Chapter 42
“If you ask me, if you hadn’t let go in the beginning, maybe things would still be different p>
“She got hurt.” Lance cut Abelard off before he could finish.
By the time Abelard tried to say something else, Lance was already gone, having taken the other elevator down. Abelard stood there, stunned. “What does her getting hurt have to do with you p>
Camilla’s injury was only a minor one. After a quick hospital visit, all she got was some cream for the bruising. Barnard wanted to drive her home, but she knew Jasper wasn’t really in the mood to see him these days. So, right at the hospital entrance, Camilla hailed a taxi, not caring if Barnard saw.
When she got home, Susan already had dinner ready. Jasper hadn’t eaten a bite, just waiting for Camilla to arrive. Tonight, she could tell he was in a great mood, his eyes shining and full of excitement. It had been ages since Jasper looked this happy, not since Snow was sent to the pet hospital.
“Jasper, you look really happy today. Did something interesting happen?” Camilla asked.
“Mom, Lance came by! He brought you some medicine for your hand. And he said his dog is coming home soon, and I can visit and see it.” Jasper’s voice was bubbling with joy.
Just hearing Lance’s name made him light up, the same way he did with Snow. Kids can’t fake this kind of excitement—Camilla could feel how much Jasper genuinely liked Lance.
But something felt off. Wasn’t Lance just with Abelard? How did he suddenly show up here? And how did he know about her injury when Barnard only found out a little while ago?
Camilla took the ointment and recognized it immediately. It was an imported brand, the kind only found in well-known European labs. Even if you wanted to buy it, it wasn’t easy to get your hands on.
“Did you thank Lance?” Camilla asked.
“I did, but Lance said I didn’t have to. Mom, when can we go to Lance’s house to see his dog?” Jasper asked, hope sparking in his eyes.
He was just a kid. To him, if someone was good to him, he liked them back, pure and simple.
Camilla, on the other hand, felt a little uneasy. She didn’t know Lance well enough to just show up at his place. So, she made up an excuse and gently nudged Jasper to eat his dinner first.
Even when Jasper was getting ready for bed, he was still murmuring about wanting to play with Lance. It was the first time Camilla had seen him so caught up on someone new.
But she hadn’t quite figured Lance out yet.
Early the next morning, Camilla woke up to the buzz of trending news online, which was quickly followed by a call from Laura. It turned out that someone had filmed Barnard carrying her into the hospital. The video went viral, with everyone online swooning over their “fairy-tale romance.” In the high society world, they looked like the poster couple for true love.
Laura sounded thrilled. “Camilla, honey, we saw the news. Your dad’s happy to know you and Barnard are doing well p>
Camilla responded with a few polite words and ended the call. Even those two short minutes on the phone were enough for the trending topic to climb even higher. It looked like someone was stirring the pot on purpose.
If she had to guess, it was Calvin. He was always good at this kind of thing. When those rumors about Barnard and Davina surfaced before, Calvin managed to keep the worst of it from spreading, though gossip still slipped out. Now, this perfect family image made it easy for him to convince everyone that the Carters had no real scandals.
But Camilla couldn’t help but wonder. If Calvin hyped it up like this, what would happen when the truth about Barnard and Davina eventually came out? Wouldn’t it only be more embarrassing?
The trending news wasn’t just putting heat on Calvin. Davina was caught in it too.
When Camilla walked into the company lobby that morning, she spotted Davina waiting inside.
The receptionist noticed and rushed over to greet her. “Camilla, this lady says she’s your housekeeper. She brought chicken soup for you.” Even as she spoke, her confusion showed. If Davina really worked for Camilla, wouldn’t she just bring the soup to the house, not the office? And she had gotten there before Camilla herself.
Davina quickly walked up, her smile eager. “Camilla, Barnard told me you got hurt. I was so worried, so I made you some chicken soup. I cooked it all night for you, really, you have to try it p>
Her face was all flattery, and Daisy—who came along—jumped in, “Camilla, my mom didn’t even sleep last night making the soup. Please try some p>
Camilla was about to refuse, but Davina already popped the lid open under her nose. Instantly, a strange, greasy smell filled the air.
Camilla wrinkled her nose. Davina glanced toward the break area. “You should sit down and have some. It’s good for you on a cold morning p>
“I’ve already eaten. I’m fine, really,” Camilla replied.
It was like they hadn’t heard a word. “Soup won’t make you full,” Davina insisted. “I brought it all this way. At least have a taste p>
Daisy took it further, grabbing hold of Camilla’s sleeve. Annoyed, Camilla shook her off.
Daisy lost her balance, stumbling back a few steps and bumping right into Davina. The thermos tumbled to the floor with a loud crash, chicken soup splashing everywhere. Some even landed on Daisy’s leg, and she started crying the moment it stung.