That night, Bella stayed in the presidential suite at the KS World Hotel in Savrow. She did not return to her villa.

Truthfully, she was still struggling to come to terms with her and Justin's breakup. She was afraid that going back to the familiar surroundings would only stir painful memories, dragging her into a deeper sadness.

After a restless night, she was awakened the next morning by a knock at her door. Rising from bed and wrapping herself in a robe, she opened the door to replace Steven, who had brought an entire set of brand-new hiking gear.

Bella's eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Steve, thank you for going through the trouble."

"Ms. Bella, it's so cold today. Are you sure you want to go hiking?" Steven set the gear neatly on the sofa, looking concerned.

"It's okay. As long as the weather is nice, that's enough." Bella gazed out the window at the bright sunshine, unable to hide her joyful smile. She could not contain her excitement about hiking with Justin today.

She still loved him hopelessly, deeply, and completely. One would call her foolish or accuse her of being hopelessly romantic, but this was love-pure and simple. Nothing could hold her back.

Bella had resigned herself to their separation, but not because her love had ceased.

Just as Steven was about to say something, his phone rang. It was his second older brother, Clarence, someone he had not heard from in a long time. After a brief exchange, Steven ended the call.

"Was Judge Lovert calling for something important?" Bella asked.

"Mm. My brother's getting married and invited me to dinner to meet his fiancée," Steven replied with a faint, somewhat complex smile. "But he's no longer a judge. He resigned and opened his own law firm. He's a lawyer now."

Bella's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Why?"

"Because of our older brother. He feels responsible for all that happened over the years, so he resigned," Steven admitted, still feeling unsettled whenever Hunter's name came up.

"Your brother is a responsible and proud man. You and your brothers were outstanding in your own fields, but it's a pity that Hunter chose the wrong path," Bella said, gently stroking the new hiking clothes with a soft smile. "Go and meet him. Pass along my congratulations to them for their marriage. Afterward, you don't need to come back to Savrow."

After lunch and a short nap, Bella drove herself to Mount Jaglee National Forest Park. She

arrived at the foot of the mountain precisely at 2:00 p.m. and met up with Xavier, who was now the newly appointed forest ranger.

They charted warmly, reminiscing about their old friend, Frank, the former ranger who had passed from pancreatic cancer. Time slipped away, and before they knew it, it was 2:30 p.m.

"Ms. Bella, are you waiting for someone?" Xavier asked, noticing that she was checking the time frequently.

Bella's face softened into a warm smile, like sunlight. "Yes, I am."

"Is it Mr. Salvador?"

"Yes. We planned to go hiking together today."

"Ah! You two must be very close! In this cold weather, only someone you're truly connected to would come hiking with you," Xavier said, amused.

Bella's smile gradually faded, turning bittersweet.

Meanwhile, Justin had just finished a group meeting and hurried back to his office.

"Ian, is the hiking gear ready?" He removed his suit jacket and tugged off his tie. His athletic frame strained beneath his white shirt.

"All set!" Ian grinned, beaming. "Hope you and Ms. Bella have a great time on your date!"

The man quickly put on a black hiking outfit, his deep voice quiet, lashes casting shadows over his dark eyes. "It's just a favor. I only agreed to this once."

Ian grinned knowingly, sensing the subtle shift in Justin's relationship. He did not believe a word Justin said. Justin's lips said one thing, but his heart spoke another.

"Ian, get the car ready. We're going to Mount Jaglee." Justin adjusted his gear, looking like a professional

Just as Justin was about to leave his office, his phone vibrated insistently. He frowned, took it out, and his eyes narrowed as he saw the name flash on the screen-Clarice.

Ile did not want to answer, but as the call persisted, he picked up, his tone flat and uninterested. "Ms. Amaryllis, what is it?"

"Mr. Justin, I need to talk to you. I want to meet right now," Clarice said with urgency.

"I don't have time today. Let's do this another day." Justin checked his watch.

"It's urgent." Clarice pressed.

Justin's gaze darkened. "So is what I'm doing."

As he was about to take his final step out the door, Clarice's voice echoed through the

receiver, like a magical spell.

"Are you not even a little curious about the person who saved your life?"

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