Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 261

For a moment, it felt like her heart just... stopped.

Camilla stared at the closed door, her mouth suddenly dry. The knocking came in a steady rhythm, soft but insistent, almost echoing right down in her chest, each knock sending a wave of something she didn't dare name.

She cleared her throat, trying to sound casual. “What is it?”

The doorknob turned and Lance pushed the door open, a glass of milk in his hand. He came right over and kneeled down in front of her, holding the glass out. “It’s fresh and warm. Drink it, it’ll help you sleep.”

She took the glass, feeling the gentle heat seep into her palms. Impossibly, it felt like it settled her, but at the same time the emptiness in her chest only seemed to grow.

The only light in the room was the small night lamp by her bed. Its soft yellow glow washed over Lance’s face, making his features look even more gentle, almost heartbreakingly so.

He waited until she drained the last drop of milk, then took the glass and set it aside. Without a word, he pressed something else into her hand.

It was unexpectedly cool and oddly shaped. Camilla glanced down, and only then realized that Lance was wearing an impossibly thin silver chain around his neck, one she hadn’t noticed before, hidden beneath his collar.

The chain was cold, but holding it sent a rush of heat through her, something she really didn’t want to think about just now. She almost let go, but Lance held onto her hand, guiding her to curl her fingers around it. “We promised, Camilla. You're not allowed to take it back.”

Promised what? Her mind flickered back to the things he’d whispered earlier in the private room. Her face warmed at the memory, her heart beating faster with every little thing he did.

Right now, this chain felt loaded, like some secret code between the two of them, almost burning her palm. She cleared her throat. “I didn’t take anything back. I already agreed you could stay, didn’t I? But about this chain… I really don’t think we should. Lance, I want us to have a fair, equal relationship. You don’t have to turn yourself into someone you’re not. Don’t lower yourself for me.”

Lance’s eyes twinkled with mischief and something softer. “So, you’re saying you’re my girlfriend now?”

His eyes, in the lamp’s soft light, seemed even more intense, picking up her reflection and all the things she felt.

Camilla prided herself on being rational. The truth was, the moment she’d said yes earlier, she knew she never really stood a chance against Lance’s charm. Their relationship was inevitable, a natural next step. So why... She glanced at her phone on the pillow, doubt slipping in.

The brightness in Lance’s gaze faded, just a little, but he quickly changed the subject. “Jasper’s asleep already. Let's go down and open some presents.”

Downstairs, the entire apartment looked so cozy. The main lights were off, and fairy lights circled the sofa, their glow spilling over a little mountain of gift boxes. Any girl would feel her heart skip a beat in a scene this romantic.

She cut him off, voice quiet. “Lance, please don’t change yourself for me. Honestly, someday soon you might realize I’m just not worth it.”

She set the box aside, leaning in close, searching his face. The urge to tell him everything pressed heavy on her tongue.

Lance only smiled, eyes soft and serious all at once. “Who says you’re not worth it? I trust my own judgment. If I say you are, then you are. Camilla, I’ve said it before. I like you for who you are, not your history or what you’ve been through. I’m stubborn that way. Now that you’ve let me in, you can’t just push me away, alright?”

Without warning, he gently took her wrist and wound his silver chain around it, as if tying himself to her. He said it like he was declaring some wild promise, but the way he added, “Alright?” made it sound like he was willing to back away if she asked.

Camilla could feel her walls crumbling, piece by piece. If it weren’t for what Barnard texted her—that shadow hanging over everything—maybe she could...

She squeezed Lance’s fingers, breathing in for courage. “Can you give me a little more time? I promise, I'll give you an answer soon.”

She needed to settle all the loose ends, put those worries to rest, before she could really let herself fall.