Chapter 313
For the next few days, Sarah messaged Camilla like clockwork and even dropped by her office whenever she had the chance. One afternoon, Camilla caught a glimpse of Sarah’s so-called boyfriend for the first time. He really was a race car driver, just like Sarah had said. The two of them were sitting at a café downstairs from Camilla’s company, having lunch together. They walked out hand in hand, laughing quietly to themselves, looking every bit the perfect couple.
Seeing them like that, Camilla felt her guard against Sarah gradually melting away. Maybe Sarah really was just someone looking for a friend.
Before long, the year was wrapping up, and it was almost time for Barnard and Davina’s wedding. In typical Calvin fashion, he was determined to make it a spectacle. The hype started three days before the ceremony, with sponsored news everywhere you looked. Social media was flooded with posts about the wedding decorations, the party favors, and even the snacks, all prominently featuring The Carter Group’s products.
It was clear to anyone paying attention that Calvin was using Barnard’s wedding as a giant commercial for the Carter brand. The coverage was relentless. Even in Camilla’s own office, coworkers couldn’t help but gossip in low voices. It didn’t matter how much Calvin paid for trending spots online. Even Camilla, who never cared about trending news, caught bits and pieces when she unlocked her phone or checked the time—always another headline about Barnard’s upcoming wedding.
To top it off, the wedding was going to be livestreamed. Walking through the lobby, Camilla noticed some employees glancing at their phones, screens carefully perched just behind keyboards, trying to catch some of the livestream while pretending to work.
Ada, trying not to stare, checked Camilla’s face before whispering, “Camilla, do you want me to tell everyone to dial it down a bit p>
Barnard was history for Camilla, and pretty much everyone could see she didn’t care about him at all. But even so, it was a little awkward having her ex-husband’s wedding plastered everywhere, with half the office tuning in while she was right there.
Camilla shook her head and smiled, calm as ever. “Don’t worry about it. People are always going to be curious. There’s no reason to stop them. Just finish up the quarterly report and put it on my desk. Go handle your own work, you don’t have to follow me today p>
Ada was young, the kind of person who lived for workplace gossip. Camilla, on the other hand, had already put everything about Barnard far behind her. It didn’t matter what people thought.
While Camilla’s life was running smoothly, the Carter family’s wedding prep had turned their world completely upside down. The Carter Group didn’t have as much money as it used to, so after Calvin weighed all the options, he decided to hold the wedding in one of their own hotels. Laura personally picked every detail—the table settings, the flowers. The entire ballroom was decorated with white camellias, a favorite of hers.
To match the venue, Laura went big on Davina’s dress. She rented it from a famous luxury designer overseas. The dress was stunning, simple but elegant, with hints of those same white camellias. It was perfect for Davina—beautiful but not too flashy.
Laura was determined to keep things under control, especially with Davina’s unpredictable ways. She stayed close by, barely letting Davina out of her sight. Even when Davina’s hair and makeup were done, and she was finally dressed, Laura just sat there and watched her, clearly refusing to leave.
Davina, for her part, looked distracted, her eyes wandering around the room, sometimes landing on Laura’s face like she was holding back something she wanted to say.
Laura couldn’t shake her nerves. She finally sat down beside Davina, lowered her voice, and said, “Listen, I don’t care what you’re thinking about right now. Today isn’t just about you and Barnard. This whole wedding is important for our entire family. I’ve taught you everything you need to know about our family’s traditions. All I ask is that you keep it together today and don’t make any trouble. If you do, even if you’re married to Barnard, Calvin will still find a way to take care of you p>
Laura normally wasn’t the type to speak harshly, but after everything Davina had pulled lately, she had to do her best to sound tough, even if her voice wavered a little.
Davina’s expression shifted, a quick flash of something unrecognizable in her eyes before she managed a bright, reassuring smile. “Mom, you don’t have to worry. Of course I want my wedding to be perfect. No one wants that more than I do. You’ve been guarding me all day, but there’s a lot going on outside that you probably need to take care of. Why don’t you go? I’ll be fine here by myself, I promise p>
Davina was being so agreeable that Laura felt even more uneasy. The timing couldn’t have been worse when a server knocked at the dressing room door, leaning in to whisper something to Laura. Laura frowned, shooting another concerned glance at Davina.
Davina seemed to sense Laura was needed elsewhere, so she quickly said, “Mom, if there’s something you need to do, please go ahead. I know I’ve made mistakes before, and it’s natural for you to worry, but trust me, I would never disrupt my own wedding p>
Laura hesitated, then nodded, telling herself Davina had a point. Davina had always dreamed of marrying into the Carter family, and she wouldn’t do anything to ruin her chance, not today.
“Alright,” Laura said, taking a deep breath. “Stay here and don’t wander off. When it’s time for you to go out, I’ll have someone come get you p>
Davina readily agreed, nodding as Laura finally stepped out of the room.