Falling For The True Heiress

"Hey, Mila. Why did you tell me to lie to Amelia?" Daniela said, sounding angry. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the bedside table.

Camila didn’t say anything to her. She lowered her head, looking at the floor.

Tears were rolling down her eyes, down her cheeks, and then falling to the floor.

She stared at the polished marble floor like it was the only thing she had left to look at.

"Mila?" Daniela called again. "Or can’t you hear me?"

Camila still didn’t say anything.

After some minutes, she was already sobbing loudly.

Sob!

Sob!

Sob!

Daniela let out a deep breath before pushing herself away from the table and walking towards the bed.

"Mila?" She reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Talk to me, please. I don’t like seeing you cry like this."

Camila hugged her tightly, still crying. She couldn’t say anything. She didn’t even know what she was supposed to say.

Her crying only grew louder, each sob heavier than the last.

Daniela gently smiled and started patting her back.

"You miss Lia, right?" she asked.

Camila nodded immediately, tightening her arms around Daniela.

"You love her more than a friend, right?"

Camila immediately stopped crying. She stayed like that for a moment before slowly pulling away and looked at Daniela.

"How do you know that?"

Daniela smiled and brushed the strand of hair away from Camila’s face.

"I know you well, Mila."

Camila didn’t say anything. She just stared at her.

"I saw through your feelings the first day I arrived. I knew you didn’t see Amelia as just a friend," Daniela said, smiling softly.

"You did?" Camila asked, surprised. She had almost forgotten that she was crying a few minutes ago.

Daniela nodded. "Mmm. I did."

"What about you?" Camila swallowed. "What about your feelings? You also love her too."

Daniela smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I do. I do love Lia."

She looked down at Camila’s hands before taking them into hers. She gave them a small squeeze before looking back at her.

"But I love you too. You’re my best cousin, so I value your feelings. And also—" She shrugged. "Amelia doesn’t love me."

Camila smiled. "I love you, Daniela, but—"

"No, but," Daniela shook her head. "I saw you love Lia, so I stepped back. Me already seeing the one I had a crush on for years was enough, but you—"

She pointed at Camila. "You have always loved her since you were a kid... it can’t be compared."

Camila laughed quietly. She reached out and tucked Daniela’s hair behind her ears before giving her a small smile.

"Looks like my little rascal has grown up."

Daniela rolled her eyes. "Don’t start."

Camila laughed again, wiping the last tear from her cheek. "You used to cry whenever Mom wouldn’t let you follow us outside. That was years ago. And now you’re giving me love advice."

Daniela smiled. "Someone has to."

Camila shook her head, still smiling.

For the first time since the conversation started, the heaviness in her chest didn’t feel as painful.

She looked at Daniela again. "Thank you."

Daniela’s smile softened. "For what?"

"For everything," Camila said, smiling softly.

Daniela squeezed her hands. "I’ll always choose you, Mila."

Camila smiled. "Even when I’m being stupid?"

"Especially then," Daniela answered, clicking her tongue.

Camila laughed softly. "You’re really annoying. And still my little rascal."

Camila rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t stop smiling.

"So tell me... what happened?" Daniela asked, looking at Camila.

Camila looked away.

Her fingers slowly played with the edge of her clothes as she took a quiet breath.

"I forcefully kissed her."

"You... what?"

Daniela’s eyes widened before she suddenly burst into laughter.

Her laughter filled the room.

Camila immediately frowned and looked at her.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Why won’t I laugh?" Daniela asked, still laughing. "My sweet cousin actually did a forced romance. Isn’t that enough reason to laugh?"

She covered her mouth, trying to control herself, but another laugh escaped.

Camila scoffed.

She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, her cheeks already warming from embarrassment.

"You’re enjoying this too much."

Daniela shook her head, still smiling.

"I’m sorry, Mila, but I never thought you would be the one to force a kiss."

Camila looked down.

"I didn’t plan it." Her voice became quieter. "It just happened."

Daniela’s smile slowly faded when she noticed the sadness returning to Camila’s face.

She leaned closer. "What happened after?"

Camila swallowed hard. "She pushed me away."

The room suddenly became quiet.

Daniela stopped smiling.

Camila stared at the floor again, her fingers tightening around the fabric in her hands.

"I thought..." She paused, struggling to find the words. "I thought maybe she felt the same way I did."

Her voice cracked slightly. "But the way she looked at me after..."

She lowered her head. "I knew I had made a mistake."

Daniela reached over and gently placed her hand over Camila’s.

"You made a mistake, Mila. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad person."

Camila looked at her. "But I hurt her."

"I know."

Daniela squeezed her hand gently. "And if you really love her, then you have to respect what she wants. Even if what she wants isn’t what you hoped for."

Camila’s eyes filled with tears again. "I just wish loving her wasn’t this painful."

Daniela pulled her into another hug.

"But I think Lia loves someone else," Camila said so quickly that the words almost got lost in her throat.

She pulled away from Daniela and met her gaze.

"Lia loves someone else."

Daniela didn’t look surprised. She simply nodded with a small smile.

"I know."

"You know?" Camila asked, her eyes widening.

Daniela nodded again.

"Since when?" Camila asked.

"Think about it yourself," Daniela said.

Camila frowned. She looked away, staring at the polished floor as she tried to put the pieces together.

For a few seconds, the room was quiet except for the faint sound of the air conditioner. Then something clicked in her mind.

"Lia started changing since the real daughter came back." Her voice became slower. "All her attention was no longer on me anymore."

She paused. Her eyebrows slowly lifted.

"Could it be—"

She suddenly stopped. Her eyes widened.

"No." She shook her head. "No, it can’t be possible."

Her heart started beating faster. "Even if it’s possible..."

She swallowed hard. "Lia will be in danger."

"Still thinking about her?" Daniela asked with a small smile.

Camila ignored her. She was already thinking about Sylvia.

"How do you know that?"

Daniela shrugged and adjusted herself on the bed. "Anytime you’re with Lia, Sylvia always gives you a look like..."

She paused before imitating the expression.

"’That’s my girlfriend. Keep off.’"

Camila stared at her. "What?"

Daniela laughed softly. "I’m serious."

Camila’s lips parted slightly. Her mind began replaying moments she had never thought twice about.

Sylvia standing close to Amelia. Sylvia watched whenever someone spoke to her.

The way her expression changed whenever Camila got too close.

The little touches. The way she always seemed to find an excuse to stay beside Amelia.

Camila swallowed.

How had she never noticed?

She had been so focused on her own feelings that she hadn’t even bothered to look at what was happening right in front of her.

"She was..." Camila whispered.

Daniela nodded. "Very protective."

Camila looked down at her hands. Her fingers slowly tightened together.

"So all this time..."

She couldn’t finish the sentence. A strange feeling settled inside her chest.

It wasn’t only jealousy anymore.

It was realization.

She had been chasing someone who was already deeply in love with somebody else.

"How did this get to this?" Camila whispered.

Daniela tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Camila looked at her.

"I loved Lia first." Her voice cracked slightly.

"I’ve loved her since we were kids."

"I know."

"And now..." She swallowed hard. "Someone else came and took the place I thought was mine."

Daniela’s expression softened. "Mila..."

Camila shook her head quickly. "No."

She wiped the corner of her eye before the tear could fall. "I know she doesn’t belong to me."

The words were painful to say. But she knew they were true.

"I just didn’t know I had already lost before I even started."

Daniela reached out and held her hand. "You didn’t lose her."

Camila looked at her.

"She was never yours to lose," Daniela said with a bittersweet smile.

Camila’s lips trembled. That hurt even more.

She lowered her head. "I know."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The room felt unusually quiet.

Camila could hear her own breathing.

Then she whispered, "I really didn’t notice anything."

Daniela gently squeezed her hand. "You were too busy loving Lia."

Camila gave a weak laugh. "That’s a terrible excuse."

"It’s not an excuse," Daniela smiled softly. "It’s just the truth."

Camila leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes.

She remembered Amelia’s smile. Her voice.

The way she used to look at her.

For years, Camila had held onto those memories, believing they meant something more.

Maybe they did.

Just not what she wanted them to mean.

"And now?" Camila asked quietly.

Daniela looked at her. "Now you have to decide what you’re going to do with those feelings."

Camila opened her eyes. "I don’t know."

"Then start with one thing."

"What?"

"Stop fighting for someone who has already chosen another person."

Camila’s eyes filled with tears again. She quickly looked away. "I don’t know if I can."

Daniela pulled her into a gentle hug. "You don’t have to let go tonight."

Camila buried her face against Daniela’s shoulder. "But I have loved her for so long."

"I know."

"And it hurts."

"I know."

Camila closed her eyes as another tear slipped down her cheek. For the first time, she finally understood what all those looks from Sylvia had meant.

Sylvia hadn’t been protecting Amelia like a friend. She had been protecting the woman she loved.

And somehow, that realization hurt more than anything else.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!