A/N: Hi guys! Sorry i couldn't update last Friday because I've been very busy to write these past few days. Anyway, i know this is kinda fast considering that a year has already been passed in the story but i needed to do so in order to quicken the development of events of the story:) Enjoy reading!

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REX's POV

ONE YEAR LATER

I opened my eyes and stared at ceiling for a minute or so then looked at the clock on the bedside table. Damn, it's already 5 am. I quickly got up and went to the bathroom to do my morning routines. When I finished doing everything and got myself look descent, I went to my small kitchen and made myself breakfast.

I took my phone and messaged Ellie to greet her good morning but unlike before, she didn't reply. Well, I was expecting that. I heaved a frustrated sigh.

It's been more than a year since I officially started my work at the ranch and I must say, it's been tough. Even though the work wasn't that easy, I made it this far. I didn't have the intention of staying this long before I came here but the circumstances made me stay until now.

Because of Ellie, I decided to gamble my luck here.

Normally, my deal with that man has already been finished 6 months ago but something came up. He needed to go back to Spain and stay there for a couple of months for a reason I didn't care to ask.

He was so furious at me before he left because I haven't completed my part of the deal yet. Well, I did it on purpose to delay everything.

Luckily, I managed to find a convenient excuse why I wasn't able to do it again and he didn't have a choice but to give me one final chance. He told me that he must see results when he gets back. I received a lot of threats from him before he left though.

Since he left, I haven't heard anything from him for about 6 months and I felt relieved about it. Even though I knew this is just a temporary calm before the storm.

But I couldn't help but to get anxious at the same time too because he told me that he wanted me to finish my part of the deal before he gets back and I must do everything to give him that or else, I'll pay the possible consequences of making him wait for too long for nothing.

I knew he was eyes watching me everywhere but I didn't let that restrain me from doing what I needed to do.

When he finally left the country, I discreetly moved on my own and searched for the possible clues of my sister's location. I asked Maxen's help and he promised that he would do everything in his power to help me but it wasn't that easy.

The last time we talked, he told me that he asked a friend of his, named Stephen, who's an expert in this kind of things and I'm still hoping that he could find any possible lead because I want to get out of his claws as soon as possible already. I'm tired of following his orders and my guilt is already consuming me in each passing day.

Any day from now on, he's going to come back and I need to be ready by then. I already planned this a couple of months ago. I want to be free from our deal for good. Now that there are people who are willing to help me, I don't need to follow his orders anymore. Even though it isn't that easy to just back off of our deal, I'll try my best to get out of it without involving anyone.

But I couldn't help but to wonder why he's still waiting for me to do my promise of the deal after all this time. It's been more than a year already and I couldn't help but to think that he's up to something aside from the reason he gave me before. I felt like he really needs me to do my part in order for him to achieve his other goals, whatever it was, and that's what I needed to know before he could accomplish it.

I knew he's up to no good and knowing that the people I care about is just around him is making me worried.

"Bonjour, Rex. Can you come with me? I'm going to the airport but my feet is hurting and I can't drive. Is it okay with you to drive for me?" I heard the voice of Mr. Novell from behind me and that made me got out of my reverie. Excitement crept throughout my body as I heard what he just said. How couldn't I?

I'll be seeing my woman sooner than I've expected. I smiled inwardly.

"Sure, Mr. Novell" He nodded his head.

"Good. I'll just go change my clothes. You should too and then we'll go"

"Okay, Mr. Novell" He turned around and strode his way back to the house. My eyebrows creased when I noticed the way he walks. He's obviously having a hard time walking. I've never seen him like that before.

I wanted to tell him to just stay home and let me go on my own to pick up Ellie at the airport but I held myself from saying so. Knowing him, he would insist on going.

I was about to go to my place to take a bath when one of my colleagues approached me.

"Rex, I need your help. A horse is about to give birth! You have a cellphone, right? Can you call a veterinarian? He must come here right away because I think the horse is in a bad condition. I forgot my phone at home so I decided to come to you" He said while breathing hard. He must have ran all the way here.

"What do you think? Can she make it until the veterinarian comes?"

"I don't know. Just call someone now before something bad happens"

"It's better for me to take a look at her" I said. His eyebrows scrunched.

"What? Do you even know anything about this kind of thing?" He asked confusedly. I quickly formulated a lie.

"Yes. I have a lot of experience of dealing with this kinds of stuff" I was about to run towards the stable when I remembered something.

"Billy, can you go to Mr. Novell and inform him that I can't go with him to the airport because the horse needs me now. You have a driver's license, right? Maybe you could drive him to the airport"

"But---"

"Just go!" He nodded his head and then run towards the house while I headed to the stable. Much as I wanted to go pick up Ellie, one of the horses needs me and Ellie would surely be sad if something bad happened to it.

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I couldn't contain my happiness when I saw the car of Mr. Novell arrived. I just finished doing all my work for the day and I was about to go to my place to rest when I saw the car stopped in front of the gate. Martine was the one who opened the gate. I couldn't help myself that my feet moved on their own and went closer to the house.

I saw the gate closed but that didn't stopped me from going closer to the house.

I peeked through the gate and I saw Mr. Novell stepped out of the car and then Ellie. As usual, she's so beautiful. They were talking about something and even though I couldn't hear them properly because of the distance, I knew that it was about an important matter judging by the look on their faces.

Then Mr. Novell went ahead of her inside the house. She was about to go inside too when she threw a glance at my direction and saw me. I smiled and waved my hand at her. But to my disappointment, she just gave me a blank stare before she turned her back on me and entered the house without even saying anything.

"Damn!" I hissed and ran my hand on my head in frustration. She's still mad at me because of what happened the other day.

I went to Paris without informing her because I wanted to surprise her. I went to her school because I knew that it was their last day of school before their Christmas vacation starts. But to my disappointment, she wasn't there. Luckily, I saw Céline and she told me that Ellie was in a photoshoot and she was about to go there when she saw me. We went there together.

When we arrived at the set, I didn't have the opportunity to approach Ellie right away because they told me that she was in the dressing room. I waited and when she came out, I was about to approach her when I saw her friend, Maxime walking along with her. They were happily chatting.

I thought he was just there to watch the photoshoot but to my surprise, he was one of the models in the photoshoot too. When the photoshoot started, I couldn't help but to get mad with jealousy because of the posts Ellie and him were doing.

They looked like a sweet couple and there was even a part where Ellie kissed his cheek while hugging him from his side. I couldn't hold back myself and before I knew it, I walked towards them and scooped her up onto my arms then got out of there with me.

Of course, she didn't like what I've done.

We had an argument outside which led her to walk out on me and left me there. I tried to follow her but she refused to talk to me because she was so pissed off. I was so devastated that I didn't have a choice but to go back to the ranch after that. I wanted to go to their house to talk to her but I knew she would be more pissed off if I did that. So I've decided to give her time to cool down.

I didn't even know that she would be coming here today. If I didn't hear Martine talking about her coming over for vacation yesterday, I wouldn't know about it.

I heaved a sigh. Judging from the expression on her face, aside from the fact that she just ignored me, she's still angry.

I took my phone out and dialed her number but she wasn't picking it up. My shoulders slumped down in disappointment. I missed her so much already. We haven't have time to be together for a month that's why I tried to surprise her the other day but it didn't go well because my jealousy got the best out of me again.

I don't know why but when it comes to her, I can't help but to be possessive! Maybe because I have a lot of secrets that I've been hiding from her that's why I'm afraid of any potential thing that could cause me to lose her. I'm being more paranoid as time goes by.

I was still disappointed when I went back to my place. When I sat on my couch, I decided to text her.

Querida, I miss you so much. Please, talk to me...

She didn't reply and I wanted to throw my cellphone because of frustration. Is it really my fault? Isn't it just normal for me to get mad because she didn't inform me about her project with that Maxime guy? I'm not against her job but I hate it when she does things like that with other men!

I gritted my teeth. I placed my phone on the coffee table and decided to take a bath to calm my senses.

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ELLIE's POV

I couldn't help but to sigh when I read his text. I missed him so much too but I'm still mad at him because of the stunt he just pulled during my photoshoot the other day. Sometimes, I can't understand him.

I've already told him many times that he's the only one for me and I would never replace him with other guys. But why can't he understand that whatever I do during photoshoots is just a part of my job? God! This is so frustrating!

I was about to type my reply to him when I heard a knock at the door.

"It's open" I said then my grandfather came inside.

"Are you okay? You look down?" He commented as he sat on the edge of the bed. I faked a smile.

"I'm fine papy. I'll just sleep this off" I said and lied on the bed.

"Okay. Just make sure to wake up before 7 pm for you to have enough time to prepare yourself for the party"

"Yes, papy" He kissed my temple before he went out. Then I felt my eyelids getting heavier until I fell asleep, forgetting to reply Rex.

When I woke up, I quickly took a shower and prepared myself for the party of my grandfather. The farm was doing well these past few months so my papy decided to throw a party for the workers because they've been working hard. According to him, they need some entertainment and relaxation once in a while.

The party will be held at the big pavilion hall of the ranch.

It's just a simple get together of all the workers of the ranch together with their families to have fun.

I just wore a simple above the knee red dress and then put on a little bit of make-up. I just let my long hair down the way it is and then sprayed my favorite perfume. Then I went out of my room.

"Ready, chérie?" My grandfather asked with a smile as he raked me an appreciative look. I entangled my arm around his arm and smiled.

"Yes, papy. Let's go?" We went out of the house and then drove to the ranch's pavilion.

When we arrived there, I was surprised that there were a lot of people already inside the venue. It was my 2nd time attending my grandfather's party in the ranch and the last time was when I was still 10 years old.

Aside from the workers, there were some unfamiliar faces too. Maybe some of my grandfather's friends, I thought. When he introduced me to them, one of them got my attention. Everyone of them were around late forties and above but that particular man looked like he's still around his late twenties. He's a gorgeous guy who has the aura of a bad boy. He has a thick wavy hair and tall too. He's wearing a black leather jacket with a white t-shirt inside and then pants. His outfit made me think that he was a racer or something.

"This is Mr. Cryxus Montaño, Ellie. He's the CEO of C. V. Montaño, one of the best companies which produces one of the best perfumes and clothing in the world" My papy introduced him to me. I got surprised because he didn't look like someone who's successful like that. He's still young but he's already a successful man.

"Mr. Montaño, this is my youngest granddaughter, Ellie Selene Novell" I tried to smile and nodded my head. He was smiling confidently and then extended his hand for a handshake which I gladly accepted.

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This story was supposed to be 4000+ words long but i cut it two because it's too long for just a one chapter :) Anyway, what do you think will happen next to these two?

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