In the end, Tracy could only cling to the stainless steel ladder at the edge of the pool, lacking even the strength to beg for mercy.
And Rachel, who had initially been an accomplice, could not escape the fate of being drawn into the center of the vortex, collapsing together on the cool tiles beside the pool.
With the accumulation of experience and the enhancement of his physical stamina, Landon was actually no longer that green kid who could only be driven by instinct.
He completely understood how to control the pace.
But the key to the problem was—every single time, it was Tracy who lit the fuse first.
Her gaze, filled with scrutiny as if looking down from a queen's vantage point, sometimes even provoked the docile Rachel, just like today, where the two of them treated him like an invisible man.
How could Landon endure this? How could he control it?
Consequently, as long as he was placed in this atmosphere created by them together, Landon's meager self-restraint would crumble completely.
He had never once successfully held back, nor had he ever truly wanted to control those surging impulses at such moments.
The result was that these two flowers, who always actively stoked the fire, would always eventually be defeated by Landon's passionate and thorough response.
Because Landon never demonstrated the ability to control things with ease each time, it led Rachel to develop a mistaken perception.
That relying on just her or Tracy alone was difficult to handle.
This perception solidified that somewhat whimsical idea of hers.
They really needed one more helper who could genuinely integrate with them.
Strangely, she seemed to have never considered their lively and capable assistant, Zoe, who also spent every day with Landon, as a candidate.
She had even successfully persuaded Tracy, who initially thought the idea was absurd but was eventually moved by some complex emotions, to agree with it.
Landon was still completely numb; he was very careful.
After finally managing to escape, he let out a sigh of affection and a hint of helplessness.
He walked toward the bathroom on tiptoe.
After washing up and changing into comfortable sportswear, Landon walked out of the villa silently.
He did a simple warm-up, then set off, beginning his morning run along the familiar community roads.
His footsteps struck the road rhythmically, and his thoughts drifted and wandered along with them.
He did not expect to encounter that familiar tall figure at the next turn.
Cameron Diaz was recently busy with the intense post-production of "charlies angels," and at the same time, the aftermath of the public opinion surrounding her breakup with Jared Leto had not yet fully subsided, with the attention of the paparazzi still focused on her.
Landon was clear-headed; any unnecessary contact at this time could bring her trouble and would be a foolish "adding fuel to the fire."
He temporarily suppressed that vague expectation deep in his heart.
Just like that, he returned to running alone.
The private track in this high-end community had a quiet environment and excellent greenery, but as he had observed, he rarely encountered other runners.
Perhaps, as the agent Lucy had once mentioned in passing, many of the residents here were public figures who preferred to use their home gyms or choose more discreet ways of traveling to avoid being exposed to uncontrollable environments outdoors.
Thinking of this, he felt even more that the chance encounter with Cameron Diaz here back then was a rare coincidence.
Running to the fourth lap, as he approached a bend with slightly denser woods and a relatively secluded area, Landon slowed his pace and adjusted his breathing.
Just then, he noticed a dark sedan slowly pulling over at a fork in the road not far ahead; it did not enter any lane but stopped directly under a tree by the side of the road.
A tall and thin young man agilely climbed out of the passenger seat.
After getting out of the car, he didn't leave immediately but bent down, spoke a few words to the person in the driver's seat through the lowered window, and then, surprisingly, leaned in and shared a brief yet lingering kiss with the person.
Landon subconsciously stopped in his tracks, hiding behind a tall oak tree, purely out of an instinct not to disturb others' privacy.
But his curiosity was piqued: Why park the car in a secluded corner some distance away from the core area of the residential district to get out?
He couldn't help but take a few more looks at the man.
This face... Landon narrowed his eyes slightly.
Oh, he actually recognized him!
Isn't this Justin Timberlake, who was at the height of his fame with NSYNC and whose personal career was also beginning to emerge? That "Boss Justin" surrounded by the screams of countless young girls?
Then, the person he kissed goodbye in the car... should be his official girlfriend, the equally red-hot "Princess of Pop" Britney Spears, right?
At this time, the relationship between the two should be public, and they were called the golden boy and girl by the media; Britney's smile was still clear and sweet, not yet eroded by the many storms that would follow.
But why was Britney driving him here, and then he got out in such a secluded place?
Playing for romance? Or...
Landon's gaze tried to penetrate the slightly reflective car window to see the outline of the driver.
The farewell kiss lasted for a few seconds, and Justin finally straightened up, waved at the car in a good mood, and then put on his baseball cap and sunglasses.
The sedan slowly started, turned around, and drove off in the direction it had come from.
Just at the moment the car turned, through the front windshield, the face in the driver's seat was clearly exposed in the morning light for a split second.
WTF?
Landon's heart skipped a beat.
That face... He had definitely seen it somewhere!
It wasn't Britney Spears!
It was a face that was also young and beautiful, but more mature than Britney's, with a bit of wildness in the eyebrows and eyes.
He searched through his memory at lightning speed—magazine covers? Entertainment news? Movie posters?
Right! It seemed like a female singer from a group?
The name was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't quite grasp it for a moment.
Justin Timberlake cheating?!
This thought flashed through Landon's mind like lightning, instantly giving him the feeling of witnessing a historical gossip scene with his own eyes.
He vaguely remembered that in the years that followed, Britney had, in some interviews or autobiographical materials, obliquely or directly accused Justin of infidelity during their time together, and it was said that there was more than one person involved.
Could he have just stumbled upon one of them?
And this was in early 2000, when their relationship was still as sweet as honey?
This big piece of gossip came a bit suddenly.
Landon was speechless for a moment, wondering if he had chosen his morning running route too well.
He subconsciously shrank back behind the tree again to ensure he wouldn't be discovered by Justin.
He didn't want to get involved in this kind of trouble, even if it was just as a witness.
No wonder the car had to be parked in such a secluded place to get out; it seemed it was to avoid prying eyes.
But another question immediately popped up: Since she wanted to cheat, why did she have to drive Justin here herself?
Or go to a more secretive location?
And why would Justin Timberlake appear in this community?
Did he live here? Or did his celebrity girlfriend also live here?
Hmm, why had he become so gossipy too?
Landon smiled self-deprecatingly; gossip really is human nature!