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Chapter 9

Author: Gem
last update Last Updated: 2025-02-18 17:01:29

Cameron’s POV

I wasn’t sure how long I had been staring at my phone.

Maybe a minute. Maybe an hour. Time felt irrelevant when my notifications wouldn’t stop exploding.

“Damn, it's been going on forever.” I muttered to myself.

Messages. Missed calls. Social media tags. Even some nosy reporters trying to get a statement.

But none of it mattered.

Not even the curious texts from my classmates. Not the shallow congratulations from people who only wanted gossip.

The only thing I really cared about was had Erica seen it?

I swallowed hard, gripping my phone tighter.

Erica was in another country for work, far away from all this chaos. Maybe—just maybe—she hadn’t seen the news yet. Maybe I still had time to think of what to say, how to explain.

But the universe clearly hated me today, because just as that thought crossed my mind—

A new message popped up on my screen.

From her.

"Cameron… is it true?"

I felt my heart drop straight into my stomach.

So, she did see it.

I hesitated, my fingers hover
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    DrakePatience. That was the key. Always had been.The cops thought they were circling me, like vultures waiting for me to stumble. Cute. They didn’t get it—I wanted them close. I wanted them watching. Because when it all went down, when Cameron finally snapped, they’d see what I’d seen all along.He wasn’t built for Brandon. Not really. And the fact that Brandon still clung to him after everything? That was the real comedy.I stood by the cracked window of the warehouse, cigarette burning slow between my fingers. My phone buzzed once. A man’s voice came over the line, low and uncertain.“Boss, surveillance says the cops are moving more units near the river. You sure we shouldn’t clear out?”I smirked. “Let them come. They think they’re hunting me? No. I’m dragging them into the open. You got the truck ready?”“Yes, but—”“No buts.” I flicked ash onto the floor. “When I say move, you move. Brandon’s the prize. Cameron’s the leash. They’ll both dance when I pull.”The guy muttered a ne

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    DrakePatience. That was the key. Always had been.The cops thought they were circling me, like vultures waiting for me to stumble. Cute. They didn’t get it—I wanted them close. I wanted them watching. Because when it all went down, when Cameron finally snapped, they’d see what I’d seen all along.He wasn’t built for Brandon. Not really. And the fact that Brandon still clung to him after everything? That was the real comedy.I stood by the cracked window of the warehouse, cigarette burning slow between my fingers. My phone buzzed once. A man’s voice came over the line, low and uncertain.“Boss, surveillance says the cops are moving more units near the river. You sure we shouldn’t clear out?”I smirked. “Let them come. They think they’re hunting me? No. I’m dragging them into the open. You got the truck ready?”“Yes, but—”“No buts.” I flicked ash onto the floor. “When I say move, you move. Brandon’s the prize. Cameron’s the leash. They’ll both dance when I pull.”The guy muttered a ne

  • Rival's Contract Marriage    221

    DrakePatience. That was the key. Always had been.The cops thought they were circling me, like vultures waiting for me to stumble. Cute. They didn’t get it—I wanted them close. I wanted them watching. Because when it all went down, when Cameron finally snapped, they’d see what I’d seen all along.He wasn’t built for Brandon. Not really. And the fact that Brandon still clung to him after everything? That was the real comedy.I stood by the cracked window of the warehouse, cigarette burning slow between my fingers. My phone buzzed once. A man’s voice came over the line, low and uncertain.“Boss, surveillance says the cops are moving more units near the river. You sure we shouldn’t clear out?”I smirked. “Let them come. They think they’re hunting me? No. I’m dragging them into the open. You got the truck ready?”“Yes, but—”“No buts.” I flicked ash onto the floor. “When I say move, you move. Brandon’s the prize. Cameron’s the leash. They’ll both dance when I pull.”The guy muttered a ne

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