Chapter 42 Too Slick


    There was a trace of excitement in Elijah''s usually calm voice. "Brad,e look."


    He had been packing up to go home when his phone pinged with a new email. He had a feeling, opened it right away, and sure enough-it was from that mystery solver.


    A rare light flickered in his usually indifferent eyes. He didn''t even bother to check whether the answer was correct before telling Bradley toe over.


    Bradley was packing up when Elijah called out in a hurry, “Brad, that person showed up again. Come quick."


    "They replied?" Bradley asked as he headed straight to the dormputer, which had been left on. He logged into Elijah''s email.


    Elijah nervously gripped the armrest of Bradley''s chair, his eyes locked on the screen,pletely focused.


    "What the hell are you two so worked up about?" Xander saidzily, munching on an apple.


    Normally, he''d be long gone by this hour. But not today. He hadn''t left, and every now and then, he kept ncing at the dorm room door.


    He pondered, ''Where the hell is that little punk? What''s taking him so long? Or has he already left?''


    Bradley and Elijah couldn''t be bothered to respond. Xander didn''t care either. He just kept staring at the door, not looking away for a second.


    Right then, Cameron pushed the door open and walked in.


    "Pretty boy, you finally showed up." Xander hopped down from his bed and made


    a beeline for Cameron. "Where were you? I''ve been waiting forever."


    Cameron didn''t respond. Her gaze slipped past him,nding on Bradley and Elijah across the room.


    "Any luck, Brad?" Elijah''s tone was tight with urgency.


    Bradley shook his head. "They''re too slick. They nted a bunch of fake breadcrumbs to throw me off. By the time I figured out which one was real, they were long gone."


    Disappointment flickered across Elijah''s sharp features. "Still no trace of them?" Bradley said nothing.


    "Hey, what are you staring at? I''m talking to you," Xander snapped, annoyed. Cameron finally turned to him. "Did you need something?"


    "Well, school''s out for the weekend. I was thinking I''d take you somewhere-fun, exciting. Come on." He reached for her arm, only for Cameron to sidestep him without hesitation.


    "No. I''m going home," she replied tly.


    Xander looked baffled. "What''s so great about going home? Juste with me." "No," she answered.


    Xander was speechless. She''d turned him down so many times in one day that he''d officially run out ofebacks.


    While the two of them were still talking, Bradley leaned toward Elijah and said, "Eli, try sending the payment now."


    "Okay.” Elijah immediately pulled out his phone and transferred the 30 grand to the ount Cameron had provided.


    Right then, Cameron''s phone chimed with a message notification. She didn''t say a word.


    Bradley and Elijah both turned to look at her. A beatter, as if on cue, they nced back at theputer screen.


    Bradley frowned slightly. "Sorry, Eli. I really did my best." He stood and gave Elijah''s shoulder a pat.


    Elijah sat down, his eyes fixed on his inbox, lost in thought.


    Cameron''s lips curved into the faintest smile. She quickly unlocked her phone and deleted the payment notification. "Whatever. Forget it," Xander muttered. He''d been treated like royalty his whole life. After getting rejected again and again by Cameron, he finally lost his patience and stormed our story


    Bradley nced at the door, now rattling in its.


    Sessfully unlocked!


    behind him.


    Jhim. That''s just how he is."


    Cameron nodded, then grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. When she came back out, her school


    uniform was gone, reced by a sleek ck jacket that made her already wless skin look clearer.


    "Pretty cool look," Bradleymented, sounding genuinely impressed.


    102


    Chapter 43 It''s For Me


    Chapter 43 It''s For Me