บท 15: Climbing the Highest Mountain

Three days had passed since Tristan's grandpa visited him at his Condo Unit and threatened him that he would lose his CEO position if he didn't marry someone.

His grandpa knew his weakness as he intentionally brought up the topic of Andrew and Hannah. The old man was forcing him to make a difficult decision that would really change his life.

Losing his CEO position or losing his carefree single life, which is which?

That thought put him under a lot of stress for the past few days. It's already affecting his mood lately. He couldn't concentrate on his work.

He was in a dilemma right now. He couldn't make up his mind yet. The two choices given by his grandpa both held equal importance in his life.

He couldn't see himself married to a woman who was not Hannah. And at the same time, he could not afford to lose his CEO position especially if this position would be taken away from him by his half brother Andrew.

Tristan was currently in his office, leaning his back on his office chair with his closed eyes. Fatigue could be seen in his troubled face.

He was tapping his fingers on his table. He'd like to do that whenever he was lost in his thoughts. He was still doing that when his assistant Matthew entered his office.

Matthew shook his head and sighed deeply seeing the sorry state of his boss. He knew what Tristan was going through right now. Tristan told him everything. Aside from being his assistant, Matthew was also his friend.

"Sir?" Matthew said, calling out Tristan's attention.

Tristan opened his eyes the moment he heard Matthew's voice. He straightened his back and faced him.

"What is it?"

"Should I speak to you as your assistant or as your friend?" Matthew asked him.

Tristan let out a soft chuckle.

"Go ahead… speak to me as my friend."

Matthew smiled at him hearing Tristan's words.

"Don't make this thing difficult for you. Why don't you just fulfill your grandpa's wish? He just wants to see you happy and settle down with someone. You have lots of women, choose a wife among them." Matthew gave him friendly advice.

Tristan squinted his eyes at Matthew.

"Hey, did grandpa send you here to persuade me? How much did he pay you?"

Matthew burst out laughing after hearing his accusation.

"I am loyal to you, you know that. I am telling you this as your friend."

"You also want me to marry someone? You said I already have a lot of women so I don't think I still need a wife. Marriage? No way! It feels like I will lose my freedom forever. Having a wife would just restrain me from doing what I want. That thing won't make me happy but just let me suffer in the end." Tristan facepalmed at that thought.

Matthew just looked at this stubborn fellow helplessly.

"So what are you planning to do? Give up your CEO position? I think the Chairman is really serious this time."

Tristan took a deep sigh. "I don't know. That d@mn old man! He likes torturing me. I bet he is now laughing at me. He cornered me!"

"Why don't we find a girl who will agree for contractual marriage?" Matthew suggested.

Tristan shook his head. "That old man is a sly fox. He has all means to find out. If I do something like that he might not just strip me of my CEO position but might also remove me as a member of the Davis family permanently."

Tristan tugged his hair in frustration.

"I pity you." Matthew simply stated.

"But you deserve it… having a strict grandfather like him. The world needs someone like him to discipline a naughty and stubborn grandson like you." Matthew added, laughing at his boss who was also his friend.

"Hey! I thought you were on my side!" Tristan complained.

Matthew just chuckled and shrugged at him nonchalantly.

"I think I need a break," Tristan mumbled.

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Unknown to others, Tristan was someone who loved nature. Whenever he felt so stressed or troubled, he would go to a quiet and relaxing place where no one could recognize him. Whether it was a beach, an island, a forest, or a mountain.

He loved outdoor activities, doing his getaways such as camping, hiking, and mountain climbing. He would rather be with nature while admiring its peacefulness and beauty than to spend his time clubbing in the noisy city.

After being put under a lot of stress lately, Tristan decided to take a break and unwind. He went on a trip to relieve his stress and come up with a sound decision after.

His goal for this trip was to climb Mt. Calipsu, the highest mountain in the country. Matthew accompanied him on this trip.

However, he was instructed by Tristan to stay at the mountain resort as he climbed the mountain alone. He would just call Matthew if it was time to pick him up.

It was 4:30 in the morning when Tristan had set off on his journey, climbing the Mt. Calypso. He enjoyed the morning breeze in the mountain. Refreshing and relaxing!

Tristan didn't intend to reach the peak. He just wanted to climb a certain height where he could watch the beautiful sunrise. Of course, he brought his DSLR camera to capture the majestic beauty of nature.

The sound of birds singing, rustling of the leaves in the mountain forest, the cool breeze touching his skin… all of these brought joy to his soul. For a moment, he forgot all his worries and troubles.

After an hour and a half of hiking, he reached a perfect spot where he could watch the beautiful sunrise. The scenery was perfect….so wonderful. He captured everything using his camera.

After watching the sunrise and taking a rest for an hour, Tristan decided to continue his journey, exploring the mountain. From a distance, he heard the sound of the waterfalls.

"Nice there is a waterfall… I feel itchy and sweaty now. I need to wash myself up and dip into the cold water." Tristan mumbled to himself as he traced his steps towards the falls.

When he reached the falls, he immediately took off his jacket, shirt, and pants leaving him topless and wearing only his boxer shorts.

He dove into the water and swam several laps. When his head emerged from the water, he was utterly astounded as his eyes caught a beautiful creature standing a few meters away from his spot.

'F*ck! Who is she? A Mountain Goddess, A Waterfalls Nymph or A Forest Fairy??!'