A gentle voice sounded. “What secret chat are you two having? You seem so engrossed that you didn’t even notice us standing here for so long.”
Hearing Ayan’s voice, Camille instinctively looked up. He smiled slightly and turned to Timothy. “Say hello to your mom!”
Timothy called out to his mother, making Camille feel a bit nervous.
“Callum, do you think Ayan overheard our conversation?” Camille whispered.
The old man replied calmly, “No, he’s standing so far away. There’s no way he could have heard our conversation. Don’t scare yourself.”
Camille chuckled.
They continued their hushed conversation, deliberately avoiding letting Ayan overhear them, which was somewhat amusing yet nerve-wracking.
Ayan feigned a huff. “So, how long were you planning to talk behind my back?”
The old man retorted lightly, “We were having a perfectly open conversation. It’s not our fault you’re standing so high that you can’t hear us.”
Callum’s playful remarks diffused the tension, showing his support for Camille. He had picked up on her reluctance to let Ayan in on their earlier discussion.
Once inside the house, Camille whispered, “Callum, thank you for understanding me.”
“No need for thanks. I know you don’t want him to know. It’s better for him to figure things out on his own. This way, you can avoid any unpleasantness if similar situations arise in the future.”
Callum was indeed the most considerate grandfather-in-law. He always stood by Camille’s side, offering guidance and analyzing situations for her. He firmly believed that women were always right, while men needed to bear more responsibility, no matter the circumstances.
Callum didn’t treat Camille any differently than he treated Talia, which is why the Simpson family had managed to avoid significant conflicts over the years.
Back in the living room, Fletcher was making tea while Talia prepared some fruit. When she saw Camille and her Callum enter, Talia couldn’t help but laugh. “Looks like Callum is really listening to Camille. He never goes for walks with us, but now he’s eager to take strolls since Camille is here!”
Callum didn’t deny it, a hint of amusement on his face.
Camille smiled softly, “Maybe Camille just missed me and wanted to spend more time with me! Since you all take care of him every day, he simply doesn’t want to burden you more!”
Her words smoothed things over, and everyone wore smiles.
Ayan and Timothy came down from upstairs. Ayan brought Timothy over to Camille, speaking softly, “I have to step out for a bit. If I’m late, I might not come back tonight. You’ll stay here, and I’ll send the chauffeur to pick you up in the morning, okay?”
“Is it about work?”
“Yeah, I have some matters to attend to, and I might be busy until evening.” Ayan glanced at his watch. “I have to go now. You enjoy your time with Grandpa and Timothy, alright?”
Camille nodded in agreement, and Ayan left in his car.
That evening, Ayan didn’t return. It seemed like he was caught up in his work.
Sienna called Camille. As soon as she picked up, Sienna’s voice came through. “Are you back?”
“How did you know?”
“You’re really not a good friend! Yessica and Crystal went out for dinner and sent me pictures. What? Afraid I’d find out you three went out without telling me, huh? What a heartless woman!”
Sienna was clearly upset. It weren’t for the baby in her belly, she would have been more upset.
Camille smiled lightly and asked, “Mrs. Ward, do you believe you’ll be the one to cheer me up?”
“Cheer you up? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? You didn’t invite me to dinner, and you expect me to comfort you? You’re dreaming!”
It was evident that Sienna was quite angry, her frustration seeping through her words.
Camille continued to smile, saying, “Let me show you where I am.”
After saying this, Camille put Sienna on speakerphone and told Timothy, “Say hi to your godmother.”
Timothy chirped, “Godmother, I miss you! What are you doing? Is my wife doing well?”
Sienna exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, my sweet godson! Your godmother is out here earning money to support your future wife. Where are you and your mom?”
“We’re at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.” Even though Fletcher and Talia often explained that this place was not only their home but also his. Timothy firmly believed that this was just his grandparents’ house while his real home was with his mom and dad.
The entire family had tried to clarify this with him, but the boy remained steadfast in his understanding, leading everyone to eventually give in.
Sienna trusted Timothy’s words. Kids didn’t lie, after all.
After a brief chat with Timothy, Sienna asked, “Sweetheart, where’s your mom?”
“Mom’s here, but godmother, you made Mommy angry! Mommy said you need to cheer her up!”
Timothy was quite clever and straightforward, easily picking up on the feelings of those around him.
Camille gently pinched his cheek, looking at his cute face, and softly said, “Good boy, go play with your grandma.”
Timothy nodded obediently and scampered off to find Talia.
Camille sat alone on the carpet, gazing out at the garden filled with beautiful hydrangeas that Talia had planted.
Yet, she remained silent, waiting for Sienna to speak first.
Sienna broke the silence by saying, “Are you really going to be upset with me, a pregnant woman?”
“What’s so special about being pregnant, anyway? You didn’t hold back from upsetting me when I was pregnant! I told you, Sienna, you need to cheer me up now!”
Camille adopted a playful arrogance, feeling that this woman had grown increasingly bold, relying on her pregnancy to get away with everything. She had teased Camille countless times, but now it was time for a little payback.
Camille made her stance clear, her tone unwavering, leaving Sienna speechless on the other end of the line.
Neither of them said a word, and the atmosphere grew quiet.
After several seconds, Camille finally spoke, “If you don’t have anything to say, then I’ll hang up.”