Chapter 6
The driver got out of the car and opened the front passenger door.
Cameron never sat in the
ie same row as anyone else. Whoever it was always had to sit up front
Eliana was just about to climb in when Cameron, seated in the back, pushed open his door and said in a low voice, “Sit back here.”
Eliana froze for a moment. The driver, startled, stared at Cameron with wide eyes and asked, “Mr. Wright, is that okay?”
Cameron didn’t look at the driver. His focus remained on Eliana. Sit here,” he repeated.
“Oh, alright” Eliana nodded and slid into the back seat,
The driver, still looking puzzled, got back in silently and started the car.
As they drove, Eliana turned to Cameron with a polite smile. “Thank you for picking me up.
Cameron leaned back, one brow raised, his gaze locked on her like a hunter assessing its prey
His stare made Eliana squirm. “Why is he staring at me like that? Did I spill something on my clothes?” she thought.
She glanced down and checked herself but didn’t notice anything wrong.
Then Cameron spoke suddenly. “No need to thank me. Just treat me to a meal”
Eliana blinked in surprise. “What? We’re just heading to school–how does that call for me treating him? she thought.
But she nodded anyway. “Sure. How about lunch later?”
“You’re in the acting department, right?” he asked
Eliana nodded again.
“I’ll come find you at noon”
“Okay” Her reply was short. She wasn’t interested in chatting any further.
Cameron wasn’t much for small talk either. When she said nothing else, he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Thomas
Cameron: Your cousin’s not bad.]
Thomas: Cameron, you already picked her up! I haven’t even seen her yet since she got back. How does she look?]
Cameron glanced at Eliana, considered for a moment, and typed back. [Very unusual.]
On the other end. Thomas scowled at the message, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
“What the hell does that even mean? Is she… ugly or something? Is that why everyone says the Davis family keeps her locked away like some dirty little secret? he wondered, irritation bubbling beneath his cool exterior.
In a flurry of nerves, Thomas sent another message. (Cameron, she’s still my cousin, alright? Go easy on her.]
He couldn’t shake the mental image of Cameron tossing Eliana out of the car just because of how she looked
Cameron put his phone away, uninterested in continuing the conversation. Before long, the car pulled up to the gates of Instead University
As Eliana prepared to get out, she turned to Cameron and asked. “Are you coming too?”
Cameron usually avoided entering through the main gate–it was always too crowded and noisy for his liking.
The driver, noticing Eliana’s o
i question, quickly responded with a polite refusal. “Miss Davis, Mr. Wright doesn’t like going through the main
entrance..
“Sure, I’ll come with you,” Cameron suddenly said, cutting off the driver mid–sentence.
On a whim, he decided to get out of the car and walk into the campus with her.
Elana frowned slightly, finding Cameron more and more intriguing
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Chapter 6
The driver, however, looked completely baffled. He couldn’t make sense of Cameron’s unusually out–of–character behavior.
Cameron stepped out of the car alongside Eliana.
As she looked at the school gates, a strange feeling washed over Eliana. It was as if she hadn’t seen this place in years. Just as she was about to walk through, a flurry of voices erup
from nearby.
Oh my God, it’s Cameront
“Cameron’s at the main gate? No way!”
“Is that really him? Who’s the girl with him?”
“She’s gorgeous! Is she his girlfriend? No, no, no, this can’t be happening! I’m so jealous!”
“Impossible! Cameron’s never had a girlfriend. Didn’t people speculate he was gay! Maybe she’s a relative?”
The crowd’s stares burned with curiosity, their chanter buzzing around Eliana and Cameron like a swarm of bees.
Hearing their comments. Eliana turned to Cameron, her brows knitting together in confusion. “Who are you? You’re not Thomas Davis?”
Cameron slid his hands into his pockets, glancing down at Eliana, who was a head shorter than him.
“No,” he replied calmly.
Eliana’s eyes widened. You’re not Thomas Then who are you?”
“Did Lever say I was Thomas Cameron countered, tilting his head slightly.
“Why didn’t you explain that earlier?” Eliana demanded.
Cameron shrugged. “I thought having a cousin could be fun.”
Elana’s frown deepened. Her impression of Cameron had just hit rock bottom
Then where’s Thomas?” she asked. “Why did you come to pick me up instead?”
“Who knows? Maybe he’s dead,” Cameron replied with an air of indifference.
Eliana, thoroughly fed up, didn’t bother responding. She turned on her heel and walked through the gates without looking back.
Before traveling through time, Eliana had spent four years at Instead University. She knew the place better than anyone
Navigating the campus with ease, she quickly found the registration office and completed all the necessary formalities
A teacher escorted her to class Walking along the familiar paths, Eliana couldn’t help but recall the four years she had endured relentless bullying. The memories brought a surge of hatred rising to the surface.
She had spent so much time blaming herself back then, thinking her lack of effort was why Willow had stolen opportunities that should have been hern. But now, she finally understood–slie had never been the problems.
Willow had also traveled through time. She knew everything ahead of time, always managing to stay one step ahead.
Suddenly, Eluna’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw a notification: someone had accepted the challenge she’d posted on the dark web, scheduling it for the weekend
That put her in a slightly better mood
I’ve got a shot to start fresh now. This time, I’m not letting Willow take anything from me, Eliana thought, her lips curling into a sly smirk. Oh, so alir loves straling what’s mine, huhr Well, not this time. This time, I’ll make her pay
When Eliana walked into the classroom, it was packed with students eagerly waiting to meet the new arrival.
As soon as Eliana entered, all eyes turned to her. Whispers quickly spread through the room.
“It’s her, right? The one people have been talking about on the forum!”
“Yeah, that’s definitely her. She looks just like the pictures. Honestly, life’s so unfair–she’s even prettier in person! I thought those photos were
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Chapter 6
filtered.
“Oh my God, she and Cameron look so perfect together”
Eliana could feel their stares
res trailing over her, sizing her up from head to toe.
to bully her.
Among the whispering students, many were familiar faces–people who had once sided with Willow to bull
Back then, Eliana had gone out of her way to build relationships with them, doing favors and helping with their work. In return, they mocked her behind her back, calling her “cheap labor” who’d do anything for a smile.
The memory made her stomach twist. She had no intention of being polite to these people now,
She glanced at the clock. Willow likely hadn’t arrived yet
Without a word to anyone, Eliana chose a seat in the back row, pulled out her phone, and ignored them all.
