Chapter 9
After what happened, Camilla and Barnard drifted into an uneasy silence. Neither spoke much, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Barnard wanted to fix things, though. Since the day they came back from the amusement park, he started paying a lot more attention to Jasper. He listened more, tried to make up for before.
Jasper stayed grumpy for a couple of days, giving Barnard the cold shoulder. He only thawed when Barnard promised he’d stop forcing him to play with Daisy. Once he got that promise, Jasper forgave him.
Things were quiet with Davina too. She hadn’t caused any drama lately, but some feelings just stick even after the dust settles. Every time Camilla saw Davina, that awkward tension was still there. It didn’t help that work was overwhelming. Camilla poured herself into the office, finding any excuse to stay late. She told herself it was for the company, but really, she just needed space to breathe and figure out where she stood.
The design firm where she worked meant everything to her. It was the gift Barnard gave her the year they got married, their love story wrapped in a brand. Even the name—“BLC”—carried both their names, with the unspoken meaning, “Barnard Loves Camilla.” He used to say that the first time he saw her, his whole world tipped upside down. Barnard had always loved her out loud, wanting everyone to know.
This company had become part of her, and she had thrown herself into building it. In just four years, she’d turned their brand into one of the most respected names in the business. For a long time, just walking through those doors had made her feel happy and proud. Lately, though, the place felt heavy. She worried maybe Barnard’s heart didn’t skip for her anymore, and maybe the brand that came from their story would soon just be a sad reminder.
A knock came, jarring her from her thoughts. Her assistant poked her head in, arms full with an evening gown. “Camilla, Barnard had this sent over for you. He wanted you to try it on and see if it fits. He’ll stop by to pick you up for the banquet tonight p>
Only then did Camilla remember it was the night of the Lane family’s big reception. She was supposed to go with Barnard, and events like these mattered a lot to him. Usually, she’d spend the night before stressing over what to wear, matching jewelry, the whole routine. This time, though, even seeing the gown didn’t spark anything in her. She ended up throwing herself together at the last minute, just an hour before Barnard arrived.
Nearly a week had passed since they’d shared a car together. There they were again, side by side. Barnard leaned over and buckled her seatbelt for her. His voice was gentle as he said, “Camilla, don’t stay upset, okay? I know I messed up last time. I’ll do better. Jasper is still just a kid. Us fighting all the time, it’s not good for him, right p>
Bringing up Jasper was his way of offering an olive branch, hoping they could finally get past all of this.
Camilla looked at him. “How long do you plan for Davina to keep living with us p>
The question caught Barnard off guard. He pushed up his glasses before answering, “Right now, it’s Daisy I’m worried about. She hasn’t really dealt with losing her dad, and I just can’t bring myself to force them out yet. Just a little longer. Once kindergarten starts, we can look for a boarding school for Daisy p>
Camilla’s fingers tapped softly on her dress while she stared out the window. On the dashboard was a photo from their wedding day. She was leaning into Barnard, happier than she’d ever been, eyes shining with laughter.
They really did love each other once. Thinking about that, Camilla felt that maybe, just maybe, she could give him one more chance.
It was summer break now, and kindergarten would be starting in just a couple more weeks. By then, she’d know if Barnard’s promises meant something, or if she was just holding onto memories.