The Waitress With a PhD Who Silenced a Arrogant And Rude Billionaire
Chapter 33
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Everything was falling into place: Camille's dissertation was done; her mother was healthy; she had a job she loved, a man she cared about, friends who supported her. For the first time in years, Camille felt like herself: not the struggling waitress, not the burned-out caregiver, but the woman she'd always wanted to be—educated, purposeful, loved.And it was all thanks to one moment of courage, one moment when she'd stopped being silent and reclaimed her voice, one moment that had changed everything.February flew by in a blur of final preparations. Camille rehearsed her defense presentation dozens of times: refining her arguments, anticipating questions, memorizing key points. Theodore listened patiently every time, offering suggestions and encouragement."You're going to knock them dead," he said after her final practice run. "Seriously, Camille, this is doctoral-level work. You earned this."March arrived with warmer weather and blooming flowers. Camille's flight to Paris was scheduled for March 12th, three days before her defense. She'd be gone for a week, and while part of her was excited to return to the city she'd loved, another part dreaded leaving her mother and Theodore."I'll take care of Gloria," Theodore assured her. "I'll check on her every day, make sure she has everything she needs.""You don't have to do that.""I want to. She's important to you, which makes her important to me."The night before her flight, Theodore took Camille to dinner at the same Italian restaurant where they'd had their first real conversation months ago. As they ate, Camille felt nostalgic."This is where it started," she said. "Where we became friends.""Best decision I ever made: asking you to give me a chance." Theodore reached across the table and took her hand. "I'm so proud of you, Camille. For finishing your dissertation, for building a new life, for being brave enough to forgive me.""I'm proud of you, too. For changing. For becoming someone I could actually care about.""Do you? Care about me, I mean?"Camille smiled. "Yes, Theodore. I care about you very much."He squeezed her hand, his eyes warm. "When you get back from Paris, I want to talk about our future. About what this is and where it's going."Camille's heart skipped. "Okay. When I get back."The flight to Paris was long, but comfortable. Theodore had insisted on upgrading her ticket to business class, and while Camille had protested, she couldn't deny it was nice to have space to stretch out and sleep.She arrived in Paris on a bright March morning. The city looked exactly as she remembered: beautiful buildings, narrow streets, the Seine winding through it all. Nostalgia hit her hard as she took a taxi to her hotel.The next three days she spent preparing at the Sorbonne. She met with her advisor, Professor Dubois, who greeted her warmly. "Mademoiselle Johnson, you look well. America suits you.""Thank you, Professor. It's good to be back."They reviewed her presentation together, discussing potential committee questions and refining her responses. Professor Dubois was impressed with her work. "This is some of the best research I've seen on post-war linguistic evolution. You should be very proud."