Divorce Him, Then Dazzle novel Chapter 59

Barbara was on edge. She could barely concentrate on anything, and it wasn’t just because Camilla wanted a divorce. What really got under her skin was the way Lambert had suddenly ghosted her. She was losing her mind. She’d sent him a handful of messages, waiting for that familiar little buzz or screen light-up, but nothing. Absolute radio silence.

It felt almost impossible. Everyone was glued to their phones these days. No way Lambert hadn’t seen her texts. So why wouldn’t he reply? That question ate at her. She even pressed a few friends for answers. In the time she’d spent overseas, she made it her mission to climb into the right social circles. With a mix of charm and perfectly played innocence, she’d gotten plenty of men hooked, dangling just out of reach to keep them interested, giving them just enough to chase yet never letting them win.

Men always seemed to fall for that. A handful of them were trust-fund kids from back home. They might not compare to someone on Lambert’s level, but when it came to tracking down news about Owen, they came through without much effort. She reached out, asked around, and eventually pieced together that Owen had left for another country.

She got Daniel on the line right away.

Daniel couldn’t believe what he heard. “He actually left the country? And he plans on staying for years? Are you serious?”

Barbara nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “My friend heard it from someone in the Gates family, but they’ve kept it a secret. That’s why hardly anyone knows.”

“Owen’s never liked hardship. He loves comfort, always has. What would make him take off to a place like that?” Daniel paused. “And what about the bodyguards at Camilla’s door? Who arranged that?”

“Just because Owen’s abroad doesn’t mean he can’t send people to take care of things for him,” Barbara replied.

“So he really does like Camilla then?” Daniel bit out the words, his jealousy bleeding through. “She just can’t stop attracting trouble, can she?”

His jealousy flared, even though he’d conveniently forgotten he was the one who’d pushed Camilla away in the first place.

Barbara kept her tone matter-of-fact. “I warned you before. Camilla’s good at almost everything, but sometimes she lets men get a little too close.”

Daniel tried to defend himself. “We were married for three years. I never saw her act like that. Now what am I supposed to do? Is divorce really my only option?”

“You can’t divorce her,” Barbara said, voice firm and sharp. “Do you have any idea how much that would ruin you? The company, your reputation, the gossip, everything. You can’t afford that kind of mess.”

Catheleen looked up from the table where she was setting out breakfast. “Cammie! You’re awake! Come have something to eat!”

Camilla finally slipped her feet into her shoes and flew down the stairs, barely hitting each step. As soon as Catheleen opened her arms, Camilla went straight into her embrace. They held each other, laughing, both so relieved.

Camilla couldn’t help it—her eyes stung, tears threatening.

Right then, she knew Catheleen was the closest person she had. Family wasn’t about blood, it was about who actually cared about you, protected you. Only with a person like that could she let herself show just how hurt she was.

“I can’t believe so much happened while I was gone. I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” Catheleen said, her voice soft.

Camilla managed a shaky smile as she stepped back. “You’re back now, aren’t you? That’s all I need.”