Chapter 259
Even after Ada left, Camilla still couldn’t calm down. Her mind was a tangled mess, her heart floating somewhere she couldn’t quite reach.
Lance was wonderful—maybe too wonderful. He made her feel cared for in a way that left her off balance. His kindness seemed to pull her heartstrings tighter and tighter. Every sweet thing he did set off ripples inside her, but those fluttery feelings always came along with worry and fear. She hated the idea of lying to him, but Camilla didn’t even know how to explain her own story. Her past felt like a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing, and she wouldn’t even know where to start if she tried.
She sat in her office for two straight hours, barely noticing as night settled in outside her window. Darkness filled the city before she’d even gathered the energy to stand up.
Then her phone buzzed with a new notification.
She looked down and saw Barnard’s name. Just seeing it made her even more numb.
He wanted to meet tomorrow. Said they needed to talk about things from before.
Message after message came in, more persistent each time. Camilla really wanted to ignore him, but then he sent a surveillance video. The footage was grainy and old, obviously taken years ago. It showed a hotel hallway—empty, but instantly recognizable. She knew it right away. It was where the Carter family’s gala happened.
Camilla’s blood ran cold. Her body actually shivered. Barnard had a clear message—he was reminding her he still had dirt on her, still holding something over her head. No matter how much time passed, he was always there, haunting her and refusing to let go.
He was the one who’d tricked her into marrying him. Now, after everything, he’d already gotten what he wanted. He’d married Davina, his so-called true love. They were divorced now, and Camilla thought, or hoped, that chapter of her life was finished. But Barnard always saw things differently.
She sat frozen in her office for half an hour, unable to move or decide what to do next, until the door finally swung open. Lance stepped in, and beside him was Jasper. Their arrival snapped her out of her daze.
As soon as she saw them, her instincts kicked in—she quickly gathered up everything Ada had brought earlier and stuffed it all into a drawer. She fumbled with the papers, her movements clumsy from nerves. Lance noticed, his brow twitching with concern, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he just gave her a wink and, as if nothing was wrong, pulled out a bouquet of pale pink roses—soft, perfect blooms that looked almost too fresh for reality.
He held them out with the gentlest smile. “Our Camilla’s been working so hard. Your son and I came to take you home p>
Just having the roses in the room seemed to change the air, filling the office with a light, flowery scent that put her at ease, even if only for a second.
At the word “son,” Jasper shot Lance a side-eye full of suspicion before racing to Camilla’s side, arms thrown around her like he needed reassurance. He looked up, his voice uncertain but hopeful. “Mom, is he really my dad now p>
Lance grinned, raising an eyebrow at Jasper. “What, am I really that embarrassing for you? I’ve answered this so many times already… not good enough for you p>
Jasper gave Lance a quick glance, then looked away. For a brief moment, hope flashed in his eyes. He muttered, “You already lied to me once. I’m not just going to take your word for it. I want to hear Mom say it p>
There was a quiet hurt in Jasper’s voice. Camilla could feel it.
She remembered how, last time, rumors about Jasper’s real father had exploded online. Back then, Lance had stood up for them without hesitation. For Jasper, that moment was the first time he ever felt truly safe. He had honestly believed Lance was his dad.
Later, he found out it was just a story, something Lance made up to protect him. Lance went back to simply being Lance, like none of it had ever happened. But Jasper never forgot the feeling of belonging. He had wanted so badly for Lance to really be his dad.
Growing up in the Carter family, even when things were good between Camilla and Barnard, Jasper never got even a single soft word or moment of affection from Barnard. In his heart, Jasper always envied the other kids at school, the ones who had dads who picked them up or played with them after class. Only after meeting Lance did he feel the kind of love he’d always dreamed about.
Jasper was old enough to know the truth, or at least guess it. He knew Lance probably wasn’t his real dad. But all those little hopes… they wouldn’t just disappear.
Lance ruffled Jasper’s hair and sighed playfully. “For someone so young, you sure hold a grudge. But I’m not lying to you now. Your mom told me herself—we’re going home together. So I guess I’ll just have to step up and be your dad for real now p>
Jasper stayed quiet, those big, questioning eyes locked on Camilla. Lance moved closer, dropping his tough-guy act, his voice as gentle as she’d ever heard it. “Camilla, just say it. Am I yours or not p>
Camilla couldn’t help but smile. She knew exactly what he was up to—twisting the question so she’d have to admit her feelings out loud. Maybe he was nervous she wouldn’t say yes, that she wouldn’t call him Jasper’s dad, so he was trying to take the pressure off both of them in his own sneaky way.
Usually, he was proud and stubborn, but right now he looked so vulnerable, like her answer mattered more than anything. It made her heart skip a beat. She took Jasper’s hand and placed it gently in Lance’s, looking him straight in the eye.
“Jasper, I did say yes. But if you’re not okay with it, we can p>
Before she could finish, Jasper’s face lit up and he burst out, excited, “Mom, does that mean Lance is really our family now?” His eyes sparkled. Camilla nodded, her throat tight with emotion, the words getting stuck before she could even say them.
Jasper’s bright smile and the cozy feeling between the three of them filled her chest with a warmth that was somehow both sweet and painful—a happiness so real it almost hurt.
She wanted nothing more than to stay in this safe, perfect moment with them… but the memory of Barnard’s threats still lingered at the back of her mind, quick to ruin even the sweetest daydream.
Lance tousled Jasper’s hair and smiled. “Still calling me Lance? Don’t you think it’s about time you started calling me Dad p>