Lucas arched a brow slightly, surprised that she had caught up. His pace remained steady, unlike Aveline, who was breathing heavily, her face flushed. His even breathing highlighted the benefits of regular exercise—hiking was hardly a challenge for him.Aveline ignored his gaze and kept moving forward, occasionally glancing around. The higher they climbed, the more varied the scenery became. She pulled out her phone and started capturing the beautiful views she encountered, sending them directly to Selena.”I think we should go hiking together sometime.”Selena called right away, her voice laced with surprise, “Sweetheart, is the world upside down? You’ve never been into outdoor activities, and now you’re hiking?”As Aveline continued upward, she replied, “Yes, I never noticed before, but now I see it. I’ll make an effort to get out more.”Selena chuckled softly, “That’s good to hear. You really do need to get out more. Otherwise, stress will keep piling up when you just focus on working. Even a machine would break under that kind of pressure.” Aveline laughed at her words, then asked, “Want to come over tonight? I’ll cook for you.””Sounds good to me.”Selena readily agreed.Aveline planned to discuss Aaron’s upcoming engagement with her once she arrived. It was a matter that couldn’t be taken lightly.Lucas had been following behind her, and upon hearing their conversation, he suddenly spoke up, “Why didn’t you invite me to dinner?”Selena overheard him and quickly asked, “What’s going on? Are you with Lucas? The two of you are hiking together?” Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ƒ)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Aveline responded wearily, “He dragged me out here.”Selena sighed. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”Aveline replied, “You don’t need to say anything. Just pretend he’s not here.”Selena sighed again, “I suppose that’s all we can do now.”Aveline paused to take in the scenery, and this time, she was struck by the sight of a vast forest of fiery red maple leaves. A look of awe flashed in her eyes. “Let me send you some pictures,” Aveline said.”Sure,” Selena replied.After hanging up, Aveline took the photo and sent it to Selena.Lucas stared at her with a deep gaze. “Aveline, don’t you have a conscience? I brought you here to help you relax, so why aren’t you inviting me over for dinner?”Aveline’s cheeks were flushed, and despite her cold expression, she looked endearingly stubborn, lacking any real intimidation.”I didn’t want to come here.”Lucas raised an eyebrow. “But you did hike, didn’t you?”Aveline was speechless.Lucas continued, “Yes, I forced you, but your legs are your own. Whether or not you hiked was entirely up to you—you could have stayed at the bottom of the mountain if you wanted.” Aveline snapped, “Why are you so shameless?”Lucas replied, “You always say that about me. If I didn’t live up to the name, wouldn’t that be unfair?”Aveline gave a slight tug at the corner of her mouth, then turned and walked away.Lucas followed her at a leisurely pace, keeping two steps behind. “Aveline, talk to me. Why won’t you invite me?”Aveline shot back, “You really don’t know?”Lucas, unfazed by her irritation, responded calmly, “No idea.”
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