"Jess?"

He heard a soft thud and she didn't answer anymore. He sighed with worry, it's already past one in the morning where she's at. He was debating if it's a good idea to call Luke but decided against it last minute. The guy would be working in his company in the near future. He doesn't want to abuse his authority over the poor guy.

He grinned with the notion that Jess was being jealous of Nicole. 'I guess there is something good that came out of her stopping by his apartment.' He strode back to the barn to check on her daughter who was getting training from his grandfather on how to properly detangle a horse mane.

This unplanned trip to his parent's farm was not something he wanted. But seeing Lucille's face lit up when she saw the horses and learned she could ride them was worth the frigid atmosphere between him and his father.

There was this thick suffocating air between them that they couldn't shake off. The unspoken words of the bitterness of their broken father and son relationship were something he couldn't leave behind even when he is already a father himself.

He could endure a day within his father's company if it means seeing his daughter dashed from one stall to the next, checking all the horses, asking him again and again if she could have one.

He readied to say another no to his daughter as soon as he entered the barn, however, Lucille didn't even lift her eyes to greet him, for they were glued on her task of brushing the black horse mane.

He snapped a photo and took a short video clip to save on his computer. Something tangible that he could look back.

"Sir, we have a report that Miss Liu is now back in China."

He was jolted from watching his daughter when Antonio came up next to him to give him a report about his ex-wife. He glanced at Lucille and knew that she would be occupied with mane brushing for another thirty minutes or so.

"Tell me what else you have found about her trip." he walked outside the barn to an oak tree standing a few meters away from the barn.

"Miss Liu met with some people from Jansen and Jansen, and from what I found out was because she was being headhunted by the company."

"W-wait! You are saying that Jansen and Jansen were poaching Nicole to work with them?"

"Yes sir."

"This is confirmed?"

"Yes, sir."

'Huh,' was the first thought that came to his mind. He was quite sure that there was something odd about Nicole suddenly taking off for the US, claiming that she was taking their daughter. He didn't believe her when she told him that she wanted to make sure that their daughter won't have a problem with her stay with him.

Now the report Antonio got was that she was just being headhunted by another company. It was a valid reason but it doesn't sit well with the doubts in his mind.

"Continue to watch her. Also, process Soraya's employment records so she could be with Lucille once she returned to Shanghai. I want her to be the personal bodyguard of Lucille, but knowing Nicole's dislike of securities, Soraya would act as Lucille's nanny."

"Duly noted, sir."

He glanced at his watch, looked up at the entrance of the barn. Lucille would come out any minute by now. "Find out which hotel Miss Zimmerman is staying in San Lucas."

"Sir?" He was surprised that his boss is back to stalking Miss Zimmerman.

"Book us a room at the same hotel. Lucille would love to see the ocean."

He kept a straight face as he typed all the orders from Noah, but his cheeks hurt trying not to laugh. He is now back to stalking Miss Zimmerman, and he is going to use his own daughter as an excuse.

"You can go back ahead to the city today. Tell the pilot to get ready, we are flying early in the morning because it would be a long flight."

'It's more than half a day flight to Cabo. His boss has gone insane again.' He didn't voice out what was on his mind and simply nodded and pretended to be busy fixing their schedule. He said goodbye just the time Miss Lucille came out of the barn running with the German Shepherds with her.

"Papa, Opa said I'm quite skilled in brushing the mane of the horses." her smile was so wide while her eyes were sparkling in excitement.

"Do you like horses?"

"Yes! Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome, princess. How about we go to the beach next?"

---

"Jessica, how long will you keep on sleeping there on the sofa? The sun is up high in the sky."

She rolled over and fell on the floor. She winced when her back hit the hard floor. She turned her head to her left and saw her phone under the couch. She stretched her hand to get it and when she saw her phone screen she sprung up in shock!

There is an ongoing call to Noah and it has been on for eight hours! She rubbed her hands on her face and put the phone next to her ear. "Hello," she whispered, and when she didn't hear a reply she ended the long call. 'What was Noah thinking?'

She started to get a headache and she was sure that it was not because of a hangover. They just drank sangria last night. She usually can handle her alcohol but last night she just felt like a balloon that got cut from a string that was holding her in place.

She pushed herself from the floor and saw Ellise standing next to the glass sliding door wearing a white oversized shirt. Her long shapely legs were on full display. "Luke's not up yet?"

"Don't have an idea. I just rolled out of the bed too."

She nodded and trudged to the bedroom.

"Were you so drunk last night not to take a shower and fall asleep on the sofa?"

She heard Ellise's question but she chose not to answer. She was spacing for the memory of her conversation with Noah flashed through her alcohol diluted brain. She hid her face in her hands when she remembered telling Noah that he would look good without clothes! How shameful!

She removed her clothes and stood up under the shower. She alternated hot and cold water to chase away the remnants of sleep. She might have spent more time under the hot water than necessary. She felt like punishing herself for her stupidity.

She came out of the shower with red skin. She put on sunscreen for she might stay outside today. She wants to lie down outside, drink cocktails and do nothing.

She put on her polka dot red bikini that Luke said looks good on her. She wore a white dress on top of it. No one wears underwear on an island vacation. You live on your bikinis! She chuckled as she shook her damp hair. No one is also combing hair on an island vacation, or was it just her?

Ellise was already in her bikini laying down on one of the sunbeds on the balcony. She is sipping a pina colada. Where did she get the drink? She wanted one.

She crossed the living room to find the one person that could make her a drink. She knocked on Luke's room but he didn't answer. 'Is he still sleeping?' She slowly pushed the door and peek inside his room and found it empty.

"Where did Luke go?"

She picked up her phone to give him a call but saw that she has a message from him, saying that he was having breakfast with Samara.

"Did you say something?" She yelled from the balcony.

"Nothing. I was just looking for Luke," she said, dropping herself on the sunbed. She pulled her dress over her head and got ready to bake under the sun.

"Where did you get your drink?"

"From the elves." she chuckled. "You want one?"

"Yes, please." She closed her eyes as she stretched her body like a cat sunbathing on a window sill. "Ah, this is life."

"You are enjoying this like you didn't grow up with this environment."

When Jess didn't answer, she asked, "When was the last time you went home?"

"I haven't been back since I entered university."

"Your father hasn't forced you to come home yet?"

"What can he do? We don't talk if it is not necessary. And going home is not necessary."

"Jace told me that you visited them."

"Yeah, I took Luke there to get some furniture from Siena's store."

"Yeah, Siena was telling me how this man old enough to be your father took advantage of you -"

"Noah isn't that old! Why that bitch kept on insisting that -'' she stopped yapping when she saw the smug expression on Ellise's face.

"So, it was Noah. Tell me about it - if you won't I will tell Dana." She crooked her brow and leaned in with a grin that said she fell into her trap.