My Two Billionaire Husbands: A Plan for Revenge-Chapter 87: Signora

Cammy drove to Ric’s prestigious three-star Michelin restaurant after receiving a text with the location. As they arrived, the warm welcome from the staff immediately left Monica impressed.

"How did you manage to secure a table here so quickly when there’s a line outside?" Monica asked, her curiosity riled up.

Cammy forced a polite smile. "The owner happens to be a close friend of mine."

Monica raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that so? And why am I only hearing about this now?"

Cammy responded calmly, "Because you’re always so busy, Mom. I didn’t want to bother you with things you might consider trivial."

Monica’s expression softened, she was now filled with excitement. "Trivial? This is far from it! You’ve been holding out on me, Camilla. This place is exquisite. I’ll have to bring my friends here soon. You’d better ask your friend to reserve a table for us."

Cammy bit back a sigh, watching as Monica’s fury and disdain evaporated, replaced by childlike enthusiasm. Her excitement only grew when a staff member escorted them to one of the exclusive private dining rooms, Monica’s eyes now sparkling with delight.

"I must admit, Cammy, I’m impressed," Monica said, settling into her seat. "Not only did you manage to secure a table, but a private room as well." She glanced around the elegant space before opening the menu. "Now, what should I order?" she murmured to herself.

"How about some Wagyu steak, roasted honey baby potatoes, and creamy polenta with spinach and garlic, paired with a 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon red wine?"

Both Cammy and Monica turned to find the source of the suggestion. A smile quickly crept onto Cammy’s face as she recognized Ric, though the smile held a touch of sadness that he noticed immediately.

Ric approached with a warm stride, giving Cammy a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Monica.

"Ric, this is my mom, Monica Watson," Cammy introduced, her voice a bit strained.

Ric, aware of the dynamic between Monica and Cammy from his research, extended his hand with a polite smile.

Monica, slightly taken aback by the formality, shook his hand. But Ric, ever the gentleman, lifted her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of it, leaving Monica momentarily speechless. She hadn’t expected such an old-fashioned gesture, and it took her by surprise.

"Well, aren’t you the charming one," Monica said. She was intrigued, masking her true thoughts.

"Oh," Monica exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest in feigned surprise. "Wait a second... I know you. Are you... Ricardo Rossi?!" freёnovelkiss.com

Her eyes gradually widened, and her jaw dropped as realization dawned. She covered her mouth, her surprise evident, as Ric smiled in acknowledgment.

"At your service, Signora," Ric replied, his Italian accent making Monica’s heart skip a beat. She couldn’t hide her delight, and a starry-eyed smile formed on her face.

"Oh my goodness! Cammy! You didn’t tell me your friend was the famous and incredibly handsome Mr. Ricardo Rossi!" Monica gasped.

Cammy fought the urge to roll her eyes but managed to suppress it, not wanting to risk angering her mother again. "Yeah, he is. Aren’t you happy about that?"

"Happy? I’m absolutely ecstatic!" Monica replied, her voice bubbling with excitement.

Ric chuckled lightly. "Why don’t you have a seat, Signora? I’ll take care of your meal," he offered, his charm only adding to Monica’s admiration.

"Oh, you should let the chefs take care of that and join us instead, if you’re not too busy. It would be nice to have a chat," Monica suggested.

Ric glanced at Cammy and smirked, thinking to himself, ’This is too easy.’

"That was exactly my plan," Ric replied smoothly. "Let me just place the order personally to ensure the best selections are made and then I’ll join you in a moment." He flashed a playful wink at Monica before stepping out of the room.

Monica smiled, her eyes still lingering on Ric as he left. "He’s definitely even more handsome in person than on TV, don’t you think?"

"I agree, Mom," Cammy responded dryly, trying to keep her tone neutral. "You know, I can ask him for his recipe book with his signature on it if you’d like. Maybe get some for your friends too?"

Monica’s face lit up at the suggestion. "You can do that? Yes, please! My friends would be over the moon, and they’d all envy me."

Cammy’s expression hardened inwardly. ’Yeah, you’re just like Duncan. All you care about is what people think of you,’ she thought with disgust.

A few minutes later, Ric returned and took a seat next to Cammy, facing Monica. "So, what do you think of my restaurant? Is the décor to your liking, or is it too plain? I’ve heard from Cammy that you have quite the eye for luxurious things," Ric said with a charming grin.

Monica blushed, clearly flattered by the compliment. She lightly patted her warm cheeks. "Cammy said that? Well, I’m no expert, but I think the decor is already quite perfect. If you’re looking to make it even more luxurious, perhaps upgrading the lighting would be a good start."

"Noted, Signora. I may have to ask for your help sometime since I’m better at cooking than decorating. I really don’t have a knack for it. Would you be willing to help me?" Ric said, his tone smooth and inviting.

"Of course! Whenever you need, just let me know," Monica responded eagerly.

Without missing a beat, Ric handed his phone to Monica, catching her off guard. "Please, Signora, let me have your number so I can reach out when I’m ready to work on the restaurant’s interior."

"Oh! Of course!" Monica said as she took the phone and typed in her number. "And please, just call me Monica. ’Signora’ feels too formal. You’re my daughter’s friend, and her friends are like family to us."

Cammy rolled her eyes internally. ’Oh, please! You don’t even know who my friends are.’

"Thank you, Monica. I’m looking forward to it," Ric responded, taking back his phone with a grateful smile.

Ric continued to engage in casual conversation with Monica until their food arrived. Once the servers had left, he subtly signaled Cammy that it was time to begin their discussion.

"Monica, with all due respect, not that I’m trying to interfere with your family matters, but I want you to know that faking Cammy’s death was my idea. I was also the one who showed Cammy the photos of Duncan cheating after I caught him in one of my restaurants."

The sudden revelation left Monica speechless. She froze, her face paling as she struggled to process the shock. Cammy, for the first time, saw her mother at a loss for words, utterly stunned.