Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 467

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At first, Camila Davis didn’t even notice. It wasn’t until the man turned on the faucet and pulled her hand under the cool water that she realized—she’d burned herself.

She’d been so focused on Dennis Williams and the little one that she hadn’t noticed anything else.

The beaker had been pretty hot, and now, after just a minute, a red patch was blooming across the back of her hand.

Dennis Williams frowned, his face serious as he said, “Sorry, I think I startled you back there.”

Camila gave him a quick shake of her head. “No, not at all! It was my fault—I just slipped. Really, thank you for helping. But, um, Mr. Williams, how come you brought Lillian to the lab today?”

“Lillian was worried about you,” Dennis answered simply. “She told me you hadn’t eaten, and she wanted to check on you. She’s spent more time with you than anyone since she was little. Lately, she’s been a bit anxious without you around. So I figured, bringing her here would help calm both her nerves—and mine, honestly.”

Camila felt a pang of guilt. “I should’ve been more thoughtful. I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

Dennis’s tone dropped, a bit stern. “Next time? Ms. Davis, even kids know skipping meals isn’t healthy. You’re a doctor, you should know better than anyone how important it is to eat regularly. Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?”

“Uh…”

She started to explain, but Dennis gently squeezed her fingertips. “Lillian says naughty kids get punished. So, what should your punishment be?”

Camila was at a loss. Her fingers tingled where he touched her, and suddenly she realized he’d been holding her hand the whole time. Their fingers were nearly entwined. Sure, she knew he was just helping with her burn, but the contact sent a jolt through her.

Her brain short-circuited; she couldn’t get a word out.

Dennis saw her space out and flicked a drop of water onto her cheek. “Hey, earth to Camila?”

She flinched and finally snapped back to reality. “Uh—how about… I have to eat an extra helping at dinner as my punishment?”

He chuckled, a low, warm sound. “You sure know how to pick your battles.”

Camila’s cheeks burned, but she didn’t dare say anything else. He’d sprung the “punishment” on her so suddenly, she hadn’t even known how to react.

Dennis’s voice softened. “So, when your blood sugar drops and you skip meals, what do you do?”

Camila answered honestly. “I usually grab something sweet—chocolate, maybe a muffin. I don’t just starve myself, I promise. I am an adult, after all.”

Dennis nodded, but his face was still serious. “You know, your body’s kind of important. If you want to do good research, you need to take care of yourself. If your blood sugar drops too low, you could pass out. That’s dangerous—especially if you’re alone. For Lillian’s sake, if nothing else, please don’t mess around with your health. She worries about you.”