As soon as they exited the cave, Ella felt her spirits lift. Before them stood a mountain shaped like a flat platform, its peak level with the ground below. Quietly nestled on top was a small inn, looking down over the passersby.
"That’s Treading Immortal Mountain," a director nearby explained. "Legend has it that a female immortal, after a thousand years of cultivation, stepped on a stone here and ascended to the heavens. That’s how the mountain got its name."
A gentle breeze brushed by, and Ella breathed in the fresh, floral-scented air, her body and mind feeling more relaxed. But the thought of the troublesome people behind them made her sigh.
"Cheer up," came Eric’s soft, teasing voice in her ear. "Soon, they won’t be so happy."
Ella paused, then grinned. Yes, with Eric here, what was there to worry about?
Letting go of her frustrations, she began to enjoy the journey, taking photos along the way. Amelia was just as excited, soaking in the experience.
Treading Immortal Mountain wasn’t very tall, and after an hour’s hike, they reached the small inn at the top.
Directly across from the inn was the Immortal Temple.
Ella and Amelia both offered incense at the temple, their expressions sincere and reverent.
The scenery was stunning, and Ella decided to stay overnight. Naturally, Mason, Rachel, and their persistent entourage also chose to stay, following them like shadows.
"I’ve heard Bella is quite smitten with Eric. She’s always asking Richard for his number, but he never gives it to her. Eric doesn’t bother with her either. She must’ve heard you were coming here and tagged along on purpose," Amelia whispered to Ella as they exited the temple.
Ella chuckled lightly. "It’s fine. With Eric around, I don’t need to worry. He’ll handle everything."
"True, I trust him too!" Amelia laughed.
Eric was waiting for them under a tree and said he had already booked the rooms—though they were all single rooms, so they had to settle for separate accommodations.
Single rooms were no issue for Ella. As long as Eric was nearby, she felt at ease, determined to enjoy this short break as much as possible.
The inn served some local specialties, and after dinner, they wandered down the mountain again. Soon, dusk fell.
That evening, the inn hosted a traditional dance performance by a local ethnic group. Ella leaned on Eric’s shoulder, her face glowing with a contented smile.
She couldn’t help but notice Bella’s cold, distant stare from across the room.
Meanwhile, Mason and Rachel had joined the dancing, eager to draw attention to themselves.
By 10 p.m., the evening’s festivities wound down, and the group gradually dispersed.
Ella returned to her single room, and Eric accompanied her for a while, staying until she felt drowsy. Only then did he reluctantly prepare to leave.
Before stepping out, Eric leaned close and whispered, "Ella, be careful tonight, okay?"
Ella blinked in surprise. Was that a warning?
"Are there wolves around here? Maybe you should stay," she teased.
"The bed’s too small. I wouldn’t sleep comfortably," Eric chuckled.
Ella bit her lip and glanced out at the pitch-black night. This wasn’t the city—there were no streetlights, and with the clouds hiding the moon, it was completely dark outside.
Just then, the faint sound of commotion reached her ears, with voices calling out about a thief.
Ella didn’t think much of it and settled into bed, brushing the noise aside.
"Is it time to act yet?" Rachel’s voice was soft, barely audible in the dimly lit room.
The small lamp in the inn cast shadows that highlighted Mason’s striking features. Rachel’s eyes gleamed with a mix of desire and deep resentment. How could that wretched Ella, of all people, have so many men vying for her attention?
Mason glanced at the time and then answered a phone call. "It’s time."
Rachel’s heart raced with excitement, her face flushing with anticipation. She took the key and a bottle of special "perfume" from Mason and quietly slipped out of the room.
It was half past midnight, and the inn was silent. The other guests, having hiked all day and exhausted themselves, were fast asleep, resting deeply.
With the key in hand, Rachel crept up to Eric’s room and unlocked the door. She stepped inside quietly, making sure to lock the door behind her.
In the faint light of the room, Rachel could barely make out the figure of a man lying on his side, facing the window.
She approached the bed and sprayed the "perfume" several times toward the man. A strong, sweet fragrance filled the air.
Rachel inhaled the scent, her excitement building as the man on the bed began to breathe more heavily.
Giddy with anticipation, she leaned in and wrapped her arms tightly around the man...
In his own room, Mason paced back and forth, growing more anxious by the minute.
Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a familiar scent wafting in from outside—Ella’s perfume! His heart skipped a beat, and he hurried to open his door.
To his surprise, he saw a woman with long hair slipping into Ella’s room. Her silhouette and nightgown were unmistakable—it was the same one Ella had been wearing earlier.
In this small inn, there were only communal bathrooms, so Mason had seen Ella briefly when she had gone to use the restroom earlier.
Had Ella returned from the bathroom?
Mason’s lips curled into a small smile. Suppressing the thoughts racing through his mind, he slowly walked back to his room.
Lying back on his bed, he chuckled to himself, imagining the scene that would unfold come morning—Ella heartbroken, discovering another woman in Eric’s bed.
Mason had studied Ella carefully. A woman like her, fiercely loyal in love, wouldn’t tolerate even the smallest betrayal from her husband. Strong-willed women like her expected unwavering faithfulness.
If Eric cheated or got involved with another woman, their relationship would inevitably crumble.
For Mason, causing them pain was worth using any dirty trick in the book.
The thought made him grin wider, and he closed his eyes with satisfaction, drifting into sleep.
Sometime later, Mason woke up feeling an unexpected heat coursing through his body.
An inexplicable sensation surged through him, and though Mason was experienced in such matters, this sudden feeling alarmed him. Could he have been drugged?
Soft hands wrapped around his waist, and the familiar scent of Ella’s perfume filled his nostrils.
The heat inside him grew more intense. Mason sat up abruptly, but in the darkness, he couldn’t make out who the woman beside him was.
All he remembered was that she had long hair and was wearing the same perfume as Ella.
Ella’s perfume was custom-made by Eric, and Mason had never smelled it on any other woman.
His rational thoughts slipped away, consumed by the darkness. Unable to resist, Mason leaned down and kissed the sweet lips before him...
Outside, the night was alive with the sounds of chirping insects, but inside, the silence was thick with mystery and deception.