RICHARD’S POV Fury bubbled inside me. I couldn't shake off the horseman's hateful words. I turned back, my fists clenched. I wasn't about to let him walk away scot-free. I charged at him, my fist connecting with his face in a satisfying crack. The man's head snapped back, and for a moment, I felt a surge of primal satisfaction. But before I could land another punch, I felt a pair of strong arms grab me from behind, I struggled, my rage making me fight harder, but his bodyguards weren't holding back. They pummeled me with hard punches. I tried to block and throw a few of my own, but it felt like I was fighting a losing battle. "Get off me!" I yelled, spitting out blood and sweat. Some people started to gather, their phones out, and recording the spectacle. I could hear murmurs and gasps from the crowd, and the horse rider's smug laugh cut through the chaos. "Let him go," he ordered his goons. "I want him to remember this." They released me, and I stumbled backward, my
RICHARD’S POV The hospital premises were a mess of flashing cameras and shouting reporters as soon as I walked through the entrance. I barely got two steps in before they swarmed me like a pack of hungry wolves. “Mr. Thorne, did you really attack the horse rider?” one reporter yelled, shoving a microphone in my face. Another one cut in, “Are you here because you’re mentally unstable?” I clenched my jaw. “What’s it to you?” I snapped. “My mother is undergoing a heart transplant. That’s why I’m here.”A guy with a camera shoved it even closer. “So you’re admitting you attacked the horse rider? Did he really wish for your mother’s death?”I felt my blood pressure rise. “Yeah, he did. And if he had the balls to say that to my face again, I’d gladly punch him again.”They started shouting questions over each other, making it impossible to hear myself think. “Will you still be participating in the race?” One voice cut through the chaos. “Hell yes, I’ll be there,” I said, trying to soun
RICHARD’S POVAs I sat in the waiting room, I couldn’t help but notice Amelia’s intense scowl directed at Cathy. It was like she’d just spotted an old rival. Before I could say anything, Amelia marched over to me with a determined stride.Cathy, catching the change in atmosphere, frowned and glanced at me. “Do you know her?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.Amelia wasted no time. “Oh, Richard not only knows her, but he plans to marry her,” she said with a dramatic flourish.Cathy’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open, but she quickly shut it, looking between us with a mix of surprise and confusion. I cleared my throat, trying to diffuse the awkwardness. “Uh, Cathy, is everything alright?”Cathy gave me a polite but puzzled wink. “Yes, everything’s fine,” She gave a tight-lipped smile. “Just... surprised.”I nodded, trying to keep things civil. “Yeah, and Amelia and I are still figuring out the whole marriage thing. Nothing’s set in stone yet,” I added, shooting Amelia
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.“