Xander shot Austin a re. "If it''s not your turn to talk, then keep quiet."


    Austin was a little speechless.


    Cameron said, "Xander, stop picking on Aus."


    Xander replied, sounding jealous, "You two sure sound close, huh?"


    Cameron looked exasperated. "I don''t have time for you."


    After saying that, she walked straight away.


    Xander immediately tried to follow, but Austin called out to stop him. "Xan?"


    "What?" Xander snapped, clearly annoyed.


    Austin said, "Xan, Cam seems normal."


    "Normal?" Xander looked confused.


    Austin just smiled. "Never mind."


    Xander shot him a look. "You''re so weird."


    With that, Xander hurried off to catch up with Cameron. In the end, he still shamelessly trailed after Cameron.


    "Cameron, wait for me," Xander called out.


    Cameron stopped and looked at him, her facepletely nk.


    Cameron was really sharp. She could tell that Xander''s attitude toward her had changed so much. It all started when he found out she was actually a girl disguised as a guy.


    Cameron got straight to the point and asked, "Xander, you thought Milena was me before, didn''t you?"


    Xander scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Milena tricked me."


    Cameron shot back, "Yeah, but isn''t that just you being dumb?"


    "Alright, I''m dumb." Xander nodded.


    Cameron hadn''t expected Xander to admit it so quickly, and for a second, she


    didn''t even know what to say.


    Cameron turned and sped up, walking away.


    Xander hurried after her. "Why are you walking so fast? It''s still early."


    Their morning self-study started at 6:50 AM, and it was only 6:30 AM now. They still got plenty of time.


    Cameron said, "Don''t follow me."


    Xander sighed, “Okay." He obediently stayed put, watching Cameron walk off into the distance.


    Then, as if remembering something, he called out, "Cameron, are you stilling to the library to tutor me at lunch?"


    Cameron shook her head. "No need. You don''t need tutoring anymore."


    If Xander had known, he wouldn''t have done so well on that mock exam.


    Elijah walked over, gave Xander a quick nce, and turned and left.


    "Humph,” Xander scoffed, full of disdain. He didn''t want to talk to Elijah either. Xander turned and headed back to ss 10.


    At ss 15, Senior Year, Elijah and Cameron sat side by side.


    Elijah wanted to ask something, but Cameron''s attitude made it clear that she


    didn''t want to talk. Thus, there was no need for him to ask again


    As expected, Xander waited right outside the ssroom at lunchtime.


    Cameron thought, ''Why is this guy acting just like Milena? He''s starting to haunt me too!''


    "Cameron, let''s go to the cafeteria together," Xander said,ing over.


    Cameron frowned. She knew there was no way to shake him off, so she just let him follow.


    Elijah stood behind them but didn''te over.


    While they were eating, Xander kept asking, "Cameron, where are you going after school?"


    Cameron replied with a nk face, "No idea."


    Xander asked, "How can you not know? If you''re afraid of Samuel, why not just stay at my ce?"


    Cameron shook her head. "No need."


    Xander pressed. "Then where are you going?"


    Cameron replied, "Not your business."


    ''Xander was at a loss for words.


    After school in the afternoon, Xander trailed after Cameron, careful not to get too close. He watched as Cameron climbed into Bradley''s Mercedes.


    Xander wondered, ''Seriously? She left with Brad? What exactly is going on between him and Brad? She''s a girl. How can she be so close to Brad?


    Xander immediately called Tyrell "Hey, where''s yourme car? Lend it to me."


    Tyrellughed and protested, "Come on, my car''s not thatme."


    Xander didn''t have time to waste, and he asked again, "Where is it?"


    In the end, Xander got behind the wheel of Tyrell''s/car and tailed after Bradley''s


    car.


    At first, it was fine-there were plenty of cars on the road. Blending into the traffic, Xander wasn''t easy to spot.


    But then, Bradley''s car started heading out toward the suburbs. Soon, it was just Bradley''s car and Xander''s left on the road.


    Xander frowned as he followed, muttering, "Hope they won''t notice me."


    But he couldn''t worry about that now. He just wanted to see where Bradley was taking Cameron.


    Cameron sat in the passenger seat, catching sight of a ck sedan in the rearview mirror. She said, "Brad, I think someone''s tailing us."


    Bradley nced at the mirror and replied, "Maybe they''re just going the same way."


    Cameron kept her eyes glued to the mirror, staying silent.


    They drove on for another ten minutes or so, but the car behind kept following at a steady pace.


    “Brad, I''m sure that car is following us," Cameron said.


    Bradley frowned and checked the mirror again. Suddenly, he mmed on the brakes.


    Xander hit the brakes hard too, his face darkening. "What the hell?"


    If he hadn''t reacted fast enough, he would''ve rear-ended them.


    Bradley unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, and walked straight toward Xander''s car.


    Xander instantly got tense and thought, ''Oh crap! Did they really catch me? What should I do now? How am I supposed to exin why I''m following


    them?''


    At that moment, a thousand thoughts shed through Xander''s mind.


    Bradley was already at his window, knocking on the driver''s side ss.


    Just now, when Bradley walked over, he''d already spotted Xander through the windshield.


    Xander had no choice but to roll down the window, grinning at Bradley. "Hey, Brad, what a coincidence."


    Bradley''s handsome face stayed nk. "A coincidence? Or are you following us?"


    "Following you? Come on, Brad, you''re overthinking it. I wasn''t following you." Xander waved his hands.


    Cameron got out of the car and asked, "So, where are you headed?"


    Xander looked genuinely surprised. "Cameron? You''re here too? Where are you guys going?"


    Cameron gave him a helpless look. "Xander, do you even realize how bad your acting is? Just be honest-why are you following us?"


    There was really nothing left to say at this point. No point in denying it anymore.


    Xander finally admitted, "I just wanted to know where you stay on weekends. You didn''t tell me, remember?"


    "So you decided to follow us?" Bradley frowned. "Xander, you''ve seriously crossed the line. This is Cameron''s privacy."


    Xander shrugged. "Fine, whatever. I''ve already followed you this far. Cameron,


    can you tell me where you live now?


    Cameron refused tly. "No."


    Xander protested, "What''s there to hide?"


    Bradley replied, "That''s Cameron''s privacy. If he doesn''t want to tell you, he doesn''t have to."


    Xander red at Bradley. "Are you two ganging up on me or something?"


    Cameron''s face turned cold. "Xander, turn around and go back. Right now." Xander looked a little hurt. "You''re really not going to tell me? Why does Bradley get to know, but I don''t?"


    ???


    "No reason. Just leave," Cameron barked.


    Xander looked absolutely pitiful, like Cameron had just bullied him.


    Cameron sighed, not saying a word.


    Bradley said, "Xander, acting pitiful won''t work on Cameron. Just go back."


    Xander snapped, "This is between me and Cameron. Pretty sure it has nothing to


    do with you, right?"


    Cameron said, "Yeah, that''s how I feel too."


    Xander huffed, "Cameron, why are you always taking Bradley''s side?"


    Cameron was speechless, toozy to argue with him. She said, "Anyway, do


    whatever you want."


    After that, she looked at Bradley. "Brad, let''s get back in the car."


    Bradley shot Xander a nce and followed Cameron.


    Watching Cameron and Bradley get in the car, Xander shed a triumphant grin, thinking, ''Gave in, huh? Wouldn''t it have been easier to do this from the


    start?''


    But once Cameron and Bradley got in the car, they didn''t move.


    Xander watched as the sky got darker, frowning. "What are Cameron and Bradley


    doing? Why aren''t they leaving?"


    Inside Bradley''s car, Cameron asked, "Brad, can you shake off Xander?" Bradley shook his head. "Xander''s great at riding motorcycles, and he''s probably just as good with cars. I doubt I can shake him off."


    Cameron sighed. She still didn''t have her license, so she couldn''t drive. It was


    illegal.


    She helplessly thought, ''Forget it. Gotta keep my cool. Let''s see how long it takes


    for Xander to finally get the hint and leave.''


    Just as Cameron was thinking that, Xander knocked on the car window.


    Cameron lowered the window.


    Xander said, “I''ve been waiting forever. Why aren''t you leaving?"/


    Cameron replied, "We''re waiting for you to go first."


    Xander frowned. "You''re really not going to tell me?"


    Cameron said, "Absolutely."


    Xander sighed, "Fine."


    Looking hurt, Xander turned away and got back into his car. He started the


    engine, spun the wheel hard, and made a sharp U-turn. He floored the gas, and


    in no time, his car disappeared.


    "Let''s go," Cameron said.


    As he drove, Bradley asked, "What do you think of Xander?"


    Cameron replied, "Not impressive."


    Bradley smirked. "What does that mean?"


    177


    Cameron said, "It means exactly what it sounds like."


    Bradley just smiled and didn''t say anything. He thought, ''Looks like Xander will be


    disappointed.''


    era


    Back at Silvermoss Castle, Pearl greeted Cameron with boundless enthusiasm.


    After a week apart, it kept nuzzling her leg with its head.


    "Good boy," Cameron said, giving its head a gentle rub.


    Pearl got even more excited, circling around her.


    Bradleyughed. "Looks like Pearl really missed you."


    Cameron smiled. "I missed him too."


    Cameron was in the middle of dinner when she got a call from Leanne.


    Leanne said, "Mr. Wace, just confirming-you have dinner with our CEO


    tomorrow at 6 PM. Will you be able to make it?"


    "Sure, I can," Cameron replied.


    Leanne then said, "Great. We''ll pick you up tomorrow. Could you give me your


    address?"


    "Just send me the restaurant address. I''ll head over myself."


    "Mr. Wace, it''s better wee and pick you up."


    "Thanks, but I''ll go on my own."


    "Alright, I''ll send you the address soon."


    "Okay, thanks."


    "You''re wee. It''s my job."


    Cameron hung up after that.


    Bradley hesitated for a moment, but in the end, curiosity got the better of him. He


    asked, "Got a date tomorrow night?"


    Cameron nodded. "Yeah."


    Cameron''s answer was way too short. Bradley could tell that Cameron probably


    didn''t want to talk about it. Bradley picked up on that and didn''t push any further.


    Right before bed, Bradley got a call from his third brother, Eric. Bradley said, "Hey,


    Eric."


    “Brad, am I bothering you?" Eric asked.


    "Not at all. It''s prettyte. Got anything urgent?" asked Bradley.


    "I''ming to Viremont tomorrow. Got time for lunch? Haven''t seen you in


    forever," Eric said.


    Bradley replied, "Yeah, that works."


    "You pick the ce," Eric said.


    Bradley suggested, "How about youe over to my ce?"


    Wed, 4 Jun


    Eric chuckled. "Sure. I heard from Eddie you''ve got a few fancy houses in


    Viremont. Mind giving me a tour?"


    Bradleyughed too. "Of course,e check them out."


    "Alright, see you tomorrow. Night," Eric said.


    "Yeah, good night."


    After her shower, Cameron came out and, out of habit, checked her phone, only


    to see a flood of messages from Xander.


    He was grilling her about why Bradley knew where she lived but he didn''t.


    Fed up, Cameron shot back: [Because I''m staying at Brad''s ce. Got it?]


    Xander: [You''re living at Bradley''s? I asked you to stay at my ce, and you said no, so why are you staying at his ce? Cameron, that''s so unfair.] Cameron put her phone on silent, tossed it onto the nightstand, and couldn''t be bothered to reply.


    Thus, she didn''t see any of the messages from Austin or Elijah.....


    Elijah stared at the messages he''d sent, but Cameron never replied. Elijah''s brows knitted, and he thought, ''Did Cameron just not see them, or is


    something wrong?''


    Remembering Cameron''s past suicide attempt, Elijah started to worry. He couldn''t help but try calling Cameron. However, Cameron didn''t answer it.


    A wave of panic washed over Elijah. After thinking it over, Elijah messaged


    Bradley.


    Elijah got straight to the point: [Brad, can you get in touch with Cameron? I can''t


    reach


    him.]


    Bradley was just about to go to bed when he saw the message. He paused and


    then asked: [It''s sote. Why are you looking for Cameron?]


    Elijah replied: [Nothing, I''m just a little worried about him. Brad, can you reach


    him?]


    Bradley also sent Cameron a message, but of course, there was no reply.


    Bradley replied: [I can''t reach him either. He''s probably already asleep.] Elijah: [What if something happened to him?]


    Bradley couldn''t help butugh. [Eli, you''re overthinking it. Cameron is an adult.


    What could possibly happen to him?]


    Elijah: [But I still can''t get through to him.]


    Bradley: [Maybe he''s asleep, and his phone is on silent? Don''t stress. Just go to


    sleep.]


    Elijah: [Alright, you too.]


    Even after messaging Bradley, Elijah''s heart was still pounding. He wondered, ''Is


    Cameron okay? But right now, there''s no way to get in touch with him. There''s nothing anyone can do.''


    Austin was just as confused as Elijah. He sent Cameron a message: [Hey, Cam,


    you left in a hurry today. By the time I got back to the dorm, you were already


    gone. Everything alright?] 10:01 Wed, 4 Jun-