Seeing how Toby agreed to Zane’s words, Tina was filled with resentment because she knew that Zane was deliberately setting a trap for her—forcing her to hike a mountain that she didn’t want to. The important point was, she had to jump into this trap, or she would really be seen as a hypocrite.
At the thought of this, she silently cursed Zane a few times in her heart, but put on a smile on her face, saying, “You must be kidding, Mr. Coleman. All I said was the mountain is too high, and nothing about going home.”
“Oh, so you’ll still go for the hike?” Zane asked with raised eyebrows.
Nodding, she answered, “For sure.”
“Alright,” Zane said with a smirk and didn’t say anything else after that.
Looking at Tina, Toby said, “Tina, you don’t have to mind the things Zane said. If you really don’t want to go hiking, you can—”
“It’s alright, Toby. I can do this.” She broke him off and stopped him from speaking by placing a hand over his mouth.
Seeing how determined she seemed, Toby decided to drop the matter.
As Rebecca watched the both of them, she couldn’t help but shudder from disgust. “So cheesy.”
Grinning, Sonia asked, “Why is it cheesy?”
Pouting her lips, Rebecca answered, “We’re here for a hike, but look how corny they are. She’s even covering his lips as if they’re in a soap opera. I’m getting goosebumps from watching them. Isn’t it cheesy?”
Sonia turned back and stole a glance at Toby and Tina before nodding her head and laughing. “Yes, a little.”
“That’s enough, President Reed. Let’s go and stop looking at them. It hurts our eyes,” Rebecca said, holding her arm.
“Okay,” Sonia replied, and they entered the hiking entrance.
Behind everyone, Toby overheard their conversation, and his eyes turned solemn. Cheesy? Is that what we look like in their eyes?
“What are you thinking about, Toby?” Tina asked, swaying his arm.
Toby recollected his thoughts, and his eyes flashed. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
Hence, both of them entered the hiking entrance as well. Since everyone else didn’t want to hike together with them, both of them ended up trailing behind the group.
In the beginning, all seven of them were hiking slowly together, but halfway through, Tyler suddenly came up with the suggestion to have a competition to see who would reach the top first.
When he was coming up with the suggestion, he even threw a provocative look at Charles, who couldn’t stand his arrogance and agreed to the race. To join in the fun, Zane also decided to compete.
Even though Rebecca wanted to compete as well, she was ordered by Charles to stay by Sonia’s side to protect her. After all, he was worried if Sonia had to hike together with Toby and Tina.
Just like that, the three men started off together in a run, leaving behind Sonia, Rebecca, Toby, and Tina to hike behind slowly.
Just a little while after, Tina suddenly plopped herself on a rock, panting heavily. “Toby, I’m so tired.”
Toby stopped as well and took out a bottle of water from his backpack. After he opened it, he passed it to her and said, “Have a drink.”
“Thank you, Toby,” she said with a smile, taking the water from him.
Then, he took out another bottle and passed it to Sonia. Surprised at his gesture, Sonia turned down his offer, saying calmly, “Thanks, but no thanks, President Fuller. I’m afraid that your fiancée would have a split personality and try to kill me again if I accept your offer.” Right after saying that, she pulled Rebecca and walked away.
As Toby watched her walk away to a distance, he pursed his lips and retracted his extended hand.
Meanwhile, Tina could tell that he seemed a little upset, and her grip on the water bottle tightened so much that she had squeezed it out of shape. Is he upset because Sonia turned him down? Lowering her eyes and hiding the menacing look in them, she apologized meekly, “I’m sorry, Toby. It’s all because of me that Miss Reed is—”
“It has nothing to do with you.” After he put back the bottle of water into his backpack, he looked at her and asked, “Did you rest enough?”
“Yes,” she replied with a nod.
“Let’s continue with our hike, then.” He extended his hand at her with the thought to pull her up.
However, she sat there without moving an inch. “Toby, I’m sorry, but my legs hurt too much. I don’t think I can walk anymore.”
“Your legs hurt?” Knitting his brows in concern, he looked at her feet. “Did you twist your ankle?”
“No,” she answered, shaking her head. “It’s because I haven’t exercised for such a long time that…”
Understanding what she meant, Toby rubbed his temples, shifted his backpack to his chest from his back, and lowered himself with his back to Tina. “Get on.”
A look of delight flashed across her eyes, but it disappeared very quickly. Feigning confusion, she asked, “What are you doing, Toby?”
“I’ll carry you to the top,” he answered composedly, looking at the mountain ahead of him.
Waving her hands, she said, “I don’t think so. It’s still a long way before we reach the top.”
“It’s fine. Get on.” He insisted.
This time, Tina didn’t turn down his offer anymore and climbed on his back. With Tina on his back, Toby started walking ahead. And soon, they caught up with Sonia and Rebecca.
Seeing the two figures ahead, Tina scanned around a little and deliberately pointed to a rock in front. “Look over there, Toby,” she said loudly. “That rock has such a weird shape.”
Hearing her voice, Sonia and Rebecca spun their heads backward in reflex and were stunned when they saw Toby walking toward them with Tina on his back.
“Damn, he’s actually hiking with Tina on his back. Does he think that he’s Superman?” Rebecca whispered.
Shrugging, Sonia replied, “What can you do about it since he’s doing it willingly?”
“I don’t want to do anything about it,” Rebecca said, rolling her eyes. “I just can’t stand looking at Tina and the smug look on her face. It’s obvious to me that she purposely raised her voice just so we can watch President Fuller giving her a piggy-back.”
Sonia giggled. “Alright, they’re here now. Don’t speak about it anymore.”
In reply, Rebecca merely stuck out her tongue and didn’t say another word.
“Hi, Miss Reed, Miss Harper,” Tina greeted them with a smile and waved at them as they reached their sides.
However, they simply ignored her and sat next to the hiking track, fanning themselves with their palms.
Toby looked at Sonia, who seemed tired from the hike as she kneaded her calves softly. Sitting beside her, Rebecca passed her a bottle of water. Sonia then flashed Rebecca a brilliant smile after taking it from her hand.
When Toby compared how aloof she was when he handed her some water earlier, the look in his eyes turned grim, and frustration crawled into his heart; even his expression turned gloomy. Then, he continued walking forward, still carrying Tina on his back.
As she watched their backs, Rebecca tilted her head and asked in confusion, “That’s weird. Why is President Fuller mad? Who stepped on his toes?”
“Beats me,” Sonia replied curtly after taking a sip of water and looked forward as well.
As though feeling their stares on her back, Tina twirled her head around and smiled smugly at Sonia. Then, she hugged the man beneath her around his neck tightly to assert her dominance.
Before Sonia could react, Rebecca laughed. “President Reed, that woman is provoking you. You don’t even love President Fuller anymore, but she’s still doing this. Does she think that you’ll be jealous?”
Taking another sip of water, Sonia then laughed softly. “I have no idea where she got this sense of superiority, either. She thinks that I’m still in love with Toby and would even be jealous. Alright, that’s enough. Let’s stop speaking about irrelevant people and continue our hike. Charles and the rest are probably already at the top.”
“Okay.” Rebecca screwed on the bottle cap and put on her backpack after that. Sonia did the same.
They chatted as they hiked, keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Toby and Tina. About an hour later, they reached the top.
The second Charles saw Sonia, his eyes lit up, and he cried out, “Darling!” He dogtrotted to her and took her backpack from her, slighting Rebecca subconsciously.
On the other hand, Rebecca didn’t need him to carry her backpack, and she paced over to the campsite after rolling her eyes at him.
With her forehead covered in sweat, Sonia looked at Charles and asked, “How long have you guys been here?”
