The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 116: Skiing Dispute

Seeing that Ethan indeed looked quite lethargic, Samuel thought for a moment and then hesitantly nodded. "Ethan, I trust you, but you look worse than yesterday. Didn't sleep well?"

Ethan glanced at Victoria out of the corner of his eye. She was busy texting. Was it Tyrell again? 

He hadn't slept well because he saw Victoria and Tyrell chatting happily. They had only known each other for a day and already had so much to talk about. 

It had kept him up all night, but he wasn't about to admit that. "Yeah, just jet lag. I'll be fine tomorrow," he replied casually.

Samuel patted his shoulder and said seriously, "Then I'll leave Victoria in your care."

Victoria finished her message and realized she had been assigned to Ethan. She frowned, unhappy, and wanted to refuse. "Samuel, I'm an adult."

Samuel tapped her forehead gently. "Don't forget, Mom gave me this task. If you get even a scratch, she'll never let me hear the end of it. Just be good and listen!"

Victoria couldn't argue with Samuel's authority, and the other guys there all listened to him too, so it was decided.

Tyrell arrived quickly, and the group went to change into their ski gear and grabbed their snowboards before heading to the lift. 

The lift could only seat four, so they split into two groups. Samuel took three guys, while Ethan, Victoria, and Tyrell shared a lift. 

On the lift, Tyrell chatted enthusiastically with Victoria as if they were old friends. 

Ethan's face grew colder, and whenever he tried to join the conversation, Tyrell would naturally take over. 

Tyrell was too enthusiastic, forcing Ethan to turn and look out the window.

By the time they reached the intermediate slope, Tyrell had already figured out Victoria's skiing level. 

She was snowboarding, could smoothly descend the slope, and was proficient in braking and turning, but her edge change wasn't very good. 

Tyrell patted his chest confidently. "Victoria, I promise you'll master edge change today. By evening, we can even try the advanced slopes. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

Victoria checked her gear, put on her goggles, and nodded. "Okay."

Ethan, feeling competitive, said, "I can teach too."

Victoria glanced back at him, her tone flat. "Being able to ski and being able to teach are two different things. Do you have a coaching certificate? Leave professional matters to the professionals."

With that, Victoria focused on Tyrell's instructions.

Ethan was stumped. He didn't have a certificate. He had learned to ski for fun, never thinking he'd need it to impress a girl. 

In his twenty years, he never imagined he'd be outdone by an older, less attractive ski instructor.

Tyrell, with his rich teaching experience, explained the techniques while placing Victoria's hands on his thigh and hip to help her feel the correct movements. 

Despite the gloves and ski gear, Victoria could feel the shape and flexibility of his muscles and the warmth of his body. 

The atmosphere was a bit intimate, but Victoria was focused on learning and didn't notice.

Ethan, watching them closely, frowned deeply. Ski instruction inevitably involved physical contact. 

The thought of Tyrell holding Victoria's hand while skiing or catching her if she fell made Ethan feel like he was going to explode. 

He couldn't help but slide over and grab Victoria's hand, his tone harsh. "Don't touch him!"

Victoria looked up at him in shock, blinking rapidly as if to confirm it was really Ethan. 

Her face flushed, though hidden by her mask, and she pulled her hand away. "Ethan, do you know what you're saying? You're being rude."

Ethan realized his words had a different implication. He had been too anxious and misspoke. 

He was about to explain when Tyrell patted his shoulder, laughing. "Ethan, are you two a couple?"

Ethan replied irritably, "No."

Tyrell laughed heartily. "Then you can't stop me from pursuing this lovely lady. We should compete fairly." 

He took Victoria's hand, asking politely, "Victoria, you are as beautiful as a fairy. Are you an adult? I hope my affection isn't troubling you." 

People from Aerion often looked younger than they were, so he was concerned Victoria might not be of age.

Victoria studied his face seriously. Tyrell had a short beard, with deep, rugged features, exuding a wild charm rare among Aerion men. 

It intrigued her, but didn't make her heart race. She saw him as a new friend met on a journey, which was the essence of travel. 

She shook her head lightly. "I am an adult. But I'm not here to date."

Tyrell shrugged, spreading his hands in mock defeat. "I've been rejected. No worries, it won't affect today's lesson." He moved towards Victoria.

However, Victoria raised a hand to stop him, her tone cold. "Tyrell, your behavior just now makes me doubt your professionalism. I don't want you as my ski instructor anymore." 

Tyrell was surprised by her decisiveness. He had hoped to use the lesson to get closer to her. But he didn't want to lose the business and tried to persuade her.

Ethan stepped in front of him, his gaze sharp. "I'll pay your coaching fee. Now, stay away from her." 

Ethan, standing at 6'2", was slightly taller than the 6' Tyrell. More importantly, his eyes carried an authoritative pressure that made Tyrell step back involuntarily. 

As a guide, Tyrell knew this group was generous spenders and didn't want trouble. With the money secured, he didn't argue further and took the lift back down.

Ethan and Victoria locked eyes, neither speaking. After a moment, Ethan said, "Now do you see I'm better than him?"

Victoria replied, "You've always been a thousand times better. I just didn't want to burden you all."

Ethan's lips curved slightly. "It's not a burden." 

He then began teaching Victoria the edge change technique, how to carve clean S-turns, and more. 

Fortunately, it was now him holding Victoria's hand, supporting her when she lost balance. 

He even stood in front of her, guiding her to feel the pressure on the snowboard, catching her in his arms when she stumbled, determined not to let her fall. 

He enjoyed this closeness, feeling a shift in his heart. Maybe he should be more assertive? 

Excessive patience wouldn't bring Victoria closer. If he retreated when she pushed him away, their relationship would only grow more distant. 

So, he should do whatever it took to get closer to her.