When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

Understanding the gravity of the situation, I immediately went back to my room to pack my bags and informed Lina she'd be joining me on this business trip.

Having already touched base with our local suppliers, it was clear none could meet our demands in bulk. Our only option was to look out of state.

Initially, Clyde was against me making the trip alone, but with York stirring up trouble and jeopardizing several projects, Clyde had no choice but to stay behind.

Unfortunately, even in neighboring states, only a handful of factories could offer limited supplies, making the venture cost-ineffective.

Just as I was hitting a wall, Vinson called with a lead on some stock at an incredibly low price.

"Only thing is, it's in Eclipse City. Transport costs are gonna be a bit higher, and it's not the easiest place to reach."

"We should definitely check out the goods in person for our first deal. When can you make it?"

Eclipse City, mostly accessible through winding mountain roads, posed a significant challenge for transporting large quantities of building materials, indeed increasing costs.

After running the numbers, considering transportation and potential losses, I felt the risk might be worth taking.

"Vinson, get in touch with the factory for me. I'm down to take a look."

"Great, I've already set up a partnership with them. See you at the airport tomorrow," Vinson said, hanging up before I could even respond.

I thought about messaging him for details but eventually decided against it. Having a familiar face in such a remote location was somewhat comforting.

Our journey to Eclipse City was no easy feat, revealing firsthand the transportation difficulties.

After a bus ride and an additional hour on a tractor, Lina and I were nearly sick to our stomachs.

The driver chuckled at our discomfort, "You'll get used to it. Be grateful for the tractor. Without it, who knows when you'd make it here!"

Despite the challenging access, the site had its advantages: ample space, low labor costs, and government support. But that one stretch of road was a major bottleneck for transportation.

Just as I was considering backing out, Vinson stepped in.

"Their materials are top-notch, and with government backing, it's a solid long-term partnership."

"Aspire World doesn't need a huge supply right now, or I'd have signed a contract already. If we team up for transport, we could cut costs in half. What do you say?"

Gratefully, I nodded.

I understood there was no real need for Aspire World to go to such lengths for supplies, but the quality and price of the materials were compelling enough to make the extra shipping costs seem manageable.

That evening, chatting with Clyde over video, he seemed upset.

"You're staying in a prefab house? Isn't it leaking? And what about wildlife? Spiders the size of dinner plates?"

I retorted, "With today's technology, can't you give mountain regions a bit more credit?"

Embarrassed, he chuckled and scrutinized my screen until he caught sight of Lina, which seemed to put him at ease.

"Both of you be careful out there. The factory's offer sounds good, but for a long-term deal, it'd be best if they handled the shipping..."

Clyde and I were on the same page; it wasn't feasible to make this trip every time. It was both inconvenient and time-consuming.

But finding a production partner and

negotiating had already been an ordeal, and that treacherous dirt road didn't seem like it was going to improve anytime soon.

As Clyde and I were discussing potentially funding some road repairs to ease future shipments and possibly negotiate better terms, Vinson knocked on my door

"Melanie, are you asleep?"

Clyde, who was almost dozing off, immediately looked alert and annoyed. "You didn't want me to come, but you're here with him?"

Lina had opened the door by then, and Vinson was partially visible through the camera.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I sighed at Clyde, "Without him, we wouldn't have found this place, let alone..."

Suddenly, my call dropped, and I couldn't get any signal back.

Lina, who was browsing social media, also lost her connection.

"Is the signal always this bad here? Didn't they have WiFi?"

Just as I was about to try again, a sudden thunderstorm hit, pouring rain with no warning, and the lights flickered off.

"Melanie, I'm scared. This place isn't haunted, is it?"

Lina clung to me as I tried to soothe her.

"Stay here; I'll check it out," Vinson said, quickly leaving.

He returned after a few minutes, "Pack up, we're staying with a local for now. A landslide blocked the road back, and this prefab isn't safe in this weather. Hurry."

Without a second thought, I started packing, while Lina choked back tears.

"Melanie, we're not going to end up trapped here, right?"

"I won't let anything happen to you, trust me."

I meant to comfort her, but then I got a metaphorical slap on the head.

Vinson glared at me. "If you've got nothing helpful to say, then don't." His stern look made me shut up instantly.