Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 999

Camila leaned into his embrace. "I know, but it's just so annoying..." She thought she'd be free of them, but they kept intruding on her life. It made no sense. They had discarded her and Lillian like trash, yet now that she had moved so far away to Cabinda, they suddenly seemed to have regrets. And now they were disturbing her family's peace. Dennis knew she was agitated. He gently patted her back and soothed her, "Don't worry. This won't last much longer. They'll learn to back off eventually." "Really?" The frustration in her eyes softened, replaced by a hint of a smile. After all this time with Dennis, she knew him well. When he said something like that, it meant he would handle her problems for her. The bad mood brought on by others began to lift. Dennis smiled at her. "Have I ever lied to you?" Of course, he never had. Camila looked into his deep eyes, which held a gentle smile and a reassuring strength. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. "Of course I believe you. You've never once let me down." Dennis didn't say a word. Instead, he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. His gentle yet passionate assault melted her tension, and she willingly let him take over, her world becoming filled with his scent. A long while later, the kiss finally ended. Camila, breathless from the lack of oxygen, rested against his chest to catch her breath. Dennis, too, seemed to be composing himself. After a moment, he glanced at the clock. It was past ten. He patted her shoulder. "It's getting late. You should go take a shower." Camila sat up and casually invited him, "Are you coming with me?" Her eyes, still glistening from their kiss, seemed to hold a special invitation. Dennis's gaze darkened, and his voice dropped. "Are you sure?" Camila thought about the consequences of her accidental invitations in the past and quickly shook her head. "On second thought, maybe not. I'm a bit tired today, and if we... you know... my hair will get wet, and I really don't want to wash it tonight." But it was too late. Dennis swept her up into his arms, a slight smirk on his lips. "No problem. A little pre-sleep exercise improves sleep quality. You just relax, and if your hair gets wet, I'll dry it for you." He gave her no chance to refuse, carrying her straight into the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the air as she found herself trapped in his embrace, completely at his mercy. The air grew thick with steam, and she wasn't sure when her clothes had been removed. The temperature rose until she felt like she was melting in the shower, melting in his arms. She was soon exhausted by his relentless passion but still couldn't escape his powerful, teasing hold. Camila had no idea how long they were in the shower. By the time Dennis carried her out, she was completely spent. He had cleaned her himself from head to toe and gently placed her on his lap. He kept his promise, carefully drying her hair, but Camila was in no condition to enjoy the tender moment. Coddled and comfortable, she had already drifted into a deep sleep. On Saturday morning, the Smiths came to pick up Lillian as planned. Since Camila couldn't get away from the research institute, she couldn't go with her. But she didn't trust leaving Lillian alone with the Smiths, so she asked her parents to follow along and contact her if anything seemed amiss. Melissa and her husband readily agreed. They were also worried about Lillian going with the Smiths alone, so when the car arrived, they left with her. The destination was the art gallery Jordan had mentioned. When they arrived, the grandparents didn't follow Lillian in directly. They let the bodyguard take her to find Jordan while they watched from a distance, careful not to interfere. Soon, they spotted Jordan at the gallery entrance. They hadn't seen him in a while and were struck by how much weight he had lost. His once-handsome face now looked gaunt. It was clear he hadn't been doing well. In the past, seeing him like this would have prompted them to express concern. But now... they felt nothing. They hadn't forgotten how the Smiths used to interpret their concern as a sign of ulterior motives. Now, they were little more than familiar strangers, and they had no intention of meddling or doing anything that might be unwelcome.