Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 139

Barnard had no idea how much time had passed. Now he was sitting beside Jasper, trying to make conversation.

Jasper, though, kept glancing at him with a nervous sort of caution. It wasn’t until Camilla walked in that Jasper’s face lit up and he shouted, “Mom!”

Camilla’s eyes immediately sharpened with suspicion. She strode over and placed herself firmly between Jasper and Barnard. “Why are you here?”

Barnard forced a little smile. “Camilla, really, is it necessary to be so anxious? Jasper’s my son too. I wouldn’t ever hurt him, you know that.”

His words dripped with undertones that made Camilla’s eyebrows knit together in irritation.

“Susan, can you take Jasper out to play?” Camilla said quickly.

Camilla didn’t trust Barnard, not with Jasper, not at all. She didn’t want Jasper around to hear Barnard say something that might hurt him.

Susan quietly wheeled Jasper out. As the door clicked shut, Barnard’s helpless expression became more obvious.

“Is this really how you see me now, Camilla? Like I’m some threat you have to guard against? Jasper’s my son. I—”

“Can we skip to what you actually came here to say?” Camilla interrupted, not even bothering to let him finish his empty reassurances.

Barnard paused, then gave her a look that probably was supposed to be caring. “Camilla, where did you go earlier? With your health, you shouldn’t be running around. You should have stayed home and rested.”

He always knew how to sound concerned, so gentle and warm, as if he actually cared.

Camilla almost laughed. The hypocrisy was ridiculous.

She gave him a lazy answer. “I was in a bad mood and needed air. Is that good enough for you?” She stopped to look at him, her expression turning sharper. “You should be more worried about Davina, shouldn’t you? I heard she fainted at The Carter Estate. Is karma finally catching up to her? Maybe she has cancer?”

The word “cancer” hit Barnard hard. He tensed, his face tightening as he spat out, “Camilla! Why do you always have to be so vicious? You never used to talk this way.”

Camilla didn’t flinch. “Yeah, well, I never thought the man I loved would choose to lie to me for an old woman.” Her voice had an edge. She didn’t back down, not one bit.

He’d guessed as much, but hearing her actually say it made it so much worse. He looked at her—a few feet away in the same room, but it felt like her heart was drifting farther and farther.

Barnard clung to the only thing left. “Camilla, technically, we’re still married.”

She shook her head. “That’s just for appearances. You and I both know what our real relationship is.”

Barnard’s patience finally started to fray. The veins in his forehead stood out as he pushed forward. “We both saw what happened with Lance. I’m planning to go apologize. You should come with me.”

Camilla couldn’t help but laugh. Was he serious? He wanted her to help him apologize for something he and Davina had caused? He only ever wanted her around when it suited him.

“If I remember right, Davina’s the one Lance needs an apology from,” Camilla replied. “You should take her.”

Barnard scoffed. “Camilla, be reasonable. You know Davina didn’t exactly get a great education. She has no filter when she talks. If I take her, she’ll probably make things worse with Lance, not better.”