The Miracle of You

‘This isn’t good for my heart. Imagine a handsome and successful man saying that…’ Camille swallowed. ‘Even though I know he’s just being polite… Because look at me, I don’t even look that great.’

“…Who are you and what have you done with Michael Noah McGregor?” Camille finally said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. “Have the aliens finally abducted you? Is the man sitting before me right now an impostor?”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Michael looked amused, as though he had already expected this. “I am simply telling the truth,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I wasn’t obligated to do so. I just said it from the heart.”

‘That’s… surprisingly sweet,’ Camille thought.

“I remember I had to force you to give me a compliment back at our high school prom,” she couldn’t help but tease. “You looked like you hated to say it, but in the end, you admitted that I looked nice.”

The corners of Michael’s lips curved upwards. “Hmm. That I did. Your face was better-looking. But that dress you wore was indeed atrocious,” he added.

“Excuse me?” Camille was trying not to laugh.

Okay, maybe she did go overboard with her dress at that time. But how was she supposed to know that a frilly ball gown with floral patterns and numerous pearls and glitter would be gaudy and overkill?

No wonder her brothers were snickering at her when she went out of the house that evening. Her parents weren’t home at that time since they were busy with work, so they were the only ones who saw her appearance.

–

“Just what is so funny?” she had demanded as she placed her hands on both sides of her hips.

“N-Nothing,” Paul choked out.

“Have… Have you seen yourself in the mirror, sis?” Ben asked in amusement.

“Why?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with how I look?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Ben said, snickering. “You look amazing, sis.”

“Yeah, what he said,” Paul added. “You’d definitely be Prom Queen with that gown, yep!”

–

It seemed like even the servants were dying to say something, but they held their tongue in order not to seem disrespectful.

Meanwhile, Paul and Ben were still laughing hysterically even after her car drove off. They still never said a word about it.

‘Those traitors,’ Camille thought to herself fondly.

Well, it wasn’t like she was there at the prom to have fun, anyway. She was there to supervise the event and stay at the sides, watching the proceedings.

However, when Michael saw her at that time, the look of disgust on his face was so obvious and transparent that she couldn’t help but tease him like always.

–

“You look absolutely ridiculous,” he said, straight to the point as always.

“Why, thank you, dear gentleman,” she said sarcastically, though she was smiling in amusement.

“Honestly, what has gotten into your head to wear such a stupid…” Michael flinched. “Is this a new fashion statement or something? Also, you’re not even wearing any makeup. It looks weird! It just doesn’t match!”

“Hey, wearing makeup is annoying,” she told him with a chuckle. “If you were a girl, you’d understand.”

“Well, good thing I’m not a girl,” he muttered.

–

“Anyway, I would rather erase my memory of that prom night, thank you very much,” Michael said lightly, the mirth clear in his tone. “The thought of you in that gown still makes me feel nauseous.”

“Hey! I resent that!” Camille said, laughing. Same old mischievous Noah, it seemed.

‘I guess years in the business hasn’t changed his personality that much,’ she thought. ‘Still, there’s a definite mature air about him. One moment he’s like the same person from high school, and the next, he feels like an entirely different person.’

“Now, tell me,” Michael said, finally bringing up the topic that he had been trying to find out about for years. “What happened to you? Why did you leave so suddenly and walk out of your family like that?”

This was it. The question that Camille had not been looking forward to answering today.

She had been quite nervous at the prospect of meeting Michael again after all these years. There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him.

He always listened to her back in their high school days. He was a frank individual who often spoke his mind, and he was the type who would listen and mind his own business instead of interrupting from time to time and even giving advice that she didn’t need or ask for.

But…

Of all people to know her secrets…

Michael McGregor was definitely at the bottom of her list.

She did not want him, of all people, to know her secrets.

But she couldn’t just lie to him…

“…I had to, Noah,” Camille said softly. “And I wanted to.”

Michael was studying her quietly. “What do you mean by that?”

“I was eighteen at that time, Noah. I… wanted a different life. I wanted to start over.”

Technically, that was true. Partly, anyway.

‘This will do for now,’ Camille thought to herself.

Michael raised an eyebrow slightly, but didn’t say anything more. Camille was grateful to him for that. He always knew when was the right time to say something.

“I can tell you don’t want to elaborate,” Michael eventually said. “I won’t pressure you, but I guess things must’ve been hard for you back then. You were all alone, weren’t you? It shouldn’t have been easy to live by yourself.”

Camille felt a lump rise to her throat, but refused to let any emotion show on her face. It had been a long time since somebody outside of her family showed concern for her. “I was, but not anymore,” she said softly. “I managed in the end, and that’s all that matters.”

“I see. What about your family? Are you keeping in contact with them?”

Camille’s fingers unconsciously fidgeted in place, twirling around each other nervously. “I do… with my brothers.”

“Ah. Come to think of it, I haven’t actually met them before,” Michael said. “Paul and Benjamin, right? I only remember that time when they picked you up at school so suddenly that day. You were really surprised.”

Camille’s lips curved upwards at the nostalgic memory. “They were so dramatic. It was only my birthday,” she said, rolling her eyes in fond affection.

“But you’re their beloved big sister,” Michael teased.

It was no secret that Paul and Benjamin van Gowen loved Hailey to bits. Paul was two years younger than her while Benjamin was a year younger, the same age as Michael.

Michael had never met the brothers in person before, but he knew some things about their personalities based on what Hailey used to tell him.

Paul was the serious brother who worked hard and tried his best to prove himself to his parents. However, he was gentle and mischievous to those whom he was close to. Benjamin, on the other hand, was the more carefree brother who was very openly affectionate to those whom he was close to.

Michael had seen the brothers quite a few times before, in the news and also during special events. He could recall seeing them last at Gianna Palson’s birthday banquet, but he didn’t come up to talk to them. They had never really spoken before after all, and they had no reason to socialize with each other.

“They ask me how I’m doing from time to time,” Camille said quietly.

“Have you three gotten together after you recently returned to the city?” Michael asked curiously. “You did get transferred here suddenly, right?”

“Huh? Oh.” Camille seemed sheepish and confused at the same time. She thought that Michael would think that she had been back for a while and he had only just discovered her whereabouts, but for him to know such a specific detail…

“How did you know that I recently came back to the city?” she asked curiously. “And about my job transfer?”

Just how much did he know?