Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 196

Camila Davis froze, instinctively pulling her hand back.

She’d tried to ice the marks Jordan Smith left on her wrist back in the private lounge, but there was only so much a cold compress could do.

She hadn’t noticed the pain when they’d gotten home, but, of course, her best friend’s eagle eyes caught the details.

Camila was about to shoot her a look, hoping to keep it under wraps, but Mr. and Mrs. Davis had already caught on.

“What marks?” her dad asked, concern lacing his voice.

“Did someone hurt you?” her mom added, immediately reaching for Camila’s arm. “Let me see, honey…”

Camila knew there was no escape. With a resigned sigh, she tried to play it down. “No one hurt me, really. It’s just… someone grabbed my wrist a little too hard, that’s all.”

But Melissa George, her best friend, had already rolled up Camila’s sleeve. The angry red fingerprints around her wrist were hard to miss.

Both her parents stared, horrified.

“Who did this?” her dad demanded, voice shaking.

Camila hesitated, wondering whether or not to tell them the truth. Before she could decide, little Lillian piped up, her voice as sweet as a kid’s could be: “Daddy grabbed Mommy’s hand…”

“What?” her parents said in unison, brows knitted in anger.

“Why on earth would he lay a hand on you?” her mom fumed.

Sarah Brown, Camila’s friend, looked confused too. “Weren’t you and Lillian just supposed to see Mr. Williams? How did you even run into Jordan Smith? Don’t tell me that jerk was waiting for you outside again?”

Camila really didn’t want to talk about Jordan Smith. But she knew if she didn’t clear things up, her parents wouldn’t sleep a wink tonight.

She shot a pleading glance at her best friend for back-up.

Sarah, still fuming, took a deep breath and nodded. “Mr. Davis, Camila’s right. The divorce is already complicated enough. If we go storming over there, Jordan could twist the story and make things even harder for her in court. We have to play it smart.”

Jerry Davis’s fists clenched, but the logic made sense. He’d lived long enough to know you don’t win a fight by going in swinging, especially when the odds are stacked against you.

He understood, but the pain lingered. It wasn’t easy seeing his little girl hurt.

Neither of her parents slept that night.

The next morning, Camila spotted their tired faces at the breakfast table. It broke her heart. After breakfast, she quickly sent Lillian and their golden retriever, Lightning, to cheer them up, hoping a little laughter might help them heal.

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