CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 245: YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL TOO

"At that time, I didn’t realize whether this feeling counted as liking you, but later when I heard you were going to marry someone else, I just really didn’t want you to marry anyone else. It seems subconsciously I already felt you were mine."

"So when the Rhodes Family proposed marriage to the Quinn Family, it was all your idea?"

"What else do you think?" Landon Sutton pinched her cheek, "Really think you’re that pretty?"

"Of course, isn’t it because you covet my beauty, so you’ve been enamored with me?"

"You don’t know how long I begged my grandfather before he finally agreed to let me marry you."

"And there’s still one thing I haven’t figured out, why do you have two identities?"

"Want to know?"

Shannon Quinn nodded.

Landon Sutton leaned in with a mischievous smile, "One kiss and I’ll tell you."

Shannon Quinn raised her hand to block his face, "Say it if you want, or don’t!"

"I can’t go into details about this. My identity got exposed once and I couldn’t continue my mission. Grandpa trained me for so long, he couldn’t bear to lose a talent like me, so the idea of creating a fake identity came up, allowing me to keep the mission going. During the recovery period, I did rely on a wheelchair, hence the rumors about my disability. Grandpa went along with those rumors. After my recovery, I underwent secret training and from then on, I’ve only appeared as Landon Sutton."

Shannon Quinn nodded, half-understanding, curious about what missions he had been undertaking over the years. But missions involving life and death surely wouldn’t be simple; they’d involve a lot of secrets he wouldn’t share. She refrained from asking further.

Having understood so much at once, Shannon Quinn felt deeply moved, sensing that many things seemed predestined. Her appreciation for the man beside her increased.

"Do you want to keep going up? If it’s too tiring, we can head back down."

Shannon Quinn stood up, glanced at the mountain path, feeling a bit reluctant to turn back: "Let’s go to the top."

She dusted off the dirt from her pants and continued up the path, no longer walking ahead alone, but side by side with Landon Sutton. "Did you bring me here just for this view?"

"I didn’t think you’d be so slow-witted; yesterday I assumed you’d remember this place right away."

"It’s changed so much, and it was so dark last night. Who would remember?" She paced a few steps, looked down at her sandals, and complained, "You didn’t mention climbing; I would’ve brought my sneakers."

"Sneakers won’t solve your lack of stamina. I think I need to make you exercise more. You’ve gained quite a bit of weight recently."

"What do you mean I’ve gained weight? I was too skinny before; I’m just right now!"

Along the way, they chatted occasionally. With Shannon Quinn’s improved mood, she wasn’t as restless as when they first started climbing. Fatigue was fatigue, but she no longer complained.

At the summit, the sun was already high, yet the sunlight was gentle. Looking down from the mountain, scattered houses and scenic landscapes resembled images from ancient poetry.

Standing by the railing, Shannon Quinn opened her arms to the mountaintop breeze, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply...

She only returned to reality when she heard the shutter sound beside her, turning to see Landon Sutton pointing his phone at her. "Are you secretly taking pictures again? Let me see how horrible I look in it."

Landon Sutton handed her his phone, saying, "Are you that insecure about your looks?"

Shannon Quinn corrected him, "I’m insecure about your photography skills!"

The photo captured her side profile against the soft sunlight, her hair and dress formed graceful arcs in the wind. The picture was quite beautiful. Pleased, she nodded, "Hmm, this one’s not bad. Send it to me."

"You can send it yourself."

It was the first time Shannon Quinn held his phone, and curiosity struck. She wanted to see what his WeChat looked like, besides chatting with her, whether he chatted with others.

He agreed this time, so she opened his WeChat. The chat page was quite clean with only six tabs. She was his only chat contact, the rest were public advertisement accounts.

Secretly satisfied, she tapped her own avatar and sent her photo.

While choosing the photo, she checked his gallery, expecting to find some macho selfies or something. Wondering if someone seemingly serious and formal like him might sneakily pose for photos, she was disappointed to find tasteful photos instead. The most recent ones were of her, then photos of Leo taken recently, and some from their last cruise.

Scrolling further down, she saw pictures of Leo as a child, a few which Simon Rhodes had sent him, and some she had posted on her social media that he secretly saved.

Feeling an inexplicable pang, she handed the phone back to him, noticing his lock screen also featured her.

She realized she might never again doubt this man’s true affection for her.

She turned to gaze at him, Landon Sutton smiled at her quizzically, "What’s wrong?"

Shannon Quinn felt he had endured plenty alone. But expressing that felt sentimental, so she shied away from saying it. Instead, she moved her gaze afar and changed the topic with a smile, "This place is really beautiful!"

He looked down at her and immediately quipped, "You’re beautiful too."

Shannon Quinn glanced at him with slightly flushed cheeks, her heart racing, feeling bashful.

They had lunch on the mountain before descending. Back at the inn, Shannon Quinn noticed it was the same place they had stayed before.

Landon Sutton mentioned the owner hadn’t changed, but now the inn was mainly managed by the owner’s daughter. Apparently, the previous owner was quite familiar with Landon Sutton, even thanking him for developing local tourism, which boosted their economy.

Recalling past events, the owner still clearly remembered them, chatting about how if it weren’t for Shannon Quinn back then, Landon Sutton might not have survived. In those remote mountain valleys, a dead body might not have been discovered at all.

Back in the room, Shannon Quinn lay sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, suddenly said, "I realized you’re quite scheming."

"Hmm?"

"You knocked on my door last night to scare me just to make me come over and sleep with you, right?"

Understanding what she meant, Landon Sutton continued arranging things on the bed and replied, "You came over on your own; I didn’t force you."