Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 559

Sarah Brown finally woke up and stumbled out of her room, yawning like she’d been hibernating all winter.

Camila Davis, sitting at the kitchen table with her phone, heard Sarah’s footsteps and quickly put her phone away. She turned in her chair, shooting Sarah a knowing, half-amused look.

The look made Sarah’s skin prickle. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, suspicious.

Camila grinned. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did,” Sarah said, rubbing her eyes. She glanced around the kitchen, searching. “Where is everyone?”

“They all went back to Cabinda,” Camila replied.

“What?” Sarah blinked. “Just like that? Even Mr. Williams?”

Camila nodded. “Who else?”

Sarah’s jaw dropped. “Wait a minute. He came all the way to Harrisburg and didn’t even talk to you? About—you know—your whole situation?”

Sarah had been rooting for the two of them to finally clear things up. She’d seen the way Dennis Williams doted on the little pup that morning, and the way he and Camila interacted—just like old times.

She’d figured, even if they didn’t get together right away, at least things would move forward a bit.

But he’d just left?

Camila hesitated, then said, “Well, it’s not like we didn’t talk at all…”

Sarah leaned in, eyes wide. “And?”

With a sigh, Camila relayed the conversation she’d had with Dennis, then looked at Sarah for advice. “So… what do you think he meant by all that?”

Sarah practically bounced in her seat, clapping her hands. “Girl, it’s obvious! My instincts were right—Mr. Williams totally has a thing for you!”

Camila’s heart did a little flip, but she still seemed doubtful. “Really?”

Sarah nodded vigorously. “Come on, you know what he’s like—he’s colder than a blizzard in December, practically a snow-capped mountain no one can reach. But he hugged you! That says everything. Have you ever seen him hug anyone else?”

“And that hypothetical he mentioned at the end? He doesn’t joke around like that—he was trying to tell you something, trust me.”

Sarah grinned, her mood lifting. “If he really drags you off to Cabinda, I’ll throw you the biggest wedding Pennsylvania’s ever seen, I swear!”

Camila burst out laughing. “Where are you getting a hundred hands to agree with, anyway? And it’s just a what-if right now, nothing’s set. You can’t just walk into a national research lab.”

Sarah shrugged. “You’re probably right.” She dropped the joke, sensing Camila’s nerves.

The Collins family might have been on his blacklist, but his mother still had shares in The Collins Group.

Dennis had never cared about those shares—until someone tried to snatch them away using some shady legal tricks.

Even if he hadn’t spoken to the Collinses in years, even if he couldn’t care less about the money, those shares were his mother’s legacy. There was no way he’d let them go without a fight.

And maybe—just maybe—his own biological father was behind the whole mess.

Dennis never spelled it out, but Camila could sense how complicated things were for him in that family.

His father seemed to favor his new wife and their son. If he really cared about Dennis, he wouldn’t have cut him off or made him take his mother’s surname.

Thinking about all this made Camila’s heart ache for Dennis.

But at the same time, she realized Dennis was starting to open up to her. He didn’t just talk about work; he shared bits of his daily life, inviting her in.

He’d even told her before he left—no more avoiding him, no more distance. So they kept in touch every day: texts during the day, a phone call every night.

Camila kept telling herself not to overthink it.

But for the first time in a long while, her resolve was wavering.