The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 117: Unexpected Accident

Victoria was so focused on learning to ski that she didn't notice Ethan's emotional shift. 

She just felt more comfortable with his touch, probably because she was more familiar with him. 

Soon, she felt she had mastered the technique of edge changing. She looked up at Ethan and said, "You don't need to hold me so tight. If you don't let go and let me ski on my own, I'll never learn."

Ethan looked at her reluctantly, worried she might fall. 

He had fallen many times when he was learning to ski, even breaking a bone while practicing carving techniques. 

He could endure the pain, but he couldn't bear the thought of Victoria getting hurt. 

Knowing her stubborn nature, he slowly let go of her hand and advised, "Just control your speed and don't go too fast."

Victoria nodded but sped off the moment he let go, laughing joyfully. 

She already had some skiing experience and wasn't a complete novice. 

Ethan was just too nervous. As she skied away, Ethan's heart raced, fearing she might fall. 

Seeing her ski smoothly, he relaxed and sped up to catch up with her. 

Feeling him getting closer, Victoria turned and made a playful face at him, "Don't get too close, I might crash into you."

Ethan smiled confidently, "Don't worry, I'll dodge you." He then skied past her, turned around, and faced her while cutting across the slope. 

He was close but stayed out of her path, giving Victoria a scare. She shouted angrily, "Ethan!"

"I'm here," Ethan said, skiing past her again and giving her a high-five. "Now try the edge change."

Victoria was a bit annoyed by Ethan's sudden teasing. 

It made her more determined to master the edge change technique quickly and catch up to Ethan, so he wouldn't dare show off in front of her again. 

She also wanted to join the others on the advanced slopes, where Ethan would likely revert to his usual serious self in front of Samuel. 

She recalled the key points of edge changing, pressed down on her toes, and successfully completed the maneuver on her first try.

Excited, Victoria waved and shouted to Ethan, "Did you see that? I nailed the edge change!"

Ethan smiled and nodded, "I saw it. You're amazing. Keep going." 

Victoria nodded and was about to switch from front edge to back edge when her board caught on a patch of hard snow. 

She lost her balance and started to fall forward. 

Just as her face was about to hit the ground, a gloved hand appeared in front of her, catching her and keeping her upright. 

She grabbed Ethan's arm and stood up, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Thanks."

Ethan smiled silently, seeing her awkward expression. "No problem. I told you I'd protect you. You're learning really fast."

Victoria continued practicing edge changes, with Ethan by her side, offering timely reminders and support. 

In less than two hours, she was proficient enough to ski down the entire slope without Ethan's help. 

The slope was wide and not crowded, so she didn't bump into anyone, making her skiing experience very enjoyable. 

After another run down the intermediate slope, Ethan asked her on the chairlift, "How do you feel now? Tired?"

Victoria took off her helmet, wiped the sweat from her face, and said excitedly, "Not tired at all. I feel like I could keep skiing forever. Once you get the hang of snowboarding, it feels like flying—so light and free." 

Her face was flushed from the exercise, and her eyes sparkled with joy, making her look especially cute. 

Ethan couldn't resist poking her cheek, which was as ripe as a peach, making him want to take a bite to see if it was sweet.

Victoria slapped his hand away and asked defensively, "What are you doing?"

Ethan cleared his throat and looked out the window, "There was a snowflake. I was wiping it off for you."

"You're lying. If there was a snowflake, I would have felt the cold," Victoria said suspiciously.

Ethan kept a straight face and changed the subject, "Let's go to the advanced slope after this run." 

Actually, the advanced slope would be safer because everyone there had the skills to avoid obstacles. 

The intermediate slope, on the other hand, had some daring beginners who weren't very good at braking or turning, making collisions more likely.

Victoria was immediately intrigued. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Ethan, "Really? My skills are good enough for the advanced slope?" 

After several runs, Victoria was starting to find the intermediate slope a bit boring. 

The thought of the advanced slope's routes and gradients excited her, and she looked forward to having more fun with everyone.

Ethan nodded. Victoria had learned quickly, and her skills were definitely up to the advanced slope. 

With this anticipation, Victoria skied even better, frequently and smoothly changing edges, leaving a neat S-shaped trail on the slope. 

Ethan watched her with admiration, somewhat mesmerized.

When they heard screams from the slope, a skier on two skis was speeding towards Victoria, only 60 feet away. 

The man was likely a beginner who had ventured onto the intermediate slope after getting the hang of skiing but lost control on the steeper gradient. 

Worse, he had dropped his ski poles in panic and completely forgot how to brake. 

Although he knew how to brake, many people fail to react in time when going too fast. 

Seeing Victoria in his path, the man screamed, "Move! Move! I can't turn!"

Victoria tried to turn away as soon as she saw the man, but she was in the middle of an edge change. 

The conflicting forces caused her to get stuck and lose her balance. She waved her arms to steady herself but had no time to dodge. 

Watching the man speed towards her, Victoria thought, 'I'm done for. If I break a bone today, my parents will never let me go out again.'

She could even see the terrified expression on the man's face, resigning herself to the fact that she was destined to end up in the hospital today. 

Suddenly, Ethan cut across the slope and scooped her up, skiing away just in time. 

As the man's screams faded into the distance, Victoria's heart pounded as she looked into Ethan's eyes. 

His goggles hid his eyes, but he stared intently at her. 

In that moment, he had been terrified. The high-speed collision with Victoria could have had dire consequences. 

Fortunately, he had made it in time. 

He wasn't sure if he could completely avoid the collision, but he couldn't stand by and watch Victoria face danger without trying to save her. 

Even if it meant getting hurt, he wanted to be the one to take the hit.