Chapter 237
After the gala, just as everyone expected, the shareholders ended up following Camilla to the restaurant she had picked out. Pamela tried to catch up and stop them, but it was pointless. She just stood there, watching Camilla leave, bitterness flickering in her eyes.
Camilla had planned everything to the last detail. She spoke confidently to the shareholders about her proposal, and she could tell they were tempted, but no one gave her a definite answer right away. She hadn’t expected to seal the deal tonight anyway, so she just made sure to exchange contacts with them before parting ways.
By the time it was all over, it was almost one in the morning.
The city was quiet, the streets cold and empty. Camilla was about to call a taxi back to her hotel when she noticed a group of men dressed as vagrants heading straight for her. Their clothes were torn and dirty, and their eyes had a malicious glint. One of them even started whistling at her. The bright lights of the hotel entrance didn’t seem to bother them at all.
Camilla’s instincts told her something was off. She turned quickly, trying to walk back toward the hotel lobby, but one of the men sped up and blocked her path.
“Hey, pretty lady, where you headed? Stay and chat for a bit,” he drawled, stepping in front of her.
The others started crowding around, looking her up and down in a way that made her skin crawl. One guy reached for her.
Trying her best to stay calm, Camilla gripped her phone, planning to call for help without letting them notice. But someone had already knocked her bag from her hand.
“Relax, sweetheart. We’re nice guys. Just wanna have some fun. Play along and everything will be fine,” the man said, grinning.
A nervous sweat broke out across Camilla’s palms as she stared them down.
She knew the rules here. Ostrovia wasn’t like home. There were always people on the street who didn’t follow the law. But usually, they wanted money. A mugging, maybe. These men, though, weren’t even interested in her bag. Her expensive clothes didn’t catch their eye either—they kept pestering her with lewd comments instead. Her bag lay on the pavement, ignored.
Camilla caught a whiff of the air and realized something else—their clothes might be dirty, but they didn’t smell like people who slept in the gutter. Maybe they weren’t actually vagrants at all.
“Come on, let’s go somewhere private,” another man said, grabbing her arm and trying to drag her toward the alley behind the hotel.
Right then, the blast of a car horn shattered the silence. A car tore straight toward them, not even slowing down. The men backed off in a panic. A window rolled down, and Camilla saw Barnard behind the wheel.
“Get in the car,” he called out.
Surprise flashed across Camilla’s face. Instinctively, she bent to grab her bag, but it was right in the path of Barnard’s tires—her phone inside smashed and ruined.
“Are you getting in, or should I leave you here to wait for them to come back?” Barnard called again.
It wasn’t a great situation, but between Barnard and those thugs, the choice was obvious. Camilla picked up her damaged bag, hiding the fact that her phone was now useless, and slid into the back seat.
Once she told him the hotel’s name, Camilla lapsed into silence, replaying the night’s odd events in her head. The Gates Group trying to steal her deal, Barnard showing up at exactly the right second—none of it felt like a coincidence.
She kept quiet. Here, so far from home, there was no point in arguing with Barnard.
When the car finally pulled up to the hotel, Camilla reached for the door, ready to get out. Just then, Barnard, who hadn’t said a word the entire drive, finally spoke.
“Camilla, you know I just saved your life. Can’t you even say thank you? Not even going to invite me up for a cup of tea?” His tone was casual, like he was entitled to her gratitude.
He got out first, leaning back against the car, waiting for her.
Camilla had almost let it go, but his attitude cracked her composure. The frustration she’d bottled up all day came spilling out.
“Barnard, you set all this up, didn’t you? It’s just a little too convenient, don’t you think? Pamela showing up to mess things up exactly when we’re about to get our divorce finalized—it was you who told her, wasn’t it? And those men just now, you paid them too? Why? So you could play hero and swoop in like always? I’m not that clueless girl you used to be able to win over so easily. Why would you think any of this would work on me now p>
Barnard’s expression darkened, his irritation clear.
“Is that what you really think of me?” he pressed.
Camilla met his gaze, her voice cold. “That’s who you are, isn’t it p>
Barnard’s hand tightened into a fist and loosened again. He stared at her, anger and something else flickering in his eyes. “I didn’t hire those men. I got a tip, so I came to get you out of there. Camilla, where was that new guy of yours when you were in trouble? He didn’t even show up. Look at me—I’m the one who saved you. What’s so great about him p>
“Barnard, don’t even start with ‘I care about you,’” Camilla interrupted sharply. No matter what he said, she felt nothing but coldness inside.