Chapter 57

"What the hell was Timothy thinking?" Cameron cursed Timothy under his breath.

The gift was a massive crystal sculpture, dazzling brightly under the lights. It depicted a couple gazing longingly at each other; he in a suit, she in a wedding gown. But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was, the male figure was a likeness of Cameron, and the female, Dakota! They were still just friends! If Dakota misinterpreted this, she might distance herself, and he wouldn't be able to explain. Why this outrageous move by Timothy? Cameron felt an urge to beat him to a pulp.

Dakota's cheeks flushed crimson. She lowered her head, avoiding the sculpture. Why a sculpture? There were others present…

Unaware of Cameron's darkening expression, Timothy continued to admire his creation, his satisfaction growing with each glance. He privately praised his brilliance and clever idea. He'd relentlessly worked with the nation's top sculptors, using only the highest-quality, all-natural crystals. The total cost: tens of millions of dollars. He was certain it would impress Cameron.

"Mr. Morgan, Ms. Jennings, I wish you a lifetime…" Timothy began, turning to them. But their expressions silenced him. He'd expected a blush from Dakota, but Cameron's gaze was unnerving. If looks could kill, Timothy was sure he'd be six feet under.

He shivered. "Mr… Mr. Morgan, are you… not satisfied with my gift?"

"What do you think?" Cameron responded with a strange smile.

Timothy sucked in a breath, cursing his misjudgment. Cameron and Dakota weren't a couple! Shit! He was doomed! If their friendship ended because of him, death would be the least of his worries.

He was sweating profusely. Stella and the others, oblivious to the tension, stared at the extravagant sculpture in awe.

"I'm so jealous, Dakota!" "Your boyfriend is so romantic!" "You must know what this means, right?" "If only I had a boyfriend like this!"

Under their envious gazes, Dakota gritted her teeth, her cheeks burning. Was this Cameron's surprise? Her heart pounded at the thought. She stole a glance at Cameron, who was already looking at her. Their eyes met. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She pursed her lips, mustering her courage.

"Cameron, did you ask Mr. Dashner to prepare this for me?"

"Haha," Cameron awkwardly laughed, oblivious to her thoughts. "No…"

"Thank you. I really like it…"

Cameron's reply died in his throat as he heard Dakota's next words.

(Note: The promotional text "Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the ƒind ηøᴠel.nᴇt website…" has been removed as it is irrelevant to the story and appears to be spam.)