Chapter 8
Maybe Barnard hadn’t bought the candy for Jasper after all. This was just one of those moments where he could pretend he had.
Before Camilla could say a word, Jasper smacked the candy out of Barnard’s hand. “You’re the worst! You don’t care about me at all! I hate you p>
Barnard’s expression darkened, but he still tried to reason with him. “How can you say that? I’m here, aren’t I? Didn’t I come to take you to the amusement park p>
Jasper’s lip quivered. “It’s not the same. You took Daisy first. You only care about her. You don’t care about me p>
The more he talked, the more upset he got, and soon he was full-on crying. Yesterday, Dad had given Daisy so many presents but nothing to him. He really thought this trip to the amusement park was supposed to be his special treat. He never considered that Daisy would get the exact same thing—and before him too.
“Jasper, haven’t I told you before?” Barnard tried again. “Daisy doesn’t have a dad. She’s having a tough time. You should be nicer to her, you can’t p>
“That’s enough,” Camilla cut in. “If Jasper doesn’t want to go to the amusement park now, I’ll just take him home p>
She couldn’t listen to Barnard’s excuses any longer. Every time he had picked Davina and her daughter over her and Jasper, that line about just repaying a favor seemed even more laughable.
“Camilla, Jasper’s just a kid. Are you really going to join him in acting out?” Barnard sounded a little annoyed. He reached for Camilla’s arm. “Do you seriously think something is going on between me and Davina? She’s ten years older than me, for crying out loud. She watched me grow up. She’s almost like a second mom to me. What could possibly be between us p>
A second mom. A debt of gratitude. Camilla used to believe every word of it, and that was why she agreed when Davina and Daisy moved in. Hearing it again now just made her feel stupid.
“Camilla, come on, don’t do this.” Barnard softened his voice. “You know I only have feelings for you. Did you forget? I nearly turned my whole family against me just to marry you. How could you doubt how much I care p>
Camilla didn’t have much growing up. Her mom was sick. She’d met Barnard in college—she was a student rep giving a speech, and he was the well-known entrepreneur handing out a scholarship. They swapped contact info, started chatting more and more. Barnard was gentle, mature, and very understanding—the kind of man any girl from a single-parent household would fall for. It didn’t take her long to fall head over heels.
When he invited her to his company’s celebration, it was the first night they spent together, and she ended up pregnant with Jasper. Camilla hadn’t even graduated yet. She’d been scared out of her mind. But Barnard showed up at her school in front of everyone to propose, even standing up to his whole family, the Carters, just to be with her. He’d given her the sense of security she’d always craved. So she gambled it all and married him.
Later, after Jasper was born, the doctor said her health wasn’t great and that it would be better if she and Barnard stayed celibate. Barnard never complained. He treated her just as kindly as ever. She always believed it was because he truly loved her.
But after today—after watching how carefully he looked after Daisy and Davina—for the first time, Camilla started to wonder.
She shook off Barnard’s hand, took Jasper by the hand, and got into the car. She didn’t look back as she drove away.