?Chapter 70:

Heightened with excitement, I let out a whoop before diving into the deeper end of the stream.

“Yes,” I muttered with a content sigh. Swimming naked had an undeniable effect on me—pure therapy, in fact. Minutes blended into hours as the sun began itszy descent toward the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across theke’s surface. It was my cue to say goodbye. I began to swim toward the shore, the water level reducing as I got closer to the bank.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of pine and damp earth mingling with the fresh smell of the stream. Still filled with glee, I reached for my clothes on the dwarf tree, my hand closing around… nothing.

The fuck! I was jolted out of my trance immediately. My jaw clenched, and my gaze narrowed into a fierce re. What sick game was this? I’d had enough for the day. Couldn’t I at least enjoy a few hours of solitude? The annoyance gave way to self-pity, and my vision blurred.

Where on earth were my clothes? I scanned the neighboring trees, but they weren’t there. Even if the wind had blown them, they couldn’t have gone far. Besides, the wind couldn’t have blown away all my clothes.

“Oh no,” I gasped, my hands covering my mouth as my eyes drifted to the trees…

A figure stood by the trees, leaning against a trunk, arms crossed. Our eyes met.

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