Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 60

Camila Davis had no clue what was going on.

That morning, after she’d signed the contract with Walter Wilson, they headed out for lunch together—a quick bite at a cozy Italian bistro downtown. She picked up the tab, a small thank-you for all Walter’s help.

After lunch, they swung by to check out the progress on the new research facility. Most of the construction was done; only a handful of specialized medical devices—stuff that had to be imported from Europe—were still missing.

Camila walked through the site, overall pretty satisfied but still offering a few pointed suggestions. She didn’t care much about the size of her office or the staff lounge, but when it came to the lab space and the precision of her research equipment, she was a stickler. Drug development was serious business—people’s lives were on the line. There was no room for half-measures.

Walter respected her dedication. He nodded along, making sure his assistant jotted down every detail. Anything that wasn’t up to snuff would be fixed, no question.

By the time they wrapped up, it was already past three.

Camila said her goodbyes to Walter and headed home. On the way, she made a special stop at her favorite bakery to pick up a strawberry shortcake for Lillian. Leaving her little girl at home all day made her feel guilty—she hoped the cake would make it up to her, just a little. The thought of Lillian’s face lighting up made her practically skip down the sidewalk.

But when she got home, Lillian was nowhere to be found.

She searched upstairs and down, but the house was quiet. Camila found the nanny in the kitchen and asked, “Where’s Lillian? Did she go out? Why isn’t she home?”

The nanny smiled. “Oh, after lunch, Mr. Smith came by and took her to the amusement park. He said he wanted to spend some time with her. Lillian was so happy—she left here grinning from ear to ear.”

Camila froze.

Jordan Smith took Lillian out?

That was…unexpected, to say the least. The man barely spoke to Lillian most days. What had gotten into him?

A strange sense of unease crept over her. She didn’t waste time—she grabbed her phone and dialed Jordan’s number.

He actually picked up after a couple of rings, which was a miracle in itself.

Camila didn’t bother with small talk. “Which amusement park are you at with Lillian?”

Jordan’s voice was cool as ever. “The one owned by the Smith Group.”

Camila’s brow furrowed. “If you were taking her out, why didn’t you tell me? You hardly know her. Some rides are too much for her—she needs special care. Did you even think to ask—”

She didn’t get to finish. A young, familiar voice chimed in from Jordan’s end, “Uncle Jordan, what are we doing next?”

Camila’s heart dropped. That was Daniel, Sandra Taylor’s son.

She sounded so hurt, so small. Camila’s eyes stung; she kissed her daughter’s head, whispering, “It’s okay. Mommy’s here. I’ve got you.”

Lillian nuzzled closer, gripping Camila’s shirt with both hands.

Now that she was closer, Camila noticed a dirty smear on Lillian’s shirt. Her heart skipped a beat. She pulled back to check her over. “Did you fall? Are you hurt? Let Mommy see.”

She looked Lillian up and down—no scrapes, no bruises. But the stain…that didn’t look like an accident.

“What happened, honey? Tell Mommy.”

Lillian bit her lip, but didn’t answer.

Just then, Jordan came over with Daniel in tow. At the sight of Daniel, Lillian shrank further into Camila’s arms, her whole body tense with fear.

Camila’s suspicion hardened into certainty. Daniel had done something—again.

Fury bubbled up inside her, hot and sharp. She shot Jordan a look that could kill, her eyes blazing with anger and hurt. In that moment, she hated him more than she ever had before.