Chapter 540
The apartment had only been 300 square feet, but since Elise spent most of her time admitted to the hospital, it was more than enough space for Camilla.
She hadn’t lived there long before meeting Barnard, who eventually forced her to move into a massive luxury penthouse. By the time Lance had come looking for her in the past, she had been gone for years.
“If I was going to pursue you, I obviously had to do my homework,” Lance chuckled.
He led her up the stairs with practiced ease and unlocked the door to her old unit. But stepping inside, the tiny 300-square-foot space had vanished.
The interior walls connecting the entire floor had been completely demolished, transforming the layout into a breathtaking, 3,000-square-foot luxury walk-in closet.
The sprawling gallery was filled with dazzling, one-of-a-kind haute couture gowns, breathtaking wedding dresses, and priceless jewelry displays.
Glancing around, Camilla realized these were all exclusive runway finale pieces and archived museum-quality designs.
“My girl deserves the most spectacular wedding in the world,” Lance declared smoothly. “Every show-stopping finale gown and limited-edition bridal release from the past few years is hanging right here. You can wear whichever one catches your eye. And if you love them all, that’s fine too. There are exactly 351 wedding dresses in this room. I started collecting them the day I graduated from college. We can host a wedding every day for 351 days, and you can wear a new dress for every single one p>
He had bought out over a dozen small apartments and merged them into a massive showroom, and it was still barely enough space to hold his collection.
Camilla was still processing the sheer magnitude of the room when Lance’s absurd proposal hit her. She burst out laughing. “Lance, you are out of your mind. Who on earth hosts a 351-day wedding p>
“So what?” Lance shrugged defiantly. “Who cares what other people do? If you want to, we’ll do 351 days. Hell, we can do 3,000 days. I have more than enough money to burn, and buying your happiness is the best investment I could ever make. I just want my queen to look breathtaking in a wedding dress and celebrate our love every single day p>
“I think we can skip the avant-garde performance art,” Camilla giggled. The dresses were gorgeous, but the logistics of attending a wedding every day sounded absolutely exhausting.
“No rush, take your time,” Lance smiled. “If nothing here speaks to you, I’ll have my team hunt down more. Or if you have a favorite designer, just say the word and we’ll commission a custom piece. If you really can’t decide, we’ll just p>
“I’ll take my time! We have six months!” Camilla interjected quickly. “These are all stunning. There is absolutely no need to commission anything else p>
She was genuinely terrified that Lance would wave his hand and officially book a year-long wedding festival. If anyone else had suggested it, it would be a romantic hyperbole. Coming from Lance Charles… he would actually execute it.
Camilla wandered through the endless rows of breathtaking silk and lace. Suddenly, her eyes locked onto a glass display case mounted on the wall.
Inside the illuminated case rested a single piece of jewelry: the Eclose brooch.
It was her very first award-winning design-the masterpiece she had used as a bargaining chip to prove her worth to the Carter family. It was the sole reason Calvin had approved her marriage to Barnard, When për relationship with Barnard shattered, Camilla had auctioned it off, wanting to purge that era from her life.
She never expected to see it here, resting in the center of Lance’s private collection.
Camilla stared at the brilliant gemstone, entirely mesmerized. She wasn’t sure if Lance knew the painful history attached to it.
Sensing her thoughts, Lance stepped up behind her. “I know this was the piece that launched your career. It was the design that put Camilla on the map. It’s a monumental milestone in your life, so of course, I tracked it down and brought it home p>
“But… it was also my ticket into the Carter family,” Camilla whispered.
“So what?” Lance murmured, his voice rumbling with quiet intensity. “None of that matters to me. All I see is the defining moment you stepped into your power as an artist. That brilliance shouldn’t be erased or abandoned just because the wrong, people witnessed it. Camilla, I know that when you designed Eclose, your heart was filled with fearless courage, not hesitation and compromise p>
His words struck her with an overwhelming, grounding force, making her heart pound against her ribs.
He was right. The Eclose brooch was the foundation of her dreams. It wasn’t just a ticket to marry into the Carter family it was the masterpiece that proved her genius to the world. Calvin had only accepted her because her talent was undeniable. The brooch wasn’t tainted by Barnard’s betrayal.
She had no reason to throw away her own glory just because of her ex-husband.
A profound sense of liberation washed over her. She turned to face him, her eyes shining. “Thank you, Lance. Thank you for saving this for me p>
Lance smiled, his gaze burning with absolute devotion. “Don’t thank me. A queen’s glory should always be protected by her knight. I told you, Camilla, I will always be your champion. I’ll clear the thorns from your path, I’ll clean up the wreckage, and I will do absolutely anything for you p>
Camilla rose onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips deeply against his.
When the breathtaking kiss finally ended, she looked up into his eyes and whispered, “Your queen rewards you p>