Chapter 502
“The Williams Group is fully under my control now, and I have the capital to turn it into an international juggernaut.
“There is no one left to question my authority. If you stand by my side, we share the empire.
“Lance can’t offer you that.
“He’s tethered to The Charles Group, and they have a dozen different factions fighting for a slice of the pie. By the time it trickles down to you and Jasper, you’ll be left with crumbs. You have a long life ahead of you. It’s time to choose the path that guarantees your survival p>
Camilla wanted to laugh in his face. She wasn’t fighting for crumbs; the patriarch had just handed her the keys to the entire kingdom.
But since he still held the cards regarding her father, she swallowed the urge to verbally eviscerate him. She sat in stony silence, completely ignoring his monologue and leaving the glass of wine untouched.
A flash of dark annoyance crossed Barnard’s face. “For this week, you are my girlfriend.
“If you’re going to act like a hostile witness the entire time, you will never see your father again.
“I promise you, if I go down, that location dies with me p>
He rolled his wheelchair closer, reaching out to tilt her chin up. Camilla violently swatted his hand away.
“You claim you want to win me back, yet every word out of your mouth is an extortion attempt,” she said icily. “If this is your idea of romance, you’re going to die alone. I don’t have a humiliation kink p>
“Okay, okay. I came on too strong. Let’s reset. Eat your dinner. Afterward, I’ll take you shopping,” Barnard conceded, taking a deep breath and forcing his temper back down.
He maneuvered his chair awkwardly, insisting on plating her food for her.
His cloying, desperate attentiveness made her skin crawl.
Refusing to engage with him any further, she chewed her food like a lifeless robot, enduring the charade.
True to his word, the moment they finished eating, he whisked her off to a high-end luxury boutique.
“Do you remember when we first started dating?” he mused, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. “You were so shy, so careful not to step out of line. You used to panic whenever I bought you expensive gifts. You’d always try to find some way to pay me back. It was adorable. You p>
“I don’t remember,” she cut him off brutally.
When they had first gotten together, Barnard was obsessed with dragging her to exclusive galas and VIP clubs she had absolutely no business being in.
She was just a college student. Being thrown into the deep end of high society left her feeling intensely isolated and terrified, forcing her to cling to him for survival.
He called it “introducing her to his world p>
She had been naive enough to believe it was an act of love.
In reality, it was psychological warfare. By isolating her in environments where she felt entirely powerless, he ensured she became completely dependent on him. He played the knight in shining armor while slowly stripping away her autonomy.
His “sweet memories” were nothing more than highlights of her teenage vulnerability.
“That’s fine. I’ll help you remember. I believe the first gift you ever gave me was a pair of platinum cufflinks. Your very first independent design. I couldn’t bear to throw them away. I still have p>
“They were worthless trinkets. I’m surprised you didn’t throw them out to save yourself the embarrassment,” Camilla sniped.
He smoothly ignored the insult. “I was blind to their value back then. I realize now that anything you make is priceless. Speaking of which, before our divorce… didn’t you design a custom brooch for Lance? You were my wife. That piece rightfully belonged to me. I want you to make me one p>
She couldn’t believe his sheer audacity. He was actually weaponizing the past to demand a handmade gift.
Camilla crossed her arms. “Sorry to disappoint. I haven’t touched my tools in months. I’m too rusty to make anything p>
“I don’t care if it looks like garbage. If you made it, I’ll wear it. I’ve already set up a private studio for you. Let’s go take a look p>
“Your lack of self-awareness is truly stunning,” she scoffed. “You talk about winning my heart, and in the same breath, you demand a tribute. Do you not understand the basic concept of a gift being given willingly p>
“Come on, darling. Let’s go see your new toys,” he insisted shamelessly, holding his hand out for her to take.
“I’m done,” she said, stepping back. “I’ve been playing your twisted game since I got off the plane. I’m exhausted, and I’m going to sleep p>
“My apologies, I should have considered the jet lag. I’ll have my driver take you to the hotel. We can discuss the brooch tomorrow,” Barnard conceded gracefully.