Chapter 263
Barnard picked a swanky café for their meetup. When Camilla arrived, he was already there, looking like he’d spent ages getting everything just right. His hair was slicked back with gel, his suit looked freshly pressed, and there was this soft, polished smile on his face. He came across as the perfect gentleman, but Camilla knew it was all for show.
She remembered back when they first met, that exact same smile had seemed so genuine—confident, calm—a man who appeared to have it all together. It made it so easy for her to trust him. Now, though, she could only see how fake he really was.
Camilla pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Barnard slid a menu in her direction, asking, “What do you want to drink p>
“I’m not here to catch up like old friends, Barnard. We’re divorced. I just want to know how long you plan on hanging around, making trouble for me,” Camilla said, her tone flat.
Barnard’s expression didn’t change. “Divorce? Do you really think that’s what I wanted? Camilla, I’m sure the Charles family has reached out to you. Families like that have rules even stricter than ours. Do you honestly believe being with Lance is going to make your life easier p>
Camilla lifted her brows. “That’s not really your business anymore, is it p>
He just looked at her, unfazed. “It is, though. We were married, Camilla. Things between us were fine for a long time. I don’t think we should end things on such a messy note. Listen, if you break up with Lance, we can try again. We can have a good life p>
Camilla scoffed. “Barnard, I’m seriously wondering what goes through your head. What about Davina? You did everything for her. Where does she fit into your new plans p>
The mention of Davina made Barnard frown. He seemed frustrated, then sighed. “I wasn’t thinking straight before. Davina… she’s not educated, she’s immature. She could never be Mrs. Carter. Camilla, just come back. I’ll give you all the profits from BLC. Plus, I’ll give you a third of the earnings from Carter Group while I’m in charge. And p>
Camilla laughed. It was sharp and cold. “You really are unbelievable. You were ready to scheme against everyone when you were obsessed with Davina. Now you regret it and expect us all to just move on? Where do you even get that kind of nerve? Are you kidding p>
He didn’t flinch. “I’m not here to fight. I’m being serious. If you stick with Lance, you’re only going to get hurt. If you choose me, I promise, life will be better. And there’s Jasper. I’ve been his dad for years. Of course I’ll keep caring for him, I p>
Camilla cut him off. “And Davina? What happens to her p>
She propped her chin on her hand, her gaze shifting to the café entrance, where a woman lurked awkwardly. The sarcasm in Camilla’s eyes was intense, almost spilling over.
Barnard hesitated, just for a second, but quickly tried to brush it off. “I’ll deal with her. I’ll make sure she stays out of your way, you p>
Suddenly, a shrill voice sliced through the café’s low hum. “Barnard, what does that mean? Are you dumping me? I’ve already given myself to you. I even lost a baby because of you! How can you turn your back on me now? My parents finally agreed to us, we already took our engagement photos. How can you just leave me p>
Davina rushed over, her words cracking through the air. The café had been humming with the quiet tap of keyboards as people worked or took meetings, but now everyone was staring. Davina was dressed in a plain gray nanny uniform from Saddlebrook Estates—something that would be totally invisible at a grocery store, but in this classy place, it stuck out in the worst way.
She grabbed Barnard’s hand tightly. From their clothes to their ages, it was obvious they came from two totally different worlds. But the way Davina spoke made it clear that whatever was between them was pretty intense.
People around them couldn’t help but stare. The noise from typing faded as almost everyone turned to see what the drama was about.
Barnard’s mind spun. Even with nobody saying a word, he could practically feel the pointed stares closing in on him.
Davina, on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice or care. She started crying even louder. “Barnard, you didn’t just say all those things just to get me into your bed, did you? If word about this gets back to the village, I’ll never be able to show my face again. People will talk about me forever, I’ll never live it down p>