Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1315

Half a month slipped by almost without notice.

Camila’s figure, once so thin and fragile, finally started to look healthy again. Some color returned to her cheeks, leaving her looking less like a ghost and more like herself every day.

That morning, Mr. Morris showed up early with a bright, hopeful smile.

“Camila’s test results look great. Everything’s basically back to normal. You don’t have to stay at the institute any longer. You can go home and get better there now!”

Camila’s eyes sparkled as soon as she heard the news. The institute had taken such good care of her these past two weeks, and she’d kept busy every day, but it was nothing like home. She had missed it so much.

Mr. Morris noticed how happy she was and grinned. “Don’t start celebrating too soon, though. Your body is still recovering. You’ll need to take it easy for at least a few more months to get completely back to normal.”

Camila laughed, warm and genuine. “I don’t care, I’m just so happy to go home!”

She couldn’t help hugging him. “Thank you for everything these past weeks, master.”

Mr. Morris patted her on the back with a smile. “No need to thank me. Seeing you get better means everything to me. Just promise you’ll keep taking care of yourself.”

“I will,” Camila said seriously, nodding. “I promise I won’t make you and everyone else worry anymore.”

That very same day, Camila packed her things, said her goodbyes, and left the institute.

When she got home, Melissa and Dennis were already waiting, ready to start helping her get back to full health. Every day, they made her healing foods, special soups, and meals packed with everything she needed. Camila never complained and ate whatever they brought.

Four months went by like this, and finally, she felt like her old self again.

The first thing she did after fully recovering was handle all the paperwork to return to her job at the research institute, and Dennis was right behind her, encouraging her to go back. On her first day, Dennis even drove her in person.

“Larry and the gang already grabbed a table. Everyone’s waiting for you,” he said with a gentle smile.

Camila smiled back, lacing her fingers through his. “Great, let’s not keep them waiting.”

It had been ages since she’d gone out to eat and laugh with her friends, and the thought of seeing everyone again filled her with pure excitement. She missed that sense of belonging more than she’d even realized.

They drove over an hour before reaching a mountain resort, where they found Larry and his wife, Aurora and her husband, Jarvis, Kyle, Walter, and Audrey. The courtyard was buzzing with the start of a barbecue, everyone gathered around, the smell of grilling food thick in the air.

Audrey bit her lip, silent, her eyes even more pitiful. “Would you care?”

She’d always believed that, deep down, Walter’s kindness and the fact he hadn’t turned her down meant she stood a real chance. But as the days dragged on and he didn’t give her an answer, her confidence had started to slip away.

Honestly, this whole health scare… it wasn’t entirely real. Audrey just didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t keep waiting. She needed Walter to just give her a real answer, yes or no.

Walter stared back at her, suddenly looking so serious. His eyes barely moved from her face.

He couldn’t even pretend anymore: he cared about her, more than he let anyone see. In fact, she was everything to him.

God, when she’d collapsed into his arms, looking so small and weak, he thought his own heart might give out. He realized in that moment that nothing scared him more than losing her. Losing Audrey would wreck him.

Audrey waited quietly, holding her breath.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and rough. “I do care. So much. But if I say yes, can you promise me—promise you’ll always be here with me?”

He had barely finished when Audrey’s face lit up with a smile, so bright it was impossible to look away. She nodded hard, eyes shining. “Yes, I promise! If you choose me, I’ll do everything I can—to get healthy, to stay with you, to live my best life!”