Chapter 75
Chapter 75
After hanging up, Maxine drove home.
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Patrick still wasn’t answering her calls, and the silence left her feeling helpless. She slumped on the couch, overcome by a familiar sense of frustration she hadn’t felt in a long time.
+39)
If the firm really refused to let her go, she’d have no choice but to play her last card–Sebastian. But she still didn’t get why he was making things so difficult.
Feeling too restless to sit still, Maxine got up to pick out something for tomorrow’s event.
River East Horse Farm was out in the suburbs, and the round trip would take nearly four hours. That meant she wouldn’t be able to pick Jessica up from school, so she’d have to ask Cleo for help..
*****
The next morning, Maxine told Jessica she’d be home late because of work, then texted her address to Zachary.
At exactly 4 PM, Urban showed up to pick her up. The early autumn air had a bite to it, and Maxine, who always prioritized staying warm over looking stylish, wrapped herself in a thick shawl before getting into the car.
Urban was already seated in the back. He glanced over and smiled. “Cold?”
Maxine nodded. “River East Horse Farm keeps the heat low. Better to dress warm.”
Urban raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Have you been there before?”
Maxine looked down and gave a small nod. “Yeah, you could say that.”
That was the end of the conversation. Urban didn’t press, and Maxine was fine with the silence. She closed her eyes to rest.
In truth, she’d been to River East Horse Farm more than a few times.
When she first got pregnant with Brian, Sebastian had picked out a horse there as a gift for her.
Maxine hadn’t been thrilled–she didn’t know how to ride, and being pregnant meant she couldn’t learn. The gift felt
unnecessary.
Still, Maxine knew Sebastian loved horses. He had one of his own at River East Horse Farm–a ten–year–old stallion named Arthur. The one he gave her was a young mare named Ellie, Arthur’s mate.
Back then, learning that had quietly warmed Maxine’s heart.
Every month, she’d visit the farm just to see Ellie. Even though she couldn’t ride, she’d feed the horse grass and talk to her. Ellie was only a yearling then, and Maxine had grown attached.
To her, Ellie had felt like proof–proof that Sebastian cared in his own way, even if he never said it.
But over time, Maxine stopped hanging on to those kinds of dreams. She came to accept that Sebastian just didn’t love her.
Eventually, she stopped visiting the farm altogether and left Ellie’s care to the staff.
In the past ten years, she’d barely gone back.
Lost in thought, Maxine opened her eyes to the darkening sky and empty landscape outside. They were almost there.
Urban, who had been watching her quietly, suddenly said, “I’ve got three purebreds at River East Horse Farm, but I’m not
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Chapter 75
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thrilled with any of them. There’s a mare I really like named Ellie, but her handler told me she’s not for sale–even though the owner never shows up.”
Maxine turned sharply to look at him.
Urban smiled. “Ellie is a sweetheart. I always visit her when I’m there. You’re not a fan, huh?”
Maxine looked away, her voice cool. “Mr. Soto, you seem to know everything.”
Urban raised his hands in mock surrender, chuckling. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I really did want to buy Ellie and went through a bunch of channels to find out she belonged to Mrs. Mason from the Mason Group.
“I didn’t know your name back then–just that you were Sebastian’s wife–so I figured I’d better stay out of it.”
Maxine raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Why? I’ve never heard of any bad blood between you and Sebastian.”
Urban smiled but didn’t answer right away.
The car slowed to a stop, and the driver said softly, “Mr. Soto, Ms. Hudson, we’ve arrived.”
Urban turned to her with a smile. “Shall we?”
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