Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
Someone woke Cameron up the next morning. “Cam, where’s Brad?”
Cameron sat up, her mind still foggy from sleep. Hearing a noise, she instinctively glanced 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 glanced 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 all last 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?” Camilla 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 places 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 planned.”
Jacqueline looked at Cameron, her heart aching. “Cam, but Brad still hasn’t shown up. If he doesn’t come 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.
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 day comes, 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 bother coming 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, Camilla 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 he comes back or not, it’s all up to him now.”
The next afternoon, Cameron’s phone buzzed. She thought it was just a regular 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 planning 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 she last 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, completely 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.
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 years later, 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.
