Chapter: 1579

Greta answered, "I'm on my way."

Meanwhile, Norah and Sean relished their time together.

“Honey, that black slope over there has some great spots for snowboarding. You're going to love it," he chuckled.

“Uh-huh, I've actually skied most of these trails..." Norah caught herself, abruptly stopping. Oops, she had accidentally revealed her upbringing abroad.

“Let's make the most of our time here before we go back. Later, I'll show you other places.”

“Sure, but what about the Deacons? And that woman who seems to fancy you?"

Sean declared, "My heart is yours alone. I'm not interested in any other women."

Norah simply scoffed, choosing not to bring up Marlene.

They skied for roughly an hour yet hadn't arrived at the black slope Sean had mentioned. He paused, pulling out his phone.

“That's odd, we should have reached it by now," he murmured.

"Don't tell me we're lost. If we are, it's going to be down to luck to find our way out," she sighed.

This was the inherent risk with off-piste trails. They stood in a vast expanse of white, devoid of food or water, which could easily lead to disorientation and pose a potential danger.

“We're not lost; we just need a bit more time to find our way out.”

Sean frowned. He checked the GPS on his phone for a moment and said, “We're gaining altitude."

Norah replied, "But we've been skiing downhill. How can we be going up?"

She knew that some mountains could be deceptive, subtly leading climbers higher. She looked up at the imposing snow-capped mountain.

“It seems we'll spend more time on the mountain than planned.”

They were quite a distance from the ski lift, and the black trail was similarly far.

Norah pulled two small chocolate balls from her snowsuit pocket and handed him one. “Here, eat this for a bit of energy.”

Sean lowered his mask, ate the chocolate, and studied the map with a furrowed brow. "Descending by ski will take a while, especially with the unfamiliar terrain. It's too risky. Our safest bet is to locate a ski lift or a familiar trail."

After finishing her chocolate, Norah put on her mask and adjusted her ski goggles with a determined look. "I'm counting on you, Sean. I know you can get us out of here.”

Sean sighed, a mix of concern and affection in his voice. "You trust me that much?"

"Yeah," Norah replied earnestly. "I have unwavering trust in you."

A wave of warmth surged through Sean, touched by the deep trust the woman he loved had in him.