The days that followed were like a dream Ana never wanted to wake from. The shadows of her past slowly began to lift, replaced by Harry's presence so raw, magnetic, and unexpectedly tender.
They rode horseback through wildflower fields, the sun casting golden halos around them. He'd glance back, smirking boyishly, and she'd laugh, her hair flying like silk in the breeze.
But it was at night when the world grew quiet that their love burned brightest.
Everytime Harry returned from work, he would bring her a bouquet of flowers that put a smile on her face. They'll have dinner together and dance slowly under the moonlight. His arms wrapped tightly around his waist, heart fluttering with every sway and every brush of his hand against hers.
They were living like a real couple in love and happy.
The moon hung full and silver over the lake, its reflection dancing like fireflies across the still waters. Harry led Reina down the stone path to the private pool behind the lake house. There was no one else, just them.
Without a word, he pulled her close. Their lips met in a slow, simmering kiss tender at first, then deep and ravenous. They undressed beneath the stars, clothing abandoned in a trail toward the water. The pool shimmered, warm and inviting.
Ana gasped as he lifted her effortlessly into his arms and waded in. The water embraced them, and so did he,his hands tracing every inch of her skin like he was memorizing a sacred poem. The moonlight gilded his body, and hers responded to his every touch, every whisper of breath.
Their bodies moved together, perfectly attuned, waves rippling around them as if nature itself bowed to their union. His fingers tangled in her hair, her legs wrapped around his waist. Each kiss deepened their bond, their breath mingling, their moans echoing softly across the stillness.
It was wild. It was slow. It was everything at once, fire and water, hunger and surrender. And when they reached their peak beneath the moon, it felt like the stars themselves shuddered.
In his arms, Ana felt not just love but belonging.
But not far away, beyond the treeline, hidden among the thickets of night, stood a figure cloaked in rage.
Sasha's eyes blazed as she watched from a distance, the leaves around her crunching beneath clenched fists.
He had banned her from the lake house. Harry. The man she'd chased for years. The man she believed was hers by right. Now, he was giving everything; his touch, his heart, his soul to her.
Ana. Lana. Whatever her stupid name was.
Sasha trembled with fury. "You think you've won?" she whispered to herself, nails digging into her palm until she bled. "You think this will last?"
A dark smile crept across her face, slick and poisonous.
"You've stolen him from me for the last time."
Her eyes didn't leave the couple even as they disappeared into the pool house, wrapped in each other. Her mind was already spinning plotting, twisting every ounce of hatred into her next move.
Ana had no idea what storm was brewing.
But Sasha would make sure the next time she cried, it would be in blood.
Two day later,
Ana sat on the porch swing, her feet tucked beneath her, sipping tea and watching the sky turn colors.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and she turned to see Adonis approaching his face unreadable but his eyes heavy with something that made her heart skip.
"Can I sit?" he asked gently.
Ana nodded. He took a seat beside her, the swing creaking slightly under the weight of the unspoken tension.
"What is it?" she asked softly, searching his face.
He exhaled slowly, then turned to face her. "I have to leave for a while, Ana. There's something I need to take care of. Something important."
A silence fell between them.
Ana's heart clenched. "For how long?"
"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I will come back. That's a promise."
She looked down at her hands, then up at him, her voice trembling. "You promise not to get into trouble "
Adonis reached for her hand, gently lacing their fingers together. "I promise".
"Do you really have to" she asked
"It's the only way I can protect what matters to me."
Ana's eyes shimmered. "And what matters to you?"
"You," he said without hesitation. "Julia and Mother. You've always mattered."
A tear slid down her cheek. He reached out and brushed it away with his thumb. "We'll be fine".
She nodded slowly, trying to smile. "Just don't take too long, okay?"
The sun shone brightly over the estate's open field, the light catching on the soft sheen of the stables' white fences. It was a warm, cheerful afternoon filled with laughter and the thunder of hooves. The youngsters had gathered at the stables for a day of horse riding.
Ana sat atop a stunning white mare, her hair catching the sunlight like molten bronze. Her laughter rang out as Harry sat behind her, one arm around her waist, the other gently guiding the reins.
"You're a natural," Harry murmured, smiling at her.
"It's because you're doing all the work," she laughed, blushing slightly.
Not far from them, Kimberly sat bundled in a wheelchair, clapping and cheering gleefully. "Go, Ana! Go faster!"
Sasha, seated on a jet-black stallion, watched from the side with narrowed eyes. Her perfectly sculpted lips curled into a tight, thin smile. Beside her, Soraya sat astride her horse, her expression unreadable as she observed the affection between Harry and Reina.
"They look... happy," Soraya said quietly.
"Happiness can be fleeting," Sasha replied with a cold glint in her eyes.
Back on the field, Harry leaned close to Ana. "Do you want to try riding on your own?"
Her eyes widened with excitement and nerves. "Alone?"
He smiled, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I'll be right here."
With that, he dismounted and held the reins steady as Ana repositioned herself. The horse, sensing her uncertainty, shifted slightly under her.
"You've got this, Ana," Harry encouraged. "Just guide her slowly around the field. Keep calm."
Ana gave a nervous nod and took a deep breath. With cautious hands, she nudged the reins and the mare began a gentle trot. Her back straightened, her eyes fixed ahead.
"Wow! Look at her!" Kimberly cheered from the sidelines.
Harry stood with a proud, beaming smile.
Sasha, however, was still. Too still. Her lips curled upward into a devious smile as she leaned against the wooden rail of the stable fence. Her eyes shimmered with malicious delight, and she turned her head slightly just enough to signal someone hidden behind the nearby trees.
Then, it happened.
BANG!
A loud gunshot cracked through the air, echoing like thunder.
The horse reared violently with a loud, terrified neigh. Anna screamed in fear as she grabbed at the reins, her body jerking with the sudden movement.
"NO!" Harry's heart lurched. "ANA!"
The horse started running like mad.
Chaos exploded across the field.
"Get me a horse, NOW!" Harry roared, already sprinting toward the center of the field.
Giselle gasped, her eyes widened with terror. "Ana!!"
The white mare was in full panic, kicking up dirt as it bolted across the field, its eyes wide with fear. Ana clung to the saddle, her knuckles white, tears in her eyes.
"Hold on, Ana! Don't let go!" Harry shouted, desperation in his voice as someone rushed to him with another horse.
"I...I can't!" Ana cried, her voice trembling with panic.
"Focus, baby, listen to me!" Harry called out, mounting the new horse. "Pull the reins, slow her down...!"
But it was too late.
The mare shrieked and reared up on its hind legs, its front hooves thrashing in the air. Ana lost her grip.
Her body flew through the air.
"NO!" Harry's scream tore through the air.
THUD.
Everything stopped.
The field went eerily silent except for the startled cries and frantic galloping of the now-riderless horse. Ana lay still, her limbs twisted unnaturally, her head turned slightly to the side.
"ANA!!!" Harry's scream ripped through the air, his voice raw.
Kimberly burst into tears, screaming her name over and over again. "Ana! Ana, no!"
Harry leapt off his horse before it fully stopped, dropping to his knees beside her. His hands shook as he touched her cheek, pale and bloodied from the fall.
"Ana, please… wake up. Wake up," he choked, brushing strands of hair from her face.
She didn't move.
"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Harry bellowed, cradling her gently. His hands trembled. "Ana, please… please hold on. Don't leave me."
Behind him, Sasha turned away with a wicked smile curling on her lips, hiding the satisfaction that danced in her eyes.
From the sidelines, Soraya stared at her, suspicion dawning. "Sasha… what did you do?"
Sasha turned to her slowly, her voice silky. "What do you mean? It was just an accident."
The race for love had become a race for life and Ana's was hanging in the balance.