Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 186

“You’re not actually doing that whole ‘pure love’ thing, are you? You haven’t even told her how you feel yet.”

“Pure love... please.” Lance rolled his eyes, sounding annoyed. “Do I look like someone who holds back? Of course I told her, but you have to give people a little time to process, you know?”

Abelard eyed him, clearly suspicious. “You? Patient? You’ve always been the type to make a scene and go after what you want. Isn’t this the point where you’d be all over her, trying every trick in the book? You could at least use your good looks to your advantage. Come on, after all this time, you haven’t made a move? That’s just not you.”

“Shut up. What do you know anyway? I want to be with Camilla for the long haul, so I need her to really want me too. You can’t force love, can you? Anyway, quit whispering all this shady advice in my ear. If you do it again, I’ll send you to hang out with Yan.”

Abelard acted like he was terrified. “Alright, alright, mercy! That guy’s taste is something else. I’d rather be single forever than be his friend.” Then he shoved a phone at Lance. “Everything you needed is on here. My task is done, so I’m leaving you to your charming self.”

When Lance came back to the private room alone, Camilla looked surprised. “Where’s Abelard? Did he...”

“He left. This is our celebration dinner, why worry about an outsider?” Lance said. “I already put in an order, but check if there’s anything you want to add. After we eat, I’ve got something for you to see.”

Camilla glanced at the menu. Every single dish Lance had ordered was something that she and Jasper liked. He’d clearly paid attention to her tastes. But the truth was, she didn’t know what Lance liked at all.

She slid the menu across to him. “Do you want to get anything you like?”

Lance just grinned. “I like the same stuff you do. Don’t worry about it.”

She let it go and asked, “So, what did you want to show me?”

Lance didn’t play coy, just handed her the phone. “There’s some stuff on here you’ll need. But you might want to wait until after dinner, so it doesn’t ruin your appetite.”

From the look on his face, Camilla guessed it must have something to do with Barnard. She dropped the phone in her bag and thanked him.

“If you really want to thank me,” Lance said, “just finish making that pendant you promised me when things calm down. Otherwise, I’ll keep worrying that you’re backing out, and I’ll never be able to sleep properly.”

He meant the pendant she’d promised as a kind of peace offering the last time she’d asked him to stay away from Barnard. A lot had happened since then. Lance had suddenly confessed his feelings, turning her world upside down, and though the pendant was all but finished, she’d never managed to hand it over.

Laura was there too, with a secretary from the Carter Group tailing behind. Calvin looked calm, but Laura’s face was pale and tense when she saw Camilla. Her eyes darted around the room, and the first thing she said was, “Where’s Jasper?”

Camilla wasn’t interested in pretending anymore. “You already know, don’t you? Jasper isn’t a Carter by blood. Where he is now doesn’t concern you.”

Laura still couldn’t seem to believe it. “He’s really not part of the Carter family?”

Camilla stayed silent, which was answer enough. Laura pressed on, her voice shaking. “How could you do this to Barnard? He went against his whole family for you when you got pregnant, just to bring you into the Carter family. And now... now you’re telling us the child wasn’t even his? How could you...”

Laura was clutching her chest, barely able to get the words out. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes—clearly not sleeping well.

While Laura ranted, Camilla calmly pulled out her phone and played Bonnie’s recording.

Barnard’s voice echoed from the speaker, cold and deliberate. Laura’s anger faded, slowly shifting into pure shock.