The CEO's Seductive Doll-Chapter 154: Carrying the Owner
"I--" Evan gasped loudly for air, leaning on a nearby tree for support. "I can’t—I can’t anymore!"
"Want me to help you?" Eternity asked, reaching out to him and offering her hand as they hiked a particularly steep slope.
Evan, known for his pride, found himself unable to care about it now. He could barely catch his breath. He reached for Eternity’s outstretched hand, allowing her to steady him.
"T-thank you," he heaved, uncharacteristically showing his gratitude.
"That’s music to my ears," Freiheit snorted, earning a glare from his brother.
"How do you want me to carry you?" Eternity interjected before Evan could hurl insults at Freiheit.
"C-carry me?" Evan stammered, confused.
"Piggyback or bridal-style?" Freiheit supplied before bursting into laughter. "Either option is embarrassing anyway."
Evan’s face turned a mad shade of red, and he wasn’t sure if it was due to the heat, the exhaustion, or the embarrassment.
"Stop it, Freiheit," Eternity frowned, sounding like a mother reprimanding her child. "Evan is already suffering enough."
Freiheit’s cheerful demeanor turned sour, and his grin twisted into a sneer.
"And who brought us to this situation in the first place?" he angrily pointed out.
"Freiheit," Evan spoke reproachfully. "Let’s be civil now, shall we?"
His brother huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, looked away, and instead focused his attention on the slop before them.
"I’m going ahead," he announced, and he went climbing the trail without visibly breaking a sweat.
"He was always the athletic one between us," Evan muttered under his breath, a slight hint of jealousy in his tone. "Or maybe it’s an acquired skill after being a traveling artist for so long..."
"It might be the latter!" Eternity chuckled, surprising Evan. He didn’t expect her to listen to his muttering. "Also, I did do quite a number on you, so it can’t be helped. Hiking, even for regular people, is a hard feat to achieve. It’s a miracle that you’re still standing with me, knowing your condition!"
The CEO offered a sad smile, and Eternity’s expression faltered. She knew what he was thinking: He was agreeing with Freiheit that she was the one who brought them into this situation.
"Why can’t you just leave me to ’die?’" Eternity blurted out against better judgment. "What’s the point of looking for an alternative if you keep giving me this look?"
"What look?" Evan asked, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy.
"That look!" Eternity shouted, causing the nearby birds to fly away from their nests, clearly startled.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Evan said as he turned his back on her and began climbing the slope. "All I know is that I love you."
"What?" Eternity asked in a small voice, even though she heard him perfectly well.
"I’m doing this because I love you," Evan repeated, glancing behind him so she could see the sincerity on his face.
"I..." She tried to speak, but no words would come out of her mouth.
"Let’s continue hiking," Evan said.
Eternity internally dismissed the warm feeling that filled her chest and nodded, briskly walking until she was in front of him. She turned her back and bent her legs, expectantly waiting for him to move.
"What are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A piggyback ride?" She said as if it weren’t obvious. "I realized that it would be less humiliating for you if I gave you one instead of carrying your bridal style."
Evan frowned. The wrinkles were ever so prominent on his forehead.
"I think either option is humiliating."
"Exactly!" Eternity said, nodding. "Now, get closer to me, and I’ll carry you."
Evan still had a frown on his face, but he obliged regardless. He positioned his arms around her neck, and Eternity bent down her knees even more, securing his legs around her waist and standing up with surprising ease.
It only occurred to him at that moment that his muscles were tight and taut already, his body feeling a slight relief to be carried by her.
"Hold on tight," she said. "Don’t let go, okay?"
"I won’t," he promised, although his voice was evidently embarrassed.
Eternity carried him through the slope, and Evan half-expected her to let him down once the slope ordeal was done. But she continued giving him a piggyback ride until they managed to catch up with Freiheit.
Freiheit halted walking, noticing that they were only a few meters away from him at this point. He watched them in amusement as the distance between them slowly lessened.
"You two look ridiculous." Freiheit laughed heartily, stating what was already obvious.
"Shut up and keep walking," Evan growled.
His brother raised both hands in comical defeat. He only continued walking when Eternity was just a few steps behind him. Even though Freiheit felt disdain for the doll, he won’t deny that he had a certain fondness for her.
However, he found himself questioning if it was the black magic’s fault or if he truly cherished his bond with her.
"It’ll take us at least 2 hours before we arrive at the Maestra’s hut," Freiheit announced, leaning on a mossy tree that was sure to stain his plain white shirt. "Do you want to take a rest first?"
"I’m good," Eternity replied, letting Evan down on the muddy ground to give him a momentary relief from his shame.
"Since Eternity has no complaints, I don’t think I have the right to have one," Evan said lowly.
"Well, if that’s the case," Freiheit said, taking a hefty gulp from the metal water container he took from his backpack. "We can continue on our journey."
Eternity and Evan both nodded.
***
Two hours seemed to have flown quite quickly.
Evan wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t do any walking or because his two companions were fast walkers, and they only slowed down earlier for his sake.
In any case, they were standing at the top of the mountain, where a small, old hut stood meekly. It was unassuming, looking quite worn out, as if it had been built there without any plans of repair for years now.
Freiheit wore a dark expression on his face as he turned around to face Eternity and Evan (who was now standing on his own two feet).
"We’re here."
