Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 101

Camilla caught the faint smile on Barnard’s lips and felt a flicker of confusion. She honestly had no idea it was his birthday. She hadn’t bought a gift or even remembered the day, so why did he look so certain she had something special planned for him?

Lost in these thoughts, she barely noticed when Barnard’s hand landed gently on her shoulder. “Camilla, it’s my birthday. Can we please stop this? Just for tonight?”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she smoothly brushed his hand off and turned to chat with Carol and some of the other guests.

Camilla was a natural in crowds, moving easily from person to person, making introductions and chatting about the new products. She was tall and striking, her features vivid and full of life. In a room full of glamour and perfectly dressed guests, she still somehow managed to stand out. People’s eyes just seemed to find her.

She was nothing like Davina.

Barnard watched her from across the room, suddenly feeling strangely empty. It was as if the last trace of her—the way her hair had brushed his palm—was the only leftover proof that they'd ever been close. He kept feeling this odd sense that he and Camilla were growing farther apart, and it got under his skin. He knew it was probably just in his head. After all, she was only giving him the cold shoulder, but she still found time to plan a present for him and keep it hidden. Wasn’t that proof she cared? Whenever he wanted, he felt sure he could win her back with just a gesture. It had always worked before.

Camilla didn’t know what he was thinking, but she could sense his eyes on her, lingering and intense. The attention made her feel tense.

Soon the product launch began. Camilla went on stage to speak. Even with all the lights and the crowd, she could still feel Barnard watching her from the audience. When she finished introducing the products and was just about to invite everyone out for the celebration, Barnard suddenly climbed up to join her. He slipped an arm around her waist and leaned in.

“Camilla, did you forget something?” His voice was low, meant only for her.

Camilla instantly knew he meant the birthday party. She wasn’t planning to lie. She had nothing for him and was about to admit it, but before she could say more, a reporter piped up from the audience, joking, “We’re all hanging around waiting for the party—what secret are you two whispering about? Come on, tell us!”

It was the same as every other launch. Barnard always made sure the right reporters were in the crowd, hoping to hype up his ‘sweet’ relationship with Camilla for everyone to see.

Playing his part, Barnard spoke up. “I’ll tell you the truth… Today isn’t just our new product launch. It’s actually my birthday, too. Camilla organized the whole party for me this morning… that’s our little secret.” His words tumbled out, way too fast for Camilla to shut him down. Listening to him brag just made her feel awkward—and honestly, she felt secondhand embarrassment for him. She could already imagine how things would play out once they got to the banquet hall.

“Come on, Camilla. Don’t keep us waiting,” Barnard said, his voice full of anticipation.

Camilla looked at his eager expression, listened to the crowd egging her on, and realized she was stuck with no good way out. Eventually, she took a deep breath and decided if Barnard wanted to embarrass himself, she wasn’t going to stop him. He’d made this mess, not her.

“Sorry,” Camilla said, making sure her voice carried. “I’ve just been really busy. I completely forgot.”

Barnard’s smile froze, and the noise in the room faded into complete silence. Everyone turned to look at Camilla, stunned.

Most of the guests were powerful, experienced, unflappable. They’d seen public disasters before, but never anything quite like this.