Cameron turned to face Bradley. “Brad, you really don’t need to drive me?
Bradley kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his voice deliberately flat. “You don’t want me to?”
‘No, I don’t, Cameron said bluntly.
Bradley blinked, caught off guard. He hadn’t expected such straightforward honesty from her. “Why not?” he asked.
Cameron didn’t beat around the bush. “Because I already owe you too much. I don’t want to be in your debt any more than I already am.”
‘So that’s why you turned down my invitation yesterday and went with Elijah instead, Bradley said.
Cameron stared at his handsome profile and nodded. “Yep.”
Bradley turned to look at her. “Cameron, are you in a rush to get to Murphy Manor?”
“What do you mean?”
The corner of Bradley’s mouth quirked up, but he said nothing. Instead, he spun the steering wheel and made a U–turn, heading back toward Noble Vista.
“Brad, what are you doing?” Cameron asked, confused.
Bradley pulled into a parking spot and unbuckled his seatbelt. “Come on. Let’s go to my place. There’s something I want to show you.”
Cameron didn’t budge. “What is it?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
Cameron sighed and got out of the car, feeling like she didn’t have much choice.
Inside Bradley’s villa, she casually asked, “Did you get the pipes fixed?”
Bradley smiled, “Yeah, all fixed. This way.” He led Cameron to a storage room and pulled back a bright yellow curtain. Behind it sat a black mountain bike completely wrapped in protective plastic film, meticulously preserved.
Cameron unconsciously stepped forward. “Brad, is this-
Bradley grinned. “It’s the mountain bike you gave me. Don’t recognize it? Check out the initials you had them engrave.” Cameron was speechless. She bent down to look, and sure enough, it was the same bike. Standing up straight, she asked, ” But didn’t you return it?”
Bradley shook his head. “Cameron, I never planned to return it.”
“But I got my money back, Cameron said, confused.
“I just had the property management office charge me the 60 grand and then refund the money to your card,” Bradley explained.
Cameron was completely speechless. ‘Seriously? That’s what this is about?‘ she thought.
Cameron just stared at Bradley, utterly lost for words.
Bradley noticed her blank expression and reached over to ruffle her hair. “Look, you just cut ties with the Wallace family. You’re broke right now. You don’t need to buy me expensive gifts.”
“I appreciate the thought, really,” he said, pulling his hand back. “But I had no idea you’d start avoiding me over this. If I’d known, I would’ve just accepted it.”
Cameron felt a lump in her throat. “I’m sorry, Brad.” That familiar warmth spread through her chest again, Bradley’s kindness hitting her right in the feels.
hteen
Even though she’d spent thousands of years world–hopping, jumping from reality to reality, completing system tasks and picking up countless skills, somehow, in less than a month, Bradley had shown her more warmth than she’d felt years with the Wallace family.
Bradley was genuinely good. Moving into apartment 316 and becoming his roommate was the luckiest break Cameron had gotten.
Bradley smiled, “Sorry for what? You didn’t do anything wrong was pist surprised to run into you at the fondue place yesterday.”
Successfully unlocked!
“You were pretty mad, weren’t you?” Cameron asked, meeting his eyes.
“A little,” Bradley admitted honestly.
“I’m-”
1/2
Chapter 210 The Explanation
“Don’t,” Bradley cut her off. “The misunderstanding’s cleared up. So can you stop avoiding me now?”
