RICHARD’S POV The next day, I woke up to the soft beep of the heart monitor. Mom’s eyes were open. She looked at me, a question in her eyes. I squeezed her hand. “You’re awake, Mom,” I whispered. Her eyes filled with tears.The room was a mess. Flowers, balloons, and get-well gifts were scattered around. I’d spent the last few hours here, hoping, praying. This was a miracle.My mother, still groggy but awake, lay in her hospital bed. I sat beside her, holding her hand gently. “Hey, its good to have you back, Mom,” I said softly. Do you need anything? How are you feeling?”She opened her eyes slowly, a weak but sincere smile on her face. “Richard... I can’t thank you enough for this. I thought—”“Don’t,” I interrupted, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’d give you a thousand chances if I could. Just focus on getting better.”Her eyes glistened with tears. “You always know how to make me feel better.”Before I could respond, the door swung open. My dad walked in with a bouquet of flow
Richard's POVI wheeled Mom out of the hospital, the wheels of the chair squeaking on the polished floor. We had spent more than one week in the hospital and we were finally discharged. Dad was with my brothers, and none of them looked thrilled to be there. Typical. They had mostly visited twice and they looked forced. I didn’t care about them. My major priority was ensuring that my mother recovered quite fast. Once we got to the car, my father helped me lift my mother to the car. "Need a hand, Dad?" I asked as he rolled her up to the car."Yeah, thanks, Richard," Dad said, heaving Mom out of the chair and into the backseat. "You boys behave, alright?""Sure, Dad," I muttered, already feeling the tension rising. As soon as Dad was busy with Mom, my brothers closed in."You know you're next in that wheelchair, right?" Johnson sneered. “I wonder how you’ll look.” I looked at him, confused. "What are you talking about?"Williams laughed. "The horse race tomorrow, genius. You're gonna
*Richard's POV*The day of the big race had finally arrived. The racing ground was packed, buzzing with excitement. I could feel the energy in the air as I walked toward the stables. My brothers were already there with their horses, glaring at me as I passed by."Morning, boys," I said cheerfully, ignoring their scowls."You're gonna eat dirt today," Johnson muttered."Dream on," I shot back, grinning.I spotted the other racers gathered nearby and joined them, exchanging nods and casual greetings. Just as I was about to head over to see the horse Mr. Denise purchased for me, I saw Amelia making her way toward me."Amelia!" I called, smiling wide. "Good to see you."She returned my smile, her eyes bright. "Hey, Richard. I wanted to come and support you.""Thanks, means a lot," I said, feeling a warmth spread through me.She glanced around at the crowded grounds. "So, how are you feeling about the race?""Confident," I said, nodding. "Got a great horse thanks to Cathy. Just need to foc
Richard's POVThe race was about to start, and I could hear the announcer calling the participants' names one by one. My heart pounded with anticipation and frustration. The crowd’s energy buzzed around me, making it hard to think clearly.The man had given me his horse after I paid him $5k. He had happily left the horse to me, obviously excited that he could get even ten horses with the sum paid to him. But that wasn’t my concern now. My concern was how I was going to win the race with the horse. A horse that was old, a horse that wasn’t a sports horse. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today’s horse race!” the announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Our champion and finest participant, Quinn Daniel!”The crowd erupted in applause and cheers. “Quinn! Quinn! Quinn!” they chanted, their voices merging into a deafening roar.I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. “Can you believe these people?” I muttered to Cathy, who was standing besi
Richard’s POVThe moment I crossed the finish line, the roar from the crowd was thunderous. The clapping and cheers grew into a wild, electrifying frenzy. People surged from their seats, some of them rushing onto the track to lift me into the air. My heart pounded in my chest as I was hoisted up, the sheer exhilaration of the moment filling me with joy I had never known. “Richard! Richard! Richard!” The chant echoed all around me, a wave of sound that washed over the entire stadium. I felt a grin spread across my face, unable to contain the happiness that bubbled up inside me. The applause and cheers were overwhelming, a testament to the hard-fought victory and the support of everyone who believed in me.When the crowd finally set me down, I took a moment to catch my breath and savor the victory. But just as I was starting to soak in the celebration, I saw Quinn forcing his way through the cheering throng. His face was twisted into a scowl of pure rage, his eyes blazing with anger.“
**Richard’s POV**After a long day, I finally got home, and the first thing I did was call Mom. “Guess what, Mom? I won the horse-riding challenge against Quinn!”“That’s wonderful news, Richard.” Her eyes lit up, and she managed a tired but genuine smile. “I knew you could do it,” she said softly. “I’m so proud of you.”I grinned, feeling a mix of pride and relief. “Thanks, Mom. I couldn’t have done it without you.”It felt good to see her so happy, especially after everything we’d been through. Just as I was settling in, my phone buzzed with a message from Chairman Dennis, inviting me to dinner at his villa. I raised an eyebrow, surprised but curious. I accepted without hesitation.The chance to unwind and maybe smooth things over with everyone was too good to pass up.Later that evening, I found myself heading out to honor the dinner invitation. Dressed in a sharp suit, I drove to the chairman’s villa, which was as grand as ever.The butler greeted me at the door, his expression a
**Richard’s POV**The next morning, I got a call from Dad. He was in one of his “let’s make it interesting” moods. “Richard, come by the villa. We need to have a little chat.”I knew what that meant: another round of “you’re doing great, but let’s see how you handle this.” I showed up promptly, precisely at my father's study, and there they were—Dad, Jonathan, and William. I was expecting the usual banter, but today, I felt different.“Ah, Richard,” Dad said as I walked in. “Glad you could make it. Have a seat.”I took my usual spot, trying to suppress my smirk. I knew today’s news would rile up my stepbrothers. Dad cleared his throat. “So, I wanted to let you all know how things are going. Richard here is still ahead, as usual.”Jonathan and William’s faces turned a few shades redder. Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, really? Can’t you just give it a rest?”“Relax, Jonathan,” Dad said. “This is just how it is. You guys have had your chances.”William scowled. “Yeah, and every time Rich
RICHARD’S POVThe evening of the bidding event arrived, and as I drove up to the venue, I couldn’t help but notice the sea of luxury cars lined up outside. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, you name it. It was like a parade of wealth, and it was clear that this was not your average event.I parked my car and made my way inside, feeling the buzz of excitement in the air. The place was abuzz with chatter and the clinking of glasses. I was weaving through the crowd when I bumped into someone unexpectedly—Cathy.“Richard! Fancy seeing you here,” she said, flashing a bright smile.“Cathy,” I replied, smiling back. “I didn’t expect to run into you.”“Well, my father is the chairman of this event,” she said, almost with a hint of pride. “He sent me to supervise things and make sure everything runs smoothly.”“That’s a big responsibility,” I said. “So, are you enjoying the role?”“Absolutely,” she said, her eyes scanning the crowd. “And are you here to bid on the painting?”“Yep, that’s the plan,” I sa