After Cameron left, the guests who had been gathered around him earlier buzzed with excitement. The power of rumor and gossip was potent and unsettling. Among this crowd of businesspeople, the latest buzz about Cameron and Lyla would likely spread like wildfire by tomorrow.
"Ouch, Cameron! You're hurting me!" Lyla protested as he pulled her out of the banquet hall and led her to the garden gazebo. The secluded spot had a small fountain playing a soothing melody nearby, which eased the oppressive atmosphere.
"Lyla, I swear, you must be some kind of enchantress. A single gesture from you, and men are under your spell!" Cameron said, holding her arm, forcing her to meet his gaze directly.
The memory of Jude's lingering looks at Lyla made Cameron's insides churn with irritation. He had expressly warned Jude that Lyla was his wife, yet Jude's greedy eyes remained on her, prompting Cameron to pull Lyla away from the crowd in frustration.
If he could, Cameron would have punched Jude then and there! Though he wasn't normally a confrontational person—quite the opposite, he was usually composed—when it came to matters involving Lyla, his restraint vanished. Perhaps Lyla hadn't noticed, but ever since she moved into Cameron's estate, he had quietly dismissed all the male staff. His possessiveness over her had reached such a level that even a mere glance from another man irked him.
"What are you talking about, Cameron? Let me go!" Lyla was confused by his sudden outburst. How could this man get upset without a clear reason? Had she not lived with him for over a year, she might have thought him irrational.
"What am I talking about? Lyla, don't let me catch you giving any other man those eyes, especially your so-called ex-fiancé. If I sense anything inappropriate, I'll make sure you both regret it!" he warned, gripping her chin firmly.
"Jude? Did you see him?" Lyla finally realized the cause of Cameron's anger; he had seen Jude. Knowing Cameron, he would never tolerate encroachment on what he considered his, and she realized long ago that to him, she was a possession.
"Jude? You say his name like you're familiar. What, are you eager to see your Jude?" Cameron's anger flared as Lyla spoke.
Cameron was aware Lyla resented everyone who ever wronged her, except Jude. As she explained, Jude was a pitiable man. She didn’t love him, but she felt sympathy for him. Lyla's compassion for Jude both annoyed and disturbed Cameron.
"Cameron, enough. How many times do I have to tell you? Jude and I were never meant to be. I don't love him, and even if Emerie hadn't interfered, I doubt I would have married him!" Lyla asserted. The wedding had never been her wish, but since it was her late father Charles's desire, she had never objected.
"It better be! Don’t stray from your objective. If you get distracted by your ex-fiancé, you’ll face the consequences alone. Don’t blame me for not keeping our deal and helping you achieve your goal when our agreement ends in six months!" Cameron found solace in her words, quickly spinning a rationalization for his behavior—a justification he had used numerous times.
“Well…” Seeing Cameron calm down, Lyla ventured forward to make her request, but Cameron seemed to anticipate her.
“No way! Now isn’t the time for you to see Charles. Do you think it’s that simple to meet him? If your stepmother and Emerie weren't sure they could keep him guarded, they wouldn’t have held this event.” As Lyla bit her lip, almost pleading, Cameron felt a pang in his chest. However, now wasn’t the right time; Lyla would have to bide her time to see her father.
“What? When did this happen, and why am I only hearing about it now?” Cameron stood like a statue in the hospital corridor, icy anger emanating from him. He felt chilled to the bone.
Lyla and the child were missing. Lennox noticed something was amiss that morning. He searched everywhere he could think of but couldn't find them. Knowing he had messed up, Lennox steeled himself for Cameron's wrath before he even arrived at the hospital.
The disappearance of Lyla and the child was mysterious, but even more perplexing was the fact that both Jude and Skyler had also vanished. This was the part Lennox couldn’t quite grasp.
“You're sure Jude and Skyler are missing too?” Despite the gravity of the situation, Cameron remained composed, knowing panic wouldn’t help. If Lyla was intentionally avoiding him like she had five years ago, searching the entire world might not be enough to find her. The idea of Lyla disappearing from his life again filled him with unbearable anguish.
“Yes, this morning, the estate owner mentioned that the rooms belonging to Jude and the lady of the house had been vacated, not by them, but by Jude's assistant. Realizing something was wrong, I rushed to Skyler's estate only to find out… Skyler had already left!” Cameron, remarkably, still didn’t explode, though Lennox grew more anxious by the second.
“Lennox, deal with those reporters outside. I’m heading out! And keep an eye on her!” Cameron indicated the press gathered at the hospital entrance and Jolie in the ward, frowning as he spoke.
“Sir, are you…?” Lennox glanced at the reporters, feeling a headache coming on. Jolie had sent them; the woman was relentless. But was Cameron planning to leave?
“I’m going to find her!” Cameron’s words were straightforward but resolute. Yes, he was going to find her; he couldn’t stay here a moment longer. “How’s the investigation I asked you to conduct going?” Turning to Lennox with a serious expression, Cameron inquired.
“Do you mean… the child?” Lennox was uneasy. For some reason, Cameron’s request was proving difficult; it seemed like someone was actively covering things up. Tracing the disappearance of the child was incredibly challenging.
“Besides that, did I ask you to investigate anything else?” Cameron's patience was wearing thin, and his voice suddenly rose.
“No…” Finally, Cameron’s outburst brought Lennox some clarity. Taking a deep breath, Lennox handed over a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. It contained all the information he could find about the child.
“Is this all?” Cameron frowned, finding the information Lennox had gathered inadequate.
“I’m sorry, sir. I did my best!” Lennox quickly apologized.
“Forget it. Go deal with those reporters. I need some time alone!” With a dismissive wave, Cameron sent Lennox off, used to his shortcomings in handling issues involving Lyla.
