanage, where she had met another girl, who would soon enough become her best friend, or rather, her sister, Dinah Jane. On the third one, that girl found the refuge that would change the course of her life completely, her guardian and father, Charlie Cooper. And on the fourth chapter, a turnaround. The end of the sweet Camila Cabello, to make room for the emergence of the strong and ruthless Queen, Karla Camila Collins. The dark side of a woman destined to take revenge on the person who destroyed her life, Christopher Richard Collins. The king.

I stared at the description written by me, and on a blank space, I began my new story.

Chapter 5 - The end of Camila Collins, to make room for the rebirth of Katherine Camila Cooper.

What will you bring me, Katherine? I thought with a smile on my lips at the sight of all the lines that my new 'me' needed to fill.

"Excuse me." The stewardess said as she placed a crystal goblet on my chair's beverage support. I just nodded, and then the woman left.

I lifted the crystal goblet filled with the expensive champagne served inside my private jet and brought it to my lips, savoring that taste.

"I hope you bring me many victories."

After a few long minutes, the aircraft landed gently on Swiss ground, bringing my new reality with it.

"Ms. Cooper."

"Yes?"

"The jet's staircase is already in place, and the car is waiting for you on the landing strip."

"Thank you." I replied as I put my sunglasses on my face and lifted my body from the comfortable armchair, to then walk to the exit.

"Welcome to Zurich, Ms. Cooper."

"It's like I'm home again, Patrick." I said with a smile to the pilot.

"And are you?" The man asked with a frown.

"Of course, I belong here." I said with a smirk before descending the small staircase attached to the jet.

My arrival in Switzerland was the starting point that was going to give life to the new me. After that moment, I settled down in the city of Zurich, and with a small amount of all the fortune withdrawn from Collins Enterprise, I acquired the same house where I lived with Charlie and Dinah as a child. It felt good to feel at home, now that I needed to live my life alone again.

"Are you sure you want to change this much?" The hairdresser asked.

"I'm sure, Marie." I answered with a smile as I stared at the dark strands of my hair for the last time in the reflection of that mirror.

"Then let's do it, sweetie."

It only took minutes for Camila Collins' appearance to be left behind, bringing to the surface the one who would take her place. Marie stared at me with a satisfied smile, showing those white teeth that contrasted with her shoulder-length dark hair. She had a joyful expression on her face, as if she had done an exceptional job. The woman gently turned the chair I was sitting on around, making me stare at my reflection in the mirror.

"Katherine, you look wonderful." The hairdresser said with a smile.

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips at the sight of that change. My hair now had a light blonde color, with a few darker strands. The wig I wore during the first days would now be set aside after my decision. I felt something different, euphoria, excitement, since that was another step forward for my cover, in fact, my new me. After leaving the hair salon, I went back home, as I thought about how surprised Lauren will be. Does she like blondes?

"I hope so." I said to myself as I wrote a letter.

That would be our only means of communication. I couldn't let the deputy know where I was, let alone what I was doing. I knew Lauren and knew that she was stubborn enough to drop everything to come meet me. In my letter, I asked everyone to follow the plan, to do everything for the whole world to believe that Camila Collins was indeed dead. And between letters, and more letters, months went by, building in a daily basis my life as a new woman. After a long time, I realized that something was still missing. I mean, a lot of things were still missing, but in that moment, I decided that I couldn't live at the mercy of endless vacations. My life was ruled by adventures, decisions, and above all, challenges. And throughout that day, I made my biggest decision since I arrived in that place.

My eyes turned to the man next to me, who was staring at the gigantic building under construction. Charlie had an attentive and hopeful look. It was easily noticeable all the plans he was building inside his thoughts for that subsidiary in Switzerland.

"This place will be yours one day." He said after a sigh.

"Dad, I don't know if I'm good at this business." I said with an awkward smile.

Charlie curled his lips into a smile before he looked at me with those light eyes.

"I doubt that. You're unbelievably good at everything you do, I bet you'll succeed without any problems!" He exclaimed excitedly, taking a step forward.

"What if I can't?"

The man turned towards me, approaching with a loving look.

"Something in me says that you can do anything you want. And I know that I'm not mistaken about that."

"I don't know if I'm good enough." I murmured in a low tone.

"I know you are. Sweetie, one day you will be the Queen of all this." He raised his arms, showing the building behind him. "Alongside your sister, of course."

"I just need you to be by my side for all this." I said as I hugged him.

"Camila..." Charlie pulled away from my arms to stare into my eyes with firmness. "I'll always be by your side, in every moment of your life. Whatever happens, I'll be here..." His index finger landed on the left side of my chest, right over my heart.

"I love you, dad."

"I love you much more, sweetie." Those were his words before he hugged me.

"This way, Ms. Cooper." The general manager of the UBS bank said.

"Can I bring this?" I pointed to the glass with champagne.

"Of course, if you want more, we can provide it." He replied kindly.

The man treated me like a Queen, offering the best service to earn some extra points with one of their biggest clients.

"It won't be necessary, this is enough." I said before lifting my body from the chair.

"I'll take you to your vault."

"Thank you, Aaron."

I walked through the corridors of Zurich's central bank, heading to the more private area of that building. A few passwords, security checks and security cameras later, I finally stopped in front of a huge massive steel oval door. The man backed away, allowing me to get closer to enter my password. After a few clicks and a biometric reading of my fingers, the vault unlocked automatically.

"If you allow me."

With both hands, Aaron turned the circular support attached to the door, and then pulled it with a certain force. When the door opened, I could see the perfectly organized stack of all my fortune. The billions of dollars stolen from Collins Enterprise.

"Wow..." I heard the man whisper, dragging a smile from my lips.

I walked slowly into the vault, seeing the new green bills perfectly organized in small wads. I ingested a small amount of the champagne in my glass before turning and sitting on the stack of money. Aaron stared at me in awe.

"It's a good throne, don't you think?" I asked.

"It's the most powerful of them all." He answered.

"I like that."

"Do you wish to invest in something?"

"I want you to buy a good part of the shares of Cooper Enterprise."

"Are you sure, Ms. Cooper?"

"Absolutely, that will be my kingdom." I said as I raised the glass of champagne.

*Flashback Off*

"No more questions!" My private secretary exclaimed to the euphoric journalists.

"Katherine! Please!"

"Ms. Cooper! Just one more question!"

The men exclaimed with their cell phones pointed towards me. I just smiled and stepped away from the podium located in the center of the auditorium of Cooper Enterprise. The presentation of the new presidency lasted for long minutes, with countless speeches, new plans and goals. Everything very well-organized by my company's employees.

"Inspiring." Lauren said as soon as I approached. "But can I have my woman back now?"

"You always have her, Jauregui." I said as I kissed her lips.

"Not at the moment!" Dinah exclaimed as she approached. "I've organized a wonderful party for today, and our president is the star."

"Dinah..."

"What? You're now the Queen of all this, and we need to celebrate."

"Dinah's absolutely right." Normani said. "And everything's already ready."

"Did you know about this?" I stared into Lauren's green eyes.

She shrugged, taking the blame beside her accomplices.

"You deserve it." Lauren whispered close to my lips.

Unlike what I imagined, the party organized by Dinah, Lauren and Normani wasn't for many people. The four of us were partying in one of the best nightclubs in Saint Moritz, the same Lauren and I had frequented over a year ago. We were enjoying the music, the drinks, and we were celebrating the newest phase of our lives. For the first time, we felt really free from all that evil that we once lived.

"Where's Lauren?" Dinah asked in the middle of the dance floor.

"She went to get a drink, and she hasn't come back." Normani answered.

"Her feet hurt." I said with a chuckle. "I'm going to check on her, my woman needs my care."

I crossed the partially illuminated club, dodging from all those bodies that moved according to the beat of the music. From a distance, I could see my woman's brown hair, now somewhat shorter. It didn't reach her ass like before, now it reached just below her shoulders, giving her a charming lightness. Lauren was almost totally distracted as she sipped from a small beer bottle. For a moment, that scene took me back to Mount Vernon, where it all began.

"A Whiskey, please." I asked the barman as soon as I sat on the stool next to Lauren. I took off my coat and put it on the counter, drawing the curious gaze of the woman next to me. Lauren didn't say anything, but I could easily notice the smile that formed on her lips; when the bartender handed me a glass with Whiskey. "I could offer to light up your cigarette, but I believe you no longer smoke, right?"

Lauren chuckled, turning towards me.

"True, I stopped a long time ago."

"I thought so." I said, trying to control myself.

"Is this the first time you come here?" She asked, just like the first time we met.

"Yes, I've been in town for about three days, but today is my last night here. How do you know?" I played the cynical.

"Let's just say that I have imprinted in my mind good part of the people who frequent this place. And literally you've never come here before."

"Am I so different from the other women here for you to not forget my appearance?"

"You have a stark differential." She said, closing the space between us drastically.

"I hope that's a good thing." I said as I took a sip of her beer. "What's your name?" I continued playing our little game.

Lauren laughed, but took impetus to continue.

"Lauren, Lauren Jauregui."

I slid the tip of my tongue over my lips without taking my eyes off hers.

"Well, Lauren... I'm Katherine Cooper, pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Katherine." She said as she deposited a subtle kiss on my neck.

"I don't think we were this close the first time." I said amid a laugh, letting the woman steal a kiss from me.

"We really weren't, but I wanted to so badly." Lauren replied, kissing me again.

"Don't be silly."

"Do you want to get out of here?" She asked close to my ear, causing a shiver to go down my spine.

"What are you up to, Jauregui?"

"A surprise."

"What surprise?"

"I can't say, otherwise it's no longer a surprise." She shrugged.

"Oh no. You can't leave me curious like this!"

"If you come with me, you'll know soon enough."

I looked at her mysterious green eyes, and then at the broad smile present in her mouth. Lauren looked excited and nervous, but completely mysterious. I took a deep breath, and turned my eyes to the dance floor, trying to find Dinah or Normani, but there was no sign of them.

"Fine, let's go."

"Really?"

I nodded with a smile, making Lauren sigh. The woman lifted her body from the stool, leaving a few bills to pay for our drinks before pulling me away from that place. We crossed the crowded club hand in hand until we reached the exit. On the outside, a beautiful autumn night brought with it that cold weather that made us snuggle against each other.

"We're not taking the car?"

"No, I want to walk a little." She said as she put her hands in the pockets of her coat.

"Is everything alright?" I asked with a frown as I grabbed her arm.

"Yes, I'm just a little nervous."

"Did something happen?"

"Can we just walk for a while?" She asked somewhat nervously.

I nodded at her and began walking beside her. I loved the weather in Saint Moritz, that whole village landscape, surrounded by gigantic alps that beautified the city in a unique way. There was a lot of history there, and one of them was mine. We walked down the sidewalk, right in front of the central park, walking the same path we followed the first time. Unlike a while back, today there was no snow, much less a skating rink, but the yellowish leaves and the tranquil lake gifted us with a landscape as lovely as the first time. Lauren walked silently as she seemed to enjoy the so well-known park to us.

"Is there a problem? You look nervous."

The woman who was previously staring at the subtle swaying of the water in the lake, turned her eyes to me, stagnating our steps automatically.

"I do?" She looked away.

"Yes." I shrugged. "You asked me to leave the party, and you've been walking in silence. If there's a problem, let me help you."

She shook her head and looked at me again.

"There's no problem, Camila." Her now partially uncontrolled breath, indicated more clearly the nervousness experienced by the woman. Lauren moistened her lips and took a step forward. I didn't say anything, just continued to watch her. "I just don't know how to do this..." She confessed softly.

"What?" I asked with a frown. For a moment I felt fear, not fear of Lauren, but of what she might say. What if she was tired of all that? What if she was regretful? "Look, if you're going to arrest me now, I must remind you that people won't believe it." I joked, trying to relax.

Lauren chuckled and shook her head again.

"I'm not going to arrest you. I just need to say something... actually, ask you something."

"For the love of God, just say it!"

"I wanted to have done it months ago, but I know that everything happens at the right time."

The deputy took a deep breath, inflating her chest as if seeking courage for what she was about to do. Lauren lifted her head and connected her gaze to mine. Her green eyes were bright, showing her dilated pupils. The cold wind made me shiver and caused Lauren's hair to sway to the side. I raised one of my hands and tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear, when she began to speak.

"We're here once again." She shrugged. "In the same place you brought me over a year ago. It's crazy to think about everything that happened in that period, and how you've changed me. Perhaps, coming here has been one of the most important milestones between us during all this time." My breathing became somewhat heavier, as if accompanying the beating of my heart. "Not perhaps, I'm sure! Here, in this place, was the first time I truly saw you..." She smiled in such a sweet way that made me smile too. "And I loved it, Camila. I loved what I saw during those days. You may have attracted me sexually and driven me completely crazy at the beginning of everything, but it was when I truly got to know you that I fell in love. It wasn't an easy task, entering your real world requires strength, will power and lots of love. But I wanted to do it, I wanted more from you, and I got it. I saw you in the midst of that darkness, and I realized that there was still light." I took a deep breath, trying to control that impending urge to cry. "I realized that you weren't Camila Collins, you were just Camila, with all your weakness and sensitivity, but with your strength as well. And as much as I didn't know about your life story at that time, I felt the wonderful woman you were. I knew you had something very special inside you, besides your power of seduction and your unparalleled intelligence." She laughed awkwardly. "I resisted for a long time, I confess, but after a while, I got tired of going against what I was feeling. I fell in love with you, there was no way out anymore. So I got closer and closer, letting myself get carried away by all the charm you possess so easily. It was inevitable not to be head over heels in love with you, Camila. Believe me, you always cause this effect on people, even when they hate you, they are crazy about you. Maybe it's your smug way of being, your self-confidence, your persistence or even your intelligence. It's attractive and instigating for everyone. At least it was for me, and still is."

Lauren lifted one of her hands to my face, where she softly caressed with her thumb. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, allowing myself to enjoy that moment.

"But I assure you that it wasn't your physical attributes that made me sure of what I'm going to do now." She said, leaving me completely nervous. "Having the best of you was what made me fall hopelessly in love. And with the 'best', I don't mean the perfect. No. With the best, I mean you. With all your details, being them qualities and flaws. The real Camila. And not the one made up here and shown to the world. I love you, Camila. I love all your phases." She said firmly. "From start to finish, without making any changes. I love everything you represent, everything you are inside. I love you more than I thought I could love someone. And I'm willing to be with you for the rest of my life if you so wish. I want to show you that you'll never, ever, be alone. And so, I need to ask..."

Lauren sighed heavily as she pulled something from the pocket of her thick coat. I confess that in that short amount of time, I felt as if my heart was going to jump out of my mouth. It beat frantically, making my whole body tremble. With teary eyes, I saw the small velvet box in her hands. I brought my hands to my mouth while those stubborn tears escaped my eyes and streamed gently down my face. I stared at the solitary ring in the center of the little box, displaying that single, shiny precious stone. It was beautiful.

"Will you marry me, Camila?"

I just stood still for a few instants. All because in that split second, I allowed myself to observe and be even more certain of the incredible woman who had come into my life. In a totally unexpected way, Lauren made me change and made me believe that I could still live in peace. In the midst of that darkness, it was she who made me see the light that still dwelt in me. With her love and her care, I healed myself. I saved myself.

I revived.

"Please say something..." She murmured nervously.

I flashed a broad smile, letting more tears fall.

"Yes! Of course! Oh my God! Yes!" I exclaimed as I kissed her with all those feelings that filled me.

Lauren's soft lips moved in a perfect sync with mine. She pressed me against her, as if she wanted to prolong that moment for eternity. It was a slow kiss, and incredibly intense, our tongues moved with a passionate subtlety. As if that kiss was the first of many that were yet to come in our new life. After a sequence of pecks, Lauren expanded her lips into a broad smile that melted me wholly.

"Oh God. I feel that my heart is going to burst." She said as she grabbed the ring that was inside the little box. Lauren's hands were trembling, just like mine. We laughed together as soon as we noticed our shared nervousness. "Okay, let me do this." She said as she held my hand.

I stared into her eyes for a few instants, and the gleam of happy tears filled my chest with a wonderful and inexplicable sensation. I looked down to see the exact moment Lauren slid the shiny ring on my finger. She stared at it in my hand for a few seconds before lifting it to her lips.

A single kiss.

"I'll make you the happiest woman on earth."

I knew that she was the only one who could do that. There were no doubts. I felt it in her words, in her intense gaze, and in her touches on my body. Lauren had a special way of making me feel unique and singular. As if I was the most precious being that she had the pleasure of meeting.

"I won the game." I said with a smile, receiving a smile in response.

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NOTE: Huge shout-out to Juliana for that amazing manip ;) Sadly, we're coming to an end. The next chapter is the last one :( I'll translate it as fast as I can.