Chapter 503
Barnard booked a presidential suite for Camilla at a nearby luxury hotel. He stationed two bodyguards outside her door and made sure to leave her with a warning. “Don’t be afraid, Camilla. I’ll keep my word. Since I promised not to touch you, I won’t. Rest well tonight and don’t try any tricks. Remember our deal—if you want news about your father, you stay with me for seven days. To ensure your cooperation, I’ll be taking your phone. Ace and my other men will be right outside. If you need anything, just tell them p>
As Barnard finished speaking, the men in black suits gave Camilla a polite nod.
Barnard confiscated her phone and left. Instead of heading home, he went straight to the headquarters of The Williams Group. He summoned Clement’s former secretary, Zack Lennox, into his office.
“Don’t test my patience. I’m giving you one last chance,” Barnard warned. “Where is the cop? And what other secrets is Clement hiding from me p>
“Mr. Carter, I’ve told you a hundred times. I don’t know anything about a cop,” Zack replied, a hint of impatience in his voice.
“I know you’re still trying to be loyal to Clement, but face reality. He confessed. His crimes are sealed, and he’s never seeing the outside of a prison cell again. I am the master of The Williams Group now. I suggest you stop being so stubborn. Where is the cop p>
Zack’s face twisted with urgency. “I swear I don’t know! If I did, wouldn’t I have told you by now? Everyone knows you’re running the show here. We all work for you now. If I knew the truth, I wouldn’t dare hide it from you p>
“You were Clement’s right-hand man, his most trusted confidant. You expect me to believe you know nothing?” Barnard wasn’t buying it.
“Being a confidant doesn’t mean I could read his mind. If the boss wanted to keep a secret, there was nothing I could do p>
“I didn’t bring you here for excuses. I’m giving you five days. Think hard. Does he have any safe houses? In five days, I need the location of that cop. If you can’t find him, you have no reason to stick around,” Barnard stated coldly.
He was using the promise of information to keep Camilla tethered to him for a week, but the truth was, he had no idea where her father was. Clement, that bastard, had pinned the situation on him just to turn Camilla against him. He couldn’t let that happen.
“It’s not that I don’t want to find him, it’s just p>
“I don’t care about your excuses. I only want results. Camilla is waiting for answers. If you disappoint her, you’re dead to me p>
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the hallway. Barnard’s expression darkened. Before he could demand to know who was out there, the door swung open.
Davina stood in the doorway. A shattered thermos lay at her feet, hot soup pooling on the floor.
Seeing her disheveled and frantic state, Barnard couldn’t hide his annoyance. He waved Zack away. “Get out p>
Davina stared at Barnard like a broken doll, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her gaze made his skin crawl. “Who told you to come to the office?” he snapped.
“You hadn’t come home… I just wanted to bring you dinner,” she stammered, before her voice spiraled into a shrill shriek. “Why are you so annoyed with me? What were you just talking about? You still can’t let go of that bitch, Camilla, can you p>
She had heard him perfectly through the door—he didn’t want to disappoint Camilla.
“Are you tangled up with her again? Since when?! Don’t you forget, Barnard, I am your wife! I followed you all the way to Valdoria. You can’t treat me like this! How dare you contact that slut behind my back p>
She lunged at him like a madwoman, grabbing him by the collar. Her face twisted into a grotesque mask of fury as she sniffed the air around him. “Why do you smell like women’s perfume? Is it Camilla? You actually saw her p>
“My business has nothing to do with you, Davina. I’ve made myself perfectly clear. Money, status—I can give you whatever you want. But you need to know your place. Keep your nose out of things that don’t concern you. If you dare throw another tantrum and ruin my plans, I won’t forgive you p>
He shoved her aside in disgust, cursing his mother, Laura, in his head. As Davina’s mother-in-law in name, she couldn’t even keep the woman under control and let her barge into his office.
“My place? What is my place? I’m your wife, Barnard! We had a wedding! Why shouldn’t I care p>