Chapter 252

Caleb couldn't tolerate being accused of dishonesty.

The moment Lydia reassured him, his mood lifted considerably.

Hearing this, Chloe stopped crying as well.

Of course. Caleb must have confused someone else with mom. That woman couldn't possibly be her.

This realization brought immediate relief.

Then she remembered how Camille had complimented Maisie before. They'd seemed unusually close.

Without bothering to dry her tears, Chloe reached into Damien's pocket. "Dad, I need your phone."

Damien had already pieced together the situation from Lydia's words. He wiped Chloe's face gently before handing over his device.

Chloe quickly dialed Camille's number.

At that exact moment, Camille was leaving the movie theater, heading toward the adjacent arcade.

Seeing Damien's caller ID flash, she declined without hesitation.

Chloe's eyes remained puffy. "Mom didn't answer."

"She's likely occupied," Damien said smoothly. "Let's not interrupt. How about dinner tonight? Just us."

His casual dismissal made Chloe more certain Caleb had mistaken someone else.

She brightened. "Can Tristan come too?"

Damien chuckled. "Of course."

Feeling lighter, Chloe moved to return to her puzzle. But lingering unease made her call Claire to speak with Maisie.

Claire was startled.

From her observations, Chloe hadn't particularly warmed to Maisie. While not unkind...

Unable to resist Chloe's pleading tone, Claire contacted Freya first. After confirming both Maisie and her mother consented, she shared Freya's contact details.

Chloe initiated a video call immediately.

Maisie answered with visible delight. "Chloe! Ms. Dale said you wanted to talk? Want to play together?"

Despite Chloe's previous coolness, Maisie had always admired her bold, confident demeanor.

"Mm." Chloe pressed her lips. "Where are you?"

"Home!" Maisie cheerfully panned the camera. "Grandma and Grandpa are here. We're making my favorite dumplings. Want to—"

The sight of piled dumpling wrappers confirmed they were truly home. Chloe exhaled. "You didn't go to the movies with my mom today, right?"

Maisie shook her head. "With Ms. Hartwell? No, haven't seen her in weeks."

Relief flooded Chloe. "Okay. Enjoy your dumplings."

She nearly hung up, then awkwardly added, "Bye."

Maisie blinked. "Oh—bye!"

When Damien returned to the living room, Marcus inquired, "Everything settled?"

"Yes."

Their recently arrived guests—first-time viewers of Chloe—exchanged glances.

One remarked, "Can't believe Damien's daughter is this grown. So he married young?"

Recent whispers about Damien's child had been dismissed as rumors.

Seeing proof stunned them.

Damien sipped his tea. "Indeed."

Awkward smiles circulated. These guests had strategically brought daughters, hoping for introductions.

Potential matches, ideally. But a wife changed everything.

Their elegant, well-mannered daughters had garnered zero attention from Damien in thirty minutes.

Clearly, even unmarried, they'd have stood no chance.

Meanwhile, after an hour at the arcade, Tristan and Iris departed for prior commitments.

Camille, having nearly completed her thesis earlier, planned final edits at home before Graham's review.

Then submission.

Engrossed in VR gaming, she didn't notice Giselle exiting the cinema. Spotting Camille alone at the arcade, Giselle sneered before strutting away.

Thirty minutes later, Giselle arrived at the Lancaster estate.

Rushing upstairs, she found Sabrina there. "Aunt? Weren't you shopping? Why are you in Aunt Nora's suite?"

"Just returned."

Though the Lancaster home was lavish, it paled beside the estate Damien purchased for Helena.

Sabrina visited constantly under various pretexts.

Even now, she still marveled at the opulent decor.

Giselle mirrored this habit. Close family ties meant frequent visits.

She flopped onto a sofa dramatically. "Mom, Selene, Aunt Nora—guess who I saw at the arcade?"

Selene sat reading by the panoramic windows.

She'd already guessed but didn't engage.

Sabrina, however, perked up. "Camille?"

"Exactly!" Giselle popped a chocolate into her mouth. "Has Damien banned her from Harrington Manor? There she was—all alone playing arcade games. Pathetic silhouette, really."