Chapter 500
Unable to soothe Elise’s frantic energy any further, Camilla reluctantly stepped out of the hospital room. Just to be safe, she flagged down a nurse and explicitly instructed them not to let her mother out of their sight.
Walking out of the hospital, Camilla felt like she was moving through a dense fog.
A chaotic storm of emotions raged inside her, making it impossible to focus.
The euphoria of knowing her father was alive was heavily eclipsed by the sickening terror of what he might have endured.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath to steady her racing heart, Camilla pulled out her phone and dialed Barnard’s number.
Clement had explicitly named Calvin as one of the architects of her father’s hellish captivity. Given the situation, Barnard was undeniably the only person who held the key to his current location.
Rumors were already swirling that Barnard had orchestrated a hostile takeover of The Williams Group the moment Clement went down. Clement’s explosive interview specifically targeting him confirmed they were at war.
Regardless of whether Clement’s confession was pure vindictiveness, Barnard was her only lead.
The line barely rang twice before Barnard picked up. He sounded completely unbothered by the media shitstorm currently raging around him. In fact, his tone carried that same arrogant, infuriatingly smug confidence he always possessed when speaking to her. “Camilla, darling. To what do I owe the pleasure? Don’t tell me you actually bought into Clement’s pathetic little performance p>
“Where is my father?” Camilla demanded, zero tolerance for his games.
“You should know how this works by now,” Barnard purred. “If you want a favor, you need to show some sincerity. If you truly believe I know where he is, why don’t you catch a flight to Valdoria and we can discuss it over dinner p>
“I’ll book the flight right now. Send me a picture of my father to prove he’s with you,” she negotiated sharply.
A soft chuckle echoed through the speaker. “Nice try, but I prefer doing business face-to-face. As for my father-in-law… well, your father is my father. If you’re too busy to make the trip, I’m more than happy to keep taking excellent care of him. Though, I can’t guarantee how long his accommodations will remain so comfortable p>
He hadn’t explicitly confirmed he had Tanner, but the thinly veiled threat was answer enough.
Knowing she wouldn’t get anything else out of him over the phone, Camilla realized she had no choice but to walk straight into his trap in Valdoria.
Chief Mahoney and his task force were still stationed there, actively tearing through Barnard’s life. But just to be safe, Camilla insisted Lance accompany her, along with a heavily armed security detail.
Sitting in the first-class cabin, Camilla’s palms were slick with nervous sweat.
In over a decade, she had never been this close to bringing him home.
Even knowing Barnard would inevitably make her bleed for every scrap of information, her heart hammered violently against her ribs.
Sensing her overwhelming anxiety, Lance reached across the armrest and covered her hand with his, his grip firm and grounding.
He didn’t need to say a word. Just his silent presence was enough to help ease the crushing weight on her chest.
As they stepped out of the terminal, Camilla immediately spotted Chief Mahoney waiting by the arrivals gate.
She was just about to greet him when she caught sight of Barnard. He was sitting in his wheelchair just a few yards away, watching her.
He didn’t even try to hide his intense, predatory gaze as he locked eyes with her. Flanked by a wall of terrifyingly professional bodyguards, he looked every inch the untouchable crime lord.
The moment she met his eyes, a sickening wave of revulsion washed over her. It was like stepping into a cage with a starved wolf.
Chief Mahoney shot Barnard a look of deep disgust before turning to Camilla. “We’ve hauled him in for questioning five times since Clement dropped that bombshell. The man is as slippery as an eel. He scrubbed his personal records and sterilized The Williams Group’s ledgers to perfection. We know he’s dirty, but we can’t nail him to the wall without hard evidence. Honestly… I’m starting to think Clement might have spun that story just to watch him burn. We’ve torn the city apart and found absolutely zero trace of Tanner p>
“Whether it’s a trap or not, I’m getting to the bottom of this,” Camilla stated, her jaw set in determination.
She was not walking away when the truth was finally within reach.
Mahoney cast another wary glance at the billionaire. “Whatever you do, watch your back. He’s not the spoiled rich kid you used to know. He’s a highly sophisticated, incredibly dangerous player now. It’s a damn shame Calvin is dead. A huge chunk of the Carter fortune was funneled into Valdoria under his watch, and it could have been the thread that unraveled this whole mess. But with him gone, Barnard just plays dumb, and technically, the paper trail predates his involvement. We can’t touch him. You’re on your own in there p>
Before Camilla could respond, the hum of a motorized wheelchair approached. Barnard rolled right up to them, completely unfazed by the police chief’s glaring presence. “Chief Mahoney. Still losing sleep over me, I see. Have you stooped to stalking me at the airport now p>