Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 449 Madeline's POV The third activity was the most physically demanding one yet. Rock climbing on natural cliff faces, followed by a zip line. Three massive rock formations rose in front of us inside the forest, their gray surfaces coated with a thin layer of ice that shimmered under the weak Valentian winter sun. The air was razor-sharp, our breath turning into small clouds with every exhale. I was bundled in a thick coat, yet the cold still seeped straight into my bones. I couldn't even imagine climbing those frozen rocks with nothing but safety gear keeping someone alive.

"The activity works in stages," the organizer explained, his voice echoing through the silent forest. "Each team will choose three representatives. The first climbs to the initial checkpoint and switches with the second. The second continues to the next checkpoint and switches with the third. The final representative completes the climb and descends via zip line to mark the team's finish." Marcus, Luke, and David, one of the most athletic employees from Kensington Valentia, were chosen as our representatives. The plan was simple.

Luke would start, David would handle the middle section, and Marcus would take the final stretch and the zip line down. Christian had decided not to participate, both to give others a chance and to stay close to Zoey, who was still limping slightly. "All the equipment was checked down to the millimeter this morning," Christian assured me when he noticed how nervously I was watching the ice-dusted ropes and carabiners. "After what happened yesterday, we're not taking any risks." Even so, my heart raced every time I looked at the steep rock faces. The icy surface made everything more dangerous.

A fall here would be nothing like slipping off a bridge with a safety net underneath. Olivia sat beside me on one of the large stones being used as makeshift seating for spectators. Our coats were so bulky it was hard to move properly. "Breathe," she said gently, noticing how tense I was. "It's okay." "I know," I murmured, unable to stop picturing Marcus slipping on the ice.

What if they sabotage Marcus in this one too? He could die, Olivia. A fall from that

ready!" the organizer shouted, his voice echoing through the frost-covered trees. I saw Marcus adjusting his specialized climbing gloves, checking every buckle on his harness with meticulous care. When our eyes met across the clearing, he gave me a confident nod, but I could tell he was taking this very 1/3 seriously too. The cold only made my nerves worse. Every breath

became. The icy wind sliced across my face, but it wasn't just the cold that had me shaking. When it was time for the first switch, I saw David take over the second stage. He was more experienced than

curled in on myself, arms wrapped around my knees, rocking slightly. "I'm... I'm fine," I lied. Even to my own ears, my voice sounded off. When David reached the second checkpoint and Marcus started climbing the final stretch, it felt like my heart was trying to escape my chest. He was now on the highest, most dangerous part of the wall.

say before my legs went weak. "Medic!" Olivia shouted instantly. Within seconds, one of the medical staff assigned to the activity was at my side, helping me sit