CHAPTER 5: Horse

CHAPTER 5: Horse

ELINOR’S POINT OF VIEW

I wake up at six in the morning, ready to explore the hacienda that I rarely had the chance to visit before. I know that a lot has changed at my grandma’s favorite hacienda.

I also want to ride a horse again, which used to be my hobby when I was a kid.

Starlight is the name of my first horse. She’s from my grandpa. It was his gift for me when I graduated elementary school as a salutatorian.

Unfortunately, when I reached my third year of high school, Starlight, my favorite horse, died from equine influenza, which is a common disease among horses. Since then, I couldn’t bring myself to ride again because I couldn’t move on from the loss of my beloved horse. But now, I’m doing okay. I’ve already moved on.

“These clothes look good on me,” I complimented myself while looking at the human-sized mirror in my room.

I am wearing a fitted black blouse underneath my riding vest, paired with jodhpurs and riding boots. To keep my hair out of my face while horseback riding, I’ve tied it up in a ponytail.

I told one of the hacienda staff earlier to prepare a horse for me. It should be gentle but strong, so I won’t have a hard time. We have our own riding ring not far from the mansion, where we train the horses so they can get some exercise. It’s important to keep them in shape.

Once I was satisfied with my looks, I decided to go out for breakfast. I didn’t bring anything with me since the place I was going to was nearby and I wouldn’t be staying long anyway, as I still had some things to take care of.

“Good morning, Ma’am Elinor,” said one of the maids who was currently cleaning the stairs.

I smiled at her. “Good morning. Have a good day.”

I greeted every house helper I saw with a smile on my face. I wanted to start the day in a good mood, so it’s all about a good vibe—

My smile automatically vanished when I saw who was sitting at the dining table. He was alone, with his arms crossed over his chest. There was food in front of him, but he hadn’t touched it yet.

“Don’t you have your own house?” That was the first thing that came out of my mouth as soon as I recovered from the surprise.

He looked up at me, giving me a once-over look before raising his eyebrow.

“Are you going horseback riding?” Fenton asked, ignoring my question.

“Isn’t it obvious?” I sarcastically asked.

I take back what I said. It turns out I can’t be in a good mood if I see and spend time with him first thing in the morning!

“Why are you always here? Don’t you know how to cook for yourself?” I rudely asked.

I scooped up some fried rice and eggs with bacon.

“I don’t have time to do that,” he answered.

“And why is that?”

He shrugged. “I leave the house early to feed and bathe your horses.”

I grimaced. “Why? Isn’t there someone doing that who lives near the mansion?”

He shook his head. “Your horses have a different temperament in the morning. They’re aggressive, and I’m the only one who can calm them down.”

I had no idea that such a thing would be possible.

“Okay, fine. Alright then! You can eat here every morning,” I said reluctantly, and I started eating.

He also started scooping up the food on the table.

I never expected him to be this hardworking in our hacienda. He sacrifices his sleep just to do his job right.

Well, that’s a good characteristic for a worker. Diligent, dedicated, and reliable. I wish all employees were like that so their employers’ money wouldn’t go to waste.

“Do you have family? Wife? Child or something?” I asked out of nowhere.

He was left hanging mid-bite because of my question, but he quickly recovered.

“Don’t make it too obvious that you’re interested in me,” he teased with a smirk. “Is that your way of finding out if I’m still single or not?”

I glared at him, feeling repulsed. “You are so full of yourself. Have some shame!”

He laughed and says, “I’m just kidding!”

“Ha-ha. It’s not funny.”

I quickly finished my meal because I was starting to get annoyed with this guy again. Ugh! I guess my day won’t really be good because of this guy!

Dear God, please give me a ton of patience. I don’t want to look fifty when I’m actually just twenty-four.

I didn’t wait for him to finish eating. Rude, I know, but I wanted to have some peace of mind, even if it’s just for now.

As I walked out, I bumped into Nanny Filina carrying an empty bucket. She immediately smiled upon seeing me.

“Elinor, are you leaving already?”

I nodded and replied, “Yes, Nanny. I’ll be back right before lunch.”

“Alright. Take care. By the way, your car was taken in and fixed by Fenton earlier. I told him to let the mechanic handle it, but he insisted on doing it himself. So, I treated him to breakfast instead. Did you see him in the dining area?”

I was momentarily startled by what I heard, but I quickly regained my composure. “Yes, Nanny. He is still eating there.”

“Is that so? Alright, I’ll take care of Fenton. Take care now. By the way, Ace is already prepared outside.”

“Thanks, Nanny. Don’t tire yourself too much,” I added before leaving.

Ace is the horse I will be using today. I have no idea what color he is because he’s unfamiliar to me.

When I stepped outside, I looked around. My eyes landed on a horse that was very familiar to me, its color caught my attention.

This can’t be…

“S-Starlight?” I mumbled.

I was also looking at the horse. Tears welled up slowly as I saw it. Impossible! I was there when we buried Starlight, so it's impossible for her to be alive!

Ace and Starlight have the same color, which is gray. It is a combination of black and white hairs. The color can vary from a light silver shade to a darker charcoal hue.

I approached him nervously, noticing the man beside him holding a leash attached to him. Ace was fully equipped with a saddle, bridle, and reins, looking ready for action.

“Ma’am Elinor,” the man called out to me, but I ignored him, keeping my eyes fixed on the horse standing before me.

“You look just like Starlight,” I whispered absentmindedly.

I really miss Starlight, my best friend. She’s the one I cry to whenever I hear the household staff talking about my parents leaving me.

“Starlight, Ma’am? Your old horse?” Someone interrupted, catching my attention.

He looked familiar, but I didn’t know his name.

“Do you know Starlight?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I used to take care of Starlight. Maybe you don’t know me because you’ve always been elusive to us, but let me tell you, ma’am, we both had the same reaction when I saw Ace.”

“Is he related to Starlight?”

“No, Ma’am. This was actually purchased by Madame Consuelo in Cavite. It was supposed to be a gift for you on your 21st birthday. However, she didn’t give it to you on your actual birthday because it couldn’t be brought to the hotel. Madame really searched for a color similar to Starlight because she knows how much you loved your previous horse,” he explained while brushing Ace’s head.

If I already regretted what I did before, it’s even worse now. It’s like my conscience slaps me every day because of the wrong decision I made.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile at him. Nothing will change if I keep fighting myself. It’s done. What matters is the present. What matters is that I learned from my past mistake.

“Alright, I’ll go ahead,” I said.

“Take care, ma’am. Don’t worry about Ace, he’s kind and easy to control,” she reassured me.

“Thank you,” I replied.

I carefully mounted Ace. I had the reins in my hand, ready to depart, but our gazes met the man standing next to a nearby tree. He was looking in our direction, his hands stuffed inside his pockets.

I rolled my eyes at Fenton and started to trot Ace.

I admit, I was nervous because it had been a long time since I last rode and controlled a horse. My heartbeat raced as Ace picked up speed, his hooves pounding against the ground.

Ace’s muscles ripple beneath me, their strength and grace evident in every movement. As we pick up speed even more, a sense of freedom washes over me, as if I am one with the animal beneath me.

As I heard the sound of another horse, my brows furrowed in curiosity. I couldn’t help but look back, and what I saw made my eyes widen in surprise.

It was none other than Fenton, hot on my trail.

“What the hell?”