The Beautiful Strange Woman Arrived at the Wrong Ranch by Mistake—Then She Saved the Cowboy’s Future
Chapter 10
Law enforcement treated the threat seriously.
Security was increased.
The mine entrance was sealed.
The environmental report was submitted to the state.
Suddenly, the case expanded again.
Blackstone was investigated for illegal surveys.
Thomas Harper became the target of multiple inquiries.
But Thomas remained missing.
Then Clara discovered his location.
A private mining office across the state.
Ethan wanted to go immediately.
Clara stopped him.
“No.”
“He threatened us.”
“And that is exactly why you don’t go.”
She called investigators.
They arranged a search warrant.
Thomas was arrested without resistance.
He had been preparing to flee the country.
His files contained everything.
Payment records.
Forged signatures.
Bank arrangements.
Property manipulation.
Even evidence that someone had intentionally set the barn fire.
Ethan finally had proof.
The ranch belonged to him.
The water rights belonged to him.
The conservation covenant was valid.
The development project was illegal.
And the attempted foreclosure had been engineered.
The trial began months later.
Ethan testified.
Clara testified.
Gregory Wells testified.
Thomas’s own records testified against him.
The judge ruled in Ethan’s favor.
The foreclosure was canceled.
The forged lien was removed.
The Harper family’s claims were dismissed.
Blackstone’s development project was permanently halted.
Outside the courthouse, Ethan looked at Clara.
“We did it.”
She smiled.
“Yes.”
He took her hand.
“Thank you.”
She shook her head.
“Don’t thank me.”
“Why?”
“You saved yourself.”
He smiled.
“You made me fight.”
“That’s different.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“You believed in this place before I did.”
She became quiet.
Then she said,
“I believed in you.”
He kissed her.
This time, they didn’t care who was watching.
Reporters were outside.
People took photographs.
It didn’t matter.
For the first time, Ethan wasn’t ashamed of wanting a future.
And he knew exactly who he wanted in it.
