Chapter 54

Camille averted her gaze when Everett and his team signaled for her assistance with technical queries. Damien Harrington was instantly forgotten as she turned on her heel and strode toward them.

The moment she pivoted, Arlo Calloway spotted her.

Selene Lancaster had just walked over to Malcolm Lancaster, leaving Damien's side.

Arlo nudged Damien sharply with his elbow, gesturing toward the unexpected sight. "Look who's here - your wife."

Damien followed the motion and froze. There she was.

Camille stood slightly apart from the group, tablet in hand, meticulously explaining complex exhibit concepts to Everett Ortiz and his colleagues.

The discussion between Camille and Everett was so intense they remained oblivious to Damien's piercing stare.

Arlo whistled low. "Who are those people with your wife? Is she really breaking down core tech concepts for them? Since when was Camille this brilliant?"

Damien's gaze remained locked on Camille, his silence speaking volumes.

At that precise moment, as if sensing the weight of his stare, Camille glanced up.

Their eyes connected across the crowded exhibition hall.

A heartbeat of hesitation.

The distance made it impossible to read Damien's expression clearly, but she could swear she saw the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.

Was that smile meant for her? Wishful thinking, probably.

Confused, Camille looked away.

Arlo caught it too. "What's got you grinning like that?"

Damien chuckled darkly. "Nothing."

Arlo didn't press, but raised an eyebrow at Camille's composed reaction upon noticing them - especially Damien.

She might as well have been looking at a stranger.

Was this her playing hard to get? Or simply being discreet?

If the latter, then considering Damien's refusal to acknowledge their marriage publicly, her behavior made perfect sense. She'd maintained this careful distance at both the gala and now the expo.

Not a single trace of their relationship left for prying eyes.

Arlo had to admit - when it came to discretion, Camille was masterful.

Selene chose that moment to reappear. "What are you two conspiring about?"

Arlo recovered first. "Nothing important." Then, smoothly changing subjects: "Finished your discussion?"

Before Selene could respond, an approaching group interrupted. "Professor Hartwell, allow me to introduce the algorithmic prodigy I mentioned - Ms. Lancaster."

Dorian Hartwell was the same expert Gabriel Ashcroft had introduced to Camille at the gala.

That night when Selene had confronted Gabriel, Dorian had been present.

But with his unremarkable appearance and Selene's singular focus on other matters, she'd paid him no attention.

Now, meeting again, recognition failed to spark.

Their tense exchange that evening had gone unnoticed by Dorian, engrossed as he'd been in conversation with Camille. He'd never inquired about it afterward.

Seeing Selene now, he made no mention of their previous encounter. Simply extended a hand. "Ms. Lancaster."

"Professor." Selene's reply was perfectly polite.

With the Lancaster tech division desperately needing talent, Selene couldn't afford to offend someone of Dorian's caliber. Even Malcolm made a point to come greet him.

Soon Selene and Dorian were deep in discussion.

Surrounded by cutting-edge exhibits, their conversation stretched on.

Malcolm and Rosalie Lancaster, however, understood technology about as well as they understood ancient Sumerian.