Chapter 215

Nathaniel's lips curled in disgust at Dominic's theatrics.

Harrison remained stoic, his expression unreadable as he raised his riding crop.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, he struck the hindquarters of Dominic's horse.

The animal reared in panic before bolting forward, dragging a startled Dominic with it.

"Damn it, Nathaniel!" Dominic's furious shout echoed across the field as he struggled to regain control. "That wasn't funny!"

Nathaniel tucked his crop away, feigning innocence.

Jonathan chuckled under his breath. "Harrison, Nathaniel—shall we finish our race over there?"

Harrison nodded. "Let's."

Nathaniel gave a noncommittal grunt, but his gaze instinctively sought out Evelyn. She was already ahead, Stardust carrying her swiftly toward the forest, leaving the others far behind.

The three men continued their race, passing time until Dominic finally returned, still grumbling about his abrupt departure.

But as the minutes stretched into an hour, unease settled in Nathaniel's chest. Evelyn, Sophia, Benjamin, and Gabrielle should have returned by now. The ranch was vast, but the riding trails were limited. Even with multiple races, they should have been back.

Horses tired faster than riders.

Nathaniel cleared a jump on the course, but his focus wavered. Something felt wrong.

Then, movement in the distance caught his attention.

Three figures on horseback approached—but only three.

No Evelyn.

Nathaniel's grip tightened on the reins as they drew closer. His voice was dangerously calm. "Where is Evelyn?"

Sophia's face was ghostly pale, her hands trembling. "Uncle, she—"

Nathaniel's pulse spiked. "What happened?"

Sophia burst into tears. "She won the race, so we stopped to rest in the woods. When we got back on our horses, Stardust suddenly went wild! It took off with her before we could stop it!"

She choked on a sob. "We chased them, but Stardust was too fast. By the time we caught up, the horse was standing near the cliff—but Evelyn was gone! We think... she fell!"

Benjamin's jaw clenched, his eyes bloodshot with guilt. "Nathaniel, I'm sorry—"

Gabrielle, the most composed of the three, stepped forward. "Nathaniel, Benjamin and I warned Evelyn not to ride that horse today. She didn’t listen. This wouldn’t have happened if—"

Nathaniel didn’t wait for excuses.

With a sharp tug of the reins, he urged his horse over the fence and toward the cliff at full speed.

A life was at stake.

Dominic, Harrison, and Jonathan exchanged glances before mounting their own horses and racing after him.