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Chapter <b>125 </b>
Charlotte smiled. <b>“</b><b>I’ve </b>climbed steeper and tougher mountains than this. I finished all the Five Great Peaks ages ago. North Ridge? Piece of cake.”
<b>Sean </b>looked at her with a soft smile<b>, </b>his <b>eyes </b>full of pride and affection. “My Lottie’s amazing.”
She tilted her chin with a yful little smirk. <b>“</b>Obviously.”
Sean knew all this. Zac, on the other hand, didn’t.
Back when Charlotte was dating Zac, she had suggested hiking together more than once. But Zac either said he was <b>too </b>busy or that hiking was just too tiring. He never really took the time to understand what she liked or to do the things she loved <b>with </b>her.
After walking <b>a </b>while, Zac suddenly stopped at the side <b>of </b>the trail to let others pass. When Sean and Charlotte came by, Zac stretched out a hand toward her.
“Lottie, tired?”
Charlotte gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Not </b>at all.”
Sean gave their tightly sped hands a little swing. <b>“</b><b>No </b>need <b>to </b><b>trouble </b>yourself.<b>” </b>
Zac’s gaze dropped to their hands.
Charlotte’s tone turned sharp. “Step aside<b>. </b>You’re blocking the trail.”
Zac nted himself right in the middle of the trail, clearly not nning to move.
Sean raised an eyebrow and gave him <b>a </b>casual<b>, </b>mocking smile. <b>“</b>What, wanna get a closer look while we hold hands and flirt? Sure. We’ll lead the way<b>, </b>and you can
follow behind and enjoy the view<b>.</b><b>” </b>
With that, he gave Zac a firm push aside and added with a grin, <b>“</b>Make <b>sure </b><b>you </b>get our <b>good </b>angles. Take a few pics while you’re at it.”
Zac just stood there,pletely stunned.
A short whileter, Vivian who clearly wasn’t used to hiking<b>, </b>started whining after just thirty minutes<b>. </b>She slipped off her barely–filled backpack and waited until Sean was near, then thrust it toward him.
“Sean, I’m so tired. This bag’s too heavy<b>. </b>Can you carry it for me<b>?</b>”
Sean tapped the strap of his own pack, his <b>voice </b>t. “Can’t. I’ve already <b>got </b>one.”
Vivian pouted, dialing up the sweetness<b>. </b><b>“</b>But I’m seriously exhausted. Just help me for a <b>little </b><b>bit</b>, okay?”
“Sure<b>,</b>” Sean replied.
Vivian’s face instantly brightened, her lips curling into <b>a </b><b>pleased </b>smile.
Then he pulled out his phone.
<b>“</b>I’ll call someone to <be </b>take you back down. No point pushing <b>yourself </b>if you’re that tired.‘
<b>Vivian’s </b>smile froze mid–bloom. “<b>Wait</b><b>! </b>You’re sending me back?”
Sean didn’t even look up. <b>“</b>You just said you couldn’t keep going, didn’t you?”
Panicked, Vivian rushed to stop him. <b>“</b>No<b>, </b><b>no</b>, it’s fine! I rested a bit. I’m good now.”
She slung her bag back over her shoulders in a hurry. <b>“</b>Seriously<b>, </b>I’m fine. Don’t call.”
Sean calmly put his phone away. “Then let’s keep moving.”
Beside him, Charlotte <b>raised </b><b>an </b>eyebrow and smirked.
She slipped her hand through lus arm and said sweetly, <b>“</b>Let’s go, Sean.”
Vivian and Zac were rendered speechless.
Sean was clearly loving it. The way Charlotte called his name sent a warm rush through him, and he couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his lips.
Soon after, they reached <b>a </b><b>small </b><b>stream </b>
<b>Sean </b>held Charlotte’s hand and helped her <b>step </b>across the stones. <b>“</b><b>Watch </b>your step.”
The final gap between the rock and the <b>far </b>bank <b>was </b>wide enough to make most of the guls hesitate, so they had <b>been </b>helped across one by one.
Charlotte <b>leaned </b>on Sean and made it across easily.
Then suddenly, an unsteady cry from behind
They turned to see <b>Vivian </b>wobbling in the middle of the stream, pale and stuck on a stone.
<b>“</b>Sean,<b>” </b>she <b>called</b>, “I can’t make it across<b>. </b><b>Can </b>youe help me?”