The scene was breathtakingly beautiful, leaving Zachary both awestruck and tense.
His heart raced, and his breathing grew shallow.
When his eyes landed on her slightly parted lips, an inexplicable urge to kiss her surged within him.
Startled by his sudden thought, Zachary quickly looked away and hurried out of the room.
The sound of the door closing woke Seraphina from her sleep.
She groggily sat up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and realized she was still in Zachary's room.
Annoyed, she slapped her forehead, remembering that her injured foot had improved significantly. She hobbled back to her own room.
Meanwhile, Zachary headed to the basketball court.
He was there alone, dribbling and shooting hoops.
His assistant, Ezra, couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Baker, what's up? Can't sleep tonight?"
Zachary didn't answer and just kept shooting.
He knew he was in for a sleepless night...
For the next three days, Seraphina searched the entire camp, asking everyone who might have seen Zachary, but no one had any information about him.
Knox told her that Zachary had left on business and didn't know when he'd be back.
This news filled Seraphina with an inexplicable anger. She was upset that Zachary had left without saying goodbye.
Without Zachary, Seraphina's life seemed to lose its color.
Every day, she sat in the corner of the dining hall with a book, staring blankly at everyone coming and going, hoping to see that familiar figure appear.
A week later, Seraphina gradually got used to life without Zachary, but her heart was still filled with thoughts of him.
Every evening, she would find herself at the camp entrance, gazing at the distant sky, hoping for Zachary's return.
Finally, one evening as the sun set like a blood-red sky, Seraphina heard the sound of a car engine in the distance.
She looked up excitedly and saw Zachary's figure becoming clearer, his features more handsome in the sunset's glow.
Seraphina couldn't help but smile as she walked to greet him. A gust of wind blew her hair into a mess.
She instinctively used her hand to shield herself from the wind, squinting to see Zachary's face clearly.
When the wind died down, Zachary was already in front of her, carrying his luggage.
She tilted her head and smiled at Zachary, her eyes full of affection. "You're back!" Her smile was especially bright in the evening glow.
However, Zachary's reaction was unexpected.
He simply nodded politely and walked past her with his luggage, his attitude so cold that he didn't say another word.
This left Seraphina feeling shocked and hurt. She even wondered if Zachary disliked her.
To test Zachary's feelings, Seraphina pretended her old injury had flared up.
She let out a painful groan and squatted down, claiming she had twisted her ankle on a rock.
Hearing the commotion, Zachary immediately turned around, dropped his luggage, and ran over to check on her.
Seeing Zachary's worried expression, Seraphina felt secretly pleased. She took the opportunity to ask Zachary to carry her back.
Zachary stared at her for a few seconds, making Seraphina feel guilty and blush. Just as she was about to give up, Zachary suddenly reached out and lifted her up.
Seraphina was both surprised and delighted, wrapping her arms around Zachary's neck, feeling the warmth and strength of his body.
She speculated that Zachary might not dislike her and might even have feelings for her.
Under the curious gazes of others, Zachary carried Seraphina back to her room.
He set her down at her door, ordered her to rest, and then turned to leave.
Seraphina quickly thanked him and closed the door.
Leaning against the door, she savored the lingering scent of Zachary, feeling sweet and happy.
However, when Seraphina came to her senses, she realized she had overdone it.
Last time, it was her left foot that was injured, but this time she pretended it was her right foot.
She worried that Zachary would see through her poor acting and felt embarrassed.
She fretted, thinking that the sharp Zachary must have already figured out her ploy, but she couldn't understand why he still played along and even carried her back.
After much deliberation, Seraphina decided to use the excuse of returning books to visit Zachary and test the waters.
After dinner, she knocked on Zachary's door, her heart filled with anxiety and anticipation.
When Zachary opened the door, he was dressed in a dark casual outfit, making his tall frame look even more imposing.
Seraphina tiptoed in, clutching a stack of books, her face showing a mix of nervousness and hope.
She stole a few glances at Zachary, who was sitting on the couch with a laptop on his knees, typing away at some urgent work.
Gathering her courage, she walked over to Zachary and softly said, "Zachary, I'm here to return the books. Also, I'd like to borrow a few more, if that's okay?"
Zachary looked up, his gaze sweeping over Seraphina's face, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips.
He pointed to the bookshelf, indicating she could choose the books herself.
Seraphina's heart raced a bit faster, feeling as if Zachary could see right through her.
Steadying herself, she mustered the courage to ask, "Zachary, why did you carry me yesterday afternoon? Was it because... you realized my injury was fake?"
Zachary was slightly taken aback. He didn't directly answer her question but said calmly, "Don't let it happen again. I don't want to see such things in the future."
A wave of inexplicable disappointment washed over Seraphina. She knew she had been found out, and Zachary clearly didn't appreciate being tricked.
She lowered her eyes and silently walked to the bookshelf to choose her books.
"And," Zachary's voice rang out again, "don't wait for me to come back. My work is busy, and I can't say when I'll return. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about me."
With that, he stood up, and with a soft click, the door closed in front of Seraphina.
Seraphina stood there, feeling lost and confused.
She couldn't understand why Zachary was so cold and unfeeling towards her. Was it really because she had tricked him?
The next morning, Seraphina got up early, tidied her room, and went out for a walk.
She wandered aimlessly along the forest path, enjoying the fresh and peaceful nature.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "Ms. York, good morning! Walking alone? How about joining me for breakfast?"
Seraphina looked up to see Dane, one of Zachary's assistants, standing in front of her with a bright, sunny smile.
His appearance was cheerful and handsome, standing nearly six feet tall with a striking face.
Seraphina's mood lifted a bit. She smiled and nodded, accepting Dane's invitation.
In the dining hall, Seraphina had little appetite due to her low spirits.
Noticing this, Dane warmly encouraged her to eat more and even peeled an egg for her.
Seraphina, not wanting to refuse his kindness, smiled and accepted the egg, thanking Dane.
This scene was noticed by Knox and Ezra nearby.
They exchanged glances, their faces showing envy and jealousy.
Knox muttered, "Dane sure is lucky, having breakfast with Ms. York!"
Ezra agreed, "Yeah, he is!"
After breakfast, Dane went off to work, while Seraphina went for a walk around the area. When she reached a clear pond, she decided to try catching some small fish.
However, she lost her balance and fell forward into the knee-deep water.
Seraphina was startled and panicked by the sudden mishap. She struggled to stand up, realizing she was soaked, her clothes clinging to her awkwardly.