His Camera Loved My Best Friend Chapter 07

His Camera Loved My Best Friend Chapter 07

After returning to Southport, I quickly received a satisfying offer thanks to my experience at West Media Group.

The salary was better than before.

Most importantly, this was the place where I grew up.

Before starting work, I made a special trip back to the children’s home with many books.

Children born at the bottom had to work harder just to live ordinary lives.

That was the sentence I believed in most.

When I arrived, I saw a tall man unloading supplies from a truck.

He was not the soft-boy type currently popular online.

Broad shoulders.

Narrow waist.

Black tank top.

Cargo pants.

His features were cold and sharp.

The whole man had a strong, aggressive presence.

The director introduced him.

“Mason Cole. He’s been a regular donor these past few years.”

I smiled and nodded.

I had only planned to drop off the books and chat with the director for a while before leaving.

But she strongly invited me to stay.

“You’re the child from here with the best education and the furthest path.”

“I want you to encourage the kids with your experience.”

I thought for a moment and agreed.

Near the end of my talk, my fingertips trembled slightly.

“Lastly, I want you to remember one thing.”

“Never give up on yourself.”

“Never hand your wounds to someone who won’t treasure them.”

Applause filled the room.

My eyes drifted to the classroom door.

Mason leaned lightly against the wall, his gaze gentle, and he was clapping too.

Before I went onstage, he had still been checking supplies on the playground.

I didn’t know when he had come in.

Before leaving, Mason suggested:

“Since we’re here, why don’t we take a group photo?”

I didn’t refuse.

On the ride back to the city, I took Mason’s car.

It was a Range Rover.

It suited his capable, cold presence.

Actually, he and Julian were both cold men.

When they didn’t smile, they felt far away.

But Julian’s cold was the kind that made you feel you would never reach his heart.

After being near it too long, you got frostbite.

Mason was different.

Even after we had just met, he turned the heat up as soon as I got into the car.

He also asked carefully whether I got carsick.

His expression was still cold when he said these things.

But he didn’t freeze me.

“I don’t get carsick.”

I used to.

But Julian had never cared whether I felt awful.

He would never ask.

Even when I threw up badly, he would cover his nose and step back in silence.

To keep Julian from being unhappy, I forced myself to ride again and again, feeling sick each time.

Until I stopped feeling anything.

My phone buzzed.

It was a message from Julian.

“Where are you?”

I was a little surprised.

After thinking about it, I couldn’t figure out what I might have taken that didn’t belong to me.

But I didn’t think Julian was lowering his head either.

He was not someone who took initiative to apologize.

Especially not to me.

I didn’t reply.

His message came again.

“Not replying?”

“You don’t want to, or you can’t?”

“Is someone with you?”

I only found him baffling.

The next second, Julian called.

The ringtone sounded urgent.

Mason spoke at the perfect time.

“I can pull over anytime.”

“If you need privacy, I can get out and wait.”

He thought I minded him being there.

For some reason, I liked him a little more.

“No need.”

I answered the call.

Julian’s voice came through.

“When are you coming back?”

The car moved steadily along the country road.

Outside the window, trees stretched in the wind.

I felt a freedom and ease I had not felt in a long time.

“I’m not coming back.”

Julian clearly hadn’t expected that answer.

“What?”

His breathing was slightly uneven on the other end.

His emotions were no longer as steady as usual.

“What do you mean?”

I didn’t want to say more.

I only threw him one sentence.

“We broke up.”

Then I hung up.

On the way back, Mason did not speak again.

He only turned on music that eased the mood.

When we reached my apartment building, it was almost midnight.

I said to him:

“I should treat you to dinner.”

“Maybe next time…”

When I said that, I hesitated.

The reason was nothing complicated.

Mason was handsome.

I was painfully ordinary.

I was afraid he would think I was trying to chase him.

But Mason’s reaction surprised me.

“How about tomorrow?”

His fingers were pale and long on the steering wheel, tapping lightly.

“Are you free tomorrow?”

Under the warm yellow light, he no longer had that daytime coldness that kept people away.

I answered without thinking.

“I’m free.”

Mason suddenly smiled.

It was the first time I had seen him smile.

His smile was like warm wind over a wasteland.

Even his sharp brow softened.

He looked good.

I suspected he was flirting with me.

But his eyes were too open.

I had no evidence.

“Don’t make it next time.”

“Tomorrow?”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

Mason lifted his phone.

“Then iMessage?”