Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 417

The moment Camilla and the rest of the group stepped through the glass doors of The Williams Group, Clement rushed out to greet them.

His gaze landed on Camilla for a fraction of a second, causing his expression to stiffen. A flash of pure shock crossed his face, though he quickly masked it.

When he turned to Mike, he was all smiles, practically bowing in deference. "Mike! Why didn't you let me know you were coming? I would have had everything prepared to properly welcome you."

At the banquet yesterday, Camilla and Carol had seen exactly how arrogant and smug Clement could be while soaking up everyone's flattery. His sycophantic behavior in front of Mike today was a stark contrast.

Mike waved him off. "Don't make a fuss. I had some free time today and realized it's been a while since I checked in on your place. We're just here for a casual tour. Come on, Lance. Let's have him show us what new projects he's been working on."

Clement froze for a moment, his eyes darting to Lance before he probed carefully, "Mike, who are your friends?"

"He's an old friend of mine. He was visiting today, and that's his girlfriend next to him. There's no need to hide anything from them," Mike introduced casually. The casual remark made Clement's expression go impossibly rigid, a flicker of sheer panic flashing in his eyes.

Even though Mike's voice was perfectly calm, Clement couldn't shake the creeping dread of an impending storm.

He covertly glanced at Camilla out of the corner of his eye, unable to completely hide his anxiety. Just last night, he had ordered his men to kidnap her. The result? Both his men and Camilla had vanished without a trace. And now, here she was, standing right next to Mike. The man beside her was Mike's friend. It didn't take a genius to figure out why they were really here.

But what Clement couldn't wrap his head around was why Mike was suddenly auditing his company. When people like him sought Mike's protection, they were allowed to run their own independent operations. Mike rarely interfered, as long as they paid their yearly dues on time.

Because Clement relied entirely on Mike's backing, he didn't dare question him. Forcing a sickeningly sweet smile, he said, "Mike, your friends are my friends. We've actually launched a few new projects recently. It's an honor to have you take a look. Right this way, please."

The Williams Group checked out on paper. If they were going to handle personal business, it couldn't be done on company grounds. Clement caught Mike's underlying meaning immediately. He shot a quick glance at Camilla before nodding eagerly. "Of course, of course. Just give me a moment; I'll have someone set up a reservation right away."

Clement hurried out of the room. Once they were left alone in the private office, Mike turned to Lance. "You've seen what there is to see. Watch your mouth next time, Lance. Don't let that youthful arrogance get the better of you. As for what he actually did to your girlfriend, I'll make sure you get a satisfactory answer."

"Just make sure you follow through," Lance said dryly.

Clement was undeniably cunning. He had scrubbed The Williams Group so thoroughly that even federal regulators wouldn't be able to find a flaw. Pushing any harder right now would only tip him off, so Lance had no choice but to drop it for the time being.

The lunch was arranged quickly. Suspecting that Mike was preparing to settle the score, Clement didn't bring any of his own men to the private dining room. Yet on the surface, he acted as if everything was perfectly normal. With a wide, accommodating smile, he raised his glass. "Since my new friend here has traveled a long way, please forgive any lack of hospitality on my part. Let me offer the first toast."