Cameron Barely nced at the Young family before lowering her gaze again to focus on the menu.


    Elijah, of course, had noticed them the moment they sat down.


    He knew Mark


    The man showed up at every holiday event the Moore family hosted, always trying to curry favor. Elijah had bumped into him more than once over the


    years.


    Now, as Elijah''s eyes swept in their direction, Mark stood up almost instantly, his face lighting up with exaggerated warmth. "Elijah, what a coincidence Mark said enthusiastically, "I didn''t expect to run into you here.”


    In truth, the Youngs had been waiting outside the restaurant all afternoon, hoping to catch Cameron.


    Mark was determined.


    He figured that once he got a face-to-face meeting with Cameron, everything else could be negotiated,


    ''How difficult could it be to persuade a barely-adult teenager?''


    What he hadn''t expected was for Cameron to show up with Elijah.


    The two of them, having lunch together on a weekend-it said everything.


    Now he understood why Elijah had been willing to risk offending his father to cut ties with the Young family.


    Still, Elijah gave only the briefest nod in acknowledgment before looking away. It wasn''t politeness-it was restraint.


    Tessa leaned forward with an ingratiating smile, sping her hands. "It''s been a while, Elijah,” she said sweetly. "You''re getting more handsome by the day."


    As she spoke, she nudged Skyler hard with her elbow.


    Skyler looked like she''d swallowed a lemon.


    Her parents were making her apologize to Cameron.


    Getting forced to do it once in front of the entire school had been humiliating enough.


    And now her parents wanted her to do it again.


    She had zero desire to go through that humiliation a second time, but with both of her parents staring her down, she had no choice.


    Skyler stood and bowed stiffly at a ny-degree angle. "Cameron, I''m sorry. The stuff on the forum-it was all my fault. I really regret it, and I hope you can forgive me."


    She then turned to Elijah. "Elijah, I''m sorry I ignored your warning. Everything that''s happened-I brought it on myself. I''m sorry for dragging you into it."


    Cameron didn''t react. She didn''t even lift her eyes.


    Instead, she calmly flipped a page of the menu and asked, "Shrimp?"


    She ignored Skylerpletely, and Elijahy did the same.


    He nodded. "Su


    Skyler stood there, stunned.


    The two of them hadpletely brushed her off, like she didn''t even exist.


    Mark shot her a look that said. "Do it."


    Skyler stiffened.


    ''Dad wants me to grovel? Right here, in public, with Elijah watching?"


    Her pride screamed no. Absolutely not.


    She had worked so hard to maintain a polished image around Elijah.


    If she groveled now, whatever illusion of dignity she had left would be shattered.


    There was no way she would do that to herself.


    But Mark''s expression was firm.


    He sent her a second look and then a third-eyes filled with pressure and warning.


    Skyler bit down on her lower lip so hard it turned white.


    To him, pride clearly meant nothing next to profit.


    Skyler stiffened.


    There was no way she was going to grovel. Not in front of Elijah. That would be worse than death.


    But Mark''s stare bore down on her with such weight that her lips pressed into a tight, furious line.


    She had no choice.


    Just as she was bracing herself, swallowing her dignity to kneel, Cameron raised a hand. "Excuse me," she said.


    The server, who had already taken a few steps back in confusion at the Youngs'' strange behavior, quickly approached.


    "Yes, sir?" she asked.


    "This area''s too loud," Cameron said coolly. "Can we move to a private room?"


    "Of course," the server said quickly.


    Cameron stood. Elijah stood with him, without missing a beat.


    The


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