《She's the Campus Prince》 Chapter 1 At the Greenfield Gender Surgery Center in the city of Viremont, inside the operating room on the fourth floor, Dr. Yasmin Jensen, dressed in a white coat, held a clipboard in hand as she confirmed the patient''s basic information with a nurse named Bianca Harvey. "Name!" Yasmin asked. * "Cameron Wace, Bianca replied. "Female." "Age?" "Eighteen." Procedure? "Gender-affirming surgery. Female to male. Today is the first stage-chest removal." After confirming the details, Yasmin nodded and instructed Bianca, "Take off her top" She then turned toward the anesthesiologist. "Start the anesthesia. Camerony silently on the white operating table, her eyes shut, dressed in a blue-and-white hospital gown. Even with the cropped hair, her features held an ethereal, gender-defying beauty. Her skin was smooth and wless, hershes long and softly curled, her nose delicate and refined, and a sparkling diamond stud shone on her right ear. At first nce, she looked just like a boy-an impossibly handsome, gorgeous boy. But that wasn''t the truth. She was a girl, through and through, one who had lived disguised as a boy from the moment she was born. The noise around Cameron made her frown slightly. The moment she sensed someone''s hand touch her cor, her reflexes kicked in. and her arm shot up, locking the wrist with a forceful grip. "Ow!" Bianca''s sudden shriek tore through the operating room as she screamed in pain. "What the hell are you doing? Let go. Cameron opened her eyes and shot upright, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room with startling rity. She wondered, Where am I? Is this that gender surgery center from back then? I''m back. I actually came back. The world-hopping system really sent me back here! She had spent over a thousand years in the world-hopping realms, enduring countless hardships andpleting mission after mission across different worlds. And now, with all her skills maxed out, she had finally returned to the life where she''d died. She, Cameron Wace, was back. She smiled faintly as she narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, finally letting go of Bianca, who was grimacing in pain. "What happened? Didn''t I tell you to give her a sedative in advance! Yasmin snapped Bianca looked wronged. ''Dr. Jensen, we did. I don''t know what went wrong." At the sound of that, Cameron''s face, beautiful in a way that ignored gender lines, turned cold in an instant In her previous life, she''d been dragged into this operating room against her will. They had injected her with a sedative beforehand just to keep her from fighting back The most ridiculous part was that today was her birthday. And on this very day, her parents, Martin and Heidi Wace, gave her the "gift" of a lifetime-forcing her toplete the transformation from pretending to be a boy to physically bing one. It was in this very hospital, with that injection, that she had been rendered helpless back then, unable to resist as they carried out the first of three surgeries in the female-to-male procedure-removing her chest. By the time she died, part of her body, a part that rightfully belonged to her, had already been gone. As fragments of her past life surged back, a piercing cold radiated from Cameron''s entire being. It was early spring, and though the room''s heating was on, everyone could feel the sudden drop in temperature. What are you standing around for! Pin her down and give her another shot. And raise the heat in here." Yasmin ordered while rubbing The purses moved to restrain Cameron, but she was no longer the frail, docile patient she had once been One nurse grumbled, "Holy crap. Wasn''t this girl all quiet and sweet when she got here? Why did she get so feisty?" None of the four nurses could get a hold of her-Cameron kicked each of them down with brutal precision sending bodies sprawling and chattering into surgical equipment. Chaos erupted in the room. Yasmin snatched the syringe straight from Bianca''s hand with a sharp wave. You "You bunch of useless lovers. I''ll do it myself" Sitting upright on the bed, Cameron stared coldly at Yasnun approaching the corner of her mouth slowly lifting into a chilling smile. Chapter 2 Just as Yasmin''s hand touched Cameron, ready to inject the sedative, Cameron instantly grabbed her right wrist and twisted it hard with a crisp snap. The syringe fell to the floor. Yasmin''s hand broke with a sharp crack and dangled limply. "Ow, my hand!" she screamed in agony, "Dr. Jensen." The nurses froze in panic. They wondered. This patient''s gone nuts. She didn''t just attack us-she broke Dr. Jensen''s hand" Watching Yasmin writhe in pain, Cameron let out a coldugh. In her past life, it was this same heartless doctor who had taken money from her parents and, with no regard for medical ethics, forced her into gender reassignment surgery against her will. It was Yasmin''s cruel right hand that had forced Cameron to be a man back then,pletely disregarding what she wanted. Yasmin had iting. The moment her hand was broken, chaos exploded in the operating room. Taking advantage of the mess, Cameron jumped off the surgical bed and strode out of the room. butside, the hallway was empty. For a surgery like this, not a single member of her family-neither her parents nor her sister-had shown up. Cameron pondered. Were they really so sure I''d lie here like some puppet, letting them pull all the strings? Or did they just not care whether I lived or died? She let out another coldugh, wondering. That makes sense. I''m nothing but a pawn in their marriage deal, a tool to help them climb the socialdder. And who cares about a tool? Of course they wouldn''t bother to show up. She slowly turned back to look at the door of the operating room, her gaze icy. In her previous life, it was from this very room that her already tragic life took a turn for the worse, plunging her into a darkness so deep there had been no way back, This time, she would be the one to take control of her life. Cameron clenched her fists and returned to the hospital room, changed out of the gown, and slipped into her own clothes before picking up her phone. As soon as the screen lit up, a new message popped up. go on a date with you. Amelia Chapman: [Cameron, as long as you get me a hundred photos of Elijah Moore, I''ll go on a Amelia was Cameron''s "fianc¨¦e, the it-girl in their school. Cameron hadn''t expected that the usually icy Amelia, who never even spared her a nce, would be the one to message her first. Cameron''s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she gave a faint, subtle smile. Her stunning face wasced with amusement, The message was exactly the same as the one from her past life-it had been waiting in her inbox the moment she was wheeled out of surgery. Back then, after being forced to undergo the operation, Cameron had spent seven days in the hospital recovering. The first thing she had done after being discharged was fulfill Amelia''s little wish That time, when Cameron had brought the photos to Amelia, she had been immediately used by Amelia''s best friend of being some kind of creep obsessed with secretly snapping pics of her roommate. They had also imed she had actually been into guys but had gotten engaged to Amelia under false pretenses. Using that excuse, Amelia had gone straight to Wace Vi and had broken off the engagement. Because of that broken engagement, Martin and Heidi had beaten Cameron so badly that her ribs had fractured, and she hadn''t even been able to crawl off the floor. Wace family for good. She had been hospitalized for They had told her that if she couldn''t win Amelia back, she''d be kicked out of the W half a month, and neither her parents nor her sister had visited her once. Before being discharged. Cameron had stood on the rooftop of the hospital to get some fresh air, and someone had shoved her from behind. She had fallen from a height of about fifty feet,nded headfirst, and died instantly. Her body had shattered on impact, her blood and brain matter sttering everywhere. People passing by had screamed and run, covering their mouths. Her corpse hadin on the freezing concrete for two days and one night, with nothing but a strange man''s jacket covering it. Her parents and sister had onlye to im Cameron''s body after the hospital had called them many times, and even then, all they had done was pay to have her cremated. They hadn''t even bothered taking her ashes. Chapter 3 Thinking back to everything from her past life, Cameron shut her eyes tight. This time, she was going to take back control and change the game. She opened her eyes again and nced down at the school crest on her uniform. She was now a student in ss 15, Senior Year, at Langford Academy in Viremont. It was the first week of the semester, and there were just over a hundred days left before the SAT This school was built for the elite. Every student either came from money or power-most from both. Still, even among the wealthy, there was a hierarchy. And Cameron stood at the very bottoNL The Wace family had once been prominent, but now had fallen from grace. By all ounts, Cameron wasn''t qualified to attend a school like this. She only got in because of her fianc¨¦e Amelia, and the influence of the Chapman family. "Did she run this way? Grab her. The shouting from outside the room snapped Cameron out of her thoughts. She came back to her senses and looked up at the crowd rushing toward her and scoffed, wondering. They really think they can catch fifty feet high. Cameron climbed onto to the windowsill and nced down. This was the sixth floor, about fifty feet "Go, Break her damn hand. Yasmin had arrived with the hospital''s bodyguards and nurses in tow. Her hand had already been set back into ce, but her fury hadn''t faded one bit. "Break my hand? Come and try, then." Cameron looked over her shoulder, unbothered and bold, even arching her brow with a look that screamed pure trouble. "Get her." Yasmin roared furiously. Cameron sneered, "Bye." With that, she turned her head back toward the open air and leapt As her body dropped at full speed, Cameron felt a sh of that moment in her past life when she had been pushed from the rooftop. Ban this time, shended steadily, light as a feather, and with style. She stood up, flipped a middle finger toward the people above, arrogant and unfazed Yasmin was speechless, wondering. She jumped from that height and survived?'' Her face twisted in rage and flushed red. Cameron didn''t stop. She swiftly scaled the courtyard wall, which was at least ten feet high, flipped over, and vanished from sight with fluid, confident ease. "Whoa, that was hot," Bianca gasped, practically swooning. Even though she knew Cameron was just disguised as a boy, Bianca still thought she looked unbelievably cool. Bianca thought, "That was the sixth floor. She jumped straight down andnded like it was nothing. That''s insanely awesome! "Hot, my ass, Yasmin snapped, shooting her a fierce re. Bianca immediately shut her mouth In the hospital director''s office on the top floor, Elijah stood by the window, dressed in the deep blue uniform of Langford Academy. His features were sharp and refined, his eyes mesmerizing and striking. There was a calm detachment in his gaze that made him seem cold and distant. From the window, he had seen the entire scene unfold. His handsome face remained mostly expressionless, though his eyes shifted slightly "Mr. Moore, I''ll go find out what happened, the secretary hurriedly said. "No need," Elijah replied, waving a hand as he picked up the textbook on the desk, "Just tell my dad I''m heading to ss." "Yes, Mr. Moore. Il make sure to let the director know, the secretary answered with a pod. 11:35 AM I ejes joj 100 At Langford Academy, a few girls were whispering among themselves. One of them said. "Hey, that guy''s really cute. I don''t think I''ve seen him before, Do you think he goes here?" Another chimed in, "Damn, he''s hot. Look at the way he''s got one hand in his pocket. He''s so cool. Is he a transfer student?" A third girl said, "Let''s go check him out." Cameron was standing beneath the Academic Office building. She tilted her head slightly, looking up at the bright sky above the school. the breeze brushing gently across her gorgeous face. It had been over a thousand years, and now she was back. The group of girls tugged at each other and finally made their way right up to her. "Oh my goodness. Isn''t that Cameron Wace? The one who had that childhood engagement with Amelia Chapman, the queen bee of our school?" "Wait, when did Cameron get so hot?" "Yeah, that''s him." There''s something different about him. But what is it?" Chapter 4 Cameron thought, Childhood engagement? Hearing their chatter, she slowly turned her head, her face turning icy cold. Just those words-childhood engagement"-made her feel sick to her stomach. It was exactly those casual, meaningless words that had doomed her to a tragic fate in her past life from the moment she was born. Eighteen years ago, both the Wace family and the Chapman family had been powerful and influential in Viremont. The two families were close. Cameron''s mother, Heidi, and Amelia''s mother, Kate Chapman, had been pregnant at the same time and had agreed that if one had a boy and the other a girl, they would be inws. At first, whether that actually happened hadn''t really mattered. But then disaster had struck the Wace family, and as they had fallen from power, that vague promise had suddenly be theirst lifeline. The Wace family had gone around boasting about a marriage alliance with the Chapmans. The Chapmans, not wanting to lose face- even though they already had looked down on the Waces-had felt they couldn''t go back on their word. The Chapman baby had been born first-a girl. That meant Cameron had to be a boy. But unfortunately, she wasn''t. Her insane parents, Martin and Heidi, had immediately decided to raise her as a boy. When the time was right, they would arrange for her to undergo gender reassignment surgery, fully turning her into a man, just to secure the marriage alliance and cling desperately to the Chapman family without the slightest bit of shame. As the memories came rushing back, the chill on Cameron''s face deepened. Noticing her face darken, the group of girls tugged at each other and quickly slipped away, whispering, "Let''s go." Not wanting to get dragged down by bad memories, Cameron shook her head, the motion smooth and sharp. "He really is kind of hot, one of the girls muttered, ncing back Another added, "Yeah, well, too bad he''s already taken by the most popr girl in our school." Cameron headed straight to her advisory teacher Brody Graham''s office and asked politely, ¡°Mr. Graham, I''d like to stay on campus. Could you help me get a spot in the dorm? Cameron got straight to the point. She definitely wasn''t going back home. That ce wasn''t her home-it was a cage. And she was never part of that family, she was just a pawn on their chessboard. Cameron scoffed inwardly, ''What my parents want is a son who can marry into a powerful family. Too bad I''m a girl. I''m useless to them Brody adjusted his sses and said, "The SATs are just around the corner, and you''re still behind. Living on campus might be good for you more time to study, I''ll check with the Academic Office," Cameron stayed quier, thinking, ''Behind'' Please. I''ve been holding down thest ce like it''s my job" Luckily, Brody was a decent teacher. It seemed like he hadn''t given up on a failing student like her. Half an hourter, Cameron received the dorm assignment slip. Her on-campus life was about to begin. However, she''d be living in the boys dorm. But after dressing like a guy for over ten years, she figured she could pull it off. She didn''t think there was anything to worry about. Cameron took the slip to the dorm manager''s office to check in. The dorm manager stared at the room number, looking a bit surprised. "Room 316?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Is there a problem?" The dorm manager opened his mouth, hesitated for a second, but ended up saying nothing. He just handed her a set of bedding and lincol Langford Academy was a top-tier private school, and not just because of its admissions standards-the campus facilities were next level. The dorms were basically five-star hotel quality. Every room came with a private bathroom, air conditioning, washer, dryer, fridge. desktop. TV-pretty much everything. After all, the tuition here was $300,000 a year. Cameron found Room 316 and unlocked the door with her key. Inside, Elijah turned his head slowly at the sound, his eyes chilling as they met hers Cameron paused for a second when she saw who was inside and thought, Seriously? What are the odds? Elijah sat at the desk with worksheets and prep hooks spread out in front of him, a limited-edition fountain pen in his well-defined fingers He turned just slightly, giving her a perfect side profile. The early spring sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind hini, wrapping him in gold- but there was nothing warm about it. His eyes were just too cold. Chapter 5 Cameron froze. She hadn''t expected her new roommate to be Elijah, her ssmate. Elijah was one of Langford Academy''s top four heartthrobs-and on top of that, he was a straight-A student. Ever since he''d enrolled, whether it was weekly quizzes, unit tests, midterms, or finals, he had always held the number one spot in the entre grade. Cameron had also heard that his family ran a chain of private hospitals. He had money, looks, and brains-be really was the full package. But that wasn''t what was on Cameron''s mind. What mattered was that, of all people, her roommate just happened to be Elijah. She still had that message from Amelia sitting on her phone, telling her to get one hundred photos of Elijah. Now that they were living in the same dorm, that task suddenly felt way too convenient. And with Elijah right in front of her, Cameron couldn''t help feeling a little guilty. She thought. Wait a minute. Why should I feel guilty? It''s not like I''ve got some inappropriate crush on him or anything. There''s nothing to feel guilty about. Elijah noticed Cameron standing there like a statue and spoke in a cool voice, "You need something?" His voice, like his eyes, was distant. but it was melodious. Cameron snapped out of it, one hand in her pocket, her face nk under her short hair. She gave the k shake. "Hi I''m your new roommate. At her words, Elijah frowned slightly. But he had good manners and didn''t say anything key in her other hand a little on the left and three on the The dorm room was huge, about a thousand square feet. It was designed for six people, with three beds on right-there was plenty of space Four of the beds were already made up with school-issued gray sheets, and two were still empty, which meant, counting Elijah, there were four people living here so far. The bed to the left near the door was unimed, so Cameron dropped the bedding she''d been given onto it. At the moment, Elijah was the only one in the room. The other three roommates weren''t around. Once he understood why Cameron was here, Elijah lowered his gaze and went back to his reading at his desk. He was pretty well-known at school-for being one of the top heartthrobs. Cameron was famous top-for being the "fiance" of Amelia, the school''s most popr girl. Elijah was ranked first in ss 15, Senior Year, while Cameron held thest spot in the same ss. And now, by some ridiculous twist of fate, they were sharing a dorm Cameron didn''t have much luggage. After making her bed, she figured she''d head out to buy some toiletries and a ckout curtain. Even though she was dressed like a boy, she was still a girl. Sharing a dorm with four guys, she needed to carve out a private space for She took out her phone and checked her bnce-around fifty thousand dors. Martin and Heidi had made it clear that they wanted her to win over Amelia during high school and get officially engaged as soon as they graduated. That was why they''d been giving Cameron spending money. After all, courting a girl especially a rich, beautiful girl like Amelia-took cash Cameron stared at the bnce, expressionless. She knew it was only a matter of time before she and her parents fell out for good. When that happened, they''d definitely cut her off, so she had to figure out a way to earn her own money. Elijah suddenly said, "If you can''t stick to it, I''ll ask Mr. Graham to move you to another dorm." Cameron was still staring at her phone when a sheet of paper appeared in front of her. The hand holding it was well-defined and elegant, clearly belonging to someone used to a life offort. Elijah, sharp-featured and cool-eyed, stood in front of her. Cameron took the paper and quietly read the list out loud, muttering, "One: Don''t bother me while I''m studying Two Don''t bother me while I''m studying Three: Don''t bother me while I''m studying Elijah had written the same line three times. When she finished reading, Cameron looked up at him. Chapter 6 Elijah shot Cameron a cold nce, then went back to his seat and resumed reading. He wasn''t negotiating with Cameron-he was informing her. He was cold and distant, but also bossy in that quiet,manding way. Cameron was speechless for a moment and thought. Don''t bother him while he''s studying? else just because he gets straight As ¡°Elijah¡± she said. "I''m taking your number one spot on the SATS. Mark my words." What, he thinks he''s better than everyone She crumpled up the paper in one hand and, with a smooth flick of her wrist, sent it flying in a perfect arc straight into a ck trash can ten feet away. She raised an eyebrow slightly at Elijah, sitting there with his back straight. He didn''t move or say anything as if he hadn''t heard her at all. Or maybe he had and just thought she was delusional and not worth responding to. Cameron thought, "Well, yeah. When the worst-ranked kid in ss says she''sing for the top spot, it does sound like a joke. She let out a smallugh, grabbed her phone and keys, and walked out of the room. After she left. Elijah finally nced toward the trash can a few feet away, frowning slightly as he pondered. Looks like I have to find a kay to get him kicked out. After buying toiletries from the campus store, Cameron was on her way back to the dorm when her phone buzzed in her packet. "Milena" Cameron said tly as she read the caller ID. It was Milena Wace her biological sister who was two years younger than her. Cameron frowned a little, but still picked up the call. As soon as the call connected, Milena''s usatory voice came through the receiver. "Cam, you ran out of the operating room? You even broke Dr. Jensen''s hand! What the hell were you thinking? "You don''t want the gender reassignment surgery anymore? Why? Cam. I know it''s hard on you, but this is all for our family. You can''t be this selfish. "When Mom and Dad found out you ran you ran out of the OR, they were furious. Mom even fainted. Cam, if you don''t go through with it, what happens to your engagement to Amelia?" Milena sounded like she was on the verge of tears, like Cameron hadmitted some unforgivable crime-like it was Milena herself who had suffered because of it. Cameron listened in silence, a cold smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "What happens?" she said tly. "Did everyone in the Wace family die or something? "Cam?" Milena clearly froze. Even through the phone, she could feel how cold Carperon''s voice was. She wondered, ''Something''s off. Cameron never talked to me like that before. What''s going on?" Cameron spoke, "Milena, don''t forget-you''re Mom and Dad''s daughter too. I won''t go through with the surgery. But you could. If you''re really that devoted, why don''t you go marry into the Chapman family? You can transition, be a man, and yourself." Amelia "Me?" Milena''s voice shot up as she panicked. "Cam, I''m still young. I''m two years younger than Amelia. How could I possibly-" Cameron cut in. Two years younger! That''s it? A two-year age gap is nothing. What, you don''t want to?" Milena went quiet, gripping her phone tightly as she thought, Damn it. When did Cameron get so sharp-tongued? And why is she suddenly talking about me bing a man and marrying Amelia! Going through all that pain and surgery? No way. I''m not doing that." Her voice dropped into a pitiful tone. "Cam,e on, don''t joke like that. You''re the one engaged to Amelia, not me Cameron cut ber off again, her face full of mockery as she said, "You know damn well the only reason that engagement happened was because our parents lied and said I was a boy. "My engagement to Amelia was never real in the first ce, right? So why are you still wasting your breath?" Milena was rendered speechless. 11:15 AM Chapter 7 When she couldn''t out-talk Cameron, Milena resorted to her usual tactic-ying the victim. She choked up and said, "Cam, why are you being so mean to me? Did I do something wrong? Just tell me, okay? I''ll fix it" Normally, the second Milena said something like that, Cameron would instantly go soft no But this time, Cameron said, "Your whole existence is a mistake. Can you just drop dead?" matter what she''d done wrong Milena was speechless, thinking, "What the hell is wrong with this wretch? How could she say that? Has shepletely lost her mind? She started crying, "Cam, how could you say that to me?" Cameron''s face stayed nk. "I say whatever the hell I want." She pondered, ''Is she seriously trying to y the victim now? I''ve dealt with more conniving bitches in my world-hopping lives than I can count. Milena is nothing. Milena stayed silent for a long time. When the emotional guilt trip didn''t work, she finally got to the point. "Cam, Mom and Dad are really upset. Come home after school tonight and apologize to them, and we''ll reschedule the surgery. Cameron didn''t answer. Instead, she asked, "Milena, sweetheart, do you happen to remember what today is?" Milena blurted out, "Isn''t today the day of your surgery?" Cameron let out a coldugh and thought, I should''ve seen thating. My bad for expecting anything else." Milena didn''t want to keep arguing. She reminded her, "Cam, seriously,e home early tonight. We''ll be waiting." She sneered silently. Like hell she''d dare skip the surgery. Just wait till she gets home-Mom and Dad will set her straight Cameron snorted. "Sorry, I''m living on campus now. I''m busy." Milena was stunned. ¡°Living on campus? Cam, why would you suddenly move into the dorms- Cameron couldn''t b be bothered to keep talking. She ended the call and blocked Milena''s number without hesitation. Cameron stopped by the dorm to drop her stuff off. Elijah was already gone, and the other three roommates hadn''te back yet. The room was empty. She pulled the curtain across her bed. The evening study period wasing up. Since she had nothing better to do, she figured she''d head to the ssroom and get familiar with it first Thest time she''d walked into a ssroom was over a thousand years ago. It had been so long that, hugging her textbooks, Cameron ended up going the wrong way. Somehow, she wandered into the Math Lab, Langford Academy wasn''t just some fancy prep school. It was known for its intense academic focus. It ranked first in the entire country for college admissions. Each subject had its own dedicated building. Cameron stood there, one hand holding her books, silently staring at the unsolved problem on the chalkboard. This room was a challenge room. The board was always filled with tough math problems. Every time someone solved one, a new one would be added. Elijah was a math genius. He consistently scored near-perfect marks on every test. Most of the problems on this board had been solved by hum But this one had been up for almost a month and it was still sitting there, which meant Elijah hadn''t cracked it either. Gumeron stood with one hand in her pocket, her textbooks bnced in the other, her whole postureid-back and effortlessly cool. She stared at the board, then gave azy, confident smile. She walked straight up, picked up a piece of chalk, and started writing out the solution. Just as she finished and set the chalk down, voices drifted in from the hallway. Someone said, ¡°Come on, Amy, juste with me for a bit. Elijah lovesing here. If we hang around, we might run into him." Chapter 8 Cameron turned around and caught sight of the two girls standing by the door. Her eyes, which had been calm and distant a second ago, instantly turned cold. There were two of them. One tall, one slightly shorter. The tall girl was stunning. She wore the blur Langford Academy uniform, but the hem of her oversized shirt had been tied into a neat knot at her small waist, entuating her petite figure. Her skirt was pulled up just enough to show off a pair of elegant, slender legs that were hard not to notice, The other girl wasn''t bad-looking, but standing next to the tall one, she faded into the background almost immediately. Those two were none other than Cameron''s so-called "fianc¨¦e", the school''s it- girl Amelia, and her best friend, Skyler Young "Cameron? What are you doing here?" Skyler''s eyesnded on Cameron and instantly filled with disdain. She thought. Look at him-crappy background, no skills to speak of, total bottom- feeder in ss. He''s not even tall and his looks are passable, at best. And he actually thinks he has a shot at marrying someone like Amelia, a rich and beautiful heiress? What a joke Cameron didn''t even look at Skyler. She barely nced at Amelia, then turned to leave with her textbooks in her arms. "Stop right there. Skyler stepped in her way. "Did you take those pictures or not?" "Pictures" Cameron raised an eyebrow and looked at Amelia. Amelia''s pretty face stayed nk, but when Cameron''s gazended on her, she frowned slightly. y time Cameron Amelia, like Skyler, was sick of Cameron. She never acknowledged the so-called engagement between them. And every looked at her with that eager-to-please expression, practically throwing herself at her, it made Amelia feelpletely grossed our Still, she wasn''t Skyler. She had manners. Even if she didn''t like Cameron, she wouldn''t make it obvious or try to humiliate her on the spot. She just stuck to her polished in-girl persona and kept her distance with a cold, detached gaze. "You didn''t get the message!" Skyler stared at Cameron with ¨¤ patronizing look. "All you have to do is take a hundred photos of Elijah and Amy will go on a date with you. That''s doable, right?" Cameron nced at Amelia with a half-smile, then turned her eyes to Skyler. "I''m sharing a dorm room with Elijah now. "For real? Then you can take as many as you want." Skyler lit up. "You''re right." Cameron nodded in agreement. Skyler said. "Then get to it. I want them tonight." "But, Cameron spoke as the casually blew a strand of hair off her forehead, "I got no time for this crap." With that, she raised her hand and used the books in it to nudge Skyler out of the way. She had a bit of a thing about cleanliness and really didn''t like physical contact-especially not with someone she couldn''t stand. Skyler stumbled back from the jab and snapped, "Cameron, you got a new attitude now? You''re seriously refusing to take photos of him for me? Do you want that date with Amy or not?" Cameron looked over her shoulder and nced at Amelia. "Sorry, I got one rule- no dating in high school." Skyler thought, ''No dating? What''s that supposed to mean? This guy used to cling to Amelia like his life depended on it. What the hell is he ying at now?" Cameron added, "Also, I''m not ot into older girls. And definitely not into girls who are so perfect, even their boobs are an A Skyler was stunned, thinking. ''Did he just throw shade at Amelia? Amelia was momentarily at a loss for words, her beautiful eyes widening in shock. When their eyes met, Cameron said bluntly. "Amelia, I''ll find time soon to visit your house and cancel this so-called childhood engagement." And with that, she turned and walked off without waiting to see Amelia''s reaction. Chapter 9 Amelia was so angry her face went pale. She wasn''t mad that Cameron wanted to break off the engagement-if anything, that was exactly what she''d been hoping for. What pissed her off was the word "older". No girl liked being called that, especially not an eighteen-year-old in her prime. She was technically over a month older than Cameron, though. What made it worse was that Cameron had the nerve to throw shade at her chest. Amelia was nearly perfect-her family background; academics, looks and body were all top-tier-but her t chest was the one thing that made her feel insecure. She fit every standard of modem beauty and fashion trends. Her look was what people were obsessed with right now. She thought furiously, Who the hell is Cameron to judge me? Cameron had only said a few words, but they hit harder than anything else. Even Skyler was thrown off. Skyler thought, What the hell is going on? Cameron used to act like a simp around Amelia. Now he''s got the balls to talk back and insult her?" Seeing Amelia''s face go stiff. Skyler tried tofort her, saying, "Amy, don''t let him get to you. He''s just ying hard to get. Yeah, that''s what this is. He''s trying to get your attention. He- "Shut up." Amelia interrupted as she bit her lip, humiliated. Skyler instantly went quiet and sneered internally, ''Cameron wasn''t wrong though. Amelia is older than him. And yeah, she''s t. Why''s she taking it out on me? Cameron walked out of the Math Lab hugging her textbooks, deep in thought, and ran straight into Elijah. She was so distracted she hadn''t even seen himing, Elijah, on the other hand, had seen her. But he didn''t expect her to charge right into him, and it was toote to dodge. "Ow" Cameron''s nose smacked into something hard, and the sting made her yelp. She stumbled back before she caught her bnce. With a chilling expression, Elijah instinctively reached out and grabbed her wrist, keeping her from falling. Her books were scattered across the floor. She looked up and realized it was none other than her roommate, Elijah Once he saw she was steady, he let go of her wrist and frowned slightly. "Why can''t you watch where you''re going?" Elijah stood six feet one. Cameron was five foot nine. He was half a head taller than her. Looking down at her with that cold expression, he gave off a vibe that was clearly superior and distant. Cameron shot back, "Were you looking where you were going?" Elijah''s brows furrowed a little more. His sharp, enchanting eyes only flicked toward Cameron with faint disinterest. He wasn''t the type to argue. Cold by nature, he didn''t bother saying anything else to her and simply stepped into the ssroom. Cameron didn''t take it personally. She bent down, picked up her books, and brushed off the dust on them Amelia and Skyler were just about to leave when they saw Elijah walk in Amelia''s face stayed neutral. Elijah might''ve been good-looking smart, and from a wealthy family, but he wasn''t her type. He was way too aloof Skyler, on the other hand, was practically bouncing with excitement, but she quickly dialed it back, trying to y it cool. "Elijah, what a coincidence. lifted toward the chalkboard Elijah gave both Amelia and Skyler an indifferent nce, then walked straight into the ssroom. His eyes li -and he froze 11:36 AM do A secondter, he walked briskly to the front of the room, staring at the math problem that had already been solved on the board. For once, the usual cold look in his eyes sparked with excitement. "Someone solved it?" He thought, "No way. Someone actually figured it out?'' Turning quickly, he looked at Amelia and Skyler. "Who solved this problem?" Amelia looked puzzled. She turned to nce at the board and noticed the equation had, indeed, been worked out. Elijah ranked first in their grade, and Amelia was right behind him in second. Her grades were solid too. Sometimes she could solve the problems posted on the board. But this one had been up there for over a month with no solution. She had assumed no one would ever crack it. Skyler suddenly spoke, "Elijah, Amy''s the one who solved it." Chapter 10 When Skyler saw the spark in Elijah''s eyes, she froze for a moment. Then it hit her-this was a chance. Of course, she wanted to take credit for the solution. But she was a total cker when it came to academics. If she told Elijah she''d solved the problem, he''d never believe it. But Amelia was also a top student. Skyler figured that if she said Amelia had done it, the story would actually hold water. Sure enough, the second the words left her mouth, Elijah turned to Amelia, and for once, there was warmth in his eyes. Rendered speechless, Amelia was caught off guard and looked at Skyler in surprise, thinking. Why would she lie like that?" As she nced at Skyler, Elijah''s gaze slowly dropped to her hands.. Amelia had beautiful hands-slender, well-defined, and perfectly neat. Elijah''s eyes flicked to the half-used piece of chalk still sitting on the podium and his expression instantly shifted, turning cold. Her hands were way too clean and didn''t look like they''d touched chalk at all. He thought. Did Skyler actually lie to me like that? Do I look that stupid? Elijah turned and dashed out the ssroom, figuring whoever had solved the problem probably hadn''t gone far. But the hallway was empty. He wondered. Who was it? Who solved that equation?'' His chest was buzzing with adrenaline, his heart pounding. Without hesitation, he rushed off to check the security cameras. Amelia frowned. "Skyler, why would you say that? I didn''t solve that problem."" Now that Elijah was gone. Skyler wasn''t happy either. "Well, you didn''t deny it, did you?" Amelia was utterly annoyed, thinking, I just didn''t get the chance to deny it. iming someone else''s credit? I''d I never stoop that low ay to the Cameron had just found her way the ssroom for ss 15, Senior Year. Langford Academy followed an elite academic model The high school division had sixteen sses total-eight Humanities Track and eight STEM Track, with thirty- six students in each. Cameron''s ss 15 was part of the STEM Track-and the most advanced among them Cameron had lingered a little too long at the Math Lab. The evening study period was about to start, and by the time she got most of the students had already arrived. to ss. As the lowest-ranked student in ss 15, her seat had been pushed to the verystrow. Everyone else sat two to a table, but Cameron sat alone She took her seat and flipped open her math textbook. She already knew the material inside out Suddenly, her desk jerked forward-someone from the row in front had mmed into it hard. Her book slid off and hit the floor. "Well, well, look who''s cracking open a textbook. Did hell just freeze over?" the boyughed way too loud, his tone full of mockery and disdain. "Bottom of the ss hitting the books? That''s hrious." Cameron stared at his irritating face, and memories from over a thousand years ago slowly starteding back. The guy was Zach Poole, one of Amelia''s many admirers. Because of that, he''d always had it out for Cameron. He''d pick fights for no reason, constantly stirring up-trouble. He thought if he bullied Cameron enough, he could swoop in and take the spot as Amelia''s fianc¨¦. Cameron''s gaz is gaze turned icy, "Pick it up," she said coldly. Zach blinked, then burst into exaggeratedughter. "What was that? What''d you say, you wuss? Speak up, would you? You sound like a damn girl. And you still got the nerve to call yourself Amelia''s fiance? What a... Ouch!" He had leaned in way too close, and Cameron, knowing full well how cocky he was, didn''t waste her breath. She grabbed the back of his head and mmed it down onto her desk, her hand pressing down hard "Ow! Cameron, what the hell are you doing? Let go," Zach shouted in pain. He struggled to break free, but no matter how hard he fought, Cameron''s hand stayed locked in ce like a b of stone pressing down on his skull. The pressure was sharp and merciless. He bellowed inwardly. What the hell? This soft-looking freak''s got strength like a damn linebacker?" Chapter 11 Themotion made the whole ss turn their heads. All they saw was the towering Zach being mmed against the desk by Cameron, who was at least half a head shorter than him, And she was doing it with one hand. Her short hair framed azy, almost bored expression, like she wasn''t even trying, yet Zach couldn''t move an inch Everyone was stunned. Someone whispered, "No way. Cameron''s got Zach pinned? I thought Zach bullied him all the time." Another voice chimed in, "Even the quiet ones will fight back when pushed too hard. Zach went way too far this time." Someone else said, "Is Cameron crazy? Messing with Zach Zach''s gonna make him pay for this." Cameron didn''t care about the chatter. Her voice was cool and sharp as she spoke, "Are you picking it up or not?" "Like hell I am." Zach hadn''t expected to actually get pinned by Cameron. The humiliation burned hot in his chest and there was no way he''d back down Cameron''s face remained nk. "I''ll give you you one more chance. I''m counting to three. One" I said I''m not picking it up. Zach still tried to act tough. Two Cameron suddenly pressed down harder. A wave of pain shot through Zach''s skull. It felt like she was about to crush his head. He instantly gave in and yelled, "Okay, okay. I''ll pick it up. Cameron let out a faint scoff, the sharp curve of her lipsced with mockery. "See? You would''ve saved yourself the pain if you''d just done it earlier, she thought, and let go. As soon as her hand lifted, Zach threw a punch straight at her with a snarl. "Pick it up, my ass. At six feet tall with a basketball yer''s build, Zach was no weakling. Fueled by rage, that punch had more than enough force behind it to hurt. The ss let out a collective gasp. A few girls even covered their eyes in fright But Cameron caught his fist, steady and unshaken. Her fingers were slim, and though her palms weren''t exactly small, they were definitely smaller than any guy''s. She couldn''t even wrap her hand fully around his fist-but that didn''t stop her from shutting him downpletely. She squeezed, and a sickening crack echoed from Zach''s hand. "Ow, I get it. I''m sorry. I surrender, okay?" Realizing he wasn''t a match for Cameron at all, Zach backed off instantly, waving the white g Cameron then let go of his hand. Zach didn''t dare make another move. He quietly bent down and picked up the textbook he''d knocked off her desk. The arrogant, dismissive look in his eyes had beenpletely reced with caution and unease-all within just a minute or two. Someone said, "Damn, that was kind of hot Another added, "Cameron looks so skinny, not even as tall as Zach, and somehow still has that kind of strength? That''s impressive." And another voice gasped, "Oh my goodness, how did I never realize Cameron was this fine? Cameron paid no attention to any of it. She sat back down without a word and pulled out a pack of sanitizing wipes she always carried with her from her bag, wiping the fingers that had just touched Zach, over and over. Elijah walked into the ssroom right then, catching the tail end of everyone praising Cameron. His coll eyes swept toward thest row, He had checked the security cameras. In the evening, the only people who had gone into the Math Lab were Cameron, Amelia, and Skyler. The one who solved that equation wasn''t Anelia or Skyler, so it had to be Cameron But that was impossible, at least in his mind. Cameron was known for being deadst in ss, Elijah would sooner believe a ghost had solved it than believe Cameron had. Cameron felt the weight of his stare and casually lifted her eyes, meeting his gaze head-on. Chapter 12 Cameron could see the confusion in Elijah''s eyes, but she didn''t care. She quickly looked away, tossed the used sanitizing wipe into the trash, and flipped open her textbook. Elijah sat down too. He opened his book, his brows slightly furrowed. He had to figure out who it was The first ss of the evening study was mathematics Josh Grant, their math teacher in his early fifties, walked into the room with a cheerful spring in his step, carrying his lesson ns. He looked directly at his favorite student Elijah and asked, "Elijah, how did you solve that problem? Before Elijah could even respond, everyone in ss turned toward him with wide-eyed admiration. "Whoa, he really cracked the problem that''s been on the board for over a month! Elijah''s incredible. No wonder he''s always at the top of the ss someone said. "Straight-up math genius, someone else added. "Elijah''s literally my idol" another chimed in Cameron leaned back in her seat in thest row, casually twirling a pen in her hand as her eyes settled on the straight line of Elijah''s back. "Sorry, Mr. Grant, Elijah said coolly, cutting through the chatter. "I wasn''t the one who solved it." Josh froze, then suddenly looked excited. "It wasn''t you? Then who was it?" He thought, ''Could there be another hidden math prodigy in Elijah shook his head. "I don''t know either. Josh''s gaze swept across the room. "Whoever it was, raise your hand." ss 15 was the top-tier ss. All the strongest math students in the grade were concentrated here. If it wasn''t Elijah, it had to be someone else in this room: Josh looked around, full of anticipation. But no one raised their hand. "None of you?" Josh''s tone dipped in disappointment. Could it really have been a lower-grade student? That''d be humiliating. A problem the senior ss couldn''t solve was solved by a younger student? That''s just embarrassing" Noticing the disappointment on Josh''s face, Cameron stopped twirling her pen. She propped up her chin with one hand, the diamond stud in her right ear catching the light.. Her gazezily swept over to Josh, then drifted toward Elijah''s back. She knew she should''ve raised her hand. But even if she did, no one would believe her. She thought, "Bottom of the ss solving a problem the top student couldn''t crack? Sounds like a bad joke. That math problem was so difficult, even a student from one of the most prestigious universities might not have been able to solve it Cameron had only managed to do it thanks to everything she''d learned during her time hopping through different worlds. With all her skills maxed out, it was a breeze. That was why raising her hand now was not appropriate. There were just over three months left until the SATS She nned to improve gradually, climbing a few spots in the rankings each time. That way, no one would get suspicious. If her SAT scores turned out great then, people might actually believe il Josh looked a little disappointed, but he quickly pulled himself together, flipping through his notes as he reviewed the key points. "This type of problem is bound to be on the SAT. Even if it''s not identical, it''ll be the same format. Anyone still confused?" Cameron kept twirling her pen, looking as rxed as ever e could The evening study ended at ten. Instead of heading straight back to the dorm, Cameron made her way to the school''s bakery and bought herself a gorgeous little cake that cost her 65 dors. Today was her eighteenth birthday. After today, she was legally an adult. No one remembered it, but that didn''t matter to her. She celebrate by herself. No one loved her, and that was fine by her-she''d love herself. Cameron felt the weight of his stare and casually lifted her eyes, meeting his gaze head-on. Cameron could see the confusion in Elijah''s eyes, but she didn''t care. She quickly looked away, tossed the used sanitizing wipe into the trash, and flipped open her textbook. Elijah sat down too. He opened his book, his brows slightly furrowed. He had to figure out who it was. The first ss of the evening study was mathematics. Josh Grant, their math teacher in his early fifties, walked into the room with a cheerful spring in his step, carrying his lesson ns. He looked directly at his favorite student Elijah and asked, ¡°Elijah, how did you solve that problem!" Before Elijah could even respond, everyone in ss turned toward him with wide- eyed admiration Whoa, he really cracked the problem that''s been on the board for over a month? Elijah''s incredible. No wonder he''s always at the top of the ss, someone said. "Straight-up math genius, someone else added. "Elijah''s literally my idol," another chimed in Cameron leaned back in her seat in thest row, casually twirling a pen in her hand as her eyes settled on the straight line of Elijah''s back "Sorry, Mr. Grant Elijah said coolly, cutting through the chatter. "I wasn''t the one who solved it." Josh froze, then suddenly looked excited. "It wasn''t you? Then who was it?" He thought, "Could there be another hidden math prodigy in this ss? Elijah shook his head. "I don''t know either." Josh''s gaze swept across the room. "Whoever it was, raise your hand." ss 15 was the top-tier ss. All the strongest math students in the grade were concentrated here. If it wasn''t Elijah, it had to be someone else in this room, Josh looked around, full of anticipation. But no one raised their hand. "None of you?" Josh''s tone dipped in disappointment. "Could it really have been a lower-grade student? That''d be humiliating. A problem the senior ss couldn''t solve was solved by a younger student? That''s just embarrassing." Noticing the disappointment on Josh''s face, Cameron stopped twirling her pen. rpen. She propped up her chin with one hand, the diamond stud in her right ear catching the light. Her gazezily swept over to Josh, then drifted toward Elijah''s back. She knew she should''ve raised her hand. But even if she did, no one would believe her. She thought, "Bottom of the ss solving a problem the top student couldn''t crack? Sounds like a bad joke! That math problem was so difficult, even a student from one of the most prestigious universities might not have been able to solve it. Cameron had only managed to do it thanks to everything she''d learned during her time hopping through different worlds. With all her skills maxed out, it was a breeze. That was why raising her hand now was not appropriate. There were just over three months left until the SATS. She nned to improve gradually, climbing a few spots in the rankings each time. That way, no one would get suspicious. If her SAT scores turned out great then, people might actually believe it. Josh looked a little disappointed, but he quickly pulled himself together, flipping through his notes as he reviewed the key points. "This type of problem is bound to be on the SAT. Even if it''s not identical, it''ll be the same format. Anyone still confused?" Cameron kept twirling her pen, looking as rxed as ever. The evening study ended at ten. Instead of heading straight back to the dorm, Cameron made her way to the school''s bakery and bought herself a gorgeous little cake that cost her 65 dors. Today was her eighteenth birthday. After today, she was legally an adult. No one remembered it, but that didn''t matter to her. She could celebrate by herself. No one loved her, and that was fine by her-she''d love herself. She sat by the garden bed on campus, lit a candle, took the first bite of cake, and softly whispered, "Happy birthday." Cameron had a sweet tooth. It didn''t take long before most of the cake was gone. She tilted her head slightly, ncing at the person who had been standing behind her for quite some time. "You need something?" she asked Elijah Chapter 13 Since he stayed quiet, she pretended not to notice-until now. She was Cameron sensed Elijah approaching the moment he got close. S about to head back to the dorm, so she finally broke the silence. It wasn''t until then that Elijah said, his tone cool as ever, "Did you go to the Math Lab this afternoon?" Cameron turned slightly at the sound of his voice, facing Elijah. She was sitting while he stood, and she tilted her head up to look at him. af The orange glow of the streemp cast a soft halo over Elijah''s sharp, handsome features, wrapping him in a faint gold light She thought. Yeah, he''s definitely good-looking. He''s called the school''s heartthrob for a reason. When ites to looks, he doesn''t disappoint. "So what? Cameron nodded. Elijah asked, getting straight to the point. "What were you doing there?" Cameron let out a crooked smile. looking a little cocky. "I went to see my fiancee. Got a problem with that?" The light hit the diamond stud on her ear, scattering into a soft gleam. Elijah couldn''t make out her full expression. He frowned slightly. Did you see who solved that math problem!" Cameron paused for a beat, then shook her head. "No." Elijah pressed further. "So it wasn''t you?" The moment the words left his mouth, he figured he''d lost it Cameron ranked deadst in the ss and close to the bottom in the entire grade. Every time she took a test, she tanked the ss average, especially in math. She couldn''t even guess the multiple-choice questions right. She failed every time, barely getting anything correct. Their math teacher, Josh, practically lost his mind grading her tests every time. If it weren''t for Brody being such a patient advisory teacher, Cameron would''ve been kicked out of ss 15 ages ago. Elijah thought. I must be out of my damn mind to even ask if she solved it. But when he checked the hallway cameras today, it turned out only three people had gone in-Cameron, Amelia, and Skyler. There were no cameras inside the ssroom Cameron scooped up another bite of cake, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "What do you think?" Elijah stayed quiet for a few seconds, then turned and walked off Cameron watched his straight-backed figure with a light chuckle. "You don''t even believe it yourself. So why bother asking?" She didn''t know if Elijah heard thatst part, but his pace definitely y picked upo After finishing the cake, Cameron tossed the box into the trash can and stood up, stretching with a satisfied sigh. The motion lifted her oversized uniform shirt, revealing the curve of her slim waist, her smooth, tender skin catching the light. Cameron''s figure and skin were wless, but always hidden beneath the loose uniform, unnoticed by everyone. When she returned to Room 310, tossed carelessly on the nkets. 316, the lights were on, but the room was empty. On the bed across from hers, a school uniform jacket was Cameron picked up on the sound of running water from the bathroom and figured her roommate was showering. She hesitated for a second. It was her first day living here, and she might as well be friendly and say hi. So the moment she heard someone stepping out, she looked over without thinking¡ªand immediately froze. The guy stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom, tall and lean. His damp hair was slicked back effortlessly, his sculpted nose framed by a pair of gold-rimmed sses that shaded a pair of striking eyes. He''d just washed his hair, and droplets still clung to his strands, tracing down his striking features before sliding over his toned chest. 11:17 AM She sat by the garden bed on campus, lit a candle, took the first bite of cake, and softly whispered, "Happy birthday" Cameron had a sweet tooth. It didn''t take long before most of the cake was gone. She tilted her head slightly, ncing at the person who had been standing behind her for quite some time. You need something?" she asked Elgah Chapter 14 Sure, this was a boys dorm and guys walking out of the shower shirtless wasn''t anything unusual. And technically, the guy in front of her was still in a bathrobe he just hadn''t bothered tying it shut. Still, even though Cameron had been pretending to be a guy for eighteen years, this was the first time she''d seen a man this up close and personal. She quickly turned her head away, snapping her gare elsewhere. "So you''re the new roommate Bradley Saunders''s voice was casual,ced with a smile as he ran a towel through his damp hair. There was was a kind ofry elegance in the way he walked up to Cameron, something effortlessly ssy. The faint lemon scent of his body wash lingered in the air. He greeted her politely, "Nice to meet you. I''m Bradley Saunders. As he spoke, he smiled out of habit. But behind the gold-rimmed sses, his eyes held no warmth-only the sly sharpness of a fox. "Nice to meet you too, Bradley Cameron said quickly, still not looking at him. Tm Cameron Wace. I just moved in. Hope we''ll get alone" Then she froze for half a beat. pondering. ''Bradley Saunders? Isn''t he in ss 4, Senior Year? He''s Amelia''s ssmate. Damn. Another Campus heartthrob?" Langford Academy had four official "campus heartthrobs". Back during the vote, these four had gotten so many fan supporters that themittee couldn''t pick a winner-so they just let all four share the crown. Cameron could hardly believe her luck. It was her first time living in a dorm, and she''dnded herself with two of the puys on campus. "Get along?" Bradley chuckled. Just don''t get on Xander Murphy''s bad side and we''ll be good." e most popr Cameron still wouldn''t look at him, but Bradley had already started quietly sizing her up. His new roommate wasn''t short, but not exactly tall either. But she was very slim- her arms and legs looked so fragile, they seemed like they could break with the slightest pressure. Her short hair framed a delicate face. Her skin was smooth and wless, hershes long enough to cast faint shadows beneath her eyes under the soft dorm light. Her lips were a soft pink, full and shapely, almost distracting. Bradley wondered, Tve heard lips like that are perfect for kissing. Well, whatever. At least he won''t be an eyesore in the dorm. But Cameron was genuinely stunned by the name he''d mentioned. ''Xander Murphy? Another campus heartthrob?" she wondered. Xander was notoriously impossible to deal with. People at school would rather piss off a teacher than cross him. If he weren''t ridiculously good-looking, someone probably would''ve already jumped him behind the gym. Cameron hadn''t expected him to be one of her four roommates. She thought, That makes three. Don''t tell me... She looked up, her eyes locking on Bradley''s handsome face. "Bradley, mind telling me who the fourth roommate is? She kept her gaze on him. His features were sharp and almost too perfect. The gold-rimmed sses on his nose gave him a polished, schrly vibe, but the shrewd look in his eyes told a different story. He might still be in high school, but the way he carried himself already had the edge of a grown man. Out of nowhere, something popped into Cameron''s head- he seemed like a gentleman on the outside, a menace underneath. "The fourth one''s from ss 10, Senior Year. Austin Fraser," said the polished menace, Bradley. Cameron came back to her senses. "Austin Fraser? She then pondered, ''So the fourth campus heartthrob lives here too? That''s it. Full IGL No wonder the dorm manager looked like he wanted to say something but swallowed it when he got my slip. I''m literally rooming with the entire school''s four heartthrobs. What kind of dumb luck is this? Bradley nodded. "Austin''s health isn''t great. He''s usually at the hospital and doesn''te by often." Cameron gave a small nod. She''d heard about that before. 11:37 AM c Austin was drop-dead gorgeous. His features were sharp and striking, his amber eyes nothing short of mesmerizing. Just one smile from him had girls swooning left and right, But his health was terrible-he was on medication all year round and was barely ever at school. Just then, the door opened-and in walked Elijah. w Chapter 15 Seeing Cameron chatting with Bradley, Elijah didn''t say a word. He waspletely lost in his own thoughts. That cold, aloof air clung to him as he silently sat down at his desk, his arms wrapped around his textbooks, his brows slightly furrowed. He couldn''t let it go-he had to find out who solved that math problem. But the truth was, he had no idea how to get that p ¡°Elijah''s the quiet type, Bradley said caually, tilting his well-defined jaw toward the silent boy across the room. Cameron nodded. "I know. We''re in the same ss" person to Bradley climbed up onto his bed, leaned back against the headboard, and picked up a book titled Essential Skills for Attorneys, flipping through it with calm focus. Cameron headed into the bathroom to shower. The air still carried the fresh, lemon scent of Bradley''s body wash. She turned off the light and used her phone''s camera to check the room for hidden cameras. She was still a girl, after all-better safe than sorry. Thankfully, everything looked normal. Hot water spilled down as she began to wash. The ce reeked of "guy" energy- do she wasn''t used to it, but there wasn''t much the could She still had to spend the next three months living with them. She''d have to adjust, whether she liked it or not. Hut halfway through her shower, when her body was covered in soap, someone suddenly pounded on the door. "Open up. I gotta take a piss," a guy yelled from outside, his voice loud, cocky, and unapologetic. "Our new Toom new roommate''s showering, Xander. Wait for a sec," Bradley called out. "I don''t wanna wait, Xander snapped, banging on the door harder. "Open the door." Cameron frowned, "Hold on, I''m almost done" She got that people had emergencies-nature calls, whatever. But Xander''s tone seriously pissed her off. She''d heard all about how much of a pain he was, but she wasn''t about to be bullied. Not by anyone. "Open the damn door. Now" Xander kept mming his fist against it. Cameron was quickly running out of patience. "I''m in the middle of a shower." "So? We''re all guys here. You can shower while I piss. What''s the big deal? Quit acting like some delicate little princess, Xander scoffed. Cameron was utterly annoyed, her expression turning ice-cold. "If it''s that urgent, go ahead and piss your pants." The second those words hit, Xander nearly exploded. He mmed the door even harder. "Who the hell do you death wish or something?? think I are! You got a your Cameron nced at the trembling door, starting to wonder if he might actually punch right through it She hurriedly rimed the foam off fast, threw on a thick chest binder, then slipped into a cotton pajama set with long sleeves and full-length pants, covering herselfpletely. Outside, Xander had clearly lost all patience. The moment she opened the door, he raised his hand. "Well, well. Look at this pretty boy Are you trying to get your ass kicked?" His gaze swept over Cameron''s lean frame and smooth skin, and without missing a beat, he pped her with a nickname-pretty boy, A sh of ice flickered through Cameron''s eyes. "This guy''s begging for a beating she thought. But before she could make a move, someone grabbed Xander''s wrist in a tight grip. It was Bradley "Kander, it''ste. Knock it the hell off. Bradley''s handsome face showed clear impatience, and the eyes behind his gold-rimmed sses were icy cold. Chapter L Xander might be arrogant, but he wasn''t stupid. Of everyone in that dorm, the one person he never crossed was Bradley. He thought, This guy arts all polished, but underneath.." He threw a look at Bradley and toned it down a little, but then turned to Cameron with a cold re and snapped, "Get your ass out of here. Now Chapter 16 Cameron stared at Xander. With a buzzcut like that, it should''ve looked rough on most guys-but his face was gorgeous enough to carry His handsome features were sharp, defined, and dripping with attitude. He had the kind of face that made people think twice before messing with him..... He was undeniably good-looking, but Cameron still felt the urge to punch him. However, it waste, and since Bradley had already stepped in to break things up, she figured it wasn''t worth the effort. Without sparing Xander another look, she stepped out of the bathroom. Xander stormed in right after and mmed the door shut behind him. Cameron turned to Bradley. Thanks." Bradley waved her off. "No worries. Don''t mind him Cameron gave a faint smile. Of all people, she hadn''t expected the only warm moment on her birthday woulde from someone she''d just met-Bradley. Out of the four roommates. He was the one Cameron liked the most so far. Bradley caught the light smile on Cameron''s face, and before he knew it, his handnded on her head, ruffling her hair like it was the most natural thing in the world. Cameron froze Bradley pulled his hand back casually, "Good night" "Good night" Cameron climbed into her bed and tugged the curtains shut. In that small enclosed space, the narrow mattress felt like her own little world On her first night in the boys'' dorm, Cameron thought she''d be wide awake all night. But to her surprise, she slept like a rock It wasn''t until someone started moving around that she stirred. She reached for her phone and checked the time-6:00 am Outside the window, it was still dark, early spring skies cloaked in gray. The school lights had already flickered on. Langford Academy was nothing like regr high schools. Expectations here were brutal. First homeroom started at 6:50 sharp The dorm door creaked open quietly. A few secondster, it clicked shut again. Cameron was just about to sit up when her bed suddenly jerked under her. She frowned, confused, and was about to draw her curtain luck when someone yanked it open with zero warning. Xander ineered, "Pretty boy, you''re something else. First day here and you already found yourself a shield. Don''t think just because Bradley''s pot your back. I won''t mess with you" Bradley had gone out for his morning run. And the second he left, Xander came looking for trouble. Xander stood there in loud, cartoon-print pajamas, his face set in a scowl as he stared Cameron down with undisguised contempt. He was standing on the floor while Cameron sat on the top bunk. From that angle, all he could see was a head of messy, tousled hair sticking our above the rul After a full night''s sleep, Cameron''s cropped hair had gone slightly rogue, sticking up in ces with thatzy, just-woke-up vibe. From where Xander stood, he could just make out the side of her beautiful face Though Cameron had been disguising herself as a boy for years, her features still carried a subtle softness, a certain grace. Xander blinked, caught off guard. "Why do you look so feminine like a girl?" "Get lost Cameron said without even flinching, turning her head. The diamond stud in her right ear shed cold under the light. Xander went dead silent. Did he just tell me to get lost? There aren''t many people in this world who''ve dared say that to me. This pretty boy must really have a death wish, he thought "Get down here," he growled furiously Cameron nted a palm on the guardrail and vaulted down with ease. Shended light on her f hangs back with a flick of her fingers, her expressionced with casual defiance. feet, her arms crossed. She slicked her "What do you want?" she asked, already sounding impatient. Xander hadn''t expected this much attitude from his new roommate. Cameron was hands down the most oblivious, out-of-line punk he''d ever met. He cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "Do you have any idea what happens to people who piss me off? Get on your knees now and beg, and maybe I''ll let it slide for Bradley''s sake- "Cameron. Xander," a chilly voice cut in before he could finish, "you''re interrupting my sleep. Take it outside." Chapter 17 Elijahy in bed, his chiseled face clouded with irritation from being woken up, his brows slightly furrowed. Xander shot him a nce over his shoulder. "If it''s too loud for you, then you leave. Why the hell should we?" Elijah didn''t respond. His brooding eyes shed with a flicker of disdain, but he didn''t bother arguing. Not because he couldn''t-but because he didn''t see the point. He was at the top of the ss. And Xander, just like Cameron, ranked at the very bottom and failed every test. To an overachiever like Elijah, dealing with academic ckers wasn''t worth his time, He thought. Trying to reason with them is like shouting into the void. He then got up and walked straight into the bathroom. ''I really do need to request a room change, Elijah pondered. It was bad enough when those two were going at itst night, but now they''re at it again first thing in the morning. How the hell am I supposed to study like this?'' With Elijah cutting in like that, Cameron headed straight to the sink and started brushing her teeth. Xander followed. He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed, his eyes locked on her like a challenge. "Are you into watching people brush their teeth or something!" Cameron shot him a look, toothpaste foaming in her mouth, Xander scoffed, "You seriously think I''m just gonna let that slide? You crossed me, punk. You get that?" Cameron spit out the foam, wiped her mouth, and said coolly, "Sounds like a delusion. You should get that checked." Xander froze. For a second, he looked like he was trying to find the words, but rage got there first. He lunged, grabbing Cameron by the cor, ready to make her pay. But the next second, she twisted out of his grip like it was nothing, flipped his arm behind his back, and shoved him hard against the wall. The m echoed as his sculpted features twisted from the pain. "Ow!" Xander cried out in pain. Cameron let go immediately. Her movements had been so fast, Xander was left wondering if he imagined the whole thing. He stared at lus hand, stunned. Cameron picked up her uniform jacket and sat on the chair, waiting for Elijah toe out so she could change. She grabbed sanitizing wipe from the table and began carefully cleaning the fingers that had just touched Xander''s arm. "What the hell did you just do to me? Xander stormed over, seething, and got right up in Cameron''s face. Cameron looked up, clearly annoyed. "You really gonna keep clinging to this?" "Youre the one who crossed me, got it?" Xander jabbed a finger toward her shoulder. Cameron leaned back slightly, letting his finger miss its mark. She didn''t like being touched. She gave him a cold nce. Vanna settle this the way real men do? "Oh yeale. The way real men do?" Xander''s eyes fixed on her gorgeous, wless face, and he let out a cockyugh. "Pretty boy, you you can throw hands? You think that skinny little frame of yours can take one punch from me?" Cameron said tly. "Hate to break it to you, but I don''t do brawls." She didn''t trust herself not to main him if she actually fought back. She rarely ever threw the first punch Xander lifted his chin. Then how do you wanna settle this?" At that moment, Elijah died out of the bathroom Cameron stood up, brushing past Xander without a nce. Ten tonight. School held." Xander scoffed, "Whoever cluckens out is i ens out is the cowanl He had no clue what exactly Cameron meant by the way real men do. But whatever it was, Xander had never backed down from thick anything in his life. The first period that morning was Spanish. Cameron sat at her desk, zoning out. Every word and grammar rule on the board was already carved into her brain. Staring at them now felt like a waste of time. Her phone, tucked into the desk, kept lighting up. She''d already silenced it. When she finally picked it up to check the time, she saw eight missed call-all from Martin. She didn''t need to guess why he was calling. Cameron, a puppet Martin and Heidi had raised and brainwashed for eighteen years, had suddenly developed a mind of her own and refused to follow orders. Of course he was panicking. AD Chapter 18 Chapmans. And without that backing, things would no After all, without Cameron, the Wace family would lose their connection to the Chapmans longer go as smoothly for them as they had all these years. Just as Cameron was debating whether to call back. Martin called again. Her finger identally slipped, and the call went through. "Cameron, why the hell didn''t youe homest night? And what''s this about refusing the transition surgery? You even dared to hit the doctor? You''re getting bold now, huh? Growing a backhone?" Martin''s angry voice boomed through the speaker the second the line connected. Cameron propped her Spanish textbook upright, resting the phone between her car and shoulder. Her face stayed cold as she listened. in silence. Martin roared, "I raised you all these years, and this is how you repay me? Do you even care about our family? About me? I gave you life. and you can''t even do this one small thing? "Raising you was a waste-I''d have been better off raising a dog. At least a dog would wag its tail at me. Let me make this clear. If you refuse to transition and marry Amelia, then get the hell out of our family. She''d heard it all before. In her previous life, Martin and Heidi had used that same guilt-tripping garbage to manipte her. And like they wanted, she''d spent eighteen years pretending to be a man, even throwing away her pride just to y the loyal simpto Amelia-anything to help the Wace family wave the Chapman name around in business deals Her sacrifice had made their lives easy andfortable. And it wasn''t until her final breath that she finally understood-they hadn''t raised her out of love. She was nothing but a pawn, a means for the Wace family to climb the socialdder. Whatever debt she owed them for raising her had been repaid the moment she''d died in her previous life. Cameron lowered her voice. "Are you done!" Martin froze. Are you done? he repeated in his head, stunned. That wasn''t the reaction he expected. Cameron used to fall right back in line after one scolding. She used to cave the second he raised his voice. But now she had an attitude. Milena had said Cameron seemed like a different person now, and Martin hadn''t quite believed it¡ªuntil this moment. Tve been pulling her strings for eighteen years. She really thinks she can break free from me just like that? Not a chance, he thought. Martin''s tone tone dropped, cold and forceful. "You''reing home. Now, I booked the surgery for two o''clock this afternoon." Cameron was already eighteen and about to graduate high school. If she was going to marry the Chapman heiress, they needed to lock it in as soon as possible. I don''t have time for this." Cameron replied coolly. I''m in ss. I''m hanging up. Without waiting for a response, she ended the call and immediately switched her phone to airne mode to avoid being harassed The moment she set her phone down, she caught her Spanish teacher Lacey Morgan heading her way. Cameron''s brows twitched as she thought, Crap She slid her phone into the drawer with one hand while slowly lowering her textbook with the other. From the front row, Zach immediately tattled, yelling, "Ms. Morgan, Cameron was on her phone in the middle of ss. Totally disrespectful Zach had gotten humiliated by Cameron yesterday. He didn''t have the guts to start something again. But this was the perfect opportunity to make her look bad and he wasn''t about to pass it up. Cameron''s gaze swept coldly across the back of Zach''s smug haule head. Clearly, thus idiot didn''t learn his lesson yesterday, she thought little Lacey stopped at Cameron''s desk, her expression stern. "What were you just doing?" She was a young teacher, but despite her age, Lacey was known for being both responsible and strict was looking up a word on my phone, Ms Morgan, Cameron said. "Looking up a word" Zach jumped in practically vibrating with excitement. "I heard you talking on the phone. My desknate heard it 1137 AM & He jabbed his elbow into the guy sitting next to him, trying to rope someone in. "Didn''t you hear in?" Chapter 19 Before Zach''s deskmate could say a word, Cameron calmly ced her phone on the desk. The screen was still open to the Spanish dictionary, right on the word despertarse. Zach''s eyes widened. "No way. Check the call history. He could''ve sworn he heard her on the phone. He snatched up Cameron''s phone and pulled up the call log, but thest entry was from yesterday afternoon. This doesn''t make sense. Zach muttered. He then thought. No calls? Did she delete it? That fast? No way. She couldn''t have wiped the call log and pulled up a dictionary app in just a few seconds. That''s not humanly possible" Cameron''s lips curled into a cold smirk. What is it that hard to believe? I didn''t take a call. But you heard one? Zach, are you sure you weren''t on some porn site and started hallucinating? Zach choked on his words. The ss burst outughing the moment she said it. His face instantly turned red. "Cameron, don''t you dare use me like that. I wasn''t." "Oh, really?" Cameron rested one hand against her cheek, still lookingpletely rxed, while the other reached into Zach''s jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. As luck would have in the screen was still wide open on an indecent site-and what it showed was graphic, to say the least. "Ms. Morgan, Cameron said, cing the phone t on her desk, "wanna have a look?" Lacey looked like she wanted to disappear. She was young, and her face went bright pink as she immediately turned away. But she''d seen enough Zach fumbled to grab his phone, frantically trying to shut the window, only to end up opening even more. He didn''t dare say another word ich, get your ass to the Student Affairs Office. Now. You''ve got detention, Lacey snapped. ¡°Cameron, 1-1-¡± Zach stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment and rage, his fists clenched in anger. Cameron leaned into her hand, shot hum azy nce, and cut in, "What?" She thought, "He wants to y tattletale? Too bad I''m better "Out" Lacey roared. Zach shot Cameron a vicious re but had no choice. Under the teacher''s fury, he sulked his way out of the ssroom. Cameron gave azy tug at the corner of her lips and snorted inwardly, ''He''s go got no business snitching on me when his own hands aren''t clean "Don''t you think Cameron''s kinda hot?" a girl whispered nearby. "I saw his smile just now, and honestly, I think he''s even better-looking than Elijah," another said. "He looks good even when he''s en he''s not smiling, someone else chimed in "So you''re saying Cameron''s been hotter than Elijah this whole time? another girl asked. Elijah, sitting in the third row with the clearest view of the room, caught the whispers and turned to nce at Cameron Her features were indeed line and striking. The short hair made her look clean and sharp, setting off that already wless skin. Her lips, soft and full in a natural pink hur, looked like they had lipstick on even when they didn''t. It was a face that carried a strange contrast of gentleness and edge, handsome in an almost gender-defying way.. Elijah thought. ¡°But it''s just a pretty face. And for a guy, that''s the most useless thing to have. Besides, Cameron''s a total cker. If she anteven handle something as basic as studying, what kind of future could she possibly have? He turned back to his textbook and resumed reviewing vocabry he''d already memorized ages ago 11:37 AM C Later in the morning, during a break between sses, Cameron was on her way back from the restroom when she overheard a group of students chatting up ahead. "No way. Thirty grand! For solving a math problem? Elijah''s seriously loaded" "Well, he''s trying to find the person who solved that math problem yesterday. Gotta respect the lengths he''s going to." "Guess he''s really desperate to meet someone on his level" "Still, I don''t get why that person''s hiding. If they''ve got the skills to solve that math problem, why not own it?" Cameron had been nning to nap at her desk, but the second she heard that, her drowsiness vanished. "Sorry, did you just say Elijah''s offering thirty thousand dors for solving a math problem?" "Yup. It must be nice having cash to burn like that, right?" the student on her right said. Cameron let out a soft chuckle. "Sounds like someone''s rich and dumb. She''d been wondering how to make money now that she''d blown things up with the Wace family. And here Elijah was, offering a paycheck on a silver tter. Cameron thought. Thirty grand for one question? I could keep solving them until Elijah goes broke. Then again, the Moore family''s too loaded to actually go bankrupt "Not that I need to milk it that hard. Just enough for living expenses. After the SATS, I''ll find another way to make money. Chapter 20 By the time the morning sses wrapped up, students scattered in all directions- some heading home, others pouring into the cafeteria. Cameron, though, strolled straight toward the Math Lab, one hand tucked casually in her pocket. For her, foed ranked far below making money. She nned to see what problem Elijah had posted today and earn that 30 grand before doing anything else. At 59, Cameron didn''t stand out height-wise as she moved through the crowd, but there was something about her that drew eyes wherever she went. That beautifully gender-defying face never failed to stun whoever looked her way. "Hey, look. Damn, he''s cute. No kidding. He''s so hot." "What grade is he in, anyway? Amelia overheard the chatter and, unable to help herself, nced through the crowd curiously. The moment her eyesnded on the person everyone was talking about-Cameron-she froze for a few seconds, visibly stunned. She wondered, Cameron They think Cameron''s hot?" After staring at Cameron''s features for a few seconds, Amelia had to admit it- Cameron was undeniably good-looking. But that didn''t matter. Amelia was already into someone else. She''d made up her mind. No matter what, she was going to call off the engagement with Cameron Cameron sensed Amelia''s gaze and nced up briefly, only to look away just as quickly, her expression indifferent as if all she''d seen was a stranger Amelia was taken aback. She stood there, momentarily stunned, Cameron used to cling to her at every opportunity, annoying her to no end. But ever since yesterday, something had changed. Carneron seemned different now, noticeably colder toward her. Amelia figured if Cameron ended the engagement on her own, that would make things easier for her. With the SATs around the corner. Amelia nned to confess to the person she really loved. Thest thing she needed was Cameron getting in the way. While Amelia stood there lost in thought, Cameron had already slipped out of sight. Just as Cameron reached the Math Lab, her phone buzzed. It was a call from her advisory teacher Brody. "Cameron,e to my office Now he demanded on the phone. She had no choice but to pivot and make her way to the Student A Affairs Office. Cameron had assumed Brody called her in for something school-rted, but the moment she stepped into the office and saw who was waiting, everything clicked Martin, dressed to the nines in a tailored suit, sat with the air of a self-assured businessman, exuding authority from his seat. When Cameron walked in he shot her a sidelong nce, saying nothing. Brody stood up as the entered, his expression gentle. "Cameron, if you''re not feeling well, you need to go to the hospital. Don''t be stabbom. Get treated so you can focus on studying again. I''ll approve a werk off-go home with your father" Cameron said nothing momentarily speechless. She wasn''t sick at all. She hadn''t expected Martin to y dirty. Earlier, she had ignored lum, so now he was trying to pressure her through her advisory teacher. Too bad she was no longer the puppet they could control like in her past life. She turned her gaze on Martin. He kept his face cold and stem, ying the role of the righteous parent. She hadn''t greeted him when she came in, and he hadn''t acknowledged her either Camerun looked at Brely and spoke with an easy, almost careless tube. "Mr. Graham, I feel line. I''m not sick, so there''s no need for a leave of absence. And with the 5Ah just a few months away, I''d rather stay focused on my studies" away. And yo ink youre tim immediately shot back at Cameron. The afternoon operation had already been booked. He was here to drag her back himself. He pondered. She has to get it done. The full trandion requires turer surgeries 11:37 AM ch If she doesn''t start now, when will she finish? When will she finally be a real man? When will the Waces and Chapmans officially be bound by marriage? I''ve waited long enough." Cameron shot Martin a tight, mocking smile. Dad, why don''t you go ahead and tell me what exactly I''m supposed to be sick with?" AD Chapter 21 Martin went quiet,pletely caught off guard by Cameron''s move. He hadn''t expected her to flip it on him like that, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. He couldn''t exactlye out and say he was here to take her in for gender reassignment surgery-not in front of Brody. right. Brody, sharp as ever, caught Martin''s reaction and frowned slightly, sensing something wasn''t ri Martin could feel Brody''s gaze on him. His mind spun fast, and he blurted out, "Rhinitis. Yeah, you''ve got rhinitis. You need surgery right away." Cameron let out a cold, crooked smile, her eyes chilling. "Dad, is your memory slipping!" she said coolly. "Isn''t it Milena who has Thinitis. Martin stiffened. He thought. This damn brat''s really gonna go head-to-head with me now?" He shot her a re and quickly changed course. "Right. My mistake. It''s hepatitis. "Hepatitis!" Cameron raised her hand, turning it slowly. Her skin was clear, smooth, and glowing. "I thought people with liver issues usually have jaundice" Martin fell silent again,pletely thrown. Finally, Brody spoke with a frown. "Mr. Wace, you don''t even know what your own son''s sick with?" Martin''s face darkened in silence. Even if the Wace family had declined over the years, their connection to the Chapmans still kept them afloat. But now, being openly questioned by a high school teacher was more humiliating than he could stomach. He snapped coldly, "Cameron, enough with the nonsense. You''reing with me? "Apologies, Mr. Wace, Brody interjected. "I just remembered Cameron has a very important test this afternoon. He can''t miss it Whatever is going on, it can wait till after school" Martin didn''t know how to respond. He opened his mouth, trying toe up with something, but Brody raised a hand, cutting him off with a calm yet unmistakable gesture. This was school property. And as long as the teacher didn''t sign off, Martin had no right to take Cameron anywhere. With no choice, he shot Cameron a venomous re, stood up, and stormed out of the office. Cameron''s lips curled into a faint smile. "Mr. Graham, let me walk my father out" way was nearly On the tree-lined school boulevard, the midday rush had emptied out. Most students were in the cafeteria, and the walkway deverted Marun stormed ahead with a dark expression clouding his face. Cameron trailed behind with a smile, one hand in her pocket, a hint of amusement ying across her gorgeous face beneath her short hair. Suddenly, Martin spun around and grabbed her wrist. "Cameron,e with me. That surgery''s happening this afternoon, like it or not" The smile on Cameron''s faded. Tel go Martin stiffened at themanding tone in her voice. "Is that how you talk to me now?" he snapped. Cameron''s gaze turned cold "Mr. Wace, even if the Wace family''s down on its fuck, you''re still a CEO, arent daughter in public on school grounds-what would that look like?" arent you? Grabbing your Martin was momentarily speechless. He hadart expected to be put in his ce by his own daughter. His expression darkened further He demanded in a chilling tone, "Cut the crap. You''reing with me Cameron''s eyes grew colder "Mr. Wace, if you don''t let go of me. I''ll start yelling "Do you want everyone to know you''ve been forcing me to undergo gender reassignment just to marry Amelia? What do you think she li do when she finds out I''m actually a girl?" There was no need to y nice with I bullies. 1. es. With no one else around, Cameron had at least a hundred ways to make him pay Her words hit right where it hurt. As expected, Marths froze. The moment her threatnded, be immediately let go. He clenched his jaw. "You should be grateful I don''t have a whip in my hand right now". At that, Cameron''s gaze turned icier. Over the years, anytime she''d shown a hint of rebellion, Heidi would start with tweet talk. If dai didn''t work. Martin''s whip would follow. But her sister Milena was their golden child-spoiled rotten, handed everything she wanted, and never once scolded, not even in the slightest. Cameron''s face wasced with mockery as she sneered, ''Oh yeah? And if you did, what then? You gonna beat me to death? Martin was momentarily at a loss for words. Chapter 22 Martin studied Cameron with a deep frown, his gaze lingering, What''s going on with her? She''s like apletely different person, he thought. Years ago, Cameron had thrown a fit too, saying she didn''t want to keep up the whole pretending-to-be-a-boy thing. But he''d crushed her rebellion without much effort. This time, though, it felt different-like she''d slipped out of his control entirely. Could she have found something out he wondered, but quickly dismissed the thought. No way! Sensing that Cameron wasn''t going to back down. Martin decided not to push her any further. He scoffed, turned on his heel, and stormed off Cameron watched him go, the corner of her mouth tugging into a half-smile, then turned and headed back to Brody''s office. He was still waiting inside. Thank you. Mr. Graham," she said sincerely She knew that teachers always liked the good students. Cameron hadn''t expected someone like Brody to stick his neck out for a so-called cker like her. That kind of fairness was rare. Brody respected Cameron''s privacy and didn''t press her about what had gone down between her and Martin. He simply gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. As long as you''re in this school, I''ve got your back." Cameron nodded, genuinely moved. Thanks." She found herself quiedy grateful-having a teacher like Brody in high school almost felt like a stroke of luck. Cameron grabbed a quick lunch at the cafeteria and made her way straight to the library. Students at Langford Academy had a two-and-a -a-half-hour break in the middle of the day. They could use the time however they wanted The library was massive, spanning six floors, each over 10,000 square feet. With millions of books across countless genres, it also had reading areas, lounges, and a fullputer section Cameron headed straight for theputer zone. The desktops were free to use, and she had a purpose. While eating earlier, Cameron had seen someone in the ss group chat post a photo of the math problem Elijah had left on the ckboard in the Math Lab Most students at Langford Academy came from wealthy families, so thirty grand wasn''t exactly a fortune to them. Still, the idea of earning thirty thousand dors by solving a single problem was tempting enough to light a fire under everyone. The group chat, however, was a mess of frustrated whining. [This is way too hard. Who the hell could solve this?] [Figures. A problem worth 30K from the school heartthrob was never gonna be easy] [I''mpletely in the dark here. I''m actually pretty good at math. But I can''t even understand the question. Yet while the others found the problem impossibly difficult, Cameron only needed a quick nce to figure out the solution path She opened herptop, typed up the answer in under a minute, created a fake email address, and sent it to Elijah¡ªalong with a bank. ount number, ready to collect the payment. In Room 316, Elijah closed his workbook, ready to take a short break. The dorm was quiet-he had it all to himself His phone buzzed. He picked it up and casually swiped it open. A new email notification shed across the screen. Elijah clicked into his inbox, and the moment he saw the content, his calm expression shifted into one of genuine surprise. It was the answer to the math problem he''d posted during the morning break in the Math Lab. Someone had actually solved it, Elijah knew how to solve that problem. It had taken him a full week of poring over it, cross-referencing okl examples, and revisiting every form he could think of before it finally clicked. But this person-whoever it was-had cracked it in just a few hours. He wondered, stunned, Who the hell is this genius? He quickly typed out a reply: Who are you!! But just as he hit send, an error popped up-address not found. Elijah froze. He looked back at the sender''s address and finally noticed it was just a string of garbled nonsense. Cameron had set it up that way on purpose. She had no intention of letting Elijah know it was her for now. After all, if he found out it was her, he might start questioning it. And honestly, she couldn''t be bothered to exin. Staying anonymous just made everything easier. AD Chapter 23 A soft ding came from her phone. Five minutes had passed-Cameron nced down, and sure enough, there it was a deposit confirmation from the bank. "Perfect." She snapped her fingers, thinking, 30 grand, just like that. Knowledge really does pay After wiping all traces of her digital activity, she shut down theputer and got up, nning to grab a book to read. There was still. plenty of time before ss. She was currently on the second floor of the library. The higher the floor, the more advanced and specialized the material, Without hesitation, she headed up to the sixth. Most students stayed on the lower levels. Up here, it was surprisingly empty With one hand in her pocket and her bangs falling softly over her forehead, Cameron''s expression was calm as always. She reached for a book, flipped it open, and began to skim. When Cameron reached for that book, a well-defined hand on the opposite side of the shelf had pulled out another one. The gap left between the shelves gave that guy a clear view straight through to her side. The guy standing there looked over, his eyes sharp with curiosity. The first thing he saw was the dazzling diamond stud in Cameron''s right ear, followed by the sharp angle of her ridiculously attractive profile. Bradley blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He hadn''t expected to "Cameron"" see her here. This floor was filled with books on business strategy and real-world applications- way beyond high school level, and even most college students would struggle to understand them. That was why it was always nearly empty. Bradley didn''t expect a so-called underachiever like Cameron to show up here. If his eyes weren''t deceiving him, she was holding a book on advanced programming. Hearing her name. Cameron looked up. Her gaze met his, calm and steady. Bradley stood in his crisp school uniform, the blue fabric sitting perfectly on his broad shoulders. Behind his gold-rimmed sses, his eyes carried that signature half-smile like a sly fox, elegant andposed. "You''re here too, Bradley? Cameron smiled faintly. Her impression of him was quite positive he was the first person in this life to show her even a flicker of warmth. Bradley gave the programming book in his hand a little wave. Just here to read. What about you? Are you also into this stuff?" A faint amile yed on his lips, though his eyes stayed as calm and unreadable as ever. Im just browsing." Cameron said casually. She suddenly remembered hearing that Bradley had serious skills inputer science. Rumor had it that back in freshman year, he''d been offered early admission to the country''s top university forputer science-no entrance exam required-just because of his exceptional talent. Everyone in school had been insanely jealous, but Bradley had turned it down t. He had other ns. Word was, he wanted to be awyer. There are some spots over there," Bradley said, "Wanna join me?" Cameron nodded. "Sure She took a seat, and Bradley set his book down, pointing at the nearby vending machine. "Want something to drink? got it," Cameron said. Til grab it for you Bradley offered. Just as she stood up, Bradley moved to walk past her, and the two bumped straight into each other. Her shoulder hit his arm-solid and muscr from years of training. "Ouch" Cameron stumbled back from the impact, Instinctively, the reached out to steady herself and ended up grabbing the hem of Bradley''s school zer 11:21 He caught on quickly. Raising a hand, he steadied her by the shoulder. "Are you okay?" "I''m good" Cameron braced herself against the table, regaining bnce. Bradley nced at her short hair, ir, then reached over and gave it a rulle. "Trokly 1 you I''d get it for you What do you want?? Fine, she thought as she sat back down. "Coffee. Thanks" It didn''t take long before Bradley returned with two cups of coffee. He slid one in front of her. Thanks, Bradley," Cameron said with a small smile. He took a sip of his own. "If you don''t mind, you can call me Brad. That''s what my buddies rall me. It feels more natural. By the way, I''m Holder than you, right?" Chapter 24 Bradley was fairly certain he was older than Cameron. His birthday was September 1st, which had made him start school a yearte. Most of their ssmates were born the following year. He was already eighteen and a half, while many others hadn''t even turned eighteen yet. Most of them were younger than him. Cameron took a sip of her coffee, thinking, ''Brad? Are we even that close? But whatever¨Cmight as well go along with it'' "Alright, Brad," she said, Bradley smiled, and the eyes behind his gold-rimmed sses narrowed with delight. "You know, you''re actually kind of sweet. Cameron fell silent, set down her cup, and co countered, "Sweet isn''t exactly a word that suits a guy" Bradley chuckled lightly and turned the page of his book with well-defined fingers. Just as he started reading, his phone rang beside him. He nced at the screen. It''s Elijah. Without hesitation, he answered and switched to speakerphone, not bothering to treat Cameron like an outsider. "Brad, where are you?" Elijah''s voice came through, direct and unusually urgent- not his usual cool tone. "I''m in the library. What''s up?" Bradley replied, ncing briefly at Cameron. Elijah said, ¡°Brad. I need your help tracking someone down." Bradley raised a brow. "Who?" "So, yesterday someone solved the problem 1 left on the board, Elijah exined. I didn''t know who it was, so I tried something. I put the word out-anyone who solves a new problem gets 30 grand. "Half an hour ago, that person solved it. But the email they used is gibberish, and the bank ount they gave me isn''t traceable. Brad you''re good withputers. Can you help me track them down?" "I probably could," Bradley said. "But I don''t have myptop on me right now." I''m kind of in a hurry. Can you Still quietly sipping her coffee, Cameron lifted her eyes and reminded Bradley. There areputers on the second floor." "Who are you with Elijah had clearly caught Cameron''s voice in the background. "Our new roommate, Cameron, Bradley replied casually. "I''ming to the library now," Elijali said. "Alright Bradley ended the call, then looked at Cameron, who was still flipping through her book. "Wanna head down with me?" "Sure" Camerun nodded. She was also curious to see if Bradley could actually trace her. Her own hacking skills weren''t exactly shabby, The two of them went downstairs together, Cameron still holding the programming book. They waited in the second-fourputer area for about five minutes before Elijah arrived. He was a little winded from running, and the usual coolness on his face was reced with a faint flush. It didn''t take away from his looks in fact, it made him seem a bit more down-to-earthi Several girls nearby perked up in surprise at the si of him "That''s Elijah. He''s so good-looking, one of them whispered Eli, over here" Bradley waved More murmurs followed "Wow, Hradley''s here too, another girl gasped "What are the odds? Two of the hottest guys on campus in one ce ¡°And look at the guy next to Bradley, someone else added a hushed tone. ¡°He''s really handsome too-super clean-cut and fresh- looking. Total heartthrob Elijah finally reached Bradley and Cameron and shot a cold nce at her, his tone clipped. "Mind if I sit here?" Cameron raised an eyebrow and shifted over, letting him take the seat. Elijah sat down beside Bradley, caught his breath, and pulled up his email inbox to show Bradley. When he noticed Cameron standing with her arms crossed nearby, he looked over his shoulder and frowned at her. Cameron thought. Oh I''m not allowed to watch? "Okay," she said with a shrug, shing a quick hand gesture and moving to sit across from Bradley, with her back to the screen. Öæ Chapter 25 Bradley''s expression turned serious as his graceful fingers danced across the keyboard-more like he was ying piano than typing. Behind the lenses of his gold-rimmed sses, his eyes were locked onto the screen, sharp with focus. Cameron waited patiently, curious to see what he''d find. Bradley''s brows began to knit. The longer he worked, the deeper the crease between them grew. "How''s it going. Brad?¡± Elijah asked, curiosity in his voice. Bradley kept his gaze on the screen. "Whoever this is, they''re clever. The email''s fake. The bank ount mumber is real, but it doesn''t belong to them. "The thirty grand you wired was split up and bounced across thousands of transactions-washed through IPs all over the globe. This person is really sly. They covered their tracks way too well. There''s no way to trace them." Elijah looked visibly disappointed. "So you got nothing?" Bradley shook his head. "Not nothing. Elijah perked up. "Then what did you find?" Bradley''s voice was calm. I traced the original IP. It came from somewhere in our school, which means this person could be someone on campus." He paused for a moment before adding, "Though it might not be a student." "Not a student?" Elijah frowned. But after a moment, he nodded slowly and figured it did make sense. Since Elijah had enrolled, no one had evere close to matching his academic record-especially in math. And whoever cracked that question not only had serious math skills, but also hacking talent. If even Bradley couldn''t trace them, they had to be on another level, Elijah thought. There''s no way someone that badass is just a student'' Cameron''s lips curved into a faint smile as she listened to Bradley''s conclusion. Perfect,'' she thought. He couldn''t trace me. That means I can keep making money off Elijah without worrying'' Still, she didn''t n to take too much-just enough to cover her living expenses. That said, she couldn''t help but be impressed. Bradley really was good. He actually managed to pin down her general location. Bradley added, "Ell, the time gap''s too long-half an hour''s already passed. It makes tracking a lot harder. Next time they contact you. tell me right away. I''ll give it another shot." Elijah nodded. "Got it. I''ll go find a math problem and write it on the board right now." He nned to wait for that person to reach out With that, Elijah left just as fast as he came, practically a blur of focused energy. Cameron watched him go, tapping a finger lightly against her forehead. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she thought, "He''s that desperate to figure out who I am? Not a chance! Bradley shut theputer and looked up-only to catch Cameron smiling. He stared for a second too long before blinking it off, thinking. Damn, he''s got a great smile. "What are you smiling about?" he asked, pushing up his gold-rimmed sses Cameron''s smile faded. "Was I smiling?" "You were" Bradley said as he stood. "It was pretty sweet, too That shut Cameron up for a second. She thought, ''Sweet? Isn''t that what people say about girls? What am I not man enough for him!" On her way back to ss, Cameron was clutching her textbook when Heidi called. Cameron was already fed up. Seriously? Do the whole family have toe at me one by one? Why not gang up and get it over with she thought Twitte She declined the call without hesitation. But before she could take another step, Heidi called again. Cameron came to a halt under a tree and picked up. "Cam, you finally answered, Heidi said gently, her voiceced with concert. Cameron let out a cold, mockingugh. If she hadn''t seen how her body had been left lying outside the hospital for three days and two nights with no one to im it in herst life, she might''ve actually believed Heidi cared about her. Her voice was icy. "What do you want?" "Cam, are you mad at me?" Heidi asked. AD Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Drop The Act Chapter 26 Drop The Act Heidi''s voice trembled with a hint of tears. "Cam, I never wanted to force you into the transition surgery I know how crust it must''ve felt to you, but you know how it is. Your dad runs this house. I didn''t have a choice Cameron cut in impatiently. "So because Dad''s the one in charge, that means you''re too spineless to even make a shone call without his permission?" "What?" Heidi froze for a moment, clearly not following what Cameron meant. Cameron''s tone turned cold. "Mom, do you even remember what day it was yesterday? "Yesterday?" Heidi quickly backed out of the call screen to check the calendar. "Yesterday was your birthday Cam I know. was waiting for you toe home so we could celebrate, but you never showed up and you blocked your sister "Oh, is that so?" Cameron''s lips curved into a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. Does she seriously think I''d buy that Excuses. That''s all it ever is.'' she thought. In herst life, she''d been forced to have her chest removed. She''d spent the first day of being eighteen lying alone in a hospital bed, her body broken, her heart shattered. Not a single soul had said "Happy birthday" to her. Later, Heidi hade with the same half-hearted apologies, It wasn''t the first time Heidi had ignored her. Every time something happened, she''d pin the me on Martin, iming her hands were tied. And every single time, Cameron believed her and believed she had her reasons. But eventually, Cameron saw through it. There were no reasons-Heidi just didn''t love her. She had never treated Milena that way. Cameron had seen the way she doted on Milena, which made it perfectly clear that Heidi never really loved her. Now, hearing Heidi try to reel her back in with the same old tricks, Cameron just found it absolutelyughable. Heidi had no idea just how deeply Cameron loathed her. She was still clinging to her role as the doting mother. "Yeah, Cam, I even bought you a big birthday cake. It''s your favorite vor-" "Great. Then send me a photo right now. You, holding the cake. Right this second," Cameron interrupted coldly. Heidi froze, choking on her next line. ''There is no damn cake. Where the hell am I supposed to get a picture? What''s with this brat today? Why won''t she let it go?'' she thought. Usually, when Martin and Milena couldn''t get through to Cameron, Heidi just had to y the soft card and Cameron would ease up. But now, nothing was working. After a few seconds of silence, Heidi said, "Cam, you didn''te homest night. Your dad was furious. He smashed the cake. I''m sorry, Cam. I couldn''t even protect your birthday cake. I''m so useless." And just like always, she dumped the me on Martin with the same old routine. Cameron had reached the end of her patience. "Alright, Mrs. Wace. Drop the act. You''re not that good of an actress. So? Why''d you call?" Heidi was at a loss for words. "I''m hanging up if you''re not gonna talk," Cameron said. "Wait. Cam, I get that you''re mad, but are you seriously gonna cut ties with your family over this? Can youe home tonight, just once?" Heidi asked gently. Cameron was about to say no, but something crossed her mind, and she changed her tune. "I''m busy tonight. I''lle home this weekend." "Alright, I''ll be waiting for you," Heidi said softly. Cameron let out a coldugh. ''Waiting for me? Fine. Let them wait. I''ll make sure to give them a surprise they''ll never forget, she thought. After hanging up, Cameron headed back to ss. Her ssmates were still buzzing about the math problem that had been solved. "I can''t believe it," someone said. "Turns out there''s someone at this school even better than Elijah. Talk about flying under the radar." ¡°But Elijah''s always ranked number one in every exam," another voice chimed in. "Whoever solved it probably just got lucky and isn''t all that gat." Someone else argued, "Solving a problem that hard isn''t luck. That takes great skill." Chapter 27 Cameron walked in with a nk expression, one hand tucked casually in her pocket. She looked effortlessly cool, sharp, and confident as she headed straight to the back row and took her seat. Someone whispered, "Whoa, is it just me or did Cameron get hotter?" "No, for real. He actually looks amazing," another agreed. "I finally figured out what changed-it''s his vibe," someone else chimed in. "He used to slouch all the time, but now he walks tall, shoulders back, eyes full of confidence. No wonder he feels different." As the chatter continued, Cameron opened the programming book she''d checked out from the library, tapping her finger lightly against the title page. Martin and Heidi wanted her to transition and marry Amelia, all for wealth and status. She wondered, ''But why should I build my future on someone else''s shoulders? I''m going to build my own business empire. There were three months left before the SATS. Academically, she had no reason to worry. Even without a perfect score, she''d stillnd a spot at a top university. What she wanted now was to make her first pot of gold before those three months were up. ''What should I do?'' Cameron pondered, spinning her pen as her mind raced. Then, Brody walked in with his lesson ns. "Alright, everyone, we''ve got our second mock examing up next Monday. Let''s give it our best shot-time''s running out. Push hard, aim high, and you won''t be looking back with regrets when graduation rolls around." Motivated by Brody''s pep talk, the ss came alive with renewed determination. Cameron looked up at Brody. In this mock exam, she could probably climb a few spots in ss rankings-and maybe jump a hundred ces school-wide. She was going to reveal her strength, little by little. ***** At 10 p.m., the evening study period had just ended. Cameron loungedzily at her desk, working through a physics test paper. She already knew how to solve every question. But she needed something to show for it-something that would make it clear her steady progress was the result of real effort. One by one, her ssmates filtered out of the room. "Hey, pretty boy. Are you hiding from me?" a voice suddenly called from behind. The back door of the ssroom flew open with a loud, arrogant kick, and there was Xander-good-looking as always, but with that ridiculously punchable face of his. "Whoa, it''s Xander. He''s so hot," someone whispered. Another said, "Yeah, but he''s scary. Let''s go. He must be pissed at Cameron. We should leave before we get caught in the crossfire." Within moments, the ssroom waspletely empty. Xander strutted into the ssroom and stopped right in front of Cameron. He nted one foot on the chair in front of her, shooting her a sideways nce, cocky as hell. "What''s up, pretty boy? Are you scared now? Weren''t you all smug this morning?" Cameron set her pen down, slipped the test paper back into her folder, and looked up at him with those sharp, clear eyes. * Heard you''re an athlete. Top of the game in track and basketball, huh?" Xander tilted his chin. "That''s not a rumor. That''s a fact." Cameron''s lips curled slightly. "You seemed so confident. Wanna make a bet?" "Hell yeah," Xander said without hesitation. He was so cocky that he didn''t even bother asking what the bet was. Cameron snapped her fingers. "I like that." Xander scoffed, "Quit dragging it out like some drama queen. Just say it-what''s the bet?" Cameron replied, "No one ever told you there''s a drug that can foot Xander grabbed her cor. "You got a death wi Sessfully unlocked! ne mute?" Cameron knocked his hand away. "Hands off. Unless you don''t need that hand anymore-in which case, go ahead." Xanderughed, "Damn. Pretty boy, you''re the first person I''ve met who''s cockier than me. Alright, what''s the bet?" Cameron said, "Let''s go with your specialty. Basketball or track-your call. Loser packs up and gets the hell out of Room Chapter 28 Chapter 28 He''s Got Some Game Cameron stared Xander down, his eyes full of defiance. She thought, ''Xander''s the kind of guy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth-showered with love and spoiled rotten his whole life. "He probably grew up getting everything handed to him on a tter at home, so of course he acts like a big shot at school too If he hadn''te for her, Cameron wouldn''t have bothered with him. But now that had, she figured it was time someone taught him a lesson in humility and let him see for himself that there was always someone better out there. "Well, well, Xander said with an exaggerated grin on his handsome face. "You wanna challenge me in something I''m best at and kick me out of Room 316 if you win? Pretty boy, are you sure you''re not hallucinating? Maybe drearning a little too hard?" Cameron''s words genuinely amused him. ''I''ll give him this-Cameron looks delicate, almost girlish, like one good hit would knock him over. But he''s got a spine. Interesting, Xander thought. "You got the guts to back it up?" Cameron wasn''t interested in trading words. She''d let her skills speak for themselves. "Pretty boy," Xander drawled, raising a hand like he was about to tap her face-only to have it blocked midair. Cameron''s cold expression didn''t change. "Hands off. That''s yourst warning." "You think I want to touch you?" Xander scoffed, pulling his hand back. "Whatever. Just tell me the terms." "I changed my mind," Cameron said. Xander sneered with contempt, "Backing out already? Figures. You really don''t know how to act like a man. No wonder Amelia doesn''t like you." Cameron couldn''t even be bothered to respond and simply said, "I let you pick one earlier. Now I''ve decided-we''ll do both. Basketball and track." Xander let out a mockingugh. "You really have a death wish, huh?" He thought, ''These are literally the two things I''m best at. Cameron must''ve left his brain at home.'' "But how do we settle it if it''s two events?" Xander rubbed his chin, then added, "Not that it matters-I''m obviously gonna crush you in both. No need for a tiebreaker." Cameron stood up, a half-smile ying at her lips. ¡°Wanna start with basketball?" "Let''s go." Xander tilted his chin. Cameron slid one hand into her pocket and walked out first. "Pretty boy," Xander called after her, "you may be short, but I''ll give it to you-your back view''s got some swagger." Cameron was rendered speechless. ''Short? I''m five-foot-nine-barely average among guys, sure, but not short. This idiot''s really testing my patience. I might seriously consider turning him mute,'' she thought. They made their way to the basketball court. It was early spring, and the night air still carried a chill. The orange glow of the court lights lit up the dark sky. Boys in short sleeves dashed across the court,pletely unfazed by the cold. Girls gathered along the sidelines, cheering excitedly whenever someone made a shot. The whole ce buzzed with youthful energy. The court was big, but every spot was taken. Without hesitation, Xander walked straight to the best half and crossed his arms. "Clear out. I''m using this court now." His chilling tone left no room for argument. The guys ying paused. They clearly didn''t like it, but once they saw it was Xander, they stepped aside without a word. Cameron frowned slightly, then turned to the boy who had led the group. "Sorry, we''ll only need a few minutes." "How are we doing this?" Xander asked. Cameron said curtly, "Shooting hoops." "Give me the ball, Xander called, gesturing to someone nearby. He caught it and lobbed it over to Cameron. "You first." Cameron caught it one-handed and walked straight to the three-point line. Xander paused, raising an eyebrow. ''Three-pointer? This punk''s got some game after all, he thought. The onlookers started murmuring. Someone asked, "What''s going on?" Sessfully unlocked! Another chimed in "What are theypeting in? Basketball?" Someone else added, "This guy''s gonna y basketball against Xander? He''s out of his mind." Cameron acted like she didn''t hear a word. Her one hand stayed in her pocket, the other spinning the ball in her palm. She Chapter 28 He''s Got Some Game nced up at the backboard, then gave a small hop and released the ball. "Whoa," Gasps rippled through the crowd. The ball arced clean through the air andnded squarely in the. ¿Ú Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Not Bad "A one-handed three-pointer? Damn, who is that? That was sick." "He''s actually kinda hot. How did I never notice him before?" "Isn''t that Cameron Wace? The fianc¨¦ of the school''s legendary it-girl?" "That''s him?" The crowd was growing, and more people started recognizing Cameron. She was wearing the school''s navy-blue uniform, tall and lean, with sharp features beneath her cropped hair. The diamond stud in her right ear shed under the court lights, catching just enough re to blur her expression. Surrounded by cheers, Cameron stepped aside, calm and collected, like it was nothing. Xander walked up with a snap of his fingers. "Pretty boy, not bad." Cameron shot him a sideways nce. "Your turn." Xander smirked with contempt. With a wave of his hand, someone jogged over and passed him the ball. He palmed it with one hand and showed off with a shy dribblebo, smooth and quick. The move drew a round of excited screams from the girls in the crowd. "Xander''s so hot." "I swear, he''s the best-looking out of all four campus heartthrobs." "Facts. Totally agree." Cameron''s face didn''t budge. "Can you move it along, Xander?¡± Xander gave her a cold look. "What, in a hurry to get wrecked?" Cameron rolled her eyes at him. Xander didn''t drag it out. After a quick bounce, he jumped andnded a clean shot. "Wow, that''s so cool." Cheers exploded from the crowd. Milena was on her way home after the evening study period. Passing by the court, she heard the cheers and decided to check it out. And the moment she looked over, her eyesnded on that striking figure standing under the lights. "Xander." Milena''s eyes sparkled with admiration. She was only a freshman, attending this school thanks to her family''s connection to the Chapman family. In the next second, her gaze shifted andnded on the person standing next to Xander. "Cameron?" she muttered, stunned. ''Why is Cameron with Xander?'' Milena pondered, her fingers tightening around the hem of her sweater. ''Is that why she suddenly refused the gender reassignment? Because she fell for Xander? But there''s no way Xander would ever be into someone like her.'' While Milena''s mind raced, Xander turned to Cameron. "What now?" Cameron gave him a quick nce, walked over to retrieve the ball, then stepped back-fifteen feet behind the three-point line. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Xander raised an eyebrow. Cameron didn''t answer. She spun the ball once on her fingertips, rose into the air, and let it fly. The ball mmed through the with a solid thunk." For a moment, the court fell silent. Then the crowd exploded. "Whoa." "No freaking way." "That had to be at least thirty feet-insane uracy." Off to the side, Milena stood frozen, stunned. ''Since when did Cameron know how to y basketball? Didn''t she used to hate sports the most?'' she wondered. Xander raised his brows in surprise. pping a You''ve actually got a little game." alked up to Cameron he said, "No wonder you''ve got such an attitude. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron still remained expressionless. "Your turn." Xander waved his hand, and someone quickly passed him the ball again. "Cameron''s awesome. Do you think Xander can match that?" Chapter 29 Not Bad "Of course he can. What''s there to even worry about?" "Yeah. When has Xander ever lost in basketball?" The crowd was starting to get tense, their eyes locked on the court. Xander stepped up to the same spot Cameron had used. This time, there was no showing off. He dribbled, then went for a two-handed shot. The ball circled the rim once before dropping cleanly through. "Whoa." The crowd erupted in cheers. Xander arched an eyebrow. "Well?" Cameron answered coolly, "Keep going." She retrieved the ball and stepped back-ariother fifteen feet beyond thest shot. The crowd-and even Xander-fell into stunned silence. ¿Ú Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Getting Ignored Cameron stood there calm as ever, white the crowd around her practically exploded. ''Howay Cameron''s really gonna shoot from there? That''s like, what, fifly two feet from the hoop." "He looks so chill With that kind of confidence, he''s gottand it" "He''s been hiding this level the whole time?" Xander''s cocky grin had vanished. His face grew serious as he stared at Cameron ''Pretty boy, are you sure about this?" Cameron gave him a sidelong nce and said nothing-her actions did all the talking. The hand that had stayed in her pocket the whole time finally came out. She flexed her wrist once, dribbled, jumped, and shot. In that moment, every single pair of eyes followed the arc of the ball against the night sky. If left Cameron''s fingertips, cut through the air, and mmed toward the backboard. ng The ball hit the rim. Everyone''s breath caught-except Cameron''s. The ball spun around the hoop twice and then dropped clean through the. "Whoa" "Holy crap," "Cameron''s so awesome." "How is he not already on the school basketball team?" Xander was speechless. This punk... he thought. The usualzy arrogance had long vanished from his face. He looked at Cameron again, this time with focus. ''Okay. He''s legit. I actually underestimated him; he thought. Cameron felt his gaze and nced back at him. "Your turn." Xander went quiet. It wasn''t like he''d never made a shot from that distance before-but it was hit or miss. Mostly miss. The crowd started cheering him on. "Xander, you got this." "Come on, Xander, you''re the captain of the basketball team. You can''t lose to Cameron." ¡°Let''s go, Xander. We''re all rooting for you." "Shut up," Xander snapped, his voice sharp with frustration. The court instantly fell dead silent. Gripping the ball, Xander looked up at the hoop, fifty feet away. He took a deep breath. This was his game, his turf. He couldn''t lose to Cameron. If he did, he''d be humiliated. He focused, dribbled for a long moment, then took the shot. His breath hitched as he released it, his eyes locked on the ball* s flight without even blinking. He chanted in his head, ''Go in. Go in. Go in.'' The crowd held their breath too, watching the ball arc through the air under the night sky. And finally-ng-the ball hit the rim and dropped cleanly through the. Xander got what he wanted... "Yes," he shouted, jumping up in excitement. The court erupted in cheers. Someone yelled, "Damn, Xander''s incredible." Another cheered, "That was awesome." The crowd kept growing, packed tight from the front row to the outer edges. Milena had to push her way through just to get up front. When she saw Xander sink the shot, her face lit up with delight. "Xander, that was amazing." Milena ran up to him, her eyes full of admiration. Xander nced at her. Milena was sixteen, about five-foot-three. She wasn''t unattractive, but not stunning either-more sweet and delicate than striking. He barely gave her a look before turning away. "Still going?" Xander shot Cameron a provoking Sessfully unlocked! Thatst shot had bushed him to his limit, but he was convinced it had been Cameron''s limit too. So in his mind, this round was a tie. Cameron simply said, "Keep going." Chapter 30 Getting ignored Xander was speechless, frozen in ce, while Cameron jogged off to retrieve the ball Milena had been ignored by Xanderpletely. With so many eyes on them, she felt her face burning in humiliation She thought. Damn Cameron Why didn''t she tell Xander I''m her sister?s she doing this on purpose to humiliate may Subscribed 1 Likes Chapter 31 Admitting Defeat Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Admitting Defeat Cameron dribbled the ball back toward them. "Man, you''re not even gonna say hi to your own little sister?" Milena caffed out, throwing in a wink at Cameron, hoping she would introduce her to Xander. Cameron nced at her coolly. Xander, hearing that, turned and looked at Milena again, then asked Cameron, "She''s your sister?" Cameron replied tly, "I don''t know her." Milena was stunned. ''Did she just say she doesn''t know me? What the hell? What''s wrong with Cameron? First she refuses the gender reassignment, and now she''s pretending she doesn''t even know me? Has shepletely lost it? she thought Xander also didn''t spare Milena another second. He followed Cameron to the other end of the court, right beneath the opposite hoop. He froze. ''Wait, what? He''s gonna shoot from here? From this end of the court to the other hoop? Is he out of his mind? Does he even know how long this court is? Ny-two feet. Earlier was around fifty-two. This is straight-up insane. But Cameron''s expression didn''t budge. She didn''t look like she was joking at all. Xander''s face stiffened. Still, he had to ask for confirmation. "Cameron, how are we doing this?" Cameron answered mildly, "I''ll go first." Then, without any hesitation, she gave the ball a light bounce, stepped into position, andunched a clean, effortless shot. The moment Cameron made the shooting motion, the crowd erupted. "Oh my goodness." "He''s insane-Cameron''s seriously shooting from the opposite end of the court?" "There''s no way that''ll go in, right? If it does, he''d be a straight-up legend." While everyone was still buzzing, the basketball sailed through the air and dropped straight into the hoop on the other side. Gasps broke out in every direction, the crowd stunned by what they''d just witnessed. They all started cheering for Cameron. "He made it." "Wait, did he actually make that? Am I dreaming?" "This can''t be real." "Holy crap. Is Cameron even human? That was unreal." "This is way too insane." "With someone like Cameron on the team, what''s there to worry about in next month''s game against Horizon Academy? We''ve got that in the bag." And yet, at the center of all the attention, Cameron remained calm as ever. What seemed like a miracle to everyone else didn''t even register as impressive in her eyes. She looked over at Xander, whose jaw looked like it might hit the floor, and said tly, "Your turn." Xander couldn''t even speak. His emotions were a tangled mess of shock, disbelief, and frustration. He had lost to Cameron. He might be arrogant, but he wasn''t delusional. He knew damn well he couldn''t make a shot from one end of the court to the other like Cameron had just done. Just as everyone was staring at Xander in anticipation, he suddenly shouted, "I forfeit." The crowd was stunned, their jaws practically hit the floor. "Did Xander just admit defeat? Xander? That proud guy actually gave up?" "Well, Cameron is crazy good. Even Xander had to admit defeat." "Xander knows when to hold back and when to step up. No wonder he''s one of the school heartthrobs-dude''s got real ss." While everyone was murmuring their praise, Cameron turned to Xander. "Forfeit? You mean you''re admitting full defeat and agreeing to leave Room 316?" Sessfully unlocked! Xander snapped. "Pretty boy, don''t push it," he wins jabbing a finger ather Cameron remaine expressionless. "Understood. So you''re only admitting defeat in basketball. Let''s go. Track''s next." With that, she turned and walked off the court. Xander clenched his fists. ''Losing in basketball was a fluke. But running? That''s my thing. Long-distance, sprints-I''ve Chapter 31 Admitting Defeat never lost. No way Cameron can beat me there.'' With a rxed look, he followed right behind her. The rest of the students, sensing the show wasn''t over, eagerly trailed after them toward the track. ¿Ú Subscribed Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The Marathon The crowd of students moved together in a lively wave toward the school track. The campus had a massive field, and though it was already close to 10:30 p.m.- with dorm curfew hitting at 1:30-it was still packed with people. Xander was off to the side stretching. He was determined to make aeback. No way was he going to lose to Cameron twice in one night. Cameron was stretching too. It was a basic warm-up, the kind any serious runner to avoid pulling a muscle before high-intensity movement. A bunch of students clustered around to watch, their curiosity buzzing. Someone whispered, "So how are they gonna race?" Feeling confident, Xander handed the reins over to Cameron. "Pretty boy, your call. How do you wanna do this?" Cameron''s lips tugged into a faint smile. "Marathon." Xander blinked. "A marathon? What, are you nning to run until sunrise?" There was no time limit in a marathon. The idea was simple-whoever stopped first, lost. It only got interesting when there were a lot of runners. He thought, ''Just the two of us? Running a full marathon? Is he kidding me?'' Cameron shot him a look. "So? You in or not? Are you scared?¡± Xander scoffed, "What would I be scared of?" Cameron slipped off her jacket and draped it over a potted shrub nearby, then stepped to the starting line. Xander followed suit. Someone in the crowd called out the countdown, "One, two, three." The moment "three" dropped, Cameron burst forward like a sh of wind. Xander was stunned. He shouted after her, "Cameron, what the hell? This is a marathon, not a damn sprint." Cameron''s speed was a full-on sprint-no question about it. Everyone knew that marathon runners had to conserve energy, or they''d burn out quickly. And yet, Cameron kept up that zing speed. With that many people watching, there was no way Xander was going to let himself fall behind. He had no choice but to kick into sprint mode too, chasing after her with everything he had. "Come on, Xander. Cameron''s already over 200 yards ahead of you," someone shouted. "Shut up," Xander snapped, seething. His stamina was solid. But no matter how good he was, running this fast for this long wasn''t sustainable. Meanwhile, Cameron showed no signs of slowing down. It was like she didn''t even get tired-just kept pushing harder, faster. The gap between them kept widening, and Xander had no choice but to push himself to the brink just to keep from fallingpletely behind. "Let''s go, Xander. Cameron''s about top you," someone yelled. That meant she was nearly a full mile ahead-onep around the track. Soon enough, Cameron caught up to him. By that point, she had already run fourps-four miles. Xander was only on his third. Keeping up that kind of speed for that long was already unbelievable. Xander was gasping for breath, struggling to pull in air. His chest burned. Meanwhile, as Cameron passed him, her breathing was steady, her pace smooth. In just a few strides, she pulled ahead of him again. Xander was someone who cared a lot about saving face. Watching the distance between them grow, he gritted his teeth and pushed forward harder. Milena jogged up beside him. ¡°Xander, it''s a marathon. Slow down. Let Cameron run if he wants to-once he runs out of energy, you''ll win." She handed him a bottle of water with a sweet smile. "Here. Drink this. No rush- just pace yourself." "You''re right," Xander said, panting. He was exhausted and parched, so he took the water from her hand and, little by little, eased his speed. He thought, ''She''s right. This is a marathon. It''s Sessfully unlocked! ndurance.'' But slowing down only made things worse-Cameron pulled twops ahead, then three, then four, and even five. Xander was struggling more with eachp, his pace slowing down, while Cameron was still running at the same zing pace,p afterp, like she didn''t know what fatigue was. Chapter 33 Stay Out Of My Buenwes Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Stay Out Of My Business "Xander,e on Cameron''s already tapped you so many times if you don''t pick it up, you''re gonna lose someone shouted Exhausted, Xander felt like his whole body was falling apart. His breathing wasbored, every inhale scraping cold air into his chest like ss. His legs felt like they were filled with lead-every step was torture He felt like he was about to die. His pace slowed and slowed, until he was moving en slower than the students walking along the edge of the track. But he still kept going. He gritted his teeth and forced himself forward "Xander, maybe stop, okay? Milena''s eyes welled up as she watched him stumble She thought, "Seriously, Cameron? A marathon? Was that really necessary? Look what she''s done to Xander-he''s a mess But Xander didn''t respond. Every ounce of focus was in his feet. Keep going I have to keep going I can''t lose. I''ve gone eighteen years without losing I''m not about to lose to that pretty boy Cameron, he thought His will was rock-solid. But his body wasn''t. With a heavy thud, he copsed face-first onto the track All six feet two inches of him hit the ground, raising a cloud of dust. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold. His body had hit its absolute limit. The crowd erupted in shocked cries. Someone yelled, "Oh my goodness. Xander just copsed" Another shouted, "Hurry Get him to the infirmary," Everyone rushed in at once, lifting Xander off the ground and carrying him toward the infirmary. Xander had copsed, and everyone rushed after him. At that point, no one cared about the oue of the race between him and Cameron anymore The track, which had been buzzing with noise and excitement just moments ago, fell silent in minutes. Cameron slowed her pace, jogged another halfp, then came to a stop. Her entire body was drenched in sweat after all this running, but her breathing remained steady. This level of stamina was something she''d brought back from her world-hopping days. "Cameron." A sharp, angry voice rang out behind her. Cameron acted as though she didn''t hear it and kept walking in the direction of the dorms. Fuming, Milena stormed up and grabbed Cameron by the wrist. "Cameron, why did you pretend not to know me back there?* she snapped, furious that Cameron had made her look like a fool in front of Xander. Cameron shook off her hand. "Funny, you called me like I was your brother. I''m female-not your brother." Milena froze, speechless for a moment. Then she yelled, "You knew I had to say that-there were too many people around." Cameron''s face remained unreadable. "Then do me a favor and pretend you don''t know me next time.* Milena was instantly at a loss for words. Cameron slipped one hand into her pocket and walked off. After a few steps, she doubled back. "Well..." Milena thought she wasing over to talk. But Cameron just brushed past her- she had forgotten her jacket. It hadn''t felt cold while she was running, but now, with the night breeze picking up, the chill sank in. "Cameron, Milena called after her, "you made Xander pass out. Aren''t you gonna check on him at the infirmary?" Cameron nced sideways at her. "Stay out of my business." With that, she turned and walked away. But Milena caught up again, nced around to make sure no one was nearby, then softened her tone. "Cam, what happened to you? What made you change like this?" Cameron came to a halt. "If you''re willing to get gender reassignment surgery and marry Amelia in my ce, I''ll tell you." Stunned, Milena instantly went silent. Cameron let out a coldugh. "Can''t do it? Then stay out of my way." With that, she walked off without looking back. Milena stared after her slender figure, her fists clenched tight, thinking, ¡°What the hell is going on? Cameron''s gone way too far. ''Whatever. Mom said she''sing home this sing to her 1. v. Once she gets home, she''s gonna get what'' Sessfully unlocked! She stomped herot in frustration, ring at Cameron''s retreating back. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Don''t Push It Cameron made it back to Room 316 just before curfew. Elijah was already in bed, an eye mask pulled down over his face, looking like he was asleep. Bradley, dressed in a ck robe, was propped up against the headboard, still holding his copy of Essential Skills for Attorneys. At the sound of the door, he lifted his gaze. Behind his gold-rimmed sses, his deep-set eyes were cool and sharp. "You re back?" "Yeah. You''re still up?" Cameron nodded. Bradley said, "Cameron, you''re famous now." Cameron was confused. "Famous for what?" Bradley replied, "That shooting match between you and Xander? Someone posted it on the school forum." Cameron didn''t react much. "I''m drenched. Gonna take a shower." Bradley chuckled to himself. This new roommate''s definitely something else, he thought. He shut his book, pulled on an eye mask, and turned in for the night. Xander had been chewed out by the school nurse and was ordered to stay in bed for three days. For once, he didn''t argue, because he''d lost to Cameron, which meant he had to move out of Room 316. To him, that was humiliating. He didn''t even want to see Cameron right now. Three days of bed rest sounded like the perfect excuse to avoid her altogether. Cameron really had be the talk of the school. The next day, a bunch of students showed up at ss 15, Senior Year, just to catch a glimpse of her. "So that''s Cameron? He looks kinda delicate, but he actually ran Xander into the ground in the marathon?" That''s him? He even outshot Xander in basketball?" "Gotta admit, he''s pretty good-looking," Surrounded by a swarm of curious onlookers, Cameron remained stone-faced,pletely unmoved. Not a flicker of emotion touched her features. Zach, who sat in front of her, was practically green with envy. He sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Some people are so annoying. "They suck at school but still cause a bunch of trouble, getting a whole crowd outside the ssroom and messing up everyone else''s focus." "Shut it." Cameron kicked the leg of his chair. Zach shot her a re but didn''t dare say another word. Two dayster, Xander had no choice but to return to Room 316. Cameron, Bradley, and Elijah were all there. Cameron had stayed behind on purpose-she was waiting for him. "Are you doing okay now?" Bradley asked. Xander had felt awkward abouting back, but Bradley''s question gave him an easy out. He scratched his nose and sneaked a nce at Cameron. "Yeah. I''m good." Bradley just smiled and didn''t push further. Elijah, meanwhile, waspletely tuned out. He was deep in his math problems, focused on tracking down the mystery solver. That was all that mattered to him- everything else was just noise. Cameron sat back in her chair, her eyes cold as she looked at Xander walking in. "You''ve got fifteen minutes. Pack up and go." Sessfully unlocked! Xander shot her a re. "Cameron, don''t push, or Cameron replied ftly, "What, can''t take the loss after making a bet?" The fire in Xander''s eyes instantly fizzled out. He clenched his jaw. "Fine. I''ll move." He thought, ''A loss is a loss. Whatever. I'' Il leave'' Chapter 34 Don''t Push It Xander grabbed his nket off the bed, rolled it up, and stormed out with it in his arms. At the door, he turned back and looked at Cameron. "You yed me from the start, didn''t you? All that fake weakness crap was on purpose." Cameron didn''t even bother looking at him. Xander stood there, speechless, thinking, ''Damn this smug little bastard.'' He shut the door hard behind him. Elijah frowned at the sound of the door mming. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and nced at Cameron. "You hate him that much?" Cameron answered calmly, "Hate''s a stretch. He picked the fight. I just cut the draina." She figured that if they weren''t sharing a room, there wouldn''t be any mess to deal with. Bradley chuckled in approval, "You might be the first person at this school to actually put Xander in his ce." Cameron smiled faintly as she looked at him, asking, ¡°Brad, does that even matter?" Bradley nodded. "You''re right. It doesn''t." They were still talking when someone knocked on the door. Bradley and Cameron exchanged a nce. Then he stood up to open it and froze when he saw who was standing outside. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Back Again "Hey there. I''m your new roommate. Hope we''ll get along." The guy at the door had a nket slung over one arm and a slip in the other. With a smug little smirk, he raised his brow in challenge. Bradley was utterly speechless. Standing there wasn''t anyone new-it was Xander, back again like nothing had happened Bradley blinked, deadpan. "Seriously? What kind of circus are you running now?" Xander waved the slip in his hand. "I''m just following the school''s arrangement. What''s the problem?" Bradley bit back a sigh, thinking, ¡®Following the school''s arrangement? Yeah, right. Everyone in this school knows the Student Affairs Director is his aunt.'' Xander lifted the slip again and arched a brow. "What, you''re not gonna wee your new roomie?" Bradley couldn''t be bothered to argue and simply stepped aside. Xander strutted in with his nket in his arms like he owned the ce. He used to sleep in the bed closest to the bathroom, with one empty bunk separating him from Cameron. This time, he dropped his nket right onto the bed next to hers. From now on, he and Cameron would be "next-door neighbors" Bradley looked thoroughly done. Elijah frowned-he''d actually nned to request a room transfer, but the Academic Office had told him there weren''t any open beds for now. Since Xander was leaving, Elijah had figured he could stay put. But now Xander was back in full force. Elijah thought, "Yeah, I''m definitely transferring." Xander strolled over to Cameron, all smug and shameless. "Hey there, I''m your new roommate from now on. Be nice to me, okay?" "Get lost," Cameron said tly. Xander instantly dropped the act. "Cameron, are you asking for a beating?" Cameron stared at him, her expression cold. "Xander, the terms of our bet were that you''d get the hell out of Room 316. What are you doing here?" Xander stiffened his neck. "What do you mean what am I doing here? I did move out, didn''t I? But I still need a bed, right? Room 316 just happened to have a free one, so I got reassigned. It''s not my fault, is it?" Cameron didn''t buy a single word of it. "Xander, if I wanted to crush you, I could do it any time. You''d better behave." She gave the warning without so much as a flicker of emotion. Xander fell silent, thinking, ''Damn it. This punk''s seriously full of himself.'' Afraid Cameron might really get him kicked out, Xander swallowed his pride and backed off. And just like that, Xander stayed. Right after lunch, he rushed back to the dorm- obviously waiting for Cameron. But she headed straight to the library instead. He waited the entire afternoon, and she never showed. As soon as the evening study period ended, Xander rushed back to the dorm, thinking Cameron had toe back eventually. The evening study period ended at ten, and Cameron walked back into the dorm at exactly 10:18 p.m. Xander was already sitting in his chair, flipping through a book like he''d been reading the whole time. He beamed at her like nothing had happened and gave a little wave. "Pretty boy, you''re back," he greeted. Cameron set her books down without sparing him a nce and headed straight for the sink to brush her teeth. Xander scrambled to follow, grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste, and started brushing his teeth right next to Cameron. His elbow kept bumping into hers every now and then. Each time he bumped her, Cameron inched further away. Then he moved in again. Eventually, Cameron ended up backed into the corner. "Are you done?" she asked tly. Xander put on an innocent face. "You''re brushing your teeth, I''m brushing mine. What''s your problem?" Cameron shot him a look colder than steel. Shrashed brushing interdime, turned, and headed for the bathroom. Sessfully unlocked! Xander tried to follow, but Cameron mmed the clocked him straight in the nose. t moved fast enough, the door would''ve Rubbing his nose, Xander muttered, "We''re both guys. What, we can''t even take a leak together? Why shut the door?" Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Being Iced Out Cameron''s face instantly darkened when she heard what Xander had just said from inside the bathroom. When she came out, she found him loitering right by the door. The moment she appeared, he started looking around, avoiding her gaze. Cameron went to grab her pajamas from the closet. Xander hurried to grab his too. Just as Cameron stepped into the bathroom, he slipped in after her. "Let''s shower together, pretty boy. Save some time," Xander said like it was the most natural thing in the world. Cameron was speechless, her face stone cold. "Xander, what the hell is wrong with you?" Xander red up. "Say that again, I dare you." Cameron said expressionlessly, "Get out." Xander didn''t think much of it. "What''s the big deal? You scared I''ll see your junk''s underdeveloped or something?" He thought, ''Don''t all guys look more or less the same down there anyway?'' Cameron had no words. She grabbed his hand and shoved him out hard. "Out." Then she tossed his pajamas out after him, mmed the door shut, and locked it- all in one fluid move. She honestly wanted to punch him, but figured Xander probably couldn''t take even one hit from her-especially considering he was a so-called athlete who managed to pass out just from running a fewps. "Shit. What a damn princess. Doesn''t act like a dude at all," Xander grumbled as he punched the wall furiously. He thought, ''All I wanted was to get a little closer to him. Why''s it so freaking hard?'' "What happened to you?" Bradley had just returned and found Xander all pissed off and fuming. Xander instantly pulled himself together, his chin lifting with that familiar air of cocky defiance. "Nothing." Bradley nced toward Cameron''s desk. "Cameron''s in the shower?" "Yeah." Xander nodded, still visibly annoyed. Bradley frowned. "Then why were you lurking around the bathroom door like a creep?" Xander scoffed, "We''re both guys. What''s the big deal?" Bradley shot him a look. "So being a guy means he doesn''t get privacy now? You do realize he could actually press charges for that, right?" Xander pursed his lips. "Yeah, yeah, got it, future big-shotwyer." Eventually, he shuffled back to his seat, and Bradley didn''t bother saying anything else. Xander sat down with a huff. His legs, strong and athletic, stretched out in front of him even as he slouched in his chair. Bored, he started fiddling with the strap on his wristwatch, throwing a quick nce toward the bathroom door. Half an hourter, Cameron finally stepped out as girls always took their time in the shower. She''d heard everything Bradley and Xander had said from inside. She gave Bradley a faint smile. "Brad, backte tonight?" Bradley nodded. "I stopped by the library." Xander pointed at her. "You smiled? At him? Why the hell are you smiling at Bradley?" Cameron and Bradley both fell silent. She was beyond done. She didn''t even bother acknowledging Xander''s whining and turned to Bradley instead. "Brad, I''m calling it a night. Good night." "Good night," Bradley replied with a small smile. 0 Xander gritted his teeth. ¡°What the hell? You two also just met. When did you get so chummy?" However, neither of them answered. Bradley went to the bathroom for a shower. Cameron climbed into bed and drew the curtain shut without another word. Xander sat there, speechless. ''What the hell is this? Am I being iced out? What did I even do?'' he wondered, increasingly bitter. Just then, Elijah walked in. Xander perked up. "y- Sessfully unlocked! "Don''t talk to me," Elijah cut in tly. For days, none had He wondered if even that person couldn''t figure it out. .he math problem he''d posted on the board. He''d stayed in the Math Lab until nearly curfew. By the time he returned to the dorm, his mood was already in the gutter. Xander, now officially ignored by all three roommates, sank even deeper into frustration. 172 Chapter 36 Being Iced Out Bradley stepped into the bathroom and caught the lingering scent in the air. It was warm and faintly sweet, hard to describe but oddly soothing. He murmured to himself, "Smells really nice." Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Taking Off His sses Chapter 37 Taking Off His sses Cameron shut her curtain and closed her eyes, ready to sleep. As soon as she got into bed, Xander scrambled up to his own bunk. His eyes shifted sneakily, and instead of lying normally, he positioned his head at the end closest to Cameron. Just as she was about to drift off, she sensed movement near her feet. Reflexively, she kicked out. "Ouch!" Xander yelped. He had been creeping on his stomach, carefully lifting the edge of Cameron''s curtain to check if she''d fallen asleep. His n was to chat a bit if she was still awake. But the moment he lifted the curtain, he got nailed-Cameron''s footnded square on his shoulder. The force sent him flying straight off the bed, which was about four feet off the ground, and he crashed onto the floor with a thud. "Ow!" he howled in pain. His whole body ached like hell, and he was pretty sure he''dnded hard enough to crack his tailbone. "Cameron, are you out of your mind?" Xander shouted, furious and stunned. Hey sprawled on the floor, unable to get up for a moment. By then, Cameron was fully awake. She yanked her curtain aside and looked down at Xander who was still lying on the ground, her face cold and expressionless. ¡°You tried to lift my curtain. That kick was me going easy on you." Bradley walked out of the bathroom after his shower just in time to see Xander lying on the floor in a pitiful heap. He almost felt bad-until he heard what Cameron said. His brows immediately furrowed. Elijah was startled by Xander''s sudden crash to the floor. He frowned deeply but didn''t say a word. Still, it confirmed what he''d been thinking-he really couldn''t live in this dorm anymore. It was too chaotic, especially ever since Cameron moved in. He pondered, ''So why should I be the one to leave? It''s Cameron who should go.'' Elijah''s cold eyes swept over Cameron before he got up to wash up, pointedly removing himself from the mess unfolding in the room. "Cameron. Screw you," Xander groaned as hey on the floor, ring hard at Cameron, who was calmly sitting on her bed. "I swear, I''m seriously injured. "My whole body aches-I''m hurt badly because of you. You owe me medical bills. You better take me to the infirmary. Now." Cameron didn''t even have a chance to respond before a cold voice cut through the room. "Before we take you to the infirmary, I think we should call the police. Let theme pick up a peeping perv." Bradley towel-dried his damp hair as he stared down at Xander who was still on the floor. Behind the lenses of his sses, his brooding eyes glinted with a chilling edge. "Get up," he said coldly. Xander immediately shut up. Bradley''s icy tone sent a chill down his spine. ''What the hell? He''s actually mad? What''s he so pissed off about?'' he wondered. He looked up and met Bradley''s deep-set eyes-those eyes were genuinely filled with rage. Xander scrambled to his feet in a rush. His body throbbed with pain, and the movement tugged at every sore muscle. He winced, teeth gritted. "Ouch. That really hurt." Bradley''s eyes were ice-cold as he lifted his gaze toward Xander''s bed. "Move your nket back to where it was." "Huh? Why?" Xander blinked, confused. Bradley shot him a side-eye. "Because I''m taking this spot." Xander instantly protested, "What? No way. I want the bed next to Cameron." "Say that again." Bradley slowly reached up and removed his gold-rimmed sses, revealing a pair of striking, smoldering eyes. His icy stare settled on Xander, sharp and unwavering. Xander shut up immediately, thinking, ''Shit. He took off his sses. He actually took them off. Instantly deted, Xander scrambled to make r lo problem, Brad. I''ll move right now." Sessfully unlocked! He instantly grabbed his nket and hurriedly eds nearby. Bradley slowly slid his sses back on, the corners of his lips lifting ever so slightly. Cameron, still on her bed, stared in silent surprise. ''Why does Xander look genuinely scared of him? I thought Bradley warned me not to mess with Xander. But could it be that Bradley''s actually the one no one should mess with in this dorm?'' Chapter 38 Chapter 38 The One Who Should Leave Bradley looked over at Cameron. "Cameron, mind if I take the bed next to yours?" There was that usual calm curve of his lips, that effortlessly elegant smile that made him look every bit the refined gentleman-poised, polished, untouchable. Cameron met his gaze and nodded. "Sure." She knew he was helping her out. She thought, ''Bradley''s actually kind of sweet. She hadn''t been in this dorm for long, but this wasn''t the first time he''d stepped in for her. Bradley quietly moved his nket to the bed beside hers andy down, his feet pointed straight at Xander. Xander rolled his eyes and promptly rotated too, aiming his feet back at Bradley. Cameron had originally been lying with her head against the wall. Thinking it felt a little off to have her feet facing Bradley, she flipped her pillow and changed directions. Her head was now just about four inches from his. "Thanks, Brad," Cameron murmured. Bradley replied, "No big deal. It''ste-get some sleep." "Okay." Cameron pulled her curtain shut. Hearing them whisper to each other, Xander let out a few dramatic snorts. He yanked the nket over his face and thought, ''I can''t believe this crap.'' When Elijah finally came out, the dorm had quieted down. Noticing Bradley had moved next to Cameron, he was a bit surprised but didn''t say anything. He switched off the lights, climbed into bed, and thought, ''One hell of a night. Finally, some peace. The next morning at six, Bradley was up for his usual run. He moved quietly, but it still woke Cameron. She figured she might as well get up too. The moment her feet hit the floor, Xander followed. When she started brushing her teeth, he did the same-right next to her. It was starting to get on her nerves. Eventually, Xander couldn''t hold it in any longer. ¡°Pretty boy, with your shooting skills, why aren''t you on the school basketball team?" Cameron replied tly, "Not interested." That shut him up for a second, but then he tried again. "You''re insane at running too. Why not go the student-athlete route? Even if your grades suck, you could still get into a solid college." Cameron said, "Don''t need to." Xander was starting to get annoyed. "What is your deal, Cameron? I ask you anything and you shut me out, but when it''s Bradley, you''re all smiles." Cameron stayed cool. "How is that your business?" Xander had noeback for that. Elijah, woken up again by their voices, finally lost his patience. As polite as he usually was, this was pushing it. He sat up, pulled off his sleep mask, and looked toward the two by the sink. "Can you two not argue in the morning?" "We''re not arguing," Xander said. Cameron nced at Elijah.."Didn''t you say you were gonna kick me out of Room 316 the day I moved in? Why don''t you kick him out instead?" Xander snapped, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You trying to get rid of me through someone else now? Keep dreaming. I''m not going anywhere." Elijah said coldly, "The one who should leave is you, Cameron." Cameron''s lips curled slightly as she stared at him, waiting for him to finish. His normally calm expression was tinged with clear frustration. "Cameron, aren''t you the one who should be gone? Ever since you moved in, this dorm''s been in chaos." Elijah hated arguing, but this had pushed him time. But now, he couldn''t even get a good nigh Cameron replied, forry. Not leaving." Xander chimed in, "Yeah. She''s staying." Elijah was speechless. Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Don''t Be Ungrateful Elijah''s brows tightened, and his dislike for Cameron deepened. With the conversation hitting a dead end, he didn''t bother saying more. After finishing her morning routine, Cameron changed into her school uniform and walked out of the dorm. Xander quickly caught up and stopped her. ¡°Cameron, I wasn''t done talking to you." Cameron said tly, "Talk." Xander frowned. "You''re being way too cold to me." As Cameron turned to leave, he hurriedly said, "Cameron, I''m giving you a shot here. If you ask nicely, I''ll let you join the school basketball team. You could y next month against Horizon Academy." "No need," Cameron replied without slowing down, heading straight for the academic building. Xander took long strides to keep up. "Cameron, you know, people beg me for this kind of opportunity and I still turn them down. I''m only offering because we''re in the same dorm. Don''t be ungrateful." Cameron stopped in her tracks. "I enjoy being ungrateful." Xander was instantly lost for words. Cameron walked another fifty feet before he called out behind her, "Hey, you seriously don''t wanna join the team?" "Seriously," she called back without looking over her shoulder. Xander fell silent, thinking, ''This little punk''s seriously stubborn as hell.'' After the morning study hall, Elijah went straight to the advisory teacher Brody. He didn''t beat around the bush. "Mr. Graham, I want Cameron transferred out of Room 316. He''s seriously messing with my ability to focus." Brody asked, "What exactly has he done?" Elijah replied, ¡°He and Xander argue constantly. It''s affecting my rest." Brody fell silent for a moment, then said, "Hold on. I''ll call Cameron over." That''s not necessary," Elijah said. He didn''t want to argue, didn''t want conflict. But Brody insisted, "I still need to hear his side of the story." He treated both straight-A students and those barely scraping by with the same fairness. Elijah frowned. "Forget it." He pondered, ''What a hassle. Might as well wait and see for now!'' It was Friday. After sses ended in the afternoon, the weekend officially began. Cameron had nned to borrow a few books to read. On her way back to the dorm from the library at noon, she was suddenly stopped by a group of girls, each one looking visibly upset. One of them stepped forward and scolded usingly, "Cameron, you put Xander in the hospital and embarrassed him. You must be real proud of yourself." It turned out that Xander''s fangirls hade to avenge their idol. Cameron looked at them expressionlessly, set her books gently on the ground, and slowly cracked her knuckles. Her sharp gazended squarely on the girl leading the charge. "Are youing one by one, or all at once?" The girls all froze, staring at each other in shock. Cameron stood there, her whole presence exuding a chilling intensity. Not a single one of them dared to step forward. Just a moment ago, they''d looked so righteously fired up, ready to seek justice for Xander. But now, they were all too scared to move. Cameron narrowed her eyes, already losing patience. "If you''re gonna do it, then hurry up. If not, get out of my way." Still, no one moved. She bent down and picked up her books. As she straightened up and walked forward, the crowd instinctively parted to make way. Just as she passed, the ringleader mustered up onest shout. "Cameron, don''t get cocky. Maybe we can''t deal with you, but I doubt the Academic Office can''t." Cameron just scoed, thinking, ''The Academic Office? What for? What exactly did I do? I just yed basketball with Xander and we ran a coupleps together. He fainted because he was weak. How''s that my fault?'' She wasn''t fazed in the slightest. But sure enough, during the break that afternoon, Cameron got summoned to the Student Chapter 39 Don''t Be Ungrateful Affairs Director''s office. Subscribed Chapter 40 Chapter 40 It Should Be Me In ss 10 of the senior year, Xander sat slouched in his seat, a tower of books stacked in front of him. Propping up his chin, he racked his brain, trying to figure out how to convince Cameron to join the school basketball team. Last year, Langford Academy had scraped by in their match against Horizon Academy. This year, Xander wanted a solid win -no close calls. Cameron had the skills. Xander really wanted her on the team but she didn''t seeme least bit interested. "Xander, I''ve got great news," a girl chirped as she bounced over to him, beaming with excitement. Xander''s chiseled face twisted in confusion. "What news?" The girl puffed up with pride like she was waiting for a medal. "We reported Cameron to the Academic Office For humiliating you like that? He had iting. "Your aunt''s definitely not gonna let him off easy. It''ll be either expulsion or at least suspension. Consider it our way of getting justice for you." Xander''s entire face darkened in shock as his eyes locked onto the girl likesers. Just as she smiled at him, expecting praise, he mmed his book shut with a loud bang. "Are you out of your damn mind?" The girl froze, flinching hard at his sudden outburst. Her shoulders tensed up, and panic flickered across her face. Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to help him, she thought. Xander just shot out of his seat and bolted straight for the Student Affairs Office to find Cameron. After a few strides, Xander spun around and shouted, his voice cold as ice, "All of you better listen up-Cameron''s my buddy now. If you mess with him, you''re messing with me." Everyone froze in shock. They thought, ''What the hell? Cameron humiliated him, and now they''re bros? Unbelievable." At the Student Affairs Office, Cameron knocked and stepped inside the director''s office. Tiana Murphy, the Student Affairs Director, was a poised woman in her forties. She wore a sharp professional suit, her hair sleekly pulled back without a strand out of ce. Well-groomed and elegant, she was strikingly attractive. "Ms. Murphy, you asked to see me?" Cameron said at the door. "Sit." Tiana gestured calmly, every move exuding elegance. Cameron took the seat across from her. Tiana studied her for a moment and then spoke, "So, you''re Cameron Wace, the one who humiliated my out-of-control nephew, right?" The footage of Cameron and Xander''s basketball face-off had made it onto the school forum, where anonymity gave everyone courage. Some were blown away by Cameron''s skills. But most were gleefully mocking Xander, saying he got smoked by a "soft pretty boy". Given how arrogant Xander usually was at school, the blowback had been merciless. Cameron had no idea how to respond. Tiana gave a slow smile. "Don''t be nervous. I didn''t call you here to punish you." Cameron replied coolly, "I''m not nervous." Then, with a touch of confusion, she asked, "Ms. Murphy, so what exactly did you want to see me about?" Before Tiana could answer, the door burst open and Xander charged in. "Aunt Tiana." "Aunt Tiana,¡± he called again, rushing over to grab her arm. "If you expel Cameron, I''m dropping out too. If you give him a suspension, then suspend me too. I started it. This has nothing to do with him." Both Tiana and Cameron were left momentarily speechless. Tiana looked at her nephew who had just barged in and deliberately put on a stern face. "Xander, did you even knock before you barged in?" "Aunt Tiana,¡± he said, dead serious, "with every Tiana looked like she wanted to rub her temples. > knock?" Sessfully unlocked! Xander continued Aunt Tiana, this was all on me. If someone''s getting punished, it should be me. It has nothing to do with him. Don''t listen to the nonsense people are spreading. You''re the kind of Student Affairs Director who''s always fair and just, right?" Chapter 41 Chapter 41 All Bark And No Bite Come and im to... Don''t forget to check in daily for great rewards! Chapter 41 All Bar...... Tiana looked at the frantic Xander and let out a sigh. "Who told you I was going to punish Cameron?" Xander froze for a second, then asked in disbelief, "Wait, you''re not?" Tiana said calmly, "Cameron didn''t do anything wrong. Why would I punish him?" Xander instantly fell silent, thinking, ''Shit. Those girls totally misled me.'' Cameron spoke up just in time, "So, Ms. Murphy, why did you call me here then?" Tiana smiled and ruffled Xander''s hair with fondness, chuckling, "I just wanted to see what the boy who finally gave my nephew a taste of his own medicine looks like." Both Cameron and Xander were at a loss for words. ***** When they stepped out of the Student Affairs Director''s office, Xander trailed right behind Cameron like a loyal puppy. Cameron came to a stop and reminded him, "ss 10 is that way." He was walking in the wrong direction. "I know," Xander muttered. "Then why are you following me?" Cameron asked. Xander said, "Cameron, you really don''t want to join the school basketball team? It''s a great opportunity." "Pass," Cameron replied, just as curt as ever. Xander was instantly speechless. After she walked off, he kicked a nearby column in frustration and thought, ''Whatever. If he doesn''t wanna join, fine. Why is he acting all high and mighty? We''ll win without him.'' ***** When Cameron got back to ss, Zach shot her a look and sneered in that usual snide tone of his, "Someone got called to the Student Affairs Office and still came crawling back. Guess he didn''t get expelled, maybe just suspended. "Hrious. He''s always picking on his ssmates-try picking on Xander if he''s got the guts." Cameron couldn''t be bothered to respond. Zach was all bark and no bite. Paying attention to him would''ve just been a waste of her peace of mind. She mentally tuned him out, treating him like a yappy little mutt with more mouth than muscle. Thest period was math. Josh walked in with his lesson ns in hand and asked Elijah curiously, "That problem you posted on the board has been up there for days, hasn''t it? Still no one cracked it?" Elijah gave a cool shake of his head, his expression unreadable. "It''s too hard. Even that mystery solver didn''t figure it out," a few students chimed in, all agreeing it was just too difficult. Since Cameron had never revealed her identity, they all referred to her as the mystery solver. She spun her pen fast effortlessly between her fingers. She''d earned 30 grand off Elijah a few days ago, so she wasn''t hurting for cash. She hadn''t gone near the Math Lab or even checked the ss group chattely. But since they all seemed so eager, she figured she''d swing by the library after school. ***** After school, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. They''d earned themselves two days of rest. With the SATs just around the corner, the academic pressuretely had been brutal. Most students either left campus right away or headed back to the dorms to pack for the weekend. Only a few, like Cameron, made a beeline for the library. Just as she reached the entrance, her phone buzzed. It was a call from Heidi. Heidi''s voice was as soft and sweet as ever. "Cam, are you out of school yet? Can youe home with Millie? I made a ton of your favorite dishes. You''ve been working so hard at school, sweetie. Come home and recharge." "I''ve got something to do," Cameron replied coolly. "Let Milena go ahead. I''ll be backter." She had no intention of going home with Milena. There was a surprise she needed to prepare for them. Heidi''s voice was still gentle on the other end. "Okay. Just be safe ande back soon. I''ll be waiting at home." After hanging up, Cameron headed straight for theputer section. She turned on aputer with practiced ease and logged into the ss group chat. Just as she expected, that unsolved math problem was still pinned in the announcements. She stared at her phone screen for a few seconds, then turned her attention to theputer. Chapter 41 All Bark And No Bite Her slender fingers danced across the keyboard, quickly typing out the correct answer without hesitation. Then, as usual, she sent it to Elijah using a fake email ount. Once she was done, she wiped all traces of her activity from the machine and got ready to head back to the dorm to change clothes. But when she got to the dorm room door, she still hadn''t received a payment notification from Elijah. Subscrib Chapter 42 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 Chapter 43 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 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 What A Waste The sales associate stared at Cameron in shock, double-checking as she asked, "You mean you''re wearing the dress?" Cameron nodded and pointed to a pair of white heels in the disy case. "And those shoes too. Size 7, please. Thanks" The associate stood frozen,pletely stunned. This was the first time she''d seen a ridiculously good-looking "guy" walk in and openly say "he" was buying a dress-for "himself". She thought, I''ve heard of guys into women''s clothes, but I''ve never met someone this hot who justes right out and says it'' Even though her mind was racing, she stayed professional. After a quick mental reset, she brought the red dress and white heels over to Cameron. Cameron asked, "Where''s the fitting room? I want to try them on." The associate paused, thinking, ''Try them on? Here? In-store? Isn''t this the kind of situation where people take the clothes home to avoid attention? I mean, he''s ridiculously attractive and he''s trying on a dress-doesn''t he care if people stare?'' Still, she stayed in work mode and led Cameron to the fitting room. The second the door closed, gossip lit up on the associates'' faces. "Oh my goodness. He''s so hot. But he''s not straight. That''s such a waste. I was totally gonna ask for his number," one whispered. "Right? Such a shame. He''s seriously fine," another chimed in. "He''s got such a gorgeous face, I bet he''ll look amazing in that dress." "Totally agree." They were still whispering when Cameron''s voice called out from the fitting room, "Excuse me, could you bring me a bra? One of each size, please. I''ll try them on. Thanks." The two associates looked like they''d just been struck by lightning. They thought, ''Okay, dresses and heels I can ept. But bras? Guys don''t have boobs. Why does he need a bra?'' Still, the customer is always right. Shocked as they were, they went to gather one of each bra size for Cameron. Ten minutester, Cameron opened the fitting room door. She stood in front of the full-length mirror. The girl in the reflection had a cropped haircut, her skin smooth and luminous. The red dress traced the elegant lines of her figure, and her slender waist looked even smaller. Years of wearing binders hadn''t stopped her from growing into a tall, poised young woman. She wasn''t short, to begin with, and in white heels, she stood about 5 feet 11 inches. Her build was like a model''s-slim and striking-taller than any of the staff there. Just standing there, she gave off an unshakable sense of presence. The associates werepletely stunned. They thought, ''He looks amazing in that dress. His waist is insanely slender. He actually looks prettier than girls. ''If I didn''t see his face, I''d swear he was a stunningdy. His features are on the feminine side, sure, but he''s still a guy! "Not bad," Cameron said, clearly satisfied. She paid at the counter and walked out in the dress and heels, stuffing her old clothes straight into her backpack. She then walked straight into a beauty store. "Hi, I''d like a makeover. Go bold- something with edge. Thanks." "Girl, your short hair is such a vibe. You look badass," one of the makeup artistsplimented as she led Cameron over. Even with that cropped hair, no one mistook her for a guy once they saw her in the dress. An hourter, Cameron stepped out of the store. She walked down the street in heels, owning every step, soaking in the stares that followed her. This was the first time she had ever shown up in the world as herself-as a girl. §¥ Subscribed Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Caught In A Dress People on the street were whispering among themAlyes Someone said, "Wow, that girls gorgeous. That short hair madras her har so o Another chimed in, "She''s so tell and she is she a mode Her gas mana Mobaie me And someone else added, "She''s honestly prettier than any cafany Xander was sitting on his motorcycle, perked along the cub, ogging & bone Ever since he saw Cameron ditch him and ride off with Bradwy kat ked bean furing He had ns to hang out with friends, something he''d been looking forward to for days-toe after that the whole thing pot fer boxing He rode over here, grabbed a drink, and then he caught the sound of people chatting exctedly With his usual cocky expression, Xander turned his head and muttered to himself, let''s see how for the gree The moment he looked over, his eyes went wide. The girl was getting closer by the wound, and he stared in otter Seselel "Cameron?" he blurted out. Then, almost instantly, he shook his head hard. No way He thought, ''That can''t be Cameron. Cameron''s a guy. This is a girl. But she looks pat ke Cameron Cold the bes sister? Xander was so stunned that by the time Cameron walked right past him, he couldnt even rest Cameron walked down the street in heels, unfazed by the stares and murmurs around her the erfteen years the was finally wearing a dress, Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. She thought, Xander? What''s he doing here? Talk about timing She had already walked past him when she paused and turned back to look. For a split second, ther eyes met Xander waspletely caught off guard. The moment he met Cameron''s gaze, his heart started counding The crazy He thought, ''She looks just like that little punk Cameron, but damn, she''s beautiful-so gorgeous and delicate like a rose in full bloom. Xander sucked atnguage arts, so the cheesy metaphor was the best his brain coulde up with He kept staring, unable to look away. Cameron nced at him, surprised to confirm it really was him. She wondered, Did he recognize me? She waited two seconds. If Xander made the first move and said hi, she didn''t mind owning up to who she realy was Sooner orter, she was going to tell everyone that she was a girl anyway. But Xander just stared at her,pletely silent. So Cameron turned away and got into a cab parked by the curb. Martin, Heidi, and Milena were still waiting for her back home. It wasn''t until she left that Xander snapped out of it. He quickly jumped on his motorcycle, mmed the throttle, and took off after the taxi. But just as he was about to catch up, he suddenly hit the brakes. He thought, What the hell am I even doing? What arm! supposed to say if I catch up? Over twenty minutester, Cameron arrived at Wace Vi. The Wace family lived in a townhouse in the middle of a busy district. After their fall from grace, they managed to stay barely respectable thanks to the Chapman family''s support. Cameron unlocked the gate with a fingerprint code and walked straight into the vi. As she stepped through the courtyard, she could already hear voicesing from inside. "Why isn''t Cameron back yet? School''s been out forever. What the hell is she up to this time? She''s getting more and more out of line." Martin''s voice rang out. "Dad, Cam''s been hanging around with some bad boy at school. They''ve been runningps and ying basketball together. She''s probably still on campus, Milena chimed "What bad boy? Do you think her sudden refus with that boy?" Heidi asked. Sessfully unlocked! er reassignment Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Jealousy "How would I know?" Milena replied vaguely. She didn''t confirm or deny anything, leaving Martin and Heidi to fill in the nks themselves. Sure enough, Martin mmed the armrest of the sofa and barked, "Of course that''s what it is. Unbelievable. I raised her for eighteen years, and now she''s running around with some punk? I''ll beat some sense into her if that''s what it takes." Milena said, "Dad, you''re overthinking. That guy''s got girls lined up for him. He mig not even be into Cam." Heidi''added, "Let''s not jump to conclusions. We''ll talk to Cameron when she gets back." "Excuse me. Who are you?" a voice interrupted. Cameron was standing in the courtyard, her face nk as she listened to their conversation. The housekeeper, Ruth Jordan, had spotted the unfamiliar girl and quickly came over to ask. "Ruth, it''s me," Cameron said calmly. "Mr. Wace?" Ruth''s eyes widened in shock as she took in Cameron in a long dress. Ruth had been working for the Wace family for years. She knew the family''s secret-Cameron had been raised as a boy but was actually a girl. To keep that secret, the Waces had only ever hired Ruth as full-time help. When things got too busy, they''d bring in hourly workers instead. For eighteen years, everyone outside the Wace family had believed Cameron was a boy. Ruth may have known the truth, but seeing Cameron in a dress for the first time still left her stunned. "Cam''s home?" Milena, sharp-eared as ever, heard the sound and ran out, a smile of delight still on her face. But the moment she saw Cameron in that red dress, her smile froze. Her expression shifted into stunned disbelief. "Cam?" Milena raised a hand to cover her mouth. She thought, ''Cameron? Is that really Cameron? What is she wearing? What is she trying to prove? Is she really going to go against Mom and Dad now?'' Cameron gave her a nce and walked right past without a word, heading up the steps into the vi''s main hall. She had no intention of wasting time on a conniving witch like her. "I''m home," Cameron said, her gaze cold as itnded on Martin and Heidi. Martin and Heidi lookedpletely stunned. When they saw Cameron standing by the sofa, they both shot to their feet, their eyes wide, staring in disbelief. It took them a moment to actually register that this was indeed Cameron. Milena came hurrying in behind. "Cam, why''d youe back dressed like that? This is a townhouse, not some private estate. It''s not like we''ve got total privacy here. What if someone sees you?" She stared at Cameron, her fingers curling into tight fists. Out in the courtyard earlier, the lighting hadn''t been great-she hadn''t seen clearly. But now, she could see everything. Cameron was wearing a red, elegant long dress. The color made her corbones look even more delicate, and her waist was so slim. The high slit revealed her nice, slender legs. She was tall, most of her height in her legs. Back when she wore boys'' clothes, nobody noticed. But now, in a dress, every advantage she had was on full disy. Her already striking features, enhanced with makeup, were nothing short of breathtaking. Her eyes, bright and intense, had a sharp edge to them-beautiful, but not soft. She was stunning-so much so that she made Amelia, the school''s it-girl, look forgettable. Cameron was so gorgeous, Milena could hardly stand it. The jealousy was eating her alive. They were born from the same mother, but Cameron stood at five feet nine, while Milena barely reached five feet three. Cameron looked like a runway model. Milena had a ssic pear-shaped figure and couldn''t even wear anything that clung to her midsection without feeling self- conscious. Cameron''s beauty had that sharp, gender-defying edge. Milena, no matter how carefully she styled herself, could only just barely be called pretty. Milena thought, ''It''s just not fair.'' Sessfully unlocked! Martin exploded. "Cameron, what the hell are you wearing? Have you lost your mind?" Chapter 47 Domestic Violence Is A Crime Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Domestic Violence Is A Crime Cameron''s eyes were icy. "I''m a girl. Am I not allowed to wear a dress?" "Allowed?" Martin snapped. "Have you forgotten what you are? Wearing a dress- don''t you think that''s a little messed up?" Cameron stared at him coldly. "Messed up? I wear a dress and suddenly I''m the weird one? You made me dress like a boy from the day I was born-what do you call that?" Martin was momentarily speechless. "You''re really pushing it," he growled, then raised his hand and swung it toward her face.'' Unsurprisingly, Cameron caught his wrist midair and held it in a tight grip. "Domestic violence is a crime. Ever heard of that?" she said, her voice sharp and clear. Cameron wasn''t short, to begin with. In heels, she stood at five foot eleven, towering over Martin, whose height had never been impressive. Just standing there, shepletely overpowered him. Martin froze. He hadn''t expected Cameron to fight back. For eighteen years, she had taken countless beatings and verbal abuse. Whenever he was mad, he hit her. But this was the first time she resisted. He just stood there, stunned, staring at her in disbelief, unable to speak. "Cameron," Heidi barked. She thought, ''How dare Cameron grab Martin''s hand like that? She''spletely out of line.'' Cameron turned, her cold gazending on Heidi who instantly went quiet. The chill in Cameron''s eyes sent a shiver down her spine. Heidi thought, ''That look in her eyes is terrifying. How could she stare at me like that? I''m her mother.'' After the initial shock, Heidi quicklyposed herself. She stepped in to y the peacemaker. "Come on now. Cam''s a girl. What''s the big deal about her wearing a dress?" She pulled the two apart and gave Martin a subtle look. He caught the signal and sat down with a stiff expression. Heidi gently took Cameron''s hand. "Cam, this is the first time I''ve seen you in a dress. You look beautiful." She thought, ''Too bad it''s also going to be thest.'' Milena, clutching her fingers tightly, forced herself to echo the sentiment, saying, "You really do look amazing, Cam." Cameron felt nothing from theirpliments. She sat down on the couch, her voice cold. "I came back to tell you..." She paused for a few seconds. Martin, Heidi, and Milena all looked at her curiously. "I''m calling off the engagement with the Chapman heiress. And I''m taking back my identity as a woman," Cameron said. Her tone was t, derative. She wasn''t asking for their opinion-she was informing them. The three of them went silent, their eyes going wide in shock. They looked even more shaken now than when they''d seen her in the dress. "Cam, are you insane?" Milena was the first to react. She thought, ''She wants to break off the engagement with the Chapman heiress? Does she even understand what that means?'' Right now, every deal the Wace family had on the table was made under the guise of being the Chapman family''s future inws. Without that connection backing them, the Wace family would be doomed. At Langford Academy, every student came from money or power. These days, Milena could barely keep up appearances as it was. She thought, ''If Cameron breaks off the engagement and the Wace family sinks any lower, how am I supposed to face my ssmates? I might as well be dead.'' The veins in Martin''s forehead bulged. "Don''t you dare." Cameron replied with a scoff, "Try me." Martin was so furious he couldn''t even form aeback. Heidi was the first to regain herposure. She smoothed out her shocked expression and looked at Cameron with fake warmth. "Cam, something must''ve happened at school right? It''s nonno he alright. Just talk to me. We''ll figure it out." Sessfully unlocked! She turned to Ruth. "Ruth, go make Cam a cup "Yes, ma''am," Ruth answered, and as she walked off, the two women exchanged a quick look. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Why Pick On Me? Cameron replied, "Nothing happened. I just suddenly realized I don''t want to sacrifice myself for the Wace family anymore." "Sacrifice?" Martin''s temper red again, and he shot back, "We raised you all these years. Don''t you think it''s time you gave something back to this family?" Cameron stared back at Martin with cold eyes and asked, "What about Milena? Wig does it have to be me to take the surgery?" Milena looked up, startled by the mention of her name. Her face was full of hurt, and she asked in a pitiful tone, "Carn, do you really hate me that much? Why are you always picking on me?" Cameron snapped, "Took you really long enough to figure that out." Milena thought to herself, ''What the hell is going on with Cameron? Is she possessed or something? She''s never treated me this badly before.'' Martin snorted, "If the youngest Chapman boy wasn''t way too young for Millie, do you really think you''d be the one marrying their heiress?" Amelia''s little brother was only ten, a good six years younger than Milena. Besides, it was Cameron who was promised to marry Amelia. Even if the Chapman boy were old enough, it''s not like they''d ever pick Milena. So for the future of the Wace family, Cameron had to marry Amelia. Cameron shot back, "I ain''t give a damn to marry her, alright?" Martin red at her, seething. Sensing the tension, Heidi quickly took the ss of water Ruth handed her and stepped in. "Come on, stop arguing, okay? Cam, you haven''t even had a sip of water since you got back. Come on, drink some." Cameron locked eyes with Heidi for a good while. Heidi instantly stiffened and forced a nervous smile. "What''s wrong, Cam?" Cameron gave a half-smile and took the ss, sighing, "Mom, you''re the only one in this house who actually cares about me." Heidi let out a silent breath of relief and said with a smile, "Oh, my silly girl. Of course I care about you, sweetheart. I''m your mom." In this house, Martin was the one who yed the bad cop while Heidi yed the good one. Looks like it''s working, Heidi thought to herself. Cameron lowered her head and started to sip the water. All three of them watched her like hawks. Milena, tense as ever, gripped the sofa armrest tightly, Martin''s heart skipped a beat, and Heidi was holding her breath without even realizing it. Cameron was really thirsty, and she soon drained the ss. The three people''s faces lit up upon seeing the scene, though they tried hard to hide it, not wanting Cameron to catch on. Suddenly, Cameron stood up. "Cam, where are you going?" Heidi instinctively grabbed her hand and asked. "Bathroom,¡± Cameron replied tly. Only then did Heidi let go, looking a little awkward. Milena clutched her chest and muttered, "Oh my gosh, I thought she wasn''t gonna drink it. That went way better than I expected." Martin shot Milena a look and said, "Don''t lose your cool." Heidi added with a heavy breath, "I can finally breathe again." A few minutester, Cameron came back from the bathroom "Come here, Cam," Heidi said softly, motioning. Cameron walked over and sat next to Heidi. Sessfully unlocked! 10 Still ying the loving mother role, Heidi said, "Cam, I know things haven''t been easy for you these past years. But whatever'' s bothering you, you can talk to us. Don''t do anything stupid, okay?" Chapter 48 Why Pick Or Me? Cameron rubbed her temples and replied, ¡°Mom, I''m feeling kinda dizzy. I think I should lie down for a bit." "Dizzy? Okay, let me help you back to your room, Heidi said with concern. "I''m fine by myself, Mom" Cameron brushed her off and headed to her room alone. Her room was barely ten square yards. It only had space for a bed and a desk. The trees outside blocked most of the light. Even on sunny days, she had to keep the lights on. Milena''s room, on the other hand, was three times the size, with perfect lighting and a great view Cameron let out a dryugh, copsed onto her bed, and shut her eyes. Subscribed Chapter 49 Chapter 49 We Did It Half an hourter, Martin, Heidi, and Milena finally went upstairs to check on Cameron. Milena gently pushed the door open Seeing Cameron lying on the bed in a sound sleep, the game a bright smile and whispered, "Mom, Dad, we did it They had slipped a sedative into the water Cameron had just drank Milena thought bitterly. Trying to run away from this? In your dreams, Cameron) They had already arranged everything with Yasmin. Once Cameron was knocked out, shed be taken straight to the operating room. The gender reassignment surgery would start whether she liked it or not It was a three stage procedure, sure, but once the first one was done, there was no turning back Cameron would never fully be a woman again. She''d have no choice but to go through with the rest and be a men Milena stared at Cameron''s breathtakingly beautiful face and finally felt the weight lift off her chest. She thought, "Thank goodness she''s turning into a guy. If she stayed a woman with that face, I''d be screwed Seeing her daughter so relieved, Heidi was just as pleased. "That girl is way too stubbom. We didn''t want to do this, but the gave us no choice. I''m calling Dr. Jensen right now? Heidi then stepped out to make the call. Martin was more cautious. He walked over and checked Cameron carefully. She didn''t move an inch and waspletely out cold. Only then did Martin say, ''7''ll get someone to carry her out to the car. Millie, stay here and keep watch." "Okay, Dad," Milena sat down by the bed. She looked at Cameron with a sneer, and jealousy simmered the longer she stared. She thought with gritted teeth, That face is way too perfect. We came from the same mom and dad, but why the hell is she much prettier than me? She rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "After tonight, you''ll be a total freak." Since they were kids, Cameron had always been second to Milena. She wasn''t as charming to their parents, didn''t get good grades, and had that timid personality. Lately, Cameron had changed a bit. But so what? In Milena''s eyes, Cameron would be beneath her forever. About ten minutester, Martin returned with two tall and strong men. The lights were off, leaving the room in darkness. Milena was nowhere in sight. Martin only saw a girl in a red dress lying on the bed. Martin couldn''t be bothered to turn on the lights. He pointed to the bed and said, "There she is. Get her to the hospital now. We''ll meet you there." "Yes, Mr. Wace; the two men responded. After giving the order, Martin left to find Heidi and Milena. The two men carried the girl out. In the brighter hallway, they noticed her face waspletely hidden under a wide-brimmed hat One of them asked, "That''s weird. Why did they cover her face?" The other shrugged and replied, "Not our business. We just need to get her to the hospital." They loaded the girl into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Meanwhile, Martin found Heidi, but even after looking around, Milena was nowhere to be found. "Where''s Millie? Where did she go?" Heidi asked, confused. Martin frowned and replied, "Forget it. Let''s go to the hospital. This time, we''re staying right outside the OR to make sure everything goes as nned." Thinking about the situationst time, he thought, ''If we''d stayed outsidest time, Cameron would''ve had no chance to escape. We wouldn''t even be in this mess now. Today, we''re staying until the surgery''s done.'' They immediately drove to the Greenfield Gender Surgery Center. Halfway there, Heidi received a call from Yasm Sessfully unlocked! ing-this is the one who''s getting the surgery, Yasmin said, "Mrs. Wace, a girl has been bro right?" "Yes, that''s her. Thank you so much, Dr. Jensen, Heidi replied. She hung up and turned to Martin. ¡°Looks like nothing''s gonna go wrong this time. There are three months left before Chapter 40 W but it Cameron takes the SATS Thvish the Chapman sommes and ch Martin nodded and said. "Ti mention to Marthasa Twenty minutester, they arrived at the surgery center fan they raped that by kay heart dans from wede "Hold her down! Now! Give her the sedativer Yasmin, VA "She''s already awake" Martin mittered with a frown Chapter 50 Loving? Heidi, however, didn''t seem too bothered. She casually said, "What''s the big deal? She''s already at the hospital. Where''s she gonna run off to now?" "You''re right, Mom. She''s not going anywhere," came a cold voice from behind them. The familiar voice froze Martin and Heidi in ce. Leaning against the wall was a "young man" in a blue school uniform with one hand stuffed casually into a pocket. The expression on her face was even icier than the diamond stud glittering in her right ear. "C-Cameron?" Heidi sprang up, stunned. "Why the hell are you here?" Cameron carried a faint and sharp smile as she replied, "Why? Where did you think I''d be?" She was back in her usual male outfit, and she had removed her makeup. Now, that cool look fully returned, and the cocky, indifferent "young man? was back. Martin''s face twisted in confusion, and he asked in shock, "If you''re here, then who the hell is in the operating room?" "You tell me," Cameron said with a sneer. It took Martin and Heidi a second before they realized the situation. Then, they shouted at once, "Millie!" They bolted toward the OR, banging on the door like maniacs. "Millie! Millie! Open up! Open the door!" "Yasmin, STOP IT! Don''t touch my daughter! You can''t operate on her!" Heidi was sobbing now, her tears pouring down her face, herposurepletely gone. Martin''s expression was stern as he started ramming his shoulder into the door. "Open it! Open the damn door!" Cameron stood nearby and watched their reactions with a frosty stare. Her already disappointed heart turned even colder. She cursed in her mind, ''Tsk, what a warm family. They are so anxious about their precious daughter. What a joke. They tried everything to force me into surgery. ''But now that it''s Milena on the table, they''re wailing and losing their minds. Am I not their daughter too? I really wish I wasn''t. But... Back in herst life, Cameron had suspected it too. She even snuck strands of her hair along with her parents''s and had her aunt, who worked in a hospital, run a DNA test. The results crushed her. She was, without a doubt, their biological daughter. Cameron turned around without a word and walked away. Behind her, the OR doors finally opened from the inside. Martin and Heidi rushed in. Milena fought back too hard, so the operation hadn''t started yet, but she''d been terrified out of her mind. The three of them copsed into each other''s arms and cried like they''d survived a nightmare. ***** Elijah came to the hospital looking for his father. Seeing howte it was, he held his textbooks and nned to go home. He casually nced up at the sky and instantly froze. He saw someone sitting on the edge of the rooftop. From this distance, maybe fifteen floors up, he couldn''t make out the figure clearly. But the person was right on the ledge with their legs dangling over the side, like they could drop at any second. "Shit! Someone''s trying to jump down," he muttered. For once, something flickered in Elijah''s usually calm eyes. He spun around, bolted back inside, and rode the elevator to the roof. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he heard a voice-a low and soft hum. ¡°Ll...¡± The person only hummed a tune, almost like they were weeping through the melody. Cameron was sitting there, her legs swinging in the air, her eyes fixed on the stars. She was humming to herself, with no care for anything else. She knew this would happen, and yet, she still felt crushed. She thought to herself, ''I''m their daughter too, but why do they only love Milena? Why do they treat me like I''m nothing? Is it really that I''m not worth loving?'' "Uh, hey, sir, please don''t sit there. It''s dangerou the person. Sessfully unlocked! voice soft and careful. He didn''t want to scare He''d already called his father''s secretary and told them to put out the intable air cushions down below just in case, Cameron stopped humming when she heard the voice behind her. She turned, her eyes rimmed red. In the moonlight, she Chapter 5 m Me Parthing? saw who it was "Elijah?" she called out. "Wait, you know me? Elijah blinked, caught off guard Cameron looked at him and asked, "Don''t you recorte MAT Elijah squinted, something clicking in his brain. That voice sounds familiard Campy Camer the hell is she doing up here? He called out in an urgent tore, "Cameron, is that you? Get hark bare feet safe Chapter 51 Elijah Saved Hier Chapter 51 Elijah Saved Her Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Elijah Saved Her Elijah never in a million years thought the person would be Cameron. He wondered in shock, What the hell happened to her? Why is she here? This is a professional hospital for gender surgeries. Why would Cameron show up here? He had no answers but a hundred questions and a growing sense of dread in his mind. But when Cameron heard his voice, she didn''t move. Instead, she casually swung her legs over the edge and said, "Don''t worry about me. Thanks, though." Elijah''saw her legs dangling like that and felt his heart jump into his throat. He took slow, careful steps toward her, trying to keep his voice calm. "Cameron,e on. That''s not safe. Whatever''s going on, you can tell me. Just leave here, alright?" Cameron didn''t respond. She just tilted her head back and looked at the sky. The night was clear, and the moon bright-too peaceful for what was happening on that rooftop. Elijah tried again. "Cameron, I don''t know what you''re dealing with, but nothing''s worth throwing your life away. Just get down, okay?" Elijah wasn''t the talkative type. Coming up with this much to say in one go was already pushing his limits. But Cameron wasn''t swayed by him. She turned around and red at him, threatening. ¡°Elijah, if you say one more word, I swear I''ll jump right now." Elijah instantly shut up and froze on the spot. But he didn''t leave. He just stood there, about ten feet behind her, quiet as a shadow. Cameron felt his presence and said without turning around, "Rx, I''m not actually trying to end my life." Elijah shot back, "Thene down, Cameron." Right as he said it, Cameronunched herself off the ledge, and her figure instantly disappeared from Elijah''s eyes. They were on the 18th floor. A fall from this height would kill most people-or at the very least, ruin them for life. Elijah''s voice cracked as he screamed her name. He sprinted to the railing and shouted, "OH NO! CAMERON!" Just when his heart felt like it had been thrown off that rooftop too, a long, slender hand popped up and gave him a cheeky little wave. "Hey there." Elijah dropped to his knees and leaned over the railing, grabbing her by the shoulder in a panic. "Are you insane? Do you know how dangerous that was?" Cameron was hanging there, holding onto the ledge with just one hand. With one slip, she would be gone forever. Elijahy t on the ground, with both hands gripping her shoulder tightly. The veins in his hands were bulging from the strain. Cameron only weighed around 110 pounds, but from that angle, and considering Elijah was not as strong as an athlete like Xander, hauling her up wasn''t exactly easy. "Come on. Climb up," Elijah shouted as he pulled. Cameron said calmly, "Let go of me. I can get up myself." "No way,¡± Elijah snapped. "Grab me. Now." Cameron showed a little grin, thinking, ''He''s really that scared I''ll die? He''s probably just worried I''ll die in his father''s hospital and cause a PR nightmare.'' She reached her other hand up, pushed off the ledge with a little effort, and flipped herself back onto solid ground. Then sheid t on her back and burst outughing. Elijah dropped beside her and kept gasping, his sweat pouring down his face. He looked like he''d run a marathon. "You think this is funny?" he said, looking pissed. Cameron asked with a grin, "You were actually scared?" "You''re nuts," Elijah said while ring at her. Cameron nodded. ¡°Yeah, clearly. That''s why I came to your dad''s hospital to get checked out." Elijah rolled his eyes, still gasping for air. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron sat up, brushed the dust off her clothe,...- saved my life, how about I treat you to some food and drinks?" 7843 mach. "Tell you what-since you technically'' She hadn''t eaten a single thing all day. Even the water she drank earlier got thrown up when she went to the bathroom. Chapter 52 Everything is On Me Tonight Chapter 52 My k 52 Chapter 52 Everything is On Me Tonight Chapter 52 Everything Is On Me Tonight Elijah stood up. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, stayed quiet for a few seconds, and then finally nodded. "Alright" He mused, ''Something''s definitely up with Cameron. I gotta keep an eye on her. We''re not exactly close, but I can''t just stand by and watch a ssmate try to off themselves! Cameron was the first to leave the rooftop. Elijah paused for a second, nced back at the ledge she''d just been sitting on and shivered. His heart was still pounding. Cameron led Elijah to a food truck, the kind that could easily stuff anyone without spending too much. It was past 10 PM prime time forte-night snacks, and the ce was buzzing The sounds of chatting, sizzling food, and clinking bottles filled the air. Seeing the environment, Elijah frowned slightly. As the heir of the Moore family, he was used to luxury cars and reservations at upscale restaurants. He''d never eaten somewhere so casual Folding chairs, greasy tables, empty beer bottles littered around-totally not his scene. But he didn''t say anything Cameron picked a quieter corner, wiped the stool with a disinfectant wipe, and sat down. She didn''t think it was gross or anything-she just had a bit of a thing about cleanliness. "Sit, she called to Elijah like she owned the ce. Elijah raised his eyebrows to see she was surprisinglyfortable here. He figured the Wace family wasn''t as rich as the Moores, but still, he didn''t expect her to be this chill about eating at a street stall. Still, Elijah sat down without saying anything. Cameron slid the menu over to him and said, "Order whatever you want. Everything is on me tonight." Elijah nced at the menu with furrowed brows and pointed to some fries and a pizza. Cameron shook her head and said, "That''s definitely not enough." Without waiting, she added more food to the order and threw in a dozen beers for good measure. The food hadn''t even arrived yet when the beersnded on the table. Elijah looked at the beers and frowned. "You''re drinking?" Cameron cracked open a bottle and poured herself a ss. She replied in a casual tone, ¡°I''m legal. Why can''t I?" "You want one?" she asked while handing one to him. Elijah shook his head but didn''t say anything. "Suit yourself. Would you like to get a soda or something else? Just make the order yourself," Cameron then said. She figured it was only fair since she earned the money from him anyway. But Elijah shook his head again. He''d already had dinner. The only reason he came was to keep an eye on Cameron and make sure she didn''t do anything reckless. Cameron took a long swig. The beer was bitter, and it made her frown a little. But she poured another and knocked it back without hesitation. The food they ordered was still on its way, and Cameron had already finished a whole bottle. Elijah''s brows drew tight as he asked cautiously, "Cameron, did something happen to you?" Cameron shook her head and didn''t say a word. She just cracked open the second bottle of beer and downed it even faster. After that, she reached for the third bottle. Just when she was about to open the third one, Elijah grabbed the bottle and snapped, "Hey, are you here to eat or to get wasted?" "Look," Cameron said, brushing his hand away, "if there''s ever a time to drink, it''s now." She popped the cap and started on her third. "At least wait until the food gets here," Elijah insisted. He couldn''t tell if it was the booze or the mood "Here you go." Just then, the server arrived with. one red. Sessfully unlocked! or food, please." "You really need to slow down," Elijah said. "You''re gonna get drunk." "I''ll eat something," Cameron replied while picking up a slice of pizza. Her movements were delicate, graceful even-nothing like the person who''d just chugged two and a half beers like they were water. Chapter 52 Everything is On Me Tonight If I didn''t know her, I''d think he was a girl; Elijah thought. Cameron caught his eyes and asked, "Why don''t you eat? Staring at me can get you full?" ''It''s a bit greasy. I''ll pass, Elijah said. He wasn''t great with oily stuff. Cameron didn''t push him. She wasn''t the type to force things on people. But staring at all the food on the table, she frowned. She said to him, "Come on, you think I can eat it all by myself?" ¤Þ¤µ §¥ Subscribed Chapter 53 hapter 53 Take Cameron To The Hotel Chapter 53 Take Cameron To The Hotel Elijah had no choice but to grab a slice of pizza, though he purposely picked one with less cheese. As he brought the slice to his mouth, the mix of spices hit him first. He scrunched his face, unsure of how it would taste. Taking a bite, he was surprised to find it actually tasted pretty good. But the toppings and cheese were all over it, and he thought for the sake of health, people should really avoid eating this kind of food too often. Meanwhile, Cameron was enjoying her fries. Elijah frowned as he watched her and then said, "I heard ces like this use old ingredients. You should eat less of this stuff." Cameron nced at him and replied, ¡°Elijah, didn''t anyone tell you you''re sometimes a terrible killjoy?" Elijah gave her a look but didn''t say anything. Cameron took another bite of fried chicken. The chicken was greasy, but it went well with beer. She took a bite, sipped her beer, and before long, she finished off the entire beer she ordered. Her face flushed slightly, and she wobbled a bit. Eventually, she rested her head on her arms, lying across the table. She closed her eyes, looking like she was a little drunk. But despite being tipsy, she was quiet, not causing a scene. "Cameron?¡± Elijah nudged her gently. Cameron furrowed her brows slightly but didn''t wake up. Elijah checked his phone and noticed it was already past midnight, and the food truck area was almost empty. He figured Cameron had drunk too much, so he stood up to pay for their food. Afterward, he came back to her and nudged her again. "Cameron, where do you live? Let me take you home." Cameron mumbled with her eyes still shut, "Home? I don''t have a home." Elijah stared at her, not sure how to respond. "Hey, Cameron, wake up." He gave her another push, trying to wake her up. Cameron frowned and muttered, "Leave me alone." Elijah stood beside her, feeling torn about what he should do. A few guests around them looked over, and Elijah''s frown deepened. He finally decided to help her out of the ce. He draped her arm over his shoulder and tried to carry her. As he lifted her, he paused for a second, thinking, ''He smells really nice. It''s fresh and kind of sweet.'' Shaking himself out of the thought, Elijah quickly helped Cameron into a taxi waiting outside. Cameron tilted her head against the window, half-dozing. The driver asked, "Where are you going?" Elijah froze for a moment, wondering, ''Where? I don''t even know where Cameron lives. He drank so much, and I don''t know what''s going on. Is it okay to take him back home? But if I don''t take him back home, where else can I go?'' "Excuse me, where are we going now?" the driver asked again. Elijah nced at Cameron, who was still out cold, and replied, "Golden Horizon Hotel." Half an hourter, they arrived at the Golden Horizon Hotel. In thevish lobby, Elijah struggled to support the nearly limp Cameron as they made their way to the front desk. A clerk moved to help, but Elijah waved them off and said, "Thanks, but I can manage." "Sir, what kind of room would you like?" the receptionist asked politely. "A king-sized room, please," Elijah said while reaching into Cameron''s pocket for her ID. After paying, he soon got the keycard. He managed to get Cameron to the room, but by the time he had helped her onto the bed, he was sweating. Elijah sat down in the couch and rested for a moment. He watched Cameron lying on the bed in her clothes, shoes still on, and felt conflicted for a long time. Eventually, he walked over and took off her shoes. Helping someone take off their shoes wasn''t something he dever done before. Sessfully unlocked! He covered her with a nket and adjusted the rooms AC thi be should just leave. But as he reached the door, he heard a thud behind him. Turning around, he saw Cameron had rolled off the bed andnded on the carpet with the nket still wrapped around her. cho frowned. Cameron probably hurt herself, but she still didn''t wake up. Chapter 53 1aks Cameron to the Hotel Elijah stared at her for a moment and then shook his head B Ascribed Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Share A Secret With You Elijah stood by the door and stared at Cameron lying on the carpet, his frown deepening He thought, ''Is that okay to leave Cameron alone here? What if something happens? The image of Cameron sitting on the edge of the rooftop shed in Elijah''s mind. He thought, He must''ve gone through something. Otherwise, why would he get so drunk? What if I leave and she jumps down the building again?? A hint of concern crossed Elijah''s usually indifferent face. After thinking it over for while, he finally turned around, pickin Cameron up and getting her back onto the bed After washing up in the bathroom, he grabbed an extra nket from the wardrobe,id it on the couch, and decided to make do with the night there. **** The next morning, the first light of dawn broke through, and the blinding sunlight flooded the room from the gap in the curtains. Cameron''s longshes fluttered, and she slowly woke up, her eyes still blurry. She blinked at the unfamiliar surroundings, thinking, ''Wait, how did I end up in a hotel room? Then, her gazended on Elijah, who was asleep on the couch. He was tall, and even though the couch was pretty big, lying on it was cramped. His legs hung from the side, and his feet even touched the carpet. It didn''t seem like he was sleeping toofortably. Cameron thought, ''Guess this is probably the first time this big shot has ever slept on a couch. Cameron sat up and rubbed her temples. Despite the hangover, she didn''t feel too bad. Actually, she had a pretty good tolerance for alcohol, so she hadn''t expected to get so drunk. It turned out when one got stuff on their minds, drinking wasn''t the best idea. Cameron got up and tiptoed to wash her face, but Elijah stirred and woke up. "Oh, you''re awake?" he asked, his voice still a bit groggy, not as cold as usual, and his eyes were still half-closed. Brushing her teeth, Cameron nodded and replied, "Thanks for getting me herest night. Why didn''t you go home?" Elijah didn''t mention he was worried Cameron mightmit suicide. Instead, he said, ¡°It waste, and I didn''t feel like exining to my family." Cameron raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why not just book another room?" Elijah straightened up, his usual cool demeanor returning. He patted down his clothes and smoothed out the wrinkles from sleeping. "Are you done? I wanna use the bathroom," he said, changing the subject. "Wait a minute," she replied. Elijah didn''t say anything, but Cameron could guess what he was thinking. She mused, ''He''s probably worried I''ll do something stupid. He looks all distant, but he''s actually a softie underneath.'' Ten minutester, they both showed up at the hotel''s restaurant on the second floor to have a buffet breakfast. Cameron only took a bowl of porridge, an egg, and a few slices of bacon. Elijah raised his eyebrows, looking surprised. "You only eat so little?" He remembered how much she had eatenst night. Cameron shrugged and casually replied, "Not really hungry." Elijah didn''t press it. He sipped his coffee, looking elegant as always. "You can go home after this. I''ll take care of the bill." Cameron was a little surprised, and she thought, ''Didn''t expect Elijah to be this much of a gentleman. He paid for the hotel roomst night too. Guess this is what they say about rich people''s generosity.'' As Cameron thought about how Elijah had kept looking for her, she started feeling a bit guilty. She slowly finished her porridge and looked up at Elijah''s cold, handsome face, her expression serious. "Hey, I''ve got a secret to share with you." Elijah put his coffee cup down and met her gaze, his expression attentive. "Go ahead." He moved with such poise, and every action ex Cameron said, "I know the person you''ve been. actually me." Sessfully unlocked! ng for solve the math problems no one else can is Elijah''s expression was hard to read. Cameron asked, "You don''t believe me?" Chapter 54 Share A Secret With You Elijah''s response was calm. "Cameron, what would you gain by lying to me?" Subscribed Chapter 55 I''m Out Chapter 55 Chapter 55 I''m Out Seeing Elijah''s reaction, Cameron couldn''t help but feel a bit speechless. But she still tried to tell him the truth. "It''s true, Elijah. Every time I sent you an email..." "Alright,¡± Elijah interrupted her while getting up. "Do you need anything else? I can grab it for you." Cameron shook her head. "No, thanks." In her mind, she grumbled, ''Fine, I open up, and he doesn''t believe me. Whatever, won''t bring it up again. But honestly, who would believe that the student ranked deadst in the ss can solve the problems that even the top student struggles with? His reaction makes sense'' After breakfast, Cameron and Elijah parted ways. Cameron went to the front desk to settle the bill, and the money Elijah had prepaid was refunded to her card. She had no intention of going back to Wace Vi. She didn''t want to deal with her so-called family She had taken out her ID and nned to go straight back to Langford Academy. However, she didn''t want to see them, but they wereing for her. Heidi called her, and Cameron knew exactly what this was about. She was about to hang up but identally answered the call. "Cameron, you are so heartless. Millie is your sister, and you''re trying to destroy her. Have you lost your conscience?" Heidi s voice was sharp, filled with pure rage. Normally, she would talk to Cameron in a sweet tone, but now, her true colors were showing Cameron must''ve hit a nerve. She was nning to hurt Milena, and Heidi couldn''t hide her anger anymore. If Cameron were right in front of her, Heidi probably would''ve pped her. Cameron didn''t really want to argue with them, but since they practically gave her the opportunity, she might as well make the most of it. With a cold smirk, Cameron snapped, "Mrs. Wace, you just can''t keep up the act so soon? What a shame, really." Heidi froze for a second before shouting, "Cameron, how can you do this to your sister? You think I''ll just let you get away with this? Do you expect me to keep talking to you sweetly like I used to?" Cameron casually replied, "What did I do? I just saw Milena was tired, so I knocked her out and let her sleep in my room. "Also, she kept staring at my clothes in the living room, so I figured she must''ve liked them. I thought I''d help her out and put them on her." Cameron sneered, "It''s you and Martin who personally took your precious daughter into the surgery room. What does that have to do with me?" Heidi was left speechless, and she thought to herself, ''We caused Milena to end up in the surgery room, but we originally nned to have Cameron go through with it. It''s all Cameron''s fault for messing things up. That''s why Millie got so scared. Cameron added, "Mrs. Wace, let me make this clear again-I WON''T go through with any gender-reassignment surgery. and I''m NOT marrying Amelia." Martin snapped, "You don''t have a say in this. Cameron, who do you think you are?" Cameron shrugged. "Oh, Mr. Wace is there too, and Milena, right?" "Cam, I know you''re upset, but what about me? Don''t you think I''m hurt too? Why can''t you sacrifice just a little bit for the Wace family?" Milena whined. Cameron shot back, "I''m not a Wace, so why should I sacrifice?" Heidi was stunned. "What did you just say?" Heidi''s voice was filled with shock. She thought, ''What''s this brat suddenly saying? Does she know the truth? No way.'' As Heidi was shocked by her own thoughts, Cameron said, "Since all of you are listening, I officially announce to you that I''m going to find awyer soon to sever our parent-child rtionship. "From now on, we''ll go our separate ways. If you guys want totch onto the Chapman family so badly, then let Milena go through with the surgery and marry Amelia. In Sessfully unlocked! 474 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 A Gift From Bradley Cameron spoke with steady conviction. There was no way she''d let her family control her like they did in her past life. Cutting ties with them wasn''t a question for her-it was just a matter of time. Since they called her today, she might as well make everything clear with them and save herself the trouble of ever hearing from them again. Martin roared with a livid look, "You think you can just walk away? Dream on it, Caron. We raised you for 18 damn years, and now you wanna cut us off without paying us back? You ungrateful brat." Cameron let out a lightugh and retorted, "Paying you back? Oh, I already did." In herst life, she paid with her life. Whatever debt they thought she owed for being raised was cleared the moment she died. Heidi shrieked, "When the hell did you ever pay us back?" Now that her mask was off, Heidi didn''t even bother pretending to be the loving mother anymore. She showed her true face without hesitation. Cameron snapped, "Heidi, if I hadn''t spent thest 18 years disguising myself as a man, would you still live in a damn vi? Would Milena have gotten into Langford Academy? "Would Martin soak up all that praise and attention? Please think about it. I''ve paid everything back over the past 18 years.¡± Martin ground his teeth and shot back, "That''s what you''re supposed to do." Cameron sneered, "Well, starting today, I''m done being so stupid." Milena''s voice trembled, almost crying. "Cam, how can you talk to Mom and Dad like that? No matter what, they gave birth to you and raised you." Martin cut her off. "Millie, don''t waste your breath. She wants out? It won''t be that easy." Heidi echoed, "Yeah, not that easy." Cameron let out a cold chuckle and retorted, "Oh? Not easy? What if I go public with the fact you made me live as a boy for eighteen years? Take a guess-whose side do you think the public will take?" Knowing Cameron was right, Heidi had nothing to say. She just snapped, "You heartless, unfilial brat. You will be cursed." Cameron''s voice was calm. "Well then, expect to hear from mywyer." With that, she hung up. She didn''t want to waste time arguing with idiots. She wasn''t about to let herself stoop to their level and turn into one of them. She blocked all three of them, for fear that they''d call her again. She was going to find herself a goodwyer and make the break clean. Cameron spent the weekend on campus. By Sunday afternoon, students started to return for self-study in the evening. Cameron decided to swing by the library for some books. She already had most of the school curriculum down cold, and she wanted to dive into other topics to broaden her knowledge. She had already read a ton, but still, she was eager to read more. She opened her dorm room door, only to bump straight into someone. The guy was wearing an off-white trench coat over a crisp white shirt. A pair of wire-frame sses sat neatly on his handsome face, giving him a clean, elegant, and effortlessly mature vibe. ¡°Hi, Brad.¡± Cameron greeted him. Bradley looked a little surprised to see Cameron, and he said with a smile, "Hey, you came back earlier than I thought." "Yeah," Cameron answered without offering much else. She then stepped aside to go out. "Hold on," Bradley called after her. Cameron paused her steps and asked, "Yeah?" With a faint smile, Bradley said, "Got a little sor Sessfully unlocked! Cameron blinked, looking confused, "What is it: Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The Most Adorable Guy Bradley gave Cameron a light pat on the shoulder and said, "Come in" Normally, Cameron didn''t like being touched, but when it was Bradley, the dont seat contrae aa They stepped into the dorm. Bradley pulled a small ck velvet box from his backpack and handed over to Camer Here, it''s for you." Cameron didn''t take it right away but asked, "What is it?" Bradley flipped open the box, revealing a sleek obsidian stud earring inside. "My third brother''s a hell of a designer, Bradley exined, ¡°Our ce is always full of this kind of stuff I remembered you like wearing studs, so I brought one for you." He nudged the box closer toward Cameron and asked, "Do you like it? Cameron was caught off guard. They hadn''t even known each other that long. Bradley had already helped her more than once, and now, he even gave her a gift. Cameron felt like she shouldn''t take his gift She nced down at the logo on the box and recognized it instantly-one of those high-end designer brands. Even a single stud like this would cost a fortune. Cameron shook her head and said, "Thanks, Brad, but I really can''t take it." "Why not?" Bradley''s smile faded a bit When he first saw the stud, he instantly thought of Cameron. He figured it''d look great on Cameron. He didn''t expect to get turned down. "No work, no reward, Cameron said in a firm tone. Bradley frowned slightly and thought to himself, No work, no reward? Seriously? It''s just a small thing, barely worth a few grand Bradley pushed the box into Cameron''s hand and insisted, "It''s just a little thing. If you like it, keep it. If not, toss it." There was a kind of gentle stubbornness in the way he said it-soft, but not up for debate. Cameron could tell he was a bit upset. Now that the earring was in her hand, she didn''t know what to do with it. Keeping it felt awkward, but tossing it felt rude. So she gave in and epted it. Fine, I''ll ept it for now When I make enough money, I''ll return the favor, she thought. She looked up and said, "Alright then, I''ll take it. Thanks, Brad" "You''re wee." A small smile tugged at Bradley''s lips. He lifted a hand and gently ruffled Cameron''s hair. Cameron didn''t move but just stood there, looking a little stunned. Bradley raised his eyebrows and asked, "Not gonna try it on?" Cameron looked down at the stud in the box and praised, "It''s really pretty. Probably looks good too." Bradley asked, "Wanna try it?" "Sure." Cameron nodded. She reached up to remove the diamond stud she''d been wearing. Just as she was about to take the obsidian one out of the box, a hand beat her to it. "Let me help you," Bradley said, already stepping closer. Cameron instinctively took a step back and replied, "It''s alright. I''ll do it myself." Bradley caught the wary look on her face and gave a softugh. "Alright He ced the little stud gently into Cameron''s palm, and Cameron clipped it into her ear. Her skin was smooth, and the deep ck obsidian made the soft pink of her earlobe pop. Bradley crossed his arms and studied Cameron, sighing, "Tsk, you''ve got smoother skin than most girls I know." Cameron touched her ear and replied, "I don''t go out in the sun much." She''d never been into sports. Staying out of the on her skin looked so good. Sessfully unlocked! out?" And asked, "Weren''t you about to go out? Bradley chuckled. Seeing Cameron stand there. "Oh, yeah." Cameron then grabbed her books and ducked out of the room. A soft chuckle escaped Bradley''s lips as the door clicked shut. He thought to himself, That''s cute. Cameron might just be the most adorable guy I''ve ever met. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Maybe I Should Give Up Cameron borrowed a few books from the library. On her way back to the ssroom, she stopped by a convenience store to grab some water, only to find her bank card had been frozen. She smirked and swapped her card for another payment method. Cameron had already expected this. She knew that once she tore things off with the Waces, they''d first hit her where it hurt-in the wallet. They think freezing my card will make me back down? They are so naive. I''ve got a new card with about 50 thousand dors on it. All thanks to Elijah, she thought as she sipped her water and checked the ss group chat. Other people were discussing how tough the math problem Elijah had written on the board was, wondering how long it''d take the "mysterious person" to crack it. Thinking of the mysterious person, Cameron chuckled to herself and thought, ''I already came clean to Elijah, but he still doesn''t believe me. ''Maybe I should earn a bit more from him. I''ll need some funds to hire awyer and cut ties with the Waces. Gotta be prepared.'' She turned back to the library and soon sent an email to Elijah. On her way back to the ssroom, her phone pinged. It was a transfer from Elijah-30 grand. ***** "Sorry, Eli, I still haven''t tracked down the guy''s location," Bradley said while standing up from his chair. Elijah took a soft sigh, his phone still remaining on the transfer screen. He couldn''t help but feel down, thinking, Looks like I really won''t find this person. They won''t show themselves, and what can I do? Maybe I should just give up. Bradley gave Elijah''s shoulder aforting pat. Bradley was about to go to the ssroom when the door swung open. Xander rushed in, nearly knocking into him. "Cameron, Cameron!" Xander called, almost panicking. Bradley raised his eyebrows at Xander''s frantic look. Xander looked around the whole dorm but still didn''t see Cameron. He turned to ask Bradley, ¡°Brad, where''s Cameron?" Bradley asked, "What''s up? Got something to talk to him about?" Xander nodded and replied, "Yeah, where is he?" Bradley shrugged. "No idea." With that, Bradley stepped out of the room. Xander turned to Elijah, asking several times before Elijah finally answered in a t tone, "I don''t know." Xander thought to himself, ''Screw it. I''ll just check his ssroom. This has been bugging me for two days. I need to get to the bottom of it.'' ***** "Damn, that''s impressive. We were just talking about how long it''d take for that problem to be solved, and boom, someone figured it out already," eximed a man. A girl said, "That person is incredible. Who the hell are they?" Someone else chimed in, "Only took a few days to earn Elijah 100 thousand dors. Turns out knowledge really can turn into money." Another person joined the conversation. "That person has been staying hidden all along just to make cash off Elijah, huh?" Cameron walked into the ssroom and overheard all the chatter. She casually slipped one hand into her pocket while holding her book in the other hand, her expression as cool as ever as she made her way to her seat. A girl noticed Cameron and whispered, "Hey, Cameron looks even cooler today." "Wow, he changed his earring," someone remarked. Another girl said, "It''s obsidian, so pretty." "Oh my, if I''m not mistaken, that''s a new piece Sessfully unlocked! thousands of dors," a man suddenly said in & Fletcher. That stud alone probably costs Someone else asked, "Really? Are you sure? Didn''t they say the Waces are kind of broke now? There''s no way Cameron could afford such an expensive earring." The man replied, "I''m sure. I''m a die-hard fan of Eric Fletcher." interving §¥ Chapter 59 Chapter 59 I''m Not Canceling The Engagement The search results soon popped up on the screen. Eric Fletcher, twenty years old, from Steerfall, was currently studying at ESMOD International Fashion Design Institute, one of the best design institutes in the world. At eighteen, he founded the international fashion brand Noir ¨¦t, and now, he was a household name. Anything he designed would be sold out during pre- orders. Cameron clicked on the official website for Noir ¨¦t and saw the obsidian earring Bradley had given her listed for $19,999. ''This is the ''little thing'' Bradley talked about? What kind of gift do I need to give him to make it even? she thought. She rubbed her temples and scrolled through her phone. Suddenly, she saw something and froze. ''Fashion designpetition? The winner gets 300 thousand dors, her mind screamed. Cameron raised her eyebrows, thinking with a smile, ''Perfect. I''ve been trying to figure out how to make some money before the SATS, and now I''ve got an idea. Just then, someone shouted, "Wow, that''s Amelia. She''s so beautiful." Another person echoed, "True, she is stunning. No one in this schooles close to her appearance." Someone else sighed, "Look at her long and smooth legs. They''re just amazing." Hearing the chatter, Cameron nced up and saw Amelia and Skyler standing in the doorway. Amelia said to the student sitting in the front row politely, "Excuse me, could you please tell Cameron I''d like to talk to him?" The guy shouted across the room, "Cameron, tour fianc¨¦e Amelia wants to talk to you." Other students chuckled, clearly enjoying the gossip. Amelia frowned slightly at their reaction. Cameron sat still for a few seconds. Then she stood up and walked out of the ssroom. When Amelia saw Cameron, she immediately took a few steps back and stood near the railing. Skyler followed suit, standing beside her. She rolled her eyes and thought inwardly, ''Seems like the campus queen''s charm is wearing off. Been waiting days, and I still haven''t gotten the photos of Elijah.¡± Cameron stood at the door with her hands in her pockets and a cold expression. She looked at Amelia and asked, "What''s up?" Amelia was taken aback by the coldness in Cameron''s tone. Her attitude hadpletely changed. Cameron was once warm and eager in front of Amelia, but now, she was as cold as ice. Skyler sneered, "Cameron, drop your act. ying hard to get is fine, but there''s a limit." Cameron didn''t even spare her a nce. Amelia noticed Cameron staring at her and could see he was starting to get impatient. She got to the point and said, " Cameron, didn''t you say you were going to cancel the engagement with me? Why haven''t youe yet?* Over the weekend, Amelia told her parents that Cameron woulde by to break off the engagement soon. They were all thrilled. The Chapman family had been wanting to cut ties with the Wace family for ages. But as the weekend passed, and Cameron didn''t show up, Amelia had to ask for an answer as soon as she returned to school. Amelia ignored Skyler but still watched Cameron, waiting for an exnation. Cameron crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, looking totally uninterested. "I''m not canceling the engagement." Amelia''s eyes widened in shock. Skyler pumped her fist in the air. "I knew it, Amy. He was just ying hard to get. Didn''t hepete with Xander the other day? He''s been all over the school''s radar, and he''s doing this to grab your attention." Cameron gave Skyler a deadpan look. "You are really smart." Skyler puffed out her chest and smugly lifted her chin. Amelia''s expression turned grim as she said, "Sessfully unlocked! engagement? You know I don''t agree with it. Dragging this on is pointless." A lot of students passed by and shot them with curious eyes, but Amelia didn''t care. She even hoped that some of them would spread the word that she wanted to cancel the engagement and didn''t like Cameron, hoping the right person would hear it. Chapter 60 Apologize Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Apologize "What''s got you so worked up?" Cameron let out a coldugh and asked, "What gives you the idea I like you and I want to) marry you?" ''Even in myst life, when Martin and Heidi brainwashed me into kissing Amelia''s ass, I hated every second of it. I even used to curse the universe for not making Amelia a guy, or it would''ve saved me the pain of having to dress like a guy'' The truth was, Cameron kind of couldn''t stand Amelia. However, Amelia was way full of herself to notice that. Skyler beat Amelia to ask, "Then what are you trying to say?" Cameron replied tly, "I''m about to cut ties with the Waces, so there''s no need to cancel the engagement. It''s their thing You wanna break it off? Take it up with them. Don''t bother me. Got it?" Amelia asked in confusion, "Cut ties with them? Why?" "That''s none of your business," Cameron said, not even blinking. Amelia just stared at Cameron, like she was still processing those words. Skyler scoffed, "What a load of crap. Amy, he''s obviously just stalling it." She turned around and gave Cameron a look of pure contempt. ¡°Face it, Cameron, you''re still ying that stupid hard-to-get game. If you wanna be with Amy, then do as I say. "Give me the photos of Elijah as I asked. Do that, and Amy will go on a date with you. So, are you taking the photos or not?" As she talked, Skyler was winking like crazy at Amelia. ''Guess we''re sticking with the original n, Amelia thought to herself, her lips pressed into a thin line. Amelia didn''t agree with Skyler''s idea at first. All she wanted was to cancel the engagement but notpletely humiliate Cameron. But the SATs were right around the corner, and no matter what she said, she was still Cameron''s fianc¨¦e on paper. She couldn''t just walk away even though she didn''t admit the engagement herself. Now, since Cameron wasn''t willing to y nice, she''d use whatever tools she had. She didn''t deny what Skyler said. Cameron gave Amelia a slow, amused look. "So let me guess-you want me to sneak photos of Elijah, then you''ll twist it like I''m some creep obsessed with him. That way, you''ve got a ''real'' reason to cancel the engagement and walk away looking clean. Is that your n?" Both Amelia and Skyler snapped their heads to look at each other, stunned. They wondered, ''How the hell does Cameron know the n? And with that much detail?'' Cameron smirked. "You really thought I''d fall for that?" Amelia asked with a frown, "Cameron, just tell me what it takes for you to cancel the engagement. You want money, huh? 150 grand? 300? Name your price." Amelia was losing her patience. If throwing money at this mess would fix it, she''d love to solve it as soon as possible. After all, her future was worth way more than a couple hundred grand. She didn''t want to waste another second on Cameron. Cameron burst outughing. "Amelia, are you dense or just deaf? I already told you-go talk to the Waces if you want out." "Get lost," she spat, turning around and walking back into the ssroom. She thought with a smirk, ''150 grand? 300? Trying to bribe me, huh? Sure, I like money, but only when I earn it fair and square. Even if Amelia offered me 3 million, I wouldn''t give a damn.'' Amelia stood there wide-eyed, like she''d been pped. Her mind raced. ''Did Cameron just tell me to get lost? He even called me deaf and dense?'' She was used to being adored and doted on, and no one had ever dared talk to her like that. Her chest tightened, and her eyes were stinging with tears. Seeing how shaken Amelia was, Skyler grabbed Cameron''s arm and snapped, "Cameron, apologize to Amy right now. You''ve gone too far!" Cameron stared at Skyler''s hand gripping her and chat hack. "You really wanna see what ''too far'' looks like?" Cameron hated being touched by other people Sessfully unlocked! t like. Skyler opened her mouth to yell again, "I said apologize-ah!" Chapter 61 Chapter 61 He Has A Sister Skyler was about to force Cameron to apologize to Amelia, but before she could even finish yelling, her arm suddenly dislocated. Her entire arm went limp, and her grip on Cameron slipped instantly. A sharp, burning pain shot through her shoulder. It felt so intense that her eyes welled up with tears on the spot. The pain stole her voicepletely, making her couldn''t even scream. She had no clue what Cameron had done to her, but she knew it had to be Cameron since there were only three of them there. "Skyler? What''s wrong?" Amelia asked. She had been sulking, but Skyler''s sudden yell snapped her out of it. Skyler was pale as a sheet, her lips trembling, pain written all over her face. "What did you do to her?" Amelia demanded. Cameron''s face stayed nk as she replied, "You wanna try it?" Amelia met Cameron''s cold and sharp eyes, and a chill crept up her spine. She took a step back, uneasy. She mused, What the hell happened to Cameron? She wasn''t like this before.'' "Cameron," a voice called from down the hall. Cameron looked up and found it was Xander-and not just him, Elijah was there too. Cameron turned her gaze back to Skyler, who could barely stand on her feet. She thought, ''A little reminder to her is enough. She''ll think twice next time.'' With that thought in mind, Cameron raised her hand and gave Skyler''s shoulder a light nudge. There was a faint crack, and Skyler''s dislocated arm snapped back into ce. Skyler blinked her eyes and thought with a confused face, ''Wait, the pain''s gone? Like, totally gone? What just happened? "Cameron." Xander jogged up to Cameron, slightly out of breath. Cameron looked at him, unsure what made him so flustered. "Do you have a little sister, Cam?" Xander asked, still catching his breath. Cameron gave him a quick side-eye and said, "Nope." Xander looked surprised. "No? That can''t be right." On Friday night, he bumped into a girl who looked almost identical to Cameron. He asked again, "Then maybe an older sister?" "Nope," Cameron answered. Xander stood there stunned, still feeling hard to believe that. Cameron didn''t say anything else. She walked back into the ssroom like none of it mattered. Xander looked totally lost. Amelia stepped up beside him and said, "Hey, Cameron does have a younger sister." The Chapman family and the Murphy family had always been close, so she and Xander were pretty familiar with each other. "I knew it." Xander pped his hands, all excited. ''I knew I wasn''t seeing things. Cameron''s sister is drop-dead gorgeous. Just thinking about her makes my heart race, thought Xander. After getting the answer he wanted, Xander walked away in a good mood. Elijah, on the other hand, walked straight into the ssroom. Skyler looked at him eagerly, but he didn''t even nce her way. Skyler''s smile faded after seeing she was totally ignored. "Let''s go," Amelia muttered, frowning in frustration. The whole conversation with Cameron was a disaster-nothing changed, and she''d just ended up humiliated. Skyler was fuming too. She gritted her teeth ar security footage. She''s gone too far. We''ve gotte The two of them then stormed off, full of rage. ***** 1 something to me. Amy, let''s check the Sessfully unlocked! Elijah sat at his desk, totally zoned out. Chapter 61 He Has A Sister After thinking for a long time, he finally sent a message in the ss group chat. [I''ll cancel the reward for solving the problems. Thanks everyone for your support.] He finally decided to give up looking for that person. Someone whispered, "Aww man, it''s canceled. I was hoping to win 30 grand Another student replied, "Pfft, you mean you could solve it?" Someone elseughed. "That''s actually true." Cameron heard the chatter. She spun her pen around her fingers without missing a beat, her eyes drifting to Elijah''s silhouette up ahead. She thought while shaking her head, ''That guy is so damn stubborn. I already told him the truth, but he just refused to believe it.'' Subscribed 1 Likes Chapter 62! Brought You Money Chapter 62 Chapter 62 I Brought You Money Elijah was quiet the whole evening, clearly in a mood, Cameron figured she could try once again to tell Elijah the truth. After all, he was the one who took her to the hotel that night when she got drunk. So, when they were about to go back to the dorm, Cameron quickly caught up to Elijah and called out, "Elijah, hold on Elijah stopped and turned around, his expression t, "Yeah?" Cameron asked, "Can we talk? Just the two of us." Elijah stared at Cameron for a good ten seconds before finally nodding without a word. Cameron then pulled him into a quiet corner. Elijah frowned, thinking. ''What the hell does he need to say in private?" Cameron got straight to the point. "Elijah, I''ll say it again. The person you''ve been looking for is me. You don''t believe me? Fine, I''ll show you the text from the bank on my phone." Cameron hadn''t deleted the text she got that afternoon. Originally, she nned to keep it from Elijah, so she hid her real ount and address. But seeing the way Elijah looked so down, she hesitated. Elijah brushed Cameron''s hand away, frowning. "Cameron, I''m not in the mood. Don''t joke with me right now." Cameron rolled her eyes, thinking, ''Seriously? He thinks I''ve got nothing better to do than joke with him? After that, Elijah walked off with his books tight to his chest. His back was straight as ever, and the streetlight cast a long shadow behind him. He didn''t even look back. Actually, he didn''t believe a word Cameron said. Cameron stood there holding her phone,pletely speechless. Sheined, "That guy is so damn stubborn." She mused, ''It''s the second time. If I try again, I''m an idiot.'' Even Cameron''s usually calm, androgynously beautiful face showed a flicker of frustration. It was gettingte, but she didn''t rush back to the dorm. The weather had been warming uptely, and she walked at a rxed pace. Just as she reached the building, a girl in a school uniform came running over, yelling, "Cam, finally. I''ve been waiting for you." Milena, with her high ponytail and cheery smile, acted like they were really close. Cameron shoved one hand into her pocket and walked right past Milena, that cold face barely hiding her annoyance. "Cam," Milena called out again. Milena had expected Cameron''s reaction upon seeing her. After all, Cameron had already said she was cutting ties with the Wace family, so it made sense she wouldn''t even spare Milena a nce. Still, Milena grabbed Cameron''s arm and said, "Cam, I brought you some money." Cameron raised her brows, mildly amused. "Oh? You brought me money?" Milena nodded and said with concern, "Cam, I''m sorry. Mom and Dad were super pissed and froze your card, but family fights don''tst forever. Once they cool off, they''ll unlock it. I took some of my allowance out in cash for you." Honestly, Milena was furious at Cameron too. She almost became the one getting prepped for the gender reassignment surgery. The idea had scared the hell out of her, and she wanted to p Cameron to vent. But the Wace family still needed the Chapman family, and Cameron was the strongest tie between them. So they needed to keep Cameron on their side. Cameron raised her brows and asked, "How much?" Milena pulled a wad of bills from her bag, replying, "1,500 dors, take it." Milena thought it was a generous amount. Handing over that much made her heart ache. Cameron took the cash with two fingers, looking more amused than impressed. She sneered, "You think that''s enough for me to sell out my life for you guys?" She gave a softugh, but her eyes were razor sharp. "Are you all delusional or just desperate?" As she spoke, she raised the bills high and tossed them into the air. The money fluttered down like confetti, drawing eyes from all around. Students stopped their steps and stared at the scene. Chapter 62) Brought You Money Someone whispered, "What''s going on? Who''s tossing money like that?" Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Xander''s Terrible Taste Chapter 63 Xander''s Terrible Taste Milena stared up at the fluttering bills with wide eyes. In her mind, she was fuming. ''Cameron''s totally out of line. I came all this way just to help her. If she didn''t want the money, fine, but did she have to humiliate me right in front of all these students? She really wants to piss me off! Cameron leaned in close and said in a low and sharp voice, "You know, Milena, Amelia already came to me. She offered me 300 grand, just to get me to cancel the engagement with the Chapmans." Milena''s eyes practically popped, and she eximed, "Wait, what? Amelia offered you 300k to cancel the engagement with her?" Cameron nodded. "So if you guys really want me to marry Amelia, go home and ask your father. See if he''s willing to transfer the entire Wace fortune to me. Maybe then I''ll think about it." With that, Cameron gave Milena a cold smirk and turned to walk into the building. She bumped shoulders with Milena on her way past, sending Milena sprawling to the ground. Milena just sat there, stunned, staring nkly at the scattered bills. Someone tried to help her gather the money and hand it back to her, yet she didn''t even react. Her mind raced. ''What the hell is wrong with Cameron? When did she became so sharp-tongued? Has shepletely lost her mind? She asks for our entire fortune? Is she insane?'' ***** Cameron walked into the dorm with a stormy look on her face. She muttered with a sneer in her mind, ''Those three people are really troublesome. I''m already living on campus. I told them I''ve cut ties with them, and they stille to pester me. ''They always lean on others, never thinking about rebuilding from scratch. When they fail, they just fall apart. How pathetic.'' The moment Cameron pushed open the door to Room 316, Xander shot up from her chair and rushed over. "Oh, Cam, you'' re finally back." Cameron frowned and retorted, "Why were you sitting in my chair?" She was a neat freak, and she hated people touching her stuff. Xander didn''t think it was a big deal, and he replied, "I was waiting for you." Cameron grabbed a disinfecting wipe and casually started cleaning the chair. "And why were you waiting for me?" Xander''s face instantly turned grim, and he shot back, "Are you serious? I just sat in your chair for a while." Cameron raised her eyebrows and retorted, "Yeah, that makes me ufortable." Cameron was never the type to back down. She and Xander had been shing since day one. Xander was speechless, and heined in his mind, ''Since when have I ever been treated like this? Girls usually fight over the stuff I touch. Cameron''s such a jerk.'' Xander pointed to the big shopping bag on Cameron''s desk and said, "See all these snacks I bought? Might as well feed em to my pet dog." Only then did Cameron nce over and see the massive bag stuffed with goodies-nuts, chips, jerky, sausages, coffee, soda, cupcakes, and even her favorite brand of sparkling water. She gave Xander a sideways look and asked, "Trying to bribe me into joining the basketball team?" "No," Xander snapped. "I don''t need you. I''ll crush Horizon Academy with or without you." Cameron sat down and crossed her legs, asking, "Then why?" Xander suddenly got awkward. His ears turned red, and he stammered, "Uhh... can I maybe get your sister''s number?" Cameron blinked and wondered, ''Is he talking about Milena? No way. Did Xander fall for Milena? His taste is seriously terrible.'' Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Get To Know You Chapter 64 Get To Know You With Xander staring at her like a puppy waiting for a treat, Cameron deadpanned, ''I don''t have a sister" Xander nearly jumped up. "Liar! Amelia said you do? Cameron smirked ''Looks like someone''s thinking about an early romance. Should I go report you to your sunt? Xander''s ears flushed red, and he immediately denied it. "I am not. I''m not dating anyone before the SATS But then he felt like he was losing ground, and he roared, "Besides, I''m legally an adult" Cameron just stared at him, nodding "Oh." Xander snapped, his patience wearing thin, ''Don''t talk nonsense. Come on, just give me your sister''s number." Cameron casually shoved the giant bag of snacks back into Xander''s arms and said, "I told you I don''t have a sister. If Amelia says I do, go ask her." "You''re seriously impossible." Xander exploded. He thought to himself, Fine, I''ll go ask Amelia myself." He tossed the bag back onto Cameron''s desk and said, "Whatever. It''s yours anyway He''d already paid for them. Even if Cameron didn''t appreciate it, he wasn''t going to waste food. Plus, thinking that Cameron was that girl''s brother, Xander knew better than to piss Cameron off too much. Muttering under his breath, Xander climbed into his bed and pulled out his phone to text Amelia. Cameron looked at the snack bag for a second, then ignored it and went to wash up. Elijah was quietly reading at his desk. Without realizing it, he''d gotten used to the chaos between Cameron and Xander Their constant bickering didn''t even faze him anymore. He stayed focused, flipping pages as if the room were silent. Meanwhile, Milena sat in the back of her car, fuming and wiping tears from her face after being humiliated by Cameron. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number popped up. [Hey, are you Cameron''s sister? I''m Xander, his roommate. Mind if we get to know each other?] Milena nearly dropped her phone. Her mind screamed, ''Xander? THE SAME XANDER I KNOW? The whole school''s heartthrob? He wants to get to know me? No way, this has to be a prank. She froze in disbelief, unable to judge if it was true or not. Just then, another message from Amelia arrived. [Milena, Xander asked me for your number. He wants to chat with you on WhatsApp.] Milena''s heart was pounding upon seeing the message. She thought in excitement, ''So it really is the same Xander, the heir to the Murphy family, the future CEO of Murphy Enterprise. If I win Xander over, who cares about the Chapman family? But when did I even get on his radar?" Her mind was buzzing, but she didn''t rush to add him on WhatsApp or reply to his message. She wanted to y it cool. When she got home, she didn''t say a word to Martin or Heidi. She just went straight to her room. She made herself shower to calm down. It was almost midnight before she finally saved Xander''s number on WhatsApp. Xander had been waiting. As soon as he saw Milenae online, he instantly messaged: [Hey there, Ms. Wace] Milena beamed at her screen, but she waited a minute before replying: [Hi, can I help you with something?] She was grinning like a fool, but kept her tone icy on purpose. Xander replied with a shy emoji: [I just really wanna get to know you. Is that cool?] Milena squealed and flopped onto her bed, kicking her legs in the air. She couldn''t stop giggling. She thought, ''I can''t believe it. Xander acts all tough and aloof, but he''s actually kinda cute.'' Still ying hard to get, she replied: [May I know why?] Xander: [I saw youst Friday. You were wearing The smile on Milena''s face froze in an instant *ook my breath away] Sessfully unlocked! Subscribed Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Keep It A Secret Milena stared hard at her phone screen, and the site on her face frore goff She thought in anger, Friday night, red dress. He means Cameron, tr¨¦ that wachs Venner civet i sa Cam thought it was maybe Cameron''s sister Milena felt like she was about to cough up blood from the rage She''d thought Zander started to notice at the realizing it. But it was Cameron dressing up as a girl to seduce him Milena cursed in her mind, ''That''s disgusting She seriously doesn''t realize she''s gonna be Amed''s that smeta And she''s out here hitting on Xander? What a slut Just as Milena was shaking with fury, Xander''s name popped up on her screen again. Xander: [Ms. Wace, did I scare you? I''m really sorry I didn''t mean to just wanted to get to know you is that day Even Xander, normally a total cker, sounded like he''d swallowed a thesaurus. Milena clenched her jaw as she stared at the text, thinking, I can literally feel how careful he''s being with his words. This is Xander. That bastard Cameron must''ve done something to get his attention like this? She red at the message, jealousy burning in her chest, twisting her features. She shouted inwardly, Hop Why st Cameron he''s into and not me? Doesn''t he know he''s into a crossdressing freak? Then something clicked. Her expression changed in a sh. A slow, calcting smile crept across her face. Her eyes gleamed as she typed back. Milena: [That was you? Sorry, I''m kinda nearsighted. I was just caught off guard, not scared.] Xander: [You knew it was me? That makes me so happy.] Milena: [How could I not know you?] Xander: [My honor.] Xander could rarely sound so cautious and polite. Xander replied with an expectant emoji: [So can we be friends?] Milena: [Of course.] He immediately sent back a happy face. Milena: [By the way, could I ask you for a favor?] Xander: [Sure.] Milena: [You don''t even know what it is yet.] Xander: [Doesn''t matter. I''ll do whatever you ask.] Milena stared at her screen, feeling another wave of jealousy wash over her. She thought bitterly, ''This is the so-called Xander, and he totally falls for Cameron.'' That thought alone was enough to drive Milena insane. But still, she loved the attention. The idea that Xander would be at her beck and call from now on gave her a thrill. However, she knew she wasn''t actually Cameron. Milena quickly typed back: [Hey, can we keep this friendship between us? My brother doesn''t like me hanging out with guys. Xander: [That exins it. He denied having a sister. I had to ask Amelia to get your number.] Milena: [Please keep it a secret.] Xander replied with a shy emoji: [Of course, it''s our little secret.] Milena hadn''t expected Xander to agree so easily. She let out a quiet breath, thinking, ''He came to me first. There''s no way I''m letting a catch like Xander slip through my fingers. ''And as for Cameron, I''ll make sure she bes a man first. That way, even if Xander finds out he saw me that night, it''ll be toote. I just have to make sure we never meet in person until then.'' Subscribed Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Keep His Promise "Yes! Terrific Xander shouted with glee, gripping his phone like it was a trophy He jumped off the bed, did a string of shy one-handed flips across the room, and kicked up into a handstand against the wall to strike a pose like he was in some action movie. He looked like pure joy in motion. Cameron, half-reclined on her bed with a book in hand, nced overzily and sneered, ¡°What? You forget to take your medicine? Xander dropped from the wall, cleared his throat, and tried to tone down his grin Milena had told him to keep quiet, not let Cameron find out their rtionship. He had to keep his promise Putting on a straight face, Xander said, "I''m not gonna waste time arguing with you. I''m taking a shower? A minuteter, the bathroom was filled with the sound of rushing water and Xander''s happy singing. Cameron didn''t care what he was so worked up about She nced at Bradley''s empty bed beside hers. It was close to midnight, and he still wasn''t back Where the hell did he go? she thought, a little uneasy. She considered texting him but then remembered she didn''t have his number. Actually,e to think of it, she didn''t have any of her dorm mates''s number. With a sigh, she closed her book, tucked it away, pulled the curtains shut around her bed, andy down to sleep. The next morning, Cameron woke up at six on the dot just like always. She pushed the curtain aside, got down from bed, and instinctively nced at Bradley''s bed. It was still empty. She hadn''t expected him to be gone all night. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sky was starting to lighten with the pale blue of dawn. "Morning, Cameron, what do you wanna eat for breakfast? I can grab something for you. Just meet me at the cafeteria after checking the attendance, Xander said, still half-asleep but perking up the moment he heard Cameron''s footsteps. Cameron rolled her eyes and snapped, "Don''t bother with that. I don''t have a sister." Xander blinked, then muttered to himself, ''So Milena was telling the truth. This guy really doesn''t let her talk to guys. What a fossil He rolled out of bed and followed Cameron to the sinks. The two of them started brushing their teeth side by side. With a casual air, Xander said, "By the way, asking for your sister''s number yesterday was just an excuse. What I really wanted was to invite you to join the school basketball team." Cameron shot him a cold look and replied, "I don''t have time." Xander nearly lost it. He really wanted to give Cameron a hard kick. But then he remembered that Cameron was Milena''s brother. He swallowed the urge and let it go. Elijah also got up. Cameron turned to ask him, "Do you know why Brad didn''te backst night?" Elijah shook his head and replied, "He didn''t say anything." Though Cameron still felt confused, she nodded slightly. Xander leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Look at you, Cameron. Why are you so worried about Bradley? Trying to cozy up to him, huh?" Cameron ignored him, calmly brushed her short hair in front of the mirror, and then put on her ck obsidian studs. Xander watched her reflection in the mirror with a pout and thought, ''Damn, this guy''s really good-looking. His sharp features seem to be chiseled by heaven. ''His face is pretty, but his eyes are determined. Kind of a mix between a guy and a girl. Can''t believe he didn''t even make it into the top school heartthrobs list. Arms crossed, Xander kept going. "Let me tell you something. Bradley is the fifth son in his family. Saunders Enterprise is already in his oldest brother''s hands. Bradley''s never gonna have real power. He''ll just be rich, and that''s all. "If you wanna ride coattails, you picked the wr Sessfully unlocked! rphy Enterprise. Come on, I''ll give you a chance. It''s not toote to get over here and kis Xander smirked, his chin tilted proudly like he was doing Cameron a huge favor. Cameron looked straight at him, her face unreadable. "Congrats on picking the right womb to be born from. Are you proud of that? Strip away the Murphy name, who are you?" Chapter 67 Take Her For Breakfast Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Take Her For Breakfast Xander rolled his eyes but didn''t have aeback. Cameron didn''t stick around. She pulled the door open and walked right out. From behind, Xander shouted, "Being born lucky is a skill too. Are you jealous?" Then he turned to Elijah for backup. "Right? Don''t you think so?" Elijah looked at him and asked, "What?" Clearly, he hadn''t heard a word of Xander''s argument with Cameron. Xander sighed. ¡°Man, you are really a nerd now." Elijah shot back calmly, "I don''t want to argue with an idiot." Then he grabbed his books and left too. "Tch, what makes you so proud?" Xander muttered. Top students always looked down on ckers. And ckers? They couldn''t care less. In homeroom, Cameron sat there, waiting for the teacher to check the attendance while checking her phone under the table. She was reading through the submission guidelines for the Noir ¨¦t designpetition. She hadn''t realized until now that there was only one week left until the deadline. But for her, that was plenty. A week was more than enough. When the breakfast break came, students poured into the cafeteria. Cameron bought two pies, stopped by the campus store to grab a new set of sketch pens and specialty paper, and headed straight back to the dorm. The moment she opened the door, she saw Bradley. He was standing by his bed, tall and put-together in a ck trench coat. Thin- rimmed gold sses rested perfectly on his nose. He looked like he stepped out of a magazine. Cameron was a little surprised to see him, and she greeted him. "Oh, Brad, you''re back." Bradley turned around and gave Cameron a small smile. "Yeah. Wait, you only have one pie for breakfast?" "I already ate one. Two''s enough," Cameron replied. "That''s too light," Bradley said. "Wanna go out and get something better?" Langford Academy wasn''t so strict with students, so even boarding students were free to leave as they liked. They just had to sign out if they weren''ting back for the night. Cameron shook her head and replied, "No need. I''m good." Bradley took out his bank card and insisted, "Come on. I haven''t eaten either. Let''s just hit that ce right outside campus." In the end, Cameron couldn''t win against him. Bradley seemed soft-spoken, but once he decided to do something, it was surprisingly hard to say no. Likest Friday, when he insisted on taking her home, or now, he insisted she go out to eat with him. The two of them strolled down the busy academy avenue, surrounded by chatter and footsteps. "Is that Bradley? He''s so dreamy." A girl noticed them, and her face flushed. Another girl said, "Wait, that''s Cameron, right? I heard he got assigned to Room 316. Can you believe that? Living with the four hottest guys in the school. I''m dying of jealousy." That girl''s friend joked. "Why are you jealous? You''re a girl. It''s not like you can live in the boys''s dorm." The girl replied, "I wish I could though." After that bet with Xander, Cameron became popr. Naturally, people dug up the fact that she was now living in Room 316. Plenty of girls envied her so-called "luck". Hearing the whispers, Bradley and Cameron exchanged a look and smiled. Bradley pointed at a row of bikes parked by the Sessfully unlocked! Langford''s campus was huge, and walking out fai everywhere, free for students with their ID cards. ''s ride them. tes. That was why they had shared bikes But it was the morning rush, and only one bike was left there. Cameron stroked her stud and said, "Just one left, but we..." CAPRINSE Nese youngest way Chapter 68 Chapter 68 I Run Pretty Fast Bradley had already scanned his student card and hopped onto the bake, Seeing Cameon e stand there he exer *Cameron,e on. We''ve got 45 minutes before ss starts Don''t te me you''re nning to ser They had a one hour breakfast break Cameron stared at the spot fradley had left for her. It was enough to sit, technically But dard haw to lean in rest dose and hold on tight, or she''d fall off for sure. Cameron said in an awkward tone, "Why don''t you go ahead? Fil run behind you'' Bradley looked at her, puzzled "Are you serious?" Seeing Bradley''s expression, Cameron added, ''Don''t worry I run pretty fast Judging by Cameron''s serious face, Bradley could tell she wasn''t joking He thought, it makes sense It''s a one seater. Two people would be cramped. And Cameror''s kinda got that germnachobe vibe going and always wiping stuff like my brother! Bradley got off the bike and said, "How about this? You ride, and Fil run." He was used to morning jogs anyway, and he was fast enough to keep up with a bike if it wasn''t going too fast. But Cameron shook her head and insisted, "No big deal. I''ll run" And just like that, she ran off. Bradley let out a helpless sigh and pedaled after her. He kept the pace slow, worried she might fall behind, but in just a blink, she was gone. By the time he reached the school gates, Cameron had already been waiting there for a couple of minutes She stood by the entrance, blending into the crowd in her standard school uniform. At 5''9'', she wasn''t especially tall among the students, but somehow, she just stood out. People couldn''t help but look at her and even turned their heads. "Whoa, who''s that guy? He''s so good-looking" someone whispered. Bradley spotted Cameron instantly. "How''d you get here so fast?" Cameron stared at him and replied, "Didn''t think you''d go that slow." Bradley chuckled, locked the bike, and motioned across the street. "Let''s go. The restaurant is just over there.* As they crossed the street, Xander said, "Oh, by the way, my fourth brother''s here too. That''s who I was withst night." Xander didn''t know why he felt the need to exin himself to Cameron. Cameron stopped in her tracks and said, "What? You''ve got an appointment? Maybe I should leave you guys alone." Honestly, she and Bradley hadn''t known each other that long. Showing up to breakfast and meeting his family felt like too awkward. "Come on, you''re already here," Bradley said casually, slinging his arm over her shoulders to lead her forward. Cameron froze for a second. It was the first time in her life a guy had ever done that. She''d been dressing like a boy since she was a kid. Martin and Heidi never let her get close to anyone for fear her secret would get out. Thus, Cameron had no friends at all. She''d never let anyone in her space like that before. Strangely, though, she didn''t hate it when Bradley broke into her safe zone. Quietly, she leaned away just a little, and Bradley''s arm naturally dropped. They stepped into the restaurant. A guy was already sitting by the window, casually leaning back in his chair. He looked their age with a stylish hairstyle. His mischievous eyes seemed to smile even when his lips didn''t. He looked like trouble-in a charming kind of way. When he saw Bradley, he waved them over. "Come on, I''m starving here, man.¡± Subscribed 1 Likes Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Can I Get Cameron''s Number? Bradley said, "Didn''t I tell you to start eating?" He and Cameron walked over together, and Bradley made the introductions. "Eddie, this is my roommate, Cameron Cam, this is my fourth brother, Eddie." Eddie gave Cameron a once-over and waved his hand. "Hey, Cameron, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you too," Cameron replied politely. Eddie turned to Bradley. "You brought the card, huh?¡± With a sigh, Bradley pulled his bank card out of his pocket and handed it over. "I''ve only got 300k left. Don''t blow it all at once." Eddie sighed, "How am I supposed to win over girls if I penny-pinch? You don''t get it, you lonely loser." Eddie was neen, a freshman majoring in psychology. Ever since college started, he''d been dating one girl after another, and his money flew out the door like it had wings. He ran out of cash yesterday, so he came to ask Bradley for help. Bradley rolled his eyes and said, "The PIN''s my birthday." Eddie blinked and muttered, "Your birthday?" Bradley retorted, "You don''t even know that? You don''t deserve to use my money." Eddie raised his eyebrows and replied, "Tch, I can just ask Mom." Hearing that, Bradley hit him with a dramatic eye-roll. Cameron sat quietly to the side, listening to their bicker with a smile. She thought to herself, ''They are actually kind of close. That''s how real brothers do, unlike me and Milena... She caught herself mid-thought and shook her head. ''Forget it. I already made up my mind to cut ties with them. No point thinking of them.'' Bradley ignored Eddie and slid the menu toward Cameron. "Here, order something you want." Cameron ordered a waffle. She was already full from the two pies, but since she was here, it felt rude to just sit and stare at them. Bradley took the menu back and added a few more things for himself. ***** Meanwhile, Xander was sitting alone in one corner of the cafeteria. His table was loaded with breakfast items-enough to feed ten people. But he hadn''t touched a thing. He just kept staring toward the entrance, grumbling under his breath, "Where the hell is that little punk?" He''d been waiting for over ten minutes. The crowd had started to thin as people finished their meals and left. Xander checked his smartwatch and said, "It''s half an hour already." Getting annoyed, he decided to call Cameron, only to realize he didn''t even have Cameron''s number. So, he sent Milena a message instead. Xander: [Morning, Milena. Hope this doesn''t bother you.] At that moment, Milena was actually having breakfast with some ssmates in the cafeter¨ªa. Her face lit up when she saw the message. She jumped to her feet, ready to reply somewhere more private, only to spot Xander across the room, not far away. More eye-catching than him, though, was the mountain of food on his table, which was way too much for one person. Milena swallowed her curiosity, sat back down, and replied: [Morning, Xander. I''m having breakfast. What about you?] Xander: [You''re still in school, huh?] Xander: [Makes sense. Since Cameron''s still studying, you probably are too. What school are you at?] Milena: [That''s a secret.] Xander: [Alright, you can tell me when you''re re Sessfully unlocked! Milena: [So, did you message me just to say good morning or what?] Xander: [Actually, can I get Cameron''s number? I need to talk to him about something.] Milena''s face fell instantly, and she screamed in her mind, ''Cameron? It''s that bitch AGAIN!'' Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Xander Got Pissed Off Milena was a bit excited about getting Xander''s message, but it crashed hard the second she realized that he only texted her because of Cameron. She clenched her phone, biting back the anger. ''Last night was bad enough, but now he''s hitting me up just because of Cameron? Wait, did he get all the breakfast for her? Seriously? He went all out for Cameron? Is she even worth it? From across the room, Milena nced toward Xander. He was staring at his phone learly waiting for her reply. Milena replied: [Can I ask why you''re looking for Cam? Sorry, he values his privacy a lot.] Xander: [I said I''d get him breakfast. I bought a whole table of food, but it''s all cold now. That brat still hasn''t shown his face.] Xander''s message confirmed Milena''s worst suspicion. Her grip on the phone tightened so hard that her knuckles went pale. Her chest heaved since she was furious. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down and texted again. [Xander, thanks for looking out for Cam like that.] Xander: [It''s not just that. I wanted him to join the school basketball team, but no matter what I say, that guy still says no.] Milena''s blood boiled, and she thought, ''Cameron? Join the basketball team? That''s like the highest honor. She thinks she deserves it? Not a chance. I won''t let it happen. She belongs in the shadows, under my feet where she''s always been.'' Milena replied: [Ah, I see... but if Cam''s not into it, I really hope, for my sake, you won''t push him, alright?] Xander stared at the text for a while and read it again and again. He thought with a frown, ''Wait, is she telling me not to recruit Cameron for the basketball team?'' With a deep frown, Xander replied: [Fine.] Tossing his phone on the table, Xander looked at the untouched breakfast, feeling more annoyed than before. A momentter, another message from Milena came through. [Thanks, Xander.] Xander barely nced at it, not even bothering to reply this time. It''s weird; he thought. ''The other day when I ran into Milena outside the mall, my heart was racing. But now, I feel nothing. I''m not even interested in asking her for Cameron''s number anymore. I''ll hit someone else up.'' Just as he was thinking about reaching out to Amelia, a nce at the ss group chat made him freeze. He opened it and instantly lost it. Student A: [Cameron''s seriously hot!] Student B: [Didn''t notice before, but now seeing that pic of him with Bradley, he totally holds his own. He''s so damn good-looking.] Student C: [How did we all miss such a hot guy?] Xander scrolled up and found the photo they were all talking about: a candid shot of Cameron and Bradley, standing side by side, both of them smiling. The smiles felt like a punch to Xander''s gut. He''d been sitting there and waiting like an idiot for Cameron. Meanwhile, Cameron was out there grinning with Bradley. He didn''t understand what Cameron meant by that. Xander hit the call button and dialed Bradley. It rang for a while before Bradley finally picked up. "Hey, Xander. What''s up?" Xander held back the fire in his voice and said, "Is Cameron with you right now?" Bradley nced at Cameron, who was calmly eating a waffle. "Yeah, he''s right here." Xander snapped, "Can you pass him the phone? I need to talk to him." Bradley handed the phone over. Cameron took it and said in a calm tone, "What''s up, man?" Then came Xander''s roar, "Cameron, do you even hear yourself? You''re seriously asking me what''s up? Are you enjoying ying me like it''s some kind of game?" Cameron blinked, locking eyes with Xander across the room, feeling totally confused. Subscribed Sessfully unl Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Show Up In Ten Minutes Cameron thought, ''y him? What the hell is he talking about? How did I y Xander? What did I even do? She waspletely thrown off by Xander''s sudden outburst, but it didn''t take her long to snap back. With a cold face, Cameron said, "What kind of episode are you having? Need me to call 911 and get you checked into a psych ward or something?" Cameron''s words lit Xander up even more. He was already pissed, and her sarcasm just made it worse. Xander mmed his foot onto the chair next to him and barked, "Cameron, what the damn is wrong with you? I waited for you in the cafeteria for half an hour. Where the hell were you? Oh, wait, you''re out hereughing it up with Bradley. What the hell is that about?" Cameron replied, "Why were you waiting for me at the cafeteria?" Xander shouted, "We agreed I''d grab breakfast for you. I didn''t know what you liked, so I bought one of everything. And now you''re acting like you don''t know what I''m talking about?" Cameron narrowed her eyes and replied, "When exactly did we agree on that?" Xander clenched his jaw. "This morning, in the dorm when you just woke up." ''Agree?'' Cameron thought, ''This morning, he indeed offered to buy me breakfast, but I refused him. How could he call it agreed?'' Xander ground his teeth and snapped, "Cameron, I''m giving you ten minutes. You better show up and deal with all this food." Cameron had already eaten two pies and just downed a few waffles, and she was beyond full. But she knew Xander. If she didn''t show up, he''d probably just trash all the food out of spite. She couldn''t stand that kind of waste. Frowning, she muttered, "Alright. I''ll be there soon." Then she hung up and handed the phone back to Bradley. "Brad, I gotta go back now." Bradley had picked up enough from the call to know it wasn''t anything serious. He nodded and replied, "Alright, ride a bike back." "Mm." Cameron gave a small nod. Then she turned to Eddie and said, "Eddie, enjoy your food. I''ll catch youter." "See ya, Cameron," Eddie said, grinning and waving like they were old friends. As she left, Eddie nudged Bradley with a wink. "Brad, your roommate''s got some real edge. He''s cool as hell.* Bradley gave him a look and teased, "Since when did you start flirting with dudes too?" Eddie rolled his eyes. "Shut up." Meanwhile, Milena was still staring at her phone, waiting for a reply from Xander. But he never texted back. When she turned around, she saw him talking on the phone. He didn''t keep his voice down, and it didn''t take a genius to figure out it was Cameron on the other end. Milena''s jaw clenched, and she thought, ''Wait, I didn''t give Xander Cameron''s number, did I?" Hearing how angry Xander sounded, Milena frowned harder, thinking, ''Cameron? Pissing off Xander? How could she?" Just then, one of her ssmates came over and said they were done eating and ready to leave. But Milena wasn''t going anywhere. She made up ame excuse and stayed put. Then she heard Xander demand that Cameron show up in ten minutes. Her stomach dropped, and she cursed in her mind, Shit! What if Cameron exposes everything in front of Xander? I''d be screwed.'' Left with no choice, Milena reluctantly got up and walked away. By the time Cameron got back, there were only about twenty minutes left before ss, and the cafeteria was almost empty. Xander was sitting there, arms crossed, looking like a thundercloud in human form. His buzzed haircut only made him look more intimidating with that scowl on his face. The first thing Cameron noticed was the table, Sessfully unlocked! of food. She cursed silently, ''He bought so much food. Is he an idiot? How the hell does he expect me to eat all this? With a tight expression, she walked straight up to Xander and snapped, "Did your brain fall out this morning?" Xander red at her, and his face somehow got even darker. Chapter 72 You Are Smarter Chapter 72 You Are Smarter Chapter 72 Chapter 72 You Are Smarter Chapter 72 You Are Smarter The first thing Cameron did after she walked in was scold Xander. Xander looked even more annoyed. "You little brat, who the hell are you insulting?" he barked, eyes wide with fury. Cameron replied with an impassive face, "Whoever answers, I guess." Xander was infuriated by hereback and snorted. "You sure have a sharp tongue. Too bad you''re just as bad at school as I am." Then he tutted. Cameron shot back, "Mind your own freaking business." Xander was left speechless with fury. The interaction just now made it clear to him that he couldn''t win an argument with Cameron. Xander always thought Cameron was just athletic, but it turned out she also had a sharp tongue. He realized that he had underestimated her and that Amelia could never keep her in check. Failing to get the upper hand in the argument, Xander changed the subject. He pointed at the breakfast on the table with his chin held high and said, "Eat. I''m watching you. Don''t waste anything." Cameron replied, "I called you brainless and you got mad, but seriously-how am I supposed to eat all that? Not even ten of me could finish it." Xander felt a bit guilty, knowing he had indeed bought too much. He averted his gaze from Cameron and muttered, "Well, you didn''t tell me what you wanted." Cameron replied tly, "I told you not to try to please me. Did that go in one ear and out the other?" Knowing he couldn''t outtalk her, Xander gave up arguing and sat down, arms crossed. "Do whatever you want." Cameron shot him a side nce and turned to leave. "Hey, you little brat, where are you going? At least try some. You''re really just gonna waste all this?!" But Cameron didn''t even look back. Just when Xander thought that Cameron was going to leave, he saw somethingpletely unexpected. Cameron, as gorgeous as the main characters in any manga, gave a gentle smile. But the smile wasn''t for Xander-it was directed at a group of students entering the cafeteria. "Hey there," Cameron said, "are you here for breakfast?" "Yeah," a tall, skinny girl replied. Faced with such a ridiculously handsome guy grinning at her, she couldn''t help but blush. Cameron shed an even more charming smile. "Well, you''re in luck today. Mr. Murphy here is in a great mood. Breakfast''s on him." "Mr.... Mr. Murphy?" the girl stammered, blushing even more. Cameron pointed toward Xander''s table. "Over there. Go on, before the food gets cold." The girl nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay." Shy as she was, there was no way she''d miss a chance to get close to Xander. Moreover, Xander was treating her to breakfast, something she''d be bragging about for a whole year. The girl walked up to Xander and thanked him profusely. Xander gave a few nomittal grunts in response, not really listening. He looked fixedly at Cameron from a distance, thinking, ''That little brat looks so attractive when he smiles.'' Then he looked down at the girl who was eating a sandwich and frowned. He bought all the food for Cameron. But since she couldn''t finish it all, it was better to let others enjoy it rather than let it go to waste. Cameron used the same approach to bring over eight more students, including both boys and girls. It was an honor to be treated to breakfast by Xander. With whetted appetite, those students dug in. Xander watched as the massive breakfast disappeared in no time-while Cameron didn''t take a single bite. The corner of his mouth twitched. Seeing that the task waspleted, Cameron slipped one hand into her pocket and headed back to ss. Xander scrambled to catch up with her. "Little Sessfully unlocked! ght." Cameron frowned. "I have a name, you know." Chapter 9 Expe Chapter 73 Expel Him Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Expel Him Xander said, "What''s wrong with me calling you a little bear? You are kind of a brat, aren''t you Xander used to call Cameron a pretty boy, hot just because Cameron lobed toe delicate, but also because Cameron Rad Bradley stand up for him shortly after he joined the school In Xander''s eyes, that was ssic pretty boy behavior clinging to others for support and being unable to handle anything independently But after spending a few days with Cameron, Xander realized that Cameron was actually quite capable, yet incredibly infuriating "Little brat honestly felt like the most urate way to describe him. So Xander had naturally called Camerart that since then. Cameron was a bit annoyed, not bothering to respond ss was about to start, and she wasn''t nning to bete. The SATs were getting closer by the day. Their schools second SAT practice test was scheduled for tomorrow She had to act like a good student so that any improvement in her scores would seem natural and go unquestioned. But Xander just wouldn''t give up. He stared at Cameron''s emotionless face and suddenly said, "Hey little brat, give me a smile." Cameron barked, "Get lost." Xander was stunned, thinking, ''Get lost? No one in this entire school has ever told me to get lost. This little brat is really out of line'' Cameron didn''t want to waste any more time on Xander and started to run. "Hey, why are you running?" Xander chased after her. But the harder he tried to catch up, the further away Cameron got. Before long, she''dpletely disappeared from sight. "Damn it!" Xander stopped, hands on his knees, panting. "How the hell is that little brat so fast?" Meanwhile, in the school''s surveince room, Skyler pulled up the footage from the night before. She had gained ess by telling a lie about dropping something near ss 15 yesterday. She and Amelia carefully examined the footage of their confrontation with Cameron, but they found nothing useful. "Huh? That jerk didn''t do anything to me?" Skyler asked, confused. Amelia frowned. "It looks like he just gently touched your shoulder, but I remember you were in so much pain that your face went pale. What''s going on?" Skyler was furious. "It hurt so much yesterday. Now that there''s no proof, we can''t do a damn thing to that jerk Cameron." Her face was full of frustration. Amelia also frowned. After they left the surveince room, Skyler grabbed Amelia''s arm and said, "Amy, Cameron bullied me. He knows I''m your best friend but still treated me like that. He clearly doesn''t take you seriously. You can''t let him get away with that." Amelia had already thought of that. Cameron bullying Skyler without considering she was Amelia''s close friend was a p in Amelia''s face, "Don''t worry. I''ll get back at him for you," Amelia said. Skyler pressed on. "Amy, have the school expel Cameron. Who does he think he is? He doesn''t deserve to be in the same school as us." "Expel him?" "Amy, Cameron and his sister only got into this elite school thanks to you. Since you have the power to get him in, then you can get him kicked out too, right? "Let''s kick him out first to vent our anger, and then force him to break off the engagement with you." Amelia took Skyler''s words to heart. The SATS an urgent matter, even more important than the Sessfully u unlocked! lly unlock her, ending the engagement with Cameron was "I''ll try," Amelia said. A triumphant smile appeared on Skyler''s face as she thought, ''Cameron, get ready to be kicked out of Langford Academy for good.'' Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Cheating? The next day, the SAT practice test began as scheduled, following the same format as the real exam the Reading and Writing section first, followed by Math The first section went smoothly. Cameron wanted to show just a bit of progress, so she held back on purpose and ended up getting most of the answers wrong While Cameron was working through the Math section, carefully calcting how dry multiple choice questions she needed to get right to hit her target score, a crumpled ball of paper suddenlynded on her desk She was confused. And before she could even see what it was, the proctor quickly walked up to her and said sharply. "Don''t movel Although Langford Academy was an elite school, the teachers here weren''t permissive, they were really strict. Otherwise, Langford Academy wouldn''t have the highest college eptance rate in the country "I didn''t move," Cameron said calmly. "What''s this?" The proctor picked up the ball of paper from her desk. Cameron shook her head. "I have no idea." Hearing themotion, other students turned to look at them. The proctor said sternly, "What are you looking at? The exam is still in progress. There''s still an hour left-keep working Everyone quickly looked down and went back to their papers. The teacher turned her attention back to Cameron. She unwrapped the paper and saw answers to the math questions. She was enraged and snapped, "You''re cheating. How dare you cheat right under my nose?! Cameron''s expression remained unchanged. She deftly twirled the pen in her hand and said, cool andposed, "I wasn''t cheating." The teacher shoved the crumpled paper toward her. "You were not cheating? Then what''s this?" Cameron nced at the answers on the paper and replied evenly, "Either someone was trying to cheat and tossed it to me by mistake, or someone''s trying to frame me." She raised her eyebrows slightly and added, "Which do you think it is, ma''am?¡± "Oh, so what you''re saying is-you''re being framed?" the teacher scoffed. Cameron nodded. "That''s what it looks like." She thought, ''Cheating? Who would be dumb enough to cheat on a mock exam? Even if they do well now, the real test will expose them anyway. So this must be a setup. ''But who would do that? I''ve pissed off quite a few people, actually. Hard to tell who it might be right now.'' The proctor said, "Well, if it''s a setup, we can settle it right now." She raised the crumpled paper and asked, "Whose is this?" No one answered. The proctor continued, "No one wants to confess? You all forget we have cameras in here? Are you going to stand up yourself, or should I have the footage sent over immediately?" The ssroom wentpletely silent. Almost a minuteter, a rustling sound came from behind Cameron''s right side- someone stood up. Cameron looked back and was surprised to find it was Zach. ''What the hell is this guy doing? Why''d he throw that paper at me?'' she thought. The proctor marched over to Zach and pped the paper on his desk. "The paper was yours? Why did you throw it to him?" Zach: "He is my ssmate. He is bad at math and asked me to tell him the answers during the exam, so..." Subscribed Sessfully unlocked! 1 Likes Chapter 75 The Reversal Chapter 75 Chapter 75 The Reversal "So you passed him a cheat sheet?" The proctor finished Zacts sentence for him Zach immediately backed down. "I''m sorry, mm. I shouldn''t have let my sympathy get the better of me and agreed to help him. Please don''t report this to the Academic Office. I don''t want to be expelled" Langford Academy had a strict academic environment. When it came to issues of integrity in the were clear-expulsion. The proctor snapped, "Now you''re scared? Should''ve thought of that earliert Zach quickly pointed at Cameron. "It was him! He made me write the answers. I''m the real Victim here. Can you please not expel me? Expel him!¡± The proctor was furious. "Both of you will be kicked out of Langford Academy Upon hearing this, Zach raised his eyebrows slightly. Hepleted the task assigned by Amelia, the gird of his dreams. Getting rid of Cameron-the annoying troublemaker-was way easier than he thought. Amelia had promised Zach that he wouldn''t be expelled. So he wasn''t the least bit worried. Cameron noticed every little shift in Zach''s expression and said, "Maarn, please wait. Like I said, I''ve been framed" Zach snapped, "Framed? You''re saying you were framed? I''m the one being framed here. I wouldn''t be facing expulsion f weren''t for helping you. You''ve ruined my life, Cameron," Cameron ignored him like he was talking nonsense and looked at the proctor seriously The teacher could tell Cameron wasn''t going to let this go easily. She grabbed the sheet of paper with the answers from Zach''s desk and tossed it onto Cameron''s. "If you''re innocent, then exin this." Cameron picked it up and smiled. "Ma''am, most of these answers are wrong. These are basic problems, and he still got them wrong. How is he qualified to give me answers?" "Let me see that." The proctor took the sheet back right away. Zach immediately retorted, "Most of my answers are wrong? You''re one to talk, Cameron. You''re thest in our ss." Cameron nced at him sarcastically. "And you think you''re any better?" Zach was left speechless by Cameron''s words. Cameron had a point. Although Zach wasn''t the absolute worst in the ss, his academic performance wasn''t significantly better than Cameron''s. After all, seating arrangements were based on grades, so everyone in this ssroom had scored around the same. The proctor happened to be a math teacher. Zach had only written the answers to the multiple-choice section. Out of the 44 questions, he got 30 wrong and only 14 right. So, Cameron was right that most of his answers were wrong. The teacher nced at Cameron''s test and noticed that out of 44 questions, she got 22 right and 22 wrong-even correctly answering the ones Zach had gotten wrong. There was no way Cameron would''ve asked Zach for help, given how bad he was at math. "What on earth is going on here?" the proctor barked. "Both of you, outside!" They were still in the middle of the exam. If this dragged on, it would only distract the rest of the ss. The proctor led Cameron and Zach out of the ssroom. Zach had been sure everything would go ording to n. He didn''t expect this turn of events. His face darkened. He stood a head taller than Cameron, and his frame was broad and solid. Next to him, Cameron was slim and looked almost half his size. Cameron acted before Zach could. Her eyes were slightly red as she exined, "Ma''am, ever since I transferred into ss 15, Zach has been picking on me. He knocked my books off my desk in ss and threw my drinks into the trash can. "I sit in thest row, and he''s right in front of me. He always leans his chair so far back that I have to press myself against the wall. "He did this today just to get me expelled. I rea? den 26 ke him hate me so much." Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Dream On Zach was dumbfounded, staring at Cameron, who suddenly looked so pitiful and fragile, like he''d just been bullied He thought, What the heck is this guy doing? If he''d acted like this a week ago, I might''ve actually believed it. But now? I''m just hoping he doesn''t bully me. And now he''s iming he got bullied? Like I would dare Cameron looked so ''delicate'' that the proctor instantly bought the whole story and found it uneptable that such a pretty young man had been bullied so much. The proctor turned to Zach, furious. "How could you be this awful at such a young age? What kind of upbringing did you have? Go to the Academic Office now. Grab a form and get out of Langford Academy!" Zach pointed at himself and then at Cameron, totally stunned. "Me? You''re kicking me out? What about him? Isn''t he getting expelled too?" He was so angry that he almost failed to string a sentence together. The proctor said coldly, "He was framed. Of course, you''re the one getting expelled. You''ve been bullying others for who knows how long, and now you''re even setting people up for cheating. A student with such low moral standards doesn''t belong at Langford Academy." Zach panicked and thought, I''ll be expelled? How did this happen? Isn''t the n that both Cameron and I will get expelled? Then the Chapman family will step in, and I''ll be fine? So how does it end up with only me getting kicked out, while Cameron walks away scot-free? The proctor looked back at Cameron. Seeing Cameron''s red eyes, she couldn''t help but soften her voice as she said, "I''m sorry for wrongly using you earlier. It''s okay now. You can go back and finish your test." Cameron wiped the corners of her eyes. "Thank you, ma''am." The proctor sighed. "You need to be tougher, or you''ll keep getting pushed around. The only way to protect yourself is to be stronger." Cameron immediately stood up straight, puffed out her chest, and said, "I understand. Thank you, ma''am." Then she walked back to the ssroom. Zach was still frozen on the spot. The proctor said impatiently, "What are you still standing there for?" Zach came to his senses and said, "Ma''am, I-¡± "If you want to argue, go do it at the Academic Office." The proctor interrupted him. Zach waspletely at a loss. Back in the ssroom, Cameron looked down at the test in front of her. Hearing the conversation outside, she gave a faint smile. In the ssroom next to the music room, Amelia and Skyler had been waiting for a long time, expecting good news from Zach. Finally, they saw Zach trudging toward them, looking dejected. The moment Amelia saw Zach''s defeated look, her heart sank. She wondered whether the n had failed. Skyler hurried over. "Zach, did it work?" Zach looked worried. "No." Skyler frowned. "No? How could you mess up such a simple task?" Zach shot her a re. The whole n had been Skyler''s idea, and he never thought he''d be the one to face the consequences. Amelia frowned. "What exactly happened?" Zach told them everything. Skyler clenched her fists in anger. "Damn it! How is Cameron so insidious and cunning?" Amelia''s frown deepened. She had never realized Cameron was this clever before. Zach looked at Amelia and asked, "Amy, you''re Sessfully unlocked! eally getting expelled, am I?" The SATs were just around the corner. If he got punished by his father. omething this ridiculous-he would be severely Skyler scoffed, "You''re such a good-for-nothing, messing up such a simple task, and now you expect Amy to ask her family to bail you out? Dream on." Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Zach Was Expelled Zach was anxious. "But you guys promised met Skyler shot back, "And did you do what you promised?" Zach fell silent, clenching his fists in frustration. Amelia frowned slightly and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll keep my word." With that, she turned and walked away "Wait-"Zach raised a hand toward her retreating figure and thought, What about the movie we were supposed to see together? Skyler red at Zach and then went to catch up with Amelia. Amelia''s pretty face was cold. "Skyler, can you please stoping up with dumb ns?" She had originally nned to have her father step in and get Cameron expelled. But Skyler said that she wanted Cameron to be humiliated before getting expelled and that this n would provide a legitimate reason for Cameron''s expulsion. And better yet, they wouldn''t even have to involve the Chapman family directly. Amelia had believed her, only to see their n fail. To make matters worse, Skyler had gone behind Amelia''s back and told Zach that once the n worked. Amelia would agree to go to the movies with him. Amelia had always been proud. She disdained to associate with people outside her social circle. The Poole family, naturally, didn''t meet her standards. Skyler didn''t want to deal with Amelia''s emotions, but to deal with Cameron, she had to keep fawning over Amelia. She hooked her arm around Amelia''s and said, "Alright, it''s my fault. I didn''t think it through. How about we go back to the old n and let your dad handle it?" "Okay." Amelia nodded. After the practice test, Cameron expected that she would probably move up a few ces this time. There were thirty-six students in their ss. This time, she''d likely ce somewhere in the twenties in her ss and over three hundred in her grade. Everything was under her control. Seeing that Zach''s seat in front of Cameron was now empty, the students started talking among themselves. "Hey, did you hear Zach got expelled?" "Yeah, for trying to frame Cameron." "And he did that for Amelia, the prettiest girl in our school." "He''s an idiot. Amelia would never like him." Cameron twirled the pen in her hand, unconcerned. After ss, she headed straight back to the dorm. To her surprise, Xander had already returned. Usually, he''d be at the basketball court around this time, working up a sweat. Besides, with next month''s big game against Horizon Academying up, the school team was supposed to be ramping up practice. But Xander was in the dormitory and sat in Cameron''s chair. Cameron frowned. "Move." Xander instantly shot up from her seat. "You''re back." Cameron said nothing as she picked up a sanitizing wipe and calmly cleaned off the chair. The corner of Xander''s mouth twitched as he thought, ''Only this little brat would do something so petty. Cameron sat down on the chair, spread out the drawing paper on the desk, grabbed a pencil, and began sketching lightly on the paper. "What are you doing?" Xander leaned in, clearly curious. He blocked Cameron''s light, so Cameron frowned and said, "Move aside." Xander was pissed and thought, ''Seriously?! I am and he has the nerve to boss me around?'' Sessfully unlocked! whatever I want with a snap of my fingers, He crossed his arms and shouted, "Hey, what are you drawing? Can you even draw? Don''t tell me you''re trying to get into art school or something now. It''s toote. You''re a total academic disaster. Stop dreaming about college." Cameron turned to him. "Can you shut your mouth?" Kateway know t 0 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The Photo Xander was furious. He wanted to throw a few more sarcastic jabs at Cameron, but decided against it, knowing a would only make him more frustrated since Cameron was better at snark than he was. Fuming, he turned around and stormed into the bathroom, mming the door with a loud bang Cameron continued drawing without frowning. There were only four days left until the submission deadline for the fashion designpetition organized by Noir Et. She was determined to finish the des draft tonight Elijah returned to the dorm with his textbooks and went straight to his desk. He flipped through the exam paper with the correct answers on it, trying to recall the answers he had written during the test to estimate his score Although he was always top of the ss without fail, he still hoped that he could make some progress. His drive to learn had no limit. After more than ten minutes, Xander came out of the bathroom. He nced at Cameron, who was still engrossed in her drawing, rolled his eyes, and climbed onto his bunk. He scrolled through his phone for a bit and then put it down, thinking, ''Cameron''s drawing Elijah is a nerd. And Bradley hasn''te back yet. I am so bored.'' So he leaned against the railing on his bed, tilting his head as he intently watched Cameron sketch. Suddenly, his phone rang. Uninterested, he turned his head and saw he had received a message. The message was from none other than Milena, and it was a photo. Xander tapped it open and froze. The girl in the picture had very short hair. Her face was strikingly beautiful, with a kind of intense charm. She wore a stunning red dress and lounged on a sofa. But her eyes were cold. Xander was captivated, his heart pounding. He was still staring intently at the photo when a notification appeared: The sender has recalled the message. He was confused, but another message followed almost immediately. Milena texted: [Sorry, Mr. Murphy, I sent that by mistake.] Xander''s heart still was racing. That one photo instantly brought back the rush he''d felt the day he first saw "Milena" outside the mall. He quickly replied: [The photo''s gorgeous.] Milena, on the other end of the phone, finally smiled. Xander had been ignoring her for the past few days, and she''d been stressing out. She had finallye up with this n: send Xander a picture of Cameron in women''s clothes and then recall it right after-just to see how he''d react. The photo had been captured from the security footage in their living room. And sure enough, Xander had responded instantly. Milena felt both jealous and thrilled. She then texted: [Thanks for thepliment, Mr. Murphy. And sorry again about the photo-it was meant for someone else.] Without thinking, Xander replied: [Your boyfriend?] The second he hit send, he regretted it. He wanted to recall it, but before he could, Milena''s reply came through. She texted: [Are you kidding? I''m still a student. There''s no way I have a boyfriend. My family''s super strict-no dating allowed.] Xander was over the moon. Remembering that Cameron was in the dorm, he tried to keep it together, but he couldn''t stop smiling. Milena sent another message. [Mr. Murphy, is my brother asleep yet?] Xander replied: [Nope. He''s drawing something weird.] Milena: [Really? Can you take a photo and send it to me?] Xander: [Sure.] Subscribed 1 Likes Sessfully unlocke Chapter 79 Chapter 79 She Is Just Curious Xander quietly pointed his phone at Cameron and took a picture of her. The sh lit up her ridiculously gorgeous profile. Xander was dumbfounded to realize he had forgotten to turn off the sh. Cameron frowned and looked at Xander, who was holding his phone with a dazed expression. Their eyes met-hers sharp and his evasive. Xander came to his senses and quickly hid his phone. Cameron stood up, walked over to his bed, and held out her hand. "Give it to me," she said. Standing at 5 feet 9 inches, she wasn''t especially tall among boys, but she had a strong aura. Xander yed dumb. "Give what?" Cameron replied tly, "Your phone." Xander turned his head away. "Why do you want my phone?" Impatient, Cameron frowned. "I''ll say this one more time. Hand it over before I make you." Xander fell silent. Elijah had seen Xander take a photo of Cameron. Normally cold and aloof, he made an exception and stepped in. "Xander, you took a picture of Cameron without her consent. That''s a vition of his privacy." Xander knew he was in the wrong and shouldn''t have agreed to Milena''s request on impulse. But he was mindful of one''s dignity and wasn''t about to take Elijah''s lecture without pushing back. Xander red at Elijah and snapped, "Shut up. This is between Cameron and me. It''s none of your business." Elijah''s face turned cold. "I''m ss president. You mess with someone in my ss, and you''re saying it''s none of my business?" He was indeed the ss monitor of ss 15, Senior Year. Cameron said to Elijah, "Don''t waste your breath on him." Then she turned back to Xander and ordered, "Give me your phone. One, two..." Faced with Cameron''s death stare, Xander reluctantly handed over his phone. "Here, take it,¡± he said, trying to act casual, but his heart was racing. Xander''s phone was still on the camera interface. The picture Xander had taken captured Cameron''s upper body and most of her desk, but the contents of the paper on the desk weren''t clear. It was because the sh startled Xander, and his hand shook, causing the image to blur. Cameron deleted the photo with a sullen face, and went to the photos deleted within 30 days topletely delete the photo. After that, she reached to hand the phone back to Xander, only for her thumb to identally swipe into the WhatsApp app. And right there on the screen was Xander''s chat with Milena. Cameron wasn''t interested in other people''s privacy, but the name "Milena" was hard to ignore. "When did you add Milena on WhatsApp?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Cameron! Don''t look!" Xander cried out in panic as he saw Cameron reading his chat history with Milena. He lunged forward, trying to snatch his phone back. Cameron took a step back, staying well out of reach. Anxious, Xander jumped down from the bed. Just as he was about to grab his phone, Cameron tossed it back to him. She''d already seen everything she needed to see, and her face had darkened. Xander caught the phone and bellowed, "Cameron, you can''t just read my chats. That''s private." "Private? You were talking about me, and you call that private?" Cameron gave a half-smile and continued, "I didn''t scroll up. "But from the look of it, Milena asked you to take that photo, didn''t she? What a thoughtful little sister. She really cares about me." Xander sensed the sarcasm in her voice. He frowned and said, "Cameron, don''t get the wrong idea. Milena didn''t mean anything by it. She was just curious." Sessfully unlocked! Meanwhile, he was relieved that Cameron didn''t ask how he got Milena''s WhatsApp. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Really? She was just curious, huh? Chapter 80 Send Her The Pictures Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Send Her The Pictures Xander red at her and deliberately changed the subject. "Didn''t you say you don''t have a younger sister?" Cameron didn''t respond. She walked back to her desk, pulled out a fresh sheet of drawing paper, and opened Noir ¨¦t''s official website. Their new spring collection was already up. With a few quick strokes, she sketched a design straight from the page. "What are you doing? I''m talking to you!" Xander frowned and followed her. Twirling the pen in her hand, Cameron said, "Didn''t you want to take a picture? Go ahead. Take the picture and send it to Milena." "Why?" Xander asked with a puzzled look. He thought, ''Didn''t he object to taking pictures? Why the sudden change of heart? Cameron looked at him with an expressionless face. "Didn''t you just say Milena was curious? She''s my sister. Since she wants pictures of me, just take some for her." "You sound like a good brother now." Xander happily patted Cameron on the shoulder. Cameron looked down at his hand. "Take your hand off me." Xander was a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "Go on, take the picture," Cameron urged. "Okay,¡± replied Xander. With a soft click, he snapped a photo of Cameron''s desk. Cameron stood up. "Take another one-get closer to the sketch. Make sure it''s clear." "Got it," Xander said. He then sent the photos to Milena. Milena immediately replied: [Huh? What''s my brother doing now?] Cameron said, "Tell her I''ve decided to participate in Noir ¨¦t''s fashion designpetition." Xander was surprised. "You? A fashion designpetition?" "Just send it," Cameron said impatiently. "Oh, okay." Xander obediently sent the message. Then Cameron added, "And remember, you took those pictures secretly. I didn''t even know it was happening." Xander was confused. "Why?" Cameron kept a straight face. "Do I look like a walking encyclopedia? If you have any questions, ask the top student." Xander rolled his eyes at Elijah, who was reading. ''No way I''m asking the nerd,'' he thought. Cameron put her sketches away and warned Xander, "Don''t touch my stuff. Especially don''t take pictures and send them to others-Milena included. Or else... you''ll regret it." Xander could tell she was serious. He pouted but decided he wouldn''t touch Cameron''s things again. He had just acted on impulse earlier. Cameron walked over to Elijah. "Thanks for the help just now." It proved once again that Elijah might look cold and emotionally unavable, but deep down, he was pretty kind. Elijah looked up at Cameron and shook his head. He still remembered that day at his family''s gender surgery center when he ran into Cameron trying to jump off the building. He had no idea what she''d been through. But he had a feeling she wasn''t as tough as she made herself out to be and that there was a vulnerable side to her. And maybe that was why he had spoken up for her earlier without even thinking. Cameron nodded and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Xander sat in his chair, texting Milena. Milena texted: [My brother''s entering apetition? That''s rare. It''s gettingte, Mr. Murphy. I''m going to bed. You should get some rest too. Good night.] Without even waiting for Xander''s reply, she searched for the fashion designpetition online. Then she went back to her chat with Xander and carefully examined the design sketches Cameron had created. "They are so pretty," she murmured, clearly imp Sessfully unlocked! drawings were beautiful. about design, but she could tell Cameron''s Of course, they were pretty. They had been created by none other than Eric himself, the founder and chairman of Noir ¨¦t. And those were just rough sketches. A small smile tugged at Milena''s lips. Chapter 81 Storming Out Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Storming Out Chapter 81 Storming Out Cameron came out of the bathroom, fully clothed. colds. With his legs crossed, Xander asked, "Seriously, are you really that cold? It was almost summer. People could go around with minimal clothing and still wouldn''t feel cold And yet, after living with Cameron for a few days, he had never seen her in anything revealing he hadn''t even seen her bare arms. Cameron nced at him. "I do what I want. Got a problem with that?¡± Xander was annoyed and thought, ''She has a way of shutting me down with several words. She is quite possibly doing it on purpose. She is so gentle with Bradley and nice to Elijah. But with me? Always harsh. What''s her problem? Just then, the door opened and Bradley walked in. A soft smile immediately appeared on Cameron''s face. "Hey, you''re back, Brad." "Yeah," Bradley replied with his usual gentle smile. "Cameron, you''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?" Xander snapped, furious at how tantly Cameron treated him and Bradley differently. Cameron turned her head and frowned at him. "What''s wrong with you?" Xander red at her. "You''re all smiles with Bradley, but you freeze me out. Why?" Cameron replied, "Because I feel like it." Xander stiffened his neck and asked, "You''ve got a problem with me, don''t you?" Cameron said, "Took you long enough to notice." She thought, ''How dare he act so arrogant now? He secretly took photos of the sketches I was looking at and sent them to Milena-and I didn''t even hold him ountable. ''And now he''s getting mad at me? If those sketches he sent had been mine, it would''ve been a total disaster. Xander asked, "What did I ever do to you?!" Cameron shot back, "I just don''t like you, okay?" Xander was livid. "You don''t like me? Fine! I''ll leave! You can have the whole room to yourselves." He grabbed his phone and stormed out of the dormitory, mming the door behind him. The two of them had a full-blown argument. Bradley, who''d just walked in, didn''t even get a chance to say a word. Cameron climbed into her bed with an impassive face. Bradley tried tofort her. "Don''t take it personally. Xander''s like a kid-his mood changes constantly." "I won''t,¡± Cameron said. Her gaze drifted across the room to the bed that had been made up but remained empty since day one. Curious, she asked, "That student hasn''t shown up for ss at all. Is he taking the SATS with us?" "You mean Austin?" Bradley replied. "Austin''s just not attending sses at school. His family must have hired him a tutor, so he won''t fall behind. His grades are pretty good." Bradley''s grades were solid-he ranked in the top ten in his grade. Austin was right up there with him. Xander, who was in the sports program,gged a bit behind academically. But Cameron had terrible grades. Cameron nodded. She was curious, but not particrly interested. Xander had expected that after he stormed out like that, at least one of them would call him, asking him toe back. But no one did. It was as if they couldn''t wait for him to move out. He couldn''t help but curse them silently. And since no one called him back, he wasn''t going to return on his own-that would''ve been humiliating. So instead, he went straight to his aunt''s staff dorm and stayed there. **** At 10 a.m. the next day, during a break between sses, Cameron was once again summoned to the office by their head teacher, Brody. She''d been having a sinking feeling all morning Graham," she greeted politely. Sessfully unlocked! that feeling only grew more intense. "Mr. Elijah was also in the office, helping the math teacher organize the test papers from the day before. Brody looked at Cameron without saying anything. Chapter 81 Stormang Out Cameron was confused. Brody opened his mouth a few times, but couldn''t seem to get any words out. "Eventually, Cameron asked, "Mr. Graham, is something wrong?" E Subscribed Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Cameron Faces Expulsion Brody let out a heavy sigh. "Cameron, I''m sorry. I''m just an employee here. There''s nothing I can do I''m sorry fouliet protect you I''ll be resigning after the SATS" His voice was filled with gia His student hadn''t done anything wrong, but was facing expulsion. He felt utterly tom up Cameron was shocked and asked, "You''ll resign? Why would you do that? Her main concern was that Brody was leaving Langford Academy offers some of the best benefits around People would do anything tond a job there. Even the retirement package is incredibly generous. Brody was in his early forties Leaving now would be such a waste Brody said, "I don''t agree with the school''s teaching philosophy anymore I think it''s time for a change" Cameron frowned, wondering. Is that so? He''s been working here for over ten years, and suddenly he doesn''t agree with the school''s teaching philosophy? While she was thinking about it, the math teacher, Josh, said, "Cameron, try talking him out of it. He''s only resigning because of what happened to you. "He did his best to fight for you. But the Chapman family brought in the higher ups. They demanded the school expel you. We''re just teachers. What power do we have?" "Expel me? The Chapman family?" Cameron keenly caught the key words. Brody nodded. "I''m sorry, Cameron. This is official-you need to go to the Academic Office to process your withdrawal." Cameron frowned. Now she realized that Zach''s false cheating usation two days ago was meant to get her expelled And when that didn''t work, the Chapman family pressured the school directly. Cameron was silent for a while, then nodded, and said, "Alright. I''ll withdraw. But Mr. Graham, please don''t resign. You''re the best teacher I''ve ever had." "Cameron..." Elijah said with a frown. Cameron shrugged. "It''s fine. I only got into Langford Academy because of the Chapman family. Now I''m leaving because of them. I''ve got nothing toin about." "Cameron..." Josh said hesitantly, "You must''ve had a falling-out with the Chapman family, right? Why not try apologizing? If they change their minds, maybe you won''t have to leave." Cameron shook her head and replied, "Thanks, Mr. Grant. I know what I''m doing." She turned to Brody, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Graham. Please don''t worry about me. If they had the power to kick me out, I''ll find a way toe back." Brody sighed again, thinking, ''Come back? How could that even be possible? After saying that, Cameron turned and left the office. Elijah put down the test papers and chased after her. "Cameron, are you seriously going to withdraw?" "I have no choice. I''m no match for the powerful Chapman family, Cameron replied. Elijah frowned, thinking, ''The SATs are just around the corner. Where will she go if she drops out now? What will happen to her future?'' Cameron went back to the ssroom, took her textbooks, and returned to her dorm. Elijah stood there for a long time before messaging Xander and Bradley. [Cameron''s being forced to withdraw-she offended the Chapman family, and they''ve pressured the school into making it happen. Can you guys help him somehow?] Bradley replied: [Withdraw? The Chapman family is incredibly overbearing. They''re practicallywless.] Xander: [LOL. That little brat never likes me. Now someone else doesn''t like him either? Good! Let him leave. I''ll be happy then.] Elijah: [Xander, seriously? This isn''t the time to gloat. Do you actually want her gone?] Subscribed ? Chapter 83 Sessfully unlocked! STEMA 50518ard Feelings Chapter 83 No Hard Feelings Xander replied: [Yeah, I do want him gone. What, you can''t bear to see him leave now?) Elijah texted (Cameron didn''t do anything wrong Xander: [Didn''t he offend the Chapman family? And that''s not a mistake? Yeah, right] Elijah (You''re unbelievable] Xander: I''m unbelievable? Weren''t you the one who wanted him gone the most in the beginning? Now you''re suddenly ying the good guy?) Bradley texted. (Cut it out, both of you. Where is Cameron now?] Elijah: [Probably heading back to the dorm to pack up ] Bradley (I''m heading back there now] Elijah: [Me too] Xander (You two are so anxious. It has nothing to do with me.] Bradley and Elijah stopped replying in the temporary chat group and went back to the dormitory. Xander, despite saying it had nothing to do with him, went straight to his aunt''s office with a grave expression "Aunt Tiana," he called out before rushing in without even bothering to knock. Ignoring other teachers, he questioned. "Why is the school expelling Cameron?!" Tiana pursed her lips slightly, a bit annoyed. She waved her hand, signaling the other teachers to leave. But instead of answering Xander''s question, she sat down in her chair. "Aunt Tiana, say something! Why is the school expelling Cameron? Is it really because of the Chapman family?" Xander leaned forward, hands on the desk, looking anxious. Tiana slowly took a sip of her coffee. "You already know the answer. Why are you asking me?" Xander looked annoyed. ¡°What did the Chapman family do¨Cmake a huge donation? Fine, I''ll tell my dad to donate toor Tiana was stunned. "Your dad must be grateful to have such a generous son." Xander rushed over and grabbed her arm. "Aunt Tiana, please help Cameron. He didn''t do anything wrong. How can the school just kick him out like this? You guys are too snobbish." Tiana smacked his arm lightly. "You little brat. It''s okay to say that to me, but if I ever hear you saying this to someone else, I''ll teach you a lesson." Xander kept shaking her arm. "Aunt Tiana, please. You have to help Cameron." Usually, when Xander acted like this, Tiana would give in. But there was no room for negotiation on this. "This order came directly from the principal," Tiana said, shaking her head. "There''s nothing I can do." "Fine. I''ll talk to the principal myself." Xander ran away. "Stop right there, Xander Murphy! Don''t you dare!" Tiana shouted after him. However, Xander didn''t even look back. When he arrived at the principal''s office, fuming, there was no one inside. Cameron was walking back to her dorm, books in her arms. From afar, she spotted two people standing in front of the building. At this hour, ss was about to start, but the two people remained there. As Cameron got closer, both of them locked eyes on her. They were obviously waiting for her. Cameron walked over, holding her textbooks, and said expressionlessly, "Ms. Chapman, if you''ve got something to say, just say it." Before Amelia could say anything, Skyler tutted and said, "You''ve been expelled from school, yet you''re still so calm." She then sneered, "Cameron, if you''d listened to me and taken that photo of Elijah, none of this would''ve happened. But you just had to go against me. Now you''re expelled. Serves you right." Cameron couldn''t be bothered to argue with ar school because of your family. And now I''m bengko Sessfully unlocked! y at Skyler and said to Amelia, "I got into this oo. I''ve got no hard feelings." Chapter 84 Amelia froze as she stared at Cameron''s calm and handsome face. She thought Gemeron would blow up at her and demand to know why she''d done this and maybe even take a swing at her. But to her surprise, Cameron didn''t look angry at all; instead, she was calm andpletely unbothered. During this time, Amelia felt like she''d gotten to know apletely different Cameron. She had known Cameron for eighteen years, but looking back now, she couldn''t help but think maybe everything she thought she knew had been wrong. Skyler scoffed, ''Cameron, stop pretending to be so generous. You''re just faking it to make Amy feel bad and back off, aren''t you? You''re only fooling yourself" Cameron just asked, ''Ms. Chapman, would you mind putting a leash on your dog?" Skyler was enraged "Dog? How dare you call me a dog?! You got expelled and you still have the nerve to act so arrogant?" As she spoke, she lunged at Cameron, attempting to strike her. Cameron shot a sharp nce at Skyler.. Skyler immediately froze in fear. The pain from that day when her shoulder suddenly dislocated in ss 15 still felt fresh. Her arm even started to ache now. After intimidating Skyler with one look, Cameron, books in her arms, started to leave. But Amelia said coldly, "Cameron, I didn''t want things to end like this, either. But you brought this upon yourself. I hope you cane to my house to call off the engagement as soon as possible-* "Amelia, are you out of your mind?" Cameron cut her off. Amelia''s eyes widened in shock as she asked, "What... what did you just say?" Meanwhile, she thought, ''Cameron just insulted me, saying I''ve lost my mind? Although it wasn''t the first time Amelia had been angered by Cameron''s cold demeanor, she was still shocked. She couldn''t understand how Cameron, who used to be eager for her favor, had ended up like this. Cameron''s expression stayed cold. "Since your brain''s clearly not working, let me spell it out for you again." She pointed to herself and continued, "I will soon cut ties with the Wace family. So if you want to cancel that ridiculous engagement, go talk to them. Don''te to me. Got it?" With that, she turned around and walked into the dorm building, holding her books, without bothering to see Amelia''s reaction. Amelia stood there,pletely stunned. She thought, ''Was that disgust in Cameron''s eyes?! I can''t believe the guy who used to treat me like I was his whole world now hates me.'' Once Cameron was out of sight, Skyler finally found the nerve to speak. "See that? That bastard Cameron just doesn''t know what''s good for him. You''re still giving him a chance? Have your parents talk to his parents and call off the engagement." Amelia bit her lip. "The engagement has to be canceled." She didn''t have any feelings for Cameron. Even if she did, Cameron, a high school dropout, wasn''t good enough for her. What made it worse was how harshly Cameron treated her now-it left her feeling deeply ufortable. There was no way things between them could ever work out. Cameron returned to Room 316, holding her textbooks. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see both Bradley and Elijah inside. ¡°Aren''t you two supposed to be in ss?" she asked. Bradley stood up, walked over to Cameron, and said softly, "Cameron, Eli told me what happened." Cameron chuckled nonchntly. "I see. I''ll pack up my things and leave." "Cameron, you''re not going anywhere!" Elijah stood up and said sternly. Bradley nodded in agreement and took the textbooks from Cameron''s arms. "You''re not leaving." "Why?" Cameron was confused. "Because I won''t let you leave," Bradley said firr "Brad, actually-" Cameron tried to say somethi. Sessfully unlocked! Bradley interrupted her. "Cameron, don''t worry. The Chapman family isn''t that influential. If they can pressure the school, so can we." The Saunders family was just as powerful as the Chapmans-maybe even more So. 172 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Within Three Days Cameron stared at Bradley in shock, thinking, Am I getting the wrong idea? He''s saying that he will ask his family to pressure the school-for me? ''But we''ve only known each other for over ten days. Although we share a room, we are barely acquaintances Why would he do that for me? Elijah said, ¡°Brad''s right. The Chapman family is indeed prominent and influential remont, but they don''t hold absolute power. They''re not strong enough to control everything" Cameron couldn''t help but wonder whether Elijah meant he was going to help her, too. She was stunned as Elijah had wanted her out of the dorm a few days ago. Cameron quickly said, "Brad, Elijah, honestly, I don''t mind being expelled." Elijah frowned. "You don''t want to keep studying?" Cameron was indeed a poor student, but with the SATSing up and graduation just around the corner, dropping out now would be a real shame. Moreover, getting expelled would be a permanent ck mark on her record and would have a big impact on her future. And yet, Cameron didn''t seem to care at all. Bradley looked into Cameron''s calm eyes and asked, "Why do you say that?" Cameron replied, "Because the Chapman family got me in, not my own merit, so if they want me gone, I''ll go." She looked at Bradley and Elijah and said gratefully, "Brad, Elijah, I really appreciate you guys worrying about me. But I can handle this myself. "The Chapman family has the power to kick me out, but I''ll find a way toe back on my own. "They can throw me out like garbage now, but just wait-one day, they''ll have toe crawling back and ask me to return." Besides, her head teacher, Brody, was considering resigning because of what happened to her. She had toe back, not just for herself, but for Brody. She didn''t want such a great teacher to ruin his career because of her. Elijah looked surprised. "So you already had a n?¡± Cameron nodded. "Yeah. I will be back to school within three days." Elijah was curious. "What are you going to do?" Cameron kept him in suspense. "You''ll find out soon enough." Bradley patted Cameron on the shoulder and said, "I believe you." Seeing how confident she looked, he finally rxed. Cameron smiled. "Thanks, Brad." Then she added, ¡°So please, both of you, don''t do anything for me. I''ve got this." As soon as she finished speaking, the door of the dormitory was mmed open. Xander burst in, his steps unsteady, fell to his knees in front of Cameron, and then looked up at her. He let out a muffled curse and scrambled to his feet. Before he could recover from the awkwardness, Elijah said, "Didn''t you say this had nothing to do with you? What are you doing back here?" Xander snorted and crossed his arms, sizing Cameron up. "I''m here to check on the underdog. What, can''t I enjoy watching a loser squirm?" Elijah fell silent in anger. Bradley frowned and scolded, "Xander, don''t go too far." Xander said defiantly, "What''d I even do?! Brad, we''ve known each other for three years, and you''re siding with this little brat?" He was talking to Bradley, but his eyes never left Cameron. Cameron ignored him as if he didn''t even exist. She opened her locker and started packing a few clothes. She had to put on a show of leaving, since she''d officially been expelled. Subscribed Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Climbing The Wall Bradley couldn''t be bothered to argue with Xander, either. "I''m going to ss." "Me too, Elijah said before leaving with Bradley Only Cameron and Xander were left in the dorm. Xander finally put aside his pride and took the initiative to talk to Cameron. "Hey, you little brat. You''re just gonna leave like that?" Cameron shot back, "Why should I stay? To enjoy yourpany?" Xander was fuming. "Why are you being such a coward? Weren''t you pretty good at mouthing off to me every day? Go raise hell in the principal''s office!" Cameron put her textbooks into her handbag and rolled her eyes at Xander. "Raise hell in the principal''s office? Xander, you'' re an adult now. Can you stop acting like a child?" Meanwhile, she thought, ''Does he think this is still childhood, where throwing a tantrum and rolling on the floor whenever he''s upset would somehow get him what he wants? ''He really needs to grow up. In the adult world, tears and anger are the least effective weapons! "Acting like a child?" Xander suddenly became furious. "Yeah, fine! I am just a childish person!" It was childish of him to run to his aunt and beg her to help Cameron. It was childish of him to storm into the principal''s office to defend her. It was childish of him to rush back to the dorm to check on her, worried sick. Cameron asked, "What''s wrong with you now?" Xander yelled, "Screw it. I''m done!" Then he stormed out of the room. What made Xander feel even worse was that he couldn''t do anything about this. His aunt had told him to stay out of it, and his dad listened to his aunt. And he himself waspletely powerless. Then he thought, ''That little brat is expelled. Serves him right.'' Cameron shrugged and continued packing up. After a while, she left the dormitory carrying her handbag. As soon as she reached the dormitory gate, she saw another annoying person. Without hesitation, she swerved to avoid them. "Cam." Milena ran over and blocked her path. "Move," Cameron said coldly. Milena looked disappointed as she said, "Cam, what the hell have you done? How did you offend Amelia? Why did she ask the school to expel you? "You know her family''s way out of our league. And now that you''ve dropped out of high school, what kind of future do you think you have with Amelia?" She kept rambling on and on. Cameron really wanted to stuff something in Milena''s mouth to shut her up. And she did. Without missing a beat, she pulled a towel out of her bag, shoved it right into Milena''s mouth, and said, "Shut up!" While Milena was busy tugging at the towel, Cameron made her getaway. But Milena wasn''t done. She chased after Cameron, too focused on finishing what she came for to be angry about what just happened. She hurriedly said, "Cam, I already told Mom and Dad. They''re waiting for you outside the school gate. You can exin everything to them yourself." Cameron frowned. "You really need someone to smack some sense into you." Faced with Cameron''s sharp re, Milena instinctively shrank back but immediately regretted it and thought, ''Damn it! Why am I scared of Cameron? What is there to be afraid of?'' Milena puffed out her chest, trying to psych herself up. "You''re the one who messed up, and now you''re yelling at me? Whatever. Handle it yourself." She was afraid of Cameron''s sharp eyes, so after saying that, she ran away. Cameron was very annoyed. She didn''t want to Sessfully unlocked! he school had two gates. She figured her parents were probably waiting at the main gate and decided to leave through the back gate. With her bag in hand, Cameron headed toward the back entrance, only to see her mother standing outside the iron gate, waiting for her. She was shocked that her parents had stationed themselves at both gates. The moment Heidi saw Cameron, she waved and called out, "Cameron, over here." Chapter 66 Clunbing The Wall Cameron pretended not to hear her, turned around, and walked away. Since she couldn''t leave through either the front or back gates, she''d just climb the wall. But just as she hoisted herself onto it, a stern voice sounded from behind her. "Hey, you there! Which ss are you from? Why are you climbing the wall instead of using the gate? Get down here right now." Subscribed Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Talking To The Principst Sitting astride the wall, Cameron tooked has the perva traddled It was a slightly plug middle aged men in and wages the eyes are ord, he threats, festures were sharp, and he looked very strict person se free ga Camston raised an eyebrow in surprise Thes men wes the proud 4 pe caught by him white ofiring a v ''Get down here'' The principats star vs Town Cameron stayed where she was The principal''s face darkened "Which ss are you from? Cameron shot back, "It''s none of your business! William Drake''s face twisted in anger as he asked, "You don''t know me? He was sugnised by bow Sexespecty Cen was to him Cameron said with a straight face, "You are Wham Drake, the principal of Langford Academy too deset from your "You know who I am, and you still dare to show such disrespect kam sad with an air of any "Yep, I''m being disrespectful. What are you going to do about it? Cameron replied, still expressorless. William was stunned by Cameron''s boldness and defiance. He gestured for her toe down, safer, "Come down for cow It''s dangerous up there. If you have anyints, we can talk about it William was a smart man. in just a couple of sentences, he could tell that Cameron didn''t like him, but he didn''t remember offending her. Cameron thought, I nned to talk to Principal Drake tomorrow, but why wet? Might as well deal with it now She jumped down from the 10-foot-high wall andnded effortlessly. Her short hair fluttered in the air, looking so graceful could have been a shampoomercial William was impressed by how smooth and fast she was. "Are you involved in any athletic programs? Cameron shook her head. "No" William said, "Well, you''re pretty agile." Cameron didn''t respond. William stared at Cameron, whom he thought of as a pretty boy, and asked, ¡°So, what''s your issue with me?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "How about we go to your office, have some coffee, and talk it out?" William was stunned by how familiar Cameron was with him. Five minutester, in the principal''s office, a cup of freshly brewed coffee sat in front of Cameron, steaming Cameron picked it up and took a slow sip. The coffee was top-notch, with its vor and aroma both exceptional. "Well, what do you want to say?" William raised his hand. Cameron sensed his curiosity. She set the cup down and replied, "Let me introduce myself, Mr. Drake. I''m Cameron Wace from ss 15, Senior Year," "Cameron Wace?" William paused, thinking. "The name sounds familiar." Cameron nodded. "Yes, it should. You just expelled me, after all. Hard not to remember." William asked, "You''re Cameron? The one I expelled?" Cameron said nothing. William sighed. "You''re holding a grudge over this?" Cameron remained silent. William waved his hand. "Look, you got in thanks to the Chapman family''s money. Now that they want to expel you, there''s nothing I can do." Cameron asked, "So, Langford Academy is under the Chapman family''s control?" "How dare you!" William mmed his hand on the desk, radiating a chilling aura. With a sullen face, he continued, "Cameron, your little provocation won''t work-I''m not letting you stay. You think I got to this position by being a fool?" Cameron shook her head. "No, Mr. Drake, you''re not a fool. You''re actually quite sharp. Which is why I''m thinking of making you a deal,¡± Chapter 67 Talking To The Principal "A deal?'' William asked in confusion. Cameron nodded. "Yes, a deal William seemed intrigued. "Go on, I''m listening." ¿Ú Subscribed ? Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Invite Me Back Cameron said, "You''re going to invite me back to Langford Academy so I can continue my studies." She deliberately emphasized the word "invite" ''Invite you back to Langford Academy? Did I hear that right?" William asked, finding her words absurd. He assumed it was a real deal, but it turned out she was trying to pull a fast one on him. Cameron nodded. "You heard me right. I want you to publicly and proudly invite mack to school." Williain waved a hand dismissively. "Look, kid, I get it. Getting expelled out of the blue must''ve hit you hard. But the real world isn''t fair. Better you learn that now thanter." Then he said, "You can go now." He was clearly done with the conversation. Even though he wasn''t particrly busy at the moment, he didn''t want to waste time on Cameron. But Cameron didn''t move. "Mr. Drake, if you kick me out today, the moment the SATS scorese out, you''re going to regret it. Big time." "Oh? That''s a bold im, Cameron, Care to exin exactly what''s going to make me regret it?" Cameron replied, "Because I''m going to be this year''s top scorer in the entire state." William was stunned for a moment and then burst outughing. He thought, ''Top scorer in our state? Like that''s something anyone can just decide to be? Even Elijah, who''s currently ranked number one in the entire grade, wouldn''t dare make a im like that. And here this kid is, dering it like it''s nothing! William couldn''t stopughing, and Cameron just sat there, calmly watching him. Seeing Cameron staring straight at him, William finally managed to stopughing. He cleared his throat, adjusted his expression, and raised his hand. Then he said, "Cameron, the moment the Chapman family gave me your name, I looked into your background. Your family doesn''t have what it takes to get you into Langford Academy, an extremely prestigious school. "And frankly, you''re a poor student. The Chapman family offered me a generous donation in exchange for your admission. And it''s a deal worth taking. "I can use that money to improve the school''s facilities or reward the students who truly excel, motivating them to strive for even greater sess. "And now you''re here, iming you''ll be the top scorer in the state? Anyone can talk big." Facing William''s questioning, Cameron stayed perfectly calm. She took another sip of her coffee and said, "Mr. Drake, if you think I''m just talking big, why don''t you test me?" William waved his hand. "There''s no need for that." Cameron asked, "Are you sure?" William didn''t reply. Cameron set her cup down and added, "From this conversation, I can tell you''re not someone who bows to those in power. You chose to expel me only after weighing the pros and cons. I have no objection to that. "But shouldn''t you at least think about the future of Langford Academy?" William asked, "What do you mean?" "Last year''s top scorer was from Horizon Academy, right?" Cameron said casually. William didn''t answer. Cameron continued, "And if you say no to me now, believe it or not, this year''s top scorer will also be from Horizon Academy." William''s eyes widened. Horizon Academy and Langford Academy were both elite schools. Both ced great emphasis on academic excellence. Last year, Langford Academy had the highest college eptance rate in the country. But the top scorer in the state was from Horizon Academy. If it were to happen again this year, Langford A semester. Sessfully unlocked! me attracting new prospective students next Though the two schools appeared harmonious, they''d been engaged in quiet, fiercepetition. Seeing the change in William''s expression, Cameron said, "Mr. Drake, give me a chance-and give yourself one too. What do you say?" Chapter 89 She Relied On Hard Work Chapter 89 She Relied On Hard Work Chapter 89 Chapter 89 She Relied On Hard Work William thought for a moment. "How are you going to prove that you have what it takes to be the top scorer in the state this year?¡± Cameron replied calmly, "If you''re willing, I can easily prove it." William made up his mind. "Alright, I''ll give you the chance." A few minutester, some of the best teachers in Langford Academy gathered in the principal''s office. The math teacher, Josh, and the head teacher, Brody, immediately recognized Cameron. Brody was also Cameron''s physics teacher. Teachers who taught the honors sses were, without a doubt, the most excellent, and they were somewhat familiar with Cameron. "Cameron, what are you doing here?" Brody, who had been looking down, brightened up the moment he saw Cameron. Cameron smiled. "I told you I''d be back, Mr. Graham." "Mr. Drake, what''s going on here?" The other teachers were a bit confused. William said, "Did you bring the test paper I asked for?" "Of course," the teacher answered in unison. "Give it to him." William pointed to Cameron. Curious, one of the teachers handed over the test paper to Cameron. As William requested, it was the most challenging SAT paper from previous years. "Please have a seat, everyone. Once he''s finished, you''ll grade the paper right away," William added. The teachers blinked in confusion, wondering why they needed to grade the paper immediately. Although they didn''t know what William was up to, they sat quietly on the nearby sofa. Cameron picked up the test paper and began working on it with a pen. Since it was just a practice test, she decided to start with the Math section. From a distance, Josh stared at Cameron''s test paper, his expression impossible to describe. Cameron scored 360 points in the Math section of the practice test. Josh had remembered that so clearly because it was the lowest score in the entire ss. Of course,pared to the points Cameron had scored before, 360 was a huge improvement. Butpared to the students in the honors ss, it was still terrible. Less than half an hourter, Cameron finished the Math section. She got up and handed it to Josh. "Mr. Grant, please grade it." "Alright." Josh nodded, assuming Cameron had probably just scribbled something down-she''d finished it in only thirty minutes. However, as he graded each question, a surprised and happy expression gradually appeared on his face. Cameron then moved on to the Reading and Writing section. She worked quickly, finishing the first module in just 15 minutes-leaving the teachers visibly stunned. Cameron continued with the second module, as Brody watched her nervously, just as he had from the start. Once Cameron finished, she handed the paper to a nearby teacher. When the teacher was about to grade it, Josh suddenly eximed, "Full marks! Full marks! The highest score on the Math section of this test was 780. Cameron, you achieved a perfect score." Josh had already finished grading, but he couldn''t believe a student who was considered a poor performer could score full marks. So he had double-checked everything, looking for any mistake that could deduct a point, but couldn''t find anything wrong. Math was already hard, and getting a perfect score was simply unbelievable. Josh looked at Cameron like she was some sort of hidden treasure. "Cameron, how did you score so low before? Was it intentional? You were hiding your skills all along, huh? You''re even more of a genius than Elijah." Cameron was speechless, thinking, ''I''m hardly a genius. While it''s true that math requires some talent, just practicing a problem once doesn''t guarantee you''ll solve it again. ''Even if you practice it ten times, you still might not get it right next time. But if you practice it a thousand times-or ten thousand-you''ll get it eventually." Cameron''s current proficiency came from the years of studying in countless worlds. It was a gradual process. She had Chapter 89 She Relied On Hard Work studied for centuries, so these questions were a piece of cake. She relied not on talent, but on hard work. Subscribed Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Cameron Impressed The Teachers The teacher grading the Reading and Writing section eximed "Ch my You scored a perfect score too i graded the whole thing without noticing anything unusual but when I went back and tallied the score, I realized-you didn''t miss a single Question All the teachers present were stunned and thrilled to have discovered such a brilliant student. One of them cad, "Cameron''s performance honestly blew me away He nailed evergingle one of the Reading and Winting modules The other echoed "Exactly in Craft and Structure, his grasp of tone, word choice, and how the authors built their arguments? Spot on. I''d say he understood those passages better than some of our top students ever have." Another teacher sad excitedly. The taught for years, and students like him-who excel across the board-are incredibly rare. He''s an absolute gem Brody held the test paper with shaking hands. As Cameron''s head teacher, he was well aware that she had struggled in nearly every subject. Yet, she had just achieved a perfect score on the SATS Willliam was utterly stunned. He scored full marks on both the Math and Reading and Writing sections?" "Yes. Full marks" Brody nodded firmly. He locked at Cameron, and the gloom on his face gave way to a bright smale. William looked at Cameron in amazement. Before he could say a word, Cameron raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, Mr. Drake, what do you think?" William nodded and replied, "You''ve got some real skills, I''ll give you that. Now he understood why Cameron had the guts to challenge him The Spanish teacher looked at Cameron and suddenly said, "You finished that entire section in under thirty minutes. Did you guess some of the answers?" William said, "That''s not impossible. Go ahead. Give him something harder." Cameron said calmly, ''If you think so, feel free to test me." The Spanish teacher pulled out a paragraph from a past SAT paper and handed it to Cameron. "Alright. Rewrite this to improve rity and flow. Don''t just change a few words-make it stronger Cameron took the paper, nced through it once, and began writing. Within two minutes, she handed it back. The teacher read her version in silence before eximing. Hepletely restructured it, eliminated redundancy, tightened the logic, and improved the tone. And his grammar is wless." Another teacher pointed at a reading excerpt. "Fine. Then answer this: What''s the author''s implied attitude toward the subject?" Cameron responded smoothly, analyzing tone and subtle contrast. The teacher was astonished. "That''s Craft and Structure and Information and Ideas-and he nailed both. His analysis is sharp, his understanding of the text is deep, and every answer shows real critical thinking." "That''s incredible!" William said, grinning ear to ear, a rare sight for someone usually so stem. Cameron asked, "So, Mr. Drake, do you still want to test me? Or can I go back to ss now?" *Mr. Drake, please don''t expel Cameron. He''s a great student." Brody immediately pleaded for Cameron. William raised his hand to signal the teachers to leave. Brody reluctantly headed out, and before that, Cameron gave him a reassuring look. With a smile, William said, "I almost let a real gem slip away. Cameron, you can go back to ss. I''ll handle things with the Chapman family." Cameron gave him a half-smile. "That''s it? Just a few sentences and I''m supposed to go back to ss?" William was puzzled. "What do you mean "That''s it?" Cameron replied, "I told you-I want you to invite me back. I want the whole school to know you asked me to return, that you personally wanted me back." William hesitated. "Cameron, don''t you think that''s a bit... over the top?" ''So you expect me to pretend you didn''t expel r William didn''t answer. amily?" Cameron asked. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron stood up. "If I had to leave in disgrace, then I want toe back in style. I''d like a proper answer from you, Mr. Drake.* She narrowed her eyes slightly and added, "And if I don''t like your answer, I''ll transfer to Horizon Academy-your biggest Chapter 90 Cameron Impressed The Teachers rival." "Cameron-" William called out. "I''ll give you three days to think it over," Cameron cut him off. "Once you''ve made up your mind, call me. But after three days, the offer expires." With that, she turned and walked out of the principal''s office. Even from the back- with one hand in her pocket-she looked cool as hell. Subscribed Chapter 91 Chapter 911 Want Milena''s Room Chapter 91 I Want Milena''s Room Cameron came out of the principal''s office,pletely forgetting that her parents were still waiting for her at the school gates. As soon as she stepped out of the back gate, her mother rushed up to her and said, "Cam, you are finally here." Cameron frowned. She didn''t bother to hide her disgust for her mother. Heidi froze for a second. That revulsion in Cameron''s eyes broke her heart. She forced a smile and said, "Cam, I heard from your sister that you were expelled. Can you tell me what really happened?" Cameron said coldly, "And what good would that do? You can help me get back into Langford Academy?" Heidi fell silent, thinking, ''Help her? I can''t. Cameron''s been so mean to metely. I shouldn''t have acted so impulsivelyst Friday. ''Not only did I fail to get her to undergo gender reassignment surgery, but I''ve destroyed our rtionship. She used to be so obedient. But the damage is done now, and it''s no use regretting it. All I can do is try to mend fences.'' With another forced smile, Heidi said, "Cam, I know you must be upset about being expelled, but I''m just worried about you. Can you please just tell me what happened?" Cameron knew that if she didn''t exin it, her mother would never leave her alone. So, with a cold expression, she replied, "Amelia told me to be smart and break off the engagement myself. I said no. So she had her dad pressure the school into kicking me out. You got that?" Her expression clearly said: Now that you know, stop bothering me. Heidi''s smile disappeared. She hadn''t seen thating and cursed inwardly, ''How could the Chapman family be this shameless? That engagement was agreed upon by both families-breaking it now is nothing short of betrayal!'' Heidi''s face twisted with a mix of emotions, but she didn''t say anything. Seeing this, Cameron turned to leave. "Stop right there!" Martin barked. He had been waiting at the front gate and, upon hearing that Cameron was at the back gate, had rushed over without a moment''s dy. Cameron stopped in her tracks. "Mr. Wace, if you have any questions, ask your wife. I''m busy." Martin frowned and asked, "What kind of attitude is that? Is that how you should address your father?" Meanwhile, he thought, ''She is such an unruly child, always so distant and unaffectionate with me.'' Cameron turned and asked, "Are you sure you want to argue with me here?" The conversation between the three of them attracted the attention of the security guards at the gate. Arguing there would only make them aughingstock. Heidi quickly tried to smooth things over. "Let''s go home first." At that, Cameron began walking away again. "Cam, this way. Our car''s parked here," Heidi called after her. Cameron nced back. ¡°And what does that have to do with me?" Heidi didn''t respond, while Martin scolded, "What''s that supposed to mean? You''re noting with us?" Cameron gave a half-smile. "Why would I? Last time you spiked my coffee. Next time, maybe you''ll just poison my food. You think I''d risk going back?" Martin and Heidi froze. Heidi looked embarrassed and said, "Cam, I''m sorry. Let''s go home and talk, okay?¡± Her n was to have Cameron go home first before they decided on their next move. Cameron raised an eyebrow slightly. "You really want me to go home that badly?" "Of course, honey," replied Heidi. "Fine. I''ll go, but I have one condition," said Cameron. Martin snapped with a dark expression, "We just want you toe home, and you''re trying to bargain with us?" Cameron sneered. "Alright then. Bye." Then she started to leave. "Wait!" Heidi called out, panicked. "Okay, fine. What''s your condition?" Cameron said, "I want Milena''s room." Heidi was stunned. Martin asked sternly, "You seriously want to take your sister''s room? Have you no shame?" Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Endure "You think I should be ashamed?" Cameron sneered. "You''ve been showing favoritism to Milena since we were kids, and you aren''t guilty. Why should I feel bad just for asking for a room?" Martin said angrily, "You areparing yourself to Millie? What makes you think you can even be in the same league as her?" Cameron curled her lips into a mocking smile and replied, "You''re right, Mr. Wallce. How could I possiblypare to your precious daughter Milena? "But let''s be real here-I''m not the one being unfair. You y favorites with Milena all the time, and then turn around and expect me to give everything I''ve got for this family? You think that''s gonna fly?" "You want to have your cake and eat it too. Wow, what a deal you''ve cooked up." "Cameron!" Martin shouted, furious. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Heidi patted his arm, trying to calm him down. Martin had always been domineering, and apologizing just wasn''t in his nature. In situations like this, it was usually Heidi who stepped in. Heidi looked at Cameron gently. "Cam, I''m sorry. I didn''t realize we''d hurt you while you were growing up. Honestly, to your dad and me, you and Millie are equally important. You both are our beloved daughters." ¡°Save it,¡± Cameron cut her off, clearly bored of the rehearsed speech. "Will you let me have Milena''s room or not? Just tell me." Heidi tried again. "Cam, you want a new room? How about I arrange one for you?" "I want Milena''s room." "But she''s lived there for over ten years. Wouldn''t it be a hassle for you both to switch?" "I don''t mind." Heidi fell silent. Seeing that neither of her parents was giving her a straight answer, Cameron let out a scoff and turned to leave. She had barely walked a few steps when Heidi said behind her in defeat, "Fine, fine-you can have Millie''s room." Cameron smiled. She put one hand into her pocket and strolled casually toward the white BMW parked by the curb. "Mr. Wace," the driver muttered half-heartedly. Cameron was well aware of how people treat others differently based on their status in this world and that the driver was very respectful to Milena. With a nk expression, she got into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. Martin and Heidi got in the back. Heidi leaned forward slightly and said, "Cam, try to get some rest. Let''s talk more when we get home." Cameron nced sideways at her. "Mrs. Wace, there are no outsiders here. Do you really have to keep up the whole perfect wife and doting mom act? Aren''t you tired?" Heidi fell silent, clearly embarrassed. Martin red at Cameron. "You better behave yourself." Cameron gave a half-smile. She pulled a stick of gum from her bag and popped it into her mouth, then leaned her elbow against the window, and tapped her fingers lightly twice. She thought, ''You can''t handle even this? Too bad there''s worse toe." The driver gave Cameron a strange look and thought, ''When did this guy get this bold? He actually dared to talk back to his mother now?'' He didn''t say anything, started the car, and drove away. The car drove forward at a constant speed on the road. It took about half an hour to get from Langford Academy to Wace Vi. When they arrived, Cameron got out of the car and mmed the door shut. Martin''s face darkened instantly. Standing by the car, he wished he could rush over and teach Cameron a lesson. Heidi patted his arm and whispered, "Just hold it in. Once she finishes the gender reassignment surgery and officially gets engaged to Amelia, everything will be fine." Martin still looked furious. But in the end, he said nothing. He knew he had to be patient for the bigger picture. They''d acted too rashlyst Friday, and now Cameron''s coldness was the price they had to pay. For now, all they could do was endure it. Heidi quickly followed Cameron with a bright smile. "Cam, would you like something to drink? How about coffee? I''ll make it for you." Chapter 92 Endure Cameron simply said, "I want Milena''s room." "Let''s not rush-" Heidi replied. "I want it now!" Cameron interrupted her. Subscribed Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Camerorts ftequirements Hearing that, Martin felt the urge to sold Cameron speen in his mind, the n with Cameron was that she hadn''t been disciplined enough tack when he was younger, whenever she acted one harsh pownishment was all it took to make her obedient Martin firmly vedieved in the saying Spee the rod, spol the cd But then he remembered how out of line Cameron had beentely and held himself back Without another word, he turned and walked away, figuring he wouldn''t be angry as long as Cameron stayed out of sight Cameron went straight upstairs and entered Milena''s room The ce was decorated in pink, with a princess bed, soft carpets, and plushies and trinkets everywhere. It was obvious just how pampered the room''s owner was Expressionless, Cameron turned to Heidi, who had followed her in, and said, "Olear everything out, including the bed I want a new one Heidi hesitated, thinking, 1 only agreed to let Cameron have Millie''s room to lure her back, hoping to talk some sense into her once she''s here. I figured, since she loves Millie so much, maybe she''ll change her mind ''But now it seems like Cameror''s made up her mind. When Menaes home from school and finds her room taken, she Il be devastated "Cam, how about I show you a different room instead? Heidi asked. There were several empty rooms in the vi, but none of them were as nice as this one. "I want this one, Cameron snapped. "But-"Heidi said. Cameron interrupted her. "No buts. Either I get this room, or I leave. Pick one? Heidi fell silent. After weighing her options, she finally gave in. "Alright, Cam. The room''s yours." "Then get these things out. I''m sleeping in here tonight. And for lunch, I want fish, lobsters, and crabs. Let me know when it''s ready-I''m going to take a nap." Heidi stood there stunned,pletely thrown off by how matter-of-fact Cameron was. It took her a few seconds to snap out of it. Then she called out to Cameron''s retreating figure, ¡°Cam, it''s already eleven. The fish is no problem, but I don''t think we can get the lobster and crabs in time for lunch." "You don''t think?" Cameron turned her head, her beautiful face full of sarcasm. "Mr. Wace, I remember when Milena wanted cherries out of season as a child, you pulled every string and spent a fortune to get them. "But now that I''m asking for something, suddenly it''s impossible? Doesn''t that sound a little biased to you?" Seeing the look in Cameron''s eyes, Heidi felt a chill down her spine and quickly said, ¡°I''ll get it done, I promise. Go take your nap, Cam. I''ll call you when lunch is ready." Cameron didn''t respond. She turned and walked away. Heidi let out a soft sigh. She suddenly found it exhausting to deal with Cameron and felt inexplicably suffoc Cameron returned to her room and closed the door. She looked around at the 100-square-foot space and let out a mockingugh. Sure enough, by lunchtime, the three dishes Cameron had requested were served. Martin said coldly, "If you want to keep living like this-eating seafood feasts every day-then hurry up and lock Amelia down." Cameron acted like she didn''t hear a thing and just kept eating. Heidi smiled and tried to serve her. "Cam, here, have a piece of fish." Cameron frowned and shot her a look. "You''re using the same spoon you just ate with. Isn''t that gross?" Heidi was finally enraged by Cameron''s constant jabs and for a moment stopped pretending to be the perfect wife and loving mom. Sessfully unlocked! Sheined, "Cam, I know you''re still angry eek, but I''m your mother. I gave birth to you and raised you. Even if I didn''t do everything right, I did my best. How can you treat me like this?" "I see, Cameron replied perfunctorily, picking up a lobster and putting it on her te. Cameron''s indifference left Heidi feeling frustrated and helpless, as if she were talking to a wall. Chapter 93 Cameron''s Requirements After lunch, Cameron passed by Milena''s room and noticed that everything was still in ce. She frowned and said angrily, "What''s taking you so long? Can''t you move any faster? Is this how Ruth does her job? If she can''t do it right, we should fire her." Heidi and Ruth were stunned, momentarily struck by the illusion that Cameron was the one running the house. Heidi said, "Don''t worry, Cam. As soon as your new bed and vanity arrive, we''ll start moving things." Cameron didn''t even bother replying. She just walked off, cold and dismissive. Heidi shook her head, knowing all she could do was endure it. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The Biased Parents Chapter 94 The Biased Parents In the evening, Milena came back from school. She''d been in a bad mood all afternoon because of Cameron''s expulsion. Of course, she wasn''t worried about Cameron. What truly concerned her was that Cameron might no longer qualify as the Chapman family''s future son-inw. If Cameron failed to marry Amelia, the Wace family would lose the Chapman family''s support, and Milena''s future would suffer as a result. But the moment Milena walked in and saw Cameron sitting on the couch, her mood instantly brightened. "Cam, so nice to see you home." As long as Cameron was still here, and as long as they could patch things up with the Chapman family, Milena had nothing to worry about. Cameron didn''t even look up when he heard Milena''s voice. She ignored Milenapletely. Milena was annoyed by the cold shoulder, thinking Cameron was bing more and more unbearable. "Millie, you''re home." Heidi looked a little uneasy. She didn''t know how to tell Milena that her room now belonged to Cameron, and the thought of dealing with Milena''s outburst was already weighing on her. Martin closed his financial magazine in his hand and said to Milena, "Go wash your hands. Dinner''s ready. Your mom saved your favorite crabs and lobsters from lunch." "Saved them?" Milena was unhappy. "Why didn''t you wait for me so we could all eat together? How much is even left?" Heidiughed. "There''s still plenty. It''s enough for you." Milena happily took Heidi''s arm, acting all sweet. "Thanks, Mom. I love you the most." Watching how affectionate Heidi and Milena were, Cameron tensed up. She had never shown that kind of affection to anyone because she''d never known what love felt like. Only those who grew up surrounded by love knew how to be effortlessly sweet- because they knew they were loved, and they could afford to be a little spoiled. Cameron looked away, stood up, and walked to the dining room. The dishes were already set out. Sure enough, along with a few home-cooked meals, there were four lobsters and eight crabsid out on the table. Cameron''s lips curled into a mocking smile. She remembered that there were only three lobsters and three crabs at lunch. Heidi had imed there weren''t many avable on the market, but the truth was, she''d kept some of them for Milena. Sure enough, as soon as they sat down, Heidi put two lobsters on Milena''s te. Martin took one and put it on his te. Only one was left, and Heidi quickly gave it to Martin. Now the tter was empty. Then five of the crabs ended up on Milena''s te too. Cameron got one. Milena said cheerfully, "Thank you, Mom and Dad. You are so kind to me." She tore off a lobster leg and ate it happily. She never thought it was unfair because this was just how she''d grown up-always enjoying the best while Cameron got nothing. And for a family like theirs, this kind of food wasn''t even considered a luxury. Heidi turned to Cameron. "Cam, the shredded pork is delicious. You should have some." Cameron crossed her arms. "I want lobsters." Heidi was stunned. "Didn''t you already have some at lunch?" Cameron replied, "Mr. Wace, you have a good memory. Then you should also remember I only had one lobster and one crab, right?" Her eyes fell on the pile of food on Milena''s te. Cameron''s eyes fell on the tes piled up in front of Milena, which almost formed a small mountain. Only now did Heidi realize what she''d done. She''d been favoring Milena for so many years that it had be second nature-she didn''t even realize it was wrong. Just as Heidi was about to make amends, Martin frowned and said, "You can have mine." Cameron raised an eyebrow and replied, "I want hers." She was clearly talking about Milena. Milena immediately threw her arms around her Sessfully unlocked! eady had some at lunch. Why are you trying to take mine?" "You''re the older sibling. You should let me have it," she added, like it was only fair. Cameron propped her head up with her hand. "If I''m going to have surgery in a few days, shouldn''t I be getting some extra nutrition beforehand? What do you think, Mrs. Wace?" Charter S The Bases ansetts With a troubled expression, Heid asked Mille glue Camone dra "One Cameron gave her a sidelong bok 1 want all of e Chapter 95 Chapter 95 The Mock "All of it?" Milena nearly jumped out of her seat. "Cameron, can you even eat that much?" "That''s none of your business," Cameron replied coolly Milena froze, Heidi frowned, and Martin''s face was dark. Cameron stood up. "Looks like I''m not wee in this house after all," "Here," Milena said quickly, trying to read the room. Though clearly unwilling, she dumped all the lobsters into Cameron''s te. Cameron''s lips curved into a faint smirk. "I want the hairy crabs, too." Milena''s eyes reddened at the corners. "You''re being greedy." She obviously did not want to give them up, but still, she pouted and reluctantly added all five hairy crabs to Cameron''s te. Milena started crying. She looked genuinely miserable. Martin''s expression darkened. "Are you satisfied now?" "Yes," Cameron said as she picked up the te and dumped the lobster and crabs straight into the trash can. "What are you doing?" Milena shot to her feet, chest rising and falling, eyes brimming with tears. She yelled, "Are you crazy?" Cameron remained expressionless. "Did you forget I''m a clean freak? You think I''d eat food after you touched #? Milena sobbed. "If you weren''t going to eat it, why didn''t you just give it back to me?" Cameron''s face was ice-cold. "You can dig it out of the trash if you want." The trash bag had just been changed. It was technically clean. But Milena would never stoop that low. She would rather starve. "I''m not a beggar!" Milena shouted, furious. "If you don''t mind, feel free to act like one," Cameron said tly. ''God, Cameron''s such a jerk.'' Milena cursed inwardly. Martin mmed his hand on the table. "Cameron, this is outrageous." Heidi finally snapped, "Cam, Millie''s your sister. How can you treat her like this?" Cameron lookedpletely unbothered, despite being yelled at from all sides. Calmly, she picked up one of the crabs Heidi had ced in her dish earlier. With skilled hands, she cut it open using specialized tools. Her tone was icy. "What exactly did I do? Why are you all so upset?" The three of them were stunned. ''Unbelievable. She''s actually asking us that? they wondered. ''She''s going too far Milena''s voice trembled with pain. "Cam, how did you be so mean? You didn''t use to be like this. Is that why Amelia suddenly called off the engagement? Because you''re acting so weird now? You even got expelled from school! "That just gives Amelia even more reason to break off the engagement. What are you hoping to gain from all this? Why can''t you think about the Wace family for once?" Milena''s tone was full of me and reproach. Heidi turned to her, confused. "Millie, what are you talking about?" Martin''s face was tight. "Are you doing this on purpose, Cameron?" Cameron set the crab down and calmly wiped her hands with a damp towel. Then she nced coldly at Martin and Heidi." So if Milena says the earth is t, you''re not even going to question it?" Martin and Heidi froze. Cameron was right. Every time, they had indeed believed Milena without a second thought. Cameron''s gaze turned icy as she looked at Milena. "Think about the Wace family? Why don''t you think about the Wace family? Amelia hates my guts, but she seems to like you just fine. Why don''t you transition into a man and m her yourself?" Milena was struck speechless. Heidi''s face twisted into a deep frown. "Cam, what nonsense is this? How could you say something like that? She''s your sister. You want to drive her to her death?" "Oh, so asking her to transition is cruel, but it''s perfectly okay for you all to expect that of me?" Cameron''s voice was sharp and cold. "You are quite funny." Heidi fell silent, stunned. Martin interjected, "Cameron, stop twisting things around." ¡°So what if I am?" Cameron stood up and stretched. "I''m tired. I''m going back to my room to sleep." in walked away. Chapter 95 The Mock Milena stomped her foot. "Mom, Dad, did you see that? She''spletely out of line Why does she keep telling me to transition? That''s disgusting Milena thought angry Heidi frowned, and Martin''s face remained grim Once Cameron was gone, Heidi finally said, "Millie, just be patient with Cameron for a few more days. Once she finishes the gender reassignment surgery, I''ll give you anything you want." Milena frowned. "Why do I have to put up with her? What if she still refuses to go through with the surgery even after we bend over backwards for her?" Martin said, "Then we''ll have to force her" Last week''s slip-up had been unexpected. None of them had anticipated Cameron being so slippery. Now they were ready Cameron would not escape so easily again. At that, Milena finally smiled. "Sit down, let''s finish dinner, Heidi said with a smile. She did not care whether Cameron ate or not Milena picked up her fork and nced at the simple dishes on the table. Then she looked over at the lobster and crab lying in the trash can. Her face filled with regret. Martin, ever doting, said, "Your mother will get it for you again tomorrow. Milena beamed. "Thanks, Dad." Heidi smiled, too. "Your dad spoils you the most." "Love you, daddy." Milena giggled. The three of them shared a cozy, harmonious moment. But without the lobsters and crabs, Milena had no appetite left. She set down her fork. ¡°Mom, Dad, I''m done eating. I''m cutting calories. I''ll go shower now." "Wait, Millie-" Heidi tried to call her back, but Milena had already run out of the dining room. Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 96 Men''s Fury Chapter 96 Milena''s Fury Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Men''s Fury Chapter 96 Milena''s Fury Milena skipped upstairs, humming happily until her hand hit the doorknob and refused to turn. The door was locked from the inside She rattled the knob, frowning. "What''s going on? Who''s in there? Open the door" After a few seconds, the door finally swung open, Cameron appeared on the other side, her face cool and unreadable. ¡°Do you need something?¡± she asked tly. Milena let out a disbelievingugh. "Are you kidding me? Cam, what are you doing in my room "Your room?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t Mrs. Wace tell you? This room belongs to me now? "You''re lying, Milena snapped. "This is my room." Cameron stepped aside, motioning toward the inside. Take a good look. Does it look like yours?" Milena stared, dumbfounded. The space was almost unrecognizable. Ash-gray ceramic tiles covered the floor. The walls were bare and spotless. Arge bed with gray sheets and matching covers stood in the middle, with nothing but a white vanity next to it. The room felt cold, stiff, and impersonal. It was nothing like Milena''s warm, cozy space. Yet, this was the same location. This was Milena''s room. "What the hell is going on?" Milena muttered, brows drawn together. "I need you to leave. I''m going to sleep," Cameron said curtly, not bothering to exin. Still in a daze, Milena backed out. As she stepped into the hallway, Heidi came rushing up. "Hey, Millie," she said. "Mom, what''s going on? Where''s my room?" Milena demanded. Heidi hesitated, stumbling over her words. "Millie, would you mind letting Cam use your room for a few days? Milena''s eyes widened. "What do you mean? That is my room. Where''s all my stuff?" Heidi quickly tried to calm her down. "Come with me, sweetie." She led Milena into another bedroom. It was not a small room, but it looked stuffed to the brim with Milena''s clothes, jewelry, and plush toys. Everything felt crammed. Milena was stunned. "So, you mean, Cameron gets my old room, and I''m supposed to live here? That''s insane." Heidi froze. She had known this wasing, but before she could speak, Milena bolted. Milena charged back, pounding furiously on the door. "Cameron, open the door." Cameron yanked it open, her face gloomy. "You are so annoying." "Me?" Milena pushed past her, yelling in frustration. "Cameron, who told you it was okay to mess up my room like that? Get out. This is my room." Cameron didn''t flinch. "Take it up with your mom." Milena wasn''t letting it go. "Do you think you can just take over my room? Get out, right now." ''I just gave up my lobsters and crabs, Milena thought bitterly. ''There''s no way I''m handing over the room I''ve lived in for over ten years. Cameron doesn''t deserve that space. ''I was nice to her for one second, and she forgot her ce. She actually thinks she can take what''s mine? Dream on.'' "Get out," Milena shrieked. "You need to leave," Cameron said calmly. "Cam, just give the room back to Millie, okay?" Heidi rushed over. Seeing that Milena was making a big fuss, Heidi immediately asked Cameron topromise. That had always been the rule in their home. Whenever there was a fight between Cameron and Milena, Heidi and Martin would tell Cameron to back down. But things were different now. Cameron turned toward Heidi, her expression sharp. "Mrs. Wace, so much for keeping your word, huh? That didn''tst long." Heidi was momentarily speechless. Sessfully unlocked! 1. ck. Right now." "Mom, I want my room back," Milena yelled. "Ki "You never shut up," Cameron muttered, patience snapping. With one swift motion, she brought her hand down hard on the back of Milena''s neck. Milena copsed instantly. "No. Millie." Heidi cried out in shock, catching her before she hit the floor. "Cameron, what did you do to her? Are you insane? wear thieve forgive you" in the metarted park Heele and Ta non dead Cameron snel cosity "So stop yething hired was and camandatory r hkdlung der Walise mytanagere going to finalize therge Docent never parents e Then she walked off, not tooking back She deeply regretted evering back in the first ce Heidi stood frozen Cameron 1 gave you everything you wanted What more do you want from me?" she screamed, falling All day Heidi had done everything Cameron asked, even letting Milena take the fall. And now this, Cameron hard the nerve te back Cameron is too much. What kind of genes produce such a bad guy? She''s so cold blooded and heartless Heidi wondered Heidi''s heart was burning with anger, but right now, Milena was her priority. She wasn''t sure if Cameron''s move hurt Milena 0 Likes Chapter 97 An Encounter Chapter 97 An Encounter Chapter 97 Chapter 97 An Encounter Cameron walked downstairs without looking back, heading straight to the dining room. Martin was still at the table. When he saw her walk in, he merely gave her a cold nce and said nothing. Cameron did not speak either. Under his stare, she picked up the bag of lobsters and crabs from the trash can and walked out without a word Martin froze. Did she just ignore me? Unbelievable, he wondered, Cameron stepped out of the Wace Vi and made her way down the street. She found a quiet spot nearby and began feeding the lobsters and crabs to a few stray cats and dogs, watching them eat. The sky had darkenedpletely Only the streemps cast soft light onto the empty road. Cameron gave a bitter smile. Im just like them, stray, homeless, and unwanted. But I''ve gotten used to it. It doesn''t matter anymore, she wondered. Boom! A motorcycle suddenly roared past, the engine breaking the quiet night. Cameron turned her head. It flew by in a blur, fast and loud. The rider wore a school uniform, his clothes billowing in the wind. His handsome face was hidden beneath a helmet. Cameron sighed. A sudden, strange urge hit her. She wanted to race. Just as the thought crossed her mind, the motorcycle, which had sped into the distance, made a sharp turn and circled back, stopping right in front of her. The strays had already scattered in fear. Cameron blinked in surprise. The rider pulled off his helmet. "Cameron? Is that really you?" She was stunned too. "Xander?" "Yeah, it''s me," he said curiously, raising an eyebrow. "What''re you doing out here thiste? Aren''t you supposed to be home?" Cameron shot back, "And why are you out roaming around instead of being in the dorms?" Xander frowned. "Hey, I came out here because of y-" He stopped himself mid- sentence. "For me?" Cameron asked. "No," Xander said quickly. ¡°I mean, I just felt likeing home for a bit." The truth was that he hade back for Cameron. Over the phone, his father, Logan Murphy, had turned down his request to fund a new building for Langford Academy. The Murphy family had money, sure, but they didn''t throw it around. Logan had already donated two buildings at the start of the school year, and now wasn''t a good time for more. So, Xander decided toe home and convince his father in person. If he could get his father to agree, Cameron would be allowed to return to school. But since Xander wasn''t sure he could pull it off, he figured there was no point in saying anything yet. It was better to wait until he had something solid. He had not expected to run into her here. Cameron waved a hand. "Bye." Xander tapped his foot on the ground. "Seriously, what are you doing out here?" "Enjoying the view," Cameron replied casually. "It''s almost eleven. Are you not heading home yet?" Xander asked. Cameron looked down. "You should get going." Xander really did need to get back. If he waited any longer, his dad would already be in bed. "I''m heading out. You should go home too. It''ste," he said, revving the engine and riding off. Cameron kept her eyes on him until his silhouette disappeared down the street. She sat quietly on the steps. ''Where am I supposed to go? A hotel? I guess that''s the only ce left for me, she wondered. Even so, she didn''t move. The wind tousled her short hair, but she didn''t bother to fix it. She just sat there, motionless. She had no idea how long she had been there when the ac pared through the night again. She looked up Sessfully unlocked! and locked eyes with Xander, who had returne "What are you doing back here?" Cameron asked. "What are you still doing here?" Xander said at the same time. Cameron didn''t want to go back to the Wace Vi. Xander had gotten into a heated argument with Logan after his Chapter 97 An Encounter proposal got shot down, and he stormed out in frustration. Neither answered the other. "Wanna go for a ride?" Xander asked suddenly. The streets were deserted. It was already past midnight. "Sure," Cameron said without hesitation, hopping onto the back of his bike. "Anywhere you wanna go?" he asked. "Wherever," she replied. "How about something a little wild then?" Xander grinned. Subscribed Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Riding Together The mototoysle towed down the empty road, slicing through the night like a bullet Cameron and Xander kept some distance between their bodies, her fingers gopping the edge of the pastenger seat handle tightly She wore a ck helmet. The windshed across her face, but she stayed quiet. How''s that, huh? Pretty thinking, right? Xander shouted over the wind. Cameron didn''t answer. He turned his head and called out again, louder this time. Only then did she speak up. "Think you can go even faster?" Zander let out augh. "Faster? If 1 push it any harder, you might throw up all over my back." Cameron stayed silent for a beat, then said, "How about I dove?" "What?" Zander called back. "I can''t hear you, too much wind" Without another word, Cameron reached forward and took hold of the handlebars, gradually easing the motorcycle to a stop "What''re you doing? Xander turned around, confused "I''m driving" she said calmly. His eyes widened. "Wait? You know how to ride a motorcycle?" He gave her a once-over. With that slim frame of hers, she looked like a gust of wind could knock her over. And she was saying she could handle this. "Let me try" Cameron replied, already sliding forward into the driver''s seat. "Alright, Xander muttered, getting off. As he stepped aside, he pointed at the controls. "That''s the throttle. That''s the brake. Don''t mix them up" "I know, Cameron said. She got into position up front. Xander climbed on behind her. His handnded lightly on her shoulder. Cameron gave a small shrug. "Hands off." "If I don''t hold on to you, I''ll fall off." Xander protested. "You''ve got a handlebar. Use it, she shot back. Xander huffed. "Man, you''re such a pain. You nag like a woman." Cameron said nothing. Eventually, he gave up and grabbed the seat handle instead. "Hold on tight," she warned. "Just don''t- Whoa!" Before he could finish, the motorcycle sted forward. Caughtpletely off guard, Xander lurched forward, his chest smacking right into Cameron''s back. "Ow," she groaned. "Hold on properly." "Please, I''m the one who got hurt," he muttered. "You''re just too delicate." Still, he adjusted his posture and steadied himself. And to his surprise, Cameron could actually ride, like, really ride. She leaned forward, body low, cutting through the wind like she was born to do it. The engine growled under them, the speed pushing even faster than before. Xander shouted behind her, "This is amazing." The rush of tearing through the night at full throttle was addictive. "You stingy bastard," he yelled, grinning like a maniac. "Logan, you cheap bastard." Atst, a genuine smile spread across Cameron''s face. Eventually, they brought the motorcycle to a stop by the riverside. Xander flopped onto the grass,ughing his head off. Camerony down quietly beside him, hands behind her head, eyes shut. d Xander. Sessfully unlocked! 1. m. She was exhausted. "Hey, what are you doing? Don''t tell me you''re r "Don''t talk," she murmured, still not opening he. "Come on, don''t crash on me now. Cameron, let me treat you to something fun. What do you say?" Xander asked, hyped up and eager All he could think about was blowing some serious cash. ''If Dad refused to donate that building, then fine. I would just max Chapter Riding Together out the ck card he gave me, he wondered "No thanks, Cameron replied, still not bothering to open her eyes. Xander frowned. "So are you going home or not? "No," she said. "Okay, well, you can''t sleep here either. Let me take you somewhere Xander said Where to?" Cameron asked. "Somece you can sleep," he smiled. "Alright." She got up and followed him without question Xander hopped on the motorcycle and took her straight to the most luxurious five- star hotel in the Viremont. At the front desk, Xander smacked the ck card down with ir. "Presidential suite. Thanks." The receptionist looked up. "Sit, that''ll be 30 thousand dors a night. Are you sure?" "Absolutely, Xander replied, casually lifting his chin. E Subscribed Chapter 99 Chapter 99 One Night Of Fun Chapter 99 One Night Of Fun Cameron froze, caught off guard by the steep price Sleep vanished from her eyes in an instant. She raised her hand and rubbed her temples. "Xander, maybe we should go somewhere else?" "You think it''s too expensive?" Xander gave his chest a casual pat. "Come on, I''m loaded Cameron said, "Let''s go." One hand tucked in her pocket, the other holding the strap of her backpack slung over one shoulder, she turned and walked straight out of the hotel''s opulent lobby "Hey, wait up." Xander hurried to grab his ck card and chased after her "What''s wrong? I wasn''t expecting you to pay. This little bit of cash? It''s nothing to me "He waved the ck card at her with a grin. Cameron went quiet for a moment, then rubbed her stomach and said, "I''m kind of hungry Since you drous me around al night, I''ll treat you to somete-night food. How about that?" Xander''s mouth twitched. "It''s three in the morning. You''re seriously in the mood for food? Cameron nodded. "Dead serious." Right next to the hotel was a street lined with many restaurants. Some of them stayed open 24/7, though thiste at night customers were few and far between. The warm amber glow of streetmps cut through the darkness. Cameron and Xander stepped into one of the small eateries. They chose a window seat, watching the quiet street outside as they dug into their food. Xander picked up the menu and looked over at Cameron. "You good with spicy food?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I can handle it." "Then we''ll get the extra spicy fondue," he said with a flourish. "And bring out everything else on the menu too Cameron blinked. "Wait, what?" The waiter looked surprised. "Sir, you mean everything on the menu?" Xander nodded. "That''s right. Every single dish." Cameron shook her head and grabbed the menu out of his hand. "Don''t listen to him." "But we can afford it," Xander said. "I''m the one paying tonight. I don''t have plenty of money," Cameron replied tly. "You don''t have to pay. I''ll cover it," he offered. "Can you save some?" she snapped, clearly annoyed by how wasteful he was being. Xander stiffened. Seeing the way Cameron frowned, he quickly toned it down. He nearly forgot that Cameron was not the type to tolerate nonsense. Cameron circled a few dishes and passed the menu back to him. Under her watchful gaze, Xander only added a couple of his favorites. He did not dare go overboard again. Soon, the bubbling hot fondue arrived at their table. Xander rubbed his hands together. "I''ve never had fondue at three in the morning before." Cameron took a slow sip from her ss. "You had a fight with your dad, didn''t you?* Xander froze. ''How does she know? I never told her. Should I tell her? If I told her I fought with my dad because of her, would she be touched?'' he wondered. Cameron shook her head and stayed silent. She did not want to get involved in Xander''s family drama. Still deep envied him. She figured Xander must have grown up in a home full of love. Otherwise, how else could he turn out so spoiled, like tyrant? By the time they finished eating, it was already four in the morning. The two of them headed back to the hotel. This time. they got two rooms, each with a king- sized bed. Outside the door, Xander said, "I''ve only got an y a game or something instead?" before is fuhes Sessfully unlocked! school. Maybe I should just skip sleep. Wanna Cameron yawned. "I''m tired. You go ahead." With that, she shut the door in his face. Xander stood there, stunned, then muttered a curse under his breath. Cameron slept straight through till noon. Her phone''s ringtone dragged her out of her dreams. Chapter 30 Che Night Of Fun She sat up, ran her fingers through her messy short hear them yet into the room Only then did she pick up her shone She was surprised to see it was her homensom Teacher by coing so. Chapter 109 Body: Cal Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Brody''s Call Hello, ter Graham Cameron sat down on a single armchair by the window. Brody''s voice came through, soft and calm. "Cameron, where are you right now?" Cameron paused for a few seconds. "I''m at home." Brody said. "The school''s changed its decision. You''re wee toe back. Can you make it to ss this afternoon?" "This afternoon? Cameron echoed *Yes, this afternoon. Can you make it in time for the first period?" Cameron frowned slightly. Brody was pausing between each sentence as if someone were standing beside him. His voice sounded a little distant, like he was on speakerphone. She declined. "No, Mr. Graham. I have something to take care of today. I won''t be able toe in." You''ve got something to do? What could be more important than school right now? Cameron, the SATS are right around theer- know, Cameron cut him off. "But Mr. Graham, I was kicked out for no reason. I''m not just going to crawl back in like nothing happened. I''m heading to Horizon Academy this afternoon. I think they''ll be happy to have me." William, who had been hovering next to the phone, stiffened. He immediately started gesturing at Brody, clearly rmed. He looked like he was about to snatch the phone and speak himself. No way, Cameron''s one of the top students. I can''t just stand by and watch her transfer to Horizon Academy. That''d kill me, he thought William could easily meet Cameron''s demands, but his pride got in the way. He was the principal of Langford Academy, and the idea of being pushed around by someone who had only just turned eighteen was hard to stomach. So, he had nned to have Brody call and simply order her back to school. But clearly, Cameron was not having it. Brody tried again. "Cameron, the SATS areing up fast. Changing schools now would justplicate everything." 1 don''t want to change schools either," Cameron replied. ¡°But Mr. Drake refused to let me return." Brody and Williamn both fell silent. Why is she being so stubborn? William thought, frustrated. ''Looks like we''ll need to break that attitude down a bit more.'' William waved his hand toward Brody. Taking the cue, Brody said, "Cameron, think it over. You''re wee toe back anytime you want." "Mr. Graham," Cameron said calmly, "please tell Mr. Drake he''s got two days left. After that, the offer''s off the table. Goodbye." Then she hung up. William stared at the now-silent phone. "She hung up?" Brody nodded. "She did." William''s face darkened. He had not expected to be backed into a corner by Cameron. Brody spoke up. "Mr. Drake, with all due respect, expelling Cameron because of the Chapman family really was unfair. Her conditions aren''t unreasonable." "So you''re saying," William said coldly, "I should give in to her demands?" Brody nodded firmly. "Yes, I think you should." William stayed quiet for a while, deep in thought. Then he finally gave a nod. "Fine. For your sake, I''ll agree to her ridiculous demand. Let her know. If she shows up at school by ten tomorrow morning, she''ll get everything she asked for." What William needed was a way to defend dignity. As the principal, he could not let it seem like he had been manip by a teenager But still, nothing mattered more than keeping the top student at Langford. Letting Cameron return was the safest move. Brody''s expression eased. "Thank you, Mr. Drake." When Brody called again, Cameron was having in the hotel''s cooand floor restaurant. He ryed William''s message. Cameron thanked him politely, though her face Sessfully unlocked! on had expected as much. If William had truly wanted to say no, he would have done it already. Chapter 101 Consultation Chapter 101 Consultation Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Consultation Chapter 101 Consultation After lunch, Cameron headed straight to Viremont Global Law Firm, the most prestigious legal office in town. It was time to settle things once and for all with the Wace family. Since she had the time today, she figured she might as well get it over with. The moment she stepped out of the cab, she spotted a Mercedes parked in the ground-level lot. It looked familiar. "Cameron?" A warm, slightly surprised voice called out to her. She looked up and immediately saw the man standing near thew firm''s entrance. He was dressed in a deep charcoal suit, a crisp white shirt buttoned all the way up. His cor was neat, not a wrinkle in sight. A gentle smile yed on his lips as he gazed at her. Cameron blinked in surprise. "Bradley?" No wonder that car had caught her eye. She had seen it before. She just did not expect it to be his. Bradley nodded and walked over. "What brings you here?" "I needed to consult with someone at the firm," Cameron replied. "What about you? Shouldn''t you be in ss right now?" She gestured to his suit. He put on a suit and exuded an air of maturity all over. With his gold-rimmed sses on, he just had an inexplicable charm. ''Brad is so gentle, so charming, she thought to herself. "I''m helping out at the firm," Bradley said. "I came by during my lunch break to check in." Cameron looked a little surprised. "You''re helping out here?" Bradley was still in high school, after all. But then she remembered he had always dreamed of bing awyer. It made perfect sense. "Yeah," he said with a small nod. "Cameron, what are you looking to consult about? Maybe I can help." Cameron shook her head. "No, it''s fine. You should head back to school. Don''t you have ss soon?" They were roommates. She really did not want Bradley to know something this personal. Especially when it was not exactly the kind of thing one wanted to share openly. Bradley picked up on her refusal right away. He gave a nod, but still offered, "Most of thewyers are out at this hour. You might have to wait a bit." "How long?" Cameron asked. "Hard to say," he admitted. Cameron froze for a moment. ''So I might not even get to talk to someone today. And I have to head back to school tomorrow. How long is this going to drag out?'' she wondered. Bradley offered gently, "Why don''t you tell me what''s going on?" Cameron said nothing. "Come on," Bradley said softly. "Let''s go inside. I''ll get you a ss of water." She sat down on a leather sofa, holding a paper cup in her hands. She did not speak, and Bradley did not pressure her. After a long pause, she finally said, ¡°Brad, I have a friend. She wants to cut ties with her parents. She asked me some here and see if someone could help draft a legal document." Her fingers tightened around the cup. For some reason, it felt humiliating. Like she was peeling back ayer of self she had worked hard to keep hidden. Bradley, always with that gentle smile, gave a slight nod. ¡°Is your friend an adult?" "She is," Cameron replied. "Was she adopted, or is she biologically rted to them?" he asked. "Biological," Cameron answered. She looked into Bradley''s calm, deep eyes. The Bradley leaned back slightly. "That''s going to be kid nd something about it helped her rx a little. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron stayed quiet. Of course, she knew it would be difficult. That was exactly why she came to the firm for help. Bradley exined, "If it were an adoptive rtionship and both sides agreed the bond had broken down, it would be legally possible to sever ties. Chapter 101 Consultation "But with biological parents, things get a lot moreplicated. Under thew, there''s no real concept of terminating a blood rtionship. That said, if one party has caused significant harm, the other party can sue and request restrictions on their behavior." Cameron nodded slowly. "So Brad, could you help draft the document?" Subscribed Chapter 102 Chapter 102 The Apany "Is your friend in a hurry?" Bradley asked. Cameron nodded. "Very much so." She wanted it handled as quickly as possible. Bradley looked at her closely, something sharp shing in his eyes. "Cameron, this friend you''re talking about? Is it actually you?" Cameron froze. "I''m sorry," Bradley added gently. "That was pretty blunt of me." Cameron let out a quiet sigh. Now that it was out, there was no point in pretending anymore. Surprisingly, it did not feel as humiliating as she had imagined. She gave a small nod. "Yeah. It''s me." The moment she admitted it, Bradley''s chest tightened unexpectedly. ''Severing ties with her parents? But she just turned eighteen. What kind of life has she lived to bring her to this point?'' he thought. Bradley came from a close-knit, loving family. It was hard for him to picture the kind of pain Cameron must have endured. "I''ll help you," he said softly. "Wait here," he added, rising to his feet. "I''ll start drafting the paperwork." "Brad, you''re going to bete for ss," Cameron said. "It''s fine," Bradley replied. "I took the afternoon off." Cameron blinked in surprise. ''Did he actually take time off just because of me?'' she wondered. Bradley worked quickly. Not long after, he returned with the freshly printed documents, stamped with thew firm''s official seal. He handed them to Cameron. She scanned the text rapidly. This was exactly what she needed. Technically, she could have written it herself, but without thew firm''s stamp, it would not hold any weight. That was why she hade here. "Come on," Bradley said as they walked toward the parking lot. Holding the documents in hand, Cameron turned to him. "Thank you, Brad." "Don''t mention it," he said lightly. "It wasn''t a big deal." He pulled open the passenger-side door. "Hop in." Cameron hesitated. "It''s okay. You should head back to school. I can take a cab." "I''m driving you," Bradley said. She stared at him, a bit caught off guard. Bradley''s eyes fell to the obsidian earring glinting on her earlobe. "Cameron, we''re friends now. You shouldn''t have to face something like this on your own," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "I''m going with you." Cameron was genuinely moved. It felt like every time she reached her breaking point, Bradley was there, offering help without a second thought. "Let''s go," Bradley said as he reached out and ruffled her short hair before gently guiding her into the seat. He climbed in behind the wheel. "Where do you live?" She gave him the address. Bradley pulled it up on GPS. The Wace Vi was a little over thirty minutes from thew office. They arrived at the Wace residence just past three in the afternoon. The ce was lively. In the living room sat Martin, Heidi, and Milena. Milena had been knocked unconscious by Cameron the night before. Heidi, worried something serious had happened, nad kept her home from school today to rest. Aside from them, three other people were present, Amelia and her parents. Amelia''s expression was like ice. She sat stiffly on the sofa silent and aloof the very picture of a frosty goddess. Matthew and Kate, her parents, looked far from pleased Sessfully unlocked! "Martin," Matthew began, his tone heavy, "our farmmes have been close fui uecades. I never wanted things to get ugly. But this concerns my daughter''s entire future. I can''t afford to take chances." He paused, then said bluntly, "Cameron iszy, unmotivated, and deadst in his ss. Worse yet, he got expelled from school. How am I supposed to let my precious daughter keep seeing someone like that?" 17 Chapter 102 The Apany Kate chimed in, "We''ve always tried to look out for your family. But maybe it''s time you thought about our side to Gwer the years, you''ve used the engagement with the Chapman family to your advantage You know better than we to M you''ve gained from it." She folded her arms. "We''re here today to make it official. The engagement is off ¿Ú Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Troublemakers Chapter 103 Troublemakers Martin, Heidi, and Milena looked grim. The very thing they had feared the most had finally happened It was clear that the Chapman family had pulled some strings. But now that they hade knocking, the Wace family had no choice but to greet them with forced smiles. With augh that clearlycked warmth, Heidi said, "Kate,e on, it''s not that serious Cameron being suddenly expelled -there''s got to be some kind of misunderstanding Once it''s cleared up, I''m sure he be back at school like normal Milena turned to Amelia and added gently. "Amelia, you know Cameron. He''s a good kid. This has to be some sort of mix up." Amelia replied coldly, "I don''t know him. And I don''t care to" She had made up her mind. She came today for one reason, to call off the engagement. No matter what excuse the Wace family came up with, this engagement was ending today Milena froze for a second, lips pressed together in silent frustration. Amelia''s words had humiliated her. This is all Cameron''s fault, she thought bitterly. If she had managed to win Amelia over sooner, I wouldn''t have to sit here and endure this." Martin''s tone dropped a few degrees colder. "Calling off an engagement is no small matter. And with Cameron not even here right now, this really isn''t the time." Heidi quickly chimed in with a smile, "Exactly. If you''re going to call it off, both of them should be present, don''t you think?" She was secretly relieved that Cameron had left the house the night before. If he had stayed, she had no idea how they would''ve gotten through this. Amelia frowned and looked over at Kate. Kate gave her a subtle shake of the head, signaling her to stay quiet. Kate would handle it. Kate spoke up calmly, "When the engagement was arranged, Cameron and Amy hadn''t even been born yet. So now that it''s being called off, what does it matter if they''re here? The four of us parents are present. That''s enough." Heidi was caught off guard. Martin retorted, "That was then. Things are different now. They''re both adults. Their wishes should be respected." Matthew''s expression darkened. "Martin, let''s cut the nonsense. You and Heidi clearly don''t want to break off this engagement. Don''t think I don''t see through your little game. "I let you get away with things in the business world out of respect for our decades-long friendship. But I won''t let you ruin my daughter''s future." He had long grown tired of being bound to the Wace family. Whether they liked it or not, the engagement would be dissolved today. A cold voice rang out from the doorway. "And what does your daughter''s happiness have to do with me?" Everyone had been so caught up in their argument, they had not noticed Cameron and Bradley standing silently by the door. The moment that voice echoed through the room, every head turned. Reactions varied from shock to confusion. Martin, Heidi, and Milena were stunned. ''Why is Cameron back? And at a moment like this? And who''s the man with her?'' they wondered. Martin and Heidi exchanged uneasy nces. ''Could this man be the reason Cameron decided to return to living as a woman? they both wondered. Milena, on the other hand, instantly recognized Bradley. Even now, she could not help but be drawn to him. Matthew and Kate, however, were quietly thrilled. ''Cameron''s back. That means Martin and Heidi have no excuse to avoid it anymore. The engagement is as good as over, they wondered. Meanwhile, Amelia slowly rose from the couch. Her gaze passed briefly over Cameron''s face beforending on handsome man standing beside her. Bradley? What''s he doing here?'' she wondered. Her heart skipped. She nced down at her in white dress, suddenly self-conscious. She had not dressed up at all today. Thinking she was only here to end the engagement, she had just thrown on the first thing she saw in her closet. Now she deeply regrettet Sessfully unlocked! "At school, I''m always stuck in a boring uniformont of him. And now of all days, I had to wear this? ''What a waste. If I had known Bradley wasing back, I would''ve made sure to look amazing, she thought in frustration. Bradley, of course, had already noticed Amelia. He gave her a small, polite nod. After all, they were ssmates. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The Agreement Kate bearned. "Cameron, you showed us put in time. Tell me do you honestly think you''re good enough for Amy? Cameron strolled into the living room at a steady pace, one hand fucked casually in her pocket, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "No" she said tly Kate had not expected her to cooperate so easily. She lit up with delight. Then how can you lue with yoursel dinging to this engagement and ruining the rest of her life? 1 can''t, Cameron replied Matthew cut in, Then are you saying you''re agreeing to call off the engage Before Cameron could answer, Martin exploded "Cameron, what nonsense are you sooving? Cameron came back suddenly, and now she''s siding with the Chapman? Has the lost her mind? Martin fought, nearly beside himself with rage. Matthew frowned. "Martin, don''t interrupt. Let her speak for herself Cameron''s expression did not change. "Mr. Chapman, no rush. Let me handle my business first. You all can deal with y afterward Even when speaking to the Chapman family, Cameron kept a cool, distant tone. Before the time travel, the Chapman family had always looked down on her treating her with indifference. And yet, time and again, she had humbled herself for the sake of the Wace family, offering warmth to people who only ever gave her the cold shoulder. Now, she just found it all pathetic andughable. Heidi quickly stood and came toward her, trying to grab her arm. "Cam, why don''t you sit down and have a proper conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Chapman? Tell them what really happened at school Why were you expelled? Heidi exaggerated a few blinks at her, trying hard to send her a signal Of course, Heidi hoped Cameron would side with them. But Cameron had no intention of ying along. "I have something I want to show you all, Cameron said, dodging Heidi''s hand. Then she turned to Bradley Bradley stepped forward, a folder in hand. ''Mr. Wace, Mrs. Wace, good afternoon. I''m Bradley Saunders, Cameron''s legal representative. What I have here is a formal document to terminate all parental ties. If you have no objections, please sign at the marked lines." He ced the document on the coffee table and showed them his credentials. Everyone in the room, except Cameron, lookedpletely stunned. Martin was so furious that he could not even speak. He had thought Cameron was just bluffing, throwing around empty threats. He never imagined she would actually go through with it. Heidi''s shock quickly turned to anger and betrayal. "Cameron, we gave birth to you, and we raised you. Now that you''re an adult, you want to cut us off? Aren''t you afraid of being punished?" Cameron said coolly, "You''re not afraid. Why should I be?" Heidi froze, speechless. Milena snapped. "I''ve always gone out of my way to amodate you. I even gave up my bedroom for you. And this is how you repay us? What more do you want from us?" Cameron gave a brief nce at the paperwork on the table. "All I want is for you to sign. After that, we''ll have ang more to do with each other." Milena stared at her, stunned. The three members of the Wace family looked like storm clouds had settled over their faces. The Chapman family was here to break off the engagement, and now Cameron wanted to sever all family ties. The whole thing was spiraling out of control. Amelia sat there, watching Cameron with a conflicted look. So everything Cameron had said at school was true. She really was about to leave the Wace family. Amelia had thought Cameron was just stalling for time. Meanwhile, Matthew and Kate looked on with expressions that bordered on amusement. Martin and Heidi said nothing. It was obvious. Of course, Cameron had expected that. They w Sessfully unlocked! white on hatto ng that document. urry into the Chapman family. Her voice turned ice-cold. "Mr. Wace. Mrs. Wace. Either you sign this agreement, or I''ll agree to the Chapman family''s request to end the engagement right now." Martin mmed his palm hard against the couch. "How dare you?" Chapter 104 The Agreement What he really wanted was to m it against Cameron''s head, just to knock some sense into her. Cameron turned toward Matthew and Kate without hesitation. "Mr. Chapman, Mrs. Chapman. You want to end the engagement, right? I agree=" Subscribed Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Resection Chapter 105 Rejection That''s enough, Cameron." Heidi had finally lost her patience and car firm of "Are you trying to dive us aTIES WETE still your parents, for crying out loud. Why are you being so cruel to us? "Cruel?" Cameron repeated the word slowly, as if turning it over in her mind. Don''t you think you were even crueler to mE? Heidi froze. She dared not say another word. Deep down, she feared that if she pushed too hard, Cameron might blum out the truth that she had been a girl all along. Cameron, clearly running out of patience, frowned and asked sharply. "So, are you signing or not? Martin''s face darkened. "Sign it or not? he thought grimly. If we sign, we officially sever dies with Cameron, which means the engagement with the Chapman family is off the table. ''But if we refuse, and Cameron cancels the engagement herself, then she''s of no use to us anymore anyway Either way, the oue would be the same. What Martin never expected was that in the end, the one forcing their hand would be Cameron. As Cameron saw their hesitation, she turned toward Matthew and Kate. ''Mr. Chapman, Mrs. Chapman, actually I''ve been keeping a secret for eighteen years-" "We''ll sign, Martin cut her off in a panic. There was no way they could let the Chapman family find out that Cameron had been pretending to be a boy. If the Chapman family realized they had been deceived for nearly two decades, they would never let this go And once the truth got out, the Wace family would be aughingstock across all of Viremont. Martin''s dignity would bepletely destroyed. "You''re really signing?" Heidi stared at him, stunned. "Dad?" Milena looked equally shocked. Without a second thought, Martin scribbled his name on the document Heidi was against it, but since Martin insisted, she added her signature as well. "Get out," Martin growled as he threw the papers at Cameron with all his strength. Bradley reacted instantly, raising his hand to shield Cameron. The folder hit hard. It stung. The back of Bradley''s hand turned red on the spot. At least it didn''t hit Cameron directly, Bradley thought, his eyes, behind his gold- rimmed sses, turning icy cold. ''With how they''re treating her in front of all these people, who knows what kind of hell she''s been living in under this roof? he thought. The usual gentle smile had vanished from Bradley''s strikingly handsome face. His voice was cold and firm. "From now on, the two of you have nothing to do with Cameron. Stay out of his life." Martin and Heidi said nothing. Milena was furing, biting down on her lower lip so hard it nearly bled. ''Cameron''s no longer part of the Wace family. Then who''s going to marry Amelia? What happens to the Wace family now?'' she wondered. "Let''s go, Brad." Cameron did not want to waste another word on them. She bent down, picked up the documents, and turned to leave with him. Just as they reached the vi entrance, Matthew stepped in front of them. "Cameron, wait. You can''t leave yet, we haven''t finished discussing the engagement." Cameron looked at him coolly. "The engagement was between your family and the Wace family. What does tha do with me?" Matthew was caught off guard, momentarily speechless. e to Cameron and Bradley walked out of the house and headed toward the car. Just as Cameron was about to open the front passenger door, a delicate hand reached out and grabbed the handle before she could. Cameron turned to look. Amelia had followed them out. Sessfully unlocked! adley. "Bradley, are you two headed back to Usually proud and untouchable, the campus q school? Mind giving me a ride? I''ve got ss, t Bradley''s expression softened, returning to his usual polite self. But his words remained firm. "It''s not on our way." Amelia froze, stunned. ''Not on their way? Aren''t they going back to school? Did did Bradley just turn me down?" she wondered. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Peace Of Mind "Then where are you going?" Amelia pressed, refusing to back off. Bradley replied calmly, "That''s not something I can share." Amelia froze. When she did not move, Bradley added, "Amelia, would you mind stepping aside?" Then he turned to Cameron. "Get in." Without another word, Cameron opened the door and got in. Amelia stepped back awkwardly, watching helplessly as the car drove off, leaving her standing there. She bit her lip lightly. On the surface, Bradley was polite to everyone, but in truth, he kept everyone at armis length. That gentleness of his was just courtesy, nothing more. See? And just now, he had rejected her bluntly and without hesitation. He was so cold. Yet the whole reason she was rushing to break off the engagement was for Bradley. Amelia''s expression dimmed as she turned and went back inside. By then, Matthew and Kate had alreadye to an agreement with Martin and Heidi. "Well, the engagement''s off. But let''s not let that affect our friendship," Kate said with a smile, pretending to be gracious. Martin, Heidi, and Milena all looked visibly sour. ***** The car cruised smoothly down the road. Cameron turned to Bradley. "Aren''t you heading back to school?" He might still catch hisst ss. Bradley shook his head. "Nope." He had already taken the day off. There was no n to return. "So where are we going?" said Cameron. Bradley nced at her with a warm smile. "To celebrate." Cameron blinked. "Celebrate what?" He said, "You''ve finally made it out of hell." ''He''s right. I''ve finally gotten out of that nightmare. I''m free. Completely free from those three. The termination agreement went a lot smoother than I ever expected, she wondered. It was all thanks to the Chapman family showing up to break off the engagement. And because Martin had been terified that the truth about her posing as a boy woulde out, he had no choice but to sign. But more than anyone else, Cameron knew exactly who deserved her thanks most, Bradley. "Thank you, Brad," she said sincerely, looking over at him. He smiled gently. "I didn''t do anything. You made this happen yourself." Cameron was quiet for a long moment before asking, "Brad, don''t you want to know why I cut ties with my parents?" Bradley''s fingers rested lightly on the steering wheel. "Cameron, I trust you. Whatever they did must''ve beer ter to make a decision like that the moment you turned eighteen." "You''re really kind," Cameron said softly, a faint smile on her lips. Bradley didn''t ask anything. He didn''t pry. And somehow, being around him made her feel safe. Bradley really knew how to respect boundaries. He never asked questions. Being around him gave Cameron an odd butforting sense of peace. Bradley adjusted his sses. His eyes seemed to darken a little. "A kind person, huh?" he murmured. ''Would she still think that if she saw the other side of me?'' he wondered. Cameron nodded. "Yes." The corners of Bradley''s lips lifted. "So, where do you want to go to celebrate?¡± Cameron replied, "How about I treat you to a meal? Also, you should total up the legal fees while you''re at it." Bradley nced sideways at her. "Legal fees?" "Well, the work your firm did," she said. Bradleyughed. "Come on, stop joking. We''re roommates, aren''t we? You don''t need to talk to me like a client." "But still," she said, "won''t that be hard to exin to your firm?" Chapter 166 Peace Of Mind Bradley smiled again. "Not really. I''m one of the partners." Cameron stared at him in disbelief. ''Bradley''s only eighteen Unless is he like me? Did he time travel, too? Is that how he''s already so aplished? she wondered. As Bradley drove, he asked, "It''s still a bit early for dinner. Anywhere you want to go first?" Subscribed 1 Likes Chapter 107 A Warning Chapter 107 A Warning Chapter 107 Chapter 107 A Warning Chapter 107 A Warning Cameron thought for a moment, then said, "How about we take a walk by the river?" Viremont was built along the riverbank, and the scenery there was lovely. "Sure." Bradley nodded. "By the way, how''s school going? Do you need any help with that?" "Thanks, Brad. I''ve already taken care of it. I''m heading back to ss tomorrow, Cameron replied. Bradley gave a faint smile but said nothing more. Twenty minutester, the car pulled into the parking lot of the wends park. The park stretched along the riverside, and with spring in full bloom, flowers nketed the grass, and the breeze carried the soft scent of blossoms. The wind danced across the water, leaving shimmering ripples in its wake. The park was filled with families. Kids were flying kites or skateboarding,ughter echoing through the air. Cameron sat quietly on arge stone, watching the cheerful crowd. The breeze brushed gently across her exquisitely beautiful face, tossing her hair in all directions. As a child, she used to sit like this too, quietly, silently, watching her parents y with Milena. Martin and Heidi were wealthy, but somehow, they only ever bought one of everything. Each time, they would tell Cameron to let Millie go first. Only after Millie was done could Cameron take a turn. But by the time Milena had her fill and gave up the toy, their parents would call Cameron back home, iming it was gettingte and time to stop. Cameron used to feel frustrated and upset, but they always pretended not to notice. Now, upon thinking back, her heart remained calm. There was no bitterness, no anger, because she no longer had anything to do with them. Bradley sat beside her and handed over a bottle of soda he had brought from the car. "You really don''t take after your parents," he said. Cameron was much more attractive than either of them. Snapping out of her thoughts, she responded casually, "Must''ve been some kind of gene mutation.¡± Bradley chuckled. "So, when are you going to deal with the procedures?" It would not truly be over until she officially announced she had severed ties with the Wace family. Cameron twisted open the bottle and took a sip. "I''ll wait a little longer. Once I''ve earned enough to buy a ce of my own, then I''ll do it." No home, no independence. "I''ve got a few small properties here in Viremont," Bradley said. "I could let you have one." Cameron froze. She stared nkly at him, lookingpletely caught off guard, and honestly, pretty adorable. Bradley reached out and gently tousled her short hair. He said, "Don''t overthink it. It''s not a gift, just a favor. Once you get your own ce, you can pay me back." Out of nowhere, Cameron blurted out, sounding certain, "You must be filthy rich." Bradley did not deny it. "We''re doing okay." Cameron shook her head. "Still, I can''t take it. You''ve already done more than enough." Bradley looked at her and asked, "Then how long will it take for you to finally cut them off for good?" No sooner had he spoken than Cameron''s phone lit up. She nced at the screen. The number was from Viremont After hesitating for a second, she picked up. A familiar voice thundered through the speaker. "Cameron, where the hell did you go? Get your ass back here. Don''t think you can wave some pathetic agreement in my face and walk away like nothing happened." Martin was furious. Now that the Chapman family had broken off the engagement, the Wace family could no longer rely on them for support. With no one else to take it out on, Martin turned all his rage on Cameron. Cameron was about to fire back when the pho Sessfully unlocked! and. Bradley gave her a calming look, then said in a professional, detached tone, Mr. Wace, you have no legal connection to my client anymore. I''m going to ask you to stop harassing her. "If you continue, I''ll pursue criminal charges for provocation and harassment on her behalf. Under thew, that could mean up to five years in prison, detention, or supervised release. I suggest you think very carefully before calling again." Chapter 107 A Warring Martin was stunned into silence. Bradley ended the call without wanting for a responER Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Flying A Vie Bradley handed the phone back to Cameron 24 sed 14 yes you ge Cameron no444 Changeber 4 Bradley nced up the sky where code "Totoon sherly fast Webpages Page ''T''ve never done before GewOD KAMA Bradley stood up afstry #togeth Before Cameron oxid respond, Bradshaw 188 saptamana fac breeze was cool and refreshing Cameron gripped the song and ren sow the open yw dydonga kar kobing tette that he w Caught it just right, he let go The kite lifted slowly, then sowed higher and higher into the sky ''Not bad, Bradley said, watching it climb, his grace dores BA SOCAR Cameron ran a few moreps across the field. Sweet dictened on her brow, but her face it up with pure unfitrares pay When she was little, she had dways wished she oxid be the one holding the kite strong. Today that wich finallye true She let out more line, then more, and the Yee few higher and higher in the entire rest was gone and it was just a dry speck in the sky, Then, slowly and carefully, she began reeling it back in. Her focus waspletely on the kite. Bradley had stepped away and returned, but she had not noticed it was only when she looked down that she realized the park had grown quiet, the crowd mostly gone. Dusk was falling Tired? Bradley asked. Cameron shook her head. "Not at all? Today was the most carefree, exhrating day she had experienced since she antved in this timeline. "Come on, Bradley said, "let''s catch the breeze on the yacht "Yacht?" Cameron turned around in surprise. Sure enough, a boat sat anchored on the river under the evening sky. The two boarded As soon as they stepped onto the deck, the rich aroma of food wafted through the ar After running around all afternoon, Cameron was starving. Her stomach growled the moment she caught the scent "You''re hungry, huh? Dinner''s ready, let''s go, Bradley said, smiling as he gave her shoulder a light pat "We''re having dinner on the boat?" Cameron asked Bradley nodded. "Whole roastedmb." "Alright, she agreed. She had offered to treat him, but Bradley had clearly taken care of everything. Still, she would cover the billter As soon as they sat down, the staff brought out skewers of fresh grilledmb. Other dishes followed, arriving one after another. The golden-orange lights of the yacht glowed warmly against the food, especially themb, making everything loo more mouthwatering. Cameron picked up a skewer and said, "Brad, thanks." Bradley raised a hand in a gracious gesture, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He poured juice for both of them. Once Cameron finished her first skewer, Bradley raised his ss. "Cameron, congrattions.* She quickly lifted her own ss. "Thank you, Bradley" They clinked sses. Bradley then wiped his hands clean, picked up a carving tool, and sliced a piece ofmb rib. After sprinkling some cumin on it, he ced it gently on Cameron''s te. "Try it. I think you''ll like it." "Thanks" Cameron replied. Behind his gold rimmed sses, Bradley''s gaze so polite with me." =0 Sessfully unlocked! ked beautiful. "Cameron, you don''t have to be Cameron smiled and cut him a generous piece ofmb leg. "Alright then." Bradley''s lips curled into a soft smirk Chapter 108 Flying A Kite Meanwhile, the Wace family of three was also having dinner. But the atmosphere at their table waspletely different, cold and silent. The only sound in the room was the faint clinking of silverware against porcin. That silence was broken when Milena''s phone rang. "Hello?¡± she answered. "Good evening. May I speak to Ms. Wace from Langford Academy?" a woman''s voice asked politely from the other end. "Yes, this is she. Who''s calling, please?" Milena replied. "This is Noir ¨¦t. There''s something we''d like to confirm with you," the woman said. Subscribed Chapter 109 Chapter 109 lou Milena''s jaw dropped in delight when she heard her own scheme casually exposed like that. A broad smile instantly it up her face, and her voice grew warmer "Hi there. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, Mena said enthusiastically Seeing her all bubbly and excited, both Martin and Heidi turned to nce at her curiously. "Ms. Wace, we''ve received your submission, the woman on the other end said dry. "I just need to confirm one thing Did you write this piece yourself? Milena froze. ''What? Did they find out? I used Cameron''s work. Could it be that Cameron submitted it too? But I sent it in right after Xander forwarded me the photos. I must have submitted it before she did, right? A storm of thoughts churned in her mind as she replied, "Of course, I wrote it myself. Is there a problem? "Your piece is excellent, which is why I wanted to double check with you personally. So just to confirm one thing. This really is your original work, Ms. Wace?" she repeated. All Milena could focus on was thepliment. Her heart swelled with pride. "Yes, it''s mine,¡± she said happily. ''Cameron''s work is mine; she wondered. "Understood. Thank you. Goodbye," the voice on the other end said, hanging up immediately. Milena''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, her whole expression bearing. "What''s up, Millie?" Heidi asked with curiosity. Milena grinned. "Mom, I''m about to make 300 thousand dors. And that''s just the beginning. I''ll be making way more than that down the line. So don''t worry. Without the Chapman family, you still have me. We''ll be just fine." Heidi smiled warmly. "Sweetheart, you''re amazing." Martin, though, looked puzzled. "How exactly are you making this money?" Milena teased, "Dad, you''ll find out soon enough." That got Martin hopeful. "You really are ahead of Cameron." Milena scoffed, "Please. Cameron isn''t even in my league." Heidi nodded in agreement. "Exactly." ***** Meanwhile, the cruise ship drifted slowly along the river. Cameron, enjoying the night breeze and savoring the roastedmb, looked perfectly content. She put down her fork. "Brad, I''m done eating. Take your time." "Sure." Bradley nodded. Cameron got up to use the restroom and decided to pay the bill on the way. But when she reached the counter, she paused in surprise. "Sir, the bill''s already been taken care of by the gentleman who''s with you," the server said. ''Brad paid already? But we agreed that I''d cover this meal, she thought. Back at the table, Cameron sat down with a helpless smile. "Brad, we said I''d pay tonight." Bradley didn''t seem fazed, "Same difference." Cameron blinked. "Bradley, how about I transfer you the money?" Bradley leaned back. "How about you write me an IOU instead?" Cameron was stunned. Bradley had just finished eating as well. He calmly wiped his hands with a towel. "Cameron, how about I give you a house? You can just write me an IOU for it." Graduation was around the corner, and Bradley had been thinking. Cameron was still living in a dorm. Once she graduated, she could not very well go find a ce to rent. Cameron was silent for a while. Then she said, "them ''The Wace family is just too much trouble. It Sessfully unlocked! or all, she wondered. Bradley added, "It''s a small ce, worth about two million dors. Just write me an IOU." They asked a server for a pen and paper, Cameron wrote it out carefully, then pressed her fingerprint onto the page. Bradley took it and said, "We''ll go finalize the paperwork tomorrow at noon." Chapter 109 tou "Alright" Cameron was deeply grateful, unsure how to even begin thanking him. Bradley stood up, holding the 100. "I''m heading to the restroom." Once inside, he tore the note into pieces and flushed it down the toilet. He smiled to himself ''Cameron really is a stubborn, sweet boy, he wondered. Subscribed Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Cameron''s Grand Return The next morning, Langford Academy rolled out a red carpet starting right at the school gate. It stretched all the way down Academy Avenue, passed by the library, wound around the basketball court, up and down countless steps, and finally came to a stop at the door of ss 15, Senior Year. The early reading ss began at 6:50 a.m. One by one, students filed into the ssroom. When they spotted the red carpet aside, everyone was taken aback. "Whoa, that thing''s long. Like, no joke-it feels like it never ends. What''s going on?" "Is someone important transferring into our ss or something? That''s wild. I mean, we''re right on the edge of the SATS, and someone''s switching schools now?" "Gotta be someone seriously connected. I mean, look at all this. That''s not just red carpet-that''s a statement." "I''m kinda hyped. Is it a guy or a girl?" "Please let it be a girl. We''re so outnumbered. Elijah already has the handsome guy role locked down. We don''t need another dude." Spection buzzed around the room. At ten in the morning, the whole school took a break. Normally, seniors only got a short pause; they were in the thick of SAT prep, after all, and every minute counted. But that day, the Student Affairs Office made it mandatory for all seniors to gather on the school''s biggest field. Oddly, no bell or break music yed. Instead, under hundreds of curious gazes, William stepped onto the tform. He stood behind a standing microphone. "Today, we''re doing something truly special," he announced. "Let''s give a warm wee to Cameron from ss 15, Senior Year-she''s officially rejoining us today." The moment he finished, William pped loudly. And the crowd followed suit. Apuse thundered across the field. Down Academy Avenue,rge poster boards stood every few feet, each one boldly dering: [Wee Back, Cameron. Langford Academy is Proud to Have You.] It was a full-blown spectacle. "No way. Wasn''t Cameron expelled? And now she''sing back?" "Mr. Drake himself is weing her? Who even gets that kind of treatment?" "I don''t get it. I thought she broke off the engagement with Amelia. Without the Chapman family backing her, getting back into Langford should''ve been impossible. How the hell did she manage to get Mr. Drake to roll out the red carpet for her?" "What''s really going on here?" Amelia and Skyler were both in shock. Skyler blinked hard. "Amy, same name, right? There''s no way our Cameron is getting this kind of wee." Amelia hesitated, her voice uncertain. "Maybe. Could be." But the moment they saw Cameron step onto that red carpet, moving slowly, confidently, through the thunderous apuse and toward the center stage, their jaws dropped. It was Cameron, the very same Cameron who had been expelled. And now, here she was, making the boldest return anyone had ever seen. "Oh my God, Amy," Skyler gasped. "I''m literally gonna lose it." Amelia stared in disbelief. "How did he how did Cameron pull this off?" Upon the stage, Cameron stood tall in her Langford Academy uniform. She looked poised,posed, and unrealistically good-looking. Beside her stood William and several other high-ranking school officials. A subtle, knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "I''m honored to be back," she said calmly. "Thank you, Mr. Drake. And thank you, everyone." Cameron''s tone was cool and collected. But the crowd below it erupted in chaos. ss 15 students were absolutely stunned. Sessfully unlocked! "No freaking way. That''s Cameron? How in the world did she make this happen? This feels unreal." "All this for Cameron? I can''t even wrap my head around it." "It''s like something out of a movie. What if Cameron''s actually been some kind of hidden big shot this whole time?" Chapter 111 The Reason Chapter 111 Chapter 111 The Reason Elijah stared at Cameron on stage, bathed in lights, her whole presence practically glowing. She looked radiant, undeniably captivating. His surprise quickly turned into joy. She said she woulde back. ''And she did, just like that, in such a short time and with a dramatic entrance like this, he thought. For once, a faint smile crept onto Elijah''s usually stoic face. Amelia was stunned as well, her eyes fixed on the stage. ''Since when did Cameron be this impressive? Mr. Drake promised my dad that he would expel her. And now, here he is-weing her back like some sort of VIP. Cameron must have something that caught Mr. Drake''s eye, she thought, she wondered. She looked Cameron over carefully. ''Maybe she''s not as useless as I thought. But I like Bradley. Compared to him, Cameron''s still got a long way to go, she wondered. Amelia tilted her head slightly and nced over her shoulder just enough to catch sight of the young man in the school uniform and gold-rimmed sses. Bradley''s gentle gaze was locked on Cameron. His lips curled faintly into a smile, and a quiet warmth radiated from him. Amelia paused. For some reason, the way Bradley looked at Cameron made her ufortable. She could not quite put her finger on it, but something just felt off. "Holy crap," Xander blurted out, practically jumping out of his seat. ''Cameron is killing it up there. Mr. Drake actually weed her back himself. I was worried she got into a fight with my dad or something, but she handled it all on her own. Man, she''s incredible, he thought. Back on stage, William gave a few more words of wee, then personally led Cameron down the red carpet and toward ss 15. Cameron nodded with satisfaction. "Thank you, Mr. Drake. You gave me what I asked for. In three months, I''ll give you what you want." William beamed. "Alright." He believed her. Cameron turned and walked into the ssroom, heading for her usual seat in the back row. But Brody called out, "Cameron, your seat''s over here, next to Elijah.¡± She stopped in her tracks, surprised. ''I''m sitting next to Elijah?'' she wondered. Still, she went along with the arrangement, slinging her backpack onto the empty seat beside him. William turned to Brody and instructed, "Mr. Graham, make sure no one in the ss disturbs Cameron while she''s studying. If anythinges up, report to me immediately." "Yes, sir," Brody replied. With that, William finally left, looking satisfied. The students began trickling back into the ssroom. "Cameron, that was amazing. Mr. Drake personally weed you back-that''s a first in this school''s history, right?" "You looked so chill up there on stage. It was seriously cool." "Cameron, how did you pull this off?" The students gathered around her, buzzing with excitement. Elijah, meanwhile, quietly took his seat. He was just as curious as the rest of them. How had Cameron managed this? He stared at her, waiting for her to exin. Cameron answered, "I told Mr. Drake-" Everyone leaned in, hanging on her words. "I told him I''d be the top scorer in the province on this year''s SATS." The room fell silent. Then someone said, "You don''t have to tell us if you don''t want to. We all know you''re a legend anyway." Assuming she was just brushing them off, the crowd dispersed. Elijah leaned in slightly and asked in a low voice, "Will you tell me?" After all, they had shared drinks together once. Cameron looked at him. "Tell you what?" Elijah said softly, "Why were you allowed to cor Sessfully unlocked! Chapter 112 1 Likes Chapter 112 Praise Chapter 112 Praise "I told you already," Cameron said. "I promised him I''d get the highest score on this year''s SATS Elijah froze. ''So she really does not want to talk about it; he wondered. Though he was curious, he knew better than to push her. He quietly flipped open his math textbook. This period was math ss. Josh, their math teacher, walked in with a bounce in his step. Bearning at Cameron he said, "Cameron, if you can, try helping Elijah out. Maybe tutor him a bit when you have time." After all, Cameron scored a perfect. ''Elijah''s got potential, too. If he spends some time learning from her, who knows-he might hit a perfect score as well. Two students from my ss are getting a perfect math SAT? I''d brag about that for a year, Josh thought, a little too pleased with himself. The whole ss went silent, including Elijah. Cameron, for a moment, had no idea what to say. Josh took her silence as agreement. Holding up a stack of papers, he added, "Take out your mock exam sheets. Let''s go over them. These questions are basic, yet somehow people still manage to mess them up." Elijah lowered his voice and asked, "You want me to tutor you?¡± He figured the teacher had mixed up their names. No way would Elijah, the top scorer, need help from someone who nearly flunked. He assumed Josh meant for him to help Cameron out. ¡°Huh? Uh, yes.¡± Cameron blinked and nodded. ¡°If you''re free, I''d appreciate it.¡± Elijah thought for a second. "Yeah, I''ve got time." Cameron was stunned. But she really had no intention of studying with anyone. Rubbing her forehead, she sighed quietly. Elijah continued, "Just pay attention in ss first. If anything doesn''t make sense, ask me afterward." "Thanks," Cameron said softly, wondering, ''He really is a nice guy, she thought. Cold on the outside, but actually really warm -hearted.'' Math ss came to an end. Up next was Spanish. Lacey spotted Elijah and Cameron sitting together and smiled. "Cameron, Elijah," she said warmly, "you two should talk more, learn from each other. You''re already doing great, but there''s always room to grow, right?" The whole ss looked stunned. No one expected Lacey to single out Cameron for praise. Even Cameron and Elijah were caught off guard. Cameron felt exasperated. She never wanted this much attention. ''Being a cker might not be such a bad deal. At least no one''s breathing down your neck all the time, she wondered. Elijah gave her a curious look, but Cameron offered no response. When Spanish ss ended, so did their morning lessons. They had a two-and-a-half-hour break before afternoon sses. Elijah turned to her and asked, "Cameron, want to grab lunch together?" Cameron was a bit surprised but did not turn him down. "Sure." As students started to trickle out of the ssroom, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Cameron." Xander stood at the doorway, waving at the two of them. The moment the bell rang, he had sprinted straight over from ss 15. Cameron stepped outside the room, and Xander pped her shoulder twice with a bit too much force. "Cameron. Not bad at all. That was some serious recognition you got. Let''s celebrate, yeah? Come on, I''ll take you to the best restaurant in Viremont." Cameron frowned. That kind of force was totally unnecessary. If it had been anyone else, they would probably have been knocked backward a few steps. Elijah''s brow furrowed. "Xander, she already made ns with me." Xander''s face darkened. He looked at Cameron and asked, "So, Cameron, who are you picking-me or him?" He nced sideways at Elijah, pretty confident she would choose him. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Jealousy Chapter 113 Jealousy But instead of picking between them, Cameron offered a suggestion. "Why not all go together?" Xander jumped in right away. "Yeah, sure. Let''s all go." Elijah gave a reluctant nod. Cameron pulled out her phone. "I''ll text Brad." She sent Bradley a quick message on WhatsApp. Xander stared at her. "Wait? When did you add Bradley on WhatsApp? And why haven''t you added me?" They had exchanged WhatsApp info just the day before. Cameron did not answer him directly. Instead, she asked back, "Did you ever ask to add me?" Xander was speechless. Elijah pulled out his phone. "Cameron, add me too." Cameron nodded. Xander quickly held out his own, not wanting to be left out. In the end, Cameron added him as well. Bradley replied almost instantly: [Wait for me at the ssroom door. I''ll be right there.] Cameron looked up. "Brad''sing soon." Xander muttered, his tone sour. "Sounds like you two are pretty close." Cameron paused, caught off guard. As expected, Bradley showed up soon after. "All here?" Bradley asked with a faint smile in his eyes. It was the first time the four of them had met outside the dorm. Xander looked around. "There are four of us. My bike won''t fit everyone. Let''s take Brad''s car." Elijah never parked his car on campus. He usually had someone drive him when needed; a single call, and the car would show up. Cameron shook her head. "No need to make itplicated. Let''s just eat at the school cafeteria." Xander frowned. "What''s even good there? That stuff''s for peasants." Elijah said calmly, "There''s a private dining area on the second floor. You can order whatever you want." Bradley nodded. "Yeah, school''s fine. No need to run around." Chapter 113 Jealous Langford Academy''s second-floor cafeteria was well-known. It had both arge dining hall and private rooms. Students who valued privacy and a quieter atmosphere preferred eating there, though the prices were several times higher than on the main floor. As soon as the four of them walked upstairs, nearly everyone turned to look. "Oh my god. So handsome. Three campus heartthrobs and one total dreamboat. We''re so lucky." "They''re all gorgeous. I''m obsessed." "No wonder they couldn''t choose just one for the school''s most handsome guy. They''re all insanely attractive." "The one named Cameron, right? I think he''s the best-looking." "I heard he broke off his engagement with Amelia. Guess we all have a shot now." "See? Hot guys only hang out with other hot guys." "Cameron must have a powerful background. No wonder hended Room 316.¡± Their appearance caused an immediate stir. Some students even pulled out their phones to snap pictures. In the middle of the buzzing cafeteria, Amelia and Skyler turned to see what the noise was about. Skyler was so shocked that she dropped her chicken drumstick. "Elijah? My god. It''s him. He actually came." Skyler had always hoped to run into Elijah, but he was rarely seen around campus. She had no expectations today, yet here he was. But then she noticed Cameron walking beside him. Skyler scoffed, unimpressed. "Amy, look at Cameron acting all smug. You broke off the engagement, and he still has the nerve to show up here? Shameless." Amelia said nothing. Her gaze had alreadynded on Bradley. No matter who he was standing next to, she always spotted him first. Bradley was the one who always stood out. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Lunch Amelia''s eyes slowly settled on Cameron. Suddenly, it hit her. Aside from being a little shorter, Cameron really held his own standing next to Bradley and the others. In fact, there was something even more captivating about him. ''Had Cameron always been this good-looking, and I just never noticed? Or had he changed somehow?'' she wondered. "Amy, I''m talking to you. Or what? Want your dad to toss the school another donation so they''ll kick Cameron out?" Skyler muttered, her voice low and snide. Amelia frowned. "That''s enough." Amelia had only tried to get Cameron expelled so she could break off the engagement. That goal was already achieved. There was no reason to keep pushing him around. Whether Cameron stayed in this school or not meant nothing to Amelia anymore. She had no intention of targeting him again. Skyler sighed. "You''re way too soft." Amelia said nothing. The four of them didn''t linger at the entrance. They headed straight for a private room. Once the door was shut, the noise from the cafeteria outside faded into silence. Xander grabbed the menu, and, true to form, his old habit of extravagance kicked in again. ¡°One of everything," he dered. The server blinked. "Excuse me, is this meal just for the four of you?" Xander raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?" The server gave a polite but pointed smile. "Sir, we''d really appreciate it if you didn''t waste food. It''s not exactly something to be proud of." Before Xander could reply, Cameron snatched the menu right out of his hands. "Don''t mind him. Lunch is on me. I''ll order," she said. Xander blinked, caught off guard. Cameron asked the others about their preferences, then ced a sensible order, six dishes and one soup. The school cafeteria didn''t operate for profit, so the portions were more than generous. What Cameron ordered was more than enough for the four of them. Xander eyed the spread skeptically, "This is it? Cameron, you''re being stingy." Cameron shot back, "Sorry, I don''t like throwing food away like you do." Xander opened his mouth, then Sessfully unlocked! off guard by theeback. He pouted and quickly changed the subject. Anyway, how''d you talk Mr. Drake into going all out for you like this?" Cameron gave a brief shrug. "Secret." Chapter 114 Lunch She had tried telling the truth this morning, but Elijah didn''t believe her. At this point, she didn''t even feel like exining anymore. ''Let them guess, she thought. Xander grumbled, clearly annoyed. "Seriously? A secret?" Bradley adjusted his sses. "Why not go ask Mr. Drake yourself?" That shut Xander up. Bradley turned to Elijah, who had been quiet all this time. "By the way, Eli, did you ever find that math genius?" Elijah shook his head. "I gave up." That person clearly didn''t want to be found. No matter how hard he tried, it would not work. So he let it go. Then Elijah turned to Cameron. "Cameron, after lunch, are we heading back to ss, the dorm, or the library?" Cameron froze. ''He''s that eager to start tutoring me?'' she wondered. Xander leaned in, curious. "What are you two up to?" Elijah answered inly, "Mr. Grant asked me to help Cameron with her studies." Xander huffed. "What about me? My math sucks too. Why don''t you help me out while you''re at it?" Elijah didn''t even look at him. "You''re not in my ss. I''m not responsible for you." Xander frowned. "I''ll pay you, how about that?" Elijah replied coolly, "I''m not hurting for cash." Xander paused, speechless. ''Come to think of it, anyone studying at Langford Academy probably isn''t exactly strapped for cash, he thought to himself. While Xander and Elijah went back and forth, Cameron''s phone buzzed. She nced at the screen. It was a message on WhatsApp from Bradley. She looked up, confused. Bradley was sitting right next to her, on her right side. ''Why would he text her when he could just talk?'' she wondered. Bradley gave her a slight smile, his eyes signaling her to check the message. Subscribe 1 Likes 1 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Abandonment Cameron opened WhatsApp. Bradley: [We agreed yesterday to handle the paperwork today at lunch. Did you forget? They should have just enough time if they left right after eating. Bradley had already prepared all the necessary documents. Cameron blinked. She had actually forgotten. This was important. She had no time to worry about Elijah''s feelings now. She replied to Bradley with a simple OK emoji. Then she looked toward the two still bickering across the table and cut in, "Elijah, how about you help Xander with math today? I''ve got something to take care of." "What is it?" Elijah and Xander asked in unison. "It''s something important," Cameron answered. Both of them froze for a second. Xander leaned toward her, wiggling his eyebrows. "What kind of important thing? Come on, give me a hint." "Nope," Cameron said tly. She had no intention of sharing. The only reason Bradley knew about this was a fluke. If she had a choice, she would not have told anyone. Xander scowled at her, clearly annoyed. Cameron ignored him. Elijah was curious too, but when he saw she did not want to talk about it, he dropped it. Xander narrowed his eyes at Bradley. "What are you smirking about?" Bradley casually touched his chin, his smile fading just a bit. "Was I?" Xander nudged Elijah. ¡°You saw that, right?" Elijah said, "Brad always looks like he''s smiling." Xander groaned. "Talking to you is pointless. Your observation skills suck." Elijah paused, slightly stunned. Cameron and Bradley both chuckled at the exchange. ''Elijah''s always calm and distant, Xander''s loud and restless. Watching them interact is kind of entertaining, they both thought. Soon, their food arrived. One dish after another was ced on the table, and the four of them finished everyst bit of the six dishes and one soup. Xander set down his fork. "Cameron, told you it wasn''t enough." Sessfully unlocked! and order." Cameron simply replied, "If you want more, yo Elijah put down his fork. "I''m full." Bradley added, "Same here." Chapter 115 Abandonment Elijah and Bradley stood up, and Cameron got up with them to settle the bill. Xander froze for a second, then stood with a scowl. "Fine. Starting today, I''m learning how to be frugal from you." They stepped out of the private room. The dining hall had mostly cleared out by then. But two figures were standing by the entrance, clearly waiting for them. It was none other than Amelia and her close friend, Skyler. Xander nced at Cameron and said, "They''re probably here for you." Cameron''s expression didn''t change. ¡°I''ve got nothing to do with her anymore. What would they want with me?" Xander said, ¡°Oh, right. You guys called off the engagement. Poor thing, got dumped." Elijah asked, "How do you know Amelia dumped Cameron?" Xander rolled his eyes. "Isn''t it obvious?" Bradley said nothing. The four of them walked toward Amelia and Skyler. Cameron didn''t even nce in their direction and walked straight past them. Amelia''s eyes brieflynded on Bradley before quickly looking away. Skyler''s gaze locked on Elijah, her expression dreamy. ¡°Hi, Elijah.¡± "Do you need something?" Elijah replied coolly. Skyler froze. ''No, I''m just standing here so I can catch a glimpse of you,'' she thought. After a moment of thinking, Skyler said, "Yeah. Amy has something she wants to tell you." ''If Amelia talks to Elijah for a bit, I''ll get to stare at him a little longer,'' she thought. Amelia was momentarily caught off guard. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Missing Amelia lookedpletely confused. ''What would I even need to say to Elijah? Wasn''t it Skyler who said she wanted to talk to him again, so we''re just waiting here for that?'' she wondered. Bradley followed closely behind Cameron. Xander, seeing that Skyler was heading toward Elijah, quietly stepped aside and left the group. Elijah turned to Amelia with his usual cool expression. "What is it?" Everyone privately referred to Elijah as cold and distant. He kept people at arm''s length, no matter who they were. Amelia hesitated, clearly ufortable. After a moment, she said, "I just wanted to tell you the one who solved the math problem in the challenge room that day wasn''t me. Skyler was just joking." "That was me. I¡ªI''m Skyler." Skyler quickly raised her hand, afraid Elijah might miss her. But Elijah barely nced at her from the corner of his eye before turning and walking away. He had known from the start it was not Amelia. Otherwise, he would not have gone through all that trouble and expense trying to find''the real solver. As soon as Elijah left, Skyler deted like a balloon. "Why wouldn''t he even look at me?" Amelia said calmly, "Knowing your ce is a virtue." Skyler rolled her eyes. ''Knowing my ce? Is she saying I''m not good enough for Elijah? Rude,'' she wondered. But Skyler remembered how she had just thrown Amelia under the bus, so she only pouted and let it go. Bradley caught up with Cameron, and Xander trailed after them, too. Bradley gave Cameron a wink, and she got the message instantly. Suddenly, Cameron took off running. In just a few seconds, she waspletely out of sight. "Where''d she go?" Xander asked, puzzled. Even Xander, who had seen Cameron''s insane speed before, was surprised she could disappear in a matter of seconds. Bradley shrugged. "No idea." Xander stood there, stunned. Bradley made his way straight to the underground parking lot. Xander, unwilling to follow Bradley''s unpredictable habits, clicked his tongue and decided to take a break. He figured he might as well gather the team for some basketballter: Chapter 116 Missing The match against Horizon Academy was right around the corner, and Xander knew they had to step up their game. Those Horizon guys were no joke. Bradley drove off campus and pulled up to an intersection, where Cameron stood waiting with one hand tucked casually in her pocket. He tapped the horn lightly. Cameron turned around. A yful spring breeze messed up her short-cropped hair, and the obsidian stud in her right ear sparkled under the sunlight. Her striking features caught the attention of more than a few students passing by. She opened the passenger door and got in. Bradley grinned. "I''ve noticed Xander''s gotten kinda attached to you." Normally, Xander only showed up at the dorm to sleep. The rest of the time, he was practically gone. A group meal like today was rare. "Has he?" Cameron replied offhandedly. "Brad, is it far from here?" "Not really. You can close your eyes and rest if you want. I''ll wake you when we get there," said Bradley. "Alright." Cameron leaned back and shut her eyes. Bradley drove smoothly. The public office was nearly empty by midday, so they finished the paperwork quickly. Back in the car, Cameron nced down at the documents in her hands. When she saw the square footage listed, she blinked in surprise. "No way, it''s so huge." But Bradley had mentioned it was a small house. Bradley nodded. "Yeah. You should go check it out when you have time. The ce is decently furnished. For now, think of it as your temporary home." If they had more time today, Bradley would have taken her there right away. "Thank you, Brad," Cameron said quietly. She honestly had no idea what else to say. Bradley replied, "Take it easy. You still owe me money. Remember? You signed a debt note just yesterday." »Ø Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Austin Fraser "I''ll pay you back as soon as I can," Cameron said firmly. If she could win the fashionpetition, she would take home a prize of 300 thousand dors. That kind of startup money would finally let her do what she had always dreamed of. ''I should be able to pay Bradley back soon, she thought to herself. Bradley gave a slight nod. Then he added, "Let''s grab lunch tomorrow, and after that, we''ll get everything sorted with the Wace family. Then, that''ll be the end of it." Cameron nodded. "Alright." That afternoon, they returned to campus for ss. During the lecture, Cameron paid close attention and took detailed notes. By the time the ss ended, she was ready for a short break. Elijah tapped his long fingers on her desk. "Was there anything you didn''t understand from the lecture?" Cameron froze. Before she could answer, Elijah frowned slightly and reached for the science exam paper sitting on her desk. Her biology section was a disaster. Out of a hundred, she had scored just thirty. Elijah let out a quiet sigh. "I''ll walk you through the entire thing, from the top." Cameron looked like she was dying inside. She tried to protest. "Elijah, the SATs are right around the corner. Your time''s way too valuable. I really don''t think you should waste it on me." ¡°I''ll be fine,¡± Elijah replied tly. ¡°With my scores, I can get into any top-tier university in the country. You, on the other hand, might only make it into a junior college. Thesest three months are critical. You need to cram hard; otherwise, you''ll never catch up." "Thank you," Cameron murmured. "No big deal." With that, Elijah patiently began exining the questions she had missed. Cameron sighed to herself again and again. ''With a top student like him tutoring me, it'' Il sound totally legit if I get the highest SAT score in the country,'' she thought. "I''m so jealous of Cameron. Not only does she sit next to Elijah, he''s actually tutoring her," a girl whispered. "Right? She''s so lucky." Sessfully unlocked! "She''s about to have her glow-up moment." "Of course she is. With a genius helping her out, how could she not?" Chapter 117 Austin Fraser The other students stared at Cameron with envy. Cameron wanted nothing more than to give this golden opportunity away to someone else. After the evening study session, Elijah wanted to go over more problems, but Cameron shot out of her seat and darted away like lightning. Elijah stood there, stunned. ''What''s the rush? Bathroom emergency? Has to be, he guessed inwardly. ''No way she''d run off like that otherwise.'' Cameron sprinted straight back to the dorms. Once she got inside, she locked herself in the bathroom and spent a full hour scrubbing herself down in the shower. When Elijah got backter, Cameron just imed she was tired and needed to sleep. Crisis averted for today. Cameron arrived at the door to Room 316 and reached into her pocket for the key. Just as she was about to unlock it, a soft, graceful melody floated through the door. Cameron paused. ''Someone''s ying the violin? And he''s actually good? Who could that be? Definitely not Xander. And Elijah? No way,'' she wondered. ''Could it be Brad? He''s got that refined, polished vibe; maybe he ys violin. But he moves way too fast for someone with that much grace.'' She opened the door. "Br-" Cameron only got out one syble before freezing. A boy sat sideways in a chair, violin tucked under his chin. His hair was a natural shade of golden blonde, and his eyes gleamed like amber. His features were sharp and striking. He was so beautiful it was almost surreal, the kind of elegance that made it impossible to look away. His skin was pale, unnaturally so, with the delicate translucence of someone who had been sick for years. He yed withplete focus, the bow dancing across the strings. The rich, emotional notes filled the room and drifted out the open window, turning heads in the distance. Cameron stood there stunned. ''Not Brad? That must be my other roommate, Austin Fraser, she wondered. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 The Request Austin waspletely immersed in his violin ying. Cameron didn''t interrupt. He quietly took a seat and simply listened. The sound of Austin''s music filled the room. It was like a feast for the ears. When the piece finally ended, Austin set the violin down and only then noticed Cameron sitting there. "Hi, and you are?" he asked, his voice faint and unsteady. It was clear from the sound of it. He was not in the best shape. Cameron stood up politely. "Hi, Austin. I''m your new roommate, Cameron, from ss 15, Senior Year." Austin gave a soft smile and also rose to his feet out of courtesy. "Nice to meet you, Cameron. I''m Austin, ss 30, Senior Year. Wee to Room 316. d you''re here." It was obvious Austin''s health wasn''t great. He had barely spoken two lines before breaking into a fit of coughing. Cameron immediately asked, "Are you okay?" Austin waved him off. "I''m fine. Just an old condition, nothing new." "You should sit down," Cameron said quickly. Austin looked so fragile that Cameron almost reached out to support him, afraid he might copse at any moment. Once seated, Austin looked at Cameron quietly and said, "You''re really good- looking." Cameron replied, "Thanks. You are, too." Just as the words left his mouth, the door swung open, and Elijah walked in. "Cameron?" Without missing a beat, Cameron darted straight into the bathroom. Both Elijah and Austin stood there, stunned. Austin nced toward the bathroom with curiosity. "What''s up with her?" Noticing Austin for the first time, Elijah didn''t answer the question. Instead, he asked, Are you feeling any better?" Austin gave a small nod. "Yeah. Much better." Elijah wasn''t much of a talker, so he said nothing more. He simply ced a set of papers down on Cameron''s desk. He had rewritten all the problems Cameron had gotten wrong, along with the correct solutions. She would probably g sessfully unlocked over it. He then returned to his seat and quietly resumed reading. By the time Bradley came back, Cameron was still in the shower. And when Xander got back, sweaty and exhausted, Cameron was still showering. Chapter 118 The Request Xander knocked on the door. "Cameron, open up. I gotta pee." "Hold on," came her reply. She rinsed the soap off her body in a hurry, threw on her binder, then pulled on long-sleeved pajamas that covered her from head to toe. Meanwhile, Bradley was chatting with Austin, asking about his health with genuine concern. "Hey, Brad. You''re back," Cameron said, walking out while towel-drying her damp hair. As she sat down, her eyesnded on the papers on her desk. She froze. So, in the end, she hadn''t escaped after all. Bradley walked over and caught sight of the papers, too. "You''ve been this serioustely?" he teased. Cameron replied, "Yeah. The SATs are right around the corner." ''Let everyone see how hard I''ve been working,'' she thought. ''That way, when I finally pull off aeback, it''ll be more convincing'' Elijah spoke up. "If there''s anything you don''t get, just ask me." Cameron forced a smile. ¡°Thanks, Elijah. I will.¡± Austin looked slightly surprised. "Elijah, I thought you never tutored anyone?" Every time Austin said something, he had to cough again. He was in the prime of his youth, yet he looked as though a gust of wind could knock him over. Elijah replied tly, "The teacher asked me to." Cameron blinked. ''Was it really the teacher? That''s a lie,'' she wondered. Just then, Xander burst out of the bathroom. "Cameron, I''m asking one more time. Are you joining the school basketball team or not?" Cameron said firmly, "No." Suddenly, Xander dropped to the floor and grabbed onto her leg. "Cameron,e on. Just join the team, will you? I''m begging you, Please." Cameron couldn''t help but roll her eyes. »Ø Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 119 Chapter 119 The Rejection Suddenly, Xander wrapped his arms around Cameron''s leg. Startled, Cameron reacted on instinct. She kicked him hard and sprang up,nding straight on her bed in one fluid motion. "What do you think you''re doing?" she snapped, her expression icy cold. Everyone froze. Xander, now sprawled out on the floor, winced as pain shot through his shoulder. He looked up at her, still perched on her bunk bed. "Seriously, Cameron? I just asked you to join the basketball team. Did you have to kick me like you were trying to kill me? And it''s not even the first time," he said. Cameron replied tly, "I don''t like people touching me." Bradley''s fingers twitched at his sides. ''She doesn''t like people touching her?'' he thought. ''I pat her head all the time, and she''s never reacted like that. Must be she just doesn''t want Xander touching her.'' Xander scoffed. "You think I enjoy touching you?" "I''m not joining your damn basketball team," Cameron said, her tone razor-sharp. Xander shot up from the floor in one quick motion, furious. "As if I begged you for it." At practice that night, a few of the guys were clearly off their game. Xander had been worried, which was why he tried to bring Cameron on board, to keep things solid. He hadn''t expected her to shut him down so fast and so harshly. ''Fine. Whatever. We don''t need her. We''ll win without her anyway; he told himself bitterly as he wondered. He stormed out of the dorm room, mming the door so hard the walls rattled. Austin let out a helpless smile. "Still the same hothead." Austin was the youngest in their dorm. Bradley turned to Cameron, curious. "You don''t like basketball?" "It''s not that I like it or dislike it," Cameron said. "I''m just not intopetitions." Elijah added, "With the SATSing up, it''s pointless to waste time on things that don''t matter." Cameron went quiet. Then shey down, pulled the covers over herself, and said, "I''m tired. Goodnight, everyone." "Night," Bradley replied, heading to the bathroom for a shower. Sessfully unlocked! Elijah kept reading. Austin grabbed a pillbox from his desk. He had to take medicine before bed. The pills were bitter. He furrowed just thinking about it. Right before lights-out, Xander came back. He walked straight over to Austin''s bed and Chapter 119 The Rejection shook him awake. "Austin, how are you feeling now? Are you doing any better? I wouldn''t evene back here if I weren''t worried about you. That guy in this room just gets on my nerves." That person, meanwhile, was pretending to be asleep. Austin''s deep eyes were hazy with sleep. "I''m fine, Xander. It''ste. Go get some rest." "Alright." Xander raised an eyebrow, satisfied with the excuse, and headed off to shower. Bradley rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "You''re really something, finding the perfect excuse toe back." **** The next morning, Bradley went out for his usual six a.m. run. Cameron woke up naturally, no rm needed. Just as she got out of bed, Elijah did too. While brushing his teeth at the sink, Elijah nced at her. "Cameron, hurry up. Get to the ssroom early. If you''re quick enough, I''ll have time to walk you through two questions before the first ss." Cameron froze. ''Help. Someone save me, she thought in panic, deliberately slowing her pace. Xander climbed down from his bed, grumbling. "Elijah, if you''ve got all this energy, why don''t you help me study? I''m way smarter than Cameron." "I don''t have time," Elijah replied without looking up. Xander stiffened, ring at him. "So you''ve got time to tutor Cameron, but not me? What''s that supposed to mean?" Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Elijah''s Eager Help Elijah was always the quiet, aloof type. He acted like he had not heard a word Xander said, brushing his teeth in silence. Xander froze. It felt like throwing a punch and hitting nothing but air. Theck of response was unbearable. ''Cameron''s already turned against me. And now Elijah is acting like I don''t even exist? How am I supposed to survive in this dorm anymore?'' he thought bitterly. Cameron saw right through him. Xander was clearly trying to stir trouble in a roundabout way, but she couldn''t care less. She took her time washing up. Unfortunately for her, Elijah was waiting for her. Xander got even more annoyed. "You two seriously have to leave together every morning?" Elijah nced at him with that same icy stare, offering no reply. Xander pushed further. "What, Elijah, did you suddenly go mute?" Only then did Elijah furrow his brows and speak. "Stop looking for a fight, Xander. If you need extra help, just ask your aunt. She''s the academic director. She can assign the best teachers on campus to tutor you personally." That was a clear warning to back off. But Xander was not about to drop it. "Then why are you tutoring her?" He pointed straight at Cameron. Elijah replied calmly, "Because I want to." Xander was left speechless. Cameron, though slow and deliberate, had finished getting ready. She had changed into her uniform and now stood at the mirror fixing her short hair. She clipped on a pair of obsidian diamond studs. He looked sharp. Elijah frowned slightly. A man should not be so concerned about his looks. Outer appearance was nothing but a shell, not worth wasting time on. Without another word, Elijah left the dorm with Cameron. Xander clicked his tongue in frustration, then turned to Austin, who had been woken up by all the noise. "Come on. Let''s go together." But Austin said, "Xander, my health isn''t great. Mr. Graham gave me a pass to skip morning prep. You should get going or you''ll bete." Xander''s jaw tensed. Oh, right. He had almost forgotten. Austin was on the school''s special care list, fragile as ss. Sessfully unlocked! alone. ** Cameron and Elijah walked into ss together. As soon as they sat down, Elijah pulled Chapter 120 Elijah''s Eager Help out a stack of worksheets. "Did you go over the problems I marked for you yesterday?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I did." "Great. Let me see you work through them,¡± he said. Cameron immediately changed her answer. "Actually, no. I didn''t get any of them. Elijah, can you go over them with me again?" "Which one''s giving you trouble?¡± Elijah asked. Cameron pointed at a random multiple-choice question. ¡°This one." "This one?" Elijah said. "This one''s pretty basic. Look at the question stem-" He walked her through it patiently. But Cameron just stared nkly, her delicate and androgynous face full of confusion. She shook her head. "I still don''t get it." Elijah switched strategies and tried exining it in a different way. Cameron tilted her head again, clueless. "Nope. Still lost." He exined it a third time. She blinked at him innocently. "I''m not getting any of this." Elijah held his frustration back and walked her through it yet again. But Cameron shook her head. "I really don''t get it. Maybe it''s better if we don''t waste your time?" Elijah went quiet for a few seconds. "Try going over it on your own first," he finally said. Cameron smiled sweetly. "Got it." Elijah paused, slightly stunned. ''She looks so happy? I exined that question four times, and she still doesn''t understand. What''s she smiling about?'' he wondered. The second the early study session ended, Cameron left the ssroom. She headed to the cafeteria and grabbed some breakfast. As she ate, she pulled out her phone and started scrolling through Twitter. The official Noir ¨¦t ount had just posted that submissions for thepetition were now closed. The judging phase had officially begun. Cameron''s lips curled ever so slightly. "Hope Milena didn''t submit that masterpiece from Eric Fletcher, the founder of Noir ¨¦t. If she did, and it flops, that''s going to be a real embarrassment," she wondered. She was still engrossed in her screen when someone set a tray down on the table across from her. »Ø Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Vitamin Pills Chapter 121 Vitamin Pills Cameron looked up and met a pair of deep, amber eyes gleaming with a soft smile. It was her roommate, Austin, the one she had only just met the day before. there was His eyes were striking, deep, and soulful. Whenever he looked at someone, this strange illusion, like his gaze held admiration or affection. But in reality, that was just how he looked at people. It meant nothing. Cameron gave a small nod and put her phone away. Austin smiled. "Hey, Cameron. We didn''t really get to talk muchst night. I just wanted to say it''s great to meet you. I''m really looking forward to being friends." Cameron thought to herself, ''Austin''s so fragile. I guess I really should keep an eye on him.'' She nodded again. "If there''s ever anything you need, feel free to ask me." "You''re really kind," Austin said with a warm smile. After a short pause, he added, "But you were kinda rough on Xander." Cameron blinked. Austin continued, "Then again, Xander has a temper. I get it." Cameron finished her breakfast in a few quick bites and stood up. "I''m done eating. Take your time, Austin." After she left, Austin watched her thin figure walk away and murmured under his breath, "Did I say something wrong?" Elijah took every chance he could get to tutor Cameron like he was determined to turn her into a model student in just three months. Cameron knew he meant well, but it was honestly a bit too much. So the moment ss ended, she bolted, without even giving Elijah a chance to say a word. By the time the ten o''clock ss rolled around, there was a twenty-minute break. Students in grades ten and eleven had assigned duties during the break, but the seniors were free. Cameron hid out in a bathroom stall, trying to catch a breather. Suddenly, thud! A heavy noise echoed just outside. She jumped. ''Someone fell?'' she wondered. On instinct, she pushed open the door. mad Right in front of her, Austin was sessfully unlocked! His already pale, handsome face was drained of color from the pain. "Austin?" Cameron crouched down immediately. Instead of rushing to lift him, she calmly asked, "Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Did you hit anything?" Chapter 121 Vitamin Pills "M-my meds," Austin whispered, pointing weakly at a scattering of pills on the floor. "Okay," Cameron said quickly, and started picking them up. She paused as soon as she touched them. Those white pills were not actual medication. They were vitamin tablets. Oddly, the imprints on them had been deliberately scratched off. Cameron had once time-traveled to a prominent medical family and had devoted her entire life in that world to practicing medicine. Just by the smell of the pills in her hand, she knew exactly what they were. Without letting her expression change, she swept the pills into the white stic bottle they hade from. She nced at thebel. It imed to be for relieving cough symptoms. As she handed the bottle back to Austin, she said casually, "They hit the ground. Can you still take them?" Austin shook his head. "I have to. If I don''t, the coughing won''t stop." Cameron was stunned for a second. ''Vitamins for a cough? Sure. Okay.'' She pretended not to notice anything unusual. She asked, "Austin, if you are okay, should I help you up?" "Yes, please. Thank you, Cameron. Honestly, if it weren''t for you, I don''t know what I would''ve done," Austin said sincerely. As she helped him up, Cameron discreetly checked his pulse. His body really was weak. But what she could not understand was-why vitamin tablets? Not that it mattered. It was not her business. Once Austin was steady on his feet, Cameron let go of his arm. "Can you manage on your own? Or should I go get someone to help you?" Chapter 122 1 Likes Chapter 122 Thank You Chapter 122 Thank You "I-It''s fine. I got it," Austin said, his face pale. ''Damn, I went overboard with the dose this time. If I''m not careful, I might end up killing myself,'' he wondered. He shed a weak smile at Cameron, then turned around. The moment his back was to her, that smile disappearedpletely. He walked off alone. Cameron didn''t try to stop him. She stayed at the sink, meticulously washing her hands. People with OCD either drove themselves crazy or everyone else. Fortunately, hers wasn''t that extreme. ***** Thest ss of the morning was Spanish. The teacher was handing back their mock test papers. "Cameron got a 78?" Lacey frowned slightly. ''She didn''t pass? With how fluent her Spanish is, how could she fail? She must''ve done it on purpose,'' Lacey wondered. But all she did was nce in Cameron''s direction. Later, during a break, Lacey called her out into the hallway. "Cameron, can I have word?" "Sure, Ms. Morgan, what''s the matter?" Cameron replied. Lacey lowered her voice. "Why did you fail the mock test? Didn''t you score a perfect hundred during the oral exam in Mr. Drake''s office the other day?" Cameron looked helpless. "Ms. Morgan, I had my reasons." Lacey recalled something she''d overheard from a group of students in another ss. Cameron had been dumped by the Chapman family. ''So, she''s been hiding her true abilities this whole time? Could it be she''s afraid of retaliation from the Chapman family?'' Lacey wondered. She felt she had figured it out. Lacey gave her a knowing nod. "Alright, Cameron. I trust what you''re capable of. It doesn''t matter if you failed this test. As long as you ace the SATs, you''ll be fine." Cameron smiled. "Thank you." When Cameron was back in the ssroom, Elijah nced at her. "Looks like I''ll have to tutor you in Spanish, too."/ "Thanks," Cameron said, "But Elijah, are you sure that won''t interfere with your own studies?" "It won''t," Elijah replied. Cameron paused. Chapter 122 Thank You When the final bell rang for lunch break, Cameron went straight to the underground parking lot. Bradley was already waiting for her. They were dealing with the mess today. Finally, she would bepletely free of the Wace family. "What do you want for lunch?" Bradley asked gently. He wore gold-rimmed sses, always giving off a refined vibe even in the standard school uniform. "I''m good with anything," Cameron replied. Bradley nodded. "I''ll take care of it." Still curious about Austin, Cameron asked, "Brad, what''s wrong with him exactly? What illness does he have?" Bradley shook his head. "I''m not really sure. He''s had a chronic cough for years and is absent a lot. I heard a doctor once said he wouldn''t live more than a year, but that''s about all I know." It was a vague answer, deliberately so. ''So Bradley doesn''t know either. Looks like Austin''s a lot moreplicated than he lets on,'' she thought. But she didn''t press further. The paperwork went smoothly. Cameron was officially free of any legal ties to the Wace family, and she was genuinely happy about it. "I don''t even know how to thank you, Brad," she said sincerely. A yful glint shed in Bradley''s eyes behind his sses. "Then wait until you figure it out." Cameron smiled and gave her chest a confident pat. "If you ever need something, just say the word." Bradley''s eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion. "I won''t hold back." They went back to school, and a crowd had gathered around the sports field. The strumming of an acoustic guitar floated through the air, paired with a warm, maic voice that wrapped around everyone like aforting breeze. The students erupted in cheers. "That voice, oh my god, is incredible." "Mr. Fraser''s finally back on campus. I''m freaking out." "Life is so unfair. How can someone as perfect as Mr. Fraser have some weird disease? They even say he might not make it past the year." "You better shut your mouth." Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Dreams As Cameron and Bradley passed by the sports field, they could not help but notice the There, seated on the stone steps with a guitar in his arms, was the sickly beautiful boy whose voice hadpletely captivated the crowd of students. Boys and girls alike were utterly entranced by his performance. Seeing Cameron nce at Austin, Bradley offered, "Austin''s really talented. He''s great with instruments, and his singing is incredible. He''s got a natural gift for music." Cameron nodded slightly. She was not particrly curious about Austin. Even though she had picked up on the fact that he was hiding a lot, those were his secrets, and they had nothing to do with her. "I''m heading to the library," she said. "Do you want toe?" Bradley shook his head. "I''ll pass. I missed an English Literature test the day before yesterday. Gotta go make that up." Cameron paused. ''The day before yesterday? That was the day I went back to the Wace house to cut ties. He skipped ss because of me? He missed a test because of me?'' she wondered. Feeling a little guilty, she began, "Brad, was it because-" "It wasn''t," Bradley cut her off before she could finish. "Don''t overthink it." He waved his hand casually and walked off without giving her a chance to say another word. Cameron stood frozen for a moment, staring after him. Just then, Amelia suddenly appeared, heading straight toward Bradley. Seeing this, Cameron turned away and headed toward the library. Austin, still singing, caught a glimpse of the interaction out of the corner of his eye. Only when he saw the two part ways did he finally look away. He continued his song, his voice drawing the crowd in like a siren''s call. His frail, strikingly beautiful appearance only made him seem more tragic, more endearing. Bradley had barely taken a few steps when he ran into a ssmate, Amelia. He gave a polite nod and tried to step aside. "Hi, Bradley," she greeted, stopping him. Bradley paused. "Amelia, do you need something Sessfully unlocked! Amelia, usually so poised and untouchable, looked a little shy today. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she looked up at him. "Bradley, oh well, have you thought about which college you''re applying to?" Chapter 123 Dreams Bradley raised a brow in confusion. ''Why is she suddenly asking about that? College preferences are kind of personal, aren''t they? We''re not even that close. Besides, there are still three months until the SATS, Isn''t it a bit early for this conversation? he wondered. He saw no reason to share anything with her. But Amelia was staring at him, waiting. So Bradley simply replied, "Regalburg University of Political Science and Law," Amelia smiled. ¡°I figured. You''ve always wanted to be awyer, so applying to it makes perfect sense." Bradley gave a small nod and moved to leave. But Amelia stopped him again. "Bradley, actually, I''ve always been interested inw and criminology, too." That surprised him. "You likew and criminology?" Seeing that she had caught his attention, Amelia quickly said, "Yeah. I''ve already started reading some materials, but there are parts I don''t really understand. Could I ask you a few questions sometime?" Bradley was far from clueless. A girl who repeatedly struck up conversations with him, always initiating, even tailoring her interests to match his-he could easily guess her intentions. "If you''re truly interested," Bradley said calmly, "I''d rmend finding a professional tutor." With that, he turned and walked away. Amelia bit her lip, her face burning with embarrassment. He seemed so warm, so gentlemanly, and yet all she felt from him was the cold sting of rejection. But the way he hadughed and joked with Cameron, both that day and today, was so different. He had seemed approachable. ''Cameron and Bradley must be pretty close, Amelia thought to herself. Subscribe 1 Likes 20 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Her True Strength Cameron had just reached the library entrance when a girl with a high ponytail suddenly jumped out and blocked her path. It was her younger sister, Milena. "Cameron. Finally caught you," Milena said, her face tight with anger. Cameron frowned. ''Even after theypletely cut ties with me, she still won''t let it go?'' she wondered. "Move," Cameron snapped, showing no intention of being polite. Milena shot right back with an icy tone. "What the hell is your problem, Cameron?" Cameron''s face remained expressionless. "Get away." Milena''s voice dropped low, seething with rage. "You''ve got some nerve. You and Bradley pulled that ridiculous stunt with that so-called agreement? You think that paper actually means something? ''Newssh! Biological ties don''t just vanish. And Bradley? He''s still in high school. Where does he get the authority to act like yourwyer?" She added, "Oh, you two make such a cute little team. What is this, some kind of make-believe courtroom? Because of your little drama, the Chapman family has broken off the engagement with the Wace family. "That damage is on you, and you''re the one who''s gonna fix it. You better get your act together and call Mom and Dad." "I''m sorry, but I don''t have anything to do with your family anymore," Cameron replied coolly. "All the paperwork''s been handled. Whatever mess you all have going on, don''t bring it to me." "What?" Milena shook her head instinctively. "That''s impossible. There''s no way. You couldn''t have done it." ''You need proof of residence to process something like that, Milena thought bitterly.'' Cameron doesn''t even have a ce of her own. She''s probably struggling to buy food. There''s no way she managed to transfer her household registration.'' "If you don''t believe me, go home and ask your dad to check for himself," Cameron said coldly. "Milena, stop bothering me. If you show up again, don''t me me for what happens next." Milena''s neck stiffened. "Oh yeah? And what exactly are you gonna do?" "I''ll go straight to Amelia and tell her the truth that I''m a girl," Cameron said. "Now tell me, what do you think will happe sessfully unlocked family finds out they''ve been lied to for eighteen years?" Milena froze in ce. Before she could react, Cameron gave her a hard shove and stepped into the library. Chapter 128 Her True Strength "Cameron, you heartless brat," Milena screamed after her. That''s eighteen years. Even a dog would know to wag its tail for the person who raised it. But Cameron? The Wace family raised her for eighteen years, and now she turns on us like it meant nothing. She''s nothing but a thankless little traitor, Milena fumed silently. By now, Cameron had already walked inside. The custom-made ss doors blocked out the noise from outside. The library was calm, the kind of calm where you could hear every turn of a page and the scratch of a pen on paper. Even the students working together kept their voices low. Stepping inside, Cameron felt as if the air itself had cleared. Anywhere the Wace family was involved always felt suffocating and toxic. She wasn''t here to read, though. The real reason she came was to hide from Elijah. Elijah was terrifying. He kept exining problems to her, nonstop. And exining was not enough. He would make her redo the entire problem right in front of him. The rest of their ssmates thought she was crazy lucky. But to Cameron, Elijah was just annoying beyond words. And she was so poor. "Cameron?" a voice sounded. She was just about to grab a random book off the shelf when she heard someone call her name. Cameron froze. The voice was all too familiar. Her whole body stiffened up, and she wanted to disappear immediately. ''You''ve got to be kidding me. Elijah? Could I be any more unlucky?'' she groaned internally. Completely exasperated, Cameron made up her mind. It was time Elijah saw what she was really made of. She didn''t want to endure his torture any longer. She walked straight toward him. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 The Exination Elijah was dressed in the school uniform. Since the temperature inside the library was just right, he had taken off his jacket and was only wearing the white short- sleeved shirt underneath. He sat by the window, his face calm and unreadable, watching as Cameron approached. She sat down across from him. Elijah said, "Perfect timing. The library''s a great ce for tutoring." "I don''t need tutoring. I already know everything," Cameron cut him off tly. Elijah blinked. "What are you talking about?" He frowned. Cameron replied, "I''m saying I''m actually a top student too. Maybe I''m even a tiny bit better than you." Elijah stared at her. "Is that supposed to be funny?" "I''m not joking," Cameron said. Without another word, Elijah slid his math workbook across the table and pushed it toward her. "Fine. Try this one. Solve it." He handed her his pen. Cameron took it with ease. "It''s easy." Elijah kept his eyes locked on her, watching closely. Cameron scanned the question, then immediately began to solve it. Her hand moved confidently across the page. Elijah was visibly surprised. "Have you seen this problem before?" "Nope," Cameron replied. "Can you give me something harder? Like the ones you put up on the math challenge room board?" "You sure you''re that confident in yourself?" Elijah asked. "Absolutely," Cameron said without hesitation. Elijah flipped to the second-tost page of the workbook. His long, slender fingers tapped on one of the questions. "Alright then. Solve this." He had been stuck on this one for days. It was the same problem he had posted on the challenge board. The mysterious person who used to solve those had disappeared without a trace. No one had managed to crack this one. And he definitely did not expect Cameron to figure it out. But she was acting a little too full of herself, and he was go Sessfully unlocked!ce. "This one?" Cameron pointed to confirm. "Yes." Elijah nodded. Chapter 125 The Exination Just a few secondster, Cameron grabbed a piece of scratch paper nearby. In just a few quick strokes, she had solved the entire problem. Elijah paused, caught off guard. Then he immediately picked up her scratch paper. His eyes scanned the solution, and suddenly, it all clicked. "So that''s it. This step needs that form," he murmured. Cameron raised her eyebrows slightly. "Need me to prove anything else?" Elijah lowered his voice. "Cameron, how are you able to solve problems this hard?" Cameron replied, "Not just this one. All those math problems you put up before? I was the one who solved them." Elijah froze. The look on his face told Cameron he still did not believe her. ''Well, I''m not letting him walk away without the truth today, she thought. Then she opened her mouth and spoke a string of fluent Spanish. "Elijah, Mr. Drake had already promised the Chapman family he would expel me, but then turned around and made a huge deal out of inviting me back to school. Do you know why?" Elijah blinked in surprise. ''When did her Spanish get this good?'' he wondered. With speaking skills like that, there was no way she would score low on a Spanish test. But Cameron had never even passed before. She continued, "I solved what they all believed was the hardest SAT paper they''d ever seen right in front of Mr. Drake and every single teacher. "My score left them speechless. I proved I had what it takes to top the SATS in the entire state this year. That''s why Mr. Drake chose me. ¡°And that''s why Mr. Grant asked me to tutor you. You heard me right. To tutor you, and not the other way around. As for Ms. Morgan? "She wants us to practice speaking together. And all the other teachers? Their attitude toward me has done a full 180." Cameronid everything on the table. She had told Elijah all this because she really, really wanted him to stop forcing her into those painful tutoring sessions. "So," she asked calmly, "do you believe me now?" Chapter 126 ? 1 Likes Chapter 126 Embarrassment Chapter 126 Embarrassment Elijah was extremely shocked, and his facial expressionpletely froze at that moment. Cameron had revealed too much information to him all at once. He was slowly digesting it and just stared straight at Cameron. After Cameron finished speaking, she didn''t urge him to answer. Instead, she just calmly let Elijah look at her. After a long while, Elijah finally spoke up and said, "So, Cameron, you deliberately pretended to be a bad student. You had no choice but to reveal you''re a top student to avoid being expelled this time?" Cameron nodded and said, "Yeah. It''s like that sort of thing." , Elijah asked, ¡°Then why did you pretend to be a bad student?" In the silence, Cameron found this question somewhat difficult to answer. She indeed used to be a bad student. However, after world-hopping, she had done the exercises of these subjects tens of thousands of times over and over again and naturally became proficient, which she couldn''t reveal. Cameron thought for a while and sighed before replying, "You know I had an engagement with Amelia before, right?" Elijah said, "What does that have to do with it?" Cameron said, "Actually, I hated arranged marriages so much and didn''t like Amelia either, but the Wace family wanted me to maintain this marriage, so..." "So, you deliberately made yourself look bad, and when Amelia couldn''t stand it, she would take the initiative to break off the engagement?" Elijah said his spection. Cameron said, "What? Oh, yeah, that''s it." What Elijah said made her seem a bit like a jerk who wanted to break up but didn''t initiate it, so he resorted to all kinds of cold violence to force the girl to break up first. Elijah then said, "Since you''ve already broken off the engagement with Amelia, you can finally tell me about all of this, right?" Cameron nodded and said, "Yeah." Elijah was surely a top student. Once his logic cohered, he subconsciously helped make Cameron''s lies up. Elijah stared at Cameron and said sessfully Sessfully unlocked! ully unlocked ally have gotten me, and you even earned my 100 thousand dorstoo After a moment of guilty silence, Cameron put her hand on her forehead and said, Well, you gave it to me. When I was earning thatst 30 thousand dors, I even told Chapter 126 Embarrassment you that I solved those math problems you set, but you didn''t listen." "You insisted on rewarding me with this money. I had no choice," she added. Elijah fell silent because he really didn''t listen to Cameron, no matter how many times she exined to him. Every time Cameron told him the truth, he thought she was lying. Then, he awkwardly scratched his nose. Cameron asked again, "Now, you should believe what I have said, right?" Elijah nodded. Cameron let out a sigh of relief and said, "You won''t give me tutoring anymore, right?" Elijah coughed softly in embarrassment and said, "Sorry." Cameron could do everything, but he had been tutoring her. It was both embarrassing and funny. Cameron said, "It''s okay. You''re nice, actually." Not every top student was willing to tutor a bad student. Most top students thought it was a waste of time. Elijah seemed aloof, but he was actually warmhearted, which was very good of him. Elijah pressed the exercise book in front of him and said, "Since you''re so good at math, try to solve this problem." Elijah pushed the exercise book in front of Cameron. "All right." Cameron had to help Elijah solve the problem he pointed at. As Elijah watched her solving process, his usually cold eyes instantly lit up a bit. "Cameron, you''re really amazing!" Elijah said sincerely. Elijah had been quite proud since childhood, and it was very difficult for him to praise someone. This made his praise of Cameron with admiration at the moment even more precious. Cameron smiled and said, "Thank you. You''re excellent, too." Cameron acquired proficiency through hard work, while Elijah relied on his talent. "Well, solve this one." Elijah pointed out another problem at Cameron. Before Cameron could speak, a cold female voice called her name behind her. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Go Fuck Yourself Chapter 127 Go Fuck Yourself Upon hearing the sound, Elijah looked up and saw the personing. He frowned slightly and said, ¡°She''sing for you." When Elijah first learned that Cameron was also a top student like him, his heart was full of glee. He''d always been the first in exams, looking down on everyone, so it was hard for him to have friends. In fact, except for Bradley, he had no friends because the others were too stupid to be his friends. Now, Cameron became the first peer that Elijah admired. Just when he still had many questions to discuss with Cameron, Amelia showed up, ruining his good mood. Cameron turned her head and saw the aloof campus belle, Amelia. When Amelia saw Cameron turn around, she said indifferently, "Come out with me." After that, she turned around and walked out of the library. Cameron thought, ''Why is she so sure that I''ll follow her out?'' Meanwhile, Cameron turned back and saw Elijah. After a two-second silence, she stood up and said, "I have to go." Cameron chose to deal with Amelia rather than Elijah mainly because Amelia was easy to drive away, but Elijah had countless questions waiting for her to solve, so Cameron slipped away from Elijah right away. Elijah watched Cameron leave and slowly smiled. With the foxtail in her mouth, looking a bit ruffian, Cameron nced at her casually and said, "I don''t think we have anything to do with each other." The obsidian earring in her ear sparkled in the spring sunlight. Amelia stared at her overly handsome face and said, "You are right." She stared at Cameron. The more she looked, the stranger she felt. Cameron''s skin was very delicate. Amelia was so close to Cameron that she couldn''t even see the pores on his face. Besides, Cameron''s lips were also incredibly beautiful, with a natural pink color, as if he had put on lipstick. Also, he had longer eyshes than Amelia, a girl. Amelia didn''t bother wasting her time looking at Cameron. Today, she just realized that although Cameron''s appearance was rather feminine, she was handsome and beautiful. As a man, Cameron was very handsome, and if he dressed as a woman, he would surely be a stunner. All in all, his outstanding appearance was beyond gender. Cameron said, "In that case, what''s the point of having this conversation?" Chapter 127 Go Fuck Yourself Amelia came to her senses and then said, "You and Bradley live in the same dormitory?" Cameron said, "Yep." Amelia said, "Are you two friends?" Cameron said, "What does it matter to you?" Amelia was stunned, and then she was very angry at Cameron''s lukewarm attitude. After all, Cameron had been Amelia''s simp for more than a decade. Now that he suddenly treated Amelia so coldly, Amelia definitely couldn''t ept it. But Amelia managed to suppress her anger and continued, "Cameron, I don''t need to remind you that the Wace family has profited a lot because of the Chapman family''s aids, right?" "Are you out of your mind?" Cameron lost her patience. She had thought she could drive Amelia away with a few words, but she hadn''t expected that bullshit. Cameron said, "Didn''t you see that Bradley and I went to the Wace family to sign the severance of the parent-child rtionship? What''s wrong with your eyes?" Hearing such insulting words, Amelia couldn''t bear it anymore and said, "Cameron, what''s your problem? What I said is truth." Cameron stood up and said, "Oh, yeah, you''re always right, so can you please stay away from me?" "Cameron!" Seeing that Cameron was about to leave, Amelia didn''t care about maintaining elegance anymore. She ran after Cameron and said, "I''m here to ask for your help." Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Don''t Like Girls Upon hearing the sound, Cameron stopped walking, turned around, and dug in her ear. She said, "Amelia, you just bribed the school to expel me, and now you want my help. What, you think I''m a dumbass?" After a moment of silence, Amelia pursed her lips and said, "It was my fault you were expelled from school. I''m sorry. I resorted to such an awful trick just to break off the engagement." "But your family has reaped a lot of benefits over the years because of our engagement. So it''s not too much for me to ask you for a favor, right?" she added. Cameron was silent. As for her, the matters between the Wace family and the Chapman family had nothing to do with her at all. But if Amelia and the others hadn''t been there that day, Martin and Heidi wouldn''t have signed the agreement so quickly. So Amelia and Cameron were even now. So Cameron asked, "Tell me what you want." Amelia''s cheeks turned slightly red when she heard Cameron''spromise. "What''s the blush on your face all about?" Cameron asked. Amelia immediately touched her face and said, "I''m not blushing." Cameron said, "Whatever. Just go ahead." Amelia said, "Well... When you hang out with Bradley or have a meal or something, could you take me with you?" Cameron was at a loss for words for a while and said bluntly, "You want me to matchmake you and Bradley." Amelia''s cheeks became even redder, but she didn''t deny it. Cameron refused and said, "I''m not into matchmaking people. Think about the consequences if the Student Affairs Director finds out about this." Amelia didn''t expect Cameron to refuse so straightforwardly and quickly said, "I don''t want to date him. I just want to be ordinary friends with him." "Oh," Cameron said expressionlessly, "my answer is still no." After saying that, she walked away. Amelia bit her lip slightly and thought, ''Anyway, the SAT ising soon. It doesn''t matter if she doesn''t help me.'' She had also applied to Regalburg University of Political Science and Law. Once she got into university, she would hav Sessfully unlocked!nities. Cameron returned to the ssroom. After thinking for a while, she still sent a message Chapter 128 Don''t Like Girls to Bradley. Cameron: [Brad, we''re friends now. Can I ask you a private question?] At that time, Bradley had just finished making up the literature exam. Bradley: [Sure.] Cameron: [Well, do you have a girlfriend?] Bradley: [? Although I''m already an adult, I''m still a high school student. Isn''t it a bit inappropriate for you to ask this question?] Cameron: [So you don''t have a girlfriend. Do you n to start a date?] Bradley: [No, I don''t.] Cameron: [What kind of girl do you like?] Bradley: [I don''t know.] Cameron: [...] Bradley: [What kind of girl do you like?] Cameron: [I don''t like girls.] After sending this, Cameron immediately felt that what she sent seemed weird. She was disguising herself as a boy now, and this was equivalent toing out of the closet. So, Cameron quickly tried to recall that message, but Bradley had already seen it. Bradley was stunned for a moment. His fingers froze above the screen, not knowing what to say. Since Cameron recalled the message quickly, Bradley decided to act as if he hadn''t seen it. Cameron: [ss begins. Gotta go. Bye.] Bradley: [Bye.] Then, Cameron put away her phone. After a while, Elijah also came back. The way he looked at Cameron was no longer as cold as when they first met, but rather with a faint smile. Seeing his gaze, Cameron felt a shiver down her spine and thought, ''Oh no, he''s not going to use me as a problem-solving robot, is he?'' Just as Cameron was thinking this, Elijah put an exercise book on her desk and said, "Here, solve the math problems on it." Cameron waspletely speechless. Chapter 129 2 Likes Chapter 129 Attitude Changes Chapter 129 Attitude Changes Cameron was speechless. She had exined a great deal to Elijah just so she didn''t have to keep doing math exercises. But now, the result hadn''t changed, which meant that their long conversation in the library was meaningless. Cameron pushed the exercise book aside and said, "Elijah, I''m kind of tired now. Give me a break." Elijah was stunned for a moment, then immediately said, "Okay, then." After that, he got up and went out. Cameron let out a sigh of relief and suddenly found that Elijah had be much more friendly. Then, Cameron napped at her desk. The noise in the ssroom grew louder, indicating that the ssmates had all arrived and the ss was about to start. Cameron raised her head and stretched out her hand. Her wrist identally knocked something onto the floor. The girl in the front row picked it up and said, "Cameron, here''s your water." "Thank you, but this isn''t mine" Cameron shook her head. It was indeed the kind of soda she liked, but she didn''t buy it. "It is yours." Elijah handed that soda to Cameron. "I bought it for you." Cameron was stunned. If Elijah was willing to buy water for her, then pigs could fly. The ssmates around them widened their eyes in shock when they heard Elijah''s words. "Elijah bought water for Cameron. You''re so nice." "Cameron, you''re so lucky. Elijah not only gives you tutoring but also buys you soda." "Aww, I also want Elijah to buy me soda." Cameron, holding the soda, didn''t say a word. Seeing that Cameron seemed a bit unhappy, Elijah frowned and said, "The ss is about to start. Can you all calm down?" When the ssmates heard him say that, they quickly shut up and turned their heads away. Elijah lowered his eyes, picked up a pen, and started doing his homework. Cameron nced at him sideways Sessfully unlocked! Elijah was very good-looking, especially his profile. His three-dimensional features looked like those of an angel from the side, and one would be amazed for a long time just by taking a look at him. Chapter 129 Attitude Changes Cameron looked at the soda in her hand again, raised her eyebrows, and said, "Thanks." Then, she unscrewed the soda and took a sip. Elijah said in a low voice, "Solve this math problem for me." The water that Cameron had just taken a sip of almost spurted out. Then she said helplessly, "All right." After all, she had epted Elijah''s gift. While helping Elijah solve that problem, Cameron felt extremely regretful. She used to get a reward of 30 grand for helping him with one question, but now the reward had been reduced to just a bottle of soda. It was a big loss. After the evening self-study, Elijah followed behind Cameron. Cameron turned around and said, "Elijah, what on earth do you want?" Elijah was taken aback. There was a hint of innocence in his usually cold eyes as he said, "I haven''t done anything. Why so asking?" Cameron said, "Why are you following me?" Elijah said, "We live in the same dorm, remember?" After a few seconds of silence, Cameron said, "I''m not going back to the dormitory." Elijah said, "Oh, okay." After saying that, Cameron turned and walked in the direction of the yground. However, Elijah followed her again. Cameron said, "Aren''t you going back to the dormitory?" Elijah said, ¡°I suddenly don''t want to go back to the dormitory now." Cameron was speechless. The yground was especially crowded tonight because Xander was leading the school basketball team in a game. His fans'' screams were getting louder and louder, but Cameron wasn''t interested in it. The yground was especially lively tonight. Over there on the yground, Austin was sitting on the steps ying the guitar, and his fans were watching him with a look of intoxication. Cameron walked towards Austin, and Elijah also quickened his pace to keep up with Cameron. "Austin really sings so beautifully. He should debut as a singer. He''ll definitely get viral immediately if he does." "Austin already has hundreds of thousands of fans on TikTok. Haven''t you followed him? You''re such a fake fan." "Really? Austin is so excellent. I haven''t followed him. With such a heavy academic workload, I don''t have time for TikTok." Chapter 130 Chapter 130 May Guitar Chapter 130 y Guitar Cameron folded her arms and leaned against the streetmp, gazing at Austin from a distance. She thought, ''He really sings quite well. No wonder he has so many fans even though he rarelyes to school.'' Elijah stood beside her. Seeing Cameron''s intrigued look, he asked, "You like music?" Cameron said, "Yeah," Elijah said, ¡°I have two tickets for a concert this weekend. How about we go and enjoy the music?" Cameron said, "Whose concert is it?" Elijah said, "I don''t know." Cameron showed a puzzled expression. Elijah asked again, "You wanna go or not?" Elijah really didn''t know whose concert it was. As a first-tier city, Viremont had a concert almost every weekend. It was quite easy for him to get two tickets, no matter whose concert it was. Cameron said, "I need to study. I probably don''t have the time." Elijah said, "You still need to study? Really?" Cameron didn''t answer him. Cameron''s silence led Elijah to exin, "I mean, with your current grades, you actually don''t have to work that hard, so why not rx a bit?" Elijah was usually taciturn, but today he just couldn''t stop talking to Cameron. Cameron said, "But I don''t want to." Elijah didn''t know how to reply this time. He wasn''t good at chatting, but it seemed that Cameron was even worse at it than he was. Cameron folded her arms and continued listening to Austin sing. Austin looked very frail as if a gust of wind could blow him away. But his extremely mixed-race face was very handsome, andbined with his alluring singing voice, it was indeed easy to make people obsessed with him. Elijah said again, "Actually, I can y the guitar, too.¡± "Pfft, you can''t y better than Austin... Elijah? Sorry!" As soon as Elijah finished that, the girl standing in front turned around, rolled her eyes, and belittled Elijah. However, when she turned around and saw that the person standing behind her was actually Elijah, she quickly apologized and then scurried away. Elijah, on the other hand, looked a bit annoyed. Chapter 130 y Guitar "Oh my God, it''s actually Elijah. He''s so gorgeous." Another girl next to him heard themotion, turned around, and was pleasantly surprised. Elijah directly frowned and took two steps back, standing behind Cameron''s side. Cameron turned around and said to him, "I know. You y quite well." Wealthy families cultivated their children in all aspects. Even if they were not all- rounders, they had a lot of basic knowledge in many fields. Elijah looked at her and said, "Do you want to hear me y the guitar?" Instead of answering him, Cameron straightened up and said, "I wanna sleep. I''m going back to the dormitory to sleep." After saying that, she left first. Elijah silently followed behind her. Cameron took two steps and then turned around to look at Elijah. Elijah touched his face and said, "What''s wrong?" Cameron said, "Elijah, you''re so weird today." Just as the two of them had walked a few steps, Austin caught up with his guitar in his arms. The weak boy was almost out of breath after running while carrying his guitar. ¡°Elijah, Cameron, wait." Cameron and Elijah stopped at the same time. Austin caught up with the two of them, and a beautiful smile appeared on his extremely mixed-race handsome face. He said, "Elijah, Cameron, were you listening to me sing just now? I''m really honored." Elijah nodded. Cameron was suddenly stopped by Austin, but she didn''t mind. Instead, she praised Austin. "Austin, you''re a good singer." The smile on Austin''s face grew wider as he said, "Thank you, Cameron. It''s that you like it..." Before he could finish his sentence, he coughed violently. my honor Cameron said, "Are you okay?" However, she thought, ''He didn''t cough when he sang for so long just now, but he coughed after saying a single sentence? Good singer, bad actor.'' Subscribe 2 L Chapter 131 Chapter 131 y For Me "I''m fine." As he spoke, apanied by violent coughing, Austin looked even paler. Cameron said, ¡°You must be tired. Go back to the dormitory and have a rest.¡± Austin took out the pills from his pocket and threw them into his mouth. "I''m okay. I''ll be fine after taking a pill." Cameron was silent. In the end, she didn''t expose that the pill Austin took was just an ordinary vitamin lozenge. Then, she didn''t say anything more and walked toward the dormitory building. Elijah was as taciturn as before. He didn''t say much, but he reached out his hand to Austin and said, "Let me carry that guitar for you." "Thank you. I can manage it myself," Austin said. Elijah nodded and didn''t insist. He followed Cameron. Austin, on the other hand, leaned against the wall, coughing as he caught up with them. Cameron opened the door of the dormitory. At that time, Bradley was half lying on the bed reading a book, still Essential Skills for Attorneys., "Wee back." Seeing Camerone back, he greeted her with a smile. After nodding, Cameron also couldn''t help but smile. Then she went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. "Good evening, Brad." Elijah greeted Bradley and then went back to his own desk. Out of habit, he opened the exercise book to check if there were any questions he didn''t understand so that he could ask Cameronter. Austin came back two minutester. He was pale, with the guitar on his right shoulder. As soon as he entered the dormitory, he coughed twice. Bradley looked at him and said, "Aus, did you go singing again?" After nodding, Austin carefully put the guitar down. Bradley closed the book and said, "You''re not in good health. You should take good care of yourself. Singing can be very tiring." Austin smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I really like singing. Although it''s tiring, I''m very happy." Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and nodded slightly. Austin seldom came to the dormitory, and Bradley wasn''t very familiar with him, so he didn''t n to continue the conversation. Sessfully unlocked! With a bang, the slightly ajar dormitory door was forcefully smashed open with a basketball. Just then, Cameron came out of the bathroom, and her hair was still wet. The Chapter 131 y For Me basketball narrowly missed her and hit the floor-to-ceiling window ss behind her. Fortunately, the window was of good quality and remained intact even though it was shaken. Xander was wearing a white school uniform T-shirt, sweating all over, and looking very unhappy. He thought, ''The game ising up soon, and those bastards on the school team. haven''t made any progress these days. If we lose to Horizon Academy then, I''ll be so ashamed.'' In his life so far, Xander had only lost to Cameron. Just thinking about losing to Cameron made Xander angry, so he gave Cameron a fierce re. In confusion, Cameron nced at him. She thought he was acting crazy, so she didn''t bother to argue with him. Instead, she stood in front of the sink and dried her wet hair. Xander sat in front of the table with a dark face, propping his chin with his palm, looking both annoyed and solemn. Austin asked him with concern, "Xander, what''s wrong? Why so unhappy?" Xander said, "Leave me alone." After being shocked for a few seconds, Austin lowered his eyes, and a trace of disgust shed in his amber eyes. He hated it the most when someone talked to him in a bossy way, and almost everyone in his family could talk to him like that. Thinking of this, Austin couldn''t help but clench his hands ced on his knees. After Cameron dried her hair, when she passed by Xander, Xander suddenly stretched out his foot. She frowned. She could have walked around, but instead, she chose to step on Xander''s instep. "Ouch!" Xander cried out in pain. Cameron lifted her foot and said, "Sorry." Xander withdrew his foot and red at her. "You did it on purpose, didn''t you?" Cameron said, "If you hadn''t deliberately stretched your foot out, how could I have had the chance to step on it?" Xander retorted, "Cameron! You stepped on me. Will you take my ce in next month''s basketball game?" With a puzzled expression, Cameron was at a loss for words. 24 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Spell Cameron stared at Xander expressionlessly and said, "Is your foot bone fractured? If so, I''ll y in your ce." At the same time, she raised her foot to step on Xander again. In shock, Xander quickly moved his foot away, and then shouted angrily, "Cameron, are you crazy?" He couldn''t let Cameron break his foot. Cameron walked expressionlessly to her bed. Xander stood up and said angrily, "Cameron, is it really that uneptable for you to y in a game?" Before Cameron could retort him, Bradley, who was half lying on the bed, frowned and said, "Xander, stop forcing him." Xander stuck out his neck and said, "I''m not forcing him. I''m doing this for the honor of the school, not for myself." Elijah cut in, ¡°If it''s for the honor of the school, you can just work hard yourself. There''s no need to make Cameron participate in the game. This is a bit like moral kidnapping." Xander was stunned. He looked at Bradley, then at Elijah, and said in disbelief, "Why are you all on this asshole''s side? He''s only been living in this dormitory for a few days, while we''ve been living together for almost three years." He was so angry that he was almost fainting. Bradley said, "It''s not about how long we''ve lived together. Xander, be reasonable, and don''t force others to do things they don''t want to do." Elijah said, ¡°Yeah, what you''re doing is exactly bossy and annoying." Xander waspletely speechless, and he was so angry that he was like a volcano about to erupt. He thought, ''Shit, they''re all on Cameron''s side. What kind of spell did Cameron cast on them?'' The dormitory fell into an eerie silence. At this very moment, Austin coughed softly. He raised his eyes and nced at Cameron, who had already climbed onto the bed. Cameron had changed the atmosphere of this dormitory in just a few days, making Bradley and Elijah aim their criticism at Xander, who was respected by everyone in the school respected Xander. Cameron said indifferently, "It''s gettingte. Let''s just sleep." After saying that, she pulled up the bed curtain. Sessfully unlocked! She didn''t make anyments because she didn''t want to escte the argument. Xander was so childish that he would start an argument with anyone after saying just a few words, and she was reluctant to waste time dealing with him. Cameron. Bah stood up. He still had a math problem to consult Cameron. If he dian t solve this problem today, he wouldn''t be able to fall asleep. But at this time, CamNOR had already pulled up the curtain, so he didn''t disturb her anymore. Bradley closed the book took off his gold rimmed sses, put them aside, rubbed his eyebrows, and put on an eye mask Xander sat angry at the desk, silent. Austin coughed and went into the bathroom with his clothes to take a shower As soon as he walked into the bathroom, Austin was stunned for a moment by the fragrance in the bathroom. It was not only the smell of the shower gel but also a kind of fragrance he couldn''t exin. Austin looked at his pale face in the mirror and pursed his lips. This painful life would endpletely after the SAT was over Usually, since it was boring to stay in the dormitory, Austin would go back to Fraser Vi after staying at school for two days so as to put on that frail face and fool his so-called family. But as Cameron moved into Room 316, dormitory life seemed to have be more interesting, so much so that Austin nned to live in the dormitory from now on. The SAT was a reasonable excuse for him to live in the dormitory. When he thought of this, a faint smile appeared on Austin''s handsome face. 212 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Take Me To The ssroom At five past six the next day, when it was just beginning to get light outside the window, Cameron got up. She found that both Bradley and Xander were not in the dormitory. Austin was standing in front of the washstand brushing his teeth in ck pajamas. His short golden hair looked very beautiful under the light, and the ck pajamas showed off his good figure. Even with no expression on his face, he was incredibly handsome. As soon as Cameron got out of bed, she saw the handsome Austin. She raised her eyebrows and acknowledged Austin''s title as one of the four school princes. Then, she said, "Good morning." Austin had just finished brushing his teeth. Hearing the sound, he turned around and smiled at Cameron. His teeth were straight and white. "Good morning," he said. Cameron nodded slightly and then stood beside him to brush her teeth. Holding the toothbrush cup, Austin stood aside and asked, "Cameron, when did you move into Room 316? I haven''t been to school for a long time, so I don''t know a lot of things." His voice carried a hint of frailty, making people want to care for him involuntarily. Cameron brushed her teeth indifferently and said at the same time, "About ten days ago." Austin said, "I''m very happy to share a dormitory with you." Cameron didn''t say anything. After brushing her teeth, she looked at Austin quietly for a moment before remembering to reply to him, "Thank you." Then, she put away the toothbrush cup and turned to go to the bathroom. Austin stared at the door of the bathroom. At this time, Elijah also got up. Seeing Austin, he was a bit surprised and said, "You got up so early today?" Austin smiled and said, "The SAT ising soon. I''ve fallen behind in my studies, and I can''t bezy anymore." The taciturn Elijah just nodded and then went to wash up. Cameron came out of the bathroom, changed her clothes, and was about to leave the dormitory when she was stopped by Austin. "Cameron," he said. Sessfully unlocked! matter?" Cameron stopped in her tracks and Austin smiled weakly and said, "Cameron, you can just call me Aus as Brad does." Cameron didn''t reply. She thought it was a bit too intimate to call Austin like that, and Chapter 133 Take Me To The ssroom then said, "Well, I''m going to ss." Austin nodded and said, "I know. Can you wait for me? I''m not feeling very well. Could you please push me to the ssroom?" Then he pointed to the ck wheelchair in the corner of the dormitory. Cameron had thought that the wheelchair was a standard fixture in each dormitory, but she didn''t expect it to be Austin''s. At the same time, she also mocked in her heart that Austin had taken great care to create the image of being frail. She didn''t quite understand why he asked her to help push the wheelchair. After all, Austin should be more familiar with the other people in the dormitory than with her. "Cameron, please." Seeing that Cameron didn''t respond, Austin pleaded with a cough, and his voice sounded very weak. Elijah had already finished washing up. He walked towards Cameron holding an exercise book and said, "Cameron, let''s go." Cameron thought for a while and said, "You go first." She really didn''t want to know why Austin was pretending to be ill, but seeing that Austin was determined to seek her help, she also decided to see what Austin was up 1. to. Elijah asked in confusion, "Why?" Cameron said, "I''m going to push Austin to the ssroom." Austin smiled and said, "Thank you, Cameron." Elijah frowned and said, "You''re not on the same route. We''re in ss 15, and he''s in ss 10." Austin was in the same ss as Xander. Austin was silent at the moment. Cameron said, "It''s okay. It won''t take more than a few minutes." When Elijah had nothing more to say, Austin struggled to pull out the wheelchair and sat on it. Just as Cameron was about to push Austin''s wheelchair, Elijah took a step ahead and said, "Let me do it." So she nodded. This left Austin dumbfounded. As Elijah pushed the wheelchair forward, he handed the exercise book in his hand to Cameron. "Look at the second question on the third page," he said. Cameron felt extremely speechless. Chapter 134 A Little Weird Chapter 134 Chapter 134 A Little Weird Cameron followed behind the two of them. After reaching the teaching building, the three of them went their separate ways. Cameron walked towards ss 15, and Elijah pushed Austin to ss 10. After sitting in her seat, Cameron consciously solved the problem that Elijah had left unsolved. Elijah came back soon and got back his exercise book. Then, his cold eyes seemed to be shining. "So that''s how it is solved." Meanwhile, Cameron took out her history textbook and began to recite the key points. Elijah wanted to say something more, but seeing that Cameron was studying, he didn''t disturb her anymore. After the morning sses were over, Cameron was just about to go to the cafeteria for lunch when Elijah caught up and said, "Cameron,e on, let go to the cafeteria." As soon as Elijah''s words fell, a weak voice came from a few meters away. "Cameron." Cameron didn''t respond to that. "Wow, it''s Austin. He''s so handsome. Half-breeds are really good-looking." "You''re right, but he seems not to have much time left." A girl said in a low voice with regret. Even so, it couldn''t stop them from being infatuated with Austin''s handsome face. Although there was also a school heartthrob in their ss, they rarely saw Austin after all. Austin greeted the girls who were looking at him with adoring eyes gently and politely, saying, "Hello, girls." "He''s so well-mannered." The girls shrieked. Cameron and Elijah didn''t say anything. This time, they walked forward in great tacit. Austin wheeled his wheelchair and caught up. "Cameron, could you please help me get some food? You see, it''s hard for me to queue up in a wheelchair," he said feebly. Both Cameron and Elijah were at a loss for words. Elijah frowned and thought, "Last night, I offered to carry Austin''s guitar for him, but he refused. Why is he bothering Cameron now? He continued thinking, "Maybe Austin also knows that Cameron is a top student and wants to ask for tutoring, so he''s to get along with him.'' Elijah frowned even more tightly. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron didn''t refuse to help Austin. Getting some extra food was an easy thing to do. Austin smiled and said, "Thank you." Then he started coughing again. Chapter 134 A Little Weird Elijah said, "Austin, you seem to be seriously ill. Why don''t you ask your family to pick you up?" "Thank you for your concern," Austin waved his hand and said, ¡°It''s okay. The SAT ising soon. I''ll stay at school for the next few days." When they arrived at the cafeteria, Cameron settled Austin in a corner and went to get food with Elijah. Elijah said, "Cameron, don''t you think Austin is a bit strange?" Cameron said, "Why say so?" Elijah said, ¡°He never used to bother us before, but he''s been bothering you all day today." Cameron said, "Maybe it''s because I seem more approachable." Elijah said, "What do you think?" Cameron certainly didn''t think so since she always had a poker face. She couldn''t figure out what Austin was up to, nor did she want to guess. She thought she just needed to adapt to the situation. Cameron brought back two trays of food and ced them in front of Austin, letting him choose. Austin chose the one with steak. He smiled and said, "Thank you, Cameron. You''re so nice." Cameron said, "It''s okay." Elijah sat down next to Cameron. He looked at Cameron, then at Austin, and frowned slightly. Meanwhile, Xander and his basketball team members were sitting not far away having lunch. Seeing Cameron and the others here, he thought it over and finally didn''t join them for lunch. He thought, ''So what if Cameron is able to shoot? He''s so short. I bet he can''t even touch the basketball on the court.'' »Ø Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Being yed Cameron seemed to feel Xander''s resentful gaze and turned to look over. However, the first person Cameron saw wasn''t Xander but Milena, who was a few rows away from Xander. Seeing Milena, Cameron couldn''t help but turn cold. She was curious whether the Wace family could still afford the annual tuition fee of 300 thousand dors at Langford Academy without the support of the Chapman family and how long Milena could still study here. Nevertheless, these things had nothing to do with her. Cameron quickly withdrew her gaze and continued eating. Maybe because he saw Cameron and the others, Xander didn''t enjoy his lunch very much. At this moment, his phone on the dining table vibrated. Xander nced at it and immediately grabbed the phone. Milena: [Mr. Murphy, have you had lunch?] Xander quickly put down his fork to reply to the message. Xander: [I''m having it now. How about you?] The message from Milena made arge part of the depression in Xander''s heart disappear. Milena: [What a coincidence. Me too.] Xander: [Ms. Wace, it''s Friday today. Will your school have a holiday?] Milena looked up at Xander. Seeing that Xander was staring intently at his phone, a proud smile appeared on her face. Milena: [Yes, it will. Why?] When Xander saw the word "holiday", his heart started pounding. In his mind, the bright image of Milena in a red dress involuntarily emerged. Xander: [Ms. Wace, do you have time to have a meal together tonight? I know a restaurant where the steak tastes really good. May I have the honor?] Xander typed and deleted this sentence several times before finally sending it out. After sending it, he tightly held his phone and stared intently at the chat dialog box. When Milena received this message, she was taken aback. She definitely couldn''t agree to meet. If they met, her lie would surely be exposed. She looked at Xander, who was full of expectation to see her, from a distance and felt sorry. She thought, ''If only Xander had seen me that day instead of that bitch Cameron!'' Sessfully unlocked! However, no matter how unwilling Milcha was, she had to refuse Xander. Milena: [Sorry, Mr. Murphy. I''ve made an appointment with a friend to watch a movie tonight.] Chapter 135 Beng Payed When Xander received this message, a disappointed expression immediately appeared on his face. After a long while, Xander sent another message: [What about tomorrow? Are you free tomorrow?] Milena was silent. She certainly couldn''t date tomorrow, but she also didn''t want to refuse Xander. Seeing his disappointment, she was also very sad, Milena: [I''m not sure if I''m free tomorrow. Can I reply to you tomorrow?] Xander held the phone and a smile appeared on his face. He had a little bit of expectation, and the depression of being repeatedly rejected by Cameron also vanished. Seeing Xander''s smile, Milena also smiled, wondering what Xander''s expression would be when he knew that it was actually her who had been chatting with him all along. Nevertheless, she couldn''t overthink now. Anyway, the person who could attract Xander now was her, and it could only be her in the future. Milena wouldn''t give Cameron any chance to steal Xander away. After Cameron finished her lunch and had just put the tray in the designated ce, she received a message from Bradley. Bradley: [It''s Friday today. You can go and take a look at your house. I''ll send you the passwordter. Let me know if you''re missing anything. I''lle overter and bring it to you.] Cameron thought about it; she really had nowhere else to go. Cameron thought about it. She really had nowhere else to go. Staying in the dormitory, she might continue to suffer from Elijah''s torture. So she decided to temporarily live in the house Bradley sold her. Cameron: [Okay] 212 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Bradley''s Initiative Chapter 136 Bradley''s Initiative Cameron held her phone and walked to the entrance of the cafeteria. Elijah and Austin were standing there waiting for her. She was a bit stunned and couldn''t figure out why they were waiting for her. They said simultaneously, "Cameron." "Hey, hey, hold on.¡± Cameron raised her hand and interrupted them. ¡°I gotta go now. If you have anything to say, just wait until I finish." After saying that, she walked straight away, leaving the two of them looking at each other in shock. Elijah took his eyes off Cameron and asked Austin, "Do you need me to take you back to the dorm?" Austin said, "Thank you, but no. I just finished eating and got some strength." Elijah nodded and turned around to leave. Austin didn''t pay attention to him anymore either. Cameron nned to go to the library to seek a moment of peace. When passing by the yground, she saw Xander and the others ying basketball. Xander seemed to be in a really good mood. He jumped very high, and his handsome postures of passing and shooting made the fans around him scream. There was a hearty smile on his face, but Cameron just nced at him and didn''t pay any more attention to him. ***** After school in the afternoon, Cameron packed her things and nned to take a taxi to Noble Vista. Seeing her carrying a bag, Elijah asked, "Cameron, are you going home?" Cameron thought for a while and nodded. After all, she had no family left, so wherever she lived, that was her home. Hearing this, Elijah frowned. He still remembered the incident of Cameron attempting to jump off the building in his family''s transgender hospitalst week and guessed that Cameron didn''t have an easy time at home. But it was Cameron''s family matter, and Elijah didn''t feel it was right to ask too much. So Elijah said, "I have nothing to do at home. If you need someone to hang out with, send me a message." Cameron was slightly surprised a sessfully unlocked! Stand why Elijah said that. However, she still nodded and epted his kindness. Meanwhile, Austin coughed. Holding the bed frame, he walked towards Cameron feebly. "Cameron, can I add you on WhatsApp?¡± Chapter 136 Bradley''s Initiative Cameron was stunned again but didn''t refuse. Living in the same dormitory, having each other''s contact information was nothing weird. Xander was chewing gum and patting the basketball absent-mindedly. Hearing their conversation, he didn''t chime in but rolled his eyes at Cameron. Cameron noticed his re and ignored him as if he were air. Since Bradley wasn''t in the dormitory at that time, Cameron left after a short while. There were luxury cars parked at the school gate to pick up the kids, squeezing a wide road so tightly that it was jam-packed. A ck Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan was slowly moving forward in the traffic. Cameron, carrying a single-shoulder bag, walked on the street. She had to get out of this road to hail a taxi. It was too crowded here, and taxis couldn''t get in at all. The rear window of the Rolls-Royce sedan slowly rolled down, revealing a cold and handsome face. "Cameron," Elijah called out. Cameron turned around and raised her eyebrows at him as a response. Elijah said, " Didn''t your familye to pick you up? Do you want me to give you a ride?" "Thanks." Cameron waved her hand and said, "I''ll just take a taxi back." The window of the front passenger seat rolled down, and a kind middle-aged man smiled and said, "Please get in, young master. You''re Mr. Moore''s ssmate. Don''t be shy." "Thank you, but no." Cameron refused again. She didn''t like owing favors, even for small things. Elijah watched as Cameron with her single-shoulder bag slowly disappeared into the crowd, and his usually cold eyes flickered. "Mr. Moore, that young man just now must be your friend, right? This is the first time you''ve offered to give your ssmate a ride." Elijah''s butler, Jack Forth, said. Elijah nodded and said, "He''s my roommate and sits next to me in the ssroom." Jack said, ¡°I see. He must be a really good friend of yours. Invite him to our house to y someday. Your father will surely be very d." Elijah had been very smart since he was a child. He couldn''t get along with his peers. and didn''t have any close friends. So, Jack was also surprised that Elijah had invited Cameron to get in the car and send him home. Elijah nodded slightly, which shocked Jack immensely. Jack thought, ''My goodness, Mr. Moore has made a true friend!'' Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Expensive Community Noble Vista was located in the famous wealthy area of Viremont. Thismunity covered a vast area and had a beautiful environment, with only garden houses and detached vis. Cameron stood at the gate of the luxuriousmunity,pletely stunned, doubting if this was her destination. The house that Bradley had transferred to her was actually in such an upscalemunity. Seeing a teenage boy in a school uniform standing at the gate and looking into themunity, a neatly dressed security guard walked over with a stun baton and said, "Hello, this is a private residence. No visiting, thank you." As he spoke, the security guard raised his hand, gesturing for Cameron to leave. Cameron came to her senses and looked at the goldenndmark at the gate. Here was indeed Noble Vista. She confirmed that this was the house Bradley had transferred to her. So Cameron took out the property certificate and her driver''s license from her bag and showed them to the security guard while saying, "This is the house I just bought. It''s my first time here. Where can I find my house?" The security guard''s face immediately became amiable. ¡°Sorry, sir, you live in Building 8. Please go this way, over here." The security guard made a gesture of invitation. Cameron nodded and said, "Thank you." "You''re wee. I''ll take you there personally." The security guard said attentively. Since she was new here, it was indeed much more convenient to have someone lead the way. The two walked through the beautifully decoratedmunity atrium, which was as lovely as a garden. "Everyone living here has millions of dors. Look, I don''t care if it''s around 50 thousand dors per square meter here. Living here is a symbol of status. I just want a house here." A well-dresseddy passed by Cameron while talking on the phone. After hearing the wealthydy''s words, Cameron was shocked and wondered if she had misheard or if thedy was exaggerating.. ording to Bradley, this 300-square-meter property should be worth around six thousand dors per square meter at most. Cameron looked at the security sessfully unlocked!nd her and asked, "Excuse me, I''d like to ask, how much is the price per square meter of the houses in thismunity?" The security guard was a bit puzzled that the owner didn''t know the housing price here. Chapter 137 Expensive Community But then he thought that this teenager looked so young, and the house here must have been bought for him by his family, so it was natural for Cameron not to know about the price. So the security guard said, "The cheapest garden houses here are around 50 thousand dors, and the vi area over there is a bit more expensive, probably around 60 thousand dors." Cameron was shocked. This meant that the wealthydy didn''t lie. The house that Bradley sold to her was worth at least 15 million dors, and she had only written an IOU of two million dors to Bradley. Even with a mortgage loan, that was only enough for the down payment. She couldn''t help thinking, "Is Brad so rich that he didn''t even care about spending 15 million dors just for his dormmate?" "Hello?" The security guard''s words distracted Cameron, and she stepped on a stone. She was about to fall forward. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and had already steadied herself before the security guard coulde to help her. "Thank you. I''m okay." Cameron looked calm, but she was already very flustered inside. She owed Bradley so much. The security guard escorted Cameron to Building 8 and thoughtfully pressed the elevator button for her. Then he said, "Wish you a pleasant evening, sir." "Thank you." Cameron nodded politely. Her house was on the eighth floor. There was only one elevator in each building here, and this elevator went directly to each household. Cameron stood at the door, staring at the luxurious door. After a while, she entered the password and went into the room. This was a garden house. Just as Bradley had said, the house was nicely decorated, and luxury and refinement were taken to the extreme here. Cameron walked into the entrance hall, put on the brand-new men''s slippers on the floor that still had the tags on, and walked inside with her single-shoulder bag on her back. Therge crystal chandelier in the living room was so beautiful that it was blinding and must have been very expensive. The 300-square-meter indoor area was very spacious, and outside the balcony was an aerial garden of nearly 200 square meters. With green grass and a smallke filled with fish, the garden was full of blooming flowers, and the fragrance was overwhelming. Beside the artificialke was a pavilion, on which there was excellent coffee, still steaming with heat. Cameron couldn''t help but marvel at the beauty here and understood why the sky-high Chapter 137 Expensive Community housing price was reasonable. She couldn''t help but wander around the room again. The luxury of this house indeed exceeded her imagination, Then, she returned to the living room, sat down on the imported leather sofa, and dialed Bradley''s phone number. Bradley answered the phone quickly. "Cameron," Bradley''s voice carried his usual smile. ¡°Brad, I''m at the house that you transferred to me," Cameron said. Bradley said, "I know. My butler has already reported to me. The coffee in the garden pavilion was prepared for you by my butler. Try it. "I have something on my hands right now. I''lle over as soon as I''m done. You take a rest first. "By the way, the jacuzzi in the master bedroom is nice. You can give it a try." Knowing that Cameron had a cleanliness obsession, Bradley added, "Don''t worry, haven''t used it." Although this room had been decorated for a long time, Bradley hadn''t lived here many times because it was a bit far from Langford Academy, and Bradley was toozy to "The phone in the living room can directly call the butler. If you have any needs, you can just tell them to do it." Bradley said. Hearing Bradley''s series of instructions, Cameron didn''t know what to say for a moment. Moreover, what she wanted to say really couldn''t be clearly exined on the phone. So Cameron just said, "Okay, I''ll wait for you toe over." After hanging up the phone, Cameron leaned back on the sofa with her head tilted back. Her beautiful eyes reflected the dazzling crystal chandelier. Everything in front of her felt so unreal. Cameron waited for about an hour. As the streetlights outside the window gradually came on, the doorbell rang. The video inte system immediately projected the image outside the door. Bradley was standing at the door, wearing a pure white shirt with every button fastened neatly up to the top one. His narrow eyes behind the gold-rimmed sses carried his usual faint smile. In his two hands, he was holding tworge shopping bags. Cameron hurried to open the door. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 A New lou Cameron opened the door, feeling a mix of emotions, and said, "Hi" Then, she reached out to take the bags from Bradley''s hands. Bradley sidestepped and said, "It''s okay. I''ll do it." Cameron had to go and close the door. Bradley directly carried the two bags to the open kitchen. As he washed his hands, he looked at Cameron and said, "It''s your first night in the new home. How about we have fondue to celebrate?" Cameron looked at him with aplicated expression. Instead of answering his question, she asked, "Brad, how much is this house worth?" Bradley paused for a moment. His eyes behind the gold-rimmed sses were still smiling as he said, "Two million dors. Why?" Cameron said helplessly, "Come on, Brad, don''t lie to me. It''s worth at least 15 million dors, isn''t it?" Bradley was silent for a few seconds. There was no embarrassment on his face for being exposed. He said, "No matter how much it''s worth, it''s already yours." Cameron said, "I can''t ept such a great favor from you for no reason." Seeing Cameron with a serious face, Bradley dried his hands and came over. He ruffled Cameron''s hair and said, "I see. Why don''t you write me a new IOU worth 15 million dors?" Cameron said, "Okay." Since her household registration information had been changed here, she really had to write this IOU. / Bradley said, "I''ll get you the paper and pen." Cameron looked at the shopping bags on the countertop and reached out to take a look. They were all fondue ingredients. Bradley was so good to her that it made Cameron a bit nervous. She didn''t know how to repay this favor. Bradley quickly brought the paper and pen. Cameron wrote a new IOU for Bradley on the huge desk while Bradley kept looking at her. His long and deep eyes had a fox-like cunning in them. "There you go." Cameron handed the IOU to Bradley. Bradley took it and said, "I need to look for the one you wrote before." Cameron said, "It''s okay. Just thre Sessfully unlocked! find it." Bradley smiled and said, "You trust me so much?" "You trust me so much, so of course I should reciprocate your trust," Cameron said Chapter 138 A New tou helplessly. Logically speaking, Bradley knew her backgroundpletely. She was still a senior high school student and had cut off ties with her family. She was broke, yet he directly transferred the house worth 15 million dors to her. She didn''t know if he really didn''tck money or was just too naive. Bradley smiled. He held the new IOU written by Cameron in his palm and said, "I''ll keep your IOU. By the way, do you want to eat fondue?" Cameron nodded. Bradley said, "Well, could you please help prepare the ingredients?" Cameron agreed. To make it convenient to prepare the dishes, she then took off her school uniform jacket, revealing the white short-sleeved shirt inside. The next moment, she quickly put it back on. Although Cameron had been binding her chest for years, it didn''t stop her body from developing. If she didn''t wear the jacket, her true gender would be easily exposed. Bradley had already walked towards the guest room and didn''t see Cameron''s abnormality. Cameron was very quick. In about ten minutes, she cut all the vegetables needed because when she was in the Wace family, she often did housework that Milena was never willing to do. Bradley took out the induction cooker, and Cameron moved the cut vegetables to the garden. The garden was brightly lit by the streetlights, and the dark blue night sky above their heads was as beautiful as a painting. In front of the steaming fondue, Bradley raised his ss and said, "Congrattions." Cameron raised her ss and clinked it with his, saying, "Thank you." The two of them were drinking soda. Cameron said with some emotion, "Brad, if there''sst lives for everyone, I think I must have saved your life hundreds of years ago." Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Staying Over Bradley couldn''t helpughing and said, "Why do you think of that?" Cameron put the well-cooked ingredients from the fondue into Bradley''s bowl. Bradley said, "Thank you." Cameron said, "I feel like you''re repaying a big favor to me." Bradley couldn''t help chuckling. "Cameron, I haven''t done much either. This 15 million dors isn''t a gift for you. Pay me back as soon as you have the money. Considering we''re roommates, I won''t charge you the interest." Cameron smiled and nodded, but she was sure to pay back the money with interest when the time came. What she least wanted was to owe a debt of gratitude. Then, she nced at the garden in the night. She was forced to live in a luxury house. "Try this bread." Bradley put a piece of bread on Cameron''s te. Cameron ate it and nodded, saying, "It tastes good." Bradley smiled. Although they were having fondue at home, the seasonings and ingredients he used were directly packed and sent from a very famous fondue restaurant in Viremont. So it actually tasted almost the same as eating in the restaurant. The steaming fondue made ayer of mist on Bradley''s sses. He took off his sses and gently wiped the lenses with a wet wipe. His exposed eyes were long and deep. The moment he looked up, Cameron inexplicably felt a strong sense of oppression. Bradley quickly put on his sses. Cameron asked curiously, "How many degrees of myopia do you have?" Bradley said, "It''s 300 degrees in both eyes." Cameron said, "Then you should be able to haveser treatment." The eyes behind Bradley''s lenses were smiling. He shook his head and said, "There''s no need for that." "Why?" Cameron was puzzled. In her opinion, wearing sses was very inconvenient. Bradley said, "I quite like wearing sses." Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows and didn''t say anything more. The two of them finished their first dinner in this house under the night sky. Cameron was about to clean up thessfully unlocked but Bradley stopped her and said, "Hold on. I''ll tell the butler toe and tidy upter." Not only was the housing price in thismunity expensive, but the property service was also quite excellent. They would be responsible for cleaning the rooms, repairing Chapter 139 Staying Over the appliances, and even cooking for the homeowners. They were avable 24 hours a day at any time. Bradley grabbed the sleeve of Cameron''s clothes and went back to the living room. Then he pointed to the ck massage chair beside him and said, "This massage chair is nice. Do you want to try it?" "No, I''ll just take a walk." Cameron stood by the table and stretched her body. She had somehow eaten too much. Bradley leaned against the leather sofa. His noble and elegant temperament made the sofa seem even more expensive. "Cameron, there''s something I want to discuss with you." He suddenly said. "What is it?" Cameron asked. Bradley said, "Can I stay the night at your ce tonight?" Cameron was speechless. This was clearly Bradley''s house. Although the name on the property certificate was hers, and she had written an IOU to Bradley, perhaps because this luxury house hade too easily, Cameron didn''t feel any sense of reality about it at all. Seeing that Cameron didn''t speak, he smiled and said, "We''ve shared the same room in the dormitory for so many days. You won''t mind me staying in your house for a night, right?" "How could I?" Cameron came to her senses and waved her hand, saying, "Brad, of course you can stay. You can stay as long as you want. I''ll sleep in the guest room, and you can still sleep in the master bedroom." Bradley shook his head and said, "The house is yours. Of course, you should sleep in the master bedroom." After a pause, Bradley added, "By the way, the mattress and bed sheet set in the master bedroom are all brand new ones that I had someone rece." Cameron didn''t know what to say now. Subscribe Chapter 140 The steaming fondue made ayer of mist on Bradley''s sses. He took off his sses and gently wiped the lenses with a wet wipe. His exposed eyes were long and deep. The moment he looked up, Cameron inexplicably felt a strong sense of oppression. Bradley quickly put on his sses. Cameron asked curiously, "How many degrees of myopia do you have?" Bradley said, "It''s 300 degrees in both eyes." Cameron said, "Then you should be able to haveser treatment." The eyes behind Bradley''s lenses were smiling. He shook his head and said, "There''s no need for that." "Why?" Cameron was puzzled. In her opinion, wearing sses was very inconvenient. Bradley said, "I quite like wearing sses." Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows and didn''t say anything more. The two of them finished their first dinner in this house under the night sky. Cameron was about to clean up thessfully unlocked but Bradley stopped her and said, "Hold on. I''ll tell the butler toe and tidy upter." Not only was the housing price in thismunity expensive, but the property service was also quite excellent. They would be responsible for cleaning the rooms, repairing Chapter 139 Staying Over the appliances, and even cooking for the homeowners. They were avable 24 hours a day at any time. Bradley grabbed the sleeve of Cameron''s clothes and went back to the living room. Then he pointed to the ck massage chair beside him and said, ¡°This massage chair is nice. Do you want to try it?" ¡°No, I''ll just take a walk." Cameron stood by the table and stretched her body. She had somehow eaten too much. Bradley leaned against the leather sofa. His noble and elegant temperament made the sofa seem even more expensive. "Cameron, there''s something I want to discuss with you." He suddenly said. "What is it?" Cameron asked. Bradley said, "Can I stay the night at your ce tonight?" Cameron was speechless. This was clearly Bradley''s house. Although the name on the property certificate was hers, and she had written an IOU to Bradley, perhaps because this luxury house hade too easily, Cameron didn''t feel any sense of reality about it at all. Seeing that Cameron didn''t speak, he smiled and said, "We''ve shared the same room in the dormitory for so many days. You won''t mind me staying in your house for a night, right?" "How could I?" Cameron came to her senses and waved her hand, saying, "Brad, of course you can stay. You can stay as long as you want. I''ll sleep in the guest room, and you can still sleep in the master bedroom." Bradley shook his head and said, "The house is yours. Of course, you should sleep in the master bedroom." After a pause, Bradley added, "By the way, the mattress and bed sheet set in the master bedroom are all brand new ones that I had someone rece." Cameron didn''t know what to say now. Subscribe ? 1 Likes Chapter 140 Bathroom Chapter 140 Bathroom Finally, Cameron moved into the master bedroom, and Bradley stayed in the guest room next to it. Cameron didn''t know what to say because she thought this was clearly Bradley''s house. Cameron sat on the king-size bed in the master bedroom. There was a dazzling crystal chandelier above her head. She closed her eyes and rolled around on the bed. The bed was so soft andfortable that she felt sleepy as soon as shey down on 1. it. Cameron made great determination to get up from the bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. As soon as she walked into the bathroom, she saw the jacuzzi that Bradley had mentioned. She suddenly wanted to take a bath. While thinking this, Cameron had already turned on the showerhead to fill the bathtub with water. Before getting into the bathtub, Cameron warily checked if there were any cameras in the bathroom. Although the privacy of thismunity was extremely good, the fact that the property staff could enter the room for cleaning made Cameron feel that it wasn''t as private as she expected. She thought it was better to be cautious. After all, she was a girl: After checking every corner and finding nothing weird, Cameron took off her clothes and stepped into the bathtub. The warm water surrounded her tired body, and shepletely rxed. Lying in the water, Cameron was a bit drowsy, but a strange noise made her open her eyes wide instantly, and all her sleepiness vanished. The ss door of the bathroom was knocked again. Cameron looked up and saw the tall figure of a man reflected on the ss door. "Brad?" Cameron frowned. "It''s me," Bradley said through the ss door. "I knocked for a long time, but you didn''t answer. So you''re taking a bath. Is the bathtub okay?" Suddenly realizing that she had forgotten to lock the bathroom door, Cameron felt rm bells ring in her heart. While worrying whether Bradley Sessfully unlocked ron''s hand instinctively covered herself in the water, and she calmly asked, is there anything wrong?" Bradley smiled and said, "I just want to ask if you have any ns for tomorrow. If not, would you like to go cycling and work out at West Hill with me?" Chapter 140 Bathroom Cameron thought for a while. She didn''t have much to do, so she replied, "Okay." Bradley said, "All right. Go to bed early after you finish your bath. We''ll set off right after breakfast tomorrow." After Cameron agreed, Bradley turned around and left. Cameron let out a sigh of relief and didn''t feel like taking a bath anymore. She got up, rinsed off the foam on her body, and put on a brand-new men''s bathrobe. The first thing she did after leaving the bathroom was to run to the door and lock it. Then, she went back to the bathroom to dry her wet hair. Finally, she changed back into her own clothes, and only then did she feelfortable. Since she was the only one in the room, she didn''t fasten her chest binder as tightly. Camerony on the bed, ready to go to sleep. She casually checked the time and saw the messages sent by Elijah and Austin. Elijah: [Cameron, have you had dinner?] Elijah: [What are you doing?] Elijah: [Take a look at this mathematics puzzle.] Elijah: [Didn''t you bring your phone with you? Do you want to go to the city library to read books tomorrow?] Elijah: [? Cameron, what''s wrong with you?] Elijah: [Cameron?] Then, she saw four missed calls from Elijah. Just as Cameron was about to reply to Elijah, Elijah''s call came in again. Cameron answered it and said, "Hello." "Cameron, where are you? Are you okay?" Elijah''s usually cold tone was full of anxiety at the moment. Cameron said, "I''m fine. What''s wrong?" Elijah said, "If you''re fine, why didn''t you reply to my messages?" Cameron said, "Dude, I was taking a shower. How could I reply to your messages?" 1 Elijah was speechless for a moment. »Ø Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Go Together Cameron asked, "You wanted to ask me if I could go to the city library with tomorrow? you "Yes. Are you avable?* Elijah let out a sigh of relief when he heard her voice. He was really scared. He thought Cameron had gone to jump off a building again. Cameron said, "Sorry, I got something to do tomorrow." Elijah said, "Really? What are you going to do?" Cameron said frankly, "Brad and I are going to go cycling at West Hill tomorrow." Elijah was silent for a while before asking, "Do you mind having one more person?" Cameron said, "Well, I need to ask Brad." Elijah said, ¡°You don''t have to. Brad is really nice. He''ll surely count me in. Let''s meet at the foot of West Hill tomorrow." Then he hung up immediately. Regarding the fact that Bradley was a nice person, Cameron indeed thought that Bradley seemed easy to talk to on the surface. But she also noticed that every time she made a choice following Bradley''s thoughts. Just as Cameron was about to go to tell Bradley about this, her phone rang again. Cameron thought it was a message from Elijah, but it turned out to be from Austin. Cameron and Austin had just added each other on WhatsApp today. And they had only known each other for two or three days. Austin: [Cameron, are you asleep?] Cameron: [Not yet.] Austin: [Sorry to disturb you sote.] Cameron: [It''s okay. Is there anything wrong?] Austin: [Cameron, are you free tomorrow? Do you want to go out and have fun together?] Cameron raised her eyebrows. Logically speaking, Austin wasn''t in good health, and considering they had known each other for such a short time, they weren''t close enough to go out and y together. Cameron: [Sorry, I''ve made ns with someone.] Austin: [I see. May I ask who you''ve made ns with?] Cameron: [With Brad. We''re going to go cycling tomorrow.] Austin: [Cycling? Can you count Sessfully unlocked! Cameron: [Your health isn''t very good. This sport isn''t really suitable for you.] Austin: [Precisely because my health isn''t good, I should exercise more. Can I go with Chapter 141 Go Together you tomorrow?] Cameron stared quietly at the words sent by Austin for a while before replying to him. Cameron: [Wait a moment. I''ll go and ask Brad.] Austin: [Okay. I''ll wait for you.] Cameron tidied up her clothes and went out with her phone to find Bradley. Cameron knocked on the door, and Bradley came to open it quickly. He was wearing a ck silk bathrobe with a low neckline, revealing his sturdy chest. Cameron just took a nce and immediately looked away. Staring at Bradley''s face, she got straight to the point and said, "Brad, Elijah and Austin also want to go cycling tomorrow. Should we let theme?" Bradley was slightly surprised and said, "How did they know we were going cycling?" Cameron showed Bradley the chat records on her phone. Bradley said, "Are you sure that Aus will be okay?" Cameron said, "I''m also worried about that." Bradley was silent for a long time and then said, "All right. Let them go. It''s rare that we''re all free tomorrow." Cameron nodded and said, "Okay." Then, she closed Bradley''s door, but Bradley''s hand caught the door''s crack. Cameron looked up at him. Bradley smiled and said, "All right, go to bed. Good night." "Good night." Cameron also showed a faint smile. ***** Meanwhile, Xander was chatting with Milena. Xander: [Have you finished watching the movie?] Milena: [I''ve just finished it.] Xander: [Are you free tomorrow?] Subscribe Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Photo Milena held her phone, feeling both proud and anxious. She was proud that Xander was eager to meet her, and anxious because she didn''t dare to meet him at all. So, Milena didn''t reply to the message for a long time. Xander: [I really have no ill intentions, and I don''t have any bad habits. I just simply want to make friends with you.] Afraid that Xander would misunderstand her, Milena quickly replied. Milena: [Of course I know you''re a really nice person, and I also really want to be friends with you. But I''m really not avable tomorrow. I''m sorry.] After seeing this message, Xander simply flopped onto the bed in frustration. He had been looking forward to it for so long, but in the end, he still couldn''t meet the girl he loved. He couldn''t help but start to wonder if he was really that bad. That day, "Milena" had seen him, and she had stared at him for a while. Xander suspected that he might not be at all to her taste, but then he quickly quit this idea. He was the school heartthrob and came from a wealthy family. So, he was quite confident in his own attractiveness. Still, Milena''s reaction puzzled him. After Milena sent the message, she didn''t receive a reply from Xander, and she immediately panicked. In order not to lose Xander, Milena began to anxiously think of a way. Suddenly, Milena remembered that thest time Xander ignored her, she had used a photo of Cameron in women''s clothing to save the situation. As long as she could get Cameron to take a photo in women''s clothing and send it to her so that she could forward it to Xander. Milena couldn''t always use Cameron''s previous photos. After all, no one would always wear the same outfit. So, Milena immediately called Cameron. When she heard the system''s prompt tone, she suddenly remembered that she had been blocked by Cameron. Milena cursed. Then, she realized that she could contact Cameron via WhatsApp. She thought, ''Cameron wouldn''t have blocked my WhatsApp ount too, would he?" With nervousness, Milena sent a message to Cameron. Milena: [Cameron, what are you doing?] need on Milena''s face. The message was sent sessf Sessfully unlocked! She quickly sent another message to Cameron, Milena: [Cameron, Mom and Dad have decided not to pursue that matter for now. If you want to call off the engagement, just do it.] Millena (But if you want to be a girl, send me a photo of you wearing women''s clothing first. I''ll show it to Mom. Maybe Mom will agree] When Cameron received Millena''s WhatsApp message, she was just about to go to bed. After seeing this annoying message, she realized that she had forgotten to block Millena''s WhatsApp ount. Cameron directly added Millena''s WhatsApp ount to the cklist, tossed aside her phone, turned off the lights, and went to sleep. Milena didn''t receive a reply from Cameron, in a state of great anxiety, she sent another message to Cameron, Milena (Cameron, say something!] The sign that the message couldn''t be sent made Millena''s heart skip a beat. "You bitch she cursed After Cameron blocked her WhatsApp ount, Millena was furious with Cameron. At this moment, Cameron had already fallen asleep, while Milena was extremely Finally after much thought, she decided to do it herself. As long as she took a photo with her face covered, it would be okay. So, Millena took a selfie of her corbone. Although her figure wasn''t very sexy, her neck and shoulders were very beautiful. Milena wore a ck camisole dress. She adjusted the lighting, making her skin look very glossy, and the photo turned out to be quite sexy. Milena admired her seffe for a while, and then, feeling a bit nervous, she sent it to Milene''s heart was beating fast, but Xander didn''t reply. Milena was a bit nervous, but she still followed the original n and recalled the photo within two minutes. Then, she sent another message to Xander Milena (Sorry, Mr. Murphy, I sent the wrong thing] Xander Fire] After seeing such a brief and cold reply, Millena was directly stunned. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Worry She had ovee so much mental burden to take that photo and send it, but Xander''s reaction was so cold, which made her feel that something was wrong. However, since Xander had already be so indifferent, Milena couldn''t say more. Being too proactive in a situationship wouldn''t make one''s crush cherish them. Milena''s previous happy mood plummeted to the bottom instantly because of Xander''s brief reply. Xander was rejected by Milena and felt very down. Hey on the bed for a while and then went to take a shower. When Milena sent the messages, he was taking a shower, so he didn''t see that Milena sent the photo and then recalled it. So, he just replied with that brief and cold message, and he didn''t even want to know what the photo Milena sent by mistake was. Xander tossed his phone aside. He had been sought after by others since he was a child and had never been rejected like this before. The proud Xander felt a little sad and then pulled the quilt over his head. ***** 11 The next day, when Bradley knocked on the door, Cameron had just woken up. Cameron, let''s have breakfast early and set off as early as we can," he said. "Okay," Cameron replied and then stretched her body on the bed. She had slept very wellst night and didn''t have any dreams. This bed was really toofortable, as soft as sleeping on a cloud. Cameron lingered in bed for a while and then got up to wash up. After that, she opened the door of the bedroom and smelled the strong aroma of food. Cameron saw Bradley sitting at the dining table in a light gray sportswear set. He usually seemed moreposed and experienced than his peers, but now he looked a bit more youthful and energetic. "Come and have breakfast." Bradley pointed to the food on the dining table. The breakfast for two people had a wide variety and was very delicate. Cameron sat down. Bradley added, "I asked the butle sessfully unlocked! you can tell them and ask them to bring it up now." there''s anything you like to eat, Cameron took an egg and peeled it, shaking her head and saying, "Brad, these are already very good. I''m not picky about food." Chapter 143 Worry Bradley smiled and said, "So why are you still so thin?" This made Cameron a bit unable to answer. After all, she was a girl. Although she was 5 feet 9 inches tall, she had a small frame and looked very slender. However, she was very strong. Under the wide hem of her school uniform, her abs and waistline were hidden. Bradley pushed the toast in front of her and said, "Eat more." Cameron said, "Thank you. You should eat more, too." After breakfast, Bradley handed Cameron a backpack. "There are food and water in it," Bradley said. "Thank you." Cameron directly put it on her back. Bradley held his own bag in his hand. He stared at the school uniform on Cameron and said, "You''re just going to wear the school uniform?" Cameron nodded. The eyes behind Bradley''s gold-rimmed sses narrowed slightly, but he didn''t say anything more. He just gave Cameron the wristbands and knee pads. The two went to the underground parking lot and each rode a mountain bike out. It took them half an hour to ride from Noble Vista to the foot of West Hill. Elijah had already been waiting there early. He was wearing a ck professional sportswear set and a safety helmet. His handsome face had a calm expression. When he saw Cameron and Bradley riding over, he waved to greet them. "Eli, you came so early." Bradley stopped in front of him, with one foot on the ground. Elijah nodded and said, ¡°I just arrived here." Cameron nced at the people around and said, "Austin hasn''te yet." Elijah was surprised and said, "Is heing too? With his poor health, how can he ride a bike?" Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Impatience Just as Elijah finished speaking, Austin''s coughing sound came from behind the three of them. "Sorry, I''mte." Austin was wearing a white sportswear set, which made his face look even paler. His short golden hair had a beautiful sheen in the morning sunlight. His appearance instantly attracted the attention of the people around. "He''s a mixed-race guy. So good-looking." "Wow, those guys are all so handsome." "I am so lucky today to see so many handsome guys today." Elijah stared at Austin and frowned. "Austin, can you take it?" Austin nodded firmly and said, "Don''t worry. I can do it." Bradley said, "Alright. Let''s set off." Taking the lead, Bradley, and the four of them immediately rode along the mountain road towards the top of the mountain. Going uphill was quite difficult, but because Bradley ex¨¦rcised regrly all year round, he rode very easily and firmly took the first ce. Although Elijah was devoted to his studies, he also set aside time for exercise every week. He followed closely behind Bradley. Cameron deliberately slowed down. Although Austin took vitamin pills, his body was really weak. As for why he was so weak, Cameron didn''t know. After riding for a while, Austin''s forehead was covered with sweat. Cameron rode beside him and asked, "Are you okay?" "I... Cameron, can we take a break for a while?" Austin said, panting. Cameron said, "We''ve only been riding for less than ten minutes." Then, she looked up at the road ahead. Bradley and Elijah were already out of sight. Austin pedaled hard and said, "Really? Alright, I''m okay. Let''s keep riding." But Cameron stopped and said, "All right. We take a break." "Thank you. You''re so nice." Austin stopped. He found a stone by the roadside and sat down. He took out a water cup from his backpack and took a big sip. Cameron stared at him and said, sessfully unlocked! at your body can''t stand such strenuous exercise. Why did you insist on joining us?" Austin''s amber eyes stared at Cameron and said, "I just want to get to know you guys better." Cameron raised her eyebrows and didn''t say anything more Austin asked, "Cameron, do you often ride a bike?" asionally Cameron said. "But you ride very well. I thought you had special training." Austin said. Cameron said, "I didn''t like sports very much before Austin said, "Howe did you want to go bicycling with Brad?" Cameron narrowed her eyes and thought, is he just making small talk or trying to get something out of me? A lonely expression appeared on Austin''s handsome face. He said, "Am I really bad at chatting? I''m just a boring person, just like my life Then, he looked up at Cameron and said sadly, "Cameron, you must have heard that! only have one year to live, right?" Cameron said without expression, The doctor who diagnosed you probably doesn''t have good skills. You should try another hospital "Thank you forforting me, Austin said Cameron was getting a bit impatient and frowned. "Austin, how about you go back now? Austin immediately stood up from the store, picked up his bike, got on it, and said," Let''s go, Cameron, I''m fine now Cameron didn''t say anything and just rode away Austin was a bit surprised by Cameron''sck of sympathy and then be was packed''s to why Xander, Elijah, and Bradley cared so much about Cameron Chapter 145 You Left Me Behind? Chapter 145 Chapter 145 You Left Me Behind? This time, Cameron didn''t wait around for Austin. She took off at her own pace, speeding ahead to catch up with Bradley and Elijah. Austin called out Cameron''s name until he coughed, but still, Cameron didn''t spare him a nce. In no time, she waspletely out of sight. Austin came to a stop, a mischievous grin ying on his handsome face as he thought, ''Man, Cameron is really something and way more interesting than anyone else in the dorm. Guess joining them for the ride today was the right call.'' Bradley and Elijah had been racing each other up the mountain when they realized Cameron and Austin were no longer behind them. So, they pulled over to wait for them. After quite a while, Cameron finally came into view, riding toward them steadily. *Cameron, where''s Austin?" Bradley asked. Cameron hit the brakes and said, "He''s not very strong, so he''s riding slow." With that, he just rode off again, rendering Bradley and Elijah speechless. Bradley turned to Elijah and said, "Eli, go on ahead. I''ll wait here for Aus." ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah replied and took off right after Cameron, but it wasn''t until he reached the top that he finally spotted Cameron. She was sitting on the ground, absently twirling a de of grass between her fingers. Cameron sat quietly at the summit, dressed in her blue Langford Academy uniform. Her short hair was tousled from the ride, and an empty water bottley beside her. Her eyes locked on the far-off horizon, and Elijah couldn''t tell what was on her mind from her expression. "How''d you get up here so fast?" Elijah asked, still catching his breath as he sat down and took a long sip of water. Cameron nced over at him. "Maybe you''re just too slow." Elijah had no words for her retort. He eventually sat down beside her and asked, "You look kind of off. Did you and Austin get into it?" Cameron gave a small shake of her head. "Nope." Then, she flopped onto the grass, using her arm as a pillow. She bit a de of grass. between her lips as she stared up at the bright sky. "Careful, you might get bitten by bugs," Elijah warned. Cameron snorted. "What, you think I''m a kid? Pugs don''t scare me." Sessfully unlocked! She always had a way to render Eljon ophes With that tone, he''s clearly not as fine as he pretends to be, Elijah thought. But since Cameron didn''t want to talk, Elijah didn''t push her. He simply sat beside her in silence, 312 Chapter 145 You Left Me Behind? gazing at the mountain''s base. ''I get the hype about hiking now. The view from up here, staring down at all the other peaks, is breathtaking,'' he thought. Time passed by them, and Bradley and Austin eventually made it to the top. Austin looked paler than usual. His health wasn''t the best, and the ride had clearly taken a toll on him. Bradley, on the other hand, was still full of energy. Bradley gave Austin a firm pat on the shoulder. "Aus, maybe sit out the intense rides next time, yeah?" Austin coughed, then said, "I''m good, Brad. I can handle it.¡± Seeing Austin wouldn''t back down, Bradley just let it go. Austin nced over at Cameron. She was still lying quietly in the grass, her eyes fixed on the sky,pletely lost in her own world, which pissed off Austin a little. After a short break, he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture-Cameron, Bradley, and Elijah all ended up in the frame. He posted it to his Instagram with the caption: [Today''s ride was exhausting, but totally worth it.] Xander was slumped on the couch at home, bored out of his mind. He''d been daydreaming about grabbing dinner with Milena, but of course, that didn''t happen. Absentmindedly, he scrolled through his phone...until something-Austin''s new post on Instagram-made him freeze. Xander''s eyes went wide in an instant, and he practically jumped off the couch. "What the hell! That''s so unfair. How could they go without me?" Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Cameron Isn''t A cker Xander was fuming and immediately mmed a video call over to Austin, who was caught off guard by the call. Holding his phone, Austin nced at the group and cleared his throat. ¡°Uh...guys, Xan'' s video calling us." Elijah looked up at him. "Xander?" Austin nodded. "Yeah. Should I answer?" Bradley said, "Pick up. Maybe he needs something.¡± Austin nced at Cameron, who remained silent, then answered the call with a smile. "What''s up, Xan?" "Where are you guys?" Xander demanded, his voice sharp with irritation. "We''re at West Hill," Austin replied. "What''s wrong, Xan? You seem pissed." Xander snapped, "You all went out without me? Trying to freeze me out or what? Just for that little punk Cameron, you''re all ditching me? "What did I even do? All I did was ask him to y basketball. Was that so unforgivable that you all had to leave me out?" Xander was like a firecracker-ready to go off at the smallest spark. But Austin had no idea what to do. Trying to smooth things over, Austin turned to Cameron and aimed the camera at her. Then, he exined, "Xan, you misunderstood us, seriously. We''d never leave you out on purpose. It just sort of happened,"/ Xander shot back, "I don''t care if it''s a coincidence or not. Just wait there for me, I''ming over right now." "Xan-" Austin started, but Xander had already hung up. Austin let out a long sigh. "He''sing." Elijah barely looked up. "Doesn''t really matter." Bradley shrugged. ¡°If he wants to show up, let him." The truth was, Bradley just wanted to go for a ride with Cameron. Austin and Elijah tagging along wasn''t part of his n, so if Xander came over now, it wouldn''t make a difference too. Cameron still didn''t say a word. Sessfully unlocked! Austin kept sneaking nces at her before finally walking over. "Cam, you okay? You''ve been quiet ever since I got here." Cameron looked at him calmly. "You''re overthinking it." 172 Chapter 145 Cameron Isn''t A Stacker Austin grinned. "Alright, just making sure." Xander said he wasing-and, sure enough, he did. About an hourter, he rolled up the mountain on his shy motorcycle. He yanked off his helmet angrily before he red at Cameron. "You punk, you did this. on purpose, didn''t you?" Cameron didn''t even flinch. She kept staring at the sky like he wasn''t even there. Xander stormed over to Cameron, all fired up. "Hey, punk, I''m talking to you. What? Are you deaf now?" "Xander." Bradley stepped in, nting a firm hand on Xander''s chest and pushing him. back a few steps. "If you''ve got a problem, take it out on me. I''m the one who suggesteding to West. Hill for a ride today, so if anyone''s leaving you out, it''s me. Be mad at me." Xander was caught off guard. He stared hard at Bradley-the alwaysposed, hard-to-read Bradley-and for a second, his anger cracked under the weight of something more raw. "You''re taking his side?" Xander questioned hurtfully. "Brad, really? Why are you defending him? You barely even know the guy. What''s he ever done for you?" Bradley said, "I''m not taking anyone''s side. I''m just being fair." "Xander, did youe all this way just to pick a fight?" Elijah frowned. Xander snapped, "And you, Elijah? What the hell happened to you? You''re always the one who can''t stand ckers, so why are you standing up for him now? You look down. on me, but you''ve got no problem with Cameron? He''s even worse." "You''re wrong," Elijah said calmly. "Cameron''s not a cker." Xander shot back, "Not a cker? He''s worse than I ever was. You''re such a damn hypocrite!" Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Throw Down Elijah''s frown grew deeper, "Xander, I''m only going to say this once more. Cameron''s not somezy cker, he- Elijah paused. He''d been about to speak up for Cameron, to clear the air finally, but Cameron, who had been quiet this entire time, cut him off. "Xander." Cameron slowly stood up, her face nk as she stared straight at Xander. "Yeah, I''m isting you. So what?" Xander couldn''t believe his ears. He couldn''t believe that Cameron actually admitted that. Seething, Xander ripped off his jacket and tossed it to the ground. "Alright, Cameron. Let''s settle this. You think you''re tough? Let''s see if you can back it up." "Xan, chill out," Austin cut in, trying to ease the tension, albeit he was coughing mid-sentence. "We''re all roommates. No one needs to start throwing punches." "Move!" Xander snapped, shoving Austin hard without a second thought. He wouldn''t dare mess with Bradley, but he didn''t care about the rest. With that shove, Austin hit the ground with a thud. He winced as pain radiated through his side. But even as hey there, his eyes sparkled with something close to satisfaction. This was exactly what he''d expected. But honestly, Xander had iting, and letting Cameron teach him a lesson sounded pretty good. Austin let out a couple of weak coughs, wincing as he sat up. "You alright?" Elijah asked. Austin managed a smile. ¡°Eli, I''m fine. Xan didn''t mean it." Bradley helped Austin to his feet, but his expression had gone cold. "Xander, that was way out of line." This time, Xander was dead set on throwing down with Cameron. He squared his shoulders and tightened his jaw. ¡°Brad, this doesn''t concern you. Stay out of it." He turned to Cameron with a challenging look. "Come on-just you and me. You got the guts?" Cameron''s expression didn''t change. "Come here." Elijah blinked as he thought, ''Wait, what? Is Cameron seriously going to fight him?" He was half a head shorter and probably twenty pounds lighter than Xander. There was no way this would end well. Sessfully unlocked! Elijah shouted, "Cameron, don''t do anything stupid!" "Shut up!" Xander barked. Chapter 147 Throw Bosch Cameron nced at Elijah. "Rx. He''s not going to win." Offended, Xander flew into a rage. "I''m not going to win? Oh, Cameron. Today I''ll show you just how good my boxing skills really are." Xander charged without hesitation, with his fist clenched and eyes locked on Cameron like a target, as he swung a punch right at her. With a smooth, practiced motion, Cameron shifted to the side to dodge Xander''s punch. In the same breath, she swept her leg low and clean, knocking his feet out from under him. Xander''s body mmed into the ground with a heavy, gut-punching thud, which was loud enough to send a nearby flock of birds scattering into the sky. t on his back, Xander stared up at the open sky, stunned into silence, wondering how he ended up on the ground. He was the one who threw the first punch at Cameron, so she should be the one injured now. Xander couldn''t understand how he was the oneying in the dirt. Xander was in total shock. Across from him, Bradley, Elijah, and Austin just stood there, too stunned to speak as well. Cameron looked so muchnkier and weaker than Xander, so no one had expected her to take him down so easily. Elijah stood frozen, staring at Cameron like he was seeing her for the first time. He wondered, ''Not only is he not a cker, but does he actually know how to fight too? Had he really kept all that under wraps just to get out of the engagement with Amelia? Next to him, Austin''s jaw dropped. A beatter, he leaned toward Xander. "Xan, you alright? Are you-hurting anywhere?" "Ow!" Xander finally snapped out of it, still lying on the ground. "Cameron, you''re done for. You hurt me, so pay up for my medical bills andpensation for my emotional damages, or I''ll have you thrown in jail." Cameron let out a dryugh. "Oh, really? Ever heard of something called self- defense, Xander? You might wanna look it up sometime." »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Self-Defense Chapter 148 Self-Defense "Self-defense?" Xander was caught off guard. Honestly, all that talk about sending Cameron to the police station was just a bluff. Cameron was way out of line, so Xander just wanted to rough her up to get her to tone down. But to his surprise, Cameron was not fazed by it at all. Expressionlessly, she said, "In Article 20 of the Criminal Law, if you vite my rights and I fight back-even if you get hurt-it''s still considered self-defense on my end. I don''t carry any legal responsibility. "Try reading something sometime, you know, other than gym schedules." With that, Cameron turned and walked off. Bradley was surprised. He was just about to say Cameron''s actions counted as self-defense, but she beat him to it and even managed to name the exact article. A look of pure delight shed in Bradley''s eyes at the revtion. Cameron hopped on her mountain bike and rode off, with Bradley hurrying after him. "Who are you calling a legal illiterate, you little punk?" Xander was so mad he almost exploded from rage. Elijah chimed in, "Cameron''s right, you really are all muscle and no brains. He basically called you out to your face, and you still have to ask if he was referring to you? "With your IQ, do you really think you''d get into Langford Academy if you weren''t from the Murphy family?" And with that, Elijah pushed off and rode away too. Xander sprang up from the ground and yelled, "Elijah, don''t run if you think you''re so tough!" Austin was trying so hard not tough that it was suffocating him. Xander shot him a re. "What are youughing at?" Austin coughed to cover up for himself. "Xan, I wasn''tughing." Xander snorted, "I''m not blind, you know." Austin quietly got on his mountain bike and followed the others down the hill. Xander was so frustrated that he could die. With everyone else already gone, he had no choice but to hop on his bike and ride down the hill too. Bradley quickly caught up to Cameron, and the two rode side by side. Going downhill was a breeze, so they barely had tosessfully unlocked to do was steer. Bradley asked Cameron excitedly, "You''re intow too?" Cameron nodded. "Kind of. I''ve read a few books about it." Chapter 148 Self-Defense Bradley grinned. "You really surprised me, Cameron.¡± Cameron smiled back. "Brad, being awyer is actually pretty tough. Are you sure that''s what you want?" Bradley nodded. "Of course. It''s been my dream job since I was a kid." "I believe you''ll make a greatwyer." "I believe it too." As they chatted, Elijah caught up to them. He said, "Cameron, don''t let Xander get to you." Cameron just shook her head, indicating that she wasn''t bothered at all by Xander. Soon, Austin caught up with them too. He looked pale and a little guilty. "Sorry Cam, this is all on me. If I hadn''t posted on Instagram, Xan wouldn''t have shown up, and you guys wouldn''t have gotten into it." Cameron shot Austin a look but said nothing. Then, without a word, she took off on her mountain bike, leaving him behind in a cloud of dust. Elijah fell back shortly after, unable to keep up. Only Bradley kept pace, riding alongside Cameron as they coasted downhill. Eventually, the two found a small restaurant at the foot of the mountain and stopped for a bite. They had packed lunches, but Xander''s drama had thrown all their ns off track. Honestly, today had been anything but rxing. Bradley said, "Looks like we''re calling it a day early. Cameron, I want to hit the mallter and pick up some clothes. Want toe with me?" "Sure." Cameron didn''t turn him down. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Just For Her Bradley brought Cameron to a shopping mall filled with high-end brands and polished storefronts. He confidently led the way in his sporty clothes, looking energetic. Cameron followed in her school uniform. Her small frame and delicate features made her look even younger than usual-like a high school freshman. Together, they looked more like brothers than friends. The sales associate beamed as they walked in. "Wee, you two look great. Looking for anything in particr? Who is it for?" "For me," Bradley replied. Cameron dropped into a plush seat in the lounge area. "I''ll wait here, Brad." "Alright." Bradley nodded. Cameron expected to wait a few minutes, maybe fifteen tops. Instead, an hour crawled by. She used to go shopping with Milena and their mom all the time. They''d always take their sweet time, and spending two to three hours in a store was totally normal. But she never expected Bradley to spend a whole hour picking out clothes, and it honestly took her by surprise. When Bradley finally returned with both hands full of at least ten shopping bags, Cameron was stunned again, thinking, ''Did he really need to buy that much all at once? Was Brad really that short on clothes?'' Bradley gave her a soft smile. "Thanks for waiting. Let''s go home." Back at Noble Vista, Bradley dropped the shopping bags onto the table in a chaotic pile. There were so many that they nearly buried the surfacepletely. He casually opened a bag, pulled out a white hoodie, looked it over, and suddenly frowned. "Crap." "What''s wrong?" Cameron asked. "The sales associate gave me the wrong size," he muttered, holding up the hoodie. Cameron nced at thebel, and it was an XL. Bradley was six-foot-two, and no way that was going to fit him. Bradley rummaged through a few more bags, frowning. "They''re all XL. Seriously?" "Just go exchange them," Cameron said. Bradley shrugged. "Toozy to both Sessfully unlocked! He stared at Cameron. "You''re so skinny, these should fit you, right? I really don''t want to go back and return them. How about you just wear them for me?" Cameron wasn''t clueless. She casually flipped through the shopping bags, and there Chapter 149 Just For Her were about eight sets of clothes for spring and three for summer. He''d even bought socks and men''s boxers, all in the wrong sizes. "Brad, you bought these for me from the start, didn''t you?" Cameron asked. Bradley grinned. "How''s my taste? Do you like them? If not, we can go exchange them." The truth was, Bradley had bought all these clothes just for Cameron. That morning, he''d noticed she was still wearing her school uniform, despite it being the holidays. He remembered she''d just cut ties with the Wace family. She was still just a student and probably didn''t have much money. So, he figured he''d buy her a few sets of clothes. Cameron looked at Bradley''s handsome, smiling face and, for a moment, didn''t know what to say. Her heart felt so, so warm. Brad treated her too well that she didn''t exactly know how to put his kindness into words. Seeing Cameron just staring at him in a daze, Bradley patted her on the shoulder. "Go try them on. If they don''t fit, we can exchange them, or just return them and get something else." Cameron took a step back. "Brad, thank you, but I really can''t ept this." Bradley sighed helplessly. "Cameron, it''s not like these are anything expensive. It''s just a few clothes, so there''s no need to make a fuss." Cameron said nothing. Bradley looked even more exasperated now. "How about this? Next time, you buy me a few? I promise I''ll ept them with an open heart." "Brad." For a moment, Cameron didn''t know what to say. She owed Bradley way too many favors, and she wondered, ''How am I ever going to pay him back in the future?'' 217 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Too Short Of Money "Alright." Bradley patted Cameron on the shoulder. "You''re a grown man, so don''t be so wishy-washy. Go try them on. My effort and money would go to waste if you don''t wear them." Before Cameron could protest, Bradley had already nudged him toward the master bedroom. He also helped carry over the dozen or so shopping bags. The door shut behind her with a soft click. Cameron stared at the mountain of shopping bags on the sofa, not knowing where to start. Just as Bradley wanted, Cameron went through them all, trying on each jacket and hoodie. Even the underwear was her size. Even though Cameron was a girl, she''d always worn boys'' clothes growing up, even down to the underwear. Once she''d checked everything, she slipped back into her school uniform and walked out. Bradley was lounging on the sofa, half-watching the legal channel. He looked up as she walked in, taking in the uniform with a raised brow as he asked, "They didn''t fit?" Cameron said, "They fit perfectly, Brad. You''ve got good taste." She actually thought she looked pretty good in them. Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Then why aren''t you wearing them?" "I want to wash them first," Cameron replied. Bradleyughed. "Right, I forgot you''re a bit of a clean freak." Cameron smiled. "It''s not that bad." As soon as Cameron sat down, Bradley put down the remote, stood up, and grabbed his phone. "Brad, are you heading out?" Cameron asked. "I need to go home today," Bradley replied. Bradley lived in Steerfall. It wasn''t that far-just over 60 miles from Viremont. Last week during break, Bradley had dropped her off at the mall before heading home. But now Cameron couldn''t help but wonder if he had dyed his trip this time because of her. At the door, while changing into his shoes, Bradley said, "Remember to lock the doors and windows. The security here is solid, so don''t worry. I''ll see you at school tomorrow." Cameron followed him, resting her hand on the wall and nodding. "Okay. Drive safe." Sessfully unlocked! Bradley smiled, then walked out the door. Cameron turned around, looking at the big, empty house. The only sound was the TV ying a legal talk show. Chapter 150 Too Short Of Money She sat down on the sofa, hugged a pillow to her chest, and stared at the TV screen. But her mind wasn''t on the show. It kept drifting back to the clothes Bradley had bought her. She let out a quietugh. It was all because she was too broke that Bradley thought she couldn''t afford to buy herself new clothes. All she had left was the 100,000 dors she''d gotten from Elijah-and now, it was already down to just over 65,000 dors. She really needed to figure out a way to make money fast. Cameron nced around the whole ce. She was still carrying a mountain of debt, so she wondered, ''What''s the best way to make money these days?'' Cameron got up, grabbed herptop from the desk, and opened her browser. Right away, a headline shed across the screen: [Serial killer still on the run. Police stumped. 350,000 dors reward for capture.] Cameron touched her chin, a slow smile spreading across her lips. ***** By the time Cameron got to school the next day, it was already five in the evening. Evening study didn''t start until 6:50. So honestly, she was pretty early. But as soon as she reached the boys'' dorm, she ran into thest person she wanted to see, Milena. The night beforest, Milena had texted her, but Cameron ignored her and just blocked her on WhatsApp.. She never expected Milena would actually show up at the dorm to ambush her, making her beyond speechless at this point. Strangely, Milena wasn''t yelling or picking a fight today. She was back to her fake- sweet routine, wearing a carefully staged smile. ¡°Bro, I finally caught you," Milena said in her softest voice. Cameron''s face stayed cold as she walked straight toward the dorm entrance. Milena rushed to block her path. "Cam, wait. Don''t go. I need to talk to you." "No time for that," Cameron shot back. "Cam!" Milena grabbed her arm in desperation. "It''s Mom. She really misses you, bought you some new clothes and wants you to try them on. Just to see if they fit." The sight of Cameron''s solemn face made Milena fume inside. If it weren''t for Xander, she wouldn''t be standing here taking this. Xander waspletely ignoring her now. Her only hope was to get Cameron into those girly clothes, snap a few pictures, and send them to Xander to get his attention back. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have wasted a second on this. Cameron was still pulling a long face, making Milena feel sick, but she had no choice Cheater 161 Too Short Of Money but to put up with it. Cameron yanked her hand away. "I don''t have a mom." The force made Milena stumble, and she smacked her forehead right into the wall. Her head buzzed, a huge bump instantly swelling up, and tears sprang to her eyes. But Cameron didn''t even nce at Milena. She just turned and walked off,pletely fed up with Milena''s endless pestering. Milena was the one who kept chasing her down, so Cameron didn''t see the need to be nice about it. "Cameron, you piece of trash!" Milena suddenly shrieked. The pain was too much for Milena. She totally lost it, screaming her head off without caring how she looked. The students passing by stared at her like she was crazy. Crying, Milena ran off, but she wasn''t about to let it end like this. It had taken her so much effort to get close to her dream guy, Xander, and there was no way she was giving up now. But Cameron just wouldn''t cooperate. Fine, if Cameron wouldn''t y along, Milena would just have to figure something out herself. She didn''t even have time to get her forehead checked out. She made up her mind that Photoshop would do the trick. She just needed to find a girl with a simr build to Cameron, swap Cameron''s face onto the model''s, add a beauty filter, and she would be done. But for her n to work, she prayed that Xander was just as blind as the other men, not knowing how to tell if a photo was photoshopped. Just as Milena expected, Xander didn''t notice a thing. She sent him two photos with a flirty caption: [Mr. Murphy, I went shopping today and found two dresses I like. Which one do you think looks better?] She''d grabbed two model pics from Amazon, dropped Cameron''s face on them, and smoothed everything out with filters. The result was stunning. Xander stared at his screen, totally mesmerized. He''d been in a foul mood after yesterday''s blowout with Cameron on the mountain. He''d even nned to confront her at school to settle their scores. But now, staring at the girl in the photo, who looked so much like Cameron, his anger melted away. He thought, Cameron is Milena''s brother. What am I even thinking? Why am I butting heads with Cameron in the first ce? Was I out of my mind?" Xander replied almost instantly. [Ms. Wace, both dresses look amazing. You''d look beautiful in either one.] Chapter 150 Too Short Of Money Milena was absolutely thrilled when she saw his reply. She felt pretty smug. It turned out she only needed a photo to get Xander wrapped around her finger. Milena: [Oh, thank you. I''ll just buy them both, then. I''ve got ss now, so talk now.} She knew exactly when to pull back, just enough to keep him wanting more. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Are Vitamin Tablets Tasty? When Cameron stepped into Room 316, the dorm was empty except for Austin. Austin looked up as Cameron opened the door. He had his usual little cough before he shed her a dazzling smile, lighting up his strikingly mixed-race face. "Cam." That smile could melt half the school if any fans were around. If any of his fans were here, they''d probably be screaming like crazy. Cameron didn''t even blink in his direction. She dropped her backpack on the chair, ready to head right back out. She still had dinner to grab, a library visit to squeeze in, and ss to catch. "Cam." Austin coughed and quickly stood up, stepping into her path. "You''re not still mad at me, right? I''m really sorry about yesterday. I didn''t mean for things to blow up with Xan. It''s on me." Cameron rested her fingers on the bunk bed, finally giving Austin a slow look. "Are vitamin tablets tasty?" Austin froze. For a second, he had no idea what she meant. Then he started coughing again-this time harder. He was coughing so hard he could barely breathe, his face turning pale. It wasn''t until Cameron pulled open the dorm door that Austin managed to ask weakly, "Cam, what are you talking about? What vitamin tablets?" Cameron replied, "Oh, I just suddenly felt like trying vitamin tabletstely, so I wanted to ask if they taste good. Have you had them before?" 1 ¡°Uh...I-I hardly ever take them," Austin said, still looking weak. Cameron nodded. "Alright, I''ll ask someone else." And with that, she left the room. Austin slumped into his chair, looking pale and pressing a shaky hand to his chest, thinking, ''That was close. Turns out it was just a false rm.'' He really thought Cameron had found out about his secret. Austin picked up the medicine bottle on his desk, which wasbelled as cough medicine. But he''d swapped out all the pills inside for vitamin tablets. He''d even sanded off the letters on each tablet, one by one, and there was no way Cameron would know. So, he concluded it was just a coincidence earlier. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron grabbed a bowl of pasta from the cafeteria and headed straight for the library. She had just settled into a quiet corner when her phone buzzed with a text from Xander. Chapter 151 Are Vitamin Tablets Tasty? Xander: [Cameron, where are you? You''re not in the dorm or the ssroom. Austin said you''re at school, so where are you?] Cameron nced at the message, then shoved her phone back into her pocket without replying. Momentster, more messages poured in. Xander: [Cameron, where are you? Say something.] Xander: [Hello?] Xander: [Where are you? Reply to me.] Xander: [Cameron, I have something really important to tell you. I''m ordering you to reply within one minute.] Xander: [Cameron, answer me!] Her phone wouldn''t stop buzzing, and she frowned in annoyance. Without hesitation, she blocked him on WhatsApp. When Xander sent another message, he saw only one tick next to his text. He had a hunch that Cameron had blocked him. His eyes widened in shock. "Damn it, that little punk!" Xander was still holding a giant bag of snacks he bought just for Cameron. He couldn''t wait until after evening study to give them to him, so he was going to hand them over now. This was the most he could do to take a step back and reconcile with her. And he had to because Cameron was Milena''s ''brother. Xander kept telling himself he needed to keep things, as there was no point in making things so tense-between them. If things got messy, he''d be the one stuck cleaning it 1. up. But he hadn''t expected Cameron to humiliate him like that. Left with no other option, Xander headed toward ss 35. Elijah was at his desk, calmly working through a practice test, when Xander called him out. Elijah followed, visibly annoyed. "What now?" Xander shoved the snack bag forward, ring at Elijah as he said, "Can you give this to Cameron?* Elijah nced down at the big bag of snacks in his hand. "What, are you here to apologize to Cameron?" Xander instantly exploded. "Apologize? Why should I apologize to him? He was the one who beat me up."/ Elijah replied, "You threw the first punch. He was just defending himself." Xander scoffed; ¡°Elijah, I didn''t think a straight-A student like you would actually take Chapter 151 Are Vitamin Tablets Tasty? Cameron''s side. After all, he''s a total cker in academics." Elijah shot back, "cker? Xander, maybe you should find out why the principal personally brought Cameron back after expelling him. If he''s a cker, then everyone at Langford Academy is also one." Xander was stunned. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Elijah said, "Go ask your aunt." Xander grumbled, "I can''t be bothered. Just give this to Cameron." Elijah was silent for a few seconds. In the end, he still took the shopping bag. After all, they all lived under the same roof, and it wasn''t like they could avoid bumping into each other forever. Now that Xander was trying to make peace, there was no point in turning him down. "Thanks." Xander let out a breath of relief. Elijah walked into the ssroom with the bag in his hand, which invited questions from his ssmates. "Whoa, Elijah. Is that from Xander for Cameron? Didn''t know you guys in that dorm were so close." "I always thought Cameron would have a hard time living with all those campus heartthrobs, but looks like he''s actually pretty popr among them." "Cameron''s good-looking too, okay? Living with them is no big deal for him." "I agree. Honestly, Cameron could totally be one of the campus heartthrobs. That''d make five at our school." Elijah didn''t say much. He just nodded here and there, listening to the conversations around him. He had a few tough problems saved up that he''d been meaning to ask Cameron about when she showed up. Cameron walked into the ssroom right on the dot. ss started at 6:50 PM, and she only strolled in at 6:45 PM. The first thing she noticed was a massive shopping bag sitting right on her desk. She blinked, wondering if she was seeing things. Sliding into her seat, she peeked into the bag, confused as she asked Elijah, "What''s this?" Elijah said, "Xander bought it for you. He felt pretty bad about what happened yesterday, so he sent you this giant bag of snacks and hoped you''ll forgive him." She tried to set the snacks aside, but the bag was so huge that no matter where she put it, it took up way too much space. With no other option, Cameron tapped the shoulder of the ssmate in front of her with her textbook. "Hey, want some snacks?" Cameron ended up sharing the whole bag of snacks from Xander with the entire ss. Chapter 151 Are Vitamin Tablets Tasty? All the snacks Xander bought were super expensive, and even though everyone here came from pretty well-off families, snacking together beat snacking alone. The mood lightened, and voices filled the space. "Cameron always looks so cold, but he''s actually really chill." "He''s good-looking and kind too. Amelia must be kicking herself for breaking off the engagement." Someone coughed, "Yeah, well...doesn''t hee from a pretty weak background? I heard the Wace family barely scraped into Langford. That''s why Amelia wasn''t interested in him." "Dude, you''re literally eating her snacks. Maybe zip it." Cameron didn''t react to anything they said. Thements floated around her like wind, heard, but meaningless. Elijah frowned and said, "Cameron, don''t take what they say to heart. Amelia''s the one who lost out." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, you''re right." Elijah slid his test paper over to her. "Can you take a look at these two questions?" Cameron was stunned. »Ø Subscribe Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Terrifying Cameron gave Elijah a mildly exasperated look, but took the test paper anyway and walked him through the two problems. When he finished, Elijah''s eyes lit up. "So that''s how it works. Cameron, you''re incredible." A girl in the front row blinked, thinking she''d misheard. She turned around, and there was Elijah, Langford''s top student, looking at Cameron like she just solved world hunger. "Wait, Elijah. Are you seriously asking Cameron for help?" she asked. "Yeah." Elijah nodded. The girl was stunned as she thought, ''Is he serious right now? He''s a top student, and he''s asking a cker for help?'' But since neither of them seemed interested in talking to her, she could only swallow all her questions. Just then, the bell rang, signaling the start of evening study. Brody, their homeroom teacher, walked to the podium with a grim look on his face. He pressed both hands against the lectern and said, "Listen up, everyone. There''s been a string of murders across Viremont. All the victims were high school girls, and so far, the killer is still on the loose." "The cops are offering a 350,000-dor reward for any leads. This is serious. Starting today, girls who go home after school must be picked up by a parent, preferably your father. Or bring a bodyguard, if possible. If you live on campus, you are not to leave school grounds for any reason." After a brief silence, the ssroom erupted into a storm of chatter. "Oh my god. Why are all the victims high school girls? That''s seriously creepy. Who''s this sicko?" "Well, they said it''s a serial killer, right? Of course he''s a total freak." "Ugh, I''m too scared to go home. My family''s bodyguard is basically useless. I doubt he could protect me. Can I apply to stay in the dorms instead?" "This is way too scary. I want to stay in the dorms too. Are there any rooms left?¡± "Quiet." Brody waved his hand. "If you want to stay in the dorms, give your names to our ss monitor, Elijah. Then, I''l''best the rooms for you." Sessfully unlocked! Brody''s words left all the girls in ss feeling on edge. But in the end, no one actually. moved into the dorms. They were scared, sure, but deep down, everyone was still hoping they wouldn''t be the next unlucky victim. They believed that stuff like this would always happen to others, but never to themselves Brody made a point to walk over to Cameron''s desk and knock on it with his knuckle." Cameron, don''t leave campus for the time being." Cameron smiled. ''Okay. Thank you, Mr. Graham." A gariughed and said, "Mr. Graham, Cameron''s a boy, you know." Brody replied, "Boys aren''t necessarily safe either." Elijah added, "It''s still safer to stay on campus, regardless." Cameron gave a small nod and said nothing more. After the evening self-study session, Elijah followed behind Cameron, about to ask Cameron if she wanted to head back to the dorm together, but in the blink of an eye, Cameron vanished. Elijah figured Cameron must''ve already gone back to the dorm, so he followed suit and walked back alone. Xander was already in the dorm when Elijah arrived. When he saw Elijahe back alone, Xander shot him a re. "Where''s Cameron?" Elijah shot back, "He''s not here? Maybe he went to the library, or grabbed ate- night snack at the cafeteria?" Xander grumbled, "I bought him so many snacks. Isn''t that enough for him?" Elijah replied, ¡°He shared all your snacks with the rest of the ss." Xander couldn''t believe his ears, thinking, ''That punk is disregarding all my effort to make peace. He better exin this to me when he gets backter. Right then, Xander''s phone rang, and it was a call from his dad, asking him to make a trip home. Xander had no choice but to grab his motorcycle keys and head out. But before leaving, he told Elijah, "Let Cameron know I''ll talk to him tomorrow." E Subscribe O Likes Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Still Not Back Yet Elijah nced at Xander, offering no response. But Xander took his silence as agreement. Without another word, he grabbed his keys and rushed out, heading straight for Murphy Manor. After a while, Austin came back. He looked pale, clearly still under the weather. "Eli," he asked quietly, scanning the room, "you''re the only one here?" "Yeah." Elijah nodded coolly. Austin''s eyes flicked toward Cameron''s empty bed, but he didn''t say anything. He sat down and let out a few soft coughs. More than half an hour passed, but Cameron still hadn''t returned. Austin muttered, almost to himself, "Why isn''t Cam back yet?" No one answered him. Elijah had a stack of practice problems for the SATS in front of him, but he just couldn''t focus. He kept ncing toward the dorm door. He wondered, ''Where did Cameron go?'' After a while, Bradley came back too. He noticed Cameron was missing and asked curiously, "Where''s Cameron?" "No idea," Elijah replied. "I''ll give him a call," Bradley said. "I''ve sent him a bunch of messages, but he hasn''t replied," Elijah added. Austin said, "Cam''s probably busy and didn''t see them." Bradley nodded and sat down at his desk, dialing Cameron''s number. "Brad." It took less than a few seconds before Cameron picked up. Bradley asked gently, "It''ste. Where are you? Things have been a little sketchy in Viremonttely, so it''s best if you don''t wander alone at night." Cameron said, "Brad, I''m with some friends. Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon." "Alright." Bradley hung up. Elijah nced at him, frowning slightly, then drapped his gaze to the paper on his desk, thinking, ''So Cameron didn''t reply to any of my messages...but picks up Brad''s call right away!'' ***** Sessfully unlocked! Night had fallen. The moon hung high in a cloudless sky, casting a quiet glow across the near-empty streets. It was close to midnight, and not a soul was around. A lone girl walked under the streetlights, dressed in a crisp white uniform. Her waist Chapter 153 Still Not Back Yet was impossibly slim, like it could be circled with one hand. Her legs, peeking out from under her skirt, were long, smooth, and straight. Her long hair fell perfectly straight, with neat bangs skimming her forehead. From the front, she had that soft, girl-next-door charm-pure and effortlessly pretty. With every step, her skirt fluttered, drawing attention to her beautiful legs. Even from behind, she was mesmerizing. She walked slowly, almost idly, as though the silence didn''t bother her. But somewhere in the shadows, a pair of eyes tracked her movements. Cameron kept her expression sweet and innocent as she walked slowly. Just as she sensed someone moving toward her, a loud, booming voice shattered the stillness. "Hey, little girl! What are you doing out thiste? Why aren''t you home yet?" Behind him, a group of patrolling officers appeared, and there were at least a dozen of them. She shed a sweet, innocent smile. "Officer, I''m not wandering around. I''m about to head home. My ce is just up ahead, and it''ll be fine.". Her voice was even sweeter than her looks. "It''s not safe out here at night, especially with everything going on in Viremonttely. We''ll walk you home," a few of the officers insisted,ing over to her. Cameron sighed inwardly. She could sense that whoever had been stalking her had backed off again. Cameron gave them a bright, innocent smile. "Sure, thank you." She strolled ahead for a little while, then stopped and pretended to dig out her keys from her bag. "This is my ce. Thank you, officers." "You''re wee," one said with a nod. "Go on inside, and try not to be out sote next time. It''s not safe." Cameron waved. "Okay, I got it." She turned around and pretended to unlock the door. Satisfied, the officers nodded and walked off, continuing their patrol. As soon as they disappeared from view, Cameron slipped over to the edge of a nearby flower bed. She sat down, gently swinging her long legs and began humming softly to herself. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 In Women''s Clothes Again A shadow loomed just beyond the streetlight''s reach, motionless for what felt like forever. The man had been watching her, his eyes fixed on her legs as his breath grew shallow. Temptation gnawed at him, and he couldn''t wait any longer. Quietly, he stepped forward, inching toward her. Then, without warning, she turned, and her gaze locked on him. He froze, knowing that Cameron had spotted him. He looked exactly like the kind of man you were told to avoid as a kid-middle- aged, unshaven, belly spilling out of a stained white T-shirt, and wearing dark pants that sagged with grease and grime. He hadn''t expected Cameron to look his way so suddenly, and he froze. But Cameron only smiled sweetly and innocently as she asked, "Sir, it''s prettyte. You'' re not going home too?" The man was caught off guard and just stood there, staring at her in silence. Cameron''s smile was just too sweet, and she looked too pure. For a moment, he wasn''t sure if he should keep going. She really didn''t seem like that kind of girl to him. Cameron asked again, "Sir, did you grab the wrong house key too?" As she spoke, she let out a disappointed sigh. The man only hesitated for a moment before heading toward Cameron, thinking,'' Damn it. Girls at this age are the absolute worst. They all deserve to die.'' He walked slowly toward Cameron, slipping his right hand into his pocket and feeling for the razor de inside. All he had to do was get close, press the de to her neck, and sh it hard. With that, she''d drop dead right in front of him. Just thinking about it made a wild, crazed look sh in his eyes. There was no turning back now. Having another victim die in his hands wouldn''t make much of a difference anyway. Cameron saw himing, and her lips curved into the faintest smile. But she still looked as sweet and harmless as ever. With a concerned look, she said, "Gin your eyes are all red. Didn''t you get any sleep?" Sess tracks to think, ''What a well-behaved The man froze again, suddenly in his girl. Maybe I should just forget it and pick someone else.'' But the very next second, he changed his mind. ''No, she has to die. She ran into me, so Chapter 154 In Women''s Clothes Again she can only me it on her rotten luck. He started walking toward Cameron again, his right hand gripping the de in his pocket even tighter this time. "Hey, little girl," he said with a fake chuckle, "it''s really not safe to be out here alone sote." Cameron tilted her head, her expression all wide-eyed innocence. "I grabbed the wrong key,¡± she said sweetly. "No one''s home, so I can''t get in." "Aww, poor thing," the man said, moving even closer to Cameron. His fingers curled tighter around the de, ready to strike the second her guard dropped. Then, the low growl of a motorcycle engine echoed through the street, getting closer with each second. The man was just about to make his move when he instinctively froze, thinking, ''No, I can''t let anyone see me. If someone spots me, I''m done for. I''ll make my move after the bike''s gone.'' The motorcycle shot past the two of them with a deafening roar, but it suddenly came to a hard stop with a screech. The rider sat still for a moment, his ck helmet hiding his face. Then he turned toward the girl sitting on the flowerbed and he widened his eyes in disbelief. "Ms. Wace?" He actually ran into Milena here. Right now, Milena looked nothing like she did that day. Back then, she was stunning and sharp-beautiful, but dangerous, like a rose full of thorns. Anyone who wanted to get close had to be prepared to bleed. But today, she was like a soft little kitten, begging to be protected. Even with the change in style, Xander recognized her immediately with just a nce from his bike. He thought he was indeed lucky to bump into Milena here. Xander hopped off his motorcycle in a sh. "Ms. Wace, what are you doing here? What are the odds?" Seeing Xander suddenly rush over, the middle-aged man made a quick getaway. Cameron was rendered speechless. »Ø Subscribe ? 0 Likes Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Rushing Toward Death Cameron''s face instantly dropped when she saw the middle-aged man making a run for it. She cursed internally, ''What the hell is Xander doing here now? He just had to show up and mess everything up. She was this close to closing in on the guy, and just like that, the 350,000-dor reward was slipping through her fingers. There was no way she was letting that happen without a fight. Shooting Xander a quick, irritated re, she sprang up from the flower bed and took off in a dead sprint after the fleeing man, Xander blinked in confusion as she ran. "Ms. Wace? Why are you running? It''s me, Xander. Don''t you recognize me?" As he jogged forward, he yanked off his helmet, assuming she hadn''t seen who he was because his face had been covered. But Cameron didn''t so much as nce back-she just picked up her pace, her figure vanishing around the corner in seconds because the man had vanished from her sight. Xander hadn''t expected "Milena" to just keep running. He froze for a second, then hurried after her, calling out, "Ms. Wace. Wait up, Ms. Wace!" But when he finally reached the corner, she was nowhere to be seen. Slightly out of breath and more than a little frustrated, Xander cursed under his breath, annoyed with himself for not chasing her the second she''d moved. If he had reacted even a second faster, he was sure he would have caught up. Tonight, "Milena" really did seem different-softer, lighter, but somehow even more beautiful than before. No matter what style she wore, something about her always made his heart skip. She was exactly his type. ***** Cameron tore through the streets after the middle-aged man, her steps light and precise. He nced over his shoulder, thinking it was Xander chasing him, and broke into a full sprint. He''dmitted more than a few crimes and had been in hiding for a while, so he was out of shape. No matter how many turns he took or corners he cut, Cameron stayed right on his heels. Eventually, he made a sharp turn sessfully unlocked find it led to a dead end. Chest heaving, he spun around, only to freeze when he saw Cameron already standing behind him. A slow grin spread across his face. "I''ve never seen anyone so eager to run to their Chapter 155 Rushing Toward Death own death." Cameron, perfectlyposed and not even out of breath, tilted her head with an innocent smile. "Death? Sir, what are you talking about?" The man didn''t hesitate and pulled a razor de from his pocket, holding it up. "You really haven''t seen the newstely?" Cameron blinked. "What news?" He let out a sharp, dryugh. "You''re actually serious? You really haven''t heard? Goodness, you''re even dumber than you look." Cameron looked at him curiously. "Sir, what are you doing with that knife?" He sneered, "What do you think? I''m here for your life." Cameron''s face instantly shifted, filling with terror. She hugged her arms around herself and took a shaky step back. "But Sir...I don''t even know you. Why would you want to hurt me? I only chased after you because I was worried!" "That''s exactly why you''re stupid," he spat. "Let me make this real clear. I''m the serial killer that''s been all over the news in Viremont." Cameron''s eyes lit up. "Really? So you''re the killer?" He stared at her, thrown by her reaction. "You''re not scared? You actually look... excited." She beamed. ¡°Sir, did you know the police are offering a 350,000-dor reward for your capture? If I turn you in, I get the money. How could I not be happy?" He stood frozen for a beat, blinking at her like she''d lost her mind. "You? Turn me in? That''s rich. You''ll be dead by morning, and I bet when they find your body, the bounty goes even higher." Cameron shrugged. "I''m not greedy. 350,000 dors is plenty for me." "Cut the crap!¡± the man snapped. With that, he charged at Cameron. As a grown man with a weapon, he figured taking care of Cameron would be as easy as it was with those other girls. However, he had never been so wrong about anything in his life before. »Ø Subscribe ? 0 Likes Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Crossdressing Pro The middle-aged man waved the de in front of Cameron, trying to look intimidating. The girls before her had all screamed and bolted the moment they saw him with a weapon. The more scared they were, the easier it was for him to take them down. He figured Cameron would be just the same. After all, she looked like the most innocent, delicate girl-someone who wouldn''t hurt a fly. But as he swung at her, Cameron calmly caught his finger between two of her own. He stared at her,pletely stunned as he thought, ''Did she really just grab my finger? Where did she get that kind of strength?'' His shock quickly turned to rage, and he tried to sh her across the face. But as soon as he moved, Cameron moved too-her thumb pressed down on the back of the de, and with a gentle push, the sharp edge sliced right into his own finger. A cry tore from his throat. "Ah!" Blood poured from the cut as his face went ghostly white from the pain. Cameron released him without a word, then slowly reached into her cross-body bag, pulled out a wet wipe, and began cleaning her fingers with quiet precision. Still writhing on the ground, the man red at her, face twisted in fury. "I knew it. It''s all fake. Girls your age are nothing but snakes. You act sweet, pretend to care, but you''re all liars!" Cameron crossed her arms, watching him coolly. "Oh, I see. A woman hurt you once, so now you go around killing others to get back at her? And tonight, I was supposed to be your next victim, wasn''t I?" "Damn it. You deserve to die. They all deserve to die. Everyst one of them. And you deserve it most!" the man screamed,pletely unhinged. His injured hand trembled, but the other still worked fine. He was convinced he could take her down, so he charged at her again. Cameron couldn''t be bothered to waste time on him. She lifted her leg and kicked him square in the jaw. The man flipped through the air and crashed hard onto the ground. His eyes went wide with shock. Blood filled his mouth as he choked and coughed, the blow clearly having done internal damage. He tried to get up, but the pain was so intense he couldn''t move at all. Sessfully unlocked! "You...you...you..." he stammered,pletely stunned. Cameron grinned, yanked off the wig, and revealed a head of short hair. He let down his rolled-up pants and pulled off the skirt on top. Chapter 156 Crossdressing Pro In a sh, the sweet, innocent girl from before had turned into a cool, handsome guy. The middle-aged man stared at her in shock. "You...you''re a boy?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. ¡°What, old man? Never seen a crossdressing pro before?" His voice dropped back into its usual low, androgynous tone, every trace of that fake sweetness gone. The middle-aged man was stunned speechless. Panic hit him, and he began crawling backwards, desperate to escape, while Cameron just watched him struggle in vain. Then she calmly took out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, is this the cops? 110? I just caught the serial killer from the recent cases. Just confirming...the reward''s still 350,000 dors, right?" The man froze again, then scrambled harder. Cameron gave the officer on the line the exact address, then walked forward and easily stepped into the man''s path, cutting off his escape. The middle-aged man looked up at Cameron. "Please, let me go? I''m begging you, just let me go, okay?" Cameron''s expression didn''t change. "Did those girls you killed beg you for mercy too? What did you do to them?" The man said nothing. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 157 Catent sses traffice weareriosa F wilsile mevad? danding fastes anos Barsface doebecae in. Of courset dres Smerte sean contornades for me Center Jones: Well go through the Bestmagan Thury home te" ande Where the car themet back to Canen. "Let me give you a re The use of Samsul noticed the Langford Academy we well as curfew Not wanting a doher the security guards, Cameron found a ang the wal''s genere dined over the wail and disappeared Chapter 157 Gotta Go Through The Process. ***** Xander had tried to catch up to Cameron, but she had vanished before he could even round the corner. He sat down on the edge of a flower bed by the street and started texting Milena. Xander: [Hey, Ms. Wace. It''s me. Why''d you run off?] Xander: [Ms. Wace, what are you doing out sote? It''s not safe out here.] Xander: [Did you make it home yet?] Xander: [By the way, your hair looked amazing tonight. It really suits you.] Milena was jolted awake by the nonstop buzzing of her phone. When she saw the WhatsApp messages from Xander, she waspletely thrown off. She couldn''t understand what he was getting at. She thought, ''What hairstyle is he talking about? Wait, did Cameron seriously dress up as a girl again just to flirt with Xander? That''s gotta be it.'' Milena was instantly wide awake, and she was now fuming as cursing internally, '' Unbelievable. I''ve been bending over backwards trying to keep things proper with Xander, and that shameless brat just swoops in wearing a skirt?'' It was driving Milena nuts. Still, she had to swallow her anger and text Xander back. Milena: [Sorry, Mr. Murphy. I didn''t recognize you earlier. My bad. I''m already home. And it''s prettyte, so I''m heading to bed. Good night.] She kept typing and deleting her text, worried she''d slip up. After fussing over it for ages, she finally sent the message to Xander. Xander''s mood, which had been weighing on him, finally eased a bit after he got Milena''s text. Then, he rode his motorcycle back to school. By the time he returned to the dorm, it was alreadyte. The room waspletely dark, but Bradley was still awake. Hearing the noise, he sat up and put on his gold-rimmed sses, calling out, "Cameron?" Hearing the voice, Xander instinctively nced at Cameron''s bed, only to realize it was empty. "Brad, it''s me, not Cameron. That little punk isn''t here." Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Don''t Have To Say it The moment Vender finished speaking, the sound of a key turning echoed through the The lock clicked, and a secondter, the dorm door opened with a soft creak Someone stepped inside, then quietly closed the door behind them. "Gemeron? Bradley called out gently in the dark Cameron prysed med step. Brad, you''re still up? "Yeah, I''m waiting for you; fradley replied Cameron was unsure how to respond, and soon, she spotted Xander standing not far sway She thought, Great, he''s back too The lights flicked on suddenly, flooding the room with a harsh brightness that made everyone squ Cameron frowned. "What are you doing? Elijah and Austin are asleep." Xander shot back, "They''re wearing sleep masks. What''s the problem?" Cameron had no words. It wasn''t like sleep masks blocked out all the lights. But of course, this scion would only think about himself Zander crossed his arms, ring at her. "It''s the middle of the night. Where''d you run off to instead of sleeping? Cameron was rendered speechless. She thought, And he still hadn''t figured out who I''d been tonight. Good thing. Because if he had, I might actually have to beat him up. She hadn''t forgotten that she nearly lost 350,000 dors tonight because of him. Cameron ignored Xander and headed straight for the bathroom to shower. "Hey You little brat. I''m talking to you. You-" Xander kept rambling, trying to follow Cameron into the bathroom. "Xander" Bradley called out with a frown. "It''ste. Let Cameron shower and get some fest. "Oh." Xander shrugged and finally stopped. Soon, Cameron came back out. Xander sat in the chair, still wanting to say a few words to Cameron, but she didn''t even spare him a nce. Muttering under his breath, Zander mouthed, ¡°Little punk," and stormed off toward the bathroom. Cameron climbed into bed, drew the curtain shut around her bunk, and settled in. Her head ended up just a dozen centimeters away from Bradley''s. On the other side of the thin divider, Bradley was half-lying down with his gold- rimmed sses still on, typing quietly on his phone. Chapter 158 Don''t Have To Say It A momentter, Cameron''s phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from Bradley. Bradley: [Cameron, if you don''t mind me asking, who were you with sote?] Cameron turned her head, ncing toward Bradley''s side through the gray curtain. After thinking for a bit, she replied his text. Cameron: [Brad, I don''t want to lie to you. I wasn''t with a friend. I went out for something really important. Is it okay if I don''t say what it was?] Bradley: [If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s fine. Just be careful at night. Goodnight.] Cameron: [Goodnight.] During the next day''s self-study session, Brody walked into the ssroom with a bright smile. "Good news, everyone. The serial killer was caught in the early hours of this morning. All of you can be at ease now." A wave of relief swept across the ssroom as all the girls let out a collective breath. "I was scared out of my mindst night. I made my dad bring all six of our bodyguards to pick me up." "Same here. I called every bodyguard we have at home. Thank goodness they caught him. No more hassle now." "Who caught him? That''s impressive." "Who else? The cops, obviously." The ssroom filled with soft murmurs as students chatted excitedly about the news. Brody raised his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down and start their own self- revision. Cameron sat at her desk, casually twirling a pen between her fingers. She was thinking about what kind of gift she should buy for Bradley to thank him once she got the reward. Once she had the money, she''d treat herself to a proper shopping spree at the mall, and this thought brought a faint smile to her lips. Just then, Elijah slid a test paper across the desk and gently tapped a question circled in red. He nced at her sideways and asked in a low voice, "What are you smiling about? Something good happened?" »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Enjoy Solving Cases Cameron looked at the test paper in front of her speechlessly, and the smile on her face disappeared in an instant. "Take a look at this question." Seeing that Cameron didn''t respond, Elijah reminded, Cameron raised her hand to support her forehead and said, ¡°Elijah, this ss isn''t for learning math now." Elijah felt a bit embarrassed and touched his nose, then took the test paper back. He said. "Then I''ll ask you after this ss." Cameron desperately took the test papers and solved all the problems Elijah just mentioned in silence. Noticing that Cameron was a bit unhappy, Elijah said, "Sorry, it was my oversight. I won'' task you questions during this ss anymore." Cameron propped her head on her elbow. She just nced at him and then opened the literature textbook and started reciting. Elijah looked at Cameron again. After a while, he looked at her once more. Cameron closed the literature textbook helplessly and said, "If you have something to say, say it now." Elijan pursed his lips slightly and asked in a low voice, "Cameron, why didn''t you reply to my messagest night, but you answered Brad''s call?" Cameron said, "I didn''t see your message. When Brad called, I happened to hear it. By the time I saw your message, it was already veryte. I was afraid of disturbing you, so Il didn''t reply. Elijan nodded and said, "Oh, then where did you gost night?¡± Cameron stared at Elijah. He had a clean but cold temperament, and his features were handsome with a bit of an untouchable sense of distance. During their school days, this kind of boy was very popr among girls. Cameron perfunctorily said, "But I don''t want to tell you." Elijah said, ¡°Alright." It was Cameron''s right. "Sc-"Cameron raised her eyebrows and looked at the literature textbook, and Elijah understood what she meant. Elijah lowered his eyes, and his long eyshes covered the disappointment in his eyes. He thought, if Brad asked, would Cameron also choose not to answer?'' Sessfully unlocked! At noon, Cameron took a taxi to the police office. Ryan greeted her warmly. ording to the procedure, Cameron made a statement and told the specific things Rivan grave Camera thund END ADD EVER I You C sone day? Cameron sait vaguely can contact Ryan.continued. On usually tales tea month for the revations to the recent Bioreftomer excentionally well the dia TROTEEN SO I Will be mastered me wea Cameron smiler and sad. Tra:ADL Ryan said "ts me all the team mentes and free of Neen thank wou ft went for you catching mine WILD LOVE WITCH mon have cost terrife." Cameron said Thats my tiny as a prizen Fan added On the onedas curiouSS EDIT VOL Inumaissss van conewer SCUTIDISSEDDIT WOL Wiren DD ADU Trave time? Cameron studi ter read and said tommes Fran momationitenta? Im stille sturen and font want to have sogeot Evan was taken atadi. This was a great morumy.to Canecor code one anoiss Rian ressected Camerons opmone footer and sad Okay Before leaving, Cameron ettepote under with Ryan Ranf free Besich difficut cases in the future you can call me if de Tay to Te After a cause Cameron said, The note the evan am Ryan was a dit speechless free the nwe meessed! Chapter 160 Chapter 160 I Don''t Get Music After the evening self-study, Cameron returned to the dormitory and at once saw the small white medicine bottle on her desk. Cameron, full of suspicion, walked over, picked up the bottle, and clearly saw the name of the medicine on it. It was a bottle of vitamin C. "Cameron, you''re back?" Austin''s smiling voice came from behind Cameron. Cameron, holding the bottle, turned around and said, "Did you give this to me?" A charming smile appeared on Austin''s face with a strong mixed-race look. He coughed and nodded, saying, "Didn''t you say you wanted to have some vitamin tablets yesterday? I got this from the school infirmary." Cameron stuffed the bottle into Austin''s hand, smiled, and said, ¡°I was just kidding yesterday. I appreciate your kindness, but you can keep it for yourself." Austin coughed for a while and put the bottle on Cameron''s desk, saying, "Cameron, I got this bottle of vitamin tablets for free from the infirmary. You can have it. Don''t be so polite to me." The school infirmary was open to all teachers and students for free. Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows and said, "Thanks." Austin happily said, "I wrote a new song recently. Do you want to listen to it?" Cameron refused, saying, ¡°No. I don''t know much about music.", After that, without waiting for Austin to say anything more, she took her pajamas and went into the bathroom. Austin smiled in the direction of the bathroom. At first, he was very curious about Cameron. He wanted to know what magic Cameron had that could make Bradley, Elijah, and Xander her friends at the same time. Now, he didn''t know why, but he just thought she was quite interesting, so he just wanted to get close to Cameron. Cameron estimated the time, took a quick shower, climbed onto the bed, and pulled up the curtain. Austin felt a bit disappointed. He still wanted to chat with Cameron for a while, but Cameron went to bed too early that night. Elijah came back holding the examination papers. When he saw the curtain of Cameron''s bed was pulled up, he opened his mouth but then said nothing. Sessfully unlocked! He looked at the examination papers, then at Cameron''s bed, and finally he silently returned to his own desk. "Elijah." Austin greeted him. Elijah slightly nodded, and Austin didn''t say anything more. Chapter 160 I Don''t Get Music On Austin''s desk was a piece of musicposed by himself. When Xander came back and saw that Cameron''s curtain was pulled up, he was also stunned for a moment and said, ¡°Is he asleep? So early?" Elijah frowned and said, "Keep your voice down." Xander rolled his eyes indifferently. When Bradley came back and saw that Cameron was already asleep, he just silently went to wash up and climbed onto the bed. He deliberately made his movements very gentle. After lunch the next day, Cameron went to the library and unexpectedly met Bradley. "Brad." Cameron smiled and then sat down opposite Bradley. Bradley was reading a book on advanced programming. "Are you also here to read?" There was a faint smile in Bradley''s eyes behind his gold-rimmed ss¨¦s. Cameron took a science fiction book and nodded. Bradley said, "Are you interested in this?" Cameron said, "I read a wide variety of books and just read a little bit of everything." While Cameron was speaking, she kept looking at Bradley. Bradley was wearing the school uniform, looking both mature and a bit youthful. Cameron was wondering what Bradley might becking. Seeing Bradley''s bare neck, Cameron thought she should buy a ne for Bradley. But generally, boys seldom wear nes, and they usually wear watches instead. So Cameron looked at Bradley''s wrist. At that moment, Bradley was wearing a ssic men''s watch of Patek Philippe, which was worth over ¨¢ million dors. Her reward wasn''t enough to buy a watch for Bradley. "What are you looking at?" Bradley couldn''t helpughing when he saw Cameron staring at him intently. »Ø Subscribe Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Candid Cameron shook her head and said, "Nothing." Bradley smiled and said, "You went to bed quite earlyst night." Cameron said helplessly, "It''s all because of Elijah.¡± "Elijah?" Bradley raised his eyebrows curiously. He looked a little curious. Cameron said, "He pesters me every day, asking all kinds of questions. It''s okay when he asks in the ssroom, but he doesn''t let me off even when we''re back in the dormitory." Bradley was a bit surprised and said, ¡°Elijah asks you for help with questions?" Cameron forgot that Bradley didn''t know she had good grades. She wanted to muddle through, but she didn''t want to lie to Bradley. After all, Bradley was so kind to her, and he was the first person who showed kindness to her since she was reborn. Cameron nodded seriously and said, "Brad, actually, my grades are quite good." Bradley said, "Are your grades better than Elijah''s? He''s the top student in the grade." Cameron smiled and said, "Not that much. But for some questions that he can''t solve, I can. For example, the math problem for which he offered a reward of three thousand dors." Bradley leaned forward slightly and said, "It was you? The person Eli has been looking for is you?" Cameron smiled and said, "It was me." Bradley suddenly became interested. He pointed at the book in front of him and said, " So, your hacking skills are great?" Even Bradley couldn''t figure out it was her. Everyone thought Cameron was a poor student, but it turned out that Cameron was good at studying. Cameron''s smile grew wider, and she nodded, saying, ¡°Not bad, I guess." Bradley thought she was being too modest. Bradley stared at Cameron with a smile and said, ¡°So, Cameron, you actually have good grades, know aboutputers, and also understand a bit ofw. What else don''t I know about you?" Sessfully unlocked! Cameron smiled and said, "A lot." Grow Bradley''s eyes behind his gold-rimmed sses betrayed lots of interest. "Tell me about it." Chapter 161 Candid Cameron propped her head up with her palm and said, "There are so many things. I don''t know where to start for a moment." Bradley was speechless. "Is this seat taken?" While Cameron and Bradley were chatting, a cold female voice sounded beside them. Cameron and Bradley had been smiling before. When they saw who it was, the smiles on their faces involuntarily faded. Under Amelia''s school uniform skirt, her beautiful legs were revealed. She had a high ponytail, wore a delicate light makeup, held aw book for freshmen in her arms, and pointed at the seat beside Bradley. Cameron was sitting opposite Bradley. There was an empty seat beside each of them. Amelia seemed to want to sit beside Bradley. Cameron didn''t even raise her eyes when she heard Amelia''s voice. Bradley politely looked at Amelia, stood up, and said, "There''s no one here." Amelia held the book, nodded slightly, and sat in the inher seat. Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows. Bradley reached out and ruffled Cameron''s hair, saying, "You sit in, too." Cameron looked at Bradley with a puzzled look. Bradley just lifted his chin, indicating that she should sit in. Cameron then moved to the inner seat and sat down. And Bradley sat down in the position where Cameron had been before. Now, Bradley and Cameron were sitting side by side, while Amelia was sitting directly opposite Cameron. Amelia slightly frowned and nced at Cameron. Bradley asked Cameron again, "Tell me, what else can you do?" Cameron propped her head up with her palm and motioned at Amelia with her eyes, saying, ¡°Brad, if we chat here, we might disturb others. How about we..." "Don''t worry, I''m fine." Amelia interrupted Cameron''s words. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes 212 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Something She Missed Bradley stood up and said, "We''ll definitely disturb you like this. Cameron, let''s change. our seats." The shrewd Bradley knew exactly what Amelia''s behaviors meant. He didn''t like an ambiguous attitude. But Amelia didn''t explicitly state her feelings. If he pointed it out, he would seem to be narcissistic. So he just tried to keep a distance. from Amelia. If Amelia were smart enough, she would understand. "Bradley." However, before Cameron could speak, Amelia said, "I have a question aboutw. Can I ask you for advice?" Bradley picked up the programming book and looked at Amelia coldly, saying, "Sorry, I''m busy now. Besides, I''m just a high school student. For such a professional question, I suggest you find a professionalwyer to answer it." After saying that, Bradley got up and left. Amelia''s face visibly showed her displeasure. Cameron sneered and waved at Amelia, saying, ¡°Goodbye, my ex-fianc¨¦e." This made Amelia even more speechless. Bradley and Cameron changed to a corner seat. Amelia held the book. With her pride, she wouldn''t follow them. It had taken her a lot of determination toe to the library to find Bradley today. She had always been ttered by others, including Cameron in the past. She had never been so humble. Cameron smiled at Bradley and said, "Brad, Amelia seems about to cry. Isn''t it too cruel for you to reject her?" Bradley deliberately put on a serious face and said, "Is it that funny?" "It is," Cameron said. She wasn''t gloating. She just felt that Amelia finally got what she deserved. Bradley said helplessly, "Justugh if you want.¡± Cameron stopped smiling and asked curiously, "You don''t like Amelia''s type? She''s beautiful and has a sexy figure. How can you not be attracted to her?" Bradley raised his eyebrows and said, "Do you like her?" Cameron said, "No, I don''t/" Bradley said, "Alright." Se Cameron asked curiously, "Brad, wuffifugared you like?" Bradley shook his head. "No idea." Cameron blinked. "How can you not know?" Chapter 162 Something She Missed Bradley shrugged. "Maybe I just haven''t found it interesting. I''m already an adult, but I''ve never really liked any girl before." Cameron nodded. Bradley asked curiously, "What about you?" Bradley remembered that thest time he asked Cameron this question, Cameron''s answer was that he didn''t like girls. Cameron said, "Anyway, not Amelia''s type." Bradley said, "Then why were you so attentive to her in the past three years?" Bradley hadn''t paid much attention to the matter between Cameron and Amelia, but he often heard people say that Cameron was Amelia''s simp. Cameron said helplessly, "The Wace family forced me." Bradley stared at Cameron''s fluffy head and reached out to ruffle it, saying, "Sorry." Cameron waved her hand indifferently and said, "It''s okay. I don''t care about it anymore." The two of them had a pleasant conversation. Amelia looked at them from a distance. She had never seen this lively side of Cameron before. On Cameron''s beautiful face, that was hard to tell male from female, there were expressions she had never seen before. There was even a bit of appeal in Cameron''s handsomeness, making others smile along. Bradley was outstanding both in appearance and temperament, and Cameron was no less impressive than him. In the past, Cameron had always been timid in front of Amelia. At this moment, Amelia actually saw the charm in Cameron. She wondered if she had been ignoring Cameron''s charm all along. Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 163 Give Me The Ball Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Give Me The Ball Amelia looked towards where Cameron and Bradley were, then lowered her head to look at thew book in front of her, and dropped her eyes. "Amelia." Skyler had been watching from outside for a long time, and finally, she couldn''t hold back and rushed out. She stared angrily in Cameron''s direction and said, "Amelia, did that trash Cameron mess things up? I knew it. Even though you two are no longer engaged, he still won''t give up. It''s really disgusting." "I told you to find a way to drive him out of school." Skyler gritted her teeth and said. Amelia frowned and said, "Skyler, I said I won''t try to drive Cameron out of school. Stop talking about it." Cameron hadn''t done anything. The fact that Bradley was distancing himself from Amelia was Bradley''s own decision. On the surface, he seemed gentle and refined, but in reality, he kept people at a distance. He was very straightforward when he rejected her, and Amelia didn''t understand what Bradley really meant. Skyler said speechlessly, "Fine, fine. Just let Cameron be. I bet your confession after graduating from high school won''t work either." "Skyler." Amelia was startled and red at her, saying, "Shut up.¡± This was the library, and they shouldn''t make a loud noise. Moreover, there were people around, and Skyler had casually revealed Amelia''s privacy. Amelia was a bit angry. She picked up the book and stood up, leaving the library directly. Skyler quickly chased after her. "Amelia, don''t be angry. I''m doing this for your own good. You asked Cameron for help, but Cameron actually refused. He really doesn''t know what''s good for him." "Whether he helps or not is only up to him," Amelia said coldly. "You''re just too kind," Skyler said speechlessly. Amelia didn''t say anything more and just left with the book in her arms. Skyler rolled her eyes and said, "To put it bluntly, you''re just stupid." ***** Cameron and Bradley didn''t leave Sessfully unlocked! Salmost time for ss. When they passed the yground, they happened to see Xander ying basketball with his teammates. Xander was sweating profusely, and his handsome and tough face showed a serious Chapter 163 Give Me The Ball expression. When Cameron looked over, he just made a three-point shot. The way he was serious made him look less arrogant and quite handsome, Bradley said, "There''s going to be a game soon, and Xander has been working hard during this time." Cameron just nced at Xander and then took her eyes back, not making any The two of them were walking towards the ssroom when a basketball rolled in front of them and rolled over Cameron''s white sneakers, "Hey, you, pick up the ball for me." A tall and thin teenager on the basketball court shouted. This young man was Tyrell, a member of the basketball team. Besides Xander, he was the best basketball yer on the team. Just as Cameron was about to help and kick the ball over, she heard Tyrell shout, "Isn''t this Amelia''s ex-fianc¨¦ Cameron? I heard that Xander invited you to be a substitute in the game against Horizon Academy, but you refused?" "He refused Xander definitely because he''s not good enough. Look how short he is. Is he even 5 feet tall? A man who''s not 6 feet isn''t really a man," he added. The other team members joined in the jeering, Cameron stopped the action of picking up the ball. She had originally wanted to do a kind deed, but now she didn''t want to help. Cameron ignored Tyrell and just stepped over the ball and walked forward. "Are you deaf? I told you to pick up the ball." Tyrell said unhappily. Although he hadn''t had much contact with Cameron, he just didn''t like Cameron. Because of Cameron, Xander actually looked down on the other elites of the basketball team and even invited Cameron to y in the game against Horizon Academy A basketball game wasn''t just about shooting. Subscribe Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Rule Your Man Chapter 164 Rule Your Man "What are you doing?" Tyrell was staring at Cameron with provocation. Suddenly, a pnded hard on his head. Xander lifted up his basketball jersey to wipe the sweat off his face. The eight- pack abs on his waist and abdomen that were revealed were quite eye-catching. He gave Tyrell a look and said, "Be polite to my friend. Pick up the ball yourself." Although Tyrell was unwilling, he respected Xander. So the expression on his face softened a bit, and he quickly ran in front of Cameron and picked up the ball. Tyrell coldly nced at Cameron. Although he respected Xander, he didn''t respect Cameron. He nced at Cameron disdainfully and ran away with the ball in his arms. Xander walked over and stared at Cameron and Bradley discontentedly, saying, "Why are you two always together?" They had gone cycling togetherst weekend without inviting him. Cameron and Bradley didn''t say anything. Cameron was toozy to answer Xander''s absurd question. She put one hand in her pocket and walked straight ahead. "I just got you out of trouble, and you''re ignoring me?" Xander frowned. Bradley said, "Cameron and I met by chance in the library." Xander waved his hand. He looked at Cameron''s back as she got further and further away from him and pouted. He had never met Cameron by chance. Then he didn''t think much about it. There was a gameing up, and he didn''t have the leisure to think about such messy things. But Bradley said seriously, "Xander, teach the people under you well. They don''t even know the basic respect." Xander said, "Brad, why do you always protect Cameron? You''ve been protecting him. since he moved into the dormitory on the first day." Bradley said, "That''s my business. Mind your own business." After saying that, he walked away. Xander was stunned. Tyrell walked over and hooked Xander''s shoulder, saying, "Boss, what are you doing? Beat his ass. Who does he think he is?" "Shut up." Xander said unhappily, "In this school, don''t offend Bradley. Do you understand?" "Why?" Tyrell was puzzled. Chapter 164 Rule Your Man Xander said, "I''m afraid you won''t even have time to regret it." Tyrell was extremely confused and thought, ''Is Bradley really that scary?'' Bradley quickly caught up with Cameron. "Cameron," Bradley called out to her. Cameron stopped and said, "Brad, there are only a few minutes left before ss." Bradley said softly, "Cameron, don''t take what those people said to heart. There''s no rule that a man has to be a certain height. I think you''re great just the way you are." Cameron looked at Bradley in surprise. He came there just tofort her, but she didn''t mind it at all. She wasn''t a man. Even if she were a man, a height of 5 feet was enough. And for a man, there were too many things more important than height. Cameron smiled faintly and said, "Thank you, Brad. I agree with you. I''m satisfied with my own height." Bradley let out a sigh of relief and said, "Okay, let''s go to ss." After school in the afternoon. Elijah called out to Cameron cautiously and said, "Can I ask you a questionter?" Since Elijah was refused when he asked Cameron a question, he had be very polite. Cameron said, "No." Elijah was stunned. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Keep Some Distance Chapter 165 Keep Some Distance Seeing Elijah''s disappointed expression, Cameron added, "I made an appointment with Austin. He wrote a new song and wants me to listen to it." Elijah was stunned for two seconds and then said, "I''ve been under a lot of study pressure recently, and also want to listen to some music to rx." Cameron kind of wanted to take back what she just said. Elijah asked, "Shall we go have dinner first?" Cameron said, "All right." The two of them went to the cafeteria for dinner. Right after school, the cafeteria was crowded. Cameron and Elijah sat together, and several of their ssmates were sitting not far away. Seeing Cameron and Elijah together, they couldn''t help but whisper. "I didn''t expect Elijah to get along so well with Cameron." "Yeah. Elijah has been alone for the past three years, but now he''s always hanging out with Cameron." "Fortunately, I know Cameron is straight. Otherwise, I''ll think they are gay." "Elijah is straight, too, okay?" Cameron had a sharp hearing and heard their whispers. She was eating a string bean and choked on it halfway. "Are you okay?" Elijah put down his fork and looked worried. "I''m fine." Cameron patted her chest. Elijah''s expression rxed a bit. He raised his hand and pointed at the fish soup on Cameron''s te, saying, "Drink some soup." Cameron didn''t move but said softly, "Elijah, can I discuss something with you?" Elijah picked up a fork and stabbed a piece of steak. "What is it?" Cameron said, "Can we keep some distance?" Elijah looked at her in confusion. Cameron nced at their ssmates diagonally behind and said, "Our ssmates are talking about whether we are... You know." Elijah still didn''t understand and said, "What?" Cameron said, "They said we are gay." This time, Elijah choked. He was so choked that his face turned red, and even his ears and neck were bright red. STOP The cane spotlight shore on AS dopted even more handson oene somona Unites sutience in wesemest tulionore most cois ered to Assing front took ke school music cessioon wees three wee hiis veel was indeed unto the standard of notting concen 7212 Chapter 166 Chapter 166 A Song For Cameron Cameron and Elijah walked straight towards the audience seats, immediately attracting the attention of Austin''s fans. "That''s Elijah. He''s so handsome." "Is the person beside him Cameron? He''s really handsome, too." "You''re right. I just realized that Cameron is quite good-looking." "I still think Elijah is more handsome. His cold and aloof temperament is really charming." "Don''t you think Cameron is cool?" "All right. I still think Austin is the most handsome. The way he ys the piano is just like the Prince Charming in my dream." The music ssroom was almost full, so Elijah and Cameron sat in thest row. Although being distracted, Austin quickly regained his focus. His slender fingers danced on the ck and white keys, and the beautiful notes spread to every corner of the ssroom. His fans became even more obsessed with him. Elijah sat upright, with a still indifferent expression on his cold and handsome face. He gave a fair evaluation, saying, "Austin ys really well." Cameron looked at him and said, "I don''t know you know something about music." Elijah nodded slightly and said, "I know a little. I started learning to y the piano at the age of four." Cameron nodded. Elijah felt it strange that Cameron was not curious about how well she could y the piano at all. Elijah felt a bit frustrated. Elijah turned to look at Cameron beside him. She was very close to him, and he could clearly see Cameron''s wless face. Although Cameron''s features were delicate and feminine, she was really handsome. Elijah had always thought that men didn''t need to care about their appearance, which was the most useless thing. But at this moment, he found Cameron quite pleasing. At this time, Austin finished ying a piece. Thunderous apuse rang out in the ssroom. Cameron also pped. Austin''s ying level deserved her apuse. Austin slowly stood up and bowed gracefully towards the audience. "Wow, Austin is so cool." Sessfully unlocked! There was a charming smile on Austin''s face with a strong mixed-race look. He looked extremely elegant standing in front of the piano. He was wearing a white outfit, just Chapter 166 A Song For Cameron like the Prince Charming in a fairy tale. Austin''s amber eyes looked past the crowd andnded on Cameron sitting in thest row. He smiled and said, "I''m very happy that my new roommate Cameron came to listen to me y the piano. It''s my honor. "I''m going to dedicate the next solo piece to Cameron. I hope you''ll like it," he added. After saying that, Austin bowed slightly to the audience in a gentlemanly manner. "Wow." Hearing Austin''s words, the girls let out an exmation and looked in the direction of Austin''s gaze at Cameron sitting at the back. Suddenly, she became the focus of the whole audience. Cameron was a bit speechless. At the same time, she was d that she was dressed as a man. Otherwise, the girls in the audience wouldn''t look at her so kindly. A hint of confusion appeared on Elijah''s handsome face and he said, "Didn''t Austin see me?" Cameron said, "It seems so." Austin sat down gracefully, slowly closed his eyes, and his long eyshes cast a shadow under his eyelids. His slender and beautiful fingersnded on the piano keys. The smooth and beautiful music filled the whole ssroom. Everyone tacitly fell silent. Cameron also slowly closed her eyes, and her fingers resting on her knees tapped gently to the rhythm. Elijah was slightly stunned and asked in a low voice, ¡°Cameron, can you y the piano too?" Cameron opened her eyes and said, "No." Elijah said, ¡°Well, you have a good sense of rhythm." Cameron said sincerely, "Austin ys really well." Her fingers couldn''t help but move along with the rhythm. 212 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Buy Her A Gift Elijah stared at Cameron and said, "It seems that you admire him?" Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows and said, "Everyone here admires him. What''s wrong with me doing the same?" Elijah slightly lowered his eyes. When Cameron came to Room 316, the first person she met was him, but now Elijah had be the one whom Cameron disliked the most. After Austin finished ying a piece, thunderous apuse came. After pping politely, Cameron nned to slip away. But Austin on the stage said again, ¡°Cameron, what do you think of it?" Cameron stood up, pped her hands hard, and said, "Good. Very good." Hearing her perfunctory answer, Austin was a bit.speechless. Cameron walked towards the door of the ssroom and said, "Sorry, Austin. I just remembered that I haven''t had dinner yet. I''m leaving now. You really yed very well." Elijah followed Cameron. When they reached the door, Elijah looked back at Austin. He didn''t say anything, but a yful smile appeared on Austin''s handsome face. A few dayster, Cameron received the reward from the police station. This money didn''t need to be paid in taxes, so a full 350,000 dors was credited her ount. Holding her phone, Cameron counted the numbers on it and couldn''t helpughing. Finally, she had the money to buy a gift in return for Bradley. She had epted Bradley''s earrings and was also living in his house. Although she had written an IOU, she had also reluctantly epted the clothes that Bradley bought for her. Cameron felt that she owed Bradley too much. If she didn''t return something, she would feel guilty. During the lunch break, Cameron rode a bike to the mall near the school. There weren''t many people in the mall at noon. With one hand in her pocket, Cameron walked straight into the men''s goods store. After thinking for a while, she still didn''t know what gift to buy for Bradley, so she decided to look around. Sessfully unlocked! After wandering around, Cameron Stant buy a gift. When she came out of the men''s goods store, she happened to run into the Wace familying out of the women''s designer clothing store opposite. Chapter 167 Buy Her A Cuft Martin said, "Millie, it''s your birthday today. You can buy whatever you like. We''ve already bought the clothes. Let''s go and look at other things. Buy whatever you like." "Yeah," Hendi said. "Dad, Mom, now that our family doesn''t have the Chapman family as a backer, you still spoil me like this. I''m so touched." "I work so hard to make money just for you to spend. It''s what I should do." Martin said. Milena said, "Dad, don''t worry. I''ve grown up. In the future, I''ll make sure you live a good life." Martin said, "You''re such a good girl, Millie." Martin, Heidi, and their precious daughter Milena were strolling around happily. Unexpectedly meeting them here, Cameron nced at them unhappily, turned around, and was about to leave, but was stopped. "Cameron," Heidi called out Cameron''s name in a hurry. Cameron didn''t stop and continued walking. "Cameron." Milena, holding a shopping bag, ran over quickly and blocked Cameron''s way. She shook the shopping bag in her hand. "My dear sister, it''s my birthday today. You remember, right? Where''s my gift?" Hearing this, Cameron said coldly, "Are you blind? I''m male. There''s no sister of yours here. Get out of my way." "Cameron, how can you talk to your sister like that? It''s your sister''s birthday today.¡± Martin stepped forward a few steps to stand up for Milena. It was Millie''s birthday today. Not only did Cameron, as a sister, not prepare a birthday gift, but she also had such an attitude. Martin clenched his fists. He wanted to hit Cameron again. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 No Way In the face of Martin''s anger, Cameron just sneered. Milena''s birthday had nothing do with Cameron. Heidi smiled and said, "Come on, Martin. Don''t be so fierce. Cam has always doted on Millie. Since she''s in the mall, she must be here to buy a gift for Millie." "Really?" Milena looked at Cameron expectantly. In the past, whenever it was her birthday, Cameron would prepare an exquisite gift for her. This year shouldn''t be an exception. However, Cameron''s bank card had been frozen by Martin, so she couldn''t afford an expensive gift. Thinking of this, Milena felt a bit disgusted. If Cameron''s gift wasn''t good, she wouldn''t want it. Cameron said coldly, "No way." Milena was stunned. That meant Cameron wasn''t here to buy a gift for her. She thought Cameron was really an ipetent sister, Heidi said in surprise, "Cam, you really don''t n to buy a gift for Millie?" Because of Heidi''s words, Martin''s mood, which had just calmed down, red up again. "Cameron, you''re really a bad sister." Martin almost gritted his teeth as he said this. "Are you lecturing me?" Cameron sneered and said, "Mr. Wace, it seems that you have a bad memory. We''ve already severed our parent-child rtionship. You have no right to do that." Milena said, "Cam, what are you talking about? That agreement you and Bradley got is not valid at all. Bradley is just a high school student and has no qualifications to be yourwyer. Moreover, he doesn''t even have awyer''s license." Cameron didn''t want to waste words with them. "If you''re interested, you can check where my household registration is now." After saying that, while the three of them looked at each other in surprise, Cameron left with a swagger. Heidi was slightly stunned and said, "What does she mean? Has she moved her household registration? Why don''t we know about it?" Martin said, "I''ll send someone to check it this afternoon." Milena frowned and said, "Dad, Mom, are we just going to let Cameron go like this?" Martin said, "It''s no use taking her back. Our engagement with the Chapman family has been called off." Heidi nodded and said, "That''s true. Cameron is of no use to us now." Chapter 150 kn Way Anyway, Cameron wasn''t their biological daughter. The Wace family had raised Cameron all these years just to make her dress as a boy to win over the Chapman family. Now that the Chapman family had cancelled the engagement, Cameron didn''t matter anymore. Milena frowned even more and said, "So, we''re just going to let Cameron sever the rtionship so easily? The Wace family has raised her for 18 years. Doesn''t she n to repay us at all?" Martin said coldly, "Millie, don''t worry. I''ll get back what we''ve given her, with interest." Milena smiled and said, "Let''s go. I still want to buy a bracelet. My wrist looks bare, and it looks terrible." Milena couldn''t stand the sight of Cameron living a happy life. Cameron, a girl, was living with the four most handsome boys in school. Milena was extremely jealous. Milena really wanted to expose that Cameron was dressed as a boy. In that case, Cameron would not only be kicked out of Room 316, but might also be expelled from school. However, if Amelia knew they had deceived her for so long, she would definitely cause trouble for the Wace family. Milena didn''t dare to act rashly, but she also didn''t want Cameron to be so satisfied. As long as Cameron was miserable, she would feel at ease. Cameron was really unlucky to meet Milena and her parents in the mall. She directly left the mall and took a taxi to another mall. After looking around, Cameron finally chose a gift for Bradley. This gift, which was worth 60 thousand dors, wasn''t expensivepared to what Bradley had given her, but it was very practical and there was a good chance that Bradley could use it. Cameron directly asked the staff to send the gift to the house in Noble Vista. She would give it to Bradley when she went back on the weekend. »Ø Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Elijah ys Guitar After the evening self-study ss, Cameron went straight back to the dormitory. As soon as she got to the door, she heard someone ying the guitar in the dormitory. It was a ssic guitar solo. The fingering sounded very skillful, and the timbre was also nice. Cameron naturally thought it was Austin ying. "Cameron." However, behind her, Austin called her name while coughing. Cameron turned around and looked at Austin''s pale face and asked, "The person ying the guitar inside is not you?" Austin shook his head and said, "No, it may be Brad." Cameron pushed the door open, and at a nce, she saw Elijah sitting on the chair, holding a ck wooden guitar and ying it. He was wearing a blue school uniform. On his always cold face, there was still no expression. His left hand pressed the chords and his right hand plucked the strings. The beautiful sound of the guitar flowed from his fingertips. Elijah cold temperament became artistic after he held the guitar. Paired with his handsome and delicate face, he looked very charming. If his admirers knew that their idol had this alluring skill, they would definitely be too excited to fall asleep. Cameron didn''t expect it to be Elijah. Elijah had told Cameron that he could y the guitar. But Cameron didn''t expect that Elijah would y the guitar in the dormitory. There was a bit of surprise on Austin''s handsome face with a strong mixed-race look. " Elijah, so you can y the guitar too. You y very well.¡± Elijah nodded politely at Austin. While ying, he looked at Cameron. Cameron understood what he meant and nodded, saying, "Elijah, you y very well." After that, she turned around and went into the bathroom. Elijah''s face clearly showed a moment of stunnedness. When Austin yed the piano, Cameron showed such an admiring expression. But when he yed the guitar, Cameron had such a perfunctory attitude. Elijah wondered if he didn''t y well, or if Cameron liked the piano but not the guitar. Elijah silently finished ying a song. Austin took in Elijah''s expression lightly sad his eyebrows and thought, ''So Sessfully unlocked! even Elijah thinks Cameron is special? Is he trying to please Cameron? That''s really interesting. Elijah was quite aloof and indifferent to everyone. Chapter 169 Elgah ys Guitar Unexpectedly, he would take the initiative to please Cameron. It was really interesting. Now this is really entertaining. After Elijah finished ying a song, he nced at the bathroom and silently put the guitar aside. Cameron came out of the bathroom, still wrapped herself withyers andyers of clothes. Austin sat on the chair and stared at Cameron. Austin was of mixed race. His mother was white, and he inherited his mother''s face. Austin looked handsome. However, Cameron was even more handsome than Austin. Cameron was definitely the most handsome boy Austin had ever seen. Moreover, Cameron also had wless skin. On top of that, his features were soft and striking, almost too pretty for a guy. In the future, Cameron could make a living just relying on this face. Austin suddenly asked with interest, "Cameron, which university you want to get into?" Cameron was holding a towel in one hand and drying her wet hair. She replied, ¡°I haven''t thought about it." Austin smiled and said, "Cameron think you can be a star. It''s such a pity that your face doesn''t appear on the big screen." Cameron was wiping her wet hair, and she stopped for a second. "Not interested." Austin was little stunned. Now, anyone with a bit of good looks would want to get a share in the entertainment industry. After all, it was extremely profitable. But Cameron wasn''t interested in it at all. That was rare. Cameron dried her hair and was about to climb onto the bed when she heard an angry voice. "Cameron!" Subscribe 0 Likes Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Mind Your Own Business Chapter 170 Mind Your Own Business Xander pushed the door open and stared fiercely at Cameron, saying, "Why didn''t you tell me that today is Milena''s birthday?" Xander only knew that today was Milena''s birthday after seeing Milena''s post on Instagram. The post Milena sent was only visible to Xander, and of course, the photo didn''t show her face. Cameron climbed onto the bed without hesitation and replied coldly, "I don''t have a sister." Xander''s anger grew stronger as he said, "Do you think I''m stupid?" Cameron directly pulled up the gray curtain, blocking Xander''s angry, handsome face. Elijah frowned and looked at Xander, saying, ¡°Xander, this is a dormitory, not your private space. Can you stop making noise as soon as youe back to the dormitory? Aren''t you embarrassed to keep disturbing others?" Elijah usually didn''t care about such things. But now, seeing Xander being so fierce to Cameron, he couldn''t help but stand up for Cameron. Xander was just looking for a way to vent his anger. He retorted to Elijah, "I''ll make a noise. Is there a problem?" Elijah said unhappily, "I suggest you change your dormitory." Xander said disdainfully, "Why should I change my dormitory? There are so many people in the dormitory. You''re the one who''s being fussy. Does anyone else think I''m making a noise?" "Austin," Xander looked at Austin and asked, "Do you think I''m noisy?" Austin coughed several times and didn''t reply. Cameron pulled open the curtain and said expressionlessly. Xander was stunned for a moment and said angrily, "When did you two get on the same side?" Both Cameron and Elijah were speechless. Cameron directly pulled up the curtain. She was too reluctant to waste time on Xander. Xander was obsessed with Milena and kept nagging her name all day long. Cameron felt a physical aversion when she heard the names of the three people in the Wace family. Elijah said coldly, "Unreasonable." He turned around and went into the bathroom. Xander sat down on the chair. He gave Cameron''s bed a fierce re, then opened WhatsApp and stared at the chat box between him and Milena. Xander edited for a long time before sending the message. Xander: [Sorry, I didn''t know today is your birthday. I didn''t prepare anything. Happy birthday.] Milena had been waiting for Xander''s message, and finally, she got it. After a while, Milena replied. Milena: [It''s okay. Thank you for your birthday wishes. I''m very happy to receive your wishes.] Xander: [Your brother didn''t even tell me it''s your birthday. I''ll definitely make up for the birthday gift next year.] Milena didn''t understand why it had to be next year. Clearly, Xander could give her a gift tomorrow. Although Milena thought Xander had low emotional intelligence, she certainly wouldn''t say that. Milena: [My brother is still angry with me. I forgot his birthday some time ago, so he didn''t prepare any birthday gift for me this year either.] Xander looked at the text in the screen in disbelieve and anger. He raised his head, looked at Cameron''s bed, and shouted at the top of his voice, "Cameron, you''re a grown man. Aren''t you being too stingy? "Just because your sister forgot your birthday, you not only didn''t celebrate her birthday, but also said you don''t have a sister. What a weirdo." That was what Bradley heard as soon as he entered the room. The wise Bradley knew what was going on from Xander''s few words. So Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and said, "Xander, it''s other people''s family business. You shouldn''t make randomments." Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Not Afraid Of You Xander was quite displeased that Bradley took Cameron''s side as soon as he entered the room without knowing what he and Cameron were arguing about. "Brad, you''re being too partial. Why are you criticizing me as soon as youe back?" Xander said with a disgruntled look. Bradley raised his eyes and nced at Cameron''s bed. Since the bed curtain was blocking the view, he couldn''t see anything. "Then why are you picking on Cameron as soon as you return to the dormitory?" Bradley said expressionlessly. Xander thought, ''That punk has iting. He''s going too far. Bradley stared at Xander and said coldly, "Xander, you''d better not be a jerk." Upon hearing this, Xander got angry instantly. Bradley was warning him, but Xander never thought Bradley had the right to do so. Xander pped the table and stood up, saying, "Bradley, don''t think I''m really afraid of you. Your family is powerful in Steerfall, but this is Viremont, my family''s territory. I''m not afraid of you." "Oh, really?" Bradley slowly took off his gold-rimmed sses, revealing a pair of long and sharp eyes. His sharp gazended on Xander''s face like a knife, causing Xander to involuntarily take a step back. However, he still didn''t admit defeat and said, "Yes. I''m not afraid of you." Bradley held the gold-rimmed sses and walked slowly towards Xander. Xander wondered what he was going to do. "Xander, forget it. We''re all roommates..." Austin, who had been staying neutral, couldn''t help but persuade him when he saw Xander''s anger. Xander quickly shouted, "Fine, for Austin''s sake, I''ll let it go." Then he took his phone and went to the bathroom. Austin just casually tried to persuade him and didn''t expect Xander to leave so quickly. It seemed that Xander was really afraid of Brad, but Austin thought Bradley was quite gentle and not scary at all. After Bradley slowly put on his gold-rimmed sses, his phone vibrated. He took it out and saw that it was a message from Cameron. Cameron: [Brad, thank you. But you don''t have to worry about Xander. He''s such an asshole.] Cameron didn''t even want to pay attention to Xander. The more attention she gave Xander, the more excessive he would be. Bradley: [Okay.] Cameron: [Good night.] Bradley: [Good night.] Xander stood by the sink for a while. Seeing that Bradley just sat at his desk and had no intention of pursuing the matter, he returned to his seat. Xander sent another message to Milena. Xander: [That bastard Cameron is really too much. Don''t be sad. I just gave him a good scolding. He didn''t dare to say a word.] Milenaughed and fell onto the bed when she saw this message. This was the best birthday gift she received today. As long as Cameron was pissed off, she would be happy. Milena replied to the message afterughing. Milena: [Xander, don''t be like this. Actually, my brother is very nice. He was just angry this time. I''ve already forgiven him. Can you forgive him?] Xander: [Milena, you''re so kind.] Milena: [Thank you. It''s gettingte. I''m going to bed. Good night.] In fact, Milena really wanted to chat with Xander, even if it was a long conversation throughout the night. But she knew the principle of stopping flirting at the right point. It was just appropriate to end the chat actively at this time. She wouldn''t be as cheap and disgusting as Cameron, trying to seduce Xander. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Kick Him Out Chapter 172 Kick Him Out Xander put away his phone and let out a cold snort in the direction of Cameron''s bed. He couldn''t figure out how that jerk Cameron could be the sibling of such a kind girl as Milena. That snort from Xander caught Bradley''s attention. There was no expression on Bradley''s handsome face, and he just stared at Xander quietly. Xander was instantly taken aback. Just then, Elijah came out of the bathroom, and Xander quickly went into the bathroom. ***** Early the next morning, Cameron suddenly received a note. She turned around in confusion and looked at Elijah, who had handed her the note. There was no change in Elijah''s handsome face. He motioned with his eyes at the note, indicating that she should open it and have a look. Cameron slightly raised her eyebrows and then opened it. Elijah: [Cameron, do you want Xander to move out of Room 316?] Just as Cameron was about to ask Elijah, Elijah pointed at the note, signaling Cameron tomunicate with him in writing. Cameron also wrote a note to him. Cameron: [Elijah, do you just want to drive Xander out of the dorm, or are you going to kick me out, too? Are we being too noisy and disturbing your study?] Elijah: [No. What I mean is that Xander always causes trouble for you. I think he''s disturbing your study. If you want, I can find a way to make him move out of our dorm.] Xander''s aunt was director of discipline, and his father donated thousands of dors to this school. Previously, Xander lost apetition with Cameron but yed dirty and moved back into Room 316. It wouldn''t be easy to make Xander move out. Besides, there were only a little over two months left until the SAT, and there was no need to make a fuss. Cameron: [He''s not affecting me. I don''t study in the dorm anyway.] Elijah: [It''s precisely because he''s in the dorm that you can''t concentrate on your studies.] Elijah: [Do you want him to move out?] Cameron: [No.] Elijah gave Cameron a deep look, thinking that Cameron probably didn''t want to offend Xander. After all, without Amelia''s help, Cameron wouldn''t have even had the qualification to attend Langford Academy. Now that Cameron had broken off the engagement with Amelia, Cameron had no backer and naturally didn''t dare to offend Xander. The Wace family had to be powerful so that Cameron could have more confidence. Elijah collected all the notes, tore them up, and threw them into the trash can. After the morning ss, Cameron was going to have breakfast. Elijah quickly caught up with her. Cameron put one hand in her pocket. The obsidian earring on her ear was very eye-catching, and she had a cool and leisurely aura. The aloof Elijah stood beside her. Although they had different styles, they both looked good. The ssmates passing by couldn''t help looking at them. ¡°Elijah is so handsome. The one next to him is handsome too." "That''s Cameron. I also think he''s handsome. There''s probably something fishy since he wasn''t in the school hunk selection?" "He is handsome, but he''s still a bit far from being the school hunk. After all, he''s not tall enough." Cameron didn''t care about the ssmates''ments at all. Her top priority now was to fill her stomach. Elijah and Cameron walked side by side. Surprisingly, then steps were in sync. People who have been together for a long time ho Sessfully unlocked! Elijah asked, "Cameron, can I ask what business your family is in?" Cameron stopped and said, "Why?" *but neither Cameron nor Elijah noticed this. Elijah said, "My family runs a hospital. If there''s a suitable project, our two families can try to cooperate." Chapter 172 Kick Him Out Cameron raised her eyebrows in surprise and said, "Really? Do you have the final say?" Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Cameron Smiled Hospitals were definitely one of the most profitable ces in the world. If the Walface family could really cooperate with Elijah''s family''s hospital, making money would be quite easy. Hearing Elijah bring it up on his own, Cameron was somewhat interested Elijah said earnestly, "I can talk to my dad about it." Cameron smiled and nodded. Seeing the smile on Cameron''s face, Elijah was stunned for a few seconds. When Cameron smiled, he was really handsome and charming, but the point was that Cameron had smiled at him During this period, ever since Elijah learned that Cameron was actually a top student and couldn''t help asking Cameron many questions, Cameron had not been very nice to him. At this moment, she had actually smiled at him. Cameron had also smiled at Bradley before, perhaps because Bradley had been helping her Elijah thought, is it really that easy to make Cameron happy?'' Elijah stared at Cameron and said, "I''ll try my best to persuade my dad." The smile in Cameron''s eyes deepened a bit more. ¡°Elijah, you''re really nice. Come on, what do you want for breakfast? It''s on me." Realizing Cameron was treating him to breakfast, Elijah couldn''t help but smile. He became more determined to contribute to the Wace family''s cooperation with his family so as to boost Cameron''s confidence. Elijah almost bounced while walking, and Cameron was in a pretty good mood too. Cooperating with the Moore family was not an easy thing. She had to think carefully about how to cooperate, with what project, and what kind of cooperation method would lead to a win-win situation. She even considered registering apany as the first step in building her own business empire. Suddenly, Skyler said, "Elijah." Skyler and Amelia were also going for breakfast together. Skyler didn''t expect to run into Elijah at the cafeteria entrance, and she happily came over. Amelia had no expression on her face and was very aloof, but her eyes involuntarily fell on Cameron. Cameron really seemedpletely different. He didn''t even bother to look at her now. Elijah''s cold eyes swept over Skyler. Out of politeness, he nodded. Skyler thought Elijah was being too cold, and the smile on her face immediately disappeared. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Cameron beside her. Skyler immediately vented her anger on Cameron.* Faggot Cameron is here too." In the past three years, Cameron had been hanging around Amelia, and naturally, she had been constantly ridiculed by Skyler. Skyler had forgotten the painful lessons of being counterattacked by Cameron a few times. She thought that Cameron was still the same person who could be bullied by her. However, before Cameron''s expression turned cold, Elijah spoke up first, "What''s wrong with you? Cameron didn''t do anything, and you''re insulting him right away?" Elijah frowned. Skyler opened her eyes in astonishment. Elijah was actually standing up for Cameron. She thought, ''Cameron doesn''t deserve Elijah''s protection! Cameron said expressionlessly, "Let''s go. Just treat her like a mad dog barking." Hearing Cameron calling her a mad dog, Skyler was furious. She pointed at Cameron and said, "How dare you goddamn faggot call me like that? I''ll kick you out of this school!" As a member of the Young family, Skyler thought t be bullied by someone like Cameron. Sessfully unlocked! to do was spend some money, but someone It would be easy for her to get the school to expeler like Cameron wasn''t worth her family wasting so much money on revenge. So she had been encouraging Amelia before. Now that Cameron was going too far, Skyler nned to take matters into her own hands and drive this trash out of Langford Academy. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Bullies Like Her Chapter 174 Bullies Like Her Cameron crossed her arms, her sharp, androgynous features unreadable as she sneered, "Yeah, I said it. I''m done ying nice-what are you gonna do about it?" Skyler froze for a second, clearly not expecting her to talk back. Her expression twisted with rage. "Fine," she snapped, "you''ll be expelled soon enough, just wait!" She whipped out her phone, fully intending to call her father. If she could get him donate another building, booting Cameron from the school would be a small ask. "Great," Cameron replied coolly. "I''ll be waiting." Skyler froze for a second, clearly not expecting her to talk back. Her expression twisted with rage. ''This arrogant jerk. Unbelievable. He''s like a cockroach-nothing phases him. Once that expulsion letter drops, let''s see how smug he still is.'' Beside them, Elijah''s expression turned icy. His usually mild features were sharpened by a sudden chill as he looked straight at Skyler. "What''s yourst name?" The question caught her off guard. For a moment, she stared at him, dumbfounded. Trying not to trip over her own eagerness, she smiled sweetly and replied, "It''s Young. Skyler Young." "Young...as in the Young family?" he repeated, like he was searching his memory. Then he shook his head. "Never heard of it." Skyler stiffened. That stung more than she''d admit. Sure, everyone at Langford Academy came from money, but within elite circles, there were tiers. And clearly, in Elijah''s world, the Youngs didn''t even register. Before she could recover, Elijah asked, voice cool and casual, "Does your family do business with the Moore family?" Skyler''s eyes lit up. "Yes! Of course we do!" Her family was in pharmaceuticals-an incredibly lucrative industry. That was where all her smugness came from. Most of her family''s pharmaceutical products were distributed through the Moore family-they were practically in bed with each other, business-wise. Her father, Mark Young, made it clear-if she could get on Elijah Moore''s good side, it would mean long-term gains for the Youngs. She''d been more than happy to try. Elijah was attractive, sessful, and heir to a legacy. What wasn''t to like? Elijah gave a short nod and then said tly, ¡°Listen carefully. If Cameron gets expelled from this school, the Moore family will cut all ties with the Youngs. Completely." Skyler froze for a second, clearly not expecting her to talk back. Her expression twisted with rage. ''What?! He''s serious? He''d really pull the plug on an entire business partnership because of Cameron?'' Sure, the Youngs benefited more from the arrangement, but it wasn''t like the Moore family came away empty-handed. ''Tanking that kind of deal-just for Cameron? Seriously?'' Even Amelia looked over, startled. ''So their rtionship really is that deep?'' Cameron blinked, also caught off guard. "Huh?" She looked at Elijah like she wasn''t sure whether tough or be annoyed. ''Was he actually serious?'' Elijah caught Cameron''s stare and nced away, clearly ufortable "Let''s go. We''re alreadyte for breakfast." There was only an hour between morning s Sessfully unlocked! sses They''d already wasted enough time on this nonsense. Without waiting for a response, Elijah turned and walked ahead, long strides eating up the distance. Cameron raised a brow but followed without hesitation. Chapter 174 Bullies Like Her As they walked, Cameron asked, "Why''d you do that for me?" Elijah paused for half a beat. "Because I can''t stand bullies like her." Cameron gave a slow, amused smile. "Really? So you''re just a noble soul with a strong moralpass? Or is there something else going on?" Elijah faltered. "That''s not it," he said quickly, slightly flustered. The truth was, seeing Skyler threaten Cameron had triggered something in him. He hadn''t even thought twice before stepping in-he just acted. As for why? Even he wasn''t sure. Subscribed Chapter 175 0 Likes Chapter 175 Starting A Business? Chapter 175 Starting A Business? Skyler looked like she wanted to protest-but didn''t dare say a word. There was no way she''d risk pushing Cameron any further. If the Moore family really cut ties with the Youngs, Mark would lose his mind. Or worse-take it out on her. She turned toward Amelia and snapped, "Why didn''t you say anything to help me?" Amelia shot her a cold look. "You dug your own grave. What do you want me to do? Skyler''s mouth opened...and then shut again. Later, at the cafeteria, Cameron stood with his hands in his pockets and said breezily, ¡°Elijah, since you helped me out back there, breakfast''s on me. Order whatever you want." Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Something light. It''s too early for anything heavy." He ordered porridge and a few simple sides. Cameron stared at his tray, unimpressed. She grabbed a waffle with a couple extras and pushed it toward him. "Here. You''re wee." Elijah didn''t hesitate-he took a bite, then nced over seriously, and asked, "When''s your dad free? I need to schedule a meeting with mine." He was serious. If the Wace family didn''t step up soon, they''d keep getting looked down on by people like Skyler. All it took was someone looking soft or "too pretty," and suddenly they were fair game. Cameron sipped her porridge slowly, already guessing what Elijah was trying to do-he wanted to arrange a business talk with her father, Martin Wace. Not gonna happen. She had severed all ties with the Wace family. Whatever they did now had nothing to do with her. She smiled. "Would your dad be open to doing business with me directly?" Elijah blinked. "What?" Cameron leaned back, tone casual. "I''m old enough now. I n to start a business of my own. Since we''re ssmates, I thought maybe you could introduce me." Elijah looked at her for a moment and then said, "I mean... I could. But what kind of business are you thinking of?" Cameron smiled. "Your family runs hospitals, right? I want to open a pharmaceuticalpany." Elijah raised an eyebrow. "You''re still in high school. My dad''s not exactly the easiest person to pitch to..." "I''m not asking you to pitch for me," Cameron replied calmly. "Just get me in the door. I''ll handle the rest." Elijah hesitated, but seeing, the confidence in her expression, he nodded. "Alright. I''ll talk to him this weekend." "No rush," Cameron said. "Let me prep first. I still have work to do." "Let me know when you''re ready," Elijah replied. Cameron gave him a quick "OK" sign. To legally start apany, she''d need to be a registered adult, and technically, she still had a ways to go before graduation. So for now, she''d focus on assembling the right people and saving more startup capital. Starting a pharmaceuticalpany wasn''t exactly a side hustle. After breakfast, they headed back to ss. Once they were seated, Cameron stretched ou Sessfully unlocked! "Come on, give it to me," she said. Elijah looked up. "What?" "The math problems, duh," Cameron replied. Chapter 175 Starting A Business? Elijah raised an eyebrow. ''He''s being unusually proactive.'' Still, he passed her a packet of advanced math problems. "Try these," he said. "Got it," Cameron said, heading back to her desk, uncapping her pen, and diving straight in. Elijah watched her quietly for a moment, eyes following the way she focused, brows slightly furrowed as she worked through the problems without hesitation. And at that moment, a thought crossed his mind. ''Maybe Amelia really had let something good slip away.'' Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 176 His Sister Showed Up Chapter 176 His Sister Showed Up Chapter 176 Chapter 176 His Sister Showed Up Chapter 176 His Sister Showed Up As soon as the lunch bell rang, Cameron spotted Milena waiting just outside the ssroom. ''Great. Just my luck! The moment Cameron saw her, her expression darkened. She pretended not to notice and kept walking. But of course, Milena wasn''t going to let her go so easily. 4 She had faked a stomachache and left ss early just to catch Cameron between periods. Earlier that morning, Martin had called her. He''d dug up something interesting- Cameron apparently owned a luxury property worth 15 million dors in Noble Vista. Noble Vista. Every homeowner there was a billionaire-or close to it. One of Milena''s ssmates lived in that neighborhood, and the pen she used for note-taking cost over a hundred grand. Where the hell did Cameron get the money to buy a house there?'' Fifteen million wasn''t pocket change. It had to be shady. ''Is she doing something illegal? Fine-whatever. But she''s doing it with the Wace family''s money. And what has she ever given back? Years of raising her, and not even a word of thanks. And now she gets to live like royalty?'' Martin and Heidi had told Milena to stop Cameron and keep her there-they were on their way. They wanted answers. "Cam! Wait up!" Milena called out, stepping directly into her path. Elijah nced over. "Is that your sister?" he asked. Cameron''s face was nk. "Never seen her before." Milena frowned. "Don''t be like that. Mom and Dad areing. I get that you''re mad, but can you at least hear them out? They said it''s important." "Get lost," Cameron said tly. Milena froze. Elijah narrowed his eyes slightly. Something about Milena didn''t seem like she was lying. He remembered hearing that Cameron had a younger sister-Xander had even mentioned them fighting over that girlst night. Still...they didn''t look anything alike. Cameron was sharp-featured and striking, while Milena looked, well, average. And Xander actually fought with Cameron over her? Elijah couldn''t make sense of it. Not wanting to get in the middle of a family issue, Elijah said, "I''ll leave you two to talk," and walked off. Some students nearby had paused to watch the exchange with curiosity. Cameron had no intention of engaging. She was about to walk away when a voice called out behind her. "Cameron!" Martin and Heidi had arrived, blocking her path. They were drawing too much attention. Cameron didn''t want to cause a scene in the middle of campus. "Somewhere private?" she said coolly. Heidi quicklytched onto the olive branch. "There''s a caf¨¦ nearby-nice and quiet. Let''s go there, Cam." She reached out to grab Cameron''s arm, but Cameron stepped away without hesitation. Sessfully unlocked! Heidi froze mid-gesture, hand awkwardly suspended in the air She quickly pulled it back, trying to cover her embarrassment. ''If I''d known she would grow into someone powerful enough to afford a multi- million-dor home, I would''ve yed nice a little longer, she thought. Chapter 176 His Sister Showed Up Cameron used to be so obedient. Now she was cold and distant. Martin didn''t say much, satisfied that Cameron hadn''t outright refused to speak with them. Milena, trailing behind, rolled her eyes. ''Seriously? Weren''t you just acting like you couldn''t care less about me? Now you''re being all cooperative just because Dad and Mom showed up?'' Cameron led the way, silent, while the three followed behind her. "Slow down a bit, Cam! Wait for us," Heidi called sweetly. Cameron didn''t even look back. Meanwhile, Elijah was in the cafeteria when he ran into Xander and a few guys from the basketball team. Xander nced around and immediately noticed who was missing. "Where''s that punk? Not eating with you?" He still hadn''t forgiven Elijah for siding with Cameron the night before. Elijah replied, "His parents and sister showed up." Xander bolted upright. "What? His sister came? Are you serious?!" Elijah simply looked at him without responding. Subscribed Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Where is The Money From? Chapter 177 Where Is The Money From? Elijah watched Xander rush out of the cafeteria, visibly confused. It''s just Milena. Why''s he acting like it''s breaking news?" She was wearing the Langford Academy uniform-same as the rest of them. If Xander really wanted to see her, it wasn''t like it would be hard. Still, Elijah gave a brief nod. "Yeah. She''s here." Before he even finished his sentence, Xander had already taken off. Elijah blinked. So did Tyrell and the rest of the guys. Ten secondster, Xander came sprinting back, grabbing Elijah by the arm. "Where are they? Where''s Cameron?" "They were at the entrance to ss 15 a minute ago," Elijah replied calmly, "but I''m not sure now." Xander rolled his eyes. "Useless." Elijah blinked. Cameron led the trio¨CMartin, Heidi, and Milena-off campus and down a quieter stretch of street. There weren''t many people around. Cameron shoved one hand into her pocket, that sharp, elegant face set in a look of pure annoyance. "You''ve got ten seconds," she said coolly. "Say what you came to say, or I''m out." Heidiughed awkwardly. "Cam,e on, this isn''t the ce to talk. Let''s go sit down in a caf¨¦, okay?" "Ten," Cameron replied, unmoved. "Nine." If not for the fact that she didn''t want to cause a scene on campus, she wouldn''t have bothered speaking to them at all. Heidi faltered. "Wait-" Milena frowned. "What''s that attitude?" Cameron''s stare was ice-cold. "What kind of attitude do you expect me to have toward a stranger?" Milena instantly choked on her next word. Martin''s face darkened. "Cameron, what the hell''s gotten into you? You think you''re hot stuff now? Don''t forget, if it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t have even made it this far!" "Funny-why didn''t you?" Cameron asked tly. Martin''s jaw clenched. When it came to throwing words like knives, none of the three were a match for Cameron. One sentence from her and they were already seething. Heidi quickly jumped in to smooth things over. "Cam, sweetheart, I know we''ve made some mistakes in the past-" "Oh?" Cameron interrupted, grabbing her phone casually. ¡°Like what?" Heidi, oblivious, answered without thinking, "Like...trying to force you into that surgery and marry Amelia. That wasn''t right. We realize that now." "And?" Cameron asked, eyes narrowing. Martin snapped, "That''s enough! Don''t push your luck." ''Parents don''t owe their kids apologies, he thought. Cameron''s voice was razor-sharp. "So, it was right to raise me as a boy just so you could arrange a marriage?" Heidi winced. "Cam, please don''t get upset. We know we were wrong, okay? But you''ve called off the engagement now. Can''t we just...let it go?" Cameron let out a soft, derisiveugh. ''Let it go? If only it were that easy!'' No one knew how much fear had haunted her growing up-how terrified she''d been of being exposed, of the Chapman family pulling out of the engagement. She''d wake up from nightmares, too shaken to sleep again, clinging to the edge of her secret. Chapter 177 Where Is The Money From? And in her past life, she had been exposed. She had been forced onto that operating table, had her chest cut open, reshaped into something not male, not female-just.....something else. A mistake she wanted to throw off a rooftop. ''Let it go? Sure. It was in the past, and it won''t happen again. But forgiveness is never part of the deal'' She wouldn''t take revenge. That wasn''t her style. She owed them for raising her all these years. But if they wanted to stir the pot again, she wouldn''t y nice. "Alright, Cam, now can we go to the caf¨¦ and talk properly?" Heidi asked, still smiling like everything was fine. "No time," Cameron said curtly, turning around. "Cameron! Stop right there!" Martin''s voice rang out. "I want to know-where did you get the money to buy that ce in Noble Vista?" He didn''t care who heard him anymore. Subscribed Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Didn''t Spare Her A nce Chapter 178 Didn''t Spare Her A nce Cameron let out a coldugh. "Wow. You moved fast, huh?" Martin repeated, "Where did the moneye from?" Heidi gave Martin a quick look, silently ming him for pushing too hard. She knew they had to be patient now. Cameron was already on edge-there was no way she''d open up if he came at her like this. Better to lead with emotion and then talk about money. Heidi softened her tone and smiled. "Cam, your dad just has a bit of a temper. He really does care about you, though." "Oh, I know," Cameron said, nodding. "He cares a lot about my house. Probably hoping to get his hands on it." Heidi flinched. Milena snapped, "Do you have to make everything sound so ugly? Everything you havees from the Wace family, okay?" Cameron blew at the bangs falling across her forehead. "You deaf? Or simply stupid? I''m not your family." Milena was speechless. "For the record," Cameron said coolly, "I''ve already severed ties with the Wace family. What''s mine is mine. Get it?" Martin scoffed, "Severed ties? That childish piece of paper? You really think that means anything?" "Oh? Then how about this?" Cameron pulled out her phone and hit y on a recording. "Like...trying to force you into that surgery and marry Amelia. That wasn''t right. We realize that now." Martin''s face turned a shade of crimson. He whipped his head around to re at Heidi. ''Useless. Absolutely useless.'' Heidi stood frozen, stunned that Cameron had baited her like that. "She used to be so na?ve... she thought. ''When did he be so calcting?'' Milena shouted, "You''re such a snake, Cameron! You were recording us?!" Cameron''s expression didn''t budge. "Yes, I am, so I guess...thanks for thepliment." And with that, she turned and walked away. "Cameron!" Milena shouted, unwilling to let it end like that. But Martin quickly grabbed her arm, his expression dark. They''d just handed Cameron a weapon-proof they tried to force her into surgery, proof they''d lied to the Chapman family. Either one could ruin them. if they tried to sue her under filial responsibilityws, the most they''d get would be a court order requiring Cameron to pay them a token pension once they hit retirement age-maybe a few thousand dors a year. Hardly worth the trouble. Thest thing they could afford was to provoke her now. If they wanted anything from him, they''d have to switch tactics. y nice. Make it personal. Martin''s face twisted in frustration. "Let''s go. We need to rethink this." "But-" Milena gritted her teeth, still unwilling to let it go. That house in Noble Vista-it was hers in her mind. The Wace family''s ce was a decade old. Most things in it were worn-out by now. Milena wanted Cameron out so she could move in. "Millie," Heidi said, forcing a calm tone, "go back to ss. We''ll take care of it, alright?" "Fine." Milena sighed and then headed back toward school. ***** Xander came charging across the school grounds, only to spot Cameron walking calmly back through the gate. His face lit up. "Cameron! Where''s your sister?" Cameron said nothing, walking right past him without even slowing down. "Hey, are you mute now?" Xander called, grabbing her shoulder. "Say something!" Cameron swatted his hand off with a re. "Touch me again and see what happens." Xander blinked. Chapter 178 Didn''t Spare Her A nce ''The hell''s his problem?'' He rolled his eyes and nced past her. ''If Cameron''s here, then Milena must be nearby.'' He turned on his heel and headed straight for the school gates. Sure enough, just a few stepster, he ran into Milena. Milena''s eyes went wide with panic. She froze in ce,pletely caught off guard As she scrambled toe up with something to say, Xander walked right past her, without even a nce. Milena stood frozen. Subscribed Chapter 179 Chapter 179 The Chaos In Room 316 Panic shot through Milena like a jolt of electricity. She hadn''t expected Xander to just walk right past her. ''Thank God.'' She risked a quick nce over her shoulder and then bolted toward the school gate like her life depended on it. ''Can''t get exposed. I cannot get exposed. Meanwhile, Xander stood out on the empty street, scanning every direction for a glimpse of the one person he''d hoped to see. But nothing. The excitement that had been pumping through his veins moments ago dropped into a pit of disappointment. He trudged back toward campus, scowling, and pulled out his phone to message Milena. Xander: [Ms. Wace, were you on campus today? Why didn''t you tell me? I came out to look for you, but you were already gone.] Milena stared at the message, her chest tightening. Just the way Xander had rushed out of the cafeteria earlier told her how badly he''d wanted to see "her." Not her. Her, as in Cameron-in a skirt. If Cameron ever dressed like that again, would Xander drop Milena like dead weight? ''What did she ever do to deserve that face? We share the same blood. So why did I get the boring, forgettable features, and she got that?'' Xander: [You''re not far yet, are you?] Still no reply, so he texted again. This time, Milena forced herself to respond. Milena: [I''ve already left. Let''s catch up another time.] Polite. Just warm enough not to seem cold. At least, that was what she thought. But on Xander''s screen, her message felt like a punch to the gut. ''She doesn''t like me, does she? She really couldn''t care less.'' His expression turned stormy. He mmed back through the dorm building and kicked open the door to Room 316. The noise startled Austin so badly, he fumbled the bottle of pills in his hand and dropped it. "Jeez-Xan," he coughed, "what the hell''s gotten into you?" Xander''s eyes swept the room like aser. "Where''s Cameron?" Austin blinked. "Cam? He''s not back yet." "You trying to pick another fight with him?" Elijah looked up from his desk, frowning. "Mind your own damn business, nerd," Xander snapped. "Go back to solving your equations." Elijah froze. He was usually the calmest one in the room, but this? Xander was seriously pushing it. Elijah stood slowly, his voice even. "Xander, I''m asking you to move out of Room 316. You''re disturbing the entire room." Xander let out a bark ofughter. "You? Telling me what to do? You think your rich hospital daddy makes you the boss of this ce? Go ahead and try. Let''s see if you can actually get me out of here." Xander was already on edge, and Elijah pushing back only poured fuel on the fire. Just then, a cold voice cut through the air behind them. "You wanna see?" It was Cameron. Austin''s head whipped around. "Cam-" He started shing warning looks, silently beg Sessfully unlocked! ''Wrong time, wrong ce, man. Get out of here.'' But Cameron nced at him and walked right in anyway. The second Xander saw her, he stormed over and grabbed Cameron by the cor. "You son of a bitch! You did this on Chapter 179 The Chaos In Room purpose, "Cam! didn''t Xan! Come you? Your 316 sister came to Except even as on, he said chill!" Austin guys, it, his school, and didn''t you say a damn "We''re all quickly. jumped in roommates here. Let''s word? You''re trying keep me from seeing her?" not kill each other over this!" eyes gleamed with a little too much interest. Like he couldn''t wait to see fists fly. His anxious expression didn''t quite hide the twisted thrill underneath. ''This just got fun." Subscribed JI 0 Likes Chapter 180 Had Enough Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Had Enough "Don''t you dare!" Elijah''s eyes widened as he rushed forward. But before he could even get close, Cameron had already taken Xander down. The moment Xander charged at him, yelling with enough fury to spit all over Cameron''s face, Cameron recoiled in disgust. Without hesitation, she grabbed Xander and mmed him against the wall. Xander''s face was now practically glued to it, his arms pinned tightly behind his back. He couldn''t move an inch. Xander blinked in disbelief. Austin stared, wide-eyed. ''Again?! First time was in West Hill, and now Cameron''s got him locked down again? He''s so lean, but that strength... This is amazing. Absolutely amazing." Even Elijah froze for a second. He hadn''t expected Cameron to be that fast-or that precise-but seeing that Xander was the one getting wrecked, he stopped himself from interfering. Frankly, Xander had iting. "Let me go!" Xander roared, struggling uselessly. Still pinning him with one hand, Cameron called over his shoulder, "Elijah, can you grab me a disinfecting wipe from the desk?" "Sure," Elijah replied, tossing one over. Cameron calmly wiped her face and then tossed the wipe into the trash. "Disgusting." Austin tilted his head. "Are you grossed out by Xan''s spit?" Elijah didn''t say a word. Cameron stayed silent, but that expression said enough. "You bastard!" Xander shouted. "Let me go! I swear, I''m gonna beat your ass!" Cameron tightened her grip. "Xander Murphy, I''ve put up with your crap long enough. I''m done." "Fine!" Xander growled. "Then let go and fight me, man to man." "I don''t fight idiots." Xander exploded. "IDIOT?! You called me an idiot?! You''re dead, Cameron! I''m gonna beat you so bad you''ll forget your own name!" "God, you never shut up," Cameron muttered. With a sharp twist, she yanked Xander''s arm. "AAAH!" Xander screamed. He slumped against the wall, howling in pain. "You''re annoying," Cameron said tly. "Get out of Room 316." She had originally tolerated Xander''s loud personality-after all, the SATs were only a couple months away, and dealing with a few disruptions didn''t seem like a big deal. But Xander? Losing it every few days? Completely unhinged? Not anymore. Cameron finally let go. Xander dropped to the floor, clutching his arm and moaning dramatically. Elijah stepped forward. "Don''t worry, Cameron. I''ll make sure he''s out of here." Xander scoffed, eyes zing, "You? Elijah, who the hell do you think you are?" Elijah''s expression darkened. Cameron stepped between them. "Don''t waste your breath on him. I''ll handle it myself." "You?" Xander sneered. "Please. You''re a loser Sessfully unlocked! your fianc¨¦e. You''re an embarrassment to men everywhere. And you think you can kick me out of Room 316. How darious." Cameron didn''t bother replying. She pulled out her phone and hit a contact, putting it on speaker. "Mr. Drake, this is Cameron." "Ah, Cameron, my boy!" William''s voice rang out warmly. "How''s the SAT prep going? Feeling confident?" Chapter 180 Had Enough "Actually, I haven''t been able to study at all, Cameron replied evenly. William''s tone shifted instantly. "What happened? Is something wrong?" "My roommate Xander''s too disruptive. I can''t focus," "Xander? Ms. Murphy''s nephew?" William asked, voice already cold. "I''ll have him out of there before dinner." Xander''s eyes went wide. Elijah blinked. Austin just sat there in stunned silence. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Getting Kicked Out The looks on Xander, Elijah, and Austin''s faces frozepletely. ''Wait, what? Did I hear that right?'' William had just promised Cameron that he''d have Xander kicked out of Room 316? There was no way ''Cameron couldn''t possibly have that kind of pull...right? As the three stood there in stunned silence, the call continued-loud and clear on speaker. "When can you make him move out?" Cameron asked casually. "I''ll have Ms. Murphy handle it immediately," William replied. Cameron gave a satisfied nod. "Thank you, Mr. Drake." "You just focus on studying," William said, warm and confident. "I''ll clear the way for you." The call ended. Cameron dropped her phone onto the desk and said nothing. Xander snapped out of his daze first. He stormed up to Cameron,ughing maniacally. "Hah! Are you kidding me, Cameron?" he sneered. "You seriously expect us to believe that? Call up some random guy, put on a little act, and now I''m just supposed to pack my bags? Dream on." Austin spoke up, his voice uncertain, "Actually...that really did sound like Mr. Drake." "Bullshit!" Xander snapped. "That didn''t sound anything like him. You need your ears checked." Austin mped his lips shut. Xander obviously didn''t know when to shut up. That smug, arrogant attitude instantly reminded him of someone back home- someone he would''ve loved to punch. Austin''s fingers curled into a fist, but he turned away discreetly. No one noticed. Elijah, on the other hand, didn''t bother hiding his disdain. "Stop kidding yourself, Xander. That was definitely Mr. Drake." He nced at Cameron. It made sense-William had invited Cameron back to school personally, on the condition that he''d aim for a perfect SAT score. If that meant kicking out a disruptive roommate, of course William would step in. Just as Xander opened his mouth to scoff again, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw the name-Tiana. His face paled. He nced nervously at Cameron before answering, "Hello?" "XANDER!" Tiana''s screech nearly ruptured his eardrum. She was usually calm, elegant, the very image of sophistication. But not right now. Right now, she sounded like she was ready to murder someone. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why are you bothering Cameron when you''re supposed to be in your dorm resting?!" she screamed. Xander blinked, frozen. ''Wait...what?'' "You little idiot!" she raged. "I just got reamed by Mr. Drake! I''ming straight to the dorm, and you better pray I cool down by the time I get there." Xander blinked, frozen. ''Is this seriously happening?'' Tiana-his calm, elegant aunt-just turned into an absolute banshee over Cameron? "Uh... Aunt Tiana," Xander said weakly. "I think your oiled the wrong numbe? "You just wait," she snapped and hung up. His face paled. Sessfully unlocked! He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "S-So...you really called Mr. Drake just now?" Cameron said nothing. Chapter 181 Getting Kicked Out Xander mmed a hand down on Cameron''s desk. "Hey! I asked you a question Cameron didn''t even blink. ¡°I don''t talk to people who don''t live in Room 316" His face paled. Subscribed 0 Likes 1 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 He Moved Out Tiana stormed into Room 316 in stilettos, fury practically radiating off her "You little brat! Are you out of your mind?" She didn''t hesitate-her patri smacked the back of Xander''s head with practices precision. Standing six-foot-two, Xander towered over her, but Tiana grabbed his arm and yanked him down so she could keep pping him like he was still five years old. She was livid. Xander might''ve had the height advantage, but he didn''t even try to push back. He blinked in disbelief, too shocked to speak. Even Austin and Elijah were stunned speechless. Who would''ve thought the graceful, elegant Ms. Murphy had this kind of fire in her? Tiana barked, "Which one''s your bed?" Xander raised a shaky finger and pointed at it. "That one." "Pack your things. You''re moving out of Room 316, she snapped. "What?!" Xander couldn''t believe it. ''Is she serious? She''s really kicking me out? He shot a re at Cameron like he was ready to kill. Feigning innocence, he growled, "Why?!" "Why?!" Tiana exploded. "I just got chewed out by Mr. Drake because of you! That''s why. Now move your ass!" "Fine..." Xander grumbled. He red at Cameron again before reluctantly dragging himself over to start packing. There was nothing else he could do, after all. As his eyes flicked toward Cameron, Tiana followed his line of sight and finally noticed Cameron standing there. Her whole demeanor flipped in an instant. Her face softened into a sweet smile. "Cameron," she said warmly. "I''m so sorry. I should''ve disciplined Xander better. He''s caused you trouble, but don''t worry- Il have him moved out right away. From now on, he won''te near you or disrupt you." Cameron stood politely and nodded. "Thank you." Tiana replied, still smiling, "It''s the least I can do." Xander, who was still stuffing his things into a duffel bag, muttered bitterly, "Why are you being so nice to him? I''m your actual nephew, remember?" "Shut it," Tiana shot back, ring at him. "Keep packing." Xander rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they stayed in his head. ''Unbelievable. Cameron really got Mr. Drake on his side? What-is he royalty now? Even Aunt Tiana is groveling like some suck-up.'' "Almost done?" she asked pointedly. "Yeah, yeah, nearly," Xander muttered, dragging it out as long as he could. But even stalling couldn''t dy the inevitable. Soon enough, his stuff was packed, and he stood at the door with a dark look on his face. "Now go," Tiana ordered, pointing. Xander rolled his eyes. "I''ll be back." "No, you''re not," Tiana said, annoyed. Then she turned back to Cameron with a smile. "I promise, Cameron, he won''t bother you again before the SATS. I''ll make sure of it." Cameron gave a small nod. "Thanks, Ms. Murphy Xander rolled his eyes again, but it didn''t matter. Sessfully unlocked! Tiana dragged him out of the dorm. The moment he was gone, peace returned. Chapter 182 He Moved Out Austin sighed in relief, "Wow... It''s so quiet." Even Elijah looked more rxed. Cameron pulled out a notebook and started jotting down a to-do list. If she was really going tounch her pharmaceuticalpany, she had a lot of prep to do. No half measures. High school was ending soon, and college would open up a whole new world of possibilities. Bradley returned just then. Spotting the empty bed, he raised a brow. "Xander moved out?" "He was too loud," Cameron replied without looking up. Bradley chuckled. "That checks out." Chapter 183 Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 183 Austin''s Other Side Chapter 183 Austin''s Other Side On Friday afternoon, right after thest ss of the day, Cameron sent a message to Bradley. Cameron: [Are you heading home today? Or are you staying at Noble Vista tonight? I''ve got something for you.] She had just stepped out of the dorm when she hit send. The door to the room opened, and she saw Bradley inside, packing his bag. At that moment, Bradley''s phone buzzed. He turned around, locking eyes with Cameron, and then nodded slightly before pulling his phone from his pocket. After reading her message, he said, "Sure. But I have to stop by the firm first. You go ahead-I''ll meet youter." Cameron nodded. "Alright." Elijah blinked. "Huh?" Austin nced up too. Bradley didn''t stick around to exin. He grabbed his bag and walked out the door. Austin watched the door swing shut, curiosity piqued. "What does that mean? You and Brad live together or something?" Cameron didn''t bother exining her personal life. She replied coolly, "Doesn''t mean anything." With that, she started packing her things as well. Austin gave a small nod and didn''t press the issue. He wasn''t Xander-he knew how to respect boundaries. If Cameron didn''t want to talk, then he had no business asking. Elijah, on the other hand, looked at Cameron thoughtfully. ''What exactly is going on between him and Bradley? They clearly share something-maybe a secret.'' But even though curiosity tugged at him, he said nothing. If Cameron wanted him to know, she''d tell him. Once Cameron was done packing, she gave a polite wave to the two still in the room. "Later. See you Sunday," she said. "Cameron," Elijah called, grabbing his bag and walking after her, "your family''s not picking you up? I can take you home." Cameron stopped and smiled. ¡°Thanks, Elijah, but I''m just grabbing a cab." Austin quickly chimed in, "Cam, want a ride? I''ve got my car." "Appreciate it," Cameron said, shaking her head, "but no thanks." She declined both of them and left the dorm, backpack slung over one shoulder. Elijah and Austin exchanged a look. Austin''s chiseled features curved into a teasing smile. "Eli, I think you care about Cam more than you realize." Elijah froze for a second. ''Care about him? Do I?'' He didn''t answer thement. Instead, he said simply, "I''m heading out." With that, Elijah turned and left the dorm. Austin stared at the door, rubbing his chin, an amused look ying on his face. But just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. And the smirk disappeared. He picked up, voice turning cold and sharp. "Yeah." "Sir, I''m parked outside your school," came a calm voice on the other end-it was Vincent, the middle-aged man assigned to watch over him. "Wait there. I''ming now," Austin said curtly. "Yes, sir," Vincent replied. Outside Langford Academy, a white Bentley was marked at c Sessfully unlocked! Vincent stood respectfully by the rear door, opening it as Austin E he. ¡°Sir," Vincent greeted. But Austin''s attention was fixed across the street. Cameron was surrounded by three or four tall, athletic-looking guys. She looked small inparison-and like she might be in trouble. Chapter 183 Austin''s Other Side Austin''s gaze lingered for a beat and then turned icy. Without a word, he ducked into the Bentley. "Drive," he said coldly. "Yes, sir," Vincent replied. Austin pulled a pill from his bag, popped it into his mouth, and chased it with a gulp of bottled water. In the rearview mirror, Vincent nced at him with concern. "Sir, you''re still taking that medication? It''s really damaging your body." Austin gave a bitterugh. "Do I have a choice? If I stop, I won''t make it." Vincent fell silent. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Sent By Xander? Vincent was quiet for a while before he finally spoke again. "Sir, you''ve been staying at school for quite some time now. Won''t Samuel start getting suspicious?" Austin let out a coldugh. "Suspicious? Of what? As long as I''m home, he sends people to monitor my condition. If I''m close to dying, trust me-he''ll know before I do," Vincent didn''t say a word, but his expression showed clear concern. Austin caught the look and frowned. "Don''t give me that face. I don''t need your pity." Vincent quickly responded, "Of course not, sir. That''s not what I meant." Austin''s voice dropped, calm and emotionless. "Don''t worry. This miserable, gut- churning life I''ve been living-hiding under someone else''s roof, terrified all the time-it''sing to an end." "I believe in your n, sir," Vincent said sincerely. Austin turned to look out the window. Across the street, he spotted Cameron, still surrounded by a group of towering guys. His lips twitched faintly. ''Hopefully, he''ll still be in one piecee Sunday. If not-what a waste.'' Austin turned away, eyes frosty. Then came the coughing-harsh, sudden, violent-thanks to that pill. He hacked into a tissue, crimson blooming across the white. Pale, ghostlike, and breathless-he looked like death warmed over. But Austin just stared at the bloody tissue, lips curving in a satisfied smirk. ***** Cameron strolled down the street just outside school, a backpack slung over one shoulder, one hand in her pocket, a Bluetooth earbud tucked into her ear ying something upbeat. Once she crossed the block, she could grab a cab and head home. Then, out of nowhere, four guys swarmed her. "Yo, isn''t this the loser Cameron? The one Amelia dumped?" one of them sneered. Leading the charge was Tyrell from the basketball team. Cameron came to a stop, calmly removed her earbud, and gave them all a t look. The rest of the group were familiar-also basketball yers. Clearly, they weren''t here to chat. "Dumped by Amelia and still got the nerve to show your face? Should''ve just offed yourself." "Dude probably doesn''t have the guts!" "Look at him! Pale as a ghost, built like a girl, barely five-night-doesn''t even look like a guy. It''s hrious!" They burst intoughter. Cameron kept her gaze on Tyrell, unfazed. "What do you want?¡± Tyrell cracked his knuckles. "Look at you, ying tough. You''ve got some balls thinking you can mess with Xan. Who the hell do you think you are?" His teammates jumped in right away. "You made Xan move out of Room 316! Seriously?" "You think you can take on the Murphy family with your background? You must have a death wish." "What, now that you''ve got Mr. Drake on your side, you think you''re untouchable?" Cameron''s voice cut through their noise like a de. "So...Xander sent you?" Tyrell snorted and stepped closer. "Please. Xan couldn''t care less about you. You''re nothing to him. But we couldn''t just stand by and watch you treat him like crap. Someone''s gotta teach you a lesson." Cameron shrugged. "Alright. Bring it on." Tyrell blinked. ''Wait, what? Why isn''t he scared? Shouldn''t he be freaking out right now-shaking, begging, offering to bring Xan back to Room 316?'' Chapter 184 Sent By Xander? Tyrell gave one of the guys a look, signaling him to go rough Cameron up a little. The guy rolled his shoulders and stepped forward, eager to throw a punch. They''d had it with Cameron. After all, Cameron''d embarrassed Xander. That meant she had to pay the price. They weren''t about to let that slide. But just as the guy stepped in, a sharp, cold voice rang out behind them. "What do you think you''re doing?" Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Amelia Stepped In The sudden voice of a girl cut through the tension. Tyrell and the others turned around to see a girl approaching them, dressed in Langford Academy''s uniform. Her long, sleek hair flowed like silk, and her stunning face was framed with cool detachment Her legs, long and slender beneath the skirt hem, carried her toward them with unhurried confidence. The boys, who moments ago looked like they were ready to throw punches, froze ce, clearly captivated. ''Damn. Amelia was gorgeous. Perfect face. wless body. Like the universe decided to flex a little She stopped in front of them, frowned slightly, and asked, "What exactly are you guys doing?" "I... We... I mean..." Tyrell stammered, backing up a couple of steps. Amelia ignored thempletely. Her gaze shifted to Cameron, sharp and curious. "Cameron, why are you just standing there? Weren''t we supposed to grab dinner together?" She arched a brow as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Cameron blinked. ''She is helping me? That...is unexpected'' Cameron wasn''t the type to turn down a timely rescue. Of course, she yed along. "Oh. Right, I almost forgot," she said and then casually walked over to Amelia. It wasn''t until the two of them got into the white Maserati and drove off that the boys realized what had happened. "Shit!" Tyrell cursed, jaw tight. "That brat got away!" Inside the car, Cameron sat quietly by the window, watching the streets rush past in reverse. "Just let me out up ahead," she said. "Thanks for stepping in." She turned to Amelia. "I owe you one." Amelia''s voice was calm. "You don''t owe me anything." She didn''t ask what happened back there or why Cameron had been surrounded. The truth was, Amelia still felt a sense of guilt toward Cameron. She''d once nned to use some pretty underhanded methods to force a breakup, even going so far as to bribe the school to expel her. If it hadn''t been for the engagement, she never would''ve done those things. Helping him now? It was the least she could do. Cameron smiled faintly. Whether or not she owed a favor-that was Amelia''s decision. But whether or not she''d repay it, that was hers. The Maserati turned the corner and pulled over. Cameron gave a small wave as she stepped out. Amelia sat in the car, watching as Cameron''s figure quickly disappeared into the distance. ''He really has changed...into someone unrecognizable.'' ***** Meanwhile, in Noble Vista... Bradley pulled into the upscalemunity behind the wheel of a ck Mercedes and immediately spotted three vaguely familiar figures arguing with the security staff. "I told you-my son owns property here! Why can''t we wait for him inside?" Martin Wace snapped. "This is how you treat family members of your residents? Open the gate or I''m filing aint!" They couldn''t wait any longer. Ever since they found out Cameron owned a fifteen-million-dor property in Noble Vista, Martin, Heidi, and Milena had been itching to a Sessfully unlocked! As soon as school ended, they''d dragged Miler.a over, (lead set on getting that house transferred to her name. After all, that house should belong to the Wace family. The security guards looked helpless. They had no idea who these people were, and Cameron wasn''t answering her phone. Chapter 185 Amelia Stepped In There was no way they could just let them in. The Mercedes rolled to a stop, the window lowered, and Bradley''s elegant, refined face came into view. "Mr. Saunders," one of the guards greeted him eagerly. ¡°Bradley?¡± Milena lit up in surprise and then quickly turned excited. ¡°Ask him! He knows my brother, and he knows us. Just ask if we''re really family." She looked at Bradley expectantly. The guards quickly filled him in, knowing that Cameron''s house had been purchased by Bradley. The two had to be close. "Mr. Saunders," one of the guards asked carefully, "are these people really Mr. Wace''s farmily?" Bradley didn''t even hesitate. "No, they''re not." ¿Ú Chapter 186 Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 186 Orphan Chapter 186 Orphan Milena''s eyes went wide in disbelief. ''Did I just hear that right? Bradley told the security guards we weren''t Cam''s family? Was he out of his mind? Martin and Heidi were equally stunned, about to argue when Bradley''s calm voice followed up. "Mr. Wace is an orphan. No parents, no so-called sister. As for these three-I''m sure you can guess what they''re doing here." The security guards paused and then quickly nodded. "Understood. Thank you, Mr. Saunders." Bradley rested his fingers on the car window, tapping the ss. "This neighborhood charges over a hundred grand a year in HOA fees. You''d better be able to guarantee your residents'' safety." "Of course, Mr. Saunders. You have nothing to worry about here," the security guard replied quickly. "Then exin to me," Bradley said, voice cool, "why scammers like this are still loitering at the gate?" "You''re absolutely right, sir," the guard said with repeated nods. Bradley rolled up the window, and his ck Mercedes quietly slipped past the gates into themunity. Martin and his family were left frozen in ce,pletely blindsided by what had just happened. Once Bradley was out of sight, the security guard turned back to them. "So, are you going to leave on your own, or do I need to drag you out? "You think it''s okay to pull this kind of stunt at Noble Vista? Want to exin yourselves to the cops?" Martin was so furious that his whole body trembled. "That man was talking nonsense! I am Cameron''s father!" Heidi snapped, "And I''m his mother!" Milena shouted, "I''m his sister!" The guard ignored them and spoke into his radio, ¡°Security at the front gate¡ª we''ve got a situation. Need backup to escort three trespassers out." Seeing that themotion wasn''t going their way, the Wace tr¨ªo had no choice but to retreat, humiliated. But as they left, their rage only deepened-once again, they pinned it all on Cameron. ***** Meanwhile, Cameron arrived at Noble Vista by cab. "Good afternoon, Mr. Wace," the guard at the gate greeted her warmly. He didn''t mention the confrontation that had just taken ce, for Bradley had called ahead to ensure they kept it quiet. Cameron nodded politely and headed inside. Not long after walking through the front door, she received a text from Bradley. Bradley: [You home?] Cameron: [Wait-how do you know that?] Bradley: [Sorry. I linked your front door to my system for security reasons. I''ll unbind it now.] Cameron was stunned. Cameron: [Where are you?] Bradley: [At home.] Cameron: [You went back to Steerfall?] Bradley: [No. I''m here in Noble Vista.] Cameron: [Wait-are you in one of the bedrooms?] Cameron naturally assumed Bradley was in her vi. She stood up to go look for him, but another message came in. Bradley: [Nope.] Cameron was super confused now. Sessfully unlocked! Bradley: [I bought a ce here a few days ago. You''re in Unit 6.1 min Unit 2. Want me toe over, or are youing to me?] Cameron was stunned. Cameron: [I''lle over.] Chapter 186 Orphan ''Guess bring you my gift, anyway." She dropped her backpack and wheeled out the gift she''d prepared, heading for Unit 2. When she arrived, she looked up at the massive estate in front of her. The ce spanned over 10,000 square feet, with five levels-three above ground and two underground-and easily worth more than 30 million dors. The front door was ajar. "Brad?" she called. "Come in," he answered from inside. Cameron pushed the gift through the doorway. Bradley came out wearing slippers, his expression curious. He looked at therge package behind her. "What''s all this?" he asked. Subscribed Chapter 187 Chapter 187 The Mountain Bike Cameron smiled, "It''s for you." Bradley blinked. She was pushing a sleek ck mountain bike. ''He is giving me a mountain bike?'' His lips curled slightly with surprise and amusement. No matter what it was, getting a gift always lifted one''s mood. But that model...that brand...was expensive. Where had Cameron gotten the money? Seeing Bradley''s frown, Cameron paused. "You don''t like it?" she asked, a little unsure. She''d spent a small fortune on this. Bradley was into fitness and biking-she figured he''d actually use it. Bradley''s smile softened. "No, I do. It''s great. Must''ve cost a lot?" Cameron held the handlebars and replied casually, "Yeah, for me it was pricey. But for you, it''s probably nothing." Bradley didn''t beat around the bush. "How much?" "Sixty thousand," Cameron said. Bradley stared at her. ''Sixty grand? Seriously? He spent sixty thousand dors-probably most of what he has-on a bike? For me? Is that from the hundred grand he earned tutoring Elijah?'' He took the bike from her and gave it a test ride in the courtyard, adjusting his gold-rimmed sses as he came to a stop. " Not bad," he said, genuinely impressed. "I''m d you like it," Cameron smiled. "I do." He nodded. Bradley parked the bike neatly in the manicured courtyard, the green hedges trimmed into crisp geometric shapes. "Come inside," he said, motioning her toward the house. Cameron followed him into the vi''s living room. If her vi was already considered extravagant, then Bradley''s new vi was a whole different level-pure luxury. "Sit," Bradley offered, cing a cup of perfectly warm coffee in front of her. "Thanks." Cameron sat down and asked, "Why''d you buy another house here? Didn''t you say mine was just sitting empty?" ''Did he have to buy this ce because he gave me the old one?'' Bradley nodded. "Yeah, your house was sitting empty. I usually stay at the one near my firm. I bought this one because..." He nced at her. "I wanted to be your neighbor." Cameron froze. ''He spent that kind of money-just to live nearby?'' Bradley sipped his coffee and then asked, "So why the mountain bike?" Cameron answered honestly, "I owe you a lot. I figured I should give something back." Bradley gave a soft sigh. "Didn''t mean to make you feel indebted." From his perspective, it wasn''t a big deal. Cameron gave a vague nod. Debts between people weren''t always about money. And they were the hardest to repay. Bradley looked out toward the courtyard. "Do you have the receipt for the bike?" Cameron blinked but nodded. "Yeah. You want it?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah, I need to register it with the 104" "I''ll go grab it," Cameron said, already on her fe Sessfully unlocked! He didn''t stop her. Once she was out of sight, he stepped into the yard and walked around the bike, inspecting it from every angle. ''Sixty thousand dors-for this? That''s nearly all the money he has.'' Chapter 187 The Mountain Bike Bradley exhaled and shook his head. A few minutester, Cameron returned with the receipt and handed it over. Bradley gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Sit tight," he said. "I''ll call someone from property management." Cameron nodded again. A short whileter, the HOA staff arrived. Bradley spoke with them briefly in the courtyard and then handed over the receipt. They wheeled the bike away for registration. Back in the living room, Bradley checked his watch. "It''s almost dinner. What do you feel like eating?" he asked. Subscribed Chapter 188 Chapter 188 The Bike Got Returned Cameron asked, "Do you have any groceries in the fridge?" Bradley raised a brow. "You cook?" She nodded. "Kinda." Bradley stood and headed to the kitchen. He opened the fridge to reveal shelves packed with fresh ingredients. "The housekeeper stocked it. Think you can work with this?" Then, after a short pause, he added, "Actually, why don''t we just eat out? Or I can call the chef from across the street. No need to go through the trouble." Cameron sifted through the fridge and said, "It''s no trouble. Any food allergies or dietary restrictions?" "None," Bradley replied. "Alright. I''ll need about an hour. If you''re hungry..." she began. "I''m not," he cut in. Cameron shot him an OK gesture and started pulling out ingredients. Bradley sat down on the leather couch, picking up aw book from the small round table beside him. He flipped through a few pages, but his eyes kept drifting toward the open kitchen. Cameron, still in his blue school uniform, stood by the counter with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing pale, slender wrists. He was gutting a fish with fluid, practiced movements, his sharp, androgynous face unreadable. Bradley couldn''t help but think, ''Cameron really is...objectively good-looking.'' And that was saying something. Bradley had six brothers, all of them ridiculously attractive. He should''ve been immune to beauty by now. But still, there was something maic about Cameron''s presence. He wasn''t sure how long he''d been staring before the aroma of fish drifted into the living room. The scent broke his focus. He set the book down and got up. "Smells amazing," Bradley said as he approached the kitchen. Cameron nodded. "Yeah. The fish looked fresh. Figured I''d cook it tonight." Bradley eyed the prep counter. "It''s just the two of us, so don''t go overboard." "I didn''t," Cameron said while slicing vegetables. "Portions are small." Just because there were only two of them didn''t mean she''d half-ass dinner. Especially not when Bradley had done so much for her already. A home-cooked meal was the least she could do. Bradley smiled faintly, helplessly. Less than an hourter, dinner was ready. It was a modest four-dish spread-a delicate meatball and vegetable soup, pan- seared white fish in lemon-garlic butter, charred green beans tossed with chili and crispy shallots, and a small te of twice-cooked pork belly zed in a pepper sauce. The portions were small, perfectly sized for two. Bradley took a seat at the dining table, eyes lighting up at the colorful spread. "This smells incredible. I bet it tastes just as good." Cameron handed him a fork. "Try it." Right then, her phone buzzed. She nced at the screen and instantly frowned. ''What the hell?'' It was a text alert from her bank. Sixty thousand dors had just been deposited into her ount. Bradley took a bite of fish and nodded in approval. "This is really good. Whose recipe is this?" Cameron turned her phone toward him. ¡°Okay, this is weird. I just got sixty grand wired to me. Do you know anything about this?" Bradley calmly speared another bite of pork and chewed before answering. "That''s the refund for the bike." Chapter 188 The Bike Got Returned Cameron stared at him, stunned. Bradley smiled at her reaction. "I had the bike returned. The HOA took care of it while they were registering it. They were efficient, I''ll give them that." "But I had your initials engraved on it," Cameron said, baffled. "They told me engraved items were final sale. Bradley blinked and then smirked, "Looks like our HOA''s got some serious negotiation skills. Guess that annual hundred- grand fee''s paying off." Cameron was speechless. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Can''t ept His Help Anymore Cameron stared at her phone, falling silent for moments. "Brad," she finally sighed, looking up. "You don''t really like the gift I got you, do you?" Bradley''s mind went nk. ''Not like it? Are you kidding me? If I say I don''t, is she going to rack her brain trying to get me something else?'' he thought. "Cameron," Bradley said carefully, "I love the gift. I really do. But I can''t ept it." "Why not?" Cameron''s brows furrowed in confusion. Bradley ran a hand through his hair. "Look, you''re still a student. And you just cut ties with the Wace family. You literally have zero ie right now. Dropping 60 grand on a bike ispletely unnecessary." Cameron''s mouth opened, then closed, words failing her. "And honestly," Bradley continued, "I don''t think I''ve done anything that deserves this kind of thanks. The house you''re living in? I sold it to you. You still owe me money for it. I''m only waiving the interest because we''re roommates." He leaned forward, his eyes serious. "You don''t owe me anything, Cameron. Not a single thing." Cameron reached up and fidgeted with the obsidian earring in her ear. "What about this, then?" Bradley was a little surprised. "That counts too?" ''This tiny thing was important enough for her to keep track of?'' he thought. Cameron just stared at him,pletely at a loss for words. "Listen, Cameron," Bradley said firmly. "I appreciate you wanting to give me gifts, I really do. But I''m not going to ept them." The message was clear. Cameron didn''t need to give him anything at all. Cameron''s face fell, and Bradley quickly picked up his utensils. "Come on, let''s eat before it gets cold. Food this good shouldn''t go to waste." Noticing her dejected expression, Bradley added with a small smile, "Tell you what. That little earring you''re wearing? Consider this meal payment for that." Cameron couldn''t believe what she was hearing. If one home-cooked dinner was worth 19, 999 dors, she''d just made the most expensive meal in history. Cameron silently picked up her fork. Even though Bradley insisted he hadn''t done much for her, Cameron knew better. He''d helped her in more ways than she could count. But if Bradley wouldn''t ept her gesture of thanks, then Cameron couldn''t keep epting his help either. Cameron kept her thoughts to herself as she nced up at Bradley, her expression giving nothing away. "How''s the food? Still to your liking?" "This is restaurant quality," Bradley said without hesitation, his appreciation evident in his voice. Cameron smiled, "Thanks." After dinner, Cameron stood to clear the dishes, but Bradley quickly raised his hand to stop her. "I''ve got this," he insisted." You did all the cooking. Let me handle the dishes." Cameron shook her head with a smile. "Wasn''t this meal supposed to be my thank-you for the earrings? I should clean up." Before he could protest further, she efficiently collected the tes from his hands. Bradley watched her with a resigned look as she tackled the cleanup with practiced efficiency. Within ten minutes, she had washed everything and put the kitchen back in order. She dried her hands on a dish towel and turned to him. "Brad, it''s gettingte. I should head back, Cameron said. "It''s only eight," Bradley said, checking his watch. "I''m pretty wiped out from the past few days, Cameron exined. "Just want to get some rest." Bradley stood up. "I''ll walk you home." Cameron didn''t object. Outside, darkness had settled over theple Sessfully unlocked! lickered on. They walked side by side toward her ce, neither breaking thefortable silence that hung between them. Theplex was pretty quiet, with only a few residents passing through. The property management staff actually outnumbered the residents at this hour. Bradley walked Cameron to the entrance of her building. Chapter 189 Cart ept His Help Anymore ¡°Brad¡± Cameron said, stopping at the door, "I''ll pay you back as soon as I can.¡± A smile danced in Bradley''s eyes behind his gold-rimmed sses. "No rush." Cameron nodded briefly. "Alright then. I''m heading up now." With that, she turned and walked toward the elevator bay. Bradley waved and started back the way they''de. The elevator dinged its arrival, but Cameron didn''t step inside. She waited until she figured Bradley was out of sight, then doubled back outside. He''d been right. It was only eight o''clock. The night was still young. Noble Vista was built along the riverfront. Maybe Cameron''d go enjoy the breeze and take in the night view. Bradley, meanwhile, hadn''t returned to his vi. He headed straight for the underground parking garage. Subscribed Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Pointless Conversation The Noble Vista parking garage was a showcase of luxury vehicles worth millions. Maybachs and Rolls-Royces lined the spaces in neat rows. Between two of these automotive masterpieces sat a ck mountain bike. It stood out like a sore thumb. Bradley strolled over to the ck mountain bike with a smirk. There it was-Cameron''s gift, definitely not returned. There was no way Bradley would return the first present Cameron''d ever given him. Instead, he''d arranged for the property management to visit the store and charge 60 grand to his card, refunding Cameron''s money directly to her ount. Bradley crouched down beside the bike, his eyes scanning the frame until he spotted the initials Cameron had mentioned- B.S. He pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and posted it to Twitter: [Got a mountain bike from a friend. Love it.] Cameron didn''t follow his Twitter, so she probably wouldn''t see it. But it didn''t take long for his family to startmenting underneath. His oldest brother Osborne Saunders wrote: [You into mountain bikes now? Which brand? I''ll have my assistant get one.] Reginald Saunders, his second brother,mented: [Your friend knows you well, Brad. ck suits you perfectly.] Eric: [Looks great.] Eddie: [What friend? Girlfriend? Did you finally start dating?] His younger brother Damian Saunders: [Why didn''t your friend get you a car instead? Who even rides bikes anymore?] Simon Saunders, the youngest: [Stay safe when you''re riding, Brad.] Xander, who happened to scroll past Bradley''s post, couldn''t resist asking: [Who''s it from, Brad?] Elijah saw it too, but he just liked the post without saying anything. Austin texted: [Brad, are we still riding tomorrow?] Bradley finished replying to his brothers before shooting Xander a quick "Guess?" Then he responded to Austin with a simple "No ns at the moment." Just as he was pushing his new mountain bike into the vi, Xander called, supposedly curious about who had given the gift. Bradley carefully wrapped the bike in a protective cover before storing it in the utility room, only answering the call seconds before it would have gone to voicemail. "Brad, who gave you that mountain bike?" Xander asked immediately. Bradley sank into his leather couch with a smirk. "Take a guess." "How am I supposed to know?" Xander sighed. "Is that really why you called?" Bradleyughed. "Well." Xander hesitated, sounding awkward. "I actually wanted to know if that little punk is still hanging out with you tomorrow." Xander had moved out of Room 316 and gotten quite the lecture from Tiana. That was when Xander had learned Cameron was secretly an academic prodigy. William had been protecting him all this time so he could im the top SAT score in the state this year. Xander never thought Cameron would be that impressive. ''I really need to move back into 316,'' he thought. ''As long as Cameron''s cool with it, it should work.'' "I''m not sure about that," Bradley replied vaguely. "What do you mean, ''not sure''?" Xander pressed. "Have you even talked to Cameron about it?" "No," Bradley said. Disappointment flickered across Xander''s face. "Well, do you at least know where Cameron''s heading tomorrow?" "No idea." Bradley shrugged. Xander wanted to bang his head against the well ''Now this is the definition of a pointless conversation, he thought. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron walked alone along the riverbank, hands tucked into her jacket pockets. The evening breeze had drawn quite a crowd. Despite thete hour, the riverside path bustled with activity. Cameron had barely covered a mile or two when she heard panicked shouts ahead. "Someone jumped in! Help! Can anyone Chapter 190 Pointless Conversation swim? Someone needs to help them!" Cameron nced toward themotion and spotted a crowd gathering at the railing. Looking down, she could make out a dark figure thrashing in the water about a hundred feet below. The night was too dark to tell if it was a man or woman. Cameron waited half a second, watching for someone to jump in. When no one moved, she vaulted over the railing and plunged into the river with a ssh. Subscribed Chapter 191 Chapter 191 You Still Want To Die? Chapter 191 You Still Want To Die? The moment Cameron hit the water, her body instinctively recoiled from the shock. Despite being spring, the river was still freezing cold. Nearby, a middle-aged man was desperately crying out for help. He had jumped in himself, but as the icy river water rose over his nose and mouth, survival instinct kicked in and he began frantically shouting, "Help! Please, help me!" Cameron swam over and grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the riverbank. She was in good shape, and even in water, dragging a man who weighed around 150 pounds wasn''t particrly challenging for her. She was in good shape-hauling a 150-pound man through the water wasn''t much trouble for her. A crowd had already gathered at the shore. Cameron pushed the man to the edge where several people immediately reached down, hands everywhere as they hauled him onto drynd. Everyone crowded around the man who''d jumped in. Cameron was about to leave when someone called out, "He''s passed out. We need to get him to a hospital!" "Let me see, Cameron said, pushing through the crowd. She knelt beside him in the darkness. The middle-aged man''s face was ghostly pale. He had strong, dignified features with thick eyebrows and the kind of face that instantly projected integrity. Cameron pressed down hard on his chest, performing emergency CPR until he coughed up all the water from his lungs. The man coughed violently, and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at Cameron, his voice raspy. "Was it...you who saved me?" Cameron said nothing. She simply stood up and walked away. She''d barely made it fifteen yards when a loud ssh broke the silence. , Ssh. Another sound of someone falling into the water. "Oh no! He jumped in again! He really jumped in again!" "This guy really wants to die, doesn''t he?" Another shook his head with a sigh. "Why is he so desperate? He''s still so young. It''s better alive than dead." Cameron froze, ncing down at her soaked school uniform. Water dripped from her hair onto her delicate face. Her hair was soaked too, water trickling down her pale, delicate cheeks. "Hey, kid!" an elderly man called out to her. "That guy you just saved jumped back in. Hurry up and help him again." Cameron''s expression darkened. After a moment of silence, she walked to the riverbank and dove back into the water. This time, she didn''t immediately grab the middle-aged man. Instead, she floated coldly beside him, watching as he bobbed up and down in the water. The man gulped down mouthful after mouthful of river water, struggling to stay afloat. The middle-aged man swallowed a ton of river water. "What are you waiting for, kid? Save him!" a woman shouted from the shore. Cameron didn''t do anything about it. The man was struggling underwater, making gurgling sounds as he fought to surface. "If you really want to die, why fight it?" Cameron said coldly, watching him thrash. "Just sink to the bottom. Can''t do it yourself? Let me help you." With a nk face, Cameron pressed her hand against the middle-aged man''s head and shoved him underwater. The man iled wildly, desperately trying to push her away, but he was no match for her strength. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?" people on the shore yelled. "That''s murder! You''ll go to jail for that." Cameron ignored them, her expression still emotionless as she held the man beneath the surface. Just before he would have drowned, she released her grip, allowing him to break through to the air. Sessfully unlocked! Right before he was about to drown, she finally let go, letting hime up for air. He erupted into violent coughing, water spewing from his mouth and nose. Cameron grabbed him by the cor and swam with him to the opposite shore where no one else could see them. She hauled him onto the bank and dumped him on the ground. "Still want to die?" she asked. Chapter 191 You Still Want To Die? The "young man" crouched beside him, soaking wet, her voice as sharp and cold as shards of ice. The man couldn''t stop coughing. He sat up and stared at the young man in front of him. Despite his beautiful features, those eyes were sharp as knives. He instinctively backed away, fear written all over his face. "Scared of me now?" The corner of Cameron''s mouth quirked up in the faintest hint of a smile. ¿Ú Chapter 192 Chapter 197 An Opportunity for Wealth Chapter 192 An Opportunity For Wealth "You just tried to drown me, the middle-aged man sputtered, still backing away. Cameron crouched on the ground, fixing him with a cold stare. I don''t care if you want to jump into the river to kill yourself. That was your business. But when I save you and you try to jump back in? That''s where you crossed the line." Cameron''s face darkened. "You wasted my hard work, didn''t you?" The man was speechless. "If you''re still set on dying, I can help you finish the job," Cameron said. "You still want to die? Again, the man couldn''t find his words as he continued to edge backward. "You''re a grown man who wasn''t afraid of death." Cameron pointed out. "So what are you so scared of now?" The man didn''t answer. He just let the pain show inly on his face. Cameron brushed the wet strands of hair from her forehead and sat down on a rock. ¡°Go ahead and talk. I''ve got time to be your emotional garbage can for a while." The middle-aged man nced at Cameron. Maybe he''d been holding it in for too long. Or maybe it was easier to open up to aplete stranger, someone he''d never recognize if they passed on the street. Whatever the reason, he decided it might be worth telling his story. "I''m David Tucker. I''m thirty-six and I''m a doctor," he said. "A doctor?" Cameron couldn''t help but smirk. David nodded. He wasn''t exactly handsome, but his features were pleasant enough, giving him a somewhat approachable look. "So young with a job everyone respects and a bright future ahead," Cameron said. "Why would you want to end it all?" David gave a bitterugh and shook his head. "I grew up in an orphanage after losing both my parents as a kid. I finally made it through school and found my dream job. Then, I married my girlfriend of three years and we had a child together." He sighed, "But a few years into our marriage, she cheated on me with some guy who had way more money than I do.¡± David looked up at the sky. "Today I got my divorce papers. My ex-wife took our daughter with her. I''ve got nothing left. What''s the point of living anymore?" Cameron''s face remained expressionless. "So you lost your parents, got divorced, and got cheated on, and that makes you want to die? Do you have any idea how many people have it worse than you do?" David looked at Cameron''s young, handsome face and shook his head. "You''re just a kid. You don''t understand." "Yeah, I''m younger than you," Cameron said. "But have you even thought about what happens after you''re gone? Your ex-wife gets to live her life however she wants, but what about your precious daughter? What if her stepfather treats her badly?" "He wouldn''t dare," David said, clenching his fists. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "You''d be dead. How would you know what he''d dare to do?" David had no response to that. "If I were you," Cameron continued, "I''d work my ass off to make money and fight for custody of my daughter. You say there''s nothing worth living for? What about her? Don''t you care if she lives or dies?" "Of course I care!" David shouted. "I''ve been trying my hardest to get custody. But she''s barely two years old, and my ex-wife has more money than I do. Thew favors her. What am I supposed to do?" "Kill yourself, apparently," Cameron said dryly. David''s mouth snapped shut. "So your ex cheated because you don''t make enough money?" Cameron asked casually. David''s shoulders slumped. "I''m just a senior physician. I make about 10 thousand to 20 thousand dors a month. She wanted a luxury lifestyle I couldn''t provide." Cameron smiled slightly, "Sounds like you''re an honest man Sessfully unlocked! Hospitals were among the most profitable ces theen willing to bend the rules- taking bribes from patients, cutting deals with pharmaceuticalpanies¨Che could have easily made a fortune. But David never did any of that. He gave a bitter smile. Cameron smirked. "Mr. Tucker, I have an opportunity that could make you very rich. Want to give it a shot?" Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Want To Join? David stared at Cameron''s young face, then nced at the school uniform she was wearing. He just shook his head, his expression bitter. "You don''t trust me?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Look, kid," David said, "I''m grateful you saved me. You''re right. I shouldn''t die. For my daughter''s sake, I need to stay alive, make good money, and fight for custody." There was a new fire in his eyes. "Is that all the thanks I get?" Cameron asked. "No, I really am thankful. What do you want from me?" "Work for me," Cameron stated. She needed someone desperate, with no way out, but with strong moral character to help her start a pharmaceuticalpany. Someone who would bepletely dedicated. And as luck would have it, David was a doctor. He was already in the field. The timing couldn''t be more perfect. David shook his head. "Kid, don''t mess with me." "I''m not joking," Cameron said firmly. "Let''s talk." Cameronid out her ns for starting a pharmaceuticalpany withplete seriousness. She wasn''t really just 18 years old. If counted properly, she was over a thousand years old. Startingpanies was something she knew inside and out. Cameron talked with David for half an hour. At first, David thought Cameron was just joking around. But as they talked more, his expression changed, and respect filled his eyes. Suddenly, Cameron sneezed. The wind by the river was strong, and they were both soaking wet. If they didn''t get back to change clothes soon, they''d catch colds. "So, Mr. Tucker," Cameron asked finally, "what do you think? Want to join mypany?" David looked eron with excitement. "How would that work?" "You''d be the public face of the pharmaceuticalpany," Cameron exined. "You''d handle all the official business. I''m still in high school, so I''ll pull the strings from behind the scenes. "You contribute your expertise, and I''ll provide all the funding. I won''t shortchange you. We''ll split it seventy-thirty, with me taking seventy. What do you say?" "You trust me that much?" David stared at Cameron in disbelief. Cameron shrugged. "Let call it fate." "Alright then. Since you''re putting so much faith in me, I won''t let you down," David said, his voice unexpectedly catching in his throat. He just lost everything, and express. his emotions were raw and vulnerable. Cameron''s confidence in him meant more than he could Cameron nodded with satisfaction. "By the way," David asked, "what should I call you?" "I''m Cameron Wace. You can call me Cam." David stood up and gave Cameron a formal bow. "Mr. Wace, it''s an honor to work with you." "Let''s exchange number," Cameron said. "You focus on your job for now, and I''ll be in touchter." Now that she''d found a staff, the next step was making money. Cameron needed capital to start apany. The hundred thousand or so she had on hand wouldn''t cut it. The minimum registered capital requirement was two million dors. Cameron could technically take out a mortgage on the Noble Vista, but that would make her feel like she owed Bradley even more. It wasn''t a good idea. Thankfully, Cameron''s phone still worked perfectly despite its dip in the water. She saved David''s number, gave him a quick wave, and disappeared before he could say another went David stood there speechless. Cameron had va Sessfully unlocked! felt like he''d dreamed the whole thing. But he knew better. This was real. And he was going to get his daughter back. ***** Cameron rushed home and immediately peeled off her soaking wet uniform. She soaked in a hot bath to chase away the Chapter 183 Want to do? chill 1 probably won''t catch a cold, she thought. Thanks to her good physical condition, Cameron woke up the next morning feelingpletely refreshed. At eight dclock, the doorbell rang Subsorbed Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Xander Asked Cameron For Tutoring Cameron didn''t even need to check the video inte to know who was at the door. When she pulled it open, sure enough, there stood Bradley. He wore a white tracksuit that highlighted his tall frame in all the right ways. And of course, there was that impossibly handsome face of his. Bradley pushed a cart loaded with breakfast for two. "Morning," he said, his eyes takling behind gold-rimmed sses. "Morning, Brad," Cameron smiled back. Bradley wheeled the cart into her room. "Breakfast time. Let''s eat together." "Thanks," Cameron replied. "No need to be so formal with me," Bradley replied as he arranged the food on the dining table. Cameron stood behind him, sighing quietly. ''How am I supposed to turn down Bradley''s kindness? she thought. Cameron couldn''t repay Bradley for his kindness, so all she could do was refuse. Bradley wouldn''t even let her pay him back. Cameron hated this feeling. Any rtionship should be give and take, not just one person constantly giving or receiving. "Why are you just standing there? Aren''t you hungry?" Bradley asked. Cameron sat down across from him, picking up a ss of milk and sipping it slowly. "Brad, aren''t you heading back to Steerfall today?" "Nope." Bradley held his own ss of milk. "The SATS areing up soon. Things are getting tight, so I''ll just go back once a month from now on." Cameron''s mind went nk. ''The SATs areing up?'' She wondered. She hadn''t seen Bradley doing any SAT prep at all. Bradley''s grades were good. He consistently ranked in the top ten of their year. But all she ever saw him reading were books outside the curriculum, and whenever he wasn''t at school, he was at thew firm. Cameron didn''t challenge him on it though, just lowered her head and continued eating breakfast. Bradley noticed something was off. "What''s wrong? Didn''t sleep wellst night?¡± he asked. She was barely talking. Cameron shook her head. "I slept fine." Bradley nodded. "Got any ns this morning? Do you want to-" "I have ns," Cameron cut him off. Bradley fell silent for a beat before asking, "What ns?" "I''m meeting a friend." Behind Bradley''s gold-rimmed sses, his eyes shed with disappointment. He didn''t say anything, though. He didn''t awkwardly ask Cameron who this friend was, either. That was the restraint one''d expect from an adult. After breakfast, Bradley politely excused himself and left. Cameron didn''t go out. Instead, she flopped down on the couch at home and opened herptop, wondering how to scrape together some startup money. Cameron scrolled through website after website. There were plenty of ways to make money, sure, but she was still in high school with a pretty restricted schedule. While Cameron was clicking through various pages, her phone pinged with a notification. A WhatsApp message popped 1. up. Xander: [Cameron, it''s Xander. This is my number.] Cameron had deleted Xander''s number earlier because he was getting on her nerves. She nced at the message but didn''t bother replying, just set her phone aside. Almost immediately, a second message from Xander appeared. Xander: [Cameron, stop ying dead. I know you saw this. Text me back. I need to talk to you about something important.] "Something important?" Cameron muttered to herself. After thinking it over for a second, she decided to respond: [What is it?] If whatever Xander had to say wasn''t actually i Sessfully unlocked! Xander: [YES! Finally got you to answer!] Cameron: [Get to the point.] ys block him again. Xander: [Hey, smartass, what''s with the attitude? I know you''re some genius prodigy. No wonder Mr. Drake keeps you Chapter 194 Xander Asked Cameron For Tutoring under his wing] Cameron: [One more crap and I''m deleting you.] Xander was left speechless. Xander: [Cameron, I want you to tutor me.] Cameron: [Not avable.] ''First Elijah, now him? Did everyone think I was some free tutor? Dream on, Camerag thought with a huff Xander: [Don''t turn me down! I''ll pay you.] Cameron paused. ''He''ll pay? she thought. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Atm Chapter 195 Atm After thinking it over, Cameron replied: [Pay me? Just so you know, I don''te cheap.] Xander shot back withplete confidence: [Money''s thest thing I''m short on.] Cameron rolled her eyes. Cameron: [You know I charged Elijah 30 grand for one math problem, right?] She started typing her next message-that she could offer him a discount if he wanted regr tutoring sessions-but before she could send it, Xander''s reply popped up on her screen. Xander: [I''ve got cash to burn. I''ll triple it. Elijah paid 30 grand per problem? Let''s make it 100 thousand dors each. How''s that sound?] "Pfft-¡± Cameron was typing and sipping water when Xander''s message popped up on her screen. She choked mid-swallow. Cameron couldn''t believe her eyes. ''Isn''t he basically a walking ATM?'' she thought. If she''d known it would be this easy. she would''ve shown off her real abilities way sooner. Before Cameron could even reply, Xander sent another message: [What''s wrong? Not enough for you? How about 150 thousand dors per problem?] Cameron was speechless. She finally texted back: [That works.] Xander: [Great. It''s the weekend, soe over to my ce and tutor me.] Cameron: [Right now?] Xander: [Yeah, now. I''ll send you the address. Get over here.] Xander shared his location, quite a drive from downtown. Cameron nced at the time-9:30 AM. It was still early. She got up and headed to her bedroom to change. As Cameron stepped into her walk-in closet, her eyesnded on the small collection of clothes hanging there. Bradley had bought every single piece for her. Cameron at a loss for words. She sighed, running her fingers over different clothing options before settling on a long-sleeve T-shirt and light blue jeans. Standing in front of the mirror, she messed with her bangs, pushing them out of her face. Summer was just around the corner, her absolute least favorite season. With temperatures hitting over a hundred degrees, she''d still have to bind her chest. It was pure torture. Cameron slung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed a taxi to Murphy Manor. Once she arrived at the ridiculouslyvish mansion, she texted Xander: [I''m here.] Xander replied immediately: [That was quick. I''ll have the housekeeper get you.] Cameron: [Cool.] Within minutes, a middle-aged woman in a crisp business suit appeared. "Hello, are you Mr. Wace?" she asked with that practiced professional smile. Cameron gave a slight nod. "Mr. Wace, please follow me," the housekeeper said, gesturing toward the entrance. Cameron trailed behind her into the estate. Murphy Manor was massive, with multiple buildings spread across the grounds, so vast she couldn''t even see where the property ended. Cameron followed the butler past the fountain, through the garden, and around the outdoor pool. They finally stopped at the edge of the stables. "Mr. Wace," the butler said with a bow, "Mr. Murphy is riding inside. Please go ahead." Cameron stared nkly. ''Riding? What happens to the tutoring session we''re supposed to have? Why the hell is Xander hanging out at the stables instead of in the study?'' Cameron nced around, taking in the massive equestrian facility that had to be several acres at least. In the center of it all was Xander, decked out in full riding gear, racing around on a chestnut horse with a flowing mane. His tall figure sat perfectly straight in the sadde Sessfully unlocked! and practiced. He looked like he''d stepped right out of some fancy sportswear ad. "Xander!" Cameron called out. Xander turned his head while still on horseback and shed her a wide grin. With a quick "whoa," he brought the horse to a stop, then jumped down effortlessly and strode toward Cameron at the entrance. Chapter 195 Atm Cameron stood there in a simple white tee and light jeans, her short hair framing her delicate, striking features, looking every bit like a gorgeous cartoon charactere to life. Xander smirked. "Well, well, look at you. Got all dressed up just to see me?" Subscribed Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Spoiled Rotten Chapter 196 Spoiled Rotten Cameron rolled her eyes and gave Xander''s riding outfit a once-over. "That''s rich. You knew I wasing and decided to show off your horse skills to impress me?" "How''d you know that?" Xander asked. Cameron just stared at him, speechless. Xander pointed toward the stable where at least a dozen horses were grazing, "Want to go for a ride? "I don''t know how," Cameron replied tly. Xander perked up. "I could teach you." "Not interested." Now it was Xander''s turn to be at a loss for words. "Look, Xander," Cameron said, "I''m here to tutor you. Are we doing this or not?" Xander nodded eagerly. "Yeah, definitely." "Where should we go?" "The study works." As Xander led Cameron toward the main house, he couldn''t help butin, "You''re seriously no fun. I just wanted to ride horses with you." "I''m here to make money, not y around," Cameron said. Xander rolled his eyes. "Wow, all about the cash, huh?" Cameron didn''t bother responding. She just kept pace behind him. Xander walked ahead, his tall, athletic frame cutting an impressive figure. For someone who''d just turned 18, his broad shoulders gave off a surprisingly reassuring vibe. When they entered the main house living room, Xander''s parents were both there. "Mom, Dad, this is my roommate Cameron," Xander announced, gesturing toward the couple sitting on the sofa. "I''m going upstairs to change, little punk." Xander tossed over his shoulder to Cameron before heading up the stairs. Cameron waspletely lost for words. "Watch your mouth, Xander! Who taught you to call people little punk?" his mother, Gwen Murphy, scolded, though her voice was full of affection. She turned to Cameron with a warm smile. "Cam,e sit down. Make yourself at home." Cameron didn''t know what to say. She was here for tutoring, not some family visit. Still, politeness won out. "Hello, Mrs. Murphy, Mr. Murphy," she said as she took a seat. Gwen was stunning, over forty but looking barely twenty-eight thanks to incredible self-care. When she and Xander walked down the street together, people often mistook them for siblings. It was easy to see where Xander got his good looks. Logan, despite being middle-aged, was just as handsome and looked younger than his years. The man had presence. Just sitting there, hemanded respect without saying a word. "Cam," Logan nodded at her, "don''t take Xander''s nonsense personally. We spoiled that kid rotten from day one." Cameron smiled awkwardly. Having never really experienced Martin or Heidi''s parental love growing up, she had zero clue how to interact with people their age. No matter what she said, it just felt weird. Thankfully, Xander came downstairs before things got awkward. He''d thrown on just a t-shirt beforeing down. Grabbing an apple from the table, he tossed it to Cameron, then snatched another for himself and took a loud, crunchy bite. "Aren''t you cold wearing so little?" Gwen touched Xander''s arm with concern. "Mom, can you not be so fussy?" Xander''s face scrunched with annoyanc Sessfully unlocked! He looked every bit the spoiled kid he was. You." Logan shot Xander a mock-angry re. "Your mou "I''m an adult. Don''t need it.¡± Xander bit into his apple with unnecessary force. "I think someone''s asking for trouble," Logan said, his expression darkening. Xander frowned, "Come on, Dad. My ssmate''s right here. Can''t you give me a break?" Logan just stared at him, speechless Xander stood up and tugged at Cameron''s sleeve. Alright, punk, let''s go upstairs to the study. Time for the tutoring Cameron got up without a word, clutching the apple as she followed X?nder upstairs. At the top of the starcase, Xander called down between bites, "Dad, drop three million dors in my ount. I need it for tutoring. This little punk charges a fortune" Cameron could only stand there,pletely dumbfounded. Subscibed Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Completely Clueless "Fine, I''ll transfer the money to youter," Gwen said with augh as Xander and Cameron headed upstairs. Once they were gone, Gwen turned to Logan with a smile. "Our son has finally made a decent friend. Those losers he used to hang out with were such bad news." Logan nodded. "Cam seems like a good kid." Meanwhile, Cameron followed Xander into the study. The Murphy Manor''s study was massive, with well over a thousand square feet with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with every kind of book imaginable. It was basically a mini library. Xander strolled in and immediately sprawled across the leather couch like he owned the ce, feet up, munching on an apple like some kind of pampered prince. "Sit properly," Cameron frowned. Xander nced at her, and to her surprise, actually dropped his feet and straightened up. Cameron settled into the armchair next to him, cing her apple in the fruit bowl. "Which subject do you want to start with?" "Whatever." Xander shrugged. "Whatever'' isn''t a subject," Cameron said tly. Xander tossed his apple core into the trash can. ¡°Let''s go with English Literature." "English Lit doesn''t need tutoring," Cameron said. "Just spend more time memorizing and you''ll be fine. Anyone who can write can pass that ss." "Are you saying I can''t write?" Xander raised an eyebrow. Cameron just stared at him. "What about Spanish then?" Xander asked, wiping his hands. Cameron nodded. "Show me your textbook." "Don''t have it." Xander shrugged. "How am I supposed to tutor you without a book?" Xander looked at her like the answer was obvious. "Who brings textbooks home during break? Aren''t we tortured with them enough at school?" Cameron rolled her eyes. ¡°Look,¡± Xander said, noting her exasperation, ¡°just give me whatever help you can. I''ll pay you either way." "I''m here to work, not rob you," Cameron replied tly. Now it was Xander''s turn to be speechless. He scratched his head. "So how do you want to do this?" "Go grab aptop," Cameron said. "Fine." Xander stood up. That was when he noticed Gwen standing in the doorway. She''d been there for a while, holding a tray with two coffees and a fancy-looking dessert. "Thought you two might need something to drink," Gwen said with a warm smile. "Thanks, Mom," Xander said, taking the tray. "You should go rx." Gwen peeked into the room, her eyes softening as she looked at Cameron. "Alright, I''ll let you two work." Gwen headed downstairs, practically dragging Logan by the arm when she found him. "Babe, you should''ve seen it. You have no idea how much Xander listens to Cam. I swear, Cam has more authority with him than either of us." "Seriously?" Logan couldn''t believe it. Xander was such a rebellious kid, always doing the exact opposite of what Logan told him. Gwen nodded eagerly. "Dead serious." Logan drummed his fingers on the armrest, wheels turning in his head. Sessfully unlocked! Meanwhile, Xander handed Cameron hisptop. She pulled up hisst Spanish practice exam and slid it in front of him. "Do this." Xander groaned, rubbing his face. "I don''t know how." He absolutely hated homework, especially Spanish. "Do it," Cameron said tly. Chapter 197 Completely Clueless Left with no choice, Xander basically gave up before starting. He randomly picked answers for the multiple choice and left everything else nk. Cameron stared at the disaster of a Spanish test, almost all of it wrong. She fixed Xander with an incredulous look. "Haven''t your parents hired you a Spanish tutor?" ''How could anyone possibly get it this wrong?'' Cameron wondered. Xander shrugged. "Yeah, they did. I drove them all away." Cameron waspletely speechless. "Let''s get started," Xander said, randomly pointing at a multiple-choice question. "How do I solve this one?" Cameron tapped the question with her finger. "First, let''s look at what it''s asking. Do you understand what this means?" Xander just stared nkly and shook his head. ¡°Nope." Cameron couldn''t believe it. Subscribed Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Not Here To Rob You "So you literally don''t understand any of it?" Cameron asked, finally finding her voice. Only now did Cameron realize how good she''d had it tutoring a genius like Elijah. With him, she only needed to point out one or two things before he''d connect all the dots himself. Byparison, Xander seemed like a total idiot. "What''s with that look?" Xander frowned, "You said 150 grand per question, right? That''s not exactly easy money. The three million dors I''m about to get will only cover 20 questions at that rate." He lifted his chin defiantly. "Listen, punk. I don''t understand any of this, so you need to exin it step by step until I get it. That''s the only way this counts." "You seriously think I''m charging you 150 thousand dors per question?" Cameron asked incredulously. "What am I, a bank robber?" Xander shot her a surprised look. "Wait, you''re tutoring me for free?" "It''s still daytime and you''re already dreaming," Cameron said, barely restraining an eye-roll. "Then what do you mean?" Xander red at her. "Thirty grand an hour," Cameron stated. Xander''s eyebrows shot up. "That cheap? Are you nning to half-ass this?" Cameron was speechless. ''Is it cheap? Probably not, she thought. "Enough talking," she said, tapping theputer screen with her finger. "Look here." "Okay." Xander obediently sat up straight, eyes fixed on the screen. Cameron''s voice had this neutral quality that was actually super pleasant to listen to. Spanish ss with their regr teacher made Xander want to pass out from boredom, but somehow when Cameron exined things, Spanish actually sounded cool. Plus, Xander could actually understand what she was saying. It was weird. He suddenly felt interested in actually learning this stuff. When Gwen came up to call them for lunch, Cameron had just finished going through a practice test. ¡°Let''s continue after lunch," Xander said, clearly not wanting to stop. Cameron nodded. "Sure." Gwen couldn''t believe her eyes. ''Since when did Xander have such enthusiasm for studying?'' she thought, barely containing her joy. To her, Xander was perfect in every way, except he hated studying. She''d hired hundreds of tutors, and he''d hated every single one of them. ''This Cam kid is something else,'' Gwen thought. Lunch was seriously over the top. The rectangr table was loaded with at least a dozen different dishes, way too much food for just four people. Gwen beamed as she gestured toward the spread. "Cam, it''s nothing special, just threw a few things together. Hope you like it." "Mrs. Murphy, this is an incredible lunch," Cameron replied. "Thank you so much." Gwen grinned at her. "Don''t mention it. Cam, Logan and I absolutely adore you. You shoulde over more often. Maybe help tutor Xan while you''re at it?" Cameron nodded right away. "No problem." Like she''d ever turn down a chance to make money. Logan waved Cameron over, then shot Xander a meaningful look. Xander shifted ufortably, his face tight with reluctance. Finally, he grabbed his wine ss and stood up to face Cameron. "Look, Cameron, I''ve been a total paintely, and I was kind of a jerk to you. My bad. I hope everything is under the bridge now. Here''s to us." Xander knocked back his entire ss of wine in one go. stubborn ass would go. Logan had pushed Xander to apologize after Witam personally called him about the situation. But actually saying "I''m sorry" was clearly too much for Xander''s pride. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron was honestly shocked that this arrogant brat was apologizing to her at all, even if it wasn''t exactly formal. Cameron stood up and raised her own ss. "Well, you got kicked out of 316, so I guess we''re even." am is about it?¡± Logan chimed in. "Xander, maybe take some notes from your ssmate here." Chapter 198 Not Here To Rob You Any other time, Xander would have snapped back at Logan instantly. But now, he just nodded. ''Cameron really is something else, Xander thought. ''Damn, He''s not just crushing it in areas I''m good at, but he''s also killing it at school stuff I hate. He''s seriously on another level'' The attraction to power wasn''t just a female thing. Guys fell for it just as hard. Subscribed Chapter 199 0 Likes Chapter 199 Her Lackey Chapter 199 Her Lackey Gwen raised her ss. "Cam, we''ve probably spoiled Xander rotten his whole life. He can be pretty stubborn and bossy sometimes. I hope you can forgive all the stupid stuff he''s done before." Cameron quickly stood up. "It''s not like that at all, Mrs. Murphy. Xander''s actually a decent guy." ''Just sometimes in need of a good punch to the face, Cameron thought. Xander nodded with satisfaction. "Look at that, you finally said something nice, litfie punk," Cameron could only roll her eyes. "You should hang out with Cam more," Logan told Xander. "And ditch those losers you''ve been calling friends." Xander was obsessed with motorcycles and had joined a group of bike enthusiasts. When he wasn''t in school, he was out racing around on his ridiculously expensive bike. Logan and Gwen worried not just about his safety, but also about the crowd he was running with. Cameron, on the other hand, looked clean-cut and good-looking. After chatting with him for a bit, they got a really good impression. Plus, she was smart as hell and could help Xander with his schoolwork. Even someone as tough to please as William couldn''t stop singing Cameron''s praises. That was the kind of friend Xander needed, someone who could help him be a better version of himself. "What''s wrong with my old friends?" Xander protested. "They''re great people." Logan raised an eyebrow. "As great as Cameron?" Xander''s mouth opened and closed. One simple question, and he waspletely shut down. Gwen rarely saw her spoiled son looking so thoroughly put in his ce. She couldn''t help butugh. "Cam, don''t mind them. These two are always going at it. You must be starving. Try some of these dishes." Gwen then ced several tes in front of Cameron. "Thanks, Mrs. Murphy," Cameron said politely. "Such good manners," Gwen said with a warm smile. "If only Xander had half your sense." "Mom!" Xander groaned. "Why can''t youpliment someone without dragging me in the process?" "Because I feel like it," Gwen replied simply. Xander threw his hands up in defeat. "Cam," Logan chimed in, "make yourself at home. If you need anything, just say the word. No need to be formal with us." Cameron nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Logan Murphy." Xander rolled his eyes. "Look at you two grinning like that. I swear, I don''t know who''s the actual son here, me or Cameron." Logan set down his fork with dramatic seriousness. "You know what? You''re right. Starting today, I''m making Cam my godson." Cameron''s head snapped up. "Wait, what?" Logan was ring at Xander with exaggerated sternness. "Are you for real right now?" Xander asked, his face scrunched in confusion. He turned to Cameron. "Hey, when''s your birthday? I''m eighteen and three months. How about you?" Cameron couldn''t believe this was happening. ''Seriously? That''s his concern? Shouldn''t he be objecting to this whole godson thing? Why is he suddenly fixated on my age?'' she thought. "Cam, how old are you?" Gwen asked with a warm smile. "I just turned eighteen not too long ago," Cameron replied. "Yes!" Xander pumped his fist. "You''re younger than me. That means I''m your big brother now." Cameron stared at him in disbelief. ''Is this guy missing a few brain cells? He''s actually excited about being my brother?'' she thought. "Son," Logan said, "you should take some lessons from your little brother from now on." Xander made a face. "Yeah, whatever, Dad." Sessfully unlocked! Cameron just sat there, utterly speechless. ''What? Since when am I Xander''s brother?'' she thought. Cameron set down her utensils and looked straight at them. "Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, you can''t be serious right now." Logan shook his head. "No, Cam, we''re dead serious. We want to make you our godson. What do you think?" Chapter 200 Bajectinan Chapter 200 hapter 200 Rejection Cameron went quiet for a moment before firmly shaking her head. "I''m sorry, but I can''t ept that. It doesn''t feel right." Logan and Gwen exchanged shocked nces. They couldn''t believe Cameron had actually turned them down. Does she realize how many people in Viremont would kill for a connection to the Murphy family? Does she not understand the advantages that woulde with being our godson? they wondered. "Cam, Logan said, "my wife and I arepletely serious about this. Once you be our godson, in the future-" "Mr. Logan Murphy, Cameron cut him off, knowing exactly where this was headed. "I appreciate the offer, I really do. But I''ll have to pass." Logan was left speechless. Gwen jumped in with a smile. "Alright. We respect your decision, Cam. I suppose springing this on you out of nowhere wasn''t the best approach." They had only suggested it because Xander and Cameron seemed to get along so well. Cameron appeared to be a good kid, and they''d hoped this arrangement would keep him in Xander''s life. Since Cameron wasn''t interested, they didn''t push the issue. "Thanks for the offer," Cameron said politely. "It''s really my problem, not yours." Xander rolled his eyes at her. "Look at you being all high and mighty. I offer to make you my brother and you turn me down?" ''Most people would jump at the chance to be my brother, and this little punk had the nerve to say no. Talk about ungrateful,'' Xander thought bitterly. Cameron gave him a cool nce. "Are we still having our lesson this afternoon?" The subtext was clear. If not, she was out of there. Xander was speechless for a second. His expression cycled through several emotions before he finally said, "Of course we''re having the lesson." Cameron nodded. Logan and Gwen exchanged baffled looks. Their precious son was actually behaving himself around Cameron. That was a first. ***** After lunch, Cameron and Xander headed back to the study. Gwen brought them snacks and drinks herself, hovering at the doorway. "Do you two want to take a break?" Gwen asked with a smile. "You''ve been working so hard." "We''re good, Mom." Xander waved her off. As soon as Gwen closed the door behind her, Xander turned on Cameron. "Why the hell did you turn down my parents'' offer?" he demanded, ring at her. Cameron ignored his question and fired back with one of her own. "You''re that desperate to make me your brother?" Xander''s words caught in his throat. It wasn''t that he desperately wanted it. He just hated being rejected, period. He''d kept his mouth shut in front of his parents to save Cameron some face, but now that they were alone, he wanted answers. Cameron pulled up a test on herptop and slid it in front of him. "Do this." Xander pushed theptop away. "You still haven''t answered my question." "The tutoring session has started, Xander," Cameron said, tapping her finger on the desk. "I''m charging you whether you cooperate or not." Without missing a beat, Xander whipped out his phone and tapped away. Secondster, Cameron''s phone pinged with a notification. Before she could even check it, Xander announced smugly, "I just transferred you 300 thousand dors. That buys me 10 hours. Now you can answer my question, right?" Cameron stared at him,pletely speechless Sessfully unlocked!on''t want to," she finally said, her voice cool." Any other questions?" "Yeah, why not?" Xander pressed. Cameron''s eyes narrowed. "Do you think everyone''s just dying totch onto you for the perks, Xander? If that were true, why wouldn''t I have clung to Amelia Chapman instead?" Chapter 200 Rejection That shut Xander up. The Chapman family was just as loaded and powerful as the Murphy family Instead of bing Logan''s godson, Cameron could be Amelia''s husband if he wanted. Once he and Amelia had a couple of kids, his position would be rock solid. "If you''re so high and mighty," Xander snapped, "why are you even here tutoring me for cash?" Cameron''s of?" eyes flickered with annoyance. "Since when is earning money through honest work something to be ashamed §¥ Subscribed Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Hopeless Basics Chapter 201 Hopeless Basics Xander had noeback for that one. When he stayed quiet, Cameron pressed on. "Any other questions? No? Then work through this packet." Xander crossed his arms and slouched back in his armchair. "Don''t bother. I don''t know any of it. Just start from scratch." "Fine, Cameron sighed. "Saves us both time anyway." Xander was left speechless. Cameronunched into the lesson, but it quickly became obvious that Xander''s knowledge gaps were beyond rming. With only two months left before the SATS, there was no way to patch this disaster. After exining just two problems, Cameron put her pencil down. "Xander, maybe we should just call it quits? No matter how much cramming we do, you''re not going to magically improve." Xander caught the disgust in her voice and shot her a death re. "You little punk, what''s that supposed to mean? I paid you in full." "I can refund you." Cameron shrugged. Just for that one hour this morning would be fine. "No way." Xander crossed his arms. "I want you to tutor me." Cameron was at a loss for words. "You really want me to tutor you that badly?" she finally asked. "Obviously," he replied. "And you''ll actually listen to what I say?" Xander''s brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" "If you seriously want to improve your grades, Cameron exined, "I''d need to start with freshman-level concepts. Once we'' re back at school, we''ll be living in the library every moment we''re not in ss. Can you handle that?" Xander frowned, ¡°I''ve got basketball championships week after next. I need every day next week to practice." Cameron thought for a moment. "Fine. We''ll start the week after that." "Deal." Xander nodded. ''It''s just studying, right? If Cameron can do it, so can I; he thought. Cameron pointed at theputer screen. "Alright, let''s look at question three." She started exining the problems to Xander, but they''d barely gotten through a few when her phone buzzed again. Cameronpletely ignored it. Soon, another WhatsApp notification popped up on her phone. "Take another look at this problem while I answer this," Cameron said. "Sure," Xander muttered, propping his head up with his hand. As Cameron pulled out her phone, Xander''s eyes immediately darted to her screen. "Hey," he said casually, "how about we go out for a nice dinner tonight?" "What kind of dinner?" Cameron asked as she unlocked her phone. She''d barely finished speaking when she saw Bradley''s WhatsApp message. Bradley: [Free for dinner tonight? I found this amazing fondue ce. Wanna check it out?] Cameron''s fingers hovered over the screen. Just then, Xander piped up, "Whatever you want, I''m down." "How about fondue?" Cameron suggested. She quickly replied to Bradley: [Sorry Brad, already made ns with a friend.] Xander''s eyes lit up. "Just the two of us might be kinda boring. What if we invite your sister too?" Cameron stared at him nkly. "So you actually want to have dinner with Milena?" she asked, her face expressionless." Why drag me along as a third wheel?" "To help break the ice, obviously," Xander replied. "I''m busy, Cameron said tly. Xander frowned, "Look at that sour face. Do you really hate me that much? What''s wrong with me wanting to be friends with your sister?" "Not my problem," Cameron said coldly. Xander rolled his eyes. "Fine, if you won''t help, I''ll just ask her myself." He pulled out his phone to message Milena on WhatsApp. "Are we going to continue this lesson or what?" Cameron asked. "You''re on your phone too!" Xander shot back. Chapter 201 Hopeless Basics Cameron was about to put her phone down when a WhatsApp message from Bradley popped up. Subscribed Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Not interested Chapter 202 Not Interested Bradley (That''s too bad. Next time then.] Cameron: [Sorry about that, Brad) Bradley (Come by my ce when you get home tonight.] Cameron: [What''s up? Bradley: [You''ll find out when you get here.] Cameron hesitated for a few seconds before replying: [Sorry Brad, I probably won''t be back to Noble Vista tonight.] Bradley [Something keeping you busy?] Cameron: [Got a part-time job tutoring someone.] Bradley [Alright, just don''t burn yourself out.] Cameron sent back a simple "OK" emoji. While Cameron was texting Bradley, Xander was busy messaging Milena, trying to set up dinner for that evening. To absolutely no one''s surprise, Milena shot him down again. Xander tossed his phone onto the desk with a frustrated groan. What''s her deal? he thought. ''She''s super friendly when we chat online, but refuses to grab a simple meal with me! Cameron ignored Xander''s sour face, putting her phone away and tapping theputer screen. "Let''s continue." Xander crossed his arms over his chest, ring at the screen and silently fuming. After Cameron finished exining a problem, she asked, "Did you get that?" Xander, who''d beenpletely zoned out, blinked. "Huh? Yeah, got it." "Then walk me through the solution, Cameron sneered. "Fine, I didn''t get it." Cameron frowned, "Xander, if this is your attitude, I seriously can''t tutor you." "How am I supposed to focus on schoolwork right now? Xander snapped, his face dark. Cameron immediately stood up, checking the time on her phone. "40 minutes total. I''ll count it as 30. That''s 15 grand. You still have 285 thousand dors with me." She paused before adding, "If you don''t want to continue the lessons, just tell me and I''ll refund your money." With that, she headed for the door. "Hey!" Xander called after her. "Would it kill you to help me set up one date with your sister?" "Yes," Cameron replied without looking back. Xander was left speechless. Downstairs, Logan and Gwen were waiting in the living room. Gwen immediately stood up when she saw Cameron, her face brightening. "Cam, you must be tired. Why don''t you take a break?" "Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, we''re done with today''s lesson," Cameron announced. Logan frowned, "It''s barely past two. What happened? Is that little punk not cooperating?" Cameron just shook her head without borating and said her goodbyes. Logan and Gwen even walked her all the way to the front door, offering to have their driver take her home. Cameron politely declined. It was only two in the afternoon, and the sun was shining bright. Cameron walked down the main street with one hand stuffed in her pocket, going nowhere in particr. ***** In his antique-styled study, Elijah sat behind a wooden desk covered with exam papers he''d alreadypleted. Many of these problems were ones he''d asked Cameron about. In fact, Elijah was able to solve them. He was a Sessfully unlocked! Jestions took him just a nce to figure out. But for some reason, Elijah loved having Cameron expian proviens to mm. That was why he kept dragging her into tutoring him. Even though he knew all the answers. Now, sitting at his desk, Elijah''s thoughts drifted back to Cameron. ''What''s she doing right now? Who is she with? Would she end up on some rooftop again for whatever reason?'' he thought. Chapter 202 Not Interested These thoughts wrapped around Elijah until he couldn''t focus on a single word on the papers in front of him. After some hesitation, Elijah decided to call her. It took a while before Cameron picked up. "Hey, Elijah,¡± Cameron said casually. She was sitting in a taxi. After deciding there wasn''t anything interesting outside, she''d chosen to head back to Noble Vista to chill for a bit. Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 203 Elijah Came To Get Her Chapter 203 0 Likes Chapter 203 Elijah Came To Get Her Chapter 203 Elijah Came To Get Her "What are you up to?" Elijah asked. Cameron leaned her head against the car window. "Heading home. Why?" "I''ve got two problems I can''t figure out. Think you could take a look?" Cameron rolled her eyes. ''More math problems? Is the life of a genius really just about solving equations 24/7?'' she thought. "Elijah, give me a break," she sighed. Elijah froze. ''Give him a break? What did that mean?'' he thought. "You don''t want to help me with the problems?" Elijah asked cautiously. "Nope." Elijah went quiet. He lowered his eyes, feeling deted. His finger pressed against the wooden desk as he asked in a strained voice, "Cameron, do you hate me or something?" ¡°No, Elijah,¡± Cameron sighed, ¡°I don''t hate you. I just really don''t want to solve math problems right now." To be fair, Elijah had saved her before. Well, not that she was actually going to jump off that building. And despite his cold exterior, the guy had a warm heart. She definitely didn''t hate him. "I''m sorry," Elijah said. "I didn''t realize I was bothering you." After dealing with Xander''s bullshit all day, hearing Elijah be so understanding was honestly refreshing. Before Cameron could respond, Elijah added, "To make it up to you, can I take you out for dinner tonight?" Cameron thought about it for a moment. ¡°Okay, fine." She''d already told Bradley she had ns tonight anyway. It would be super awkward if he caught her hanging around the house after that lie. The taxi pulled up at the entrance to Noble Vista. "You pick the ce," Cameron told him. "Just text me the detailster. I need to go crash for a bit." "What do you feel like eating?" Elijah asked. Cameron shrugged. "Whatever. I''m not picky." "Cool. I''ll text youter," Elijah said. When Cameron got home, she flopped onto the couch, her body instantly going limp with exhaustion. Making money from Xander was no joke. Feeling drained, Cameron fell asleep right there on the sofa. The second Cameron walked through her front door, Bradley got the notification. He''d linked her house''s lock system to his phone and hadn''t gotten around to disconnecting it yet. Sitting at his desk at thew firm, Bradley stared at the notification for a moment. In the end, he decided not to bother her. Just before clocking out, Bradley''s phone lit up with Eddie''s name. "Brad, you free for dinner tonight? Thought you might want to meet my future wife," Eddie said, his voice practically smirking through the phone. Bradley walked to the window, shaking his head. "Eddie, if you''re asking me to dinner, I''m there. But if you''re bringing a random girlfriend, I''ll pass." "Random Girlfriend" was the perfect description. Eddie went through girlfriends faster than most people changed their socks. Half the time, he probably couldn''t even remember their names after they broke up. Eddieughed. "Fine, just me then." ***** Cameron woke up to Elijah''s voice call ring through her phone. She blinked awake, noticing how the sunset bathed the garden outside her floor-to-ceiling windows in this gorgeous red glow. Cameron sat up, rubbing her temples as she answered. Elijah''s calm voice came through immediately. "Cameron, didn''t you see my messages?" "Huh?" Cameron was still half-asleep. "Message Sessfully unlocked! "No problem,¡± Elijah said. "Just get ready ande down." "Come down?" Cameron frowned. "Wait, are you outside my ce?" "Yeah, I''m outside Wace Vi." Chapter 203 Elijah Came To Get Her Cameron wanted to facepalm. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Brad Was Angry "Sorry, Elijah," Cameron said after a moment. "I don''t live there anymore." Now it was Elijah''s turn to be speechless. After a pause, he asked, "Where are you now?" "You don''t need to know where I am," Cameron replied. "Let''s just meet at the destination." Elijah thought for a moment. "Okay, see you soon." He realized that going to pick up Cameron now would make them superte to the fondue ce. She could just meet him there. It was his fault for not asking where she was earlier. ''Cameron is still a student, isn''t she? And now living on her own?" Elijah wondered. Cameron ended the voice call and immediately saw Elijah''s WhatsApp message with the location, a fondue restaurant not far from Noble Vista, maybe a 30- minute drive away. Cameron decided to grab a bike to get there. She really needed to buy her own car. Getting around like this was such a pain. But first, Cameron would need to get her license. She already knew how to drive, so she wouldn''t need driving school. She just had to register online and show up for the test. By the time Cameron arrived at the restaurant, Elijah was already there, sitting by the window. The fondue ce was on the second floor of a mall built right alongside theke. Elijah had snagged the perfect spot with an amazing view of the water sparkling just outside. It was beautiful. "Cameron, over here!" Elijah called, waving her over as he saw her at the entrance. Elijah looked stunning in a simple ck shirt, his posture perfect as he sat waiting. His handsome, elegant features were already drawing sidelong nces from girls his age throughout the restaurant. But when Cameron looked up, her eyes didn''tnd on Elijah at all. They locked onto the man behind him. The man was drop-dead gorgeous, especially those seductive bedroom eyes of his. When he heard Elijah speak, he nced over in Cameron''s direction. Their eyes met. Cameron froze for a second. ''Wait, isn''t that Bradley''s brother Eddie? What are the odds? Did I just run into Eddie, or is Brad here too?'' she thought. Cameron stared at the empty seat across from Eddie, her stomach doing a little flip. She walked over to where Elijah was sitting. Cameron had barely reached Elijah''s table and was debating whether to say hi to Eddie when a familiar voice called out." Cameron?" Cameron turned her head to see Bradley standing there in a crisp white shirt, ck cks, and those signature gold- rimmed sses. ''You''ve got to be kidding me, Cameron thought. ''Is Viremont seriously this small of a town?'' Bradley couldn''t believe he''d run into Cameron at the fondue ce. His initial surprise quickly turned into pleasure, but then his gazended on Elijah sitting at the table. ¡°Elijah? Cameron, you''re meeting up with Elijah?¡± "Brad," Elijah cut in before Cameron could answer, standing up with a surprised look. "Didn''t expect to see you here." Bradley''s eyes lingered on Cameron''s delicate face for a few seconds before he nodded. "Yeah, what a coincidence." He slid into the seat across from Eddie. Eddie grinned. "Hey Brad, isn''t this that roommate of yours? The one with all the personality? Why don''t we all sit together?" Bradley said nothing. ''Did Cam reject me because she chose Elijah? Or has she already made ns with Elijah and that''s why she turned me down?'' he thought. When Bradley didn''t say anything, Eddie had enough sense not to push it. He just slid the menu closer to Bradley. "Brad, I''ve already ordered. Wanna add anything else?" "I''m good," Bradley said, pushing the menu away. Eddie''s brain short-circuited. ''What the hell? Brad''s nieced? Just because he ran into his roommate? What kind of logic is that?'' Sessfully unlocked! ¿Ú Chapter 205 Chapter 205 He Was Rejected First Chapter 205 He Was Rejected First Cameron took a seat across from Elijah. She hadn''t even had a chance to say a word to Bradley before he''d plopped down across from Eddie, his back now facing her. She gave Eddie a polite nod. Eddie immediately beamed, waving enthusiastically. "Hey there, handsome. We meet again. Looking even better thanst time, I see." "Thanks, Mr. Eddie Saunders. You''re looking sharp yourself," Cameron replied. "Mr. Saunders? So formal. Just call me Eddie like Brad does." Cameron didn''t know what to say to that. She just shed an awkward but polite smile. The typically aloof Elijah, now realizing the guy behind them was Bradley''s brother Eddie, stood up courteously. "Hey Eddie, I''m Brad''s roommate, Elijah.¡± "Well hello there! Damn, you''re a looker too. I love hanging out with attractive people. Wanna join us for lunch?¡± Eddie was a serious sucker for good-looking people. His enthusiasm for both hot guys and beautiful women knew no bounds. "Want to join them?" Elijah asked Cameron. "You''re paying, so it''s your call," Cameron replied with a shrug. Just like that, the two tables were pushed together. Bradley didn''t move a muscle. His eyes, unreadable behind those gold-rimmed sses, gave nothing away. "Hey, handsome! Come sit next to me," Eddie called out to Cameron, waving him over enthusiastically. Cameron slid into the seat beside Eddie, directly across from Bradley. Elijah took the spot next to Bradley. Cameron nced up and locked eyes with Bradley. The corners of Bradley''s eyes crinkled with amusement. "Cameron, are you tutoring Elijah now?" he asked. Cameron shook his head. "Nope." "You tutor people?" Elijah''s eyebrows shot up. Eddie leaned in. "Wow, handsome! Didn''t know you were a brain too. I thought only our family had the whole looks-and- brains package." "I''m tutoring Xander," Cameron said with a nod. Elijah''s jaw dropped. "Xander? Is there any hope for him academically?" "He''s a sports schrship kid," Cameron exined. "The academic requirements aren''t as high for him. Even a small improvement could get him into a decent college." "True." Elijah nodded. Bradley smiled faintly, "So how did you and Elijah end up hanging out?" "I asked him to meet up." Elijah jumped in before Cameron could answer. Bradley swirled his coffee absently. "When exactly did you make these ns?" Cameron opened his mouth, trying to catch Elijah''s eye to signal him, but Elijah had already blurted out, "Around three this afternoon." Cameron could only sigh inwardly. Bradley heard her silence, and while his lips kept that slight smile, the eyes behind his sses darkened. It was after three. Bradley had texted Cameron shortly after two. So she''d rejected him first. ''He turned me down? But why?'' Bradley wondered. Even with questions swirling in his mind, Bradley knew better than to voice them right now. Eddie casually studied Bradley''s micro-expressions. ''What''s going on? Why is Brad even more pissed off now?'' he thought. "Food''s ready," Eddie said with a cheerful smile. "Let''s eat while we chat." The atmosphere turned weird as hell. Both Cameron and Bradley ate inplete silence. Elijah had only nned to meet with Cameron. y with Bradley and Edu here, he didn''t have much to say. Sessfully unlocked! Eddie scrambled to fill the awkward silence. "Ts ce is eriously good. Brad, why haven''t you brought me here before?" "You''ve been too busy with your girlfriend to hang out," Bradley shot back. "Remember?" Eddie was speechless. ''What the actual fuck? That was uncalled for. It''s not like I was the one who made you angry. Whye at him like that?'' he thought. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Not Mad Anymore? Eddie wasn''t the only one confused by the sudden hostility. Elijah stared at Bradley in surprise, wondering what had gotten into him He''d never seen Bradley so blunt before. Bradley was always so gentle, but apparently, he could throw shade just like anyone else. Only Cameron knew why Bradley was pissed off. He''d turned down the bike she''ded to give him, and she didn''t want to owe him any more favors. That was why she''d been deliberately keeping her distance. But of course, Bradley caught her in the act right away. Cameron didn''t feel like exining herself, so she just silently ate her fondue. Elijah had originally nned to meet Cameron alone to apologize. He hadn''t realized asking her for homework help would cause her so much trouble. But with Bradley and Eddie there too, it was clearly not the time for that conversation. Maybe next time; Elijah thought. Elijah was naturally quiet anyway, and with the weird vibe at the table, he just focused on his food. Eddie didn''t want to get snapped at, so he kept his mouth shut too. Bradley ced a te of shrimp in front of Cameron. "Last time we had fondue, you seemned to really like these." Cameron looked up, meeting Bradley''s handsome, smiling face. ''So he''s not mad anymore? she wondered. Cameron felt the tension drain from her shoulders. This whole thing was definitely her bad. Thank goodness Bradley wasn'' t holding a grudge. "Thanks, Brad, Cameron said with a small smile. "Last time?" Elijah asked curiously. "When was that?" Bradley responded with a faint smile, "Elijah, that''s private between Cameron and me. Not something I can share." Elijah was instantly speechless. ''Since when is eating fondue together some big secret?'' he thought. Cameron shot Bradley a look. Hisment definitely had some suggestive undertones. Still, she didn''t bother to correct him. Eddie nced between Cameron and Bradley with a thoughtful look. ''Interesting. Brad seems to really care about this Cameron guy, he thought. Eddie tried throwing out a few jokes to lighten the mood, and thankfully, Bradley stopped shutting him down. The atmosphere at the table finally improved a bit. ***** After dinner, when Elijah went to pay, Bradley swooped in and covered the bill first. "Next time, I''ll take you out properly, just the two of us," Elijah told Cameron. Bradley''s eyes lingered on Elijah''s face for a few seconds before quickly looking away. Eddie threw his arm around Bradley''s shoulders. "Brad, mind if I crash at your ce tonight? I''m so sick of hotels." "Eddie, I don''t have any extra rooms," Bradley said tly. "If you''re tired of your hotel, find another one." Eddie was left speechless. Cameron overheard this and shot Bradley a curious look. His mansion had to have at least seven or eight bedrooms, yet he imed to have no extra space. But it wasn''t her business, so she kept quiet. "Can I give you a ride home?" Elijah asked Cameron. "That won''t be necessary, Bradley cut in before Cameron could answer. "Elijah, Cameron and I are headed in the same direction. I''ll take him." Cameron blinked in surprise. "You two live near each other?" Elijah asked, his eyebrows raised. Before Bradley could say anything else, Cameron jumped in. "Yeah, Brad and I are headed the same way. See you tomorrow at school, Elijah.¡± Elijah nodded. "Sounds good. See you then." Cameron waved Elijah off. Sessfully unlocked! Once he was gone, Bradley turned to her. "Let''s head out too." ¡°Hold up,¡± Eddie cut in, tired of being ignored. "Brad, you''re seriously ditching me?" Chapter 206 Not Mad Anymore? Bradley smiled faintly, "Eddie, want me to call you a ride back to Steerfall?" Eddie was at a loss for words. He could only watch helplessly as Bradley and Cameron walked out, abandoning him at the fondue restaurant. ''Great Looks like another night in a hotel, he thought. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Austin''s Test The ck Mercedes cruised smoothly down neon-lit streets. Bradley drove while Cameron sat silently in the passenger seat, face turned toward the window, watching the city blur past. "So," Bradley said, eyes fixed on the road ahead, "what did you think of the fondue ce?" Cameron pulled her gaze from the window. "Not bad." Bradley nodded. "That''s actually why I wanted to meet up with you today. To try that ce." "What a coincidence we ran into each other there," Cameron replied, her expression giving nothing away. The corner of Bradley''s mouth twitched upward. He didn''t bother asking why she''d turned down his invitation but epted Elijah''s. He wasn''t that petty. "The food was pretty good," Bradley said instead. "We should go back sometime." Cameron had absolutely nothing to say to that. Bradley dropped the subject quickly. "So how''s the tutoring going with Xander? Is anything sticking in that brain of his?" Cameron rubbed her forehead. "His basics are terrible. I''m struggling just to get him caught up." "Sounds like you need to charge more," Bradleyughed. Cameron finally turned to look at him. "30 grand an hour should do it." "That might cover it." Bradley smirked. They chatted easily, the vibe between them sliding back to how things used to be. Thirty minutester, the car pulled into Noble Vista''s underground parking. Cameron felt herself finally rx. "Brad, thanks for the ride. Later," she said with a quick wave. "See ya." Bradley nodded. Back in her apartment, it was nearly ten. Cameron took a shower, removed her chest binder, and flopped onto her bed in pajamas, nning to read a bit before crashing. She nced at her phone to check the time and noticed a WhatsApp message from Austin. Austin: [Cam, you busy?] He was just checking in after yesterday, when he''d seen those big guys surrounding her. He was curious how she was doing. Cameron: [Reading. What''s up?] Austin: [I wrote another song. Can I y it for you now?] Cameron: [Now?] Austin: [Yeah, we can just video chat.] Cameron instinctively nced down at her ck pajamas. Without her binder on, there was no way she could video chat with Austin. Cameron: [Sorry, I''m about to crash.] Austin: [My bad, didn''t think about the time. Can I y it for you tomorrow at school?] Cameron: [If you want.] Austin: [Cool, see you tomorrow.] ''So Cameron''s injuries couldn''t be too serious, right? After all, he''d be back in ss tomorrow like nothing happened,'' Austin thought. Cameron set his phone down and leaned back against the headboard with a book in hisp. After reading for a while, his eyelids started to get heavy. Just as he was about to lie down, he thought he heard the doorbell. He listened for a moment, but the sound didn''t re, at. With a shrug, Cameron turned off the light and settled in to sleep. A few minutester, his bedroom doorknob turned slowly. "Who''s there?" Cameron wasn''t fully asleep yet. He immediately sat up and pped the light switch on. The room flooded with brightness, revealing a Sessfully unlocked! White button-down, ck cks, gold-rimmed sses-it was Bradley. ¡°Brad?¡± Cameron blinked in surprise. ''What''s Bradley doing at my bedroom door in the middle of the night?'' she thought. Bradley stood there with an easy smile. "Sorry, Cameron. I knocked, but you didn''t answer. I figured you were asleep, so I let myself in." Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Burst Pipe Cameron sat up in bed, instinctively pulling the covers up to his neck. "Okay, but seriously. What are you doing here sote?" Bradley sighed, "A pipe burst at my ce. Maintenance is fixing it right now, so I can''t shower or anything. I was hoping I could crash here for the night." He lifted the bag in his hand, which apparently contained pajamas and toiletries. Cameron stayed put in bed, eyes narrowing. "You still have keys to this ce?¡± "Not keys," Bradley exined. "Fingerprint ess. Sorry about that." Cameron nodded slowly. "Fine. Are you nning to take over my room or use one of the guest rooms?" "Guest room, of course," Bradley said with a smile. "Cool. Take your pick then," Cameron said with a nod, still watching him carefully. Bradley noticed Cameron just sitting motionless on her bed. He couldn''t help walking over to her. "You feeling okay?" Cameron''s skin prickled when she saw him approaching. She''d messed up big time. Not only had she forgotten to lock her bedroom door, but she also hadn''t bound her chest. It would be awkward if Bradley noticed. "Brad, I''m fine,¡± Cameron said quickly. But Bradley was already standing right in front of her. He reached out, his palm resting against her forehead-normal temperature. "What''s bothering you?" he asked. "Nothing, just tired. Don''t feel like moving," Cameron said, then added, "Brad, it''s gettingte. You should get some rest too." "Cameron, if something''s wrong, you can tell me," Bradley said. "My brother''s a doctor. He might be able to help.¡± Cameron shook her head. "Brad, I''m seriously fine. Can you please leave now?" "Sure thing." Bradley backed out and politely closed the door behind him. The first thing Cameron did was leap off the bed and lock the door. Standing outside, Bradley heard it loud and clear. The easy smile he usually wore vanishedpletely. ''She''s keeping me out?'' Bradley thought. ''We''re both guys, what''s the big deal? Or is Cameron starting to hate me? But why? Just yesterday he was all excited giving me that mountain bike. Is it because I didn''t ept it? Or something else entirely?" Bradley waspletely lost. He ended up staying in the bedroom next to Cameron''s, tossing his toiletries onto the table with a sigh. ''Burst pipe? That was such ame excuse, Bradley thought. ''Whatever. As long as it gets me to stay here for the night.'' Meanwhile, Cameron locked her door immediately, then rushed to the bathroom to put on her chest binder. Only then did she feel safe enough to get back in bed, turn off the lights, and sleep. ***** Cameron slept in until she naturally woke up. After freshening up, she finally ventured out of her room. The moment she opened her door, the smell of food hit her. "You''re up?" Bradley sat on the couch watching a crime show, his golden-rimmed sses framing eyes that crinkled with amusement as he looked at her. The TV waspletely silent. "Morning, Brad." Cameron nodded, then frowned. "Why''s the TV muted?" "I can follow the subtitles just fine," Bradley replied. Cameron grabbed the remote and turned the volume up. Bradley stood, jutting his chin toward the dining table. "Breakfast just got here." "Thanks," Cameron said, heading to the table. The spread was massive. Cameron picked up a ss of milk and sipped it slowly. Bradley grabbed his own ss ar joined her. "We don''t have to be at school until evening," he said. "Any ns for today?" "Nothing specific." Cameron shrugged. "If you''ve got nothing lined up, why don''t we go Before Brodity could finish his sentence, Cameron''s phone started ringing. Sessfully unlocked! §¥ Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 209 Bradley''s Dominance Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Bradley''s Dominance Chapter 209 Bradley''s Dominance "Sorry," Cameron gave Bradley an apologetic look before checking her phone. Her brows furrowed, "Xander?" ''Why the hell is he calling me this early? Cameron thought and picked up anyway. "Hello?" Cameron barely got the word out before Xander''s voice sted through the speaker, loud enough for Bradley to hear across the table. "Hey punk, you up? If you are, get your ass over here for tutoring." Cameron set down her milk. "You want tutoring today?" "Yeah, obviously. The SATs areing up, so you need to get over here ASAP "Fine." Cameron nodded. "I''ll head over after breakfast. Nothing was more important than making money right now, except maybe studying. "Hurry up!" Xander pushed before hanging up. Cameron looked across at Bradley. "What were you saying before?" Bradley was still smiling, but behind his sses, his eyes carried a hint of disappointment. "Looks like you''re busy today, he said. It couldn''t be helped. Cameron was on her own now. She had to make money to support herself. "Xander wants me to tutor him," she exined. "He already paid me 300 grand upfront." Cameron only had a little over 300 thousand dors in her ount, so with Xander''s money, that would be about 600 thousand dors total. Even though Cameron charged Xander 30 grand an hour-which was insane-she was still nowhere near the two million dors she needed to register her pharmaceuticalpany. Cameron would have to find other ways to make money. For now, tutoring Xander was the only side hustle she could manage while still in school. Bradley raised his eyebrows. "That''s pretty generous of him." Cameron nearly rolled her eyes. Xander wasn''t generous. He was just ridiculously wasteful with his money. "Sorry, Brad, but I''m going to have to say no again today," Cameron said. Bradley shook his head with understanding. "No worries." *** After breakfast, Cameron decided to grab a cab to Murphy Manor. While waiting at the corner, a ck Mercedes pulled up in front of her, and the passenger window rolled down. "Cameron, get in," came a familiar voice. Cameron couldn''t believe it. She stared at Bradley behind the wheel, feelingpletely exasperated. Cameron already owed him way too many favors as it was. She wanted to repay him, but he wouldn''t let her. This had to stop. She couldn''t keep epting his help. "Brad, thanks, but I already called a cab. It''ll be here any second," Cameron said. "Cancel it. I''ll take you." Bradley''s eyes sparkled behind his sses. Cameron shook her head firmly. "The car''s literally about to arrive. It''d be rude to cancel now." As if on cue, a white car pulled up behind the Mercedes. "Look, Brad, my ride''s here," Cameron said, reaching for the door handle. Cameron barely had it open when Bradley appeared out of nowhere, pushing the door shut again. Cameron blinked in confusion. Bradley pulled out a hundred-dor bill from his wallet and handed it to the driver. "Sorry, we don''t need the ride ar more." The driver happily pocketed the money and drove off. Cameron stood there speechless. Bradley opened his passenger door with a grin. "Hop in. I''ll take you." Cameron wanted to argue but knew it was poir des Momentster she found herself sitting in Bradley''s passenger seat, exactly as he''d nned. "Where does Xander live?" Bradley asked. Sessfully unlocked! Cameron opened WhatsApp and forwarded Xander''s address to Bradley. "Not too far," Bradley said, pulling away from the curb. Chapter 209 Bradley''s Dominance "Yeah, not far." Cameron nodded. Bradley nced over, noticing her troubled expression. "Hey, you okay? You don''t look so hot." Subscribed Chapter 210 Chapter 210 The Exnation Cameron turned to face Bradley. "Brad, you really don''t need to drive me? Bradley kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his voice deliberately t. "You don''t want me to?" ''No, I don''t, Cameron said bluntly. Bradley blinked, caught off guard. He hadn''t expected such straightforward honesty from her. "Why not?" he asked. Cameron didn''t beat around the bush. ¡°Because I already owe you too much. I don''t want to be in your debt any more than I already am." ''So that''s why you turned down my invitation yesterday and went with Elijah instead, Bradley said. Cameron stared at his handsome profile and nodded. "Yep." Bradley turned to look at her. "Cameron, are you in a rush to get to Murphy Manor?" "What do you mean?" The corner of Bradley''s mouth quirked up, but he said nothing. Instead, he spun the steering wheel and made a U-turn, heading back toward Noble Vista. "Brad, what are you doing?" Cameron asked, confused. Bradley pulled into a parking spot and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Come on. Let''s go to my ce. There''s something I want to show you." Cameron didn''t budge. "What is it?" "You''ll see when we get there." Cameron sighed and got out of the car, feeling like she didn''t have much choice. Inside Bradley''s vi, she casually asked, "Did you get the pipes fixed?" Bradley smiled, "Yeah, all fixed. This way." He led Cameron to a storage room and pulled back a bright yellow curtain. Behind it sat a ck mountain bikepletely wrapped in protective stic film, meticulously preserved. Cameron unconsciously stepped forward. "Brad, is this- Bradley grinned. "It''s the mountain bike you gave me. Don''t recognize it? Check out the initials you had them engrave." Cameron was speechless. She bent down to look, and sure enough, it was the same bike. Standing up straight, she asked, But didn''t you return it?" Bradley shook his head. "Cameron, I never nned to return it." "But I got my money back, Cameron said, confused. "I just had the property management office charge me the 60 grand and then refund the money to your card," Bradley exined. Cameron waspletely speechless. ''Seriously? That''s what this is about?'' she thought. Cameron just stared at Bradley, utterly lost for words. Bradley noticed her nk expression and reached over to ruffle her hair. "Look, you just cut ties with the Wace family. You''re broke right now. You don''t need to buy me expensive gifts." "I appreciate the thought, really," he said, pulling his hand back. "But I had no idea you''d start avoiding me over this. If I''d known, I would''ve just epted it." Cameron felt a lump in her throat. "I''m sorry, Brad." That familiar warmth spread through her chest again, Bradley''s kindness hitting her right in the feels. hteen Even though she''d spent thousands of years world-hopping, jumping from reality to reality,pleting system tasks and picking up countless skills, somehow, in less than a month, Bradley had shown her more warmth than she''d felt years with the Wace family. Bradley was genuinely good. Moving into apartment 316 and bing his roommate was the luckiest break Cameron had gotten. Bradley smiled, "Sorry for what? You didn''t do anything wrong was pist surprised to run into you at the fondue ce yesterday." Sessfully unlocked! "You were pretty mad, weren''t you?" Cameron asked, meeting his eyes. "A little," Bradley admitted honestly. "I''m-" Chapter 210 The Exnation "Don''t," Bradley cut her off. "The misunderstanding''s cleared up. So can you stop avoiding me now?" Subscribed Chapter 211 Chapter 211 You Really Suck Chapter 211 You Really Suck Cameronughed, "Promise. But you have to stop refusing when I try to return favors." Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Cameron, I don''t think ''returning favors'' has to involve money" Cameron looked at Bradley, confused. "What can I do to help you?" "I mean, your cooking is pretty good," Bradley said. Cameron was speechless. Sure, her cooking was decent. But their building had a food delivery service with restaurant- quality meals. Bradleyughed. "I''m just messing with you. I''ll let you know if I think of something." Cameron nodded. Bradley dangled his car keys. "I''ll drive you to Murphy Manor now." "Aren''t you busy today?" Cameron asked. "Nope, not at all." Bradley had actually cleared his schedule to take Cameron golfing today. He''d made the arrangementsst night. "Thanks for the ride then," Cameron said. Bradley dropped her off at the entrance to Murphy Manor. As she was unbuckling her seatbelt, he asked, "Want me to pick you up this afternoon?" Cameron shook her head. "No need. Xander and I are heading back to campus together." "Cool. See you tonight." Bradley waved. "Bye." Cameron disappeared through the massive front doors of Murphy Manor. Bradley checked the time-nine-thirty in the morning. ''Might as well head to thew firm now, he thought. The housekeeper led Cameron to the main living room of Murphy Manor. Logan and Gwen were out today. Xander was sprawled on the couch, game controller in hand, his eyes locked on the massive screen where an intense battle sequence yed out. He was glued to his video game. "Mr. Wace, please have a seat." The housekeeper respectfully served drinks and snacks. Before Logan and Gwen left, they''d specifically instructed her to take good care of Cameron. "Thanks," Cameron said, but before he could finish, Xander tossed a game controller at him. "Hey punk, y with me," Xander said, not looking away from the screen. The game''s sound effects sted in surround sound. While Xander found it immersive, Cameron just thought it was obnoxious. "Xander," Cameron frowned, "I''m here to tutor you. When are you nning to wrap this up?" Xander''s eyes remained glued to the screen. "Why stop when the game''s this good? y with me. I''ll still pay you 30 grand an hour." Cameron was speechless. He set the controller on the table and frowned, "Enough ying." "No way," Xander protested. "I''m not stopping." "You really suck at this game, yet you never want to quit," Cameron remarked. Xander turned his head toward Cameron in slow, robotic movements, his eyes widening. "What did you just say, punk?" ''Suck at this game? Is he talking about me?'' Xander thought. He was ying a fighting game. He''d been dominating for three weekends straight and was about to beat it. ''How dare Cameron call me bad at it?'' Xander thought. ''That''s going too far!'' Xander shoved the controller back into Cameron''s hands. "You think I suck? Fine, you try it." Xander was stuck on the final level. He''d been ying for two days straight, but this boss was impossibly difficult to beat. Every time Xander nearly defeated the boss, he''d end up dead instead. The more Xander failed, the more determined Sessfully unlocked! gling with this level for two days straight, his enthusiasm hadn''t dimmed a bit. "If I beat this, we''ll start our lesson?" Cameron asked. She wasn''t particrly excited about tutoring Xander, but she''d taken his money, so she had to follow through. "Ha! Big talk from you, little punk," Xanderughed. While they were chatting, his character got stomped to death by the Chapter 211 You Really Suck final boss. Subscribed Chapter 212 Chapter 212 I Don''t Care Cameron took the controller with a nk expression and selected ''restart". The sound ofbat filled the room. Xander stoppedughing and folded his arms, watching the screen like he was settling in for a show. "Alright punk, let''s see how good you really are. "Wait, why are you jumping on its head? You need to hit the chest. That''s where it takes the most damage! "Trust me, I learned this from two days of getting my ass kicked. Get down now!" Xander couldn''t help backseat gaming, getting more worked up than Cameron herself. Cameronpletely ignored him. She kept her character firmly nted on the boss'' head, unloading a barrage of bullets directly into its skull. At first, the health bar barely moved. But after 30 seconds, Cameron sted a hole right through the boss'' head, and its health started dropping like crazy. A few minutester, Cameron''s character still had more than half its health left when the boss copsed. "VICTORY" and " LEVEL COMPLETE? shed across the screen. Xander was speechless. Cameron tossed the controller back to him. "So, are we doing this tutoring session in the study or what?" Xander''s mouth slowly closed. He leaped off the couch and grabbed Cameron''s arm. ¡°You little punk! Did you y this game before? Is that how you knew the head was the weak point?" Cameron peeled his hand off and brushed her clothes. "Never yed it." "No way. You must have," Xander insisted. "Why would I need to y it? I could see the solution with one nce." Xander was speechless again. ''One nce?'' he thought. ''It has taken me two whole days to get nowhere!'' He felt like he''d just been hit with a critical damage multiplier. Cameron stood up and headed for the stairs. ¡°Come on. Tutoring time.¡± Xander scrambled after her. "Seriously, how are you so good at everything? Basketball, running, academics, and now gaming too? "Not gonna lie, if you were really my little brother, I''d be pretty proud." Cameron stopped in her tracks as Xander babbled behind her. "You think I''d be proud to have you as my brother?" Xander''s mouth snapped shut. In the study, Xander flopped onto the couch and crossed his arms. "You look down on me, don''t you, punk?" "What do you think?" Cameron replied. Xander lifted his chin. "Listen up, I''m actually pretty awesome myself. You know I have tons of fangirls at Langford Academy, right?" "Yeah, yeah," Cameron said dismissively. "Can we start the tutoring now?" "What''s the rush? The clock started ticking the moment you walked into Murphy Manor." "The clock starts now," Cameron countered. "Whatever. Let''s get this over with so we can y another round together." Cameron opened her notebook, searching forst week''s math practice test. "Not interested." Xander rolled his eyes. "I''ve figured you out. You''re only interested in one thing, money." "Smart," Cameron scoffed. Xander looked thoughtful. ¡°Is the Wace family that broke? Are you guys poor?" ''Could it be that Milena won''t see me because the Wace family is poor and she''s insecure?'' Xander thought. ''I''ve never looked down on her.'' So Xander pulled out his phone and texted Mil Sessfully unlocked! Xander: [Ms. Wace, I don''t care that your famil, poroty you. fault, so you don''t need to feel insecure.] 23 0.00 0. Milena was dumbfounded. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 You''re Impossible Chapter 213 You''re Impossible Milena''s face darkened when she saw Xander''s WhatsApp message. What bothered her most was that he''d hit the nail on the head-she was insecure. The Wace family was doing finepared to most people, but at Langford Academy, where everyone was loaded, Milena was at the bottom of the food chain. Having Xander point it out so bluntly was mortifying. After struggling with what to say for a long time, Milena decided not to respond at all. Meanwhile, Xander was smugly congratting himself on being so "understanding." He stared at his phone screen with a goofy smile, certain that Milena must be touched by his thoughtfulness. "Ahem." Cameron rapped her knuckles on the desk. "Xander, I''m trying to tutor you here. Could you please respect my time and put your phone down?" Xander pouted, "I''m just texting your sister." Cameron''s face remained expressionless. "If you don''t want these lessons, I can refund the remaining 85 thousand dors right now. Don''t waste my time." Seeing that Cameron was genuinely annoyed, Xander tossed his phone aside. "Fine! I''ll stop. Go ahead and teach. Gosh, you''re so moody. Good luck finding someone who''ll marry you with that attitude." Cameron just furrowed her brows slightly at hisment. She skipped making Xander do the problems himself and jumped straight into exining the first question. Xander was surprisingly cooperative, apart from checking his phone every now and then. ***** At noon, after two hours of tutoring, the butler knocked on the door. "Mr. Murphy, Mr. Wace, lunch is ready. Would you like to eat now or wait a bit longer?" "Now, please. I''m starving and my brain is fried," Xander said, stretching his arms above his head. Cameron nced at her watch. "Two hours down. You still got 65 thousand dors left." "Cut the crap. Let''s eat," Xander said, getting up first. Logan and Gwen still hadn''t returned by lunchtime. ***** After eating, Xander yed a couple rounds of his video game. When he failed to beat the level, he looked ready to smash his controller against the wall. Xander nced over at Cameron, who was absorbed in one of Logan''s books. "Hey. y a couple rounds with me." Cameron didn''t even look up. "No thanks." "I''ll pay you," Xander offered. "Still no." Cameron might need money, but that didn''t mean she''d take it for just anything. No matter how much she loved money, she had principles about how to earn it. Xander was left speechless. Cameron finally looked up, meeting his annoyed gaze. "y by yourself for 10 more minutes, then we''re going back upstairs to study. Your choice. Either we continue the lessons or I head back to school." Xander tossed his controller aside. "Fine, you''re the boss. Let''s study." Cameron tutored him from 2 PM until 4 PM-another two solid hours. "You''ve still got 150 thousand dors left," Cameron said. Xander nodded absently. "Whatever." Xander led Cameron to the underground garage, past rows of luxury cars, finally stopping in front of his prize He swung his leg over the seat and smirked. "Hop on. I''ll give you a ride back to campus." Cameron got onto the back seat withoutment, but ced her messenger bag between them. Xander frowned and looked over his shoulder, "What are you doing "Nowhere else to put my bag," Cameron said. Sessfully unlocked! "Just wear it on your back." "Don''t want to." Xander sighed dramatically. "You''re impossible, you know that?" torcycle. Chapter 213 You''re Impossible Somehow, whenever they disagreed, Xander always ended up being the one to give in despite looking like the tougher one. It was strange how that worked. When they pulled up to the school entrance, Tyrell and the others were waiting. They froze when they spotted Cameron sitting behind Xander. Subscribed Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Better Looking Than Him Chapter 214 Better Looking Than Him "Xan." Tyrell''s eyes darted nervously toward Cameron before he stumbled through his greeting. Xander, typically oblivious, didn''t notice anything off about Tyrell''s behavior. "Wait for me at the court. I''ll be there after I park." The group gave Cameron another nce before hurrying away. Cameron pretended not to notice them. After Xander parked in the lot, Cameron hopped off and adjusted her bag. Thank "Hey, Cam," Xander called after her retreating figure. "Sure you don''t want to join our basketball team? Tournament''s in two weeks." Without turning around, Cameron replied, "Not interested." "Whatever." Xander rolled his eyes and headed in the opposite direction. Cameron went straight back to Room 316. It was only five o''clock, with evening study hall not starting until seven. She had plenty of time to kill. As Cameron approached her door, she heard violin music drifting from inside. The melody was beautiful but heavy, as if the musician wasn''t in the best mood. Cameron unlocked the door and immediately saw the blond boy sitting in a chair,pletely absorbed in his ying. Thete afternoon sunlight streamed in behind him, creating a halo effect. Austin was undeniably handsome, and at this moment, he looked almost ethereal. Hearing Cameron enter, Austin stopped ying. He looked up with a smile. "Cam, you''re back," he said before breaking into a light cough. Behind Austin''s smile lurked a hint of surprise when he noticed Cameron had returned without a scratch. Were those guys really no match for him?'' he thought. Cameron nced at Austin and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. She had barely set down her backpack when Austin spoke up. "Cam, remember what you promised mest night?" He coughed lightly. Cameron turned to look at him. "To listen to your new song?" "Yeah, you remembered, Austin smiled, followed by another cough. "Is your body so weak that you need to cough after every sentence?" Cameron asked bluntly. Austin''s eyes took on a deste look. "I''m a dying man. It doesn''t matter anymore." He punctuated his statement with a series of dramatic coughs. Cameron fought the urge to roll her eyes. ''Fine. Let him y his little game. It''s not my problem. I''ll just pretend I don''t know what he''s doing, she thought. Austin stood up. "Cam, should we go to the music room now? I can y it for you." Since Cameron had nothing better to do, she nodded. "Sure." As they walked to the music room, their striking good looks caught the attention of girls passing by. Austin gave a light cough. "Cam, a lot of girls are looking at you." "They''re looking at you, not me," Cameron replied. Austin wasn''t just handsome. He was distinctively so. His mixed-race features were immediately recognizable. His unnaturally pale skin gave him a sickly appearance, and something about a gorgeous guy looking so fragile seemed to make girls both swoon and worry over him. "They really are looking at you, Cam," Austin smiled. "Everyone calls me the campus heartthrob, but honestly, I think you''re better looking than I am." He meant it. Cameron''s features were delicately beautiful in an androgynous way. The only reason she hadn''t beenbeled the most attractive on campus probably had to do with her height and ordinary background. Speaking of background, Austin actually envier'' Cameron How nice it work! be to live such a normal life. Unlike him, carrying the title of the Ling family''s second si S Sessfully unlocked! walking on eggshells. But he had no choice in the matter. Cameron merely raised an eyebrow at Austin''sment. Whether people looked at her or not made no difference to her. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 You y? When Cameron and Austin reached the music room, it was the time when most students were returning to campus. The spacious room waspletely empty. Austin sat down at the white piano and smiled at Cameron, "Make yourselffortable anywhere, Cam." Cameron crossed her arms and leaned against the piano, her eyes shifting sideways to study Austin''s handsome face with its distinctive mixed-race features, Austin slowly closed his eyes, and his fingers began to dance across the ck and white keys. The music that emerged was cheerful and soothing. Austin swayed gently with the music, his body moving naturally with the rhythm. As he yed, his sleeves slid up his arms from his exaggerated movements, revealing arge bruise on his right wrist. Cameron noticed it immediately but said nothing, turning her attention to the empty auditorium instead. When the song ended, Cameron apuded genuinely. "That was really good. Beautiful melody, and the transitions were smooth. Did you write it yourself?" Austin smiled at thepliment, nodding. "Yeah, I did." "Impressive," Cameron said. "Is your dream to be a singer, Austin?" "My dream?" Austin''s eyes flickered slightly. "Sure, I guess so." ''A singer?'' Austin thought. ''What''s the point of being someone who just sings? ''Don''t think I don''t know. That man has spies even here at school.'' The moment Austin made any suspicious moves, that man would know immediately. So Austin would just let him see exactly what he wanted to see. "You''ll make it," Cameron said simply. Austin smiled warmly. "Thanks, Cam. You''re really nice. Thanks for listening to me y." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "I bet lots of people in this school want to hear you y." She remembered herst visit to the music room-Austin performing on stage with every seat filled below. "You''re joking," Austinughed it off. Cameron shoved one hand in her pocket. "Can I go now?" Austin was momentarily speechless. ''He really just came to hear one song?'' he thought. "Cam, it''s still early," Austin said. "How about I y two more songs for you?" "I''m kind of hungry," Cameron replied. "I should grab dinner." And after dinner, it would be time for evening study hall. "How about just one more?" Austin pleaded. Cameron said nothing, just looked up at the ceiling before leaning back against the piano. She crossed her arms, waiting for him to y another song. "You''re the best, Cam," Austin said gratefully. Cameron didn''t respond. Austin''s fingers returned to the keys, and music immediately flowed from his fingertips. A song didn''t take long, just four minutes. When he finished, Cameron opened her eyes and looked at him. Austin watched her expectantly. "I have a small suggestion," Cameron said. Austin looked surprised but maintained his smile. ¡°Go ahead." "Your chorus is too t," Cameron said. "The melody only reaches note 7 at its highest point with that 3-7-7-7-6-5-3-5-6 progression. Itcks dimension. The way it smoothly descends makes it too predictable. There''s no anticipation or surprise. Maybe try something like this?" the piano. Cameron reached over with one hand and yed norion of naton on the Sessfully unlocked! Austin stared at her,pletely stunned. "Wai Subscribed Chapter 216 Chapter 216 We''re The Same "Just a little," Cameron replied coolly to Austin''s surprise. She straightened up. "Want to grab dinner at the cafeter¨ªa?" Austin snapped out of his shock and nodded. "Sure." Cameron walked out of the music ssroom first, with Austin following behind, his eyes fixed on her back. ''Just a little? No way that was just a little,'' he thought. Cameron had listened to his song only once before immediately pointing out its ws. Maybe it was true that outsiders saw more clearly than those involved. Austin had revised this song several times but never thought there was anything wrong with the chorus. Cameron had hit the nail on the head, and with that one change, the entire song felt more vibrant. Austin hurried to catch up. "Hey Cam, besides piano, what other instruments do you y?" he asked casually. "A bit of everything, I guess," Cameron answered vaguely. Austin was speechless. ''Everything?'' he thought. ''Is she saying she can y all instruments? That''s ridiculous. Wasn''t the Wace family supposed to be tight on money? Where did Cameron get the funds to learn all these skills? Though Austin had many more questions, he kept them to himself. He found Cameron increasingly interesting-someone who kept their talents hidden. ''So, is Cam the same kind of person as me?'' Austin wondered. He liked people of his own kind. A knowing smile spread across his lips. After dinner, Cameron headed straight back to her ss for evening study hall. Elijah was already at his desk. He nodded slightly when Cameron walked in. In front of himy aplete set of practice problems. Elijah could solve all of them. For the few he couldn''t figure out immediately, he''d checked some references and quickly found the correct answers. Since Cameron hated exining problems to him, he decided not to ask. Elijah leaned slightly toward Cameron and lowered his voice. "I didn''t expect to run into Brad and them yesterday. Can I treat you to lunch again tomorrow?" He apologized earnestly to Cameron. "Elijah, don''t worry about it." Cameron waved him off. Elijah pointed at his workbook. "I''m really sorry. I had no idea it would cause you trouble." ¡°It''s fine.¡± Cameron shrugged. "You''re way smarter than that idiot Xander anyway. Could be worse." It wasn''t until Cameron saw the difference that he appreciated a genuinely smart person. Elijah was speechless. ''Was she seriouslyparing me to Xander, that academic disaster? Am I really that bad?'' he thought. "Look, Elijah," Cameron continued, "if you still feel guilty, just introduce me to your dad when the timees. That''s all I need." Elijah nodded. ¡°Of course. I promised you I would." Cameron smiled, "Thanks." Elijah opened his mouth to say something else, but the bell rang and Brody walked into the ssroom. He had no choice but to let it drop. ***** A week flew by in the blink of an eye. Soon, it was time for the Langford Academy basketball team to face off against Horizon Academy. William, who''d been obsessed with beating Horizon Academy, made a grand announcement. "Everyone gets the Let''s all head to the stadium and cheer for our basketball team." "Yeah! The principal rocks." The students were thrilled. They''d all been dying to watch the game anyway. off. The stadium could hold over 10 thousand peo Sessfully unlocked!rizon Academy students sat on opposite sides with the basketball court between them. Both areee armed panners and chants, the atmosphere electric. "Let''s go, Horizon! Let''s make history!" Horizon Academy''s students shouted. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Not To Be Underestimated Chapter 217 Not To Be Underestimated Cameron and Elijah sat together, watching the basketball court below with calm expressions. Their ssmates around them weren''t nearly asposed. "Oh my god, Xander looks so hot," one whispered to their friend. "Xander''s definitely the hottest guy on the court." "But the guys on the other team are so tall and muscr. That tallest one must be at least six-foot-three." "Who cares about height? Xander is six-foot-two himself. Basketball isn''t just about how tall you are." "Exactly, we''re going to win for sure." "We''re going to crush them. No doubt." The students were fired up, their energy contagious. Cameron sat with her arms crossed, her gaze driftingzily to the court. Xander stood with his teammates in their white-striped uniforms, stretching for warm-ups. His strong, handsome face stood out from the crowd. It wasn''t just the Langford Academy girls screaming for him. Even girls from Horizon Academy kept stealing nces his way, whispering, "Wow, that guy is hot." But when school pride was on the line, even the hottest guys became background noise. The Horizon girls quickly turned their attention back to their own team, chanting their support. Cameron gave Horizon Academy''s yers a bored once-over. They were tall and muscr-built like tanks-but none had Xander''s looks. Their basketball skills, though, remained to be seen. On the court, Xander was loosening up his muscles. "Xan, let''s crush them today," Tyrell said confidently. Last year''s game had been too close forfort. Langford had won by just one point. That was why Xander had been pushing Cameron to join the basketball team. "Count on it." Xander nodded. He looked up, scanning the Langford section until he spotted Cameron. With a cocky grin, he shed her a victory sign. Finally, he spotted her and shot her a victory sign. "Look! Xander noticed us." "We''re definitely winning with him in the team." "Go Xander!" Cameron rolled her eyes. Cameron rolled her eyes. She knew that arrogant gesture was meant for her. She gave him the barest hint of a smile in return. ''So childish,'' she thought. Elijah leaned slightly toward Cameron. She immediately scooted away, her mild germophobia kicking in automatically. Elijah cleared his throat awkwardly. "Think we''ll win?" he asked quietly. "I guess." Cameron nodded. Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Don''t you think they look pretty tough?" Elijah''s gaze settled on the tallest guy at Horizon Academy. The dude radiated confidence, with an intimidating presence and eyes that seemed to challenge everyone around him. The Horizon students kept chanting "Cyrus!" over and over. Plus, the guy was actually good-looking too. Elijah had a gut feeling this one would be tough to deal with. "Don''t you think we''re pretty strong too?" Cameron smiled beside him. To be fair, even though Xander could be a total pain sometimes, he was actually damn good at basketball. Elijah said nothing for a moment, then just gave a slight nod: Of course he wanted Langford Academy to win, but their opponents weren''t to be underestimated. Sessfully unlocked! Both principals took the stage to give their speeches, y this was endly match where friendship came first,petition second. But the moment they stepped off, students from both schools started screaming that their school would crush the other. The principals exchanged awkward but polite smiles. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Bradley''s Protection Chapter 218 Bradley''s Protection Skyler was sitting next to Amelia, while Bradley sat two seats away from Amelia on her other side. "Isn''t Cameron super annoying? Why is he always glued to Elijah? Is he some kind of freak or what?" Skyler said. Amelia kept herposure. Though she desperately wanted to check what Bradley was doing, her self-control stopped her from looking. At least they were in the same ss. They''d be old ssmates someday when they talked about it. Skyler, on the other hand, didn''t know the meaning of self-restraint. The minute she sat down, she started scanning the crowd for Elijah. After searching for ages, Skyler finally spotted him with Cameron right by his side. The sight of Cameron instantly pissed her off. Elijah had actually threatened to end his family''s partnership with the Young family because of Cameron. That had scared her into backing offpletely. That was why Skylerined loudly without hesitation. "They''re ssmates and roommates," Amelia said tly. "They''re both guys. Isn''t it normal for them to sit together?" Skyler scoffed, "Normal? Please. Cameron''s just a freak.¡± Amelia frowned, "You''re always glued to me too. Does that make you a freak as well?" Skyler''s jaw dropped. "Amelia," she gasped, eyes wide with shock. "Why are you taking Cameron''s side? When did this start?" "I''m not taking sides," Amelia replied. "I''m just stating facts." "Yeah, right," Skyler scoffed. "I think Cameron''s just shameless. Now that his engagement with you is off, he''s sucking up to Elijah because of his prestigious background." "Could you shut up?" A deep male voice cut through their conversation like a knife. The anger in his tone was unmistakable, even before they turned to see his face. Amelia and Skyler spun around in surprise to find Bradley ring at them, his expression dark. Bradley''s ice-cold stare made Skyler physically recoil, her neck jerking back as fear crawled up her spine. "Bradley," she stammered, "are you talking to me?" "If I hear one more word from your mouth trashing Cameron," Bradley said evenly, "would you like to find out what happens next?" Bradley was genuinely furious. Skyler had been talking so loudly, and since he was sitting nearby, he''d heard everything crystal clear. ''Cameron, sucking up to Elijah?'' Bradley thought. ''Ridiculous. Cameron''s someone who tries to repay even the smallest kindness. How dare she use such a disgusting phrase to describe him?'' Skyler was speechless. Amelia''s mouth hung open. The students around them stared in stunned silence. That was a straight-up threat. No one had expected the typically polite and gentle Bradley to have such a sharp edge or that he''d be so protective of Cameron. For years, Cameron''s reputation at school had been terrible. "Sissy," "pretty boy," "bootlicker"-these were thebels that followed him everywhere. They couldn''t understand why someone like Bradley, the campus heartthrob with his own fan club, would step up to defend Cameron. Several of Bradley''s admirers shot Skyler dirty looks. "She''s the one who follows Amelia around like a puppy, and she has the nerve to talk about someone else?" one scoffed. "Right? She should really check herself before opening her mouth." "She''s the most disgusting type of person." Skyler was speechless. ''What did I do to her? I used to trash-talk Cameron all the time, didn''t I? We all used to talk snit about Cameron together. So why is everyoneing after me now?'' she thought. While they were arguing, the basketball game had officially begun on the court. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Want To Win? Six minutes into the fierce battle between the teams, the Langford Academy students let out a collective gasp. "Woah!" Xander had just sunk a shot from inside the three-point line, scoring two points. When the scoreboard changed to show Langford Academy at 2 and Horizon Academy still at 0, the Langford students went wild. "Xander! Xander!" Their chants filled the gym. Across the court, the Horizon Academy students just rolled their eyes. ''It''s way too early to celebrate, they thought. ''What''s there to get so hyped about?'' Both principals watched from the sidelines, seated together in prime viewing positions. "The kids are so full of energy, aren''t they, Mr. Barkley?" William said with a smile. Charles Barkley, Horizon Academy''s principal, forced a tight smile. "Yes, Mr. Drake, you''re right about that." The game went on. Soon after, a tall guy from the opposing team-Cyrus-nailed a three-pointer. "Ah!" The Horizon Academy students leapt to their feet. "Cyrus is such a beast!" "Cyrus, you''re amazing!" "Go Horizon! Horizon for the win!" Charles turned to William with a smug smile. "Look how excited they are. Seeing them so full of youth takes me back to my day." William shrugged. "We all had those days. Nothing special about it." Charles just chuckled. On the court, Tyrell looked apologetic. "Sorry, Xan. I couldn''t block him." Xander shook his head, unfazed. "We just started. Don''t care about that. Let''s keep going." "Alright, let''s go!" Tyrell shouted. The team still seemed confident. After all, they were only down by one point. Soon enough, the first 10-minute quarter ended, and everyone took a breather. Xander and his four teammates huddled together. Sweat dripped from Xander''s forehead as he lifted his jersey to wipe it away, revealing his perfect abs. "That Cyrus on their team? We''ve never seen him before," Xander said. "He looks strong. Tyrell, just focus on blocking him." Tyrell frowned. ¡°Xan, he''s huge, almost six-three. I..." Tyrell''s ribs were still aching from when Cyrus had collided with him earlier. "If you can''t handle it, get out," Xander snapped. "We''ll put in a sub." "I can do it, Xan," Tyrell said through gritted teeth. Meanwhile, the Horizon Academy yers were strategizing as well. Cyrus Mendes threw his arms around his teammates'' shoulders. "Xander''s the only real threat on their team," he said. "I couldn''t care less about the others. If we focus on shutting him down, this game is ours." "Let''s go!" They all put their hands in the center, shouting encouragement with fierce determination. The referee returned to the court and announced that the game would continue. Cameron stood watching with folded arms, her gaze settling on Cyrus'' face with a half-smile. "I bet they''re go Xander." "Do we have a chance?" Elijah asked with a frown. *o target Cameron smiled, "You want to win?" "Of course," Elijah replied. "We have to win." Th Sessfully unlocked! ne line. Cameron nced toward where William was sitting. He didn''t look happy. Horizon Academy had just scored another two points by Cyrus again. Now they were up by three over Langford Academy. If things continued like this, it wasn''t looking good. of Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Switch Cameron really did have a sudden stomach pain. She went to the bathroom, but as soon as she squatted down, the pain vanished. Cameron rubbed her stomach and left the stall. As she stepped out, she overheard some Horizon Academy students talking. "We''ve got this in the bag," oneughed. "We''re already up by ten points." "Of course we''re winning. Who can stand against Cyrus? He''s been recruited by the state basketball team. ying against those Langford losers is like shooting fish in a barrel." "Exactly. Those idiots think they''re so good." "Cyrus was just going easy on them for the first basket." Cameron stood at the sink washing her hands while they continued their trash talk,pletely unfazed by her Langford uniform. She nced at her reflection in the mirror and smirked slightly. ''A professional yerpeting in a school match? That hardly seems fair; Cameron thought. ''Langford Academy was getting robbed, Xander and Mr. Drake must be fuming.'' The second period ended and halftime began. Tyrell had spent the entire half trying to block Cyrus, but the bigger yer had mmed into him repeatedly, both openly and when the refs weren''t looking. Now, Tyrell''s whole body ached. He headed to the locker room to check his injuries. The moment Tyrell pushed open the door, he spotted Cameron leaning against his locker with arms crossed. "Get the hell out of my way," Tyrell snapped, shooting Cameron a nasty re. His mood couldn''t possibly get worse. "Take it off, Cameron replied coldly. "What?" Tyrell thought he''d misheard. "Take off your jersey," Cameron rified, his expression unchanged. "Why would I do that?" Tyrell asked, confused. "So I can wear it." "Are you insane?" Tyrell stepped closer. "Don''t think I won''t mess you up just because you''re buddies with Xan now." "You guys are about to lose. Get it?" Cameron''s voice remained t. "That''s because they''re too strong," Tyrell muttered. "If you know they''re too strong, then hurry up and give me your jersey." Tyrell furrowed his brows. "Wait, you want to y?" Cameron nodded. "That''s right.¡± "You''re saying you''re better than me?" "Stop wasting time," Cameron cut him off. "Halftime''s almost over. Take it off now." Deep down, Tyrell knew they were probably going to lose today. Horizon Academy was just too powerful. Xander might be able to hold his own against Cyrus, but the Horizon had four guyspletely shutting Xander down. Meanwhile, Tyrell couldn''t stop Cyrus at all. At this rate, winning would take a miracle. And if they lost, they were going to get absolutely destroyed by the critics. "Fine, you can y if you want." Tyrell pulled off his jersey. Cameron, who wore a white t-shirt underneath, slipped the oversized jersey on over it. The neck opening was way too big. There was no way was she going to wear it by itself like the boys did. ouched, That was one reason Cameron had always turned down Xander''s requests. The other was that she hated be which was pretty much unavoidable in basketball. But with Horizon Academy cheating, she couldn''t just stand by anymore. The moment Cameron stepped onto the court in uniform the entire gun fell silent for several seconds. Sessfully unlocked! Xander froze, staring at her in disbelief. "Cameron, you''ve actually ying? He excitedly ran to hug her, but Cameron smoothly sidestepped him. "You''re covered in sweat. Keep your distance." Xander settled for a hearty p on her shoulder instead. "That''s my boy! You finally decided to join us. But the gap''s pretty huge now. Just have some fun with it." Chapter 221 Not Even Close Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Not Even Close Cameron didn''t argue with Xander. She just calmly asked, "How many points are they ahead of us?" Xander pointed at the scoreboard. "See for yourself. 18 points." Cameron rolled her eyes. "Don''t worry about it, Xander said. "Just enjoy yourself." The other three team members trudged over, looking defeated. They didn''tment on Tyrell being reced by Cameron. At this point, they knew the game was lost no matter who yed. "Later, just pass me the ball," Cameron told them. Xander nodded. "Alright." Since Xander agreed to that, the others nodded too. When the Horizon Academy yers spotted Cameron on the court, they froze momentarily before bursting intoughter. Then they just couldn''t hold back and burst outughing. ¡°Has Langford Academy given uppletely? They''re sending in someone this short? I bet he can''t even reach the backboard!" "Hah!" Cyrus nced at Cameron from across the court. Though he didn''t say anything, the contempt on his face said it all. The Horizon Academy students in the stands were losing it too. "What kind of decision is Langford Academy making? Putting a midget on the court? Hahaha, this is hrious," oneughed. "Hey, don''t talk about him being short. He''s actually pretty cute." "What good is cute? Besides, he''s so short. Wouldn''t you be embarrassed to introduce him as your boyfriend?" "Langford Academy''s team is aplete joke." When Cameron stepped onto the court, the Langford Academy students couldn''t believe their eyes. "Is that Cameron? Why is he wearing a jersey? Don''t tell me he''s actually ying? This has to be a mistake, someone muttered. "Well, he''s on the court, so he must be ying. I saw that video on the school forum where Cameron made that bet with Xander. His shooting skills are actually pretty impressive." "But he''s so short. What good is being able to shoot if he can''t even get the ball? Useless.* "Great. We''re definitely going to lose now." "Just look at those Horizon Academy jerks gloating. Ugh, I can''t stand them." The students'' chatter filled the bleachers as Elijah stared in disbelief. ''Cameron said he was just going to the bathroom. How did he end up on the basketball court? he thought. ''He''s actually going to y? Despite the negativements around him, Elijah felt an unexpected surge of excitement. He hadn''t been there to see Cameron''s bet with Xander. ''Is Cameron actually good at basketball?'' Elijah wondered. He couldn''t tear his eyes away from the white-uniformed figure on the court. Meanwhile, Austin lounged in his seat, surrounded by ssmates-mostly his devoted fangirls. He shed them his trademark charming smile, making them swoon. He''d been bored out of his mind with this basketball game and had been coughing repeatedly, ready to sneak out early. After a string of fake coughs, he was all set to sneak out early. Then, Austin spotted Cameron taking the court. ''Cameron? ying basketball? So he''s not just good with musical instruments, but sports too?'' he thought. ''Now that''s interesting.'' Austin, who had been about to leave, settled back in his seat. Regardless of how well Cameron yed, Austin was determined to watch. After all, Cameron was the first person in years who seemed cut from the same cloth as him. Austin wanted to see exactly how much Cameron was hiding. Sessfully unlocked! Bradley, hearing the buzz of conversation arouri fooked up and confined what everyone was saying. Cameron had indeed put on a jersey and was standing next to Xander on the court. ''It seems like Cameron is really going to y? Bradley wondered. Bradley had heard Cameron was decent at basketball, but this was unexpected. He leaned back in his chair, tuning out the Chapter 221 Not Even Close chatter of students around him. His eyes never left Cameron on the court. Amelia was just as shocked. She couldn''t believe Cameron was actually joining the game. Subscribed Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Opening Three Pointer Chapter 222 Opening Three-Pointer This was an official basketball game. School pride was on the line. If they lost, everyone at school would never let them hear the end of it ''Everyone could see they were about to lose. So why is Cameron jumping into this mess? is she asking for trouble? Amalia thought Amelia couldn''t help but worry for Cameron, while Skyler''s face showed a smug met schadenfreude and contempt. After Bradley''s recent scolding, though, she didn''t dare say anything rude to Cameron. Meanwhile, Milena was freaking ouMy k 222t. She hadn''t realized Xander had been targeted by the Horizon Academy yers the whole time. ThMy k 222e score was tanking, and she was nearly in tears. When Milena spotted Cameron walking onto the court, she froze for a second before anger took over ''What the hell?'' Milena thought bitterly. ''Is Cameron seriously trying to flirt with Xander on the basketball count? Is she crazy? This is a men''s basketball game. What''s she doing there? William jumped to his feet when he saw Cameron. ''Is that really him? he thought, hardly believing his eyes. No way! How could he y the game now? Basketball is way too physical. What if he gets hurt? A stupid basketball game is nothingpared to his SAT William was about to call for a time-out when Charles grabbed his arm. "Mr. Drake, the game''s about to start," Charles said. "Where are you going? The first half was incredible. Missing even a second of this half would be a tragedy, don''t you think?" William bit his tongue, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. William was about to stop the game, but the referee''s whistle had already signaled the start of the second half. "Mr. Drake, sit down," Charles said. "Let''s see what happens." William reluctantly sat, his brow furrowed with worry. At this point, he couldn''t care less about the game''s oue. He just prayed Cameron wouldn''t get hurt. On the court, Horizon Academy''s yers werepletely ignoring Cameron. They stuck to their original strategy of targeting Xander. As soon as the game resumed, several yers swarmed around him. Just a minute into the second half, Xander caught the ball. Horizon''s yers moved in, ready to shut him down with their usual tactics. But Xander surprised everyone with a quick behind-the-back pass. "Cameron, ball!" he shouted. The ball sailed through the air toward the three-point line, heading in the direction everyone had overlooked. Cameron jumped up smoothly, caught the ball, and in one fluid motion,unched it into the basket. "Yes!" Xander jumped up in celebration. Their other three teammates stood frozen in disbelief. "A three-pointer?" Horizon Academy''s yers were equally stunned. Barely a minute into the half, and they''d just been hit with a three-pointer -from the short man they''d been looking down on, no less. Everyone in the stands went quiet. "Holy crap, did that just happen?" someone finally muttered. "A three-pointer? Just like that?" "No wonder they put him in. He''s got skills." The Horizon Academy crowd couldn''t believe their eyes. Meanwhile, Langford Academy erupted in cheers. "Damn! Three points! Cameron, you''re insane!" one shouted. "We still have a chance! Only down by 15 now. Second half just started. We can do this!" With this promising start, hope instantly sparked through the Langford students. Some were clenching their fists, eyes glued to the court. "Yes!" William jumped to his feet, pumping his Charles nced up at him. Sessfully unlocked! William grinned. "Mr. Barkley, aren''t you stiff from sitting so long? Get up and stretch a little." Charles just rolled his eyes. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Shock Chapter 223 Shock On the court, Cyrus shot Cameron a surprised look and then quickly exchanged nces with his teammates. Obviously, they''d need to keep an eye on Cameron now. Cameron high-fived Xander, cool as ice. "Let''s keep going." Xander nodded and turned to the others. "Pass the ball to Cameron whenever you can." "Got it." The teammates nodded firmly. Their energy was definitely up now. The game resumed, and just as expected, two yers immediately locked onto Cameron with suffocating defense. The other two remained focused on Xander. "Cameron! Catch!" A teammate grabbed the ball and instantly hurled it Cameron''s way. He regretted it immediately. The tall guy, Cyrus, was blocking Cameronpletely. He just needed to raise his hand and the ball would be his. But in the split second before Cyrus could reach up, Cameron leaped behind him and snatched the ball mid-air. Before anyone could even process what happened, Cameron mmed the ball toward the hoop. The ball dropped cleanly through the. "Yeah! Three points!" The Langford Academy students jumped to their feet, cheering wildly. Meanwhile, the Horizon Academy crowd sat there lookingpletely shell-shocked. ''Two three-pointers in just three minutes? How''s that even possible? That man is so short. How was he pulling this off?'' they thought. The score gap had narrowed to just 12 points. At this rate, Langford might actually turn this thing around. The Horizon Academy students started chanting to boost their team''s morale. Langford''s fans fired back with their own cheers. The game was getting seriously intense. "Dude, you''re insane!" Xander''s face was drenched in sweat as he shed Cameron a thumbs-up, grinning from ear to ear. If Cameron had gotten in the game earlier, Horizon wouldn''t have steamrolled them like that. Cameron''s expression barely changed. "They''re gonna switch tactics now. They''ll target me, so I''ll pass to you. Make those shots count." "No doubt." Xander was all confidence. Sure enough, Horizon Academy pivoted their strategy. They mped down on Cameron with ruthless defense, which meant they were easing up on Xander. Xander caught the ball and sank a two-pointer. "Whoa!" the Langford Academy students gasped again while the Horizon Academy crowd looked increasingly grim. Cyrus'' face darkened. What should have been an easy win was nowplicated thanks to Cameron jumping in. The game continued, and Cyrus finally managed another two-pointer. Langford Academy was still trailing by 12 points when the first 10 minutes of the second half ended. ¡°Xander,¡± Cameron said, ¡°just y your game. Don''t worry about me.¡± "Huh? What do you mean?" Xander looked confused. "Exactly what I said." Cameron''s face gave nothing away. Xander was speechless. As the game resumed, he quickly understood what Cameron meant. The Horizon Academy yers were all focused on defending Cameron, who had zero problems running them ragged all over the court. Cameron moved light as air while four of the Horizon yers-everyone except Cyrus-were clearly running out of steam. They finally cornered Cameron under the basket with the ball. To score, Cameron would need to get the ball into the basket on the opposite end-over 90 feet away. No one could make that shot. Cyrus gave Cameron a smirk that clearly said, ¡°Just hand over the ball already." Instead, Cameron just stood there, jumped, and hurled the ball with both hands. Cyrus turned away with a dismissive smile, ready to grab the ball when it inevitably missed. But the ball sailed right over his head and, as everyone watched in shock, dropped perfectly through the basket on the opposite end. The swoosh sound hit everyone like a punch to the gut. The stadium fell silent for a few seconds before erupting into Chapter 223 Shock Chapter 224 2 Likes Chapter 224 It''s All Yours Chapter 224 It''s All Yours "Whoa!" Langford Academy students jumped to their feet in excitement. "No way! Am I seeing things? That was a full-court shot! From one basket to the other, and it went in! That''s insane! "That was sick! No wonder Cameron crushed Xander. That man''s a beast." "Cameron is officially my idol now." "Cameron! Cameron! Cameron!" The Langford students started chanting Cameron''s name in unison. Meanwhile, Horizon Academy students stared wide-eyed at what had just happened right in front of them. They couldn''t believe it was real. But the cheers from the Langford section confirmed it was all too real, leaving their faces pale with shock. Charles took off his sses the moment the ball went through the hoop, blinking in disbelief at the court. William''s jaw dropped before he noticed Charles'' reaction and patted him on the shoulder with a smug smile. "Well, Charles, you were right. Missing even a second of this half would''ve been a real shame." Charles was speechless. On the court, Xander charged toward Cameron and wrapped him in a bear hug. "Holy crap, Cameron!" he shouted. "That was freaking amazing!" Cameron tried to dodge but wasn''t quick enough. "You''re incredible! Absolutely incredible!" Xander was practically dancing with joy. Back at school, when Cameron had pulled this move on him, Xander had been frustrated and angry. But now that it was being used against their opponents, it felt fantastic. "Get off me," Cameron muttered, prying Xander''s arms away with a frown. "Fine, no hugging," Xanderughed, backing off. Just as everyone was celebrating, Cyrus signaled for a time-out. The referee blew the whistle. Everyone turned to look as Cyrus pointed at Cameron, his face cold. "That''s a foul. The basket doesn''t count." Cameron''s expression didn''t change at all. It was Xander and the other three teammates who immediately got fired up. "Who''s fouling what now?" Xander rolled up his non-existent sleeves, ready to throw down. Cameron held him back. "Foul! That was a foul!" The Horizon Academy yers pointed at Cameron. "You can''t shoot from the backcourt. Don''t you know the rules?" "What half-court shot rule? Where''s that written? I don''t see it anywhere. Show me the proof!" Xander was furious. Cyrus kept his face nk. "Xander, are you just being a sore loser? This is basic basketball. You''re telling me you don''t know that?" Xander stood his ground. "I don''t know any such rule. Show me the proof." Cyrus smirked and exchanged a look with the referee before turning back to Xander. "Fine, keep arguing. Let''s see what the ref says." "Foul. That shot doesn''t count," the referee said coldly. The Horizon Academy students started chanting. "Why doesn''t it count? On what grounds? Have you Horizon people no shame?" The Langford Academy students also fired back. Langford was down by 12 points. If Cameron''s shot counted, they''d only be down by nine, giving them a real chance at aeback. If not, they were in serious trouble. "You''re the ones with no shame. Langford has no shame!" the Horizon students shouted. The referee blew his whistle twice, hard, finally geting the phang Justes he was about to speak, Cameron casually cut in. "Whatever. If it doesn''t count, it doesn''t count. Sessfully unlocked! A few seconds ofplete silence followed Cameron''s words. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 You Are My God Xender stared at Cameron in shock, practically boiling with anger. "Why are you being so damn reasonable all of a sudden?" He couldn''t believe it. Cameron never gave him that kind of ck. Cameron just shrugged, cool as ice. "It''s just one basket. No big deal." Xander was speechless. Actually, he was furious. But Cameron had already spoken, and he couldn''t argue with her decision. The referee dered the shot invalid. Cyrus stared at Cameron in disbelief. He''d gotten what he wanted-the shot didn''t count-but he couldn''t bring himself to feel happy about it. Cameron''s casual attitude felt like a p across his face. Here he was, making such a big deal about a three-pointer, pressuring the referee with his res, while Cameron just shrugged it off like it didn''t matter. It made him look petty inparison. Cyrus shot Cameron a cold look. "Woohoo! The Horizon Academy students cheered. "Ugh" A collective sigh went through the Langford Academy crowd. Charles wiped his sses. "Now that was impressive." William smiled, "Mr. Barkley, the best part is stilling." Charles didn''t know what to say to that. Back on the court, Cameron''s three-pointer had been voided. The gap between the teams remained at 12 points. The game continued, and Xander finally understood why Cameron had been so chill about losing those points. For the next stretch-right up until the final minute- Horizon Academy barely touched the ball. Three yers kept Horizon''s five-yer team locked down while Cameron and Xander worked together like a well-oiled machine, scoring point after point. "Three points!" the Langford students shouted cheerfully. "Three more!" "Another three!" "Two points!" "Three again!" "They did it! They''ve taken the lead!" Langford Academy had pulled ahead by two points. Their students jumped to their feet, pping and shouting wildly," Cameron! Xander!" The Horizon Academy crowd looked absolutely miserable, and Cyrus'' team wasn''t doing much better. Pride went before a fall, though. While Xander and his teammates were celebrating, Cyrus seized his chance in the final minute. He snatched the ball and dribbled lightning-fast to just outside the three-point line. He jumped, taking the shot. If this went in, Horizon would win by one point. Xander and the others snapped back to reality and tried to block him, but it was toote. The ball was already in the air. The smiles froze on the faces of the Langford Academy students. Even William''s eyes went wide. Charles yanked off his sses and rubbed his eyes several times, desperate to see more clearly. The Horizon Academy students clenched their fists in anticipation. ''Come on, make it in. Please make it in, they thought. But at the crucial moment, a figure leaped into the air and swatted Cyrus'' shot away before it could reach the basket. The ball bounced against the floor several times before rolling away, nowhere near the hoop. Cyrus stood there inplete shock. Cameron had blocked his shot. And there wasn''t a single foul. If Cameron had fouled him, he would''ve at least gotten free throws. But now, game was over. They had lost. Cyrus, a professional basketball yer, had just set to a bunch ode was "You''re a legend." "Cameron!" The Langford Academy students jumped to their feet, pping wildly and chanting his name. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 No Can Do Most of the Langford Academy students had seen the videos on the school forum of Cameron destroying Xander on the court. But watching a video was one thing. Seeing it happen right in front of them was something else entirely. They were thoroughly impressed by Cameron. William''s face glowed with excitement. "That was incredible. Honestly, that''s the rest thrilling basketball game I''ve ever watched. Talk about a rollercoaster, right, Mr. Barkley?" Charles didn''t answer. His expression had darkened considerably. The Horizon Academy students looked just as gloomy. "Damn it. We lost? How did we lose? I''m going to crawl into a hole now. We were up by 12 at halftime one groaned "It''s all because of that Cameron guy. No wonder they put him in." "Can I just say..." a girl whispered, barely audible, "...that Cameront is actually pretty hot." Amelia jumped to her feet, pping wildly for Cameron. ''How the hell is he this good? she wondered. Amelia had been fighting their engagement from day one, refusing to even get to know Cameron. Now, she realized she didn''t know him at all. He was incredible. Skyler sat beside her, equally shocked. ''Cameron? That sassy is actually that talented? she thought. But unlike the others, she kept her hands still. To her, Cameron didn''t deserve her apuse. Bradley stood up pping enthusiastically, his eyes shining with admiration behind his sses. Watching Cameron shine made him feel oddly proud. Elijah couldn''t stop smiling. Cameron was absolutely amazing-he''d been hiding his talents all this time. For three years, everyone at school had insulted him, saying he wasn''t good enough for Amelia. Now, Elijah thought Cameron might actually be too good for her. Austin''s eyes crinkled with amusement, a smile spreading across his mixed-race features. ''So Cameron is one of my kind after all. Interesting. Very interesting, he thought. ''I''d have to spend more time with Cameron in the future. Birds of a feather, right?'' Milena was left speechless. She was utterly floored. Her face turned every shade of red imaginable. Milena couldn''t believe her eyes. ''Cameron-thatplete loser-when the hell did she learn to y basketball like that? And how is she so damn good?'' she thought. Everypliment thrown Cameron''s way felt like nails on a chalkboard to Milena. But what really got under her skin was when Xander said, "Cameron, you''re a legend." Milena''s fists clenched. ''No way, she thought. She needed to corner Cameron and get some answers. Meanwhile, on the court, Cameron pulled Xander to his feet. "What''s that bullshit about me being a legend?" Xander didn''t seem bothered by Cameron''s look of disgust. He just stood there, grinning like an idiot. Cameron yanked off her jersey and tossed it to Xander, who quickly passed it to one of his followers. Without another word, she started walking away. Xander hurried after her. The other three teammates tried to follow, but Xander waved them off. "You guys stay here for the awards and stuff." As Cameron and Xander left the court, Cyrus suddenly ran after them and blocked their path. "Wait up." Xander stepped forward, shielding Cameron behind him. "What''s your problem, dude? Can''t handle losing so you''re here to start something?" But Cyrus ignored him, extending his hand to Cameron instead. "Hey, you''re Cameron, right? Mind if we do a proper introduction? I''m Cyrus Mendes." Cameron had been feeling stomach cramps before the game, and now her abdomen was throbbing again. Her face darkened as she spat, "No can do." Cyrus was stunned into silence. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Are You Doing Okay? Chapter 227 Are You Doing Okay? Cyrus stood there,pletely shut down by Cameron''s blunt rejection. For someone used to being the center of attention, Cyrus hadn''t expected to be dismissed so coldly. His face immedady darkened. "Did you hear that?" Xander taunted. "He said no. Now move it. Don''t stand in our way? Cyrus clenched his fists, speechless. But he didn''t make a move because Camerad already disappeared into the men''s locker room. Xander shot Cyrus onest smug look before hurrying after her. Inside the locker room, Tyrell was the only one there, sprawled dramatically across a bench. The room was far enough from the court that he had no idea what had happened with the game. Hearing footsteps, Tyrell quickly sat up to see Cameron and Xander walking in. He wanted to ask about the result but was afraid of getting chewed out, so he kept quiet. It was Xander who broke the silence. "We won." Tyrell''s eyes widened in shock. "We won? he wondered. ''How''s that even possible? Seeing his shock, Xander couldn''t help but gloat. "Cameron turned the whole game around. He absolutely destroyed the Horizon," Tyrell waspletely stunned. ''Cameron? It was actually Cameron who turned things around? That''s insane, he thought. Xander followed Cameron into the bathroom. "Why are you following me?" Cameron frowned. Xander froze. ''Wait, we''re in the bathroom now? he thought. Cameron turned to enter a stall. Somehow, Xander''s gaze dropped to Cameron''s uniform pants. "Cameron, why is there red on your pants?" Xander called out. Cameron spun around. "What? Where?" Xander pointed to the back of her pants. "Right there." Cameron immediately reached back to touch the spot. Her fingers came away with faint traces of blood. She stood there for a second, horrified, before bolting into the stall and locking the door behind her. "Cameron, what''s wrong?" Xander knocked on the door. But Cameron didn''t answer. Tyrell, hearing themotion, walked in curiously. "Xan, what''s going on?" Xander pointed to his own pants. "Cameron''s bleeding." "From there? Maybe it''s hemorrhoids." Tyrell suggested. "Hemorrhoids?" Xander stared at the stall door in disbelief. "Cameron, how do you have hemorrhoids at your age?" "Can you shut up?" Cameron snapped. Of course, it wasn''t hemorrhoids. Cameron had gotten her period. And naturally, it had toe now of all times. No wonder her stomach had been bothering her all day. Tyrell and Xander, these two idiots, thought Cameron had hemorrhoids. Actually, that misunderstanding worked out better. Exining periods to two teenage boys wasn''t a conversation she wanted to have. "Hey, I''m just trying to help, Xander said. "If you want to help, let me borrow your pants," Cameron replied. "Huh?" Xander was confused. "Why would Cameron need my pants for hemorrhoids?'' he thought. "Xan, her pants have blood on them. Obviously she can''t keep wearing them," Tyrell exined. Xander was wearing his basketball jersey, but In the locker room. Sessfully unlocked! "Cam, why not wear mine instead?" Tyrell offer. Ever gerne ang puti eron had turned the game around, Tyrell had started speaking to her with newfound respect. Real skill earned everyone''s respect eventually. Xander smacked Tyrell on the head. "No one wants your pants." He called to Cameron, ¡°Hang tight, I''ll get you my spare pair.¡± Xander then passed the pants to Cameron under the stall door. Chapter 227 Are You Doing Okay? Cameron couldn''t worry about her germaphobia right now. She had no spare underwear, so she wrapped toilet paper around herself about a dozen times to avoid staining Xander''s pants. Thank goodness his pants were big enough that no one could tell anything was off. Cameron needed to buy pads and new pants ASAP. But first, there was something more important to handle. Cameron pulled open the door. Xander noticed her pale face. "You okay?" Instead of answering, Cameron asked, "Could I ask you guys for a favor?" Subscribed Chapter 228 Chapter 228 So Thoughtful "What is it?" Xander tilted his head Cameron pressed her lips together. "Today''s situation. Could you both pretend you never saw it?" What situation today?" Xander asked. Tyrell jumped in quickly "Xan, I think Cam''s talking about the hemorrhoid issue." "That''s it?" Xander looked puzzled. ''Is that really something worth hiding? he thought. "Xan, it''s actually pretty embarrassing." Tyrell exined. He turned to Cameron with a smile. "Don''t worry, Cam. My lips are sealed" He made a zipping motion across his mouth. Then, Tyrell added eagerly, "I can go grab you some hemorrhoid cream right now if you want. You just wait here." Before he could leave, Xander grabbed him by the cor. "Get back here. Since when did you be such a kiss-ass?" Tyrellughed nervously. He''d been disrespectful to Cameron before because he hadn''t known what she was truly capable of. Now that he knew, his attitude had done aplete 180. "Thanks, but that won''t be necessary, Cameron said. "Just don''t tell anyone about what happened today." "Won''t say a word," Tyrell promised quickly. Xander raised an eyebrow. "Well, you''re asking for my help. What are you offering in return?" Cameron''s face was pale from the pain in her stomach. "Funny how quickly you forget who helped you win the game." Xander was speechless. ''Fine, he did save the day, he thought. If it hadn''t been for Cameron, they definitely would have lost, and Xander would''ve beenpletely humiliated. "Alright, Xander said magnanimously. "I''ll keep your secret." Cameron nodded. "I''ll wash your pants before I give them back." "Whatever." Xander shrugged, clearly unbothered. Cameron folded the school pants she''d just changed out of and headed straight out of the locker room. Xander immediately followed, with Tyrell right behind him. "Stop following me," Cameron frowned. ''How am I supposed to buy pads with them trailing me?'' she thought. Xander stopped in his tracks. "Where are you going?" Cameron nced back at him without answering and just kept walking. Xander started to follow again, but Tyrell grabbed his arm. "Dude, Cam''s probably going to buy hemorrhoid cream or something. He''d be super embarrassed if we tagged along." "What''s there to be embarrassed about? We''re all guys, Xander said with a dismissive pout. Tyrell just stared at him, speechless. The awards ceremony was still going on in the stadium, so there weren''t many people outside yet. Cameron quickly left the building, nning to grab some pads and new pants. But as she reached the school gates, she spotted Austin waiting for her. "Cam, Austin greeted with a smile after coughing a little. Cameron''s face remained nk. "I''m dealing with something right now. We''ll talkter." Austin blinked, caught off guard. Cameron jumped into a taxi waiting at the curb and took off, leaving Austin staring after the car with a strange half-smile. ''Why is he running? Austin wondered. ''Is Cam too scared to face me now that I''ve discovered who he really is?'' Is it because he thinks I''ve seen through him and now he can''t face me? After riding a couple miles, Cameron had the taxi pull over at a small convenience store. She walked straight to the feminine hygiene section, grabbed daytime pads, overnight pads, and extra-long overnight pads, then headed to the register to pay. Thedy at the counter couldn''t help herself when she saw the handsome young guy buying such a personal item. "Getting these for your girlfriend?" she asked with a tea smile "Yeah." Cameron hesitated briefly before nodding Sessfully unlocked! Cameron had always bought these things herself. The first time she''d done it dressed as a guy had been super awkward, but she''d gotten used to it over time. If the woman hadn''t said anything, Cameron wouldn''t have even thought twice about it. Chapter 228 So thoughtful "What a catch you are, the woman continued, looking him up and down. "Good- looking and thoughtful too. Your girlfriend''s one lucky girl" Cameron shed her an awkward but polite smile, paid for her purchase, and ducked into the men''s clothing store next door Subscribed Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Her ssmates'' Acknowledgement Cameron had no trouble buying a new pair of men''s underwear. She found a public restroom nearby and changed out of her old pair. She frowned as she looked at the blood-stained underwear, tissues, and pad wrapper in the trash can of a men''s washroom. Fortunately, it was a public facility, so it wasn''t the worst-case scenario, as she could take the trash out with herter. Her concern was how she could deal with her trash in her dormter, where she had four boys as her roommates. Trying to hide something like this right under their noses felt nearly impossible for Cameron. Cameron sighed inwardly, ''Looks like I can''t stay in the dorm for the next few days. I''ll just head back to Noble Vista then. These five days every month were absolute hell for Cameron. To protect her secret, she sometimes wore the same pad for an entire morning at school. She couldn''t exactly toss a used pad into the trash in the men''s restroom without risking suspicion. So, she''d hold out until the lunch bell rang, then rush home to change. She''d done it so many times that even her mother had gotten fed up. Eventually, her mom started buying her medication to dy her period altogether. She took it so often that her hormones got all messed up. Sometimes she''d go months without a period, and when it finally came, the pain was unbearable. So this time, her period caught herpletely off guard. Cameron returned to school just in time for the evening self-study session. Her stomach was still aching a little, and it was obvious she wasn''t feeling her best. But the moment she walked in, her ssmates had a surprise waiting for her. A burst of confetti exploded above Cameron''s head the second she stepped into the ssroom, and colorful paper rained down from the ceiling. Cameron was stunned. "Cameron! Cameron! Cameron!" Her ssmates cheered her name, all excited. Holding her lower belly, Cameron waved a hand. "Thanks, everyone." With that, she went back to her seat. Brody called the ss to settle down and return to their seats before turning to Cameron with a bright smile. He said, "We couldn''t have won today''s basketball game against Horizon Academy without Cameron. Let''s give him a big round of apuse." Thunderous apuse filled the room as the entire ss pped for Cameron, their faces glowing with pride and happiness. Somehow, Cameron hadpletely changed how everyone saw her. She was no longer the pushover people used to walk all over. She stood up to give Brody and her ssmates a polite bow. "Thank you, everyone." After she sat down, Elijah leaned over and said, "Cameron, you were seriously amazing today. I was totally blown away." Cameron smiled. "Thanks." Brody asked a few students to clean up the confetti on the ground while the rest of the ss prepared for the evening''s self-study session. Elijah started writing Cameron another note. Elijah: [Cameron, when did you learn how to y basketball?] To break off her engagement with Amelia, Cameron had really gone all out, doing everything possible to make herself look like a total loser. Even with so many people badmouthing her, she never wavered, and Elijah genuinely admired Cameron for that because deep down, he knew he could never do the sam Cameron rubbed his stomach with one hand v Sessfully unlocked! Cameron thought, ''Maybe...a few hundred years ago?'' Elijah noticed Cameron''s little gesture and asked, "Does your stomach hurt?" Cameron rested his head on the desk. "Yeah. I just want to rest for a bit." ong time ago, I don''t really remember.] Chapter 229 Her ssmates'' Acknowledgement Elijah whispered, "Do you want to go to the nurse''s office?" Cameron shook his head. Elijah gave him a long, thoughtful nce and didn''t write any more notes, letting him rest. By the end of the first period of evening study, Cameron was feeling a lot better, and her energy seemed to have returned to her too. Only then did Elijah ask, "Feeling better now?" Cameron nodded. "Much better. Thanks for checking on me." The girl in front of them couldn''t help but turn around and praise Cameron, "Cameron, that dunk you did at the end of the game today was seriously awesome." Subscribed Chapter 230 Thunderous apuse filled the room as the entire ss pped for Cameron, their faces glowing with pride and happiness. Somehow, Cameron hadpletely changed how everyone saw her. She was no longer the pushover people used to walk all over. She stood up to give Brody and her ssmates a polite bow. "Thank you, everyone." After she sat down, Elijah leaned over and said, "Cameron, you were seriously amazing today. I was totally blown away." Cameron smiled. "Thanks." Brody asked a few students to clean up the confetti on the ground while the rest of the ss prepared for the evening''s self-study session. Elijah started writing Cameron another note. Elijah: [Cameron, when did you learn how to y basketball?] To break off her engagement with Amelia, Cameron had really gone all out, doing everything possible to make herself look like a total loser. Even with so many people badmouthing her, she never wavered, and Elijah genuinely admired Cameron for that because deep down, he knew he could never do the sam Cameron rubbed his stomach with one hand v Sessfully unlocked! Cameron thought, ''Maybe...a few hundred years ago?'' Elijah noticed Cameron''s little gesture and asked, "Does your stomach hurt?" Cameron rested his head on the desk. "Yeah. I just want to rest for a bit." ong time ago, I don''t really remember.] Chapter 229 Her ssmates'' Acknowledgement Elijah whispered, "Do you want to go to the nurse''s office?" Cameron shook his head. Elijah gave him a long, thoughtful nce and didn''t write any more notes, letting him rest. By the end of the first period of evening study, Cameron was feeling a lot better, and her energy seemed to have returned to her too. Only then did Elijah ask, "Feeling better now?" Cameron nodded. "Much better. Thanks for checking on me." The girl in front of them couldn''t help but turn around and praise Cameron, "Cameron, that dunk you did at the end of the game today was seriously awesome." Subscribed ? 1 Likes Bisper 220 tom ζ( Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Why Is It Her Again? "I don''t know," Elijah said coldly. Still, he set down his pen, picked up his phone, and sent Cameron a ted on Whatsapp Elijah: [You went home?] Austin, right on cue, also pulled out his phone to text Cameron Austin: [Cam, I heard from Xan you went home? What happened? Are you oka Cameron was just about to fall asleep when the notifications made her frown. Snd, she picked up her phone and replied so both of them. To Elijah, she replied: [Yeah, I went home. Had something to deal with. I''m really tired, so let''s talk tomorrow Elijah: [Nothing much, just checking in. Alright, good night.] Then, to Austin, she replied: [I''m fine. What''s up, Austin? I''m about to sleep.] Austin: [It''s nothing, Cam. I just wanted to congratte you personally. You were amazing today, and everyone at school is talking about how impressive you were.] Cameron: [Thanks.] ''So cold? Fine, Austin thought, as Cameron had never been warm to him anyway, but somehow, that only made Austin more intrigued. Austin replied: [Okay, I won''t bother you then. Get some rest. Good night.] After that message, Cameron didn''t reply, but Austin still smiled to himself. The moment Cameron stepped into Noble Vista, Bradley found out instantly. He still hadn''t unlinked his ess from her door lock system. It was something he could''ve done in seconds, but for some reason, he kept putting it off. Bradley was usually a straightforward, decisive guy, but he couldn''t figure out why he was dragging his feet so much over this. He knew Cameron was home, but he didn''t reach out. Sometimes he stayed elsewhere himself, so it wasn''t a big deal. Just knowing she was back home was enough for Bradley, ***** Xander made his way down to the underground parking lot and hopped onto his prized motorcycle. He tossed the hemorrhoid ointment into the trunk, put on his helmet, and suddenly realized that he had no idea where the Wace family lived. He called Cameron twice, but she didn''t answer. He tried texting her on WhatsApp, but got nothing back as well. Not wanting to be bothered, Cameron had put her phone on silent mode and she''d already fallen asleep. With no other options, Xander had to reach out to Milena. He cut right to the chase and texted: [Ms. Wace, where do you live?] When Milena saw Xander''s text, a wave of excitement washed over her. Her mood had been in the dumps all day, especially after getting back to school, where everyone was raving about how awesome and cool Cameron was. Milena was so mad she could practically cough up blood. To her, Cameron was a total loser that didn''t deserve everyone''s praise and admiration. Milena was consumed with jealousy, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was so upset over Cameron that she even forgot to congratte Xander on the game. Right then, Xander messaged her out of nowhere, asking for her address. Milena''s heart skipped a beat, thinking, ''Is he about to send me a gift? Should I ept it right away or y it cool?'' Milena held back for a whole minute before finally replying to Xander, but she was still trying to y it cool. Milena: (Mr. Murphy, it''s a littlete now. Why a asking for wow addres Sessfully unlocked! over 1000 ly''s address, and I can''t reach him. Ms. Xander: [I need to drop something off for your Wace, could you send me your address?] Staring at Xander''s text, Milena was so frustrated she nearly crushed her phone. In her mind, she cursed, ''Cameron! Why is it her again? Why is she everywhere?'' Chapter 232 He''s Not Here Chapter 232 Chapter 232 He''s Not Here Milena gripped her phone fightly and didn''t respond right away After a while ber Xander. [Ms. Wace, could you send me your home address? Finally, Milena tried to regain herposure before she replied (Sony Mr Morshy Myse She had no intention of letting Xander show up at Wace Vi. If he saw Mn''s here Red Und we Xander: [What? But he told me he went home.] Milena figured the "home" Cameron mentioned was probably the apartment at Noble fers but there was Xander that. She wasn''t stupid enough to set them op Milena: [Maybe my brother was just messing with you, it''ste, and I''m getting ready for ses Good night) Xander frowned at his phone and just replied with a good night sticker. He tried texting and calling Camera there was no response from her end. ¡°Where the hell did that little punk run off to? Xander grumbled With no clue where Cameron was and no way to reach him, Xander couldn''t even deliver the mesons in tende up, muttering, "Fine. Just suffer then." Xander took off his helmet, hopped off the motorcycle, grabbed the ointment from the trunk, and without any other headed back to the dorm. Cameron wasn''t in the dorm. Bradley was already back, half sprawled on his bed, reading casually Bligh was in the showe and Austin was busy with his sheet music. Xander stood under his old bunk, looking up at the empty bed above. For a second, he froze. Then, it hit him that Cameron had kicked him out of their room. He didn''t even live here anymore, but he just kepting back out of habit. With a scoff, Xander ignored every walked out of the room. Tiana had already assigned him a new dorm room anyway. And since Cameron wasn''t around, it didn''t matter where he stayed. At 6 AM the next morning, sunlight streamed into the room as Cameron opened her eyes. She''d slept better than she had in days, and her stomach no longer hurt. She reached for her phone and saw dozens of missed calls and a flood of WhatsApp messages from Xander. They were all asking where she was and why she hadn''t replied, which rendered her speechless But she didn''t bother responding. She got up, washed up, took out the bathroom trash, and tossed it into the bin downstairs before heading out. Then, she hopped on a shared e-bike and rode straight to school Once she got to the ssroom, she pulled out Xander''s freshly washed uniform pants and stuffed them into her drawer Then, she finally replied: [What''s the emergency? Xander sent two angry emojis along with his text. I thought you disappeared) Cameron was speechless. I just fell asleep ] Xander: [Are you a pig or something? You slept like a log] Cameron frowned. She was already not in the mood to keep chatting. She just said I washed your uniform pants. Should I bring them to your ss, or what?] Finally, Xander responded like a normal person: [See you in the underground parking lot after the morning self study period Xander thought that they should keep things on the low since Cameron probably didn''t want anyone knowing condition. Cameron replied: [Alright.] Then, she slipped her phone into her drawer. Elijah walked into the ssroom. The moment he saw Cameron in her seat, that hollow feeling in his chest finally eased. As he sat down, she greeted him first, "Good m "Morning," Elijah replied with a slight nod. He g. knowing where to begin. Sessfully unlocked! as if searching for something to say but not Usually, he''d use homework as an excuse to talk to Cameron, but Cameron wasn''t a fan of that approach. Catching his gaze, Cameron asked first, "What''s up?" Chapter 233 Regrets Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Regrets Elijah finally asked, "Where were youst night?" "I went home," Cameron replied. Elijah nodded, though she could tell he wanted to ask more. He held back, maybe out of politeness, so she added, "I won''t be staying at the dorm the next few days too." Elijah asked in confusion, "Why?" "Just got some things to take care of," Cameron said. Elijah wondered, ''Some things? What things?'' In the end, he didn''t push for more. After morning study, Cameron made her way to the underground parking lot, just like they''d agreed. At this hour, the ce was deserted. Xander was already waiting, leaning against his motorcycle with one leg stretched out, watching her as she walked over. Cameron walked up and handed him a bag. "Here, your pants." Xander took it and tossed it onto the motorcycle seat without a care. "So, what are you giving me?" Cameron asked. She still needed to grab breakfast at the cafeteria after this. Xander popped open the storage box, pulled out a tube of ointment, and tossed it at her. Cameron caught it, and when she saw the words "hemorrhoid cream" on the tube, she instantly looked ufortable. She shoved the ointment into her pocket almost immediately, not even wanting to take a look at it. If she kept looking at it, she might actually punch Xander. Xander smirked, clearly proud of himself after noticing her silence. "Well? Moved to tears, right? You don''t know how hard it was to get that stuff. "You helped me win the basketball game," he added. "Of course I had to return the favor." He looked beyond pleased with himself, while Cameron gritted her teeth. "Wow. Thanks." Then, she pressed the ointment deeper into her pocket and turned to leave. But Xander was dumbfounded by her tone. Although she thanked him, it sounded like she was grinding her teeth when she said that. Xander rushed after her. "You little brat, do you even have a conscience? I was up in the middle of the night trying to bring you this hemorrhoid cream, and you ignored me. I even contacted your sister." Cameron stopped in her tracks. "Then why didn''t you just give it to her?" Xander looked utterly shocked. "Wait, Milena has hemorrhoids too?" Cameron was speechless. She didn''t bother replying and just kept walking. Xander caught up to her again. "Hey, don''t walk so fast, you little brat." Cameron just rolled her eyes and kept going. He fell into step beside her and asked, ¡°So, can you start tutoring me at noon today?" "Nope, I''m busy," she replied. She had to head back to Noble Vista at noon to change her pad. Xander red at her. "Busy? The SAT is right around the corner. Come on, help me out already." Cameron looked at him helplessly. "I really do have things to take care of these next few days. Let''s talk about itter." Xander was stunned into silence for a while, but he quickly snapped out of it and hurried after Cameron. The two of them walked down the main avenue, one after the other. As they walked, their schoolmates kept calling out to them. "Mr. Murphy, you were awesome yesterday." "Cameron, you were seriously amazing. You totally turned the game around." After yesterday''s game, Cameron had officially be a school legend. Now everyone knew there was a handsome basketball ace in ss 15, Senior Year. Cameron nodded politely at the attention, while Xander waved back with his usual cocky swagger as they made their way to the cafeteria together. They just so happened to run into Amelia and Skyler, who were on their way to grab breakfast together. Skyler instantly rolled her eyes when she saw Cameron. Now that both Elijah and Bradley, two of the school''s heartthrobs, were backing Cameron up, there wasn''t much Skyler could do besides rolling her eyes. Chapter 233 Regrets Amelia spotted them and actually greeted them first. "You guys heading to breakfast too?" Xander stared at her like he''d just stumbled onto something juicy, asking, "Amelia, you used to act like Cameron didn''t even exist. What''s up? Regretting it now?" Subscribed 1 Likes Chapter 734 Even More Curious Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Even More Curious Amelia froze. She hadn''t expected Xander to say that at all, and her expression stiffened slightly as she frowned. "Xander, you know that''s nonsense." Cameron just gave Amelia a cool nod and walked into the cafeteria, while Xander left it at that and followed right behind her. As Amelia watched Cameron''s slender figure disappear inside, she shook her head. She wasn''t the type to be fickle, and Cameron really wasn''t her type. Seeing Amelia watching Cameron, Skyler pouted. "Amy, don''t tell me you''re actually regretting it. Come on, Cameron isn''t even good enough to carry your shoes." Amelia frowned. ¡°Did you forget what Bradley told you yesterday?" That managed to shut Skyler up. By noon, as soon as school let out, Cameron slipped out quietly. Elijah watched her hurry off, frowning a little in concern as he thought, ''Did something happen to Cameron? He pulled out his phone and sent her a message on WhatsApp. [Cameron, if you need any help, just let me know] Cameron saw the message while scanning the code for her e-bike. She was a little puzzled, but still replied: [Thanks, I''m good for now.] With that, she hopped on the e-bike and rode off. Elijah grabbed a quick lunch at the cafeteria and headed back to the dorm. When he got there, only Austin was in therge room. Austin hadn''t eaten yet, as he''d been waiting for Cameron. But instead, Elijah walked through the door. Austin looked up at him and asked, "Eli, Cam''s not with you?" Elijah replied coolly, "He went home." Austin looked surprised, asking amidst his cough, "Home? Didn''t he just go homest night?" Elijah shrugged. "No idea." A sly smile crept across Austin''s lips. He thought, ''Something''s definitely up. Cameron''s way better at hiding things than I thought. He must have a ton of secrets. ''The more mysterious he is, the more interested I get. I really want to know what Cameron''s hiding.'' Just then, Xander barged into the dorm right behind Elijah, not even bothering to knock as if this was still his room. ncing around, he asked, "Hey, where''s that little punk? Did he hit the library?" Normally, after lunch, Xander would be off with the basketball team. But now that the game against Horizon Academy was over, daily practice was on pause. So, he thought about Cameron. Austin said, coughing, "Xan, you looking for Cam? He went home." "Home? Yeah, right." Xander frowned. "He told me he went home yesterday, but his sister said he never showed up." A spark lit up in Austin''s eyes. "No way. You think Cam lied to us?" Elijah said, deadpan, "You guys seriously didn''t know Cameron already moved out of his family''s ce?" Xander looked a bit surprised. "He moved out? When? So where''s he living now?" Everything added up now, and Xander thought, ''No wonder I couldn''t find him yesterday. Turns out I was wrong about his situation.'' Elijah shook his head. "No idea." Austin rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. ''He moved out? He''s got more guts than me. I''m still pretending to be the good kid, and Cameron''s already gone head-to-head with his family? That''s mad.'' Xander shot Elijah a re. "If you don''t know, why bring it un in the first ce?" Elijah didn''t answer. He was about to mention telling him anymore. Sessfully unlocked! y, but with Xander''s attitude, he didn''t feel like Instead, he said coldly, "Xander, I remember you already moved out of our room. Isn''t it weird for you to keep dropping by?" Chapter 235 Chapter 235 He Wants It Xander rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue. "Like I even wanted toe." If it weren''t for Cameron, Xander wouldn''t bother showing up even if someone invited him. Then, he turned and walked off. Elijah frowned, as Xander''s arrogant attitude was seriously starting to grate on him. Austin smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Don''t mind him, Eli. That''s just how Xan is, you know." Elijah just shook his head. He honestly didn''t care, but it was just annoying to him. ***** Meanwhile, Bradley was surprised when he heard that Cameron had gone back to Noble Vista again. He wondered, "Why would Cameron head back there at noon? Did something happen?'' After waiting about ten minutes, Bradley decided to call Cameron himself. "Hey, Brad." Cameron had juste out of the bathroom. "You didn''te back to the dormst night?" Bradley asked gently. Cameron replied, "Yeah, I stayed at Noble Vista." Bradley asked curiously, "Can I ask why you suddenly went back?" Cameron thought about making up a random excuse, but she didn''t want to lie to Bradley. So she asked back, "Brad, can I not say?" Bradley was silent for a few seconds, caught off guard by her answer. But he stayed gentlemanly and didn''t push her. "Alright, you don''t have to say if you don''t want to. If you need anything, just let me know." Cameron smiled. "It''s nothing, I''m really fine." Bradley asked again, "Are you staying there again tonight?" "Yeah," Cameron answered. "Let''s stay there together then. I''lle back too," Bradley said. Cameron had no choice. "Sure." She didn''t mind Bradleying along. After all, they wouldn''t actually live together in the same space, so she had nothing to worry about. After hanging up on Bradley, Cameron grabbed a quick lunch. Once the timing felt right, she hopped on her e-bike and headed back to school. The afternoon sses wrapped up, and they were given a one-hour break, which was just enough time for a round trip to Noble Vista. She hadn''t changed her pad all afternoon, so she really had to go back. But as soon as she stepped out of the ssroom, she spotted Xander sitting on the flowerbed outside the door with his arms crossed. Cameron froze. She didn''t even have to guess, as she knew Xander was here for her. Before he could say a word, Cameron jumped in first. "I''ve got something urgent to take care of. Whatever you need, it''ll have to wait." With that, she took off like the wind. Xander stiffened, thinking, ''Is this little punk dodging me? Fine. I''ll just wait him out. Let''s see how long he''s gonna take.'' Xander sat on the flowerbed, getting more impatient by the minute. Finally, Cameron returned, and she was surprised to see him still there. She walked over, asking him tly, "So, what did you want?" Xander didn''t beat around the bush. "Hey, brat, are you avoiding me?" Cameron was rendered speechless, thinking, ''Why would I be avoiding him?'' Cameron shot him a look. "Xander, quit looking for trouble when there isn''t any." Xander pressed. "So you are avoiding me, huh?" Cameron had no words. She couldn''t be bothe Sessfully unlocked! it headed into the ssroom. Xander watched as Cameron sat down next to Eijan, anu ne sappe singers, an idea forming in his mind. ''Elijah''s seat isn''t bad. Sitting that close to that brat makes it easier for him to tutor me. I''ll take that seat.'' Xander wasn''t one to beat around the bush. He marched straight into Tiana''s office and demanded, "Aunt Tiana, transfer me to ss 15." Chapter 235 He Wants t Inside Tiana''s office, the principal, William, and a bunch of other school leaders were in the middle of a meeting. They were discussing Cameron''s incredibleeback in yesterday''s basketball game and how she deserved recognition. Tiana gave him a tight, forced smile. "Xandet, quit making a scene. We''re in a meeting. Wait outside." "Aunt Tiana. I''m serious. Transfer me right now. It''s urgent," Xander pressed. ¿Ú Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Don''t Even Think About It Tiana frowned, thinking, ''This little troublemaker is totally spoiled by his family. He''s always acting on impulse without considering his surroundings.'' With a forced smile, Tiana shoved Xander out the door. Before leaving, she gave William an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Mc Drake. I''ll be right back." Then, she closed the door behind her softly. Once outside, Xander tugged at her arm. "Aunt Tiana, transfer me to ss 15. I was to sit next to Cameron." Tiana looked exasperated and quickly dragged him away from her office. "Xander, the exam is around the corner. You''d better behave. And don''t even think about bothering Cameron, Tiana warned. Xander protested, "I''m not bothering him. I just want him to tutor me." Tiana looked like she was staring down a crisis. She smacked him on the shoulder. "Are you out of your mind? Cameron barely has enough time to study for himself. How is he supposed to tutor you?" Xander pouted. "What do you mean he doesn''t have time? He looks pretty free to me." ''Otherwise, how would he have time to run home every day?'' Xander thought, but didn''t dare to say this out loud. "Xander!" Tiana snapped and said sharply, "I let you mess around with other things, but if you dare mess with Cameron''s studies, I swear I''ll break your legs." Once again, he witnessed his usually gentle auntpletely lose her temper. He stood there, still a little stunned. Tiana took a moment topose herself, then said earnestly, "Xan, do you have any idea how much Mr. Drake is counting on Cameron? He wants Cameron to be this year''s top scorer in the whole state. Do you get what that means? "The SAT is around the corner, and you''re making a fuss, bothering Cameron. If he doesn''t do well, how am I supposed to answer to Mr. Drake?" Xander protested, feeling wronged, "But Aunt Tiana, Cameron already took my tutoring money." ! Tiana was speechless for a moment. "Cameron took your tutoring money?" William''s voice suddenly came from behind them, and his sudden appearance startled both the Murphys. "Mr. Drake, Xander''s just being childish..." Tiana hurried to smooth things over, but William interrupted her, looking thoughtful. He asked Xander, "Is Cameron really that strapped for cash?" Xander replied, "Strapped for cash? That''s an understatement. He''s practically obsessed with money." Tiana shot him a re. "Watch how you talk in front of Mr. Drake." Xander cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Drake, Cameron''s family isn''t that well- off." William asked, "How much did you pay him for tutoring?" "300 thousand dors," Xander answered without hesitation. Tiana was stunned by the amount. William nodded. "Alright, got it." Confused, Xander wondered, ''What does Mr. Drake even mean?'' But before he could ask more, Tiana dragged him away. Tiana leaned in and warned, "Don''t go bothering Cameron." "Aunt Tiana, I just want to sit next to him in ss," Xander exined. "Don''t even think about it." Tiana shot him down. At that moment, he no longer felt like his aunt''s precious golden boy. Cameron was halfway through her first evening self-study session when her advisory teacher, Brody, called her out of ss. "Mr. Drake wants to see you. Go on over," Brody said kindly. Cameron looked surprised but didn''t ask any questions. She simply nodded and left for the principal''s office. When she arrived, the door to the principal''s office was al Sessfully unlocked! 4333 Just as Cameron reached the doorway and was ...........ked up from his desk. He set down his pen, smiled warmly, and waved her in. "Come on in, kiddo." Chapter 237 Three Million Dors Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Three Million Dors Cameron raised an eyebrow but stepped inside. From the look on William''s face, it seemed like he had good news for Cameron. "Have a seat," William said, pointing to the leather chair in front of his desk. "What would you like to drink, kiddo? Juice or coffee?" Cameron shook her head. "Mr. Drake, let''s just get to the point." William poured her a ss of orange juice and set it in front of her. "I didn''t expect you to be so straightforward." "I''m in the middle of ss," Cameron replied. William paused, then quickly said, "Alright, I''ll keep it short." Cameron was ready to listen to whatever he had to say. William cut to the chase. "You yed a huge part in our victory in yesterday''s basketball game against Horizon Academy, so the school has decided to reward you with 300 thousand dors." Cameron was stunned, thinking, ''Did a pile of cash just fall out of the sky?'' Then, she gave a light smile. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Drake." Seeing Cameron smile, William instantly grinned too. Originally, he''d only nned to give Cameron 150 thousand dors, just as a token gesture. But after Xander mentioned that Cameron was strapped for cashtely, William changed his mind. He already knew her family wasn''t as well-off as most at Langford Academy, but he hadn''t realized it was that bad. So, he doubled the reward on the spot. William continued, "Also, kiddo, if you get the top score in this year''s SAT, the school will award you three million dors in cash and a house worth another three million. Sound good?" Cameron was stunned. Although these rewards didn''t mean much to Langford Academy, with their annual tuition fee being 300 thousand dors, it was a lot to Cameron. But she wondered the reason William had brought this up out of the blue. Seeing Cameron stay silent, William asked, "What''s wrong? Do you think it''s too little?" "No." Cameron shook her head. "It''s not that. I''m just curious why are you telling me this today, Mr. Drake?" William smiled. "Isn''t the SATing up? I thought you could use a little motivation." Cameron gave a polite smile that didn''t show her stance. Then, William continued, "I''ll have the basketball prize money transferred to your ount tomorrow." Cameron nodded. "Alright, thank you." "That''s all from me. You can head back to ss now," William said. With that, Cameron got up and left the office. Meanwhile, William let out a sigh of relief. With his promise, he believed Cameron wouldn''t have to worry about money anymore, right? At Cameron''s age, he should be focusing on his studies. If he was always thinking about making money, William was worried it would affect his studies. ***** On her way back to ss 15, Cameron couldn''t stop smiling. With Xander''s tutoring fees, the basketball prize money, and the exam reward, she was about to be rich. She didn''t even have to stress about the two million dors needed to start her own pharmaceuticalpany more. Still, she had to keep hustling, as she still owed Bradley 15 million dors, and that was no small amount. When Cameron returned to ss, even Elijah could tell that she was happy. He passed her a note: [Did something good happen?] Cameron: [I got a 300-thousand-dor reward fr Elijah was shocked. He thought, ''300 thousand Sessfully unlocked! nerous.'' Elijah wrote: [Congrats.] Cameron smiled in response. After the evening self-study session, Cameron grabbed her phone and slipped out of ss, so Elijah could only watch her Chapter 237 Three Million Dors leave. Cameron headed straight for the underground parking lot, where Bradley would wait for her. Meanwhile, Xander rushed to ss 15 to catch Cameron, but she was already gone. "Where''s that little punk?" Xander frowned at Elijah. Elijah acted like he didn''t hear Xander and walked away, so Xander could only let it go. ¿Ú Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Not Back Again Cameron waited for a bit in the underground parking lot before Bradley finally showed up, wearing a gentle smile on his handsome face as he apologized, "Sorry, I''mte," "It''s fine." Cameron slid into the passenger seat, frowning slightly the moment she sat down. She hadn''t changed her pad all evening, and the moment she sat down, the difort hit her hard. These past few days had been absolute torture for her, and she pondered if she should take tomorrow off. But on second thought, she decided against it. She would have her third mock exam tomorrow, and she couldn''t skip that. This time, she might jump up a few dozen spots in the rankings again. "You''re not feeling well?" Bradley was sharp and picked up on her mood right away. "Cameron, I can smell a faint trace of blood in the air. Did you get hurt?" Cameron was stunned to her core, wondering, ''Brad can even smell that?'' Cameron''s face dropped for a second, but she kept her cool. "It''s nothing. I just got a little cut. It''ll heal in a couple of days." "You didn''t go to the infirmary?" Bradley asked. "I did." Bradley nodded, started the car''s engine, and pulled away from the parking lot. Cameron stared out the window, watching the night scenery drift by. She kept quiet on purpose, as she didn''t want Bradley picking up that anything was off. Bradley nced over at her a few times, but seeing she wasn''t in the mood to talk, he stayed silent too. The car cruised smoothly into the underground garage at Noble Vista. Cameron pushed open the door. "Thanks, Brad." Bradley smiled. "I''ll wait for you here tomorrow morning." "Okay. Good night." She waved, then made a beeline for the elevator. Something felt off, and Cameron was praying that she didn''t get anything on her pants. If she''d stained both her pants and Bradley''s car, she might actually die of embarrassment. Meanwhile, Bradley watched her take off like a rabbit in a race, and it baffled him. He had a feeling Cameron was hiding something these past few days. But since she didn''t want to talk, he didn''t ask. Cameron made it home and luckily, she didn''t stain her pants. Today was the second day of her period, and tomorrow would be the third day, which was always the worst for her. However, it would get better from the fourth day onwards. After a hot shower, Cameron flopped onto her bed, put her phone on silent, and drifted off to sleep. ***** Xander still couldn''t find Cameron and finally gave up. Austin, however, was genuinely surprised Cameron hadn''te back to the dorm in two days and wondered, ''Did something happen to him?'' He considered asking Elijah, but one look at that cold face and he bailed on the idea. Austin popped a vitamin and sent Cameron a text. [Cam, I haven''t seen you in days. Did something happen?] But there was no reply from the other end. Right before bed, Austin finally realized that Bradley hadn''te back either, and his mind started turning again. ''Is it just a coincidence, or is it something else?'' ***** The next day, as Cameron received her 300-thousand-dor reward, the school posted the detailed breakdown of the basketballpetition rewards on the notice board. Cameron got 300 thousand dors, Xander go Sessfully unlocked! Amelia stood before the notice board, staring at when had that "boy" be so dazzling?" other three team members each got 100 thousand. Cito in privio, toy a little surprised as she wondered, "Since Now, it felt like everyone on campus was talking about Cameron, which was something Amelia hadn''t expected at all. Meanwhile, no one was more furious than Milena. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Same Names Milena clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. Inside, she furned, Why is that loser getting all the attention? I''m supposed to be the spotlight all the time. All she will ever be is my background prop. But now, Cameron is the star, and I''m nothing at all." Milena clenched her fists even tighter. To make matters worse, her ssmates were right next to her, swooning over Cameron, "Oh my goodness, Cameron is so cool. Even his ID photo looks amazing" "He was even cooler on the basketball court yesterday. My heart was racing when I watched him." "Right? I became his fan on the spot yesterday" Just then, Xander strolled over with his team. "Whoa, it''s Mr. Murphy" A few girls squealed and covered their faces, practically starstruck. Everyone stepped aside to make way for him, except Milena, who was too lost in her thoughts to move. Xander stopped right in front of Milena. With his arms crossed, he looked at the photo of himself and Cameron posted together. The sight brought a faint smile to his face. "Xan, we only won this time thanks to Cam. How about we treat him to dinner tonight?" Tyrell suggested. Xander rolled his eyes. "You can go ahead and invite him. I doubt he''ll show up though." Cameron had been dodging him these past few days. Today, the seniors were having their third mock exam, and they''d just finished theirnguage test this morning. Xander went looking for Cameron, but Cameron had already disappeared. He tried calling and texting her, but all he got back was, "I''m busy." ''How busy can a student actually be? Those are just excuses, Xander was fuming just thinking about it. "Milena,e on. ss is starting," her ssmate reminded her. The bell rang, but Milena was still fuming, so caught up in her own rage that she hadn''t even noticed Xander standing right there. It wasn''t until her ssmate called her name that she snapped out of her daze. Xander perked up the moment he heard the name. He looked down, and his eyesnded on a in, ordinary face. Milena froze, her eyes widened in panic. She thought, ''When did Xander get here? Why is he standing right in front of me?'' Milena quickly dropped her gaze and bolted. "Hey, why are you running?" her ssmate called after her, but she just sprinted faster. As she ran, she prayed that Xander would not recognize her. Xander watched her go and smirked. "Man, there are way too many people with that name." And he wondered, ''When did Milena be such a basic name?'' Tyrell asked, "You know her, Xan?" Xander shook his head. "Nope." Tyrell pressed. "Should I try asking Cameron out tonight?" Xander said, "If you can actually get Cameron to show up, I''ll wash my hair standing on my head." Tyrell had no words. Cameron handed in her test paper and bolted out of the ssroom. A bad feeling was creeping in, and good thin she could submit her paper early, as there was no way she could''vested until noon. Back at Noble Vista, she cleaned up and finally settled down. Her phone, which she''d left off to the side, started ringing. She got a call from an unknown number, but she still picked up after a moment of hesitation. "Hello?" "Hey, Cam. It''s me, Tyrell," Tyrell introduced him Cameron paused. "You need something?" Sessfully unlocked! Tyrell chuckled. "So, after we won the basketball game, and everyone on the team got a reward. We all know it was thanks to you. Tonight, after evening study, we want to treat you to somete-night snacks. You in?" "No." Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Stopped At The Gates Cameron hung up on Tyrell without a second thought, went back to the living room, flopped onto the sofa, and hugged a soft pillow to her chest. She ordered some takeout. Finally, she could actually rx for a bit. All she had to do was show up for her math exam at 2 PMter. She''d barely settled in when her phone started ringing again, and this time, it was all from another unfamiliar number She figured it was probably someone from the basketball team, so she answered the call to be polite, but a familiar voice came through instead. "Cameron." Milena practically ground her teeth. "Congrats. I heard you just scored a 300-thousand-dor reward" Cameron had no words. The second she recognized that voice, she pulled the phone away, hung up, and blocked the number without a word. Milena was too annoying and always ruined Cameron''s mood, so Cameron didn''t even want to waste a single second on her. Camerony back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest. A little over ten minutester, thendline in the room started ringing. Cameron figured it was her food delivery But when she picked up, she heard the property staff''s friendly voice. "Hi, Ms. Wace. Someone called asking for you. Should we put it through?" Cameron asked, "Who is it?" "They didn''t mention their name. They just said they have something really important to tell you." "I''m not taking it," Cameron replied tly. She already had a pretty good guess who it was. Ten minutester, her food finally arrived. She''d ordered pork rib and yam soup with red dates, steamed sea bass, and a small bowl of peach kernel and pork liver congee. She''d ordered a pork and sweet potato soup, a lemon herb baked sea bass, and a creamy chicken brown rice bowl. As she was on her period, she had to eat lighter and more nutritious meals. Cameron sat at the massive dining table and began to eat. Meanwhile, over half a mile from Noble Vista, Milena, still fuming from the poster on the school bulletin board, had already called their parents to let them know that Cameron had just pocketed 300 thousand dors. Normally, the Wace family wouldn''t have cared about that amount of money, as it was just enough to cover Milena''s tuition for a year. But now that the Chapman family had officially cut ties with them, several of their major business deals had fallen through. No one knew what the future held for the Wace family. Cameron''s 300 thousand dors wasn''t a small sum to the current Wace family, and her parents agreed that she should hand over every cent to the family. Milena tried to catch Cameron after school, but she was already nowhere to be found. The three of them figured Cameron must have gone back to Noble Vista, so they jumped in the car and headed over immediately. But half a mile from the estate, security cameras caught Milena''s face in the passenger seat and triggered an alert. The staff at Noble Vista intercepted their car and ordered them to turn back without even letting them near the gate. Milena and her parents were absolutely furious. Finally, they thought about calling Cameron. But even when they tried calling from a different number, Cameron had already blocked them. They managed to get Noble Vista''s property management''s number, hoping to reach Cameron that way, but Canon saw right through it. Furious, the three of them sat fuming in the car, staring at Noble Vista''s gold- ted entrance. "She''s doing this on purpose." Milena snapped. It was bad enough that Cameron didn''t want to Sessfully unlocked! ike things worse by having the property''s staff humiliate them too. Martin flew into a rage. "I told you we shouldn''t have taken in someone with no clear background from the start. But no, you wouldn''t listen. Look at how cold and selfish she is now." He was clearlyshing out at Heidi. Knowing she was in the wrong, Heidi mumbled, "Back then, I didn''t really have a choice." Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Not Blood-Rted Instead of answering Milena, Heidi patted the driver''s seat. "Jim, go grab us a few bottles of water." Once Jim was gone, Milena pressed again, "Mom, Dad, are you hiding something from me?" Then, Martin replied coldly, "Cameron isn''t our daughter." Milena whipped her head around, staring in shock at her parents in the backseat. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and her mouth was hanging open like she could fit an egg in it. "What? Cameron''s not really my sister?" Milena asked. Milena couldn''t believe that they weren''t real sisters. But before Heidi could answer, it all made sense to Milena. They looked nothing alike. Cameron was tall and slender, while Milena was not so much of that. Heidi nodded. "That''s right, she''s not our biological daughter." "So what''s the real story? Did you guys just adopt her from somewhere?" Finally, it made sense why Martin and Heidi only doted on her so much. Heidi nced at Martin, and when she saw he wasn''t going to stop her, she decided to spill the beans. "She wasn''t adopted. Your aunt swapped her in," she said. "Aunt Jessica?" Milena frowned a little. "She did the swap?" Milena''s aunt had already passed away. In Milena''s memory, Jessica always favored Cameron over her, so she never really liked her. On the flip side, Cameron adored Jessica and trusted herpletely. When Jessica passed away, Cameron cried so hard that she almost passed out. What a shame. It turned out that their aunt was a human trafficker. That thought actually made Milena feel a little better. She sneered, "Why''d Aunt Jessica bring Cameron into our family then?" Heidi looked upset. "I gave birth to a boy, but he died duringbor. Your aunt was afraid I''d break down, so she secretly swapped him with a healthy baby girl." "And that healthy baby girl was Cameron?" Milena asked, her mouth dropped open again in shock. She thought, ''So I really did have a brother. He just didn''t make it. And Amelia''s so-called ¡°fianc¨¦? died right after he was born." Heidi nodded with a sigh. After a pause, Milena asked, confused, "Then why didn''t Aunt Jessica just swap in a boy?" Her dad replied, "You think it''s that easy? Cameron''s birth mom passed out duringbor, and that''s the only reason your aunt had the chance to take her away." Milena was silent, then asked again curiously, "So who are Cameron''s real parents?" Heidi shook her head. Honestly, they had no idea. After the swap, they''d been so afraid of getting caught that they left the hospital in the middle of the night. When Cameron''s birth mother woke up and realized she''d given birth to a stillborn, she was so devastated she fainted again. No one knew what happened after that. Milena sat in stunned silence, trying to process it all. After a while, she muttered, "Even if she''s not really your daughter, you raised her for eighteen years. She owes us, doesn''t she? If it weren''t for us, she''d probably have starved to death." Martin''s face was grim. "After everything we''ve invested in her, you bet we''re getting every penny''s worth back, and then some." From the very beginning, Cameron existed for one reason, which was to secure the marriage alliance between the race and Chapman families. That was why Martin sent her to the best schools and dressed her in designer clothes. All of it was to make sure she was worthy of Amelia. But now, Cameron had destroyed that marriage berova To the Wace family, the 300 thousand dor. earn in the future. ''s time for her to face the music. Sessfully unlocked! to them, and so did every cent she would With everything the Wace family had done for her, she''ll never be able to repay them in this lifetime. Heidi asked, "So what do we do now?" Chapter 241 Not Blood Rted Forget about getting into Noble Vista. They couldn''t even get close to the ce now. §¥ Subscribed 1. t. Chapter 242 0 Likes Chapter 242 Can''t Hide Forever Chapter 242 Can''t Hide Forever "What else can we do? Let''s eat first,¡± Martin said grimly. They''d been running around all afternoon and hadn''t eaten yet. The worst part was that they didn''t even get close to setting foot in Noble Vista. "Dad, don''t be mad," Milena tried tofort him. "She can run, but she can''t hide forever. I''ll wait for Cameron at school. I''m sure I can catch her." Heidi said, "Why don''t we just go straight to Cameron''s advisory teacher? We can say it''s not safe for her to keep that much money and that we should hold onto it for her." They couldn''t care less about Cameron. All they wanted was the money she had. Martin nodded. "We''ll talk about it after we eat." ***** After a quick meal and some rest, Cameron felt recharged. She hopped on her e- bike and rode to school like always. Just as she reached the gate, someone called her name, "Cameron." Her parents were dropping Milena off for ss. They''d nned to talk to Cameron''s advisory teacher, but ended up running into Cameron right at the entrance. Milena shouted for her, but Cameron twisted the throttle and sped into campus without even ncing at them. Milena turned to her parents andined, "Mom, Dad, did you see her just now? What kind of attitude is that?" Then, she paused in realization. "Do you think she found out?" That was the only possible exnation Milena could think of. Otherwise, there was no reason that Cameron would turn against them so coldly. Heidi pulled Milena out of the car and whispered, "Rx. As long as we keep quiet about it, she''ll never find out." Milena was confused. "Why''s that?" Heidi exined, "A few years ago, Cameron thought we were ying favorites and treating you better, so she started suspecting she wasn''t our biological daughter. "So she went to Jessica, took some of our hair and hers, and asked Jessica to run a DNA test. She even told Jessica it was a favor for a ssmate. "Jessica saw through it right away and gave her a fake paternity test result." Milena was stunned, silently praising Jessica for her brilliance. Cameron''s got it rough. But the more miserable Cameron was, the happier Milena would be. Martin got out of the car too and said dotingly, "Millie, don''t worry about this. Go on to ss now." "Okay." Milena headed off to ss in a great mood. Cameron''s parents checked in at the school gate, nning to go in and find her, but the security guard stopped them. Cameron''s parents were confused. "What''s this about?" "Sorry, new school rule. No visitors for seniors, as their mock exams are going on right now," the guard exined. "I need to speak with her advisory teacher," Martin said. "The advisory teachers are proctoring the exams," the guard replied. Martin had no words. They exchanged a look, then stepped back. What they didn''t know was that the school had already gged them. Last time, Martin showed up yelling abo affirming surgery, and Brody caught the whole scene. Afterward, Brody quietly told security to block them froming in again. nder- There wasn''t really any risk in this. After all, students coulde and go as they pleased. Frustrated and shut out at every turn, they were about to give up, until they remembered one very important detail-the 300 thousand dors Cameron had. Hence, they decided they were vhere. way without trying again. So they parked by Sessfully unlocked! With their business barely hanging on, there was nonym fley the curb and waited, convinced she had toe out eventually. Bradley drove back and immediately spotted Cameron''s family''s car. He thought, ''Are they here for Cameron again?'' His eyes grew colder behind those gold-rimmed sses. These people just don''t know when to quit. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Childish They''d already cut ties with Cameron, yet here they were again. Bradley let out a slow breath, wondering, ''How did Cameron end up with parents like that? Bradley really felt bad for Cameron. Cameron was such a sweet kid, and anyone would think his parents would be decent people too. Bradley thought, ''If Cameron finished his exam and saw his parents waiting out here, he''d definitely be upset So, Bradley just called the traffic bureau directly, "Hi, I''d like to report someone for illegal parking." Fifteen minutester, Cameron''s parents were dozing off in the car when someone knocked on the window. "Excuse me, you can''t park here," the cop said, holding his notepad, Heidi frowned. "So many cars are parked outside. Why are you picking on us only?" The cop replied with a nk face, "I said, you can''t park here." Heidi didn''t know what to say anymore. With no other choice, they had the driver move the car to an underground garage several blocks away from the school. "What a hassle,¡± Heidi muttered. Martin didn''t look pleased either, but he stayed quiet. They just nned toe back when the time was right. They returned two hourster, assuming Cameron''s test had ended, only to find the same cop still there. "Well, well. Couldn''t help yourselves, huh?" he said with his arms crossed. Before they could respond, he gged down a tow truck waiting nearby. In no time, Cameron''s parents and their car were both towed away, and their gloomy expressions showed that they weren''t delighted by this situation. ***** Meanwhile, Cameron turned in her math test early and was heading back to ss when someone suddenly popped up from behind the flowerbed. Cameron was speechless. "Cam." Tyrell jogged up, grinning widely as he handed her a bottle of Coke. "How''d the test go?" Cameron pushed the Coke away. "I don''t drink this, thanks." Tyrell chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Oops, sorry. I grabbed the wrong thing." He''d just assumed all guys liked Coke. Cameron just stared at Tyrell. Tyrell rubbed his face. "Cam, what''s up?" Cameron shook her head. "Did you need something?" Cameron couldn''t help but wonder if this brown-noser was really the same guy who once tried to help Xander "teach her a lesson". He seemed like a totally different person now. Tyrell grinned. "Cam, I just wanted to ask if you''d like to grab ate-night snack with us tonight." Cameron still turned him down. "I''ve got no time." With that, she turned to leave, but Tyrell hurried after her. "Cam, honestly, I made a bet with Xan. He said if I could get you to say yes, he''d wash his hair while doing a handstand." "Childish," Cameron muttered. Tyrellughed. "Cam, can''t you let me win just this once? I really want to see Xan wash his hair upside down." "I don''t have time," Cameron repeated, even more firmly this time. She still had to check in with her advisory teacher and return to Noble Vista. Seeing how firm Cameron was, Tyrell knew it was hopeless no matter what he did. But he thought Xander was right, as getting Cameron to agree to hang out with them was seriously hard. Cameron headed toward the school gate after asking Brody for sick leave. Just as she reached for the e-bike scanner, someone tapped her shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see Austin. He stood in the sunlight, his blond hair catching the light. His mixed-race charm, topped with his signature dazzling smile, was a killer to most girls. "Cam, long time no see," Austin greeted, his voice deep and maic. Chapter 243 Childish Cameron nodded, looking down to scan the code. "Hey, Austin. Long time no see." "Cam, you''ve been busytely?" Austin asked. Cameron swung a leg over the e-bike. ¡°Yeah, a bit. What''s up?" Subscribed 0 Likes Chapter 244 13h tegengis Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Elijah Stepping in "Cam, I saw the announcement. Congrats "Thanks. Is there anything else?" she asked, straight to the point This time, Austin was the speechless one Man, Cam is really blunt, Austin thought. Nevertheless, he kept emiting ''Cam, wart to celebrate tonger Tm busy," she sai Austin coughed a few times, his face slightly pale. Cameron nced at him. "Seriously, I''m busy. How about I treat you guys to dinner in a couple of days? She clearly meant Bradley and Elijah, too Austin grinned. "Alright, Cam, I wait for your message" Cameron waved and rode off on her shared bike. Meanwhile, Austin watched her leave, that familiar knowing smile still on his face. Cameron made it back just before evening study. The moment she reached the ssroom doo, the spotted Milena lurking nearby. *Cameron, Milena called, half-excited, half-nervous. "Get lost," Cameron replied coldly, not even slowing down as she entered the ssroom "Cameron." Milena rushed forward and grabbed theer of Cameron''s shirt. "You can''t be this selfish." Cameron nced down at Milena''s hand that was clutching her shirt. Her gaze was so cold that Millena''s fingers instinctively flinched, but she still wouldn''t let go. Cameron smirked. "You and your parents keep showing up just for that 300 thousand dors, right?" "So what if we are?" Milena snapped, righteous as ever. "That money should go to the family. You think it''s right for you to keep that much to yourself?" Students were passing by on all sides. These days, Cameron was practically a campus celebrity, and a confrontation like this with another girl naturally drew attention. Cameron''s face stayed expressionless. Milena, on the other hand, was growing desperate. She had finally found out that Cameron wasn''t really her sister. If Cameron wanted to cut ties, she had no say about it. But the Wace family had raised Cameron for eighteen years, and they wanted Cameron to repay them. Milena used to think that the agreement didn''t really matter, but now, she was actually panicking. So, when her parents told her that they couldn''t get into the school, she decided to take this on herself, even though she knew she''d be in trouble if Xander found out. "So it''s not okay for Cameron to have the money, but it''s fine if you take it?" Just as Milena finished speaking, a cold male voice cut in. Milena froze, Elijah, donned in the school''s blue uniform, stood beside Cameron, sharp-eyed and cold-faced. He''d seen the whole thing unfold from the start. He held his pen for a while, thinking it over before finally stepping out. After all, Cameron''s family drama wasn''t really his business. But the moment he walked out, he overheard what Milena said. He thought, ''So Milena was here to ask Cameron for money?" Cameron was just a student, and the prize money came as a surprise to her too. Elijah was baffled at how her family had the nerve to ask her for it. It made sense why Cameron suddenly started living in the dorm this semester, and why he didn''t go back to W. during the holidays, but stayed elsewhere. Vi Elijah''s words left Milena speechless. But she was quick on her feet and immediately said, "Of course I didn''t mean that for me. It''s for my parents." Elijah said, ¡°Cameron''s already an adult. He ha Once again, Milena was rendered speechless. Elijah frowned. "What are you still doing here?" do with his prize money. You have no say in it." Sessfully unlocked! Milena was out of options. She bit her lip, let go of Cameron, and walked away in defeat. She never expected Elijah, the top student, to take Cameron''s side too. Chapter 244 Elijah Stepping In She fumed inside, thinking, ''What''s so special about Cameron, anyway?'' Chapter 245 0 Likes Chapter 245 Avable Chapter 245 Avable Seeing that Milena was out of sight, Elijah finally turned to Cameron. "Your sister''s a real handful." Cameron nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Elijah." Elijah headed back toward the ssroom. "Don''t mention it." Cameron sighed, "I didn''t think you had it in you to throw shade like that." Elijah might be the quiet, aloof type, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t speak up when it mattered. He just usually couldn''t be bothered. Cameron followed Elijah back to their seats. The girl in front of them turned around and asked curiously, "Hey Cameron, who was that girl just now?" Cameron replied, "No idea." The girl was speechless, but seeing Cameron didn''t want to talk, she sensibly turned back around to face the front. This time, Cameron took the initiative to slip Elijah a note. [How do you want me to thank you?] She really was grateful to him. Milena had been driving her nuts, and Elijah had shut her down with just a few sharp words. Milena cared way too much about her image, and Elijah had used that against her effortlessly. Elijah: [Thanks? For earlier? It''s fine, it was nothing.] Cameron: [How about I treat you to a meal?] Elijah: [Sure.] Stunned by his quick response, Cameron thought, ''Didn''t he just say there was no need to thank him? Cameron: [What do you want to eat?] Elijah: [What about you? What are you craving?] Cameron: [You''re getting treated, so you make the call.] Elijah: [Barbecue?] Cameron: [Do you have a favorite ce?] Elijah: [We''re going after evening study? It''ll probably be closed by then.] Cameron: [Let''s go on the weekend.] They would still have exams tomorrow. Elijah: [Alright.] He still owed Cameron a meal. Once she treated him, he''d return the favor. ***** Two dayster, Cameron was finally free. Her period was over, and it was Friday- time for the results of the third mock exam, which everyone had been anxious about. After school that afternoon, Cameron returned to Room 316 for the first time in a week. Elijah hadn''t expected him toe back during the break, so he was a little surprised. "Cameron, you''re back?" Elijah put down his textbook. Cameron nodded. "Elijah, I got the prize money from the basketball tournament, and I want to treat our roommates to a meal. Are you guys free tomorrow?" Elijah didn''t reply and just thought, ''He''s treating our roommates to a meal first?'' Just then, Austin walked in, coughing softly. "Cam, I''m free." Elijah finally added, "I''m free too." Cameron nodded. "I''ll check with Bradter. How about lunch tomorrow?" Elijah nodded. "Sounds good." Austin asked, "Cam, is Xaning too?" Cameron honestly hadn''t considered it. "I neve Sessfully unlocked! Cameron thought it was fine to leave Xander out since he wasn''t their roommate anymore. Austin chimed in, "Cam, maybe invite Xan too? Otherwise, you know he''ll make a fuss if he finds out." Cameron could only give in. "Alright, I''ll reach out to himter." Chapter 245 Avable Now that she thought about it, Austin actually had a point. Her business was finished here, so she slipped her hand into her pocket, ready to head out. Elijah called after her. "Cam, you heading back alone again?" "Yeah." Cameron nodded. Elijah grabbed his backpack and caught up with him. "Let me send you." "I can send you too, Cam," Austin quickly added as he coughed. But this time, he actually meant it. Austin thought he and Cameron were the same type of people, and they should hang out more. But Cameron turned them both down. "It''s fine, I''m cycling back." The early spring weather made the ride home pretty ideal anyway. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Totally Off Base Chapter 246 Totally Off Base Cameron had just reached the school gate when she got a call from Bradley. "Where are you?" Bradley asked. "I''m about to head home. What''s up, Brad?" Cameron replied. "I''m heading back too. Want to go together?" "If it doesn''t inconvenience you," Cameron replied. Since they were going the same way, she didn''t mind catching a ride with him. But Elijah and Austin had to go out of their way to send her back, so she definitely wouldn''t ept their offer. Cameron waited by the street for Bradley to pull up. Just then, Elijah''s ck Rolls- Royce slowly pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing his cool, handsome face. "Get in. I''ll give you a ride," he said. Cameron waved him off. "No thanks, I''m going back with Brad." Elijah thought, ''He''d ride with Brad, but not with me?'' He didn''t move right away, so she added, "You should go, Elijah. This street''s already jammed enough." "See you tomorrow," Elijah said. Cameron nodded. "See you tomorrow." With that, Elijah drove off. Next, a shy motorcycle screeched to a halt right in front of her. Xander ripped off his helmet, shing his usual cocky grin. "Hey, brat. You''ve been grinding all week. Got time tonight? Let''s go celebrate." Tyrell, sitting on the back, chimed in, "Come on, Cam. Everyone on the team is super grateful to you, seriously." Cameron shook her head. Xander frowned. "You''re still busy? What could you possibly be up to all day? You''re just a student!" Cameron said, "Xander, I''m treating my roommates to lunch tomorrow. Want toe? Since you used to live in Room 316, I''ll let you join." Xander froze for a second, then pped his thigh. "Of course I''ming." Tyrell got anxious. "Cam, what about me?" Chapter 246 Totally Off Base Xander elbowed Tyrell. "What about you? Are you even from Room 316? You''ve got some nerve to ask him that." Tyrell had no words. Xander grinned from ear to ear. "So, brat, where''s lunch tomorrow?" Cameron said, "Still deciding." Just as she finished, a soft car horn sounded behind her. She turned and saw Bradley'' s sleek ck Mercedes pulling up to the curb. Cameron looked at Xander. "I''ll text you tomorrow." With that, she got into the passenger seat of Bradley''s car. Xander was speechless. Tyrell asked, curious, "Xan, did Cam just get into Mr. Saunders'' car? Are they that close or something?" At that, Xander''s face instantly dropped, and he red at Tyrell. "You talk way too much." Tyrell was rendered speechless. With that, Xander put on his helmet, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle flew off like a rocket. "Whoa!" Tyrell yelped, nearly flying off the back. Austin had just stepped out of the school gates when he spotted Cameron getting into Bradley''s car. A yful smirk appeared on his striking face as he thought, ''He turned me and Elijah down, but got into Bradley''s car. So, out of all the roommates, he''s the closest to Bradley? ''He''s got it all wrong. We''re the same king, and the person he should be the closest to is me.'' Cameron buckled her seatbelt and said, "Brad, I got my reward. I want to treat everyone to lunch tomorrow. Are you free?" Bradley smiled at her. "What time tomorrow?" "Noon," Cameron replied. He nodded. "Alright, I''ll clear my schedule for noon." Cameron asked, "Are you super busy tomorrow?" Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Tension In The Air Chapter 247 Tension In The Air Bradley smiled. "The firm''s picked up a few big casestely, so I''ve been helping out. But hey, I''ve still got time for lunch." Cameron nodded. So, they had a deal. They drove out of Academy Avenue and cruised smoothly back to Noble Vista. Cameron hadn''t even unbuckled her seatbelt when her phone rang. It was Xander. "Hey." "You little brat." Xander barked. ¡°Where are you? Get over to my ce and tutor me right now." "Right now?" Cameron asked, a little thrown off. Honestly, she had nothing else going on, and it wouldn''t hurt to go. But seriously, could he have asked anyter? Xander insisted. "Yeah, right now. Get over here quickly." "Cameron''s with me. He''s busy," Bradley chimed in. Xander was so loud that even Bradley, who was in the driver''s seat, could hear every word he said. That bossy tone Xander had rubbed Bradley the wrong way. Cameron wasn''t the Murphy family''s servant, but Xander''s ssmates. That meant they were equals. "Brad?" Xander asked coldly. "What, Cameron can''t speak for himself? You gotta answer for him now?" He had gunned the engine all the way home, his irritation boiling over. Halfway there, he just dumped Tyrell at the side of the road. The more he thought about it, the madder he got. She was always busy whenever he tried to get a hold of Cameron. But she somehow had time to hang out with Bradley. Xander thought, ''What''s that supposed to mean? He''s doing this on purpose, isn''t he?'' Looking seriously annoyed, Xander didn''t even let Bradley get a word in before saying, " Brad, Cameron already took my money for tutoring. I want him toe over now, so he has toe." Bradley asked tly, "How much is it?" Xander choked, "It''s not about the money. He took the cash, so he''s gotta do the job. That''s the rule, get it?" Bradley replied, "If he took the money but didn''t do the job, he could just give the money back and call it even. That''s the rule too." Chapter 247 Tension In The Air Xander shouted, "I don''t want the money! I want him to tutor me! Brat, are you deaf? Speak! Get over now." All he got was a busy tone. Cameron looked at her phone in Bradley''s hand, confused. "Brad, you don''t want me to tutor Xander?" Bradley handed the phone back to her. "His attitude''s the problem." Cameron shrugged. "That''s just how he is." Bradley looked at her. "Cameron, you''re not struggling for money anymore, are you?" Cameron grinned. "How could I not be? I still owe you 15 million dors." Bradley said, "If you don''t want to pay me back, you don''t have to." Cameron was stunned. Bradley cleared his throat. "What I mean is, there''s no rush to pay me back. The SAT ising up soon. You should focus more on your studies." Cameron said confidently, "I''m not worried about the exam at all." "You''ve had a whole week of sses. Wouldn''t it be nice to take a break?" Cameronughed. "I''m not tired. Tutoring isn''t exactly hard work, you know." The hidden meaning in her words was that she was determined to tutor Xander. After all, he''d already paid her in advance. Bradley looked a little exasperated. "So you''re really going to tutor Xander?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Bradley tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he let out a soft sigh. "Want me to drive you?" Cameron unbuckled her seatbelt. "It''s fine, I''ll just grab a cab." "I''ll take you." Bradley reached over and buckled her seatbelt again. He leaned in a little too close, catching a whiff of her sweet scent. Bradley froze for a second, then blurted out, "You smell really nice." Cameron was too stunned to speak. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 I''m Your Son Cameron shifted closer to the window and said, "It''s probably just my body wash." Bradley asked, "Smells nice. What brand is it?" "I forgot. I''ll checkter and let you know." Bradley started the car. "I''ll drive you to Murphy Manor." "Thanks," Cameron replied. Right then, Xander called again, and Cameron hung up on him. Instead, she texted: [I''ll be there soon.] In response to that, Xander replied with a victorious emoji. An hourter, a sleek ck Mercedes pulled up in front of the luxurious Murphy Manor The housekeeper was already waiting at the door. She stepped forward, opened the passenger door with a polite smile, and said, "Mr. Wace, Mr. Murphy''s been expecting you." "Thank you." Cameron gave a slight nod. Bradley got out as well and handed the car keys to the housekeeper. "Could you. please park the car for me?" The housekeeper nced at Cameron. "Mr. Wace, and this is?" Bradley smiled. "Hi, I''m Xander''s roommate, Bradley Saunders." She looked a little confused, as Xander had only mentioned that Cameron would being. Still, she took the keys with a respectful nod. If Bradley were Xander''s roommate, it should be fine. Cameron looked at Bradley. "Brad?¡± Bradley chuckled softly and nodded, not bothering to exin himself. He was already here anyway, so he might as well head inside and have a cup of coffee. The moment Xander spotted Cameron, his face lit up, and he practically lunged forward. "You little brat, you finally showed up." But then he caught sight of Bradley behind Cameron, and his excitement vanished in an instant. "Oh, Brad, you came too." Bradley smirked. "What? Am I not wee?" Xander pulled a long face. "Of course you''re wee here. How could I not be?" "Are you two Xan''s ssmates? Come in and have a seat," Xander''s mother, Gwen, said warmly, getting up to greet them. Chapter 248 I''m Your Son Bradley walked over politely and extended his hand to Xander''s parents. "Hello, Mr. Logan and Mrs. Gwen. I''m Bradley Saunders, Xander''s roommate." Logan stood up and shook his hand, just as politely. "Saunders? That''s not amon surname. Where''s your family from, young man?" Bradley smiled. "My father is Nathan Saunders, and we''re from Steerfall." Logan''s expression changed immediately. "Nathan? We just had dinner togetherst month. Your family has so many boys, and I haven''t met you before, but you''re just as impressive as your eldest brother. Come on, have a seat." Bradley sat down. "Thank you." Logan asked enthusiastically, "So, where do you rank among your brothers?" "I''m the fifth." "I''ll call you Brad. And don''t bother with formalities. Just call me Uncle Logan," Logan said. He turned to the butler. "Go get my best red wine. I want to have a drink with Bradter. Bradley smiled. "Uncle Logan, you''re too kind. I came in such a rush that I didn''t even bring a gift. Sorry about that." Logan waved it off. "What gift? We''re all family here, and there''s no need to be so formal with us." "Dad, I''m your real son," Xander muttered in dissatisfaction. His dad was always so aloof, and Xander had never seen him this enthusiastic with anyone. ''Man, having a dad like Nathan really is something,'' he thought. Gwen nudged him gently. "Stop acting like a little kid. Go study with Cameron." Xander was speechless. ''A little kid? Seriously? I''m an adult, okay?'' Still sulking, he rolled his eyes and trudged upstairs. Cameron followed, a little impressed by how effortlessly Bradley won the Murphy family over. Compared to Bradley, the two of them really did seem a bit childish. Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Like A Little Kid Cameron and Xander walked into the study and sat down. Xander pouted and asked, "Am I really that childish?" Cameron asked him back, "What do you think?" Xander said, "I don''t think so." After a moment of silence, Cameron said, "Go find your freshman math book." She nned to go through all the textbooks from freshman to senior year with Xander, one by one. Xander went to get it, then returned and dropped the book on the table. "Do you really think Bradley''s that great? Why do my parents like him so much?" Cameron didn''t answer and just quietly flipped open the math book. Xander rambled, "Mr. Saunders has seven sons, you know. By seniority, Bradley wouldn t even get anything great. What''s so special about him anyway?" Cameron just stayed silent, and when she did that, Xander nudged her elbow with his. Come on, back me up here, you little brat." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, only you could be born with such luck as the only heir to the ? Murphy family''s wealth." Xander grinned. "Exactly." Cameron circled some forms with a red pen. "Memorize all these." Xander frowned. "You''re even more of a pain than my math teacher." After a few seconds of silence, Cameron pulled out her phone and opened her bank''s mobile application. "What are you doing?" Xander shot her a re. Cameron said, "You should find someone else. With that attitude, I can''t teach you. I''ll give you your money back." Xander rolled his eyes. "Fine, I''ll memorize it, okay? Happy now?" Only then did Cameron put away her phone, pick up the book again, and continue tutoring. Cameron was focused on teaching, but Xander was totally spaced out. Math just made no sense to him. Cameron didn''t expect much from him anyway. As long as he made a little progress, that was good enough. Bradley stood outside the study for a moment before finally knocking on the door. Chapter 249 Like A Little Kid As soon as he showed up, Xander''s face instantly turned sour. "Brad, why are you up here? We''re in the middle of a lesson." In other words, Bradley was interrupting his time with Cameron. Bradley lifted the te of pastries in his hand. "Your mom asked me to bring you something to eat." Xander said, "I don''t want it." Bradley was sharp enough to see right through Xander''s mood. But instead of leaving like Xander wanted, he just sat down on the sofa nearby. Xander shot him a look. "Brad, can you go downstairs and check if dinner''s ready? I''m hungry." Cameron pointed at the te. "You can have the pastries right here." Xander red at Cameron. "I don''t like those." Bradley stood, one hand in his pocket. "Cameron, if he''s not feeling it, let''s wrap up the lesson." "Who said I''m done?" Xander shot back. Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Weren''t you just hungry?" . Xander huffed, "I''m not hungry anymore. Let''s keep going." "Alright, I''ll head down then," Bradley smirked. Xander was like a spoiled little kid on an emotional rollercoaster, and Bradley decided to stop teasing him. As soon as Bradley left, Xander slumped into his chair and groaned, "Studying is exhausting." Cameron frowned. "So, are you going to keep at it or not?" Xander gave up. "Nah, I''m done." Cameron closed the math book. "Alright, that''ll be 15 thousand dors for this half hour." Xander just shrugged, totally unfazed. "Whatever." Chapter 250 Chapter 250 We Live Together Seeing how he couldn''t be helped, Cameron said, "Xander, you don''t have to force yourself. If you really can''t focus, pushing yourself won''t help." But that only made Xander feel challenged. "Who says I can''t? I''ve still got two months. I''m all in." Cameron reopened the math book. "Alright then. Let''s keep going." Xander was speechless. Just then, Gwen popped in with a warm smile. "Cameron, Xan, dinner''s ready. You''ve both worked hard at studying. Come eat first and study after." "Coming." Xander shot up from his chair and dashed over to his mom. Cameron had no words. The dining room sparkled under a crystal chandelier, the table overflowing with dishes worthy of a five-star spread. "Brad, these are all just some simple home cooking. Don''t mind it," Logan said warmly. Bradley smiled. "Uncle Logan, you''re being way too modest. This is a feast." Xander muttered, "Dad, you even brought out the imported lobster. How is this home cooking?" Logan was caught off guard, and Gwen gave Xander a discreet nudge and whispered, " You little rascal, don''t embarrass your dad in front of our guests." Xander had no words, the corners of his mouth twitching hard again. He thought, '' Guest? Bradley? When Cameron came over, my parents treated him like family. But now that it''s Bradley, suddenly he''s some kind of VIP? Isn''t that a bit unfair?'' Xander understood the situation well, but he just didn''t want to admit it. He didn''t like that his parents thought Bradley was better than he was in every way possible. He wondered if that was the reason Cameron liked hanging out with Brad more too, and it exasperated him. Thinking of this, Xander shot Cameron another re. Cameron caught it and asked, "What''s wrong with your eye? Is it twitching?" Xander had no words. "Xan, are your eyes okay?" Gwen asked, full of concern. "I''m fine," he rified. Just in time, he spotted his dad about to serve Bradley the biggest lobster. He quickly snatched it and dropped it in Cameron''s te. "Eat up. Tutoring me must''ve been Chapter 250 We Live Together exhausting." "Thank you," Cameron replied. Logan''s hand froze in midair. Theh he picked up another lobster for Bradley and said, "Don''t mind him, Brad. This kid is just a bit of a troublemaker." "I''m not a kid. I''m an adult now." Xander protested. Logan was speechless. Meanwhile, Gwen frowned. "Xan, what''s up with you tonight? You''re acting so weird." "I''m not," he insisted. His parents exchanged a look. Then, Gwen smiled at Cameron. "Cam, make yourself at home, okay? Here, try some of this pork belly." "Thank you, Aunt Gwen," Cameron said politely. Logan said, "No need to be so formal, Cam." With both his parents'' attention on Cameron, Xander finally returned to his normal state. After dinner, Logan pulled Bradley aside for a private chat. Xander shot Bradley a look, then turned to Cameron. "Come on, let''s get back to studying." Cameron shook her head. ¡°I''m really tired today, and honestly, you''re not in the right mood for it either." Xander was speechless. Cameron turned to Logan and Gwen, "Uncle Logan and Aunt Gwen, thank you for having me. I''ll head home now." Bradley stood up as well. "Uncle Logan, I''ll head back with him." Xander said with a mocking tone, ¡°Brad, why are you leaving so early? Stay and hang out a bit." Bradley smiled. "Cameron and I live together, so we''re heading back the same way." Xander just had the biggest shock of his life. ¸¶ Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Neighbors Xander''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Live together? What''s that supposed to mean?" Bradley said, "Exactly what it sounds like." Xander was shocked once again. Cameron rified, "Brad and I live in the same neighborhood." Xander asked, "Which neighborhood?" Gwen chuckled, "Xan, why are you asking so much?" Xander said, "Because I want to be your neighbor." Finally, he understood why Cameron and Bradley were so close. It turned out that they were roommates at school and lived in the same neighborhood outside. ''So, that was how they built the bond, he thought. Now, it made sense to Xander that Cameron would ride in Bradley''s car. Both Bradley and Cameron were rendered speechless. Logan asked curiously, "Brad, which neighborhood do you two live in?" After chatting all evening, Logan thought Bradley was a pretty good kid. But then again, all of Nathan''s kids were impressive. Logan was totally on board with Xander hanging out more with Bradley, and he wouldn''t mind buying a house so the two boys could be neighbors. Bradley answered honestly, "Noble Vista." Gwen smiled. "That''s a nice neighborhood. We actually have an empty apartment unit there." Xander raised an eyebrow. "Perfect. I''ll move in tonight." Cameron and Bradley were once again rendered speechless by Xander''s impulsive thoughts.. Gwen said, "Xan, do you really have to rush it? That ce has been vacant for ages, and no one''s lived there in a long time. We''ll need to get someone to clean it first." Xander replied, "Then let''s get someone to clean it up right away." Logan nodded. "That works. Xander''s 18 years old now. He''s an adult and can live on his own. Plus, if you''re living together in the same neighborhood, it''s easier for Cameron to tutor you." Xander pped his hands. "Dad, you''re a genius." Meanwhile, Gwen chuckled and asked the housekeeper to arrange cleaning for their Chapter 251 Neighbors apartment at Noble Vista. Xander crossed his arms, looking directly at Cameron. "You little punk, there''s no way my ce will be ready tonight. So, I''m crashing at yours." Cameron had no words. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Xander, what''s the rush? Just stay home tonight. Move in after your ce is cleaned up." Xander shook his head. "Brad, you don''t get it. My basics are terrible, and I really need tutoring. I have to move in tonight." Bradley was speechless. "Come on, let''s go." Without waiting for an answer, he shoved both Cameron and Bradley out the door. Logan and Gwen didn''t even get a chance to say goodbye. "I''ll ride with you, Brad. It''s on your way anyway," Xander said, sliding into the passenger seat in front like it was his car. Cameron sat in the back. With her arms crossed, she said, "Sorry, Xander. You can''t stay at my ce." Xander turned around. "Why not?" "I''m just notfortable having someone I don''t really know staying over," Cameron replied. Xander protested, "I''m not a stranger! I''m your roommate, and we''ve lived together in Room 316 for ages." Inside, Cameron screamed, ''Come on, I''m a girl! I only stayed in Room 316 because I had no other choice. And besides, with so many people in the dorm, it wasn''t a big deal. ''But if Xander crashed at my ce, it''s just way too inappropriate for us to live together.'' "I''ll help clean your ce tonight," she offered. "Once it''s ready, you can move in." Xander scowled. "Seriously? It''s just one night, you little brat. I''m not even going to stay for long." From the driver''s seat, Bradley chimed in, "Xander, why not stay at my ce? I''ve got plenty of spare rooms." "Nope. I want to stay with Cameron," Xander insisted. Cameron and Bradley had no words again. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 No Means No Cameron''s patience snapped. With a nk face, she said, "No." Xander red at her. "Why not?" Cameron replied, "No means no." Seeing how firm Cameron was, Xander turned to Bradley after a short pause. "Brad, can I crash at your ce tonight?" Bradley nodded. "Sure." Xander shot Cameron another re. "See? You should learn from Brad." Cameron was speechless. She couldn''t even be bothered to respond. If she really were a guy, she wouldn''t care if Xander stayed over. Heck, even sharing a bed wouldn''t bother her. But she was a girl. Even though she looked like a boy right now, sooner orter, her real gender would be revealed. Bradley simply shook his head and kept driving. Soon, the three of them arrived at Noble Vista. When Cameron opened the car door, Xander had already hopped out. He leaned on the car door and asked, "Hey, brat, if I can''t sleep at your ce, can I at least get a tour? Cameron said, "I''m exhausted. Come back tomorrow if you want to look around." Xander was speechless. Cameron thanked Bradley. "Thanks, Brad." Bradley gave her a slight nod. "No problem, I''m happy to help." Cameron tossed her bag over her shoulder and headed off, ignoring Xander, who trailed behind until Bradley called out, "Xander, this way." Back at the vi, Bradley casually pointed upstairs. "Pick any guest room you like." Xander nced around and muttered, "You live in this giant ce alone? Your family must be loaded." Bradley said tly, "I bought this ce myself." Three years ago, Bradley bought into aw firm that handled high-profile domestic and international cases. The firm made serious money-and so did he. Xander froze for a second, then scoffed, "Yeah, right. You''re still in high school, you know?" Bradley didn''t respond. He just walked off to the master bedroom. Xander watched him go, muttering, "Sure you did. Like I''d believe that." Chapter 252 No Means No The next morning, Xander was up early, knocking on Bradley''s door. "Brad. Which unit is Cameron in? Where does he live?" Bradley opened the door, half-asleep and unimpressed in his silk pajamas, said, Letting you stay here was a mistake." Xander muttered, "It''s already six. Don''t you always get up at six for school?" Bradley grumbled, "Can''t I sleep in on the weekend?" Xander sighed, "Alright, I won''t bug you. Just tell me where Cameron''s staying." Bradley shrugged. "No idea." "I''ll shout his name across the whole neighborhood," Xander threatened. Bradley gave him a look. "Good thing our dads are friends." Xander looked confused. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Bradley said, "Cameron''s probably still asleep. Go overter." Xander grinned. "Even better, I''ll go wake him up.¡± Bradley frowned. "You really don''t know when to quit, do you?" Seeing that Bradley was getting annoyed, Xander backed off. "Fine, I''ll go overter." He returned to his room. Bradley, now wide awake, gave up on sleep and headed to wash up. Meanwhile, Xander was frantically blowing up Cameron''s phone with texts and calls nonstop on WhatsApp. But with her phone on silent mode, it didn''t bother her at all. »Ø Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Jealous Chapter 253 Jealous Cameron slept in and woke naturally at eight. She checked her phone and found a flood of messages from Xander. Unbothered, she got up and washed up. At 8:30 AM, she finally replied and told him which building she was in. Less than two minutester, loud knocks shook her door. Cameron opened the door, and Xander walked right in. Xander rolled his eyes. "You really can sleep, huh? It''s already nine." Cameron shot back, "Youe to my ce just toin? Want me to toss you out right now?" "You''re small, but you sure have a big temper." Cameron pointed at the couch. "Have a seat. Want something to drink?" "Anything is fine," Xander replied, so Cameron grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and handed it to him. Xander stared. ¡°Seriously? This is all I get?" Cameron said, "Do you have to nitpick this early in the morning?" She should''ve never let him in. Xander sighed internally, ''Fine. I''ll be polite since I''m the guest here." He''s the guest here. Xander nced around the ce, rubbing his chin. "Well, well, living prettyfortably, huh, you little punk? You live here by yourself?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Xander asked, "What about your sister?" Cameron frowned. ¡°Mention her again and you''re out of here.¡± Xander was shocked to see Cameron snapping out of nowhere. Xander was totally confused. All he did was bring up Milena, and that sure didn''t warrant that outburst. Cameron shot him a look. "So, you want to do tutoring or not?" Xander shook his head. "Aren''t you treating us to lunch? Who can focus on studying now? Where are we eating?" "Anywhere you want." Xander pped his hands. "Nice, that''s generous." Cameron said, "I''ll call Brad over, then we can all talk it over." Chapter 253 Jealous Xander pouted. "Why? We can just decide for ourselves." Cameron replied, "There are five of us eating. Everyone should have a say. Or do you think it''s just you and me on a date?" "Alright, alright, just call Bradley already." As soon as Xander finished talking, the doorbell rang. It was Bradley, and Cameron went to open the door. "Brad," she greeted him. "Did he bother you?" Bradley asked. Cameron shook her head. "Nope." Bradley took his seat while Cameron messaged Elijah and Austin, asking if they were free for a video call. Both of them were free, so Cameron created a group chat with the two of them and started a group video call. The moment the call connected, Elijah spotted Bradley and Xander sitting on either side of Cameron. Elijah asked curiously, "Howe you three are together? It''s so early." Xander said smugly, "We''re neighbors now. Jealous, bookworm?" Although Xander didn''t live in Room 316 anymore, he didn''t really care with the SATing up. Now that he was neighbors with Cameron, it''d be a piece of cake to drop by her ce whenever he wanted. "Neighbors?" Austin was a little surprised. "You three live together now?" Xander grinned. "Yup, we live in the same neighborhood. Pretty cool, right? Bet you wish you were us." Elijah asked, "Which neighborhood?" Cameron asked, "Elijah, don''t tell me you''re thinking of buying a ce here too?" Elijah shrugged. "Wouldn''t be a problem." The Moore family had the kind of money that made buying a ce like picking up milk. Cameron had no words. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Why Should I Tell You? Xander raised his voice. "Elijah, you''re not allowed to buy a ce here." It only felt special if he was the only one living near Cameron. If they all end up as Cameron''s neighbors, then being her neighbor won''t be special anymore. On the screen, Elijah''s face was nk. "Is this building yours or something?" "I swear, I''ll buy the whole thing if I have to," Xander shot back. "Do it, then we''ll talk," Elijah replied dryly. Xander had no words to retort. Bradley chimed in, "Eli, if you want to move in too, go ahead. We live in Noble Vista." Since Xander already moved in, having another one wouldn''t make any Elijah nodded. "I''ll have someone take care of it right away." difference. Xander''s face instantly turned grim. He nced at Austin, who had been quiet the whole time. "Austin, don''t tell me you''re considering buying a ce here too?" Austin gave a softugh. "Nah. I''ll pass. I won''t follow the crowd." He didn''t say it, but he couldn''t afford it even if he wanted to. He only had the title in the family and no real power at all. He could not afford a ce at Noble Vista on his own. 1 Xander finally looked less tense, while Cameron let out a helpless sigh at the fact that Elijah wanted to move over too. Whatever, she couldn''t be bothered. They had freedom of choice anyway. "Okay," Cameron said, getting back on track, "since everyone''s here, what should we eat for lunch?" "What do you want to eat?" Elijah and Bradley asked in unison. Cameron replied, "I''m good with whatever you guys pick." Xander chimed in, "I want a feast. Let''s get some imported lobsters, and maybe even some shark fins." Cameron turned to Bradley, asking, "What about you, Brad?" Bradley said, "I''m fine with anything." Cameron looked at Elijah. "How about you, Elijah?" Elijah said, ¡°No preference for met Sessfully unlocked! Cameron then asked Austin, "What about you, Austin?" Chapter 254 Why Should I Tell You? Austin smiled faintly, but his smile didn''t reach his eyes. "I''ll go with whatever Xan decides.". Cameron asked himst. Austin thought, ''So that''s where I standst in line. It makes sense. Compared to Bradley and the other two, I barely spend any time with Cameron. ''Bradley lives with him, so they''re together even on weekends. Elijah is her deskmate, so they''re always together in ss. ''And Xander is always hanging around Cameron, so they get plenty of chances to be together too. ''But me? Whenever I want to be alone with Cameron, I must rack my brain to make it happen. Even then, I can count those moments on one hand. ''But we''re the ones who really belong together. Cameron should be spending more time with me instead.'' Cameron nodded. "Alright, let''s get seafood then. Which restaurant should we go to?" Xander said, "Obviously, we must eat at the fanciest ce in town." Cameron shrugged. "Sure." Cameron was about to end the video call when Elijah said, "I''ming over now." Cameron replied, "Elijah, you don''t have toe so early. Just meet us at the restaurantter." Elijah said, "I''m just stopping by to check out the neighborhood." Cameron was stunned. She thought, ''Wow, he''s really quick on his feet.'' Austin smiled. "Cam, since everyone''s at your ce, mind if Ie over and hang out too?" In the end, Cameron just nodded. "Sure, I''ll send you the address in a bit." In the end, Cameron didn''t say no and nodded. ¡°Sure, I''ll send you the address in a bit." Elijah added, "Send it to me too." "Alright, I''ll drop it in the group chat." With that, Cameron hung up the video call and dropped her address in their group chat. On either side of her, Xander and Bradley were still lounging on the couch. Xander stretched his arm along the backrest and said, "Brad, have you seriously been spending every weekend with this little brat? And you never told me?" Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. "And why would I tell you?" Chapter 255 Chapter 255 You''re Seriously Annoying Xander was instantly at a loss for words. He thought, ''Tell me for what? Obviously, so I could move in earlier, right?'' He looked from Cameron to Bradley. ¡°Good thing you''re both guys, or I''d think the two of you were secretly dating." Cameron immediately choked on her own spit: ring at Xander, she threatened, "Say one more stupid thing and you''re out." Xander groaned. "What kind of host are you, huh? This how you treat guests?" Bradley cut in calmly, "You showed up empty-handed. Doesn''t exactly scream "guest" to me." Xander scowled. "You didn''t bring anything when you came to my cest night too." Cameron said, ¡°Brad wasn''t there to visit you. He was just giving me a ride." Xander grumbled, "What, you two joined at the hip now?" Cameron frowned. "You''re seriously annoying." That one hit a little too hard, and Xander froze. He wasn''t used to being talked to like that, not by his family or friends. Everyone always coddled him, and whatever he did ''was always right. But with Cameron, he felt different. Her blunt words really did sting him this time. Without another word, Xander got up and stormed out. Cameron was stunned. Bradley smirked and said, "Don''t worry about him. He''s just being childish, and he''ll get over it soon." Cameron let out a sigh. Now that Xander had moved in, she doubted she''d have a single peaceful day left. It had taken so much effort to kick him out of Room 316 finally, and now he was her neighbor again. Soon, Elijah and Austin showed up at Noble Vista one after the other, and Cameron and Bradley went downstairs to meet them. Bradley said, "Cameron, if you''re notfortable having people over at your ce, we can just go to mine instead." Cameron looked at him. "Are you sure, Brad?" Bradley grinned. "I''m not a neat freak!cessfully unlocked! Besides, after living with Austin and Elijah as roommates for three years, having them Chapter 255 You''re Seriously Annoying over was no big deal for Bradley. Cameron smiled. "Alright, we''ll just hang out at your ce then.¡± Cameron spotted Elijah first. He was dressed casually in a white shirt and jeans, effortlessly handsome and cool as always. Elijah nced around the neighborhood and nodded. "The ce is not bad." Bradley chuckled. "Still can''tpare to your family''s ce." Elijah shrugged. "Come on, Brad. My ce isn''t all that." Bradley patted him on the shoulder. Out of all the boys, he and Elijah were the closest. A whileter, Austin showed up. His mixed features were striking enough that what he wore didn''t matter. With that face, no one would bother focusing on his clothes. He was the kind of guy who could even make a potato sack look like designer fashion. He smiled at Cameron, then coughed as he said, "Cam, thanks for the treat in advance.'' Cameron shook her head. "Don''t worry about it. By the way, Austin, with your health, are you okay eating seafood?" She asked because usually, the sick would be asked to avoid eating seafood until they'' ve recovered. ''Even though Cameron knew Austin was always popping vitamins, she also knew his health really was on the fragile side. Austin coughed more, then nodded. "Yeah, I can handle it." The group strolled around the neighborhood before returning to Bradley''s vi. Xander showed up at Bradley''s ce just before they were about to leave for lunch. He red at Cameron when he appeared, thinking, ''How dare he mess with me? I will show him what I''m made of at the restaurantter.'' 212 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Too Many Dishes Around noon, the five of them were gathered in a private room at the most upscale five-star hotel in Viremont. Cameron slid the menu over to Bradley, who was sitting next to him. "Brad, what do you want to eat?" Bradley took the menu and started flipping through it. Meanwhile, leaning back in his chair, Xander snapped his fingers and called, "Waiter." A staff member came over right away. "Yes, sir?" Xander said, "You guys have imported lobsters, right? Bring us ten to start." The waiter froze briefly, then double-checked, "Sir, each imported lobster is about 1, 000 dors. Are you sure you want ten?" Xander nodded. "Yeah, I''m sure." The waiter nodded and got ready to ce the order on his tablet. Bradley frowned. "Xander, can we even finish ten? Why are you being so over the top and wasteful?" ''Cameron is seriously strapped for cash, and Xander is only making things difficult for him on purpose,'' Bradley thought. Xander shrugged. "There''s five of us. How could we not finish ten lobsters? If you guys can''t eat it, I''ll handle it. If I can''t finish, I''ll just pack it up and take it home." Bradley was speechless, but Cameron said, "It''s fine, just order that." Xander shot Bradley a smug look, raising his eyebrows in victory. Then, he added, "And let''s get ten king crabs too." This time, Elijah frowned. "You here to eat or flex? Are you even paying for this?" Xanderughed. "Isn''t Cam footing the bill? He just won 300 thousand dors. What''s a fancy meal to him?" Elijah was rendered speechless as well. Then, Xander kept rattling off more extravagant dishes. Austin repeatedly coughed to remind him. "Xan, I think you ordered way too much. There are only five of us." Xander shrugged. "So what? Cam''s loaded." This time, Austin was the speechless one. The server, clearly sensing the tension, looked at Cameron for direction. Cameron waved him over, took the tablet and started trimming things down quietly- Chapter 256 Too Many Dishes ten lobsters became five, same with the king crabs. She kept the variety, but just reduced the volume of each. Xander crossed his arms and shot Cameron a cold look. "What''s wrong, you little punk? Can''t afford it? If you can''t, why bother treating us?" Cameron replied, "You can always leave if you want." Xander sucked in a deep breath. Austin stepped in. "Come on, Xan and Cam. Let''s not ruin lunch. It''s rare we all get to hang out like this. Can we just get along?" Xander clicked his tongue. "Fine. Just for you. I won''t lower myself to his level.¡± Cameron didn''t even bother to look at him. But she thought, ''Childish idiot.'' The server left with the revised order, and the room finally settled down a bit. Elijah looked over at Xander. "Didn''t you get 150 thousand dors too? When''s your treat?" Xander replied carelessly, "I''ll treat tonight. I''m not like a certain someone who''s so stingy you can''t even enjoy a meal. Order whatever you want tonight, and I won''t say no to anything." Bradley said coolly, "I''m busy tonight. You guys go ahead." Cameron chimed in, "I''m busy too." Xander rolled his eyes. "Come if you want, don''t if you don''t. Austin, Elijah, and I can celebrate together." Austin nced at Cameron and coughed a few times. "Sorry, Xan. I''ve got a doctor''s appointment tonight. Probably can''t make it." Elijah added, "I''m not going either." Xander was speechless, cursing inside, ''Damn it. Are they doing this on purpose? When it''s Cameron''s treat, everyone jumps at the chance. But when it''s my turn, no one can make it. ''Fine. Don''te then. Saves me money anyway.'' Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 257 Chapter 257 For Money''s Sake Soon, the dishes-imported lobster, king crabs, abalone, shark fin, and whatnot- were served, filling up the ten-person round table. Austin gave a helpless smile. "You really went overboard with the orders." And that was after Cameron had already trimmed down the menu. Xander snorted, "You call this a lot? It''s not even as fancy as dinner at my cest night." Austin was speechless. Elijah said, "With food that good at home, aren''t we just making you suffer by bringing you here?" Xander rolled his eyes. Bradley didn''t join in their banter. He quietly picked up a lobster, peeled it, and handed it to Cameron. "Thanks, Brad," Cameron said. Honestly, she could''ve done it herself, but Bradley was just that thoughtful. Elijah grabbed a lobster too, peeled it, dipped it in sauce, and popped it in his mouth. He nodded, "Not bad." Austin was working on a king crab. "This crab''s really good. Super fresh too." Xander picked up a lobster, peeled it, took a bite, and said, ¡°It''s just okay." Everyone had no words. But ignoring Xander''s long face, the rest actually enjoyed the meal. By the end, Cameron had dropped over 15 grand on lunch. Pricey, sure, but she didn''t regret it. Someworking was just part of the deal. Once lunch wrapped up, Elijah and Austin headed home. Xander trailed after Cameron and Bradley, assuming he''d ride back with them too, since he came in Bradley''s car. A hand gently pushed it shut as he reached for the front passenger door. And it was Bradley. Xander frowned. "Brad, what''s that supposed to mean?" Bradley adjusted his sses. "You reek of seafood. I can''t stand the smell. Go grab a cab." Xander had no words. After saying that, Bradley opened the passenger door again. "Cameron, get in." Xander red at him. "And that bia Sessfully unlocked! seafood?" Bradley replied, "He does, but not as bad as you. I can deal with it.¡± Chapter 257 For Money''s Sake He had no words once again. Xander wasn''t an idiot; he could tell Bradley was sticking up for Cameron. Xander thought, ''Didn''t Cameron already reduce the portion? Why am I still getting picked for it now?'' Cameron quietly got into the front seat without saying a word. Meanwhile, Xander stood in a daze as the ck Mercedes drove off. Bradley nced over at Cameron. "You really went all out tonight." She had spent over 15 grand on their lunch. Cameron shook her head. "It''s fine." Bradley said, "Cameron, how about we move to a different neighborhood?" Just thinking about having Xander as their neighbor in the future was already giving him a headache. Cameron shook her head. "Forget it, I can''t afford to buy a new ce right now." Bradley said, "I''ve got an empty ce." Cameron quickly shook her head. "No way, Brad. I already owe you 15 million dors. If I owe you any more, I''ll never be able to pay you back." Bradley just smiled. He teased, "So you''d rather put up with Xander than owe me more money?" Cameron said, "Like you said, he''s just a kid. His moodse and go. I''ll just ignore him." Bradley kept his eyes on the road. "So, are you still going to tutor him?" Cameron shrugged. "That''s up to him." Bradleyughed. "Cameron, you''re really kind. And pretty cute, too." If it had been anyone else, they would''ve blown up at Xander by now. But not Cameron, even after he had made things hard for her so many times. Cameron smiled. "Let''s be real. It''s all for the money." 212 Subscribe Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Sending Him Away Chapter 258 Sending Him Away Cameron looked over at Bradley and asked, "Brad, what dowyers do if you run into a really tough client? Would you ever just kick them out?" Bradley turned the steering wheel and shook his head. "No, we wouldn''t." After all, the client would always be right. With that analogy, Bradley immediately got what she meant. They had a smooth ride back to Noble Vista. Cameron headed straight home, only to find Xander waiting at her door. Cameron just stayed silent as Xander red at her. After a while, she finally asked, "What do you want?" Xander asked, "Do you just really hate me or something?" Cameron was quiet for a few seconds, then said, "Sometimes, yeah. You''re way too self-centered. You never think about how other people feel. It''s honestly pretty annoying." Xander shot back, "You''re the one who started it." If she and Bradley hadn''t teamed up to piss him off this morning, he wouldn''t have ordered all that food. Cameron said, "That''s pretty childish too." Xander didn''t say anything. Seeing he was still blocking the door, Cameron asked, "Anything else?" "Help me with my homework this afternoon," Xander said. Cameron nodded. "Sure." There were just over two months left until the SAT. She had to make every minute count if she wanted to tutor Xander. Cameron entered the password and stepped into the room, with Xander following behind her. "Did you bring your books?" Cameron asked. Xander shook his head. "Nope." So Cameron opened herptop, pulled up some study materials online, and started tutoring him. They spent the whole afternoon at it, with Cameron tutoring Xander for three hours. "You still have 100 thousand with me," Cameron said. Xander waspletely wiped out. Chapter 258 Sending Him Away He''d never studied this hard before. But he had to admit that Cameron''s exnations made things way easier to understand than his teachers ever did. "Hey, little punk. With tutoring fees this high, does it at leaste with dinner?" Xander joked. Cameron shot back, "Want me to order you takeout?" Right then, her phone buzzed with a text on WhatsApp from Bradley. [Dinner together? Cameron: [Xander''s here with me. Want to join?] Bradley had no words. He hadn''t expected that Xander would actually be at Cameron''s ce after their blow-up at lunch. Bradley: [Can''t you get him to leave?] Cameron packed up herptop and said, "I''ve got something going on tonight. You''ll have to eat by yourself. What do you want?" Xander said, "Then I''ll skip dinner. I''m heading back now." His ce was also a garden vi, with pretty much the sameyout as Cameron''s, and it was already cleaned up. Xander stood up. "I''lle find you tomorrow morning. Let''s keep going with the tutoring?" He waspletely fried. His brain felt like it had just run a marathon. Honestly, studying was more exhausting than basketball, and he really needed to chill out tonight. Cameron nodded. "Alright." Xander headed out. Cameron was just about to go over to Bradley''s ce when she got a WhatsApp message from Elijah. Elijah: [Cameron, you promised to treat me to a meal. How about tonight?] Cameron: [Let''s have lunch tomorrow. I''ve already got ns tonight.] Elijah, being Elijah, didn''t ask who she was meeting. He just replied: [Okay.] That night, Cameron and Bradley went to a cozy, well-reviewed Italian restaurant. The smell of cheese and mushrooms filled the air. Bradley slid the menu over to Cameron. "It''s on me," he said. In other words, she could order whatever she wanted. Cameron picked out two dishes, then Bradley added three more dishes and a soup. Then, he poured Cameron a cup of juice and asked, "Were you tutoring Xander this afternoon?" Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Hot Guys Are All Taken Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Bradley asked, "How''s he doing with his studies?" Cameron said, "He looks pretty focused. We''ll see how he does on the next mock exam." The two of them chatted casually over dinner. In the middle of their meal, Cameron got another WhatsApp message from Austin. Austin: [Cam, are you free tomorrow? I want to invite you to a musical recital.] Cameron put down his fork and replied: [Sorry, Austin. I have to tutor Xander in the morning, and I need to head back to school in the afternoon. I probably can''t make it.] Austin replied with a sad emoji. Cameron: [Sorry, Austin. Let''s hang out next time.] Austin: [Cam, next time, can you not turn me down? I feel like we really vibe.] Cameron was confused, thinking, ''We vibe? On what?'' Cameron replied: [Let''s n for another time when I''m free.] Bradley chuckled. "You''re pretty busy, huh?" Cameron put down her phone. "Austin just invited me to a musical recital." Bradley asked, "Are you free for that?" Cameron shook her head. "Nope, I turned him down." With that, Bradley let out a softugh, which puzzled Cameron. "What''s so funny?" Bradley said, "You know, for the past three years, Austin''s always kept his distance from everyone in the dorm. I didn''t expect him to invite you to hang out." Cameron said, "He said he thinks we vibe." Bradley just smiled and didn''t say anything. The next day, Cameron spent another three hours tutoring Xander in the morning. With that, thest 100 thousand dorsnded safely in her pocket. Her total savings now hit a million dors. Around noon, she grabbed a cab to the BBQ ce Elijah had picked. By the time she arrived, Elijah had already been waiting for half an hour. He wore a in ck T-shirt that made his frame look leaner and enhanced his cool, aloof aura. Sessfully unlocked! A few young women in the restaurant kept sneaking nces at him, but none of them dared to approach him for his phone number. 23 Chapter 259 Hot Guys Are All Taken Spotting Cameron, Elijah waved her over. "Over here." Cameron sat down. "Sorry, I''mte. I was tutoring Xander this morning." Elijah waved it off. "No worries." "Wow, they''re so hot. I guess good-looking guys really do stick together." Skyler and her older sister, Avery, came to this ce to have a barbecue. When she heard someone mention a handsome guy, she stretched her neck, looking all around. And then, she spotted Elijah, and her eyes lit up, thinking they must be really fated to run into each other even at lunch. But the moment she saw Cameron sitting across from him, her whole mood tanked. She wondered, ''What the hell is Cameron doing here? He''s really doing everything to cozy up to Elijah. ''If I''d known Cameron would cling to Elijah like this, I''d rather he went and bothered Amelia instead.'' "What''s up?" Avery asked, noticing Skyler''s changing expressions. With a grim face, she said, "Avery, see those two over there? One''s my ultimate crush, and the other is the guy I can''t stand the most." Avery''s interest was piqued. "Who? Which one''s your crush? What does he look like?" She stretched her neck to get a better look, and her expression changed too. "Oh my goodness. Them?" Skyler looked totally confused. "You know them?" Avery said, "You remember that night at the hotel I told you about? Two hot guys checked in and booked a room with just one bed?" Something went off in Skyler''s mind for a second, as she thought, ''What? They booked a room together?'' »Ø Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Turning Everything Upside Down When Skyler heard her sister Avery say that, her mind spun in chaos. ''They actually slept together on a king bed? What the heck is going on?'' Back then, Skyler gave Amelia a suggestion, which was to have Cameron take pictures of Elijah, then twist the story to make it look like Cameron had a crush on him. That way, Amelia would have a perfectly legitimate reason to call off the engagement. But now, was there really something going on between them? She couldn''t care less about Cameron, but she refused to believe Cameron was into guys. "Yeah, it was definitely them. They''re both so good-looking I''ll never forget what they look like." Avery kept going. Skyler''s expression turned grim. She shook her head, refusing to believe it. "Avery, are you absolutely sure you didn''t see wrong?" Avery shook her head and answered confidently, "Nope. I''m sure. It was them." "But what if you did see wrong?" Skyler pressed. Seeing Skyler''s disbelief, Avery got even more fired up. "You still don''t believe me? I''ll have my coworker at the hotel pull up the security footage for you." Skyler''s hands clenched under the table. Her heart raced as she prayed silently, ''Please let it be anyone but Elijah. Anyone but him. ''Elijah really didn''t seem like he swung that way at all. But if he was actually into men, I''m not sure if I can handle it.'' Avery picked up a piece of pork belly and put it on Skyler''s te. "Come on, eat something. I already texted my coworkers. They''ll send the video soon." But Skyler had no appetite at all. She kept sneaking nces over at Cameron and Elijah. They sat on the other side of a potted nt, talking and eating, unaware they were being watched. Honestly, with looks like theirs, it was no wonder all the young women in the BBQ ce kept stealing nces at them. But they didn''t seem to care. After a few painfully long minutes, Avery''s coworker finally sent over the surveince video from that night. She handed her phone to Skyler. "Look, aren''t these the two hotties?" Skyler stared at the blurry footage. Her eyes locked on the screen, then widened in shock. 1 Chapter 260 Turning Everything Upside Down It really was Elijah and Cameron. On top of that, Elijah was actually holding Cameron 1. up. Skyler wondered, ''Was Cameron...drunk? So, they''re both into it? Or maybe... was Elijah the one calling the shots?'' Skyler''s whole body froze. She stared at the phone as tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over, running hot down her cheeks before she even noticed. Avery was caught off guard by her reaction. "Whoa, Skyler. Why are you crying? Do you really like that guy that much? But he likes guys, you know. There are plenty of cute guys out there. Come on, don''t cry over him." But Skyler just covered her mouth and sobbed, unable to stop. It hurt so much. It felt like everything she believed in had just been turned upside down. **** Meanwhile, Cameron and Elijah satfortably, chatting over barbecue without noticing what was going on with the other people in the restaurant. Cameron said, "This ce is pretty good. Do youe here a lot, Elijah?" Elijah replied, "Just sometimes." He didn''t have many friends, so sometimes he came by himself. Cameron grinned. "Then we shoulde more often." Elijah raised an eyebrow. "We?¡± Cameron said, "Yeah, let''s bring Brad and the others next time.¡± Elijah nodded. Cameron lifted her cup and said, "This meal''s on me, Elijah. Thanks for helping me get rid of Milena the other day." Elijah gently clinked his cup against hers. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Your sister''s Milena, right? You two don''t seem to get along?" Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Can You Handle It? After that, he added, "If you don''t want to talls about your family stuff, you don''t have to) Honestly, Elijah wasn''t that nosy. But there was just something about Cameron that drew him in, like she carried secrets worth unravelling. People said all kinds of things about Cameron. But the more time Elijah spent with her, the more he realized she was nothing like the rum Cameron replied casually, "Yeah, we''re not really close." While flipping the chicken wings, Elijah said, "Xander seems to get along pretty well with your sister" There were quite a few times Xander bulled heads with Cameron because of Milena. Cameron just shook her head, wrapped some pork belly in lettuce, added sauce, took a bite, and only after finishing did she say, "I don''t know." She had no clue how Xander and Milena met or became so close. And honestly, she didn''t care to know. The Wace family had nothing to do with her, so whatever happened to them was none of her business either, Elijah handed her a grilled chicken wing. "Xander really has questionable taste." Cameron smiled. "Thanks," What Xander liked or didn''t like wasn''t her problem. There were only two months left until the SAT, and after that, everyone would head off to college and start over somewhere new. They probably wouldn''t even run into each other again, and nothing would matter by then. Elijah grilled a few pieces for her, and she did the same for him. Lunch turned out great simple, rxed, and only cost 100 dors. However, it was way more satisfying than yesterday''s meal, which cost 15 grand. Maybe because the annoying Xander wasn''t around. As they parted ways on the street, Elijah said, "It''s two o''clock. Are you heading back to school now?" Cameron replied, "I''m returning to Noble Vista for a bit.¡± Elijah nodded. "I should be able to move in as your neighbor next weekend." Cameron was speechless, not knowing what to do with these rich and reckless boys. But she just smiled and waved at Elijah before she made her way back home. When she arrived, Xander was waiting outside her door. "Took you that long just to eat? I thought you weren''ting back" Chapter 261 Can You Handle It? "What are you doing at my door?" Cameron asked. Xander shrugged. "What else? I''m here for tutoring." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t know you were such a nerd." Xander retorted, "Hey, the SAT''sing up." Cameron unlocked the door, and Xander followed her in. Xander rubbed his face and cleared his throat. "Cameron, you really never go back to Wace Vi? Don''t you want to see your parents? Want me to go with you?" Cameron turned around. "What''s it got to do with you? Are you here for tutoring or something else? If you want to visit Wace Vi, you can go alone." Xander immediately dropped the subject. "Of course, I''m here for tutoring." Cameron spent another two hours that afternoon tutoring him, and by the end of that, Xander transferred her 70 thousand dors on the spot. He nced at his phone and said, "See? Yesterday''s dinner was 15 grand, and today I just paid you 70 grand. Told you I wasn''t trying to rip you off." He had no idea why the other guys were losing their minds over it. Cameron said with a straight face, "You''re wee to find a better tutor for yourself." Xander chose to stay silent. Cameron went back to school with Xander. The results for the third mock exam were out, and they were posted on the school''s bulletin board. Cameron had made steady progress; she now ranked 12th in ss 15 and 80th in the whole grade. Cameron was pretty happy with that. Xander nced at the rankings and made a face. "Seriously, you little punk, is that all you''ve got? Even Austin, who barely ever shows up to ss, scored higher than you." Òò Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Don''t Worry Austin hadnded in the top 30 across the whole grade, which, honestly, was pretty impressive. Elijah kept up his usual performance. He was still the top student in the whole grade. Bradley''s ranking was just as steady, and he still ranked in the top ten in the entire grade. As for Xander, he couldn''t even be bothered to check his own score. Cameron smiled and said, "Then you can ask Austin to tutor you next. Please, just let me off the hook. Thanks." With that, she turned and walked away. Xander hurried to catch up. He said, "No way. I''m already used to your tutoring style. From now on, you have to keep tutoring me." Cameron replied, "As long as you pay up, I''m good." Xander shot back, "Wow, you really are all about the money, huh?¡± Cameron couldn''t even be bothered to respond and headed back to Room 316 to drop off her bag. Xander didn''t live there anymore, but he still followed Cameron to her room, then turned around and headed back to his new dorm. For some reason, it felt weird for him not staying in the same dorm room as Cameron. At this moment, he made up his mind. He would beg Tiana again to transfer him back to Room 316, no matter what it would take. Cameron had just set her bag down when William called her on the phone, smiling as he said, "Hey there, kiddo. Your mock exam didn''t go so well this time, huh?" Cameron figured he might sound cheerful, but deep down, he was probably worried sick. Even though the dorm was empty, Cameron still ducked into the bathroom to take the call. She said, "Don''t worry, Mr. Drake. I won''t let you down. My grades have always been pretty bad, so what would people think if I suddenly shot up to first ce? Would anyone buy it? I have to take it step by step, right?" William burst outughing. "So you did it on purpose, you little rascal?" He realized he missed that point because he was too flustered and concerned about her results. Cameron said, "Rx, Mr. Drake. I''ll do even better on the next mock exam. If I go from deadst in the ss to top scorer in the SAT, won''t that make your legend even more convincing? "Wouldn''t that help you attract more top students next semester?" Chapter 262 Don''t Worry "You sly little fox. Alright, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. Study hard, but don''t overdo it. Remember to take breaks." Williamughed and nagged her for a while before finally hanging up. Cameron stared at her phone and smiled. She knew William had pinned a lot of hopes on her, and she would give it her all to be the top scorer in the SAT. But it was not for William. This time, she wanted to create a life for herself that was truly dazzling. For every bit of misfortune in her first eighteen years, she''d make the rest of her life just as brilliant and dazzling. Cameron walked out of the bathroom just as Austin came in with his backpack slung over his shoulder. The moment he saw Cameron, he instinctively raised his hand to shield his face, but that only made what he was trying to cover more obvious, and Cameron immediately noticed it. Austin''s right cheek was red and a bit swollen. Cameron thought, ''Is that a p mark? Did someone mess with Austin?'' He never thought Cameron would catch him looking this pathetic. Coughing, he greeted her, "Cam." He figured by the time he got back from evening sses, the swelling would be gone. Right now, all he felt was pure embarrassment. Cameron caught the flicker of emotion on his face, nodded in response, then put her phone to her ear and mouthed, "I''m on a call." With her phone in hand, Cameron walked straight out of Room 316 without a change in her expression at all. Austin stared at the closed dorm door and muttered, "He didn''t see it?" He let out a slow breath and finally eased up a bit. Settling into his desk chair, he picked up a mirror and stared at the swollen bruise across his right cheek. As he thought about that person, a sharp, dangerous gleam lit up in his eyes. 212 Subscribe 1 Likes Chapter 263 apter 263 (+20) Right before Austin left for school that afternoon, he just casually asked if he could get an apartment at Noble Vista. All he wanted was to be Cameron''s neighbor. He only had such a tiny, almostughably small wish. But for that, he got pped hard across the face. Ever since Austin was a kid, that person had treated him like a thorn in their side. He never dared to hope for anything more. Even with millions of followers on TikTok, he didn''t dare take a single ad to make money for himself. Because the moment that person found out he could stand on his own, they''d crush him without hesitation. For eighteen years, he''d kept his head down, always making himself seem insignificant. He was always on edge, walking on eggshells, swallowing his pride and always giving in. And today, just for voicing the tiniest hope he had, he got pped and screamed at for over ten minutes. Austin clenched his fists, swearing that one day, he''d make them pay for every bit of what they did to him. ***** Meanwhile, Cameron was walking downstairs, slipping her phone into her pocket. She''d caught a glimpse of Austin''s face earlier, and it looked like whoever pped him didn''t hold back. She could tell he''d tried to cover it up, but it was still red and swollen. That seemed like a pretty serious injury. Cameron had sensed from the start that Austin was hiding many secrets. But she''d always stuck to her rule of not getting involved in other people''s business, so she looked the other way. Still, seeing Austin hurt like that hit a nerve. In her previous life, she''d been beaten up by her father in Wace Manor too. Every time it happened, Cameron was terrified someone would notice what had happened to her. Maybe it was just that feeling of shared pain, Cameron could understand exactly how Austin felt. But this was his own battle, and no one could fight it for him. No one could save him if he couldn''t find the strength to stand up for himself. Just like no one had saved her, all that had been left was a tragic ending. When Cameron returned to the ssroom, Elijah had already arrived a few minutes earlier. He greeted her, "You''re here." Cameron nodded. "Yeah." ***** That night, Cameron headed straight back to Room 316. While she was washing up, the school forumpletely blew up. Someone started a thread: [Breaking news! Amelia''s ex-fianc¨¦, Cameron Wace, is actually not straight!] Three photos were attached to the post, and all three showed Cameron being supported by a guy with his face blurred out. The two of them looked super intimate with each another. The photos were captured in the hotel lobby, in the elevator, and right outside the hotel room door, respectively. Honestly, the evidence looked pretty solid. The post didn''t just have photos. There was a whole story to it too. 16:46 Wed, 21 May MO Chap Chapter 264 ter 264 * 71%8 620 Elijah stared at his phone in utter disbelief. He was the one in those photos with Cameron. Even with his face blurred out, Elijah recognized himself right away. It was from that time when he ran into Cameron at his family''s stic surgery clinic. She was about to jump off the building, but he convinced her to step down. Cameron took him out for barbecue to thank Elijah, but she got drunk instead. After hesitating for ages, he finally booked a hotel room for Cameron. He slept on the sofa in her room that night, worried she might try something again. Nothing happened between them at all. But here, the post used the nastiest words to describe them, wait, no, to describe Cameron. Elijah''s face turned grim as he kept scrolling through his phone. He wasn''t mentioned in the entire post at all. It was just one long smear against Cameron. And Elijah''s face had been deliberately blurred out. So clearly, this post was targeting Cameron only. Elijah wondered, ''Who did Cameron piss off this time?'' With his phone in hand, he hurried back to Room 316. Meanwhile, Cameron had just finished washing up. As she walked over from the sink and saw Elijahe into the room, she gave him a slight nod. "Cameron..." Elijah called out, sounding anxious as he held his phone out to her. "Did you see this?" Cameron looked confused. "See what?" Then, she saw the post on Elijah''s screen, and she froze. She thought, ''So there''s no dodging this after all, huh? From the look on Cameron''s face, Elijah could tell she hadn''t heard about it yet. He frowned. "Did you piss someone off recently?" Cameron thought for a moment. "Honestly, I''ve probably ticked off quite a few people." Elijah had no words at this moment. Cameron didn''t really react much. She was just a bit surprised, that was all. She didn''t even look the slightest bit angry. After all, she''d already been through all of this in her previous life. Back then, she''d felt sadness, anger, pain, and frustration. No matter what she did, she couldn''t clear her name. But now, she was calm and unbothered. It was almost like the person getting dragged through the mud online right now wasn''t even her. Elijah frowned. ¡°So what do we do now? We can''t just sit here and do nothing, right?" He couldn''t just let those people nder Cameron. But Cameron replied coolly, "No rush. Let me check who actually posted it first." With that, she walked over to her desk, turned on herputer, and started typing away. Elijah stood right behind her, his eyes glued to his phone screen. 16:46 Wed, 21 May MU 71% Meanwhile, Austin paused mid-step when he caught whispers around him. "Wait...are you talking about Cameron from ss 15?" he asked in confusion. "Yeah, Austin. Don''t you live in the same dorm as Cameron? You should really switch rooms. Someone like that is just gross. Who''d dare sleep at night with him around?" The rumor mill was in full swing. And when a few people believed it, it suddenly became the truth. Austin muttered, "That can''t be right." He refused to believe that Cameron was that type of person. Austin''s mind was a mess. He needed to return to the dorm right now and hear what Cameron had to say. When Austin got back, Cameron had just sat down at herputer. Austin had run so fast his lungs couldn''t catch up, and he started coughing uncontrobly. "Cam..." The swelling on his face had faded enough to go unnoticed, unless one was really looking. "Hey, Austin. You''re back." Cameron turned around and looked at him. Austin was confused. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary from Cameron''s reaction, and he wondered if she had seen the forum yet. AD Comment Chapter 265 71% (+20) Austin steadied himself and walked straight over to Cameron and Elijah. He wasn''t even sure how to bring it up, just in case Cameron hadn''t seen it yet. But as soon as Austin walked up behind Cameron, he got his answer, as he saw the school forum pulled up on Cameron''sputer screen. Austin coughed a few times. "Cam, this is fake, right?" Cameron turned around. "What do you think?" Austin was caught off guard, but he instinctively shook his head. "It''s fake." Cameron just smiled at him in response. Elijah chimed in, "Of course it''s fake. The other guy in the photo is me." Austin was even more taken aback now, a hint of surprise shed in his eyes. He looked at Elijah. "It was you? Eli, what''s going on?" Elijah kept it short. "Cameron and I had dinner that night. He got drunk, so I took him to a hotel to rest. Someone took the photo and twisted it into a headline." Hearing that, Austin shot Elijah a surprised look. He hadn''t realized Elijah and Cameron were closer than he thought. Austin said, "Eli, they only blurred your face. Don''t you think that''s pretty suspicious?" Elijah nodded. "They''re targeting Cameron." "Found them." Cameron pushed his keyboard aside with a look of disdain. "Who is it?" Elijah asked urgently. "Skyler," Cameron replied. "It''s her?" Surely, Elijah remembered Skyler. She''d always been at odds with Cameron, and he''d even warned her before to stop her childish acts. But he never thought she''d sink this low. He thought, ''Did she just ignore everything I said? Does she really think I can''t pull the plug on the business between our families?'' Austin chimed in, "Eli, you know her? Who is she?" "Someone who doesn''t know what''s good for her," Elijah said coldly. "She blurred your face out, so I guess she didn''t dare cross you directly, huh?" Elijah just shook his head. He honestly didn''t care what Skyler''s motive was. Cameron sat back in her chair with her arms crossed. "Skyler has an older sister, Avery, who works at that hotel. The surveince footage probably came from her." Austin looked amazed. "Cam, you found all that out? And so fast." Austin was impressed that Cameron managed to find so much information in such a short time. at 1/01 He thought, ''He''s so good at keeping it low-key. There must be a lot more secrets about him.'' Cameron just smiled. "It''s not that hard." Austin didn''t believe her. Elijah asked, "So, what do we do now, Cameron?" (+20) He definitely nned to settle the score with Skylerter. But right now, the rumors swirling around were the real headache. Cameron smiled. "Let''s just let things y out for a bit." She wondered what Skyler was up to this time. ''In my previous life, she did this just to call off my engagement with Amelia. ''So what''s her game now? Is she just trying to piss me off?'' "Ew, Cameron is just so gross," someonemented. "What did you just say? Care to repeat that for me?" Xander taunted. Xander was grabbingte-night snacks with his basketball team when two girls walked by, both looking like they''d just seen something nasty. "Mr...Murphy?" one of them stammered, her eyes wide in fear when she met Xander''s furious gaze. Xander shot her a look. "Who exactly were you calling gross just now?" Chapter 266 For some reason, the second anyone badmouthed Cameron, Xander''s temper would re. 71%1 He could rag on Cameron all day himself, but if anyone else tried to mess with Cameron, that would really rub him the wrong way. Even Xander himself didn''t know what was up with that. The girl shrank back under Xander''s re, her voice soft as she said, "C- Cameron..." "What the hell? You got the nerve to diss Cam? I might beat you up even though you''re a girl" Tyrell heard her loud and clear, and he was pissed too. Cameron barely acknowledged him most days, but Tyrell already saw him as part of his crew. That basketball game had earned Cameron Tyrell''s loyalty for life. And hearing someone trash Cameron now just set him off. Scared out of her wits, the girl bolted. "Xan, what''s going on?" Tyrell asked, looking totally lost. +20 Ever since the basketball game, Cameron''s picked up a whole crowd of fans. So hearing someone talk smack about her was just bizarre. "It''s on the forum." One of the basketball yers handed his phone to Xander, whose face turned grim on the spot. He tossed the phone to Tyrell and took off without another word. "Xan, where are you going?" Tyrell called out. "Back to Room 316 to find Cameron," Xander replied and sprinted all the way back to Room 316. Xander shoved open the dorm room door, spotted Cameron and the others inside, and barked, "You little punk, what''s going on with the forum?" Austin coughed. "Uh...Xan, rx. Cam got set up." Hearing that, the tense look on Xander''s face finally eased up. "By who?" Elijah said, "That girl who''s always hanging out with Amelia. Her name''s Skyler." "Are you kidding me? I''m going to find her." Xander snapped and dashed out of the room. He''d barely taken a few steps before doubling back, leaning in the doorway to ask, "Where does Skyler live?" Elijah replied, "You can ask Amelia." "Wait up," Cameron called after Xander. "What?" Xander stopped in his tracks. Cameron said, "Xander, don''t go. I can handle this myself." Xander shot her a re. "Handle it? You''re getting dragged through the mud online and you still think you''ve got this? Since you tutored me, I''ll take care of it for you." ? 71% +20) With that, Xander dashed off. Cameron was rendered speechless. Xander was never one to wait, and he called Amelia right away. Amelia had just finished her skincare routine and was about to go to bed. She was a bit surprised to see Xander''s name pop up on her screen. "Mr. Murphy?" Xander got straight to the point. "Amelia, where does that bitch Skyler live?" Amelia froze for a second. "Skyler? You''re looking for her?" "She''s messing with Cameron. Of course I''m looking for her!" Xander snapped. Amelia was totally lost. "Mr. Murphy, what do you mean she''s messing with Cameron? What are you talking about?" Xander was losing his patience. "I don''t have time to exin. Just check the forum. Now, where is Skyler?" With no other choice, Amelia told him where Skyler lived. The moment Xander got the address, he was ready to charge over. He headed straight to the underground parking lot to find his prized motorcycle, but someone was already sitting on it. When he took a closer look, he found that it was none other than Tiana, his favorite aunt, on his bike. "Aunt Tiana? What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Xander walked over. Tiana''s face was grim. "Xander, you''re getting out of control. What are you nning to do at this hour?" Xander stammered, "I...I...I''m not doing anything." Tiana snapped, "You''reing home with me now." It was Cameron who tipped Tiana off. Tiana confiscated Xander''s phone on the spot and dragged him away. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 16:46 Wed, 21 May MO Chapter 267 71% 679 After hanging up on Xander, Amelia jumped straight onto the forum. She had no idea what she was in for, and just one look was enough to make her jaw drop. The next second, she thought, ''Wait, did Skyler post this? Is this all made up, or is it actually true? These look like screenshots from a video, so the photos have to be real, right? ''Cameron is not straight? No way, that can''t be true, can it?'' Her first instinct was to deny it. But the more she thought about it, the less sure she became. Cameron had a pretty face, and she was not the most masculine guy around. Now, Amelia wasn''t so sure anymore. Actually, she''d started to see Cameron in a different lighttely. He''d proven himself pretty capable. If what Skyler posted was true, it would be a shame. Amelia couldn''t understand why Skyler did this. No matter what, it was still Cameron''s private business. It made sense why Xander was so pissed off. The more Amelia thought about it, the more disgusted she felt. Maybe she and Skyler were never really the same kind of people. She didn''t need a friend like that. Inside the ck Mercedes, Bradley sat quietly behind the wheel. The car interior was dim, and the pale blue light from his phone screen reflected off his sses, casting his eyes in shadow. Of course, he''d seen the post too. He''d been sitting there for over half an hour, staring at the same photo. He was sure the person in the photo was Cameron. Bradley thought back to that time when Cameron casually said he didn''t like girls, but Bradley brushed it off as a joke. Maybe the signs were always there, but he never expected Cameron to be this different. Bradley had always tried to look out for him and always tried to help, but Cameron kept his distance. Bradley just thought it was Cameron''s pride in the way, but now he wondered if Cameron had been treating him as the "opposite sex" all along, and that was why he didn''t want to get too close. Bradley didn''t even know how to put his feelings into words right now. His emotions were in a mess. He didn''t know how he was supposed to get along with Cameron from now on. Bradley didn''t head back to Room 316 until the dorm lights went out. Cameron''s bed curtain was pulled shut, not a sliver of light peeking through. Elijah and Austin were already lying down. When they heard hime in, they both greeted him quietly. Meanwhile, Cameron didn''t make a sound as she was already asleep. She was already asleep. Bradley washed up and climbed into his bed that was right next to Cameron''s. Normally, Cameron would always say something when Bradley came back. But tonight, she didn''t say a word. 16:46 Wed, 21 May MO ? 71% He wondered if the nastyments in the post had hurt her, and for some reason, he really wanted tofort her. But this kind of thing was way too personal that even between close friends, it wasn''t something one could just bring up. So hey down, scooting as close to her side as he could. After thinking it over, he extended his arm, nning tofort Cameron quietly. After thinking it over, he reached out, nning to quietlyfort Cameron. Bradley just wanted to ruffle Cameron''s hair, but his fingers ended upnding right on the sole of Cameron''s foot. Cameron was shocked. She shot up in bed, yanked open the curtain, and stared at Bradley in the dark. Bradley''s hand froze in midair and he thought, ''What have I just done?'' Cameron, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Brad, what are you doing?" Bradley said, "Sleeping." "Oh." She thought it must''ve been idental. Then, shey back down, shifted her head closer to Bradley''s side, and pulled the curtain shut. Bradley asked softly, "Cameron, are you okay?" Cameron replied, "I''m so sleepy." Bradley had no words. Chapter 268 After Cameron finished talking, everything went quiet, just as expected. Bradley had a million things he wanted to say, but in the end, he just kept them to himself. No matter how he phrased it, it would only make things awkward. Elijah said softly, "Brad, don''t worry. Cameron said he''s got it covered." "He''s got it covered? What''s that supposed to mean?" Bradley asked. Austin jumped in, clearing his throat. "Uh...Cam didn''t say much. He just told us not to worry." That was that-Bradley didn''t press any further. Only a thin curtain separated his bed from Cameron''s; they were barely a foot apart. He could hear Cameron''s soft, steady breathing on the other side. Bradley''s mind was all over the ce, and it took him a while to finally fall asleep. ***** At Young Manor, Skyler and Avery were posted up in front of theputer, cracking up over the nastyments on the forum about Cameron. Skyler especially loved it. She''d even forgotten, for a moment, that Elijah and Cameron were a couple. "Avery, I freaking love you. Cameron''s getting roasted so hard. Someone even suggested kicking her out of school. This is hrious." Skylerughed. "Alright, that''s enough. Just make sure you don''t slip up at school tomorrow," Avery reminded her. Skyler grinned. "Rx, I''m not that dumb. I posted anonymously, so no one knows it''s me. They could guess all day, but still never trace it back to me. ***** Besides Skyler, there was someone else who was absolutely over the moon. As soon as Milena saw the posts, she went straight to find her parents. With a big grin, she said, "Mom, Dad, look! Cameron''s been acting all high and mighty at school, and now someone finally put her in her ce." Milena still couldn''t get over the fact that Cameron refused to give up the mansion. By now, her parents hadpletely given up on Cameron. Heidi nced at the posts and sneered, "Serves her right. We raised her for eighteen years, and all she does is avoid us and never show us any gratitude. Karma''s just catching up to her." Martin scoffed, "Getting roasted online is nothing. It won''t hurt her." Milenaughed. "Dad, you just don''t get it. After this, Cameron will never be able to show her face again." Milena hugged her phone and went back to her room. She took her time scrolling through all thements trashing Cameron, enjoying every single one of them. ***** cu, 21 iviay M 71% 20 The next morning, Cameron woke up like clockwork. She had a good sleepst night. She pulled open her curtain and blinked when she saw Bradley still sitting at his desk, reading a book, instead of being out on his usual morning run. Cameron ruffled her messy short hair. "Morning, Brad." "Morning," he greeted. Seeing Cameron was up, Bradley slowly put down his book and turned to look at herzy, sleepy face. "What''s up, Brad?" Cameron immediately noticed something off about his look. Bradley hesitated for a while, then said, "Cameron, I saw the post on the forum." Cameron nodded, totally unfazed. "Pretty sure the whole school knows by now." Bradley was stunned, thinking, ''He''s really this chill about it?'' Noticing Bradley was still staring at her, Cameron finally caught on. She walked over with a smile. "Brad, judging by the look on your face, you don''t actually believe what the post said, do you?" ''Do I really look like I swing that way?'' she wondered. Bradley stared at her. "So, it''s not true?" Cameron couldn''t help butugh. "Of course not. That photo was just me and Elijah." Bradley nced at Elijah, who was justing out of the bathroom. "It''s you and Eli?" Bradley hadn''t even looked closely at the photo in the post, and now, it turned out the other guy was actually Elijah? AD Comment Chapter 269 Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Elijah added, "Brad, someone set Cameron up. I was the one who took him to the hotel that night." Behind his sses, a flicker of surprise crossed Bradley''s eyes. "That night? There''s something going on between Elijah and Cameron that I haven''t known about? So that is the truth. For some reason, Bradley felt an enormous wave of relief. He looked at Cameron. "What are you nning to do? Need legal support?" 71% +20) Cameron was already at the sink brushing her teeth. "No need to make itplicated. I''ll wait and see what she''s really after first." The mood in Room 316 was rxed-none of the guys doubted Cameron for a second. But the moment Cameron stepped out of the dorm, things changed. Students whispered as she made her way toward ss 15, Senior Year. Elijah walked beside her, the two appearing at the ssroom door together. Cameron had one hand in her pocket, her expression calm andposed, as if nothing had happened the night before. The looks he received were a bag-curiosity, skepticism, even suspicion-but no one dared to speak up. The moment Brody walked in, he called out, "Everyone, it''s study period. Cameron,e with me." He took Cameron to a quiet wing of the school, where no one else was around. sses were in session, and the hallway was silent. Brody''s expression was tense, his voice careful. "Cameron, about that post..." The rumor had spread like wildfire. Not just among students-faculty had seen it too. Cameron remained calm. "Mr. Graham, someone''s trying to set me up." She gave a brief rundown of what she had already exined to her roommates. Just as she finished, Brody''s phone rang. It was William, calling to ask for details about Cameron''s situation. Once Brody had exined everything, William asked to speak with Cameron directly. "Mr. Drake," Cameron said as she took the phone. "Hey, kid," William said warmly. "Tough night, huh? I hope it didn''t throw you off. Listen, don''t worry about a thing-I''ll handle it. You stay focused. "The SATs are just two months away, and no matter what kind of dramaes up, your only job right now is to keep your head straight." 10:46 Wed, 21 May Cameron smiled. "Thanks, sir. I''ll leave it to you then" Originally, she''d nned to wait and see what Skyler was up to before making a move. But if William was willing to step in, she didn''t mind saving the effort. She walked back to the ssroom with Brody, 54/1% Once they entered, Brody went straight to the front and addressed the ss with a serious tone. "I''m sure most of you have seen the post that circtedst night. I want to make something very clear. "The content of that post is false. Completely fabricated. I expect you to stop spreading false rumors, and if I find out who started it, there will be consequences," The room erupted in murmurs. "I knew it wasn''t true! Cameron''s way too manly for that." "Good thing it''s fake-I was lowkey panicking." "Honestly, it never sounded real to me anyway." Brody raised a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down and get back to their books. Cameron returned to her seat, raised an eyebrow at Elijah, and scribbled two words on a piece of paper-All set. Elijah gave a faint grin, his lips curling upward. Skyler had been on a high all night. She barely slept, and by morning, she was the first student to arrive on campus. She even greeted the security guard at the gate with an overly cheerful, "Morning!" On any other day, she wouldn''t have even looked his way. But today, she felt like she was glowing. As more students arrived, the gossip started. Most of what she heard wasn''t ttering. Every passing remark about Cameron felt like a little reward, confirmation that she had seeded. Skyler smiled smugly to herself, proud of the storm she''d stirred up. But then a voice called out. "Skyler,e with me." AB Comment Send gift Chapter 270 71% 20) Skyler sat at her desk, grinning from ear to ear as she listened to the gossip swirling around the ssroom. Every jab and snidement aimed at Cameron felt like a victory. She even chimed in now and then to add fuel to the fire. Amelia arrived not long after, her expression cold as she walked straight up to Skyler''s desk and tapped on it. Skyler beamed and followed her out of the room with a skip in her step. "Amelia, did you see the post?" she said, practically buzzing with excitement. "God, Cameron is disgusting. Thank God you called off the engagement. Imagine being stuck with someone like that. I knew he was just a boy toy. Totally nailed it, didn''t 1?" Amelia''s voice was sharp. "Skyler, that''s way out of line." Skyler blinked. "What?" "We''re not friends anymore," Amelia said tly. Skyler grabbed her arm. "What''s that supposed to mean? What the hell is your problem?" Amelia yanked her arm away. "Don''t touch me. You''re honestly disgusting." Skyler stood frozen, stunned by the sudden shift. "What are you even talking about? Say it clearly." Amelia stared her down. "You posted thatst night, didn''t you?¡± Skyler''s eyes widened in shock. For a split second, she looked away and then quickly denied it. "It wasn''t me." Amelia scoffed, "How pathetic. You go to all that trouble to ruin someone, but don''t even have the guts to admit it? What did Cameron ever do to you for you to pull something like this?" Skyler''s restraint snapped. "Yeah, it was me! So what? I can''t stand that piece of trash! I went after him on purpose-he gets under my skin, and I''m sick of pretending otherwise. What, are you having second thoughts? Regretting breaking off the engagement?" "You''re seriously letting a basketball game make you fall for him?" she added, her voice full of scorn. "You''re disgusting," Amelia said simply. And then she walked away. Skyler''s eyes widened in shock. She couldn''t believe Amelia had picked this moment to jump ship-and worse, sided with Cameron. ''Has she lost her mind? Whatever. Let her sulk'' Skyler sneered. ''And who cares if Cameron is actually gay or not? The point is, the entire school has bought into the post. Even if she suspects me, what can she do? Produce evidence?'' Even if they traced the IP address, Skyler could just im she''d been hacked. With a smug roll of her eyes, she strolled back into ss. Wed, 21 May M 71% When Amelia knocked on the Dean''s office door, William was in the middle of a serious conversation with the Dean of Students. Clearly, this wasn''t a great time. But Amelia didn''t care-her matter was more urgent. "Amelia?" Tiana Murphy looked up. "What are you doing here?¡± Amelia stepped inside. "Ms. Murphy, Mr. Drake, that post fromst night-Cameron was framed." William and Tiana exchanged a look. "You know what happened?" They had already decided to expel Skyler for spreading malicious rumors and damaging the school''s reputation. But the Young family wasn''t easy to deal with. They were still weighing whether to add more charges to strengthen the case. Amelia pulled out her phone and yed the recording of her conversation with Skyler just minutes ago. Tiana''s eyes widened. William''s expression curved into a satisfied smile. "Thank you for standing up for what''s right. We''ll make sure the student responsible faces consequences." Amelia added, "Mr. Drake, what matters most is clearing up the misunderstanding about Cameron. That should be the priority." Whether Skyler got punished or not didn''t matter as much. Rumors could destroy someone. And she was sure Cameron must be hurting right now. Ìï AD Comment Send gift Chapter 271 hapter 271 William gave a firm nod. "Don''t worry. We won''t let an innocent student take the fall for this." Tiana added, "Amelia, go back to ss. We''ll handle the rest." With that reassurance, the weight on Amelia''s chest finally lifted. he stepped out of Tiana''s office, she exhaled slowly. was she helping Cameron? $93% aybe because, deep down, she felt guilty about how determined she had been to break off the engagement between their families. At 10 AM, second period ended. Normally, this was just a regr morning break, but today, every student- including the seniors-was summoned to the field. Cameron stood with ss 15, hands in her pockets, unbothered. From nearby sses, students whispered and pointed at her. "That''s Cameron, right?" "Yeah, that''s him! Such a shame-he''s actually kinda cute." "He doesn''t look like it." "It''s not like someone''s sexuality is tattooed on their forehead." Cameron stood there, unmoved by the stares or the whispers. Some of the ssmates from ss 15 pushed back. "Shut up. The post was fake." Cameron nced their way and gave a subtle nod of gratitude. She didn''t care what others thought, but people who spoke up for her deserved acknowledgment. "Quiet, please." Tiana stepped onto the stage, bringing the crowd to order. Within seconds, the field fell silent. Then William appeared. He was rarely seen at full-school gatherings, thest time being when he personally weed Cameron back to Langford Academy. Now he stood before the upright mic, face solemn. "This won''t take long. I just have a few things to say." He looked out across the sea of students. "You''ve all probably seen the post fromst night. Let me be absolutely clear-the 13:07 Thu, 22 May 0 CIO content of that post waspletely false." Skyler blinked. She stood in the lineup for ss 4, arms crossed, barely holding back a yawn. Normally, she hated admin speeches. But today? She was in a great mood. She smiledzily at William, pretending to listen. But then he said the post was fake. "What?" Her smile stiffened. ''How could he know that?'' Sure, she had posted it based on a photo Avery gave her, but it was definitely close enough to the truth. So what was this? Was William actually defending Cameron? ''Seriously? Cameron? What made him so special?'' While Skyler''s thoughts spiraled, William''s voice rang out again. 493%# "Skyler Young from ss 4, Senior Year deliberately used a personal grudge to fabricate a post. She took a random photo, posted it online, and manipted the narrative to frame Cameron Wace from ss 15." He let his eyes pass over every student and then spoke again, calm, steady, and impossible to ignore, "Her actions were malicious and inexcusable. Langford Academy will not tolerate this kind of behavior. "As of now, I am officially announcing-Skyler Young is expelled. Furthermore, she is to apologize to Cameron immediately, right here, in front of everyone." Skyler''s eyes went wide. ''What?! How has ite to this?'' She''d posted anonymously, hidden her IP-how could they possibly know it was her? ''Expelled? They can''t be serious! Just because they said it was me didn''t make it true!'' As if on cue, the giant screen behind the stage lit up-and yed the recording of her earlier conversation with Amelia. Skyler froze. Her expression twisted into pure shock. "That traitor-Amelia has recorded me. She has betrayed me.'' Skyler had never imagined she''d be taken down by her own best friend. She trembled with fury, practically shaking where she stood. She wanted nothing more than to lunge at Amelia and tear her apart. 13.07 Thu, 22 May Da C But William''s voice was calm and unwavering. "Skyler, step forward. Apologize to Cameron. Now, AD Comment Chapter 272 "Skyler, step up and apologize to Cameron-now." William''smanding voice rang across the field. Skyler froze. 393%E In an instant, hundreds of eyes turned toward her-some full of disgust, othersced with disdain, and a few practically burning with anger. Skyler turned scarlet. She gritted her teeth, humiliated and furious. ''Apologize? Why should I have to apologize? Cameron and Elijah went to a hotel- what I posted was the truth. I have only stated the obvious. Since when is telling the truth a crime?'' Every part of her resisted the idea of apologizing to Cameron. But with all those eyes on her, and with William and Tiana watching from the stage, their expressions heavy with pressure, she had no choice. She didn''t even remember how she got to the stage. Standing behind the microphone, she mumbled, "Sorry." Tiana frowned. "Skyler, that didn''t sound sincere at all. You need to offer Cameron a proper apology." Skyler froze. ''I have done nothing wrong. Why am I the one being humiliated?'' But when she looked up, William''s cold, unyielding gaze made it clear-she was out of options. Skyler forced the words out, her voice low and stiff. "Cameron, I''m sorry. I apologize for what I did. I hope you can forgive me." 20 But Cameron wasn''t even listening. Her eyes were fixed on someone else-Amelia, standing quietly beyond the crowd. ''Amelia actually helped me? Cameron genuinely hadn''t seen thating. Every time Amelia looked at her, it was with annoyance or indifference. And yet... she had gone to Skyler, drawn out a confession, and recorded it. ''Aren''t the two of them supposed to be best friends?'' Cameron''s lips curved into the faintest of smiles. Well, now I owe Amelia one.'' Back on stage, William''s tone turned ice cold. "You are a disgrace to Langford Academy. From this day forward, you are no longer wee here, not even a single step past the gate." 1307 mu, 22 May MCI Skyler froze. ''Disgrace?'' She was humiliated, furious, and powerless. But what could she do? Everyone at Langford came from powerful families. And William, as the school''s principal, wasn''t someone to cross. That alone had forced her into this public apology. Skyler stood frozen on stage until security came to escort her off the premises. They didn''t even let her go back to her locker to grab her things. Tiana addressed the students with quiet authority. "Let this serve as a warning. Think carefully before you act." Only after the bell rang did she dismiss the assembly. Cameron walked back to ss with the others. No one stared at her now. No more gossip. No judgment. William had resolved everything. Perfectly. Elijah let out a sigh of relief and slipped her a note. Elijah: [Congrats.] Cameron: [Thanks. By the way, Elijah-do you have Amelia''s contact info?] Elijah: [You don''t have it?] After all, they were once "engaged." Cameron: [I deleted her a long time ago.] She had erased Amelia from her life the moment she came back. Who would''ve thought Amelia would end up standing up for her? Elijah: [Xander probably has it.] Cameron: [Got it. I''ll ask him.] Elijah: [Still can''t believe Amelia helped you. You think she regrets it?] Cameron paused. ''Regret? Probably not.'' Amelia had someone else in her heart. As for why she helped, Cameron honestly didn''t know. 93% +201 When the lunch bell rang, Cameron was just about to text Xander when she spotted someone waving at her from a distance. "Cameron!" 13:07 Thu, 22 May 60 GD. Ch Chapter 273 apter 273 The second the lunch bell rang, Xander bolted out of ss 10 and made a beeline for ss 15. Tyrell trailed close behind. "You little punk! Congrats on clearing your name!" Xander pped Cameron on the shoulder with a grin. Cameron wrinkled her nose and casually brushed off her shirt. Nander didn''t take it personally and kept smiling. "Come on, let''s go celebrate. My treat." Cameron raised a brow. "Celebrate what?" 93%1 "You just got dragged through the mud and came out clean. That deserves at least a good meal," Xander said. "Pick a spot. I''m paying." They had until 2:50 before the next ss. Plenty of time. Tyrell nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, Cam-after a storm like that, it''s only right to treat ourselves." Xander gave him a light smack on the back of the head. "Could you not butcher idioms? What even was that?" Tyrell blinked. "What? I was just making a point." Technically, his grades were a notch above Xander''s, weren''t they? "Cameron!" Elijah smiled calmly. "If you''re going to celebrate, count me in." Xander rolled his eyes. "You''re everywhere." Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Isn''t that my line?" Xander shot him another dramatic eye-roll but didn''t bother arguing. Turning back to Cameron, he asked, "So, what do you wanna eat?" Cameron was about to decline when she noticed Bradley approaching them. And a few steps behind him, of course, was Austin. She couldn''t help but let out a smallugh. They were all here for her. Yesterday, when the post went viral, everyone had been so worried. Now that it had been resolved, maybe it was time to celebrate. "Alright," Cameron said, finally giving in. "Let''s ask what everyone else wants." Tyrell immediately raised his hand. "Cam, I vote fondue!" Xander gave him a look. "Who invited you?" Cameron turned to Elijah. "What about you?" +20 1307 Thu, 22 May 11 Elijah shrugged. I''m good with anything" He wasn''t picky. Bradley stepped up, a faint smile behind his sses. "d to see it''s all behind you now, Cameron. Compredom Cameron nodded. "Thanks" Xander scoffed, "Why are you thanking him? He didn''t lift a finger If Tiana hadn''t stopped himst night, he probably would''ve stormed off to confront Skyler himmel. Cameron gave him a nk stare. "Were you born to argue?" Xander paused. "Maybe..." Just then, Austin finally arrived, his sharp features lit up with a warm smile. "Congrats, Cam "Thanks, Cameron replied. She looked around at the small group gathered around her and spoke up. "Thank you all for having my back. Now that everything''s settled, lunch is on me. What are we eating? Bradley asked, "What do you want?" "I''m easy," Cameron said. Xander grinned. "Then fondue it is "Sounds good." No one objected. There was a solid fondue spot right on campus-no need to leave school grounds. Everyone began heading toward the restaurant. Everyone except Cameron. She stayed put. "Xander," she called, "do you have Amelia''s number? He turned back. "Why?" "If we''re celebrating, we should invite her too, Cameron said. After all, Amelia had yed the biggest role in taking Skyler down. Cameron had tracked the source using her hacking skills, but it was Amelia''s recording that made it undeniable. She''d drawn the truth out of Skyler and handed it over without hesitation. Car Chapter 274 "You''re right," Xander said, nodding. "She did help you." He pulled out his phone and sent Amelia''s number to Cameron. As the group made their way toward the fondue ce on campus, Cameron dialed. But the call was immediately declined. "Seriously?" Cameron muttered, frowning. "Cameron." A calm, cool voice spoke from behind her. Cameron turned-and there she was. Amelia. She gave a slight nod and walked up to her. "Thanks for what you did about Skyler." Amelia''s expression remainedposed. "I wasn''t doing it for you. I just couldn''t stand Skyler''s behavior." Cameron smiled. "Maybe not, but I still benefited from it. So I owe you lunch. A bunch of us are going-want to join?" Her gaze drifted, almost unconsciously, toward Bradley. Amelia''s eyes flicked to him, too, and then quickly moved away. After a brief pause, she gave a quiet nod. "Alright." And just like that, Amelia joined the group. She was "the only girl" among them. With the four most popr guys on campus, plus Cameron-whose looks easily ranked with theirs-and Tyrell, who might not have been drop-dead handsome but was still decent-looking, the seven of them walking down the avenue drew immediate attention. "Are you seeing this lineup? What kind of power squad is this?" Students along the walkway stopped in their tracks, some pulling out their phones to snap photos. They entered the restaurant in a wave of effortless confidence. All heads turned the moment they stepped in, but none of them seemed the least bit fazed. They were used to being stared at. The ce wasrge, with dozens of tables, but Cameron booked a private room. The guys each found a seat, while Amelia lingered by the side, politely waiting. Cameron remained standing as well. Xander waved her over and pointed to the open seat next to him. "Hey, Cam-sit here." Cameron ignored him. 13:07 Thu, 22 May 93% (+20) Instead, she turned to Amelia. "You and Brad are ssmates. You know each other better. Why don''t you sit next to him?" Bradley blinked. Amelia nced at Cameron. Is Cameron...trying to set me up with Bradley? She''d asked him for help before, hoping he''d give her a chance to get closer to Bradley, and he''d shot her down. And now this-was it because she helped him today? There was no need for that. When Amelia had stood up for Cameron, she hadn''t done it expecting anything in return. Bradley spoke up, his tone surprisingly soft, "Amelia,e sit." Since Amelia had gone out of her way to help Cameron, Bradley had started to see her in a different light. She was "the only girl" at the table, and given that they were ssmates, it made perfect sense for her to sit beside him. Her eyes widened. That was unexpected. But she quickly masked her surprise, her expression smoothing over as she let the faintest smile touch her lips. She walked gracefully to the open seat beside him and sat down. Cameron took the seat on Amelia''s other side. Xander frowned. "Seriously? I saved you a spot, and you chose to sit next to your ex? What''s the deal-you two trying to rekindle something or what?" Cameron didn''t respond. Amelia didn''t either. Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Xander, has it ever urred to you that maybe Cameron just didn''t want to sit next to you?" Chapter 275 Xander shot a look at Elijah. "If anything, Cameron didn''t want to sit next to you." Cameron replied calmly, "Xander, you''re overthinking it. Amelia and I are just ssmates now-nothing more." "I don''t buy it," Xander muttered. Amelia nced at Cameron. It was clear-painfully clear-that he hadpletely let go of whatever feelings he might have once had for her. It just happened so fast. 93%1 (+20) Before the silence could stretch, Austin jumped in with a grin, steering the conversation away. "Hey, Xander, didn''t you say you went looking for Skylerst night? Come on, tell us how you got revenge for Cam-" He broke off, coughing dramatically. Xander let out a matching cough. "My aunt caught me in the parking garage. Didn''t make it out." Austin raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh.¡± Tyrellughed. "Well, I''m sure in his mind, Xander already punched Skyler in the face-twice. Still can''t believe she went that far. Could''vepletely destroyed Cam''s reputation." Xander red at Austin. "What about you? What did you do for Cameron?" Austin smiled. "Cam told us to stay out of it. Said he had his own n." Xander narrowed his eyes and turned to Cameron. "And you didn''t think to tell me?" Cameron said tly, "Would you have believed me if I did?" Xander narrowed his eyes and turned to Cameron. Across the table, Bradley was quietly skimming the menu. He handed it to Amelia. "Here." "Thanks," she said, her fingers brushing over the spot where his had been. It was still faintly warm. She pressed her lips together and then circled a few items. After ordering, she passed the menu to Cameron, who handed it off to Austin. With everyone''s orders in, conversation flowed easily around the table. Tyrell leaned in. "Cam, have you figured out what college you want to apply to?" Cameron replied casually, "Not really." had no specific goal. In herst life, she didn''t even live to finish high school. College wasn''t something she had ever gotten the chance to consider. What mattered to her now was one thing-acing the SATS. 13.07 Thu, 22 May MC That perfect score would earn her three million in cash and a house worth just as much. Amelia said, "With your grades, getting into a good school shouldn''t be a problem." Cameron smiled faintly. "I want to aim even higher." Amelia looked at her with surprise. "The SATs are right around the corner. You''d better lock in soon." Amelia had always been top of the ss, second only to Elijah. With grades like hers, she had her pick of elite schools. Cameron nodded. "I will. I''m working on it." Elijah, knowing the real story, couldn''t help but chuckle. K939 Cameron yed the role of an underachiever so well. All that just to dodge the engagement with Amelia. He reallymitted. ×Ô Xander, unlike Elijah, didn''t hold back. He raised a brow. "Amelia, do you want to guess why Mr. Drake made such a big deal about getting Cameron back into school?" Amelia blinked. "Why?" Xander grinned. "Take a guess." She stared at him, speechless. Bradley chimed in, "Cameron''s grades are solid." "Wait, what?" Amelia turned to him in disbelief. ''Solid grades? Isn''t Cameron only starting to improve recently? He used to be at the bottom of the ss. Sure, he tested well during admissions, which ced him in the top section-but his performance went downhill after that." Still, Amelia kept those thoughts to herself. Beneath the fondue, a single me burned quietly, steady and unobtrusive. Cameron raised her ss of juice. ¡°Thanks for being here, everyone. And especially to Amelia-for what you did. I really appreciate it." AD Comment Send gift Chapter 276 "Cheers," everyone said as they raised their sses. Amelia clinked her ss against Cameron''s and said, "It was nothing." 93% +20) Tyrell grinned yfully. "Amelia, are you in love with Cam or something? Maybe you two should call off the breakup and stay engaged." Cameron choked on her drink. Amelia froze. She instinctively nced at Bradley. He didn''t say a word, but his brows drew together the moment he heard Tyrell''s joke. Cameron''s expression turned cold. "Don''t say stuff like that." Tyrell instantly realized he''d gone too far. He pped a hand over his mouth and stammered, "Sorry, Cam. That was out of line." Elijah chimed in, "Pretty sure they can manage their own love lives without our help." Cameron had gone through hell just to break off that engagement-if someone tried to reverse it now, she''d probably lose her mind. Xander rolled his eyes. "Didn''t you used to chase after Amelia like a lost puppy? Now that she''s finally doing something nice for you, maybe you should give it another shot." Cameron said nothing. Neither did Amelia. The air around the table turned stiff in an instant. Tyrell''s heart sank. He could practically hear rm bells in his head. ''Cam looks pissed. I already messed up, and of course Xander has to jump in and make things worse. Austin cleared his throat loudly, trying to break the tension. "Ahem..." He wanted to change the subject, but there was no good way to jump in now. Amelia turned to Xander, her face expressionless. "The engagement was something Cameron and I both agreed to end. I''d appreciate it if you stopped bringing it up." They might''ve had a formal arrangement on paper, but in reality, she and Cameron had never even held hands. To her, there was nothing to drag back up. Cameron wasn''t even an ex. He was just someone her family had tried to tie her to. Xander leaned back. "You might not like him, but he still likes you." Cameron said nothing. 93% 4+20 13:07 Thu, 22 May 01 CAU Bradley finally spoke, frowning, "Xander, you have an incredible talent for killing the mood. Maybe stay out of other people''s business for once." "I''m just telling it like it is," Xander said with a shrug. "Where''s the harm in that?" Bradley didn''t respond. Amelia stood up. "You guys enjoy the meal. I''m done." Cameron said nothing. ''Done? She barely eats anything. Looks more like she''s too pissed to eat!'' Cameron pushed back her chair. "I''ll walk you out." "No need," Amelia replied quickly, clearly trying to keep her distance. But Cameron followed her anyway. Elijah stared daggers at Xander. "Happy now?" "Very," Xander replied, sipping his juice. "Like I need her to stick around anyway." Like I need her to stick around anyway. The rest of the table went quiet. Cameron caught up with Amelia just outside the restaurant. She was walking fast, like she couldn''t put space between them quickly enough. "Amelia," Cameron called out. She stopped and turned to look at him. In her eyes, there was something-hesitation, maybe even unease. ''She''s afraid I''lltch onto her again. Figures. If that''s what she thinks, I might as well set the record straight! Cameron stepped closer. "Can we talk for a minute?" Amelia''s voice was guarded. "About what?" Cameron gestured toward a nearby bench. She walked with Cameron, but as if every step closer cost her something. Cameron leaned against the wall with one hand in his pocket, face unreadable. "Rx. I don''t have any feelings for you anymore." Amelia stayed silent. Cameron added evenly, "To put it simply-I''m not really into girls." Amelia blinked. "What?" 13:07 Thu, 22 May Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 93% Cameron nced around-no one was nearby. She lowered her voice. "Actually, the photo Skyler posted... It was real." Amelia''s eyes widened, her gaze locking on Cameron with stunned disbelief. Cameron gave a small shrug. "So, you don''t have to worry. And...thanks for today." With those words, Amelia could finally let out the breath she didn''t realize she''d been holding. After a few seconds of stunned silence, her expression softened with visible relief. She looked at Cameron, clearly conflicted. "Cameron, you..." Cameron waved it off. "Don''t try to talk me out of anything. I''mfortable with who I am." Amelia said nothing. Cameron added lightly, "Xander''s just like that-he says whatever pops into his head. Spoiled and impulsive. Don''t take it personally." Amelia nodded. "I know." The Chapmans and the Murphys had always been close. She was no stranger to Xander''s brash personality. Now, with everything cleared up, she finally felt at ease. Still... She hadn''t expected Cameron to actually be gay... Amelia wasn''t judging. She just thought it was kind of a shame. Cameron returned to the restaurant. Without her, no one had touched their food-except for Xander, of course. Cameron sat down. "What''s wrong? Not your taste?" Bradley leaned in. "Amelia okay?" "She''s fine," Cameron said with a faint smile. "I exined everything. She was worried I might still be into her." Xander scoffed, "Aren''t you?" Cameron frowned. "Why do you have to do this? Are you in love with her or with me?" Tyrell choked, trying not tough. His face turned red from the effort. Xander smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "What are youughing at?" Tyrell looked wounded. Austin couldn''t hold back either, chuckling as he said, "Cam, if Amelia doesn''t like you, that''s her loss. Honestly." To Austin, Cameron was the real deal-quiet, capable, and grounded. Exactly the kind of person he respected. They were alike in more ways than most realized. +20) 13:07 Thu, 22 May G 500 And Amelia? She was just lucky to be born into the right family. "I agree," Elijah said. "Same here," Tyrell added, raising a hand. Xander muttered, "Guess denial''s easier than being honest, huh?" The group collectively gave him a look. Bradley nced at Xander. "Do us all a favor and stop talking." Slumped in his chair. "Fine." 93% +20 Meanwhile, Skyler had been expelled from Langford Academy. She had walked into the day thinking it would be her triumph. Instead, it became her public downfall. Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled through the front door at home. Her parents, Mark and Tessa Young, were outraged when they heard she had been expelled. Without a second thought, they prepared to march back to the school and demand an exnation from William himself. But before they could even step outside, Mark''s phone rang. It was his assistant. "Bad news, Mr. Young," the man said urgently. "Mr. Moore''s team just sent over termination documents. They''re ending all business partnerships with us." Mark froze. "What? The Moore family? Are you sure? That can''t be right." Their rtionship with the Moores had always been strong. There hadn''t been any conflict, no warning signs-nothing. Why would they suddenly pull the plug? "I thought the same, sir," the assistant said. "I even called to double-check. All they told me was-ask Skyler Young. They said she would understand." Mark turned sharply toward his daughter. "Skyler," he said, his voice hard, "the Moores just ended all ties with us. Do you know what this is about?" Skyler froze. Her face went pale. Chapter 278 Skyler stared, mouth slightly open, too stunned to speak. ''Ended all ties? The Moore family actually ended their coboration with us? Is this... Elijah''s doing? Just because of that post?'' Tessa snapped, "Skyler, your father asked you a question! Do you have any idea what''s going on with hispany?" Skyler finally snapped out of her daze. And the moment she did, fat tears started streaming down her cheeks. "What is it?" Mark asked, frowning. "Talk to me. What happened?" Skyler choked back sobs as she recounted everything from the beginning. As she spoke, Mark and Tessa''s expressions turned darker by the second. 93%1 20 "So let me get this straight," Mark said slowly. "You pissed off a student named Cameron Wace, and now Elijah Moore- heir to the Moore family-is punishing us to defend him?" Skyler was nearly hysterical. "I''m sorry, Dad. I didn''t know it would blow up like this." Regret didn''t even begin to cover it. If she had known Elijah wasn''t bluffing, she wouldn''t have gone near Cameron, let alone tried to publicly humiliate him. She had no business risking the entire Young family''s future like that. But what was Cameron to Elijah anyway? As far as she knew, they were just ssmates and roommates. That was it. So why would Elijah go so far for him? "You foolish girl," Tessa snapped, tapping Skyler on the forehead. "We sent you to Langford Academy to build ties with Elijah, not burn bridges!" "I''m sorry, Mom," Skyler sobbed. "I really am." "Enough crying," Mark snapped. "You''re giving me a headache." Skyler quickly raised her hands to cover her face, trying to stifle the tears. After a long, tense pause, Mark asked, "Do you know where Cameron lives?" Tessa blinked. "Why do you want to know that?" Mark gave her a sharp look. "To apologize. What else? Or do you really think we can afford to go to war with the Moore family?" Tessa turned to re at Skyler. "Look at what you''ve done. Do you see how angry your father is?" Skyler said nothing. Her tears started falling all over again. 13:07 Thu, 22 May 70. 93% (+20) One hourter, at the gates of the Wace Vi... Skyler stood beside her parents, all three dressed neatly and holding gift boxes. Behind them, their driver and two housekeepers were each loaded down with even more presents. Mark rang the bell and introduced himself to the gatekeeper. Martin Wace just happened to be home. When he heard Mark was at the door, he came out personally to greet them. Viremont wasn''t that big-everyone in their circle knew one another. Martin certainly knew the Youngs. And seeing all three of them here, arms full of gifts, he was more than a little surprised. "Mr. Young! What an unexpected pleasure," Martin said, ushering them in. "Please,e in." Heidi appeared momentster, her expression warm and weing. Ever since the Chapman family had pulled out of the engagement with the Waces, the family had faced its fair share of social snubs. Someone voluntarily showing up with gifts? That was a pleasant surprise. The Youngs had been nervous on the way over, unsure of how they''d be received. But seeing Martin and Heidi''s friendly demeanor put them slightly more at ease. Skyler, however, was a bundle of nerves. She knew she had deeply offended Cameron. There was no way his parents would be happy to see her. With her parents'' word being final, there was no room for protest-she had to apologize, whether she meant it or not. She sat stiffly on the couch, looking like she''d rather disappear. Heidi noticed immediately. "Skyler, are you feeling unwell?" she asked gently. Skyler sat up straighter and waved her hands. ¡°No, not at all!" Martin chuckled as he looked at Mark. "Mr. Young, what brings you all the way out here today?" Mark cast a sidelong nce at his daughter and then sighed in frustration. "Mr. Wace, I want to personally apologize for my daughter''s behavior." "Apologize?" Martin and Heidi exchanged surprised nces. hey hadn''t even met Skyler before. What could she possibly be apologizing for? Chapter 279 Tessa chimed in quickly, "Mr. Wace, Mrs. Wace, we''re so sorry. Skyler''s been spoiled since she was little and never learned to think through the consequences of her actions. We truly apologize. Martin and Heidi exchanged puzzled looks. Mark turned to Skyler and said sharply, "Well? What are you waiting for? Apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Wace." Skyler bit her lip, tears brimming in her eyes. 93% 20) She stood, bowed slightly, and said, "I''m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Wace. I shouldn''t have gone after Cameron. It was all my fault." Martin and Heidi were both stunned. ''Cameron? This has to do with Cameron?'' Skyler continued, her voice tight with frustration, "But I''ve already been punished. I apologized to Cameron in front of the entire school, and I was expelled. Please, I hope you can forgive me." Martin and Heidi sat in stunned silence. ''Expelled? What exactly has she done?" Whatever it was, they honestly didn''t care. What did matter was that the Young family had shown up in person to apologize. Ever since the Chapman family broke off the engagement with the Waces, they''d been losing ground socially. Sure, the Youngs weren''t in the same league as the Chapmans, but they were still several notches above the Waces. Having the Youngse knocking? That was a win. Martin offered a warm smile. ¡°No need to cry. Teenagers argue and make mistakes. It''s Cameron who overreacted, getting you expelled like that." Tessa''s eyes lit up. "So, Mr. and Mrs. Wace, does that mean you''re willing to forgive Skyler?" Heidi smiled graciously. "You''re being too formal. It was a minor issue. Cameron''s just a bit immature. I''ll talk to him." Mark quickly followed up, "Since that''s the case, would you mind speaking with your son-ask him to help smooth things over with Mr. Moore? We''d really appreciate it." Martin blinked. ''Mr. Moore? That... That Moore?!'' Heidi frowned. "I''m sorry, but could you exin what you mean?" Tessaughed awkwardly. "Oh, Mr. Wace, Mrs. Wace-you''re truly blessed. Your son is close friends with Elijah Moore. Because of this whole situation, Elijah-yes, that Elijah-had the Moore family terminate all business with us. We were hoping Cameron might help us salvage things..." By the end of her exnation, the embarrassment on her face was impossible to hide. Mark didn''t look much better. 13:08 Thu, 22 May I GI Years of carefully built partnership with the Moores-gone in a sh, all because Cameron had Elijah''s car. Martin and Heidi were both stunned. That Elijah Moore ended a business rtionship over Cameron? Does Cameron really have that kind of pull?" From their expressions, it was clear they''d had no idea. That exined why they''d been so quick to forgive. Mark pressed on, "Mr. Wace, would you mind giving Cameron a call? See if he''ll cool off. We''re willing to offer anypensation-just ask. As long as he''s willing to put in a good word with Mr. Moore." Martin fell silent. ''Call Cameron? With what-hope?" Cameron had blocked his number a long time ago. He barely even acknowledged Martin as his father. And calling now would likely only embarrass him. 93%1 +20) Martin''s expression darkened as he said, "Mr. Young, clearly this situation is more serious than I thought. I''ll need to speak to Cameron directly. In the meantime, I suggest you head home." Mark''s face stiffened. Skyler, still crying, choked out, "I already apologized. What else do you people want from me?" Tessa immediately shot her a look, signaling her to keep quiet. Chapter 280 F93% 20 Heidi added gently, "Please head back for now. We''ve reached out to Cameron to hear his side of things-once we''ve spoken to him, we''ll be in touch." Just like that, Martin and Heidi''s warm hospitality vanished, reced by polite coldness. The Youngs immediately grew tense. But there was nothing more to say. With no other option, the three of them stood to leave. As they reached the door, Martin called out, "Mr. Young, please take your gifts with you." Mark tried to salvage the moment. "Mr. Wace, it''s just a small token of our sincerity. Please, keep it." At lunchtime, Milena got a call from her parents just as she left ss. the best mood. thrilled seeing Cameron getting dragged online. person responsible had been outed and expelled. Her mood had soured fast. She answered the phone with little enthusiasm. "Mom, Dad, what''s up?" Martin got right to the point. "Millie, do you know what happened with Cameron at school?" Milena blinked. "You already found out?" Martin said tly, "The Youngs just showed up to apologize in person.¡± "What?!" Milena nearly shouted. The Youngs went to apologize? Cameron''s really getting that kind of treatment?'' Martin continued, "What exactly happened?" Milena scoffed, "What do you mean, what happened? It''s that post I showed youst night. It was nothing-Cameron just blew it out of proportion. Now Skyler''s expelled, and they''re even making house calls? Who does she think she is?" Martin replied coolly, "She''s someone who just cost the Young family a major business deal." "What?!" Milena nearly shouted. ''She did that?'' Martin went quiet for a moment and then said, "Find her. Tell her it''s from me. She should demand three million inpensation from the Youngs, make sure the Moore family resumes working with them, and also help ourpany Establish a connection with the Moores." Milena sounded doubtful. "You really think she can pull that off?¡± Martin said, "The Youngs said she can name any price." Milena had no words for that. 13:08 Thu, 22 May MGO 93% (+20) As Cameron and the others walked out of the fondue restaurant, they ran straight into Milena. She opened her mouth to speak-until she spotted Xander in the group. Without hesitation, she turned and bolted. If Xander ever found out she was Cameron''s sister, she''d be toast. She vanished so fast that Xander didn''t even notice her. Cameron raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Austin stepped forward. "Cam, are you heading back to the dorms or the library?" Before Cameron could respond, Xander shoved Austin aside and said, "What are you doing? Cameron''s free time is mine. He''s supposed to be tutoring me." in staggered back two steps from the push. entitled tone-it got under his skin. reminded him too much of someone from home. For a split second, something cold shed through his amber eyes. His hand curled into a fist at his side before he caught himself. Cameron frowned and looked at Xander. "When did I say my free time belongs to you?" Xander smirked, "I did." Cameron ignored himpletely. She turned to Austin. "You needed something?" Austin offered a soft smile. "I was hoping we could go to the library together." Cameron smiled back. "Sure." It was hard to exin what she felt toward Austin. Maybe it was seeing the p mark on his face yesterday. It reminded her of her past life, of how trapped and helpless she once felt. Maybe that was why she couldn''t help but be a little kinder to him. Xander scowled. "Weren''t you supposed to be tutoring me?" Cameron replied coolly, "And I can still tutor you. How does that stop me from going to the library with Austin?" Xander had no response. Elijah stepped in with a smile. ¡°I''lle too." Chapter 281 Xander shot Elijah a re. "Why are youing along?" Elijah replied coolly, "Didn''t realize you got to decide who walks where." Xander lifted his chin with a smirk. "Well, my family did fund the library." Elijah didn''t respond right away. 93% 4+29 Just as Xander was basking in that smug satisfaction, Elijah''s tone turned sharp. "Do Mr. Drake and Ms. Murphy know how obsessed you''ve been with Camerontely?" Xander froze. Know? Of course not. If they ever found out, he was dead meat. Cameron stepped in to ease the tension. "Alright, how about we all just go to the library together?" She turned to Bradley. "Brad, youing?" Bradley shook his head. "I''ll pass. I''ve got something to handle-need to stop by the firm." Austin chuckled. "I can already picture you in court one day, looking sharp as hell while defending both sides at once." Bradley''s lips twitched into a faint smile before he left. The rest headed to the library. Tyrell tried to tag along but got promptly kicked away by Xander. The remaining four made their way to a quiet corner. Luckily, Langford Academy didn''t have that many students, and the library was massive, so even going thiste, there were still plenty of empty seats. Cameron and Xander sat side by side, while Elijah and Austin took the seats across from them. Elijah and Austin pulled out books to read. Cameron opened a textbook and started tutoring Xander with methodical precision. Cameron was exining things carefully, but Xander, of course, was barely pretending to take it seriously. He kept sneaking nces at Elijah...then Austin...and then back again, frowning each time. Austin, meanwhile, kept his eyes trained on the pages in front of him, but he was listening to every word Cameron said. ''He really is a good teacher. His exnations were clear, concise, and surprisingly easy to follow, especially for theplex material. Elijah, multitasking like a pro, kept flipping pages while mentally following Cameron''s breakdown of the concepts. Just outside the library, behind arge banana tree, Milena was hiding. She peeked out from behind the trunk, seething as she watched Cameron chattingfortably with the four most popr 1808 Thu, 22 May 4 C Kuys She felt sick. Cameron? Seriously? What, did she win the damn universe''s lottery or something? Milena''s jealousy was eating her alive-but more than that, she was anxious, Her parents had told her to deliver a message to Cameron ASAP. But with Xander glued to Cameron''s side, she didn''t dare approach. So all she could do was wait. An hour passed. Cameron and the others didn''t leave the library until right before ss. And of course, Xander was still stuck to her side like Velcro. Milena clenched her fists in frustration. But she didn''t dare step out, She told herself she''d try again after school. Except...when she went looking for Cameron after the final bell, there Xander was again-still with her. Milena''s hands curled into fists. ''Seriously? That bitch! She hooked up with some guy in a hotel and still has the audacity to cling to Xander? She''d examined that photo Skyler leaked more than once-it was definitely Cameron. Sure, the man''s face had been pixted, but if she ever found out who it was, she''d rip the whole scandal wide open. ''Cheating skank. Absolutely disgusting Yet...no matter how much she loathed Cameron...she had to talk to her. In the end, Milena decided to confront her after the first period of evening study. She headed to the entrance of ss 15, Senior Year, AD Comment Chapter 282 Cameron sat at her desk, idly flipping through a textbook. It was Elijah who noticed Milena standing just outside the ssroom door. He frowned. He had never liked her much. At the door, Milena had already asked one of the students seated nearby to call Cameron for her. "Cameron, someone''s here for you," the student said. Cameron looked up, saw Milena at the entrance, and immediately dropped her gaze back to her book without a word. Milena stared. ''Seriously? I''m being ignored?'' Her temper red. Gritting her teeth, she motioned again for the same student to call out. "Cameron, someone''s here for you," the student said. "Don''t know them," Cameron replied without even lifting her head. The student blinked. Milena''s eyes went wide. She was ready to scream. "Cam! Can youe out for a second? For the sake of your little sister?" Milena called, forcing a sweet tone into her voice. "It''s important!" Everyone in the ssroom paused. "Little sister?" "Didn''t he just say he didn''t know her?" Cameron still didn''t look up. "Elijah, you''re ss rep. What''s the school''s policy on people interrupting study time?" Elijah stood up calmly. "I''ll handle it." Cameron gave a nod. "Thanks." Elijah walked to the door and looked at Milena with a cool, impassive gaze. "You need to leave." Milena stared. His tone dropped a degree colder. "I said, leave." Milena frowned. "I really do have something important to talk to Cam about." Elijah replied sharply, "He doesn''t want to see you. That''s obvious, isn''t it?" Milena''s jaw clenched. "But this is really, really important." 13:08 Thu, 22 May M Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Then tell me. I''ll pass it on." Milena hesitated but eventually nodded. Elijah was involved, after all. She stepped back a little so their conversation wouldn''t be overheard. She lowered her voice. "It''s about Skyler. She was expelled, and her parents came to our house." 93%1 +20) Elijah gave a nomittal look. "Skyler''s expulsion was justified," he said. "And it was the school''s decision. Why are you dragging Cameron into it? If the Youngs have a problem, they should take it up with the school." Milena huffed, "That''s not the point." "Then what is?" Elijah asked. Milena leaned in slightly. "Did you really get the Moore family to cut ties with the Youngs...for Cam?" Elijah''s expression hardened. "So you''re here because the Youngs offered your family something. And now you want Cameron to speak on their behalf?" Milena stared. ''Smart people are the worst. She could only nod. Elijah''s voice turned colder. "Don''t bother asking Cameron. This isn''t up for negotiation." ''What? No negotiation?" That meant the three million was as good as gone. Unwilling to give up, she added quickly, "Then at least pass along the message-if Cameron''s willing to step in, the Young family''s offering three million as Elijah stared at her like she''d just said the dumbest thing in the world. He turned to walk away. "Wait," Milena blurted. "There''s one more thing." Elijah paused. Milena hesitated and then said, "Since you''re so close with Cam...do you think you could help introduce our family business to the Moore family? You know, help us start something together." Elijah looked at her once, said nothing, and walked back into the ssroom. Milena knew there was no chance Cameron woulde out. No point embarrassing herself any further. Besides, ss was about to start. She still had to get back in time. Inside, Elijah returned to his seat. Cameron looked over. "What did she say?" Chapter 283 Tee many people were around to talk epily, and since this Wes About Camn isad his text and let out a dry, incredulous Isoph "Unbelievable. They really have no shame." ''Three million?'' parents remully, ekish chiste is ittersaps her instead It was bad enough they were banking on her to pull in a million. But now they wanted to use her to cory up to the Woche family? The Moore family-one of the most powerful names in all of Viremont? "What a delusional little scheme.'' Another message popped up from Elijah. Elijah: [What''s your take on the whole Skyler thing?! Cameron nced at him with a flicker of gratitude and typed back. Cameron: [Elijah, first of all, thank you. I can''t believe you actually cut ties between yourpany and the Youngs over this ideally appreciate it but you didn''t have to. If it causes any negative impact on your family''s business, it''s not worth it.] Elijah: [It won''t. Don''t worry about me.] Cameron stared at the message. ''It won''t?'' That was impossible. The Youngs and Moores had been working together for years. Breaking off that partnership would absolutely create ripple effects. The Moore family couldn''t be immune to that. A new message came in. Elijah: [Do you want me to help smooth things over with your dad?] Cameron''s expression immediately darkened. "No. Absolutely not," she said out loud. "If you do, I''ll consider you my enemy." Elijah looked at her like she''d lost her mind. ''Enemy? If anything, helping would bring our families closer.* Elijah: [What do you mean?] Cameron hesitated for a second. Cameron: [I''ve already severed all ties with them. We''re not family anymore.] Elijah: [!!] Elijah''s mind went nk. The words hit him like a blow to the chest, and for a second, he felt his heart clench with something he couldn''t quite name. ''Severed ties? What have they done to push things that far? No wonder Cameron has been so cold toward Milena. And yet...the Wace family to him like parasites. gs Elijah looked over at her, eyes unreadable. Was it pity? Anger? He wasn''t sure Then he teached out and gently ced a hand on her shoulder A quiet, wordlessfort. Cameron smiled faintly, brushing it off. I''m line, Elijsh. Restly. Let''s just leave Martin and Heidi''s little n? It was already dead in the exten Truth be told, Cameron didn''t think it had to go as far as cutting ties between the Moore and Young families. But now, if she tried to step in and mend things, her so-called "family" would be the one to benefit. She wasn''t going to let them profit from her. As for whatever losses the Moore family might take...... She''d make up for them one day, when her pharmaceuticalpany was up and running Elijah nodded. "Alright." Cameron smiled. "Thanks. I guess I owe you another dinner." Elijah''s lips curved slightly. "Looking forward to it." The bell rang, and they both tucked their phones away without another word. Three days passed. Nothing changed on Cameron''s end. The Young family, meanwhile, had started pestering Martin for updates. Martin, keeping up appearances, yed hard to get. And the Youngs didn''t dare push him too far-they still believed he had influence over Cameron. So Martin turned around and pressured Milena instead. After all, she was the only one in the family who could still approach Cameron. But even Milena found it nearly impossible. Xander had practically attached himself to Camerontely, following her around under the excuse of needing tutoring. Cameron, meanwhile, had made a small fortune-over 100 thousand-off his "lessons." Eventually, word got around to Mark. He finally learned the truth-Martin and Cameron were not on good terms. They had even signed a formal document severing their legal parent-child rtionship. Only then did Mark realize-he''d been barking up the wrong tree. So when Mark suddenly appeared in front of Cameron one afternoon, she was more than a little surprised. Chapter 284 It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. Cameron was at home, tutoring Xander as usual, while Elijah sat nearby, reading. Elijah had officially moved into the unit next door earlier that week. They''d gone from school roommates to neighbors in just a few days. Austin was the only one missing from their usual group today. Bradley, meanwhile, had been swamped with work and hadn''t shown up at all. Xander and Elijah, like they''d nned it, showed up right after breakfast and parked themselves in Cameron''s living room without so much as an invitation. Cameron sighed but still let them in politely. Halfway through the session, Cameron''s phone rang. It was a call from the building''s security gate. Apparently, a "Mr. Young" was at the entrance asking to see her. Mark had introduced himself as Skyler''s father. Cameron didn''t hesitate. ¡°I''m busy,¡± she said bluntly, not wanting to talk about the post thing at all. Mark, however, had already taken over the call. "Cameron, I''m sorry to bother you," he said in a calm, almost apologetic tone. "I''m Skyler''s father. I know my daughter made some big mistakes, and I''d really like to apologize to you in person. Just a few minutes of your time- would that be alright?" "I said I''m busy," Cameron replied, her voice cold. "I just want to apologize face-to-face," Mark pressed. "That''s all. No agenda." "Not necessary." Cameron hung up without another word. "Who was that?" Xander asked, his curiosity piqued. "No one," Cameron replied tly. Xander rolled his eyes. "So secretive." Elijah, setting down his pen, chimed in, "You''ve been studying long enough. How about a break?" "Mind your own business," Xander shot back. Elijah raised a brow but didn''t take the bait. Cameron checked the time and said, "That''s enough for today." "Two hours," she reminded Xander. "I''ll transfer it now," he replied immediately, sending over 70 thousand without hesitation. Cameron nced at the bnce on her ount. Her lips curved into a subtle smile. Over a million now. One step closer tounching my pharmaceuticalpany. "You really light up when money''s involved," Xander teased. Cameron deadpanned, "If it bothers you, you''re free to leave." "I am leaving," Xander huffed, standing up dramatically. Two hours of tutoring had definitely worn him out. He needed to go blow off steam with a round of gaming. He stomped out without another word. Elijah closed his book slowly and looked at Cameron. "Dinner?" Cameron nodded. "Sure. I did say I''d treat you. Any preferences?" Elijah thought for a moment. "How about fondue?" He''d been meaning to try it properlyst time, Bradley had distracted him the entire meal. "Sounds good," Cameron said. Just as they were getting ready to head out, her phone buzzed. Xander: [What are you eating tonight?] Cameron: [Whatever you eat is your business.] Xander: [You seriously can''t tell I''m trying to ask you out to dinner?] Cameron: [I''ve already got ns.] Xander: [With who?] Cameron: [Not your concern.] Xander: [Ugh. Seriously?] Cameron didn''t bother replying. Tonight, Xander wasn''t invited. He''d be too loud anyway. Dinner with Elijah was always calm, easy, and unbothered. They hopped into a cab and headed for the restaurant./ What they didn''t see was a ck SUV pulling out behind them and quietly trailing all the way there. By the time Cameron and Elijah were seated and flipping through the menu, Mark strolled in, smiling, and behind him were Tessa and Skyler. Cameron''s eyes narrowed. They actually followed her here. But this was a public ce. She couldn''t very well Kick them out, especially with Elijah sitting right beside her. They clearly weren''t here just for her anyway-Mark probably had his sights set on Elijah. The Young family took the table directly across the aisle from them, close enough to talk. Too close AD Comment Chapter 285 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 Comment Chapter 286 Skyler stood there, stunned. She cast a sideways nce at Mark, her shoulders sinking in relief now that the ordeal had ended. Mark, however, frowned slightly. He had assumed Cameron would be easy to handle because of his age-young and inexperienced. He hadn''t expected Cameron to give them absolutely no room to maneuver. Now that Cameron and Elijah had moved to a private room, following them would only make the situation worse. All he could do was wait for another opportunity. Mark waved his hand, signaling Skyler to sit back down. She covered her face, wishing she could disappear. Mark snapped, "Are you seriously crying right now?" Skyler choked back her sobs-only for them to spill out louder. Inside the private room, the air felt much lighter. "Running into them here, of all ces," Elijah muttered, brows furrowed. "They followed us," Cameron replied calmly. Elijah''s frown deepened. "So now that talking to your parents didn''t work, they''ve decided toe straight to you?" Cameron gave a small, amused smile. "Honestly, they should''ve just gone to you instead." They were literally barking up the wrong tree. Elijah sighed. "I''ll call my dad.¡± Cameron kept eating, not responding. Let the one who started the fire put it out.'' A few minutester, Mark''s phone rang. For the past few days, he''d been trying everything to get in touch with Thomas Moore-calls, messages, even showing up in person-but he''d been blocked at every turn. So when he saw the caller ID, his heart leapt. "Mr. Moore!" Mark answered eagerly. Thomas didn''t bother with small talk. "Mr. Young," he said coldly, "ending our partnership was my decision. Over the years, you''ve be increasingly reckless. You''ve been tampering with pharmaceuticals. You think I''d keep working with someone like that? I only held my tongue out of courtesy. But now, you''re harassing my son-and his friend?" 15:04 PM 23 May His tone sharpened. "Tell me, Mr. Young-do you really think there''s still a ce for you in Viremont? Or should I say...do you still want a ce?" Mark nearly dropped the phone. Thomas had made himself crystal clear. If Mark didn''t back off, he could kiss his career in this city goodbye. Losing the Moore family was already a huge blow-but being cklisted in Viremont? That would be the end. Mark stammered, "You''re right, Mr. Moore, I was out of line. I swear, I''ll back off immediately. I won''t show up in front of Elijah or his friend ever again. I give you my word." He hung up the phone, his hands mmy with cold sweat. "Let''s go," he barked, ushering Tessa and Skyler out of the restaurant as quickly as possible. Inside the car, Tessa asked anxiously, What now? What are we supposed to do?" Mark exploded. "What do you think we do? If we don''t find a new hospital to work with soon, we''re going under!" Their pharmaceuticalpany churned out medication by the truckload. Every day that passed without distribution meant another day closer to spoge. If they couldn''t sell in time, everything would have to be trashed-millions flushed down the drain. A few more months of this, and they''d be bankrupt. Skyler sat frozen, too scared to say a word. Mark''s fists clenched. "This is all that damn Cameron''s fault!" He sneered. Sure, Thomas had med it on some vague concerns aboutpliance and ethics, but Mark knew what this was really about. He''d been cutting corners for years-why the sudden holier-than-thou act now? It was because of Cameron. Thomas was just making moves to protect his son''s favorite. ''Elijah is out of reach. But Cameron?'' Mark''s eyes narrowed. -''Cameron''s just some broke kid with no family backing him-estranged from his own parents, no less. And he''s dead now.'' AD Comment Chapter 287 Skyler''s eyes lit up. "Dad, you mean Mark''s face remained cold, "This whole mess started because of that kid Cameron. I''m going to make him pay." Skyler grinned instantly. "It had to be Cameron who got Elijah to turn on us! He totally set this up." She''d been dying to teach Cameron a lesson for ages. Now that Mark was stepping in? She believed Cameron was finished. After dinner, Cameron and Elijah waited by the curb to catch ride. 62 ÃØ The night was calm and breezy, city lights flickering across the water. Cameron''s bangs danced in the early summer wind, casting a soft shadow over her eyes. Elijah looked over and said, "It''s still early. Want to jog home? It''ll be a good workout." Cameron considered for a second and then nodded. "Sure." A faint smile tugged at Elijah''s lips. They ran along the riverside path, heading toward Noble Vista. Cameron matched her pace to Elijah''s, running steadily and quietly alongside him. Elijah nced at the glimmering water. "The city looks nice at night." "Yeah," Cameron said softly, "it''s beautiful.¡± He turned to her. "Have a dream school yet?" "Not really," she said. "What about a major?" Cameron thought for a moment. "Medicine." 4 She figured if she was going to start a pharmaceuticalpany, she should at least look like she knew what she was doing. And she did know-technically-but she needed credentials to back it up. Elijah raised a brow. "Didn''t peg you for the medical type." Cameron just gave him a nomittal smile. "What about you?" she asked casually. "I''ll probably double major. Medicine and business,¡± Elijah replied. Cameron shot him a curious nce. ¡°You''re good at math. Ever think of doing something in that direction?" He shook his head. "I''ll need to take over thepany eventually." She nodded in understanding. Not everyone born into power got to choose freely. Elijah added, ¡°Who knows? We might end up at the same university.¡± Maybe even the same program. Same dorm. Cameronughed. "Maybe." She didn''t really care either way. They kept running, stride for stride, in perfect sync along the quiet waterfront. As they neared Noble Vista, Elijah slowed a little, falling behind so he could watch Cameron ahead of him. By the time they reached the entrance, both of them came to a stop, catching their breath. Elijah lived in a neighboring vi now-he''d moved in that week. He turned to Cameron and asked, "Can Ie by tomorrow to study again?" "Sure," she said with a smile. He gave azy wave. "See you then." Back home, Cameron showered and stepped out of the bathroom, drying her damp hair when her phone lit up. Austin: [Cam, sorry to bother you, but...would it be okay if I crash at your ce tonight?] Cameron blinked. ''Why would Austine to my ce?'' She sent a message back while drying her hair one-handed. Cameron: [Why do you need to stay over? What happened?] Out of everyone in the dorm, she''d spent the least amount of time with Austin. If something had happened, wouldn''t he go to Bradley or someone he knew better? She didn''t hear back right away. Just when she thought he might''ve changed his mind, her phone buzzed again. Austin: [Got kicked out.] Cameron froze, eyes narrowing at the screen. Her mind immediately shed back to the bruise on Austin''s facest weekend- the red mark that looked suspiciously like a p. She frowned. Cameron: [Where are you now?] Chapter 288 Half an hourter, Cameron arrived at the city''s busiest za. Even from a distance, she spotted Austin sitting alone at the edge of the fountain. He wore the school''s gym tee and dark blue sweatpants, his posture calm and still. The neon lights overhead tinted his blond hair in streaks of green and pink, making his pale skin appear even lighter. His sharp features and pensive gaze gave him an almost statuesque loneliness- quiet, brooding, older than his years. A couple of girls had already approached him, but he simply shook his head in silence. Behind him, jets of water leapt into the air in sync with music pulsing from nearby speakers. But Austin didn''t seem to notice any of it-his amber eyes fixed on some invisible point far off in the distance. Cameron walked over, one hand in her pocket, and stopped in front of him. Austin looked up, and when his eyesnded on Cameron''s androgynously sharp face, a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You carne." Cameron dropped into the seat beside him. "Want to head back now, or do you need a little more time?" She didn''t pry. If Austin had been thrown out of his home, it had to be serious. No need to dig the knife in. Austin turned to her. "Cam, are you sure it''s okay if I stay at your ce?" Cameron''s gaze flicked over his face, pausing for half a second on a scratch just below his ear. She nodded. "Yeah. It''s fine." Austin smiled, a little more rxed. "Thanks." Cameron stood up. "Come on. Let''s ride back." They found two bikes at a nearby rack. Cameron unlocked hers through the app and swung a leg over the seat. Austin stayed frozen in ce, looking hesitant. "What is it?" Cameron asked. "I can''t pay for it," Austin admitted, clearly ufortable. Cameron didn''t say anything. She just gave a short nod and then unlocked the second bike for him. Cameron understood. Some parents controlled their kids through money. Martin had done it to her more than once, and Austin''s family probably wasn''t much different. "Thanks," Austin said again, more sincerely this time. "No problem," Cameron replied. They pedaled side by side through the evening streets. On the way back, they stopped by a corner store where Cameron grabbed a set of pajamas, slippers, and toiletries for Auns Austin took the bag from her, lips curled in a grateful smile. "Thanks, Cam. Seriously." He hadn''t expected Cameron to be this thoughtful. Most guys weren''t. When they arrived at Cameron''s house, Austin paused on the front step, eyes scanning the modern, tastefully designed exterior. "You live here...alone?" The house was huge. Luxuriously renovated. Easily worth several million. Austin had heard Cameron didn''te from much, but clearly, there was more to Cameron than met the eye. Inside, Cameron gestured casually. "Make yourself at home. Pick whichever guest room you want. I''m going to bed. Night." She turned away and waved over her shoulder. "Goodnight, Cam," Austin called softly. Cameron''s first move after shutting her door was locking it. After what had happened with Bradley barging in unannounced, locking the door had be a habit-no matter who else was in the house. Austin took the guest room closest to Cameron''s. After showering, hey on the crisp white sheets, staring up at the ceiling. His face, usually calm and charming, was now stripped of its mask. In the dim light, his eyes gleamed with something dark and tightly coiled. He was sick of this. All of it. AB Comment Chapter 289 From as far back as he could remember, Austin had lived in fear-walking on eggshells every single day. He bore the Fraser name, but in that family, he was treated like dirt. All because of how he was born. His mother was a Yazven native, and his father, Jeremy Fraser, was a powerful, womanizing businessman. On a business trip to Yazven, Jeremy had met Austin''s mother and been instantly captivated by her beauty. Austin had inherited most of his striking looks from her. She was young, innocent, and easy to manipte-Jeremy yed her like a violin. She didn''t realize he was married until she was already pregnant. Once she told him, he left without a word, save for a check he tossed at her as a goodbye. Women in her position usually took the money and quietly terminated the pregnancy. But not her. She kept the baby. For the first three years of Austin''s life, she raised him on her own. Those were the happiest years he ever had. Until Jeremy, bored or curious, suddenly remembered the beautiful girl he had once seduced in Yazven and came back to find her. That was when he discovered he had a son. When Jeremy''s father, Edmund Fraser, found out, he ordered Jeremy to fight for full custody. "The Fraser bloodline," he''d said, "must not be left in the hands of outsiders." Austin''s mother didn''t stand a chance against the Fraser family''s wealth and influence. She lost the case, and Austin was forcibly taken to live at Fraser Vi. From then on, he became a thorn in the side of Samuel and his mother, Margot Fraser. They hated him. He lost count of the times they had tried to get rid of him, subtly or otherwise- times when it almost worked. Eventually, Austin drugged himself to mimic symptoms of a rare illness. He faked a terminal condition just to get them off his back. And it worked. They backed off- for a while. He could bear all of it. What he couldn''t bear was what happened to his mother. After losing custody, she fought desperately to get him back. But against the Frasers, she was powerless. By the time Austin was eight, she was dead. Died of heartbreak, they said. But Austin knew better. The Frasers had driven her to the grave. Every single one of them had blood on their hands. And one day, he would make them pay. Lying in Cameron''s guest room, Austin stared up at the ceiling, eyes red with unshed tears. He reached up and touched the scratch beneath his ear. Tonight, Samuel had hit him again. Over something trivial. And this time, he''d thrown him out of the housepletely. Jeremy hadn''t said a word. Edmund med Austin''s existence for every niisstep Jeremy had made, and Jeremy had never forgiven him for that.. Margot, always two-faced, acted sweet in public but wished him dead behind closed doors. Walking aimlessly through the city''s crowded streets, Austin had found himself thinking about Cameron. So he''d called...just to see. And Cameron hade...without asking questions. That was when he realized they were the same kind of person. Austin''s lips curled into a quiet smile. The next morning, Cameron slept well and woke early. After washing up, she stepped out of her room and paused. Soft, elegant piano music was drifting in from the living room. She followed the sound. There, seated at the grand piano, was Austin. He wore crisp white pajamas, his blond hair catching the sunlight. His fingers moved effortlessly across the keys, graceful and sure. Even from behind, he was striking-refined, poised, and utterly captivating. There was something about him that made it hard to look away. Chapter 290 1 Austin had both a good look and great charisma. Moreover, he was proficient in various musical instruments and could write songs If he chose to be a singer, he would have a bright future. Cameron leaned against the wall and listened to Austin ying the piano. When the piece ended, Cameron pped. Hearing the sound, Austin turned around and wore an apologetic expression on his face. "Cameron, did I wake you up? I''m sorry. This piano is se beautiful that I couldn''t resist ying a piece." Cameron walked towards him and said, "You didn''t disturb me. The room has good sound instion, and you yed really well." A smile appeared on Austin''s face. "Thank you." Cameron stood still in front of Austin and asked, "Austin, I have a question." Austin said, "Please go ahead." Cameron said, "I heard you have millions of followers on TikTok. Didn''t you make money with that?" Austin couldn''t even afford the taxi farest night, which surprised Cameron. Austin shook his head. "No." Over the years, Samuel and his mother had wished Austin were dead. Whenever Austin showed the slightest sign of being excellent, they would immediately take action to suppress him. So Austin couldn''t do anything with his ount that had arge number of followers. Cameron stared at Austin in silence for a few seconds, wondering if Austin didn''t know how to make money through the Inte. But in this era of the Inte, no one should be unaware that Inte celebrities can make money. So Cameron guessed. "Your family doesn''t allow you to do so?" After all, the Fraser family was a prestigious family and might not like too much exposure for their family members. Austin nodded. Cameron''s fingers tapped gently on the piano. "However, they restrict you too much. Sometimes, being too obedient isn''t a good thing." She meant herself in her previous life. After going through a thousand years of world-hopping, Cameron now had an indifferent temperament. The reason she talked so much to Austin was probably that she didn''t want others to experience the pain she had gone through. Austin looked at Cameron in surprise. "What do you mean?" Cameron said, "You have to be independent. You''re almost an adult, right? In this world, you can''t rely on anyone but yourself." There was a glimmer in Austin''s eyes. "What do you think I should do?" Austin was really surprised. He had never expected that someone would say these things to him. Cameron seemed to be different from others. Austin reaffirmed his decision to side with her. Cameron smiled and said, "y to your strengths." Austin''s fingers stroked the piano. ¡°You mean music." Cameron smiled without giving a definite answer. There was no need to be too explicit when chatting with someone smart- Austin also smiled. When he smiled, there was a faint dimple on his right cheek, making him look very fresh and handsome He smiled because he had already done what Cameron had said. Austin wasn''t as obedient as Cameron had described. Living in such an environment, if he had been tame like a sheep, he would have been dead lone ago: Everyone thought he was a dying man, but that wasn''t the case. Austin couldn''t help but smile. "What would you like for breakfast?" Cameron asked. Austin pulled his thoughts back and said while coughing, "I''ve already troubled you by staying at your house. I''ll eat whatever you eat. You don''t need to worry about me." Cameron nodded. There were slices of bread, eggs, ham, and lettuce in the refrigerator. So Cameron made two sandwiches and brought them to the table. Austin looked at Cameron in surprise. "I didn''t expect you to be able to cook." Cameron pushed a ss of milk in front of Austin and said, "Just make do with it." As soon as Cameron finished speaking, the doorbell rang. So early in the morning, Cameron could only think of one person who woulde to visit her. As she expected, the next moment, she saw Xander''s resolute and handsome face on the visual ess control system. AD Comment Chapter 291 is that Xander?" Austin was a bit surprised. He knew that Xander and Cameron were living in the same neighborhood now. What surprised him was that Xander came to see Cameron so early in the morning. Cameron nodded. "He came to me for tutoring." Austin smiled and said, "It''s really surprising that Xander is so eager to learn now." In Austin''s opinion, Xander might just be looking for an excuse to spend time with Cameron. Cameron didn''t respond and got up to open the door for Xander. As soon as the door opened, Xanderined, "So slow. I thought you hadn''t gotten up yet. Austin?" While speaking, Xander walked in as if he were at home and immediately saw Austin sitting at the dining table, still in his pajamas. His eyes widened instantly. He looked at Austin in disbelief. "Why are you here?" Austin was eating the sandwich Cameron made for him. He smiled and greeted Xander with a wave. "Good morning, Xander." After being shocked, Xander rushed up to Austin in one stride. "I''m asking you, why are you in Cameron''s house?" Austin said, "I stayed herest night. Xander, have you had your breakfast?" Xander''s eyes widened even more. "You stayed herest night?" He suddenly turned to look at Cameron and asked for confirmation. "Did Austin stay herest night?" Cameron nodded with an indifferent expression. Xander rushed in front of Cameron and pinned Cameron against the wall. He was six feet two inches tall, more than half a head taller than Cameron who was five feet 9 inches. He red at Cameron with a fierce look in his eyes. "You little punk. I tried so hard to stay overnight at your cest week, but you t-out refused. Why did you let Austin stay?" Xander was both angry and annoyed by this unfair treatment. Cameron wouldn''t let Xander stay, but she was willing to amodate the weak Austin. Xander didn''t understand why Austin could enjoy something he couldn''t have. Cameron fell silent. She didn''t let Xander stay because Xander had many choices. He could stay at Murphy Vi. As for Austin, he had been kicked out of the Fraser family, had no money, and had nowhere to go, so she let him stay for the night. For things that didn''t need to bepared, Cameron didn''t even bother to exin to Xander. "Get your hand off me." Cameron pushed Xander away. Xander got even angrier. "Don''t you even have an exnation? Do you really hate me that much?" Cameron said, "Think whatever you want." Xander, as an adult, was acting like a childish kid, which was really annoying. Xander was even angrier and shocked by Cameron''s indifferent attitude. After coughing, seeing the tense atmosphere between them, Austin quickly got up and walked between them. "Xander, don''t be mad. It''s all my fault. I insisted on staying at Cameron''s ce. Don''t me him." Austin tried to smooth things over. Xander immediately red at Austin. "Yes! It''s your fault! Why did you stay at Cameron''s ce? Bradley and Elijah both live in thismunity. Why didn''t you go to them instead ofing to Cameron?" Austin was stunned by Xander''s questions in a row. But Austin knew very well why he came to Cameron. Because Cameron was like him, and he was willing to let Cameron see his wounds. So, even if he had to be homeless, Austin wouldn''t ask Bradley or any other person in Room 316 except Cameron for help. Even though he was at the bottom in the Fraser family, he still had his pride. "Enough." Cameron frowned and pushed Xander aside. ¡°I have the right to let whoever I want stay in my house." Xander was stunned. AD Comment Chapter 292 As soon as Cameron said that, Xander''s handsome face darkened. It meant that Cameron had deliberately let Austin stay with her and hadn''t allowed Xander toe to her house. Xander stared at Cameron fiercely. "Good, very good. I''m leaving." After saying that, he mmed the door shut, and the loud noise made Austin''s shoulders tremble. Cameron frowned slightly. Austin looked at Cameron nervously. "Did I get you into trouble?" Cameron shook her head. "It''s okay. Just ignore him." Cameron went back to the dining table and picked up the sandwich. She looked at Austin, who was still standing there, and said, "Austin, it''s okay. That''s just how Xander is. Come and have breakfast. It will get coldter." "Sorry, Cameron. I didn''t expect Xander to get so angry seeing me here. I''ll leaveter." Austin sat down opposite Cameron. Cameron asked, "Are you going to school?" Although it was Sunday, it was okay for the students to return to school early. Austin was a bit taken aback by Cameron''s behavior of not trying to keep him. Austin''s expression stiffened for a moment, and he said, "Where else can I go except to school?" He slowly lowered his eyes, and his long, thick eyshes covered the emotions in his eyes. After a moment of silence, looking at Austin''s pitiful appearance, Cameron said, "How about we go back to school together this afternoon?" Austin looked up, and a bright smile appeared on his handsome face. "Okay." Cameron felt speechless as she somehow realized that Austin lured her to say that. After breakfast, Cameron carried the tes to wash them. Austin quickly followed into the open kitchen and said, "Cameron, let me wash them. I already feel bad for making you cook for me." As he spoke, Austin rolled up his sleeves. Cameron nodded without hesitation. Austin was a bit taken aback by Cameron''s behavior of not refusing at all. Just as Cameron walked out of the kitchen, she heard a sharp cracking sound. When she turned around, she saw the white porcin te lying on the floor in pieces, and she felt really speechless. Austin held another te and said apologetically, "Cameron, sorry. I slipped my hand." Cameron reached out her hand and said, "Let me handle it." "Oh, no, let me do it," Austin said. "Cameron, although I haven''t washed dishes at home, I''m not that bad at it." Cameron said, "I''d better do it." "Cameron, let me wash them." As Austin raised his hand, another te slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground, breaking. The corner of Cameron''s mouth twitched. "Okay, now we don''t have to wash them anymore. Austin said awkwardly. "There''s still the frying pan. Let me wash the pan." Cameron said helplessly, "All right." Cameron brought a broom and swept up the fragments, and Austin washed the frying pan. Austin wiped his hands and said apologetically, "I''ll buy you a new set of dishes." Cameron waved her hand. "You don''t have to. I don''t need too many dishes. I live alone." There were several sets of cutlery in the cupboard. Austin stared at Cameron and said, "I''m really sorry." Cameron shook her head, sat down on the sofa, and handed the remote control to Austin. "Do you want to watch TV?" Since Xander had left, Cameron had nothing to do in the morning. Austin said, "Cameron, watching TV is boring. How about we go out for a walk?" Just then, the doorbell rang again. Elijah was here. He and Cameron were going to read books in Cameron''s house. Austin stood up and said at the same time, "Cameron, let me open the door." The door was opened from the inside, revealing Austin''s handsome face. Elijah was taken aback. "Austin?" Austin smiled and nodded. "Good morning, Elijah.¡± Holding the textbooks, Elijah asked the same question as Xander. "Why are you here?" AD Comment Chapter 293 Austin smiled and said, "I stayed herest night." Elijah asked in surprise, "You stayed at Cameron''s cest night?" Last night, he had eaten fondue with Cameron, and then they had returned to the neighborhood together. So Elijah was wondering when Austin hade over, probably in the second half of the night. Austin let Elijah in and then nodded. Elijah looked at Cameron on the sofa. Out of good manners, he didn''t ask too many questions about what was going on here. Holding the remote control in her hand, Cameron said, ¡°Elijah, make yourself at home." Elijah sat down opposite Cameron with his textbooks in his arms and asked, "Didn''t Xandere?" Cameron said briefly, "He came and then left." Elijah was a bit puzzled that Xander, who usually clung to Cameron, had left so easily. Austin coughed softly and then said, "Xander left angrily when he saw me here." "No wonder." Elijah nodded. Cameron looked at Elijah. Austin suggested going out for a walk. Do you want to go?" Elijah looked at Austin and then at Cameron. "Are the three of us going for a walk?" Austin was helplessly silent. Actually, he had wanted to go for a walk alone with Cameron, but since Cameron had invited Elijah, there was nothing he could do. Cameron said, "You want to call someone else?" Elijah said, ¡°Brad is probably not avable." Cameron nodded. "Brad has been very busy recently." Throughout the weekend, Cameron hadn''t seen Bradley at all. Bradley was so mature that he didn''t seem to be their age at all. Austin suggested, "Should we call Xander?" -Elijah frowned. "I don''t think so." Austin smirked. With Xander''s arrogant personality, no one liked him, just like Samuel. So, the three of them, Cameron, Austin, and Elijah, went out together. Noble Vista was in an excellent location. It was not only built by the river, but also had veryplete surrounding facilities. There was arge wend park about one kilometer away. It was the weekend, and there were a lot of people in the park. The three guys walked in the park, and their extremely good looks made them very noticeable in the crowd. Some young girls came over and asked for their numbers, but all three of them politely declined. Austin''s face with a strong mixed-race look was the most popr among the girls. Cameron smiled and said, ¡°Austin, you''re very popr with girls." Austin smiled and replied, "So are you." Cameron''s face was so handsome that many girls would fall in love with her. Cameron smiled and didn''t refute. Elijah pointed at the pleasure boats on theke. "Do you want to go boating?" In the park, there wasn''t much fun except walking around. Cameron nodded and then looked at Austin. Austin also nodded. "Sounds great." The three of them rented a boat. For the sake of fun, they specifically asked for a boat with oars. It was really fun, but after rowing for a while, except for Cameron, both Austin and Elijah were exhausted. Sitting on the chair by theke, Elijah raised his hand and hammered his sore arms. "I didn''t expect rowing to be so tiring" Cameron smiled and said, "Elijah, you should exercise more." Elijah nodded. He really didn''t do sports often. Austin said after coughing, "Me too. Ick exercise, and my arms are really sore." Cameronughed. "You two are more delicate than girls." Austin and Elijah were at a loss for words. Austin was helplessly silent. Just as Elijah was about to say something, the crowd suddenly became restless. Some people were running, some were shouting, and some were screaming. AD Comment Chapter 294 Elijah and Austin heard themotion and stood up. "What''s going on?" Elijah craned his neck to look around. "Let me take a look." Austin took a few steps forward. Cameron remained seated on the chair and looked up at the situation over there. It was chaotic over there, and she couldn''t make out anything for the moment. "Move! Get out of this ce now!" someone shouted. A man in ck rushed towards where Cameron, Elijah, and Austin were. Then a group of policemen with guns approached. The crowd immediately scattered. "Surrender! You have nowhere to run!" Ryan Jones, the police captain in charge, pointed his gun at the man in ck. The man in ck was tall but thin, his face was pale, a sickly pale, and his hair was in a mess. He had been on the run for several days, so he looked terrible. There was ake in front of him and a group of policemen behind him. He had nowhere to go. He could either jump into the water and escape or engage in a shootout with the police head-on. He took out a short pistol from his pocket, quickly loaded it, and pointed it at the crowd. "Drop your weapon!" Ryan shouted. At the same time, he loudly told the onlookers to step back in case the man in ck hurt the innocent. "Step back! Step back!" Elijah and Austin realized the seriousness of the situation and were about to leave. However, the man in ck caught sight of them. He immediately came up with a n and directly took Austin, who was the closest to him, hostage. He tightly wrapped one arm around Austin''s neck and pointed the gun at Austin''s temple with the other hand. The man in ck shouted arrogantly, "Come on! Come any closer, and I''ll shoot him!" Although Austin lived in theplicated Fraser family, this was the first time a gun was pointed at his head. Moreover, he was well aware that the person holding him hostage was a desperate man. A person on the verge of death could do extremely crazy things at any moment, like really dragging an innocent person to their death with them. Cold sweat broke out in Austin''s palms. He hadn''t avenged his mother yet, and he couldn''t die. But at this very moment, he didn''t dare to move at all. Austin was held hostage and was slowly pushed back towards theke. "Calm down, we won''t get close to you!" Ryan frowned deeply. The thing he was most worried about had happened. The criminal today was a heinous drug dealer. The police had been staking him out for over a month. Today, they finally had a good opportunity to arrest him. However, the drug dealer had run into the park. There were a lot of people in the wend park on the weekend, especially a lot of old people and children. It would be a great loss if the innocent were hurt. But this man had caused many families to be broken. Ryan couldn''t let this drug dealer go, so he had chased the drug dealer here. 18:16 Sat, 24 May 3 However, the worst thing happened. The criminal had taken a young nian hostage. Ryan and the other police officers didn''t dare to act rashly "Back off! All of you! Or I''ll shoot him in the head!" The thumb of the man in ck was on the trigger, ready to pull it at any moment. "Sir?" The policeman looked at Ryan unwillingly. "Step back!" Ryan roared. For the safety of the hostage, they could onlyply with the drug dealer. Ryan stepped back, and his foot stepped on something hard. He turned his head and saw Cameron''s delicate face, Ryan was taken aback. "Young man, it''s you?" Ryan remembered Cameron. Last time, Cameron, dressed as a woman, had helped to catch the serial killer. He didn''t expect to meet Cameron here. Cameron said, "Ryan, give me your pistol." Before Ryan could say anything, the pistot in his hand was already in Cameron''s hand. Cameron quickly loaded the gun and fired a shot in the direction of Austin and the criminal, which stunned Ryan. AD Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 37% Cameron fired a shot in the direction of Austin and the criminal, and everyone was shocked. Some timid onlookers covered their ears and stepped back several steps. Ryan roared, "What are you doing? This isn''t a toy gun. How can you just shoot like that?" "Austin!" Elijah shouted. Before he could be shocked that Cameron could shoot, he saw Austin slowly slide to the ground from the criminal''s hold. Elijah''s heart tightened. He thought, ''Don''t tell me Austin got shot.'' Just as everyone thought that Austin had been shot, the pistol in the criminal''s hand fell to the ground. Blood was gushing from his right wrist. Cameron didn''t shoot Austin. She shot the criminal''s wrist. "Hurry!" Realizing the situation, Ryan immediately ordered his subordinates to capture the criminal. Cameron returned the pistol to Ryan and was about to check on Austin''s condition. Ryan stopped her. "Young man, wait a moment.¡± Cameron stopped and looked at him. Ryan smiled and said, "Sorry, I misunderstood you just now. You''re young but brave and resourceful. You''re really good." Within just a few dozen seconds, Cameron snatched the gun, fired a shot, and urately hit the criminal''s wrist. She was clear-headed, calm, andposed. She had the quality of a police officer. Cameron forced a smile and said, "You''re overpraising me. I just didn''t want anything to happen to my ssmate." That was truly her intention. Ryan said, "We''ve offered a reward of 600 thousand dors for the capture of this criminal. We''ve been staking him out for over a month. Unexpectedly, you''ve helped us a lot." If it hadn''t been for Cameron, Ryan might have let the drug dealer go as the drug dealer wished. But if this extremely vicious person escaped, he might still hurt innocent people. So Cameron had really done a great deed. Ryan said, "Come to the police stationter to im the reward." Cameron asked, "What reward?" Ryan said, "The reward of 600 thousand dors for this criminal." Cameron was stunned. "We''re leaving now." Ryan patted Cameron on the shoulder. Cameron was a bit stunned. She had just fired a shot and got a reward of 600 thousand dors. She was really lucky. Ryan and his group left, and the crowd dispersed. Elijah wasforting Austin. "Austin, are you okay? Are you all right?" Austin sat on the ground and didn''t answer Elijah''s question. He just stared straight at Cameron. Cameron had saved his life. Austin''s heart was pounding wildly. Apart from his mother, Cameron treated him most nicely in this world. There were glistening tears in Austin''s eyes as he looked at Cameron. Cameron smiled to herself. She really hadn''t done anything special, so she didn''t dare to take the reward money Cameron walked slowly towards Austin. Seeing Austin staring straight at her, she squatted down and tentatively asked, "Are you dumb because of what happened?" Elijah said, ¡°He hasn''t said a word since just now. He must be scared." "Austin?" Cameron waved her hand in front of Austin. The next moment, her hand was firmly grasped by Austin''s hand. Cameron was extremely puzzled. Austin held Cameron''s hand tightly. He wanted to say something, but found that all his feelings were stuck in his throat. All the emotions he had hidden for 18 years seemed to be surging out, so he couldn''t say a word. Cameron didn''t like being touched by strangers, especially since Austin was a boy. So she frowned slightly and said, "Austin, please let go of my hand. Are you okay?" Chapter 296 Austin still held Cameron''s hand tightly. "Cameron, thank you. Thank you for saving me." Austin said a series of thanks, but he still couldn''t express his gratitude to Cameron. Cameron said, "It''s just a piece of cake. Can you let go of me?" Austin still didn''t let go. Cameron had to hold his fingers and pull them apart one by one. Austin didn''t know what else to say. Cameron stood up, took two steps back, and looked at Elijah. ¡°Elijah, can you help Austin up from the ground?" Austin looked at Cameron and said, "Cameron, can you help me up?" Elijah, who was about to bend down, was a bit speechless. Cameron had no choice but to hold Austin''s arm and pull him up from the ground. Austin was a bit unsteady on his feet. "Cameron, my legs are a bit weak. Can you support me?" Austin said feebly. Cameron waspletely speechless. "Let me help you." Elijah grabbed one of Austin''s arms and put it on his shoulder. Austin frowned and said, "Elijah, you''re too tall. I''m notfortable with you supporting me." After Austin finished speaking, he looked at Cameron. Elijah didn''t know what to say. Cameron crossed her arms and said, "Austin, I have mysophobia and I don''t like to have contact with people." Besides, Austin wasn''t injured. Although it had been really terrifying just now, the whole rescue process had onlysted a few minutes. As a grown man, Austin shouldn''t have been so scared that he couldn''t even walk. Besides, he had already recovered for so long. After a few seconds of silence, Austin said, ¡°Elijah, I''m okay. I can walk by myself.¡± Then he took his arm back from Elijah''s shoulder. Elijah thought Austin was acting weird all of a sudden. Austin then looked at Cameron again. Cameron asked him helplessly, "Austin, do you want to go to the hospital for a check-up?" Austin shook his head. Elijah took out his phone and looked at the time. "It''s almost noon. Let''s find a ce to eat and take a rest." Cameron nodded. Austin said, "As long as Cameron agrees." Both Cameron and Elijah were a bit speechless. The three of them left the park together. Outside the park was amercial street with all kinds of restaurants. 18:16 Sat, 24 May Cameron and Elijah walked slowly to match Austin''s pace. Cameron asked, "What do you want for lunch?" Before Elijah could answer, Austin smiled and said, "I''ll eat whatever Cameron eats." Cameron felt really speechless, and Elijah was extremely puzzled. He looked at Austin and asked, "Austin, what''s wrong with you? Are you over- terrified?" Austin nced at Cameron with a smile, then looked at Elijah and said, "I''m fine." Elijah didn''t say anything more. Then he pointed at a taco restaurant ahead and said, "How about tacos?" Cameron nodded. "I have no problem with that." Then she turned to Austin and asked, "Austin, what about you?¡± Austin said, "I have no problem either." Cameron took a step back. "Austin, can you act normally? You''re making me feel ufortable." After a moment of silence, Austin nodded with a smile. The three of them went to the taco restaurant and chose a seat by the window. Elijah sat down, and Cameron also sat down. Austin sat down next to Cameron, poured her a ss of lemonade, and said attentively, "Are you thirsty? Have some lemonade." Chapter 297 Cameron took the lemonade and then thanked Austin. Austin smiled and said, "You don''t have to." Elijah looked at the water kettle beside Austin, which was on the opposite side of him, and then said, "Austin, do you mind pouring me a ss of water?" Austin handed the kettle to Elijah. "Do it yourself." Elijah nodded and didn''t think there was anything wrong with that. The waiter brought the menu. Austin took it and asked Cameron, "Cameron, what do you like to eat?" Cameron replied, "I''m not picky. Anything is fine." Anything is fine. "Austin then ordered the dishes and ced the menu in front of Cameron. "Take a look. Do you like these?" Cameron nodded and then passed the menu to Elijah. ¡°Elijah, it''s your turn to order." When Elijah was ordering food, Austin stared at Cameron without blinking Austin had a pair of very beautiful eyes. His amber eyes stared at Cameron with a smile, making Cameron feel a little ufortable. Cameron rubbed her arms. "Austin, could you please stop looking at me like that?" Austin said, "Cameron, you''re really handsome." Cameron''s handsomeness was different from that of an ordinary man. Her handsomeness was more delicate and had a feminine beauty. Cameron didn''t respond to Austin. Elijah frowned. "Austin, if you said that to a girl, this would be sexual harassment." But Austin seemed not to have heard Elijah''s words and just kept staring at Cameron without blinking. Elijah softly cleared his throat. Cameron looked at him. Elijah gestured with his eyes for Cameron to look at Austin and then tapped his head, indicating that there was something wrong with Austin''s mind. The tacos and other dishes were served. Austin put a piece of fried chicken on Cameron''s te and said, "Try it." Cameron said, "Thank you, Austin. You don''t need to take care of me. I can do it myself." Austin put a corn chip on her te. "Cameron, have a taste." Cameron suddenly didn''t feel hungry anymore. She wanted to run away. Elijah frowned. "Austin, Cameron is not a child. She doesn''t need you to take care of her." Austin said, "I''m not hungry," Elijah was at a loss for words and continued to eat Austin kept putting food on Cameron''s te. Before Cameron could stop him, her bowl was piled high with food. Cameron looked at Austin. "Austin, I understand. You''re grateful to me for saving you. But actually, you don''t have to. Because I made 600 thousand dors with that action just now." Although Cameron didn''t n to im that money, she thought that telling Austin about it might make him feel less burdened. 18.16 Sat, 24 May "600 thousand dors?" Elijah was shocked. Cameron said, "The man just now was a criminal on the run. The police offered a reward of 600 thousand dors for his capture." Talking about this, Elijah asked curiously, "Cameron, how do you know how to use a gun?" Cameron was silent for a few seconds and casually made up an excuse. "We all liked to y y with toy guns when we were kids, didn''t we?" Elijah thought her reply was not very convincing. There was a big difference between ying with toy guns and using a real gun. Cameron didn''t seem to b¨¦ just a gun yer since she had urately hit the criminal''s wrist so quickly. Someone without professional training couldn''t do that. But since Cameron didn''t want to talk too much about it, Elijah didn''t ask any more questions. Austin stared at Cameron with a glimmer in his eyes. "Cameron, you''re really amazing. You know so many things." Cameron was really surprising. She was much more powerful than he had imagined and was so kind to him. Austin looked at Cameron with admiration in his eyes. He didn''t think Cameron was just his kind now. She was his leader. Chapter 298 Cameron gave Austin & smile. She had lived for a thousand years if he didn''t have some skitts, i would be orderable Elijah sald, ¡°Let''s keep what happened today only to the three of u, okay?" If this matter got spread, it might bring some trouble to Cameron Austin then replied to Elijah, "This is a secret between us and Cameron." Cameron smiled. She didn''t really care. Austin stood up. "Sorry, I got to go to the restroom." Cameron nodded. Austin walked towards the restroom. He went into a cubicle and called Vincent, "Transfer 30 grand to me immediately." Vincent replied respectfully, "Okay. Are you all right, Mr. Austin Fraser?" Austin''s voice was t. "Don''t worry. I''m fine." Vincent asked, "Mr. Austin Fraser, you didn''te backst night. Will you go back to Fraser Viter?" Austin said, "Of course. I''ll bring someone back with me." Vincent asked, "Who are you going to bring back?" Austin said, "You''ll knowter." Then he hung up the phone. After a dozen seconds, he received a message from the bank that his anonymous ount had received 30 grand, which Samuel couldn''t trace. Austin went to the front desk to pay the bill and then returned to his seat. Cameron and Elijah had already finished eating. Cameron looked at Austin. "Austin, you haven''t eaten much. Eat more. There was a smile in Austin''s amber eyes. "Thank you for your concern." Cameron stood up and went to the front desk to pay the bill, but was told that it had already been paid. She returned to her seat and asked Austin in surprise, "Did you pay the bill?" Austin nodded. Cameron was a bit puzzled since Austin clearly didn''t have the money for a taxist night. Maybe his family had given permission for his bank card. Elijah said, "Next time, it''s on me." Friends should reciprocate. Austin didn''t eat much and put down his knife and fork. The three of them walked back to Noble Vista. Elijah looked at Cameron. "Shall we go back to school togetherter?" Just as Cameron was about to nod, Austin said, "Cameron, I need your help with something." Cameron asked, "What is it?" Austin stared at Cameron and asked, "Can we talk alone?" Cameron thought for a moment and nodded. Then she said to Eish, up, ve you a Ehich agreed. Cameron and Austin went back to Cameron''s house. Cameron pointed at the s arid cald, "Have a seat? Then she took out two bottlen at sende h?rn that refrigerator and handed one to Austin. "Is soda okay?" "Thank you." Austin took it. Cameron sat down opposite him and asked, "What do you need my help with?¡± Austin stared at Cameron, let out a soft sigh, and said, "Cameron, actually, I faked my illness. I''m not sick." Cameron slowly took a sip of soda and looked at Austin in surprise. In fact, she had known that Austin was faking his illness since the first day she met him. But Cameron didn''t expect Austin to confess this to her. They had only known each other for a little over a month, and Austin had told her such a private matter. Cameron was really surprised. Cameron thought, ''Is it because I saved him just now that he''s opening up to me?'' Austin looked at Cameron sincerely. "Sorry, Cameron. I hid this from you." Cameron shook her head. "You must have your reasons." Austin nodded. "You''re right. Do you want to know?" Chapter 299 Cameron fell silent. Austin seemed eager to tell her about his background, but she wasn''t really interested, She didn''t want to get involved in othe people''s family affairs. But Austin started talking. "I''m an illegitimate child," Austin said. Austin''s first sentence left Cameron stunned. Austin continued, "My father is a jerk. He hid the fact that he was married from my mother. He gave my mother a check to abort me when she was pregnant. But my mother didn''t do as he wished." He candidly revealed his family background. Cameron thought that things within wealthy families were tooplicated and felt a bit sorry for Austin. He smiled so brightly and handsomely, with a dimple on his right cheek, yet he grew up like that. There was sadness and hatred in Austin''s eyes. "For the so-called family bloodline, they made me live in fear like an ant, and they indirectly caused my mother''s death," Austin said, clenching his fists. "I hate them." When he became powerful, he would make all of them pay for their actions. "Austin..." Cameron didn''t know how tofort Austin for a moment, and she also knew thatfort wouldn''t be of any use. Austin continued, "Cameron, I really don''t want to stay in that home for even a second. But I have to go back." Cameron sighed. "Austin, when you graduate from high school, if you get into a college far away from home, you can escape their control." "A college far away from home?" Austin shook his head. "Cameron, I have no say in it. My eldest brother, Samuel, ordered me to apply for Viremont College of Music." Samuel hoped that Austin would be unambitious and just y music, so that he wouldn''t interfere with thepany''s operation at all. Austin had pretended to be in poor health, but Samuel and his mother were still on guard against Austin to ensure he wouldn''tpete with Samuel with the inheritance at all. Cameron had never expected that Austin''s situation would be so difficult. After all, Austin was still a child. No wonder even when Austin smiled at Cameron before, Cameron couldn''t feel any warmth. His heart was probably as cold as ice. Austin said, "Cameron, these things aren''t important. I have to go hometer, but I''m afraid to go back alone." Cameron looked at him. "What do you mean?" Austin said, "Cameron, can you go home with me?" Cameron was a bit taken aback. She thought it wasn''t very appropriate for her to go to Fraser Vi. Austin said, "Cameron, I don''t mean anything else. I was kicked out of my homest night. They will definitely make things difficult for me when I go back today. But if there''s a guest, they''ll be more restrained. Is that okay?" However, Austin wasn''t really that afraid of Samuel and his mother. He just wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to Cameron. Before, his mother was the nicest person to him in the world. Then, his mother had left him, and now Cameron was the kindest person to him. Austin wanted to hold onto Cameron tightly. After hearing nodded. "All right. Cameron Immediately thought of the p mark on Austin''s face t that she h had seenst Sunday She was silent for a while and Austin was really pitiful. He had no choice about his birth, and he couldn''t even live as he wished. A smile appeared on Austin''s face. "Cameron, thank you." Cameron said, "Don''t take those medicines anymore. They are harmful to your body." Austin nodded. "Don''t worry. I haven''t t taken themtely." One dosests half a year. Those he medicines s could for half. couldn''t deceive Samuel and his mother. be effective year. After half a year, when his body gradually got better, he would have to take those medicines again, or ¥Ý¥¹¥È ¥¶ AD Chapter 300 hapter 300 Cameron nodded and then asked, "What time do you n to go back?" Austin said, "If you''re free now, we can go back right away." Cameron stood up. "Okay. Just give me a second." She went back to her room, changed into her school uniform, and picked up her shoulder bag. She nned to go directly to school from Fraser Manorter. As Cameron walked out, she sent a message to Elijah. Cameron: [Sorry, Elijah. I have something to doter and can''t go back to school with you Elijah: (It''s alright. See you at school.] "Let''s go, Austin." Cameron casually put her phone in her pocket. Austin stared at Cameron with a smile in his eyes and said, "You''re really chill." Cameron didn''t know how to respond, so she remained silent. Austin added, "The earring in your ear looks great. It''s really cool" Cameron touched the obsidian earring and didn''t exin much. She just nodded. "Thank you." Then she reminded, "Don''t forget your things." Austin waved his phone. This was everything he had. The two went out together. While waiting for the elevator, Austin said, "Cameron, you can call me more intimately." Cameron was taken aback for a moment and then nodded. The two took a taxi directly back to Fraser Vi. The Fraser family was quite famous in Viremont. Their vi was built as splendid as a castle and covered arge area. Cameron and Austin got out of the taxi. The beautiful vi didn''t stir up much emotion in Cameron. Austin coughed again and put on a weak expression on his pale and handsome face. He looked at Cameron and said, "Let''s go." He was about to take Cameron in, but they were stopped by the security guard at the door. "Mr. Austin Fraser, may I ask who this is?" The security guard sized Cameron up and down. Cameron was wearing her school uniform, so the security guard didn''t see anything strange. Austin coughed weakly a few times and then said, "This is my ssmate." But the security guard still didn''t move aside. Instead, he said, "Mr. Austin Fraser, you know that Mr. Austin Fraser doesn''t want you to bring irrelevant people home." The security guard''s words made Austin''s already pale face turn even paler. Austin didn''t have any friends. When he was in primary school, he made a good friend. Young Austin was very happy and brought his ssmate home. As a result, Samuel got really angry and scolded both him and his ssmate. In the end, that child left crying. Later, he actively avoided Austin. Since then, Austin had kept a distance from everyone. Friends were a luxury to him. Back then, he couldn''t protect his little friend. At this moment, even a security guard wanted to humiliate Cameron. Austin''s face dropped. "Are you deaf? I said he is my ssmate. What do you mean by irrelevant people?" Even though he knew Austin was angry, the security guard wasn''t afraid at all. In this family, except for Vincent, no one regarded Au the Fraser family. They all treated Austin like a bastard, as Samuel had ordered them to. The security guard said expressionlessly, "Mr. Austin Fraser, Mr. Fraser has instructed not to let you bring outsiders back. I don''t think you want to make Mr. Fraser unhappy, do you?" Austin clenched his fingers. This was another humiliation from Samuel. Noticing Austin''s anger, Cameron, who had been silent, reached out and patted his shoulder. "Cameron..." Austin''s face was very pale. He didn''t expect that bringing Cameron home would make Cameron suffer humiliation from a security guard, It was as if a knife had been stabbed into Austin''s heart, and the pain spread throughout his body. AD Chapter 301 Cameron sneered. "Aus, the watch dog guarding your house hasn''t been disciplined enough. He even dares to bite its master. Cameron understood exactly how Austin felt at the moment, because in her previous life, she had lived the same life as Austin. In the past, Cameron''s slightest mistake would incur a severe beating from Martin. Over time, even the maids in the house knew that Cameron was unpopr, so they treated Cameronpletely differently from Milena. Cameron could empathize with Austin. Since Austin had asked her toe, and he trusted her so much, she should do something. Hearing this, the security guard was stunned for a moment and then angrily pointed at Cameron. "You brat, do you want a beating?" Cameron red at him with contempt. "I really don''t see you have the guts to do so." The security guard didn''t expect Cameron to provoke him. Having been a security guard for the Fraser family for a long time, those who wanted to curry favor with the Fraser family outside would often try to please him, making him think highly of himself. He immediately punched Cameron. "You''re asking for it." "Cameron!" Austin eximed. Cameron pushed Austin aside with one hand, grabbed the security guard''s arm, and lifted him into the air, throwing him heavily to the ground. The security guard immediately rolled on the ground in pain. Cameron sneered. "Sorry, but you started this. It was self-defense, but it seems I used too much force. I''m so, so sorry." The security guard was still rolling on the ground, and his internal organs ached terribly. The other security guards standing by were stunned by this seemingly thin but incredibly strongd. This wasn''t the first time Austin had seen Cameron beat someone. Cameron had beaten Xander up just as cleanly before. At the moment, seeing the security guard who had been swaggering in front of him lying on the ground, Austin couldn''t help but burst intoughter. Cameron was really amazing. "Cameron, let''s go." Austin looked much more rxed. The two entered the gate together. Austin lived alone in a small vi at the back. He led Cameron through the garden. The security guard on the ground finally got up and clutched his chest. "Hurry up and inform Mr. Fraser." Cameron and Austin walked on the cobblestone path in the garden. Cameron said, "Austin, you''d bettere home as little as possible in the future." Even the security guard at the door dared to be so disrespectful to Austin, let alone the others in the house. Cameron really couldn''t imagine what kind of life Austin had in this family. When she was in the Wace family, those three people at least took into ount her engagement with Amelia. But Austin''s rtives just wanted to kill him. He waspletely helpless. Of course, this was just Cameron''s guess. If Austin had someone to rely on in this family, the security guard wouldn''t have treated him like that. Austin smiled and said, "Cameron, I still want you to call me Aus." Cameron was speechless. She thought his focus was a bit strange. It was just a nickname, but he cared so much about it. 18:17 Sat 24 May A few minutester, the two arrived at the vi where Austin lived. On the way, they met several maids. They all expressionlessly greeted Austin with "Hello, Mr. Austin Fraser", Cameron frowned, but Austin was used to it. When they reached the living room, Austin said to Cameron, "Cameron, have a seat. What would you like to drink?" "No, thanks," Cameron waved her hand and then said, "Do we need to go to the main building and greet your family?" This was the meaning of Austin bringing her back. Austin nodded. "You bastard. You''re not allowed to bring anyone back, remember? Didn''t you hear what I said?" A cold and arrogant voice sounded at the door of the vi. Waler AD Comment Chapter 302 Upon hearing the voice, Austin instinctively showed a look of disgust, but quickly suppressed it. He looked coldly at the personing and said, "Samuel." "You don''t deserve to call my name or to be my younger brother. I don''t mind you putting on an act in front of Grandpa, but when he''s not around, call me Mr. Fraser. Can''t you understand what I''m saying?" Samuel said. Samuel walked in quickly, with a look of disgust and hatred on his face. Samuel was 23 years old, five years older than Austin. He was wearing a white shirt and ck trousers, dressed in a professional manner, and was six feet one tall, with a handsome appearance. It seemed that the genes of the Fraser family were really good. Last year, Samuel graduated from university and took over thepany''s affairs. Seeing that Austin was about to graduate from high school, and thinking that Austin might also enter thepany and divide his property in the future, Samuel had been targeting Austin more and more recently. He would explode over any small thing. Now that Samuel had caught the opportunity, he naturally wouldn''t let Austin go. Samuel held a whip, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He said, ¡°You dare to bring anyone home. Have you forgotten the family rules of the Fraser family? Although you, you bastard, have the blood of the Fraser family, you''re as shameless as your slutty mother. You should be disciplined." As Sam¨²el spoke, he whipped towards Austin. The sound of the whip breaking through the air was terrifying. If the whipnded on someone, it would definitelycerate the person''s skin. However, Samuel didn''t get his way. The whip was intercepted by Cameron in mid-air. Austin was almost shaking with anger. He could endure everything except the insult to his mother Samuel had insulted his mother again, and every cell in Austin''s body was screaming to kill Samuel. His mother was innocent, self-reliant, and self-loving. The shameless person was their father, Jeremy Fraser. "Get your dirty hands off my whip!" Samuel didn''t expect that the person Austin brought back would dare to block his whip. He was shocked and looked at Cameron disdainfully, sizing her up and down. The young man was wearing a school uniform, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a delicate and clean face and a thin figure, looking weak. However, Cameron was able to catch his whip. Samuel sneered. Even so, no one in this family could stop him from beating Austin. Austin was like a punching bag of the Fraser family. Samuel could kick him whenever he was unhappy. Cameron didn''t loose her fingers and said coldly, "So this is what the eldest son of the Fraser family is like. You''re dressed neatly yet swear. "With your poor manners, the huge Fraser family will be in trouble when it''s handed over to you in the future," she added. Cameron had to be tough. She couldn''t let Austin''s years of forbearance and her eighteen years of forbearance in the Wace family be in vain. Cameron''s words obviously stunned Samuel. 1817 91.22 MY As the eldest son of the Fraser family, he had received a lot of ttery, and almost no one dared to question him. Cameron was one of the few- After being stunned, Samuel showed a sinister expression. "You, boy, are quite brave to challenge me. You''re standing up for Austin, right? Let''s see if yoki have the guts!" Samuel threw away the whip in his hand, pped his hands, and then shouted, "Pearli" A huge tiger walked into the living room with a leisurely pace and then let out a howl, making the whole living room seem to tremble. Austin''s face changed suddenly, and he immediately protected Cameron behind him. "Mr. Fraser, my ssmate didn''t mean to offend you. I apologize for him. I''m sorry!" Chapter 303 Austin didn''t even have time to be touched that Cameron had saved him again. if that whip hadnded on him, he wouldn''t be able to go to school today. However, to his surprise, the act of Cameron protecting him annoyed Samuel, and he actually called in Pearl. Pearl was a fierce tiger that Samuel kept. It was huge and taller than a person when it stood up. Its tiger eyes were filled with a terrifying, fierce aura. Austin had been pounced on by it before and couldn''t move at all when pinned to the ground. The feeling of being on the verge of death made him suffocate. Just thinking of that scene made the hair all over Austin''s body stand on the edge. He couldn''t let Cameron get hurt, so Austin instinctively stood in front of Cameron. "You want to apologize now?" There was mockery on Samuel''s handsome face. "It''s toote." Austin retreated instinctively and shouted, "Cameron, run!" But Cameron pulled Austin aside and sneered, "Austin, easy. It''s just a tiger. Don''t be afraid." Austin was even more shocked. Cameron actually wanted to deal with a man- eating tiger. Although Samuel had been keeping this tiger, he had been feeding Pearl live animals. That was to say, besides obeying Samuel''s orders, this tiger was a highly aggressive beast. Just having a huge beast in front of him was enough to make people tremble. Samuel didn''t expect that Cameron wasn''t afraid of his Pearl at all. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You have some guts." Samuel leisurely sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs. He looked at Cameron coldly. "Pearl, that''s your dinner." Upon hearing the order, Pearl let out a low growl. Its eyes slowly turned to Cameron. It crouched slightly, ready tounch an attack on Cameron. Austin stepped in front of Cameron again. He roared, "This is against thew. Make Pearl stop." Samuel sneered disdainfully. "Austin, if you want to die too, feel free to stop it." Austin still shielded Cameron. Seeing that Samuel wouldn''t change his mind, he didn''t have time to plead with Samuel. Austin shouted, "Cameron, run away now!" The moment Austin finished speaking, Pearl leaped forward, opened its huge mouth, and pounced towards Cameron. "Get out of the way!" Cameron pushed Austin away. Austin fell to the floor. At the same time, Cameron sidestepped, and Pearl pounced on thin air. Pearl stared at Cameron tightly and let out a low growl. Samuel watched all this with a sneer, looking quite interested. "Cameron..." Austin got up and was about toe over immediately. Cameron raised her hand to stop him. Her eyes also stared at Pearl without blinking. Just before Pearl was about to jump and pounce again, Cameron let out a growl simr to that of a beast. Pearl also kept growling. It seemed that they weremunicating. Austin stared at Cameron nkly and then looked at Pearl. Samuel also stood up from the sofa in disbelief and frowned as he stared at Cameron. "What are you doing?" Cameron ignored him. She confronted Pearl for a while until Pearl suddenly let out a whine and quickly walked up to Cameron, rubbing its big furry head. against Cameron''s knee. AD Chapter 304 "Good boy." Cameron raised her hand and rubbed Pearl''s head. The action was as if she were touching a docile cat. And at this moment, Pearl actually acted like a cat. It rubbed against Cameron a few more times and theny down at Cameron''s feet. Austin and Samuel were stunned. Austin was extremely shocked. He had never expected that Cameron would tame an adult tiger in just a few minutes He even suspected that he was having a hallucination because it was almost an impossible thing. Then, Austin was once again amazed by Cameron. He hadn''t yet recovered from the shock of Cameron being able to shoot at rioon, and now he found that Cameron could tame a beast. Austin looked at Cameron with his amber eyes, full of adoration. Samuel was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out. The Pearl that he had raised since it was a cub was being so affectionate to a stranger. Even he, the master, didn''t dare to be so close to Pearl. After all, tigers had their wild nature, and if they went berserk, Samuel could lose his life. So, Samuel couldn''t believe how this thind in front of him had tamed his Pearl. Samuel red at Cameron angrily. "What did you do to my Pearl?" Before Cameron could say anything, Pearl stood up from beside Cameron''s feet and stared fiercely at Samuel. Samuel was shocked by that fierce stare. His legs went so weak that he copsed onto the sofa. He thought, ''Pearl... Does my Pearl want to bite me to death? But I''m its master.'' Cameron raised her hand and rubbed Pearl''s head. "Good boy. He doesn''t deserve you to be so irritated." Pearl rubbed against Cameron''s lower leg and theny down tamely. If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, Samuel wouldn''t have believed that his Pearl was listening to Cameron like this. Cameron raised her eyebrows and looked at Samuel. "Mr. Fraser, name your price." "What price?" Samuel roared angrily. However, his roar made Pearl unhappy. Pearl stared fiercely at him, and Samuel had to put away his anger a bit, but he was extremely upset. To be more urate, Samuel was extremely angry because the Pearl he had raised since it was a cub had betrayed him. Samuel thought, ''A beast is always a beast. It can never be truly tamed.'' A stranger tamed Pearl within several minutes, which made Samuel determined to kill it and peel its fur to make an outfit. Cameron rubbed Pearl''s furry head and said casually, "Mr. Fraser, Pearl has chosen its new master. So, you should sell it to me." Cameron had to take Pearl away. Pearl had betrayed Samuel. If it were left here, given Samuel''s brutality, Pearl would die miserably. Samuel wanted to snap at Cameron again, but when he looked up, he met a pair of beast eyes full of pressure. He was weak at the moment, and he couldn''t do anything to Cameron. Even if all the servants in the vi came to help Samuel, they weren''t a match for Pearl. So, Samuel could only endure for the moment. He paused and said disdainfully, "Can you afford it?" Cameron raised her eyebrows and asked, "Just tell me how much it is." Samuel looked at her with contempt and said, "When I bought this cub, it was two million dors. Now that it''s an adult, the price should be severat times higher. I''m asking for 10 million dors. Can you afford it?" People in the upper ss knew each other, and he had never seen Cameron before. This meant that Cameron came from an ordinary background, so Samuel didn''t fear her at all, and he was sure that she couldn''t afford Pearl. Chapter 305 Cameron sneered faintly and said, "10 million dors? You might as well rob a bank," Samuel replied her with a sneer and said, "If you can''t afford it, then name your price." Cameron said, "Thirty bucks." Both Samuel and Austin looked at her in shock. Not just Samuel, Austin, who had been silent by the side, also looked puzzled at Cameron''s counteroffer, Trying to buy an adult tiger for 30 dors sounded like Cameron was joking. Samuel red at Cameron. "Thirty bucks? Are you out of your mind?" At this moment, Pearl let out a howl, which startled the excited Samuel. Cameron stroked Pearl''s head to soothe it. "Mr. Fraser, I''ll give you three seconds to think about it. If you don''t agree, I''ll return Pearl to you right now. As for whether it will recognize you as its master, that''s your problem." "But right now, it seems to trust me more. Do you think it will let you experience being pounced on by a wild beast?" she added. Samuel was immediately enraged by her threat. "One." Cameron patted Pearl''s head, and Pearl stood up, looking coldly at Samuel. Samuel was so scared that he shrank his hands and feet, and a chill ran down his spine. He naturally knew how terrifying the wild beast he had raised was. So he immediately changed his mind and said, ¡°Alright, deal." At the same time, Samuel thought, ''This beast is so heartless!'' If he weren''t afraid of losing his life, Samuel would never havepromised. Cameron nodded in satisfaction. "Austin, please get me a piece of paper and a pen. I''ll write the sales contract." Austin couldn''t help but chuckle. The sight of Samuel being defeated made him happy. He didn''t expect that there was someone in the world who could get the better of Samuel. Austin put away his smile, nodded, and quickly brought the paper and pen. Cameron drafted the sales contract. Samuel reluctantly signed and put his fingerprint on it, selling Pearl to Cameron for 30 dors. Samuel looked at Cameron''s signature on the contract and said, "Cameron, are you from the Wace family whose engagement request was rejected by the Chapman family?" The reason Samuel knew about Cameron''s engagement with Amelia was that after Amelia broke off the engagement with Cameron, Jeremy hinted that he could marry Amelia. After Amelia graduated from high school, they could visit the Chapman family often. Cameron nced at him, neither admitting nor denying it. Samuel''s eyes were gloomy. He looked at Pearl with fear. Because Pearl was here, he didn''t dare to do anything to Cameron. Soter, he would go to the Wace family in person and teach Cameron a lesson. Samuel didn''t want to waste time on Austin anymore. He snorted and left. Cameron put away the contract with satisfaction. Austin looked at Cameron worriedly. "Cameron, I''m really sorry that you offended Samuel because of me. He has a strong sense of revenge, I''m afraid Cameron shook her head. "Don''t worry. He can''t do anything to me." Even though Samuel had a strong sense of revenge, Cameron, who had no rtives or friends, wasn''t afraid of any revenge from him. Austin looked at Pearl. He was still a bit afraid and didn''t dare to get too close to Pearl. "Cameron, what are you going to do with Pearl?" Cameron stroked Pearl''s furry head and said, "If I want to keep it, I have to go to the Forestry Bureau to get a permit for keeping such a rare wild animal Austin reminded her, "But you have to go to school." Cameron nodded. "You''re right. So I n to send it to a zoo for temporary care." Austin said helplessly, "In that case, why did you buy it?" AD Chapter 306 As Austin spoke, Pearl nced at him. Austin immediately took half a step back in fear. Cameron rubbed Pearl''s head. "Pearl, Austin is my friend. You can''t be so fierce to him. You''ll scare him." Hearing her words, Pearl rubbed against Cameron''s lower leg obediently, and its gaze towards Austin became gentler. Austin murmured, "Friend..." Cameron regarded him as a friend. He could have such a precious thing now. Austin felt his cold heart was touched, and even his blood became warmer. Cameron said, "I don''t take Pearl with me, Samuel will definitely torture it to death." Austin didn''t hear what Cameron said at all. He looked at Cameron eagerly and asked nervously, "Cameron, are we friends?" Cameron countered, "Aren''t we?" Austin nodded vigorously. "Of course we are! We''re friends!" A charming smile bloomed on his handsome face with a strong mixed-race look. Cameron was puzzled. She didn''t know what she had said to make Austin so gleeful. Cameron said, "You go and pack your things. I have to go to the zoo now." "Okay." Austin nodded with a smile. While Austin went upstairs to pack his things, Cameron looked down at the huge Pearl and didn''t know how to take it to the zoo. If she showed up on the street with Pearl, it might cause amotion. It was impossible for her to take Pearl to a taxi. The driver would probably faint in fear. Even Austin, who often saw Pearl, was so afraid of it, and ordinary people would be even more scared. Cameron thought for a while and finally called Bradley. After ringing several times, Bradley answered the phone. "Hello." Bradley''s voice was gentle but a bit tired. Cameron stroked Pearl''s furry head with one hand and asked softly, "Are you free now?" Bradley said, "I''ve just finished my work." Cameron said, "Can I ask you a favor?" Bradley said, "Sure." Cameron said, "But you haven''t asked me what it is yet." Bradley chuckled. "What is it?" Cameron asked, "Do you have a car with a spacious back seat?¡± Bradley said, "Yes. When do you need it?" Cameron said, "Right now." Bradley replied, "I''m at thew firm now. You''ll have to wait for a while." Cameron said, "Alright. As long as I can get back to school on time. I''m at Austin''s house now." It was a little past three in the afternoon. The evening self-study started at 6:50 pm, and she should have enough time. Bradley said, "You''re at Fraser Vi? Why did you go there?" Cameron said, "It''s a long story." Bradley asked, "Do you want me to pick you up at Fraser Vi?¡± Cameron said, "Yes. I need you to help me transport an adult tiger to the zoo." Bradley hesitated for a moment and then said, "What did you say? A tiger?" Cameron said, "You heard me right." Hearing this, Bradley fell silent. Cameron smiled. ¡°Brad, are you scared? It''s okay. You just need to drive the car here." Bradley''s voice was calm. "I''ll drive the car to your ce. Send me your location." Cameron said, "Okay. I''ll wait for you here." When Austin came downstairs, Cameron just hung up the phone. Austin was a bit surprised. "Brad ising?" É« Comment Send gift AD Chapter 307 Cameron stroked Pearl''s head and said, "I asked him to drive over and help take Pearl to the zoo." Austin nodded slightly and then sat down on the single sofa opposite Cameron. His amber eyes stared at Cameron quietly. After considering for a moment, he asked, "Cameron, do you get along with Brad?" Cameron nodded. "Brad has helped me a lot." Austin pursed his lips slightly. He raised his hand and ruffled his golden, short hair. Not looking at Cameron anymore, he asked, "In Room 316, you have the best rtionship with Brad, right?" Cameron nodded indifferently. Austin lowered his eyes and fell silent. 7 Cameron was his only friend, while she had many friends. He wasn''t Cameron''s best friend. Then, Austin thought he was being too greedy. As long as Cameron recognized him as a friend, that was enough. Austin slowly smiled. Cameron''s attention was all on Pearl, and she didn''t notice Austin''s little mood. She thought, ''What if Brad''s afraid of Pearl when he arrivester? Who will drive?'' Cameron didn''t have a driver''s license for now, and Austin wasn''t an adult, so he didn''t have one either. Calling a chauffeur wasn''t practical. This was a problem worth thinking about. An hourter, Bradley drove a business car with a spacious back seat and arrived at the gate of Fraser Vi. Cameron and Austin came out with Pearl. The security guards at the gate still didn''t show any respect when they saw Cameron and Austining out. But when they saw Pearl following behind Cameron, they widened their eyes and quickly stepped back. Because they stepped back too quickly, they fell down. Several of them tripped over each other, looking a bit funny. After falling, they scrambled into the security room beside them and closed the door and windows tightly. Cameron and Austin were both a bit speechless. Pearl nced at the security guards disdainfully and then ignored them. Bradley got out of the car and immediately saw the tiger following behind Cameron. This huge adult tiger had healthy and beautiful fur. Its color was an extremely rare white, and itszy steps carried a strong sense of oppression. Ordinary people would be scared out of their wits in front of it. Given its white fur, this tiger was worth at least three million dors. Bradley raised his hand to adjust his sses. His deep eyes just nced at Pearl and thennded on Cameron. Bradley had been too busy these two days and hadn''t seen Cameron. Cameron was wearing the school uniform, and she still had the obsidian earring he gave her in her ear. After not seeing her for a few days, she didn''t seem to have changed. Cameron smiled at Bradley. "Brad.¡± Bradley was dressed in a white shirt, ck trousers, and ck handmade leather shoes, looking like an elite. He was tall and straight, and the gold- rimmed sses on his nose made his sharp eyes look much more refined. Bradley didn''t look like he was their age at all, and he seemed busy these days.. Cameron thought, ''This favor seems tiring to Brad. I should treat him to a meal anotiter day! Austin stood quietly by the side, surprised by the bright smile on Cameron''s face. Unfortunately, that smile wasn''t for him. Nevertheless, Austin politely greeted Bradley. Bradley nodded to him and then opened the door of the back seat. "Pearl, get in the car." Cameron walked over and stood in front of Bradley, afraid that Pearl would scare Bradley. Chapter 308 The back seat of the seven seat bulness areas very spacious. Following Cameron''s order, Pearl obediently got into the car, chines a row of seats, and man Foxtly by disin on the cothian: Austin said. "Cameron, can! sit in the passenger eat?" Although Pearl''s gaze towards Austin was kind now, Austin was still a bit afraid of Peart. After all, he had been attacked by it before Cameron nodded, and Austin got into the passenger seat. Cameron turned to look at Bradley and asked, "Brad, are you afraid?" Bradley said, "Not really." Cameron let out a sigh of relief. "Then can you drive?" Bradley said, "Of course." So Cameron got into the back seat, and Bradley got into the driver''s seat. She said to the tiger, "Pearl, that''s my friend Brad. Be nice to him, okay?" Pearl nced at Bradley and then looked away. Cameron sat beside Pearl and stroked its furry head. Pearl closed its eyes, enjoying it. Bradley saw that the person and the tiger were getting along quite harmoniously, and then started the car to go to the Viremont Zoo. He looked at Cameron through the rearview mirror. "Cameron, where did you get this tiger?" Cameron truthfully told Bradley what had happened. Bradley asked in surprise, "You know how to tame beasts?" Cameron nodded. "I know a little." Austin smiled and said, "Cameron, you''re being too modest. You tamed the king of beasts. It''s not just knowing a little." Cameron said, "It was just a coincidence today." Austin smiled again and didn''t say anything more. He knew that it was Cameron''s secret. He knew that Cameron had a lot of secrets. So even though he wasn''t Cameron''s best friend, Austin was special to Cameron because he knew many secrets that others didn''t know about her. Bradley said worriedly, "Cameron, you''ve offended Samuel." Cameron nodded. "I know." She didn''t regret it. If she had another chance to choose, she wouldn''t stand by and do nothing. Cameron hated domestic violence very much. She couldn''t just watch Austin being beaten in front of her. Bradley held the steering wheel and said, "Recently, stay at school and don''t go anywhere. Come back to Noble Vista with me on Friday." Cameron smiled and said, "Brad, you''re exaggerating. It''s not that serious." Austin agreed with Bradley. "Cameron, you don''t know how vengeful Samuel is. 1. s. Just listen to Brad. I''m sorry that you offended Samuel because of me Cameron said, "Aus, don''t me yourself. It''s my own business" Bradley turned to look at Cameron. This intimate address made Bradley wonder when Cameron and Austin had be to close. He had only been busy for a few days, and something he didn''t know had happened. The look in Bradley''s eyes behind the sses became dengar "Brad, what''s wrong?" Cameron noticed Bradley''s slightly unhappy expression. Bradley regained his calm and said, "Pearl is so obedient in front of you." Cameron stroked Pearl''s head and said, "It''s just like a cat." Bradley smiled and said, "You are right." More than an hourter, the three of them arrived at the zoo. The three of them arrived at the zoo. After some negotiation, the zoo was willing to ept Pearl. On the one hand, Pearl could be shown to the tourists, bringing profits to the zoo. On the other hand, Cameron was willing to pay 30 grand for the food expenses for a month. When Cameron was about to leave, Pearl rubbed against Cameron''s lower leg, begging her not to go. AD Chapter 309 Cameron squatted down and rubbed its head, saying, "Pearl, I have to go to school, and I can''t let you live with me. You stay in the zoo obediently, and I''e to see you when I''m on a break." Pearl was still reluctant to leave her, but Cameron had no choice but to leave it here. Pearl was a wild beast. Even if she didn''t go to school, she couldn''t let Pearl follow her, as it would scare the people around. If she really wanted to keep Pearl, first, she had to get a permit. Besides, she needed arge estate with mountains and water to keep Pearl like Samuel without affecting others. Now, she clearly couldn''t do that. There was another option, which was to let Pearl return to nature. But Pearl had been raised by Samuel since it was a cub, and it was afraid that it couldn''t adapt to the dangerous environment in the wild. So Cameron could only leave it in the zoo. "Be good. It''s just a few days, and I''lle to see you," she said. Pearl obediently entered the ss house built for wild beasts. Through the ss house, it quietly watched Cameron, Bradley, and Austin leave. After Cameron left the zoo, she turned around, but she couldn''t see Pearl anymore. Animals also had feelings. Cameron felt a bit ufortable for no apparent reason. Bradley said, "Cameron, you can keep Pearl, and I can help you get the permit." Cameron gave Bradley ¨¤ grateful look but shook her head. "Thank you, Brad, but no." Austin said, "Brad, it''s too troublesome to keep Pearl, and Cameron can''t keep Pearl in Noble Vista." I came arden Although Cameron''s house wasrge, 300 square meters with a garden, it was still too small for Pearl. Bradley didn''t say anything more and just opened the door of the passenger seat. "Get in the car." Austin said, "Brad, Cameron, and I will sit in the back." Bradley said, "I want Cameron to sit in the front." Austin was speechless. Cameron got into the passenger seat, fastened her seat belt, and looked at the gate of the zoo. Bradley saw her reaction and made a decision in his heart. He got in the car, started it, and said, "I''ll go back to Noble Vista to change my clothes, and then we''ll go back to school together." At the same time, Samuel led his gang to Wace Vi aggressively. Samuel kicked open the gilded gate of the Wace family. The maid, Emma Edwards, heard themotion and rushed out to check. She was stunned to see a group of fierce people with weapons break in. "Get out of the way!" A big and strong man pushed Emma aside. Emma was so scared that she trembled and didn''t dare to shout. She hid aside. It was Sunday, and the whole Wace family was at home. 14:03 Sun, 25 May, 21 MD They were all in a bad mood. It was all because of Cameron. Cameron got a bonus of 300 thousand dors and didn''t give it to them. And when they asked her to speak a few good words for the Young family in front of Elijah, which could bring rich rewards to the Wace family, Cameron refused. What''s more, when they asked Cameron to help with the cooperation between the Wace family and the Moore family, she ignored them. Now, without the support of the Chapman family, the Wace family''s days were getting harder, and they were on the verge of copse. Hearing themotion outside, the three of them were startled. Just as they were about to go ut and take a look, a group of people swaggered in Martin said, "Mr. Fraser? I didn''t know you wereing-" Martin knew Samuel. In fact, almost everyone in Viremont knew Samuel, the future heir of the Fraser family. Samuel plopped down on the sofa, crossed his legs, took out a cigarette pack, put a cigarette in his mouth, and his subordinate immediately lit it for him. "Smash up their house," Samuel said arrogantly. The Wace family was shocked. AD Chapter 310 The Wace family had no idea what Samuel''s sudden intrusion meant. However, before they could ask anything, in the shocked and questioning expressions of the three of them, the people Samuel brought began to smash things wildly. "What are you doing? You are breaking into a private house. I''m calling the police!" Milena shouted angrily. "Get out of the way!" A bodyguard pushed Milena down. "Millie!" Heidi quickly went to help Milena up. These people were ferocious, and if Millie, a little girl, shed with them, she would only get hurt. Heidi pulled Milena to a corner. Milena was so mad that she shouted, "Stop! Stop right now!" She thought, ''Why are these people smashing things in my house? Don''t they know this is against thew?'' Heidi covered Milena''s mouth to keep her from speaking. "Mr. Fraser..." Martin tried to talk to Samuel, but Samuel didn''t even look at him. Samuel''s bodyguard pushed Martin aside. "Fuck off, old man!" Martin was pushed to the ground. "Martin!" "Dad!" Milena and Heidi nervously helped Martin up. Martin looked very unhappy, but he didn''t dare to say anything more. Even though their home was being smashed, as long as his family was okay, it was eptable for him. Martin, with Milena and Heidi, huddled in a corner. They watched helplessly as everything in the living room was smashed to pieces. The three of them had no ability to fight back and didn''t dare to do so at all. Martin protected Heidi and Milena, looking extremely angry. Heidi cowered behind Martin, trembling. Milena was so scared that she started crying. Hearing Milena''s crying, Samuel looked at her irritably and saw her tear-stained face. Samuel said, "You ugly bitch still have the nerve to cry? You, give her a couple of ps and make her shut up." "Yes, Mr. Fraser." A bodyguard took the order and immediately walked towards Milena. Milena was stunned at first and then shrank behind Martin and Heidi in fear. "Dad, Mom, help." Milena was so scared that she was shaking all over. "Mr. Fraser..." Martin wanted to plead for Milena, but was kicked aside by the big bodyguard. The bodyguard said, "Fuck off." Heidi saw this and quickly closed her mouth. The bodyguard grabbed Milena''s arm and started pping her. He used so much force that just one p made Milena suffer a lot, several psaim made Milena faint. Milena didn''t even dare to cry anymore and just whimpered softly. There were p marks all over her face, and her face became red and swollen "Millie... Millie..." Martin and Heidi felt extremely distressed. Samuel sneered disdainfully. "p the other side of her face." That brat Cameron dared to oppose him, so he would hurt Cameron''s family. Since Cameron dared to buy his Pearl for thirty dors, Samuel would let Cameron taste his power. "Millie!" Heidi tried to stop it but was kicked aside by the bodyguard. Milena was pped several more times and didn''t even dare to whimper. She had been doted on by Martin and Heidi since she was a child and had never suffered such humiliation. Milena was almost knocked out by the ps. Heidi was heartbroken and cried as she ran up to Samuel. "Mr. Fraser, what did our family do wrong for you to treat us like this? My daughter is just a child!" Martin also asked, "Mr. Fraser, what exactly did we do to offend you?" Samuel flicked the ash off his cigarette and said disdainfully, "Do I need a reason to beat you?" AD Chapter 311 Martin, Heidi, and Milena stood there, jaws dropped in shock. They wondered, ''What the hell is going on? Samuel just stormed here to smash up our house-for no reason whatsoever?'' He took in the sight of the three, disheveled and shaken, then surveyed the wreckage around him. He gave a satisfied nod, turned on his heel, and swaggered out the door. Heidi copsed to the floor, clutching Milena in her arms. Sobs racked her body. "My poor Millie. Martin, we have to call the cops." "Are you crazy?" Martin barked, his voice cracking with desperation. "Do you have any idea who the Frasers are? We can''t mess with them!" The Wace family was already on the brink. They couldn''t afford to cross the Young family, let alone the powerful Fraser family. Heidi pointed at Milena''s bruised face, tears streaming down her own. "Look at what they''ve done! We''re just going to let them get away with this?" Martin''s shoulders slumped. Milena''s bruised face also distressed him. He wanted to fight back, but what could he do? In this cutthroat world, the weak got crushed. Everything had been fine once. When did it all start falling apart? Ever since Cameron refused to marry Amelia. If she''d just agreed to the surgery and had gone through with the engagement, the Wace family would be on top by now. Martin thought, ''It''s all that ungrateful girl''s fault!'' "Mom, Dad," Milena finally let out a wail now that Samuel was gone. "I can''t take this anymore!" Heidi pulled her closer, rocking her gently. "Shh, baby. It''s over now. Don''t say such things." Milena seethed inside, ''Why wasn''t Cameron here? If she had been, she''d be the one lying beaten on the floor right now.'' Cameron, Austin, and Bradley headed back to Langford Academy together. They grabbed dinner at the cafeteria and made it to ss just in time. The three split up in front of the school building. Austin locked eyes with Cameron and said, sounding a little sad, "Cam, I wish we were in the same ss." Austin was also in the STEM program, but while he was in ss 13, Senior Year, which did regr-level courses, Cameron was in ss 15 with Elijah, taking AP sses. Speechless, Cameron thought, ''Yeah, no thanks.'' Bradley just stared, looking confused. Bradley peered at Austin''s exotic face through his gold-rimmed sses. ¡°Since when are you so clingy to Cameron?" he asked. Austinughed it off. "Just kidding, Brad." Bradley gave him a look like he knew something, then turned to look at Cameron. "I''m gonna head to ss," Cameron said. She turned and walked away. Bradley and Austin watched her leave. Then Bradley asked, "Hey, Austin, are you feeling better these days?" 00 Lately, Austin had been showing up at school way more often. Usually, he''d skip half the month, but now he seemed to be around all the ame Bradley wondered, ''Is it because of Cameron?'' The thought made him frown a little. Austin grinned. "Thanks, Brad. I''m doing way better. If you''re good, I''ll head to ss." Bradley gave a quick nod. As Austin walked away, Bradley''s eyes stayed fixed on his back, lost in thought. When Cameron reached the ssroom door, someone practically tackled her. "Cameron, it took you long enough!" It was Xander, who''d stormed off earlier that morning. His usually ruggedly handsome face was now pale with worry. Cameron frowned. "What''s wrong?" Xander yanked her to the side. "Your family''s in trouble." She shook his hand off. "Keep your hands to yourself, okay? Just spit it out." Xander was almost hopping with urgency. "Are you kidding? This is serious! Samuel trashed your ce, and Milena, your parents-they''re all hurt!" AD Comment Chapter 312 "Really?" Cameron arched an eyebrow. The news caught her off guard, but it somehow made sense. Austin wasn''t kidding when he said Samuel held grudges. The guy clearly didn''t mess around. Cameron showed a faint smirk. Samuel didn''t waste any time, that was for sure. She hadn''t expected him to track down Wace Vi this fast. She guessed this was his payback and was d to see it. "Is that all you have to say?" Xander sputtered, his face turning red. "Aren''t you worried? Go home and check on your family-now!" The smile faded from Cameron''s face. She locked eyes with him. "Be honest. Are you here for me, or for Miler¨ªa? If it''s Milena you''re worried about, why don''t you go tofort her yourself?" Xander went silent. He''d found out about the attack Note Panicked, he''d immediately messaged her, offering to Frustration boiled over. In his rush, he''d forgotten all post on Milena''s Instagram-one that she''d set to be visible only to him. over. But once again, she''d shot him down. but their argument and raced to the ssroom to break the news. Cameron''s face was a nk te. "You may go," she said tly, then strode into the ssroom. Xander stood there, ck-jawed. He thought, ''Seriously? Cameron isn''t dashing home right away? How could someone be so cold-blooded? Those are his family! And why isn''t he panicking? I''m more worked up than him whose family is in trouble.'' Cameron plopped into her seat, grinning ear to ear. Elijah caught the smile and raised an eyebrow. "Xander brought you good news?" "Great news," Cameron said, still beaming. Elijah cracked a smile. "Congrats." "Thanks." Elijah could tell Cameron was over the moon. He thought, ''For once, Xander has done something useful. Just then, the bell rang, and Xander had no choice but to trudge back to the ssroom and texted Milena again. Xander: [Ms. Wace, I filled Cameron in. He''s stuck in ss right now, so he can''t swing by.] Milena: [Thanks, Mr. Murphy.] Xander: [Hey, after school-mind if I tag along with Cameron to Wace Vi? I''d like to check on you.] Milena''s eyes widened. She was sprawled in bed, icing her swollen face, when the message popped up. Startled, she shot upright. "Easy, Millie. Hold still," Heidi scolded, gently pushing her back down and holding the ice pack on her face. "Keep that ice on, or your face will still be puffy tomorrow." Taking a deep breath, Milena typed a reply: [I appreciate it, but I''m good. I just freaked Samuel mighte back. I''m terrified.] Xander: [Why not move to Cameron''s ce? That mansion in Noble Vista has tons of room.] Milena went silent. It wasn''t like they hadn''t tried. Cameron had cklisted them. They couldn''t even set foot within 0.6 miles of the gatedmunity. Milena: [Thanks, but I''ll pass.) Confused, Xander replied: [This doesn''t add up. Yeah, Samuel''s arrogant, but he usually has a reason. Did something go down between you guysri AD Comment Chapter 313 Milena: [He didn''t say a word. We seriously have no clue what we did to piss him off. Maybe he just can''t stand the sight of us.) Xander: [That doesn''t make sense.] Milena: [Mr. Murphy, my face really hurts. I need some rest. Thanks for your concern.] Xander: [Sure thing. I''ve got a ss starting soon. Take it easy.] Milena was speechless, thinking, ''Really? That''s it? Did Xander actually not get it, or was he ying dumb? I''m clearly hurting, and he didn''t intend to give me any gifts tofort me?'' ''When a girl''s upset, most guys will at least offer a gift-like a bag, some jewelry, or makeup. If not, a care package with tonics will do the trick. Even if said not toe, he could''ve sent someone else with the stuff. Milena sighed, thinking, ''All this time pretending to be Cameron, and I''ve gotten nothing in return. There''s no way I''d beg Xander for anything. That will be so embarrassing.'' After evening study hall ended, Cameron and Elijah walked back to the dorm together. The moment they stepped inside, Austin rushed off to Room 316. "Cam!" Austin beamed from ear to ear. Cameron gave a nod in reply. Elijah frowned at Austin. The guy looked like a total dork, grinning like that. Ever since Cameron saved him that morning, Austin hadn''t stopped looking at her with that goofy smile stered on his face. Elijah just rolled his eyes. Cameron dropped her textbook on her desk with a thud. "Does anyone need the bathroom? If not, I''m hopping in the shower." She always took forever in there. Elijah shook his head. "Good to go." Austin sidled up. "Cam, why not shower together? We''ll cut down on time." I can even help scrub his back,'' he thought. Cameron just stared at him, her expression somewhere between awkward and speechless. "Not a good idea?" Austin''s shoulders slumped. "Sorry, Austin. I''m not into sharing showers," Cameron said tly. Disappointed but still forcing a small smile, Austin replied, "Sure thing." As Cameron turned to the bathroom, the dorm door mmed open. "You little brat! I knew I''d find you here!" Xander burst in, out of breath. He''d just checked ss 15 and struck out. He didn''t expect to actually find Cameron back in Room 316. Cameron scowled. "Where else would I be?" "Home! Shouldn''t you go check on things?" Xander demanded. "Can you back off?" Cameron snapped. Xander stepped right up to her. "Cameron, don''t give me that! How can you be so cold hearted? With everything that''s gone down hon chilling here?" Cameron''s brows knitted so tightly they formed a deep crease. Enough was enough. Austin furrowed his brows. "Xan, what happened at..." Wham. Before he could finish, Cameronunched herself forward, striking Xander hard on the back of his neck. He crumpled instantly, crashing onto the floor with a bone-jarring thud. "Finally," Cameron muttered, stalking into the bathroom with a nk face. Elijah stared. Austin gaped. The two guys exchanged wide-eyed looks. "Eli, what do we do?" Austin hissed. "Just leave Xan here?" "He''s blocking the walkway, Drag him over there," Elijah said. "Got it." At about six feet two inches tall with solid muscle, Xander easily tipped the scales at around 176 pounds. The effort left Elijah and the weak Austin red-faced and panting. Just then, Bradley walked in, adjusting his gold-rimmed sses. "What the hell''s going on?" "Brad, give us a lift." Austin panted. The three of them grunted and heaved, finally shoving Xander to the side. Bradley stared down at the limp form, confusion written all over his face. 212 Chapter 314 Bradley''s eyes locked on Xander who was sprawling on the floor. "What the hell happened? We can''t just leave him here¡ªhe needs to go to the Infirmary." "Listen," Austin coughed awkwardly. "Don''t freak out, but Cam knocked him out." Bradley just stared, wondering, ''Cameron? Knocked Xander out? Why?'' His eyes scanned the dorm. Hearing the shower running, he asked, "He''s in there?" "Yup," Elijah grunted. Bradley frowned at Xander. "This won''t do." With Bradley barking orders, they shoved chairs together and propped Xander onto the makeshift bed. Cameron stepped out, towel-drying her hair. "Hey, Brad," she said casually. Bradley said, "You knocked Xander out." "He wouldn''t shut up," Cameron shrugged. Austin jumped in. "Cam, Xan said your family''s in trouble.". "Austin," Elijah cut him off. "Keep poking that bear, and you''re next." Austin''s mouth snapped shut. Cameron snorted, "Elijah, really? You think I''m that violent?" Elijah''s rare smile lit up his face. "Not at all." Austin watched that smile and somehow felt ill at ease. He wondered, ''Since when does Eli smile like that? He''s Mr. Ice-Cold. Seeing him beam like this made Austin feel that something wasn''t right. Cameron furrowed her brows at Xander lying on the chair. "Why leave him here?" Bradley grinned. "You really can''t stand him, huh?" "Constant headache," Cameron deadpanned. Every time Xander wanted to see Milena, he''d drag Cameron into his schemes. That alone was enough to drive her crazy. Otherwise, he wasn''t so bad. Austin groaned, "Cam, it took the three of us everything to hoist him onto that chair. He weighs a ton." Cameron sized Xander up. "Which dorm''s his?" "Next door, 315," Elijah replied. Xander had begged Tiana non-stop to move back in, but she only relented enough to shift him to the neighboring room. "Fine, I''ll get him back," Cameron said, slinging her damp towel over the chair. She crouched down, hauled Xander onto her back, and stood smoothly. It looked like she was carrying a sack of feathers. Bradley, Austin, and Elijah stared. 540 Mon ZO MUY "Cam, let me help you," Austin started. "I got it," she cut him off. Cameron slung Xander over her back and headed for Room 315 next door. Bradley, Austin, and Elijah trailed behind, figuring she''d need backup. But she just climbed the bunkdder and plopped Xander onto his mattress as if he weighed nothing. She even tucked the nket around him-though being a germaphobe, she left his shoes on. One of Xander''s roommates quickly kicked off his sneakers. "Hey, what''s up with Xander?" the roommate asked, looking worried. "Sacked out," Cameron said. Bradley, Austin, and Elijah were speechless. Back in their dorm, Cameron scrubbed her hands raw, then changed into fresh clothes. She flopped onto her bunk and grabbed her phone. There was a message from Austin: [Cam, is everything okay at home? I''m worried about you. No pressure to answer. I''m just checking in.) Cameron nced over at Austin, who was staring at his screen. She typed back: [No biggie. Samuel showed up at Wace Vi with some goons.] Austin''s reply popped up instantly: [Samuel? Shit! Cam, this is my fault.] She shot back: [Actually, I owe you one.] Austin sent a question mark. AD Comment Chapter 315 Cameron: [I cut ties with the Wace family ages ago. So, what do you think? Should I be pumped that Samuel''s stirring up trouble at Wace Wir Austin whipped his head around, eyes wide. He''d guessed Cameron''s move out meant a family blowup, but a full-on disownment? That was next level. He thought, ''Cam truly deserves to be my idol. Austin: (Okay, crisis averted then.] Cameron fired back an emoji. She yanked her bed curtain shut and flopped down to sleep. Bradley emerged from the shower to find the curtain drawn tight. He climbed into his own bunk and texted Cameron: (Still up?) Cameron: [Barely.] Bradley: [Got a sec?] Cameron: [Shoot.] Bradley: [Feels like I missed a whole drama these past few days.] Cameron: [Not really.] She''d already filled him in on what had happened in Fraser Vi. Bradley: [So, do you mind spilling why you knocked Xander out?] Cameron honestly gave the rundown. Bradley was at a loss for words. He couldn''t care less about the Waces. As long as Samuel left Cameron alone, who cared? Bradley: [Why''d Xander push so hard for you to go home?] Cameron: [He''s got too much heart.] Bradley was speechless. [He''ll probably throw a fit when he wakes up.]/ Cameron: [Knockout round two, then.] She wasn''t in the mood to deal. Bradley: [Use Ms. Murphy to put him in line.] Cameron: [If ites to that.] Bradley: [Time to crash. Night.] Cameron: [Night.] The next morning, a sharp pain jolted Xander awake, His eyes fluttered open to find Tiana ring down at him, nostrils ring with rage. Before he could react, she''d twisted his ear into a knot. "Ow! Aunt Tiana, cut it out! Let go, it''s killing me! Xander yelped, thrashing. She released him with a huff. "Hurts, huh? What part of my orders did you not understand?" she snapped. "I told you a million times-stay Cameron until after the SATS. But no, you had to keep pestering her! "If she bombs the SATS because of you, you''re out of Langford Academy. Pack your bags." Xander''s eyes bulged, and he roared, "That little troublemaker Cameron must''ve fed you lies!" from Tiana scoffed, ¡°Do you really think Cameron has time to tattle?" It was Elijah who''d ratted him out, figuring Xander would cause chaos once awake. He might as well strike first. "Then who snitched?" Xander demanded. "Does it matter?" Tiana shot back. "You broke the rules. Now grab your stuff. We''re going to the principal''s office for your transfer papers. "Wait, you''re actually serious?" Xander gaped. Her icy stare said it all. "Come on, Aunt Tiana. I''m not transferring," he pleaded, thinking, ''The SATS areing soon. I can''t transfer now! "You should''ve thought of that before ignoring my words. Move it." Xander threw his hands up. "You''re choosing Cameron over your own nephew?" "Looks like it." "Fine. I''m telling Mom and Dad!" "Go ahead. They coddle you, but I won''t. I''ll beat you up right in front of them if I have to." Xander slumped back, speechless. Chapter 316 Xander never thought Tiana would brush off both his pleas and excuses. She was royally pissed. Time to put on a pitiful act. "Aunt Tiana, I messed up big time. Cross my heart, I won''t go near Cameron again. Just cut me some ck, okay? The SATs are two months away. Transferring now would be a total nightmare." He clung to her arm, batting his eyes. "Not happening." Tiana''s tone brooked no argument. "Please, please, please! Just this once?" He gave his best puppy-dog act. Tiana arched an eyebrow. "Swear on your life you''ll leave Cameron alone?" Xander raised his hand. "Scout''s honor." "Fine. You''re out of the dorm." His brief relief vanished. "Where am I supposed to live then?" "My staff apartment''s a three-bedroom. I''ll clear out a room." Xander''s jaw dropped. "One more thing. No more setting foot in the boys'' dorm. I''ll have the dorm manager tail you 24/7." Xander was at a loss for words. When he stood there gaping, Tiana flicked his forehead. "Chop-chop! Pack your junk and move it." "Yeah, yeah." Xander slunk off, grumbling. ''Better than transferring,'' he supposed. But if he found out who ratted him out, that person was in for it. After the second period that morning, Cameron''s phone pinged with a bank alert. Her eyes widened at the message-a 600 thousand dors deposit had justnded in her ount. "Seriously?" she muttered, staring at the screen. With 20 minutes until the next ss, she stepped into the hallway, quickly dialing Ryan from the Municipal Criminal Police Brigade. "Hey, Cam! Cash hit your ount yet?" Ryan''s voice crackled cheerfully through the line. Cameron''s lips pressed into a thin line. ''So they are behind this,'' she thought. "Ryan, I got the money, but I can''t keep it," she said "Are you kidding? You earned every cent. Tuck it away," he replied. "Oh, and one more thing-where''d you learn to shoot like that?" The shootout had been such a blur that he''d only just thought to ask. Cameron froze. Ryan didn''t fall for half-baked excuses like Elijah and Austin did. "Ryan, do I have to answer that?" Cameron asked. Ryan paused, then chuckled, "No sweat. Keep it under wraps if you want, say, are you sure you don''t want to join the force? You''d bet loc "Thanks, but it''s really not my thing," she replied. Ryan shrugged it off. "Fair enough. Your call." Before Cameron could say more, the bell shrilled,fher to end the call. Right before the fourth period, Bradley''s message popped up: [Lunch today? Just us.) Cameron: [Just the two of us?) Bradley: [Yup.] Cameron: [Sure.] This was his first on-campus lunch invite. She wondered, ''He''s been swampedtely. Has he finally wrapped up his stuff?'' As the teacher stepped into the room, Cameron stashed her phone and flipped open her textbook. The bell rang for dismissal. Cameron stepped outside the room, and Xander pped her shoulder twice with a bit too much force. "Cameron. Not bad at all. That was some serious recognition you got. Let''s celebrate, yeah? Come on, I''ll take you to the best restaurant in Viremont." Elijah came up beside her. "Wanna go to the cafeteria together?" "Sorry, Eli. I''m meeting Brad," she said. Elijah froze, thinking, ''Since when does she have solo ns with Brad? Can''t I join them?" Before he could respond, she''d already crossed half the hallway. "Cam!" Austin jogged up. She looked at him with a nod. "Going to the cafeteria? Let''s grab food together," he offered. AD Comment Chapter 317 Cameron shed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Austin. I''m already meeting someone." Austin''s mouth opened, then snapped shut. He jogged to keep pace. "Who''s the lucky friend? Mind if I join you?" She stopped. "It''s Brad." "Come on, can''t I join?" Cameron just stared at him. "Cameron!" Bradley''s voice sliced through the hallway. She spun around. "Hey, Brad." In his blue uniform, he looked younger, almost carefree. His eyes flicked to Austin. "I didn''t expect to see you here." Austin nodded. "Do you think I can tag along?" Bradley nced at Cameron, then shook his head. "Sorry, man. We''ve got some stuff to hash out." Austin''s shoulders slumped. Cameron gave his arm a quick squeeze before falling into step beside Bradley. Elijah sidled up as they walked away. Austin watched them go, muttering, "Since when are they joined at the hip?" Elijah stayed silent, jaw tightening. Upstairs at the cafeteria, they imed a private room. As Cameron shut the door, she spotted Amelia at a table outside, surrounded by a new clique although Skyler had been expelled. With her family''s money, she''d always have followers. Cameron nodded. Amelia tipped her chin in return. Closing the door and sliding into a chair, Cameron asked, ¡°All wrapped up?¡± Bradley hummed in agreement and scanned the menu. After checking with her, he ced their order. "Xander didn''t bother you today, right?" he asked. "Not a peep." "Thank god for that." He let out a relieved sigh, gazing quietly at her. Cameron traced her fingertips across her cheek. "Brad, what''s on your mind?" Bradley leaned forward, his voice serious. "Getting mixed up in Austin''s family drama? Not your smartest move, Cam." She bit her lip, silent. With anyone else, she''d have turned a cold shoulder. But Austin''s story mirrored her own past too closely. Back then, when despair threatened to swallow her whole, a helping hand would''ve made all the difference. She refused to watch Austin spiral down the same lonely path. His tone softened, but the warning lingered. "Toote to back out now. Just brace yourself. Samuel trashed Wace Vi yesterday Once he an done with the Waces, he''lle after you next." "I''ve thought this through, Brad. Thanks for looking out." He studied her determined expression, frustration seeping into his sigh. "If things go south-no questions asked. Just let me know. H¨¦ wanted to protect her. The urge to shield her felt instinctive. Whenever trouble loomed, his first thought was putting himself between her and danger. Maybe that was just how deep real friendship ran. Bradley grew up with six brothers. They were his family, his crew-guys he''d known his whole life. So he never bothered making friends outside, But Cameron? He''d do anything to have her back. "I''ve got this, Brad," Cameron insisted. Bradley just grinned, thinking, ''Stubborn as ever." Down in the first-floor cafeteria, Xander bumped into Elijah and Austin. "Where''s that brat? Thought he''d be glued to you two," Xander said, craning his neck to peek behind them. Elijah''s brows knitted. He wondered, ''I talked to Ms. Murphy this morning. She promised to get Xander transferred. So what is he still doing here? it Chapter 318 Elijah didn''t actually care about getting Xander transferred. All he wanted was to keep him away from Cameron. Because of Milena, Xander had been hounding Cameron non-stop-first once, then twice, three times, four times... Cameron might have the patience to brush it off, but Elijah couldn''t stand by and watch. That was why he went straight to Tiaria, And now she''d gone back on her promise. Elijah gritted his teeth, staying quiet. Austin stepped in. "Xan, Cam''s grabbing food with Brad. Do you need something?" "Eating?" Xander scoffed. "With everything blowing up at home, he''s out having lunch? Talk about heartless." That did it. "Xander, cut it out!" Elijah snapped. Xander rounded on him. "What''s your problem?" Elijah grabbed his arm. "We''re talking. Now." The cafeteria was packed, with too many ears around. Some conversations needed privacy. He dragged Xander outside, into a deserted corner. "Guys, hold up!" Austin came running after them, eyes wide with worry. "Are you nuts?" Xander yanked his arm free. Elijah''s eyes turned cold. "The crazy one here is you, Xander! Do you have any idea why Cameron moved out of Wace Vi?" "Like I''d know." "He cut all ties with the Waces. For good." Xander gaped, speechless. He thought, ''Cutting off his own family? That only happens in soap operas. There is no way Cameron would do that.'' Austin nodded. "It''s true, Xan." That caught Xander off guard. Even Austin knew? Xander asked, "Why would he do that?" Elijah said, "Amelia called off the engagement. Without the Chapmans backing them, the Waces turned on him. They almost pushed him over the edge." Xander stared, thinking, ''Pushed him over the edge? You''re kidding. Cameron''s tough as nails. Who could break him like that?'' Austin frowned. "Eli, what are you saying? What really happened?" Elijah took a breath. "Remember those hotel photos? I found him on the ledge, ready to jump. I talked him down for hours. He treated me to dinner to say thanks and got drunk, and I had to get him a room to stay the night." "Cam tried to kill himself?" Xander''s voice cracked. His mind refused to piece it together. There was no way, but Elijah''s stone-cold expression told a different story. He stood there, speechless. Austin echoed, horror in his eyes, "Cam? Serjously?" He''d always seen Cam as unbreakable. He thought, ''How could someone that tough want to end it all?'' IVI 1120viay 162% Still, Elijah had no reason to make this up. A pang of hurt hit Austin hard. His life had been hell, but hearing the truth made his chest ache. Elijah''s re pinned Xander in ce. "You have no clue how much he suffered in that house. He finally escaped, and what do you do? Keep rubbing the Waces in his face, call him heartless. He can''t stand the sight of you right now." Xander bristled at the usations. "Well, he didn''t tell me!" "Did you ever think of asking?" Elijah shot back. Xander scoffed. "Sure, and I bet he just spilled his guts to you guys without you having to pry?" AD Comment Chapter 319 Dead silence. Austin stared at the floor, while Elijah''s jaw was set in a hard line. "Seriously?" Xander exploded. "You two knew, and Brad did too? I''m the only idiot in the dark? That little jerk..." Elijah cut him off. "You''re impossible." What was the point? Xander wasn''t sorry- just mad he''d been left out. Without another word, Elijah started to leave, then spun back. "Listen. This stays between us. Cam''s business is his own." His eyes bored into Xander "Got it?" Once Elijah was gone, Xander scoffed. "As if I''d b." Austin stepped forward. "Xan, this can''t get out. Promise me." He jogged after Elijah, leaving Xander alone. Fuming, Xander flopped onto the steps. He kicked a pebble so hard it skittered across the hallway. He thought, ''No wonder Cameron is always broke-cutting ties with the Waces meant no more safety. And his mood swings about Milena make sense now. Suicide? Pathetic.'' But then he remembered what he had done, and a sick feeling twisted in his gut. He thought, ''What kind of hell would drive someone tough like him to jump? Last night, the brat must''ve snapped and knocked me out.'' "Damn it," Xander groaned, burying his face in his hands. "What a mess I made." Truth be told, Xander genuinely liked Cameron-once you forgot he was Milena''s brother. Cameron was seriously talented, and let''s face it-everyone gravitates toward winners. Xander was no different. But now, realizing he''d hurt Cameron without meaning to, he didn''t know how he could ever look him in the eye again. "Xander, what''s going on?" Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. He and Cameron had just left the cafeteria when they spotted Xander slumped on the steps, hands over his face, groaning. Xander''s head shot up. Stunned at the sight of Cameron and Bradley, he was on his feet, bolting like he had a pack of wolves on his tail. He couldn''t bear the thought of facing Cameron. Cameron just stared. Bradley snorted. "Guess that smack you gave himst night really messed with his head, huh?" Cameron shrugged, thinking, ''Good. Maybe Xander will finally leave me alone.'' Tiana happened to walk by. Taking in the scene, she smiled, thinking, ''Finally, that troublemaker Xander got the message. This is perfect. He should run at the sight of Cameron, avoiding distracting Cameron from studying.'' Cameron and Bradley headed to the library for some reading. They rushed back to ss right before the bell rang and found a huge bag of snacks on Cameron''s desk. It was stuffed with every kind of treat imaginable. "Who dropped this off?" Cameron asked Elijah. "Xander," he replied. It must''ve been those words at lunch that did the trick. It looked like Xander was trying to make amends with the snacks. Cameron furrowed her brows. "What''s he doing buying me snacks?" This wasn''t his first stunt like this, Elijah shrugged. "He probably finally realized how out of bounds he was yesterday." Cameron gave a quick nod, not really bothered. She passed out the snacks to their ssmates. There was ho point letting them take up space on her desk. Comment ¥È Send gift Chapter 320 No Ads Elijah leaned in. "Xander should back off now," he murmured. Cameron twirled her pen and shrugged. "About time." Clearing his throat awkwardly, Elijah shuffled closer and whispered, "Listen, Cam, I need to apologize." "For what?" Cameron scooted away. He stopped moving closer, knowing better than to push it with her germi phobia. Sitting upright, Elijah tapped on his phone. Secondster, Cameron''s screen lit up. [Sorry, I told Xander you cut ties with the Waces.] "Is that why he sent snacks?" she asked. Elijah nodded. "My bad." Cameron waved it off, thinking, ''What does it matter? Brad already knows, and the whole world will find out eventually! Another ping. Elijah: [I also told them about the suicide thing. Really sorry.] Cameron just stared, thinking, ''Whatever. Let them believe what they want.'' The bell cut off Elijah''s next words. That night in the dorm, another mountain of snacks sat on her desk. "Who left this?" she asked Austin. "Xan begged me to drop it off." Austin grinned. Xander was not allowed in the boys'' dorms anymore. Austin sauntered over to Cameron and propped his straight fingers on the chairback. ¡°Cam, Xan''s probably dying to say sorry, but he''s too stubborn to actually admit it. Hence, the snack bombs." Cameron shoved the snack bag aside, nodded, and whipped out her phone to open WhatsApp. Taking the hint, Austin retreated to his seat. She fired off a text: [Stop sending snacks. Thanks.] Xander''s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He spent the whole day in a funk. After evening study, he dragged himself back to Tiana''s dorm. Just thinking about facing Cameron frustrated him badly. He sprawled on the couch, joining Tyrell''s gaming session to numb his mind. Then Cameron''s message pinged. Xander shot up so fast that he toppled right off the couch. Still syed on the floor, he frantically exited the game and opened their chat. Xander: [Not into snacks? Just tell me what you want. I''ll grab it now.] Cameron: [What I''m saying is, cut it out. No more gifts.] Xander stared at his screen, dumbfounded, He thought, ''No need? This is my olive branch! How was I supposed to know about your split with the Waces? That''s why I kept bugging you about Milena. Well, those days are over.'' Xander: [Name it, I''m buying) Cameron: Nothing1 Xander: [Quit pushing me, you brat!) Cameron: (Xander, I don''t need a thing. Just drop the Wace family topic. That''d be a godsend.} Xander stared at the screen, his forehead creased. He started typing "sorry," then backspaced it in a sh. Typed it again, and deleted it again. After the fifth try, his hands shook with frustration. With a growl, he chucked his phone across the couch and sprawled out. "Freaking hell!" He smothered his face with a pillow, muffling his groan. Chapter 321 Cameron waited for a response, but Xander went radio silent. She chucked her phone onto the bed and headed to the bathroom. When she returned, her screen was flooded with texts from him. [So, will you stili tutor me?] (Hey, answer me! Tutoring or not?] [Seriously? You''re mad over this? I didn''t know. Cut me some ck.] [Cameron, I...] [Cameron, I''m sorry.] A notification popped up: [The other party recalled a message.] Cameron watched the apology vanish. ''ssic. Proud and prickly,'' she thought. Towel-drying her hair, she typed back: [Pay up, and we have a deal.] Xander had been pacing the room anxiously, thinking, ''He probably didn''t see it. When her message finally came through, he scoffed. He texted: [70 thousand dors an hour.] Cameron replied: [30 thousand dors.] [Are you nuts? Double the cash!] [I don''t rip people off.] Stunned, Xander texted: [Fine. Library, noon tomorrow.] [See you then.] Cameron had barely set her phone down when Bradley swung the door open. "Hey, Brad, you''re back early today," Austin remarked. Bradley just grunted and gave a small nod. Meanwhile, Elijah was buried in his books. Solving problems always put him in his element. He nced up and acknowledged Bradley with a quick nod. Bradley''s eyesnded on Cameron, and he smiled. She was oblivious, but Austin caught every second of it. Austin''s brows shot up. He thought, ''What the hell? Why is Brad smirking at Cam like that?'' It was seriously creeping him out. Austin rubbed his arms, feeling goosebumps prickle his skin. Without a word to Cameron, Bradley dropped his stuff and headed straight for the bathroom. Austin sidled up behind Cameron. ¡°Cam, you saw that, right? Brad totally gave you this weird smile." He exaggerated a full-body shudder. Cameron was confused. "Seriously?" Austin nodded. Cameron frowned. "No way." "Swear to god, I''m not making it up." She just shrugged it off and got up to wash a towel. In the bathroom, Bradley stood at the sink, toothbrush in mouth. His top button was undone, revealing a hint of his sexy corbone. Cameron looked up mid- step and froze. "Brad," she blurted, quickly busying herself with the faucet. He mumbled something around the toothbrush, and the silence between them stretched thin. Bradley scrubbed his teeth while Cameron wrung out the towel. The wide sink gave them plenty of space to stay out of each other''s way. Right as she hung the towel to dry, he rinsed his mouth. "Night, Brad," Cameron said. "Good night," Bradley replied. Cameron hoisted herself onto the top bunk and yanked the privacy curtain shut. Austin''s cheerful "Good night, Cam!" came with a smile. He couldn''t help feeling bitter, thinking, ''Figures she''s closest to Brad. She only said goodnight to him.'' Cameron just nodded. "Night." Then she pulled the curtain all the way closed. The room plunged into darkness as the lights clicked off. Elijah stowed his books and crawled into bed, while Bradley flopped onto his mattress, angling his pillow toward Cameron''s side. The next day after lunch, Cameron grabbed her backpack for Xander''s tutoring session. Austin shadowed her out the door. "Mind if I tag along?" She stopped short, eyeing him, thinking, ''Since returning from Fraser Vi, he''s been glued to my side.'' Elijah jogged up. "Can I join too?" Cameron was at a loss for words. AD Comment Chapter 322 The moment Xander spotted Elijah and Austin hot on Cameron''s heels, his eyebrows knitted together. "What are you two doing here?" Elijah plopped down across from him. "Since when is the library off-limits to me?" Xander gritted his teeth, thinking, ''Fine, I''ll let it slide since I got the info about Cameron from him yesterday! Austin squeezed in beside Elijah while Cameron settled next to Xander. Without a word, she flipped open the textbook and got straight to tutoring, Xander stared at her, then stared some more. Cameron scowled. "Quit gawking. What''s your problem?" He propped his chin on his hand. "Nothing to fill me in on?" "Like what?" Xander was speechless. She rapped her knuckles on the page. "Eyes on the book. We''ve got work to do." With a huff, he dropped his gaze. Senior year was a non-stop slog through endless worksheets and practice tests. One minute they were buried in textbooks, and the next, Friday rolled around. the 1 Cameron had been counting down the days. Finally, she''d get to visit Pearl. She wondered how it was holding up at the zoo. The second Cameron stepped into the dorm, Bradley''s text popped up: [Meet me. We''re heading home together.] She replied: [I need to swing by the zoo first.] Bradley: [I''ming with you. Downstairs in the parking garage. Don''t move.] Cameron: [Got it.] She stuffed essentials into her backpack and turned to leave, nearly bumping into Austin on his way in. "Hey! Visiting Pearl today?" His grin was infectious. "Mind if I tag along?" That smile was impossible to say no to. "Brad''sing too," she said. Austin''s smile faltered for a second, then he nodded. "Sure thing." Once he grabbed his stuff, they headed for the garage. As the ss monitor, Elijah had to stay behind for teacher stuff. When he finally got back, the dorm was deserted. "Everyone bailed?" he muttered. Right on cue, Bradley walked in. "I thought you left," Elijah said. "I''m grabbing my bag." Bradley walked to his bed and slung his crossbody over his shoulder. "See youter, Eli Elijah just stared as he left. Bradley entered the underground parking garage and immediately spotted Cameron and Austin standing by his car. Austin was grinning ear-to-ear, chatting animatedly with her. That sight made Bradley''s brows twitch. He strode over. "Austin, why are you here?" "Brad, he''sing with us to see Pearl at the zoo," Cameron exined. Bradley was stunned. Austin turned to him with a hopeful look. "Hey, mind if I hitch a ride?" With his hand on the car roof, Bradley shook his head. "Not really a good idea." Austin and Cameron blinked in confusion. "We''ve got other stops after the zoo, so we can''t bring you," Bradley said. "Where are we going?" Cameron asked. "I''ll tell youter," he said curtly, gazing at Austin. Taking a step back, Austin turned to Cameron. "Guess I should head out?" She nodded apologetically. "Sorry, Austin." "Don''t worry about it." His forced smile didn''t reach his eyes. "See youter, Cam, Brad." Once he turned away, the fake smile vanished. He thought, ''Why does Bradley suddenly seem even more irritating than Xander?'' With Xander, he and Cameron both shared the annoyance. But now, while he couldn''t stand Bradley, Cameron clearly didn''t feel the same way. Austin scowled, frustration knotting his brows. Chapter 323 Send gift No Ads Cameron and Bradley got into the car. One hand draped over the steering wheel, he watched Austin disappear around the corner. "Since when are you and Austin attached at the hip?" "Not a big deal," Cameron shrugged. Bradley let it drop, firing up the engine. "Where to next?" she asked. "The zoo first." She nodded. "Works for me." Forty minutester, the sleek ck sedan rolled to a stop in front of Viremont Zoo''s gates. They''d made it just in time, as thest visitors trickled out. Inside, Cameron''s heart sank at the sight of Pearl. The tigery motionless in its ss enclosure of several hundred square feet, a shadow of its former self. Its coat was dull, and it''d lost so much weight that its ribs showed beneath its fur The zookeeper said, "Mr. Wace, thank god you''re here. It hasn''t eaten in days and just lies there all day. Even the vet won''t go near-too dangerous." Cameron bit her lip. At Fraser Vi, Pearl had roamed acres ofnd, free toe and go. Now this tiny, see-through cage? No wonder it was miserable. It made sense it''d lost its appetite. Poor thing. This couldn''t go on, but where could she possibly take a full-grown tiger? "Pearl." Cameron rapped her knuckles on the ss. The tiger lifted its head, ears flicking at the sound. When its gazended on Cameron, those dull, lifeless eyes suddenly sparked with recognition. Pearl whipped around andunched itself forward, only to m into the barrier with a thud. "Awooo..." It pressed its muzzle against the ss, nuzzling Cameron''s outstretched hand. "Let me in," Cameron pleaded, turning to the zookeeper. Bradley cut in, "Release it. We''re taking it with us." "Brad?" Cameron gaped at him. She thought, ''Taking a full-grown tiger back to Noble Vista? The neighbors will have a heart attack.'' He met her stare. "This isn''t the ce for it. We have to get it out." "But Noble Vista isn''t, either." He smirked. "Who said anything about Noble Vista?" "Then where?" "Just trust me." His grin held a promise. "You''ll see." Cameron hesitated, then nodded. There was something about that confident smile that made her shoulders rx. Brad always had a way of making even the craziest ideas feel safe. 15.41 Mon 26 May With a click, the zookeeper unlocked the ss door. Pearl bounded out, tall wagging as it danced around Cameron, rubbing its fuzzy head against Cameron''s legs like an overgrown housecat. Cameron dropped to her knees, scratching behind the tiger''s ears. ¡°I''m so sorry. You must have had a hard time these days. You won''t be stuck here anymore." Pearl let out a happy growl, prancing in circles. Bradley headed off to sort out the paperwork. When he returned, he said, "All settled. They refunded 25 thousand dors to your ount." Not bad, considering Cameron''d paid 30 thousand dors originally. Cameron nodded. "Thanks." She helped Pearl into the backseat of Bradley''s Mercedes. The car wasn''t huge, but there was enough room for the tiger to stretch outfortably. As Cameron climbed into the passenger seat, her blood ran cold. "Brad, I don''t have a wildlife permit. We can''t take it." Wordlessly, Bradley popped open the glovepartment and handed her a brown envelope. "Take a look." Cameron shot him a skeptical nce, then tore it open. Her eyes widened. "You got the permit? When?" Chapter 324 Bradley smiled and said, "Monday" Cameron frowned. "But we had lunch together that day." "I sent a firm associate to handle it," he said. She softened. "Really, Brad, Thanks." "Don''t sweat it." He waved her gratitude away and started the engine. "Where are we headed?" she asked. "Pearl''s new home." "Your ce?" Her eyebrows shot up. He grinned. "You''ll see. It''s a bit of a drive." Cameron was stunned, wondering, ''So Brad wants to keep Pearl at his ce? Looks like I''ll owe him another favor! She stole a nce at Pearl, who''d curled up in the backseat. She tamed the tiger to keep it safe, and rescuing it from Samuel felt like the right call A wave of doubt washed over her. Had she acted too hastily? After all, she wasn''t sure she could handle it, leaving her with no choice but to trouble Bradley. "Thank you," she said again, voice thick. "Save it until we get there." His gaze stayed fixed on the road, but his smile lingered. The car sped through the city. Skyscrapers gave way to open fields. Cameron gazed out the window as thendscape rushed past in a blur. "Are we leaving town?" Bradley nodded. "Almost there." She fell quiet, watching out the window. Pearl was curled up obediently in the back seat. Finally, the car drove out of the noisy city, climbed a winding mountain road, and stopped in front of an estate that looked like a medieval castle. The car horn chirped. Bradley gave a short, polite honk. Four middle-aged people, two men and two women, emerged from the castle. A young man trailed behind them. With charming eyes, the young man sauntered out with a grin. "Brad, I''ve been waiting forever." It was Eddie, Bradley''s fourth brother. The intricately patterned gates swung open. Bradley drove in and parked. He unbuckled his seatbelt. "We''re here, Cameron. This is it." Cameron stepped out of the car. "Wee, Mr. Saunders. Wee, Mr. Wace," the four servants bowed respectfully. ¡°Hello,¡± Cameron replied politely, taking in her surroundings. The castle sat mid hillside, encircled by mountains. Lush greenery surrounded it, and the setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the treas. "Hey there, good-looking! Fancy meeting you again," Eddie called out, waving cheerfully. "Hello, Mr. Saunders," Cameron greeted him with a smile. Eddie strolled over, armis crossed, and eyed Cameron up and down. "Don''t be so formal. Just call me Eddie like Brad does." Cameron stayed silent. She wasn''t one to act so chummy right off the bat. Bradley swung open the rear car door and helped Pearl out. Pearl stretched leisurely on the ground. Even in thatid-back pose, the raw power of a wild predator was palpable. The four servants didn''t bat an eye at the sight of Pearl. Their calm demeanor made sense-after all, they were professional wild animal handlers Bradley had hired. Eddie sidled closer to Cameron, eyes wide. "Damn! That tiger''s a monster! One bite and you''re toast, right?" Cameron just stared, at a loss for words. Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. "Eddie, are you feeling brave enough to test that theory?" Eddie red at him. "Get lost." Chuckling, Bradley turned to Cameron. "Let''s go. I''ll show you the back." 312 AD Comment Chapter 325 "Back there?" Cameron turned to look behind the castle, where an endless expanse of lush trees stretched into the distance, Bradley nodded, Eddie sidled up. "Count me in." Pearl roared and edged closer to Cameron, prompting Eddie to hastily retreat behind Bradley. Seeing Eddie''s unease, Cameron hesitated. "It...probably won''t bite?" Eddie eyed the tiger warily. "You sure?" Cameron shrugged. "Actually... Uh, not entirely." Eddie blinked. "Well." Bending down, Cameron ruffled Pearl''s furry head. "Be good, Pearl. Mr. Saunders is my friend." Pearl let out a low rumble, nuzzling Cameron''s palm as if understanding. Bradley led them around the castle to the rear, where a dense forest loomed, separated by the iron fence twice a man''s height. Pearl let out an eager growl, the call of a predator drawn to the wild. Bradley utched the gate, and in a sh, Pearl bolted into the forest, letting out an excited growl. "Pearl!" Cameron moved to follow. But Bradley stopped her. "You can''t go in there." "Why?" she asked, puzzled. Bradley exined, "That''s untouched wilderness, full of predators. It''s dangerous." "But Pearl..." Cameron frowned slightly. "Pearl is a tiger," Bradley said. "It will be fine." Cameron hesitated. "But Pearl has been captive all its life." "That doesn''t erase its instincts." Bradley was calm. Minutester, Eddie gasped. "Look!" Cameron and Bradley both turned. Pearl came bounding back, proudly carrying a half-grown deer in its jaws. Cameron was stunned. Bradley opened the gate, and Pearl trotted in triumphantly. The gate clicked shut behind it. Pearl dropped its prize at Cameron''s feet with a proud growl. Cameron stroked Pearl''s head. Without hesitation, Pearl tore into the deer''s throat, blood sttering as it feasted. Eddie recoiled. "That''s... brutal." Bradley shrugged. "It''s just nature''sw." "Brad, you''re colder than a sewer rat," Eddie pouted. Bradley rolled his eyes at him." Watching Pearl relish its meal, Cameron smiled. She thought, ''This ce is perfect. But "Is this forest open ess?" she asked, worrying that Pearl would run off. Bradley shook his head. "It''spletely enclosed. The walls are over 50 feet high with electric wiring. Only birds get through." Cameron raised a brow. "Good. Impressive setup." Eddie grinned, shing his charming eyes. "You bet it is, bro. It took me forever to scout this spot for Pearl in Viremont." Before Cameron could thank Eddie, Bradley cut in, "I paid for it." Eddie scoffed, "I did the legwork." Cameron smiled, "Thank you, Brad. And Mr. Saunders." Eddie groaned, "Just call me Eddie." Cameron nodded. "Thank you, Eddie." "Anytime." Eddie winked. Bradley gestured to the four guys outside. "Pearl will stay here. I hired them specifically to take care of Pearl from now on." 40 AD Comment Send gift Chapter 326 Cameron was overwhelmed with gratitude, unsure how to properly express it. "Brad, I''ll cover their sries," she said. "And this ce... I''m renting it from you. How much per month?" After a pause, she added, "I might not have enough upfront. Could I pay monthly?" Eddie waved a hand dismissively. "You and Brad go way back. Why bother with money? Just take it. Bradley shot Eddie a look before turning to Cameron. "How about paying yearly? 300 thousand dors per year. Just write me an IOU Cameron blurted out, "That cheap?" Even a cramped zoo enclosure cost 30 thousand dors a month. While this sprawling estate, which wasplete with hunting grounds and four caretakers, only cost 300 thousand dors a year. Bradley nodded. "Friendship discount." Eddie chuckled, "Brad, are you actually awyer? 300 thousand dors a year? You won''t recoup costs for a century. Did you flunk math?" Bradley rolled his eyes at Eddie. Flushing, Cameron offered, "Brad, maybe reconsider the price." "The property is mine," Bradley said. "300 thousand dors a year. Don''t listen to Eddie. He''s talking nonsense." Eddie was speechless, thinking, ''300 thousand dors a year? That''s practically making it free then.'' Pearl, having finished her venison feast, was contentedly licking its paws. "Come on," Bradley said, heading inside. "Let''s draft that IOU." "I do have 300 thousand dors handy," Cameron admitted. "I could transfer it now." Bradley paused mid-step. "Better with an IOU. I don''t know my ount details." Eddieughed, "I know mine! Transfer it to-" Bradley''s cold stare shut him up. Eddie fumed internally. He thought, ''You''re ring at me? I''m your brother!'' "It doesn''t matter. I''ll wait for the details, Brad," Cameron said. "Alright." Bradley nodded. They entered the castle. The ancient-style castle sprawled across acres, its five above-ground and three subterranean floors exuding opulence. The gardens could host a horse race. The fountain dwarfed city squares. Housing just Pearl here seemed almost wasteful. "I''m starving!" Eddieined, striding toward the grand hall. "When''s dinner?" Cameron craned her neck at the over 30-foot vaulted ceiling. The crystal chandelier alone screamed luxury. "Your preference?" Bradley gestured toward the limited-edition sofa. Momentster, a middle-aged m¨¢n in a chef''s uniform appeared. He looked at Bradley and smiled, "I specialize in all cuisines, sir. What would you like t dinner tonight?" Bradley tilted his head toward Cameron. 14:23. Tue 27 May PRO "Mr. Wace? the chef inquired. "I''m not picky. No preferences," Cameron said. "Then prepare your signature dishes." Bradley decided. The chef nodded and headed to the kitchen. Eddie groaned, ¡°Hello, Brad? Did you forget I exist? I''m hungry too." Bradley nced at him. "Order yourself. You''re not a child." Eddie pointed at Cameron. "So he is?" Bradley said, "He''s younger than you." Eddie was speechless. Cameron frowned, "Brad, how does the chef know my surname?" ¤Á¤ç Comment Chapter 327 Eddie grinned. "Of course I told him ahead of time. You''ll being here often." Cameron nodded. Eddie then sidled closer, prompting Cameron to immediately shift away. She wasn''t used to people getting that close, especially not someone she barely knew. "Don''t dodge, cutie," Eddie teased. "I got something to tell you.¡± Cameron said, "Just say it, Eddie. I prefer personal space." Eddie shot a nce at Bradley before whispering, "I can''t let Brad hear our secrets." Cameron was speechless. Bradley stood. "I''ll head upstairs." As he reached the foot of the stairs, Eddie spoke, "Don''t you think Brad treats you differently?" Cameron stiffened. "Huh? Different? Brad has helped me a lot. Hmm... He''s generous," In her view, Bradley was a good guy. Eddie smirked. "Generous? Yeah. He dropped 100 million dors on this castle just for your tiger." Cameron was dumbfounded upon hearing this. Eddie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If you were a girl, I''d think Brad had his first crush. But you''re a guy." Cameron slightly parted her lips, then pressed them again. She was speechless. Eddie watched her with a satisfied smile. "Cutie, you''ve got really nice skin, so tender and smooth. Mind if I touch it?" As he spoke, he reached out toward her face. The next second, his hovering hand was abruptly intercepted by Bradley''s grip. "Ow! Damn it. Brad, let go!" Eddie screamed in pain. Bradley shoved Eddie''s wrist away. "Keep your pickup artistry outside. Cameron is male." Rubbing his wrist, Eddie huffed. "Pickup artistry? I just wanted to see if his cheek was as soft as it looks." Bradley stared at him. Cameron finally spoke up, "Eddie, just call me Cameron. My name is Cameron Wace." Being called "cutie" was odd. "Sure thing, Cam." Eddie grinned. Cameron was speechless. The three of them chatted while dinner was prepared. The dishes on the oak banquet table were impable, aromas weaving through the hall. As they settled in, Eddie picked up a bottle of vintage wine. "Have a drink, Cam?¡± Cameron nodded. "Sure." Tomorrow was Saturday. She didn''t have to go to school. Bradley offered no objection. After decanting the wine, Eddie filled three sses. Cameron stood up, holding her ss. "Brad, this toast is mandatory. Thank you for everything." Her gaze dropped to Pearl, curled obediently at her fee Bradley motioned downward. "Sit, please. It was nothing." Cameron stayed standing. She thought, ''Nothing? This castle is worth 100 million dors!'' Bradley relented, standing to clink sses. ¡°Friends help when needed." Cameron raised her drink. "It''s all in the wine." With that, she drank it all in one go. Eddie apuded. "Good drinker, Cam." He replenished Cameron''s ss instantly. Bradley drained his own but frowned at Eddie''s refill. "That''s enough for Cameron." Eddie grinned. "Enough? Cam is a good drinker. Wait, you drank yours too?" Comment Chapter 328 Bradley, holding his ss, said simply, "I have a high tolerance." Eddie blinked. "Huh? Since when?" Bradley didn''t respond. Cameron raised her ss again. "Eddie, I should thank you too." Eddie sprang up cheerfully. "No need for formalities between bros." Bradley frowned, ¡°Just a sip, Cameron. He didn''t contribute much anyway." Eddie nearly choked on his wine. He thought, ''What? I didn''t contribute much? I literally scouted every property in Viremont!'' Cameron held back herughter. Eddie waved a hand. "Fine. Just a sip." Cameron took a sip before putting her ss on the table. The next second, Bradley took it away. "No more for you." Eddie rolled his eyes. "Brad, Cam is your ssmate, not your girlfriend. Since when are you his keeper?" Bradley snorted, "I brought him. That makes him my responsibility." Swirling his wine, Eddie smirked. "Drinking alone is boring. Join me, Brad?" "Not good with alcohol." Bradley deadpanned. Eddie''s jaw dropped. "Seriously? Weren''t you just bragging about your tolerance?" Bradley shrugged. "I didn''t." Cameron bit back augh. She hadn''t expected Bradley to have this yful side. Bradley turned to Cameron. "Try these dishes. You''lle here often. Let me know if there''s anything you need." Cameron nodded and picked up her fork, taking a bite of the braisedmb chop. "It tastes great." ¡°I''m d you like it, Mr. Wace,¡± the chef smiled warmly. This job was definitely secure. After dinner, the caretakers led Pearl to take a bath and then into its private room. Cameron followed to take a look. It was a jungle-themed room,plete with an artificial starlight ceiling. Pearlyzily on the grass, already half... asleep. Cameron quietly closed the door and turned to Bradley. "Brad, this is basically paradise for Pearl." Bradley nodded. "Pearl will like it. You don''t need to worry about anything else." Cameron smiled, "Yeah." Bradley gestured toward the hallway. "Let me show you to your room." Eddie lounged against the wall with a yawn. "What about my room tour? I''m sleepy." "Pick any guest room, Bradley replied without turning. Eddie shook his head, murmuring, "Traitor. Am I still your brother?" Bradley led Cameron to the second floor and pushed open the door of the master suite. "It''s your room." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "This is the master suite?" "Yeah," Bradley said. "I live on the third floor, right above you. Sameyout." Cameron hesitated. ¡°Brad, I can just take a guest room." "You rented this house for 300 thousand dors a year," Bradley said tly. "It wouldn''t make sense to put you in a guest room." Cameron looked at him. ¡°But I haven''t even paid yet." Bradley met her gaze. "Then write an IOU." Cameron sighed. "It''ste," Bradley said. "Take a shower and get some rest. See you tomorrow." With that, he gently nudged her inside. Cameron gave a resigned smile. "Good night, Brad." "Good night." Bradley nodded. Cameron closed the door. After a brief pause, she locked it from the inside. Turning around, she looked around at the luxurious bedroom. She thought, ''No wonder it costs so much. This room is extravagantly decorated. Even the paintings on the walls date back centuries-priceless pieces by masters.'' Chapter 329 Cameron touched the sheet, which was softer than the finest silk. Lying down, she stared at the crystal chandelier overhead. She owed Bradley so much, more than she could ever repay. To help Cameron, Elijah had ended Murphy Enterprise''s cooperation with the Young family, That loss would take time, but once her pharmaceuticalpany was up and running, she could make it up to him. But Bradley''s favors for her? That went beyond mary debt. She had somehow ended up here without fully processing it. Pushing herself up, Cameron headed to the bathroom to shower. Thevish setup dwarfed even Noble Vista''s luxury. The massive jacuzzi tub caught her eye, but she opted for a quick shower instead. Wrapped in a towel, Cameron stood in front of the mirror and studied her reflection-the delicate features that could pass for either gender. She touched her face. If she put on a dress, she would probably be a cute girl. As she stepped out of the bathroom, her phone buzzed from the nightstand. It was a video call from Xander. ncing at her towel-d form, Cameron declined and switched to voice. ¡°Where the hell are you?" Xander demanded. Cameron asked tly, "What''s up?" "I''m at your door with textbooks." "Cancel it tonight. Go home." "You''re busy?" "I''m not home." "Where did you go then?" Xander thought, ''Did Cameron go back to Wace Vi? Didn''t he already cut ties with his family?'' "None of your business." Cameron hung up. -Xander called back immediately. "Anything else?" Cameron answered the call. Xander asked, "When are youing back?" "I won''t be back." With Pearl here, she wouldn''t bother going back. Xander snapped, "Then how am I supposed to get tutoring?" Cameron hesitated for a beat. Bringing Xander here wasn''t a good option. She finally said, "How about online tutoring?" Xander blinked. "What?" Cameron exined, "I''ll give you a discount. 15 thousand dors per hour. Deal?" 14:23 Tue 27 Xander frowned, "Why bother with online? Just tell me your location. I''lle over Cameron refused bluntly. "Not happening. It''s not convenient." Xander held back his anger. "Then when are youing back?" Cameron said, "Not anytime soon." She might need to go back for clothes, but better not to tell Xander. Less trouble that way. "Noting back?" Xander exploded. "Cameron, I moved to Noble Vista because of you!" Cameron held the phone away from her ear. "Feel free to move back to Murphy Manor." Xander was speechless. Cameron added, "It''ste. I''m going to sleep. Don''t call me again." She hung up once more. She then noticed new messages from Austin and Elijah on WhatsApp. Elijah: [Cameron, are you home? Can I study at yours tonight?] Austin: [Cam, have you seen Pearl yet? How is Pearl? Is it adjusting well to the zoo?] Cameron replied to Elijah: [I won''t be in Noble Vista for the next couple of days.] Then she replied to Austin: [I''ve seen Pearl. It is doing great. Thanks for asking.] Elijah and Austin both responded instantly. Chapter 330 Elijah: [Not at Noble Vista? Where did you go?] Austin: [d to hear that. Cam, could I stay at your ce tomorrow? I just can''t...] Cameron sat on the edge of the bed, replying to Elijah: [Away for a bit. If it''s not urgent, we''ll talk on Sunday at school.) Elijah, ever tactful, didn''t ask anymore. [Sure. Nothing urgent. Good night.] Cameron: (Good night.] Then she replied to Austin: [You''re wee to use my ce. I''ll send the passcode. But I won''t be there for a couple of days.] At the beginning of that message, Austin felt a flicker of excitement. But when he read thest part, his brow furrowed slightly. He sent: [You''re not going to be there? Where are you staying then?] Cameron: [I can''t tell you for now.]. Before this, she had been staying in Noble Vista peacefully until Xander and Elijah shared the address. She felt like living in a dorm again. So she decided not to share her new location for now. Austin: [Alright then. Since you''re not at home, I won''te over. It wouldn''t feel right being alone in your ce.] He just wanted to see Cameron. Samuel had gone on a business trip anyway, and no one bothered Austin. Cameron: [Is Samuel giving you trouble?] Austin: [Don''t worry, Cam. I''ve survived the past 18 years like this. I''ll be fine.] Cameron stared at the message for a while before letting out a soft sigh. She was just an outsider. It wasn''t her turn to interfere. Austin had to deal with it by himself. Cameron: [Good night.] Austin: [Good night.] Cameron set the phone down andy on the bed. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" she called. Bradley''s voice sounded, "It''s me. I brought you fresh clothes." Cameron nced down at her towel. "Thanks, but I''m already in bed." "I''ll hang them here." "Thank you, Brad." "No problem. Good night." "Good night." Cameron heard footsteps fade away, guessing Bradley had left. After a while, she reached out with a hand to pull the garment bag inside and then quickly shut the door. Surprisingly, Bradley hadn''t left yet. He stood outside and happened to see Cameron''s arm appearing through the crack. It was delicana sa translucent, with faint blue veins beneath the skin. Bradley had only caught a glimpse of Cameron''s arm. He was still surprised, thinking, ''Cameron''s wrist is so delicate?" Bradley soon shook his head. Sometimes, Cameron was so guarded, like a shy girl. Yet Cameron carried himself with such masculine confidence. The following day, Cameron was woken up by a WhatsApp message from Xander. She had forgotten to mute the phone. It was a voice message: [Hey, you awake? We were supposed to start online tutoring. Time to start it!] Cameron tossed the phone aside on the bed. She got up, went into the bathroom to shower, and changed into the clothes Bradley had left for herst night. The light-blue men''s T-shirt and stone-gray trousers, definitely Bradley''s style, were too mature for Cameron. She thought, ''I have to go back to Noble Vista and grab some of my clothester.'' By the time she came out of the bathroom, Xander had sent several more voice messages: [Cameron, where the hell are you? If you were a teacher, you''d already be fired.] Cameron didn''t even bother listening to the rest. They were probably full ofints anyway. She sent him a voice reply: [I''m having breakfast. I''ll call you in a minute.] Then she tossed the phone onto the nightstand and headed downstairs. AD Comment Chapter 331 My k 331 apter 331 Bradley and Eddie were chatting and lounging on the couch when Cameron went downstairs. "Brad,¡± Eddie said with a yful grin. "This ce is pretty good. Mind if I crash here often?" Adjusting his gold-rimmed sses, Bradley countered, "It''s Cameron''s rental now. Would that be appropriate?" Eddie rolled his eyes at Bradley. Just then, Cameron came walking down the stairs, wearing the brand new clothes Bradley provided. They were a bit big on her. After all, they were bought to fit Bradley''s frame. The T-shirt hung loosely on her frame, and the trousers barely fit. Seeing her, Bradley smiled. He should have thought about that. Eddie waved her over. "Cam, this ce is your rental now. Can Ie hang out here sometimes?" Cameron sat down. "Of course." Eddie smirked at Bradley. "See? Cam is hospitable." Bradley ignored him and turned to ask Cameron, "Sure about that?" "Huh?" Puzzled, Cameron tilted her head. "Eddie''s social circle differs from ours," Bradley exined. "He has a lot of girlfriends, so many, in fact, that he can''t even remember their names. Is it eptable for you if he brings them here?" Cameron was surprised. "Pfft!" Eddie protested. "Cam, don''t listen to Brad. I''lle alone, of course. And I don''t even have a girlfriend, okay? I''m single." Bradley chuckled, "Single? You must have gotten amnesia." Eddie smiled, "Nope. If so, I''ll consult Damian. Don''t worry about it, bro." Damian Saunders was the sixth son of the Saunders family. He was an excellent doctor. Bradley was speechless. Amused by their banter, Cameron chuckled. Remembering Xander was still waiting for her, she turned to Bradley. "Brad, did you guys have breakfast yet?" Eddie replied, "Nope. We''re both starving, Cam. Brad insisted on waiting for you." Cameron smiled, "Sorry, Eddie. You didn''t have to wait for me." Eddie shot Bradley a look. ¡°See? Cam gets it. You''re just being extra." Bradley nced at him. Eddie simply stared back. He thought, ''Why are you looking at me like this?'' After breakfast, Eddie finally understood what that look meant. He got kicked out. Cameron picked up her phone and found Bradley. "Brad, where''s the study? Is there aputer in there?" 23 Tue 27 M). Its on the second floor, Bradley said. "Right after the stairs." Cameron nodded. "I need to tutor Xander." Bradley adjusted his sses. "Is Xandering over?" "No," Cameron replied. "It''s online tutoring" Bradley nodded. Cameron entered the study. It was spacious. She nced around before settling into the massive six-foot-long desk. She then turned on theputer and typed in her login ount. Xander had sent a flood of voice messages earlier, but she ignored them all. Instead, she initiated a video call. Xander answered almost instantly. He red at Cameron through the camera. "Where the hell have you been?" Before she could answer, he squinted at the background behind her. "Where are you now?" Cameron deadpanned. "Textbook. Now." Xander snorted, "I didn''t bring it." Cameron sighed. Chapter 332 Cameron stared at Xander''s face on screen. "No textbook? Then what exactly are we tutoring?" Xander shrugged. "I didn''t manage without a book before, but you still taught me then." this over a screen." Cameron exhaled slowly, holding back her anger. "That was in person! It''s not the same as doing thi Xander said, "Then youe back." Cameron sighed, rubbing her temples, "Forget it. I can''t deal with this. I won''t then." "Wait!" Xander quickly protested. "Come on, keep going. I''ll listen./ Cameron raised an eyebrow. "And understand What I say?" Xander smirked. "That depends on how good your teaching skills are." Cameron sighed and then began the lesson. Instead of paying attention to the content, Xander couldn''t take his eyes off Cameron''s face. Her features were incredibly delicate. She had short hair, and her skin looked so tender. It was almost identical to Milena''s face. Her beauty was breathtaking. Xander murmured, half-dazed, "You''ve got one hell of a face." Cameron frowned, "Have you even been listening?" "Of course I have!" Xander regained focus. Cameron narrowed her eyes. "Then tell me where I left off." Xander hesitated. "I forgot." Cameron sighed, "Forget it. That part is on the house. And don''t bother asking for more tutoring. It''s just a waste of time." "Come on." Xander leaned close to the camera. "I''ll listen carefully." He wasn''t about to give up the chance to see that stunning face. Cameron crossed her arms. "Then pay attention this time." Xander sighed, ¡°Fine." For once, he decided not to push his luck. And surprisingly, he actually listened. An hourter, as Cameron''s throat burned, a ss of water materialized at her elbow. It was Bradley. He didn''t speak but only made a knowing tilt of the chin toward the ss. "Thanks." The water soothed Cameron''s voice. Xander''s suspicion crackled through the speakers/"Hey, who are you talking to over there?" Cameron nced at Bradley, who shook his head. She said, "None of your business. One hour is up. Let''s pick upter this afternoon." "Cam-" Before Xander could speak, Cameron ended the call. speak, Bradley settled into the chair opposite, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "If Xander finds out where you are now, it won''t be long before Eli and the otherse." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, just keep it quiet." Elijah wasn''t a big problem, but Xander was too noisy. Bradley leaned forward slightly. "You''ve been staring at a screen for an hour. Let''s take Pearl for a walk outside?" Cameron set the ss down. "Good idea." They had gotten backte yesterday, and night fell soon after. Cameron hadn''t taken a stroll around the castle yet. Together, they stepped out of the study. Pearl sprawled out in the courtyard, soaking up the warm April sun. Cameron could tell that Pearl was happy here. And it was all thanks to Bradley. "Pearl," Cameron called. Pearl rolled onto its back at their approach and leapt up joyfully, but it stopped short three feet away. It nuzzled Cameron''s gently with its fluffy head. Bradley asked curiously, "Who named Pearl?" Chapter 333 No Ads Cameron said, "Austin''s half-brother, Samuel Fraser." Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Half-brother?" Cameron nodded. "Brad, this is Austin''s private matter, I shouldn''t borate. Is there an issue with the name Pearl?" Bradley didn''t press further. Austin''s family background didn''t interest him. "As Pearl''s new owner, don''t you want to rename it?" Cameron shook her head. "No need. The name suits it perfectly." The tiger''s rare white fur made "Pearl" both fitting and memorable. Bradley smiled, "As you prefer." Pearl ambled behind Cameron as she walked, staying close to her. She turned around and reached down to ruffle its fluffy head. Bradley gave Cameron a tour of the estate. It took nearly half an hour just to cover the basics. Cameron looked around, satisfied. "Brad, it''s even bigger imagined." Bradley nodded. "Yeah. Perfect for Pearl." Cameron smiled, "Thanks again, Brad." "You''re bing the spokesperson for gratitude," Bradley teased. Cameron said, ¡°Because I genuinely mean it." Bradley stared at her. Cameron changed the subject. "Hey, by the way, did you find your bank ount details?" Bradley nodded. "They''re probably at Noble Vista. I''ll retrieve them when I have time." That "when I have time" stretched indefinitely into the future. They eventually sat down by thekeshore. The water was crystal clear, and fresh green grass lined the banks. Their reflections shimmered on the surface. A soft breeze brushed past. However, Bradley''s phone rang, interrupting this peaceful time. He frowned slightly, pulled it out, and saw the caller ID. "Who is it?" Cameron asked. Bradley tilted his phone toward her. "Xander." Cameron asked, "Xander? What does he want with you?" Bradley shrugged. "Did he notice me earlier?" "I don''t think so." Cameron shook her head. Bradley answered the call before it could go to voicemail. He switched to speaker mode. "Hey, Brad, you busy?" Xander''s voice came through, slightly panicked. "A bit," Bradley replied smoothly. "What''s up?" "Brad, I need your help. You used to do some hacking stuff, right?" "What exactly are you nning?" I need you to locate Cameron. Cameron and Bradley looked at each other. Xander continued, "Cameron didn''te back to Noble Vistast night. You know that, right? He won''t tell me where he is. During our video call earne today, could you help me track his location? I must find him." Cameron was speechless. Bradley, watching her helplessly, replied, "Xander, you''re overestimating me. I can''t do that." "You can''t?" Xander slightly raised his voice. "Yeah." Bradley confirmed Xander deted. "Fine, I''ll find someone else." "Good luck." Bradley hung up and then turned to Cameron, amused. "Xander is pretty attached to you, huh?" Cameron sighed, "Beyond annoying. I''m just gonna block him on WhatsApp." Pulling out her phone, she decisively blocked Xander. Later that afternoon, when Xander tried to message Cameron, he found that he had been blocked. Chapter 334 Xander stared at the screen,pletely baffled. He thought, ''What happened? Why did Cameron block me? We had a video call this morning site. because I didn''t send her the tutoring fee after the lesson? No way. He wouldn''t be that petty." Xander tried sending Cameron a few messages, but none of them went through. He sat back on the couch with a huff, tossing his phone aside and rubbing his short hair. Xander thought, ''I couldn''t reach Cameron. What should I do this afternoon anyway?'' As dusk draped over the castle grounds, wrought-ironmps flickered to life. The weather was perfect, not cold or hot. By thekeside, a small bonfire had been set up for a barbecue. Cameron picked up a piece of marinated beef with tongs, ced it on the grill, and flipped it once. Then, she added some chicken wings next to it. She nced at the loaded food table beside her and frowned slightly, "Brad, do you think we overdid it? It''s just the two of us." Bradley nced at the table. "This is barely enough for two guys.'' Cameron smiled awkwardly. She wasn''t a "guy", and her appetite was modest. Still holding the tongs, Bradley flipped the chicken wings without missing a beat. "No appetite?" "It''s fine." Cameron then recalled Eddie''s absence. "Where''s Eddie?" "With his girlfriends," Bradley replied. Cameron nearly choked upon hearing this. Pearl purred contentedly at their feet. Soon, the beef started sizzling. Bradley served the first slice to Cameron. "Thanks." Cameron reciprocated with another piece. The chef''s signature marinade was exceptional. Cameron tilted her head thoughtfully. "Brad, the chef is pretty good. You paid highly for him, right?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah. You''ll be spending more time here. He''s trained in multiple cuisines. You''ll never get bored." Cameron asked, "How much per month?" Bradley paused mid-flip, looked at her for a long moment, then said, "7,000 dors a month." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Worth it." She had expected more. Bradley added, "The chef, plus four animal caretakers-their sries are all included in the rent. You don''t have to worry about payroll." Cameron was surprised, thinking, ''The rent covered five full-time staff members?'' Now she understood why Eddie had given her that weird lookst night. That was just...ridiculous. "Chicken wings are done," Bradley said, cing one on Cameron''s te. Cameron looked at him. "Brad, maybe you should requote me the rent." Bradley helped her out so much, and she couldn''t take advant this Bradley took a bite of beef wrapped in lettuce before sighing, "Alright then. What do you think is fair?" Cameron thought for a moment. "600 thousand dors?" Bradley didn''t hesitate. ¡°Fine.¡± He handed her a grilled squid. ¡°And here''s your squid." Cameron felt relieved. "Okay. 600 thousand dors a year. Give me your bank detailster." Bradley asked, "You sure you can afford that?" It wasn''t pocket change. Cameron nodded. "Yeah." "Where''d you get it?" Bradley narrowed his eyes slightly. Cameron smiled, "Tutoring Xander and doing a few other things." Bradley smiled, "Well then. With how fast you earn money, you can afford Pearl." Cameron chuckled, "If I couldn''t, I''d have to find Pearl a new owner or send it to a ZOO, At that, Pearl let out a whine, then nudged Cameron''s ankle gently with its fluffy head. Chapter 335 hapter 335 Cameron stroked Pearl''s head. "Don''t worry, I can take care of you for now." Pearl let out a contented growl before settling back onto the sun-warmed grass. "It''s Pearl''s fortunate to have you," Bradley smiled. If Pearl had stayed with Samuel, it would have been reduced to a mere tool for violence. And once Samuel got into trouble, Pearl''s fate would have been sealed. But with Cameron, that wasn''t going to happen. But with Cameron, that wasn''t going to happen. Cameron was straightforward. Her connections were the roommates from Room 316. Cameron shrugged slightly. "It''s just fate." That fateful day, she could have chosen to put Pearl down. But Pearl was no more responsible for Samuel''s crimes than a sword would be for its wielder''s murders. Life, in all its forms, deserved preservation. They were halfway through barbecue when Bradley''s phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from Elijah: [Hey Brad, where are you? You''re not home?] Elijah had bought a house in Noble Vista partly because Cameron and Bradley lived there. But now, Cameron didn''te back. A familiar loneliness crept over Elijah. His parents had always been busy since his childhood. He and his sister were basically raised by the butter. His sister had gone abroad for high school. Most of the time, it was just Elijah at home. Even with servants everywhere, he still felt alone. There were days when the only way to see his parents was to go to the hospital. And even then, they barely had time to chat before rushing off again. The past two weeks since moving to Noble Vista had actually been pretty good for Elijah. Being around Cameron made him feel rxed. Even when Xander was being annoying, it was somehow nice. But that happiness vanished so quickly. Elijah had spent the entire day reading in the vi, feeling bored and lonely. He should have been used to this kind of life, but Cameron''s sudden absence hit harder than expected. It was so weird. Bradley put down his fork and replied: [Yeah. What''s up, Eli?] Elijah replied almost immediately: [Just bored. You and Cameron aren''t around anymore.] Bradley was surprised, thinking, ''What? Elijah felt bored? Wasn''t he always buried in textbooks?'' Bradley chuckled, ncing at Cameron, ¡°It seems that everyone gets bored without you at Noble Vista." Bradley had been busyst week, but both Elijah and Xander were too preupied to bother him. Cameron was gone, and suddenly, they remembered Bradley''s existence. Cameron nced at Bradley''s screen. "It''s Elijah?"/ She thought, ''We haven''t known each other for yery long. How did they usually spend their weekends before this?'' Bradley nodded, smiling, "I bet Austin is bored too." Austin is Cameron shook her head. "Austin isn''t just bored. He''s having a rough time at Fraser Vi." Bradley nodded, not pressing further. 14 Cameron didn''t offer more details either, Bradley replied to Elijah: [You can go out and explore if you''re bored. The night view outside Noble Vista is actually nice. I''m tied up right now do yo tomorrow at school.] Elijah: [So you haven''t seen Cameron either?] Bradley stared at the message. Then he burst outughing and said to Cameron, "Eli is just using me to get info on you. Shall I tell him?¡± He didn''t mind Elijah, who always kept boundaries. It wasn''t a problem if he came over. Cameron shrugged. "If you''re fine with it, I don''t mind." Chapter 336 Bradley contemted for a few seconds before saying, "Forget it. Let''s not tell Eli. He didn''t dwell on why he felt reluctant to inform Elijah. Cameron nodded. After all, this was Bradley''s estate, so the decision was his to make. Bradley replied to Elijah: [Yeah, I haven''t seen him either. Maybe he''s just busy?) The message only deepened Elijah''s unease. He thought, ''What if something happened to Cameron? After all, he had attempted suicide before. And now he''d vanished from Noble Vista without warning... Elijah immediately dialed Cameron''s number. No sooner had Bradley set his phone down than Cameron''s "Elijah is calling me," Cameron said, ncing at the screen. Bradley noticed how Cameron addressed Elijah and frowned slightly, but he just gave a slight nod for Cameron to answer. Cameron picked up, putting it on speaker. "Hey, Elijah." "Cameron, where are you right now?" Elijah''s voice was cautious. "I''m out right now. What''s up?" "Nothing, I just wanted to check in. Are you okay?" "I''m fine, Elijah. Don''t worry. I''ll be back at school tomorrow night." There was a pause before Elijah continued, "Cameron, can I ask where you''ve been these past two days?" Cameron didn''t respond right away. Elijah backtracked instantly. "Never mind. If you don''t want to say it, it''s totally fine. I just need to know that you''re safe." Cameron said, "Thanks. I am." "Alright then. See you tomorrow." Even in his care, Elijah knew boundaries, never pressing too far. Cameron hung up. Bradley had been watching her quietly the entire time. Now that the call was over, he finally spoke. "Cameron, can I ask you something?" Cameron looked slightly surprised but nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Bradley adjusted his sses, eyes unreadable behind the lenses. "Why do you call Elijah by his name? And Xander, too. But with Austin, you only ever use ''Aus''?" His tone was calm, neither using nor overly curious. Cameron blinked. She hadn''t expected that question at all. In fact, until Bradley brought it up, she had never even noticed the distinction. Confused, she asked, "Brad, what''s wrong with that?¡± Bradley met her gaze. "Don''t you think your way of addressing Austin is overly familiar?" Cameron thought, ''Since when is a nickname overly familiar?'' Seeing her confusion, Bradley added, "I assumed you were closer to Eli. After all, you are roommates and desk mates Cameron shrugged. "We get along fine." Bradley took a sip of water, then asked, "What about Austin?" Cameron didn''t hesitate. "I guess I pity him a little." Like she had pitied herself in her previous life. Bradley nodded with a faint smile. "I understood." "You''re observant." Cameron flipped the potato slices on the grill. "I hadn''t even realized it before." Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Chapter 337 Cameron enjoyed two peaceful days at the castle, primarily because Xander wasn''t around. On Sunday afternoon, as they prepared to return to school, Bradley had urgent matters at hisw firm. He dropped Cameron off at Noble Vista so she could grab some clothes. Xander had already returned to Murphy Manorst night, so their paths didn''t cross. As Cameron entered Noble Vista, Elijah''s Rolls-Royce idled by the curb, waiting for him. Elijah, backpack slung over one shoulder, ran into her at the gate. He blinked, as if doubting his eyes. Then he focused. It really was Cameron. "Cameron." He hurried forward. "You''re back!" Cameron hadn''t expected to see Elijah right at the gate. She gave small Elijah said, "You came back for..." Hey Cameron replied, "Just picking up clothes." Next Friday, she could head straight to the castle to see Pearl. Elijah smiled, "I''ll wait. We can go back to school together." "No need." Cameron waved it off. "I''ll bike." But Elijah insisted. "I''ll wait." Cameron ended up riding with Elijah after all. It was her first time in his car. The butler, seated passenger seat, beamed at her. "Mr. Wace, what an honor. Mr. Moore speaks of you Cameron offered a polite smile and nod, not saying much. The butler, perceptive, didn''t talk anymore. Elijah retrieved a workbook from his bag. "Cameron, could you look at this problem?" often." "Sure." asional tutoring didn''t faze Cameron, unlike the relentless grind of daily drills. She took the book and ced it on herp, scanning the question. She took the workbook, set it on herp, and started reading the problem. She took the workbook, set it on herp, and started reading the problem. Elijah leaned in slightly. Both of them possessed finely sculpted features. Their attention was locked on the page. The setting sun cast a warm glow through the windows, gilding their profiles. From the rearview mirror, the butler murmured, "Mr. Moore, you and Mr. Wace Honestly, the butler rarely saw Elijah sit this close to anyone. Neither Cameron nor Elijah responded. are both exceptionally favored by nature." The butler took out his phone and snapped a photo. It was the very first picture of them together. Cameron frowned but said nothing. The Rolls-Royce pulled to a stop in front of Langford Academy. The butler turned around. "We''re here, Mr, Moore." Elijah looked out the window. He murmured, "So soon?" It felt like they had just gotten in the car. Cameron thanked the butler as the door opened. The butler beamed. "My pleasure, Mr. Wace." Cameron and Elijah got out, and the Rolls-Royce drove off. Just as they turned toward campus, a voice called out. "Cameron!" Cameron and Elijah both turned their heads. A man stood amid the pedestrian flow, his near-six-foot-three frame towering conspicuously. Sunsses shielded his eyes. One hand tucked casually in his pocket as he stared in their direction. "An acquaintance?" Elijah murmured, failing to recognize that man. Cameron tilted her head. "Seems so." She had met that man only once. As the stranger approached, Elijah gave a courteous nod. "Well, I''ll leave you two to talk." AD Chapter 338 Cameron nodded. "Alright." But Elijah didn''t leave. He had never seen this man before and wasn''t sure why he was looking for Cameron. Better to stay, just in case. 77 The tall man walked up to Cameron, then politely took off his sunsses. "Cameron, I''ve been waiting for you." The moment his face was uncovered, Elijah recognized him vaguely. He was sure that he had seen this man before, but he couldn''t recall the man''s name. for a while. Cameron, however, immediately knew who the man was. Her tone was frosty. "What do you want?" The man was Cyrus Mendes. Last month, during the basketball match between Langford Academy and Horizon Academy, he was Horizon''s star yer, rumored to be a state team member. Cyrus extended his hand. "Cameron, I think we should reintroduce ourselves." Cameron nced at his outstretched palm but didn''t shake it. "Is that necessary?" Unfazed, Cyrus withdrew his hand. "I think it is." Cameron frowned, "Not to me." She didn''t have a good impression of Cyrus. Undeterred, Cyrus continued, "Let me reintroduce myself properly. I''m Cyrus Mendes, 19, a student at Horizon Academy and a member of the state basketball team." None of this was news to Cameron. Her impatience sharpened. "Get to the point." Cyrus, sensing her disinterest, cut to the point, "After that game, I saw your potential. I want to invite you to try out for the state basketball team." Cameron listened with dwindling patience before replying coldly, "Not int¨¦rested." She turned to leave. "Cameron, wait!" Cyrus called. She paused. "Anything else?" Cyrus frowned, "Did you not hear me? It''s the state basketball team." That meant potential national team selection and even internationalpetitions. Basketball wasn''t just a sport anymore. It could be glory. "I heard you," Cameron said. "I don''t care about basketball. Don''t bother me again. I''ve got the SATS to study for." With that, she strode through the school gate, Elijah following closely behind. Cyrus stood there, stunned. He thought, ''He heard me...and still refused? And what was that about not being interested? No one yed like that without passion. Was he just showing off?'' Cameron was already gone. Cyrus exhaled, shaking his head. He thought, ''What a waste for the team and for Cameron himself." Elijah walked with Cameron toward the dorms. ncing at her unreadable expression, he finally asked, "Cameron, are you really not consir the state basketball team?" With her skills, she might actually make it big in this field. Cameron shook her head. "Not interested. Basketball isn''t nearly as fun as studying, you know?" joining Elijah blinked. He thought, is that so? But Cameron hasn''t exactly been buried in bookstely, Last week in ss, he''d been donding cold, on scrap paper during ss. Cameron didn''t borate further. She picked up her pace, heading toward the dormitory. "Hey, brat! You''re finally back!" Chapter 339 Send gift No Ads The moment Cameron saw Xandering at her, all wild and iling, she instantly tossed her shoulder bag at Elijah and started running finished speaking. ¡°Elijah, take my bag back to the dorm. Thanks." She was already gone before she even Xander and Elijah both stood on the spot, stunned. EXjah caught Cameron''s backpack. He was about to take it back to the dorm when Xander snatched it right out of his hands. "You little brat. You think you can hide forever?" Xander shouted after Cameron. But Cameron was already long gone and couldn''t hear him anyway. Elijah frowned. "Give me the bag." Xander immediately hugged the bag to his chest. "Why should I "Cameron asked me to bring it back to the dorm for him," Elijah. Xander replied, "No way. I''m keeping it. Tell that little brat to take Elijah thought, ''Did Cameron block Xander again? Seryes him ri Cameron run off?'' block list first, then we can talk about the bag." must''ve finally had enough. But if Xander was the one at fault, why did Xander finished talking and was about to leave. Elijah grabbed the backpack strap and said, "Give it to me." Xander red at Elijah. "Didn''t you hear me, nerd? I said I''d keep the bag." Elijah wouldn''t let go. "Cameron told me to take his bag back to the dorm. Let go." Xander scoffed, "You do whatever he tells you to do? Why are you such a pushover?" Elijah said, "Xander, you keep bothering Cameron over and over. Ms. Murphy is really so nice to you. I think it''s time I talk to the principal." Xander froze for a second and then snapped, "So it was you who tattled to my aunt? No wonder she wants to transfer me to another school. Speaking ill behind someone''s back isn''t decent. Don''t you find yourself disgusting?" Elijah shot back, "You started it by harassing Cameron. Maybe you should take a look at yourself for once." Xander retorted, "What harassment? He''s a guy, and I''m a guy. How is that harassment?" Elijah asked, "Then why does he run every time he sees you? He doesn''t run from anyone else." Xander was at a loss for words. He wondered, ''How am I supposed to know what was up with Cameron? He blocked you yesterday for no reason, didn''t he? He''s just a jerk. The nickname I gave him really fits. Elijah frowned at Cameron''s backpack. "Xander, let go." Xander red back. "You should let go." Elijah said coldly, "Xander, you don''t actually want me to talk to the principal, do you? Or are you just looking for an excuse to leave Langford Academy?" "Want me to help you with that?" Elijah stared at Xander, expressionless. Xander had no choice but to let go. He mused, ''If Aunt Tiana found out, she''d probably really transfer me. That would be a total loss. Elijah took Cameron''s backpack, didn''t even bother to look at Xander, and headed upstairs. By the time Elijah returned to the dorm, Austin had already been there. Seeing Elijah putting away Cameron''s bag, Austin asked, "Hey, where''s Cam?" "I don''t know," Elijah replied. Austin frowned and asked, "Then why do you have his bag?" Elijah just shook his head but didn''t bother to exin. Instead, he sent Cameron a voice message. "Xander''s gone. You cane back now Cameron replied, "Elijah, I''m noting back. I''m heading to the ssroom." She couldn''t be bothered to go back and risk running into Xander again. It wasn''t that Cameron was scared. She just didn''t want to waste time arguing with him. Chapter 340 Elijah replied, ¡°Alright, see you in ss." When Elijah put down his phone, Austin asked, "Eli, can I ask what happened?" Austin wondered curiously, ''It''s just been two days since Ist saw Cam. What''s going on?'' Elijah replied, "Honestly, I have no idea." Austin thought to himself, ''Not gonna tell me? Fine. I''ll just ask Cam myself. Austin immediately pulled out his phone and texted Cameron. [Cam, is something wrong? Why aren''t youing back to the dorm?) Cameron: [It''s nothing. I just don''t want to see Xander.] Austin frowned and typed: [Did Xander upset you?] In his heart, he thought, ''Why does Xander always have to get on Cam''s nerves?'' Honestly, Austin never liked Xander because he was just as arrogant as Samuel. And now, Xander kept picking fights with Cameron. To Austin, anyone who messed with Cameron was his enemy. Austin pressed his lips together, his amber eyes turning icy cold. Cameron replied: [It''s nothing, really. Just let me handle it.] Austin thought to himself, ''Let him handle it? How could I just stand by? There''s no way I''d let Xander bully Cam.'' Austin didn''t reply to Cameron. After thinking for a moment, he nced at Elijah, who was tidying up his textbooks, and left the dorm without saying a word. Austin sent Xander a message: [Bro, where are you?] Xander was still pissed about not getting Cameron''s bag. Right now, he was sitting in the bleachers by the basketball court with his phone in hand. He was trying to figure out the best ce to corner Cameron. Tyrell walked over, but before he could say anything, Xander tore into him. Tyrell beat a quick retreat. Austin messaged Xander again, yet Xander didn''t even bother replying. Austin sent another message: [Xan, need to talk. Hit me back.] Only then did Xander finally reply: [Basketball court.) A few minutester, Austin showed up at the basketball court. He looked over at Xander sitting in the stands, his facepletely nk. "Xander, did you upset Cam again?" There was a clear note of usation in Austin''s voice. Normally, he was so sickly that even saying a few words would make him cough. But right he was radiating a rare sense of authority. authority. Xander could tell something was off. He looked up at Austin and said, "I upset that little brat? Yeah, I did. So what? What''s it to you?" Austin''s eyes grew even colder at that. "So you admit that?" 12 1425 Tue 274.dy, d Xander shot to his feet, ring at him. "Yeah, I upset him. What are you gonna do about it?" Austin let out a coldugh. "Xander, you''re going to pay for what you''ve done." "Oh?" Xander burst outughing, like he''d just heard a joke. Hejabbed Austin in the shoulder. "Did I hear you right? You want me to pay? You? Please, you''re just a sickly weakling barely hanging on as it is. Who do you think you are?" Xander was already pissed off, and Austin just had to walk right into the line of fire. Naturally, that made him the perfect punching bag Austin clenched his fists. "Xander, don''t think you can do whatever you want just because your aunt is the dean and your family''s loaded!" Xander shoved Austin. "Yeah, I just do whatever I want. So what?" With a loud bang, Austin toppled right off the bleachers. His forehead mmed into the stairs, and blood started gushing out. The next second, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold. Xander was stunned upon seeing that. Chapter 341 Xander nced at Austin, who was lying unconscious on the ground, then looked at the hand he''d just used to push him. He waspletely stunned, and he wondered, ''I only gave him a gentle push. How did setup?'' Austin end up on the ground and even pass out? Is this just a "Xan!" Tyrell shouted. Tyrell had been watching Xander. Sensing something was off between the two, he was already heading over when he saw Xander shove Austin, sending him straight to the ground. Tyrell rushed over. Seeing Austin not only bleeding from the forehead but also knocked out, he froze. "X-Xander, what did you do?" Xander said, "I didn''t do anything." Tyrell''s face darkened. "Xander, don''t you know Austin is weak? There happens, how are you going to make up for it?" he doesn''t have much time left. How could you push him? If something Xander was left speechless. Tyrell didn''t wait for an answer. He called out to the basketball team, "Hey, you guys,e and help me get him to the infirmary." Tyrell and the others carried Austin off to the infirmary. Xander was still standing there,pletely baffled. He thought, ''Did I really push him that hard?'' The basketball court was packed. Word spread fast that Xander had "bullied" Austin-pushing him so hard he fell, hit his head, and actually passed out. The whole school was buzzing about it. Both Xander and Austin were among the school''s top four heartthrobs. Their fans were evenly matched in numbers. Besides, everyone agreed it was Xander''s fault. Austin''s supporters were beside themselves with worry. They all rushed to the infirmary to check on him, but the school nurse turned them away at the door. A girl snapped, "Xander is way out of line. Doesn''t he know Austin isn''t in good health? Why did he push him?" Another girl chimed in, "Xander is always so arrogant. Austin used to be his roommate. How could he be so cruel to Austin?" Someone else said, "Girls, we have to stand up for Austin and get him justice." Austin''s supporters went straight to Tiana, the dean of students. When Tiana heard that Xander caused trouble again, her face was a picture. She honestly didn''t know what to say. She thought bitterly, ''It''s only been a few days. We''ve barely had a few days of peace, and he''s already stirring up trouble again. Tiana immediately called Xander. Xander''s voice rang out. "Aunt Tiana..." "You have one minute to get to my office." Tiana''s voice was so sharp that it could kill. Xander was confused, "What happened?" He wondered, ''Did that nerd Elijah really goin to my aunt? He quickly tried to exin, "Aunt Tiana, I didn''t bother Cameron. I haven''t even seen him." Tiana snapped, "Cameron? You made Austin hurt, and you still want to mess with Cameron? Do you really think I can''t handle you?" Xander was lost in his thoughts. ''Austin? Is she talking about Austin fainting? Tiana growled, ¡°Get over here. NOW." Xander had no choice but to head to Tiana''s office. Inside, there were more than a dozen of Austin''s fangirls sitting around. As soon as Xander walked in, all their eyes snapped at him, their res so sharp that it looked like they wanted to march over and p him. Xander didn''t pay them any attention. He said, "Aunt Tiana, I just gave him a gentle push. That''s all. It was Austin himself who..." "What do you mean by that?" A pretty girl shot to her feet, her tone icy. "Xander, you hurt him, and now you''re trying to pin it on him? Austin is still unconscious. You''re seriously ruthless." The girl''s name was Linda Kimble-Austin''s number one supporter and his ssmate. AD Chapter 342 xander frowned at Linda. "Can you just rips it? I''m talking to my aunt. Why are you butting in?" Linda shot back coldly, "Want? Calling the dean ''sunt'' in front of ine on purpose, are you trying to throw your weight around? Don''t forget, my dad could get your aunt fired with just one word" Anyone who can study at Langford Academy has some serious connections. Linda wasn''t scared of Xander at all. really think your ad Xander actuallyughed out of anger. "Get my aunt fed? You really "That''s enough, Xander" Tiana cut them off. Xander turned to his aunt. "Aunt Tiana, I really just gave Austin a little push" Linda snapped, "And that little push" is why Austin is still lying in the infirmary, huh?" Xander rolled his eyes and thought, ''Gosh, this girl is so annoying. Tiana said, "Linda, the school will handle this. You two should get back to ss." After all that drama, it was almost time for ss anyway. Linda stared at Tiana. "Ms Murphy, you''re not going to y favorites, are you?" Xander got annoyed. "Watch your mouth." In his heart, his aunt had always been fair and impartial. Tiana frowned. "Kander, that''s enough." She turned to Linda. "Linda, I promise I won''t y favorites with anyone." "Good." Linds shot Xander a look and left with her crew Xander grumbled, "Aunt Tiana..." "Xander" Tiana rubbed her temples and cut him off. "It''s time to transfer." Xander was furious, and he thought, ''Shees up with that again? Last time it was because of Cameron. Fine, that was understandable. "But now, because of Austin, I have to transfer too? Is switching schools really that easy? Tiana said, ¡°Go apologize to Austin first and get his forgiveness. Then transfer. This is non-negotiable." Xander p protested, "Aunt..." Tiana said, "Xander, if you still see me as your aunt, don''t make things harder for me." Xander sighed and left the office Elijah walked into the ssroom with his books. Once seated, he asked Cameron, "Did you hear what happened between Xander and Austin?" "Weah," Cameron nodded. She''d heard about it from her ssmates. Cameron was a bit surprised, and she thought, Xander and Austin had a fight? What could they have possibly He wondered. Did that nerd Elijah really goin to my aunt?" He quickly tried to exin, "Aunt Tiana, I didn''t bother Cameron. I hav I''t even seen him." Tiana snapped, "Cameron? You made Austin hurt, and you still want to mess with Cameron? Do you really think I can''t handle you?" Xander was lost in his thoughts. "Austin? Is she talking about Austin fainting? Tiana growled, "Get over here, NOW" Xander had no choice but to head to Tiana''s office. Inside, there were more than a dozen of Austin''s fangirls sitting around. As soon as Xander walked in, all their eyes snapped at him, their res so sharp that it looked like they wanted to march over and p him. Xander didn''t pay them any attention. He said, "Aunt Tiana, I just gave him a gentle push. That''s all. It was Austin himself who... "What do you mean by that?" A pretty girl shot to her feet, her tone icy. "Xander, you hurt him, and now you''re trying to pin it on him? Austin is still unconscious. You''re seriously ruthless." The girl''s name was Linda Kimble-Austin''s number one supporter and his ssmate. AD Comment Chapter 343 Chapte "C-Cam... "Austin snapped back to reality. sis face. "Oh, you''re here." When he saw Cameron, Cameron, he quickly wiped the smile off his Then, spotting Elijah behind Cameron, he called out, "EN" Cameron nodded. "Austin, are you feeling any better?" Leaning back on the bed, Austin pressed a hand to his forehead. "Stall hurts a bit." Elijah said, ¡°You even passed out from the fall. Of course it hurts." Austin put on a weak look Cameron said, "Austin, mind if I check your pulse?" "Huh? Why?" Austin asked. Still, he held out his hand to Cameron. He wondered, "Wait, does Cam actually know medicine? No way, right? That''d be insane! While Austin''s thoughts were running wild, Cameron''s fingersnded on his wrist. Ater checking, Cameron thought, ''It''s a relief. Austin''s body is a bit weak, but today''s fall shouldn''t be a big deal. "Kid, are you checking his pulse? You know medicine? Is your family in the circle?" The school doctor, a smiling old man in his fifties, watched Cameron''s actions with interest. Cameron turned around and denied it. "Nope." She knew way too much. But it was hard to exin to anyone why she knew all this. So she figured it was easier to just deny things. The school doctor didn''t push it. He said to Austin, "Your injury''s not serious. How about letting your ssmates help you back to the dorm!" Austin looked at Cameron. "Is that okay, Cam?" Before Cameron could answer, Elijah cut in, "Cameron is a clean freak. Let me help you." Austin rolled his eyes in his mind. Cameron nodded. ¡°Guess Elijah can handle it alone." Austin said, "Winght, thanks, CR." In the end, it was Elijah who helped Austin back to the dorm. The dorm was empty when Bradley came back. He was just about to text Cameron when the three of them walked in. Bradley nced at Austin, who looked a bit under the weather. "Hey, Austin, you alright?" Austin managed a weak smile. "Thanks for your concern, Brad. I''m fine." Bradley asked, curious, "So what happened between you and Xander? Why did things get so heated?" He asked the same thing Cameron and Elijah wanted to know. Austin looked at Cameron and said, "Because he picked on Cam." Cameron was stunned to hear that. She thought, Wall, it was because of met i honestly didn''t expect that at a Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. "So Xander picked on Cameron, and you tried to stand up for him, but you onded up getting pushed down by Xander instead?" Austin sat down, his longshes drooping. "I''m such a loser" Bradley stared at Austin, his eyes deep, and didn''t say anything else. Elijah shook his head. "Austin, in this kind of situation, you should go straight to Ms. Murphy You know what Xander is like." In the end, it was Austin who got the short end of the stick. Austin said, "I didn''t really think it through, I just couldn''t let Xander push Cam around." Hearing that, Cameron looked at the frail boy, not sure what to say for a moment. She really didn''t expect it was all because of her. Bradley watched Cameron''s face and asked, "Cameron, are you moved?" Cameron was startled by the question. Austin immediately looked over at Cameron, a spark flickering in his amber eyes. He thought, ''Maved? Would Cam really be moved by this? I confronted Xander just to teach him a lesson. Could that really move Cam?" Cameron said sincerely, "Austin, thank you. But honestly, I don''t think it was worth it to get pushed over by Xander for my sake." "It was! Totally worth it!" Austin said right away. Kander frowned at Linda "Can you just rip it? I''m talking to my hunt. Why are you bulling in". Linda shot back coldly, "Aunt? Calling the dean aunt'' in front of me on purpose, are you trying to throw your weight around? Don''t forget, my do get your mint fired with just one word." Anyone who can study at Langford Academy has some serious connections. Linda wasn''t scared of Xander at all Xander actuallyughed out of anger. "Get my aunt fired? You really think your dad - "That''s enough, Xander," Tiana cut them off. Xander turned to his aunt. "Aunt Tiana, I really just gave Austin a little push."" Linda snapped, "And that little push'' is why Austin is still lying in the infirmary, huh?" Xander rolled his eyes and thought, ''Goth, this girl is so annoying Tiana said, ¡°Linda, the school will handle this. You two should get back to ss." After all that drama, it was almost time for ss anyway Linda stared at Tiana. "Ms. Murphy, you''re not going to y favorites, are you?" Xander got annoyed. "Watch your mouth." In his heart, his aunt had always been fair and impartial. Tiana frowned. "Xander, that''s enough" She turned to Linda. "Linda, I promise I won''t y favorites with anyone." "Good." Linda shot Xander a look and left with her crow. Xander grumbled, "Aunt Tiana..." "Xander" Tiana rubbed her temples and cut him off. "It''s time to transfer." Xander was furious, and he thought, ''Shees up with that again? Last time it was because of Cameron. Fine, that was understandable. "But now, because of Austin, I have to transfer too? is switching schools really that easy?" Tiana said, ¡°Go apologize to Austin first and get his forgiveness. Then transfer. This is non-negotiable." Xander protested, "Aunt..." Tiana said, "Xander, if you still see me as your aunt, don''t make things harder for me." Xander sighed and left the office. Elijah walked into the ssroom with his books. Once seated, he asked Cameron, "Did you hear what happened between Xander and Austin?" "Yeah" Cameron nodded. She''d heard about it from her ssmates, Cameron was a bit surprised, and she thought, "Xander and Austin had a fight? What could they have possibly 12:37 Wed, 28 May GWG fought about? Elijah flipped open his textbook. "I heard Tiana is nning to have Xander transfer to another school" Cameron wondered in shock. "Transfer to another school? Is it really that serious?" Elijahmented erally, "if he transfers, you won''t have anyone bothering you anymore Cameron forced a smile. Honestly, she didn''t find Xander to annoying that she wanted him to disappear from this school. After all, Xander was kind of her meal ticket. After the evening self-study, Cameron nned to stop by the infirmary to check on Austin Elijah caught up to Cameron and asked, "Cameron, are you heading to the infirmary?" Cameron nodded. "Wannae with me?" Elijah nodded. ¡°Sure." He also wanted to see how Austin was doing. In the infirmary, Austin was already Hey on the bed with a band-aid on his forehead, phone in hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips Linda had just messaged him-Xander was transferring to another school. Earlier, Tiana had brought Xander over, but Austin kept pretending to be out cold. Xander got impatient and left right away. Austin''s fingers gently brushed over the band-aid on his forehead, which still hurt a little. He thought, ''But for Cam, it was totally worth it. Since Xander dares to mess with Cam, he has to pay the price. Kicking him out of Langford Academy works for me. At least he won''t be hanging around in front of Cam anymore," "Austin." Cameron waved her hand in front of his eyes when she saw him lying in the bed, grinning like a fool. AD Chapter 344 Austin thought, it was totally worth it. How could it not be holdes, it''s not like bything serious happened, just scraped my forehead But kicked out of Langford Academy. So yeah, definitely worth it." Cameron said gratefully. "Thank you, Austin. Honestly, Cameron had to admit that she was pretty lucky of the four roommates in Room 316, aside from Xander being a bit noisy, the other three were all rice. When Austin heard Cameron thank him again and again, his eyes lit up even more. He grinned, the dimple on his right cheek showing faintly. "No need to thank me, Cam. I''m just happy I could help" Cameron forced a helpless smile at that. She didn''t know why, but she always ended up owing people for no mason, no matter whether it was Bradley. Elijah, or Austin. Watching Cameron and Austin interact, Elijah felt a strange pang in his chest, though he couldn''t say why. He didn''t even know where that feeling came from. Bradley spoke up, "Cameron, do you really want Xander to transfer?" Cameron thought, "Why hy did he ask me that?'' me?" Cameron said, "Is this really up to me "I think it is," Bradley said. Elijah nodded. "Yeah, I think you can decide that with just a nod Cameron didn''t know how to reply Austin thought, ''Is Cam really that impressive? It''s really that easy for Cam, but I went through all that trouble. But if Xander stays, wouldn''t that mean everything I did tonight was for nothing? *Plus, Xander always asks Cam for tutoring, taking up all his free tire. He''s so annoying. Still, if Cam doesn''t want Xander to transfer, I''m fine with it Whatever Cam says goes. Cam is always right! Austin asked, ¡°Cam, what do you think?" Cameron said, "Austin, it''s really up to you, not me. What do you want to do?" Austin said, "Cam, I''ll go with whatever you say." Cameron didn''t know how to reply. In the end, the ball was back in Cameron''s court. It was really up to him to decide whether Xander could stay. Just then, there was a knock at the dorm room door. A voice rang out. "Hey, guys, are are you still up? This Tiana. Mind if Ie in?" Cameron and the others were startled. Elijah walked over and opened the door. Standing outside wasn''t just Tiana, who was all smiles. There was also Xander, looking like he''d just swallowed a lemon When Xander saw Elijah open the door, he didn''t say a word. He just rolled his eyes Tidna smiled. "Sorry to bother you guys. I brought Khider along to check on Austin). "Come in." Elijah held the door open. Tiana shot Xander a look. Before they came, she''d already given him a thorough rundown of what he was supposed to do Xander lowered his head, staring at the tips of his shoes. The shoes he was wearing were totally out of style. He decided he''d toss them as soon as he back. Tiana walked into the dorm first, Xander followed right behind her, "Hi, Ms. Murphy." Cameron and Bradley greeted Tiana in unison. Facing Cameron, Tiana''s smile grew even warmer as she said, "Hello, Cameron" Tiana nodded to Bradley "Hello, Bradley." Austin, sitting in his chair, greeted her weakly. "Thanks foring, Ms. Murphy." Cameron shot Austin a nce. Tiana hurried over to Austin. "Austin, why are you sitting in a chair? You should get into bed and get some proper rest. How are you feeling? Does your forehead still hurt?" Austin replied in a feeble voice, " still hurts a bit. Thank you for your concern, Ms. Murphy, I just don''t have the strength to climb up to bed." AD Comment Chapter 345 Tiana said right away, "The dorm setup here really isn''t practical. Austin, you''re not feeling well, so it''s totally understandable you can''t climb up. She smiled and added, "How about i amange a new room for youter 71''ll be easier for you to rest" Xanderstood right behind his aunt, rolling his eyes. He thought bitterly, "My proud, no nonsense aunt has never been this attentive to anyone except Mr. Drake. Well, and Cameron. But that little troublemaker actually deserves respect. "Why does this sickly guy get special treatment? Just because he''s good at ying the victian? Please, I''m not stupid. Austin is totally setting me up. Seriously, how sneaky he is Austin shook his head. "No need, Ms. Murphy. I''ll just stay here." He thought, As long as Cany''s here, I''m not going anywhere. "Ms. Murphy, do you have anything else to say?" Austin nced at Xander, who was still standing behind her, looking (aurebellious an Tiana smiled. "Austin, I brought Xander here to apologize for what happened this afternoon. It was his fault" As she spoke, she shot Xander a look Xander opened his mouth, but the words "I''m sorry" just wouldn''te out This was way too hard. Xander could hardly admit he was wrong. Besides, it wasn''t even his fault. Austin was the one ying the victim here. "Xander." Tiana frowned at him when he still didn''t say anything Xander took a deep breath. He knew his aunt loved him, and he couldn''t make things difficult for her. Xander finally looked at Austin and said, "Sorry" Austin thought, "That apology is so half-hearted'' Austin didn''t say a word Tiana knew that getting Xander to say "sorry" was already a great move. Tiana said, "Austin, Xander has realized his mistake, and the school will punish him. We''ll have him transfer out of Langford Academy, I hope you can. forgive him and let this go." When Xander heard he''d have to transfer to another school, his face, already sour, turned even worse. He protested inwardly, "Seriously? I''m the victim here! Austin instinctively nced at Cameron. Cameron didn''t know how to reply. She was torn as she thought, ''They really want me to decide? How am I supposed to decide? Sure, this all started because of me, but the one who got hurt is Austin can''t make that call" Cameron stayed silent, and so did Austin, Elijah and Bradley, being outsiders, naturally kept quiet. Silence hung in the air. Tiana spoke up again, "Austin, do you have any objections to how the school is handling this?" Austin nced at Cameron, who still hadn''t said a word, and understood what Cameron was thinking. He said, "Tiana, honestly, Xander just gave me a little push. I''m too weak to handle it, it''s not really his fault. There''s no need for such a harsh punishment Tiana was a bit surprised. Austin''s supporters had been pressuring Tiana to ponish Xander. Tiana had Assumed Austin felt the same way. But to be surprise, Austin didn''t seem to mind at all. Tiana looked a bit surprised. "So, Austin, you mean Xander doesn''t have to transfer?" Austin replied, "Transferring now would be such a hassle, and the SATS are just around the corner. Let''s just let it go Tiana said, "Thank you, Austin, sincerely," Tiana never wanted Xander to transfer in the first ce. She just hadn''t expected things to take such a turn. Tiana tugged at Xander, "Come on, thank Austin for being so understanding" Xander felt surprised and strange. ? Chapter 346 Xander shot Austin a suspicious look, wondering, "What''s this sickly guy ying at? Wasn''t he just about to stand up for Cameron? Why dhe suddenly change his mind? Anyway, whatever Austin''s thinking doesn''t matter. What matters is I don''t have to transfer to another school! "Thanks" Xander raised his eyebrows. Austin''s eyes grew a little colder as he watched Xander act all snug. Austin thought, ''Man, Cam is just too nice. But I have to do what Caits wants" Tina grabbed Xander. "It''s gettingte. We head out, Austin and you guys should get somos rest." They replied, "Bye, Ms. Murphy." Tiana led Xander away. But before a minute had even passed, Xander came storming back in. Xander shot Austin a look. "Alright, what are you really up to, kid?" Austin stood up, all that earlier weakness in front of Tiana gone without a trace. He leaned close to Xander''s ear and whispered, "Xander, now you get it, right? I can take you down, if you dare mess with Cam again, I promise you''ll regret it.¡± To Austin, there was a time when his mother was the only person he wanted to protect. Now, Cameron was the only one he wanted to protect. Anyone who tried to mess with Cameron was his enemy. Xander froze for a second and wondered, ''Did that usually sickly guy really just say that?! For a split second, Xander actually felt threatened. "What are you guys whispering about?" Bradley asked, clearly interested. "Nothing, Brad."Austin sat back down in his chair. Xander snapped out of it and red at Cameron. "Little brat, did I pick on you? It was you who picked on me, wasn''t it?" Before Cameron could answer, Austin frowned and said, "Xander, your aunt probably hasn''t gone far, right?" He pressed his fingers to his temple. "Ugh, why does my head hurt again? Must be from that fall this afternoon?" Xander gritted his teeth and stared at Austin Austin added, "Xander, don''t you think it''s pretty rude to keep calling Cam Tittle brat"?" "Yeah, that was pretty rude." Elijah agreed. Bradley asked, "Kander, why did you give Cameron that nickname?" Xander wondered, I''ve been calling him that for ages. No one ever had an issue with it. Why is everyone suddenly targeting me now?" Xander er snapped, "So you guys are all teaming up against me now, huh?" Cameron just said, "Xander, it''ste. You should head back Xander red at Cameron. "Why did you block me?" Honestly, all these problems today were because of Cameron, Xander Knew Austin set him up just for Cameron. Xander said, ¡°Isn''t it just because I didn''t transfer you the money on time?" Canveron stared at Nander in confusion. Xander pulled out his phone. "Cameron, unblock me right now, I''ll transfer the tutoring fee to you." Cameron replied, "It''s not about the money." At first, she just didn''t want Xander to know where she was. Now that she was back at school, it didn''t matter if she added him back. After all, she was still willing to tutor Xander. She felt it would be a total waste not to use her free time to make some money Cameron pulled out her phone and took Xander off her block list. "Done" Xander finally looked satisfied. "Now that''s more like it." He immediately sent Cameron 30 grand. Cameron frowned. "Didn''t we agree on 15 grand?" Xander just shrugged. "I''ve got money to burn." Cameron was speechless. ly then did Xander leave, lookingpletely pleased with himself Only Elijah frowned. "Cameron, you''re really nice to Xander." Cameron took a deep sigh but said nothing. Chapter 347 Out of everyone in Room 216, I''m the least nice to him. If he thinks that''s being nice, I''ve got nothing to say! Bradley parted Lujah on the shoulder. "El, Cameron has his own way of handling things. Don''t worry. He knows what he''s doing" Austin said, "Cam, I think you handled it perfectly" Cameron smiled but said nothing. It was gettingte, so Cameron headed to the bathionin Elijah thought, ''Since when did Austin be a big fan of Cameron? Everything Cameron says is right to him. It definitely wasn''t like this before Elijah just frowned and didn''t say anything. Xander came out of it totally unscathed. Some of Austin''s fans weren''t thrilled about how things turned out, but they still respected Austin''s decision. Everyone said Austin was really kind-hearted. Before the SATs, studying was what mattered most. So before long, everyone just moved on and forgot about it. Cameron had already signed up for her driver''s license test. On Wednesday morning, she took a day off to take the written test Brody approved her leave, but he still reminded her, "Cameron, your main focus right now should be your studies. Don''t forget the promise you made to Mr. Drake. Everything else can wait." Cameron replied, "Got it, Mr. Graham." She thought that next time when she needed to take the road test, the''d juste up with a different excuse. Sometimes, a little white lie just made things easier for everyone. Cameron aced the written test with a perfect score. Now she just had to wait for the next part. Before she knew it, Friday hade around again. During the past week, Cameron had done nothing but study and tutor Xander. Her days at school passed by without anything exciting or upsetting happening On Friday, Milena finally showed up at school. After getting pped around by Samuel''s people, she''d spent a week recovering. She came just to find Cameron. Samuel''s men hadpletely trashed Wace Vi, and they took a huge hit. Meanwhile, Cameron was living in a mansion worth millions. She''d even gotten a 300-thousand-dor bonus. gina Milena and her parents quickly agreed to send Milena to meet Cameron. 1/2 -When Cameter got back from achest, she a (a standing at her darm door in a white drest, locking a The moment she saw Cameron, Milena burst into tears, "Cam, something happened at home. Can youe back with mezz Cameron shot Milena & cold pince, thinking, ''She switches up her tactics now? Trying to y the victim?" Milena hurried over to Cameron. "Cam, pleasee home with me. No matter what happened before, we''re still family. We''re the closest people in the Cameron''s face didn''t change. She just silently watched Milena put on her act, Cameron waited until Milena was done crying before saying, "Old Samuel wreck the house?" "You knew that?" Milena looked at Cameron in surprise. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t you drop a hint to Xander and let me know?" Milena protested, ¡°Cam, I didn''t do it on purpose." Cameron snorted, "Milena, does your whole family just have way too much free time?" "No wonder they always have time to mess with me. Well, if they''re so bored, I might as well give them something to do thought Cameron. Cameron''s voice turned icy, "Go home, Milena. I''ll have a big surprise for you all soon." "A surprise? Cam, what kind of surprise?" Milena asked. "You''ll find out soon enough, Cameron replied. She turned and walked back into the dorm. She opened the door and saw Austin. Cameron asked, "Austin, can you give me Samuel''s phone number?" Chapter 348 Austin thought he must''ve misheard and asked, "Cam, you mean you want Samuel''s number? He thought. ''Cam is looking for Samor! That can''t be right'' Cameron added. "Yeah, Samuel" Austin nced at Elijah, who had just walked in, and asked again, "My brother, Samuel?" Cameron nodded again. "That''s right." Austin thought, "What? He really wants Samuel''s number," With Elijah in the dorm, even though Austin had a million questions, he couldn''t as Austin said. "Wright, I''ll send it to you now. He lowered his head and sent the number. "Thanks" Cameron grabbed her backpack and was about to leave. "Cam "Cameron." Austin and Elijah called out to her at the same time. Cameron turned around. "Yeah?" Austin nced at Elijah. "Eli, you go ahead." Elijah said, "Cameron, let''s head back together." Since Cameron didn''t have a car, it would be such a hassle to always take cabs. Cameron shook her head. "I''m not going back to Noble Vista. We''re not headed in the same direction." Elijah asked, "You''re not nning to go back to Noble Vista this week?" Elijah wanted to know where Cameron would go. But that was Cameron''s private business. In the end, he didn''t ask Cameron nodded. "Nope." Elijah thought, "So what was the point of me buying that house? Since Cameron isn''t going back, I won''t either. He''ll just head straight back to my parents'' ce tonight" "Austin, do you have something to say?" Cameron asked Austin, Austin asked the question Elijah wanted to know. "Cam, where are you going instead? Want me to give you a ride?" Cameron shook her head. ¡°Thanks, but it''s pretty for and not on your way. I''ll just grab a cab." Austin insisted, "Doesn''t matter if it''s on my way or not, Cam, Come on, let me drive you." Cameron turned him down again. "Seriously, it''s fine! Austin thought, "is Cam just trying not to trouble me, or does he not want me to know where he''s going?" Cameron left the dorm. Austin and Elijah quickly packed us, said goodbye, and went their separate ways. Bradley nevel even went back to the dorm. As soon as school was over, feited Cameron. Something came up. Aher leaving the school gate, Cameron got into a taxi, gave the dilver the address for the call, and then called Samut The phone rang for quite a while before Samuel finally picked up. "Hello? Samunt speaking! "This is Cameron," she said. The moment he heard her name, Samuel immediately sat up straight on the couch. "Cameron, you actually dare to call me Cameron let out a coldugh. "Why wouldn''t I dare? I''m calling to settle the score. While I was away, you went after my family. Your a death wish, huh?" Up front, the drivers, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, heard what Camion said. He nced at Cameron in the rearview mirror. His eyes were calm and unreadable. Samuel instantly lost his cool the moment he heard Cameron''s words. Samuel thought, "Guess thest time, he hadn''t had enough lessons. That little punk actually dares to challenge me again. He must be tired of living Cameron smirked, "What''s wrong, Samuel? Scared? Yeah, a loser like you only knows how to pick on weaklings like Austin." Samuel was furious. Cameron said, "Samuel, you''re just a fucking coward." "Cameron!" Samuel was so furious that he was about to explode. He roared, "Just you wait. Your family is going bankrupt." Cameron shot back, "Oh yeah? You really think you''ve got what it taket?" Chapter 349 Samuel snapped, "You''ll find out toon." Cameron snorted, "Please, anyone can talk big." Samuel shot back, "Don''t believe me? Fine, just you wait." "Yeah, I''ll wait. No problem With that, Cameron hung up on hilm. Right after, she blocked Samuel''s number without hesitation. A mocking smile tugged at theer of Cameron''s lips. She hadn''t expected to use Samuel against her own family, but since Milena insisted on butting heads, she didn''t have much of a choice. At least now, she could finally enjoy some peace and quiet for a while. Not only did Cameron provoke Samuel, but she even hung up on him. Samuel was so furious that he could barely contain himself. He mmed his phone onto the floor in a fit of rage. "M-Mr. Fraser?" The assistant was scared stiff. Samuel was known for his bad temper, but no one had ever seen him this mad before. Samuel shot to his feet, seething with anger, and gritted his teeth. "Let''s go to Wace Vi, His assistant didn''t dare ask any questions and hurried after him. Milena came back home with a dark face. "Mom, Dad, Cameron is going too far. She doesn''t even know she''s not really your daughter, but she''s still so cold to us. You really raised an ungrateful brat." Martin grumbled, "We should''ve just strangled her when your aunt brought her over. Would''ve saved us all this trouble" Milena nodded in agreement. "You''re totally right, Dad. Just seeing Cameron makes me sick." Heidi looked confused. "What happened? Cameron used to do whatever we told her. Even when we made her get that surgery, she still went to the hospital, even though she didn''t want to." Martin snapped, "You know, she was just born rotten. Who knows what kind of trash gave birth to that little brat?" Before Martin could finish his sentence, a sudden crash echoed through the house. All three of them jumped up in shock. "What was that? What was that noise?" Milena asked. "Go take a look," Martin said. "Oh no." Ruth, the housekeeper, stumbled into the living room, her face as white as a sheet "Ruth, what''s wrong? What was that sound? Heidi asked. Ruth looked terrified. "H-He''s back. He''s here again. Puth could enh point outside. walked out with howns, but the nest second, all three of them looked absolutely terrified. 25-Samuel?" Martin was shaking with rage. That deafening crash just now came from the front gate. It was to loud because Samuel had driven car straight through it The iron gate was bent out of shape, and the front of the car was wicked lon Samuel got out of the car, a cold smirk on his face. "Dad... Dad..." The moment Milena saw Samuel, the memory of being pped by him came rushing back, making her freeze in fear. She immediately hid behind her father, Martin shielded Milena behind him, forcing himself to sound calm. ¡°Samuel, you''ve gone way too far "Too far?" Samuel sneered. "You think this is too far? Let me show you what ''too far really means." "Smash everything. Don''t just stop at the living room. Tear down the whole vi," Samuel barked. "Yes, sir," the bodyguards answered in unison. Soon, with the rumble of wheels on the floor, six excavators rolled into the vi. The three of them n werepletely terrified. "What do you mean? Palva''s here!" He matter how they pressed her, Rum Bust bouldn''t get the wards oud, macing Mot ?Ruth Gl¨¹ht only point outside They walked out with frowns, but the next second, all three of them looked absolutely terrified. "S-Samuel?" Martin was shaking with rage. That deafening crash just now came from the front gate. It was so loud because Samuel had driven his car straight through it. The iron gate was bent out of shape, and the front of the car was wrecked lon Samuel got out of the car, a cold smirk on his face. "Dad... Dad..." The moment Milena saw Samuel, the memory of being pped by him came nothing back, making her freeze in fear. her father. She immediately hid behind her father, Martin shielded Milena behind him, forcing himself to sound calm. "Samuel, you''ve gone way too far." "Too far?" Samuel sneered. "You think this is too far? Let me show you what ''too far really means." "Smash everything. Don''t just stop at the living room. Tear down the whole vi," Samuel barked. "Yes, sir," the bodyguards answered in unison. Soon, with the rumble of wheels on the floor, six excavators rolled into the vi The three of them werepletely terrified. Chapter 350 The moment the escavators rolled in, Milena and her rents wereptely thinned Martin was shaking all over. He rushed forward to block the entrance, "Samuel, you can''t do this Don''t go too far." This vi was the Wacemily''s most valuable asset now. If even this was destroyed, Martin would have no dignity left: "Drag him away," Samuel ordered coldly. "Yes, sir." The bodyguards responded and pulled Martin aside, Martin tried to fight back, but at his age, he was no match for the strong bodyguards. Pinned down, Martin could only watch helplessly as the excavators drove in and started tearing the ce apart Martin''s eyes turned red. He waspletely powerless. Milena was so scared that she burst into tears, copsing to the ground with her legs giving out beneath her. Samuel waved his hand impatiently, and the bodyguards dragged Milena aside as well Heidi,pletely rattled, screamed, "I''m calling the police! I''m calling the police!" Before Samuel could even say anything, a bodyguard snatched Heidi''s phone and smashed it to ces. Just to be safe, they also found and smashed Martin and Milena''s phones. Meanwhile, Samuel sat down nearby. The bodyguards set up a table,id out a white tablecloth, and ced red wine and sses on top. Samuel leisurely sipped his wine, watching as the vi was reduced to ruins bit by bit He even took a video and told Austin to send it over to Cameron. He was sure Cameron would definitely be thrilled when he saw the video. In less than an hour, the e vi waspletely unrecognizable. All the noise drew a crowd of curious neighbors. But Samuel chased them all away. Martin was so furious that he passed out on the spot. *Dad, Dad, you okay?" Milena was bawling her eyes out. Heidi was at a total loss. "Honey, wake up. Don''t scare me like this." Milena clung to Heidi. "Mom, what are we supposed to dor Heidi snapped, "How should I know?" Milena just cried even harder, Samuel watched the miserable scene of the the of them, his facepletely nk. His an ger finally started to fade. ght, "That bastard Cameron, He''s still just a clueless kid, and he thinks he can take me on? He won''t even know what hit him." He thought, Samuel stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes. Watching them tear down the house was boring and way too noisy, so he decided to leave. aser, what did we even do to demove that Why are rush over and block his way - She thought, Why? Why do we have to suffer for no reason? What did we even do wrong? Samuel said, "You wanna know why? You shouldn''t have made me unhappy" Milena sobbed, "Mr. Fraser, can you exin 117¡± ¡°Exin?¡± Samuel sneered. "I just hate you guys. You pissed me off, so just wait to p With that, Samuel turned and Ich. The excavators were still tearing everything down. "B-Bankrupt..." Milena dropped to the floor. go bankrupt." She thought in shock, ''Bankrupt? Is Samuel really going to bankrupt the Wace family? It''s over. The house is gone, and so is thepany My future ispletely ruined." Milona''s eyes flew open, and, overwhelmed by anger and shock, she fainted. "Honey!" Heidi cried out. With both her daughter and husband passed out, Heidi broke down in tears, but it was all useless. They were about to lose everything. Chapter 351 Cameron hung up and stared out the en window at the city streets sliding by in reverie Knowing Samuel''s cruelty, Cameron could pretty much picture what was waiting Milena and her parents, Cameron felt more than a little satisfied. Back then, they sucked her dry. She''d dressed as a man in keep up the engagement just so they could cast all the perks Now that she''d pissed off Samuel, it was only fali they got caught up in the fallout ton. After all, they were so-called family. They shared the good tim and they should suffer together too. A faint smirk tugged at Cameron''s lips. She nced out at the street and felt something was off. Cameron repeated the castle''s address and reminded the driver, "Hey, we you sure you''re going the right way!" The driver shot her a look in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, the road up ahead''s closed. We have to take a detour Cameron nodded and didn''t say anything else. ut the window, he quickly popped open a ck bottle As he drove, the driver kept sneaking nces at Cameron in the mirror. When he saw her looking out hidden under the passenger seat. Cameron was still gazing outside, but her nose twitched slightly. The car kept m moving and swaying. Cameron leaned against the window and slowly closed her eyes. The driver noticed that and gave a satisfied grin. Right after, he mmed on the gas. Since Cameron wasn''t wearing a seatbelt, she lurched forward from the sudden eleration. Luckily, the seat in front stopped her, so instead of falling, she just slumped sideways onto the cushion. "This stuff really does the trick." The driver had a wicked grin on his face. He thought, "The kid in the back isn''t just sleeping. He''s been knocked out by the drug. Perfect The driver kept going for another half hour before finally pulling over. By now, they were miles away from the city It waste, with the moon and stars shining overhead. -On both sides of the road, green rice fields stretched out Frogs were croaking in the paddies. They were deep in the countryside now. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and called his employer. "I''ve got him. He''s out cold. What do you want me to do ne? "Cut off both his hands, then break his legs?" The driver repeated the order, hesitating, "Isn''t that a bit much?" He thought, "The kid in the car looks really young, maybe just seventeen or eighteen at most "Are you taking the task or not? if you don''t, there are plenty of others who will." The voice on the other end threatened. "I will, definitely. But you guys need to pay more. You never said it would get this bloody," the driver said. The driver haggled with the pens "is that all I''m worth?" Just Nowork avable now. Please check yourwork. The driver from His hand shook, and he dropped the phone onto the seed He whipped his head around to re at Cameron. "How are you even awake?" Cameron gave a half-smile, "Why wouldn''t I be? You want me to just lie here and let you chop off my hands and break my lego?? The driver stared in shock. "You heard all that? When did you wake up?" Cameron shrugged. "Wake up? I was never asleep to begin with After snapping out of it, the driver threatened. "I don''t care if you were asleep or not. You''re here now, and no one''sing to save you. Be good, and maybe I''ll go easy on you and make it hurt less " Cameron shot back, "Who sent you?" The driver thought, I just threatened him with all that, and this brat isn''t even scared?'' Chapter 352 Just look at Cameron''s fresh face, the diver could tell that he had never had a rough day in his tile. He thought, Shouldn''t someone like him be scared out of his wits, bawling and begging for mercy after hearing those words? Why is he Instead? Seeing the driver just ring at her in silence, Cameron frowned and repeated, "I''m asking you, Who sent you?" Only then did the driver snap out of it. He tugged at his ck mask and pulled his cap down lower, trying to hide his facepletely This way, Cameron wouldn''t remember what he looked like ande after him for revengeter. He said, "Kid, who sent me doesn''t matter. What matters is, someone paid a lot of money to deal with you." He paused, then added, "Don''t take it personally, I''m just doing this for cash. It''s not against you? "Nothing against me?" Cameron smirked. "Alright, since you''re being so considerate, I won''t do anything to you. Just tell me who hired you, and we''re good." She''d pissed off so many people that, for a moment, Cameron couldn''t even figure out who wanted payback this time. The driver got annoyed. "Are you deal? I said you don''t need to know who it is." He then reached over and locked the doors. He wondered, ''We''ll handle things right here in the car if we do it outside, someone might see us, and that''d be a pain." He pulled out the tools he''d stashed ahead of time from the glovepartment- fruit knife and a hammer. With the knife in one hand and the hammer in the other, he turned to Cameron. "Want me to chop off your hand first, or smash your leg?" Cameron just let out a soft chuckle. The driver frowned. "What''s so funny?" Cameron wiped the smile off her face and suggested, "Why not both at once?" The driver thought, ''Both at once? How would that even work?" While the driver was still in shock, the fruit knife shed, and it suddenly ended up in Cameron''s hand. The driver was stunned. ''How did the knife in my hand end up with that kid? What the hell just happened? Cameron twirled the knife in her hand. "Should I mess up your face first, or go for your eyes?" The driver froze. He instantly flew i y into a rage, swinging the hammer at Cameron''s head. He roared, "You must be looking for death" "A brat like him even dares to act tough with h me thought the driver But Cameron just slipped aside, and the man''s attack hit nothing but air. The driver thought, ''This kid''s actually pretty quick." Just as as the driver was about to go in for another swing, Cameron''s fingers closed around his wrist. Pain shed across his face as Cam hammer right out of his hand. Before the driver could even react, the knife was already pressed against his throat. atched the If he dared to struggle, the de would slice his neck open in The driver was so scared that he didn''t even dare to breathe Cold sweat poured down his forefinad nonstop. "Hey, man, rx." The driver bistantly backed down. Cameron said, "I am rxed," The driver didn''t dare move but only theaked a nce at Cameron. ¡°Look, I''m just here for the morley. Don''t take it out on me, alright?" Cameron gave a hall smile. ¡°So, who should I take it out on?" The driver said, "My boss is someone surnamed Young. Think about IL Did you ever cross them?" "Oh, Young, huh. Cameron nodded, understanding She thought, ''So kicking Skyler out of Langford Academy wasn''t the end of it after all. They must still be holding a grudge because I made them lose their deal with the Moore family." Chapter 353 Cameron scoffed inwardly. So their daughter can make up lies and spill other people''s secrets online, and that''s totally fine? "Wasn''t it Skyler who started this whole mess in the first ce? But in the end, I''m the one who gets med for everything. "Now they want to take my hands and break my legs? Do they really think the Moore family will still want to work with them after that? What a joke The driver tried to carefully move the knife away from his neck, but in the next second, Cameron pressed down lightly, making the de press even closer. The driver instantly threw his hands up in fear, "Hey, don''t do anything crazy" Cameron shot back, "Weren''t you the one about to do something crazy!" The driver looked terrified. "Come on, man, I''ve got a family to feed. Can you please let me go?" Cameron said, "Letting you go isn''t out of the question." "So, what do you want me to do?" the driver asked Cameron''s eyes turned cold. "Drive me to meet your employer." "Huh?" The driver stared of Cameron in shock. "What''s wrong?" Cameron pressed the de even closer to his neck. "No?" "Yes, yes," the driver blurted out. "But they''re out to get you. Why are you walking right into their trap?" The driver thought, "Isn''t that just asking for trouble?'' Cameron just smiled. ¡°Just drive me there. That''s all you need to do." The driver nodded over and over. "Alright, I''ll take you." Just as Cameron was about to pull the knife away, the driver''s phone, still lying in aer, started ringing at the worst possible moment. Cameron nced at the screen and said coldly, "Answer it." With that, she moved the knife aside. At the same time, he picked up the hammer, staring at the driver with a nk expression. -The driver quickly backed away from Cameron, reaching up to touch his own neck. He rubbed it over and over and thought, "Thank goodness, I''m alive! The phone kept ringing. Cameron reminded him, "Pick up the phone." The driver scrambled to grab the phone, terrified that if he was even a second too slow, Cameron woulde at him with the knife or hammer. The driver answered the phone and put it on speaker. "Why''d you take so long to answer?" Mark sounded a bit annoyed. The driver nced at Cameron, not daring to say anything reckless. He just said, ¡°Had to take care of something first." "Is it done?" Mark asked. The driver replied, "It''s done. Just like you wanted. I took off his hands and broke his legs." Mark burst outughing, "Good job," The driver shot a nervous look at Cameron. Cameron gave him a smile. That only made the driver even more scared, "I have your payment sent over tomorrow," Mark said. Atera pause, Mark asked, "By the way, that kid didn''t see your face, did hel "No, he didn''t," the driver repbed, "Alright then, Let''s just pretend we never met," Mark said. "Wait a sec," the driver spoke up, catching Cameron''s look. "I need toe over right now." "What for?" Mark asked. "I''ming to get the cash," the driver said. y I''d transfer it to you tomorrow?" Mark replied. "Didn''t I say! "Mr. Young. I I think it''s safer to settle up in cash," the dri driver insisted. ined. "Where am I supposed to get that much cash on such short notice?" Markp "Just pay whatever you can. It''ll take me over an hour to get there, so you have time. That''s it," the driver said. He hung up and then looked at Cameron nervously. "Hey, I didn''t say anything wrong, z, did it Chapter 354 Cameron loungedfortably in the back seal. "Nope. Take me there now" The driver let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Wright," He started the car and headed toward Young Manne Just then, Cameron''s phone buzzed. Cameron tossed the krille and hammer aside, then pulled out his phone from his pocket. It was a video from Austin. Austin: Cam, Samuel asked me to send you this. Cameron tapped to open it. It was a video of Wace Vi getting trashed. A smirk appeared on Cameron''s lips. Cameron replied: Please say thanks to Samuel] Austin was shocked. Austin: [Cam, I get how you feel, but honestly, you don''t need to thank him. If Samuel finds out you''ve already cut ties with the Wace family, that''ll be trouble.] Austin wondered, ''If Samuel finds out, he''ll be just as ruthless with Cameron as he is with the Wace family. After all, Cameron used him. With Samuel''s arrogance, there''s no way he''d let that slide Cameron typed back: (Alright, then forget it. Austin kept typing and deleting, but in the end, he still sent his question Austin [Cam, what were you up to this weekend? Where did you take Pearl?II Cameron didn''t let Austin give her a ride, saying it was out of his way Austin figured maybe it was because Elijah was there, so Cameron couldn''t say much. So, Austin just went straight to Viremont Zoo. But to his surprise, he was told that Cameron had already taken Pearl awayst week. Before Austin even had a chance to text Cameron, a video from Samuel popped up. So, he forwarded the video to Cameron first Cameron [Austin, I''m staying at Pearl''s current home now. I can''t tell you the exact location for the time being. Austin stared at his phone screen for a long time, thinking. ''Cam still doesn''t want to tell me. Guess he still doesn''t see me as a friend, I thought we were already friends. Tums out that''s just my wishful thinking. Austin''s amber eyes lost their shine. He held his phone for a long while before finally replying with just one word. (Okay. Cameron slipped her phone back into her pocket, feeling pretty good. The corners of her lips litted as she gazed out at the hazy night outside the window She thought, "Looks like Samuel is actually powerful. If Milena and those guystick me off again, I''ll just call Samuel and have him deal with them. ''As for I''ve cut ties with the Wace family... Well, I''ve already pissed Samuel off, so what''s one or two more times?" Suddenly, Cameron reached out and tapped the driver''s seat. "Hold en take me to a nearby inte call "Inte cale?" the driver asked, sounding unsure. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I need to use aputer." She wondered, ''It was the Young family who kepting after me. Might as well wipe out the future threats? Cameron spent about ten minutes in the inte cald. During those ten minutes, the driver was locked in a fierce internal struggle. But in the and, hi didn''t drive off. Cameron got in the car and said, "Let''s go Han hourter, the taxi slowly pulled up in front o vi. The driver nced back and said, "We''re here." Cameron nodded, grabbed his backpack, and said, "You''re free to go." "Hey, kid," the driver called out just as Cameron was about to get out. "What?" Cameron''s hand rested on the door handle. The driver hesitated. "Why don''t you just go back?" thought, ''He''s so young and good-looking. It would be a shame! Cameron didn''t say a word he just pushed open the door and got out. The driver floored it and sped off. bone, and sent a text: [Are you here yet?] Cameron stood at the door, grabbed her phone, Soon, a security guard from the vi came out The guard gave Cameron a once-over and asked, "What are you doing here?" 20 Chapter 355 "I''m here to pick up the honey," Cameron said. The guard told her, "Stay right them. Don''te in." Then the guard handed Canteron a brown paper bag he''d already prepared. Cameron gave it a little shake, feeling it had about 30 grand inside. "Thanks," Cameron said with a smile. The guard asked, "Aren''t you going to count it?" "No need," Cameron replied, With that, she stepped aside. She slipped into the shadow of a big tree. From there, she could clearly watch the front gate, but it wasn''t so easy for anyone else to spot her. At the same time, Cameron''s phone buzzed with a message: [My colleagues are here.] A faint smile tugged at Cameron''s lips. She crossed her arms, leaned against the tree, and kept her eyes fixed on the gate. Soon, three police cars came roaring up. About a dozen officers jumped out and headed for the house. "Policel Open upl¡± The guard who patronized Cameron just now felt his legs were weak. The iron gate was yanked open right away Hearing themotion, the four members of the Young family came out to see what was going on. When they saw all those cops at their door, they werepletely stunned. Mark had seen a lot in his day. He quickly regained hisposure, put on a big smile, and walked over to the police. "Officers, what an honor. Sorry, I didn''t greet you at the door. Please,e in." While Mark kept his cool, Tessa, Skyler, and Avery were all scared stiff With one look at this scene, they could tell nothing good was about to happen. The whole family nervously shuffled into the living room The lead officer shed his badge and some documents. "Mr. Young, we''re on a mission. Someone reported that your pharmaceuticalpany is making and selling fake medicine, and also evading taxes. We''ll need you toe with us." The moment he heard that, Mark''s legs went weak, and he nearly copsed. "Honey!" "Dadi" Tessa, Skyler, and Avery rushed to hold Mark up, Trying to act calm, Mark said, "Officers, this is a setup. Someone''s framing us. Please don''t use innocent people." As he spoke, he shot Tessa a look. Tessa got the hint right away. She hurried upstairs and came back with a whole box of gold from the safe With a sweet sweet smile, she said, "Officers, we''re set up. Please look into this carefully and clear our name." The lead officer gave them a cold look. "Mr. and Mrs. Young, we already have sold evidence. But how it looks like we''ll have bribery Mark waspletely stunned. He copsed to the floor, totally defeated He thought, ''They''ve already got evidence? Have they been watching me from the start! And the Moore family heard about it ages ago. "So they''re using Elijah''s mess as an excuse to cut me off? they don''t even give me in hand. Throwing me under the bus to save themselves, they are so ruthless. It''s truly over." "Take him away," the lead officer said with a wave of his hand, "No! Please, don''t take my dad," Skyler cried, rushing forward to shield her father. "Let go, Miss," the lead officer snapped, frowning, "if you don''t, you''ll be charged with interfering with police business." "Sweetie," Tessa and Avery hurried over and pulled Skyler back. Mark was taken away just like that. With solid evidence and multiple charges stacked against him, a few monthster, Mark was sentenced to death and executed on the spot. The Young family''spany went bankrupt. All of their assets, deemed ill-gotten gains, werepletely confiscated. Avery was also fired from her hotel job. Branded as the daughter of a death row criminal, she couldn''tnd a job anywhere. Skyler just couldn''t handle the massive blow. She tried to end her life several times, sank into deep depression, and in the end, had no choice but to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Tessa''s days were filled with nothing but misery. A once happy family was shattered beyond repair. Thomas let out a sigh. "Eli, if we hadn''t stood up for your ssmate and used that as a reason to cut ties with the Young family, we''d be tangled up in this mess too." But that was another story. AD Comment Chapter 356 Cameron hid in the shadows, watching as Mark was led into the police car while the rest of them bad their eyes out at the gate. She just stood there, coldly observing the scene, Then she turned around and strolled off, lookingpletely at ease. She thought, From now on, the Youngs will finally be out of my life for good. I don''t even have to get involved, and everything was settled once and for all Cameron had barely walked a few steps when her phone started ringing in her pocket. It was Ryan, Cameron picked up. "Hi, Ryan." Ryan''s voice was light and cheerful. "Cam, thanks for your tip off. We''ve already got the guy on his way back to the station. The higher ups want to give you a little something as a reward for your help..." "Ryan," Cameron cut him off, "there''s really no need. I was just doing my duty as a citizen." "You''re a good one, kid," Ryan praised. Cameron chatted with him for a bit and then hung up. That wrapped things up here. She needed to get back to the castle to check on Pearl. She hadn''t been home in a week, and she really missed Pearl. Cameron walked for a bit before finally making it out of the vi area and onto the main road. She was just about to g down a cab when her phone rang-it was Bradley calling "Brad, Cameron answered. "You''re not home yet? Where are you?" Bradley asked Cameron nced at the dazzling neon lights on the street. "I had something to take care of, so I''m still out. I''ll be back soon. Did you already get home?" Bradley replied, "I just got back. Where are you? Want me toe pick you up?" "No need, I can just grab a cab myself," Cameron replied. "Send me your location. I''lle get you," he insisted. Cameron knew all too well-if Bradley repeated himself, there was no changing his mind. She had no choice but to give him her address. "Alright, wait for me," Bradley said. While waiting for Bradley, Cameron bought herself a cup of smoothie and picked one up for him too. About forty minutester, a ck Mercedes pulled up in front of her. Cameron opened the door, got in, and handed the smoothie to Bradley. "Here you go." Bradley took it and asked, "Smoothie?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, ''s pretty good." Seeing his slightly odd expression, Cameron asked, "Not a fan?" "i don''t really drink this stuff," Bradley replied. Cameron took her hand back "Then I have it." But Bradley held onto it. "I don''t mind trying something new once in a while Cameron rolled her eyes. Bradley took a sip andmented, "It''s a bit sweet" Cameron said, "I think it''s just right" Bradley nced at her. "Cameron, I''ve noticed you really have a sweet tooth." Bradley thought, "Cameron seems to have a thing for such drinks and cakes. Sweets are usually more of a girl thing. Guys don''t really go for them." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I really like them," Bradley took a few sips and then set his drink aside. It was just too sweet for him. He then started the car. Cameron turned her head to watch the neon lights streaming past the window, sinking into the seat in a totally rxed pose. Bradley caught a glimpse of Cameron and couldn''t help but smile. By the time the car rolled smoothly into the castle courtyard, Cameron was already fast asleep against the seat. Bradley turned off the engine and just sat quietly beside Cameron, not wanting to wake her up. Pearl caught Cameron''s scent and started circling the car The noise woke Cameron up. She rubbed her face and murmured, "Did I fall asleep?" She didn''t realize she was really that tired. Chapter 357 Bradley said, "You''re exhausted." Cameron didn''t really feel that tired. She figured maybe she just got toofortable in the car, so she dared off. As soon as Cameron opened the car door, Pearl came bounding over, its tail wagging with excitement Cameron grabbed its front paws and grinned, "Pearl, it''s been a while." Pearl happily nuzzled her arm with its head. Brady got out of the car too, smiling as he watched Cameron and Pevul together. Elijah went back home. The dining room was lit up as bright as day. The long white table was filled with delicious dishes, but Elijah sat there by himself. On one side of the table, a group of maids and the butler stood waiting to sen His dad was busy with business dinners and hadn''te home. His mom was a top-notch doctor, and she had surgery tonight, so she wasn''t back either, In this huge vi, there wasn''t a single person to eat dinner with him. That all-too-familiar loneliness crept over jah''s heart again. Jack noticed Elijah hadn''t eaten and stepped forward a little. "Sir, is the food not to your liking tonight?" Jack thought, ''All these dishes are his favorites. He hasn''t been home for a week. He should have a good appetite. Elijah didn''t say a word. He picked up a piece of steak, put it in his mouth, chewed, then set down his fork. "I''m done." He got up and let the dining room. Jack thought in confusion, she in a bad mood?! Elijah went back to his room. His bedroom was massive-easily asrge as the house of ordinary people. He sat on the sofa, staring at the empty room. Right now, he didn''t even feel like doing practice problems. That used to be his favorite thing. He wondered, "Where''s Cameron right now? What''s he up to?'' Elijah got up, walked over to his desk, and opened his math workbook. After searching for a bit, he finally found a tough problem He snapped a picture of it and sent Cameron a message. Cameron, what are you doing? Can I ask you about a math problem! But he got no reply. Elijah kept grabbing his phone his eyes glued to their chat window. Five minutes passed, ten minutes, and soon, half an hour passed, he still got no response from Cameron. Elijah''s heart was in his throat. He mused, ''Did something happen to Cameron?'' He couldn''t wait any longer and called Carperan directly. Cameron was having dinner with Bradley when he received the call from Elijah. The table was packed with delicious food, and Cameron''s mouth was stready watering. Pearl was lying culety at her Hearing the ringtone, Cameron pulled out her phone and met Bradley''s curious gare. "It''s Fijah," she said. Bradley gave a slight hod. Cameron Answered. "Hey, Ell." "Cameris, are you okay?" Elijah asked, sounding really anxious. "I''m fine. What''s wrong?" Cameron replied, a little confused. She wondered, ''Why does Elijah sound so worked up? What''s going on?'' Hearing how calm Cameron was, Elijah finally rxed. "As long as you''re okay." "I''m okay. What''s up?" Cameron asked. "You didn''t reply to my messages. I thought something happened. I''m just d you''re okay," Elijah said. Cameron replied, "You messaged me? Sorry, I didn''t check it." Elijah thought, ¡°So she just didn''t see it. Thank goodness, it was just a false rm Every time Elijah couldn''t reach Cameron, he couldn''t help but picture the scone Cameron standing on the edge, ready to jump down. "Is it urgent, Elijah? I''m having dinner right now," Cameron said, "It''s not urgent," Elijah replied. Cameron put her phone down, exited the call, and finally saw Elijah''s messages. "Elijah, let me finish eating first. We can talk about the problemster, okay?" Cameron said. ÊÐ Chapter 358 No Ads Alight, sorry to bother you," Elijah said. He wasn''t in any hurry. He knew full well he didn''t actually care about any math problems. He just wanted an excuse to see what Cameron was doing. Just hearing Cameron''s voice made him feel strangely at prace. Even that ever-present loneliness that used to h o hang over him disappeared without a trace. Cameron said, ¡°Wright, talk to youter,¡± Cameron hung up and went back to her meal. Nothing was more important than eating for her. Bradley pushed up his sses and asked, "Cameron, don''t you think Elijah''s kinda clingy to you? Bradley knew Elijah was actually aloof. He was like one of those cold, untouchable flowers on a mountaintop Bradley and Elijah got along fine. But unless there was a reason, they would seldom talk. However, Elijah would always reach out to Cameron. Justst week, he even tried to get the scoop on Cameron through Bradley. Cameron was chewing on a piece of beef. She swallowed it and then asked, a little confused, "Really?" She wondered, "Clingy to me? Does that even count? Back when Elijah found out I was the one he''d been looking for, he never stopped asking me questions. That was clingy! Bradley nodded seriously. "Yeah, totally." Cameron said, "He''s just asking me about math problems." Bradley didn''t say anything else. After dinner, Cameron went back to her room and messaged Elijah. Cameron: [Hey Elijah, where''s the question? You didn''t send it to the yet! Elijah had been holding his phone and replied instantly: A moment. He sent over the photo he''d taken earlier and the message: I have an idea for hour to solve it, but it feels a bitplicated. Do you have a better way?] Cameron: Let me take a look first.I A momentter, Cameron replied: Elijah, I think you can just use this form... When Elijah saw Cameron''s message, he couldn''t help but smile. He thought, "Tums out, Cameron''s approach is exactly the same as mine. This is really the best way to solve it! Elijah replied: Cameron, I''m a little confused. Can you exin it in more detail? Cameron sighed inwardly, "Seriously? He doesn''t get it? He''s supposed to be the top student." With no other choice, Camergo had b Nowork avable now. Please check yourwork. Meanwhile, at Murphy Maner. That shernoon, after Cameron finished tutoring Kander, she told him she''d be busy this weekend, so there''d be no more lessons. She also woodY EN back to Noble Vista, Thus, Xander finally got to ride his beloved motorcycle home. As soon as he walked in and checked his phone, he saw an Instagram post from Milena-set so only he could see it. xander was so mad that he practically jumped. "This is too much. Is Samuel even human?" "Kander? What''s wrong?" his mother asked. His father looked over, curious. look at this Kander handed his phone to his father. "Dad, look at Logan read it, his facepletely calm. Gwen didn''t look surprised either. ander said, "Senously, is Samuel just terrible?" Logan shook his head. "Xander, stay out of other people''s family drama." Xander frowned. "What do you mean, Dad?" Gwen said, "xander, the Wace family is finished. They offended Samuel, and everyone is talking about it. That guy is ruthless. There''s no way they''ll have it easy "You both knew? How did you know? Why didn''t you tell me?" Xander asked. Logan said, "it''s business stuff. Why would we tell you?" Gwen added, "Xander, you''re still young. Leave adult matters to adults." Chapter 359 Xander shot back, "Your still think I''m a kid? Did you forget I''m already an adult? Or did you forget that hugeing-of-age party you thre His parents were left speechless. From the way his parents acted, Xander knew they weren''t going to step in. He headed uraight upstairs. He stared at Milena''s post for a long time, but in the end, he he didn''t do anything. He didn''t even send a message to ask how she was doing. For some reason, Xander suddenly thought, ''Good thing Cameron already cut ties with the Wace family Otherwise, she''d be dragged into this mans too. What''s that troublemaker up to right now?" After thinking it over, Xander still send Cameron a message. Hey, little brat, what are you up to? Xander really wanted to tell Cameron about what happened with the Wace family. But in the end, he forced himself to hold back. He knew Cameron hated anything to do with the Wace family, so he couldn''t say a word. Cameron had just finished chatting with Elijah and was about to hop in the shower when a message from Xander popped up Cameron sighed inwardly. "I''m seriously busy tonight." Cameron replied: [Shower time, no time for you] Xander thought bitterly, ''No time? But she still replied to me! Xander. (Are you giving me a lessonter? It''s still early.] But Cameron didn''t answer Xander: Hey, brat, answer me.] He still got no reply from Cameron. Xander froze for a second and wondered, "Wait, did that little brat get himself into a mess? Don''t tell me Samuel found Cameron, if he dares mess with Cameron Without even realizing it, Xander''s fists clenched tight. He didn''t even notice. Xander immediately made a video call to Cameron, but Cameron didn''t answer. He called again but still got no answer. Cameron just took a quick shower. The moment she opened the door, she heard her phone keep ringing. Still in her pajamas, towel drying her damp hair with one hand, she walked over and hung up on Xander''s video call without a second thought Then she immediately called him ce only Xander picked up right away. Cameron asked, "What is it?" Xander said, "Hey, you okay?" Cameron replied, Theline What''s up? L?nder said, ¡°Uh, where are you fight now? Why don''t youe and stay at my ce for a few days? it''s safe here." Xander Ligured even if Samuel really tiled to look for Cariseren, he''d never guess Canteron would hide at his home. Even I Samuel did find out, there was no way Xander would let him mess with Cameron in i His ce. Cameron looked genuinely confused. "It''s safe? What are you talking about? Where I live is perfectly safe too Xander almost blurted out Wace Vi, but stopped himself. He knew Cameron hated mentioning that ce. xander said, "I mean, you cane over and tutor me at my ce, Just stay here and it''s convenient" ???? Kander tried to tempt Cameron with a sky high offer. Il pay you 300 thousand dors an hour. How about it?" Kander mused, "That beat is all about out money. If i throw enough cash at him, he''ll agree, right? Cameron was speechless. "Didn''t I already tell you I''m busy this weekend?" Xander said, "Double, alright?" "Do you just have too much money lying around?" "Seriously, just tell me how much I have to pay you to get you toe tutor at my ce?" "It''s not about the money. I really can''t make it this week." She never thought Xander was all that into studying anyway. Cameron thought, ''Why is he so desperate today? Did something set him off? Xander yelled, "Do you even realize how much danger you''re in right now? Samuel is totally nuts!" Xander thought, ''Who else but a crazy person would ruin a vi with excavators?" Chapter 360 ¡°Samuel?¡± Cameron immediately caught the key word in Xander''s sentence. "Did Milena rasch out to your again?". Xander said. "No, I just saw her post. " He stopped mid sentence and added, "Cameron, you''re the one who brought her up, not me. Don''t tame me for this" Xander didn''t want Cameron using him of trying to mention something headed Cameron said, "So you''re worried about me just because you now Milena''s post? Shouldn''t you be more worried about her Xander wondered, "Worried about Milena? She really did leave me a stunning first impression, buttely, I''ve been getting this weird vibe from har "I can''t quite describe it. It''s really a strange feeling Whenever we talk, Milena always seems to be aloof "But my first impression of her was that she is cool, sharp, and straightforward. Guess looks can be deceiving Actually talking to her is a whole different story Xanderfell silent, lest in his thoughts.. Cameron continued, "Thanks for worrying about me, Xander, but you really don''t have to. I''m fine and safe, Samuel can''t find me." "Then where are you now? Xander asked. "You don''t need to know where I am," Cameran replied. Xander asked, ¡°I don''t even know where you are. How am I supposed to know if you''re safe?" Xander wondered. ''So that''s why Cameron didn''t go back to Noble Vista this weekend. She must be afraid Samuel woulde after her, Cameron said, "Xander, guess who made the Wace family piss off Samuel?" "Who?" Xander was stunned, asking in disbelief, "Wait, was it you?" Cameron snapped his fingers. "Bingo. Samuel went after the Wace family just to get back at me."" Xander was left speechless for a moment. He frowned and said, "Cameron, that''s way out of line. You stirred up trouble and then went into hiding, but you didn''t even warn your family? "Even if you''ve cut ties with them, this whole mess started because of you. You should''ve at least given them a heads-up." After ranting for a bit, Xander suddenly said, "Wait, did you do this on purpose? Did you actually want Samuel to go after your family!" Cameron replied, "Took you long enough to figure it out." Xander was startled. ''He admitted it? Cameron actually admitted it? He did it on purpose. Cameron is only eighteent How can he be so ruthless? What did his family do to him to make him want revenge like this?" For a moment, Xander was at aplete loss for words. Cameron said, "I''m tired. Bye" With that, she hung up. Cameron wasn''t worried about Xander telling Milena and her family. In this world, no secret stayed hidden forever. Since she dared to do it, she wasn''t afraid of them finding out the truth. Before going to bed, Cameron got a message from Xander. [Little brat, you''re nothing like the person I used to know. Cameron tolled her eyes. She couldn''t be bothered to deal with that dramable guy. Cameron sat at her vanity and dried her hair. Then, she climbed into bed. In her mind, eating well and sleeping well mattered more than anything. Xandery in bed, staring at his chat with Cameron, which she still hadn''t replied. He backed out and checked Milena''s post again. Xander thought with a sigh, "Man, that was rough. The gorgeous nus vi waspletely ruined! For a second, Xander honestly couldn''t tell whether he should feel bad for Milenia or for Samuel, Thinking of Samuel, Xander fired off another message to Cameron. [Little brat, you''d better keep this under wraps. If Samuel finds out you tricked him. he''ll totally kill you.] AD Chapter 361 Cameren''s phone was on silent mode, and she was already fast asleep, so naturally, she didn''t reply. Xander stared at their chat history for a long time before it hit him. He seemed worried about Camaron, whom he''d always thought of as a punk, However, he didn''t know why he cared when she''d always given him attitude. But then again, Cameron could be surprisingly nice to him sometimes Xander sighed. If Samuel made things difficult for Cameron, Xander figured he''d just firing her back to Murphy Manor for a while. With her staying there, Samuel wouldn''t dare to push his luck, The next morning. Cameron picked up her phone and saw Xander''s message. Cameron replied: [Don''t worry, I''m already prepared for the worst. After sending it, she got up, washed up, and headed downstairs. Bradley was already in the living room, watching the morning news Meanwhile, Pearl was lounging nearby, looking toward the stairs The moment Pearl spotted Cameron, it happily bounded up the stairs and nuzzled her leg with his fluffy head. Cameron smiled. "Morning, Pearl" Pearl barked, clearly excited. Cameron gave its head a gentle rub, then headed downstairs, "Moming, Brad," Cameron sat down on the single armchair next to Bradley. "Morning" Bradley reached over to turn off the TV. "Breakfast just got done. You came down at the perfect time." Bradley had actually been waiting for Cameron for a while. Then, the two of them walked over to the dining room. Cameron took her time sipping a ss of milk. "Brad, did you find your bank card number yet?" Bradley, who was halfway picking up some bacon, paused for a second before he shook his head. "Nope, I still can''t find it. Maybe next time." Cameron paused, then said, ¡°Brad, if you still can''t find it, how about I just write you an 100?" She''d written plenty of IOUS for Bradley before, anyway. Last night, Cameron checked her bank ount bnce, and she had a little e over two million dors in total The rent for this castle was 600 thousand dors a year. If she paid that to Bradley now, she would only have about 1.4 million dorslet, which wouldn''t suffice for the capital of her pharmaceuticalpany. Cameron was nning to go o see David today. Bradley just smiled faintly as he said, "Alright. Are you staying home with Pearl again today? Cameron shook her head. "No, I''m heading to Crownhill Hospital to meet a friend." Bradley looked up at her. "Are you sick? How are you feeling?" Cameron shook her head again. "No, Brad, I''m fine. My friend works at the hospital. I''m just meeting up with him there." Bradley let out a quiet sigh of rt. "I''ll drive you downter. "Okay"D "Cameron didn''t turn him down. The castle was hallway up the mountain and too far from the city to ?a cab, Cameron Edw the importance of knewte After breakfast, Cameron Write Bradley an 100 for 600 thousand dors. She said, ¡°Brad, I owe you ten million dors now. I promise pay your back soon. Bradley smiled. "I''m not in a rush. Take your time." He slipped the IOU into his pocket. "Heading out already?" Cameron nodded. "Wah." It was a solid thirty-minute drive to the city. By the time she made it to the hospital, the morning was already slipping away. Bradley stood up "I''ll go get changed." Back in his room, he tore up the loU Cameron had just written and tossed it in the trash. She could pay him back whenever she wanted, so there was never any need for that IOU Truthfully, he never intended to charge her rent. He bought the ce so she''d have a home with Pearl. Chapter 362 Bradley changed quickly and came back downstairs. Meanwhile, Cameron had gone upstairs to grab her phone. She noticed Xander had sent her several messages Xander: [You little brat, stop acting tough. The only reason you''re not scared is because you have no idea what Samuel''s capable of Oh, and by the wE?, the Wace family''spany just went bankrupt. Cameron smirked. She hadn''t expected Samuel to actually follow through, and he moved fast. Yesterday, he wrecked their house. Today, thepany was toast. Clicking her tongue, Cameron thosight, ''Tough luck. But honestly, they brought it on themselves. Aside from a little satisfaction, Cameron didn''t feel much about it. Xander: You don''t have to be scared, brat. Since you always help me with homework, I''ll watch your back. Come to Murphy Manor, and nobody would darey a finger on you. Xander: [Why aren''t you replying? Are you that touched? 17 Where are you right now? I''lle find you. Xander: [Hey, brat, where''d you go? Did you disappear or something? Cameron replied: [Xander, I appreciate it. But don''t worry about me, I''m fine. I don''t need backup right now. And I''m busy, so let''s talkter. Bradley was already waiting for her in his car when Cameron headed downstairs. She tossed her phone in her backpack, ignoring the screen as it shed again because she knew it was just Xander spamming her with texts. Bradley dropped Cameron off at Crownhill Hospital "I''ll go in myself, Brad. You go take care of your stutt," Cameron said. Bradley picked up on the cue-she meant it wasn''t the kin kind of visit she wantedpany for. "I actually have to swing by thew firm anyway. Call me if you need a ride back," he said. "Okay" Cameron nodded. Cameron entered the hospital and registered for a general consultation under Dr. David Tuckor. The ce was packed, and many people were still waiting in line. Cameron waited for an hour before it was finally her turn. David had been on duty since 7:30 AM. Now, it was close to 11 AM, and he hadn''t moved from his seat to get water or even use the bathroom break because there were still plenty of patients in line. When Cameron''s name was called, Davi paused. The name struck a chord, but he couldn''t quite ce it. Pulling off his ck-rimmed sses, he rubbed his eyes before slipping them back on. That was when he saw the next patient walking in¡ªa strikingly androgynous, handsome "teenage boy"-and sitting across from him, Something about Cameron felt familiar, but then again, David saw hundreds of faces a week, and many were his regr patients. Maybe this was one of those cases. "Where are you feeling unwell? David asked. Cameron looked at him with a gentle smile. "Dr. Tucker, you don''t remember They''d only met briefly that night, and it was dark, so it made sense that David didn''t recognize her. David squinted slightly, giving her a longer look. Her face definitely rang a bell, but no specific memory came to mind. ? David said, "Oh, it''s you, So, what''s bothering you this tima?" ? Cameron, for a moment, had no idea what to say. It seemed that David truly didn''t remember her. "Dr. Tucker, I''m Cameron. Do you remember when I saved you a little over a month ago!" she asked. David''s eyes widened for a moment, he froze then it all came flooding back. Surely, he remembered his lifesaver clearly. Every second from that nigh had etched itself into his memory. He''d waited, day after day, thinking Cameron night call. But nothing ever rcaine. He''dughed at himself for believing the words of some kid he''d only met once. And it made sense to him how he''d fallen so easily for the lies his ex wife fed him. But now, Cameron was sitting right in front of him. Chapter 363 n''s you!" bavid jumped up hom his chair, unable to contain his excitement. The assistant looked at David, puzzled. ¡°Dr. Tucker?" David finally managed to regain hisposure and waved. "It''s fine. He''s just a friend of mine. Could you give us a moment? "Wright," said the assistant before leaving the mom Over the past month or so, David sometimes wondered if that night had just been a dream. He grabbed Cameron''s hand, still excited. "It''s really you. You actually came to see me." ng to think that night never svan, Cameron motioned for him to take it easy, so he sat back down. "Mr. Wace, you never reached out. I was starting to happened." Cameron said, "Sorry, Dave. I''ve been buried with schoolwork and trying to raise funds, so I haven''t been able to contact you. How have you been?" She studied him closely. David looked tired, clearly overworked, but his eyes had more light in them now. At least he no longer looked like a man on the edge anymore. ''m okay," David said. "So, Mr. Wace, what brings you here today?" "I''m David admitted inwardly that life hadn''t been easy, but the days were manageable, Still, he hadn''t seen his daughter in ages. Work kept him busy every day, which helped fill the silence. But when the nights came, quiet and still, that emptiness always crept back in, Cameron smiled. "Dave, I came to keep my promise." As she spoke, she nced up at the security camera overhead. "This isn''t the right ce to talk. I''ll wait for you to talk after work." David''s chest tightened with excitement at those words. He checked his watch and nodded. ¡°I''ve got about an hour left. Mr. Wace, would you mind waiting outside for me?" Cameron replied, "I''ll wait for you at the pasta restaurant outside. Let''s talk about it over lunch." By noon, David changed his clothes and hurried out to find Cameron. Through the ss, he spotted Cameron sitting by the window, and only then did be finally feel at ease. It finally sank in that none of this was a dream, and Cameron was really here to meet him. Cameron waved David over, and as soon as he walked in, she drew the curtains in their private room. Inside, it was just the two of them, and once the waiter finished serving and quietly left, Cameron closed the door behind her. David said nothing. He just watched her in silence, studying her every movement Then, without preamble, Cameron slid a bank card across the table. "Dave, there''s two million dors in this card. It''s for the pharmaceuticalpany''s registration and initial startup costs" David looked a bit overwhelmed. "Two million dors? You''re handing it over to me e just like this?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, it''s all yours. If it''s not enough, just let me know." David said, "Mr. Wace, we''ve only met once. And you''re giving me two million dors just like this? Aren''t you worried I''ll run with the mo Cameron smiled. "Dave, if I didn''t trust you, I wouldn''t be working with you. I know what I''m doing. If she had the courage to hand over the money, the clearly wasn''t the type to act blindly. She was sure the could that David. David said, "Mr. Wace, you''re way more thature and decisive than most people your age." After all, most guys her age wouldn''t have the guts to pull something like this. "Don''t give me too much credit," Cameron replied. "I haven''t done anything yet. I''m counting on you to carry the heavy lifting from Sare "Don''t worry, I won''t let you down. But..." David trailed off "What is it?" Cameron asked. Holding the bank card, David said, "Mr. Wace, establishing the pharmaceuticalpany isn''t the hard part. The real challenge is finding hospitals willing to work with us? For example, Crownhill Hospital had already partnered with another pharmaceuticalpany and had no ns to switch partners anytime soon. So even if they o could get thepany up and running, they still needed to figure out their sales channels Chapter 364 Cameron smiled, "Dave, you don''t have to worry about this. rvd already got right connections Ened up." David was stunned. "You''ve already sorted it out? Cameron nodded and said simply, "You know the Moore family, right? Their oldest son is my ssmate, my deskmate, and my roommate. He promised to introduce me to his dad." Stunned, David''s eyes widened, wondering if he had heard Cameron tight. The Moore family owned some of the biggest private hospitals in the country. If Cameron could get them on board, thepany''s future would be practically locked in. Seeing David''s expression, Cameron grinned. "So, Dave, you don''t need to worry about sales. Leave it to me." David snapped out of it and sighed, "You kids are really something else now." She still looked so young, like a high school kid. And yet, she was alreadyying out a n for thepany and connecting with a powerhouse like Moore family before theirpany was even established. Honestly, David felt a little out of his depth. David was still confused. ¡°Mr. Wace, if you had everything nned out, why did you still choose to work with me?" Honestly, Cameron could''ve chosen anyone for this. David really didn''t think there was anything special about him. Cameron smiled. "Call itte" If she hadn''t gone out for a walk that night and stumbled upon him standing on the bridge, staring into the dark water and thinking about ending his maybe none of this would''ve happened. But she had seen him. She''d seen someone who had nothing left, and she''d chosen to give him something to live for. David asked, "You really trust me that much?" Cameron replied, "David Tucker, a 36-year-old male from Wiremont, You lost both parents in a car ident at the age of three and were raised in Starry Orphanage. "You got into Viremont Medical University at 18, were awarded your PhD at 29, before you started working at Crownhill Hospital. At 32, you and a nurse "Mr. Wace," David cut her off, not wanting to hear his ex-wife''s name. "You really dug this deep into my past Cameron smiled. "Did you really think I''d just hand two million dors to a stranger I''d only met twice?" David chuckled. "Guess I was the naive one here." Cameron poured him a cup of coffee, lifted hers and then said, "Dave, let''s toast with coffee instead of wine. Here''s to a great partnership." *To our partnership." David nodded. Since Cameron had done such a thorough background check on him, she just have really thought things through before picking him. Hence, David thought he had no reason to keep doubting himsel Cameron continued, "Dave, if you need money, just give me a call handle the funding and sales channels. You focus on everything else." David nodded and said, "Mr. Wace, I don''t think I have your number yet." Last time, he gave Cameron his number and had been waiting for Cameron to call him first for the past month. Cameron shared her number, and they decided tomunicate via WhatsApp in the future. Last night, Cameron''s parents and Milena checked into a hotel. Today, they still had nowhere else to go Martin asked Heidi and Milena to stay at the hotel while he went to the office, But as he reached the hotel''s main door, his secretary called him: "Mr. Wace, I''ve got bad news. A bunch of our business partners just showed up and are making a scene. What should we do?" Martin frowned. "Making a scene? It''s the weekend." "I don''t know what''s going on," the secretary said, "but they''re all here demanding money" "Money? What money?" Martin asked, still confused. "I really don''t know," the secretary replied. Martin had no words. Just as he was about to snap, his phone cang again. Chapter 365 The call was from one of thepany''s most important partners. Ever since they cut ties with the Chapman family, all those who''d only worked with the Wace family for the Chapman family''s saka excuses to end their partnerships. The remaining partners had a strong rtionship with Martin, and they were all key clients of thepany. Martin picked up this important call right away. "Mr. Kinsley Henry Kinsley said bluntly, "Mr. Wace, I''m sorry, but I''m calling to let you know our cooperation ands here. " Martin was stunned. "What?" He hurriedly asked. "Mr. Kinsley, did something happen? Why are you ending our partnership? We''ve always worked so well together Henry sighed, "We did have a great partnership, but you''ve offended the Fraser family. Now they want us to cut all ties with you. What else can I do? My hands are tied, Mr. Wace." Martin widened his eyes as a name came to mind-Samuel Fraser. Just yesterday, Samuel had already reduced Wace Vi to rubble. However, it seemed like that wasn''t enough for him, and he was set to destroy the Wace familypletely. Martin was shaking with rage. As soon as Henry hung up, another partner, Jay Quinton, called next. "Mr. Wace, we can''t afford to mess with the Fraser family. For the sake of our years of friendship, I''m telling you that you need to swallow your pride and apologize to them. Otherwise, the Wace family is finished," Jay said. He even tried to give Martin some friendly advice. Martin snapped, ¡°How is this my fault? What did I do wrong? Samuel is a crazy maniac. He does whatever the hell he wants!" Martinpletely lost it, yelling and screaming in the hotel lobby, while the guests looked at him curiously. Seeing this, the lobby manager quickly pulled Martin aside. Furious and needing an outlet, Martin turned on the manager. Butthe manager, who was used to scenes like this, simply had security throw him out. Martin stood on the street, pale and disheveled, looking like he had lost his soul. His phone kept ringing, but he didn''t even want to answer any of the calls anymore. He couldn''t have looked more pitiful. Meanwhile, the Wace family''spany had been stripped clean by the mob. By nightfall, the Wace family officially dered bankruptcy. Milena and Heidi were still waiting for Martin to return to the hotel, but the whole day passed without a single word from him. Growing frantic, they rushed to thepany to look for him. When they saw the wreckage, they were so furious and devastated that they nearly passed Milena was shaking all over. "It was Samuell it had to be him. What did we ver do to make him hate us this much?" Heidi copsed into sobs. "Something must have happened to your dad. We need to call the police and find him, now." At the CEO''s office of Fraser Group, Samuel''s assistant, Lucas Flint, handed him a phone with a video ying on it. #1240%Wed:2 Mr. Fraser as you instructed, the Wace family has gone bankrupt. What should we do next?" Lucas asked. Samuel said with a hint of disdain, "That''s enough. Leave it at that? Kicking a man when he was down was amusing, until it started to feel gross. Samuel was done here. Lucas looked at Samuel, clearly puzzled. "Mr. Fraser, I don''t quite understand something." Samuel nced at him. "Go on." 6677 "Mr. Fraser, Cameron was the one who crossed you, so why did you take it out on her whole family? Isn''t that too much?" "Cameron crossed me. Who else should I target if not her family?" "But the Wace family is pretty innocent in all this. Cameron already cut ties with them, after all." Samuel''s head snapped up "What did you just say? Cut ties? Who cut ties with whom? Say that again!" Chapter 366 My k 366 Started by Sanders sudden, murderous re, Lucas instinctively stepped back, wondering if he had misspoke "M Mr. Frmert Samuel shot him a re. "Spit it out!¡± Lucas stamned, "Cameron already cut ties with the Wace family" Samuel never expected that He shot to his feet and grabbed Lucas by the cor. "Cameron cut off all ties with her family? When did that happen? Why the hell didn''t you tell me sooner?" Lucas didn''t know what to say. Shrinking in fear, he mumbled, "It was when the Chapman family called off the engagement. That''s when Cameron and the Wace family had a tallout and cut ties. I... I thought you already knew, Mr. Fraser... Samuel shoved him aside. "How the hell would know?" "Damn it!" he snarled, kicking the swivel chair hard. Samuel was sharp. And right now, that sharp mind was putting the pieces together fast. Cameron had yed him. Last night, she''dpletely set him 1. up. She must''ve known about his visit to the Wace familyst week, when he went to stir up trouble. And she used him to do her dirty work. And the worst part was that he walked right into it happily. Samuel was seething. It was like he''d gone alt in, thinking he was destroying his enemy, only to realize he''d actually helped his enemy destroy theirs. He''d done all the work, and someone else walked off with the win. "Cameron!" Samuel growled through gritted teeth, cursing in his mind, "That brat had dared to trick me. He had the guts to y me like this! Very well. He''s dead meat.'' Lucas stood frozen, shaking in fear, Samuel shot him a sharp re, "Get over here!" Lucas quickly jumped and scurried forward. Samuel asked, "Where is Cameron now? Lucas replied quickly. "After she cut ties with her family, she moved into Noble Vista, Mr. Austin visited her a few times. He went straight there after you kicked him out that one time" "Oh, you mean that bastard, Austin?" Samuel''s eyes turned to ice as he stroked his jaw in thought. Cameron strolled out of the pasta restaurant in a fantastic mood, humming a tuneless little song as she gged down a cab and headed back to the castle. The moment she stepped out of the car, Pearl barreled toward her and praktically tackled her in excitement. Laughing, Cameron grabbed its huge paws. "Pearl, do you even realize how heavy you are? At that, Pearl whined, then nudged Camergh''s ankle gently with its fluffy head. It nuzzled her hand, begging for affection like an oversized puppy So, Cameron let go and gave its head a good rub. Then she sank into a lounge chair in the courtyard, basking in the warm afternoon sun. Pearl flopped down at her feel, perfectly content. It was only a little her three, and there was still plenty of time left in the day. She thought, "Maybe (should give Xander some pillr. She found no point just sitting around, so she might as well make some money. Cameron had just pulled out her phone when she got a WhatsApp text from Austlo. Austin: [Cam, where are you? Cameron: (I''m out. What''s up? Austin: [Can, can youe over to my ce? I need to talk to you about something I Cameron: Your ce? What''s goingen?I Austin: I can''t really exin it here. Juste over, okay? Let''s talk face to face. Please hurry, I''ll be waiting for you Cameron was speechless. She hadn''t even agreed to go yet. Cameron: [Aus, it''s really not a good time for me now. I might not be able toe over. Can we talk about it now on the phone? She couldn''t drive right now, and Brad wasn''t around either. With her being up here on a mountainside, there was no other way for her to get down. Even if she called a car, it''d take forever to reach her. But after she sent the message, Austin didn''t reply anymore. Cameron: [Aus?] Cameron: [You there?] She tried calling him, but he didn''t pick up the phone. Cameron frowned, wondering, is Austin okay? This is really weird. Did something happen to him? Maybe I should go over to his ce and check on him? I''m free anyway Chapter 367 Austin was reading in his room at Traker Vi. Suddenly, the door burst open violently, making Austin frown. He didn''t even need to press He slowly turned around, putting on a stat startled look. There was even a flicker ofke concern on his face as he asked, "Sam, what''s up?" Samuel strode in and held out his hand. "Your phone Austin looked confused. "HuhT: Samuel snapped, "Give me your damn phone, you punkt". Samuel didn''t wait. He lunged forward and snatched the phone from Austin''s ha undocking it with a quick facial scan. Then, ha lett Austin''s room. Austin was stunned, unable to process what was going on. But when it hit him, he leapt up and chased after Samuel "Sam, give it back "Mr. Austin." The bodyguards blocked his way. "You should feel el lucky that Mr. Samuel wants to use your phone. Just stay put and behave." Austin just looked at them with an incredulous expression. He knew he was no match for the bodyguards, so all he could do was watch helplessly as Samuel scrolled away on his phone. But Austin wondered, ''What does he want to do with my phone anyway?" Meanwhile, Samuel clicked open the WhatsApp application and immediately spotted the pinned chat with Cameron at the top. He started messaging Cameron, pretending to be Austin. Then, he purposely left her on read at the end. Even when she tried to call him, he just ignored While Samuel waited for Cameron to fall into his trap, she sent another text Cameron: Okay, Aus. We''reing over now. Don''t you love those pastries from that shop outside our school? Want me to bring you some? Samuel frowned. "Pastries? What the hell? Just get your ass over here!" He replied, pretending to be Austin. [Cam, I''m not craving pastries today. Juste over.] After sending the message, Samuel tossed the phone aside and propped his feet up on the coffee table as a satisfied smirk appeared on his face. Once she walked through that door, he''d make damn sure she understood what happened to people who crossed him. -Moreover, not only had Cameron pissed Samuel off, she''d used him and made a fool out of him, and he wasn''t going to let that slide. Cameron stared at the message from "Austin", then burst outughing. As expected, her gut feeling was night. The person she was chatting with wasn''t Austin at all. Even though they tried to copy Austin''s way of talking, there were still ws in their act. One little test, and they slipped up right away. There wasn''t any pastry shop outside their school to begin with Cameron sent another text. (Aus, didn''t you say that a few pastries from that shop always help whenever you lose your appetite? Wait for me, I''lle over as soon as I buy them. I''ll be quick.] Cameron was sure that the person texting her, pretending to be Austin, was Samuel, which meant he already knew she''d cut ties with the Wace family. She thought, she really trying to hire me into a trap! Not bad, that''s retually a pretty smart move Well, bet him wall thek? Samuel waited for two hours, but Cameron was still nowhere to be seen It shouldn''t take two hours to get here from Langford Academy. He frowned, thinking, "What on earth is that damn kid doing?" Samuel finally lost his patience and sent Cameron another text, Cam, why aren''t you here yet?] Cameron deliberately y waited a few minutes before replying. Cameron: Aus, sorry. There''s a car ident ahead, and the whole road is blocked. I''ve been stuck on this road for a long time. Please wait a bit longer. I''m leaving the car now. After walking past this street and catching another ride, I''ll arrive soon.) Samuel read the text, and he waited for another two hours. It was already 7 PM in the evening, and the sky had turnedpletely dark AD Chapter 368 However, Samuel''s expression was even scarier than the darkness out there. He kicked the table hard is that punk messing with me on purpose Trying to keep his temper in check, Samuel grabbed Austin''s phone and shot Cameron mother text, He said: ICam, where are you? I''ve been waiting for hours I Meanwhile, Cameron was already having dinner with Bradley, with Pearl lying obediently at her feet, Tonight, the chef had prepared a feast for them. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium well and tender with just enough bite. The red wine was rich, smooth, and full-bodied. Above them, thevish crystal chandelier cast a mesmerizing glow over the room. "How''s the food?" Bradley asked, slicing his steak with practiced elegance. Cameron nodded. Before she could say anything, her phone buzzed. She nced over, and just as she expected, it was a text from Samuel She smirked at the sight of it. Seeing her grinning at her phone, Bradley asked, "What''s got you so happy?" Cameron looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, something pretty nice happened." Bradley smiled. "Mind telling me what it is?" Cameron fell silent for a moment when she heard that. She remembered how everyone had been so worried about her when Skyler exposed her on the forum. if Bradley found out that Samuel was really holding a grudge against her this time, he''d just worry about her again, wouldn''t he? So, Cameron decided to keep it to herself. After a brief pause, Cameron shook her head. "Sorry, Brad, I can''t tell you." Bradley was stunned for a moment. He wondered, ''Cameron''s really not going to tell me? What could it be? Even though Bradley was clearly curious, he didn''t push. Since Cameron didn''t want to talk about it, he respected her silence. Cameron deliberately waited a few more minutes before finally setting down her fork and knife. She picked up her phone and sent Samuel another message Samuel was on the verge of losing his mind when his phone finally buzzed. Cameron: (Aus, sorry! I was almost at your ce, but I left the pastries I bought for you in the other cab. I can''t reach the driver, so i have to go back and buy another set. Just hang in there, I''ll be there soon.] Samuel stared at the screen. He was so angry that he was practically seeing sparks as he cursed internally, ''Is this guy a fucking idiot? Pastries? Seriously? Samuel was so furious he could hardly see straight, but he still had to pretend to be Austin, He replied: (It''s fine, Cam. I''ll wait for you. I really appreciate everything you''ve done for me, thanky kyou. Cameron responded almost instantly. [No problem, Aus. Just wait a bit, I''ll be there soon.] Samuel gritted his teeth and sent back a one-word reply. [Okay.] He thought, ''So that''s how it is, huh? Making me wait? Just wait till you get here, Cameron. See what happens then." "Sam" Austin''s phone had been in Samuel''s possession for hours, and Samuel had never done this before. Even someone as calm as Austin couldn''t hold it in anymore. He broke free from the bodyguards and shouted, "Sam, give me back my phonal": Samuel had rage bolting in his chest and no ce to put it. He snapped, "Bring that little beat down here! The bodyguards immediately brought Austin downstairs. He looked ghostly pale, and with his tall and thin build, he was practically swaying with every step, like he might copse at any moment. "Sam, give me my phone back," Austin said weekly. Samuel shot him a fierce re. "Why the hell do you eat pastries? Which shop? I''ll save it smashed right now!" Austin stared at him, totally confused. "Sam, what pastries? I don''t even like sweets" "Bullshit! You don''t like sweets-Samuel stopped mid sentence, the words catching in his throat, It finally hit him. ''Damn it! That little punk yed me again! AD Chapter 369 However, Samuel''s expression was even scarier than the darkness out there. He kicked the table hard is that punk messing with me on purpose Trying to keep his temper in check, Samuel grabbed Austin''s phone and shot Cameron mother text, He said: ICam, where are you? I''ve been waiting for hours I Meanwhile, Cameron was already having dinner with Bradley, with Pearl lying obediently at her feet, Tonight, the chef had prepared a feast for them. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium well and tender with just enough bite. The red wine was rich, smooth, and full-bodied. Above them, thevish crystal chandelier cast a mesmerizing glow over the room. "How''s the food?" Bradley asked, slicing his steak with practiced elegance. Cameron nodded. Before she could say anything, her phone buzzed. She nced over, and just as she expected, it was a text from Samuel She smirked at the sight of it. Seeing her grinning at her phone, Bradley asked, "What''s got you so happy?" Cameron looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, something pretty nice happened." Bradley smiled. "Mind telling me what it is?" Cameron fell silent for a moment when she heard that. She remembered how everyone had been so worried about her when Skyler exposed her on the forum. if Bradley found out that Samuel was really holding a grudge against her this time, he''d just worry about her again, wouldn''t he? So, Cameron decided to keep it to herself. After a brief pause, Cameron shook her head. "Sorry, Brad, I can''t tell you." Bradley was stunned for a moment. He wondered, ''Cameron''s really not going to tell me? What could it be? Even though Bradley was clearly curious, he didn''t push. Since Cameron didn''t want to talk about it, he respected her silence. Cameron deliberately waited a few more minutes before finally setting down her fork and knife. She picked up her phone and sent Samuel another message Samuel was on the verge of losing his mind when his phone finally buzzed. Cameron: (Aus, sorry! I was almost at your ce, but I left the pastries I bought for you in the other cab. I can''t reach the driver, so i have to go back and buy another set. Just hang in there, I''ll be there soon.] Samuel stared at the screen. He was so angry that he was practically seeing sparks as he cursed internally, ''Is this guy a fucking idiot? Pastries? Seriously? Samuel was so furious he could hardly see straight, but he still had to pretend to be Austin, He replied: (It''s fine, Cam. I''ll wait for you. I really appreciate everything you''ve done for me, thanky kyou. Cameron responded almost instantly. [No problem, Aus. Just wait a bit, I''ll be there soon.] Samuel gritted his teeth and sent back a one-word reply. [Okay.] He thought, ''So that''s how it is, huh? Making me wait? Just wait till you get here, Cameron. See what happens then." "Sam" Austin''s phone had been in Samuel''s possession for hours, and Samuel had never done this before. Even someone as calm as Austin couldn''t hold it in anymore. He broke free from the bodyguards and shouted, "Sam, give me back my phonal": Samuel had rage bolting in his chest and no ce to put it. He snapped, "Bring that little beat down here! The bodyguards immediately brought Austin downstairs. He looked ghostly pale, and with his tall and thin build, he was practically swaying with every step, like he might copse at any moment. "Sam, give me my phone back," Austin said weekly. Samuel shot him a fierce re. "Why the hell do you eat pastries? Which shop? I''ll save it smashed right now!" Austin stared at him, totally confused. "Sam, what pastries? I don''t even like sweets" "Bullshit! You don''t like sweets-Samuel stopped mid sentence, the words catching in his throat, It finally hit him. ''Damn it! That little punk yed me again! AD Chapter 370 Even after some time, he was still coughing hard. Samuel tightened his grip even more, while Austin''s face turned paler by the second. "Mr. Samuel" Seeing things were getting out of hand, the bodyguard rushed over and grabbed Samuel. Samuel had wanted to strangle Austin to death for ages, but he couldn''t pull through with it. If he could, Austin in would''ve been dead the moment he came back to the house, and he wouldn''t have lived till today With a cold, menacing look, Samuel finally let go of Austin. "Consider yourself lucky I''m letting you live," he sa Austin copsed onto the sofa, gasping for skat Samuel snapped, "Send the voice message now. Don''t make me strangle you again." Still struggling to breathe, Austin looked at Samuel like he didn''t even recognize him. That only earned him a sneer from Samuel. "How dare you re at me? Want me to gouge your eyes out right now?" Austin didn''t flinch. He kept his eyes locked on Samuel. The bodyguard tried to reason with Austin. "Listen, Mr. Austin. Those who know how to read the room won''t make things harder than they need to be. You should just follow and do whatever Mr. Samuel says. "If not, you''re asking for trouble. You''ll go through all the pain, only to end up doing what he wants anyway. Why put yourself through that?" Austin said nothing, and the standoff dragged on for a while. In the end, just as Samuel wanted, Austin sent the voice message to Cameron. Satisfied with Cameron''s answer, Samuel got up, looking pleased with himself. As he was leaving, he snatched the phone right out of Austin''s hand. This phone''s mine now." With that, he walked off with Austin''s phone in hand. "My phone!" Austin tried to grab it back. But the bodyguard blocked his path. "Mr. Austin, you''d better save your energy. There''s no way you can win against us. Austin could only stay in his spot, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. But the phone wasn''t what really mattered to Austin. It was Cameron. He was worried that she would actually believe what he said in the voice message Austin couldn''t let that happen. He had to find a way to contact Cameron. *Lock Austin up. For the next two days, he''s not allowed to leave this room. And cut off the inte," Samuel ordered. Just as Austin was about to warn Cameron about Samuel''s ns, he heard Samuel giving orders to his men. Austin stopped in his tracks. Honestly, he never expected Samuel to be this careful. When Cameron stepped out of the shower, she noticed she had received Austin''s voice message. So, she sent a voice reply to Austin too Cameron [Aus, rx. I never fell for it in the first ce. How are you doing? Why did your phone end up with Samuel? He didn''t give you a hand 1 Austin: [Cam, don''t worry I''m fine. Austin: Samuel found out you cut ties with the Wace family and thought you were messing with him. He got really pissed and tried to use me to lure you out and deal with you. Good thing you were smart and didn''t fall for it.] Cameron: I''m d that you''re okay. G Get some rest. See you at school tomorrow. Austin: Cam, can we meet tomorrow morning? Cameron: Tomorrow morning? is something up? Austin: Cam, I really can''t take it in this house anymore. I don''t want to stay here. Cameron: [So, where do you want to go tomorrow?] Austin [Anywhere but Fraser Vi is fine. Do you have somewhere in mind?] Cameron thought for a while before replying: How about you hang out at Noble Vista for a bit?) Austinc [Cam, it''s kind of weird for me to go if you''re not there.] Cameron [Alright, I''ll head over too. See you tomorrow.] Austin: [See you tomorrow. After finishing her chat with Austin, Cameron put her phone down. She was about to head to the study to grab a few books, but her phone started ringing again before she could leave the room. It was Xander calling her er this time, but with a voice call. She had rejected all of his requests for a video call earlier. So, he finally learned his lesson and knew what to do. Cameron sighed, sat down on the edge of her bed, and answered, "Hello?" "Hey, you little punk, I thought you were dead." Xander sounded genuinely relieved to hear her voice "Thanks to you, I''m still alive and breathing. What do you want?" Cameron asked, "Nothing much, just checking if you''re still alive." Xander figured Cameron must''ve been scared out of her mind after crossing Samuel, so he hadn''t bothered her about tutoring that afternoon. Cameron was silent momentarily before saying, "I haven''t hung up yet. But can I hang up now?" "What''s with the rush? Where are you? I''lle pick you up for school tomorrow," Xander said. "No need for that," Cameron replied. "What do you mean you don''t need it? Do you ever realize you pissed off Samuel? Do you know how scary he is? Do you know how miserable your sister and the others are right now?" Xander pressed. Cameron remained expressionless. "Miserable How miserable? Isn''t this the perfect chance for you to y hero and save Milena? Why are you other me instead of rescuing the damsel in distress? Xander was speechless. He had no reason to help Mena. It wasn''t like he was anyone to her When something happened to the Wace family thest time, he wanted to visit, but Milena shot him down right away. weg, 28 May By now, he had already been rejected by Milena more times than he could count. He had his pride as a man too to keep pestering theliuter n.apyi Desides, there was nothing between them, so he didn''t see any reason for him to offer his help so Cameron went on and on, but Xander didn''t respond, and she couldn''t be bothered to keep talking "If there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up," Cameron said. "Wait! I actually have something to say." Xander blurted out. "What is it?" Cameron asked. "You little brat, you''re really not letting me pick you up? What if Samueles after you?" "Do you even know where Lam? Cameron shot back. "Where are you?" "Exactly. You don''t know where I am, and neither does Samuel. So how''s he supposed to mess with me?" Xander paused, thinking. I guess she had a point. st wanted to pick Cameron up. But unfortunately, she couldn''t get his hint, and Xander thought she was really dense for that Still, he just "Hanging up now," Cameron said With that, she ended the call and put her phone down as she headed to the study to get a few books.. But as soon as she pushed open the door, she was surprised to see Bradley already inside. He was sitting in an armchair, dressed in a ck satin robe and gold-rimmed sses, quietly reading a book Cameron spoke up, a little embarrassed, "Sorry, Brad. I didn''t know you were in here, so I didn''t knock... I''m not bothering you, am 17" Bradley shook his head. "It''s fine. Do you want to read something?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, just something to read before bed." Bradley stood up. "What kind of book are you looking for? I can help you find it." Cameron said, "I''ll look for it myself. Do we have anything on pharmacology!" Bradley looked a bit surprised. "Pharmacology? You''re into that?" up, so I''ve been thinking about what to major in Fended up choosing pharmacology. I think it''s really cool and Cameron nodded. "The SAT ising up, s pretty interesting." Bradley nodded. "Yeah, it is pretty cool." He walked over to the bookshelf, searched for a moment, and soon handed Cameron a book. "Is this the one you''re looking for?" Chapter 371 Cameron took the book and nodded, "Yup, this is the one. Thanks, Brad. I didn''t expect the study to have such a good selection." She''d just mentioned it offhand without expecting the book to actually be on the shelf. Bradley gestured to the armchair nearby, signaling for Cameron to have a seat. Cameron sat down, holding the book in her hands. "Cameron, are you thinking about studying medicine? Do you want to be a doctor?" Bradley asked. Cameron shook her head. "No, Brad. I don''t want to be a doctor. I want to study pharmaceuticals." She didn''t need to learn-she already knew it. But in this world, she needed a legitimate identity to create m¨¨dicine. "Pharmaceuticals?" Bradley looked surprised. "That''s a tough field. The work''s even harder than being a doctor." Being a doctor was exhausting, but working in pharmaceuticals was even tougher. But honestly, it sounded pretty cool. Cameron shrugged. "I don''t mind the hard work. I''m just really interested in it." Bradley smiled. "I was actually thinking, if you want to study medicine, t could introduce you to my younger brother. He''s already a fantastic doctor." Plus, his maternal side of the family has been in medicine for generations. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Your brother? How old is he?" "16,¡± Bradley replied. Cameron blinked, momentarily stunned. Seeing her reaction, Bradley chuckled. "You don''t believe me?" Cameronughed, a little in disbelief. "No, I believe you. I''m just surprised your brother is that skilled at such a young age." Of course, she believed him. Bradley didn''t have a reason to lie about this. Also, he wouldn''t lie about something like that. Bradley smiled and let the topic drop. He wasn''t the type to brag, and honestly, anyone hearing about his family might think it sounded a little unbelievable. He went back to flipping through hisw book, and Cameron flipped open her own. Although she was already familiar with the content, it never hurts to review it. Plus, she might even learn something new that she had missed before this. After that, neither of them said a word. The study was quiet, with only the sound of pages turning. Their reflections appeared in therge floor-to-ceiling windows, peaceful and beautiful. A while passed before Cameron put her book down and stretched her neck. "Brad, I''m getting sleepy. I''m going to head to bed." Bradley''s eyesnded on the obsidian stud in Cameron''s right ear. He asked, "You''ve been wearing that earring this whole time?" Cameron reached up to touch it and nodded. "Yeah" Bradley said, "It looks good on you." But maybe it''s time for a change. Cameron smiled. "Thanks, Brad. Good night/" Bradley smiled back. "Good night." When Cameron woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky, its rays spilling into the room. She rolled over under the covers and suddenly remembered she had ns with Austin. Quickly getting out of bed, she washed up and hurried downstairs. Bradley and Pearl were watching TV in the living room. "Morning, Brad. Morning, Pearl." Cameron greeted cheerfully. Pearl barked, enthusiastically rubbing its head against her leg. Seeing this, Cameron smiled and gave its head a gentle scratch. "Morning. Breakfast is ready," Bradley said as he stood up. "I''ll skip breakfast, Brad," Cameron replied. "You have ns?" Bradley asked, noticing her in a rush. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I need to head back to Noble Vista. I promised to meet Austin there." Even though she hadn''t set a specific time to meet up with Austin, she figured he would be out as early as he could since he disliked being at home. Bradley put down the remote and stood up. "I''ll give you a ride." Chapter 372 Cameron paused for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, thanks." Once she got her license, she wouldn''t have to keep bothering Bradley for rides. Sitting in the car, Cameron sent a message on WhatsApp to Austin. [Aus, I''m on my way now. Should be there in about an hour.] Bradley nced over at her. He rested one hand on the wheel and the other on the window, his long fingers tapping the ss. "So, what are you meeting Austin for?" Cameron turned to look at him. "It''s nothing." Bradley thought, ''Nothing, huh? Then why is he in a hurry?'' Cameron nced at him and exined, "Aus just wants to hang out at my ce for a bit." Hearing Cameron call Austin by his nickname made Bradley tighten his grip on the steering wheel. Even though Cameron had exined why she was so familiar with Austin, hearing it still made Bradley feel ufortable, so he didn''t say anything else. Samuel didn''t expect to get a text from Cameron so early in the morning. He was so excited about it that he nearly rolled right off the bed. He smirked, thinking, ''Look at him, walking right into my trap. At the end of the day, he''s still just a clueless kid, and he thinks he can fight me?'' Samuel replied: [Cam, I''ll head over now too. I should get there before you. See you soon.] "Noble Vista..." Samuel tried to recall; then it hit him that Austin had brought up the matter about buying a house in that neighborhood back then. But Samuel didn''t think Austin was worthy of it. When Samuel arrived at Noble Vista''s entrance, he was even more convinced that Austin really didn''t deserve it, as the houses here were too posh for him. "Just drop me off here, Brad," Cameron said as the car slowed near the entrance. "I''ll drive you in," Bradley said. "It''s fine, Brad. I''m grabbing breakfast real quick." -Bradley stayed silent, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, ''Is Cameron buying breakfast for Austin? He really does go out of his way for Austin, but I''ve never been that lucky.'' Still, he pulled the car to the curb. "Thanks, Brad," Cameron said as she stepped out. Bradley lingered around for a moment, watching her walk off through the rearview mirror, until the car behind honked and forced him to d Cameron bought two breakfast sets, then returned to Noble Vista with the bags in hand. As she reached the door, she heard movement inside. way. Since Austin knew her password, she figured he must''ve arrived already. She keyed in the password and pushed the door open, only to find Samuel lounging on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table like he owned the ce. 10-27 May, "Hey, Cam. You''re here," Samuel said, dropping his feet and grinning smugly. Cameron froze in the doorway. If Samuel were here, Austin, the poor guy, had been threatened. Samuel shot a look at the eight bodyguards behind him. "What are you all standing around for? Go bring my man in for me. "Got it, Mr. Fraser," the bodyguards answered in unison. Standing at the doorway, Cameron said, "Don''t bother. I can walk in by myself." Cameron walked in, closed the door, and locked it behind her in one smooth motion. Samuel gave a low chuckle, smirking as he said, "You''ve got some guts, kid." Cameron smiled. "Well, yeah. I grew up getting scared out of my mind all the time." As she spoke, she sat down at the dining table and started unpacking the breakfast she''d brought. She had gotten one order of scrambled eggs, one te of sausage patties and biscuits, two bowls of oatmeal with mixed toppings, and two sides of buttered corn. Then, she started to dig in, beginning with buttered corn. Her action stunned Samuel and all his bodyguards, and they had to admit that she had some serious guts to do this. She was eating breakfast like none of them were even there. Chapter 373 "Hey, kid, can''t you see my boss right here?" The lead bodyguard shot Cameron re. Cameron had already finished her corn. Now, she was picking up some scrambled eggs, popping them into her mouth and chewing them slowly. After she swallowed her food, she nced at the bodyguard. "I''m not blind." The lead bodyguard was stunned into silence. Samuel sat on the armrest of the sofa with his arms crossed. "Go ahead, keep eating. Take your time." Cameron shot him a look. "You want some? Too bad, I''ve got none for you." Samuel was furious. He stormed over and mmed a hand down on the table, leaning in close as he threatened, "Are you really not scared that I''ll kill you?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "You think you can kill me?" Samuel grabbed her by the cor. "You think I won''t?" Cameron frowned. "Let go." Samuel did not let go, so Cameron repeated, "Samuel, take your hand off me. You''re blocking me from eating my breakfast." Samuel refused to let go. "You''re about to die, and you''re still thinking about breakfast?" Cameron quirked an eyebrow. "If I''m gonna die, I might as well not die hungry, right?" Samuel was rendered speechless. It was twisted logic, but it did kind of make sense. Cameron nced down at Samuel''s hand, just about to make a move, when he suddenly let go. She smoothed out her cor with a look of distaste. Samuel stared her down coldly, saying, "You''re the first guy who''s ever dared to mess with me like this." Cameron ate a mouthful of the oatmeal and said lightly, "How many more do you I want?" Samuel gritted his teeth. "You sure know how to run your mouth." In response, Cameron just shrugged. "You just haven''t seen enough of the world." Samuel sneered. "Cameron, do you have any idea how miserable your parents and your sister are right now?" Cameron raised an eyebrow, asking nonchntly, "Oh? How bad is it? What exactly did you do to them?" Samuel smirked smugly. "I didn''t do much. Just sent six excavators to your house and turned that fancy vi of yours into rubble. "And I threatened all your family''s business partners to cut ties with your family, so yourpany went bankrupt. That''s all." Cameron ate another mouthful of scrambled eggs, calm as ever as she asked, "You do know that''s illegal, right?" Samuel sneered, "Oh, does it hurt now?" "Hurt?" Cameron smiled. "You really think I care?" ¤Þ Samuel narrowed his eyes. "You don''t care? bet you''re actually thrilled, aren''t you?" Cameron nodded seriously. "Exactly. So, should thank you." Hearing her words, Samuel got even more riled up, thinking. This punk actually had the nerve to thank me to my face? He won''t after messing with me? Samuel red at her. "Want to know how you''re going to die?" Cameron smiled. "I''m not nning on dying yet. I have ss this afternoon." ¤Ø¤¿¤¯ "You think you can go to ss? Dream on." Samuel sneered. Then, he asked, "You done eating?" Cameron pulled out her phone, nced at it, and tapped twice. "Yup, all done." "Alright. Then break this brat''s legs for me!" Samuel ordered. "Got it, Mr. Fraser," the bodyguards responded instantly, and the lead guard stepped forward, pulling out a steel rod from behind his back. It was about 20 inches long, two inches thick, and solid all the way through. One swing with that, and one''s leg would be gone for good. Cameron looked up and gave Samuel a faint smile. Samuel frowned. "What the hell are you smiling at?" Cameron asked, "Did I smile?" Samuel shot her another suspicious look and scoffed, "Still got the nerve to smile when you''re about to die." Then, he snapped, clearly mad upon seeing how calm Cameron looked. "Hold him down. Hurry up!" AD Chapter 374 Two bodyguards grabbed Cameron by the shoulders, locking her in ce. The lead one turned to Samuel. "Right leg or left first, sir?" Samuel said coldly, "The right one." "Got it, Mr. Fraser." The bodyguard raised the rod high, ready to bring it crashing down on Cameron''s right leg. Meanwhile, Samuel just stood off to the side, watching the scene closely, his eyes lit up with twisted excitement. He wanted to see Cameron break. He wanted her on the floor, begging him for mercy. However, just as the steel rod was about to crash into Cameron''s right leg, she suddenly kicked out hard. The rod, originally aimed at her leg, was knocked off course mid-swing and flew straight toward Samuel. Samuel had been standing nearby, waiting to enjoy the show, when the end of the rod mmed directly into his chest. "Ouch!" Samuel''s whole body jerked violently as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. He immediately clutched his chest, the pain so sharp it erased every trace of expression from his face, leaving him ghostly pale Within seconds, Samuel copsed to the floor. "Mr. Fraser!" The bodyguards werepletely stunned. They quickly let go of Cameron and scrambled to Samuel, surrounding him in a panic. "Mr. Fraser, are you okay?" one of the bodyguards asked, totally flustered. Samuel was shaking uncontrobly from the pain. "M-my... ribs, I think they''re broken." "Hurry up and get Mr. Fraser to the hospital!" the lead bodyguard shouted. They fumbled to help Samuel up, ready to carry him out. But Cameron crossed her arms and stepped before them, blocking the "Leaving already? Why not stick around and hang out a little longer?" Cameron smirked. "You-!" The lead bodyguard raised a hand, pointing at her. "You''re dead!" Cameron stared at his hand. "You wanna lose that hand?" way. The guard froze on the spot, then hastily dropped his hand and shouted, "Hold him down! Break every rib he''s got. We''ll get revenge for Mr. Fraser before we leave." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "All of you at once? Bring it on." "Such a cocky little punk." one of them growled and lunged at her. "Careful, the stuff in here is expensive." Cameron quipped, dodging him easily. In one swift move, she caught him in a lock, spun around, and flung him straight at the door. The bodyguard crashed into it headfirst,pletely dazed. As he struggled to get up, another one of his teammates came flying ov top of him. Within moments, all eight of them were piled on top of each other like a stack of dominoes. unding right on Samuel was livid. "Useless! You''re all useless!" Cameron smirked. "You seem tough. Why don''t youe do it yourself?" Samuel opened his mouth but couldn''t even find aeback. Just then, the front door swung open from the outside, and the whole pile of body path toppled over again. Ryan stepped into the room, and the chaotic scene weed him. He spotted Cameron leaning casually against the wall and asked, "Cam, what''s on here?" Cameron replied, "Captain Jones, they broke into my house." Samuel looked up and saw Ryan, who was in his police uniform. Clutching his chest, he sputtered, "You called the cops?" Cameron said, "Captain Jones, it''s this guy, Samuel. He destroyed private property and engaged in malicious business sabotage. I''ve got a recording of him admitting to all of it." Samuel was speechless, thinking, ''He really did it. That little bastard actually called the cops. And he recorded the whole thing?" Ryan, all business, nced at his colleague. This kind of case technically wasn''t under his jurisdiction, but since Cameron had called him for help, he came along to take a look. Another officer, equally serious, barked, "Take them all back to the station!" "Cam, you''ll need toe in and give a statement too,¡± Ryan said gently. Cameron smiled. "No problem." Samuel stared in disbelief, wondering, ''Did this brat just y me again?'' AD Chapter 375 Samuel had no idea when Cameron called the cops, or when she had started recording everything. Cameron was shocked when she opened the door, expecting to see Austin but finding Samuel at her ce instead. There was no doubt about that Again, Samuel wondered, ''Did all of this really happen right under my nose?'' Cameron smiled at Samuel, patted her ribs, and said, Fraser, you''re on your own now. Good luck." Samuel widened his eyes in anger. Cameron went to the station, gave her statement, and handed the recording. By then, it was almost noon. Saraf wasted no time bringing in awyer and a doctor. The wrapped his broken ribs with a chest bandage and put him on a him not to move. Meanwhile, thewyer, Paul Harris, advised settling with money, as it was better than going to jail. Gritting his teeth, Samuel agreed and asked Cameron, "How much do you want?" Cameron smiled and held up three fingers. Paul guessed, "Three million dors?" Cameron shook her head. "30 million dors." Samuel''s eyes went wide. "You might as well rob me!" Cameron grinned. "Isn''t that exactly what I''m doing?" Samuel was rendered speechless. Paul interrupted, "Mr. Wace, 30 million dors is way too much. Your family''s vi is over ten years old and not even located in a prime area. At best, it''s worth three million dors. "And your family''spany? After the broken engagement with Ms/Chapman, it was already on shaky ground. Even without Mr. Fraser pushing, it was about to copse." Finally, Paul concluded, "It''s barely worth anything in the first ce, so six million dors is the absolute max." Cameron smiled. "Or, how about we just let Samuel go to jail?" Paul had no words, while Samuel said grimly, "I''d rather rot in jail than give you 30 million dors." Cameron thought for a moment, then put on a reluctant look. "Alright, 15 million dors. That''s me cutting you a deal, okay?" Samuel nced at Paul, who nodded slightly. Then, Samuel wrote a 15-million- dor check on the spot. Cameron flicked the check with her finger. "Thanks, Mr. Fraser." She had seriously pissed Samuel off. If looks could kill, she would have died a thousand times by now. Cameron had just signed the settlement and was about to head out when Samuel called, "Wait!" Cameron turned around. "Mr. Fraser, what else do you want?" Samuel, lying on the stretcher, turned his head to look at her. "Cameron, give the check back." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Samuel said, "Cameron, you''ve already cut ties with the Wace family. Do you really feel right taking this money? This is notpensation for you, but for the Wace family." Cameron stayed silent, thinking, ''For the Wace family? I did all the work, so why should I give this to them? What''s this guy even thinking?" Cameron replied with a straight face, "I know it''s for the Wace family. I''ll pass it on to them, so you don''t need to worry. S¨¢muel replied, "That won''t be necessary. I''ll give it to them myself." Cameron snapped, "Really, Samuel? If it weren''t for me, would you even be paying up? The way you were going, it looked like you were ready to head to prison." Samuel fell silent, and Paul shot him a warning look. Anything money could fix wasn''t worth dragging out, and the matter needed to end here. Honestly, it didn''t matter who ended up with the cash. Plus, Cameron was tight with Ryan from the major crimes division, so she was definitely not someone they wanted to mess with. With that, she raised an eyebrow and walked off with the check. In the back of a cab, she lifted the check toward the sunlight. The rays streamed through the paper and danced across her eyes. She wondered, ''Do I not deserve to keep this money?'' Chapter 376 Back when the Wace family hit rock bottom, they had nothing. It was only because of her engagement to Amelia that they managed to bounc. i and eventually buy that vi. Cameron had yed a big part in that, like it or not. As for the rest of the money, she figured it was fairpensation for everything they''d put bec through over the years. Smirking, Cameron folded up the check and slid it into her bag. Then, she pulled out her phone and texted Bradley. [Hey Brad, where are you? She still owed him ten million dors. Once she paid him back, she''d have five million left, enough to finally start her own pharmaceuticalpany Bradley replied quickly: [At the mall picking up a few things. Where are you?] Cameron: [Are you by yourself?] Bradley: [Yeah.] Cameron: [Is it okay if I join you?] Bradley: [Sure, I''ll text you the location.] Half an hourter, the two of them met up at a pizza ce in the mall. After cing their order, she handed him the check. ¡°Brad, I can finally pay you back." Bradley took the check with a skeptical look, ncing at Cameron and then at the check. "Fraser Group? How''d you get this?" "Samuel gave it to me," Cameron replied. He frowned. "Samuel? Why would he give you money?" Cameron answered honestly, "Milena came to bother me yesterday, and i''d had enough. So I called Samuel just to stir things up. Hepletely lost it and showed up with excavators, crushing Wace Vi to the ground. Then, he pulled some dirty tricks that tanked theirpany overnight." "This money ispensation from Samuel," Cameron added. Bradley had no words, and he was slightly confused. "If it''spensation for the Wace family, why do you have it?" "Because I''m the one who forced him to cough it up," she said. If she hadn''t recorded everything and left Samuel with no way to deny it, he wouldn''t have paid up. When he trashed Wace Vi, he paid nothing to them aspensation. And those three clowns from the Wace family couldn''t get a dime out of Samuel even if their lives depended on it. All they could do would be to take the hits. Bradley held the check and said, "Cameron, if your family finds out about this money, they''ll juste after you again. It''s not worth the headache for such a small amount." Then, Bradley slid the check back to Cameron. After a brief silence, Cameron asked, "Brad, is it because you think this money is shady, so it''s risky for you to take it?" Bradley shook his head. "Cameron, I''m really not in a rush to get this money back. I just don''t want you to get yourself into trouble." Cameron chuckled softly, "You really think if I just hand over the money, they''ll stop making trouble for me?" She had pictured it in her mind. If she gave that money to those three, they''d just say she didn''t ask Samuel for enough, They might even try to pressure her into going back to squeeze more out of him. She knew exactly how greedy they were Bradley didn''t know what to say. But seeing the disappointment on Cameron''s face, something in him twisted. He didn''t know why, but it made him for awful. "Sorry," Bradley said. He reached out, wanting to take the check back. B¨²t Cameron was quicker, snatching it away. "Brad, you don''t have to apologize. You did nothing wrong. You''re just looking out for me? After a pause, Cameron added, "Since you don''t want to take the money, I''ll just stay indebted to you for now. When I make some money in the future, If pay you back." Bradley''s hand hovered awkwardly in the air before dropping back to the table. ¡°Alright. I''m not in a hurry, so you don''t need to be either. Cameron smiled. "Okay, enough about that. Were you here shopping?" She nced at the chair beside him. There was only a small shopping bag resting on it. Chapter 377 Bradley picked up the gift bag and nodded. "Yeah, I went to buy a ne, and they threw in a few pairs of earrings as free gifts I don''t raty in the kind of stuff, so I figured I''d give them to you." As he spoke, he took cut five jewelry boxes from the bag and slid them over to Cameron. "Take a look at them. Do you like the styles? They send theme all thetest designs." Cameron was speechless as she noticed the logo on the box. The jewelry was designed by Eric Saunders, a top talent in the fashion field, which made them extremely costly. Even a single pair of earrings from this brand could cost tens of thousands. Cameron asked, "Brad, what kind of ne did you buy to get so many earrings as free gifts?" Bradley smiled. "My mom''s birthday ising up, so I bought her a ruby ne." Cameron was rendered speechless again. But she thought the ruby ne must''ve cost a fortune. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have given away so many earrings as free gifts with this purchase. Cameron said, "Brad, since you don''t wear earrings, could''ve asked the sales assistant for something else." Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. ¡°I don''t really like any jewelry to begin with. I just thought you might like them, so I took them." Cameron didn''t know what to say. She really didn''t feel right epting them, and she''d already owed Bradley too much. Cameron shook her head. "Brad, I really can''t take these." Bradley replied casually, "Then I guess I''ll just toss them in the trash." Cameron had no words. "Excuse me," Bradley said, snapping his fingers. A waitress hurried over. "How can I help you, sir?" "Could you throw these away for me?" Bradley asked. Cameron was rendered speechless by his action, while the waitress stared at him in shock. "Sir, you want me to throw all of this out?" "No," Cameron cut in quickly. "Sorry, he''s just kidding.¡± The waitress let out a breath and nodded in relief. "No worries, got it." Bradley smiled. "Changed your mind?" Cameron sighed. "Brad, you''re being way too dramatic." "Dramatic? If I don''t need these things, why would keep them?" Bradley replied. She gave up. There was no winning against him. Sighing, she scooped all five pairs of earrings into the bag. "Alright. I''ll take them." Bradley smiled faintly. "You should try them on. They actually look pretty good." Cameron nced up at him. "You didn''t buy these for me, did you?" Bradley paused. "Cameron, you''re overthinking it." 08:47 Ing: 21 May Cameron chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I am." Meanwhile, Austin was locked inside his private vi, under heavy guard andpletely cut off from the outside world. It was impossible for him, de do He paced nonstop, frustrated and on edge. At one point, he nearly charged the doors, ready to risk everything and blow his cover if it meant getting out But somehow, he held himself back. He didn''t sleep a wink for almost 24 hours because he was worried sick about Cameron. All day and night, he wondered, ''Did Cameron meet up with Samuel? Did Samuel hurt him?'' A million questions ran through his mind, but no one could give him any answers. However, that afternoon, the people watching him suddenly left. Austin waspletely baffled. The guards had disappeared without a trace, and no one had exined why, but he didn''t have the headspace to figure it Qut. He wanted to contact Cameron immediately, but Samuel had taken his phone, and he couldn''t remember her number, no matter how hard he tried. With no other choice, he jumped in a cab and rushed to Noble Vista. The living room was a mess when he stepped into Cameron''s ce. There were even blood stains on the floor, but Cameron was nowhere in sight. "Cam!" For a split second, panic shot through Austin. ''Why is there blood? Whose blood is that? What did Samuel do to Cam?'' Austin wondered. With fear gnawing at his gut and a hundred worst-case scenarios running through his head, Austin turned right around and rushed back to campus. As soon as he pushed open the dorm room door, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, he saw Cameron and Bradley just hanging out and chatting. Cameron was standing there in his school uniform, perfectly fine. For a moment, Austin''s vision blurred with emotion. He dashed across the room and grabbed her by the arm. "Cam!" Cameron was stunned. Comment Send gift Note Chapter 378 Cameron blinked at him,pletely caught off guard. "Aus, what''s going on?" Austin stared at Cameron emotionally. "Cam, you''re okay. I''m so d that you''re okay." ''So the blood on the floor had to be Samuel''s. Serves him right, Austin thought. Cameron gently shook his hand off. "I''m fine. What about you? Samuel took your phone, didn''t he?" Austin nced o at Bradley, who was still in the room. Then, he nodded. "Cam, can we... talk outside for a minute?" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "No need for that. I was just about to head out anyway. You two can chat here." With a calm nod, he picked up his textbooks and walked out, leaving the two of them alone. Cameron just watched his retreating figure for a second but said nothing. "I''m sorry, Cam. It''s my fault, stop Samuel from taking m Cameron could see how guilty he phone. He made me say all that stuff," Austin confessed. She patted his shoulder,forting him, "Hey, rx. I''m standing here in one piece, aren''t I? And don''t worry, I didn''t just walk away unscathed. I made sure Samuel paid for it." Austin asked curiously, "Paid for it? do you mean?" Cameron gave him a brief rundown of everything that had happened. By the time she finished, Austin was practically looking at her in admiration. "Cam, that was incredible. You''re so amazing, like seriously, you''re my idol He''d spent the entire trip here, drowning in worry, and now he waspletely starstruck. Cameron chuckled. "Aus, you''re too dramatic." "I mean it, Cam. You''re awesome. I really look up to you." She waved him off with a smile, clearly amused. Just then, the door creaked open again. Elijah stepped inside, only to find them grinning at each other. Subconsciously, he tightened his grip around t strap of his backpack. Elijah hadn''t seen Cameron in two days, and he hadn''t expected that the first thing he''d see when he walked in would be her chatting andughing wi someone else. Cameron and Austin hadn''t even known each other that long, so Elijah wondered when the two had gotten so close. Elijah''s expression, already distant by default, turned even colder. Cameron waved at him casually. "Hey, Elijah. You''re here." Austin followed suit, cheerful as ever. "Hey, Eli." "Hey.¡± Elijah nodded slightly and headed straight to his desk, quietly organizing his books. With Elijah around, Austin immediately toned it down, and he stopped talking about his family. "Cam," he said instead, "I just finished writing a new song. Want to check it out? We could go to the music room, and I''d love to hear your thoughts." 0847 Thu 27 MBy Before Cameron could say anything, Elijah jumped in first. He said, "Austin, the SAT ising up. Cameron should be spending more time studying and not wasting it on stuff like this. He doesn''t need in pes distracted by something so unimportant, right?" Austin and Cameron were both taken aback by his words. But they could tell something was definitely off with Elijah today. Austin shot back, "Eli, maybe it''s not important to you, but it matters a lot to me. And anyway, it''s not up to you to decide what''s important or not The tension between them was almost tangible. Austin could feel it clearly now that Elijah wasn''t just ahnoyed. Elijah was hostile toward him. Austin would face Elijah head-on if it were because of Cameron, as anyone who tried to take Cameron away from him was his enemy, no matter their gender. Elijah shot Austin a cold look. "Cameron, what do you think?" Austin turned to look at Cameron too. Cameron, for a moment, had no idea what to say. So, she stayed quiet for a moment, not answering that loaded question. Instead, she turned to Elijah and asked, "Elijah, did something happen? You seem a little... off today." Chapter 379 "I''m fine," Elijah said tly Cameron didn''t buy it, as his tone was off. But since he wouldn''t admit it, Cameron didn''t press the issue. She stood up and said, "It''s gettingte, I should head back to ss." Austin said, "Cam, there''s still a whole hour before ss starts." They still had plenty of time, but Cameron replied, "I still have some homework to finish." Austin said nothing more. So, it seemed that Elijah''s words worked. Austin slowly shifted his gaze to Elijah. Under that messy blond hair, his usuallyid-back face was turning ice- cold. Elijah felt Austin''s stare and shot him a cold look in return. Their gazes shed in the air, starting an invisible standoff. The tension was thick, and neither one was willing to back down. Cameron was busy packing up his books,pletely oblivious to the tension between them. Finally, Austin smirked and looked away, only for his eyes to catch on the starfish earring on Cameron''s ear. Austin smiled and said, "Cam, new earrings? Looks good on you." Cameron turned around and touched the earring. "Thanks." And with that, the previous topic was dropped. Cameron hugged her books and headed for the door, but Elijah called out, "Cameron, wait up. I''m going to ss too." Austin chimed in, "Cam, I''m heading to ss as well. Let''s go together." Elijah nced at Austin. "Isn''t that out of your way?" Austin shrugged. "How is it out of my way? I can walk with Cam to the main building, then he goes to ss 15, while I go to ss 13. What''s the issue here?" Elijah frowned and said, "You seriously don''t think there''s a problem? Why are you always clinging to Cameron?" Austin blinked, clearly ridiculed. "I''m clinging to Cameron?" He and Cameron were just friends, and they would just hang out normally, as friends. If anyone was clinging to Cameron, it was Xander. Elijah didn''t back down. "Austin, Cameron''s not like you. You could blow off every test, and your family would still get you into a top school just to save your family''s reputation. "But if Cameron doesn''t do well, he''s done for. You keep bothering him like this, you''re messing with his future." "Bothering him? You really think I''m a problem for Cam?" "Isn''t that the case?" "That''s just what you think. Cam might not see it that way. "Cameron''s too nice and too shy to say anything to you. Why can''t you just take a hint?" 08:47 Thu, 29 May "What''s your problem, Elijah?" Austin waspletely pissed off now. Things were different from before, and now, Cameron mattered to Austin a lot, but Elijah wanted him to back off? There was no way Budia wouldply. Besides, it wasn''t like Cameron and Austin did anything out of line. They were just hanging out like any normal friends would Cameron kept quiet momentarily, finally saying, "Okay, time out." She held up her hands in a T-shape. She honestly had no idea how they even started fighting, or what they were fighting over. None of that was worthy of their time, after all. Cameron spoke up, finally breaking the tense standoff between the two. She said, "Elijah, I really appreciate your concern. But you know how my grades are. Even if I don''t study, I''ll still do fine on the SAT. So, there''s really nothing for you and Austin to argue about." Elijah didn''t respond. Surely, he knew how Cameron performed academically. He just couldn''t stand seeing Austin and her together. Honestly, there really wasn''t anything worth fighting over. Cameron turned to Austin. "Aus, Elijah''s just in a bad mood today. Don''t take it personally." Chapter 380 Austin smiled. "Alright, Cam. I won''t stoop to his level." He would let it slide just because Cameron said so; he always listened to everything she said. Elijah didn''t say anything else. He just stood by the door with his books, waiting for Cameron. Austin, too, hugged his books to his chest and stuck close to Cameron. Then, the three of them walked together, with Cameron in the middle and the other two on either side of her"" Austin grinned. "Cam, after evening study, do you have time to listen to me y piano?" As he said this, he shot a look at Elijah on purpose. Cameron was speechless, and she wondered, ''Didn''t they argue earlier because Austin wanted me to listen to him y piano? And he''s at it again?" She didn''t answer right away. Meanwhile, Elijah frowned slightly, but Austin turned to him and asked with a polite smile, "Eli, why don''t youe too?" Elijah looked at Cameron. "Are you going?" Cameron said, "A little break after ss now and then is good can help us rx. What do you think?" Elijah nodded. "Alright." Austin smiled. ¡°Great, Cam and Eli, I''ll see you after evening study then. Don''t bail on me." Cameron nodded. "See you there." At the fork in the hallway, Austin headed to ss 13, while Cameron and Elijah went to ss 15. After they took their seats in ss, Elijah lowered his voice and asked, "Weren''t you super busy these past two weekends? How did you still have time to go listen to Austin y?" Cameron replied, "I''m not busy at all." Elijah had no words. He barely saw her anymore, and she still said she wasn''t busy? Elijah''s gaze drifted to Cameron''s earrings, and heplimented, "Your earrings are actually really nice." She smiled. "Thanks." This brand actually had pretty nice earrings. Suddenly, she remembered the fashionpetition she''d submitted to over a month ago. The deadline had already passed, and the results should be released soon. She wondered what would happen now that Milena, the so-called genius, had stolen the design from Noir ¨¦t''s founder, Eric. But whatever the oue, Cameron didn''t really care. She''d already received 15 million dors inpensation from Samuel, and she considered things between her and the Wace settled. lypletely Xander rushed to school, but he couldn''t enter the boys'' dorm. Hence, he had no other choice but to send Tyrell to Room 316 to look for Cameron. 08:48 Thu, 29 May May But Tyrell came back quickly. "Xan, Cam''s not in the dorm." Xander''s face dropped instantly. "He''s not in the dorm?" He wondered, ''Had Samuel already made his move? Is the little punk okay?'' Just as Xander was getting anxious and about to call Cameron, Bradley came walking over from a distance, hugging his textbooks to his chest. "Brad!" Xander hurried over. "Brad, have you seen Cameron?" Bradley asked, "Isn''t he at school?" "Huh? He''s at school?" Xander immediately red at Tyrell. "Who said Cameron wasn''t at school?" Tyrell scratched his head. "Xan, I said he wasn''t in the dorm, not that he wasn''t at school." Xander had no words. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses, asking, "Xander, why are you looking for Cameron?" Xander''s eyes darted around, and he thought Cameron''s family stuff was better kept quiet. He said, "I need him to tutor me. The SAT''sing up, and I''m freaking out."" Bradley snorted, "With your grades, freaking out won''t help." Xander had no words. With that, Bradley went into the dorm. Xander red at Tyrell. "Was he just looking down on me?" Tyrell scratched his head. "Seems like it." Xander grumbled, "What gives him the right to look down on me?" Now that he knew Cameron was fine, Xander had the mood to be petty (A.) Comment Send gift Chapter 381 Tyrell said, "Xan, Mr. Saunders always ranks in the top ten. I guess he does have a little bit of a right to look down on you." Caught off guard by the insult, Xander''s expression turned solemn instantly. Sensing trouble, Tyrell took off running. Xander immediately chased after him, yelling, "Say that again, I dare you!" ss 4, Senior Year. "Hey, did you guys hear? Cameron''s family pissed off the Fraser family, and overnight, they went bankrupt. Their vi''s trashed, and I heard his dad was driven to jump off the roof. It''s brutal.". "Yeah, I heard. That''s just too much. Of all the people to mess with, they had to pick Samuel. That guy''s ruthless. The Wace family''s done for." "What future could the Wace family possibly have? They were only hanging on because of Cameron''s engagement to Amelia in the first ce. Now that the Chapman family''s out of the picture, they''re nothing." "It''s such a pity for Cameron. He''s really handsome, but with a family like that, what can he do?" "Exactly. No matter how hard Cameron works, he''s never getting out of this. Some people are just born lucky. If you don''t have it, you just don''t. They can only dream about having it." Amelia was working on hernguage test and frowned a little when she heard her ssmates whispering. She wondered, ''Cameron''s family had fallen to that state? What did they do? Why did they get on Samuel''s bad side?'' After thinking it over, Amelia put down her test paper and left the ssroom. When Cameron heard a ssmate say someone was looking for her, she nced up and saw Amelia waiting outside the ssroom. She was stunned to see that. With her ssmates giving her curious, knowing looks, Cameron stood up and walked out of the ssroom. In the hallway, Amelia asked seriously, "Are you okay?" Cameron didn''t know what to say. She had no idea why Amelia suddenly came over to ask her that. Still, she answered honestly, "I''m fine." Amelia said, "Cameron, I heard about what happened to your family." Cameron understood what was going on now. It seemed that Amelia had found out about the Wace family''s situation, and was here to check on how Cameron was doing. Cameron thought, ''She used to avoid me like the gue, and now, she''s suddenly concerned? Or is she still hoping I''ll help her get together with Bradley?'' "Cameron, if you ever need help, I can lend you some money," Amelia added. Cameron replied, "Amelia, Brad said he''s not looking to date anyone at this moment." Amelia froze for a second. When she realized what Cameron meant, her pretty face flushed red, and she walked off without another word. Amelia thought, ''Did Cameron really think I came here because of Bradley? He said Bradley''s not looking to date anyone now? Honestly, I don''t have ti Tay headspace for this right now. ''There''s just over a month left until the SAT, and all my focus is on revising for the test. Right now, nothing matters more than the exam to me! Cameron was stunned when Amelia left without a word. It made her wonder, ''Was I too blunt? Oh well, the truth might sting, but it''s suit the truth: Cameron just shrugged and headed back to ss, where she could feel her ssmates giving her sly, knowing looks. "Hey Cameron, does the campus queen still have feelings for you or what?" "Was your engagement called off because you two were forced into it?" "Come on, stop messing around. Haven''t you heard about Cameron''s family?" "Oh, right. Yeah, I know about that." Cameron quietly returned to her seat without a word as she thought, ''Are they talking about my family? So everyone already knows about the Wace family going bankrupt? Whatever, let them talk.'' Elijah leaned over, asking curiously, "Cameron, what are they talking about?" ÊÐ Chapter 382 Cameron said, "They''re talking about the Wace family. That has nothing to do with me Elijah smiled. "Exactly." Whatever happened to the Wace family had nothing to do with Cameron However, Cameron was halfway through her evening study when the three members of the Wace family showed up at her ssroom door "Cameron, get out here!" Martin bellowed. After everything that had happened, Martin ended up on the rooftop. When Heidi and Milena found him, they were so scared they nearly passed out. Luckily, they managed to talk him down in the end. Overnight, the three of them became strays without a home. They were at a total loss about what to do next. That was when Samuel sent someone to find them. Samuel exined that he targeted them the first time because Cameron pissed him off, so her family had to take the hit for her. Cameron set him up the second time, leading to the Wace family going bankrupt and losing everything. And that wasn''t even the worst of it. Samuel also told them that Cameron had pocketed 15 million dors ofpensation for the Wace family for herself. Upon hearing that, the three were riled up. They were in disbelief that Cameron took the money when she wasn''t even part of the family anymore. Hence, the three of them stormed straight into the school. At this point, they didn''t care about anything else. Cameron knew these three were about to lose it. If she stayed in ss, her ssmates would just watch the drama unfold. Not wanting to make a scene, Cameron asked the teacher for leave, patted Elijah on the shoulder to calm him down, and then left the ssroom. "Let''s head outside the school and find somewhere to talk," Cameron said. Even though Milena wanted the 15 million dors in Cameron''s hands, what scared her more was Xander suddenly showing up and exposing her for pretending to be Cameron. Milena rushed her parents. "Mom, Dad, let''s go outside to talk. It''s really not a good ce to talk here." Considering how Milena was still a student at this school, Martin agreed to Cameron''s suggestion. With that, the four of them ended up at a caf¨¦ several blocks away from the school, They booked a private room and randomly told the waitress to bring them four cappinos. Heidi red at Cameron, full of resentment. "I never thought you''d have the guts to pocket 15 million dors. The old Cameron would''ve never dared pull a stunt like this, but now, she had some serious guts. Cameron stayed calm, like she wasn''t even surprised. "Pocket it? What do you mean, pocket it? I was the one who got that m into my pocket? If you want it, go ask Samuel for it yourself." Why shouldn''t it ge Milena snapped, ¡°Samuel is the one who told us toe get it from you." Cameron smirked. "Figures." Heidi demanded, "Cameron, hand over the money." Cameron smiled. "Nope." Martin said, "That money waspensation for the Wace family. What right do you have to keep it all to yourself! Cameron shot back, "Weren''t you always saying that disownment letter didn''t count? So why can''t I keep the money!" Seeing Cameron wouldn''t budge, Milena, young and impatient, shouted, "You''re not even part of the Wace family! Of course you can t have it Cameron, hand over the check." Cameron fired back, "So now the disownment letter counts, just because you want the money?" "What disownment letter? Cameron, you''re not even part of the Wace family to begin with, do you know that?" Mileria lost her cool Cameron blinked,pletely thrown off. "What?" She frowned. "Milena, what are you trying to say?" "It''s exactly what it sounds like. You''re not our biological child," Heidi said. Since Milena had already spilled the beans, there was no point hiding it anymore. Besides, Cameron was useless to them now. All that mattered was that 15- million-dor check. With that amount of money, they could make aeback. And even if they couldn''t, at least they could livefortably. AD Comment Send gift Chapter 383 The moment she heard Heidi''s words, Cameron''s mind wentpletely nk. She reyed those words in her mind, I''m not their biological daughter? Cameron stared hard at her mom, forcing out each word through gritted teeth. "Say That Again!" Before Heidi could respond, Milena yelled, ¡°Cameron, are you deal or something? My mom spelled it out for you! You''re not their biological daughter, and I''m their only daughter. Got it?" Cameron was silent. She got what they were saying. Of course, she did, but... Cameron paused, then let out a bitterugh. "Wow, Milenia. You really pulled out all the stops. All this drama...just for 15 million dors? "You really think I''d just hand over the check because of this? Dream on. If you want the money so badly, go ask Samuel for it yourself." Milena roze for a second. "You don''t believe us?" They had just dropped the truth on Cameron, and she still didn''t buy it? Cameron shot back, "You think your lies are that convincing! Martin''s face turned grim, "Cameron, you really aren''t our biological daughter." Cameron looked at him coldly. "Just because y you say it, that makes it true?" Martin said, "Think about it. How have we treated Milliepared to you over the years? You were just a tool for us to get close to the Chapman family. Heidi chimed in, "Exactly. Do you really think i''d let Millie suffer even a little? Forget about making her change her gender to marry Amelia. We could'' even bear asking her to put up with something to please Amelia" Cameron''s eyes were icy cold at this point. She''d always known the Wace family only saw her as a stepping stone. Knowing it in her heart was one thing, but hearing it straight from her father was something else entirely. When Cameron didn''t respond, Milena pushed again. ¡°Cameron, now that you know you''re not really one of us, hand over the check." Cameron shot her a cold re. "I don''t believe a single word you say." She thought, "If I''m not their biological daughter, why did the paternity test from back then show otherwise? "Did even Aunt Jessica, the only one in this family who ever truly cared about me, lie to me too? Cameron trusted Jessica''s words a thousand times more than anything the trio said. "You don''t believe me? Fine, let''s go get a paternity test done right now" Martin said. "Is that even necessary? I already did one behind your backs a few years ago," Cameron retorted. At that, Heidi let out augh. "Cameron, you really are adorably clueless." Mna chimed in, "Seriously, Cameron. You''re so gullible. Did you really trust Aunt Jessica that much? Jokes on you. She''s the one who lied to you the most. Now that the secret was out, Milena didn''t bother holding back-she spilled everything from back then without hesitation. 10:12 Fri 30 May G.. Remember when you secretly gave her these samples for testing and lied that they were for a ssmatel Aunt Jessica Law through you right told Mom and Dad. The test results you got were totallyke, "And do you know why you ended up in the Wace family? Your real mom passed out after giving birth to you, and my mom had a stibam Aunt Jac swapped you with the dead baby so my mom wouldn''t be heartbroken." ou''re just too naivel Actually, you''re not even a Wace. Only the heavens know what your realst name is Milenaughed boisterously. "Cameron, you''re Cameron froze. A crack finally split her icy mask, her pupils shrinking in disbelief. She wondered, ''Could Milena actually be telling the truth? Was my entire life a lie, aplete setup? No, that''s impossible," Cameron snapped. "That''s not true, and you''re all lying. I want to do a paternity t Chapter 384 Milena stood up. "Alright, let''s do the patemity test right now. Pick the hospital, so you can''t uses of ripping the results." Martin agreed, "Let''s go now." Heidi got up too. "Come on." If they moved fast, they could have the results in as little as three hours. By tonight, the truth would be out Seeing the unwavering determination on all three faces, Cameron felt her heart tremble. Finally, she stood. "Fine. Let''s po Cameron didn''t trust anyone else, so she contacted David, and he took care of everything. With that, the four of them headed straight to Crownhill Hospital. For the test, they drew blood and took hair samples. David nced between Martin, Heidi, and Milena, then out at the dark night beyond the windows. Turning to Cameron, he said gently, "Mr. Wace, the results will be ready in three hours. It''s gettingte, so you should head home first. I''ll bring the results to youter." Cameron shook her head. "No, I''ll wait She wanted to stay right here. She needed to know the results the moment they came out. Seeing the look on Cameron''s face, David knew there was no point trying to talk her out of it. After all, there was nothing much he could say at this point. So instead, he simply ced a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and Cameron gave him a slight ned, indicating that she was fine. As soon as David left, Heidi immediately turned to ask, "Cameron, did I hear that right? That doctor just called you ''Mr. Wace''? Since when are you some big shot?" Cameron crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "Mrs. Wace, until the paternity test results are out, please don''t talk to me." Heidi red at her. "You just won''t believe it until you see the evidence, huh? How could I have given birth to someone as scheming, ruthless, cold, and selfish as you? Cameron just smirked. She really didn''t have the energy to argue with Heidi right now. Milena tugged at Heidi''s sleeve. "Mom, you must''ve misheard. Mr. Wace? Like Cameron could ever be that. He was probably talking to Dad." Heidi thought about it and nodded. "That must be it." Martin didn''t say a word and just shot Cameron a couple of silent nces. He didn''t need to say anything because once the paternity test results were out, all he wanted was for Cameron to hand over that 15-million-dor check. All he cared about was the money. The waiting process felt like forever. During this time, Cameron''s phone buzzed with a text from Elijah. Elijah: Cameron, you''ve been out for a while. Did those three do anything to you?] Cameron was quiet for a moment before replying I''m fine Then, she just turned off her phone. Right now, she didn''t want to deal with anyone. The waiting was excruciating. Cameron just sat quietly in her chair, with memories ying in her mind like scenes from a movie. Every moment she''d ever spent in Wace Vi, from childhood until now, yed out before her eyes, one after another. No matter what she did, how well she did it, or how hard she tried, her parents never seemed to notice her at But Milena didn''t have to do anything to receive their unconditional love Growing up, Cameron felt envy, jealousy, and resentment toward Milena. She was better than Milena in every way, so why didn''t her parents love her She had always been a good kid. When they told her to dress like a boy, she did it withoutint. When they told her to suck up to Amelia, she did it without hesitation. Before she got into Langford Academy, her grades were always at the top of her ss, which was how she made it into the elite ss 15. But to her parents, Milena, who couldn''tpare to Cameron in any aspect, was a treasure, while she was just a weed. No matter how hard she tried, Cameron just couldn''t make sense of it. But if she was never their biological daughter to begin with, and if they had stolen her from somewhere, everything would all make sense. Cameron''s eyes were cold and empty, staring into nothing, Milena sat off to the side, grumbling. "Three hours? That''s forever. Mom, Dad, I''m heading out for a coffee. You guys hold down the fort here." Chapter 385 385 "Go ahead, Millie. Just make sure you''re back on time," Heidi said gently Martin leaned back in ack in his chair with his eyes closed, seemingly at peace, while Heidi pulled out her phone and started scrolling through reels, The three of them wore expressions of absolute confidence, as if victory was already theirs. Sering this, a cold smile slowly spread across Cameron''s face. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, turned it on, and opened the recording app before casually slipping it back into her pocket. "Mrs. Wace," Cameron said, fixing her gaze on Heidi, "I''ll ask you one more time. Am I your biological child? This whole setup today is just to get me to hand over that 15-million dor check, right? In reality, I am y your biological child." Heidi switched off her phone and looked at Cameron "You''re so pathetic, Cameron. Even now, you still think you''re our biological child?" Cameron sneered, "So I''m really not yours." "Of course not," Heidi replied dismissively. "You stole me, didn''t you?" Cameron pressed. Heidi shrugged. "Stole? Think whatever you want. The point is, you''re not our biological child." Cameron''s eyes narrowed. "Mrs. Wace, you took me while my birth mother was unconscious after a difficultbor. How is that any different from what human traffickers do?" "Think whatever you want," Heidi said with a wave of her hand. "Besides, it was your Aunt Jessica who brought you to us, not me. If you want to hate someone, hate her. But she''s already dead, so I guess you''re out of luck there. "Cameron, you''re not our child.. 1. d. Just be a good girl and hand over the 15-million-dor check." Cameron''s eyes shed with anger. "So this is all Aunt Jessica''s fault? Aren''t you two aplices? Why did you encourage her cruelty?" Martin''s brows furrowed as he leaned forward. "You think I wanted to raise you? Not only that, but force you to disguise yourself as a boy." "Then why didn''t you just steal a boy instead?" Cameron shouted, her hands clenching into fists. Heidi rolled her eyes. "Steal a boy? You think kids are everywhere we can just pick whoever we want?" She waved her hand dismissively. "Enough talk. If you know what''s good for you, hand over that check now. Let''s not waste any more time." Cameron sneered, "I want to see the paternity test results." "You just won''t believe it," Heidi muttered, her expression dripping with contempt. Cameron ignored her, pulling out her phone to save the recording she''d just made and upload it to cloud storage. Ten minutes before the DNA test results were due, Milena returned. "Why aren''t the results out yet?" sheined. Heidi grabbed her arm, her voice suddenly soft. "Millie, they''ll be ready soon. Don''t worry In the past, whenever Cameron witnessed the intimate bond between Milena and her mother, she''d stayed quiet despite the difort churning inside her. But now, looking at them, she felt nothing, Though the official results weren''t in yet, Cameron already knew the truth deep down Ten minutester, David returned with the DNA test results in hand, his face grim. Milena and the others immediately swarmed him. "Doctor, what''s the verdict? She''s not our biological daughter, right? David shot them an icy re, pushed past them, and walked straight to Cameron. "Hey, what''s with the attitude? Should I file aint against you?" Heidi snapped Davidpletely ignored her. He couldn''t care less aboutints. He was already handling his final cases before leaving "Mr. Wace." David''s voice faltered as he handed the paternity y test results to Cameron, He couldn''t bring himself to say it Cameron took the papers. "No biological rtionship!" David nodded. "Correct. No biological rtionship." "Heh." Cameron flipped to the end of the report where it was spelled out in ck and white-she had no gic connection to Martin or Heidi, Chapter 386 Cameron stared at the DNA results in her hands without pain or surprise. During these three hours, the''d already cycled through every possible Now, all she felt was relief. So it was true. Cameron had absolutely in connection to those three people, She''d always thought that even with legal documents severing their rtionship, she''d never truly escape those three people, not unless she minishepletely from their sight. But now, they could finally end things for good. Martin, Heidi, and Milena immediately rushed toward her. Milena thrust her hand out toward Cameron, her eyes gleaming with greed. "See, Cameron? You''re definitely not part of our family. So you have no right to keep that 15-million-dor check. Hand it over now." Cameron shot her an icy re. "I could give it to you, sure, but I don''t have it on me. Some other time, maybe" She clutched the results and turned to leave. Heidi quickly blocked her path. "You''re not going anywhere! Are you trying to pull a fast one on us? Che us that check right "Are you deaf?" C Cameron snapped. "I just said I don''t have it with me. How am I supposed to give you something I don''t have? Cameron had nothing to lose anymore. In the past, no matter how terribly Martin and Heidi had treated her, she''d held back because they''d given her life. She couldn''t cross certain lines. But now, they wore enemies who had destroyed her life, Cameron had zero reason to show them any respect. Martin''s face darkened. "Watch how you speak, You have absolutely no manners" "Manners?" Cameron let out a harshugh. "Compared to you two child traffickers, I''d say my manners are perfectly fine, thank you very much." Martin was instantly speechless. "Cameron!" Milena shouted. "Stop changing the subject and give me that check right now." Cameron smirked. "I''ve got to hand it to your parents, Milena. They''re about to get locked up, and they still managed to set aside 15 million dors for you. Makes sense though. They want to make sure you''re taken care of." Milena''s jaw dropped. "What the hell?" "Cameron, what are you talking about? Going to jail? Stop making things up!" Heidi snapped, her face flushing with anger. "Whether I''m making it up or not," Cameron shrugged, "you''ll find out soon enough." She nced at David, who stood there lookingpletely lost. "I''m out of here. Thanks." "Cameron! Stop right there. The check. Milena''s voice rose to a shout. "Tomorrow at noon, Silvermoss Castle in Viremont. You can pick it up there. I promise the check will be waiting," Cameron said before quickly walking Milena, Heidi, and Martin tried to follow, but in the blink of an eye, Cameron had vanished. "Where did she go?" Mna''s eyes reddened with frustration. "is she trying to pull a fast one on us?" Heidi gritted her teeth. "She can''t escape. She might dodge us now, but she can''t hide forever. She''s definitely headed back to school, and that check in probably there too. Let''s go back to campus and corner him." "You''re right, Mom." Milena nodded. "We need to get back to Langford Academy right away." The three of them rushed to their car and sped back toward the school Later that evening at Langford Academy, in Room 116 of the boys'' dormitory, Elijah was growing increasingly concerned. Cameron had the entire evening study session. Elijah had sent several messages that wentpletely unanswered. He''d forced himself to wait until sses ended before calling Cameron, only to discover the phone was switched off Rushing back to their room, Elijah found it empty. Knowing Cameron often hung out at the library, he searched every corner of the building meticulously, but came up empty handed, Left with no other options, Elijah called Bradley Brad, have you seen Cameron anywhere?" "He''s not back at the dorm?" Bradley asked. ¡°No,¡± Elijah replied, worry evident in his voice. "His parents and sister came looking for him during the first period of evening study. He left with them and hasn''te back since. He''s not answering my texts, and his phone''spletely dead. "You think something might''ve happened to him?¡± Chapter 387 "His sister and parents came looking for him Bradley''s voice instantly grew heavy Those three weren''t good news. They''d cut ties with Cameronpletely, yet they Vista and that basketball tournament prize showing up to cause trouble. Balore, th Bradley''s s eyes shed with realization. This time, they were after that 15 million doftar check from Samuel "Yeah, it''s them." Elijah confirmed. "No idea where they we taken him.¡± "Have you checked around campus?" Bradley asked. "Talked to security yet?" "I''ve already hit the library and cafeteria-Elijah paused. "Wait. The music room. Cameron and Austin had ns to meet there Austin was going to y piano for him. I''m heading there right now." "Don''t bother going yoursell," Bradley said. "Just call Austin. I''ll head to security and see what they know. Let''s stay in touch- "Got it," Elijah replied packed with people who''de to hear him y. Yet his gaze In the music room, Austin sat dejectedly behind the piano. The seats below the stage were p kept scanning the crowd again and again, "Nothing Austin thought. "Cameron didn''t show up, neither did Elijah. Austin tried calling Cameron, but his phone was switched off. Is he avoiding me? Using this as a way to reject me?" Austin thought with a sinking feeling. ¡°I just wanted to y him a song was my ying that bad?" Austin nced at the packed audience below. Despite not feeling it, he forced himself to perform two ces. Just as he was about to start the third, his phone lit up on the piano. While ying, Austin''s eyes darted toward his silenced phone, hope ring in his chest. But when he saw Elijah''s name on the instantly dimmed. He ignored the call. Even when the call ended automatically and Elijah tried several more times, Austin still didn''t pick up e screen, that spark Only after finishing the piece did Austin finally stand, grab his phone and call Elijah back Elijah was practically frantic. Before Austin could say a word, he blurted out, "Austin, is Cameron with you?" Austin froze. "No. Eli, y you and Cam were supposed toe hear me y. Wh What happened?" "Cameron''s missing." Elijah said. "He left right when evening study hall started. His phone''s off, and we can''t find him anywhere." The news hit Austin like a punch to the gut. Cam wasn''t deliberately standing him up-something was wrong. A creeping worry began to spread through his chest. Austin bolted toward the door of the music room, forgetting even his textbooks on top of the piano. "Eli, where are you right now?" he asked, breathless from running. "The dorm," Elijah replied. "I''m heading back now," Austin said, already sprinting across campus. Halfway back to the dorm, Austin decided to call Xander. Maybe, just maybe, Cam was with him. "What''s up?" Xander answered, drenched in sweat on the basketball court. He casually lifted his shirt to wipe his face, revealing his chiseled abs and triggering excited squeals from the girls watching from the sidelines. Xan, is Cam with you?" Austin asked, his voice tight with worry "Nope," Xander replied. "Do you know where he might be?" "How would I know?" Austin swallowed hard, "Xan, Cam''s missing. Eli says he''s been gone the entire evening." Xander''s tone immediately changed, all the casualness dropping away. "Cameron''s missing? When are you guyst "I''m heading back to the dorm now." "I can''t get in there," Xander snapped, frustration clear in his voice. Austin let out an exasperated sigh. Chapter 388 "Xan, I gotta go. I''m almost at the form," Austin said, picking up his pace. "Hold up-" kander tried to get more details, but Austin had already hung up "Damn ill" Xander nearly threw his phone across the court. "Where did that little punk go? What something happened to him? he thought The only reason Xander had feltfortable enough to y basketball was that he thought Cameron was safe at school. If he''d known, he wouldn''t have let Cameron out of his sight except for sses. A thought struck him like lightning ''Samuell Xander thought. It has to be Samuel! Xander inmediately called Austin back. "Austin, your brother Samuel is behind this, fn''t he? Send me his number. Now" Austin froze, the suggestion hitting him like a bucket of ice water. "Samuel he thought. Yeah, it has to be Samuel! Cam had been missing for three hours now, Samuel really is behind this Austin''s expression darkened as he thought. "They''s aplete ptycha? Austin quickly sent the number to Xander and begged, "Xan, please help Cam. Samuel is absolutely insaned "Tell me something I don''t know," Xander replied, ending the call immediately to dial Samuel instead. "Who''s this?" Samuel answered, stretched out on his hospital bed and ready to sleep. His broken ribs needed plenty of time to heal. Xander cut to the chase. "Samuel, did you take Cameron? Where is he? I swear if you''ve hurt him- Samuel frowned at Xander''s angry tone. "Who the hell is this?" "Does it matter who I am? I''m asking about Cameron." Samuel snorted, "How the hell am I supposed to know where Cameron is?" "So Cameron wasn''t taken by you?" Xander demanded, "I don''t have time for that punk," Samuel scoffed. Samuel had already been burned twice by Cameron. He might be ruthless, but he wasn''t stupid. Twice was enough. There wouldn''t be a third time. He wasn''t about to confront Cameron directly again. Instead, Samuel had sent people to stir up trouble with the Wace family. Now that Cameron was missing, it had to be the Waces who''d gone after him. Samuel''s eyes narrowed with satisfaction. His n to watch his enemies destroy each other was working perfectly. "It better not be you, or I swear you''ll regret it." Xander threatened before hanging up. He sprinted toward the boys'' dorm, moving sost that the dorm manager only caught a blur rushing past Meanwhile, Austin burst into Room 316. Bradley was already back. "Brad, did you find anything?" Elijah asked anxiously. "I checked the security footage. Cameron was taken by his parents and sister, Bradley reported. "Not Samuel?" Austin let out a massive sigh of relict. If Cam had fallen into Samuel''s hands, that would''ve been a disaster. Thank goodness it wasn''t him,'' he thought. "But why would Cam''s parents and sistke him? Didn''t they cut ties ready?'' Austin wondered. "So it was his parents after all," Elijah said. "What the hell do they want? We need to go to Wace Vi raht now. Bradley frowned. "Wace Vi is literally rubble now." Nobody knew where Martin and Heidi were staying, Elijah was speechless. Tubble? When did that happen? he thought. Just then, Xander came charging into the room. "Xander?" Bradley raised an eyebrow at his sudilen entrance. "It wasn''t Samuel who took Cameron, Xander said, catching his breath. "I just called to confirm, A guy like Samuel was too arrogant to bother lying about something like this. Austin nodded, "Xan, we already know. It wasn''t Samuel. Cam''s parents took him." Xander froze. "His parents?" Everyone knew Cam''s rtionship with his family was terrible. They couldn''t understand what they would want with him. Elijah''s face was etched with worry. "Brad, what do we do now?¡± Chapter 389 Bradley was concerned about Cameron too, but he managed to stay level headed. "To find your ear and get Camer you can reach them," Bradley aid. Elijah nodded. "On it." Bradley turned to Kander. "You''re pretty light with Cameron''s sister, right? Call her and cow if she''iftell your a "Got it." Kander said with a quick ned. The two boys moved to oppositeers of the room to make their cats. Just then, someone knocked on the door, Bradley pulled it open to find a guy from next door. "Is Cameron here? Somen "Who?" Bradley asked. "Looks like his parents." Bradley''s expression darkened. He rushed to the floor-length window and looked down. Sure enough, Martin, Heidi, and Milena were standing outside the boys'' dorm, anxiously peering inside. Bradley spun around. "Eli, forget the call. Cam''s parents are downstairs." ¡°Downstairs?" Elijah quickly ended his conversation and hung up. Austin joined Bradley at the window, squinting down at the three figures. Those are Cam''s family? They don''t look much like him, he thought "Xander, no need to keep searching, Bradley called out. Xander was already texting Milena Ms. Wace, your brother disappeared during evening study hall. We''ve looked everywhere but can''t find him. Have you seen him?] Milena didn''t respond. Downstairs, Milena''s phone lit up with Xander''s message. Her heart skipped a beat. "Xander''s looking for Cameron too?" she thought. Milena quickly tugged at Heidi''s sleeve. "Mom, Cameron''s not in his dorm." Milena was panicking, Xander was definitely upstairs right nowill he came down and saw her, she''d be screwed. Milena pulled at Martin''s arm next. "Dad, let''s just go home. Didn''t Cameron say she''s going to Silvermoss Case tomorrow for that check? We can find herthen." Martin frowned, "What if this is just a stalling tactic? Not being in the dorm could mean Cameron took off with that 15-million-dor check" "We can''t let her get away," Heidi said, her voice tight with worry. "That''s 15 million dors we''re talking about." This was the Wace family''sst shot. Martin and Heidi were too old to start over from scratch. With 15 million dors as capital, they might still have a fighting chance. Even if they did nothing at all, that kind of money would make their remaining years a whole lot morefortable. dn''t let X "Let''s go find her," Milena urged. Right now, getting out of here was the only thing that mattered. She couldn''t let Xan "Okay," Martin and Heidi said in unison, turning around. Milena darted ahead, desperate to get moving "Stop right there!" An icy voice froze them in their tracks. 10:13. PM/30 May Milena''s heart nearly stopped. Is that Bradley?" she thought, if she wasn''t hearing things, that was definitely Bride Xander would probably be with him too. Milena hesitated for a few seconds, then bolted. Martin and Heidi exchanged bewildered looks as Milena suddenly took off Bradley stepped in front of them, his expression cold as stone. "Where''s Cameron? "Cameron?" Heidi blurted. "We''re the ones looking for her She ran off with nor 15 million dor check Have you seen her anywhere? "Hah." Bradley let out a coldugh. "15 million dors. So that''s what this is about. I saw you taking Cameron away on the security cameras, Where did you take her?" "She ran off after seeing the paternity test results," Heidi snapped. "How would I know where she wend?" Chapter 390 "Paternity test? What paternity test?" Elijah''s forehead creased with confusion. Heidi froze, suddenly realizing she''d said too much. Martin, however, didn''t seem concerned. The fact that Cameron wasn''t his daughter wasn''t exactly a state secret. "Cameron isn''t our biological child," Martin stated tly The revtion hit like a bomb. Bradley, Elijah, Austin, and Xander all stared inplete shock. Xander lunged forward, getting right in Martin''s face. "What? Cameron isn''t your biological child? Then Milena isn''t yours either, right?" It made sense. Cameron and Milena looked practically identical. They had to be biological siblings. "Who said Millie isn''t mine?" Heidi''s o eyes narrowed. Martin tugged at her arm. "Stop wasting time with them. Let''s go As they tried to leave, Bradley blocked their path again. "What did you do to Cameron? "We''re the victims here," Martin shot back. "You should be asking what Cameron did to us." ¡°But Cameron''s missing.¡± Elijah pointed out, "while you two are standing right here, totally fine." Heidi rolled her eyes. "She ran off on her own. How is that our problem?" "She probably hid herself away after finding out she wasn''t your biological child, Austin said. "The shock must have been too much. Why would you drop this bomb on her right before SATs? Did you even think about how she''d feel?" "She''s the one who insisted on the paternity test," Heidi fired back. "How is that our bout?" "Enough of this." Martin grunted. "We''re leaving" This time, Bradley didn''t stop them Austin was right. Cameron must have hidden herself away. Finding out she was adopted hit Cameron hard. It was the kind of news that would break anyone. So she did what most people would do-she disappeared for a while. There was no point in pressing Martin and Heidi further. They wouldn''t be any help. In a weird way, Bradley felt relieved. Martin and Heidi were absolute nightmares. Cameron was better off without parents like them. But Cameron probably needed a lot of time to process all his negative emotions. "Cameron must be wrecked right now, Bradley thought. "Brad, we''re just letting them go!" Elijah frowned. Bradley nodded. "Let''s stop searching Cameron feeds some space." Elijah reluctantly agreed. Austin still looked worried. "Where do you think Cam went?" "Where else?" Xander said. "Back to Noble VistaTM "I want to go check on him," Austin insisted. Xander rolled his eyes. "Didn''t you hear Brad? The little punk needs space." And space was exactly what Cameron needed. If Xander had found out he wasn''t his parents'' biological child, he would''ve lost his mind. Xander headed back to Tiana''s staff quarters while Bradley and the others returned to their dorm. Without Cameron, the room felt weirdly empty and quiet, even though it was just one person missing. The three of them got ready for bed in silence. Bradley grabbed his phone and texted Eddie. Bradley: [Eddie, how''s your psychology ss going? Eddie: I''m at the top of the ss, obviously. Why the random question? Bradley: Just wanted to ask you something.] Eddie: [Shoot.] Bradley: [What happens when someone suddenly finds out they''re not their parents'' biological child?! Eddie: (Who isn''t biological? You? Brad, are you saying you''re adopted?] Bradley was speechless. Bradley: [Can you just give me a serious answer?] Eddie: Chill, I''m just messing with you. Finding out you''re not biological? Obviously they''d be shocked, hurt, sad, and probably really desperate to find their real parents.] Bradley: [So as his friend, what''s the most effective way tofort him?I Chapter 391 Eddie: [Friend? Your friend? Who? Cam)I Bradley: (Eddie, just answer the question. Can you stop with all these questions for once?] Eddie: [Fine. Look, there''s only so muchfort you can offer. This kind of thing? He''s gotta work through it himself. Nobody alea can do it for him, if your friend''s developing psychological issues because of this, I can talk to him.II Bradley: Can''t you just teach me how? Eddie: Dude, this is literally my future career. Not teaching you my secrets, if you''re that interested, go major in psychology Bradley was speechless. He closed out of his chat with Eddie and opened his conversation with Cameron. Bradley: Cam, sorry, but identally found out about what happened today. I actually think this is a good thing. You''re not biologically rted to the Waces, which means you can finally cut ties with thempletely. Just keep that paternity test sale. Bradley: [Also, if you need someone to talk to, or just need to blow off steam- drinks, or even just hanging out-text me, I''m free whenever After sending the messages, Bradley kept his phone clutched in his hand. He eventually fell asleep without getting any response from Cameron Meanwhile, at the cemetery on the outskirts of town. Undercover of darkness, a figure was frantically digging at a grave with a shovel Finally, she broke through and pulled out the urn inside. Cameron held the container high above her head and smashed it down with all her strength. The urn shattered into pieces. Ashes scattered everywhere across the ground. "Yuck!" Cameron hissed through clenched teeth, her face twisted with disgust. She red coldly at the photo on the headstone. The woman was smiling at her, a smile that made Cameron''s stomach turn. This was Jessica Wace, Milena''s aunt. Once upon a time, she''d been the person Cameron trusted most in the world. All those years, Cameron had been touched by Jessica''s kindness. Now she realized it was probably just guilt eating away at the woman. "Disgusting"Cameron thought. Dead or not, she would have her revenge. She''d dug up her grave and destroyed her um. Cameron sat on the ground, staring up at the stars twinkling in the night sky. A smile slowly spread across her lips. "Heh."" ''What a relief, Cameron thought. She wasn''t Martin and Heidi''s daughter after all. She was stolen. She didn''t have such shameless parents or such a revolting sister As for her real parents, it didn''t matter. They probably thought Cameron was dead anyway. They didn''t even know that they''d actually had a daughter, not a son who died at birth. Cameron had never felt any real family connection with Martin and Heidi, so she wasn''t about to start hoping for it now Cameron got up, left the graveyard, and headed back to Silvermoss Castle. The next day, someone came to visit the gemetery. They discovered Jessica''s grave had been dug up. "My goodness, what kind of terrible things did she do to deserve having her grave desecrated?" and muttered: "Must''ve been pretty anyful to get treated like this.¡± "Damn." The moment Bradley opened his eyes that morning, he grabbed his phone, but there were no messages from Cameron ''It''s been an entire night, Where the hell has Cameron gone?" Bradley wondered. Elijah did the same thing, immediately checking if Cameron had responded to any of his texts. Yesterday, he''d called and messaged him countless times Austin had done the same. Xander hadn''t texted Cameron, but first thing in the morning, he tried calling him, but her phone was still switched off While all four of them were worrying themselves sick, Cameron was actually sound asleep in a plush bed at Silvermoss Castle Having returned sotest night, she remained in deep sleep-even though sunlight was streaming through the windows. AD Comment Chapter 392 Around ten in the morning, Cameron finally tired awake. they in bed for a bit before reaching for her phone on the nightstand When buttons, the screen stayed dark; it must have died overnight. Cameron plugged in the phone to charge and got up to freshen up Aher washing up, Cameron headed downstairs. The chef was chilling on the couch, scrolling through reels when he heard fototaps. Startled, he looked up to see Cameroning down the stairs. The chef jumped to his feet. "Mr. Wace? Whers did you get back?" Hadn''t he left yesterday morning? the chef thought. Cameron nodded, "Latest night." Pearl had been sunbathing in the yard, but heating Cameron''s voice, she immediately bounded into the great hall, noting against her leg affectionately Cameron scratched her head. "You''re basically eat, you know that?" Pearl just continued being cuddly. The chef seemed a bit scared of Pearl. He took a couple steps back and asked with a nervous smile, "Mr. Wace, you haven''t had breakfast yet, right? What would you like? I''ll make it right away." Cameron shook his head. "I can just heat up some milk myself." "No, let me do it," the chef insisted. "You and Mr. Saunders onlye back on weekends, and you pay me so well. My conscience would kill me if i didn''t do something to car it." Cameron was speechless. She sat down while the chef quickly brought out hot milk and several beautiful pastries. Just as Cameron finished his milk, a <, a guard came in, "Mr. Wace, there are three people outside asking for you." Cameron''s lip twitched at the news. "Milena and her parents are here already? Didn''t say noon?" she thought. "Let them in," Cameron said. "Everyone else, give us some privacy "Yes, Mr. Wace. The chef cleared away the milk cup, and everyone cleared out, leaving only Cameron and Pearl in the living room. Cameron pulled the check from her pocket and flicked it, a cold smile crossing her face. "They want the check, huh? Let''s see if they''ve got what it takes to get it, Cameron thought with a sneer. When Milena and her parents arrived at the castle entrance, they couldn''t help but gawk at thevish decorations. This ce was insanely gorgeous and over-the-top luxurious. Whoever lived here had to be seriously loaded or crazy important. Why would Cameron tell us to pick up a check here?" Martin wondered. "Is this just some wild goose chase to throw us off while she makes her getaway?" Despite his doubts, Martin stepped forward and exined why they were there. To his surprise, the moment he mentioned Cameron''s name, the guard''s attitudepletely flipped-suddenly all polite and helpful. Martin stood therepletely lost. Cameron actually lives here?'' he thought. They''d already been shocked that Cameron could afford a ce in Noble Vista. But this actual castle was beyond their imagination, Heidi''s jaw dropped, "Cameron seriously lives here?" Misu May Milena rolled her eyes. "She obviously hooked up with some rich old giry. How else could she afford that Noble Vita zen Martin and Heidi were left speechless, exchanging stunned nces as the words hung in the air between then. "Does Cameron really have gathe like that?" Heidi muttered if they''d known Cameron was to good at seducing men, they wouldfire had her dress KE woman to target wealthy old guys instead of having her pretend to be a man "What other exnation is there?" Milena scoffed. Martin stayed quiet, but he couldn''t help agreeing with Milena. He couldn''t think of any other way this hade sensa Soon after, the guard returned, opened the massive gate, and respectfully invited the three of them inside before discreetly disappearing They crossed through the front courtyard with its enormous fountain pool before finally reaching the main hall, The moment they stepped through the doorway, they werepletely floored by the opulent interior.. And there, lounging casually on a sofa, was Cameron All three of them were absolutely stunned. ''Holy crap. It really is Cameron, they thought. Comment Chapter 393 "You''re here early," Cameron said, lounging on the sofa with the check dangling from her fingers. Her eyes werd cold as the locked the sure I told you toe at noch." Milena cut straight to the point, holding out her hand. "Cameron, hand over the check", Cameron flicked the check tauntingly. "Come and get it yourself" As Milena started forward, Cameron casually ced the check on Pearl''s back. Heidi''s eyes went wide with horror. She grabbed Milena''s arm. "Mille, don''t! That''s a liger Just then, Pearl let out a bone-chilling growl Milena''s face drained ofteler. Her kitees buckled, and if Heidi hadn''t been holding her up, she would''ve copsed right there. Martin flinched but managed to keep hisposure. "Cameron, what the hell are you doing?" Cameron smiled, ¡°Nothing much. You wanted the check, right? Come get it. If you don''t take it today, you can forget about ever getting it.". Milena was fuming. "Cameron, what is this? Where did you get a freaking tiger?" *From Samuel, of course," Cameron replied with a smirk. "That''s why he''s been after you guys. Because I stole his tiger. That''s why you''re homeless and why the Wace family went bankrupt." Milena, Martin and Heidi werepletely stunned. Martin''s face instantly darkened. He was practically shaking with rage. "So that''s how you pissed off Samuel," It had be Martin''s natural reaction. Whenever he got angry, he wanted tosh out at Cameron. Martin had barely taken two steps toward Cameron when Pearl suddenly rose to her feet with a low growl. In one fluid motion, she pounced, pinning Martin firmly beneath her massive paws. Her barbed tongue slid out from between razor- sharp teeth, saliva dripping onto Martin''s face. Martin froze in terror. His entire body went rigid and cold, eyes bulging wide. He didn''t dare move a muscle, not even blink. "Dad!" Milena screamed. "Martin!" Heidi cried out. Both women were horrified but too terrified to take a single step forward. Milena shouted, "Cameron! Are you insane? Get that tiger off him right now!" Cameron smiled, "What''s wrong, Milena? Eager to know what it feels like to have Pearl pin you down too!" Milena instantly ducked behind Heidi for protection. Though Heidi was trembling with fear herself, she still tried to shield Milena. "Cameron," Heidi called out, her voice shaking. "We may not be your biological parents, but we raised you for eighteen years!" "Raised me for eighteen years?" Cameron let out a coldugh. "Wow, how noble of you. If it weren''t for you two, would I have been separated from my real parents? Would I even know who they are Yeah, I''m really grateful you ''raised'' me." Heidi was left speechless "Cameron, like it or not, you''d have starved to death without Dad and Mom, Milena said. "Call off that white tiger Dad''s about to have a heart attack" $10:13 F 90 May Cameron''s face remained nk. "So what if he dies? He''s your dad, not "I see what you''re doing." Heidl cut in. "You just don''t want to give us the check" Cameron just stared at her collly, "Fine. Tell that tiger to back off," Heidi said. "We''ll forget about the check. Milena''s jaw dropped as she turned to Heidi. "Mom!" "Forget about the check? That''s fifteen million dors How can we just walk away from that? Milena thought. palet withel, "Millie, honey, I don''t want to do this either," Heidi said, "but your father''s life is at stake. What if something happens to him? What then? People mattered more than money, after all. Chapter 394 "You''re sure about giving it up?" Cameron raised an eyebrow Heidi''s reaction had caught Cameron off guard. The original n had been to have Pearl lunge at Milena. Cameron wanted to see if Martin and Heidi would choose the 15 million-dor check or their precious daughter when pech came to shove But Martin had thrown himself into the situation on his own "In your dreams!" Milena shouted. "Cameron, you''re such a liar. You promised that once the paternity test results came back, if you weren''t a Maffara, you''d return the check. Now what are you doing? Threatening us to give it up?" Cameron''s lips quirked into a hall smile. With a tilt of her chin, she nodded toward the check on the ground. There it is. Go ahead and take it. i won''t stop you. Milena immediately moved to grab it. "Forget the check, Millie!" Heidi shouted. The check meant nothingpared to Martin. Without him, their whole family would fall apart. "Mom, don''t let Cameron scare you," Milena said. "She''s just bluffing. There''s no way she''d actually let that white tiger hurt Dad "if anything happens to Dad, she''d be responsible. Don''t worry, she wouldn''t dare. If you fall for this, she''llugh her head off." Cameron gave Milena an icy stare. "Wow, Milena. You''re such a dutiful daughter. Your dad must be so proud" Milena waspletely stunned. Hiding behind Heidi, she yelled, "Cameron, get that tiger away from him right now. Give me the check!" "Thanks for having so much faith in me, Milena, Cameron replied. "What makes you think I can control a wild animal?" Milena paused. "Didn''t you steal that tiger from Samuel? How can you not control it?" "Why don''t you try controlling it yourself?" Cameron challenged. Milena went silent Heidi watched in horror as Martiny frozen under the white tiger, barely daring to breathe. She was beside herself with worry. "Mille, stop talking!" she shouted. "We don''t want the check anymore!" "Mom, don''t fall for Cameron''s trick, Milena insisted. "She really wouldn''t dare." "I wouldn''t dare, but whether Pearl would be is anyone''s guess," Cameron said with a shrug. Milena exploded. "Cameron, if anything happens to my father, it''s on you!" Cameron just smiled, "Milena, if you break into someone''s home and get killed by their pet tiger, what do you think the courts would say? How much money do you think you''d get?" Milena''s jaw dropped. "What do you mean breaking in? You invited us here!" she shouted. "Did 1? Where''s your proof?" Cameron asked coolly. "Couldn''t I just say you found out I was staying here and decided to barge in on your own?" Milena was speechless. "Stop this, Cameron," Heidi cut in "Just call off the tiger. I''m calling the shots here. Forget the check. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "You can make that call!" "Of course I can." Heidi raised an eyebrow. Cameron stood up and grabbed the paper and pen she''d prepared earlier, holding them out to Hold. "Put it in writing," she said firmly. The note read: 1, representing the Wace Family, voluntarily forfeit Samuel''spensation check of 15 million dors, unconditionally transfering it to Cameron as financial restitution for 18 years of deception. Heidi''s eyes went wide with shock, "Mom, see?" Milena cried. "This was her n all along! She was just waiting for your to cave. Don''t fall for it." "Milenal" Heidi shoved her away. "I can''t believe you. Your owis father means less to you than 15 million dor Milena''s mind went nk, "What''s she talking about? Somehow this is my fault now?'' she thought Heidi grabbed the pen and paper. ¡°Fine, I''ll sign it." Chapter 395 Soon, Held finished writing the agreement and pressed her fingerprint onto it. Cameron took the document, nodding with satisfaction. "Pearl,e here, the called but Pearl immediately jumped down from Marin''sp and trotted obediently to Cameron''s side. Cameron picked up the check from the floor and ruffled Pest''s head, "Good job Extra treats tonight." Pearl let out a soft rumble, nuzzling against Cameron''s leg Milena''s eyes went wide. "You nned this whole thing" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Got a problem with that?" Milena was speechless. ¡°Hell yes, I got a problems with it. But what could I do? Mom has already signed the statement, she thought "Martin?" Heidi rushed to help the man still lying on the floor. Martin remained frozen with fear. Even though Pearl had jumped off him, he couldn''t move a muscle. Heidi yanked Martin to his feet. "Martin, you''re freaking me out. Stop it." It took Martin a long moment to pull himself together. When he finally looked at Cameron, the intimidation that had once filled his eyes was gone, in its ce was something new-fear ¡°Martin, forget the check, Heidi said. ¡°As long as you''re okay, let''s just got out of here." Even with Pearl holding him down, Martin hadn''t missed a word of their conversation. Heidi helped him toward the door. Milena was seething, but there was nothing she could do now. It was over, "Dad, are you alright?" She reached out to support him, but Martin pped her hand away. Milena froze. ¡°What the hell? Is he ming me? For what?'' she thought. ¡°This was all Cameron''s scheme. We should never have backed down. Milena shot Cameron a hate-filled re over her shoulder. "What a bitch, she thought. Cameron just smirked back, casually fanning herself with the check. The money was all hers now. Cameron needed to call David. She''d drop the check off with him and then head back to school. She didn''t even take the morning off officially. "Gonna have toe up with some excuse for Mr. Graham, Cameron thought. She took the check and headed upstairs. Her phone had finished charging and turned itself back on. Cameron picked up her phone to find it blowing up with missed calls and WhatsApp messages from Bradley, Elijah, Xander, and Austin. She scrolled through them one by one. Elijah: (Cameron, where did you go? Did your parent''s do something to you? Elijah: (Cameron, I met your foster parents. They told me you''re not their biological child. I''m so sorry to hear this. Cameron, it''s going to be okay. Life throws curveballs at everyone. You''ll get through this.] Elijah: Cameron, you didn''te back all night. Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Elijah: [Cameron, you missed morning study hall, M. Graham noticed, but i covered for you. If you need space to clear your head, take all the time you need. 10:14. FH 30 MGY Elijah: [Cameron, your phone''s finally on Are you okay? Why aren''t you picking up? Can you at least lest ma backsto Bradley: [...] Bradley: (Cameron, you''ve been gone all night and I''m worried sick. As your friend, I feel helpless right now if there''s anything i can do, just Bradley: Phone''s back on? Take whatever time you need, but reach out when you can) Austin: [Cam, I never say thising. But maybe it''s for the best. I''ve thought so many times how much easier life would be if i wasn''t a Fraser. Don''t be friend. too upset, Cam. You still have me. I''m your AD Comment Chapter 396 Austin (Cam, when you''ve sorted your head out, juste back.I Austin: Cam, I''m getting worried. Are you okay? Austin (Cam, why aren''t you picking up? At least reply to my WhatsApp. I just need to know you''re alright.II Xander: [You little shit, you okay?I Xander: [Why''d you turn your phone off if you''re feeling crappy, call me. We can go race cars, grab some drinks. Let it all out and you''ll feel better) Xander: [Hey, dickhead. Turn your phone on. Come oh, turn it on.] Xander: [Are you trying to give me a heart attack? If you''re still breathing, turn your damn phone on.] Xander: [What''s the big deal anyway? So you''re not blood-rted. Your rtionship with them sucked anyway, soisn''t this actual Xander: [Call me back already. Xander: [You better not have done something stupid like trying to off yourself. Probably not, I haven''t seen it on the news yet.) Xander: [Your phone''s on. Why aren''t you texting me back?] Xander: [Where the hell are you? I''ming for you!) Xander: Say something, Cameron] Xander: Cameron!] Cameron read through all the messages before replying to each one. First, she texted Bradley: Brad, don''t worry, I''m fine. You were right I''m actually d to be done with them for good. BTW, I do need a favor. I''ll be back at school this afternoon, let''s talk after ss. Next, she messaged Elijah: [Ejah, no need to worry, I''m okay. Thanks for covering for me with the absence. Back this afternoon. Then to Austin Austin, I''m fine, don''t stress. See you this afternoon I Finally, she shot Xander a text: [Chill, I''m having the time of my life over here] The moment Cameron sent them, all four guys fired back replies. She chatted with them for a bit. ''They must still be in ss, she thought. ''Otherwise they''d be calling instead of texting! Just as the thought crossed her mind, her phone started ringing. It was Xander. Cameron rolled her eyes. "Cameron, where the hell have you been?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea how freaked out was?" Cameron sighed, "Freaked out? Why would you freak out?" "You tried to kill yourself before, remember?" Kander said. "What if you try again?" Cameron was speechless. After a moment, she found her voice. "Rx. My mental state is totally stable right now. I''m not going to kill myself, okay? You can chill 10:14 FA Where are you?" Xander demanded. "You don''t need to know that, be back at school this afternoon. "No way. I need to see you now I need to make sure you''re actually okay." "What''s there to see?" Cameron sighed. "I need to see you," Xander insisted. Cameron couldn''t believe this guy. "Is he seriously an adult?'' she thought. "He''s acting like a five-year-old." "How about a video call?" Cameron suggested, Xander thought about it. "Tine," They started a video call, and Xander immediately began directing her. "Move the phone up. I need to see your head, your face, your body, your legs, your feet, and your hands. Switch hands. Okay, you look intact." I''m hanging up now," Cameron said tly. She ended the call and immediately dialed David''s number. Chapter 397 While Cameron was on the phone with David, Xander tried video calling her again. Crownhill Hospital and handed him the check.. Before meeting Camerdin, David had been rehearsingforting words in his head But yhens Cameron suddenly handed in a manda prepared phrasis got stuck in his throat "Mr. Wace, what''s this?" he asked, staring at the paper. "it''s 15 million dors," Cameron said casually, "Heep it for now. If you need more, just call me David looked up, stunned. "Mr. Wace, where did you get this kind of money?" Cameron shrugged it off. "Those three people from yesterday! They''re not my real parents and sister. They''ve been lying to me for 13 years. This is the guilt menry David was speechless. "Just take I take it," Cameron continued. "Once you finish the hospital paperwork, you can register thepany" David nodded. "The hospital transfer should bepleted by Friday at thetest.¡± He studied Cameron''s face. "Aboutst night, Mr. Wace "I''m fine." Cameron waved dismissively. Seeing that Cameron genuinely seemed okay, David rxed. They grabbed lunch together before Cameron caught a cab back to school With half an hour before ss, Cameron headed straight to the ssroom. Elijah arrived fifteen minutes early. As soon as he reached the doorway, he spotted the familiar figure already seated inside. Cameron was focused on a test paper, holding it down with one hand while writing with the other, then expertly twirling the pen between fingers. Seeing Cameron there, Elijah finally felt the knot in his stomach loosen. He dropped into his seat and turned toward Cameron, "When did you get back?" Cameron put down her pen. "Just now." Elijah studied her carefully. She looked good-healthy color, decent mood. Seemed like she was doing okay now. "So," Elijah cleared his throat, "Cameron, those family issues. Everything sorted out?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, pretty much." Before, she might''ve still felt something for Martin and Heidi because they gave her life. Now, she had nothing to fear from them. "If there''s anything you need help with, just say the word," Elijah offered. "Actually, there is something," Cameron said softly. "What''s that? "My pharmaceuticalpany is already in the works. I''ll need you to introduce me to your dad when the timees." Elijah nodded. "No problem." He gave her a puzzled look. Cameron asked. "The SATs areing up, and you''reunching a pharmaceuticalpany? You sure you can handle all that?" FUTH GU MBY Cameron smiled, "Don''t worry. I''m just providing the money someone else handles the rest" Elijah nodded, still looking concerned. "Your business partner Trustworthy? ¡°She just turned eighteen, Eliish thought, "What if someone''s scamming her?" "Rx," Cameron said. "It''s all good." ss was about to start, so Elijah couldn''t press further. He let it drop. Just as the teacher walked in, Cameron''s phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from Austin. Austin: [Cam, you at school yet?) Cameron: [Yeah, I''m in ss now.) Austin: [Cool, I''ll find you after school. Cameron: [Something up? Austin: [Nothing special. Just wanted to grab dinner together.) Cameron: [Sorry Austin, I already made ns with Brad.] Austin stared at his phone, speechless. ¡°Bradley? Why does Cam always put Bradley first?'' he thought is Bradley really that great?" Chapter 398 Despite all the emotions churning inside him, Austin eventually sent Cameron a one word reply fine.] A few minutester, Austin sent another message: [Cam, you stood me upst night, Could youe hear me y no after evening study hall tonight? Cameron was quiet for a moment before responding: [Sure I Austin: [Yeah. See youter] When afternoon sses ended, Cameron had barely gotten to his feet when Elijah stood up too. "Heading to the cafeteria together?" Elijah asked. "I''m meeting Brad," Cameron said. "Do you guys have something important to talk about? Eljah''s voice held a hint of something. Cameron nodded, "Yeah" A sh of disappointment crossed E Elijah''s face, almost too subtle to catch. "I''m going to hear Austin y after evening study hall," hall," Cameron offered. "Want toe?" Elijah nodded. "Yeah, sounds good." Cameron had barely stepped out of the ssroom when someone lunged straight at him. "You little shit!" Cameron sidestepped with surprising agility. Kander nearly face-nted on the floor, grabbing the railing just in time to save him "Why''d you dodge? Xanderined. "What, should I have just stood there and let you crash into me?" Cameron shot back. Xander was left speechless. Cameron turned and walked away without another word. Xander rushed after her. "Where are you going? The cafeteria? I''lle with "I''ve got ns," Cameron said tly "With who?" Xander demanded, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "None of your business. Just don''t follow me, okay?" Xander stopped in his tracks. "Seriously, Cameron? After everything I''ve done for you? I was worried about you, you know." Cameron paused and looked back at at him. "Are you sure you''re not just being nice to me because of Milena?" That shut Xander up. ''Because of Milena?'' he thought ''Is that what she thinks?" Kander had to admit, at first, he''d been trying to get on Cameron''s good side because of Milena. But after that basketb him over. They were bros now. By the time Xander snapped out of his thoughts, Cameron was long gone. Cameron had totally won Cameron met Bradley in a private room on the second floor of the cafelera. As soon as the door closed behind them, Bradley shock "boy" sitting across from him. "Cameron, you''re holding up better than I expected," he said. Cameron smiled as she took her seat across from him, "Brad, I''m seriously fine. They weren''t my real parents. I''m actually relieved Bradley was taken aback. "Great, he thought. So much for my prepared pop talk "What do you need my help elp with? B ? Bradley asked instead. Cameron leaned forward. "Brad, I need you to help me put Martin and Heidi in prison. Bradley''s jaw dropped. "Wait, what? What did they do?" "They secretly brought me into the Wace family," Cameron said. "How is that any different from child trafficking?" Sure, Milena''s ont was the mastermind. But Martin and Heidi were aplices who benefited from it. They couldn''t dodge responsibility. Cameron gave Bradley a quick rundown of what happened back then. Bradley''s usually calm, schrly face darkened with anger. "They absolutely deserve prison time." He paused, frowning slightly. "The problem is, it happened over a decade ago, and one of the main perpetrators is already dead Getting justice won''t be simple." "Brad, I have a recording of them admitting they took me," Cameron said. Bradley was speechless for a moment. He gave Cameron a thumbs up. "Well, that makes things a whole lot easier. "Cameron, I''ll have my colleagues at the firm handle this. But right now, there''s something more urgent you need to deal with."" "What''s that?" Cameron asked. Chapter 399 Bradley adjusted his gold rimmed sses. Tinding your birth parente". Cameron froze. She hadn''t even thought about that. After If years, her parents probably assumed she was dead. They even had Far didn''t know how to find them at all. Canseren shook her he head. "That''s probably impossible" "It''s not hard to find them," Bradley said. "We just need to locate the hospital where you were born and check which mother lost a baby. Cross-reference that, and we''ll find them." "I''d have to ask Martin and Heidi which hospital they delivered at, Cameron said. But after I tricked them into giving up that 15-million dor check today, they must hate my guts, she thought. ''No way they''ll tell me anything! Cameron''s face remained perfectly calm, not a hint of emotion showing through she''d given up on the concept of family long ago. Because of that, she had zero expectations for the birth parents she''d never met. "I''ve got ways," Bradley said. "It''s not that important, Cameron replied. "Getting them locked up and brought to justice matters more." Bradley was speechless. After a moment of silence, he said. "They''ll get what''sing to them, no question. But we should also find your birth parents, Cameron. They''re victims in this too." Now it was Cameron''s turn to be caught off guard. She paused. It was true-they were victims too. "But what kind of people are they? Cameron wondered. "They think I''m dead Would my sudden appearance just mess up their lives?" Cameron took a slow sip from her cup. "Brad, I''m counting on you, then." "No big deal," Bradley replied. "Consider it done." Milena, Martin, and Heidi made it back to their hotel, still shaken from the whole ordeal. They''d gone to get that 15-million-dor check back, and instead came away empty handed and scared half to death. As evening approached, someone knocked on the door, Milena got up to answer it. "Who is it?" she called out Ever since she''d insisted on demanding the check at Silvermoss Castle, Martin and Heidi had given her the cold shoulder all afternoon. It stung, and her face was set in a scowl as she pulled the door open. Her expression instantly changed to shock. "P police officers? Who are you looking for?" Two cops stood in the hallway. They shed their badges at Milena, then asked for Martin and Heidi by name. "You''re suspected of child abduction. We need you toe with us." Milena''s jaw dropped. Martin and Heidi looked equally confused Heidi stood up, forcing an awkward smile. "Officers, there must be some mistake. We haven''t abducted any children, We''ve barely had time to breathe these past few days, let alone abduct someone." The taller officer looked her straight in the eye. "18 years ago,you abducted Cameron, Is that correct?" 10:14 Fri30-MOY Heidi felt like the floor had dropped out from under her, Cameron? Did Cameron reporter she though Akang ora de for this is how she reys tik? "We should have kept our mouth shut, But then again, what fence would it make now it happened a to rity anything now! "officer, you''ve got it all wrong." Heidi protested. "tinthing like that happened" ag The tall policeman raised an eyebrow "Nothing happened? I''ve got a recording Cameron provided of you two confessing to abducting her years sen Heidi felt her stomach drop. A recording? When the hell did that happen? she thought. "Yesterday? Martin''s face darkened, but he tried to weasel out of it. "We didn''t kidnap anyone. My sister brought the baby to us. We didn''t do anything The second officer scoffed. "You''re aplices. That''s hardly doing nothing Let''s go." They stepped inside and pped handcuffs on Martin and Heidi, Chapter 400 "Mom Dadi" Milena''s mind was spinning. ''It was Aunt Jessica who abducted Cameron, to why are they aresting Dad and Hom??" the changi When Milena saw Martin and Heidi being led away, she rushed forward and grabbed them. "Doi''t take my parents Please don L" The tall officer gave her a cold look. "Interfering with police business is a celine for Understand?" Milena went quiet. She let go immediately. Martin and Heidi were taken away just like that. Martin and Holdi were taken away just like that. What do I do now she thought. "What am I supposed to do? My parents just got arrested. How am going to manage without them? Xander Right, I can ask Xander Milena scrambled up, grabbed her phone and texted Xander with shaking fingers, Xander couldn''t eat lunch with Cameron that day. After school let out, he finally got his chance. Cameron got so annoyed with Xander''s persistence that he gave up and let him tag along. They ate dinner together in the cafeteria with about 30 minutes before evening study hall Xander stuck to Cameron like glue. "Why do you keep following me around?" Cameron asked with a frown. "Why? Because I''m worried about you," Xander replied. "Yesterday when I wasn''t watching you, your foster parents came out of nowhere and took you. We''re lucky nothing serious happened" Cameron was left speechless. "Besides," Xander continued, "you''ve gotten on Samuel''s bad side. How are you going to manage without me watching your back?" "Look,Xander, I appreciate the concern," Cameron said, "but Langford Academy''s security is pretty solid. Even Samuel can''t reach me here on campus, no matter how much pull he has. "The security''s good, sure, but what if something happens anyway! Xander had barely finished his sentence when his phone buzzed several times in his pocket. He pulled it out casually, then frome when he saw the name on the screen. "Milena! She''s actually messaging me first? Xander thought. He instinctively nced at Cameron "What is it?" Cameron asked. Xander waved his phone at her, not hiding anything. "t''s from Milena." Cameron immediately started walking away. She couldn''t care less about whatever those two had to talk about. Xander opened the message and saw what Milena had sent. Milena: Xander, please help me. My parents were taken away by the police. I don''t know who else to turn to. Can you help me?] "Whoa," Xander muttered. The WhatsApp caught himpletely off guard. He looked up at Cameron, who was already about fifty feet away "Hey, hold up a sec!" Cameron stopped in her tracks, Xander joged up to her and leaned in close, lowering his voice. "Your foster parents j arrested." Xander jogged up to her and leaned in close, lowering his voice. "Your foster parents just got arrested." 1/77 The corner of Cameron''s mouth twitched upward. So they got picked up already? That was fast, she thought "brad ivelly done! Cameron was thoroughly satisfied. Xander stared at her with confusion. "Are you suviling right now? Seriously?" Cameron''s smirk widened. "Not obvious enough for you?" "But your foster parents were just arrested," Xander said. "Why are you smiling? Do you hate them that much?" "I don''t hate them," Cameron replied coldly, "I despise them." Xander was left speechless. Cameron crossed her arms, a cold smile crossing her face. "What, did Milena message you hoping you''d pull some strings with the Murphy family connections to bail Martin and Heidi out?" "She wasn''t that blunt about it," Xander said. "Just asked me to help her out." Cameron''s expression turned icy. "So are you nning to help her?" Chapter 401 "What are you getting at?" Kander looked confused, Cameron had been smiling just moments ago, and now her face was like winter frost. "Hey brad, you don''t want me getting involved?"- "I''m the one who sent them to jail," Cameron said tly. "What do you think? Xander stared at her,pletely stunned. For a moment, he couldn''t find any words. "Cameron was the one who put Martin and Heidi behind bars? What the hell happened? Xander thought. "Let me beclear," Cameron said. "Tm not a Wace. They abducted me right after I was born. They basically destroyed mye, so I''m sending them to prison where they belong" Xander felt like he''d been pped. "Kidnapped? Cameron was kidnapped?" he thought. "That would make Milena''s parents child traffickers. Goth, they''re disgusting. "Listen, Xander," Cameron continued, "If you help Milena, you''re going against me. I don''t care if that puts us on opposite sides. "I do whatever it takes to make sure Martin and Heidi get what they deserve. Even if it means," she paused, "bing enemies with the Murphy family" Of course Cameron hated them. In her past life, she''d spent until her dying day wondering what she''d done wrong to deserve such treatment. But now she understood. It was never her fault. She hadn''t done anything wrong. And people who made mistakes deserved to be punished. walked away without another word, leaving Xander standing there like a statue Xander waspletely floored. "Going against the Murphy family? That serious?" he thought. Only one thought kept cycling through his head-Milena''s parents were human traffickers. Well, if they were traffickers, Xander absolutely wouldn''t help Martin and Heid Besides, he genuinely valued his friendship with Cameron, even if she usually gave him the cold shoulder. However, as for Milena, Xander was probably going to disappoint her, "Wait a second, Xander thought. "Something didn''t add up! Milena and Cameron looked practically identical. They were siblings. "Does that mean Milena was kidnapped too! Xander thought. That has to be it! Xander quickly pulled out his phone and texted Milena Xander: Ms. Wace, you and your brother were both abducted by your adoptive parents, right? if that''s the case, they deserve whatever punishment''sing to them. Why are you being so nice about this, asking me to ball them out? I don''t think that makes any sense.] When Milena received the message, she frone for a good minute. ''I was abducted too? After a couple minutes, it finally clicked. Xander probably thought she and Cameron were twins, a boy and a girl, After all, he''d seen Cameron dressed as aman Cameron wasn''t the Waces'' child, then naturally, neither was she. That was why Xander had sent this whole spiel Milena stared at her phone,pletely unsure how to respond. She wouldn''t dare reveal that Cameron was actually a girl dressing as a boy. If Xander found out Cameron was a girl pretending to be a boy, he''d probably stop talking to her altogether. After a while, Milena sent another message to Xander: (Xander, I know they were wrong, but they raised me since I was little. I''ve never even met my birth parents. I just can''t stand by and let this happen.) Xander replied: [You''re too kind hearted. You should learn from your brother Bad people deserve consequences. Sorry, but I exit''s help you with the Xander nat-out refused Milena for two reasons. First, he didn''t want to make Cameron upset, Second, he actually agreed with Cameron''s approach in Wime, Martin and Heidl needed to pay fo Chapter 402 No Ads sadena stared at Xander''s response, her hope instantly crumbling. It''s over,'' she thought. "If even ander won''t help me, then nobody will. Mnkownote the hotel room carpet and broke into bears. She wasn''t crying about Martin and Heidi''s uing prison time. He, shewater became she was about to bepletely alone in the world. Cameron walked straight into the ssroom, her expression dark. The thought that Xander might help Milena bail out Martin and Heidi made her stemach turn. "If Xander decides to help Milena, the Murphy family definitely has the resources to do it, Cameron thought. But absolutely cannot let that happen" "What''s wrong with you?" Lijah asked as he sat downs, immediately noticing her sour mood. Cameron said nothing. Elijah studied her face for a moment, then decided to give her space instead of pushing. After a few seconds of silence, Elijah added, "Cameron, if you''re dealing with something and need my help, just tell me. Whatever I can do, I will." "Cameron" A crisp voice from the doorway cut through their conversation, it was none other than Xander Cameron looked up, her eyes cold as she stared at him, xander beckoned to her. "Cameron,e out here for a sec? III "Wow, it''s Xander He''s so hot," one of the girls in ss whispered, practically swooning. "Yeah, he''s hot, but don''t we have our own hotties right here? Two of them, actually," a guy responded, nodding toward Cameron and Elijah. "They''re all hot, but you get tired of looking at the same faces every day, you know?" Everyone rolled their eyes at that. Cameron didn''t budge. Elijah nced at her. "Xander''s asking for fou After a moment of silence, Cameron finally stood up and left the ssroom. Xander red at her. "Why are you giving me that look? I never said I''d help Milena." Cameron looked up at him. "So you''re not helping her?" Xander nodded. "Nope." The tension in Cameron''s faco finally ossed. "Look at you," Xander said, annoyed. "You think I can''t tell right from wrong? You said they''re human traffickers. Of course I wouldn''t help them. Jeez" He reached out and lightly smacked Cameron''s head. Her pouty face made it impossible for him to resist. Cameron stepped back. "Don''t touch me." Xander was instantly at a loss for words. "Is his germaphobia really that bad?'' he thought. "At least your moralpass works, Cameron said before walking back into the ssroom, K?nder stood there, dumbfounded. When has my moralpass ever not worked?" he thought. It''s always worked just fine, tha Back at her desk, Cameron looked noticeably happler. xander took off, and Llijah studied the subtle changes in Cameron''s expression. "So Cameron was upset because of Kander?'' he thought. He could hear what they''d been talking about outside the ssroom. "Can Xander actually affect her mood now? Elijah wondered. Usually, no matter how much noite Xander made, Cameron''s face remainedpletaly nk. Elijah''s pen pressed against his desk. Something was shifting between them, though he couldn''t quite put his finger on what exactly. Just before ss started, Cameron got a WhatsApp message from Bradley. Bradley: [Cameron, those two traffickers have been taken to detention awaiting trial and sentencing. Cameron smiled faintly: Thanks. That was quick. Bradley: [Well, the audio evidence you provided was really solid. All credit to you.] After a few minutes, Cameron asked: (Brad, did you listen to the recording?] AD Comment Chapter 403 Bradley: [ didn''t listen to it. Why?] Cameron had told him she had a recording of Martin and Heidi''s confession. Trusting herpletely, Bradley hadn''t even opened the sh drive to vedly the files before sending them by same day courier to hisw firm. Cameron: Oh, nothing. If Brad had listened, he would''ve found out about my male disguise, she thought. Whatever. He''ll find out eventually anyway! Bradley: My colleague says the recording you provided was super helpful. Don''t worry, Cameron, those traffickers are going to pay for what they did.] Cameron: Great, thanks Brad.] Bradley: No big deal.] ss was starting, so Cameron tucked her phone away. After evening study hall, Cameron and Elijah headed to hear Austin y piano. Elijah clutched his textbooks to his chest. "if you''re really into piano performances, I could get some tickets to shows at the concert hall," he said "Hearing professionals y-now that''s a real treat for the ''Elijah thought Cameron shook her head. "It''s fine, Elijah. I don''t actually love piano music. I just didn''t want to turn Austin down." Cameron know about Austin''s background and felt sorry for him. She pitied him. ''It''s just listening to him y piano," she thought. Not exactly a hugemitment. That was why Cameron hadn''t refused his invitation. But those words hit Elijah differently than intended. ''Not wanting to reject Austin?'' he thought. In Elijah''s mind, Cameron had always been someone who handled things decisively. Like how he''d repeatedly shut down Xander, sometimes even throwing him over his shoulder when things got heated "He''s actually going soft and can''t reject Austin? Elijah thought. "Has Austin really be that important to him in just a few days?" Elijah kept quiet about it. But when they reached the door of the music room, he couldn''t help asking "Cameron, when did you and Austin get so close?" For some reason, the question lett a weird feeling in his chest. Cameron froze. "Me and Austin? Close?'' she thought. ''Since when were we close at all?" Elijah''s random question caught Cameronpletely off guard. She had no idea how to respond. "We''re okay, I guess," she finally said, keeping it vague Elijah nced at her but didn''t push it further. They walked into the music room together ¡°Whoa! Elijah and Cameron. Two of the hottest guysing to hear Austin y? Austin''s got serious pull, someone called out. This isn''t "This their first time, chill out," another voice responded. "Cameron is so freaking gorgeous, Standing next to Elijah and still not getting outshined. That''s impressive" Cameron and Elijah''s arrival immediately drew everyone''s attention in the music room. ¡°Cameron, Elijah, over here!¡± Austin waved, gesturing to the front row seats he''d saved for them. Austin had spotted Cameron the moment he walked in. He watched him from the stage with a smal Cameron gave him a slight nod In acknowledgment, and Austin''s smile grow even brighter, Elijah watched the exchange between them, trying to keep his face neutral. It seemed like Cameron and Austin had gotten a lot closertely. But ther hadn''t actually spent that much time together. "And I''m the one who hangs out with Cameron the most," Elijah thought. The moment this crossed his mind, his brows furrowed deeply. ''Why am I even thinking like this? Elijah thought. Cameron and I are just friends and roommates. That''s it Chapter 404 Austin''s fingers danced across the ne keys on stage. The crowd of admits gared up at him with looks of appreciation and adoration Cameron watched too, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Meanwhile, Elijah''s frown deepened as his thoughts drifted a million miles away. By the time he snapped back to reality, Austin had already finished ying three songs The audience enpted in thunderous apuse. Elijah raised his hands and pped politely. On stage, Austin stood up with a beaming smile, his eyes bright with excitement. He walked to the edge of the stage and took a graceful bow "Cameron he called out, "would you join me in ying a piece together?" Austin''s eyes fixed on Cameron as he waited for an answer, his smile never altering "Cameron ys piano? No way) He''s already amazing at basketball, and now he can y no too? Talk about multi talented. I never would''ve pessed," one muttered, "Oh my gosh. Getting to y four hands with Austin is like, a huge honor. I''m recording this." "Does Cameron actually know how to y? Why isn''t he moving?" Austin''s invitation had everyone buzzing with excitement. Cameron sat in her seat seat, feeling trapped. She''d onlye to listen, not perform. Elijah turned to her, surprised. "You know how to y?" Cameron nodded. "A little bit." "Maybe you shouldn''t-¡°Eljah started to say, but before he could finish, Cameron slowly rose to her feet. Instead of taking the stairs, Cameron ced her hands on the stage-which came up to her chest-and effortlessly hoisted herself up with one smooth motion. The move was seriously cool. "Whoa!" As soon as Cameron hit the stage, the students started hooting and hollering. They were clearly pumped for the performance. "What do you want to y, Austin?" Cameron asked. Austin shrugged. "I''m good with anything." Cameron nodded and sat at the piano, her right hand gliding across the keys. Beautiful notes immediately filled the music room. Austin sat down beside her. "Cam, what song do you want to y?" "I''m fine with whatever," Cameron replied. "Saint-Sa?ns" "The Swain''!" someone shouted from the audience. "The Swan" was a piano ssic that everyone knew. Nobody at Langford Academycked piano skills. It came with the territory when all the students Twer were loaded. Whether they yed well or not was another story entirely Cameron nodded. "Alright, ''The Swan'' it is." Since Cameron was in Austin didn''t have a single objection. Their hands danced across the ck and white keys, filling the music room with beautiful melodies. Everyone listened intently. Some students were so caught up in the performance they closed their eyes to fully absorb it-like Lajah No one noticed Milena standing in the doorway. Her fists were clenched tight. With her parents taken away, she couldn''t just it wou That was why she''de looking for Cameron. but here was Cameron, stealing the spotlight again. Sure, Cameron had taken piano lessons before, but Milena couldn''t understand how she This well. The evidence was right in front of her, though, impossible to deny "Gosh, Thate this," Milena thought. "Why? How did everything flip upside down in just a couple months? Cameron-the same gil Milena used to walk all over-was now thriving at Langford Academy. Milena''s face darkened. After watching for a few seconds from the doorway, she stepped back, hiding herself in the shadows. She''d wait for Cameron to Taking a deep breath, Milena tried to steady herself. When Cameron and Austin finished their piece, thunderous apuse erupted around them. "Cam, you''re incredible," Austin said, genuinely impressed. ''Is there anything in this world he can''t do?'' he thought. He''s seriously amazing! ? Chapter 405 "You''re pretty Incredible yoursell, Austin, Cameron replied. Austin''s ying skills were already way beyond the average for someone his age Beingplimented-especially by Cameron-made Austin''s smile grow even wider. Elijah''s lips pressed into a thin line as he watched themugh together. After evening study hall, they had about an hour of free time, and that time was nearly up Cameron, Austin, and Elgah waited until the other students had filed out before slowly making their way the music room. "How long have you been ying piano, Cam? Aintin asked, curiosity lighting his eyes. "Years," Cameron replied vaguely. Elijah snorted, "You''re only eighteen. Can''t be that many years." Cameron just smiled. ''How do I even exin this?'' she thought. ''Those thousand-plus years I stole-how do I count those?" The three of them had barely stepped into the hallway when Milena burst out of the shadows. "Cameron" Cameron was instantly speechless. She knew that voice too well, well enough to feel that automatic wave of disgust. "You guys go ahead," Cameron told Austin and jah, But Cameron also knew that even if she walked away, Milena would just follow, shameless as ever. "Yo nting her feet. The boys exchanged a look before nodding and turning to leave. But they didn''t head back to the dorms. Instead, they walked just far enough to be out of Cameron''s sight before stopping. By unspoken agreement, they both turned to watch from a distance. "Why''s Cameron''s sister looking for her?" Austin whispered, confused. "Aren''t they, like, not even rted anymore?* Elijah shot him an icy look. "How the hell should I know?" Austin mped his mouth shut. Growing up in theplicated Fraser family had made Austin hyper-aware of other people''s emotions. He''d picked up on Elijah''s hostility toward him almost instantly. "I wasn''asking you," Austin muttered. "Just thinking out loud." Elijah gave him onest cold nce before falling si silent. Meanwhile, Cameron crossed her arms, eyeing Milena impatiently. "Make it quick. I don''t have all day" "My dear sister" Milena''s usual haughty demeanor had vanished. Her voice came out soft and pleading All the other students had returned to their dorms/it was just the two of them here, so Milena didn''t have to worry about anyone overhearing and discovering Cameron''s secret about disguising hyrself as a boy. "Shut up." Cameron''s face twisted with disgust/"Milena, don''t y the family card. The DNA test results are in. What gives you the right to call me that? Milena stood there,pletely stunned. Talk about getting the cold shoulder, she thought. Her carefully crafted nice-girl act crumbled instantly. Her face darkened. "Cameron, do you have to be so heartless? Fine, Mom and Dad aren''t your biological parents, but they raised you for 18 whole years. Now you want to send them to prison? Did your conscience get thrown out with the trash?" Myclence?" Cameron smiled thinly. "That''s riching from your Mana. Where was your conscience ye your dad? "your dad might have treated me like garbage, but he gave you everything. Funny how you weren''t Daddy''s little girl yesterday, but new ying that role with me?" Milena was speechless. Just the mention of the check made her blood boil. "Cameron, you''re absolutely disgusting," Milena shouted, "Using Dad like that to force Mom to give up the check," Cameron''s lip curled with contempt. ''Disgusting? Compared to the Wace family, I''m practically a saint, she thought. "Let me break this down for you, Milena, Cameron said. "One, if you''re here hoping I''ll drop the charges-not happening. Two, if you want that check- definitely not happening. And three, we''re nothing to each other anymore, so get lost." Cameron turned to walk away, but Milena lunged forward and grabbed her arm. "Cameron, please! I''m begging you. Don''t do this to me. I was your sister for over ten years!" Milenia''s voice cracked. "Dad and Mom are in jail, you''ve taken the check, we''ve lost the house and thepany. How am I supposed to survive? Are you trying to destroy me?" Milena clung desperately to Cameron''s arm. "Let Go." Cameron''s eyes dropped to Milena''s hand on her arm, her expression ice cold. "Cameron, please." Milena begged. "Just give me the check, okay?" "Release my arm, and I''ll tell you how to survive," Cameron said tly. Milena reluctantly let go. With a disgusted frown, Cameron pulled a sanitizing wipe from her pocket and meticulously cleaned the spot where Milena had touched her, Milena stared in disbelief. "What a drama a queen, she thought. Cameron flicked the used wipe into a trash can several feet away with perfect uracy, then fixed Milena with a frigid stare. Milena felt a chill run down her spine under that gaze. She slowly extended her hand. "So, the check- "I''m obviously not giving you the check," Cameron said. "Cameron, you''re going back on your word again." Milena used. "Your memory must be failing you. I said i''d tell you how to survive," Cameron replied with a smirk... Milena frowned, "What way?" "Grab a bowl, squat under a bridge, and beg. Some kind soul might toss you a dor or two. You won''t starve," Cameron said coldly Milena''s jaw dropped in shock. Without another word, Cameron turned to leave "Cameron, you''ve gone t too far!" Milena shouted, lunging toward her. Cameron,pletely out of patience, swung her foot around and kicked hard- "Ah!" Milena screamed as she crashed to the ground. She tried to get up, but a sharp pain shot through her stomach, pinning her down. 09:54 Sat, 31 May Cameron just walked away Milena clenched her fists, having through pritted teeth, "Cameron" Cameron strode confidently with one hand in her pocket, her pace quick and purposeful. The starfish earring on her right ear caught the streetlight, gating as she moved When Austin sad Elijah spotted Cameron returning, they rushed back toward the dorm. Austin broke oke into a fit after just a few steps. Elijah gave him a cool nce but stopped walking anyway Cameron caught up quickly. "Waiting for me?" she asked. Elijah nodded. "Yeah. Everything okay?" "Everything''s fine," Cameron replied, Austin coughed violently. Cameron turned to him with concern. "Austin, why are you coughing again?" "Wasn''t he off those meds? Cameron thought. Getting Cameron''s attention made Austin smile. "Cam, I''m fine. Just ran a little too hard back there." Cameron nodded, and the three of them headed back to the dorm together. The next day, after morning study hall, Cameron asked Brody for the morning off. She had something important to take care of, something that absolutely needed to be handled before her SATS. Otherwise, things would getplicated. AD Chapter 406 Back in her dorm room, Cameron changeil out of her school uniform. She pulled on a simple white tee and light blue jeans with white picture of youthful energy. Her short hall framed her delicate face, while those eyes carried a determination well beyond her years. Elijah pushed the door open just as she finished getting ready. He froze in the doorway "Cameron, you''re going somewhere?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." "Anything up?" Elijah asked. "Just some stuff I need to handle, Cameron replied. She slung her ck backpack over her shoulder, gave Elijah a quick wave, and headed out Elijah walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the crowd of students below, He stood there until he spotted that white-d figure appear in his line of sight. Only after she disappeared from view did he finally turn away. Cameron left school and hopped into a taxi. "Take me to the mall closest to Crownhill Hospital," Half an hourter, the cab pulled up at the entrance. Cameron paid the driver and made a beeline for the women''s clothing section on the second floor. "Hi there! Can I help you find something?" The saleswoman approached with a bright smile. "Shopping for a girlfriend or mom today?" "God, this guy is gorgeous, she thought "And that skin is wless. Cameron didn''t miss a beat. "It''s for me." The saleswoman blinked, momentarily speechless. Cameron''s eyes quickly scanned the clothing racks until theynded on a white dress disyed on a mannequin. "I''d like to try that one on Cameron pointed to it. The saleswoman hesitated. "Sir, this is one of our summer collection pieces. It''s got that innocent, first-love vibe. Very soft. You sure you want to try it Camerog nodded. "Yes, I do." Reluctantly, the saleswoman took the white dress down and handed it to Cameron, who disappeared into a fitting room. The sales staff immediately huddled together. It was only nine in the morning, and Cameron was their only customer, "Such a good-looking guy," one whispered. "Never would''ve guessed he was into that. What a waste" "I know, right? Way hotter than those pretty boys on TV, Such a shame." "Totally" It was exactly like when Cameron first went shopping for women''s clothes. "Excuse me." Cameron''s voice drifted out from the Etting room The sales associates immediately fell spent. "Sir, is there anything else you need?¡± One of them approached the fitting room door. Could you bring me a bra? 36C, thanks, Cameron replied calmly. The saleswoman waspletely stunned. A dress wasn''t enough? Now a bra? And a 36C at that she thought She stood frozen for several seconds before finally putting on a smile, "Of course, sir. One moment." The saleswoman handed the bra into the fitting room, then rubbed her arms as if getting rid of goosebumps. Seriously, I don''t even know what to say she thought. A few minutester, Cameron stepped out of the litting room and stood before the full length mirror. All the sales associates looked at Cameron al orice, and in the next instant, their eyes widened in shock. The girl in the mirror had delicate, beautiful features. Even without makeup, her skin was wlessly smooth. She wore this summer''s most popr innocent style white dress, showing off her graceful figure and slender frame. Her waist looked like one could wrap one hand around it. Her exposed calves were smooth and fine, paired perfectly with white shoes. Everything about her was stunning-even with that super-short haircut. Chapter 407 Cameron stared at herself in the mirror, reaching up to cher fingers through her short hair, "Short hair with a long dress bad; Cameron thought. But a wig would probably work bet The baleswoman who had first helped Cameron finally snapped not of her france and walked over with a bright smile, "I''m so sorry, miss! I totally got Wrong "Thad no idea you were a girl. You just looked so androgynous before really cool, actually. But you look beautiful in a dress too." "Thanks," Cameron said. "I''ll pay now Could you wrap up my clothes? I''m taking this one with me." The sales associate smiled, "Miss, we have many other dresses that would look great on you. Would you like to try some on?" Cameron shook her head. "No thanks, l''ovin a hurry? The associate had no choice but to package Cameron''s clothes After paying, Cameron left with her shopping bag and headed straight to the department store on the lower level, where she picked out a wig with hair that fell to her waist. In the bathroom, Cameron put it on ''Long hair makes anyone look softer, she thought. Combined with her flowing dress, the effect was striking. She stared at her reflection and slowly broke into a smile. Leaving the mall, Cameron went directly to Crownhill Hospital to register for a physical exam. "There''s a mistake with the gender on my ID. I need physical examination," she exined. It was nearly eleven by the time Cameron left the hospital. Her next stop was the police station to modify her official records. After waiting in line for a while, it was finally her turn, "What can I help you with today?" asked the clerk "What can help you with today?" asked the clerk. The worker took Cameron''s ID card, ncing between them and her. The photo showed a strikingly handsome young man, while the person standing before them was a beautiful girl with a gentle, cute appearance, though her eyes held a certain detachment. "My gender was recorded incorrectly at birth, Cameron said. "I need to have it changed." The clerk was moment was momentarily speechless. His eyes shifted from Cameron''s face down to the ID card, where the gender section indeed said "male" The clerk''s eyes shifted back to Cameron''s face. "So it''s really just a mistake on the form?" Cameron handed over her medical records. "Yeah, here''s my medical paperwork." The clerk carefully examined Cameron''s health documents. Sure enough, the gender field showed female. It really was a mistake. The clerk looked puzzled. "Why wait until now to fix it?" "I''m taking the SATS soon," Cameron exined. "Having the wrong gender on my ID would be a huge headache. Otherwise, she wouldn''t even bother. The clerk nodded in understanding "Give me a few minutes." After a ten-minute wait, Cameron finally got her temporary ID. The address on it read "Noble Vista," and under the gender section, it now said "female" The clerk handed Cameron the temporary ID card. "Do you want to change the photo?" he asked. The current picture showed a handsome young man Cameron shook her head. "No it''s fine "Aright," the clerk said "Temporary ID is two dors, the official to fee is seven dors, shipping is another sivan-disteen dors fet 10 will be mailed to you in about a month. Just write down your address here? "Thanks," Cameron said, paying the bill. By noon, Cameron had her temporary ID in hand. Looking at the "female" designation under gender, she couldn''t help but smile. Eighteen years, she thought. I finally get to be my real self Cameron headed to a public restroom near the sidewalk. She took off her wig and dress, changing back into her t-shirt and jeans, As Cameron walked out of the women''s bathroom, a middle-aged man was exiting the men''s room across the way. He did a double-take, "Wait, did I go into the wrong bathroom? Was in the women''s?" he uttered, covering his face and hurrying away. Cameron just stood there, speechless. AD Chapter 408 Cameron tossed her wig and dress into a recycling bin for used clothing and grabbed a tad hack to manipus. Schon was really ovari was no way she was heading back In sa Cameron headed straight to the principal''s office William was just about to leave for hinch when he spotted her. "Well, hey there kilde, Lonking for me?" Cameron nodded. "Mr. Drake, your help with something." William smiled warmly and gestured toward a chair. "Have a seat. We can talk about anything. How''s your studying going? Another practice testing up the day after tomorrow, right? How many spots are you nning to climb this time?" "Don''t worry, Mr. Drake. My studying''s going great," Cameron replied. "I''m expecting to ce in the school. five in my ss, maybe top 20 in the whole William nodded approvingly. "Good to hear you''re on top of things. Nothing is more important than your studies right now. So, what can help you with?" "I need you to change something in my student records," Cameron said. William''s brows furrowed. "Your records? What''s the problem?" "My gender is wrong" Cameron stated simply "What?" Wiliam stared at Cameron''s beautiful, somewhat androgynous face in disbelief. "Come again? Your gender? Your gender is wrong?" Cameron ced her temporary ID on the desk, opened it, and pointed to the gender field. "Mr. Drake, my gender should be listed as female." William waspletely stunned. Even though he''d dealt with all sorts of situations as principal, this caught him totally off guard. William took off his wire-rimmed sses and rubbed his eyes, then rubbed them again. Picking up Cameron''s ID card, he leaned in close, examining it over and over. "Female? This form definitely says female," William set down the registration document, looking Cameron up and down in disbelief. "You''re a girl? How did you... When did you be a girl?"" William couldn''t wrap his head around it. Cameron looked exactly like a handsome young man. "Mr. Drake," Cameron said calmly, "I am actually a girl. I just prefer boys clothes." William frowned, "But i could''ve sworn you had an engagement with Amelia?" Cameron went silent. Seeing her reaction, William quickly backpedaled. "I get it,plicated situation, right? Don''t worry, I won''t pry. I''ll fix your records to show the correct gender, and I''ll keep your secret, but... His face scrunched with concern. "But what?" Cameron asked. "Aren''t you living with the boys?" Cameron fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Let me set you up with a private room." Wham suggested, "You should move out of the boys'' room." Cameron thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Don''t bother. I''ve already been there over a month. What''s one more month going to matter?" Moving out now would just make Elijah and the others puspicious, Camaren thought it wasn''t ind the fight Ume to tell them, Sha nned to wait until William looked ufortable. Han''t it awkward for you? You are a pit¨ª, nh¨¦t all" Cameron shook her head, "Not at all" I''ve lived with this inconvenience for eighteen years, Cameron thought. "What''s one more month?" "Don''t worry, I''ll keep your secret." William assured In the end, William decided to respect Cameron''s w Cameron''s wishes. After all, if news got not that Cameron was actually a girl, it would cause a massive scandal With the SATs right around the corner, adding that kind of drama would be a disaster, Correcting her school records would be enough. "Thanks," Cameron said gratefully. Cameron had barely stepped out of the principal''s office when Xander called. "You little punk, where''d you disappear to?" Xander''s voice crackled through the phone. "Elijah said you skipped all morning. This is literally the worst time to go AWOL! What if Samuel sent his goons after you? The concern in his voice was impossible to miss. "I''m at school," Cameron replied. "I''m fine." Where exactly? Have you eaten yet?" "I haven''t "Cameron said, but another call came through. She checked the screen. It was Bradley. He rarely called her, so it had to be important. "I haven''t eaten either," Xander continued. "Let''s grab something." "I''ve got ns." Cameron cut him off. "Find someone else." Xander went silent. Cameron ended Xander''s call and switched to Bradley''s. "Hey Brad." "Where are you?" Bradley asked. "Academic building." "Meet me in the underground parking garage," Bradley said. "Need to talk to you about something" "On my way," Cameron replied. "Knew it had to be something,'' she thought Cameron headed straight for the parking garage, ignoring another iing call from Xander. He was nice enough, just too damn loud. Cameron waited by Bradley''s car for a few minutes before he showed up. He unlocked the doors, and they both got in "What''s up, Brad?" Cameron asked. Bradley adjusted his stance. "Cameron, your foster parents confessed, but the hospital where you were born went under about ten years ago. All the records are gone-vanished." Cameron''s face remained calm. "So there''s no way to find my birth parents 2 "Not really, no. Cameron nodded, "It''s fine. If it''s meant to be, it''s meant to Truth was, Cameron wasn''t that interested in finding them. Let them think I''m dead, she thought. Tactually like my life on my nam Finding her real family after all this time would just be awkward they''d never been together, never shared anything. The way things were now it suited Bradley gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze Without those old records, finding her birth parents would be like looking for a needle in a haydark i really would take a miracle at this point. "Hey Brad, I haven''t had lunch yet Your Cameron asked. "Me neither." "What do you feel like eating? My treat." Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Something good happened!" Cameron smiled, "You could say that." "Care to share what it is?" "Not just yet" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Fine, then, Buy me lunch and I''ll celebrate whatever it is with you." They ended up at the school cafeteria, ordering a few dishes for their mini- celebration. They They still had attemoon sses, after all. Austin walked into Room 316 and saw only Elijah, but there was no Cameron in sight. "Where''s Cam?" he asked. "Tutoring Xan again? Elijah shot him a cold look. "How should I know? Who am I supposed to ask?" Austin was speechless. He stepped closer to Elijah, "Dude, what''s your problem with me?" AD Comment Chapter 409 Elijah barely looked up when he heard Austin, just throwing him a cold nce without saying a word. Austin leaned down, nting his palms on Elijah''s desk. His handsome face under that short blond hair waspletely devoid of its usual smile. "E remember you didn''t used to treat me like this, it''s because of Cam, ko''t it? Elijah was at a loss for words. Something about Austin right now felt off. Elijah frowned slightly as he sensed the intimidating energy radiating from him. This wasn''t the same frail Austin who used to coughs after walking just a few steps. Instead, he had thismanding presence that led the room. Elijah leaned back in his chair, trying to put some distance between them. "What do you want?" Austin stepped back, a light smile returning to his face, "Want? Nothing. Ell I''m just wondering if there''s some misunderstanding between us." "You''re imagining things," Elijah said coolly. He studied Austin more carefully. Just like that, Austin had shifted back to his usual fragile demeanor. "Was that intimidating vibe just my intagination? Elijah thought. "Am 12" Austin smiled. "I hope so. But Eli, Cam, and I are really close friends. He''s my only friend." "Friends?" Elijah repeated, testing the word. "Very, very important friends." Austin emphasized. Besides his mother, Cameron was the most important person in his world. "I''m heading to to the library to study for a bit, Austin said, then left the dorm room. Elijah sat at his desk, lost in thought. Austin and Cameron were friends. He and Cameron were friends too. At Fraser Vi, Samuely in bed with broken ribs while his assistant stood nearby, reading documents aloud. "Hold up," Samuel interrupted suddenly. "Mr. Fraser?" The assistant looked at him. "What happened with that Cameron kid? Did the Waces get their theck back?" Samuel asked. The assistant closed the file "Let me check on that, Mr. Fraser. Give me a minute." Ten minutester, the assistant returned. "Well?" Samuel asked impatiently. "Cameron got his foster parents thrown in jail," the assistant said. Samuel''s jaw dropped. "What?" There was a lot to unpack in that one sentence. "Foster parents? Jail? What are you talking about Samuel asked, bewildered. "Turns out Cameron isn''t actually the Waces kid," the assistant exined. "His foster parents stole him from the hospital" Samuel was speechless. No wonder that kid''s such a nightmare, he thought "And why the Waces didn''t have the guts to stand up to hin, even their real son "So that little punk gets off scot-free?" Samuel pped his thigh in frustration. He''d been counting on the Waces to deal with Cameron, but they''d 09:55 Sat 31 May provenpletely useless. "Mr, Fraser," the assistant quickly cut in, "Cameron''s just a kid who doesn''t know any better. Let''s be the bigger people here and let it go "You''re lying in bed with brakeh ribs right now, the assistant thought. "Keep pushing this, and who knows what might happen next. "Hmph." Samuel let out a cold snort. "I''m keeping score. And he''ll pay for this Cameron and Bradley had barely stepped out of the school cafeteria when they were immediately swarmed by ssmates. "Cameron, i had no idea you were so amazing at pianol That was seriously cool," one said. "Are you ying again tonight? I really want to hear more. Could you y something just for us?" Cameron''s mind went nk, "What the hell?'' she thought. Her no skills were decent enough. On one of her world-hopping worlds, she''d been bor into a family of pianists and could y "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" by age one. How did they know about it? Cameron wondered. They all were at the music roomst night?" Bradley turned to her, eyebrows raised. "You y no?" There was a no at Noble Vista, but he''d never heard her y it once. Chapter 410 Cameron looked at ?nradley and nodded honedly. " can y the nt a little bit.¡± I swear, Cameron, you''re way to bonden. cate on par with Austin''s) Did you know you went viral on Tiktakt with excitement. chad no clue what she was talking a Treaty someone posted a video of yes, and Austin ying piano four handedst night, and it blew upt pillions of people liked it?" 0000 hat your name is and saying you''re handume. You don''t even pale next to a total hottie like Austini" (imme polished 1 hat you must be a hidden musician Cameron, you''ve been hiding this so well After stening to his ssmates chatter, Cameron frally figured out what was going on Camere thanked everyone with a sile, then took a gap to pull hadley away kmeka watched them from a distance and realized she''d never truly known Cameron She hadn''t expected him to not only y basketball but also the piano, Cameron was much more amazing than she''d imagined Shortly aher, Am turned her gaze to Bradley, Thinking he was the more dazzling one Cameron and Bradley reached the edge of the yground. Bradley had already taken out his phone to look for the video his ssmates had mentioned. He found it quickly, for as soon as he searched the keyword ""Auto", the famous video popped up. Bradley stared quietly at t phone screen, listened for a moment, and then said, "Your two piano sounds are mixed together. I can''t Cameron smiled and said, "Does that mean you want me to y a piece just for you?" Bradity put away fits phone and adjusted his pold-rimmed sses. "If you don''t mind." Cameron asked, "Right now?" Brady shook his head. "No, when we get back to Noble Vista." He wanted to enjoy Cameron''s piano ying when they were alone Cameron agreed and then said, "tirad, I need to go to the library now. I promised Xander I''d tutor him." Bradley said helplessly. "This is such a waste of your talent." Having Cameron tutor Fander was no different from wasting time, since Xander''s grades were so bad that tutoring wouldn''t help at all. Cameron said, "T''re free anyway. It''s good to eam some pocket money. Besides, i still owe you over ten million dors.* Bradley said, "You don''t have to pay me back so so Cameron nodded. "I know" But she wanted to pay off the debt as as soon as possible. Maybe when the mass alpany officially started operating, she tould make it happen Bradley patted Cameron on the shoulder "Okay, I''ll o the library with you and read for a When the two armed at the library, Kanderhud alivaly be waiting for a longna. "What were you doing just now? You took so "Xander grumbled discontentedly. 09:58 Sat, 31 May Gu When he saw Bradley sit down beside Cameron with a book, kander said. study" -79% unhappily, ¡°Brad, sitting here might disturb Cameron and me while we "Desturb"" Bradley stayed firmly in his seat. "Even if I didn''t disturb your study, you couldn''t improve your grades, could you? Kander fell silent, at a loss for words Cameron tapped the desk. "Brad isn''t even talking. How could he disturb you? Open your book, and let''s start." Xander red at Cameron. "Why are you taking his side?" was always like this. She always took Bradley''s side, which made Xander very annoyed. ameron said. "I''m just telling the truth." kander pushed his textbook aside. "I don''t want to study anymore." My k 411 ? Cameron stand up. "Tine, since you don''t want to study, I''ll go back to the dorm and sleep Xander grabbed Cameron''s amin as "Wait a minute? He''d said he didn''t want to study, just beping Cameron would send Bradley away, but the holly nned to following his words, which made Kanderhurious Cameron quickly pulled her hand back. "What are you doing?" She frowned and took out antiseptic wipes to scrub the forearm ander had grabbed. Xander rubbed his fingertips, staring at Cameron "Your skin is te snooth Although Xander often stayed in the sun and yed basketball, his own skin was delicate, But Cameron''s skin seemed strangely smooth, almost smoother than his mother''s. Cameron didn''t respond. Bradley bugged at Xander''s sleeve. "Xander, do you know men can harass other men too?" Xander scoffed. "Like you''re really awyer. You''re just a high school student- stop acting all pretentious "Are you sure?" Bradley''s eyes behind the lenses narrowed dangerously. Kander felt a twinge of guilt. "I just grabbed him once. So what? Is that illegal?" Bradley said, "Don''t you know he has mysophobia?" Jander retorted, "No, I didn''t." "Shh" Cameron raised a hand to her lips. "This is a library. Stop arguing." Then she asked Xander, "Are you going to have the tutoring session or not? Xander said, "Of course I am! I don''t, I''ll bomb the practice test the day after tomorrow." Actually, it wasn''t about the tutoring Apart from that, Xander didn''t know what excuse to use to spend time with Cameron He''d been kicked out of Room 316 and couldn''t go back. Strangely, Xander felt restless if he didn''t see Cameron for a day. He thought Cameron must be some kind of dru Bradley said, "Tutoring won''t help" After an annoyed silence, Xander looked at Cameron "Can you make him leave? He''s really distracting me." Cameron said, "Even though your family paid for this library, it doesn''t belong to you." Xander waspletely speechless. Cameron opened the textbook and began the tutoring session Bradley sat beside them and continued reading Xander nced at the professionalw book in front of him and muttered, "Can''t believe you can stand such boring books. Bradley didn''t even look at him. Cameron tapped the desk lightly. "Focus on fine." Xander nodded dismissively. 1615 Sun, 1 Jun Aher school in the afternoon, Austin messaged Cameron Austin: Cameron, wait fm ma aher school. Let''s go to the cafeteria fejpathar, you about something inspottant Cameron (Okay.] In the cafeteria, after buying their dinners, the iwn sat across hom each other. Austin smiled and held out his phone for Cameron to see. "Look, Cameron, someone posted a video of is ying the nest night." Cameron didn''t take the phone, just nodded. "I know" Austin said, "There''s something else, Canseron Cameron ate as she asked, "What is it?" Austin said, "A professional musicpany contacted me and asked if you''d consider debuting as a singer." Cameron froze, then pointed at herself in confusion. "Are they inviting me or you?" Austinughed. "They''re talking about you, Cameron. They said you''re perfect in both looks and skills. They can make your a hot-ticket pop star." Cameron waspletely stunned, AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 412 Cameron was silent for a moment, then shook her head. "I''m not interested" Austin said, "Are you sure? Being an artist makes a lot of money. Didn''t you suggest I make money through Tik Tok before? Being an artist the more than being an inte celebrity." Cameron still shook her head. "Still not interested" Austin asked in confusion, "You work so hard tutoring Xander every day for so little money. Why not choose an easier job? Cameron took a bite of her sandwich, then looked at Austin with a calin expression. "I don''t want to be art employee, I want to be a boss" Upon hearing this, Austin was stunned for a moment, then looked at Cameron with shining eyes. "So you have such big ambitions" He had truly underestimated Cameron. She was right. It would be a pity for someone with her abilities to work for others. Cameron smiled. "It''s just so-so 1. d. "Alrigh Austin nodded. "Alright, tum them down then." Cameron nodded. "Thanks" When Elijah went to the cafeteria alone for a meal, he saw Austin and Cameron sitting together, chatting andughing. He hesitated for a moment, but finally walked over with his tray He sat down in the empty seat beside Cameron. "H, Elijah." Cameron greeted him. Elijah nodded and lowered his head to eat. "Hi, Elijah." Aus Austin nced at Elijah, his smile fading a little as he also lowered his head to em. Elijah was a bit confused. They had been chatting happily just now, but they stopped talkingpletely after he sat down. After thinking for a while, Elijah found a topic, "Cameron, how''s the tutoring going with Xander?" Cameron said, "We''ll find out after this practice test. He should have made progress." If Xander still didn''t make progress after so long of tutoring, she would beat him up for wasting her energy. Elijah asked again, "How are you prepared for this practice test?" Cameron smiled and said, "I should be able to rank within the top 20 in the school" Elijah nodded. "Cool." Elijah still remembered the scene when Cameron first moved into Room 316 and said she would steal his first ce, and now she was about to achieve it Austin knew Cameron''s true strength couldn''t be hidden anymore, so he looked at her with admiration. "Cameron, you''re amazing" Cameron said, "You don''t have to tter me." Elijah said, "You''re too modest." Austin said, "Cameron, I also think you''re too modest 16:16 Sun 1 Jun Cameron smiled but didn''t speak. She was good, but there were many pen nore powerful than her. Two dayster, the fourth practice test was held. There was only one month left before the SAT. The closer it got to this time, the less nervous the ssmates became, because even if they worked hard in the remaining month, they couldn''t change rich, The day the practice test ended was Friday, anisouncing the end of a busy week. When Cameron packed her things, she received a message from Badley Bradley: I''m waiting for you in the parking lot. Cameron: [Okay. Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by Elijah. "Cameron, are you still not going back to Noble Vistal" he asked Cameron hesitated for a moment and said, "Probably not." Elijah''s hand holding the backpack strap tightened. Since Cameron wasn''t going back, he had no reason to go there either. Austin asked, ¡°Then where will you go? Hiding from Samuel like this isn''t a solution. Are you going to the zoo?" Cameron probably would go to the zoo to see Pearl My k 413 Cameron shook her head. Tim not hiding from Samuel, and I''m not going to the zoo. I brought Pearl back ages ago Austin asked in surprise, "Pearl isn''t at the on anymore?" Cameron nodded. "Right. She couldn''t adapt to life there Austin was speechless for a mo a moment. ¡°Um,¡± Elijah said, "can I ask who Pearl is?" He couldn''t quite follow the conversation between Cameron and Austin. Cameron said, "Pearl''s a tiger" Elijah said, "A tiger?" Austin said, "It''s a long story. Cameron, you go first-fill Elijah in." After a pause, he asked, "Can I tell him about this?" Cameron gave an "OK" gesture, then left the dorm.. Austin began, "Elijah, the thing is-" "Never mind." Elijah cut Austin off coldly, then grabbed his bag and left the dorm too. Realizing Lijah might be jealous, Austin let out a sarcasticugh, As Cameron reached the dorm entrance, she immediately saw Xander and Tyrell leaning against the wall, "Cameron!" Tyrell greeted her with a smile. Cameron nodded but kept walking. "Cameron!" Xander hurried to catch up. "Didn''t you see me?" Cameron didn''t stop walking "I saw you. What''s up?" Xander said, "It''s not about me. It''s about you." Only then did Cameron halt. "What do you mean?" Xander said, "You dare walk out of school so openly? Watch out. Samuel might have people ambushing you outside." After a moment of silence, Cameron said, "Thanks for the concem. With that, she tried to leave immediately. Xander quickly blocked her path. "Why won''t you listen? Don''t you know how ruthless Samuel is? Do you want to die?" The Wace family''s sudden bankruptcy overnight had been terrifying enough. Cameron said, "Don''t worry. He can''t do anything to me." She didn''t bother listening to Xander''s nagging and just took off running. Xander was speechless. Tyrell said, "Damn, he runs like a rocket if he joined the track team, he''d probably win a world championship." Xander shot him a re, leaving Tyrell confused about what he''d said wrong. Xander grumbled, "If you want to get yourself into trouble, I won''t stop you. Ju first, he''d wanted to take Cameron back to Murphy Manor to keep har safe, but she wasn''t grateful Milena watched Xander and Cameron from a distance. Her family had suffered a major upheaval, and after taking a few days off, Milena had returned to school because she had nowhere else to go now Besides, she needed to cling tightly to Xander, Milena turned away and took out her phone to text him. Milena [Mr. Murphy, are you with my brother right now!) When Xander received Milena''s message, he felt irritated instead of is usual excitement. From thest time Milena had asked for his help, Xander had noticed that Cameron deeply resisted anything rted to the Wace family. He was tom between his good buddy and the girl he liked. After a long while, he replied to Milena. Xander: No. Why? You looking for Cameron? Milena was shocked. She''d just seen them talking together. She didn''t know why Xander''s attitude toward her had changed and immediately suspected that bitch Cameron had said something to him. Ìï AD Comment My k 414 Milena was convinced of this purss. She thought Cameron was ton heartless. Not satisfied with sending her parents to jail, Cameron even wanted to sow discord between Milena and Kander. Milena suppressed her anger and messaged Xander Milena: (Sorry, Mr. Murphy. Since you and my brother are roommates, assumed you were together. I can''t mach him, and with my parents ident, really don''t know what to do. Xander read Milena''s message as he walked, frowned, and stuffed his phone into his pocket. Aber a long pause, he replied Xander: I''ve moved out of Room 316. I can''t help if you''re looking for Cameron Milena stared at Xander''s message, eyes widening, and immediately decided he just didn''t want to help her. She wondered, Tid Cameron tell him something about mel Milena''s hands trembled with rage. Biting back her fury, she messaged again. Milena: Sorry to bother you. I''m all alone now and have no one to turn to. Xander checked his phone twice but finally didn''t reply. He''d do anything to avoid upsetting Cameron. Cameron reached the underground parking lot. Bradley was waiting in the car. "Brad, sorry to keep you waiting" Cameron said, climbing into the passenger seat. ¡°Not a problem at all" Bradley tapped the steering wheel. "Heading back to Noble Vista now?" Cameron looked at him in confusion. Bradley added, "You promised to y the piano for me." Cameron was speechless, feeling that Bradley was being overly hasty. Bradley started the car, and the Mercedes slowly exited the parking lot Elijah sat in his ck Rolls-Royce, gazing at the congested street through the window, when he suddenly spotted Bradley''s Mercedes Elijah frowned slightly. Cameron had ridden with Brad to go home many times, so he wondered if this was another such asion. On a whim, he said, "Follow that Mercedes ahead." "Yes, Mr. Moore," the driver replied. The Rolls-Royce began trailing the Mercedes at a distance. Cameron saw Elijah''s Rolls Royce in the rearview mirror. Since they were going to Noble Vista and Elijah might be too, she thought it wasn''t strange for him to be following Half an hourter, the Mercedes drove directly into Noble Vista''s underground parking lot, while the Rolls-Royce stopped at the intersection. Elijah rolled down the window and stared at the parking lot entrance. He wondered, ''Is Cameron in Brad''s car if he''s going back to Noble Vista? "Mr. Moore?" The driver called out, waiting for instructions. "Drive in," Elijah said. The Rolls-Royce followed into the parking lot. Before it fully stopped, Elijah saw Cameron and Bradley walking side by side toward the elevator. He thought, "Cameron is really with Brad. He said he wouldn''te back. Why did he change his mind?" Elijah hesitated about following them. He couldn''t exin his current feelings. Cameron shared things with Austin that he knew nothing about. Her bond with Bradley seemed deeper than with anyone else in the dorm, Shi em cared about Xander''s grades. Only he couldn''t get her attention. An indescribable feeling overwhelmed Elijah, making him miserable. "Mr. Moore?" The driver called again, worried to see Elijah lost in thought for the third time. "Let''s go," Elijah said,ing back to himself. He pursed his lips and rolled up the window. My k 415 No Ads Cameron and Bradley returned to Cameron''s house together. He tossed his backpack onto the sofa and asked, "Brad, wat Bradley said, "What pairs best will piano? Red wine? There was sti "What pairs vine he''d once treasured in the cab Cameron asked, "You want red wine Bradley nodded. "Yes. I''ll get it." , want something to drink?" Cameron was slightly at a loss for words. She''d just wanted to y a simple song for Bradley and then go to Silvermoss Castle with him to see Pearl, but from Bradley''s tone, it seemed he intended to savor the music carefully. Soon, Bradley emerged with a bottle of red wine. He skillfully opened it, poured the wine into a decanter, and fetched two wine sses. Cameron sat down at the piano and gently pressed his fingers on the keys. "Brad, what song do you want to hear?" Bradley said, "I''ll listen to whatever you y." Cameron asked, "How about Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?" After a moment of silence, Bradley poured two sses of wine, walked over to Cameron, ced one on the piano, and held the other, swirling it gently He said, "Can you y F¨¹r Elise?" Cameron nodded. No one who yed no could be unfamiliar with F¨¹r Elise. Cameron''s fingers began to dance gracefully across the ck and white keys, and beautiful music wed gently from his fingertips. As his arms moved and his body swayed, his short hair fluttered, and the starfish earring in his right ear glimmered intermittently. Bradley leaned against the piano, swirling the wine ss in his hand, listening to the music that filled the entire living room. He gradually smiled. Those online were right-Cameron did y better than Austin When the ce ended, Cameron turned to look at Bradley and asked, "How was that, Brad?" "You yed beautifully Bradley raised his wine ss toward Cameron Cameron picked up his own ss, gestured in return, and took a slow sip. Putting the ss down, he asked, "What else do you want to hear? Bradley said, "y whatever you like, as long as it''s not Twinkle, Twinkle." Cameron couldn''t help butugh. "Okay" His fingers flew across the keys, and the melodious no music filled Bradley''s ears. He closed his eyes in enjoyment. Alter a long time, Cameron finally stopped. Staring at the sky garden outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Cameron said, "Brad, it''s dark out." Bradley slowly opened his eyes. He put down his ss and turned to look out the window, saying in surprise, ¡°it''s dark already? So soon!" It was summer, and the day stayed longer than night. They''de here right after school, so it shouldn''t have gotten dark so quickly. Cameron stood up and massaged his slightly sore fingers "if I didn''t misread the time, I''ve been ying for two hours" Uy:ZU Mon, 2 Jun Bradley raised his wrist to check his watch. It was already 8-30. He said, "Sorry, Cameron stretched his neck and said, "I''m not tired, but I''m hungry" Bradleyughed "What do you want to P Cameron asked, "Eat back at Silvermass Castle, or here?" Bradley said. "Let''s have dinner first." The castle was too far away. If they drove back now, it would take at least 40 to 50 minutes, and by then, Cameron would probably be starving The two drove to a restaurant outside Noble Vista, ordered a few dishes at random, then drove back to Silvemoss Castle On the way, Cameron fell asleep, leaning against the passenger seat ? My k 416 Bradley parked the car dantly 1500 feet away from Silvermoss Castle, hoping to avoid waking Cammon if Pearl reacted to their arrival, But in his dismay, his phone rang at the word posible moment. Camemn jolted awake fistantly. "Sorry, didn''t mean to wake you" Bradley muted his phone. "It''s okay." Cameron looked out the window. "Did we aniver" "Just a few hundred feet let," Bradley replied. Cameron adjusted his seat and rubbed his face. "Why do I keep falling asleep in your car" This was the second time he''d doned off during a ride with Bradley. "You''re probably exhausted," Bradley said. Just then, his phone vibrated again. Bradley had to answer it. "Hey, Eddie" Eddie''s voice came through. "Brad, where are you and Cam? It''s sote-what''re you guys up to?" "Where are you?" Bradley countered. Eddie chuckled, "Guess." After a beat of silence, Bradley nced up at Silvermoss Castle in the distance, suddenly realizing Eddie might already be there. Eddie whined, "Are youing back or not? I''m starving here. If you''re noting, I''m not waiting!" "We''ve already eaten." Bradley ended the call abruptly, then turned to Cameron. "Sorry, C Cameron-Eddie''s here." Cameron shrugged. "It doesn''t matter. There are plenty of rooms." Eddie''s outgoing personality would Iven things up, anyway. Bradley frowned slightly and drove into the castle grounds. Eddie and Pearl stood at the entrance. The moment Cameron stepped out, Pearl bounded over "Been good at home?" Cameron rubbed its fluffy head. Pearl purred in response, showing that it had behaved. "Cam." Eddie waved cheerfully. "You don''t mind me crashing here, right?" "Of course not. Wee." Cameron smiled. As Cameron walked into the hall with Pearl, Eddie followed her, only for Bradley to grab his arm, Eddie frowned. "What?" Bradley asked tly, "Why are you here, Eddie?" Eddie said, "Got bored, came to hang out with you." "You could''ve gone to Osborne, Reginald, Eric, Dame, Simon... or any of your girlfriends. Whye here?" Bradley said. Eddie froze, staring at Bradley in mock horror. "Brad, you really don''t want me here? My heart is shattered" Save it," Bradley said, Eddie sighed. "Tank, I was two timing, got caught, and now both girls see huning i Bradley scowled. "Told you this would happen eventually" Eddie shrugged. "So what?" Bradley gored him and turned to join Cameron in the hall. Cameron sat on the s, ying with foul, "Were you lonely all by yourself?" he asked, staring into Pearl''s eyes. time down. I need a ce to hide! When Pearl looked back at Cameron, all aggression was gone she was as docile as a cat Eddie crossed his arms and entered. "Cam, the way you tame beasts is legit insane." He''d witnessed Pearl feeding on live prey before, and it was hard to reconcile that savage image with the gentle creature before him now AD Comment My k 417 Cameron sal up straight and said, "Eddie, you''re too kind." Eddie sat down across from Cameron and smiled. "Cam, can I discuss something with you?". "Go ahead," Cameron said "What''s it about?" Before Eddie could reply, Bradley adjusted les gold rimmed sses and interjected, Eddie''s eyes were full of mischiel "I want to stay at Cam''s ce for a couple of days" Bradley fell silent. "Is that okay, Cam?" Eddie asked Cameron with a smile. Bradley said, "Cameron, reject him." Both Eddie and Cameron were slightly speechless. Sitting on the sofa, Cameron looked at Bradley, then at Eddie. She thought, ''Should I reject him or agree? Bradley said, "Say no." Eddie said, "Sayyes." "I''m so tired, why don''t you guys decide by paper-rock-scissors? I''m going back to my room to sleep," said Cameron With that, she left the living room, leaving Eddie and Bradley staring at each other in awkward silence. Bradley said, "Eddie, I advise you to treat your girlfriends properly so you don''t have to hide like this." Eddie said, "Brad, you don''t get it. All these girls pursued me. They''re so pretty and cute-how could I bear to reject them?" y was at a loss for words. Bradley w Eddie added, "Brad, one day when you have someone you like, you understand." Bradley retorted, "Are you saying I''ll be as a yboy as you!" Eddie said, "How can you call me like that? That''s too harsh. I just don''t want any girl to feel sad or upset. Bradley knew there was no reasoning with him Since Eddie refused to change, there was no point wasting time. Sooner orter, someone would cure Eddie of his yboy habits. Bradley also got up and went upstairs. Eddie clicked his tongue and headed straight to the dining room for a meal. Edde stayed in the castle for two days. Cameron gave Xander online tutoring in the study for two days. Recently, thew firm had taken on more cases, so Bradley was extremely busy, leaving early and returningbe every day. On Sunday afternoon, Cameron returned to school. By then, the results of the fourth practice test had been posted on the school buio t?dr¨¢. Xander called Cameron. "Not bad-you''ve controlled your grades well. You''ve improved by several ranks this time, ranking top 5 in the ss and hoch the whole grade." Cameron asked, "What about you?" Cameron was also in the crowd at the moment, specifically there to check Xander''s ranking. But with too many students in front of her, she hadn''t had a chance to see it yet. Xander paused, then asked, "What about me? My exam results? I didn''t pay attention" Cameron was speechless. She couldn''t understand why he cared more about her grades than his own Cameron said, "Xander, if you didn''t make progress in this exam, you don''t need to continue tutoring" Xander eximed, "What paid you tuition fees." Cameron didn''t respond and hung up the phone directly. She pushed to the front and started scanning from the bottom of the list, reading row by row, Finally, she found Xander''s name at rank 258. There were 16 sses in the senior grade, with 36 students in each ss-a total of 576 students. Xander''s score was exactly in the middle Cameron remembered that Xander used to always be at the bottom of the rankings, so the tutoring had clearly been effective. "288th ce? I''m ranked 298th Since when did I get this good!" Xander had never paid attention to his rankings before. Seeing that he''d actually cracked the top 300, he was stunned. Tyrell said, "Your 30,000 dors per hour tutoring fee wasn''t wasted." AD Comment My k 418 Xander''s handsome face under his short hair broke into a sunny smile. "You''re right," he said, All that money hadn''t been spent in vain. He loved ying basketball and spent so much time in the sun that his smile seemed to carry its warmth, Some girls nearby blushed at the sight, but Xander only stared goofily at the disy case Cameron was mostly satisfied with Xander''s results. As a student-athlete, his scores would get him into a solid university She turned and headed straight back to ss. Xander called her excitedly. "Cameron, I ranked 286th Awesome, right? Don''t I deserve a reward Cameron said. "Keep working hard." "Is that all?" Xander protested. Cameron replied, "Bye" Then, she hung up. Tyrell watched Xander stare nkly at his phone. "Let me celebrate with you," he said. "You did great!" Xander red at Tyrell. "It''s just 288th ce. Nothing to brag about." I rolled his eyes because Xander was literally bragging a second ago. Tyrell r During evening study hall, Brody held up the practice test results and beamed at Cameron, "Cameron has improved steadily these past months and now ranks fifth in the ss! Everyone should leam from her and strive to boost your scores in the final month!" "Impressive," a ssmate murmured. "He wasst in the ss two months ago." Cameron stayed calm, but Elijah wore a proud smirk. When she ranked first in the state, it would shock everyone. After the first study period, a ssmate approached her earnestly "How did you improve so fast in such a short time?" Cameron replied, "Besides doing endless practice problems, you need a-" She looked at Elijah and smiled. ¡°A deskmate who''s great at studying" The ssmate froze. Practice problems were doable, but finding a top-tier deskmate was another story. Elijah smiled. "Are you serious?" The frustration he''d felt for two days vanished instantly Cameron smiled but didn''t answer. Elijah added, "I saw Xander improve too. You''re azing "Xander''s smart," Cameron said. "He just refuses to apply himself" "You''re a good teacher," Elijah insisted. In ss 10, Senior Year, the advisory teacher singled out Kander for his progress. TIT Xander scoffed. Everyone thought he''d improved, but not Cameron. He wondered, ''Does that man I''m still NMVUT Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Milena. Milena Congrats! Heard you did really wall this time Xander stared at her profile picture-a cartoon character. He wished the message hade from Cameron Instead. Xander: (Thanks, but how did you find out?) Milena: (My brother told me Xander''s eyes widened. He typed rapidly: What did Cameron say? Are you guys on good terms now!] He thought, "So Cameron purposely didn''t praise me? He must be proud but doesn''t want me getting cocky. That''s why he acted alool My k 419 Xander felt instantly pleased with himself. Milena only have my brother as family new. He said you''ve made a lot of progress and are amazing. Immally happy for you. Milena nced at the teacher on the podium while texting Xander. Once, Milens had pretended to be reserved to keep Xander Interested in her. But now, with both her parents in custody and Cameron indeed being stolen by them, they couldn''t escape prison time. Alone, Milena had to n for her survival. She needed to strive to attract Kander, Xander: Thanks ]. After sending this message, Xander immediately exited the chat with Milona and clicked on Cameron''s profile picture Xander; I made such great progress this time how do you n to praise me?) Cameron didn''t reply immediately While waiting for Cameron''s response, Milena sent another message Milena Thank you for taking care of my brother. He always talks about you-you''re very kind. Xander: [Really?] Xander switched back to the chat with Cameron. Cameron: think instead of me praising you, you should raise my sry Xander could almost imagine Cameron''s irritating expression as he sent the message Xander: Fine, name your price. How much do you want to raise it? After exiting the chat with Cameron, Xander posted the exam ranking he''d taken today into his family group. Xander: Mom, Dad,e see! I ranked 288th in the school this time Logan: [Good job, that''s progress] Gwen: [Xander, I''m so happy you''ve improved so quickly Xander: It''s all because of Cameron''s teaching. Send me money-I need to pay for tutoring, and he wants a raise. Gwen: [ (Alright, I''ll transfer 3 million dors to youter) Logan: [Bring Cameron home this weekend.) Xander: Got it. Send the money now. As soon as Xander sent the message, his phone received a text about the money arriving. Xander raised an eyebrow and opened the chat with Cameron again, Xander Why aren''t you replying? How much do you want to raise your sry? hundred and sixty thousand dors per hour?). However, after sending the message, Cameron still didn''t reply Xander: [ Xander: Where are you?] Xander: Cameron?] Cameron: Focus on your ss. If you send more messages, block you. Xander thought it was strange for a guy like Cameron to keep threatening to block people. This was usually what girls did. Xander boredly pursed his lips. With the SAT approaching, teachers were only exining the problems most students got wrong. Xander propped his head up with one hand, staring at the Mackboard. The lessons felt incredibly dullpared to Cameron''s easy-to-understand exnations. Bored, Xander looked down at his phone and realized Milena had sent several messages. Milena (My y brother mentions you all the time. You two must be close, right? Milena [Xander, my brother can be impulsive sometimes. Please forgive him if he does anything wrong! Milena: (Xander, am I bothering you?] Xander frowned at Milena''s string of messages. That had never happened before. Milena seemed much more attentive to him now Xander recalled Milena''s strikingly beautiful face and found it hard to imagine her being so solicitous toward someone. Comment My k 420 Xander: It''s not really a bother, but I am in ss right now. The truth was, this entire lesson was less useful than five minutes of Cameron''s tutoring Milena: Sorry to disturb you, Talkter.] Xander nced at Milena''s message and didn''t reply, Het wasn''t sure why, but his heart no longer raced when he received her texts-now it waspletely calm. He couldn''t forget Milena''s beautiful face, but since he couldn''t see her through the phone, his feelings for her had faded. Milena frowned at the unread messages on her phone screen. Xander had never ignored her like this before A surger e of anxiety hit her. She wond wondered, "Does he know something about me? Quickly, y.sho reassured herself, if Xander knew she''d pretended to be Cameron, he wouldn''t even reply to her Then she began to wonder what had caused Xander''s sudden coldnest toward her "Milena, what are you doing?" A furious voice interrupted her thoughts Milena jolted back to reality, and her phone slipped from her hand. The teacher frowned. "You''re using your phone in ss? Stand outside Milena''s face flushed with embarrassment. She didn''t dare argue, quickly picked up her phone, and walked out of the ssroom. Milena stood outside for half the lesson. When the bell finally rang and she returned to her seat, she heard ssmates whispering "Her parents are both in jail. Is it really okay for a criminal''s daughter to be in our ss?" "No way! Where did you hear that? What happened?" it''s true-I have inside information" "She shouldn''t be in our ss then, if people find out I have a ssmate whose parents are criminals, it''ll be embarrassing." "Yeah." "Don''t worry-she probably won''t be here next semester." "Why?" "She can''t afford tuition, obviously" "That makes sense." The whispers weren''t loud, but Milena heard every word. Unable to refute them, she bit her lip tightly. Alter the evening study session, Xander intercepted Cameron with perfect timing 09:21 Mon, 2 Jun "Move." Cameron nearly pushed his head away. Xander trailed after him, "Cameron,e on, how much per hour will make you happy!" Cameron didn''t stop walking. "I didn''t say I wanted a raise," he said. Thirty thousand dors was enough. Xander said, "But you said you wanted a raise! I just asked my parents for three million dors. I have money-name your price." Cameron was speechless at hisck of financial sense and kept walking. *Tell me, how much per hour?" Xander insisted. Cameron stopped and said, "Thirty thousand dors." Xander eximed in surprise, "You really don''t want a raise? Are you crazy? Don''t you need money? I''m giving you a chance-why not take it?" "Would you give me the entire Murphy family then?" Cameron retorted. Xander froze, at a loss for words. While Xander was stunned, Cameron returned to the dorm. She went straight to the bathroom. The weather was getting hotter, and she was sweaty and ufortable-she needed a shower to cool off ng water running in the bathroom and seeing Cameron''s phone on the desk, he knew who was inside. Elijah returned to the dorm after Cameron. Hearing! Elijah opened his textbook, flipped through the pages, and finally found an extremely difficult problem AD Comment My k 421 Soon, Austin aho returned, His gare immediately tempt to Cameron''s desk. Seeing the phone there, he murmured, "Camisi''s back," Elijah looked up from his workbook at Austin, finding him slightly odd Before Cavern moved into Room 316, Austin rarely stayed in the school dorm. Now he was here almost menryday. Given Austin''s poor health, he wasn''t the type to sacrifice wellness for grades. So it was highly likely that Austin stayed for Cameron. At this thought, Elijah frowned slightly. ¡°H, Elijah.¡± Austin greeted him politely. "Mn," Elijah replied cuntly. Elijah had always been this aloof, so Austin didn''t notice anything amiss. Even if he had, Elijah wouldn''t have cared. Austin sat down, took a vitamin pill with warm water as usual, and coughed a few times. Elijah held a a pen, seemingly working on problems but lost in thought. Shortly after. Bradley pushed the door open and entered the dorm "Brad, you''re back early today" Austin smiled. Bradley nodded, still looking gentle and refined. His gold-rimmed sses masked all his sharpness, giving off a warm aura. Elijah also looked up from his stack of workbooks to greet Bradley, Bradley nodded slightly, then asked, ¡°is Cameron back?" Elijah said, ¡°He''s showering" As soon as Elijah finished speaking, Cameron pushed open the bathroom door and stepped out, standing at the vanity to dry her hair. Bradley walked over to wash his hands. "Good evening, Brad, Cameron said. Bradley nodded. "You did well on this exam." Though he knew Cameron intentionally kept her scores moderate, hearing ssmates''ments on her rapid progress still made Bradley feel proud. Cameron paused, then said, "Next time will be better." Next time, she would im the top rank in the school Bradley smiled as he dried his hands. "I believe you. With the SAT approaching, everyone''s focus was on studying. Bradley''s grades were also excellent, consistently ranking in the top 10. Getting into his desired university was a certainty. "Brad, your phone screen is lit," Austin called out as they talked. Bradley went to his desk and picked up the phone. He was quite surprised to see the caller''s name. "Hello. Eric," he said. The caller was Bradley''s third brother, Eric, founder, chairman and CEO of Noir ¨¦t Eric smiled and asked, "Brad, out of school?" Bradley said, "Yes, I just finished evening study, Eric, did you need something inte?" Eric said, "Yes." Bradley said, "Alright, t?ll me" "Are you free to talk now?" Eric asked. Bradley nced at Austin and Elijah, then stood up "Wall a moment He stepped outside the dorm. "Eric, you can speak now." Eric said, Brad, I held a fashion designpetition a few months ago, but one of the entries is a tant giarism. The indiculous part is that the designer copied my work." Bradley asked, "Is that a prank?" Eric said, "No. I had someone call to confirm. The person insisted it''s her original design Bradley said, "Eric, why are you calling me about this? "You should know this person." Eric said, "Brad, I need to know your stance before deciding how to handle this." My k 422 Bradley asked out of curiosity. "De I know that person? Who is it?" Eric said, "It''s your roommate Cameron''s sister, Milena. I heard from Eddie that you and Cameron are really close, so I came to for your e Bradley pushedp his gold rimmed sses. "Milona? Are you sure the giarizer in Mna?" 1. a. Brad, if we need to save your roommate''s face, I can keep this giarism incident under wraps, tric said. Although Eric leathed such things deeply, he still had to consider his younger brother, lest exposing their rtionshipter make things awkward between Bradley and his roommate. Bradley said, "Erik, handle it however you should. Cameron has nothing to do with that family" Cameron hated the Wace family. Martin and Heidi were already in custody, and Mna deserved har punishment too. This time, Milena had made her own mistake, and no one could help her... Eric asked, "Are you sure?" Eric had investigated and learned that Cameron wasn''t the biological child of the Wace family, but Cameron and Milena had grown up together after all, so maybe they had a good rtionship. Bradley said, "I''m certain, Eric, just deal with it as usual, "Alright," Eric said. "Brad, besides this messy business in the fashion designpetition I''m hosting. I''ve the name C whose clothes really speak to me," Bradley said, "Really? Congrattions" "Thanks. It''s gettingte, so get some rest, Enc said. "Good night." Then Bradley hung up and returned to the done. Cameron had already climbed into bed but hadn''t drawn the curtain yet. Bradley nced up at her and finally decided to say nothing. found a gem. There''s a designer going by He thought Cameron probably didn''t want to hear any news about the Wace family, so keeping this from her would help her break clean with them. Xandery in his aunt''s staff dormitory, nning to y a game before bed. Tyrell had invited him to supper to celebrate his academic progress, but Xander declined. Just as Xander was fully engaged in the game, a message came in on his phone. He was in a battle, and the sudden message made his game character stand still, instantly getting killed by the "Shit!" Xander cursed angrily. "Xander, what are you doing? Why aren''t you moving?" Tyrell''s voice came through the phone Xander said, "I can''t move." Tyrell asked, "What''s wrong?" Xander said, "Someone sent me a message" Tyrell said, "So do you need to check I!!" Xander didn''t respond Since respawning would take thirty seconds, he quit the game, opened the message, and was surprised to find it was from ea Xander rubbed his chin, feeling that Milena had messaged him unusually often Inday. This puzzled lim Milena Xander, I''m picking out clothes and can''t decide which looks better. Can you help me choose "Xander, hurry, you''re respawned Get back in the game, we''ll lose soon, Tyrell''s voice came again from the phone "Coming" Xander said, directly exiting the message and rejoining the game. This match was tough for Xander, but luckily, they won in the end, though it took over thirty minutes. "All right, I''m going to sleep," Xander said after ending the game. He opened the chat with Milena. Her message had been sent half an hour ago. My k 423 Xander thought for a moment and feally replied out of politeness Xander: don''t have much aesthetic taste in clothes. Hy hom pics o don''t you ask your friends?] When Millenia saw Xander''s reply, her heart sank. It was had enough she''d waited so long for a response, but the in - message she got waspletely useless. She couldn''t figure out where things had gone wrong. Milena sent a message to save face Milena (Oh, it''s okay, I''ve already chosen. Thanks anyway Xander sent her a wave emoji. Milena Froze-she couldn''t believe Xander wouldn''t even type a goodbye to her. Before, she''d always been the one to end conversations. Now, Xander had said goodbye before she did. Even through the screen, Milena could feel Xander''s coldness. She bit her lip hard, unsure how to make Xander as warm toward her as before. This was thest straw she could grasp. After much thought, Milena decided to seek out Cameron The next day, after morning self-study, Milena shamelessly waited at the door of Cameron''s ssroom again. Cameron returned to the ssroom after breakfast. Seeing Milena, she pretended not to notice. "Cameron!" Milena rushed over, grabbing Cameron''s arm and lowering her voice. "Do you believe I''ll expose that you''re dressing as a boy?" Cameron paused, then immediately shoved Milena away in disgust. "Whatever," Cameron said indifferently skillfully pulling a disinfectant wipe from her pocket to clean her arm She''d already changed the gender on her ID, so she didn''t care if her identity was revealed. Milena staggered, nearly falling. She stood frozen at Cameron''s words. "You''re not afraid?" It was still early, and most ssmates were having breakfast, so only Cameron and Milena were outside the ssroom Cameron asked, "Why would I be?" agritted her teeth. "You live in the boys'' darm!" Milena Cameron replied, "Is that any of your business?" Milena hadn''t expected Cameron to be so brazen. Of course Milena didn''t dare expose Cameron''s frass-dressing. Otherwise, Xander would find out she''d pretended to be Cameron, But she''de t a favor, so she had to back down. Milena clenched her hands and said, "Cameron, I know you hate Mom and Dad, but I didn''t do anything wrong. You''re my only family now you can treat me like this. Can''t we sit down and have a meal peacefully?" Cameron said coldly, "Not interested," then walked straight into the ssroom. 09:277 Mb7, 2 Jun More and more students were returning to the ssroom. Reluctant as she was, Milena had to leave. Since Cameron find another way After the practice test, Cameron''s ss spent every day reviewing papers and going over mistakes Life was full but dull In thest month, everyone was going all out, yet Cameron asked Brody for another morning off to take her driver''s test. On Friday morning, after morning self-study, Cameron told Elijali, "Tm going to take my driver''s testter." Elijah nodded, "Why is Cameron in such a hurry to get her license? The SAT ising- shouldn''t she spend time studying a ssmate in the front row wondered aloud. Elijah said coolly, "Cameron isn''t like you. The ssmate was speechless. She doesn''t need to study." AD Comment My k 424 Cameron amived at the dehing best site located in the suburbs. Before entering, she was drawn to arm of red Ferral sports car parked outside the best site, Over a dozen bodyguards in suits stood on either side of the sports cars. The door of the frostmost sports car was open, and a girl with red dyed hair seemed to be sitting in the passenger seat. Even though others could only see her profile, it was clear she was beautift. Not just Cameron, but everyoneing to take the test couldn''t help ncing at the row of luxury cars. The difference was that Cameron, out of curiosity, merely scanned them and then looked away, while others started whispering "Is that a wealthy family''s childing to take the driving test too?" "It''s truly astonishing." "Why y do these rich people even bother taking the driving test? They could just hire a driver." "Everyone has their own pursuits." After overhearing a few of thesements, Cameron entered the test site. There were many people in line, and since Cameron had arrived a bitte, she was 105th in line, so she found a seat to sit down. The noisy voices in the waiting room made the room sound chaotic-no wonder the youngdy earlier hadn''t wanted to get out of the car and wait outside. Cameron took out her phone and yed a couple of games to kill t Outside the test site, a bodyguard respectfully approached the Ferrari where the red-haired girl was sitting "Ms. Yates, there are only three more peop before it''s your turn. Would you like to go in now?", "Okay" *Helen Yates stretched in her seat, then stepped out of the car wearing white sneakers. She was dressed in a limited-edition white Chanel tracksuit from this year, with a ne around her neck and bracelets on her wrists all worth a fortune. She had a ve a very pretty face, with sunsses perched on her head, looking very stylish. "This way, 1. ts. Yates," the bodyguard guided Helen. Ms Others looked at Helen curiously and couldn''t help making way for her, "Thank you," Helen said politely to them. When Helen walked in, it happened to be her turn to take the test. She had trained many times, aced all the projects on the first try, and was very satisfied. As she bnced her sunsses on her nose and waited for the bodyguard to get her results, she casually scanned t and immediately froze Helen''s gaze fell on a teenager. He sat there quietly, his handsome and delicatece standing out so much that he instantly looked different in this test venue. Helen murmured in slight astonishment, "No way." She quickly took off the sunsses from her face and walked briskly toward Cameron. "Hi, Lance, when did you retum?" Helen said delightedly 09:21 Mon, 2 dun Cameron was focused on ying a game and suddenly felt someone pat her. She looked up and saw the red have sn?ng at her. Cameron said, "How can help you?'' Seeing the confused expression of Cameron''s face, Helen was also puzzled. She didn''t understand why her second cousin, Lance Tabs het anymore. Then Helen thought, ''Wait, howe Lance has be so much younger after just a few months, this isn''t Lance-this is just sometine who loves i lot like Lance! "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else, Helen apologized frankly. "It''s fine," Cameron said indifferently, then lowered her head to continue ying the game Helen looked at Cameron''s face again, feeling there was no one in the world who resembled Lance more than the person in front of her. Seeing that Cameron had no interest in talking to her, Helen lelt politely, My k 425 After passing her driving test, Helen immediately c "Hello, Helen," came a man''s voice, low and maic. "Lance," Holes said excitedly. "I just saw a guy who looks a lot like you." "is that so?" The man on the other end sounded uninterested in her topic. "Helen, you''re bored, and a boyfriend to hang out with, I''m busy" Helen paused, then said, "Lance, seriously, that guy really looks like you. Could Aunt Jacqueline have secretly had other kids back then "Shut up!" Lance suddenly snapped. Even through the phone, Helen flinched, nearly dropping her phone. "Helen,¡± Lance said sternly, "I don''t want to hear that from you again if you dare mention this to Mom, you''ll regret it." Startled, Helen quickly replied, "Sorry, Lance, I spoke out of turn. I promise I won''t say anything to Aunt Jacqueline." "Good," Lance said before ending the call abruptly. Helen heaved a sigh of relief, leaning weakly against the car. This was a forbidden topic in the Yates family. Years ago, Lance''s mother, Jacqueline Yates, had given birth to a stillborn child and was so heartbroken she''d nearlymitted suicide. Since then, the family had treated this as an unmentionable taboo. Seeing Cameron today, Helen had momentarily forgotten the rule. Luckily, she''d called instead of bringing it up in person-otherwise, Lance would have lectured her. Lance was was perfect in every way, but he was too intimidating. She''d been afraid of him since childhood. "Ms. Yates, shall we leave now?" A bodyguard stepped forward respectfully. Helen shook her head. "Wait" She wanted to see Cameron again. The teenager looked so much like Lance, but he seemed fresh and even cute, probably a warm-hearted person. After waiting over an hour, Cameron finally finished her driving test. Helen quickly got out of the car and blocked Cameron''s path. "Hi," she said with a smile. ¡°Hi,¡± Cameron nodded politely and tried to walk past. But Helen held out her hand. "Can I have your number? I''m Helen." "Sorry," Cameron said softly, shaking her head. Defing hit on was nothing new, and her usual response was polite rejection-no exception this time. Helen froze for a moment, then followed Cameron. "Um, handsome, I mean no harm. You really look like my brother, so can I get to know you?¡± Cameron stopped. "I''m sorry, I I''m in a hurry" Helen hadn''t expected this fresh-faced hunk to be so cold, and it seemed Cameron had misunderstood her intentions. Helen didn''t give up. "Handsome, I''m really not here to cause trouble. I just want to be friends." (09:21 AMO 12 Juni Cameron ignored her and hailed a tax, leaving Holen stunned. Onlookers who''d witnessed Helen''s failed attempt to chat up Cameron couldn''t help snickering, but Helenshrugged it off and got back in her ca A bodyguard asked, "Ms. Yates, should we follow that Holen shook her head, Cameron''s attitude was clear-if she kept pursuing, it would cross into harassment. AD Comment Send gift My k 426 hapter 126 Cameron''s driving test went smoothly, and she returned to school just in time for lunch. After lunch, Cameron Voluntarily went to the library to tutor Xander. Xander had done well in thest practice test, so he was now even more motivated to listen to Cameron''s lessons. He propped his head on one hand and bit the cap of his pen. "Cameron, do you believe I''ll do better in next week''s final practice test than this time?" With only about twenty days left until the SAT, next week''s practice test would be thest one. Cameron tapped the math problem on the desk and said, "I believe you, so look here." Xander sat up straight and rolled his eyes. "You''re so perfunctory." Cameron looked at him and said, "Alright, I don''t believe you." Xander said, "Really? Then I''ll definitely have to do better." "Can I continue the lesson now?" Cameron said. Xander fell silent because Cameron was still perfunctory toward him. Cameron continued teaching, but Xander was somewhat absent-minded. "By the way, Cameron, it''s Friday today. Where will you go during the holiday? Back to Noble Vista?" Xander asked. Cameron said indifferently, "If you don''t want to continue the tutoring, you can call it off. I won''t charge you a single extra minute." Xander said, ¡°You don''t have to, I have money. Tell me where you''re spending the weekend." "Don''t know." Cameron closed the textbook, stood up, and walked away. "Thirty minutes and five seconds-I''ll ignore the five seconds. Transfer me fifteen thousand dors." Xander quickly followed her. "Where are you going? Why did you stop tutoring me?" "I''m tired and going back to the dorm to sleep," Cameron said. Xander followed Cameron out of the library and continued asking, "Aren''t you making money anymore?" Cameron didn''t look back and said, "Yes, you''re absolutely right." As Cameron walked forward, her gaze swept over a figure hiding behind a tree. Milena was hiding behind the tree, waiting for a chance to intercept Cameron. Seeing Cameron and Xander leave the library, she quickly ducked behind the tree again, but Cameron had already spotted her. Cameron now viewed Milena like a sudden sighting of a stink bug. She wouldn''t stomp on the bug, just walk away coldly, for she simply didn''t care about Milena. "What are you looking at?" Xander followed Cameron''s gaze. Cameron withdrew her eyes. "Nothing." Then she walked toward the dormitory. Xander still followed her. "Cameron, are you going back to Noble Vista tonight? If you''re not going, I won''t go either." Cameron said, "I''m not going back." Kander mumbled, "Then cleaning my house was a waste" Cameron said, "You insisted on moving there yourself" After a moment of speechlessness. Xander caught up with her. "Cameron, I warn you not to run around recklessly watch out for Samuel Cameron said, "Thanks for the advice, but I have to go." With that, she bolted away. "Damn, are you a rabbit?" Watching Cameron disappear before his eyes, Xander held his textbooks and stared with wide eyes. Milena watched from a distance. Seeing Xander standing there in a daze, she mentally prepared herself for a long while before mustering the courage to approach him. Although she was currently impersonating Cameron, one day she would have to stand before Xander openly. So she chose to appear before Xander now. Milena deliberately coughed softly. Xander heard the sound and indeed nced down at her. However, upon seeing Milena''s barely pretty face, he merely swept a nce and turned to leave. Milena froze in ce. AD Comment My k 427 Watching xander a retreating back, Milena Elenched hei lists tightly, then slowly covered her face with has hande. Ska ?hmlibet camaron a stumbing, but she didn''t think she was so ugly that Xander would outright ignore her. Milena had no idea how topletely rece Cameron in Xander''s heart, but no matter wheat, she wouldn''t let pa of Zaniter as her bint hope. Before afternoon sses, Elijah asked Cameron, "Did the driving test go smoothly?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, perfectly." "Congrattions," Elijah said, and Cameron smiled at his congrattions. Elijah asked again, "Where are you going after school?" Cameron found it strange-she didn''t know why everyone cared so much about where she went after school. It didn''t really matter where she spent the weekend, but since Pearl was at Silvermoss Castle, she had to go back there. Cameron simply said, "I''m not going back to Noble Vista." Elijah narrowed his eyes, then nodded, deciding he wouldn''t go back to Noble Vista either-after all, without Cameron, it was colder and lonelier than his own icy home. Cameron said, "Call me if you need anything." Elijah replied, "Okay." After school, Cameron went straight to the underground parking lot without returning to her dorm. Bradley was waiting for her there. On the way, Cameron received a message from Austin. Austin: [Cameron, why haven''t youe back yet? Elijah''s already home. Where are you?] Cameron: [I went home. Are you waiting for me?] Austin: [Alright then.] Cameron: [Is anything something wrong?] Austin: [No.] Cameron put down her phone. Wearing his gold-rimmed sses and watching the road, Bradley asked casually, "Was that Elijah or Austin?" Cameron said, "Austin." Bradley said, "Ever since you joined Room 316, Austin''s ''illness'' seems Cameron fell silent, unsure if Bradley wasplimenting her. She knew all of Austin''s secrets and would never tell anyone. Cameron just said, "Maybe it''s because the SAT ising, and he doesn''t want to miss sses." ¤« Bradley tapped the steering wheel with his fingers and didn''t respond further When Austin left school, he saw a silver gray Bentley parked at the gate. Vincent stood beside the car in a suit. Seeing Austin, he bowed respectfully. Mr. Austin Fraser" Austin nodded slightly, tossed his backpack to Vincent, and got into the back seat. Vincent got into the driver''s seat and handed Austin a ck, exquisitely wrapped gift box. "Happy birthday Austin took the gift expressionlessly and said, "Thanks." He opened the box to find a Patek Philippe men''s watch worth over a million US dors. Austin nced coldly at the watch and threw it onto the back seat. Vincent was probably the only person in the world who remembered today was his birthday. After today, Austin would be an adult. As Vincent watched Austin through the rearview mirror, he asked worriedly, "You seem in a bad mood?" Looking out the window, Austin smiled bitterly. "When have I ever been in a good mood?" At this moment, Austin carried a hint of mncholy,pletely different from his docile demeanor in front of Cameron. This was his true self. Vincent said, "The Fraser family has likely forgotten your birthday-they prepared nothing. If you don''t want to go back, we can skip it today." AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 428 Vincent''s words came as no surprise to Austin. Of course, those people wouldn''t throw him a birthday party-they probably didn''t even remember what day it was. Besides his mother and Vincent, no one would celebrate Austin''s birthday. Vincent had spent every birthday with him, and this year would be no different. Though everything was expected, Austin still felt as if a boulder weighed on his chest. Staring at the scenery retreating outside the car window, Austin said slowly, "Go back to Fraser Vi." Although he''d never celebrated his birthday, this was his eighteenth. Austin had nned to have dinner with Cameron tonight, even just a slice of cake, but since she''d already left, he had to abandon the idea of inviting her. Vincent nced at Austin worriedly through the rearview mirror again. In the end, he said nothing-all words offort felt hollow. The Bentley drove into the luxurious Fraser Vi, and Austin got out. The vi was unchanged. Austin went straight to his private cottage, and in the evening, he went to the main house for dinner as usual. The dining table wasden with delicacies, none of which were prepared specially for Austin. This was just the Frasers'' normal dinner standard. "Good evening," Austin greeted his so-called family, then quietly took his seat. Margot, wearing bold makeup, smiled brightly at him. "Aus, you haven''t been back all week. What would you like to eat?" Austin studied her fake smile. In his years with the Frasers, this woman had tried countless times to kill him, yet still managed to grin at him so warmly. Margot was truly terrifying. Austin smiled back. "Thank you, Aunt Margot. Everything on the table is my favorite." Edmund looked at Austin and asked, "How''s your schoolwork?" Austin said, "It''s fine." Edmund immediately frowned. "What do you mean ''fine''? Remember, you represent the Fraser family. If you embarrass us, you''ll pay the price." Jeremy added, "Don''t disgrace me." Margot chimed in, "Aus has always been so well-behaved-he''ll do well on the exams." Austin gave a mocking smile. To the Frasers, nothing mattered more than reputation; otherwise, Jeremy wouldn''t have torn Austin from his mother. The game was finally about to begin. Austin hoped they were prepared to pay for their actions. Despite his turbulent thoughts, Austin remained calm. "Don''t worry, I''ll do my best." Margot said, "Aus, you are such a good boy." Austin smiled faintly. Margot continued, "Aus, you''re so talented at piano-applying to a music conservatory would be a great choice. Being an artist suits you." Austin said, "1ll follow your mangements Margot beamed instantly. Edmund interjected, "What''s so great about being an entertainer?" One reason Margot wanted Austin dead was that Edmund seemed to want Austin and Samuel topete fairly for the family fortune. In h?r eyes Arling as a bastard, didn''t deserve topete with her son-he didn''t even deserve to be Samuel''s servant. Just then, Austin coughed at the right moment. Comment Send gift 1 AD No Ads My k 429 Austin''s cough instantly improved Margot''s mood. She''d nearly forgotten Austin had less than a year to live, so there was no need to ruin her mood over someone who''d be dead soon. Margot asked with a concerned look, "Aus, how''s your healthtely?" Austin said, "Thanks for your concern. I''m okay. By the way, is Samuel on a business dinner tonight?" At the mention of Samuel, everyone''s expression soured. Samuel had suffered numerous setbacks because of Cameron, yet his pride kept him from letting Jeremy intervene, vowing to retaliate against Cameron after he healed. Margot said, "Don''t worry about him. He''s busy." For the sake of her self-esteem, Margot naturally wouldn''t tell Austin about Samuel''s humiliating losses. Austin lowered his eyes, a faint, enigmatic smile on his lips. As he expected, no one remembered it was Austin''s birthday by the end of dinner. Margot was highly emotional intelligence, so she likely hadn''t truly forgotten-she''d just pretended to. Austin returned to his vi. Sitting in the empty living room, he stared nkly at the crystal chandelier. After a long while, he hesitated but finally sent Cameron a text. When Cameron received Austin''s message, she''d just finished dinner with Bradley. Bradley was watching a legal channel while Cameron yed with Pearl. Pearl had thrived in the castle, hunting in the rear primeval forest daily. Its fur was sleeker, and its body had grown round and plump. Cameron rubbed its head. "Pearl, you need to lose weight." Pearl let out a disgruntled snort. Just then, her phone pinged. Cameron picked it up and froze at the message. Austin had sent a simple text. Austin: [Cameron, can you wish me a happy birthday?] It was Austin''s birthday. He''d probably wanted to say this in his afternoon message, too. "What''s wrong?" Bradley held the remote, catching Cameron''s startled reaction from the corner of his eye. Cameron said, "Brad, I need to go out." "Why?" Bradley looked at her. Cameron didn''t exin further, standing to go upstairs. Since she didn''t borate, Bradley didn''t press. By the time Cameron came down, he''d already arranged a driver for her. Bradley asked, "Will you be back tonight?" cameron said, "I don''t know! Bradley nodded, "Alright, Call me if you need anything I''ll keep my phone on? Cameron paused, then asked, "Brad, aren''t you going to ask what I''m doing?" Bradley smiled. "You''re an adult. I trust you know what you''re doing." Bradley knew Cameron didn''t want to tell him. Adults needed to respect each other''s space, so her silence was fifie. Cameron nodded. After sending the message, Austin waited minutes for a reply, but none came. He regretted sending it and tried to recall the message, but it was toote. Nearing midnight, after showering, Austiny in bed,ughing self-deprecatingly. He murmured, "Happy birthday to me." "Happy birthday." The room lights suddenly went out. The next moment, light shone from the doorway. Austin gasped in shock as Cameron stepped in, holding a cake and smiling at him. "Aus, happy birthday. I wish you peace, joy, and good health in the future," she said. My k 430 Austin was stunned to see Cameron suddenly appear at the door with a cake in her hands. His amber pupils contracted sharply. Even though he was seeing it with his own eyes, he could hardly believe it. "Cameron?" It took Austin a moment to find his voice. "Why are you here?" Cameron walked over to him with the cake. The room was dark, and the candlelight lit up both their faces. Cameron said, "Didn''t you text me that today''s your birthday?" Austin was so excited he stammered. "Y-Yes, today really is my birthday, but how did you get in? Fraser Vi has tight security." Cameron brushed it off. "They couldn''t stop me. Aus, the candle''s about to go out-make a wish quickly," Austin was still a bit dazed, but he obediently followed Cameron''s words, sping his hands together and closing his eyes. After making a wish, Austin opened his eyes and stared at Cameron. Cameron said, "Blow out the candle." Austin blew out the candle with a smile. Cameron turned on the lights, set the cake down, and said, ¡°Aus, happy birthday. It''s time to cut the cake." Austin smiled and walked up behind Cameron. "Cameron, let''s not rush to cut the cake yet." "Wha?" Cameron looked confused. Austin said, "Cameron, I''m really touched that you came all the way here in the middle of the night to celebrate my birthday. Can I hug you?" Cameron eyed him skeptically. Austin''s ears turned red. "I-I don''t mean anything else. I''m just... really moved.¡± Cameron stared at him and said earnestly, "Sorry, Aus, I can''t." She disliked being too close to people, especially since Austin was a boy. Although she dressed as a boy, she was biologically female, so she wouldn''t allow Austin to hug her. Austin froze at Cameron''s rejection, just as he had when she first appeared. He thought, ''We''re both guys-what''s wrong with a light hug?'' Cameron''s cleanliness obsession had reached an extreme level. Austin looked down at his white silk bathrobe. "Cameron, I just showered-I''m not dirty." After a moment of silence, Cameron pointed to the cake. "Enjoy the cake. I''ll be going now." With that, she turned to leave. "Wait, Cameron!" Austin called out quickly. "I was just kidding." Cameron turned back. "Alright, cut the cake."/ Austin rushed to the sofa, sliced the cake, and handed the first piece to Cameron. "Thanks," Cameron said, taking it. The chike looked delicious. Since she didn''t know Austin''s preferences, she''d bought a strawbeny take the kind she fled. Cameron scooped a bite with her spoon and put it in her mouth. The sweetness instantly filled fier mouth, making her rx. Loving sweets was a girly trail, and even in boy''s clothing, she was no exception. "Is it good?" Austin stood beside Cameron and asked, seeing her enjoy it.. Cameron nodded. Austin took a bite of cake, too, but found it a bit too sweet. He said, "Cameron, I think the cake is delicious too. Thanks foring to celebrate my birthday-I''m really happy. You''re the second person to wish me a happy birthday." My k 431 apter 431 Cameron ate the cake and said, "It''s okay." Seeing how happily Cameron was eating, Austin cut another piece for her and handed it over as soon as she finished the first, Cameron smiled and thanked him. Austin said, "Cameron, has anyone ever told you that you look kind of cute when you eat, like a girl?" Cameron nearly bit through her fork. She turned to eye Austin suspiciously, wondering if he''d discovered she was Even if he had, Cameron wouldn''t deny it. girl. Austin waved his hands hurriedly when he saw her gaze. "I meant you eat politely, not that you look like a girl." "Oh," Cameron replied nomittally. She nced at Austin''s barely touched cake and asked, "Not your favorite vor?" Austin shook his head. "No, I love it." To prove he liked the strawberry cake, he took a huge bite. Austin smiled and said, "Cameron, I''m really happy today-I never expected you toe. I''ll celebrate your birthday too when ites." Cameron said, "My birthday already passed." Austin asked, "Who did you spend your birthday with?" Cameron said, "Myself." Austin suddenly realized he''d said the wrong thing and quickly apologized, "Sorry." He was so happy today that his brain wasn''t working properly. Cameron had cut ties with the Wace family, so he imagined she''d had a tough time there too. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "It''s fine." She finished two pieces of cake, set down her fork contentedly, and said, ¡°Aus, it''ste. I should go now. Happy birthday-get some rest." As Cameron stood up, Austin immediately stood up too. He said, "Cameron, it''s sote-why not stay the night?¡± If Edmund found out Cameron had sneaked into Fraser Vi at night, things would be bad. The old jerk was like an emperor in the family, and even Samuel dared not disobey him. Cameron shook her head. "No, I need to go back." "But..." Austin tried to persuade her. Cameron interrupted, "Don''t worry. I''ll leave the same way I came-no one will know." "Alright." Austin walked Cameron to the door. Cameron waved. "Goodbye." Austin said, Cameron, thank you! Cameron said, "It''s all right, She''de because Austin''s situation in the Fraser family reminded her too much of her own the Wace family, Bringing Austin a birthday cake like traveling back in time to give her past self a birthday blessing. Cameron leaped out of the window. "Cam!" Austin jumped in surprise, then quickly covered Soon, Cameron vanished into the night. Austin stared into the dark night, and after a long while, he smiled slowly. Thanks to Cameron, this birthday was the happiest he''d had since returning the Fraser family. Austin hoped Cameron would join every future birthday of his, after all, she was so kind. When Cameron returned to Silvermoss Castle at 1 a.m., she was surprised to find the living room lights still on. Bradley was still watching TV, stuck on a legal channel reying old episodes. "Brad, you''re still up?" Cameron asked, surprised. Bradley turned around, saw she was back, and leaned back on the sofa. "No ns tomorrow, so I don''t need to sleep early." My k 432 cameron hodded and sat down across from him. "Is thew firm not buty recently?" Bradley adjusted his gold rimmed sses, his eyes showing traces of fatigue behind the lenses. "Pretty busy, but since I''m about to take the SAT in focus isn''t there." Thank goodness Cameron was back. Otherwise, he''d have stayed up all night he couldn''t rest easy until he says her return with his own eyes Noticing his exhaustion, Cameron said, "Brad, it''ste. Get some rest. I''ll go to my room too." Bradley nodded. "Okay. Let''s have breakfast together tomorrow." Cameron smiled. "Good night." "Good night." Bradley watched Cameron go upstairs before turning off the TV and heading to his own room. As Bradley stepped into the shower and hot water poured over him, he suddenly remembered Eddie''s words. "Brad, don''t you think you treat Cam too well? You gave him a house worth hundreds of millions of dors to raise a tiger, but you wouldn''t even let me stay. How close are you two?" Eddie said. Bradley wiped the water from his face. He didn''t know why he feltpelled to help Cameron. He just did. After showering, Cameron checked her phone and saw messages from Austin. Austin: [Cameron, did you get home safely?] Austin: [Cameron, are you okay?] Austin: [Cameron, please reply.] Cameron quickly texted back. Cameron: [Aus, I''m fine. Just saw my phone. It''ste-get some rest.] Austin replied instantly. Austin: [As long as you''re safe. Thanks again for tonight.] Cameron didn''t respond, tossing her phone aside and falling asleep. The next day, Cameron reached the stairwell and saw Bradley sitting on the sofa watching TV-still the legal channel. "Brad, why are you up so early?" Cameron asked. Bradley looked up at her with a smile in his eyes. "I just woke up a little while ago." As Cameron came downstairs, Bradley stood and said, "Breakfast is just ready. You have perfect timing." Cameron looked toward the courtyard. "Where''s Pearl?" Bradley said, "Probably hunting out back? It''s been here for days. Don''t worry." Cameron nodded. She wasn''t worried, just asking. After breakfast, Pearl appeared. Spotting Cameron sunbathing in the yard it happily rolled over at her leet, exposing its round bally it was a pasture aldare use "Canteron sighed, "You don''t look like a wild animal at all anymore Pearl let out a low growl. Bradley sat nearby and said, "It''s only docile with you. When you''re not around, it shows off its dominance. Pearl barked, half-heartedly protesting. Outside the castle, Milena froze at the sound of Pearl''s growl, her hair standing on end. Milena couldn''t reach Cameron. All her contact information had been blocked. The only address she knew for Cameron was here, so she took a chance and hailed a taxi. She hadn''t expected to hear Pearl''s roar at the gate. Instantly, Milena recalled the sight of Martin being tackled by Pearl. Though terrified, she gritted her teeth and approached the main entrance. One look into the yard left her stunned-there sat Cameron and Bradley. She''d thought only Cameron and an old man lived here, not Bradley. "Why is she here?" Bradley frowned at the sight of Milena. My k 433 Cameron followed Bradley''s gaze and saw Milena, her brows also furrowing slightly. She thought. How dare Milena track me down here? Does she really think I am a pushover?'' Cameron said, "Brad, could you give me a moment? I''ll handle this." Bradley stood politely. "Alright." Cameron added, "Pearl, go with Brad." So Pearl obediently followed Bradley away. After the bodyguards let Milena in, they wisely disappeared. Milena lifted her chin and walked in, staring at Cameron in disbelief. "Cameron, you actually live here?" This ce was as luxurious as a pce-Cameron didn''t deserve to live here. Cameron stared at her expressionlessly, making Milena''s scalp tingle. Cameron said, "You''ve been seeking me out more and moretely. Do you really want to save your parents that badly?" Milena shook her head. "No, I''m not here for them." Milena wasn''t foolish. Pleading with someone as ruthless as Cameron for Martin and Heidi would be useless and might even backfire. Milena said, "Cameron, I''ve thought a lot these past days. What Mom and Dad did back then was truly their mistake-they made your life miserable all these years. "Since they made mistakes, they deserve whatever punishmentes their way. "I''m not here to plead for them, but to apologize to you on their behalf." Milena ced the bag she''d brought in front of Cameron. "Cameron, there are two summer dresses inside. These dresses are what Mom and Dad owed you. I''mpensating you now. If you''re willing to let bygones be bygones, will you wear them?" If Cameron put on these dresses, Milena could take photos to fool Xander for a while longer. It was a poor n but also the only n she could resort to. Cameron kicked the bag aside expressionlessly. "Get out!" Milena''s hypocrisy made her want to vomit. "Cameron, don''t be like this," Milena bit her lip. Cameron repeated, "I said, get out!" Tears welled in Milena''s eyes. "Cameron, I know the Wace family wronged you, so you''re taking it out on me. But you''re my sister, my only family, and I''m innocent! Will you really ignore me forever?" Cameron sneered, "How do you want me to pay attention to you?" Milena said, "Wear the dress." Cameron replied, "Fine. I''ll wear the dress. on one condition." "Really?" Milena''s face lit up. Cameron pointed to the castle rool, climb up there and jump on ahe vi put li on Mitcha gasped, "Are you insane?" The roof was nearly 50 feet off the ground-she''d die if she jumped. If you don''t dare to do so, disappear right now," Cameron snapped, losing all patience. Simply having the bodyguards throw Milerts out would be ton lenient. Milena would keep pestering her like a fly, so Cameron decided to teach her a lesson. Milena gritted her teeth. "I''ll jump if you wear the dress." "Deal." Cameron suddenly grabbed Milena''s arm and dragged her toward the living room. "No! Stop!" Milena panicked, clinging to the edge of the sofa. With a slight tug, Cameron pried her hand loose and dragged Milena all the way to the rooftop, then shoved her away. My k 434 Milena crashell onto the rooftop floor, her knees throbbing with pain. Just several feet behind her was a guardrail, but its gaps were wide one wron move and she''d plummet through. Falling from nearly 50 feet would have catastrophic consequences. She stared at Cameron, trembling with fear. "Cameron, what the hell do you want?" Milena regretteding today. She''d only wanted to trick Xander with photos of Cameron in a dress, never imagining her life would be on the line Cameron crossed her arms, gazing down coldly at Milena. "I''m wondering if you did that to me?" Milena frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?" Cameron merely stared. In her past life, she''d been pushed to her death from a hospital rooftop. Back then, she had almost been invisible at school or home and had no friends or enemies. The only person who''d seemed to hate her was Milena, though Cameron never knew why. Now, she couldn''t confirm if Milena had murdered her, but she no longer cared. "Cameron, what do you want?!" Milena stood up, edging inward to avoid the drop. Cameron said, "You wanted to see me in a dress, right? Jump. Jump off, and I''ll put it on." Milena gritted her teeth. "Put on the dress first." Her n was to trick Cameron into wearing the dress, snap photos, and flee. Cameron said, "So you want me to wear a dress... and then throw you off the roof?" Milena instinctively shook her head. "Just put on the dress first." Cameron studied Milena, arms crossed. "Milena, I''m curious-why do you insist on seeing me in a dress?" Cameron''s gaze was too sharp. Milena couldn''t meet her eyes. "I just... think you''d look pretty in one," Milena mumbled, staring at the ground. Cameron asked, "Since when do you care about my looks?" Milena had no reply. Cameron jerked her chin toward the edge. "Jump." Instead of moving closer, Milena took two steps back. Cameron''s patience snapped. "Milena, your constant pestering pisses me off. I want you to vanish from my lifepletely." "What do you mean?" Milena red, wondering if Cameron intended to kill her. Cameron smirked, silent, then grabbed Milena''s arm. "Come here!" "Cameron!" Milena shrieked, struggling wildly. She kicked and iled, but Cameron was stronger than her. Cameron dragged her to the rootop edge and shoved her over the guardrail. Cameron!" Milena clung to Cameron''s hand, screaming hoarsely, "You''ll go to jail for this! Don''t do something that hurts us both!"" Cameron smiled sweetly. "Oh, really? Let''s find out." Of course I-AHI" Milena''s words cut off as her body suddenly tumbled, Cameron had pushed her off the roof. Milena''s mind went nk, her body spinning uncontrobly in mid-air. Her pupils dted in terror. She thought, ''Am I going to die? I''m so young. I don''t want to diel'' My k 435 Just before Milena plummeted, Cameron snatched her wrist, leaving the girl dangling mid ali, With nothing beneath her feet but empty space, Milena etung desperately to Cameron''s hand, though it was only a third of her fingers gripping the ver One stip, one loss of strength, and Milena would plummet 50 feet to the ground. In those few seconds, Milena felt as if she''d already faced death. Sweating profusely, she sobbed, "Cameron, I was wrong! Don''t let go. I''ll die if I fall!" "Shut up!" Cameron snapped. "We''re not rted." To Cameron, Milena had no right to call her sister. "Okay, okay!" Milena babbled. Cameron sneered. "You should''ve behaved like this sooner." Milena pleaded, "I''m sorry! Pull me up, please!" "Nope." Cameron loosened her grip slightly, then yanked Milena back up, treating her like a toy mouse. The sudden weightlessness sent Milena screaming before she fainted dead away. "Boring," Cameron scoffed, dragging Milena back onto the rooftop and tossing her to the floor. She had no intention of breaking thew. Killing Milena would mean prison, and Cameron wasn''t suicidal. This was just a scare tactic to keep Milena away for good. Brushing imaginary dust from her clothes, Cameron headed downstairs. After washing her hands thoroughly, she ordered the guards to toss Milena out of the castle. Hourster, Milena woke outside, patting her face and body in disbelief that she was alive. The terror lingered. Cameron was unhinged, no longer the sister she remembered. Vowing never to return, Milena fled. Meanwhile, Bradley had been in his room on a call, oblivious to the drama. When he emerged, seeing Cameron snacking and watching TV, he asked, "Handled?" Cameron nodded. Bradley sat across from her. "This harassment can''t keep happening." Cameron arched a brow. "She won''t daree back." Not unless Milena had a death wish. Seeing her confidence, Bradley smiled and dropped the subject. The Yates Manor, a private ind near Viremont, belonged entirely to the Yates family no outsiders allowed, only helicopters for travel. After Jacqueline Yates lost her youngest son in childbirth, her husband Levi bought the ind to shelter her from grief. Decadester, Jacqueline had healed but preferred the quiet life, keeping the family in seclusion. Helen, going out for her driving test, had fun outside theland for a day, she didn''t live on the ind permanently. Although all the facilities on the ind wereplete, the whole ind was filled with the yarn was in the prime of her youth and naturally wanted to know more people, She returned that day with a gift for Jacqueline. "Aunt Jacqueline," Helen called out, clutching the her box gift as she spotted Jacqueline trimming the topiary in the garden from afar and hurried toward Jacqueline turned around. "Helen, slow down," she chided gently. Jacqueline wore avender maxi dress, her figure slender and graceful, her neck as elegant as a swan''s, her beautiful face untouched by time. Though her eldest son was already 25, she looked no older than thirty. Her elegance was underscored by a hint of authority in her gaze. Helen quickly halted, switching to adylike stride as she reached Jacqueline. "Aunt Jacqueline, I brought you a gift," Helen said brightly. Jacqueline handed her shears to a maid, praising, ¡°Thank you for remembering me while getting your driver''s license. Let''s see what you''ve got." Helen rushed to offer the box. "I know you love sweets, so I visited every pastry shop in Viremont. These are the best desserts I found-try them." Jacqueline sat at a nearby table and opened the box. The desserts were exquisitely packaged and visually appealing. She took a towel from the maid to wipe her hands, sampled a piece, and nodded. "Delicious. Thank you." Helen grinned. "You''re wee. You''re closer to me than my own mom." Jacquelineughed. "Your mother will be jealous if she hears that." "She won''t mind," Helen said. Jacqueline asked, "Any fun adventures during your trip?" "Aunt Jacqueline, actually-" Helen nearly blurted out about meeting Cameron, but Lance''s warning stopped her. "Not really. Outside was boring," she added. Jacqueline finished a pastry and smiled. "If it''s boring, why keep running off?" Helen muttered, "Everyone on the ind is family. Even more boring." Staring at Jacqueline, Helen blurted, "Why do some unrted people look identical?" The teenager she''d met at the test site yesterday resembled Lance strikingly, but Jacqueline had only three sons, the youngest of whom died at birth. The boy couldn''t be rted to the Yates family-yet the resemnce was uncanny. Jacqueline sipped coffee gracefully. "So what? Many ordinary people resemble celebrities. Why the sudden question? Did you meet someone who looks like anyone you know?" Helen froze. Jacqueline was too sharp-she''d guessed Helen''s implication from a singlement. "Just saw someone who looks like a male celebrity," Helen lied. Jacqueline sighed. "You''ve been obsessed with celebrities since childhood. You''re in college now-when will you grow up?" "I have grown up!" Helen insisted with augh. As Lance wished, Helen kept silent about yesterday''s encounter. The pain of losing a child was unimaginable, so she headed Lance''s warning, Helen asked, "Is Lanceing back soon?" Jacqueline nodded. "Yes. He graduates this year and will return after getting his degree." At Langford Academy, senior year''s final practice test arrived-intentionally brutal in difficulty. Cameron and Elijah were in the same testing room, with Elijah in seat 1 and Cameron in 20. The first subject was Literature. At 9:30 a.m., just half an hour in, Cameron handed in her paper. "Seriously?" ssmates muttered, eyeing their half-finished test papers. The proctor frowned. "You might want to check your work." Cameron shook her head. Elijah nced over, smirking. He thought, ''So she''s done hiding.'' Cameron led every subsequent exam in early submissions. After the finalnguage test, Elijah asked, "Full power this time?" Cameron nodded. "Guess I won''t rank first this time," he said. Cameron said, "Maybe." Elijahughed. "Modesty doesn''t suit you." She said, "I''m just trying to save your pride." Elijah paused. With anyone else, he''d feelpetitive and want to get his rank back, but with Cameron, rankings didn''t matter. Two dayster, the results shocked the school. Cameron rocketed from 20th to 1st, discing Elijah. The teachers and students in the senior grade were all shocked. Cameron had been at the bottom of the ss just over two months ago, yet in such a short time, she had rocketed to the top of the entire school. This was incredibly inspiring. Looking at Cameron''s grades, William couldn''t help but smile. Her scores-790 in Literature, perfect marks in Math and Science, 780 in History and Social Studies. "Unbelievable," William marveled. While everyone else was astonished, Cameron remained perfectly calm. Standing at the podium, Brody smiled and said, "Congrattions, Cameron. Everyone has witnessed your progress. Let''s give him a round of apuse." "Why does his score increase so drastically? Did he cheat?" someone whispered doubtfully. "Could anyone cheat their way to first ce in the grade? That''s impossible," a ssmate retorted immediately. The questioning student fell silent at once. Even if someone could refer to textbooks during the exam, they still wouldn''t necessarily score as high as Cameron had Thus, everyone had to admit that Cameron had earned these grades through sheer ability. They had all underestimated her. Amid thunderous apuse, Cameron smiled slowly. Now, she had a life path entirely different from her past life. Perhaps this was the meaning of her rebirth. AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 436 That''s impressive. Congrats, Elijah said in a low voice. Elijah thought, ''This day has finallye. I''m genuinely happy for Cameron. He''s gone through so much just to break off the engagement with Arnalia. Now, after everything, he''d finally made it. Thanks, Cameron replied with a smile. His phone, tucked inside his desk, buzzed several times. Cameron quietly took out his phone and saw messages from Bradley and Austin on WhatsApp. Bradley: [Congrats.] Austin: [Cam, you''re amazing. You actually took the top spot from Eli. I''m your big fan now.] Cameron replied to both of them with a simple thanks. While Cameron was praised, Xander also got a shout-out from Brody. "Xander jumped from 288th to 157th in the whole grade That''s a huge leap. Let''s give him a big round of apuse." Brody was genuinely delighted. Normally, Xander was the one who made him worry the most. With his good looks, wealthy family, and the fact that he was the dean''s nephew, he always slept through ss, and his grades were always at the bottom. If it were any other student, their parents would''ve been called in several times by now. But when it came to Xander, Brody could only turn a blind eye. Now that Xander had finally made progress, Brody was over the moon. He could finally hold his head high in front of Tiana. The ssroom erupted in thunderous apuse. "Good job, Xan. You''re awesome. Guess those tutoring fees were worth it." Tyrell, in the back row, gave Xander a big thumbs-up. "Yeah." Xander raised his eyebrow, looking all smug. On the outside, Xander managed to keep his cool, but inside, he was absolutely beaming. All thosete nights grinding through practice problems these past two weeks had finally paid off. Xander just wanted Cameron to see that he was actually pretty amazing too. After school, Xander nned to find Cameron and show off a little. After school, Elijah turned to Cameron. "Wanna celebrate it?" Cameron had just gotten up. She paused for a moment, then nodded. "Sure." For her, it was really something worth celebrating. "Cameron." Just as she finished speaking, Brody hurried in from the hallway. "I almost forgot Mr. Drake invited you to lunch today." Chapter 436. Cameron thought, Mr. Drake) Hex inviting me to furcht. Ta thits topposed to the a celebration it was put me k Thinking Cameron was just being shy, Brody smiled, "You did so well this time, Mr. Drake''s really happy bon''t worry you. ???? go with Cameron asked, "Mr. Graham, can I bring someone with me?" Well, since Mr. Drake invited ime, I can refuse, thought Cameron. "Who do you want to bring?" Brody asked. Cameron nced at Elijah. "Elijah." Elijah looked at Cameron, a little surprised. Elijah thought, ''She wants to bring me to lunch with Mr. Drake?'' Brody nodded. "Alright, Elijah, go with Cameron." Brody figured it was good for Cameron to have somepany anyway. Elijah nodded. "Okay." "Count me in." Xander raised his hand from the doorway. "Xander?" Brody recognized him. Xander walked into the ssroom. "Mr. Graham, I heard Mr. Drake is taking Cameron out for a meal. Mind if I tag along?" "Er..." Brody looked at Xander, a bit surprised and a little unsure. Brody thought, ''Bringing just Elijah could be exined-Cameron isn''t big on social gatherings, so having a ssmate there would help him feel morefortable. But bringing two? That''s pushing it.'' Xander immediately pulled out his phone. "Mr. Graham, is my aunt going too? I''ll give her a call." Brody adjusted his ck-rimmed sses and nodded. "Yes, Ms. Murphy will be there." Xander stepped aside to make the call. At the same time, Austin and Bradley came to the door of ss 15./ The rest of the students had already left. Only Cameron, Elijah, and Brody were in the ssroom. Brody nced at Austin and Bradley at the door and asked, "Are you here for Cameron too?" Austin nodded. "Yes, sir. Is Cam free to go now?" Elijah chimed in, "Cameron''s having lunch with Mr. Drake." Austin had been hoping to have lunch with Cam, but it looked like that was not happening. "Can Ie too?" Bradley said with a smile. "Cameron, I want to celebrate with you." Austin added, "Can Ie too?" Brody was at a loss for words. Seeing Brody''s awkward expression, Cameron said, ¡°Mr. Graham, I can go by myself." Cameron turned to Bradley. "How about we have dinner together?" Honestly, he just got first ce in a mock exam, and Cameron didn''t think it was that big of a deat My k 437 "Bradley nodded. "Alright, I''ll go with your n." He thought Mr. Drake only invited Cameron, so it wouldn''t really be appropriate for all of them to tag along Elijah chimed in. "Cameron, you should just go by yourself." Austin grinned. "Cam, just don''t forget about me tonight." Cameron gave a slight nod. Xander came back from his call, looking pretty upset. Not only had Tiana turned him down, but he also got chewed out and warned not to bother Cameron at a time like this. Xander scowled. "Why are you alt here?" Austin said, "Xan, we just wanted to celebrate with Cam." Xander''s face got even darker. "Celebrate what? Mr. Drake only invited Cameron." Cameron said, "Let''s get together tonight." After that, Cameron left with Brody. Xander looked over at Elijah and asked, "You''re not going?" Elijah replied coolly, "I''m not invited. Why should I bother?" Xander frowned. "Are you throwing shade at me?¡± Elijah shot back, "Is English Literature your worst subject or something?" Xander blinked. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Elijah said, ¡°Yourprehensive ability is seriouslycking." Xander remained silent, processing his words. After speaking, Elijah left. "Damn! You nerd! What are you even so smug about? Cameron still took first ce from you," Xander yelled after him. Elijah nced back. "I''m totally fine with it." Xander rolled his eyes. Austin had no intention of getting dragged into the mess. He nced at Bradley. ¡°Brad, wanna hit the cafeteria together?" Bradley checked his watch. "You go ahead. I''ve got something to take care of outside." With that, Bradley walked off too. Austin watched his straight figure leave, his amber eyes growing a shade darker. He thought, ''Are you busy, huh? If you''re really that busy, why did you bother showing up here? You''re just brushing me off, huh? Or is Cam actually special to him?'' Cameron was too excellent, and Austin was alreadypletely taken by Cameron. chapter 437- Austin couldn''t help but think it Bradley felt the same way Just thinking about it made Austin feel uneasy. cam is mine. No one else gets to take him away! Austin swore to himself. He stood there, his face slowly turning prim Xander left too, his expression dark. William invited Cameron to have the meal on the second floor of the school cafeteria, He booked a very private room. There were only four people in the room-Cameron, William, Brody, and Tiana. As soon as Cameron and Brody walked in, Tiana stood up and said warmly, "Cameron, sit over here." William grinned and waved Cameron over. "Come here, kiddo. Sit next to me." Cameron greeted them. "Hi, Mr. Drake, Ms. Murphy." Cameron walked toward them and took the seat beside William. Tiana sat on William''s other side. Brody sat next to Cameron. William handed the menu to Cameron. "See what you''d like to eat. The food here is actually pretty good." Cameron didn''t hold back and ordered a few dishes. William added a couple more to the order. William personally poured Cameron a ss of orange juice. "So, Cam, did you give it your all in this exam?" Cameron nodded, "Yeah, almost." Tianaughed. "You were just about perfect in every subject. If that''s not your best, that''s really a little scary." Brody chimed in, "Cameron, your essay this time was really excellent. But since you already got full marks everywhere else, if your essay was perfect too, that''d just be unreal." Cameron gave a helpless smile. ¡°I''m already really happy with the results." Williamughed. "I''m happy too. Now I just hope you do your thing in the SATS. This year, we''re definitely going to beat Horizon Academy and take the top spot." "I''ll do my best," Cameron promised. "The food''s here. Let''s eat," Tiana said with a big smile, inviting everyone to dig in. Later that evening, Cameron nned to order some takeout and eat in the dorm. Since everyone was in the dorm, she figured they could just share it together. But she totally forgot about Xander. Except for Elijah, Cameron messaged Austin, Bradley, and Xander. Austin and Bradley were both okay with that arrangement, but Xander immediately startedining. Xander: [A dorm party? Seriously, you did this on purpose, didn''t you? You know I can''t get into the dorm right now, and you still want to celebrate there. You just don''t want me to join you, huh?] Faced with Xander''s outrage, Cameron just replied: [I''m sure you can get into Room 316.] Xander shot back right away: [Of course I do. That''s easy for me.] My k 438 cameren. [''t wait for you in Room 316.) Xander: [Sure, I''lle over as soon as evening study''s done.j During thest evening study session, Cameron timed her takeout order just right. As soon as the session ended, the food anived. Elijah said, "Let''s pick up the takeout together." "Sure." Cameron didn''t turn him down. She''d ordered quite a lot. It would''ve been a hassle to carry it all by herself. Langford Academy wasn''t too strict about ordering takeout food. Cameron and Elijah lugged a big stack of takeout into the dorm, and the dorm supervisor reminded them to eat and get some rest early. Cameron pushed open the door. Bradley, Austin, and Xander were all there. Xander looked smug. "Little brat, I''m pretty impressive, right? If I want to get in, it''s a piece of cake. The only reason I didn''te back before was to save my aunt some face." 2 E "You ordered so much food?" Bradley took the takeout bags from Cameron and startedying them out on the table. "It''s not that much," Cameron replied. After all, they got five people. Elijah set down the takeout bags in his hands too. Cameron started unpacking everything, revealing all kinds of food like pizza, fried chicken, fruit sd, cake, and so on. "Wow, Cam, this is a feast," Austin said. Xander nced at the table full of takeout boxes and nodded. "It''s... barely passable." Cameron then said, "Here are some drinks for us." She opened another box, which contained Sprite, Coke, orange juice, soda water, and lemonade. Bradley smiled. "Cameron, you really think of everything." Bradley noticed more than once how attentive Cameron was. Most guys weren''t nearly as thoughtful as Cameron was. Bradley liked to think he was pretty considerate himself, butpared to Cameron, he still came up a bit short. Cameron nodded. "Take a seat. This is just a little party. After the SATS, if I do well, I''ll treat everyone to a real feast." Elijah grinned. "Cameron, I don''t think we will miss that feast." Cameronughed. "You have more faith in me than I do in myself." Elijah shrugged. "You''re already amazing." While chomping on a piece of pizza, Xander shot Elijah several sharp looks. Xander thought, ''Since when did this nerd start talking like a normal person? Why does he always have to roast me so hard?'' "Come on, cheers!" Bradley cracked open a can of Coke. Cameron grabibed soda water Austlif picked up orange jules. Elijah took fantonade. Kandal grabbed sps cameron said, "Let''s all give it our best for the SATS." Others said, "Let''s go for it. Even for Xander, Bradley, Austin, and Elijah-guys who grew up with every advantage-the SAT was still a huge milestone, For Cameron, it meant everything. Doing well on the exam was one of the main reasons she got a second chance at life. "This one is pretty good." Bradley peeled a shrimp and ced it in front of Cameron. "I''ll give it a try." Xander snatched it up without hesitation. After tasting it, he nodded. "Not bad. Brad, peel a few more for me, will you?" Bradley said, "The gloves are right here. Do it yourself." Xander grinned. "Come on, you''re already wearing gloves. Just help me out while you''re at it," Bradley replied curtly, "Sorry." Xander rolled his eyes. Austin handed Cameron a piece of roastedmb. "Cam, themb''s pretty good too. "Thanks." Cameron took it from him. After taking a bite, Cameron thought it did taste great. Elijah said, "The ms and oysters are actually pretty tasty too." Ordering takeout was always a bit of a gamble, but everything Cameron picked tonight turned out well. Cameron grabbed a cake for herself. Out of all the food on the table, the cake was what caught her eye the most. Bradley grinned. "You really do have a sweet tooth." "Sweets just put me in a good mood," Cameron replied. Austin hesitated for a couple of seconds and picked up a piece of cake too. "Cam, what a coincidence. I''m a big fan of sweets myself." Xander said to Cameron, "I''m not eating this. It''s all yours." Xander couldn''t help but notice that some of Cameron''s habits were honestly pretty girly, like having a sweet tooth or blocking and deleting others whenever he got mad. Xander felt it was a bit strange since Cameron was a man. Elijah chimed in, "Cameron, if you want, you can have mine too." Cameron shook her head. "Thanks, but one piece is enough." It was prettyte, after all. Cameron thought eating too much would make her gain weight. "Hey, little brat, have you figured out which college you want to apply to?" Xander asked as he chewed. Xander wondered, ''It''d be perfect if we could end up at the same university. But honestly, that''s probably not gonna happen.'' Bradley frowned. ¡°Xander, can I give you some advice?" "What kind of advice?" Xander asked. My k 439 No Ads apter 439 Bradley replied, "You could just call Cameron by his name, you know. Calling him little brat all the time is seriously note Xander hadn''t expected that this was the advice Bradley wanted to say. Xander thought. What''s the big deal? Come on, even the brat himself doesn''t care. Why is he making such a fuss? Elijah chimed in, "Brad, you said exactly what I was thinking." Elijah also thought giving people random nicknames was s actually pretty rude. Xander stared at them, stunned. Austin added, "You can just use his name." Xander mumbled inwardly, ''They''re all taking Bradley''s side? Funny how nobody said a word until he brought it up. Xander''s face instantly darkened. "You guys are just targeting me, aren''t you? Even the brat hasn''tined, so what are you all so worked up about?" Bradley said, "Are you sure Cameron doesn''t mind? Maybe he''s just being polite. Just because he doesn''t call you out doesn''t mean you should keep it up." Xander shot Bradley a fierce re and then turned to Cameron. "Hey, brat, do you actually mind me calling you that?" Xander wondered, ''I''ve been calling him that for months, you know. If he did mind it, wouldn''t he have said something sooner?" Cameron took her sweet time finishing off themb and then shot back, "Would you mind if I called you ''little idiot''?" Xander didn''t expect Cameron to say that. Austin had just taken a sip of his drink, and hearing that, he sprayed it everywhere. Luckily, most of the food on the table was already finished. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to do that." Austin apologized in a hurry. He wondered, ''Cam is so funny!'' Xander red at Cameron and ran his hand over his head. "Am I really an idiot to you?" Elijah retorted, "Is Cameron a brat or what?" Xander replied, "Isn''t he? You know how much crap he''s pulled. That nickname suits him perfectly." -Elijah shook his head. "You''re hopeless." Xander snapped, "Oh, cut it out. Stop acting like you''re someone nice." Elijah shot Xander a frosty look. He couldn''t even be bothered to respond. He thought he and Xander were just not on the same level. The air felt a little tense. Austin stood up and cleared his throat. "We''re pretty much done eating. I''ll clear the table," Bradley said, "Xander, time for you to head back." Xander got up with a dark look on his face. When he reached the door, he suddenly blurted out, "Little brat! I''ll call you whatever I want. What are you gonna do about it?" With that, he swaggered out. Bradley frowned, thinking, ''Xander''s way too cocky. He really needs a reality check.'' didn''t show any emotion but just quietly cleared ine ense four of them worked together and finished cleaning up in no time, they put the leftovers into three bags Bradley zand, Til take the trash out, it''s hot. If we leave it here, it''ll start to stink Cameron said, "Let me do it. She was the one who invited everyone tonight, and she thought it was only right for her to handle the cleanup. But Bradley had already grabbed the trash bags. ¡°Let me handle it." He walked out of the dorm with the bags. Elijah said, "Cameron, Xander''s been really rude to you. You shouldn''t bother tutoring him anymore." Cameron replied, "As a student with sports skills, he could easily get into a top university with his grades. It''s fine if I stop helping him." Elijah snorted, "You''re really nice." Cameron didn''t reply. Austin said, "Cam''s just being the bigger person and letting it go, but honestly, Xan was out of line this time." Sometimes, a nickname could haunt someone for life. Bradley went downstairs, tossed out the trash, pulled out his phone, and called Xander. "Where are you?" "Why do you care where I am?" Xander snapped. Bradley said, "Xander, you seem to hate me, huh?" Xander shot back, "What, you just noticed? Bradley, who do you think you are? Some kind of hero? Give me a break. How I talk to Cameron is my business. Why are you butting in?" "Where are you?" Bradley repeated. "What do you want?" Xander barked. Bradley said, "Since you''re so unhappy with me, and honestly, I''m not thrilled with you either. How about we settle this face to face?" "Fine. You think I''m scared of you? Where are you?" Xander asked. "Meet me at the field," Bradley said. "See you there," Xander replied. Five minutester, Bradley and Xander showed up together on the school field. It was almost midnight, so the ce waspletely empty. Xander cocked his chin, totally unbothered. "So, what''s up?" Bradley said, "Let''s settle this like men." Xander shot back, "You wanna fight? Fine, I''m game." Bradley took off his gold-rimmed sses, revealing a pair of sharp, deep-set eyes. Xander snorted. Bradley said expressionlessly, "I''ll let you make the first move." 10:20 Tue, 3 Jun Xander started backing away. "No way I''m fighting with you. The SATS are almost here. Are you trying to get me in trouble, Bradley?" As soon as he finished, he turned and ran. He sprinted off like someone was chasing him. Bradley was speechless. My k 440 Bradley watched as andet sprinted oft. He then slowly put on his sses, Bradley swore Inwardly, ''One of these days, I''m definitely going to teach Xander a lesson. That guy is just begging for " beating? By the time Bradley got back, Cameron had already finished her shower. But instead of getting into bed, she was sitting on the chair, Bradley pushed open the door. "Still not asleep?" Cameron asked, "Brad, what took you so long?" "I got a call, and it held me up," Bradley replied. Cameron nodded and then climbed into her bed. Bradley said, "Cameron, don''t be so nice to Xander. That kid really needs to be taught a lesson." Cameron replied indifferently, "Brad, the SAT is almost here. Who knows if we''ll even see each other again after that." So, Cameron really didn''t care. After Cameron said that, Bradley suddenly went quiet. He thought, ''Yeah, the SAT is just around the corner. After that, we''ll all go our separate ways. ''Cameron wants to study pharmacology. I''m determined to get into the University of Political Science and Law. How many chances will we have to meet again in the future?'' Bradley adjusted his sses while thinking. When Elijah heard Cameron''s words, he had a faint smile. Elijah thought, ''Cameron and I have the same goal. Maybe we''ll get into the same university. If luck is on our side, we might even end up as roommates for another four years." Austin murmured, "Yeah, the SAT is almost here." He wondered, ''No matter what, I''m going to stick with Cam. When I was little, I couldn''t control what happened and had to leave my mom. This time, I definitely won''t leave Cam.'' Cameron had no idea what they were all thinking. She pulled the curtain shut andy down to sleep. After a long day, this was the only time she could really rx. The closer it got to the SAT, the faster time seemed to fly by. In the blink of an eye, there was only one week left until the exam. Lately, Milena had been a nervous wreck, anxious and at a total loss. Xander and Cameron were both about to take the exam too. Milena wasn''t sure if Cameron would finally reveal that she was actually a girl after the exam. After all, Cameron only disguised himself as a man because of the engagement with Amelia. Now that the engagement was off and Cameron hadpletely cut ties with the Wace family, there was nothing holding her back anymore. Just thinking about it made Milena even more frantic, She had no idea that an even bigger disaster was about to hit her. On May 3154, mal Nom Noir Cl Showed up 1 Langford Nandning, they awad to meet ketara William looked confused, why do you guys wanna meet Milenst a Leanne Starling, Erie''s assistant, was dressed in a professional skirt suit with wless makeup and her har putted back in hiding She said, "Milena actually copied our CEO''s design and entered it into our fashion designpetition. "Our CEO absolutely can''t stand this kind of thing. We''re here to get an exnation from Milena. And we want your school to pofelicite umet die William was a bit shocked. "Is she really that dumb? Are you sure there''s not some mistake? Or is this a prank?* Leanne replied, "Mr. Drake, we''ve double-checked it with Milena. There''s no mistake." Leanne yed the recording of the phone call their staff had with Milena for William. After listening, William''s face darkened. ¡°Alright, I''ll call her over. A student like her needs punishment. Our school won''t tolerate this kind of behavio In Milena''s ss, someone shouted, "Hey, staff in Noir ¨¦t came to our school." Someone else said, "Oh my, I love their work. Why would theye here?" A guy replied, "I heard it''s about the designpetition." A girl added, "Wait, did someone from our school actually win?¡± Milena was working on her exercise book when she overheard her ssmates chatting. She instantly perked up, thinking, ''Staff in Noir ¨¦t actually came? Is it because of the prize? That has to mean I won. Awesome. I''m about to get that 300- thousand-dor prize.'' Is it because of the prize? It had been months, and Milena had almost given up hope. Honestly, she thought Cameron''s design was really impressive. Winning the prize felt pretty much expected. Milena straightened up and said, "You guessed right. Someone did win the prize." Ever since her parents were sent to the detention center, Milena had be quiet and withdrawn in ss. She was terrified someone would ask if her parents really got locked up. She resented her parents for making her aughingstock. So, ever since they were taken away, she hadn''t visited them even once. When the police called, Milena just said she was busy and told them to handle it however they wanted. She didn''t even n to get them awyer. Though before they were taken away, her parents gave her all the bank card PINS, Milena felt like she could hold her head high for once. "Who won the prize?" a girl asked, curiosity written all over her face. Milena gave a mysterious smile. "Why don''t you take a guess?" "Guess? There are so many people in the whole school. How are we supposed to know?" the girl grumbled. Milena grinned. "It''s someone from our ss." "Our ss?" The girl looked surprised. "Who is it?" Milena teased. "Someone right in front of you." "Wait, you? Seriously? Milena, you actually entered that fashion designpetition? Howe you never mentioned it before?" The girl stared a Milena in shock. "No way. Milena, you can design clothes? That''s amazing." Another girl looked at Milena with admiration. Milena just smiled. "It''s not that amazing." Someone asked, "Milena, what ce did you get? First cees with a 300 thousand-dor prize" "300 thousand dors is nothing. That''s just our tuition for a year. The real prize is the honor," another man replied. "Milena, you won such a prestigious award at such a young age. That''s seriously impressive," praised someone. "You''re incredible," another girl said, Basking in all thepliments, Milena lifted her chin high. She thought, ''Finally, I''m the one everyone envies.'' "Just because you say so doesn''t make it true. Where''s your proof?" a man asked. Milena was about to defend herself when their teacher rushed in. "Milena, head to the principal''s office right now. Someone from Noir ¨¦t is here to see you." After a brief silence, the ssroom erupted into a storm of chatter. Someone shouted, "No way. It''s actually true? That''s insane!" Someone else chimed in, "Milena, you''re amazing!" "She''s really something," a man said. With her ssmates showering her with praise, Milena held her head high and walked out of the ssroom toward the principal''s office. "Milena is seriously awesome." Her ssmates kept gushing. "What''s so awesome about that?" The teacher''s face was anything but pleased. "Milena won a prize in the designpetition!" someone exined. The teacher''s face turned even darker. "Prize? What prize? She giarized. And not just anyone''s-she copied the work of Noir ¨¦t''s founder. That''s why they''re here. She''s awesomely stupid." To have a student like this in the ss, the teacher felt utterly humiliated, especially after getting chewed out by the principal because of Milena. A girl gasped. "giarized? Seriously? I thought she won something?" "Milena thought she won, but they''re actually here to expose her? That''s hrious," said someone. "She''s so shameless. But with her parents locked up, what do you expect?" a man added. "Oh, this is killing me," someoneughed. 10:20 rue, Milena made her way to the principal''s office, her heart pounding with excitement. She mused, ''I won a prize. Once my design is turned into a real product, I''ll officially be a designer at floir ¨¦t I won''t have to worry about anything As she walked, she felt like she was floating on air. Her good mood made her pick up the pace. In just a few minutes, she was standing outside the principal''s office. "Hello, Mr. Drake, I''m Milena." She knocked on the door, peeking inside as she spoke. Right away, she spotted Leanne in a sharp business suit. Leanne noticed Milena too and gave her a quick once-over. "So you''re Milena?" Leanne scoffed inwardly, ''We really can''t judge a book by its cover. Milena looks so ordinary. Who would''ve thought she''d have the guts to pull this off?" "Hi, I''m Milena. And you are..." Milena walked in with a bright smile. Leanne didn''t bother to stand but said, "I''m Leanne, Mr. Eric Saunders'' assistant." "Nice to meet you, Ms. Starling," Milena said cheerfully. Leanne''s face didn''t change. "Hope you still feel that way in a minute.¡± Milena wondered, ''What''s that supposed to mean? And... why does the vibe in this office feel so off?'' My k 441 gon.'' Milena told herself, ''Anyway, since I''m already here, I have to get to the bottom of what''s going o Milena asked, "Ms. Starling, did you ask to meet me?" Leanne nodded. "Yes, that''s right. Ms. Wace, I''m here today on behalf of Noir ¨¦t." Milena said, "Oh, what can I do for you?" Only then did Leanne stand up, open the folder she brought, and reveal a stack of design drafts inside. They were the very designs Milena had submitted. Leanne pulled out one of the drafts and showed it to Milena. "Ms. Wace, did you draw this?" Milena stared at the draft, but it didn''t look familiar at all. Back when Xander sent her the drafts, she barely looked at them before forwarding them to the submission email. Milena hesitated and wondered, ''Is this one of the designs I submitted? But if it isn''t, why would Leanne ask me? It must be my draft. "Ms. Wace, please answer my question," Leanne urged, frowning at Milena''s silence, Milena replied, "Yes, I drew it." Leanne nodded and pulled out another draft. "And this one? Did you draw this too?" Milena nodded. "Yes, I did." "What about this one?" Leanne took out yet another draft. "That one''s mine too," Milena answered. After that, for every design Leanne brought out, Milena confidently imed each one as her draft. Leanne nodded and looked at William. "Mr. Drake, you saw it, right? She admitted these are all her work." William''s face looked absolutely terrible. He never expected there would be someone like Melina among his students. At Langford Academy, all the studentse from money or power. Usually, none of them would be dumb enough to do something so shameless. But Milena was the bad apple that ruined the bunch. Milena nced at William, then at Leanne, her heart pounding out of control. She asked nervously, "Um, is th¨¨re a problem?" Leanne''s face was cold. "Are you kidding? Ms. Wace, you entered thepetition with someone else''s work, and you still have the nerve to ask if there''s a problem? Don''t you feel ashamed?" Milena was utterly floored. She thought, ''Someone else''s work? What does she mean? Did Cameron set me up? But I submitted my drafts before Cameron did. ''As soon as I got Xander''s message, I sent in my submission right away. Cameron should''ve been a bitter than me, It should be Cameron stealing my drafts.'' Milena bit her lip. ¡°Um, maybe there''s some kind of misunderstanding? These are my designs." Leanne actuallyughed out of anger. "Your designs? Fine, why don''t you tell us your design concept?" Milena wondered, ''Design concept? These were Cameron''s works. How would I know the design concept?'' 09:59 Wed 4 Jun But Leanne was already suspicious, so even if Milena had no clue, she had to make something up on the spot. Milena pointed at one of the floral dresses and stammered, "The idea behind this one is, um... You know... Girls should love themselves. Leanne let out a coldugh. ¡°Girls should love themselves?" Milena nodded. "Yeah, that''s right." Leanne waspletely speechless. "Ms. Wace, you''re even more shameless than I thought. No wonder you could do something so hical" Milena widened her eyes upon hearing that. "Let me tell you," Leanne continued, "The real design concept for this collection is wearing spring. The ten designs use green and blooming flowers as the main theme, capturing the vibrant energy of spring perfectly. This collection even broke our spring sales record." My k 442 After listening to Leanne''s exnation, Milena froze, thinking, ''So that''s what the design is all about. Wearing this outfit, one can really feel the vibe of spring. ''That''s seriously impressive. How did Cameron evene up with this? Didn''t expect she had some real talents. But wait... "Ms. Starling, did you just say this design broke your brand''s spring sales record?" Milena asked, feeling something was off. She wondered, ''This is still in the submission phase. How could the actual product already be out? Is that so fast?" Leanne nodded. "That''s right." Milena smiled, "That''s pretty impressive." Leanne huffed, "Of course it is. You think Eric is famous for nothing?" Milena was confused. She mused, ''Eric? Who''s she talking about?'' Leanne said coldly, "Ms. Wace, everyone here is disgusted by what you''ve done." 2 Leanne turned to William. "Sir, I hope you''ll make a school-wide announcement about Milena''s actions. She''ll be cklisted by the entire design industry. No one will ever ept her again." William replied, ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Starling. Langford Academy doesn''t tolerate students like this. I''ll make sure the whole school knows, and she''s expelled for good. We will never take her back." Milena''s heart dropped. "What do you mean? Expel me? Why would you expel me? These are my designs." Leanne shot back, "Your designs? Milena, do you even hear yourself? They are from Mr. Eric Saunders'' spring collection. He''s the founder of Noir ¨¦t. Are you saying he copied you? That''s ridiculous." Milena widened her eyes. Leanne''s words were a bombshell, and Milena waspletely stunned. But Milena quickly snapped out of it, thinking, ''So Leanne thinks the designs belong to Eric? She''s so mad because she thinks I copied his works. That''s why William wants to expel me. ''No, it''s not me. The designs aren''t even mine. They''re Cameron''s. So Cameron is the one who copied Eric''s works. That means Cameron should be the one getting expelled and having her reputation ruined.'' Thinking of this, Milena couldn''t help but smile. She thought Cameron really dug her own grave this time. Milena smiled and said, "Ms. Starling, please calm down, I really didn''t copy Mr. Eric Saunders'' works. Someone else did that." Leanne frowned. "Someone else? What do you mean? Milena smiled and said, "Ms. Starling, I''ve made it pretty clear. I didn''t draw the designs. They''re someone else''s works, and I just submitted them for that person." Leanne shot back, "You submitted the designs for someone else? Didn''t you just say you drew the drafts yourself?" Milena muttered inwardly, ''That was a while ago, but it''s different now. If I don''t throw Cameron under the bus, I''ll have to take the me. No way that''s happening!'' William frowned and asked, "What''s really going on here?" 09:59 Wed 4 Jun Milena said, ¡°Ms. Starling, Mr. Drake, my brother drew the designs. He asked me to submit them for him, so this has nothing to do with me if you want to hold someone ountable, ask him. It''d be so unfair to punish me." William asked, "Your brother? Who is he?" Milena replied, "Cameronass 15, Senior Year." William thought in shock, ''Cameron? Did Thear that right? How could it possibly be Cameron?'' William was stunned. "Who did you just say? Say it again." Milena repeated, "Cameron from ss 15, Senior Year." William shook his head. "No way." He wondered, Cameron giarized? Why would Cameron ever do that? For the 300-thousand-dor prize? Is she kidding? ''I promised her 3 million dors and a house worth millions if she became the top scorer in the SATS. Would Cameron even care about a 300-thousand- dor prize? ''Besides, after Cameron won the basketball game, I already gave her 300 thousand dors. Cameron has such a bright future. Why would he throw it all away? ''That guy is obviously smart. There''s no way he''d do something so foolish.'' "Sir, I''m telling the truth. I really helped my brother submit his works, so this has nothing to do with me. You can''t punish me for it." Milena hadn''t expected William not to believe her. She wondered, ''Are Cameron and William close or something?'' William''s face darkened. "Just because you say so? You''re a high schooler now. If you im it was Cameron, then show us the proof." Milena didn''t expect William to ask her to show the proof. Milena''s eyes darted around. "Sure, I have proof." She still had the chat logs with Xander. She kept the messages when Xander sent her Cameron''s design sketches. William asked, "What kind of proof?" "Hold on a sec." Milena pulled out her phone and started searching through her chats. Leanne sat quietly to the side, just watching. She also didn''t expect this twist. Milena quickly found the chat logs and said, "Sir, Ms. Starling, these are the messages from Xander, and these are the design sketches my brother drew," William took the phone. Sure enough, from the chat history between Xander and Milena, it was clear that the designs were really drawn by Cameron. William wondered, ''Cameron? How could that kid be involved in this? There must be some kind of misunderstanding.'' "You mean this guy?" Leanne asked, pointing at the iplete figure of the man in the photo. Milena nodded. "That''s him." Leanne asked, "Did he ask you to submit the designs?" Milena nodded, "Yes." 09:59 Wed 4 Jun. "Mr. Drake..." Leanne turned to William. "Wait a second," William cut her off, already guessing what she was about to say. "Something''s not right here. I''ll get the other two guys here, so we c clear this up face to face." In his heart, William silently prayed, ''Kid, please don''t throw your future away over this! Leanne nodded. "Alright." "No," Milena shouted, her voice trembling with panic. Just a second ago, she''d been feeling pretty smug. After all, Cameron was about to get into some serious trouble. But then, she heard William say he was going to call Cameron and Xander here to clear things up. Milena panicked, thinking, ''No way. Absolutely no way. If Cameron and Xander both showed up, wouldn''t the whole thing get totally exposed? Xander is myst hope.'' "Huh?" William frowned. "If you''re afraid to face them, does that mean you''re lying? Are you trying to frame Cameron on purpose?" Milena wondered, ''What''s up with William? Why is he so obviously siding with Cameron?'' Leanne chimed in, "Milena, how much of what you said is actually true, and how much is made up?" Milena''s mind was spinning, scrambling for a way out. "Mr. Drake, this has nothing to do with Xander. Just get Cameron here," Milena said. "How could it have nothing to do with him? Wasn''t he the one who took the photo of the design drafts?" William said. Milena bit down hard on her lip. Right now, she only had two ways out. First, she could admit she copied Eric''s works. That stain would follow her for life, and she''d be expelled from school. Second, she refused to admit it and kept ming Cameron. But if Cameron and Xander came to confront her, Xander would find out she was pretending to be Cameron, and she''d never get anything out of him again. She was torn about what she should do, but it wasn''t even her turn to choose. William called both Cameron''s and Xander''s teachers and asked them to bring the two students to his office right away. Milena''s face went as white as a sheet. She thought, ''Forget it. If Xander finds out the truth, be it. If Cameron gets expelled, that''s not a loss for me. Maybe I''ll meet someone even better than Xander." With that thought, Milena felt a lot better. Cameron arrived at William''s office ahead of Xander. She knocked on the door and walked in. "Mr. Drake, you wanted to see me?" Cameron''s eyes swept over Milena and Leanne. Leanne''s outfit had Noir ¨¦t''s logo on it, so Cameron instantly understood w s was all about. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she thought, ''I really didn''t expect Milena to submit Eric''s designs as her own. She''s really something. "Cameron, you giarized Mr. Eric Saunders'' work? How could you be so shameless?" Before William or Leanne could even say a word, Milena blurted out, flustered and desperate. Cameron looked at Milena. "Me? giarize Mr. Eric Saunders'' work? Are you kidding me?" Milena was momentarily speechless. Then, she snapped back, "Cameron, the evidence is right in front of us. Are you still going to deny it?" Chapter 442. Cameron smiled. "Evidence? What evidence? Why don''t you enlighten ine?" Milena was at a loss for words. William finally spoke up, "Cameron, did you ask Milena to submit your designs for you?" Cameron replied, "Ask her? I''ve got my own email. Why would I need her to do it for me?" Seeing how rxed Cameron was, William finally let out a sigh of relief. "So, you didn''t ask her to do it for you?" William asked. Cameron replied, "Mr. Drake, I don''t get along with her at all. I blocked her on WhatsApp and on my phone: How could I possibly ask her for help?" William immediately turned to Milena. "Care to exin what''s going on here?" Milena thought bitterly, ''She''s just going to deny it? If she denies it, that''s it?'' Milena said, "Cameron, Xander took pictures of your design drafts, and I just submitted them for you." Cameron shot back, "Oh, you just ''happened'' to submit it? Or did you steal my drafts on purpose and submit them?" Milena yelled, "Cameron, are you seriously trying to pin this on me?" Cameron replied, "When I was browsing Noir ¨¦t''s website, I thought Mr. Eric Saunders''test designs looked amazing, so I did a quick sketch and left it on my desk in the dorm. How did you even get your hands on it?" Milena was stunned. William said, "She asked Xander to take the pictures." Cameron nodded. "Got it. So I casually sketched Mr. Eric Saunders'' design, and you thought it was my original, so you submitted it, right? "And now that Noir ¨¦t''s staff are here, you''re trying to dump all the me on me. Milena, you are really something else." Cameron looked at Milena with pure mockery. My k 443 Milena''s eyes went wide in shock. She thought, ''What the heck is going on? How did a couple of words from Cameron suddenly make this my faultTT wasn''t even the one who drew the drafts. What''s this got to do with me?'' Milena said, "This is on you. I didn''t draw those designs." Cameron shot back, "I only copied them for fun, but you submitted them without asking me. How are you any different from a thief?" Milena bit her lip, and after a long pause, she finally said, "Xander sent them to me. He said you wanted to enter the designpetition, so I just helped you submit them." Cameron asked, "So, it was Xander who told you to submit the drafts for me?" Milena wondered, ''Should I say it was Xander? Well, Xander will find out I pretended to be Cameron when he gets here. Might as well just pin it all on him.'' Milena bit her lip. "Yeah, Xander told me to submit them for you." "I told you?" Xander happened to walk in just then, looking totally confused. He spotted Cameron and said, "Oh, you''re here too, little brat?" Seeing Cameron there, Xander looked a bit surprised. Cameron just shot him a nce. Xander walked over to William. "Mr. Drake, you''ve got anything to ask me?" William nodded. "Xander, did you take pictures of the design drafts Cameron copied for fun and send them to her?" Xander followed William''s gaze and looked at Milena. "Who is she? I don''t know her. What design drafts are you talking about?" Xander frowned. Both Milena and William froze for a second. Leanne sat quietly off to the side, not saying a word. She figured she''d wait until they sorted out their own mess. Cameron looked at Xander like he''d lost his mind. "What the heck? You''re saying you don''t know Milena?" Xander''s eyes widened as he pointed at Milena. "Wait, she''s Milena? Her name is Milena too?" Cameron shot back, "What do you mean by ''her name is Milena too''? She IS Milena. You used to follow me home all the time just to see her. You''re saying you don''t know her?" Xander waspletely stunned. He stared at Cameron, frozen like someone had hit pause on him. Xander wondered, ''What? This in-looking woman is Milena? She''s actually Cameron''s sister? ''Then who was that girl I saw before, the one who looked almost exactly like Cameron? And who was the girl I''ve been chatting with on WhatsApp?'' Xander''s mind was a total mess. His brain just crashed. He just stared at Cameron, not even blinking once. After getting exposed in front of everyone, Milena''s face turned from pale to livid. Clutching her phone, she said, "Uh, this isn''t my problem anymore, right? I can leave now, can''t I?" She needed to get out of here fast before Xander decided toe after her. 10:00 Wed As soon as she finished speaking, Milena tried to slip away. "Stop right there." Cameron moved in a sh, blocking her path. "What do you want?" Milena red at Cameron. Cameron''s face was ice-cold. "You took my drafts and submitted them as your own. Care to exin?" Cameron scoffed inwardly, ''She really thought she could just walk away? If only it were that easy! Milena stammered, ¡°What''s there to exin? It was just a mix-up, okay? I was trying to help you, but it turned out to be a misunderstanding. My intentions were good, right? Are you seriously ming me for this?" Cameron said, "Milena, guess what? I had Xander send you my drafts on purpose, and I even told you I was entering the designpetition. I just didn''t think you''d actually be dumb enough to submit it." AD Comment My k 444 Milena''s eyes instantly went wide. She jabbed a finger at Cameron, stammering, "You... You., Cameron, you did this on purpose. 700 set me up Cameron shot back, "Well, who told you to be so dumb and walk right into it?" It wasn''t just Milena who was floored. Even Xander was frozen in shock. William and Leanne were just as stunned. At first, they all thought this was just a simple giarism case. But in reality, Cameron had masterminded the whole thing from the start. William stared at Cameron in disbelief. "Kid, what on earth is going on here?" Cameron exined, "Mr. Drake, she''s my adoptive parents'' daughter. Ever since we were little, she wanted to take anything that was mine away. "She and Xander are friends on WhatsApp, and since I used to share a dorm with Xander, she used him to dig up info about me. "One day, I caught Xander secretly taking pictures of my drafts, so I decided to y along. I let him snap pictures and send them to her, and I even let it slip that I was nning to submit those designs. "She didn''t let me down. She immediately imed my sketches as her own and submitted them under her name. "If I hadn''t caught Xander in the act, she would''ve stolen my real designs and passed off all my hard work as hers." After hearing Cameron out, William''s face turned grim as he red at Milena. "You have no shame. You''re a disgrace to Langford Academy." Tears rolled down Milena''s pale cheeks. "Cameron, how could you be so vicious? Are you trying to ruin me?" Cameron shot back, "Aren''t you the one who was vicious first? If you hadn''t tried to pull this stunt, you wouldn''t have fallen for it." Milena was shaking with rage. She wanted nothing more than to leap at Cameron and tear her apart. But Cameron was five feet nine, while she was only five feet three. Physically, Milena was no match for Cameron. Milena''s eyes zed with hatred as she red at Cameron. Leanne turned to Cameron. "So, you just said you had your real draft. Did you actually submit it?" Cameron nodded. "Of course." Leanne asked, "Can I get your name?" Cameron''s sketch of Eric''s work was so lifelike that when Leanne first found it among the submissions, she was stunned, and she even thought it was Eric''s own work. "C," Cameron replied. "What?" Leanne thought she''d misheard. Cameron exined, "I submitted under the name ''C.¡° Leanne instantly lit up. "So you''re C. It''s such a pleasure to finally meet you." The winner of the designpetition had already been decided-it was thepetitor named C. They had nned to announce the champion after sorting out Milena''s situation. Leanne never expected to run into C here and was surprised to find out C was actually a high school student. 10:00 Wed, 4 Jun Thispetition was on a global scale. There were plenty of professional contestants in the mix. Leanne didn''t anticipate a high schooler wo taking the top prize. Leanne warmly offered her hand, and Cameron took it, replying, "Nice to meet you." "May I ask your name?" Leanne asked. Cameron replied, "Cameron Wace." Leanne beamed. "Mr. Wace, your work is truly outstanding." "Thank you." Cameron nodded. Leanne was momentarily at a loss for words, thinking, ''Wow, talk about a chilly response. I usually don''t hand outpliments so easily. Even Enc can''t stop raving about her works.'' William nced at Milena, then at Leanne, and finally at the stunned Xander. "So, how are we going to handle this?" My k 445 Leanne said, "Mr. Drake, I think the one who giarized is Milena. She didn''t just copy-she stole, too. "If Mr. Wace wants, he can go ahead and sue Milena. I can testify as a witness. "And Mr. Drake, I hope you''ll make a school-wide announcement criticizing Milena for this terrible behavior." William nodded. "She''ll be publicly criticized and expelled." He turned to Cameron. "Little one, do you want to press charges? If you do, the school''s legal team can help you for free." That was thest straw for Milena-shepletely broke down. She shouted, "It''s not my fault. I didn''t do anything wrong. Cameron set me up. It''s all her fault." Cameron scoffed, "Still refusing to admit your mistakes, huh? Alright, Mr. Drake, I''ll take you up on the legal team''s help." If Milena apologized, Cameron might have considered letting it slide and taking the high road. But with Milena acting so stubborn and unrepentant, Cameron had to see this through to the end. Hearing that, Milena bolted outside like she''d lost her mind. "It wasn''t me. It wasn''t me! You can''t arrest me," she screamed. No one knew where she went after she ran out-she just disappeared. The school made an announcement about Milena''s actions and expelled her. Cameron went through the official process and sued Milena, but since the court couldn''t track down Milena, the case had to be put on hold for now. Seeing Milena run off, Cameron said, "Mr. Drake, I guess there''s nothing else I need to do here, right?" She thought it was time for her to leave. William nodded. "Nope, you''re good. Go back to ss." William mused, ''Thankfully, it was just a false rm. I''ve always known Cameron would never do something so foolish. Cameron nced at Xander, who was still standing there like a statue, and gave him a shove. "Are you frozen or something?" Cameron finished speaking, nodded at Leanne, and walked out of the office. After the shove, Xander snapped him out of his daze. Right after, Xander rushed out after Cameron. "Little... Cameron," Xander shouted. He yelled so loud that his voice was almost breaking. His shout even echoed down the hallway. Cameron frowned and turned back. "Can''t you keep it down? It''s ss time." Xander sprinted over, his eyes red, and he stared hard at Cameron. "That girl is Milena? Is she your sister?" Cameron replied, "She''s my adoptive parents'' daughter, not my sister." Xander blurted out, "Then do you have a sister who looks exactly like you? Sometimes she''s aggressive; other times, she''s super sweet 10:00 Wed, 4 Jun G Cameron didn''t reply. "Tell me!" Xander pressed, desperate. Cameron said, "You mean you once saw me in a women''s dress outside the mall, and that time when you ran into me wearing a wig at night is Xander''s eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking in shock. "Wait... You... So it was you? The person I saw was you?" Cameron nodded. "Yep, that was me. I thought you''d recognize me, but turns out you''re blind." Xander stammered, "So... You don''t have a twin sister?" Cameron rolled her eyes. "I don''t even know who my real parents are. How am I supposed to get a twin sister?" Xander raised his hand, pointing at Cameron, his finger trembling, even his lips shaking. "You... You... Are you a girl?" AD My k 446 No Ads Cameron scoffed, "What''s with you? Got Parkinson''s or something?" Xander''s face turned red. "Just answer me." Cameron replied, "Isn''t it obvious?" Xander thought in shock, ''Cameron is actually a girl. So, the person I saw twice was Cameron. Amelia made ine misunderstand it. She said Cameron''s sister was Milena.. ''No, wait, it''s not Amelia''s fault. It''s my own fault. I actually thought Cameron had a sister who looked exactly like him. How dumb can I get? Even if they''re twins, they can''t look exactly the same. ''But seriously, how was I supposed to guess Cameron was a girl? Who the hell just cross-dresses for fun?'' Cameron asked, "Do you really have to be this shocked?" Xander gritted his teeth. "How could I not be?" Cameron replied, "Well, take your time. I''m off to ss." "You still have the mood to go to ss right now?" Xander shouted. Cameron shot back, "Why wouldn''t I?" Xander lowered his voice and growled, "You''re a girl." Cameron rolled her eyes. "You mean girls can''t go to ss now?" Xander screamed inwardly, ''She''s a girl. She''s actually a girl! All this time, I thought I was chatting with Cameron, but it turned out to be fake. And I''ve even been bossing Cameron around.'' Xander felt so embarrassed that he wished he could just disappear. "Cameron," Xander asked, "do you hate me?" After asking, he waited anxiously for her answer. Cameron didn''t reply. Xander fidgeted, his ears turning red, not daring to look at her. "Cameron, I¨CI didn''t know you were a girl. Before, I... I...¡± Cameron cut him off, "Enough. You know I''m a girl now, so just keep it to yourself. Don''t go bbing it everywhere." There was only a week left until the SATS, and Cameron/didn''t want any extra drama. Xander immediately promised, "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone, not even my parents." Cameron waved him off. "I''m going to ss." Xander hurried after her. Cameron frowned. "Your ssroom is that way. Go there." "Oh," Xander grumbled. He nced at Cameron, clearly reluctant to leave. He still trailed after her. Cameron shot him a look. "Why are you still following me?" Xander said, "I''ll walk you to your ssroom." Cameron snapped, "Just get lost." With that, Cameron marched off toward ss 15 without looking back. Xander finally stopped in his tracks. He watched her walk away, a grin spreading across his face. He muttered inwardly, ''What does it feel like to have the person you''ve been thinking about right by your side? It''s exactly this feeling, like living in a beautiful dream. It feels so good but almost unreal. But it is true! At the CEO''s office of Noir ¨¦t, Leanne knocked on the da "Come in," a warm, gentle voice called out from behind the ss. Leanne pushed the door open and walked in. A man sat in a ck leather chair. He had short, silvery-gray hair, and his features were striking yet soft, giving off a friendly vibe. A sparkling diamond stud glinted on his left ear. He wore a patchwork T-shirt with this season''s hottest trends, a skull ne, and ripped jeans-totally on point with his style. This was Eric, Bradley''s third brother and the CEO of Noir ¨¦t. A few design drafts were spread out in front of him as he made edits. "Eric." Leanne walked over and said, "It''s all taken care of." Eric set down his pen and looked up at her. "Great, thanks for your hard work." Leanne was buzzing with excitement. "Eric, guess who I saw at school today?" Eric smiled. "Was it Brad? Did you see him?" Leanne shook her head. "Nope." "Not him?" Eric asked, curious. "Then who was it?" My k 447 Leanne gave a mysterious smile. "Take a guess." Eric shook his head. "No idea." "C," Leanne said. "C?" Eric was momentarily confused. Leanne said, "Yep, the winner of our designpetition. You know what, turns out C is actually a high school student, a really good-looking guy Eric looked surprised. "Is C a high school student?". He thought, "How is it possible? C is a high school student?'' C''s draft was the most impressive out of all the submissions. The concept, the style, and everything were so polished that it looked like the work of a pro Eric had even wondered if some industry heavyweight had submitted under a fake name. That would exin using "C" as a code name instead of a real name. Now, Leanne told him C was just a high school student. Eric''s first reaction was that it was impossible. Leanneughed. "Shocking, right? I was just as surprised. I guess when ites to design, it''s all about talent." She thought age didn''t matter at all. Eric said, "It''s hard to believe. How did you find out he''s C?" Leanne said, "Come on, didn''t you have industry-recognized designs back in middle school? You started the Noir ¨¦t brand in high school. You''re a genius yourself. Do you really think you were the only one in the world?" Leanne filled Eric in on everything that happened at the school. Eric smiled, "You make a point." He added, "Announce the final results, get in touch with C, and invite him to dinner. I want to meet him." Leanne nodded. "Alright, I''ll make it happen as soon as possible." Eric was twenty years old this year and currently a junior at a fashion design university in Fiora. He took special leave toe back for this designpetition. Once thepetition was over, he''d have to head back to school and get ready for finals. Soon after, Leanne posted the final results of the designpetition on the official ount of theirpany. She also shared ten of Cameron''s design sketches. This time, Cameron''s collection was themed "The Starry". As soon as the designs dropped, they set the inte buzzing. A: [Wow, they are gorgeous, Since the sketches look this good, the real thing must be absolutely stunning!] B: [This dress is covered in stars. That''s so beautiful. If I wore this to a birthday party, I''d be the star of the night.] C: [This collection is amazing-not just evening gowns, but everyday looks too. I feel like I could wear them anywhere.] D: [The designer is incredible. When are theseing out? I want to buy them right now.] 10:00 Wed 4 Ju E: [So pretty!] F: [This is definitely championship level!] G: [C? Who is that? So mysterious!] H: (Will this person be Noir Et''s go-to designer? Their style is so bold and confident I love it.] The feedback was almost all positive online. Of course, there were a few negativements, but they were quickly drowned out by all the praise Cameron got Leanne''s call just as school was letting out for the day. Of course, Leanne had timed it perfectly. Leanne said, "Mr. Wace, congrattions on winning first ce in the designpetition. "Along with the 300-thousand-dor cash prize, your design will soon be turned into an actual product and hit the shelves. I''d like to go over the details. with you. "My boss would also like to invite you to dinner to discuss things in person. When would be a good time for you, Mr. Wace?" Leanne spoke at an easy, unhurried pace, her voice warm and friendly. Comment My k 448 Cameron thought for a moment and said, "I''m free Saturday night." Saturday was just two days away. It would be herst weekend as a high schooler. Leanne said, "Great, I''ll have a car pick you up at 6 PM on Saturday. Just send me your address, okay?" "Alright," Cameron replied. Cameron had just hung up when Xander suddenly popped up out of nowhere, shouting, "Cameron." The way Xander looked at Cameron wasn''t bold and reckless anymore. He seemed awkward and shy, and his ears even turned a little red. He didn''t call her "little brat" anymore. Finding out that Cameron was a girl hit him way harder than anyints from Bradley and others ever did. He even managed to hold himself back from looking for her at lunch. The fact that Cameron was a girl was just too much for him to handle. But by the time school let out in the afternoon, Xander just couldn''t take it anymore. As soon as the bell rang, he bolted straight for Cameron''s ssroom. "What do you want?" Cameron frowned. Cameron thought, ''This guy is always so reckless.'' "Um..." Xander stammered, "Can we... go to the cafeteria together for dinner?" Cameron replied, "Sure, let''s go." "Good." Xander jumped up, grinning from ear to ear. Cameron gave him a look, totally speechless. "Cameron." together." Elijah hurried over and said, "Are you going to the cafeteria? Let''s go Xander immediately stepped forward, blocking the space between Cameron and Elijah. ¡°Sorry, Cameron agreed to go with me. You can wait your turn." Elijah stared at Xander, looking confused. Cameron frowned. "Xander, what''s your problem? Can''t we all go together? Or do you own the cafeteria?" Xander wanted to say that his family had actually invested in the cafeteria, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down. Xander shot Elijah a re. Elijah thought, ''What is wrong with this guy?'' In the end, Elijah didn''t bother arguing with Xander. He hurried over to Cameron''s side. But the next second, Xander squeezed right between them, blocking Elijah with his arm. ¡°Elijah, it''s scorching out here. Can you give us some space?" Even someone as patient as Elijah couldn''t take it anymore. He frowned and snapped, "Xander, don''t push it." Xander red back. "Me, push it? You''re the one going too far." Xander thought, ''Not only does he get to share a dorm with Cameron, he''s even her deskmate. How does he end up with all the perks? Cameron is still living in Room 316. They stay in the same dorm room. Bradley, Austin, and Elijah are sharing a room with her. But she''s a girl. How she possibly live with them?'' Xander''s face instantly darkened. "Cameron,e here please." He lifted his hand, wanting to pull Cameron over, but stopped halfway. If it were before, he would''ve just dragged her aside without a second thought. B¨²t things were different now. He knew Cameron was a girl, and he couldn''t be that rough anymore. "What is it?" Cameron asked, confused. Xander looked serious. "Come here. I need to talk to you." Cameron nced at Xander''s serious face, then turned to Elijah. "Eli, you can go first. We''ll be there in a bit." ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah replied and hesitated for a moment. In the end, he still walked away. As soon as Elijah was out of earshot, Xander immediately lowered his voice. "Cameron, you can''t stay in Room 316 anymore." Comment My k 449 My k 449 Cameron asked, "Why?" Xander snapped, "You are e seriously asking why? You''re a girl. How can you live with three guys?" It finally dawned on Xander why Cameron always kept her bed curtained off. She was a girl, after all. Living in a guys'' dorm must be such a hassle for her. Cameron said, "I''ve been living there for over two months. You suddenly think it''s a problem?" Xander choked. "How is that the same?" Cameron shot back, "What''s different about it?" Xander said, "I didn''t know you were a girl before." Xander said seriously, "You''re not allowed to go back to the dorm tonight." Cameron replied, "Don''t be ridiculous. If I don''t go back to the dorm, where am I supposed to go?" Cameron thought, ''The SATS are right around the corner. Does he really expect me to switch dorms now?" Xander insisted, "Go stay at Noble Vista." Cameron gave Xander a look, too annoyed to argue with him anymore. She thought, ''I''ve already been living there for over two months. What''s wrong with a few more days?'' She then turned and walked toward the cafeteria. Xander hurried after her. "Cameron, did you even listen to me? You can''t go back to Room 316. It''s too dangerous." Cameron stayed silent, ignored him, and kept walking. She picked up her pace, and Xander jogged to catch up. "You''re not seriously thinking of going back to Room 316, are you?"/His face looked grim. Cameron still didn''t say a word. "Hey, why don''t you care about yourself at all?" Xander was getting frustrated. Cameron finally stopped, looked at him calmly, and said, "What is wrong with you?" Xander thought bitterly, ''What''s wrong with me? I''m just worried about her safety, okay? How can she say that?'' While Xander was still in a daze, Cameron had already/walked off into the distance. Elijah sent Cameron a message: [Cameron, I already ordered your food. I''m sitting in the seat by the window, far left.] Cameron replied: [Thanks.] Cameron soon found Elijah. There was a tray set out on the seat across from Elijah, the spot left empty-obviously reserved for her. And it was just for Cameron, with no seat for Xander. "Today''s food looks great, thanks," Cameron said as she sat down. All the food Elijah ordered was her favorite. Elijah nodded. "Yeah, they taste good.", Cameron started eating. Xander followed them in, looking around before finally spotting Cameron. He asked, "How''d you get here so fast? You''re already eating The cafeteria was packed, and Elijah there, even though Xander had a ton he wanted to say to Cameron, he had to keep it all in Cameron said, "Elijah helped me get my food." Xander shot Elijah a re. "Wh t you get any for me?" Eliah frowned. "Why shouldtr Elijah thought, ''Are we friends? We were just former roommates, not even good ones. Why should I help someone I don''t even get along with?" Xander choked on his words, then turned to get in line for his own food. By the time he came back with his tray, Cameron and Elijah were almost done eating. As soon as he sat down, Cameron and Elijah both stood up with their trays at the same time. "You guys are done?" Xander asked. Cameron said, "Yeah, I''m full." Xander pushed his tray forward. He suddenly lost his appetite. But thinking he couldn''t just waste food, Xander forced himself to eat with a sour face. Cameron and Elijah left the cafeteria together and headed back to the ssroom. Elijah asked, "Why is Xander bothering you again?" Cameron shrugged. "Beats me." Xander was always so unpredictable. He just did whatever popped into his head. Sometimes, even Cameron couldn''t make sense of the things he did. 1 Elijah clearly didn''t want to keep talking about Xander. He changed the subject. "The SATS areing up soon. Are you nervous?" Cameron shook her head. "Not really. What about t you?" Elijah grinned. ¡°I already know I won''t get first ce, so I''m not nervous." He used to think that, even though he had no realpetition at Langford Academy, someone in Horizon Academy was a strong threat. He''d nned to give it his all and try to be this year''s top scorer. After all, the top scorers for the past few years had alle from Horizon Academy. But now, Cameron was even better than him. He knew he didn''t stand a chance anymore, so he finally let himself rx. Cameron smiled, "Sorry about that.¡± Elijah''s lips curled up. "Nothing to be sorry for, Cameron. You earned it. When you get that top score, you''ll really prove all those people who looked down on you wrong." Cameron waved it off. "That doesn''t matter to me." She worked hard for her own bright future. As for what those people thought or felt, she honestly couldn''t care less. Elijah looked at Cameron with a smile. He thought, ''Cameron is even more open-minded than I imagined. If I were in her shoes, I couldn''t be that chill? Cameron and Elijah headed back to the en together. She pulled out her test papers and set them on the desk, when her phone started buzzing nonstop in her pocket. Cameron fished it out and saw it was messages from Xander. Xander: [Cameron, you are absolutely not allowed to go back to Room 316. Did you hear me?] Xander: [You''re a girl. How can you stay in the boys'' dorm? If word gets out, what will people think? Seriously, don''t go back to the dorm.) Cameron frowned and replied: [What other people think is their problem. I''ve already been living there for over two months. What''s a few more days?) Xander: [Cameron, don''t just give up on yourself like this.] Cameron: [If you keep bugging me, I''ll block you.] Xander was about to explode. He thought, ''Why is Cameron so stubborn? She''s a girl. Why doesn''t she act like one at all? Has she been disguising as a guy for so long that she''s forgotten she''s actually a girl?'' Xander was so frustrated, but he didn''t dare message Cameron again. He was really afraid she''d block him for real. He used to think Cameron''s actions were like a girl, always threatening to block and delete others. Yet it turned out she really was a girl. Xander thought helplessly, ''She''s a girl. What am I supposed to do? I can only follow whatever she says.'' After the evening self-study, Austin went back to the door and pushed open the bedroom door, only to see a tall figure making the bed. It was none other than Xander. Austin looked a little surprised. "X-Xan, howe you''re back?" Xander kept making his bed without even looking up. "My aunt finally agreed to let mee back." He''d practically had to get down on his knees and beg her. Plus, Xander really had been on his best behaviortely, SO Tiana finally, though a bit reluctantly, let him move back. Austin wondered, ''What made Ms. Murphy suddenly change her mind?'' AD Comment My k 450 Austin''s brows knit together. He thought, ''Xander is always glued to Cam. Cameron spent nearly all his free time helping Xander catch up on his studies. ''That''s why Xander made progress so fast. The SATs are just around the corner, so why did he move back now?" Even though that was what he was thinking, Austin still kept a smile on his face. He said, "Xan, Ms. Murphy is really nice to you.¡± Xander had just finished making his bed. "Of course she is. She''s my aunt." Austin just smiled and didn''t say anything. Right then, Cameron and Elijah walked in together. Both Cameron and Elijah were surprised to see Xander in the dorm. "Surprise!" Xander bounced over to Cameron, grinning from ear to ear. "Cameron, I''m back. Aren''t you happy?" Xander looked ridiculously smug. Since Cameron refused to move out of Room 316, Xander had no choice but to move back. He thought that as long as he was here, everything would be fine. Cameron stared at Xander but said nothing. Elijah frowned. ¡°Did you sneak back in?" Xander shot him a re. "Sneak back? I came back fair and square, okay?" Elijah asked, "Does Ms. Murphy know about this?" Xander smirked. "Bet you didn''t expect that, huh? My aunt said I coulde back, you dummy." Elijah just frowned again, not even bothering to argue. Cameron lookedpletely unfazed. She thought the SATS were just around the corner, so she didn''t care, what Xander would do. Cameron headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. The hot weather left her feeling sticky and gross all over by the end of the day. As soon as Cameron headed into the bathroom, Xander hurried after her and stood guard at the door like a bouncer. Of course, he was facing away from the bathroom door. Xander suddenly remembered what Cameron looked like on her first day in the dorm. Back then, Xander was in such a rush, kept telling Cameron to open the door, and even said they could pee together. Now he understood why Cameron looked so ufortable at that time. A smile tugged at Xander''s lips as he recalled that scene. Just then, Austin came over to wash up, eyeing Xander curiously. Austin wondered, ''What''s Xander doing standing at the bathroom door?'' Before Austin could ask, Xander beat him to it. "Austin, what are you doing?" Austin paused, mid-squeeze with his toothpaste. "I''m brushing my teeth." Xander said, "Didn''t you see Cameron is in the shower? Why are you brushing your teeth now?" Austin lookedpletely lost. "What does me brushing my teeth have to do with Cam taking a shower?" Xander said, "It''s not convenient for you to be here. Go back inside." He said it like an order. 6/38 Austin wondered, ''Not convenient for me to be here? Why not? I''m just brushing my teeth. What''s so inconvenient about that? And what''s Xander doing standing here? He really is just as annoying as Samuel'' Austin ignored Xander and squeezed out some toothpaste for himself. Xander frowned. "Austin, I told you to go back. Didn''t you hear me?" Austin replied, ¡°Dude, I''m just brushing my teeth, and that''s all." Xander snapped, "Are you deaf? I said it''s not convenient." Austin just sat there in stunned silence. Elijah saw the whole thing. He usually minded his Own business. But this time, he just couldn''t take it anymore. "Xander, stop making trouble for no reason," Elijah said coldly. Xander immediately red at Elijah. ¡°And you, Elijah, don''t even think abouting over here." Elijah stood up. "What, you came back to 316 just to pick a fight? Believe it or not, Cameron could get you kicked out of here tonight with just one call." Xander paused for a second, then scoffed, "Who told d you Cameron wants me out of the room?" Xander thought, ''If anything, Cameron should be happy I''m back. "What are you guys arguing about?" Bradley heard themotion from out in the hallway. He pushed the door open and saw Xander actually in the dorm. "Xander, what are you doing here?" Bradley asked. Bradley thought, ''So it was really Xander. Whenever he''s around, this dorm gets a lot noisier.'' Xander said, "I''m back to stay." Bradley said, "Fine, stay if you want. But what''s with all the noise?" Elijah said, "He won''t let Austin wash up." Xander shot back, "I''m not stopping him from washing up. I just told him to wait until Cameron finishes his shower, okay?" Elijah said, "And you really think that''s fine?" Xander shrugged. "What''s wrong with it?" Bradley asked, "So what''s your reason for doing this?" Xander frowned and didn''t answer. He definitely couldn''t say Cameron was a girl. He thought it would be awkward when a girl was showering inside while guys were washing up outside. They should let her finish before they do their business. 10:00 Wed, 4 Jun Bradley said, "If you can''t answer, then stop making a scene." "Yeah, I''m making a scene. So what? When Cameron''s taking a shower, none of you are allowed anywhere near here," Xander shouted. The other three people all looked at Xander, confused. "What are you guys arguing about?" Cameron stepped out, wearing loose ck pajamas, her short hair still damp. Xander stared at Cameron''s fresh face for a few seconds, his heart pounding out of control. Suddenly flustered, he bolted back to his own bed. The other three people looked more confused. They wondered, ''What''s with his reaction? Why did he suddenly get so weird?'' Even the slowest person could figure out what was going on by now. They thought, ''This just doesn''t add up. Xander always seemed so tough. How could he end up like this? What''s Cameron thinking?" Bradley and the other two all turned to look at Cameron at the same time. Cameron grabbed her dry towel from the rack and started drying her hair. She asked again, "What were you guys arguing about just now?" "N-Nothing," Austin stammered. Bradley nodded. "Yeah, nothing." Elijah chimed in, "Nothing." Cameron thought, ''I definitely heard them arguing just now. Well, if they say it''s nothing, then it''s nothing.'' Cameron stood in front of the mirror to blow-dry her hair while Austin brushed his teeth. Elijah and Bradley both headed back into the room. Bradley''s gaze slowly swept over Xander. Elijah couldn''t help sneaking a few nces at Xander too. Now, Xander''s heartbeat had finally calmed down, and he asked, "Why are you guys staring at me?" Elijah and Bradley, totally in sync, just ignored him. Xander didn''t care either. He was feeling pretty pleased with himself because he was the only one in Room 316 who knew Cameron was actually a girl. After brushing his teeth, Austin just stood there, quietly watching Cameron blow- dry her hair. Cameron stopped when her hair was almost dry. If shepletely dried it too much, it would just ruin her hair. She put down the hair dryer and looked over at Austin. "Did you want to talk to me about something?" Austin smiled. "Cam, I''m just curious about what kind of girls you like. Someone like Amelia?" Cameron froze for a second. She really hadn''t expected Austin to ask that out of nowhere. Cameron shook her head. "I''ve never really thought about it." She replied inwardly, ''I don''t even like girls, okay? But since I''m disguised as a guy, saying I don''t like girls would just sound weird.'' So she added, "I''m not into Amelia. If you like her, you should go for her." Austin shook his head. "Nah, Cam, I''m not into girls like Amelia either." 10:01 Wed, 4 Jun Cameron asked, "Then what kind do you like?" Austin hesitated. "No idea." He realized he''d never really thought about it before. Growing up, all he ever worried about was staying safe and not getting killed by Samuel or his stepmother. He had time to think about rtionships. Cameron smiled and headed back inside. Xander stared at her, sounding a little jealous. "What were you guys talking about? You looked so happy." Cameron shot him a look. "Why are you so nosy? Does this have anything to do with you?" Xander muttered, "I was just asking." The other three people thought, ''Normally, Xander would''ve started bickering with Cameron by now, but tonight, he is so meek. If they hadn''t seen it for themselves, they never would''ve believed it. It was gettingte. Cameron climbed onto her bed, pulled the curtain shut,y down, and nned to read a bit before going to sleep. Just then, her phone, sitting by her pillow, vibrated. Cameron picked it up and saw a message from Bradley. [Cameron, didn''t you say before that you''re not into girls?] Cameron wondered, ''Huh? What''s going on? Why is Brad asking almost the same thing Austin did earlier? Did I miss something here?'' Before Cameron could reply, another message from Bradley popped up. [Cameron, I mean no offense. I''m just asking out of curiosity.] Cameron replied, a bit nomittally: [I didn''t say that. I just haven''t really thought about it. My mind''s on other things.] Bradley just wanted to figure out if Cameron actually liked girls or not. He wondered, ''So... does that mean yes or no? Does Cameron even know what Xander''s thinking?'' For some reason, seeing Xander act so out of character made Bradley feel weirdly unsettled. Bradley mulled it over for a while before messaging Cameron again! [So, do you like guys?] Cameron wondered, ''What''s up with Brad tonight?'' Cameron: [Brad, why are you asking that? Did something happen?] Bradley: [Just curious.] Cameron: [Oh.] Bradley thought, ''What''s that supposed to mean? Why doesn''t he just answer me?'' Cameron: [Brad, I''m tired. I''m gonna sleep now. Good night.] Bradley said to himself, ''He still hasn''t answered my question.'' In the end, Bradley didn''t push any further and just replied: [Good night.] Cameron didn''t think much of it. She put on her sleep mask and drifted off Bradley, however, just couldn''t fall asleep. He thought, ''Why didn''t Cameron answer me? Is he dodging the question on purpose? Does he like girls, or is he into guys?'' 80% Xander couldn''t sleep either he was way too excited. He wondered, ''After searching for so long, the person I''ve been looking for is right there beside me. I''m really so lucky. Once the SATs are over... Elijah couldn''t focus on his studies tonight. He cleared off his desk early. Without thinking, his eyes drifted over to where Cameron''s bed was as he thought, ''Does Cameron even know that? What''s going through his head? Didn''t Xander used to chase after Cameron''s sister, Milena? That''s a pretty big change. What''s going through his head? Elijah couldn''t make sense of it. Still, he wasn''t about to ask Xander. He didn''t even have to ask. Just by looking at Xander''s reaction, he''d know the answer. Austin couldn''t sleep either. Hey in bed, and even after lights out in the dorm, he kept ncing over at Cameron. Austin thought, ''Xander is so annoying. There''s no way Cam would ever like him, right? Wait, Cam likes girls. Xander doesn''t stand a chance. Thinking that, Austin finally felt a lot better. The next day, as usual, Bradley headed out for his morning run at 6 AM. Cameron was up not long after. But to her surprise, Xander was already awake before her. Xander looked at Cameron with a big grin. "Hey, morning." Cameron yawned, her short hair sticking up in a messy bedhead after a full night''s sleep. Xander smiled at her. "You''re seriously adorable." Cameron''s hand froze in her hair. "What did you just say?" Xander repeated, "I said you''re adorable." Cameron shot him a look. "What''s wrong with you?" Xander justughed. "Nothing, I''m perfectly fine." Cameron couldn''t be bothered to deal with him and headed straight for the bathroom. Xander hurried after her, still smiling. ¡°Cameron, I got your water ready, and I even squeezed the toothpaste for you." As he spoke, he handed her the cup and toothbrush. Cameron looked at him with a nk face. "Let me guess, you''re trying to butter me up?" Xander grinned. "Not exactly. I mean, I was kind of a jerk before, right? I just want to make it up to you a little." Cameron took the toothbrush and toothpaste. "This is your idea of making it up to me? Seriously? I''ve got hands. I d need your help." Xander said, "Then what do you want aspensation? As long as I can do it, anything goes." Cameron replied, "There is something you can do." Xander looked at her, full of anticipation. "What is it?" "Stay away from me," replied Cameron. Austin and Elijah were already awake, but they both kept quiet. Hearing Cameron still giving Xander the cold shoulder, they finally rxed. Elijah got out of bed and headed into the bathroom. ¡°Xander, can you not annoy Cameron first thing in the morning?" Xander was about to snap back, but then Elijah added, "If Cameron bombs the SAT, are you gonna take responsibility?" "Don''t jinx it! Cameron''s totally gonna make it," Xander shot back. Elijah said, ¡°He will if you stop bugging him." Xander red at Elijah. "What, are you looking for trouble? When did I ever bother Cameron?" "It''s just concern, right, Xan?" Austin chimed in with a grin. Austin thought, ''As long as Cam''s not interested in Xander, Xander''s just wasting his breath.'' Xander pped his hands. "Exactly, I''m just concerned about Cam." "Move." Cameron finished washing up and pushed past Xander, who was blocking the way. "Where are you going?" Xander hurried after Cameron. "To the ssroom," Cameron replied. "I''ll go with you," Xander said. "Go your own way. Why are you following me?" Cameron shot back. "Come on, we''re headed the same way," Xander insisted. Cameron rolled her eyes. Austin coughed. "Xan, looks like Cam and Eli are actually more on the way. They''re desk mates, after all." AD Comment My k 451 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- My k 452 Austin asked Cameron that because Samuel''s injuries had pretty much healed up. But today, when Austin came home, Samuel was nowhere to be found. Austin thought, ''Samuel has been put in his ce by Cam more than once. He even got his ribs broken by Cam. With how petty and vengeful Samuel is, there''s no way he''ll just let that go." The thought made Austin uneasy. But when he messaged Cameron, he got no reply. Austin sent another message: [Cam? Don''t freak me out. Where are you? Did Samuele looking for you?] After this message, Austin still got no response. Austin started to panic. He called Cameron right away, but she didn''t pick up. Her phone was on silent and flipped over on the nightstand, and she was already asleep. Getting desperate, Austin thought for a second and then called Xander. "What do you want?" Xander snapped, clearly in a bad mood. Right now, Austin couldn''t care less about Xander''s attitude. He got straight to the point. "Dude, did you see Cam after school today?" Xander gritted his teeth. "Yeah, I did." "You saw him? Where? Is Cam okay?" Austin asked, sounding excited. "What could possibly happen to Cam? He''s perfectly fine. He''s with Bradley, having the time of his life," Xander huffed. Austin thought, ''Why does it sound like Xander is practically grinding his teeth?'' "Brad? Cam is with him?" Austin was a bit surprised. Xander blurted out, "Cam''s staying at Bradley''s ce." Austin was even more shocked. "Huh? Cam''s staying at Brad''s ce? The vi at Noble Vista?" "Wait, why do you have so many questions?" Xander got impatient. Austin asked, "Bro, are you alright?" Now that he knew Cameron was safe, Austin finally had the mind to ask about Xander. "I''m doing just fine," Xander huffed. Austin and Xander chatted a bit more and then hung up. Honestly, Austin didn''t really care how Xander was doing. As long as Cameron was okay, that was all that mattered. The next day, when Cameron woke up, she saw messages from Austin and Elijah on her phone. She finally replied to both of them, saying she was okay, and that her phone had been on silent, so she just saw their messages, Elijah had been so worried about Cameron that he barely slept all night. When he got Cameron''s reply, the weight on his mind finally lifted. 10:01 Wed 4 J¨¹n "OG Elijah: [As long as you''re alright. If anythinges up, just let me know anytime.] Cameron: [Thanks, Eli. Don''t worry, I''m really fine.] Austin replied almost right away too. Austin: [Cam, you really need to be careful these days. Samuel holds a grudge. It''s good you''re staying at Brad''s ce. At least someone''s Cameron: [How did you know I''m staying at Brad''s? Did Xander tell you?] Cameronined inwardly, ''Xander is really a bbermouth. Anything he knows, the whole world finds out in no time." Austin: [Yeah, Xan told me.] Cameron: [Don''t worry, Austin. Samuel already got burned by me. He won''t dare try anything again.] got your back] Austin: [I know you''re tough, but Samuel''s a nutcase. He never ys by the rules. Just be careful, okay? The SATs areing up. You can''t let anything happen now.] Cameron: [Nothing will happen.] After replying to Austin, Cameron ignored Xander''s message, put down her phone, and headed downstairs. My k 453 No Ads Bradley was lounging on the plush leather sofa and watching TV. Naturally, it was the legal channel. Hearing some movement, he turned around and said, "Morning." Cameron nodded. "Morning, Brad." Bradley switched off the TV, and the two of them headed to the dining room together. h the breakfast that had already been prepared. As soon as they sat down, the chef hurried over Bradley sipped his milk with his usual elegance and Isaid, "Camy! third brother ising over for lunch today. You don''t mind, right?" Cameron shook her head. "Do you want me to give you some private moments?" Bradley shook his head. "No need." He added, "Eric''s a really good guy. You don''t have to worry." Cameron smiled. "Okay." Even though Bradley said that, Cameron still felt like she should probably stay After all, it was a family thing between them-she was just an outsider, SO out of the way. it''d be kind of awkward to hang around. After breakfast, Cameron said, "Brad, I just remembered I have something to take care of. I''ll head out for a bit." Sharp as ever, Bradley got straight to the point. "Cameron, you just don''t want to meet my third brother, do you?" Cameron froze for a second. Bradley said, "Cameron, Eric is really a good guy. Way better than that scumbag Eddie." Cameron thought with a smile, ''He even calls his own brother a scumbag?'' Bradley grinned. "Come on, Cameron, stay. I''ll introduce you to Eric." Cameron replied, "Alright, I''ll stay." At 11 AM, a ck Cayenne pulled up in front of the castle. Hearing the noise, Bradley said, "Eric arrives." Bradley got up to go greet him. Out of courtesy, Cameron stood up as well. Leanne got out of the car and opened the back door. "Eric, your brother''s ce is seriously magnificent." Eric nced up at the castle, smiling. "Yeah, it''s pretty nice." "Eric." Bradley came out just in time. He opened the main door himself. "Hey, Brad." Eric reached out and patted Bradley on the shoulder. "You look like you''ve gotten taller again." "Really?" Bradley grinned. "I think you''re even more handsome, Eric." Ericughed. "Alright, let''s stop hyping each other up." Chapter 453 "Mr. Wace?" Leanne''s eyes lit up when she spotted Cameron behind Bradley. "Mr. Wace?" Eric looked over at Cameron standing behind Bradley and noticed he was a man with striking, delicate features. Leanne said excitedly, "Eric, he is C. I can''t believe he''s friends with your brother." Eric, Bradley, and Cameron all froze on the spot. Cameron mused, ''Well, what a coincidence. So Eric is actually Bradley''s third brother. Eric was better known as the CEO of Noir ¨¦t. Hardly anyone ever connected him with someone from the Saunders family. Bradley stared at Cameron in shock. "Wait, Cameron, you''re C?" He remembered Eric mentioning he''d found a real gem at the designpetition, a super talented designer named C. Bradley never expected Cameron could design too. Bradley thought, ''Cam is just a high schooler, after all. He really has incredible hidden talents. Cameron nodded. "Yeah." With a big smile, Eric walked over to Cameron and held out his hand. "Mr. Wace, it''s great to finally meet you. I''m Eric, founder of Noir ¨¦t and Bradley''s third brother." Cameron shook his hand. "Mr. Eric Saunders, I''ve heard so much about you." Leanne grinned. "So, are we still on for dinner tonight?" Ericughed. "Of course, but let''s change the location. Let''s have it here instead," "Great call," Leanne said with a smile. Bradley smiled. "Let''s head inside. It''s pretty hot out here." The weather was already heating up in early June. The four of them walked into the castle''s main hall together. Leanne looked around in awe. "This ce is gorgeous." Bradley smiled. "If you like it so much, maybe you can talk my brother into bringing you over more often." Leanneughed. "I like that idea." She turned to Eric and asked, "What do you think, Eric?" "You''re always so busy with work. Are you sure you even have the time?" Eric replied. Leanne was momentarily at a loss for words. Bradley chuckled. "Eric, you''re still as sharp as ever, even when you sound so gentle." Eric grinned. "Is that any way to talk about your brother, Brad?" Bradley replied, "My bad."/ Cameron sat quietly to the side, just watching the two of them banter. She thought, ''It looks like Brad got along really well with both Eddie and Eric. Their family seems to have a really warm vibe. People from families like that probably feel a lot happier.'' 10:01 Wed, 4 Jun Brad turned to Cameron. "So, the person you''re meeting tonight is my brother?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I didn''t expect it to be such a coincidence." Eric said, "Guess that''s just fate. I keep hearing Eddie talk about you, Mr. Wace. Eddie says you two are super close." Cameron replied, "You can just call me Cameron, Mr. Eric Saunders." Ericughed. "Then don''t call me Mr. Eric Saunders either. Just call me Eric." Cameron nodded. 138 Bradley said, "Eric, are you about to talk business with Cameron? I can leave you guys alone if you want." Eric shook his head. "No need." He looked at Cameron again. "You don''t mind, do you?" Cameron shook her head. "Not at all." Eric smiled. "Yourtest piece really blew me away at first nce. How did youe up with the idea of ''The Starry''?" Cameron replied, "I''ve always been drawn to dazzling things, so my designs are all about showing off the bold, confident beauty of women. I hope every girl who wears my dresses can live a life that sparkles like a sky full of stars." "The real shine isn''t just in the dress," Cameron added. Eric apuded Cameron. "Well said, Cameron. Your words are even more impressive than your dresses." Cameron smiled. "Thanks." Leanne sighed, "Mr. Wace, I never expected someone so young to have such depth. You really are a genius, just like Eric." "Oh, I''m so ttered," Cameron replied. Leanne grinned. "You''re just being modest, Mr. Wace." Eric said, "Cameron, it''s rare for someone your age to have this kind of insight. I''m curious if you ever studied design? Your style is so mature." Of course Cameron did. There were geniuses in this world, sure. But Cameron wasn''t one of them. Every skill she had was earned in those fast-travel worlds. Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Eric asked, "Which school did you go to?" Cameron answered, "I taught myself." Eric was a bit stunned. Leanneughed. "You taught yourself? Mr. Wace, that''s amazing." Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. "Ms. Starling, your eyes are practically glued to Cameron''s face. Careful, you''re about to start drooling." Leanne''s cheeks turned red. "Hey, don''t tease me. I just think Mr. Wace is amazing." Bradley nced at Cameron, thinking, ''Cameron probably isn''t into this type, right? She''s way too mature, like a bossdy. Honestly, she''s a handful.'' Eric looked at Leanne. "Leanne, are you blushing?" Leanne mumbled, "I''m not." Eric smirked and said, "Oh." Leanne said, "You guys keep chatting. This ce is gorgeous. I''m going to look around." Eric nodded, and Leannie headed out. Cameron said, "Brad, you''re too much." +36 Cameron wondered, ''Saying that to a girl, you''re making her die of embarrassment. Looks like Brad is a straight guy. His future girlfriend is in for a rough time.'' Bradley said, "I''m just telling it like it is." Eric continued, "Here''s what I''m thinking. I want to get your collection produced and on the shelves as soon as possible. We can set up a separate brand, and you get to name it. "But it''ll be under Noir ¨¦t, and we''ll split the profits fifty-fifty. How does that sound?" Cameron replied, "Let''s call it ''The Starry. I''m good with a fifty-fifty split." After all, Cameron was just a nobody, while Noir ¨¦t was a major internationalpany. Cameron thought she probably only got the generous fifty-fifty split because of Brad''s connections. Even though Eric didn''t say a word about it, Cameron understood. Eric nodded. "Alright, just send your bank ount number to Leanne. The 300- thousand-dor bonus and any future earnings will be wired to you directly by our finance department." "Okay, thank you, Eric," Cameron replied. Bradley lounged back on the sofa. "So, are we done with business?" Eric nodded, picked up his coffee from the table, and took a sip. "Yeah, almost." Bradley said, "Eric, I have a small suggestion." Eric set down his coffee cup and said, "Go ahead." Bradley said, "I think you should change the split to seventy-thirty. You take thirty, Cameron gets seventy." Cameron widened her eyes upon hearing that. Eric stared at Bradley, dumbfounded. Bradley continued, "Come on, you''re a designer yourself-you know creativity is priceless. You''re taking Cameron''s designs, mass-producing them, and you still want half the profits? Isn''t that a little too much?" Eric didn''t expect Bradley to say that. Cameron shook her head. "Brad, I think fifty-fifty is already great. After all, I''m using Eric''spany name. People care more about the brand than anything else now." Bradley insisted, "With your talent, you don''t need anyone''s backing. You could start your own brand." Cameron didn''t know how to reply. 80% After a long pause, Eric finally said, ¡°Brad, are you really my brother?" Eric thought, ''Whose side are you on, anyway? I only gave him a fifty-fifty split because of you, you know? Anyone else would only get a twenty-eighty split.'' Bradley smiled, "Of course I am." Eric snorted, "I doubt that." Bradley grinned. "Want to get a DNA test?" Eric thought, ''Nice, my dear brother.'' Bradley shrugged. "I stand by what''s right." Eric joked, "You''d make a greatwyer. If I ever get sued, I''m definitely hiring you." Bradley shot back, "Just make sure you pay me extra." Eric was a bit speechless. Bradley asked, "So, what do you think of my suggestion? You get thirty, and Cameron gets seventy." Eric replied, "Great suggestion. Next time, keep it to yourself." Bradley smiled, "Come on, just say yes or no. Can''t you give your brother some face?" AD Comment My k 454 80% 38 Cameron hurriedly said, "Brad, no please. I think a fifty-fifty split is already generous, a and that''s only because of you. Don''t make things hard for Eric. Bradley said, "Cameron, Eric is loaded. He''s got more money than you can imagine. Losing a bit won''t matter to him. But you? If you don''t make money, you can''t make it." Cameron thought to herself, ''No matter how rich Eric is, he earns every penny Cameron felt that a seventy-thirty split is basically daylight robbery.'' himself. That reason for me to take advantage of him. Honestly, After a long silence, Eric finally said, "Alright, for your sake, seventy-thirty. Cameron gets seventy, and I get thirty." Cameron looked at Eric in shock. "Eric, are you serious?" Eric nodded. "Yeah, I do like your works. I''m taking Brad''s advice." Bradley grinned. "Thanks, dude. Good things happen to good people. Trust me, you''ll be happy for the rest of your life." Eric raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you start praying for people?" Bradleyughed. "Just now." Eric was a bit speechless. Cameron still felt bad and said, "Eric, let''s just split it fifty-fifty." Bradley said, "Cameron, you only see what Eric did. Don''t you notice everything I''ve done for you?" Bradley thought, ''Did I argue for nothing just now?'' Cameron was at a loss for words. Eric chuckled. "Brad, I finally get why Eddie said that to me." Bradley looked curious. "What did he say?" Eric just grinned. "Secret." Bradley thought, ''Whatever, keep your secrets. Not like I really want to know anyway.'' Eric teased, "You still don''t trust me?" Bradley said, "Eric, have Leanne get the contract ready. I can help Cameron look it cover." Bradley replied, "It''s not about trust. Gotta follow the process, right?" Eric caught a whiff of something delicious from the kitchen and said, "I''m starving. Let''s eat first and talkter." "Alright." Bradley agreed. Cameron stood up. "I''ll go check how things areing along in the kitchen." Eric called Leanne. "Come back. It''s time for lunch." Leanne was back in no time. After she arrived, Eric said, "After lunch, head back to the office and get the contract ready. Change the profit split-make it seventy and thirty. 10:02 Wed, 4 Jun Leanne nodded. "Okay, Eric." Bradley chimed in, "Cameron gets seventy, and you guys get thirty." Leanneughed. "Come on, Brad, you''re joking, right?" Bradley replied, "Ask your boss if I''m joking." Eric shot Bradley a look, then turned to Leanne. "He''s serious. We get thirty, and gets seventy." 80 Leanne waspletely floored. She screamed inwardly, ''Oh my goodness! Did I hear it right? We get thirty, and Cameron gets seventy? You''ve got to be kidding me. ''When has ourpany ever signed a contract this outrageous? Even the biggest-name designers only get a fifty-fifty split. Wasn''t Eric originally nning to give Cameron a forty-sixty deal? ''How did it suddenly turn to seventy-thirty? But Eric lookspletely serious. He''s not joking around.'' Leanne could only nod. "Okay, Eric." Cameron happened toe out just then with a te of pastries. ¡°Eric, it''ll probably be another five minutes. Why don''t you have some pastries while you wait?" Eric said, "No worries. I can wait a few minutes." He wasn''t really into sweets anyway. Cameron immediately noticed that Leanne didn''t look quite right. She asked, "Ms. Starling, are you okay?" AD My k 455 Leanne shook her head. "Thank you, Mr. Wace. I''m alright." Cameron nodded. Bradley grinned. "Come on, Leanne, don''t feel bad. It''s not even your money, and my brother doesn''t care." Leanne was momentarily at a loss for words. Eric shot Bradley a re, thinking, ''This kid is getting more and more cunning. He''s always pushing for more. Cameron got the picture, wondering, ''Leanne is probably j stunned by that deal.'' A few minutester, the four of them walked into the dining room together. The table was covered with all sorts of delicious food. Eric rested his fingers on the back of a chair. "Wow, this is quite the spread." Bradley grinned. "Heard you wereing, so I had the chef start early this morning. Not bad, right?" "Here, Eric, have a seat." Bradley pulled out a chair for him. Eric smiled, "Brad, you really know how to make it hard for someone to say no." Bradley just grinned but said nothing. "Ms. Starling, please have a seat." Cameron pulled out a chair for Leanne. "Thank you, Mr. Wace. You really are a gentleman," Leanne said with a smile. Bradley chimed in, "Nope, he''s not a gentleman. He''s just a high schooler." Leanne forced a smile. Eric raised an eyebrow. "Bro, are you trying to say something?" Bradley shrugged. "You''re overthinking it, bro." Cameron sat down next to Bradley. Eric looked Cameron up and down and said, "Brad, you really are good-looking." Bradley replied with a smile. "Butpared to Cameron, you''re just average," Eric added. Bradley kept smiling. "You''ve got good taste." After a pause, Bradley said, ¡°Eddie said you''ve gotten really good at throwing shadetely. Guess he was right. You really are one of a kind in our family." Eric smiled, "You tter me. Cameron and Leanne thought, ''What are they even doing?'' Cameron spoke up, "Eric, I hope these dishes are to your liking." Eric grinned, "If you made them, Cameron, I''m sure they''re great. But if someone else did... Well, that''s another story." Cameron didn''t know how to reply. Bradley said, "Cameron made everything." Eric picked up a piece ofmb and had a bite. "Hmm, this is actually really good." Bradley teased, "Sorry, Eric, but I made that one." Eric paused. "Oh, it''s not that tasty after all." Bradley grinned. "Wait, my bad. I think I got it wrong. It probably wasn''t me." Eric shot Bradley a re. Leanne was dying tough but had to hold it in. Cameron sighed helplessly, "Brad..." torture. He just called out to Bradley, but that was enough-Bradley got the message. Bradley just smiled. After that, he stopped teasing Eric. Actually, they were really close. A little yful banter was just part of their routine. After lunch, Leanne headed back to their branch in Viremont to get the contract ready. Eric stayed behind. Cameron, worried that Pearl might scare Eric, locked it away. Bradley turned to Eric and said, "Eric, want to check out Cameron''s pet? It''s super cute. Interested?" Ericughed. "Oh yeah? What kind of pet?" ¡°It''s just a little furball, really well-behaved," Bradley replied. "Where is it?" Eric asked. "Come with me," Bradley said. Curious, Eric followed Bradley to the door of Pearl''s room. The door was locked. Inside, Pearl was sound asleep. As soon as Eric reached the doorway, Pearl immediately picked up the scent of a stranger. In an instant, its eyes snapped open-those wild, predatory pupils radiating pure intimidation. Bradley said, "Look, Cameron''s pet is called Pearl. It''s right inside.¡± Eric raised an eyebrow. "Pearl? That''s actually a pretty cute name." Bradley grinned. "It''s even cuter than the name super fluffy, perfect for petting." "Is it a kitten or a puppy?" Eric asked. Bradley didn''t answer. He just pulled out a key and unlocked the door. "Go see for yourself." Curious and totally unsuspecting, Eric walked into the room, only to be instantly pinned by a pair of fierce, beastly eyes. Eric screamed inwardly, ''Damn! A tiger! A full-grown white tiger! This is the pet Bradley was talking about? In all his twenty years, Eric had never seen a white tiger this massive. Even scarier, right now, that huge white tiger was staring straight at him. It looked like it wanted to devour Eric in one go. Eric''s feet were practically glued to the floor. Trying not to startle Pearl, he lowered his voice and hissed, "Bradley, you bastard! You call this a pet?" Bradley stifled augh behind his hand-he''d just wanted to make fun of Eric. He stepped in, blocked Eric, and said to the aggressive Pearl, "Pearl, he''s one of us. Rx." Pearl let out a growl, circled once, then flopped back into its bed and went right back to sleep. Eric''s eyes went wide. "Why does it listen to you?" Bradley shrugged. "We''re pretty familiar with each other. If youe by a few more times, it''ll recognize you too." "Really?" Eric asked. Bradley nodded. "Yeah. Eddie knows that. He''s been here a bunch. Pearl doesn''t exactly like him, but at least it doesn''t attack him." Eric nced at Pearl, still feeling a chill run down his spine, and quickly backed out of the room. "How did Cameron raise a tiger as a pet?" Eric asked. "Someone gave it to him," Bradley replied. He only paid 30 dors for it, so it was basically free. "Keeping a tiger must cost a fortune," Eric muttered. Bradley nodded. "Yeah, it''s pretty expensive." "Wait." Eric suddenly realized something. "Why is his pet living in your house?" "This is his house now," Bradley said. Eric looked confused. "His house?" "I rented the house to him," Bradley exined. Eric said, "Don''t tell me you bought this house just to rent it to him." Bradley just smiled and didn''t say anything. Eric leaned in close and lowered his voice. "Brad, are you out of your mind?" Bradley paused, confused. "What do you mean?" "Do you even realize what you''re doing?" Eric pressed. Bradley blinked. "Did I do something?" "You..." Eric held back and then said, "What, you think money just falls from the sky? If you''ve got so much, I can spend it for you." Eric mused, ''The SATS are just around the corner. There are some things I just can''t say right now." +381 10.02 wed, 4 Jun 30030 Bradley grinned, "Come on, Eric, don''t joke around. You''re way richer than me. Yourpany''s already gone public." Ericughed. "I''m just kidding. How''s your exam prep going?" "No worries. I''m confident I''ll get into my dream university," Bradley replied. Eric patted him on the shoulder. "Do your best-if you do well, I''ll get you a present." Bradley smiled. ¡°Come on, I''m not a kid anymore. I''m only two years younger than you." Eric shot back, "Yeah, but I''m already a college junior, and you''re still in high school." Bradley teased, "That''s just because you were born a few months earlier. Don''t get cocky." Eric burst outughing. As Cameron came downstairs, she saw the two brothers chatting andughing together. Eric asked casually, "Cameron, how''s your prep for the SATS going?" Cameron replied, "It''s going alright." Bradley grinned and said, "She was first in the whole school on thest mock exam. What do you think?" Eric looked a bit surprised. "Didn''t expect you to be such a top student." Cameron said, "I wouldn''t call myself a top student. I just worked a little harder than most." "Not bad. You''re really humble," Eric said. Eric thought, ''Most young people these days are pretty restless. It''s rare to see someone as down-to-earth as Cameron. No wonder Brad...'' Thinking of that, Eric suddenly shook his head. ''It absolutely cannot happen.'' Brad asked, "Eric, do you want to take a break? You''ve been in the car for hours, you must be exhausted." Honestly, Eric was feeling a bit sleepy. He was used to taking an afternoon nap. He was just about to say yes, but then something urred to him, and he asked, "If I go to take a nap, what are you two going to do?" Both Bradley and Cameron remained silent. Eric looked at them like he suspected they''d get up to no good while he was asleep. Cameron said, "If there''s nothing else, I''ll go rest in my room too." Eric stared at Bradley. "Don''t tell me you''re going to your room for a nap too?" Bradley looked confused. "Can''t I?" "You can''t," Eric shot back. "Why?" Bradley asked. Eric huffed, "I came all the way here to visit you, and you''re just going to leave me to nap alone? What kind of host are you? Come and take a nap with me." Bradley was shocked. 4391 10:02 Wed, 4 Jun Eric pressed. "Well, where''s your room?" Bradley gave Eric a weird look. Eric''s face twisted up, and he tentatively asked Cameron, "Where''s your room?" Cameron was left stunned. Bradley said, "Aren''t you staying in the guest room? Why do you want to go to our room?" Eric''s eyes widened. "Your room?" Bradley frowned. "Are you okay, Eric? What''s with that look?" Eric quickly turned away, trying to get his expression under control. He wasn''t like Reginald, who was an actor and could hide his feelings in a sh. Eric turned back with a forced smile. "Can I... take a look at your room?" Bradley replied, "My room''s just like the rest of the house, nothing special. Cameron''s room is his private space, probably not a good idea for you to visit." Hearing that, Eric finally let out a huge sigh of relief. He thought, ''Oh, I just misunderstood it. That almost scared me to death. "I''ll just use your room. The guest room hasn''t been used in ages, and I only need a quick nap. You don''t mind, right?" Eric asked Bradley. Bradley replied, "Sure, my room''s on the third floor." Trying to sound casual, Eric asked, "Where does Cameron stay?" "I''m on the second floor," Cameron replied. Eric nodded, thinking, ''Thank goodness. At least they''re not on the same floor. Guess things haven''t gotten that far yet. ''But with them spending so much time together, something''s bound to happen sooner orter. Once Brad finishes his SATs, I''ll find an excuse to take him out for a trip. ''There are tons of gorgeous girls in Fiora. Maybe by then, Brad will get over this impossible crush.'' Eric made up his mind. He couldn''t really tell the rest of the family about this. Otherwise, Bradley would be so embarrassed. He''d just handle it quietly himself. AD Comment Send gift The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! My k 456 Bradley said to Cameron, "Tim going to take Eric to get some rest. You should rest too. When Leanne brings the contract back, let you know. Cameron replied, "Okay, thanks, Drad." Bradley said, "No big a deal." Cameron and Erodded at each other.. Bradley led Cric up to the third floor, and Bradley opened the door. Eric nced around the room and said, "It really does feel like home-simple and clean" Bradley said, "Go ahead and get some sleep. Want me to have someone change the sheets for you?" Ericughed, "You think I''m as huch of a neat freak as Reginald?'' Bradley nodded. "Alright then, get some rest." "Brad," Eric called out to stop him. Bradley paused, "Yeah?" Eric said, "I figured out what I''m getting you as a gift after the SATS." Bradley said, "You''re really getting me something? What is it?¡± Eric gave a mysterious smile, "You''ll see when the timees." Bradley grinned. "Alright, thanks. You are so sweet. Even after all the trouble I''ve given you, you still love me Eric said, "So you know you''ve been giving me trouble, huh?" Bradleyughed, "Come on, Cameron really needs the money. Just help him out, okay?" Eric said, "I''ve already told Leanne to go back and revise the contract. I''ve done my good deed." Eric wondered, Just think of it as making up for breaking them up." "You''re the best, bro," Bradley said while heading out. Eric called after him, "Where are you going?" Bradley replied, "You think you can fall asleep with me hanging around?" Erie said, "Fair enough." He told himself, ''Exactly, what difference does it make if Bradley stays now? At most, I''ll just spend the night here, I''ll have to leave tomorrow. There are only a few more days left. Nothing should go wrong" Leanne was back soon, with the new contractin hand. Bradley was sitting in the living room, reading a book Even though his grades were good and he was confident about getting into his dream college, with the college entrance exam just days away, he figured it was safer to keep reviewing. "Brad. Leanne walked in, her heels clicking on the floor. Bradley looked up at her. "Leahne, you brought the contract?" Leanne nodded, "I did. Where''s Eric?" "He''s taking a nap. Let me take a a look at the contract first," Bradley said. "Alright." Leanne bent over and set the contract in front of Bradley. Bradley froze for a second. Leanne was wearing a ck V-neck suit dress, and when she leaned forward, a lot of skin was on disy. Bradley couldn''t help but have a nce, and his face turned a bit sour. "Ms. Starling, can I give you a suggestion?" Bradley said. Leanne nodded. "Go ahead" "Don''t you think your outfit today is a bit inappropriate?" Leanne wondered, ''My outfit? I''ve always dressed like this. What was wrong with it? Even Eric has never said anything about my outfit." Leanne was confused. "Brad, could you be more specific?" Bradley said, "Ms. Starling, I don''t care how you dress around my brother, but Cameron is still in high school. Isn''t it a bit inappropriate to show off your frame like that in front of him?" Leanne wondered, "When did lever do that? It''s not my fault that I have curves. I look good in anything, okay? Should I wrap myself up from head to toe? Is Bradley just picking on me for no reason? When did lever offend him?" "Ms. Starling, there''s nothing else for you here. Go wait in the car. If my brother needs you, he''ll call you," Bradley said. AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 457 Although targeted by Bradley, Leanne still wore a decent smile. After all, he was her boss'' brother, and she couldn''t afford the consequences of psor him. "Okay, Mr. Bradley Saunders. Having said that, Leanne walked off in her high heels. She got back into the car and sent a message to Erk, telling him the contract had been delivered and she''d rest in the car for a bit-just call her if he needed anything Bradley picked up the contract and read it word by word. With Eric running such arge listedpany, there must be a professional team ofwyers to draw up these contracts, The contract terms had no loopholes for Noir Et, but for Cameron, some terms were rather unfair. Even so, it wasn''t that important. Since Eric had agreed to a 30-70 profit split with Cameron, Bradley naturally couldn''t ask for more. Bradley messaged Cameron, Bradley: [I''ve read the contract. It''s fine. Come down when you''ve rested. Eric is still napping! Cameron: Okay, thanks, Brad.] Bradley-[You don''t have to. Cameron: Oh, okay.] In reality, Eric hadn''t slept at all-he simply couldn''t. As soon as he received Leanne''s message, he immediately went downstairs. Just after Bradley sent the message to Cameron, he saw Ericing down. "You woke up so soon?" Bradley said. Eric smiled and said, "Yeah, I''m not used to sleeping in a strange bed." Bradley asked, "What do you want to drink? How about coffee?" Eric nodded. Bradley stood up and said, "Let me make it for you." Eric looked at him appraisingly and said, "Why are you being so attentive?" Bradley smiled and said, Tm your brother. Making you a cup of coffee is the least I can do." Eric smiled and said, "Thanks." He thought some things were better left unexposed. Sugarcoated beauty was better than real ugliness. While making coffee, Bradley book the opportunity to message Cameron toe down. He also made a cup of coffee for Cameron. Looking at the dark coffee, Cameron frowned slightly and said, "Brad, is there any sugar? Bradley said, "Yes, I''ll go get it" "Hasn''t this house been rented to Cameron Eric asked with a smile. "Brad, why do you seem more familiar with it?" Both Bradley and Cameron were somewhat at a loss for words. Cameron stood up and said, "Brad, I''ll go find the sugar myself." 21.46 Bradley said, "It''s in the third cab in the kitchen." Okay," Cameron responded, Bradley sat down and said, ¡°Eric, I forced you to change the profit split. If you have any grievances, take them out on me." Eric blinked, confused about why his yful remark had turned into perceived dissatisfaction with Cameron. Seeing Bradley defend Cameron, 1. n. Eric felt something was wrong. So he decided that as soon as the SAT was over, wer, he''d find ways to send Bradley abroad. Eric smiled and said, "You''re mistaken. I like Cameron too. He''s so talented in design. Even if learn less, I have to build a good rtionship with him, lest he be mypetitor in the future. We should think long term, right?" "Brad, do you really think I agreed to that profit split just because of you?" Eric raised an eyebrow slightly. Bradley said indifferently, "Well, you do have a good taste." Eric smiled. Cameron came back with the sugar and asked Eric, "Eric, do you want sugar?" AE Comment Send gift No Ads My k 458 Eric shook his head and said, "Thanks, I''m good." He never added sugar to his coffee. So Cameron sat down, poured two packets of sugar into her coffee, and stirred gently with a spoon. Bradley knew Cameron liked eating sweets, so he wasn''t surprised. Eric was a bit taken aback, but he said nothing, lest Bradleys at himter. Holding his coffee cup, Eric took a slow sips, then set it down and handed Cameron the contract on the coffee table, saying "Cameron, take a look at this? Cameron said, "I can sign it directly." Eric smiled and said, "Trust me that nach, huh?" Cameron smiled and said, "I trust Brad." She figured if Bradley had checked the contract, it must be okay. Eric narrowed his eyes, increasingly convinced he couldn''t let Bradley and Cameron grow closer. "Oh, by the way," Cameron had just picked up the pen when she remembered something important. "Eric, my ID is being rescued. I don''t have it right Cameron had a temporary ID for the SAT, but it was in her dorm Eric said, "No problem. You trust me, and I trust you. Just write your social security number" Cameron said, "Are you sure?" Eric nodded Cameron said, "Okay, thanks." She flipped straight to thest page of the contract, signed her name and social security number, and pressed her thumbprint. Eric had already signed his name before Cameron came downstairs. He handed Cameron a copy of the contract and said, "Hope for a pleasant cooperation between us. "Yeah." Cameron took the contract Eric looked at Bradley and said, "Brad, how about a celebration tonight!" Tonight?" Bradley looked at him. "Didn''t you take time off just toe back? Don''t you need to get back to school?" Eric said, "College isn''t that strict. I haven''t seen you in ages and want to catch up. How about we have a couple of drinks tonight?" Bradley nodded and said, "Alright. What do you want to eat tonight? I''ll send someone to prepare the food." Eric said, "Just the four of us. Keep it casual, anything works." Bradley said, "You mean the three of us, right?" Eric said, "Brad, what about Leanne?" Bradley said," sent her back to the car." Eric froze. So Leanne had been chased to the car by Bradley-he''d wondered why she''d stayed in the car instead of the spacious castle. Cameron asked curiously, "Why Did you guys fight?" Bradley said, "No. She was dressed like a whore. You''re still young, and it''s not suitable for you Cameron was thoroughly confuse. Leanne''s clothes were perfectly normal. It was just that her figure was so good that those regr dates! on her, but it didn''t mean she dressed like a slut.. Cameron thought, ''Is it Leanne''s fault for having a good figure? Brad is too conservative! Eric was also puzzled. Leanne had worked for him for years, and he''d never noticed anything inappropiate about her attire. He thought Bradley was being unreasonable. Eric sighed and said, "Fine. I''ll tell her to go rest ande e pick me up tomorrow." Eric went out to speak to Leanne himself "Leanne, don''t take my brother''s words to heart. He has no sense of style. Your clothes are fine. Leanne thought for a moment, then said, "I might have offended him. At first, Leanne hadn''t nned to tell Eric about this as she didn''t want to stir up trouble between Bradley and his brother. AD Comment My k 459 Chapter 459. Erk thook his head repeatedly and said, "No, no, it''s not your problem-it''s his. You''re beautiful, and we at Noir Lesteed In reality, Leanne hadn''t offended Bradley at all; he was just afraid she was too beautiful and might make Cameron fall f?r bar Eric thought his brother was hopeless. Leanneughed and said, "Alright, I get it. Your brother probably doesn''t like my style. I won''t tag along when youe to see him next time- "DK, thanks for your hard work. I''ll give you a bonus this month," Erle said with a smile, Leanne said, "Thank you." After calming Leanne down. Eric turned back toward the castle, Halfway there, he deliberately softened his footsteps. He wanted to see how Cameron and Bradley actually acted when alone together, But when Eric approached, Cameron and Bradley were still sitting in their respective seats, just chatting andughing "Did you send her away?" Bradley saw Ericing back and asked. Eric said, ¡°Brad, don''t be like this. Leanne has been my assistant for years. While I''m still in school, thepany relies on her. She''s important to me. Can you at least show me some respect?" Bradley said, "Don''t bring her next tim Eric was speechless. Cameron teased, "Brad, you''re so conservative. Will your future girlfriend not be allowed to wear skirts?" Bradley didn''t know how to respond, so he simply stayed silent. Eric''s eyes lit up, Cameron''s words might mean that Bradley only liked Cameron unterally. That would make things much easier. Eric chimed in, "Yeah, will your girlfriend have to cover everything except her face?" Bradley shook his head. ¡°I haven''t thought about that.¡± Having a girlfriend was too distant for him. Eric was thoroughly confused, unsure what Bradley meant. Bradley checked the time and said, "It''s almost three. What do you want for dinner? I should tell the kitchen to prepare." Eric said to Cameron, "Let''s listen to Cameron. It''s up to you." "Me?" Cameron shook her head. "No, Eric, you decide Bradley said, "Alright, let''s do an outdoor BBQ Eric fell silent. Bradley said, "Didn''t you want to drink? Barbecue and wine are a perfect match." Eric said, "I meant just a small drink." He didn''t want Bradley to drink too much and have something inappropriate happen with Cameron. Bradley said, "Are you serious? Since when did your alcohol tolerance get so low?" ? Ene said, "I have to catch a night morrow morning! Bradley sald, "Just ask Osborne''s people to send a private jet. Erie said, "Applying for a night out is a hassle. His implication was clear that he didn''t want to drink today. Cameron said, "Brad, I don''t really feel like drinking. How about we have something else?" Eric smiled at Cameron, thinking she was much more considerate than Bradley. He thought, "If only Cameron were a girl." Then he abruptly dismissed that thought Eric said, "Barbecue is fine, as long as we don''t drink." Bradley said, "Then no drinking.¡± He stood up and said, ¡°I''ll go tell the kitchen to prepare." Eric smiled at Cameron and said, "By the way, Cameron, do you have a crush on any girls?" Bradley put on a calm smile, but he actually felt very uneasy. Cameron said, "Eric, our high school doesn''t allow that." Eric nodded, then continued, "I know, but don''t you even have a secret crush?" My k 460 Cameron shook her head and said, "No." She was too busy hiding her real gender, fearing that a single mistake might offend Amelia and lead to the cancetion of Duale en gegimens. had no energy to have a secret crush on anyone. Ericughed and said, "Aww, aren''t you are puppy" Cameron also led and said, "Lilc, do you?" Lric said, "What?" Cameron said, "Do you have a crush?" Eric was stunned for a moment, then he also shook his head and said, "I''m dedicated to design and haven''t considered this issue for the time being. Cameron smiled without saying anything, thinking that Eddie should be the exception among all the men When Bradley came back, he saw Eric and Cameron chatting happily. "What are you talking about?" he asked curiously. Cameron said, "We''re talking about people we have crushes on. Brad, do you have someone?" Eric was shocked, and then he praised Cameron''s straightforwardness in his heart, Eric stared at Bradley curiously, wanting to know if he would confess to the person he had a crush on, Bradley was slightly stunned, then he shook his head and said, "No." Eric thought "What an untruthful boy" Cameron smiled and said, "Eric, look, Brad doesn''t have one either." Eric smiled and said, "It''s normal that you don''t have someone you like secretly now." In the evening, the chefs prepared an outdoor barbecue in the kitchen. The temperature on the mountain was cooler than that at the foot of the mountain. Sitting by theke at night, even with a barbecue grill, it was very refreshing Under the starry sky, Eric raised his ss and said, "I''ll boast with water instead of wine, wishing you both excellent performance in the SAT." Cameron and Bradley raised their sses to thank Eric. Eric gave them a meaningful look. Early the next morning, Leanne came to pick up Eng. She didn''t even enter the castle and just sent a message to Eric at the gate saying she hade to pick him up. Eric had just finished breakfast. He stood up and said, ¡°Leanne is here, Brad. go first. You take the exam well." Bradley and Cameron stood up together. ave to se Erik said, "You guys don''t have to see me of go out by mysell. You eat slowly." Bradley said, "I''d better see you off" However, he pressed Cameron''s shoulder and said, "I''ll go send Eric off. You stay here." Cameron was a bit confused, Hearing this, Eric paused in his steps. Bradley was still guarding against Leanne, There are thousands of beautful women in the world. When Cameron poes to college, there will be even more beautiful women. By thin be able to prevent Cameron from meeting stunning gl Cameron waved to Eric and said, "Goodbye, Eric "Goodbye." Eric smiled and nodded. radley sent him to the gate. "Mr. Bradley Saunders." Leanne greeted politely. Bradley nodded, Eric said, "Go back. I''ll tell you alter i get off the ne." Bradley patted him on the shoulder and said, "Eric, take care of yourself in a foreign country." Eric smiled and said, "Got it. I''ve been there for three years. It''s no problem." In the blink of an eye, it was the day before the SAT, On the morning of June 6th, the advisory teachers of each ss began to provide psychological counseling to the students, telling everyone not to worry too much. Even if they failed the SAT, it didn''t mean their lives were a failure. Cameron was directly invited into the principal''s office. William specially hired a psychologist for Cameron to help her relieve the tension before the exam. After the psychologist counseled for a while, he smiled and said, "You have a good attitude. I think you don''t need counseling anymore." Cameron said, "Doctor, please continue to counsel me. I still feel a little nervous." This was all for show in front of William to make him feel at ease, AD Comment My k 461 The psychological counseling took the whole morning "Cameron," as soon as the psychologist left. William immediately leaned forward and asked, "How are you feeling?" Cameron smiled and said, "Thank you, dir. I''m doing well and feeling relvend." William was satisfied and said, ¡°Good. Take a good rest this afternoon, go to bed early tonight, and do your best tomorrow!" Cameron made a cheering gesture and said, "Got it" It was past twelve o''clock when she came out of the principal''s office. Cameron went to the cafeteria for lunch alone Xander circled her ssroom door but didn''t see her. He asked Elijah, but Elijah ignored him coldly, which made ander furious. Unable to find Cameron, Xander had to have lunch with Tyrell and the others. Regarding the fact that Cameron had stayed at Bradley''s house instead of hisst weekend, Xander hade up with countless excuses for her all weekend. Finally, he convinced himself to forgive Cameron When he returned to school, it was as if nothing had happened. After lunch, Cameron went back to the dorm, and Elijah also came back, "Cameron," Elijah walked toward her with a notebook and a stationery pouch. "You weren''t in ss this morning, so I wrote down the precautions. Mr. Graham mentiofied. Take a look." Elijah then handed her a file bag and said, "Additionally, here''s the stationery prepared for you. You just need to remember to bring your ID and admission ticket." Cameron smiled and said, "Thank you, Elijah. You''re so thoughtful" He seemed cold on the surface, but in reality, he was very kind-hearted. Elijah smiled and said, "You''re wee." Then he asked, "There''s no ss this ahernoon. What are you nning to do?" Cameron said, "I''m not sure. Maybe just kill time in the dorm." After a moment of silence, Elijah smiled and said, "That''s fine." Cameron said, "We can kill time together." -Elijah said, "Okay" Austin pushed open the door and saw that Cameron had returned. He smiled and called out, "Cameron," Austin had been in a particrly good mood these days because tomorrow was the SAT. He would finally be free from Samuel''s control and was about to be liberated. Austin''s handsome face was filled with a confident smile, Cameron said, "Aus, you look in a great mood." Austin smiled and said, "I can finally stop being so tense every day, Everyone must be happy, too. ? Cameron nodded. She was also happy. William had promised her a bonus of three million dors. Once she got the bonus, she would first pay back Bradley. She felt really sorry for owing Bradley so much money Xander also came back shortly after Seeing Cameron in the dorm, ha Cameron said, "Mr. Drake wanted to see me Why ask so?" Xander said, "it''s thest lunch belete the 541. I wanted to have it with you, but t couldn''t find you." Cameron was a bit speechless. She thought, "Is this really that important? Since when did der care so much about rituals? Austin said, "We can have a gathering tonight. It might be hard for us to meet again after the SAT Austin was naturally referring to Kander and the others, Cameron was now his most important person, and they would certainly meet often in the future Xander snapped his fingers and said, "That''s a good idea. Let''s have a gathering tonight." Elijah objected, saying. "The SAT is tomorrow. It''s better to spend today safe and sound." Xander red at him and said, "Why do you always contradict me?" "What''s going on?" Bradley entered the room. My k 462 No Ads Chapte 462 Cameron asked Bradley, "Brad, do you want us to have dinner together tonight". Bradley shook his head and said, "I think we''d better do that after the SAT Xander said, ¡°It''s two against two, Cameron, what''s your opinion?" Cameron said, "I also want to spend today quietly" If they were going to party, they could take their time after the SAL Xander wasn''t very happy, but he didn''t contradict Camerons and instead obeyed her idea-after all, it was just a few days of waiting. Xander asked Cameron, "Can you tutor me this afternoon?" Cameron said, "Give me a break. I don''t want to do anything on thest afternoon of my high school life." Xander said, ¡°Then what are you going to do?" Elijah said, ¡°He said he doesn''t want to do anything." Xander red at Elijah and said, "I didn''t ask you." Austin said, "Okay, Elijah, Xander, stop arguing. We might not even see each other after this, so let''s leave some good memories" Xander said, "It would be better if we didn''t see each other." Elijah said, "I think so. Austin was speechless-it was impossible for these two not to quarrel when they were together. Cameron and Bradley exchanged a smile. They felt that even their arguments would be good memories after many years. In the afternoon, everyone in Room 316 tacitly didn''t go out Cameron went to the school supermarket to buy some snacks, the opened a game and asked, "Want to y a game?" Xander looked surprised and said, ¡°Cameron, you can y this game?" Cameron nodded. Austin took out his phone and said, "I''ve yed it before, but not often. I''m not so good at it now, is that okay?" Xander patted his chest and said, "I''ll carry you to victory," Austin smiled and said, "Okay, Xander, I''m counting on you." While eating snacks, Cameron asked Elijah, who was also eating snacks beside her, "Do you know this game?" Elijah nced at Cameron''s phone screen and said, "I''ve never yed it, but I can try" Xander said, "If you''ve never yed, don''t join * Elijah said, ¡°lean learn." Then he took out his phone and started downloading the game app Cameron asked Bradley, "Brad, have you yed this before?" Bradley smiled and said, "asionally, Cameron abe another potato chip and said, "Wright, let''s y as five us and wait for Elijah to download the game. So, about ten minutester, Room 315 had is fist collective game sessio Xander looked at Elijah with disdain and said, "Someone can''t y, so we can only fight against robots. So boring." Cameron said, "Stop talking nom nonsense, Xander, Which character are you ying?" Xander raised his chin and said, "Of course, the coolest character," Cameron asked Austin, "Aus, what about you" Austin said, "Since Xander will lead us to win, y a supporting character." Bradley asked, "Cameron, what about you?" Cameron said, "I''m fine with any." Then she said to Elijah, "Let''s coordinate with each other." Elijah had just downloaded the game, and the system only gave him a few characters. He couldn''t y any of them well, so choosing any was the same Everyone selected their characters and waited to enter the game. Xander said proudly, "Watch me y." At the same time, Samuel, who was working at Fraser Group, looked up from a pile of documents and said, "If i remember correctly, the SAT is tomone right?" Lucas nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Fraser." Samuel put down his pen, crossed his arms, and said with a fierce expression, "Excellent, Cameron broke my ribs, so I''ll ruin his future." Upon hearing this, Lucas immediately tensed up and said, "Mr. Fraser, you''ve just recovered from your injuries. Can we temporarily not provoke Cameron?" Samuel said disdainfully, "What are you afraid of? I won''t even show up this time, but I must not miss this perfect opportunity Lucas still persuaded him, "But what if¡ª" His worries were understandable. After all, Samuel had been defeated by Cameron several times. Samuel said impatiently, "Just follow my orders. Or do you want to take my position?" Lucas o quickly shook his head and said, "Mr. Fraser, don''t be angry. We''ll do as you say." In Room 316, after ying a few rounds of the game, Elijah figured out the game''s rules. After starting a new round, he said, "I''ll y the character Xander used earlier." Xander looked at him sideways and said, "Are you serious? Don''t be ridiculous." Austin said, "Xander, Elijah is probably serious.. Elijah said calmly, "Xander, actually, it''s Cameron who''s been carrying us to win. Where do you get the confidence to pretend to be a gaming expert. Xander said, "That''s because you''re too bad. You can''t wins without someone leading you Cameron ate a potato chip and said, "It''s thest afternoon-stop arguing. Xander, what''s the problem with letting jah y Elijah had already tried differelt characters, so it would be good to by a new one, Xander frowned and said, "Fine, whatever." Although he only yed this character when he yed the game, since Cameron asked him to let Elijah try, he reluctantly agreed Bradley just held his phone and watched themugh and make a fuss with a smile. He would apany them for thest afternoon The game continued. Elijah had a strong learning ability. From being bad at the beginning and not understanding the rules, heter yed well. When Xander saw he was doing well, he stopped criticizing. At six o''clock, everyone went to the cafeteria for dinner. As the five walked along the campus avenue to the cafeteria, Xander scanned the group and said, "Isn''t this the same as my proposal to have a gathering in the cafeteria?" Cameron was speechless. Austin smiled and said, "You do have a point." Elijah and Bradley didn''t chime in. For dinner, Cameron only ordered a te of pasta. Xander held his te, looked at the big chicken leg on it, and frowned, saying, "Cameron, is that all you''re eating?" Cameron nodded. Xander said, "Here, take my chicken leg "Don''t." Cameron immediately picked up her te to prevent Xander from putting the chicken leg from his te into hers. Elijah said calmly. "Cameron has mysophobia" Xander red at him and said, "I don''t need you to remind me." Everyone knew Cameron had mysophobia, but he was the only one who knew that Cameron was cross-dressing as a boy. Xander hummed a few songs in a good mood. Austin looked at Xander curiously, wondering why he was in such a good mood after arguing with Elijah. AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 463 Austin looked at the te in front of Bradley and said. "Brad, we you also having pasta? Can you get full?" Bradley nodded. "I ordered arge portion." He was almost done eating Austin said, "I should have ordered pasta instead. Xander said, "Are you a a copycat? Why do you have to do whatever others do?" Austin didn''t respond. Cameron frowned and said, "Can you stop attacking people as soon as y 3 you open your mouth" Xander said, "I''m not attacking him." It was the truth, after all Cameron lowered her head to continue eating pasta, not wanting to argue with Xander But she thought again that since they wouldn''t be in the same school as Xander in the future, it it wouldn''t hurt to be more tolerant toward him. Because Cameron was standing up for him, Austin smiled. Bradley finished eating first. He went to return his dishes and came back to sit down, then looked at Cameron Cameronate in an unusually refined manner, too refined for a boy. Seeing Bradley staring at Cameron, Xander felt a sudden sense of unease. "Brad, why are you looking at Cameron?" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and said, "Then look at you instead." Xander was instantly at a loss for words Cameron stood up with her te and said, "I''m done eating. You guys take your time." She ced her dishes at the recycling station and turned to lear the cafeteria. Elijah caught up and asked the question he''d asked many times before. "Cameron, are you nervous?"_ Cameron said, "I''m okay. Are you nervous?" Elijah said, "I''m not nervous either." Since the SAT was tomorrow, the lower grades were on holiday, making the huge school feel empty. "Want to take a walk on the yground?" Elijah suggested. He felt tired after ying games all afternoon, more tired than studying. Cameron nodded and said, "Sure, let me call everyone together." Elijah jah fell silent. He hadn''t wanted to call everyone, but since Cameron did, he naturally respected her choice. Soon, everyone arrived. The five of them sat side by side at the highest step, watching the students still exercising on the yground. The weather was beautiful tonight, with stars filling the sky "Looks like it''ll be hot tomorrow. Everyone should prepare some ice water," Austin said:" Xander looked up and said, "I don''t need it, I''m stronger than all of you" Austin''s gaze crossed over Xander to look at Cameron sitting in the middle. "Cameron, do you want some? I can bring you a bottle" Cameron said, "Thanks" Xander said, "Then bring me a bottle, ten Elijah said. "Didn''t you just say you didn''t want a Kander said. "I didn''t ask you," Austin said, "Alright, I''ll prepare a bottle of ice water for everyone in the dorm" No one spoke again, just sitting together in silence. Bradley quietly looked up at the sky. This was thest time he''d sit here and look at the school''s sky during high school this depe of his life was finallying to an end, and he felt fulfilled. Elijah was filled with hope because Cameron was also interested in medicine. Aber high school, they''d have four years of college together Cameron looked at the sky happily, thinking, ''Every day loxperience now is one I never got to live in my past life. Every day is a Austin smiled because he was about to start a new chapter in his life. Only Xander kept stealing nces at Cameron. After the SAT, he''d finally be able to do what he''d always wanted to do My k 464 The five of them sat in the night fee ten hour. No one spoke, yet none felt hored These remaining moments of high school were unenj edly pretions. Nearing 9:30 P5, they finally rose to return to the doutory for washing and rest. Camerony in bed with an eye mask on, unable to sleep. She turned over Bradley spoke up, "Cameron, can''t you sleep ved the eye mask. "Not really the The room lights were off, with only outdoor streetlights filtering through the ss, Xander said, "Funny, me too. Cameron, are you nervous? Mr. Drake must''ve pressured you too much. So what if you don''t get first ce?" Elijah interjected, "Cameron can nailit". Xander retorted, "I know he can. I was just trying to help him rx. Since when did you get a say?" Austin sighed. "Xander, Elijah, you both mean well, so stop bickering" Cameron said simply. "Let''s just go to sleep" Early the next morning, a soft knock rapped on Room 316''s door It was SAT day. Bradley skipped his run but still rose early. Hearing the knock, he put down his book to open the door, surprised to see Tiana smiling outside. "Did I wake you?" Tiana asked softly. Bradley said, "Ms. Murphy, they''re still asleep. What''s this about?" Tiana held up both hands, full of breakfast bags. "Those are your breakfasts. Mr. Drake insisted I deliver them to your dorm." Bradley quickly took them. "Thank you." Tiana smiled. ¡°You''re wee. Let Cameron choose first, okay?" Bradley nodded, and Tiana lett. He set the breakfast down. "Wake up, everyone. Mr. Drake sent breakfast for Cameron-and us too." Thanks, Cameron!" "What''s for breakfast?" One by one, they rose, washed up, and ate. It was only 7:00 AM when they finished, with 30 minutes left before the 7:30 AM assembly on the ygroun Bradley answered a phone call openly in the room. "Hi, Mom. Yes, I ate. You came? I said you didn''t need to Okay, I''lle out now Cameron, organizing her stationery, looked up. "Your family''s here?" 21:47 Wed 4 Jun Bradley nodded, "My whole family, Utold them not to, but they arrivedst night." Elijah said, "Brad, you love such a big family Temy that." 1. Unlike Bradley, Elijah''s home was always cold and quiet Bradley smiled. His parents were een indeed affectionate. He grabbed his stationery and i Xander stroked his chat, "I wish my parents had more kids... Nah, they''d just fight me for the inheritance, Only child''s life is better Austin smiled silently, agreeing. Being an only child in a wealthy family meant nopetition for assets. Cameron said nothing. Though she had many rtives, she''d never known family warmth The group arrived at the pickup spot. William waited these, smiling "Just do your best." Cameron smiled back. "will" The exam venue was a venue was a high school ten minutes from Langford Academy. Departing now would get them there on time Cameron boarded the bus and sat down. Xander quickly plopped down beside her. Austin and Elijah paused, then took front seats. Bradley boarded just before departure. Cameron nodded slightly to him. The five were in separate exam rooms. After exiting the bus, they split to find their venues. Kander turned to Cameron, "Good luck, Cameron!" Cameron smiled. "You too." Xander grinned. "Got it!" The first morning cam was reading. Though Cameron hated leaving early, she''d finished ages ago and checked her paper twice. ?? Finally, she submitted 30 minutes early-the only one in her room to do so. The SAT was a culmination of years of study, no one dared take it lightly. Stepping out of the ssroom, Cameron nearly collided with Willd. Wim checked his watch, startled. "There''s still half an hourt Why leave early?" Cameron stayed silent, unsure how to respond. William softened his tone. "How was the paper? Hard?¡± Cameron said, "I could handle it." William froze, unsure if that meant easy or difficult. Cameron added, "You should go ahead. I''ll grab a drink, William hesitated but didn''t follow. With more examsing, he couldn''t pressure her. Cameron bought a soda and waited for everyone to finish-they''d return by bus together. Half an hourter, they boarded again. ssmates immediately started debating answers, though it was pointless for reading "That Moby-Dick analysis wors boutal Lucky Tread it, or Edhie fated? Xander, sitting diagonally from Cameron, pripped, "Can you shut up Mentioning the exam annoyed him. He'' He knew he''d bombed liter (the book and rambled Thorugh the intam fn''t get into a good rotege, he''d let Cam¨¦n So, he avoided sitting beside her, fearing she''d ask about his performance, Elijah sat next to Cameron. "Paper wasn''t too hard, right?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah. The Moby Dick question might be hard for most students, though? Elijah sighed. "True. That question was tough. Austin chimed in, Bradley said, "Let "Let it go. Rx before math" Soon, the next exam began As Cameron entered, a ssmate spilled carameltte on her arm. "Sorry, did it burn you?" the boy apologized profusely. Cameron frowned but shook her head. With five minutes till the exam, she needed to clean her sticky arm. Standing outside the restroom, she hesitated men''s or women''s? Her ID now listed female, but dressed as a boy, entering the women''s room risked being called a pervert She chose the men''s room. After all, only examiners checked IDs; others didn''t know her secret. Inside, the washed the stain. Turning around, she found herself surrounded by five boys her age. Cameron frowned. "Move, please." "Grab him," the tallest boy barked, Four others closed in, Cameron stepped back. "What do you want?" by sneered. "You''ll see," the tall boy Cameron warned, "You''re SAT students, too. Don''t ruin your futures" The boy scoffed, "We''re not ruining ours; we''re suihing yours!" Their employer had called Cameron a tough opponent, but the slim, unassuming boy before them didn''t fit the description. This would be easy mon Cameron snapped, "Samuel sent you, didn''t he?" He was the only enemy that could be so active. She thought Samuel had learned his lesson, but he actually targeted her on the SAT day. 21:47 Wed, 4 Jun "Who''s Samuel? We just hate your guts," the boy lied. "Hold him down make it They weren''t worried With the exam starting, no one woulde to me to the restroom Cameron asked coldly. "How do you n to stop me?". "Simple. Keep you from taking the exam," the boy said. Her eyes hardened. "That would ruin my future," Missing a an exam would devastate her scores, She cracked her wrists. "Come at me all of you." "Arrogant brat! Go!" the boy hissed. They were risking. After taking care of Cameron, they still have to take the SAT Four boys charged. Cameron kicked the first into a wall, then flipped another over her shoulder. Both copsed in pain. The remaining two froze. The tall boy was stunned. Their employer had been right. This "weak" boy was a fighter. Cameron said tly, "Come on. I have an exam to take." The tall boy snapped out of it, pulling a spray from his pocket. One mist would knock her out for 30 minutes. in was cruel to make her watch herself miss the exam. SAT allowed the students to enter the test site in 15 minutes. Samuel''s n My k 465 Cameron gave a disdainful smile at the spray the tall boy took out, which enraged him. "You''ll soon learn the consequences of offending me!" With that, the tall boy aimed the spray at Cameron and pressed hard. In the split second before the spray came out, Cameron swiftly grabbed his wrist and violently bwisted it around. The spray that should have hit Cameron instead hit the tall boy''s face. A strange aroma filled the air. The spray worked quickly. After a few seconds of stunned silence, the tall boy copsed to the ground. Cameron only got a tiny whift and felt a felt a moment st of dizziness. The other four stood frozen, clueless about what had just happened. Cameron quickly snatched the bottle from the unconscious boy''s hand, sprayed each of the remaining four in the face, and they too p promptly passed OUL She wiped her fingerprints off the bottle, stuffed it back into the tall boy''s hand, then stood up and let the restroom expressionlessly. At the door, Cameron looked back These five would miss today''s math exam. Missing one subject, no matter how well they did in others, would tank their total score and surely impact their lives significantly. If she hadn''t been reborn, she would be the one missing the math exam today, her life thrown off track. This was the consequence of their unscrupulous pursuit of money. Cameron grabbed her admission ticket and returned to the ssroom. She entered ten minuteste, so the two proctors conducted a thorough check on her, but found nothing amiss. "You should watch the time, Kids these days have no sense of punctuality. This is the most important moment of your life,¡± said an elderly female teacher Cameron said, "Sorry, I had to use the restroom She took her seat, scanned the paper, and then began writing The earlier incident didn''t stop her from finishing early. Cameron still handed in her paper half an hour ahead of time. William waited outside with a smile. "Why did you finish early again?" Cameron said, "I''m confident" William smiled. "I know. So am I. But inwardly, he sighed, wishing she''d double check more. Yet all he could do was force a smile-he couldn''t risk affecting Cameron''s mood for tomorrow''s exam. Her state of mind mattered more than anything. Cameron smiled and went to wait by the bus for the others to finish. She was the fir first to board, followed shortly by Elijah. Elijah had also handed in early Seeing Cameron there, he wasn''t surprised. This year''s math paper was surely a breeze for her. Cameron smiled. "Elijah, you finished early, too!" Elijah nodded. "Except for thest bonus question, which I''m not 10016 sure about, the rest was fine In math, you either know it or you don''t. Students stuck on a problem would just waste ari So Elijah had left the test site early. Cameron nodded. "How did you solve thest question?" hour sitting there. AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 466 two exchanged problem solving ideas Ebjah''s eyes lit up. "Oh, so that''s how it is?" Cameron smiled. "Looks like you''ll lose ten points." Uljahughed, too. "I don''t have the skills for a perfect score anyway." Cameron said, "Sometimes luck matters, but your score is already high enough" Elijah nodded and asked, "One more exam this afternoon. Do you feel pressured now?" Cameron said. "I''m okay" Elijah nodded. "The Writing and Language section is where scores get separated. If you ace this one, you''ll definitely be first in this year''s SAT" Cameron just smiled, propped her hands behind her head, and looked out the bus window at the scenery. Students gradually finished their exams and boarded the bus. Austin, Bradley, and Xander all got on. "So hard. This year''s math paper was really tough," one ssmate sighed. "If you all think it''s hard, then it''s normal for a PE student like me to struggle," said Xander, who had struggled to finish the paper. He had a hunchheld bombed math, so hearing othersin made him feel better. Austin smiled. "Yeah, Xander, I thought it was tough too." Bradley sat diagonally across from Cameron. "My parents are waiting outside the school and want to have dinner with everyone. Do you guys have time?" Xander said, "Let''s do it after the SAT" That''s how they''d rejected him yesterday. Bradley said, "My parents rarelye to Viremont. They just want to have a meal with you, Cameron." After today''s exams, each ss would have its own celebration. If Room 316 wanted to gather after graduation, they''d need to schedule another time. Cameron said, "Okay" Xander whipped his head around to stare at Cameron, nearly popping his eyes out. She''d refused yesterday but changed her mind today. Xander was jealous of how well Cameron treated Bradley. Bradley said, "Our whole dorm can go together lijah also agreed. "Brad, shall we go right after getting off the bus?" Austin nodded. Elijah Bradley nodded, "Eat early and rest up-we still have an exam this afternoon." Xander putted up like a balloon, shrinking into his seat without saying yes or no. In the end, Xander followed Cameron to the school gate to meet Bradley''s family. Except for the youngest, least popr sister and Eric, who was studying abroad, the entire Saunders family was there. Their luxury cars lined up in a row. "Hey, Cam, Hde with mel Eddie leaned against a red Ferrari, grinning end waving at Cameron Cameron nodded to him. Bradley brought his roommates quer and gave a quick introduction. "Mom, Dad, Grandma, these are Cameron, Elijah, Xander, and Austin- Bradley''s mother, Beth Saunders, wore a dark purple dress and smilled gently. "Everyone in the cars first. We can get to know each other better at the restaurant Bradley''s father, Frederick Saunders, looked imposing but showed goodwill. "Please, everyone, get in the cats" Cameron chose Eddie''s car since she know him better. As soon as Cameron got into the backseat, Xander squeezed in after her, which annoyed her slightly. Austin also opened the passenger door and got in. Eddie smiled widely. "I didn''t expect to be this popr, Right, Cam?" Cameronughed. "You really are popr" Hearing her call Eddie by his first name, Xander frowned. "You two are that close?" AD Comment Send My k 467 Cameron trust have been on familiar terms with Eddie to call him by his first name. Not only did Cameron take Bradley''s side, but she was actually so close with his family, Xander''s heart grew heavier by the minute. Eddie smiled and said, "Of course, we''ve met so many times aber all fight, Cam?" Cameron nodded helplessly and said. ¡°Yeah" Hearing Eddie call her "Cam" made Xander even more mummymil. He was very displeased to Find Bradley''s family getting along so well with Cameron, so he kept silent and just frowned. Cameron didit even nce at his sour face. Austin was also surprised that Cameron was so familiar with Bradley''s family, but his emotions weren''t as obvious as Xander''s. A faint smile still hung on Austin''s face. He said, ¡°Eddie, can I call you that too!" While driving, Eddie replied, ¡°Sure." all boys. How many kids are there in Austin asked curiously, "Eddie, your family has so many members-I''m getting a bit confused, and it seems like all boys. How many total?" Eddie said, "Eight kids in total, seven sons and one daughter," Eddie didn''t even want to mention that sister. Austin said with slight astonishment, "Eight?" Eddie smiled and said, ¡°Yeah, eight. My parents are deeply in love. Besides, my mom is very fertile, and her body is well-suited for childbearing, so we have a few more kids." Cameron said, "I notice Mrs. Saunders has a well-maintained figure and skin." Generally, people who had too many children didn''t stay in good health, as each pregnancy and childbirth took a toll on the mother''s body Eddie proudly raised his eyebrows and said, "Of course! My mom is a famous beauty in our area. It wasn''t easy for my dad to chase her Then they started chatting freely. The atmosphere in the car was lively, except for Xander, who crossed his arms, looked out the window, and sulked in silence. Noticing this, Eddie smiled and asked, "Why isn''t this young brother talking? In a bad mood?" Xander said, "I didn''t do well in math." Eddie then warmlyforted him with a few words. Elijah followed Bradley into Frederick and Beth''s car, Elijah was naturally quiet, and he had even less to say in the presence of elders. Fortunately, Frederick and Beth didn''t ask too many questions. The car stopped at the entrance of Steerfall''s most luxurious star-rated hotel The group got out of the car and went straight to the second-floor restaurant. Frederick had reserved arge private room that could amodate thirty people, so it felt very spacious for their group of over ten Austin immediately spotted Reginald in the crowd. His elegance was simply unforgettable. Austin walked over happily, extended his hand to Reginald, and said, "Hello, Mr. Reginald Saunders! I grew up watching your movies and Ty "Hello." Reginald raised his hand but didn''t shake Austin''s. Bradley shook Austin''s hand and exined, Please excuse him. He has mysophobis but keep as pinyin for literal cleanliness obsession) and physical contact with others." Austin smiled and said, "I understand." ir seats. After Bradley introduced his roommates to his brothers, everyone finally took their Elijah envied, "Brad, you have such a big family. That''s so cool." Both his parents were workaholics. After giving birth to him and his sister during their busy schedules, they simply left them in the care of butlers and servants That''s why Elijah had a cold disposition. The Saunders family clearly seemed like a loving big family, which made Elijah extremely envious. ? y k 468 hapter 468 Xander naturally didn''t share Elijah''s feelings as he''d also grown up under his parents'' doting care. All his parents'' affection had been poured solely on him. So Xander couldn''t understand why Fajah had said that. He just sat there with his arms crossed. Frederick looked at him, wearing a faint smile, "Kander, I didn''t expect we''d meet in such a sering Frederick looked at him, wearing a faint smile, "Kander, didn''t expect we''d meet in such a setting: Only then did Xander rein in his emotions and call out, "Uncle Frederick, nice to meet you." Frederick stared at Cameron for a long while. "Young man, what''s your name? I feel like I''ve seen you somewhere before." Frederick thought Cameron''s face looked somewhat familiar, but with so many peopleing and going in his business circle every day, he really couldn''t recall when he''d met Cameron. Cameron politely stood up and said, "Hello, I''m Cameron, I don''t think we''ve met before This was also the first time Cameron had seen Frederick. Frederick motioned for Cameron to sit down. "Maybe I remembered wrong" Beth looked at Cameron gently. "You''re such a delicate-looking boy-your skin looks better than a girl''s." Women tended to notice such details. Cameron smiled. "Thank you. Your skin is very good too." Bethughed. "You have a sweet tongue, too." Meanwhile, Samuel had just finished a meeting and walked out of the conference room. He immediately turned to Lucas and said, "Go ask me how things are going over there?" "Over where?" Lucas wasn''t as quick-thinking and didn''t react immediately. Samuel red at him. "What do you think?" Lucas quickly caught on. "Yes, Mr. Fraser." "Wait" once they returned to the office, Samuel said, "Call them in front of me and put it on speaker." "Okay" Lucas closed the door and dialed the tall guy''s number. It rang for a long time before the other side picked up. s could speak, the tall guy''s angry "How dare you call us? You ruined our futures! Five of us missed an exam-how are you going to fix this?" Before Lucas could sp voice came through the phone. Samuel snatched Lucas'' phone and hung up. "Useless!" Samuel thought those people had no right to demand solutions when they''d failed the job. Samuel throw the phone back to Lucas with a dark face. "Get a new SIM card. This matter ends here!" Lucas said, "Yes, Mr. Fraser." Chapter 468) He''d already warned Samuel not to provoke Cameron Thankfully, Samuel hadn''t intervened personally, or offending Cameron would''ve caused real trouble. And this time, they''d been smart enough not to reveal any of their own information to the other side, instead giving over sixty thousand in cash ta deposit. Now that the n had failed, no one could trace it back to Samuel.. Samuel stood by the floor-to-ceiling window with his hands on his hips. He felt so annoyed. "If can''t get him this time, I still have so many chances. We''ll settle our scores slowly, one by one," he murmured. Samuel could forgive neither taking Pearl from him nor breaking his ribs. He would make sure Cameron paid the price. Bradley''s parents warmly hosted his four roommates, After dinner, they drove Cameron and the others back to school. Austin smiled and said, "Brad, your family is amazing." Bradley epted thepliment about his family, "Thanks." My k 469 Cijah said, ¡°Such a big baily, always lively and cheerful every day to happy Bradley patted Elijah''s shoulder. "Elijah, I can tell you really envy us. I think if you get married early and have mara kids, you can Ove this kind of t Juhim too." Ekjah was a bit speechless. He felt that getting married and having kids was still too early for him. But Elijah had actually thought about Bradley''s proposal before, in the future, he definitely wanted to have more children to keep his home from being too deste Since Xander had been treated by Bradley''s parents, he said, "Brad, your brothers are all so outstanding" They seemed to be leaders in various industries. Although Bradley hadn''t introduced his brothers in detail, Logan often mentioned the Saunders family''s sons to Xander, always with an envious expression Bradley nodded. "They are amazing, and they''re my role models Cameron said, "Brad, no wonder you''re so awesome-turns out your family is all so incredible." vsmiled. "Thanks." Bradleys Xander rolled his eyes. Osborne''s business acumen had made him a stable presence in the business world at a young age. Reginald had be a film emperor while still young Eric was still a college student but had founded a listed fashionpany. Yet Cameron praised Bradley for being outstanding Compared to his brothers, Bradley was nothing special in Xander''s eyes. Xander was extremely annoyed that Cameron always took Bradley''s side. But even though he was annoyed, Xander just rolled his eyes and didn''t say a word. There was still an exam in the afternoon. After returning to the dorm, everyone didn''t chat much-some read and reviewed, while othersy down to The afternoon exam was Writing and Language, and Cameron still finished early and handed in her paper. William smiled at her and said, "It''s all over. How do you like it?¡± Cameron smiled. "It''s good, I guess." William didn''t pressure her and just nodded. ¡°Alright, now that the exams are over, you should rx property" Scores wouldn''te out for half a month Cameron smiled and waved to him, still waiting for her ssmates on the bus. Sitting in the bus, she watched as more and more students filled the outside. Realizing her high school career was ending, Cameron couldn''t quite describe how she felt. She was just moving from one stage to another, And as lonely person, yo matter what she still had to keep living Soon, h also finished the exam and came out. He smiled and said, "It''s done" Cameron said, "You sound like you did well," Elijah said, ¡°It''s my normal performance." Cameron nodded. Bradley came out third. He smiled and asked Cameron, "Now that the SAT is over, how do you y to spend the next few months?" Cameron thought for a moment and said, "I''m going to get a part time job" Bradley said, "A part-time job?" Cameron smiled and nodded. The pharmaceuticalpany she had asked David to set up had beenpleted after more than a month. Now thepany was very small, with only around twenty people. In the startup phase, Cameron still wanted to check it out. Anyway, she would be free after the SAT. Elijah was also surprised by Cameron''s answer. "Cameron, you don''t need to work, do you? Did you forget the bonus William promised you?" §ï My k 470 No Ads Cameronughed and said, "Of course I remember, But that bonus isn''t enough to spend all need to find a part ima Cameron nned to return the entire bonus to Bradley and slowly pay back the rest of the money. Elijah was somewhat speechless. Three million dors wasn''t "not enough to spend that was enough for an ordinary person to live on for a lifetime. But it was also reasonable for Cameron to want to work. Elijah said, "Cameron, our family''s hospital is always hiring. How about rmend I Cameron shook her head. "Thanks, Elijah, but I''ve already found a job.¡± Xander happened to hear Cameron''s words as he approached and asked curiously, "What jobr Con said, "A part-time job" Xander eximed in surprise, "Who would want a part-time job? Your Cameron nodded. Xander said, "Aren''t you earning enough money with me? Why take a summer job?" Cameron fell silent. Bradley said, "Cameron must have his reasons." Xander said, "What reasons could he have? He just doesn''t have enough money." Bradley raised an eyebrow but said nothing Austin was thest to board the bus. "What are we talking about? Should we go party tonight?" Austin asked excitedly. Elijah said, "Cameron and I have ns." "What ns?" Bradley, Xander, and Austin asked in unison. Xander had never been so in sync with Bradley before. He frowned and nced at Bradley. Elijah said, "A ss activity. Later, the whole ss is going to dinner together, then karaoke As ss president, Elijah had arranged this in advance. This was thest gathering of the whole ss in high school. Even future reunions might never have everyone present like tonight. Cameron asked Bradley curiously, "Brad, doesn''t your ss have ns?" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "I think they do." Austinughed. "Oh, right, my ss has something too." Xander said, "My ss does too." But Xander had wanted to spend the night with Cameron. His ns were ruined. As ssmates gradunty bearded the bus and if filled up, ne vehicle citye back to Langton Academy. At the academy''s main gate, teachers wailed with bouquets of flowers. As students disembarked, each was white roses for the girls: "It''s finally over. Get a good rest," the teachers said to the students. Cameron held a sunflower, a faint smile on herce. Kinder stared at the sunflower in Cameron''s hand and frowned. He wondered, "When will Cameron switch back to wearing women''s clothes?" Otherwise, if he pursued her, others might think he was a pervert. But xander also enjoyed the thrill of being the only one who knew Cameron''s mod important secret Austin leaned over and Said, "Xander, why do you keep staring at Cameron?" Xander''s gaze made Austin uneasy. Xander said, "Because he''s good-looking" Austin fell silent. Everyone in Room 316 was good-looking, so Xander''s excuse didn''t hold up. If Xander was trying topete with him for Cameron, Austin wouldn''t back down. Elijah said coldly, "You won''t have chances to stare anymore." And he, as Cameron''s college schoolmate, would have more time to spend with her Xander red at Lijah. "Who said I won''t have chances?" Just thinking about Cameron possibly bing his girlfriend made Xander''s heart race and his cars turn red. Feeling shy, he quickly ran off Elijah was confused, unsure why Xander was blushing Austin also asked puzzledly. "Why did Xander run off suddenly? Is he angry!" Elijah said indifferently. "Who knows." Suddenly, Bradley''s phone rang in his pocket. He stopped to answer it-it was Beth. "Mom, what''s wrong?" Beth''s voice was anxious. "Brad, have you finished the SAT?" Bradley immediately sensed something was wrong. "Yes. Mom, what''s happening? What''s wrong?" Beth said hurriedly, "Brad, Eric got into a car ident in Fiora and is still unconscious. His ssmates are taking care of him. "Simon needs me here, so I can''t leave. B can you go to Fiora and check on Eric Erst? "I''lle there as soon as I settle Simon, okay? Since Bradley was the only one in the family with free time at the moment, Beth thought of him first. Bradley frome for a moment. "Really? Mom are you sure he got an ident?" Beth said, ¡°Brad, it''s Eric''s tutor who contacted me and sent photos. Can you go to Fiora right away?" Bradley said, "Of course, Mom, don''t panic check on him Beth said, "Okay, po now? "?s your family in trouble, fuad?" Cameron asked with concern, seeing Bradley''s forehand brown Bradley said briefly. "Tric got into a car ident in Fiora and is unconscious. I need to fly to Fiora immediately Elijah said, ¡°Leaving now?" Bradley nodded. "Yes, right now." He needed to go back to the dorm to get his passport. Bradley patted Cameron''s shoulder. "Have fun tonight." He looked at Elijah. ¡°You too, Elijah.¡± With that, Bradley sprinted toward the boys dormitory. "I hope Eric is okay," Cameron murmured. Austin asked, "You know Eric?" Cameron nodded. "I met him once Austin was silent, surprised by how many members of the Saunders family Cameron knew. She and Bradley must have a deep rtionship. Looking at Cameron''s slender back, Austin opened his mouth but said nothing. He would leave Virement for Yazven early tomorrow and might not return for months He wanted to tell Cameron, but after thinking it over, he decided to wait until he came back. On thest night of high school, ss 15, Senior Year reserved six tables at a taco restaurant outside the school. Surrounded by food, ssmates chatted about the past three years, and close friends even shed tears. Cameron and Elijah remained calm, but in such a sentimental atmosphere, even the mostposed people grew emotional Elijah raised his ss. "Cameron, I want to toast you. Thanks for helping me with so many problems for free. Let''s keep in touch. Also, I''m really d to have been your roommate." Cameron clinked sses with him and smiled. "We''re roommates and deskmates-no need to be so formal. Keep in touch Neither hesitated to finish their drinks. Elijah didn''t get too emotional because while other ssmates might truly part ways, he and Cameron still had college ahead. Elijah said, "I''m going to toast the teachers" Cameron nodded. "Go ahead. I''ll join after I finish eating." She was was speaking while eating a taco. After Cameron finished her meal and was about to slowly go toast the teachers, a female ssmate approached her shyly, holding a wine ss, with her friends gently pushing her from behind as if encouraging h ther Cameron was confused, looked back, and confirmed the girl was approaching her, 21:48 Wed, 4 Jun The gut blushed and stood in front of Cameron, dared not look into her eyes. like you." "Wow!" The surrounding ssmates cheered and shouted, "Say yes!". Cameron was was dumped. nourapr to say, "Um, Caseres, L. T When her confession received no response, the girl''s face burned even redder, as if about to bleed. "Cameron, say something" a ssmate urged. To be honest, Cameron was also confused. This was the first time she''d been confessed to by a girl, and she was a girl, too, Cameron smiled and said, "Well, you''re great, but I don''t want to date right now. Thanks for liking me! The girl was rejected. Sh She finally looked up at Cameron and said, "Liking you is my own thing. I know there''s a gap between us, but I''ll work hard" Cameron was at a loss for words After confessing, the girl returned to her seat. Her best friendforted her, "Don''t be sad. Cameron said you''re great-he''s probably still sad about being dumped by Amelia." Now Cameron waspletely speechless While toasting the teachers, Elijah kept an eye on the situation. For some reason, seeing the girl confess to Cameron made him feel slightly annoyed. When the girl left. Elijah called out, "Cameron." He waved to her. Cameron nodded and walked over with her ss. The teachers, fond of Cameron for her significant progress, had endless things to say to her. Xander''s ss was also having a dinner party, but he found it boring Tyrell sat beside him and nudged him with an elbow. "Xander, what are you thinking about?" Xander frowned. "Tyrell, let me ask you-what''s a good gift to give a girl?" Tyrellughed, ¡°No way, Kander? Do you have a crush on someone? Is it Cameron''s sister Milena?" Kander said, "No fucking way." Mentioning Milena made Xander angry. Not only had she lied to him, but she''d also used Cameron''s photos to deceive him. The worst thing was that he''d fallen for it. Just hearing Milena''s name irritated Xander. Tyrell was taken aback, unsure why Xander was suddenly angry. Xander red at him. "Answer me now!" Tyrell, unjustly snapped at, said, "Xander, I''ve ever been in a rtionship before! But my dad always gives my mom clothes, shoes, b like that. She''s always happy when she gets them." Xander said with disdain, "That''s so tacky My k 471 Tyrell stroked his then and said, "Kander, you just don''t get it-glits love this tacky stuff" Xander hesitated, half-believing, "Really!" Tyrell said, "Yeah. Why don''t you ask the girls in our ss what gifts they like?" Xander frowned, "I''m not asking The next moment, Xander stared at Tyrell. "You ask them. Don''t say I told you to Tyrell was speechless Xander pushed him. "Come on, what are you waiting for?" "Alright, alright." Tyrell had no choice but to go As soon as Tyrell lett, a girl immediately approached with a wine ss. After the SAT, everyone was letting loose. Secrets hidden in their hearts might never be spoken if not now. Xander''s handsome looks made him extremely popr at school. Several girls in the ss had long harbored crushes on him, One girl blushed and stepped up to him. "Xander, I like you," she said, biting her lip. Xander paused, then said, "I don''t like you." Rejected sa coldly on the spot, the girl ran off in tears. "Xander, you''re sur such a killjoy," a boy teased. "That''s our ss beauty! You don''t like her?" Xander shrugged. "I just don''t like her. Why should I ept her confession?" The boy was at a loss for words. When other girls saw Xander reject the ss beauty, their eager heghts felt like they''d been sshed with cold water, instantly losing the courage to confess their love to him. If Xander didn''t even like the ss beauty, they had no chance, so they decided not to humte themselves. Meanwhile, Tyrell had gathered the answers. -He returned to Xander. "Xander, Lasked. The girls said the same thing I told you." Xander nodded, but still thought these gifts were too tacky. Cameron probably wouldn''t like such ordinary presents. Tyrell leaned close to Xander. "So, who''s the girl you like?" Xander said, "None of your business. Tyrell thought Kander was being petty. He thought, ''Does Xander think I''ll steal his girlfriend? Ridiculous. She''s not my type." Austin was in an exceptionally good mood today and drank whenever someone toasted him. By the end, he was nearly drunk. Several girls confessed to him, and he politely declined each with tact. just beginning: He had no time for having a girlfriend. Vincent came to fetch him and took him inway directly. Austin had an early fight to Yarven tomorrow. Vincent thought Austin would have self-control, but maybe he''d just been too happy to hold back, There would be plenty more happy days ahead. Amelia had been waiting for tonight for a very long time. Stepping off the bus with her white rose, her heat was soaring. Returning to her rarely-used dorm, she changed into a figure-hugging white dress, tied her long, wony hair into a high ponytail to reveal her dagant swan-like neck. Her already wless face was now adorned with delicate makeup, making her look like a goddess. As she walked out of the girls'' dormitory, she drew everyone''s attention. "Wow, the school queen really lives up to her name-she''s stunning" "Her legs are so long." "So gorgeous. No wonder Cameron used to be her simp ? My k 472 Amelia walked along, leaving ssmates stunned. She was quite satisfied with this Athy expectation lingered in Amelia''s heart. She wondered, Will Bradley also think Tonight, het feelings no longer needed to be hidden but she wouldn''t be the first to cordess her love for him. She had her pride. She''d hint to Bradley and make him speak first, Thinking of that, Amelia couldn''t help smiling However, when she reached the dinner venue, Amelia searched the crowd repeatedly but couldn''t spot Bradley anywhere. She couldn''t help but pretend to ask casually, "Where''s Bradley?" "No idea. Maybe he hasn''t arrived yet?" ssmates were also unaware of Bradley''s abiserice. Amelia''s fingers gently twisted her skirt. A faint worry crept in All night, Bradley never showed up. After much hesitation, Amelia finally took the initiative to send him a text. She had saved Bradley''s number, but since he never messaged her first, the feared seeming too forward, Plus, she''d previously focused more on studies, so they rarely chatted Now, Amelia texted Bradley with anxiety, asking why he''d missed the dinner, but got no reply. She sent another message; still no response. Too worried to wait, she hid in the restroom to call him, only to find his phone was off. After hesitation, Amelia d''aled Cameron''s number. At that moment, Cameron and her ssmates were in a KTV. Cameron stood in the hallway, smiling as she watched Elijah reject a confessing girl. Elijah said coldly, "Sorry, you''re not my type. I don''t want to date right now."" 1. ng. She answered casually, "Hello, who is this?" Cameron''s phone rang. "Cameron, it''s me," Amelia said directly. "Who?" It was noisy, so Cameron didn''t recognize the voice. Amelia said, "This is Amelia." Cameron said, "Oh, Ms. Chapman, What can I do for you?" Cameron still felt grateful to Amelia for her help with Skyler. Amelia asked, "Cameron, do you know where Bradley went? I haven''t seen him all night at the party" Upon hearing this, Cameron understood Amelia''s intention Amelia was likely like other girls, wanting to confess to Bradley tonight, but he''d skipped the party. Cameron said, "Ms. Chapman, Brad had a family matter, so he left early. You can contact himter." Amelia asked, "May I ask what happened?" 15-Chapter 472 Cameron said, "I think you''d better ask Brad yourself" Anve didn''t ask further. "Okay, thank you Cameron said, "You''re wee." She hung up and approached the slightly annoyed Elijah. "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you happy about a girl confessing to you?" Cameron asked with a smile. Elijah said, ¡°I just don''t want to waste time on relevant people and matters. Cameron smiled. "Come on, let''s go sing?" They walked into the karaoke room together. "Elijah''s here, and you stand next to him." A microphone was stuffed into Elijah''s hand. "Cameron, you sing too." Another microphone was thrust into Cameron''s hand. Cameron groaned when she saw the song title on the screen. ? My k 473 No Ads This song was Love Story, a love song-And now Cameron and Elijah were holding the microphones, Both Cameron and Elijah were speechless. The music had already started. They held the microphones and looked at each other. "Dijah, Cameron, sing" their ssmates shouted. Cameron thought. "It''s just a song. Not a big deal. Then she began in sing "Wow! So good!" Cameron''s deep, melodious voice caned the female vocals Elijah stared at her in shock, anked by her singing, but more importantly, it felt so strange for two men to sing a love song After Cameron finished her part, Elijah still stared at her nkly. Cameron whispered, "Elijah, don''t you know this song?" Elijah jolted back to reality. "...I know a little." Cameron gestured to let him go ahead. Though awkward, Elijah finally started singing. "Wow, Mr. Moore sings well too. They''re amazing-good grades, good looks, and now great singing?" a girl shrieked. Cameron continued crooning the cheesy lyrics, while Elijah waspletely dazed. "Whoo!" "Hahaha "Mr. Moore, why are you so stiff?" "Cameron''s amazing After the first verse, Cameron smiled and handed her mic to a girl. The girl was thrilled-singing with Elijah was an honor, But Elijah also passed his mic to someone else. Cameron sat on the sofa, aher a moment''s hesitation, Elijah sat beside her. She smiled and asked, "Why''d you stop?" Elijah admitted, "It felt weird." It was a love song-two guys singing those sappy lyrics just felt odd. Cameron smiled and took a sip of wine. * Elijah did the same. "Cameron, you sing really well" "You too," she said. 18 "Cameron,e y di cel" led: "Coming? Cameron didn''t refuse they''d have fewer chances to meet after this, in the wanted to enjoy the night. By the time Cameron and Elijah left the KTV, it was midnight. Everyone had been drinking. Elijah asked, "You okay? You had a lot." "I hold my liquor," Cameron said. At the school gate, Cameron tried to bike back to the dorm, but Elijah stopped her. "Cameron, you''re drunk." "Fine." Cameron pocketed her phone. "Wall back together?" Elijah nodded. At midnight, even the wind was silent. The two walked through the vast campus without speaking, just moving slowly forward. Elijah looked down and noticed their steps were perfectly in sync. He smiled faintly Cameron said, "Wonder if Xander and Austin are back." If the whole dorm returned at the same time, they''d have to fight over the bathroom. "Not sure," Elijah said. When they reached the dorm, it was dark neither Austin nor Xander was there. Cameron gestured to the bathroom. "Elijah, you go first. I take longer "I''m not tired yet. You go," he said, Cameron had yawned nonstop on the way back, so Elijah wanted her to rest earlier. With another yawn, she said. "Thanks." After showering Cameron went straight to bed. She thought Xander might wake her when he returned, but he never did. Feeling awkward, Xander had avoided facing Cameron and gone back to Tiana''s faculty dorm instead. And so, F...... thest night of high school slipped by The next day, Cameron packed to leave the dorm. She sold all her textbooks to a shop outside school for a few dors. Her only luggage now was a handbag of clothes. Elijah''s butler came to pick him up. "Let me give you a ride. Where are you heading?" he asked Cameron. "Thanks, Elijah, but we''re not on the way. I''ll catch up with youter." She hailed a taxi on the road. Meanwhile, after over ten hours of flying, Bradley finally arrived in Fiora''s capital. *He went straight from the airport to Eric''s hospital. Thanks to speaking Flora''snguage, Bradley found Eric smoothly. 21:48 Wed, 4 Jun 0 Eric tay in bed with a bandaged head, blond faintly th the game. He right leg was in east, fractured His face didn''t look too pale. By the time Hexitley arrived, Eric was awake. Seeing him entei, Eric leigned Surprise. "Brad? What are you doing here?" Madley sat by the bed. "Mom asked me to go here. How do you feel?" Eric grimaced. "Terrible, Biad. My head thinks, my leg hurts-every part of my body "I spoke to your doctor. You''re stable just need rest," Bradley said. "Stable? But I''m in so much paint Brad, maybe you misunderstood the doctor because of thenguage barrier tre said Bradley said, "Don''t worry, Eric, you''re fine. Just test" "Are you here to take care of me? With this leg. I won''t recover for months," said Eric Bradley said, ¡°Perfect timing. I''m free for months after the SAT Eric apologized. "Sorry, Brad. You should be rxing." Bradley shook his head. "It''s okay. As long as you''re sale." He stood up. "I''ll call Mom Once Bradley left, Eric''s face lit up. He''d lied to the whole family just to lure Brad here. Beth was probably worried, but Eric had no choice: Bradley''s life was too important-he had to separate his dear brother from Cameron. Comment My k 474 No AL- Bradley hung up the phone and returned in the hospital ward. Eric pretended to lie weakly in the hospital bed. He said feebly, "Brad, why don''t you go to my house to adjust to the jetg first Bradley looked out the window. The sun was shining brightly. He shook his head and said, "No, it''s broad daylight, I can''t fall asleep¡± Meanwhile, he sat down by the bed and asked, "Eric, do you want some water?" Eric nodded, and then Bradley poured him a ss of warm water, Just then, a blond girl with blue eyes knocked and entered. She looked eighteen or neen years old, with golden hair, blue eyes, delicate features was very beautiful. "Eric, my God, how did you end up like this? She held her face in surprise, looking very cute Eric said extremely weakly, "it was an ident, Jenny. Thank you foring to see me. I''m very touched." Jenny winked at him, then looked at Bradley and asked, "Eric, who is this handsome guy!" Eric said, "My brother Bradley," Eric turned to Bradley and added, ¡°Brad, this is my neighbor Jenny. She''s very cute, and about your ¡°Hi, Bradley. I''m Eric''s friend, Jenny Larson. Nice to meet you," Jenny said with a big smile, stepping forward to hug him. Jenny had been speaking in Fiora''s localnguage. Bradley could understand it. He took half a step back, gesturing to refuse, while greeting her politely. "Hello, Ms. Larson. Nice to meet you too." Jenny was rejected, but she just smiled, shrugged, and yfully winked. Bradley handed the water cup to Eric and said, "Eric, you''re quite popr here. I see there are plenty of people taking care of you." Eric stared at Bradley in shock, Facing such a stunningly beautiful girl, Bradley was actually concerted with such trivial matters Eric couldn''t believe Bradley had no desire to date Jenny at all Bradley was confused by Eric''s expression. "What''s wrong, Eric?" Eric snapped back to reality and said, "I do have many friends. But I feel bad making others take care of me for so long." Bradley nodded and said, "That''s true. It''s okay, I''m free. I''ll take care of you" Eric smiled and said, "Brad, you''re so sweet. Whichever girl marries you in the future will be very lucky." Eric deliberately emphasized ¡°girl," hoping Bradley would soon understand his well-intentioned hint Bradley just smiled. Such a distant problem was thest thing on his mind. Eric froze, wondering if his hint hi hadn''t been obvious enough. Eric ic looked at Jenny, who raised an eyebrow at him. She had a pretty good first impression of Bradley Eric said. "Brad, you''ve had a long flight, and it''s almost lunchtime. Since you''re new here, let Jenny apany you to lunch" 17 Bradley politely nced at Jenny and said, "No need. I can find the restaurant myself. I don''t want to trouble M. Larson Eric suddenly felt a headache. He was creating a chance for Bradley and Jesury to be alone, but Bradley didn''t cherish it at all. Eric suddenly thought. Maybe Jenny is not his type? Does Brad like Cameron because he prefers more androgynous girls? With this thought, Eric prepared himself and then sent Jenny away. He still had two or three months to work on this gradually My k 475 Bradley was truly here to take care of Ers. The kept asking ery now and then if ti od then if i te wanted. ted water or needed in use the restroom. Eric''s lunch was bought back by tradley He fed Eric spoonful by spoonful Eric felt a bit mackward and said, "Bad, im not actually that badly injured yet." Bradley replied, "Mom told me to take good care of you? Eric said, "Wright then? Bradley asked, "Eric, your condition isn''t as serious as i thought. Should I tell theme not toe?" Eric quickly shook his head and said, "No need Damian was a doctor. If he came to Fiora to take care of Eric Eric''s be would definitely be exposed. Damian was extremely honest if he came, all of Eric''s ns would fall apart. Bradley nodded. "Mom wille to see see you with Simon tomorrow Eric said, "Is that hat necessary? Having you here is enough." Bradley said, "You know Mom. With such a big thing as your ear ident, she has toe. And Simon can''t leave her, so they''ll definitelye together." Eric was speechless. He''d only wanted to trick Bradley intoing alone. Making Beth and Simon Ry all the way here made him feel guilty. But now that things were like this, Eric decided to just go with the flow. Cameron took a tad back to the castle and called out, "Pearl." Pearl happily circled around her, then rubbed its fluffy head against her calves Cameron smiled, bent down, and stroked its fluffy head, saying, "We''ll have a lot of time to y together from now on." Pearl seemed to understand and showed a happy expression, After petting Pearl for a while, Cameron put her things down and went straight to the study She hadn''t forgotten that Samuel had tried to stop her from taking the SAT, Now that the SAT was over, she felt it was time to give Samuel a big "return gift. Otherwise, he''d really think she was an easy target. Cameron turned on theputer, her lips slowly curving into a smile. Fraser Group had a crucial partnership today, Samuel was in the conference room negotiating Samuel had prepared the n for almost a month and was confident he''d win over today''s client After a series of exnations, Samuel inserted the USB drive into theputer and pointed to the projector screen, saying "Mr. this is our detailed n" 21:49 Wed 4 Jun Stanley Fisher Inked at the big screen clously, then his expression tried puzzled "Mic, Fraser, is this your n Samuel nodded, ¡°Yes, our n is perfect. You won''t regret choosing in Stanley was so angry heughed. "Perfect Mr. Fraser, so you look down on me this much? How dare you humiliate me like this?" Samuel couldn''t understand why the cooperation n he''d personally supervised had be an insultin Stanley''s eyes. p at the screen, shocked. Fraser Lucas noticed Stanley''s hostile tone and suddenly looked up Lucas quickly pointed at the screen, and Samuel finally turned to look. The next moment, he froze was gone. In its ce was a picture with the insulting words, "I, Samuel, am a pig, and so are His entire month''s worth of work on the cooperation n was you." One nce at this and Samuel nearly exploded with anger. Now he understood why Stanley was furious. Stanley was extremely hard to please. Samuel had spent so much money and effort just to reach this final negotiation stage If the deal fell through today, all his previous efforts would be wasted, and that month would have been aplete waste. Samuel quickly said, "Mr. Fisher, I''m so sorry. I must have taken the wrong Usa. Please wait a moment." Stanley still said unhappily, "Mr. Fraser, it seems you don''t value ourpany. You know we have many options." Samuel forced a smile and said, "it''s a misunderstanding" He then red at Lucas and snapped, "Where''s the n? Where''s my n?" Lucas quickly stood up and clicked on the files in the USB, but the second he opened them, the normal files turned into that insulting picture. Lucas was confused and had no idea what was happening. He tried operating theputer for a while, but the projector screen still showed that pig picture¡ªa moving one, with the text changing colors in bright, eye-aching hues. Seeing Stanley losing patience, Samuel forced a smile at him while asking Lucas coldly, "Are you done yet?" Lucas said intively, "Mr. Fraser, I don''t know what''s going on. The n is clearly in here." But every time he opened it, that infuriating animated picture popped up. Samuel wanted to hit someone, but with Stanley there, he could only hold back and force a smile. Lucas fumbled with theputer for a while longer, but still no luck. Samuel took over, but he couldn''t find the cooperation n either. The picture kept shing like mockery. Samuel''s head ached with anger. Stanley stood up furiously and said, "Mr. Fraser, I think our cooperation is off. Young people really can''t be trusted." "Mr. Fisher, I''m so sorry." Samuel chased after him, but Stanley''s men blocked him, saying, ¡°Mr. Fraser, it''s over. There''s no possibility of cooperation between US * Samuel was shocked. "Damn it!" He kicked the wall hard. Unfortunately, his big toe hit the hard wall, and Samuel grimaced in pain. Stanley left, and the cooperation failed. Not only had Samuel''s month of hard work gone to waste, but thepany would also suffer tens of millions dors in losses. 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun Samuel was furious. He stormed back into the conference mom, grabbed Lucas by the ror, and shouted, "How do you do your job? Why did this happen? Do you know how hard I worked this month? Can you afford the loguest Lucas trembled and said, "Mr. Fraser, the secretary''s office just called. This mimated picture is now on everypoter close it, no matter what they du Samuel''s eyes widened in hores. "The wholepany? How?" Now, everyone in thepany knew he''d been called a pig. Samuel was so angry he wanted to shoot someone Samuel roared, "Where the hell is the IT department? Are they all dead?" Lucas said in terror, "T they said a hacker broke into the system and there''s no solution yet. Samuel raged, "Ahacker? What hacker? Which hacker is so free they''d break into mypany''sputers to call me a p Lucas said cautiously. "Mr. Fraser, have you offended anyone recently?" Samuel shook his head. "Offended anyone? I haven''t" He stopped hallway. He was smart and immediately thought of Cameron. He wondered. ''Did Cameron do this? How dare he insult me like this? Does he not want to live? pany, and no one can Then Samuel realized this was done by a hacker, and Cameron, a high school student, shouldn''t knowputer tech. But he had no idea who else would do such a hateful thing Samuel had lost a big deal today and embarrassed himself in front of the wholepany, He was so angry he wanted to curse, but he didn''t even know who to curse So Samuel took out his anger on poor Lucas¡ªafter all, Lucas earned tens of thousands of dors in monthly sry from him. Cameron was satisfied with her work. She''d hacked into the conference room''s camera and watched Samuel''s reaction. Cameron sneered and said, "Just a little lesson." If Samuel caused her trouble again, she''d show him what she was really capable of She just didn''t have money right now. If she did, she''d directly manipte Fraser Group''s stock and make Samuel regret messing with her. Cameron cleared her tracks before turning off theputer. Even if Samuel knew she''d done it, he couldn''t find evidence-they''d never trace her IP Cameron stretched, and her phone rang. She picked it up and saw the caller was Xander Now that the SAT was over, she wondered why he was calling Still, she answered. "Hello? What do you want?" she asked bluntly. "Where are you?" Xander asked gently. * Cameron thought Xander''s tone was weird. it''s none of your business. What do you want? Why do you sound so strange?" Xander was speechless. The gentle tone be''d deliberately created actually sounded weird to Cameron. wed, 4 Jun He decided to let it go. In his view, he should be amodating to girls and pamper them. Xander said, ¡°Tell me where you are. I''lle to see you. I have a gift for you." Cameron asked, "A gift? What gift?" Xander said. ¡°Uh, a graduation git. Since we''re graduating from high school, I want to give you one! Cameron said, "No need. I didn''t prepare a gift for you, so I''m embarrassed to ept it" Xander said, ¡°I don''t need you to give me anything. Just ept the pit I give you? Cameron said, "I don''t want it." Xander was exasperated. "Who refuses a gift from someone? Are you stupid?" Cameron said. "Now that the SAT is finally over, Xander, just leave me alone. I want to rest for two days." After resting for a few days, she nned to visit pharmaceuticalpanies. Once herpany was on track, she''d go to the Moore family to discuss cooperation with Elijah''s father. Xander said, "I won''t bother you. I''ll just give you the gift and leave, okay? Cameron said, "Just keep the gift for now. I''ll pick it up in a few days" Xander waspletely speechless. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun 1 My k 476 Xander insisted. " give it to you and lewe, okay? Cameron was silent for a long moment, then said, "Tell you what where are you?e pick it up now Xander asked. "You really don''t want me to know where you live?" Cameron retorted, "Why do you have to know where I live?" Xander said, ¡°Because I want toe hang out with you." Cameron said, "I don''t want to hang out with you." xander was at a loss for words Cameron asked again, "Where are you? I''lle to you." Xander said, "I''m at my ce, of course. But if you''reing, let me take you out for lunch." Cameron checked the time-it was almost noon. She agreed, "Fine. Send me the address, and I''ll be there soon." "Great" Xander''s voice perked up happily. Soon, he texted her the address. It was a famous restaurant for couples to date in Viremont. Apart from being expensive, it had no ws By the time Cameron arrived at the restaurant, it was 12:30 p.m. Xander had waited for her about half an hour but showed no sign of imitation If he''d had to wait that long for someone else, Xander would''ve exploded with anger. Cameron took her seat and said, "Sorry, it was hard to get a taxi there." The castle didn''t have a dedicated driver, so Cameron had to offer extra money for an urban Uber driver to pick her up. Thankfully, she''d soon take the written test for her driver''s license. Once she had it, things would be much easier. Xander stared at her clothes and frowned. "Why are you wearing that?" Cameron was dressed in a ck men''s short-sleeve shirt, white trousers, and white sne It was a simple outfit, but paired with her delicate, handsome face, sho looked like a beautiful young man straight out of a movie. The moment she walked in, many heads turned. Cameron looked down at her clothes. "What''s wrong with it?" Xander said, "You like wearing men''s clothes that much?" Xander still remembered the first time he''d been stunned by Cameron in women''s clothing, but he was even more captivated by how she looked in a regr gets school uniform. Cameron said, "Tve always dressed like this. What''s the problem!" Xander paused, then asked, "So you n to keep pretending to be a guy forever?" Cameron said, "Is there a problem with that?" She''d lived as a man for eighteen years Suddenly switching to women''s clothes made her ufortable she hadn''t Xander said, "Aren''t you won led about how strange it looks?" After all, the restaurant was full of couples, and here he was with Cameron, two "guys" Cameron said, "You think it''s weird? Then I''ll leave As she started to stand, Xander quickly said, "I was joking! It''s not strange at all. You look great in men''s clothes" Cameron didn''t respond.. Xander pushed the menu toward her. "What do you want to eat?" Cameron held down the menu and asked, "What''s the gift?" Xander''s ears turned slightly red. He looked away and said, "Don''t "Don''t rush. I''ll give it to you alter lunch."" ought to buy any. Cameron nodded indifferently. She picked up the menu and ordered a medium- rare ck pepper steak, a vegetable sd, a bowl of pumpkin soup, and a mandatory ck chocte cake. Kander propped his chin in his hand and said, "No wonder you love sweets so much-you''re a girl after all Cameron retorted, "Who says men can''t like sweets?" My k 477 Xanderughed, his smile tinged with a hint of indulgence. "Think about une dorm - who else is an obsessed with sweets as you?¡± Cameron said. "Can you stop smiling at me like that?" xander''s smile looked so out of ce to Cameron that she almost got goosebumps. Xander''s smile finde. He''d never expected his normally sunny and charming grin to be disliked by anyone He looked at Cameron nervously and asked, "You don''t actually hate me, do you?" Cameron was taken aback by his seriousness. She hadn''t expected the usually arrogant Xander to care whether the disliked him. She gave a vague reply, "Guess" Xander said, "You definitely don''t hate me." Cameron didn''t retort him. Xander heaved a sigh of relief, then cleverly changed the subject. "Have you been to this restaurant before? Cameron shook her head. Xander smiled. "Figured, it''s a dating restaurant, so it makes sense you haven''t." Cameron asked, "Why did you bring me here?" She found Xander''s unusual gentleness today strange. Usually hot-tempered and easily provoked, today he''d smiled the entire time- even when waiting for her half an hour. Seeing him be so gentle all of a sudden, Cameron felt so weird. Xander avoided her gaze. "Heard the steaks here are good and wanted to treat you." Cameron nodded. Xander smiled again and asked, "Cameron, what''s your summer n?" Before she could say anything, he continued, "How about I take you scuba diving by the sea? Or maybe we could travel the world? With yournguage skills, we''d be fine anywhere." Cameron replied expressionlessly, "What''s wrong with your memory? I said I would take a part time job during thest summer vacation before college." Xander said in confidence. "I know you need money. Work for me as a tour guide- we''ll y together. I''ll pay you well, I promise." Cameron shook her head. "Not interested."" Xander said, 1. "Are you dumb? I''m paying you to hang out with me, and you''re not interested?" He couldn''t understand why someone who loved money would reject such a generous offer. Cameron said, "I like challenging jobs. Hanging out with you sounds boring. I''d rather be a couch potato at home" Xander was speechless. He thought, ''Am I really that dull? Does Cameron really dislike me this much?" He wondered if his past attitude had left a grudge, or if she was still mad about the Milena mix-up. 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun Xander''s mind raced with thoughts-anonical but of overthinking for his straightforward personality. After lunch, Kander blurted out, "Cameron, you mad at mer Cameron was eating cake, in a good mood, and looked at him confused. "Mad about what" Xander said, "For mistaking Miles for you." Cameron said, "Your stupidity is your problem, not mine." Xander''s face twitched for a moment. He couldn''t argue he had been foolish with the matter of Milena Once full, Cameron turned to Xander, "So what''s the gh?" Xander snapped back to reality, his ears reddening at the thought of the present. He handed her an elegant g?t bag. "Here" "Thanks" Cameron took it and started to open it, but Xander stopped her. "Don''t open it here," he said. Cameron gave him a puzzled look but respected his wish, closing the bag Xander stood up. "I''ll pay the bill. Wait outside-my motorcycle is there." Before she could reply, he rushed to the counter, tripping over a chair in his haste He quickly righted the chair and nced back at Cameron, who was watching him. Their eyes met for a second, and Xander jerked his gaze away like he''d been shocked. Cameron was really confused about what was wrong with Xander today. He didn''t even dare to look into her eyes She got up and waited outside. When Xander emerged, she was sitting on his motorcycle, holding the gift bag. Even in men''s clothes, she looked striking, but she''d be stunning in a dress. Xander smiled at the sight, his ears burning hotter. His heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of his chest. Cameron heard his heartbeat. "You okay? Your heart''s racing" Xander ced a hand on his chest, mustering courage to meet her eyes. "Cameron, you can open the gift now." Cameron said, "Since you insist..." She trailed off as she opened the bag and saw the gift-a white strapless dress with a diamond-encrusted neckline. clearly expensive. She recoiled as if it were a hot iron, shoving it back into the bag and thrusting it into Xander''s arms. "I can''t take this She''d expected a small trinket, not an extravagant dress. She had just wanted to take it as a graduation gift and reciprocated epting it felt wrong "Why?" Xander''s confession died in his throat, leaving him stunned. Cameron said, "Kander, why a dress? I can''t ept this Xander said, "Don''t all girls like clothes, bags, makeup?" He''d nned to give her bags next, then cosmetics, easing her into his affections in case she would be scared. However, Cameron didn''t seem to appreciate his leishness. Cameron said dry, "Do look like a ''nomnul gif to you?" xander was confused. Even a ghlin disguise was still a girl, and Cameron''s tastes seemed pretty girly Cameron said, "Retrator give it to someone else. I won''t take it. With that, she turned and walked away "Cameron" Xander jumped on his bike and chased after her, trailing her in the bikene "Cameron, it''s not that expensive. Just take it," he pleaded. She didn''t look back. "No." "Fine, if you don''t want it, I''ll throw it away" Xander''s tone turned harsh This was the first time he''d ever tried to impress a girl, only to be rejected so bluntly. They were roommates, after all. She would at least ept a gift from her roommate unless she''d guessed his feelings. She probably knew epting the dress would mean weing his confession, so she rejected both the gift and him, Cameron stopped and said coldly, "That''s your choice." Xander was shocked. She added, "Xander, to answer your earlier question-yes, you can be really annoying sometimes." Xander froze in shock. Cameron walked away, and he watched her disappear, too stunned to chase after her. His racing heart slowly calmed. He understood now-she did hate him. The confession he''d rehearsed would never be spoken. Kander felt miserable, staring at the empty street long after she''d gone. Finally, he angrily tossed the gift into a trash can and rode off in the opposite direction. After walking several blocks and confirming Xander wasn''t following, Cameron stopped 1 Watching the traffic, she wondered why he''d given her a dress. Cameron thought, "Maybe he wants to see me in girl''s clothes?" He''d been so attentive to Milena because of her, so deep down, his attention was always on Cameron, She thought, "Wait, does Xander have a crush on me? The thought startled her, and she shook it off No one fell in love after just a couple of meetings. That was ridiculous. Xander was many things, but not that stupid. Even if true, she couldn''t reciprocate. Love wasn''t in her life n. Rejecting him bluntly was for the best. That night, just before bed, Cameron got a call from Bradley Flora was seven hours ahead of Zelpah-11 PM in Viremont was 4 PM in Fiora. 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun "Are you asleep? I hope I''m not disturbing you." Bodley said toly Cameron asked, "No, I''m up. How''s The 7" Bradley replied, "He has a broken right leg an Cameron sighed in reliel "Good, Take care of mild concussion from the head injury, oothing serin of him. Hope he recovers soon." Bradley said, "Cameron, Fora has beautiful scenery. Want toe viuth My k 478 "No." Cameron refused almost without thinking. "I''m pretty busy here Bradley chuckled. "Right, I forgot you need to work this summer. How about doing it hers? the pay gher than back home." Cameron declined again. "Brad, I don''t want to leave Vicemant for now. Will youe back for the graduation ceremony on the 24th? There were still half a month left, by which time Eric should have recovered somewhat. Bradley thought for a moment and sad. "I be there if I can in touch with ere''s the thing" Cameron semembered Amelia''s attempt to contact Bradley the previous night and asked, "Did Amelia get ins Bradley said, "I saw her message but haven''t had time to reply yet." Cameron said, "You should message her back. She''s been worried about you." Bradley smiled. "Cameron, are you actually concerned about Amelia?" "Concerned?" Cameron paused, then said, "Maybe. After all, she did help me before." it was just a casual remark-she didn''t actually care deeply about Amelia. She wondered, ''Does Brad think I was once in love with Amelia, like the other students? Bradley knew Cameron was referring to the Skyler incident. He said, "Alright, message herter. It''s gettingte-you should nest, Cameron said, "Okay, Take care of yourself while you''re looking after Eric." Bradley replied, "ML Amelia was almost asleep when her phone on the nightstand vibrated. She rolled over, initially ignoring the new message, but finally picked up the phone. Seeing the name on the screen, she instantly sat up and turned on the bedsidemp. Bradley had messaged her. Surprise lit up her sleepy eyes. Bradley: Thanks for your concern. I missed the partyst night due to family matters. I won''t be in Vinemont for a while. Amelia typed quickly in reply. Amelia: I see. d you''re okay is everything sorted with your family? Bradley: Currently? No. Amelia: [Need help? Bradley: Thanks, but no Amelia: Bradley, we''re ssmates-you don''t have to be so polite. Let me know if there''s anything I can do.] Bradley: [I appreciate your kindness, but I''m swamped right now. Talkter. Amelia stared at the messages, reading them several times. The cool tone let her feeling down. Ordinarily, Bradley wore a faint smile, but Ame knew it was just polite. Deep down, he was distant and alool if she wanted to be with hing the''d have to take the initiative. That was very now to her inc couldn''t quite cross that thenial hundia, Amelia: (Okay, I won''t bother you then.) There was no reply Amelia set down her phone,y back, and hugged her pillow, fosting and turning She''d definitely have dark circles Namorrad Cameron rested at home for three days. One morning, she got up early to visit her pharmaceuticalpany. After breakfast, she slung her shoulder bag over her shoulder and took a taxi to thepany''s location. In its startup phase, thepany was situated in a newmercial development, sparse with people and rtively cheap rent David had leased a five-story building Thepany structure was mostly in ce. As general manager, David oversaw daily operations. Cameron immediately saw thepany name, Aurevia Biotech, chosen by David. As the behind-the-scenes owner, this was her first visit to thepany. She approached the front desk but hadn''t spoken when the receptionist nced up, took in her youthful, student appearance, and said. "Sorry cutie, we''re not hiring summer interns. Try somewhere else." Cameron smiled. "I''m not here for a job interview. I need to see your general manager, David." The receptionist looked up again. "Do you have an appointment?" Cameron said, "No. Is Mr. Tucker here?" The receptionist said, "Mr. Tucker is very busy. . You can''t see him without an appointment." Cameron wasn''t annoyed. The receptionist was just following protocol and being polite. on the first ring She stepped aside to the waiting area and called David. He picked up on "Hello, Mr. Wace," David answered with a smile. Cameron got straight to the point. "Are you at the office?" David said, "I am. How did your SAT go?" With thepany newlyunched, David had bech swamped and forgotten to check in on Cameron. Cameron said, "It went fine. I''m downstairs. Can you tell the front desk to let me in?" David said, "You''re here?e down right away. Give me a minute." "Okay" Cameron hung up. Shortly after, the front desk received a call. Wh (Mr. Wabe!" The receptierer''s dyes widened. She hung op, hirled over in his head, and aided ehdimuly, "Decote me, and your Mc Waltare? The receptionist apologized profusely Torry! You wanted to Mr. Tucker? This way, please Cameron foliowed her ins David soon emerged, sharp in a suit, far removed from the defeated man who''d tried tomit suicide. He liked like a whole new person. "Mr. Wace," David said with a broad smile. "You should have called ahead to could meet your downstairs" "No problem," Cameron caid. The receptionist stood by nervously. David said, ¡°This is Mr. Wace. Make sure everyone knows him, No appointment needed for him next time The receptionist nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Mr. Tucker." David gestured. "Shall we go to your office, Mr. Wace?" He led her to the top floor-the chairman''s office, a spacious 80-square-meter suite. Cameron looked around the empty room. "Is this your office?" David said, "No, it''s yours" Cameron shook her head. "Mr. Tucker, you''re the public face of Aurevia Biotech. You don''t need to reserve a space for me. I won''t be here often." David didn''t respond. Cameron said, "Repurpose this room for something else. David nodded. "Alright, as you wish." He then took her to his own office, smaller but still spacious. David poured Cameron a coffee and updated her on thepany''s progress. "All permits and licenses are sorted. Researchers and production staff are in ce. Our first batch of drugs should be ready by mid-next month. Now it''s about sales-I n to hire experienced reps to expand our channels quickly." His eyes lit up as he spoke. Cameron nodded, "You focus on production. I''ll visit my roommate''s father in a few days-he''ll be our first client" David asked, "The Moore family you mentioned before?" Cameron nodded. David eximed, "if wend the Moores as a major client, ourpany will make a name for itself in no time!" "Make a name?" Cameron smiled. "What''s wrong?" David asked, puzzled. 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun Cameron said, "Mr. Tucker, why do you think i started thin pharmaceutical David said. "To make mon Cameron nodded. "True, but their sie plenty of industries that Why this one?? David shook his head. Though only 18, Cameron seemed more mature than he, a man in his 30s. He couldn''t read her Plus, he''d only recently learned at 1 at the hospital that Cameron was a girl. Cameron said, "I want to develop drugs for rare and di Micult to treat diseases." to thumbs-up: "Me Wace, She''d chosen pharmacology to smoothly transition into research after graduation David paused, then gave her a thumb Cameron just smiled. To her, it was about a challenge. After living over a thousand years, she felt dull about most jobs. She said, "Take me to the researchb." David stood up quickly. "Okay, Mr. Wace. This way." Cameron spent the entire day at thepany and had lunch in the cafeteria. Cameron said, "Mr. Tucker, the lunch is too simple. Let''s add fruit and yogurt for everyone after the meal." She knew that improving benefits was key to boosting employee efficiency. David looked hesitant and said, "Mr. Wace, thepany has just started, and expenses are already high."" After thinking, Cameron said, "I should be receiving three million dors soon. I''ll transfer it to you as soon as it arrives." She temporarily couldn''t return the money to Bradley. David said, "Thank you, Mr. Wace." After all, Cameron was just a newly adult girl, and all the financial pressure was on her. David felt sorry for her but couldn''t help much-his only role was to control costs. "I''m fine," Cameron said. "We each have our roles. You do your job, and I''ll do mine! David nodded firmly. "Mr. Wace, I won''t let you down" Cameron smiled. "I believe you." In the vast living room of Moore Manor, Elijah sat on a leather sofa, holding a remote control. Arge-screen LCD TV yed a program, but Elijah wasn''t watching. He was bored and lonely Before the SAT, he''d spent all his time studying. Now that it was over, he felt lost Elijah didn''t know what to do with himself. Seeing his gloomy expression, Jack suggested, "Mr. Moore, why not invite your ssmates over?", Elijah had few friends growing up, and Jack felt sorry seeing him so lonely. 21:49 Wed, 4 Jun h looked up at Jack "Invite ssmates overr Jack nodded with a smile. "Yes Dea''t you have a ssmate you get along with invite him treet, or p trips? You could travel together" Elspether. Don''t young people the graduation Elijah was unsure about that Cameron hard to work during the summer, so she wouldn''t go on a trip, but maybe she''d agree to a meal at Moore Manor Just as he thought this, his phone rang He took ook it out and saw a message from Cameron. Elijah''s eyes lit up. He held the phone and went upstairs. Cameron: Elijah, what are you doing"] Elijah: [Watching a boring TV show. What about you?] Cameron: [I just finished eating and am now lying on the sofa.) Imagining Cameron sprawled on the sofa, Elijah couldn''t help smiling. Cameron: (Elijah, remember you said you''d help me with something?) Elijah: de. Cameron had mentioned starting a pharmaceuticalpany and needing Elijah to introduce her to Thomas. Cameron: [When is your dad free? I''d like to visit him. Elijah: [My dad gets homete every night. I''ll schedule a timeter and let you know ] Cameron: [Great, thanks so much) Elijah (No need to be polite, especially since it''s not done yeL] Cameron: [We''re good friends-no need for formalities Elijah [Your pharmaceuticalpany is up and running so quickly? Cameron: [Yes, I visited today and it looks good. That''s why I want to discuss cooperation with your dad. Elijah: Cameron, be prepared. My dad is very strict. With yourpany just starting, I''m worried he''ll be hesitant to cooperate.] Moreover, the Moore family''s hospitals had fixed partners for decades. After recing the hical Young family, newpanies had already filled the Cameron: (Elijah, just introduce me to your father. Whether the cooperation works is up to me. stup Elijah: Okay, I''ll set up the meeting) Cameron: If it works, I treat you to dinner.] Elijah: I''m looking forward to it +212 My k 479 500 Camere Even if the cooperation faits, I''ll still treat you to dinner I Elijah sent a smile emoji. Elijalic (Cameron, what have you been up to these days!] After the SAT. Elijah found himself suddenly at a loose end and wondered if Camion felt the same restlessness, Cameron: Just lounging at home mostly. Ivisited the pharmaceuticalpany today! She''d rested enough. Starting tomorrow, she''d go to thepany on weekdays to help out-idle hands made for a wasted mind. Elijah said: Cameron, since yourpany just started, do you need help? I can work for free Cameron stared at the message, surprised. If Elijah wanted something to do, he could''ve gone to his family''s hospital. There was no need for him to work for her. She wondered, ''Does he want to experience the hardships of the real world outside Cameron: If you''re interested, you''re more than wee Elijah: [Doal. I''ll schedule the meeting with my dad first and contact you afterward.] Cameron: (Thanks.) In Yarven, a blond teenager in a silver-gray English suit sat elegantly at a luxurious dining tableden with gourmet dishes. As he lunched, a row of servants stood behind him, awaiting hismand. Vincent, also in a suit, waited quietly nearby. Austin wore a faint smile, cutting a fragrant steak while his gaze leisurely scanned the opulent dining room. With his usual air of mncholy and delicate health, he looked like a royal prince exiled to obscurity, his sorrow born from unfulfilled potential All of thesevish things were his now, and Austin still felt unreal. In truth, he''d never been weak-he''d just feigned vulnerability to avoid conflict with nuel. This time, Vincent had told Austin that he''d inherited a fortune. A distant rtive of Austin''s mother, extremely wealthy, had perished in an ident, leaving Austin as the sole heir to their vast estate-the castle, hotels, restaurants, dozens ofpanies, bank ounts, and vaults of gold and jewels. It had all happened so suddenly. Even aber days, Austin still felt like he was dreaming. "Vincent." Austin put down his fork and knife. The next second, a maid stepped forward to hand him a hot towel. Austin wiped his hands, and the maid swiftly took the towel. "Mr. Fraser," Vincent said respectfully, stopping forward. Now, Austin was no longer a nominal heir-he was master here. Austin smiled and asked, "How much longer must stay here?" Vincent replied, "As long as you wish, sir." "So I could leave now if I wanted? No other obligations?" Austin asked. Vincent said, "Your assets are managed by professional executives. You need not worry." Austin nodded. "Then stay a few more days." He decided to return after the SAT scores came out. My k 480 -Cameron was about to rest when the received a text hom beste. Austin (Cameren, guess where Holding her phone, she realized they hadn''t spoken since the SAT Cameron: Are you at Noble Vists? Did you go looking for me?) It was past 11 PM. Surely Austin wouldn''t show up there without informing her. Austin: (No.] Cameron: Then where 7) Austin: At my ce. Cameron: At Fraser Vi? it''s sote. Aren''t you going to bed? Austin [Sorry, Cameron. I forgot about the 8-hour time difference. It''s almost midnight where you are.) Cameron: Are you abroad? Austin: [Yes] Cameron: It''s good to travel after the SAT.] She knew Austin''s situation in the Fraser family was tough. Austin:Cameron, I''ll be away for a while. Let''s meet at the graduation ceremony.] Austin nned to keep his secret for now, wanting to surprise herter. Cameron: Okay. Have a good time.] Austin: It''ste. Good night, Cameron.] Cameron: [Alright. See you soon. She put down her phone, turned off the light, and fell asleep. While Cameron slept, someone else tossed and turned in bed, unable to drift off. Xander irritably climbed out of bed and flopped back down, staring at the ornate crystal chandelier above. He took several deep breaths It had been days-Cameron hadn''t sent a si He wondered whether she was mad at him. He regretted being impulsive with the dress. Maybe it had made her ufortable Xander was so regretful and med Tyrell endlessly, convinced his friend''s terrible idea had driven her away. Now, Tyrell wouldn''t even answer his calls. He wished he''d never given her that dress. Now, Cameron ignored him, and he had no excuse to reach out. In the dead of night, Xander buried his fage in his pillow and groaned, finally waking Logan and Gwen. Gwen pulled him out from under the pi?ow "Ramiler, what''s wrong! Are you hurt?" Xander pointed to his chest. "Here" Owen panicked. "Logan, call the family doctort "Mom Xander stopped her "it''s a bestache What can a doctor do Only Cameron could heal this pain Logan asked, "How did this start Given knew ander better. After staring at her son, she asked, "xander, are you in love? Did you breaki Xander said, "Ne He hadn''t even started dating yel. Cameren''s Indifference proved that it was Xander''s one sided loom for her Logan and Gwen exchanged a look and were sure that Xander was hiding a romance, Gwen said gently. "Kander, we know something''s going on. Talk to us, maybe we can help? "Really?" Xander perked up. Logan said, "We''ve been around the block more than you." Just thinking about Cameron''s rejection made Xander''s chest ache Gwen said gently, "Tell us." Xander stared at the floor. "I like a girl. I took her to dinner and gave her a dress the other day. She refused it, so I threw it in the trash" Logan and Gwen froze. Gwen swatted Xander. "You have your father''s stubborn pride." Xander looked up. "What do you mean?" Gwen said, "Your ego is too big. How can you chase someone like that?" Logan interjected, "Girls don''t need "chasing" Gwen shot him a look. "Not everyone was like ¦°¦¥ Logan rolled his eyes. They''d fallen for each other naturally, unlike guys who pursue uninterested girls. Xander grabbed Gwen''s arm. "Mom, tell me how to win her over." Gwen said, "You need boldness and sensitivity." Xander frowned. "What does that mean?" Gwen said, "When she rejected you, did she just not like you, or the ph, or was she just being shy?" Kander suddenly lit up, leaping out of bed. "Mom, I get it!" Cameron definitely didn''t hate him. She must have refused the dress out of shyness or because it was too much. Someone as stubborn as Cameron wouldn''t ept gifts easily. His meed instedly lined. Xander ushered his parents nut. "Thanks, Mom, Dad, I get it now Go back to bed. Goodnight- Gwen protested at the door, "I haven''t linidari xander said, "Tunderstand your print, Mom" Logan pulled Gwen away. "Leave him be. He''s an adult let him figure it out. No need for us to meddle" Gwen sighed. "You''re right" Once the door closed, Xander grabbed his phone to text Cameron, then checked the time. It was toote. She''d be asleep. Even if he tested her now, she probably wouldn''t see it. He''d wait until morning. In a VIP ward of a private hospital in Fiora; Beth sat by the hospital bed, gating at Eric with maternal affection. "Eric, are you really okay? if you are, f Lake Simon back home" Simon sat quietly by the side, focused on drawing with a sketchpad Eric still had white gauze wrapped around his head and a cast on his right leg. Lying in bed, his face was ruddy yet his voice remained weak. "Mom, I''m really fine. Given Simon''s special situation, you should go back. Brad is enough," said Eric. Bradley sat nearby, silently ncing at him. He''d noticed that Eric had been subtly introducing his female friends to him these past few days, even tryin to matchmake him with some of them. Bradley thought Eric had misunderstood. If these beauties were introduced to Eddie, his brother would surely wee them, but Bradley had r interest in them. He''d just turned adult and genuinely had no mind for dating Beth said, "Brad has his own life too. He just finished the SAT and hasn''t even rested for two days." Beth was kind-hearted, always considering others. That was why Eric dared not tell her the truth or involve her in his charade Bradley shook his head. "Mom, I''m okay. Taking care of Eric isn''t tifing it''s like a break, You and Simon go back. handle things here." Beth asked, "But isn''t thew firm busy?" Bradley replied, "There are other colleagues at the firm. Eric is more important" Eric smiled. "Mom, I''m truly not seriously injured. I just need to rest and recover slowly" Beth suggested, "Then why not go home to recover!! Hearing this, Eric immediately shook his head. "No, I don''t want to go back" if he returned to their home country, Bradley would follow, and all his efforts would be in vain. Eric added, "I have final exams soon. I can''t miss them, or this whole semester will be wasted." Beth sighed. ¡°Exams mean nothingpared to your health." Eric found himself at a loss for words. Bradley said, "Mom, don''t persuade him anymore. I''ll stay here with Eric. You go back." 21:50 Wed, 4 Jun Eventually, Beth left with Simon After Bradley say them off at the airport, Eric let out a faint sigh of relief. When Bradley returned, he found a new person in Ele''s ward. That was a young wont with short golden hair, tall and tender, moding a coni au mere nodded at Bradley when they met. "Brad, you''re back. Did Mom and Simon board the Eric observed Bradley''s reaction sulitly This girl''s style was very close to Cameron''s-simr height, hairstyle, and even personality. Eric was stire Bradley wouldn''t be indifferent this time Bradley nodded politely at the short haired girl and said, "They''re on the ne Eric smiled. "Brad, let me introduce her to you. This is my friend. She has a cool personality-really great Bradley nodded again and looked at Eric. "Eric, you have so many friends, and they''re all female." Eric was momentarily speechless. Bradley adjusted his gold rimmed sses. "Eric, you''ve introduced me to no less than ten fernale friends. What''s your intention?" Eric froze. Smart as he was, Bradley had guessed his n. Since the cat was out of the bag, Eric decided to be straightforward. After exchanging a few words with the girl, she turned and left. The spacious ward was now left with only Eric and Bradley Eric sat up straight in bed and stared at Bradley. "Brad, what do you think my intentionis?" Bradley said, "How would I know?" Eric said, "You''ve guessed it, haven''t you? I''ll tell you. I want to set you up with a girlfriend." Bradley frowned. "Eric, I didn''t expect you to idle that much For Bradley, introducing a girlfriend to him was pointless. Eric shook his head seriously. "No, I''m busy." Bradley said, "If you''re busy, why do you have time to set me he up? Eric said, ¡°Brad, I need to ask you something, and you must answer truthfully." Bradley rarely saw Eric so serious. He nodded earnestly. "Okay, go ahead." Eric asked, "Brad.... Do you lik like Cameron?" My k 481 Bradley was stunned, wondering. What the hell kind of question is that?" "Like? What do you mean?" Bradley thought he must have misheard. Eric said, "Romantically," Speechless, Bradley frowned at that. He thought, "Homantically! Le Cameron? How could that even be a thing? Is Enclosing it?" Bradley stared at him. "Eric, do you have any idea what you''re asking?" Eric replied seriously, "I know exactly what I''m asking" Aher a long beat, Bradley said, "So let me get this straight-you thought I had feelings for Cameron, so you made mee abroad to take care of you? Was this your way of "breaking us up?" Eric nodded evenly. "Yeah, Brad. Even if you hate me for it, I had to do it. You can''t be into Cameron." Bradley gaped at him like he''d grown a second head. "Eric, where the hell did you get the idea I like Cameron?" "Everywhere." Bradley was at a loss for words, Eric said, "Don''t y dumb, Brad," Bradley retorted, "y dumb? There''s nothing to y dumb about! It''s not happening!" "Just think about what you''ve done for him" "What''d I do?" "You dropped over 100 million dors on a castle so he could keep the tiger. Does that sound normal to you?" "What''s wrong with friends helping each other?" "When''s thest time e you went that hard for any other friend?" "My other friends don''t need that kind of help. We''re from the same world." "You''re just in denial, Brad." Speechless, Bradley rubbed his forehead. "Eric, this is beyond ridiculous." Bradley stared at Eric, suddenly realizing something. He mped a hand down on Eric''s leg. "Eric, was your car ident fake?" Eric ended up denying it. "Of course not. I just wasn''t that badly hurt." Bradley gave a nomittal nod po date a girl." Eric said, "Brad, take my advice-quit while you''re ahead. Stop contacting Cameron and go Bradley shook his head. "You''re overreacting, Eric. He and Cameron were just friends. He believed Eric was making something out of nothing Annoyed that Bradley wasn''t listening, Erie said firmly, "Brad, I''m doing this for your own good. Don''t bring trouble on yourself" "Eric, you''re really oveplicating this. Seeing he wasn''t getting through, Eric grew imitated. "Bradley, even if you like Cameron, does he like * you back! Bradley wanted to say Eric was being unreasonable, but Eric was already dead set on the idea. Anything he said would just sound like a den So he simply said, "I deal with my own things, Eric. What you''re thinking will never happen. Since you''re okay here, I''m going back home? Eric said, "Wait. I''m still hurt. What do you mean I''m okay"?" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Need me to help you take off that cast?" My k 482 Speechless, Eric inmediately finched his right leg back. He thought, Tine, Brad is too sharp to be deceived. But am just going to let him leave the thist that way, my days of taking in injury wit Eric suddenly rolled off the bed and grabbed Bradley''s hand. ¡°Brad, promise me you won''t do anything stupid after you go back F Bradley gently brushed his hand away "Eile, we''re not getting through this " ¡°Eric, enough,¡± Bradley cut in. Don''t worry. Cameron and I are just friends. Pothing else "Swear it." Bradley sighed. "Isaveat At that, Eric slowly let out a breath. But deep down, he still wasn''t at ease. What could he do, though? He couldn''t exactly keep Bradley chained to his- Bradley stood up and patted Eric''s shoulder. "I''m off, then." "Already?" Eric wondered, ''Does he really have to hurry so much?" Bradley said, "I''ll book a flight for tomorrow." Eric took off the gauze from his head. "Alright, then. Tonight il take you to try Flora''s food. Thanks for babysitting this fake patient these past few days." Bradley smiled, "At least you have some sense of gratitude" In Viremont, Cameron was woken by her 7:30 am, rm. She had to go do odd jobs at Aurevia Biotech today. Living in the hillside castle was pretty inconvenient. Cameron decided to move back to Noble Vista tonight. She''de to check on Pearl once a week. Once she got her driver''s license and bought a car, she''d move back. After washing up, she went downstairs for breakfast. Her phone on the nightstand lit up over and over. She didn''t need to guess-Xander When Cameron finished breakfast and picked up her phone, she saw a string of messages from Xander. She skimmed through them quickly. He asked if she was up, what her ns were for the day, and if she wanted to go out. Cameron replied: I have to work. I''m not free.] Xander shot back instantly: Where do you work? I''ll swing by to see you. Cameron: No. Your visit will mess with my work.) Speechless, Xander thought, "I am not a kid-how could I possibly mess with her job?" Xander: [Can''t juste say hi? That''s all. Cameron [Nope.] Xander: [Cameron, you''re being ¨¤ tam killjoyi 1 just want to Cameron: [Keep bugging me and Til block your number] Chitching his phone, Xander skethed, thinking. Whether Cameron is a boy or a girl, she has a talent for driving me nuts, fine if I there, 111 hold off for now to avoid getting on her nerves, At lunch, Cameron got a message fem Elijah: (Cameron, I tried setting up a dinner with my dad and you, but he''s swampedtely. He''s free for an hour this afternoon from 2 to 3. Are you avable?] [We need to meet him at the hospital.] Putting down her fork, Cameron replied: (woah, I''m free. Thanks, Elijah Which hospital? Where should we meet Elijah: 12 pm, at Greenfield Gender Surgery Center, That''s where my dad is today. Let''s meet out front Reading Elijah''s message, Cameron paused. That was the ce where her tragic previous life started, and there her new life began. "Need to shy away from it, she thought. Cameron replied: [Got it.] My k 483 Cameron welled down her bench. Nelling how hurtled she looked, David couldn''t help asking, "Mr. Wace, do you have something urgentter?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I need to meet Mr. Mooreter." David was surprised. "Mr. Moore? You got an appointment that quirk?" Just yesterday, Cameron had said she wanted to find time to visit Thomas. She moved fast. He hadn''t expected somente as big as Thomas to be so easy to book. Cameron joked, "We have an insider how could it not best?" Davidughed, ¡°Nice ore, Mr. Wace." Cameron went back to David''s office to grab some afternoon materials. It was exactly 1 p.m. David said, "Mr. Wace, let me send someone to drive you!" Cameron waved him off. "No need. I''ll take a cab." "Mr. Wace, you''re too low key." Cameron smiled, "Of course I gotta keep a low profile. Thepany''s official bosk is you," David smiled helplessly, "Want me to send someone to pick you upter?" Cameron shook her head. "Nope." When Cameron arrived at Greenfield Gender Surgery Center, it was 1:30p.m.- half an hour early. Unexpectedly, as soon as she got out of the car, she got a message from Elijah: I''m here already. Heading to my dad''s office to wait Text when you''re here, ande down Cameron: Look behind you.] his phone and saw Cameron standing right behind him. A faint smile crossed Elijah''s serious face. "You''re early" Elijah turned with his Cameron replied, "So are you." Elijah said, ¡°Come on, let''s wait in my dad''s office." Cameron nodded. "Okay." "Good day, Mr. Moore "Afternoon, Mr. Moore "Mr. Moore." As Elijah led Cameron toward the director''s office, passing medical staff kept greeting him. Elijah only nodded distantly. Cameron asked, "Youe here a lot?" Elijah nodded, Yeah, I can usually only find my i The hospital Cameron was stunned, thinking, ''Looks like every family has its issues, "Good afternoon, Mr. Moore. You''re looking even more dashing today" Yasmin''s face broke into a wide grin when she saw truth. But ch recognized Cameron standing beside him. Of course she knew Cameron. In over a decade of work, Cameron was the first patient to ever wist her wrist, and then had the nerve to jump out a window and feel y was still fresh. Who''d have thought she''d run into Cameron there? Talk about an inescapable feud. The memory was "This time, I won''t let Cameron slip through my fingers she thought. Noticing Yasmin staring at her, Cameron smiled, "Well, well, Dr. Jensen. Fancy meeting you here." Yasmin immediately shot her a fierce re. "You''ve got some guts, Cameron. How dare youe to this hospital? You''re practically delivering yourse into my hands. I''ve been dying to get back at you, and now here you are-right where I want you!" "Security! Security! Come arrest her now!" Yasmin shouted excitedly. At her voice, security guards quickly ly surrounded them. Elijah frowned and moved to shield Cameron, eyeing Yasmin coldly. "What do you think you''re doing?" Only then did Yasmin remember Elijah was there. She stered on another sugary smile. "Sorry, Mr. Moore. Excuse themotion. I need to settle a personal score." Elijah stared at her icily. "A personal score with Cameron? What possible score could you have with him?" AD Comment My k 484 "Mi Mocre, what''s going on her an even a foot could tell igas was protecting Cameron "Why would Dijah shield Canon? What''s the connection A form of questions raced through Yatman''s min "Get lost" Elijah barked coldly Yasmin was dumbfounded. Before she could react, the security guards had already dipped away discreetly, Risk pissing off Elijah? They needed their jobs. They hightailed it out of there. Yasmin quickly snapped back to reality. She stepped back, ring at Cameron with bitter resentment. "Mr. Moore, do you even know " "I told you to get lost!" Lhijab repeated with a sullen face, Yasmin mmed up and scored aside. No way would she dare provoke Elijah. Getting fired would be bad enough, but if he ckballed her from the industry, her career would be toast. At her agr everything she couldn''t afford to "Cameron, let''s go," Elijah said, turning to her, Cameron waved at Yasmin. Dr. Jensen Yasmin seethed. Watching Cameron''s cocky smirk, she wanted to sink her teeth into her. But of course, she didn''t dare. She could only grit her teeth in silent fury. hey were out of earshot, Elijah asked, "Did that doctor have it out for you before?" Once they Cameron said, "She''s got no professional ethics." Yasmin had taken bribes from Martin and Heidi in the past to drug Cameron with sedatives for gender surgery. How could someone like themselves a professional? Elijah said, "Then she''s fired." Stunned, Cameron gave him a thumbs-up. "Mr. Moore, that''s a bold move" Elijah chuckled, "Cameron, don''t tease me." Cameron said, "Good riddance." "Otherwise, who knows who else she''d screw over like she did me in my previous life, she thought Elijah nodded. "I''ll have my dad''s secretary take care of thister,¡± Cameron smiled, thinking, "Elijah has a decisive streak. He''ll be able to carry the Moore family''s legacy forward The two made their way to the director''s office. Thomas'' secretary, Eden, was already there waiting. "Good afternoon, Mr. Elijah Moore. Good afternoor Mr. Wace The director''s secretary was already waiting for them. "Hi" Cameron nodded politely "Is my dad still tied up?" Elijah asked. Eden said, "Mr. Thomas Moore i ore is still swamped. Mr. Elijah Moore, Mr. Wace, can I get you something to drink?" Elijah turned to Cancion. "What you have?" "Just water, thanks," "Cameron said. Elijah nodded. Eden immediately said, "I''ll be right back." Fresh cookies and fruit were set out on the table. Elijah eyed the file folder in Cameron''s hand. "You got all your stuff ready?" Thomas was a stickler for detail. Truth be told, even Elijah wasn''t confident Cameron could convince hit dad to strike a deat Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I''ve got everything" What Cameron had brought was just the basics on Aurevia Botech''s current situation, but trying to convince Thomas with that? Definitely not gonna happen Elijah said, "You should chat with my dad one-on-er." He didn''t want to cramp their style "Got it," Cameron nodded. Eden brought in two sses of water and then left the room It was 2:12 p.m. before Thomas finally opened the office door, Cameron and Elijah both stood up. "Dad,¡± Elijah said, "this is my ssmate, Cameron." "Hello, Mr. Thomas Moore. I''m Cameron," Cameron said, stepping forward to shake his hand politely. But Thomas just patted her shoulder. "Sorry, I''mte, kid. Have a seat. Clearly, he was treating Cameron like a kid. My k 485 Cameron smoothly pulled her hand back. Ekjah browned, "Dad, you''rete" Thomas fell silent. He wore a white coat. In his early fities, he looked well preserved energetic and refined, fall with a hands?rna i no expression, he gave off a powerful sense of pressure. He slowly tuned his eyes to Elijah. Elijah pressed his lips and repeated, "You''vete" Thomas exined, just got off the operating table," The air between the two was a bit still Cameron quickly chimed in, "Mr. Thomas Moore, you should take a rest first. My business isn''t urgent" Thomas then looked at Cameron and said, "You''re Ell''s ssmate. Nice to meet you." Cameron nodded. "Nice to meet you too." Thomas stared at Cameron for a few seconds and said, "Cam, right? You have a great bone structure. You could be a cosmetic surgery model. But your facial features are a bit delicate. If you were a girl, you''d be very beautiful.¡± Elijah said, "Dad, Cameron isn''t here for cosmetic surgery." He thought, ''What does Dad mean by "if Cameron were a girl"? Cameron is very handsome de aboy! Thomas took a sip of coffee and smiled, "Sorry, my professional habit kicked in." Ejah said to Cameron, "That''s just how my dad is. He looks at people''s faces first. Don''t mind." Thomas had made great achievements in facial stic surgery. Cameron smiled, "It''s okay. That was apliment." Thomas put down his cup and looked at Cameron again. "Cam, I hear from Eli that you''ve started a pharmaceuticalpany. That''s amazing so sessful at such a young age." Cameron smiled, "You''re too kind, Mr. Thomas Moore. Mypany is just getting started. There''s still a long way to go." Elijah stood up. "Cameron, you two talk." Then he went out and shut the door Cameron stepped up to the desk, unzipped the file bag, and slid it toward Thomas. "Mr. Thomas Moore, Elijah should''ve filled you in already. I''m hopin we can find a way to coborate. Thomas kept his tone neutral. "Cam, you''re Eli''s ssmate. Normally, I''d want to help out." Cameron knew a "but wasing. She just smiled and waited. Sure enough, Thomas went on. "Cam, most things are flexible, but pharmaceuticals involve human lives. We can''t afford even a tiny mistake." The Moore family''s medical business covered everything-stic surgery, gender surgeries, private hospitals, and nursing homes. The Moore name wa ¨C well- known The bigger they got, the more careful Thomas had to be. After all, tall trees catch the wind. When Eijah Bat talked about Cameron, Thomas'' first thought was wouldn''t wint But actual partnership? Probably not happening. Cameron said, "I totally get what you''re saying, Mr. Thomas Moore. But maybe hold off on shutting this down just yet." Thomas eyed her inscrutably, waiting for her to continue She said, "I heard about you ending the partnership with the Young family, M. Thomas Manne You''re a doctor with real backbone an exactly why I want to work with you. The truth is, I''ve got other options on the table." "Oh, really?" Thomas couldn''t help chuckling at Cameron''s words. He thought, "Other options? Hot had for a kid-talking big like that. My k 486 Thomas studied the young man, roughly his son''s age, with interest. "Wright, then, What makes you think I''d ditch my curren you Cameron said, "Mr. Thomas Moore, I''m not asking your to ditch anyone. Just give mypany a small share since we''re nev Thomas pressed. "What''s your edge?" "We''re a pharmapany," Cameron replied. "Our biggest seling point? We can offer meds you can''t get anywhere else" Thomas raised an eyebrow "Like what?" Seeing Cameron''s serious expression, Thomas grew curious. He had time to kill anyway-might at "A magic bullet for leukemia," Cameron said. Thomas thought he''d misheard. "Leukemia?" he repeated. Cameron nodded firmly. "Leukemia." Thomas paused, then chuckled, "Cam, you''re kidding, right?" There''s no magic bullet for leukemia. The only options are chemo-painful, high rpse rates¡ªor stem cell transnts But finding a bone marrow match is a needle in a haystack. Most patients never get that chance. Leukemia''s one of medicine''s biggest puzzles. If someone cracks it, they''ll be a legend. Cameron said, "I''m not kidding, Mr. Thomas Moone. I mean it." Thomas sighed, "Let''s say yourpany did make this drug. Without trials, do you think I''d let my patients take it?" Cameron went quiet. She knew he had a point. When she developed a breakthrough leukemia drug in another world, no one initially believed it was effective. It wasn''t until a terminally ill girl took the medicine as a final shot and recovered fully within a month that her reputation exploded. Cameron said, "You''re free to doubt me, Mr. Thomas Moore. But I hope you won''t regret today''s decision in a few years." "Regret?" Thomas frowned at Cameron. She replied, "If you reject me, I have to take my offer elsewhere. By then, even if you want to partner with me, the opportunity might be gone." Thomas said, "You''re bold to say that, Cam. But confidence and drive in young people are a good thing." Cameron collected her documents from the desk. "I came to you first as a favor to Elijah. Since you''re not interested, I won''t push. "But think about it. Partnering with us now could thake your hospital the first in he first in the world to cure leukemia. It would make global headlines. And right now, you''re about to let that chance slip away." She picked up her file bag and started to leave, "Wait," Thomas called out. Cameron turned back. "Have you changed your mind, Mr. Thomas Moore?" ould be earth-shatter ''n the medical field. My k 487 Cameron replied, "I can''t say for sure." Thomas was stunned. "A minute ago, you were talking like it was a done deal." He wondered, "Why the change? Cameron said, "You were pretty dead set on turning me down earlier, Mr. Thomas Moore." Thomas was at a loss for words, thinking, ''This kid has some sass Thomas got to his feet and tried again. "Are you actually capable of this?" Cameron said, "Could be. Feeling lucky, Mr. Thomas Moore?" Thomas went quiet. She added, "Partnerships are a two-way choice. If you work with us, in a few years, you might just score big" Thomas asked, "And if you don''t deliver?" Cameron said, "Tough break for you, then." Thomas stared at her, silent. The truth was, while a leukemia cure wasn''t impossible, it was close to miraculous. But if Cameron pulled it off, he''d be kicking himself for passing up this chance. After a long pause, Thomas said, "Cam, let''s draw up an agreement." Cameron asked, "What agreement?" Thomas continued, "My team will vet yourpany. If you meet the standards, we''ll partner up-go all in, even. I''ll give you five years to develop the drug. "If it''s a no-show, you''ll refund every cent of profit you make during that time. Up for the challenge?" Cameron was at a loss for words. She thought, ''Sly old dog. A win-win for him. His calctions were bulletproof." Still, Cameron knew she was in no position to bargain. And she believed in herself. She could pull this off. Five years was plenty of time. "So, Cam, what''s your decision?" Thomas asked, unable to keep quiet as Cameron stayed silent. Cameron said, "Okay." Thomas was dumbfounded. He''d only suggested it as a trial. He never thought Cameron would actually agree. How could she be so sure of herself? Cameron held out her hand to Thomas. "Good to partner with you, Mr. Thomas Moore." Thomas smiled and shook her hand. "Same here."/Either way, he had nothing to lose. Cameron added, "I''ll have mypany''s GM reach out. You can coordinate the next steps with them." Thomas nodded. "Got it. I''ll tell my secretary to sort out the follow-up." Thomas paused, then asked, "By the way, how did you and Eli be friends?" He knew his son''s personality. Elijah had very few friends growing up. He was d Elijah had found a good one. Cameron said, "We were roommates and sat next to each other in ss." Thomas chuckled, "Ah, I get it. Familiarity breeds friendship." Cameron was at a loss for words. Thomas added, "Cam, Eli can be pretty quiet. If you have time,e over to our ce and hang out with him." Cameron said, "Didn''t you know? Elijah''sing to work at mypany for the summer." Thomas was stunned. He thought, ''He''s going to work a summer job at a small pharmapany when he could work at any of the hospitals we own? But Thomas just said, "As long as he''s happy." Cameron smiled, thinking, ''It seems Thomas, like Elijah, has a warm side under his cool exterior. My k 488 The office door swung open, and Thomas stepped out. Elijah had been propping himself against the wall, waiting. The moment he saw his father, he straightened up. "How''d the meeting go, Dadri Elija asked. Thomas gave his shoulder a pat. "Great. I''ve got other stuff to take care of. I gotta go." With that, he walked away briskly Elijah furrowed his brows, wondering, ''Great? What does that mean?'' Cameron emerged from the office too. "So, Cameron, how''d it go?" Elijah asked. She nodded. "We made a deal. I''ll have our people handle the rest," Elijah looked at her, stunned. He thought, ''It''s done? Just like that? It has been less than 30 minutes. How on earth did he convince Dad?" He couldn''t help but ask, "Why did my dad agree to partner with you so quickly?" Cameron smiled, "That''s my secret." Elijah grinned and didn''t push further, even though he was super curious. Cameron said, "Elijah, I''m heading back to thepany. Wannae?" "Can I?" he asked. "Definitely! I couldn''t havended this huge deal without you. I''ll buy you dinner tonight." Elijah smiled, "Sure thing." Cameron brought Elijah to thepany. She showed him to the meeting room, then went straight to find David. She told David all about the contract. David''s eyes popped open. "A magic bullet for leukemia? Mr. Wace, you''re joking, right?" Cameron''s face was dead serious. "I''m not." "But Mr. Wace," David said, "there''s no way we can make a leukemia drug. Five years won''t cut it, not even fifty!" That way, they''d just be working for the Moore family for nothing. Cameron said, "Trust me, Mr. Tucker." David stared into her eyes. Her gaze was steady, almost reassuring. After a long pause, he nodded. "Okay, Mr. Wace. I''m with you." Cameron was definitely more mature than her peers. Sometimes, even more so than him. And right now, he and Cameron were in the same boat. If one sank, the other would too. All he could do was to trust her. Cameron smiled, "You''ll take over the rest from here." She patted David''s shoulder. ? David nodded firmly. "Yes, Mr. Wace." Cameron gave Elijah a tour of thepany, showing him around so he could get a sense of theyout. Elijah smiled, "Cameron, this is really good. Looks like a proper setup. She grinned. "I think so too." This was just the start. Things would only get better. But Cameron had someone to thank-Samuel. For the 15 million dors in startup capital she had gotten from him. Cameron said, "About time for dinner. What do you feel like eating? My treat tonight-order anything you like." Elijah chuckled, "I''m not fussy. Whatever you choose is fine." They ended up at a chic restaurant. After dinner, Cameron said she Wa going back to Noble Vista. Elijah was surprised. "You moved back?" That meant he could move back too. Cameron nodded. "It''s more convenient here." Elijah said, ¡°Then I''ll stay at Noble Vista tonight as well." "Good. We can go to thepany together tomorrow." When Cameron got back to Noble Vista, she Hawa delivery guy knocking on her door. Puzzled, she asked, "Excuse me, who are you trying to reach?" Comment My k 489 The delivery guy turned around. "Are you Mr. Wace?" Cameron Hodded. "Yeah, that''s me." He asked again to confirm, "What''s your phone number?" She told him her phone number, Satisfied the info matched, he handed her the bag. "Here''s your order, Mr. Wace." Cameron was even more confused. "I didn''t order anything." The guy replied, "It''s from a Mr. Murphy." Cameron was confused. She wondered, ''Mr. Murphy... Xander? He sent me food? How did he know I came back here?" Before she could argue, he stuffed the bag into her hands. "Don''t forget to leave a good review, Mr. Wace." Then he hurried off-he had more deliveries to make. Cameron looked down at the bag, then at the empty hallway, and went inside. She ced the bag on the table, opened it, and saw the food Xander had ordered-a milkshake, a chocte cake, and a fruit sd. Cameron was stunned. Since when was Xander this good at picking things? This was exactly what she loved-how could she say no? But she didn''t touch 1. it. She took out her phone, took a photo, and messaged Xander: [You ordered this?] Meanwhile, Xander was checking the delivery app. It showed "delivered." ''Does that mean the guy left it at her door?'' he wondered, about to call when a message popped up. ''Cameron? Am I dreaming?'' he thought as he quickly switched to WhatsApp-yep, it was from her. "Yes!" Xander jumped up, thrilled. Talk about a lucky break! He''d ordered the food on a whim, knowing she wasn''t living at Noble Vista. But it was the only address he had. Never thought she''d actually be there. He was over the moon. He fought to keep his excitement in check and messaged Cameron: [Yeah, I sent it. You like it?] It had taken Xander ages to research online what small gifts girls were more likely to ept. Cameron replied: [20 dors. I''ll transfer you the money.] Xander: [It''s no big deal. Why pay me back? It''s my treat.] Cameron: [Why would you treat me? What''s the catch?] Xander was at a loss for words. He thought, ''What''s the catch? Can''t she see I liked her?'' But Xander didn''t dare say it outright. What if she shot him down? How would he ever face her again? After a pause, he wrote back: [Cameron, I''m sorry foring on too strong before. This is just a small apology. Please take it.] Cameron read the message, nced at her phone, then at the milkshake, if it melted, it''d be gross She quickly transferred 20 dors to Xander, grabbed the milkshake, stuck in a straw, and took a sip The sweet, smooth drink hit her mouth, and she smiled without thinking. Her phone buzzed. Xander had sent the 20 dors back. Cameron was speechless. As she sipped the milkshake, she tried sending the money again. Xander: [Cameron, why are you being so stubborn? It''s just 20 dors. Stop sending it back!] My k 490 Cameron opened the fruit sd, speared a piece of watermelon with her fork, and popped it into her mouth while typing (i don trend earning them.] Xander: [Why not? You spent so much time tutoring me. This milkshake is the least I can do.] Cameron: [Tutoring? You already paid me for that.] Xander: [What you did for me means more than money.] Cameron took a bite of cake and kept typing: [Stop making excuses and take the money.) Xander: [it''ste. I''m going to sleep. Bye.] Cameron was speechless. She suddenly felt like the cake was stuck in her throat. She frowned and typed: [Xander, if you don''t take the money, I''ll block you.] Speechless, Xander scowled as he replied: [Cameron, can''t you try something new?] She was always using those petty little threats like blocking. Cameron: [No.] She added: [Take the money. You have 10 seconds to decide. After that, you''re blocked.] The second she sent the message, the system showed he''d epted the payment. Cameron smirked. "So Xander''s scared of being blocked?" Xander: [Cameron, you''re such a dork!] He thought, ''That word "dork" might as well have been made for her.'' She ignored it, set down her phone, and alternated between sipping, the milkshake and enjoying forkfuls of fruit and cake. This post-dinner dessert was perfect. Fully satisfied, Cameron leaned back on the couch. At that moment, the world felt great. Sweets really did have a way of making people happy. The next day, Cameron woke up at 7 a.m. After getting ready, she messaged Elijah: [Up yet? Time to leave.] He replied instantly: [I''m outside your door.] Cameron was stunned, wondering, ''Outside my door?'' She hurried to open it. Sure enough, Elijah was standing there. Cameron asked, "When did you get here? Why didn''t you knock?" Elijah held up the breakfast in his hand. "I was afraid you weren''t awake yet." "I don''t usually sleep in," Cameron said. Elijah set the Breakfast on the dining table. "You haven''t had breakfast yet, have you?" Not yet. She''d nned to eat at the office, but having it at home first was fine too. Elijah nced at the milkshake carton in the trash but didn''tment. He''d bought toast and coffee for two. As she ate the toast. Cameron asked, "Did you go out to buy this?" Elijah nodded. "Yeah." "Next time, don''t worry about it. We can just eat at the office," she said. Elijah paused, then nodded. "Okay." After breakfast, they rode shared bikes to work together. It was the morning rush hour, and the roads were packed. But Cameron and Elijah cycled one behind the other, moving smoothly through the traffic. The June weather made biking more pleasant than driving. Elijah followed behind, watching Cameron ahead. The morning sun turned Cameron''s short hair a soft golden hue. Though thin, she didn''t look weak-she looked energetic. Up ahead, a red light stopped Cameron. Elijah was so focused on her back that he identally collided with her. Cameron was stunned. Her bike slid 20 inches forward. She turned to look at Elijah. "Elijah, it''s a red light." Snapping back to reality, Elijah saw his bike''s front end bumping into Cameron''s rear. He quickly apologized, "Sorry, I spaced out. Are you okay, Cameron?" AD Comment Send gift Ads My k 491 Cameron replied, "I''m okay, but spacing out while biking is too risky. Maybe we should ditch the bikes and take a taxi instead?" Elijah said, "It''s fine. Let''s just ride." He wasn''t sure why he''d gotten so fixated on Cameron''s back earlier. In all his life, he had never been so absentminded. Cameren stared at him. "Are you really sure you''re good?" "Positive," Elijah said. Just then, the light turned green. "Alright, let''s ride side by side," Cameron said. "Okay." So they cycled next to each other in the bikene. Cameron looked at the sunrise glow in the sky. "It''s going to be a hot one today. The sun''s already zing." "Summer''s like that," Elijah replied. She nced at him. Seeing he was focused now, she fell silent and kept pedaling. The ride from Noble Vista to the office was a medium distance-took them over half an hour to reach. At the office, Cameron went straight to the general manager''s office, with Elijah trailing behind. "Cameron, what can I do to help out?" Elijah asked. "Give me a sec. I''ll check with HR about open positions," Cameron said. Elijah nodded. ¡°Sure, I''ll do whatever''s needed." Cameron smiled, "Elijah, it might get tough. Just be prepared." This was real work, not a ydate-every role had duties that could be tiring. "I''ll be okay," Elijah said, thinking, ''Anything is better than sitting at home alone, zoning out.'' Eventually, Elijah was assigned to the Product Department, helping package pharmaceuticals. It wasn''t physically hard, but it was tedious. "Elijah, if you ever want to quit, just tell me. Also, how does 200 dors a day sound for pay?" Cameron was offering him full-time employee wages. He nodded. "Good." He wasn''t there for the money anyway. Cameron then turned Elijah over to the relevant supervisor. She made her way to the pharmaceutical R&D department. As a young "guy" with a youthful face, Cameron didn''t get much notice from the R&D experts at first. But when David called her "Mr. Wace," the team, though confused, still treated her fairly. Cameron didn''t do anything except observe how they worked. Cameron and Elijah worked in different areas, so they didn''t see each other all day. Work ended at 6 p.m. Cameron messaged Elijah (Elijah, want to eat in the cafeteria before heading back?) Thepany provided three meals a day, and for employees who worked overtime, it also offeredte-night snacks and covered band fares Elijah: Okay.] Cameron: [See you at the cafeteria.] Cameron carried her tray to a corner table. Thepany had around 100 employees, and only a few knew who she was. It took Elijah a minute to find her. He set his tray down across from hers. "How was your first day on the job?" she asked. "Still want toe back tomorrow?" Elijah was about to say he was a bit tired, but when he heard her second question, he held back. "It was fine," he said. "Physical work gives my brain a break. Of course I''ll be here tomorrow." Cameron smiled, "Sounds like your first day of ''real work'' went well." Elijah smiled slightly, "What about you?" "I''m good," she said. "This will be my workce after I graduate from college. I''ll treat this as pre-adaptation." As he ate, Elijah said, "When I take over my family''s hospital, we should work together more." Even though Cameron had already partnered with the Moore family, Elijah knew his father''s strict approach meant she probably wouldn''t get a great deat. If he were in charge, he''d help Cameron as much as he could. Cameron smiled, "I''m looking forward to that day." Elijah nodded, thinking, ''It won''t be long.'' After dinner, they rode shared bikes back together. Elijah was worn out from the long day and quickly fell behind Cameron. When she looked back and didn''t see him, Cameron furrowed her brow in confusion. She pulled over to message him, only to spot Elijah cycling toward her. "Elijah, are you good?" she asked. "I''m fine. Just didn''t feel like speeding, so I slowed down," he said. Noticing the tiredness in his eyes, Cameron suggested, "Wanna walk the rest of the way?" Elijah agreed easily, "Sure." They returned the bikes by the curb and walked back to Noble Vista together. It was rush hour, with crowds of people hurrying home, but Cameron and Elijah strolled at a leisurely pace. As the night deepened and neon lights flickered on, they walked side by side on the narrow sidewalk. To dodge other pedestrians, Elijah shifted closer to Cameron, and their arms brushed. The warm contact made Elijah start slightly. Cameron didn''t notice and kept moving forward. 21:52 Wed, 4 Jun - Elijah stood still, staring down at his right arm. An odd, unfamiliar feeling welled up inside him¡ªone he couldn''t quite describe 751%Á¿ He looked up at Cameron ahead, Even in the throng of people, he could spot Cameron at first nce. There was just something about Cameron that made him stand out. Cameron had walked a few paces ahead when she realized Elijah wasgging again. She thought, ''First on the bike, now while walking?" She stopped and called out, "Elijah!" He snapped back to attention and hurried toward her. "What''s up?" she asked. "You seem lost in thought." Elijah looked up at Cameron. Cameron had beautiful eyes, deep and soulful, and right now they were filled with concern as they studied him. Elijah only nced at her before quickly shifting his gaze away. He couldn''t bring himself to look at Cameron! He actually couldn''t meet Cameron''s eyes! Even his heart was pounding wildly for no reason. ''What''s wrong with me?'' he wondered. cing a hand on his chest, Elijah stared at the ground and said, ¡°Cameron, I... I don''t feel good. I think I''m not going back to Noble Vista tonight. Without waiting for a response, he turned and hurried in the opposite direction of Cameron. Cameron was thoroughly confused. She thought, ''What has juste over Elijah? One moment he was fine, and the next he was acting like this?'' My k 492 No Ads Cameron watched Elijah vanish into the night. She pulled out her phone and messaged him: Elijah, if you''re not feeling well, you should go to the hospital. If you''re still under the weather tomorrow. take the day off-no need toe into the office.] After sending the message, she scanned a shared bike by the curb and cycled back to Noble Vista, As soon as she reached her doorstep, Cameron spotted a takeout bag outside.. Cameron was stunned, wondering, ''Is this Xander again?'' She picked up the bag with a frown-sure enough, it wasbeled "Mr. Murphy." Speechless, Cameron thought, ''Is Xander out of his mind? Why keep sending me takeout?'' Milkshakes and cakes were fine once in a while, but eating them daily would pack on the pounds. Even though Cameron wasn''t someone who gained weight easily, she couldn''t handle this daily splurge. She carried the takeout inside with a scowl. This time, instead of messaging Xander, she dug in right away. After that long walk, she did need to refuel. Meanwhile, Xander kept staring at his phone, wondering why Cameron hadn''t reached out. The delivery guy had called to say no one answered, so he''d left the food at the door. Xander was puzzled. He wondered, ''I sent it at the same time yesterday, and she was there. Is she not back at Noble Vista tonight? Is she staying at Bradley''s ce again?'' Xander''s brows knitted together. He wondered, ''Why is Cameron so chummy with Bradley anyway? She even transferred money back to me for a 20- dor meal. How does she split the bills with Bradley, then?'' The more he thought about it, the more upset he got. Finally, he caved and messaged her first: [What''s up?] Cameron: [Not much.] Xander: [Where are you?] Cameron: [In my living room. Why?] Xander: [You''re at Noble Vista?] Cameron: [Nope.] Xander: [But you said you''re in your living room?] Cameron: [Who said Noble Vista is my only ce?] Xander was stunned. He wondered, ''Does Cameron have other homes besides Noble Vista?'' Come to think of it, she''d made a killing working for him these past few months. Buying herself another ce would be a piece of cake. Xander: [Then where exactly are you right now?] Cameron: [I said, at my ce.] Xander: (I know you''re home. I''m asking for the address)] Cameron: [Not sharing.] Xander was speechless. Cameron: (It''s gettingte. I''m gonna shower and go to bed. Bye.] I''m not finished yet! How am I supposed to send her takeout again without knowing her address?'' he thought. Xander had originally nned to win Cameron over through her stomach, taking things slow and steady. Now the strategy was dead in the water, And that clueless dork-how was he supposed to pursue her? Back in school, he''d used tutoring as an excuse to hang around her every day. Now, what pretext could he use to see her? Xander irritably flung his phone onto the couch. "This is so annoying!" he snapped. After messaging Xander, Cameron didn''t actually go showering. It was still early. She took her time eating her fruit sd, deciding to let Xander believe she wasn''t at Noble Vista. Maybe that would finally stop him from sending her takeout. Elijah marched ahead quickly. He could sense Cameron''s eyes on him. That stare he imagined made him unbearably tense, his heart thudding as if it might burst through his chest. My k 493 Elijah walked faster and faster, eventually breaking into a fun. He ran until he was gasping for breath, finally stopping to catch his breath. When he looked up, he was in an unfamiliar area. Sweat poured down his forehead as he turned around Cameron was nowhere in sight yet his heart kept pounding wildly in his chest. Clutching his chest, Elijah wondered, ''What''s wrong with me?'' He hadn''t even been able to meet Cameron''s eyes earlier. Why was he acting so oddly? He couldn''t understand his own behavior. He hailed a taxi and returned to Moore Manor. Though the main family wasn''t home, Jack and the servants stayed faithfully at their posts. Hearing Elijah arrive, they greeted him with warm smiles "Mr. Moore." "Good evening, Mr. Moore." "Wee back, Mr. Moore." Jack was especially d to see him. Elijah had said he wouldn''t be home for a while, but he''d returned after just one night. Elijah nodded in response. "You don''t look well, Mr. Moore," Jack said with concern, signaling for a servant to bring a warm towel. Wiping the sweat from his face, Elijah said, "I''m just tired." Jack quickly helped him sit down. "Is your job too tiring? If it is, you can always find another one." After all, experiencing daily life shouldn''t mean wearing himself out. Looking at Jack''s worried face, Elijah paused before asking, "Jack, can I ask you a question?" Thomas and Beverly had always been too busy with work. Elijah had been practically raised by Jack, spending far more time with him than with his parents. They were close, and there were things Elijah would share with Jack that he''d never tell Thomas or Beverly. Jack discreetly signaled for the servants in the living room to leave. Then he handed Elijah a ss of ice water and asked with a warm smile, "Yes, Mr. Moore? What would you like to ask?" Elijah said, "Jack, suppose someone can''t bring themselves to look another person in the eye. What does that mean?" Jack was caught off guard by the question and hesitated for a moment. Then he quickly smiled knowingly, "Mr. Moore, could you have a crush on someone?" At these words, Elijah''s eyes widened in shock. He could hardly believe what he was hearing He thought, ''A crush? Does avoiding eye contact really mean I like someone? But that''s Cameron! Cameron! How could that be?'' Noticing Elijah''s silence, Jack chuckled, " must be right. Mr. Moore, this is great news! Now that you''ve graduated high school and are heading to "I university, you should enjoy some young love." Elijah was stunned. He thought, Enjoy it? How could I enjoy something soplicated? Impossibles Elijah clenched his fist slightly. ¡°Jack, I''m just talking about being unable to meet someone''s gaze. This whole ''having a crush thing-you in tea tag much into it. Jack smiled gently, "Mr. Moore, don''t be embarrassed. When you like someone, it''s not just about avoiding their eyes. Sometimes your heart races fot. reason, you feel giddy when you see them, and when you''re apart, you wonder nonstop what they''re doing. ¡°Think about it, Mr. Moore. Have you felt any of these things? If so, it''s definitely a crush." Elijah was dumbfounded. My k 494 Elijah''s eyes widened in shock yet again. Every single thing Jack had described was too urate to deny. But how could this be happening. Thes Cameron! How could I possibly have those kinds of feelings for Cameron?'' he thought. ''I have a crush on Cameron? It feels utterly crazy!'' Elijah thought, his face turning pale instantly. Sensing the abrupt change, Jack grabbed his arm. "Mr. Moore, what''s going on? Are you okay?" Elijah snapped back to reality, shoving down the storm of emotions inside him. "I''m just exhausted," he managed. Jack was stunned. He quickly helped Elijah to his feet. "Mr. Moore, why not lie down in your room? I''ll send for the family doctor immediately." "Just let me be. No doctor," Elijah said, pushing Jack''s hand aside and trudging upstairs. Jack''s worry spiked as he watched Elijah''s back. He wondered, ''Is Mr. Moore suffering from unrequited love? Or have I identally upset him? What can! do?'' Jack paced fretfully but knew better than to disturb Elijah. He needed time alone. Once in his room, Elijah marched into the bathroom and cranked on the shower. Warm water poured over his head, soaking his clothes until they clung ufortably to his skin. Braced against the wall, he stared nkly at the streaming tiles. ''Impossible! I couldn''t possibly have feelings for Cameron!'' he thought. He did think Cameron was great-smart, versatile, with a solid personality. A friend worth having, sure. But he''d never once considered anything romantic. How could he? He had no deviant people around him. He wasn''t the type. He''d always been a study addict, indifferent to distractions. Over the years, he''d tossed countless love letters in the trash without a nce. He''d never cared about "young love," let alone... And yet, when he thought of Cameron... Even though Elijah kept denying his feelings for Cameron, he knew the truth-he genuinely loved spending time with her. Even when she took his top spot in their grade, he wasn''t upset but was actually happy for her. And in his free time, he couldn''t stop wondering what Cameron was doing. This was all new territory for him. Elijah stood under the showerhead for over an hour. He was so drained that he finally turned off the water. He barely remembered changing out of his wet clothes, drying off, and climbing into bed. His phone had gotten wet too, but luckily it was waterproof. After drying it with a towel, he saw the message Cameron had sent. When he stared at her concerned words, his mind felt like scrambled eggs. He tapped his head lightly, trying to think of a reply, but his brain had gone totally nk. Holding the phone in his hand, he read Cameron''s message over and over. He thought, ''Cameron''s checking on me. He cares about me. But in our dorm, he''s closer to Brad. To him, I''m probably just a friend.'' ''No!'' Elijah shook his head sharply. ''What am I even thinking?'' Just then, another message popped up-from Cameron again. Cameron: [Elijah, are you okay? Did you get home safe?] His mind still foggy, he stared at the screen, wondering, ''This is concern, right? Is he worried about me?'' His heart started racing again, and he hated the feeling. Pressing a hand to his chest, he tried to steady it, but it only beat faster. Cameron''s worry spiked when Elijah didn''t reply. What if something bad has happened?'' she wondered. Without hesitation, shpen The phone''s sudden ring made Elijah''s hand jump. His phone slipped andnded with a soft thud on the carpet. Elijah was stunned. When he stared at Cameron''s name shing on the screen, his thoughts turned into a jumbled mess. He let the call go una until it cut off. Cameron frowned, thinking, ''Something''s definitely wrong.'' It was gettingte, and he hadn''t responded to anything. She quickly typed another message: [Elijah, are you alright? Please text me back. I''m really worried.] After sending it, she sat there, eyes glued to her phone, regretting not taking him to the hospital. Letting him leave alone had been a huge mistake. Meanwhile, Elijah, who had been staring at Cameron''s message, finally picked up his phone and forced himself to type a reply: (Cameron, I''m fine. I was in the shower. Just saw your messages. It''ste. Good night.] His fingers shook so much that it took him several minutes to finish the short text. When Cameron read his reply, the knot in her stomach loosened. She messaged back: [d you''re okay. Sleep well.] Now that she knew Elijah was alright, she could finally get a good night''s sleep. The moment he saw her response, Elijah flipped his phone over and threw it onto the bed. If he didn''t have to look at her name, maybe he could stop his heart from racing. For a while, it worked. But he sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows all night long, wide awake, never able to figure out why he''d developed such improper feelings for Cameron. As dawn crept in, he''d finally admitted his feelings to himself, only to feel self- loathing wash over him as he knew they were wrong. He thought, ''If Cameron ever knows, he''ll probably be disgusted by me, right?'' Elijah''s mind was a total mess. After a sleepless night, he finally couldn''t hold on anymore and flopped down on the carpet, falling asleep. Before that, he still made sure to send a message to Cameron. Jack had spent the whole night worrying about Elijah. When it got to the time Elijah usually came downstairs and he still hadn''t shown up, Jack was so worried he went upstairs to look for him. He knocked on the door for ages, but there was no answer, so he had to open the door. Luckily, Elijah hadn''t locked the door, so Jack opened it. The first thing he saw was Elijah lying on the carpet. "Mr. Moore!" Jack yelped, startled. He hurried over and realized with relief that Elijah was just sleeping. Seeing the dark circles under Elijah''s eyes, Jack figured he''d been up all night. "Poor Mr. Moore," Jack said sadly. He carefully spread a light nket over Elijah and closed the curtains. AD Comment My k 495 "s." Jack let out a long, heavy sigh. He wondered, ''Has Mr. Moore stayed up all night because of the girl he likes? Is he this miserable because a turned him down?'' Jack hadn''t expected Elijah''s first crush to be so tough. With another sigh, Jack felt awful for him, but there wasn''t much he could do. Love wasn''t something money, status, or even other people could control He wondered which girl would be so blind to reject Elijah. After waking up and getting ready, Cameron was about to ask Elijah if he''d being to thepany today when his message popped up. [Cameron, I''ve got some things to deal with the next few days and won''t being to yourpany for a bit. Sorry.) Cameron replied: [No big deal. Handle your stuff, You were just here to get a taste of the job anyway, so no pressure.] Elijah, of course, didn''t respond-he was already asleep. Cameron headed to Aurevia Biotech as usual. At lunchtime, she got an unexpected call from William. "Mr. Drake," Cameron said, putting down her fork. The cafeteria was loud, so she stepped into the stairwell to answer. "Hey, kiddo," William asked eagerly, "the SATs were days ago. Can you give me a ballpark of how you did?" William had actually wanted to ask Cameron right after the exam, but he didn''t want to stress her out. That was why he''d waited a few days to call. "A ballpark?" Cameron paused. "I''ve pretty much nked on all of it.¡± William panicked. "No way!" "Chill, Mr. Drake," she said. "I get why you''re antsy, but the scores areing in like ten days. Let''s not sweat it. "Plus, even if I guess now, do you think that''ll lock in my actual score? Let''s just hang tight. It''s only ten days. They''ll fly by." William went silent. Cameron was right, but these past few days, he''d been struggling to eat or sleep. The results were still over ten days out, and each day dragged by endlessly. Who could understand how he felt? Maybe only Charles, the principal of Horizon Academy, could rte. But Charles kept posting daily on his social feed about how his top students were predicting high scores on the exams. It made William so anxious that he''d even blocked Charles on Instagram. Cameron added, "Mr. Drake, I won''t disappoint you." Those words gave William some peace of mind. William eximed eagerly, "Young man, you''re the one who said that!" Cameron replied, "Yes, I did." William said, ¡°Good, good. Since you''re so confident in yourself, I have faith in you too!" After hanging up, Cameron went back to the cafeteria to eat. William was eagerly awaiting the SATS results-and truthfully, so was she. After all, there was a three-million-dor bonus and a three-million-dor house on the line. The next day at 4 a.m., while Cameron was still sound asleep, Bradley dragged his suitcase off the ne. After uncovering Eric''s lies a few days earlier, he''d immediately taken a flight back. He arrived in Viremont at 4 a.m. and took a taxi back to Silvernos Castle, getting there at 5 a.m. He hadn''t slept much on the ne and was dead tired at that hour. The castle waspletely quiet. He carried his luggage to his room, took a shower, changed his clothes, and went straight downstairs. It was 5:30 a.m. In less than two hours, Cameron would wake up. He wanted to wait and have breakfast with her. My k 496 After waiting an hour, it wasn''t anyone else Bradley was waiting for it was Pearl. When Pearl saw him sitting in the living room, it let out an excited yelp. "Pearl," Bradley called, waving to it. Pearl happily trotted over and flopped down at his feet. Bradley reached out to rub its head. It yelped again. Bradley smiled. Pearl was clearly delighted to see him back. He wondered, ''Will Cameron also be pleasantly surprised to find me suddenly in the living roomter?'' Bradley checked his watch. It was almost seven o''clock. Cameron should be waking up soon. With both Cameron and Bradley away from the castle these past few days, the chef hadn''t been getting up early to make breakfast. So when the chef came downstairs at 7:30 and saw Bradley sitting on the sofa watching TV, he started in surprise. "Mr. Saunders, when did you get back?" the chef hurried down the stairs. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. Despite not sleeping all night, he still looked wide awake. "I arrived in the early morning. Looks like you slept in?" The chef quickly apologized, "Sorry, Mr. Saunders. I didn''t know you wereing back. What would you like to eat? I''ll make it right away." Bradley didn''t press the matter. ¡°Just make whatever Cameron usually has for breakfast." The chef looked confused. "But Mr. Wace hasn''t stayed here for days. Should I still cook ording to his tastes?" Bradley was stunned. His eyes moved from the TV screen, and he frowned at the chef. "Did you say Cameron hasn''t been living here for days?" The chef nodded. "Yes, he said it was inconvenient to stay here." Bradley fell silent. ''Cameron must be at work'', he thought. The boy had mentioned taking a summer job before the SATS. He''d forgotten Cameron couldn''t drive- staying here really was inconvenient. He''d overlooked that. "Just make a simple breakfast then," Bradley said with a wave of his hand. The chef understood and nodded, hurrying into the kitchen. Bradley took out his phone. It was almost eight o''clock. Cameron should be awake now. He sent her a message. At that moment, Cameron was having breakfast in thepany cafeteria. Her phone vibrated. She looked over and saw a message from Bradley. Bradley: [Cameron, are you up? I''m back in Viremont and noticed you''re not here. Did you move back to Noble Vista?} Cameron picked up her phone to reply: [Brad, you''re back so soon? How''s Eric doing? Yeah, I moved back to Noble Vista. It''s closer to where I work.] Bradley couldn''t help butugh at her message. He thought, ''If Cameron finds out Eric faked being sick to "split us up," she''ll probably find it just as absurd.'' Even now, Bradley thought the whole thing was ridiculous. He replied: [I had somew firm matters to deal with. There are others at home taking care of Eric, and he''s recovered a lot. Don''t worry. Since you''re back at Noble Vista, I''ll stay there temporarily too. It really isn''t convenient up here.] 21:58 Wed Jun Cameron paused, she thought, Was he only staying at the castle because of met Why go in such lengther shaddiy the jura de convenient? Bradley asked: [What time do you get off work tonight?) [Usually six, but not always on schedule, she replied. (Got it. Let''s have dinner together. You focus on work first.) After a moment of thought, Cameron finally agreed: [Okay, see you tonight.] My k 497 After a quick breakfast, Bradley went back to his room to sleep. He nned to rest, then head back to Noble Vista and wait for Cameron to get off work He woke up at 4 p.m. When he checked his phone, he saw messages from his ssmate Amelia. Amelia: [Bradley, did you handle things at home?] [Are you still abroad?] She''d sent these two messages at noon, and Bradley was just now seeing them. When Amelia sent the messages, she felt nervous. She was used to being the one pursued, so taking the initiative like this was a first. But hours went by with no reply. Shortly after 4 p.m., Amelia finally got a response from Bradley: [Amelia, did you need something?] Amelia paused, wondering, ''Is he implying my messages are an interruption? I was just trying to show concern. Does he really have no feelings for me at all?'' She was the center of attention for almost every boy in school. How could he be unaffected? She wondered, ''Is he just slow to develop romantic feelings? Studies say boys his age are less emotionally mature than girls. Maybe I need to make a move.'' Frowning slightly, she replied: [Yeah, I do need to talk to you about something.] ''If Bradley''s oblivious, I''ll have to drop a hint,'' she thought. Bradley: [What''s up?] Amelia bit her lip, her cheeks flushing. [Bradley, are you back in the country? Could we meet up sometime if you''re around?] Bradley: [Sorry, Amelia. I''m still overseas.] Amelia deted immediately, her expression falling. She''d worked up so much courage to send that message, only to find out he wasn''t even in the country. She replied: [Okay, let''s touch base when you''re back.] Bradley: [Got it.] Amelia threw her phone aside, her thoughts in a whirl. For some reason, Cameron suddenly came to mind. She thought, ''Aren''t Cameron and Bradley good terms? Should I ask Cameron for help?'' Thest time at that restaurant near their school, Cameron had seemed intent on setting her up with Bradley. Maybe she should try reaching out to Cameron again. Amelia picked up her phone and dialed Cameron''s number. Ever since Amelia helped Cameron expose Skyler, Cameron had unblocked Amelia''s numb Cameron was surprised to see Amelia''s call. After a brief hesitation, she grabbed her phone and rushed to the stairwell to answer. "Hello, Ms. Chapmar "Sorry, Cameron. Is this a bad time?" Amelia sounded polite. Cameron asked, "What do you need?" Amelia said, "Cameron, I know it''s ufortable to ask you for a favor since you''re my former fianc¨¦, but you''re the only one who can help me with this." Cameron replied, "Tell me what''s going on." 21:53 Wed, 4 Jun Amelia said, ¡°Cameron, are you free tonight?" She felt this was better discussed in person, not over the phone. Cameron said, "Tonight? I''m meeting Brad, so maybe we can..." "Brad?" Amelia interrupted. "Do yo My k 498 Cameron replied, "Yeah, Bradley." Amelia asked, "He''s back in the country?" Cameron replied, "He just got back this morning." Amelia was stunned. She thought, ''Bradley returned this morning? But he told me he was still abroad! So did he not want to see me? Why?" Cameron didn''t hear Amelia''s stunned silence and added, "Ms. Chapman, I already have ns with Brad. How about we reschedule for tomorrow?" Amelia bit her lip. "Cameron, would you mind if I tag along tonight?" Cameron froze,pletely thrown by the request. ''Tag along? She wanted to meet Brad?'' she wondered. She knew Amelia had feelings for Bradley. Did that mean she''d be stuck as a chaperone all evening? Cameron was quick to connect the dots. She instantly guessed why Amelia had called. "Ms. Chapman," she said, "if you don''t mind my asking, is this about Brad?" Amelia''s cheeks flushed, and she stayed quiet. "Since you''re not denying it," Cameron pressed, "I''ll take that as a yes. You cane tonight, but I need to run it by Brad first." "Wait, Cameron," Amelia rushed to say, "can you keep it a secret from Bradley? Just for now?" It was clear Bradley was avoiding her. If Cameron mentioned it, he''d probably say no. Amelia didn''t want to wait anymore. She was willing to set aside her pride and make a move. If she hesitated, another girl might steal Bradley away once they started college. ''Better to act bold than regretter,'' she thought. "Not tell Brad? But showing up unannounced seems risky, doesn''t it?" Cameron asked. "Please, Cameron," Amelia pleaded, "just this once. Will you do this for me?" Cameron hesitated. She did owe Amelia-twice, in fact. Once for intervening when Tyrell and his men caused trouble, and again for helping expose Skyler. Now that Amelia was begging for help, it was hard to refuse. But using Bradley to repay a favor felt unfair to him. Seeing Cameron remain silent, Amelia asked urgently, "Cameron, is that okay? Can you help me?" Cameron was silent for a long moment before saying, "Ms. Chapman, can you let me think about it?" "Alright, I''ll wait for your answer," Amelia replied. Cameron ended the call. Standing in the stairwell, she hesitated before sending Bradley a message. Cameron: [Brad, can I bring a friend to dinner tonight?] Bradley was driving back to Noble Vista when he got the message. He pulled over to the side of the road to reply: [A friend? What friend? Do I know them?] Cameron: [You do know them, but can I not say who for now? I''ll surprise you.] Bradley smiled and replied: [Okay.] 21:53 Wed, 4 Jun Reading his message, Cameron felt a twinge of guilt. She thought, ''Brad is so easy to fool s! She''d pay back Amelia''s favor first, then apologize to Bradter. After all, she''d lost track of how many favors she owed him. She called Amelia back. "Cameron, did you decide?" Amelia asked anxiously before Cameron could speak. "Fine," Cameron said, "but just this once, Ms. Chapman. I won''t help with anything like this again." ''One trick on Brad is enough,'' she thought. AD Comment My k 499 Amelia said, "Alright, just this once. Thanks, Cameron." "Alright, let''s add each other on WhatsApp. I''ll send you the addresster," Cameron said. "Sure,¡± Amelia replied. The moment Cameron hung up, there was a knock on the fire door. It was Larry Field, the R&D supervisor. Larry frowned at Cameron. "What''s your deal? You''re distracted at work every day. You''ve been on the phone all afternoon. Do you think 200 dors a day is free money?" Cameron was at a loss for words. "Get back to your desk now," Larry snapped. Cameron gave a faint smile and headed back to the office area without a word. Larry shook his head. If not for David vouching for this "well-connected" hire, he would''ve fired Cameron ages ago. ''Young people these days are pros at cking off,'' he thought. Back at her desk, Cameron nned to message Bradley after work but got a text from him first: [What should we have for dinner tonight?] Cameron: [You pick. My supervisor caught me on the phone earlier. I''ll talk to youter.] Bradley was stunned. Cameron stashed her phone and opened the thick pile of documents in front of her. Larry walked past her chair and snorted. David had told him to let Cameron stay in R&D but not assign her any tasks. Still, her rxed attitude was annoying. At 6 p.m. on the dot, Cameron left work. When she took out her phone, she saw messages from both Bradley and Amelia. Bradley: [Cameron, it''s raining. Where are you? I''lle pick you up,] Amelia: [Cameron, have you set a location yet? Where should I meet you two?] Cameron replied to Bradley first: [Brad, don''t worry about it. I''ll grab a taxi. No need for you toe pick me up and drive to the restaurant. It''s a wa of time. Just send me the dinner address.] She then messaged Amelia: [I just finished work and am reaching out to Brad. Give me a sec.] Bradley quickly replied: [With the rain, just go straight to Noble Vista. Bring your friend to my ce. I ordered fondue from that restaurant we alway: to. It''s being delivered. I''ll be home waiting for you.] Cameron: [Got it, heading back by taxi now.] Cameron sent Amelia the Noble Vista address: [Ms/Chapman, I''ll wait for you at the main gate.] Amelia: [What''s this ce?] Cameron: [Brad''s ce.] In excitement, Amelia thought, ''Bradley''s ce? I''m going to Bradley''s ce?'' Amelia nced down at the pretty dress she''d spent two hours selecting. She''d thought it was dressy enough, but now that she knew the venue, i 21:53 Wed, 4 Jun underdressed. She wondered, ''What should I bring as a gift for the first visit?'' She hadn''t had time to prepare anything Cameron: [Is everything okay, Ms, Chapman? Oh, right, we''re having fondue at Brad''s ce. Is that alright with you?] Amelia bit her lip. Cameron had finally agreed to help. She couldn''t blow this opportunity. She doubted she could ever ask Bradley cut otherwise. Amelia: (No problem. I''m on my way.] Cameron: [See you shortly.] The summer rain came down hard and fast. Cameron caught a taxi from her office and returned to Noble Vista. She sheltered under themunity gate to wait for Amelia, who arrived about ten minutester. My k 500 A bodyguard held arge ck umbre and opened the rear door of a Porsche. Amelia slowly stooped to step out of the car She wore a ck off-the-shoulder maxi dress, her waist length hair fallingzily down her back. The dress was long, revealing only a small dives of her calves, and she had on a pair of strappy heeled sandals. Her wless features were enhanced by a polished makeup look. In terms of temperament, figure, and appearance, she was truly top-notch The moment Cameron saw Amelia, she was amazed. The title of "campus beauty" was indeed well-deserved. Amelia gracefully took the umbre from the bodyguard and walked toward Cameron, only to see Cameron staring at her intently. Amelia was stunned and immediately took a half-step back in caution. Cameron came back to herself and smiled, "Let''s go. Brad has been waiting for a while." Amelia followed behind Cameron, keeping a three-foot distance, Cameron couldn''t help butugh, "Ms. Chapman, please, I really have no interest in you right now, but you do look beautiful today." Amelia was at a loss for words, wondering, ''He said he had no interest butplimented my beauty? What''s he up to?" In the end, Amelia still quickened her pace in high heels to catch up with Cameron. At that moment, it was still raining, and Cameron, who didn''t have an umbre, ran while taking shelter from the rain. "Ms. Chapman, this way, follow me." The road was full of rainwater, and Amelia stepped into some that sshed up to her calves. She frowned and increased her speed to keep up with Cameron. Cameron ran into Bradley''s vi and raised her hand to shake off the water from her clothes and hair. Hearing the noise, Bradley stood up and saw her messy appearance. "How did you get so wet?" He had said he would pick her up. Bradley helplessly went to the bathroom to get a towel for Cameron. Amelia arrived at the vi door with a nervous heart. Her fingers gently tightened around the umbre handle as she looked up to examine the luxuri vi. She wondered, ''Does Bradley live here? Is he living here alone? Or with his family?'' Amelia held a gift box in her other hand-a present she''d brought for Bradley. She''d forgotten to ask Cameron. What if there are other people here? How rude it would be to bring only one gift?'' she thought. But she was already there. Taking a deep breath, Amelia finally stepped into the vi. Bradley came out with a dry towel and stopped short at the sight of Amelia standing behind Cameron. Bradley was stunned. He wondered, ''So this is Cameron''s friend? The surprise?'' Talk about a shock. His expression remained neutral as he walked over to Cameron and handed her the towel. "Dry off first. You can go home to changeter." Cameron took the towel. "Thanks." Bradley turned to Amelia with politeposure. "Amelia, pleasee in." Amelia had been nervous, expecting anger or at least a frosty wee. To her surprise, Bradley smiled and invited her in. She still felt stiff. "Sorry! ?? VICU showing up unannounced, Bradley." "Guests are always wee," he said. "Come in." Cameron looked back. "Ms. Chapman, pleasee in." Amelia ced her gift on the table. "You didn''t need to do that," Bradley said. "It''s enough that you''re here." ¡°Just a small gift. I hope you like it," Amelia replied. Bradley gave a slight nod. "Have a seat, Amelia." My k 501 Amelia sat down opposite Bradley. "Brad..." She wanted to ask if he lived there alone. "Cameron," Bradley and Amelia spoke at the same time. He cut her off, ncing at Amelia before continuing, "Cameron, you should go back to your ce to change. You''ll get sick if you stay wet." Cameron replied, "It''s such a trek. I''ll just use a hairdryer." "The hairdryer''s broken," Bradley said tly. Cameron paused. She thought, ''It''s broken, or is he just trying to send me away? Right, I''m the awkward third wheel here! She set down the towel. "Fine, Brad. Ms. Chapman, you two talk. I''ll go change." Amelia asked curiously, "Cameron, do you live here too?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, in the vi over there. If you''re hungry, don''t wait for me." Bradley added, "Go ahead. We''ll wait." Cameron took the hint and left. The living room was now empty except for Bradley and Amelia. The smile faded from Bradley''s face instantly. Amelia felt uneasy, but with just the two of them alone, she was both nervous and thrilled. ''Today, I''m taking a risk,'' she thought. Bradley was clueless about romance. Maybe she could drop subtle hints that she liked him. But confessing outright? She couldn''t do that. ''He has to be the one to say it first,'' she thought. She looked up at Bradley, startled by his stony expression. ''Is he mad?'' she wondered. He''d seemed friendly earlier. Why the sudden chill? ''I''m probably overthinking,'' she thought. Smiling, she asked the question she''d held back. "Bradley, do you live here by yourself?" Bradley sat on the sofa, face still nk. Instead of answering, he asked coldly, "Amelia, did you reach out to Cameron and ask him to bring you here?" Amelia stared at him, shocked. He used her full name. He''d always called her "Amelia". So she hadn''t imagined it. He was angry that she''d shown up uninvited? He''d held his tongue when Cameron was around, but now that they were alone, he didn''t bother to hide it. "Amelia," Bradley said, "I always thought you were a girl who knew boundaries and had pride. What''s with this behavior today? "I''ve turned you down multiple times. Wasn''t that clear enough? Do you still have these misced feelings for me?" Bradley''s voice was ice-cold, He was usually so polished and gentle. This kind of harshness was rare. But he truly resented Amelia''s actions today. He''d told her he was abroad. He''d rejected her, yet there she was, showing up at his home through Cameron. There was no point in sugarcoating it anymore. Amelia stared at him in shock, her eyes filling with tears instantly. No one had ever spoken to her so harshly in her life. She never thought such words woulde from Bradley and that they''d be aimed at her. ''What does he mean?'' she wondered. Her voice trembling, she asked, "Bradley, do you really hate me?" His expression didn''t soften. "Amelia, if you keep pushing like this, I will end up hating you. Let me spell it out-I don''t like you Bradley was sharp enough to have seen through Amelia''s feelings ages ago. He''d stayed quiet to save her pride, thinking she''d take the hint and give up But her uninvited visit had crossed a line. It was time to be blunt. Amelia''s eyes went wide in shock. ''Pushing? When have I ever pushed? He doesn''t like me? Is this a rejection? How did he figure out my feelings? s thought. The confession she''d never dared make had just been thrown back in her face. She felt as vited and humiliated as if she''d been stripped bare. Tears poured down her beautiful face, staining her cheeks. Her pridey crushed at his feet. Shaking with anger, she hissed, "Bradley, you''ve gone too farl" "Too far?" Bradley stood up, his expression turning even colder. ¡°Amelia, as ssmates, I tried to spare your feelings out of respect. Now I see no point. I want you to get out of my house right now and never appear in front of me again." "Or..." A cruel glint crossed Bradley''s handsome face. "I''ll post about you confessing to me at my house in the ss group chat." Amelia froze, staring at him in shock. She couldn''t believe those words really came from Bradley. He''d always been so refined, gentle, and polite. ''How could he speak so harshly? Is this a threat? Is this how a gentleman acts?'' she thought. As much as she refused to believe it, the truth stared her in the face. Clenching her teeth, Amelia said, "Bradley, I was wrong about you. You don''t deserve my feelings at all!" With that, she turned and ran out, forgetting her umbre. ''This isn''t the Bradley I thought I knew. The Bradley I liked would never behave like this,'' she thought. Or maybe she''d never really known him, only seen his good side. Right now, Bradley didn''t just make her dislike him-he scared her. She actually found him terrifying. She no longer liked him. After Amelia fled, Bradley emotionlessly carried the gift box she''d brought outside and tossed it into the trash. Back in the living room, he messaged Cameron: [Why''s changing clothes taking so long? I''m starving.] Cameron, just about to order takeout on her phone, frowned at the message. ''Did I read too much into things? Was Bradley really just worried I''d get sick when he sent me to change?'' she wondered. Cameron replied: [Brad, you guys start without me.] Bradley: [Hurry up. I ordered all your go-to dishes.] Cameron: [Got it.] Cameron closed the food delivery app, grabbed an umbre, and headed out. When she reached Bradley''s vi, only he was in the living room. "Where''s Amelia?" she asked. Bradley stood. "She left." "Left? Where''d she go?" "Probably home." Cameron frowned, skeptical. "Brad, did you say something to her? Or did she talk to you about anything?" "Nope. She just had a sudden emergency." Cameron was stunned. She thought, ''Emergency? Amelia was so determined to see Bradley today. No emergency would make her bolt like that.'' She turned and saw Amelia''s ck umbre by De doof. The rain was pouring harder now. "Brad, you eat first. I''m gonna check on Amelia," Cameron said, then dashed into the storm with the umbre. Without an umbre, Amelia must have had a rough time. ''So Bradley intentionally sent me away to drive Amelia away?'' Cameron wondered. But she was the one who''d brought Amelia there. She couldn''t have a young woman alone in a downpour. She had to make sure Amelia was okay. Bradley watched Cameron vanish into the rain, frowning but not following. ''This is a mess Cameron shouldn''t be part of Best to let it end here, he thought. Cameron asked the Noble Vista security and found out Amelia had run right from the entrance. Holding her umbre, she speed-walked in that direction. After about ten minutes, she saw Amelia huddled under a tree, soaking wet, arms crossed, sobbing miserably with hupping breaths Cameron stopped, hiding behind a tree instead of approaching. From about 30 feet away, she watched Amelia cry. She thought, ''I messed up tonight. I''d already asked Bradley. He made it clear he doesn''t like Amelia. I never should''ve agreed to help Loving someone who didn''t love you back must be agony. Cameron had never felt that, so she couldn''t fully rte. Cameron stood silently under her umbre, watching Amelia. Amelia cried for a long time before finally trudging forward in her high heels. The rain poured on. Under the night sky, everything was slick and wet. There were few people out, and those who were dashed by like gusts of wind. Amelia hugged herself, her dress soaking wet and dripping steadily. It clung tightly, leaving her curves fully visible. But Amelia didn''t care¨Cher heart felt hollow. ''This isn''t the Bradley I knew. I was wrong about him. I''ll never like him again, she thought. Cameron followed quietly from a distance, careful not to let Amelia spot her. As Amelia rounded the corner with her arms wrapped around her, she collided with someoneing the opposite way. "Are you freaking blind?" The man she hit was young, with a damp cigarette hanging from his lips, looking like a total punk. One nce told Amelia he was bad news. Being practical, she apologized quickly, "Sorry, so sorry." She tried to hurry past, but he grabbed her arm. "Amelia? No kidding. Isn''t this Langford Academy''s little miss perfect? Tsk tsk, look at you-what a state.¡± Amelia froze, eyeing the man who stood half a head taller. "Who are you?" "Oh, you don''t remember me? ssic. I''m Zach. Thanks to you, I''m stuck in this hellhole!" 15 Comment My k 502 "Zach..." Sensing his hostility, Amelia hugged herself and took two cautious steps back, eyeing the strange man for a long moment before shaving her head. "I don''t know you." She truly didn''t recognize him-the name meant nothing to her. His im that she''d destroyed his life waspletely baseless. "You don''t know me?" Zach gave a humorlessugh at her denial, stepping closer. "Amelia, if I hadn''t helped you mess with Cameron, do you think of have gotten expelled?" Amelia froze, suddenly remembering who he was. ''Mess with Cameron? So he was the one!'' she thought. It had all been Skyler''s terrible idea. Skyler had handled every part of the n,municating exclusively with Zach. Amelia had barely spoken to him. Zach stared her down. "You said you''d be my girlfriend if I helped you take care of Cameron, Well, now''s the time you''re mine" Amelia stepped back quickly. "You''ve got the wrong idea. I never agreed to that. Skyler made it all up." Zach ground his teeth. "Made it up? You think you can just brush it off? I never would''ve taken such a huge risk with Cameron if you hadn''t promised to be my girl! For three years in high school, every time I picked on Cameron because of you!" Amelia was speechless, knowing there was no reasoning with Zach now. She had to escape before things got worse. She turned to run, but in an instant, Zach grabbed a handful of her hair. "Ah!" The sudden, sharp pain made her cry out involuntarily. "Where do you think you''re going?" He yanked her back by her hair. "Amelia, I got expelled because of you. My dad beat me so badly that I was bedridden for three days. I don''t even have a diploma. You need to pay me back for all that." Tears streaming down her face, Amelia pleaded, "Zach, let go of me first! Those promises weren''t mine. Skyler lied to you!" Zach tightened his grip on her hair. "Lies or not, you ruined my life! I''m making you mine right now." As he spoke, Zach shoved Amelia hard against a tree and leaned in, pinning her there. "Get off!" Amelia struggled wildly, but she was no match for Zach. "Help! Somebody help!" she shrieked, her voice breaking. "Nobody''s gonna hear you," Zach sneered, one hand pressing her shoulder down, the other grabbing her face. Staring at her up close, he froze, dazed. "God, you''re fucking gorgeous. No wonder I went crazy for you." As he leaned in to kiss her, Amelia screamed frantically. In that split second, Zach was suddenly thrown backward. Still gripping her chin, he dragged Amelia to the ground with him. Her knee cracked against the pavement, her face turning pale with pain. "Are you okay?" Cameron rushed to help Amelia up. She''d been following Amelia quietly, stopping at the corner to avoid being seen until she heard the screams. Dropping her umbre, she''d raced over just in time to see Amelia being assaulted. Cameron grabbed Zach by the cor and heaved him away with all her strength. My k 503 "Who the fuck... Cameron, it turns out to be you! You goddamn bastard!" Zach roared. Zach hit the ground hard from the shove, but as a guy, he brushed off the pain. What pissed him off was someone ruining his shot. When he stood to confront the intruder, his blood boiled-it was Cameron. "The goddamn bastard is barking," Cameron said dryly, eyeing him up with a half- smile. She''d wondered why Viremont''sw and order had gone downhilltely. Now she knew-scum like Zach were slinking around. "Cameron!" Amelia urgently tugged at Cameron''s sleeve. Zach was massive, and Cameron couldn''t take him on. They needed to get out of there now. "It''s fine," Cameron reassured her. "Cameron!" Amelia pleaded, panicking as Cameron held her ground. "Amelia, go first," Cameron said. Amelia shook her head. "No, we''re leaving together." "Neither of you lovebirds is going anywhere!" Zach bellowed. His shitty life was all their doing. Now that they''d run into him, he''d make sure they suffered. There was no way out. Amelia flinched, instinctively shrinking behind Cameron. But Cameron just stared at Zach, stone-faced. "I''m not going anywhere. You think you can mess with Amelia and get away with it? I''m sending you to prison." Zachughed maniacally, "Oh, you''ll send me to prison? Great. I''ll send you to the grave first." As he spoke, he pulled a folding switchde from his pocket. The sharp de gleamed coldly in the rain. Amelia''s heart dropped. A knife! Zach got a knife! She nced at Cameron''s slight build, knowing Cameron couldn''t fend him off. This whole mess was her fault-she''d trusted the wrong person, making Zach target her. Cameron didn''t deserve this. She couldn''t drag Cameron down with her. "Go, Cameron!" Amelia mustered up her courage to step in front of her, shaking but locking eyes with Zach. "This is on me, not her. Let her go." Zach cackled wildly. "Tsk tsk, Amelia, don''t tell me you actually like this pussy Cameron? Protecting him so hard? You know what I''ll do to you after he''s gone?" Amelia shook even harder at his words but didn''t reply. Shod and yelled, "Cameron, get out of here!" Cameron grabbed Amelia''s arm and shoved her aside. "Stay back!" Caught off guard, Amelia stumbled back several steps from the rough yank. ¡°Tsk tsk, so damn cozy. Then die together!" Zach shouted. He had been obsessed with Amelia, and seeing her defend Cameron sent his jealousy into overdrive. He''d stab Cameron right now and see how Amelia would handle that. Clutching the switchde, Zach charged at Cameron. She stared back nkly, not even bothering to dodge. "Cameron! Move!" Amelia shrieked. Cameron didn''t budge. As Zach closed in, she suddenly kicked his hand. The knife ttered to the ground with a ng Before he could recover, she nted a brutal kick to his face. Zach went spinning through the air and crashed hard onto the concrete. My k 504 Zach felt like his insides had been rattled into chaos. Writhing in agony on the concrete, he clutched his head, curling up like a shrimp white groaning loudly. A couple of feet away, two of his teethy on the ground-exactly where Cameron''s kick had knocked them out. Cameron shot him a scornful nce. "You really thought you could kill me?" Amelia stood stunned, her earlier fear reced by disbelief. She''d been terribly worried about Cameron, but Cameron''d taken Zach down in seconds t ''How is he this good?'' she thought. Cameron was so much smaller than Zach, yet she''d handled him effortlessly. The rain poured on as Amelia stared nkly at Cameron, who was already pulling out her phone to call the cops. ''He''s gotta pay,'' Cameron thought. Attempted rape and attempted murder-that''d be enough to lock Zach up. After hanging up, Cameron walked over to Amelia, whose wide, beautiful eyes were still glued to her. Noticing Amelia looked miserable with her soaked dress and tangled hair, she asked softly, ¡°Are you okay? I called the police. They''ll be here soon. Once we give our statements, you can go home." Amelia didn''t answer, just kept staring. Cameron added, "Zach had it in for you. He''s a ticking time bomb. Putting him away is the only way you''ll be safe. It won''t take long." Still, Amelia stayed silent. Cameron figured she was in shock. She reached out and gently patted Amelia''s back. "It''s over now." When Cameron''s hand touched her back, Amelia jolted like she''d been electrocuted. Cameron asked, "Are you alright?" "I-I-I''m fine," she stammered, taking an abrupt step back. Cameron nodded. Her eyesnded on Zach, who was still sprawled on the ground, cursing her. She paid him no mind. Before long, the police cruiser pulled up and took all three of them away. By the time they wrapped up their statements, half an hour had ticked by. Eyeing Amelia''s bedraggled appearance, Cameron said, "Your family will freak out if you show up like this. How abouting to my ce to dry off? You can dry your dress and get your hair sorted out before heading home." "Your ce?" Amelia gaped at her, eyes round as saucers. ''Is Cameron actually inviting me over?'' she wondered. Cameron saw the look in her eyes and knew she''d gotten the wrong idea. "Don''t read into it. I''m not into you anymore, okay? I just don''t think you should go home looking like a drowned rat. "Or you could book a hotel room? I''m gonna head but either way." Amelia looked at Cameron, soaked to the bone just like her, and said, "You''re soaked too, you know." She thought, ''Even in his own difort, he''s still focused on me.'' In a sh, memories of all the times Cameron had looked out for her over the past three years came rushing back. Once, s pathetic simp. Now, she finally saw how much she''d done for her. smissed her as a "I''ll be fine. I''m tough as nails," Cameron said. "Anyway, I''m outta here." She didn''t want to stick around and risk Amelia getting the wrong idea. 09:53 Thu, 5 Jun MNO With that, she charged into the downpour. "Cameron!" Amelia shouted after her. But Cameron kept walking, never ncing back. Amelia watched her disappear into the rain, smiling. My k 505 Cameron grabbed a cab straight to Noble Vista. By the time she''d taken a quick shower and changed, it was 10:30 at night. The rain had stopped by then. She headed straight for Bradley''s vi. She thought, ''I messed up tonight. Brad even chased Amelia away he had to be pissed. I need to make thing, right.'' Standing at the vi door, Cameron gentl crime channel. "Brad," she called out. He turned to look at her. "You''re back." Cameron nodded, "Brad, I''m sor..." pushed open the unlocked gate and stepped inside. Bradley was still on the sofa, watching TV-still the true "Took you long enough," Bradley cut her of starving. We''re having fondue." He got up and headed for the dining room first Cameron was at a loss for words but followed him into the dining room anyway. The table was loaded with fondue fixings-all Cameron''s favorites, just like Bradley said. There were baguettes, cauliflowers, potatoes, smoked sausages, roasted mushrooms, apple slices, and so on. As Cameron walked in, Bradley was just lighting the burner. He motioned for her to sit across from him. She did. The fondue pot gurgled and soon started to bubble. Bradley began dropping ingredients into the cheese. Cameron studied his face. Wearing his gold-rimmed sses, he looked totally calm, same as always. She couldn''t read him at all. "Brad," Cameron said, "I need to apologize for today. I shouldn''t have brought Amelia here without asking. If you''re pissed, go ahead and yell at me. Or hit me, whatever." Bradley stirred the pot with a spoon before looking up at her. "Will yelling or hitting undo the fact that you brought Amelia here?" Cameron replied, "No." He adjusted his sses. "Then why waste my energy?" Stunned, Cameron stared at him. "Aren''t you mad, Brad?¡± He asked, "Does it look like I am?" She shook her head. "I can''t tell." Hearing this, Bradley let out augh. "Do you honestly think I''d be sitting here waiting to have fondue with you if I was pissed?" Cameron was taken aback. She thought, ''Bradley isn''t pissed? Is he really thatid-back about it?'' For a moment, she was at a loss for words. Bradley asked, "Did you make sure Amelia got home? How was she?" Cameron fell silent for a few seconds. She still couldn''t bring herself to tell Bradley about the near-assault-it was too rsonal a trauma for Amelia to share without her consent. "She went home," Cameron said. "She was a mess, crying her eyes out. Brad, what exactly did you say to her?" Bradley shrugged. "I gave it to her straight-told her to stop hanging around me, once and for all." u ogun NO Cameron was stunned. She thought, ''So blunt?'' She hadn''t expected Bradley to be so cutthroat, not when he usually came off as Mr. Nice Guy. She''d figured even his rejections would cattle villi o son edge. But when it came to Amelia, he''d shown a spine of steel. Cameron said, "Yeah, that''ll do the trick. I bet Amelia''s gonna be crushed for ages." Bradley smirked. "Perfect. Mission aplished." My k 506 Cameron was dropping butter and cream on her te when she said, "Brad, you''re so gentle normally. I thought you''d go easy on pretty girls, but turn out you''re a total straight shooter." Bradleyughed, "Go easy on pretty girls?" He pushed the nut crumbs toward her. "You forgot the nuts." "I don''t eat nuts, thanks," Cameron said. Bradley was stunned. He hadn''t picked up on that. "Look, Cameron," he said, "I think guys should go easy on the girls they ey like. Why waste that kind of care on someone you''re not into?" Otherwise, you end up like Eddie-a total yer. Cameron paused, setting down her fork to look at him. "So you really don''t like Amelia? But she''s stunning." To be fair, when Cameron had seen Amelia tonight, even she''d been blown away, and she was a girl. She hadn''t expected Bradley to bepletely unaffected. Bradley shrugged. "Since when does likinge depend on looks? Smoked sausages are ready," he said, cing some on her te. "Thanks," Cameron nodded. Bradley didn''t want to keep talking about Amelia. There was nothing more to say. He asked, "Cameron, are you staying at Noble Vista these days?" She nodded. "Yeah, it''s more convenient here." "I''m back now. I could drive you to work every day. Do you want to move back? Pearl''s been lonely." Cameron thought for a moment and shook her head. "No, I don''t want to hassle you, Brad. I''ll get my driver''s license soon, then buy a car." That would make things easier. Bradley smiled, "Convenience is key." He thought, ''I''ll just stay here too, then.'' He had specifically bought that castle for Cameron to raise Pearl. If she wasn''t going back, neither would he. They talked as they ate, not finishing up until 11:30 p.m. When Cameron got up to clear the table, Bradley stopped her. "Leave it. I''ll have the cleaners handle it tomorrow. It''ste, and you''ve got work in the morning. Go get some rest." Cameron nodded. "Alright, Brad. Night." Bradley walked her to the door. She turned back. ¡°Brad, I really am sorry about today. It won''t en again." Bradley flicked her head gently. "Since when are you such a worrywart? Go on, get some sleep." Cameron waved and hurried off. Bradley stayed put, watching her go with a smile. He wondered, ''Why would Eric think Mike Cameron?'' Sure, he thought Cameron was nice. But Cameron was a guy. Even though Bradley hadn''t fallen for any girls yet, he was pretty sure he was straight, 404 Nu, Jun MNO The next day, after washing up, Cameron picked up her phone and saw a message from Bradley: Walting in the parking lot.) Cameron was confused, wondering, ''Why does he want to meet in the parking lot early in the morning?'' Still, she shot back: (Okay.] She changed and headed downstairs, still in men''s clothes with a chest binder. The weather made it stifling, but she needed to find the right time to reveal she was a girl. Dropping that out of nowhere would freak everyone out. When Cameron got to the parking lot, there was Bradley, waiting for her. My k 507 Cameron yanked open the car door and plopped into the passenger seat. "Brad, what''s up? You need me for something?" Bradley replied, "Yeah, I''m gonna drive you to work. Did you have breakfast yet?" Cameron stared at him, stunned. She wondered, ''He''s been waiting here just to give me a ride?" "I grab something at thepany cafeteria," she said, shaking her head, "Don''t go out of your way, Brad. I can catch a cab easily.¡± Bradley just clicked his seatbelt into ce and started the engine. "Where''s your office?" Cameron was at a loss for words, thinking, ''Typical Bradley. Once he set his mind on something, arguing was pointless. For all his sweet, easygoing facade, he could be incredibly strong-willed and domineering. When she didn''t move, Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses and repeated, "Address?" With a sigh, she punched the location into the GPS. "Thanks," she muttered. As he steered the car out of the parking spot, Bradley asked, "You really don''t want the ride?" "The truth is, it''s too much trouble for you," Cameron said. "Not a big deal. I''m free anyway." "But you said thew firm''s mmed right now," she pointed out. He''d even ditched Eric to do this. Bradley shed a grin. "I''m not busy right now." Cameron was at a loss for words. ncing at the GPS, he asked, "A pharmapany? Since when did you start working there?" "It''s mypany," Cameron said. Bradley almost swerved, shooting her a disbelieving look. "Yourpany?" She nodded. "I used the 15 million dors Samuel paid the Wace family as startup cash." Bradley hummed in understanding. "Between school and running a business, can you keep up?" Cameron slouched back, watching the road. "I hired a team to handle day-to-day stuff. I''m just the boss in name." Her real focus was drug research. Bradley''s brow furrowed. "You sure that''s a safe bet?" He thought, ''That''s a ton of money. What if Cameron gets taken advantage of?'' "Trust me, it''s solid," Cameron said. "Don''t worry." But Bradley wasn''t buying it. When he dropped her off at thepany building, he didn''t drive away. "Cameron, mind if Ie up for a quick visit?" She didn''t hesitate. "Go for it!" Bradley parked in the lot, and they headed into the lobby together. "Good morning, Mr. Wace," the receptionist/greeted Cameron warmly. The moment she saw Bradley beside her, he went wide. Bradley shed his usual easy smile, and the receptionist''s cheeks turned pink. She wondered, ''Is that smile for me? Wow, he''s stunning!" Cameron took Bradley to the cafeteria for breakfast. nu? Jun UNU "Not bad," he remarked. "Lunch and dinner are even better," she said. He chuckled, "The boss has a heart." Cameron smiled softly. She knew apany''s biggest asset was its people. Well-fed employees worked harder, so she offered great perks. After breakfast, she asked, "Do you want me to show you around?" "Only if you''ve got the time," he said. "I''m as free as can be," she replied. Their toursted until 11 a.m. Finally, she led him to the general manager''s office to meet David. She said, "This is Mr. David Tucker, our general manager. And this is my roommate, Bradley." AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 508 "Hi." Bradley and David shook hands politely. "Brad, take a seat. Want a drink?" Cameron asked. "Cameron, can you show me thepany''s startup documents?" Bradley said. David was stunned. ? Hee Cameron was also surprised by Bradley''s request. Seeing David''s confusion, she exined, "Mr. Tucker, my roommate''s awyer, If it''s no trouble, could you grab the files for him to check?" "Right away, Mr. Wace," David said q Cameron went to make Bradley coffee while David fetched the relevant documents. Bradley examined each file closely. Finally, he picked up the contract naming Cameron as thepany''s actual controller, read it three times, and only put it down once he was sure there were no issues. He took a slow sip of his coffee. Looking at the files cluttering the table, Cameron asked, "Is everything good, Brad?" She knew there were no problems. The contract he''d just read was written by her. How could it have ws? Bradley set down his cup, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, all clean." Cameron motioned for David to put the files away. Bradley stood up. "I just remembered I have something urgent to deal with. I should get going." Stunned, Cameron stood too. "Suddenly?" Bradley showed her his phone. "The firm''s been calling nonstop." They knew he was back. Cameron realized Brad was probably swamped. But he had insisted on reviewing all the files first, just to make sure she wasn''t getting ripped off. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. Without meaning to, she''d racked up another favor with Bradley. "Take care on your way out, Mr. Saunders," David said as they parted. ''Bradley clearly treats Mr. Wace differently,'' he thought. Bradley gave a small nod. Cameron walked him down to the ground floor. "Get back to work," Bradley said. "Thanks, Brad. Seriously," Cameron said sincerely. Since she got a second chance at life, Bradley had been the first person to show her kindness. Since then, she''d lost count of how many favors she owed him. Money was one thing-she could pay that back-but how did you repay someone for kindness? All she could do was keep saying thank you. He chuckled, "I think you should be the poster child for ''thank you!" With that, he opened the car door, slid into the driver''s seat, and buckled his seatbelt. "Drive carefully," Cameron said, taking a step back. He nodded. She watched the car pull away and let out a deep sigh. Chapter 508 For three consecutive days, Bradley drove her to work every morning. In the afternoons, when he couldn''t get away, she took a taxi home One evening, munching on potato chips on the couch, she suddenly thought of Elijah. She hadn''t heard from him in days. Wondering if he was doing okay, she picked up her phone and sent a message: [Elijah, how''s it going? Are you alright?) When Elijah received the message, he''d just left a famous psychologist''s office. Standing on the street, gazing at the neon-lit streets, he couldn''t get the psychologist''s words out of his head. For three days, he''d shut himself in his room, practically going crazy. It was Jack who''d realized how bad he was and forced him to see a therapist. Stepping out of the office, he did feel a lot better. ** My k 509 The psychologist said all feelings had a reason for existing and told Elijah to slowly embrace his true self. He shouldn''t deliberately highlight how he was different from others there was no real difference, just different choices. Elijah wasn''tpletely enlighten he did feel much better. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He too it out and saw a message from Cameron. She was checking on him, but he knew her concern was only friendly Elijah gripped his phone, his fingers tensing His feelings were his own, a bury his feelings deep in his heart, telling no one, especially her. He didn''t reply right away. Just then, Jack pulled the car up in front of him. n, and so was his crush. He couldn''t let them bother Cameron. He decided to Once inside the car, Elijah took out his phone to respond. Neon lights from the street filtered through the window, casting patchy shadows across his handsome face. Elijah: [I''m okay, doing good. How about you?] Cameron: [I''m good too. Will you stille in for your part-time shift? If not, I can settle your pay from that day.] Elijah stared at her message for a moment, wondering, ''Should I go?'' These past few days, he couldn''t stop thinking about her. He kept reying every detail of their three months together. He didn''t even know when these feelings had started. He longed to see her. Just being able to see her would be enough. He didn''t dare hope for more. After a while, he replied: [I''m free these days. I''lle in. See you tomorrow.] Cameron: [Uh, tomorrow''s the weekend. We don''t need to go to work.] Elijah: [Are you still living at Noble Vista?] Cameron: [Yeah, Brad''s back and he''s staying here too.] Elijah: [I''ll stay over tomorrow. I haven''t seen Brad in ages.] Cameron: [He''s pretty busy tomorrow.] Of course, Elijah didn''t care whether Bradley was busy or not. All he wanted was to see Cameron every day. Elijah: [I''ll just stay over first. See you tomorrow.] Cameron: [See you.] Elijah held his phone, scrolling through his chat history with Cameron again and again, smiling. Jack watched via the rearview mirror as Elijah suddenly smiled, unsure how to put his own feelings into words. These past few days, Elijah had been so depressed¨Clocking himself in his bedroom, refusing to eat or drink, Jack had been extremely worried. ''Mr. Moore''s smiling. Has he finally made peace with things?'' Jack wondered. He didn''t dare speak up. The other d his careless remark had made Elijah miserable. He drove in silence, thinking maybe he should ask Elijah''s friend Cameron-a peer-to talk to him. After all, people of the same age often find it easier tomunicate about certain things. So, when they got back to Moore Manor and saw Elijah heading upstairs, Jack quickly found Cameron''s number and gave him a call.. "Hello? Who''s this?" Cameron had just showered and was about to go to bed. Seeing it was a local number, she answered. "Hi, Mr. Wace. Sorry to disturb you sote. I''m your ssmate Elijah''s butler," Jack said, introducing himself. Cameron hadn''t expected a call from Elijah''s butler. "Hi," she asked curiously. "Is there something you need from me?" My k 510 "Mr. Wace, I know it''s bold of me to bring t said, his voice thick with worry for Elijah. this up, but Mr. Moore only has you as a close friend. I think you''re the only one who can reach him. Jack Cameron didn''tmit right away, just asked, "What''s this about exactly?" Jack covered the phone receiver and nced arou his room, even though he was alone. He said, "Mr. Wace, Mr. Moore has a crush on someone, but it''s causing him pain. I took him to a psychologist today, and he seems a bit better, but I''m still concerned." Cameron was stunned. Elijah had a romantic interest? She hadn''t known that. Wasn''t he always buried in his studies? When did he find time for a secret crush? After a moment of silence, she asked, "So how can I help Elijah?¡± Jack said, "Mr. Wace, you and Mr. Moore are friends. He even offered you a ride home-something he''s never done for anyone before. Your connection must be special. "I was hoping you could talk to him. If he likes someone, he should take a chance. Even if it doesn''t work out, he won''t regret trying in the future." Cameron understood now. Jack asked her to talk to Elijah. That was manageable. "I just messaged Elijah. He''s moving to Noble Vista tomorrow. I''ll talk to him then." Jack sounded relieved. "Thank you, Mr. Wace. I really appreciate it." "No problem," Cameron said. After a few more exchanges, she ended the call. While the news surprised her, Cameron wasn''t entirely thrown off that Elijah had a crush. At their age, having romantic feelings was perfectly normal. At Murphy Manor, the game prompt red. "You have been in!" "Ugh, this is so frustrating!" Xander chucked his phone aside, flopped onto the couch, and stared at the ceiling. "Xan, what''s going on? You''re not in the zone today," Tyrell''s concerned voice came through the phone. "This stupid game-where''s the fun in it?" Xander snapped irritably. Tyrell was at a loss for words. He thought, ''Not fun? We''ve been duo queuing for days.'' Every time Tyrell tried to stop, Xander dragged him back in, and refusing meant getting chewed out. However, his family knew he was gaming with Xander and had practically ordered him to keep Xander entertained no matter what. Xander scowled. "So annoying. I''m done ying." "Xan, don''t! If you AFK, you''ll lose honor points. Is something bothering you? Talk to me." "You?" Xander scoffed. But suddenly, he shot a look at his phone. Sitting up straight, he said into the mic, "Tyrell, can you help me set up a meeting with Cameron?" He''d been aski Cameron out too muchtely, worried she''d get sick of it. If Tyrell did the inviting, he could just "identally run into her." Tyrell, still tapping away at the game, asked, ¡°Cameron? Xan, are you trying to ask Cam out? I thought you were bummed because some girl turned you down." Xander''s face instantly fell. "Tyrell, you think I won''t hop on my bike ande over there to kick your ass?" "Sorry, Xan! My mistake. I shouldn''t have said that." "Now. Text Cameron. Right now," Xander barked. "Xan, it''s almost midnight. Cam''s probably asleep. If I message him now, he''ll wanna kick my Xander paused. ass too." My k 511 "Alright," Xander nced at the time-sure enough, it was nearly midnight. "You make time to contact Cameron tomorrow if you can''t get Pacto pers you''ll be in troublel" Tyrell said, "Xan, you know how Cam is. Isn''t this putting me in a tough spot?" "You can''t even manage something this simple?¡± Sensing Xander''s irritation, Tyrell quickly said, "Don''t worry, Xan. I''ll definitely try to set it up with Cam." Xander let out a dismissive snort. Tyrell added, "Xan, move already! Our teammates are flipping out." "Got it," Xander muttered. Still, he picked up his phone and finished the game. The next day-Saturday. Cameron didn''t sleep in. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. Waking up early left her feeling fresh and ready for the day. She made a sandwich for breakfast and sat in the garden, where vibrant roses bloomed wildly in the morning light, their petals unfolding boldly against the dawn. Leaning back in her lounge chair, Cameron enjoyed the quiet moment until her phone vibrated. She expected a message from Bradley or Elijah, but it was Amelia. After that night, Cameron hadn''t brought up the incident with Amelia. She didn''t think Amelia would reach out first. Amelia: [Cameron, are you up?] Cameron: [I just woke up.] Amelia: [Are you free for lunch today? I''d like to take you out for a meal.] Cameron: [Why the sudden urge to treat me?] Amelia: [You saved me that night. I haven''t had a chance to properly thank you.] Cameron understood. She replied: [Ms. Chapman, you really don''t need to worry about that night. Let''s skip the meal, okay?] Amelia was stunned. She hadn''t expected Cameron to turn her down. He used to grant her every request. She wondered, ''Did my past actions hurt him so deeply that he''s grown this cold? But the way he looked at me that night...'' Amelia took a deep breath and sent Cameron another/message: [Cameron, let''s put that night aside. I just want to have lunch with yqu, okay?] Cameron was stunned. ''She''s inviting me to lunch? Why? Hasn''t she always avoided me?'' Cameron wondered, confused. Another message popped up from Amelia: [It''s just a meal, Cameron. Can you please not say no?] Cameron: [Ms. Chapman, is there something you need?] Amelia: [Ms. Chapman? Cameron, you can call me Amelia. We don''t have to be so polite.] Cameron was confused. She wondered, ''We don''t have to be so polite? What''s Amelia getting at?'' 09:54 Thu, 5 Jun MMO It seemed Amelia really wanted to thank her for that night. Since she had no lunch ns, she might as well go. Cameron: [Alright. What do you feel like eating today?] Amelia: [Steak. Does that sound good?] Cameron: (Sure. You pick the spot, and I''ll meet you there.] Amelia: (Okay, I''ll send you the addresster.] She added a cute emoji. Cameron smiled. Looks like her talk with Elijah would have to wait until tonight. But Elijah showed up at Noble Vista right after breakfast. As Cameron walked from the garden back to the living room, his text came through: [Cameron, I''m here. Are you home?] She replied: [Yes.] Elijah: [My ce has been empty for ages. I had it cleaned. Can I stop by your ce for a bit?] My k 512 Cameron replied: [Wee.] She put her phone down and quickly tidied up the living room. Living alone, she kept things rtively neat. A few minutester, the doorbell rang. Palling the door open, she greeted. "Come in, Elijah." Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked back inside. Elijah lingered at the doorway, his deep-set eyes tracing her every movement. Three days had passed. Finally, he saw her again. These three days had been agonizing for him. Now, after finally admitting his feelings to Cameron, standing here and seeing her once more stirred a whirlwind of emotions inside him. Elijah remained frozen in the doorway, clutching arge gift box, simply watching her. Cameron nced back, noticing his hesitation. She waved him in. "Come in." Pressing his lips, Elijah lowered his gaze. He had to bury these feelings deep, never let her suspect a thing. His emotions were his own burden to bear Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him and ced the box on the table. Cameron eyed it curiously. "For me?" Elijah nodded, opening it to reveal ck pearl cherries. "They are flown in today. You may like them." Cameron chuckled, "Thanks, but you don''t need to be so formal with me. We''re way past that." Elijah said nothing, just looked at her. He had always known Cameron was beautiful. But now, her perfect features struck him as nothing short of divine craftsmanship, every angle breathtaking. "Sit." Cameron gestured. "What would you like to drink?" "Soda water," Elijah replied. That was Cameron''s favorite. Cameron grinned. "Well, that''s one thing I''ll never run out of." She fetched a bottle from the fridge, then scooped some cherries into a bowl to rinse. Returning with the fruit, she set it between them. She popped a cherry into her mouth, smiling, "It''s fresh and sweet. Try one." Elijah picked one up and ate it, though his demeanor remained listless. Cameron observed him. She thought, ''Just as I thought, he''s heartsick.'' She tossed another cherry into her mouth and casually/remarked, ¡°Elijah, have you checked the ss group chat? Two couples from our ss just went public. They look happy together." Elijah''s head snapped toward her, his eyes widening in shock. He thought, ''Why is Cameron bringing this up? Does... he like someone?'' His breath hitched, and his lips pressed into a thin line. "Nope. I haven''t seen it." Cameron scooted closer, holding out her phone. "Look, it''s them." Elijah froze. As she leaned in, an inexplicable fragrance, something uniquely Cameron, drifted toward his nose. His ears burned, Instinctively, he recoiled/flustered enough to knock a throw pillow onto the floor. 10:39 Fri 6 Jun Cameron nced up and found that Elijah''s expression was odd. She asked, "Are you feeling unwell?" Elijah''s heart was pounding. Avoiding her gaze, he muttered, ¡°N-No, I''m fine After a beat, he forced his attention onto her phone screen, fergning nonchnce. "I didn''t expect you to care about stuff like this." Cameron chuckled, "Why not? At our age, shouldn''t we be out there enjoying romance? Don''t you think?" My k 513 Cameron''s smile lingered, bright enough to make Elijah''s pulse stutter. He quickly averted his gaze, flustered. Seeing that he didn''t answer, Cameron didn''t push. Instead, she scrolled through her phone and mused, "This couple is adorable too. Everyone s rooting for them. High school love stories just hit different." Elijah remained silent. It took him a while to steady his breathing. He rehearsed the question in his head over and over again before voicing it. "Cameron, you... Do you... have a girl you like?" He knew it wasn''t Amelia. Otherwise, Cameron wouldn''t have gone to such lengths to break off the engagement. But if it wasn''t Amelia, then who? In all their time together, he had never heard Cameron mention any girl. Cameron blinked at the question. She thought, ''What? Weren''t I supposed to be asking him that? Well, since he brought it up, maybe I could use it as an opening.'' "Me? No." She shook her head. "What about you, Elijah? Anyone caught your eye?" Elijah tensed up upon hearing this. He thought, ''Why did ask that? Did he know something? No. It''s impossible. I only figured it out myself There was no way he could''ve known.'' His fingers dug into the couch cushions as he fought forposure. He kept reminding himself that he was overthinking it. Still, he couldn''t bring himself to meet her eyes. His feeling for Cameron stole even that simple courage. "No," Elijah muttered, staring at Cameron''s phone. Cameron''s brow furrowed. She thought, ''No? But the butler went out of his way wrong?" call and tell me that Elijah had someone he liked. Did the butler get it Cameron could tell Elijah was off today. Since he wouldn''t admit it, she would offer some encouragement. "Guess neither of us has a crush right now," she mused. "But if I ever like someone, I''ll go for it, no regrets. Even if it doesn''t work out, at least I tried. What if it does?" Elijah''s head snapped up. He stared at Cameron, eyes wide. He thought, ''What did that mean? Was Cameron... nudging me to be brave? Could I? If he knew my feelings, would he see me as a freak and cut me off forever?'' The risk silenced Elijah. He couldn''t dare hope for Cameron''s response. Right now, they were still friends, If he confessed, they wouldn''t even be that anymore. Worse yet, Cameron mighte to hate him. Cameron tilted her head slightly, watching him. Elijah had always been quiet, but today felt different. A momentter, Cameron added thoughtfully, "Love is worth experiencing, even if it ends in heartbreak. We''re almost in college. Dating is part of the deal." Elijah finally met her eyes. "You sound eager for it." Cameron almostughed. She thought, ''Eager for love?'' In her previous life, Cameron had forced herself to love Amelia and failed. She had spent thousands of years world-hopping, and she had been little more than an emotionless taskpleting machine. Love? It was irrelevant to her. Yet Cameron nodded. "Sure. Who isn''t?" Elijah asked cautiously, "You... What kind of girl do you like?" My k 514 Cameron hesitated. What kind of girl did she like? Truth be told, she probably didn''t like girls at all. "It''s hard to describe a specific type," she answered vaguely. "I haven''t met the right one yet. I guess I''ll know when I do." Elijah gazed at her intently. Cameron turned the question back on him. "What about you, Elijah? What''s your ideal type?" Elijah immediately lowered his eyes, even turning his face slightly away. He stammered, ¡°I... I haven''t met my ideal type either." Cameron was puzzled, thinking, ''Huh? That doesn''t match what the butler said. He said Elijah was lovesick, but now Elijah ims he hasn''t even met his ideal type yet. ''Clearly, Elijah isn''t ready to share with me. Well, that''s understandable. Matters of the heart are deeply personal. ''Forget it. I''ve already tried to counsel him. If he wasn''t receptive to my advice, I''ve done all I could. It''s difficult for outsiders to influence! Cameron smoothly changed the subject. "William called me the other day asking me to estimate my SAT scores. Elijah, have you calcted yours?" Elijah shook his head. "I haven''t yet, but they should be decent. They fell into an easy conversation. Only then did Elijah''s tense nerves finally rx. He told himself, ''Nothing will change. As long as I keep my feelings buried deep inside, everything can remain exactly as it was. We''ll still be friends."" It was nearly eleven o''clock. Cameron said, "Elijah, your ce hasn''t been cleaned yet. Just stay here for a while. I''ve got a lunch appointmentter.¡± "You''re meeting someone? Who?" Elijah blurted out. Normally, he wouldn''t ask such a direct question. Buttely, he found himself wanting to know every little thing about Cameron, uncontrobly so. Cameron replied, "Amelia." Elijah frowned, "Amelia? Did you invite her?" He was puzzled, thinking, ''Didn''t Cameron dislike Amelia? Why would he suddenly date her?'' Cameron shook her head. "No, she wanted to meet me. I helped her a few days ago, and she insisted on treating me to lunch. I couldn''t keep turning her down, so I agreed." Elijah fell silent. Cameron checked her phone. Amelia had already sent the address. The address looked familiar. Cameron soon remembered. She thought, ''Wasn''t this the steakhouse Xander had tried to take me to? That couple''s ce? Why would Amelia pick there?'' Then again, the venue hardly mattered. Cameron replied: [Got it.] She stood up. ¡°Elijah, I''m heading out now." "Cameron." Elijah rose too. "Hmm?" Cameron turned. Elijah asked, "Would you mind if I came?"/ 10:39 FITOJUN Cameron blinked, puzzled, At her expression, Elijah backpedaled. "You two aren''t discussing anything private?" "Not really, but..." The memory of Amelia''s disastrous encounter with Bradley shed through her mind. Cameron declined. "Sorry, It''s probably not good idea." Elijah looked down. "Sorry. I overstepped." It was the first time he had ever been so improper. Cameron simply waved a hand in response and left with the phone in hand. Alone, Elijah sank back onto the sofa. Every corner was filled with traces of Cameron''s life. He turned on the TV and flipped through a randomi program He was content enough to be in this space that carried her presence. A few minutes past noon, Cameron arrived at the steakhouse. At first nce, she spotted Amelia waiting by the entrance. Amelia wore a crimson floor-length gown. The eye-catching color entuated her striking features, drawing admiring nces from every passerby, "You look exquisite today, Ms. Chapman," Cameron smiled, offering a genuinepliment. Amelia''s cheeks colored slightly. "Come in." At five feet five tall in her three-inch heels, she stood nearly eye-to-eye with Cameron in ts. "I reserved a private room," Amelia said softly. "That''s quite extravagant," Cameron remarked. Amelia hesitated, then remembered the Wace family''s financial situation. "My treat today." Cameron chuckled, "I never imagined you would be treating me to lunch." Amelia murmured, almost too low to be heard, "Cameron, I''m sorry for how I treated you before." Cameron blinked. "Huh?" Amelia''s voice had been too low. For a moment, she thought she might have imagined it. She thought, ''Amelia apologized to me? No way. I must have misheard.'' Cameron dismissed the thought with a shrug and entered the private room with Amelia. The waiter entered with an iPad and handed it to Amelia. But Amelia gestured across the table. "Cameron, you order first." Without ceremony, Cameron took the iPad and selected a medium-well filet mignon, a pasta, a cream of mushroom soup, a garden sd, and a tiramisu for dessert. Amelia said, "I''ll have the same as him." ¡°Sure. Your orders will be ready shortly," the waiter replied before exiting, closing the private room door behind him. In the intimate space, Amelia fidgeted slightly. Her nervousness was palpable. Cameron, however, remained perfectly at ease. Cameron inquired casually, "Has your injury healed from that fall?" Amelia''s eyes brightened with surprise that Cameron had remembered it. "Almost," she smiled. The knee injury had scabbed over, leaving an unsightly purple bruise. So she wore a floor-length gown today. Cameron nodded in response. 215 Amelia looked at Cameron with sudden admiration. "You don''t look it, but you''re remarkably strong the way you subdued 7ach is coat Cameron shrugged. "He is big frame with zero fighting skills." Amelia was amused. She hadn''t expected Cameron to be so witty. She thought, ''How had I never noticed his quiet wit before? He''d always been there for me, and still, I''d never really seen him "What I''d been chasing was nothing but an illusion. Real love doesn''t shout-it stays. And maybe, just maybe, it wasn''t toote to reciprocate, ''But I caused Cameron immense pain. After our engagement was called off, his family struggled terribly, ultimately facing bankruptcy. At these thoughts, Amelia couldn''t keep her smile. Noticing her shift in mood, Cameron set down her fork. "Something wrong, Ms. Chapman?" "Cameron," Amelia met her gaze earnestly, "must you be so formal? Ms. Chapman sounds distant." Cameron raised an eyebrow and thought, ''What should I call her then? We''re hardly close.'' Amelia hesitated. "You could... call me Amy." Cameron was speechless, thinking, ''Amy? That''s for friends. We''re not even that.'' Cameron chuckled dryly, "I''ll just call you Amelia, okay?" Amelia nodded. "Fine." Before long, the waiter brought their steaks. As Amelia meticulously sliced her steak, her thoughts raced, ''How do I fix our rtionship? How do I even begin? The engagement has been dissolved. After careful deliberation, she said, "Cameron, I heard about your family''s situation. I''m truly sorry." Cameron took another bite of steak, then asked casually, "Why apologize?" Amelia lowered her gaze. Her eyeliner was sharp and precisely drawn. "It''s my fault. If I hadn''t insisted on breaking off the engagement, none of this would have happened to your family." Cameron replied calmly, "It''s not your fault. If you hadn''t pushed for it, I would have." Amelia froze. Her eyes widened slightly. "What did you say?" She thought, ''Did I mishear?'' Cameron met her stunned gaze. "I mean it. Just like you, I had no choice but to break it off." Amelia heard clearly. Her mind reeled, ''He wanted this too? But why? After all his devotion... Shouldn''t this marriage have been his dream?! Amelia couldn''t ept the face. She demanded, "Why? Cameron, why were you also determined to end it?" Twirling his pasta, Cameron shrugged. "We were both victims of this archaic arrangement." Amelia''s perfectly lined eyes narrowed. She thought, ''Victims? What does he mean? He used to adore me. This engagement should be something he''d jump at, shouldn''t it? ''Is he just saying this because I''ve cold-shouldered him over and over again? He''s a man, a man with pride. Maybe he''s just protecting himself from further humiliation. 10:39 Fri, 6 Jun 4974%ÌÇ ''That must be it. The stunned expression when he looked at me earlier couldn''t have been fake. And all the effort he had put into me over the years was real.'' Cleverly, Amelia changed the subject. "The food here is pretty good, isn''t it? First time trying it, but the reviews were ster" She thought, ''I''ll ask Dad about the Wace family''s bankruptcyter. Maybe there''s still a way to fix things. Cameron replied, "Yeah, not bad." It was her second visit. Midway through dinner, Amelia gged down the waiter and ordered an expensive bottle of red wine. She poured for them both, then raised her ss with solemn grace. ¡°Cameron, first of all, thank you. For that night. If you hadn''t-" Cameron intercepted smoothly. "If I hadn''t been there, you wouldn''t have met Zach. So really, there''s nothing to thank me for Amelia pressed on. "Anyway, I insisted on going. I owe you this much." She thought, ''How foolish I was back then? Chasing after someone who didn''t want me, letting him humiliate me... A girl should find someone who loves her. I swear, I''ll never make that mistake again.'' Cameron lifted her ss as she thought, ''Let her get it out if it makes her feel better.'' Amelia continued, "There''s something else. Cameron, I owe you an apology." "An apology?" Cameron''s brow arched. "For the Wace family?" Cameron had already cut ties with the Wace family. But she and Amelia were not close enough for her to exin. Amelia shook her head. "To you. I apologize to you for how awful I''ve been all these years. I believed Skyler''s lies, tried to ruin you... and even almost got you expelled from school." Her voice trembled with emotion. "I''m so sorry, Cameron." Cameron dismissed it with a shrug. "Ancient history, Amelia. Just let it go." Tears welled up in Amelia''s eyes. She thought, ''Let it go. Cameron erased all those years of pain with just three simple words. He didn''t even say a single word of me.'' Her grip tightened around the stem of her ss, and she couldn''t help thinking, ''What a good man did I let slip away?'' Swallowing hard, Amelia managed a shaky nod. "Right. No looking back." She wanted to start fresh from today on. Their sses clinked. She downed her wine in one gulp. Cameron was surprised, thinking, ''What''s wrong with her? Drinking like that?'' After a pause, she followed suit and finished her wine. As dinner came to a close, Amelia produced two movie tickets from her bag and ced them on the table. "Cameron, there''s this new film getting rave reviews. Let''s watch itter?" Her eyes shone with hope. Cameron was surprised, thinking, ''A movie? With me? I''m in disguise, but to Amelia, I''ve always just been a man. While dinner with me made sense, now she''s asking me to go to the movies. What exactly is she implying?'' Noticing Cameron''s prolonged silence, Amelia blushed. "D-do you... have other ns this afternoon?" she stammered. Cameron observed her reaction. She thought, ''Oh, no! Why is she blushing? She''s even stuttering. Could she be developing feelings for me? "Amelia," Cameron asked directly, "why this sudden change in how you treat me?" The question caught Amelia off guard. She was nervous, thinking, ''Did I really to beg me for, though I always refused.'' Cameron cut to the chase. "You''re not developing feelings for me, are you?" Amelia''s head jerked up. Her already rosy face was burning. "Th-that''s ridiculous! Cameron, stop saying weird things." She denied instinctively. As ady, she had never directly confessed her feelings, not even to Bradley, whom she had once chased after with subtle hints. She couldn''t possibly say it first unless Cameron initiated. "I see." Cameron tilted her head slightly. "I must have misunderstood. Amelia, we''re done. The engagement is over. Thank you for lunch." With that, she stood and walked away, leaving Amelia behind. My k 515 No Ads Cameron left Amelia with a refusal and walked out. Amelia was stunned, thinking, ''Cameron just rejected me? Impossible! His eyes still held that same admiration as before. ''Is this about pride? Is he afraid I''ll hurt him again like before? So he pulled away first to save face? That must be it'' Amelia sat frozen in her seat, regret washing over her. She sighed inside, ''I must have broken his heart. That''s why he''s acting this way now. Cameron hailed a cab outside the steakhouse, giving the driver the address to Noble Vista. As the taxi neared the destination, her phone buzzed. It was a call from an unknown number. "Hello? Who is speaking?" "Cam!" Tyrell''s overly dramatic voice crackled through the speaker. "You didn''t save my number? I''m devastated." Cameron recognized him instantly. "What''s up, Tyrell?" "The SATS are over. Time to celebrate." Tyrell grinned. Cameron replied tly, "I''m busy these days." "Huh?" Tyrell nced at Xander across from him, who was mouthing something he couldn''t decipher. "Cam, it''s the weekend. You can''t be that busy." "I am," Cameron said. "Is there anything else?" "Come on," Tyrell whined. "Don''t be so cold. We''re alumni, right? I''m throwing a backyard BBQ today. Come and chill with us. There will be hot-Ouch!" As soon as he mentioned "girls," Xander kicked him hard in the shin. Tyrell yelped in pain, shooting Xander a wounded look but dared not say anything. Xander drew a finger across his throat as a warning. Tyrell nodded meekly. Cameron simply refused. "I''m busy. Find someone else." "Wait!" Tyrell scrambled. "Not interested in BBQ? Cam, how about going yachting? Or diving?" "It''s not about the activity. I''m really busy. Bye." The taxi rolled to a stop. Cameron hung up and paid the fare. Tyrell stared at his phone, then turned to Xander with puppy-dog eyes. ¡°He hung up on me." "It''s your fault!" Xander grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Tyrell. "Why''d you have to mention girls? You pissed him off!" Tyrell caught the pillow with a grin. "Come on, Xan./Cam rejected me the second I invited him. We''re not close enough. Maybe you should yourself.¡± ing him Xander''s jaw tightened. He thought, ''If I could do that, would I be using you as a middleman? Thest thing I want is Cameron getting annoyed with me.'' "Get out," he growled. "Sure!" Tyrell hopped up. Xander called again, "Wait,e back." 10.39 FTI, O JUN Tyrell turned around. "Anything else, Xan?" Xander waved his hand. "Get lost." Tyrell was speechless.. When Cameron returned home, she found Elijah still there, asleep on the couch. The TV was humming in the background. He was sprawled across the couch, eyes closed, his breathing deep and even. Tall and long-limbed, he took up more space than therge couch seemed to offer. His one leg dangled off the side. Not wanting to wake him, Cameron bypassed the smart-home controls. She crossed the living room silently and drew the curtains by hand. 20 AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 516 After drawing the curtains, Cameron quietly retrieved a light nket from her bedroom and draped it over Elijah. She left the TV on. Elijah was ustomed to its volume, and switching it off might wake him. Cameron lingered in the living room, studying Elijah''s features. His sharp jawline, refined bone structure, and wlessplexion justified his reputation as the campus heartthrob. Yet there was an untouchable air about him, like some distant alpine flower- admired from afar but never approached. Returning to her bedroom, Cameron prepared for a nap. As usual, she checked her phone and found a WhatsApp message from Amelia. Amelia: [Cameron, I truly regret how I hurt you before. Time heals all wounds. I believe we can have a fresh start.] Cameron thought, ''A fresh start? What did that even mean? Could it be what I think it is? Amelia is starting to have feelings for me? ''Bradley rejected her, and now she''s transferring those feelings to me just because I helped her? If that''s the case, I need to make things clear. ''I''m a girl. But Amelia develops feelings for me... Uh, it''s so weird. It''s best to nip this in the bud now.'' Cameron replied: [A fresh start? Amelia, there''s no future between us. Remember what I told you? I don''t like girls.] Amelia had been anxiously awaiting a reply, but this wasn''t what she expected. Cameron had said that before, back when Amelia helped her with Skyler''s incident. Cameron had treated her to lunch in the cafeteria, but Amelia left early. Cameron followed her out and said those exact words. Amelia wondered, ''But wasn''t that just an excuse? If Cameron doesn''t like girls, does that mean... No! He does have delicate features, but he can''t possibly be gay. Still, why did he send me this?'' Before Amelia could respond, another message arrived. Cameron: [Let''s leave it here. We''re better off as strangers. I''m deleting your contact.] Amelia''s eyes widened. [Wait!] She typed frantically and replied, but, it failed. She was no longer in Cameron''s contact. Amelia stared at the screen, confused. She thought, ''What does this mean? Did Cameron really not like me? But he looked at me with such admiration earlier.'' Cameron had blocked her. Amelia wanted reasons, but there was no way to reach out anymore. Cameron blocked Amelia. She thought her attitude was clear enough. She wouldn''t let Amelia continue developing feelings for her. Cameron set her phone aside and closed her eyes for a nap. When Elijah woke up again, his sleep-heavy eyes blinked open to a dimly lit room. The only light came from the softly glowing TV. Blinking away sleep, he sat up, and the nket that had been covering him slipped to the floor. He picked it up, holding it for a moment as awareness slowly returned. He thought, ''I fell asleep at Cameron''s house. Did hee back? Was this nket... something he put on me?'' Hugging the nket to his chest, Elijah couldn''t suppress his smile. He was happy, thinking, ''He cares about me. Even if it''s just friendly concern, it''s enough.'' For a while, he simply sat there, cradling the nket while absently watching TV Cameron emerged from her nap an hourter. Noticing the darkened living room, she assumed Elijah was still asleep. But soon, she spotted him wide awake on the sofa. "You''re up," she said, reaching for the remote. The smart curtains opened. "Hmm, when did you get back?" Elijah nodded, his gaze lingering on Cameron''s sleep- mussed hair. Though still in her usual tee-and-jeansbo, the wayward strands made her look unexpectedly soft and adorable. "About an hour ago." Cameron sat down on the couch be?ide Elijah. "Did things go well with Amelia?" Elijah asked lightly. "It was fine." Cameron shrugged, leaving it at that. Even if Amelia had developed feelings for her, it wasn''t something Cameron would ever share with others lightly. That was just tacky. Turning her head, she noticed Elijah was still clutching the nket. "You cold? I can adjust the AC." Following her gaze, Elijah realized he was still clutching the nket. ¡°No, I''m fine.¡± He hastily folded the nket into a neat square before setting it aside. Elijah nced at Cameron again. She seemed rxed. Pulling out his phone, he asked casually, "Wanna y a game together?" "Hmm?" Cameron nodded. "Sure." After retrieving her phone from the bedroom, she tossed it onto the couch. "Wait up. I''m going to wash some fruit." "I''ll help." Elijah stood immediately. Together, they headed to the fridge. "I''ve got it," Cameron said, reaching for the fruit. "It''s no trouble-" Elijah insisted as Cameron bent down to grab a fruit from the fridge. Suddenly, Cameron straightened up just as Elijah leaned down. Her forehead collided sharply with his chin. She jumped back, looking up at him in concern. "You okay?" Rubbing his jaw, Elijah smiled inexplicably, "I''m fine." Seeing his smile, Cameron thought, ''Why''s he smiling?'' She wondered briefly before shrugging it off. After slicing a watermelon and washing some cherries Elijah had bought, she ced them on the table and picked up her phone. "You''re surprisingly domestic," Elijah remarked, watching her deft movements. He had never done housework. In Room 316, besides Cameron, everyone else was the same. With servants at home, they never even had the chance to develop household skills. Cameron just smirked, picking a watermelon wedge while scrolling through her phone with the other. "What role are you picking?" "Anyone is fine," Elijah replied. This mobile game wasn''tplicated. He had mastered it in two rounds. "Alright," Cameron said. "We''ll go with whoever has the best team setup." Three matchester, a WhatsApp message interrupted their fourth game. 10.33 Austin: [Cam, good morning.] Seeing this message, Cameron thought, ''Morning? It''s already afternoon now." She almost forgot that Austin was still overseas. Due to the time zones, it was morning in Yazven, "Hold on," Cameron told Elijah, pausing the game. "Hmm." Elijah nced curiously at her but didn''t start the game. Instead, he picked up a slice of watermelon, took a bite, and observed her as she typed. Cameron replied: [Afternoon here.] Austin: [Forgot we''re continents apart. What''re you doing, Cam?] In Yazven, Austin lounged in an antique chair, his custom-tailored white shirt stark against the wood. Four maids stood at attention behind him as he sipped coffee, his mixed-race features softening with a smile. These days in Yazven, he had experienced unprecedented privilege. But somehow, he always thought it would be great if Cameron were here. Whatev it was, he wanted to share with her. Cameron was the only person Austin truly missed in Zelpah. If she came to Yazven, he wouldn''t have to go back. Everyone else in Zelpah, especially those bastards from the Fraser family, was people Austin couldn''t stand at all. Once he returned, he would settle scores with them and take revenge for his mother. Cameron: [ying games with Elijah.] Austin: [You''re with Eli now?] The moment Austin saw the message, he couldn''t help but frown slightly. He thought, ''Cam is with Eli now? At Noble Vista? They were desk mates and roommates. Isn''t that enough? Now they''re hanging out after graduation too?'' Cameron: [Yeah.] Austin: [At Noble Vista?] Cameron: [Yeah. Aus, Elijah''s waiting for me to start another round. Let''s talkter if there''s nothing important.] Austin''s grip tightened on his phone. He thought, ''Nothing important? What does this mean? Since when does Elijah take priority? What changed in the few days I''ve been gone? No! I have to go back immediately.'' Austin: [Sure, Cam. y then. I''ming back soon.] Cameron: [See you.] Austin: [Bye.] As Austin looked through these messages, his smile gradually faded away. He nced over his shoulder slightly. "Vincent!" "Sir." Vincent immediately entered the room. Austin ordered, ¡°Buy me an apartment at Noble Vista. I''ll move in once I return to Zelpah." Vincent hesitated for a second. "Noble Vista? The residence area in Viremont?" Austin nodded. "Exactly. Hurry up." "Yes, sir." Bowing respectfully, Vincent retreated. Only then did Austin''s expression soften. He thought with a faint smile, I''ll be Cam''s neighbor too. Austin remembered how hard Samuel had hit him just to try to get into Noble Vista before. He would settle scores with Samuel when he returned. His fingers drummed against his knee. Austin murmured, "I really miss you, Cam." They would see each other again soon. But this time, he wasn''t the timid, obedient Austin anymore. My k 517 Send gift No Ads Austin thought to himself, ''Is it really just Elijah and Cam at Noble Vista? What about Bradley and Xander?! His deep-set eyes narrowed slightly. For three years as roommates, he had always thought Bradley wasn''t nearly as kind hearted as he seemed on the surface. The idea of Elijah staying with Cameron alone left Austin with a bitter feeling. He thought, ''Time to invite some chaos. Well then, I''ll just get in touch with Xander instead.'' Austin sent Xander a WhatsApp message: [Xan, you''re at Noble Vista too? Lucky guy. You can still y with Cam and Eli after graduation.] Xander was already fuming over Tyrell''s failed invitation when the message popped up. At first, it made no sense. He wasn''t gaming with anyone. But then, realization struck like lightning, ''Wait... Cameron and Elijah are back at Noble Vista? Even ying games together?'' Without replying to Austin, Xander immediately opened the game app. Sure enough, both Cameron and Elijah were online. Spectator mode confirmed it -they were teamed up. "Damn it!" Xander vaulted off the couch. Poble Vista right now!'' He thought, ''What''s Elijah ying at? No way am I letting this slide! have to go to Grabbing his phone, he stormed out the door. Austin frowned at his unanswered message. He assumed Xander hadn''t seen it yet and sent another one: [I really envy you guys living together. Seriously, I should buy a ce there. Then, we can be neighbors again.] Xander hadn''t even nced at his phone. Of course, the message went unanswered. Austin thought with a frown, ''I really need to head back home sooner than nned.'' Cameron and Elijah had been gaming all afternoon. Flexing her stiff fingers, she nced at Elijah. ¡°Last round, then let''s take a break?" "Sure." Elijah nodded, only then noticing through the floor-to-ceiling windows that dusk had fallen. Time passed that quickly. As she tapped her screen, Cameron asked absently, "What do you want for dinner?" Elijah was surprised, thinking, ''Is he inviting me to stay?'' He smiled, "Anything''s fine." Cameron said, "My freezer has a vegan frozen pizza. Quick and easy." No need for heavy meals at night-it would just make her gain weight. Elijah smiled gently, "Sounds good." The food didn''t matter, only thepany. Too focused on her game, Cameron missed his smile Cameron had just put the pizza in the oven when the doorbell rang. "Elijah, mind checking who that is?" she called from the kitchen. ¡°Sure,¡± Elijah said, getting up. He walked to the door and pulled it open. The next second, he saw Xander, who had an annoyed face. Elijah was surprised, thinking, ''Xander? What brings him here?'' Xander''s re darkened exponentially upon confirming Elijah''s presence. "Why are you here?" 10:40 FTI 6 Jun What are you doing here?" Elijah and Xander asked at the same time. 00 Xander red at Elijah. "I''m here to see Ameron, obviously. Not you." With that, he shoved past Elijah and stepped inside. Elijah''s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, simply closing the door behind this uninvited guest. After all, this wasn''t his home to dictate. My k 518 Cameron had barely taken a few steps when she spotted Xander. She thought, ''What''s he doing here?'' Xander shot her a re. "You invite Elijah over, but not me? What''s that supposed to mean?" Outwardly, he was scolding her, but inwardly, panic churned. He couldn''t help but think, ''What''s C Does she... like him? No way. What''s there to like about that bookworm? I won''t allow it! Cameron thinking, being alone with Elijah like this? Cameron sighed, "I didn''t invite him. His ce is being cleaned, so he''s just hanging out here for a bit." Elijah frowned, "How did you even know I was here?" Xander shrugged. "Austin told me." Cameron and Elijah were puzzled, wondering why Austin told Xander. Now that he understood the situation, Xander''s anger evaporated. He rolled his eyes at Elijah and plopped onto the sofa. "So why did you suddenly move back to Noble Vista?" Elijah crossed his arms. "Do I need your permission?" Xander huffed, "Well, I''m moving back, too." Elijah narrowed his eyes as he thought, ''Is Xander nning to harass Cam again? Doesn''t he realize how much Cam can''t stand him? Cam only tolerated him before for tutoring money, but that''s over now.'' "You''re moving back?" Cameron frowned. With Xander around, peace would be impossible. Especially after that couple''s restaurant stunt and the expensive dress. She had to keep a distance from him. Xander smirked. ¡°I bought a ce here, so obviously I''ming. But it''s getting cleaned right now. I''ll just crash here." "No!" Cameron and Elijah''s rejections ovepped perfectly. Elijah studied Xander, suddenly recalling his odd behavior toward Cameron before the SATs. He thought, ''That was just like me. So chances are... Xander has fallen for Cameron, too. ''I can keep my feelings to myself. But with Xander''s mboyant personality, he won''t allow such restraint. No! I can''t leave them alone together."" Xander hadn''t expected both of them to shoot him down at the same time. He red at Elijah. "Who asked you, nerd? Butt out." Cameron gave him a deadpan stare. "Do I have the right? The answer is no." Xander immediately turned to her. ¡°Why not? If Elijah gets to stay, why can''t I?" "I''m only here during the day, and I''ll leave soon," Elijah snorted. "Staying overnight would be inappropriate." Xander scoffed, "Since when do you decide what''s appropriate?" Cameron frowned, "Xander, stop being difficult. The answer''s final.¡± "Cam..." Elijah''s gaze darted to the kitchen. "The pizza!" Cameron spun around and hurried into the kitchen, quickly turning off the oven. However, the pizza was burnt beyond saving. It wasn''t edible anymore. Xander peered over her shoulder and grimaced. ¡°What is that? Cam, your cooking skills are tragic." Cameron red at him. My k 519 Xander shrugged. "It doesn''t matter. My ce has plenty of staff. No need for you to cook." Cameron rolled her eyes at him. She thought irritably, ''What does it have to do with me? If he hadn''t barged in, would I have burned the pizza? "Xander, you''re not staying overnight," she said tly. Xander knew it was inappropriate. Cameron was a girl, after all. He had only suggested it, thinking Elijah was staying too, but her repeated rejections stung. "Then where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" Xander watched Cameron closely for any softening. But Cameron didn''t even look at him. "The sidewalk." Xander felt genuinely upset. Elijah stood quietly nearby. Seeing Cameron''s obvious impatience with Xander eased his worries. Xander wasn''t right for Cameron. Not that Elijah thought Xander was a bad person. He just wanted Cameron to have a normal, happy life. Ignoring Xander, Cameron turned to Elijah. "Let''s go out for dinner?" Elijah nodded. "Sure." "Wait!" Xander cut in. "I''m starving too. I''ming." No way would he let them be alone together, even if Cameron found him annoying. Helplessly, Cameron ended up dining with both of them. Back at Noble Vista, Elijah paused. "Cameron, my ce should be ready by now. I''ll head back." He then nced at Xander. "You could stay with me tonight." Xander scoffed, "As if." ¡°Elijah, just ignore him," Cameron said. In her view, Xander was just being dramatic. Xander froze. As Elijah walked away, Cameron headed back to her house, but Xander trailed her. She spun around. "I said no sleepovers. Stop following me." Xander blinked innocently. "I didn''t say I was staying." "Then why are you following me?" "I just... want to hang out." "It''ste. Go home." Xander''s expression crumpled at her hostility. "Cameron, why are you so harsh with me? What did I even do to deserve this?" Cameron paused upon hearing this question. Truthfully, she wasn''t entirely sure. Her very first meeting with Xander in the dorm had been unpleasant. That was probably the "first impression effect" And afterward, she had always thought him too noisy. She simply replied, "You''re too noisy." Xander looked at her. "Cameron, I can be quiet. Just don''t be so mean to me, okay?" Even in her masculine disguise, Cameron looked unfairly beautiful at night. Sun 8 Jun Xander''s heartbeat raced uncontrobly whenever he looked at her, yet he couldn''t bring himself to nce away. Cameron wondered, ''Am I really mean to him? I don''t think so.'' Trying to brush him off, she said, "Fine, I won''t be mean to you. Now go home." Xander''s face lit up like a child given candy. "Okay! But..." He hesitated. "Can Ie over tomorrow? It''s Sunday." Cameron sighed. "Please?" Without getting an answer, Xander pressed gently. Cameron shook her head. "No." She had ns. Tomorrow was her day to visit Pearl at the castle. If not for Elijah''s unexpected visit today, she would have been there already. She missed the adorable tiger she had bought for 30 dors. Xander''s smile shattered. He thought, ''Another rejection. How many is that now?'' Remembering herint, Xander swallowed his frustration. "Why? Are you busy tomorrow?" "Very. I won''t even be here tomorrow." Cameron nodded. "Hmm." "Go home, Xander." Xander lingered, eyes brimming with unspoken protests before finally turning away. "Xander." Cameron''s voice suddenly turned solemn. "Huh?" Xander''s feet stayed nted. He had never intended to leave anyway. After days apart, this brief time together, with Elijah as the third wheel, was all he had gotten. Cameron''s gaze was calm. "Do you like me?" Her bluntness stunned him. Xander''s ears burned crimson. "I... I..." His heart was pounding, and the stutter worsened. Xander thought, ''Should I confess now? But it''s too in like this-without roses and grand arrangements.'' What Xander had imagined was something different. He wanted to slowly win Cameron over and then surprise her with a grand confession, sweeping her off her feet and making her his girlfriend. However, Cameron''s sudden question shattered his n. His mind went nk in an instant. Cameron narrowed her eyes slightly. "Stop stammering. Yes or Past incidents shed through Cameron''s mind. Xander''s behavior around Milena had made her suspect his intentions. Finally, Cameron realized that she had been the object all along. The dress rejection should''ve been an exnation enough, yet tonight proved Xander still didn''t get it. It was time for absolute Xander hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded firmly. "Yes. I like you, Cameron!" When confronted point-nk, denial was impossible. Even if this wasn''t the romantic confession he had imagined, he could only confess his feelings. Cameron simply nodded. "Just give up. You''re wasting your time." Xander froze. He thought, ''She rejected me again? Why? What''s wrong with me? Family status, looks-I''m top-tier! Who else could be better than me?" As Xander stood shell-shocked, Cameron turned away. She had made her position clear. There was no need to say anymore. Now, for a long time to Sun, 8 Jun 79% Fortunately, the SATs were over. They wouldn''t have to see each other every day. In a city of millions, they would rarely cross paths unless intentional. "Cameron!" Xander suddenly caught up. "This is your first rejection. Next time, you might change your mind." Cameron blinked, puzzled. My k 520 Cameron stared after Xander in bewilderment. She thought, ''Am I not clear enough? There''s no point in him wasting his time on me! Before she could say anything more, Xander suddenly turned and ran away, as if fearing hearing another rejection. Cameron was speechless, thinking, ''Alright then. Nothing more to say. We''ll barely see each other anyway. Once I get my driver''s license, I''ll move. He''ll never find me.'' Xander sprinted all the way to Noble Vista''s entrance before stopping. Though Cameron was long out of sight, he still turned to stare down the empty path, his usually bright features shadowed with uncharacteristic mncholy. Cameron rejected him again. It was the first time in his 18 years of life that someone had ever outrightly turned Xander down. Xander thought, ''Am I really thatcking in her eyes? Many girls adore me, yet the one person I like remains indifferent.'' He lingered until the night grew still, the stream of passing cars thinning to nothing. Eventually, he turned and walked away. Early the next morning, Cameron headed back to Silvermoss Castle. Elijah messaged her after waking up, asking about her ns for the day. Cameron replied that she wasn''t at Noble Vista. Elijah hesitated. Though curiosity gnawed at him, he resisted pressing further. No one liked being interrogated. Elijah knew when to hold back. He did wonder why Xander hadn''t harassed Cameron today. He noted with quiet relief. The reason didn''t matter. The following day, Cameron and Elijahmuted to work together as usual. Elijah had managed his emotions perfectly. Their interactions held the same easy rhythm as before. And Cameron remained none the wiser about his feelings. Bradley had been swamped with worktely, leaving early and returningte. He hadn''t even realized Elijah had moved back to Noble Vista. Not until the day before SAT scores were released, June 23rd, did Bradley finally wrap up at thew firm early. He drove home only to encounter an ostentatious motorcade outside Noble Vista''s entrance. A fleet of luxury cars stretched down the block, nked by robust bodyguards. The center Rolls-Royce''s window was down. Bradley barely nced at it but didn''t see anyone. Wealthy disys weremon, though rarely this brazen. He simply drove straight into the neighborhood without a second thought. Meanwhile, Cameron was packing up at work when Austin''s message arrived. Austin: [Cam, where are you? I''m back.} Cameron: [Perfect timing for tomorrow''s scores.] Austin had intended to return as soon as possible, butplications dyed him, Fortunately, he managed to make it back today. Austin: [I''m outside Noble Vista now. You home?] Cameron: [Still at the office.] Austin: [Oh, I forgot you have that summer job. Off soon? Where are you? I''ll pick you up.] Cameron: [I''m about to leave. Need something?] Austin: [Cam, there''s actually something I need your help with.] Cameron: [What is it?] Austin: [Could youe to Fraser Vi with me?] Cameron paused. She thought, ''Same asst time, Is he too scared to go alone?'' After considering Austin''s difficult family situation, she relented. Cameron: [Head to your ce first and wait for me outside. I''ll take a cab over soon.] Austin: [I''m waiting for you at Noble Vista. We''ll go together.] Cameron: [Fine.] At clock-out, she texted Elijah: [Austin''s back. I need to return to Noble Vista now. Are youing or eating at the cafeteria first?] Elijah''s reply was instant: [I''ll wait downstairs.] When Cameron came downstairs, Elijah was already waiting, his expression as calm as ever. They rode bikes back to Noble Vista together. As they pedaled home, Elijah asked casually, "Did Austin invite you for dinner?" Cameron shook her head. "No, he wants me to walk him home." Elijah raised an eyebrow. "He wants you to walk him home? Seriously?" He wondered, ''Austin isn''t a kid. What does he want to do?'' Cameron nodded. "Yeah, things are a bitplicated in his family." Elijah''s grip tightened on the handlebars. He thought, ''Howplicated can it be? Cameron shows Austin exceptional patience. Is it a pity? Just because Austin is frail? The questions multiplied, but Elijah voiced none of them.. The two arrived at Noble Vista''s entrance by bicycle. As Cameron locked the bike, her gaze flickered over the line of luxury vehicles parked along the road. She barely nced at them before she pulled out her phone and messaged Austin: [I''m back. Where are you?] Elijah nced at the cars with mild curiosity, though unimpressed. His family garage housed even more extravagant models. Driving had never appealed to him, so he hadn''t bothered getting a license yet. A bodyguard opened the rear door of the ck Rolls-Royce. An immacte leather shoe stepped onto the pavement. The tailored ck trousers were clearly expensive. The deceptively simple white shirt was no ordinary brand. Austin emerged, his signature golden hair catching the sunset''s glow. With each step, his well-trained bodyguards followed in perfect sync. Cameron spotted him immediately. She thought, raising an eyebrow, ''So this spectacle is Austin''s doing? With an entourage like this, more extravagant than Samuel''s, why would he need mypany?'' Elijah''s typically impassive face betrayed his surprise. He stared at Austin as he thought, ''Is this some kind of wealth disy? Trying to impress Cameron with his wealth? He brought many cars and guards. Humph, it''s excessively shy!'' "Cam!" Austin beamed, his mixed-race features radiant. However, the moment he saw Elijah, his smile faltered for a split second before he recovered smoothly. Austin couldn''t help thinking, ''Has Elijah been with Cam this whole time? Where is Xander? ''I sent him WhatsApp messages, but he never replied. Worried about causing the opposite effect, I stopped reaching out again. But did he not get involved this time?'' Though questions swirled, Austin maintained perfectposure as he approached. "Eli, you are here, too." He greeted Elijah. Elijah gave a slight nod, then turned his gaze back to Cameron. Expressionless, Cameron cut to the chase. "With this security team, surely you don''t need me anymore?" Austin shook his head. "Cam, I still need you toe with me." Cameron remained silent. "You already agreed," Austin pressed gently. Cameron hesitated. Elijah finally interjected, "Why insist on Cameron apanying you?" Austin said with a polite smile, "That''s between Cam and me." Outwardlyposed, but inwardly, he sneered. Austin thought, ''Why has Elijah been glued to Cam all this time? It can''t possibly be gaming all day. He had had enough of his advantage during his school years. Now that we''ve graduated, why is he still sticking around Cam like this?'' Elijah nced at Austin before turning to Cameron. "Do you want to go?" After a pause, Cameron nodded. "I''ll be back soon, Elijah." A promise was a promise. -Austin''s face lit up. "Bye, Eli." The brightness of that smile needled Elijah as he turned toward Noble Vista. After a few steps, he suddenly spun back. "Austin," he said coolly, "your illness cured?" Austin froze momentarily. "What do you mean, Eli?" Austin thought, ''My self-inflicted weakness? Humph, that boy who tolerated the Fraser family''s abuse is gone. The illness died with him." "You''ve stopped coughing," Elijah said tly. Without waiting for a response, he walked away A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Austin''s face. He couldn''t wait to let them all meet the new him. Turning to Cameron, Austin resumed his old demeanor-warm, kind, and almost reverent. "Shall we, Cam?" Cameron nodded and walked up to the car with him. Vincent moved to open the door, but Austin stepped forward and opened it himself. "After you." "Thanks." Cameron got in the car. The Rolls-Royce''s back seat was spacious. The luxurious interior radiated elegance and wealth from every corner. She sat impassively, her expression unreadable. Austin studied her reaction with barely concealed anticipation. He thought, ''Shouldn''t Cam be curious or ask questions?" Yet minutes passed, and Cameron didn''t say a single word. Finally, Austin broke first. "Nothing you want to ask me, Cam?" Cameron turned to him. "No." Austin was a little disappointed. He thought, ''Nothing? My transformation is obvious. How can he not notice?" "Anything you want to tell me?" Cameron asked. Austin chuckled, "Well. I went abroad to im an inheritance." "Figured," Cameron said. "A substantial one." "Modest, really." Austin''s smile betrayed the lie. "But it''s an unexpected windfall." "Then why return?" Cameron asked. With that wealth, Austin could''ve severed ties with the Fraser family permanently. Austin''s smile faded. "Those years under the Fraser family''s roof were hell, Cam. Every day was terrifying. I wouldn''t just forget it all." His knuckles whitened. Cameron nodded. "So you''reing back for revenge. Why drag me into it?" Austin was caught off guard by her question. Actually, he had an answer. He had his reasons. He needed Cameron to witness his changes, to see the power he now wielded. But those words lodged in his throat, unspeakable. Cameron didn''t press for an answer. She was already here, and the Fraser family held no power over her After a brief silence, Austin smoothly changed the subject. "Cam, I''ve traveled all over Yazven these past weeks. After tomorrow''s graduation ceremony, would you go to Yazven with me?" His eyes were full of expectations. He thought, ''If Cam agreed, I would nevere back again.'' Cameron frowned, "Why would I?" In Austin''s mind, eptance meant freedom¡ªno more menial jobs, and every desire fulfilled. "I''m loaded now,¡± Austin offered. "If you need anything, I can provide." Cameron stared at him. "Why would I take your money? Besides, I don''t need it right now." Although she owed Bradley millions of dors, the debts were hers alone to settle. She wasn''t going to take what wasn''t hers. Bradley had helped her so much, and she intended to pay him back. Austin hadn''t expected such a straightforward rejection from Cameron. But he soon epted it. un He thought, ''Cameron has his pride. He won''t ept my money anyway. Fine then. I''ll stay in Viremont. He''s the closest person to me now. Wherever he is, that is home.'' The motorcade rolled to a stop at Fraser Vi''s gate. A guard emerged. Seeing the motorcade, he murmured, ¡°Mr. Samuel Fraser is back?" Only Samuel unted wealth so brazenly. But when the guard saw Austin getting out of the car, his jaw dropped. "Mr. Austin Fraser!" Austin''s prolonged absence had always convinced the Fraser family that he was dead. Edmund was furious, but he had never sent people to look for him. In Edmund''s view, there was no need to waste resources on a bastard. Yet here Austin stood, nked by luxury cars and bodyguards. Cameron followed Austin and got out of the car. Austin studied the manor that had housed his nightmares and torment. He thought, ''This ce,shouldn''t exist. Its obliteration might finally purge my painful memories." "Well, well," the guard sneered. "Look who crawled back. Mr. Austin Fraser, do you know how angry Mr. Edmund Fraser has been during your absence? You actually got the nerve to show your face." My k 521 The guard sneered at Austin as always. Austin''s handsome face darkened instantly. Before he could even speak, Vincent stepped forward and subdued the guard in one swift move. Austin''s tone was icy. "You''re just a watchdog, yet you thought you could step all over me? Know your ce." "Mmph-" The guard''s mouth was muffled, his protests silenced. Austin turned back. "Cam, let''s go." Cameron nodded. She understood. Austin had returned for vengeance, and she was here to witness it. After all, she had seen him at his lowest. Now, in his moment of triumph, he wanted her present. It was a natural desire. With Cameron at his side and an entourage of bodyguards in tow, Austin strode into Fraser Vi, A servant scrambled to alert Jeremy. Meanwhile, the Fraser family members were gathered for dinner. Edmund, Jeremy, Margot, and Samuel were all there. A flustered servant rushed in. Edmund''s face darkened. "What''s the matter?" Panting, the servant pointed outside. "Mr-Mr. Austin Fraser... is back." The servant looked stunned. Jeremy frowned, "Austin? Is he crippled or something?" Margot''s lips curled faintly at the news. Samuel outrightughed, "Austin''s back? Oh, he''s not dead yet." The servant stammered, "H-he brought... many people." Edmund and the others were puzzled. His brows furrowed. "What do you mean? Brought many people?" Before the servant could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. "Go check it out," Edmund said coldly as he stood up. The others followed suit, filing into the hall just as Austin''s procession reached the courtyard. Their gazes flickered over Austin for mere seconds before locking onto the robust bodyguards nking him. Jeremy was the first to break the silence. "You finally crawled back. Where the hell have you been?" His tone dripped with the same contempt he had always reserved for Austin, the living stain on his life. Margot immediately yed peacemaker. "Darling, don''t be so harsh. Aus, we''re just d you''re home. We were about to dine. You and your... friends must join us." Edmund''s cane struck the marble floor with a crack. "Exin this, Austin. What is the meaning of bringing them here?" Samuel snorted, "Isn''t it obvious, Grandpa? The bastard is here to make trouble. He can''t even show basic respect anymore." Austin''s expression remained cial as he locked eyes with Samuel. ¡°I''ve tolerated you long enough." Samuel burst intoughter,pletely unbothered by the presence of elders. "Oh, the coward finally grows a spine? Go on then-try hitting me! Decades of unchecked arrogance had taught him the truth. No matter how far he pushed, the family would always turn a blind eye. "Vincent." Austin nced at the man beside him. Vincent understood immediately and raised a hand. My k 522 With a subtle lift of Vincent''s hand, ten well-trained bodyguards surged forward, seizing Samuel and dragging him before Austin, "Samuel!" Margot lunged to intervene, only to be shoved aside by a guard. "Kneel," Vincentmanded, delivering a sharp kick to the back of Samuel''s knees. "Fuck you!" Samuel thrashed, but the two guards restraining him left no room for resistance. The brutat force sent him crashing to his knees, right in front of Austin. Samuel froze for a moment. He couldn''t believe that he was kneeling in front of the very person he had always mocked and abused. His face twisted with fury, his skin flushing crimson with humiliation. Every muscle strained against the guards, but alt he could muster were venomous threats and a re sharp enough to kill. "How dare you, Austin!" Samuel roared. "He''s too loud," Austin remarked coolly. "Shut up." Vincent didn''t hesitate. He pped Samuel''s face hard. Austin hated Samuel. And today, after everything, it was finally time for payback. "You-" Samuel''s shock morphed into unbridled rage. But Vincent pped him again before he could even growl. This strike split Samuel''s lip, blood trickling down his chin. His eyes burned with unadulterated hatred. Margot shrieked, "Security! Where the hell is security?" Austin smiled, "Save your breath. Those useless guards of yours? They are already handled." The Fraser family''s guards had already been subdued by Austin''s men, who were all former mercenaries, each capable of taking on ten men. They had made quick work of these guards. Edmund''s cane struck the floor. "Austin, have you lost your mind? Release your brother!" "My brother? I don''t remember having a brother." Austin scoffed. Suddenly, he lifted his foot. His polished leather shoe pressed against Samuel''s face, grinding his cheek into the marble. "Oh, you mean this? Does a pathetic worm like him deserve that title?" Samuel trembled with barely contained fury, his voice a guttural roar. "Austin, you fucking kill me then! One of us dies today!" This humiliation cut deeper than death itself. Austin ground his polished shoe harder against Samuel''s cheek. "Kill you? Do you really think you''re worth me risking a murder charge, idiot?" "Just fucking do it!" Samuel spat. Austin sneered. He lifted his foot, deliberately wiping the sole against the floor as if scrubbing off filth. Then he looked at Vincent. "Vincent, shut him up." "Yes, sir," Vincent replied respectfully. "Are you insane, Austin?" Jeremy shouted,pletely stunned by this scene. He lunged forward, only to be blocked by a tall guard. His impotent rage erupted in roars. "Face me instead, Austin. Leave Samuel alone. Don''t hurt him!" Margot cried out, tears streaming down her face. Samuel had always been arrogant. It was the first time that he had been humiliated like this. Looking at him, Margot couldn''t imagine how much pain he was feeling right now. Every cry tore at her heart, yet she stood helpless. 1049-Mon, 9 Jun 194 Edmund''s cane punctuated each word. "You ungrateful wretch! We have raised you here for over ten years. This is how you repay us samuell blood. How dare you disgrace Samuel like this?" "Raised me?" Austin sneered. "Old man, you mean the scraps tossed to a dog? Even the dog lived better than me! And you have the nerve to say you raised me for eighteen years?" Edmund''s jaw clenched. They had treated Austin rather harshly over the years. But still, they had brought him back and epted him. Wasn''t that enough? Edmund growled, "Austin, you denied all the years of kindness we''ve given you. What exactly do you want?" Austin said coldly, "You tore me from my mother and drove her to her grave. Now you ask what i want?" Edmund froze. He thought, ''Austin is ming us for his mother''s death?'' Jeremy exploded. "That bitch begged for it! She deserved to die for spawning you. If it weren''t for her, you wouldn''t even exist. My only regret is bringing your cursed ass back!" Jeremy had never wanted to bring Austin back. It was Edmund who had made the final decision. Now, drowning in regret, Jeremy''s outburst only mirrored Edmund''s thought. If Edmund had known this would happen, he wouldn''t have cared about bloodlines at all. A weary sigh escaped Edmund. But Jeremy''s words struck the match. Austin''s eyes zed, his body trembling with barely leashed fury. He clenched his fists tightly. "Vincent, drag him here." "Yes, sir!" Vincent immediately ordered. Two bodyguards hauled Jeremy in front of Austin. Jeremy red at Austin. "You dare? I''m your father!" "Kneel.¡± Austin stared at him. The word slithered out like a dagger. Jeremy thought in disbelief, ''What? Kneel? This bastard wants me to kneel? I''m his father!'' Austin lifted the pendant, which had always been hidden beneath his cor. Inside, it was a photograph of a young woman. It was his mother. He opened the locket and looked at the beautiful face inside. Softly, almost tenderly, he whispered, "Look, Mom. I''ll settle it today." Jeremy froze in shock. "Vincent," Austin ordered, clutching the locket. "Make him kneel." "Yes, sir." Vincent stepped forward and delivered two brutal kicks to the back of Jeremy''s knees. Jeremy dropped instantly, kneeling right before Austin. "You bastard!" Jeremy''s face turned livid beyond Samuel''s earlier rage. Austin pped Jeremy hard. Jeremy''s head snapped sideways. His eyes went wide with shock and disbelief. He red at Austin and thought, ''This bastard made me kneel and even hit me? I''m his father!'' "Jeremy!" Margot covered her mouth. She thought, ''This couldn''t be real. The boy who had once scurried to please us struck his brother and forced his father to kneel and even pped him!'' 10:49 Mon, 9 Jun G Margot watched this scene in shock. Even Samuel, for all his arrogance, would never cross this line, Margot lurched forward, only to be barred by a mountain of muscle. Edmund wheezed, pounding his chest. "Are you insane, Austin? That''s your father!" He was beside himself with rage, nearly choking on his own fury. Austin ignored them, his gaze cial as he loomed the beginning of her suffering." over Jeremy. "That p was for my mother. You lied about being married and seduced her. That was With that, he pped Jeremy hard across the other cheek. Jeremy knelt before Austin, his cheeks stinging with finger-shaped bruises, eyes bulging in disbelief. "You bastard! You-" A scoff cut him off. "This one''s still for my mother." Austin''s voice was icy. "You found out she was pregnant, but you handed her a check and let her get rid of the baby. For that contempt toward life, you deserved it." Jeremy spat, hissing through gritted teeth, "I should''ve dragged that bitch to have an abortion myself. Then you''d never-" Austin''s entire body shook as he pped Jeremy. "Who''s the bitch? You ruined her!" Austin was furious, enraged beyond reason, as heshed ou wildly, pping Jeremy over and over. Jeremy''s face was swollen, and his mind was in a mess. He didn''t know how many times he had been pped. "Enough, Austin! Stop this right now." Edmund''s voice cracked. Margot cried, "Aus, I know you''re hurting, but this was years ago. We raised you, and you hit Jeremy. Haven''t you made your point? Please release him and Samuel." Samuel finally dislodged the gag that had been in his mouth, roaring, "Don''t beg him, Mom. Let''s see how far this bastard dares to go. If he doesn''t kill me today, I''ll definitely make him pay for it one day!" "Silence him," Austin said tly. Empty threats were just noise. "Yes, sir." Vincent obeyed instantly. Samuel red at Vincent. He thought, ''Why''s this jerk so loyal to Austin?'' Seeing Austin''s expression hadn''t softened, Margot tried again, saying patiently, "Aus, ignore Samuel''s nonsense. He''s impulsive. Just calm down. Let them go, alright?" Austin turned his hollow gaze on her. "Years of suffering, and you think a few ps settle it?" Margot fell silent. Edmund''s cane struck the floor. "What more do you want?" A chilling smile spread across Austin''s face. "I''m of age now. Time for this family to change hands." Edmund was utterly stunned. "You... What exactly are you saying?" "Every word." Austin''s voice was calm but sharp. Surely you''re not senile enough to miss that, are you?" My k 523 Jeremy, still on his knees, roared, "Austin, te dreaming!" Austin wanted to take over the Fraser family! That would never happen Austin remained impassive. "Oh? Then here are your options. One, hand the Fraser family over willingly, and I might keep you. Two, watch as acquite Fraser Group until you get kicked out of here." "Acquire Fraser Group?" Edmund scoffed, abandoning any pretense of negotiation. "It''sughable, Austin. Don''t think hiring a few dozen bodyguards makes you capable of forcing me to hand over Fraser Group," Edmund thought, ''I built Fraser Group. It''s thriving now, one of the most powerful in Viremont. And Austin thinks it can be acquired? What a joke! Austin showed a derisive smirk. He didn''t bother. further. "We''ll see." Margot studied his unshakable confidence, unease creeping in. She couldn''t help thinking, ''Where has Austin been these past weeks? What transformed him? How could he afford these bodyguards? We''d better be careful before figuring out his true strength! Forcing a smile, she said gently, "Aus, let''s not be hastu We''re family-" "Family?" Austin''s cial stare cut Margot off. "Did you mistake attempted murder for kinship? Do you remember those idents you arranged? And you still think we''re family?" Margot''s mouth snapped shut. She had indeed wanted Austin gone. If he were dead, Samuel would have nopetition. But she had always been careful. How had he seen through everything? "Enough. Let''s see this bastard try!" Jeremy snarled. As for that nonsense about acquiring Fraser Group, he didn''t believe it at all. It was an absolute delusion. Austin smiled, offering no rebuttal, "Let them go." The moment Samuel broke free, he lunged forward, ready to beat Austin. But Vincent took him down with a single move. "Stay put," Vincent warned. Samuel clenched his jaw, ring at Vincent''s robust frame. He thought, ''This humiliation burns today, but I''ll return it a hundred fold one day. That bastard dares to stand above me? Ridiculous!'' Jeremy finally staggered to his feet. His face was swollen and battered. Margot rushed to support him, her voice trembling. ¡°Darling." Edmund shook his head at the sight, muttering, "What a disgrace for our family." Austin tightened his grip around the locket, his tone devoid of emotion. "You have three days to decide. If no answeres by then, I''ll acquire Fraser Group." Edmund and the others exchanged nces, each reading the same doubt in the other''s eyes. None of them believed Austin was capable, With that, Austin turned to Cameron, who had witnessed everything in silence. "Cam, let''s go." Cameron nodded. She thought, ''So Austin wanted me here to witness." Surrounded by bodyguards, she and Austin strode out of Fraser Vi. The four members of the Fraser family watched their backs, fury raging inside their chests. Edmund nced at Jeremy. "Go take care of your face first." It looked so terrible. Jeremy, expression thunderous, returned to the living room with Margot''s help. Samuel had also been pped, but his face wasn''t as swollen as Jeremy''s. Edmund ordered, "Samuel, find out where Austin has been these past weeks." Samuel gritted his teeth. "I will." Even withoutmand, he would have hunted down every detail. But before they could act, an orange glow erupted beyond the windows. mes, starting from the main gate, engulfed the vi. Austin''s men had knocked out all the staff and dragged them a mile away. By the time Samuel and his family noticed, the fire had reached the hall, its heat unbearable on the summer night. "Fire! Run!" Samuel roared. Jeremy, ice pack pressed on his cheeks, instinctively tried to check the situation, but Margot yanked him back. She shouted, "It''s spreading, Go!" Samuel grabbed Edmund. "Grandpa, we have to go through the back door." Extinguishing the big fire was impossible. Yet, just then, Margot turned toward the stairs. "You guys go ahead! I''ll be right behind." "Mom, what are you doing?" Samuel dropped Edmund immediately to chase her. Margot''s voice was trembling. "There are jewelry and gold bars in the safe. I must get them." "Are you insane? The fire is spreading. We''ll die. Go!" Samuel dragged her toward the door. "Move!" Edmund urged anxiously. The four of them fled through the back door, escaping the inferno just in time. They called the fire department, but by the time firefighters arrived, only smoldering ruins remained. Watching the ck smoke coil into the sky, the four of them felt the weight of their loss. "Austin did this. That bastard!" Samuel roared, fists clenched. "I''ll tear him apart." "Stop." Edmund''s cane struck the ground. "You don''t even know what cards he''s holding. Recklessness will ruin you." Margot nodded urgently. "Samuel, stay calm. We need a ce to stay." Jeremy, face still swollen, grunted in agreement, "Find somewhere to stay first." "Austin, you''re dead," Samuel muttered through clenched teeth. Inside the Rolls-Royce, Cameron watched through the window as Fraser Vi burned. Austin watched the fire, his striking mixed-race features illuminated by the glow. A satisfied smile yed on his lips. He thought, ''Let the fire consume it all-every humiliation, every memory. I''m not the same person I used to be.'' When he turned, he happened to meet Cameron''s calm gaze. Somehow, he felt something twisted in his chest. He asked hesitantly, "Cam, do you think I''m monstrous?" "Monstrous?" Cameron tilted her head slightly, thinking for a while. Then she shook her head. "No. Just wasteful." Austin blinked. "Wasteful?" He didn''t think he had wasted anything. Cameron looked toward the burning vi. "That vi, with its prime location, could''ve sold for hundreds of millions of dors. But you burned it all. down. What a pity." Austin paused for a moment. Suddenly, he understood Xander''s exasperation when calling Cameron "money-obsessed" Laughing, Austin leaned back, "Cam, I have more wealth now than that vi could ever be worth. If you need funds, just ask." Cameron smiled, "I''m fine for now, thanks." "Whenever you need, just tell me," Austin chuckled. In this world, Cameron was his only anchor. Everything he owned was hers. Austin asked gently, "Cam, it''s almost eight. Are you hungry?" "Not really," Cameron replied. "Dinner then. What do you feel like having?" "Anything''s fine." Eventually, on their way back to Noble Vista, they stopped at a private restaurant and had dinner. After having dinner, they returned to Noble Vista. The car pulled up roadside. Cameron got out of the car, and Austin followed suit. Cameron stood with one hand in her pocket, the warm night breeze tousling her bangs. "Cam, you''re stunning," Austin murmured, unable to tear his gaze away. "You too," Cameron chuckled. "Where are you staying now?" Fraser Vi was ashes now. "Noble Vista." Seeing her puzzled look, Austin added, "I bought a unit here." Cameron nodded, then nced at the group of bodyguards behind him. "And them?" "They''ll stay at a hotel," Austin said. Cameron gave a slight nod and turned toward Noble Vista. Austin moved to follow, but Vincent intercepted him. "Sir." Pausing, Austin raised a brow. "What''s up?" Vincent stepped forward. "With the Fraser family as enemies now, you''re a walking target. Living alone at Noble Vista is dangerous. You need round-the- clock protection." Austin shrugged. "Fine. Let the guards wait at my ce." Vincent hesitated. "I mean twenty-four-hour personal security, sir." Austin nced at Cameron''s retreating figure. In the end, he stayed put, pulling out his phone to text her: [Goodnight.] Cameron replied right away. She reached her building''s courtyard and immediately spotted Elijah lounging on a bench. "Elijah?¡± she called. "What are you doing here?"/ Hearing her voice, Elijah looked up, his eyes fuckering with both surprise and relief. Rising, he dusted off his jeans. "Just took a walk after dinner. Got tired, so I sat down for a bit." "Want toe up?" "Sure." Cameron shrugged. She thought, ''Uh, it''s just a polite offer. Well, it''s early. We shared a dorm for three months. What''s a few more hours?" They headed upstairs. Before Cameron could even offer water, her phone buzzed. She took it out and saw the caller ID. It was William. She was puzzled, thinking, ''Why would Mr. Drake be calling me thiste?'' Although she was curious, she answered the call right away. "Hello, Mr. Drake." "Cameron, get to school immediately." William''s voice crackled with urgency through the phone. "Why?" Cameron asked. "SAT scores drop at midnight," William replied excitedly. Cameron had forgotten about the score release. She epulted hon ay aka that over two hours from now "Two hours fly by." William insisted. "Come to my office now. I''ll wait for you there." Cameron stared at the phone for a moment. Elijah whispered, "What''s wrong?" Covering the mic, Cameron exined, "William wants me at school for the score release." "I''lle with you," Elijah offered. After a beat, Cameron nodded and spoke into the phone, "Okay, I''m on my way." "Hurry up," William urged. "And Elijah''sing too." "Fine, just hurry." Cameron was amused. She could hear how anxious William really was. He must have been on edge for days. She and Elijah hopped onto bikes and made their way to school. Not long after, they found William pacing outside the school gate like an expectant father. "There you are," William chuckled. "Mr. Drake, breathe. It''s still early," Cameron smiled. "It''s already eight past ten." William mopped his brow. "Only an hour left." Cameron was speechless. "Mr. Drake." Elijah greeted him politely. "Elijah.¡± William pped his shoulder. "Our potential state runner-up!" Once upon a time, Elijah had been William''s star pupil. But ever since Cameron emerged, his focus had gradually shifted to her. Elijah nodded. "We''ll see when the scorese out." He had performed well, rankings were anyone''s guess. As for Cameron, William was practically bursting with confidence in her. "Come on. My office has AC. It''s hot outside." In his frenzy, he nearly forgot Elijah. Cameron nced back. "Elijah,e with us." "Oh, right. Both of you." Only then did William remember Elijah. The three of them entered the office. Surprisingly, Tiana was already there. "Ms. Murphy." Cameron and Elijah greeted in unison. "Hello," Tiana smiled warmly. The school''s reputation rested on these two students. With more than an hour left, William kept ncing at the clock, his nerves growing more intense by the minute. Cameron sat down and looked at Elijah. ¡°It''s still early. Want a quick match?" Elijah pulled out his phone. "Sure." William gaped. "You''re gaming now?" Cameron grinned. "Yeah. Want to join, Mr. Drake?" William sat beside her, eyes fixed on her face. "Aren''t you nervous at all?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Nervous about what?" William paused. "They''re already decided," Cameron said, tapping the screen. "Worrying won''t change them." William sighed. Elijah added, "Gaming calms the nerves, Mr. Drake." William threw up his hands. "Fine." He thought, ''Apparently I''m the only one dying here.'' 7 AD Comment My k 524 Gaming made the hour fly by for Cameron and Elijah, while William and Tiana just sat there, enduring each minute. An hour passed in the blink of an eye. At 11:59 p.m., William practically lunged at hisputer, the score portal already loaded, "Come on," he called out to Cameron and Elijah." Cameron didn''t nce up from her phone. "Go ahead and check, Mr. Drake. I''l finish this round first." William stared at her, speechless for a moment. Tiana chuckled, "Cameron, you have suchposure. If only Xander had absorbed even 10% of your calm during your tutoring sessions. He''s still as impulsive as ever." Tiana had also heard that Xander had been apparently heartbroken. Logan and Gwen were beside themselves. Tiana was curious about whether Xander, who had always been proud, could pine like somemon teenager. "I''m ttered," Cameron murmured, fingers still''dancing across her screen. Elijah''s character died just then. He hesitated, wondering whether he should offer to check his scores first to ease the tension. "Alright, Cameron. Give me your ID number." William turned to Cameron. Cameron rattled it off without breaking gamey. "And your registration number," William said. Cameron gave that to him. William inhaled sharply, held it, and exhaled three times before hovering his finger over the enter key, but he couldn''t bring himself to press it. "Mr. Drake," Tiana reminded him. "The time hase." "I know." Another dramatic breath. William squeezed his eyes shut and mmed the key. And even then, he didn''t open his eyes. Tiana was nervous too, but she was nowhere near as bad as William, "Mr. Drake." Her voice carried awkward amusement. "Just tell me the total score. Is Cameron number one?" William''s entire body trembled, eyes still screwed shut. Tiana cleared her throat. "Uh, Mr. Drake... The system says the ID number is incorrect." "What?" William''s eyes flew open. The screen showed an error message for the ID number. Just like that, the tension that had built up inside him vanished in an instant. He turned to Cameron. "Did you give me the wrong ID number?" Cameron looked up at him. She suddenly remembered that her ID number had changed. The second-tost digit had been odd when she was registered as male, but now even for female. She then recited the corrected number. All tension drained from William now. He entered the digits and pressed the key without hesitation. A new page instantly popped up on the screen. Tiana gasped behind her hand. "The first ce! William, Cameron is the state''s top scorer. Our school finally ims the title!" William stared at the screen, unblinking: [The Reading and Writing section: 788. The Math section: 800. Total: 1588. State ranking: 1] The numbers William had dreamed of for years burned into his retinas. His body remained frozen in the chair, but a smile slowly spread across his face. His eyes grew shiny. He thought, ''In a hundred years since the school''s founding, this is Langford Academy''s first time having the state''s top scorer. For years, Langford Academy had been overshadowed by Horizon Academy, and that was why Charles had always been so arrogant: William kept staring at the numbers, touching the screen with trembling fingers. "First ce... First ce... Cameron, you did it. You really did it." Cameron had just finished her game. She strolled over, stood behind William, and rested her chin on her hand as she studied the scores. "Hmm, I won first ce." The result was as she expected, so her reaction was utterlyposed. William shot up,ughing, "Thank you, Cameron. Thank you!" He reached to hug her but remembered her gender at thest second. Instead, he grabbed both of her hands tightly. "Thank you!" "Calm down, Mr. Drake," Cameron smiled. "At your age, being too excited will affect your health. I just did what I should." No matter how lowly she had been in her past life, this life would shine brighter than ever before. William nodded. "Alright. Cameron, your scores are out. Go home and get some rest. I have something else to do. See youter." He couldn''t wait to celebrate. With a warm pat on her shoulder, he turned and walked toward the door, beaming. "Mr. Drake," Tiana called. "You haven''t checked Elijah''s scores." "You handle it," William replied without even turning around, his happiness radiating from his bouncing stride. Tiana smiled awkwardly, "Elijah, I''ll help you check your scores. Mr. Drake had somethinge up." Elijah shook his head with a smile. "Thanks, but I can do it myself." He didn''t begrudge William''s partiality. Cameron deserved every bit of that attention. ¡°Sure.¡± Tiana stepped aside and offered Elijah the seat. Cameron stood with arms crossed, observing intently as Elijah swiftly keyed in his details and pressed enter. Elijah''s scores shed across the screen. [The Reading and Writing section: 760. The Math section: 774. Total: 1534. State ranking: 2] Tiana practically jumped for joy. "Yes! Elijah, you genius! State runner-up." Langford Academy had achieved the unimaginable-iming both first and second ce in the state. Tiana immediately dialed William. "Mr. Drake, Elijah secured second ce. Two of the top three spots belong to our students. Congrattions!" William''s voice carried undisguised delight. "The honor is ours to share, vice principal." Tiana froze. "William... What did you just call me?" Williamughed, "You heard right. Ms. Murphy, your promotion is effective immediately, From now on, you''re the vice principal of Langford Academy." "Thank you for this recognition!" Tears of joy welled in Tiana''s eyes. Hanging up, she turned to Cameron and Elijah with gratitude. "Thanks. This triumph belongs to you both." Cameron offered a respectful nod. "Congrattions, Ms. Murphy." Elijah smiled, "Congrattions." Cameron and Elijah left the office. They declined Tiana''s offer for a ride, choosing instead to walk down the moonlit avenue, where the evening breeze carried the faint fragrance of flowers. Elijah studied Cameron''s profile, his voice full of admiration. "Who could''ve predicted that the ''academic liability'' from three months ago would be the SAT champion?" A mischievous smile yed on Cameron''s lips. "Apologies for usurping your throne." Elijah chuckled, "On your very first day in the dorm, you told me that you''d take my first ce. I watched you prove it step by step. Your victory is unquestionable. I yield dly." "Don''t underestimate yourself," Cameron smiled. "A natural-born genius over here." Elijah''s brilliance came effortlessly, and Cameron''s triumph was carved through relentless effort. They left school together. It was already half past midnight. Cameron wanted a cup of milkshake, but the shops outside were all student oriented, so every stand and snack shop had shut their windows. They rode their bikes back to Noble Vista. "Late enough already. Get some rest,¡± Elijah said as they reached the building where Cameron lived. Cameron nodded. "You too." Just as Elijah turned to leave, Cameron called out from behind him. "Oh, wait." Elijah pivoted back, dim light catching the questioning tilt of his head. Cameron smiled, "I almost forgot to say congrattions. Second in the state. Elijah, it''s really impressive." With that score, Elijah could get into any university in the country. Elijah smiled gently, "Congrattions, champion." He thought, ''Cameron is really something special. He''s brilliant, hardworking, and kind-hearted. Of course, I''d fall for him.'' A yawn overtook Cameron as she waved him off. The parcel by her doorstep almost went unnoticed. Cameron scooped it up, squinting at thebel before carrying it inside. She opened the box and saw her new ID card. She stared at the word "Female" and traced the embossed letters with her thumb, beaming with pleasure. She had officially begun a new life. At Murphy Manor, Logan and Gwen dragged Xander to theputer. "What''s the point?" Xander grumbled, slouching in his chair. "The scores won''t change." "Just check," Gwen coaxed, her voice gentle. With a sigh, Xander typed his information. "1120!" Logan''s eyes widened. For Xander, a student-athlete, scoring over 1,000 was impressive. Logan and Gwen had just hoped Xander could make it past the undergraduate cutoff line, but this score couldnd him to a good university. "Xan, you did amazing!" Gwen beamed with pride Loganughed, "It''s all Cam''s credit. Those tutoring sessions paid off." Gwen nodded. "That''s true. We should invite Cam over to properly thank him." Xander, who''d been slumped in disinterest, suddenly perked up. "Yeah. All credit to Cameron." Gwen ruffled his hair affectionately. "You worked hard too, sweetheart. Xan, invite Cam for dinner tomorrow. We have to express our gratitude." Xander shook his head. "Mom, to show respect, you should call Cam yourselves." Xander know that Cameron wouldn''te, but his parents'' invitation. would probably carry enough weight. "Fine," Gwen chuckled. "I''ll call him tomorrow morning. He must''ve aced his exams." Logan grinned, feeling proud. "No doubt. How else could he turn this cker into a good university student?" Xander smiled, a hint of pride in his voice. "You guys really like Cameron, huh?¡± "Who wouldn''t?" Logan nodded. "That kid is excellent." Xander chuckled, "Mom, you have to make sure hees." Gwen patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry, I''ll get him here." The gloom that had clouded Xander''s heart these past days finally lifted. "Xan," Logan reminded. "The graduation ceremony is tomorrow. Get some rest.¡± Xander smiled, "Alright." He thought, ''I almost forgot about it. I''ll see Cameron tomorrow afternoon. Oh, right, I should ask her about her scores. It isn''t harassment, right?" Back in his room, he pulled out his phone and sent Cameron a message. Cameron emerged from her shower to find a WhatsApp message from Xander half an hour ago. Xander: [SAT scores are out. I got 1120. How about you?] Cameron: [1588.] Xander''s response came instantly: [Awesome!] He had been glued to his phone ever since sending that message, waiting for a reply. He resisted the urge to send her messages because he knew well that doing so would only push her away. Every passing minute had stretched into eternity as Xander imagined countless results. When her reply finally appeared, the numbers hit him like a physical blow. Xander''s eyes widened in shock. He thought, ''1588? The total score is 1600. So she only lost 12 points? Amazing!'' Xander: [You''re the state top scorer, right?] Cameron: [Yeah.] Xander: [Congrattions. You did it.] Cameron: [Thanks. It''ste. Goodnight.] The abrupt dismissal stung. Xander stared at the screen. He thought, ''She''s so cold with me now. Why? Is this her way of rejecting me after knowing my feelings for her?'' Still holding his phone, Xander stared at his darkened screen. The earlier euphoria was crumbling into the abyss at this moment. He didn''t understand what was wrong with him and why Cameron didn''t like him. He gazed out the window at the dark night sky. He let out a low groan and buried his face in the pillow. In the morning, Cameron woke up to a message from Bradley. Bradley: [Congrattions, this year''s top scorer.] William had been absolutely over the moon after learning Cameron''s results. He immediately announced that she was this year''s top scorer. Bradley saw this news in the morning and sent Cameron a message. Cameron: [Thanks, Brad. You aced it too?] Bradley: [Yeah.] His scores guaranteed admission to his dream university. Cameron: [I just got the news that I won the three-million-dor SAT schrship. I nned to repay you first, but with my startup''s current experises, might not be able to repay you anytime soon.] Bradley: [Keep it. When The Starry collectionunches, profits will dwarf that.] Cameron: [Thank you, Brad.] Gratitude warmed her chest. Bradley had negotiated her 70% royalty cut for The Starry design series. Bradley: [It was nothing. Are you avable around lunchtime today? Let''s have dinner and then go to the graduation ceremony together.] Cameron: [Sure.] Just as she finished replying to Bradley, the doorbell rang. She set her phone down and went to the door. Through the peephole, she saw an unexpected figure waiting outside. AD Comment My k 525 Standing outside was Austin, nked by Vincent and four hulking bodyguards. Cameron raised an eyebrow and couldn''t help thinking, ''Does he really need this much security?'' She pulled the door open. "Morning, Cam." Austin lifted the breakfast bags in his hands. ¡°Congrattions, the state top scorer." Cameron smiled, "Thanks." As Austin stepped inside, Vincent moved to follow. Austin blocked him. "Wait outside. It''s safe here." He kicked the door shut with his heel, leaving Vincent and the guards stranded in the hallway. Vincent''s jaw tightened. Cameron simply watched in silence. "Vincent is paranoid about Samuel''s retaliation," Austin exined to Cameron. Cameron said, "Samuel is probably still processing his own disaster." Samuel had once arrogantly destroyed Wace Vi. Now that Austin had burned down Fraser Vi in return, it almost felt like poetic justice-retributioning full circle. Austin put breakfast on the table. Cameron sat down and picked up a sandwich. "Thanks." A grin spread across Austin''s face. "Hope you like it." After a moment, Cameron asked, "Aus, what if someone reports you for burning down Fraser Vi?" Austin''s grin didn''t waver. "Any problem burning my property?" Cameron took a bite. "Uh... No." "The Fraser family''s everything will be mine soon. Don''t worry about it," Austin added casually. Cameron met his gaze. "Just stay safe." After breakfast, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from Elijah: [Busy? Mind if I drop by?] Soon, Elijah arrived at her doorstep, only to freeze at the sight of five stone-faced men posted outside. Austin opened the door. Understanding dawned on Elijah''s face. "Sorry about that, Eli. They are my guards," Austin exined casually. Elijah raised an eyebrow. "You''ve got enemies? Austin shrugged. "Something like that. It''s just a family dispute." Elijah nodded, uninterested in probing further. He wasn''t one to pry into personal matters. "Make yourself at home," Cameron called from the living room. ¡°Hmm.¡± Elijah nodded and settled onto the sofa, though "at home" proved impossible with Austin dominating the conversation Elijah, who was always reticent, found himself sidelined as Austin bombarded Cameron with questions. Finally, the ringing of her phone pulled her away, and Austin quieted down. Elijah''s cool gaze lingered on him. He thought, ''So now Austin is quiet? He was pretty chatty when Cameron was here. Noticing the stare, Austin smiled, "Something to say, Eli?" "No." Elijah shook his head. Austin tilted his head slightly. "How did your exams go?" "Fine," Elijah replied tly. Austin smirked as he thought, ''Not in a talking mood? Suit yourself.'' Cameron had gone into her bedroom to answer the call. It was Gwen. Gwen was calling to invite Cameron over for dinner at Murphy Manor. "Cam, Xander''s miraculous scores are all thanks to you."Gwen''s voice brimmed with warmth. "We would be honored to host you for dinner tonight to express our deepest gratitude." "Thank you, Mrs. Murphy, but I waspensated fairly." Cameron politely declined. She and Xander had had an awkward moment not long ago. It was embarrassing to have dinner with the Murphy family. Comment My k 526 Gwen''s enthusiasm proved unshakable. Despite Cameron''s refusals, Gwen insisted until Cameron''s resistance became futile. "Then we''ll expect you tonight," Gwen chuckled before hanging up. "Alright." Cameron agreed. What was supposed to be a quiet lunch with Bradley expanded into an impromptu roommates gathering, except for Xander, who wasn''t there. Bradley hadn''t expected both Elijah and Austin to join. Thetter trailed by five guards. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "So the scene outside Noble Vista yesterday was your doing, Austin?" "Yeah, it''s me," Austin smiled. Bradley nodded, not pressing further. After lunch, the four of them got ready to head to school. "Ride with me, Cam," Austin offered. Cameron declined. "I''ll go with Brad. I prefer a lower profile." Elijah chimed in, "Mind if I hitch a ride, Brad?" "No problem." Bradley nodded. Austin''s smile remained, but his eyes chilled. He thought, ''The moment Bradley appeared, I became invisible. When he wasn''t here earlier, Cam''s attention was all on me. She didn''t even have time for Elijah. Why does Bradley always take priority?'' Austin shot Bradley a sharp look. Bradley caught it and returned it just as evenly, his expression unreadable behind his gold-rimmed sses. His gaze was calm, but beneath it burned something sharp, almost cutting. Still smiling, Austin smoothly interjected, "Brad, I''ll join your car too." "Absolutely not, sir." Vincent immediately objected before Bradley could even respond. Austin frowned, "Why not?" Vincent''s tone was firm. "Things are different now. Sir, your safetyes first." Austin sighed, his voice tinged with bitterness. He thought, ''Wealthes with golden handcuffs. All I want is to stay with Cam.'' Cameron patted his shoulder. "Aus, we''ll see you at school." "Alright," Austin muttered, reluctantly agreeing. Cameron, Bradley, and Elijah left first. Austin frowned, "Vincent, isn''t this excessive?" He thought, ''Constant protection makes me an easier target. Should I have bodyguards tailing me through university all day long? No. That''s not realistic.'' Vincent replied calmly. ¡°Sir, give me some time to develop a better security protocol. For now, we need to maintain close protection With a frustrated sigh, Austin nodded. The Rolls-Royce drove down the road, nked by two luxury cars-one in front and one behind. When they arrived at the school gate, Austin barred Vincent''s team from entering. Compromising, Vincent ''shadowed him discreetly from a distance. At two o''clock in the afternoon, the graduation ceremony began in the school auditorium. All 558 graduating students from 16 sses were present, seated by ss in neat rows. Cameron sat among her ssmates from ss 15, with Elijah right beside her. The ssmates around eximed, "Cameron, Elijah, you guys are amazing. Especially Cameron, you transformed from deadst to the state top scores It''s legendary!" "Seriously, he''s so inspiring!" My k 527 The auditorium buzzed with whispers as students craned their necks toward Cameron. A ssmate asked, "Cameron, William is giving you three million dors cash plus a house worth another three million dors, right?" Cameron nodded modestly. "Just fortunate timing." The ssmates eximed, "Just fortunate timing? You got 1588. It''s pure genius!" "No question about it. Even Elijah trailed by 54 points!" "Old sayings really do hold wisdom. Knowledge literally builds wealth." Though Langford Academy''s students came from wealthy families, earning six million dors through meritmanded respect. Thinking of it, it was indeed something to be proud of. The chatter spread across sses. "Cameron? That''s Amelia''s ex-fianc¨¦? He''s actually the state champion this year?" "I bet Amelia is choking on regret." "No one expected Cameron to turn out this good, huh?" "If it were me, I would definitely be kicking myself. But Amelia has options. Maybe she doesn''t even care." Seated primly, Amelia absorbed every word. Her nails bit into her palms as she thought, ''Regret? Yes, I regretted it deeply. Cameron was truly excellent, like a pearl hidden beneath dust, but he had already blocked me. ''It was my fault. I had hurt him badly before. From now on, I''ll try to make it up to him."" Amelia''s gaze flickered toward ss 15 before snapping away. William bounded onstage, and the murmurs in the auditorium finally died down. William stood on stage, his face glowing with joy as he gripped the microphone. "I''m honored to represent all teachers in congratting our graduating seniors on this incredible milestone..." After his address, he beamed. "Now, let''s give the loudest apuse we can for this year''s SATs top scorer-Cameron Wace. Wee, Cameron!" William led the apuse, and soon, the entire auditorium burst into thunderous apuse as all eyes turned toward ss 15, Senior Year. Cameron rose gracefully and walked toward the stage, epting armfuls of flowers from admirers along the aisle. By the time she reached the podium, her arms overflowed with blooms. "Congrattions!" William beamed, presenting anothervish bouquet. Cameron smiled, "You too, Mr. Drake." Seeing that Cameron was about to be overwhelmed, Tiana kindly took the bouquets from her arms. "Thank you," Cameron said politely with a slight n?d. At the microphone, Cameron said, "I''m honored to be standing here today. And I wouldn''t have gotten this far without the sup "First and foremost, I''d like to thank Mr. Graham. He''s an amazing teacher. Even when rankedst, he never gave up on me." William''s smile froze. He thought, ''Why is Brody the first person Cameron thanked?'' of many people. Brody had been smiling until he caught that dagger re from William. He froze and thought, ''Why is Mr. Drake ring at me? Was that my imagination: 10:50 Mon, 9 Jun & G Or did I do something wrong? Cameron brought Langford Academy so much glory Shouldn''t Mr. Drake be celebrating?" The tension dissolved when Cameron added, "I''d like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Drake for bringing me back to school? At that, William smiled again. He thought, ''Good girl. She remembered who brought her back. In the audience, Xander watched Cameron with a bright smile. The previous night, Cameron had been so cold to him that he barely slept, feeling terrible the whole time. But the moment he saw Cameron at school today, all his bad moods vanished. Looking at Cameron with a dopey grin, Xander felt proud as if he was also part of something extraordinary. Tyrell nudged him with his elbow. "Look at your dopey grin, Xan. Quit eyeing Cam like he''s your girlfriend." "Shut it," Xander chuckled. He thought, ''Well, Cam is indeed the girl I like. But that''s a secret. If anyone else found out that Cam was actually a girl, there would be no end to thepetition. ''There were already too many admirers when they thought Cameron was a boy. If the truth goes out... No, I won''t let this happen. Bradley watched Cameron with a gentle smile and thought, ''Cameron is really excellent, pride glowing through him. I''m truly proud to have such a friend.'' Austin shared the same thought as Bradley. His lips curved with smug satisfaction as he thought, ''That''s my Cam-excellent and charming. My taste never falters.'' Elijah sat quietly amidst the cheers, his gaze lingering on Cameron''s radiant figure. A quiet mncholy shadowed his eyes. He thought, ''Cam is so brilliant. I can only admire from afar. Who will eventually win his heart? That girl will be incredibly lucky." Amelia''s fingers twisted together, her eyes shining with admiration. A ssmate teased, "Amy, your gaze could melt ciers." Amelia straightened her posture. "Nonsense." Bradley nced back at their chat. When Amelia met his gaze, her pulse remained steady, no more fluttering heartbeats like before. She held his gaze briefly before turning back to the stage, where Cameron still stood. Bradley quickly shifted his gaze. He thought, ''She really did take what I said to heart. Good.'' After Cameron''s speech concluded with a nod, she stepped off the stage. The auditorium erupted into thunderous apuse once more. When the ceremony ended, the students got their graduation photos. Cameron grabbed hers and was just about to leave when a student called out, "Hey, Cameron, can I get a photo with you? This year''s top scorer is my ssmate. What an honor!" "I want it, too." "Same here. Me too!" In the end, Cameron became a human photo prop. Exactly how many pictures she took, she couldn''t even count anymore. Elijah, Austin, Bradley, and Xander all got individual photos with her. Finally, Amelia approached,posed and graceful. "Cameron," she said softly, "would you mind taking a picture with me?" 10:50 Mon, 9 Jun & G Cameron studied her hopeful expression. She thought, ''Why is Amelia looking at me like that? Didn''t I make myself clearst time?'' Cameron suggested, "Amelia, how about we talk for a bit, just the two of us?" ¡°Sure." Amelia''s eyes lit up with surprise and hope. She thought, ''He still cares! I hurt him deeply back then, but I know he hasn''t changed! É« My k 528 As Cameron led Amelia away, Austin called out, "Cam." Bradley and the others watched curiously. "I''ll be right back," Cameron assured them before steering Amelia to a secluded corner. Amelia''s eyes were affectionate in the quiet space between them. "Cameron, I-¡± Cameron''s expression remained stern. "Amelia, I thought I made myself clearst time. Just give up." Amelia''s smile froze. She thought, ''He has never been this harsh before. Have I really hurt him that deeply?" Looking into Cameron''s eyes, Amelia said softly, ¡°I know you''re angry with me. Yell at me or hit me. Just do whatever you need to forgive me." Cameron was speechless. She crossed her arms and asked, "Amelia, did you ever pass the Reading and Writing section?" Amelia blinked, then quickly replied, "Of course I did! I scored fifth in the state." "Then how is yourprehension so terrible?" Cameron shook her head... Amelia thought with a frown, ''Huh? Myprehension is terrible?'' Cameron cut straight to the point. "Why do you suddenly want to take photos with someone you despised before? Even after I saved you, this goes beyond gratitude. Are you regretting our broken engagement?" Amelia''s cheeks immediately flushed crimson. She thought, ''Did I really seem that obvious? Fine. Since Cameron asked like that, there''s no need for me to hide my feelings anymore.'' Amelia met Cameron''s gaze with startling intensity. "Yes, I regret ending our engagement." Cameron sighed, "So what do you mean now? You want to pick up where we left off?" A delicate blush colored Amelia''s cheeks as she nodded. "Yes." "Impossible." Cameron''s tone was firm. Amelia''s eyes widened, panic creeping in. "Why? I know I hurt you before, but-¡± "That''s not it," Cameron cut in. "I could never love you." The words struck like a physical blow. Amelia froze. "What do you mean? But you... You used to..." "Used to love you?" Cameron asked with a bitter smile. "I''m sorry, Amelia. That was just ying my part in the Wace family arrangement. The truth is. I never actually liked you." Amelia couldn''t believe what she was hearing. "You pretended to like me because of the engagement?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah. I could never love any woman." Amelia''s world tilted. She thought, ''Everyone knew Cameron loved me. Now he''s telling me he never did? This can''t be true. Still dazed, she whispered, "Why?" Cameron pulled out her ID card from her pocket and handed it to Amelia. "This''ll exin everything." She had to crush Amelia''s expectations once and for all. Anything less could lead to endless trouble. Amelia took it, confused. "Why did you give me this?" Cameron pointed calmly. "Check the gender field." Amelia looked down at it. The next second, her head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. "Female? You''re a girl?" AD Comment My k 529 Cameron crossed her arms, meeting Amelia''s stunned gaze with a wry smile. "Yes. I''m a girl" Receiving that confirmation, Amelia was dumbfounded. The ID card trembled in her grip as she stared at Cameron. Minutes passed before she finally managed to speak, "So you''re... a girl?" Even after seeing the proof, her voice cracked with disbelief. Amelia thought, ''My fianc¨¦ was a girl all along? Eighteen years of deception? And now I''ve even fallen for her? Amelia''s mind was a total mess. Cameron retrieved her ID card and slipped it into her pocket. "Now that we''ve cleared that up, I assume this ends any romantic notions. See you." "Wait!" Amelia''s sharpmand froze Cameron. Cameron turned back. "What else?" Amelia''s expression darkened. "You and your family deceived mine for 18 years. You think I''ll just ept that?" The initial shock had crystallized into fury. For years, the arranged marriage with Cameron had been a thorn in her side. Amelia had made countless efforts to break the engagement. But in the end, she discovered that the entire foundation was a lie. And yes, after learning Cameron was a girl, she had truly regretted calling it off. But that didn''t erase the fact that the Wace family had deceived her for 18 years. Cameron gazed at her. "Have you ever considered that I was a victim too?" Amelia froze upon hearing this. She thought, ''Cameron is one month younger than me. So, did the Wace family force her to pretend to be a boy from birth for that ridiculous childhood engagement pact? That''s insane.'' The moment that thought hit her, Amelia''s anger shifted into sympathy. She thought, ''Yes, we''re both victims. Cameron had it even worse. How could me her for any of this?'' Amelia frowned, "You''re a victim too, Cameron, but your parents-" They had to pay for their deception. "Hold on," Cameron interrupted her. "They weren''t my real parents. I was kidnapped. They''re already in custody." Amelia''s jaw dropped. She was dumbfounded. Without another word, Cameron walked away, leaving Amelia reeling from the bombshell revtions. After learning too much stunning information, Amelia needed time to process it all. Rounding the corner, Cameron spotted Bradley and the others. They were all waiting for her. Just as Cameron approached, her phone vibrated. It was William. William''s enthusiastic voice boomed through the receiver. "Cameron, tonight''s victory banquet details areing to your-" "Mr. Drake," Cameron cut in politely. "I already have priormitments." William paused, clearly surprised. "What? Who?" Cameron replied honestly, "Xander''s parents insisted on hosting me for dinner as thanks for tutoring him. I already epted their invitation." William responded with mild frustration, "Cameron, you have toe to this banquet. It celebrates your achievement. Without our champion, there''s n point in even holding it." 10:50 Mon, 9 Jun & GA Cameron was touched by his fervor. She didn''t want to disappoint him but couldn''t break her promise. "Me Drake, 1 gave my send tonder''s parents first." My k 530 "I''ll have Ms. Murphy handle it," William said quickly. Cameron had barely rejoined the group when her phone buzzed again. It was Gwen, Gwen''s voice was warm. "Cam, Tonight belongs to your well-earned celebration. Let''s reschedule for tomorrow night, okay? Congrattions again You'' won first ce. We''re very happy that Xan has such an excellent friend." "Thank you for understanding," Cameron replied. "I''lle over tomorrow evening." Xander practically asked as she hung up, "Cam, you''re noting to my home tonight?" Cameron nodded. "William insisted on having a celebration banquet tonight." "Oh, I see." Xander''s face lit up again. He thought, ''I thought she didn''t want toe. Good thing Mother intervened. She always knows best. Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Wait, why was Cameron supposed toe to your home tonight?" "Your business?" Xander shot back. Elijah snorted. Noticing that Bradley and Austin were curious, Cameron exined, "I tutored Xander. He did well this time. As an athlete, he cleared first-tier university thresholds." Austin gave a thumbs-up immediately. "Impressive, Xan." Xander''s chin lifted triumphantly. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Yeah, it makes sense they wanted to thank Cameron." Dragging someone from academic rock bottom? It was indeed challenging. Elijah turned to Cameron. "You and Amelia... settled things?" Cameron nodded. "Just a small misunderstanding. It''s cleared up how." Xander raised an eyebrow. "Small misunderstanding? I thought she was regretting dumping you." "Don''t spread rumors," Cameron chided sternly. A girl''s reputation mattered. What started as nothing could easily get twisted into something else. "Hmm," Xander mumbled. Austin''s eyes glinted as he observed Xander''s reaction. Xan, you''re obedient to Cam these days." Austin thought, ''If this were any other time, Xander would have already started arguing with Cameron. But now, he''s so obedient. This sudden docility... Does he have feelings for Cameron?'' With this in mind, Austin narrowed his eyes and thought, ''No one can take Cam from me. He is all I have in this world. I''ll fight anyone who tries." Xander shrugged, feigning nonchnce. "Am I?" He couldn''t risk pushing Cameron further away. She was already pulling back. used to, he would lose herpletely. Xander''s gaze swept over the group. "Don''t you all have ces to be? The graduation ceremony is over." Elijah''s voice was calm. "I''m attending the banquet." As the runner-up, his invitation was guaranteed. kept acting like he Xander rolled his eyes. "Big deal." Bradley raised a brow. "What about you? Why aren''t you leaving?" Xander opened his mouth but found no retort. Austin smiled, "The banquet is hours away. I thought Cam might want to hang out." "Cam doesn''t want to hang with you," Xander said tly. Elijah added, "Cam probably least wants to be with you." Xander shot Elijah a re. Elijah didn''t even blink. Cameron sighed, rubbing her temples, "How about we all just go home?" The bickering was giving her a headache. My k 531 Austin asked, "Cam, where you headed?" Elijah said, "Noble Vista?" Xander added, "I''ve got a ce there too." Bradley chimed in, "Pretty sure we all do." Cameron sat down on the edge of a flowerbed and gave up on arguing. "You guys keep going. I''m just listening." "Heh..." Bradley couldn''t helpughing at the look on Cameron''s face. He reached out, almost without thinking, to ruffle Cameron''s hair. But just before his hand made contact, a firm grip caught his wrist. "Brad, what are you doing?" It was Xander. Bradley blinked. He stared at Xander''s hand. "Seriously, what''s your problem?" Xander pulled him back. "Cameron''s got a thing about cleanliness. Don''t touch him.". "Cleanliness?¡± Bradley echoed. Come to think of it, maybe that was true. But he''d tousled Cameron''s hair before, and Cameron had never really reacted. Elijah looked straight at her. "Brad, he does." Honestly, Elijah wasn''t thrilled about Bradley getting too close either. They were friends, sure, but still, watching Cameron be that close with someone else didn''t sit right. He''d told himself he''d just watch Cameron quietly, stay out of the way. But it turned out, even that had its limits. Bradley gave a half-smile and withdrew his hand. Austin stood to the side, silent, his brows drawn together. Am I imagining things? Or does it seem like every single one of them is trying to stake a im on Cam?'' No. Absolutely not. He wasn''t about to let anyone take Cam away. Cameron stood up and said, ¡°I''ve got something to take care of. You guys talk." Then he bolted. The four of them stood there, watching him disappear. Cameron didn''t stop running until she''d put some real distance between herself and the others. ''That was... weird.'' Back at school, in Room 316, everything had felt easy, natural. So why did things feel so off now? She shook her head and decided not to think too hard about it. That night, William hosted a massive celebration in Cameron''s honor. The crowd included school officials and professors from top universities across the country. They were already trying to recruit her. William shielded Cameron throughout, polite everyone down with the excuse that Cameron needed time to consider. No promises were made. Later, back at home... Elijah asked, "Cameron, are you sure you want to study pharmacology?" Cameron nodded. "Of course. I already started apany. You think I''m gonna back out now?" Elijah smiled. "Good." That evening, Cameron sat at herptop to finalize her applications. In the end, she chose Stenford University, the nation''s top school, for pharmacology. ''If I''m gonna do it, do it right. Go for number one.'' Elijah applied to Viremont Medical University, ranked number one for clinical medicine. He figured he''d work with Cameron over the summer, and once school started, they''d be in the same city, seeing each other often. Just thinking about it made him smile at the screen. Then Cameron''s phone buzzed three times with identical messages. [Which school did you pick?] From Bradley, Austin, and Xander. Cameron: [Stenford University.] Bradley: [With your scores, that''s where you belong. I''m applying to Viremont School of Law and Public Affairs. It''s the same city anyway-means we''ll still see each other.] Austin: [Cam, you''re basically guaranteed to get in. Any advice for me? What major do you think I should go for?] Xanc utoff..] AD Comment My k 532 No Ads Cameron replied to Bradley, Cameron: Hmm. Brad, your scores probably blew right past the requirements for Virement School of Law and P2862 Let''s keep in touch. After all, I still owe you a massive debt.] She then texted Austin. Cameron: [You''ve always had a creative side. Why not lean into music?) And then texted Xander. Cameron: [So you''re saying you want to get into Stenford University too?] Bradley answered right away. Bradley: It''s gettingte. Get some sleep. Good night.] Cameron replied with a quick good night and closed the chat window, only to spot a new message from Xander. Xander: [Of course I want to. But wanting something doesn''t mean I can actually pull it off.] Cameron: [d to see you''ve got a realistic grasp of your own limits.] Xander: [Are you serious right now?!] Cameron switched back to Austin''s conversation. Austin: [Music, huh? I guess I''ve got a little talent. Sure, Cam. I''ll go with your suggestion.] To Austin, music had always just been for fun. His old goal was to bring down the Fraser family, and he''d already done that with ease. Now, he figured he might as well go wherever life felt good. Cameron: [No, Austin. That was just a suggestion. You don''t have to take my word for anything. Pick whatever major actually excites you.] Austin: [Cam, I''m sticking with your pick.] After a bit more small talk with both Austin and Xander, she got up to wash up and turn in for the night. The next afternoon, around three, there was a knock on Cameron''s door. When she opened it, Xander was standing there. He lifted his chin like he was trying to y it cool. "My parents want you toe over. They sent me to pick you up." Cameron leaned against the doorframe. "I can get there on my own." Xander stepped right in. "Come on. This is my family showing some respect." Since he was already inside, Cameron shut the door behind him. "Fine. Isn''t it a little early, though?" Xander paused for half a beat. She wasn''t asking him to leave. His lips twitched into something dangerously close to a grin. So maybe she didn''t mind having him around after all. He settled onto the couch like he belonged there. "We''ll head out at six. That should be perfect." Cameron checked the time. It was barely three. "Want something to drink?" "Coke," Xander sald immediately. "Don''t have any." Xander blinked. Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge He caught it withoutint and cracked it Open Cameron sat across from him. and tossed it to him. They stared at each other in silence for a long moment. Xander blinked. They were alone. No interruptions. No distractions. Just the two of them. He''d heard that feelings could grow over time. If they kept spending time together, maybe Cameron would start to see his better side and eventually return his feelings. Cameron looked at him briefly, then reached for her pharmacology textbook, and flipped it open. Xander blinked. She was really going to study. Right now. With him sitting right there. He shifted slightly and made just enough noise to be noticed. Cameron nced up. "Did you sit on a tack or something?" Xander leaned forward. "No, I just figured maybe we could y a game or two?" She''d yed with Elijah. It was only fair he got a turn too. "Not in the mood," Cameron replied, eyes never leaving the page. Gaming wasn''t really her thing. She''d only yed with Elijah to pass time. Right now, she''d rather study. Xander blinked at her. "You yed with Elijah. Why not y with me?" Without looking up, Cameron said, "Because I don''t feel like it." Xander blinked. "Car AD Comment My k 533 "What did you just say?" Cameron finally looked up at Xander, convinced she must''ve misheard. "Dollike Elijah?'' Cameron knew exactly what kind of ¡°like¡± Xander meant the romantic kind. Absolutely not. Her feelings for Elijah were nothing but pure, straightforward friendship. But Xander thought she hadn''t caught his question. He repeated, slower this time, "I asked if you like Elijah." Cameron didn''t even blink. "You hit your head or something?" Xander blinked. In fact, he felt relieved. She got mad. She denied it. Which meant she didn''t like Elijah. ''Perfect.'' 9 But he still looked a little wounded. "Then why''d you y games with Elijah but won''t y with me?" Cameron didn''t bother hiding her exasperation. "Because I''m trying to study. Thanks." "Oh," Xander muttered. Study? Right. Like he believed that was the only reason. She was totally treating him differently. With Elijah, she was actually nice, even soft. But with him? She was sharp. Still, Xander didn''t interrupt her again. If she wanted to read, he''d sit quietly. So while Cameron read, he watched her. She really was stunning. He was one of the lucky few who''d seen Cameron in full-on girl mode twice. Once, cool andmanding like some untouchable goddess. The other time, sweet and soft, like she could melt in his hands. And both looks had left himpletely hooked. He stared at her perfect face, and couldn''t help picturing her in the strappy little sundress he''d picked out for her a while back, just to see what it''d look like on her. His gaze burned into her until she couldn''t ignore it anymore. Cameron stammed the book shut, snatched her phone off the coffee table, and shot him a look. "Keep staring and I''ll rip your eyes out myself." Chapter $33 Xander blinked, "Walt-what?" It took him a second to catch up. One minute she was reading. The next, she was threatening his life. "Game on," Cameron said tly. Xander lit up. "So now you feel like ying?" ¡°I feel like it,¡± she said, voice dry as dust. He squinted. Something about this didn''t feel quite right. But honestly? He didn''t care. If she was willing to y with him, that was all that mattered. They yed together for two hours before heading to Murphy Manor. Logan and Gwen weed Cameron with open arms. The long dining table was already filled with delicious dishes, and the chefs were still working in the kitchen. "Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, this is all too kind," Cameron said politely. "Oh, Cam, you have no idea," Gwen said warmly. "If it weren''t for you, Xan probably wouldn''t have made it pastmunity college. We never even dreamed of the most prestigious universities, and now here we are." "Mom," Xander groaned, "I wasn''t that bad." ''Seriously? Mom is saying that in front of Cameron? The girl I like? Does she want Cameron to hate me?'' Gwenughed. "Well, you weren''t this good before. Now? I''ve got a brilliant son." Logan nodded. ¡°Xan, you really do owe Cam a huge thank you.¡± "I know," Xander said, stabbing a bite of food. As dinner wound down, Logan and Gwen exchanged a nce. Gwen gave a slight nod, then reached for the envelope she''d prepared in advance, and slid a check across the table toward Cameron. "Cam," she said with a bright smile, "I don''t have much to offer, but this is just a little something to say thank you. Please take it." Cameron immediately pushed it back across the table. "I was just doing what I should. You''re being way too generous. I can''t ept this." Xander snatched the check up and looked at it. "Are you guys serious? 300 thousand dors? That''s it? You guys trying to tip her like Cam''s valet?" That was just about what they owed her for tutoring him for ten hours. Gwen blinked and thenughed. "You know what? He''s not wrong. Logan, go grab the checkbook. Let''s make that number a little more respectful." AD Comment My k 534 *seriously, you don''t have to," Cameron said quickly. "I already got what learned. I''m not taking more than what''s mine? Xander looked at her like she''d grown a second head. "Why not? You''re broke enough to be working a summer job," Logan and Gwen jumped in, clearly embarrassed. "Cam, please don''t be so polite with us," Gwen said gently. "We''ve heard a little about your fittesten - home. This is really the least we can do." Cameron stood up. "Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, thank you for your hospitality. Dinner was lovely. I''ve got something to take care of, so I''ll be heading out non- She left without another word. No matter how they tried, Logan and Gwen couldn''t get her to ept the check. Gwen stared down at the slip of paper in her hand and then looked toward the door where Cameron had disappeared. "Cam really is a good kid." Xander grinned proudly. "Told you." Logan turned to his son. "Xan, when you start college, make friends with people like Cam-smart, capable, good character." "Got it, Dad," Xander said with a smirk. Logan and Gwen sat down again and started discussing how they could still find a way to get the money to Cameron. It wasn''t just gratitude. It was heartfelt. And the truth was, Cameron really could use the help. A few dayster, Cameron saw a news report about a major power shift in the Fraser family. Austin had officially taken over as the new head. She texted him. Cameron: [Congrattions, Austin.] That kind of victory had to feel satisfying. Austin replied a few minutester. Austin: [Thanks, Cam. Just took over. It''s been hectic. I''lle find you once things settle down.] After Cameron''s exam results were released, the media started calling nonstop. Everyone wanted an interview. She turned them all down. Still, to help William with some publicity, she reluctantly agreed to a feature interview, sharing how she''d gone from "hopeless student" to a perfect SAT score in just three months. That summer, the name Cameron was everywhere in Viremont. She kept working at thepany with Elijah. On weekends, Austin would swing by to see her. He even offered her a position at Fraser Group-with a massive sry and even the promise of shares. Cameron turned him down t. Bradley stayed buried in work at thew firm.. Xander, on the other hand, kept showing up at her door with the excuse of delivering that check. But Cameron never took it. She already got what the earned. That was wrought. She wasn''t greedy. By mid summer, August had just begun, and the heat was already suffocating, Cameron finally had a break in her schedule time to get her driver? license. The sun zed down even in the early morning. Inside the DMV''s waiting area, the air buzzed with noise and bodies, but Cameron sat quietly,pletely out of ce in the chaos. With those sharply refined features and an androgynous, striking face, people couldn''t help but nce his way again and again. Helen walked in, her white sneakers squeaking against the floor. Her eyes scanned the room once, and she immediately spotted Cameron. There was no mistaking him, that Lance face. He stood out-just likest time. She pushed her sunsses up to her head, a yful grin curling on her lips as she strolled over without hesitation. There was an empty seat beside Cameron. She took it. "Hey there, handsome. What are the odds we''d run into each other again?" she said cheerfully, giving a small wave. Cameron turned and looked at her, taking a second to ce the face. Then, with a small nod, she said, "Hi." Helen beamed. "You seriously look just like someone in my family." Cameron answered calmly, "Simr doesn''t mean rted." Last time they met, she''d gone on and on about how much he resembled someone close to her. For a moment, Cameron had wondered, ''Could she actually be rted to me?'' But that was just a passing thought. Nothing more. Family? Martin and Heidi had raised her for eighteen years without the faintest warmth. Even if her real rtives were out there somewhere, it wasn''t like they''d ever shared a moment of real connection. There was no bond. Nothing to be nostalgic about. Her sudden presence wouldn''t be a blessing-it''d probably be a burden. Her mother had lost everything after giving birth to a stillborn child and then started a new life and a new family. Cameron showing up now would only feel like a mistake. She was doing just fine on her own. She didn''t need moreplications. "But the resemnce is uncanny," Helen said again, still smiling. Cameron stood up without a word and moved to another seat across the room. Helen''s smile faltered. ''Wow. Harsh. I''m cute and friendly. That was ice-cold.'' Still, she didn''t take it personally. Instead, she grabbed her phone, angled it just right, and snapped a quick photo of Cameron. Then she sent it to Lance. Helen: [Look who I ran into again, Lancel Doesn''t he look exactly like you?) But the message was delivered with no response. Helen nced back at Cameron. Cameron''s name had just been called. She got up and headed in to take the test. Helen murmured under her breath, ¡°He''s so good-looking. And honestly? He seems way more gentle than Lance," Before the words were even fully out of her mouth, her phone buzzed. It was Lance. Startled, Helen fumbled her phone and nearly dropped it. She scrambled to pick it up and quickly answered. "Lance! I almost cracked my screen!" "Where did you see him?" Lance asked, skipping any pleasantries. His voice, usually calm and indifferent, had a faint trace of urgency to it. The photo had caught him off guard. He''d always assumed Helen was exaggerating. But now? This wasn''t just simr. This was too simr. ''Is it even possible for twopletely unrted people to look so much alike?'' Helen answered, "DMV. I''m here for my driving test today. And seriously, could you at least pretend to care about my life for once?" "I''ming over," Lance said. Helen''s jaw dropped. "You''reing here? You want to see that pretty boy?" "Yes." He didn''t even know why. The moment he saw the photo, instinct kicked in. He needed to see him in person. "Alright then," Helen said brightly. "I''ll wait for you here." She hung up and quickly sent him the location. Then she hummed to herself while waiting for her turn. Before she went in, she gave her bodyguards instructions-Once Cameron came out, don''t let him leave. Lance was on the way, and they needed them stall him. So when Cameron finished her test and stepped back into the lobby, four bodyguards surrounded her immediately. Cameron''s brow furrowed slightly. "Something you need?" The lead bodyguard stepped forward. "Sorry to bother you, sir. Ms. Yates asked us to wait for you. She just wants a quick word. She''s stilt inside Exkur her test, but she''ll be out shortly." Cameron immediately knew it was Helen''s doing. ¡°Not interested," she said, already turning to leave. But the four didn''t move. "Sir, we mean no harm. Ms. Yates just wants to have a conversation, that''s all." "Move," Cameron said tly, her patience gone. My k 535 The four bodyguards exchanged nces. They didn''t want to push Cameron too far, so they reluctantly took half a step back. "Sir, we really don''t mean any harm," one of them said. Still, none of them moved aside to let Cameron leave. They''d never hear the end of it from Helen if they lost him now. Just then, the screech of tires cut through the tension as a deep blue Pagani came to an abrupt stop behind them. The door swung open, and a tall young man stepped out. He was striking-handsome with sharp, cold features, and eyes but the aura he projected was all control and authority. that carried an edge of danger even in a passing nce. He looked barely over twenty, "Mr. Yates," one of the bodyguards greeted, instantly straightening. Cameron turned at the sound of the name. She froze. ''He... He looks just like me.'' But where she had the delicate, refined features of a boy pulled straight out of a manga, he had the hard-cut,manding presence of someone who could shut down a room just by walking into it. The resemnce was undeniable-but their energy couldn''t have been more different. Cameron stared at him. And Lance stared right back. The moment their eyes met, a flicker of something passed through Lance''s otherwise unreadable expression. ''We look alike. A lot.'' The photo had hinted at it. But in person, it was almost unsettling. The bodyguards nced between the two of them. The simrity was more than just casual-now that they were side by side, it was impossible to ignore. The only real differences were in height and build. Cameron was lean, smaller, delicate even. Lance stood close to 6''3", broad-shouldered and intimidating without trying. "What''s your name?" Lance asked first. His voice was low, smooth, and carried a maic edge that demanded attention. Cameron snapped out of her thoughts. Instead of answering, she asked, "What''s yours?" "Lance Yates," he said simply. "I''m Cameron Wace." Lance repeated it under his breath. "Cameron Wace..." Then, without thinking, he asked, "How old are you?" 11:52 Tue 10 Tin C/O The moment she saw him, a single thought had crossed her mind, could he be rted to me? She didn''t know him, not really. And she had no intention of offering up her personal details to someorie she couldn''t trust yet. So she countered, "How old are you?" Lance frowned slightly. "Do you always answer questions with more questions?" "I decline to answer," Cameron said casually. Lance exhaled. "I''m twenty-one." "I''m eighteen." Lance''s pupils contracted. "What did you say? You''re eighteen?" Three years younger than him. His stillborn baby brother... had also been three years younger. That wasn''t possible. Absolutely not. His brother had died at birth. Asphyxiation. His mother had copsed from the shock, passed out multiple times. Even after the doctors dered the baby dead, she refused to let go, holding him tight for hours. She''d only agreed to the burial after everyone begged her to let go. So there was no way. And yet... this teenager standing in front of him looked exactly like him. And he had just said he was eighteen. Cameron gave a small nod. "Yeah. Eighteen. You done asking now?" Lance didn''t speak. This kid seemed soposed-but clearly had a bit of an attitude foo. "I''d like you to be honest with me about everything," Lance said, leveling his gaze. "But even if you won''t talk, I''ll find out on my own." "Then go ahead and look into it," Cameron said without hesitation. Lance didn''t speak. Yet she turned and started walking off. "Sir..." one of the bodyguards said tentatively, unsure whether to stop her again. AD Comment My k 536 Lance stood still, watching Cameron walk away. He raised a hand to stop the bodyguards. He needed to confirm thects before doing anything rash. Logically, he knew there was no way Cameron could be his dead brother. Rot something about this kid had sparked a strange curiosity he couldn''t shake. He needed to know more. By the time Helen came out of the testing center, Cameron was gone. "Lance, there you are! Where''s the pretty boy?" she asked, looking around. "He left," Lance said inly. "What? Already? You guys let him leave?" sheined. Lance didn''t respond. He just got in the car and said, "Take her home." "Yes, sir," one of the guards answered. "Wait-Lance, where are you going?" Helen called after him. The only answer she got was the roar of the Pagani''s engine. "Ugh, gross!" she cried, backing away from the exhaust fumes and covering her nose.. ''Lance and that damn attitude. You''d think he could show a little warmth to someone as cute as me.'' Whoever ended up dating him one day was in for a lifetime of cold shoulders. She let out a sigh. The handsome boy was gone, and chances were, she''d never see him again. Lance was already on the road, Bluetooth earpiece in, making a call. He gave a few instructions before hanging up. Ten minutester, his phone buzzed with a return call. He tapped his headset. "Talk." "Mr. Yates, we found him. Cameron, eighteen years old, just graduated from Langford Academy. He scored a perfect SAT. "About a month ago, he discovered he was adopted and had his adoptive parents sent to jail. The reason? His adoptive mother had a stillbirth and- using her sister''s position as a nurse-switched the dead baby with a living one." "A stillbirth?" Lance mmed the brakes and yanked off his headset, pressing the phone to his ear. "Repeat that. His adoptive mother gave birth to a stillborn and then switched the baby?!" His voice was sharp. ''A stillbirth?'' That was what his mother had gone through.. Could it really be just a coincidence? Yes, sir," the man replied on the other end, Lance gripped the phone lighter. "What else did you find?" The Wace family went bankrupt two months ago. Cameron''s sister was caught stealing "What''s Cameron''s birthdate?" Lance cut him off, his voice tense. He didn''t care about the rest. He only wanted to know one thing. "February seventeenth," came the reply. Lance''s tone shifted. "Send me every piece of contact info you''ve got on him. And get me a DNA sample. Whatever it takes." "Mr. Yates... that might be difficult," the man hesitated. "I don''t care. Make it happen," Lance ordered. "Yes, sir!" He ended the call, staring down at Cameron''s name on his screen. Then he tapped into another contact and ced a new call. This time, to his older brother-Gavin Yates. It rang several times before Gavin finally picked up. "What?" came the cool reply. "I need to ask you something," Lance said directly. "Go ahead." "Do you remember what day our stillborn brother was born?" Lance asked. "What did you just say?" Gavin''s voice sharpened instantly. "I said "Lance repeated calmly. "I heard you the first time," Gavin snapped. "What the hell''s gotten into you? Do you even realize what would happen if Mom heard you talking like that? "I have a reason, Gavin," Lance said, keeping his voice even. "I think... our brother didn''t die. I think he was switched at birth." Then heid everything out for Gavin, from Cameron''s background to the switch, to the date of birth. "You''re serious?" Gavin asked after a long pause. "Do you think I''d joke about something like this?" Lance replied.. Gavin fell silent again. Finally, he said, "Send me a photo of this Cameron kid." "I''ll send it over in a minute," Lance said. "Do you know what day our brother was born?" "No," Gavin admitted. Lance blinked. "Seriously?" "Don''t even think about asking Mom," Gavin warned. "I won''t," Lance said. "I know better." Their mother, Jacqueline, had never recovered from losing that baby. For years, she''d been on the verge of copse. The trauma nearly tusks herpletely. It was the reason their father had taken the family to live in near-istion on the ind estate. Eighteen years had passed. She had finally found some peace. Lance wouldn''t be the one to destroy that. And besides, none of this was confirmed. If he was wrong... he''d only be ripping open an old wound that had barely healed. "Send the photo," Gavin said again. "I will," Lance replied quietly. After hanging up, he sat in the car for a long while. He couldn''t ask his mother. He couldn''t ask his father either-even if the man pretended to be calm, that loss had been devastating. But there was one person who might know. Edwin Harlow. The family''s butler. He''d been at Yates Manor longer than Lance had been alive. Lance pulled up Edwin''s number and called. "Edwin, I need to know something," Lance said. "The day my mother gave birth to my younger brother... what day was it?" There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "Sir, that''s not something we talk about. If the Madam hears-she''ll be heartbroken all over again. "Just give me the date," Lance said firmly. Edwin hesitated. Then finally answered, "It was February seventeenth. I''ll never forget that day for as long as I live." "February seventeenth?" Lance''s voice rose. "You''re sure?!" "I''m absolutely sure. But please, sir, don''t bring this up with the Madam again. It nearly destroyed her..." Lance barely registered the rest. His mind was already spinning. February seventeenth. That was Cameron''s birthday. He looked exactly like Lance. He''d been switched with a stillborn. That meant Cameron wasn''t just some stranger. He was his brother. Lance had no doubt left in his mind. His face remained unreadable, but inside, a storm was raging. He had to see Cameron. He had to get that DNA test now. He reached for his phone to call-but realized Edwin was still on the line. "Sir? Are you alright? You''re scaring me a little..." "I''m fine. Hanging up now," Lance said and then ended the call without waiting for a reply. He pulled up Cameron''s contact. Before he could dial, a new message popped up. Gavin: [Photo.] Lance sent it over and then immediately called Gavin. "Wow," Gavin said after a moment. "Looks just like you. Maybe even better- looking." Lance shot him a look. ''Is this really the time for that?'' "I asked Mr. Harlow. Cameron''s birthday is the same day Mom gave birth. Everything lines up. I''m going to see him. Want toe?" After a pause, Gavin sounded just as shaken. "You''re going now? You''ve already got everything confirmed about him?" "Yeah," Lance said. "If you''re tied up, I can go alone." Gavin went quiet for a moment and then said, "I''ve got a meeting I can''t reschedule. Go first. I''ll catch upter." "Alright." Lance hung up and dialed Cameron immediately. "Hello?" Cameron''s voice came through quickly. "It''s Lance. We met an hour ago." His voice wasn''t nearly as cold as before. "You need something? Finished digging through my life already?" Cameron asked dryly. "I''m sorry, Cameron. I did look into you-" "And now you''re sorry? How convenient," Cameron cut in. ''That sharp tongue. That iron will. He really is family.'' Thinking Cameron might actually be his little brother, Lance let out a quietugh. "Let''s meet. In person." "No thanks," Cameron said tly. "You''re not even curious why I want to talk to you?" "Not in the slightest." Lance went quiet for a beat and then snapped, "Cameron, I need to see you. Right now. Immediately." "No thanks," Cameron said tly. She hung up. Lance stared at his phone in disbelief. Cameron was back at Noble Vista by then. She''d passed her driving test. Once the photo was taken, she''d finally have her license. When Lance called, she brushed him off without much thought. Her phone sat on the coffee table as she curled into the sofa. ''Lance Yates. So that''s my real name, huh? Was that what the call was about- trying to take me back?'' But Cameron hadn''t made up her mind yet. She didn''t know if she even wanted to be a Yates. She was fine on her own. Going to Yates Manor, joining a family she''d never known-it didn''t sound For now, she''d rather leave things as they were. An hourter, someone rang the doorbell. Cameron assumed it was Elijah or the others. All of them-Elijah, Xander, Bradley, Austin-lived in Noble Vista now. They met up often. Not much had changed since their days in Room 316. But when she opened the door, it wasn''t one of them It was him, the man who looked almost exactly like her. Lance. Cameron''s hand tightened on the doorknob. "How did you even get in here? I thought Noble Vista had security." Lance said calmly, "I own a unit here." ''Just never moved in.'' Cameron blinked. ''Of course he does.'' Everyone around her seemed to own luxury homes. Meanwhile, she''d bought hers on a mountain of debt. Lance stood at the door, posture formal. "May Ie in?" Cameron blinked. ''Of course he does.'' If he really was her family... she supposed she owed him a few minutes. "Come in." "Sorry for dropping by empty-handed," Lance said as he stepped inside. Cameron gave him a quick nce. This morning he''d seemed cold, aloof, untouchable. Now, at least, he was polite. She pointed to the couch, went to the kitchen to pour him a ss of water, and then sat down across from him. "Alright," she said, voice steady. "Let''s get to the point." My k 537 Lance''s eyes stayed locked on Cameron. "Do you know why I came to see you?" Roughly," Cameron replied. "Then why don''t you tell me," Lance sald. "I''d rather not," Cameron answered. Lance paused, watching her. Then his lips curled faintly. "You''ve got quite the personality." Cameron didn''t respond. "If you''d grown up in the Yates Manor," La "Noted," Cameron said tly. went on, "with that attitude, you would''ve gotten smacked around a lot." Lance tilted his head, trying to read her. "Are you always this quiet?". "I just don''t have anything to say to you." Lance was speechless. "Lance," Cameron said, her voice calm but firm, "you''vee all this way. Let''s stop dancing around it. What do you actually want?" "You already know, don''t you?" he said. Cameron didn''t answer. She nced at him, eyes unreadable. "In that case, you can leave." Lance frowned. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "Exactly what it sounds like." "You''re noting with me? Do you have any idea what it did our mom, thinking her baby was stillborn?" Cameron was silent for a long moment before she finally said, "And you think that was my fault?" Cameron was right. She had no say in any of it, for she was just as much a victim. And at the end of the day, all Lance had were suspicions. The real reason he''de was to ask Cameron to take a DNA test with him. He needed proof. "Cameron," Lance said, his voice steady now, "everything points to the fact that you might be my biological brother, But I need something concrete to confirm it. Would you agree to a DNA test?" "No," Cameron replied. "What?" Lance looked genuinely stunned. He hadn''t expected a t-out rejection. "You''re not even willing to find out if we''re rted?" he asked. "Lance," Cameron said, "first of all, ''rted'' is a stretch. There''s no actual proof. Second, I like the way my life is now. I don''t want it disrupted.¡± There was a psychological term for it-tearned helplessness, That was what Cameron had grown up with in the Wace household, Martin and Heidi had taught her everything not tey expect from?" came to the idea of familial love, she felt nothing. No longing. No curiosity. Lance''s sudden appearance stirred no emotion in her. Not happiness. Not pain. Just indifference. She had no interest in knowing these so-called family members. ''Ife doesn''t want to disrupt his life? Who turns down the chance to reunite with their birth family?'' Lande thought. He couldn''t make sense of it. Cameron stood. "You should go." The message was clear-she was done. Lance knew pushing her now would only backfire. So he stood She walked him to the door. as well. Lance looked at her onest time and then said, "Cameron, if you really are my brother... Dad, Mom, Gavin-and me-we''d all be so d you''re still alive." Cameron''s expression didn''t shift. Her hand rested on the doorfram "We''ll meet again," Lance said. Cameron closed the door without replying. Inside, Cameron leaned against the door and let out a quiet breath. "Goodbye." ''Dad, Mom, Gavin, and Lance... So Gavin is the big brother. The Yates family sounds like a whole, functioning family. Four people... They probably have a good life together.'' Whatever happened in the past was over now. She had no intention of disturbing that. Lance left Noble Vista with a weight in his chest. Beforeing here, he''d imagined a dozen ways Cameron might react. Excitement. Tears. Anger. Maybe even a bitter confrontation. But this? He hadn''t expected indifference. My k 538 Cameron''s reaction had been far too calm. He spoke to Lance like a bystander, with a detachment that made it seem as if none of it truly concerned him. No emotion. No tendero fue que impersonal replies. By all logic, he should''ve been desperate to meet his real family. After all, he''d been raised by people who weren''t even his biological parents. He d''elen gone as far as sending them to jail himself. Anyone else in his shoes would''ve clung to the chance of reconnecting with their birth parents. But Cameron? He didn''t seem to care at all. Lance couldn''t wrap his head around it. Clearly, he was going to need to take some unorthodox measures to get Cameron''s DNA sample. Once the paternity test was in hand, then they''d talk. On his way home, Lance''s Bluetooth buzzed with an iing call from Gavin. "Yeah, Gavin," he answered. "Where are you guys? Already heading back to the ind?" Gavin asked. Lance sighed. "You''re getting ahead of yourself. Cameron refused to acknowledge us. I asked him to take a paternity test-he shut it down." "Why?" Gavin asked. "I honestly have no idea," Lance said. "So where are you now?" "On the road. Heading back," Lance replied. "Don''t tell Mom and Dad anything for now," Gavin said. "Just send the Cameron''s contact info." Lance mmed on the brakes. "Gavin, don''t reach out to him yet. I''m worried he''ll shut downpletely if he feels cornered." Gavin scoffed, "He''s not that delicate." "Gavin," he said after a pause, "let me handle this. You''ve got your hands full with thepany." "And that''s more important than family?" "You''re calling him family," Lance said, "but he''s not ready to call us anything at all." "That doesn''t change the fact that we''re rted," Gavin replied. "There''s no proof yet. No test," Lance reminded him. "Then get it done. Fast," Gavin said firmly. "I know. Just wait for my update. Don''t say anything to anyone-not yet." Chapter 538. Helen needed to be warned ton. Their parents had to be kept in the dark. Especially their mother. If their mom found out her long lost son was alive, only to be met with cold rejection-Lance wasn''t sure she could take that Right now, his top priority was getting Cameron''s DNA. But there was something else he needed first-understanding. "Why would someone react this way to the possibility of having a real family?" He booked a session with a therapist. While Lance had his people trying to discreetly collect a sample, he walked into the consultation room looking for insight. The therapist listened and then offered him a single term-learned helplessness. Cameron had likely been emotionally neglected by his adoptive parents for years. That kind of emotional environment could teach someone to stop expecting anything-especially love. So when Lance showed up, iming to be his family, it didn''t . excite him. It didn''t scare him. It just irritated him. By the time Lance stepped out of the therapist''s office, his thoughts were tangled. Persiz? az aku d pang of something he hadn'' -sympathy. Just how much disappointment had Cameron endured to reach a point where he had zero expectations from the people who were supposed to love him? He could''ve grown up at Yates Manor, surrounded by warmth, by security. But instead... Even from their short meeting a few days ago, Lance could tell Cameron carried a level of maturity far beyond his age. He''d been forced to grow up early. Lance made a silent vow-once that test confirmed it, he was bringing Cameron home. He''d give him a real sense of family. A life he should''ve had from the beginning. But the DNA sample was proving harder to obtain than expected. None of Lance''s people had managed to get anything usable. He was losing patience. So he decided to take matters into his own hands. After a few days of quiet observation, he had Cameron''s daily routine memorized. Every morning at 7:30, Cameron left the house. He returned around 7 in the evening, which meant he would be gone all day. My k 539 Lance had carefully calcted the window of time. Cameron left every morning at 7:30 and didn''t return until 7 in the evening. That one HECH stretch of time to get in and out The only thing he could realistically retrieve was a strand of Cameron''s hair. Ideally, one with the follicle still attached - it was the most reliable way to run a DNA test. If he got fucky, maybe one of the hairs shed around the apartment would still have it. There weren''t many options left. This was the only way. After considerable effort, he finally had someone crack the security code to Cameron''s front door. Once inside, he moved quickly and quietly, gloved hands searching for anything usable. He found it-four strands of hair buried at the bottom of the trash bin near the vanity. Wearing gloves, he picked them up carefully, sealed them in a small transparent evidence bag, and slipped it into his pocket. He was just about to leave when the elevator doors slid open. And there stood Cameron. Her apartment door was wide open. Lance was standing right by the shoe cab. Cameron stopped in her tracks. Her expression darkened immediately. Her period hade early today, and the low, dragging ache in her abdomen had been gnawing at her all afternoon. It had been bad enough to make her leave work early. Thest thing she expected was toe home to find a man-Lance-standing in her doorway like some luxury-brand burr. Lance looked equally stunned. He hadn''t expected her toe home early. Not at all. Cameron stepped up to the door, her voice t. "Go on. Make up an/excuse." Lance said nothing. "You''re here for my hair, right?" she asked. "Did you get what you came for?" ''Sharp,'' Lance thought. ''Very sharp.'' But then again, the Yates family was full of sharp people. Should he admit it? Would she demand the hair back? If he''d known she''de back this early, he would''ve tossed the bag off the balcony and retrieved itter. Toote now. Cameron didn''t press. Her cramps were too ufortable to waste energy arguing. "Come in," she said, walking past him to change shoes before heading straight to the en-suite bathroom./ Lance stood frozen in the doorway, debating whether he should make a run for it. Eventually, he slipped the bag with Cameron''s hair behind a stairwell just outside her door, then stepped back inside, and det dwenen It was several minutes before Cameron reemerged. Her face was pale, and her movements slightly stiff. Lance assumed it was because she was furious about the break in. He didn''t know it was physical difort. Trying to stay ahead of whatever explosion wasing, he met her eyes and said, "I dide for your hair. But your ce is way too clean I couldn''t find anything." Cameron gave a slight nod. "So the hair in the trash by the vanity just... vanished?" "You have a camera in the bedroom?" Lance asked. "You just admitted it, didn''t you?" Lance didn''t respond. ''Is he baiting me? That little punk. Unbelievable. He''s slick as hell. Cameron slumped onto the couch, pulled a suit throw pillow into her arms, and hugged it to her stomach. "You really want the patemity test that badly?" Lance said, ¡°I literally broke into your house for it. What d Cameron didn''t answer right away. you think?" After a pause, she reached up, plucked a few strands of her own hair from her head,id them on a tissue, wrapped it up, and handed it to him. Lance stared. "What''s this?" "It has follicles," she said. "Should give you a more urate result." He took it quickly. "What made you change your mind?" Her face was still pale. Her voice was low. "I''m just tired of the hassle." Lance frowned. "What does that mean?" "It means," Cameron said, "you failed this time, but next time you''ll try something else. I''m too exhausted to keep dodging you." He thought back to what the therapist had told him. Then he looked at her-her pale face, the guarded way she held herself, the emotional distance in her tone. And something in his chest twisted. AD Comment My k 540 Lance felt a renewed ache for this younger brother he''d barely just met. "I know things haven''t been easy for you," he said, his voice unusually gentle, "but our family the Yates family - we''re not like the people ang is you. If youe home to Yates Manor, you''ll be surrounded by warmth. "Everyoite will care about you. You can''t shut us out just because of what they did." Cameron listened quietly. After a long pause, she said in an even tone, "Go get the patemity test first." "It''ll only take a few hours," Lance told her. "And while you''re waiting, think about this- we''re not like them. We won''t disappoint you." He was patient, even persuasive. It was hard to believe this was the same Lance Yates who was usually cold and ruthless, now soft-spoken like some kind of big brother one could lean on. But Cameron''s expression didn''t change. She''d lived with Martin and Heidi for years and still felt nothing for them. How could she believe that just sharing a bloodline with the Yates family meant they would truly care for her? She couldn''t afford to believe in something like that. Not anymore. Lance realized he was getting nowhere. He sighed and finally left. Cameron, still suffering from cramps, curled up on the couch. Before she knew it, she''d dozed off. The doorbell woke her. She dragged herself up to answer it. Elijah stood outside, concern etched into every line of his face. "Cameron, I went to look for you after work. They said you weren''t feeling well and came home early. Are you okay? Did you see a doctor? Did you take anything for it?" His barrage of worry made Cameron smile faintly. "I''m fine. Really. But thank you." Elijah let out a breath. "Good. That''s all I needed to hear." On the cab ride over, he''d kept urging the driver to go faster. He couldn''t rx until he saw Cameron with his own eyes. She stepped back. "Come in." He followed her into the apartment. "Oh, by the way," Elijah said with a grin, ¡°I heard back from Viremont Medical. I''m in. Did you get yours yet?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I got my offer from Stenford a few days ago." Elijah froze. "Wait, what? Stenford?" "Yeah," she said, hugging a pillow to her stomach. "That''s the school I applied to. Something wrong with that?" I thought you said you were going into pharmacology" Elijah sand slowly, Stenford has a pharmacology program," she replied, He just stood there, stunned. She was going to Stenford. Elijah had assumed she''d applied to Viremont Medical University-so that was what he applied for too. With his scores, getting into Stenford wouldn''t have been a problem. The school had even called personally, offering him a full schrship and to waive all fees. But none of that had mattered to him. What mattered was being in the same school as Cameron. That way, he could see her every day. He hadn''t expected this. Cameron finally put the pieces together. "Wait... so you applied to Viremont because you thought I was going there?" Elijah nodded. "Sorry," she said, feeling a twinge of guilt. "I should''ve told you more clearly." Elijah looked down, brushing it off. ¡°No. I should''ve asked." It wasn''t her fault. He''d made assumptions. They''d still be in the same city, technically. But in reality? They might go weeks without seeing each other. His lips tightened into a thin, straight line. Cameron looked at his face and felt a sudden urge to say somethingforting- but for once, she didn''t know what to say. My k 541 "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. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 95%1 My k 542 ''He really doesn''t waste words,'' Lance thought as he stared at his phone, sighing heavily. Cameron had been quick and blunt-no pleasantries, no hesitation, just a clean break. Since he couldn''t convince Cameron toe home, it was time to tell their parents everything. Maybe they''d have better luck. Lance took the DNA test results and headed back to the ind. Before leaving, he called Levi and Jacqueline to let them know he had something important to share and asked them to stay up a littleter than usual. Gavin had a dinner engagement that night and couldn''t return to the ind, so Lance didn''t include him in the conversation-for now. It was nearly midnight when Lance finally stepped through the front doors. Jacqueline was sitting on the couch, still dressed, though the weariness on her elegant face was impossible to miss. Her eyelids drooped despite her best efforts to stay alert. Levi, in his usual casual clothes, looked anything but rxed. He sat upright, his presencemanding as ever. With a frown, Levi muttered, "This is ridiculous. Who knows what Lance is even doing thiste? Your health can''t handle staying up like this. Go to bed." Jacqueline gave a soft, patient smile. "I''m fine. Lance asked us to wait. We can give him a little more time." "I''m home," Lance''s deep voice rang out from the hallway before he even appeared. A momentter, he stepped into the living room, tall, handsome, andposed. Levi''s face immediately darkened. "What the hell took you so long? You know your mother isn''t supposed to sta made her wait?" Lance turned to Jacqueline. "There was some dy on the road. Mom, are you okay?" Jacqueline''s voice was gentle. "I''m perfectly fine. Don''t listen to your father." Levi gave her a look. "Oh, great. Maybe next time he will make you stay up all night." Lance didn''t waste time. It was alreadyte. He pulled the DNA test report from his bag and handed it to Jacqueline. "Mom, Dad, take a look at this." ate. She''s not well. And you still Jacqueline epted it, flipping open the envelope curiously. "A paternity report? Levi and... Cameron Wace? Who''s Cameron?" At that, Levi''s scowl deepened. "Me and Cameron Wace? What kind of nonsense is this? Lance, what the hell is going on? Is school out and you''ve got too much time on your hands?" Lance stayed silent for a moment, his expression tight. "Dad, can you just take a look first before jumping to conclusions?" He had used Levi''s DNA sample for the test with Cameron. Jacqueline quickly skimmed the report, her eyes stopping at the conclusion: Probability of paternity-99.99%. She looked up, stunned. "Cameron? Who is Cameron? Are you telling me Levi has another child?" Her eyes welled up immediately. "This is absurd!" Levi snapped. "A what? I don''t have some secret child!" 95% The usation hit harder than it should have. Seeing the look on his mother''s face, Lance stepped forward quickly. "Mom, no-he''s not Dad''s secret child. Cameron is your son. Yours and Dad''s." Levi''s jaw clenched. "What the hell are you talking about?" Jacqueline blinked, tears still in her eyes. "Lance, I... I don''t understand." Lance didn''t sugarcoat it. "Eighteen years ago, you gave birth to a baby everyone believed was stillborn-" "Lance Yates!" Levi cut him off sharply. "Are you out of your mind?" He looked like he was ready to explode. ''That topic ispletely off-limits. Everyone in the family knows it-Lance more than anyone. Does he have any idea how long it took his mom to recover from that? ''How close she came topletely falling apart? And now he''s dragging it all back up, right in front of her?'' . ¡°Dad, just let me finish," Lance said, trying to stay level. "There was no stillbirth. The baby was alive. A healthy newborn. It was the nurse who made the switch when Mom passed out duringbor. She took our brother and reced him with a dead infant." Both Jacqueline and Levi were stunned. # AD Comment My k 543 Lance''s words left both Levi and Jacqueline in stunned silence. He said nothing more, simply watching them as they struggled to process what they had just heard. After a long pause, Jacqueline looked up, her eyes already red. "Lance, is it true? I gave birth to a healthy baby?" Levi gently ced a hand on her back, offering silentfort. Lance nodded. "Yes, Mom. It''s true. I would never joke about something like this." Jacqueline''s voice trembled. "So... your brother-he''s alive?" Lance nodded again. ¡°He is. He''s been through a lot over the years with his adoptive family, but he''s brilliant. He just scored a perfect SAT." But Jacqueline barely heard the second part. "He suffered? Where is he now?" Her voice broke. "Where is he?" "Jacqueline, take it easy," Levi said quickly, trying to steady her. Though Levi was notoriously strict with his sons, he had always treated Jacqueline with the utmost tenderness. Tears streamed down her face. "How could I possibly take it easy? Our youngest son... he''s alive. He''s really alive." "I know. I know," Levi murmured, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. He picked up the paternity report again and read it closely. There it was- confirmation of a 99.99% biological match with Cameron. He turned to Lance. "How did you find him?" "A little over a month ago, Helen called me," Lance began. "She said she saw a guy who looked a lot like me. I didn''t think much of it. Then a few days ago, she sent me a photo. He really did look like me." He took a deep breath and continued, "So I started digging and found out his birthday is the same day as our brother''s. "And that his adoptive parents had a stillborn the day he was born. I had no doubt-he was switched at birth. I did everything I could to get a DNA sample, and a few hours ago, the results came back." Jacqueline suddenly remembered. "So that''s why you insisted on plucking a few of your dad''s hairs..." Lance nodded. "I needed a sample for the test." "Let me see the photo," Levi said. "Yes, show me," Jacqueline added quickly. Lance pulled out his phone and handed it over. Levi took one nce and raised an eyebrow. "This is you in high school." Jacqueline stared at the screen, eyes misting over again. "That''s him? That''s our son?" Cameron looked so much like Lance, it was almost surreal. But she could tell-this wasn''t her Lance. This was someone else. "His name is Cameron?" she asked. "Where is he now? Where is he?" Before Lance could answer, she repeated, more urgently, "Where is he?" 38 95% Lance sighed. "What was that sigh for?" Levi asked, suspicious. "Is this some kind of prank?" ''So Dad doesn''t believe me at all?'' Lance wondered. Of course. That would exin the cool demeanor. He thought the whole thing was made up. Truth be told, if Lance hadn''t discovered everything firsthand, he might''ve found it just as unbelievable. "It''s all true," Lance said. "But Cameron refused toe back with me." "I''ll go to him," Jacqueline said, standing up at once. ¡°Lance, take me to see him!" Lance reached out to steady her. "Mom, I know you''re excited. I know how much this means to you. But it''s after midnight. He''s asleep by now. Let''s go in the morning, okay?" "I don''t care. I''ll wait at his door until morning. I won''t wake him. I just want to see him," Jacqueline insisted. Levi frowned. "Jacqueline, what if this whole thing is some borate joke? You''re too quick to believe him." "Then don''te," she snapped. Levi fell silent. Lance hadn''t expected Jacqueline to be this emotional, this desperate to see Cameron. And Levi? He was still trying not to believe it. But once he saw Cameron in person, he''d have no choice. Lance said, "Alright. I''ll take you. Cameron''s staying in Noble Vista. I have a ce there," And he''d been living in it the past few days. So they left the ind. Levi still wasn''t entirely convinced. But Jacqueline had insisted oning, and in the end, he had no choice but to go with her. Jacqueline hadn''t stepped off it in eighteen years. Now, she was staring out at the city lights-beautiful and unfamiliar. But she wasn''t in the mood to admire the view. All she wanted was to see her son again. Inside Noble Vista, she looked around eagerly. "Which building is he in?" Lance pointed. "Over there. Building Eight." Jacqueline started walking immediately. Levi pulled her back. "Jacqueline, it''s two in the morning." She finally paused. Lance brought them to his own apartment and offered them the master bedroom for the night. But Jacqueline didn''t sleep. She spent the entire night staring at Cameron''s photo-sometimes crying, sometimes smiling. Levi stayed up with her, eyes fixed on the photo as well. "Is that really my son?" he whispered. ''Or are we just fooling ourselves?'' As the sky began to lighten, Lance, still half-asleep, was roused by a gentle shake. "Lance,¡± Jacqueline said, her voice hushed but urgent, "take me see him." Her eyes were red, but she''d touched up her appearance. Her posture was steady. It was, after all, the first time she''d be meeting her son. ."Mom... isn''t it a bit early?" Lance asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "It''s not early," she said firmly. "We''ll just wait outside his building." Lance shook his head. "He''ll resent it if he finds you there." Levi narrowed his eyes. "Lance, are you ying us? Is this all just some prank?" He wasn''t worried about being believed. He was worried about Cameron''s boundaries. About pushing too hard. So in the end, he stayed behind. Levi and Jacqueline went on their own, sitting quietly on the bench outside Building Eight, pretending to be just another pair of early risers. At exactly 7:30 AM, the sky was painted in streaks of morning gold. Cameron stepped out of the elevator. She walked straight toward the building,pletely unaware. The sound of the elevator had both Levi and Jacqueline turning instinctively. Jacqueline''s hands clenched tightly in herp. Levi, on the surface, seemed rxed-even a little skeptical. But inside, his heart pounded. He was nervous, hopeful, and somehow scared. Then they saw him. The "boy" had a face that looked just like Lance''s uncannily so-but "he" was shorter, slimmer, with a gentler presence. Both Jacqueline and Levi froze. Their expressions said it all. ''That''s him, my boy. Alive. Healthy. Grown. My boy is right there.'' She almost rushed to him-but stopped, remembering Lance''s warning. With effort, she turned her face away, forcing herself not to look, Levi''s pupil''s contracted. The photo had been one thing. Seeing him in person was something else entirely. My k 544 The resemnce was striking-almost uncanny. Cameron looked so much like Lance. And yet, the energy she carried waspletely different. +38 Levi''s heart pounded in his chest. He gripped the edge of the bench tightly, the only thing keeping him from standing up. Every instinct told him to go to Cameron, to reach out-but he forced himself to stay seated. Like Jacqueline, he made himself look away after only a few seconds. They were supposed to act casual, like neighbors chatting on a morning stroll. But for once in their lives, neither of them could think of a single word to say. They were too overwhelmed. Cameron walked toward them, steady andposed. She nced at the couple on the bench-just a polite, d¨¦tached look-then shifted her gaze. forward and kept walking. She passed by them without a second thought and exited Noble Vista. Elijah was waiting outside to drive her to thepany. To her, Lance''s sudden appearance hadn''t changed anything. Her life continued on as usual. She had things to do. People to meet. Commitments to keep. The moment she passed them, both Levi and Jacqueline turned their heads almost in unison to watch her walk away. They couldn''t stop staring, drinking in every detail of her silhouette as if afraid she might vanish if they looked away. "My baby... my son..." Jacqueline whispered, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. Levi pulled her gently into his arms, holding her close as they watched Cameron disappear into the morning light. Lance, who had been waiting at a distance, hurried over. Seeing Jacqueline sobbing like that twisted something in his chest. "Mom, please don''t cry," he said softly. "The important thing is that Cameron''s alive." Jacqueline nodded through her tears. "I''m not crying because I''m sad... I''m just so happy." ''My son is alive. He''s healthy, grown. Nothing else matters. Levi continued staring in the direction Cameron had gone. "Lance," he asked, "you''re saying Cameron doesn''t want toe back to us? Why?" Just hearing that question confirmed for Lance that Levi had epted it- Cameron really was his son. Lance answered calmly, "I spoke with a therapist. Cameron''s adoptive parents treated him terribly. It left him... numb to the idea of family. Disappointed. Disconnected." He didn''t need to finish the senterice. Both Levy and Jacqueline understood what that meant, Levi''s expression darkened. "They stole him and abused him? Where are they now?" Lance gave a slight smirk. "Don''t worry, Dad. Your brilliant son already made sure theynded in jail." 95% For a second, pride flickered across Levi''s face. "That''s my boy," it seemed to say. Jacqueline wiped her eyes. "What do we do now? Can I see him? Just... just to say hi?" The idea of her child being so close, yet still a stranger, broke her heart. Levi said, "Lance, give him a heads-up. I want him toe home. I want to bring him back to Yates Manor." Lance stopped him. ¡°Dad, Mom, I get it. I do. But if you push right now, he''ll only pull further away." Levi didn''t respond. Jacqueline exhaled slowly. "Then we don''t push. We wait. Let hime to us in his own time." Lance nodded. ¡°That''s what I was thinking." .Levi frowned. "If that''s your n, then why tell us so soon?" He could''ve waited until Cameron was ready. "I thought maybe you''d have a better idea than I did," Lance said with a small shrug. Jacqueline gave him a grateful smile. ¡°Lance, thank you for telling me. Really. I''m happy. Even if I can''t talk to him yet, just knowing he''s alive and doing well-that''s enough for now." Lance smiled, "Mom, you always get me." Levi raised a brow. "And that''s your way of throwing shade at me, huh?" Lance kept quiet. That evening, after work, Cameron stepped out of the elevator and immediately spotted someone waiting at her front door. Lance. My k 545 No Ads 95% Lance stood at Cameron''s door, arms crossed, holding a letter in one hand. When he didn''t smile, his entire presence carried a sharp, cold edge. But the moment he saw her step out of the elevator, that rigid expression softened. "Cameron. You''re back," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Cameron frowned slightly when she saw him standing outside her door. "Why didn''t you just go in and wait?" Lance replied without thinking, "Didn''t have a key." "Then how''d you get in yesterday?" she asked tly. Lance kept quiet. ''Right... That...'' He had been caught red-handed yesterday. No point in pretending it wasn''t awkward. Cameron said nothing more and unlocked the door with her fingerprint. Lance lingered for a beat, standing just outside. She looked back at him. "What are you, a vampire? Juste in already." He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "Cameron, I am your brother. Your real brother. Can''t you at least ease up on the attitude a little?" "I don''t remember agreeing to that," she said with a nk expression. Lance was momentarily at a loss. "Whether you acknowledge it or not, we share blood. You can''t exactly opt out of that," he muttered. Cameron went to the fridge, grabbed him a bottle of sparkling water, and sat across from him on the couch. "So, what is it this time?" she asked. "Here to talk me into moving into Yates Manor again?" "I''d love to," Lance said honestly. "But would it work?" "You already know the answer." "Your tone''s gonna kill me one day," he sighed. "I swear, it makes me want to throw something." Cameron nced at him. "You sure you''d win that fight?" Lance blinked. "Excuse me?" The corners of his mouth twitched as he stood up to his full height, towering over her. "I''m six-foot-three. You?" "Five-nine," she replied. "And you really think you could take me?" She tilted her head, meeting his gaze evenly, "You wanna find out?" Lance kept quiet. 09:58 Wed, 11 Jun GB ''Pretty sure my little brother wasn''t new to getting smacked around! No way was he going to fight her. They were siblings. Siblings didn''t fight-not physically, anyway. He sat back down and adjusted his posture. "For the record," he said, "Yates family rule-no brawling between siblings." Cameron didn''t respond. Lance reached into his coat and pulled out the letter. He held it out. "Cameron, Mom, Dad, and Gavin all know. They were overwhelmed-so happy, honestly. They all hope you''lle home to Yates Manor exined how you feel about it, that you''re not ready, and they said they won''t push. This is a letter from Mom and Dad." He extended the envelope. But Cameron didn''t take it. He had no choice but to ce it gently on the coffee table. Still trying to maintain hisposed, older-brother charm, Lance softened his tone. "We all want you back. No matter when-today, next month, five years from now¡ª Yates Manor is your home. Always." Cameron looked at him in silence. Lance added, "By the way... eighteen years ago, when Mom thought she lost you, she fell into depression. That''s why we moved to the ind. It''s a beautiful ce. When you''re ready, I hope you''lle and see it for yourself." Before Cameron could respond, the doorbell rang. She hadn''t reacted much to anything Lance had said, and he took that as his cue to leave. He stood up just as the bell rang again. Cameron headed for the door. When she opened it, standing there with a bright grin on his angr, striking face-was Austin. "Cam. Long time no see," he said with a warm, easy smile. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 09:58 Wed, 11 Jun G B My k 546 10/95% Austin had been swampedtely, but tode he finally had a break. The moment he got off work, he went straight to find Cameron. She gave him a polite nod. "Yeah, it''s been a while." It was the second day of her period, and her stomach still ached with that heavy, dragging difort. She''d thought that after seeing Lance off, she could finally rest. But now Austin had shown up. Still, she was polite-she opened the door and let him in. The moment Austin stepped inside, he spotted Lance. Tall, sharp-featured, and cool in demeanor, Lance gave off an effortlessly intimidating presence. As Austin sized him up, Lance returned the favor. He could still manage a smile when speaking to Cameron. But to Austin, he showed nothing but his default expression-cold and unreadable. He gave Austin a single nce before turning to the door. "I''m heading out," he said to Cameron. She nodded once. "Okay." He left. Cameron closed the door behind him. Austin turned back, still curious. "Cam, who was that? You two look almost identical." "He''s my brother," she said. Austin blinked. "Wait-you found your biological family?" She nodded again. "Yeah." Austin''s face lit up. "Cam, that''s incredible. I''m really happy for you." "Thanks." But her tone wasn''t particrly joyful. Something in her expression made him pause. She didn''t look... thrilled. Just quiet. "I''m gonna use the restroom real quick," Cameron said. "Make yourselffortable." "Of course," Austin said. "Take your time." Before she left the living room, she picked up the envelope from the coffee table and took it with her. Once in her room, she used the restroom. But as she walked out, she found herself reaching for the second envelope sitting on her nightstand. She opened it. Inside was a letter, Jacqueline''s handwriting. [Cam, If you''re reading this, I hope this letter finds you well. I''m your mother. I''ve been a terribly absent one-because untilst night, I didn''t even know you were alive.] [I''m sorry. I failed to protect you all those years ago. I wasn''t strong enough to stop them. That''s how you were taken from me, how we were separated for eighteen years.] [Lance told me what you''ve been through. I know you''ve suffered. That thought breaks my heart. I''m sorry I wasn''t there for you. It was my weakness that allowed so much harm toe your way.] [Cam, I know you''re not ready toe to Yates Manor. That''s okay. We''re not here to pressure you. We just want you to be healthy, and safe. And I want you to always remember-Yates Manor is your home. You are always wee there.] [Lance told me you got a perfect score on your SATS. Cam, you''re amazing. I''m so proud of you. I''ll be waiting-no matter how long it takes-for the day we can finally meet, truly meet. With all my love, Mom] Cameron read the letter in silence, her expression unreadable, Mom. It was a word she''d once longed to say-to Heidi, to anyone. She''d begged for a scrap of affection, but all she''d ever gotten was empty, calcted warmth. Yet this thin piece of paper, written by someone she''d never even met, somehow carried a weight of genuine care. .''Could someone truly care this much for me just because of a DNA report?'' Her once-steadfast decision not to reconnect... wavered, just slightly. She opened the second letter. This one was from Levi. [Cam, I''m your father. I''m sorry I failed to protect you. I let someone take you from us, and I won''t forgive myself for that. But you don''t have to worry now. I promise- I''ll make sure those two pay for what they did to you.] [I want you toe home. To Yates Manor. Whatever you missed, whatever you lost-I''ll give it all back. Dad] The handwriting was bold, almost severe, the words direct and clipped. But Cameron could feel the weight behind each one. These past few months, she''d felt genuine care from the people around her-her friends in Room 316. But friendship and family weren''t the same. Not even close. My k 547 Cameron stared at the two thin sheets of paper in her hands, unsure how to process the emotions stirring in her chest. The letters were from her biological parents. They wanted her back. They hoped she''de home. ''So... should I?'' She hadn''t figured out the answer when a knock came at the door. "Cam, are you okay?" Austin''s voice carried through the door, tinged with concern. She''d said she was just going to the restroom, but she''d been gone a while. Austin was starting to worry. Cameron blinked, pulled herself out of her thoughts, and replied, "I''m fine." She slipped the letters back into their envelope and tucked them away in the drawer before going to open the door. When Austin saw her, visibly unharmed, he let out a breath. "Cam..." They returned to the living room, and Cameron curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest. Austin asked, "So, when did you find your family? You never mentioned anything." "Just recently," she said. Her answer was short. It wasn''t hard for Austin to notice she wasn''t in the mood to talk about it. So he pivoted. "You''ve been working with Eli a lottely, right?" "Yeah," Cameron nodded. Austin smiled. "Cam, have you given any more thought to what I said? Come work at Fraser Group. I''ll give you shares." Cameron shook her head again, polite but firm. "Austin, I didn''t earn it. But thank you." "Cam,e on," he said with a grin. "We''re friends. You''re like my closest brother. What''s mine is yours. You don''t. to be so distant." Cameron replied evenly, "Austin, don''t push. I want to build something for myself. That matters to me." Austinughed softly. "Alright, Cam. I won''t push." He looked at her for a long moment, smiling as if he couldn''t help it. ''Of course this is my Cam-steady, grounded, unwavering. Anyone else would''ve been overwhelmed with joy. After all, it''s not every day someone offers you a golden parachute.'' They were still talking when the doorbell rang again. Cameron didn''t move. She was perfectlyfortable on the couch. "Austin, would you mind getting that for me?" ¡°Sure,¡± he said, heading to the door. As he pulled it open, he froze slightly at the sight of the person standing outside. A young man, probably eighteen, but dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored suit. Thin-rimmed gold sses sat on the bridge of his nose, and he wea, Jun GB carried himself with the poised air of someone ten years older. Bradley Next to him, Austin suddenly felt... immature. But then again, he was the head of the Fraser Group. He had wealth, power, influence-nothing to feel insecure about. "You here to see Cam too?" Austin asked. Bradley adjusted his sses. "You''re here already." "Yeah," Austin said, smiling. "Just came to catch up. What about you?" He didn''t step aside. Not yet. Bradley looked him straight in the eye. "Mind if Ie in first?" Austin hesitated a beat and then stepped back. "Of course." Bradley walked past him into the apartment,pletely ignoring the earlier question. Austin''s smile faltered. He closed the door and followed. "Brad, you''re here," Cameron greeted him with a small nod. Bradley set a cup of iced milkshake down in front of her. "Saw the line on my way back from work. Figured it must be good." It was summer, and by default, all the shops were serving their drinks cold. But Cameron couldn''t drink cold anything today-not in her current condition. Still, she smiled. "Thanks, Brad." "No need," he said simply. Austin said nothing. He stared at Cameron''s expression-the small, rxed smile she hadn''t shown him once all evening. He hadn''t thought to bring her anything. And now, seeing that cup of milk tea on the table... he regretted it. Comment My k 548 But really-what was it? Just a cup of milkshake. If Cameron liked it that much, Austin could easily buy an entire chain just to deliver it to her every day. That thought alone made him feel better. The twinge of difort in his chest faded. He took a seat across from Cameron. She didn''t reach for the milkshake. Instead, she looked at Bradley and said, "Sit down, Brad." Bradley took the seat beside her. Noticing she hadn''t touched the drink, he asked, "Not your vor?" Cameron shook her head, hugging the throw pillow to her stomach. "Stomach''s been off the past couple days. Can''t have anything cold." Bradley frowned slightly. "Did you see a doctor?" He shifted closer to her. And then, once again, he caught the faint metallic tang in the air-blood. Bradley narrowed his eyes. ''Stomach difort wouldn''t cause that kind of smell. Cam''s injured?'' But Cameron continued calmly, "Yeah, I went. Nothing serious. Just avoiding cold stuff for now." Bradley nced briefly at Austin and then gave a small nod. He wasn''t about to call her out in front of someone else. Austin, meanwhile, immediately rxed. The sour feeling from earlierpletely disappeared. ''So Bradley''s grand gesture? Useless.'' Austin smiled. "Well then, Cam, since you can''t drink it, mind if I do?" Cameron didn''t respond. Bradley picked up the milkshake himself and looked straight at Austin. "You''ve got bodyguards who cater to your every need. I think buying a cup of milkshake isn''t exactly a challenge." Austin hadn''t expected the pushback. "Brad, seriously? It''s just one drink." Bradley nodded. "Exactly. Just one." Austin stared at him, caught off guard. Bradley held the cold cup in his hand and turned to Cameron. "I should''ve asked first. Next time I will." Cameron smiled. "You don''t have to go to that much trouble. If I want something, I''ll get it myself." Austin chimed in quickly, "Cam, I can buy it for you too. Heck, I''ll open a shop just for you if that''s what you want." Cameron gave a smallugh. "That''s a bit over the top." "I''m serious," Austin said. "I''ve got the means now. I can do whatever I want." He wasn''t that kid anymore¡ªthe one who used to get beaten for dreaming of a house in Noble Vista. Now, he had power, money-everything. And he wasn''t shy about using it. But Cameron shook her head. "Stop joking. I don''t even drink milkshake that often." Austin leaned forward. "Then tell me what you do like. Whatever it is, I''ll get it for you." Cameron didn''t respond. She knew Austin had the money. She just didn''t want to owe him anything. Not like that. Meanwhile, Bradley opened the cup and took a sip. ''Too sweet.'' He frowned. He''d asked the staff to make it extra sugary, just because Cameron liked sweet things. His gaze drifted toward Austin, sharp and unreadable behind his sses. ''Austin is different now-more polished, more confident. And undeniably good to Cameron.'' Bradley didn''t like it. He couldn''t say why exactly, but something about it rubbed him the wrong way. He took another slow sip of the milkshake and said, "Austin, don''t you have somewhere to be?" ¡°Huh?¡± Austin blinked. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Bradley looked at him calmly. "Exactly what I said." Austin stared at him, caught off guard. Even Cameron nced over at Bradley. Bradley nced at Cameron. "I need to speak to her. Alone." The implication was clear. He wanted Austin to leave. AD Comment My k 549 Austin forced a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes. "Brad, I got here first. You don''t really have a reason to ask me to leave." Bradley took another sip of milkshake. "Oh, I''m not asking. I''m waiting." Austin narrowed his eyes. "Right." Bradley continued drinking. The milkshake was still too sweet, but tolerable after a few more sips. Sugar triggered dopamine. Dopamine made people feel good. He could work with that. Cameron, still curled up with a pillow, nced at Austin. "Did you actuallye over for something, or just to sit here and make things awkward?" Austin hesitated. "Cam, it''s just... I haven''t seen you in a while. I missed hanging out." A hot shower and a full night''s sleep-that was all she needed. During her period, nothing felt more essential than that. Bradley remained quiet, sipping his drink beside her. Austin shifted in his seat, trying to make conversation. "I, uh, took your advice. I epted my offer from Viremont College of Music. Got the official letter a few days ago. I saw the school posted that you were epted to Stenford. Congrats, Cam." Cameron looked up, face serious. "Austin, I told you not to treat my words like orders. What school you go to-that''s your life. You should take responsibility for it." Austin smiled like it was nothing. "Cam, don''t be so intense. Honestly, does it even matter what school I go to anymore?" Cameron didn''t respond. Bradley raised a brow. "So why not skip college altogether and party full-time?" Austin didn''t answer right away. He pressed his lips together. "Brad, can you give me a little space when I''m talking to Cam?" Bradley didn''t even nce his way. "Feel free to pretend I''m not here." "But you are here," Austin said. "And your presence is clearly getting in the way." Bradley looked directly at him. "Then do you think your presence isn''t getting in my way?" Cameron didn''t respond. The tension was thick enough to cut. She rubbed the pillow against her stomach and said, "Brad, Austin, I really don''t feel well today. Can you both just head out?" Bradley and Austin nodded. Seeing how pale and drained Cameron looked, neither of them pushed it any further. Bradley stood first. "Get some rest." Austin rose a secondter. "Cam, let me know if you need anything. I''m nearby." She nodded, grateful they hadn''t pushed back. Both of them left together, and the door clicked shut behind them. Outside, Austin''s four bodyguards and Vincent were already waiting in formation. 09.30 The moment he stepped out, Vincent moved toward him. "Sir." Austin gave a faint nod. Behind him, Bradley followed with his usual unreadable smile. "Gotta say, Austin," Bradley said with an easy tone, "you''ve changed. Guess I should ve expected that." Austin looked over, expression cool. "The world''s big, Brad. People grow. Nothing shocking about that." Bradley chuckled softly. Austin''s gaze sharpened. "What''s so funny?" He knew bits and pieces about Bradley''s background-rumors of powerful family ties, silent influence. Even Xander, who usually threw his weight around on campus, kept his distance. But things were different now. Austin wasn''t that powerless teenager anymore. He controlled the Fraser Group. He had serious capital in Yazven. He didn''t have to tiptoe around anyone. Bradley''s smile faded into something more neutral. "Nothing." Austin''s tone dropped. "You think you''re the one Cam''s closest to?" He hated the way Bradley always seemed to be around Cameron-calm,posed, epted. ''Why him? Why did Cam smile more at Bradley than at me?'' He and Cameron had been through real danger together. Bradley was just... a roommate. AD Comment Send gift My k 550 But just now, Cameron had kicked both Austin and Bradley out. Which meant, to her, he and Bradley weighed the same. ''Why?'' Austin couldn''t figure it out. Bradley let out a soft chuckle. "You really think I''m the one closest to Cameron?" The elevator arrived. Neither of them moved. Austin crossed his arms. "Bradley, let''s not pretend. You got kicked out just like I did." Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" His phone buzzed. He pulled it out, nced at the screen, and then turned it toward Austin with a faint smile. "Wanna take a look?" Austin leaned in instinctively-and the moment he saw it, his face darkened. On the screen was a message from Cameron. Cameron: [Come back.] His expression shifted instantly. So she hadn''t kicked them both out. She''d only kicked him out. Austin''s face went dark, jaw tightening. Bradley calmly reached over and pressed the elevator door open again. "See ya." Watching the smug look on Bradley''s face, a wave of fury surged through Austin. ''Really? Cameron has chosen Bradley? Over me?'' They''d been through life-and-death together. He was the one person who had stood by her, no matter what And now-what was he? A guest to be dismissed? A name below Xander''s, Elijah''s, and Bradley''s? He felt like a joke, And Bradley? Bradley looked like he was enjoying the show. With cold, simmering anger, Austin stepped into the elevator. Vincent gave Bradley a warning look as he followed. The four bodyguards nked Austin as if escorting royalty. Inside, Austin stared Bradley down until the doors closed between them. Bradley stood in the hallway, a slight smile on his lips. Behind the sses, his gaze was sharp and unreadable." ''So... he thinks this is apetition? A fight over Cameron? Let''s see,'' Bradley thought. ''Let''s see how this ys out. He turned back to the door and knocked. Cameron answered. They sat together on the couch. Cameron didn''t bother with small talk. "What did you want to talk about?" Bradley nodded once. "Cameron, first, I need to tell you something." She gave him a look. "Go ahead.¡± "Austin saw the message you sent me," Bradley said. ¡°The one where you asked me toe back. He didn''t take it well." Cameron didn''t react. Bradley added, "That''s on me. I showed it to him." Cameron didn''t react. "I''m sorry," he said quietly. "I didn''t mean to cause trouble for you." .Cameron finally gave a small wave of her hand. "It''s fine. Really. Brad, what did you want to talk about?" Bradley shifted slightly closer. "Are you sure your stomach''s just upset? Because earlier-I caught a trace of blood." Cameron didn''t react. ''Blood? Is it really that noticeable?'' It wasn''t the first time. Thest time she was on her period, Bradley had mentioned it too. She hesitated. ''Maybe I should just tell Bradley I''m a girl.'' But was now really the moment? ''I didn''t n to say it like this. Admitting it just because of my period? That feels... weird.'' Bradley added gently, "Cameron, if something''s wrong, don''t brush it off. If you''re hurting and can''t afford treatment, I can help. Money isn''t a problem." Cameron quickly shook her head. ¡°No, Brad. I''m fine. Really. I''m not short on money. It''s just a small thing. You don''t need to worry." She''d already received her reward-three million in cash, and another three million in real estate-for her perfect SAT score. AD Comment Send gift My k 551 The three million dors Cameron had received from her perfect SAT score had already been invested straight into thepany. She didn''t have much liquid cash left, but it wasn''t like she couldn''t afford a doctor if she needed one. Besides... she wasn''t sick. She just couldn''t bring herself to tell Bradley she was on her period. So she left it vague. Let him assume whatever he wanted. Bradley looked at her with concern. "You''re really okay?" Cameron smiled. "I''m fine. Really. Thanks for checking." Bradley reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "You don''t have to thank me like I''m a stranger." She chuckled. "Point taken." She''d lost count of how many times she owed him by now. She''d said "thank you" so many times, it was starting to feel redundant. Bradley stood up. "If you''re not feeling well, get some rest, alright?" Cameron nodded. "I will." He turned to leave. But then-"Brad," she called. He stopped. "Yeah?" Cameron hesitated a second and then said, "I found my biological parents... Well, they found me." Bradley turned back toward her, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Already? That''s incredible. Congrats. What are they like?" Cameron lowered her gaze. "I don''t know much yet. I''ve only met my second brother. My parents wrote me letters. They want me toe home....but I turned them down." Bradley''s expression shifted, the surprise clear in his eyes. He sat back down beside her. "You turned them down?" he asked. "You don''t want to meet your biological family?" Cameron said quietly, ¡°Brad... if the people who raised me and lived with me every day could treat me like that, then what are strangers to me-even if they''re blood? I don''t want to be a burden to anyone. Or let them be one to me." Bradley let out a soft sigh. "Cameron, you''re being too hard on yourself. Too cynical. How do you know they''d be a burden? What if they''re good people- what if they really love you?" She didn''t answer. But she didn''t have to. It wasn''t optimism that shaped her view of family-it was experience. Bradley''s gaze softened. "You''re telling me this because you want my opinion, aren''t you?" Cameron looked up at him, not saying a word. 10:07 Thu, 12 Jun GD Bradley asked, "Have you met them?" "I''ve only met my second brother," she said. "My parents sent letters. Here, I''ll show you" She got up and returned with two envelopes, handing them to him. Bradley looked at her. "Can I read them?" Cameron nodded. "Go ahead." He adjusted his sses and read them both carefully, silently. Once he finished, he looked back at her. "They care about you a lot, Cameron. That much is obvious. My advice? At least meet them. Just once. See how it feels. If you don''t like them, if something feels wrong, you can still walk away." Bradley had grown up in a healthy, supportive family. To him, having a home-real, unconditional love-was a source of strength. He understood Cameron''s hesitation. The damage done by Martin and Heidi had left scars. But these letters... Levi and Jacqueline clearly adored their child. Maybe, just maybe, it would be worth a try. And honestly, wouldn''t it be a good thing? To have one more person who truly cared about her? "Just meet them?" Cameron murmured. ''And then what? What should I even say?'' Bradley nodded. "Yeah. That''s what I think. A warm family can give you a kind of strength that''s hard to find anywhere else. I can feel it in their words, Cameron. Their home seems like one filled with love." She didn''t answer. Bradley didn''t want to push her, so he added gently, "You don''t have to decide now. Just take your time, think it through. Do what feels right to you. What matters most is that you''re okay. That you feel at peace." Cameron nodded. "I will." Bradley stood again. "Get some rest, then. And hey-if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, I can send Eddie over. He''s a little morally questionable, sure, but when ites to his work, he''s actually pretty damn good." My k 552 Cameron couldn''t help butugh. "If Eddie heard how you described him, I doubt he''d be ttered." Bradley adjusted his sses without missing a beat. "I''m just stating facts." Cameron raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Bradley stood, grabbing his jacket. "Get some rest. Let me know if you need anything." She nodded, watching him leave. As Bradley stepped out of the building and descended in the elevator, the moment he reached the courtyard, he saw Austin. Sitting alone on a bench directly in his path, Austin looked calm, collected-backed by Vincent and four bodyguards standing respectfully behind him. The whole setup screamed control and power. Bradley came to a stop right in front of him, his tone level and unreadable. "Waiting for me?" Austin didn''t answer. Instead, he looked to Vincent and said, "Have them back off about 300 feet." Vincent hesitated. "Sir..." Austin''s voice dropped cold and sharp. "Did I stutter?" Vincent immediately obeyed, gesturing for the bodyguards to follow him. Still, they lingered just far enough to monitor the situation. Though it waste, the neighborhood lights kept everything bright and clear. The two stood face to face under amp post. Bradley nced up, lips curling slightly. "Feels good, doesn''t it? Being the guy in charge." Austin ignored the jab. "You finished talking with Cam?" Bradley nodded. "As you can see." Austin''s voice hardened. "You feeling pretty proud of yourself, huh?¡°, Bradley didn''t flinch. "Is that what it looks like to you?" Austin scoffed, "Bradley, you and Cam are just roommates. I''ve been through life- and-death with him. You really think you canpare to that?" Bradley''s smile didn''t fade. "Is that how you''reforting yourself?" Austin''s expression darkened. Bradley, as always, stayed perfectlyposed. "I''m notforting myself," Austin said coldly. "I''m telling you the truth." Bradley gave a calm nod. "Noted. You and Cameron have a life-and-death bond. Anything else you''d like to say?" Austin blinked. ''That''s it?'' He expected Bradley to get defensive. To pry. to challenge the im. Instead, the guy barely reacted. He stared at Bradley, trying to provoke something. "Bradley, I''m Cameron''s best friend. And I''d like to think I''m his best friend too." 10:07 Thu 12 Jun th? l Bradley offered a mild smile. "Hope it works out for you," Then he turned and walked away without another word. Austin''s jaw tightened. Bradley''s indifference was infuriating. It was like throwing a punch and hitting air. Austin already hadn''t been in a great mood, but now his face was stone cold. ''Bradley thinks he can take Cam from me? Not a chance.'' Vincent and the others returned quickly once Bradley was gone. "Sir, are you alright?" Vincent asked cautiously. Austin snapped, "Do I look like I''m not?" Vincent frowned at Bradley''s retreating figure. "Was it him? Want me to handle it?" Austin paused and then looked at Vincent. His voice dropped to a near-whisper. "Handle it?" ''Bradley? If I wanted him gone, he''d be gone. Simple as that.'' A bitter smirk tugged at his mouth. "No need." He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Xander. Meanwhile, back at his own vi, Bradley walked through the front door without a hint of tension. Austin didn''t matter. Because Bradley knew, with certainty, that he was different to Cameron. Whatever "life-and-death" drama Austin wanted to boast about, none of it changed the fact that Cameron had chosen to message him. If that kind of bond was so deep, then why wasn''t Austin the one she called back? Bradley pulled out his phone and dialed Eddie''s number. My k 553 The moment the call connected, Bradley was hit with a wave of loud music and Eddie yelling over it, "Hey, Brad! Missed me already?" Eddie''s nightlife had only just begun. He was clearly partying hard at a bar. Bradley frowned. "Eddie, find somewhere quiet. I need to talk." "Huh? What''d you say? Brad, speak up-I can''t hear you!" Eddie shouted back. Bradley hung up without another word. A minuteter, Eddie called him back. He''d ducked into a restroom. It was a lot quieter now. "What''s up, Brad? You need something?" Eddie asked. Bradley got straight to the point. "You on break right now?" "It''s summer vacation. Of course I''m taking time to have some fun," Eddie said. "You don''t exactly hold back even when school''s in session." "Wow,ing in swinging already? Who pissed in your coffee?" "No one. I just need a small favor." "What kind of favor?" "It''s about Cameron. He''s dealing with something," Bradley said. "Cam again? Brad, you''re way too invested in him," Eddie teased. "Is caring about a friend a problem?" "Not at all. Go on, what''s going on with Cam?" "Not something I can exin over the phone. Juste see me, we''ll talk then." Cameron hadn''t said outright that she needed counseling, and Bradley wasn''t about to air her business to Eddie. Better to wait till Eddie got to Viremont. "Alright, I''ll head over tomorrow. That it? I''m going back to party. Later!" Eddie said, and hung up. Bradley stared at the phone in silence. ¡®Eddie''s gonna fall hard for a girl one day.'' Xander was gaming with Tyrell when he got a message from Austin. Back in the day, Xander used to fill every break with excitement-traveling abroad, racing with friends, extreme sports, diving... Now, none of it felt worth it. This summer, he hadn''t gone anywhere. Most of his time was spent gaming with Tyrell. Every few days, he''d drop by Cameron''s ce. Not too often-he didn''t want to overdo it. And every visit had a pretext-dropping off that three milioi dor check she still hadn''t epted. Austin''s message lit up his screen mid-game. Austin: (Xan, long time no see. Just left Cam''s ce. Brad was there too. They were acting weird, like there''s something going on between them. Told me to leave so they could talk in private. We just graduated, but man... feels like everyone''s changed.] Xander nced at the message and then immediately tapped in. "Xan! What are you doing just standing there? You died!" Tyrell''s voice came through his headset. "Shut up!" Xander snapped. His eyes were locked on the screen. ''Bradley? Bradley and Cameron... sharing secrets? Does Bradley already know Cameron''s a girl?'' Xander had always thought Bradley treated her differently. From day one, when Cameron had shed with him in the dorm, Bradley took her side without hesitation. Every time after that, whenever he butted heads with Cameron, Bradley was always stepping in to defend her. ''Don''t tell me Bradley''s liked her this whole time? Damn it. Now I''ve got another rival?'' His expression darkened. Xander had gone out of his way to guard Cameron''s secret-that she was a girl- just to keep the guys in Room 316 from getting any funny ideas. And now Bradley? He couldn''t even be trusted? ''What the hell is he doing at her house?'' His mind spiraled, painting a thousand scenes of Cameron and Bradley... together. "No freaking way!" he shouted, his chest rising with rage. "Xan? What''s going on?" Tyrell asked. Xander exited the game without a word. Storm-faced, he headed straight for the underground garage, hopped on his bike, and gunned it out of the lot, heading for Noble Vista. It was ten by the time he reached Cameron''s door. Cameron, not feeling well, had already gone to bed. Half-asleep, she thought at first she was dreaming. But the knocking grew louder and more persistent. She turned on the bedsidemp, sat up groggily, and realized-this wasn''t a dream. The knocking continued. She threw off the covers and padded to the door. Standing outside, face dark as thunder, was Xander. "What are you doing here?" Cameron frowned.. Her peaceful sleep was ruined. 215 07 Thu, 12 Jun But Xander''s eyes went wide the moment he saw her in pajamas. "You..." He practically growled, his breathing heavy. "You two-what the hell are you doing?" Cameron looked at him, baffled. "What do you mean, ''you two''? What are you even doing here at this hour?" "You think I''m here to ruin your fun?" Xander snapped, face flushed with anger. Cameron blinked. ''Is he seriously losing it?'' "You''ve lost your damn mind," she said sharply. Now she was wide awake and annoyed. But at least the stomach cramps had eased a little after resting. "I''ve lost it?" Xanderjabbed a finger at himself, voice rising. "Cameron, really? You turn me down, and then go straight for Bradley? And things are already moving this fast? You two actually-" He choked on thest part. He was legally an adult, sure. But still very much a wide-eyed, pure-hearted boy. "What the hell are you even talking about?" Cameron burst out, furious now. "Me and Bradley? Since when? I don''t even know what fantasy you''ve cooked up in that brain of yours, but you need to leave." "Don''t you try to manipte me!" Xander had a temper, and it was ring. He shoved past Cameron and stormed inside, yelling, ¡°Bradley! Get out here!¡± Cameron blinked. Cameron followed behind him, expression sour. "What the hell are you trying to do?" Xander looked around frantically but didn''t see Bradley. "Where is he? Hiding somewhere?" he muttered and then started opening doors, checking rooms. He even checked the bathroom, the closet, under the bed. Cameron trailed behind him, arms crossed, watching the circus unfold. Finally, only the master bedroom was left. Xander pointed at it usingly. "He''s in your room, isn''t he? Cameron, you''re a girl-still so young-and you''re already... already sleeping with him?!" That was it. Cameron snapped. She pped him, hard. ''Enough''s enough. Bradley? In my bed? What kind of crap is that?" Xander froze. The p turned his head ny degrees, a ted handprint blooming across his cheek, blood starting to well up at the corner of his mouth. He slowly turned to face her, stunned. "You you hit me?" "You''re lucky that''s all I did," Cameron said coldly. "Keep spouting crap and I''ll really give you something to cry about." "So now you''re denying it?" Xander huffed. "Afra of the truth getting out?" "Truth?" Cameron let out a sharpugh. "You really think I slept with Bradley? Are you dumb? He still thinks I''m ¨¢ guy. Exin to me how that would even work." Xander''s eyes lit up. "Seriously?" A grin spread across his face. "Bradley still has no idea you''re a girl?" Cameron stayed silent. Xander nced toward the master bedroom. "You''re serious?" Without a word, Cameron shoved him through the door. "Go. Look for yourself. Find your precious Bradley." Xander didn''t argue. Face half swollen and Cameron fuming, he still made sure to check every corner of the room, including the bathroom. Cameron leaned against the wall, arms still crossed. "So? Find anything?" Xander scratched his head, wincing. "He''s not here." "Then tell me," Cameron said, her tone like ice, "why exactly did youe banging on my door at 10 PM, swearing Bradley was in my bed?" Xander mumbled, "Austin messaged me." Cameron''s eyes narrowed. "Show me." Xander quickly unlocked his phone and handed it to her. She scrolled through the messages from Austin, and sure enough, there it was. That, and the message Austin had sent during herst game session with Elijah. So that was why Xander had stormed over that time too. Same pattern. Same y. Austin had done this on purpose. ''What the hell is his problem?'' Cameron thought she''d always treated Austin decently. But this? This felt like a knife in the back. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. She needed to confront him, Friends were great-until they weren''t. If he couldn''t act like one, then she''d be just fine cutting ties. Xander, noticing how dark her expression had grown, mumbled, "I really thought you were with Bradley. That''s why I..." Cameron stared at him like he was a toddler. "You''re like a damn flower that''s never seen real weather." Logan and Gwen had coddled him too much. One whisper from Austin and he came running. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Xander asked. "It means nothing. Just go home. I''m going to sleep." "You sleep this early?" he asked. "I''m not feeling well." "What''s wrong?" he asked, a little concerned. "Girl stuff... Monthly kind." Xander didn''t argue. His ears turned bright red. He bolted out the door and even made sure to shut it behind him. Cameron just stood there in silence. It was already half past ten. Sleep? No chance. She picked up her phone and texted Austin. Cameron: [You awake?] Austin replied instantly. Austin: [Still up. You feeling better?] Cameron: [Where are you?] Austin: [At home. Noble Vista.] Cameron: [I''ming over.] Austin immediately sensed something was off. ''Did that idiot Xander screw everything up?'' Comment My k 554 ''No way. Austin couldn''t let Cameron show up right now. Not until he figured out what the hell Xander had just done. Austin: [Cam, I''ve gotpany over. Not a good time.]. Cameron: [I''ll wait. Let me know when you''re free.] Austin stared at the message. ''Cam still wants toe? Did something slip?", He held the phone tightly, his brow slightly furrowed. After a long moment of silence, he finally decided to call Xander. The moment the line connected, Xander exploded, "You''ve got some nerve calling me!" Austin flinched. It had been a long time since anyone dared to speak to him like that. Ever since he inherited his massive fortune and took control of the Fraser Group, no one had used that tone with him. Thest time someone did, he was still suffering through those humiliating days with the Fraser family. His expression darkened instantly. "What the hell kind of tone is that?" Xander paused for a beat. ''This is Austin? That sickly, moody Austin? Ha.'' Word was, the guy was filthy rich now. Apparently, money really did embolden cowards. "You don''t like my tone? Tough," Xander said, full of disdain. Austin snapped back, "I''ve seen plenty of spoiled brats like you-nothing going for them except their family name." "The hell did you just say?" Xander shouted, his temper boiling over. "Say that again, Austin, I dare you!" "I''ll say it as many times as you want. Someone like you? No wonder Cam doesn''t like you. I sure as hell don''t." "Who are you saying Cam doesn''t like?" Xander''s voice jumped an octave, like someone had just stomped on his tail. Sure, he knew Cameron didn''t like him that way. But hearing it thrown in his face, in that tone, made it hit differently. If Austin had been standing in front of him, he''d have swung first, asked questionster. But Austin didn''t give him the chance. Instead, he asked, "You went to see Cam, didn''t you?" Xander shouted, "I went because of you, jackass! You fed me that crap and I went running over there-and gotpletely chewed out!" 10:07 Thu 12 Jun "You told him I sent you?" Austin asked, voice sharp. Xander let out a bitterugh. ¡°So that''s why you called, huh? Cameron confronted you? Got your ass handed to you? Serves you right." Austin muttered, "Clueless and proud of it." Xander froze. He stared at his phone for a second, then furiously recorded a long voice message, and fired it off. And he didn''t stop there he sent another message to Cameron. Xander: [You''re still up? Did you go see Austin?] Cameron was curled up on the couch, watching TV while waiting for Austin''s reply. Instead, Xander''s message popped up. Cameron: [Did Austin tell you?] Xander: [He just called. We got into a fight.] Cameron just stood there in silence. Xander? Going up against Austin? He never stood a chance. Austin could talk circles around someone like Xander without even trying. Cameron: [Stay out of this, Xander. I''ll deal with it myself.] Xander: [Deal with what? Cameron, he''s not the same guy he used to be. I''m telling you, keep your distance.] Xander might be naive, but he wasn''t stupid. It didn''t take long for him to realize-he''d been yed. Austin had used him, in and simple. Xander made a silent vow never to fall for Austin''s nonsense again. And thank God Cameron was forgiving. Otherwise, this whole mess could''ve ruined things between them. Cameron: [I know.] Cameron stared at the message and then quietly repeated, "Not the same Austin he used to be." Or maybe,'' she thought, ''none of us ever really knew who Austin was to begin with.'' She tossed the phone aside. ''That is enough.'' In the adult world, some things didn''t need to be spelled out. Austin had already crossed the line. Anyone who could turn their back on her so easily... didn''t belong in her life. She stood up and went back to bed.. Meanwhile, Austin stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at his reflection- tall, polished,posed But inside, he was torn. ''Should I let Camerone? Or not?'' My k 555 After thinking it over for a long time, Austin finally decided he shouldn''t see Carheron tonight. He was definitely still mad. Better to give him some space and wait until things cooled down. It wasn''t until nearly midnight that he sent her a message. Austin: [Cam, sorry, I just saw my guest off. Did you go to bed already? If it''s okay, maybe we can talk tomorrow instead?] Cameron was already asleep. Austin didn''t get a reply, so he followed up with one more message. Austin: [Good night.] He sat down on the couch, rubbing his temples. ''How the hell am I going to exin this to him?" Looked like honesty was the only option now. The next morning, Cameron saw the messages Austin had sent. She didn''t respond. She acted like she hadn''t even seen them. By ten AM, Austin couldn''t hold back anymore. He sent another message. Austin: [Cam, I''m free today. What did you want to talk aboutst night?] Half an hourter, she finally replied. Cameron: [It''s nothing now.] Austin stared at the screen, stunned. ''What does that mean-"nothing now"? Is he not mad anymore? A faint smile tugged at his lips. Guess I made the right call by not seeing himst night.'' He made a mental note to be more careful next time. It had just been the sight of Cameron and Bradley together, looking way too close, that triggered him. He''d panicked. Austin: [Cam, want to grab dinner tonight?] He needed to make sure she was really over it. Cameron: [Can''t.] Austin froze. For some reason, that single word felt ice cold. 10:07 Thu 12 Jun - OD Austin: [How about tomorrow night?] Cameron: [Can''t.] Austin: [The day after that?] Cameron: [Can''t.] Austin: [??] All he got was "can''t"-across the board. ''Did I get it wrong? Is he still mad after all?'' Austin: [Cam, are you still upset aboutst night?] Since Xander had already ratted him out, there was no point pretending anymore. Still, Cameron didn''t respond. After a while, he sent another message. Austin: [Cam, can we talk? Please give me a chance to exin.] Cameron: [I gave you that chancest night.] She had reached out first, and he''d brushed her off. Then he''d immediately turned around and called Xander. That was enough. No need to waste another minute. Austin stared at her message. His stomach dropped. So it wasn''t just in his head-Cameron was mad. ''That idiot Xander... what the hell did he say? Did he twist it somehow? Made things worse? Why else would Cam be this upset?'' The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. A nervous chill crept over him. Austin: [Cam, I messed up. Please give me another chance to exin, okay?] Austin: [I''m free anytime. Just tell me when and where-I''lle pick you up from work, if that''s easier.] Austin: [Cam...] He fired off over a dozen messages in a row. But not a single reply came back. His amber eyes flickered with worry. He hadn''t expected his little stunt to piss Cameron off this much. Mad enough to ignore him entirely? That had never happened before. Seeing no response, Austin didn''t dare push it further. He didn''t even dare show up at her office uninvited. He''d just have to wait. Wait for her toe back to Noble Vista and then exin everything face-to-face.... 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun Eddie had slept until noon and didn''t get to Viremont until almost 3 PM. Bradley messaged Cameron. Bradley: [Eddie''s in Viremont. Want to grab dinner together tonight?] Cameron: (Sure. Let''s go back to Silvermoss Castle.) After what happened with Austin, she figured he might try toe find her. So she decided not to go back to Noble Vista for now. Bradley: [You off at six? I''lle pick you up.] Cameron: [Sounds good.] At 6 PM sharp, Elijah was already waiting for Cameron in the cafeteria. For days now, they''d been sticking to the same routine-heading to work together, eating dinner together, walking out together. As soon as he arrived, his phone buzzed with a message from Cameron. Cameron: [Elijah, I''m not going back to Noble Vista tonight. Just wanted to let you know.] Elijah was holding his phone in one hand and two empty trays in the other. He stood there in silence for a few seconds, then slowly returned the trays to the counter, and replied. Elijah: [Got it.] His deep eyes dimmed a little. He left the cafeteria and headed home. It had been a while since he''d been back anyway-today seemed like as good a time as any. As Elijah stepped out the building''s main entrance, he caught sight of Cameron across the way. Just as he was about to call out to her, she opened a car door and slid inside. He recognized the car instantly. It was Bradley''s. ''So Cam isn''t going back to Noble Vista-because of Bradley? But doesn''t Brad live at Noble Vista too? If they aren''t going there... then where are they going?'' Elijah watched the car pull away in silence. His eyes seemed to lose a little more light. Cameron sat in the back seat. Eddie turned around from the front, grinning like a peacock in full disy. "Hey Cam, long time no see. Did you miss me?" Cameron gave a small wave. "Eddie, long time no see." Eddie fluttered his famously flirty eyes, "So? Did you miss me?" Cameron didn''t answer right away. ''Did I miss him or not? As Bradley drove, he nced over at Eddie and said tly, "Has no one ever told you your smile isn''t actually that charming?" Eddie blinked. "Excuse me?" He shot Bradley a deadpan look. "Brad, I''m starting to question your entire taste level." "My taste is perfectly fine, thanks," Bradley said without flinching. Eddie turned quickly back to Cameron and beamed. ¡°Cam, do you think my smile''s ugly? Come on, tell the truth-I''m obviously irresistible, right?" Some people couldn''t stand being called unattractive-especially the ones who knew they weren''t. Cameron couldn''t help butugh. "You''re handsome." Eddie really was. When he smiled, those fox-like eyes of his could practically flirt on their own. "See? I knew it," Eddie said, raising his brows triumphantly. Bradley turned the wheel and muttered, "That''s just Cameron being too polite to tell the truth." Eddie blinked. "Excuse me?" Cameron didn''t answer right away. Eddie narrowed his eyes at Bradley. Then, slowly, he started to smile again. ''Is my little brother... jealous? No way. Cut it out. Don''t go there. Brad''s totally straight. Totally.'' Eddie looked back at Cameron again. "Cam, Brad told me you got a perfect SAT score. That''s seriously impressive." "Thanks, Eddie. I got lucky." "Cam, you are way too modest." The conversation flowed nonstop. Eddie could talk to a brick wall. Bradley only managed to get a few words in here and there. When they arrived at the hilltop vi, Cameron opened the door and headed straight toward the backyard to find Pearl. Eddie immediately jumped out after her. "Cam, wait up!" Bradley shut the car door behind him and watched Eddie run off, frowning slightly. "Maybe inviting him was a mistake." After dinner, the three of them sat in the living room, casually chatting. Bradley turned to Cameron. "Since Eddie''s here, if you''ve got any questions, he might be able to help." Eddie smiled and patted his chest proudly. "Cam, tell me anything. Talking people through stuff is kind of my thing." Bradley deadpanned, "You might want to stop smiling then. You''re seriously unpleasant to look at when you do." Eddie blinked. "Excuse me?" ''Yep. He''s jealous. No doubt about it. I didn''t even do anything, and he''s already jealous? This is bad; Cameron nced at Bradley, confused. "Brad, are you in a bad mood today?" Bradley blinked. ''Am I? I am not, not really! But the second he saw Eddie shing that ridiculous smile at Cameron, something in him just... soured. He smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, I''m in a great mood." "You sure? You sound kind of mad every time you talk to Eddie." Bradley blinked. Eddie arched a brow. ''See? Even Cam''s picking up on it.'' Bradley cleared his throat. "You''re overthinking it. That''s just how we always talk to each other." Eddie squinted at him. ''Since when?'' They absolutely did not talk like that. But Eddie let it slide. He toned down the grin and asked seriously, "Cam, if there''s anything bothering you, you can talk to me. I''m serious-I know what I''m doing." Cameron fell silent. She understood why Bradley had brought Eddie here. He meant well. And truthfully, Cameron wasn''tpletely clueless about psychology either. But even doctors couldn''t treat themselves. She paused for a while and then shook her head. "Eddie, I don''t think I need that right now." Eddie looked over at Bradley. Bradley gave a slight shake of his head. Eddie smiled. "Cam, if you''re Brad''s friend, you''re my friend too. If anything Cameron nodded. "Thanks, Eddie. I won''t be shy." In the end, she didn''t say anything more. Some things were just too private-too personal to share, even with someone studying psych.... Meanwhile, Austin was sitting on a bench along Cameron''s usual route home. He waited and waited. By midnight, still no sign of her. Vincent finally broke the silence. "Sir... is it possible Mr. Wace already went home? Maybe he took the parking garage?" Austin shook his head. "He doesn''t drive." 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun Vincent hesitated. "But... what if someone else gave him a ride?" My k 556 Austin''s chest tightened. ''She left with someone else? Who?" He knew Cameron had been working a summer job with Elijah. Without hesitating further, Austin pulled out his phone. After a few seconds of deliberation, he called Elijah. Elijah, half-asleep, answered groggily. "Hello?" "Sorry to bother you thiste, Eli," Austin said gently. His tone was apologetic, though his expression remained unreadable. "I''ve been trying to reach Cam. Did you two leave work together tonight? Head home at the same time?" "Cameron?" Elijah woke up a little more. "No, I went home. He said he wasn''t going back to Noble Vista tonight." Austin paused. "He''s not? Why not?" ''Is he avoiding me? No way. It was just one message to Xander. And it wasn''t even a lie.'' "I don''t know," Elijah said inly. When he got no response on the other end, Elijah closed his eyes again. "You need anything else? I''m going back to sleep." Austin came back to himself. "No, that''s it He ended the call. Sorry again, Eli. Get some rest." Then he just sat there, on that cold bench, brow furrowed, shoulders slightly hunched in the night. ''Cameron is really ignoring me. He''s actually ignoring me. How could he? He''s my Cam. He''s the most important person I have in this world. If he shuts me out... what the hell am I supposed to do?'' Vincent stood quietly behind him, sensing the shift in Austin''s mood. He didn''t speak. Austin didn''t move either. He remained seated, still and silent, like he''d turned to stone. It wasn''t until 3 AM that Vincent finally broke the silence. "Sir, it''s past three. Maybe we should head home, get some rest. Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow." Austin finally turned his head. "Vincent." "I''m here," Vincent replied respectfully, eyes calm and steady. "Find out where Cameron''s working," Austin said softly. "Buy thepany." Vincent gave a nod. "Yes, sir." The next morning, sunlight spilled golden over Silvermoss Castle. As Cameron opened her bedroom door, a pair of soft paws immediatelytched onto her leg. "Rrruff..." 10-08 Thu 12 Jan - Ot "Morning, Pearl." Cameron said, rubbing the top of his head. Pearl nuzzled against her shin affectionately. She chuckled and gave him another pat. "Good boy." When she headed downstairs, Eddie was already lounging in the living room. "Morning, Cam," he called. "Morning, Eddie," she replied. "Cam, staying here is the life. The air''s fresh, the vibe''s great-I might never leave," Eddie said with a dramatic sigh. Cameronughed. "If you like it that much, you''re wee to stay a few more days." "I''m afraid that''s not an option," Bradley''s voice came from behind he Eddie raised a brow. "Why not?" Bradley replied smoothly, "Your harem''s probably waiting for you to Wouldn''t want to keep all your girlfriends waiting, would you?" Eddie blinked. kin Cameron grinned. "Eddie, you might want to stop ying the field before it blows up "Hey, hey, hey-Cam, don''t listen to him. I don''t have any girlfriends. I''m still single, thank you very much," Eddie insisted. Bradley shot him a look. "You willing to swear that on something sacred?" Eddie blinked. Leaning over, Eddie whispered through gritted teeth, "Bradley, you''re done for." That kind of urgency to kick him out? He could smell it from a mile away. Bradley was angling for alone time with Cameron. Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Bradley frowned. "What exactly am I done for?" Eddie nced toward Cameron, then dragged Bradley aside, and lowered his voice. "You''re screwed. You''re in love." Bradley stared at him. Eddie doubled down. "Bradley, you''re toast." Bradley paused for a beat. "You''re not seriously pulling an Eric and using me of catching feelings for Cameron, are you?" Eddie raised a brow. "Aren''t you?" Bradley narrowed his eyes. "You''ve lost it." "Nope," Eddie said tly. "You have." "I''m not doing this with you. Eat breakfast, and then get out," Bradley said without looking back. Eddie blinked. 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun Bradley walked straight into the dining room. Cameron was already seated at the table. The food was set, but she hadn''t touched it she was waiting. Bradley sat beside her. "Go ahead and eat. I''ll drive you to work after." Eddie walked in just in time to hear that. His eyes rolled so hard they practically left orbit. ''Unbelievable. Still denying it? But then again... how is this going to work out for Brad? The two of them? That won''t be easy. "Ugh," Eddie sighed as he flopped into a chair.. Cameron nced at him. "What''s wrong with you?" Eddie sighed again, even touder this time. Cameron was now super confused. Bradley replied before he could answer, "He just got a bunch of calls from his girlfriends asking him to spend Valentine''s Day with them, and now he doesn''t know which one to choose." Cameron was at a loss for words. Eddie whipped his head around. "Seriously?" Cameron asked. "Absolutely not," Eddie shot back. "Cam, don''t believe a word he says. None of it''s true. In fact, what are you doing on Valentine''s Day? Want to spend it with me?" Cameron was now super confused. Bradley looked over too. "Since when are you into boys, Eddie?" Eddie gave a smug little smile. ¡°Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing." Bradley stared at him. Cameron blinked. ''Wait, what? What are these two even talking about? Must just be their usual back-and-forth.'' She didn''t think too hard about it. After breakfast, Cameron and Eddie both rode with Bradley into the city. Eddie opened the front passenger door, stepped one foot inside, but Bradley spoke before he could sit down. "Eddie, take the back seat." Eddie turned to re. "Why?" "You sitting next to me would ruin mood." Eddie blinked. my ''Right. Subtle. Real subtle. Won''t let me sit up front? Just say you want Cameron next to you and be done with it. Unbelievable.'' He didn''t argue-just sighed and climbed into the back. 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun OD When Cameron opened the rear door, she saw Eddie already inside. Bradley looked over and said, "Cameron, take the front seat." She blinked. ¡°Eddie, you''re not sitting up front?¡± Eddie gave her a forced smile. "I like the back. More leg room." She nodded and got into the front. Once they hit the main road, Bradley pulled over. He turned in his seat and looked at Eddie. Eddie instantly got a bad feeling. Sure enough, the next words out of Bradley''s mouth were, "Eddie, you''re here." Eddie stared out the window at a patch the middle of nowhere. "Here? Where?" Bradley replied calmly, "Didn''t you say your girlfriend was picking you up here?" Eddie went still for a beat, his jaw locking. "When did I ever say that?'' Then again, it wasn''t the first time Bradley had said nonsense with a straight face. Grinding his teeth, Eddie opened the door and got out. He leaned down and tapped on the passenger window. "Cam, I''m gonna miss you. You better miss me too." The window rolled up in his face. Eddie blinked and then straightened up with a humorlessugh. He opened his mouth to say something else, but the ck sedan peeled away and sped off. Eddie stood there, lips parted, one hand still raised. In the passenger seat, Cameron nced in the rearview mirror and saw Eddie literally jumping in ce. She turned to Bradley. "Eddie''s girlfriend is really picking him up out here?" Bradley didn''t blink. "Yeah." He tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. "Eddie''s full of it half the time. Don''t take anything he says seriously." "What exactly did he say?" she asked. "He said he''d miss you," Bradley replied. Cameronughed. "Obviously he was joking." Bradley gave her a sideways nce. "Try not to spend too much time around him." She raised a brow. "Why not?" "He''ll corrupt you," Bradley said simply. 10:08 nu, 12 Jun "You mean... like dating multiple people at once?" "Exactly." Cameron snorted. "Rx. I''m not into that yer lifestyle. Hell, I''m not even interested in one." Bradley didn''t answer, but the corner of his mouth curved up slightly. He pulled up in front of her office building. That morning, Elijah arrived at the office a full hour early. But instead of heading to his workstation, he stood waiting in the lobby, eyes fixed on the front entrance through the ss wall. He didn''t know how long he''d been standing there when he finally saw it- Bradley''s car pulling up to the curb. A few secondster, Cameron stepped out of the front passenger seat. Elijah''s gaze dimmed. So, fromst night until now, Cameron has been with Bradley. Where have they gone? What have they been doing? His thoughts spiraled before he could stop them. "Elijah?" Cameron''s voice brought him back. She had just walked through the front doors and spotted him. "You''re here," Elijah said tly. Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Why are you still down here?" "I was waiting for you," he replied. "Waiting for me?" Elijah nodded again, and the two of them walked toward the elevators together. He asked, "Did Austin reach out to you?" Cameron blinked. "Austin?" ''So he has been trying to find me.'' "He called me at midnightst night," Elijah said. "Wanted to know if you went back to Noble Vista." Cameron''s tone cooled. "Don''t bother with him." Elijah immediately caught the shift. "Did something happen between you two?" Cameron didn''t hide it. She told him what had gone down the night before. Elijah frowned. "What''s he even trying to do?" "I have no idea," Cameron said simply. "Did you ask him?" "I tried. I wanted to talk. But when he finally decided he was ready... I wasn''t interested anymore." Elijah stayed quiet. Clearly, Austin had screwed up... badly. But it wasn''t his ce to say more. He headed off to his own workstation while Cameron returned to the R&D department. The department head gave her a sharp look the second she walked in. "Cameron, you''ve been coasting for two months now. How long are you nning to hang around this team?" Cameron said tly, "Probably until thepany shuts down." "Excuse me?" the supervisor blinked. He red. "You''re unbelievable? You know what? Someone like you should just be fired." Cameron frowned. "Do you seriously have nothing better to do than monitor me all day?" The tension between them immediately drew attention. Colleagues stopped what they were doing and started eavesdropping. "You''re the only one in this department who acts like someone on vacation. Who else am I supposed to keep an eye on?" the supervisor snapped. Cameron''s voice turned cool. "If you''ve got that much time on your hands, maybe it''s time for a career change." The supervisor stiffened. "What''s that supposed to mean? Are you threatening to fire me?" Cameron didn''t waste words. She pulled out her phone and made a call to David. But before it even rang once, a ringtone sounded right outside the office. "Mr. Wace," David said, walking in briskly. Cameron hung up and said, "Perfect timing. Mr. Tucker, please send him to payroll. He''s done here." David nodded. "Understood, Mr. Wace." The supervisor froze, stunned speechless. So were the rest of the employees. Everyone knew Cameron had some kind of powerful backing-David calling him Mr. Wace had already hinted at that-but none of them expected his words to carry this much weight. This was next-level. "You can''t be serious! I haven''t done anything wrong-on what grounds are you firing me?¡± the supervisor protested. Cameron replied coolly, "I know the rules. Go to payroll and collect yourpensation." "Excuse me?" the supervisor blinked. David stepped closer and said quietly, "Mr. Wace, can I speak to you for a moment?" Cameron noticed the urgency in his eyes and didn''t bother responding to the supervisor any further. She followed David into the general manager''s office. David closed the door behind them. "What''s going on?" Cameron asked directly, sensing something was up. David''s expression was tense. "Mr. Wace, someone''s trying to acquire thepany," Cameron blinked. ''Someone wants to acquire Aurevia Biotech? But thepany has barely gotten off the ground. It isn''t even valuable yet. Who''d be stupid enough to buy it now?'' "Whichpany?" she asked. "Fraser Group," David answered. Cameron was now super confused. David continued, "I looked into it. The current head of Fraser Group is Austin Fraser. I heard he was your high school ssmate. Maybe... you could reach out to him?" Cameron didn''t respond right away. ''Austin? He''s trying to buy out Aurevia Biotech? What the hell is he thinking? He probably doesn''t even realize this is mypany. So what is his motive?" "Mr. Wace?" David prompted, seeing her fall silent. Cameron finally said, "Don''t worry. I''ll talk to Austin." "Appreciate it," David said. Once he left, Cameron remained seated in the office and pulled out her phone. She dialed Austin directly-video call. It rang for a while before he finally picked up. Austin appeared on screen wearing a ck robe, tousled blonde hair falling over his sleepy face. Still, he was smiling. "Cam." She was calling him. That alone was enough to make him light up! But Cameron didn''t smile back. Her tone was blunt, all business. "Are you trying to acquire Aurevia Biotech?" Austin froze. Aurevia... what?'' Seeing the nk expression on his face, Cameron narrowed her eyes. "So you didn''t know?" Austin sat up straighter, suddenly more alert. "Cam, I''ve never even heard of that He grabbed his phone and started walking downstairs. Vincent was already waiting politely in the entry hall. "Good morning, sir," Vincent greeted him. "Vincent," Austin said, turning the camera around so Vincent could see Cameron on the other end, "is Fraser Group trying to acquire some pharmaceutical 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun ¡ø0? Cameron spoke up, "Aurevia Biotech." Vincent nodded. "Yes, sir. Aurevia Biotech. That''s thepany you instructed me to move on. Did you forget?" My k 557 Austin blinked. "Wait... so Aurevia Biotech is where Cam works?" Vincent nodded. "Yes, sir." And just like that, it clicked. Austin turned the camera back to himself, smiling at the screen. "Cam, yeah-it''s me. I''m the one trying to acquire Aurevia Biotech." Cameron''s expression remained t. "Why?" Austin headed upstairs, speaking as casually as if it were small talk. "Cam, if I buy Aurevia Biotech, that means you''re technically working for me. I can give you a great sry and the easiest job you''ve ever had." She stared directly at the image of his handsome, grinning face on the screen. "Do you have any idea that Aurevia Biotech is mypany?" Austin froze. "You mean... thepany is yours? As in, you own it? Am I hearing that right?" he asked, stopping mid-step, his eyes fixed on Cameron''s face through the screen-beautiful, calm, and unreadable. "You heard me," Cameron said, calm and direct. "I''m the actual owner of Aurevia Biotech. So now you want to acquire mypany? You really think I''m going to agree to that?" Austin''s face stiffened. His smile vanished. A few secondster, he scrambled to recover. "Okay-okay, this is a total misunderstanding. I''ll tell Vincent to call off the acquisition immediately." He rushed back downstairs to deliver themand to Vincent. Then, phone still in hand, he returned upstairs. "Cam, you''re incredible. I can''t believe you started a wholepany without anyone knowing." There was a flicker of awe in his amber eyes that couldn''t be missed, But Cameron didn''t respond to thepliment. "I have things to do. I''m hanging up." "Wait, Cam-" Austin quickly cut in. Cameron said nothing, simply waiting. Austin exhaled. "Are you still mad about the other night? I''m sorry, Cam. I shouldn''t have told Xander anything." Now that he was bringing it up himself, Cameron''s tone turned icier. "Then tell me, what exactly was your motive for stirring up drama?¡± Austin gave a helpless smile. "Do you know how it felt when I saw Bradley shing that message you sent him-bragging that you asked him toe back? Do you know how much that hurt?" Cameron''s eyes narrowed. ''Bradley showed him that message?'' Even if that were true, it still didn''t justify dragging Xander into things. And it wasn''t the first time, either. Austin stared into the camera with a wounded expression. ¡°Cam, we''ve been through life-and-death together. I always thought, out of everyone in Room 316, I was the one who meant the most to you. But now I see it''s Bradley, isn''t it?" Cameron looked confused. "What is there topare?" "Cam, Austin said softly, "you''re the most important person I have in this world." Cameron stared at him, stunned. ''What? I''m the most important person in his life? We''ve known each other... what, three months? How have that important?'' Austin continued, ¡°I''m not asking to be the most important person in your life. I just want to be your best friend, is that too much?" Cameron didn''t respond for a moment. Your best friend? Is this... how guy friendships work? Well, I''m not a guy. I don''t get it. "Austin, the way you''ve been using Xandertely-it really makes me ufortable. Even if we were friends once, I think it''s best we leave it at that. Austin''s eyes widened slightly. "Leave it at that? Cam, what do you mean?" "Exactly what it sounds like," Cameron replied, "You mean... you''re cutting ties with me?" he asked, unable to believe it. "You got it." Austin froze. ''Cut ties? No. No way. He''s the most important person in my life. How could I possibly let him go? Does he want me to die of loneliness?" His eyes began to redden. "Cam, don''t say that. I get it-I was wrong, I''ll fix it, okay?" His voice had turned desperate, even pitiful. Cameron said calmly, "You don''t have to be like this. With your status now, people are lining up to be your friend. Having me in the mix shouldn''t make any difference." "I don''t want them!" Austin suddenly yelled. "Cam, I don''t need anyone else¡ªI just want you! If I don''t have you, I can''t function. I literally can''t live without you." Cameron frowned. ''Is he seriously saying this?'' "Austin, nobody''s life ends just because one person walks away," she said. "We''re just friends. That''s all this ever was." "No, we''re not!" Austin shook his head. "You''re not just a friend. Other than my mom, you''re the only person who''s ever treated me well. I need you, Cam. You can''t just walk away from me like this." Cameron stared at the screen, silent. ''Did I ever give him the wrong idea? Was it that time I stood up to Samuel during the Fraser family mess? Or maybe when I happened to step in at the park, when that guy pulled a knife on him?'' For her, those were just small moments-nothing more. "Austin, I don''t know what you mean when you say I''ve treated you well," she said. ¡°But I never thought I was doing anything special for you. I think you might''ve misunderstood." "No," Austin said, his voice thick. "No misunderstanding. You''re the only person besides my mom who ever cared about me. Cam, where are you? I''lle see you right now. I can''t exin this through a screen." Cameron shook her head. "I don''t think there''s any reason for us to meet." 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun Cam..." Austin''s amber eyes were full of pain. "He won''t even see me? What did I do? So I messed with Xander a little-so what? That''s it? That tiny thing, and now he wants to cut me offpl mean so much to him... but to him, I''m just... nothing?'' Cameron added, "Oh, and Austin, I think I should correct something. Even if you hadn''t pulled all that drama with Xander, I still wouldn''t be your besi bro."" Austin''s voice dropped. "Why? Because I''m not good enough?" ''Just one mistake, and he''s erasing mepletely?'' His heart ached. It physically hurt. Cameron looked him in the eye. "Because I''m a girl." Austin froze. His amber eyes, still heavy with emotion, flew open in disbelief. "Cam, what did you just say?" ''Did I hear that right? Cameron... is a girl? No way. That can''t be right. Cam looks like a guy-maybe a little pretty, a little delicate, but still... Wasn''t he even engaged to Amelia?'' "I think you heard me clearly," Cameron said. Austin''s eyes went wide. She wasn''t joking. Her expression was dead serious. ''That''s real? Cameron... is a girl? So all this time... I wasn''t crazy? I wasn''t broken? I thought about him every day-a million times a day-and now it actually makes sense? I''m not confused. I''m in love.'' "That''s all I have to say." Her tone was t, unreadable. And the screen went ck. Austin stared at the chat window, lips parting slightly. ''She''s a girl.'' Austin had doubted himself before. When he realized he was thinking about Cameron more and more-smiling at photos, zoning out during meetings-he knew something was off. It was Vincent who finally made him face it-the feelings weren''t just tonic. But even then, he couldn''t bring himself to admit it. It felt wrong. nat So he buried it. Locked it down. Told himself it was just because Cameron was kind to him. Just because he mattered. He had tried to be ''But it wasn''t wrong. I''m not broken. I''m not confused. I can like him-I mean her. I can want her. We could be together. Forever. We could even have kids.'' But- 10.08 nu, 12 JUN The joy drained from his face. Because now, Cameron had decided to cut ties with him. He stared at the call screen, lip''s tightening into a line. ''Cut me off, huh? Austin gripped his phone tightly, eyes lowering. Everyone he loved-his mother, now Cameron-they all left him. ''No.'' He wouldn''t let that happen again. He wouldn''t let her walk away. If it came to it, he''d use whatever means necessary. Because now that he knew Cameron was a girl, there was no reason to hold back. Now, they could be together for real and forever. 84% That evening, Lance stood outside Cameron''s door, knocking for a long time without a response. "Still at work?" he muttered under his breath. After a moment''s hesitation, he called her. Cameron was in the car with Bradley, on their way back to Silvermoss Castle. She hesitated for a few seconds before answering. "Hello?" "Cameron, you''re not home?" Lance nced down at the four gift boxes by his feet. Cameron had refused to return to Yates Manor. But the Yates family already knew about her. All four of them-her parents, Gavin, and Lance-had prepared individual wee gifts. And since Lance was the only one who had met her, the task of delivering them naturally fell to him. "I''m not at Noble Vista," Cameron replied. "Is something going on?" "I brought a few small gifts," Lance said. "They''re from my parents, Gavin, and me. Just something to say hello." "That''s not necessary," Cameron said tly. "Take them back." Lance frowned. "Cameron, I came all this way. I''m not taking them back. If you don''t want them, toss them. That''s your choice." Cameron didn''t respond. Lance continued, "Look, we''re all victims here. None of this has been easy on you or our parents. You don''t want toe home, we won''t force you. I''ll just leave the gifts at your door." Still, she kept silent, He didn''t wait for her response. He hung up. Lance didn''t want to push her further. Right now, he was the only one in the Yates family who could still talk to her. Cameron stared at the screen after the call ended and let out a sigh. Lance had a way of cornering her without raising his voice. She couldn''t just toss the gifts. "Do you want to go back?" Bradley asked, ncing at her from the driver''s seat. He''d caught most of the conversation. Cameron thought for a second and then nodded. "Brad, can you turn around?" He did. They headed back, pulling into the underground garage at Noble Vista. Bradley apanied her upstairs. As the elevator doors opened, they saw the gift boxes neatly arranged in front of her apartment door. Cameron walked up, gave them a brief nce, then picked them up, and carried them inside. Bradley followed. She set the boxes down on the coffee table. Bradley gave a slight smile. "Four gifts. One from each-your dad, mom, and two brothers. Aren''t you curious?" "You want me to open them now?" she asked. He adjusted his sses. "Aren''t you the least bit curious?" Cameron didn''t answer, but of course she was. She opened the topmost box. Inside was a house key and a handwritten note. Levi: [Cam, I''m your father. I heard you got a perfect SAT score and were epted to Stenford University. I''m so proud of you.] Levi: [This is the key to an apartment we own right across from campus. I thought it might make your life a little easier once school starts. Whenever you''re ready, we can transfer the ownership. I really hope I get to meet you soon.] After reading it, Cameron quietly handed the note to Bradley. He took it, ncing over the message with a slight smile. "If you went back to Yates Manor, your dad would probably spoil you rotten." Bradley had asked someone to look into the Yates family after Cameron mentioned them. But they''d found nothing-no public records, no background data. Now Levi had gifted her a property across from Stenford University. Not exactly affordable real estate. Clearly, the Yates family had serious means. Bradley knew some families kept a low profile on purpose. Their wealth wasn''t just quiet. It was nearly invisible. Cameron looked down at the key in her hand emotions twisting in her chest. Bradley nudged her gently. "What''s in the next one?" Cameron set the key aside and opened the second box. Inside was a crest brooch, old and polished with care. 10:08 Thu, 12 Jun There was another note. Jacqueline: [Cam, I''m your mother. This brooch has been passed down through generations in the Yates family. It''s meant to protect its bearer-to bring health and safety. I hope you''ll keep it close. Jacqueline: [Cam, I want so badly to see you. I just don''t know when you''ll be ready.) Cameron held the brooch gently in her hand. It stirred something in her chest. She had been hurt. But Jacqueline had suffered too. For a mother, there was no pain more unbearable than losing her child. Cameron couldn''t even imagine how her mother had survived it. Bradley noticed the flicker of emotion in her expression. "Want to see what''s in the third one?" She carefully set the brooch down and opened the next box. Inside was a Patek Philippe men''s watch-limited edition, worth over 300 thousand dors. A notey beneath it. Gavin: [Hi Cameron, I''m your older brother, Gavin Yates. This watch is just a small gesture. I hope you''lle back to us soon.] Cameron didn''t pause. She reached straight for the fourth box. This one held a car key. A Ferrari. Lance: [Cameron, you''re about to get your driver''s license. I got you a car. Hope you like it.] Cameron stared at the gifts on the coffee table in silence. Bradley patted her gently on the shoulder. "It''s pretty clear your family cares about you." "I can feel that,¡± Cameron said softly. Bradley nodded. ¡°Cameron, I really think you should see them just once. You don''t have to decide anything right now. But meeting them doesn''t mean you''re giving in." He meant it. Bradley hoped she''d at least consider going home. The affection from the Yates family was real. That much was obvious. And Cameron had nothing to lose by hearing them out. My k 558 Cameron didn''t say a word. Bradley looked over gently. "What''s really bothering you, Cameron?" She hesitated, then said quietly, "They want to see me because I''m alive. That''s it. The excitement won''tst. Once they realize I''m not who they imagined me to be, I don''t know if they''ll still want me around." Bradley gave a softugh. "Come on, Cameron. You''re smart and capable. Of course they''ll want you around. They''ll be proud to have a son like you." "Really?" She used to be the promising one-more so than Milena. Everyone had ced their hopes on her. And still, she never truly belonged. Bradley seemed to read her thoughts. "The Yates family isn''t the same as the Wace family. "Cameron, you have to understand that being rted by blood makes a huge difference. Everything you went through with the Wace family was just because you weren''t their biological child. You can''t lump it all together. "Blood ties can make thingse easy; and without them, sometimes you get shut out for no reason." Cameron stayed silent. Bradley knew he needed to give her time to think. He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "Take your time and think it through." Then, Bradley left alone, giving Cameron some space to think. Cameron sat curled up on the couch with her arms around herself, her eyes locked on the untouched gift box on the table as she pondered her situation. She had no idea how long she had been lost in thoughts, but she only snapped out of it when the doorbell rang. She went to open the door, and a delivery guy was standing outside. Confused, she said, "I didn''t order any takeout." "It was ordered by Mr. Saunders," he exined. "Thanks." Cameron nodded and took the food. She hadn''t even realized she''d skipped dinner, but Bradley had remembered. At the dining table, she pulled out her phone, nning to transfer the money for dinner to Bradley. But her finger tapped into her call history instead, and without thinking, she dialed Lance. "Cameron?" Lance sounded both surprised and thrilled to get a call from her out of the blue. Cameron said, "Lance, let''s set up a time to meet up?" "Meet up? Meet who?" Lance asked. "Your family," Cameron replied. Lance was stunned that Cameron had actually agreed to meet his parents. The surprise came so suddenly that he could hardly believe what he heard. Lance blurted out, "Okay, I''ll set it up. I''ll let Mom, Dad, and Gavin know right now. Cameron, when are you free?" "Any time is good for me," Cameron answered. Lance sounded excited. "Great, just wait for me. I''ll check with Mom and Dad, and let you know as soon as we have a time." With that, he hung up and rushed off to discuss the matter with his parents. Meanwhile, Levi, Jacqueline, and Gavin were watching TV as they chatted away in the living room. Jacqueline let out a sigh, a hint of regret in her voice. "I shouldn''t have just given Cam a crest brooch. It feels like I didn''t put enough thought into it. L need to figure out something more meaningful to give her." Levi nced over and said casually, "Why don''t you give her a house too?" She shot him a look. "You already gave her one, so how am I supposed to top that?" He just said. "The more, the better." Gavin, watching his normally no-nonsense father being swayed so easily by Cameron, couldn''t help but find the whole situation absurd. He pressed his lips into a thin line but said nothing. Just then, Lance came running into the room, breathless with excitement. "Dad, Mom, Gavin! Cameron agreed to meet you guys." Jacqueline jumped up from the sofa, practically shaking with excitement. "Really? Cam actually said yes? Come on, let''s go right now." "Mom, it''ste now," Gavin said, the look on his face less than thrilled. Levi reached over to stop her. "Hold on and let Logan finish." Lance continued, "Cameron called just now. He said he''s ready to meet the whole family, and we can pick the time. When are you all free?" Jacqueline''s eyes filled with tears. "The sooner, the better." She could finally see her son-not from afar, not in passing, but face to face. She could talk to him, hold his hand, and call him by name. Levi said, "Then let''s do tomorrow at noon." Lance nodded. ¡°Okay, I''ll call Cameron right now." Gavin gave a half-smile. ¡°Looks like those gifts finally paid off." Hearing that, Lance frowned. "Gavin? What was that?" Gavin looked unfazed. "Nothing." Lance definitely heard Gavin right, but with their parents there, he let it go. Jacqueline nudged Logan. "Logan, hurry up and call Cam." Lance nodded. "Okay." He was about to leave with his phone when Levi called out, "Just make the call here." Jacqueline chimed in, "And put him on speaker." Lance was speechless, but he gave in because his parents were even more anxious than he''d expected. Finally, he dialed Cameron''s number and put it on speaker. After two rings, Cameron''s calm and t voice echoed through the living room. Her voice was a little low, but still pleasant to listen to. "Hello, Lance." When Jacqueline heard Cameron''s voice, her eyes welled up with tears instantly. She pped a hand over her mouth, trying not to make a sound. Levi gently pulled her into his arms, letting her lean against him without saying a word. He fixed his eyes on Lance''s phone, focusing on that tiny screen. Gavin watched the scene unfold in silence with a slight frown. He wondered, ''Is it really worth it? All this worry and all this emotion, for a son who didn''t seem to care?'' Jun "It''s me," Lance said. "Cameron, I just checked with the family. They''re free tomorrow. How about we meet at noon?" "Where?" Cameron asked. 84% Lance looked over at their parents. Levi mouthed, "On the ind." Lance nodded. "Cameron, how about I pick you up tomorrow and we go to the ind to meet with the family? Does that work for you?" Cameron said, "Lance, I only agreed to meet you all. I never said I''d go home with you." Hearing this, Jacqueline quickly waved her hand, signaling Lance to go with Cameron''s wishes. Lance said, ¡°Then you pick the ce." Cameron suggested, "Let''s just meet at a restaurant and grab lunch together?" Jacqueline nodded eagerly at Cameron''s suggestion. "Alright," Lance said. "Do you want to book the ce, or should I?¡± Cameron replied, "You do it." "Okay.¡± Lance agreed. Cameron said, "That''s settled then." "See you tomorrow," Lance said. As soon as Lance finished speaking, Cameron hung up. Jacqueline was already in tears. She grabbed Lance''s hand tightly and urged, "Lance, hurry up and book a ce, then send the address to Cam." "Got it." Lance nced at Gavin, then turned and headed out to make the arrangements. Jacqueline was so excited she could barely sit still. "Should we just leave the ind now? No, wait. I need to pick out something to wear. I can''t just meet Cam looking like this. Oh, and I need to get her a gift too." "Honey, calm down," Levi said. "Whatever you want to do, let''s take it one step at a time. There''s no rush." Jacqueline shook her head, still buzzing with excitement. "You need to change too. We can''t show up in our old clothes. Let''s hurry and buy something new." Levi said, "Alright, let''s go shopping." Gavin didn''t look thrilled. He stood up and said, "Mom, Dad, I''m heading back to my room." But Levi and Jacqueline were so excited about seeing Cameron the next day that they didn''t even notice anything amiss. Gavin left the living room with a grim look, and as soon as he stepped outside, he spotted Lance waiting in the shadows. The moment he came out, Lance immediately stepped forward. Clearly, Lance had been waiting for him. Gavin''s expression stayed grim. "What''s up, Lance?" Lance didn''t look any happier. ncing toward the house, where the living room sat a good 30 feet away, he lowered his voice and asked, "Gavin, talk in private?" With that, the two of them headed over to Gavin''s vi. Each of them-Levi and Jacqueline, Gavin, and Lance-had their own vi where they resided. we 10:09 Thu, 12 Jun "Go ahead." Gavin sat down on the leather sofa, his handsome face still looking pretty grim. Lance got straight to the point. "Gavin, do you have a problem with Cameron?" Gavin just stared at him in silence, Lance pressed, "What did you mean earlier when you said the gift finally worked?" Gavin replied, "So now you''re sticking up for at kid who won''t even acknowledge you a as his brother?" Lance frowned. "So you really do have a problem with Cameron. You haven''t even met him, so what''s your issue?" A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Gavin''s mouth. He didn''t bother hiding his feelings. Gavin said, "At first, I was honestly happy to hear our little brother is still alive. I was really looking forward to himing back to the Yates family. "But when you told me Cameron refused to acknowledge us as his family, and that''s when I started to have a problem with him." Lance said, "Gavin, you have to understand Cameron. He''s had a rough time with the Wace family all these years, so he''s got some trauma to work through." "And who hasn''t?" Gavin''s voice turned sharp. "You think it''s been easy for Mom and Dad? Especially Mom? Do you have any idea what she''s been through all these years?" Lance fell silent. Gavin continued, "So, ording to you, Cameron''s too scared to acknowledge us because of what happened with the Wace family? Is he really that fragile? Since when did the Yates family raise someone so weak?" "Cameron''s actually really impressive. He''s not weak," Lance said. Gavin let out a coldugh. "Right. So now, everything he says matters, but what I say doesn''t?" "You''re overthinking it," Lance replied. Gavin said, "If you guys want to go meet him tomorrow, go ahead. I won''t be there." Lance stared at him in shock. "You''re not going?" "Nope." Lance didn''t know what to say. "You can go now. I need to rest," Gavin added, clearly done with the conversation. Lance gave Gavin a helpless look, then left his vi. That night, while Lance scoured restaurant listings in Viremont looking for a convenient and upscale spot, Gavin quietly left the ind, saying he was going on a "business trip". Meanwhile, Levi and Jacqueline were back at the house, nervously and excitedly preparing to meet Cameron the next day. At 9 AM the next morning, Levi, Jacqueline, and Logan arrived at the hotel lobby, where the restaurant they would dine in for lunch was located. Jacqueline wasn''t happy. "How could Gavin go on a business trip at such an important time? What job could possibly be more important than meeting 10:09 Thu, 12 Jun O his brother?" Levi chimed in, "Gavin really went too far this time." Lance stayed silent, but he wanted to tell them that Gavin didn''t actually go on a business trip. He just didn''t want to see Cameron, so he left on purpose But seeing how excited his parents were, he didn''t want to ruin their mood. Lance said, "Mom, Dad, it''s only nine in the morning, and we''re meeting Cameron at noon. I booked a room, so why don''t you go up and rest for a bit?" Jacqueline gently smoothed out her new dress and waved him off. "It''s fine. Cam will be here soon. I''ll just wait in the lobby." Levi agreed, "We''ll wait here too." Lance blinked, thinking, ''There are still three hours to go. Are we really just going to stand here and wait?'' Lance tried, "How about I give Cameron a call and see if he cane a bit earlier?" Jacqueline quickly shook her head. "No, no, three hours will fly by. Don''t mess up Cam''s ns." Once again, Lance was rendered speechless. Following the location Lance sent her, Cameron took a cab to the hotel. As soon as she exited the car, she spotted Lance and the middle-aged couple standing behind him. The man looked just over forty. He was tall, sharp-featured, and dressed to impress in a crisp white shirt, ck cks, and polished dress shoes. He carried himself with quiet authority, but his warm smile softened everything. Cameron figured he had to be Levi, her father. Standing next to him was a beautiful, elegant woman in her forties. Her ssic, graceful beauty drew attention without trying. But at that moment, her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at Cameron. So, she was Jacqueline, her mother. They were her biological parents. Cameron stood there, just looking back at them, not knowing what to say for a moment. Lance said, "Cameron, you''re here. Let me introduce everyone. This is Dad, and this is Mom." Cameron gave them a small, polite nod, but it was clear that she was feeling awkward right now. "Cam..." Jacqueline called out, her eyes brimming with tears as she walked toward Cameron. She wanted to hug Cameron, but held herself back, afraid Cameron might not like it. Her tears just kept falling, no matter how hard she tried to stop them. Cameron and Lance really did look alike. When they stood side by side, it was obvious to anyone that they were siblings. "Honey," Levi said softly, reaching out to steady his wife. He looked just as emotional, but was doing a better job of keeping it together. "Cam, your mom''s just really happy to see you." Cameron pressed her lips together. She didn''t know what to say, and the moment grew heavy. Lance quickly spoke up. ¡°Let''s not just stand in the doorway. Why don''t we head to the restaurant?" Lance had booked a private room, so they walked in together. The door closed behind them, leaving just the four of them inside. Inside, arge round table filled most of the room, with a small lounge area off to the side. Lance pointed to the sofas. "Let''s sit over here and chat for a bit." Cameron sat on a single armchair, while Lance sat across from her, and their parents settled onto the couch closest to her. From the moment Cameron arrived at the hotel, her parents hadn''t taken their eyes off her. Cameron had never felt so out of ce before. The three people in front of her were her family, the people she was closest to in this world. But this was their very first meeting, and Cameron had no idea what to say. But honestly, she didn''t even need to start a conversation. Tears streamed down Jacqueline''s face. "Cam, I''m so sorry. I should''ve protected you back then. You''ve suffered so much all these years." Cameron looked up at her mom. Seeing how upset her mom was, Cameron felt awful too. She said, "It''s not your fault. You don''t have to me yourself for it." Jacqueline shook her head. "Cam, it''s my fault that I failed to protect you." Lance agreed with Cameron. "Mom, it really wasn''t your fault back then. You don''t have to take all the me." My k 559 Levi gently patted Jacqueline on the back. "Honey, this really isn''t your fault. You don''t have to feel so guilty about it. If anyone''s to me, it''s me! didn''t protect you or Cam well enough." Cameron, for a moment, had no idea what to say, and the same went for Lance. Lance said, "Mom, Dad, now''s not the time to argue about whose fault it is. The important thing is, Cameron is still here, safe and sound." Cameron bit her lip in silence, not knowing what to say. Hearing that, Jacqueline slowlyposed herself and stopped crying eventually. "You''re right. The fact that Cam is still alive and healthy is the greatest blessing to our family." With reddened eyes, she turned to Cameron. "Cam, I''m really happy you agreed to meet us. Thank you. Oh, and I got you a little something." Just as she was about to retrieve the gift, Cameron asked, "Didn''t you already give me the family''s crest broochst night?" Jacqueline paused, then smiled. "I did. Butpared to the gifts from your dad and your brothers, it felt a little in, so I got you something else." Levi chuckled and said, "You have no idea. Your mom wants to give you the best of everything in the world." Cameron looked down, unable to find the right words to describe her feelings. She could already feel how deeply her parents cared about her. She thought, ''Brad had been right. Just by being their biological daughter, I didn''t have to do anything to earn their love.'' Although Cameron felt their love for her, she didn''t know how to return that love. She couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is this affection just a passing thing, or would it reallyst?'' No one could say for sure. "Cam." Seeing Cameron stay silent, Jacqueline asked, "Are you pressured by the things I did? I just... I just want to make it up to you, that''s all." She spoke so carefully, as though afraid that one wrong move would push Cameron away. Watching from the side, Lance found it almost surreal. Jacqueline had always been graceful andposed. He''d never seen her this nervous or lower herself like this for anyone. Levi added, "Cam, if you have anything on your mind, just tell us. We''re your family, so you don''t have to hold back." Surely, Levi could tell Cameron was uneasy, and he understood why. This was their first real meeting in 18 years, and at her age, she was still just a kid. Finally, Cameron spoke up softly. "I... I''m just not used to it." She''d gotten used to being treated coldly by her adoptive parents, so this sudden affection really was hard for her to handle. As soon as she said that, her parents let out a sigh of relief. They''d been so worried that they''d mess things up and make Cameron dislike them. Lance said, "Cameron, once you return to the Yates family, you''ll get used to it, little by little." Lance was certain their parents would probably shower Cameron with everything they could once Cameron moved back in to make it up to her. Cameron nced at Lance but stayed quiet. She could feel just how much her parents cared about her. But when it came to moving back and staying with the Yates family, she honestly wasn''t sure. The entire time, Jacqueline kept a close eye on Cameron''s expression. Seeing no response, she figured Cameron was still a little hesitant. But tha okay, as this was already a huge step forward. At least they''d finally met. Jacqueline quickly shifted the mood with a gentle smile. "It''s already lunchtime. Let''s order something and talk while we eat. Cam, is there anything you''re in the mood for?" Lance added, "This hotel''s great, they have all kinds of dishes." "Cam, here''s the menu." Levi smiled and handed the menu to Cameron. Cameron nced at it, then slid it back to Jacqueline. "You can go ahead and order." She figured it was better to let the elders choose. Jacqueline looked slightly nervous, as she didn''t know what type of food Cameron liked. "I''m not a picky eater," Cameron said. Jacqueline''s face lit up. "Cam, do you eat spicy food?" Cameron nodded. "I do." Jacqueline smiled again. "What kind of dishes do you usually like?" Cameron thought for a moment. "Honestly, I really don''t mind anything. You can just order anything you want." Jacqueline was rendered speechless. After all, it can be tough ordering food for a group of people sometimes. So, Levi took the menu, read out the names of a few dishes, and asked Cameron, "How about these?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I''m good." At her response, Jacqueline and Levi quietly breathed a breath of relief. Lance took the menu next and added a few more dishes to the list. Then Jacqueline turned back to Cameron with a warm smile. "Cam, school''s starting soon, isn''t it?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Jacqueline asked, "What major did you pick? Can you tell me about it?" "Pharmacology," Cameron replied. Levi asked, "Pharmacology? Are you nning to work in that field?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Levi and Jacqueline exchanged a quick nce. Cameron didn''t seem like much of a talker-or maybe she just didn''t feel ready to open up yet. Either way, a brief, awkward pause filled the air. Lance broke the silence. "Mom, Dad, aren''t you going to tell Cameron more about our family?" Levi looked at him. "You didn''t tell her?" Lance said, "I just gave her a quick rundown." Jacqueline smiled. "Let me tell you then, Cam." With that, she started chatting away. The Yates family moved to the ind 18 years ago, back when it was nothing more than a stretch of emptynd. Over time, they transformed it into a thriving little city. Now, the ind had everything one would expect-schools, hospitals, amusement parks, shops, and supermarkets. Today, it was home to hundreds of thousands of people, and nearly everyone worked for the Yates family. Cameron nodded. "Got it." 10:09 Thu, 12 Jun 0 Cameron''s face didn''t show much, leaving Levi and Jacqueline unsure of what she was really thinking. Just then, there was a knock at the door. The waiter came in and began cing the dishes on the table individually. As soon as everything was set, Leyi and Jacqueline warmly helped fill Cameron''s te, piling it high with food. Cameron said, "That''s way too much. I can''t eat all this, and it''ll just go to waste.¡± Levi said, "It''s alright, don''t worry about it." Jacqueline smiled warmly. "Cam, is there anything else you want to eat?" Cameron replied, "This is enough." Lance jumped in, ncing at their parents. "Mom, Dad, we''ve got time. I know you want to make it up to Cameron, but let''s take it slow." Jacquelineughed. "Alright, we''ll take it slow." By the end of the meal, Cameron could truly feel how much Levi and Jacqueline cared about her. After lunch, Lance got right to the point. "Cameron, is your decision still the same? Why don''t youe home with us? Yates Manor is your home." As soon as he spoke, Levi and Jacqueline looked at her, nervous and wondering, ''Would Cam say yes?'' They''d wanted to ask her for a long time, but were afraid she''d be put off, so they never brought it up. They didn''t expect Lance to be so in tune with them and asked the question on their behalf. Cameron looked up at Lance, then nced at Levi and Jacqueline. Both were watching her closely, full of hope. Cameron was quiet for a moment, then said, "Can you give me a day to think about it?" "All right, all right," Jacqueline said quickly. "Cam, I really want you toe back with me, but I''m not in a rush. We''ll respect your choice." Levi said, "Cam, don''t stress yourself out over this." Lance said, "Cameron, we''ll be waiting for your answer," After the meal, Levi and Jacqueline hoped to spend more time with Cameron, but Lance stepped in and ended the meet-up. With that, Cameron said her goodbyes and left. Levi and Jacqueline watched as Cameron got into the taxi. Jacqueline''s eyes were teary, and she almost ran after Cameron for a moment, but she held back. Lance repeated, "Mom, Dad, Cameron said she needs a day to think about it. Don''t worry, a day will fly by." So, Levi and Jacqueline stayed at the hotel. That way, if Cameron agreed to return with them, they could take her home immediately. Cameron sat in the back of the taxi, watching the city streets slide by in reverse as her mind raced. She honestly didn''t even know how to put her feelings into words right now. There was something warm and familiar about her parents; she could feel how much they cared about her too. Maybe going back wouldn''t be so bad after all. ''But how long could a rtionshipst without a real emotional foundation?'' she wondered. Just as she was wavering, a WhatsApp message from Elijah popped up. [Cameron, you didn''te to work today?] He''d waited in thepany lobby again that morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bradley dropping her off. But when it got close to clock in time and there was still no sign of either of them, he figured maybe she''de in early. But even at lunch, Elijah kept scanning the cafeteria, but Cameron was nowhere to be found. At this point, he couldn''t hold back anymore and finally sent her a message. Cameron replied: [Yeah, something came up, so I didn''t go to work. I probably won''t be in for the next few days too.] Elijah: [You''re noting in for the next few days? Is something up? Need any help?] Cameron looked at Elijah''s message and smiled. He was still the same-quiet on the surface, but always kind underneath. Cameron: [Elijah, I don''t think this is something you can Elijah: [Cameron, would you mind telling me about it?] help with.] Back then, Elijah would''ve never asked so directly. But after seeing Bradley pick Cameron up from work yesterday, something about it had unsettled him. He''d always known she was closest to Bradley, and he didn''t dare dream to be her best friend. But it was enough for him if he could be someone she turned to when things got hard. Cameron: [It''s hard to talk about this over text.] Elijah: [Where are you? I''lle find you.] Cameron thought about it and figured there was no harm in telling him. Cameron: [Noble Vista.] Elijah: [I''ll be there soon.] Half an hourter, Elijah knocked on Cameron''s door. When Camern went to open the door, she was surprised to find him already there. "That was fast." "You okay?" he asked, slightly out of breath, a thinyer of sweat on his forehead as he looked her over with concern. Cameron smiled. "I''m fine. Want to wash your face first?" "I''m good-" he started, then paused, remembering that Cameron was a bit of a clean freak. He quickly corrected himself. "Actually, yeah. I''ll go wash up." Cameron handed Elijah a clean towel, then brewed him a cup of coffee. Elijah sat down across from her. "So... are you ready to talk about it?" Cameron said, "Elijah, I found my birth parents. I skipped work today to meet them at lunch." Technically, they were the ones who found her. Elijah looked genuinely surprised. "You found your family? That''s amazing. Congrats." "Thanks,¡± Cameron said. ¡°Now I''m just not sure if I should go back to them." "You''re not sure?" Elijah raised a brow. "You don''t want to?" "I didn''t before. But after seeing them today... I''m not so sure anymore. They''re actually really kind people," she said. A small smile tugged at Elijah''s lips. "So now you''re leaning toward going back?" Chapter 559 Cameron nodded honestly. "Yeah." She had to admit that Levi and Jacqueline gave her a real sense of warmth. She could feel how sincere they were and felt the fates household probably had a great atmosphere. Maybe just like how it was at Bradley''s ce. Elijah took a sip of coffee and said, "Then go back to them, Cameron. Maybe you''ll find what you''ve been missing all these years." Cameron asked, "You think I should go back to the Yates family too?" ¡°Too?¡± Elijah immediately caught that word. ¡°Brad said the same thing. He thinks I should go home to them," she exined. Elijah nodded, thinking, ''So, Cameron had already told Brad. Am I thest one to know?'' Without thinking, he asked, "What about Austin and Xander? Did they say the same?" Cameron shook her head. "They don''t know about this." Hearing that, Elijah finally felt relieved. If Austin and Xander didn''t know about this, that had to mean something, right? Elijah wondered if that meant he was more important than the two. He knew there was no point inparing them this way, but he couldn''t help but dive deeper into it. With a small smile, Elijah said, ¡°Cameron, I really think you should go back to your family. Family is something you just can''t do without." Even though Elijah''s parents were hardly ever around, he still loved them. "I''ll think about it," Cameron said. ¡°Thanks foring all the way here just to talk." "It''s nothing. Honestly, the reason I even took that job at yourpany was so I could-" Elijah stopped himself halfway through. He couldn''t let Cameron know he wanted to see her daily. He couldn''t say that out loud. She''d probably start avoiding him if she found out how he felt. Cameron finished his sentence for him, "I know, you''re just here to get some experience." Elijah didn''t deny that. Suddenly, a thought urred to him. "Oh, right. How did your family find you? Are you sure they''re really your parents?" Cameron was, after all, the top scorer in this year''s college entrance exam. The school had awarded her three million dors and a luxury property worth the same amount. It wouldn''t be surprising if someone tried to scam her. "I met a girl when I was taking my driving test..." she began, and gave him a simple summary of what had happened honestly. But to this day, Cameron still hadn''t figured out who that girl really was. All she knew was that the girl had two older brothers. "Well, since the paternity test was done, I feel more relieved," Elijah said. Cameron smiled. "Elijah, do I really look like someone who''s easy to scam?" Elijah said, "Not at all." The two of them kept chatting, and before they knew it, hours had passed. Cameron only realized it was already dinnertime when she got a WhatsApp text from Bradley. Bradley: (Where are you?] Cameron: (Noble Vista.] Bradley: [Want to grab dinner together?] Cameron: [Elijah''s at my ce.] Cameron looked at Elijah, asking, "Elijah, you wanna grab dinner together?" My k 560 ¡°Sure,¡± Elijah said without hesitation. Cameron added casually, "Brad''sing too." Elijah didn''t respond, once again struck by how close Cameron and Bradley were. Good thing they were just friends. Otherwise, Elijah might''ve actually gotten jealous. Bradley sent another text. [Why is he at your ce?] Cameron replied: [He came to talk me through things.] Bradley: [Is it about the Yates family?] Cameron: [Yeah.], Bradley: [I''ll be there soon. Let''s talk in person.] When Bradley said he''d be right over, he meant it and showed up in less than 15 minutes. "Brad,¡± Elijah greeted, standing as the door opened. "Elijah, you''re here too." Bradley nodded at him. Cameron nced at the clock. "What do you guys want to eat? It''s about time for dinner." "Let''s just order takeout," Bradley suggested. It didn''t make sense to eat out when they needed to discuss the Yates family''s matter. ¡°I''ll handle it,¡± Elijah said, pulling out his phone. Bradley nodded. "Go ahead, Elijah.¡± As Elijah browsed the food options, Bradley sat down next to Cameron. Across from them, Elijah looked up at Bradley briefly, then lowered his head and focused on the menu. Bradley loungedzily on the sofa, looking totally at home, like this was his own ce. And honestly, it had been his home once. Bradley asked Cameron, "So, have you made up your mind? Are you going to meet your parents?" Cameron replied, "Brad, I actually met them for lunch today." Bradley looked a little surprised. "That quick?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Bradley smiled. "So, how were they? Did they change your mind?" Cameron said, "They were great, and I''ve pretty much decided already. Elijah just talked me through it." Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and nced over at Elijah. Hearing Cameron''s words, Elijah looked up, almost instinctively meeting Bradley''s gaze. Their gazes met-one warm and smiling, the other cool and unreadable. Bradley said, half-joking, "Looks like your advice worked better than mine." Elijah replied calmly, "She decided on her own. I just helped her think it through." In other words, Elijah was saying no one could sway Cameron''s decisions. Cameron said, "Both of you helped me, actually. So, I''ve decided that I''m going back to reunite with the Yates family." Bradley smiled. "That''s a great decision." Elijah asked, "So Cameron, you''re not going to thepany for now?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, school starts in a little over ten days, so I''ll just take a break until then." David hadn''t disappointed her; he did a great job running Aurevia Biotech. Cameron didn''t n to get involved in the management side anyway. Her focus was-and always would be- "That''s good," Bradley said. "You should spend some real time with your family before school starts." After all, bonds and great rtionships were built from the moments spent together. Cameron nodded. "That''s my n for now." Elijah said, ¡°Then I''ll go resign tomorrow too." Cameron asked, "You''re quitting?" Elijah replied, "Yeah." Bradley pushed up his sses. "Elijah, don''t tell me you''re quitting just because Cameron is?" -on research and development. Elijah nced up at him, then shook his head. "No. School''s starting soon, so I figured I should start getting ready too." Cameron said, "You were just there to get some experience anyway, Elijah. You don''t have to go in anymore. I''ll let them know, and you''ll still get paid." Elijah nodded. "Alright." Bradley leaned back on the couch. "Man, I envy you two. Still on break while I''m stuck working." Elijah said, ¡°Brad, you''re way ahead of us." They still looked like students, but Bradley already carried himself like someone who belonged in a boardroom. Even though Cameron owned her ownpany, she still didn''t seem as mature as Brad. She raised an eyebrow. "Well, Brad... that''s what happens when you''re toopetent. More skills, more work." Bradley smiled but said nothing. The next day, Lance couldn''t hold back and called Cameron. To be fair, it was s only after his parents had pushed him to do it about a hundred times. Coincidentally, it was exactly the same time she''d left the hotel the day before. A full twenty-four hours, down to the minute. As soon as the call connected, Lance spoke first, "Hey, Cameron. Have you made up your mind?" Holding her phone, Cameron said calmly, "Yeah, I''ve decided." Lance had his phone on speaker. At that moment, the three of them-Lance, Jacqueline and Levi-were all sitting in the hotel room, crowded around the phone. 8421 The second Cameron said she''d made up her mind, all three of them held their breath simultaneously. Jacqueline was visibly shaking from nerves. Levi wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to calm her, even though he was just as tense. Even Lance''s palms were sweating for no reason. With his throat tight and his parents watching him anxiously, Lance asked, "So, Cameron, what did you decide?" Cameron said, "I''ve decided to go back with you." "Cam!" The moment Jacqueline heard that, she burst into tears. "Thank you. Thank you for being willing toe back to me. Can Ie pick you up right now?" Levi jumped in, his voice full of emotion. "Cam, I''m so d you''reing home. Where are you? We''re still at the same hotel as yesterday. Can we pick you up?" Cameron said, "I''m at Noble Vista. Lance knows where it is." For once, the cold expression on Lance''s facepletely disappeared, and he couldn''t stop smiling. "Cameron, no, Cam. I''m your older brother now." Cameron said, "Come over then, my brother." Lance was stunned. He never expected Cameron to acknowledge him as her older brother this quickly. "Alright, I''ll bring Mom and Dad over right now," Lance said, grinning from ear to ear, "Cam." Jacqueline''s eyes were brimming with tears. She really wanted to hear Cameron call her "Mom" too, and Levi wanted her to call him "Dad" as well. However, he knew it was best not to rush things. He shook his head at Jacqueline, signaling her to be patient. "Cam, we''ll be right there. Just wait for us, okay?" Cameron nodded. "Okay." With that, Lance hung up. When the call ended, their parents hugged each other and sobbed, "Cam finally acknowledged us as her family." Lance blinked fast, trying to hold it together. He didn''t expect things to turn around this fast, especially not after how firmly Cameron had said no just yesterday. He drove straight to Noble Vista. If his parents had it their way, he would''ve been flooring it the whole time. By the time they got to Cameron''s door, Lance was already reaching to knock when his mom stopped him. "Wait." "What is it, Mom?" Lance paused, his hand in midair. Jacqueline smoothed out her dress. "How do I look?" Levi jumped in, "You look beautiful." Still, she pulled out apact mirror and gave herself a quick once-over. She looked incredible for someone in her fifties. She was graceful and elegant, with not a wrinkle in sight on her face. She sighed, "I look so much more worn out now," She''d spent thest day and nightpletely on edge. "Mom, you really do look beautiful. Can I knock now?" Lance asked. "Hold on." This time, it was Levi who spoke up. "What is it, Dad?" Lance asked. His dad looked down, straightened his shirt, and asked, "How about me?" Lance was speechless, stunned by his dad''s question and the fact that he cared about his appearance now. This was something that had never happened before. However, Logan understood that his parents just wanted to make a good impression on Cameron. Lance gave him a thumbs up. "Dad, you look great." Levi didn''t say anything, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Lance raised his hand again. "Can I knock now?" "Go ahead," Jacqueline urged. Lance knocked a few times, and the door finally opened a momentter, revealing Lance, Levi, and Jacqueline smiling. Seeing their smiles, something in Cameron softened. She smiled too, just a little. Before she could say a word, Jacqueline stepped forward and took her hand. "Cam." With tears in her eyes, Jacqueline grabbed Cameron''s hand. She wanted to hug Cameron, but she''d heard from Lance that Cameron was a bit of a clean freak, so she just held her hand tightly instead. "Cam." Levi came over too, and gave Cameron a gentle pat on the shoulder. Cameron didn''t respond right away. She wanted to call them Mom and Dad, but when she opened her mouth, the words just wouldn''te out. She''d used those words for eighteen years, with people who never made her feel loved. But for some reason, calling Lance her brother just felt natural. "Mom, Dad, let''s go inside first," Lance said, helping Cameron out of the awkward moment. The four of them walked in together. Jacqueline looked around the small apartment, her heart sinking. "Cam, this is where you''ve been staying?" Cameron answered honestly, "I just crash here sometimes." Levi said, "Cam, grab your things. We''re taking you home right now." Lance chimed in, "You don''t need to pack, our house has everything. Oh, Mom, Dad, we should have someone get Cameron''s vi ready." Both Gavin and Lance had their own vi, with five floors above ground and three floors below. Even though "Cameron" was gone right after birth, Levi and Jacqueline still built a vi just for her. For over ten years, no one lived there, but it was always kept spotless. Jacqueline said, "I''ll call someone to get it ready right now." Then, she stepped aside to make the call. Levi looked at Cameron with a gentle smile. "Cam, since there''s nothing to pack, let''s go." "Okay." Cameron nodded without hesitation. Lance led the way out, and Cameron followed right behind him. Lance was nearly 6''3", while Cameron stood about 5''8" tall. Walking behind him, she looked a full head shorter. Levi noticed the height difference and sighed to himself, feeling a pang of guilt. He was 6''1" himself, but Cameron, as his "son" was only 5''8" It seemed to Levi that the Wace family hadn''t taken great care of Cameron''s meals, which was why she ended up smaller than she should''ve been. UY And now, at eighteen, it was likely toote to change that. Levi only wished that they had found Cameron sooner. Height wasn''t everything, but for a boy, it mattered. Levi stared at Cameron''s back, guilt weighing heavily in his chest. From now on, he''d do everything he could to make up for it. Jacqueline came back after home." finishing the call. Seeing Levi still standing there, watching Cameron, she gently took his hand. ¡°Come on. Let''s bring him Levi squeezed her hand and nodded firmly. "Yeah, let''s go home." They drove straight to the Yates family''s private helipad and boarded a helicopter. It carried them across the sea, heading for the ind. A little over an hourter, the helicopter touched down on the ind, and they Jacqueline, both excited and a little nervous, gently took Cameron''s hand. "Cam, we''re home. Look." As she said that, she pointed toward the row of vis in the distance. Cameron looked up: She''d seen plenty of extravagant houses in the different ven so, the sight in front of her stiff caught her worlds she''d pas off guard. thro but The Yates family was way wealthier than she''d expected. Sure, Jacqueline had mentioned they were well-off, but this level of wealth was another level. Levi walked beside Cameron and smiled gently. "Cam, let''s get you settled down. You must be tired after such a long trip." Lance chimed in, "Dad, the flight was only about ten minutes." Honestly, the drive from Noble Vista to the helipad took longer than the helicopter ride. Levi shot Lance a look, which sessfully shut the young man up. Levi was being so gentle with Cameron that Lance almost forgot how strict his dad usually was. In the past, neither Lance nor Gavin ever dared to go against their father. As they walked, Cameron finally asked the question that had been on her mind. "Oh right, Logan. I wanted to ask you about the girl who took the driving test with me. Who is she?" "That''s your cousin," Jacqueline answered for Lance. "She''s Lucian''s daughter, and Lucian is your dad''s younger brother." Cameron nodded. Now, she finally had her answer. Lance added, "Yeah, her name''s Helen, and she''s the only girl in our family, so everyone adores her. Especially our eldest brother, Gavin. He absolutely dotes on her." Gavin actually treated Helen better than Lance, who was his younger brother, all because he wanted to have a younger sister to pamper. Jacqueline smiled. "Cam, you''ve met your cousin already. She''s got a great personality, and she''s super lively. I''m sure you two will get along really well." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, she''s really enthusiastic." If it weren''t for Helen, Cameron probably wouldn''t have returned to Yates Manor so soon. Thinking about it, she figured she owed Helen a thank you. "Cam, you still haven''t met your eldest brother. He''s been away on a business trip, but he said he''ll be back today. I bet he''ll be really d to see you," Levi said. Cameron nodded. "I''m really looking forward to meeting my eldest brother too." Levi and Jacqueline were taken aback, wondering, ''Why is it that Cameron has no problem acknowledging his two brothers, but he refuses to call us Mom and Dad? Plus, Gavin didn''t even show up.'' 10:10 Thu, 12 Jun ¡°Aunt Jacqueline, Uncle Levi, Logan.¡± From a distance, H¨¦len came running over, grinning from ear to ear. Helen was over the moon when she found out Cameron was really her cousin. The second she found out, she''d hopped on a helicopter and rushed back without a second thought. The four of them stopped in their tracks. "Hey, cuzzie. I''m Helen, and we meet again," Helen ran up, a little out of breath, and greeted Cameron. Cameron nodded. "Hi Helen. I''m Cameron Wace." Levi gently corrected her, "It''s Cameron Yates." "Cameron Yates," Cameron repeated. Jacqueline smiled and ruffled Cameron''s hair. "Cam, you''re such a good boy." It was rare to see a boy this calm and respectful. Neither Lance nor Gavin had ever been this easy to manage. Cameron nced at Jacqueline. The word "Mom" hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back down. Helen grinned. "Aunt Jacqueline, Cam isn''t just well-behaved, he''s seriously handsome too. He looks straight out of a movie." AD Comment My k 561 Jacqueline lit up at thepliment. "Helly, you really know how to make someone''s day." Helen grinned at Cameron. "Aunt Jacqueline, I''m just stating the facts." Levi nodded. "She''s right." After all, his son was definitely good-looking. They slowly made their way into the main hall. Jacqueline pulled Cameron down beside her on the couch, and the two slipped right into conversation, like they''d known each other for years. Levi, Lance, and Helen sat mearby, asionally chiming in. The whole room felt cozy, light, and full of life. That was, until Gavin walked in. Gavin walked in wearing a light blue button-down, ck cks, and handcrafted leather shoes. At 25 years old, he had a mature,manding presence. Something about him made people sit up straighter, instinctively cautious, like a single nce from him could pin one to the spot. The moment he stepped into the room, his eyesnded on Helen, lounging on the couch. His expression, cool and unreadable just seconds before, instantly melted into a soft smile. "Helly, when did you get back?" "Gavin!" Helen''s face lit up when she saw him. She jumped to her feet, ran over, and looped her arm through his. "You''re back." Gavin smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I just got back from a business trip. If I''d known you were home, I would''ve brought you a gift." Helen grinned. "It''s fine, Gavin. You always bring me something when you travel. Honestly, I''m just happy you''re back, with or without a gift." "You really are the sweetest," Gavin said, ruffling her hair. Anyone who didn''t know better would probably think they were siblings. Gavin doted on Helen just like she was his little sister, after all. Growing up, he used to envy kids who had little sisters. And now that he didn''t have a real one, his cousin would do just fine. "Gavin, you''re back. Come over and see who''s here," Jacqueline called out happily. Gavin nced over at his mom. There stood Cameron, who was looking at Gavin and greeting him politely. "Gavin." He was tall, maybe 6''2", with a straight posture and sharply defined features. Clearly, the Yates family had hit the gic jackpot. Gavin''s gazended on Cameron. She was dressed simply in a white tee and a pair of light blue jeans. But her features were soft, striking, and almost delicate. She looked so good that she almost seemed ethereal. She really did resemble Lance. But that was where the simrity stopped. Where Lance came off cold and distant, Cameron had an easy, clean-cut energy that was fresh and youthful. Gavin hadn''t expected Cameron to return home today after just agreeing to meet up yesterday. He thought, ''Didn''t he say before that he wasn''ting back? Was it because he didn''t know our family was loaded, so he didn''t want toe? And now that he knows, he''s suddenly willing toe back?'' Gavin already had issues with Cameron, and seeing him now just annoyed him even more. So, he responded. "Hey." But with both his parents around, Gavin soon nodded at Cameron and said, "Wee home." After that, he turned to Helen. "Helly, where have you been hanging outtely? You look like you''ve gained some pounds." 10:46 Fri, 13 Jun G "No way. Gavin, don''t lie to me. I didn''t gain any weight." Helen got all nervous. Gaining weight was one of the things girls feared the most. Gavin ruffled her hair again. "I''m just messing with you. Look how freaked out you are." "Gavin..." Helen tugged at his arm. Off to the side, Lance was watching. He noticed Gavin barely nced at Cameron and he pressed his lips into a thin line. He thought, ''Gavin is seriously out of line. Cam is our little brother, and we finally ught him home after 18 years. But this is how he acts?'' But with their parents and Cameron all here, Lance couldn''t say anything. "Gavin." Even Levi couldn''t take it anymore. "Come here." Gavin didn''t dare push back against his dad. He let the smile fall from his face and walked to Cameron. Expressionlessly, he held out his hand. "Wee back." 82% +38 Cameron didn''t take it. She could feel how empty the gesture was, so she just gave a polite nod. "Thanks." She had always been good at reading people and didn''t need much to figure someone out. It was obvious Gavin didn''t like her, and Cameron wasn''t the type to force niceties with someone who clearly didn''t want her there. Gavin''s hand hovered in the air for an awkward second before he let it drop and gave a tight-lipped smile. He scoffed in his mind, ''I see he''s got a temper. The room fell into silence, and it suddenly felt a little awkward. Lance''s expression turned solemn. He didn''t say anything, but the frustration in his eyes said plenty. Gavin had crossed a line, and honestly, no one could me Cameron for refusing to shake his hand. Jacqueline hadn''t imagined their first meeting would go like this. Gavin was her oldest son, and seven years older than Cameron. He was supposed to be the example, the one leading with grace. But right now, he was anything but that. Still, with Cameron standing right there, she kept her thoughts to herself. Thest thing she wanted was to make the moment worse or make Cameron feel more ufortable. Levi didn''t look any happier. He could see right through Gavin''s passive- aggressive act, and it made his blood boil. But for Cameron''s sake, he bit back the urge to go off. Instead, he turned to Helen. "Sweetheart, why don''t you head home? The rest of us need to have a talk." "Okay, Uncle Levi." Helen could tell things were getting tense, so she quickly got away, taking off like a shot. Levi looked at Gavin. "Gavin,e outside for a minute." With that, he left the living room and headed out to the courtyard, with Gavin following behind him. It was peak summer, and the heat hung heavy in the air. Both of them were dressed formally, which only made the atmosphere more suffocating Levi''s face was tense, the air between them thick with pressure. Gavin stood in front of him, tense without even realizing it. It was a knee-jerk reaction he''d had since he was a kid. In the Yates family, his word was final. Aside from Jacqueline, who could sometimes talk him down, no one else had a say in front of him. Levi cut straight to the point sternly, his voicecking the warmth he had when speaking to Cameron. "Did you skip meeting Cam on purpose yesterday?" Gavin didn''t answer right away because Levi had seen right through him. And since Levi had discovered the truth, there was no point in denying it now 10:46 Fri, 13 Jun G Gavin said, "Dad, you guys put him on too high a pedestal." "Put him on a pedestal?" Levi''s face got even more grim. "Gavin, is this how a big brother should act? Do you have any idea how much our family owes Cam after all these years?" Gavin said, "I know, but we tried to bring him back for so long, and he turned us down." "So what if he turned you down? He''s still just a kid. What''s the big deal?" Levi questioned. Gavin clenched his jaw. He thought, ''A kid? Come on, he''s 18, and he''s already an adult. Gavin remembered that when he turned 18, Levi made it clear that he was now an adult responsible for his own life. So, the Yates family wouldn''t pay for anything besides tuition and basic living expenses for him. But when it came to Camer¨°n, Levi couldn''t understand how she could still be treated as a kid. Levi said seriously, "Gavin, remember you''re their big brother, so act like one. You have so much to learn from Lance. See how he''s treating Cam." Gavin didn''t respond, but his silence said more than enough. After lecturing Gavin, Levi went back to the living room. He looked at Cameron with a smile. "Cam, are you hungry? Dinner should be ready by now." Cameron smiled back. "I''m okay." Lance stood up. "I''ll go check on the kitchen." To wee Cameron back home, Jacqueline had the kitchen whip up a huge feast. She''d actually nned to cook everything herself, but she just couldn''t bear to leave Cameron''s side, not even for a second. Everything right now felt so perfect that it was almost like a dream, and deep down, she truly feared it was one. Gavin walked in a few steps behind Levi, watching as his dad''s attitudepletely shifted the second he looked at Cameron. Seeing the difference in treatment, Gavin felt mixed emotions. He just hoped Cameron was really worth all this special treatment from the family. After all, she did share the same blood as them. But Cameron had been out there for 18 years, so Gavin was wary about the person she had be. A few minutester, Lance came back out, and not long after, the five of them made their way to the dining room. The table was absolutely covered with delicious dishes, and there were still plenty more that hadn''t even been brought out yet. Gavin almost wanted to say something about food wastage, but when he saw his parents and Lance all practically fighting over who got to serve Cameron first, he bit his tongue. He thought about what Levi had said earlier, and after a pause, he picked up his spoon and added a few things to Cameron''s te too. "Um... this is more than enough," Cameron said softly, unsure how to handle the sudden flood of attention. "Alright, alright, that''s enough." Jacqueline looked at her with pure affection. Levi chuckled. ¡°You take your time, Cam. And if you ever want something specific, just tell me, I''ll have the kitchen make it for you." Cameron''s fingers tightened slightly around her cutlery. Then, she looked up at him and said, carefully, "Thank you... Dad." Levi froze and stared at Cameron in shock, wandering if his ears were ying tricks on him. His eyes went wide as he stared at her. "Cam, what did you just call me? I didn''t catch that." 10:46 Fri, 13 Jun G Cameron smiled. "Dad." "Yes!" Levi answered, his voice loud and clear. 81%•þ Jacqueline''s eyes immediately welled with tears. She hadn''t even been the one Cameron addressed, but her heart swelled all the same. That one word meant Cameron had finally epted them. It was everything they''d been hoping for. Levi caught the emotion on Jacqueline''s face and gently nudged, "Cam, do you think you could call her ''Mom'' too?" Cameron looked at Jacqueline, stayed quiet for a few seconds, then called out, "Mom." "Oh, dear," Jacqueline answered right away. Sitting next to Cameron, she happily wrapped her arms around Cameron''s shoulders. She''d waited for this moment and thought she might have to wait forever. But it came so soon and so unexpectedly that she couldn''t stop crying. Cameron, clearly flustered by the sudden wave of emotion, quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears. Jacqueline smiled through her tears, holding Cameron''s hand. "Let me do it." Across the table, Lance smiled. Being together with his family made him the happiest. Meanwhile, Gavin watched the scene in bewilderment, thinking, ''Seriously? Is this really that big of a deal? Were Mom and Dad this emotional when Lance and I first called them Mom and Dad?'' After dinner, everyone moved to the living room to chat. Gavin, learning how not to stand out like a sore thumb, joined in here and there, just enough to blend in without drawing attention to himself. Lance spoke up, "Mom, Dad, it''s gettingte. Let Cameron get some rest." Jacqueline took Cameron''s hand. "Cam, the vi out back is yours. Will you be scared to stay there alone?" Cameron smiled. "Mom, I''m not a little kid anymore." Levi chuckled. "You just turned 18, so you''re still a kid to us. How about staying in the guest room next to ours tonight? It''d be easier for us to check in on you." Gavin couldn''t take it anymore. "Come on, Dad. He''s 18, and he can''t possibly be scared to sleep by herself. Logan and I were living on our own by the time we were 12." Levi shot him a look. "Did anyone ask for your opinion?" Gavin immediately shut his mouth. Cameron said, "I''ll go with whatever you and Mom decide." Jacqueline smiled. "Alright, Cam. Then, you''ll stay in the room right next to ours." Cameron nodded. "Sure." Lance asked, "Mom, did the toiletries and clothes you had someone buy for Cam get delivered yet?". Just as Logal finished speaking, a housekeeper entered the ce, carrying a load of paper bags. Jacqueline quickly took them. "Cam, here''s the shirt, pants, bathrobe, men''s face wash, a razor, hair wax... Cameron stood there, quietly and patiently, letting her finish listing everything. 10:46 Fri, 13 Jun G Levi noticed the silence and theck of expression on her face. "Cam, don''t you like them?" Cameron nodded calmly. "Not really." Jacqueline looked a little flustered. "You don''t? That''s my fault. I''ll send them out to get something else right away." Gavin frowned. "Why don''t you like them?" He thought, ''Seriously? Is it because these things aren''t expensive enough? A few days ago, they''d given him a house, a crest brooch, a sports car, and a designer watch. And now that it''s just some clothes and toiletries, suddenly he doesn''t like them? ''Figures. He must''ve picked up some bad habits after being out there so long!'' Cameron shot Gavin a calm nce but didn''t answer his question. Instead, she turned to Jacqueline. "Mom, it''s not that what you bought is bad. It''s just that I can''t use any of it." Lance asked, "Why not? Mom bought all the essentials." Cameron nodded. "I know, but those are things boys need. It''s just..." "Just what?" Jacqueline asked. Cameron said, "Dad, Mom, Logan, there''s something I need to tell you." Levi nodded. "Go ahead." Cameron said, "I''m not a boy. I''m a girl." Everyone in the room froze. Levi blinked, like he couldn''t trust what he just heard. "What did you say? You''re a girl? That... that can''t be right." Cameron nodded. "It''s true. I''ve just been pretending to be a boy since I was little." Jacqueline''s voice came out soft. "Pretending to be a boy? But why? Cam, are you really a girl?" "I am," Cameron said. "And I''ll exin the whole thingter, as it''s a long story. But I promise I''m telling the truth. So it''s not that I don''t like what you bought. I just really can''t use any of it." Lance stared at her like the ground had shifted under him, "So you''re my little sister? That''s why you''re so short. It makes sense now." The second the words left his mouth, Levi smacked him lightly on the back. "You little punk," Levi grumbled. "Who are you calling short?" Lance quickly ducked. "I''m short, Dad. It''s me." Meanwhile, Gavin''s voice was trembling. "Cameron... you''re really a girl? For real? Can you prove it?" Gavin''s heart raced as he thought, ''Cameron''s a girl? I actually have a sister now? Finally, I don''t have to envy those people with younger sisters anymore, do I?'' He couldn''t believe it. This was something he hadn''t even dared to wish for. But Cameron just shot him a cold look, as if she hadn''t heard his question at all. Lance nced sideways at Gavin, then looked back at Cameron. "Wait... are you messing with us right now?" 10:46 Fri, 13 Jun G Logan couldn''t tell that Cameron was a girl who had been ying dress-up as a boy this whole time. "Hold on." Cameron pulled her ID out of her bag and handed it to Lance. Her ID was the only thing she''d brought to the ind. AD My k 562 Lance took the ID card, and Gavin immediately leaned in for a closer look. Lance read the details on the ID aloud. "Name, Cameron Wace. Gender, Female..." He looked up at Cameron, still in disbelief even after seeing the ID. ¡°Cam, you''re really a girl? So you''re my sister, not my brother?" Cameron nodded. "Logan, just trust me. I really am a Lance said, ¡°But you don''t act like one at all." Cameron said nothing. She just thought, ''So I pulled off the disguise better than I thought.'' No one ever suspected her, not even once. And whenever she told someone the truth, they would always be in total disbelief. "You''re actually a girl!" Gavin was practically shouting,pletely lit up. "I have a sister. I finally have a sister!" But Cameron didn''t even look his way. Their parents crowded around to check Cameron''s ID, and sure enough, the ID card confirmed her gender as female. Even with proof in front of them, it was hard to wrap their heads around it. For 18 years, they thought they had another son. And now, just like that, they had a daughter. Of course, it didn''t change how they felt about her. Boy or girl, she was their child either way. It was just wild to realize that they''d actually had a daughter all along! Back when Jacqueline was pregnant, she and Levi had hoped for a daughter. With two boys already, it felt like the missing piece in their family. Most parents dream of having both sons and daughters. They just never expected that dream woulde true so many yearster. "Cam..." Jacqueline didn''t even think twice about Cameron being a clean freak anymore. She pulled her into a tight hug, heart aching at the thought of all the pain her daughter must have suffered. "You''re finally home with me.¡± From now on, she was determined to make it up to Cameron and give her all the love she missed. Cameron gently hugged her back. "Mom, I''m sorry I didn''t tell you sooner." Jacqueline shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "Don''t apologize, Cam. It''s me who let you down and made you suffer so much all these years..." Cameron softly patted her back. "Mom, it''s all in the past now." Her days with the Wace family had truly been a living hell, but that was all behind her now. And none of it was her mother''s fault, as she was a victim too. Levi, on the other hand, was momentarily stunned. He couldn''t believe that he had a daughter now. Every father secretly dreamed of having a daughter/and Levi was no exception. He never imagined his son would turn out to be his daughter. He was so happy, he could barely think straight. Cameron spent quite a whileforting Jacqueline before she finally calmed down. When Cameron helped Jacqueline sit on the sofa, Levi finally snapped out of his daze. A huge smile spread across his face as he asked, "Cam, can Daddy hug you too?" Levi would remember two moments as the happiest of his life. One was the day he married Jacqueline, and this moment right now. 10.40 81% He looked at Cameron, both hopeful and a little nervous. She paused, a little surprised by Levi''s request, then nodded. 30 Levi''s face softened. He stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around her, ruffling her hair as he said, "I finally have a daughter. You''re my sweet, precious girl." He was so tender in that moment, it was almost hard to believe he was the same strict, stoic man his two sons had always known. Cameron stayed there in his arms, leaning into the embrace. He was tall, and his cologne was subtle but calming. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. And for a moment, without meaning to, her mind drifted to Milena. She remembered how jealous she used to be of her, which hurt. AD Comment My k 563 Because Milena was the one Martin adored, she could snuggle into his arms or perch on hisp, ying sweet and coy while he looked at her the the was his whole world. But little Cameron could only stand off to the side, watching with envy. She never knew what it felt like to be held by her father, and now, she was finally feeling it. It turned out that a father''s embrace was warm and safe. All the emptiness from her childhood was filled in an instant, right at the moment when Levi hugged her and gently ruffled her hair. A soft mist welled up in her eyes, and without thinking, she held onto Levi''s shirt. She finally had parents who loved her. For the first time, she was someone''s daughter in every sense of the word. And it felt... wonderful Jacqueline watched the father and daughter hugging, smiling through her tears, feeling happier than ever. For a moment there, they actually looked more like father and son. After holding on for a while, Levi finally let go of Cameron, clearly reluctant. After all, his daughter was all grown up now, and as her father, he had to keep his distance. "Cam,e here. Let your brother get a hug too," Lance said, already stretching out his arms. Cameronughed and gave him a quick hug. "Wait a moment. I still don''t know what it''s like to hug my little sister," Lance said, refusing to let go. Cameron patted him hard on the back. "You feel that? Logan, I''m not some soft little girl who likes pink color, you know." Lance coughed, feeling like his lungs were about to be knocked loose. Cameron let go, still smiling. "Logan, you''re kind of weak, huh?" Lance was rendered speechless. Levi shook his head. "Lance, seriously? My precious daughter gave you a gentle pat and you''re out here coughing like she knocked the wind out of you?" Jacqueline chimed in, "Logan, you really need to work out more. Cam''s a girl, you know." Lance had no words. He just thought, ''If only they knew her hand hits harder than a sledgehammer.'' As soon as Cameron let go of Lance, Gavin rushed over with open arms. "Cam, can I get a hug too?" Cameron shot him a look. "No." Gavin was stunned. "What?" He couldn''t believe he got rejected when everyone else got a hug from Cameron. Gavin stared at Cameron in disbelief. "Why not?" "I don''t want to," Cameron said bluntly. Gavin was stunned. He stood there,pletely frozen. Meanwhile, Levi, Jacqueline, and Lance all looked a bit surprised. 1047 13 Jun But thinking about how Gavin had acted since Cameron came back, her turning him down actually made sense. Jacqueline gently pulled Cameron close, clearly siding with her. "Sweetheart, if you don''t want to hug him, that''s perfectly fine. We''ll just ignore him." Levi red at Gavin. "Why are you still standing here? Can''t you see my precious girl doesn''t want to see you?" Lance chimed in, "Gavin, aren''t you super busy? You even went on a business trip when Cam came home. Go get back to work and earn your precious money." Right now, there was just no way to describe the look on Gavin''s face. He had managed to piss off his godsent sister right off the bat. However, he knew Cameron didn''t want anything to do with him right now, so he decided to step out for the time being. Even though Cameron had brushed him off, Gavin still beamed at her. "Cam, since you don''t want to talk to me right now, I''ll get out of your hair.¡± Cameron just stared at him in silence. Gavin kept smiling. "Good night, Cam." Still, Cameron said nothing. Gavin added, "Bye, Cam." Cameron finally looked away from him. With that, Gavin left the living room, clearly reluctant to go. As soon as he stepped out, Gavin fished out his phone, pulled up his contacts, and dialed someone. "Good evening, Mr. Yates. Is there something you need?" the person on the other end asked. AD Comment My k 564 Gavin had called his assistant, Wesley Carter. "I have a sister!" Gavin cut Wesley off, his voice practically buzzing with excitement. Wesley was taken aback by this sudden announcement, but he said, "Mr. Yates, I know you have a sister..." "Not my cousin, but my actual, biological sister from the same parents," Gavin exined. Wesley was stunned. "Wait, Mr. Yates. Did your mother give birth to a girl tonight?" Jacqueline was stunning and impressively well-kept for her age, but she definitely wasn''t young anymore. Gavin himself was already 25 years old, after all. 36 Hence, having a baby at her age just seemed wild to Wesley. Gavin''s expression turned solemn. "Not tonight, but 18 years ago. My sister''s already 18. She''s beautiful and absolutely adorable. I seriously love her to bits." Wesley was stunned. He had no clue where Gavin''s "18-year-old sister" hade from, but it was the first time he''d ever heard Gavin this worked up, rambling for adjectives to describe someone. Gavin was usually a guy who kept his cool, so he was clearly over the moon today. Wesley said, "Congrattions, Mr. Yates." Gavin replied, "Congrats to you too." Confused, Wesley asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Yates?" Gavin said, "Inform everyone they''re getting triple pay this month." Wesley cheered, "Thank you, Mr. Yates. And thank your sister for us too." Gavin hung up and started calling everyone else, repeating the same message, "I have a sister now, like an actual sister that my mom gave birth to. "My sister is the cutest and prettiest girl in the whole world." He went through every single number in his contacts until he got to his dad. "I have a sister," Gavin said, practically bursting with excitement. Levi replied, "Does your sister even want to talk to you?" Gavin was stunned. When he snapped back to his senses, he hung up and called another number. Still, the calls brought in a flood of congrattions. No one understood where this sister suddenly came from, but that didn''t matter. Sending a congrattory message would always be the right move. After all the calls, Gavin looked up at the sky and shouted, "I have a sister!" Right now, even if a dog walked by, Gavin would grab it just to tell it he had a sister. That night, he was too excited to sleep. Back at home, Cameron had settled into the guest room closest to her parents. Jacqueline gently held her hand. "Sweetheart, I only bought boys'' clothes for you before. Tomorrow, we''ll go shopping together and get you some cute outfits, okay?" un 81% Cameron shook her head. "It''s fine, Mom. I''ve been wearing boys'' clothes for years, and I''m used to it." What Cameron really meant was that she wouldn''t need things like razors and men''s skincare anymore. Levi chuckled and doted on her. "You''re a girl, sweetheart. We''ll take you shopping tomorrow ourselves, or we can just have thetest styles delivered right to the house." Cameron smiled at them. "Alright, let''s go together tomorrow." She''d barely worn any girls'' clothes before, but her parents treated her so kindly and sincerely that she couldn''t bear to keep rejecting them. Jacqueline stroked her short hair gently. "You''re such a sweet girl, Cam." No wonder Jacqueline had always thought Cameron was so sweet and well- behaved, which were rare traits in boys. It turned out she was a girl all along. Levi looked at Cameron with pride, beaming, "You''re even more beautiful than your two brothers." The sight of Cameron just made Levi proud. Cameron grinned. "Well, I guess I got lucky with your genes." That got both her parentsughing. Hearing that kind ofpliment from their daughter made them happier than words could describe. Jacqueline took Cameron by the hand and gave her a full tour of the room, even showing her how to turn off the lights. Cameron listened patiently, even though she really didn''t need instructions for these little things. It was alreadyte, but Levi and Jacqueline just couldn''t bring themselves to leave. Cameron, on the other hand, needed to rest. Still, they lingered a moment longer before reluctantly standing up. "Sweetheart, take a shower and get some sleep. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow? I''ll have the chefs make it for you," Jacqueline said gently. Cameron replied, "Mom, you really don''t have to go out of your way for me. I''m not picky with food at all." Levi smiled dotingly. "Then we''ll just have a bit of everything ready." That made Cameron smile. The feeling of being doted on by her parents was good. Not long ago, she''d been full of doubts and hesitation. But now, it was clear she''d worried too much. Levi said, "Alright, sweetheart. Get some sleep. It''s gettingte." Jacqueline, still reluctant to leave, said, "Goodnight, Cam." Cameron said, "Goodnight, Mom, Goodnight, Dad." With that, her parents headed out and gently closed the door behind them. Cameron headed to the bathroom, showered, and changed into the pajamas she brought from home. Climbing into bed, she turned off the lights andy still, staring at the dark ceiling with a smile. Today felt like a dream. And even if it was, it was a beautiful dream she didn''t want to wake up from. She was finally feeling the love from her parents, which she had longed for growing up. Cameron rolled over, about to drift off to sleep, when she heard the doorknob turn. She immediately turned to face the door. The door cracked open, tetting a sliver of light from the hallway spill in. "Shhh," Jacqueline whispered. "Don''t wake Cam up. Keep your voice down." 10:47 Fri, 13 Jun G Jun GOD "Got it," Levi whispered back, lowering his voice. Cameron was surprised by their visit, but quickly shut her eyes as her parents sneaked into her room as quietly as they could. Cameron kept up the act, pretending to be asleep. "It''s too dark in here," Jacqueline whispered. ¡°Can you crack the curtains just a bit?" She kept her voice barely above a whisper, afraid to wake Cameron up. "Yeah," Levi replied softly, but he immediately banged his leg into the corner of the couch. Both of them jumped in shock, and Cameron opened her eyes as well. But in the darkness, her parents didn''t notice a thing. "Shh, be careful. You''re gonna wake her up," Jacqueline whispered. "Okay," Levi replied, not daring to say more. He pulled the curtain open just a little, letting a faint light spill into the room. Jacqueline crouched down beside Cameron''s bed, watching her "sleep" with a tender look. ¡°She looks so sweet when she''s asleep." Levi joined her, lowering himself with a groan. "She takes after her old man." Jacqueline snorted quietly. "You wish. She resembles me more." "No, she takes after me." "She''s got a bit of both of us." That made Levi chuckle. He looked at Cameron and sighed, "Can''t believe our little girl''s all grown up. She must''ve had a tough time out there." Jacqueline nodded, looking pained. "We''ve got a lot of time to make up for." "We''ll give her the best of everything," Levi promised. Camerony still, breathing evenly, but her heart swelled at their words. Her parents were really the best. Then, quietly, Levi said, "I want to kiss her goodnight." Jacqueline gave him a look. "No, she''s not five anymore. You can''t do that." Levi insisted, "She''s still my precious girl, no matter how old she is." "That''s fair," Jacqueline agreed. Cameron felt a kissnd softly on her forehead. She kept still, but her fingers twitched beneath the nket, afraid she might give herself away. My k 565 Chapter 565 Chapter 565 28121 Right after, Cameron felt a soft, warm touch on her cheek. This time, it was her mom, who then smiled and whispered, "Cam''s skin is so smooth." Levi nodded. "She gets that from you." In the quiet glow from the cracked curtain, the two of them just knelt there, gazing at their daughter''s sleeping face like she was the most precious thing in the world. They stayed so long that their legs started to go numb. "My legs arepletely dead," Jacqueline finally murmured. Levi carefully helped her up. "Alright, let''s go get some rest. Our baby''s home now, and we''ll get to see her every day, stare at her all we want." Still, even as he said that, he couldn''t stop ncing back at Cameron. At the door, neither of them could bring themselves to leave. "If she were still little," Jacqueline sighed, "we could''ve just climbed in and slept with her." Levi chuckled. "We still could. But I think our precious girl might not be so into that." Hearing this, Cameron didn''t move, but her chest tightened. Tears welled up and slipped silently down her cheeks. When she was little, all she ever wanted was to sleep with her parents. Milena had gotten that. From birth until she turned ten, she slept nestled between her parents every night. Little Cameron, on the other hand, was left alone in the next room. She didn''t know how to pull up the covers and would often wake up cold in the middle of the night. She''d lie awake, listening to theughtering from Milena and her parents next door. All she could do was envy them. She wanted to call out to them, but they''d already closed the door behind them. It didn''t matter if they slept beside her; what mattered was that they loved her, and she could feel their love in everything they did. A smile tugged at her lips. She thought this must be what happiness felt like, and it was an even better feeling than scoring first ce in the college entrance exam or getting the three-million-dor cash prize. Later, her parents came by to check on her a few more times. Cameron pretended to be asleep, and before she knew it, she really did fall asleep. She slept through the entire night, and no one came to wake her up. Her parents just wanted her to get a proper rest. After Cameron got up and washed her face, she opened her bedroom door, only to be stunned by a whole row of designer handbags stacked right outside. "You''re up, Cam?" Gavin perked up the second he saw her. He''d clearly been waiting outside her room forever. The moment he saw her, his usually unreadable, handsome face lit up. Cameron shot him a nce and started heading downstairs. But Gavin stepped in front of her, blocking her way. Cameron frowned. "Could you move?" "Cam..." Gavin was still all smiles. "Look, all these bags, jewelry, and essories are my gifts to you. Check them out and tell me if you like them." Cameron had no words. She nced over, and behind the row of designer bags was a pile of expensive nes, earrings, bracelets, and whatnot. Gavin looked at her expectantly. Cameron nced at him and said tly, "Gavin, you really don''t have to do this. I know you don''t like me, so you don''t 10:47 Fri, 13 Jun GD need to put up an act." Gavin was disappointed that she spoke to him so coldly, but even so, he was still smiling. ¡°Cam, I don''t dislike you." Cameron gave him a look. She was 18 years old, not eight. She could tell when someone meant what they said. Frowning, she said, "Excuse me." 80% Gavin could tell Cameron didn''t really want to talk to him. Afraid she''d end up hating him even more, he finally stopped pestering her and stepped aside. Cameron made her way downstairs, and Gavin followed after her. Lance and their parents were in the living room downstairs, waiting for Cameron. As soon as Jacqueline heard hering, she looked up and broke into a big smile. "Good morning, Cam. You''re up." My k 566 "Morning, Mom." Cameron stepped into the room. Jacqueline took her hand gently, while Levi asked dotingly, "Sweetheart, how''d you slo Cameron smiled. "I slept great." Her parents exchanged a nce. Her parents exchanged a quick look, thankful that Cameron didn''t s seem to know they''d crept into her room the night before. Lance teased, "Wow, new bed and you slept like a rock?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, it doesn''t bother me." Truthfully, with all the love andfort she was surrounded by, there hadn''t even been time to feel out of ce. Gavin stepped forward again, grinning. "Cam, are you hungry? Breakfast is amazing today. Want me to take you to the dining room?" "No," she replied. That totally caught Gavin off guard. Lance burst outughing, totally unsympathetic. Meanwhile, their parents said in unison, ¡°Cam, just ignore him." Cameron nodded. "Okay." Gavin was rendered speechless. "Come on, Cam. I''ll take you to breakfast," Lance said, raising his eyebrows at Gavin on purpose. "Sure," Cameron agreed this time. Once again, Gavin had no words. He could only watch as their parents and Lance all crowded around Cameron as they headed to the dining room together. Gavin let out a sigh, knowing he deserved this for treating Cameron poorly in the first ce. Gavin followed them into the dining room and sat across from Cameron, with Jacqueline and Levi sitting on either side of her. The once warm and lively family vibe instantly froze the moment he walked in. Gavin was stunned, thinking, ''What did I do this time? Why did everyone m up as soon as I showed up?'' again. A few momentster, the dining room was buzzing with chatter andughter agai "Cam, what do you usually have for breakfast? Do you like pasta?" Jacqueline asked with a smile. Cameron replied, "I love it, Mom. I usually eat breakfast at thepany cafeteria. I''m not picky with what I eat." Lance said, "I almost forgot you''re working a summer job." Hearing that, Levi looked heartbroken. "Sweetheart uit that summer job, okay? However much you need, I will wire it to you." Gavin jumped in, "Cam, I got money too. Just give me your bank ount number and I''ll transfer you some." Cameron just shot Gavin a nce, then turned to Levi. "Dad, I really don''t need any money right now. I just... want to experience life a little." 80% +38 10:47 Fri, 13 Jun G She wasn''t nning to tell her parents about herpany just yet. It was still in its early days, and she wanted to wait until she had some aplishments before letting them know. For now, she really wasn''t short on cash. A month ago, Eric called to tell her that her collection, titled "The Starry," which she designed, was almost ready and would be hitting the market soon. Once her collectionunched, she''d be getting a pretty nice payout. Levi doted on her. "Even if you don''t need it, I''ll still give you some. You''re about to start college, so you need pocket money. Don''t worry up. Your dad''s got money." Feeling the love, Cameron didn''t bother rejecting him again. She smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Dad." Jacqueline smiled. "Cam, I will give you some pocket money too. Spend iter you like." Cameron grinned. "Thanks, Mom." y about saving "Cam, you''re going to get pocket money from me too. Even though I''m still a student like you, I''ve been making some investments on the side, and the returns are pretty decent. Send me your bank ount numberter and I''ll transfer you some money." Cameron nodded. "Thanks, Logan." Gavin quickly chimed in, "Cam, me too. I''ve been working for years and I''m doing pretty well. However much you want, just let me know." Cameron took a slow sip of her soup before looking at Gavin and said, "How about 300 trillion dors? Can you give me that?" Gavin was stunned, wondering exactly how much was that. Lance started counting on his fingers. ¡°Cam, how many zeroes is that, anyway?¡± Cameron smiled. "No idea. I just made it up." Lance burst outughing. "Someone''s probably regretting things big time right now." Gavin stayed silent, but he absolutely regretted it, not just how he''d acted toward Cameron when she first came home, but also for not having 300 trillion dors. If he actually had 300 trillion dors, he thought maybe Cameron would forgive him. Gavin looked at Cameron hopefully. "Cam, if I really made that much for you, would you forgive me?" Cameron shook her head. "Nope." +38 Gavin had no words. Their dad jumped in, doting as ever. "Sweetheart, are you serious? Do you really want 300 trillion dors?" Cameron quickly waved her hands. "Dad, I was just joking." But Levi was already thinking out loud. "If you really want it, I can have someone audit our assets in the next few days and see how close we are.....¡± "Dad," Cameron quickly interrupted, "I was just saying whatever popped into my head. I don''t even know how many zeroes are in 300 trillion dors. Don''t take it so seriously." Jacquelineughed. "Cam, even if you wanted the stars in the sky, your dad would try to get them for you too." "Thank you, Mom and Dad." Cameron felt all warm inside. She admitted honestly, "Honestly, I just wanted to mess with Gavin." 1047 SLUN Jun Hearing that, Lance burst intoughter, but Gavin didn''t say anything. For a split second, Gavin''s face was impossible to read. But the next moment, a smile returned to his handsome face. "Cam, I''m good as long as you''re happy." Cameron was rendered speechless. Lance smirked. "See? If you''d been this nice from the start, you wouldn''t be stuck trying to win her over now." +38 "Lance." Gavin shot him a sharp look, his face turning grim as he thought, ''Did he forget I''m his older brother? This kid''s really getting bolder by the day. Lance grinned. "Careful, Gavin. If you act so fiercely, you''ll scare Cam." Gavin paused. A momentter, he toned it down and turned to Cameron with a bright smile. "Cam, don''t listen to Logan''s nonsense. I''m actually super gentle." Cameron said nothing, quietly focusing on her breakfast like she hadn''t heard a word. Gavin, too, said nothing after that. After breakfast, Levi and Jacqueline decided to take her out for a day to buy her some clothes, show her around the ind, and help her get familiar with everything. Of course, Lance tagged along too. And of course, Gavin followed too, lingering behind and keeping his eyes on Cameron the entire time. "Gavin." Helen came running over from a distance. Gavin nced at her, far less enthusiastic than usual. He gave her a nod. "Helly." "Last night you said you have a sister now, so where is she? What do you mean by ''real sister'' anyway?" Helen asked curiously. Last night, Gavin called everyone in his contacts, including Helen. All he said was he had a sister now. When she asked for details, he simply said, "I have a real sister." He didn''t entertain any other questions she asked and just hung up before dialing the next person. Helen tried calling him back, but his line was always busy. He never replied to her messages either. So this morning, she came straight over to get answers in person. "Morning Cam," Helen called out cheerfully when she spotted Cameron. Cameron smiled back. "Good morning." Helen turned to Gavin. "Gavin, where''s your little sister that you mentioned?" "Right here." Lance patted Cameron on the head. Helen looked at Cameron, confused. "Cam?" Jacqueline chuckled. "Helly, Cam''s a girl." Helen stared at Cameron,pletely stunned by the fact that Cameron was a girl. Helen couldn''t believe that this ridiculously good-looking kid who looked like she had stepped out of a movie was actually a girl, As soon as she got over the shock, Helen grabbed Cameron''s hand, grinning from ear to ear. "No way! Cam, you''re actually a girl? This is awesome. I finally have a little sister." Helen had always been the only girl in her generation, and there was always a bit of distance between her and the boys. 10: Fri, 13 Jun 5 So, Helen had dreamed of having a female cousin for years, older or younger, but no one in the Yates family had made her dreame true. She never imagined Cameron, whom she thought was another male cousin of hers, would turn out to be a girl all along. This piece of news sent Helen over the moon. Cameron smiled softly. "I''m happy to have an older sister too." Helen''s grin grew even wider. "Now I can finally go shopping with my little sis." Cameron froze. She wasn''t really into shopping. Jacqueline said, "Helly, we''re about to help Cam pick out some clothes. Want toe help us with that?" "Of course," agreed right away. Gavin had no words. First, it was his Mom, his Dad, and Lancepeting for Cameron''s attention, and now, even Helen had joined the mix. If Gavin had known things would spiral like this, he would''ve kept his mouth shut little sister. The group made a beeline for the women''s section of the mall. Of course, the entire shopping center-like everything else on the ind-was owned by the Yates family. "Good morning, Mr. Levi." "Good morning, Mrs. Jacqueline." "Good morning, Mr. Gavin." Good morning, Mr. Logan." "Good morning, Ms. Helen." As they walked, employees greeted them one after another. While the Yates family kept a low profile on the outside, so much so that not many people knew about them, in this ce, everyone knew exactly who they were. The locals owed their livelihoods to the Yates family, who had provided them with jobs to support their lives. And with every encounter, Levi and Jacqueline proudly introduced Cameron, "This is our daughter, Cameron." The people would freeze for a second, surprised by Cameron''s boyish look, but quickly recover and greet her respectfully, "Good morning, Ms. Cameron." Each time Cameron received a greeting, the other members of the Yates family looked proud. "Wow, this dress is so pretty. Cam, do you want to try it on?" Helen spotted a white slip dress on disy. It had a clean silhouette and delicate rhinestones tracing the neckline. The dress was elegant, simple, and quietly stunning. When Helen first met Cameron, her first impression was that Cameron had a clean, pure vibe about her. Her gut told her this dress would look amazing on Cameron. Lance blurted out, "Isn''t that a bit too girly? It doesn''t really suit Cam, does it?" Levi shot him a look. "Are you saying my precious daughter isn''t girly enough?" Lance immediately backpedaled. "Dad, I didn''t mean it like that. Don''t overthink it." 10:47 Fri, 13 Jun G Levi snorted. "Even if you did, I doubt you''d have the guts to say it out loud." Lance was rendered speechless. Gavin nced at the dress, then at Cameron. He couldn''t help but imagine what she''d look like in it and was looking forward to seeing it. 80% +35 There was something Ke wanted to say, but he held back. Since Cameron didn''t like him right now, whatever he said would just make things worse for him. So, he definitely had to keep it to himself. Jacqueline asked gently, "Cam, do you like it? Do you want to try it on?" Helen chimed in, "Go try it, Cam. You''ll look amazing." Cameron smiled. "Alright, I''ll give it a try." My k 567 Cameron took the dress and headed into the fitting room while Jacqueline and Helen happilybed through the racks. "This one''s stunning. Cam would totally rock it." "And this one''s really cute too. I bet Cam would look amazing in it." "Oh, this one''s pretty as well." "This one... and this one... You know what, just wrap them all up." Jacqueline decided to buy all the nice dresses so Cameron could try them on at hometer. BUZI Meanwhile, outside the fitting room, Levi, Gavin, and Lance were practically lined up, waiting for Cameron to emerge. It had only been a few minutes, but to them, it felt like forever. When Cameron finally opened the door and stepped out, all three of their eyes were glued to her. Cameron stepped out in the white spaghetti-strap dress. The fabric hugged her slim figure just right, and her smooth skin glowed under the soft lighting. Her delicate features, framed by short hair, made her look like a porcin dolle to life. The mix of her tomboyish haircut with the elegance of the long dress created a striking contrast-soft and cool, graceful but effortless. Even Gavin, who usually had the emotional range of a brick wall, blinked in disbelief. For a moment, Gavin was at a loss for words. He had no idea how to describe Cameron, who was standing before him, all because she was too stunning. She wasn''t wearing any makeup, and her hair was still cropped short. She was even wearing the store''s slippers. And yet, she looked unreal-like she belonged on a magazine cover. The moment she appeared, the whole room seemed to light up. Lance was floored. When Cameron presented herself as a guy, he was already unusually handsome-short, maybe, but still a head-turner. But in a dress, she looked like she''d stepped straight out of a fairytale. Lance''s jaw literally dropped open into a full "O". Levi was just as blown away as the others, but seeing Cameron in a dress, Levi felt more heartache than amazement. He thought, ''How could such a beautiful girl have been forced to pretend to be a boy for 18 years? In this day and age, how hard must that have been for her?'' Levi was so angry that he wanted to tear Martin and Heidi apart for being so heartless to his daughter. The next moment, he teared up from the pain he felt for Cameron. Cameron, seeing their silence drag on, lifted the hem of the dress slightly and asked with a raised brow, "Well?" Levi walked over and ruffled her hair. "You look beautiful, sweetheart. You look amazing in a dress." "Thanks, Dad. Guess I have you and Mom''s good genes to thank for that." Cameron smiled. Lance finally snapped out of it. "You''re gorgeous, Cam. You''re the prettiest girl I''ve ever seen." He still couldn''t believe such a beautiful girl was his little sister, which certainly made him a proud brother. Cameron grinned. "Thanks, Logan." Gavin finally found his voice too and showered her withpliments. "Cam, you''re seriously next-level gorgeous. Like, are you even real? You''re a hundred times prettier than any fairy tale character." Cameron blinked and said nothing. Gavin got the hint. It seemed that Cameron still wouldn''t talk to him, which upset him, but there was nothing he could do about it. Just then, Jacqueline and Helen came over, drawn by the chatter. They each grabbed one of Cameron''s arms, both looking amazed. "Cam." Jacqueline beamed. "You look incredible. Even with your boyish haircut, you''re drop-dead gorgeous." Cameronughed. "Well, I got it from you, Mom." Jacqueline''s smile was so wide it practically took over her face. "Cam, you''re just too pretty. And your figure is amazing. I mean, just look at this waist,¡± Helen said, giving Cameron''s waist a yful squeeze. ¡°How is it so tiny?" "What are you doing?" Gavin frowned when he saw Helen''s action. "Don''t just go touching her." ¡°Huh?¡± Helen stared at him, totally baffled by how stern he was. My k 568 Gavin had always been the gentle, patient one with Helen. People outside the family said he had a nasty temper and was scary to deal with, but Helen never believed that and would stand up for him. To her, Gavin was the kindest person she knew. But right now, Gavin looked serious, stern, even, and it threw Helen offpletely. All she''d done was touch Cameron''s waist. Was that really such a big deal? They were both girls, so it shouldn''t have mattered. But it seemed that Gavin was mad at her for doing that. Lance was confused. "Gavin, what''s your deal?" Usually, Gavin doted on Helen the most, so Logan didn''t understand why Gavin was being harsh to her now. Gavin said, "Cam''s a bit of a clean freak. I was just reminding Helen about that." Lance was rendered speechless. "A clean freak?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "Gavin, I hugged Cam just yesterday, and she didn''t seem to mind. Her so-called ''clean freak'' thing doesn''t seem that serious." Gavin had no words, and he was reminded that everyone in his family got to hug Cameronst night except for him. That one tiny regret had been eating at Gavin since, and now Lance had to go and rub it in. If looks could kill, Lance would''ve been six feet under by now. Helen caught the exchange and narrowed her eyes at Gavin, wondering, ''Was he really reminding me earlier?'' She could clearly feel how much Gavin cared about Cameron now. Gavin used to spoil her the most back then, but it looked like she was about to lose her spot as his favorite. After all, she was just his cousin, while Cameron was his sister. Honestly, Helen felt a little down, but then again, how Gavin reacted was normal when she thought about it. Even though Gavin treated her well, she was closer to her own brother, Caleb, too. She''d probably feel the same if she were in Gavin''s shoes. But understanding where he came from didn''t make it hurt less though. Cameron had been missing for 18 years, and Helen had always enjoyed Gavin''s affection in Cameron''s ce. Now that Cameron was back, it was only fair to give Gavin''s love and attention back to her. Helen smiled. "Sorry, Cam. I didn''t know you were a bit of a clean freak." Cameron didn''t mind. "It''s really not a big deal." Jacquelineughed. "Don''t take it to heart, Helly. Gavin''s just making a fuss over nothing." When Cameron went to change out of the dress, Gavin said, "I''ll take care of the bill." Levi said, "Of course you will. You''re the one who''s been cking the most when ites to my precious daughter." Gavin sighed, "Dad, I know I messed up. I''ll make it up to her." He was already regretting it so much he could barely stand himself. Gavin signed off on all the purchases while the rest of the family moved on to shoes, jewelry, bags, and essories. The mall staff would deliver the mountain of items directly to Yates Manor. BU Later, once things had calmed down, Cameron finally had a moment to check her phone. She had gotten two missed calls from David. She also received a few WhatsApp texts from Austin, Bradley, and Elijah. Austin: [Do you like it?] Cameron was baffled by the random question and chose to ignore it. She thought. ''Do I like it? Like what?'' She''d already decided not to be friends with Austin anymore, but hadn''t gotten around to deleting him from her contacts. Bradley: [Cameron, yesterday was your first day back with the Yates family. How are you feeling? Are you getting used to it?) Cameron: [Brad, sorry, I just saw your message. I was out shopping with my family. They''re really nice, and I''m settling in well. Thanks for encouraging me toe back to them.] Elijah: [Cameron, have you returned to your parents'' ce? I went to your ce to look for you, but you weren''t there.] Cameron: [Elijah, I moved back to my parents'' ce yesterday. Did you need something?] After replying to Bradley and Elijah, Cameron finally called David back. My k 569 "Mr. Wace, you finally called me back." David blurted as soon as the call connected. Cameron asked, "Mr. Tucker, what''s up?" David said, "Sc, Austin, the CEO of Fraser Group who tried to buy us out had someone deliver 9,999 red roses to the office this morning for you." Cameron was stunned, thinking, ''Austin sent me red roses? Has he lost his mind? Wait a second. Is this why he sent me the text, asking me if I liked it?" Cameron had just beenpletely baffled. Now, she finally got what Austin meant. Getting no response from Cameron, David asked, "Mr. Wace, are you still there?" Cameron replied, "I''m listening." David asked, "So, what should I do with all these roses?" Cameron said, "Take them out to the street and sell them. Three stalks of roses for three dors." David was taken aback. Cameron added, "That''s it. Just handle it the way I said." David said, "Alright." With that, Cameron ended the call. Bradley and Elijah replied to her texts earlier, but she didn''t check them immediately. Instead, she went straight to a video call with Austin. She let her parents know she needed a minute, then slipped away to a quiet spot. Meanwhile, Austin had been a nervous wreck since sending those roses. He''d only sent Cameron one message and didn''t dare follow up. He hadn''t expected a call back, especially not a video call. He was so startled when his phone rang that he dropped it. "Mr. Fraser." Vincent immediately bent down and picked it up for him. Austin took the phone, waved Vincent and the others out, and only then answered the call with a racing heart. "Cam-"Austin almost used the same tone as when he spoke to a guy, but he stopped himself. He couldn''t talk to Cameron that way anymore because she was a girl. However, he didn''t want to be too cozy with her either, afraid she might see him as a brother figure. His smile wavered slightly as he struggled to figure out what to call her. "You sent me red roses?" Cameron stared at her phone without any expression. Austin hadn''t expected her to be so blunt. Judging by her expression, she didn''t look happy at all. Even though he was nervous, Austin kept a big smile on his face. "Yeah. Are you surprised?" Cameron frowned. "What''s that supposed to mean?" Austin''s smile grew wider. "What do you think it means? Cameron, isn''t it obvious? Red roses symbolize love." "Love?" Cameron smirked. "You stab me in the back, and now you want to talk about love?" Th Austin hadn''t expected her to still be hung up on what happened days ago. He tried to exin, "Cameron, I only did that because I like you. Seeing you so close with Bradley made me jealous." Cameron said tly, "You''ve got some serious character issues." With that, Austin''s mouth snapped shut. He stared at the girl on the screen and said sadly, "Cameron, just because I messed up once, you''re going to write me offpletely?" Cameron replied, "No, it''s twice. Once with Elijah, and this time with Brad." Austin said, ¡°I just didn''t want them spending time alone with you, that''s all." Cameron shot back, "Who I spend time with is none of your business." Finally, Austin asked, "Cameron, am I really just a normal friend to you?" Cameron answered, "No, you''re not." My k 570 The moment Austin heard her answer, the sadness in his eyes vanished, reced by a glimmer of hope. "I knew it." He knew there was no way they were just friends. However, Cameron cut him off, "You''re not my friend." Austin froze,pletely stunned by her words. He thought, ''I''m not her friend? Am I not good enough to even be her friend?'' That stung deeply, but he tried to y it off, shing a grin like it didn''t matter. "Perfect. I don''t want to be your friend anyway. I want to be your future husband, Cameron. I can give you everything you want." Cameron gave him a small, unimpressed smile. "You really think you know what I want?" Austin said, "Isn''t it just money and status?" Cameron let out a coldugh. Austin asked, "What''s so funny?" Cameron stared at his handsome face on the screen and said bluntly, "Austin, I''m not into guys younger than me." Austin was taken aback. He was only a few months younger than Cameron, so he wondered if that really mattered to her, or if she was just making up excuses. "So, do you like Bradley?" Austin blurted out without thinking. Cameron and Bradley had been spending a lot of time togethertely. Every time he saw them, it bugged the hell out of him. He was sure something was going on between them. Elijah was a close second, and when it came to Xander, he didn''t feel anything at all. Austin''s question caught Cameron off guard. She wondered, ''Do I like Brad? No, we''re just friends, and nothing more.'' But this was her own business, and she didn''t owe Austin any exnation. With a nk face, Cameron said, "Don''t bother me again. I''m blocking your number." She hung up the video call immediately after that. Then, she blocked Austin on WhatsApp and added his number to her cklist. After doing all this with a nk face, Cameron finally noticed her family waiting for her not far away. When Jacqueline noticed Cameron''s call had ended, she rushed over and gently took Cameron''s hand. "Cam, what''s wrong? Did you have a fight with a friend?" From across the room, Jacqueline had already sensed something was off. Cameron smiled faintly. "It''s nothing, Mom. We just had a minor disagreement. I''ve already taken care of it." "If something''s bothering you, you have to tell me, okay?" Jacqueline said. Levi chimed in, "Sweetheart, if anyone ever bullies or upsets you, you have to tell us. Whoever dares mess with my precious girl will need to pay the price." Cameron''s heart warmed. "I''m really okay, Dad.¡± Gavin added, "And as your eldest brother, I won''t let them off easy either." Lance teased, "Gavin, I think Cam still hasn''t epted you as her brother." Gavin had no words. Helen looked confused. "Huh? Why doesn''t Cam ept Gavin as her brother?" Lance shrugged, "Gavin used to treat her pretty badly. If I were her, I wouldn''t want a brother like that too." Gavin couldn''t take it anymore. "Shut up!" Lance just raised an eyebrow and dropped the topic. When lunchtime rolled around, everyone headed to the dining room. Cameron finally had a moment to check the messages from Bradley and Elijah. Bradley: [I''m d you''re happy. Enjoy your time with your family.] Elijah: [I''m good. Since you finally made it home, I''ll leave you alone to spend time with your family.] Cameron replied to both of them, then put her phone away. Helen beamed at Cameron. "Cam, why are you dressing up as a guy? Can you tell us about the backstory? I''m super curious." Helen wasn''t the only one. Everyone else was equally curious too. Cameron hadn''t told them her story yet. Seeing all their expectant faces, she gave them a quick rundown of her story. At the end of it, everyone was stunned. "They tried to force you to change your gender... just for a marriage alliance?" Levi''s voice was low and dangerous. He couldn''t imagine the living hell his precious daughter had had to live through in the past 18 years. Levi clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. After learning about Cameron''s story, he was so furious that he wanted to kill someone. Jacqueline''s eyes welled up with tears as she held Cameron''s hands." Cam... my poor Cam, how could they treat you like that?" Gavin''s expression turned grim. "They''re never getting out of prison. I will make sure they rot in there for the rest of their lives." Lance snapped, "Jail''s too good for them. People like that deserve worse." The Waces were monsters foring up with something so twisted. First, they abducted someone else''s child, and they even wanted to force a gender change on the child. They deserve all the terrible things in this world. Helen waspletely stunned. She thought Cameron would say something funny, but it turned out to be so tragic. Cameron had gone through so much, but fortunately, she had reunited with her real family. Sensing the heavy mood, Cameron said, "Dad, Mom, Logan, don''t worry about it. Those two will get what''sing to them." Martin and Heidi had lived in luxury their whole lives. Being thrown into jail was already the worst punishment imaginable for people like them. "Cam..." Jacqueline choked up again. None of them expected Cameron to be so strong that she was the oneforting them. That only made everyone more protective of her. They all silently vowed to treat her even better than before from now on. Even Gavin didn''t mind that she still hadn''t mentioned him again this time. He was too busy seething at what those people had done to his sister. There was no way he was letting this slide. 10:48 FN, 13 Jun G However, Helen noticed that Cameron really hadn''t mentioned Gavin all day. But from Helen''s experience, she knew having a brother like Gavin, who doted on her so much, was honestly such a blessing. Maybe after some time, Cameron would finally acknowledge him. 80% +38 Meanwhile, Austin sat frozen on the other end of the video call. One second, Cameron said she would block him, and the next, the call was cut off. He immediately tried to call her back on WhatsApp, but the call wouldn''t go through, no matter what. Austin couldn''t believe that Cameron actually meant what she said, and she acted fast. Unwilling to give up, Austin tried calling her phone number, only to realize that his number had also been blocked. His face turned grim as he thought, ''She actually blocked me? When I asked if she liked Brad earlier, she didn''t answer either. She didn''t even deny it. ''So, does that mean she does like Bradley? Does Bradley really think he can take Cameron away from me?'' "Vincent!" Austin shouted for him. "Yes, Mr. Fraser?" Vincent immediately stepped into the office. Austin ordered, "Find out whichw firm Bradley works at, and acquire it for me." "Bradley?" Vincent echoed. "Is there a problem?" Austin asked. "Mr. Fraser, may I ask why you''re doing this?" Vincent asked. Vincent had already done some research on Austin''s roommates. Aside from Cameron, all his roommates came from powerful families, and they weren''t the kind of people anyone could afford to cross. "What for? I just want to buy thew firm and kick Bradley out. Do I need your approval?" Austin snapped. Austin thought, ''So Cameron really likes Bradley? What does she even see in him? Austin was set to ruin Bradley''s image in Cameron''s eyes piece by piece, until she had no choice but toe back to him. AD Comment My k 571 Vincent guessed it right. He hesitated for a moment, then tried to reason with Austin. "Mr. Fraser, maybe going after Bradley isn''t the best move. He''s got the Saunders family backing him-" "Shut up!" Austin cut him off sharply. "I don''t care who''s backing him. Just do what I say." Austin couldn''t care less about offending Bradley or the entire Saunders family. In this world, Cameron was all that mattered to him. If he lost Cameron, what was the point of all this wealth and power? He even wished he was still that nobody in the Fraser family because at least back then, Cameron would quietly stay by his side. But there was no going back. Now he had the status, resources, and more than enough power. If anyone was in a position to protect Cameron, it was him, and he wouldn''t allow anyone to take her away. "Got it, Mr. Fraser." Vincent nodded respectfully. Still, as he turned to leave, he couldn''t help but sigh to himself, ''Is it my imagination, or had Mr. Fraser really changed? He''s bing more and more of a stranger to me.'' Two dayster, Bradley was sitting in his office at Viremont Global Law Firm when someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Brad." Bradley looked up. "Jackson." Jackson looked worried. "Brad, someone wants to acquire our firm." Bradley paused, clearly surprised. He pushed up his gold-rimmed sses and asked, "Who is it?" Jackson said, "I did some digging. Turns out, the person behind this is your old roommate, Austin, the current CEO of Fraser Group." Bradley was genuinely surprised. "Austin?" Jackson nodded. "Yeah, it''s him. He suddenly inherited a huge fortune overseas, and aftering back, he took over Fraser Group." The leadership shake-up at Fraser Group had made headlines not long ago, and most people knew about it. "They''re trying to keep things quiet by using anotherw firm as a front. On the surface, it looks like a routine merger, but I poked around a little more." Jackson gave Bradley a long, meaningful look. "You know what this is really about?" "It''s about me," Bradley said tly. He said it as a statement, not a question, because he already knew the answer. A few days ago, he and Austin had a heated argument over Cameron. The look in Austin''s eyes back then hadn''t been friendly. However, Bradley never expected Austin to take things so far and even came after his job. "You two were roommates for three years. What happened?" Jackson asked, clearly baffled. "Did you really piss him off that bad?" "Three years..." Bradley muttered. Yeah, technically, it was three years. But honestly, except for thest three months, Austin stayed out because he was sick most of the time. So no, they''d never really been that close. Bradley nced at Jackson. "So what exactly does he want?" 10:48 Fri, 13 Jun GOD Jackson said, "To kick you out." Bradley chuckled, thinking, ''He wants to kick me out, huh?'' On paper, Bradley didn''t technically work at the firm. In order to be a partner, he had to be a certifiedwyer, which he wasn''t at the time because he was still in high school. Just like Cameron, he managed the firm behind the scenes. Jackson said, "You''reughing? Why don''t you go have a word with your old roommate?" Bradley replied, "Jackson, you''re forgetting that this firm has nothing to do with me. How''s he supposed to kick me out?" "Oh, right!" Jackson smacked his forehead. "Look at how forgetful I am. That totally slipped my mind." Bradley asked, "What''s Samuel been up totely?" Jackson asked, "Samuel? You mean Austin''s brother?" Bradley nodded slowly. "Yeah. If Austin has enough time on his hands to pull crap like this... maybe it''s time I give him something else to keep him busy." AD Comment Send gift My k 572 By evening, neon lights flickered along the street. Bradley sat in a private room in the cafe, watching the hurried crowds outside through the window. Sitting across Bradley, Samuel asked impatiently, "Who are you? What do you want with me?" He was wearing a wrinkled ck shirt, and the confidence that used to radiate from his face had all but disappeared. Now, he just looked tired and beaten down. Austin had stolen the Fraser family''s business through dirty tricks, leaving them broke. Samuel had been forced to get a job just to keep food on the table for himself and his aging parents. There was no way he would let them work at their age. Just two months ago, he was on top of the world. Now, he''d gotten a harsh taste of how brutal life could be. Finally, Bradley looked at Samuel, sizing him up through his gold-rimmed sses. He didn''t bother with small talk and got straight to the point. "Samuel, do you want to get Fraser Group back?" "What did you just say?" Samuel''s impatience vanished, reced by shock. And beneath that shock, there was even a glimmer of hope. Bradley said, "I think you should get Fraser Group back. It''s your and your father''s life''s work." It was like Samuel had finally found someone who understood him. Heunched into a tirade, cursing Austin for being a bastard who stole everything from them. Bradley just listened, smiling faintly as Samuel vented. It took a while before Samuel finally ran out of steam. "I will get thepany back sooner orter," Samuel said with determination. Bradley replied calmly, "I can help you." "You... want to help me?" Samuel stared at Bradley in shock. Bradley smiled. "You can''t stand Austin? Same here." Samuel could tell right away that Bradley was no ordinary guy, and he trusted Bradley to help him. After a beat, Samuel grinned. "So Austin''s ourmon enemy." Bradley nodded. "Pretty much." Samuel asked, "So, how are you going to help me?" Bradley replied, "I can lend you money, however much you need. But you''ll have to pay interest for that." Samuel was shocked to his core. Right now, he was like a stray dog. Everyone who used to tter him was avoiding him like the gue, and borrowing money from them was off the table. So, Bradley''s offer felt like a rope tossed in the middle of a snowstorm. And Samuel knew it was only fair that he paid interest. After all, no one would offer help for free, especially when they barely knew each other. Seeing Samuel freeze, Bradley raised an eyebrow. "Samuel, you can get Fraser Group back, right?" samuel nodded hard. "Of course" To Samuel, Austin was nothing but a spoiled brat who got lucky with an inheritance and didn''t know the first thing about running a busin too green to go up against Samuel. A weekter, Bradley, as he''d hoped, saw the news that Fraser Group was back in the hands of Samuel and his father. Bradley let out a cold chuckle. Samuel didn''t disappoint him, and it looked like Austin finally had a real problem on his hands. With Samuel back in charge, there was no way he would let Austin off the hook. As for that huge inheritance Austin got in fazven, that was out of reach now. The only thing left for him to do now was to tuck his tail and flee to Yazven. Bradley had wrapped this up without breaking a sweat. There was just a week left before college started, and it suddenly hit him that he hadn''t reached out to Cameron in a while. He wondered how she was doing living with the tes family. He meant to send her a screenshot of the Fraser fa Meanwhile, Cameron had just woken up from her afternoon nap. She was lounging against the headboard in a camisole nightdress, still half- asleep, when her phone lit up with an iing video call from Bradley. She almost answered on reflex. But just as her finger was about to tap the screen, she remembered she was still in her nightdress. This dress was only for the bedroom, and letting Bradley see her like this on video would be way too awkward. Hence, Cameron had to put her phone down and head to the closet to change. Ever since she''de back to live with the Yates family, she''d been wearing women''s clothes at home, as everyone knew she was a girl. However, Brad still didn''t know her secret. Cameron hesitated momentarily, but in the end, she changed back into her old clothes-a white T-shirt and jeans. By the time she finished changing, Bradley had already canceled the call. Cameron called him back immediately, and Bradley picked up in a second. His handsome face showed up on her screen. Smiling, she greeted, "Brad." "Long time no see," Bradley replied, a smile tugging at his lips as he looked her over through the screen. "You look great. Seems like things are going well with your family." Cameron smiled. "Yeah, it''s been really nice. They treat me really well." On her third day home, her parents had thrown her a massive wee party. Even though the ind felt a bit off the grid, it was like a little paradise of its own. Cameron had never felt so much love and happiness before. Everyone''s been wonderful-even Gavin, her eldest brother, whom she used to find a bit annoying. Bradley chuckled. "College''s about to start. You haven''t seen Pearl in ages, have you?" Cameron nodded, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Brad, can I bring Peart home will may* She figured during school breaks, she''d be back on the ind anyway. If she had Pearl staying at Yates Manor, she could still be with her family and have Pearl nearby. Bradley hesitated before saying, "Of course." She wanted to bring Pearl home, but Bradley had bought the hillside vi so they could take care of Pearl together. Bradley suddenly felt an emptiness settle in his chest, but he couldn''t even exin why it hit him so hard. "Brad?" Cameron noticed the change in his mood. "You don''t want me to?" Technically, Pearl was her pet, but if anyone had truly raised the little thing, it was Bradley. He''d spent more time with Pearl than she ever had. Bradley smiled. "Pearl''s your pet. If you can keep him at home now, of course you should take him back." Cameron said, "Alright, I''lle pick him up in a couple of days." Bradley let out a sigh. "Does that mean we won''t see each other as much anymore?" Cameron looked confused. "We live in the same city. an meet up anytime." College was way more rxed than high school anyway, so it wouldn''t have been that hard for them to grab a bite together or hang out. "True." Bradley chuckled, then changed the topic. "Did you see the news?" "You mean the one about the whole Fraser Group situation?" Cameron asked. Even though the ind was pretty cut off from the world, the inte still worked just fine. So, naturally, Cameron had seen it. Fraser Group had gone through such a massive upheaval in just a few months that even people who usually didn''t follow business news were paying attention. Everyone was specting about what had really happened behind the scenes. Bradley nodded. "Yeah. Do you know why Fraser Group ended up back in Samuel''s hands so fast?" Cameron caught the smile on his face and guessed, "Brad, did you have something to do with it?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah, I was the one who gave Samuel the chance to make aeback." "You? Why?" Cameron was puzzled. Sure, Austin wasn''t great, but Samuel was even worse. Bradley said, "I don''t even know how I pissed off Austin, but he tried to buy out my He didn''t bother finishing the sentence, but Cameron got what he meant. She thought, ''How did Bradley end up offending Austin anyway? Maybe it''s all because of me. Austin was convinced I liked Bradley before, so is that why he went after Bradley?'' Cameron had no idea how to describe what she was feeling at the moment. She just thought Austin was out of his mind. Also, Cameron couldn''t bring herself to exin the situation to Bradley, so she said, "Don''t bother with him." "What''s up?" Bradley looked at her. "Weren''t you two pretty close? I thought you''d be mad at me." Cameron shook her head. "We''re done. I already cut him off." Bradley looked a little surprised. "Cut him off?" Cameron offered a quick exnation. "I''m not going to stay friends with someone who''d stab me in the back." Bradley honestly didn''t know Austin could be this dumb. He couldn''t fathom how Austin tried to stir up trouble with Xander over WhatsApp. He had seriously outyed himself. Bradley smiled. "Then let''s just ignore him." Cameron nodded. "Yeah." "Cam?" Jacqueline called out from outside Cameron''s room. Cameron answered her mom, nced at the , and said, ¡°Brad, my mom''s calling. Let''s catch up next time." "Alright." Bradley nodded. Cameron ended the video call and opened the door. Jacqueline paused when she saw what Cameron was wearing. "Cam, are you still not used to wearing girls'' clothes?" Cameron smiled. "I''m used to it, Mom. I really like all the dresses you bought me." Jacqueline smiled warmly and gently stroke her cheek. "Sweetheart, college is starting soon. Let''s go buy you a few more things, okay?" "Mom." Cameron shook her head. "You don''t need to buy me anything else. You''ve already gotten me so much, and I''ve got everything I need." Ever since she returned to Yates Manor, her parents and brothers had been finding reasons to buy her things daily. Sometimes, they didn''t even bother to think of a reason. Cameron really didn''tck anything anymore. "Come on, let''s go shopping for a bit." Jacqueline smiled and pulled her downstairs. Levi, Gavin, and Lance were all downstairs. It was fine for Lance to be here as he was on summer break. But Levi and Gavin had been sticking to Cameron''s side every daytely, like they had nothing better to do. Cameron sighed, "I really don''t need anything. How about we just go for a walk?" Gavin grinned. "Cam, how can you say you don''t need anything? You need more clothes." Cameron shook her head. "I already have plenty of clothes." Gavin said, "But all the clothes we''ve bought youtely are for girls. You should get some guys'' clothes too." Lance asked, ¡°Gavin, why would Cam need guys'' clothes? Don''t tell me you want her to keep pretending to be a boy?" Levi frowned. ¡°That''s ridiculous." He wouldn''t allow his precious daughter to keep dressing up as a boy. Gavin kept a straight face. ¡°Calm down, Dad. Think about it. College is starting soon, and Cam''s so cute and pretty. If she shows up looking like this, the guys are gonna be all over her. "Do you really want Cam to bring some random dude home to visit you?" Levi blurted out, "Absolutely not." Gavin smiled. "So, Cam still has to keep pretending to be a boy." Cameron had no words. My k 573 Cameron smirked at Gavin. "Aren''t you worried I''ll bring a girlfriend home instead?" Gavin was rendered speechless. Lance''s eyes went wide. "A girlfriend? Wait, you don''t actually like girls, do you, Cam?" Cameron smiled. ¡°A bunch of girls confessed to me on graduation night." Now, it was Lance''s turn to be speechless. Meanwhile, Jacquelineughed. "I had no idea my daughter was so popr." Levi, however, tooked serious. "Sweetheart, you''re not into girls, are you?" "No." Cameron shook her head. "Dad, don''t overthink it. I just don''t want to pretend to be a boy anymore, I want to live a normal life." She didn''t care if a bunch of boys started chasing after her once she wore girls'' clothes again. Just because they confessed, that didn''t mean she had to say yes. Honestly, what she wanted more than anything was to stop using the men''s restroom. Trying to deal with that during her period had been an actual nightmare. And the idea of living in the guys'' dorm again just threw her off. After all, college and high school were different. High school had been manageable as the boys were still rtively clueless, and she only had to deal with it for three months. But in college, that would be four long years she would have to put up with. No girl in her right mind would want to live with a bunch of grown men for that long. "But you''re just so pretty..." Gavin said, looking worried. Cameron shot back, "What, Gavin. Should I mess up my face before I go to college?" Gavin panicked, shaking his head quickly. "No, no, no. Cam, don''t even joke about that." Lance burst intoughter. "Cam, you''re hrious." Jacqueline smiled. "Alright, Cam''s a girl, and she should look as pretty as she wants. If anyone wants to dress like a boy, let them." Levi, however, still looked concerned. "You''re not thinking about having a boyfriend yet, are you?" Cameron let out a helpless sigh, looked at her dad, and said, "How about this, Dad? Let''spromise. I won''t dress up like a boy, but I still want to keep my unisex dressing style. Is that okay?" She really didn''t want to set foot in the boys'' bathroom or dorm ever again. Jacqueline shot Levi a re. "Seriously? Cam spent 18 years pretending to be a boy. Isn''t it great she can finally just be a pretty girl?" Levi grumbled, "You have no idea what goes on in a man''s mind." Gavin chimed in, "Dad''s right." Jacqueline had no words. Lance said, "Let Cam decide for herself. It''s her life, and she should do whatever she wants." That was just how Lance was the wanted something, he''d chase it without hesitation. He''d herome whoever he part cameran smiled and on her fingers through her short hair. "I want to know what it''s like to have long hai fond Gavin stared at her doll like features and said without thinking, "You''d took gorgeous." Cameron said nothing, but turned her head away, refusing to let Gavin take another look at her. Gavin was rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Lance nearly doubled over withughter, pping his thigh. In the end, Levi finally gave in. "Alright, sweetheart, do whatever you want. But you must follow this one rule, which is no dating before you graduate college." "And who was the one who married me right after college?" Jacqueline teased. Levi muttered under his breath, "I''m trying to have a serious talk with our daughter here. Can you not embarrass me?" to poke at Levi. ¡°But Dad, love doesn''t exactly follow a schedule. I can''t promise anything" Jacqueline justughed while Cameron leaned i That made Levi solemn instantly, but he just couldn''t bring himself to say a harsh word to his precious daughter. He changed his request. "Then no dating before you turn twenty." My k 574 Cameron grinned. "No promises." Once again, Levi was rendered speechless. Jacqueline threw an arm around Cameron''s shoulders. "Ignore your dad. If you meet someone you like, go for it. Wait too long and someone else might Swoop HT." Cameron was going to college, and Jacqueline thought it was time she had a love life. Gavin got flustered. "Mom, stop it. There are plenty of good guys out there." Lance teased, ¡°Gavin, are you talking about yourself? Since when does being a 25-year-old virgin make you a catch?". Gavin widened his eyes in shock at Logan''s words, and his audacity too. "Logan, watch it. Cam''s still a kid." Jacqueline quickly Cameron''s ears. Levi ced his hand over Jacqueline''s and muttered, "My precious girl didn''t hear a thing." Meanwhile, Gavin was already chasing Lance around the house. In the end, the whole family went out to buy Cameron some clothes and daily necessities. But instead of boys'' clothes, they picked out some cool, gender-neutral styles. Before they knew it, it was already August 30th, and Cameron''s sses would start tomorrow. Jacqueline was helping her pack, and the pile of boxes was out of control. There was no way it would all fit into a dorm room. So the n was to store most of it in the house across the street from campus, just in case she needed anything. Cameron thought it was a bit much, but since it was all from her family, she just went along with it. She wanted to pack by herself, but Jacqueline wouldn''t let her. "Cam, I never really got to take care of you when you were little. Let me do this for you, okay?" Jacqueline pleaded. So, Cameron could only stand aside and watch her mom pack everything for her. Just then, her phone buzzed with a text from Xander. Xander: [Cameron, where are you right now? Are you at Noble Vista? College starts tomorrow, so let me give you a ride. I did my registration today, so I''m free tomorrow.] Xander was heading to a sports college. Lately, he had been messaging Cameron on and off through WhatsApp. Cameron always replied in a pretty lukewarm way/but Xander didn''t dare to push his luck. After all, she''d already turned him down clearly. Still, she hadn''t cut him offpletely, and to him, that was something. He''d take it if staying friends was all he could manage for now. He figured he would have another chance in the future when the time was right, hopefully. Cameron: [It''s fine. My family''s taking me there.] Xander: [Family? You found your birth parents? When did that happen?] Chapter 574- Cameron: [Yeah, I found them about two weeks are The past couple of weeks had honestly been the happiest of Cameron''s life. Just like Bradley once told her bareminy went pl Shally understood what that meant. Xander (Congrats!] Cameron: [Thanks.] Xander: [How about I join your family to see you off tomorrow? Where do you live?] Cameron: [What?) Xander: [Don''t get the wrong idea. I mean, we''re friends. I''m free tomorrow anyway, so I can tag along.) Cameron: [Thanks for offering, but that''s not necessary.] Xander replied with a crying emoji, but Cameron didn''t reply anymore. Xander flopped back onto the couch, staring at his chat window with Cameron in defeat as he thought, ''Shepletely shut me down again. How brutal. Suddenly, Xander shot up from the couch. ''I need to stake out her ce. Cameron''s family will be seeing her off, right? Since I can''t win her over, I''ll win over her family. What if her family actually thinks I''m a good fit for her?'' The thought got Xander all fired up again, and he quickly texted Cameron again. [Oh, right, Cameron. Who are the members of your family?] He needed to know how many people he was dealing with so he could prepare the right gifts. Cameron: [Why are you asking that?] My k 575 -mint this Cameron (I have two older brothers.) Xander: Are your parentsing to drop you off at the campus tomorrow too?) Cameron: [You sure have a lot of questions.] Xander: [I''m just making conversation.] Cameron: [No more questions. I''m going to sleep.] Xander: [Alright then. Good night.] "See you tomorrow." Xander''s lips curled into a smile. He immediately got up and went to the storage room at home to look for gifts for Cameron''s family. Cameron had two older brothers, and regardless of whether her parents were tagging along, Xander still nned to prepare gifts for them. He was determined to make a good impression on Cameron''s family. At Moore Manor, Elijah sat at his desk, holding the medical university''s eptance letter. If he hadn''t assumed Cameron would be attending med school too, they could''ve been heading off to Stenford University together tomorrow. His phone sat on the desk, still open to his chat history with Cameron. He thought about sending a message to Cameron, as they hadn''t talked in a while, and from the looks of it, they''d probably see even less of each other moving forward. However, he didn''t know what he could say to her. He couldn''t bring himself to confess his feelings. Elijah just sat there quietly at his desk, until someone knocked on the study door. "Come in." Elijah snapped back to reality. The door opened and in walked a well-groomed woman-his mother. As a stic surgeon and a total workaholic, she worked nearly every day of the year and always exuded polished, high-achiever energy. "Mom," Elijah called out. "You''re still up, Eli?" Beverly walked over to him. Tonight, she''d actually made a point to leave work early. Her surgery schedule was already booked solid until the month after next. "It''s still early," Elijah replied. Beverly ruffled his short hair. "You''re about to start college, and you''ll be an adult soon. It''s time to really start thinking about your future." "My future?¡± Elijah looked up at her. "Aren''t just supposed to take over the family business?" His mom paused. "Is that what you really think?" Elijah just looked at her. She said, "Your dad and I haven''t been around much, but you''ve always been independent, outstanding, and full of your own ideas. just want you what you''re passionate about in life." Elijah understood what his mom was saying and nodded. "I got it, Mom." Beverly added, "Tomorrow, your dad and I will go with you to handle your college registration." Elijah was a little surprised. "You guys have time?" Beverly smiled. "For something this important to you, we''ll make time no matter what." A small smile tugged at his lips. "Thanks, Mom." When he was a kid, he always wished his parents could take him to school. But every time, it was the butler who went with him. Beverly affectionately ruffled his hair again. "It''s gettingte. You should sleep soon." Elijah nodded. "Okay, Mom." As Beverly turned to leave, she paused at the door, then nced back with a teasing smile. ¡°By the way, now that you''re in college, you''re allowed to start dating. I''m excited to meet your future other half." Elijah''s gaze droppedpletely. He wondered, ''My future other half?'' The first person that popped into his mind was Cameron, but he knew there was no future for the two of them. He wasn''t going to bother Cameron. Just quietly watching her from afar was enough for him. And it seemed like he was going to let his parents down this time. Elijah put his phone away. In the end, he still decided not to reach out to Cameron, knowing that she''d be spending her time with her family now. He wanted her to enjoy her every moment with her family to the max. AD Comment My k 576 Al Saunders Manor in Viremont, Bradley was in his room, packing his suitcase. Eddie was lounging on the sofa nearby, casually scrolling through his phone when he asked, "Hey Brad, Cameron was this year''s top scorer, if gift ymar college did he end up choosing?" Eddie shot him a smirk. Still folding his clothes, Bradley replied, "Stenford University." Eddie raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So Cam''s going to my school too?" Bradley nced up at him. "Eddie, you sure you didn''t cheat on your college entrance exam back then?" Eddie was left speechless. "Hey, I''m the real deal," he defended, patting his chest. Eric snorted, "Yeah, so awesome that in a few years, your alma mater will be embarrassed to admit you went there." "Pfft, Eric. Cut the crap. My alma mater is definitely proud of me." Eddie red at him. Eric looked between Bradley and Eddie, then said slyly, "Eddie, you''ve got girls chasing you left and right. Why not introduce one to Cameron?" As soon as Eric said that, Bradley''s hands froze. At the same time, Bradley turned to look at him, and their gazes met. There was a hint of sharpness in Bradley''s gaze, though it was hidden well behind his gold-rimmed sses. Eric grinned. ¡°So, Brad. What do you think of my suggestion?" Bradley shot back, "Eric, are you the one wanting a girlfriend?" Eric dodged the question. "Cameron''s so good-looking and smart. I''m sure there''ll be tons of girls after him.¡± Bradley stayed silent, but he unconsciously squeezed his shirt in his hand, leaving a crease. Eddieughed, "Cam''s great at everything, but he''s just a bit on the short side. But hey, good thingse in small packages, and I''m sure he won''t becking girls in his life." Bradley snapped his suitcase shut. "You two, get out now. I''m going to sleep." Eddie straightened up. "You haven''t even finished packing your clothes. Why are you sleeping already?" Bradley just stared at him coldly. Eddie blinked, backed off, and said with a theatrical yawn, "Fine, fine. I get the hint. I''m out. Goodnight, Brad." Eric walked over, patted Bradley on the shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Brad, don''t forget what you told me in Fiora." With that, Eric turned and left, leaving Bradley crouching in his room alone. After a moment, he slowly stood up, his promise to Eric in Fiora slowly He''d told Eric that he absolutely didn''t have any feelings for Cameron that he shouldn''t have. But then, why did he get so annoyed when Eric and Eddie were talking about introducing Cameron to girls? Bradley had no idea what he was upset about. After all, he thought it was normal for boys their age to be dating, and Cameron was just another boy. But he didn''t know why he was feeling upset. Then, it hit him. He thought, ''Could it be that I actually like him? No!'' Chapter $76 Bradley tried to convince himself that he was a normal teenage boy and liked gifts, just like all the other boys. Even though he was an adult now, Bradley had never actually had a real crush on any girl. His thoughts were a tangled mess. He sank into the couch, picked tip his phone, and nearly texted Cameron without thinking However he p midway, not knowing what he could say to her. He put the phone back down and decided he needed to meet Cameron in person. But with college starting tomorrow, he''d have to wait before the could hang out again. The next morning, Levi, Jacqueline, Gavin, and Lan house Levi had bought for Cameron. were all with her as they boarded the Yates family''s private helicopter. They then drove to the Levi and Jacqueline stayed to help Cameron unpack and clean up. Levi wanted to hire a cleaning service, but Jacqueline insisted on doing it herself. She just wanted to do something for Cameron, so Levi stayed to help. AB My k 577 Gavin canted Cameron''s quilt while Lance followed behind with her smaller essentials kettle, bucket, washbasin, towel and whatnot. Cameron walked ahead,pletely empty handed, with both brothers trailing behind like her personal moving crew. The campus entrance was packed with new students and their parents for registration, but the three of them still managed to stand out. For one, they were all tall, and on top of that, ridiculously good-looking. Three striking "pretty boys" walking together were impossible to miss. They were turning heads everywhere they went. "Cameron!" a voice called out. Xander had parked outside the campus since early morning, basically staking out the entrance. The second he spotted Cameron, he opened his car door and hurried over. He''d spent the whole ride over imagining how stunning she''d look, and he was sure she''d be dressed to impress. But the moment he actually saw her, he felt a little disappointed. Cameron wore a gray T-shirt, off-white cropped pants, and in white sneakers. Her short hair and minimal effort gave off a clean, androgynous vibe. From a distance, she could easily be mistaken for a handsome guy. She wasn''t even wearing a skirt. Seriously, she had no idea how gorgeous she would look in a dress. He thought, ''Is she really nning to keep this tomboy look the whole way through college?'' As he rushed toward her, Xander noticed the two guys standing on either side of her. Both were already sizing him up, but Gavin gave off that older-brother energy. He was straight-up scanning Xander like he had X-ray vision. Xander, decked out in top-tier designer brands, wore limited-edition sneakers and a luxury watch on his right wrist that screamed money. Gavin quickly caught on that this guy was clearly from a wealthy family. Xander wondered, ''Wait, what''s his rtionship with Cam? Don''t tell me he''s her boyfriend?'' Gavin''s face instantly turned solemn. He stared straight at Xander and asked, "Who are you?" Xander immediately shed a big smile at Gavin. "Hey, man. I''m Xander Murphy, Cameron''s roommate from high school." Noticing Gavin checking him out, Xander actually felt a little smug inside. He''d intentionally picked out this outfit today, just to show that he was wealthy in front of Cameron''s family. The clothes and shoes were his usual style, but he wore the watch on purpose. He liked sports, and wearing a watch was inconvenient, so he usually didn''t bother with one. "Roommates?" Gavin stared at Xander, who was grinning like a clueless rich kid. Gavin couldn''t believe they were roommates before this because Cameron was a girl. Lance was just as shocked. "Wait, you''re saying you and Cam were roommates in high school?" Xander nodded. "Yeah." Cameron had no words. The next second, she held her forehead and said, "Can you please stop making trouble for me?" Xander looked aggrieved. "How am I making trouble for you?" Kander had Barely finished seeking when someone grabbed him by the cor it was Gavin, of cour By now Gavin''s expression had turnedpletely solemn. Brow-what are you doing? Xander st?mmered, totally confused. Afraid to piss Gavin eft, he didn''t even dare to struggle. He just raised his hands in surrender. "Shut up. Who are you calling your brother?" Gavin snapped, the veins on his forehead throbbing. Xander was left speechless, thinking, ''Man, he''s got a serious temper. Cameron''s brother is scary as hell What did I even do to make him mad? "Did I hear you right? You just said you and Cam shared the same dorm back in high school?" Gavin gritted his teeth. Xander nodded. Gavin pressed, "Do you even know that she''s a girl?" Xander nodded again, and his response floored Gavin. If Xander had known, how could he have allowed Cameron to stay in the guy''s dorm? That was just nuts. Lance shot Xander a fierce re. "You''re a guy and she''s a girl. How could you two possibly share a dorm? Was your school out of its mind?" AD Comment My k 578 She was dressed like a guy," Xander pretested. "I swear, I had no idea she was a girl at first." The two brothers had actually forgotten that Cameron was pretending to be a boy. They had been so focused on the fact that she and Xander shared a dorm, they''dpletely nked on the context. Their protective instincts had just kicked in hard. "Gavin, let go," Cameron said,ing over to pull him away. Xander immediately ducked behind Cameron. "Cameron, your brother''s way too scary." Cameron had no words. "Stay away from my sister," Gavin warned. Xander thought, ''Stay away from her? How much farther can I get? There are only about four inches of distance between us. Gavin narrowed his eyes. "Aside from being roommates, was there anything else going on between you two?" "No," Cameron answered for Xander. Both Gavin and Lance let out a sigh of relief. Their little sister had juste back into their lives. They''d lose it if some random guy started hitting on her now. Xander denied it. "There was." Even Cameron didn''t know where he was going with it, so she turned to look at Xander, wondering, ''What''s he up to now?'' Meanwhile, Gavin''s eyes widened. "Oh yeah? Then tell us what it was?" Lance asked, rubbing his chin. There was a faint smile on his face, but it didn''t reach his eyes. Gavin stared hard at Xander, but thetter was totally unfazed as he said, "I''m trying to win her over." The two brothers were stunned to their cores. It turned out there was really something going on between Cameron and Xander, or so they thought. They''d been worried Cameron would start dating once college started, but someone had already gotten a head start. "No way!" Gavin said bossily. Xander was confused. "Why?" ¡°Because Cam can''t date anyone," Gavin exined. But Xander retorted, "She''s an adult now. Why can''t she date anyone?" "It''s a family rule," Gavin said with zero hesitation. "No dating for her until she hits the legal age for marriage. Simple as that." Xander stared at him, thinking, ''What kind of family rule is that? Or maybe Cameron''s brothers just don''t like me? ''No way, I look way too good today. So, I guess it really is just the family rule.'' Xander raised an eyebrow. "Two years, huh? I''ll just get in line then." Both Gavin and Lance were rendered speechless, thinking that Xander wasn''t just bold and shameless, but he was impossible to deal with. Cameron gave Xander a look. "You don''t need to wait in line Xander asked, "Why not?" Just letting you know ahead of time that you''ve got no shot," she said. Xander just stood there,pletely stunned. After a long moment, he slowly lowered his head to hide the hurt in his eyes and walked away without saying a word. The two brothers were stunned. They were just about to give Cameron a big thumbs-up for knowing how to shut someone out quickly, But then, seeing Xander looking all hurt, they suddenly felt sorry for the guy. But a secondter, they reminded themselves that Xander was not the one they should pity here. He was trying to steal their precious sister away. If anyone should be pitied, it was them, if their sister actually got snatched away. Gavin and Lance shot Xander''s retreating figure a cold look, though, on second thought, he did seem slightly pitiful. "Let''s go," Cameron said tly. She wasn''t one for dragging things out, and she had been so blunt with Xander because she didn''t want him to waste his time on her. It was better for her to rify things so they could move on from this topic forever, for the betterment of both of them. Gavin and Lance picked up her bags and followed after her. They''d barely made it a few steps before Xander came jogging back, clutching four neatly wrapped gift boxes for the Yates family. AD My k 579 These are for you, your brother and your parents," Xander said quickly, avoiding Cameron''s gaze. He shoved the boxes intonca shands, then t around and practically sprinted off. With that, Xander turned and dashed off. Gavin frowned. "Why''d you even take it?" Lance said, "He shoved it into my hand." Cameron had no words. She snatched the gift boxes from Lance, nning to return them to Xander. However, Xander had already vanished from her sight. There were too many people around, and Cameron had no idea where he had run off to. "It''s for you guys." Cameron shoved the gift boxes back into Lance''s hands. Lance had no words. "Cam, do you know where that guy lives?" Gavin asked. "Why''d you ask?" Cameron asked in return. "So we can send his gifts back," Gavin said. There was no way they were keeping anything from some lovesick guy trying to flirt his way into their family. Not on their watch. Cameron nodded. "Alright, I''ll give you his addresster." Then, Gavin and Lance continued to follow behind Cameron, dragging her bags along. Lance juggled the four gift boxes in his arms, nced sideways at Gavin, and muttered, ¡°Dude, he didn''t even get Cam a gift.¡± Xander didn''t even call Cameron by her name earlier too. Gavin paused momentarily, then muttered, "He deserves to be single." They had no idea what Xander was nning. The one he should be trying to impress was Cameron, not her family members. If Cameron epted him as her boyfriend, none of them in the family would say anything about it. Gavin and Logan thought that Xander was a total idiot. After checking in and paying tuition, Cameron''s brothers helped haul her suitcases to her dorm. Just as they were heading inside, a bright, bubbly girl with a ponytail called out, "Hey, this is the girls'' dorm. The guys'' dorm is over that way." Then, she pointed to another building nearby. Lance frowned. "We''re going to the girls'' dorm." The girl, L Brooks, blinked at him, caught the edge in his tone, and immediately bolted, thinking, ''Jeez, this guy''s vibe could kill. His re is too scary. Cameron didn''t think much of it. Holding her registration slip, she walked calmly toward the entrance, until a staff member stepped in front of her. "Hey, where are you headed? The boys'' dorm is that way," the staff said, pointing outside. Cameron had no words. Meanwhile, Gavin''s face turned solemn. "You want my sister to go to the boys dorm?" The staff member was confused. She pushed up her sses and asked, "Where''s your sister?" There were a lot of new students checking in, so this little scene made everyone stop and watch out of curiosity. Some people had even started aizsa the three of them. They couldn''t figure out which one of the trio was the sister. Cameron took a step forward. "Ma''am, I''m a girl." She handed her registration slip to the staff. ¡°Can I go in now?" The staff was shocked. "You''re a girl?" She couldn''t believe that such a ridiculously handsome kid was actually a girl. "I am," Cameron repeated patiently, already knowing that she would be running into this kind of thing more often from now on. "Oh my goodness, she''s actually a girl? She''s so cool." "I can''t believe a girl could look this good." "Why does she dress like a guy? And her hair''s so short. Could she perhaps... swing the other way?" "Oh no, if she really does, it''s such a pity." Hearing the girls gossiping, Gavin and Lance shot them a re, and they quickly returned to their own business. "Cam, don''t mind their nonsense. Let''s go." Lance took the registration form from the staff. Cameron gave a quick nod, not really bothered as the trio headed upstairs. Her room-201-was on the second floor. She pushed the door open and immediately spotted the ponytail girl from earlier. "Hello," As soon as L saw someonee in, she greeted them enthusiastically, but when she realized it was Cameron, she froze. My k 580 Just a moment ago, L was excitedly telling her new roommates about the super good-looking girl she''d spotted at the dorm ¨¤ entrance And in the very next second, that same girl showed up right in front of her. L just stared nkly at Cameron and the two people with her,pletely stunned. Even Sienna James, who was usually quiet andposed, blushed at the sight of the three handsome "guys". But she still managed to point it out politely. "Um, this is the girls'' dorm." "She''s a girl." A cool, calm voice sounded. Cameron turned toward it and saw a familiar face-Amelia, sitting on a chair in a white dress, her beautiful face unreadable. Amelia hadn''t expected Cameron to pick pharmacology too, and what was more, they''d ended up in the same dorm. It was such a coincidence. Cameron was pretty surprised too. She just nodded and walked into the room. The only empty bed left in the dorm was hers. "You two know each other?" Lance nced curiously at Amelia. "We went to high school together," Cameron replied. Hearing that, Amelia looked at Cameron in silence. Now that Cameron was back to living as a girl, she probably didn''t want anyone bringing up her past. Naturally, Amelia wasn''t about to mention it. Gavin pulled out the quilt and sheets. Then, he ordered Lance, "Go make Cam''s bed." "I''ll do it myself," Cameron said. Lance immediately grabbed the sheets and climbed onto the bed. "Cam, let me handle it." Lance quickly made the bed for Cameron. Meanwhile, Gavin helped Cameron sort out her toiletries and other stuff. "Cam, get to know your roommates. We''ll go meet up with Mom and Dad now. Let''s have lunch togetherter," Gavin said. Cameron nodded, and with that, Gavin and Lance left. Before leaving, Lance nced back at Amelia. "Hey, are those your brothers? They''re so handsome, and they treat you so well!" L O came over to Cameron, full of excitement. Cameron nodded and introduced herself, "Hi, I''m Cameron Wace." "Hi, I''m L Brooks. You''re so cool. Like, you''re cooler than most guys." L grinned. "I''m Sienna James,¡± Sienna said a little shyly. "I guess I don''t need to introduce myself, right?" Amelia looked at Cameron. Cameron nced at her but didn''t say anything, so Amelia stayed quiet after that. Just now, Amelia had been too shocked that Cameron was assigned to the same dorm as her to even remember that she once confessed to Cameron and got rejected. The moment she saw Cameron''s cold expression, it all came rushing back, and now Amelia was feeling really awkward. However, she didn''t let it show. Cameron wasn''t much of a talker, and Amelia was pretty aloof too. L, on the other hand, was super outgoing, while Sienna was slightly more reserved. Barring any surprises, the four girls would share a room for the next four years. Before they knew it, it was lunchtime. L called Ame and Sienna to ask if they wanted to grab lunch at the cafebots to en "Cameron, you''re having lunch with your family, so I won''t ask you toe with us, L said. Cameron nodded. "We have plenty of chances next time." Cameron made it to 18 without ever having a real female friend, and she was always flying solo. Most girls had at least one or two close friends Maybe, just maybe, college would be different. Maybe she would finally make some real friends here. Cameron''s parents were reluctant to let her go after just bringing her back. "Jacqueline even suggested getting an apartment near campus just to see her more often. Thankfully, Levi managed to talk her out of it. Gavin left first to handlepany matters. Lance, who was entering his final year of college, was also swamped with work. As soon as the semester started, their orientation week began with a one-week- long fitness training. Cameron was in great shape, so it was no big deal for her. But Amelia and the other twoined nonstop. It was especially rough on Amelia, a pampered princess who''d never had to go through anything like this before. By the end of the training, she''d lost so much weight she was practically a different person. AD My k 581 Fitness training was brutal, but it onlysted seven days, And it was over before they knew it. Aner training ended, Cameron returned to school and took her phone out of her locker. The moment she turned it on, she saw a Vihatshoe text fie Bradley Bradley, is training over? Want to grab dinner?] Cameron stared at her phone for a moment, then replied to Bradley. [Sure.] "Thank god that''s over! I feel like I lost half my life," L flopped onto her bed. "Let''s head out and eat a tonter. We totally deserve a feast." Cameron walked back to her desk with her phone in hand. "You guys go ahead. I''ve got other ns." Amelia looked up at Cameron, a little surprised. They were all freshmen in college who hadn''t made any solid friends yet, so she wondered if Cameron was meeting up with a friend from high school. Sienna said softly, "You guys go ahead. I won''t be joining." "Huh? You''re noting either, Sienna? You got ns too?" L pouted. Sienna lowered her head. ¡°I... need to look for a part-time job. Gotta earn my living expenses." L fell silent, but from the sound of that, she could tell Sienna''s family probably wasn''t doing well financially. L remembered hearing her quietly asking about financial aid during registration. Hearing that, Cameron nced at Sienna too, but didn''t say anything. After all, they barely knew each other. Cameron grabbed her bag and was about to head out when Amelia called after her. "Cameron, are you really going out dressed like that?" Cameron turned around slightly. She was wearing a in white T-shirt and jeans, which was simple and gender-neutral. "What else would I wear?" Amelia blinked. She wasn''t expecting that response and had no idea what to say. Cameron was back to being a girl now, so Amelia wondered if she was nning to stick with her gender-neutral style. Was it because she didn''t like wearing dresses? Amelia didn''t say anything more, so Cameron just left. Stenford University and Viremont School of Law and Public Affairs were about a thirty-minute drive apart. Bradley picked a private restaurant right between the two colleges. "Brad," Cameron greeted as the waiter led her into the private dining room. After a week of fitness training, hisplexion darkened a few shades. Meanwhile, despite spending just as much time in the sun, it didn''t affect Cameron that much. In his chair, Bradley raised a hand in greeting, his usual calm smile tugging at his lips. "Long time no see." Cameron took a seat. "Long time no see." Behind his gold-rimmed sses, Bradley''s eyes quietly took in the sight of Cameron. Ever since the night he realized his feelings for Cameron weren''t exactly what friends felt for each other, the moments he shared with Cameron had been Chapter 581. on repeat in his head throughout training. Thinking back, be''d actually found Cameron pretty adorable from the very first time they met. When Cameron got into a fight with Xander, Bradley didn''t hesitate to jump in to help Cameron. Later, when he got heine and saw his third eldest brother, Eric, sorting through his makeup kit, he thought of the diamond stud Cameron wore on he So, he just grabbed one from his brother''s kit and gave it to Cameron. After that, when he found out about Cameron''s famil Vista''s unit to her name. situation, he felt sorry for him. He had Cameron write an IOU and even transferred the Hoble Then, he spent 100 million dors to buy a hillside castle The things he did for Cameron were far beyond what a frigeron, just so she could have a ce to keep Pearl. Eddie used to tease Bradley about how he was treating too do, but Bradley had never realized that. Eric didn''t even bother sugarcoating anything. He straight up said Bradley''s feelings were out of line and even threatened to "break them up". Back then, Bradley justughed it off. But now, thinking about it more seriously, he couldn''t deny it anymore. Maybe he really did feel something he wasn''t supposed to for his friend, who was a guy. AD My k 582 Bradley leaned back in his chair, feeling a little ridiculous. He''d never done anything even remotely out of line in his whole life. If anything counted, this had to be the wildest thing he''d ever done. Maybe everyone was just overthinking it. Maybe he was too. So, as soon as fitness training was over, he asked Cameron to meet up. He needed to figure out how he really felt. His nd was a mess, but his eyes slowlynded on Cameron''s lips. The first time he met Cameron, he''d thought her lips were beautiful. They were soft and pink, and shaped just like flower petals. He stared at her, unaware of his Adam''s apple bobbing. When he snapped out of it, he thought, ''What am I even doing? Isn''t this just my imagination? So, was Eric actually right? Did I really have feelings that ! shouldn''t have for Cameron?'' Bradley felt his heart sink. Noticing his stare, Cameron touched her own face. "Brad, what''s up?" Bradley just kept staring at her. "Brad?" Cameron waved her hand in front of his face. "Huh?" Bradley snapped back to reality. He kept that polite, easy smile on his face as he slid the menu over to her. "This ce is famous for its foreign cuisines. Give it a try." Cameron took the menu and casually picked out two dishes. Bradley ordered two more dishes and a soup as well. Four dishes and a soup were plenty for the two of them. Trying to keep things light, he said, "Military training must''ve been a breeze for you. You didn''t even get a tan." Cameron grinned. "That''s because I''m serious about sunscreen." Bradley lifted his arm, showing off his healthy tan, andughed. "No wonder. I didn''t bother with sunscreen." Cameronughed. "But on the bright side, you go yourself a free tan." The two of them chatted as they waited for food to be served, and the atmosphere in the private room was easy andid back. Soon, the waiter served all five dishes; and they looked and smelled incredible. As they ate, Bradley asked casually, ¡°Now that you''re in college, everyone''s got more freedom. You can date whoever you want. Anyone in your department that catches your eye?" Cameron shook her head. "Nope." Hearing that, Bradley smiled faintly. He was slightly surprised to hear that, but then he remembered Cameron once mentioning she wasn''t into girls, which raised a different question entirely. Now, he wondered, ''If Cameron doesn''t like girls, does that mean he swings the other way?" Even though Cameron had a delicate, handsome face, her personality and the way she handled things were actually pretty manly. Bradley had to find the answer to this question. "You don''t like girls?" Bradley asked, trying to sound casual as he sipped his drink. Cameron shook his head. "I haven''t really thought about it." Bradley had no words. He didn''t quite get her answer. He thought, ''So, does that mean he likes girls, or does he not? Or is he just dodging the question? Cameron said, "Oh, by the way, Brad. It turns out I got into the same university and major as Amelia," "Amelia?" Bradley frowned without even realizing it when he heard the name. Cameron''s so-called ''heroic'' pursuit of Amelia was legendary at Langford Academy. Right now, Bradley could clearly feel the annoyance bubbling up just from hearing that Cameron and Amelia would be at the same university. If he only saw Cameron as a friend or brother, he wouldn''t feel this way. So, he saw no point in lying to himself anymore. He really did have feelings for Cameron, and those were forbidden feelings. He didn''t even know when he started to swing the other way. All along, Bradley had always thought he was straight. Now that he''d finally admitted it to himself that he might not be, he could barely handle it. "Yeah, and we''re even roommates," Cameron added, deciding that there was no point in hiding the fact that she was a girl from Bradley anymore, so she just told him right out. When she mentioned that she and Amelia were roommates, Bradley should''ve been able to put two and two together and realize she was a girl, or at least, that was what Cameron thought. AD Comment My k 583 Cameron finished talking, expecting at least a flicker of surprise from Bradley. Maybe he''d ask why she''d been pretending to be a guy all this time. But Bradley didn''t say a word. He just sat there, frowning. He was so lost in his own thoughts, he didn''t even hear what Cameron said. Cameron was slightly surprised, thinking, ''If Brad''s so chill about this, does that mean he already knows? Well, Austin and Xander already knew, so one of them probably told him ages ago. ''Guess I was just making a fuss over nothing.'' Since Bradley didn''t say anything, Cameron dropped the topic. She kept eating, while Bradley didn''t even touch his cutlery again. He just sat there, frowning hard. Cameron took a few more bites, then put her cutlery down. She was already full. "Brad, should we head out?" Cameron asked. Bradley didn''t respond. "Brad?" Cameron called again. Still, he sat in his seat, unmoving. "Brad?" she called once more. "Hm?" Bradley finally snapped out of it. "What is it?" Cameron asked, "Are you done eating?" Bradley looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I''m done." Cameron nodded back. "I have a ss meeting this afternoon, so I need to head back. Let''s hang out next time." Cameron stood up, and Bradley did too, but he grabbed her arm and said, "Cameron." It was still zing hot in September. Cameron wore a short-sleeved tee, and Bradley''s palm wrapped easily around her wrist. His touch was warm-hot, even-and it sent a jolt through her skin like a burn. "What is it?" Cameron asked. Bradley stared at her for a long moment before he slowly let go. "It''s nothing."" They walked out of the restaurant together. Cameron stepped up to the counter to pay, and Bradley didn''t fight for the bill with her this time. He was clearly off somewhere else in his mind. They walked to the door, and Cameron said, "Brad, I''m heading back now." She had her license, but the car her parents gave her was a little too shy for everyday use. She nned to buy something more low-i Bradley nodded. "Alright, I won''t walk you out then." Cameron nodded back. "I''ll just take a shared bike back to campus. It''s not that far." 1. on. And with that, Cameron left. Bradley stood there, watching as her figure disappeared down the street. Even after she was out of sight, he didn''t move, Sun 15 Jun He stayed like that for ages, until someone identally bumped into his shoulder. The person apologized repeatedly, finally snapping him pater fis daze. He walked into a nearby convenience store, bought his first ever pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Back in the driver''s seat of his car, he lit one, took a drag and coughed. The bitter taste hit the back of his throat like fire. He choked and coughed, then pushed his sses up and tried again, The smoke curled around his face, softening the sharp lines of his features as it drifted toward the open window. He was still wondering if he had fallen for Cameron. Bradley rested his hand with the cigarette out the car window and flicked off the ash. Heughed mockingly, wondering, ''Am I some freak who likes men, or do I only care about Cameron?'' Bradley stayed in the car, smoked two cigarettes back to back, then stopped. He just sat there in silence until night fell and neon lights lit up the street outside. Bradley pulled out his phone and called Eddie. It rang forever before Eddie finally picked up with a groggy voice, "Hello?" His voice was thick with sleep, like someone who''d just been woken up. "Took you long enough to answer," Bradley frowned. Eddie grumbled, "Seriously? Do you even know what time it is?" My k 584 Bradley nced at his watch. "It''s 7:30 PM. Are you still sleeping, or did you just Eddie shot back, "What do you mean it''s 7:30 PM? It''s only 6:30 AM here, okay?" to bed?" He hadn''t even gone to bed until 3 AM. If anyone else called him at this hour, he would''ve cussed them out already. Bradley asked, "Where are you?" Eddie froze, thinking, ''Where am I again. Oh, right, he wasn''t even in the country. No wonder there was a time difference. Eddie sprawled out on his bed, rubbing his still-groggy eyes. "I''m in Montelira. I came here as an exchange student." "Exchange student?" Bradley sounded surprised. "When did that happen?" "This semester," Eddie replied. "Why didn''t you tell me?" Bradley asked. "Weren''t you off at fitness training?" Bradley had no words. Now that he was a bit more awake, Eddie teased, "What, you finished training and the first thing you do is call me? You missed me that much?" Bradley ignored his narcissistic remark. "Eddie, I want to ask you something, and you have to answer honestly." "Go ahead," Eddie said, picking up on the seriousness in his tone and sitting up. Bradley asked, "What does it feel like to like someone?" "Brad, you finally realized you like Cameron?" Bradley blinked, caught off guard. "So, are you two finally getting together or what?" Eddie asked, practically buzzing with excitement. Still, Bradley remained silent. Bradley frowned. "Eddie, quit joking around." "I''m being serious, Brad," Eddie said.. "You really think Mike Cameron?" Bradley pressed. "Dude, anyone with half a brain can tell you do." Bradley stayed quiet, his mind spinning. Eddie asked nosily, "But Brad, does Cam like you back?" "Cameron''s a guy." "I know, but if he were a girl, do you really think you''d even have a shot?" That was because Eddie would''ve shot his shot long ago if Cameron were a girl, and a really cute one at that. Bradley frowned. "Eddie, I dare you to repeat that." Eddie was stunned. He didn''t think Bradley would get jealous over jokes like this. However, that meant Bradley didn''t just have a crush on Cameront but he loved her. Eddieughed it off, "Come on, Brad. Don''t be so serious. I was just joking around. What did you ask just now? Oh, what does it feel like to like someone? "Honestly, the simplest way to tell is, do you feel something when you''re near her? Do you?" "What kind of feeling?" Bradley asked. Eddie scratched his head. "Seriously, Brad. You''re already an adult. Why are you still pretending to be some innocent kid in front of me?" Bradley was confused. Eddie pressed, "So? Do you feel anything?" Bradley had no words. Eddie burst outughing. "Too embarrassed to say it out loud? That''s fine, as long as you know in your heart. Congrats, Brad. Looks like you''re about to stop being single." Bradley frowned. "Don''t you think there''s something off about this?" Eddie frowned back. "Off? If you like someone, you like them. What''s the problem?" "Cameron''s a guy." Eddie shrugged. "So what? Are you worried the family won''t approve of this? You''ve got six brothers, you know. No one''s counting on you to carry on the family line." "No," Bradley cut him off, "Eddie, what I mean is, do I actually just like Cameron, or do I like guys?" Eddie was stunned for a moment, then after a moment, he grinned at his phone and said, ¡°Brad, I''ve got an idea. Want to try it out?" My k 585 At first, Bradley wanted nothing to do with Eddie''s n. But after thirty minutes of overthinking, he found himself pulling up to the bar Eddie had mentioned. The ce was tucked away, hidden from view. This bar had one rule, which was only gay men were allowed into the bar. Bradley sat in his car across the street, watching through the window as men danced under spinning lights, bodies moving to the beat. Some of them were even getting a little handsy. Bradley tightened his grip around the steering wheel. After hesitating for ages, he finally pushed open the car door and got out. He was tall and well-built, with a handsome face framed by his gold-rimmed sses, looking every bit the refined gentleman. The moment he reached the entrance, he immediately caught the attention of several men. He fought down his difort, headed straight to the bar, ordered a dozen drinks, and grabbed a seat in the back. The ce was dim, with colored lights spinning overhead and bass thumping in the background. Bradley had just poured himself a drink when a skinny but decent-looking guy plopped down across from him without even asking. "Hey there, handsome. Here by yourself?" The guy pretended to tuck some imaginary hair behind his ear. His move was so flirty that it almost made him look like a girl. Bradley frowned. "I''m waiting for a friend." And just like that, Bradley knew this type wasn''t for him. Cameron didn''t act like this. He was masculine and straightforward, but the guy opposite him wasn''t. Bradley took a sip of his drink and let his gaze wander. As he nced toward the dance floor and back, his eyes locked with someone else''s. The guy had a buzz cut, wore a crisp white shirt, and had a clean, sharp look. He didn''t seem feminine at all, and honestly, if he weren''t in this bar, one''d never guess he was gay. Bradley''s gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds before he looked away. Still, the man kept his eyes on him before he broke into a smile. After a moment, he finally walked toward Bradley. He held a ss of wine and sat down gracefully across from Bradley, smiling as he asked, "First time here, sir?" Bradley gave him a nd look. ¡°How many times have you been here?" The man chuckled. "You''re pretty funny, you know that? You really don''t fit in here." Bradley remained expressionless. "Aren''t you the same?" The man grinned. "Oh? Am I out of ce too?" Bradley didn''t feel anything for the guy in front of him, but he didn''t send him away either. He just didn''t want anyone elseing over to hit on him. Most of the people here looked pretty effeminate, and Bradley just couldn''t deal with that. They made small talk for over an hour. The guy seemed to think they were hitting it off, that maybe Bradley was actually into him. B 10:49 Mon, 16 Jun Of a.. But the truth was, Bradley had just been putting up with it the whole time. He really couldn''t stand the vibe here. "Hey, want to toast together?" The man raised his ss. "No." Bradley turned him down.. The man just picked up his drink and sat beside Bradley. "It''s your first time here, but you don''t have to be so stiff. Come on, have a drink?" As soon as he sat down, Bradley immediately scooted away. The man justughed. "You''re pretty cute." He ced his left hand on the seat, just a few inches from Bradley, to test the waters. Bradley was getting irritated; he didn''t want to stay here anymore. At this moment, he realized he didn''t like men. He only liked Cameron so much that her gender didn''t even matter. Just as Bradley was about to leave, an arm suddenly wrapped around his waist. Bradley was stunned. He jolted instantly, disgusted to the core, and twisted the man''s arm hard without hesitation. "Ah!" A cry tore from the man''s throat, and with that, Bradley bolted out of the bar and sped off in his car as if a monster was chasing after him. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 1047 1, 10 JUN 66% My k 586 Bradley''s expression was solemn, and he felt disgusted all over, especially at his waist. He sped back to Noble Vista, and the second he stepped inside, he ripped off his gold-rimmed sses and set them down at the entryway. Then, he yanked off his shirt, tossed it straight into the trash, and headed for the bathroom without a second thought. Bradley scrubbed himself down ten times, until his skin was red all over; his waist, in particr, was nearly raw from all the scrubbing. He stood under the shower, letting the hot water pour over him. With one hand pressed against the wall, a faint smile slowly crept onto his handsome and wet face. He didn''t like men. He just liked Cameron, and gender had nothing to do with it. After his shower, Bradley slipped into a fresh robe and had just started to rx when his phone buzzed with a call from Eddie. "Hello," Bradley said. "Brad!" Eddie''s voice sted through the phone, sounding way too cheerful. "So? Did you go? Did you figure it out? What''s the verdict. Do you like guys or... guys?" "Eddie," Bradley suddenly dropped his voice, "you''d better note back to the country." Bradley broke that creep''s arm today, never wanting to see him again. "What''s wrong?" Eddie yed dumb. "What''s wrong?" Bradley gritted his teeth. "Come back and find out yourself." Eddie burst intoughter. "Let me guess, Brad. Did someone try to take advantage of you? With your looks and that vibe, I bet people are lining up to flirt with you." Bradley suddenly realized something. He asked through gritted teeth, "You set me up, didn''t you?" Eddieughed harder. "Serves you right for being so stubborn. Took getting hit on to admit you''re into Cameron, huh?" "Eddie, you better nevere back." With that, Bradley hung up on Eddie. Eddie clutched his phone,ughing so hard that tears nearly spilt from his eyes. He hadn''t even seen it happen, but just picturing Bradley totally losing it was hrious. It was a pity he wasn''t in the country to see it for himself. Bradley finally admitted to himself how he felt. He unlocked his phone and looked at the graduation photo with Cameron. Both of them were in their Langford Acadermy uniforms. Cameron was half a head shorter, and they both were smiling softly. The photo made him smile widely because they actually looked perfect together. He nced at the clock and found that it was almost 10 PM. He needed to return to his dorm, as his university didn''t allow overnight stays off campus unless the students applied for leave in advance. Even though he was sure about his feelings for Cameron now, he still didn''t know how Cameron felt about him. 10:49 Mon, 16 Jun OG Tonight, Stenford University held its freshman wee party. Amelia stole the show in a white ballet dress, gliding across the stage like she owned it. L pped so hard her hands nearly went numb. "She''s gorgeous! I can''t believe Amelia is not only pretty but she can dance like that too. Right?" L gushed as she nudged Cameron with her elbow. Cameron, a bit of a neat freak, scooted away. But she still responded with a nod. "Yeah." Amelia was a great dancer, and Cameron had to give her that. Sienna agreed, "Yeah, she''s really beautiful." A few guys sitting behind them were already whispering among themselves, trying to figure out which department Amelia was in so they could ask for her contactter. L turned to Cameron. "Why didn''t you perform?" L had sung earlier herself and actually did pretty well, earning a good amount of apuse. Cameron smiled. ¡°I''m not good at that kind of thing.¡± L said, "Sorry about that." Cameron smiled. "It''s fine." Sienna nced at Cameron, something unreadable shing through her eyes. 0 AD Comment Send My k 587 Sienna wondered, ''Wait... does Cameron not have any special talents either? Me too.'' Sienna''s family was struggling financially, so all she could do was study. They couldn''t afford to support her for talent sses. Sienna worked her butt off just to get into Stenford University, the best university in the country. But once she got here, she realized everyone wasn''t just smart. They all came from pretty wealthy families too. It wasn''t like back in high school, where in their little county, most of the rich kids didn''t even care about studying. Amelia was covered head to toe in designer brands. Just one look at her revealed that her family was loaded. L also clearly came from money. Cameron barely talked, kept a low profile, and no one could tell the brand of her clothes. But her two brothers, who dropped her off that day, were dressed so well that Sienna just assumed Cameron''s family was rich too. She never expected Cameron to not have any talent at all. Sienna had always thought kids from wealthy families had some extra edge. If they weren''t good in academics, they had talents, hobbies, or training to fall back on. But now it seemed Cameron was just like her, and neither of their families had much money. In that moment, Sienna felt a real sense of connection. Cameron must have felt Sienna looking at her, because she turned and nced over. Sienna shed Cameron a bright, genuine smile. Before this, she''d been so self- conscious she couldn''t even meet Cameron''s eyes. Cameron gave her a small nod. After finishing her dance, Amelia made her way back to her seat. "You were absolutely stunning!" L gave her a big thumbs-up. "Thank you." Amelia nodded with a smile, but her gaze lingered on Cameron longer. Cameron didn''t hold back her praise either. "That was really impressive." Amelia''s smile grew even brighter. "Thanks. I''m d you enjoyed my show." A few guys sitting nearby looked like they were about toe over and chat with her, but they backed off when they saw Ameliaughing and talking with the girls. The guys finally caught up to them when the wee party ended and the four girls were making their way out with the crowd. One tall guy stepped forward and blocked Amelia''s path, trying to look smooth. "Hey, your dance tonight was amazing. Want to be friends? Maybe take my phone number?" Amelia had been smiling, but at his words, her expression turned cold and distant. "Sorry, I don''t think that''s a good idea." "Why not?" Another guy stepped in and blocked her path. "Come on, beautiful. Just exchange phone numbers with us. We''re all from the same university, after all." Amelia was starting to get annoyed. Ever since what happened with Bradley, she just couldn''t bring herself to care about guys anymore. 10:49 Mon, 16 Jun G Bradley looked so perfect on the outside, but behind the scenes, he was a totally different person. Hence, she couldn''t even imagine what this bunch of guys was like behind closed doors. Amelia nced at Cameron, who was beside her, then suddenly linked arms with her. "Why don''t you ask my boyfriend what he thinks about it?" Cameron froze. L and Sienna were both stunned by Amelia''s move as well, but neither of them said anything to call her out. "Boyfriend?" The tall guy stared at Cameron in disbelief. "Him? He''s the same height as you." With Amelia in heels and Cameron in ts, they really did look about the same height. One of the guys snickered, "Seriously? That''s your taste? This guy looks way too girly. You into pretty boys or something?" Amelia caught the way they were looking down on Cameron, and her expression instantly turned solemn. "Watch your mouth!" L was pissed too. "You guys are out of line." Sienna didn''t say anything and just stood quietly to the side. AD Comment My k 588 "I''m just stating facts. Look at him. He clearly looks like a girl," one of them sneered. Cameron brushed off Amelia''s hand and clenched her fist. "Let me see just how ''manly'' you really are." The smug look disappeared from the guy''s face as he took a cautious step back. There was something in Cameron''s eyes that was fierce and dangerous. But then he thought, ''He looks so skinny, and he''s half a head shorter than me. What am I even scared of?'' With that, he stepped forward again. "What, you wanna fight me? Do you even know your own limits?" Before he could say more, he suddenly found himself lifted right off the ground. Cameron had grabbed him by the cor and hoisted him up with one hand, holding him in the air. "W-what are you doing?" he stammered, clearly terrified. Cameron just snorted and tossed him straight onto his tall friend, and the two of them crashed to the ground together. Meanwhile, the girls just watched the scene in shock. Cameron was way too badass. She was a girl, yet she just picked up a guy who was way bigger than her with only one hand. The two punks scrambled to their feet and bolted, not daring to look back. L burst outughing. "What a bunch of wimps." "I can''t believe guys like that actually go to our school," Sienna muttered with a sigh. "And this is supposed to be the best university in the country?" "Being smart doesn''t make some people decent," Amelia added coolly. Cameron, totally unbothered, took out a packet of disinfectant wipes from her pocket and calmly cleaned her hands. Amelia nced at her. "Thanks for earlier." Cameron replied, "Don''t expect me to do it again." Amelia said nothing else. After the wee party, life went back to normal. When Cameron''s ssmates in pharmacology found out she was actually a girl, their jaws practically hit the floor. Cameron was already used to these kinds of reactions. One Saturday, Austin, whom she hadn''t seen in ages, suddenly appeared in front of her. As luck would have it, she''d also promised to show Elijah around her campus that day. Cameron was showing Elijah around Stenford University. As the top school in the country, the campus was just as impressive as everyone said. However, Elijah couldn''t care less about the scenery. His eyes stayed locked on Cameron the entire time.. It felt like forever since he''dst seen her. And just texting her had taken him ages of overthinking, afraid that he would give himself away. He''de up with a million excuses before finally mustering the courage to ask if he could visit. When Cameron agreed, Elijah was so excited that he barely slept the night before. Juno 10:49 Mon, 16 Jun o 66%1 He arrived at Stenford University first thing in the morning but didn''t text her right away. He waited until he figured she''d be awake before finally sending the message. They had breakfast together in the cafeteria before exploring more of the university. "Elijah.¡± Cameron stopped walking and looked at him. ¡°Hm?¡± Elijah stopped in his tracks too. Cameron frowned in confusion. "Why do you keep staring at me?" Elijah froze for a moment. Then, he turned his head away, and his ears turned red instantly. A million questions raced through his mind. ''Was it that obvious? I thought I was doing a good job of hiding it. What if she hates me for how I feel?'' Before Elijah could say anything, Cameron''s phone, which was in her pocket, started ringing. It was a call from L. "Cameron, someone just sent you red roses." Cameron was stunned, thinking, ''Red roses?'' She hadn''t exactly gone out of her way to hide that she was a girl since starting college, but she still dressed pretty androgynously. Who could be sending her roses? L continued, "The card says it''s from Austin. Amelia said he''s your high school ssmate." Cameron had no words. She just wondered why Austin couldn''t just leave her alone. AD Comment Send gift No Ads 10:49 Mon, 16 Jun 9 G My k 589 Austin seemed to have already gotten rid of Samuel, that big problem. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have had the time to bother Cameron. She thought Samuel was such a loser. Cameron said coldly, "Throw it away." "What?" L looked at therge bunch of red roses on the table. "Throw it away? These are 999 red roses. It''s such a pity to throw them away." Cameron said, "Well, just deal with them as you like." "Er..." L walked to the window, took a look, and then said, "Your high-school ssmate is waiting for you downstairs of the dormitory." Cameron was speechless. L looked at Austin and objectivelymented, "Cameron, your high-school ssmate is so handsome." Austin stood downstairs, tall and straight, with short, light blond hair and a charming smile on his handsome face. Girlsing and going couldn''t help but look at him. Cameron frowned and said, "I''ll be back soon." She ended the call and met Elijah''s curious eyes. "Austin hase to find me. I need to go back to the dormitory now. Do you want toe with me or wander around by yourself?" "Austin? Let me go with you." Elijah said. He heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Cameron didn''t ask about the question just now. He couldn''t find a good reason to exin why he had been looking at her. Cameron nodded and led Elijah toward the girls'' dormitory. After arriving downstairs of the girls'' dormitory, she found that Austin was really there. Elijah stared at the girlsing and going and the girls'' dormitory building in front of him, extremely puzzled. The fact that Cameron was going back to the girls'' dormitory meant she lived here. In Elijah''s opinion, this was impossible. With a sullen face, Cameron walked up to Austin and coldly questioned, "I remember I made myself quite clear. What are you doing here again?" Hearing Cameron''s voice, Austin turned his head and saw Cameron''s angry face. The smile on his face froze a bit. He had finally managed to deal with Samuel and immediately asked Vincent to investigate Cameron''s current situation. He came to her school to see her as soon as possible, but he didn''t expect her to have such a hurtful attitude. Although Austin felt a bit hurt, he still smiled and said, "Cameron, girls shouldn''t get angry all the time. If a girl gets angry too often, she won''t be pretty." Cameron said, "Fuck off right now." Hearing Austin say Cameron was a girl, Elijah waspletely stunned. He felt he couldn''t understand what Austin was saying. In fact, the smart Elijah had already understood what Austin meant. He was just too shocked to believe it. So, Cameron was a girl. Elijah could start pursuing her openly. This made Elijah''s heart beat uncontrobly fast, and even his palms started sweating. Facing Cameron''s bad attitude, Austin still smiled. "Still mad at me, huh? It''s been so many days. Haven''t you calmed down yet?" Cameron said expressionlessly, "Disappear from my sight right now." Austin sighed helplessly, "Cameron, can I apologize to you one more time? Please forgive me, okay?" Cameron said through gritted teeth, "I said, go away now!" Austin was a bit helpless that Cameron was so fussy about a small thing, but he had no choice but to try to please her. Austin still smiled and said, ¡°By the way, do you like the flowers I sent you?" Cameron said, "So tacky." Austinughed. "I know red roses are tacky, but they represent love. How else can I express my feelings to you if not with red roses?" My k 590 Austin''s handsome face was always a ma for attention. Cameron''s androgynous style, more dashing than most boys'', was already famous among freshmen. Elijah''s icy demeanor also drew eyes wherever he went. The three immediately became the center of attention for passing students. Gossip was human nature. The girls stood by, nosy looks on their faces, and L tugged Amelia and Sienna over to join the spectacle. Austin smiled brightly at Cameron, waiting for her reply. Cameron remained expressionless, skipping his question to fire back, "Austin, guess what I''m thinking right now?" Austin asked, "What are you thinking?" Cameron said, "I''m thinking I shouldn''t have saved you in the park that day." Austin''s smile froze instantly on his face. It was precisely because Cameron had saved him in the park that he''d developed feelings for her. Looking back now, he realized he''d probably fallen in love with her that very moment. Yet here she was, saying such a cruel thing. It was as good as wishing he''d died that day. He just loved her. He didn''t know what he had done wrong. The onlookers didn''t understand what Cameron was talking about, but Austin and Elijah, who''d been there that day knew exactly what Cameron meant. Elijah was shocked to learn Cameron was a girl, but he quickly connected the dots. Maybe Xander''s sudden change in the SAT was because Xander had known her secret. And now Austin knew too. He was confessing his love, but it was clear Cameron didn''t feel the same. ward Cameron b To Elijah''s relief, a wave of joy washed over him. If he''d just found out she was a girl only to see her be someone else''s girlfriend, he might have copsed. Stepping forward, Elijah said, "Austin, Cameron''s made her point clear. You should leave." Austin snapped, "It''s none of your fucking business." He was furious, but he didn''t daresh out at Cameron, so he turned his anger on Elijah instead. Elijah said coldly, "Austin, your behavior is harassment. Cameron''s my friend, and if you harass my friend-" "Friend?" Austin interrupted with a sneer. "Do you really see her as a friend, or are you just lit? me, in love with her?" Elijah hadn''t expected Austin to ask that. His deepest secret, buried in his heart, had just been exposed, leaving him momentarily speechless. He''d been so careful, terrified Cameron would find out how he felt. Now she was hearing about his feelings through Austin''s words. Cameron scoffed, "Austin, do you think everyone''s like you?" Austin tried again, "Cameron..." Cameron snapped, "Can you just leave?" Austin was stunned. The look of disgust on Cameron''s face cut him to the core. He wasn''t that lowly boy anymore, yet the girl he loved had humiliated 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun G him in front of everyone. 66% 44262 Leaving was the only way to salvage what dignity he had left. Austin pressed his lips together, amber eyes filled with sorrow, and turned to walk away. "He looks heartbroken." A girl sighed. É« My k 591 "Why is such a handsome guy into a tomboy?" another girl muttered. "Right? I think it''s odd," several girls chimed in. Austin was incredibly charming, after all. "What are you even saying? What tomboy? Cameron''s so cute-what do you know?" L retorted with a frown. Amelia added coldly, "Maybe check your own looks before judging others'' appearance." Sienna said, "That''s really mean of you guys." Seeing Amelia looked tough to mess with, the girls quickly scattered. Amelia said, "Let''s go." Cameron hated being stared at, so Amelia ushered Sienna and L back to their dorm. Since Austin had gone, there was no more gossip, so the crowd dispersed.. Cameron ordered two cold drinks and led Elijah to theke to rest. Elijah nced at Cameron nervously, wondering if she believed Austin''s words. He feared she''d reject him next after turning down Austin. His palms even started sweating from tension. "Elijah, what do you really want to say?" Cameron asked, noticing his hesitancy. Elijah hesitated before speaking, "Cameron, what Austin said about me..." He trailed off, unable to finish the question. Everything today had been overwhelming-Cameron being a girl, Austin''s failed confession and Austin exposing his feelings in front of her. Elijah''s mind was a jumble, making it hard to think clearly. Cameron waved it off, ¡°Elijah, I know Austin was talking nonsense. Don''t take it to heart." Elijah looked up at her, a mix of joy and sadness. He was d she was Taking a sip of her drink, Cameron said, "Elijah, seems today wasn''t a good day for you toe." "I didn''t expect Austin to show up either,¡± he replied. Cameron frowned. "This isn''t the first time he''s pestered me." The more he clung, the more she resented it. Elijah studied her deeply, "When did Austin find out you''re a girl?" She met his gaze. "Probably some time ago-I can''t remember the exact date." Elijah asked, "Cameron, may I ask why you''ve been dressing as a boy?" Just imagining Cameron pretending to be male for 18 years, even living in a boys'' dorm, made Elijah feel so surreal. What''s more, he''d never suspected a thing. Her cool demeanor and better-than-boy''s physical fitness had thrown him off. Cameron said calmly, "My adoptive parents wanted to leech off the Chapman family, so they forced me to dress as a boy to marry Amelia. Elijah was stunned. TU SU Mon, 16 Jun Her adoptive parents were beyond ruthless. He remembered once trying to kick her out of Room 316. Now, looking at her, he felt intense pity and guilt. "I''m sorry," he said earnestly. Confused, Cameron asked, "Why do you apologize to me all of a sudden, Elijah?" He replied, "Cameron, I had no idea what you''ve endured. I was so rude to you when you first moved into Room 316. I truly am sorry." My k 592 Cameron shook her head indifferently, staring at the waterweeds in theke. "Elijah, it''s all in the past." Elijah apologized again, "Sorry, Cameron." He knew apologies camete, but his regret was genuine. Cameron turned to look at him, saw his earnest expression, and nodded. "Okay, I forgive you." At her words, Elijah rxed instantly and even smiled faintly. The fact that Cameron was a girl proved Elijah was still straight. Before, he''d even seen a therapist to ept his difference. Now he could embrace his feelings for Cameron calmly, just not as recklessly as Austin. Staring at her, Elijah asked, "Cameron, can I ask you a question?" She nodded. "Why did you reject Austin?" he asked. Cameron thought for a second and said, "He''s a sneaky man." Elijah nodded slightly, then blurted a question that made his heart race. "If Austin hadn''t betrayed you, would you have epted him?" Cameron looked at him in confusion. "epted him? As his girlfriend?" Elijah''s heart pounded, but he nodded steadily. She shook her head. "I never thought about it." Making money interested her more than dating. She didn''t want to waste time on rtionships. Elijah fell silent. Herck of thought meant Austin might still have a chance in theory. But he quickly dismissed it-there were no what-ifs. Austin''s betrayal was unchangeable. Once again, he buried his secret. For now, knowing Cameron was a girl was enough. He''d have to n carefully. Cameron tapped her cold drink cup. "Lunch together in the cafeteria?¡± Elijah nodded. That afternoon, Elijah wanted to stay with Cameron longer, but her family arrived. Knowing she''d just reunited with her loved ones, he left considerately. Though reluctant, the trip had been worth it. Without Austin, he might never have learned Cameron''s secret. In a way, he owed Austin thanks. Cameron had promised her family to pick up Pearl from Silvermoss Castle and return to Yates Manor that afternoon, telling them only that she needed to fetch her pet. After seeing Elijah off, she walked toward the House across the school while calling Bradley. She hadn''t contacted him in days. The phone rang several times before Bradley answered. "Hey, Brad, busy?" Cameron asked. 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun? G He smiled. "Not really." Since acknowledging his feelings for Cameron, Bradley had deliberately kept his distance. He needed time to sort his emotions and anticipate how Cameron would react to his feelings. Pursuing her required preparation. Naturally, he was delighted she''d called first. Cameron got straight to the point. "Brad, my family and J are picking up Pearl today. Are you free?" "Today?" Bradley paused as he thought that he might meet Cameron''s family without any preparations if he said yes. "I might not be avable." My k 593 Bradley knew his rtionship with Cameron was stillplicated, so meeting her family wasn''t wise. He decided not to see Cameron today. Since Bradley was busy, Cameron would pick up Pearl another day. She missed the tiger dearly. 66%¶î Holding the phone, Bradley heard only Cameron''s breathing. He added, ¡°I am a bit busy this afternoon. You can go get Pearl alone-no need to wait for me." "Okay. Thanks for taking care of Pearl, Brad. I''ll treat you to dinner sometime," she said. Cameron still owed Bradley arge sum. Though back with the Yates family, she refused to use their money for debt. Once her pharmaceuticalpany stabilized and The Starry lineunched, she''d repay him soon. "You don''t have to," Bradley replied. After hanging up, Cameron joined her family. Lance was abroad, so only Levi, Jacqueline, and Gavin came. "Cam!" Jacqueline cheered, rushing to hug her. "I''ve missed you so much! Days without you are torture." Levi smiled, stepping forward. "Your mom wishes she could go to college with you." Jacqueline shot him a look. "Says the one who carries Cam''s photos around all day." Levi awkwardly fell silent. Gavin chimed in, "I''d love to go to college again too." Cameron smiled. "I miss you both, Mom and Dad." Gavin asked, "Don''t you miss me?" She smiled at him but stayed silent. Gavin deted. Jacqueline patted his arm. "See the consequence of offending Cam, huh?" Gavin groaned. "Mom, I regret it so much." He''d sent her countless gifts, but she hadn''t even nced at them. Levi scoffed. "You deserve it." Gavin spread his hands helplessly. Chattering happily, the family drove toward Silvermoss Castle. The road grew emptier, winding up a mountain. Towering, lush trees lined both sides. Jacqueline asked curiously, "What pet do you have, Cam? Why keep it so far?" "Just a small pet," Cameron smiled.. Gavin said, "Cam''s pet must be adorable." Levi rolled his eyes. "That''s for sure." Cameron eyed Gavin. "Gavin, if you hug my petter, we''ll forget our feud. Deal?" 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun G Gavin stared, shocked. "Does that mean you''ll ept me?" "Only if you dare," she said. He nodded wildly. "Of course! What''s hugging a pet if it means you''ll forgive me?" "You''re overreacting," Cameron said. "I''m serious!" He insisted. "Fine, it''s a deal," she smiled. Gavin thrilled. "Mom, Dad, did you hear? Witness this-Cam can''t back out!" "I keep my word," she assured. Gavin beamed. But as he exited the car, his smile froze at the sight of Cameron''s "small pet"-a full-grown tiger. Sensing strangers, Pearl growled warningly. AD My k 594 "Cam!" Jacqueline nearly fainted at the sight of a full-grown tiger growling at her as she exited the car. Instinctively, she wanted to hide behind Levi as she always did in the face of danger. But instead of fleeing, she yanked Cameron into her arms, voice trembling as she soothed, "Cam, don''t be afraid. I''m here." "Shh, it''s okay," Levi immediately shielded both mother and daughter. Gavin stood rooted to the spot. Though Pearl had growled, she made no move to attack. Realizing this was Cameron''s pet, Gavin froze in shock. "Dad, Mom, don''t be afraid. This is my pet, Pearl," Cameron said softly. Levi and Jacqueline stared in disbelief. Even the worldly Levi was astonished by his daughter keeping a tiger as a pet. Jacqueline thought she''d misheard. "Cam, what did you say?" Cameron patted her mother''s back reassuringly, then held out a hand to Pearl. "Pearl,e here." Pearl let out a cute whimper and trotted happily toward Cameron, eager to see her after so long. "Stop,¡± Cameron called out, fearing the tiger''s leap might startle Jacqueline. Pearl halted abruptly, letting out a pitiful whimper. Cameron approached and ruffled its head. "Good boy." Soothed by her touch, Pearl nuzzled Cameron''s knees. Jacqueline couldn''t believe her eyes, half convinced she was dreaming She turned to Levi, who beamed with pride. "My baby girl is incredible. You raise a tiger as a pet." Jacqueline was speechless. Gavin stepped forward hesitantly. ¡°Cam, you said if I hug this tiger, you''ll ept me as your brother?" Though Pearl seemed tame with Cameron, Gavin knew she was a wild beast. A single bite could turn him into her next meal. Cameron nodded. Gavin gritted his teeth like a man marching to his death. "Fine." "Gavin!" Jacqueline cried out. She turned to Cameron. "Cam, forget about epting him. You already have one brother-who needs Gavin?" Gavin knew his mother feared for his safety, and Cameron understood too. Since Jacqueline was terrified, Cameron decided to end this prank She''d only wanted to tease Gavin for his initial unfriendliness when she''d rejoined the Yates family. In truth, she''d already epted him after days of bonding. Before she could speak, Gavin addressed his mother. "Mom, let it be. A promise is a promise I''ll do it." Levi chimed in, "Go on, give it a hug." 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun 0 He wasn''t overly worried-Cameron wasn''t reckless. The tiger, fierce as it looked, wouldn''t harm Gavin. "Gavin..." Jacqueline still fretted. "Never mind, just go back, Gavin," Cameron said. Gavin protested, "No, Cam. If hugging a tiger means you acknowledge me as your brother, then- "Brother," Cameron interrupted, ¡°I said, never mind." Gavin froze. My k 595 Gavin stoodpletely stunned, never expecting Cameron to call him "brother." He even wondered if he''d misheard. The night Cameron returned, she''d called him ¡°brother¡± once, but he''d foolishly ignored it. Thankfully, she was calling him that now. "Cam?" Jacqueline asked, beaming. "You''re epting Gavin?" Jacqueline wanted her children to get along, but when Gavin had upset Cameron, she''d naturally sided with her long-lost daughter. Now that Cameron epted Gavin, she was overjoyed. Levi, equally happy, teased, "Cam, you''re too soft-hearted. Look how poorly that brat treated you, and you forgave him so easily." Cameron smited. "Mom, Dad, Gavin''s been good to me. I actually epted him as my brother a while ago." Gavin felt like he must have woken from a dream. Hearing Cameron say she''d already epted him was a sudden surge of happiness that nearly made him dizzy. Ovee with excitement, he rushed forward and hugged Pearl before anyone- even the tiger-could react. Pearl was knocked to the ground and let out a warning growl, eyeing Gavin fiercely. The roar was deafening, but Gavin held on tight, shouting, "Cam, I did it! I did it!" Cameron sighed, half-amused. "Gavin!" Jacqueline''s legs went weak with fear. She couldn''t fathom why her son would take such a risk after Cameron had already forgiven him. Levimented, "You''ve got some guts, at least." Cameron pulled Gavin up. "Gavin, you scared Pearl." Pearl let out a pitiful whimper. If it hadn''t sensed Gavin''s connection to Cameron, it would have attacked before he even reached it. Gavin smiled as Cameron helped him up. "Should I apologize to him?" Cameron nodded. Grinning at Pearl, Gavin said, "Sorry, Pearl. I didn''t mean to scare you." Pearl flicked her tail, ignoring him. Cameron knelt to rub Pearl''s head. "Pearl, we''re taking you home now. We''re going to a new ce, and that''ll be your home from now on." Pearl nuzzled Cameron''s palm obediently. Wherever Cameron was, that was home. After Cameron briefed the castle steward, the Yates family left with Pearl. Along the way, she briefly exined how she''d gotten Pearl. At Viremont Global Law Firm, Bradley sat in his office, staring at the Silvermoss Castle security feed on his phone. After Cameron and her family took Pearl, the animal trainers packed up and left, leaving only the steward behind. Bradley felt an emptingas inside, in the past, he might not have understood why, but now he knew it was all because of Cameron. With Cameron and Pearl gone, the castle felt meaningless. Mon, 10 Jun Bradley turned off the feed and smiled faintly. In a few days, he''d go see Cameron. My k 596 In the blink of an eye, October arrived. Ever since the first day of school when Cameron had angered him into leaving, Xander had never contacted her again, practically vanishing without a trace. Cameron naturally didn''t reach out to him either. Gavin had already sent all the gifts Xander had bought for Cameron back to Murphy Manor through express. The day Cameron publicly rejected Austin, he''d disappeared afterward-likely truly wounded in pride. As for Elijah, newly aware Cameron was a girl, he was still reveling in the joy. Fearful of inadvertently revealing his feelings too obviously, he dared not seek her out, not wanting to end up like Austin, unable to even be friends with her. Bradley showed remarkable patience. College life was full of new experiences, so he deliberated and decided not to disturb Cameron for the time being. On the first Sunday of October, Cameron went alone to the nearest 4S shop to buy a car. She needed wheels to conveniently visit herpany. Though David was running thepany and she trusted him, it was still hers-she couldn''t truly ignore it all. After outlining her budget and needs to the salesperson, he led her to a ck Volvo. "Sir, how about this car? Please have a seat and try it out," the salesperson said earnestly, holding open the door. Cameron didn''t correct his address. Nodding, she was about to get in when someone called her name. "Cameron, it really is you! What are you doing here?" The one who stopped her was her roommate, Sienna in a 4S shop uniform and holding promotional flyers- apparently working a weekend part-time. Cameron was surprised too. "Yeah, What a coincidence." The salesperson hadn''t expected Sienna to know Cameron and quickly gestured to her, hoping their connection would seal the deal. But get it. She asked Cameron, "Are you here for a part-time job too?" Cameron was speechless. The salesperson red at Sienna. "Are you stupid? This sir is here to buy a car." a didn''t "Buy a car?" Sienna was astonished. This brand''s cars weren''t cheap-even a basic model cost hundreds of thousands of dors. Thetest models in front of Cameron were even pricier. In Sienna''s eyes, Cameron, who she thought was as poor as her family, couldn''t afford this. Cameron nodded. "Yes, I''m here to buy a car." Sienna was beyond shocked, realizing she''d misunderstood-Cameron''s family must be wealthy. Standing there, Sienna felt like a fool. Cameron noticed her expression and said naturally, "Sienna,e take a look at this car. We might go out together often in the future-your input would help." Sienna stared at Cameron in disbelief, touched by the trust. Delighted, she gently ran a hand over the expensive bodywork. "These cars are all great." 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun G In the blink of an eye, October arrived. Ever since the first day of school when Cameron had angered him into leaving, Xander had never contacted her again, practically vanishing without a trace. Cameron naturally didn''t reach out to him either. Gavin had already sent all the gifts Xander had bought for Cameron back to Murphy Manor through express. The day Cameron publicly rejected Austin, he''d disappeared afterward-likely truly wounded in pride. As for Elijah, newly aware Cameron was a girl, he was still reveling in the joy. Fearful of inadvertently revealing his feelings too obviously, he dared not seek her out, not wanting to end up like Austin, unable to even be friends with her. Bradley showed remarkable patience. College life was full of new experiences, so he deliberated and decided not to disturb Cameron for the time being. On the first Sunday of October, Cameron went alone to the nearest 45 shop to buy a car. She needed wheels to conveniently visit herpany. Though David was running thepany and she trusted him, it was still hers-she couldn''t truly ignore it all. After outlining her budget and needs to the salesperson, he led her to a ck Volvo. "Sir, how about this car? Please have a seat and try it out," the salesperson said earnestly, holding open the door. Cameron didn''t correct his address. Nodding, she was about to get in when someone called her name. "Cameron, it really is you! What are you doing here?" The one who stopped her was her roommate, Sienna in a 4S shop uniform and holding promotional flyers- apparently working a weekend part-time. Cameron was surprised too. "Yeah, What a coincidence." The salesperson hadn''t expected Sienna to know Cameron and quickly gestured to her, hoping their connection would seal the deal. But get it. She asked Cameron, "Are you here for a part-time job too?" Cameron was speechless. The salesperson red at Sienna. "Are you stupid? This sir is here to buy a car." na didn''t "Buy a car?" Sienna was astonished. This brand''s cars weren''t cheap-even a basic model cost hundreds of thousands of dors. Thetest models in front of Cameron were even pricier. In Sienna''s eyes, Cameron, who she thought was as poor as her family, couldn''t afford this. Cameron nodded. "Yes, I''m here to buy a car." Sienna was beyond shocked, realizing she''d misunderstood-Cameron''s family must be wealthy. Standing there, Sienna felt like a fool. Cameron noticed her expression and said naturally, ¡°Sienna,e take a look at this car. We might go out together often in the future your input would help." Sienna stared at Cameron in disbelief, touched by the trust. Delighted, she gently ran a hand over the expensive bodywork. "These cars are all great." 10:50 Mon, 16 Jun G The salesperson said, "Please try it out. Sienna, join Mr. Wace for the test." "Mr. Wace?" Sienna finally noticed the salesperson''s address for Cameron and corrected him, "She''s a girl." The salesperson froze after hearing that. AD My k 597 While the salesperson was still reeling from realizimeton remaining paperwork. was a girl, she swiftly paid and drove off in the car. The salesperson would handle the As Cameron drove, Sienna sat in the passenger seat, clutching her seatbelt nervously. "Cameron, this car is stunning," she said. Cameron nodded. "It''s not bad." Sienna added enviously, "You''re amazing to buy a car at such a young age." She nced at Cameron tentatively. "Is your family wealthy?" Otherwise, Cameron wouldn''t afford such an expensive car. Cameron turned the steering wheel. "I used my own money." "Your own money?" Sienna eximed, shocked. The car cost hundreds of thousands of dors, which was much beyond a college student could afford. Cameron exined, "I got a schrship for my SAT scores and work part-time at a pharmaceuticalpany." "Pharmaceuticalpany?" Sienna''s eyes lit up. Cameron nodded. "It''s a newpany." Sienna blurted out, "Are they hiring?" Then she winced at her own abruptness. "Sorry, I don''t mean to ask you to rmend me-I was just curious." "Sure," Cameron said after a moment''s pause. "What?" Sienna turned to her in surprise. Cameron said, "I can rmend you for a part-time position if you''re interested." "Really?" Sienna beamed. Working at a pharmaceuticalpany aligned with her post-graduation goals-this was a stroke of luck. Cameron nodded. "Thank you so much, Cameron!" Sienna eximed, nearly hugging her before reminding herself that Cameron was driving. Back at school, Cameron called David about Sienna''s part-time job. He agreed without hesitation. As she headed for her dorm, Cameron received a call from Noir ¨¦t. They informed her The Starry collection wouldunch in a week, with a preunch show the night before, and invited her as the designer. Cameron didn''tmit fully, only saying she''d attend if she had time. The staff promised to send tickets regardless. Pushing open the dorm door, Cameron heard Amelia ask, "Who wants to join me at Noir ¨¦t''s domestic new productunch next week?" "Wow, Noir ¨¦t?" L eximed. "I love their products, especially the Starry collection by winner C from the design contest-I''m obsessed!" Amelia smiled. "Theunch is next week." L squealed excitedly. "I want to go!" Amelia spotted Cameron entering. Just as L reached for a ticket, Amelia held up her hand. "I only have two tickets." 12:41 Tue, 17 Jun She turned to Cameron. "Do you want to go?" Cameron replied, "Oh, I have a ticket." "You do?" Amelia said, surprised. "Cam!" L rushed to her. "Do you have an extra? Can i have it?¡± Cameron said, "I''m not going-you can take it." "Are you sure?" L hesitated. Cameron shook her head. "Fashion isn''t really my thing." L cheered. "Thank you so much! I''ll treat you to dinnerter." My k 598 Amelia frowned at the two tickets in her hand. She''d hoped to go with Cameron but would have thought Cameron wasn''t interested in the fashion show Tuming to Sienna, Amelia asked, "Do you want to go? I have an extra ticket." Sienna replied, "If Cameron''s not going, I''ll skip it too." Amelia turned to L. "Don''t take Cameron''s ticket-here, take mine." "Okay." L didn''t care whose ticket it was, as long as she could attend. "Cameron,e with us," Amelia pleaded again. Cameron said, "I''m not sure if I''ll have time." She worried Sienna might feel left out since everyone else in the dorm had tickets. Though they hadn''t bonded much, Cameron could tell Sienna was sensitive and insecure. As expected, Sienna rxed when Cameron didn''t agree. David quickly arranged an interview for Sienna, who''d work part-time on Saturdays and Sundays at a hundred dors a day. Earning eight hundred dors a month would cover her living expenses perfectly. Sienna thought Cameron was incredibly reliable Another week flew by, and Cameron eventually gave her fashion show ticket to Sienna. Sienna hesitated. "Cameron, if I go, you can''t." Cameron said, "I''m busy that day-hanging out with a friend." "Really?" Sienna asked. Cameron nodded. She did have ns. To be more specific, a friend had invited her out. Bradley had messaged her days earlier, saying he''d take her somewhere on Saturday but refused to say where. Cameron agreed out of her trust for him. On Saturday night, everyone in Room 201 except Cameron dressed up for the show. "Fashion shows require mour," Amelia said. "Some watch the designs, but others watch you. Every ce is a stage." L chimed in, "Amelia, you''re gorgeous-you''re always right." Sienna fretted, "I don''t know how to do makeup, and I don''t have nice clothes." Amelia offered, "I''ll do your makeup." L added, "We''re the same height-you can wear borrow my clothes." Before leaving, Amelia asked Cameron again, "Sure you won''t join us?" Cameron shook her head. "I have ns. Have fun." t your school gate," he said softly. It had been ages since he''d seen her after acknowledging Shortly after they left, Cameron got a call from Bradley. "I''m at y his feelings-he was impressed with his own patience. "I''ll be right out," Cameron said. "Okay." Bradley sat in the driver''s seat, long fingers tapping the steering wheel, Rolling down the window, his strikingly handsome face came into de Amelia, sitting in the back of a Rolls-Royce, spotted Bradley at a nce. She thought she was hallucinating and quickly rolled down her window for s better look, but the car had already passed. "Is something wrong, Ms.?" the driver asked. "Nothing." Amelia shook her head. Even if it was Bradley, it didn''t matter-she no longer liked him. Still, she wondered why he was here. She thought, is Cameron hanging out with Bradley tonight?'' "Everything okay?" L asked curiously. "Yeah," Amelia said. Sienna, meanwhile, was stunned by the Rolls-Royce''s stunning starry ceiling. This was a true luxury, every inch exuding opulence. My k 599 From a distance, Bradley saw Cameron walking out of the campus. She stuck to her usual style-a simple T-shirt, jeans, and the obsidian stud in her ear- bright. ther mark of her identity. She shimmered in the sunset, dazzlingly Bradley couldn''t help smiling. It had been far too long since they''dst met. "Brad." Cameron greeted him as she approached, then walked around the car to open the passenger door. As it swung open, a wave of floral scent hit her. She looked down and saw a bouquet of vibrant red roses on the seat. She froze slightly. Bradley noted her stunned expression without a trace, adjusting his gold-rimmed sses. "A little girl selling flowers by the road insisted I buy them," he said. Cameron nodded, picked up the bouquet, got in, and fastened her seatbelt. As she reached to ce the flowers in the backseat, Bradley said, "They''re for you." "For me?" she asked. He turned to look at her with a smile and carefully veiled his emotions. "Don''t you like red roses?" The flowernguage of red roses was passionate love. Cameron held the bouquet. "I don''t mind them." She''d lived as a boy for 18 years; the first flowers she''d ever received were red roses from Austin, though she''d sold them all. Bradley said calmly, "Keep them, then. It''d be a shame to throw them away." She didn''t move the flowers to the backseat. "Thanks." she nodded. When she didn''t refuse, Bradley smiled again before starting the car. "Where are we going?" Cameron asked. He kept his secret. "You''ll see when we get there." She nodded, falling silent. As he drove, Bradley chatted casually, "How''s college life? Interesting?" "Boring," she said. She already knew the textbook material backward and forward, yet had to study it all over again. He chuckled. "Boring? College should be full of couples. If you''re bored, why not try dating?" She turned to look at him. "Are you looking to date, Brad?" He smiled. "Is that strange? I''m an adult and a college student-it''s only natural." "True," she nodded, then asked curiously, "Do you have a girlfriend already?" "Not yet," he said, then turned the question around. "What about you?" "Not interested in that right now," she admitted honestly. Bradley fell silent. He''d make sure Cameron changed her mind soon enough. In the rearview mirror, Amelia Saw Bradley''s car again. She recognized it since she even memorized the license te, She wondered if Cameron was in that car. After tens of seconds of thought, she finally took out her phone to text Cameron. Amelia: (Where are you?] Cameron: [With a friend. Why?] Amelia: [What friend is so important you ditched us all?] Cameron: [I made ns with them first.] Amelia tried for ages to pry details from Cameron but still failed to get any useful information. Finally, she sent an emoji. The Mercedes behind them followed all the way into the underground parking lot of the show venue. My k 600 Due to the Rolls-Royce''s long body, Amelia''s driver drove ahead to find a parking space. Bradley parked directly nearest the elevator entrance, unfastened his seatbelt, and turned to Cameron. "Let''s go." Cameron peered at the parking lot. "Where is this ce?" He finally revealed, "Tonight is theunch show for your designed The Starry collection. How could you, the designer, miss it?" Cameron hadn''t expected Bradley to bring her here. She wasn''t particrly eager to see the finished products first-hand-she''d see them once theyunched anyway. What she cared about was when the dividend would hit her ount. Noticing Cameron didn''t move or show excitement, Bradley asked in surprise, "Aren''t you looking forward to it?" She said her true thoughts, "The organizers called me a week ago to invite me, but I gave my ticket to a ssmate because of your invitation." Bradley never guessed Cameron had declined the organizer''s invite for him. He indulged in the thought that he might matter more to her than the show. He said, "Shall we go take a look then?" Cameron pushed open the door. "Might as well, since we''re here." The two got out and walked toward the elevator, just as Amelia''s group approached from the parking lot. From behind, Amelia recognized Cameron and Bradley at once. For some reason, their closeness struck her as unusual. Cameron was a girl, after all. Bradley seemed gentle on the surface but actually kept people at a distance. Ever since he''d bluntly rejected Ameliast time, she knew his core was cold. Just as she was about to follow, the elevator doors closed. "What''s wrong?" L asked, noticing Amelia''s frown. "Nothing," Amelia said with a sigh. Sienna held up her ticket, excited, and pointed to the elevator. "Over there-let''s hurry!" They took the elevator to the show entrance. Amelia kept scanning for Cameron and Bradley but couldn''t find them anywhere. "Tickets, please," a staff member said, holding out a hand. Amelia and L handed over their tickets. The staff collected them and gestured them in. Sienna, walking behind, also handed over her ticket. The staff''s expression changed instantly upon seeing it. "Please follow me, miss. I''ll escort you to your seat," he said with unusual respect. Sienna stared at him in surprise, while Amelia and L exchanged curious looks. L blurted out, "Why aren''t you leading up?" The staff smiled professionally. "Please take your seats as indicated on your tickets." He turned back to Sienna, still respectful. "This way, please." Sienna, L, and Amelia were all confused. Sienna knew the ticket was from Cameron and wondered if there was something special about it, but she stayed silent Eventually, she was escorted to the best seat in the venue, with the letter "C" stuck on the backrest. On both sides sat fashion industry influencers. As soon as Sienna sat down, they turned to her, and some began handing her business cards. One said, "Hello, nice to meet you. I''m Abby Wright from O Fashion." My k 601 Sienna was confused but politely took the business card. ¡°Hi, I''m Sienna James. Nice to meet you." Abby paused, then quickly reacted. "I''ve heard so much about you." Sienna''s name sounded simr to C. Abby hadn''t expected C to be so young and shy. Though unassuming, C was talented and full of ir. In their industry, judging by appearance was thest thing they should do. More people soon approached Sienna, greeting her and handing over cards. Completely dazed, Sienna could only respond to them politely. L and Amelia sat three or four rows away. L asked, "Why are they being so nice to Sienna?" Amelia had scanned the venue multiple times for Cameron and Bradley but found no trace. She thought, ''Did they note to the show? Or was I hallucinating just now?'' At L''s question, Amelia turned away and said tly, "They''re not ttering Sienna-they''re ttering Cameron." "What?" L was confused. Amelia exined, "Her ticket was Cameron''s." L gasped. "Right! Cameron is amazing!" Amelia didn''t reply. She texted Cameron. Amelia: [We''re here. Sienna got special treatment with your ticket. What''s going on?] Cameron, watching from the VIP room on the second floor, saw Sienna''s treatment clearly and texted back. Cameron: [Because of C.] Amelia: [C? Is C the Starry designer your friend?] Cameron: [It''s me.] Amelia: [What do you mean it''s you?] Cameron: [C is my alias.] Amelia was stunned, taking a moment to process what Cameron just said. She turned to L, who was still staring at Sienna. ¡°L,¡± Amelia said. L still stared at Sienna. "Amelia, look how they''re fawning over Sienna." Amelia handed her phone to L. "Read this." L took it and saw the messages. She let out a shriek, drawing res from around them. She stood to apologize. "Sorry, everyone! So sorry!" Hyperventting with excitement, L grabbed Amelia''s arm. "Is this real? Cameron is C? Pinch me-I must be dreaming!" Amelia rolled her eyes. "If Cameron isn''t lying, yes." L eximed, "She''d never lie! She''s been hiding this?! My idol is right in my dorm! From today, Cameron is my hero!" Ameliaughed at L''s exaggeration. Cameron deserved the praise-she was exceptional. The VIP room''s one way ss. Inside was a cozy lounge with a coffee table full of pastries, fruit, and a hot carameltte. Bradley stuck a straw into thette and handed it to Cameron. "Lots of people here" Cameron put away her phone after texting Amelia. "Thanks. They havette here?" Bradley smiled. "This is Eric''s venue. You can get anything you want." My k 602 "Is Eric not here today?" Cameron asked. Bradley nodded. "He has exams these and Cameron sipped hertte slowly, offering praise. "Eric is only twenty-impressive." A college student already heading a listedpany. Bradley smiled. "My eldest brother is the real genius in our family." "You''re amazing, too, Brad," Cameron said. His smile grew wider at thepliment. As they chatted, the host took the stage. After a brief speech by apany executive, models walked out in Cameron''s The Starry collection, illuminated by music and lights. The venue erupted in praise. "Wow! Breathtaking, absolutely stunning." "I want to buy all these pieces right now." "Models are so tall and skinny-will these look good on us?" "Even if not, I''ll buy them to hang in my closet! They''re so beautiful." Sienna was also amazed by The Starry collection. Owning one piece would make her incredibly happy. "Ms. James, you''re incredible-I bet The Starry will be a huge hit," Abby, sitting beside Sienna, leaned in to praise earnestly. Only then did Sienna realize why everyone had flocked to her. No one had ever been so attentive, leaving her overwhelmed. Despite her good grades, her introverted nature andck of social skills meant few friends. Now, she sensed something was wrong. "Wait, I''m sorry, you think I designed The Starry?" Sienna shook her head. "I''m not the designer. You''ve mixed me up with someone else." "What?" Abby was now confused. Just then, the first round of the show ended, and the host returned. "Now, let''s wee the creator of The Starry collection, Ms. C, to share her inspiration. Apuse, please." The audience burst into cheers. A spotlight fell on Sienna, making her the center of attention. She froze. Amelia frowned. She thought, ''The organizers are so ipetent-they can''t even identify the right person.'' L shouted, "That''s not her! You got the wrong person!" "Quiet," someone nearby snapped, irritating L. "Wee Ms. C!" the host repeated when Sienna didn''t move. Reluctantly, she stood up under the crowd''s gaze. "What''s going on?" Bradley frowned in the VIP room. "Cameron, who is that?" "That''s my roommate. I gave her my ticket," Cameron said calmly. "They mistook her for you," Bradley said. "My bad-I forgot to tell the organizers," Cameron replied. 12:41 Tue 17 Jun Bradley immediately took out his phone to call and correct the mistake: At the same time, Sienna said, "I''m sorry, everyone. I''m not Ms. C. A ssmate gave me this ticket-you''re mistaken. The audience gasped in surprise. Those who had ttered Sienna earlier were now awkwardly silent. The host, though caught off guard, recovered quickly. "Then, may I ask where Ms. C is?" "She had something else to do and couldn''te," Sienna said. The crowd was very disappointed, so the host fumbled through polite remarks to salvage the situation. My k 603 The small episode passed quickly. The second half of the show continued. Though everyone wondered about C, the focus shifted back to the design themselves. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses, eyeing the bustling venue below. "Aren''t you going to make an appearance?" "Nope," Cameron said. She had no desire for fame-just wanted her rightful earnings. Bradley studied her with a deep gaze. Feeling his stare, she met his eyes. "Brad, once I get the Starry royalties, I''ll pay you back." He softened, smiling. "Take your time." She nodded. He''s not in a hurry, but I am. Debt felt like a weight she needed to shed. At 10 PM, Bradley drove Cameron back to Stenford University, deliberately slowing down. "Cameron," he said suddenly in the dim, music-filled car. She turned from the window, curious. "Hmm?" His grip on the wheet tightened slightly. "Do you often go online?" "Sometimes. Why?" she asked. "I don''t have much time to scroll through my phone. I saw something confusing and wanted your take," said Bradley. Cameron asked, "What is it?" "Something about love," Bradley said after clearing his throat. After a few seconds of silence, she figured he was serious about dating. Seeing she didn''t reply, he nced at her. "Can you help me understand a sentence?" "Maybe. I''m not sure I''ll know, though," said Cameron. He cleared his throat. "Someone online said love is like multiplication-if one side is zero, everything is zero." Cameron couldn''t see the connection between mathematicalws and love. "Sorry, Brad. I don''t get it either." He doubted such a simple metaphor confused her. Was she avoiding the topic? The thought made his grip tense, and his breath quickened. He thought, ''I have been honest about my feelings. If she can''t ept me... I''ll drag her to hell with me.'' He looked at her. "It''s about the third type of love." She genuinely didn''t follow. "Brad, I really don''t understand what you are talking about, but I can tell you''re eager to have a date." He didn''t deny it. "Yes." He thought, ''And I want to date you.'' She smiled. ¡°Law school girls are amazing. Someone won your heart already?" 1241 Tue, 17 Jun. Realizing they were talking past each other, he stayed silent. She added, "We''re friends, so introduce her to me sometime, okay?" Stung, he hit the brakes sharply. They lurched forward but were caught by seatbelts. She looked at him. His expression remained calm. "You''re here,¡± he said. "Thanks for today. Let''s meet again soon," Cameron said while unfastening the seat belt. Just as she could finish, Bradley unbuckled and leaned toward her. My k 604 Cameron froze for a split second. Bradle between them. sudden movement caught her off guard. Instinctively, the raised a hand to her chest, creating distance But Bradley reached past her to push open the car door. "This door has been acting up. I haven''t had time to fix it," he said casually. Cameron nodded. For that brief moment when he leaned in, his fresh scent flooded her senses, leaving her mind nk. Bradley retreated just as quickly, settling back into his seat. Snapping out of it, Cameron grabbed her bag. "I''m heading in, Brad." She had one foot already on the ground when Bradley called her, "Cameron." She turned around. Bradley reached out casually and ruffled her hair. "Goodnight." "Night," Cameron replied with a nod. After getting out of the car, she nced at Bradley. He would asionally ruffle her hair like that. But this time, something felt a bit off. Still, she shook off the thought. Bradley stayed parked, his gaze locked on her retreating figure until she disappeared. Flexing the hand that had touched her hair, he smiled. Back in Room 201, Amelia and the others had arrived half a Fan hour earlier. L had been practically vibrating with anticipation. The second Cameron entered the room, Lunched herself across the room and hugged her. "So you''re really C? You''re my idol!" L''s grip was suffocating. "L, let go,¡± Amelia interjected. "Or have you forgotten our resident genius hates being touched?" L immediately released Cameron, mortified. "Sorry, sorry. I just../I can''t believe C is my roommate. I''m freaking out." Cameron massaged her temples. "Breathe." L grinned. "Right. Breathing. Got it." Sienna sighed dramatically, "Cameron, you have no idea how people treated me tonight. They actually thought I was you. The attention was insane." Cameron nodded. "I saw that." "You were there?" Sienna blinked. L gasped. "But we didn''t spot you." "I was in the VIP section upstairs," Cameron replied. Amelia''s eyes narrowed. "So it was you." The curiosity burned. She thought, ''So... Cameron stayed with Bradley tonight? What exactly is their rtionship now?'' Pulling Cameron into the hallway, Amelia pinned her with a stare. "Can I ask you something?" 12:42. Tue, 17 Jun GE "Go ahead." Cameron nodded. "You were with Bradley tonight, right?" Amelia asked. Cameron nodded. Amelia pressed further. "Are you two... together?" Cameron frowned, "Why?" Amelia asked, "Does he even know you''re a girl yet?" "He knew." Cameron had already told Bradley. "Then what are you?" "Friends. Need me to y wingman again? Last time was the end." That stunt had only worked because Bradley was forgiving, and Cameron still felt guilty at her audacity. Amelia''s face darkened. "I''m over him." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you so interested in what''s going on between us?" The way Amelia bristled almost seemed like... jealousy. Cameron suddenly took a step back. "Amelia, you''re not still into-" Ìï My k 605 Seeing Cameron''s wary expression, Amelia rolled her eyes. "What the hell are you thinking? You''re so full of yourself." Cameron exhaled in relief, then smirked. "Oh, who was it that confessed to me?" Amelia''s cheeks flushed. "That''s because you were pretending to be a guy." "And you didn''t figure it out for 18 years?" "Damn, Cameron. I didn''t know you had such a sharp tongue." "Right back at you." Amelia burst outughing, and Cameron smiled in response. Extending a hand, Amelia said, "We can be good friends, right?" "Maybe." Cameron shook it. As they reached the dorm door, Amelia suddenly pulled Cameron back. "What now?" Cameron asked, confused. Amelia said, "As your friend, can I ask you something? Do you like Bradley?" Cameron didn''t answer. Amelia added, "Listen, he is not as gentle and polite as he seems. Don''t fall for his act." Still no reply from Cameron. Amelia asked, surprised, "No way! You do like him, don''t you?" Cameron just yawned. "You''re exhausting." She turned to leave, but Amelia grabbed her again. "Whatever. But whether you like him or not, he definitely likes you." Amelia''s tone was absolute. Her certainty was pure feminine intuition. The way Bradley treated Cameron was different. Cameron sighed, thinking Amelia had lost it. Cameron''s college days were packed. Ever since discovering she was C, L had be Cameron''s shadow, clinging to her every day and dragging her to every club event. On weekends, Cameron worked at Aurevia Biotech with Sienna, who remained endlessly grateful for the opportunity. Cameron''s friendship with Amelia deepened too. One Friday after ss, Ltched onto Cameron''s arm. "Cam, let''s go shopping. We studied all week. We need a feast." Initially, L wouldn''t dare touch Cameron because of Cameron''s well-known issues with personal space. But gradually, Cameron got used to her presence. Until one day, L tested the waters by linking arms. When Cameron didn''t shake her off, it became routine. Cameron gently untangled herself. "Sorry." L pouted, "Huh? Are you going home again?" 12:42 Tue, 17 Jun G Cameron shook her head. "Tomorrow. I''ll meet a high school friend tonight." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who?" Cameron said, "Elijah. His sister''s birthday ising up. He needs gift ideas." Amelia was amused. "You, the ultimate tomboy, are going to help someone choose a birthday gift for a girl?¡± Cameron rolled her eyes. Sienna chuckled, "Amy, Cam''s design sense is killer. The Starry sold out on day one! The Starry was an instant hit. All the series of products had been sold out on the very first day. AD My k 606 * Pre-orders for The Starry were already booked through next year. By the end of the first quarter, Cameron would receive a hefty royalty check. It would be enough to pay Bradley back in full. "Later," Cameron said tly, turning to leave. "Wait," Amelia called, pulling her back. "What for?" Cameron asked, confused. Amelia eyed Cameron''s white windbreaker. "Cam, I get it''s just a high school friend, but don''t you think you should dress up a little? At least try to look presentable." Cameron was speechless. An hour and a halfter, Cameron pulled into the mall''s underground parking. Elijah had arrived early and was already browsing a women''s boutique upstairs. She called him. "I''m here, Elijah." "Where? I''lle get you," Elijah replied. Phone in hand, Cameron scanned the area. Soon, she spotted Elijah''s back inside a women''s boutique. His beige trench coat entuated his striking frame. Just the way he carried himself, aloof and untouchable, made passersby do double takes and imagine what he looked like up close. "Turn around," Cameron said into the phone. "I''m right behind you." Elijah turned, his aristocratic features as coldly perfect as ever, looking like an unapproachable prince. "Where?" His gaze swept past Cameron without recognition. Cameron smiled, "I''m here." Elijah walked straight toward her but then passed her. Cameron stayed still. "I didn''t see you," Elijah said. "Stop,¡± Cameron called, turning around to look at his back. Elijah stopped. "Turn around now," Cameron said. Elijah turned. Still holding his phone, he immedjately spotted the girl he had just caught a glimpse of, Dressed in a trendy JK-style school uniform, Cameron had lean legs and wless skin. Waist length hair cascaded down her back, framing delicate features enhanced by subtle makeup. At first nce, she was breathtaking. Elijah''s gaze lingered for a few seconds before darting away. "Cameron, where are you?" he said into the phone, 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun Cameron sighed, "Stay put." "Okay," Elijah replied. Cameron strode toward him, then hung up and looked up at him. ¡°Find anything for your sister yet?" Elijah''s head snapped down. He was shocked to see that incredibly pretty girl he had just seen standing in front of him. He thought, ''The voice... It''s Cameron''s. So... This girl is Cameron!'' He stared at Cameron, unblinking. She stood so close he caught the faint scent of her perfume. His ears burned crimson instantly, and he stumbled back abruptly. "You... Cameron?" Behind him was the esctor. One more step and he''d have tumbled down. Reacting instantly, Cameron grabbed his hand and yanked him forward. "Watch out!" Elijah was still in a daze. Once he steadied himself, Cameron released him. Elijah''s face remained flushed. Cameron tilted her head. "Why are you blushing?" Elijah quickly turned away, avoiding her eyes. "The AC here is way too strong." My k 607 Cameron nodded. "Yeah, it is a bit warm." Amelia and the others had insisted she wear this short skirt, despite it being autumn already. Fortunately, the mall was heated. The outfit had been a surprise in her luggage, courtesy of Gavin at some point. Elijah''s face remained flushed, and his mind wentpletely nk. His hand, the one Cameron had just grabbed, was still shivering. "Let''s go," Cameron said. "You wanted to buy clothes for your sister, right?" ¡°Huh? Oh. Yeah." Elijah was barely coherent, forcing himself to focus. Taking his mumbled response, Cameron turned toward the boutique Elijah had been browsing earlier. Elijah trailed behind. His gaze stayed fixed on Cameron''s figure-so stunning, like a fairy. His heart was pounding wildly. When he had learned Cameron was a girl, Elijah had been stunned and thrilled. But he had been too nervous to reach out. It took weeks to muster the courage to invent this "shopping advice" excuse. Still, he never expected her to actually show up wearing a skirt. And she was a million times more beautiful than he had imagined. As the SAT state runner-up, he prided himself on his vocabry. Yet now, no words could capture her. They entered the store where the staff admired Elijah''s handsome look. Now, they were even more surprised to see such a gorgeous girl walking beside him. "Sir, your girlfriend is gorgeous! You two look perfect together," a clerk praised sincerely. Standing side by side, their height matched perfectly, and both were incredibly good-looking. They looked like a couple made for each other. Elijah''s breath hitched. He thought, ''Perfect? Me and Cameron?'' Cameron smiled, "Sorry, we''re just friends." The clerk backtracked hastily. "My mistake. You just look so matched."/ Elijah nced at Cameron but stayed silent. Cameron turned to him. "See anything you liked earlier?" He shook his head. "Not yet." His heartbeat had steadied somewhat, but he still couldn''t meet her eyes or even look at her face. When Cameron dressed as a guy, Elijah had no problem looking at her all day. But now, just the sight of her in this outfit sent his heart into overdrive. "How old is your sister?" Cameron asked. Elijah focused intently on the racks of clothes. "Two years younger than me." "Sixteen then. What''s her usual style?" "Style?" "Cute? Sweet? Tomboy?" Or sexy, though Cameron left that unsaid. Elijah''s sister was too young. Elijah was puzzled, thinking, ¡®Girls'' clothes have that many different styles? So what style is Cameron''s outfit right now?" His gaze flicked to Cameron''s lean legs and then darted away as his ears reignited. 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun G @@ ¡°Elijah?¡± She tilted her head when he didn''t answer. "N-no particr style," Elijah stammered. Çú My k 608 Cameron sighed. She thought, ''Well, maybe asking a guy to analyze a girl''s fashion style is too much.'' She stepped closer to Elijah. "Show me your sister''s photo." Usually, facial features could hint at someone''s preferred style. The moment Cameron approached, Elijah''s heart went into overdrive again. Nervous but unwilling to retreat, he pressed a hand against his chest as if to steady the frantic beating. ¡°Elijah, you look unwell. Are you okay?" Cameron asked with concern. "Sir, maybe you should sit down and rest for a while," the clerk suggested, eyeing Elijah''s flushed face. Elijah did look unwell. He sank onto the plush sofa, epting the ss of water the clerk brought. He sipped slowly, trying to calm himself. "Elijah, give me your hand," Cameron said. "What?" Elijah froze. Without waiting, Cameron took his wrist. Elijah instinctively tried to pull back, but Cameron held firm. "Stay still." Her fingers rested lightly on his pulse point. After a long moment, she met his eyes. ¡°You''re fine physically, but your emotions are all over the ce. What''s going on?" "You... You know medicine?" Elijah was surprised. Cameron released his wrist. "A little." Elijah kept his gaze lowered. He thought, ''Just a little is enough. Please don''t let her see through me. I''m not ready to confess, not like this.'' Recognizing his reluctance to exin, Cameron tactfully dropped the subject. Afterposing himself, Elijah scrolled through his phone and pulled up a photo of his sister, Adeline Moore. The Moore family did have great genes. Though not yet sixteen, Adeline had blossomed into a radiant beauty, her sweet smile and crescent-moon eyes sparkling with such joy that anyone who saw the picture couldn''t help but smile too. Cameron was no exception. Returning the phone, she said, "Your sister is adorable. I''ve got a good idea now. Let me pick a few pieces for her." She swiftly selected several outfits suited to Adeline''s youthful charm. With the shopping bags in hand, they exited the boutique. "Elijah, since we''re here, do you want to get your sister some jewelry?" Cameron asked. Elijah''s nerves had finally settled enough for him to nce at Cameron, only to be struck anew by her profile. Every view of her was perfect. Elijah''s heart started pounding again, forcing him to look away. "Jewelry? Like what? I''m clueless. Do you have any suggestions?" He wanted to keep her nearby a little longer. He was already nning to invite her to dinner afterward as thanks. Cameron said, "At her age, bracelets or nes are safe bets. Let''s check the jewelry section downstairs." "Sure." Elijah nodded. They headed down to the jewelry area on the first floor. 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun G AA. The jewelry store clerk mistook them for a couple because they really looked like a perfect match. Cameron politely corrected before she pointed to a clover-patterned bracelet. "Could we see this one?" The clerk eagerly took it. "Miss, try it on. It looks even better worn." "Not for me." Cameron shook her head. Elijah hesitated. "Adeline''s wrists are as slender as yours. Maybe you could model it?" My k 609 Cameron nodded. "Alright, I''ll try it on." The clerk carefully fastened the clover bracelet around Cameron''s wrist. Against her wless skin, the pale green charms seemed to glow, entuating the delicate skin beneath. "Stunning," Elijah blurted out. "Sir, your boyfriend has excellent taste," the clerk praised. "It looks absolutely divine on her." Cameron rotated her wrist slightly. "Looks good? Get this one for your sister then?" Elijah stared at her hand, throat tight. "Yeah." A selfish part of him wanted to protest when she removed the bracelet. It belonged to her as if it was made for no one else. But she had already taken it off before he could speak. Pressing his lips together, Elijah followed as Cameron moved to the ne disy. "Which of these do you think your sister would prefer?" asked.. Elijah scanned the cases nkly. "They all look kind of "ne." 11 Cameron chuckled. She thought, ''Well. Male vision strikes again.'' She selected a simple tinum ne with understated elegance, and Elijah went to pay for it. They bought clothes, a ne, and a bracelet. Elijah cleared his throat. "Cameron, thanks for helping me pick these out. Let me treat you to dinner?" "Sure." After hours of shopping, Cameron was hungry. Bags in hand, they took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. "Eli?" Bradley stepped into the mall caf¨¦ for ate-night coffee. Just as he nced up, he caught a familiar profile. But before he could call out, Elijah turned away. What surprised Bradley more was the long-haired girl beside Elijah. Even from behind, her posture radiated grace. A smirk tugged at Bradley''s lips. He thought, ''Even Eli is dating now. The boy who used to live solely for equations finally awakened to romance. ''But why can''t Cameron see what''s right in front of him? I dropped so many hints that day, but he still remained clueless. Love is like multiplication. If one side is zero, everything ends up as nothing. Forget it. Whether he gets it or not, I''m making my move once I get through this busy period.'' Bradley tightened his grip on the coffee cup. When he looked up again, Elijah and Cameron had already vanished. In the parking lot, Elijah stowed the shopping bags in his backseat. "Cameron, wait here. I think I forgot something." Cameron nodded. "Sure, take your time." Ten minutester, Elijah returned, and they drove to a barbecue joint near Cameron''s campus. After having a meal, Elijah declined Cameron''s offer to drive him back, insisting on a taxi instead. 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun G ?? Cameron didn''t push. As she watched his taxi pull away, her phone rang. It was Elijah. "Elijah? What''s up?" Elijah was puzzled. "Cameron," he said, steadying his voice. "Thanks again for tonight. I left you a gift on the passenger seat." Cameron chuckled, "It was nothing, really." Elijah insisted, "To you, maybe. But you helped me. If you don''t ept it, I''ll never dare ask for help again." 20 Back in the car, Cameron found the gift. It was the very bracelet she had modeled earlier. She couldn''t help thinking, ''Did he buy two? But it''s expensive. I can''t keep it.'' My k 610 "Elijah, you already treated me to dinner. This bracelet is too much. I can''t keep it," Cameron insisted. "Cameron..." Elijah''s voice faltered. He had thought that would be enough to convince her, but she still refused. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. "We were desk mates, roommates, and bros. You don''t need to be so formal," Cameron added casually. Elijah''s grip tightened on his phone. He thought, ''Bros? Does she forget she''s a girl? Truthfully, Elijah didn''t want to take the bracelet back. He switched tactics. "Fine. Just keep it for now. I''ll pick it upter." "Sure." Cameron agreed. As she moved to hang up, Elijah suddenly blurted, "Cameron." "Huh?" "You looked... beautiful today." The line went dead before Cameron could respond. Elijah mmed his phone onto hisp, ears burning. His heart was pounding so wildly he worried the taxi driver might hear. It was the first time he had everplimented a girl. His palms were even sweating. The dial tone buzzed in Cameron''s ear. She chuckled and then tucked the jewelry box into the glovepartment. When she got back to campus, she made her way toward the dormitory. All along the way, she drew plenty of admiring nces. "Wow, what a stunning girl. Howe I''ve never seen her before?" "She''s not from our school, is she?" "She outshines Amelia, the new campus belle." "Which department is she in? Could she actually be one of us?" Cameron ignored all the whispers and exims, heading straight to her dorm. L, Amelia, and Sienna were still awake when she returned. The moment the door opened, L practicallyunched herself across the room. "How was the date, Cam? That outfit was killer. Did you wreck your ssmate''s heart?" Cameron rolled her eyes. "L, it wasn''t a date. Just helping a friend." "Just a friend?" Amelia''s face was covered with a face mask. ¡°Sure. In your mind maybe." Sienna nodded. "Cam, be real. You''re so beautiful tonight. Your friend is definitely into you." Cameron gave them a deadpan look and then headed straight into the bathroom to shower. She was going back to Yates Manor tomorrow. Elijah had barely stepped into his dorm when Xander''s call shed on his screen. His brows furrowed. They hadn''t spoken since graduation. After all. their roommate rtionship had been more a ceasefire than friendship. Still, Elijah answered the call. "Hello?" His tone was icy. 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun GRA Xander''s voice came through. "Hey, Elijah. What''ve you been up totely?" "Nothing. State your business." "Uh... Have you been in touch with Cameron recently?" Xander hadn''t contacted Cameron since that rejection in front of her brothers two months ago. But absence hadn''t dulled Xander''s obsession. No amount of sports academy beauties couldpare. Tonight, desperation overrode pride, but he still held himself back from calling Cameron. Instead, he chose to ask Elijah for any updates. Elijah didn''t answer. Instead, he asked, "Xander, when did you learn Cameron was a girl? Before the SATS?" Xander''s gasp crackled through the speaker. "You know?" My k 611 "Is that so surprising?" Elijah''s voice remained icy. "You knew before I did." Xander scoffed, "Of course. I knew it before the SATS." "So that''s why," Elijah snorted. Xander''s sudden attitude shift made sense now. Elijah thought, ''Austin knew. Bradley probably knew too. And I was thest in Room 316 to find out Cameron was a girl.'' An inexplicable pang of bitterness twisted in his chest. Xander asked, "How did you find out? Cameron told you?" Elijah saw no reason to lie. "I went to Stenford University to see her and happened to see Austin confessing-" 62% (201 "Austin confessed?" Xander''s roar sted through the speaker, followed by the thud of him leaping off his couch. "That sickly bastard dared make a move on Cameron!" Xander was angry, thinking, ''Austin ispeting with me for her?'' But soon, regret flooded Xander. He thought, ''Why did I cut contact out of pride? While I was sulking, Austin was making his y. And these guys all knew the truth. Damn it! No! No one can take Cameron from me.'' "Did she... ept?" Xander barely choked out the question. Elijah replied, "No." Xander exhaled hard. "Good. That''s good. At least her standards aren''t thatw." Hearing Xander''s relief, Elijah frowned. He thought, ''Why did I tell him the truth? Both he and Austin are my rivals here. Maybe I should''ve just let them fight each other instead.'' "Elijah!" Xander''s voice sharpened with sudden suspicion. "Why did you visit Cameron?" Elijah snorted, "None of your business." Xander''s temple throbbed. "Don''t tell me you like her too?" Cameron was beautiful, adorable, and incredibly impressive. It was easy for anyone to fall for her. Elijah wasn''t ready to reveal his feelings, especially not to Xander. He kept his tone t. "Don''t be ridiculous. Cameron and I are just friends." Xander snorted, "Good. You''d better not even think aboutpeting with me" Elijah''s lips curled in disdain. He thought, ''Arrogant. Doesn''t he even realize that out of everyone in Room 316, Cameron probably finds him the most annoying? He''s totally clueless about himself." "Anything else?" Elijah asked tly. "I''m going to sleep." "Whatever." Xander hung up. He leaped off the couch and paced his room as he thought, ''I can''t just sit around. Cameron is perfect. Someone else will make a move if I don''t act first. But... His pacing slowed. He thought, ''She''s so damn stubborn with me. How do I even get through to her? ''Last time, I tried winning over her family, but they sent all my gifts back. If only I knew where she lived, I could''ve just shown up with my parents. Wait 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun G A my parents..." Xander spun on his heel and marched straight to his parents'' bedroom door. The next morning, Cameron was driving to the Yates family''s private airstrip when her phone buzzed with an iing call from Xander''s mother. She hesitated for a few seconds before answering, "Hello, Mrs. Murphy." "Cameron, I''m Xander''s mother. You haven''t forgotten me, have you?" Gwen''s voice dripped with warmth. AD My k 612 Cameron pulled over, her tone soft. "Of course, I remember you, Mrs. Murphy. What can I do for you?" During her tutoring days, Xander''s parents had been overwhelmingly kind, a stark contrast to their annoying son. 62% 201 Gwen''sughter tinkled through the speaker. "Oh, Cam, I''m so d you remember me. Xan just told me you''re a girl. I''ve always dreamed of having a daughter. Would you mind if I came to see you sometime?" Cameron''s grip tightened on the wheel. It was Xander''s scheming again. Seeing that Cameron didn''t respond right away, Gwen continued, sweetness undimmed, ¡°No pressure, dear. I just wanted to thank you for tutoring Xan. You refused our check. Oh, good girl. Are you free this weekend? We could go shopping." Xander, sitting next to Gwen, gave her a thumbs-up. He thought, ''Once Mom gets Cam out shopping, and I stage a chance encounter. Genius n!" Gwen shot him a warning look. Cameron hadn''t agreed yet. Cameron''s true gender had stunned Gwen, but she had immediately recognized Xander''s intentions. Cameron was exceptional, and if Xander wanted to pursue her, Gwen wouldn''t object. That was why she agreed to make the call. Cameron replied politely, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Murphy, but I have to go home today. Maybe another time for shopping?" "Go home?" Gwen asked, confused. "But your adoptive parents are..." Cameron exined, "I meant my birth parents'' house." "Oh, you''ve found them? How wonderful, sweetheart." Gwen sounded delighted. After a few more minutes of small talk, Cameron firmly declined. Xander''s face fell. Gwen patted his shoulder consolingly before switching tactics. "Cam, how about dinner tomorrow? I''d love to see you in a dress. You must look stunning." Cameron hesitated. "Too busy? No worries. You pick the date, dear. Just let me know whenever you''re free, okay?" Gwen''s voice dripped with warmth. Cameron finally relented. "Fine, Mrs. Murphy. Tomorrow night, my treat." After all, her pharmaceutical startup''s seed money hade from tutoring Xander. "Oh, sweetheart, I couldn''t possibly let you pay." Gwen trilled. "See you tomorrow night." "Alright, Mrs. Murphy. Just the two of us?" Cameron asked. Gwen shot a nce at Xander, who was practically vibrating with anticipation. "Of course. Xan is always off at university, and his father''s buried in work." Cameron said, "Alright, "See you tomorrow then." The moment Gwen hung up, Xander engulfed her in a bear hug. "Mom, you''re the best! The best!" Gwenughed, patting his back, "Ease up. I can''t breathe." Xander released her. "Yes!" He jumped for joy at the thought of seeing Cameron the next day. Watching his antics, Gwen''s expression softened. "Is this serious?" Xander blinked. "Huh?": 2012 13:35 Wed, 18 Jun G AR Gwen smiled, "Cameron. Are you serious about her?" Xander scratched his head, grinning. "Dead serious. I fell for her at first sight, Mom." Gwen gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. "If this works out, you better treat her well. If you break her heart, I''ll break your legs myself." Xander froze. My k 613 Cameron drove to the Yates family''s private airstrip, then boarded a helicopter that carried her across the sea to Yates Manor''s rear garden. As the cabin door opened, a line of staff in ck suits stood at attention. The butler extended a gloved hand. "Wee home, Ms. Yates." "Thank you." True to her germophobic nature, Cameron bypassed his offered assistance and leaped down. "Be careful, Cam." Jacqueline rushed forward, arms outstretched as if to support Cameron. Cameron embraced Jacqueline. "I''m fine, Mom. It''s not high." "It''s not about how high it is. You shouldn''t just jump like that," Levi added, following closely behind. They had been waiting in the garden for her arrival. Linking arms with Levi, Cameron smiled, "Got it, Dad." 350260 Jacqueline kept looking at her, gently reaching out to touch her face. "You''ve lost weight. It''s only been a week. Has university days been too stressful?" Levi studied her with equal intensity. "Yeah." Cameron smiled. "We''ll fix that," Jacqueline chuckled. "The kitchen''s prepared all your favorites." Levi ruffled Cameron''s hair affectionately. "Your mother has been nning this feast since yesterday. Time for some proper nourishment." Warmth bloomed in Cameron''s chest. "Thank you, Mom, Dad." This unconditional love still felt surreal. The happiness she had once never dared imagine before. She owed Bradley and Elijah for convincing her to reim her family. Jacqueline smiled, "Silly girl. No thanks needed between us." "Helen is here too," Levi added. Cameron nodded. "Good." "She brought a handsome mixed-race boy," Jacqueline said. Cameron raised an eyebrow, curious. "Is Helen dating him?" "She ims he is just a junior from school." Jacqueline winked. "But judging by the way she looks at him, I''d say she likes him." Levi shrugged. "She''s neen. Dating is normal." "Oh?" Jacqueline teased. "Who decreed our daughter must wait until twenty?" Levi said, "That''s different." Jacqueline tilted her head. "How?" Levi paused, not sure how to respond. Cameron watched her parents bicker with a smile. The three of them chatted andughed as they walked into the main hall. At first nce, Cameron noticed two men sitting in the living room. 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun GA. 62% One was Gavin-dressed in his usual tailored suit,ptop''in hand, typing away. Despite his packed schedule, he had carved out time for this family lunch. The other man was the mixed-race boy Helen had brought home. At the sight of him, Cameron''s smile froze. Her face turned a bit cold. She thought, ''Austin? Helen''s junior? Is this really a coincidence?'' "Cam!" Helen sprang from the couch, beaming. "Helen." Cameron nodded at her. Austin, who had been sitting next to Helen, stood up politely. He and Helen were both music majors at the same music academy. Helen bounded over. "Cam, this is my junior, Austin Fraser. Same year as you at Langford Academy. You must know each other?" "Yeah, we''ve met." "Never seen him before." They spoke at the same time. Cameron''s denial sliced through Austin''s acknowledgment. Austin smiled, ¡°I know Cameron Wace. Perhaps I simply didn''t make an impression." Helen corrected brightly, "Cam is back. She''s Cameron Yates now." AD Comment My k 614 Austin said with an apologetic smile, "My mistake." Cameron barely nced at him before moving to sit beside Gavin. "Hey, Gavin." "Cam." Gavin nearly fumbled hisptop, stunned by her proximity. Cameron had epted him after bringing Pearl back to Yates Manor, but this was the first time she had voluntarily approached him. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Tired?" The usually unppable Gavin now fussed like an overeager butler. Cameron chuckled, "Just do your work. Don''t mind me." Gavin grinned. "I''m not busy." He immediately fetched pastries, fruit, and drinks for her. Helen hadn''t expected Cameron to be so indifferent toward Austin. Then again, Cameron had been equally aloof during their first meeting. Helen smiled, trying to smooth things over, "Don''t take it personally, Austin. Cam is just not much of a talker." Austin gave a smile. "No problem at all." Gavin and his parents'' attention remainedser-focused on Cameron. As Austin chatted with Helen, his gaze kept drifting toward Cameron. The way her family doted on her was undeniable. He watched this scene and smiled. Cameron sensed his stare and turned to meet his eyes. Austin immediately offered another tentative smile. Cameron simply looked away, expression unchanged. Austin was mused, thinking, ''Girls really know how to nurse a grievance. It was just a tiny misstep, and she is still treating me coldly. Guess I''ll have to be extra careful not to anger her.'' Still, his smile lingered. He thought, ''But now, as Helen''s junior, I''ve got a reason to be here. And that means more chances toe to see her.'' At this thought, Austin couldn''t help but smile. Helen noticed Austin''s lingering gaze on Cameron, and for some reason, a quiet sense of disappointment settled in her chest. The first time Helen had seen Austin by the artificialke on campus. His stunning appearance had taken her breath away. With his ssical elegance and aristocratic charm, he was ridiculously attractive. And he had been the one to approach her. At the time, Helen had been talking to her friend about her newfound sister when Austin struck up a conversation. Hearing she lived on a private ind, Austin had wistfully mentioned he had never visited one. Helen couldn''t resist inviting him. By lunchtime, Austin, as Helen''s guest, naturally joined the family meal. Levi, Jacqueline, and Gavin focused on Cameron, not paying attention to Austin. Seeing Austin, Cameron shot him another icy re. Austin pretended not to notice, his smile unshaken. Jacqueline ruffled Cameron''s hair. "Sweetheart, we made all your favorites. Try the fish." Only after piling Cameron''s te did she remember Austin. "Austin, help yourself. Make yourself at home." "Thank you, Mrs. Yates." Austin''s manners were impable. 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun G A Cameron''s eyes narrowed, but Austin''s grin didn''t falter ?t all. The Yates family''s attention remained fixated on Cameron, though she clearly needed no coddling. As Helen''s guest, Austin became her responsibility. When he shed Helen a dazzling smile, her heart stuttered. After lunch, Jacqueline led Cameron upstairs to her walk-in closet. ¡°Cam, I bought the perfect dressst week. It''ll look divine on you. Try it." É« My k 615 Cameron stood before the floor-length mirror. The dress was soft ivory, its intricate embroidery hand-stitched with delicate precision, elegant yet understated. Though slender, Cameron''s good frame filled out the dress perfectly. Paired with her short hair, the look was striking. Jacqueline beamed at her reflection. "Stunning. Sweetheart, you''re even prettier than I was at your age." Cameron draped an arm around Jacqueline''s shoulders. "Thanks, Mom. I love it." Jacqueline then handed her a pair of white heels. As Cameron slipped them on, Jacqueline nodded approvingly. "Perfect." A rare, tender smile touched Cameron''s lips. This was what family love felt like. "Helen wants to take her junior sightseeing," Jacqueline said. ¡°October is the best time to see the ind. Come with us, Cam?" Cameron hesitated but finally agreed. 0230 The ind in autumn was breathtaking. Golden leaves shimmered along the coastal road, rustling in the sea breeze. Flocks of seagulls soared against the azure sky. They boarded an open-top tour vehicle. Cameron and Jacqueline took the front seats. Helen and Austin settled behind them. Helen gestured proudly at the vista. "See, Austin? I told you it was beautiful." Austin smiled, "Yeah. Beautiful." His gaze lingered on Cameron''s profile. She was even more breathtaking in that dress. This was his first time seeing her in feminine attire, and the transformation left him spellbound. But he forced himself to look away, stealing only asional nces. Cameron rolled her eyes. She didn''t need to turn around to feel his stare. The vehicle stopped by the beach. All four stepped out. Cameron slipped off her heels, letting the warm sand press between her bare toes as she walked ahead. Jacqueline settled into a lounge chair with a contented sigh. Austin turned to Helen with an apologetic smile. "Mind if I walk alone for a bit?" Helen''s grin faltered for just a second before she nodded. "Of course." She joined Jacqueline on the loungers. Austin quickened his pace to catch up with Cameron. "Cameron." He called out once they were out of earshot. Cameron stopped, the sea breeze tousling her short hair as she turned with an icy expression. Austin closed the distance with a smile. "What a coincidence. Helen is actually your cousin." Cameron gave him a sharp, icy look. "When exactly did you decide I''m an idiot?" 13.30 wea, 18 Jun We Austin froze. "What''s your game, Austin?" Cameron''s tone was cold. His smile didn''t waver. "No game. Just serendipity." "Hmph," Cameron scoffed, clearly not buying it for a second. His gaze softened as he took her in. "You look incredible today, Cam." Cameron snorted, "That concerns you?" Austin sighed, "Do we really have to talk like this? Can''t we just get along like we used to?" AD My k 616 "You think that''s possible?" Cameron stared at him. "Do you believe we can go back to how things were?" Even Austin''s patience had its limits. After repeated rejections, his smile vanished. "I''ve apologized a dozen times!" he snapped. "So?" Cameron snorted. "That means I owe you forgiveness?" Austin said, "Enough with the grudge, Cameron." Cameron''s eyes turned icy. "Last warning, Austin. Stop harassing me, or you''ll regret it." Austin shrugged. "Do your worst. You saved my life. You might as well take it back." Cameron almost lost her temper. "Cam.¡± Just then, Jacqueline and Helen''s approaching footsteps crunched over the sand. Cameron thought Austin was hopeless. She couldn''t even stand to look at him any longer. Then, she schooled her features into serenity. As she brushed past him, she warned him in a low voice. "Don''t bother me again." Austin didn''t respond. Cameron beamed at Jacqueline. "Mom." "Having a nice chat?" Jacqueline asked warmly. Cameron linked arms with her. "Just catching up." Helen nced between Cameron''s practiced smile and Austin''s rigid posture, brow furrowing. By the time Austin turned around, his mask was wless again. "Mrs. Yates," he said softly. "Cameron and I have so much inmon." "Really?" Jacqueline ruffled Cameron''s hair affectionately. Cameron frowned, then forced herself to rx. Helen smiled, "You two are ssmates. Of course, you''d have a lot inmon." Austin chuckled, "Helen, we''re alumni, too." Helen''s smile widened. "Yeah, we are." For the rest of the day, the four of them stayed together the whole time. Every time Austin tried to catch Cameron alone, she deliberately shut him out. By evening, Jacqueline had warmly extended dinner invitations to both Helen and Austin. Levi looked at Cameron with loving eyes. "Did you enjoy your afternoon, sweetheart?" Cameron nodded. "Very much, Dad." As long as her mom was there, it was perfect. Gavin looked guilty. "Sorry, Cam. i''ve been too busytely. I couldn''t join you." Cameron smiled gently, "I''m not a kid needing constant entertainment. As long as Mom was with me, that''s enough." Austin sighed dramatically, "Cameron, our family so warm. I''m jealous." 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun G 88 Cameron nced at him and gave a faint smile, without saying a single word. Helen, trying not to let the moment grow awkward, smiled, "Yeah, our family has always been loving." Austin''s gaze dropped. "I wish 1 had that." Seeing Austin''s sad look, Helen wasn''t sure what to say tofort him. Jacqueline smiled, "You''re Helen''s friend. If you''d like, feel free toe visit anytime." Austin''s head snapped up, eyes shining. "Really? Mrs. Yates. But... won''t that be too much of a bother?" Jacqueline shook her head. "Not at all." Levi stayed silent. If Austin were Helen''s potential boyfriend, asional visits wouldn''t be an issue either. As for Gavin, his attention had never left Cameron the entire dinner. After dinner, while others lingered over chat, Cameron went outside and gazed silently at the night sky. Less than a minuteter, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned around and saw Austin standing behind her. Cameron looked at him with a faint smile and whispered, "nning toe to my home often?" AD Comment Send gift No Ads My k 617 62% The smile on Cameron''s face was something Austin hadn''t seen in a long time. He was excited, nodding eagerly. "Of course. Is that okay? Cameron, have you forgiven me?" "What?" Cameron suddenly raised her voice, shocking everyone. "You like me? But Helen brought you here. Are you two-timing her?" Austin''s eyes widened in shock. He had no idea why she would say something like that out of nowhere. Cameron''s voice immediately drew the attention of Levi and the others inside. Before Austin could react, Gavin was already sprinting over. He shoved Austin back, shielding Cameron with his body. "You dare covet my sister!" Cameron peeked out from behind Gavin, clutching his sleeve with faux innocence. "Gavin, I don''t want to date anyone." Her cautious expression and the way her voice trembled sent Gavin into overdrive. "No one''s forcing you, Cam." Then, he kicked Austin hard, sending him crashing to the ground. "Security, get him out of here," Gavin ordered. Austin hit the ground hard, wheezing. "Austin!" The whole thing happened so fast that Helen waspletely stunned. She finally snapped out of her daze and rushed to help him up. Austin winced in pain from the kick to his ribs but forced a smile. "I''m fine." Levi stormed over with a sullen face. "Helen, take your friend and leave. Now." He thought, ''Who does this punk think he is, coveting my daughter? Humph!'' Helen hesitated. Austin froze. He never expected that Cameron''s words would cause Gavin and Levi to turn on him like this. These were Cameron''s father and brother. Austin couldn''t afford to offend them. He hurried to exin, "Mr. Yates, Gavin, it''s not what you-" "Not what?" Cameron cut in coldly. "You don''t like me?" Austin hesitated. He liked her, and that was why he had gone through all the trouble of chasing her all the way to the ind. Jacqueline''s expression darkened. "Austin, what you did was way out of line." Cornered, Austin had no choice but toe clean. "Mr. Yates, Mrs. Yates, please let me exin. My feelings for Cameron aren''t new. I''ve loved her since high school. "We had a disagreement recently, and she stopped speaking to me. That''s why I asked Helen to bring me here. I want to apologize properly." Cameron''s voice dripped ice. "So you used my cousin?" Austin didn''t answer right away. Helen understood. She had noticed Austin''s lingering nces at Cameron earlier but chalked it up to Cameron''s striking beauty. Now the truth hit her like a p. She had been nothing more than a pawn in his game. Jacqueline frowned, "I never took you for the maniptive type." Helen really was too innocent to have fallen for that. 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun G A Levi''s gaze was sharp as he stared at Austin. "So you''ve been harassing my daughter?" "Dad, why are we even debating this?" Gavin clenched his fists. "Throw him out." Facing Levi and Gavin''s anger, Austin still refused to back down. "Mr. Yates, I''m not harassing Cameron. I''m courting her. All I''m asking for is a fair chance." É« My k 618 Levi''s face darkened further. "Showing up at our home uninvited isn''t harassment? And you dare ask for a fair chance?" Austin tried to defend himself. "Mr. Yates, I had no choice. Cameron blocked all my contact information. This was myst resort." "So now it''s my fault?" Cameron gave him a cold, half-smile. Austin shook his head. "No. It''s my fault." He had just cared too much. He didn''t want her to spend time alone with Bradley, and jealousy drove him to sabotage her rtionship with Bradley. That was in the past, and he thought it was over. "Enough," Gavin snapped. "Security, throw him out!" The guards moved instantly. Helen didn''t want the situation to escte further. She stepped between them, her voice strained. "Austin, just go." She reached for his arm, signaling the guards to stand down, only to be shoved away by Austin. Helen stumbled back a few steps, frowning slightly. Stumbling back, Helen frowned. Jacqueline steadied her and stared at Austin. Austin''s gaze remained locked on Cameron. "You''d really cut me off over something so trivial?" Cameron stared at him coldly. "Get out." "Huh." Austin lowered his gaze, letting out a bitterugh. There was nothing but sorrow behind that sound. He thought, ''She''s driving me away? Doesn''t she realize she''s the only light I''ve ever known? She pulled me from darkness, but now, she is pushing me back in?'' Jacqueline studied Austin with growing unease. Something was unsettling about his mncholy. She finally spoke, "Helen, take him away." Helen nodded. This time, Austin didn''t resist as Helen led him off. Gavin ruffled Cameron''s hair protectively. "It''s okay, Cam. You''ve got us. Cameron smiled up at him. "Thanks, Gavin." Levi''s voice was gruff with concern. "Sweetheart, if anyone bothers you again, tell me immediately. You shouldn''t handle this alone." Levi had still shown some mercy because of Helen. Otherwise, Austin wouldn''t have left so easily. Jacqueline squeezed Cameron''s hand. "We''re your family, Cam. We share your burdens." "Thank you." Cameron rested her head against Jacqueline''s shoulder, warmth flooding her chest. This unconditional love was the balrn for every wound. All the unfair treatment she had suffered in the Wace family and all the quiet envy she had felt toward Milena faded to nothing at that moment. As for Austin? She couldn''t care less. 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun Helen walked Austin out in silence. Once beyond Yates Manor''s gate, she stopped. "Leave, Austin." Her tone was cold. Austin turned, seeing her icy expression. He smiled bitterly, "You hate me now too, Helen?" "Do I have a reason not to?" Helen snorted. 302% Austin froze. Moonlight carved shadows across his striking features, emotions warring beneath the surface. His lips parted slightly, but in the end, he didn''t say anything. Helen''s words echoed in his mind. He thought, ''Do I even deserve love? Back in the Fraser family, everyone hated me. At school, girls only cared about my looks.'' He strode forward blindly. After several steps, he turned around. ¡°Helen, I''m sorry." +20 AD My k 619 Helen didn''t respond to Austin''s apology. Seeing her silence, Austin turned and walked away. She watched his back as he left and let out a deep, weary sigh. Then she returned to Yates Manor. In the living room, Cameron and the others were chatting andughing as if nothing had happened. The mood was light and easy,pletely at odds with the earlier tension. But Helen couldn''t pretend it hadn''t happened. She walked straight over to Cameron. The conversation stopped the moment Helen approached. The four of them quieted in unspoken agreement. Cameron looked up first and said, "Helen?" "I''m sorry, Cam," Helen said, locking eyes with her. "I didn''t mean for any of this to happen." Cameron shook her head. "Helen, it''s not your fault. Austin used you." Jacqueline chimed in, "You''re just too pure-hearted, Helen." Gavin added, "You''ve been sheltered your whole life." Before now, Helen had been the only girl in the family, doted on by everyone. She was kind, innocent, and unguarded, an easy target for someone like Austin. Levi spoke next, "You can''t be that na?ve anymore. People outside the ind aren''t like us." Before college, Helen had never even left the ind. She had no idea how harsh the world could be. Her gaze dropped. "I was stupid," she murmured. ''Let''s be honest. Austin''s face was too damn convincing. That''s what tripped me up.'' Cameron shook her head. "No, Helen. You weren''t stupid. Austin was just incredibly maniptive." She had once trusted Austinpletely too. She saw something in him, his situation with the Fraser family reminded her of her own growing up in the Wace family. That sense of familiarity made her open her heart without question. And in return, he stabbed her in the back. Austin had always been good at pretending. Helen said softly, "Still, I caused all this. I''m sorry, Cam, I never meant to bring trouble to you." Cameron knew Helen felt terrible. She stood up and gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "I ept your apology, Helen." Helen pressed her lips together and nodded. "Thank you, Cam." Cameron stood and patted Helen''s shoulder. Then Helen quietly walked out. Jacqueline took Cameron''s hand, a little emotional. "You''re such a good kid." After all, it would''ve been understandable if Cameron had held a grudge. No one would''ve med her. But she hadn''t. Not even a little. 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun GR Cameron smiled. "You think I''m perfect, Mom." Jacqueline chuckled. "You kind of are." Levi added with a grin, "Of course she is. She''s my daughter." Gavin echoed without hesitation, "Cam, you''re wless." Cameronughed. "You guys are too much." It was gettingte. After chatting a little longer, everyone went back to their rooms. Cameron had just finished washing up when she saw a message from Bradley. She sat down, still toweling her damp hair, and opened his text. Bradley: [Are you asleep? I just got back from thewyer''s. The house feels so empty. What are you up to? What''s Pearl doing?] He''d also sent a photo of Pearl''s room. It looked exactly the same as before, but without Pearl in it, it felt strangely hollow. Cameron set the towel down and started typing. Cameron: [Just got out of the shower. I''m about to go to bed. Brad, why''d you go back there? Isn''t it pretty far from your firm? Pearl''s probably asleep already.] Bradley replied almost instantly. Bradley: [I just wanted to see him. I didn''t even realize he wasn''t here until I pulled into the driveway. Then it hit me... that you took him with you. How''s he settling in at the new ce?] Right then, he was lying on the bed in the same room Cameron had once stayed in at the castle. She''d been gone for a while now. But as Bradleyy there, it felt like he could still catch faint traces of the "boy" who used to sleep here... like Cameron had never fully left. # AD Comment My k 620 Of course, Bradley hadn''t actually forgotten that Pearl was already staying with Cameron. That was just the excuse he used to strike up a conversation. After sending the message, he didn''t get a response for quite a while. ''Maybe he fell asleep already.'' Just as he was about to put his phone down, a new message came in. It was a photo from Cameron. In the dim lighting, Pearl was curled up fast asleep in his new room. Cameron: [Pearl really likes his new home.] A faint smile tugged at the corner of Bradley''s lips. He''d only casually mentioned Pearl, but Cameron had gone out of his way to take a photo and send it. That had to mean something. He mattered to him, at least a little, right? They chatted a bit more about Pearl before he shifted the topic. Bradley: [I''ve had a bit of free timetely. Started reading some fiction and came across a novel that''s actually pretty good. Do you read much?] He sent her the link. Cameron clicked it out of curiosity, only to freeze a secondter. She remembered that the kinds of books Bradley usually read were eitherw- rted orputer science texts. She''d genuinely been curious about what kind of fiction he was into. What she didn''t expect... was a boys'' love novel. BL? Bradley was into this genre? Cameron had read a little bit of everything over the years, BL included, but she never thought Bradley would rmend something like this to her. She stared at the screen for a long moment before finally replying. Cameron: [It looks interesting. I''ll check it out when I have time.] ????? Bradley: [Do you usually read this kind of thing?] Cameron: [Now and then.] Bradley: [So, how do you feel about same-sex rtionships?] Cameron paused and thought, ''How do I feel about it?'' She didn''t really "feel" anything specific. Everyone had the right to choose how they lived. It wasn''t anyone else''s ce to interfere. Cameron: [It''s just a personal choice.] Bradley: (So it doesn''t bother you?] Cameron: [Not at all.) 13:36 Wed, 18 Jun G88 She wasn''t the type to stick her nose into other people''s lives. Their rtionships were none of her business, let alone something to be bothered by. Bradley read her message, and his smile widened again. No difort. That was all he needed to know. Which meant... it was time to make his move. He felt good, light even. He typed again. Bradley: [Cameron, are you at home right now?] Cameron: [Yeah, I am.] Bradley: [You guys don''t have night sses, right?] Cameron: [Nope.] Though most students still headed to the library after dinner to study. Getting into college didn''t mean cking off. Especially not for students in technical majors like Cameron''s. The things they were learning now would matter for the rest of their careers. Bradley: [I found a great little bar recently. Want to check it out with me tomorrow night?] Cameron blinked. "A bar?" She hadn''t been to many bars before. But if Bradley was inviting her, she didn''t mind going. Cameron: [Can''t do tomorrow. I have ns with a friend. How about Monday night?] She had a dinner with Xander''s mom tomorrow. Bradley: [Monday works. I''lle pick you up.]Cameron: [Sounds good.] Cameron: [Sounds good.] It was alreadyte. After a bit more small talk, they said goodnight. Bradley stayed lying in bed, scrolling back through the chat. The smile on his face refused to fade. He''d made up his mind¡ªhe was going to pursue Cameron. But not all at once. No sudden moves. No bold derations. Just slow and steady. And Bradley had all the time in the world. My k 621 The following evening, in avishly decorated private dining room, Gwen grasped Cameron''s hands with warm excitement. "Cam, Iswear, never in my life did I imagine you were a girl," she said, her eyes sweeping over Cameron''s androgynous outfit. "Now I''m dying to know what you''d look like in a dress." Gwen''s enthusiasm caught Cameron off guard. She was used to people insulting or attacking her, so that didn''t bother her. She always gave it right back. Bat this kind of kindness, the overflowing warmth, left her unsure of how to respond. Still smiling, Gwen continued, "I went shopping yesterday and saw a few dresses I thought were gorgeous, so I bought them. I just knew you''d look stunning in them." Cameron said nothing. Gwen let go of her hands and pulled over a small mountain of shopping bags, setting them right in front of Cameron. "I wasn''t sure of your size, so I got a few different ones. Why don''t you try them on in the bathroom?" she offered with a hopeful gleam in her eye. The private room had its own bathroom, and clearly, Gwen was looking forward to seeing Cameron in something feminine. Before Cameron could even respond, Gwen had already nudged her into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Standing there, surrounded by more than ten shopping bags on the floor, Cameron finally came to her senses. ''I should''ve said no. She opened the door. Gwen was still waiting outside and blinked in surprise. "Cam, why didn''t you try anything on?" Cameron replied, "Thank you for the gifts, I really appreciate the thought. But I didn''t earn any of this. I can''t ept something like that for no reason." Gwen''s smile froze in ce. Those dresses? Her son Xander had picked them out himself and insisted she deliver them to Cameron. And now Cameron was turning them down? "Cam," Gwen said gently, "these were bought just for you. I''ve already removed the tags. They can''t be returned. If you don''t want them, I''ll have to toss them." Cameron stared at her. Toss them away? Just like Xander had said before? ''Like mother, like son.'' She nced at the brand logos on the bags. None of the items was worth less than five figures. That would be an awful waste. Finally, she relented. "Alright. I''ll keep the clothes. But I believe in reciprocity, so I''ll give you a gift in return. How about that?" Gwen beamed. "Absolutely. Whatever you say." As long as Cameron was willing to take the clothes, that was all she needed. Then she grinned again. "So, are you going to try one on now?" Cameron shook her head. "I''ll bring them back to my dorm and wash them first. I''ll wear themter." Gwen didn''t press her. She was just happy Camemn had epted them. By then, the food they had ordered had been served. Although they didn''t know each other that well, Gwen gave off a friendly, genuine vibe. Sharing a meal with her didn''t feel awkward at all. During the meal, Gwen sent a quick message to her son. Gwen (Cam took the clothes. She even said she''s giving me a giftter.} "Yes!" Xander had been glued to his phone, waiting for an update. When he saw the message, he practically jumped to his feet. "Xan, did it work?" Tyrell''s eyes went wide. "No way. Xan, are you finally getting a girlfriend?" Xander raised an eyebrow. "Yup." "No freaking way! Where is she? Igotta see this for myself," Tyrell said, buzzing with excitement. Xander smacked the back of his head. "Calm down. You''ll meet her eventually. And when you do, you''re gonna lose your damn mind." Tyrell squinted at him. ¡°Lose my mind? What, is she model-level hot?"¡ª Xander gave a smug little scoff. If Cameron had been born in ancient times, she would''ve been Helen of Troy, a face that couldunch a thousand ships. Then, just like they nned, Xander dialed Gwen''s number. My k 622 No Ads Gwen nced at her phone, her expression tinged with surprise. "Why is Xander calling me now?" she murmured. Cameron''s fingers tightened slightly around her fork. She didn''t say a word. "I just take this call, Cam," Gwen said. Cameron gave a small nod. Gwen answered, her voice warm. "Hey, Xander. What''s got you calling out of the blue?" "Hey, Mom," Xander replied, "I''m out with a friend, and I''m out of cash. Can you transfer me some money?" "You''re out of money again? Where are you eating?" Gwen asked. Xander gave her the name of the restaurant. "You''re here too?" Gwen blinked. "You are?" Xander sounded just as surprised. "Who''re you with?" "I''m having dinner with a friend," Gwen replied, ncing at Cameron. "I''ll swing by your table," Xander said. "We can settle the bill together. What room are you in?" Gwen hesitated for a second. Then, covering the speaker, she turned to Cameron and whispered, "Cam, Xander wants to stop by. Would that be alright?" Cameron slowly set down her fork. She couldn''t exactly leave now, not when she still owed Gwen a return gift. So, she nodded. A smile returned to Gwen''s face. She brought the phone back to her ear. "Alright. Come on over." A few minutester, there was a knock at the door. Xander and Tyrell stepped inside. Xander was dressed in a crisp white tracksuit, the clean color popping against his sun-kissed skin. His looks and casual confidence made him stand out the moment he walked in. When he spotted Cameron sitting across from Gwen, he pulled off his best performance yet, feigning genuine surprise. "Cameron? Mom, the friend you mentioned is actually Cameron?" "Whoa... Cam?" Tyrell''s shock, at least, was real. Gwenughed. "I asked Cam out for a meal. What a coincidence that you two are here too." A server followed behind Xander and Tyrell. Xander turned back. "We''ll just settle up togetherter." The server, seeing that they clearly knew each other, left without a word. Meanwhile, Cameron was already on her phone, sending a message to Amelia. Cameron: [Call me. Now.] Her phone rang the next second. She stood up and picked it up. "Excuse me, I need to take this." She stepped out with the call. "Hello?" she said. "What''s up?" Amelia asked. "I''m out having dinner. I''ll be back soon. Want me to bring you guys anything?" "I''m good. Hold on... nope, everyone''s fine." "Alright." Cameron ended the call and took the elevator down, heading straight for the exit. Xander frowned. He hadn''t expected her to leave the moment he arrived. ''That timing''s just a little too perfect. "Did she just leave?" he asked, looking toward the door. Gwen waved him off and pointed to the seat across from her. "Her bag is still here." Xander exhaled, relieved. Tyrell was ncing around the room in confusion. Xander shot him a look. "What are you staring at?" "Where''s your girlfriend, Xan? I just want to meet her!" Tyrell said. "Isn''t that what this was all about?" Xander rolled his eyes. "Rx," Gwen said,ughing. ¡°Nothing''s official yet." "But I haven''t even seen her!" Tyrell insisted. He was hoping to get a glimpse of this mysterious beauty. Gwen chuckled. ¡°She just stepped out for a second." "What do you mean ''just''-" Tyrell suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyes went wide. He covered his mouth like something had just clicked. "Cam?¡± he whispered, staring at Xander. "Wait, no way. Cam is the one you like? But... he''s a guy!" Xander rolled his eyes. "Cameron''s a girl." "What?!" Tyrell nearly shouted. Before he could fully recover from the shock, there was another knock at the door. Xander hurried over to answer it, hoping it was Cameroning back. But instead, it was a delivery guy. "Good evening," the runner said. "This gift is from Mr. Wace to Mrs. Murphy. Also, I was told to pick up Mr. Wace''s belongings and bring them to his dorm." My k 623 Xander''s eyes widened. His expression turned instantly stormy as he red at the delivery guy. ''She left. She actually left. The moment he arrived, she was gone, Did she really hate seeing him that much? It had been nearly two months since theyst saw each other. And now, after all that time, she didn''t even want to stay for a few minutes? Right then, Gwen''s phone rang. "It''s Cam," Gwen said. Xander immediately leaned closer as she answered the call on speaker. "Hi, Cam," Gwen said gently. "Sorry, Mrs. Murphy," Cameron replied, her voice calm. "Something came up at school. I had to head back early. I called a courier to pick up my things. Do you mind handing them over for me?" Gwen nced at Xander before replying, "Of course, Cam. Let''s have dinner another time." "Sounds good." Cameron hung up first. Xander''s face was tight with frustration. Gwen handed Cameron''s bag and the clothes she''d gifted her to the courier, along with a generous tip. Tyrell, sensing the growing tension in the room, wisely kept his mouth shut. Gwen patted Xander''s shoulder. "Xander, Cam''s a remarkable girl. I like down to timing and fate." her a lot too. But love isn''t something you can force. Sometimes it justes At her age, Gwen could see it clearly. Cameron wasn''t interested in Xander. And there was Still, it felt like such a pity. Xander lowered his head, dejected. Gwen turned to Tyrell. "Stay with him, alright?" Right now, what Xander needed most wasn''t a parent/it was a friend. "You got it," Tyrell said, patting his chest. "I''ve got him." nothing anyone could do about that. Gwen gave a final nod, shot onest worried nce at her son, then picked up her purse, and left. ''Kids grow up." As much as it pained her to see him hurt, this wasn''t something she could fix for him. Once Gwen was gone, Tyrell paced a slow circle around Xander beforeunching into his best attempt atfort. "Xan,e on, don''t take it so hard. What if she really did have somethinge up? You''re overthinking it " Xander didn''t respond Tyrell tried again. "Okay, okay, look. With the way Cameron dresses, what if she''s not into guys at all? Maybe it''s not that she doesn''t like you. Maya th?. just doesn''t like men." Xander''s eyes widened. Xander''s head snapped around to stare at him. Tyrell pped his hands. "Right? That has to be it! Remember how she used to chase after Amelia like crazy? Everyone at school knew about it. Xan, this isn''t your fault!" "Shut up!" Xander suddenly jumped up and smacked Tyrell on the back of the head. "Don''t talk nonsense!" Tyrell winced andughed awkwardly. "Right, right. Total nonsense. My bad." But Xander didn''t look away. He just kept staring at him. "What Tyrell said, growing uneasy. Xander finally broke into a smile. "Yeah. Cameron doesn''t like men..." Then immediately scowled and muttered, ¡°Wait. If she doesn''t like men, then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Tyrell sighed. "Xan,e on. There are plenty of fish in the sea-" "I don''t want anyone else," Xander said firmly. "It''s Cameron or no one." Tyrell stared at him, speechless. ''Xan''s emotionally blinded.'' Clearly, nothing he said would change Xander''s mind now. He sighed, draping an arm around his friend''s shoulder. "Alright then. Want to go grab some drinks? Drown your sorrows a little?" "Lame," Xander muttered, brushing him off. It wasn''t the first time Cameron had turned him down. Later that night, Cameron gave away all the dresses Gwen had gifted her to her roommates. My k 624 L held a pale green slip dress against herself and spun in front of the mirror. "Does this nok ente?" Sienna nodded. "It''s really cute." L turned to Cameron "Cam, what do you think?" Cameron gave a small nod. "Looks good on you" "Then this one''s mine! Thanks, Cam!" L squealed and rushed over, throwing her arms around Cameron in a bear hug Cameron chuckled, ¡°You should thank Mrs. Murphy." L grinned. "Still, thank you, Love you, Cam! Mwah!" From across the room, Amelia was lying on her bed with a face mask on. "Aren''t you embarrassed at all?" L shed a radiant smile. "As long as I''m not embarrassed, it''s everyone else''s problem." Sienna burst outughing, and the rest of the room followed. Cameron genuinely loved living in this dorm. It was so much more peaceful and warm than the all-boys dorm she''d stayed in before. Right before bed, she got a message from Bradley. Bradley: [Cameron, don''t forget our ns for tomorrow night.] Right then, L piped up. "Echo Hall''s holding open auditions for the singingpetition tomorrow night. Let''s all go check it out!" Sienna''s eyes lit up. "Yes! I love live performances." Amelia added, "I signed up. You guys shoulde cheer me on." "No way,¡± L groaned. ¡°You sing too? You''re already perfect, Amelia-leave something for the rest of us!" Amelia peeled off her face mask and tossed it in the trash. "You''re being dramatic." "I won''t be going," Cameron said as she checked her phone. "I already made ns with someone." Amelia paused mid-step on her way to the sink. "With whom?" "Bradley," Cameron replied without hesitation. "And what exactly are you two doing?" Amelia asked slowly. "He found a nice bar and invited me to hang out," Cameron said. "A bar?" Amelia froze. "Cameron, if that man''s inviting you to a bar, he''s 100% up to something." Cameron raised an eyebrow. ''So inviting me to a bar means he''s definitely up to something?'' "Seriously?" Cameron said. "Seriously," Amelia shot back. "You think I''m overreacting? Ask them." L looked unusually serious as she carefully chose her words. "Cam, guys don''t take girls to bars just to hang out. Something''s definitely going on." Sienna nodded "Don''t go, Cameron. Bars aren''t safe? Cameron blinked. She hadn''t expected them to be so manimous in trying to stop her. already sand yes," she replied: She didn''t think Bradley would pull anything. They hadn''t known each other long, barely six months, but he''d always teamed While the others still looked ready to argue, Cameron climbed into bed and turned her back to them, effectively ending the conversation, She sent Bradley a reply. Cameron: [Didn''t forget. See you tomorrow night) The next evening. Amelia didn''t say much more. She still believed Bradley had ulterior motives, but Cameron was an adult. Friends had to resect each other''s choices. Besides, Cameron could handle herself. Before Cameron left, Amelia just said, ¡°Don''t drink anything you didn''t see poured in front of you." "I know," Cameron nodded. Bradley was already waiting by the school gate, parked under one of the tallmps. Cameron walked out with one hand in her jacket pocket, spotting him instantly. At the same time, Bradley''s gazended on her. She was wearing a soft cream-colored jacket, her delicate features lit faintly by the streemp. There was something disarmingly sweet about her tonight, boyish and soft-edged, almost like the kind of "soft boy" aesthetic that had been quietly trending online. Cameron slid into the passenger seat. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and smiled. "Cameron," he said, "you look adorable tonight." My k 625 Cameron''s fingers paused mid motion as the buckled her seatbelt. She turned to nce at hay, giving him a new vi before paring a retrievepliment in return "You look really handsome tonight? Bradley smiled faintly. "Only tonight?" Cameron faned an eyebrow. "You look even better than usual" He chuckled, clearly pleased with the answer. As he drove, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "The bar we''re going to isn''t exactly your typical ce" "How so?" Cameron asked, watching the city blur past outside the window, its edges softened by streetlights and neon signs. "You''ll see when we get there," Bradley said, deliberately vague. Cameron gave him a quick nce but didn''t press further. The bar was a bit of a drive from Stenford University. It took Bradley nearly an hour to get there, and by the time he parked across the street, it was already past nine. The city was cloaked in night. The entire block was dark, save for a single building lit up with pulsing light and music, "Heat Index," spelled out in glowing red letters above the door. Every other shop had long since closed. Cameron scanned the area. "It''s kind of out of the way." Bradley nodded. "Yeah." A ce like this wasn''t going to be nestled in the middle of downtown, after all. Cameron reached for the door handle to get out, but Bradley gently ced a hand on her shoulder. She turned back. "Brad?" He looked at her with unexpected seriousness. "Cameron, just be prepared. If at any point you feel ufortable, we leave. No hesitation." "Huh?" ''What is this ce, some kind of crime den?'' She didn''t have to wonder for long. Bradley led her to the entrance, and the moment they walked in, it became obvious. One nce into the dance floor was enough, men holding each other close, dancing in ways that made Bradley instinctively furrow his brows. It wasn''t judgment. Just a gut-level reaction. He was, after all, straight. But still... He turned to look at the "boy" standing silently beside him. Cameron stood just at the threshold, taking everything in. Her eyes swept across the room without much reaction at first. But after a second look, she froze. ''Wait. It''s... all guys?'' Another second passed. Oh, Ohhh That was what made this bar so different" Still, Cameron''sce remained rtively calm, het expression hand to read. Bradley studied her, but found no visible difort. The ce was loud, the music thumping through the floor, lights spinning through every calie He leaned in slightly to be heard. "Wanna go in?" Cameron nodded. "We''re already here." Bradley blinked. "He really doesn''t mind? Maybe... he has always been... His lips curved into a faint, involuntary smile. They took a booth and sat side by side. Bradley ordered two cocktails. Meanwhile, Cameron leaned back with her arms crossed, quietly observing the dance floor, where couples swayed and held each other close. All of them were men. It was her first time seeing something like this in person. Honestly? It was kind of fascinating. Colorful lights flickered across the room, synchronized with the deep bass of the music. The entire ce radiated a pulsing, unapologetic energy. Naturally, the moment they stepped in, heads turned. They were both striking. Cameron''s delicate, boyish look beside Bradley''s clean- cut features made them an instant visual standout. But since they''d arrived together, no one approached them. Bradley noticed how intently Cameron was watching everything. She hadn''t looked away once. And for some reason, it stirred something in him, something he couldn''t quite name. He turned his gaze on her and let it linger. After a while, he casually lifted his arm and rested it on the back of the booth behind her. Cameron sat up straight, so he didn''t actually touch her. But from anyone else''s perspective, it looked like he had his arm around her. Together, with their looks and chemistry, they made an undeniably striking pair. My k 626 Cameron had been quietly watching the dance floor for a while before finally turning to Bradley, "Brad, how did you ever find this car Do you th here often?" Bradley hesitated, lips curling into a helpless smile. ''Thanks a lot, Eddie.'' This whole trip had been Eddie''s idea. He handed Cameron a cocktail, and they clinked sses. "Just every now and then," Bradley said. Cameron took a slow sip, her eyes locked on him, and suddenly everything clicked. ''So he''s gay.'' The BL novel rec, and this particr bar.... Bradley wasn''t just showing her the ce. He wasing out to her, gently, carefully. She got it. Cameron smiled and said, "This ce is kind of fun." She chose to be supportive. Bradley blinked. ''Fun?'' He didn''t quite agree. Even though it was already his second visit, something about watching men openly flirt and dance together still made his straight- guy nerves bristle a bit. And yet, he couldn''t stop looking at Cameron''s face. That sharp, delicate profile, framed by the shing lights, somehow made it all easier to take in. Because the truth was, Bradley wasn''t interested in the scene. He was interested in Cameron. Gender didn''t matter, not when it came to her. Bringing her here tonight had been his way of testing the waters. And now he knew. ''Cam could ept this kind of rtionship. Maybe this has always been his version of love. Which would exin why he''s been so deeply, instinctively against the idea of marrying Amelia.'' Bradley''s smile deepened slightly as he set his drink down. "Cameron, let''s head out." "Already?" Cameron looked surprised. "We just got here." Bradley blinked. ''You don''t want to leave?" "I just want to finish my drink," Cameron added casually, lifting her ss again. ''Wouldn''t want to waste good liquor.'' 14.49 FH20. Jun G She said she was going to finish it, so he picked up his own ss and downed it in one go. Cameron, meanwhile, was still sipping at hers, eyes calmly scanning the dance floor like she was watching a stage y Har tone was inhtara drink like that, Brad, and you''re going to end up wasted." Bradley blinked. Eventually, Cameron finished her drink too. The two of them stood and walked out of the bar together. The moment they stepped outside, a valet approached. "Need a designated driver?" "Yes," Cameron said Of course yes, they both drank. She checked her phone. It wasn''t even ten o''clock yet. They''d only stayed inside for maybe fifteen minutes, not exactly worth a one-hour drive Still, she''d made the trip. Now all that was left was the ride home. They got into the backseat of the car. As soon as the door closed, Bradley leaned back and closed his eyes, head tilted toward the window like he was already dozing off. Cameron, despite the alcohol, felt perfectly clear-headed. She looked out the window, watching the streets slide by in reverse. ''That really wasn''t as fun as I thought it''d be.'' Then, suddenly, something heavy pressed against her shoulder. Cameron turned and found Bradley slumped against her, fast asleep. His cheeks had gone slightly pink, and his eyes were shut tight. ''He actually passed out.'' She had told him not to drink so fast. She reached over and gently nudged his head upright so he could sit properly. But the car gave a soft jolt, and Bradley immediately began to tilt again, this time threatening to fall sideways into the backseat. Cameron caught him by the shoulder just in time. After a brief pause, she shifted slightly and let his head rest against her shoulder. ''Guess this is the only way to keep him from toppling over. What she didn''t see- what she couldn''t see was the faint, satisfied smile tugging at the corners of Bradley''s lips. The car drove quietly through the city, eventually pulling up to the gates of Stenford University. "Brad," Cameron whispered, giving his arm a gentle push. Bradley frowned slightly but didn''t open his eyes. Cameron gave him a nk look and then eaned back with a sigh. The driver turned around. "We''re here, sir." Cameron let out a sigh. "Sorry, can we change the destination? Please take us to Noble Vista instead and just adjust the fare." My k 627 The valet drove the car into the underground parking lot of Noble Vista. Cameron paid the fare, and the driver took off, leaving the car in silence. Just her and Bradley. "Brad?" Cameron leaned over and gently shook his arm., No response. She let out a sigh. ''Seriously? That one cocktail knocked him out? Why even go to a bar if your tolerance is that low?'' She considered her options. Ultimately, she decided to bring him into her ce, for she didn''t know the passcode to his apartment anyway. Cameron was five-nine. Bradley stood at six-two. And he waspletely deadweight. Still, she slipped his arm around her neck and anchored him firmly to her side. His full weight leaned on her, but she didn''t stumble. Her steps we steady. They made their way to the elevator. As they stood inside, Cameron caught their reflection in the mirrored panel and sighed again. Once upstairs, she keyed in the code and brought Bradley into her apartment. She led him straight to the master bedroom. The guest room hadn''t been used in ages. But before Cameron had leftst time, she''d covered the master bed with a dust sheet. She pulled it off now, revealing a clean set of sheets underneath. She carefully eased Bradley onto the mattress. Just as she was about to remove his arm from around her neck, he reflexively tightened it. Cameron lost her bnce and fell forward, her facending squarely against his broad shoulder. Cameron froze. After a few seconds, she pried his arm off and stood up, rubbing the spot on her cheek where she''d hit him. She stood in the room for a while longer. Still no sign of Bradley waking up. With a resigned sigh, she knelt down and took off his shoes. Then she grabbed a warm towel from the bathroom, removed his sses, and dabbed it clumsily over his face. When she returned from tossing the towel, she noticed that Bradley had shifted positions. He was lying on his side now. His white dress shirt, buttoned all the way to the top, clung neatly to his frame. But his twisted posture had it pulled awkwardly across his torso. Cameron hesitated, then undid the top two buttons, and tugged the nket over him. Straightening up, she murmured, "Sleep well, Brad. I''m heading back." She still needed to return to the dorm. The moment the front door clicked shut, the "sleeping" man opened his eyes. Bradley sat up slowly and reached for his gold-rimmed sses on the nightstand, sliding them on with unhurried precision. A sly smile tugged at his lips. 1 Drunk? From one cocktail? Hardly. He hadn''t expected Cameron to bring him back to her ce, let alone let him sleep in her bed. ''And I thought he was the neat freak. She''d not only hauled him inside, she even let him use her bedroom. Tonight had confirmed one thing for Bradley-Cameron didn''t pass fonnt dera And that was all he needed. It meant he could move forward. He was still smiling to himself when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Bradley pulled it out leisurely. A number he didn''t recognize. He hesitated for a few seconds and then picked up. ¡°Hello, who''s this?" "Bradley Saunders! What the hell did you do to Cameron?!" Amelia''s voice exploded through the line. She''d been texting and calling Cameron nonstop with no response. The fact that Cameron had gone to a bar with Bradley only made her more anxious. To make matters worse, Bradley had blocked her number. So now she was calling from L''s phone. Bradley frowned. "Amelia?" Comment My k 628 "It''s me." Amelia said coldly on the other end of the line. "Bradley, where''s Cameron?" Bradley''s frown deepened. "Why? What''s it to you?" Just the mention of Cameron''s past engagement with Amelia was enough to sour his mood. He had no interest in wasting his time on her, especially tonight. He''d been in a good mood, until she had to go and ruin it with this call. Amelia''s voice dropped in tone. ¡°I''m warning you. If you darey a finger on Cam, you''ll regret it. Put Cameron on the phone. Now" Bradley didn''t say a word. ''Threatening me? Not worth the energy.'' He hung up without another word and, for good measure, added L''s number to his block list too. Then he leaned back against the headboard, the annoyance already fading. Amelia''s outburst was just a blip. What lingered in his mind instead was the feeling of Cameron''s shoulder beneath him, the scent that lingered faintly in the air, clean, soft, and natural. Not cologne. Not detergent. Just Cameron. ''Why does a guy even smell that good? Well, doesn''t really matter.'' He smirked and pulled out his phone, dialing Eddie. It was 11 PM in Viremont. Which meant 10 AM in Montelira. Eddie was in ss. When he saw the call, he raised a hand, stepped out of the room, and answered with a grin. "Brad! Missed me already?" "I need your advice," Bradley said without preamble. Eddie perked up. "What kind of advice?" "How do you usually confess to your girlfriends?" There was a three-second silence on the line. Then Eddie let out a bark of shockedughter. "No freaking way. Brad, are you for real? You''re actually going to confess to Cameron?" "Mhm," Bradley replied through his nose. Eddie practically exploded withughter. "Oh my God. Oh my God. You''re serious!" Bradley frowned. "Are you going to help or not? If not, I''m hanging up." "Alright, alright, hold on," Eddie said, finally reigning in his hysterics. He cleared his throat like he was getting into professor mode. "You''vee to the right guy. I confess, like, once a week." Bradley didn''t say a word. ''Is that supposed to be impressive?'' Eddie continued, "But Brad, this is different. You''re not confessing to a girl. You can''t just hand over flowers, a designer bag, and a love letter. You''re dealing with a guy. It''s not the same form. Give me a second." He rubbed his chin, brows furrowed like he was solving ah exam problem. Bradley stayed quiet, waiting. When it came to rtionships, Eddie definitely had the upper hand in experience. But after a long moment, Eddie still hadn''t said a word. Bradley finally cut in, "Take your time. I''m not in a rush. Let me know once you''ve figured it out." "Got it," Eddie said quickly, but his mind had already wandered elsewhere. He was thinking about texting Eric. There was no way he could keep this to himself. ''Bradley. Is. Confessing. You don''t sit on that kind of news.'' Texting wasn''t enough. It had to be a call. So Eddie dialed Eric''s number. Eric didn''t pick up. Eddie frowned and then shrugged. ''No big deal. I''ll tell himter. This kind of gossip doesn''t expire.'' He chuckled, slipped his phone back in his pocket, and headed back to ss. Meanwhile, Cameron was on her way back to the dorm. She only noticed all of Amelia''s missed calls and barrage of messages when she pulled out her phone to book a ride. Dozens of texts. Several missed calls. And the time? A little past eleven. ''No wonder they''re freaking out.'' Cameron immediately hit the call button. Amelia picked up on the first ring. "Cameron! Are you okay?" My k 629 Cameron leaned against the car window. "I''m fine. My phone was on silent. I just I saw all your messages." "You''re really okay?" Amelia let out a breath. Just hearing Cameron''s voice calmed her a little, but she was still on edge. She''d been so distracted during the singingpetition that she missed several notes. Still, her performance had been strong enough to get her through to the next round. "Cameron, Bradley didn''t... do anything to you, right?" she asked cautiously. Cameron couldn''t help butugh. "The guy''s a total lightweight. What could he possibly do?" Amelia stiffened. "Wait. Bradley was drunk?" "Yeah. Out cold," Cameron said. "No way," Amelia blurted, clearly skeptical. "Why not?" Cameron asked, her brow lifting. Amelia said, "He''s the one who invited you to the bar. No way he''d show up with zero tolerance." Cameron didn''t answer. She was thinking the same thing. ''It really doesn''t add up. But he was definitely drunk.'' She turned back to the window and murmured, "You should get some sleep. I''ll be back soon." "I''m staying up," Amelia replied. "I''ll wait for you." By the time Cameron got back to Stenford University, the dorm gates were already locked. But a second-floor window was hardly an obstacle. She climbed in easily, startling the girls inside. The lights were out, but none of them had gone to bed. They were all waiting up for her. "Who''s there?!" L shrieked. "It''s me," Cameron whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. "Cam?!¡± Sienna whispered back. "You climbed in through the window?" "Front door was locked," Cameron said simply. Amelia stared at her and then sighed. "You really are something." Once they confirmed she was back safe and sound, the three girls all visibly rxed. "Cam," L whined as she clung to her arm, "you can''t go out drinking alone anymore. You scared me to death. Cameron smiled. "Alright, next time I''ll bring you with me." "You''re seriously nning a next time?" Amelja frowned. Cameron gave a helpless littleugh. Chapter 629. Meanwhile, Eric had just finished ss. He''d missed Eddie''s earlier call, but now he was returning it "Eddie, what''s up?" Eddie struggled to contain his excitement. "Eric, I''ve got something wild to tell you." "What is it?" "Guess." "Guess what? Give me a hint," Eric said, already getting annoyed. "It''s about Brad." Eric''s stomach tightened. "Brad? What happened to him?" Eddie couldn''t hold it anymore. "He''s in love. He''s gonna confess!" Eric''s brow instantly furrowed. "To whom?" ¡°Come on, take a guess," Eddie teased. "Cut the crap and say it," Eric snapped. . "Cameron!" Eddie announced triumphantly. "Can Osborne!" "Shut up," Eric said coldly, his voice dark. Eddie paused, taken aback. "Eric?" ''Is he... angry? But why the hell?'' you believe it? Brad''s got guts, man! He''s officially the first in our crew to pull this off. Even beat out us Eric''s tone dropped lower. "How far have things gone between them?" "He''s nning to confess soon," Eddie said. Eric let out a slow, steady breath. ''Good. There''s still time.'' He needed to get on a flight. Now. He couldn''t let this happen. My k 630 "Eric, don''t tell me you''re actually against Cameron and Brad being together?" Eddie asked cautiously. He might''ve been all jokes most of the time, but when it mattered, Eddie knew how to be serious. Eric answered tly, "Do you think I should be okay with it?" Eddie frowned. "Seriously? You''re being that rigid? Everyone deserves a shot at happiness." "That''s not happiness he''s chasing," Eric said, his voice low. "That''s a freefall into disaster." Eddie went quiet. After a beat, he said, "Eric, you might want to rethink that. Brad''s not as easygoing as I am." Eric didn''t even blink. "If it means saving his future, then let him hate me." "Wow," Eddie muttered. He gritted his teeth. "I really regret telling you." Eric didn''t reply. He just ended the call. "What the hell?" Eddie stared at his screen, dumbfounded. ''Great. Just great. Now I''ve handed Brad a problem on a silver tter.'' Brad hadn''t even confessed yet. Eddie smacked his own forehead and hurried to text Bradley. But Bradley was already asleep. That didn''t stop Eddie. He sent message after message, hoping one would get through. There was no response. Bradley saw all the messages the next morning. Eddie: [Brad, I''m so sorry. I totally screwed up. I told Eric about you and Cameron. He got really upset. I don''t know what he''s nning, but I''m pretty sure he''s going to try and stop you from being with her. I''m sorry.] Eddie: [I''m so, so, so sorry...] Eddie: [Brad, I swear I''m on your side. Ignore Eric. That workaholic knows nothing about love.] Eddie: [Please text me back.] Eddie: [Okay, maybe you''re asleep now. Fair enough. Go ahead and rest. I''ll be waiting for your call in the morning. You can yell at me then.] Bradley read through every message, his expressionpletely unchanged. Eric was mad? He wanted to stop them? ''Please.'' There was no one in this world who could stop him from being with Cameron, not even Cameron herself. Bradley tapped out a reply. Bradley: [Don''t worry about it. He was gonna find out sooner orter.) Then, without hesitating, he messaged Cameron. Cameron was finishing up breakfast in the school cafeteria when she got the text. Bradley: [How did I end up in your apartment? Where did you go?) She smiled faintly and typed back. Cameron: [You were ckout drunkst night. I didn''t know where else to take you, so I brought you to Noble Vista, Then I went back to my dorm.] Bradley: [ckout drunk? Is my tolerance really that bad?] Cameron: [Shouldn''t you be the one answering that?] Bradley: [That was actually my first time drinking at a bar.] Cameron stared at the screen. ''Seriously?'' Bradley: [Sorry about that.] Cameron: [It''s fine. I''ve got ss. Talkter.] Across the table, Amelia leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Who''re you texting?" Cameron looked up. "No one." Amelia didn''t blink. "Bradley, right?" Cameron said nothing. "You don''t actually like him, do you?" Amelia pressed. The moment Bradley asked, Cameron said yes. No questions, no second thoughts. And the way she said "Brad," so casual and familiar... "You''re reading way too much into it," Cameron muttered. L perked up. "You guys keep mentioning Brad. Who is he, exactly?" Sienna nodded. "Yeah, I''m curious too." With a knowing smile, Amelia pulled out her phone. "I''ve got a picture. Took it at our high school graduation. Come take a look." My k 631 "Whoa, he''s hot! And the sses make him look so refined," L gasped, staring Amelia pressed her lips together. Hot? Of course he was. She had good taste, after all. Even Sienna blushed a little. "He''s really handsome." L turned to Cameron. "Girl, you have to lock him down." Cameron said nothing. Amelia raised a brow. "Cameron, do you actually like Bradley or not?" ¡°We''re just friends,¡± Cameron replied calmly. the photo. Amelia didn''t even try to hide her disbelief. She shot Cameron a look so exaggerated, it was almost an eye-roll. "You''re kidding." L said, wide-eyed. "If a guy like that doesn''t do it for you, then what kind of guy do you even like?" Cameron finished thest sip of her coffee and shook her head. "I''ve never really thought about it." Sienna leaned in, curious. "Cam, are you saying you''ve never had a crush on anyone? Like, ever?" Cameron nced at Amelia. "What?" Amelia blinked. Their eyes met across the table, and only the two of them knew exactly what that look meant. L sighed dramatically. "You really are ate bloomer." Cameron gave a small, nomittal smile. On the walk to the lecture hall, Amelia drifted closer and asked under her breath, "You seriously had a crush on me?" Cameron raised a brow. "Wasn''t it obvious? I thought the whole school knew I was into you." Amelia said nothing. Right after texting Cameron, Bradley had just set down his phone when a message from Eric popped up. Eric: [Brad, are you awake? Call me as soon as you are!] Bradley stared at the message, his brow furrowing. He already had a pretty good idea of what Eric wanted. Sooner orter, this conversation had to happen. Since he''d made his choice, he was ready to face whatever came with it. He leaned against the headboard and dialed Eric. Eric picked up immediately. "You just got up?" Yeah, just woke up," Bradley murmured, pulling the nket tighter around him. You skipping ss?" "Took the day off." Eric hesitated. "You feeling okay?" "Headache. I was drinkingst night." "You drank? Where are you right now?" Eric''s voice tightened. "In Cameron''s bed," Bradley said calmly. "What?!" Eric thought he''d misheard. "Say that again?" "I''m in Cameron''s bed, Eric. Is there a problem with that?" Eric was stunned silent. Eddie had said they were still at the confession stage. How the hell did it escte to this? His voice dropped. "Brad, you and Cameron..." Bradley didn''t flinch. "Yeah, Eric. Just like you''re thinking." Jesus. He actually admitted it.'' Eric''s tone darkened. "You need to end this. Immediately. You can''t keep going down this path." "I know exactly what I''m doing," Bradley replied, his tone unshaken. Eric sighed heavily. ''This is worse than I thought.'' It was clear now. He had to fly back. Immediately. He wasn''t going to let Bradley throw his future away. Trying to refocus, Eric asked, "Is Cameron there with you right now?" "No. He went back to campus for ss." Eric exhaled, relieved. At least they weren''t together every second of the day. "Alright," he said, "get some rest." That Comment My k 632 Cameron and the girls were eating lunch in the cafeteria when she looked up from her phone. "Elijah just texted," she said. "You guys wanna go camping this weekend?" "Camping?" Amelia looked at her with surprise. "You actually feel like going?" "Elijah wants to do a mixer, his dorm and ours. All the guys are single. You in?" L''s eyes sparkled. "Cam, be honest. Is this Elijah cute?" Cameron nodded. "Very." "Then of course we''re going! We''ve got nothing better to do this weekend anyway," L said without hesitation. Sienna bit her lip. "But I''ve got work." She''d been working part-time at Cameron''spany, three hundred a day. Hard to give that up. Still, the thought of missing out stung a little. College was s supposed to be the age of sweet, hopeful crushes. Who didn''t want a taste of that? "Can''t you just skip one shift?" L pleaded. Sienna hesitated. "That''s six hundred..." She usually earned about twenty-four hundred a month and spent no more than a thousand. She had savings, but... Amelia turned to Cameron. "Do you want to go?" "I''m down if you are," Cameron said. "I''ll go if you go." ¡°I''m in,¡± L said, raising her hand. "I''ll go too," Amelia added with a smile. "Who knows? Maybe I''ll meet the love of my life out there." She''d had feelings for Bradley once. But that chapter had closed. Now it was time to see who else the world had to offer, and to let''one else see her too. Cameron looked at Sienna. "What about you?" Sienna took a breath and nodded, "Screw it. I''ming." "Alright," Cameron said. "I''ll let him know." When Elijah saw Cameron''s reply, he couldn''t help the way his lips curled into a smile. He''d had a hunch she wouldn''t turn him down. And he was right. He opened a photo of Amelia on his phone and turned it toward his roommates. "We''re camping this weekend. This is one of the girls, my high school friend. Gorgeous and single." "Let me see!" The others rushed over immediately. Damn," one of the guys, the blond one, sald, staring at the screen. "She''s got legs for days and a kir face. Ell, you''ve been holding out an det var didn''t you introduce us earlier?" Elijah looked at him coolly "Is it toote how?" "Nope, not at all," the guy grinned. "There''s just one girl? There are four of us," another asked. "They''ve got four in their dorm too," Elijah said. "Eli, you''re a legend," one of themughed, giving him a thumbs-up. "I''ll need a favor, though," Elijah said. "What kind of favor?" one of them asked, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "I want to confess to the girl I like." "Wait, don''t tell me it''s that one in the photo!" the blond guy, Tyler Knox, joked, pretending to be betrayed. "You jerk!" "It''s not her," Elijah said, deadpan. "Her name''s Amelia. The one I like is Cameron." Tyler patted his chest with relief. "Whew. Good." Elijah didn''t bother responding to that. "So what do you need from us?" Tyler asked, intrigued. Just like that, the weekend arrived. Cameron and the girls packed up their tents and snacks and then drove out to meet Elijah''s group at the campsite. The n was to spend one night first. If things went well, maybe they''d stay a second and head back on Sunday. While Cameron was driving out toward the countryside, Bradley was already on the road back to Steerfall. Earlier that afternoon, he''d gotten a call from Beth, asking him toe home. He didn''t bother trying to guess the reason. Whatever it was, it didn''t matter. It was bound to happen eventually. He had made his choice, and no matter what the consequences were, he was ready to face them. My k 633 At Saunders Manor in Steerfall, Bradley stepped into the living room and immediately noticed that everyone was present, avet jorje akcept Calder adu was still on exchange in Montelita. His expression remained unreadable behind his gold-rimmed sses. Calmly, he greeted the room. ¡°Grandma. Dad. Mom. Osborne. Reginald. Eric. Dame. Simon. Everyone''s here." As for his youngest sister, Nell Saunders, Bradley barely spared her a nce before looking away without acknowledgment. Still, Nell stood up with a smile. "Brad, you''re back." He nced at her, cold and dismissive. Nell sat down awkwardly. Bradley turned to Eric. "Aren''t you supposed to be at school? What are you doing here?" Eric pressed his lips together. "Brad, don''t y dumb. You know exactly why I''m here." Bradley adjusted his sses and looked toward Reginald. "Aren''t you in the middle of filming?" Reginald gave him a warm, practiced smile. "I made time." Bradley settled into a single-seater armchair. Under the weight of everyone''s stares, he casually lifted a hand. "You want to start, or should I?" Frederick''s brow furrowed deeply. "Brad, tell me straight. Eric said you''ve fallen for a... boy. Is that true?" The room visibly stiffened. Everyone''s expression turned to disbelief. Bradley met his father''s eyes and nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, Dad. It''s true." Frederick''s jaw clenched. "What?!" Beth stared at him, wide-eyed. "Brad, how... how could you possibly be into men?" Bradley looked at her and replied evenly, "Mom, love has nothing to do with gender." Beth was speechless. Edith Saunders, his grandmother, leaned on her cane and spoke gently, "Brad, sweetheart, you''re a boy. How can you "Grandma, that kind of thinking is outdated. Times have changed," Bradley said calmly. He had prepared himself for this moment a long time ago. Osborne spoke next, lips tight, "Have we met him?" Bradley gave Eric a look before shaking his head. ¡°No. You don''t know him." like boys?" In truth, the Saunders family had seen Cameron/once, back when they were prepping for the SATS. But Bradley had no intention of dragging Cameron into this mess. Not yet. First, he had to deal with his family. Only after that would he decide when and how to introduce Cameron to them. Eric nced at him but stayed silent. He had never intended to drag Cameron into this. The problem wasn''t Cameron. It was Bradley. Bradley''s feelings were the issue. Even if it wasn''t Cameron, it would''ve been someone else. The core of the problem didn''t change. So this wasn''t Cameron''s fault. Reginald, who was no stranger to the diversity of rtionships in the entertainment industry, still felt a jolt of surprise. It hit different when it was his brother. He said nothing. Nell let out a long sigh. "Brad, why do you always have to be so stubborn? Do you know how upset Dad, Mom, and Grandma have been because of this? "Shut up," Damian snapped, ring at her. "This has nothing to do with you. Who are you to pass judgment on Brad?" Nell shrank back, speechless. Seven-year-old Simon, propped against a cushion, didn''t quite understand what was being discussed, but it all felt very serious. Frederick''s tone turned harsh. ¡°Brad, I''m telling you right now. I don''t approve. You need to be normal." Bradley stared him down. "Define normal. Not being epted by you makes me abnormal?" Beth spoke next, her voice pained, "Brad, can''t you just live a normal life? Don''t you want children of your own someday? What about your future "I don''t need that," Bradley interrupted. "Mom, there are plenty of sons in the Saunders family. You don''t need me to carry on the name." AD Send gift The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! My k 634 Bradley''s words left the entire Saunders family in silence. They had seven sons. No one could argue that the family name needed Bradley to carry it on. But still, they had hoped he''d live a so-called "normal" life. ¡°Brad.......¡± Beth started to speak, but the rest of her words never came. Bradley remainedposed. His gaze swept slowly across the room. "There''s no need to try to change my mind. Don''t waste your breath opposing me either. It won''t make a difference. And if you really can''t ept it, then just pretend I''m not your son." With that, he stood up and walked out of the living room. "Brad!" Damian called, chasing after him. Frederick''s face darkened. "He thinks he''s grown up now. He doesn''t need anyone telling him what to do!" He was furious. Osborne frowned too. To him, Brad had always seemed like the quiet, obedient type. He never expected this level of defiance. Reginald, on the other hand, remained calm. He understood Brad wasn''t actually trying to cut ties. This was his way of forcing their hand, cornering the family until they had no choice but to ept it. Eric let out a long breath. He''d expected Bradley to tone it down in front of their parents, maybe soften his stance. But instead, he had one all in, no hesitation, no retreat. ''Is he really willing to go this far for Cameron? Willing to risk losing everything?" Nell scoffed, "Are you seriously going to let him go through with this? I mean,e on. It''s disgusting." Simon red at her. "Brad''s not disgusting. You are." Nell whipped her head around and red at Simon. Edith turned to Frederick and Beth. "So? What are you two going to do?" Frederick answered firmly, "Absolutely not. We can''t just let him do whatever he wants." Nell jumped in eagerly. "Dad, I heard there''s this kind of hypnosis that can-" "Brad," Damian called, catching up to him outside. Bradley was leaning on the roof of his car, face nk under the night sky. "If you''re here to talk me out of it, don''t bother," he said without looking over. "If you''re here to give me your blessing, thanks." Damian sighed. ¡°I get where you''reing from. I do. But that line about ¡®just pretend I''m not your son... wasn''t that a bit much?" "I meant every word," Bradley said simply. Damian fell silent. Bradley pulled open the driver''s side door. "Go home, Dame. You''ve got school, surgeries, rounds. Don''t waste your energy on my drama. Get some sleep." Damian shrugged. "I''m managing." 11:14 Mon, 23 Jun Bradley fastened his seatbelt and started the engine. "Brad, be safe," Damian said. Bradley nodded. "Yeah." "I don''t mean the driving," Damian added. "I mean with... him." Bradley didn''t respond. He hit the gas, and the car roared off into the night. He didn''t go back to Viremont, for it was toote. Instead, he stayed at a private property he owned in Steerfall. Bradley reached for his phone, fingers hesitating over Cameron''s name. But after a moment, he put it down. ''Knowing Mom and Dad, they''re probably dying to find out who I like. Better not contact him for now.'' Meanwhile, Cameron and the girls had arrived at the campsite and met up with Elijah and his roommates. The area was beautiful, one of the more popr camping spots trending onlely. Since it was Friday, the ce was packed, but thankfully, Elijah had reserved space ahead of time. As soon as Tylerid eyes on Amelia, his eyes went wide. Amelia, meanwhile, gave the four boys a quick scan. ''Alright. Elijah''s the best-looking one.'' She kept her cool, distant as ever. Tyler wanted to approach her, but his confidence wavered a little. He nced over at the other girls. ''Two of them are cute. But one of them... kind of looks like a guy.'' "Which one''s Cameron?" Tyler asked Elijah. My k 635 When Tyler asked the question, his eyes were fixed on L. She was cute, high ponytail, bright eyes, a fresh-faced charm that made her instantly likable. Out of the four girls, aside from Amelia, L seemed the most likely to have caught Elijah''s eye. After all, Elijah had been turning down girls left and right ever since the semester started. And now, finally interested in someone? It had to be one of the two. But then- The short-haired girl standing next to L spoke up. "I''m Cameron. Why?" Tyler''s jaw nearly hit the ground. He turned to her,pletely thrown. Even after hearing it straight from her mouth, he still couldn''t believe it. "You''re Cameron?!" Elijah was into her? He''d passed on girl after girl, many of them literal stunners, and this was who he liked? Sure, Cameron was good-looking. Even surrounded by attractive guys, she stood out effortlessly. But still. She was... a girl. And she looked almost nothing like one. If she hadn''t shown up with the other three Tyler wouldn''t have guessed her gender in a million years. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "I''m sorry, but who are you?" Tyler blinked. ''Whoa, chill'' "What''s your deal?" Elijah shot him a re. Tyler snapped out of it, stepping back andughing awkwardly. "Nothing, man. It''s nothing." Cameron didn''t seem bothered. They got to work setting up tents. One per person. The guys had theirs up in minutes and then headed over to help the girls. Still in disbelief, Tyler pulled Elijah aside, lowered his voice, and gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°Eli, you''ve got a very unique taste." Elijah gave him a pointed look and then replied tly, "Shallow." "Alright, alright. I''m shallow," Tyler said, grinning. Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Don''t forget what I asked you guys to do." Tyler patted his chest. "Got it. I''m on it." Elijah hade prepared. By the time night fell, the sky was glittering with stars, something they''d never seen in the city. The boys opened the trunk of their off-roader and pulled out the grill and all the ingredients they''d brought. Cameron and the girls joined in to help, 20 000 They set up eight chairs around the barbecue pit, and two tables were pushed together to hold the food. Amelia stepped forward, offering to help with the grilling. Tyler immediately stopped her. "Your dress is way too nice for that. Don''t want to risk getting it dirty." "Alright," Amelia said, taking a seat. She didn''t stay idle, though. Sheid out tes and poured drinks while the others worked. With everyone pitching in, the grill was soon covered with food. They cooked enough to feed all eight of them. ¡°This smells amazing,¡± L said, eyes sparkling. ¡°Elijah, where''d you get the seasoning? It''s so good!" "Ordered it online," Elijah replied. L pulled out her phone. "Then let''s exchange contacts. You can send me the linkter. I want to buy some too." Elijah froze for a moment, his hands stilling over the grill. He nced instinctively at Cameron and then said, "Well, not the best time. Add Calder. He''ll send it to you." The guy named Calder Reeves blinked and then quickly pulled out his phone with a grin. "Got it. I''ll send it right now." "Okay," L said. In truth, she''d been hoping to add Elijah. Could anyone really me her? The guy was easily the best-looking one here. But he''d turned her down, politely, but clearly. So she let it go. They all took their seats, and Elijah naturally sat down next to Cameron. Across the table, his three roommates picked up the signal loud and clear. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! My k 636 Elijah ced a skewer of grilled wings in front of Cameron. "Try these." "Thanks," Cameron said with a nod. The table wasn''t that big, and everything was within reach. Yet Elijah handed it to her anyway. L caught the look in Elijah''s eyes as he nced at Cameron, soft, deliberate, unmistakably fond. The moment she saw it, it all clicked. ''No wonder he turned me down.'' If she''d lost to anyone else, she might''ve been upset. But losing to Cameron? She had to admit, it made sense. Calder, sitting nearby, had a good first impression of L. He started up a casual conversation, and L responded politely, a little smile on her lips. Sienna, on the other hand, was quieter. The guy sitting next to her wasn''t exactly a chatterbox either. The two of them shared a silence that stretched on awkwardly. Amelia stayed ice-cool as usual. Tyler tried several different conversation starters, but everything he threw at hernded with a thud. Her answers were brief and t, which left Tyler feeling mildly defeated. Even though the vibe around the table wasn''t exactly buzzing, it wasn''t tense either. Just mellow. Halfway through the meal, Elijah nudged Tyler''s foot under the table. Tyler looked up sharply, meeting Elijah''s eyes. Instantly, he understood. ''Right. The n.'' He''d been so focused on Amelia''s frosty attitude, he nearly forgot what he''d promised Elijah. Tyler pped his hands together. "Alright, people! I know it''s our first time hanging out, but don''t you think we''re being a little too quiet? Let''s liven things up with a game!" "I''m down," one of the guys chimed in. "What game?" asked L, always the enthusiastic one. Tyler grinned. "How about Truth or Dare?" "Yes! Let''s do it," L said, already fired up. Amelia gave her a side nce. "Don''te crying to meter.", "What''s there to regret? It''s just a game," L replied,ughing. Elijah turned to Cameron. "You in?" Cameron nodded. "Sure." Sienna didn''t object either." Everyone agreed-grilled skewers in one hand, cards in the other. Sounded like a good night. Tyler pulled out a deck he''d clearly prepared ahead of time. He drew eight cards, cing one joker among them. Whoever drew the joker would have to choose between truth or dare. In the first round, L got the joker. She groaned. "Of course it''s me." Tyler raised an eyebrow. "L, truth or dare?" She narrowed her eyes. "Dare." Tyler nced at Calder and said, "Alright then, give Calder a hug." L stared at him. "Seriously?" Sienna blushed. "Are we really going that far right away?" Amelia added, "L, you picked dare. No backing out." "I didn''t say I was," L huffed, standing up. "Do it! Hug! Hug!" Tyler led the chant, clearly loving the chaos. The whole point of this get-together was to create some sparks. Games like this helped people get a little closer. L''s cheeks flushed pink as she looked at Calder. His ears were already red. He stood up awkwardly, clearly bracing himself for impact. He cleared his throat. "You don''t have to go all in. Just a quick one is fine." L shut her eyes and threw her arms around him, quick, clumsy, and over in a second. She bounced away almost immediately. Still, even that split-second of contact left both of them bright red, avoiding each other''s gaze. Everyone around the table burst outughing. They yed a few more rounds, and eventually, Cameron drew the joker. The round before, Amelia had drawn it. Now it was her turn to ask. "Truth or dare?" Amelia asked. "Dare," Cameron replied without hesitation. Amelia blinked. She hadn''t expected that. She''d been hoping Cameron would pick truth-she already had the perfect question in mind. ''Do you like Bradley?'' The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 637 "Dare, huh?" Amelia thought for a second and said, "Go give Tyler a p." Cameron was stunned for a moment. She could tell Amelia wasn''t a fan of Tyler, but asking someone to p him was a bit much. Tyler was stunned, too. "Amelia, aren''t you being a little too savage?" Amelia grinned, "Rx, just kidding." Tyler let out a sigh of relief. Then Amelia added, "Cameron, just go find any three girls and tell them you''re a girl." Cameron remained silent. Since Amelia asked, of course, she went along with it. Cameron found three girls and told each of them the exact same thing. "Hi, I''m a girl." Seeing the stunned looks on their faces, Cameron just turned around and walked away. The game continued. Finally, it was Elijah''s turn. Elijah had been quiet the whole time, but his heart was pounding like a drum. He could even feel sweat gathering in his palms. When he finally drew the King, his pupils contracted ever so slightly. Thest round was Calder''s turn. Calder immediately caught on. He looked over at Elijah. "Hey Elijah, truth or dare?" Elijah took a deep breath. "Truth." "Wow. Not bad, Elijah. That takes guts." Tyler egged him on. L pped. "Now that''s bold." Amelia shot a few nces at Elijah, then at Cameron, but kept quiet, while Sienna watched Elijah expectantly. Like Amelia, Elijah was good-looking but didn''t talk much, always giving off that aloof, untouchable vibe. Cameron also turned to look at Elijah. Elijah could feel Cameron''s gaze on him, but he didn''t even dare to look back. When you really like someone, you just can''t bring yourself to meet her eyes, Elijah thought, heart pounding. Calder saw that the mood was just right. He finally spoke up. "Hey Elijah, I''ve got three questions for you. First-do you like someone?" "Yes," Elijah replied. "Wow, seriously? Elijah, you really kept that under wraps. No wonder you''ve turned down so many girls since the semester started-you''ve already got your eye on someone." Tyler said, looking genuinely surprised and excited. Cameron wasn''t surprised at all. The Moore family''s butler had even called Cameron once, asking her to encourage Elijah to be brave and go after the girl he liked. Cameron had known all along that Elijah had feelings for someone. 17:26 Mon, 21 Jui Calder continued, "Second question-Is the girl you like here with us right now?" Elijah nodded. "Yeah, she is." "No way. She''s here? So it''s one of these four girls? This is getting good." Tyler was practically bouncing with excitement. He was really selling it. "With us right now?" Sienna was getting excited too. She nced over at Amelia. Amelia and Elijah were both good-looking-they really looked good together. Cameron also turned to look at Amelia. ''Could it be that Elijah likes Amelia?'' Cameron thought. Back then, Elijah had insisted he could never end up with the person he liked. ''Is it because Amelia likes Bradley that Elijah decided to back off?'' Cameron wondered. "Why are you all looking at me?" Amelia asked, looking genuinely puzzled. ''Do they really think Elijah likes me?'' Amelia wondered to herself. ''No way, that''s impossible.'' ''You can usually feel it when someone has a crush on you, right?'' Amelia wondered, ¡®Like the way Tyler looks at me-now that''s what it looks like when someone likes you.'' There was nothing warm in the way Elijah looked at her-his gaze was always distant, Cameron and Sienna didn''t say anything. L turned to look at Cameron. ''So, is this whole game just a setup for Elijah to confess his feelings to Cameron?'' L wondered. ''Will Cameron say yes?'' Cameron always dressed in a more androgynous style at school, and it wasn''t umon for girls to ask for her WhatsApp, but no guys had ever confessed their feelings to her. Calder leaned in and asked the third question, "So, who do you have a crush on?" Chapter 638 As Calder''s words hung in the air, the atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze. ''That was way too blunt,'' someone thought. Seven pairs of eyes turned to Elijah. Elijah''s heart was actually trembling. After eighteen years, this was the first time he''d ever liked a girl. And it was also his first time confessing to a girl. He could feel his heart racing with excitement and nerves. Everyone was waiting for Elijah''s answer. Cameron and Sienna were both convinced that Elijah liked Amelia. But in the very next moment, Elijah spoke up, his voice steady but soft. "The girl I like is Cameron." Sienna''s mind wentpletely nk. She stared at Elijah, utterly stunned. ''Wait, it''s Cameron?'' Sienna thought,pletely floored. She''d been so sure it was Amelia all along. But Amelia had seen iting. "I knew it-you really do like Cameron," she said, sounding totally unfazed. Amelia was well aware of just how popr Cameron was. However, she honestly hadn''t expected Cameron to be this popr. Even with her tomboyish style, Cameron had somehow managed to make Elijah, Bradley, and even Austin all fall for her at the same time. ''If she ever put on a dress, I bet she''d drive half the guys on campus crazy,'' Amelia thought. L pped her hands. ¡°Elijah, you like my idol? Nice taste." "Yeah, nice taste," Calder echoed. Tyler grinned, "Hey, Elijah, does she even know you like her?" Elijah slowly turned to look at Cameron, while Cameron was at aplete loss for words. When Elijah said her name, she froze on the spot, totally stunned. ''Wait, Elijah likes me?'' Cameron thought, her mind going nk. The way they interacted had always been perfectly normal, never even close to crossing any lines. ''Why would he like me?'' Cameron thought in disbelief. While Cameron was still stunned, Elijah turned to look at her. For a moment, their eyes locked. Cameron waspletely stunned into silence. Elijah looked at her and said, "Cameron, I like you. But I never wanted my feelings to pressure you, so I kept it to myself until now. Sorry." Cameron remained silent. Elijah was nothing like the impulsive Xander or the pushy Austin. Even though Cameron had just heard Elijah confess, she didn''t feel ufortable at all. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Elijah, thank you for liking me." After hearing that, a small smile slowly spread across Elijah''s lips. He''d witnessed firsthand how Cameron had turned Austin down-and the whole thing had been pretty rough. So, he didn''t n any kind of grand confession. Instead, he just took the chance during the game to let her know how he felt. He simply told her that he liked her. Whether she wanted to respond or not-that was entirely up to her. When Cameron thanked him, Elijah''s smile grew a little wider. ''Thank goodness I didn''t mess this up, he thought. He hadn''t ended up ruining their a friendship like Austin did. Tyler cleared his throat. "So, are we going to keep ying?" "Yes," Elijah said. And just like that, the game went on. Elijah had just confessed his feelings, and now they were right back to ying like nothing had happened. It left Cameron feeling a little dazed. ''Was all of that just a dream?'' she thought. Still, she knew for sure it was real. She honestly had no idea how she was supposed to respond to Elijah now. She just wasn''t in the mood for a rtionship right now. So if Elijah was okay with just being friends, then friends they would stay. After another round of the game, it was already 10 PM.. Everyone pitched in to clear the table, then made sure to leave Cameron and Elijah some space to themselves. Elijah looked at Cameron, his gaze open and honest. "I didn''t scare you, did I?¡± Cameron shook her head. "I was just really caught off guard. I honestly thought you liked Amelia." Elijah looked genuinely puzzled. "Why would you think that? Did I give you the wrong idea or something?" AD Comment Chapter 639 Cameron said, "You once said there was no way you could be with the person you liked." Elijah said helplessly, "I didn''t know you were a girl back then." Cameron was stunned for a moment before she suddenly understood. No wonder Elijah looked so miserable back then. Imagine a totally straight guy thinking he''s fallen for another dude-no wonder he was so miserable. Cameron asked, "Elijah, I remember when I first joined ss 316, you really didn''t like me at all." Elijah said sincerely, "I''m sorry. I misjudged you because of my bias," Back then, Cameron was basically simping for Amelia, and everyone in school knew about it. Plus, Cameron had the lowest grades in the whole ss. Elijah had already formed his opinion about her. Cameron waved her hand. "No, I mean, what is it that you even like about me?" Elijah was taken aback. ''She''s actually talking to me about this so sincerely?'' he thought. ''Guess I really have been too narrow-minded." He''d actually been worried that if he confessed, Cameron would just start ignoring him. Elijah said, "Honestly, I can''t really put it into words. For some reason, you just pop into my head, and whenever I don''t see you, I can''t help but wonder what you''re doing." Sometimes, feelings just snuck up on one suddenly. Cameron nodded. Elijah looked at her. Cameron looked back at him. Their eyes met. Neither of them said a word. After a long pause, Cameron finally said, "Elijah, to be honest, I''m not really thinking about getting into a rtionship right now." Elijah nodded. "I can wait for you." Cameron was stunned slightly before continuing, "Elijah, you don''t need to spend your time on me." There were so many amazing girls at med school, and Elijah could have his pick. Elijah said, ¡°I''m more than willing." Cameron really didn''t know what to say. Elijah gazed up at the starry sky. "Cameron, don''t feel any pressure because of me. Me liking you is my own thing. Let''s just keep things the way they are, like friends. "But if you ever decide you want to date someone, I hope you''ll put me first." Cameron stared at him quietly. Elijah really didn''t make her feel pressured at all. After he finished speaking, he got up and left, giving her space, Amelia, Sienna, and L had been watching from not too far away, and as soon as they saw what happened, they hurried over way L excitedly hooked her arm through Cameron''s. ¡°Cameron, did you say yes? Elijah is seriously so handsome. He''s always so cold and distant, but the he looks at you is so gentle. "I can''t believe a guy who is stoic could be so soft when ites to the girl he likes." L looked at her with pure envy. Because Cameron was the one exception for Elijah. Everyone would want to be someone''s exception. Amelia chimed in, "There were always tons of girls at school who liked Elijah. Did you say yes?" Sienna added, "You must have said yes." Ƥ After all, in their opinion, no one would turn down a guy as amazing as Elijah. Amelia mentioned Elijah''s family was super loaded. Cameron shook her head. "No." "No way?" all three of them blurted out at once. L stared at Cameron in disbelief. "Cameron, are you for real? Your standards are that high? You seriously don''t like Elijah? He''s drop-dead gorgeous. And he''s a straight-A student." Sienna let out a sigh. "Such a shame." Amelia stared at Cameron, her expression dead serious. "I get it now. You really do like Bradley. You turned down Austin for him, and now you''re turning down Elijah, too." Luckily, Xander hadn''t been fawning over Cameron in front of Amelia and the others, or he''d probably be getting roasted right now too. Cameron was totally shocked. Chapter 640 Cameron looked at Amelia, confused. "Why are you so sure I like Bradley?" Amelia lifted her chin. "Woman''s intuition." Cameron couldn''t help but roll her eyes. L rested her head on Cameron''s shoulder. "Cameron, is Bradley really that amazing? I mean, I think Elijah is already as good as it gets." Cameron replied, "They''re all really impressive." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "See? You totally have a thing for Bradley." Cameron shot back, "What did I say that counts as admitting it?" Amelia replied, "Not denying is basically confessing, you know." Cameron was speechless, not knowing whether tough or cry. She stood up and headed back to her tent. Sienna looked worried. "Cam''s not mad, is she?" Amelia shrugged. "Guess I just called her out on her feelings." L grinned, ¡°Nope, Cameron just doesn''t want to talk to you anymore." Amelia couldn''t help but sigh. Elijah rejoined his roommates. His roommates were just as nosy, immediately asking how his confession went. With a calm look, Elijah said, "Nothing came of it." Tyler looked puzzled. "Nothing? So what does that mean? Did she say yes or no?" Elijah replied, "She didn''t say yes, but she didn''t say no either." "Is she keeping you on the hook?" Tyler frowned. Calder rolled his eyes. "Come on, Tyler, don''t be ridiculous. Cam''s not that kind of girl." Tyler huffed, "Then why didn''t she just give him an answer?" Elijah replied, "I didn''t want to put any pressure on her." Tyler was stunned for a moment. The three of them stared at Elijah,pletely confused. "If you didn''t want an answer, then why bother confessing at all?" Tyler asked, still baffled. Elijah didn''t bother exining. He just said, ¡°It''s gettingte. Let''s head back to the tents and get some rest." Confessing was never about getting an answer he just wanted Cameron to know how he felt. As for her response, he was in no rush; she could take all the time she needed. The air out here in the outskirts was crisp, and the night sky was just gorgeous. Once the clock passed midnight, everyone just knew to head into the tents without saying a word, Camerony in her tent, using her arm as a pillow behind her head, gazing up at the endless fats through the math cistaln "Does I actually have feelings for Bradley? She stared at the night sky, seriously pondering the question. Cameron, after a while, still didn''t know the answer. Her mind shed back to Monday night at the bar with Bradley, She let out a wryugh to herself. ''Does it even matter whether I like Bradley or not?'' she wondered, ''Our genders didn''t even match, would almost let Amelia lead her astray." Cameron and the others spent two days at the campsite. L and Calder were getting along like a house on fire. Both of them were total brainiacs, and they really admired each other. As for Cameron and Elijah, nothing had really changed between them. Both of them remained perfectly at ease, taking everything in stride. Tyler kept trying to flirt with Amelia, but she was always pretty lukewarm about it. He got the message loud and clear. By the afternoon, the whole group was heading back. Back at Stenford University, Cameron suddenly remembered the bracelet she''d left in the car''s glovepartment-she''d forgotten to return it to Elijah. She would have to wait until next time. Time flew by. Before they knew it, it was time for the final exams. Cameron and her friends had been hitting the books hard all semester, so they weren''t too stressed out. After all that time spent on research and development, Cameron''s Aurevia Biotech finally got a drug approved and out on the market. Cameron and Elijah''s dad had signed the contract ages ago. David was taking care of the rest of the details. He told Cameron everything was going smoothly and she should just focus on her finals. Cameron received her first quarterly profit share from The Starry series. The series was selling like crazy, and since thepany and Cameron split the profits 70/30, she pocketed a small fortune-4.3 million dors. The Chapter 641 Cameron hadn''t seen Bradley in a long time. But they still kept in touch from time to time on WhatsApp. After Bradley came back from the Saunders family that day, he forced himself not to see Cameron. His original n to confess his feelings was put on hold. He didn''t want his family to find out about Cameron and do anything that might hurt her. Cameron took the initiative to reach out and sent him a message on WhatsApp. Cameron: [Brad, our final exams end this afternoon. Are you free tonight? Can we meet up?] Meanwhile, Bradley was in the school library, going over his notes. Not every school had the same schedule. Their finals wouldn''t start until next week. After getting Cameron''s message, he went quiet for a while. Ever since he''d said those harsh words at the Saunders Manor, Bradley had been getting calls from his family every single day. All they ever did was try to talk him out of it, telling him not to act on impulse or he''d end up regretting it. It had been almost two months, but they still couldn''t ept the fact that he was into a boy. But Bradley was calm about it. ''I like who I like. There''s nothing I can''t face,'' he thought to himself. After a moment''s thought, Bradley texted back: [Alright, I''ll choose the ce and send it to you in a bit.] Cameron: [Okay.] 476 After finals were over, Cameron headed back to her dorm. L stretched and said, "Finally done with exams. I''m so exhausted thesest few days." Amelia shot her a look. "So, you can finally go on a date with your dear Calder, huh?" "Stop making things up." L''s cheeks turned red. But honestly, she couldn''t be happier. Seeing Cameron packing up her things, Sienna asked, "Cam, are you heading home?" * Sienna wasn''t nning on going home. She was going to keep working at Aurevia Biotech over winter break. The pay was great-she could make enough in just over a month to cover all her expense for next semester. Cameron answered truthfully, "Not going home, just meeting a friend." "Are you meeting Bradley?" Amelia looked over at her. Cameron just kept quiet. Amelia saw that Cameron didn''t deny it, and that was all the confirmation she needed. Amelia leaned in, curiosity all over her face. "So, Cameron, how far have things gone between you and Bradley?" 08:03 Tue, 22 Jul MTO Cameron said helplessly, "Amelia, you''re really overthinking this." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Am I overthinking it, or are you just too scared to admit it?" Cameron just stayed silent. She couldn''t be bothered to exin. Amelia never listened anyway. Cameron slung her backpack over her shoulder and was about to leave. "Cameron," Amelia called after her, "Come on, you''re meeting up with Bradley and that''s what you''re wearing?" Hearing that, Cameron nced down at her outfit. She was wearing a long down jacket that reached her ankles and a pair of ck ankle boots. It was warm and honestly, looked decent enough. Her hair had grown out quite a bit. It was now down to her shoulders. Combined with her naturally soft, almost androgynous features, hardly anyone mistook her for a boy anymore. After all, it was pretty rare for guys to have hair that long. "I''m fine with what I''m wearing," Cameron said. . Amelia said, ¡°Yeah, your outfit''s fine, but seriously, gorgeous-you''re naturally beautiful, but going to meet up with him with zero makeup? Isn''t that a bit much?" Cameron replied, "It''s not a date. I''ve actually got business with Brad." With that, Cameron slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out. Amelia was left speechless. ''Guess that''s the perk of being good-looking-she can do whatever she wants,'' she thought. Bradley had picked a discreet restaurant for their meeting. Cameron drove over. When she arrived, she was shown straight to the private room where Bradley was already waiting. Bradley had arrived half an hour early. When Cameron pushed the door open, she saw Bradley sitting there right away. Funny enough, he was wearing a long ck puffer jacket too. When Bradley saw Cameron, he froze for a second. It had been two months since they''dst met, and to his surprise, Cameron had grown her hair out. Cameron really looked like a girl now. "Hi, Brad," Cameron called out. She looked over at Bradley as well. Bradley hadn''t changed much, but if you looked closely, he seemed a bit more steady and mature. Bradley nodded. "Take a seat." Cameron sat down across from him. Bradley slid an iPad over to her. "Let''s order first." Cameron picked out two dishes. Bradley added two more dishes and a soup. Once they were done, Bradley slid the iPad aside, nced at Cameron''s longer hair, and smiled, "So, why''d you suddenly decide to let your hair grow out?" +28) Cameron replied, "Just wanted to try it." Bradley chuckled, "It looks good on you." ''He really does look like a girl now,'' Bradley thought to himself. Cameron smiled, "Thanks." Bradley found himself quietly watching her, unable to look away. Other than her longer hair, Cameron was pretty much the same as before. But no matter how hard he tried, Bradley just couldn''t stop his gaze from drifting back to her. It had been two months, and during that time, he''d found himself wanting to see her all the time. But he forced himself to hold back every single time. He just didn''t want his family messing with Cameron. "Um, Brad?" Cameron called out, a little uncertain. Being stared at so openly, Cameron raised a hand to her face, feeling a bit self-conscious. That finally snapped Bradley out of it. He smiled, poured her a cup of coffee, and asked, "So, Cam, did you need something?" Cameron nodded. "Brad, I just got my cut from The Starry, so I wanted to pay you back part of what I owe you first." While they chatted, the dishes kept being brought in one after another. This ce wasn''t just private-the food was actually really good. The whole private room was filled with the delicious smell of food. Bradley used the serving utensils to put a piece of pork belly on Cameron''s te and asked, "How much did you get?" Cameron replied, "4.3 million dors." Bradley''s lips curled into a smile. "Looks like it sold really well." Cameron nodded. "Brad, I''ll pay you back three million dors first. I''ll give you the rest once I''ve got some extra cash." Bradley chewed his food slowly, watching Cameron quietly. Then he said, "Cam, you don''t have to pay me back." ''Huh? What?'' Cameron was stunned as she wondered, ''Did he just say I don''t have to pay him back? This isn''t just a few bucks or a couple hundred. We''re talking near ten million dors here.'' ''How could he just say forget about it?'' Cameron couldn''t believe her ears. Cameron said, "Come on, Brad, don''t joke about that, okay?" Bradley looked her straight in the eye, his tome serious. "Cam, I''m not joking." Cameron was speechless. She finally said, "Brad, I know you''ve got money, but it''s no small amount, so I really have to give it back to you." Bradley said bluntly, "No need. What''s mine is yours." Cameron wondered, ''Wait, did he just say what''s his is mine?'' Bradley let out a helpless sigh. "Cam, you''re so smart. I''ve made it pretty clear- don''t you get what I mean?" ''What does he mean?'' she wondered. ''Wait, does Brad mean he likes me? Is that why he said what''s his is mine? That''s ridiculous. I''m a girl, for crying out loud.'' "Still don''t get it?" Bradley asked. He reached out and took Cameron''s hand, which was resting on the table. Cameron instinctively tried to put it back, but Bradley just held on tighter. "Brad?" Cameron frowned. Bradley said, "Cam, I''ve made it more than obvious. I rmended BL novels to you, took you to that bar, and even told you that what''s mine is yours. "It''s just that I haven''te right out and said ''Cameron, I like you.'' Do you really not get it?" Cameron''s eyes went wide-she was totally floored. I actually guessed it right. Brad really does like me,'' she thought, her heart pounding like crazy. ''Brad likes me.'' Cameron''s mind was spinning, unable to process what had just happened. ''But I''m a girl.'' Cameron pulled her hand back hard, giving Bradley a helpless look. "Brad, didn''t I tell you a long time ago that I''m a girl? I-" "What did you just say?" Bradley''s eyes narrowed in shock as he stared at her. ''Did I hear that right?'' Bradley thought,pletely stunned. ''Did Cameron just say she''s a girl? She''s a girl? She''s a girl-'' Cameron had no idea why Bradley looked so shocked. She repeated, "I told you ages ago that I''m a girl." "When?" Bradley pressed. Cameron replied, "Brad, did you seriously forget? At the start of the semester, you asked me out to dinner, and I told you I was roommates with Amelia. You really don''t remember?" Bradley said, "I honestly never heard you say that." Cameron was at a loss for words. ''No wonder he was so chill back then,'' she thought. ''So he never even heard me say it.'' Bradley stared at Cameron, still in shock. He asked, "You''re really a girl?" Cameron nodded. "Yes." Bradley suddenly just startedughing out of nowhere. His grin only grew bigger, and soon he wasughing so hard he could barely stop himself. Cameron asked, "What''s so funny, Brad?" Bradley said, "I''m justughing at myself for putting in all that pointless effort." He kept trying to figure out where Cameron stood, over and over again. He even stood up to his family for her. And in the end, it was all for nothing. But even so, Bradley was just so happy. Of course, he wanted his family to ept his rtionship. And soon, that wish woulde true. Cameron asked, "So, Brad, you''ve always thought was a guy?" Bradley nodded. "Yes." Cameron said, "But I''m a girl." Bradley replied, "That''s even better." Cameron was even more shocked. 08:04 Tue, 22 Jul M Seeing how stunned she looked, Bradley said, ¡°Cameron, I like you for who you are. Gender doesn''t matter to me." Cameron was speechless. Just two months ago, Elijah had confessed his feelings to her. And now Brad did it too. Even after Elijah told her how he felt, nothing really changed between them. ''But what about Brad? Cameron wondered. ''Will things be different this time?'' Seeing Cameron go quiet, Bradley came right out and asked, "So, Cameron, what do you really feel about me?" Cameron stayed silent. After a moment, she said, "Brad, my mind''s kind of a mess right now. I can''t give you an answer." Bradley put another piece of food on her te, a smile on his lips. But behind those gold-rimmed sses, his eyes had a determined, almost domineering glint. "It''s okay. I''ll give you time." Cameron stayed quiet. Bradley leaned in a little, his tone gentle but insistent. "Is three days enough for you?" Cameron just sat there in stunned silence, not knowing what to say. Bradley said, "Cameron, I want your answer in three days." Cameron blinked, finally asking, "Answer to what exactly?" Bradley looked her in the eyes and said, "Will you be my girlfriend?" Cameron couldn''t help but sigh. Bradley quickly switched the topic to herpany. By the time the meal was over, Cameron finally spoke up, ¡°Brad, could you send me your bank ount number? I want to pay you back three million dors first." Bradley just shook his head. "Keep the money for now. Honestly, from now on, every cent I make can stay with you." Cameron really didn''t know what to say. Bradley got up to pay the bill. He turned back to Cameron and asked, "Do you want me to drive you back to school?" Cameron shook her head. "No, I drove here myself. I''ll just head straight home." "Where do you live?" Bradley asked. Chapter 642 "On an ind," Cameron said. "An ind?" Bradley raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised. Cameron nodded. They exchanged a few more words before heading off in different directions. Bradley watched Cameron''s back as she walked away, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ''Now that Cameron''s a girl, my family won''t have any reason to object,'' Bradley thought. By the time Bradley got back to Noble Vista, it was already past ten at night. He sank onto the sofa, pulled out his phone, and thought about calling his mom, Beth, to tell her the news. But at this hour, Beth was probably busy tucking Nell in. Even though Nell was already fourteen, Beth still insisted on putting her to bed every night. After all, Nell was the only girl in the Saunders family. Everyone doted on her, showering her with all their love. Even if she had once made an unforgivable mistake, she was still the center of everyone''s world. Instead of calling, Bradley sent his mom a WhatsApp message. [Mom, looks like I got it wrong. Turns out I actually like girls, not boys. So you really don''t have to worry about me anymore.] When Beth got the message, she was indeed with Nell. As soon as she read it, she broke into a huge smile. The weight that had been hanging over her for the past two months finally lifted. "Mom, what''s got you so happy?" Nell asked, tilting her head in her pink pajamas. Beth handed her the phone. After reading the message, Nell pouted, "Mom, when did Brad learn how to lie?" "Lie?" Beth was taken aback. Nell looked surprised. "Mom, don''t tell me you actually fell for Bradley''s lie?" Beth frowned. "Nell, why do you say that?" Nell said, "Mom, just think about it. Brad was about to cut us off before. Everyone''s been putting so much pressure on him these past two months. He probably just couldn''t handle it anymore, sonow he''s saying he likes girls." Beth replied, "I''ll ask him myself." Nell shook her head. "Mom, there''s no need to ask. Bradley''s probably already got an excuse ready." Beth was speechless. Nell''s words were like a bucket of cold water poured right over Beth. The joy she''d just felt disappeared in an instant-all that was left was a heavy weight in her chest. Nell added, "Mom, so we still have to go ahead with the n." Heaving a heavy sigh, Beth let out a deep breath. Nell hugged Beth''s arm. "Mom, I know you can''t bear to do this, but we''re really doing it for Brad''s own good." After sending the message to Beth, Bradley immediately called Eddie. Eddie was in ss, so it took him a while to pick up. "Brad, what''s up? Don''t tell me you''re cracking under the pressure," Eddie said. Even though Eddie was all the way in Montelira, he knew how much pressure Bradley had been under these past two months. "Eddie, guess what? I''ve got some awesome news for you," Bradley said. "Oh? What''s the good news?" Eddie asked. "It''s about Cameron," Bradley replied. "Did you finally confess to him?" Eddie teased. "Not yet," Bradley replied. "Then what''s the news?" Eddie asked. "Turns out Cameron''s a girl," Bradley said. "What did you just say?" Eddie eximed. ''Wait? Cameron''s a girl? Did I really hear that right?'' Eddie thought. Bradley chuckled, "Yes, Cameron''s actually a girl. Shocking, right? I couldn''t believe it either." "Wait? Brad, what do you mean Cameron''s a girl? You''re not messing with me, are you?" Eddie asked. Bradleyughed, "No joke, Eddie, she told me herself-straight from her own mouth." "So she was actually disguising herself as a boy this whole time?" Eddie asked, curiosity piqued. "But why would she do that?" "Oh man, I totally forgot to ask," Bradley admitted. He''d been so stunned by the revtion that Cameron was actually a girl, the question of why she''d pretended to be a guy hadpletely slipped his mind. Chapter 643 Eddie asked, "Could it be that Cam lied to you just to be with you?" Bradley replied, "Eddie, Cameron would never lie to me." Eddie was speechless. ''Such blind trust,'' Eddie thought.'' Bradley''s fallen for her, and fallen hard! Eddie grinned and said, ¡°Brad, if Cameron really is a girl, I''m honestly happy for you. You don''t have to fight the family over her anymore." Bradley said, "I''ve already texted Mom." Eddie said, "That''ll put her mind at ease. You should let know, too-he flew all the way back from Fiora just for you." "Yeah, I know. I''ll tell him in a bit," Bradley replied. ERIC After hanging up with Eddie, Bradley received a WhatsApp message from Beth. Beth: [Brad, that''s wonderful news. I can finally stop worrying. If you I can, bring your girlfriend home for a visit.] Bradley smiled and replied: [Sure thing, Mom. Get some rest.] Then Bradley called Eric and got right to the point. "Eric, guess what? Turns out Cameron''s actually a girl." Eric thought he must''ve misheard. "Cameron''s a girl?" Bradley said, "Yeah, so you can stop objecting to us being together now." Eric asked, "Are you for real?" Bradley replied, "Would there be any point in me lying?" Eric was speechless. It really was pointless to lie. But then, lies always came to light sooner orter. But Eric couldn''t help his curiosity. "Brad, how did Cameron end up being a girl a sudden?" Bradley answered, "She was actually disguising herself as a guy." Eric pressed, "Any reason why she''d do that?" Bradley admitted, "I never even asked:" Eric was stunned for a moment. "Oh, and Brad," Eric suddenly remembered, "that time you said you were in Cam''s bed-don''t tell me you didn''t know she was a girl back then?" Bradley replied, ¡°I was drunk. I really was in her bed, but Cameron had already left for school." Eric asked, "So you were lying to me?" Bradley said, "Eric, you were just letting your imagination run wild." Eric rolled his eyes. He wasn''t fully convinced about Cameron being a girl. He decided to reserve judgment for now. A guy suddenly turning out to be a girl was just way too wild. But winter break wasing up soon. He''d get to the bottom of it then. If Cameron really was a girl, well, that would be perfect. 14. Que When Cameron got home, her whole family was waiting for her. Lance hade back home for the holidays. As soon as he saw Cameron, he hurried over. "Hi, Cam." Lance hadn''t seen his little sister in months. They''d only just reunited as siblings, but because of school, Lance had to be apart from her again. Nobody else could really understand how much that hurt. Lance wanted to give Cameron a hug. But from the side, a hand suddenly shoved him away, and someone dashed straight for Cameron. It was none other than Gavin. Lance was speechless. ¡°Cam?¡± Gavin rushed up to her, his face full of doting affection. "You finally finished your finals. Now, I can see you every day." Gavin grinned and patted Cameron on the head. Cameron said, "Gavin, I saw you push Lance just now." Gavin was speechless. Lance hurried over and held out his arms to Cameron. "Cam, it''s been so long. Can I give you a hug?" Cameron smiled, "Sure, Lance." She gave Lance a gentle hug. Lance nced at Gavin on purpose. ''I swear, I could just gouge Lance''s eyes out right now,'' Gavin fumed inwardly. AD Chapter 644 As soon as Cameron let go of Lance, Gavin immediately spread his arms wide. "Cam, can I get a hug?" Cameron hesitated. "Uh, Gavin, we see each other all the time. Is that really necessary?". Gavin''s heart sank at the obvious favoritism from his beloved sister. He shot Lance a re. Lance just grinned triumphantly. "Hi, Dad, Mom," Cameron beamed as she threw herself into Levi and Jacqueline''s arms. "Your dad''s been worried about you all night," Jacqueline said with augh. "He wasining about you going out for dinner with your friends instead ofing straight home." Levi quickly interjected, "Sweetheart, don''t listen to your mom. I''d wait for you forever without a singleint." ''My heart feels so warm,'' Cameron thought. "I know, Dad." As soon as she stepped through the door, she felt herselfpletely rx, every bit of tension melting away. This was a wonderful feeling she''d never had before. It just felt so good to be back with her family again. It was gettingte. After the whole family spent some time chatting andughing together, Cameron finally went back to her room to call it a night. As she plugged her phone in to charge, she noticed a WhatsApp message from Elijah that hade through an hour ago. Elijah: [Cameron, I saw on L''s Instagram that you guys have already finished your finals. What are your ns for winter break? Are you going to work at Aurevia Biotech?] Cameron replied: [Sorry, Elijah, I just saw your message. I''ll probably be spending the break with my family.] Cameron saw herself first and foremost as a drug developer. Once she graduated from college, she nned to start bringing her own products to market. As for running Aurevia Biotech, she left it all to David. For the past six months, David had kept everything at Aurevia running smoothly. Cameron was more than satisfied. She hardly ever got to spend time with her family. So for the holidays, she figured she''d just hole up at home. Elijah replied almost instantly: [Do you want toe along? L and Calder are nning a trip to Seasouth-it''s super warm there this time of year. Want to join us?] Cameron: [I don''t want to be the third wheel.] Elijah: [Well, what if it''s just the two of us? I''ve always wanted to hike mount. You up for it?] Cameron thought for a moment and replied: [Sorry, Elijah. I don''t think I''ll have the time.] Elijah couldn''t help but look disappointed, the feeling in on his handsome face. It had been two months since he''d confessed his feelings to Cameron. But after all this time, they were still stuck in the same ce. Elijah wanted to get closer to her, but Cameron Kept turning him down. He didn''t dare do anything reckless, afraid he''d get himself in troue like Austin did. He stared at his phone screen for a long moment, but in the end, all he could do was reply: [Alright. Get some rest.] Elijah stood quietly by the window, gazing out into the pitch-ck night. Chapter 644 Loving someone was at once blissful and bittersweet. But right now, what Elijah felt most was the bitterness. ''It''s fine, I can wait for her, Elijah told himself. Honestly, they were both still young. Maybe Cameron just didn''t want to date anyone right now. Hevesen in a hurry anyway. Just before she fell asleep, Cameron got another message, this time from Bradley. Bradley: [Cameron, are you asleep? I was honestly shocked-and pretty happy-to find out you''re a girl today. Oh, and just a friendly heads-up. You''ve got three days to decide if you want to say yes to me Cameron thought about it for a moment, but didn''t reply. She decided to just pretend she was already asleep. Shey there, her arm under her head, staring up at the ceiling. ''If I turn Brad down, will I lose him as a friend?'' Cameron wondered to herself. Bradley was the first person who''d shown her kindness since she time- traveled. Cameron reached out and switched off the light in her room. ''Three days left. No need to hurry,'' she reassured herself. Xandery in his dorm room. All around him, his roommates were busy whispering sweet nothings to their girlfriends over the phone. Xander sat up, annoyed. "Seriously, can you guys keep it down? It''s the middle of the night." All three of his roommates shot him a look. Then they all shook their heads together. "ssic single guy jealousy." They burst outughing, totally merciless. Xander was the only single guy in their dorm. He scoffed, "Man, it''s not that I can''t get a girlfriend-I just don''t feel like dating. If I so much as snapped my fingers, half the girls on campus would be lining up for me." "Seriously, Xan, you mean to tell me not a single hottie in the whole sports college is good enough for you?" one of his roommates teased. Xander smirked, "I''ve already got my eye on someone." "Bet the girl you like turned you down," the guy across from him mercilessly mocked. Xander, hit right where it hurt, grabbed his pillow and hurled it at him. "Look at him, all worked up now," the man said. "Come on, Xan, what kind of girl would actually say no to you?" one of his roommates teased, genuinely curious. Xander just scowled and kept his mouth shut. Ever since he''d roped Cameron into meeting up by pretending it was Gwen''s idea, Gwen had refused to help him set up another meeting. She even told him not to force things. But Xander just couldn''t let it go. Cameron was his first love. Even though she''d turned him down more than once, he still couldn''t give up on her. Xander had actually made several trips to Stenford University just to see Cameron. Cameron didn''t go out of her way to avoid him-she even gave him a little tour of the campus she''d always tell him not toe again. But like that was going to stop Xander. He just kept showing up anyway. and took him to eat at the cafeteria. But before he left, He was at Stenford University almost every week, practically making it his second home. Sometimes he''d go see Cameron Since he knew she found him annoying, sometimes he''d just keep his distance and watch her from afar. He just didn''t know what to do about Cameron. ''Am I really that bad? If I was, then why did so many girls like me? So I couldn''t be that bad. Why couldn''t Cameron just be one of them?'' he thought. feeling a little frustrated. His roommates knew when to quit, so when Xander stopped responding, they dropped the teasing. One of them even helpfully tossed the pillow Xander had thrown right back to him. Xander yanked the nket over his head, hiding his face. ''It''s fine.'' Xander reassured himself. Even though Cameron hadn''t epted him, at least she hadn''t said yes to anyone else either. If she ever did, he honestly had no idea how he''d handle it. Ever since that day on the ind when he''d been kicked out, Austin had gone to Stenford University a few times to see Cameron on the sly. But he didn''t get nearly as lucky as Xander did. Cameron acted like he didn''t even exist. Austin could only walk away quietly. He''d go to ss if he felt like it, and if he didn''t, he''d just stay at the house he''d bought outside the music school. Helen had stopped talking to him, too. Austin felt like his life had suddenly be incredibly dull. Cameron was the only thing he could hold on to. Before, it had been his mom. Back then, he thought getting revenge for his mom was enough. Now, that anchor was Cameron. But Cameron wouldn''t even look his way anymore. Austin honestly didn''t even know what the point of his life was anymore. His heart felt unbearably empty. But he was powerless to do anything about it. In the end, Austin ended up going to see Helen. Chapter 645 Helen was already over him; whatever feelings she once had were long gone. She just gave him a cool nce and said, "What do you want?" Her tone was t, making it clear she wasn''t interested in talking Austin stood there quietly, not saying a word. Girls passing by couldn''t help but nce his way, whispering to their friends, "He''s so handsome." Austin paid them no mind. His amber eyes slowly turned to Helen. "Helen, I need your help." Helen cut him off, "If you''re here to ask me to help you chase after Cameron, not a chance." Austin was speechless. He hade to Helen, obviously because of Cameron. Cameron had blocked him on alt tforms. Even when he showed up right in front of her, Cameron acted as if he was invisible. He was truly out of options. That was why he hade to Helen. But before Austin could even open his mouth, Helen had already shot him down. Austin just stood there, staring at Helen, his eyes full of desperation. Helen felt her scalp tingle under his gaze. She stood up and said, "Austin, you''ve known Cameron longer than I have. You should know what kind of person she is better than I. Do you really think I could help you?" Austin just stood there, speechless. Seeing his silence, Helen gave Austin another look, shook her head, and walked away. If Helen wouldn''t help him, he''d figure something out, one way or another. ''So what if Cameron is holed up on some ind?'' he wondered, ''The Yates family isn''t the only family living there. If Helen wouldn''t help me, I''d just find someone else to get him onto the ind. Money talks.'' Before she knew it, three days had flown by. Cameron sat on the beach, letting the sea breeze blow through her hair. Winter on the ind was freezing. Even though Cameron was wrapped up in a thick down jacket and snow boots, the wind kept sneaking in, and her hands and feet were already numb from the cold. It was freezing, so Cameron decided to head home and warm up. She got to her feet, but her legs were so numb that she suddenly toppled forward onto the sand,pletely out of control. "Watch out." Austin dashed over and grabbed Cameron''s arm, catching her just in time before she hit the ground. "Austin?" Cameron stared at him, shocked. ''Why is Austin here on the ind again?'' Cameron couldn''t help but wonder. ''How did he even get here? Isn''t this ce supposed to be closed to outsiders?'' Austin caught her just in time, steadying her. "Cameron, are you okay?" he asked, concern in his voice. He was relieved he''d been quietly following her; otherwise, she really would have taken a tumble. Cameron furrowed her brows. She leaned on Austin for a moment, waiting until the feeling finally returned to her numb limbs. She took a step back. "Thanks." Austin''s eyes crinkled with a smile. "Don''t mention it." Cameron frowned. "How did you even get in here?" Austin just smiled, "I have my ways." "How long are you going to keep pestering me?" Cameron''s face darkened. Austin was speechless. One moment, Cameron was thanking him; the next, her expression turned cold and distant. Austin sighed helplessly, "Cameron, I''m not pestering you. I''m pursuing you" Cameron replied, "No need." Austin said, "Cameron, as long as you''re single, I''ll keep chasing you." Cameron curled her lips. "Oh, so what you mean is, if I weren''t single, Austin''s eyes widened in shock. "What are you saying? Do you ho you wouldn''t keep pestering me?" boyfriend? Who is it? Are you with Bradley?" Cameron was at a loss for words. ''Why would he think of Brad?'' she thought. Austin''s face turned ugly as he demanded, "Cameron, why would you pick Bradley over me? We''re the ones who really fit together. We both had rough childhoods, so we actually understand each other. We''re made for each other." "Oh, really?" Cameron sneered. "Austin, don''t you get why you lo out?" Since he insisted on misunderstanding, let him think whatever he wanted. All she wanted was for him to stop bothering her. "Lost at what?" Austin asked, his face darkening. Cameron said tly, "Austin, you''re right. We both had rough childhoods, so looking at you is like staring into a mirror. I don''t want to do that every single day, you get it?" Austin frowned. Cameron went on, "I want a guy who grew up in a real family, someone who''s bright and full of positive energy, someone who can actually bring some light into my world. Do you really think you could be that guy?" Austin was speechless. Sunshine was never a word anyone would use for him. He''d lived his whole life in the shadows-how could he ever be someone like that? Before the SATs, Austin had seen Bradley''s family-they were so loving and close- knit. That was why Cameron chose Bradley. ''And me? What about me? Did she really just toss me aside like I was nothing?'' he wondered. Back then, Cameron was always so good to him. She even went against his family for him. ''Was all of that fake?'' Austin couldn''t help but wonder. Cameron shot Austin a cold look and turned to leave! "Cameron," Austin called out again. Cameron turned back, her eyes icy. Austin felt a sharp sting from the look in her eyes. His amber eyes fixed on her. "Cameron, you were good to me before. Was it just because you felt sorry for me?" "Felt sorry for you? I guess you could put it that way," Cameron replied, meeting his gaze. "Austin, have you ever heard of something like this?" "Like what?" Austin asked. 22 JUI Cameron said, "A lot of girls who never felt warmth growing up, when they get older and have kids of their own. "If they have a daughter, they''ll do everything they can to give her what they never had. It''s like they''re trying to make up for what they missed out on as a kid. "That''s exactly how I felt about you," Cameron said quietly. That was truly how she felt. Because she knew what it was like to be caught in the rain, she wanted to hold an umbre for Austin. If Austin hadn''t done what he did, Cameron would''ve kept treating him well. He was the one who ruined everything With that, Cameron turned and walked away. Austin stood frozen, watching as her figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance. His eyes reddened, and tears slipped silently down bis face. Now he finally understood. He finally realized why Cameron had treated him so well. She was just trying to heal the wounds of the helpless little girl she once was. But he''d been so full of himself, thinking Cameron''s kindness meant she had romantic feelings for him. He''d even dragged Xander into things again and again, all because he was jealous and wanted topete for her. More and more tears streamed down Austin''s face. It was only now that he realized he hadpletely lost Cameron. He didn''t even have the right to be her friend anymore. Austin looked out at the sea and whispered, "I''m sorry." Then he posted on Instagram. [Cam, I know you won''t see this, but I still want to wish you all the best. [If you want to go after your own happiness, then go for it. I hope you and Bradley grow old together. And thank you for everything you did for me.] Austin attached two photos to the post. One was a candid shot of Cameron. The other was a picture of the beach. Even though Cameron had blocked him, Bradley was still on his Instagram contacts. Bradley would see the post, and he''d probably let Cameron know about it. After posting on Instagram, Austin gave Vincent a call. "Hello, Mr. Fraser?" Vincent answered. But Austin stayed silent, and all Vincent could hear was the sound of his heavy breathing on the other end. "Vincent," Austin finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mr. Fraser, is everything going alright for you on the ind?" Vincent asked, his tone full of concern. "I''m tired," Austin said. "Mr. Fraser? Are you alright?" Vincent asked, his voice filled with worry. "Vincent, I want to go back to Yazven," Austin said softly. There was nothing left here he cared about anymore. "Alright, I''lle pick you up right away, and we''ll head back immediately," Vincent said. Austin raised his hand and threw his phone out toward the sea as hard as he could. It was all over. He was leaving this ce of trouble. He''d nevere back. Xander was scrolling through Instagram before lunch when he saw Austin''s post. He froze,pletely stunned. "What does Austin mean by this?! Xander couldn''t help but wonder. ''What does he mean by wishing Cam and Bradley a long, happy lite together? ''Who is Cam? Is it Cameron?'' Xander wondered, his heart pounding. The photo Austin had posted was of Cameron. ''Is Cameron with Bradley?'' Xander thought, stunned. Xander held his breath, a dull ache spreading through his chest. His mind raced, wanting to close Instagram and call Austin to ask what the hell this post meant. But his fingers just wouldn''t obey him. He tapped the screen over and over, but Austin''s post was still there. Xander''s breathing grew heavier. "Xan, what''s wrong?" his roommate asked, noticing something was off. Xander opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Not like he had time to exin anyway. His fingers jabbed at the screen so hard it was like he was about t to punch a hole through it. Finally, he managed to call Austin, pressing the phone to his ear, his heart pounding as he waited anxiously. But no one answered. Meanwhile, Austin''s phone was already sinking to the bottom of the ocean, bubbles rising up around it. And Austin was already on a ne back to Yazven. Xander called over and over, but no one picked up. His roommates could all tell something was seriously off with Xander. They just looked at each other, but nobody dared to say a word. Since he couldn''t reach Austin, Xander decided to call Cameron instead. At that moment, Cameron was having lunch. She was with her family, and the dining room was filled withughter and chatter. Xander''s call couldn''t havee at a worse time. Cameron was tempted to hang up, but knowing how persistent Xander could be, she figured if she did, he''d just call right back. So Cameron picked up her phone. "Dad, Mom, I''m going to take this call." Cameron left the dining room. "Yeah?" Cameron picked up. "Cameron?" Xander''s voice was choked with emotion, but when he finally spoke, it came out as an usation. "Are you with Bradley?" Cameron paused. "Who told you that?" Even as she asked, she already knew the answer in her heart. Xander stood in his dorm, not caring who heard him as he yelled, "I saw Austin''s Instagram post. He wished you and Bradley a lifetime of happiness. So, Cameron, when did you and Bradley get together?" Cameron was silent. ''Austin''s post on Instagram?'' Cameron thought, her mind spinning. ''Wishing me and Bradley a happily ever after? So he''s really done chasing after me now? Good. That''s just what wanted.'' "Say something. When did you and Bradley get together?" Xander yelled. Cameron frowned. "Do I owe you an exnation?" Xander said, "I''ve been after you all this time-don''t you get that? If you got with another guy, shouldn''t you at least tell me?" Cameron replied, "Alright, I''m telling you now. I have a boyfriend. So stop pestering me, okay? Is that enough for you?" 1 Xander''s face was twisted with pain. "So it''s true. You''re really with Bradley? Why did you pick him over me?" Cameron stayed silent. Xander pressed, "Come on, say something. I need to know what makes me not good enough." Cameron answered coolly, "You''re immature, shallow, and your temper is awful. Isn''t it obvious?" Xander stood by the window, staring out at Academy Avenue, and let out a bitter, self¨Cmockingugh. ¡°So what you''re saying is¡ªBradley is mature, deep, and actually knows how to keep his cool?" Cameron replied coldly, "Yes, you''re right about everything. Now can you stop bothering me?" Beep. Xander hung up on her. Cameron frowned and immediately added Xander''s number to her block list. ''He''s so noisy,'' she thought. ''I hope he never bothers me again.'' "Cam, you okay?" Gavin asked,ing out to check on her since she''d been gone a while. Cameron shook her head. "I''m fine, Gavin." "Xan?" someone eximed. Xander was so worked up that everything went ck, and he just passed out on the spot. His roommates rushed to catch him. Luckily, he woke up pretty quickly. But he just sat there in a daze, his eyes After thinking it over, his roommates ended up secretly calling Xander''s parents and gave them a rough idea of what was going on. Logan and Gwen thanked the roommates, asked his counselor for leave, and brought Xander back home to the Murphy family. He was in no state to go to school. After lunch, Cameron got a WhatsApp message from Bradley. [It''s been three days. Have you made up your mind?] Cameron held her phone, thinking for a moment. Right now, she was sitting in the living room with the TV on, her parents, her brothers all there, everyoneughing and chatting. The whole ce felt so warm and full of life. Cameron thought to herself, ''I really don''t need some lovey-dovey romance right now.'' She was content with her life just the way it was. After a few minutes, Cameron finally replied to Bradley. [Brad, sorry. It''s not that there''s anything wrong with you, I just don''t want to be in a rtionship right now.] Bradley: [Are you rejecting me?] Cameron: [Sorry.] Bradley: [Cameron, if you''re going to turn me down, at least do it to my face.] Cameron was stunned for a moment and wondered, ''Reject him to his face? A rejection is a rejection. Does it really matter how I say it?" Bradley: [Cameron, if you don''t say no to me in person, I''ll just take it as a yes.] Chapter 645 Cameron: [Brad, where are you right now?) Bradley: [I finish my finals this afternoon. After that, I''ll head back to Silvermoss Castle and wait for you.) Cameron thought for a second, then replied: [Okay.] Cameron looked at her family. "Mom, Dad, a ssmate asked me to hang out. I''m heading out for a bit." "Was it a guy or a girl who asked you out?" Gavin asked. Cameron smiled, "Of course, it''s a girl ssmate." Lance grinned, "Cam, Gavin''s just worried some guy will run off with you." Cameron forced a smile. Jacqueline Yates asked, "Will you be back tonight?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I''ll be home tonight." Elijah rarely checked his phone. School was already out for the holidays. He was home alone, bored out of his mind. He thought about messaging Cameron, but worried he might just be bothering her. Elijah opened up their chat window and stared at it for a long time, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. In the end, he just sighed and closed it without sending a single word. He opened up Instagram, and right away, Austin''stest post popped up on his feed. AD Chapter 646 On Austin''s Instagram post, Bradley liked it andmented. [Thanks for the well wishes.] Xander bombarded thements. [Austin, is Cameron with Bradley? Who told you that? Who told you that?] Elijah couldn''t believe his eyes. ''Cameron and Brad are together? Since when did that happen?'' he wondered,pletely caught off guard. Back then, when Elijah confessed, Cameron had told him she wasn''t looking to date anyone. ''Was that just an excuse to turn me down?'' Elijah thought, a bitter realization dawning on him. ''And I actually bought it. How naive could I be? Or maybe Austin got it wrong?'' He stared at the Instagram post for a long time, his heart aching dully and heavily. In the end, he backed out and opened his chat with Cameron. Elijah: [Cameron, are you with Brad? Congrattions.] A bitter smile tugged at his lips. ''Congrattions? I didn''t mean a word of it,'' Elijah thought, the words tasting like ash. ''But really, what else can I do except wish her happiness?'' All he could do was wish them well. When Cameron received Elijah''s WhatsApp message, the helicopter was justnding on the Yates family''s helipad. She went to get her car. Seeing Elijah''s message, she couldn''t help but chuckle. Even Elijah got the wrong idea. She didn''t exin to Austin or Xander because she didn''t want them bothering her again. Cameron replied: [No, Elijah. You saw Austin''s Instagram post, right? He kept pestering me, so I just said I had a boyfriend. He jumped to the conclusion that it was Brad all on his own.] When Elijah read her reply, his dull eyes instantly lit up. A smile spread across his face. ''So it was just a misunderstanding,'' he thought, relief flooding through him. He pressed a hand to his chest and let out a soft breath. Elijah: [I thought you were with Brad. So it was just a misunderstanding after all. Our school''s on break too. If you''re free, want to hang out?] Cameron: [Sorry, Elijah. I already made ns with Brad for tonight.] She was nning to reject Bradley today. If not for that, she could have invited Elijah along too. ¡°Brad?¡± Elijah murmured under his breath, a bit confused. He remembered that Bradley had hit like on Austin''s Instagram post. ''Wait? Does Brad have a thing for Cameron too?'' Elijah thought, a wave of suspicion washing over him. Elijah was at aplete loss for words. Cameron really was outstanding. But Bradley was his best friend. If Bradley wanted to chase all he wasn''t about to give up without a fight. They could keep it fair and square. ameron, too, Elijah: [Can Ie along with you two?] Cameron: [Elijah, it might be a little awkward.] wkward.] 08:05 Tue, 22 Jul MT Elijah stared at Cameron''s message, his brow furrowing slightly. ''Not convenient, huh?'' he thought, feeling a pang of disappointment. ''What do Cameron and Brad have to talk about, anyway?" Since Cameron had already turned him down, Elijah wasn''t going to shamelessly invite himself along. Elijah: [Alright.] Cameron headed straight for Silvermoss Castle. The only people left inside were two cleaners. Cameron sent Bradley a message on WhatsApp. [Brad, I''m here.] Bradley: [Alright. Head on in. We''ll have dinner together tonight. If you have any dinner requests, just let the kitchen know.] Cameron was at a loss for words. All she wanted was to clear things up with Bradley in person. Looked like she''d have to stick around the castle for a while. Someone opened the door for Cameron. "Thanks," she said. Cameron stepped into the living room. The heat was on, making the room cozy and warm. Cameron ended up waiting for Bradley for two whole hours. It was already dark out when Bradley finally came back. He was wearing a ck cashmere coat that made his tall figure look even more striking. Bradley took off his coat with a casual motion, revealing a dark gray sweater underneath. "Been waiting long?" His tone was as gentle as ever. Chapter 647 Cameron loungedzily on the sofa. The living room was nice and warm, so she hadn''t bothered with a coat¡ªjust a simple ck sweater. She used to bind her chest, so everyone just assumed she was t-chested. But that wasn''t true at all. Cameron actually had a fantastic figure, her curves smooth and graceful. She nced back at Bradley. ¡°You done?¡± ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Bradley said, his gaze lingering on her for a few seconds, his eyes growing a shade darker before finally settling on her face. ¡°I had to swing by thew firm after the exam.¡± Cameron stood up. ¡°Brad, I came here because I wanted to talk to you face-to- face¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a sec,¡± Bradley cut in, making a time-out gesture. ¡°Cameron, can you let me grab something to eat first?¡± Cameron was stunned for a moment. Just then, the butler stepped out, smiling warmly. ¡°Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates, dinner is ready.¡± ¡°Can we talk while we eat?¡± Bradley asked, looking a bit tired. Cameron nced at the butler. ¡®Miss Yates?¡¯ she thought. ¡®How does the butler know myst name?¡¯ Before, the butler had always called her Mr. Wace. It had to be Bradley who told him. In the end, Cameron didn¡¯t refuse. They walked into the dining room together, where a table was set with five dishes and a soup. The food smelled amazing. Bradley pulled a bottle of red wine from the wine cab. ¡°Care for a drink?¡± he asked. Cameron shook her head. ¡°No thanks, I have to drive hometer.¡± Bradley nodded, a faint smile ying at his lips. He nced up at the butler, who was busy opening the wine. The butler caught his eye. Bradley asked, ¡°Cameron Wace? Cameron Yates? Which do you prefer?¡± Cameron just shrugged. ¡°Either¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Then can I call you Cam?¡± Bradley asked. It sounded almost the same. Cameron thought he meant Cameron, so she nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Bradley smiled, ¡°Cam, what would you like to drink?¡± Cameron replied, ¡°Orange juice, please.¡± The butler had just poured Bradley¡¯s wine and nodded. ¡°Miss Yates, one moment.¡± He quickly brought over a pitcher of orange juice and was about to pour it for Cameron. Bradley stood up and took the pitcher. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± The butler, sensing the moment, quietly stepped out. 3 08:05 Tue, 22 Jul MT 22 Jul M Bradley poured Cameron a ss of orange juice and ced it in front of her. ¡°Thanks,¡± Cameron said. Bradley sat back down, picked up his wine ss, and they clinked sses lightly. As he took a sip of his wine, Bradley asked, ¡°Why did you turn me down?¡± Cameron took a slow sip of her orange juice and replied honestly, ¡°Brad, I¡¯m really happy with how things are right now. I don¡¯t want to mess that up.¡± Bradley chuckled softly, ¡°So, you don¡¯t dislike me?¡± ¡®Like?¡¯ Cameron wondered. She couldn''t deny that being with Bradley was easy and pleasant. But that wasn¡¯t really liking him, was it? Back in her old life, she¡¯d never fallen in love. After more than a thousand years of world-hopping, she was even supposed to be. was basically just a machine, always finishing missions, never really understanding what love is love really more important than making money? No, she wondered. Cameron said, ¡°Brad, you deserve someone way better.¡± As he peeled the shrimp, Bradley said, ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± Cameron was stunned for a moment. Bradley casually slid the peeled shrimp over to her. He wiped his hands clean. He looked up, fixing his eyes on her. ¡°Cam, could you not turn me down this time? Can we try being together¡ªjust see how it goes?¡± ¡®Try being together?¡¯ she thought. ¡®Since when is dating something you just try out?¡¯ Chapter 648 Seeing Cameron fall silent, Bradley tried to coax her gently. "Cameron, you said you''re not ready for a rtionship right now. "But sooner orter, you''ll want to date and get married. What''s the difference if it''s a little earlier or a littleter? Trust me. I''d be a great boyfriend" "Let''s give it a shot, just for a month," Bradley suggested with a smile. "If after a month you still don''t want to date, I promise I won''t bother you again." ''Try it? For a month?'' Cameron thought, feeling incredulous. ''This is just absurd.'' She shook her head. "Brad, I don''t think that''s a good idea at all.¡± Bradley fell silent. He let out a soft sigh and finally spoke. "Let''s eat first. The shrimp will get cold." "Okay." Cameron nodded. As they ate, Bradley casually mentioned, "I saw something on Austin''s Instagram." Cameron froze. Her hand, holding her chopsticks, paused in midair. She quickly exined, "Brad, don''t get the wrong idea. "Austin has been pestering me for a while, and it''s honestly getting on my nerves. That''s why I deliberately let him misunderstand." ¡°He''s been bothering you?" Bradley frowned. It had long been obvious that Austin had a thing for Cameron. "Did he already know you were actually a girl?" Bradley asked. Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Bradley asked, "How did he find out?" Cameron replied, "I told him." Bradley stared at her. "So do the guys in Room 316 all know you''re a girl too?" Cameron nodded again. "Yeah, they all know." Bradley asked, "So I''m thest to know, huh?" Cameron said, "Looks like it." Bradley went quiet. Suddenly, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. ''Who cares if I''m thest to know?'' Bradley thought to himself. ''Love isn''t about who gets there first anyway.'' Dinner went by with some light chatting. Cameron got up. "Brad, i should get going." Bradley nodded. "Alright." Cameron looked at Bradley. "Brad, can we still be friends?" Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Cam, I wish I were your boyfriend" Cameron left the dining room, went back to the living room, and took her down jacket from the coat rack to put it on. Bradley walked her out to the yard. Cameron''s car was parked out in the yard. Bradley stood by the car, watching her as she was about to get in. As soon as Cameron opened the door and set one foot inside, she could tell something felt off. She got out, closed the door, and took a couple of steps back to check the car. That''s when she noticed both rear tires looked kind of t. Cameron was stunned for a moment. Bradley noticed as well. He bent down to check. "Cam, looks like res are busted." Cameron sighed, "Brad, did you really have to do this?" Bradley replied, "To make you stay." When smart people dealt with each other, there was no need to y games. Cameron winced. "Ugh, my tires cost a fortune." Bradley said, "Here, take my debit card-just use it to get them reced." Cameron frowned at him. "Brad, I''ve already told you how I feel. You really don''t have to do this." Under the night sky, Bradley slowly took off his gold-rimmed sses. Without his sses, his long, eyes looked even more piercing and profound. Bradley braced his hand against the car door, caging Cameron in. "Cameron, I''ve made myself clear, too. We can try." Cameron stepped back, putting distance between them. "I''ve already turned you down." Bradley stared at her. "Your rejection doesn''t matter." Cameron frowned. "Brad, are you really going to force me to fall out with you?" "Make things ugly between us?" Bradley looked at her, a faint, ambiguous smile ying on his lips. Cameron said, "If ites to that, we won''t even be friends anymore." Bradley tapped his fingers on the roof of the car. "Cameron, being your friend isn''t what I want right now." Bradley''s eyes bore into her; without the gold-rimmed sses, the intensity in his gaze was impossible to miss. Bradley looked at her like a hunter eyeing his chosen prey-utterly determined, as if he wouldn''t stop until he got what he wanted. This look in Bradley''s eyes was something Cameron had never seen before. ''Bradley is never like this. He has always been so gentle and ssy-when did he get so pushy?'' she wondered. Cameron frowned. "Brad, did someone put a spell on you or something?" "A spell, huh?" Bradley let out a lowugh. "Cam, you really are something else. Cute, even." He paused for a moment, then lifted his hand, reaching out to ruffle her hair Just like he always used to. But this time, Cameron pulled away. Bradley''s fingers curled together With a faint smile on his lips, Bradley said, "No wonder I always thought you were cute. So you really are a girl after all. "A girl this cute is mine, only mine," Bradley said, his eyes fixed on Cameron, drawing out each word with deliberate emphasis. Cameron said, ¡°Bradley, you''re crazy." Seeing Bradley like t this sent a chill down Cameron''s spine. She took another step back. She pulled out her phone from her pocket, nning to call roadside assistance and have someone bring her a new tire. There was only one spare in the car. With around. But as soon as she unlocked her phone, Cameron realized she had no signal. It had been fine earlier. Cameron frowned and immediately turned her phone toward Bradley. "Did you do this?" Becker''s Smile widened as he stared at her, unblinking. "Yeah, my ''He''s totally lost his mind,'' Cameron thought. She stuffed her Bradley called out to her. "Cam, don''t go out," Bradley called. Cameron didn''t even slow down. SO back into per pocket and turned to leave. She had only taken two steps when Bradley said casually, "If you want to get zapped into pile 3 of ash, suit yourself." Cameron spun around, staring at him in utter shock. "When did you do something to the door?" Cameron asked, her face darkening. Bradley said, "While we were eating." Cameron was furious. "Bradley, how did you end up like this?" ''This is seriously scary,'' she thought. ''It''s twisted-he''s totally lost it.'' Bradley''s smile lingered, but now there was a dangerous glint i in his seyes. "If you hadn''t rejected me, you never would''ve known I could be like this." He had always been this way. He always got what he wanted. And when things didn''t go his way, he would show a whole different side of himself. Cameron''s face was expressionless. "Bradley, what are you really trying to do?" "Cam," Bradley called out, his voice low as he stepped closer under the night sky. Every time he moved forward, Cameron instinctively backed away, so he stopped and smiled. "You know what I''m after, don''t you?" Cameron shot him a cold took. ¡°Bradley, it''s alreadyte. If I don''t go home, my family will definitelye looking for me. How long do you really think -you can keep me here?" Bradley replied, ¡°I''ve already let your parents know. Even if you go missing for week, they won''t be worried." Cameron snapped, "Are you serious?" Bradley''s grin only widened. "Cam, you didn''t actually believe I went to thew firm, did you?" Chapter 649 Cameron''s gaze toward Bradley grew colder by the second. "So, Bradley," she said, her voice even icier than her stare, "you set a trap for me from the very beginning. You yed me, and I actually trusted you "Cam, you were the one who turned me down so heartlessly. That''s why I had to take such desperate measures," Bradley replied with a smile. Cameron let out a coldugh. "So, this is all my fault?" Bradley was still smiling, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "Of course, it''s your fault for rejecting me. And mistakes like that alwayse with a price, don''t they?" ''Seriously?'' Cameron thought, at a loss for words. Her face wentpletely nk. She couldn''t even be bothered to waste another word or Bradley. Without hesitation, she snapped a branch off a nearby tree and hurled it straight at the gate. The moment the branch struck the gate, blue sparks crackled and danced, filling the air with a sharp sizzle. In seconds, the branch dropped to the ground, burned to a crisp, and ckened beyond recognition. The whole thing was over in a sh. Cameron froze. Bradley caught every bit of Cameron''s little test, his eyes never missing a thing. He said, "Cam, you shouldn''t doubt me. I''ve never lied to you." "That was in the past," Cameron scoffed. "Are you really still someone I can trust now?" Bradley didn''t hesitate. "Of course I am." Cameron let out a mocking, icyugh. She tightened her down jacket around herself, turned, and without even ncing at Bradley, strode right past him into the hall. ''Sometimes, you just have to know when to pick your battles,'' she thought to herself. ''It''s freezing out here. Might as well head inside and warm up!'' Bradley watched her retreating, angry figure, a small smile tugging at his lips. As long as she stayed, that was all that mattered. Once inside, Cameron headed straight upstairs to the room she''d stayed in before. Just as she was about to close the door, a hand suddenly stopped it. "I''m tired. I need to sleep," Cameron said, her face nk as she stared at Bradley, who had followed her up. Bradley''s lips curled into a smile as he looked at her. "Alright, Cam. Goodnight.¡± With that, he let go of the door. Bang. Her only response was the m of the door. Cameron pressed her ear to the door, listening for any sounds outside. "Cam, you say I''ve changed, but aren''t you different too?" Bradley''s low voice drifted through the door. She caught Bradley''s quiet murmur from the hallway. Her brow furrowed. There was a time when she was truly grateful to Bradley. He really had helped her a lot back then. Of course, she''d always treated him well. But things were different now. There was no way she could ever show Bradley a kind face again. Bradley was even more of a handful than Xander or Austin ever were. Cameron lifted her gaze, taking in the room. The ce looked almost exactly the same as before. The only difference was the bedsheets-they''d been swapped out for pure white ones, embroidered with delicatece. She made her way to the bathroom, where she found shelves lined with all kinds of top-brand skincare products and toiletries-every single one for women. There was literally everything you could think of. Cameron''s brow furrowed. Bradley really had this all nned out from the start. Otherwise, there was no way he could''ve had everything ready like this. A She stared at herself in the mirror, her brows knitting even tighter. It was obvious now-there was no way she and Bradley could even be friends. And as for being a couple? Not a chance. She''d already turned him down t. But Bradley still forced her to stay here. She absolutely hated this kind of behavior. Now, there was even less of a chance for them-being together waspletely out of the question. Since she''d decided to stay, Cameron figured she might as well wash up and get some rest. Bradley wasn''t the man she used to know anymore. Cameron gave the bathroom a thorough once-over, checking every corner for hidden cameras. Luckily, she didn''t find any. At that moment, Bradley was sitting on the sofa in his room, watching a live feed from the camera in Cameron''s room on his phone. The camera was aimed directly at the bed. Of course, he hadn''t installed any cameras in the bathroom-he wasn''t that twisted. If he wanted to see her, he''d do it in person. Right now, Cameron was in the bathroom, so the only thing on the screen was the bed. Bradley had picked out the bedding himself. He figured Cameron would probably like it. Bradley''s lips curled into a smile as he stared at the screen, not looking away for a second. Before long, Cameron came out of the bathroom. She slipped into the same men''s pajamas she''d always worn here, even though she noticed the white women''s pajamas Bradley had specially set out for her. Cameron turned off the lights, climbed into bed, and pulled the covers up over herself. She thought she wouldn''t be able to fall asleep. But to her surprise, she drifted off almost immediately. Cameron slept in a perfectly proper position, neat andposed. She barely moved a muscle. The feed was almostpletely still. But Bradley still watched with great interest. ''Cam is so close,'' he thought, even if it was just the next room over. He couldn''t help but feel content. Meanwhile, at Steerfall International Airport, Gwer looked at Xander, her eyes brimming with tears. "Xander, do you really have to go? In just a few days, Xander had lost so much weight that he looked like apletely different person. The sunshine that used to light up his handsome face was gone-now, he just looked defeated. Gwen''s heart broke for him, and Logan''s brow was furrowed with worry. Xander''s eyes were deep and heavy as he/said, "Mom, Dad, you should go back. Take care of yourselves." His voice was low and full of sorrow, As soon as Gwen heard his words, she couldn''t hold back her sobs anymore. Logan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, "Xander, you''re alone out there, so take care of yourself, okay?" Logan''s heart ached for his son, too. But maybe it was for the best-Xander could use some time abroad to toughen up. Xander just wasn''t strong enough these days. It was just a breakup, and he was totally falling apart. If he couldn''t even handle this, he would fall y when he ran into any real trouble. business empire. Someone this weak couldn''t hold up the Murphy family''s huge bus Only by growing stronger could Xander take on the that were his to bear. Xander nodded, pushed his suitcase along, and walked straight through the gate without looking back. He didn''t want to stay here for even a second longer. As for when he''d be back, maybe a few months, maybe years from now. He didn''t know. Logan and Gwen stood there, watching as he disappeared from sight. No matter how hard it was to let him go, they still respected Xander''s choice. Bradley was really into watching the surveince feed when a message from Elijah popped up on his phone. He frowned, but in the end, he exited the feed and opened his chat with Elijah. But as soon as he saw Elijah''s message, his face darkened. Elijah: [Brad, Cameron said she was meeting you for dinner tonight. I just tried texting her, but she didn''t reply. I called, and it went straight to voicemail. Are you two together? Is she okay?] Bradley: [Elijah, you sure seem awfully concerned about Cam.] Elijah: [Brad, is Cameron with you or not?] Bradley: [No.] ''Of course not,'' Bradley thought to himself. ''She''s downstairs and I''m up here-just being under the same roof doesn''t mean we''re together, does it?'' Elijah: [You haven''t seen Cameron at all tonight?] Bradley: [We did have dinner together.] Elijah: (So she''s okay, right?] Bradley: [Elijah, why didn''t you tell me when you found out Cameron was a girl?] Elijah: [Huh? Didn''t you already know? Cameron said she told you. I was thest one to find out.] Bradley was speechless. If he''d actually paid attention to what Cameron said back then, he wouldn''t have ended up being thest t If he''d actually paid attention to what Cameron said back then, he wouldn''t have ended up being thest to know. Elijah: [Brad, stop changing the subject. Is Cameron okay? I can''t get in touch with her Bradley stared at Elijah''s message, and he could practically see how anxious Elijah was while sending it. Elijah was always the cool, distant type. A faint, almost imperceptible smile yed at Bradley''s lips as he typed: [Elijah, you seem awfully concerned about Cam. Don''t tell me you actually like her?] Elijah had always been straightforward. Since Bradley asked, he answered honestly without hesitation. [Yeah, Brad. I''m pursuing her. Bradley''s eyes narrowed dangerously. ''Elijah likes Cam?'' Bradley thought, a chill running through him. ''Is he nning topete with me for her?" Bradley let out a cold, mocking chuckle. ''No one is going to keep me from being with Cam. Not my parents. Not my family. Not even Cameron herself. Let alone Elijah,'' he wondered. Bradley: [Elijah, you''re not allowed to go after Cam.] Elijah was baffled. [Why?] Bradley: [Because I''m pursuing her.] When Elijah saw that message, he was so stunned he literally jumped up from the couch. ¡®Brad?'' Elijah blinked in disbelief. ''Brad likes Cameron, too?" Elijah always knew Cameron had that kind of charm-no wonder people fell for her. ''But seriously, is everyone in Room 316 falling for her now?" he thought. Staring at Bradley''s message, Elijah was still reeling, but he frowned and typed back. [Brad, I''m honestly shocked you''re after Cameron, too. We might be friends, but I''m not giving up. May the best man win.] "Compete?" Bradley smirked, his eyes glinting with a dangerous amusement. Bradley: [Elijah, try to take Cameron from me and you''ll seriously regret it.]" ''No way. Did Bradley really just say that?'' Elijah wondered and stared at the screen in disbelief. ''Bradley is so gentle. And now he''s talking this crazy? Is this even the same person? Was it really Bradley I''m talking to?'' Elijah wondered. To make sure, Elijah shot him a video call. Just when he thought Bradley wouldn''t pick up, Bradley''s familiar face popped up on the screen. ¡°Brad?¡± Elijah was taken aback. Yeah, it really was Brad. But Elijah felt like Bradley was a totally different person now. Bradley stared at him through the screen, that signature faint smile still on his lips, but his eyes were almostpletely cold. ¡°Elijah, let me give you some advice-don''t bother wasting your time trying to take Cameron from me," Bradley said, his tone as calm as ever. But the words were downright domineering. Elijah''s instincts were spot on. It really was like Bradley had turned into a The Bradley Elijah used to know was all elegance and warmth. The man in front of him now was so overbearing that it was almost r "Are you really Bradley?" Elijah still couldn''t believe it. It had only been a few days since theyst saw each other. Elijah was surprised Bradley had changed this much. Bradley''s lips curled into a smile, but his voice was icy cold. "Elijah, seems you and Cameron are both wondering the same thing." "Cameron?" The moment he heard her name, Elijah''s worry spiked. "Br-" He started to say Brad, but the word caught in his throat. Chapter 649 "Bradley, where''s Cameron?" Elijah asked. Bradley replied, "She''s at my ce." "Your ce?" Elijah frowned. "So you lied to me earlier when you said she wasn''t with you?" Bradley replied, "She''s in her room and I''m in mine. That hardly counts as being together, does it?" Elijah frowned. "It''s sote. Why is Cameron still home?" Bradley arched an eyebrow. "Why don''t you take a wild guess?" Elijah caught the smug look on his face and said seriously, "Bradley, don''t think you can fool me. Cameron already told me she doesn''t want to date anyone." "Oh, so you confessed to Cameron and got rejected?" Bradley said. ''No wonder Cameron was so smooth when she turned me down,'' Bradley thought. ''Looks like she''s had plenty of practice saying no to confessions before.'' Elijah could only stare in silence. ''Wait, did Cameron actually agree to be with Bradley?'' he wondered. ''But Cameron had only told me today that it''s all just an act to trick Austin. Bradley''s lying.'' Elijah was immediately on guard. "Bradley, what did you do to Cam? Her phone''s out of service¡ªis this your handiwork?¡± he demanded, his tone sharp. Bradley snorted with augh. "No wonder you''re the genius everyone says you are. Sharp as ever." Elijah''s eyes went wide. "Bradley, what did you do to Cam?" Bradley''s faint smile disappeared. "Do I need to report to you about what I do to her?" Elijah shot back, "Bradley, don''t forget your goal is to be awyer. Do you really dare do anything to Cam?" Bradley replied, "Elijah, why are you so worked up? What could I possibly do to Cam? I haven''t done anything, so don''t go using me." Elijah snapped, "I want to see Cam. I need to make sure she''s safe and sound." Bradley replied, "She''s already asleep." Elijah shot back, "Go wake her up for me." "Shh," Bradley said, pressing a finger to his lips. ¡°Don''t wake her, or Cam will be pissed." Elijah was speechless. Bradley leaned back in his chair and said, ¡°Elijah, I''m tired. I''m going to bed, too." With that, Bradley abruptly hung up the video call. Elijah was left staring at his phone,pletely speechless. Bradley went right back to the surveince feed. Cameron was still lying obediently in bed, fast asleep. A smile curled at Bradley''s lips as he looked at the screen and said softly, "Goodnight, Cam." Elijah stared at his phone, his brows knitted tightly in worry. But he didn''t call back. It was pointless anyway. Bradley was like a totally different person now, and there was no word from Cameron at all. What if Bradley really has Cameron locked up?'' Elijah thought, anxiety twisting in his gu gut. Panic gnawed at him. He immediately reached out to his roommate, Calder, asking if he could get his girlfriend, L, to help track down any contact info for Cameron''s family, Even though it was nearly midnight, they got back to him pretty quickly. Turned out, all they had was Cameron''s phone number-none of them knew her actual address. Cameron had put down Noble Vista as her address with the school counselor. But she''d left the family contact section nk. There was no way to reach her. No one had any clue where she was. That meant the only option left was to try getting in touch with Bradley''s family. Everyone in Viremont knew the Saunders family, so getting their contact info was no big deal. In the master bedroom on the second floor at the Saunders Manor''s main house in Viremont, phone in hand, the butler braced himself for a scolding and knocked on Nathan and Beth''s bedroom door. It was already past midnight. Nathan and Beth were, of course, already asleep. But the caller insisted it was urgent-something about Bradley-and that they absolutely had to take the call. After thinking it over, the butler finally took the risk and knocked. After a long moment, Nathan opened the door in his pajamas, his naturally imposing face now clouded with irritation. "What is it in the middle of the night?" The butler gave Nathan a quick rundown, then handed him the phone. Nathan frowned, but in the end, he still took the phone. "Hello?" Comment Chapter 650 "Hello, is this Nathan Saunders, Bradley Saunders'' father?" Elijah finally got through to Nathan and asked politely, trying to keep his excitement in check. "Yes, who''s this?" Nathan asked. Elijah said, "Mr. Saunders, I''ll get straight to the point. My friend, Cameron Wace, is likely being held captive by your son Bradley, I need your help. "Held captive?" Nathan found it absurd. Bradley had always beenw-abiding and treated people kindly. How could he possibly do something like that? Elijah said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Saunders. I don''t need you to do anything else. Just help me by calling Bradley and asking him where he is." Nathan replied, "If what you say is true and Brad really has someone locked up, do you think he''d actually tell me?" Elijah fell silent. Nathan was right. Bradley would never admit it. And now, Elijah felt he had wasted the whole night for nothing. He got all flustered just because he cared too much. Even someone as smart as him could make such a rookie mistake. Elijah sighed and said, "I''m sorry to have bothered you, Mr. Saunders." With that, he hurriedly hung up. Apparently, the Saunders family couldn''t provide any help. For now, Elijah could only rely on himself. He decided to check every property registered under Bradley''s name. Because he remembered Bradley had said Cameron was at "his ce," so she had to be in one of his own houses. "What''s wrong?" Beth, still half-asleep, sat up in bed and asked, he ce Nathan said softly, "Nothing. Go back to sleep." groggy. Bradley was already neen. He was an adult now. Therefore, Nathan trusted that he could take care of himself. As for Bradley''s questionable sexual orientation, that was something he''d have to think about for the long haul. Elijah stayed awake the entire night, unable to get a moment''s rest. The ck Rolls-Royce sat parked outside Silvermoss Castle as the sky began to pale with the first light of dawn. In his hand was a thick stack of documents. Bradley had over a dozen properties in Steerfall. It was onlyst night that Elijah discovered the property at Noble Vista, the one that belonged to Cameron, had actually been transferred to her by Bradley. Silvermoss Castle was thest property on his list to check. If Cameron wasn''t here either, Elijah would bepletely out of leads. "Mr. Moore..." Jack was just about to speak. Elijah held up a hand, stopping him. "Jack, let''s park the car farther away so thou Jack fell silent and nodded. won''t spot us." The Rolls-Royce stayed outside Silvermoss Castle for less than a minute before driving off. At this hour, everyone in the castle was still fast asleep The system detected something unusual and triggered an alert, but not a soul heard it. Elijah instructed Jack to park the car outside the castle''s surveince range. Even so, he could still see what was going on inside. Jack turned around. "Sir, why don''t you get some rest?" Elijah shook his head. "I''m not tired." Jack fell silent again. ''How could he not be tired after staying up all night? He lookspletely worn out,'' he wondered. ''Looks like Mr. Wace truly means a lot to Mr. Moore.'' Thinking of this, Jack didn''t say anything more. But Elijah spoke up, "Jack, you haven''t slept all night either. You''re "ot in your twenties anymore. Get some rest." Jack was touched by his concern. "Thank you, sir.¡± ''He may look cold, but he''s got a warm heart,'' Jack thought. ''Such a decent Elijah waited for more than an hour. Finally, the castle gradually woke up. Elijah couldn''t help but clench his fists tightly. ''Could Cameron really be in there?'' he wondered his heart pounding. Inside the castle, Cameron was already up. young man, but he''s struggling to win over a girl.'' The castle sat atop a hill, surrounded by countless trees. It was a cold winter morning. Even without any fog today, the chill still hung in the air. After washing up, Cameron made her way straight to the dining room. The butler greeted her with a smile. "Ms. Wace, Mr. Saunders hasn''te down yet. Could you please wait a moment?" Cameron''s face darkened. "Did Bradley tell you to starve me?" The butler was at a loss for words. He quickly said, "Ms. Wace, please wait Ment. I''ll bathr someone bring your breakfast right away." Cameron sat there in silence, not saying a word. She was only halfway through breakfast when Bradley finally strolled in. He showed up in casual wear, gold-rimmed sses per on his nose, that familiar gentle smile still ying at the corners of his lips. For a moment, he seemed exactly like his usual gentle self. Cameron shot him a cool, indifferent look. She was painfully aware that the man in front of her now was nothing like the Bradley she used to know. Cameron downed the rest of her milk, set the ss aside, and took a tissue to wipe her mouth. "Good morning, Cam. Did you sleep wellst night?" Bradley said, taking a seat across from her. But just as he sat down, Cameron stood up. "Are you done eating?" Bradley asked with a smile. Cameron shot back coldly, "Just seeing you is enough to make me lose my appetite." Bradley was speechless. The butler was shocked by her words. He stood there awkwardly, not sure whether to leave or stay. Meanwhile, Cameron had already walked out of the dining room. The smile on Bradley''s face faded awaypletely. All of a sudden, he didn''t want to eat anymore. The next moment, he also stood up and left. After leaving the dining room, Cameron walked out of the living room and headed outside, nning to take a stroll around the courtyard. In truth, she was scoping out the grounds, trying to get a feel for the terrain. Last night, it had been too dark to see anything clearly. Cameron had lived here for quite a long time. But out of her trust for Bradley, she''d never figured out theyout of this ce. Now, she needed to see if there were any weak spots that could help her get out of here. There was no way Cameron would ever ept being locked up by Bradley. The moment Cameron stepped into the courtyard, Elijah spotted her. "Cameron!" Elijah couldn''t help but shout her name, his heart pounding with excitement. Jack was getting on in years, and he had already nodded off in the driver''s seat. Even with Elijah shouting, he still didn''t wake up. Elijah finallyid eyes on Cameron. Seeing that she was perfectly fine, even walking around freely, he finally let out the breath he''d been holding all night. Just as Elijah was about to get out of the car, he saw Bradleying over. His hand froze on the door handle. ''So it really is Bradley, Elijah thought. Just as I expected.'' He was the one who locked Cameron up. Elijah''s first instinct was to call the police. He had no idea what exactly Bradley had done to Cameron, or what he might be nning to do next. So, the most reliable way was to call the police. Elijah immediately pulled out his phone. However, there was no signal at all. Bradley must have jammed the signal himself. Now, he was probably the only one in this castle who could reach the outside world. Elijah frowned. Seeing Cameron and Bradley together from afar, Elijah felt even more convinced- he had to call the cops, no matter what. He slipped out of the car as quietly as he could, careful not make a sound. Then, he made his way up the winding mountain road, and after walking for about half an hour, he finally got a signal. Without hesitation, Elijah called the police. Then, he hurried back to Silvermoss Castle. But when he arrived, Cameron and Bradley were already gone. Elijah instantly grew anxious, his heart pounding. "Did something happen to Cameron?'' he thought, p¨¢nic rising inside him. Standing at the entrance, Elijah yelled, "Cameron!/Are you in there? Cameron!" 63% After leaving the dining room, Cameron was about to take a stroll when, to her surprise, Bradley followed her out. Cameron frowned at him. "What do you want?" Smiling gently, Bradley said, "Cam, I just wanted to join you for a walk. Sorry I slept in and couldn''t have breakfast with you today. I promise I''ll get up earlier tomorrow." Cameron didn''t bother to be polite. "I don''t need yourpany" Bradley smiled at her faintly. "Cam, you''re being too harsh, don''t you think?" Cameron shot back. "Are you serious, Bradley? You locked me up against my will, and you still expect me to be nice to you? Don''t be ridiculous." Bradley''s face darkened, his expression tightening. Cameron shot him a re.. She really wanted to go back to her room, but she held herself back. Even with Bradley following her, Cameron still walked around the entire castle. The more she observed the entireyout, the more her b The castle''s walls were about 10 feet high. Even so, they wouldn''t be enough to keep Cameron in. But the top was crisscrossed with a web of electric wires. That was a real headache. To shut it down, she''d have to find the castle''s main power switch. Cameron remained solemn. Once she had a n, she turned and headed back to her room. "Cameron! Are you in there? Cameron!" Suddenly, she heard someone calling out to her. "Elijah!" Cameron instantly recognized Elijah''s voice. Cameron dashed straight for the courtyard, and just as she expected, she immediately caught sight of Elijah standing outside the main gate. Her eyes narrowed in rm, and she yelled, "Elijah, get back! The gate''s electrified. Move away, now!" Elijah was shocked. At her warning, he instinctively stepped back. Only then did Cameron finally breathe a sigh of relief. Bradley didn''t miss a single change in Cameron''s expression. Just a moment ago, no matter what he said, Cameron either talked back harshly or just ignored him. But now, she was actually worried about Elijah. ''How dare she care about him!'' Bradley fumed inwardly. His face instantly darkened. "Cam, I really don''t like seeing you get all worked up over another man," Bradley said, still wearing that sante gentle smile. But Cameron ignored himpletely. She headed straight for the gate. "Elijah, why are you here?" Elijah answered honestly, "I messaged youst night, but you didn''t reply. I was worried about you. Cameron, are you alright?" "Elijah, seriously? What kind of question is that? Cam''s fine," Bradley cut in before she could answer. Cameron shot him a frosty re and said, ¡°Elijah, Bradley is no longer the man we know. You need to get out of here, now." Elijah refused to leave. "I know, Cameron. That''s minute." why I was freaking out trying to find you. Don''t worry, I already called the cops. They''ll be here any "You called the police?" Cameron couldn''t help but smile. ''Finally, I''m getting out of here soon,'' she thought to herself. "Yeah, don''t worry. Everything''s gonna be fine," Elijah said, giving a firm, reassuring nod. At those words, Bradley''s eyes grew cold for a moment, but then the corners of his lips curled up in an almost imperceptible smile. "You called the cops? Elijah, what are you up to?" he asked. Elijah shot back, "Bradley, drop the act. You''re keeping Cameron here against her will. That''s illegal, and you''re going to have to answer for it." Bradley let out a cold, mockingugh. He strolled over to the gate. "Elijah, care toe in and join us?" As he spoke, Bradley reached out and pulled open the gilded gate. The gate swung open, and Bradley stood there, not a scratch on him. Cameron was stunned. "What the hell is going on?'' she wondered. ''Wasn''t the gate supposed to be electrified?'' Elijah nced at Cameron, just as lost as she was. Bradley pushed up his gold-rimmed sses, his tone casual. "Elija"youing in?" Without missing a beat, Elijah strode forward, seized Cameron by the wrist, and pulled her straight out of the gate. Then, he immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from Bradley. Elijah shot Bradley a look: "Bradley, if you really like Cameron, then let''s y fair. Stop ying your dirty tricks. You''re better than this." "Fair? Huh..." Bradley sneered. His eyes lingered on Elijah''s hand-the one that had just pulled Cameron away. ¡°Elijah, let''s just get out of here," Cameron said, her voice calm. "Cameron, we can''t leave now! The police are almost here. We have to make sure Bradley pays for this!" Elijah protested, anger shing in his eyes. "No, let''s go," Cameron insisted, shaking her head firmly. ''What price could he possibly pay?'' she thought with a sigh. Cameron wasn''t injured; there wasn''t even a scratch on her. Besides, Bradley had never mistreated her, giving her everything she needed. Now, even the electric current on the gate had mysteriously vanished. They had no evidence at all. For all they knew, the cops might just think it was some kind of love triangle and write it off as just some messy rtionship drama between three people. Elijah nced at Bradley, then back at Cameron. Even though he had no idea what was going through Cameron''s mind, he still chose to do as she said. "My car''s over there. Come on," Elijah said.. Cameron and Elijah were just about to leave when Bradley called out from behind them. "Cameron, remember: if I can''t have you, nobody else could. Otherwise, you''ll both regret it," he said, his voice icy and full of threat. Cameron paused and looked back. Bradley was standing there, his sses off. "Cameron, he''s getting way too cocky. We shouldn''t leave. Let''s wait for the police and let them teach him a lesson,¡± Elijah said, frustration clear in his voice. Cameron finally tore her gaze away from Bradley. But then, she insisted, "Let''s go." In the end, Elijah went with what Cameron wanted. The two of them got back into the Rolls-Royce. "Cameron, are you really alright?¡± Elijah asked, feeling concerned. Cameron shook her head. "Elijah, don''t worry. Bradley just kept me from leaving, that''s all. I''m fine." Elijah said, "Bradley''s really gone too far this time." Cameron didn''t respond. She was done talking about Bradley. She had decided to pay him back as soon as she could. After that, they would be even, and there would be no more ties between them. Jack, who had been dozing off in the driver''s seat, finally woke up at the noise. He turned around and saw Cameron, his eyes widening in surprise. "Since when has Mr. Wace''s hair be so long?'' Jack wondered. ''He really does look like a girl. "Mr. Wace, are you alright?" Jack asked, concern in his voice. Cameron smiled and said, ¡°Jack, I think you might want to start calling me something else." Jack blinked in confusion. "Huh?". Cameron said, "I''m a girl." Jack was utterly shocked by the truth. It wasn''t until they drove into the city that Jack finally wrapped his head around the fact that Cameron was actually a girl. "Ms. Wace, where to?" he asked. Cameron told him the location of Yates Manor''s helipad. Right now, all she wanted was to go home. Her car was still stuck at Silvermoss Castle. Since going back was no longer an option, Cameron nned to hire a tow Elijah said, "Cameron, just go home, get some rest, and try Cameron looked at him, truly grateful. "Elijah, thank you Q put all this behind you." for everything today." If it hadn''t been for Elijah, Cameron would never have gotten out of there this fast. Elijah smiled, ¡°Really, it''s nothing. Anyone would have done the same." "Mr. Moore, you spent the whole night searching for Ms. Wace. We went through every single property under Bradley''s name, and you haven''t slept for almost 30 hours," Jack finally blurted out. Chapter 651 Elijah was always like this. He did so much for Cameron but never said a word about it. ''If he won''t tell the truth, then I''ll say it for him,'' Jack thought. Before, Jack had been puzzled by how much Elijah cared about Cameron. But once he learned that Cameron was actually a girl, he finally understood. So that was it. Elijah liked Cameron. Since that was the case, Jack was even more set on making sure Cameron knew just how much Elijah had done for her. "Jack, you''re making too much of it," Elijah said with a frown. He didn''t need Cameron to know everything he''d done for her. But Cameron had already taken Jack''s words to heart. "Elijah, sorry for troubling you. And... thank you," she said. Elijah gazed at her for a long moment. "I just... I was worried about you, that''s all." "Thanks," Cameron said, giving his shoulder a light pat. "I''ll treat you to dinner sometime." Elijah''s eyes brightened. "Sure." Cameron returned to the ind. She didn''t say a word to her family about what had happened the night before. After all, she didn''t want them to worry. After some digging around, Cameron managed to find Bradley''s bank ount. She borrowed some money from her mother and paid back all the money she owed him. She also put the ce at Noble Vista up for sale. Now, they were finally square. Cameron thought Bradley would show up to bother her again. But to her surprise, after that day at the castle, hepletely disappeared from her life. Cameron let out a sigh of relief. Xander also never showed up again. Word was, he''d left the country. Austin vanished from her life after that day, too. But Elijah and Cameron kept in touch regrly They stayed close friends all along. Seven yearster. Cameron became world-famous for creating a miracle cure for leukemia. Thepany she founded, Aurevia Biotech, was the hottest name in the business. Cameron was all over the news, even outshining the hottest inte celebrities and pop idols. The Yates family''s ind was no longer a remote, isted ce; it had opened up to the public. Now, multiple cruise ships ran between the ind and Steerfall every day. The ind had be an inte-famous destination, packed with tourists and giving the local economy a massive boost. As a result, the Yates family was raking in the cash. With Cameron''s achievements, the Yates family was bursting with pride. That night, Levi insisted on throwing a big celebration for Cameron on the ind. Cameron said she was just doing her part, and there was no need to make such a fuss about it. But Levi said, "Sweetheart, you''ve done something incredible for all of humanity. How could we not celebrate?" Jacqueline chimed in, "Cam, your dad''s right. We really should celebrate." Gavin puffed up with pride. "My sister is awesome!" Lance said, "Gavin, it''s not your sister who''s awesome; it''s Cam! You''re just basking in her glory." This time, Gavin didn''t argue with Lance. "You''re right. I''m basking in her glory." Cameron looked at her family helplessly. That evening, Cameron showed up at the party in a ck gown, elegant and understated. Yet still, she turned every head in the room. Nearly every leading figure in Zelpah''s medicalmunity was in attendance. All of Cameron''s friends hade, too. Amelia held a ss of red wine, watching Cameron stand in the spotlight. She couldn''t help but nce up at the tall, striking man standing beside her. "Mr. Moore, it''s been seven years. You''ve been after Cam for so long, but you''re still just friends. Haven''t you ever thought about taking things further?" Amelia asked. Elijah was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. Over the years, he had grown much more steady andposed. He had officially taken over the Moore family''s business, and now, Elijah Moore was also a big name in the medical world. "I''m not in a hurry. I can wait," Elijah said. Amelia rolled her eyes at him. "Wait? Wait until you and Cam are both old and gray? Dude, you need to make a move! You know how clueless Cam is about love. Enlighten her, will you?" Elijah looked at Cameron from afar, his gaze full of gentleness. Then, he shook his head softly. Honestly, over these seven years, Elijah had tried countless times to see if there was a chance with Cameron. But every time, Cameron had gently turned him down. *95% If being friends was what made Cameronfortable, then he''d be her friend forever. Being able to stay by her side and share a meal every now and then was more than enough for him. Amelia shook her head in exasperation. Holding her wine ss, she walked over to Cameron. Right then, Cameron was surrounded by her colleagues. "Miss Yates, you''re amazing. Leukemia is one of the toughest medical challenges out there, and you''ve developed a miracle cure. What you didisa wonder for all of humanity!" "And you''re only twenty-six! It''s honestly amazing-so young and already this aplished!" "Miss Yates is an absolute prodigy in the world of pharmaceuticals!" As everyone was showering her with praise, someone suddenly raised their voice. "Ms. Saunders is here!" "And Dr. Saunders is here too!" "Saunders? Who are they?" someone asked, curious. "Ms. Saunders is Cami Saunders. She''s the one who cured ALS at just twenty years old and became famous overnight." "And Dr. Saunders... is that her sixth brother, Damian Saunders?" "Miss Yates, you''re amazing. I can''t believe these two legends of the medical world are actually here for your celebration. That''s incredible!" As everyone talked, they all stepped aside, leaving a clear path in the middle. Cameron held her wine ss, the click of her heels echoing as she nced over. In an instant, she spotted two people making their way toward her. The girl was dressed in a striking red gown, her long hair swept up into a beautiful bun at the back of her head. She moved with effortless grace in ck heels, her gorgeous face lit up with a soft smile. Even her alluring eyes seemed to be smiling. The moment Cameron saw Cami Saunders, a wave of familiarity washed over her. It felt like she''d seen Cami somewhere before. Then she remembered. It wasn''t Cami she''d seen before-it was Eddie. Those captivating eyes of Cami''s were almost the same as Eddie''s. Strangely, ever since Bradley disappeared, Cameron hadn''t seen Eddie again either. And Eric hadn''t contacted her ever since, except for the quarterly royalties from The Starry series that showed up Cameron quickly collected herself. Then, her gaze shifted to the man standing next to Cami. her bank ount. He was dressed in a crisp white suit, tall and imposing, but his handsome face was expressionless. They were both in the same field, so naturally, Cameron had heard the name Damian Saunders many times. Rumor had it he started learning medicine at the age of three, could write prescriptions by six, and was already making waves in the medical world by twelve. "Genius doctor," "Miracle Healer"-he''d picked up every impressive title anyone could think of, each one proof of his legendary skills. "Ms. Saunders, Dr. Saunders, wee," Cameron said as she walked over, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Cami strolled over, her arm tucked through Damian''s. She smiled brightly. "Hi, Miss Yates. I''m Cami Saunders. I didn''t expect you to be so stunning in person. What a pleasure to finally meet you." Cami reached out to shake Cameron''s hand. Cameron smiled. "You''re gorgeous, too. d we finally get to meet." Cami shed a mischievous grin. Damian also shook Cameron''s hand. "Congrattions, Miss Yates." "Thanks,¡± Cameron replied. Then, she spotted Amelia waiting nearby. Cameron turned toward Cami and Damian. "Feel free to enjoy the party." The two nodded politely. As Cameron walked away, Damian furrowed his brow. Cami asked, "Damian, what''s up?" Damian said, "I feel like I''ve seen Cameron somewhere before." Cami replied, "She''s been all over TVtely. Of course, you''ve seen her." But Damian shook his head. He''d actually seen Cameron once, in a private dining room at a hotel in Steerfall, right before Bradley took the SATS. That had been ages ago. And back then, Cameron had been dressed as a guy. It was only natural that he didn''t recognize her immediately. Meanwhile, Cameron walked over to Amelia. Amelia grinned, giving her a once-over. "Well, well, Ms. Superstar, you finally found a minute for little old me." Cameron shot her a look. "Oh, cut it out with the sass." Ameliaughed and hooked her arm through Cameron''s. "Cam, you look absolutely stunning tonight." Cameron replied, "You look gorgeous too." Amelia lifted her chin with a smirk. "Naturally." Then, Amelia nced at Cami. "I''ve seen her on TV, but wow, she''s even prettier in person." Cameron nodded. ¡°Did you want to talk to me about something?" Amelia hooked her arm through Cameron''s and led her to look over at Elijah, who was standing not far away. As soon as Amelia left, a bunch of young women flocked over to Elijah. Guys like him-young, falented, and good-looking-were always a hotmodity. Amelia teased, "Cam, it''s been seven years. Don''t you think you should finally give Elijah some closure? Guys have a limited shelf life too, you know Cameron just stared at her, speechless. She blinked, genuinely puzzled. "Closure? What am I supposed to do?" Amelia grinned, "Simple, just be with him." Cameron shook her head. "Come on, Amelia, Elijah and I are just friends. Don''t start with your nonsense." "What do you mean, just friends?" Amelia frowned. "Come on, even a fool can tell Elijah is into you. He has stayed as your friend and supported you for seven years. Hasn''t that moved you at all?" Cameron fell silent. She wasn''t blind to how Elijah felt about her. But she''d turned him down, both straight-up and in more subtle ways, more times than she could count. Bes told him not to waste his time sticking around her. But none of it seemed to matter. "So what I''m supposed to do now? Just cut ties with him and never talk to him again?'' Cameron wondered. At their age, they were way past ying those kinds of childish games. Maybe it was better to keep things at afortable distance and leave them at that. That was what adults would do. Besides, over the past few years, aside from school, Cameron had spent most of her time in theb. She''d promised Elijah''s dad that she''d develop a cure for leukemia as soon as possible, and she wasn''t about to break that promise. Now that she''d done it, she could finally take a breather. Noticing her silence, Amelia said, "Maybe you should try dating Elijah, I think he''s outstanding, definitely someone you could spend the rest of your life with." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Since when is dating something you can just try out?" "And why does that sound exactly like something Bradley would say?'' she thought. "Just give it a try. Elijah''s crazy about you. He''d never let you down," Amelia said, her tone full of sincerity. Seven years had passed. It was rare that a man could love a woman for so many years without a single trace of hesitation. Back then, Amelia only had feelings for Bradley for a little while. The moment he turned her down, she got over him just like that. Compared to Bradley, Elijah was really amazing. ''It''d be such a waste if Cam missed out on a guy like him,'' Amelia thought. But Cameron patted Amelia on the shoulder. "I''m swamped tonight. Go have fun on your own." With that, she strolled off, wine ss in hand. speechless. Amelia was left standing there, totally She could only sigh in defeat. "Are you still waiting for Bradley?" Amelia tered under her brea No one-not even Amelia-really knew what had gone down between Cameron and Bradley. Once Cameron was done making the rounds, Elijah finally strolled over. He noticed her bare arms, took off his ck suit jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. "Careful. It''s quite chilly tonight." Cameron took off the jacket and handed it back to him. "Thanks, but I''m not cold." Elijah pressed his lips together. "She''s even turning down my concern?'' he thought. He was just looking out for her, like a friend would. Seeing the disappointed look on Elijah''s face, Cameron said firmly, "Elijah, it''s been so many years. You really shouldn''t keep wasting your time on me." Elijah was shocked. She said it again. Every time he heard those words, it felt like a punch to the gut. But to him, it was never a waste of time. Time was meant to be wasted, anyway. For him, time only mattered when he was spending it with the one he loved. Without another word, Cameron turned and walked away. Elijah''s eyes followed her graceful silhouette as she left, and he murmured, "So... Are we not even friends anymore?" After the celebration ended, Cameron returned to her room. She took off her makeup, showered, and slipped into afy pair of cotton pajamas. Then, she stood on the balcony, looking out at the sea "Cam?" A knock sounded at the door, along with Jacqueline''s voice. "Coming," Cameron said as she opened the door.. Jacqueline walked in, holding a ss of milk. ¡°You must be tired after tonight. Have some milk and get some rest 09.50U, 24 "Thanks, Mom," Cameron said, taking over the ss. Jacqueline sat down nearby, watching her with a warm, loving gaze. "Mom," Cameron said after finishing the milk, looking at Jacqueline, "Is there something you wanted to talk about?" Jacqueline nodded. "C¨¢m, I noticed a Mr. Moore tonight. He couldn''t take his eyes off you the entire evening. So... What''s the story between you two? Cameron replied, "We''re high school ssmates." Jacqueline smiled. ¡°High school ssmates? That''s basically childhood sweethearts." Cameron was speechless. Jacqueline grinned and asked, "Cam, is he pursuing you?" Cameron shot back, "Mom, are you trying to marry me off already?" Jacqueline fell silent. Back then, she and Levi set a rule: no dating for Cam before she turned twenty. But they had never expected that even now, at twenty-six, she still hadn''t dated anyone, not even once. Honestly, that was rather odd. Helen was only a year older than Cameron, and she was already a mom. Jacqueline wasn''t in any rush to see Cameron get married. Still, at her age, Cameron should at least experience a rtionship. A girl''s youth was precious, after all. And in Jacqueline''s eyes, Elijah was honestly a really good choice. 1 But it seemed like Cameron was always a bit distant with him. Jacqueline took Cameron''s hand, hesitated, and asked softly, "Cam, is it that you... don''t like boys?" Cameron just stared at her, lost for words.- She sighed, "Mom, you don''t have to worry about that. I''m straight, okay?" Jacqueline pressed, "Then howe you''ve never dated anyone?" AD Chapter 652 Cameron looked up and met Jacqueline''s eager gaze. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Mom, maybe the right person just hasn''t shown up yet Jacqueline replied, "Cam, you spend all your time in theb. How are you supposed to meet anyone?" Cameron fell silent. Jacqueline took her hand and said gently, "Cam, you spent years and finally seeded in developing a cure for leukemia. Now it''s time to take a break and clear your mind." Cameron understood her worries and nodded. "Okay." By the time Damian and Cami returned home, it was almost midnight. They thought everyone else was already asleep. So, they sat down on the couch, nning to chat for a bit before heading to bed. "Why are you still up?" From the doorway came a man''s deep, slightly amused voice. Cami turned around, a smile spreading across her face. "Brad, what took you so long? It''s already midnight." Bradley was dressed in a ck suit, his white shirt buttoned up perfectly-he looked every bit the serious, steady professional. Gold-rimmed sses rested on his nose, masking the clever, calcting look in his eyes. Bradley set his briefcase down on the couch and said, "An extra busy day at thew firm, that is." After graduating from abroad, Bradley opened aw firm in Viremont. In just a few years, his firm had made quite a name for itself, so he barely had a free moment. Bradley turned to Damian. "And you? What took you so long?" Damian replied, "We went to Viremont for a big shot''s celebration banquet." "Viremont?" Cami nodded. "Yeah, Viremont. Brad, I heard you went to high school there, right?" "Yeah." Bradley nodded. His high school was indeed in Viremont. But after graduating, he went abroad and never made it back to Viremont. "You two went together?" Bradley chuckled. "That must''ve been a pretty big deal ¡ªsomeone that influential, and they inved both of you to their celebration party?¡± Damian turned on the TV, flipped through a couple of channels, and happened to catch a news segment about Cameron. "That''s her. She''s the one who came up with the breakthrough treatment for leukemia," Damian said, pointing the remote at the girl on the screen. Bradley stared at the TV for a few seconds, a look of surprise on his face. "Wow, she''s that young? And a woman, too? She''s quite pretty 09:56 Thu, 24 Jul ODI? He quickly looked away and turned to Cami. "Cami, it''s reallyte. Go get some sleep." Cami stood up. ¡°You too, Brad. Don''t stay up toote." "Okay." Bradley nodded. "You''re back? Brad, you also came back just now?" Beth had guessed Cami check. And sure enough, they were home. "Mom, why are you still up?" Cami walked over and linked her arm with us. Beth replied, "How could I sleep when you weren''t.....¡± Damian would be back around this time, so she came downstairs to Just then, they heard the TV announcer say, "Cameron Yates has developed a revolutionary treatment for leukernia..." Beth immediately turned to look at Bradley. Bradley didn''t seem to notice. He was looking down at his phone. Without hesitation, Beth quickly walked over and turned off the TV. She then smiled and said, "It''s reallyte. You should all go to bed." "Goodnight, Mom," Cami and Damian said in unison. They both headed upstairs. Bradley was about to get up too when Beth called out, "Brad." He looked up at her. "Mom, what is it?" Beth looked at him with a smile. "You''ve beening homete a lottely. Is work at thew firm keeping you that busy?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah, I''ve been swamped. What''s wrong, Mom?" Chapter 653 Beth looked at Bradley with concern. "You can''t keep working yourself to the borte. You need to take care of yourself, too." Bradley smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. "Mom, I''m doing just fine. You don''t have to worry about me." "There''s one more thing," Beth said, looking at him intently. "What is it?" Bradley asked. Beth said, ¡°Brad, you''re five years older than Cami, and even she''s already settled down. Osborne is married and already has three kids. Don''t you think it''s about time you started dating, too?" Bradley paused for a moment, caught off guard. He shook his head. "Mom, I''m swamped with work. I don''t have time for dating." Beth said, "Work never really ends, you know. You''ll be turning twenty-seven in a few months; it''s about time you started thinking about settling down." Bradley shrugged and said, "Mom, even Reginald isn''t in a hurry, so why should I be?" Beth was left speechless for a moment. She sighed helplessly and said, "I''m not trying to force you to get married right now, you know. But can''t you at least get yourself a girlfriend? With all those girls at your firm, not a single one has caught your eye?" Bradley just shook his head. "Nope.¡± Beth fell silent again. After a while, she sighed, "What, are you nning to stay single forever?" Bradley couldn''t help butugh. "Mom,e on, it''s not that dramatic. I just don''t feel like dating right now." Beth pressed, "So when do you actually want to start dating?" Bradley shrugged and said, "When that person shows up, I guess." Her face grew serious. "That person?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah. So far, I just haven''t met anyone who makes me want to be in a rtionship. "If she ever shows up, I might just get hitched on the spot. "Mom, don''t be too surprised when that dayes," he added yfully. Beth chuckled at his words. "Get hitched on the spot?'' she mused to herself Beth couldn''t help but recall how Bradley had thrown caution to the wind a few years back. In fact, he really might just go through with it. But that was all in the past now. Beth let out a sigh. "Brad, can''t you just lower the bar a little?" Bradley shook his head. "Mom, it''ste. Go get some sleep, or you''ll end up with wrinkles." Beth gave a helpless smile. "You''re just trying to brush me off again." Bradley walked her back to her room, then finally returned to his own. Standing under the shower, the hot water washed the exhaustion away. Dating Brad thought to himself. "I really dons for that! The next day, as soon as Bradley arrived at the firm, his phone rang. "Hello, is this Mr. Bradley Saunders?" a man''s voice asked, sounding all business. "Yes, this is he. May I ask who''s calling?" Bradley replied. "Mr. Saunders, thank goodness. I finally got in touch with you. I''m with the property management at Noble Vista," the man said. Bradley asked, "Is there something you need from me?" The man exined, "Mr. Saunders, the water pipe at your vi burstst night. We couldn''t reach you, so we had to break down your front door to get in and fix it. We''d like to talk to you aboutpensation." "Vi?" Bradley was confused. "I remember buying a house, not a vi." That house had a huge garden. However, he didn''t visit it very often. The property manager was baffled. "How could it just be Bradley was speechless. a house? It''s definitely a vi." The man continued, "Mr. Saunders, if it''s convenient for you, could youe over so we can discuss thepensation in person?" Bradley said, "Give me a sec, let me check my schedule." He called his assistant and confirmed that he''d be free after six o''clock that evening. "Alright, I''ll be there at eight," Bradley said. Chapter 654 Bradley pulled up to Noble Vista right on time at 8 PM. The property staff had already been waiting for him. Soon, Bradley had a brief discussion with them about thepensation. After that, he headed over to the vi the property staff had pointed out alone. However, Bradley had never seen this vi before, and he honestly had no memory of ever buying it. He walked up to the gate. Just like the man had described, it was already broken. But the keypad lock was still perfectly intact. Bradley hesitantly pressed his thumb to the pad. There was a click, and the lock popped open right away. Bradley was speechless. He couldn''t believe it; his fingerprint actually unlocked the door. ''So it really is mine,'' he mused to himself. ''Guess I''ve got so many properties under my name that I just lost track of this one." Bradley walked into the vi. Because of the burst pipes, water was everywhere, and the floor was a total mess. Luckily, the property staff had fixed things quickly, so there wasn''t too much damage. Bradley looked around the ce. When he got to the storage room, he stopped in his tracks. He spotted a mountain bike inside. But the bike was meticulously wrapped up, as if it was some kind of treasure. ''Wait, is that my bike?'' he thought, a bit confused. ''When did I even buy this?'' Bradley stepped inside and tore off the wrapping. Then, he took a closer look. This brand of bike would cost a fortune. At the front of the bike, Bradley spotted something engraved-his initials, B.S. "Did someone give this to me?'' he wondered, puzzled. Who would give him such an expensive bike? And why couldn''t he remember at all? Just like with this vi, Bradley had absolutely no recollection of where this mountain bike came from. "Probably a friend gave it to me back in high school,'' he guessed to himself. It had been so many years; no wonder his memory had gotten hazy. Bradley didn''t stick around the vi for too long. The ce hadn''t been lived in for years; there was absolutely no way anyone could stay there now. It waste, and there was no way he was going to drive two hours back to Steerfall at this hour. So, he found a five-star hotel and booked a room. Cameron had left the ind that morning. She knew what Jacqueline meant-she wanted her to get out there, maybe meet someone special. But Cameron went directly to a hotel and booked a room. She''d already sold her ce at Noble Vista. The house outside the university was way too far from downtown, so Cameron picked a hotel in the city center instead, She actually enjoyed the hustle and bustle. Cameron had holed up in her hotel room all day, even ordering room service for both lunch and dinner. Then, she figured it was time to head downstairs for a stroll. Just as she stepped out of the elevator, Cameron spotted Bradley, who had just finished checking in and was making his way toward the elevator area. The two of them came face to face. The instant Cameron saw Bradley, she froze on the spot. Bradley? ''Am I seeing things?'' she wondered, doubting her own eyes. But when she took a closer look, she realized it was indeed Bradley. He was dressed in a sharply tailored suit with a subtle pattern, gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose. He looked calm and reserved, carrying himself with the quiet confidence of someone who''d made it. Seven years had gone by. Now, Bradley seemed so much moreposed. "Excuse me," Bradley said, his voice calm and polite. Cameron was standing right in the riddle of the hallway. Bradley shot her a quick look, then started to walk around her toward the elevator. Cameron stood still, not moving an inch. The next second, Bradley suddenly turned around. He walked back, fixing his gaze on Cameron. As he passed by her just now, his heart suddenly thudded hard for no reason. Bradley turned around and looked straight at Cameron. He didn''t recognize her at all, yet for some reason, she seemed strangely familiar. "Miss, have we met somewhere before?" Bradley was the first to speak. Cameron was stunned. ''What does he mean?'' she wondered,pletely baffled. ''It''s been seven years. What trick is he ying now?" Bradley quietly stared at the woman in front of him. She was stunning-tall, with short hair that fell casually to her shoulders. A long, light brown trench coat entuated her figure. With her height, the coat looked absolutely amazing on her. While standing, her hands were casually tucked into her pockets. She was exactly the kind of girl people on the inte called gorgeous and badass. Bradley looked at Cameron, and he really did feel like he''d seen her somewhere before. Cameron stayed silent and even shot him a disdainful look. Bradley hurriedly exined, "Miss, I''m seriously not trying to flirt or anything. I just really feel like we''ve met before "Cameron Yates! Oh my god, it really is you! Can I get your autograph?" a girl suddenly recognized Cameron, her voice full of excitement. Cameron shook her head. "Sorry, you''ve got the wrong person." 1 She wasn''t a celebrity, so there was no reason for her to sign anything. "Oh... Okay," the girl mumbled, looking disappointed as she walked away. Only then did Bradley realize who she was. He must''ve seen Cameron on TVst night. Thinking of this, Bradley offered a polite apology. "I''m sorry." With that, he didn''t stick around and headed straight into the elevator. Cameron turned around, watching the elevator doors slowly close. "What is Bradley up to now?" she thought, frowning in confusion. Seven years ago, after she rejected him, he''d gone so far as to lock her away in that castle. And now, he was acting like he didn''t even recognize her. Cameron couldn''t help but sneer. Later, she took a stroll around the hotel. But out of nowhere, she just lost all interest in exploring. So, Cameron headed straight back to her room. Running into Cameron was just a random encounter for Bradley. Aside from that inexplicable jolt in his chest, he didn''t dwell on it at all. Right now, all his attention was locked on work. Before going to sleep, he pulled out hisptop and started reviewing the files for tomorrow afternoon''s court case. There was a sudden sizzle, and the lights in the room went out all at once. Bradley frowned, closed hisptop, and was about to call the front desk to see what was up. Suddenly, the fire rm red to life, shrill and urgent. Bradley sprang into action. He packed up hisptop in a sh, grabbed his suit jacket and pulled it on, snatched up his phone, then rushed into the bathroom to soak a towel and press it over his mouth. Without a moment''s hesitation, he dashed out of the room. The rms outside were ring, piercing everyone''s ears. The guests, thrown into a panic by the sudden fire rm, rushed for the exits in a frenzy. "Don''t use the elevator! You can''t take the elevator during a fire!" someone shouted. All at once, everyone started heading for the stairwell. Bradley kept his cool; he wasn''t freaking out like everyone else, but he didn''t waste a second getting out of there. "Hello? Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear me?" As he passed by the elevator, Bradley suddenly heard someone calling for help from inside. He couldn''t help but frown. Apparently, someone was trapped in the elevator. But because of the fire, the elevator had already stopped working. Without hesitating, Bradley set his things down and called out, "Is anyone in there? Don''t move. Just wait for me, okay?" He braced himself and forced the elevator doors open with all his strength. "Get out of there!" Bradley called out before he even saw who was inside. Cameron didn''t expect to see Bradley. She just stood there, frozen. "Quick, get out." Seeing her frozen in ce, Bradley didn''t hesitate. He went in and yanked her out of the elevator. Once they were out, Bradley let go of her. Only then did he realize it was Cameron he''d just pulled out. "Miss Yates, there''s a fire. We need to take the stairs. Be careful," he said. With that, he bent down to pick up his things. But then, he noticed that Cameron hadn''t brought anything with her. Bradley handed her the wet towel. "If you don''t mind, use this to cover your mouth. IIII help keep the smoke out. AD Chapter 655 Cameron frowned at Bradley, not taking the towel he handed her. She had juste back from a walk outside the hotel. However, the elevator suddenly stopped working halfway up. Not knowing what was going on, Cameron knocked on the door and called out hesitantly. To her surprise, someone answered right away. Secondster, the elevator doors were pried open. However, she hadn''t expected it to be Bradley. He was dressed in a suit, his handsome face taut with effort, but even then, his profile was strikingly attractive. While Cameron was still in a daze, she felt a sudden tug on her wrist, and Bradley pulled her straight out of the elevator. It wasn''t until he handed her the towel that Cameron snapped back to reality. Cameron asked tly, "Bradley, what is this all about?" Bradley looked genuinely surprised. "You know me, Miss Yates?" Cameron sneered. "Your acting is pretty impressive. You could win an award this year." Bradley looked at her, confused. "Acting? Does she think I''m an actor?'' he wondered. Bradley frowned. "Miss Yates, I think you''re mistaken. I''m awyer. My brother, Reginald Saunders, is an actor. It''s dangerous right now, not the time for small talk. Let''s get downstairs, fast." With that, Bradley hurried toward the stairwell. Then, he held the fire door open. Cameron quickly followed him. The hotel was a popr choice among the tourists, so it was packed with guests. At this hour, most people were getting ready for bed. But now, everyone was scrambling downstairs. Some people were still in their regr clothes. Others had just thrown on pajamas or even wrapped themselves in bedsheets. Everything was a mess. Bradley was on the 16th floor, and it took him quite a few minutes to race down all those flights of stairs. Meanwhile, Cameron followed closely behind.. Down in the lobby, the hotel staff were busy trying to calm the guests. They still had no idea what had actually caused the fire or where it had started. But soon enough, the manager came out and announced that it was all just a false rm. A curious kid had pressed the fire rm, and that was what set. off this whole mess. Still, the guests were making a fuss. No matter the reason, it really was a hassle for everyone. But some reasonable guests just shrugged it off and took the elevator back to their rooms. Cameron and Bradley were among them. The two of them shared an elevator back up, with nobody else around. Bradley''s room was on the 16th floor, and Cameron''s was on the 23rd. Bradley nced at Cameron. "Miss Yates, do you know me or something?" Cameron smirked sarcastically. "Bradley, are you seriously pretending you have amnesia right now?" Bradley looked genuinely puzzled. "Amnesia? What are you talking about?" Cameron didn''t take her eyes off Bradley, watching him closely. She''d picked up some psychology tricks and was pretty good at reading people''s microexpressions to guess what they were really thinking. From what Cameron could tell, Bradley really didn''t seem to be lying. Cameron thought to herself, ''He really doesn''t remember me?'' Ever since Elijah took her away from the castle that day, she hadn''t seen Bradley again. And now, he actually didn''t remember her. For a moment, Cameron couldn''t describe how she felt. The sarcasm was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back down. Cameron remained silent, saying nothing more. Bradley got the hint and didn''t ask further. Still, he couldn''t help but wonder why Cameron would say something like that. Today was supposed to be their first meeting, yet she treated him so coldly, as if something had happened between them before. But in his memory, he truly had no recollection of Cameron at all. The elevator stopped at the 16th floor. Bradley gave a slight nod and stepped out, carrying hisptop. He nced back, and for a split second, his eyes locked with Cameron''s cold, unreadable stare. The elevator doors closed quickly. Bradley turned around and headed toward his room. As he showered, Bradley thought it over carefully. He truly had no memory of Cameron at all. 10:02 Fri, 25 JOI G "Maybe Cameron just got the wrong person?'' he wondered. That seemed to be the only possibility. Chapter 656 Cameron returned to her room, her brows furrowed in thought. Bradley really didn''t look like he was pretending. ''So, what on earth happened to him during those seven years?'' Cameron wondered to herself. ''And why did he suddenly vanish without a trace?'' Driven by curiosity, Cameron turned on theputer that came with her room, her fingers flying across the keyboard. It didn''t take her long to dig up some leads. Apparently, Bradley had suddenly filed for a transfer just before the start of the second semester of his freshman year. After that, he finished his studies abroad. Once he graduated, he returned to Steerfall and set up his ownw firm. These days, hisw firm had made a name for itself in the field, and he''d be a star attorney everyone wanted on their side. Even if people were willing to shell out a fortune in legal fees, getting him to take their case wasn''t guaranteed. It fit perfectly with Cameron''s first impression of him: a man who had truly made it big. "Could it be that he got involved in some ident and ended up with amnesia? Cameron wondered. But then she shook her head at the thought. ''Why should I even care whether Bradley remembers me or not?'' she asked herself. "If he doesn''t remember, then whatever.'' Once upon a time, they had been good friends. Cameron had even naively believed they could still be friends after she turned Bradley down. But instead, he''d be possessive, locking her up and telling her she could only ever belong to him. It was insane. 78% 28 The gentle boy she once knew had long since vanished. She was here to clear her head and take a breather from everything. There was no need to waste her thoughts on people who had nothing to do with her anymore. The next morning, Cameron woke up early. After freshening up, she went downstairs for breakfast. To her surprise, there were actually people who had gotten up even earlier than she did. The restaurant was already packed. Cameron had to look around for quite a while before she finally managed to snag a table to herself. 10402 The breakfast was a buffet with a variety of options. Cameron helped herself to a few simple dishes before sitting down. Just as she was peeling her egg, she heard a man''s deep, slightly amused voice from above her. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" There really was nowhere else to sit. Bradley had no choice but to ask to join someone at their table. After breakfast, he had to head back to Steerfall. He had a court hearing in the afternoon, so he couldn''t be dyed. Cameron looked up and spotted Bradley. He still had on those gold-rimmed sses, looking every bit the refined and shrewd man he was. She then said tly, "No, it''s not." "Thanks," Bradley said, setting his coffee cup down on the table across from her. Then he went off to grab some more food. After a moment, Bradley came back. He sat down across from Cameron. Bradley savored his coffee, his eyes lingering thoughtfully on Cameron. After a brief pause, he said, "Miss Yates, I think you might have mistaken me for someone else." Cameron had just finished her boiled egg. She slowly stirred the soup in front of her, then lifted her gaze to meet Bradley''s eyes. "Is that so? Mr. Saunders, which high school did you attend?" Bradley replied, "Langford Academy in Viremont." Cameron said calmly, "Well, what a coincidence. I went there too." Bradley raised his brows in surprise. "Seriously? Now that''s a small world. Guess we''re schoolmates." Cameron pressed on, "Which dorm were you in back in high school?" Bradley Saunders thought for a moment, then said, "Room 316." Cameron said, "Another coincidence. Same here." Bradley chuckled. "Ms. Wace, you lived in girl''s Room 316?" That was almost too much of a coincidence. Cameron gave him a look. Now she was certain. Bradley really was suffering from amnesia. "Wait, that''s not right. Cameron thought to herself. ''He still remembered his room was 316.'' She frowned, then asked, "Mr. Saunders, fremember your dorm was kind of legendary back in school. There was Elijah Moore, and..." 10:02 Fri, 25 Jul G Q "And Xander Murphy, and Austin Fraser. The four of us," Bradley finished for her. Cameron was stunned. Bradley still remembered Xander and the rest of them. But howe he didn''t remember her? "Selective amnesia, huh?'' she scoffed inwardly. AD Comment Chapter 657 Cameron frowned slightly, then asked offhandedly, "Mr. Saunders, do you remember who the top scorer in your year''s SATS was?" Bradley set down his coffee cup, thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I don''t remember. As soon as I graduated, I went abroad to study, sof never really paid much attention to things like that." Cameron caught onto the key detail. "You went abroad to study as soon as you graduated?" Bradley nodded. Cameron was stunned. Not only did Bradley have selective amnesia, but what he remembered was actually wrong. This kind of thing couldn''t have happened by ident. Someone made him lose his memory on purpose. "Did someone hypnotize him?'' Cameron wondered. She casually asked Bradley a few more questions while masking her purpose. She quickly noticed that whenever it came to anything rted to her, Bradley either couldn''t remember at all, or his memories were just in wrong. After hopping through worlds for over a thousand years, Cameron had seen it all. She instantly realized that someone had put Bradley under a deep hypnosis, wiping out every memory he had of her and even messing with some of his other memories. Her mind raced. ''Who could have done this?'' she wondered. While Cameron was lost in thought, Bradley had already finished his meal. He put down his utensils and quipped, "Miss Yates, you seem pretty curious about me." Cameron fell silent. She snapped out of it and shot him a calm nce. He shed his trademark faint smile. ¡°Miss Yates, you''re very beautiful. I''ve got things to do. See you around." With that, he stood up and walked out of the restaurant. He was going back to Steerfall. She watched him leave, then quickly looked away. Back in Steerfall, Bradley buried himself in case files, preparing for the court session that afternoon. At 1:30 pm, Bradley, his client, and two assistants arrived at the courthouse. The defendant and the defensewyer were already there. "Mr. Hayes, you have to win this case for me. I''ll pay whatever it costs," the defendant, Kurt Klein, said nervously. Jackson, dressed in a sharp suit, nodded confidently. "Don''t worry, Mr. Klein. I won''t let you down." "Mr. Saunders..." The client couldn''t help but turn to Bradley. Bradley gave him a reassuring look. When Jackson heard someone call out "Mr. Saunders," he turned and saw He froze for a second, then burst outughing. Bradley. "Brad! It really is you!" Jackson walked over to Bradley with a big smile. "Jackson?" Bradley was just as surprised. Back when they were in high school, Bradley had invested in aw firm in Viremont, and Jackson was one They hadn''t been in touch for years. of the partners. Bradley never expected to run into him here. "Brad! What are you doing here..." Jackson started, then suddenly took a step back. "No way. Are we actually on opposite sides today?" Bradley smiled, "Jackson, I''m not going to go easy on you just because you''re older." Jackson looked at him helplessly. "What''s with you?" Kurt frowned. Jackson grinned, "Don''t worry, Mr. Klein. I''ll do what I can." Kurt was speechless. "Wasn''t he all confident just a moment ago? How did it turn into "I''ll do what I can"?'' he thought. The trial ended. Just as expected, Kurt lost the case. He scowled. "Seriously? I thought you were experienced!" Jackson looked at him helplessly. Bradley strutted out of the courtroom, looking every bit the picture of triumph. His client was practically showering him with gratitude. Jackson walked over and slung an arm around Bradley''s shoulders. ¡°Alright, Brad, how are you going to make it up to me?" Bradley waved his assistants off, signaling for them to head back first. He fl "Come uare?" Chapter 658 Jackson pretended to be upset. "I don''t care. If you don''t treat me to a fancy dinner today, you''re not leaving." Bradley chuckled, "Where do you want to eat?" Jackson replied, "Wherever''s the most expensive." Bradley nodded. "Alright." Jackson patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Brad, it''s been years, and you''ve only gotten more impressive. I always knew you were going to be something special, and you really proved me right." Bradley took Jackson to the priciest luxury hotel in Steerfall for dinner. During the meal, the two of them talked about thetest in their industry and the news of the day, thoroughly enjoying each other''spany. Suddenly, Jackson thought of Cameron and let out a sigh. "Brad, thank goodness you helped Cameron with herwsuit back then. "You helped her break free from those bloodsucking foster parents and even got them thrown into a detention center. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be what she is today." "Cameron?" Bradley looked puzzled, setting down his wine ss. "Who''s that?" Jackson stared at him, dumbfounded. He said, "Wasn''t she your high school ssmate? That poor kid was forced to pretend to be a boy ever since she was little. Who would''ve thought she''d be so incredible now." "What do you mean, forced to live as a boy?" Bradley was getting more and more confused. "Jackson, none of what you''re saying makes sense to me." Jackson was stunned, too. He thought, ''How could Brad not get it?'' Jackson asked, "Did you lose your memory or something?" Bradley replied, "I didn''t!" Jackson waved his hand. "Never mind if you don''t remember. It''s not really important anyway." Soon, the two of them started talking about something else. 767812 At ten o''clock that night, Bradley returned to Saunders Manor. Beth and Eddie were both there. Now, Eddie was a well-known counselor in Steerfall. He had even opened his own counseling center in the city. Eddie was lounging on the couch in a ck coat, his hair-once a wild mess of colors-now restored to its natural shade, He sat there in silence, and when he heard someonee in, he nced up. "Brad, you''re back." There was a lingering mncholy in those soft, alluring eyes that just wouldn''t fade. He was apletely different person from who he used to be. 10.03 FII, ZO JUL "Eddie, Mom," Bradley greeted them with a slight nod. Beth smiled. "Brad,e here." Bradley walked over. Beth slid a thick stack of photos across the table to him. "Brad, take a look at these." Bradley shot her a suspicious look before ncing down, only to see that those were all girls'' photos. Bradley fell silent. Beth continued, "Brad, you''re always so busy with work that you never have time to meet new people. These are all girls around your "See if anyone stands out to you. If you think someone looks nice, I can set up a date for you." Bradley just nced at the photos and shook his head. "Mom, you really don''t have to worry about this for me. I''m really not interested in dating right now." Beth stared at him, speechless. Bradley stood up. "Mom, it''s gettingte. I''m going to bed now. Goodnight, Eddie." With that, he headed upstairs. "Goodnight," Eddie replied. Bradley headed upstairs. Eddie nced at Beth. "Mom, if we''d known it''de to this, would we have made those choices back then?" The past... was better left unsaid. Beth''s eyes turned red. "Eddie, I regret it so much. I never should''ve listened to Nell. But what can I do? Life just has to go on, doesn''t it?* Eddie fell silent. Seeing how down he looked, Beth couldn''t help but try tofort him. "Eddie, you too. What''s done is done. You''ve already paid for it. Can''t you just let yourself off the hook?" Eddie pressed his lips together. "Mom, I''m tired." ''Let myself off the hook?'' Eddie thought. ''Do I even deserve that?'' When that person appeared, he wished he could start his whole life over. Chapter 659 Bradleyy in bed after his shower, the lights off, staring up at the pitch-ck ceiling. He had always been sharp. That was just who he was. As awyer, he was nothing if not rigorous-precision was in his bones. But yesterday, Cameron''s cold, indifferent gaze-and the way she acted strangely curious this morning had really thrown him off. And then there was Jackson talking about someone cross-dressing, and how he supposedly helped his ssmate Cameron... None of it made any sense. Besides, Bradley couldn''t remember any of it at all. ''What on earth is going on?'' he thought to himself. Was it possible he was missing a chunk of his memory? But when he tried to recall, everything seemed perfectly intact. There weren''t any gaps at all. Still, Jackson had no reason to lie. And the way Cameron looked at him... That wasn''t the look that anyone would give a stranger. With all these questions swirling in his mind, Bradley knocked on Eddie''s door. "Brad, why are you still up?" Eddie asked as he opened the door and let him in. Bradley stepped inside and immediately spotted a photo on the coffee table. In the picture was a girl with eyes as clear as ake and a bright, genuine smile. She looked so pure, like the world had not yet polluted her. Bradley asked, "Is this the girl who showed up at Cami''s wedding?" He couldn''t remember her name. But he did remember how Eddie had stared at her the whole time. That was the only reason her face stuck in his mind. Eddie, a little flustered, quickly grabbed Vicki''s photo and tried to hide it. He carefully slipped it between the pages of a book. "Brad, what''s up? Do you need something?" Eddie asked, clearly dodging the question. Bradley said, "Eddie, I took a trip to Viremont yesterday, and I met a girl...'' He gave Eddie a rough rundown of what had happened. Eddie''s eyes widened in shock. That girl must be Cameron Wace. Now, she became Cameron Yates. After all these years, Brad actually ran into her again. 10:04 FM, 25 JUI Back then, when Eddie found out that Cameron was actually a girl, he''d honestly felt happy for Bradley. For once, Bradley''s rtionship could finally be epted by their family and the whole world. But when Eddie came home for winter break, he found out that their family, pushed by their adopted daughter, Nell, had tricked Bradley into undergoing deep hypnosis, They wiped every memory he had of Cameron and shipped him off overseas for school. Eddie had been so angry that he''d nearly lost his mind. Cameron was a girl, and Brad had told them the moment he found out. "Why didn''t they trust Brad? Why would they believe Nell over their own son?'' Eddie fumed. Later, Eddie mmed the proof that Cameron was a girl right in front of his family. That was when regret finally hit them. But by then, nothing could change what had happened. After that, Eddie didn''t even dare go back to Stenford University. He just kept himself overseas as an exchange student, all because he was scared of running into Cameron. He had no idea how he''d ever face her, or how to exin everything about Bradley. Years had gone by. Unexpectedly, Bradley and Cameron ran into each other again after all this time. But things were nothing like they used to be. Seeing Eddie fall silent, Bradley asked, "Eddie, is there something wrong with my memory?" Eddie stayed silent. "Eddie?" Bradley called softly. Atst, Eddie looked at him with those mncholy eyes and shook his head. "Brad, I don''t want to lie to you. Please, don''t ask me. Bradley frowned. Eddie''s reaction said it all. Bradley already had his answer. "Eddie, there''s really something wrong with my memory, isn''t there? Do you know what actually happened back then?" Bradley pressed, his voice tense. Eddie stayed silent for a long moment before finally saying, "Brad, just drop it. Even if you know your memory''s been tampered with, there''s nothing you can do about it now." Bradley frowned. Eddie added, "If you really want to know what happened back then, go ask Mom." The real mastermind, Nell, was already dead. There was no point in asking anymore. 10:04 Fri, 25 Jul G@ Chapter 660 "My memory issues are rted to Mom?" Bradley''s frown deepened. Eddie shook his head. "Brad, it''s not Mom''s fault. She was just brainwashed by Nell. You can''t me her." "Nell? Didn''t she die in a mental hospital?" Bradley was even more confused. Nell Crowsby was originally named Nell Saunders. Before she turned twenty, she was the apple of the Saunders family''s eye-their youngest and only daughter, spoiled with everything she ever wanted. Nathan and Beth doted on her so much that they would be utterly distressed even if she sneezed a bit. But when Nell hit twenty, her whole world turned upside down. One day, the Saunders saw a minor celebrity named Cami Crowsby on TV. They were shocked by how much she resembled Beth in her youth. After looking into it, they found out that Cami was actually the real daughter of their family. Back then, Nell''s mother and Beth had given birth in the same hospital room. Seeing how wealthy Beth looked, Nell''s mother maliciously swapped the two baby girls. So, Nell ended up bing the heiress of the Saunders'' family Meanwhile, the real heiress, Cami, was taken back to a remote vige by Nell''s mother, where she was barely given enough to eat. Cami had been mistreated, growing up only thanks to the neighbors who pitched in to help her get by. She made it to high school, but with no money left, she had no choice but to drop out. Thanks to her good looks, she got her foot in the door of showbiz. But with no money or connections, she was stuck as a nobody in the industry. That was until the Saunders family spotted her on TV and rushed to bring her home. They even donated a ton of money and resources to Steerfall Royal Academy of Arts, pulling some strings to get her in as a freshman. From then on, all the Saunders family''s affection was poured onto Cami. Even the seven brothers, who had never liked Nell, spoiled Cami to an outrageous extent. Nell was driven mad with jealousy and schemed against Cami again and again. In the end, she was locked away in a mental hospital and met a miserable death. Just hearing Nell''s name was enough to make the Saunders curse their bad luck. Eddie shook his head. "Brad, I have nothing more to say." Bradley was speechless. Since Eddie didn''t want to say anything, Bradley let it go and didn''t press further. He stood up and patted Eddie on the shoulder. "Eddie, you''ve been single for years now. It''s all in the past. Time to move on and start a new life." 10:04 Fri, 25 JUI G Eddie just shook his head lightly. A new life? Eddie knew exactly what Bradley was getting at. He thought to himself, "Someone as filthy as me... Do I even deserve to be with a girl that pure?'' Bradley didn''t n to disturb Beth. After all, it was alreadyte. Early the next morning, after breakfast, everyone in the house headed out-some to school, some to work. After Beth saw everyone off, she realized Bradley was still at home, not having left for work. "Not a busy day?" Beth asked with a smile as she walked over to him. Bradley said calmly, "Not today." Beth smiled. "Since you''re not busy, why not go out and enjoy yourself?" Bradley said, "Mom, I want to ask you something." Beth sat down beside him. She suddenly had a bad feeling. Bradley got straight to the point. "Mom, do you know Cameron Wace?" Beth froze, her eyes wide in shock. "The truth really can''t stay hidden forever,'' Beth thought to herself. ''Brad found out after all.'' Her eyes instantly turned red with guilt as she spoke. ¡°Brad, I''m so sorry. It''s all my fault for believing Nell''s lies. You clearly told me you liked girls, but I still took you to get that deep hypnosis..." AD Chapter 661 Bradley frowned. "Mom, I really don''t get it. What does me liking girls have to do with you taking me to get hypnotized?" Beth looked guilty. "Brad, it was my mistake. You were so determined about Cameron, even willing to cut ties with the family. I thought you really liked guys. I had no idea Cameron was actually a girl pretending to be a boy..." "So, I liked Cameron. She was pretending to be a guy, and you all thought I was into men? To keep me away from her, you took me for deep hypnosis and wiped out all my memories of her?" Bradley asked. Piecing together Beth''s words with what Jackson had told him, he quickly figured out the whole story. Beth looked ashamed, her eyes red as she apologized. ¡°I''m sorry, Brad.¡± But now, it was already toote to apologize. Beth had once thought about making up for her mistake. But she was powerless to do anything about it. She thought time would heal everything. And after a few years, Bradley would start a new life. But seven years had gone by, and instead of moving on, Bradley ended up meeting Cameron again. ''Is the fate already sealed?'' she wondered. Bradley''s face was nk as he fell into deep thought. "So, back then, how far did things go between me and Cameron? Did we actually get together?" Beth nodded. "From what Eric told me, you two... were living together." Bradley seemed surprised. "We actually lived together?" "I think so," Beth said. Bradley was speechless. He shot to his feet and strode out of the room. "Brad, where are you going?" Beth called after him. "I''m going to find Cameron," he said without looking back. Beth watched as Bradley hurried away, her eyes brimming with tears. She murmured softly, "I''m sorry, Brad." Cameron Wace had be Cameron Yates. Now, seven years had passed. "Is Cameron still single?'' she wondered. Beth didn''t dare bring it up; she was afraid Bradley would be let down. Bradley had just learned from Beth that he and Cameron had even lived together, but then all his memories of her were erased, and he was sent overseas to study. Then what about Cameron? 10:04 FT, Had she tried to reach out to him, only for his family to intercept her messages? Bradley felt as if a thousand needles were pricking his heart, the pain radiating through every inch of his body. As he sat in the car, Bradley suddenly froze. He couldn''t remember anything about Cameron. ''Who exactly is Cameron?'' Bradley wondered. ''Where could she be now?'' Oh, right. They were high school ssmates. Bradley quickly pulled out his phone and logged onto the Langford Academy website. Right away, his eyesnded on the campus celebrities list, and at the very top was a girl. "Wait, isn''t that Cameron Yates, the girl I ran into just the other day?'' Bradley thought. Next to Cameron Yates'' name, there was another name: [Cameron Wace] Bradley frowned. "What the hell is going on?'' he thought,pletely baffled. Bradley clicked on the entry. Information about Cameron Yates popped up. [Cameron Yates, formerly known as Cameron Wace. She was the top scorer of the 2016 SATS.] [She once enrolled at Langford Academy disguised as a boy, and in thest semester of her senior year, she rose from the very bottom of her ss to be the top scorer in the entire state.] [After graduating from college, she changed her name to Cameron Yates and joined Aurevia Biotech. Not long ago, she developed a groundbreaking treatment for leukemia that made her famous worldwide...] Bradley waspletely floored, his mind going nk for a moment. ''Cameron Wace is Cameron Yates.'' Bradley''s mind reeled. That was the girl he''d run into just the other day. No wonder when he saw her for the first time, his heart had pounded so hard for no reason at all. Even with all his memories wiped, just being near her still made his heart race. And her indifferent attitude made sense. She must be mad at him because he had vanished without a word. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 662 Bradley was drowning in guilt. He hadn''tmunicated well with his family, and that was what led to the situation today. He had forgotten everything. His family was satisfied as well. But what about Cameron? Her life must have been so painful. She had asked him a whole string of questions yesterday, so she must have realized he''d lost his memory. No wonder he''d answered all her questions honestly yesterday. If it had been anyone else, he would''ve just dodged their questions or given them the runaround. It turned out that they had once been in love. Bradley collected himself. Right now, the only thing he wanted was to go to Viremont and find Cameron. He had to tell her that he hadn''t disappeared on purpose. He floored it all the way there, and a little over an hourter, he pulled up to the hotel where Cameron was staying. He marched straight up to the front desk. "Hi, could you check if Ms. Yates is still staying here?" The receptionist smiled and shook her head. "Sorry, sir, but that''s private information. I can''t help you with that." Bradley frowned. If she wasn''t willing to help, he certainly couldn''t force her. All he needed was aputer, and he could find out on his own. Bradley stepped out of the hotel, nning to grab hisptop from the car, when he ran right into Cameron. It was a nice day, and Cameron was wearing a long houndstooth dress, her hands casually tucked in her pockets. She lookedid-back, beautiful, and just a little bit sassy. Bradley stopped in his tracks, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Cameron." Thank goodness she hadn''t left yet. If she had left, he would have had no idea where to look for her. Cameron froze for a second, surprised. "You remember me?" Bradley hadn''t recognized her just yesterday. "Has his memorye back that quickly?'' she wondered. ''Or had he just been pretending yesterday?'' Bradley shook his head. "No." He wasn''t lying. For now, he couldn''t remember anything that had happened between them. Cameron looked at Bradley in silence. Bradley smiled and said, "Cameron, can we sit down and talk?" Cameron fell silent for a while, but she didn''t refuse. If she put aside that memory from seven years ago at the castle, every impression Bradley had left on her was a good one. Soon, they sat down together in a corner of the hotel''s caf¨¦. Cameron slowly stirred hertte, her tone nonchnt as she asked, "So, what do you want to talk about?" "I''m sorry," Bradley looked Cameron in the eye, his voice sincere. Cameron''s hand froze for a second with the spoon in it. "Sorry for what?" Bradley really did owe her an apology. Everything he''d done seven years ago was just too much, and he had to realize his mistake. Bradley said, "Cameron, seven years ago, I never meant to disappear on you. You were disguised as a guy, and my family thought I was into men. They put me under deep hypnosis and erased every memory I had of you. "It wasn''t my choice to vanish like that. But I still owe you an apology. "I''m really sorry." Cameron stared at the gentle, polite man in front of her, and suddenly, sheughed. This was the real Bradley Saunders she knew. The Bradley from the castle had acted like he was possessed or something. Cameron''sughter caught Bradley off guard. "Is it because she has already let it go, and my apology seems like some joke now?'' he wondered. Bradley gazed at Cameron, his eyes searching hers. "Cameron... Can you forgive me?" Cameron took a sip of her coffee. "Bradley, to be honest, I was quite happy when you suddenly disappeared." Back then, after he made those harsh threats, she thought he would never leave her alone. But then, for no reason at all, Bradley just disappeared. So, for Cameron, it was actually a relief. AD Comment Send gift Chapter 663 "So, my disappearing actually makes you happy?" Bradley looked even more baffled. "Did we have a fight before I vanished or something?" He paused, frowning. "Or... did we break up?" Cameron shot him a confused look. "Break up? What are you even talking about?" Bradley let out a sigh of relief. "So we didn''t break up, just had a fight, right?" Cameron stared at him. "Break up? Seriously, Bradley, do you actually think we were ever together?" "Is his memory really that messed up?'' she thought to herself. Bradley looked genuinely confused. "Are you saying we weren''t?" Cameron let out a sneer. "Who told you that? Or is that just something you made up in your messed-up memory?" Bradley shook his head. "I don''t remember anything about you. That''s just what my mom told me." Cameron was momentarily speechless. She took another sip of her coffee before speaking. "Bradley, I have no idea why your mom would lie to you about us ever being together. But let me make it clear: there''s nothing between us." When he saw the cold look on Cameron''s face, that familiar ache in Bradley''s chest crept back in. "Cameron, you really seem to hate me. Did I do something unforgivable to you?" Bradley asked, his brows furrowing. Cameron smiled bitterly. Bradley really didn''t remember a thing. ''What''s the point of bringing it up now?'' she thought to herself. Bradley stared at Cameron, his voice sincere. "Cameron, I really don''t remember anything from before. If I ever did something to hurt you, I want to sincerely apologize. I''m sorry." Cameron''s fingers tightened around her coffee cup. Finally, Bradley apologized. But his apology came toote. Now, seven years had passed. She looked up at Bradley, her voice cool and even. "Since you''ve forgotten and apologized, let''s wipe the te clean." After all, seven years ago, when he locked her away in that castle, he hadn''t actually done anything to her. She hadn''t suffered any real harm. And Cameron did feel grateful for the help Bradley had given her in the past. So, she decided to let everything between them be wiped away. With that, Cameron set down her coffee cup and stood up to leave. "Cameron." As she walked past Bromley, he reached out and caught her hand. Her hand was small and soft, while Bradley''s was warm and solid, almostpletely enveloping hers. Cameron lowered her gaze, looking at their hands joined together. Bradley released her hand almost immediately. "Anything else?" Cameron casually slipped the hand Bradley had just held into her pocket. Bradley said, "I went back to the vi at Noble Vista a couple of days ago and found a mountain bike in the storage room. Do you know who gave it to me?" Cameron replied coolly, "Yeah. I did." Bradley stared at her. "You gave it to me?" That mountain bike wasn''t cheap. It was even... luxurious. "Cameron actually gave me something that expensive?'' he thought, surprised. ''What was our rtionship, really? Good friends, if not a couple?" Noticing Bradley''s silence, Cameron turned to leave. Bradley sat in the chair, a slight frown on his face. He pressed his fingers to his brow. Then, he thought, ''I should talk to Eddie right now! He needed to remember everything that had happened between him and Cameron. Two hourster, Bradley parked his car outside Eddie''s counseling clinic. Eddie was really busy. It wasn''t until 2 p.m. that he finally had a chance to grab a bite. Carrying his lunchbox, he spotted Bradley sitting on the couch in the waiting area, Eddie was a little surprised. "Brad? When did you get here?" Bradley replied, "I''ve been here for a while." Eddie asked, "Why didn''t you let me know?" Bradley said, "I saw you were busy." Noticing Bradley''s pale face, Eddie asked, "Is something up?" Chapter 664 Bradley got straight to the point. "Eddie, I want to recover all my memories about Cameron." Eddie didn''t say anything. He immediately pulled Bradley up from the sofa. "Brad, let''s go talk in my office." The two of them headed to Eddie''s office.. As they entered, Eddie closed the door behind them. Bradley took a seat in the chair. Eddie leaned against his desk, not even touching his lunch. He looked serious as he asked, "Brad, did you really talk to Mom?" Bradley nodded. "Yeah, she told me everything." Eddie didn''t say anything. He knew this day woulde sooner orter. Now, the truth was finally out. Eddie stared at Bradley, saying nothing. Bradley looked at him, a hint of hope in his voice. "Eddie, you can help me, can''t you?" But Eddie shook his head. "Sorry, Brad, I can''t." Bradley frowned. "But aren''t you supposed to be the expert at this?" Eddie let out a sigh. "Brad, I could definitely use deep hypnosis to help you get your m¨¦mories back, but the risk is just too high. I can''t do it." Bradley frowned. "What''s the risk?" Eddie''s face grew even more serious. "Your memories could get so jumbled you''d go insane."" Bradley pressed on. "How likely is that?" Eddie shook his head. "Brad, I won''t let you take that risk, no matter how little the chance is." Bradley stood up. Eddie added, "Brad, I''ll let everyone in the business know not to take your request, no matter if they''re here or overseas." Bradley was speechless. Eddie continued, "If you want to know anything about Cameron, juste to me. I''ll tell you everything you want to know." Finally, Bradley sat back down. He asked, ¡°Eddie, can you tell me why Cameron seems to dislike me?" Eddie waspletely baffled. "How could Cameron possibly dislike you? You two were always so close. You even transferred your house to her, bought an entire castle just so she could raise Pearl, and you even set Eric up for her..." Eddie said. Bradley said, "Give me the details." Eddie told Bradley everything he knew about what had happened between them, Bradley got lost in his thoughts. He still had no idea what exactly had gone wrong between him and Cameron. "Dr. Saunders, your patient is here," the secretary called from outside, knocking on the door. Eddie patted Bradley on the shoulder and left without saying another word. Bradley stayed in Eddie''s office for a long time. When Eddie finished seeing a patient and came back, he found Bradley still sitting there. Eddie let out a sigh and said, "Brad, don''t overthink things you can''t figure out. If you can''t remember the past, just let it stay forgotten. If you still like Cameron, then go win her back." "By the way," Eddie added, "is Cameron still single?" Bradley replied, "I don''t know." Eddie said, ¡°You don''t even know if she''s single, so what are you even stressing about?" Bradley was speechless. Meanwhile, at Viremont International Airport, a man in a sharp ck suit walked briskly through the terminal. His short ck hair was perfectly styled, and his handsome face was hidden behind a pair of ck sunsses. He pushed a sleek ck suitcase, moving quickly. His assistant also pushed a ck suitcase, hurrying to keep up with him. Not everyone was blessed with a pair of long legs, after all. "Mr. Murphy," the assistant asked respectfully, "are we heading straight home or to the office?" Xander replied in his usual cool, clipped tone. "Office." AD Chapter 665 Xander sat in the back seat of the Maybach, slowly taking off his ck sunsses as he looked out at this city that was both strange and familiar. It had been seven years since he left. New York had changed so much that it was almost unrecognizable to him. Soon, Xander rolled up the window. He slowly closed his eyes, letting himself rest. At the Murphy Group, some employees were sharing thetest news in the bathroom. "Work''s almost over. Is Mr. Murphy reallying back today? We''re not going to have to work overtime tonight, are we?" "Probably soon, right? I heard he''s already at the airport." "He looks so handsome in that photo. I wonder if he''s just as good-looking in real life." "I heard Mr. Murphy is still single." The girls chatted while fixing their makeup. The guys, on the other hand, couldn''t help but feel the pressure. Everyone knew a new boss meant trouble ahead. When Xander walked in, they knew their gut feeling had been spot on. His handsome face waspletely expressionless, and his impressive height alone was intimidating. Even the girls who''d been secretly fantasizing about him earlier didn''t dare let their imaginations run wild anymore. They didn''t even dare to sneak a nce at his face. Even so, a quick peek at his figure told them he was built just right. Xander''s icy gaze swept over everyone present. "Sorry to keep you all waiting. My flight was dyed by two hours, so I''ll need everyone to stay and work overtime with me for two hours to make up for the lost time." Everyone was shocked. Overtime? He just got back, and they already had to work overtime? What on earth was he up to? While everyone was silentlyining, Xander turned around with one hand in his pocket. "Meeting in the conference room in five n leadership.¡± "Yes, Mr. Murphy," his assistant responded immediately. Then, Xander headed back to his office. Notify the 11:01 Sat 26 Jul The employees finally started gossiping among themselves. "Can you believe Mr. Murphy''s a total workaholic?" one of them muttered. "The new boss just has to make a statement,¡± anotherined. "Ugh, overtime is the worst," someone else groaned. "Ahem!" Just then, the assistant cleared his throat. Everyone fell silent immediately. He continued, "Starting this month, per Mr. Murphy''s orders, everyone''s sry goes up by 30%." There was a stunned silence for a few seconds, then the room exploded with cheers. "Thank you, Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy is the best!" "There might be overtime from now on, but you''ll always get paid for it," the assistant added. "Overtime? Who cares? I love working!" someone shouted. "I''ll work myself to the bone for thispany," another added. Xander didn''t let the execs off until ten at night. Then, he went straight back to his office and dived right into the mountain of paperwork. He''d spent years overseas, and now that he was back to take over the Murphy Group, he had to take care of every little thing personally. "Mr. Murphy," the assistant spoke up, a little hesitant. "Go ahead," Xander replied without even looking up from the reports. "Mr. Murphy, it''s already 10 pm. You''ve been going nonstop since younded. Maybe you should take a break." Xander still didn''t look up. "You''re off for the night." "What about you?" the assistant asked. Xander looked up at him, his gaze cool and indifferent as itnded on the assistant''s face. The assistant stiffened, his eyes wide. He quickly added, "Mr. Murphy, that''s not what I mean. I''m just worried about your health..." Xander cut him off. "You''re dismissed." With that, he lowered his head and focused back on the reports on his desk. The assistant had no choice but to leave the office/ Guys like Xander-born with a silver spoon, but still grinding harder than anyone else-were really one in a million. It wasn''t until midnight that Xander finally finished all the reports. He stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. The city''s glittering nightscapey at his feet, as if the whole world was beneath him. 11:01 Sat, 26 Jul Xander murmured softly, "Cameron, I''m back." Chapter 666 Cameron saw the news about Xandering back to the country. She just briefly nced at it, not really paying much attention. Judging from the photo, Xander had changed a lot. He seemed much more steady now. ''That''s good,'' Cameron thought. ''Everyone just keeps moving on with their lives! After taking a week off, she kept pouring all her energy into her work in theb. One day, David came to theb looking for her. Cameron was dressed in a sterileb suit, messing around with some chemical reagents that David couldn''t even begin to understand "Ms. Yates," David called out. Cameron turned around and asked, "Mr. Tucker, what''s up?" David said, "Ms. Yates, we''ve got a dinner with the Moore Group tonight. They need you there in person." David usually took care of all the other business meetings and social engagements himself. But when it came to anything involving the Moore family, Cameron always handled it personally. Back then, she was the one who hustled tond that first partnership with the Moore family. Now that Cameron had developed a groundbreaking treatment for leukemia, both Aurevia Biotech and the Moore family were winning big, Cameron nodded. "Sure." At six o''clock sharp, Elijah''s Rolls-Royce pulled up right in front of thepany. Cameron took off her sterileb suit and changed into her own clothes. It was early spring. She wore a long ck dress and a pair of one-inch heels, walking slowly toward the Rolls-Royce. Elijah sat in the car, watching Cameron through the window. In his eyes, she looked as graceful as a white swan. The electric door slid open, and Cameron got in. "Eli." Cameron nodded toward him. "Have you been busy recently?" he asked. Elijah had clearly taken his time picking out his clothes today. He was already strikingly handsome to begin with. With just a bit of effort, he looked even more dazzling. When they sat together, just by their looks alone, they really looked like they were made for each other. Cameron shook her head with a faint smile. "Not very much." Recently, she had been working on a new medication. She wasn''t in a hurry to finish it, so things were pretty rxed. They kept up an easy conversation until they arrived at the restaurant. Neither of them mentioned the unpleasantness from that night at Cameron''s celebration party. Cameron assumed Elijah already understood how she felt. But the truth was, Elijah didn''t dare confess his feelings again. Once they arrived at the restaurant, Elijah took out a contract and handed it over to Cameron. "What''s this?" she asked, taking the papers from him. Elijah replied, ¡°It''s a new contract for the partnership between our twopanies." "A new contract?" Cameron nced up at Elijah, her eyes curious. Elijah nodded. "Cameron, the previous contract was signed back when you were still working on the leukemia treatment, and honestly, the terms weren''t all that fair to you. Now that you''ve seeded, I think it''s only right that we draw up a new agreement." Cameron gave a slight nod, flipped the contract, and skimmed through it at lightning speed. Soon, she finished reading the ten-plus pages. "Elijah, are you really going for a fifty-fifty split on the profits?" Cameron asked, closing the contract and ncing at Elijah. Elijah nodded. "Yeah, I think that''s fair." Cameron smiled. "Yeah, it really is." Then, Cameron picked up the pen and signed her name on the contract. The dishes were soon all brought out, quickly filling up the table. Elijah casually mentioned, "Looks like Xander''s back in the country, taking over his family business." Cameron nodded. "I saw that in the news." Elijah looked a bit surprised. "It''s been a week already, and he hasn''t asked you out?" Apparently, Elijah had heard that Xander was still single; he hadn''t dated anyone all these years overseas. He assumed that Xander was still hung up on Cameron. Cameron frowned, genuinely puzzled. "Why would he want to meet up with me?" she asked. They were roommates back in high school. But it had been seven years-those days were long gone, and they were not the same people anymore. Elijah fell silent. ''Why?'' he couldn''t help but think. ''Does she really need to ask? Back then, Xander only decided to go study abroad because he saw something on Austin''s Instagram, Chapter 667 Elijah had assumed that Xander would I go straight to Cameron when he returned to the country. A whole week had passed, and still nothing. Maybe after seven years, Xander had finally moved on. Seven years passed. Some people move forward, while others stay frozen in ce. In the end, Elijah didn''t say anything. He just replied, "He''s probably pretty busy." Cameron nodded. "This sd is delicious." A slight smile tugged at Elijah''s lips. "I''ll have them pack some for you to take home." "No need." Cameron shook her head. Elijah looked puzzled. "But you said it was good." Cameron smiled softly, "Even the best dish gets ordinary if you have it too often. Coming here once in a while keeps it special Elijah paused. "That actually makes sense." Cameron and Elijah looked at each other and smiled.. Elijah''s smile grew brighter. He was usually so reserved, but whenever he was with Cameron, the corners of his mouth couldn''t help but curve upward. Being with Cameron made him happy without needing to do anything at all. That was why he''d willingly stayed by her as a friend for seven years. Cameron froze when she saw that brilliant smile on Elijah''s face. She knew how he felt about her. But she couldn''t give him what he wanted. Seven years had passed. She couldn''t waste any more of Elijah''s time. Cameron''s grip tightened around her fork. "Eli, I saw Bradley a few days ago." "Bradley?" Elijah looked surprised. Since he''d rescued Cameron from Bradley''s grasp seven years ago, Elijah hadn''t been in touch with Bradley. Bradley had vanished into thin air, and Elijah was perfectly fine with that arrangement. He''d never bothered to ask what Bradley was up to either. Elijah figured Bradley would fade out of his and Cameron''s lives forever. He never expected Cameron to bring him up today. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, turns out he went abroad to study. No wonder he just disappeared like that.¡± Elijah''s brow furrowed. "Cameron, about what happened back then-" "I''m not mad at him anymore," Cameron said. Elijah fell silent. ''Not mad at him anymore? Bradley crossed so many lines, and Cameron forgave him? Why would she forgive him sily? Back then, Austin just tipped off Xander, and Cameron was furious. But Bradley gets a pass? Does Cameron still have feelings for him?" Elijah stared at Cameron, forcing himself to ask the question that made his heart race, "Have you been waiting for him this whole time?" The moment the words left his mouth, his chest tightened with dread. Cameron took a slow sip of her drink. "Eli, Brad has always been different from you guys. He''s special to me." Sat 26 Jul ? Cameron was telling the truth. Out of everyone in Room 316, she and Bradley had always been closest Elijah''s brow furrowed without him realizing it. He thought, ''Brad? Cameron was calling Bradley "Brad¡± again. She''d forgiven him He asked, "Then why did you turn him down seven years ago?" Cameron sighed, "He was rushing things." "Rushing?" "I wasn''t ready to date anyone back then, but that doesn''t mean I didn''t like him.¡± Elijah''s eyes went wide with shock. ''Did I just hear that right? Cameron said she liked Bradley?'' His mind raced. ''So she''s stayed single all these years waiting for Bradley?'' It all made sense now. Cameron liked Bradley-that was why she''d forgiven him so easily. Only the ones who were loved get to break the rules. Comment The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 668 "Oh, by the way," Cameron said, a soft smile ying at her lips, "Brad apologized to me a few days ago." Elijah felt like a heavy stone had settled on his chest. His voice came out rough. "Cameron, so you''re nning to be with Bradley?" Cameron smiled, "If he wants to." Her smile was pure, like a girl who''d fallen in love for the first time. Elijah opened his mouth, but all his emotions stuck in his throat. There were no words for loss, pain, shock, or disbelief. The hurt cut deep, but he held onto what dignity he had left. He called the waiter to pay the bill, then looked at Cameron. "I wish you happiness." Cameron smiled. "Thanks." Cameron and Elijah left together. At the entrance, Cameron said, "By the way, Eli, about thepany- "I''ll have my secretary contact you," Elijah replied. "Okay." Cameron nodded and got into a taxi at the curb. Elijah watched the busy street, his eyes growing slightly moist. It was Cameron''s choice, and he wouldn''t interfere. Seven years passed. His dream had finallye to an end. "Pull over here, thanks." Cameron got out of the taxi and wandered along the river. She hoped Elijah could start fresh now. She''d pushed him away so many times, but nothing had worked. This time may be different. Cameron stopped and leaned against the railing, watching the neon lights dance on the water''s surface. Everything she''d said to Elijah was meant to make him give up on herpletely. But every single word she''d spoken was true. Over these seven years, Cameron had slowly realized that what she felt for Bradley differed from what she felt for Elijah and the others. Cameron had always been the type to hold grudges and get even. But that time, she''d let Bradley off the hook. And that castle couldn''t hold her anyway. She had countless ways to escape from there. But she''d allowed Bradley to do what he did. Then Bradley disappeared. In those quiet midnight hours when sleep wouldn''te, she finally understood what Bradley meant to her. But seven years had passed. Everything had changed. What was done was done. A month flew by, and Cameron settled into her routine. She went to work and asionally met with Amelia and the others for afternoon tea. L had married Calder and was busy with the baby, so she couldn''t make it. Sienna had turned into aplete workaholic. Even though money wasn''t an issue, she kept pushing herself more than ever. Cameron and Amelia sat across from each other in the coffee shop. Amelia looked polished and beautiful, slouchingzily in her thair. "Cam, next Wednesday night is my mom''s birthday party, I''m officially inviting you Her tone waspletely t. Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Your mom''s birthday, and you don''t seem too excited about it?" 0 Amelia propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "What''s to be excited about? I know exactly what my parents are up to She sighed, "Sure, it''s supposed to be Mom''s birthday, but really they''re using it as an excuse to parade all of Viremont''s eligible bachelors through our house so I can see if any of them catch my eye. I mean, I''m already 26." Cameron said nothing. "You''re only a month younger than me," Amelia continued. "Don''t your parents bug you about this stuff?" Cameron sighed, "They already have." "So what are you thinking?" AD Chapter 669 Cameron took a slow sip of her coffee. "I don''t think anything." Amelia fell silent. She leaned closer to Cameron, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Cam, Xander''s back in the country. Be honest with me-did hee looking for you again?" Cameron shook her head. "No, you''re overthinking it." "Really? I heard he used to chase after you pretty intensely." "If you don''t believe me, keep listening to others." Cameron''s tone carried a hint of dry amusement. Amelia paused, then tried again. "So you''re not interested in Xander at all?" Cameron simply continued drinking her coffee, offering no response. "I guess that means you really do like Bradley," Amelia concluded. Cameron''s grip tightened slightly around her coffee cup, but she still said nothing. Amelia waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, you''re impossible to crack. Go ahead and die alone then." Cameron just smiled, staying quiet. "You bettere to my mom''s birthday party," Amelia continued. "All the eligible young men from Viremont will be there. You can see if anyone catches your eye." "I''ll definitely be there," Cameron replied. When David called, Cameron was picking out a birthday gift for Kate at the mall. David''s voice carried a smile. "Ms. Yates, the head of Joe Law Firm from Steerfall is here at ourpany. Mr. Saunders says you two are good friends, and he''s willing to be our legal advisor for free." Cameron couldn''t find words to respond. When she remained silent, David continued, "Ms. Yates, if you''re okay with it, I''ll sign the contract." Cameron finally spoke, "Wait, I''ming back right now." She had already chosen Kate''s birthday gift-a diamond bracelet. Cameron quickly paid and drove back to the office, heading straight for David''s office. As she reached the doorway, she spotted the man sitting on the couch with his back to her. Early summer had arrived. Bradley wore a simple white dress shirt, and from behind, she could see his strong, broad shoulders and back. Cameron''s heels clicked against the floor as she walked in. "Ms. Yates." David immediately approached when he heard her arrive. Bradley turned around at the sound, his handsome face still framed by gold- rimmed sses. A slight smile yed on his lips as he nodded. "David, I''d like to speak with Mr. Saunders alone," Cameron said. "Of course." David tactfully excused himself and closed the office door behind him. Bradley studied Cameron for a moment, noticing her slightly disheveled hair. "Sorry for making you rush back here," he said apologeticatty. Cameron simply sat down across from him and gestured with her hand. "Please, sit." Bradley settled into his chair. "Cameron, I want mywyers to provide free legal services to yourpany. Would that be okay?" "Why?" Cameron asked. "Your firm has a solid reputation and plenty of business. You''re doing well financially. 50.this is charity werk?" Bradley shook his head. "Cameron, this is my way of making things up to you." She looked at him with confusion. "Making what up to me?" Bradley said, "Cameron, I don''t know what I did to hurt you seven years ago, but I want to apologize." Cameron watched him in silence. Seven years apart, her attitude had been cold when she''d first seen Bradley again. She''d carried all that resentment from his sudden disappearance back then. Now, Cameron feltpletely calm. After a moment of silence, she said, "Okay. I ept your apology." AD Chapter 670 Bradley looked at her with surprise, "Really?" Cameron nodded. "I told you before. Let''s just wipe the te clean." A smile spread across Bradley''s face. "Cameron, does that mean we can still be friends?" Of course, Bradley wanted more than just friendship. He''d stayed away for a month, using that time to piece together what had happened between him and Cameron all those years ago. He''d also made sure Cameron was still single before making his move. "Yeah." Cameron nodded. Bradley''s lips curved into a smile. "Since we''re friends, could we grab dinner together after you get off work?" Cameron studied Bradley''s smiling face quietly. "Why weren''t you like this before?" "What?" Her sudden question caught Bradley off guard. Cameron simply said, "Dinner''s fine." Bradley''s smile grew wider. "Then I''ll wait for you to get off work." Cameron nodded, stood up, and left the office. David was waiting outside. Cameron said, "Make him provide free services until either ourpany goes under or hisw firm does." David stared at her, speechless. Cameron had already walked away before he could process what she''d said. He thought, ''Ms. Yates is pretty ruthless." David figured Joe Law Firm would provide free services for a year or two at most. It was unrealistic to expect free services indefinitely, even for close friends. David pushed the door open and went back into the office. David pulled out the contract. "Mr. Saunders, Ms. Yates would like your firm to provide free legal services indefinitely-until either ourpany or your firm shuts down." David knew it was impossible, but Cameron had instructed him to ask, so he did. He braced himself for Bradley''s rejection, but instead heard Bradley''s amused voice. "Deal." David''s eyes widened in shock. He thought he''d misheard. "Mr. Saunders, what did you just say?" Bradley smiled, "Mr. Tucker, please tell Ms. Yates that my firm is willing to provide her with free legal services for life, and not just for Aurevia Biotech." David was stunned into silence. He couldn''t help but pry a little. "Mr. Saunders, what exactly is your rtionship with Ms. Yates?" Bradley didn''t hide anything. "I''m pursuing her. David stared at him nkly. He sighed, "Mr. Saunders, Ms. Yates is all about her career, She''s not easy to win over." He thought, ''The number of talented young men who''ve chased after Ms. Yates over the years is endless. Take Elijah, for instance. He''s been quietly by Ms. Yates'' side all this time, and everyone can see his thoughts. But after all these years, nothing''se of it.'' Bradley replied calmly, "if she''s hard to win over, then I''ll take my time." David couldn''t help butugh. "Mr. Saunders, good luck to you." Bradley smiled, "Thank you." As evening fell, Cameron and Bradley sat across from each other in an elegant restaurant. Bradley had reserved the entire ce for them-flowers scattered across the floor, soft violin music drifting through the air. Bradley raised his wine ss, a smile ying at the restaurant. "All of this would''ve gone Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me, Cames there-G Cameron clinked her ss against his. "Congrattions s on your lucky bet." Bradley chuckled, "Even if I''d lost, it wouldn''t have mattered. You might reject me today, but maybe next time you''d say yes." AD Chapter 671 Cameron took a small sip of red wine. "You''re that confident in yourself?" Bradley also elegantly sipped his wine, looking at Cameron with serious eyes. "Cameron, you''re the girl I''ve waited years to meet. I won''t give up easily." "Waited years?" Cameron looked back at him, her grip tightening slightly around her wine ss. "You haven''t dated anyone all this time?" Bradley shook his head honestly. "No." When he was neen, he''d been hypnotized and lost all memories of Cameron. Over the years, Bradley had met many women. Some were exceptional, perfectly matched to him in every way. But he felt absolutely nothing, He never told anyone about the hollow ache in his chest, like something vital had been torn away. It wasn''t until Cameron appeared and he learned about the hypnosis that Bradley finally understood what he''d lost. Seven yearster, his heart skipped without warning when he saw Cameron again. He couldn''t help himself. When you love someone, even after years apart, those feelings don''t just disappear. So seeing Cameron again still made his pulse race. That was why he answered all her questions in the hotel restaurant, even though he usually kept his private life locked away. "Oh." Cameron nodded casually, leaning back in her chair withzy indifference. Bradley smiled as he watched her. "Cameron, can I ask you out?" Cameron studied him quietly. Seven years had sharpened Bradley''s features, making him more striking than before. Behind those wire-rimmed sses, his narrow eyes held intelligence and a fox-like cunning. He''d grown up. Once, being with Bradley had felt so easy and natural to Cameron. He had always made her feel safe and secure. She hadn''t understood why back then, but now she did. Cameron didn''t answer right away. After silence, she said, "What if I/said no?" She thought, ''Would he lock her up again, just like before?'' Bradley hadn''t expected her to refuse so quickly. He adjusted his wire-rimmed sses. "Am I really that far off from what you''re looking for in a partner?" Cameron stayed quiet. "Tell me what your standards are," Bradley continued. "I can work on it. I should be able to meet them." "This time, when reject you, this is how you react?" Cameron asked. Bradley caught the keyword. "You''ve rejected me before?" "Yes." Bradley''s curiosity sparked. "How did I react then?" Cameron just gave a slight, bitter smile and said nothing. Bradley''s brow furrowed. ''What else had happened between us?'' 11:02 Sat 26 JOI Eddie and Eric had told him the same thing he and Cameron used to be close. They were roommates at school, lived together at Hoble vale during breaks, and even raised a white tiger. Bradley couldn''t figure it out. ''What went wrong between us? Why does Cameron hate me now?'' When Cameron stayed quiet, Bradley tried again, his voice sincere. "Cameron, I''m really sorry I can''t remember anything from before Coutof you give the another chance?" Cameron''s eyes swept across the restaurant''s carefully arranged decorations. Someone had put real thought into this the roses were beautiful. Her gaze finally settled on Bradley''s face. She stood up. "Brad, thanks for dinner tonight. It''s gettingte, and I should head home" "What did you just call me?" Bradley''s eyes widened in surprise. She''d called him Brad. That meant they''d been close before, close enough for nicknames. ''Just how far did we get?'' he wondered. A small smile tugged at Cameron''s lips. "Brad-isn''t that what I''ve always called you?" Bradleyughed, relieved. "Is it? Sorry, I really don''t remember." He loved hearing her say his name like that. In that moment, the distance between them seemed to shrink. Cameron didn''t say anything else. She picked up her purse and left her seat. It really was gettingte. Time to go home. Bradley quickly caught up, maintaining a polite distance between them. "Cameron, let me drive you home." Cameron strolled toward the exit. "My ce is pretty far." Her refusal was gentle but precise. "How far?" Bradley asked, curious. "I live on an ind," Cameron said. "An ind?" Bradley''s eyebrows lifted in surprise. He''d heard about that ind not far from Steerfall. The word was that it used to bepletely private, closed to outsiders for years. Now it had be some kind of tourist destination. Cameron nodded and stopped walking. "I have to drive to the dock, then take a ferry home." "I''ll take you," Bradley said. "That''s too much trouble." Bradley insisted, "Cameron, it''ste. A girl driving alone and then taking a boat home? I''d worry about you. Let me drive you." Cameron thought for a moment. "Just to the dock?" Bradley smiled. "Deal." Any extra time he could spend with her was worth it. Cameron and Bradley walked to the parking garage together and got into Bradley''s car. Bradley was still driving a Mercedes, but it wasn''t the same. He opened the passenger door for her like a gentleman. 916 "Thanks." Cameron slid into the seat. Her eyes wandered around the car''s interior. Everything was simple, and almost no personal items were anywhere. People couldn''t even tell what the owner liked. The familiar lemon scent still Ilingered in the air. Cameron casuallypared this car to the old one when something suddenly blocked her view. She looked up to find Bradley''s sharp jawline night in front of her. Half his body was leaning over her. Cameron instinctively pressed her back against the seat, feeling her heart speed up slightly. Bradley quickly pulled the seatbelt across and buckled it for her. Cameron had forgotten. Bradley settled into his seat, but his eyes stayed on Cameron''s face. His Adam''s apple bobbed as he said quietly, "Cameron, you smell so good." Cameron remained silent. He''d said those exact words before. More than once. Seven yearster, and he was still saying the same thing. But Cameron wasn''t wearing any perfume. Bradley adjusted his wire-rimmed sses. "Sorry, that might have been a bit sudden,!" Cameron''s hand grabbed the seatbelt. "Just drive. It''ste." Bradley started the car. Cameron leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The familiar scent of lemon filled her breath-a smell she knew, one that calmed her. While driving, Bradley nced at her. "Need me to adjust the seat? The passenger side can recline all the way." "No." Cameron kept her eyes closed. Bradley asked again, "What about the air conditioning? Are you cold?" Cameron finally opened her eyes to look at him. Bradley had just turned his head toward her. Their eyes met in the air between them. Cameron''s gaze was unreadable, while Bradley''s held concern and questions. But Bradley quickly looked away. He was driving. His attention needed to stay on the road. Cameron said, "The temperature''s fine. I want to sleep for a bit. Don''t bother me." "Okay." Bradley turned off the soft background music. The ck sedan glided smoothly down the street. Bradley kept ncing at Cameron, who seemed to have fallen asleep. Every time he looked at her, his lips couldn''t help but curve upward. For seven years, his heart had felt empty. Right now, he feltplete. His heart was filled with the girl beside him. Just driving her home brought him pure joy. He hadn''t felt this happy in seven years-a happiness he couldn''t contain. Bradley drove while Cameron sat with her eyes closed, face turned toward the window. The car was so quiet that they could hear each other breathing. Over the past seven years, Cameron had spent most of her time in theb, maybe seeing Elijah and Amelia a few times a year. All her energy went into research. Right now, she has actually been rxed for once. Cameron thought she wouldn''t fall asleep, but she did. Bradley pulled the car to a stop at the dock. He called out tentatively, "Cameron?" There was no response. Bradley stared at the car window, where Cameron''s sleeping face was reflected in the ss. Her features were delicate and beautiful-when she''d been a boy, there had been something soft about her looks, and now as a girl, there was a hint of something strong and spirited. It was a wless face. Just watching her reflection in the window made his heart race. This was the girl he''d been searching for all along. He''d met so many people, but never had a girl made his heart skip a beat after just a few encounters. Bradley almost wished time would freeze, letting him watch Cameron sleep-even that would be enough to make him feelplete. But it was already nine at night, and Cameron still had to take the boat back to the ind. By the time she got home, it would be reallyte. So Bradley called out again. Cameron still didn''t respond. She was sleeping deeply. "Cameron, wake up." Bradley leaned closer to her. He raised his hand, hesitated momentarily, then gently ced his palm on Cameron''s shoulder and gave her a light shake. "Cameron, we''re here." Cameron jolted awake and grabbed Bradley''s hand, her fingers tightening instinctively with surprising strength. "Ugh." Bradley winced and let out a muffled grunt, his brow furrowing from the pain. Cameron fully snapped back to reality when she saw who it was and quickly released his hand. "Sorry, Brad. Are you okay?" Bradley shook his hand out, his face showing helpless resignation. "I''m fine." "Sorry, I didn''t know it was you," Cameron said. Bradley shook his head slightly. "Didn''t realize you were that strong." The pain had been sharp, almost piercing. "I only used about thirty percent of my strength," Cameron said. Bradley fell silent. ''Am I really that weak?'' Cameron nced out the window. "We''re at the dock already." Bradley nodded. "Yeah, we''ve been here for a bit.¡± Cameron unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thanks for driving me back, Brad." "My pleasure," Bradley replied. Cameron gave a slight nod and pushed open the car door to leave, but Bradley called out to her. "Cameron." She turned back. "Yeah?" "You''re calling me Brad now, so if I keep using your full name, wouldn''t that be too formal? How about I call you Cam?" Cameron considered this and nodded. "Sure." A smile spread across Bradley''s face. "Cam, can I take you out tomorrow night?¡± Cameron shook her head. "Toihorrow won''t work." "Already have ns or- "I have ns." Cameron cut him off. "I''m going to my friend''s mom''s birthday dinner." Bradley grinned, "Then can I book the night after?" "Brad, yourw firm is in Steerfall. All this back-and-forth driving must be exhausting." Bradley''s smile grew wider. "Cam, so you''re worried about me, aren''t you?" Cameron gave him a nomittal answer. "If that''s how you want to see it." "Then I''ll take it as you caring about me." Cameron just smiled without saying anything. Bradley watched the beautiful smile on her face and said, "Cam, I can tell you''re not against me pursuing you, right?" Cameron gripped the car door handle. "Brad, it''ste. I need to go home." "Okay." Bradley nodded, then added, "Oh, Cam, I forgot to mention. I opened a back and forth between cities." Cameron looked surprised. "When?" "I decided a few days after meeting you. After a month of preparation, it''s almost ready. The office is right across from yourpany in that building." Cameron fell silent. She initially chose that location for herpany because it was in the suburbs and had cheap rent. Seven yearster, the area had developed into a bustling district with heavy foot traffic. For Bradley to get aw firm up and running there in just a month must have taken considerable effort. Bradley waved. "Cam, can we exchange contact information?" "Sure." Cameron gave him her phone number, picked up her bag, and walked away. Bradley watched Cameron board the ferry. Just as the ferry was about to depart, Bradley jumped on board. He bought a ticket from the conductor. Cameron stood on the second-floor deck, watching every move Bradley made below. ''What''s he doing? Is his problem acting up again?'' She remained perfectly still on the deck, just watching. She could let thest time slide. But if there was a next time, she and Bradley would be finished. That was precisely why she hadn''t told him how she felt yet-she needed to see if he was still as obsessive as before.. The sea breeze lifted Cameron''s shoulder-length hair, revealing her cold expression. But after Bradley boarded, he simply found a seat and sat down. He ordered a drink and just sat there quietly. With his striking looks and natural charm, young women didn''t take long to approach him, but Bradley turned them all away with polite distance. Bradley pulled out his phone and sent Cameron a WhatsApp message. From her spot on the second floor, Cameron had found the perfect vantage point. She could see everything Bradley did, but he couldn''t see her. She THUZ fixed her eyes on him, ignoring her phone when it buzzed. Bradley sent her another message. Cameron didn''t respond to that Bradley just sat there, gripping his phone, waiting for Cameron to reply. AD Chapter 672 By the time the ferry reached the ind, Bradley still hadn''t received any reply from Cameron. Bradley didn''t get off. He stayed hidden in the crowd, watching Cameron flow down with the other passengers. A slight smile tugged at his lips. At least this way, he''d seen her home safely. It was gettingte, and she was just a helpless girl. He''d been genuinely worried about her. Seeing Cameron step off the boat, Bradley finally felt at ease. He took the ferry straight back. Only after getting off did Cameron see Bradley''s messages. Bradley: [Cam, it''s Bradley. Can you see my messages?] Bradley: [Cam, isn''t it cold on the boat tonight? I should have given you the nket from my trunk. Are you cold? Don''t stand where the wind hits you.] Cameron turned back toward the ferry, growing smaller on the water. The messages were from over ten minutes ago, when she''d been on the boat looking at Bradley. She thought to herself, ''What is Bradley doing? Coming all this way on the ferry, then leaving right away. What''s the point?'' Cameron checked Bradley''s message. In her friend list, she found Bradley''s other number. They were friends now. Cameron sent him a message. [Brad, I can see you.] Bradley stood on the boat deck when the message came through. He turned toward the ind, and his lips curved upward slightly, though he couldn''t make out anything clearly. Bradley: [Cam, since you can see me, why don''t youe find me?] Cameron: [Are you following me?] Bradley stared at the word "following" andughed helplessly. Bradley: [Cam, I''m not following you. I''m just worried about you. I needed to see you get off the boat safely before I could rx.] Cameron frowned at Bradley''s message on her screen. She wondered, ''Is that really it? He''s worried about me, so he''s quietly watched over me.'' Bradley: [Cam, why is your first reaction when you see me that I''m stalking you? Do I look like some kind of creep?] Cameron stared at the message on her screen. It was because seven years ago, he''dpletely lost control when she''d rejected him. But Bradley had lost her memory-bringing up the past was no point. After a long pause, Cameron finally typed back. [Brad, I take the boat home every day. It''s safe-you don''t need to worry.] Bradley: [It''s sote, and you''re a girl out there alone. How can I not worry?] Cameron didn''t respond anymore. It was already past ten at night when Cameron returned to Yates Manor. 11:02 Sat, 26 Jule Ga The entire Yates family was still up. Jacqueline beamed as she pulled Cameron aside. "Cam, Mom has wonderful news for you." Cameron smiled back. "What''s the good news, Mom?" "Cam, your dailymute is just too much trouble. We''ve all decided to move back to Viremont Falready bought a house-it''s only ten minutes from your office." Cameron''s eyes widened in surprise. Cameron shook her head quickly. "Mom, that''s not necessary." The family had lived on this ind for over twenty years. Moving just to make hermute easier seemed like way too much trouble. Levi said, "Sweetheart, we''re getting tired of this ind too. We''ve been wanting to live somewhere else for a while now, so don''t try to stop us." Gavin added, "Cam, Mom and Dad are doing this for your own good. Don''t turn them down." Lance patted Cameron''s shoulder. "Cam, let me tell you something. The main reason Mom and Dad are doing this is so you''ll have more free time to date." He winked at her. "Think about it, Cam. They wouldn''t let you date before, and you''ve been single all these years. Now they''re panicking about it. Talk about contradictory, right?" Levi''s face darkened. "Lance, do you want me to have someone throw you out?" Lance fell silent. Lance cleared his throat and immediately put on his usual aloof expression. Gavin sighed, "Cam, a girl''s time is precious. If there''s a suitable guy, you should start dating him." Cameron smiled, "Gavin, a guy''s time is precious too. If there''s a suitable girl, you should start dating her." Gavin had no response. Jacqueline lovingly ruffled Cameron''s hair. "Cam, you little troublemaker, you always love arguing with Gavin." Cameronughed and linked arms with Jacqueline, "Mom, do you really want to move away?" Cameron had been living on this ind for over seven years now. She had gotten used to it. Jacqueline sighed, "Maybe we should just move. I swear this house has bad energy or something-none of you three can even find someone to date." Levi shrugged. "Yeah. Bad vibes." Cameron was speechless. Lance raised an eyebrow. "Mom, Dad, what if we move and we''re all still single?" Levi red at Lance. "Then you can be a monk." Lance fell silent. Cameron couldn''t help but smile. "Dad, I think you should pressure Gavin first. Sure, Lance is only thirty, but Gavin''s already thirty-three." Gavin lookedpletely innocent, his expression seeming to say, "Cam, I didn''t do anything to youtely." Meanwhile, Lance quietly gave Cameron a thumbs-up. Jacqueline said, "Cam''s right. Gavin, you really need to hurry up. A grown man over thirty who''s still not married-what does that look like?" Levi shrugged "Just kick him out." Gavin remained speechless. Cameron yawned. "Mom, Dad, Gavin, Lance-I''m tired. You guys keep talking. I''m going to bed." She was the youngest after all. If Gavin wasn''t in a rush, neither was she. In her dream, Cameron felt she was still lying on the cold concrete floor. Blood covered her entire body. Her limbs were twisted and broken. Cameron tried to get up, but she couldn''t move at all. Her mind was clear, but her body wouldn''t respond. People around her were talking. "Oh my God, this is so tragic. I heard she fell from the top floor. How horrible." Someone else chimed in, "She''s only eighteen. So young. What a waste." Another voice asked, "Where''s her family? Where are her parents?" "I heard her family forced her to get gender reassignment surgery. She couldn''t handle it, so she jumped off the building.¡± "Oh, no!" "What kind of parents would do that? She''s such a beautiful girl. Why would they force her to be a man?" Countless people gathered around her body. Their conversations were filled with pity, sympathy, and gossip. A young man stood in the crowd. He was tall enough to see the gruesome scene on the ground without getting closer. He took off his coat and crouched down, covering Cameron''s broken body with it. Then he let out a soft sigh. Cameron struggled to make out his face, but all she could see was a hazy white blur. She tried harder, forcing her eyes open with all her strength. That''s when she woke up. Cameron stared at the white ceiling above her. Only then did she realize she''d been dreaming. But the dream felt too real, because it had actually happened. In her previous life, after someone pushed her off the hospital rooftop, that was exactly how people had gathered around her body. When Cameron first entered the world-hopping system, she''d sometimes dream about her death. She''d see a young man cing a piece of clothing over her. She wanted to see his face clearly, but she couldn''t, no matter how hard she tried. All she knew was that he was tall. He was the only person who showed her warmth after she died. She''d forgotten all about it after traveling through worlds for over a thousand years. She never expected to dream about it again. Cameron really wanted to know who that young man was. But it was from her past life. There was no way to find out now. Camerony in bed for a long while before she finally snapped back to reality. 11:02 Sat 26 Jul She had forgotten to close the cuntains before bedst night, and now the sky outside showed the pale light of early dawn. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. It was only six o''clock. Sleep hadpletely left her, so Cameron get up and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. She''d go to the office early today. Cameron had chosen to take the boat first and then drive to thepany. This route was faster than moving from the office to the Yates family''s helipad and returning the helicopter to the Yates estate. When Cameron arrived at thepany, it was still early. She went straight to the cafeteria for breakfast. Some employees who lived in the staff dormitories had beaten her there. A few young female employees sat beneath the TV, one holding the remote and flipping through channels. One of them suddenly perked up. "Oh wow, this is it!" The others chimed in excitedly, "He''s so handsome. That golden blonde hair is so cool!" "Gorgeous and ys piano-I''m absolutely in love." Cameron couldn''t help but nce up when she heard the young women chattering. The anchor said, "Recently, renowned pianist Austin is set to return home for his first solo concert in the country. The tour''s opening show will take ce in Austin''s hometown of Viremont. "Austin graduated from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and is extraordinarily talented. Having the opportunity to attend one of his exclusive performances domestically is truly an honor." Cameron watched the news anchor''s enthusiastic, report with a calm expression. "Austin''sing back?'' she wondered. She only looked up briefly before lowering her gaze back to her breakfast. The friction between her and Austin had happened seven years ago. After all this time, Cameron had moved onpletely. Hearing news about Austin felt no different than hearing about an old ssmate. Cameron''s daily routine was simple. She spent her time in the l¨¢b, continuing her drug research work. Even though her schedule was pretty predictable, Cameron never found it boring. When she was doing something she was passionate about, it never felt dull. Around mid-morning, the receptionist knocked on theb''s ss door. "Ms. Yates, you have, a delivery." Cameron peeled off her sterileb coat, washed her hands, and left theb for her office. She had her own private office space. Walking in, she spotted an adorable delivery bag sitting on her desk. Cameron looked puzzled as she opened it-inside was a milkshake. cake. "Who sent this?" she murmured to herself. She picked up her phone, and as soon as it unlocked with face recognition, she saw a WhatsApp message from Bradley. nall Bradley: [Cam, Eddie told me you have a sweet tooth. I ordered you a milkshake and a little cake. When you''re tired from work, take a break and enjoy the lemonade.] A hint of amusement flickered in Cameron''s beautiful eyes, Cameron: [Brad, thanks, but ourpany provides free milkshakes and pastries. You don''t need to send stuff anymore.] Bradley''s reply came quickly. (Cam, what yourpany gives you is a work perk. What I send youes from the heart.] Cameron opened the small cake, took a bite, and then sent Bradley a WhatsApp message. [The cake tastes great. Bradley replied: [I''ll order you another one tomorrow.] Cameron sat in her swivel chair, holding the small cake and feeding herself spoonfuls while reading Bradley''s message. The cake was too sweet, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Seven years ago, it had been just like this. Bradley knew she loved milkshakes and would asionally buy it for her. He''d always been gentle and thoughtful, and Cameron enjoyed spending time with him. But after she rejected him, Bradley immediately changed into apletely different person. It was what Cameron found so confusing. She wasn''t sure if Bradley would slip back into old patterns again, so she didn''t want to take that step for now. Still, if she had to date someone, it would be him. While Cameron was lost in her thoughts, Bradley sent another message: [Cam, you''ll be getting homete tonight after your friend''s mom''s birthday party. Can I give you a ride home? It''s unsafe for a girl to be alone sote.] Cameron had already finished her little cake and started on her milkshake, texting Bradley back with one hand: [Okay.] Bradley: [Can Ie with you on the boat?] Cameron: [The boat''s perfectly safe.] Bradley: [With all those people on board, it''s unsafe.] Cameron: [Fine.] Bradley: [Send me your friend''s address. I''ll wait for you there.] Cameron sent over the address. [Sounds good. Come around nine.] Cameron hadn''t even left work yet when Amelia called, "Cam, you absolutely have to dress to kill tonight and find yourself a boyfriend while you''re at it." Amelia was getting her hair done. Cameron stepped out of theb to take the call, leaning against the wall in her sterileb coat. Through the reflective surface, she caught a glimpse of herself andughed. "I''m not that desperate, am I?" "Look, just trust me on this-you can never go wrong looking gorgeous," Amelia insisted. "Don''t worry. I won''t embarrass you," Cameron assured her. For tonight''s event, Cameron would naturally wear a formal dress. She''d already prepared everything, including her makeup-it was all part of the n. ¡°I''m getting a facialter. Want toe with me?" Amelia asked. "No thanks, I''ve still got work to finish up. You go ahead," Cameron replied. "How about I pick you up then?" "Will you have enough time?" Amelia grinned, "It''ll be a tiny bit tight." ? "Then don''t worry about me. Your mom''s the star of the show tonight. I can get there myself." "Alright then, Cam baby, see you tonight." Cameronughed, "You''re so cheesy." "Just wait until you''re being cheesy with your future husband." Cameron was speechless. Cameron slipped into her dress and applied light makeup that evening before driving to Chapman Manor. Tonight was Kate''s birthday dinner, but it was all about finding Amelia a future husband. Pretty much every elite in Viremont had been invited. The crowd was massive. The Chapman Manor parking lot was already packed. When Cameron arrived, security directed her to park on the street outside, She grabbed her gift box, stepped out in her heels, and started walking toward the manor when something caught her eye. The car in front of hers looked familiar. AD Comment The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 673 hapter Cameron stopped in her tracks. Looking closer, she realized Bradley''s car was parked right in front of hers. It was barely past six. The sun hadn''t set yet, and most guests hadn''t arrived. She wondered, ''Bradley''s here? Is he here for Kate''s birthday party, or is he waiting for me? This is way too early! Cameron bent down and peered through the car window. Sure enough, Bradley was sitting in the driver''s seat. She knocked on the ss. Bradley turned his head and saw Cameron. A gentle smile immediately spread across his handsome face. Bradley quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. His eyes locked on Cameron, and amazement flickered across his face, "Cam, you look absolutely stunning tonight." Cameron hadn''t gone overboard with her look tonight. She just wore some light makeup out of courtesy and a simple ck dress that kept things understated. But her tall, graceful figure made even the most basic ck dress look incredible. Her legs were straight and gorgeous-the kind that made people stop and stare. Cameron smiled, "Thanks. Brad, are you here for Mrs. Chapman''s birthday party too?" "Me?" Bradley shook his head. "Mrs. Chapman and I aren''t close." If anyone from his family was going, it would be his parents. Cameron looked surprised. "So you came here to wait for me?" Bradley nodded with a smile. "I told you I''d drive you home." Cameron looked at him helplessly. "But it''s only a little after six. The party won''t end for hours." "That''s fine. I''m not busy. I''ll wait for you," Bradley said. Of course, saying he wasn''t busy was aplete lie. Bradley just wanted toe early. Even being near Cameron for a little longer felt worth it. Cameron could tell he was lying. "Yourw firm just opened. How could you not be swamped?" "Work''s never really done anyway. I can handle it tomorrow just as well," Bradley replied. Cameron was speechless. "Brad, here''s what we''ll do," she said gently. "Drive somewhere and find a coffee shop to hang out in. I''ll text you when the party''s winding down." He couldn''t just sit around waiting for hours. At least grabbing coffee would give him something to do. Bradley caught the concern in her eyes and smiled, "Alright, you go ahead inside. I''ll drive off right now." "Okay then." Cameron kept ncing back as she walked into Chapman Manor. But Bradley didn''t drive away. He settled back into his car instead, deciding to wait for Cameron. This way, he''d be the first person she''d see when she came out. Cameron clicked across the marble floor of Chapman Manor in her heels and handed her gift to the butler Edwin. Matthew and Kate were dressed to the nines, working the room and greeting their guests. When they spotted Cameron, both of them froze for a moment. They remembered how cold they''d been to Cameron over the marriage situation with Amelia, and now they felt pretty ashamed about it. The fact that Cameron had actually shown up to Kate''s birthday party meant the world to Kate, Kate said, "Cam, wee! You''re incredible these days. That leukemia drug you developed is going to save so many lives. You look stunning tonights Cameron exchanged a few pleasantries with them, then made her way inside. Amelia was probably swamped with hostess duties tonight, so Cameron found herself a quiet corner to settle into. At the same time, a ck Maybach slowly pulled up to the gates of Chapman Manor. A bodyguard opened the door, and Xander''s ck leather shoes touched the ground. Xander wore a ck shirt and suit; his presence radiated calm professionalism. The icy expression on his handsome face seemed oddly out of ce against the celebration''s festive atmosphere. "Xander, you made it. Oh my, you''ve changed so much." Kate rushed over, her voice filled Xander''s gaze flicked to his assistant behind him. Xander''s assistant immediately stepped forward. "Mrs. Chapman, this is a birthday gift Mr. Murphy prepared for you. Happy birthday." Kate epted the gift graciously. "Thank you so much. Xander, pleasee in." The current Xander had be much moreposed and mature. Kate looked at him withplete satisfaction¡ªif the Murphy and Chapman families could unite through marriage, it would be a perfect match to strengthen both sides. Matthew looked at Xander with newfound respect. "Xander,e on, let me show you in." Xander''s tone remained cool. "Mr. Chapman, I used to y here all the time as a kid. I know my way around. You don''t need to worry about me." Matthew let out a heartyugh. "Ha! Right, right! You and Amy were always thick as thieves back then." Xander gave a brief nod and headed inside. Matthew turned to Kate. "That kid''spletely transformed. The Murphy family had handed everything Kate smiled, "I wonder if he and Amy might hit it off." "Why wouldn''t they? They were inseparable as kids," Matthew replied. Kate''s expression warmed with hope. "If Amy and Xander got together, that would be wonderful." Matthew nodded in agreement. "They''d make a perfect match." over to him now. He''s going ces." As Xander stepped into Chapman Manor''s garden, people immediately swarmed him with business cards. But his sharp-eyed assistant blocked them all. "Sorry, this is Mr. Murphy''s private time. Please understand." Theworking hopefuls slunk away, embarrassed. They''d been dying to meet Xander. They usually wouldn''t even qualify for a meeting with him. But they knew better than to push their luck and risk ticking him off, so they reluctantly backed down. Xander slipped one hand into his pocket, his eyes scanning the crowd for Cameron from the moment he''d walked in. He''d been back for over a month now, but he hadn''t made any move to contact Cameron. He couldn''t think of a good ezruse to ask her out. Kate''s birthday invitation had been sitting on his desk for weeks. Originally, Xander hadn''t nned oning, but he rushed over when he identally found out Cameron would be here.. They hadn''t seen each other in seven whole years. Xander wondered, ''Will she still think I''m immature, shallow, and hot-tempered when we meet again? After searching for a while, he spotted Cameron behind a pine tree, ying with a cat. It was a ragdoll cat that belonged to Amelia. Cameron was teasing it yfully; surprisingly, the cat didn''t seem shy around her. Xander walked over slowly, his breathing bing lighter with each step. Finally, he stopped about three feet away from Cameron. Seven years apart, and Cameron looked wonderful tonight. She was so beautiful that his heart raced just like it had seven years ago. Whenever Cameron dressed up, she could effortlessly stir his calm waters- whether it was seven years ago or now. But Xander''s face revealed nothing. He''d learned to keep his emotionspletely in check. Cameron sensed someone watching her. She turned around and saw Xander standing nearby. "Xander." The name slipped out before she could stop herself. She straightened up, and the ragdoll cat immediately scampered away. Xander''s eyes met Cameron''s. "It''s me. Long time no see." By now, darkness had settled over the evening, but the garden lights zed bright as daylight. Cameron studied the cool expression on Xander''s face and couldn''t help thinking he''d definitely matured a lot-his whole frame had filled out considerably, too. Back in high school, he''d worked out religiously and already had that strong, lean build, but now, seven yearster, it was even more pronounced. Even through his ck shirt, she could make out the defined lines of his chest muscles. Those broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist gave him that protective, reassuring presence. "Long time no see," Cameron replied casually, like she was chatting with any old ssmate. "You here for Mrs. Chapman''s birthday party too?" Xander nodded. "Yeah, our families go way back." Cameron gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. Xander slipped one hand into his pocket and studied Cameron quietly, his gaze sweeping the area behind her. "Where''s Brad?" Seven years ago, Cameron and Bradley had been together. Xander figured that after all this time, they should be married with kids by now. After returning the country, Xander had considered looking into Cameron''s current situation. Still, in the end, he''d decided against it. "Xander!" Amelia called out. Cameron was about to speak when Amelia clicked over in her heels. Amelia looked at Xander with surprise. "My mom said you''d matured a lot, but! didn''t expect it to be true. You look so much more handsome now." Xander nodded slightly. "Thanks." Amelia turned to Cameron. "Cam, you look gorgeous tonight, too. Wait, you''re both wearing ck. Are those couple outfits?" Xander frowned. "Amelia, don''t talk nonsense." Amelia looked at him with surprise. "What, do you have a girlfriend now?" Xander shook his head. "I''m single." As he spoke, his eyes lingered on Cameron''s face for several seconds. Cameron was the one who wasn''t avable. So they shouldn''t be making jokes like that. Ameliaughed, "What a coincidence. I''m single, Cam''s single too. Looks like we''ve all be warriors in the single lits hatte Xander''s gaze snapped to Cameron, intensity shing in his eyes. "You''re single? You and Brad broke up?" Cameron stayed silent. Amelia immediately jumped in. "What are you talking about? Cam was never with Bradley in the first ce. How could you break up if you were never together?" Xander looked stunned. ''Cameron was never with Bradley? Then what was that Instagram post Austin made seven years ago all about?" Whatever happened seven years ago didn''t matter. What mattered was right now. ''Cameron''s still single. Do I still have a chance?'' he thought to himself. Xander''s expression grewplicated as he nced at Cameron, but his face returned to its usual neutral mask within moments. He''d long since mastered the art of keeping his emotions hidden. Amelia looked between Cameron and Xander. "You''re both single-why don''t you two give it a shot?" Xander slowly turned toward Cameron, a hint of amusement creeping into his eyes. Cameron finally spoke up, "Thanks a lot, Amelia. Are you really that bored? Since when did you be a matchmaker?" Amelia grinned, "Starting right now." Cameron rolled her eyes. "Well, I''ll let you two catch up. Don''t want to interrupt anything." Amelia read the room perfectly and made her exit. She wanted to give Cameron and Xander some alone time. Xander was a decent guy, and Amelia thought they''d make a good match if Cameron gave him a chance. Xander stared at Cameron quietly, his heart beating a little faster. "Are you single?" Cameron shook her head. "Not for much longer." Xander looked at her with confusion written all over his face. "Someone''s been pursuing me, and I''m nning to say yes," Cameron exined. Xander''s expression fell. ''So I came back toote?'' Cameron gave him a slight nod, then turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor. Xander watched her retreating figure but stayed rooted to the spot. He didn''t follow. Once again, he''d been rejected without even getting a real chance. Xander let out a quiet sigh. "Cameron, I hope you''ll be happy." He wasn''t that naive young man anymore. If Cameron didn''t like him, she didn''t want him¡ªno amount of persistence would change that. He would watch her from afar and wish her well. Kate''s birthday party tonight was buzzing with energy. Many young, sessful men were drawn to Amelia''s beauty and elegance. Matthew and Kate had their hearts set on Xander as a match for her. -60 But Xander didn''t spare Amelia so much as a nce. That was when Matthew and Kate realized they''d been wishful thinking. With so many promising young men at the party, they still had many options. Amelia kept busy mingling with guests while Cameron deliberately kept her distance from Xander. Xander maintained his boundaries, too, making no move to approach her. Cameron said goodbye to the Chapman family when the party ended and left the manor. Xander followed her out anyway. "Cameron." He called her name at the Chapman Manor gates. His face was unreadable, his eyes fixed on her with an expression she couldn''t quite decipher. "Let me drive you home. It''s gettingte," he offered. Cameron shook her head. "Thanks, but someone''s waiting for me." Disappointment flickered across Xander''s features. He just wanted to end his youth properly, nothing more than that. As they walked toward the street together, Xander spotted Bradley standing beside a Mercedes. Xander narrowed his eyes. ''Bradley. It''s been seven years.'' Bradley wasn''t the inexperienced kid from Xander''s memories anymore. He wore a crisp white shirt, gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose, and an expensive watch gleamed on his wrist-every inch the sessful professional. It looked like he''d be awyer after all. It must feel incredible to achieve his dreams. Xavier''s thoughts raced. ''Bradley''s here he must be waiting for Cameron. So Bradley is the guy Cameron mentioned who''s been pursuing her. After all this time, it''s still him.'' Xander couldn''t help but smile to himself. Cameron had always treated Bradley differently from the rest of them. She''d shower Bradley with praise and was closest to him. Looking back now, her behavior around Bradley was affectionate. But Xavier''s younger self had been too oblivious and self-absorbed to notice. Yearster, reflecting on it all, he had to admit defeat gracefully. "Cam." Bradley''s face lit up as he called out to her. The next second, he noticed Xander standing behind Cameron. Bradley looked genuinely surprised to see Xander there too. Xander seemed much more "Xander." Bradley walked over to both of them. "Brad." Xander gave a slight nod. "You here for the birthday party too?" Bradley asked. Despite not seeing each other for years, they chatted like old friends. Xander nodded. "Yeah. Brad, why aren''t you going in?" "I''m not here for the birthday party," Bradley replied. "I''m waiting to drive Cam home." A faint smile touched Xander''s lips as he nodded slightly. "Alright, you two take care." With that, Xander turned and walked toward his Maybach. 1408 Sun, As the car pulled away, Xander sat in the back seat and nced through the rearview mirror. He watched Bradley open the passenger door, gently protecting Cameron''s head as she settled into the "Bradley and Cameron looked perfect together. Xander slowly looked away and closed his eyes. All he could do now was wish them well. His youth had finallye to an end. Chapter 674 No Ads The Mercedes cruised steadily down the road. Bradley gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Xander seems a lot more mature now." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, he''s definitely moreposed." Bradley nced over at her. "Are you tired? You''ve been standing in heels all night. Do your feet hurt?" Cameron turned to look at Bradley. With his attention on the road, she could only see his handsome profile. Sensing her gaze, Bradley turned back with a smile, meeting her eyes for a moment before focusing on his driving again. "There are some slippers in the glovepartment. They''re new," he said, his voice carrying a gentle warmth. You can change out of those heels. Your feet will feel better." While waiting for Cameron outside earlier, he''d suddenly realized she''d been standing in heels for hours and might be ufortable. He''d walked almost two miles to the nearest store just to buy them for her. Cameron opened the storagepartment and found a pair of women''s sandals in pink, elegant and straightforward, with the tags still attached. She slipped off her heels and put on the sandals. They felt so much better. Cameron leaned back in her seat and turned to look at Bradley, who was driving. "Brad." "Yeah?" "Thank you," Cameron said softly. Bradley smiled, "Cam, I''m trying to win you over here. Just enjoy all the nice things I do for you, no need to feel grateful." "Then why didn''t you have this kind of patience before?" Cameron asked quietly. Bradley hit the brakes. "Before?" Cameron shook her head. "It''s in the past now." He didn''t even remember. There was no point in dwelling on it. Bradley looked at Cameron. "Cam, what exactly happened between us before? Can you tell me?" Cameron was quiet for a moment, then decided to be honest. "Seven years ago, you asked me to think about being your girlfriend. I turned you down. You told me to reject you to your face, so I did. Then you locked me up." Bradley''s face went nk. "Wait, what?" Disbelief washed over his features. "You''re telling me that because you rejected me, I locked you up?" Cameron''s expression remained neutral. "You don''t believe what I''m telling you, or you don''t believe you could do something like that?" Bradley''s face went nk with shock. He couldn''t wrap his head around how he could have done something so terrible. "Cam, I believe you," Bradley said quietly. "I''m just blown away. I''m sorry for what I did before. It waspletely insane." It was insane-even he couldn''t understand how he''d gotten to that point. Cameron''s voice stayed t. "Brad, like, i said, we''ve wiped the te clean on all that." 14:08 Sun 27 Jul- Bradley asked hesitantly, "Cam, besides locking you up, did I do anything else to you?" "No." Cameron shook her head. Bradley let out a breath of relief. Cameron added, "Even if you''d wanted to, you couldn''t have pulled it off. You''re no match Bradley had no response to that. for me." Cameron turned to look out the window and fell silent. The tension in the car became thick and ufortable. Bradley started the car and drove in silence. No wonder Cameron looked at him with disgust when she saw him before. Even Bradley knew he''d screwed up badly. Neither spoke during the entire drive, with only soft background music filling the quiet. Bradley pulled up to the marina. "Cam, we''re here," Bradley said gently. Cameron unbuckled her seatbelt and slipped on her heels. She reached for the flip-flops, nning to take them since she''d worn them. Bradley stopped her. "Cam, leave the flip-flops in the car." Cameron looked confused. "Why?" Chapter 675 No Ads "You can wear them again tomorrow when I take you home," Bradley said. Cameron put the shoes back down, and they headed to the boat together. Even though it was already May, the night air still carried a chill. When the sea breeze picked up, Cameron couldn''t help but shiver. The next moment, warmth enveloped her shoulders. She stopped walking and nced over to see a beautiful red id shawl draped across her shoulders, its soft tassels dancing gracefully in the night wind. "It gets cold at night," Bradley said simply. He''d made time to buy it during lunch today, even asking his sister, Cami Saunders, what style girls usually liked before settling on this one. "Thank you." Warmth spread through Cameron''s body and settled in her heart. Bradley went to buy two boat tickets. He stepped onto the boat first, and when a wave hit, the vessel rocked slightly. He reached out his hand to Cameron. "Cam,e on." Cameron hesitated momentarily, but finally ced her hand in his warm, steady palm Bradley''s hand was warm while hers felt cool, so he tightened his grip and pulled her aboard. Once they were both on deck, Bradley let go of her hand. "It''s pretty cold tonight. Let''s head inside the cabin," Bradley suggested. The cabin had a lounge area, a drink station, and a dining section. They made their way to the drink station and ordered two coffees. Cameron wrapped her shawl around herself and gazed out toward the horizon. The waves looked rough tonight. It was probably going to rain. Bradley quietly studied Cameron''s stunning profile. ''Cam is charming,'' he thought. ''The kind of beauty I can''t even put into words. She''s everything I find attractive rolled into one person.'' Cameron turned back and caught Bradley staring at her withplete adoration in his eyes. Their gazes locked. Cameron''s heart skipped a beat. She looked down and took a sip of her coffee. The boat was crowded and noisy. Without saying a word, both Cameron and Bradley agreed that conversation could wait. Bradley''s eyes never left Cameron''s face for the entire boat ride. When they reached the ind, Bradley couldn''t help but marvel. "That was fast." Cameron shook her head. "Actually, we were about ten minutes slower than usual." She figured it was because of the waves, and the captain probably didn''t want to push it too hard. Bradley smiled, "Really?" Cameron stood up and smoothed down her dress."Brad, I''m home. Thanks for giving me a ride. You should head back now." Bradley helped Cameron off the boat, then stood on the deck waving goodbye. Cameron waved back, pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, and walked away. The sky opened up with torrential rain when Cameron stepped inside her house. 14:08 Sun, 27 Jul": Jacqueline rushed over. "This rain came out of nowhere. Cam, you didn''t get caught in it, did you?" Cameron shook her head. "Lucky timing. I made it just in time." Jacqueline''s eyes caught the fabric draped over Cameron''s shoulders. "That''s a gorgeous shawl. I don''t think I''ve seen you wear it before." "A friend gave it to me," Cameron said simply. "What friend?¡± Levi nced up from his iPad, where he''d been scrolling through new Cameron kept her tone light. "Dad, just a friend." Levi''s expression remained unreadable as he exchanged a meaningful look with Jacqueline. "Cam, you''re back?" Gavin''s voice called from the doorway. "I thought you left? Oh my God, Gavin, you''re soaked!" Jacqueline quickly motioned for someone to bring towels. Gavin rubbed his dripping hair with the towel. "It started pouring, so they shut down the ferry service. I had toe back." He''d been nning to visit a friend in Viremont. Cameron''s attention sharpened. "They shut down the ferry?" Her heart skipped. ''What about Brad?'' AD Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter 676 Gavin nodded. "The waves out there are too rough, so all the boats have stopped running "What about the p people on the boots?" Cameron asked. "They all got off. Nobody''s crazy enough to stay on board in weather like this Gavin exined Cameron''s brow furrowed with concem. "Gavin, you''re soaked to take a hot shower before you catch a cold Gavin''s face lit up at her concern. "Okay" "Mom, Dad, I''m heading to my room too, Cameron announced. Back in het room, Cameron immediately called Bradley Bradley was just as drenched at that moment as Gavin had beenpletely soaked to the bone. He ducked into the nearest dock and grabbed a towel and an umbre. convenience store "by the Bradley quickly toweled off the raingater from his clothes and pulled out his phone to search for nearby hotels. Looks like I''m stuck on thisnd for the night, he thought The ind had really developed into a full-fledged destination over the years. Everything was expensive, but it was a great tourist spot. Bradley by found a hotel listing pretty quickly, but they werepletely booked when he called. He tried another one-same story, fully booked. With the sudden downpour, everyone was scrambling for a ce to stay, so it made sense that all the hotels near the dock were sold out. Just as Bradley was about to call a third hotel, Cameron''s call came through. A smile fugged at his lips as he immediately swiped to answer "Hey, Can" "Brad, where are you right now?" Cameron got straight to the point. "I''m near the dock. This crazy rainstorm hit out of nowhere, and the boats can''t leave, so I''m stuck here overnight." "Have you found a hotel yet?" "Still looking" Bradley replied. Cameron fell silent. The ind had be a total Instagram hotspot these days, with tourists Hooding every day During peak season, practically every hotel was booked solid-people couldn''t find a room anywhere. Plenty of tourists who struck out on hotels would just pitch tents and camp out, but with tonight''s weather, mping was definitely off the table The recent good weather had made the ind gorgeous, drawing massive crowds. Now, a violent storm was tearing through outside, Cameron figured Bradley would have zero luck finding a room. She stayed quiet for a long moment before saying, "Brad, send me your WhatsApp: I''ming to get you." lection on "Coming to get ma?" Bradley instinctively nced outside at the trees getting thrashed around by the wind and shook his head. "Cam, it''s pouring out there. You absolutely cannot go outside-it''s way too dangerous." "I''m picking you u up and bringing you back to my ce," Cameron said. Bradley just stared at his phone. "Back to Her ce! This fast? We''re not officially dating yet, and I''m already meeting her family? He was sure he''d heard "Brad, send me your location," Cameron saki. She hang up right after that Bradley stared at his phone screen as it went ck, and he couldn''t help but smile a title "Maybe Cam''s letting mee over her and ept me? Pradley hadn''t sent his location yet, so Cameron sent another message. [Brad, location) That was when Bradley finally shared his location with Cameron Cameron: [On my way] Bradley: [Cool, I wait for you) Bradley stood in the convenience store, thinking about how this was his first time meeting Cameron''s family He should probably bring somerbing Bot honestly, there wasn''t much worth giving in this little store. Cameron hurried downstairs and grabbed a set of car keys. "Cam, are you heading out?" Jacqueline stood up. Cameron nodded. "Mom, Dad, the ferry''s shut down and my friend can''t get back to Viremont. All the hotels are booked too Would it okay i brought him here to stay with us?" Levi cut straight to the point with a knowing smile. "Sweetie, Cameron hesitated. "Yes, Dad" Levi''s grin widened. "A boy?" "Yes" petie, is this the friend who gave you that shawl?" Jacqueline chuckled warmly. "Well then, Cam, you''d better go pick him up. It''s pouring out there. We don''t want him catching With Jacqueline and Levi''s blessing, Cameron drove off into the storm About fifteen minutester, she pulled up to the convenience store where Bradley was waiting. Cameron stepped out of the car, umbre in hand. Bradley stood by the convenience store entrance, clutching arge bag of fruit. He couldn''t find anything fancy inside a ce like this, but he wasn''t about to show up empty-handed. "Brad," Cameron called out. Bradley t y took the ck umbre from Cameron''s hand, his arm sliding around her head to rest on her shoulder. He angles Cameron, leaving nearly half his shoulder exposed to the rain. The rain wasing down hard, and the wind howled around them Neither wasted time with small talk-they hurdled back to the car Even though Bradley had tied the umbres to shield Cameron, the rain was too heavy. Droplets still managed to the Bradley, on the other hand, waspletely soaked. of the umbra oper Cameron handed him the towel she''d prepared, then noticed what he was carrying, "What''s that?" she asked. "Fruit." Bradley said. "You didn''t eat dinner) "No" Cameron stared at him. "You waited for me all evening without eating dinner?". Bradley saw her surprised expression and couldn''t help ruffling her hair. "Missing one meal won''t hurt." The moment Bradley made that gesture, his hand froze in mid air. Something about this scene felt f "Come eat at my ce," Cameron said. "You can''t just have fruit for dinner." Bradley smiled. "Okay" Cameron drave Bradley back to Yates Manor Within thirty minutes, Levi and Jacqueline had the servants quickly tidy up the living room. However, it was already spo After all, this was Cameron''s first time bringing a male friend home Lance had returned as well. He lounged on the sofa. "Mom, Dad, he''s just a friend Do we really need to make such a big deal about this?" Levi shot Lance a look. "If your sister gets a boyfriend before you do, I''d like to see how you and Gavin will show your f faces around here." Lance fell silent. "Who''s getting a a boyfriend?" Gavin had just reached the staircase and only caught half the conversation Jacqueline smiled, "Cameron has a friending to stay w with us tonight" Gavin hurried downstairs. "What kind of friend "A male friend," Lance said. Gavin went quiet. Levi looked at Gavin. "Why are you wearing pajamas? What kind of impression is that? Go upstairs and change into something decent." Sensing Levi''s concer Gavin could only nod. "Alright." Just as Gavin headed upstairs, Cameron walked in with Bradley. "Mom, Dad, Lance, this is my friend Bradley Saunders. The ferry stopped running because of the heavy rain, so he''s say her dripping umbre by the door. Bradley had dried off, but his clothes were still damp, and his hair was wet. They could tell he''d been caught in the rain. Bradley cared a bag of fruit into the living room. "Mr. Yates, Mrs. Yates, Lance, hello, I''m Bradley. Sorry for the trouble tonight." thus tonight" Cameron set Chapter 677 Bradley set the fruit down on the table as he spoke, "I''m sorry for showing up so suddenly tonight. With the heavy rain, I could only grab some that from the convenience store. Sorry about that." Cameron stared at him. So the thuit was actually for my family?" She''d assumed Bradley bought it for himself to snack on, which exined why he''d gotten so many bag Seeing how thoughtful and polite Bradley was, Jacqueline smiled warmly. "You didn''t need to bring anything, especially in this downpour. Please, down, Bradley. You''re actually the first friend Cam has ever brought home." Bradley looked at Cameron with surprise. The first friend she''d brought home? Had Cameron been single all these years, too?" Levi said, "Please have a seat." But Cameron shook her head. "Brad, wait. You''re soaked through. Let''s get you some dry clothes first She turned to Lance. "Lance, you and Brad are about the same size. Do you have any clothes he could borrow?" A rare smile crossed Lance''s usually cold expression. "Sure. One minute" "Thanks, I appreciate it" Bradley said. Lance nodded at Bradley and headed upstairs. Cameron asked Edwin to prepare some food for Bradley Levi and Jacqueline watched Cameron bustling around for Bradley, finding it quite amusing. Bradley was soaked through and couldn''t sit downfortably. are you from?" Levi asked casually, "Where are "I''m from Sterfall, Mr. Yates. Cameron and I were high school ssmates and roommates," Bradley replied. Jacqueline smiled, "Oh, roommates. No wonder Cameron cares about you so much." A slight smile tugged at Bradley''s lips. Cameron thought to hersell, ''Care about him? I don''t really care that much" Levi continued, "How many people are in your family?" "My parents and grandmother are still alive, Mr. Yates. I have seven brothers and one sister. I''m the fifth child," Bradley answered. Jacqueline looked surprised. "All biological?" "One of my brothers is adopted," Bradley ry said, referring to Evan "Wait, do you know Nathan?" Low asked quickly, At first, Levi didn''t catch on. But when Bradley mentioned all those sons in their family, it clicked. "Nathan is my father, Bradley said. Surprise flickered across Levi''sce. "You''re Nathan''s sont Your dad and I go way back." The world could feel huge one moment and tiny the nest. The Yates family had lived peacefully on their ind for years, keeping to themselves. However, once the ind opened up, they conected more on with the outside world. Nathan was one of Levi''s key business partners. "Is that so?" A slight smile yed at Bradley''s lips. It was perfect "Cam Lance had found some clothes and stood at the top of the stairs. "I put the clothes in the guest room. Your thiend can go up and change" "Thanks, Lance." Cameron led Bradley upstairs. Jacqueline smiled at Levi, "You look pretty satisfied." Levi smiled back. "The Saunders family and ours are a good match." "Cam has good taste," Jacqueline said. "Bradley seems like a decent, well- mannered young man." Gavin came downstairs to find only Levi and Jacqueline in the living room. "Cam''s not back yet?" "She''s showing her friend to the guest room, Levi said. Jacqueline looked at Gavin. "Why did it take you so long to change clothes?" I spent a while choosing what to wear Meeting Cameron''s future husband for the first time called for picking the right outfit. But thinking about this man bing Cameron''s future husband left Gavin feeling ufortable. Someone wasing to take his sister away Gavin adjusted his cuffs. "What''s he like?" "Who?" Jacqueline asked. "The guy Cam brought home Jacqueline smiled, "He''s nice." about it" Gavin frowned. "Mom, you can''t be this easygoing a Jacqueline fell silent. Levi looked at Gavin. "So you''re saying when you bring a girlfriend home, your mom and I should give her a hard time? Gavin stumbled over his words. "Dad, that''s not what I meant. This is Cam''s future partner we''re talking about. We need to be careful here." They couldn''t just let Cameron marry anyone. "Gavin." Cameron appeared at the top of the stairs, catching the tail end of his words. "Brad and I are just friends right now." "Just friends?" Gavin wasn''t buying it. He thought, "Frends don''t bring each other home for sleepovers" Cameron came downstairs and noticed Gavin''s outfit. "Are you going somewhere? Why are you wearing a suit?" Gavin was dressed in a formal suit, as if he were about to attend an important event. Gavin had no words. Jacqueline smiled, "Cam, Gavin put on the suit to make a good impression on Bridley" Cameron thought, ''A good impression? Does it need to be this formal?" Chapter 677 Gavin felt barrassed. He pressed again. "You''re really just friends?" Cameron answered, "For now, yes." "That means there''s potential for development Lance came down from upstairs, joining themnation Cameron didn''t respond Lance sat down beside Cameron and reached over to ruffle her hair. "Cam, don''t tell me you''re getting shy?" Cameron looked at him, "What do I have to be shy Lance couldn''t help but chuckle, y about Levi shot Lance a warning look. "Step teasing Cam. You''re making her ufortable." Lance shipped it off. "Dad, Cam''s not six years old. She''s twenty soc Levi''s voice turned protective. "Twenty-six or not, she''s still my baby girl. Try picking on her and see what happens" Lance fell silent. He wasn''t picking on her he cared about Cam too much for that, Cameron smiled, "Dad, Lance isn''t picking on me." Lance gave her hair another er gentle ruffle. "That''s my girl" Gavin stared at Lance''s hand, fighting to yark it away from Cam''s head. A few minutester, Bradley came downstairs. He wore Lance''s ck long- sleeved shirt and gray pants that fit him perfectly. The casual outfit made him look rxed andid-back, and he appeared refined and schrly with his gold-rimmed sses Gavin stared at him, thinking, ¡°This guy''s pretty handsome, no wonder he caught Cameron''s eye! But looks were just the surface. He''d need to see what Bradley was really made of Being Cameron''s husband wasn''t going to be easy. Bradley felt Gavin''s scrutinizing gaze and smiled slightly as he spoke first. "Hello, I''m Bradley, Cameron''s friend." Cameron said, "Brad, this is my brother, Gavin." "Nice to meet you, Gavin," Bradley replied. Gavin frowned. "You and Cameron barely ly know each other. Don''t get too familiar yet," Bradley wondered if Gavin didn''t like him already. "Gavin," Jacqueline sighed, looking at her son before turning to Bradley with a smile. "Don''t mind him, Bradley, Gavin''s very protective of Cameron. He''s worried you might steal her away from us, so he''s being grumpy." Bradley couldn''t help but smile, "Don''t worry, Gavin, I''m not qualified for that yet." Bradley couldpletely understand how Gavin jelt. After all, Gavin and Osborne felt the same way about their youngest sister Cami Osborne couldn''t stand Cami''s husband, Jade Masion, no matter what. Gavin probably felt the same way, looking at him now. As they talked, Bradley nced at Cameron. Their eyes met, and she caught the expectation in his pass, Cameron quickly looked away. "Brad, let eat. It''s gettingte" After all this chaos, it was already past ten at night. Bradley nodded. "Okay" Cameron led Bradley toward the dining room Gavin stared at their retreating figures, thinking how perfectly matched they looked together. The sight made him even more ufortable. His precious sister had only been back in their lives for a few years, and now somene isomenno was going to steal her away. Gavin''s eyes fell on the fruit basket on the coffee table, "Who brought this fruit?¡± "Bradley did," Jacqueline replied. Gavin immediately found fault with it, "His first time visiting, and he only brought fruit?" Levi said, "With heavy rain, where exactly did you expect him to go shopping?" Besides, Bradley hadn''t nned toe over anyway Gavin frowned. "Dad, this guy hasn''t even done anything with Cam yet." And Levi was already taking Bradley''s side. "You''re just looking for trouble," Levi said. Gavin fell silent. Lance watched Gavin get shut down by Levi and Jacqueline wisely stayed out of the father-son spat. in the dining room, Cameron had the kitchen prepare three dishes and a soup for Bradley. Bradley sat down, and Cameron took the seat beside him. Looking at the perfectly prepared food, Bradley sighed, "Smells amazing" Cameron nodded. "The chef''s pretty skilled" Bradley picked up his chopsticks and asked, "Did you eat enough at the banquet?" Cameron nodded. Tm full. Go ahead and eat. Once you''re done, get some rest. You got caught in the rain. You need to take a hot shower to warm up." "Okay." Bradley nodded. Outside in the living room, Gavin stared at his phone in silence Lance leaned over curiously and couldn''t help butugh. "Gavin, are you some kind of pervert? Why are you watchin Are you spying on Cam and Bradley?" Gavin hadn''t expected Lance toe over. His ce darkened immediately. staurant security footage? Lance clicked his tongue. "Gavin, are you really that worried Cam''s going to get stolen away? She''ll get married and leave eventually anyway. What are you going to do then!" The more Lance talked, the worse Gavin alt inside. Earlier, Cameron had focused almost all her attention on Bradley, She''d practically forgotten about Gavin, which bothered him. Gavin didn''t know if these feelings were normal or not. All he knew was that he felt ufortable. Gavin stood up. "Tisted, Going to bed" After Gavin went upstairs, Lance frowned. Levi and Jacqueline exchanged nces. About fifteen minutester, Cameron finished dinner with Bradley. It waste enough to be considered a midnight snack, "Where''s Gavin?" Cameron asked, noticing his absence. Jacqueline smiled, "Your brother went to his room. It''s gettingte, Bradley You should get some test too. If you need anything just ring the bell" Bradley nodded. "Alright, thank you, Mrs. Yates." He turned to Levi and Lance. "Mr. Yates, Lance, you should get some rest too." "Cam_wait a moment." Cameron was about to follow Bradley upstairs when Jacqueline called out to her "Mom?" Cameron stopped in her tracks. Bradley headed upstairs. Jacqueline took Cameron''s hand. "Cam, you know how much Gavin cares about you. When you suddenly brought a male friend home, it bothered him. Maybe you should go talk to him?" Cameron nodded with understanding. "Okay, I''ll go find Gavin now." Cameron went upstairs and knocked on Gavin''s bedroom door. "Who is it?" "Gavin''s listless voice came through the door. "Gavin, it''s me," Cameron said. Within seconds, the door swung open. ¡°Cam, did you need something?" Gavin asked, leaning against the doorframe. Cameron smiled, "Gavin, aren''t you going to invite me in!" A fond expression crossed Gavin''s face. "Come on in." Cameron walked inside and settled onto the sofa by the balcony. Gavin closed the door behind him and sat down across from her "Gavin," Cameron said directly, "Are you upset because I brought a friend home?" Gavin paused for a moment. Aber a few seconds, he shook his head. "Cam, you''re overthinking this. I''m not upset." Cameron sighed, "Gavin, won''t you tell me the truth?" Gavin fell silent. Cam was too smart. He couldn''t fool her. So Gavin decided to be honest. "Cam, yes, I anya little upset. "Why?" Cameron looked confused. Gavin gave a bitter smile. "Cam, I''ve dreared of having a little sister my whole life. Seven years ago, that dream actually came true. These past few year have been the happiest of my lide.. "But now you''re dating somennar Cameron said, "Gavin, I''m pot det in Like I''m loving you. It hurts? Gavin shook i k his head. ¡°Cam, don''t lie to me it fadley isn''t your boyfriend, why would you bring him home to of Cameron replied, "Because he got stuck on the ind trying to get me fiome safely. Gavin sighed. "Cam, stop making excuses yes don''t lie. In the living room earlier, you barely looked away from Bradley Cameron thought, "My eyes didn''t leave addidn''t even notice Cameron looked at Gavin directly. "Gavin, even if I start dating someone, you won''t lose me, I''ll always be your sister" Gavin shook his head. "Cam, it''s different" it really was different Soon, Bradley would be the most important ortant person in Cam''s life and be pushed asid "Gavin Cameron didn''t know how tofort him. Gavin waved his hand dismissively, "Cam, don''t worry about it I''m fine. Il deal with it myself." Cameron stood up. Gavin followed, rising to his feet. Suddenly, Cameron reached out and hugged him Gavin''s eyes widened in shock. Cam was actually hugging him first. It had never happened before. Usually, he was the one who initiated everything, and Cameron didn''t always go along with it. Cameron held Gavin gently. "Gavin, no matter if I fall in love or get married and have kids someday, you''ll always be someone incredibly important to Comment Chapter 678 "Gavin, you''ll always have a ce in my heart, and you''ll always be at the very top," Cameron said seriously, hugging Gavin tightly. "Cam!" Gavin ced his hand on Cameron''s head, his voice trembling with emotion as he Hought back tears. If Lance were here, he''d definitely make fun of me, Gavin thought. Bot right now, he was truly moved. What Cameron said to him felt like the most beautiful words in the world. Cameron added, "So, Gavin, don''t be sad, I''ll always be your sister, and you''ll always be my dearest brother" She let go of Gavin, her face lit up with a bright smile. Gavin was deeply touched by these heartfelt words. If this had been seven years ago, Cameron definitely wouldn''t have been able to say something like that. However, in these past seven years, she''d beenpletely immersed in her family''s love. Her parents, Gavin and Lance had all showered her with unconditional love, to the point that the cold and ruthless Cameron of the past had long since vanished without a tract. Now, she was someone with real warmth "Alright, I won''t be sad anymore," Gavin said, a smile finally breaking across his face. The gloom that had been weighing on him all night melted away in an instant, all thanks to a fewforting words from Cameron. "It''s gettingte, Gavin. You should get some rest," Cameron said. Gavin walked Cameron to the door. "Cam," Gavin asked, "what does Bradley do?" "He''s awyer," Cameron replied. Gavin nodded: "That''s a good profession" Cameron smiled, "Gavin, his job isn''t important." Gavin nodded. "As long as you''re happy." Cameron kept silent. She waved at Gavin, "Goodnight." As Cameron walked away, Gavin called out with a smile, "Nice taste" Bradley looked every inch the elite professional And, as long as Cameron liked him, that was all that really mattered. When Cameron got back to her room, she finally noticed the WhatsApp message from Bradley Bradley: Cam, are you asleep?] Cameron replied: (Brad, I just saw your message. Are you still up? Bradley responded almost instantly. Not yet Cameron: Can''t sleep in a new bed?] It was almost eleven now. Aber everything that happened tonight, Bradley must be tired Cameron was definitely feeling worn out She was nning to take a shower and then crash for the night. Bradley: No, it''s just that being at your ce for the first time, I''m too excited Cameron couldn''t help butugh, and replied. Are you really that excited you can''t sleep? Bradley: Cam, dees your family think I''m your boyfriend! Cameron: II already exined it to them.] Her family had grilled Bradley like they were running a background check on him, so no wonder he''d get that idea. Bradley: Honestly, you don''t have to exin. I really do want to be your boyfriend] Cameron quietly stared at the message, unable to stop the smile bugging at her lips. Cameron: Brad, it''s reallyte. I''m going to bed now. Goodnight Bradley could tell Cameron was dodging his words on purpose. But he wasn''t in any hurry. After all, he''d already met her family tonight. It seemed like everyone except Gavin was pretty satisfied with him. He''d just take it slow. She''d say yes eventually. Bradley had confidence in himself. The next morning Bradley woke up early. To his surprise, Gavin was up even earlier. "Good moming, Gavin, Bradley said politely Gavin was sitting on the couch, shooting Bradley a sideways nce. "I''d prefer it if you called me Mr. Yates. You''re not anyone special to Cam, are you?" Last night, Gavin had truly been moved by Cameron''s words. Even so, he wasn''t about to let Bradley marty Cameron that easily. The harder something was to get the more nne would valurit Bradley smiled, "Not yet, but it won''t be long." Gavin gave him a half-simile, ¡°You''re really that confident?" Bradley uttered, "Gavin, it''s Cam who gives me all my confidence." Gavin was a bit annoyed by his words. "Gavin! Mr. Saunders, you guys are up early?" Lance had juste downstairs too. Bradley turned around. "Morning, Lance. If you don''t mind, you can call me Brad Lance patted Bradley on the shoulder. "Alright, I''ll call you Brad then "Anyway, we''re all going to be family sooner orter, so there''s really nothing to fuss about, he thought. Bradley smiled, "Alright" It looked like Lance had already epted him. Gavin shot Lance a look, and then turned to Bradley. "The rain''s stopped. You can head out now." Bradley just smiled and made himselffortable on the couch. "Gavin, I know should go, but I''m going to wait for your parents and Cam to wake up. so I can say goodbye to them first." Gavin frowned slightly. No wonder Bradley was awyer. With just a few measured words, he made his case with perfectposure and logic, leaving Gavin looking utterly unreasonable by contrast Gavin stood up, shot Bradley a look of disdain, and muttered, "You''re such an eyesore." And with that, he just walked out. Morning exercise was good for him anyway. Lance p patted Bradley on the shoulder and said, "Don''t mind him, Brad. He''s just worried you''ll take Cam away, so he''s acting all grumpy. "And honestly, he''s actually a good guy!" Bradley said, "Lance, I understand how he feels. Back then, my own brother also couldn''t stand mys sister''s husband in every possible way" Lance raised an eyebrow. "Good to hear you got it." A momentter, Cameron was downstairs. "Morning, Cam," Lance said, "Morning, Cam," Bradley echoed. "Morning, Lance, Brad Cameron said, sitting down across from them. Lance stood up. "I''m going to get some fish alc And with that, he walked out. Now, it was just Cameron and Bradley left in the living room. Bradley grinned and uttered, "Cam, It looks like Lance is ying matchmaker and giving us some alone time Cameron didn''t bite, instead asking. "Did you sleep wellst night? You got caught in the rain. Are you feeling alright this morning? You didn''t catch a cold or anything, did you?" Bradley felt Cameron''s concem, and his smile grew even wider. However, he was still a bit puzzled. "Cam, why do you keep dodging my questions?? "Doll" cameron-shifted in her seat, ying it cool. Bradley nodded. "You totally do Cameron looked at him earnestly. "Brad, you don''t remember anything from seven years ago, so we''ve only really known each other for a little over a month. How do you expect me to answer you?" Bradley sighed, "Cam, affection isn''t measured in hours and days" Cameron was quiet for a second, before she said, "But you can''t just take it lightly, either." Bradley chuckled, "Then what about people who get hitched in a sh?" Cameron replied, "That''s their business, not mine. Bradley y was rendered speechless. en ten years watfor He gazed at her, his eyes full of sincerity. "Cam, I can wait as long as you need. Three months, six months, a year, three years, even you, no matter how long it takes Cameron''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that From Bradley''s perspective, they''d only really known each other for just over a month The sure about choosing me so quickly? Isn''t that a bit rash?'' she thought Besides, seven years ago, o, when she turned him down, he''d suddenly be so obsessed that he actually locked her up. Even though Cameron had said that was all in the past, she couldn''t help but wonder whether Bradley would do something like that again in the future. She''d tested Bradley a few times, trying to turn him down again just to see how he''d react, and honestly, he''d handled it in a way that really put her at ease. "Awoo.. Just as Cameron was lost in her thoughts. Pearl suddenly burst into the living room. Of course, it didn''t just barge in on its own. Right behind it was Gavin When Gavin firstid eyes on Pearl, he''d been scared out of his wit Last night, Gavin''s parents had worried Pearl might teak Bradley out, so they''d locked it up. But now, Gavin had let it out on purpose. He wanted Pearl to really pivo Fradley a scarb. If he thinks manying my sister is going to be that easy, he''s got another thing However, the scene he had been expecting didn''t y out. *Pearl Who let Pear out?" Jacqueline cried out in panic. She and Levi reached the top of the stais, just in time to see Pearl hamling straight toward Bradley With a tiger that huge, Bradley should be scared out of dout of his mind. To their surprise, instead of attacking Bradley, Pearl just started rubbing its big fully head against his knee, acting all cuddly and affectionate Bradley was a little shocked when a giant white tiger suddenly lunged at his feet, but he got over the surprise pretty fast. Seeing how friendly Pearl was, he reached down to give it a scratch and asked, "Cam, is this the Pearl we raised together?" Cameron nodded, "Yeah". Gavin stared in disbelief. ¡°Hold on. Are you telling me you and Cam actually raised this tiger together?" They were already so close seven or eight years ago that they actually raised a tiger together? Gavin thought. He had no clue about any of it. "Have they actually been together for a while now? Wasst night''s ''meet the parents thing even nned? "Have they been dating in secret this whole time! "That is outrageous!'' He was furious at the thought of it. Bradley''s lips curled into a smile as he reached out with his long, slender fingers to gently rub Pearl''s head. "Long time no we, Pead" Pearl nuzzled his palm like a big baby, all affectionate and clingy. Gavin was speechless with anger Even now, he didn''t dare to pat Pearl''s head so intimately. "Bradley''s really got a death wish, he thought. Jacqueline finally let out a sigh of relief, "So, Cam, that friend you mentioned before was Brad?" They''d gone to Silvermoss Castle together to pick up Pearl. Cameron nodded, "Yeah, Mom Can we have breakfast now?" With that, everyone got up and headed to the dining room for breakfast As always, Cameron sat down next to Jacqueline Gavin immediately imed the seat on Cameron''s other side. Cameron was at a loss for words Bradley smiled and took the seat directly across from Cameron. Chapter 678 Lance patted Gavin on the shoulder. "Gavin, you''re even more childish than your were at three?" Gavin shot Lance a fierce re Lance just gave a careless shrug and plopped down next in Bradley. The breakfast spread was hearty and plentiful, offering a wide variety of dishes Jacqueline smiled at Bradley. "Bead, I didn''t have time to make anything fancy this morning, so just help yourself to whatever''s her Bradley shook his head with a smile. "Mrs. Yales, you''re too kind. The breakfast is really plentiful" Normally, Levi would be reading the financial news while handing breakfast. Today, however, he didn''t even nce at the news, He turned to Bradley and asked, "By the way, Brad, how old are you?" Bradley replied, "Mr. Yates, I''ll be twenty-seven in a few months." Levi nodded. "A little older than Cam" Jacqueline smiled, "They were in the same graduating ss, so of course they''re around the same age.". Levi asked again, "What do you do for a living?" Bradley replied, "I have aw firm in Steerfall, and justst month, I opened another one in Viremont. Besides running the firms, I still take on cases myself" "Viremont? Are you nning to focus on Virement from now on?" Levi asked. Bradley nodded. "Yes, because Cam is here in Viremont." As he spoke, he gazed at Cameron with tender eyes Cameron lowered! d her head and quietly drank her porridge, Levi gave a faint smile. "With so many brothers in your family, your parents wouldn''t mind you marrying into our family, right? "Cough Cough..." Cameron was in the middle of drinking her porridge when Levi''s words startled her so much that she started coughing and almost choked ry into our family?" Cameron waspletely floored. Marry She and Bradley were not even together. She wondered why they talked about such a thing now. "Cam..." Bradley''s face tensed up and he immediately stood up However, he was sitting too far away from her to help. "Cam.." Gavin immediately reached out to gently pat Cameron on the back. Jacqueline quickly handed Cameron a napkin/cam, are you okay?" Cameron wiped the corner of her mouth and shook her head. ¡°I''m fine¡± Bradley let out a breath and finally sat back down. Bradley looked at Levi and said, "Me Yates, if you want me to marry into your family, I''m totally from with that. My parents will respect whatever I decide Even if they objected, it wouldn''t make a difference. Levi vi finally smiled, "Good" Levi turned to his wife. "Anything else you want to ask?" Jacqueline let out a helpless sigh. "You''ve already interrogated him like he''s a criminal. Is there anything left for me to ask Bradley grinned, "Mrs. Yates, you can ask me anything you want" Jacqueline smiled, ¡°Brad, Levi already asked everything we wanted to know. I don''t have anything else to ask for now Bradley nodded. "Mrs. Yates, if you ever want to ask me anything, just go ahead" Gavin shot Bradley a look, It looked like Bradley had already won over Jacqueline, Levi, and Lance. They were way too easy to please. However, Gavin wasn''t that easy to please, Gavin uttered, "Bradley, I think your job is just too dangerous. If Cam''s with you, she could end up in danger." Seeing Gavin was just picking a fight, Lance asked, "Gavin, what''s so risky about being awyer anyway?" Gavin said, "if he wins a case and the other side gets pissed, they mighte after him. And if they can''t get to him, they might target his family. That means Cam could get hurt, right?" Lance got mad at Gavin''sment but found himself unable to reply. Although Gavin was intentionally provoking Bradley, he wasn''t totally wrong either. Even Levi and Jacqueline were caught off guard Bradley frowned slightly and looked at Cameron Cameron had just finished her breakfast by then.. Right at that moment, her eyes met Bradley''s across the table. Cameron was just about to speak when Bradley said. "I can stop practicingw if that''s what it takes He could step back and just handle things behind the scenes. He''d only manage thew firm and wouldn''t take on any cases himsell anymore. In that way. y, he could avoid the kind of danger Gavin was worried about. Cameron''s eyes flew wide as she stared at Bradley in disbelief "He''d really quit being awyer for me?" Cameron''s mind went totally nk. She knew better than anyone that being awyer was Bradley''s lifelong dream She thought, "How could he just throw that all away for me? ''Besides, he''s already made a real name for himself in his field. "He can''t give up halfway" Cameron almost blurted out, "No, you don''t have to do that. I can handle mysel She believed that being together was supposed to make both people happier. It was not about forcing one person to give up what mattered to them, Chapter 679 Levi and Jacqueline exchanged a knowing nce, both of them wearing med smiles. Cameron keeps insisting they''re just friends? Does that look like how normal friends act? Jacqueline thought Lance raised an eyebrow slightly He thought. They''re clearly into each other ''It''s definitely mutual" Gavin had actually felt pretty happy with Bradley''s answer just now. Bradley was even willing to give up his own dreams for Cameron. That alone proved how much she meant to him. He''d even said he was willing to marry into the rates family. Gavin had more or less given him his approval. However, unexpectedly, Cameron ended up siding with Bradley Silly girl Gavin thought. Cameron only realized what she''d said after the words had already left her mouth. It sounded like she was already thinking of herself as Bradley''s wife She cleared her throat awkwardly and stood up. "I''m done eating. You guys enjoy your meal" She got up and left the dining room Bradley couldn''t help but smile. ''Did Cameron just ept me? Bradley wondered to himsel ''But she still won''t say yes. Is it because I can''t remember what happened between us seven years ago?" he thought. He quietly wondered how he could ease Cameron''s worrie Aftering back from the ind, Bradley was constantly on the go, busy setting up hisw firm in Vinemont. Sul, he never missed a day driving Cameron to work and picking her up afterward. in the blink of an eye, a month had passed. Bradley''sw firm had officially opened its doors. The Yates family had also moved from the ind to Viremont Amelia had also found out that Cameron and Bradley had reunited. She invited Cameron out for coffee, and couldn''t help but ask what had been on her mind. "Now that you know how you feel, why haven''t you gotten together with Bradley yet?" Back then, Amelia could already tell Cameron liked Bradley, but Cameron was totally clueless about her own feelings. "Walt, are you hesitating because I used to have a crush on Bradley?" Amelia continued, ¡°Cam, seriously, you don''t have to worry about that at all go over him ages ago, Don''t let it bother you." Cameron shook her head and finally admitted, "Bradley has amnesia Amelia was stunned into silence. She stared nkly at Cameron, thinking she must have misheard. Amelia thought, "Amnesia? For real? That''s insane! She''d always wondered why Bradley vanished out of nowhere seven years ago. It turned out that he had lost his memory. Amelia was stunned for a while before she finally asked, "So, are you waiting for Bradley to remember everything before you agree to be with him?¡± Cameron shook her head. "He can''t get his memory back." Amelia looked puzzled, "Why not?" Cameron just shook her head again, not wanting to say more to Amelia. No matter how close she was to Amelia, there were still things Cameron just couldn''t bring herself to share. For example, she never told anyone about how Bradley had locked her up seven years ago Not even her parents knew Cameron knew too well that Bradley would never get those memories back. After all, his memories had been wiped out by forced hypnosis. Some of his memories had already been altered. If anyone tried to force his memories back, he could easily go insane from the chaos of conflicting memories. Cameron knew a thing or two about hypnosis. So she understood it too well. Amelia said, "Cam, if you''re not ready to say yes to Bradley, maybe you should give someone else a chance? Like Xander, or Elijah, or even Austin!" Just a few days ago, Austin held his very first concert in Viremont, and it was a huge sess. The media was buzzing with headlines about him. Austin had indeed be a nist, and he''d made quite a name for himself in the music world Cameron gave Amelia a helpless look. "Are you afraid I''ll end up single forever?" Amelia burst outughing. ¡°Please, you''ve got guys lining up for you! I just think it''s time you got a taste of sweet romance" Cameron arched an eyebrow. "Amelia, I know you''re in love, but do you have to drag the whole world into it with you?" Amelia wagged her finger. "Excuse me, I''m not in a rtionship yet. He''s still on probation At Kate''sst birthday party, Matthew and Kate kept pushing Amelia to pick one of the eligible bachelors they''d invited. But Amelia didn''t feel a thing for any of then Matthew and Kate wouldn''t let it go. Amelia announced that she''d bring her fianc¨¦ home within a work The very next night, while she i the was out for a drive, her car broke down, and it was a young man who helped her The guy was very handsome Amelia took one look at him and was attracted to him. They exchanged contact information right then. Now, things were really heating up between them. That was how Amelia told Cameron As for who the guy was or what his name was, Amelia didn''t say a word. "Probation?" Cameron nodded. "Well, I''m putting Bradley on probation too." Amelia said. "You two have known each other for years. What''s left to figure out?" Cameron just smiled. It took Amelia a second to catch on. She suddenly stared at Cameron. "Wait, what? You''re putting Bradley on probation? So you''re really going to pick him? You''re not even thinking about anyone else?" Cameron took a slow sip of her coffee. "Didn''t you always say you were sure liked him? Why are you so surprised now?" Amelia said, "I just didn''t think you''d actually choose him." After all, Cameron had plenty of great guys around her all these years. Cameron stayed quiet for a moment. Then she finally said, "I haven''t picked yet." Amelia said, "Cameron, you''re so impossible. If I were a man chasing you, I probably w Cameron fell silent, lowering her eyes. She was choosing her future husband, after all. Of course she had to be careful. would''ve run away long ago, I might even have two kids by now." Even though she could afford to make mistakes, Cameron didn''t want to waste her time and energy for nothing. Her days were already packed anyway. Amelia tried to persuade her, "Cam, if you really like Bradley, don''t leave him hanging. You have no idea how much of a big shat these days... Honestly, I always knew I had great taste. Cameron asked, "Do you regret it?" Amelia rolled her eyes. "I never regret letting go of someone who doesn''t love me Amelia had grown up with everything she wanted. She was never the type to sell herself short. After Bradley turned her down, she got over himpletely. legal world She had a line of admirers Why would she settle for just one? Cameron curled her lips into a smile, "Lagree" Cameron and Amelia ended up chatting for the whole afternoon, Amelia didn''t hold anything back. She told Cameron everything, even how things were going with her fianc¨¦, Amelia asked, "Cam, I swear, he really knows how to kiss. Every time he kisses me, my b me, my brain just turns to mesh. Do you think he''s had a lot of girlfriends Cameron replied, "How would I know?" She hadn''t even had her first kiss yet. "How could you not. Amelia''s words trailed off She couldn''t tell Cameron yet. She had to wait a little longer. Cameron teased, "Amy, didn''t you just say you were still evaluating him? How did things get so intimate already?" Amelia said openly, "I couldn''t help myself" Cameronughed. Amelia leaned in and whispered. "Don''t you want to kiss Bradley?" Cameron was at a loss for words. Amelia spotted the faint blush spreading across Cameron''s cheeks and couldn''t help butugh. "Cam, you''re so pure!" She hadn''t even started teasing her yet, and Cameron was already getting shy Cameron grabbed her bag and stood up. "I''ve got something to take care of, so I''ll head out first." Am was cracking up. Cameron had barely walked out when Amelia''s phone rang right away. "Where are you?" The man''s voice was low and velvety, oozing charm. Just the sound of his voice made Amelia''s heart start pounding like crazy. Amelia said, "I''m at a cald "Coffee? Who are you with?" the man asked. Amelia replied, "With the person I love." "The person you love?" His tone tumed a bit more serious Amelia picked up on the change in his voice andughed. "I''m just messing with you. I''m with Cam." "Cam''s still there? the man asked. Am answered, "She just left." "Alright,e pick you up," the man said. "Mm, I''ll wait for you," Amelia said. She hung up the phone, her face glowing with happiness. If she''d known falling in love would be this much fun, she wouldn''t have stayed single for so long. When Cameron walked out of the cafe, her cheeks had finally cooled off. Her phone started ringing in her pocket. It was an unfamiliar number. After a moment''s hesitation, Cameron picked up. "Hello? Who''s this?" "Cam, it''s me," the man said. His voice was both familiar and strange. And it had been ages since anyone talked to her like that. Cameron fell silent. The man on the other and said again, "Cam, it''s Austin. Long time no see. Can we meet up?" Cameron never expected Austin to reach out to her again. They had parted ways on pretty bad terms back then. She thought he''d never show up in her life again. When Cameron still didn''t say anything, Austin added, "Cam, I don''t have any ulterior motives. I just want to see you. I don''t have any inappropriate feelings for you anymore." Back then, he''d totally misunderstood Cameron''s kindness. He''d totally misread Cameron''s feelings and thought she liked him romantically, which ended up ruining any chance they had at being friends. Now, he just wanted to be friends. After a long pause, Cameron finally asked, "Austin, where are you right now?" Austin replied, "I''m downstairs from yourpany. Cameron said, "I''ll be right back." The cafe was only about a 10-minute drive away from Aurevia Biotech. Cameron drove straight to thepany''s underground parking lot. Chapter 679) "Cam''s st there?" the man asked. Amelia answered, "She just left." "Alight, 1e pick you up the man said. I want for you," Amelia said. She hung up the phone, her face glowing with happiness If she''d known talling in love would be this much fun, she wouldn''t have stayed single for so long. When Cameron walked out of the caf¨¦, her checks had finally cooled off Her phone started ringing in her pocket. It was an unfamiliar number After a moment''s hesitation, C Cameron picked up. "Hello? Who''s this "Cam, it''s me," the man said. His voice was both familiar and strange. And it had been ages since anyone talked to her like that. Cameron fell silent. fell silent. The man on the other end said again, "Cam, it''s Austin. Long time no see. Can we meet up?" Cameron never expected Austin to reach out to her again They had parted ways on pretty bad terms back then. She thought he''d never show up in her life again. When Cameron still didn''t say anything, Austin added, "Cam, I don''t have any ulterior motives. I just want to see you. I don''t have any inappropriate feelings for you anymore." Back then, he''d totally misunderstood Cameron''s kindness. He''d totally misread Cameron''s feelings and thought she liked him romantically, which ended up ruining any chance they had at being friends. Now, he just wanted to be friends.. After a long pause, Cameron finally asked, "Austin, where are you right now!" Austin replied, "I''m downstairs from yourpany." Cameron said, "Til be right back." The call was only about a 10-minute drive away from Aurevia Biotech Cameron drove straight to thepany''s underground parking lot. Then she took the elevator upstairs. As soon as she stepped out of the lobby, she spotted the Rolls Royce parked right in front of the building Austin had been watching the trance the whole time, and as soon as he saw Cameron, he inmediately opened the car door and got out, He had on a pair of sunsses. After all, he was a celebrity now. Cameron was wearing a sky blue denim skirt. She was tall and had a graceful figure, and with that gorgeous face, she was impossible to miss in a crowd. "Cam? Austin gave her a big enthusiastic wave Cameron spotted Austin right away. He still had that signature short blond hair, and with that crisp white suit, he looked every bit the picture of elegance. Just as Cameron was about to head over to Austin, she suddenly caught sight of Bradley, who had just stepped out of the car Bradley was holding a bouquet of white roses. He was making it clear just how serious he was about winning Cameron''s heart. Every day, when driving Cameron to work, he''d bring her a different bouquet-blue roses yesterday, white roses today, never the same flowers twice. Cameron stopped in her tracks. "Cam!" Bradley called out, waving to her. Austin turned to nce at the man behind him. Even seven or eight years ago, Bradley was already the most mature and reliable one in their group. Now, that was even more obvious. He radiated that irresistible, grown-man appeal. "Brad,¡± Austin said, taking off his sunsses and shing a smile that highlighted his striking features. Bradley, carrying flowers for Cameron, was surprised. He didn''t expect that someone abruptly called his name He turned and saw Austin. Of course, Bradley had seen the news about Austin''s retur But he never thought Austin would actually show up for Cameron. Bradley gave a slight nod. "Austin, long time no se Austin shed a smile. "Brad, you here for Camoo?" He already knew that Cameron had lied to him on purpose back then. But he was totally over it now. It didn''t bother him anymore. 6/H He didn''t have the slightest bit of hostility toward Bradley. Bradley said, "Long time no see. Your concert was a real siircess. Congrattions." Austin smiled, "Thank you" Cameron had already walked up to the two of them. Austin beamed at Cameron and said, "Cam, it''s been such a long time." Cameron replied, "It really has" Austin looked at Cameron, not holding back his praise. "Cam, you''re so dashing in a suit, and absolutely gorgeous in a dress, can''t take my eyes off you. Cameron smiled, "Thank you". Bradley said, "How about we find a ce to sit down and catch up?" Austin nodded. "Sounds good." Then the three of them headed to the restaurant Bradley had booked. Originally, it was supposed to be a table for two, but they ended up adding another chair at thest minute. Most of the people in the restaurant were couples, so three people sharing a table like them really stood out. Once they''d ordered, Bradley poured Cameron a ss of red wine. He was about to pour one for Austin too, but Austin waved him off. "Brad, you two go ahead. I don''t drink. I''ve got to look after my voice," Austin said with a grin, He didn''t smoke or drink, and barely even ate spicy food. So Bradley ordered him a drink instead. Bradley acted like the host, while Austin was clearly the guest. Austin raised his ss. ¡°Cam, I saw the news. Seriously, you''re incredible. You solved a huge problem for humanity. Congrattions!" "Thank you," Cameron said, clinking her ss lightly against his. "And congrattions to you too. Your concert was a big sess. Austin smiled at Cameron. "Thanks, Cam, but what I did is nothingpared to you. You''re honestly incredible." There was a bright light in his eyes, full of admiration and appreciation. Bradley pressed his lips together for a moment before asking, "Austin, did you Austin replied, "Brad, I don''t have a girlfriend yet. But don''t worry, I''m not here to fight you for Cam. She''s like family to me now Bradley''s lips quirked up. "I''m not worried about you trying to steal her." Austinughed. "Brad, you''re still as confident as Chapter 680 Bradley thought, ''Still that confident? Did I fight Austin for Cameron before? Did Ie out on top back then? The answer remained a mystery. Bradley gave Cameron a silent look. Noticing his gaze, Cameron mot his eyes for a moment before turning back to Austin. "Austin, are you nning to stay in Vermont?" she asked. Austin shook his head. "Cam, I just came back to see you and to y a concert while I''m here. My life is still in Varven, so have to head back there "You''re always wee toe back," Bradley said. Austin grinned, "Brad, I wouldn''t miss your wedding with Cam for anything. So, when are you two getting married?" Cameron kept silent for a while. Bradley also said nothing Then he looked at Cameron, his eyes full of dating affection. "As long as Cam wants to, we can get married anytime." Cameron said, "Not thinking about it for now" Bradley fell silent. Austin joked, "Cam, do I still have a chance?" Bradley cut in for Cameron, "No chance for you" Cameron didn''t deny it. Austin got the hint. He grinned, "Just kidding." He lifted his ss. "Cam, Brad, wishing you both all the happiness! It''s been a long journey since our school days. It wasn''t easy getting here." "Thanks," Bradley said with a smile. Cameron hesitated for a moment before picking up her ss, but in the end, she still said, "Thank you" Austin wasn''t there to cause any trouble. He just wanted toe back and see Cameron, After all, Cameron had once been the only light in His dark world. s a pleasant affair, and Bradley picked up the check Dinner was a After the meal, Austin said goodbye to Cameron and Bradley ¡°Brad, Cam, this is my address. When you two tie the knot make sure to send me an invitation," he said. "Of course," Bradley replied, taking the card from him. TH Austin had started his own musicpany, with himself as the only artist. The whole ce was set up just for him. "Bye, Cam Bye, Bradi" Austin called out, waving his hand. "See y you,¡± Cameron replied. They said their goodbyes just like old friends. The prudges from the past had long since faded away with time. Cameron and Bradley stood together on the neon it street, watching as Austin''s Rolls-Royce merged into the river off tra Just as Cameron was about to turn away, she felt her hand, hanging loosely at her side, gently taken by Bradley. On reflex, Cameron tried to pull her hand back, but Bradley only tightened his grip. Cameron lifted her gaze to meet Bradley''s eyes. Bradley was looking at her with deep affection. "Cam..." Even through his gold-rimmed sses, Cameron could clearly read every emotion in his eyes Bradley squeezed her hand gently and said in a soft voice, "Let me take you home." "Okay." Cameron nodded. Bradley kept holding her hand, just to see how she''d react. it Cameron tried to pull away, he''d let go in a heartbeat. traffic. He wondered why he suddenly had the courage to hold her hand. Maybe it was because Austin had just wished them happiness, and Cameron had actually thanked him for it She didn''t say anything to contradict him. She epted it, just like that. ''After more than a month together, is Cam finally starting to ept ne? Bradley wondered to himself, His mind was a whirlwind of emotions as he held Cameron''s hand tight. He just couldn''t stop himself from smiling Cameron followed him down to the underground parking garage to get the car. The fingers Bradley was holding tingled, a jolt of electricity shooting through them for no reason at all. She wasn''t a little gi girl anymore. She was twenty-six. She really shouldn''t be getting flustered like this. But no matter what, she couldn''t fool herself about how she really felt. They went to the underground parking lot together. With one hand holding Cameron''s, Bradley opened the car door for her with the other As Cameron was about to get in. Bradley still didn''t let go of her hand. "Cam, I just don''t want to let go yet." Cameron stayed quiet Bradley pulled out his phone "Wait a moment. The designated driver I called will be here toon They''d both had a few drinks, to driving was out of the question. Cameron''s fingers moved slightly in Bradley''s palm. "Brad, let go. I can''t get in the car if you keep holding on Bradley let go of her hand, though he was closely reluctant. Cameron opened the passenger door and got in Bradley just stood there for a moment, lost in thought. He closed his hand, still able to feel the lingering softness of Cameron''s fingers in his palm. Shouldn''t she be sitting in the back with mat he thought. "Knock Knock? Bradley tapped on the car window The window rolled down, and Cameron''s pretty face appeared, Bradley leaned down on the window, smiling, "Cam, do you want to sit in the back with me?" Cameron replied, "The view''s better up front." Bradley let out a sigh. "So you''re still not ready to give me a chance?" Cameron said softly. "It''s just too soon. They''d only just started over, and it hadn''t even been three months. Bradley gave a helpless smile and reached out to ruffle Cameron''s hair. "I know. I''m still on probation. Alright, I''ll wait for you." With that, Bradley obediently slipped into the backseat. Cameron lowered her gaze, letting hershes hide the soft smile in her eyes Soon, the designated driver showed up. Cameron was dropped off first. She was home in less than half an hour. These days, Cameron lived in an upscale vimunity not far from Aurevia Biotech Bradley had thought about buying a house there too, but he didn''t want Cameron to feel pressured, so he let the idea go vas just a little over ten minutes away by car from Cameron''s Still, his own ce was, Bradley got out and opened the passenger door for Cameron "Thanks for the ride home, Brad," Cameron said. Under the night sky, the vi behind her looked resplendent in the golden glow. Bradley nced toward the house and said, "No need to thank me, I''m always happy to take you home Cameron nodded and turned to leave. However, the next moment, she felt her wrist pulled, and suddenly she was in Bradley''s arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck. AEMON, 26JUI His lemony scent filled her breath. They were pressed so lightly together, not an inch between them It was early summer, and with just oneyer on, she could feel the heat of Bradley''s body through the thin fabric. Coveron stood there, caught off guard. Her heart gave a sudden, uncontroble thump. "Goodnight, Cam," Bradley said softly. He pulled her into a gentle hog for just a moment before letting go With that, Bradley slipped back into the car. The car drove off right away. Through the rearview minor, Bradley caught a glimpse of Cameron still standing there, a faint, satisfied smile ying at his lips. He''d figured it out by now. When it came to romance, Cameron was seriously clueless and way too reserved. if he didn''t take the initiative, they''d probably just keep tiptoeing around each other forever. She didn''t pull away when he held her hand, and that was the only reason he dared to pull her into his arms. Cameron stood there for a moment, the night breeze messing up her shoulder length hair as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her denim skirt She didn''t feel the slightest bit of resistance to Bradley''s hug. In fact, it actually made her a little happy inside Maybe now she got what Amelia meant this afternoon by "just couldn''t help herself." THE Just as Cameron was about to head home, a red sports car screeched to a stop right beside her. A man stepped out. His sharp, handsome face usually looked cold, but the moment he saw her, a rare smile broke out "Cam, you''re back." Camcron nodded and said, "Lance." Lance nced back. "Did Brad give you a ride home?" They walked toward the house together. Cameron nodded. "Wah." They were walking so close. Cameron caught a whiff of perfumeing from Lance, it was subtle, a woman''s fragrance Cameron asked, ¡°Lance, are you seeing someone!" Lance stopped in his tracks. "Huh?" Cameron said, "You smell like perfume" Lance lifted his arms and I took a sniff. ¡°Really? js there?" Cameron said, "think I''ve smelled this sogewhere before. The scent struck Cameron as oddly familiar, but she just couldn''t remember where 1327 Mar 28 JU JOG Ambroke out on Lance''s handsome face as he reached out to rullie her hair. "Yeah, I''m seeing someone. But for now, do akay "Why not? Cameron asked, looking puzzled. Their parents would probably be thrilled if they found out Lance was finally dating, At all, Lance was already thirty By thirty, a man was supposed to have his life together, Lance replied, "I want to give them a surprise." Cameron smiled, "They''ll definitely be surprised." She thought. Well, wonders never cease. It seems the house built on this ind might not be optimal. The moment we moved out, Lance finally found himself a girlfriend. Lance turned to her and asked, "What about you?" Cameron blinked. "Huh?" Lance said, "So, what''s going on with you and Brad? He''s been so diligent, picking you up and dropping you off every single day. Has he managed to win you over yet?" Cameron shook her head, "Brad and I have only just started d getting to know each other again. It''s barely been three months." Before, Lance had asked her about it, and Cameron had told him about Bradley''s memory loss Lance asked, "You''ve known each other for three months already. Do you think that''s too short!" "You really don''t think that''s short" Cameron asked, a little incredulous. Lance said, "My girlfriend and I became official after just three days of getting to know each other." Cameron''s eyes went wide. "Three days? Hold on. Your girlfriend? That quick? When did that even happen?" Lance replied honestly, "It''s been almost a month." Cameron''s jaw dropped. "You''re already thinking about getting married?" Lance chuckled, "Most likely Cameron was so surprised. Seeing her dumbfounded look, Lance couldn''t resist pinching her cheek. "Come on, Cam, time to reboot your worldview." Cameron was rendered speechless. Aber her shower, Cameron dried her hair and climbed into bed. That was when she noticed a WhatsApp message from Bradley. Bradley: Cam, goodnight He''d sent it ten minutes ago Bradley: Are you mad at me?] It was sent three minutes ago. Cameron replied: was in the tower Bradley replied in a sh (50, Cam, you''re not mad at me? Cameron didn''t reply right away. Bradley sent another message: ICam, I read online that girls who don''t like a pay really hate it when he gets close or touches them. But you didn''t get mad when I hugged you. Does that mean you actually like me too?] Cameron: Who said I wasn''t mad? Bradley: Come on, Cam, don''t try to ry to fool me. You didn''t push me away just now. Cameron: I just didn''t react in time. Bradley: [So what are you are you going to do now?) Cameron: [Do what?I Bradley: Should I hug you again tomorrow?] Cameron made no reply. She just stared at their chat history for a long time, not reply. Bradley sent another message. [Fallen asleep? Goodnight, Cam, It''s okay, I''ll wait for you. Whenever you''re ready to turn around, I''ll be right here.] Cameron hugged her phone to her chest, unable to stop the soft smile that crept onto her lips. Bradley was right. She really wasn''t mad at all. She even actually liked the feeling of being in his arm His familiar lemon scent always made her feel so calm and safe. A weekter. It was evening, inside an elegant Western restaurant. ¡°You''re such a busy guy, leaving me hanging for a whole week,¡± Amelia A rare smile appeared on Lance''s usually cold, handsome face. ¡°I really have been busy. Did you miss me?" Amelia cut into her steak and replied, "Don''t tter yourself" "Hmm?" Under the table, Lance Yates hooked his foot around her leg, teasing her. "Ah!"Amelia let out a startled yelp. Realizing she was drawing attention, she quickly pped a hand over her mouth, ring at him Tates! Are you crazy? This is a restaurant!" Lance couldn''t hold back augh as he pulled his foot away, "What are you so nervous about? I was just teasing you." Amalia shot him another re. "Does Cam even know you can be such a shameless rogue?" ing "Lanor Lance''s eyes glimmered with mischief. "How can it be called being a rogue when both of us are perfectly willing?" Before Amelia could retort, Lance leaned in with a smirk. "Hesides, you have idea what a real rogue looks like Amelia waspletely speechless at his shamelessness. Her face flushed bright red. Lance book a leisurely sip of his wine. "What''s got you blushing like that? What were you thinking about!" Amelia turned her face away. "I definitely wasn''t thinking about you! Lance set down his wine ss and gave her a long look. "Are you really mad at me?" The first time Lance met Amelia was the day he took Cameron to start college at the Stenford University Back then, he''d thought she was really pretty He couldn''t help but take another look, but she slipped from his mind soon after. About a month ago, he happened to run into Amelia when her car broke down on the side of the road. It was just a small problem, and ad it fixed in no time. Amelia wouldn''t take no for an answer, and she insisted on treating him to dinner to say thanks. One thing led to another, and three dayster, they were officially a couple For Lance, when he liked someone, that was it. Time didn''t matter at all. Even if they''d only known each other for a single day, that would''ve been enough for him. Amelia shot him a look. ¡°Next time you disappear for three days, I''ll just take it as a breakup Lance couldn''t help butugh. "In your dreams" Am stopped sulking and, while eating, asked, "Has Cam figured it out yet?" Lance replied, "Probably not. She just said the perfume on me smelled kind of familiar Amelia grinned, "See? Cam really does love me. She even remembers what my perfume smells like." "Why don''t you want to tell her? Lance asked. Amelia was the one who told Lance not to say anything to Cameron yet. Amelia said, "I need a little time to wrap my head around suddenly bing your girlfriend." Lance just smiled and let it go. Aber dinner, they made their way down to the underground parking garage together. Once there, they hopped into Lance''s car. Like it was second nature, they both headed straight for the backseat without even needing to Lance''s car had privacy ss, so they could see out, but no one could seein Lance pulled Amelis right onto hisp, his hand circling her waist. "Did you miss me o say a word. ME 13-48 Mon 28 delo Amelia shot him a yful smile. "Nope," Lance pinched her palo, delicate chin, a teasint glint in his eyes. "Let''s see just how stubborn that pretty mouth of yours really t And with that, he kissed her. Amelia instantly lifted her arms, looping them around his neck as she kissed him back with ery enthusiasm they lost track of time,pletely wrapped up in eachother, until they finally broken apart, breathless. His voice was rough with desire. "Do you want toe back to my ce?" Amelia was still perched on hisp, and she could feel exactly how much he wanted her. She bit her lip. "Your ce? But Cam and your family are there Isn''t that a bit awkward?" Lance smiled, "No, I mean my i y own apartment. No one else will be there Amelia leaned into his shoulder and murmured a soft "mm-hmmm," AL Chapter 681 Lance owned a luxury fat in the city center Though usually unupied, it''s kept spotless by regr cleaning services As soon as they stepped inside, before they could even turn on the lights, they couldn''t keep their hands off each other again. Amelia was kissed so thoroughly that her head was spinning, and she couldn''t think straight at all. She had no idea how they ended up in the bedroom. When Amelia felt Lance''s hands slipping off her dress, she immediately grabbed his wrists and shouted in a panic, "Wait" Lance''s voice sounded low and husky in the dark. "What, do you want to take a shower first Amelia quickly said, "Yeah, I need to take a shower" Lance rolled off her, "Alright, go ahead then." Amelia scrambled off the bed, but it was so dark that she fell to the floor. Luckily, there was a carpet, so it didn''t hurt. "Amy, are you okay?" Lance quickly flipped on the light and pulled her up from the floor. The room was instantly bathed in bright light. ng Amelia saw was Lance standing right in front of her. The first thing His shirt was already of Lance had an amazing physique, his toned abs and waistline glistening under the light. Amelia only dared a quick nce before she hurriedly averted her eyes. She quickly nced at theyout of the room, before she dashed straight to the bathroom. Lance followed, grinning. "Let''s shower together." Amelia immediately said, "No!" She pushed him out, shoving at his arm, Lance couldn''t help but chuckle. From the other side of the door, he teased, "Are you shy? Fine, I''ll go use the guest bathroom." He rapped on the door again, "Oh, and by the way, there aren''t any women''s toiletries in there. run out and grab some for you." it was usually just him living here "No need. I''ll just use yours, Amelia said from inside. "Alright," Lance replied. All that back and forth would just be a waste of time. Lance finished his shower in the guest bathroom, but Amelis still wasn''t out. He waited for another half hour, but she still didn''te out. He couldst hear the water running inside. "Amy, you okay!" Lance asked, a hint of concern in his voice, Amelia replied, I''m fine" In fact, she''d finished her shower a while ago, but she just didn''t have the nerve to step out Kissing was one thing, but going all the w way? That was a whole other level. Amelia lingered in the bathroom for a few more minutes before finallying out She still had her dress on The first thing she saw was Lance sitting on the edge of the bed, with nothing but a white towel slung low around his waist. The curtains were sealed shut, not letting a single sliver of light in. "Come here, honey," Lance said, beckoning her over. Amelia was at a loss for words She wrapped her arms around herself and edged toward the door. "Uh, Lance, it''s reallyte. I should go home now! Before she could make it to the door, Lance yanked her into his arms. "Chickening out?" Amelia red at him. "Who''s chickening out?" She red at Lance, unable to look away from his handsome face. ''No wonder he''s Cam''s brother. He''s just way too good-looking she thought. Lance arched a brow, teasing. "If you''re not scared, then stay." Amelia just stood there, speechless, She bit her lip in frustration, Lance slipped an arm around her waist. "Amy, we''re both adults, and we''re together. This is totally normal, right?¡± Amelia bit her lip, her mind a total mess. Lance reached over and turned off the lights. He asked in surprise, "Wait, is this your first time?" Tears streamed down Amelia''s face from the pain. "What do you think?" she asked. Lance was instantly wracked with guilt. "I''m so sorry. I had no idea. I just thought, you know, at your age... I''m really sorry" Amelia whimpered, "I''m sorry tool, uh, bit your shoulder.." Lance gently brushed away the tears at the corner of her eyes. "You silly thing" And just like that, Amelia drifted off to sleep. Lance got up and walked over to the window, garing out at the city glowing with a thousand Fights. He lit a cigarette, and as the tip glowed and faded in the darkness, a faint smile tugged at his lips. The next morning, as so as Amelia woke up, she met Lance''s deep, soulful gaze Staring at that ridiculously handsome face, the couldn''t help but smile Seriously, who wouldn''t get lost staring at a face like his? she thought, "You awake?" Lance asked softly. "Yeah," Amelia mumbled, finallying back to her senses. She instantly ducked her head under the covers. "Don''t look at ma Lance smiled, giving her head a gentle pat through the nket, "Come on, time to get up. I''ll wait for you in the living room." It was only after she heard the door close that Amelia finally let out a sigh of relict She went to the bathroom and took a look at her neck in the mirror Thankfully, her skin wasn''t that delicate, and there weren''t any marks or hickeys left behind Amelia dragged her feet in the bathroom for a good half hour before finally stepping out. She didn''t put on any makeup. Even bare-faced, she was still a knockout. Lance was waiting in the living room, not rushing her at all. When Amelia finally made it to the living room, she still felt a little awkward. Lance waved her over. "Come on, let''s have breakfast. After that, I''ll drive you home. While Amelia was taking her time, the takeout Lance had ordered arrived. Not knowing what Amelia liked, he''d ordered a little bit of everything. Amelia didn''t say anything. Hearing Lance talk like nothing had happened, she couldn''t help but frown She thought, "Last night, we just... "And now he''s in such a hurry to get to work? Amelia sat down at the table. "Are you heading to work!" "Are you feeling okay?" Lance asked, Amelia nced over at him. The first time she met Lance, aside from thinking he was very handsome, she also noticed how icy and aloof he was His nk face just gave of this vibe that kept everyone at arm''s length. Lance reached out and gently brushed her cheek. You look a little pale. Does it still hurt?" Amelia bit her lip. "Wow, you''re actually taking time out of your busy schedule to care about me!" Lance said, "Still got the energy to sass me? Guess you''re not hurting that much" Amelia said nothing else. Lance set a ss of milk in hot of her. "Breakfast first. Then I''ll take you home" "Okay" Ame replied quietly, sipping her drink slowly and absentmindedly. They hadn''t spent much time together, and she still couldn''t quite figure out what made Lance tick Amelia suddenly started to feel a bit of regret for giving herself to Lance so easilyst night I totally lost my head, she thought Lance ate quickly, and once he was done, there quietly, watching Amelia with a small smile ying at his lips. Amelia was quietly stewing. ''But what exactly am upset about? she thought. Maybe it was because she thought things would be different between them after Things hadn''t turned out the way she''d hoped, and it left her feeling disappointed and unsettled. Amelia finished her breakfast slowly. Lance picked up her bag and wrapped an arm around her waist "Come on, let''s go. I''ll drive you home." When they got to the parking lot, Amelia slid into the passenger seat and said coolly, "Just drop me off by the curb. I''ll catch a cab home myself, so you can hurry off to work." Lance raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was heading to work?" Amelia shot him a look. "If you''re not going to work, why are you in such a rush to get me home?" Lance smirked, "I''m taking you home to grab your temporary ID." Amelia''s eyes went wide. "My temporary ID?" Lance nodded. "And your ID card." Amelia had a feeling what he meant, but still asked in shock, "What for?" Lance replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "To get married, obviously." Amelia was so shocked she almost forgot how to breathe, just staring at him with wide eyes. "Wait, what? Married? Did I hear that right?" she asked. Lance burst outughing at her stunned look. "What, you don''t want to be my wife?" 1. Thaven''t even had time to think about it!"Amelia stammered, flustered. Lance started the car and said, "No rush. We''ve got a long drive ahead before we get to your ce." Amelia just stared at him,pletely at a loss for words. She nced at Lance''s handsome side profile, and finally, a smile tugged at her lips, Just a little while ago, she''d still been sulking over his attitude bark at his ce.. She never expected him to jump straight to marriage like that. Amelia''s smile slowly grew wider. They hadn''t even driven that for when Lance suddenly pulled over. He unbuckled his seatbelt. Amelia snapped back to reality and asked, "Why''d you pull over?" Lance said, "I just need to stop by the pharmacy" Before she could even react, Lance had already hopped out of the car. Amelia was confused. A few minutester, Lance came back. He handed the box of medicine to Amelia and said, "Twice a day, moming and night Apply it once when you get home. It should make you feel a bit better. "What is this..." Amelia asked. When she read thebel on the box, her words just died in her throat. It was actually that kind of medicine. Amelia held the box, feeling a little awkward. Suddenly, something urred to her. She turned to look at Lance, ance, who was driving. "Lance, you sure seem to know your way around this kind of thing huh?" Lance chuckled. "Honestly, this is my first time buying something like this". "Really?" Amelia raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. In her eyes, a guy like Lance must have had plenty of girlfriends at his age Lance shot her a mischievous grin. "Didn''tst night answer that for you?" Amelia was stunned. Her cheeks burning, Amelia quickly turned to stare out the window. A smile tugged at her lips. "Does it even matter if that''s true or not? The past doesn''t mean anything, What really matters is now and the future, she thought All she knew was that right now, Lance was hers. Once they arrived downstairs at the Chapman family''s ce, Amelia got out of the car. Before she could leave, Lance said, "Amy" "What?" Amelia turned back, leaning down to look at him through the open car door. Lance replied, "Don''t forget to bring the ointment with you when youe down." "Why?" she asked. Lance answered, "I''ll put it on for y I you tonight" Amelia was astonished by what he said. Sheughed, "You''re such a pervert!" Then she hurried into the viin her heels. Lance sat in the e car, unable to hide the smile on his face. Ten minutester, Amelia back. "Got it?" Lance asked. Amelia bit her lip and handed him her ID card and temporary ID. "Yeah" Lance smiled, "Alright." Amelia asked, "Where''s y s yours?" "They''re in the car, Lance replied. Cameron and her other family members were still at home, waiting for Lance. Lance had called early in the morning, telling them not to go out today because he had something really important to announce. Gavin kept ncing at his watch, frowning. "What is Lance doing? It''s already past ten." He had an important meeting scheduled for today. Jacqueline smiled and said, "Let''s just wait a bit longer. We''re already running Levi didn''t say anything. Cameron said, "Let me call Lance." "Mom, Dad, Cam, Gavin, I''m back!" Just as Cameron finished speaking, Lance showed up at the living room door. He wasn''t alone Standing right next to him was a tall, drop-dead gorgeous girl. And that girl was none other than Amelia Gavin shot up from the couch. He stared hard at Lance and Amelia''s intertwined fingers, his voice full of disbelief "Lance, who''s this?" Lance walked in, still holding Amelia''s hand. "Gavin, what do you think?" Then he turned to Amelia and said, "Amy, this is my dad, my mom, and my brother, Gavin. And you already know Cam, right?" Amelia greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello, Mr. Yates, Mrs. Yates, Gavin. I''m Amelia Chapman." Then she shot a yful grin at the stunned Cameron "Hey, Cam? Jacqueline and Levi werepletely stunned "When did Lance suddenly being a girl home they both thought. Jacqueline smiled, "Anty,e in, have a seati? Levi also broke into a smile, gesturing for Amelia to sit. "Please, make yourself Gavin was still in disbelief. "Lance, when did you even get a girlfriend?" Lance shook his head. "Gavin, she''s not my griblend." Gavin let out a sigh of relief. However, in the very next moment, Lance casually pped two marriage licenses down on the coffee table "Gavin, meat my wife. We just got married" Gavin widened his eyes in surprise He swiftly picked up the marriage license and checked it carefully, before he looked at Lance, opening and closing his mouth several times,pletely speechless. Cameron''s eyes widened in disbelief as Lance and Amelia appeared, fingers intertwined. "Wait, so the fianc¨¦ Amy kept talking about is actually Lance? she thought, her mind blown. Even so, she got over the shock pretty fast. In fact, Lance and Amelia really looked good together. They were totally a perfect match But out of nowhere, Lance actually pulled out their marriage licenses. She thought, "Wait, they''re married? "Didn''t they just meet not that long ago? "How did they end up getting married this fast? "That was lightning fast!" Even Levi and Jacqueline were leftpletely stunned. They both scrambled to grab the other marriage license. "No way. It''s real. They''re actually married!" Jacqueline''s smile faded and she immediately frowned. "Lance, this is way out of line!" "Out of line?" Lance echoed, genuinely puzzled. "Weren''t they the ones always hoping I''d get married? ''Now that I finally tied the knot, they''re actually upset about it?'' he thought. Jacqueline frowned and said, "Neither of our families have even met yet, and you just took Amy to get the marriage license? That''s way too disrespectful What will people think of Amy? What do you expect her family to think?" Lance was left speechless. Amelia quickly chimed in, "Mrs. Yates, any parents are really open-minded. I told them I was taking my temporary ID to get married today, and they didn''t 13:48 Mon, 28 JOI JOG. have any objections" Levi and Jacqueline were stunned by her words. After a long pause, Levi finally Spoke up, "Lance, go and get some giftsready right now. We''re going to apologue to Amy''s family in person Jacqueline said, ¡°Oh please, like he knows what to buy. I handle it. 17 get everything ready right now." Lance kept silent. Amelia couldn''t help but smile. "Wow, Cam''s parents are so nice. I never thought this would be their first reaction after finding out we got married, she thought Jacqueline and Levi hurried off to figure out what gifts to bring when meeting the Chapman familyter Amelia walked over to Cameron and linked arms with her. "Cam, I''m really sorry for keeping this from you for so long Cameron nced at Amelia, then at Lance. "No wonder the cologne on Lance smelled so familiar to me" Amelia chuckled, "Cam, you''re not mad at me, are you?" Chapter 682 Cameron shook her head. "Why would I be upset? I''m just a little surprised." Amelia hugged her "You scared me. I was worried you''d be mad at me the whole way here. Cam, you''re the best Gavin said, "it my best friend suddenly bes my sister inw, I''d be shocked too." When Cameron was at Stenford University, Gavin ohen visited her, so he''d run into Amelia too Lance, on the other hand, was studying abroad and didn''t have many chances to meet Amelia No one expected they would actually end up getting married. Lance sat down next to Amelia. Gavin said, "Why are you glued to her like that? Are you Are you afraid people won''t know she''s your wife?" Lance smiled and draped his arm over Amelia''s shoulder. "Gavin, could you be any more jealous?" Gavin was at a loss for words Amelia nced at Lance and couldn''t help butugh too. Cameron nced at Lance, then at Amelia, still finding it rather unbelievable. Levi and Jacqueline spent hall an hour gathering up all the valuable gits they''d been saving at home. Then the whole group set off to pay a visit to the Chapman family. When the Yates family showed up at the Chapman family''s house with a mountain of gifts, Kate waspletely stunned. She immediately called Matthew and told him to hurry home. That morning. Amelia had reallye to her asking for the temporary saying it was for getting married. Amelia had been single for ages and was super picky. She was fussy even about picking a boyfriend, let alone actually tying the knot, So, Kate didn''t buy Amelia''s story at all She just assumed Amelia needed the temporary 10 for something else entirely. It wasn''t until the Yates family showed up and Amelia handed her the marriage license that Kate waspletely stunned. Kate felt like she was dreaming. "You''re really married?" Amelia hugged her arm. "Mom, didn''t I tell you this moming I was getting married?" Kate said, "I thought you were joking! Amelia said, "How could I joke about something like that?" Kate rubbed her temples. "My mind''s a mess right now. Let''s just wait until your dad gets home." -1/2- Amelia said nothing else. Levi and Jacqueline just looked at each other. It turned out that Amelia''s parents were totally in the dark about all thist Levi and Jacqueline both shot. Lance a re, Lance said, "Mom, Dad, rx. I''ll take care of it.¡± He got up and went with Amelia to find Kate. Gavin frowned. "Lance really has some nerve." He dragged her off to the city hall and got married without even telling her parents. Cameron chuckled. "They''re both pretty gutsy" She knew she could never pull off something so wild herself. Gavin said softly, "Cam, don''t go copying those two." Levi said, "Rx, Brad''s been chasing your sister for months and he hasn''t even locked her down yet. She''d never pull something like that.¡± Cameron was rendered speechless. Why did it feel like her whole family was rooting for Bradley? Gavin said, "That''s how girls should be, a little more reserved." Jacqueline shot him a look. "Don''t talk nonsense. What would Amy think if she heard you say that?" Gavin then stayed silent. It wasn''t long before Matthew rushed home from thepany. When he finally got the full picture, Matthew stayed sent Lance stood up, with Amelia right beside him, their hands tightly sped, "Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, I''m sorry. Amy and acted first and told youter. But please, don''t worry. I promise always take good care of her..." Lance spoke sincerely, saying a lot more to reassure them and show how serious he was, Amelia looked at him with a bright smile, her eyes full of trust and happiness. "Why does it sound so effortless when he says it? I haven''t even worked up the courage to call his parents that myself, Amelia thought to herself When Matthew and Kate saw the way their precious daughter looked at Lance, what else could they say? AD Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter 683 Luckily, the t family was pretty well off, actually even richer than the Chapman family. And besides, Amelia had a thing for Lance, In the end, Matthew and Kate could only ept this fact with a smile. Matthew said, "Well, since the decision''s been made, let''s pick a lucky day for the wedding!" Levi replied, "Don''t worry We''ll make sure Lance and Any have a beautiful wedding!" Jacqueline added with a smile, "it be a grand affair" Lance squeezed Amelia''s hand tightly. "Thank you, both of our moms and dads" Amelia leaned slightly on Lance''s shoulder. "Thank you, Mom and Dad, and thank you, Mr. Yates and Mrs. Yates Lance chuckled, "You''re kinda shy, aren''t you?" Amelia was left speechless for a moment. Jacqueline said with a smile, "Girls being shy is totally normal, silly" Everyoneughed The two families shared their first meal together. They talked over the basic arrangements for Lance and Amelia''s wedding. After lunch, Lance and Amelia slipped away for a little date of their own. Cameron headed home together with Gavin, Levi, and Jacqueline, In the car, Levi nced at Gavin. "You really ought to learn from your Lance. Look at you. You''re getting older and still single" Hearing this, Gavin was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond. Jacqueline chuckled, "Cam, you should learn from Lance too. Just make sure you don''t end up like your Gavin," Cameron frore for a second, at aplete loss for words Gavin stared nkly He thought, "So now I''m the cautionary tale? "Weren''t both Lance and I getting chewed out just yesterday? Now I''m the only one left flying solo! He never expected things to turn out this way. By the time they got back to the Yates Manor, it was already three in the afternoon Cameron figured she might as well take the rest of the day off and not bother going to thepany. At six-thirty that evening, Cameron got a WhatsApp message from Bradley Workingte tonight?] That was when it hit her. She''d totally forgotten to tell Bradley she didn''t go to work today. Every day, the clockwork at saz, Bradley would be waiting outside her office building for her. If anything ever came up, he''d always let her know ahead of time, Cameron quickly replied: [Yeah, I''ve got to workte for a bit. Just hang tight for me. She jumped up, threw on a fresh outfit, and headed downstairs. Jacqueline was in the living room, arranging flowers. Cameron grabbed her bag. "Mom, I won''t be home for dinner tonight." Jacqueline paused and asked, "Going out with friends?" Cameron replied, "Yeah, just following Lance''s example" Jacqueline was confused by her words. She drove straight to thepany''s underground parking lot. Then she took the elevator up to the lobby to look for Bradley As soon as she got got to the entrance, she spotted Bradley''s sleek ck Mercedes. Bradley had already been waiting for twenty minutes. A small smile tugged at the corners of Cameron''s lips. Before she even reached the car, Bradley got out of the driver''s seat, holding a huge bouquet of gardenias as he walked toward her, This was the season when gardenias were in full bloom As soon as she got closer, Cameron could smell the intoxicating fragrance of the flowers. "Thanks," Cameron said, taking the flowers from Bradley Bradley opened the passenger door for her, and as Cameron got in, he personally made sure she was buckled in, taking care of her with his usual attention to detail. Once he was back in the driver''s seat, one hand casually on the wheel, he nced at Cameron and asked, "Cam, do you know what gardenias mean?" Cameron turned her head, a little curious. "What?" Bradley was backlit The setting sun cast golden rays behind him, making it look like he was wrapped in shimmering ught. Bradley said, "Eternal love." Gardenias had more than one meaning, but Bradley only picked this one Since Cameron was kind of clueless and passive about love, he decided he''d have to take the initiative and show her the way Cameron cradled the bouquet in her arms, murmuring softly. "Liemal love Bradley looked at her, and there was no hiding the affection in his deep eyes behind those gold rimmed sses. Cameron turned her head, meeting Bradley''s deep, soulful gaze With a smile ying on his lips, Bradley asked, "So, what do you feel like having for dinner "Brad," Cameron suddenly called out. "Yeah?" Bradley''s eyes never left her for a second. "Let me drive," Cameron said, ncing at him. Bradley didn''t even ask. He just unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car Cameron took the driver''s seat and started the engine. cam, where are we going?" Bradley asked curiously. Cameron kept her eyes on the road. "You''ll see soon enough." Bradley just let it go and stayed quiet. The car left the city behind and headed out onto the empty roads in the suburbs. Bradley stared out the window at the road slipping by, and something about it felt strangely familiar. He was sure it was a piece of the memories he''d lost. Finally, the car pulled up at the gates of Silvermoss Castle. "Brad, look at the camera, Cameron said. Bradley looked up at the camera on the gate. The facial recognition system scanned him, and the gate opened automatically Bradley was surprised. He thought, "Wait, the facial recognition actually let me in? Is this really my house?" Cameron drove the car inside. After turning off the engine, she got out Bradley stayed in the car, taking in the sight of the strange, unfamiliar castle. "Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates, you''re back" The butley heard themotion and came out, spotting Bradley and Cameron. He was visibly excited, ''Seven years...it''s really been seven years. "They have finallye home, the butler thought, his heart pounding with emotion, All these years, the butler had faithfully watched over the castle, cleaning and tending the gardens every single day, carrying out his duties with utmost diligence. It was Eddie who had been paying his sry Eddie had told him that Bradley woulde back one day, and that he should take good care of the house until then, And now, they were really hack, Bradley got out of the car and saw a middle aged man beaming at him, but he had no idea who the gry was He just nodded politely The butler was overjoyed. "Mr. Saunders, why didn''t you give me a heads up beforeing back? There''s nothing to eat at home right now.''ll go and grab some groceries. It won''t take me long. You and Miss Yates just rx for a bit." With that, the butler hopped into his car and drove off. Once the butler left, only then did Bradley tear his gaze away from the castle and look at Cameron, "Cam, is this ce really mine? Cameron nodded. "Yeah, you bought it so could raise Pearl here." Bradley said, "Sorry. I really don''t remember any of this." Eddie had told him about it before. "That must''ve been a really happy time... Bradley thought to himself. Cameron met his apologetic eyes and said with a teasing smile, "You know, this is also the ce where you kept ing locked up seven years ago." Bradley was stunned upon hearing these words. "Cam,..." "Brad, it her turned you down back then, you hadn''t locked me up here by force, but had courted me patiently like you do now, maybe we''d already be married," Cameron said. Bradley was stunned, He thought, ''Getting married! ''Cameron was actually thinking about marriage? He was at aplete loss for words. As awyer, he was always eloquent and quick with aeback. -But right now, he didn''t know how to respond to Cameron, or should a part of him be secretly d that he and Cameron had once shared so many beautiful. Should he feel a pang of regret for what he''d lost, or s memories! Even though, right now, he couldn''t remember single one. When Cameron saw he was silent, she simply turned and walked into the living room e seven years ago, The living room furnishings remained unchanged, exactly as they were: Cameron sat down on the s Bradley stood there for several seconds before finally following her inside. 1. n. Let me apologize to you again, from He took a seat in the armchair right next to her. "Cam Bradley reached for her hand, a little hesitant Cameron didn''t pull away Bradleyced his fingers with hers and held on light. He said, ¡°T''m really sorry about what happened seven years ago, I don''t even know why I acted that way back then. the bottom of my heart...¡± "Brad," Cameron cut him off. She''d already heard him apologize for this more times than she could count. Besides, Bradley didn''t even remember those months anymore, so there was no need to go over it all again. Bradley stopped, quietly gazing at her, his eyes full of unspoken emotion. He kept holding Cameron''s hand, never letting go "It''s all in the past now," Cameron said gently. He''d been such a jerk to her back then, and yet, unbelievably, she forgave him. Bradley said quietly, ¡°Cam, can hold you!" Cameron just looked at him in silence. Bradley knew she''d always been the passive one when it came to feelings. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and d gently pulled Cameron into his ans The instant he held her, Bradley felt like his heart, empty for seven years, was suddenly whole again. He couldn''t help but hold her a little tighter. I''m sorry, Bradley whispered silently in his heart Cameron leaned her head against Bradley''s shoulder. All she could smell was that familiar lemony scent. Her fingers twitched at her side. Then she reached up and gently circled Bradley''s lean waist with her arms. ty was surprised by what she did. Bradley As soon as he felt Cameron hug him back, his pupils contracted sharply, his heart skipping a best in disbelief. ''Cam is hugging me. She''s actually hugging met hethought, overwhelmed with joy Bradley pulled back a little, staring at Cameron in disbelief. "Cam, are you epting me now?" Cameron stayed quiet. However, her arms stayed wrapped around his waist "Cam..." Bradley''s voice trembled, thick with emotion, dropping to a husky whisper. 13:49 Mon, 28 Jul & ? G Is she really epting me now? Is this actually happening? Bradley''s heart pounded wildly in disbelief "Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates," the butler''s voice called from outside. "I got really lucky today! I managed to snag these huge, fresh lobsters even at this hour, and... The butler walked up to the door, and when he saw the two of them wrapped up in each other''s arms, he frone for a second. Then, with a knowing smile, he said, "Oh, I didn''t see a thing! You two just carry on.." With that, the butler hurried off to the kitchen, carrying the groceries he''d just bought. Once he was in the kitchen, he suddenly realized he''d forgotten to ask what they wanted for dinner. However, it was obviously not the right time to go back out and ask, so he just decided to make a few of his best dishes. Whistling a tune, the butler got to work in the kitchen. In the living room. Bradley and Cameron weren''t disturbed at all. Bradley gazed deeply into Cameron''s eyes. Her eyes were so mysterious that, for once, someone like Bradley, who''d always prided himselfon reading people, couldn''t tell what she was thinking at "Cam, answer me. Does this mean you''ve finally epted me?" Bradley asked, his voice gentle and patient. A hint of a smile yed at Cameron''s lips, but she still didn''t say anything. Bradley pulled her tightly into his arms, lowering his gaze to look down at her. "Cam, if you keep quiet like this, I''m just going to assume you''re saying yes." Cameron''s lips curled into a smile. "Brad, ask me the same thing you did seven years ago. Bradley was puzzled. ''Seven years ago? What did i ask her back then?'' he thought, his mild spinning. He hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Cam, do you want to be my girlfriend?" Cameron grinned, "I do." Bradley was overjoyed by her response. Chapter 684 Bradley could hardly believe his ears. "Yes! Did Cameron really say yes to me? This is way too sudden, he thought, stunned. Bradley had already prepared himself for a long battle, but he never expected that today, he would actually hear the words he''d been dreaming of from Cameron''s own lips. "Cam Are you serious? Did you really just agree to be my girlfriend!" Bradley blurted out, his voice full of disbelief. Even though he had heard Cameron loud and clear, he just couldn''t help but double and check with her, still in shock. Seeing the look of surprise and joy in Bradley''s eyes, Cameron couldn''t help but let out a littleugh. In the end, she nodded hard. "Cami" Bradley eximed, scooping Cameron up into his arms. Overwhelmed with excitement, he couldn''t help but spin around a few times in the king room. At that moment, he was even happier than when he had first passed the bar exam, If there was ever a day in the future that could top this happiness, it would be the day he finally got to marry Cameron Cameron held tightly onto Bradley''s neck. She looked up, watching as the sparkling crystal chandelier overhead spun round and round, and she couldn''t help but sm. "Anyway, I''ve finally taken this step,'' she thought. Horlife was starting a brand new chapter. After spinning around a few more times, Bradley finally sat down with Cameron still in his arms, and she naturally ended up right on hisp "This is way too flirty" Cameron thought, flustered. She immediately jumped up from hisp, but Bradley caught her by the arm and gently tugged her back down. Cameron still tried to not up get up. Bradley''s strong arms wrapped around her waist ¡°Cam, don''t move. Let me just hold you, okay?" Holding her and feeling her warmth, he needed to remind himself this wasn''t a dream. Brad... Cameron still felt a little awkward. The butler might walk in any second, and if he caught them like this, it would be kind of embarrassing "Shh..." Bradley''s long fingers gently pressed against Cameron''s red lips. "Cam, we''re a couple now. There''s nothing inappropr intimate things. Cameron chuckled. "Okay" Bradley grinned, "And if you want to start acting like my wife early, you can call me "hubby Cameron rolled her eyes. "You sure have a lot of tricks up your sleeve." Bradley looked at her seriously. "Cam, I''m not ying any tricks on you. I''m beingpletely sincere." out as doing these Cameron raised an eyebrow, nomittal. She tried to get up again, but Bradley kept his arms firmly around her waist, refusing to let her go. Cameron quipped, "Didn''t you say you just wanted to hold me for a little while? It''s already been more than a little while." Bradley just stared at her, speechless. Finally, he let go of her waist, He thought, ''No need to rush. ''Now that Cam''s my girlfriend, I''ll have plenty of chances to hold her from now on! Cameron flopped down on the sofa nearby, lounging backzily. "Brad, I''m hungry," she said. "I''ll go see how things are going in the kitchen," Bradley said, reaching over to give her cheek a yful pinch. Cameron had incredibly smooth skin. It felt so soft to the touch. Bradley got up and headed to the kitchen. The butler had already finished preparing the meal and was just about toe out and call them, but he hesitated, not wanting to interrupt. "Mr. Saunders, are you hungry? Dinner''s ready," the butler said with a cheerful smile. Bradley nodded. "Thank you for your hard work." The butler replied, "Not at all It''s what I''m here for He had been looking after the castle for years, rarely having anyone to serve, yet still drawing a steady paycheck. Honestly, he always felt he was the one getting the better deal. The butler brought all the dishes to the table. The dining room was instantly filled with the mouthwatering aroma of food. The butler was quite the cook. Bradley walked out and called, "Cam, dinner''s ready." Cameron stood up. Bradley immediately reached out and took her hand. This time, it wasn''t just a simple handhold. Bradley''s fingers slipped between Cameron''s, their fingers intecing close and intimate. A small smile tugged at the corners of Cameron''s lips. Bradley couldn''t stop smiling either. "Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates, enjoy your dinner, the butter said with a big smile, and then tactfully slipped away to give them se privacy. Now, the dining room belonged to just the two of them. They had eight dishesid out on the table. "That''s so much food? Cameron blurted out, surprised. "Isn''t this way too much for just the two of us? What a waste, she thought, Bradley pulled out a chair for her. "It''s not too much 211 Cameron sat down. "Are you su Sure WA Can finish all this?" Bradley chuckled. "No worries if we can''t." As he spoke, he picked up the lobster sitting right in the center of the table He used a tool to split the lobster open, scooped out the tender white meat, ced it on a te, and slid it over to Cameron. "Cam, give it a try," he said, pointing at the dipping sauce near her hand. "Thanks" Cameron said with a nod Bradley smiled "Anything for you" Cameronughed They shared their first dinner as a couple. It might have seemed like an ordinary meal, but even the air around them felt sweet. Bradley couldn''t wipe the smile off his face. Cameron watched him, amused. "Brad, you look really happy" Behind his gold-rimmed sses, Bradley''s eyes sparkled with joy. "Is it that obvious!" Cameron teased, "Are you even trying to hold back your excitement?" "Yeah," Bradley said with a nod, still grinning. He was genuinely, truly happy. Nothing couldpare to the joy of finally getting what he lways wished for. Cameron''s smile widened. Originally, she hadn''t nned to say yes to Bradley so soon But then she thought, ''Lance and Amy got together the very day they met and were married in less than a month. So why can''t I do the same?" Besides, Bradley had been pursuing her for months now. During those months, he had sent her a bouquet of flowers every single day, always telling her what each one meant. Cameron had picked up quite a bit about flowers thanks to him Now that she had finally let go of what happened seven years ago, it was time to look ahead. She would just take things one step at a time and see where life led her, After dinner, they made their way to the living room, where the butler was waiting respectfully. "Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates, the bed is all made up. All these years you weren''t here, I kept everything tidy and made sure the bedding was aired out regrly. It''s all very clean," the butler said Bradley nodded. "Alright, go ahead and get some rest "Yes, sir," the butler replied, and then tactfully headed back to his is own room Instead of heading to bed, Bradley pulled Cameron to sit with him on the sofa. wasn''t even ten o''clock yet, and he definitely wasn''t ready to call it a night. They had just be a couple, and neither of them wanted to be apart As soon as they sat down, his long arm slipped around Cameron''s waist, Cameron smiled at him and leaned into his embrace. The familiar scent of lemon filled her senses It had always been aforting smell to her, and now it felt even more reassuring Bradley looked at Cameron, a smile in his eyes. "Cam, what should we do now?" Cameron pulled out her phone. "Brad, let''s snap a pic together." "Sure," Bradley agreed right away. Cameron opened the camera a touching affectionately. app, and they both smiled at the lens. Bradley wrapped his arm around her, and they snuggled up close, their heads "Click!" This moment was frozen in time. Bradley''s face lit up with a huge smile. "Cam, you look absolutely gorgeous." Cameron curved her lips into a smile, ncing down as she yed with her phone. "I''m gonna post this on Instagram." She uploaded their photo with the caption: (Being with you just puts my heart at ease.] Bradley''s grin grew even brighter as he hugged Cameron tight. "Cam, send me that pic too. I also want to post it on Instagram." Cameron sent the photo over to Bradley. He added his own caption: Can''t believe how lucky i am to walk through life with you by my side.] Cameron teased, "Brad, that caption could totally be misunderstood." Bradley grinned, "Oh? You don''t like it? Cameronughed, "It''s like you''re already nning our wedding or something." Bradley cupped the back of her head and pulled her close to his chest, gazing down at her. "Cam, you already said yes to being my girlfriend. Bing , isn''t it?" my wife is just the next step, i Cameron shook her head. "You wish. It''s not a done deal yet." Bradley hugged her even tighter, stubborn as ever. "Cah, it''s always been you. I''m not letting anyone else into my Cameron rolled her eyes. "Brad, we literally just got together. You''re being so extra Bradley looked at her seriously "Cam, during those seven years when I lost my memory, there were a lot of girls who came and went in my life, but I never had any feelings for any of them. "And then, the day we ran into each other again, out of nowhere, I caught a glimpse of you, and my heart just pounded in my chest. "Cam, there will never be anyone else for my Cameron sighed. "But Brad, I can''t make you any promises" Bradley shook his head "Cam, you don''t have to prove ml to you nversation was getting a bit too heavy So, she decided to change the tubject. "Let''s watch TV together," she suggested "Sounds good," Bradley agreed As soon as Cameron posted the photo on Instagram, her feed totally exploded withments: Amelia: (LOL, Cam, I just knew it was Bradley I guessed it back in college. Congrats, you two! You''re meant to be togethe Lance: [Cam, congrats!) st Enjoy your super sweet love lide Levi: Congrats, my precious girl. And your future son inw looks totally goofy with that big grin Jacqueline: Congrats, Cam! I''m so happy for you!] Sienna: (Whos, Cam, you''re in a rtionship too? That''s awesome! Looks like I need to hurry up and catch up L: [Cam, your boyfriend is seriously hot! Congrats on scoring such a cutie Even all the way across the ocean, Austin saw Cameron''s Instagram post When he saw the big smiles on Cameron and Bradley''s faces, Austin couldn''t help but smile too Even though they didn''t see each other much these days, Cameron was still someone incredibly important to him. She''d been the light of his school Seeing Cameron so happy, Austin truly wished her the best. Austin: [Cam, congrats! Wishing you and Brad a lifetime of happiness together.] Xander, of course, also saw Cameron''s post. He had just wrapped up a long day at work He was sitting i in the backseat of his Maybach. Normally, he would just close his eyes and try to rx. He had just taken over the reins of thepany, and the non-stop work was exhausting Today, on a whim, he pulled out his phone and checked his Instagram feed. Bradley''s po And that was when he saw Cameron and Bradley''s posts. Xander stared intently at the caption Cameron had written, then at the photo of her and Bradley together. They! y looked like a perfect match, both incredibly good-looking. Xander''s eyesnded on Cameron''s face in the photo. She was the only girl he''d ever liked when he was young reper D04 To be honest, she was the only girl he''d ever liked in all of his twenty-six years, Now, she''d chosen someone else, That was her answer. Looking back, he really had been too immaturepared to Bradley Now, he had matured enough to run a multinationalpany and sign billion- dor contracts, but that wasn''t what the needed anymore. No one would wait for someone else to grow up They met at the wrong time, so, they just weren''t right for each other, Xander''s handsome face stayed calm as he typed out a message on his phone, Cameron, Brad, with you both happiness. After sending it, he tossed his phone aside and closed his eyes. Elijah also saw Cameron''s Instagram post. Ever since that day he parted ways with Cameron, he''d been going out to avoid her He used to personally handle all the business with Aurevia Biotech. It was just an excuse to spend more time around Cameron. But after that day, he handed everything off to his secretary He threw himself into work, pouring all his focus into it, his way Still, whenever he had a free moment, thoughts of Cameron would always sneak into his mind. All these years, he''d grown ustomed to a life divided only between work and Cameron Now, Cameron had made her choice. She was ready to be with Bradley, All Elijah could do was to quietly step back and not to disturb her happiness. Now, seeing Cameron''s Instagram post where she made her rtionship with Bradley public, Elijah knew it was finally time to let go for good He''d loved her for so many years with nothing to show for it, and maybe it was time to stop holding on Elijah: [Cameron, wishing you and Brad a lifetime of happiness together.] Aber sending the message, Elijah opened his photo album and deleted the only picture he had of himself and Cameron. It was the only photo they''d ever taken together. Back then, Cameron still looked like a boy. It was the first time she''d ever ridden in his car, and the butler, thinking it was something special, had snapped a photo With that one photo gone, he was finally letting go of thest bit of hope. After Bradley posted on Instagram, his notifications blew up withments from his family. Osborne Brad, not bad! You''ve outdone Reginald, Eric and Eddie. Congrats, man!) 13:49 Mon, 28 Jul Chapter 684 Reginald: Brad, your girlfriend is gorgeous! You two look amazing together, Congrats! Eric: [Brad, I''m really sorry for what happened back then. I totally messed things up. But I''m so d you and Cameron finally made it. Wishing you both lifetime of happiness. You have my sincerest blessings.] Eddie: [Brad, did you get all your memories back? Dame: Congrats, Brad! Your girlfriend is seriously beautiful. You two are a perfect match) Simon Congrats, Brad! You''re the fourth one in our family to find love I Evanc (Congrats, Brad! Can''t wait to drink at your wedding with Cameron. Simon, you better catch up!] Nathan: Bring her home to meet the family when you get a chance.] Beth: [Brad, congrattions! I''m so d my past mistakes didn''t keep you two apart forever. So happy for you! Not only did their friends and family blow up their Instagram withments, but some were spamming them on WhatsApp while others just kept calling nonstop Cameron and Bradley had just started watching TV when their phones began ringing off the hook Cameron reached for her phone, but Bradley grabbed it and muted the call directly. "Cam, we''ll deal with them tomorrow" Cameron stood up and said, "Brad, I should get going. It''s getting prettyte," Bradley reached out and caught her hand, shaking his head. "Cam, don''t leave Cameron hesitated. "But it''s already sote..." Bradley''s fingers tightened gently around hers. "Cam, stay with me tonight. I''ll drive you to work in the morning, okay?" AD Chapter 685 Cameron thought for a moment. Driving back now would take at least an hour. Whatever, I''ll just lodge with him. Anyway, I''ve stayed over here before? she told herself. Under Bradley''s eager gaze, Cameron nodded. "Sure." "Cam, I''ll let your mom know," Bradley said in delight. Before Cameron could say anything, Bradley had already sent a message to Jacqueline on WhatsApp, letting her know that Cameron would be staying with him tonight. Meanwhile, the Yates family was gathered together, shocked to see Cameron and Bradley post on Instagram at the same time. Bradley''s Instagram post even made it look like she''d already epted his proposal. When Jacqueline got the message, she immediately told everyone, "Bradley just texted me saying Cam''s spending the night with him." "No, they can''t do it!", Gavin jumped to his feet, his eyes zing with fury. After seeing both of their Instagram posts, Gavin immediately sent Cameron a message on WhatsApp, but she didn''t reply, He then tried calling her, and still failed to get through. Gavin was already very unhappy and thought, ''They''ve just made it official, and Cam''s not even replying to my messages. Now she''s spending the night with Bradley? How can that be allowed?'' Levi asked, "Why can''t they?" Gavin replied, "They''re not even married! How can they spend the night together?" Lance chimed in, "Gavin, how can you be so old-fashioned>" "Shut up!" Gavin snapped. Amelia teased, ¡°Gavin, what if Cam and Bradley have already registered their marriage?" Gavin shouted, "No way!" "Doesn''t it look like Cam agreed to marry Brad or something with that Instagram post?" echoed Lance. Jacquetine said, "There''s no way they''re married. Cam''s not that impulsive." "Kidnapping!" Gavin yelled. "Cam must''ve been kidnapped! She didn''t answer my phone, but Bradley messaged Mom instead. There must be something wrong. I have to find her!" As Gavin stopped speaking, he stormed out of the living room, stunning everyone else. "Gavin!" Jacqueline started after him, but Levi stopped her. "Leave him alone. He can''t find her anyway." Jacqueline nodded, then looked at Lance and Amelia. "Lance, Amy it''s time to go to bed." Lance said goodnight to his parents, took Amelia''s hand and led her upstairs. Levi was right. Gavin was running around like a headless chicken,pletely clueless about where to even start looking for Cameron. While Bradley was texting Jacqueline, Cameron nced down at her phone and noticed Gavin''s message. She sent Gavin a voice message on WhatsApp. [Gavin, it''s already reallyte, so I''m noting home tonight. It just go straight to the dos tomatids. Can you let our folks know for me?] Heating Cameron''s voice from the phone, Gavin breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to persuade Cameron toe home and tell her he''d go pick her up. But in the end, he abandoned the idea ''Cam is twenty-six now, not sixteen. She should know what she''s doing now, Gavin told himself He figured he''d better just leave her alone, so he replied. (Okay, Cam. Congrats.] Seeing Cameron put her phone down, Bradley grinned and said, "Cam, it''s gettingte. Let me walk you to your room so you can get some rest. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I have to work tomorrow after all." She didn''t even show up at work today. Bradley held her hand as they went upstairs, their fingers tightly intertwined. Somehow, they both slowed their pace, neither in a hurry to reach the destination. Cameron''s room was at the very end of the south hallway on the second floor. No matter how slowly they walked, it didn''t take long before they reached the door. Cameron reached for the doorknob, but with her hand still in his, Bradley took her gently into his arms. "Cam..." His voice overflowed with endless tenderness and affection. Cameron nestled against his chest, looking up at him, and their smiling eyes met for a split second. Cameron said softly, "Bradley, it''s veryte Bradley just gazed at her in silence. now." His eyes lingered on her face, wandering from her hair towards her full forehead. Looking into her bright, captivating eyes for a moment, he took his eyes off her elegant nose to stare at her luscious red lips. Bradley swallowed hard and asked, "Cam, can I... Can I kiss you?" Cameron just smiled and shook her head. "Nope." Bradley fell silent with a sh of disappointment in his eyes. ''Well, we''d just made it official today. For Cam, this was moving way too fast. He thought. However, unwilling to give up, Bradley kept Cameron in his arms, lowered his head so their foreheads touched, their breaths even audible. "Can''t leven give you a peck?" A shadow of a smile touched Cameron''s mouth. "No." At a loss for words, Bradley could only let go of her, though he was clearly reluctant. He took a step back. "Alright, Cam. You should have an early night." Cameron kept smiling at him, her eyes never torn away from his face. Just as Bradley was about to turn away, Cameron suddenly threw her arms around his neck and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his lips. "Goodnight, Brad," she whispered. Bradley''s mind went totally nk for a second. His eyes, behind the gold-rimmed sses, were wide with shock, but soon glistened with delight. His voice trembled as he called her name "Cam. Cameron tried to step back, but it was toote. With his hand behind her head, Bradley softly pinning her against the wall. He lowered his head and kissed her on the red lips without hesitation. The kiss was gentle at first, then grew deeper and more passionate, almost overwhelming Cameron. Even though she''d lived for over a thousand years this was her very first kiss. Not knowing how long itsted, Cameron felt breathless and finally pushed Bradley away. "Brad, it''s enough..." Her knees were so weak she could barely stand. Bradley pressed his nose to hers, his voice hoarse and low. "Cam, you''re really naughty." Cameron giggled, her eyes sparkling. "I was just teasing. Seriously, it''s reallyte, and I need some sleep now." But Bradley couldn''t resist it and lowered his head to nt another peck on her lips. Cameron pouted, "Brad, that''s enough, okay?" At this rate, things might really get out of hand tonight. So she quickly made her escape. Cameron quickly turned away, opened the door, and switched on the light. But in the next instant, she waspletely stunned. Her room was empty of furniture. ''Didn''t the butler say the bed was already made up?'' she thought, confused. ''Why is there nothing on my bed? Could it be that he made the bed in Bradley''s room instead?'' Bradley caught on too. "Howe the bed''s not made?" Cameron said, "I''ll do it myself." But after searching the entire room, Cameron didn''t know what to do because she couldn''t find any bedclothes. Bradley said, "I''ll ask the butler toe up." He went directly to the butler''s room and knocked on the door, but there was no response. At this time of night, the butler was already sound asleep. Cameron said, ¡°Brad, let''s go see if your room is ready." Bradley looked at her in surprise. "Wait, my room?" Cameron replied with a helpless smile, "What else am I supposed to do? Crash on the floor?" Bradley shook his head immediately. "Of course not." So the two of them made their way to Bradley''s room together, opened the door and turned on the light. His king-size bed came into view-perfectly made up, not a wrinkle in sight. Cameron was speechless. ''Of course. I totally saw thising,'' she thought. Bradley nced at her. "Cam, looks like the butler only made up one bed for us, huh?" He figured the butler must''ve seen how intimate they were in the living room and just assumed they''d be spending the night together. Cameron''s eyes swept around the room as she shrugged. "Looks like I''ll have to crash on the couch then." Bradley''s eyes dimmed. "No." "Why not?" 39 Tue "You take the bed. I''ll sleep on the couch." "You''re way too tall for that couch-there''s no way you''ll fit." "It''s just for tonight, I''ll make do.". Cameron nodded. "Alright then, I''m gonna get washed." "Come on, let''s go wash up together," Bradley said, taking her hand with their fingers intertwined naturally. Cameron looked at him, her lips curling into a smile. When they got to the bathroom, there were two sets of toiletries waiting for them on the edge of the sink. The butler indeed had assumed they were staying together. Bradley took out the toothbrush, rinsed it off first, then squeezed some toothpaste onto it for Cameron before handing it over. "Thanks," Cameron said. Bradley reached out to ruffle her hair gently before unpacking his own toiletry bag. As they brushed their teeth side by side, Cameron''s short hair slipped from behind her ear. Instinctively, Bradley reached over and tucked it back behind her ear. Even though it was his first time doing something like that, he did it so smoothly that one''d think he''d done it many times. Noticing that, Cameron raised her eyebrow slightly. After they finished washing up, they headed back to the room. Bradley nced at the khaki dress Cameron was wearing and asked, "Cam, wanna change into some pajamas?" He then went to open up the walk-in closet, revealing a bunch of his clothes hanging neatly inside, which were washed and aired by the butler regrly. So they were always fresh and clean. Bradley took out one of his robes, yet it was way too long for Cameron to wear that he frowned slightly at it. But Cameron just picked out a short-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts from the closet. "I''ll make do with them." They looked super baggy on her, so they''d totally work as pajamas for tonight. Cameron went into the bathroom to change clothes beforeing out again in no time. Bradley was 6 feet 2 inches tall, while Cameron was 5 feet 9 inches in height. Besides, he was much more built than she was. So his clothes were quite loose when she put them on. The T-shirt almost covered her thighs, while the athletic shorts were still just shorts on her. Even though everything looked oversize, Cameron somehow made it look effortlessly cut¨¦. Bradley was unable to tear his eyes away from her. "Cam, you''re gorgeous." Cameron grinned, "Brad, it''s gettingte. Go change your clothes-I''m going to bed." She was honestly wiped out now. Bradley couldn''t help but steal a few more nces at her before grabbing his pajamas to get dressed. By the time he came out, the main lights in the room were off, leaving only a wall Hearing the noise, Cameron called softly, "Brad, sorry you have to put up with this tonight." Bradley smiled, "Cam, it doesn''t matter. Just being able to see you when I open my eyes makes me really happy." Hugging her nket, Cameron looked at him in the dim light. "Me too, Brad." AIL 11:39 Tue, 29 Jul J G M Completely at case, Cameron felt secure and protected when she was with Bradley, like nothing in the world could shake her. "Goodnight, Cam," Bradley said softly. "Goodnight, Brad," Cameron murmured. "Cam..." Bradley gazed at her, a little hopeful. "Can I get one more kiss?" But there was no reply. Silence filled the room, and all Bradley could hear was the sound of Cameron''s quiet breathing. Turned out she''d already drifted off to sleep. Bradley couldn''t help but give a doting smile as he whispered, "Goodnight, Cam." Bradley wasn''t the least bit tired. Lying on the couch, he was so tall that it was way too small for him-his calves dangled awkwardly off the side, cramped as hell. But Bradley couldn''t stop smiling. He was really delighted because Cam finally said yes to being his girlfriend today. Everything was just so perfect, it felt like a dream. But Bradley knew he wasn''t dreaming. It really happened. He was so happy he couldn''t sleep at all. So he grabbed his phone and started texting his family. Everyone else was already asleep, but Eddie texted him back right away. Eddie: [Brad, I''m really happy for you. You and Cameron missed each other for seven years, but now you''re together again. That''s just awesome.] Bradley: [Thanks, Eddie. Why aren''t you asleep at this time of night?] Eddie: [Can''t sleep.] Bradley: [Eddie, still dwell on it?] Eddie didn''t reply. Bradley: [Eddie, you''ve already paid for your mistakes. Maybe it''s time to let yourself off the hook, isn''t it?] Back in the day, Eddie was just a clueless yboy, hopping from one girlfriend to the next at will, sometimes even juggling a few at once. That all changed when their little sister, Cami Saunders, returned home. Eddie waspletely blown away by Cami''s beauty that he decided then and there to ditch his old ways and chase her. But half an hourter, he found out that Cami was actually his biological sister. He was so shocked and couldn''t live with the shame of it. Feeling humiliated, Eddie went all out against Cami, but he was no match for her. Things got even worse when he actually teamed up with her enemies to frame her, almost making a horrible mistake. Goaded beyond endurance, Cami hacked into his phone, asked all his girlfriends out, and made Eddie tag along for the show. Only then did all the women realize Eddie had been stringing them along at the same time. Flying into a rage, they had Eddie badly battered about the head and face. One of Eddie''s girlfriends recorded the whole scene on video and posted it online. In no time, Eddie was doxed and becam target of cyberbullying. He finally realized just how crazy he''d been all these years. Eaten up by regrets, he spiraled into a serious depression. Night after night, he was unable to sleep and kept slicing through his arms with a de, watching the blood trickle down. His family were worried sick about him, but deep down, they also thought he kind of had iting. Even though Eddie had stopped injuring himself now, he was still suffering from severe depression. At Cami''s wedding, Eddie fell for a woman named Vicki Shaw at first sight. But she was so pure while he felt tainted to the core, so he didn''t even look at her, as if just a nce would somehow defile her. Bradley really hoped Eddie could get himself out of it and make a fresh start. Nobody was perfect, and Eddie had already paid dearly for his mistakes, Eddie just replied: [Brad, it''s veryte. Good night.] Bradley sighed and knew Eddie had toe to terms with it himself, which wasn''t within anyone''s power to help him. Fol Cameron drifted off to sleep in no time, and found herself having that same dream again in which a boy gently covered her battered body with his jacket. But she still couldn''t see his face clearly. At midnight Cameron awoke and stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Back then, she''d been framed by Amelia and Skyler for "candid photos" of Elijah, and the Chapman family used that as an excuse to call off the engagement with the Wace family. Martin was so irate that he called Cameron home and gave her a thrashing. Her ribs broke, and she even vomited blood before cking out. When she finally came round, she was in the hospital. However, apart from herself in the ward, Martin, Heidi, and Milena were all gone. Chapter 686 No Ads Cameron was in unbearable pain, but what hurt even more was the overwhelming loneliness in her heart. Her parents just treated her as a tool to help them climb the socialdder, and no one had ever truly cared about her. Cameron was always unwee wherever she was, and she couldn''t see the point of living. She ran up to the hospital''s roof terrace for some fresh air. She didn''t want to die, even though she was hated and bullied by everyone. That was just life instinct. But then, someone suddenly shoved her off the rooftop from behind, killing her on the spot. She never knew who that boy was-the one who''d brought her a little warmth before her death. As for the person who pushed her off the rooftop and ended her life, she had even less of a clue. Cameron let out a soft sigh. It was more than a thousand years ago, just past history. There was no one left for her to repay or take revenge on, even if she wanted to. Cameron''s gaze wandered, and in the darkness, she nced at Bradley lying on the couch, who was already asleep. The couch was far fromfortable, but once fatigue took over, he still managed to drift off. Cameron hugged the nket, quietly watching Bradley. A smile touched the corners of her mouth. Before long, she drifted back to sleep. The next morning, Cameron woke up naturally. Every day, she woke up right at 6:30 pm-always beating her rm to it. As soon as she got up, Bradley, lying on the couch, opened his eyes. "Good morning." He sat up, picked up his sses from the coffee table, and put them on, still bleary-eyed. "It''s still early, Brad. You can get some more sleep," Cameron said. Bradley got up, walked to the bedside and sat down. He took Cameron''s hand, then gently held the back of her head with his other hand to draw her close to him before leaning down and kissing her forehead. "Did you have a good sleep?" Bradley asked gently. Cameron nodded. "I slept very well. What about you? Is your back sore?" Bradley gently ruffled her hair. "I had a good night''s rest too." ''No way he actually slept well on that tiny couch, Cameron thought, a smile tugging at her lips. In fact, the couch wasn''t small unless it waspared to Bradley''s tall frame. Cameron got out of bed and went to wash up. Bradley followed and stood in front of the mirror with her. Cameron lowered her head to brush her teeth, while Bradley, brushing his, kept watching her in the mirror, his eyes full ofughter. Right then, he and Cameron seemed to have been together for years, and it was just another ordinary morning-waking up and getting washed side by side... Everything was just so nice. Cameron looked up and caught Bradley grinning in the mirror. "What are you smiling about?" 5 Bradley put his arm around her waist. "Cam, being with you just makes me so happy, I can''t help but smile." Cameron chuckled, "Congrattions, you got what you wanted." Once Cameron finished washing up, she stepped out of the bathroom, closely followed by Bradley. After they both got dressed, Bradley took Cameron''s hand, and they walked downstairs together. "Breakfast probably isn''t ready yet," Bradley said. "Let''s take a walk in the courtyard," Cameron suggested. Hand in hand, they walked towards the door and bumped into the butler, who had just gotten up. The butler greeted them with a beaming smile. "Good morning, Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates." "Good morning." Cameron and Bradley said in unison. The butler said, "Mr. Saunders, Miss Yates, just a moment, please. I''ll get breakfast ready right away." "Just keep it simple," Cameron reminded, thinkingst night''s feast was just too much of a waste.. The butler nodded and headed into the kitchen. Hand in hand, Bradley and Cameron wandered through the courtyard and smelt the fresh air, bathed in the gentle light of dawn. Cameron raised her head toward the sunlight, as Bradley put his arms around her waist from behind, her back resting against his broad chest. Gazing at the rising sun, Bradley sighed softly, "Cam, if only we could watch the sunrise together every day." Cameron chuckled, "Brad, that''s not exactly an easy wish to grant." "I know it''s not the right moment to talk about this," Bradley said. They''d just made it official yesterday, so it wasn''t like they could openly spend all their time together. Besides, Cameron had her own business to handle, and so did he. At their age, love was no longer the only thing in their lives. Cameron turned around to face him, gazing up into his deep eyes. "Brad, I mean, there won''t be a sunrise every day." Bradley smiled, looking down at her. "You''re right." Cameron was also staring at him with a bright, cheerful smile. tooking into each other''s eyes, neither was willing to look away. Subconsciously, Bradley leaned in and gave her a deep kiss. Meanwhile, the butler stood in the kitchen, cooking while looking out the window at the two of them smooching. He couldn''t help but smile. ''Youth really is a good thing,'' he thought. ''Falling in love is just so wonderful.'' During breakfast, Cameron got a WhatsApp message from Jacqueline. [Cam, bring Brad home for dinner tonight.] Cameron nced up at Bradley sitting next to her. "Brad, are you free tonight?¡± Without even asking what she wanted him to do, Bradley nodded. "Yeah, I''m free." Cameron said, "My mom wants me to bring you home for dinner." Chapter 886 Bradley''s lips curled into a smile. "Nothing would make me happier? It wasn''t likest time he''d just gone to the Yates family''s ce to take shatter from the rain. This time, he was visiting them as Cameron''s boyfriend, so he had to be well prepared, From now on, Cameron''s family was his family too. Cameron replied to Jacqueline: [Okay, mom.] After breakfast, Bradley drove Cameron to the office of Aurevia Biotech. "Cam, I''ll pick you up this afternoon," Bradley said, Cameron nodded. "Okay." She got out of the car and waved goodbye to him, who watched as she disappeared into the lobby, Their rtionship wasn''t passionate or intense, but cozy and peaceful, as if they''d already been together for years. Bradley loved that simple, genuine feeling. He truly felt that Cameron had belonged to him, filling up the emptiness in his heart, a void that hadsted seven whole years. His mouth tilted upwards slightly at the corners as Bradley watched until Cameron''s figure disappeared from sight before looking away. Just as Bradley was about to drive off, he got a call from Eddie. "Hey, Eddie," Bradley greeted first. "Brad, you free at noon? I wanna invite you and Cam out for lunch," Eddie said, his voice steady as ever. Now that Bradley and Cameron were finally together, Eddie finally felt like he could face Cameron again. "I''m free, but I''ll have to check with Cam," Bradley said. Bradley wasn''t nning on going to thew firm today, because he had to select some gifts for the Yates family before visiting them tonight. With Eddieing over, Bradley''d have someone to help him choose-two heads were better than one, after all. "Alright, if she''s busy and wanna take a rain check, it''s fine," Eddie said. "Okay," Bradley replied. After hanging up with Eddie, Bradley immediately called Cameron, who had just settled into her office chair. "Hello, Brad," Cameron said as she picked up her phone. Bradley got straight to the point. "Cam, my fourth brother wanna have lunch with us. Are you free around noon?" "Fourth brother?" Cameron repeated, a bit surprised. ''Is it Eddie?'' Cameron wondered to herself. It had been a long time since she''d heard that name. "Yeah, my fourth brother," Bradley replied. "Sure, I''ve got a lunch break. You can fix it with him," Cameron said. "Alright, I''ll pick you up at noon," smiled Bradley, who thought he wouldn''t get to see Cameron again until after work. But now, just three more hours and they''d be together again. Cameron replied, a smile in her voice, "Alright, see you at noon." At exactly noon, Bradley''s ck Mercedes pulled up outside the building of Aurevia Biotech. Eddie had already taken the back seat tactfully. The trunk was filled with gifts Bradley had picked out that morning at the mall for the Yates family. At 12:05 pm, Cameron stepped out in her high heels. Through the car window, Eddie caught sight of Cameron in her dress and thought to himself, ''Cameron really is beautiful.¡± When dressed as a man, she looked handsome; but now, back to her old self, she was still just as stunning. Bradley spotted Cameron too and rolled down the window on the passenger side, a smile tugging at his lips. "Cam." Cameron gave him a wave and hurried over, opened the front passenger door, got in, and buckled up. "Hello, Cameron," Eddie called out in greeting. "Eddie..." Cameron looked back at him, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. ''Wait, is the guy in the back really Eddie?'' Cameron wondered. The man in the back seat was wearing a ck shirt, buttoned all the way up. His handsome face was expressionless, and the messy, colorful hair he used to have was now cut short, back to its natural color, making him steady and mature. ''Is this really the same Eddie who used to show off as a yboy?'' Cameron thought, a little stunned. But she soon turned away from him. "So, Cam, what would you like to eat?" Bradley asked as he drove. Cameron looked back at Eddie again. "Eddie, what do you feel like eating?" "I''m not bothered," Eddie replied. Bradley added, "He''s not picky at all." Cameron didn''t know what to say. In her memory, Eddie used to be such a fussy eater. She never expected he''d change this much. Bradley said, "There''s a new seafood restaurant nearby that''s been getting a lot of buzztely. Wanna check it out?" Cameron nodded. "Sounds good to me." She nced back at Eddie. "How about you, Eddie? You up for it?" Eddie nodded. "Sure, I''m good with that." Cameron smiled, "You''ve really changed a lot, Eddie."/ There was finally a ghost of a smile on his face. "You''ve changed even more- heck, you even switched genders." Cameron grinned at that without saying anything more. The seafood restaurant was definitely popr, but since they arrived early and it was a weekday, it wasn''t very crowded. After entering, they picked out a private room for themselves. "Brad, wanna try this one?" Cameron asked. Cameron and Bradley sat side by side, their heads almost touching as they browsed the menu together, looking very close. "Sure," Bradley replied, with his arm round Cameron''s shoulder. Eddie sat across from them, a faint smile ying at his lips as he watched the two of them. Seeing Brad so happy genuinely made Eddie feel delighted too, because it used to be a grief to Eddie too. ''This is really great, he thought. After Cameron and Bradley finished ordering, they handed the menu to Eddie. "Eddie, wanna order a few more dishes?" Eddie had already ordered his dishes before, and he shook his head. "No need." Cameron asked, "Would you like red or white, Eddie?" "Either''s fine," Eddie replied. Cameron just blinked, a little speechless. "Let''s go with red," Bradley said. Since Bradley needed to drive and Cameron still had work to do in the afternoon, neither of them went for alcohol. Instead, they just ordered two soft drinks. After cing their order for a meal, Cameron handed the menu to the server. During the meal, Eddie let out a sigh. "Brad, Cameron, if my parents hadn''t believed Nell, you two wouldn''t have missed out on seven years together." Cameron paused and shook her head. ¡°Eddie, it''s not that simple." Back then, she had been uncertain of her feelings, so if Bradley had tried to keep her around by force, they probably would''ve fallen out a long time ago. And then there wouldn''t have been any future in their rtionship. The reason why Cameron could forgive Bradley was he''d never done her any real harm. But honestly, if it weren''t for Cameron''s indulgence, that small castle of his never could''ve held her in captivity. Eddie asked, "Why? Is there even something I don''t know?" "Eddie," Bradley said, sliding a te of oysters over, "have a try." Eddie looked at Bradley and, seeing the frown on Bradley''s face, knew right away he''d said something he shouldn''t have. Eddie quickly steered the conversation away from it. "The food here is actually really good." Cameron nodded. "Yeah, it''s pretty nice." Eddie raised his ss. "Cameron Wace-or should I call you Cameron Yates now? Congrats on developing the wonder drug for leukemia." Cameron lifted her cup of soft drink. "Thanks." And just like that, the previous subject was dropped./ Eddie hade to Viremont mainly just to see Cameron and Bradley. After lunch, Eddie headed back to Steerfall. Before leaving, Eddie patted Bradley on the shoulder. "Brad, be good to Cameron." Bradley nodded. "I will," Now that he could finally be with her aboveboard, there was no way he''d ever let go. te 516 After finishing speaking, Eddie left, and Bradley drove Cameron back to Aurevia Biotech, On the way, Cameronmented without ceremony, "Eddie''s really changed a lot." For someone to turn their whole life around like that, they must''ve gone through something unusual. Bradley nodded. "Yeah, he looks really different than he was a few years ago." Cameron turned her head to look out the window, watching the scenery recede into the distance. As time flew, she was no longer the girl who had just experienced world-hopping. Bradley asked, "Cam, do you want to know why?" Cameron was also curious. "Why?" As he drove, Bradley gave Cameron a quick rundown of what had happened. Cameron fell silent. She really didn''t know what to say after hearing all that. Honestly, things turned out pretty well in the end. Eddie couldn''t just keep messing around forever. He was only a year older than Bradley, still young with a chance to turn over a new leaf. As Bradley pulled the car up outside the building of Aurevia Biotech, Cameron immediately reached for her safety belt, ready to get out. But Bradley gently held her hand. "Cam, wait a second." "What?" Cameron turned to look at him. Bradley said, "I picked out some gifts for your family this morning, but I''m uncertain if they''re their style. Could you take a look and give advice? If you don''t think they''re a good fit, I still have time this afternoon to go select something else." AD Comment Chapter 687 Cameron looked at Bradley in surprise. "Brad, it''s just dinner, you really don''t have to make such a big deal out of it. ''Besides, my parents and brothers have already met you. No need to act like it''s your first time visiting them. She wondered. Bradley gently took her hand and said softly, "Cam, I know it''s just a meal, but I still want to show my sincerity and proper manners." Getting out of the car with Cameron, Bradley walked over and popped open the trunk. Cameron''s eyes widened when she saw the trunk packed full of gifts. "So many?" Cameron blurted out in surprise. Bradley just smiled and said, "Not many at all." ''The trunk is just too small, that''s all,'' Bradley thought to himself. ''So I didn''t buy many gifts." Cameron tugged at Bradley''s sleeve. "Brad, it''s already more than enough. You really don''t need to buy anything else." Bradley just smiled, "Alright." Butter that afternoon, when Cameron slid into the front passenger seat, out of the corner of her eye she saw the back seat piled high with gifts. Cameron didn''t know what to say now, not expecting Bradley''d have gone on another shopping spree that afternoon. Even though she felt a bit helpless, Cameron couldn''t help but feel warm. Bradley''s love for her extended to her family, so she believed she didn''t misjudge him, who always made her feel so at ease. Noticing Cameron staring at the back seat, Bradley reached over and gently ruffled her hair. ¡°The car''s too small. I''ll get a bigger one in a couple of days. Cameron finally looked away and smiled, "No need, this car is fine." Bradley chuckled, "Alright, then I won''t change it." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Why do you obey me without question?" Bradley smiled, "I have to listen to my future wife, after all." Cameron''s lips curved into a smile, but she didn''t say anything/ Bradley started the car, and after about ten minutes, they pulled up at Yates Manor. Cameron and Bradley got out of the car together. Levi and Jacqueline were already at the door waiting for them, but Levi still looked a bit stern, while Jacqueline walked towards them with a big smile. "Cam, Brad, good evening!" Jacqueline greeted them warmly. "Hello, Mrs. Yates," Bradley said politely, nodding. Cameron opened the passenger door and said, "Mom, could you have someone help us bring these in?" "What things?" Jacqueline asked, peering inside the car. Her eyes widened when she saw the back seat packed with luxury gifts. Jacqueline let out a helpless sigh. "Brad, I''m already d to see you here. You really didn''t have to bring all these gifts-that''s very kind of you!" She quickly waved someone over to help carry everything inside. Hearing themotion, Gavin, Lance, and Amelia also came out to see what was happening. Lance and Amelia hadn''t held their wedding, yet, but they were already legally married and almost glued to each other every day, either hanging out at Yates Manor, the Chapman family''s house, or at Lance''s ce. Today, Jacqueline had specifically asked them toe back for dinner. The servants carefully carried all the gifts from the back seat of the car into the living room before Bradley popped open the trunk Jacqueline''s eyes widened in surprise. "There''re even more in the trunk? Brad, you really didn''t have to go to all this trouble!" Bradley took Cameron''s hand and said, "Mrs. Yates, it''s not troublesome at all. It''s just a token of my regard." Hearing this, Levi finally couldn''t hold it back and walked over with a smile. "Brad, it''s clear you''ve put a lot of thought into this." Seeing how well Bradley treated his precious daughter, Levi also couldn''t help but feel genuinely happy, so there was no need to keep up the stern act anymore. 47 ''As long as Bradley truly cares for my sweetheart and they''re happy together, that''s all I could ever ask for, Levi thought to himself. Gavin watched the servants going in and out, his brow furrowing. "Are we throwing a party or something?" Lance, holding Amelia''s hand, grinned, "Gavin, when you go visit your future wife''s family, you''ll be just as gant." Gavin''s face darkened. "And where exactly is my wife? Are you going to pick one for me?" Lance kept quiet. Amelia couldn''t help but tease with a smile. "Gavin, want me to set you up with some pretty girls?" Gavin said coldly, "Not necessary." ''There are plenty of single people in the world-it''s not like I''m the only one.'' He thought to himself. With that, Gavin walked over to greet Cameron and Bradley. Lance held Amelia in his arms and said, "Look, he''s getting flustered,¡± Amelia couldn''t help butugh. Then they also walked over to join Cameron and the others. It had been a long time since Amelia hadst seen Bradley. These days, she was in love with Lance-so madly that she''d practically forgotten she had ever fallen for Bradley. So seeing Bradley again now, Amelia didn''t feel awkward at all. Even if she did remember, it was no big deal, because her crush on him when they were young was past history now. As for Bradley, he also didn''t remember he''d ever turned her down. To him, she was just an old school friend, nothing more. Gavin walked up to Bradley and looked him up and down. "Not bad, man. Way better thanst time when you just brought us two bags of fruit.¡± Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses. "Gavin, sorry aboutst time. I was in a real hurry." Gavin just shot him a look and didn''t say anything. "Cam!" Amelia called out, running over and linking her arm through Cameron''s. She shot Cameron a knowing look, raising her eyebrows. Cameron instantly got what Amelia was hinting at, and just gave a helpless smile. 216 Back when they first started college, Amelia was always teasing Cameron, saying Cameron definitely liked Bradley. ''Turns out, my friends always see it before I do, Cameron thought to herself. "Amelia?" Bradley blinked in surprise at her. She was his ssmate in high school, and what was she doing here at Cameron''s ce? Hearing the confusion in Bradley''s voice, Cameron suddenly remembered his memories had all been erased from the moment she moved into Room 16. 316. So, anything that had happened between him and Amelia after that wasn''t within his memory. Cameron quickly exined, "Brad, this is my second sister-inw." Bradley looked puzzled. "Sister-inw?" ''My ssmate is now my girlfriend''s sister-inw? Fate really does work in mysterious ways, Brad thought to himself. Amelia waved with a bright smile. "Hello, Bradley." Bradley smiled too, "Hello, Amelia." Lance folded his arms. "Brad, didn''t expect you two to know each other." "We were actually..." Amelia started, walking over to Lance and locking her arm through his. But then it suddenly hit her that she used to have a crush on Bradley. It didn''t matter to her, but Lance would probably mind. So, she had to keep it secret. Anyway, when she dered her love back then, Bradley was the only one who knew about it. ''Surely Bradley isn''t that oblivious, is he?'' Amelia thought to herself. "So, what exactly were you two?" Lance asked when Amelia fell silent. Amelia shed a bright smile. "We were ssmates in high school." Jacqueline chuckled, "What a coincidence! Amelia, you and Cam were also college ssmates, huh?" "Let''s go in first," Levi said. In the living room, there were so many gifts brought by Bradley that the coffee table couldn''t hold them all, so a bunch ended up on the floor. Seeing that, Levi instructed the servants to take everything to the storage room. Bradley reminded them, "Mr. and Mrs. Yates, there''s some food among them, so don''t forget to eat before it''s stale." Jacqueline beamed. "Brad, it''s so thoughtful of you. I''ll have someone sort it outter." "Have a seat," Levi said, gesturing for Bradley to sit down. Cameron sat down first, and Bradley was about to sit next to her. But someone moved even faster, snagging the seat beside Cameron before he could. And it was none other than Gavin. Bradley could only stare at him in disbelief. Cameron gave him an awkward smile. "Brad, why not sit opposite u e us?" "Alright," Bradley said, taking a seat across from her. Amelia leaned over to Lance and whispered, "Gavin is actually pretty funny." Lance just gave her hand a squeeze without saying anything. "Brad, I hear yourw firm has quite a reputation. Is that true?" Levi asked, trying to make conversation. Ever since he saw the Instagram posts of Cameron and Bradleyst night, Levi had been curious. So he spent the whole day today investigating Bradley''s background, even aware exactly which kindergarten Bradley had attended. "Yeah, Mr. Yates, if you have some free time, I can give you a tour of myw firm in Steerfall," Bradley offered. Gavin sat right next to Cameron, watching Bradley like a hawk, as if he thought Bradley might snatch Cameron away at any second. "Gavin?" Cameron couldn''t help but call out to him. Only then did Gavin turn to look at her with gentle eyes, unlike the wary look he gave Bradley. "Cam, what''s wrong?" Gavin asked. Cameron said softly, "Gavin, Brad is my boyfriend. Don''t be so nasty to him." Gavin fell silent, feeling sad. ''She''s already taking his side, but I didn''t even do anything yet. How am I being nasty?'' Gavin thought to himself. The butler came out of the kitchen. "My Lord, My Lady, dinner is ready. When would you like to eat?" "Let''s eat now, it''s gettingte," Jacqueline said as she rose to her feet, and everyone else stood up as well. When they reached the dining room, Bradley knew better than fighting Gavin for the seat next to Cameron. All he had to do was to imagine himself in Osborne''s shoes, and he could understand why Gavin acted that way. However, Gavin didn''t sit next to Cameron this time. So Lance said, "Brad, sit next to Cam." Bradley''s lips curled into a smile. "Sure." Today was Bradley''s second time visiting Yates Manor. The first time had just been an ident, and this was his first official visit. Therefore, Bradley took this visit very seriously, and so did Levi and Jacqueline. The dining table was loaded with delicious dishes, and there were still some that hadn''t even been served yet. Levi got straight to the point. "Brad, now that you and Cam are in a rtionship, I want to make one thing clear-I won''t marry Cam off, so you''ll have to marry into our family." Cameron was surprised to hear that. ''We''ve only been dating for a day, yet they''re already talking about him marrying into my family?'' Cam thought to herself. ''That''s way too fast.'' Hearing this, Bradley still smiled, "Mr. Yates, that''s no problem for me. I''ll just let my parents know. We have a lot of sons, so my parents should agree with it." ¦¤¦©¦¥ Chapter 687 Jacqueline chuckled, ¡°Brad, you don''t have to marry into our family, but you two need to stay in Viramont. That way, we can see Cam wherever we wam. After getting married and having kids, if you''re busy with work, I can help look after them." Cameron could only stare at her in disbeliet. ''Why are they already talking about having kids?'' she thought to herself. ''Mom and dad are getting more ridiculous by the minute! Lance chinted in, "Mom, Dad, your concern''s unnecessary. Brad''sw firm is already open in Viremont, right across from Carn''spany. Don''t worry, even if Cam gets married, she''s still your precious daughter." Amelia added, "We just don''t have such a problem." Both Amelia and Lance were from Viremont, and she had a younger brother at home, so the two of them could settle down anywhere they liked. Lance teased, "I wouldn''t mind marrying into her family either." Hearing that, Amelia couldn''t help butugh. Gavin spoke up, "Anyway, Cam''s not allowed to live anywhere but Viremont." It was not negotiable for him that his one and only little sister, married or not, had to stay where he could visit at any Bradley looked at Cameron, his gaze soft and full of affection. "I''ll go along with whatever Cam decides." Cameron smiled, "I''ll just do whatever my parents say." Cameron indeed didn''t want to be apart from her family because being with them just made her so behind and settle down in Viremont didn''t seem fair to him either. time. happy. But asking Bradley to leave his parents ''Wait a second. What am I even thinking right now? Am I really already thinking about a future with Bradley?'' She realized, a little flustered. ''No need to get ahead of ourselves just yet!'' Bradley smiled, "Then I''ll just listen to your parents." Hearing that, everyone couldn''t help but burst outughing. Except for Gavin, who looked a little sulky, the mood at the table was cheerful and lively. After dinner, Jacqueline arranged a guest room for Bradley, who stayed behind to chat with Levi in the living room. Meanwhile, Amelia dragged Cameron back to Cameron''s room before the two of them sat out on the terrace. Amelia gazed up at the starry sky and teased, "Who was it that swore up and down she and Bradley were just friends?" Cameron hugged a pillow to her chest, curling upzily on the flower-patterned couch. "So how did you figure it out, anyway?" Amelia grinned, "It was pretty obvious, honestly. So many guys were chasing you and you never cared, but you always acted differently facing Bradley." Cameron smiled and wondered, ''Guess I really was thest to know.'' Suddenly, Amelia turned to her and said, "Cam, why don''t you and Bradley just go get your marriage license? Then we can have our weddings together." Cameron looked at her in disbelief. "Are you serious? Bradley and I only made it official yesterday." Amelia shrugged. "Come on, people just wanna get things done as fast as possible these days." Cameron shook her head. "I don''t care about it. I just wanna let nature take its course." Amelia tilted her head at her. "What a shame. Think about it. If we had our weddings together and even had kids at the same time, wouldn''t that be a st?" 11:40 Tue, 29 Jul G M Cameron was quiet for a moment before asking, ¡°Wait, are you and Lance already thinking about having kidst ''Well, that made sense. Lance''s already thirty, time to settle down and have a family!'' Cameron thought to herself. Amelia smiled sweetly, "No, he''s not ready yet. I''m the one who wants to have kids." "Lance doesn''t want to have kids?" Cameron asked, a little confused. She knew her parents had been longing for grandchildren for ages, so if Lance had a baby, maybe Gavin would finally get a break from all the lectures. Amelia said, ¡°He wanna enjoy life with me first, and then maybe have kids in a couple of years. I''m only 26, so there''s no rush. I''ll go with whatever he wants." Cameron smiled, "Amelia, I''m really relieved to see how happy you are with Lance." They''d gotten married in a hurry, and Cameron had honestly been a little worried at first. But as long as they got along well, she could rest easy. Amelia grinned, "Lance''s honestly a good guy." Cameron replied with a little pride, "Of course I know." Amelia nudged her, "So what about you and Bradley? Any ns for the two of you?" Cameron let out a helpless sigh. "We just made it official yesterday. What ns could we possibly have?" Amelia nodded. "Yeah, then just enjoy your lovey-dovey rtionship. Kind of wish we could have our weddings together, though." Cameron just shrugged, not caring much about all that ceremony stuff anyway. 33 At Viremont Airport, a woman in sunsses and high heels, dragging a ck suitcase, walked out of the terminal. Right away, her eyes alighted on a massive poster across the street, saying that Cameron Yates, developer of wonder drug for leukemia, had saved thousands of families. "Cameron Yates?" The woman let out a coldugh and took off her sunsses. AD Comment Send gift The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 688 "So you''ve even be a big shot now, huh? You''re really doing well. Let''s see!" The woman spat through gritted teeth After saying that, she immediately put on her sunsses, disappearing into the surging crowd soon.. Cameron and Amelia kept chatting ance knocked on the door. But Amelia refused to budge. "Honey, you can sleep yourself tonight. I''m sleeping with Cam." "Absolutely not," Lance refused without hesitation. Amelia tugged on his arm, acting all cute. "Honey..." Lance sighed, "Seriously, what else could you two possibly have to talk about? What''s more, you''ve been chatting all night already." Amelia grinned, "It''s a girl thing, you wouldn''t get it." Lance grabbed her hand. "Come back with me." "Cam, help me." Amelia held onto Cameron''s hand. But Cameron gently pushed her hand away and waved yfully. "Good night, Lance, Amelia." Without another word, Lance picked Amelia up and tossed her over his shoulder. Amelia didn''t know what to say as Lance carried her out of the room. Cameron closed the door and went to the bathroom to take a shower. She hadn''t changed her clothes sincest night, so she felt very ufortable now. After her shower, Cameron dried her hair and was just about to text Bradley that she was going to sleep when she noticed a message sent by him a few minutes earlier. Bradley: [Cam, looks like your family''s already given me the green light. Tomorrow, I''ll go back and let my parents know I''ve decided to settle down in Viremont.] After reading Cameron was stunned. ''Tomorrow? Isn''t that a bit too fast?'' She wondered, ''Why is everyone in such a hurry except me and Gavin?'' Cameron: [Brad, I think we should talk/this over more. You don''t have to rush into anything like that.] Bradley: [Cam, I''ve really thought it over.] Seeing the message, Cameron paused momentarily. After thinking for a while, she replied: [Brad, I really think we should be more cautious about this.] Bradley: [Cam, I''m not an impulsive man. In fact, I''m actually quite meticulous. I''ve already decided to be with you, and you don''t have to worry about anything- I''ll take care of everything.J As Cameron read Bradley''s message, she could feel the stubbornness in his words. It was clear he wasn''t going to change his mind, so she''d better not waste her breath trying to talk him out of it. But deep down, Cameron wasn''t sure what the future held for her. Cameron replied, setting her phone down. [Good night.] Bradleyy in bed, staring up at the white ceiling with a faint smile tugging at his lips. He was just in a guest room, so he couldn''t wait to move into Cameron''s room for real. Just the thought made his smile grow even wider. Last night, he and Cameron had shared a room, but nothing had happened between them. It wasn''t that he didn''t find her attractive, but because he just respected her and kept his desire in check. He''d already set his heart on being with her. Looked like it was time to choose a ce for their future together-a real marital home. After he made a quick trip back to Steerfall tomorrow, he''de here again and go check out houses. Of course, he''d definitely bring Cameron along for the hunt. After all, she was going to be the hostess, so it must be to her taste. Thinking of this, Bradley was on cloud nine and even his dream was nothing but bliss. The next day, Bradley dropped Cameron off at herpany. Then he stopped by thew firm to assign work to his employees before driving back to Steerfall. It happened to be Friday today, and everyone would have time tonight. By evening, almost everyone in the Saunders family had arrived. "Congrats, Brad!" The whole family offered their heartfelt congrattions to Bradley. Bradley cleared his throat and said, "Mom, Dad, Grandma, I''m going to be the live-in son-inw of the Yate Hearing that, everyone in the Saunders family was left speechless. As soon as Bradley finished speaking, there was a dead silence in the living room. None of them had expected Bradley to drop a bombshell like that right off the bat. nily." Chapter 689 Cami thought she had misheard, so she turned to Bradley, her voice full of disbelief. "Brad, what did you just say? You''re gonna be a live-in son-inw You''re getting married?" She wondered if that Instagram post the other day meant Cameron''d already epted his proposal. "That was really fast,¡± Damian said, giving Brad a thumbs-up. "You''ve really got guts, Brad." Osborne chimed in, "Did her family ask you to be a live-in son-inw?" Reginald added, "Brad, you really kept this under wraps. Only when you''re getting married are you willing to tell us, huh?" Eric asked, "Brad, have you made up your mind?" Eddie answered for Bradley, "He knows exactly what he''s doing." Simon chimed in, "Brad, howe you came back alone? Where''s your bride- to-be?" Evan said, "Simon, what''s the rush? Brad''ll bring her home to meet us sooner orter." A dead silence hung in the air for a dozen seconds before everyone started bombarding Bradley with questions. Nathan, Beth, and Edith just exchanged nces in silence, saying nothing. Bradley looked at them with a deep, intense gaze. "It''s been seven years. Because of your wrong decision, I forgot about her for seven years. Are you nning to stand in my way again?" "Seven years?" Cami murmured to herself. Seven years ago, Cami hadn''t returned to the Saunders family yet, so of course she knew nothing about it. Cami wasn''t the only one in the Saunders family unaware of the truth, so everyone was curious about what had really happened back then. Nathan finally spoke up. "Brad, let''s talk in my study." Bradley shook his head. "Dad, that''s not necessary. I came back today just to let you all know that I''m nning to settle down in Viremont." He was here to inform them, not to ask for their approval. With that, Bradley was about to stand up. Beth also rose to her feet in a hurry. "Brad..." She grabbed his arm, tears in her eyes. "Alright, if you wanna stay in Viremont, just do it. It was all my fault seven years ago. I''m d there''s still a chance to make things right. Brad, as long as you''re happy, that''s all that matters." Edith let out a long sigh, her heart heavy with regret. Being a live-in son-inw wasn''t exactly something to brag about, but they''d indeed made a dreadful mistake seven years ago. So they couldn''t tear these two apart again. With Beth already having taken a stand, Nathan, who always doted on her, naturally had nothing more to say. Bradley''s lips curled into a faint smile as he knew their attitude. There was nothing he couldn''t do once he set his mind to it. It was best if his family didn''t try to stop him, but even if they did, it wouldn''t make a difference. "Brad, any idea when you''ll bring Cameron over to visit us?" Beth asked with a smile. Bradley shook his head. "Mom, there''s no rush. I''ll bring her home when the timees." Given how reserved Cameron was about rtionships, and the fact that they''d just made things official, he figured she probably wouldn''t agree toe here with him just yet. Reginald said, "Brad, I''m dying to know what kind of woman could actually catch your eye." Bradley replied, "She''s honestly perfect." Hearing that, Simon perked up right away. "Perfect? Then how perfect is she? Come on, Brad, spill the details!" Everyone suddenly found themselves curious about Cameron, apart from Eric and Eddie who actually knew her pretty well. Eric waved at Cami, grinning. "Cutie Cami,e here. I will fill you in." After having dinner with the Saunders family, Bradley got in his car and drove back to Viremont. Eddie stood on the balcony, watching as Bradley drove away. Amusement glimmered in his blue eyes. ''Brad is really brave,'' Eddie thought to himself. Seven years ago, after realizing he had feelings for Cameron, Bradley went straight home and told the family he fell for a boy-no one could stop him. Now, seven yearster, after finally getting together with Cameron, he came back just as boldly as ever, announcing he was going to marry into her family. Edc Chapter 690 By the time Bradley returned to Viremont, it was already past midnight. The streets were empty, with hardly any pedestrians around. He drove straight to Yates Manor, parking his car right outside the wall beneath Cameron''s bedroom window. He rolled down the window and looked up at the second floor. Without any light burning in the window, he thought Cameron was already asleep. Bradley took out his phone, wanting to tell her that his parents had finally allowed him to settle down in Viremont. ''Or maybe,'' he thought, ''I just want to say goodnight to her.'' But in the end, he still put his phone down. ''It''s toote,'' he wondered, ''the ringtone might wake Cam.'' So, Bradley just sat quietly in the car, shut off the engine, reclined his seat, and turned his head to look toward Cameron''s window. After running around all day, he was already exhausted. But for some reason, he just didn''t want to go home. Upstairs, Cameron wasn''t asleep either. Bradley had already told her yesterday that he''d being back to Viremont today. She figured he was probably already asleep at home by now. But he''d forgotten to say goodnight to her. Cameron hesitated, wondering if she should text him first, but worried she might be bothering him if he was still with his family. After turning it over in her mind, she realized it was already past midnight. It was inappropriate to text him now, but she just couldn''t sleep. She''d gotten used to falling asleep only after getting Bradley''s goodnight message. Unable to sleep, Cameron got up, slid open the ss door, and stepped out onto the terrace. She looked up at the sky. In the city, the nights never really got dark. After just a nce, Cameron heard her phone ringing from inside the room. It was a call from none other than Bradley. Bradley had been keeping his eyes on her window, surprised to see that Cameron was still awake. So he instantly called her. Cameron went back inside, picked up her phone, and when she saw it was Bradley calling, she couldn''t help but smile. "Hi, Brad." "Cam, why aren''t you asleep yet?" Bradley''s voice was gentle and full of warmth. "How do you know I''m not asleep?" Cameron asked. "Come out onto the terrace," Bradley said. Cameron, feeling a bit suspicious, stepped out onto the terrace. Looking straight ahead, she immediately spotted Bradley''s ck Mercedes parked outside. "Brad, what are you doing outside my house at this time of night?" "I just wanted to see you," Bradley replied with a soft smile. "But I was worried you might already be asleep, so I didn''t want to wake you." "So you called me only when seeing mee out?" Cameron asked, as she started to head back inside. Bradley had already gotten out of the car. "Cam, don''t go back inside yet. Let me see you for a while," he called out. ''Even if it''s just seeing you from across the wall, that''s enough for me. Otherwise, I won''t be able to sleep tonight, Bradley thought. But then, right in his ear, he heard her hang up on him. Bradley was momentarily at a loss for words. ''Alright then. At least I got to see her, even though it was just for a few seconds. Honestly, that was enough for me.'' He thought to himself. But Bradley stayed right where he was, leaning against the car, a smile ying on his lips as he gazed toward Cameron''s room. Honestly, he wasn''t too keen on going home tonight, but he couldn''t just stand out here all night. ''Then I''d stay just half an hour longer, then head home. Yes, just half an hour,'' he promised himself. "Brad." All of a sudden, he heard someone call out to him from behind. Bradley turned away from the window, and when seeing Cameron stand there in her pajamas and fuzzy slippers, he froze in shock. He rushed over to her without a second thought, and the two of them were locked in a passionate embrace. "Cam!" "Brad!" Bradley sped Cameron in his arms. "Why did youe down here?" Cameron looked up at him, a smile on her lips. "Didn''t youe here just for me?" It was high summer, and even in the middle of the night, it was still quite hot. Cameron had rushed down so fast earlier that droplets of sweat were welling up on her forehead. Bradley reached out and wiped them away with his fingers. "Come on, get in the car first," he said softly. 13:41 Wed 30 Jul 8 8 Chapter 691 In the car, Bradley turned on the air-conditioning, cooling the two of them down as they settled into the back seat. Bradley put his arm around Cameron''s waist and, with a gentle pull, had her sitting right on hisp. Though Cameron felt a little awkward, she didn''t push him away. Resting her hand on his shoulder, Cameron asked, "Didn''t you go home today? Howe you showed up outside my ce at this hour?" Bradley replied softly, "I missed you, so I especially drove back." Cameron said, "You must be exhausted, running around like this." Bradley smiled, "Not at all." Even though his body was tired, he still felt full of energy. Cameron fell silent as Bradley stared at her, his eyes full ofughter, making it hard for her to handle. She lowered her gaze and asked, "So, what did your parents say?" Bradley looked down at her in his arms, gently lifting her delicate chin. "Cam, I think we should talk about thatter." "Why..." Cameron had just started to speak when Bradley silenced her with a kiss. Bradley''s kiss started out soft and gentle, then grew deeper and more passionate, containing every bit of his longing and affection. He''d just dropped Cameron off at work this morning, and it''d been even less than twelve hours since theyst saw each other. But now, his longing for her got out of hand. Before Cameron agreed to be his girlfriend, he''d been doing everything he could to keep his feelings in check. But now, no matter how hard he tried, he could no longer control the overwhelming love he felt for Cameron. Even though he didn''t remember anything between them, Cameron could feel the intensity of Bradley''s longing for her, because she was almost out of breath from kissing. After what felt like forever, the kiss finally came to an end. But Bradley still held her tightly in his arms, as if he couldn''t bear to let her go. "Cam..." He called her name, his voice gentle and full of longing. Cameron didn''t reply as it took her a moment to catch her breath. There was dead silence but for the asional chirps of insects outside the car. Cameron finally spoke up, getting veryte. I should head back." "B t''s Bradley couldn''t help but smile. "Did I scare you?" Cameron looked straight into his smiling eyes and shook her head. "No." She wasn''t scared, but she just didn''t expect it, just like seven years ago when he suddenly wanted to lock her up Tonight, Bradley''s passion was beyond anything she''d ever expected from him. Cameron had always thought he was the gentle type, but she never expected him to have such a fiery side. She almost suspected he wanted to just eat her up right then and there if he could. "That''s good as long as you''re not scared," Bradley said, hugging her even tighter. "Cam, my parents already allowed me to stay in Viremont. I have no problem with joining your family now." Cameron replied, "Brad, isn''t it a bit early to talk about that?" Honestly, she''d only brought it up just because she couldn''t think of anything else to say. Bradley said, "I know. I can wait for you to adapt to our rtionship." Cameron looked at him silently. Bradley was now truly patient, like a hunter who knew exactly what he was doing-brave, clever, and never in a rush. Bradley added, "Oh, by the way, Cam, when are you free? We should go check out our marital house." "Marital house?" Cameron blurted out in surprise. ''It''s only our third day as official lovers. Isn''t this way too fast?'' She thought. Even though Cameron didn''t say it, Bradley could still read her mind. Bradley said, "Cam, we can check them out first. We might not even find the right ce, and even if we do, there''s still all the decorating, buying furniture and appliances. Honestly, it''ll be at least half a year before we can move in." Cameron blurted out, "No need to go through all the trouble. Your ce at Noble Vista is already good enough." Bradley smiled, "You like it?" Cameron fell silent again. It wasn''t that she liked it very much, but she just thought it would save them a lot of trouble. Bradley said, "Cam, the vi at Noble Vista is nice, but too far from your office. I''d rather get us a ce closer to where you. work, so yourmute''s easier." Cameron said, "Brad, you''re so thoughtful." Bradley''s smile widened. "So, Miss Yates, are you satisfied with your future husband''s performance?" Cameron was at a loss for words. Then she gently pulled Bradley''s arm away from her waist. "Brad, it''s reallyte. We can talk about this tomorrow, okay?" Bradley fell silent too, clearly sensing that Cameron was deliberately alienating herself from him. Whenever he was in high spirits, she always seemed to want to keep him at a distance. ''Am Iing on too strong?'' he wondered. 13:41 Wed, 30 Jul Cameron got out of the car, closely followed by Bradley, who walked her to the door of the manor. Cameron waved her hand. "Brad, it''s reallyte. You should head back." Bradley nodded. "Good night." Cameron turned to walk inside the manor. "Cam." Bradley called out to her again. Hearing that, Cameron turned around. Bradley asked, "Cam, tomorrow''s Saturday. How about I take you out on a date?" Cameron raised an eyebrow. "A date? What do you have in mind?" Bradley grinned, "You know, the usual stuff between a couple-maybe hit the mall or catch a movie, just hang out together." Cameron couldn''t help but smile. "Sounds good." Bradley grinned, "Cam, you''re really cute in your pajamas." Cameron didn''t reply, but looked down at what she was wearing. It was just a loose ck silk nightgown. ''I''m cute like this? Seriously?'' She thought. Cameron waved goodbye to him and went inside. Bradley watched her go, a smile still on his face. Only when she disappeared from view did he walk back to his car. But he didn''t drive off right away. Instead, he waited until he saw the light in Cameron''s room go on, then out again, before finally pulling away. Early the next morning, Bradley showed up at Yates Manor''s front gate, while the Yates family was having breakfast. Jacqueline greeted him warmly, ¡°Brad, good morning! Have you had breakfast yet? Come join us.¡± Bradley found a seat and said, ¡°Thanks, Mrs. Yates." Jacqueline quickly called for someone to bring another te and tware. Gavin shot Bradley a look and mocked, "You show up first thing in the morning just to freeload off us? You do realize you''re not officially part of our family yet, right?" "Gavin, what''re you talking about?" Jacqueline gave him a warning re. Bradley, unfazed, just grinned, "Gavin, Mr. and Mrs. Yates, I went home yesterday and my parents have already allowed me to join your family. I came over early this morning just to share the good news with you all." 211 Lance and Amelia were off somewhere having fun alone, so they weren''t there. Levi''s face lit up with a smile. "That''s good news." He thought to himself, ''Bradley really is an outstanding guy. As long as he''s willing to join our family, I have no problem with it either.'' Jacqueline smiled and said, "I didn''t expect your parents to be so open-minded." Gavin said, "They''ve got so many sons over there that it doesn''t matter to them. Perhaps they''re just d to see him marry into someone else''s family." Jacqueline shot him a look. "Do you always have to pick a quarrel this early in the morning?" Cameron looked helpless, while Bradley just smiled and said, "It''s fine, Mrs. Yates. I totally get where Gavin''sing from." Gavin was at a loss for words and almost wanted to roll his eyes. But since Cameron was there, he kept his mouth shut and didn''t try provoking Bradley again. Chapter 692 After breakfast, Bradley settled onto the living room couch, waiting for Cameron to get dressed in her room. Gavin, sitting across from Bradley, asked in an unfriendly manner. "Hey, you. You''ve delivered your good news. Why are you still here?" "Gavin!" Jacqueline stepped in, giving him a light smack. "Why''re you so rude?" Jacqueline understood how Gavin felt. But Cam was already an adult, who''d date and get married anyway. As her eldest brother, Gavin''d gone too far acting like this toward her boyfriend. Bradley waved his hand. "Mrs. Yates, it''s no big deal. I know Gavin''s just joking with me. It''s Saturday, and I''ve got ns with Cam. We''ll go out together in a bit." Levi, still reading financial news on his iPad, looked up. "Weekends are meant for fun. Remember toe back for dinner tonight." Bradley''s smile widened. "Of course, Mr. Yates." Jacqueline smiled warmly, "Brad, since you''re living alone in Viremont and you gotta drive Cam to and from work every day, why not juste over for breakfast and dinner? It''ll save you the trouble of cooking by yourself." Bradley''s smile widened even more. "That''d be great. Thanks, Mrs. Yates." Hearing what they said, Gavin was speechless. ''He''s really making himself at home already? But he''s just her boyfriend. Are they serious?'' Gavin wondered unhappily. Gavin finally muttered under his breath, "Someone''s really so thick-skinned that he actually took some polite remarks seriously." Jacqueline and Levi looked at him with a scowl. Bradley also heard every word, but just acted like he didn''t. Honestly, Bradley didn''t care what Gavin thought of him. As long as Levi, Jacqueline, and Cameron epted him, that was all that mattered. Once Gavin also started dating someone, he probably wouldn''t have time to meddle in their affairs. Busy with her makeup and trying on a few different outfits, it took Cameron a while toe downstairs. As she stood on the stairs, it was like the whole world lit up because of her appearance. The ck dress on her showed off her pretty, slender shoulders and her sexy corbones. She twisted her st bun and pinned it at the back of her head, revealing her graceful neck. Her beautiful face, with a hint of masculinity, was enhanced by delicate, wless makeup. Cameron descended the stairs gracefully in her ts, one hand lightly resting on the railing. air into a Almost in unison, both Gavin and Bradley stood up from the couch. "You look absolutely gorgeous today, Cam," Jacqueline said, her face beaming with pleasure. Levi looked every bit a proud father. "She''s my darling daughter, how could she not be beautiful?" Cameron smiled, a little shy. "Just freshened up a bit, that''s all.¡± After a moment of stunned silence, Gavin rushed over to Cameron, beating Bradley to the punch. "Cam, I''m free today. How about I take you out instead?" Cameron nced at Bradley, then said. "Gavin, I''ve already made ns with Brad." Gavin quickly shifted to block Bradley''s way. "Oh, he just got something urgent to handle in his family, so he can''t make it." Knowing he was lying, Bradley didn''t know what to say. Levi couldn''t stand it anymore. "Gavin, stop messing around. If you''re really that bored, I''ll have your mom arrange ten blind dates for you, and you gotta meet every single one of them today." Gavin was stunned, while Bradley walked around him and came up to Cameron. Bradley''s eyes were practically shining with excitement. "Cam, you''re so beautiful." She looked cool in a suit, but in a dress, she was even more gorgeous so that he could barely take his eyes off her. He stretched out his hand as Cameron took it with a smile. "Thanks." Jacqueline beamed. "Have fun, Cam, Brad. And don''t forget toe back for dinner tonight." "Got it, Mom," Cameron replied. "Sure thing, Mrs. Yates," Bradley added. "Alright, off you go," Jacqueline said, waving goodbye to them with a smile. Cameron and Bradley walked out hand in hand. When they got to the car, Bradley opened the front passenger door for Cameron like a gentleman, but she just nudged him toward the seat and made him get in instead. "Brad, let me drive today," she said with a grin. She''d even worn ts just for it. Cameron hopped into the driver''s seat and started the car. Bradley smiled, his eyes full ofughter behind his sses. "It''s still early, Cam. We can''t catch a movie yet. Where do you want to go?" Cameron turned to him, a smile ying on her lips. "Brad, I''m taking you somewhere special." 218 13:41 Wed, 30 Jul¨­¨­. Bradley''s curiosity was piqued. "Where''s that?"" Cameron replied, "A ce we''ve been before." 69%! 28 Hearing that, Bradley fell silent, and his smile even froze for a few seconds before he said, "Cam, I''m sorry. I really don''t remember." Cameron kept her eyes on the road andforted softly, "It''s fine, Brad. Really." Cameron drove the whole way, and Bradley, meanwhile, couldn''t tear his eyes away from her for even a second. It wasn''t until Cameron parked the car that Bradley realized they''d arrived. "Already? That was fast." Bradley turned to look out the window, and to his surprise, they were at the riverfront. Although in summer, since it was still morning, it wasn''t too hot yet, and there were plenty of people walking or jogging along the river. Still, the riverfront in the daytime during summer was definitely not an ideal date spot. After all, it''d be zing hot out here by noon-more than a hundred degrees F. Cameron nodded. "We''re here, Brad. Let''s get out." After stepping out of the car, Bradley saw a soft breeze snatched at the hem of Cameron''s dress, as the river glinted in the sunlight behind her, setting off her beauty. ''And this breathtaking girl belongs to me,'' Bradley thought and smiled even wider. He strode over to Cameron andced his fingers with hers, showing he was her boyfriend. Their fingers were intertwined together, just like always. Cameron looked back at him with a dazzling smile. "Brad, let''s go sit over there." There were plenty of benches along the riverside, and they sat down on one of them. Cameron quietly gazed out at the river, a faint smile tugging at her lips. With a smile, Bradley asked, "What''s got you smiling, Cam?" Cameron turned to him. "Brad, do you know why thest time I came here for some fresh air?" Bradley shook his head, naturally unaware of it. He really wanted to remember everything he''d been through with Cameron, but Eddie was unwilling to give him a hand. "Was I with you that time?" Bradley asked. Cameron nodded. "Yeah." Bradley was curious. "Then why did wee here?" Cameron said, ¡°Back then, I was desperate to cut ties with my adoptive parents, but they just kept refusing. In the end. with your help, I finally got them to disown me." Bradley vaguely remembered Jackson, hisw firm partner, mentioning that he''d once helped a girl named Cameron Wace deny her adoptive parents. Cameron looked up at the zing sun. "You know what, Brad? That was the happiest day in all eighteen years of my life. We were together all day, flying kites by the river. That night, we felt the river breeze and even had roastmb on the boat "That day," Cameron leaned her head against Bradley''s shoulder, "I was genuinely happy." It was Bradley who had given her happiness that day. And on her very first night in Room 316, Elijah disdained her for being a cker and warned her not to mess up his study time, while Xander tried to barge into the bathroom when she was bathing. Only Bradley got her out of trouble. When she was reborn, Bradley was the very first person to show her any real kindness. When she had nowhere to go, it was also Bradley who lent her a huge sum so she could buy a ce of her own. Andter, he even bought a castle just so she could raise the tiger Pearl there. Again and again, he was always there for her, helping her every time she was in need. Cameron wasn''t someone with a heart of stone, but she''d been uncertain of her feelings back then. Even Amelia, out of the picture, could see through her better than she could herself. Leaning against Bradley''s shoulder, Cameron gazed out at the river, feeling at peace. She''d never really imagined what the one she loved would look like. But after seven years of keeping her distance from everyone around her, she realized that, for her, it should be Bradley. With him, she always felt happy and reassured. As Cameron leaned in, Bradley put his arm around her, drawing her close to him. With a smile, he asked, "Cam, are you happy because I''m here with you?" Cameron looked up at him and nodded. "Yes." Bradley smiled softly, then bent down and kissed her forehead lightly. "If only I could remember." Cameron nestled against his chest and said, "It''s okay if you can''t. We''ll just make even more wonderful memories, together." Bradley subtly tightened his arm around her shoulder, and they both remained silent, sitting there quiet! the river. watching By ten o''clock, it was getting much hotter. Cameron said, "Brad, let''s find somewhere cooler to hang out." Newments You have negeritage t At this rate, if they stayed out here any longer, they''d get heatstroke. "Okay," Bradley replied. They got in the car and left the riverfront. This time, Cameron sat in the front passenger seat. Bradley smiled and asked, "Cam, where do you want to go?" Cameron smiled, "Where were you nning to take me?" Bradley grinned, "Alright, I get it He pulled into the parking lot of the refreshingly cool. usiest mall in Viremont. Inside, the air-conditioning was cranked up, and it felt Without wasting any time, Bradley took Cameron straight to the jewelry store on the first floor. The saleswoman greeted them with extra enthusiasm, while Bradley held Cameron''s hand tightly as they walked in. Cameron asked, "Are you getting something?" Bradley replied, "I''m here to buy you a ring." Hearing that, Cameron was stunned. ''We''ve only been dating for less than a week, yet he''s already gonna buy me a ring?'' Cameron thought in disbelief. Bradley smiled, "Don''t worry, Cam. It''s not a wedding ring. I just want to get you something to wear, so everyone knows you''re spoken for.¡± Bradley wasn''t going to buy ready-made wedding rings anyway. His third brother, Eric, owned apany that bought two diamond mines overseas, so they''d got an endless supply of raw materials. Today, he just brought Cameron here to measure her finger size. That way, when the time was ripe, he could directly ask Eric to design a custom wedding ring just for her. Of course, he couldn''t let Cameron in on this yet. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be a real surprise. Cameron didn''t know what to say when hearing his xson. ''Let everyone know I''m spoken for?'' She thought. ''Is he really that afraid someone else will try to hit on me?" Cameron said, "Alright, pick one then."/ What Cameron meant was for him to just pick whichever rin But in the end, Bradley went straight for the priciest diamond ring in the store, costing 230 thousand dors. Money wasn''t an issue for Cameron anymore-230 grands was nothing to speak of to her now. 13:41 Wed 30 Jul Still, she turned him down. Cameron shook her head. "Brad, I don''t really like that design." Bradley nodded. "Which one do you like, Cam?" Cameron said, "I prefer gold." Bradley was confused when hearing that. ''Aren''t all girls supposed to love diamonds?'' Bradley wondered. ''Am I just behind the times?" In the end, at Cameron''s request, Bradley bought her a gold ring that cost just a few thousand dors. Cameron smiled, "It''s very nice." Honestly, she thought it looked even better than that pricey diamond rock. Bradley couldn''t help but feel it was a bit too cheap. So he even picked out a gold bracelet for Cameron. Cameron wanted to buy him a gift in return, but Bradley turned her down. He grinned, "Rx, Cam. Even if I don''t wear a ring, no one would dare try to hit on me." There weren''t many people bold enough to chase someone from hisw firm. But if anyone really wanted to have a try, they''d better make sure they''d got the brains for it first. Cameron couldn''t help butugh. After leaving the jewelry store, they passed by the arcade''s w machines on the first floor, and Cameron stopped in her tracks. Bradley smiled, "Wanna y? I''ll go get some tokens." Cameron grinned, "Okay." Bradley soon came back after exchanging about a hundred tokens. Cameron took the basket. "Brad, you got so many tokens, and the owner''s gonna be in tearster." Bradley asked, "Why?" And it didn''t take long for Bradley to find out the reason. Soon enough, his arms were full of all the stuffed toys Cameron had got from the machines. "Oh dear, she''s really something!" A passerby couldn''t help but praise. Soon, a bunch of girls gathered around Cameron, watching her in awe. They were working so hard just to grab one or two stuffed toys. But Cameron? Every time she dropped a token into the machine, she''d definitely grab a plush doll. Everyone around was freaked out by it, showering her with praise. 13:41, Wed, 30 JUJAJ After winning dozens of stuffed toys Cameron still had a ton of tokens left. After all the dolls in the w machine were grabbed by her, Cameron turned to the next one, while the girls watching her were full of envy. "Hey, are you selling any of those dolls? Can I buy one? Grabbing it is out of the question!" One girl finally asked. Cameron just grinned, ¡°Sure." "How much is it? I want one too!" Another one chimed in, and soon, the other girls started asking as well. Cameron replied, "Just give me the tokens, whatever you think is fair." way f In the end, all the dolls Cameron got ended up being traded tokens, and she only kept three for herself, including a bunny, a piglet, and a frog. Then Cameron dropped all the tokens those girls gave her into the w machines. Bradley chuckled, "Cam, since you didn''t even want the tokens, why didn''t you just give the dolls away for free?" Cameron''s lips curled into a smile. ¡°I was worried the owner might really cry." Bradley gave her a doting look and smiled, "Looks like it''s about time for lunch. Let''s go eat." They picked the most popr restaurant in the mall and entered, yet it was crowded, so they had to wait for a table first. While Cameron was in the restroom, Bradley took the chance to call Eddie. Bradley still couldn''t help but want to regain his memories, especially after learning about all the wonderful moments he? and Cameron had shared together. But after calling Eddie twice, he found no one was answering the phone. So Bradley slipped his phone back into his s pocket, thinking he could try calling Eddie againter tonight. After all, it was his first date with Cam today, and nothing was more important than that. After lunch, they could catch a movie at the mall. Then, they''d head back to Yates Manor together for dinner. Thinking of it, Bradley smiled slightly, feeling really happy when going out with the one he loved. While they were going on a date, Eddie was in Regalburg. Last night, after getting a boost of courage from Bradley, he''d caught the earliest flight there. He came to Regalburg for one reason only-he wanted to see Vicki. But as he got closer, his nerves got the better of him. The moment he arrived in Regalburg, Eddie was already thinking about turning right back around and catching the next flight home. Honestly, for a sinner like him, justying eyes on Vicki was like sacrilege. But in the end, he just couldn''t make himself leave. Eddie had Vicki''s home address, thinking if he could just catch a glimpse of her from afar, that would be enough for him. So, he took a cab and got off about 3300 feet away from the Shaw family''s vi. Chapter 693 Eddie stood by the roadside, hesitating. ''Would it be too strange if I suddenly showed up at the Shaw family''s house? he wondered. Normally, Eddie wasn''t this indecisive. He was just too anxious about it. Eddie lingered on the street for a few minutes, then took a deep breath. ''Since I''m already here, I''ll just go take a quick look at Vicki,'' he thought to himself. Right then, just as he made up his mind, he heard a series of bicycle bells. Eddie looked up, and when he saw who it was, he instinctively took a few steps back in slight panic. ''Vicki!'' ''It''s actually Vicki!'' Eddie thought, startled.. Vicki was riding a pink bicycle, and inside the basket were beautifully arranged flowers. Dressed in a white dress with her hair in a high ponytail, Vicki wore a soft, radiant smile that highlighted her delicate beauty. Ever since her illness had been cured by Cami, Vicki had be a little obsessed with the newfound freedom of being able to move her own body. Every day, she would ride her bicycle around the neighborhood, truly experiencing the feeling of being alive and healthy. . She rode right past Eddie without even noticing him. Eddie looked at her figure, a slight smile appearing on his face. He thought to himself, ''Man, luck''s really on my side today. ''I actually got to see Vicki Shen so soon. ''That''s enough for me.'' But people are never truly content. No matter how much they get, it''s never quite enough. Beforeing here, Eddie had thought that just seeing Vicki from afar would be enough for him. But now that he''d seen her, he couldn''t help but wish he could look at her a little longer. So, he pretended to be jogging and gradually followed after her. Vicki wasn''t riding very fast, so Eddie caught up to her quickly. They were almost moving in sync. That''s when Vicki finally noticed Eddie. 13:42 Wed 30 Jul She turned her gaze toward Eddie and lost focus on the road. The handlebars swerved, the wheels rolled onto the sidewalk, and Vicki fell off the bike along with the bicycle itself. "Watch out!" Eddie called out, his voice full of concern. "Ouch!" Vicki cried as she hit the ground. Vicki''s fall happened right as Eddie shouted out in rm. Luckily, she caught herself with her hands, so her knees were spared. But her elbow got scraped and started bleeding a little. Vicki was scared of pain- even the slightest injury would cause her great distress. "Are you alright?" Eddie asked, his voice full of concern. He was so worried that his mind wentpletely nk. Without thinking, he rushed over and helped Vicki up. Seeing her in pain, Eddie was instantly wracked with guilt. ''She fell because she got distracted looking at me,'' he thought, ming himself. ''Damn, this is all my fault,'' Eddie cursed himself inwardly. "Thank you, I''m fine," Vicki said, forcing a calm tone. Even though it hurt, she told herself she couldn''t let it show in front of someone else. ''Wait...'' Vicki looked at Eddie, a sudden doubt shing through her mind. "You..." Vicki stared at Eddie in surprise. "You''re Cami''s brother, aren''t you? Am I right?" Thest time Vicki had gone to Steerfall for Cami''s wedding, she''d met Cami''s brothers. Even though Cami had a lot of brothers, each of them had their own distinct vibe, and Vicki remembered every single one. Eddie was taken aback. "You remember me?" "You''re Eddie, right?" Vicki asked with a smile. Eddie nodded with delight. "Yeah, I''m Eddie." Eddie hadn''t expected Vicki to remember him. A warm, sweet feeling rose in his chest/ He''d figured that with so many people at the wedding, there was no way Vicki would have even noticed Vicki smiled and said, "What a coincidence! What brings you here?" Eddie was at a loss for words. -44 ''Why am I here?'' he thought to himself, ''Of course, it''s to see you.'' But he couldn''t bring himself to say that aloud. So, Eddie blurted out a lie without even blinking. "What a coincidence! I just bought a house nearby. I didn''t know that you also lived around here." "In this case, I should get a ce nearby," he mused silently. "Otherwise, she''ll find out I lied." Vicki''s smile was pure and bright. "That really is a coincidence." Eddie''s eyesnded on her elbow. "Ms. Shaw, your elbow''s bleeding. You should really get it checked out at the hospital." Vicki said with a smile, "It''s okay, Eddie. My family doctor will help me bandage it up when I get home." "Oh my god! Eddie! She called me that so affectionately?!'' Eddie screamed inside his head. A wave of sweetness surged through his heart. Almost without thinking, Eddie pulled out his phone and called his younger brother, Damian, who was a doctor. "Dame, where are you?" Damian asked, "Eddie, what''s up? I''m in Regalburg." Damian was raised by his grandfather since childhood, and his grandfather had settled permanently in Regalburg. No matter how busy he got, Damian always made time every month toe to Regalburg and spend some time with his grandpa. And luckily, he just happened to be in Regalburg today. Eddie''s face lit up with delight. ¡°Dame, can youe over to the Shaw family''s home right now?" "The Shaw family? What''s up?" Damian asked, confused. Eddie said, ¡°Ms. Shaw got hurt. Can youe take a look at her?" "No, not so serious..." Vicki quickly protested. At first, Vicki was confused - why had Eddie suddenly left their conversation to make a phone call? She hadn''t expected that he was actually calling Damian. ''That''s Damian Saunders! The world-renowned genius doctor! He could diagnose patients at the age of twelve! I just scraped my elbow, and Eddie wants him toe treat me? That''s crazy!'' Vicki thought, waving her hands in protest. But Eddie ignored her and spoke into the phone, "Dame, I''ll send you the address right now. Hurry over." And with that, Eddie hung up. He lowered his head and quickly sent the address. Vicki was speechless. 13:42 Wed, 30 Jul After sending the address, Eddie looked up at Vicki. "Ms. Shaw, you just took a fall. Even if it''s just a scraped elbow, what if there are any aftereffects? Damian is a doctor, and he just happens to be in Regalburg. He''ll be here soon." Vicki didn''t know what to say for a moment. She said, "Thank you, Eddie. You can just call me Vicki. So, should we go back to my ce and wait for him?" Eddie smiled, "Alright." Vicki was about to bend down and pick up the flowers that had fallen all over the ground. Eddie quickly stopped her. "Stop, you''re hurt. Let me get them for you." Vicki was speechless again. Eddie bent down to pick up the flowers, then set the bike upright again. Pushing the bike along, he asked, "Ms. Shaw, can I walk you home?" Vicki said with a lively, yful smile, "Eddie, just call me by my name. ''Ms. Shaw'' just sounds too distant." Eddie nodded. "Alright, Vicki." ''What a beautiful name. It really suits her. Honestly, she is even stronger than Victoria,'' Eddie couldn''t help but think. Inside the sprawling Shaw family estate, aside from Vicki, there were only about a dozen servants. Vicki had just one brother, and he was a total workaholic. Most of his time was swallowed up by work, and whatever little was left, he split between Vicki and his fianc¨¦e. Therefore, Vicki was pretty lonely. Her brother kept her so sheltered that she barely ever got to see the outside world, so she didn''t really have any friends. With Eddie there, Vicki couldn''t help but feel genuinely happy. She personally made Eddie a cup of coffee. Eddie kept fussing over her elbow injury, but Vicki, on the other hand, couldn''t have cared less. Holding the cup of coffee Vicki had personally made for him, Eddie felt like he was dreaming. Justst night, he''d been feeling down, thinking he might never even be worthy of showing up in front of Vicki in this lifetime. But after being inspired by Bradley''s unwavering attitude toward love, he rushed over first thing this morning, no matter the cost. Not only did he actually get to see Vicki, but now he was even sitting in her house, drinking coffee she''d made just for him. Not even in his dreams did Eddie dare to hope for something like this. Vicki smiled and said, "Eddie, give it a try." She didn''t have a job. Her brother wouldn''t let her work - the Shaw family was wealthy enough that she didn''t need to earn money anyway. She spent her days tinkering with random things, and sometimes, she''d brew dozens of cups of coffee in a single day, just taking one sip before throwing them away. Eddie snapped out of his thoughts and quickly took a sip. He said with a smile, "It''s sweet really sweet." Vicki looked at him skeptically. "Sweet? But I barely put any sugar in." It shouldn''t taste sweet. Eddie froze for a second. ''I meant my heart feels sweet, not the coffee,'' Eddie thought helplessly. As for the coffee... Eddie took another slow sip, a smile spreading across his face. "You went with two-thirds coffee and one-third milk ssic cappino ratio. Add just a bit of sugar. Not too sweet, not too acidic - honestly, it tastes great." 1 Hearing that, Vicki''s eyes sparkled. "Eddie, you''re awesome! You figured it out just from a single sip? Seriously, that''s amazing!" Eddie grinned, "I make coffee for myself sometimes." What does it feel like to be looked at by the girl you like, with a gaze so pure and admiring? Eddie didn''t know about others, but he felt so happy he could float away. ''This must be what happiness feels like,'' Eddie thought to himself. Back then, he''d been all about chasing after reckless/physical thrills. But only now did he realize - the real happiness was all in the heart. - the Vicki''s eyes sparkled. "Eddie, I heard you''re also an amazing psychiatrist. Seriously, you''re incredible. The Saunders family .js really packed with talent!" She shot Eddie a big thumbs-up. Vicki was absolutely showering him with praise, onepliment after another, and Eddie could barely handle it. His handsome face was all smiles, and then some. They were happily engrossed in conversation. At that moment, Damian entered the room, guided by one of the maids. Damian walked in wearing a white coat and carrying a medical kit. He nced at the bright and lively Vicki, then looked at 579 Eddie. "Eddie, where''s the patient?" Eddie stood up and grabbed Damian''s arm. "Dame, Vicki took a fall. Give her a good check, will you?" Damian turned to Vicki and asked, "Where did you get hurt?" Vicki raised her arm and answered in a low voice, "My elbow." Damian reached out and gently pinched her arm. "You mean this tiny scrape on your elbow?" Vicki was a little awkward. Honestly, even Vicki thought it was totally over the top to have Damiane all the way here for something like this. It was just a little scrape, nothing more. Getting a world-ss genius doctor like Damian to treat her was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut - way too much for such a tiny problem. Eddie frowned. "Dame, hurry up and give Vicki a thorough check. Sure, it''s just a little scrape on the outside, but what if there''s some internal injury?" Damian was at a loss for words. He nced at Vicki''s mental state. She looked extremely energetic and healthy now. But Eddie was obviously really anxious. Since he was already here, he decided to figure it out. "Let me check," Damian said, giving in. Damian ced his fingers on Vicki''s wrist, checking her pulse. After a long moment, he withdrew his hand. Damian said, "Eddie, Vicki is perfectly healthy. She''s fine." Eddie let out a sigh of relief. "That''s great." Damian grabbed his medical kit and was about to head out. Eddie called after him, "Hey Dame, where are you going?" Damian replied, "I''ve finished checking on her. I''m going home." Eddie said, "You''re leaving without even treating her wound?" Damian shrugged. "After a while, her scrape will probably heal itself!" Eddie went quiet, 13.44 000! Vicki said with a smile, ¡°Dr. Saunders, sorry for making youe all the way here. I''m really okay, but thank you." Damian smiled, "It''s okay. Just 3,000 dors for the house call Eddie will wire it to me." Eddie was dumbfounded. Was he hearing that right? ''Wait, when did I ever agree to pay 3,000 dors for this?'' he thought, speechless. But whatever. "Don''t even think about leaving until you''ve treated her wound," Eddie insisted. Damian said, "6,000 dors." Eddie was speechless. Vicki said, ¡°Dr. Saunders, you really don''t have to. I can handle it myself." Eddie shook his head and said, "Dame, just take care of it." Damian nodded. "Okay." He opened the medical kit and found the disinfectant. He gently grabbed Vicki''s arm and sprayed it onto her scraped elbow. "Ouch..." Vicki hissed, sucking in a sharp breath. Eddie''s heart twisted with worry. "Dame, go easy on her!" Damian nced at him. "Rx, Eddie. I''m the doctor here, remember?" Eddie said, "I''m not saying you''re not a pro- I just mean, could you be a bit more gentle with her?" Damian grinned and said, "Add another 6,000 dors, and I''ll go easy on her." Eddie rolled his eyes. "Why don''t you just rob a bank?" Damian shrugged. "I''m afraid of going to jail." Eddie was speechless again. Damian quickly pulled a band-aid out of his medical kit and stuck it on Vicki''s elbow. "All done," Damian said. "Thank you, Dr. Saunders," Vicki said politely. Damian closed his medical kit and stood up. "Eddie, I''m done here. 6,000 dors -don''t forget to to my ount." With that, Damian turned and walked out. ¡°Using me as his wingman to pick up girls? Let''s see if he tries that again next time,'' Dame thought to himself. 13:42 Wed, 30 Jul Damian left. Vicki smiled and said, "Eddie, thank you. I''ll send you the money in a bit, okay?" Eddie waved it off. "No need, Dame was just kidding around." "I wasn''t kidding!" Damian''s voice called out from the front door. Eddie was speechless. Vicki couldn''t help butugh, "Eddie, your family really is so close." The Saunders family is a big family, all together and lively-very wonderful. But the Shaw family only had Viol and her brother. It was fine most of the time. But during holidays, when therge dining table was filled with delicious dishes, it felt painfully empty with just the two of them. Eddie smiled, "Yeah, our family''s really close." They just kept chatting about everything. Maybe it was because they just hit it off, or maybe Eddie just had a knack for keeping the conversation going, but the two of them kept chatting away until it was already noon. Of course, Eddie stayed for lunch, like it was the most natural thing in the world. After lunch, Vicki liked to take her usual afternoon nap. So, Eddie had to say goodbye and head out, even though he really didn''t want to leave. Vicki was a little reluctant to let him go. "Eddie, I never knew you were this much fun! I had such a great time chatting with you. Since we live so close, can Ie find you to hang out more often?" Eddie replied quickly, "Anytime you want!" ''I''d better hurry up and actually buy a ce around here,'' Eddie thought. Eddie left, feeling on top of the world. But he was so over the moon, he totally forgot to get Vicki''s number. It wasn''t until Vicki was lying in bed that she realized - she''d forgotten to ask Eddie if he had a girlfriend. ''What if I get too close to Eddie, and his girlfriend minds?'' She couldn''t help but worry. Chapter 694 That evening, Vicki asked her brother Baron Shaw about Eddie. "Who?" Baron''s handsome face took on a serious expression. Vicki gripped her fork tightly and replied, "Eddie Saunders, the fourth master of the Saunders family." Baron frowned. "Vicki, Eddie is a jerk. You should stay away from him." "What?" Vicki was shocked. "A jerk? Eddie always seems so suave and charming. How could he be a jerk?'' she thought to herself. Baron continued speaking, "The Saunders family is fine, except for him. Eddie is a total yboy. Vicki, if you ever run into him again, just ignore him." ''Oh my god! I can''t believe it!'' Vicki thought, shocked all over again. ''A yboy?! ''Eddie is actually a yboy? ''He doesn''t look like a yboy at all...'' Vicki finished her dinner without much appetite and headed back to her room. Before she knew it, she had opened herptop and typed Eddie''s name into the search bar. Information about Eddie popped up immediately. Sure enough, that incident with Eddie had made headlines. After that, Eddie fell into a deep depression. The Saunders family had eventually paid a hefty sum to have all the news entries wiped from the Inte. So all Vicki ever saw was the best side of Eddie. Vicki leaned over herptop. She couldn''t find anything. But there was no reason for Baron to lie to her. She knew Baron cared about her more than anyone. She''d better keep her distance from Eddie from now on. Eddie called Bradley back in high spirits. But Bradley was watching a movie with Cameron and didn''t answer him. Later that night, while Eddie was at his grandfather''s ce bickering with Damian, Bradley''s call came through. Eddie looked at Damian,pletely speechless. "Dame, I know you spent a fortune on the wedding and you''re probably broke now, but seriously, how could you try to squeeze money out of me?" Damian didn''t bother with small talk. "So you''re refusing to pay?" Eddie blinked and said, "Yes." Damian said with a smile, "If you won''t give it to me, I''ll just go ask your precious Vicki instead." "Oh my god!'' Eddie screamed inside his head. Damian smiled, "I''ll go ask her tomorrow." Eddie immediately caved. "Alright, alright, you win. I''ll give it to you." Damian tapped his phone. "I''ll be waiting." Eddie immediately sent the money. "I''ve sent it." Damian said happily, "Thanks, Eddie. If you ever have another sweet deal like this, remember to call me." Eddie shouted, "Get lost!" Damian smiled slightly. Why? Because Eddie had spoken more today than he had in the entire past year. Ever since that incident, Eddie had changedpletely - withdrawn, quiet, and cold toward everything. But today, for the first time in a long while, he seemed toe alive again. If nothing went wrong, Vicki would be his salvation. Eddie was still a bit sore about the 6,000 dors he just lost when Bradley''s call came through. "Eddie, I want to get my memories back," Bradley said straight to the point. Eddie said speechlessly, "Brad, didn''t I already tell you that''s not happening?" Bradley asked, "Eddie, is it that you just can''t pull it off, or what?¡± Eddie let out a helpless sigh and replied, "Brad, it''s not about whether I can or can''t. The risk is just too high. It''s only half a year''s worth of memories that got wiped it''s really not that big of a deal." Bradley disagreed, saying, "No, Eddie, it means a lot to me." Yeah, it was just six months. Six months- it''s not that long, but it''s not exactly short, either. But those six months were when Cameron fell for him. That''s why he wanted to remember every little detail from those days they spent together. It mattered to Bradley. A lot. Eddie sighed, "Brad, I know you want to remember everything about Cameron, but if the hypnosis goes wrong, you will lose your mind. You might end up in a psych ward. Do you really think you and Cameron would still have a future then?" Bradley insisted asking, "But what if it works?" Eddie was speechless. After a long silence, Eddie finally said, "Brad, is it really worth risking everything for this? Aren''t you and Cameron happy together right now? Why get so caught up in the past when you two still have such a bright future ahead?" Bradley said, "Alright, Eddie. I get it." He hung up and immediately dialed Cami. Cami answered almost right away. "Hey, Brad," she greeted him. "Cami," Bradley got straight to the point, "I know you''ve studied psychology. Do you know how to hypnotize someone? I mean, deep hypnosis." Cami was a little surprised. "Brad, I do know a little about hypnosis, but why do you ask?" 1 Bradley said, "Cami, I want to recover the memories that were erased from my mind back then. Can you help me with that?" Cami replied, "There are risks, Brad." Cami had only learned about all this from Eric Saunders after Bradley came home and announced he was going to marry into the Yates family. Bradley asked, "Even you can''t guarantee it?" Cami replied, "Brad, everythinges with risks. You should go with the flow." Bradley sighed slightly, "Alright." 1 If even Cami couldn''t pull it off, then he really had no business dreaming about it anymore. Bradley hung up the phone. He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, one hand in his pocket, his tall figure reflected in the ss. ''What a pity,'' he thought. Although Eddie had told him the general story of his time with Cameron, there were still details - the little moments shared only between them that he would never know. Those memories now belonged to Cameron alone. Fortunately, they still had a beautiful future ahead. ***** A monthter, during his lunch break, Bradley took Cameron to see the new home he''d spent an entire month carefully choosing for them. It was a cozy, private vi. It wasn''t huge-just over a thousand square meters. Three stories above ground, with two more underground. It was right near Aurevia Biotech, where Cameron worked. She could walk there in ten minutes. Bradley held Cameron''s hand as they stood at the vi''s entrance. Flowers were blooming everywhere this time of year, and the moment they reached the door, the rich fragrance hit them. Bradley reached out and pushed open the wrought-iron gate. "Cam, this house is fully furnished. If you don''t like the style, we can tear it all down and redo everything." They walked inside together. The vi had a modern minimalist style- noplicated designs, just clean lines and a graceful, simple look. Cameron said, "Looks great." Bradley smiled, "d you like it." Cameron sank into the couch. The living room couch was soft and inviting, making the whole ce feel warm and homey. Bradley said softly, "Cam, the house isn''t very big, so we just need several people to help out with the cleaning and our day-to-day stuff." Bradley didn''t like having too many people at home. Honestly, he really just wanted this house to belong only to him and Cameron. But they were both so busy, and someone had to handle all the little things that came with running a home. A smile yed on Cameron''s lips as she met his gentle gaze behind his sses. "Brad, you''re thinking way too far ahead." Bradley squeezed her hand. "It''s not far at all. Trust me." Cameron just smiled without replying. Bradley helped her up. "Let me show you around, Cam." "Mm." Meanwhile... A stretcher covered with a white sheet was set right outside the main entrance of Aurevia Biotech''s building. A middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties threw herself down beside the stretcher, wailing uncontrobly. The woman cried, "Oh, my boy, wake up! Please!" 19 The woman sobbed, "Oh, my boy, what will I do if you''re gone?" The woman sobbed and wailed, "Boohoo... I don''t want to live anymore! Just let me die!" It was lunchtime. People wereing and going at the entrance, and a crowd quickly gathered. Once she saw she had an audience and had just about cried herself out, the woman amped up the drama and started her main act. "Cameron Yates! It''s your fault my son is dead! Cameron, show yourself!" The woman got up from the ground, stomping and wailing as she made a scene. "Cameron! You murderer! That damn leukemia drug you made my son could''ve lived one more year, but after taking your drug, he died in just three days!" Her words rang out, every usation sharp and clear. Everyone around could hear her loud and clear. "Boohoo... Cameron... you executioner! Give me back my son! Give him back!" "Cameron! Show yourself! Get out here right now!" "Boohoo..." Her wailing got more dramatic as she went on. By now, everyone around pretty much got the gist of what was going on. "No way, did someone actually die because of the drug? All the news I''ve seen "Maybe it''s just bad luck or something." "Is she just here to scam them for money?" "Oh man, Aurevia Biotech is screwed..." The crowd buzzed with spection. Hearing all the gossip, the woman started wailing even louder, putting on an even bigger show. Just a few meters away from the lobby, in a sleek ck car parked on the street, a woman watched the scene unfold. A satisfied smile crept across her face. She slowly took off her sunsses. "Cameron Wace, or should I say, Cameron Yates, you hurt me so much. I''ll pay you back double!" Her face twisted with malice. It was Milena Wace, who had vanished from everyone''s sight for years. Back then, no sooner had Cameron sent Milena''s biological parents to jail than Milena herself got expelled from school for stealing Cameron''s design in a fashionpetition. Utterly disgraced, Milena took thest of her money and left the country. Life had been nothing but hardship for her these past few years. But even though life was tough, she still managed to make some money. Lately, things had been getting better and better for her. And then, she saw Cameron''s name all over the news. ''The girl I used to trample underfoot is now the savior of leukemia patients?'' Milena thought, her heart burning with disbelief. ''Why her, not me? Why does Cameron get to be in the spotlight?'' Milena fumed, jealousy burning in her head. So Milena stormed back, ready to settle the score. She was going to ruin Cameron for good. Cameron must under her heel for good forever and ever! Milena sat in her car, keeping a close eye on how things were developing at the entrance. ''Cameron, it''s your turn to take the stage, Milena thought, a sinister smile curling on her lips. Bradley had just finished giving Cameron a full tour of the vi when her phone suddenly started ringing. "Brad, let me grab this call," Cameron said. Bradley nodded. "Hey, David,¡± Cameron answered as she answered. "Ms. Yates, where are you right now?" David''s voice wasced with urgency and tension. David was fairly calm by nature, so hearing him like this, Cameron immediately knew something was wrong. Cameron asked, "David, I''m just around the corner from the office. What''s going on?" David said quickly, "There''s a woman at the building entrance right now, crying over her dead son. She''s iming her son had leukemia and was supposed to live another year, but after taking our drug, he died in just three days. She''s making a huge scene, demanding answers. "Ms. Yates, whatever you do, don''te out right now! The entrance is swarming with reporters. If you show up, they''ll tear you apart," David said worriedly. This wasn''t running away. This was just ying it smart. They still had no idea what was really going on. If Cameron showed up now, she''d just be a punching bag for everyone''s anger. David knew Cameron was talented, but she was still in her twenties, and spent all her time buried in research, hardly ever dealing with people. There was no way she could handle this situation. After hearing David out, Cameron pretty much figured out what was going on. Cameron said calmly, "David, don''t panic. Send all the security guards over to keep things under control. I''ll be there in a few minutes." As she spoke, Cameron grabbed Bradley by the hand and hurried out the door. Even though Cameron didn''t have her phone on speaker, Bradley could tell from the look on her face that something serious was going down. He immediately followed right after her. David shouted, "No! Ms. Yates, you can''t go over there right now!" Cameron said firmly, "David, I know you''re worried about me, but this is about a life ¨C I can''t just sit back and do nothing." She continued, "I''m not only the one who developed the leukemia drug, I''m also the boss of Aurevia Biotech. I have to step up and face this!" As she said this, Cameron was already getting into the car. Bradley jumped into the driver''s seat. David hesitated and said, "But..." "David," David was still trying to dissuade her, but Cameron cut him off firmly. "Please, just follow my instructions." David sighed, "Fine." Since they had to face this, they''d face it together. The car pulled up to the building entrance in no time. Cameron unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to get out. Bradley grabbed her arm. Cameron turned to look at him. Bradley said, "Cam, don''t be scared. I''ve got your back." Cameron shook her head. "Brad, please, don''t get mixed up in this. Just stay in the car, okay? Promise me you won''t get out." Bradley shook his head. "Cam, that''s not possible. Look, as Aurevia Biotech''s legal advisor, there''s no way I can just sit back when something this big is happening. "And on a personal note, you''re my girlfriend. I''d never let you face those people alone." "Brad..." Cameron shook her head. "Cam, I''m not letting you go in there alone," Bradley insisted. Cameron stared at him for a few seconds, then finally gave in. Now, she couldn''t afford to worry about anything else. Cameron pushed open the car door and got out. "Look, it''s Cameron!" "Cameron!" Reporters armed with cameras and mics swarmed toward her at lightning speed. The reporters instantly swarmed around Cameron, boxing her in from all sides. Bradley shouldered his way through the crowd, pushing people back and keeping Cameron safely behind him. "Ms. Yates, how do you respond to ims that your leukemia drug killed someone?" "Ms. Yates, that child was only six years old - so full of life. Don''t you think this makes you basically a murderer?" "Ms. Yates-" The reporters fired off questions one after another, each sharper and more aggressive than thest, leaving Cameron speechless. Chapter 695 Bradley''s handsome face was as cold as ice as he raised his hand to push away the microphones that were practically shoved into Cameron''s mouth. His eyes behind the gold-rimmed sses glinted with a chilling light as he fixed his gaze on one of the reporters. "First of all, jumping to conclusions before the facts are clear is incredibly foolish. As Cameron''s attorney, I can sue you for defaming her character." "Second, what do you mean by ''basically a murderer''? You reporters, carelessly pping onbels like that isn''t that a kind of murder, too?" The reporters'' questions were sharp, but Bradley''s retort was even sharper. For a moment, the reporters were silent. But then, the middle-aged woman suddenly lunged at Cameron like a madwoman. "Cameron! You owe me for my son! I had himte in life, nearly died giving birth to him, and it took everything I had to raise him to six years old. You killed him- now you should pay with your life for my son!" Of course, she never got anywhere near Cameron. Before she could reach her, Bradley stepped in, pushing the woman away and shielding Cameron behind him. Thepany''s security guards quickly arrived, restraining the woman and separating her from the reporters. "Ms. Yates," David rushed over. David really didn''t want Cameron to show up here at all. ''She''s still so young ¨C how could she possibly deal with such a situation?'' he thought worriedly. Cameron''s beautiful face was unreadable as she walked straight toward the stretcher lying on the ground. She crouched down. "Don''t touch my son! Cameron, you murderer! Don''t you dare touch my son! I''ll tear you apart!" the restrained woman screamed hysterically. Cameron acted as if she didn''t hear a thing. She pinched the corner of the white sheet between her fingers. "Forgive me." With that, she lifted the sheet. All eyes immediately snapped to this side. Lying on the stretcher was a little boy, around six years old. His face was very pale, a sickly white. Cameron''s fingers instinctively reached for the boy''s carotid artery, checking for his pulse. She felt that his whole body was ice-cold, but his carotid pulse was still faintly beating. 13.29 Th¨² 31 J¨² 3 8 8 Cameron''s eyes narrowed slightly. "No! Cameron, you murderer! Don''t touch my son!" the woman yelled, Cameron turned and gave the woman a frosty re. "Mr. Tucker, call the police right now. Someone''s deliberately trying to ckmail us and smear Aurevia Biotech''s name," she said. The middle-aged woman was stunned. She had been struggling like a madwoman, but at Cameron''s words, she froze for a moment. Then, just a few secondster, she started thrashing even harder, screaming, "Cameron! You murderer! You killed my son!" Cameron sneered, "Ma''am, your son isn''t dead. How much did they pay you to The middle-aged woman fell silent. Her pupils shrank, and after a long pause, she shouted, "You''re talking nonsense! My son is dead! He died because of your damn so-called miracle drug! You owe me for my son!" Cameron didn''t even bother to look at her. She just turned to the stunned David and said, "Mr. Tucker, call the police and an ambnce." David was so shocked, he couldn''t even speak a word. He just stood there in a daze, staring at Cameron. Before Cameron hade back, he''d already had thepany staff check on the little boy, and they said the boy was definitely dead. So why was Cameron saying the boy was still alive now? Seeing David still frozen in shock, Bradley said, "I''ll handle it." He immediately stepped aside to make the call. The reporters were all staring in shock, their eyes wide. Before long, they started firing off questions again, this time even more frantically. Chapter 696 "Ms. Yates, is it true that the little boy is still alive?" "Ms. Yates, what do you think their motives were for trying to extort you? Did you offend someone?" "Ms. Yates..." Before they could finish speaking, Cameron had already walked into the lobby, ignoring their questions. The security guards blocked the reporters outside. Bradley quickly caught up with Cameron. David stayed behind to take care of the follow-up. Milena, sitting in the ck sedan, watched the scene unfold and mmed her fists on the steering wheel in frustration. "Damn it!" she muttered. Originally, she had thought she would get to see Cameron in a miserable state, condemned by everyone. But instead, Bradley never left her side, shielding her from everything, and Cameron came out of it without a scratch. What really got under Milena''s skin was that Cameron had instantly exposed her plot. Of course, the little boy was still alive. He really did have leukemia, but after taking the miracle medicine developed by Cameron, his condition was getting better day by day. The boy''s family was struggling financially. Before Cameron''s medicine came along, he had been undergoing chemotherapy all along. The sky-high medical bills had already left the family drowning in debt. So when Milena approached the middle-aged woman and offered her a hefty sum to frame Cameron, it only took the woman a few days to say yes. When someone''s backed into a corner, things like conscience and morals just go out the window. Soon, the police and an ambnce arrived. Milena kept her face stony, her eyes cold as ice as she red at the building. If she couldn''t bring Cameron down this time, then she''d just wait for the next round. There would always be another chance. She didn''t worry about the police tracing anything back to her. She''d made sure to meet the woman somewhere with no cameras, went in full disguise, and handed over the 3,000 dors in cash. No matter how hard they tried, they''d never be able to pin this on her. Milena, unwilling to ept defeat, started the car and drove away. Chapter 696. Cameron headed straight back to her office.. Bradley followed her. He brewed a cup of coffee for Cameron and handed it to her, concern in his eyes. "Cam, are you alright?" he asked softly. Cameron epted the cup, smiling at him, "Don''t worry, Brad. It''s no big deal." Hearing her words, Bradley finally rxed. He gently ruffled her hair. "It''s okay. I''ll handle the rest," he assured her. Cameron raised her coffee cup. "Thanks, Brad." Bradley smiled, "Cam, no need to thank me. This is what I''m here for." Cameron looked at his eyes and smiled. Bradley asked, "Cam, what did you think of the house we just saw?" ''Honestly, I thought it was pretty good-the location, the size, even the style, all of it was really nice, Bradley thought secretly. Cameron nodded. "It''s great." Bradley smiled slightly, "If you like it, I''ll buy it. It''ll be our home when we get married." Cameron blinked and said, "Brad, isn''t it a bit early for that?" Bradley said softly, "Doesn''t matter, we''ll need a ce sooner orter anyway." Cameron couldn''t help but let out a soft chuckle. Soon, the police had an update. The middle-aged woman had epted money to frame Cameron. But since they couldn''t identify the mastermind behind her, the woman was taken straight into custody. Bradley adjusted his sses and asked, "Cam, have you pissed anyone offtely?" Cameron thought for a moment, then shook her head and said firmly, "No." For the past few years, she''d been holed up in theb, barely dealing with anyone outside. Even Amelia and Elijah she hardly ever saw them. They only managed to meet once a month at most - and that was if she was free. Often, it would be two or three months before they met each other again. She was so busy, how would she even have time to offend anyone? David frowned. "Even if you did offend someone, they shouldn''t resort to such dirty tricks." Afterining, David warned Cameron, "Ms. Yates, it looks like someone''s really out for blood. You need to be extra careful these days." Chapter 697 Cameron nodded. "Okay, I''ll be careful." The incident made the news. Amelia, L, and Sienna all reached out to Cameron to make sure she was okay. The Yates family was also terrified after knowing that.. Levi pulled every string he could to get to the bottom of it, but they still couldn''t find out who was behind it all. As a result, Levi had ten bodyguards shadow Cameron to and from work. Cameron thought it was overkill, but there was no way to talk her family out of it. So, she could only let the bodyguards trail after her in a big, obvious group. Bradley was practically glued to her side. Every day, he''d pick her up from the Yates family''s house and take her to Aurevia Biotech, then stick around with her there all day. just in case whoever was after her tried anything funny again. After the news broke, even Austin, who was all the way overseas, called to check in on her and said he was going to fly back just to see her for himself. He wanted to see with his own eyes that she was alright. But Cameron told him he didn''t have to go through all that trouble. Xander Murphy gave Cameron a call too. His concern was carefully masked by his steady tone. "Cam, are you alright?" The moment he saw the news, Xander immediately had someone dig into the whole story. When he learned they still hadn''t found the mastermind, he couldn''t help but worry about Cameron. He knew he didn''t really have to call, but he just wanted to hear her voice. Cameron said, "Xander, I''m fine. Thank you." Xander spotted Bradley in the news photos from the scene. He said, "You free tonight? I want to grab dinner with you and Brad." Cameron said, "Hang on." Cameron turned to Bradley. "Brad, Xander wants to grab dinner with us tonight. You free?" "Xander? Yeah, I''m down," Bradley said. Xander was left speechless for a moment. He really didn''t expect Cameron and Bradley to be together. Xander finally just said, "See you tonight then." Cameron said, "See you then." Bradley wrapped an arm around Cameron and asked, "You and Xander are pretty close, huh?". Cameron said, "I used to tutor him a bit back in high school." Bradley sighed, "I don''t remember that." Cameron said, "It''s really not a big deal, Brad." But Bradley really wanted to recover those lost memories. But there was nothing he could do. Later that afternoon, Cameron got a call from Elijah Moore. . Ever since she''d had dinner with him and told him she was going to be with Bradley, Elijah had only left a congrattoryment on one of her Instagram posts. Even though theirpanies were working closely together, they hadn''t run into each other since. Cameron couldn''t return Elijah''s feelings, and she thought maybe it was for the best. But now, out of the blue, Elijah was calling her again. "Why aren''t you answering?" Bradley asked, watching her phone screen light up. Cameron snapped out of it and picked up. "Hey, Eli," she said. "Cam, I saw the news. Are you okay?" Elijah asked, his voice full of concern. Cameron said, "Yeah, I''m fine. It''s all sorted out now." Elijah said, ¡°Cam, you and Brad... I just wanted to say congrattions." Cameron said, "Thanks, Eli." Bradley chimed in, "Hey Cam, how about we ask Eli to join us for dinner tonight?" Bradley and Elijah had been pretty tight back in high school. But they''d lost touch over the years. What Bradley didn''t know was that Elijah had blocked him everywhere. Cameron fell silent, staring at Bradley for a few seconds. Before she could say anything, Elijah''s voice came through the phone. "Okay, I''m free tonight." Cameron said, "Eli, just so you know, Xander will be there too." Chapter 698 As the sun dipped below the horizon, the moon quietly rose into the sky. Cameron and Bradley were driving to meet up with Xander and the others at a private restaurant when her phone rang. It was Austin. "Cam! I''m back!" Austin''s voice was filled with excitement. Cameron paused for a moment. "You''re back? Where are you?" Austin said happily, "I''m at Viremont International Airport. Where are you? Is it okay if Ie to see you now?" Cameron turned to look at Bradley, who was driving. "Brad, Austin''s back." Bradley raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Let him join us." Cameron nodded slightly. "Austin, Brad and I are on our way to meet up with Elijah and Xander. Do you want to join us?" "Xan and Eli are there too? That means everyone from 316 will be there! Of course I want toe. Wait for me, Cam!" Austin said excitedly. Cameron sent him the address. When Cameron and Bradley arrived, Elijah was already there. He was the first to arrive. Actually, Xander was the first to arrive. But he parked his car at the entrance of the restaurant and didn''t get out. It wasn''t until he saw Cameron and Bradley walking in hand in hand that he finally got out of the car, taking his time. Bradley pushed open the door to the private room and spotted Elijah. He smiled slightly, "Eli, long time no see." Elijah stood up and nodded. "Yeah, it''s been a long time." His response was rather indifferent. Elijah used to think of Bradley as a good friend. But he really couldn''t ept what Bradley had done seven years ago. There was no way they could stay friends after that. Bradley was always perceptive, so he quickly picked up on how Elijah was keeping his distance. But he didn''t dwell on it. He just chalked it up to the fact that they hadn''t seen each other in ages. "Eli," Cameron nodded slightly. Elijah nced between Bradley and Cameron, then gave a small nod in return. They really did look good together a perfect match. Even though Elijah wasn''t happy about losing to Bradley, he still chose to respect Cameron. All he could do now was give them his blessing. "Am Ite?" Xander asked as he pushed open the door, arriving two minutes after Cameron and the others. He stepped into the private room. "Xander," Elijah said, almost in disbelief at how steady and mature Xander seemed now. "Eli, long time no see," Xander replied with a slight nod. Still in his suit from a meeting, Xander just picked a seat at random and sat down, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, looking exhausted. His gaze drifted over Cameron unconsciously. This was the fourth time he''d seen her dressed in feminine clothes. After all these years, she took his breath away even more than she did back then. Xander kept every emotion carefully locked away in his eyes. Cameron said, "By the way, Austin''s back. He''ll be here soon." "Austin? He''s back already? What brought him back?" Xander looked up at Cameron surprisingly. His gaze slowly fell on Bradley''s hand wrapped around Cameron''s waist. Cameron said, "He saw the news and came back to see me." Hearing this, Elijah asked with concern, "Cam, they still haven''t caught whoever''s behind all this?" Cameron shook her head and replied, "Not yet." Xander fell silent. He''d had his own people dig around too, but they''de up empty-handed. Whoever was behind this hade prepared - it was never going to be that easy to find them.. Elijah frowned. "Isn''t that dangerous for you?" Cameron shook her head and said with a smile, "It''s fine. My dad got me a personal bodyguard, plus Brad hardly ever leaves my side. I''ll be fine, really." ''Honestly,'' Cameron thought to herself, ''with my skills, I could handle anything thates my way. I don''t really need anyone to protect me.'' Chapter 699 "Just be careful," Xander said, his long fingers tapping lightly on the back of his chair as his gaze settled on Bradley His meaning was obvious, even without words. Bradley nodded. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep Cam safe." Xander''s eyes darkened, but he didn''t say anything. Elijah stayed silent too. ''Protect, huh? Bradley had better keep Cam safe,'' Xander mused to himself. Cameron said, "Let''s sit down and order. I think Austin should be here soon." They all took their seats. It was arge round table. Cameron naturally sat next to Bradley. Xander took the seat beside Bradley. Elijah sat next to Xander. There were five seats in total. The seat next to Cameron remained empty. The four of them began ordering food. "Hey guys!" About ten minutester, just as a te of cold appetizers, was being served, Austin finally arrived. "Cam! Brad! Eli! Xan!" Austin greeted everyone with a big smile, tossing his signature short blond hair as he sat down next to Cameron. "Looks like I made it just in time," Austin said with a grin. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, perfect timing." Austin immediately looked Cameron up and down, not even trying to hide it. "Cam, you okay?" Cameron shook her head. "I''m good, but thanks for worrying about me." Austin checked Cameron out again, grinning. "Cam, you look amazing tonight. Can''t believe we lived together in 316 for three months and I had no clue you were a girl the whole time." Austin was totally over it now. Now, Cameron felt just like family to him. He could praise Cameron without a second thought,pletely at ease. Elijah and Xander both thought Cameron looked gorgeous tonight, but neither of them said a word. Cameron couldn''t help but smile, "I was deliberately hiding it from you. Of course you wouldn''t notice so easily Xander joked, "Cameron, if I''d known you were a girl from day one in 316, I would''ve started chasing after you right then. Brad probably wouldn''t have even stood a chance." Cameronughed, "Oh, Xander, don''t joke around." Elijah found himself wondering the same thing as Xander. He was the one with all the advantages. He sat next to Cameron in ss during the day, and was his roommate at night. With all those chances, he still let them slip right through his fingers. Austinughed, "Cam, I even thought you had a thing for me back then... Hahaha..." Cameron was speechless again. Dishes kepting out, one after another. Everyone started cracking up, swapping stories about all the wild stuff that happened back in Room 316. The atmosphere was buzzing. Bradley just watched them with a gentle smile on his face. After all, those memories weren''t his to share. After a few rounds of drinks, Xander turned to Cameron and asked, "Cam, when you first moved into 316, I kicked your door, and Brad came to your rescue? Is that when you started liking him?¡± Cameron thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." Bradley''s smile widened. Austin smiled, "Brad''s such a warm guy. So that''s your type, huh, Cam? If I''d known you liked warm guys, I would''ve tried being one myself!" Elijah lowered his gaze. ''What was I doing the day Cam moved into 316?'' Eli wondered to himself. ''I was warning her not to disturb my studying,'' he recalled. ''Turns out, I was already at a disadvantage from the very beginning,'' he realized. ''So no matter what I did after that, it didn''t make a difference, he thought with a hint of regret. Elijah finally let it all go for good. He lifted his ss. "Cameron, Brad, congrats to you both. And hey, don''t forget to invite me to your wedding the "And me!" Austin chimed in, raising his ss as well. Xander stood up, gazing at Cameron with deep emotion. "Wish you happiness." "Thanks," Cameron said. "Thank you all," she added.. Bradley and Cameron raised their sses too. The five of them clinked their sses together, letting all their feelings sink into the wine. From this moment on, all that was left between them was their heartfelt blessings for the days ahead. AD Chapter 700 Time slipped by in a sh. In the blink of an eye, six months had passed and the New Year had arrived, Since that incident, nothing bad had happened around Cameron. Still, Levi made sure bodyguards stuck to her like glue, never leaving her side. The New Year was just around the corner. Bradley''sw firm had also started its holiday break. After working hard all year, Cameron decided to have a break. It was rare for both of them to be free at the same time. Cameron sat with a milkshake in her hands, while Bradley held a cup of coffee. The two of them lounged on a park bench, watching as children gleefully chased after pigeons. Bradley''s hand tightened around Cameron''s. "Cam, the New Year is almost here, and we''ve been dating for over half a y want to take you home to meet my family. Is that okay?" Bradley picked Cameron up and dropped her off at work every day. Even though he didn''t live with the Yates family, he usually had breakfast and dinner at their ce. Sometimes, Bradley felt like he was already half a member of the Yates family. However, Cameron hadn''t officially met his family yet. Bradley''s family had been wanting to meet Cameron for a while now. After all, even after having some of his memories erased, Bradley still chose Cameron. They were dying to see what kind of girl hadpletely enchanted Bradley. Cameron looked at him with a smile and said, "Isn''t that a bit fast?" Bradley sighed helplessly, "Cam, you call this fast? Lance and Amelia have already been married for months." Cameron was speechless again. Compared to them, she and Bradley really were taking things slow. Bradley was already very familiar with her family. But Cameron was only a bit familiar with Eddie, and she''d only met Eric a handful of times. year now.! Cameron thought for a moment and said "Brad, let me talk to my parents about it first, and then I''ll let you know, okay?" Bradley reached out and ruffled her hair. "Okay." Even though the sun was shining, it was still winter, and people could see their breath in the chilly air. Bradley pulled Cameron into his warm coat, wrapping her up with him so they could snuggle close. 13.30 Thu 11 jul of C They just sat there quietly, snuggled up together, watching the kids run around and y. The scene was just too sweet, so much so that Milena spying on them from not far away with her binocrs ¡ú was so trigger her face twisted in anger. Milena tossed the binocrs aside and clenched her teeth hard, fuming. She had already returned for more than half a year. But she still hadn''t found a single chance to cause trouble. With those tall, intimidating bodyguards glued to Cameron''s side at all times, Milena couldn''t even dream of getting close, let alone do anything to her. Now, Cameron had a perfect, happy family. Her parents doted on her, and on top of that, they were rich. Meanwhile, Milena''s parents were serving time in prison because of what happened with Cameron over twenty years ago. Now, Cameron was a renowned pharmaceutical innovator who had made outstanding contributions to humanity. And Milena? She didn''t even dare tell anyone her real background, terrified they''d find out she was the daughter of convicts. What pissed her off even more was that Cameron had managed to snag Bradley - he was practically the perfect catch. Cameron had never been better than her at anything growing up, so what right did she have to be living such a good life now? Milena was jealous. She decided to ruin Cameron! Since she couldn''t get to Cameron directly, Milena decided to switch up Her face twisted with a cold, vicious re. her n. In the end, Cameron finally agreed to go with Bradley to meet his family. Bradley said, "Cam, I''ll head home first and let my family know what''s going on. Then I''lle pick you up." Cameron smiled, "Can''t you just tell them over the phone?" Bradley replied, "I''d rather tell them face to face." Cameron sighed, "Alright then." It was a good chance for her to prepare a few more gifts for the Saunders family. After all, when Bradley first came to visit her family, he had brought plenty of gifts to show his sincerity. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 701 Gavin stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching as Cameron stuffed gifts into the trunk of the car. ''How long have they even been together? It''s only been half a year! And now Cam is going to meet Bradley''s parents? Too fast?" Gavin thought to himself. Finally, when the trunk was full, Gavin couldn''t hold back anymore. "Cam, you''re not going to the Saunders family until tomorrow, right? Why are you already getting everything ready?" Cameron closed the trunk and looked at him. "Yeah, just getting it done ahead of time so I won''t be scrambling tomorrow." Amelia piped up from the side, "Cam, aren''t you nervous about meeting Bradley''s family?" Gavin said casually, "What''s there to be nervous about? The Saunders family should be the ones feeling nervous." Amelia just stared at him, lost for words. Lance chimed in, "Cam, don''t worry. You''re so adorable, the Saunders family will definitely love you." ¤¤ Gavin scoffed, "Who cares if they like Cam? Bradley''s marrying into the Yates family anyway. It''s not like Cam will be seeing them much." Lance just stared at him, speechless. Jacqueline said helplessly, "Gavin, don''t be like that." Levi said, "Butler, go prepare coffee for Gavin. He''s been a bit hot-temperedtely." The butler nodded. "Right away, sir." Gavin fell silent. He had to admit, he was feeling a bit irritable. But still, Cam was going to the Saunders family - sooner orter, she was going to get married anyway. Cameron looked at Gavin, feeling a bit helpless. She and Bradley had been together for over six months now she thought Gavin would have epted it by now. It was just meeting the parents, nothing more. What if she really did end up marrying Bradley one day? Seeing her look his way, Gavin smiled bitterly, "Cam, it''s okay. I''ll be fine. I can handle my own feelings." He could onlyfort himself ¨C even if Cam got married, she''d still be his little sister. That would never change. The next day. Cameron drove herself to Steerfall. 1330 Th? 1 tu?n Viremont and Steerfall were pretty close just a two-hour drive apart.. Before she left, Bradley had offered toe pick her up from Viremont. But Cameron turned him down. It was such a short drive there was really no need for him to make the extra trip. Following the address Bradley had given her, she drove straight to the Saunders family''s viplex on the hillside. As she looked out the window and saw the sign that read "Saunders Residence," she knew she had arrived. She nced over and saw a whole crowd of people waiting at the gate. Her eyes immediately found Bradley in the crowd. A small smile tugged at her lips. Bradley and Eddie headed straight for her car. "Cam," Bradley greeted her softly. ** Cameron stepped out of the car, and Bradley reached for her hand, a gentle smile on his lips. "There you are atst, Cam! Brad''s been waiting out here at the gate for two hours," Eddie called out with a grin. Cameron looked at Bradley for confirmation. Bradley took off his scarf and wrapped it gently around her neck, then pulled her into his arms. "It''s cold in Steerfall today." The closer it got to the New Year, the colder it seemed to get. Cameron smiled, "I''m not cold." "Cam, hurry inside! It''s freezing out here. Let''s talk once we''re in," Bradley''s mom Beth Saunders called out, beaming as she hurried over. The whole Saunders family was there, crowded around the entrance, making it almost impossible to get through. They all started calling out greetings to Cam. Bradley started introducing everyone, "Cam, this is my grandma, my dad, my mom, my eldest brother and his wife, my second brother, my third brother, my fourth brother, my sixth brother, my seventh brother, that''s Evan and his wife... and this is my little sister, Cami." Cameron smiled and greeted each of them in turn. Together, they all walked into the main hall of the Saunders Manor. Yesterday, Bradley made a point ofing back a day early so he could personally supervise as the whole Saunders Manor got a top-to-bottom, inside- and-out cleaning and makeover. 213 Chapter 702 Cameron had brought a mountain of gifts, piling them high on the coffee table. Beth said kindly, her voice full of warmth, "Cam, just having you here is enough. You really didn''t have to bring so many gifts you''re being way too polite." This was only the second time Beth had met Cameron. Though her face was all smiles, deep down Beth couldn''t help but feel guilty. ''If I hadn''t lost my head and believed Nell''s lies back then, maybe Brad and Cam would already be married by now, she thought to herself. Thankfully, even after all those years apart, they still ended up together. Cameron smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Saunders, it''s just a small token of my appreciation." Bradley''s fatherughed, "We''re all family now, so there''s no need to be so polite." Bradley''s eyesnded on a beautifully wrapped Barbie doll, a smile ying at his lips. "Cam, you even got a gift for Osborne''s kids." "Yeah," Cameron nodded. Osborne had three children - triplets, two boys and a girl. They were off at school. Cameron knew Bradley''s family pretty well by now. She had prepared gifts for everyone. Just like when Bradley had visited her family, he''d brought gifts for everyone, even Pearl. "Thank you, Cam. That was really thoughtful of you," Sam''s wife said. Everyone was chatting away, the whole room filled withughter and a rxed, friendly vibe. Quietly, Cami slipped into the seat next to Cameron and whispered, "Cam, is it okay if I call you that?" Cameron smiled, "Sure, go ahead." Cami said sincerely, "Cam, Bradley actually managed to win you over and bring you home to the Saunders family." Cami''s admiration came straight from the heart. The very first time she met Cameron, she found herself wondering what kind of man could possibly catch the eye of a girl as perfect as her? Cameron was the one and only person Cami truly looked up to in this world. Because Cameron had aplished something she herself could never achieve ¨C she''d developed a breakthrough cure for leukemia! 130 THU FI She had only been cured of ALS because she had gone through another world, but Cameron had managed to do what she couldn''t That was truly impressive. Hearing this, Bradley squeezed Cameron''s fingers and said, "Cami, you can hold off on thepliments until I''ve really brought Cam home as my wife.", Cami winked and said yfully, "Go for it, Brad! It won''t be long now." Bradley raised an eyebrow. Cameron smiled softly. There were so many people in the Saunders family, but Cameron was clever- after just one lunch together, she''d already figured out who was who. After lunch, Beth suggested everyone take a rest and give Cameron and Bradley some privacy. Bradley led Cameron back to his room. The decor in Bradley''s room looked just like his ce in Viremont- simple and stylish. A whole wall was covered with trophies and medals. Cameron stood by the wall and reached out to pick up a trophy at random. "Brad, when did you get this one?" It was a golden trophy for Outstanding Lawyer. Bradley wrapped his arms around Cameron from behind, resting his chin on top of her head with a smile. "Just a couple of years ago," he said. Cameron said, "Even after losing your memory, your goals in life never changed. That''s actually kind of nice." Bradley gently pulled her around to face him, wrapped his arms around her waist, and said with a smile, "Yeah, even if I forgot everything, seeing you again - I''d still fall for you all over again." Cameron couldn''t help butugh, ¡°Wow, Mr. Saunders, your words are quite sweet." Bradley lowered his head slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. "How would you know it''s sweet if you''ve never had a taste?" "I... mmm-" Cameron barely got a word out. In the next instant, Bradley''s lips were already on hers. He''de home early yesterday, and hadn''t seen Cameron at all that day. He''d been going crazy missing her. With his family around, he''d had to hold back. But now that it was just the two of them, he could finally let himself go. Chapter 703 Bradley came at her with such force that Cameron could barely defend herself. She stepped back, her spine almost pressing against the hard shelving behind her, when Bradley''s broad hand braced her waist Cameron had nowhere left to retreat. "Brad... mmph-" Cameron barely got his name out before he cut her off, swallowing the rest of her words with his kiss. She had no doubt-Bradley was practically trying to pull her right into himself, like he wanted her to be a part of him. He was so passionate, so wildpletely different from the gentle, polished man he usually showed the world. When Cameron tried to respond, Bradley only grew more out of control, leaving her frozen in ce, not daring to move a muscle. Knock, knock... Just then, as Bradley''s lips lingered on Cameron''s beautiful neck, someone started knocking on the door at the worst possible time. "Brad, someone''s knocking..." Cameron said, her voice barely above a whisper. Bradley froze for a second, then ignored it and continued. ''Seriously?'' Cameron thought,pletely speechless. Knock, knock, knock... "Brad, Cam... It''s me, Eric." Eric''s voice came through the door. Cameron nced toward the door. She suddenly realized the door wasn''t locked. If Erices in now... Cameron''s face flushed. She clutched Bradley''s coat, her breath unsteady. "Brad, Eric''s here. That''s enough..." Only then did Bradley finally stop. But he didn''t let go of Cameron right away. He stared at her, unable to hide the longing in his eyes, and called out, "Eric, wait a minute." Cameron reached up and hooked her arm around his neck, her voice gentle, "Brad, should we really keep Eric waiting?" "Cam..." Bradley looked at her without looking away, his voice rough, "Will you marry me?" ''Seriously?'' Cameron was a little dazed. This proposal totally blindsided her.. The next moment, Bradley''s words made her cheeks and ears burn. He murmured, "Cam, I want you..." Cameron was shocked. Cameron froze for two seconds, caught in Bradley''s scorching gaze that seemed like it could melt her. She quickly turned her face away, slid her arm off his neck, shoved him aside, and bolted into the bathroom. Bradley staggered back a couple of steps, steadying himself against the wall, unable to stop a doting smile from spreading across his lips. He murmured, "I can wait." But honestly, with everything he''s got going for him, who would ever believe Bradley''s still a virgin at twenty-seven? Bradley took a moment to fix his clothes, then finally went to open the door for Eric. When the door opened, Eric, his salt-and-pepper hair framing his handsome face, gave Bradley a sly, knowing smile. "Brad, you''ve got lipstick smudged on your mouth." Bradley just pressed his finger to the corner of his mouth, totally unfazed. "What brings you here, Eric?" "Guess love really does make people act stupid, huh? Why else would I be here?" Eric strolled into the room. "Where''s Cam?" Bradley dropped onto the couch. "Bathroom." Eric arched an eyebrow. "I''ll wait for her." Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Cameron gazed at her reflection in the mirror, hardly recognizing the rosy, lovestruck face staring back at her. Thinking about Bradley''s words, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She was twenty-six. Besides, she and Bradley had been together for over half a year now. There was really no reason for her to be so reserved anymore. She stared at herself in the mirror a little longer, noticing her lips were still a bit swollen and her cheeks were flushed. "Brad... Cameron thought, a little helpless. She sshed some cold water on her lips, but the redness didn''t go away. ''Oh well, nothing I can do about it,'' she sighed to herself. Eric was still waiting outside. After tidying herself up a bit, Cameron opened the door and walked out. "Hey, Cam!" Eric called out with a big, friendly grin. "Hey, Eric," Cameron answered. She naturally settled down right beside Bradley, leaning in close and looping her arm through his without a second thought Bradley smiled softly, taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers. Seeing how lovey-dovey they were, Eric yed dumb and asked, "Cam, what''s up with your lips? Did you have an allergic reaction or something?" Chapter 704 Cameron murmured, "Maybe." Bradley''s gaze slowlynded on Eric''s face. Ericughed. "Just kidding." Bradley said, "Eric, you seriously have zero sense of humor." Eric was speechless. Cameron asked, "Eric, is there something you wanted to talk about?" Eric straightened up. "Cam, yeah, there''s something important I need to talk to you about." Cameron nodded. "Go ahead, Eric." Eric stood up and gave Cameron a formal 15-degree bow. "Cameron Yates, I''m here to give you a proper apology - I''m sorry." Cameron was startled by Eric''s gesture and quickly stood up to stop him. "Eric, you have nothing to be sorry for. Please, don''t do this." But Bradley held Cameron back. "Cam, Eric really does owe you an apology." Cameron was confused. Eric looked up at Cameron. "Cam, this apology has been a long timeing- seven or eight years, in fact. I''m really sorry." Cameron sat back down. "Come on, Eric, sit down and tell me - what are you apologizing for?" Eric said, "Cam, even though we barely saw each other a few years back, I still realized that Bradley had a thing for you. "Back then, you were pretending to be a boy, and I just couldn''t ept the idea of my brother falling for another boy. It seemed so ridiculous to me. "So, on the night of the SATs, I faked a car ident and asked Brad toe to Fiora to look after me. And while he was there, I tried to set him up with a bunch of pretty girls." Cameron was speechless again. Eric quickly added, ¡°But Brad didn''t even spare them a nce. He was sharp ¨C he immediately saw through what I was trying to do. "But I didn''t stop there. I actually doubled down and told the rest of the Saunders family about Brad''s feelings for you. They reacted the same way I did -they wanted Brad to stay away from you. "But Brad didn''t back down. He was willing to turn his back on the family, even cut ties with thempletely, just to be with you..." Hearing those words, Cameron turned to look at Bradley, her eyes full of surprise. She had never known any of this before. She never imagined Bradley would actually go against his family for her. If it were her in his shoes, she probably would have chosen her family. She''d never turn her back on her family for something as uncertain as love. Bradley saw how moved Cameron was, and he smiled, "Cam, I barely even remember any of that now." Cameron looked at him. Eric said, "Cam, I really am sorry for what happened back then. I got you a little something to show how sorry I am" Cameron shook her head. "Eric, it''s all in the past now. Let''s just leave it there." Bradley idly twirled Cameron''s fingers. "Come on, E what''s this little present?" Eric said, "You can guess." Bradley fell silent. Eric stood up. "Come on, Cam, let''s go to my workshop. Bive you Cameron was about to decline, but Bradley said, "Go the gift there." on, C If you don''t take it, Eric''s gonna feel guilty." Eric nodded. "Yeah, Cam, do it for me, okay? Just take my little gift so I can have a clear conscience." Cameron sighed, "Fine, I''ll take it." Cameron stood up and followed Eric, who turned back and said, ¡°Brad, don''t follow us." Bradley said speechlessly, "Fine." Cameron chuckled, "So mysterious, huh?" Eric said, "He doesn''t get to see it. He messed up too he was sharing a room with you every day and still had no clue you were a girl." not actually sleeping together." Cameron corrected him, "Eric, we were just roommates, sharing a dorm room Ericughed, "Haha, a small mistake." Behind the Saunders family''s main house stood an entire building that belonged to Eric. Inside, the ce was packed with his creations and designs. Chapter 705 Eric led Cameron straight up to the second floor. The second floor was the clothing section. It was filled with a dazzling array of designer outfits, many of them award-winning pieces designed by Eric himself. Cameron couldn''t take her eyes off them,pletely dazzled by the disy. She had to admit, Eric really had some serious skills when it came to fashion. Eric walked over to a mannequin and looked approvingly at the dress it was wearing. "Cam,e here," Eric called out. Cameron finally looked away and walked over to Eric, instantly drawn to the dress on the mannequin. It was a long, dark red gown with a sweetheart neckline. The style was simple and elegant, with a precious gemstone set at the waist for a touch of luxury. Eric smiled, "Cam, what do you think? I designed this dress just for you. It''s one of a kind." Cameron nodded. "I like it." She wasn''t into overlyplicated designs, and this simple yet elegant style was perfect for her. "Eric, is this the little gift you wanted to give me?" Cameron asked, running her hand over the sleeve. It was incredibly soft. Eric nodded. "Yeah, go try it on." Cameron said, "Won''t I freeze if I wear this now?" It''s been freezing these days. Ericughed, "Cam, I made some special upgrades to this dress. There''s ayer of high-tech heating cotton inside. Not only will you look stunning, but you''ll stay warm too it''ll keep you just as cozy as a puffer jacket."/ "Really?" Cameron blinked in surprise. Eric took the dress off the mannequin. "Go try it on. Let me see if it fits. If it doesn''t, I''ll tweak it for you." Cameron smiled, "Well, Eric, I won''t say no to that." "Go ahead," Eric said, pointing toward the fitting room. Cameron headed to the fitting room, took off her puffer jacket, and slipped into the dress. The moment she put the dress on, warmth wrapped around her just like Eric promised. She checked herself out in the mirror the fit was perfect, hugging her curves in all the right ces. When Cameron stepped out, Eric''s eyes instantly lit up. Cameron really had an amazing figure-graceful curves in all the right ces. Back when she was pretending to be a boy, he''d never have known. Cameron smiled, "Eric, it fits like a glove. How did you know my size?" Eric nodded. ¡°I''ve been doing this for ages. I just need one look to get a pretty good idea. Cameronughed, "That''s amazing." With that, she headed back to the fitting room to change out of the dress. But Eric called out to her, "Cam, hang on a sec. I''ve got one more gift for you." "Another gift?" Cameron blinked in surprise. Eric walked over to the jewelry disy, grabbed a ck velvet box, and came back to Cameron. He popped it open and took out a sparkling diamond ne. "Cam, I designed this ne just for you. The pendant has the letters BC -your and Brad''s initials. Let me put it on for you," he said Cameron didn''t even know what to say for a moment. Eric helped her put on the ne, and it settled perfectly on her corbone. The diamonds'' shine made her skin look even fairer, almost glowing Eric blurted out, "You''re so beautiful." Cameron fingered the ne. "Eric, I thought you said it was just a little gift? This is way too much." Eric ran a hand through his short, silver hair. "Cam, do you really think one little gift is enough to show how sorry I am?" Cameron couldn''t help but smile, ¡°Eric, seriously, I''m really over it." It''s all the past. Eric led her over to the vanity and had her sit down, grinning at her in the mirror. "Cam, have you ever seen what a top-tier makeup artist can really do?" "Hm?" Cameron blinked, puzzled. Eric gently lifted her chin with his fingers. "Today, let me show you what I''m capable of." AD Comment Chapter 706 Cameron sat in front of the vanity for a full two hours. Eric''s makeup skills were top-notch. He didn''t go for a heavy, dramatic look - instead, he yed up her strengths and downyed any ws. Her features were already perfect. But with Eric''s touch, he entuated the best parts of her face, making her look like the Creator''s proudest masterpiece-so wless and stunning, people couldn''t take their eyes off her. Eric smiled at Cameron in the mirror, "Yeah, I''m satisfied. What about you?" Cameron studied her reflection. It didn''t look like much had changed, but her beauty level just got a serious upgrade. She said with a smile, "I''m happy too. Eric, has anyone ever told you how good you look when you''re working so seriously?" Eric blew a strand of hair off his forehead. "Cam, if you keepplimenting me like that, Brad''s gonna get jealous. Don''t let his calm, gentlemanly act fools you - he''s actually got a real scheming side." Cameron said, "I agree with the second part." Eric chuckled. He studied her face again, his slender fingers resting at her temple as he gently turned her head. He gathered her shoulder-length hair and put it up into a bun that was both cute and a little sexy. His gaze fell on her snow-white ear. "I know what''s missing." Eric rummaged through the jewelry box and found a pair of heart-shaped diamond earrings, which he carefully put on her. The earrings swayed gently, making her neck look even longer and more graceful. Eric snapped his fingers. "Perfect!" Cameron stared at herself in the mirror, puzzled. ¡°Eric, you''ve made me look like I''m about to walk into some fancy event. Isn''t this a bit much just for hanging out at home?" Eric smiled, "Why not? Cam, you''re gorgeous - everyone should get to see it. When Brad sees youter, he''s going to bepletely smitten." Cameron looked at him, then stood up. Eric went to fetch a rose-red cape for her. He draped it over her shoulders, the long tassels falling softly around her waist, giving her that extra bit of ir. Eric nodded in approval "With your fair skin, anything in shades of red is a total knockout on you - absolutely gorgeous!" Cameron couldn''t help butugh, "Eric you''re making my head spin with all thesepliments." Eric replied, "I''m just stating the facts." He adjusted the cape for her. "No matter how windy it gets outside, you won''t feel cold." "By the way, let''s change your shoes," Erig went to grab a pair of ck heels for her. Her dress was long enough to cover her ankles, so she''d stay warm. Eric stroked his chin, clearly pleased with his masterpiece. "Seriously, Cam, you should be my model" Cameron still didn''t say anything. Cameron and Eric headed downstairs together. On the couch, they found Cami and a young, handsome man sitting close together, whispering andughing. Hearing their footsteps, Cami looked up and saw Cameron on the stairs. Her eyes widened in amazement as she stood up and walked over to them. She grabbed Cameron''s hand. "Oh my gosh, Cam, you''re drop-dead gorgeous! Eric must have really pulled out all the stops." Cameron smiled, "Thank you." The young man walked over and nodded slightly. "Hello, I''m Cami''s husband, Jade Masion." Cameron nodded back. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Masion." Cami said with a smile, "Cam, he is your brother-inw now." Cameron was speechless. Cami added with a smile, "Cam, Brad''s got a pet in the backyard. Wanna know what it is?" AD Comment The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 707 "A pet?" Cameron asked, intrigued. Bradley had never mentioned having a pet at home. "Cam, I''ll take you to see it," Cami said, waving the ribbon in her hand. "But I need to blindfold you." Cameron raised an eyebrow. "So mysterious?" Cami nodded. "Yeah, do you want to go? Brad''s in the backyard right now. I''ll take you there." Cameron already had a hunch, but she yed along and nodded. "Let''s go!" Cami tied the ribbon over Cameron''s eyes. Eric reminded her, "Cami, be gentle." Camiughed, "I know, Eric. I won''t ruin the makeup you worked so hard on." Cami led Cameron to the backyard, and after about ten minutes of walking, they finally stopped. Even though Cameron couldn''t see, she could feel the change beneath her feet - first cement, then cobblestones, then grass. Suddenly, she stepped onto something incredibly soft. ''Is this... petals?'' she wondered. Cami came to a stop, smiling as she said, "Cam, we''re here." She gently removed the blindfold from Cameron''s eyes. Eric took out apact he always carried and helped Cameron touch up her makeup. "Cam, you can open your eyes now," Eric said. Cameron slowly opened her eyes, and what she saw took her breath away. The ground was covered in a sea of red and white rose petals. The entire garden was carpeted with them. She was standing on a small stage. Behind her was arge disy made entirely of petals. White roses formed the base, while red roses spelled out the words: [Cameron, will you marry me?] She had guessed right. Bradley was nning to propose to her. ''No wonder, I was just here for a visit, but Bradley made a special trip home,'' she thought. Cameron smiled gently. When she looked up, she saw Amelia, L, and Sienna standing nearby. Turning her gaze, she spotted Jacqueline and Levi, Sam, Gavin, Pearl, David, and several key executives from herpany. Cameron had guessed what Bradley was nning, but she hadn''t expected that all her friends and family, even Pearl, would be here. Pearl let out a soft, happy "awoo..." As soon as Pearl spotted Cameron, she ran over with excitement, rubbing her fluffy head affectionately against Cameron & knees Eric quickly stepped back. "Pearl," Cameron said, a gentle smile on her lips as she reached down to give Pearl a loving rub on the head. "Awoo..." "Cam, you look absolutely stunning!" Amelia walked over, smiling, "Good thing you went undercover as a boy back in high school, or my title as the school''s beauty queen would''ve been in serious danger." "Cam, you are just unbelievably gorgeous. And honestly, I never thought Bradley could be this romantic. I was totally surprised when he called me about this," L said. Sienna chimed in, "Bradley really went all out for this. It''s so sweet that he made sure we could all be here to witness such an important moment. "Cam..." Jacqueline and Levi walked over as well. Jacqueline looked at Cameron, unable to hold back her admiration. "You look so beautiful. Are you feeling cold at all?" She took Cameron''s hand, surprised to find it warmer than her own, even though Cameron was dressed so lightly. Levi reached out and put an arm around Cameron''s shoulders. "You''re wearing so little," he said. Cameron smiled, "Mom, Dad, I''m not cold." Gavin was grinning from ear to ear at Cameron, thinking to himself, ''My sister is really gorgeous.'' But the moment he realized this was Bradley''s carefully nned proposal, his smile instantly vanished. Lance crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, a proud look on his face. "Cameron, you''re so gorgeous." David and the execs joined in,ughing, "Ms. Yates, with looks like yours, it''s a crime you''re not a superstar!" The violin ensemble began to y. "Brad''sing," Cami said. ÊÐ AD Comment Chapter 708 Cami linked her arm with Jade''s and stepped off the stage. Amelia and the others, along with Levi and Jacqueline, stood behind Cameron in perfect unison. To the soft strains of a violin, Bradley, dressed in a crisp white suit and holding a bouquet of flowers, walked onto the stage, surrounded by his family Tall and slender, the white suit entuated his refined and gentlemanly demeanor. Behind his gold-rimmed sses, his eyes shone with endless devotion. Slowly, Bradley walked up to Cameron, dropped to one knee, and said, "Ms. Yates, will you marry me?" He looked up at her, his eyes filled with a devotion as deep as a believer gazing up at the one true God they''ve trusted all their life. "Marry him! Marry him!" The Saunders family pped and cheered for Bradley, giving him all their support. Cameron smiled softly. Bradley looked at her without blinking. "Cam, marry me. I swear I''ll love you and cherish you for the rest of my life. No matter where you are, that''s where I''ll be. I''ll never leave you, not in this life or the next I''ll always be by your side, no matter what." "Marry him! Marry him!" "Marry him! Marry him!" With a bright smile, Cameron slowly extended her right hand, "Yes, I do." Bradley''s face broke into a huge grin. He quickly pulled a ring from within the bouquet and slipped it onto her ring finger. No one knew that his hands were trembling ever so slightly. He was just too excited! He was so thrilled, his whole body was shaking. He held her fingers as if they were the most precious treasure in the world, and kissed them with all the devotion in his heart. Cameron helped him to his feet. Bradley gently pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her softly on the lips. Boom! Confetti cannons exploded overhead, showering them with sparkling colors thatnded on their hair, their shoulders, and all over the rose petals. Balloons in every color soared up, filling the sky with a rainbow of colors. The crowd erupted into cheers. "This is so romantic," Amelia said with a smile. Gavin rolled his eyes. "Not romantic at all." Amelia just stared at him, lost for words. Lance wrapped his arm around her waist and asked with a teasing smile. "Envious?" Amelia just shook her head softly. She and Lance had simply gone straight to get their marriage license, skipping the whole proposal altogether. But Lance had given her avish wedding, and every time she thought about it, she could feel just how much he cherished her So she felt truly content. Still, you had to admit - Bradley''s proposal really was romantic. Xander watched from a distance, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Brad, Cam, I wish you both all the best." Elijah''s lips curved into a soft smile. "I wish you both the best too!" Austin cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Brad! Cam! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!" Nathan and Beth, together with Levi and Jacqueline, were discussing the date for Cameron and Bradley''s engagement, Beth smiled and said, "Levi, Jacqueline, if you have any requests, just let us know." Levi chuckled, "Actually, that''s what I should be saying to you. From now on, Brad is part of the Yates family. If you have any requests, don''t hesitate to speak up." Everyone burst outughing. Cameron and Bradley''s engagement ceremony was set for three monthster. That night, the Yates family and Cameron''s friends all stayed over at the Saunders Manor. Gavin trailed after Cameron and asked, "Hey Cam, where are you crashing tonight?" Cameron smiled, "Gavin, I''m staying in Brad''s room." There was a whole vi at the Saunders Manor that belonged just to Bradley. He didn''te back much, and even when he did, he''d just crash in the main house "No way!" Gavin''s expression turned serious in an instant. Cameron was speechless. Gavin said sternly, "You''re not even married yet." so that vi was pretty much always empty. AD Chapter 709 "Gavin, I''ve said yes to Brad''s proposal. I''m his fianc¨¦e now," Cameron said. Gavin fell silent. After a long pause, Gavin finally said, "Cam, you''re still young." Cameron couldn''t help but sigh. "I''m twenty-six, Gavin." Gavin fell silent. Bradley said, "Gavin, Cam''s taking the master bedroom, I''ll crash in the guest room." Gavin finally looked a bit more satisfied. "Now that''s what I want to hear." Cameron was speechless. It waste at night. Everyone was already asleep. After taking off her makeup and showering, Cam stepped out of the bathroom in the soft, buttery yellow pajamas Bradley had picked out for her. He was sitting on the sofa in a ck robe. He''d already showered in the guest bathroom next door while Cameron was removing her makeup. He sat there with a faint smile, just quietly watching the bathroom door. When the door finally opened, his smile widened. He stood up, walked over, and pulled her into his arms. "Cam, you smell amazing," Bradley murmured, burying his face in her freshly dried hair. "I used your shampoo," Cameron said. Bradley let out a low chuckle. "Oh? Is that so?" His smile grew even wider. "Did you shower too?" Cameron asked, picking up that familiar lemony scent on him. Cameron nuzzled her face against his chest, slipped her arms around his waist, and closed her eyes. "You smell amazing too, Brad." Bradley let out a softugh. He looked down at her in his arms. Cameron''sshes were long, and with her eyes closed, they cast a soft shadow beneath her eyelids - she looked absolutely adorable. Earlier that afternoon, Eric had put a lot of thought into Cameron''s outfit, and it made Bradley''s heart race. But at the time, his mind had been so focused on the proposal that he even forgot topliment her at all, His long fingers gently traced the tip of Cameron''s nose. "Cam, you were absolutely gorgeous this afternoon." Cameron opened her eyes and looked up at him. "So, now that I''ve taken off my makeup, I''m not gorgeous anymore?" Bradley lifted her delicate chin and leaned down to give her a soft kiss on her petal-like lips. "You''re even more beautiful now. Really? Cameron bearned. She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Bradley''s just as he was about to say something, catching his soft tips dah bers There was no way Bradley could handle Cameron making the first move. In a heartbeat, he flipped the script, taking charge and kissing her back with fierce, unstoppable passion. After what felt like forever, Bradley finally managed to let go of Cameron, though even then, he was is just barely keeping himself in check Cameron leaned into his arms, her breathing in soft, unsteady bursts. She looked up at him, her eyes unfocused and dreamy as she gazed at Bradley. That look nearly shattered Bradley''s self-control. He turned his head slightly and said softly, "Cam, it''s reallyte." Bradley bent down, picked her up, and gentlyid her on the bed. He braced his hand on the pillow beside her head, caging her in protectively. Bradley gently ran his fingers through her soft hair, clearly reluctant to let go. "Cam, it''s reallyte. I''m going to sleep in the guest room. Will you be scared being here alone?" This vi was massive - five stories above ground, three below- and right now, it was just the two of them inside. Bradley fully expected Cameron to just shake her head. After all, she wasn''t the delicate, easily frightened girl. She was tougher than stone. But to his surprise, Cameron tugged at the hem of his robe, looking up at him with a rare softness in her voice. "Brad, I''m scared. Please don''t go." Bradley froze,pletely caught off guard. ''Don''t go?'' he wondered. ''Does she mean what I think she means?'' Bradley''s heart skipped a beat. Bradley looked down at her, helpless and a little desperate. "Cam, I''m really not as self-controlled as you think. If I don''t leave now, I might..." not be able to stop myself... "You don''t have to hold back," Cameron whispered, her voice soft but full of resolve. Bradley shocked. His eyes went wide-was he really hearing this right? "Wait... does she really mean what I think she means?'' Bradley''s heart was pounding. But instead of answering, Cameron decided to show him exactly what she meant -with action, not words. She grabbed a pillow from the bed and tossed it straight at the light switch. With a sharp "click," the room wentpletely dark. Chapter 710 In the darkness, Bradley looked at Cameron by the faint light filtering in from outside. "Cam, are you sure?" Cameron smiled, "Bred, I''ve already said yes to your proposal. Our engagement party is set for three months from now. What more do you need to sure of?" This is all so sudden,'' he thought, stunned. For a moment, Bradley waspletely dazed. "Cam, are you really ready for this?" Bradley still felt like he was dreaming. Cameron put her arms around his neck. "Brad..." She had barely called his name when Bradley''s lips crashed down on hers. Now that he had her answer, his kiss was hungry and reckless. His lips worshipped every inch of her skin... But right before the final moment, Bradley paused, a little nervous. "Cam, I don''t really have any experience..." Cameron replied, "Turns out, I don''t either." Bradley froze. ''It''s her first time too?'' he thought happily. Even though neither of them had any experience, they were both adults some things don''t need to be taught; they just happen when the timees. After a long while, Cameron drifted off to sleep, worn out. Bradley gently cleaned her up with a warm towel. Bradleyy down beside her, gently pulling her into his arms. Looking at the girl nestled against him, he couldn''t help but smile in satisfaction. He slowly lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her hair. His dreams really doe true. Bradley didn''t sleep a wink that night. He couldn''t take his eyes off Cameron, not even daring to blink, as if he could never get enough of her. Cameron slept soundly, and once again found herself lost in that dream. She was lying on the freezing concrete, her body battered and broken. A tall, striking young man forced his way through the crowd. With a soft sigh, he took off his jacket and gentlyid it over her. This time, something was different. This time, Cameron finally saw his face. The young man was strikingly handsome, with a reserved, schrly vibe. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses. ? Chapter 710. Brad Cameron murmured. "Brad. Brad..." "Hm? Cam?" Bradley was staring at her without blinking, when suddenly, Cameron frowned in her sleep and called his name. Bradley held her gently in his arms. "Cam?" Cameron slowly opened her eyes. Outside the window, the sky was growing pale. The room was getting brighter. The first thing she saw was Bradley''s impossibly handsome face, looking worried. But right now, he wasn''t wearing his sses. "Brad!" Cameron suddenly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "It was him all along!'' she thought. The only one who had ever given her warmth after her death in her previous life was Bradley! And in this life, he was also the first to show her any kindness. Her arms tightened a little around his neck. Bradley could barely breathe. But he didn''t push her away. Instead, he pulled her into a gentle embrace, his hand softly rubbing her back. "Cam, I''m here. I''m right here." "Brad..." Cameron finally let go of him after a long moment. Bradley saw the redness at the corners of her eyes, and his heart twisted with pain. He cupped her face. "What''s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?" Cameron shook her head softly, a smile curling at her lips. "No, it was a beautiful dream." Bradley blinked, a little puzzled. Cameron nestled against him, her eyes drifting down to his sculpted chest before she looked up, meeting his deep, mesmerizing gaze. "What is it?" Bradley asked, noticing she was just staring at him in silence. Cameron said softly, ¡°Brad, I think you seem more like your true self when you''re not wearing your sses." There was a sharpness in his deep eyes now, nothing like the gentle, schrly vibe he usually had. Bradley smiled, "If you like it, I can go without them." Chapter 711 like you whether you wear them or not, Cameron said, her fingers gently resting on his eyelids. She''d already seen every side of him. Bradley couldn''t help butugh, "So, should I put them on or not?" Cameron smiled, "Whatever you want." Bradley leaned down and kissed her smiling lips. "It''s still early. Do you want to sleep a little longer?" "It''s already morning," Cameron said, leaning against his chest. But she was still a bit sleepy, they''d worn each other outst night. Bradley raised his hand, and the electric curtains closed, plunging the room into darkness. Cameron curled up in his arms, her hands instinctively wrapping around his strong waist. In the cold winter, Bradley''s body was like a living furnace, radiating warmth. Cameron snuggled even closer to him. Bradley hugged her tighter, his warm lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Does it still hurt?" Without opening her eyes, Cameron murmured, "It''s okay." "Get some more sleep," Bradley said softly. Cameron didn''t respond. Curled up in Bradley''s arms, she was asleep again in no time. Bradley hadn''t gotten a wink of sleep all night. With Cameron in his arms, listening to her soft, steady breathing, he finally started to feel sleepy too and soon drifted off. They woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. Bang! Bang! Bang! At first, there was just knocking. When no one answered, it turned into loud banging. Cameron and Bradley both woke up at the same time. "Cam! Cam, are you in there?" Gavin''s voice came from outside the door. "Gavin, I''m here! Hold on a second," Cameron called out. Her voice was stillzy and drowsy from just waking up. Bradley sat up and reached over to turn on the light. Cameron tossed off the covers and got out of bed, but the moment her feet touched the carpet, her knees buckled and she nearly copsed to the floor. "Cam!" 10:35 Sat, 2 Aug Bradley reacted instantly, scooping her up into his arms. "Are you okay? Cameron leaned against him and mumbled, "Looks like I overestimated myself..... and seriously underestimated you." Bradley felt a little embarrassed. He smoothly scooped her up and carried her toward the bathroom. "I''m sorry. I went a little overboard." Cameron curled up in his strong arms and let out a softugh. ¡°Brad, you''re actually pretty gentle," Bradley fell silent. Bradley just lowered his head and kissed her lips. Bradley set Cameron down in the bathroom, his fingers gently brushing her delicate face. "Do you want me to stay with you, or should I step out!" "Step out," Cameron said. Bradley passed her clothes in through the door. By the time Cameron finished washing up and came out, Bradley was already dressed. Gavin was still waiting right outside the door. Cameron shot Bradley a look. Bradley pulled her close by the waist, giving her a look that told her everything was fine. "I''ll get the door." "Let''s go together," Cameron said. They held hands and opened the door. "Cam-" Gavin started. But the moment he saw Bradley standing there in Cameron''s room, still in his robe, his eyes went wide as saucers. In the next second, he lunged forward, grabbing Bradley by the cor, and shouted, "Bradley Saunders, what the hell are you doing in Cam''s room?" Cameron grabbed Sam''s wrist. "Gavin, let him go. I asked Brad to stay." Gavin eximed, "What?!" Gavin whipped his head around to stare at Cameron, totally floored. "You... you... let him...?" "Gavin, Cam and I are getting engaged soon. I promise I''ll take responsibility for her," Bradley Saunders said solemnly. Gavin shot him a fierce re. ¡°Did you drug Cam?" Brad Chapter 712 Cameron was helpless. She gently pulled Gavin''s hand away from Bradley''s cor. "Gavin, calm down," she said softly. "I can''t calm down!" Gavin gritted his teeth. Yesterday, Cameron was still his sister. Today, she belonged to another man. Cameron still didn''t say anything. Gavin red at Bradley again. "Didn''t you say you were sleeping in the guest roomst night?" Cameron said, "Gavin, I was the one who asked Brad to-" "Cam," Bradley cut her off, "go to the main building first. Let me have a word Cameron was speechless again. Gavin red at Bradley and said, "Cam, go downstairs first." Cameron stayed quiet for a while, but in the end, she just chose to leave first. Fine, whatever. She''d let Brad deal with Gavin on his own. Bradley stood tall and straight, tidying up his robe. "Gavin, if you''re really that mad, you two punches at me." Gavin instantly raised his fist and, with a fierce re, hurled it straight at Bradley. Bradley didn''t move an inch. He didn''t even blink behind those gold-rimmed sses. But Gavin''s fist didn''t hit Bradley''s face-it mmed into the wall right next to his head. His knuckles were already red from the punch. He stared Bradley down. "Bradley Saunders, if you ever hurt my sister, I''ll tear, r you apart, piece by piece. I''ll make you pay with your life!" Bradley replied solemnly, "Gavin, trust me. If I ever let Cam down, I wouldn''t have the right to live in this world." Gavin pulled his hand back. "Remember what you said!" With that, he turned and walked away. Bradley fell silent. Judging by the way Gavin was acting, Bradley thought he''d have to take a couple of punches before Gavin could cool off. But to his surprise, Gavin didn''ty a finger on him. Gavin''s love for Cameron really did extend to Bradley. Bradley hurried after him. "Gavin, your hand..." Gavin shook it off, as if to say he was fine, He turned back and said, "Hurry up and get changed ande downstairs, Cam''s waiting for you. Bradley smiled faintly, "Okay" Gavin headed downstairs. Cameron was waiting for him downstairs. Cameron immediately stood up when she saw him. "Gavin." Gavin said, "Don''t worry, I didn''t do anything to Bradley." After all, Bradley was the one Cameron cared about most-there was no But Cameron noticed his hand hanging at his side. he o''d ever hurt him. "Gavin, what happened to your hand?" she asked, grabbing his wrist. Gavin said, "Cam, I just couldn''t bring myself to hurt the one you love, so I punched the wall instead." Cameron was speechless again. She held his hand gently and let out a soft breath. "It must hurt, right?" His hand was so red, it looked like it was about to bleed. "It''s nothing," Gavin said. Seeing how much she still cared, he couldn''t help but smile. No matter who Cam married, she''d always be his little sister. Cameron said, "Gavin, hang on a sec. I''ll go look for the first-aid kit." She wasn''t really familiar with theyout of this vi. After searching for quite a while, she finally found the first-aid kit in the storage room. Cameron gave Gavin a quick once-over, cleaned up his wound, and dabbed some ointment on it. "Try not to get it wet for the next few days, okay?" she reminded him. "Okay," Gavin said, watching her with a gentle smile. He couldn''t help but reach out and ruffle her hair. "My little sis has really grown up!" "Gavin..." Cameron looked up at him. Gavin shook his head, telling her she didn''t need to say anything. He stood up. "Cam, I''ll head to the main building first. You and Brade over when you''re ready." As soon as Gavin was out the door, Bradley came downstairs. He adjusted his sses and asked, "Did Gavin leave?" Chapter 713 Cameron nodded. Bradley asked with concern. "His hand Cameron replied, "I took care of it briefly. Are you okay?" Bradley came downstairs and pulled the girl into his arms, his voice gentle. "Cam, I''m fine. Gavin was just warning me not to hurt you, or he won''t let me off the hook." Cameron reached up and gently tugged at his cor, her smile bright as she looked at him. "Brad, if that day everes, Gavin won''t get the chance to do anything about it." Bradley stared at her. "Cam, that day will nevere." Cameron smiled softly and smoothed his cor. Bradley held Cameron tightly in his arms. That day would nevere. After breakfast, Cameron''s friends said their goodbyes and left one by one. After lunch, the Yates family had to head back home, too. Nathan and Beth tried to convince them to stay a few more days, but Levi and Jacqueline politely declined. They naturally wanted to be home for the holidays. Cameron would be going back with them. Bradley would naturally being along to Viremont as well. Beth reminded Bradley, "Brad, you need toe back for Christmas." Three monthster, Cameron and Bradley would be engaged. Six months after that, they''d be married. So next Christmas, Bradley would spend the holiday with the Yates family. Bradley nodded. "Okay." Every member of the Saunders family had prepared gifts for Cameron. When Cameron arrived, her trunk wasplete. Now that she was leaving, her trunk was whole again. Cameron knew the Saunders family loved her because they loved Bradley. She squeezed his hand tightly. Before leaving, Cameron suddenly spoke up, "Brad, can I check out your closet?" "My closet?" Bradley looked puzzled but nodded indulgently. "Sure, I''ll show you." Bradley had always lived in the main house. Though each sibling had a vi, they preferred staying in the main building. It was livelier and more convenient, too. Their rooms were like private suites, with bedrooms, studies, walk-in closets, and storage rooms. Bradley led Cameron to his closet. The space was huge, with all his clothes hanging neatly in ss wardrobes. Cameron stood at the entrance, hei pare slowly sweeping serta every piece of dining. Bradley wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his chest against her back. He led head and bed, can via da yol aastate to see my closet?" Cameron didn''t answer. Instead, she asked, "Are all your clothes from childhood to now in Bradley''s gare fell on the wardrobe. "Everything from high school to now should be hers." "High school?" Cameron nodded and stepped forward, pulling open the ss door. Back then, Bradley was in his senior year. Cameron''s fingers gently moved through the clothes, one piece after another. Bradley didn''t know what Cameron was looking for. He just stood behind her, watching with a slight smile. Most of Bradley''s clothes had only be work once or twice and still looked new. Cameron searched for quite a while. Her gaze finally settled on a ck windbreaker. She reached up and took it down, scrutinizing it before gently holding it against her chest. It was the piece. In her past life, this very jacket had covered her broken body. The fabric felt soft. Cameron''s fingers tightened slightly around it "Cam?" Bradley looked puzzled. Cameron''s lips curved into a small smile. "Brad, can you give me this shirt?" Bradley blinked. "What?" AD Chapter 714 Bradley saw the seriousness in Cameron''s expression and nodded. "Of course. I''m yours, everything I have is yours. You can have anything." Cameron looked down at the shirt in her arms. "Then give it to me." Bradley didn''t ask why. He nodded with gentle affection. "Okay" Cameron clutched the shirt and threw herself into the arms of Bradley. "Brad, thank you." "Thank me for wh-" Bradley had barely started speaking when Cameron''s arms wrapped around his neck. She rose on her tiptoes, and her lips found his. Cameron''s lips were incredibly soft. Bradley''s eyes widened behind his gold-rimmed sses. Cameron rarely took the initiative like this. Bradley''s arms tightened around her instantly, taking control and deepening the kiss. They finally broke apart, both breathing heavily. Last night had been Cameron''s first time, and Bradley hadn''t dared do anything these past few days. Cameron rested her face against his gently rising chest. "Brad, let''s go. They are waiting for "Okay." Bradley didn''t ask why Cameron had thanked him. 1. US. Before they left, Cami pulled Cameron aside with a mysterious look. "Cam, you and Brad are getting engaged soon. I''m nning to give you both a very special engagement gift." Cameron smiled, "Very special? Well, thanks in advance, Cami." "But here''s the thing," Cami said. "You''ll have to make a choice when the time "What kind of choice?" Cami kept her air of mystery. "You''ll find out on your engagement day." Back at Yates Manor, Cameron carefully took out Bradley''s shirt and ironed it until every crease was gone. She folded it neatly and put it away with gentle hands. "Cam." Jacqueline knocked on the door. "Mom." Cameron opened the door. Jacqueline stepped inside. "Cam, since you and Brad are getting engaged anyway, and Brad doesn''t have any family here in Viremont, your father and talked it over." She continued, "We think he should move in with us. We have plenty of spare rooms, and he''ll be living here eventually anyway. What do you think?" Cameron''s lips curved into a smile as she hugged Jacqueline''s arm. "Mom, whatever you and Dad decide is fine with me." Bradley had already prepared their future home, but Cameron preferred staying close to her family. Jacqueline lovingly stroked Cameron''s hair. "Cam, now that you and Brad are settled, you should hurry up and have a Baby, the crid wa smile. Cameron was speechless. "Moin, Lance has been married for over six months. Why aren''t you pressuring him instead of me?" Jacquelineughed. "Who says I''m not pressuring him? Your brother doesn''t worry me as much, but you and Amy both need to get moving. Vemen should have children before thirty if possible. Recovery gets harder after that. Trust me, I know from experience" "A baby?" Cameron leaned against Jacqueline''s shoulder, her eyes brightening with hope. She wondered what a child of hers and Bradley''s would look like. Then she caught herself. It was too early to think about that. That evening, Bradley arrived at Yates Manor with his suitcase. For once, Gavin didn''t give Bradley the cold shoulder. With Cameron and Bradley''s engagement approaching, Gavin had epted the reality. Jacqueline thoughtfully arranged Bradley''s room right next to Cameron''s. After Bradley finished unpacking, he knocked on Cameron''s door. "Brad, you made it." Cameron pulled him into her room. The cold air still clung to Bradley''s clothes. He wrapped his arms around Cameron and pulled her close. "Cam, I feel like we''re already married." Cameronughed, "You''re living in my house now. We might as well be." Bradley raised an eyebrow. "I hope I can move into your room soon." Cameron smiled, "After the engagement." AD Comment Send gift The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 715 Bradley moved into the Yates Manor. With Christmas approaching, Levi and Jacqueline busied themselves decorating the mansion alongside the servants. Lance was upied with enjoying his romantic time with Amelia. As for Gavin, after meeting two blind dates arranged by Jacqueline, he made excuses and fled. H ouldn''t return until Christmas. Cameron and Bradley finally had some downtime after their busy year. They went shopping togerer, watched movies, held hands during walks, and climbed mountains to watch the sunrise. They experienced everything couples do. Bradley felt truly happy. Eddie wasn''t so fortunate. The day after Bradley proposed to Cameron, Eddie boarded another flight to Regalburg. He had already purchased a house near Vicki''s neighborhood. Eddie had been nning this for days-timing his morning runs to "identally" bump into Vicki near her neighborhood. Like always, Vicki still loved her morning bike rides around the vi district. So Eddie started getting up early to jog the same route. His n worked. He spotted Vicki cycling toward him on the tree-lined path. A slow smile spread across Eddie''s face, bringing life back to his eyes that had been dull for so long. "Ms. Shaw, good morning." Vicki hadn''t expected to see Eddie again. She slowed her bike slightly and gave him a nod before pedaling away faster. Her brother, Baron Shaw, had warned her to stay away from Eddie. So she kept her distance. Eddie stood there watching her disappear around the corner. ''Did Vicki not recognize me?'' The same scene yed out three days in a row. Eddie would appear on his "casual" morning jog, and Vicki would give him that same polite but cold nod before speeding off. By the third day, the truti... Ludie like a p-Vicki deliberately avoided him. He couldn''t understand why. Last time they''d met, she''d been so warm and friendly when she realized he was Cami''s brother, 10:12 Mon, 4 Aug On the fourth day, Eddie got himself a bicycle and waited at the intersection for Vicki. Winter in Regalburg was shrouded in mist. Vicki wore a ck coat and a red scarf, making her youthful face glow white and pink. She looked beautiful. "Ms. Shaw." Eddie blocked Vicki''s path with a smile. "I see you riding your bike every day and it looks fun. I got one too. Can I ride with you?" Vicki stared at Eddie''s smile and bit her lip slightly. "No." Eddie frozepletely. He never expected Vicki to refuse. He was like someone drowning in an abyss, already too weak to struggle. Hope red in his chest when he saw a ray of light in the distance. But in an instant, that light vanished. And he fell into darkness forever. Vicki caught the disappointment on Eddie''s face, and it made her feel terrible, too. She turned her bike around and rode straight home. Back in her living room, Vicki sat on the sofa, feeling frustrated with herself. ''Was I too harsh just now? It''s just riding bikes together. But Baron told me not to get involved with Eddie. guess this is how it has to be.'' That afternoon, Vicki went out on her bike again. She felt restless all day because she hadn''t gone out that morning. FES Vicki didn''t notice the ck Bentley following her steadily, roughly 300 feet behind. Eddie gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the girl''s graceful figure ahead. Initially, he just wanted to watch Vicki quietly from afar. She was so beautiful, so pure. Someone dirty like him didn''t deserve to touch her life. Bradley had encouraged him to try/But Bradley was different from him. Bradley was exceptional. Ev forgetting Cameron all these years, he had stayed clean. He kept himself pure until he met Cameron again by chance. Eddie didn''t deserve that kind of hope. He didn''t dare ask for too much. Watching her from a distance was enough. 10:12 Mon, 4 Aug Chapter 716 Before she knew it, Vicki had ridden quite far. She parked her bike outside a garden and took small steps as she wandered through it. It had snowedst night, leaving a thinyer of white on the tree branches. Vicki took several deep breaths. The air outside was so fresh. Over the years, Baron had protected her too well. Combined with her illness, Vicki didn''t even have friends. Sometimes she felt truly lonely. 38) Now that Baron was dating someone, he had to spend time with his girlfriend on top of work. That left very little time for her. Most of the time, she was utterly alone. As Vicki walked, she noticed all the couples in the park on dates, paired up together. She let out a sigh. She was 24 years old and still single. Lost in thought, she continued walking forward. Eddie parked his car about 300 feet away from the bike. He also entered the park and searched before spotting Vicki''s figure. Even her silhouette looked delicate and beautiful. He picked her out of the crowd right away. Vicki made her way to the artificialke. The winter air was sharp and cold, and theke had frozen solid. Couples walked hand in hand across the ice, theirughter echoing in the crisp air. Vicki stepped onto the frozen surface in her snow boots. She didn''t know that only theke''s edges were solid-the deeper she went toward the center, the thinner and more dangerous the ice became. Everyone else stayed near the shore, but Vicki began walking toward the middle of theke. Someone spotted her and shouted urgently, "Hey! Come back! You can''t go there! It''s dangerous!" Vicki turned around. "Come back!" voices called out from all directions. Eddie saw Vicki heading toward theke''s center, and his heart lurched with fear. It had snowedst night, and the temperature was freezing, but that didn''t mean the ice could support a person''s weight. Eddie silently prayed for Vicki to turn back before something terrible happened. However, life rarely went ording to n. 3.82% N +38 Vicki heard everyone shouting and immediately turned around, ready to return to shore. But the moment she turned, a soft cracking sound came from beneath her feet. Vicki''s heart sank as she looked down and saw cracks spreading across the ice. "Oh no!" Vicki froze instantly, not daring to move. But it didn''t matter whether she moved or not. The ice at theke''s center was far too thin to support anyone''s weight. The ice under Vicki''s right foot gave waypletely with a sharp crack. She plunged downward as mice shattered around her, instantly disappearing beneath the frozenke''s surface. "Oh my God! She fell through!" Everyone on shore cried out in terror, scrambling toward the bank Eddie watched helplessly as Vicki vanished into the ice hole. His heart lurched violently, and a wave of pure terror washed over him. Eddie''s reaction was lightning-fast. He kicked off his shoes and sprinted toward Vicki''s position, stripping off his jacket as he ran. Without hesitation, Eddie plunged into the icyke. He''d been swimming for years, even though winter. The frigid water didn''t faze him as he quickly reached Vicki and pulled her to shore. Vicki''s body was ice-cold, and she''d lost consciousness. Someone nearby immediately called 911. Eddie''s face went white with fear. He couldn''t think about anything else-he positioned his hands and began CPR, alternating between chestpressions and rescue breathing. ¡°Ugh!¡± Vicki finally expelled a mouthful of water, but she remained unconscious. 212 Chapter 717 The ambnce arrived quickly, and Eddie climbed in with them. His quick response had saved her. Vicki was out of danger, but her body was weak. After spending several minutes in the freezing water, the cold had seeped deep into her bones, leaving her unconscious. Eddie finally exhaled in relief only after the doctors confirmed Vicki was safe. He had been so focused on her safety that he''d jumped into the ambnce shirtless, water still dripp.g from his clothes. He didn''t care about any of it. A nurse brought him a set of hospital scrubs. After changing, Eddie sneezed several times in a row. nurse suggested he get some cold medicine, he refused. Seeing that Vicki was fine, Eddie left. He was perceptive enough to sense that Vicki didn''t want to spend more time with him than necessary. Better to leave quickly. Before going, he asked the nurse to contact Baron. the Evening came before Vicki slowly opened her eyes. An IV needle was still taped to the back of her hand, fluid dripping steadily into her system. The moment Vicki stirred, both people beside her bed immediately turned to look. "Vicki, you''re awake! Baron and I were so worried about you! How are you feeling?" Rachel hurried over and ced her hand on Vicki''s forehead. "Good, no fever." Rachel Quinn was Baron''s fianc¨¦e and a doctor. Baron leaned down to look at Vicki''s pale face, his expression concerned. "Where does it hurt?" ¡°Baron, Rachel-" Vicki''s voice came out hoarse when she spoke. "I''m okay." Rachel quickly poured a ss of warm water, helped her sit up, and fed it to her. Baron sat on the edge of the bed, frowning. "How did you end up falling into the river?" Vicki replied, "I didn''t expect the ice in the middle of theke to be so thin." Baron said, "Looks like you''ll need to take two bodyguards with you from now on." "Baron, no!" Vicki immediately refused. Having people follow her around would mean no freedom at all. Rachel patted Baron''s shoulder. "Baron, don''t be so tense. This was an ident. Vicki''s an adult. She knows what she''s doing." Vicki immediately hugged Rachel''s arm. ¡°Rachel''s the best." "Don''t move around." Baron gently pulled her hand down and carefully ced it t, worried she might get poked by the IV needle. Vicki leaned against the headboard, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Baron, what happened to the perso: tho saved me?" "He left." "Left?" Vicki''s brow furrowed. "Who was he? I need to thank him properly." Baron replied, ¡°I don''t know who he was. Just someone in the park who stepped in to help." Baron wanted to thank the stranger, too. Vicki was his only family and the most important person in his world. He would have rewarded the man generously, but with no way to find him, he had to let it go. "Baron, that person knew me," Vicki said. "You should look into it." While in the water, she heard someone call her Ms. Shaw. Baron tucked the nket around her shoulders. "I''ll check it out. You rest now." Baron pulled the hospital''s security footage, but luck wasn''t on his side. The cameras had malfunctioned that day, leaving no trace to follow. Unable to find her rescuer, Vicki felt a quiet disappointment settle in her chest. A good deed done without seeking recognition-he truly was a good person. Everyone in Regalburg knew how much Vicki meant to Baron. He would have received a substantial reward if the stranger had stayed to meet Baron. Instead, he had simply walked away. Eddie felt the cold symptoms hit him the moment he got home. He picked up some medicine, took it, and slept through the night. By morning, he feltpletely refreshed. Standing on the top floor of his vi, Eddie gazed toward Vicki''s house in the distance. He wondered how she was doing now. Part of him wanted to check on her, but it wouldn''t be appropriate. Christmas was approaching, so Eddie packed up and returned to Saunders Manor. Aug Christmas Day arrived. After lunch, Bradley prepared to drive back to the Saunders family home. He had promised Beth he would be there for the family dinner.. The thought of leaving Cameron filled him with reluctance. In Cameron''s bedroom, Bradley held her on hisp and said, "Cam, I''ll be back first thing tomorrow morning." AD Chapter 718 Cameron hooked her arm around his neck. "I know." Bradley gazed at her intensely and let out a sigh. He really wanted to pack Cameron up and take her with him. These past few days, they''d been together every moment except when sleeping. Bradley was alread missing her before he''d even left. That was how it was with couples in love-they never wanted to be art for a second. Cameron pinched his ear yfully. "Brad, one day goes by fast." "Time really does fly when I''m with you," Bradley said. Cameron couldn''t help butugh. She teased him deliberately. "Why don''t you just not go back?" Bradley shook his head. "I already promised my mom." Besides, it was a Saunders family tradition. No matter how busy they were, all the Saunders had to Cameron smiled, "Then wish your family a Merry Christmas for me." Bradley suddenly turned toward the door. "What?" Cameron asked. Bradley looked back at her. "Cam, did you lock the door?" Cameron fell silent. Before Cameron could say anything, Bradley kissed her lips with burning intensity. Only bypletely possessing her again could he barely ease the endless longing in his heart. Over an hourter, they stepped out fully dressed. Cameron walked Bradley to his car. He sat inside while she stood outside, one hand resting on the window. "Brad, drive carefully." It was Christmas Eve, and everyone was rushing to Christmas dinner. People were excited and might be driving too fast. Bradley took her hand and kissed it gently. "Cam, wait for me." Cameron nodded. "I will." Bradley wanted to say more, but Cameron waved him off. "Go on, Brad. If you keep stalling, you''ll miss Christmas dinner." 10:13 Mon, 4 Aug Bradley smiled, "Alright." Then he drove away. Cameron didn''t turn around until Bradley''s car disappeared from view. The moment she turned, she bumped straight into Amelia. Amelia wrapped an arm around Cameron''s shoulder. "Cam, look at you staring after him like that. You might as well have gone with him." Cameron shook her head thoughtfully. "We''re not married yet." Before they were officially married, she could visit the Saunders family, but spending Christmas with em was out of the question. Ameliaughed, "Bradley''s the same way. He''s so sharp and capable at work, but when ites he gets all old-fashioned." Cameron defended him. "You and Lance aren''t any better." Amelia fell silent. 3. 3. As evening approached, Gavin still hadn''t returned home. Jacqueline had already worked with the kitchen staff to prepare the Christmas dinner. She changed into a beautiful dark purple dress and came downstairs. "Where is Gavin? Why isn''t he back yet?" Lance smiled, "Mom, Gavin probably got scared off by that blind date you arranged for him." Levi looked up from his iPad. "He''s old enough. Shouldn''t he be dating?" "I''ll call him," Jacqueline said. Cameron and Amelia came down the stairs hand in hand. Both had changed into pretty winter dresses and applied light makeup. After all, this was the year''s most important day, and they''d be taking photos for Instagramter. They naturally wanted to look their best. "Mom, Dad, I''m home." Just as Jacqueline was about to make the call, Gavin''s voice came from the doorway. "You finally-" Levi was about to scold Gavin when he looked up and saw his son walking in with a young woman by his side. The words caught in Levi''s throat. Chapter 719 Gavin walked in holding hands with a stunning young woman. The girl looked to be around twenty-five. She wore a ck coat with her long hair falling loosely over her shoulders. Her features were delicate, but her eyes held a distant, almost vacant look. Her sudden appearance cut Levi''s scolding words short, leaving them stuck in his throat. Everyone in the room turned to stare at the stranger, their faces filled with surprise and curiosity. "Gavin, who is this?" Jacqueline stepped forward with a polite inquiry. Gavin turned to the girl beside him. "What''s your name?" The room fell silent. Everyone stared in disbelief. Gavin had brought someone home and didn''t even know her name yet he was holding her hand. Levi and Jacqueline exchanged looks of pure bewilderment. The girl said calmly, "Hello, I''m Britney Watson." "Mom, her name is Britney," Gavin announced. Jacqueline said nothing, clearly at a loss for words. Lance leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed. "Well, Gavin. That was fast- bringing someone home after just a few days." Gavin shot him a sharp look. Amelia stood up and waved cheerfully at Britney. "Hi, I''m Amelia." Britney nced at Amelia and nodded coolly. "Hello." "Britney,e in,e sit down." Jacqueline hurried over and took Britney''s hand, then gasped. "Oh my! Your hands are freezing!" She looked disapprovingly at Gavin and asked Edwin to fetch a hot water bottle. "Thank you." Britney clutched the warm bottle against her chest. Levi looked at Gavin. "So this is your new girlfriend?" "No." Gavin shook his head immediately. A few days ago, Jacqueline had dragged him to a blind date setup. After meeting two girls, he''d fled. Since then, Gavin had been wandering the streets. With Christmas approaching, the city felt emptier than 438) usual. Viremont was a major metropolis, but most people went home to their families during the holidays. Christmas actually brought a strange quiet to the bustling city. Everyone was rushing home while he drifted aimlessly through the streets. Gavin wanted to go home too, but facing Levi and Jacqueline''s nagging made his head throb. Then again, Cameron and Lance had all settled down while he remained single. Jacqueline and Levi sy have a point. Gavin had spent the day by the river, thinking that even if he got lectured, he should at least go h Christmas dinner. The riverbank was nearly deserted. That was when he noticed Britney. He''d been there all day, and so had she. They''d be aware of each other''s presence. Before leaving, Gavin couldn''t help but approach her. "Why aren''t you heading home? It''s getting dark, and it''s not safe for a girl to be out here alone." "I don''t have a home anymore." Britney''s voice was steady, matter-of-fact. Something came over Gavin, and he blurted out, "Then why don''t youe home with me?" The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Britney looked at him, staring for what felt like forever, then nodded. "Okay." Gavin had nothing to say to that. So Gavin ended up bringing her home. When Britney saw Gavin shake his head, she lowered her eyes. Confusion flickered across everyone''s faces. They couldn''t understand why he''d brought her home for Christmas if Britney wasn''t Gavin''s girlfriend. Still, since she was already there, the Yates family weed Britney warmly enough. Cameron politely greeted her, though her phone kept buzzing with messages from Bradley. Bradley had sent Cameron dozens of photos from the Saunders family Christmas dinner-an borate spread that looked absolutely delicious. The Yates family had just started their Christmas meal, so Cameron returned the favor by snapping some photos to send back. ear we Bradley: [Cam, next year we''ll be spending Christmas together.] U.15 Mon, 4 Aug Cameron replied briefly before focusing on dinner. 82%•þ +38 "Merry Christmas!" Everyone raised their sses, and the atmosphere grew lively and warm. But Britney''s expression remained distant throughout, entirely out of sync with the festive mood around her. AD Chapter 720 It wasn''t that Britney didn''t want to smile-she simply couldn''t. She had spent the entire day by the river, nning to end her life after midnight. She hadn''t expected Gavin to walk toward her. The Yates family was kind to her, weing her with genuine warmth. Britney forced a smile and raised her ss. "Merry Christmas!" After finishing one ss, she poured herself another and drained it, then immediately reached for > Jacqueline caught sight of this and quickly shot Gavin a meaningful look. Gavin understood and took the ss from her hands. "Don''t just drink. Eat something." Britney lowered her eyes and finally picked up her fork. 1. d. After Christmas dinner, everyone went to the back garden to set off fireworks. Cameron and Amelia were both delighted. Jacqueline noticed Britney''sck of enthusiasm and called Gavin aside. "Gavin, why don''t you take Ms. Watson to rest? She looks exhausted." Gavin led Britney back to the guest room. Amelia and Cameron had plenty of clothes with tags still on them. Gavin had someone bring a set for Britney to use as pajamas. He carefully showed her where to find the toiletries. Britney watched him in silence. "Ms. Watson, get some rest. Merry Christmas," Gavin said. "Gavin!" He turned to leave, but Britney grabbed the corner of his shirt. Gavin looked down at her hand, clutching his shirt. "Ms. Watson, is there something else you need?" Britney looked up, meeting his questioning gaze. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at him with an intensity that made his skin crawl. There was something final in her expression, something that unsettled him. "Are you single?" Britney asked. Gavin paused, then nodded honestly. "Yes, I''m single. You-" Before he could finish, Britney suddenly stood on her toes, hooked her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his. Gavin''s eyes widened inplete shock. He stared at Britney''s face just inches from his own, watching a tear slide down her cheek. After a few seconds, he pushed Britney away. "Ms. Watson, what are you doing?" Gavin wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Britney grabbed his shirt, her eyes red and swollen. "Don''t reject me." Without waiting for an answer, she kissed him again. A month ago, her parents died in an ident. She became an orphan overnight. She nearly couldn''t handle it. The grief almost broke herpletely. Her boyfriend and best friend stayed by her side through everything. Slowly, she began to heal from the pain. But this morning, she walked in on her best friend and boyfriend together. The two people she trusted most in this world had both betrayed her. Her boyfriend said, "Britney, you''re so full of yourself. Saving yourself for our wedding night? What century are you living in? If you won''t sleep with me, plenty of other girls will." Her world copsed in that moment. That was his reason for betraying her. Three years together, and this was why he threw it all away. After three years together, he betrayed her over this one thing. Britney felt her world crumble. She walked to the river, ready to end everything. Nothing in this world mattered to her anymore. Then Gavin appeared, and a desperate idea struck her. What she had treasured so deeply wasn''t worthless after all. In her pain, she wanted to give herself to aplete stranger. She grabbed Gavin''s hand, her grip filled with resolve. Gavin didn''t expect her to kiss him again. He was a man. of course, he felt something. But he stayed in cor Chapter 721 82% Gavin gripped her wrist and pushed her away. His breathing was unsteady as he stared at the tears rolling down the girl''s cheeks. "Ms. Watson, you''re drunk. You should get some rest." With that, Gavin released her. Tears streamed down Britney''s face. "Why won''t you want me either?" Gavin confused. ''Either? What does she mean by that?'' Gavin frowned. "Ms. Watson, get some rest. Ring the bell if you need anything from the staff." He turned to leave. At the doorway, he nced back, still worried. The sight made his heart stop. Britney had climbed onto the window ledge and was about to jump. "Ms. Watson!" Gavin shouted, rushing to pull her into his arms. He tried to bring her down, but Britney gripped the window frame, refusing to let go. "Gavin, let me go! Just let me die!" Britney''s voice cracked with emotion. Gavin held on tight. "Ms. Watson, it''s Christmas. Whatever''s wrong, we can work through it. Come down first." Even from the second floor, a fall would cause serious injuries. Britney sobbed uncontrobly. "My parents are dead. My boyfriend cheated with my best friend. Family, love, friendship... I have nothing left. How am I supposed to go on?" Gavin''s expression froze in shock. At the riverbank, Britney had told him she had no home left. He''d been surprised then, but he never imagined it meant this. Gavin stayed quiet for a long moment before speaking. "If your parents were still alive, they wouldn''t want you throwing your life away like this." Britney froze. Her grip on the window frame slowly loosened. Gavin pulled her down from the window and settled her on the single armchair nearby. He quickly locked the window shut. He looked at Britney''s red-rimmed eyes. "Ms. Watson, if you really died, wouldn''t those people who hurt you justugh? You need to stay alive. Don''t the people who betrayed you deserve to pay?" 10:13 Mon, 4 Aug &OV Britney gave a bitter smile. "Revenge? I''m just a powerless orphan. What could I possibly do?" Without thinking, Gavin said, "I can help you." Britney stared at him in surprise. She studied Gavin''s face, really seeing him for the first time. Cameron and Lance both looked like Jacqueline, but Gavin favored Levi. His features were sharp and defined, his eyes narrow and intense. When he wasn''t speaking, he seemed almost unapproachable. Britney kept staring at him. She hadn''t expected someone who looked so cold and distant to be this canng. A warmth spread through her chest. Gavin noticed her staring at him and realized what he''d just said. It was like when he''d told Britney home with him-the words just tumbled out without thinking. Offering to help her get revenge was probably just his masculine heroplex talking. "Would you really help me?" Britney asked, uncertainty in her voice. She definitely wanted that cheating couple to pay. Gavin met her hopeful gaze and couldn''t bring himself to refuse. "As long as you stay alive, I''ll help you get your revenge." "What can I do for you in return?" Britney asked. She was twenty-five years old now, not some naive little girl. She understood how the world worked. Everything had a price. No one did favors for nothing. Gavin fell silent at her question. After a moment, he shook his head. "You don''t need to do anything." Britney looked confused. "Then why would you help me?" She had offered herself to him, but he pushed her away. She had nothing-nothing that would be worth his interest. Chapter 722 Gavin was taken aback. After a long pause, he finally said, "It''s a happy day. I don''t want anything to happen. to you in my home." Britney was stunned for a moment. Only now did she realize just how out of line her actions had been. Trying to end her life in the Yates Manor was way over the line. In the heat of the moment, Britney had cast everything else from her mind. She looked at Gavin with. It "I''m sorry." Gavin shook his head. "Ms. Watson, I keep my word. As long as you stay alive, I''l help you get your revenge." Britney gave a bitter smile. "Gavin, thank you, but that won''t be necessary." ''He and I are basically strangers. Why would Gavin go out of his way to help me?'' Britney thought. ''I should deal with my own problems.'' Even though Britney didn''t have the power to make those two scumbags pay right now, the future was long, and one day, she''d make them pay for what they''d done. Gavin was taken aback. Just a moment ago, Britney looked like she was counting on him for revenge. ''Why the sudden change of heart?'' he wondered. "Ms. Watson, are you still thinking about ending your life?" Gavin asked, his brow furrowing. Britney shook her head. "Gavin, thank you for tonight. You made me realize one thing. Before I make those who hurt me pay the price, I have to stay alive-and live well." Gavin finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that she was calmer now, he told her to get some rest and then turned to leave, heading back to the garden to continue setting off fireworks. Britney, on the other hand, took out a sticky note from the drawer, scribbled a line on it, and quietly slipped away. Cameron took a bunch of photos and sent them to Bradley. Bradley sent her a ton of pictures, too. Bradley: [Cam, my only regret this year is not having you here with me.] Cameron looked up at the fireworks lighting up the sky and at her family by her side, feeling truly content. She replied: [Brad, we''ll finally see each other tomorrow.] Bradley: [Yeah, wait for me.] Cameron didn''t reply, 82% She set off fireworks with her family until after ten, then went back to the living room to chat and watch TV together. The whole family was having a great time together. Jacqueline nced upstairs. "Gavin, is Ms. Watson resting?" Gavin nodded. "She should be asleep by now." Gavin had wanted to invite Britney to join them, but since she wasn''t feeling up to it, he figured it was best to let her rest. The Yates family stayed upte together, waiting for the clock to hit midnight. When the clock finally struck twelve, the courtyard exploded with firecrackers. Fireworks were going off everywhere, lighting up the night. It was officially the new year now. At midnight, Cameron got a call from Bradley. With fireworks bursting across the sky, Bradley''s gentle voice came through the phone. "Cam, Merry Christmas!" Cameron gazed at the night sky, glowing red from the fireworks. "Brad, Merry Christmas!" At the Saunders Manor, the whole Saunders family had just finished watching ssic Christmas movies together as well. Everyone was heading back to their rooms one after another. However, instead of turning in, Bradley pulled out his car keys and headed downstairs. Bradley ran into Eddie, who was on his way back to his room. "Brad, are you going out?" he asked. Bradley nodded. ¡°Yeah, I''m heading back to Viremont." Eddie''s eye twitched. "Now? Do you really have to leave in such a hurry, Brad?" Bradley replied, "Yeah, it''s urgent." With that, he turned and walked away. Eddie watched as Bradley''s shadow disappeared and let out a sigh. ''If only I could be as decisive as Brad when ites to love,'' Eddie thought to himself. It was two in the morning. While everyone else was fast asleep, Bradley had just exited the Viremont highway. He headed straight for the Yates Manor. Bradley couldn''t help but imagine what Cameron''s reaction would be when he suddenly showed up in front 10:13 Mon, 4 Aug of her. ''She''ll definitely be happy,'' he mouth. thought. Bradley couldn''t help but let a small smile tug at the corners of his Lost in his thoughts, Bradley didn''t notice the truck turning the corner until thest second. He jerked the steering wheel hard. However, it was already toote. AD The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 723 The car was violently struck by the truck, flipping several times before crashing into a tree by the roadside, finallying to a halt. Fortunately, Bradley''s Mercedes was a top-of-the-line model. The airbags immediately deployed, protecting his body from injury, but his head mmed hard against the steering wheel. Blood began to flow from the corner of his forehead, obscuring his handsome face. Bradley slowly lost consciousness. The truck driver had been lying in wait here just after midnight. He thought he''d have to wait until tomorrow for his target to show up, but the money his employer offered was just too good to risk missing out, so he decided to stake out the ce overnight. To his surprise, his patience actually paid off." When Bradley''s car finally showed up, even he was honestly a bit shocked. But he didn''t hesitate-he floored it and crashed right into him. Watching the Mercedes get smashed up, he didn''t hesitate for a second. He yanked the wheel and sped off, fleeing the scene. It was two in the morning on festival day, and the streets were practically deserted. It wasn''t until an hourter that someone driving by spotted the wrecked Mercedes and quickly called the police and an ambnce. The next day, at seven thirty in the morning, Gavin went to knock on Britney''s door. He knocked for quite a while, but there was no answer. After a moment''s hesitation, he turned the doorknob and entered. As expected, Britney was nowhere to be found. Gavin spotted a note she''d left behind, the handwriting neat and graceful. [Gavin, thank you. Until we meet again.] Gavin held the note, pressing his lips together. ''When did she leave?'' he wondered. Without a word, he slipped the note into his coat pocket. He headed downstairs, where Jacqueline asked about Britney. "Has Ms. Watson gotten up yet?" Gavin said calmly, "She''s gone." "Gone?" Jacqueline looked a bit surprised. Seeing that Gavin looked a little down, Jacqueline didn''t ask anything more. The whole family sat down together and shared their first breakfast of the new year. After breakfast, Amelia grabbed Cameron''s arm. "Cam,e hang out with us. Bradley''s not even here right now." Cameron shook her head. "No way, I''m not going to be the third wheel for you and Lance. Brad will be back any minute now." Viremont and Steerfall were only about a two-hour drive apart. Lance waved her off. "Alright then, Cam, Amy and I are heading out for our date." Cameron waved back. "Have fun." Knowing that Cameron was waiting for Bradley toe back, Levi and Jacqueline decided to go check out some nearby attractions. Gavin headed out on his own for a walk. Cameron plopped down on the living room couch and sent Bradley a message: [Brad, have you had breakfast yet?] Right then, Eddie''s call popped up on her phone. Cameron was a bit surprised, but she picked up. "Hey, Eddie." "Cameron," Eddie''s voice was weary and low as he said. "Where are you right now?" Cameron could hear something was off in Eddie''s tone, so she asked, "Eddie, is something wrong?" Eddie said, "Cameron, this is really sudden, but I have to tell you. Brad drove to Viremont just after midnightst night, but he got into a car ident right after getting off the highway." "A car ident?" Cameron shot up from the couch and bolted for the door. "Where are you guys now? Is Brad badly hurt?" Eddie replied, "We''re at Crownhill Hospital. Don''t worry. Brad''s out of danger now. But he suffered a head injury, so he''s still unconscious." Cameron''s brow furrowed. "I''m on my way." Half an hourter, Cameron saw Bradley. AD Comment Chapter 724 In the VIP ward, Bradleyy on a big bed, his head wrapped in white bandages, his face deathly pale, and his eyes tightly shut. "Brad?" Cameron rushed over without hesitation. When she was about three feet from the bed, Cameron slowed down, her steps growing lighter as she quietly approached. The whole Saunders family had been in the room, but when they saw Cameron arrive, they all quietly and knowingly slipped out. Only Damian, who was there as the doctor, stayed behind. Cameron sat at Bradley''s bedside. His right hand had an IV drip, so she carefully took his left hand in hers. Cameron asked softly, "How''s Brad doing?" "Cam," Damian reassured her, one hand in hisb coat pocket, "Brad was lucky- he only suffered a head injury. Even though he''s still unconscious, he''s out of danger now. He should wake up by this evening, so try not to worry too much." Cameron pressed her lips together. She casually ced her fingers on Bradley''s wrist to check his pulse. After a long moment, the furrow in her brow finally rxed. Cameron pulled her hand back and turned to Damian. "How did Brad get into a car ident?" Bradley''s a skilled driver, and there were hardly any cars on the road at that hour. It just doesn''t add up. carace doesn onpart Damian said, "ording to the surveince footage from early this morning, that truck had been parked there since midnight, lying in wait. As soon as it spotted Brad''s car, it gunned it and mmed right into him, then took off." Cameron frowned at his words. Damian continued, "The police found the truck about 18 miles from the scene. Both the license te and the truck itself had been scrapped. The police have preliminarily ssified the case as murder, but they don''t have any leads on the suspect yet." Damian told Cameron everything without holding back. For one thing, he already considered Cameron part of the Saunders family. For another, she seemed to be holding it together. Upon hearing what Damian said, Cameron''s frown deepened. "Has Brad offended anyone recently?" she asked. Damian let out a sigh. "Brad''s work as awyer has inevitably hurt a lot of people''s interests, but with the Saunders family behind him, nothing''s ever happened all these years. "This time, we really don''t know who would have the guts to try and kill him." Someone was clearly out to kill Bradley. Thankfully, his car was well-built, and Bradley reacted fast-plus, luck was on his side he only ended up with a head injury. Cameron just frowned, saying nothing. Just then, her phone buzzed. Right now, she really didn''t feel like checking her messages. About half an hourter, Cameron finally fished out her phone and checked her messages. When she saw the message, Cameron''s grip on the phone suddenly tightened. [Cameron, I''ll make you taste what it''s like to lose the one you love most.] 19.35 wed, o Aug ''What the hell? It''s me. The person ising after me. But instead, he targeted Bradley. Who could it be?'' Cameron wondered anxiously Cameron''s life was as simple as it gets-just going back and forth between work and home. Yet this person said he would make Cameron taste what it was like to lose the one she loved most, too. ''When did I ever offend him?'' Cameron thought. There was no way to trace the sender. Cameron had no idea where to even start. She decided to send a reply. [Sorry, but you''re going to be disappointed.] The response came almost instantly. [Oh, he''s still alive?] Cameron blinked in surprise. She hadn''t expected the sender to actually reply. Cameron stood up at once and turned to Damian. "Damian, could you look after Brad for me? There''s something I need to take care of." AD Chapter 725 Cameron returned to the Yates Manor. The house was empty. She headed straight to her room, opened herptop, connected her phone, and her fingers danced swiftly across the keyboard. Cameron fired off another message. [Bradley''s just fine, but you''re the one who''s about to meet your end.j [Dream on,] came the instant reply. Cameron''s fingers flew over the keys, and in no time, she quickly tracked down the person''s IP address. Her lips pressed into a cold line as she grabbed her phone, headed downstairs, and drove straight to the address she''d just found. Milena, lounging in her robe on the sofa, scoffed at the message from Cameron. ''Huh? She wants me dead?'' Milena thought with a sneer. ''Cameron is dreaming! Milena was nothing if not cautious. When she contacted the truck driver, she bundled herself up tightly and made sure to meet him somewhere with no cameras around. And she paid him in cash. No one would ever think to suspect her. The phone number she used to talk to Cameron was a burner she''d bought, and on top of that, she''d masked the number. There was no way Cameron could ever track her down. Milena didn''t believe for a second that Bradley was really okay, no matter what Cameron said. Milena had seen the news herself. Bradley still hadn''t woken up. But Cameron just wouldn''t admit it. However, just over half an hourter, Milena''s bedroom door was kicked open with a violent crash. Milena''s shoulders jerked violently, and she whipped her head around, her face instantly going pale. And standing there was none other than Cameron. Cameron was dressed in a red coat, her hair flowing down her back, her beautiful face entuated by wless makeup. Cameron was supposed to go on a date with Bradley today. But right now, her face was icy, her eyes sharp as knives. That look made Milena''s heart tremble. But she quickly pulled herself together. Milena red at Cameron, arms crossed as she looked her up and down. "Oh, look who it is. After all these years, the first thing you do is bust down my door? Is that really how you say hello now?" Cameron strode into the room, her face unreadable as she fixed her gaze on Milena''s obviously fakeposure. "Milena, tha son who stirred up trouble outside mypany more than six months ago was also your doing, wasn''t it?" er and Back then, Cameron had just assumed it was/herpetitors trying to make trouble because she was making too many waves. But after Bradley''s ident, she finally connected the dots. For a split second, a crack appeared in Milena''s carefully crafted mask, but she quickly pulled herself together and yed dumb. "What are you even talking about? "What trouble? I only got back to the country at the start of the year. Cameron, wasn''t it enough for you to get our parents locked up? Are Not long ago, Milena had visited her parents in prison. They looked like shadows of themselves, wasting away in that hellhole. And it was att because of Cameron. But Cameronpletely ignored Milena''s rambling, her gaze icy and sharp. "Milenia, when you couldn''t touch me, you went after Bradley instead. Never mind what I might do to you. Do you really think the Saunders family will just let you walk away?" Milena''s face flushed with rage. ¡°Cameron, don''t make things up. Bradley? I have no idea what you''re even talking about." Cameron couldn''t be bothered to argue. She raised her phone and said coldly, "Milena, aren''t these the texts I sent you?" "What is that? Of course not." Milena denied it immediately. She didn''t have the guts to admit anything. She only ever had the nerve to scheme from the shadows. Cameron gave a coldugh. "Milena, don''t bother denying it just yet. Save your exnations for the police." Milena froze. "You called the cops?" Hardly had Milena finished speaking when two uniformed officers appeared at the doorway. AD Chapter 726 Milena''s fingers curled up nervously. Though panic was swirling inside her, she forced herself to look calm. ''I didn''t leave any loose ends. Even if the police show up, they won''t find any evidence. There''s no need to panic, Milena tried to reassure herself inwardly. "Who''s Milena Wace?" one of the officers asked, shing his badge at Cameron and Milena before his gaze swept over them. Milena instinctively took a step back. But Cameron stepped forward. "Officer, I''m the one who called. She''s Milena. I suspect she orchestrated the car ident at the highway intersectionst night." The two officers immediately turned their attention to Milena. Milena took another step or two back. "It wasn''t me. I swear, it wasn''t me," she blurted out. She shook her head frantically, denying it as fast as she could. The officers didn''t address Milena and instead turned to Cameron. "What text messages are you talking about?" Cameron immediately handed his phone to them. After reading the messages, the officers remained calm and asked Milena, "Did you send these texts?" "No." Milena immediately denied it. ¤ë Cameron frowned. Her gaze swept quickly around the room beforending on the sofa, where two phones were lying. She rushed over and grabbed the phones. "Cameron?" Milena yelled, lunging to grab the phones back. ''I was too careless,'' Milena thought, regret flooding her. ''I never imagined Cameron would actually track me down here. So after sending those texts, Milena just tossed her phone aside without a second thought. But Cameron had already tossed the phones to the officers. Each officer caught a phone. They both turned to Milena. "Ms. Wace, what''s the password for these phones?" Milena''s face went pale, and she stayed silent. "Ms. Wace, please cooperate," one of the officers said. With no other choice, Milena reluctantly gave them the password. Sure enough, the officers found the texts on her phone. Why di The officers pressed her, "Ms. Wace, why did you send these texts?" Milena wasn''t about to tell the truth. Her mind raced as she scrambled for an excuse. "I-I saw the news about Bradley getting hurt, so I sent those texts just to provoke Cameron. But I swear, I had nothing to do with Bradley getting hit." The officers exchanged a nce. They handed the phones back to Milena, said, "Sorry for the trouble," and turned to leave. Cameron hurried after them. "Officer, that''s it? You''re just going to leave?" 09:35 Wed, 6 Aug The officer said, "Ma''am, these messages alone aren''t enough to prove anything. But don''t worry. We''ll do our best to find the real culprit as soon as possible." The officers left. Cameron frowned. Milena was secretly overjoyed. ''Thank goodness I was careful,'' she thought. ''If I hadn''t been so cautious, I''d be getting hauled off by the cops right now,'' she told herself. Milena''s face was practically glowing with smugness. ¡°Cameron, I told you this had nothing to do with me. Do you believe me now?" "Not involved?" Cameron let out a coldugh. "The police didn''t arrest you because they don''t have enough evidence, not because you''re in the clear." Milena just grinned, "Then by all means, go find your proof." "Cam?" A familiar voice called out from behind Cameron. Cameron turned around and saw Cami. Cami wasn''t the only one here. There was a whole bunch of people from the Saunders family standing behind her. ''Why did the whole Saunders family show up?'' Cameron wondered. ''Did they find out Milena was the one behind it all?'' "Who are you?" Milena tensed up instantly as she saw a whole crowd suddenly storming into her ce. Cami gave Milena a half-smile. "You had the nerve to mess with Brad, but didn''t even look into his background?" Milena took a step back. "Wait? The Saunders family? You''re all from the Saunders family?" Evan folded his arms and shot Milena a cold re. "So you''re the one who sent that truck to try and kill Brad?" AD Comment Chapter 727 Milena''s heart sank the moment she heard their voices. She could tell right away they weren''t here for anything good. She took a couple of steps back, her voice trembling. "It wasn''t me. Don''t listen to Cameron''s nonsense." Osborne let out a coldugh. "You really think you covered your tracks that well?" Milena clenched her fists, then looked up at Osborne. Osborne''s gaze was razor-sharp. She could only hold his gaze for a second before she had to look away. ''Did they really find something out?'' Milena wondered anxiously. ''No way. I didn''t leave any evidence behind. There''s no way they can pin this on me.. ''Cameron must be making things up in front of the Saunders family. She''s trying to use the Saunders family against me. After all these years, Cameron is still as vicious as ever.'' Just then, Cameron''s voice snapped Milena out of her thoughts. "Cami, did you guys find out?" Cami nodded and turned to Cameron. "Cam, how did you know?" Cameron shot Milena a frosty re. ¡°This idiot texted me just to provoke me.¡± Cami was speechless. Milena wanted to talk back after being called an idiot, but with everyone in the room staring daggers at her, she just couldn''t bring herself to say a word. Reginald, whose handsome face was usually gentle and warm, now looked icy cold as he fixed his gaze on Milena. "Are you going to confess on your own, or do we have to force you?" Milena stubbornly held her head high, refusing to admit anything. "I already said, it wasn''t me." Eric gave a half-smile. "Looks like Ms. Wace doesn''t go for the nice approach. Guess she only listens when things get rough." Eric nudged Eddie beside him. "Eddie, hypnotize her." Milena was so shocked she couldn''t even get a word out. She took another step back, on high alert. "You can''t do this. That''s against the Eddie shot her a look. "Now you''re scared? Should''ve thought of that sooner, shouldn''t you?" Damian cut in, "Enough with the small talk. Brad''s still lying unconscious in the hospital room." Cameron turned to Damian. "Dr. Saunders, who''s looking after Brad right now?" Damian replied, "Don''t worry, Cam. My parents are in there with him." Only then did Cameron finally feel a bit more at ease. After checking Bradley''s pulse, she knew he was out of danger. Cameron moved out of the way. Milena had crossed Bradley, so of course, the Saunders family was going to make her pay. 09:35 Wed, 6 Aug Once they were done with her, Cameron would have her turn. Time to settle both old and new grudges, all at once. Simon crossed his arms. "She did Brad dirty like that. So, guys, how do you think we should deal with her?" Evan smirked, "Give her a taste of her own medicine. I could let her see what it''s like to getunched by a race car." Osborne chimed in, "Just ship her off to Forinto. Let her soak up the local vor there." Reginald turned to Osborne, "Osborne, how about sending her to Mianorth. I hear that''s a real hell on earth." Eric grinned, "Evan and Reginald both have solid ideas. Ms. Wace, why don''t you pick your poison?" Eddie said coldly, "No need to pick. Let''s do it Evan''s way first. If she''s still alive after that, then we''ll send her to Mianorth." Damian added, "Just throw her off the 28th floor. No way she''d survive that." Cami chimed in, "Damian''s idea isn''t bad either. What do you think, Ms. Wace?" Simon smirked, "Guess I''ll go ahead and draw Ms. Wace''s memorial portrait.¡± Milena was totally stunned. Her eyes rolled, and she dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes. She''d been scared out cold. Both the Saunders family and Cameron were stunned. ''Seriously? With nerves like that, she actually thought she could hire a hitman?" they wondered. Cami turned to Osborne. "Osborne, what now?" But Osborne looked at Cameron Yates instead. "Cameron, any thoughts?" AD Comment Send gift No Ads 09:36 Wed, 6 Aug Chapter 728 Cameron''s eyes were icy as she red down at Milena, who was lying on the floor. After thinking for a moment, she walked off to the bathroom. The Saunders family looked at each other in confusion. ''Did Cameron not hear what Osborne said?'' someone wondered, ''Why did she just go to the bathroom?" Just a few secondster, Cameron came back out. She was carrying a basin of water in her hands. Under the confused gazes of the Saunders family, she walked straight up to Milena without a word and, with a ssh, dumped the entire basin of cold water right over Milena''s head. Milena sputtered. The early spring air was still chilly, and the cold water instantly jolted Milena awake. She wiped the water from her face, coughing and shivering from the cold. Seeing Milena looking so pathetic, Evan gave Cameron a thumbs-up. "Brilliant move, Cam." Cameron crossed her arms and stepped aside. "You guys go on." Cami couldn''t help butugh, "Cam, you''re something else. Brad''s been single all these years. No wonder he''s totally head over heels for you." Milena,pletely soaked, didn''t care about anything else. She scrambled to her feet and tried to bolt, but Evan kicked her back to the floor. "Where do you think you''re going? Got a guilty conscience?" Evan sneered. "You''re breaking thew," Milena shouted, shrinking against the wall in the corner. Osborne nodded slightly. ¡°You''re right. If we were to go all vignte on you, that would definitely be illegal." Milena breathed a sigh of relief. But then Osborne continued, "Still, Ms. Wace, you''re going to be this stubborn about denying everything. Shouldn''t you at least think about your parents, who are still locked up?" Milena paused for a second, then shot them a scornful look. ¡°Don''t even think about threatening me with them." Back when Martin was almost eaten by Pearl, Cameron''s tiger, Milena was ready to ditch him for 15 million dors. Now that those two werepletely useless to Martin, there was no way she''d risk anything for them. Cameron said coldly, "She''s cold-blooded. That kind of trick won''t work on her." Milena lifted her chin defiantly. "Why should I confess to something I didn''t do just because you''re trying to threaten me?" Just then, Osborne''s phone rang. It was his assistant calling. Osborne held the phone to his ear and listened for a moment, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Take her to the police station first." After getting a response, Osborne hung up. "Osborne, did they catch him?" Reginald asked. Osborne nodded. "Yes." Milena''s heart skipped a beat. ''Who did they catch?'' she wondered. ''Could it be that truck driver?'' is that guy really that dumb?" "Now that we''ve got the evidence," Eric said, raising an eyebrow as he pulled out his phone, "I''ll call the cops and have theme pick her up." Evan scoffed, "Why bother calling the cops? We can just drag her over there." As he spoke, Evan grabbed Milena''s arm and started hauling her toward the door. Milena clung desperately to the doorframe, panic in her voice. "What are you doing? Let me go. What do you want from me?" Evan raised his hand threateningly. "Shut it. Make another sound and I''ll knock you out myself." Seeing the fierce look on Evan''s face, Milena immediately mmed up. With a sharp pull, Evan pried her hand off the doorframe. Everyone got in the car and drove off to the police station. Milena was put in the front passenger seat beside Evan. Evan shot her a cold re. "Don''t even think about pulling any tricks, or I''ll end you myself." Milena clung to the car door, trying it just in case, but of course, , it was locked tight. Evan''s fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, a faint smirk ying on his lips. The car, which had been cruising at a steady pace, suddenly elerated sharply. Then, just a few secondster, Evan mmed on the brakes. Milena, who hadn''t bothered to buckle her seatbelt, was instantly thrown forward. Her head smacked straight into the windshield. The ss didn''t even crack. But blood was streaming down her forehead, staining her face in crimson. Watching her clutch her head and howl in pain, Evan looked pleased with himself and let out a coldugh. "You don''t even have the brains to buckle your seatbelt. "You actually thought you could hire a hitman to take out Brad? What a joke." AD Comment The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 729 Milena''s head was bleeding nonstop, and she instinctively clutched her head, her hands stained with blood. The pain was so overwhelming that she could hardly hear what Evan was saying, Milena muttered, "I-I need to go to the hospital." She felt like she was dying. Evan turned the steering wheel and started the car again, a smirk ying on his lips. "Alright, I''ll grant your wish." The car continued to move forward. Evan nced at the bloodstains on the seat and frowned in disgust. "It''s so disgusting." Milena kept crying out in pain, begging to be taken to the hospital. After more than ten minutes, an SUV lost control while taking a sharp turn and swerved straight toward Evan''s car. Evan yanked the steering wheel hard. The SUV crashed right into the passenger side. "Ah-" Milena''s scream filled the car. The passenger seat was mangled out of shape. Milena had no idea where she was hurt-blood sttered across Evan''s face, and he wiped it away with a look of disgust. Milena cked out on the spot. Evan got out of the car. All the Saunders family''s cars came to a stop. A young girl stumbled out of the SUV, her face pale with fright. "I-I didn''t mean to. I was trying to hit the brake, but somehow I stepped on the gas instead." The SUV didn''t even have a license te, and the driver just bought it half an hour ago. The ident happened now. The young girl was inplete shock and immediately called the police. Traffic police showed up in no time. Milena, who was unconscious, was rushed to the hospital./ The young girl didn''t argue at all and paid for all the medical expenses. The doctor said Milena had multiple fractures and a concussion, and she''d probably be stuck in a hospital bed for months. When they heard the news, the Saunders family all looked pretty pleased. Seeing the smiles on their faces, Cameron grew thoughtful. ''Is this really just a coincidence?'' she wondered. But then again,dn''t really matter. Milena had hired someone to run down Bradley, so it was only fair she got to experience what it felt like to be hit by a car herself. There was good news from the station, too. The truck driver Milena had hired had already been caught. She thought she could fool everyone, but the driver had been one step ahead- he''d secretly recorded their entire conversation. Trying to save his own skin, he confessed everything as soon as he set foot in the station. Now, with both witnesses and hard evidence, all that was left was for Mitena to wake up-then the cuffs would be waiting for her. She was about to pay the price for what she''d done. The group made their way back to Crownhill Hospital. The Yates family saw the news and hurried over as well. Jacqueline took Cameron''s hand andforted her, "Cam, worry. Brad will be fine." Cameron squeezed her hand back and nodded. "I know, Mom. Brad will wake up soon." Sure enough, as evening fell, Bradley finally woke up. The room was crowded with people, all fussing over him and checking to see how he was doing. Bradley''s weary eyes swept over everyone, lingering on Cameron for a few seconds. He lowered his gaze. Still weak from just waking up, he soon dozed off again. As a doctor, Damian ushered everyone out of the room. Cameron stayed behind. She sat by the bed, gently holding Bradley''s fingers. Damian said, ¡°Cam, don''t worry. Brad''s out of danger now. Once he gets a good night''s sleep, he''ll be fully awake by tomorrow." Cameron nodded and nced at Damian. ¡°Dr. Saunders, you should get some rest, too. You''ve been on your feet all day." Damian pointed to thepanion bed nearby. "Cam, you should rest as well. If Brad wakes up tomorrow and sees you looking exhausted, he''ll be worried about you." Cameron smiled and nodded. "Okay." It wasn''t untilte into the night that Cameron finally crawled onto the cot beside the bed and fell asleep. She slept soundly through the night, not a single dream disturbing her rest. Someone woke Cameron up the next morning. "Cam, where''s Brad?" AD Comment Send gift No Ads 09:36 Wed, 6 Aug Chapter 730 Cameron sat up, her mind still foggy from sleep. Hearing a noise, she instinctively nced at the bed next to hers The bed was empty. Bradley was nowhere to be seen. Cameron snapped fully awake. ''Brad''s already awake? But where did he go? the wondered. She nced at the Saunders family packed into the room. "None of you have seen Brad?" Damian shook his head. "No, Cam. We haven''t seen any sign of Brad, and he left his phone behind. Plus, today''s hospital security footage is missing too." Bradley was a genius hacker. Everyone here was sharp-they figured it out instantly. This had Bradley written all over it. Cameron frowned and quickly got out of bed. "Did he do this on purpose?" Damian nodded. "Cam, did Brad talk to you at allst night?" Cameron shook her head. "He still hadn''t woken up when I fell asleep." When she woke up, Bradley had already disappeared. "Where could Brad have gone?" Beth asked, worry written all over her face. "I''ll go find him," Cameron said, already heading for the door. "Cam?" Cami hurried after her, "Where are you even going to look for Brad?" "I''ll check the spots we always hang out at," Cameron replied. Cameron went to all the ces she and Bradley used to hang out, but he was nowhere to be found. Day after day, for a whole month, there was still no trace of Bradley. One day, as Cameron was about to head out, Jacqueline called her over. "Cam, it''s only two months until your engagement with Brad. Now that he''s gone, what about the engagement?" "Just cancel it," Gavin cut in angrily, his voice sharp with frustration. Gavin had never wanted Cameron to get married so young. But he never expected Bradley to just pulta disappearing act like this. What is he even trying to do?'' Gavin thought, frustrated. ''If that''s the case, they might as well just break off the engagement." But Cameron said firmly, ¡°The engagement will go on as nned.¡± Jacqueline looked at Cameron, her heart aching. "Cam, but Brad still hasn''t shown up. If he doesn''te on the day of th then what will-" gement, Jacqueline couldn''t bring herself to finish the sentence. ''They were doing so well, about to get married-so how could Bradley just vanish like this?'' she wondered. Her eyes were as clear as day. "If he doesn''t show up, then I''ll have my answer," Cameron said. Jacqueline reached out and gently patted her on the head, her heart aching for her. ?? weu Gavin was furious, but he knew Cameron was hurting more than anyone. So, instead of pushing for the engagement to be called off, he just said, ¡°Cam, I will help you look for him. If we have to, when the engagement dayes, we''ll just tie him up and drag him there." But Cameron shook her head. "Gavin, don''t bother. It''s no use." They''d been searching for an entire month already. If Bradley was determined to disappear, there was no way they could ever find him. Gavin was both angry and hurt for her. ''When I finally find Bradley, I''m really going to give him a good beating, Gavin thought, seething Cameron posted on Instagram: [If you show up on April 12th, we''ll go on like nothing ever happened. If you don''t, then don''t bothering back-ever.] The Saunders family saw her Instagram post as well. Beth was wracked with guilt. "I really let Cam down. What is Brad even thinking?" They weren''t really worried about Bradley''s safety. Because every now and then, there''d be a withdrawal from his bank card. By the time they got there, Bradley was already gone. Nobody had an answer for Beth. Because nobody really knew what Bradley was thinking. After a long silence, Cami finally spoke up. "Brad really crossed the line. He just got engaged and then vanished. Now Cam''s left in such an awkward spot." Osborne said, "Cameron''s already given him an ultimatum. Whether hees back or not, it''s all up to him now." ÊÐ AD Send gift Chapter 731 The next afternoon, Cameron''s phone buzzed. She thought it was just a regr notification. She tapped it open without thinking, but her fingers started to tremble. It was from Bradley. [Cam, I''m at Silvermoss Castle.} ''He has been missing for over a month, and now he has finally turned up. If I hadn''t forced his hand, was he nning to never show up again?'' she wondered. Cameron couldn''t be bothered to think about anything else right now. She snatched up her car keys and dashed out of the office. She floored the gas pedal all the way to Silvermoss Castle. The castle was unchanged, still as grand and luxurious as ever. Cameron got out of the car, her eyes darting around the courtyard. She didn''t catch a glimpse of Bradley. And it wasn''t just Bradley-there was no sign of the butler or any of the staff, either. Trusting her instincts, Cameron went upstairs to the bedroom she used to stay in on the second floor. The door was slightly ajar. Without knocking, Cameron pushed the door open. She immediately saw the man standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows. It had been a month since shest saw him. Cameron''s breath hitched. Bradley was wearing a khaki trench coat, still standing tall by the window, but from his silhouette, he seemed to have lost quite a bit of weight. Upon hearing the sound, Bradley slowly turned around. His handsome face looked noticeably thinner. Seeing Cameron in the doorway, he softly called out, "Cam?" Cameron said nothing. Without a word, she stepped into the room. Bradley''s gaze was conflicted as he slowly walked toward her. Cameron stopped right in front of him, looking up. "If I hadn''t posted on Instagram yesterday, were you just going to keep-" ''Keep avoiding me,'' she wondered. The words caught in Cameron''s throat. Because just as she was about to finish, Bradley suddenly bowed in front of her. Cameron stared,pletely thrown off. In her eyes lingered bewilderment, shock, and a probing curiosity. She frowned. "What are you doing?" All those emotions Bradley had been holding back got stuck in his throat, and in the end, all he could say was, "I''m sorry." Cameron frowned again. Bradley looked up at Cameron, his voice soft as he said again, "Cam, I''m sorry." Cameron bent down to pull him up. "I was really upset when you disappeared like that, but you really don''t have to bow." It was not that serious, honestly. 30 Bradley stayed bowing, holding her hand. "Cam, I remember it all now." Cameron froze. "You remember?" she asked. It took Cameron a few seconds to finally catch on to what he meant. So, Bradley had remembered all those memories that had been wiped away before. That was why he disappeared without a word. Bradley nodded. "I remember everything." He remembered just how ruthless and desperate he''d been back then, doing whatever it took to make Cameron stay with him once he realized he was in love with her. But now, seven yearster, Cameron had actually forgiven him, so graciously it almost didn''t seem real. Bradley was so ashamed. He couldn''t even bring himself to look her in the eye. Cameron tried to pull him up. "Please, get up." But Bradley remained bowing. Cameron frowned. "Brad, it''s all in the past now." Bradley gazed at her, his eyes full of regret. "Cam, I was such a mess back then, did so many awful things to you. Why would you still take me back?" Since he insisted on bowing, Cameron simply sat down on the floor with him. She looked at him with a teasing smile. "Brad, do you really think you could''ve kept me by your side if I hadn''t let you?" ''Back then, I let you do what you did. There''s really nothing for me to be hung up on now,'' she wondered. "What do you mean?" Bradley asked, still looking puzzled. Cameron couldn''t help but let out a small, wry smile. She stood up, walked over to the window, pushed it open, and with a single leap, she was gone in a sh. "No, Cam?" Bradley''s heart skipped a beat. He sprang to his feet and rushed over to the window. His eyes were wide with panic and worry, but when he looked down, he saw Cameron standing there safe and sound. Cameron looked up at him and shouted, "Brad, watch me." AD Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter 732 Bradley looked down at Cameron on the ground. With a running start, Cameronunched herself straight over the castle wall in one smooth motion. Bradley''s eyes wide in disbelief. ''Did Cam really just jump out? That wall is 15 feet high. How did she even do that?'' he thought. Even though Bradley could hardly believe it, he had to ept it. After all, it happened right before his eyes. ''So all my little tricks must have seemed like a joke to Cam,'' he thought. Cameron strode right back into the castle, headed downstairs, then scaled the wall up to the second floor with nothing but her bare hands- fast and effortless. Bradley''s jaw dropped all over again. With a light hop, Cameron slipped straight into the room. Cameron nced at Bradley, who was still staring at her in disbelief. "Brad, did you really think you could keep me locked up?" Bradley froze, at a loss for words. After a long moment, he finally muttered softly, "Cam, why didn''t you leave back then?" ne how Cameron shook her head. "I don''t know. I didn''t even realize how I felt about you back then, but I guess my actions spoke for me before I even knew it myself." Bradley''s eyes widened in shock. "Wait? Are you saying that you already liked me, even seven years ago?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Looking back over the years, I think I did. I just didn''t realize it myself at the time." Before Cameron could finish, Bradley caught her arm and pulled her into his arms. "Cam?" Bradley whispered her name softly, and before she could say anything, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss. For an entire month, they hadn''t seen each other-not once. Bradley missed her every second of every day. But he just couldn''t bring himself toe back. Bradley was too ashamed to face her. But what terrified him most was the idea of losing Cameron for good. Bradley couldn''t even forgive himself for the crazy things he''d done, let alone expect Cameron, the one forgive him. who''d suffered because of him, to But Bradley never realized that the only reason he was able to keep Cameron back then was due to her indulgence. The kiss was overflowing with Bradley''s emotions, a whirlwind of longing, nervousness, and joy. Cameron hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him closer in response. Bradley''s kiss only grew more passionate. After what felt like forever, he finally, reluctantly let Cameron go. But his hands still stayed firmly around her waist. Cameron''s breath was a little shaky as she looked up at Bradley, his eyes tinged red at the corners. "Are you still going to keep running from me?" she asked, her voice soft but steady "I''m sorry," Bradley whispered, lowering his head until his forehead gently touched hers. 09:36 Wed, 6 Aug "It''s okay." Cameron replied softly. Bradley reached up and pulled the curtains shut, and the room grew darker. Cameron shot him a puzzled look. Bradley spoke first. "Cam, is tonight okay for you?" "Huh?" Cameron blinked, even more confused. Bradley lifted her up, and Cameron instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her over to the big, fancy bed, his voice low and rough. "After all this time apart, how could one kiss ever be enough?" Cameron was speechless. ''Wasn''t he just looking all sad and remorseful a second ago?'' she thought. ''Men sure can change their tune fast. When Bradley finally pulled away from her lips, Cameron finally had a chance to ask, "Brad, it''s been so long-did you miss me?" Bradley didn''t answer with words. Instead, he showed her exactly how much he''d missed her. By the time Cameron finally opened the curtains again, the sky outside had turned a deep shade of twilight. She sent Jacqueline a quick WhatsApp message, letting her know she wouldn''t be home for dinner tonight. Bradley draped his long arm around her, watching as she yed with her phone. He let out a soft sigh. "Cam, don''t go home tonight." Cameron shot him a look. "So you went off the grid, and now you want me to disappear with you, too?" Çú AD Chapter 733 Tightening his grip on her hand, Bradley chuckled softly, "I just don''t want to be away from you so soon." Cameron set her phone down and looked at him. "Don''t you live right next door to me?" Bradley tightened his arms around her. "I don''t want to be apart from you for even a second." Cameron pinched his chin. "Then why did you disappear for so long this time?" Bradley opened up, his voice sincere. "I was just afraid you would abandon me." Cameron murmured, her voice soft, "I already said yes to marrying you, didn''t I?" Bradley rested his chin gently on her hair and let out a quiet sigh. "Guess I was just being silly." Cameron sat up in his arms. ¡°Brad, after dinner,e home with me. My family''s pretty mad you vanished on us like that." ''Gavin is especially pissed. Dad''s been kind of gloomy, too,'' she wondered. Bradley sat up too, reaching for his gold-rimmed sses on the nightstand and putting them on. He nodded. "Alright, I''ll go back with you and apologize in person." Two hourster, Cameron and Bradley walked hand in hand into the Yates Manor''s main hall. The Yates family fell silent for several seconds because of Bradley''s sudden arrival. Jacqueline was all smiles. "Brad, you''re back." Levi kept a stern face, clearly still unhappy about Bradley''s sudden disappearance. Amelia chimed in, "Bradley, you finally showed up. Cam''s been going crazy looking for you for over a month." Lance said, "Good thing you''re back." Gavin scoffed, "You''ve got some nerve showing up here, huh?" "Gavin, better-" Cameron started. "Cam, stay out of this," Gavin interrupted. Gavin immediately pulled her behind him before she could say another word. Bradley flexed his fingers, missing the warmth of Cameron''s hand that had just been there. He looked at Levi and Jacqueline sincerely, then gave a slight bow. "Mr. Yates, Mrs. Yates, Gavin, Lance, Lwant to sincerely apologi disappearing all of a sudden. I''m truly sorry."/ Gavin scoffed, "You think just saying sorry is enough? How are you going to make up for the hurt you caused Cam? Do you even know what she''s been through this past month?" Bradley pressed his lips together and met Cameron''s gaze, his eyes full of regret. "I know. I''m sorry." 09:36 Wed, 6 Aug He never actually left Viremont the whole month. While Cameron was searching for him, he kept his distance, avoiding her, yet secretly watching over her from the shadows. It was a constant tug-of-war inside him. Cameron was miserable, and he was suffering just as much. Cameron shook her head gently. Levi watched her reaction and sighed softly to himself, though his face remained stern. "Don''t let it happen again." Gavin frowned. "Dad, you''re just going to let him off the hook like that? He left Cam hanging for a whole month." Jacqueline chimed in, "Come on, Gavin. Brad must have had his reasons." Gavin shot back, "I think he just doesn''t care about Cam." Bradley said solemnly, "Mr. Yates, Mrs. Yates, Gavin, Lance, I promise nothing like this will ever happen again." Gavin scoffed. ''Again?'' he thought. If there ever was a next time, he''d make sure Bradley never set foot in their house again. Jacqueline smiled, "Alright, Cam, did you and Brad have dinner yet?" Cameron nodded. "Yeah, Mom, we already ate.¡± Lance said, "It''s gettingte. Cam, you and Brad should head upstairs and get some rest." Cameron nodded again. "Okay." She pulled Bradley upstairs with her. Cameron let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness Dad and Gavin weren''t too mad." Bradley squeezed her hand. "They only forgave me so easily for your sake." Cameron squeezed back. "I know." When they reached Bradley''s room, Cameron was about to let go of his hand, but Bradley wouldn''t let go. She looked up at him, giving him a puzzled look. Bradley said, "Cam, I''ll have to head back to Steerfall for a bit tomorrow." He had been gone so long already. He really couldn''t put off going home any longer. Cameron arched a brow. "So?" AD Comment Send gift The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 734 Bradley smiled at the corners of his mouth, leaned in close to Cameron''s ear, and whispered, "Can I stay in your room tonight! Cameron was momentarily speechless. Bradley straightened up, his gaze burning as he stared at her. Cameron hesitated for a moment. "I don''t think that''s a good idea." "Why not?" Bradley asked, his voice soft but insistent. "I don''t really mind, but if my parents catch us, that wouldn''t be good," Cameron replied. "I''ll be careful. I promise they won''t find out," Bradley said. Bradley kept his eyes on her, the fire in his gaze softening into a silent plea. Cameron thought, at a loss for words. From the way he looked at her, it was like she was the one bullying him. Cameron just couldn''t take that hopeful look in his eyes anymore and gave in with a helpless sigh. "Alright." Bradley ducked his head and stole a quick kiss from her lips. "I''m going to go take a shower in my room." "Okay." Cameron just nodded. They each went back to their own rooms. Once Cameron got back to her room, she took a quick shower and slipped into her silk pajamas. When she pushed open the bathroom door, she spotted Bradley lounging on the single sofa in a ck robe, casually flipping through the Pharmacology textbook she''d left on the little round table. Under the warm light, his short hair gleamed faintly, and the gold-rimmed sses gave him an air of sophistication. With a book in his hands, he looked even more like a gentleman schr. Cameron''s eyes lingered on his sharp jawline, then drifted down to those striking, sexy corbones and a glimpse of his toned chest. She quickly looked away, rubbing her damp hair dry with her hand as she walked over to him. Smiling, she asked, "Can you even understand it?" Bradley set the book aside. He caught Cameron''s hand and, with a gentle tug, she tumbled right onto hisp. Cameron let out a soft gasp. Bradley smiled, pulling her into his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He took the damp towel from her and gently started drying her hair. Cameron wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes sparkling with a smile as she looked at him. Bradley carefully dried her hair, then asked, "Do I look good?" Cameron smiled, "You look really good." Bradley gave her a deep look. "You look beautiful, too." With her soft body in his arms, Bradley did his best to keep hisposure. He dried her hair until it was almost dry, tossed the towel aside, then pulled Cameron firmly Into his embrace. The next second, his lips crashed down on hers, Just as things were really starting to heat up in the room, someone knocked on the door. Bradley''s lips were still lingering on her skin. But Cameron turned her head toward the door, her palm gently pushing against his chest, which was pressed tightly against hers. Brad, someone''s knocking." Bradley''s voice was low and rough. "I locked it." Cameron was at a loss for words. There was a sharp knock at the door. "Hey, Cam, are you asteep?" Gavin''s voice called from outside. Cameron pushed Bradley again. "Brad, it''s me." That was when Bradley finally stopped what he was doing. He took a deep breath, pulled her pajama top back over her shoulders, and carefully buttoned it up. Then he said, "I''ll wait in the bathroom." "Okay." Cameron nodded. Bradley stood up, bent down, and nted a firm kiss on her lips before heading into the bathroom. Cameron touched her lips, remembering Gavin was outside. She quickly got up, fixed herself up in the mirror, and then went to open the door. ¡°Hi, Gavin,¡± Cameron said, letting out a few yawns in a row. "Did I wake you up?¡± Gavin asked softly. Cameron shook her head. "Nope, I was just getting ready to sleep. Did you need something, Gavin?" Chapter 735 Gavin nodded as he made his way toward the room. "Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you." Cameron reluctantly let him in. She didn''t bother closing the door. She poured Gavin a ss of warm water, and after they both sat down on the couch, Cameron smiled and asked, "So, what did you want to talk about, Gavin?" As she spoke, Cameron sneaked a nce at the tightly shut bathroom door. Gavin crossed his arms and leaned back on the couch. "Cam, what has Bradley been up to this past month?" Earlier downstairs, Bradley had just apologized. He never actually said where he''d been all month. Cameron fell silent. ''What happened back then is already in the past. It''s better if Gavin doesn''t find out, she thought. Seeing her go quiet, Gavin frowned a little. "Is it something you can''t tell me?" Thinking quickly, Cameron blurted out, "Gavin, Brad got hit on the head and ended up with amnesia. That''s why he suddenly disappeared." "Amnesia?" Gavin gave her a probing look. He could tell Cameron wasn''t telling him the whole truth. ''Bradley really did lose his memory? Did he just get it back now?'' Gavin wondered. ''That fast? And seriously, what are the odds? Cam posts on Instagram, and just like that, Bradley gets his memory back?'' Cameron nodded. "Yes, Gavin." Gavin still didn''t believe her story. But he could see that Cameron was making excuses for Bradley. She had already made her choice. So, Gavin stood up and said, "Cam, even though you''ve chosen Bradley, if he ever does you wrong, he''ll have to answer to me." Cameron felt both moved and a little helpless. She stood up too, smiling as she hooked her arm through Gavin''s. "Gavin, don''t worry. Brad treats me really well." Gavin ruffled her hair affectionately. "You, huh? Now your whole heart''s full of Brad." Cameron walked Gavin to the door. "Gavin, you''ll always have a ce in my heart." "Got it," Gavin replied with a smile. Cameron waved at him and was just about to close the door when Gavin caught it before it shut. "Gavin, what''s wrong?" she asked, looking puzzled. Gavin said, "I just checked Bradley''s room, but he wasn''t there. Do you know where he went?" "Not sure, Gavin. Did you need something from him thiste?" Cameron replied. Gavin shook his head. "Never mind, it''s nothing now." Since he couldn''t find Bradley anywhere, he ended up knocking on Cameron''s door. Once inside, he quickly nced around Cameron''s room but didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary. 08:64 Fri 8 Aug Cameron shed him a smile. "Goodnight, Gavin." Gavin gave her a nod. "Goodnight." Cameron closed the door and locked it in one smooth motion. Bradley heard the noise and came out of the bathroom. Cameron was just about to say something when, with a click, the lights went out. Bradley had just flipped them off. Luckily, there was still some lighting in from the balcony, so the room wasn''t totally dark. "What''s with the lights?'' Cameron thought. "Brad?" Cameron called softly. As soon as she spoke, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her straight into his arms. There was that familiar hint of lemon on him. "Gavin-" Cameron tried to say, but her words were cut off. Cameron grabbed onto Bradley''s robe. Bradley leaned in, his lips capturing hers. ¡°Shh. Just keep going,¡± he murmured. Cameron was stunned for a moment. Somehow, the next thing she knew, they were sprawled out on the soft bed together. Cameron said helplessly, "Aren''t you tired?" Bradley''s voice was husky. "Cam, you have no idea how much I''ve missed you this past month." Cameron wanted to say something more, but Bradley''s movements swept her up, and soon she couldn''t think straight at all. ***** The next morning, before anyone else was awake, Bradley slipped out of Cameron''s room, dragging his feet, and quietly made his way back to his own. AD Comment The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 736 After breakfast, despite his reluctance, Bradley still drove back to Steerfall. Cameron stood there, watching his car as it disappeared into the distance. Amelia hooked her arm around Cameron''s she "Sweetie, you look like you can''t bear to part with him. Why not just go back to the Saunders Manor with him?" Cameron smiled, "Who says I can''t bear to part with him?" Amelia said, "It''s written all over your face." Cameron brushed her hand off and started walking back. Amelia caught up, linking arms with Cameron. "Cam, you look really radiant today. Guess being in love really suits you." Cameron just stared at her, speechless. Noticing Cameron''s flushed face, Amelia burst "Cut it out." Cameron swatted her hand away. When they got back to the living room, they could hear Gavin getting a lecture. Levi wore a stern expression. "Gavin, you''re thirty-four already. What, are you nning to stay single forever?" Jacqueline added, "Gavin, you really need to hurry up. Even your younger brother and sister are already settled." Gavin stood stiffly in front of his parents. For the past month, Gavin had been enjoying a rare stretch of peace and quiet. After all, everyone had been too busy worrying about Bradley going missing. But now that Bradley was back, his parents'' attention had snapped right back to him. Gavin was getting a headache. ''Was it that I didn''t want to settle down?'' he thought to himself. "I just haven''t met the right person yet. As he was thinking this, the image of a delicate, elegant face popped into Gavin''s mind before he even realized it. Gavin pressed his lips together. "Mom, Dad, just give me a little more time." Lance teased, "Gavin, Mom and Dad have given you way more than just a little time. They''ve already given you twelve years." Gavin''s forehead was practically pulsing. "Shut up." "Lance?" Amelia sat down next to Lance and gave his arm a yful p. Lance raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything more. Cameron finally spoke up for Gavin. "Mom, Dad, you really can''t rush love. These things just have to happen when the time is right." Levi gave Cameron a gentle look, but when he turned to Gavin, his eyes immediately turned stern. "Just because my precious daughter put in a good word for you, I''ll give you one more month. But if you''re still single after that you''ll be going on blind dates every single day," said Levi. Gavin pressed his lips together, but in the end, he still nodded. "Alright." After leaving the house, Gavin pulled his car over to the curb. He sat there in silence for a long while, lost in thought, before finally picking up his phone and dialing his assistant, Wesley. "I need you to look into a girl named Britney Watson. Get me everything there is to know about her," Gavin said. "Understood, Mr. Yates," Wesley replied promptly. Meanwhile, Bradley drove back to the Saunders Manor. It was almost noon, and the only ones left at home were Beth and Edith. Everyone else had already gone to work. When Bradley walked in, Beth''s eyes immediately welled up with tears. She rushed over to him. "Brad, you finally decided toe home." Bradley gently wrapped his arms around her. "Mom, I''m sorry for making you worry." Edith also stood up. "Where on earth have you been these past weeks? You look like you''ve lost a lot of weight." Bradley replied, "Grandma, I''m fine. I just went out to get some air and clear my mind." Seeing Beth still looking at him with concern, Bradley admitted, "Mom, I''ve gotten all my memories back." "What?" Beth was taken aback. Bradley said, "I''ve remembered all the memories I lost about Cam and me." "I''m so sorry," Beth said, her voice thick with guilt. Bradley gently shook his head. "Let it go, Mom. It''s all behind us now." AD Comment Chapter 737 When word got out that Bradley hade back, everyone in the Saunders family immediately dropped what they were doing and hurried home. To the Saunders family, nothing mattered more than family. They all sat together in the living room, every gaze locked on Bradley. When they heard that Bradley had regained his everyone''s expression was different. Cami asked, "Brad, are you and Cam Okay?" Bradley shook his head. "We''re fine." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Nathan asked, "In that case, your engagement ceremony with Cameron will proceed as scheduled." Bradley nodded. "Okay." Eddie said, "Brad, this is the best possible oue." For Bradley, getting his memories back truly meant the world to him. Meanwhile, a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of Viremont''s most luxurious six-star hotel. The concierge opened the door, and a single expensive ck leather shoe touched down on the marble floor. The man stepped out, his tall andmanding presence making him instantly stand out from everyone else. He strode confidently into the hotel lobby, and the moment he walked in, his eyesnded on a womaning toward him with a polished, professional smile. But as soon as she got a clear look at his face, her eyes for a split second. She quickly put her professional smile back on. It was Britney Watson, dressed in the hotel''s lobby manager uniform-a crisp white shirt, a sleek ck pencil skirt, ck stockings, and ck heels. She looked sharp and professional. "Mr. Yates, what a coincidence," Britney said, shing her perfect eight-tooth smile. She was stunning. But it wasn''t just her looks; as someone in the service industry, she had a natural warmth and charm that made her easy to talk to. Right now, she was nothing like the broken, desperate woman she''d been just a month ago. Gavin didn''t bother with small talk. He cut straight to the chase. "Ms. Watson, care to have a word?" Britney blinked in mild surprise. "Mr. Yates/you''re here for me?" Gavin just arched an eyebrow, giving nothing away. Britney looked around the lobby and said, "Mr. Yates, just a sec." 1) Britney headed to the front desk and gave a few quick instructions. She led Gavin to a small meeting room in the business center "Mr. Yates, please, have a seat," Britney said politely, handing him a bottle of water. "Thanks," Gavin said, taking it. His well-defined fingers wrapped around the bottle, but he didn''t drink. His gaze quietly settled on Britney, scrutinizing her. His eyes were unapologetically direct. As the lobby manager, Britney had met all kinds of people. But Gavin''s intense gaze made her feel a bit uneasy. She smiled and asked, "Mr. Yates, is there something you wanted to talk about?¡± Gavin said, "Ms. Watson, I''ve got a pretty good offer for you." Britney asked, "What?" Gavin said, "Marry me, and I''ll help you get your revenge." Britney waspletely floored. Her eyes flew open in shock. ''Did I just hear that right?'' she thought, barely able to believe her own ears. She really had crossed the line with Gavin before. At that time, she was so numb and hopeless inside that nothing mattered to her anymore, which was why she acted out so impulsively. Now that she''d regained herposure, Gavin''s words genuinely surprised her. Seeing the shock on her face, Gavin said again, "Ms. Watson, I mean it. I need a wife, and you need someone to help you get your revenge. It''s a simple deal-we each get what we want. So, what do you say?" Britney couldn''t help but stare at Gavin''s good looks. "Mr. Yates-" "Call me Gavin," he cut her off. Britney hesitated for a moment, then obliged. "Gavin, with everything you have going for you, even if you''re in a hurry to get married, you could have your pick of anyone. Why me?" AD Comment Send gift No Ads The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 738 Gavin fell silent for a while before replying in a calm tone, "Because I find you pretty easy on the eyes." What he didn''t say and the only one out of all the women who had ever thrown themselves at him, Britney was the only one he actually found attractive. I ever managed to steal a kiss from him. Britney was speechless. ''So just being easy on the eyes is enough to be marriage material?'' she thought to herself, Seeing Britney stay quiet, Gavin asked again, "What do you Britney smiled and said, "I think it''s just too sudden." think?" Gavin shifted in his seat, his handsome face unreadable as he fixed her with a deep, intense gaze. "Think it over and give me your answer before midnight tonight." Britney was at a loss for words. ''Midnight tonight?'' she thought in disbelief. ''Why is he in such a hurry?" Gavin held out his hand to her across the ck conference table. "Give me your phone." Britney wasn''t even sure what she was thinking. She just unlocked her phone and handed it over without a word. Gavin immediately dialed his own number, hung up, and handed the phone back to her. "Don''t forget to call me." With that, he stood up, gave her a slight nod, and walked out. Britney held her phone, staring at the number at the top of her call log, her mind still nk. Gavin had swept in and out so fast. The whole thing hadsted less than ten minutes. It felt like a dream. Through the ss, Britney watched as his tall figure walked away, biting her lip. This wasn''t a dream. It was real. That night, she really had thought about sleeping with Gavin. It was crazy. Just like Gavin said, she had to admit that she found him pretty attractive, too. She wouldn''t have gone home with him otherwise. But marriage was just crazy. For the rest of the day, Britney found herself distracted at work. Sometimes her mind reyed Gavin and the things he''d said; other times, all she could picture was his strikingly handsome face. She finally made it to the end of the workday. Britney changed out of her uniform, bag in hand, as she walked out through the employee exit. The sun was setting. Everyone around her seemed to be in a hurry. At first nce, they spotted a sleek ck Rolls-Royce parked far away Her coworkers were checking it out, all curious. Britney nced over, too. That was when she caught sight of the man in the back seat-his profile was strikingly handsome. Just as she looked over, he turned to look at her too, his eyes calm and distant, locking with her curious gaze. Britney just stared in disbelief. ''That''s Gavin,'' she thought, a little dazed. ''Is he waiting for me?'' Still unsure, Britney decided to walk over and greet him. Britney stopped in front of the car and called out, "Hi, Gavin." Gavin regarded her with a calm expression. "Have you made up your mind?" Britney was speechless. ''Didn''t he say I had until midnight?'' she thought. Seeing Britney stay silent, Gavin spoke up again, "Get in the car." Britney asked, puzzled, "Get in the car? What for?" Gavin said, "I''ll take you home." Britney hurriedly said, "No, that''s okay. I live really close. I can just walk home." Gavin frowned ever so slightly. "Remember to give me your answer by midnight." Britney nodded. "Okay." Gavin rolled up the window. Britney caught her own reflection in the ss. She hadn''t even realized she was smiling a little. The Rolls-Royce pulled away. Her coworkers gathered around, gossiping excitedly. "Ms. Watson, who was that guy? He pulled up in a Rolls-Royce. He must be seriously rich." "Ms. Watson, he looked super young and really handsome. Is he your boyfriend or something?" "No way, right? Didn''t she just get dumped? How did she find a new guy so fast?" someone whispered. Britney fixed her gaze on the person who had whispered for a few seconds, and they quickly looked away. She didn''t say anything, just walked away with her bag in her hand. At the Yates Manor, Cameron noticed that Gavin spent the whole dinner holding his phone, like he was waiting for someone to call. Unable to hold back, Cameron finally asked, "Gavin, are you waiting for someone to call you?" AD Comment Chapter 739 Gavin didn''t try to hide it. He nodded. "Yeah, it was an important call." Levi nced at him. "Who was it?" As soon as Levi asked, everyone turned to look at Gavin, curiosity written all over their faces. Gavin slowly put down his fork and said, "It was from my future daughter-inw." Levi was confused. Jacqueline looked at Gavin in surprise. "You found a girlfriend that fast?" Before Gavin could respond, Lance raised an eyebrow and said, "Gavin, you didn''t just pick up some random woman to keep Mom and Dad off your back, did you?" Gavin shot Lance a look, then let his gaze linger on Amelia sitting beside him. Amelia instantly had a bad feeling and tightened her grip on her fork. Sure enough, the next second, Gavin spoke up, "Lance, you and Amelia have been married for months now. Why isn''t she showing any signs of pregnancy? What''s the matter? Are you not man enough?" Amelia was stunned for a moment. Her face flushed with embarrassment. Lance stayed cool, slipping his arm around Amelia''s shoulders as he said lightly, "Gavin, I''m just saving your pride here. If I went ahead and had a kid while you''re still single, how would you save dignity?" "Are you really just saving my pride, or is it that you just can''t do it?" Gavin stared him down. Lance said, "Come on, Gavin. I''m still young. Do I look like I can''t do it?" Gavin said, "Then prove it. Why not have a kid?¡± Lance said, "I''m just worried others willugh at you." Their banter was heating up. Bradley adjusted his gold-rimmed sses and said, ¡°Lance, maybe Gavin will have a kid before you do." Lance said, "I don''t care." Lance shot a meaningful look at Amelia, who was sitting right next to him. They were still enjoying their time alone together. There was no rush to have a kid. Thest thing Lance wanted was a little third wheel tagging along. Jacqueline asked curiously, "Gavin, did you really find a girlfriend?" Gavin replied, "Mom, I''m still waiting for her answer." Jacqueline wanted to ask more, but seeing how reserved Gavin was with his answers, she decided not to press further. The others didn''t ask either. After dinner, Gavin went straight back to his room. He waited for Britney''s call all the way until 11:30 PM, but there was still no sign of his 08:54 Fri, 8 Aug phone ringing. "Did she forget?" Gavin muttered to himself. Of course, Britney hadn''t forgotten. She''d been wrestling with her thoughts all night. It wasn''t until almost midnight that she finally gathered the courage to call Gavin back. Gavin picked up after three rings. "Yeah?" His tone was icy. Britney took a deep breath. "Hi, Gavin." After calling his name, Britney fell silent, clearly at a loss for words. Gavin listened to the nervousness in her breathing and got straight to the point. "Ms. Watson, what''s your answer?" Her breathing grew heavier, and after a long, awkward pause, Britney finally said with guilt in her voice, "I''m sorry, Gavin. I can''t say yes." Even though he''d seen iting, Gavin couldn''t help but frown at her answer. He pressed, "Why?" Britney said, "Gavin, we''ve only met twice. We barely know each other. Getting married out of the blue like this. It''s just way too crazy." "Okay," Gavin said tly. Britney was totally stunned. Gavin said, "It''ste. You should get some rest." And with that, he ended the call. Britney stood there holding her phone, a little dazed. She couldn''t even tell what she was feeling right now. ''Is it disappointment?'' she wondered. She really didn''t know. The next day, Britney headed to work as usual. Her workday started at 9, but she usually showed up around 8:30. She''d just wrapped up the morning meeting when the receptionist told her someone was looking for her. Britney put on her professional smile and walked into the lobby, only to spot Gavin the moment she stepped in, standing there with a bouquet of roses in his arms. The roses were breathtakingly beautiful, each petal lush and dewy with the freshness of morning, their sweet scent drifting through the air. "Gavin?" Britney paused, surprised. Gavin stood up and offered the bouquet of roses to Britney. Britney''s smile stayed in ce, but she was clearly at a loss. For a moment, she was caught in an awkward spot, not sure if she Chapter 740 With peopleing and going in the lobby, Britney didn''t want to embarrass Gavin in front of everyone, Britney took the roses. Thank you" ¡ª Gavin''s lips curled into a faint smile. "Mind if I steal you for a few minutes?" Britney nced down at the roses in her arms. "Give me a second." Gavin nodded. "Sure." Britney carried the roses over to the front desk. "Ms. Watson, your boyfriend is so handsome," the girl at the front desk said enviously. Britney just smiled and didn''t exin, setting the flowers down. As usual, she led Gavin to the small conference room. Britney thought to herself, ''Even if Gavin came all the way to the hotel, I still have to say no to him.'' But before she could get the words out, Gavin beat her to it. "My name is Gavin. My parents gave me this name because they hoped I''d live a bright and splendid life," he exined. "There are seven people in my family, my parents, my brother and his wife, my little sister, and her boyfriend. You''ve met everyone," he continued. Gavin pulled out his documents from his briefcase andid them out in front of Britney one by one. "I''m thirty-four years old. I started kindergarten at three, and graduated from Wholeford Business School with a master''s degree when I was twenty-four," Gavin said,ying out his credentials. "Right now, I''m the CEO of the Yates Group. As for sry, well, since it''s a family billion dors, and I basically have free rein over it all," he continued. "Gavin?" Britney''s jaw dropped a little more with every word he said, her face full of shock. She couldn''t help but interrupt him, "W-Why are you telling me all this?" He had even brought his ID, diploma, and somepany documents,ying them all out in front of her. Britney found herself clenching her hands without even realizing it. Gavin looked at her calmly. "Didn''t you say we didn''t know each other well enough? I''mying everything out for you now. Ask me anything you want, and I won''t hold anything back." Britney could only stare at him, speechless. She''d just said that casuallyst night. No wonder he''d just said okayst night.. Gavin pushed a financial report toward Britney. This is our revenue fromst year. Take a look." "No." Britney hurriedly waved her hands. ''Isn''t apany''s financial report supposed to be confidential? How could someone like me, an outsider, be allowed to see this?'' she thought, feeling uneasy. Gavin looked straight into her beautiful eyes. "Ms. Watson, if we get married, you''d get a share of the profits, too." Britney was at a loss for words. 08:55 FIT U Aug Gavin said casually, "By the way, I''ve never dated anyone before." Britney stared at him in surprise. ''No rtionship experience?'' she echoed in her mind. At his age, and with how outstanding he is he an dated anyone?'' "Is there anything else you want to know?" Gavin asked. To Britney, it almost sounded like he was saying, ''Is there anything left you can use to reject me?'' she thought to herself. Gavin''s actions seemed perfectly polite, but there was an invisible, almost domineering edge to them. He locked his gaze on Britney, not taking his eyes off her for a second. Britney felt the pressure mounting. She said quietly, "Gavin, I didn''t really mean what I saidst night." Gavin nodded gently. "Then what''s the real reason you''re saying no to me?" Britney sighed, "It just feels too fast." That night at the Yates Manor, she''d just acted on a whim. But now, she''d calmed down. Britney had just been betrayed by both her best friend and her boyfriend, and it was hard for her to jump into a new rtionship so soon. "Too fast?" Gavin repeated the word, rolling it over in his mouth. "Then, how long do you think would be right?" Britney shook her head gently. She didn''t know. Honestly, she didn''t want to get into a new rtionship right now. But Gavin really was a great guy. Gavin said, "Then from this moment on, I''m going to pursue you until you finally say yes." AD Chapter 741 Britney looked up in surprise. She opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. Seeing the determination on Gavin''s handsomete she knew her refusal wouldn''t work. Gavin began to gather his documents and put them into his briefcase. He lifted his gaze at Britney and asked, "Do you like the red roses cent you?" Britney bit her lip. Gavin zipped up his briefcase and stood up. "If you don''t like them, I''ll bring you different flowers tomorrow." Britney really didn''t know what to say for a moment. Gavin picked up his briefcase and started walking out. Britney quickly followed after him. Suddenly, Gavin came to a halt. Britney bumped right into his broad back and couldn''t help but let out a soft cry. Gavin turned around and saw Britney rubbing her slightly red nose. He lifted his hand, then let it fall. "Are you free tonight? I know a great little private kitchen. I''d love to take you there," he said. Before Britney could answer, Gavin added, "You can turn me down if you want.¡± "Tonight, I-" Britney stammered. "But honestly, I hope you won''t," Gavin said, cutting her off. When Britney met Gavin''s deep eyes, the words of refusal that had reached her lips were swallowed back down. WW She hedged, "I''m not sure if I''ll have to work overtime today. There''s a big tour group checking in, and if the front desk gets overwhelmed, I might have to help out." Gavin nodded. "Alright, I''lle pick you up tonight." ''Didn''t I just say I might have to workte?'' she grumbled inwardly. ''Why does he act like I''ve already agreed?'' But before Britney could protest, Gavin was already striding off with his briefcase. Britney let out a sigh. She really did have her hands full today. With a big tour group checking in, there was a mountain of work waiting for her. But by mid-afternoon, she got word from the sales department that the tour group wasn''ting after all. Britney found it odd. Groups that booked this far in advance almost never cancelled. On the bright side, at least she could get off work on time. As soon as she stepped out of the employee entrance, she spotted the Rolls- Royce parked at the intersection. That was when Britney remembered that Gavin had said he wanted to have dinner with her this morning. She was off work now. There really wasn''t any reason to turn him down. Honestly, Britney had to admit that she didn''t really want to refuse him. 08:55 Fr B AUG Even though she hadn''t met Gavin that many times, she actually thought pretty well of him. Britney grabbed her bag and walked over to the car. The driver had already hopped out and was holding the back door open for her. "Ms. Watson, please get in. Mr. Yates has been waiting for you," the driver said. "Thank you," Britney replied as she slid into the back seat. The door closed behind her. The partition between the front and back seats rose up. Now the back seat waspletely sealed off from the front, leaving her in a private, enclosed space. The man beside her didn''t say a word, but his presence was impossible to ignore. Britney turned her head just a little and caught sight of him in his tailored suit, his profile unfairly handsome, exuding the air of a sessful urban professional. Britney clutched her handbag a little tighter, feeling a bit self-conscious. The silence between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. In the end, it was Gavin who finally spoke first. "It''s a bit of a drive from your hotel to the restaurant, about forty minutes," he said. Britney turned to look at him. "The tour group that was supposed to check in today canceled." Gavin nodded slightly. "I know." "You know?" Britney blinked in surprise. Gavin replied, "I had them switch to one of the Yates family''s hotels." "You? Why?" Britney asked, wide-eyed. Gavin said, ¡°Didn''t you mention you might have to work overtime because of them?" ''So that''s why they suddenly canceled,'' she thought, stunned. ''I knew something was off." Britney asked again, "Why would they agree to switch hotels?" Usually, there was a penalty for that. Most of the time, the deposit would just be forfeited. Gavin tapped his fingers on his knee. ¡°I told them they could stay for free. Who''d say no to that?" Britney was taken aback for a moment. AD Comment Chapter 742 For a few seconds, Britney''s face was frozen in shock. Then she blurted out, "You''re disrupting the market." Gavin let out a soft, amusedugh. Britney frowned at him. "What''s so funny?" Gavin turned to look at her, his gaze lingering on her delicate face. In a low voice, he said, "I thought you''d be touched." Britney was speechless. ''Touched?'' Britney thought. ''All I feel is shock. Just pure shock. That tour group needs over a hundred rooms. And he''s letting them all stay for free? Does he think money grows on trees or something?'' Upon seeing the surprise still written all over her face, Gavin, almost without thinking, lifted his hand and gently stroked the top of her head. "Alright, just this once. Don''t expect it again." He sounded just like he was coaxing a child. Gavin quickly moved his hand away. But to Britney, it felt as if the warmth of his palm still lingered on the top of her head. For some reason, her cheeks started to feel warm. Britney turned away, gazing out the car window. The setting sun bathed everything in a rosy glow, while cars streamed by outside. The backseat had plenty of space. With just the two of them in the back, it felt especially roomy. As Britney stared out the window, she suddenly felt his knee brush against hers. She was wearing a long, pale yellow dress paired with sheer stockings. The instant Gavin''s suit-d knee touched hers; it was like a jolt of electricity shot up her leg. Britney immediately pulled her knee away and turned to look at him. Gavin, however, was still gazing out the window, as if nothing had happened. It was just an unintentional touch on his part. ''Guess I was just imagining things,'' Britney told herself. She edged a little closer to the window. The rest of the ride passed in silence. Half an hourter, the car pulled into the parking lot of an exclusive private kitchen restaurant. Gavin stepped out first, with Britney following close behind. Wesley had reserved a table by the window. As soon as they walked in, they spotted two familiar figures. "Cam?" Gavin called out. He was a bit surprised to run into Cameron and Bradley here. It was obvious the two of them were out on a date. What a coincidence. They''d actually picked the same restaurant. "Gavin?" Cameron blurted out, just as surprised. Bradley looked over at Britney, who was standing behind Gavin, and pushed up his gold-rimmed sses. "Gavin, you and your girl are here for dinner too?" "Yeah." Gavin nodded, "You two go ahead." Britney gave a slight nod to Bradley and Cameron, then followed Gavin to their own table. Cameron smiled as she watched Britney from across the room. "It''s just as I expected." Bradley couldn''t help butugh. "Guess Gavin won''t have to get lectured anymore." Cameron slowly popped a shrimp into her mouth. "Not so fast." "What do you mean?" Bradley asked. Cameron replied, "Now that Gavin''s got a girlfriend, the next thing my parents will do is start bugging him about having kids: It''s not easy being the eldest son." Bradley''s lips curved into a slight smile. "I''m not in a rush.¡± "What?" Cameron looked confused. Bradley said, "I''m not in a hurry to have kids." Cameron was speechless. Bradley chuckled, "But if you want kids, Cam, I''m all for it." Cameron was at a loss for words for a moment. ''Kids? That just feels way too far off,'' she thought. ''Honestly, I''ve never even thought about that before.'' After a brief pause, Cameron said, "Mr. Saunders, we''re not even engaged yet. Isn''t this a bit out of order?" Bradley''s face softened with a fond smile. "Alright, we''ll do things by the book, step by step." Meanwhile, Gavin and Britney had just finished ordering their food. Britney turned to Gavin. "Why didn''t you exin just now?" Gavin asked, ¡°Exin what?" Britney said, "That we''re not in that kind of rtionship yet." Gavin repeated, "That kind of rtionship?" Britney rified, "Like boyfriend and girlfriend." Gavin replied with a calm confidence, "It''s only a matter of time. There''s really nothing to exin." Britney waspletely at a loss for words. Chapter 743 Gavin''s response caught Britney off guard, and a wry smile tugged at her lips. "You''re that confident?" Gavin fixed his deep gaze on her. "Britney, you don''t hate me, do you?" It wasn''t that Gavin was full of himself-his confidence all came from the way Britney treated him. Women were emotional by nature. One could always tell if a woman liked or hated someone just by the way she acted around them. The first time they met, she agreed to go home with him. At the very least, that meant she didn''t dislike him. Andter, she was the one who kissed him first. Sure, Britney was heartbroken and acted on impulse back then, but if she didn''t feel something for him, she never would''ve made a move. At his words, Britney almost blurted out, "Of course not." She definitely didn''t hate him. If anything, she knew it deep down. If she did, she wouldn''t be sitting here right r now. A faint smile yed at the corners of Gavin''s lips as he tapped his long fingers on the table. "So, how far along are we now?" Britney blinked. "About what?" Gavin leaned back, looking rxed. "How far I''ve gotten in chasing you." Britney was left speechless. ''He''s actually keeping track of his progress in chasing me?'' she thought. ''We''re actually keeping track of progress now?'' Honestly, she''d never heard anyone put it that way before. It was oddly amusing. Seeing her stay quiet, Gavin raised an eyebrow. "One percent?" Britneyughed, "Weren''t you just all confident a second ago?" Gavin chuckled, "I''m confident I''ll win you over, but as for when that''ll happen, who knows?" Britney lowered her gaze, a faint smile ying in her eyes. Gavin teaned in a little closer. "Can you give me a progress bar so that I have a clue?" Upon feeling the seriousness in his tone, Britney''s smile faded. She looked at him deeply and said, "I''m sorry, Gavin, but right now- "One percent," Gavin cut her off. "Let''s just say it''s one percent for now." She pursed her lips a little. "The food here is actually pretty good. Give it a try," Gavin said, smoothly changing the subject as he used the public table Britney some food. "Thanks," Britney said. All in all, the meal turned out to be pretty enjoyable. By the time they finished, Cameron and Bradley had just wrapped up their meal, too. e to serve Cameron linked her arm with Bradley''s and walked over, waving at Britney before turning to Gavin, "Gavin, are youing back with UST Gavin shook his head. "I need to take Britney home." Britney quickly interjected, "You don''t have to. I can just grab a cab." Bradley grinned, "Alright, we''ll leave you two to it." He took Cameron by the hand and led her away. After that, Gavin kept asking Britney out to eat every now and then. Sometimes she''d go, sometimes she''d turn him down. Every day, he''d have a bouquet of flowers delivered to the hotel where Britney worked. Pretty soon, everyone just took it for granted that Britney had a new boyfriend. She didn''t bother to deny it, but she never admitted it, either. There was no denying that Gavin was a great guy. But herst rtionship had really left her pretty scarred. She just wasn''t ready to dive into something new so soon. Time flew by, and soon it was the day of Cameron and Bradley''s official engagement. The Saunders family of Steerfall and the Yates family of Viremont were both major families, and even though Cameron wanted to keep things low-key, there were just too many eyes on them. It was nearly impossible for them to stay out of the spotlight. The engagement ceremony was held at the most prestigious hotel owned by the Yates family, but only close friends and rtives from both families were invited. At the engagement ceremony, both families'' faces were lit up with radiant smiles. Bradley slipped the ring that Eric had specially designed for him onto Cameron''s ring finger. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Cam, tonight, I can finally stay in your room, out in the open." Cameron held his slender fingers tightly and gave him a brilliant smile in return. Chapter 744 Cameron said openly, "Congrattions. You got what you wanted." Bradley dipped his head and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Lance teased, "Brad, I don''t think kissing the bride-to-be is part of the engagement ceremony." Bradley replied with a straight face, "Just iming my privileges in advance." Everyone burst intoughter. They gave their blessing to their love. After the engagement party, Cami pulled Cameron aside. Cami looked mysterious. "Cam, I''ve got an engagement gift for you and Brad." Cameron, with her perfectly done makeup, smiled, "Thanks, that''s really thoughtful of you." Cami winked yfully. "Cam, can you guess what it is?" Cameron chuckled, "That''s a tough one." Today, Cameron and Bradley were officially engaged, and everyone in the Saunders family, including Osborne''s three kids, who were still in kindergarten, had carefully prepared gifts for them. They''d all checked in with each other to make sure no two gifts were the same. The presents were a dazzling array. Cameron honestly had no clue what Cami might have picked out for her. Cami wasn''t really expecting her to guess. She grinned and held out her palm to Cameron-resting in it was a small, dark brown ss bottle. The bottle was tiny, about two fingers tall, andpletely unmarked. There was no way to tell what was inside. "What''s this?" Cameron pinched the bottle between her fingers. "Careful, Cam," Cami said quickly, cupping her hands under Cameron''s, worried the bottle might slip. Cameron tightened her hold on the bottle and asked again, "Cami, what is this?" Once Cameron had a firm hold on the bottle, Cami finally rxed. Cami grinned and said, "Cam, let me ask you something first." Cameron nodded. "How many kids are you and Brad nning to have?" Cami asked. Cameron was caught off guard by that question. She shook her head. "Honestly, I haven''t really thought about it." Cami said, "Well, think about it now." Cameron thought for a few seconds. "I''m not really into kids, but I don''t dislike them either. I''ve heard raising a kid is a huge hassle, so I think just having one would be enough." "One," Cami nodded. "So, do you want a boy or a girl?" Cameron replied, "It''s not like I can just pick. That''s up to fate." Cami raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you want, I can make it happen." "IVF?" Cameron shook her head. "That''s not necessary." Carni smiled and nodded at the bottle in Cameron''s hand. "No need for IVF, Cam. Just drink what''s in that bottle, and you''ll get exactly what you want-boy or girl. "And if you want more than one kid, you can even pick how many-triplets, quadruplets, sextuplets, septuplets, whatever you like!" Cami had already called dibs on twins for herself. Evan had imed the quintuplets. As for octuplets, those were saved for Jade''s little brother. Cameron stared at Cami in surprise. She turned the bottle over in her palm. "Did you invent this?" ''That''s amazing, Cameron thought. Cami shook her head. "A friend gave it to me.". Cameron was silent for a long moment. She believed what Cami was saying. After all, Cameron had time-traveled once and then spent over a thousand years world-hopping. If that could happen, then nothing seemed too far-fetched. But in the real world, this felt like something out of a fantasy. It was just too strange. ''Wait a second?'' Cameron thought. Suddenly, something urred to her, and she asked Cami, ¡°I heard you cured the world''s first case of ALS. How did you pull that off?" Cami replied, "Cam, why are you asking about that all of a sudden?" ''Shouldn''t she be more curious about the medicine in her hand?'' Cami wondered. Cameron asked cautiously, "Cami, you''re not from this world, are you?" Chapter 745 Cami stared at Cameron in shock. She wasn''t just stunned by why Cameron would ask her something like that what really floured her w the meaning behind Cameron''s words. "Cam, what do you mean?" Cami asked, quickly regaining herposure, her face looking almost normal again Cameron said, "Just what it sounds like." Cami chuckled, "Cam, if I''m not from this world, then where am I supposed to be from?" Cameron replied, "Probably just like what happens in those webnovels." Cami couldn''t help but let out augh. Actually, the Saunders family already knew that Cami had time-traveled. And now, Cameron was pretty much considered part of the Saunders family, too. So there was no harm in telling her. Cami trusted that Cameron wouldn''t go around bbing about it. Besides, if Cameron knew about this, the potion she gave her would seem even more convincing. "Cam, you got it. Just like in those webnovels, I''ve actually time-traveled once before. Pretty wild, huh?" Cami said, giving Cameron a thumbs-up. "But Cam, what made you suddenly think of that?" Cami asked. Hearing this, Cameron''s face broke into a bright smile. ''I knew it,'' Cameron thought to herself. ''I always sensed there was something different about her. So Cami really is just like me. But I never expected her to be so honest about it.''- Cameron said with a smile, "Cami, first off, you pushed the boundaries of modern medicine. You actually cured ALS. And then there''s this potion of yours, it''s just way too extraordinary." "Didn''t youe up with a miracle cure for leukemia?" Cami shot back. Cameron replied, ¡°Because I had some outside help too." Cameron had already developed a cure for leukemia back in the world-hopping universe. But the herbs in this world were just way too polluted. She spent years buying a piece ofnd, growing all the herbs she needed herself, and finally making the medicine before she could actually release it. "Outside help?" Cami looked at her in surprise, "Don''t tell me you''re also-" Cameron nodded. "I''m just like you." "Really?" Cami''s pupils contracted in surprise. She''d already been shocked when Evan had returned by possessing another body. But she never expected that Cameron, just like her, was also someone who had time-traveled. ''What a coincidence,'' Cami thought to herself. Cameron nodded. "Yeah, it''s true." Cami grabbed Cameron''s arm. ¡°Come on, Cam. How did you time-travel?" The two of them were chatting away,pletely at ease with each other. Now that they shared the same kind of experience, they just couldn''t run out of things to talk about. It wasn''t until Bradley walked over that their conversation came to an abrupt stop. "Brad, hang on a sec. Let me chat with Cam a bit longer," Cami said, yfully trying to shoo him away. Bradley said helplessly, "Cami, you two have been talking for almost an hour. Don''t forget. Today is Cam and my engagement day. All her time belongs to me." Cami just stared, speechless for a moment. She relented, stepping back. "Alright, fine. Since we''re not heading back to Steerfall today, FIT just catch up with Cam tomorrow." And with that, Cami started to walk away. But Cameron called out to her, "Cami, pass this on to someone who really needs it." "You''re not going to use it?" Cami hesitated, not taking the bottle. Cameron shook her head and pressed the bottle into Cami''s hand. "When ites to having kids, I think it''s better to just let things happen naturally." She thought, ''Messing with it just takes away the meaning." Cami looked a little regretful. But she didn''t press the issue. Cami gave the bottle in her hand a little shake. "Cam, you can always change your mind if you want." Cameron shook her head softly. Cami turned and walked away. Bradley slipped his arm around Cameron and grinned, "Did you two really spend all that time just talking about this?" Cameron replied, "It''s girl talk. Don''t go poking your nose into it." Bradley looked at her dotingly. "Alright." Chapter 746 The two families set the date for Cameron and Bradley''s wedding-six monthster, on a good day. Bradley smiled at Cameron. "Cam, what kind of wedding do you want?" Cameron replied, "I don''t have any special requests. Just keep it simple." She wasn''t one to waste energy on formalities. For example, even with today''s engagement party, she kept insisting on keeping things simple. "Simple?" Bradley let the word linger on his tongue, then nodded. "Alright, simple it is." He''d n the whole wedding himself. After the engagement party, the Yates family, ying the perfect hosts, nned to take the Saunders family out to explore Viremont and have some fun for a few days before heading back home. Bradley went to arrange amodations for the Saunders family. Cameron was hanging out with Bradley''s sister and the others when a waiter stopped her. "Are you Ms. Yates?" he asked. "Yeah, that''s me." Cameron nodded. The waiter said, "Your friend asked you to head up to the hotel rooftop right now." ''The rooftop?'' Cameron frowned, confused. She was just about to ask which friend it was when Eric said, "Could it be that Brad''s waiting for you on the rooftop with a surprise?" "Probably." Cameron''s lips curled into a smile. "I''ll go take a look." "Cam, let me go with you," Cami said. "Come on, Cami, don''t be a third wheel," Eric teased. So, Cameron headed up to the rooftop alone. When she reached the rooftop, Cameron looked around for Bradley, but instead caught sight of a woman standing there. The woman stood with her back to Cameron, dressed in a hospital gown, her messy hair fluttering in the breeze. Cameron frowned slightly. Just then, the door behind her was suddenly locked from the outside. Cameron''s expression darkened. She immediately realized this wasn''t Bradley who asked her here at all-someone was setting her up. She turned her gaze back to the woman standing on the rooftop. "Who are you?" Cameron asked, her voice icy. The woman slowly turned around at the sound of her voice. Cameron immediately recognized her, "Milena?" 14:80 SUB 10 AUD It really was Milena. After months in lockup, she looked gaunt, her cheekbones putting out sharply. "Oh, Cam, long time no see." Milena sieered, her voiceced with mockery. Cameron''s face stayed nk. "Aren''t you supposed to be locked up? How did you get out?" Milena fixed Cameron with a cold, mocking smile. "Cameron, I heard today''s the big day-you and Bradley, officially engaged. "Se i injured myself on purpose, forced the guards to send me to the hospital, and waited for my chance to slip away. When I found out you were celebrating here, how could I not show up?" Cameron immediately pulled out her phone. "Alright then, time to send you back where you belong." But Milena suddenly snapped, lunging at her, snatching the phone right out of Cameron''s hand and flinging it off the rooftop. This was the 38th floor-no need to even look, that phone was already smashed to pieces. "Call the cops?" Milena sneered, her face twisted with contempt. "Cameron, who the hell do you think you are? What makes you think you have the right to have me arrested?" Cameron shrugged, unfazed. "I''m just sending you back where you belong." "Where am I supposed to be?" Milena spat, gritting her teeth. She fixed Cameron with a hard, burning stare. Today, Cameron was wearing a pure white gown, the dress hugging her curves and showing off her graceful silhouette. Her long hair was swept into a low bun, and her makeup was wless, highlighting her already perfect features. Every piece she wore screamed luxury-from the pearl earrings and the gemstone ne to the bracelet on her wrist, and even the tiny brooch pinned to her dress. And Milena was standing there in a hospital gown, looking gaunt and like a total mess. The contrast between them couldn''t have been more obvious. Back then, Milena was the one in the spotlight. Now, everything had flipped. Just thinking about it made Milena grit her teeth in anger. ¡°Cameron, it''s all your fault I''m like this." AD Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter 747 Cameron remained expressionless in the face of Milena''s baseless usations, "Thanks to me?" Cameron''s lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Didn''t you bring all this on yourself?" "It''s all your fault," Milena screamed hysterically. "I got expelled from school because of you. And because of you again, I ended up in the detention center." Her long hair was a wild, tangled mess. She looked just like a madwoman. Cameron''s sarcasm deepened. "Oh, I ruined your life? Was it I who made you steal my designs and enter them in thepetition? Or was it me who forced you to hire someone to hit Bradley with a car?" Milena was left speechless by her retort. Even though Cameron was telling the truth, Milena was still seething with resentment and unwilling to back down. ''Why her? Why does she get everything?'' Milena fumed inwardly, her heart burning with resentment. For all those years in the Wace family, Milena always had Cameron under her heel. Milena was the apple of Martin and Heidi''s eye, while Cameron was nothing more than a nobody. Now, Milena had lost it all and was even locked up like a criminal. Meanwhile, Cameron had be a brilliant scientist, making groundbreaking contributions to humanity. In just a matter of years, the tables hadpletely turned. Milena simply couldn''t ept this reality. That was why Milena tried to run Bradley over with a car-so Cameron would spend the rest of her life drowning in the pain of losing the one she loved. But Milena never imagined Bradley would survive, and she''d be the one thrown behind bars instead. Thinking about all this, Milena broke down and screamed, "Cameron, if I have to suffer, you''ll suffer too." Cameron remained expressionless. "So, what are you nning to do?" Milena gritted her teeth. "I want you dead." Cameron scoffed, "Even if I die, will that really change anything for you?" Milena suddenly burst into a maniacalugh. ¡°You think I''m afraid of dying? I already hired someone to run Bradley over. "There''s no way I''m escaping prison. If I''m going to rot in jail, I''d rather just die. Hell, I might as well add another life to my record. What do I have to be afraid of when I''ve got nothing left?" Cameron instantly saw through Milena''s intentions. She was ready to drag everyone down with her. Cameron replied coolly, "Milena, you''re not even in my league." "Is that so?" Milena shot back, pulling ¨¢ fruit knife she''d hidden from her pocket. 14:50 Sun, 10 Aug Milena had gone through all that trouble to break out of the detention center, and this fruit knife was all she managed to get. After all, they were both just girls. But with a de in her hand, Milena was sure Cameron didn''t stand a chance. Cameron nced at the little fruit knife, barely four inches long, in Milena''s hand and let out augh she couldn''t hold back. "What the hell are youughing at?" Milena shot her a vicious re. Cameron''s smile vanished as she started moving toward Milena, step by step. Cameron looked so unfazed that Milena, clutching the fruit knife, found herself backing away without even realizing it. "Why are you backing off? Weren''t you just about to kill me?" Cameron''s voice was icy. ÁÖÃü 72% 4201 Milena hesitated for a split second, then gripped the knife tightly and lunged at Cameron with everything she had. But Cameron simply lifted her foot and lightly kicked Milena''s wrist. Milena cried out in pain, her grip loosening as the fruit knife ttered to the floor. Cameron bent down, picked up the knife, and snapped it clean in two with both hands before tossing the broken pieces aside. "You-" Milena stared in utter disbelief at what she was seeing. Cameron had just snapped the fruit knife in half with her bare hands. ''How does she have that kind of strength?'' Milena thought, her mind reeling. "Milena, is that really all you can do? And you actually thought you could kill me? How naive," Cameron sneered, her face full of scorn. "Go to hell," Milena screamed, her face twisted with rage at Cameron''s taunts. In a sh, Milena lunged forward, seized Cameron''s arm, and shoved her hard toward the edge of the rooftop. Her strength was shockingly fierce. Cameron staggered, her face going suddenly rigid. Out of nowhere, memories from her old life came rushing back, of being shoved off the hospital rooftop and falling to her death. ''Could it have been Milena who pushed me off the roof in my old life?'' Cameron wondered. She needed to know for sure. A chill seeped into Cameron''s deep eyes. She looked at Milena on the ground, a smirk tugging at her lips, and then she slowly and deliberately walked toward the edge of the rooftop. There was only a four-foot-high railing there. Cameron sat down on the railing, her feet dangling over the edge. She lowered her gaze to the abyss below and said, "Milena, after all, we''re sisters Why do you have to do this?" AD Comment Chapter 748 In her old life, Cameron had been sitting on the hospital railing just like this when someone suddenly shoved her from behind. Even now, she could still recall exactly how that hand felt the strength, the pressure, every detail of that push against her back. If Milena ever pressed her hand against Cameron''s back again, she''d know it in an instant. Milena slumped to the floor, and when she looked up, she saw Cameron sitting on the railing. Her eyes lit up instantly. "Cameron, you idiot, Milena thought to herself. ''Are you trying to get yourself killed?'' Hearing Cameron''s words, Milena curled her lips in a mocking sneer. ''Sisters?'' she scoffed inwardly. ''Yeah, right. Some sister. I wish she''d just drop dead. Milena didn''t say a word. She clenched her teeth, couldn''t let this golden chance slip by, and rushed at Cameron like a lunatic, both hands mming hard into Cameron''s back. "Drop dead," Milena shouted. Her handsnded on Cameron''s back, separated only by the thin silk of her gown. Cameron felt the familiar size of Milena''s hands pressing against her back. Her eyes went wide with shock as her grip on the railing tightened. "It''s her,'' Cameron thought. ''Milena was the one who pushed me off the hospital rooftop in my old life. I should have realized it long ago.'' In her old life, Cameron had always been so careful, never stepping on anyone''s toes. Aside from Amelia, her so-called fianc¨¦e, who resented her, she hadn''t offended a single soul. Cameron had already broken off the engagement with Amelia. Naturally, Amelia wouldn''t have any reason to cause her trouble anymore. So that left only one person, Milena, who had always treated Cameron like the ultimate thorn in her flesh. Sometimes, when one was caught up in it, one just couldn''t see the truth. A cold ruthlessness shed in Cameron''s eyes. Milena had a lot of strength behind her. Fueled by her murderous intent, she shoved Cameron with everything she had. Cameron nearly pitched over the edge, but she caught the railing in time and quickly steadied herself. Cameron turned around, and with a light jump,nded right back on the rooftop. Milena hadn''t seen thating. The triumphant grin that was just starting to form froze on her lips, her eyes going wide in shock. ''H-How could this be?'' Milena thought, stunned. ''Why didn''t Cameron fall? I pushed her with everything I had.'' As Cameron started walking toward her, Milena instantly backed away in a panic, her movements frantic and desperate. But what truly terrified her was the icy look in Cameron''s eyes, a coldness so sharp it felt like it could freeze her blood. Milena had never seen anyone look at her with such chilling, bone-deep menace. Pure fear shot up from her feet, flooding every inch of her body. "Y-You-" Milena stammered, her words tumbling out in terror. She kept stumbling backward until her legs gave out and she dropped to the floor. 14:51 Sun, 10 Aug Cameron''s gaze was icy as she looked down at Milena from above. "Milena, today, it''s time we put an end to everything between us." 20 Milena realized deep down that she waspletely outmatched by Cameron. There was no way she could win. All she could do now was try to escape. But her legs had turned to jelly; she couldn''t even crawl away, let alone stand. All she could do was prop herself up on her arms and scoot backward, terror written all over her face. Cameron strode toward her, each step forcing Milena back, her presence pressing in like a predator closing in on its prey. "Cameron?" Milena cried out, her voice trembling. "What are you going to do to me? If I die, you''reing down with me. You''re a big-shot pharmacologist now, and you''ve got Bradley-" Cameron sneered, stopping in her tracks and cutting off Milena''s trembling words. "You know what. You''re right. There''s no way I''d throw away my future and my life just to get revenge on a piece of garbage like you. Not a chance." "Yes." Milena kept nodding, letting out a huge sigh of relief. "Cameron, just take me back to the detention center. I''ll take whatever punishment I deserve." "But if you want to end your own life, what does that have to do with me?" Cameron''s cold voice cut Milena off. "In my old life, hadn''t I also killed myself?'' Cameron wondered. Chapter 749 Milena was startled by the icy look in Cameron''s eyes. "What do you mean?" Milena asked, her voice shaking with terror. 20 Cameron replied, "What I mean is, instead of spending the rest of your life rotting in prison, wouldn''t it be better to just die now? The sooner you die, the sooner you''re free." "No," Milena screamed, her survival instinct kicking in. "I don''t want to die. I want to live." Cameron let out a coldugh. ¡°What''s the point of staying alive? So you can sit around dreaming about the next time you''ll get a chance to hurt me or Brad? Milena, do you really think you''ll ever get another shot?" Milena kept scrambling backward on the floor, her body dragging along as she shouted, "Cameron, murder is illegal." Milena was desperately hoping thew would be enough to hold Cameron back. "Kill you? Please, I wouldn''t stoop so low. I don''t want to dirty my hands," Cameron said, ncing up at the rooftop''s 360-degree surveince cameras that missed nothing. A mocking smile yed on her lips. Milena immediately tried to scramble to her feet and run. But then she heard Cameron''s icy voice again. "But death is way too easy for you. For the rest of your miserable life, you''ll suffer so much you''ll wish you were dead." ''What does she mean?'' Milena thought, panic rising. ''Is Cameron nning to deal with me in secret? I couldn''t just sit here and wait to die. As soon as she heard Cameron''s words, Milena''s anger exploded. I couldn''t just sit here and wait to die. "You bitch," Milena shouted. Like a madwoman, Milena threw herself at Cameron, screaming, "If I''m going down, I''m taking you with me." ''If I''m just going to be tortured by Cameron in prison, I might as well finish her off right now and be done with it,'' Milena thought, her mind twisted with desperation. Her fury was so overwhelming that, for a moment, shepletely forgot she was no match for Cameron. Fueled by rage, Milena charged at Cameron with reckless speed, not caring about anything else. Cameron dashed toward the edge of the rooftop, trying to get away from Milena''s relentless pursuit. Wherever Cameron ran, Milena was right on her heels. When Cameron reached the edge, she suddenly swerved and sidestepped to the side. But Milena, unable to stop herself, barreled straight through the railing. "Ah-" Mitena''s scream tore through the air. Cameron stood motionless, her face utterly cold as she watched Milena fall right before her eyes. She didn''t move, didn''t flinch. Only after a few seconds did she finally turn and walk away. Meanwhile, Bradley had just finished arranging amodations for the Saunders family when he ran into Cami and the others. Cami looked surprised. ¡°Brad, what are you doing here? Didn''t you say you were going to meet up with Cam?" "Cam? I didn''t make any ns with her," Bradley said, looking confused. "Where is she?" "She''s on the top floor," Cami replied, and she immediately had a bad feeling about this. The group was just about to head up to the rooftop to check things out. There was a sudden, thunderous bang from outside the lobby. "What happened out there?" someone called out. There was a sudden, thunderous bang from outside the lobby. "Come on, let''s go see what''s going on," someone urged. In an instant, everyone surged toward the entrance. Of course, Bradley and Cami went along as well. Secondster, wave after wave of screams broke out, echoing through the crowd. "Oh my God. Someone jumped. It''s a woman." "Jesus, her brains are sttered everywhere. Her whole body''s in pieces. This is freaking horrifying." "Don''t go over there. Don''t look. It''s way too scary-you''ll have nightmares tonight." The crowd was in an uproar, everyone talking over each other. Shock and terror were written all over their faces. Some people couldn''t handle the gruesome scene and had already turned away, running off in horror. "What''s going on? Brad-" Cami called out, her voice trembling. But Bradley had already spun around, panic written all over his face as he bolted toward the elevator. Cami and the others rushed after him. Just as they were getting into the elevator, Cameron stepped out of the elevator in another building. She strolled toward the noisy crowd, unhurried andposed. As she listened to their frantic chatter, Cameron''s eyes were so calm it was almost chilling. Çú AD Comment Send gift No The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!