Chapter 224
While Lance spoke, he couldn’t help sneaking another glance at Camilla, his voice turning a bit too sincere, his eyes deep and warm, almost overflowing with an unspoken affection. It made Camilla drop her gaze, caught off guard by the intensity in the air. She jumped in quickly, hoping to lighten things up. “Mahoney, come on, don’t scare him like that. He isn’t messing with me, I know what I’m doing p>
Mahoney shot Lance another glare. “You think I’m scaring him? Camilla, you’ve got no idea—this kid has always been trouble, even when he was small, he p>
“Mahoney, let’s just eat, okay?” Lance cut him off, trying to sound casual. “You don’t need to air my dirty laundry at the table. I mean, I invited you out tonight. You’re not even on my side p>
Mahoney scoffed. “You’re the one chasing after Camilla, and now you think I‘m going to cover for you? Keep dreaming. This lunch wasn’t even about you. Eat if you want, if not, feel free to leave p>
Lance let out an exaggerated sigh. “See? Camilla is just everyone’s favorite. I can’t compete with her, no matter what p>
Mahoney’s eyes turned frosty, and Lance finally knew it was time to quit talking.
Mahoney turned his attention to Camilla. “Look, Camilla, I probably shouldn’t say too much about you young people and your relationships, but just be careful with him. He’s been cunning since he was a kid. Don’t let him take you for a ride. But if he ever does, just call me. I’ll have his dad put him back in line p>
Camilla listened patiently, grateful for Mahoney’s concern.
The meal actually turned out pretty heartwarming. Mahoney kept asking about how she’d been, occasionally bringing up her dad. Every time, his expression softened with a mix of nostalgia and regret. He promised her, “Camilla, as long as I’m alive, I won’t stop looking for your father. No matter what, I’ll find him for you, even if it’s the last thing I do p>
That conversation brought out Mahoney’s sentimental side, and he started drinking a little too much. Lance had to arrange for someone to take him home afterward.
Seeing Mahoney again felt like a breeze that cleared away some of the haze in Camilla’s heart. The memories of her dad came rushing back, and all of a sudden, she felt a familiar heaviness settle in her chest.
Lance spoke up softly. “About your dad p>
“He disappeared a long time ago. Honestly, it’s not some big secret.” Camilla forced a little smile. “I always thought you knew everything, Lance. I’m surprised you don’t p>
“With you, I don’t look into things unless you want to talk about it,” Lance told her. “I’d rather hear the truth from you than read about it somewhere else p>
He could have easily found out all the details if he wanted. But to him, that was no way to treat someone you care about. He liked Camilla, and that meant respecting her enough to let her share her story on her own terms. He actually wanted to get to know her—not just fill in the blanks with cold facts from a file.
“They were coworkers, my dad and Mahoney,” Camilla explained, her voice softer. “When I was little, Mahoney used to come over all the time. But after I went off to college, we lost touch. This is the first time I’ve seen him in years p>
Lance’s eyes softened. “I’ll see if I can get someone to help look for your dad too. You’ve had enough to deal with. Let me take you home p>
Camilla climbed into Lance’s car, exhausted. As soon as she looked at her phone, the mountain of unread notifications burned her eyes.
Almost all of them were from Dahlia.
In between a whirlwind of gossip articles and scandalous headlines, Dahlia’s worried texts filled her screen.
Camilla, are you okay? I’ve seen all the stuff online. That Barnard guy is such trash. Did he really try to drug you?
Where are you? Want me to come get you? Or I can take you to the hospital!
Camilla, please tell me you’re safe. Don’t freak me out. If you don’t reply soon, I’m calling the cops!
That last message had come in just two minutes ago.
Camilla quickly sent Dahlia a message to let her know she was alright. Then she scrolled through all the links filled with last night’s drama from the cruise.
The reporters hadn’t even gotten the full story, but their headlines were wild.
The one making the rounds the fastest read, “Barnard Carter Secretly Meets Pregnant Mistress on Cruise. Mrs. Carter Backs Them to Marry p>
That was only the beginning. There was another post stirring up even more controversy, asking, “Is Losing a Baby Worth Becoming a Rich Wife?” Inside, it painted Davina as heartless for putting Barnard first and not caring about her pregnancy. The comments section was filled with people tearing her apart.
But mixed with all the judgement were a few voices being practical. Everyone agreed that with the scandal at this level, the Carter family could never just cast Davina aside. Even if they only cared about saving face, she was pretty much guaranteed the position as Mrs. Carter now.
After a few hours, these posts had exploded online. The comments kept climbing past tens of thousands.
It didn’t take long for the news to reach Calvin.
In the hospital, Calvin stared at his phone, teeth clenched so tight his jaw was shaking. Laura kept drinking water, trying and failing to calm her nerves.
On the bed, Davina was still out cold. Looking at her pale, lifeless face, Laura felt a chill go through her. She leaned closer to Calvin, her voice a whisper. “What are we supposed to do now? Are we really going to let Barnard marry her p>