Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 693

Cynthia Lee realized she’d underestimated just how complicated things could get.

She’d thought that winning over Dennis Williams’ family would be enough.

But no matter what she did, it always felt like she didn’t quite belong in his world.

Why?

After all, she’d known him longer—she knew him better than anyone!

Cynthia couldn’t accept it, but for now, there was nothing she could do to change it.

Thankfully, Dennis had to play host that evening and couldn’t be cornered by the two of them for long.

That uncomfortable knot in Cynthia’s chest finally loosened—if only a little.

Camila Davis hadn’t attended the welcome dinner, but she still got a running commentary of everything that happened, thanks to Sarah Brown.

Camila had barely made it through her front door before her phone buzzed with a flood of photos—all of Dennis Williams.

Every possible angle was covered.

There were shots of him gliding between guests, charismatic and poised.

Others showed him standing among powerful politicians and business leaders—yet still managing to stand out, effortlessly commanding the room.

And then there were candid moments: Dennis with a drink in his hand, long fingers wrapped around the glass, looking relaxed and nonchalant.

Each photo was like a brushstroke in a masterpiece—impossible to look away.

Sarah added a cheeky message: “I’ve got a ton more where that came from, girl. Want to buy them?”

Camila couldn’t help but laugh. Without hesitation, she replied, “Sold!”

So, that night, both she and Dennis Williams ended up being blackmailed by two different groups of amateur paparazzi. And neither of them minded paying for it.

After wrapping up her own work at the lab, Camila threw herself back into her institute duties.

With their research project hitting its stride, her team was busier than ever.

There were even stretches when the whole group worked in isolation—Camila wouldn’t make it home for days on end.

But all that hard work paid off.

Under Camila’s leadership, their team kept racking up stellar reviews from the higher-ups.

Harper’s resentment ran deep, though she only dared voice it when Camila was out of earshot.

Benjamin Torres, on the other hand, didn’t share her bitterness.

He’d always respected Camila, and after working closely with her, he was even more impressed by her skills.

So when Harper started venting, Benjamin tried to reason with her. “Don’t take it personally. Camila might be younger than us, but she’s got real talent. Remember those bottlenecks we hit during development? She caught the key issues every time. If not for her, we wouldn’t have stood out from the other teams—or even finished on time. The seniors are right to value her. She’s earned every bit of recognition. If we keep working, our turn will come too.”

Harper scowled as Benjamin heaped praise on Camila. He didn’t bother hiding his admiration—at work or in private.

She just couldn’t see it. Weren’t she and Benjamin just as good as Camila? Those pivotal breakthroughs—she could have found them too, if given a little more time!

“In the end, isn’t Camila’s special treatment all thanks to Dr. Morris? You can’t tell me the seniors haven’t considered that!”

Benjamin gave up trying to persuade her and his face hardened.

He’d always thought Harper was just a little proud and stubborn, but now, her bitterness was starting to grate on him.

He didn’t bother sugarcoating his response. “If you’ve got energy to complain, you’d be better off improving your skills. In a place like this, talk counts for nothing—only ability matters. We’re the institute’s top young team, but even here, it’s survival of the fittest. If you can’t recognize your shortcomings and just stew in resentment, it’s only a matter of time before we’re left behind.”

“Oh, so now I’m the one sulking?” Harper shot back.