The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful as if it had been painted by a master artist. The air was alive with the sweet melody of birds singing in the valley, and the soft breeze caressed Chloe's cheeks. If she closed her eyes and focused, she could hear the gentle murmur of a stream as it flowed between the two towering cliffs.Chloe was dressed for adventure, wearing practical three-quarter khaki shorts and a fitted black tank top that showed off her toned arms. Her brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she wore a sweatband around her forehead to keep her hair out of her face. She carried a hydration waist pack around her waist, the liter bottle almost empty after just thirty minutes of hiking.Max walked beside her, keeping up with her pace as they silently climbed the summit of the mountain. Ollie was a few meters down and had given up on the quest to get to the summit, attributing her inability to her convalescing state.Chloe stared at the terrain from the highes

Chloe could feel the suffocating pressure of the heavy atmosphere closing in on her, like a vice grip around her chest. She came to a halt in her restless pacing, attempting to take deep breaths in an effort to calm herself down, but the anger only seemed to intensify."Chloe," Max's voice pierced through the thin fabric of her tent, calling out to her. Chloe heard him, but she didn't respond immediately. The tent was translucent, so there was no way for her to hide. "Are you okay? You left suddenly."Chloe clenched her jaw, her resolve hardening. She had had enough of this trip and all the emotions it had stirred up. She hastily gathered her things, stuffing them into her duvet bag, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall."Is something wrong? Can I come in?"With a sudden jolt, Chloe sprang up from her seated position. "Don't you dare come in here!" she yelled. Her eyes blazed with fury, as her hands balled into tight fists. "Actually, you know what? Just get the

Emma was incensed and the only thing that staved off an outburst from her was the fact that they were in a public place.Kylian had arrived tardily for the date, keeping her waiting for almost thirty minutes before he walked in with a flimsy excuse that he had been unavoidably delayed by a last-minute business conference that he simply could not miss. Then, his phone didn’t stop ringing, interrupting their conversation each time she tried to summon up the courage to bring up a conversation about the money he promised her.At the fifth ring, she leaped to her feet and shoved the chair back, the metal legs scraping loudly against the cool marble floor. With a fiery determination in her eyes, she stormed out of the room, her heels clicking sharply with every step.She strode forward, acutely aware that all eyes were on her, the center of attention in her stunning outfit.It was too bad that Kylian had ruined her mood.As she approached the exit, the uniformed man by the door rose to his

Chloe's hand shook uncontrollably, causing her phone to slip from her grasp and hit the ground with a loud thud. Ollie jolted up from her seat, alarmed by the sudden display."Is something wrong?" She asked with perplexion.Chloe's head was shaking in denial, but the expression on her face betrayed that something was amiss. "Just…go." Chloe’s voice quivered, her eyes brimming with tears, but she tried her best to hold it back.“Chloe, please talk to me. You are getting me scared. Please?” Ollie’s voice came barely above a whisper, as she regarded Chloe’s reaction with a hint of sadness in her gaze.Chloe couldn’t believe what she saw. Was it some kind of a joke? When did it happen? Was it her all along? She pondered, her racing heart threatening to jump out of her chest.“Ollie, not now. Please leave at once! I want to be left alone!” Chloe’s words came in a half-yell, her voice laced with pain and agony.“I am sorry,” Ollie bowed her head in disappointment as she resolved to let Chl

Max felt a pang of regret as Chloe pulled away from him, wiping the tears from her face. He couldn't tell if she felt comforted or didn't want him there. He wondered if she regretted showing her vulnerability to a man who was supposedly using her for his own gain.She brushed the line of tears from her face and moved away from him. She had been vulnerable, and even now, Chloe didn't know if it wasn't a mistake to show her vulnerability to a man who was after her for his vengeful plot."What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with anger and sadness. "I thought I said..."Nevertheless, Max ignored her question as he took a seat beside her, maintaining a respectful distance but trying to offer comfort in some way."How are you?" he asked softly. "I saw the news."Chloe scoffed. "Everyone saw the news. Isn't it amazing that my life is a mess?""Your life is not a mess," Max countered, reaching out to gently touch her arm.Chloe pulled away, shooting him a glare. "What do you