The Waitress With a PhD Who Silenced a Arrogant And Rude Billionaire
Chapter 31
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"I'm willing," she said quietly. "But slowly. We take this slowly.""As slow as you need," Theodore promised.They left the cafe holding hands. It was a small gesture, but it felt monumental. Camille looked at their intertwined fingers and felt a mix of joy and terror: she was taking a leap of faith, trusting someone who had hurt her, believing in the possibility of change and redemption.Please let this be real, she thought.Please don't let me be wrong about him.Christmas approached. Camille was deep in her dissertation work, writing ten pages a day, her arguments flowing smoothly now that she had the mental space to focus. She was on track to finish by February, defend in March.Gloria's health continued to improve: the medications were working, her energy was back, and Dr. Chen was pleased with her progress. She'd even started attending a diabetes support group, making friends and learning to manage her condition better.Life was good, almost suspiciously good. Camille kept waiting for something to go wrong, for the other shoe to drop. But days turned into weeks, and nothing bad happened.Theodore invited Camille and Gloria to Christmas dinner at his penthouse. Camille had never seen where he lived. When they arrived, she was shocked by the space: floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, the bright lights twinkling like stars. Everything was modern and expensive and impersonal."It's not very homey," Theodore admitted. "I've never really cared about that before."Gloria looked around with wide eyes. "This is beautiful, Theodore. But, honey, where's your Christmas tree?"Theodore looked embarrassed. "I don't have one. I usually ignore Christmas.""Not this year," Gloria declared. "Camille, we're going shopping tomorrow. This place needs life."The next day, the three of them went to a tree lot. They picked out a seven-foot spruce, along with lights and ornaments. Back at the penthouse, they spent the afternoon decorating.Theodore was terrible at it: he tangled the lights, hung ornaments haphazardly, and nearly knocked the tree over twice. But he was laughing, genuinely happy, and Camille found herself falling harder for him with every clumsy attempt.Gloria watched them with knowing eyes. "You two are good together," she said quietly to Camille while Theodore was in the kitchen making hot chocolate."Mama, we're not even officially together.""Not officially. But, baby, I see how he looks at you, and I see how you look at him." Gloria smiled. "Don't fight it. Life's too short."That evening, the three of them sat on Theodore's couch, drinking hot chocolate and watching the tree lights blink. It felt like family, like home. Theodore reached over and took Camille's hand; she squeezed back, and in that moment, everything felt right.On New Year's Eve, Theodore took Camille to a party hosted by one of his business associates. It was formal, held in a hotel ballroom with bright chandeliers and a live band. Camille wore a blue dress she'd borrowed from Bethany, and Theodore wore a black suit.