Chris paused, then embraced her even tighter. Edward chuckled and excused himself to fetch some hot water.The mountain air had turned a bit chilly, and the desolate surroundings stirred up unpleasant memories deep within Lena."I ran away from there after growing up, and I've never dared to return," she whispered. "Even though I came here to teach in this mountainous region, I can never cross that mountain.""It's okay," Chris reassured her, gently caressing her hair. "There's nothing worth missing in that place. Plus, he's not your biological father."Lena looked up at him. "Chris, can I ever overcome this mountain? Do you think it's possible?"Chris' heart tightened. As he gazed into her bright eyes, he found himself at a loss for words."Lenny, you don't need to conquer everything in life. We won't be staying here, and this mountain won't relocate to Centrolis. This may be the last time you see this mountain in your life."So, avoiding it isn't a bad thing." He smiled tender
Bianca struggled to maintain her balance, desperate not to clumsily tumble over. Lena looked at her in puzzlement, frowning before silently entering the guesthouse. Chris was preparing to follow suit when Bianca abruptly stopped him."Chris, can you spare a moment to talk to me?"Chris sidestepped her touch and kept a respectful distance, his gaze distant. "What's up?""W-Why are you treating me this way?" Bianca's eyes welled up with tears. "Weren't we close as kids? But now you're so distant! You—"Chris interrupted gravely, "Bianca, our childhood is in the past. I'm only being considerate because of our history.""Chris!""I have a girlfriend, who will be my future wife and the mother of my children." Chris's voice held determination. "I'm keeping my distance from other women out of respect for my devotion to her."Bianca froze, disbelief washing over her.In her mind, Chris had always been like a steadfast tree, never showing interest in anyone. She had assumed they would
"But—" Before Bianca could finish, Chris had already walked back into the guesthouse.Bianca stomped her feet in frustration but couldn't express her anger. Unable to gain an advantage, she decided to visit the school in the afternoon to find a child to replace herself.When school ended, few people remained, just a few students cleaning the classrooms. Despite the old equipment and basic facilities, these girls cherished them, diligently cleaning every corner.They chatted excitedly about their upcoming trip. Even though they were heading to a big city, they stayed dedicated. Several girls joined hands and pledged to study hard, promising to change their lives when they grew up.Bianca impatiently rolled her eyes.These girls seemed to be the ones at the top of the school's list—the best achievers in this poor school. Replacing them would surely attract Chris and Lena's attention. So, who should she look for?Bianca wandered around a small, rough cement field that barely deserve
The boy's sarcastic response rendered Bianca speechless. She had always thought that kids in the mountains were sheltered and innocent. But this boy appeared as cunning as a fox from deep in the hills, with sharp eyes that noticed everything.Bianca took a deep breath and bravely asked, "Could you please give up your seat for me?""What did you say?" The boy frowned.Bianca lowered her voice and implored, "I know it's not a pleasant request, but can you do me a favor? You won't lose out, either. I can take good care of you when we get to Centrolis!""Take care of me?" The boy raised an eyebrow. "With money?"Bianca smiled, satisfied that her expectations were met. 'Children from the mountains often have no concept of money. It all comes down to that,' she thought."Of course!" she declared confidently. "I'll give you a substantial amount, enough for you to live a privileged life in Centrolis!""How much is 'substantial'?""Um, it's...""Do you have ten million?"The boy's que
"Are you trying to deceive me with small favors?" The boy jeered. "I might not know much about the world, but I do know that if you want to achieve something, you should aim high!"He then kicked over the anthill and walked away.Bianca was shocked by the boy's actions. After standing in the scorching sun for a while, she finally snapped out of her daze and realized it was already evening.The duty teacher began checking the classroom doors and getting ready to leave. The school principal emerged from a slightly better cottage, immediately spotted Bianca, and warmly greeted her."You're... Ms. Mosley, right? I remember you. You came with Ms. Harding and took lots of pictures of our children!"Bianca forced a smile, although her face was pale."Ms. Mosley, why are you here at this time?" The people from the mountains were straightforward and honest. The school principal considered anyone who came with Lena—the one who brought the kids to school in Centrolis—as benefactors. She hel
"Ms. Mosley, you're here!" Several bodyguards rushed over to Bianca. Chris had sent them to accompany her.Since this area was in the mountains, Chris wanted to ensure Bianca's safety, even if he didn't hold her in high regard. When the Hamerton bodyguards arrived, he assigned most of them to follow her."Ms. Mosley, it's getting late. Let's head back quickly!""Hey!" Bianca stopped them.They paused and exchanged glances, awaiting her instructions."Although it's getting late, I need to take a few more photos," Bianca explained."Ms. Mosley, what else do you need photos of? We'll accompany you.""Do you have a car?"The bodyguards pointed to the car parked on the road outside the school."Alright, I want to go to the other side of the mountain to take some photos. Drive me there."-Night had fallen, and the mountain road was treacherous. The driver remained intensely focused, controlling the speed as they moved forward."Are you following closely?" Bianca fiddled with her
An elderly man held a dirt broom in his hand, glaring fiercely at Alexander."Is it that little bitch? Is it true?"The man continued. "I heard about it long ago that a Ms. Harding came to the neighboring village. Heh! She even came from Centrolis!"At first, I didn't think much of it. But you've been running over the mountains daily and following her like you're cursed since you went for that one lesson!"It's that little bitch, right? Speak up! Am I right?!"Alexander remained silent, standing there like a statue.Drake Dickinson raised the broom and struck Alexander. The withered broom struck him hard, causing dust to scatter.Bianca widened her eyes as she held her breath, feeling as if the broomstick might fall on her if she made a sound."Enough!" Alexander yelled, turning to glare at Drake. "I want to go to Centrolis. I want to study and attend the best schools. What's wrong with that? My only mistake is being born into this family and being your son!""You—""Not only
Chris sat beside Lena, holding her hand and smiling."Sorry," Lena whispered to him and then looked back at the children with a hint of embarrassment. "This is their first time traveling so far, and they might be overly excited.""Why are you apologizing to me?""Because... this is on your plane.""In the future, it'll be yours, too."He affectionately nuzzled her nose, his eyes filled with warmth.However, at that moment, he felt a sudden chill behind him. He turned to look but noticed nothing unusual—just the silent boy in the corner who briefly glanced at him before turning away.The air attendant approached. "Mr. Hamerton, the plane is ready for takeoff, waiting for clearance.""Alright." Chris nodded. "Is Bianca's ticket purchased?""Ms. Mosley..." The air attendant's expression was troubled. "I heard from the bodyguards Ms. Mosley wants to stay in the mountains for a few more days.""What?" Chris frowned. "Why does she want to stay longer?""She wants to take more phot