Chapter 210
Camilla felt a wave of relief settle over her. As soon as Barnard signed his name for the last time, she picked up the divorce agreement and stood, quick and decisive. “Let’s go. The registry office is waiting p>
“Camilla p>
Barnard’s hand crashed onto the table, the sound echoing through the room. He stared at her, frustration all over his face. “You really can’t wait, can you? Not even a little hesitation? We’ve been married five years. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Didn’t I ever matter p>
She was so calm. Looking at Camilla, Barnard felt as if she saw right through him, treating him like some useless thing that could be tossed away without a second thought.
He just couldn’t accept it. Even if it all started as a transaction, somewhere along the way, he really did grow fond of her. How could Camilla walk away so easily? Was she just pretending during the years they’d seemed like the perfect couple?
The idea stung, twisting his heart and bringing out a bitter mix of anger and disappointment.
Camilla looked up at him. “Before you tore everything apart, I was grateful to you. Now, all I feel is regret that I didn’t see your true colors sooner. There’s no sense in dragging this out, Barnard. Let’s go p>
Gratitude. Is that all it was?
He wanted to challenge her, push for more, but she was already out the door. The faint scent she wore lingered in the air behind her. Barnard knew it well. Every time he got home and opened the door at Saddlebrook Estates, her scent always greeted him before she did. Now that fragrance was tucked away in his memory, sometimes stirred by her presence, then fading just as quickly. Just like Camilla herself, slipping further away from him.
She waited outside the civil affairs office for nearly ten minutes before Barnard’s car finally pulled up. He got out slowly, more composed than he’d been before. “If this goes through, you’ll really withdraw the lawsuit? No tricks p>
“I’m not you. I keep my word. I’ve got everything ready. As soon as we’re done here, we’ll go to court,” Camilla replied.
The registry office loomed ahead and Camilla didn’t want to waste any more time. She reached out, giving Barnard a firm pull. “Dragging things out just hurts the Carter Group. It’s time to make a decision, Barnard p>
He could see that stalling wasn’t winning Camilla back. If he kept avoiding it, Calvin wouldn’t cut him any slack either.
Barnard shot her a stormy look, but he walked in after her anyway. He watched her back, eyes narrowed, calculating.
No matter what brought them together in the first place, now that his heart felt heavy at the thought of losing her, there was no way he’d let Camilla go without a fight.
With all their paperwork ready, the process was over quickly. The clerk handed their documents back, her gaze lingering on Barnard. “You’ve got a thirty-day cooling-off period. Come back to collect the certificate when it’s over p>
Camilla nodded without hesitation, but Barnard’s eyes gave away his scheming. Camilla caught his look and wasted no time calling him out. “Don’t even think about playing games during the cooling-off period. I can file for divorce, and I can press other charges too. Barnard, I know way more about your family’s affairs than you think. You don’t want to burn it all to the ground, do you p>
Barnard’s expression darkened. He clenched his jaw so hard it looked like he might break a tooth. “Camilla, I really underestimated you. You’re even more ruthless than I thought p>
He’d chosen Camilla back then because she seemed like someone easy to control, someone with no background, no connections. But that was exactly why she didn’t hold back now. She had nothing to lose, and it made her bold enough to threaten him in ways he hadn’t expected. The arrogant Barnard could never have imagined ending up like this, cornered by the very girl he thought he could use. Now, the woman who was just supposed to be his pawn was suddenly the one calling the shots.
As they stepped back out onto the street, the clerk who had processed their paperwork leaned over to the coworker beside her and whispered, “Did you see those two who just left? That’s the Carter Group heir and his wife from all those tabloids. Wild, right? I heard he cheated with an older housekeeper. I used to wonder how Mrs. Carter must look for him to pick a housekeeper over her… but seeing her today, honestly, some people just have strange tastes p>
Her coworker covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Seriously, Mrs. Carter is gorgeous and she carries herself so well. I hear she’s smart, too. If a woman like that can get tossed aside, I guess we’ll never understand how the rich think p>
“It’s simple. Fancy meals get boring after a while, so he wanted something plain for a change. Still… did you catch how Barnard was looking at her? He didn’t seem ready to let go. I bet their story isn’t over yet p>