Chapter 206: Broken Again

Camille smiled as she lowered herself into the chair across from him. "I have information that leads me to you, and I want to find out if you will be useful or useless to me."

Richard leaned back in his chair, clearly entertained by her bluntness. "I’d like to say useful in a lot of ways." His eyes dropped to her cleavage and stayed there just long enough to make his intentions obvious. He wasn’t even pretending to be discreet.

She didn’t react.

If anything, his lack of restraint made her more confident. A man who wanted something was easier to manipulate.

"My ex-husband is looking into his wife’s debts," Camille said, crossing one leg over the other. "And those debts lead to your company. He is right now on the search for a private accounting firm for proper audits and investigation."

Richard had not expected that.

And with the look in his eyes, Camille could already tell the man was going to be very useful.

He tried to hide it behind indifference. "Yeah, so?"

"If there is something that can be found," Camille said calmly, "I suggest you tell me, and we can help each other. If there is nothing, then I guess I will bid you a good day."

"How do you think I can help you?" Richard asked.

Now they were getting somewhere.

"Get your leech away from my husband."

"I cannot control that anymore."

She refused to accept that.

The entire problem with Naomi was that she had somehow managed to place herself so deeply into Dorian’s life.

His family liked her. His friends liked her.

It was disgusting.

"All I need is information," Camille said. "Something to help me. Anything."

"And how will you help me?"

"You clearly have something to protect," she said. "If you help me, I help you. If there is something buried in those accounts, records or debt files. Tell me where Dorian will look first, what he might find and what needs to disappear before he gets there. I make sure nothing is found. You can go on doing what it is you have been doing."

Richard seemed to consider the offer more seriously now. His fingers tapped once against the arm of his chair before his eyes returned to Camille. "Did you discuss this with Mr Sterling?"

"Why would I?"

"I was under the impression that you both were working together to get him married to Naomi and leave your husband be."

"We are," Camille said, "and no, he knows nothing about me being here."

"Then I wouldn’t classify you as efficient or trustworthy."

"Well then, that’s your problem." She stood. "See you, Mr Whitmore."

"Wait!"

Camille took her time turning around.

"What kinds of information do you need?" he asked.

Camille smiled and sat back down.

Now they were finally speaking properly. The next part would be easy enough.

Dorian had trust issues.

She knew what Lillian’s betrayal had done to him. She knew how easily one small inconsistency could become a question in his head, and how quickly that question could start feeding on everything around it. She would explore that later.

But her first line of attack would be Naomi.

Dorian was still too alert right now. Too invested in his perfect little marriage.

Naomi, however, was easier.

Camille didn’t even have to create some elaborate lie. She just needed to give Naomi the right pieces and let her arrange them.

That was always more effective anyway.

Naomi only needed to see what Camille wanted her to see.

And once doubt entered the marriage, Camille could decide what to do with it.

"Let’s start with the truth," she said.

*****

Naomi hurried into her old apartment building that morning. Her mind was still struggling to catch up with the phone call. She reached the apartment, pulled open the door and stepped inside. "Tessa!" She was struck by how much the apartment still felt like part of her life even though she no longer lived there.

"In here!" Tessa’s teary voice came from the bedroom.

Naomi hurried and pushed the bedroom door open. "Tessa..."

Tessa was curled up in bed. Her knees were pulled close, her face blotchy from crying, and there were tissues scattered around the bed.

"Tessa, what in the world?" Naomi crossed the room quickly. "I don’t even know what to say... I’m so sorry." She dropped onto the bed beside Tessa.

"I feel like an idiot, Naomi," Tessa cried.

"You’re not an idiot."

"How could he do this to me again!?" Tessa asked, her voice breaking all over again.

"Baby... don’t do this. I beg you. You’re going to make me cry too."

That only seemed to make Tessa cry harder.

Naomi moved closer and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against her side while Tessa tried to wipe at tears that refused to stop.

"The humiliation," Tessa whispered.

"How did you find out?" Naomi had to ask.

Tessa swallowed and reached for her phone. "She sent me a picture of him in her bed. He was with her while I was at Ginny’s wedding." Tessa pulled up the picture Sabrina had sent to her.

Naomi took one look and nearly threw the phone across the room.

There really wasn’t much room for creative interpretation.

"That woman is shameless, heavens!" Naomi exclaimed. "And you received this when?"

"Last night."

"Last night? You have been here since last night? Why didn’t you call me?"

Tessa looked down. "I’m just so ashamed."

"T... what the hell are you talking about? It’s me. Come on. You trusted your husband. That is not something you should be ashamed of. He should be the one ashamed."

Tessa inhaled shakily. "I can’t even face him. I don’t even want to hear whatever it is he has to say. I... I need to go home."

"To Vermont?"

"Yeah." Tessa wiped her face again. "I’ll just stay there for a couple of weeks. I don’t want to be sucked into his orbit again. I’ll forward the divorce papers while I am there," She added.