Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 554

Dennis Williams was caught off guard by Camila’s sudden move.

He instinctively glanced back at her, concern in his voice. “Hey, what’s up?”

Camila sounded a little frantic. “Are you… are you going back to get engaged?”

Dennis’s eyes widened in surprise.

Before he could say a word, Camila quickly pulled her hand away, mumbling, “If you are, then… maybe we shouldn’t talk anymore, okay?”

She sounded like she was trying to explain herself, her voice barely above a whisper. “Lillian is hard to comfort. She always asks for her dad. You’ve been playing that role for her, and it’s helped, but… you can’t keep doing it.

It took me ages to help her move on, and then you showed up again.

I just— I don’t know what to do anymore. So… could you do me this favor, please?”

Dennis didn’t agree. He couldn’t.

He caught a few words in her ramble that made him narrow his eyes. “Engaged? Who told you I was getting engaged?”

Camila, oblivious to the change in his tone, replied honestly, “I heard it back in Boston. I met your fiancée. She told me herself.”

Dennis frowned. “When exactly?”

She answered right away. “Over dinner.”

They’d only had dinner together once in Boston.

It had been that night—after he dropped her off—when she’d started acting distant.

Now, Dennis finally understood what had caused her weirdness.

No wonder she’d ghosted him that night. No wonder she’d been deliberately pushing him away.

So it was because she’d found out…

Dennis couldn’t decide whether to be annoyed or amused.

Dennis raised an eyebrow. “What’s not right?”

Camila looked at him, earnest. “Breaking up someone else’s engagement—I’d be struck by lightning or something. I don’t want to be that person. I hate mistresses. I’m not going to be one.”

Her dead-serious tone made Dennis laugh, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “If it’s a fake engagement, then there’s nothing to ruin. And for the record, in my world, ‘mistress’ doesn’t even exist. I don’t care what other people think. I just want what I want.

But if it’ll make you feel better, you can make it up to me. Sound fair?”

“Make it up? How?” Camila tilted her head, genuinely puzzled, her blue eyes wide.

Dennis’s voice softened. “Well… you’ll find out once we get to Boston. But for now, just answer me. Will you come with me?”

She gazed up at him, taking in his handsome face, the gentle smile, the warmth in his eyes—the kind of look that could melt anyone’s heart.

His deep, smooth voice was almost impossible to resist.

Camila hesitated, then as if unable to fight the pull any longer, she stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his waist, and nodded, her voice soft but certain. “Yeah. I’ll go with you.”