hapter 64: Giving Up Halfway
I didn’t reach out to Fletcher.
From what I knew about him, he wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of coming here. just for a vacation.
And of all the hotels in the area, he had specifically chosen Lucky B&B.
Upon further reflection, I realized there could only be one reason for this “coincidence“– Fletcher had come here for Free Spirit, just like me.
More precisely, he was here for the sake of Davina.
This meant that from the moment he arrived, we were no longer on the same team–we
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Chapter 64 Giving Up Hallway
were rivals.
Fletcher had managed to secure a room at Lucky B&B with ease, and he was clearly familiar with the hotel manager. This gave him a significant lead over me.
Thinking about it, the pressure weighed heavily on me. I forced myself to stay sharp. and focused, aware of the competitive edge he now held.
After a full day of observing and chatting, I had a good grasp of the situation around Lucky B&B and the nearby VIP mountaineering entry and routes. With guidance from the café staff, I also rented mountaineering equipment from a local club, preparing for a hike early the next morning.
It was clear that waiting around was not going to work–I needed to take the initiative.
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Chapter 64: Giving Up Halfway
5 Polots
The next morning, after a night’s rest, I arrived at the VIP mountaineering ticket checkpoint as planned. To my surprise, I ran into Duke.
“Mrs. Lynton, you’ve arrived in Mezeth already?” Duke said with a look of surprise. “Why didn’t you give me a heads–up? I could’ve picked you up.”
I was taken aback.
I wasn’t Davina, so why would I have the right to ask Fletcher’s assistant for such a favor?
But then I quickly realized something- I should’ve known that Fletcher, as smart as he was, had probably anticipated that I would come here.
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Chapter 64: Olving Up Hailway
“Just you?” I asked.
“Of course not” Duke answered frankly, “Mr. Lynton and Ms. Connery are on their way. They’ll be here any minute.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than his gaze shifted to behind me, his eyes lighting up. “Look, here they come.”
I turned around and immediately saw the two of them approaching.
Fletcher, dressed in a green windbreaker, dark pants, and matching hiking boots, looked a little different from his usual meticulous self. There was a newfound energy about him, and he seemed less stern.
What surprised me more, however, was the woman walking alongside him, wearing the same outfit but in a different color.
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Yes, standing next to Fletcher was none other than Ms. Connery–a beautiful woman with long hair and striking features.
She appeared to be around our age, with a delicate oval face. When she smiled at Fletcher, there was something so captivating about it. Her gaze, full of unmasked
admiration and affection for the man beside her, was hard to miss.
However, the moment she saw me, her expression faltered slightly.
“Mr. Lynton, who is this?” she asked, her eyes curiously scanning me.
“Charlene Grande,” Fletcher replied, showing no surprise at my unexpected presence. His voice remained steady, “She’s a partner of Lynton Group.”
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“A beautiful lady indeed, the woman remarked, her gaze lingering on me as she extended her hand. “I’m Silvia Connery.”
She was quite graceful, I had to admit.
However, just as I reached out my hand to shake hers, Silvia suddenly shifted her tone, glancing sideways at Fletcher. “Mr. Lynton, you’re here on a business trip, and you’re bringing such a stunning woman along? Aren’t you worried about Vina being jealous?”
Her tone was teasing, but there was a clear underlying implication in her words.
It hit me–this Silvia was most likely the senior that Davina had mentioned.
I immediately clarified, “I’m not traveling with Mr. Lynton. We just happened to run into
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each other here.”
Silvia’s lips curved into a knowing smile as she playfully remarked, “Oh, Ms. Grande, you misunderstood. I was just teasing. I personally took care of Mr. Lynton’s check–in. If you two were together, how would I not know about it?”
I found myself at a loss for words, my instincts telling me that this Ms. Connery wasn’t someone to be underestimated.
As expected, the next moment, Silvia said with a smile, “Ms. Grande, I assume it’s your first time in Mezeth, right? Since we’re so fated to meet, how about I show you around and let you experience the beauty of this place?”
At first glance, her offer seemed full of goodwill, but considering Silvia’s relationship
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with Davina, I quickly realized it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. I politely declined, saying, “I appreciate your kindness, Ms. Connery, but I’ll just wander around on my
own…”
Before I could finish, a cold, clear voice interrupted me. “Since Ms. Connery has extended such a warm invitation, Ms. Grande, you shouldn’t decline.”
It was Fletcher speaking.
His tone was casual, yet he had made the decision for me.
Smart as he was, could he not notice Silvia’s hostility toward me?
I felt a bit displeased but looked up at him, only to find his expression unchanged, his face as impassive as ever. He looked
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completely innocent.
I silently clenched my jaw and replied, “Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”
Looking at it from another perspective, Silvia was the person in charge of Lucky B&B. Spending time with her might give me a chance to learn more about Free Spirit, which could be useful later. After all, one had to think big.
After we passed through the checkpoint, the four of us set off on our hiking journey. Fletcher and Silvia led the way, with Duke and I following behind. Along the way, I couldn’t help but overhear their lively conversation. Silvia’s voice was full of energy, with the occasional hint of playful, almost flirtatious, undertones when she spoke to Fletcher.
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Fletcher, as always, was quiet and reserveceded, but he didn’t seem impatient at alallall.
I couldn’t help but feel a little sympathyaforofor Davina.a
If Davina was the delicate, soft little kitterenen. then Silvia was the enticing foxextall, slimstim, and perfectly shaped. Any man would did struggle to resist her allure.e
Watching them interact, realized that att probably wouldn’t be getting any informationono about Free Spirit today.v
I thought for a moment there was no point int in wasting my time playing the third wheeltel So, when we reached the first lookout point,int I tactfully said, “Mr. Lynton, Ms. Connery, Imm starting to feel a little tired. I think I’ll stayayay behind and rest, and won’t be continuing uppp the mountain.”
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It was the truth. Ever since that incident, my body hadn’t been the same, and climbing a mountain was really taxing on my energy.
After hearing this, Silvia responded with a regretful tone, “What a pity, the sea of clouds
there is quite famous. But it’s alright.
up
The porters here know me, and if you’d like, I can have one of them personally escort your down the mountain.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Connery” I politely declined. “I’ll be fine. I’ll take the cable car down later. You can relax and enjoy the scenery up here with Mr. Lynton.”
I still needed more time to observe the tourists around me, so I couldn’t just leave.
Silvia grinned at me, clearly pleased with herself. “Of course, Mr. Lynton is an
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esteemed guest at Lucky B&B. I’ll make sure to entertain him well.”
She said this with a flirtatious smile, her gaze lingering on Fletcher’s face without any attempt to conceal the attraction, a subtle mix of admiration and flirtation.
At first, the situation seemed to be going smoothly, but then I heard Fletcher speak, his words piercing the atmosphere like a sudden chill. “Ms. Grande, you don’t seem like someone who gives up halfway. What’s this? Trying to get out of it?”
My smile, which had been hidden in the shadows, froze on my lips.
Fletcher’s voice rang out again. “If you’re afraid of the fatigue and hardship, you don’t have to come. What’s the point of starting something if you won’t finish it?”
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