Chapter 456
“Jasper isn’t a baby anymore; he knows how to look after himself. Lance, I think it’s more important that we talk about us right now,” Camilla said.
Hearing the sudden seriousness in her tone, a flash of panic crossed Lance’s face. He quickly tried to explain, “Camilla, I swear I didn’t mean to that night, and I honestly had no idea Jasper was my son. I had a few drinks, and then p>
“Why were you drinking?” Camilla cut in before he could finish. Under the bright fluorescent lights, her eyes gleamed as she locked her gaze onto him. “Was it because you were coming to see me, and you needed liquid courage p>
Having his secret thoughts laid bare, Lance awkwardly averted his eyes. “What kind of nonsense did Jeniffer feed you?” he muttered.
“She told me a lot. But she didn’t tell me exactly when you started having feelings for me. Lance, we met a long time ago, didn’t we?” Camilla tilted her head, forcing him to meet her gaze again. Her clear, unwavering eyes left him nowhere to hide.
Listening to Jeniffer earlier, the foggy memories in Camilla’s mind had slowly begun to clear up.
She continued, “The first time I saw you, it was at the police station, wasn’t it p>
Lance’s face grew even more flustered at the question. He didn’t say a word, but his silence was all the answer she needed.
Camilla pressed her lips together. Looking at his tense jaw, she suddenly burst out laughing. “You were that little boy who gave me the present, weren’t you p>
“Camilla!” Lance groaned, his voice turning a bit stern out of sheer embarrassment.
Everything came rushing back to Camilla now, and she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. She reached out and gently traced his jawline. Deep in her laughing eyes, there was a profound sense of heartache. “When you went back that time, did they give you a hard time p>
She was asking about Tessa and Oscar.
She remembered it all now.
When she was little, she would occasionally tag along with her dad to work. One night, when her dad was working late, a lost little boy was brought into the station.
Well, not exactly lost—he just refused to go home and wouldn’t say a word about his parents.
He just curled up in a corner, perfectly silent.
Little Camilla had walked up to him and started talking.
His eyes were red, but he stayed quiet.
Assuming he was just scared, she stayed with him, offering endless words of comfort.
Eventually, his parents came and picked him up.
The next day, Camilla went to the station with her dad again and saw the little boy once more.
This time, his father brought him to deliver a thank-you banner and gifts.
While his dad was talking to hers, the little boy sidled up to her, acting all mysterious. He said he had a present for her and dragged her out into the station’s courtyard.
He said he was going to set off fireworks for her. Somehow, those ‘fireworks’ turned out to be firecrackers. The moment he lit them, they exploded with a deafening crackle, sending a nearby dog bowl flying.
The next thing they knew, they were being chased around the yard by a terrified, barking dog. They were only saved from a mauling when the cops finally noticed the commotion.
Camilla had been so terrified that she developed a high fever when she got home. After that, the memory just sort of faded away.
If Jeniffer hadn’t sparked the connection, she probably never would have remembered it.
Lance just looked at her face and knew she remembered everything.
He was so mortified that the tips of his ears turned red. “That was ages ago. I barely remember it,” he said stiffly.
“I still remember the fireworks,” Camilla teased softly. “Lance, you still owe me a fireworks show. When are you going to pay up p>
Some things didn’t need to be spelled out. Just a gentle nudge was enough to tug at the heartstrings.
Lance looked up and met Camilla’s eyes, sparkling with warmth and laughter. He felt his entire heart fill up with her smile.
He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Right now p>
The night wasn’t over yet, and people were still setting off fireworks along the riverbank.
Camilla strolled hand in hand with Lance. They had bought the most basic, ordinary fireworks they could find.
The fuse was lit, and a simple, brilliant spark shot into the sky, blending into the sea of lights around them.
It was as if that unlit spark from their childhood had finally crossed time and space to explode right before their eyes.
Amidst the booming of the fireworks, Camilla squeezed Lance’s hand tight. She whispered, “Lance, I don’t blame you. And I love you. Nothing is ever going to pull us apart again p>
Her voice was soft, but the wind carried it perfectly to his ears. Lance wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a fierce embrace. He heard her continue, “The fireworks that day were beautiful. Just as beautiful as today. Thank you for loving me for so long p>
Her gentle words washed over him, making all those years of silent longing finally feel real.