All Chapters of The Tycoon's Redemption : Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

The Caelum ranch stood on a hill, its white-washed walls glowing like a beacon in the fading light; the ranch house’s structure seemed out of place, as if someone had plucked it from the Mediterranean coast and deposited it amidst the rolling hills and dotting pastures of California. From the bottom of the hill was a winding driveway lined with ancient oak trees and a rusted ranch gate, which led up to the house. Inside the ranch, an earthy smell filled the air, showcasing a rural setting. A pleasant reminder to rest. Driving up the driveway had a dreamlike effect on those in the rented car, but that had been where the dreams started and ended. Emily could not give in to indulging rest as she lay awake in her single bed. Something heightened Emily’s senses; No amount of tossing and turning could erase the face of the man behind the front desk from her mind. It was her anniversary weekend, and the ranch had been Owen's idea, who was now snoring away in the other single bed in the

Owen was already seated at the table, sipping on his black coffee. Emily smiled when she approached him. There were lines between his eyes that she had not noticed there earlier. He got up and pulled out a chair for her to sit. Still feeling a little flustered from her two seconds with Mark in the stable, she reached for the glass on the table and poured herself water from the pitcher. "I thought you would still be sleeping. I didn't expect to see you down so early." Emily smiled at Owen. “Your bed was empty when I turned; I decided to come down and look for you.” He had on that salesman smile, and Emily knew instantly that something was up. She was always able to catch him like that. The smile that didn’t reach the eyes. As she continued to look at him with adoration, Owen took an envelope from the table; Emily hadn't noticed it when she sat down; she'd been so flustered that she had missed the brown envelope with Owen's golden pen that he took with him everywhere. She knew it.