Chapter 192
“Lance, I… I told you, I’m just not ready to think about this. I p>
“Then pretend. Make something up. Let me be your safety net. Use me if you need to. Protect yourself, reach your goals. Camilla, don’t take it so seriously. You already let me help, so take full advantage. Use the title of Mrs. Charles. Use everything I have. Let those things work for you. Just accept it, and you’ll feel so much lighter,” Lance said.
“But I can’t promise you anything,” Camilla replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lance smiled, gentle and sure. “You’ve already given me enough. I love you. Being by your side is where I want to be. That’s all I want p>
His words made Camilla’s heart race.
She tried to regain her composure. “Aren’t you worried I’ll get greedy or something p>
Lance’s smile grew even wider, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “You know, you’re kind of adorable when you’re naïve. I’m telling you to use me however you want. Do you really think I’d be scared if you had big ambitions? I actually wish you’d be unstoppable—at least then I’d know you’d never get hurt p>
Camilla had nothing to say to that.
After a second, she shook her head and joked, “If the Charles family knew their precious heir was willing to sacrifice everything so easily, I think they’d lose their minds p>
“That might be true for anyone else, but I chose you for a reason. You turned Barnard’s throwaway company into something impressive. If I handed you everything the Charles family owns, honestly, they should be relieved,” Lance said.
At that point, she knew this conversation was over.
Camilla felt a surge of overwhelm. Lance’s unapologetic way of loving was something she had no defense against.
Trying to recover her balance, she stood up. “I’ve got work at the office. I should get going. Jasper’s in your hands for now p>
Lance’s boldness left her scrambling for a way out. She couldn’t help the urge to escape.
In her mind, she grumbled, this kind of man should come with a warning label, just to stop people losing their minds over him.
She glanced at the pendant hanging around Lance’s neck. The silver chain rested against his skin, like a mark she’d left, proof that he’d given her all the power over him.
But even with that, in moments like this, she was the one who ended up running.
Leaving the room, Camilla pressed her hand to her chest, trying in vain to calm her wildly beating heart.
She had thought Barnard’s betrayal would have destroyed any illusions she had left about men.
But then she’d met someone she couldn’t help falling for.
Camilla couldn’t deny it, no matter how hard she tried. Her heart was beating for Lance now.
Back at the office, she lost herself in work for the whole afternoon, finally managing to calm down. As evening fell, Dahlia called.
Elise had woken up.
Camilla immediately dropped everything and rushed to the hospital.
She saw Barnard there as soon as she arrived.
He was arguing with the bodyguards outside Elise’s room, trying to go in but getting blocked. His wrist was in a sling, a sad reminder of his last confrontation—he looked pitiful.
When Camilla stepped out of the elevator, she caught Barnard mid-argument. “I don’t care who you’re working for. You have no right to stop me from seeing my mother-in-law p>
“Mother-in-law? After everything you’ve put Camilla through, do you even listen to yourself?” Dahlia shot back, standing behind the bodyguards with her arms crossed, glaring at him.
Barnard scowled. “Out of respect for Magee, I’m not fighting with you. This is between me and Camilla. It doesn’t involve you p>
Dahlia rolled her eyes. “Like hell it doesn’t. Camilla’s business is my business. You’re just waiting for her to be out of sight so you can try and talk Elise into stopping the divorce. Not happening. I’m right here, and you’re not laying a finger on Elise today p>
“Dahlia, I’m here,” Camilla called, her voice clear and steady.
As soon as she stepped closer, two bodyguards quickly moved to either side of her, blocking Barnard completely. There was nowhere for him to go. He could only stand and watch as she passed by, not even close enough to reach out.
He tried again, frustration creeping into his voice. “Camilla, we’re not even divorced yet. Who do you think these bodyguards work for? You’re suing me for cheating and demanding a divorce, but are you really so innocent yourself? You want BLC, but aren’t you afraid I’ll take you to court and leave you with nothing p>
Things online were getting worse by the hour, people talking non-stop, the rumors impossible to contain. Calvin and the shareholders at Carter Group had already made the decision—Camilla was done. They’d abandoned her the moment things got heated.
But Barnard just couldn’t let go. He was holding on, not ready to watch her leave.
He didn’t understand it. When he married Camilla, it was all planned. She’d just been a shield, someone to cover up his mess with Davina.
But now, seeing Camilla stand up for herself, watching her grow thorns and push him away with every chance she got—not only had she hurt him, she was also desperate to get away from him. And still, he couldn’t let her go.