"Elijah," Cameron finally asked, "why did you want to go to the same university as me?"


    Elijah froze.


    His eyes instinctively flicked to her face, but the second he met her questioning gaze, he looked away.


    His heart started racing-hard and fast.


    ''Does he know? Have I somehow let it slip? If he really understands how I feel... what will he do? Will he push me away? Get ufortable? Cut tiespletely?''


    The thought alone made his palms damp.


    "Cameron, I...” Elijah''s voice faltered. He lookedpletely lost.


    Cameron tilted her head, concerned. "Elijah, are you okay? Do you feel sick or something?"


    Elijah froze.


    ''He is just worried about my health. His voice is calm and unbothered. He hasn''t noticed anything. God, I overthought everything''


    Elijah forced himself to rx, the knot in his chest slowly uncoiling. His heartbeat, which had been pounding out of rhythm, finally steadied.


    Cameron, still watching him, asked again, “Did you get heatstroke or something?"


    He pulled himself together and met her eyes with a smile. "Probably. It''s been insanely hottely."


    Cameron stood up. "I have some meds in the closet. Hold on."


    She came back a minuteter with the bottle and handed it over.


    “Thanks,” Elijah said, taking it with a small smile.


    They chatted for a while after that, moving on to lighter topics.


    There was no undoing what had happened. Cameron was going to Stenford, and Elijah was headed to Viremont Medical University.


    All he could do now was ept it.


    -Elijah stayed for dinner.


    Cameron wasn''t feeling well-her period cramps had left her drained-so she didn''t bother cooking. They ordered takeout instead.


    After the meal, Elijah noticed how tired she looked and offered to head out early.


    Around nine o''clock, Cameron''s phone rang-predictably, it was Lance.


    His voice was brighter than usual, tinged with excitement. "Cameron! The DNA results are in. You are my brother! This is amazing!"


    Came


    stood by the window, looking out into the night. "Didn''t you already suspect that?"


    "Suspecting it is one thing," Lance said, "but having proof- that''s different. Cameron, I''ming to pick you up. Let''s go home. To Yates Manor


    "I don''t think so, Lance," Cameron said tly.


    09.57 Wea, 11 Jun


    "Lance?" he echoed, annoyed. "I''m your brother."


    "If this call was just to confirm the test results," Cameron said, still calm, "I got the message. I''m hanging up."


    "Wait," Lance cut in, his tone tightening. "You really don''t want toe back with me?"


    "Not right now," Cameron replied.


    Lance was silent.


    It felt like someone had flipped a switch and drained all the warmth out of him.


    The joy he''d felt when he saw the test results-gone in an instant.


    Cameron wasn''ting home.


    He knew what kind of life she''d endured.


    .It was nobody''s fault.


    Their mother had given birth alone. No one had been there to protect her. Someone had taken advantage of the chaos, and Cameron had suffered for it The family bore some of that responsibility.


    But still... couldn''t she give them a chance to make things right?


    If she kept shutting them out, what were they supposed to do?


    Lance sat frozen in his thoughts, the dial tone already echoing in his ear.


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