Revan hadn’t slept well last night.
Not because of his shoulder.
Not because he had reorganized his training schedule three times.
But because of one image that kept appearing in his head every time he closed his eyes.
Phantom.
Lowering his head.
Touching his nose to that woman’s shoulder.
And Alesya Vargas standing in the middle of the arena as if she belonged there.
As if Phantom truly belonged to her.
Revan stared at the ceiling of his room.
Dark.
Silent.
He hated this feeling.
It wasn’t jealousy.
No.
It was more like losing control.
And Revan Caldwell did not lose control.
At 4:15 AM, he was already in the barn.
Phantom was still in his stall.
Sleeping standing up, as usual.
But as soon as Revan stepped inside, the stallion lifted his head.
His eyes moved toward the door.
Searching.
Not for Revan.
For someone else.
Revan tightened his jaw.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” he muttered.
Phantom exhaled and lowered his head again.
Unimpressed.
Marcus arrived ten minutes later with black coffee and a face that knew too much.
“He was calm last night,” Marcus reported.
“First time in two weeks he slept without pacing.”
“Good.”
“After Dr.
Vargas stayed with him until nine.”
Revan turned.
“What?”
Marcus stirred his coffee calmly.
“She came back after dinner.
Sat in front of Phantom’s stall.
Read a book.
Didn’t touch him.
Didn’t speak.
Just… was there.”
Marcus looked at Revan.
“Phantom fell asleep within fifteen minutes.”
Revan didn’t answer.
He drank his coffee too fast.
Hot.
Bitter.
Exactly like his mood this morning.
Alesya arrived at 5:30.
But something was different.
Revan saw her from a distance as she brushed Phantom in the wash bay.
Her steps were faster than usual.
Her shoulders were tighter.
Her face wasn’t as calm as yesterday.
Something had changed.
Something that made Revan instantly alert without knowing why.
Alesya entered the barn without greeting anyone.
Straight to Phantom’s stall.
She immediately checked the horse’s eyes, nose, and legs with movements that were efficient but rushed.
Phantom touched his nose to her hand.
Alesya stroked his neck briefly.
But her mind was clearly elsewhere.
Revan approached.
“Is there a problem?”
Alesya didn’t look at him.
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
This time, Alesya turned.
Her eyes were sharp.
But there was another layer beneath them.
Something dark.
Something Revan recognized because he saw it in the mirror every morning.
Fear hidden behind courage.
“I’m not lying,” Alesya said.
“I just don’t want to discuss my personal life with you.”
“Your personal life affects my patient.”
“Phantom is fine.”
“Phantom isn’t the only one I’m observing this morning.”
The words slipped out before Revan could filter them.
Alesya stared at him.
Then she looked away and returned her attention to Phantom.
“I have a new rule,” she said flatly.
Revan raised an eyebrow.
“A new rule?”
“No jumping for forty-eight hours.”
Silence.
Even Phantom seemed to stop chewing.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Alesya finally faced him fully.
“Forty-eight hours.
No jumping.
No poles.
No approach to obstacles.
Groundwork only.”
Revan stared at her as if she had just spoken in a language he didn’t understand.
“Are you aware the WEF starts in twelve weeks?”
“I am aware.”
“And you want me to spend two days of those twelve weeks… walking around?”
“Building trust,” Alesya corrected.
“Phantom won’t jump for you if he’s still afraid of you.”
“He’s not afraid of me.”
“No?”
Alesya crossed her arms over her chest.
“Then why does he refuse every time you approach an oxer over 1.20?”
“Because he’s traumatized from the accident.”
“Correct.
Trauma he feels from your body.”
Revan stepped closer.
Too close.
Close enough to see the small brown specks in Alesya’s iris that he had never noticed before.
“You’ve only been here two days.”
“Two days is enough to see what six other doctors missed.”
“And what is that?”
Alesya didn’t back down.
“You tense up every time you approach an obstacle.
Your left shoulder locks.
Your hands pull the reins a fraction of a second before the jump.
Phantom feels it, and he stops because he thinks you’ll get hurt again.”
Revan froze.
Every word was accurate.
Too accurate.
And it made him angry.
“You don’t know what happened in that arena.”
“I know what I saw.”
“You saw two days.
I’ve lived with this for eight months.”
“And in those eight months, nothing has changed.”
The sentence hit like a slap.
Revan clenched his fists.
“You think you’re smarter than all the specialists I’ve tried?”
“I think I’m the only one who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth.”
“The truth?”
Revan gave a short laugh.
There was no humor in it.
“The truth is, you’re a contract vet from a small clinic in Ocala who needs this money more than you want to admit.”
Alesya froze.
And Revan knew he had crossed a line.
But his ego had already taken over.
“So don’t stand in my barn and tell me how to handle my own horse.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Alesya stared at him.
Her eyes weren’t wet.
They weren’t trembling.
But something inside them went out.
And that was far more terrifying than anger.
“Fine,” Alesya said softly.
She took off her work gloves.
Placed them on the stall fence.
One motion.
Calm.
Final.
“Then find a seventh doctor.”
Revan stared at her.
“What?”
“I quit.”
Alesya walked toward the door.
Her steps were steady.
Not rushed.
Not dramatic.
And that was exactly what made Revan panic in a way he had never felt before.
“Alesya.”
She didn’t stop.
“Alesya.”
Still didn’t stop.
Phantom neighed loudly from inside the stall.
Loud.
Panicked.
As if the horse knew what was happening and disagreed.
Revan cursed under his breath.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
He ignored it.
The phone vibrated again.
The name on the screen: Harrison.
Revan answered roughly.
“What.”
His father’s voice was cold as usual.
“I just finished a meeting with Gerald Ashworth.”
“Congratulations.”
“Don’t start, Revan.
The WEF is in twelve weeks.
Twelve.
And I just received a report that Phantom is still refusing jumps over 1.20.”
Revan tightened his jaw.
“Who reported it?”
“It doesn’t matter.
What matters is that Gerald is starting to question whether his investment in Caldwell Equestrian is worth maintaining.”