Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
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 Stellanford 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.
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 dollars.
A note lay beneath it.
Gavin: [Hi Cameron, I’m your older brother, Gavin Yates. This watch is just a small gesture. I hope you’ll come 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.
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’t last. 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 soft laugh. “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 placed 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 Wallace family.
“Cameron, you have to understand that being related by blood makes a huge difference. Everything you went through with the Wallace family was just because you weren’t their biological child. You can’t lump it all together.
“Blood ties can make things come 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 explained.
“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, planning 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 glanced 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’s late 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?”
