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“Anna, I can explain.”
17
Anna
Sometimes, the people we love the most wound us the deepest.
These words kept repeating in my mind as I stared at Maximillian James Fletcher.
I stood still in his study, the documents still clutched in my shaking hands.
I tried to focus on the papers to understand how deeply he’d betrayed me. But my mind refused to accept the stark truth laid out before me. That the man I was reopening my heart to had been scheming against me and my lovely ranch.
Instead, it replayed the past hour in my head like a cruel twist of fate, each image sharp and vivid.
The way I’d been looking forward to the dinner all day. How I’d dressed up, changed my dress, then wore something more ‘casual’.
I remembered driving to Max’s ranch, my heart fluttering with anticipation. To me, he hadn’t been guilty. I was eager to hear his explanation about being with Richard Kane at the Light Festival.
It’s nothing to worry about,I thought.He was probably warning Richard about something. He’ll explain it all to me, then I’ll say yes to becoming his girlfriend.
I drove to his ranch and parked my truck in front of his ranch house.
As I came down, Luna opened the front door. She greeted me, but her usual warmth was absent.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes, it is,” she said, eyes darting away.
She gestured to me to follow her, and we walked to the kitchen.
Seeing Max in his apron sparked a warmth within me. His focus on cooking something special just for us had been endearing. I felt a surge of affection watching him as he tried to make the evening perfect.
Then, when I tried to help out, he shooed me out of the kitchen with a playful insistence. I retreated to the living room, a smile on my lips.
But as the minutes ticked by, restlessness crept in. So, I decided to explore his house since I’d never gone past the living room. I wandered from room to room, imagining Max in each of them, living his everyday life. Some doors were locked. But the study was open.
I knew then what I’d use to pass away time. A good, short novel.
I wandered in, eyes scanning the room. The way the papers were strewn was Max through and through.Organized chaos.
The arrangement of the dark wood furniture and walls lined with bookshelves was reminiscent of Grandpa’s study back at Harrington Ranch. The same heavy desk sat in the center surrounded by shelves crammed with books.
My fingers traced the leather-bound spines on the bookshelves. There were no novels here. Max’s collection was all serious reading – history, ranch management, and volumes about Texas wildlife. Except for the Christian books my grandfather loved, Max’s collection was a mirror of Grandpa’s intellectual pursuits.
Then my gaze landed on the papers strewn across the desk. A document peeking out caught my attention. The Kane Development Corp’s unmistakable logo glared at me.
My heart pounded as I pulled it out.
The words on the paper swam before my eyes. It outlined a cold calculated plan between Richard and Max. The document detailed how they’d divide the land after acquiring Harrington Ranch. I read Max’s signature at the bottom, betrayal hitting my heart.
I couldn’t believe it. Max, who had seemed so sincere, so caring, was planning to take everything from me. The realization hit me like a physical blow, leaving me reeling.
With a growing sense of dread, I sifted through more papers, desperate for some shred of redemption. Some hint that this was all a terrible mistake.
Another document surfaced. Although it was unsigned, it was equally damning. It had several pages detailing strategies on how to maneuver the ranch into a position where selling would be the only option.
The walls of the study seemed to close in on me. The room felt cold, almost alien. The papers, the desk, they all felt tainted. A part of Max’s life that I had been blissfully unaware of, a part that now threatened to undo everything.
