6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Camila Flores
A s soon as I hang up with Mr. Godoy, I fire up my laptop and gather the information on the vineyard employees. I need to set up these meetings as soon as possible. I’m still shaking after the way I spoke to him. I thought for sure he was going to fire me.
When I see the list of employees at Hacienda Carmen, my eyes go wide—137 people. How is he supposed to meet with all of them?
If I schedule nine meetings a day at twenty minutes each, it would take a little over fifteen days to get through everyone. And honestly, I don’t think he has the headspace—or the patience—for two weeks of one-on-one meetings.
Maybe he can meet with a few of them at a time? It would definitely be more efficient.
Feeling pleased with my problem-solving skills, I put together a document explaining the two ways he could approach these meetings, complete with pros and cons for each.
Before I know it, it’s eight o’clock—I need to get ready and take Ava to school.
We’ll have to skip the morning massages today. I just hope she isn’t too tired. Ugh, It hasn’t even been a full week at this job, and I’m already neglecting my daughter. How do other moms do it? I’m a wreck.
I know I’m going to have to get my act together by the time Mr. Godoy returns, because I’m sure he’ll be even more demanding when he’s around.
“Mummy?” Ava’s tiny voice pulls me out of my thoughts. She comes out of her room, rubbing her eyes, and a pang of guilt hits me right in the chest.
“Good morning, mi amor . How are you feeling this morning?” I ask as I place her on my lap and comb her hair with my fingers.
“Good. I’m not too tired. How was your sleep?” she asks, looking me straight in the eyes.
With the biggest smile I can muster, I reply. “It was great. Are you ready for brekkie?”
I don’t tell her I only had a few hours of sleep and that I’m already tired.
“Yay, brekkie ,” my sweet girl cheers, and I release a deep breath. As long as she doesn’t feel neglected, I can go without sleep.
“Do you think we can go to the park today after you come back from work, Mummy?” she asks, her voice so hopeful.
My relief is short-lived. I know I won’t have the energy by the time I get home, but it’s not her fault. I’m the adult here.
“I’ll tell you what. If the weather is nice when I get back, we’ll go see the duckies. If it’s too rainy or cold, we’ll stay in, watch a movie, and have some popcorn.”
“Deal,” she says happily as she takes a seat at the table.
Good job, me. Compromise is the key to every successful relationship—even mother-daughter ones.
When I arrive at the office, I make a beeline for my desk, which is located right outside Mr. Godoy’s office. Our workspace is on the far end of the building, away from the lifts and the receptionist desk.
It’s funny—in a way, I feel like I’m the last line of defense he has against unsolicited visitors. I wonder if I’d ever have to intervene like that. Maybe a one-night stand clinger or something ridiculous like that.
I’m chuckling at my silly musings when I notice two IT workers in my office. My brows pull together. I already have a brand-new computer. What are they doing here?
As if reading my mind, one of them approaches as soon as they see me.
“Good morning, Ms. Flores. We’re just about done installing the cameras Mr. Godoy requested. We’ll be out of your way in no time.”
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting that.”
They continue their work because, well, there’s nothing else to say.
“Do the cameras have sound too?” I ask.
“No, it’s video feed only,” one of them replies.
I give him a curt nod—after all, it’s not his fault our boss is an arsehole.
But seriously, what the actual fuck?
Cameras? For what?
As soon as the techs leave, I set up my computer and immediately call Mr. Godoy. I know he doesn’t have a meeting right now, so I have time to give him a piece of my mind.
“Hello?”
The man dares to sound pleasant.
Which infuriates me even more.
“Mr. Godoy, as I arrived at the office, two IT techs were leaving. Care to explain why you need to install cameras in the office?”
I release a deep breath as I hear him chuckle. Arrrgh .
“Well, since I’m not there, I wanted to make sure I had a way to put a face to the voice.”
“Is that so? And when am I going to get a live feed of your office in Chile? I mean, it only seems fair.”
“Really? Would you like to see me, Ms. Flores?”
I glare at the camera directly in front of me and roll my eyes dramatically.
“It doesn’t really affect my ability to do my job, but since I believe in equal rights, I think it would be best.”
“Very well. I’ll send you a link to the feed as soon as I get a camera installed here.”
“Thank you,” I say through clenched teeth. “Oh. And Mr. Godoy? I’ve put together two plans for your meetings. Please let me know which one you prefer.”
I hang up before he can reply but decide to give a little wave to the camera.
Let’s boogie, boss!
I ran to Sainsbury’s to grab lunch and returned with half an hour to spare, so I could use it to chat with Ava later.
Despite making me the card yesterday, she was still sad that it wasn’t Mummy who picked her up after school. It breaks my heart seeing her beautiful face all twisted with sadness.
Even when I worked two jobs, I was able to spend a lot of time with Ava. I would drop her off in the mornings, then come back home to bake cookies. In the afternoons, I’d pick her up, and after a quick rest, she would help me deliver the order. On our way back home, she always made time to play with the ducks.
Evenings were for dinner, baths, stories and bed by seven-thirty. At nine-thirty, I’d head out to clean offices, returning around three-thirty in the morning. During that time, Mrs. Evans would watch Ava, keeping an eye on her overnight. Ava understood that I had to work at night, so she was very comfortable staying with Mrs. Evans.
Although it was hard running on about four hours of sleep a day, it was worth it to spend so much time with my girl.
“Hello, mi amor . How was school today?” I ask Ava as her sweet face fills my phone screen.
Last night, I asked Mrs. Evans if we could FaceTime, and she loved the idea. She’s been my rock ever since I moved into the flat.
I still remember the day we met, a moment that changed everything.
“Hello, dear. I don’t mean to impose but I’m your next door neighbor, and I figured it’d be good to introduce myself. I’m Claire Evans.”
“Mrs. Evans, hi. So nice of you to stop by. Would you like to come in? I’m Camila. Camila Flores.”
She gave me a bright smile as she made her way into my apartment.
The moment she spotted Ava in the bassinet in my living room, her eyes lit up, and she rushed right over.
“What’s this sweet baby’s name? Would it be alright if I hold her?” she asked, hope shining in her eyes.
I simply nodded. And as soon she had Ava cradled in her arms, I knew I could trust her.
“I know you barely know me, but you look like you could use a tiny break. Would you like to nap while I take care of her?”
Emotion swelled in my chest, and before I could respond, Mrs. Evans moved closer and gave me a gentle one-armed hug.
I got comfortable on my sofa, and Mrs. Evans sat in the chair next to me.
And just like that, our little makeshift family formed.
“Mummy!” Ava shouts, and I laugh. My heart feels so full every single time my tiny human calls me Mummy .
“I take it you had a good day?” I ask as I spot marker stains on her little hands.
“Yes, Mummy. We drew flowers and then colored them. Wanna see?” She puts the phone down against the table.
I chuckle. She didn’t even wait for me to say yes. I hear some papers rustling, and Mrs. Evans gently tells her to be quick since Mummy is at work.
“Here it is, Mummy. Do you love it?” She pushes the paper so close against the phone, that I can barely see it. Mrs. Evans steps in, moving Ava’s hand back to reveal the entire picture. She did a beautiful job, and I can tell she tried really hard to stay inside the lines.
“I’m so proud of you, little duckling. Those flowers are gorgeous. We’ll put them on the fridge door when I get home. Deal?”
“Deal.” She darts off to God knows where, and Mrs. Evans grabs the phone.
“Hi, dear. How’s work going?”
“It’s going, Mrs. Evans. I’m not only trying to learn the system and keep up with all of Mr. Godoy’s appointments here in London, but I’m also trying to set up a few things in Chile.”
I release a deep breath, noticing just how tired I am. I glance at my reflection on the screen—dark circles under my eyes. Oh wow, I look tired too.
“You’ll get the hang of it in no time. I’m certain of it,” she says with a reassuring smile. I
“How is he behaving? Is he treating you well?” she asks. I widen my eyes, and she chuckles. “Fear not, dear. Just show him the strong and smart woman you are. He has a tough exterior, but he’s a good man. You just need to crack his armor.”
I want to tell her that I’m not sure I want to crack anyone’s armor. I’d rather focus on doing my job, not helping my boss be a better human. Before I can respond, Ava calls Mrs. Evans for help, and we quickly end the call.
My computer pings, alerting me to a new email. When I check, it’s from him. Of course—who else?
From: Vicente Godoy “ [email protected] ”
To: Camila Flores “ [email protected] ”
Date: March 18, 2025. 1:12 pm
Subject: Business Hours
Camila,
Please go ahead and set up the group meetings. I trust you to create the groups according to their areas of expertise.
Also, I noticed you on a personal video call during office hours. I need you to limit personal calls to once a day and no longer than one minute.
I’ll be waiting for the schedule.
V. Godoy
Head of the Godoy Group
London, Alamo Peaks
The nerve of this man. What a dick . I give a little salute to the camera as I raise a brow. I’m not going to let him dim my light.
Taking a couple of deep breaths, I put on my Sparkle and Dance playlist and get to work.
Bopping my head to the beat of my favorite Sophie Ellis-Bexter song, I set up all the meetings and send emails to all of the employees, notifying them of the date and time. I send them in both English and Spanish, just in case some of the workers don’t speak English. I also CC my dick boss—just so he knows everyone has been notified.
Before leaving the office for the day, I send him another email to make sure he doesn’t need anything else before I go and squeeze my little one.
From: Camila Flores “ [email protected] ”
To: Vicente Godoy “ [email protected] ”
Date: March 18, 2025. 5:57 pm
Subject: Can I be of any assistance?
Mr. Godoy, I am done for the day. I’ll be heading home now, unless you need me to help you with any other matter that hasn't been brought to my attention. In which case, I have three minutes to help you. I wanted to let you know the calendar and the files have been uploaded, and everything is ready for you tomorrow.
Regards,
Camila Flores
Personal Assistant to Head of the Godoy Group
London
I stare at the computer screen, hoping I won’t get an email from him—but of course, I do. Not even a minute has passed.
From: Vicente Godoy “ [email protected] ”
To: Camila Flores “ [email protected] ”
Date: March 18, 2025. 5:57 pm
Subject: RE: Can I be of any assistance?
Camila,
Thank you for letting me know. As of right now, I don’t have anything for you to help me with. But perhaps you can use these three minutes to create a time log and note that you’re leaving work early… after spending extra time on a personal video call. At the end of each week, you’ll have to work extra to make up for all the lost time.
Have a good evening,
V. Godoy
Head of the Godoy Group
London, Alamo Peaks
Holy shit. He truly is a dick. I decide not to reply and just leave. On my way out, I wave at the camera and rush out the door before I do something unprofessional—like showing him the finger.