Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
‘Austin? He’s trying to buy out Aurevia Biotech? What the hell is he thinking? He probably doesn’t even realize this is my company. So what is his motive?”
“Mr. Wallace?” 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 black 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 blank 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 company. Hang on, let me check with Vincent.”
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 company?”
Cameron spoke up, “Aurevia Biotech.”
Vincent nodded. “Yes, sir. Aurevia Biotech. That’s the company you instructed me to move on. Did you forget?”
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 flat. “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 salary 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 my company?”
Austin froze.
“You mean… the company 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 my company? You really think I’m going to agree to that?”
Austin’s face stiffened. His smile vanished.
A few seconds later, 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 the command to Vincent.
Then, phone still in hand, he returned upstairs.
“Cam, you’re incredible. I can’t believe you started a whole company without anyone knowing.”
There was a flicker of awe in his amber eyes that couldn’t be missed,
But Cameron didn’t respond to the compliment. “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 flashing that message you sent him-bragging that you asked him to come 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 to compare?”
“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 Xander lately-it really makes me uncomfortable. 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-I 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’ll come see you right now. I can’t explain this through a screen.”
Cameron shook her head. “I don’t think there’s any reason for us to meet.”
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 off compl mean so much to him… but to him, I’m just… nothing?’
