Page 106 of Saddle and Bound

Chris's office is as always a mix of practicality and controlled chaos. The desk is covered with stacks of files, charts, and empty coffee mugs, but everything is arranged with a precision that reflects his way of working. He sits behind the desk, his cowboy hat resting on a nearby chair, reading a document with a serious expression.

"Morning, bro," he says, looking up. He gestures for me to enter.

"Hey," I respond, settling into the chair facing him. "What's going on? I got your email."

He leans back in his chair and interlaces his fingers.

"So..." he says thoughtfully, searching through some files. "So far, Fran and I have covered for you... now I expect you to come back to work. The competition season is demanding, and we can't afford distractions. We have too many expectations on the ranch, and too many people counting on us."

He pushes a folder towards me. "Here are the details of the colts racing this year. Take a look, study them, and start working on them immediately. We have little time to prepare them."

I open the folder, quickly scanning the pages. Names, statistics, training sheets—a world I missed more than I thought.

I nod, clenching my jaw. Only now do I realize how tired Chris is. He has deep shadows under his eyes, and I can see his exhaustion even though he tries to remain focused and invincible.

I immediately feel guilty.

"Bro... I'm sorry if I..." he doesn't let me finish.

He waves his hand, interrupting me immediately. "Don't even think about it. I can only imagine how I would have felt if something like this had happened to Val. We covered for you well anyway," he says with a half-joking smirk. Then he sighs and adds, "In any case, that's not why I called you here."

I see him stiffen and become more serious.

Okay, something's wrong. He sighs, leaning on the desk. "It's about the horses that got out the night of Rosie's accident."

I stiffen. That thought has been tormenting me for days. I know all the horses were brought back and are fine. Chris immediately raised the alarm to other staff members while we were rushing to the hospital.

"What did you discover?"

"It wasn't an accident," he says gravely. "Someone tampered with the gates."

His statement hits me like a punch in the stomach. "Impossible. I checked those fences myself."

"I know," he responds, understanding and determination in his eyes. "That's why I asked Max to investigate. We discovered the responsible party is Diego's sports manager. The one who managed his bull riding competitions."

I'm stunned. "Diego's manager? What the hell does he have to do with our horses?"

Chris purses his lips. "He was an infiltrator. He wanted to sabotage our equestrian sector. Max found evidence he was planning to target the bulls in the next competition. He probably hit the horse sector first to avoid suspicion..."

My blood boils. "And Diego? Does he know?"

"He's been informed," Chris responds. "He's devastated. He trusted him, Alex. He was his right-hand man and a vital figure in his career. But at least we stopped him in time. Max has sorted everything out and alerted the authorities. He's out of the game. Obviously, we'll proceed legally."

I exhale slowly, trying to calm down. "But we're still in a mess."

Chris nods. "No need to tell you how... we're examining every employee, we don't know who we can trust anymore. We're without a sports coordinator that we desperately need..." another sigh, then a half-smile "don't worry, we'll find a way".

Chris has always been a force of nature. But he's not alone in this. He's my brother, and I and everyone else will do everything to help.

I look him straight in the eyes. "You're not alone, bro. I'm a hundred percent in."

A tired smile spreads across his face. "I know, Alex. I trust you. You're my brother, and I don't forget that."

I stand up with the folder in hand, ready to go home and immerse myself in work. But before I leave, Chris calls me back. "Alex?"

"Yes?"

"Give my regards to Rosie."

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