Chapter 459

The moment Camille and Jocelyn left, Selene stood frozen in place for what felt like an eternity, unable to snap out of her daze.

It wasn’t until Helena, who had been waiting inside The Meridian, called to hurry her along that she finally blinked back to reality.

She hung up, stepped inside, and took her seat, her face unnaturally pale.

Helena frowned.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Selene shook her head.

“Nothing.”

Her voice was faint, as if all the strength had been drained from her.

Her entire demeanor was distant, her gaze unfocused, as if her soul had left her body.

Something was clearly wrong.

Helena’s concern deepened.

Not long after Camille returned home from dinner, her phone buzzed with a message from Damien.

"An urgent matter has come up in Brookhaven. My return to Lakeview will be delayed by a few days."

Camille read it and exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling up inside her.

But given that she had canceled their last planned meeting just weeks ago, she had no right to complain.

Still, if there was a next time…

She tossed her phone aside and headed for the shower.

The next morning, Camille returned to work at NovaSight Labs as usual.

Declan Vaughn smiled when he saw her.

“You’re back?”

Camille nodded.

“Yeah.”

Since Declan had joined NovaSight Labs, Camille had already taken multiple extended leaves.

When Gabriel had mentioned she was dealing with personal matters, Declan had wondered what could possibly take so long.

Now, he assumed it must have been related to her divorce.

With a child involved, custody negotiations alone could drag on for months.

He just wasn’t sure if she had finalized things yet.

After exchanging brief pleasantries, Camille settled back into her work.

Three days later, she still hadn’t heard from Damien—but she did receive a call from his mother, Lydia.

"Helena has been admitted to Metropolitan Hospital. Severe influenza, compounded by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory failure. She’s asking for you."

There was no time to process the shock.

Camille grabbed her bag and rushed to the hospital.

When she arrived, Selene Harrington, Hugo, Lydia, and Marcus were already gathered outside the emergency room.

Selene pursed her lips and said nothing.

Lydia remained silent as well.

Only Hugo acknowledged her.

“Camille.”

Camille didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, she asked, “What’s the latest update?”

Hugo answered, “She’s still in emergency care. No change yet.”

Marcus, aware that Camille and Damien hadn’t officially divorced, greeted her politely.

“Mrs. Harrington.”

Camille listened, then gave a slight nod.

Marcus continued, “I’ve contacted Mr. Harrington and Chloe. They’ve booked a flight and should be back tonight.”

Camille replied, “Alright.”

Under the circumstances, even Selene, who normally despised her, didn’t bother picking a fight.

After Marcus finished speaking, the hallway fell into tense silence.

The wait stretched on, agonizingly slow.

Finally, the emergency room doors opened.

Camille, Lydia, and the others surged forward.

“Doctor, how is she?”

The doctor removed his mask.

“We’ve stabilized her, but her condition remains critical. Recovery will depend on her own strength and willpower now.”