Divorce Him, Then Dazzle novel Chapter 9

He was tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, with a long cashmere coat draped over his shoulders. The warm lights hanging from the shop roof softened the room, casting half-shadows that hid the side of his face in the dimness. Even so, she could easily see the sharp line of his jaw and the elegant slope of his nose.

His eyes were dark, almost bottomless, cool and distant, like he saw right through everything and didn’t care either way. He was handsome, that much was obvious, but what really made people freeze up was the intensity he carried. There was something about him that threw her off balance, like her body noticed him before her mind caught up.

He dropped his gaze for a moment, and the streetlights outside caught in his eyes, adding something sharp and piercing to that cold look. Camilla snapped out of her daze and quickly looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear, suddenly a little self-conscious.

She’d met her fair share of attractive men. Daniel was no slouch when it came to looks. She just hadn’t expected she’d see someone so striking today, someone who left her so flustered, even a little embarrassed.

Luckily, the man was walking fast and they brushed past each other without a word. What she didn’t notice was that as they passed, he tilted his head and caught sight of her ears, red and peeking out from her white fur collar.

Camilla hurried inside the shop. She’d known the couple who owned the place for over ten years. They treated her as family, practically as their own granddaughter, and she loved them right back. If there was anything Barbara hadn’t managed to take from her, it was these two.

Back then, when Barbara learned about the tailor shop, she’d tagged along twice, all excited at first. But it didn’t last. She complained that the alley was dirty, the shop was old-fashioned, and the couple talked too much. After that, she never came back.

Camilla used to want to share her whole world with Barbara. Friends, family, even little things. In the end, Barbara charmed everyone and turned them into her own fans. People who used to be close to Camilla drifted away, leaving her in the background.

During those lonely years, the old tailor couple became her only real source of comfort.

While Camilla chatted with them now, someone came in through the front door. She looked up and, to her surprise, it was the same man from outside. He’d come back.

Camilla ducked her head, pretending to check her phone, trying to hide her surprise. Someone like him—someone this well-dressed and proud—seemed completely out of place in a small, cozy tailor shop like this. Still, Susan’s voice was friendly and familiar, like she’d known him for years. Camilla couldn’t help but wonder what their connection was, but she pushed it aside and went back to looking at fabric colors.

“Cammie, what do you think about this shade?” Susan slid onto the bench beside her and the two began to chat quietly, lost in their own little world.

Once Camilla had picked out what she needed, she stood up, ready to leave. Usually, this shop felt like her safe haven, a place full of warmth. But today, probably because Lambert was there, the air felt heavier. He hadn’t even said much, but his presence filled the room until it seemed smaller, a little tighter around her.

“Susan, I should get going…”