Chapter 179: Once, She Saved a Little Mute Boy
Mount Zephyria, a winding mountain road that goes on for miles. The moment you enter, you’re bound to lose your way.
Her hometown. If you wanted to get to the town area, you’d have to cross one mountain after another. Even if you walked non stop, it’d take at least a month to get out.
The villages were all built against the mountains, and the villagers lived off the land for generations.
From a young age, they had to go up the mountains not just to get familiar with the paths, but also to find herbs or catch scorpions and snakes to sell for extra cash
The mountain roads were rough.
The journey ahead, tough.
But she wasn’t scared.
What terrified her was going back home.
Because no matter how much she brought back, no matter how much it sold for, it always ended with a beating.
Leftovers for dinner, or just a few sips of cold water.
Especially after Drogo was born, she couldn’t even get a drink of water.
It Galt hadn’t sent her food from time to time, she wouldn’t have survived.
Even so, her parents never let her off easy.
At five, when Drogo was just born, her parents had actually tried to kill her, sending her up the mountain to find medicine,
She wanted to run back then.
But then something happened on the inountain people running around in panic. She thought it was her parents coming after her.
So, she hid in a cave.
She spent days there, starving with a little mute boy who lived there.
Until it was safe.
She was going to leave with the boy, but her parents caught up with her.
She drew a path out of the mountain, and they went back to the village.
Looking back, that little boy was the one bright spot in her dark childhood.
Too bad, he was mute.
At his age now, he’d be around thirty.
Over the years, she’d asked around at disability associations, but she couldn’t find anyone matching his description.
For a while, she even wondered if he’d ever made it out of that mountain.
“Min.”
She nodded lightly.
“That place was terrible.”
Cassius tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“Don’t want to remember it?”
“Or was there nothing happy about it?”
Gemma shook her head bitterly.
“No. I just want to get as far away from it as possiblet”
The steering wheel swerved slightly.
Cassius quickly slammed on the brakes.
The car jerked, then steadied.
Gemma snapped back to attention, her heart racing.
She lightly patted her chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Maybe we should slow down.”
Though she had a driver’s license, she rarely drove, so she wasn’t about to jump in and take over.
The car slowed down.
“You don’t drive much, do you?”
She sighed.
Sting
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Chapter 179: Once, She Saved a Little Mute Boy
“Guess that makes sense. Brooke always drove before, and you’re not used to it yet.”
“Same as me–got license, but never drive.”
She learned to drive for Marcus.
Back then, he was blind, and if she couldn’t drive, they’d have to rely on Margaret to take them out.
She swore she’d learn.
It took time, but when she finally did, Marcus‘ eyesight started improving.
Then, suddenly, she didn’t have time for fun anymore.
Once she got her license, it was like saying goodbye to cars.
Cassius stared straight ahead, his expression as stiff as ever.
It was almost winter, and the mountain road was covered in layers of fallen leaves.
It looked like a golden avenue.
The sunlight reflected off the leaves, sending little glimmers of light, almost blinding.
“Getting close,” he said.
But his face remained unmoved, like he didn’t have a single human emotion.
“Well, let’s take it slow. It’s safer that way.”
Gemma was used to his cold demeanor by now.
After all, if Cassius suddenly turned into a sweet, warm guy like Brian, that would be terrifying.
The car slowed to a crawl, stopping beneath a church.
They still had to climb hundreds of steps to get to the church.
It wasn’t the usual grand cathedral.
Its gothic spires were a bit worn, as if nobody had come in a long time.
It sat quietly atop the mountain.
After climbing about fifty steps, Gemina was already out of breath.
She grabbed the metal railing for support.
It was freezing.
She quickly pulled her hand back.
“No wonder Elizabeth couldn’t make it up here.”
No reply.
She looked at Cassius.
He was two steps ahead, waiting for her, his face calm.
He looked so effortless, like he was made for this climb.
“Impressive.”
She gave him a thumbs–up.
Cassius‘ usual brooding expression cracked just a little, like a sliver of sunlight breaking through a storm cloud.
He stepped down.
Reaching out to her.
Gemma hesitated.
“I’m not that bad off yet.”
She was tired, sure, but she could still make it. She just needed a little break.
But Cassius stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and slowly, steadily, helped her up the rest of the way.
At the back of the temple were several small rooms.
Some for the priests, others for visitors.
And there were three meals a day.
“Where’s Cassius?” she asked.
Her room was the sunniest spot, filled with the scent of lilies.
It was peaceful.
But ever since they arrived at the courtyard, she hadn’t seen Cassius.
A staff member replied.
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Chapter 179: Once, She Saved a Little Mute Boy
“He’s praying.”
Gemma blinked.
Praying?
But didn’t he just pray?
What was going on?
The staff member continued.
“If you like the view here, you’re welcome to explore, but don’t go up the mountain. It could be dangerous.”
“Can I check out the front?” Gemma asked, now more curious about this whole praying thing.
She had to figure this out.
“You can,” the staff member said, leading her back.
They passed a bridge.
It was called “Lover’s Bridge.”
Gemma froze.
“You have a Lover’s Bridge here?”
Then it hit her.
Cassius. Lover’s Bridge.
It felt… odd.
She walked a few steps forward.
Cassius was standing by the bridge, his back to her. She couldn’t see his expression.
But there was something about the leather cord on his wrist that stood out.
Cassius wasn’t married, so why was he here praying?
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