dark as midnight sun, smoke as black as charcoal fills into our fragile lungs.
cause when our demons come, dancing in the shadows, to a game that can't be won.
cameron bishop; 36 yrs | owner
Hometown & length of time in Briar Ridge: New York City & he visited during the summers while growing up. He lived in BR for a couple years about six years ago, moved back to New York four years ago, & then moved back to BR six months ago
TW: child death, parental neglect, parental death, burn out
After inheriting a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company from his father, Cameron burned himself out working to turn the company around and get rid of all of the corruption and shady business his father was involved in. After having reached his absolute limit, Cam's psychiatrist ordered him to leave New York and to stop working on Gem Pharmaceuticals for at least a year. He set off for Briar Ridge where he's having a hard time leaving work behind completely, but is excited to get to spend this time getting closer to his child.
Jeremiah and Somone Bishop were very much on track to living the American dream. Somone was a oncologist and Jeremiah had inherited a small pharmaceutical company from his father. When they had their first child, Gemma, their dreams seemed to have come true and they were ready to be the perfect, happy family
That dream was shattered a year later when Gemma was diagnosed with an incredibly aggressive and rare disease. The next four years of hospital stays, medical trials, and other treatments tore Somone and Jeremiah apart. When Gemma finally passed away at the age of 5, there was little love left between the couple
Somone couldn’t bear the thought that she hadn’t been able to save their daughter. She buried herself into research on the disease that took Gemma away from them. Jeremiah threw himself into getting investors and investments to grow the company so that he could finance his wife’s research, eventually growing Gem Pharmaceuticals (newly rebranded and renamed after their deceased daughter) into a multibillion dollar pharmaceutical company
What started with such good intentions though, quickly turned… not so good. Jeremiah was determined to grow the company, no matter the cost. He made a lot of shady deals, paid off politicians, etc. The company was mostly successful because of these dealings
Cameron was born three years after his sister died, with parents who were more concerned about having a child to carry on the family name than anything else. Sure, it was almost a defense mechanism after all the heartache they went through with his sister’s death, but that didn’t excuse the lack of attention or warmth towards their son
While Cameron grew up with what many would consider a silver spoon, his sister’s death was constantly held over him, and Cameron knew he had to do good by his older sister, he couldn’t waste the opportunity she didn’t get to have
He studied hard, went to business school at MIT, all with the intention of taking over the family business, of which he knew nothing about his father’s less than reputable dealings
After graduating from business school, Cam started returning to Briar Ridge once a year. It was during these vacations that he and Genesis Ortiz built up their friendship again after she broke Cam's heart by falling for someone else when they were kids
Eventually, the two fell in love and were married. Cam moved to Briar Ridge to be with her, they even had a child together a few years after they were married. Everything was perfect. Until it wasn't.
While living in Briar Ridge, Cameron still worked for Gem Pharmaceuticals back in New York. He travelled back and forth constantly and even when he was home, he buried himself in his work. This was obviously incredibly unfair to Genesis and their child.
Eventually, Genesis asked for a divorce, and Cameron, so taken aback that he could have taken for granted the two people he loved most in this world, agreed to sign the papers.
Shortly after the divorce was finalized, Cameron's father passed away. Since Gem Pharmaceuticals was passed down to him, it became necessary for Cameron to move back to New York so that he could run the company full time.
Very quickly after he took over, Cameron finally realized the truth behind Gem Pharmaceuticals success. He threw himself into legitimizing the business in an effort to bury the pain and shame he felt over his divorce. He was good at it though and soon, things started going so well that they didn't need his father's shady dealings anymore to succeed.
He absolutely refused to uphold any of his father's under the table agreements and pissed a loooooooooooot of very powerful people off.
He was obsessed with making a name for himself, with legitimizing the business, he literally dropped everything else in his life
It got to the point where a year and a half ago, he completely burned out
His psychiatrist put him on a mandatory leave of absence and told him to leave New York, leave anything to do with his family’s business behind for the foreseeable future
His family owned a beach house in Briar Ridge Hills, where he often spent summers as a kid growing up, so Cameron came here, looking to find himself outside of his newly created legacy. And to finally build a real relationship with his daughter.
When he heard that Luther was selling his beloved diner, Cameron instantly bought it after growing up going there with his cousins, hoping to preserve the home away from home air the diner always held for him
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
"They call me 'The Ice Queen' for a reason, Cameron, maybe I am just fine." She knew he wouldn't believe her, he knew her well enough to see behind the seven foot thick cement barriers she put up around herself, but Jiya had had years of practice and those defences wouldn't drop without some serious work. "It was years ago." She had done well over the last few years of pushing it down, but seeing Alex again had everything bubbling at the surface.
Cameron's words had her fighting with everything she had for the tears to stay well down and to not even make her eyes glisten. "Yet if I had been different, he never would've looked elsewhere." It was as close to honest as she was willing to get and as harsh as it was on herself, she fully believed it. She even believed that Alex had pretty much confirmed it that night in his home. "I appreciate your words, Cam, but you should know by now how stubborn I am." There was no chance that in a public restaurant of all places, would she crack.
Jiya finally smiled as her friend moved onto his own life and as he spoke, she quietly observed his face. He was obviously less stressed than when she had last seen him in New York and whether it was seeing more of his family, the different job or a combination of everything, he was clearly in a much better place than he had been. "Well I can definitely see the difference in you. The slowed down life agrees with you. It must be lovely spending so much more time with Juliana." Taking a sip of her drink, she nodded gently as he continued. "It must be a tough thing to deal with. Do you think you'd ever go back to New York? Or do you think you're down here for good?"
Cameron studied her for a long moment, the corner of his mouth twitching with something between sadness and fondness. “You know, I don’t think anyone ever really earns a nickname like ‘Ice Queen’ unless they’ve been burned bad enough to need the armor.”
His voice was steady but quiet, careful. “And I get it. Hell, I do get it, Jee. Pushing it down, keeping busy, pretending it doesn’t still hurt like hell sometimes. You survived it the only way you knew how. But surviving and healing... they’re not the same thing.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, just looked at her with that same steady, unflinching gaze. “I wish you could see yourself the way I do. The way anyone who really knows you does. You weren’t too much or not enough—you were just with someone who didn’t know what to do with real love once it got complicated.”
His jaw flexed as he exhaled, trying to let go of the frustration building behind his ribs. “And yeah, I know you’re stubborn. That’s not news.” A small, almost teasing smile cracked across his lips. “But you’ve also got the biggest heart of anyone I know. I just wish you’d offer a little of that grace to yourself.”
Letting the weight of that sit, he shifted in his seat, letting her last question draw him into a lighter space. “Juliana keeps me sane. Or drives me crazy. Depends on the day.” He chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t think I’d stay here. It was supposed to be a pause. Time to get my head straight. But then I realized... maybe this is what life’s supposed to feel like. Less proving, more living.”
He tilted his head slightly. “I don’t know if I ever could go back for good now. Now that I know how much I really did miss when I wasn't apart of Juliana's day to day. I think it was easy to think with technology, it wouldn't be that big a deal, but man," he paused, shaking his head at the stupidity of his decision to move to New York after the divorce, "I don't regret a lot of things in my life, but if I could go back and shake some sense into me back then, I would." With a shrug, he continued, "So no, I don't think I will, at least not for good."
As Cameron spoke, Genesis found it difficult to hold herself together, her heart aching with every word the man spoke. It was strange how even now, years after their marriage had ended, he could still speak her language without even trying. The man's words didn’t just land, they resonated. She knew that all-too-familiar feeling of wanting to move forward, but getting caught up in the undertow of what used to be. And hearing him say it out loud—that it was hard for him too—somehow made her feel all the more understood.
Glancing down at the table for a moment, the woman's eyes stung with emotions she hadn’t planned on unpacking today. “I think sometimes people assume that because we split, it must’ve meant we stopped loving each other. But that was never it,” she admitted quietly, Gen's voice hitching ever so slightly. “We just… forgot how to show it the right way. Or maybe life just pulled us in too many directions, and we didn’t know how to fight our way back. But I never stopped caring about you. You were my home too, Cam.”
There was a long pause as she gathered herself. “We were young when we started building a life together. And somehow, despite all of our mistakes, we still managed to build something beautiful together. Juliana is proof of that. She’s all the best parts of us both.” A soft, broken laugh escaped her lips and Genesis tucked a strand of long brown hair behind her ear. “Despite everything that didn’t last, we've never let that girl feel unloved. That what matters."
Without saying another word, Genesis pushed her chair back and stood slowly. There may have been a few tears in her eyes, but she didn't allow herself to fall apart. Not this time. Then, rounding the table to stand near his side, the woman wrapped her arms around Cameron's shoulders in a hug that was warm and full. Quiet with gratitude and the weight of all the words they hadn’t said until now. Their love was still strong, even if it was shaped a little differently. “Thank you,” she whispered,“for hearing me.”
Cameron’s arms came around her almost instinctively, holding her close as if that alone could make up for all the time they’d spent talking around things instead of through them. Her hug was quiet but powerful—like an anchor. And her words… they landed somewhere deep.
He held her for a long moment, his eyes closing as he let himself feel it all: the grief, the gratitude, the undeniable tenderness that still tethered them together, no matter how much had changed.
When he finally pulled back, just enough to see her face, his voice was soft but steady.
“God, Gen… I don’t think I realized how much I needed to hear that until just now.” His hand briefly cupped the back of her neck, grounding them both. “It wasn’t just the love that mattered—it's how hard we keep trying every day. And you’re right. We didn’t fail because we stopped loving each other. We just… lost our way.”
He shook his head a little, exhaling. “You’re right about Juliana, too. She’s the best thing we ever did. And I look at her, and I know—we still have something good. Something worth protecting. And maybe it’s not marriage, maybe it’s not the life we thought we were building, but it’s still ours. Still worth showing up for.”
A small, raw smile tugged at his lips. “I think maybe that’s what I’ve been scared of the most. That if we weren’t together the way we used to be, we’d stop being us altogether. But you just reminded me that we’re still a team. Different… but still a team.”
Livia crossed her arms and with a smile on her lips, she watched how the girl went through the dance steps they had been practising. It was moments like these that were the most rewarding. To see how proud someone was showing off what she had taught them. It was the best thing to see and feel to her.
The woman looked to the side so she could face Cameron with a smile. "You're welcome. It's just as rewarding for me as it is for them. Juliana is a fun one, her energy is the best and she picks it up so quickly." A short look was thrown at the girl, before looking back at her father again.
"You do know, that one day, I'll get you out there onto the dancefloor with her, right?"
Cameron’s gaze followed his daughter, pride lighting up his features. Watching Juliana grow, discovering what she loved and what didn’t quite click—it was easily the greatest gift moving back to Briar Ridge had given him. Being part of her everyday moments like this meant everything. The thought of leaving it all behind to return to New York felt almost impossible now.
He clapped his hands together and grinned as Juliana nailed a move. “There you go, J!” he called out, beaming as he turned back to Livia.
Her praise made his smile widen. Of course, he thought Juliana was amazing at everything she did, but hearing it from someone else—especially someone like Livia—meant a lot. “Well, that’s mostly because she’s got a great teacher,” he said, nudging her playfully with his elbow. “If you didn’t make class so fun, I doubt she’d be catching on this fast.”
When Livia made her suggestion, he let out a warm laugh, shaking his head. “You’re dreaming big with that one, Livia. Juliana would probably ban me from the studio just to avoid the embarrassment.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, grin still in place. “But seriously, when do the parents get to see you in action? I think we deserve a little showcase of Miss Char's moves.”
Starter for: @camercnbishop
Location: Briar Ridge Rec Center
Livia watched the little girls walking out of the class with their parents, all bouncing around full of energy despite the fact that they had just danced around for a full hour. It was fun to see how happy they were. It was that where she got the most energy from.
Her eyes got stuck on Juliana who was one of the last to leave and made her way over to the little girl. "Is your dad or mom not here yet?" She asked, but just as the last word left her lips Cameron walked into the room. Livia straightened up and smiled at him. "There he is. Do you want to show your dad what you've learned today?"
Having a local dance class had truly been a lifesaver. Not having to drive Juliana all the way to Charleston and back every time she wanted to dance saved Cam a ton of time — and the best part was, she absolutely loved it. He’d lost count of how many times she’d come home repeating, “Miss Char said this” or “Miss Char said that,” grinning ear to ear.
So as he made his way down the familiar halls of the Rec Center, a smile settled on his face, knowing he was about to pick up one very happy Juliana. He stepped into the studio, barely having a chance to look around before she came hurtling into his arms. He chuckled and scooped her up. “Hey there, kiddo — you gonna school your dear old dad?” "Duh, Daddy!" Juliana grinned up at him.
Setting her down, he watched as she skipped back to the middle of the room, falling right into the moves she’d practiced all afternoon. Keeping his gaze fixed on her, Cam stepped closer to Livia. “Thanks for making this such a fun space for the kids,” he said with a warm smile. “She’s been talking about it all week.”
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
The gentle brush of his shoulder ignited a warmth within her, and Vanna suddenly became acutely aware of the cool evening breeze swirling around them. His words were like a soft melody, causing her eyes to shyly flicker away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks at the unexpected compliment. Accepting such praise was a challenge for her, especially given her hidden intentions. With a playful nudge, she sought to deflect the moment. "Who's not good with kids?" she replied with a nervous chuckle, feeling as though she stood under a brighter spotlight than she was prepared for.
If Juliana were to throw a tantrum over something trivial, perhaps Cameron would reevaluate his impression of her competence. Yet deep down, a longing sparked within her—a desire to believe that she truly was a positive influence on Juliana and deserving of the honor of being the first person he introduced to his daughter. Although she had considered this before, hearing it voiced so plainly caught her off guard, leading to a wave of self-disgust.
She gathered herself, forcing a laugh, yet turning her face away from him after playfully nudging him again as he dropped another intimate compliment. Vanna couldn’t help the warmth blooming in her cheeks, rolling her eyes in feigned exasperation. "Shut up. You can't make me blush in front of my family members,” she teased, the hint of a smile playing at her lips. "If they see you being all charming with me, before we know it, they'll use Juliana's innocent curiosity as an excuse to bring her over to our side of town more often than you'd probably like," she warned, the playful grin on her face betraying the lighthearted nature of her concern. "And then you'll really start to get sick of me."
Cam tilted his head, brushing a hand down the back of his neck as a soft laugh slipped out. “Trust me,” he said, voice low enough for only her to hear, “getting ‘sick’ of you is the last thing you’ve got to worry about.” His gaze held hers for a moment longer, warm and a little shy, before he glanced toward where Juliana was chattering away.
“They can have every excuse in the book to drag us closer, as far as I’m concerned,” he added with a crooked smile, brushing the tip of a finger down the side of her hand. “If that means more nights like this, where she’s happy and…you’re here? I’m all for it.”
He shrugged, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek as the teasing gave way to something softer. “Honestly, Vanna… I like having you in our orbit. And it seems like Juliana is on the way to feeling the same.” He tapped a finger over his heart, voice dropping just a fraction. “And that? That means more to me than I can ever tell you.”
With a wink that was equal parts playful and hopeful, he bumped her shoulder gently. “And besides, making you blush might be one of my favorite things to do."
Not gunna lie, that'd be a tough pill to swallow. There's always going to be lingering feelings over that situation. But I care about both of them and want each of them to be happy, so if they found that happiness in each other again... well, I'd work on being glad for them. @genortiz @alex-caldwell
After living here, in town, with Juliana, I can see how much of a disadvantage it is to not live close by. I didn't before and thought I could still do a good enough job as her dad, but now, I don't know if that's really possible from that kind of distance. So permanently? No, I don't think so.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
At what lengths have you considered your relationship with Vanna?
I mean, I've had to think about it a lot, I did introduce her to Juliana after all. I don't know where things are going for us, but I do know that I've been really enjoying getting to know her the way I've been fortunate enough to do so, so far. @vanna-huang
👐 are you the father figure you want to be to your child?
I mean, there's always room for improvement and I'd never ever dare to insinuate that I'm the best father Juliana could have, but since I came to Briar Ridge, I'd like to think I'm doing my absolute best for her and I hope that's enough.
While it was incredibly great to get to catch up with her and see her again, I think Jiya would kick my ass if she knew I was spreading rumors about the two of us around town. @jiya-santa
What is one piece of advice that you would tell your daughter when she's your age?
Remember what's most important in life; family and love, whatever kind it is. Don't spend so much time worrying about proving yourself at the expense of either of those things.
I spent too much time rubbing shoulders with 'celebs' and the 'who's who' of New York back in the day to really fall into all that, but... have you seen Gabrielle Union lately? That woman only gets better with age.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Holly couldn't help but laugh at Civan's reaction, clearly out of his element with a task such as this one. “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don't know many kids who are into 'modern minimalism.' You sound like that TikTok mom that everyone hated on for repainting her daughter's Fisher-Price Christmas tree in shades of beige.”
The woman turned toward Cameron, shaking his hand as a warm smile spread across her lips. “You bedazzled a shoebox and voluntarily dressed in head-to-toe silver? Oh, you’re gonna fit in just fine. Honestly, that puts you a full mile ahead of this guy. My only complaint is that the Tin Man costume didn't make a re-appearance," she laughed aloud, trying to imagine the sight she had very clearly missed out on.
Surveying the mess on the table like a general preparing for battle, the red head was determined to lock in. “We’ve got fake grass, a bunch of candy that will 100% melt before noon, and enough fake flowers to build a garden. I think we can work with this. Now we just have to pick a basket.”
"I'm aware of at least that much, thus the warning." A shrug decorated his broad shoulders, unfazed by Holly's commentary. She wasn't wrong. His two randomly assigned counterparts were better suited to aesthetics hands down. "Are you going for a garden?" Civan asked, unsure if that was merely an exaggeration or an actual guidepost. If so, a rich brown basket seemed like a natural choice. Trying to pick something realistic to work with felt a little more manageable.
He straightened out to look down and take in the table again in full, warring silently with the idea of having to dress up as The Tin Man. Unsure if he could answer the call the way Cameron had. Civan seemed stuck on Holly's mention of fake flowers, "Do we have glue? Maybe you two could pick a basket and I can get started... putting some Hershey kisses into the center of flowers or something."
Civan shot a look at the scattered groups around them, "I trust your judgment." His normal inclination to go with black or white as a base was probably entirely unhelpful. None of the baskets he saw delivered to the hospital were ever those colors either. Though, for a housewarming gift, it was always his pick. ( @camercnbishop )
Cameron’s grin deepened at Holly’s quip about the Tin Man. “You say that like I don’t still have the costume somewhere in my closet. All I’m saying is—if this turns into a full-on team theme situation, I’m not above breaking it out again. Glitter, silver face paint, the works.”
He leaned a little closer to the table, eyeing the chaos with amused curiosity. “And for the record, I would absolutely follow someone into battle if they led with ‘we’ve got fake grass and a dream.’”
Turning toward Civan, Cameron nodded seriously. “Hershey kiss flowers? I like it. That’s the kind of functional creativity we need. It’s aesthetically pleasing and yummy. Can’t go wrong.”
He reached for one of the more neutral baskets, holding it up for the others to consider. “Alright, design queens, what do we think of this one? Too basic? Too beige for the TikTok mom crowd? Or just the right amount of understated charm to let the glitter do the talking?” @hollyparkcr
She knew there had been a whole other part to Alex's side but from the conversation they'd had, she had only really taken away a feeling of blame. She had blamed him, the affair was what had prompted him to ask her for a divorce and the reason she hadn't even thought to fight it, but the idea that she had even pushed him towards it had been tearing her up. "Whatever helps him sleep better at night, I guess. God forbid a girl try and cope with situations in a way that she can get through the day."
The comment for a second stopped her from breathing and it took every ounce of self discipline for her face not to break and for her regular breathing to start again. "He left and got everything he wanted, so that would suggest to me that it wasn't him as the problem there, Cam." She knew as her friend, Cameron would be in her corner, but there was no denying it to Jiya. "I couldn't give him what he wanted, so he found it elsewhere. I think it's almost the definition of not being enough."
Clinking her glass against his at their pretty sad toast, Jiya smirked a little before taking a sip. "We both know yours isn't as simple as it being all your fault." Their mutual divorces had been something they had originally bonded over and as much as Cameron would be in her corner, she would be in his. "Although maybe we should look into how we can remove these magnets, I'm not sure it's doing either of us any good."
Jiya kept her face completely neutral for a few seconds before she forced a small smile onto her lips. "I'm fine, but thank you, I do appreciate it." It was a line she had churned out countless times over the last couple of years, even more so over the last couple of months and she swore that each time she said it, she became slightly less convincing. "But can you please now catch me up on you? I think my sad hole of a life has swallowed up enough of our reunion, don't you?"
Cameron let out a quiet breath, watching her carefully. “You know,” he started, voice low as he leaned forward, elbows on the table between them, “it’s okay to not be fine. You don’t have to keep running that line with me, Jiya. I know it’s the one that keeps people from asking more questions, but I’m not people. And you don’t have to convince me.”
He let the words settle for a beat before continuing, his tone softening, but with a weight behind it. “I hate that he made you feel like this. Like you were supposed to carry all of it—his choices, his failures. Like you somehow drove him to what he did.” His hands were resting on the table now, fingers curling into loose fists. “You deserved someone who fought for you. For what you built together. And if he couldn’t handle life getting hard, that’s on him. That’s always been on him.”
There was a flash of frustration in his eyes, but it softened again as he looked at her, voice dipping warmer. “It sounds like you've spent so much energy trying to make sense of someone else’s cowardice. But none of it makes you less. It never did.”
He exhaled, leaning back slightly, as if trying to give her room to breathe. “But... I get it. We’ll table it for now if that’s what you want.” His smile was faint but genuine. “There's not much to say. I bought a diner when I moved back here, something to keep me somewhat busy, cause you know I'd go crazy without something to do. I get a lot of time with Juliana now. And that's about it.” He forced out a short laugh, oh how his life had changed from what it had been like back in New York. "I'm over my psychiatrist demanded year off, so now I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to do about the company."
