Divorced the Cheat Married the Fleet (Camilla and Lance) novel Chapter 456

"Jasper isn't a baby anymore; he knows how to look after himself. Lance, I think it's more important that we talk about us right now," Camilla said.

Hearing the sudden seriousness in her tone, a flash of panic crossed Lance's face. He quickly tried to explain, "Camilla, I swear I didn't mean to that night, and I honestly had no idea Jasper was my son. I had a few drinks, and then..."

"Why were you drinking?" Camilla cut in before he could finish. Under the bright fluorescent lights, her eyes gleamed as she locked her gaze onto him. "Was it because you were coming to see me, and you needed liquid courage?"

Having his secret thoughts laid bare, Lance awkwardly averted his eyes. "What kind of nonsense did Jeniffer feed you?" he muttered.

"She told me a lot. But she didn't tell me exactly when you started having feelings for me. Lance, we met a long time ago, didn't we?" Camilla tilted her head, forcing him to meet her gaze again. Her clear, unwavering eyes left him nowhere to hide.

Listening to Jeniffer earlier, the foggy memories in Camilla's mind had slowly begun to clear up.

She continued, "The first time I saw you, it was at the police station, wasn't it?"

Lance's face grew even more flustered at the question. He didn't say a word, but his silence was all the answer she needed.

Camilla pressed her lips together. Looking at his tense jaw, she suddenly burst out laughing. "You were that little boy who gave me the present, weren't you?"

"Camilla!" Lance groaned, his voice turning a bit stern out of sheer embarrassment.

Everything came rushing back to Camilla now, and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She reached out and gently traced his jawline. Deep in her laughing eyes, there was a profound sense of heartache. "When you went back that time, did they give you a hard time?"

She was asking about Tessa and Oscar.

She remembered it all now.

When she was little, she would occasionally tag along with her dad to work. One night, when her dad was working late, a lost little boy was brought into the station.

Well, not exactly lost—he just refused to go home and wouldn't say a word about his parents.

He just curled up in a corner, perfectly silent.

Little Camilla had walked up to him and started talking.

His eyes were red, but he stayed quiet.

Assuming he was just scared, she stayed with him, offering endless words of comfort.

Eventually, his parents came and picked him up.

Lance looked up and met Camilla's eyes, sparkling with warmth and laughter. He felt his entire heart fill up with her smile.

He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Right now."

The night wasn't over yet, and people were still setting off fireworks along the riverbank.

Camilla strolled hand in hand with Lance. They had bought the most basic, ordinary fireworks they could find.

The fuse was lit, and a simple, brilliant spark shot into the sky, blending into the sea of lights around them.

It was as if that unlit spark from their childhood had finally crossed time and space to explode right before their eyes.

Amidst the booming of the fireworks, Camilla squeezed Lance's hand tight. She whispered, "Lance, I don't blame you. And I love you. Nothing is ever going to pull us apart again."

Her voice was soft, but the wind carried it perfectly to his ears. Lance wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a fierce embrace. He heard her continue, "The fireworks that day were beautiful. Just as beautiful as today. Thank you for loving me for so long."

Her gentle words washed over him, making all those years of silent longing finally feel real.