Chapter 10 A Horse Race
Chapter 10 A Horse Race
Ashley suggested, “How about we have a race? Whoever loses has to shout ‘I’m an idiot‘ in front of everyone.”
She raised her eyebrows and glanced at Sharon. “If you can’t handle it, you can back
out now.”
Sharon nodded. “But I have one condition. If I win, he has to take back what he said earlier and apologize.”
The person Sharon mentioned was naturally Garrett. Just now, Garrett insulted her and her brothers, calling them cowards. While she didn’t know the full backstory, she couldn’t allow anyone to speak ill of her brothers..
Garrett was furious, his face turning red. “Are you looking down on me?”
“If you’re scared, you can quit,” Sharon replied, her tone almost clinical. Yet strangely, that made her words even more infuriating.
Nicholas raised his eyebrows, thinking to himself, ‘This girl’s got some guts. I like this kind of attitude.‘
Garrett snorted, “Fine. Let’s do it. I’m not a coward, anyway.”
Sharon turned to Nicholas and whispered, “I didn’t bring the right outfit. Can you please borrow a set for me?”
Nicholas nodded. “Sure.”
Half an hour later, Sharon emerged dressed in a riding outfit. She was glad she had tied her hair into braids today. Otherwise, her long hair would have been a mess.
The outfit was a little loose on her, but it wasn’t too much of a problem. The black helmet she wore made her face look even cooler, and her figure looked even more petite in the loose outfit.
As Sharon walked out, she noticed everyone staring at her. She was slightly surprised, and she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jackson whistled and said, “Sharon, you look beautiful in this outfit.”
He couldn’t help thinking, ‘Sharon looks so cool in this outfit. She’s just perfect. Too bad she’s already taken.‘
Karen glanced at Jackson, her eyes flashing with a hint of jealousy. She hadn’t expected Sharon to be so stunning.
Seeing how Nicholas kept staring at Sharon earlier, Karen’s insides churned, and she muttered inwardly, ‘She’s really a bitch.‘
Garrett seemed taken aback by Sharon’s appearance. He said, “You better give it up. I’d
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Chapter 10 A Horse Race
love to challenge your brother. I don’t feel right bullying a fragile girl.”
No man could bear to hurt such a pretty and fragile woman.
“If you’re scared of losing, you might as well apologize now,” Sharon had a sweet face, but her words carried a sharp challenge.
Ashley pulled Garrett aside, warning, “You look like you’re about to faint. Sharon is clearly mocking you, and yet you still have the nerve to keep going?”
Ashley’s mind was seething with malice. ‘She’s just a country bumpkin, but look at how she manages to be seductive. I’ll make sure Sharon regrets this. Maybe break her leg. A disfigurement would be even better.‘
Sharon walked forward calmly, her steps leisurely. Horseback riding wasn’t difficult for her.
When it was time to choose a horse, Nicholas walked over and suggested, “Pick this one. It’s gentle and won’t hurt you.”
“OK.” Sharon didn’t bother to look for another horse but trusted his judgment.
Seeing how she trusted him, Nicholas couldn’t help but say, “If you’re scared, don’t force yourself. If there’s any danger, stop right away. You’re not familiar with the riding grounds, so you’re very likely to have an accident.”
Sharon responded, “Then could you tell me the rules?”
Nicholas patiently explained the rules and gave advice, but by the end, he was a little surprised at how much he had said.
He thought to himself, ‘It must be because of how obedient and sweet Sharon seems. I can’t help but feel the urge to protect her. Girls who look so docile really bring out that instinct.‘
Sharon smiled at him. “Thank you.”
When Sharon was about to mount the horse, she realized a problem–her legs were too short to get up. What she had hoped would be a graceful dismount turned out to be a little embarrassing.
Ashley burst out laughing without hesitation. “Sharon, maybe you should stop pretending. I don’t think you can even mount a horse.”
The next moment, Ashley’s laugh faded, because she saw Nicholas bent down, allowing Sharon to step on his knee to mount the horse.
Ashley seethed inside, ‘What right does that bitch have to be treated like that?‘
After getting prepared, Garrett, Ashley, Jackson, and Karen waited at the starting line.
When Karen saw Nicholas leading Sharon’s horse over, a wave of jealousy surged in
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her chest.
Garrett’s eyes flickered with interest. He wondered, ‘Sharon’s quite to my liking.‘
Nicholas stood to the side and said, “She’s a beginner, so this time, we won’t include the target practice. It’ll just be a race.”
“Okay, I have no problem with that.” Garrett agreed.
Sharon gave a calm nod.
When the whistle blew, the five horses shot forward.
Garrett shot a lazy glance at Sharon. “Hey, after you break off your engagement with Nick, why don’t you consider me? My family isn’t any worse than the Baxter family.”
“Enough,” Sharon replied. “At least we don’t lack basic manners, unlike your family.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly kicked the horse into full gear and shot ahead, leaving Garrett far behind. The sound of the wind whooshed in her ears.
Sharon knew Nicholas wasn’t really interested in her, but for the sake of the Baxter family, he was still polite.
Her gaze grew colder, and her entire demeanor changed. She thought, ‘Well, I’ll just show them what I can do and take the lead.’
The demure girl from earlier was gone in an instant, replaced by a more confident and agile rider. Her movements were precise, and her gaze was filled with determination. She moved with an elegance that made her seem at ease, as though she had been riding for years.
Sharon quickly opened up a significant gap between herself and the others, leaving the rest struggling to keep up.
No one expected Sharon to be so skilled. The others exchanged puzzled glances, thinking, ‘Wasn’t she supposed to be a beginner? How could she suddenly be so good? Did we get tricked from the start?‘
Karen gritted her teeth upon seeing the scene. She planned to show off her skills in front of Nicholas and suppress Sharon’s presence, but now, Sharon was way ahead.
Ashley shouted, “Garrett, are you deliberately letting that bitch win? Hurry and catch
up.”
“Stop rushing me. I’ll win,” Garrett replied.
But the more frantic he became, the more mistakes he made. In the end, Garrett lost control, and both he and his horse fell to the ground with a crash. He screamed in pain and clutched his leg, clearly injured.
“Garrett!” Ashley screamed, rushing toward him: The people at the horse track stood frozen for a moment, and they immediately contacted the doctor.
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Sharon arrived at the finish line safely. She glanced back at Garrett, her expression neutral, not showing any signs of triumph or smugness.
Nicholas gave Sharon a long, thoughtful look. He wondered, ‘Her horsemanship is very skilled. She’s definitely no beginner. Did she pretend to be inexperienced earlier?‘
Just then, Sharon looked at him with a sheepish expression. “I can’t get down. It’s a bit too high for me.”
Nicholas shook his head and flashed a helpless smile.
