Chapter 129
Camilla didn’t even need to look twice at the paperwork Barnard handed her. She recognized it immediately. A paternity test.
But the results… The results were nothing like what she’d uncovered on her own.
Right there in stark black and white, it said Barnard and Jasper weren’t father and son.
She’d guessed as much, honestly, which was exactly why she’d asked Dahlia to dig deeper and confirm it for her. Still, having the truth staring her down in official print, her chest seized up tight.
“Camilla,” Barnard started, his voice empty and cold, “I warned you before. The truth isn’t always what you want it to be. Without this report, Jasper would always be my son. The Carter family’s heir. Not some… bastard without a father p>
He stopped before saying that last word, almost like he was savoring it, and that made it worse.
Any hint of color drained from Camilla’s face.
Without thinking, she raised her hand to slap him, but he caught her wrist before it could connect.
“Camilla, you’re a clever woman,” he said, eyes narrowed. “You know what you’re supposed to do next.” His smirk made it clear—he was using this as leverage, but not for himself. For someone else.
Camilla clenched her jaw, forcing herself to keep it together.
“Barnard, you really expect me to fall for that?” she shot back. “Anyone can fake a paternity test. If Jasper wasn’t your kid, why raise him all these years? You’re honestly pathetic, going this far with your lies just to get Davina off the hook p>
She knew, the moment he brought this to her, he was ready to wreck everything—including himself—just to win. Her only hope now was to stall, play along, and see what else she could find out.
Barnard just clicked his tongue, not even pretending to be offended. “Let’s not kid ourselves. You know if this is real or not. The fact that I’m putting it on the table at all should tell you how serious I am. Imagine if this got out, Camilla. People finding out you were violated. That the kid you had is a bastard. That I, your loving boyfriend, stayed by your side, married you, took care of your little family. Imagine the scandal. You love Jasper, right? He’s still a kid. What if he finds out he doesn’t even have a real dad? Think he could handle that? Think he’d fall apart, maybe snap, maybe never recover p>
The threats just kept coming.
For a split second, Camilla pictured Jasper curling up beside her, shutting down, falling apart.
She wouldn’t—couldn’t—let that happen.
“Stop. Just stop!” Camilla cut in, her voice sharp and raw.
Barnard’s smile faded, or maybe softened, like he got what he wanted. “You really do care about him. Good. That means we can talk, don’t you think?” he said, suddenly gentle. He guided her back to her seat and, like it was all nothing, poured her a glass of water.
Camilla’s hands pressed down on the desk so hard the veins in her arm stood out.
The way she looked at Barnard now—he was a predator, jaws open, waiting to devour her whole.
She spoke, her words razor-edged and controlled. “That party at your family’s house—I was your girlfriend. No one could touch me without your say-so. So what, Barnard? You just handed me over to someone else? Which one of your friends was it? What did you get, selling me out p>
Barnard actually smiled, like he was pleased. “See, that’s what I like about you, Camilla. Smart. Always thinking. Already trying to get more out of me.” He sounded like he admired her, and that just twisted the knife.
Camilla stared back, eyes cold. She didn’t have the energy to fight with him anymore. She just needed the truth. She needed to know how many more ways this marriage was going to tear her apart.
Barnard shrugged, almost casual. “Since you worked it out, do you really think I’d make it that easy? You thought it was one of my business partners? Not a chance. I wouldn’t leave a loose end like that. Maybe it was a criminal who just got out of jail. Maybe some random guy from off the street. I figured if I was going to raise someone else’s kid, it wouldn’t matter whose. The more pathetic the father, the more power I have over you. You really want people finding out Jasper’s dad was a criminal? Or a nobody p>
Camilla felt ice settle in her veins. She couldn’t hold onto her self-control anymore.
When she looked at Barnard, there was only hate.
She’d misjudged him—his ruthlessness, his total lack of shame. She’d been blind, and now she had nowhere left to run.
Barnard reached over and laid his hand gently on her hair. His tone turned soft, sickeningly sweet, almost like a whisper you could drown in.
“Don’t be scared, Camilla. I only ever wanted the perfect wife—someone to stand by my side. You’ve played the part well so far. All you have to do is keep listening. Nothing has to change between us p>