1 I stood at the rehearsal for my beach wedding, but my heart was in my shoes. The man who was supposed to be riding beside me, my fiancé, was instead cradling his adopted sister in his arms. The two of them were laughing together on horseback, a picture-perfect couple. When I frowned, my displeasure obvious, he just arched a brow and coldly accused me of being uncharitable. He said his sister was just helping me with the rehearsal and that I should thank her. The sister, however, was even more audacious. She leaned in, kissed him provocatively on the lips, and then turned to me with a smirk. "Just testing it out for you. The whole kissing-on-horseback thing works perfectly." Just as I was about to fire back, a voice echoed in my mind. It was the white stallion, complaining. This trashy couple is unbelievable, it grumbled. The cuddling was bad enough, but then they started an acrobatic routine up here. Nearly threw my back out. I froze, and then a slow, wicked smile spread across my face. So that’s how it was. I let out a soft, sharp whistle. The next second, the stallion reared up violently, sending the pair on its back tumbling to the ground. If they wanted to play saints, then I’d be happy to help them on their way. I’d send them straight to meet their maker. … I narrowed my eyes, staring down the coastline. There, on my white stallion, Storm, sat two people. My fiancé, Patrick, held Daisy in his arms. They whispered to each other, their smiles sickeningly sweet, as if they were the ones getting married today. I folded my arms, watching the scene with cold amusement. Interesting. Beside me, the wedding planner whispered to her assistant. “What’s going on? Shouldn’t it be the bride and groom on the horse?” “I have no idea. Who is that girl?” “She looks happier than the bride…” I heard every word but said nothing. The horse stopped a few feet away from me. Patrick pulled on the reins, his expression as serene as a benevolent saint. “Cassie, Daisy was just testing the horse for you. You should thank her.” “She’s a pure soul, a woman of God. Don’t get the wrong idea.” His face was unnaturally flushed, a look of deep satisfaction in his eyes. Daisy tilted her head, her smile a mask of innocence. “Don’t misunderstand, Cassie. The horse looked so tall, I was afraid you’d be too scared to ride him.” I almost laughed out loud. This horse? I’d raised him from a foal. I’d be scared? Daisy shifted, pressing a quick kiss to Patrick’s lips. Then she turned back to me, beaming. “See, Cassie? I tested it for you. Kissing on horseback? Totally doable.” A stunned silence fell over the crew. Someone audibly gasped. Patrick, after a brief pause, just chuckled and ruffled Daisy’s hair. “You’re such a little rascal. Always playing games.” “Have you had enough fun?” I asked, my voice dangerously sweet. “If not, you can continue the show tomorrow, in front of all our guests.” Patrick’s hand froze. His brow furrowed with irritation. “Cassie, Daisy is my sister. And she’s a devout woman. Don’t take it too far.” His sister. A devout woman. The same excuses he’d been using for the past six months. It all started half a year ago, when he returned after his long period of service at a remote monastery. Our families had arranged our marriage when we were children, and with his return, the wedding was back on the agenda. I’d been content with the arrangement. I’d heard he was a man of principle, pious and kind—a suitable partner. But from the day he came back, Daisy was a constant presence. She was an orphan the family had taken in, a “fellow devotee” who had spent time at the monastery with Patrick. At first, she just dropped by occasionally. Soon, it was every day. Once, I walked in on her changing clothes in Patrick’s room. He was standing right behind her, a robe in his hands, about to place it on her shoulders. Daisy saw me and didn’t even flinch. “Oh, Cassie. My clothes got wet, so I’m just borrowing something from my brother.” Afterward, I confronted Patrick. “I don’t appreciate relationships without boundaries. This is the first time.” He seemed taken aback, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “You’re misunderstanding.” I held up a hand. “Just remember. Three strikes.” I didn’t elaborate. I just left. A month later, I found them shopping for lingerie. Patrick even reached out and adjusted the strap on her bra. She saw me and smirked. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Cassie. I’m just hopeless at picking these things out, so I asked my brother for help.” I looked straight at Patrick. “That’s strike two.” He scowled, his patience clearly wearing thin. “You’re so worldly. She’s my sister. I was just helping.” I still didn’t raise my voice. I just said, “You told me you knew the difference between a fiancée and a sister. I hope you remember that.” He stared at me for a long time without a word. Today was strike three. He had publicly kissed his “sister.” There’s no brother-sister relationship in the world that looks like that. My patience had run out. I took a deep breath, ready to unleash my fury. Suddenly, a voice echoed in my mind. [This pair of humans has no respect for a horse’s dignity.] [The cuddling was bad enough, but then they started an acrobatic routine. Nearly threw my back out.] [My poor mistress’s perfect wedding… they’ve ruined it.] I slowly turned my head, my eyes locking on Storm. Acrobatics? A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips. I finally understood. So, they’d broken more than just boundaries. I’d been waiting on this beach for hours, the cold sea wind whipping at my skin, while he was off somewhere playing his “acrobatic” games with his adopted sister. I remembered a conversation we’d had a month ago. “Cassie,” Patrick had said, his tone serious. “Although I’ve returned to secular life, I’ve spent years in devotion. I will honor our marriage contract, but for the first three years, I will not touch you. I hope you can understand.” I’d nodded at the time. I wasn’t a saint, but I could respect his faith. I see now. He wasn’t keeping his body pure for me. He was keeping it for her. I looked up at Patrick. He was whispering something to Daisy, his eyes full of a tenderness he never showed me. She playfully tapped his chest, and he caught her wrist, holding it gently. The nauseating feeling of betrayal and deception washed over me. The two things I despised most in the world, served up on a silver platter. This marriage? I was done with it. 2 Patrick, with Daisy still in his arms, rode Storm around the venue, surveying the setup with a satisfied air. The sea breeze tangled her hair, and Patrick, ever the gentleman, gently tucked the strands behind her ear, using the red braided bracelet on his wrist to tie it back. I watched, my eyes narrowing. That was the promise bracelet we’d gotten together at a festival, blessed for a long and happy union. Patrick caught my gaze and shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a string.” I gave him a slow, knowing smile. “Are you testing my limits?” He knew I cared. And he did it anyway. Daisy immediately untied the bracelet and held it out to me. “If you don’t like it, Cassie, you can have it back.” Then her hand “slipped.” The red cord fell into the sand and was instantly swallowed by a wave. “Oops!” she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, but there wasn’t a shred of apology in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Cassie. My hand slipped.” Patrick wrapped an arm around her waist, his voice dripping with affection. “It’s fine. She won’t blame you.” Suddenly, I laughed. “Of course not. It’s just a string.” I reached down, untied the matching bracelet from my own wrist, and tossed it into the ocean. Patrick’s jaw tightened. His lips parted as if to say something, but he remained silent. I turned my attention to Storm. “You two should get down now. That’s my horse.” Daisy started to dismount, but Patrick held her back. He looked at me, his eyes cold as steel. “I’m giving this horse to Daisy.” My eyes narrowed to slits. He was giving her my horse? On what authority? [Mistress, no!] Storm’s panicked voice screamed in my head. [I don’t want to go with her! She eats horse tartare right in front of me!] So, a fake saint after all. Daisy beamed from her perch on Storm’s back. “This horse is special to me and Patrick now, Cassie.” A blush crept up her cheeks. “Riding him together today… it’s a memory we’ll always have. You should just let me have him. You have so many other horses at your family’s stable, you won’t even miss one.” I scoffed. Their memory? How pathetic. “No.” Patrick froze, clearly not expecting a direct refusal. His voice was laced with impatience. “It’s just a horse. If Daisy likes him, just give him to her.” I wagged a finger at him, enunciating each word. “I. Said. No.” A muscle twitched in Patrick’s jaw. He was getting angry. He suddenly raised the riding crop and brought it down hard on Storm’s flank. Storm whinnied in pain. My heart clenched. The horse spun in place, trembling, a raw red welt already forming on his hindquarters. Patrick gripped the reins, his eyes filled with a challenging, warning glare. “An animal is an animal. It needs to be taught a lesson when it misbehaves.” His words were a thinly veiled threat. As if he weren’t taming a horse, but me. I clenched my fists. I had been satisfied with this marriage because I believed in Patrick’s character. But would a truly kind man treat an animal like this? It all became crystal clear. He wasn’t a man of God. He was a hypocrite. I pulled out my phone and dialed my father. “Dad, officially notify the Montgomerys. The wedding is off.” 3 Patrick looked down at me from his high horse, a mocking smile on his face. “What kind of act is this, Cassie? You think you can just call off the wedding?” He sighed dramatically. “If only we had a choice.” So that’s what he thought. The Montgomery family business was on the brink of collapse, desperate for a cash injection from my family. We, on the other hand, had a long list of suitable marriage candidates. If it weren’t for his carefully crafted image as a pious man, I might never have agreed. The wedding was tomorrow. He was betting that I’d cave to protect our families’ reputations. He had bet wrong. I, Cassandra Hale, don’t check the clock before I flip the table. “If you’re so reluctant, there’s no reason to continue,” I said, then turned to the wedding planner. “You’ll be paid in full. Cancel everything for tomorrow.” The color drained from Patrick’s face. “Cassandra, don’t be childish.” Daisy chimed in, her voice syrupy sweet. “Cassie, this is a union between two families. It’ll sound so bad if you cancel now.” She paused, feigning concern. “Besides, being left at the altar is so humiliating for a woman.” Patrick snorted. “Don’t coddle her. If she can’t understand something so simple, she’s not fit to be a wife.” He patted Storm’s head forcefully. “Just like this horse. You can’t spoil them.” Storm let out a pained whinny. [Mistress, help me.] [They were whipping me while they were insulting you.] [They tampered with your medication… said something about once the Montgomerys are stable, a grieving widower would be best… they’re not good people!] A roar filled my ears. I remembered the strange pains in my chest over the past few months. I’d chalked it up to stress from work, a weakened immune system. But they didn't want me to live. Rage flooded my veins. I stepped in front of the horse. “Don’t touch my horse! Get down, now!” Patrick didn’t move. Daisy didn’t move. I glared at them, my voice low and dangerous. “The only reason he’s calm is because I’m here. Don’t push your luck.” Patrick laughed, a sound full of contempt. “Cassie, there isn’t a horse I can’t ride.” I knew what he was really saying. There isn’t a person I can’t control. This whole series of provocations today… it was a compliance test. Too bad for him, he had miscalculated. I may bow to God, but I don’t bow to false prophets. And I certainly don’t bow to sanctimonious hypocrites. “I am telling you for the last time. Get. Down. Now. Or you will face the consequences.” Daisy giggled, covering her mouth. “Oh, you look so scary, Cassie. Patrick, you’ll protect me, won’t you?” He looked down at her, his eyes soft. “Of course.” I stared at them, my voice flat. “Are you absolutely sure you’re not getting down?” Patrick’s gaze was indifferent. “I told you, this horse belongs to Daisy now. When she gets down is her decision.” Daisy shot me a triumphant smile. “Thank you, Patrick.” She dug her heels into Storm’s sides. “Giddy-up!” The horse started walking toward the ocean. I took a deep breath and put two fingers to my lips. A piercing whistle cut through the air. Storm understood my command instantly. The next second, he reared up, his body almost vertical. “Ah!” Daisy screamed, falling backward. Patrick instinctively grabbed for the reins, but he had no control. They both tumbled from the horse, landing with a heavy thud on the wet sand. The scene erupted into chaos. Crew members screamed and scattered. Patrick scrambled to his feet, his face contorted with rage. “What the hell did you do? You spooked him! If Daisy is hurt, I’ll kill you!” “Help me! Patrick, help me!” Daisy shrieked. She had fallen directly under Storm’s belly and was curled in a ball, covering her head. The horse’s hooves danced around her, inches from crushing her. Patrick’s face went pale, and he lunged forward without a second thought. Any last shred of hesitation I had vanished. I whistled again. Storm’s eyes fixed on his target. His front hooves shot up into the air. And came down, square in Patrick’s groin. A bloodcurdling scream echoed across the beach. Patrick curled into a ball, clutching himself, writhing in the sand. 4 I smirked. Enough. I let out one last, short whistle. Storm galloped away, disappearing down the beach. The crew finally rushed forward, surrounding Patrick. “Call an ambulance!” “He’s bleeding! I think he’s bleeding!” I walked over slowly and stood over him, looking down. “I told you. You shouldn’t have ridden my horse.” He was drenched in a cold sweat, but his eyes still glared at me with pure hatred. “You… you…” Daisy finally pulled herself up from the sand, trembling, and pointed a shaking finger at me. “It was you! You did this on purpose! You told the horse to trample him!” I laughed coldly. “You brought this on yourselves. I warned you. You didn’t listen.” “You!” Before she could say more, a commotion started at the edge of the beach. Patrick’s parents had arrived. They hurried toward us, their eyes locked on me. “Cassie, what’s going on? Why are you canceling the wedding?” It seemed my parents had called them. As they got closer, they saw the scene. Patrick’s mother shrieked and ran to her son. “Patrick! What happened to you?” Daisy burst into tears. “Mom, it was Cassie! She made the horse go crazy and hurt Patrick!” Mrs. Montgomery’s head snapped toward me, her eyes filled with suspicion. “You want to see the truth?” I asked, then gestured to the camera crew. “Play the rehearsal footage.” The videographer scrambled to set up the camera, projecting the video onto a large monitor. On the screen, Patrick and Daisy rode together, laughing. Daisy turned and kissed him. He smiled and ruffled her hair. I hit pause. “This is why I’m canceling the wedding. This brother and sister are a little too close. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of true love.” Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery’s faces turned an ugly shade of red. Mrs. Montgomery looked at Daisy as if seeing her for the first time. Daisy panicked. “Mom, Dad, let me explain…” Patrick, still on the ground, groaned through the pain. “Mom, it’s not Daisy’s fault… Cassie was being unreasonable…” I held up my hands and shrugged. “See? They’re perfect for each other. It’s only right that I step aside.” Daisy pointed frantically at the screen. “Mom, Dad, watch the rest! She set us up to fall! She’s the one who got Patrick hurt!” The video continued playing. It clearly showed me whistling. Daisy’s eyes lit up. “See? It was her! She did it!” I kept my voice casual. “I’m not a horse whisperer. I was just trying to get you to stop. That horse has a wild streak. I warned you more than three times, but you wouldn’t listen.” I glanced at her, my voice dropping. “He was originally going to trample you. It was you who screamed for him to save you. You’re the one who got him hurt.” Daisy froze. The video was undeniable. Patrick had been on his feet, disheveled but unharmed. It was Daisy’s screams that made him play the hero. The color drained from her face. Mrs. Montgomery’s was even paler. SLAP. The sound was sharp and clear. “You ungrateful viper! We took you in, and this is how you repay us? Seducing my son, nearly getting him killed!” Mrs. Montgomery was shaking with rage. Mr. Montgomery’s face was like thunder. After all, their family desperately needed my family’s money. My dowry alone was three billion dollars. Daisy clutched her cheek, tears streaming down her face. She opened her mouth to argue, but one look at her adoptive parents’ faces and she snapped it shut. The wail of an ambulance grew closer. Paramedics examined Patrick, their expressions grim. “Oh, god. His groin… I think it’s… severed.” A dead silence fell over the beach. I hid my triumphant smile behind a mask of pity and sorrow. I pressed my palms together. “Amen.” The man of God had truly become celibate. And next, it was the saint’s turn.
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