Chapter 179
Saddlebrook Estates.
Camilla hadn’t set foot here in ages. When she pulled up this time, she didn’t come quietly. Five sleek cars rolled up behind her, and a whole squad of twenty sharp-looking bodyguards stepped out, lining up at her side. The sight alone was enough to make the staff freeze in place, wide-eyed and silent.
No one dared walk up to say hello. The air felt heavy, everyone just glancing nervously at each other, wishing someone else would take the first step.
“Where’s Davina? Tell her to come out,” Camilla said, not wasting a second on small talk. She wasn’t here for pleasantries, and she made that clear.
Jackson, holding his ground at the front door, tried to stay calm. “Davina’s not here. If there’s something you need, maybe wait for Mr. Carter to come back p>
Camilla raised a brow. “Is that so? Last I checked, I’m still the lady of this house. When did I start needing your permission just to walk in p>
To her, Jackson’s attitude practically screamed guilt. The more he stalled, the more Camilla’s curiosity flared. She wasn’t about to let him or anyone else stand in her way.
“It’s not like that, I just…” Jackson fumbled for words.
Camilla turned to her security detail. “Move him out of the way p>
She wasn’t in the mood to listen to excuses, not today. She wanted answers, not a cover-up.
At her command, one of her bodyguards stepped forward and gently but firmly pulled Jackson aside. These men were serious—tall, muscular, clearly hired for moments like this. The rest of the staff could only exchange glances, stunned into silence.
It left Camilla with a clear path inside.
The first floor was eerily quiet, not a soul in sight. No Davina, no Barnard. But right away, Camilla noticed something that made her jaw clench. The spot on the wall where her wedding photo used to hang was now empty.
She didn’t hesitate, heading straight upstairs and walking right into the master bedroom. She pushed open the door and stopped cold.
Just as she thought.
Her makeup had vanished from the vanity. The bed was messy, and men’s and women’s sleepwear were tangled together, thrown carelessly. It wasn’t hard to figure out who’d been sharing this room.
This was the same master bedroom Barnard hadn’t set foot in for five years of marriage. Now, suddenly, it was the “love nest” for him and Davina.
The thought of it all made Camilla’s stomach churn.
Jackson slipped in behind her, looking jumpy. He tried, lamely, to explain what she was seeing. “Camilla, it’s really not what it looks like. This morning, Mr. Carter’s pajamas got dirty and Davina said she’d wash them. That’s all. She just left them here for now… They p>
“Get out,” Camilla cut him off, her voice icy.
She almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous Jackson sounded. Even he probably didn’t believe his own story.
Whatever Barnard and Davina had done, she was past caring about the details. Instead, she pulled out her phone and started snapping pictures—evidence of the crumpled bed, the missing cosmetics, the blatant signs everywhere.
She moved methodically from the bedroom to the study, to the bathroom, cataloguing every trace Davina left behind. Jackson trailed after her, desperate, still trying to explain, but Camilla hardly heard him. He was just background noise.
Eventually, Jackson’s nerves got the best of him. He slipped away downstairs, phone pressed to his ear, and Camilla didn’t need to ask who he was calling. She knew he was warning Barnard.
And she didn’t care.
Once she’d gathered all the proof she needed, Camilla turned to her team. “Wreck it,” she said, her voice calm. “Everything in the rooms I just went to… smash it all p>
They liked to play games, spinning rumors and hiding secrets. Camilla was ready to play, too.
A scorned wife catching her cheating husband and tearing apart their home? That was the kind of story that would set tongues wagging. At a time like this, every detail would add fuel to the fire.
Downstairs, Jackson nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the crash of furniture and splintering wood from upstairs. He ended his call and rushed back up.
“Camilla, what are you doing?” he shouted. “Can’t this wait for Barnard? He’s on his way, I just called him p>
Camilla’s heart went colder.
She’d tried getting in touch with Barnard all day with no luck. But Jackson only had to ring once and he answered. That confirmed it for her. Barnard knew exactly what was happening. If anything, he was hiding, letting Davina do as she pleased.
Camilla walked downstairs and settled on the couch, waiting, calm and composed. She listened to the banging and crashing continue above her, unmoved by Jackson’s frantic begging.
After a while, she stood up, her patience finally worn thin. “This is taking too long. Just burn it instead p>
So when Barnard’s car finally pulled up, the first thing he saw was fire lighting up the night sky, flames roaring high and casting a red glow over the whole estate.
Camilla stood in the middle of the yard, her gaze steady on the spreading blaze. Her bodyguards circled her, keeping everyone else at a safe distance. Jackson kept talking, desperate to reason with her, but Camilla didn’t reply. Barnard could only watch from the driveway, reading the scene all too clearly.
He hurried over, shouting, “Camilla, what are you doing p>
She didn’t answer him. Instead, she turned to the closest bodyguard. “Check his dashcam p>
Davina was nowhere to be seen. Camilla knew exactly why. Barnard had sent her away, making sure she wouldn’t get caught up in the mess he’d tried so hard to hide.