Chapter 70

Camille gave her consent.

Chloe immediately requested that Camille take her to school the next morning.

Camille made the promise without hesitation.

It had been nearly ten days since their last encounter at the thermal springs resort.

That night, she remained at the Harrington estate.

But she deliberately avoided the master suite.

Her intention was clear - she wanted to share Chloe's room.

The previous occasion had been when Chloe was ill.

This time, the child showed no signs of sickness, nor did she ask Camille to stay.

Chloe noticed Camille using her ensuite bathroom. The unspoken message was obvious - her stepmother planned to sleep here tonight. The choice puzzled Chloe, who wondered why Camille wouldn't prefer the bedroom she shared with Damien.

Truthfully, Chloe enjoyed sharing a bed with Camille. The warmth and comfort of her embrace felt reassuring.

So she kept her questions to herself.

With Camille staying over, Chloe needed extra caution when bidding goodnight to Selene. Discovery would spell trouble.

The clock showed 11:00 pm when Camille retired.

Damien still hadn't returned.

Only next morning did Camille realize he'd been out all night.

Her mind flashed back to their last encounter - yesterday at the elevator. Damien had been leaving with Selene.

The implication was clear - he'd likely spent the night with her.

Shaking off these thoughts, Camille proceeded with her day. After dropping Chloe at school, she headed to NovaSight Labs Co.

Chloe's affections clearly remained with Selene. Her need for Camille was sporadic at best.

Only when separated for extended periods, or when Damien and others were absent, would Chloe remember her stepmother.

Otherwise, Camille seemed unnecessary.

These past days proved it. Once learning Camille's injuries had healed completely, Chloe stopped her daily calls. She never even questioned Camille's nightly absences.

As for Damien? He never cared about her whereabouts.

NovaSight Labs had recently secured two major contracts with substantial payments. To celebrate, management announced a team-building event for Friday.

Employees voted on the location.

The thermal springs resort won by majority.

The news made Camille pause, then smile bitterly.

Gabriel noticed her reaction. "Not a fan of hot springs?"

"It's not that."

Memories flooded back - Damien and Chloe abandoning her at the Calder family's private springs just two weeks prior.

The wound still felt fresh.

Yet fourteen days had passed.

Time moved relentlessly forward.

Despite her reluctance, Camille decided to participate. This marked her first company event since returning.

Their previous destination had been an exclusive Calder property.

This time, they'd visit a sprawling commercial resort with extensive facilities.

Wrapped in a plush robe, Camille approached the steaming pools.

Finding her colleagues absent, she entered alone. Barely a minute passed when she spotted a child - about Chloe's age - crouching dangerously close to the water's edge.

The pool measured four feet deep.

The girl appeared shorter than that.

Alarm bells rang as Camille stood. Then - splash!

The child tumbled in.

Camille rushed forward, pulling the sputtering girl to safety. Cradling the trembling form, she patted small shoulders while checking for injuries.

Between coughs and tears, the child clung to Camille's neck as she carried her toward staff.

Near the entrance, Tristan Rutherford came into view.

Before Camille could react, the girl in her arms reached out desperately. "Uncle Tristan!"