Chapter 286

The sound of a car door opening made Damien turn his head.

Camille stepped out and shut the door behind her. Without a word, she approached and took the umbrella from his hand.

His gaze dropped to her ankle. "Are you hurt?"

It ached slightly, but she could still walk. She didn’t bother explaining why he had swept her into his arms earlier.

"Call me when the divorce is finalized," she said flatly.

Her meaning was clear—no contact unless necessary.

She adjusted the umbrella and walked past him without another glance.

Damien watched her go but didn’t stop her. Only when she was safely in her car did he finally leave. Moments later, his car pulled out of the lot, followed by Everett’s.

Reporters had covered both the conference and the dinner. Camille made a quick stop at the hospital before heading home around eight. She had just finished dinner when news about the forum broke.

Meanwhile, Selene and Helena were reading the same reports. Their brows furrowed when they saw Camille representing NovaSight Labs at a high-profile government event.

"I thought she and Gabriel were having issues," Selene muttered. "Why would he send her?"

Helena handed her a bowl of soup, her expression calm. "Patience. Let’s see how this plays out."

Camille was undeniably beautiful. It wasn’t surprising if Gabriel was reluctant to let her go completely. Relationships like theirs often had ups and downs.

But cracks, once formed, rarely disappeared. Their reconciliation wouldn’t last.

That meant Selene still had a chance to get into NovaSight Labs—and closer to Gabriel.

Selene wasn’t bothered by the photos of Camille sitting near Damien at the forum. She trusted herself—and him.

Just then, Tristan came downstairs. "You’re back."

"Yeah," Selene replied. "How was school?"

Tristan, now a senior, had transferred to Westbridge this semester. Damien’s team had handled the paperwork seamlessly.

The curriculum here was different, but Tristan was a quick learner. "Everything’s fine. You know I don’t slack."

True. Both Selene and Tristan had always been top students. Their parents never had to worry about their grades.

Selene and Helena exchanged amused glances.

The next morning, Tristan Rutherford and Everett Mercer arrived at NovaSight Labs at the same time.

"Mr. Rutherford," Everett greeted. "Fancy seeing you here."

Tristan nodded. "Mr. Mercer."

Everett was about to say more when Camille and Gabriel emerged, spotting them.

She had left Damien’s car quickly yesterday. Everett wondered what she’d said to him afterward.

But one thing was clear—Damien had been the one initiating contact both times. At last year’s banquet and again yesterday. Camille, meanwhile, had remained distant.

It puzzled him.

Camille was stunning, sure. But Damien wasn’t the type to be swayed by looks alone. In every other aspect, she paled in comparison to Selene.

So why her?

Camille caught the disdain in Everett’s eyes. "Something on your mind, Mr. Mercer?"

"You’re imagining things, Ms. Hartwell," he replied coolly. "We have nothing to discuss."

Gabriel and Tristan had seen the forum coverage. It wasn’t hard to guess there’d been tension between Camille and Everett.

Gabriel smiled faintly. "Problem?"

Camille cut in before Everett could respond. "Nothing worth mentioning."

She turned to Tristan. "Mr. Rutherford, this way."

Tristan nodded, shooting Everett a brief glance before following her to the conference room.

Gabriel didn’t press further. If Camille didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t pry.

"Shall we, Mr. Mercer?" he said coolly.

This was Tristan’s first time seeing Camille since New Year’s Eve. His gaze lingered on her longer than necessary, though no one noticed—they were too focused on the tension between her and Everett.

Once inside the conference room, he finally looked away. "I meant to attend yesterday’s forum," he said, taking a seat. "But I was out of town. Had to send someone else."

Small talk before business was normal. Camille didn’t think much of it. "I see."

Tristan realized she hadn’t picked up on his interest. He lowered his gaze and switched topics.

"Let’s discuss the project."