Chapter 488

Camille Hartwell escorted her grandmother Marianne to the opera on Saturday evening.

They approached the ticket checkpoint amidst a well-dressed crowd.

A familiar voice called out her name from across the lobby.

She turned to see Declan Vaughn weaving through attendees with a warm smile.

"What a pleasant surprise," he said, reaching them. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Camille returned his smile. "We came for the maestro's performance. You enjoy opera too?"

His eyes lingered on her. "I've recently developed an appreciation for it."

This marked the first time he'd used her first name outside professional settings.

He greeted Marianne with a respectful nod. "Good evening, madam."

Marianne acknowledged him with a polite smile, observing his attentive manner toward her granddaughter.

She noticed the particular way he looked at Camille.

Young people who appreciated traditional opera were rare these days.

But Marianne recognized something deeper in his demeanor.

Since Camille seemed unaware, Marianne remained silent.

Declan noticed they came without company. "Didn't bring your daughter along? Not fond of opera?"

At the mention of Chloe, Camille's smile tightened slightly.

Her daughter had promised to return to Lakeview by noon.

They were supposed to spend the day together upon her arrival.

Yet evening had fallen without any word from her.

No airport pickup request. No call after landing.

Camille had grown accustomed to such disappointments.

She knew exactly where her daughter's priorities lay.

"Something like that," Camille replied tersely.

Declan had hoped this topic would spark conversation.

Instead, he encountered clear disinterest.

Her expression turned cold at the mention of her daughter.

Perhaps the custody situation still pained her.

He decided to change the subject immediately.

Inside the theater, Declan exchanged his front-row tickets to sit beside Camille.

He had prepared by studying opera beforehand.

Soon he was engaging both women in lively discussion about the performance.

Their conversation flowed pleasantly throughout the intermission.

As the performance reached its climax, the hall fell completely silent.

Camille's phone vibrated discreetly in her clutch.

She glanced down to see a message from Damien Harrington.

"Grandma's health has improved significantly. Thank you for your frequent visits these past weeks. Are you available Monday?"

She understood his meaning immediately.

Just as she anticipated, he was setting their divorce appointment.

She typed a brief reply. "Yes."

His response came instantly. "Good. See you in the morning."

She didn't respond further.

Returning her phone to her bag, she fixed her eyes on the stage.

The opera had reached its most dramatic aria.

Declan turned to make a comment but stopped abruptly.

Though her gaze was directed forward, her mind was clearly elsewhere.

The smile faded from his lips as he recognized her distant expression.

Her attention might be on the performance, but her heart carried other burdens entirely.