Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 116

When she answered Barnard, her tone was anything but nice. “What do you think happened? You were the one who planned the dinner yesterday, and you left before we even got to the main point.”

She let out a frustrated sigh. “You already know how things are between me and Abelard. We don’t get along. You left me there alone, and you know exactly how that turned out, don’t you?”

The way she said it, vague but loaded, made Barnard’s face grow more and more sour.

He tried to hold on to his patience. “Camilla, didn’t you help smooth things over with Lance? What did he say at the end? I thought he liked your design. Did you swap contacts?”

“No.” Camilla lifted an eyebrow, not bothering to soften her words. “You made everyone wait while you were off dealing with a nanny. Of course people started thinking things. The most I could do was stop Lance from walking out of there with a bad impression of the Carter family. I wasn’t exactly in a place to ask for more, was I? Don’t you think so, Barnard?”

The difference between the Carter family and the Charles family felt insurmountable. Barnard didn’t like what she said, but he couldn’t argue with it.

He pressed on. “I know yesterday was hard on you. But you realize, don’t you, just how important it would be for our family if we could get in good with Lance? Upsetting him was my mistake—I handled it badly, and I should be the one to apologize. I just want to know, when you walked Lance out, did you see where he’s staying?”

Camilla wasn’t expecting him to ask that. Her reply was cool. “You’re reading into things. Lance has his own driver. He barely let me walk him to the corner before his car showed up.”

“So you got nothing from him? No info at all?” Barnard wasn’t giving up.

She shrugged, already losing interest in the conversation. “It was your meeting, not mine. Honestly, I felt out of place just being there. Isn’t it normal that I didn’t force myself in? It’s not great for a woman to chime in at the wrong moment, is it?”

He could tell she was brushing him off, and the annoyance brewing inside him only grew. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Camilla was just trying to avoid any extra trouble. In the past, he’d watched her charm entire rooms of his business partners, holding things together when he had to step out. Now, with just one person, she was saying she couldn’t do it? He didn’t buy the idea that she wasn’t capable. Deep down, he was convinced she just wasn’t putting in the effort.

“Camilla, I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, but I think we need to talk about it. We’re married. We’re supposed to be a team, not acting like we’re on opposite sides here.” His voice was flat. “I’ll pick up you and Jasper after work tonight. Let’s go somewhere and really talk things through.”

Only then did Barnard notice Jasper’s pale face. He looked shocked. “Jasper, what’s wrong? Why didn’t you say anything? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Barnard bent down to pick Jasper up, but Camilla stopped him with an arm in his way. “He gets carsick sometimes. I’ve told you that before. Did you forget, or did you just never care?”

Barnard’s face tightened, a flash of guilt running across his features. He’d shown up wanting to patch things up with Camilla, hoping she’d go back to being the easygoing wife he remembered. But it was clear now that the harder he tried, the worse things seemed to get.

Still bent, Barnard crouched to meet Jasper’s eyes and apologized. “I’m sorry, buddy. Daddy’s just been really busy and all over the place. That’s why I forgot about your carsickness. Are you feeling okay now? If you’re not, please let Daddy know so I can take care of you… maybe we should go to the hospital.”

Jasper hadn’t even answered when footsteps hurried up behind Barnard. A little girl’s wail broke out above the restaurant chatter. “Barnard, are you leaving me and Mommy? Why are you being so nice to him? He’s not even your real son!”