Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath [Stella] (Chapters 331 to 340)

Chapter 331

The villa had been blown to smithereens by Stella’s little gas escapade. The kitchen and even the living room on the ground floor were pretty much obliterated. So, Xander whisked her away to another estate, hoping for some peace. But, Stella was a firecracker.

So when Stella finally emerged from her shower, worn out from all the chaos she’d caused, all she wanted was a good night’s sleep. But there was Xander, sitting on the bed with a book in hand.

Stella’s mouth twitched. “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean? Someone’s got to keep an eye on you,” Xander replied, smirking. “You’re a walking disaster. I don’t have enough real estate on the planet for you to blow up.”

Stella glanced around the room. There was a bed and a couch, but the couch looked cramped. Was he suggesting she sleep there?

“Why are you just standing there like a statue? Aren’t you tired? Get over here and sleep,” Xander said.

Stella blinked. “Wait, you mean with you?”

Xander grinned. “Consider it a bonus. How about that?”

Stella rolled her eyes. “Oh, gee, thanks a lot.”

Yeah, like she needed that kind of “bonus.” No, thank you.

“Just get out. I promise I won’t cause any more trouble,” she pleaded, hoping to avoid sharing a room with him.

Xander chuckled. “If you’d been this cooperative earlier, we wouldn’t have had all this drama.”

Stella grimaced. Who could be cooperative when practically kidnapped? Not her, for sure.

But Xander just shrugged. “Well, too bad. I don’t trust you now.”

Fuming, Stella shot him a venomous glare.

When she didn’t move, Xander tossed his book aside and stood up, striding toward her. Instinctively, Stella took a step back.

But in a flash, Xander had grabbed the collar of her silk nightgown. With a tug that was too forceful, there was a sharp tearing sound, and a button popped off.

Stella gaped at him.

The room fell silent.

Then, Stella erupted. “Xander, you jerk! I’m gonna tear you apart!”

“Stay put. I wouldn’t move if I were you,” Xander warned, his tone icy.

As she lunged forward, he pinned her against the wall with precision, holding her firmly in place.

“Let go of me,” she spat.

“Try to move again, and see what happens,” he threatened, pulling out a gleaming knife and holding it dangerously close to her neck.

Stella glanced at the bandage wrapped around his neck, a remnant of their earlier scuffle. “Really? You’re threatening me?”

Xander pushed her harder against the wall, making her wince. Her face twisted in pain, but she was ready to bite back again.

He lifted her chin with a finger, tracing the marks on her neck left by Ronald. His eyes deepened, and the air around him turned frigid.

“So, it’s true, then? You and Ronald?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Stella shot back defiantly, “What’s it to you?”

Xander straightened, staring down at her with a menacing intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Even her fiery spirit wavered under his piercing gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she stammered.

Xander stepped closer, cornering her against the wall.

Stella tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to go.

“What are you doing? Move!” she demanded, attempting to shove him away.

But he leaned, his breath warm against her ear. “Do you remember what I told you before you left Ferrowland?”

His voice was low, laced with a mix of frustration and something else something she couldn’t quite place.

Stella tensed, her mind racing back to that day. Xander had approached her, blood smeared on his face, and she’d had no idea what happened to him or why he was hurt.

He had said to her, “Remember this: you’re my fiancée. Leaving Ferrowland was for your own good. I’ll come for you myself.”

Chapter 332

Back then, Stella was filled with rage from Xander’s threats involving her mother and sister. Without a second thought, she slapped him hard across the face.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she turned to leave, but Xander’s cold voice lingered behind her. “Remember, no contact with Ronald, or else…”

Or else what?

Xander never finished that sentence, but Stella knew the Quinn family’s situation was precarious at that time. She couldn’t risk making another enemy for Ronald.

So, she complied, avoiding all contact with him.

Now, hearing Xander bring it up again, Stella looked up, her eyes brimming with both tears and anger.

Xander grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her closer. “Seems like you didn’t take my words seriously, or maybe you forgot the most important part?”

“Forgot what?”

“You’re my fiancée, damn it. So tell me, what’s this mark on your neck?”

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice carried an ominous storm.

Stella let out a dry laugh. “What kind of fantasy are you living in?”

With that, Xander’s grip tightened, making Stella wince in pain.

She tried to bite him, but he was just out of reach, so she clawed at his stomach, only to find rock-hard abs beneath her fingers.

Xander glanced down at her hand, his expression icy before he chuckled.

“This is what Yvonne taught you? Such childish moves?”

Just as he finished speaking, Xander grunted in pain.

“You little brat, trying to ruin me for life? Or do you plan on being a widow for the rest of your life?”

Stella’s sudden kick had caught him off guard, almost making him double over.

Reflexively, he released her.

Seizing the moment, Stella backed away, keeping a wary eye on Xander, who was hunched over, glaring at her with a look that could kill her.

Frightened by his gaze, she grabbed a nearby ashtray. Stay back, or I’ll smash your head in.”

Her baby-faced features made her threats almost endearing despite the anger in her voice.

Xander sneered. Go ahead, hit me. If you don’t kill me today, I’ll make sure you regret it.

You…!

When someone is ready to risk it all, everyone else tends to step aside. That was the first lesson Yvonne taught Stella when she took her under her wing.

In a panic, Stella raised the ashtray, ready to bring it down on her own head.

“Stella!”

The furious shout echoed through the room, and at the same time, her wrist was caught in a vice-like grip.

Xander’s grasp was so tight it felt like her bones might shatter.

Stella’s hand went limp, and the ashtray clattered to the floor.

Xander flung her away, his face twisted with anger, pointing a finger at her with clenched teeth. “You… you’ve got guts.”

Stella bit her lip, tears pooling in her eyes.

Xander took one last glance at the mark on her neck, seething, before storming toward the door.

Stella, watching him go, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At the door, Xander paused and turned to face her. “You really think you and Ronald can end up together?”

“What do you mean?”

Xander smirked coldly. “You’re my fiancée.”

With that, he strode out without looking back.

“Crazy bastard,” Stella muttered under her breath.

Whether she and Ronald could be together wasn’t for Xander to decide. Ronald had promised they’d figure it out, and she trusted him to handle things.

“Pfft, even my mom doesn’t oppose it, so what business does that black-hearted jerk have?”

Stella grumbled to herself, relieved he was finally gone.

She glanced at the ashtray on the floor, her heart still racing. At least that black-hearted jerk wasn’t sharing a room with her anymore.

Chapter 333

Stella thought everything was over when Xander left.

But no – he’d sent a maid to stay with her.

From what Stella could gather, the maid even knew some self-defense techniques.

After the whole ordeal with Xander, Stella took a long shower. When she came out, she saw the maid setting up a blanket on the sofa.

“Miss, sorry for the intrusion,” the maid said respectfully.

Stella was fuming. Damn, Xander! He was really determined to keep an eye on her, not letting her have any time alone.

“I’m not used to sharing a room,” Stella protested.

The maid replied, “Sorry, but you’ll have to take that up with Mr. Schultz.”

Stella was incredulous. No way was she going to talk it out with him.

She dried her hair, tossed the towel aside, and climbed into bed.

Seeing her settle down, the maid relaxed a bit. This young lady had caused quite the commotion at the villa earlier, almost setting the place on fire. At least now she seemed calm.

The maid quietly reported back to Xander and then lay down to rest herself.

Meanwhile, in another room, Xander lounged in his robe, holding a glass of wine. He glanced at a photo sent by the maid. It showed Stella, or at least a small lump under the covers, clearly sulking at his arrangements.

A smirk played on his lips. “Still so stubborn, even now.”

Shawn Schultz, standing nearby, leaned over to look at Xander’s phone. “Are you sure you brought back the princess of the Quinn family?”

Shawn was genuinely concerned. He knew how much Ronald cherished his sister. When Xander had set off, Shawn thought it was for another business deal – not to kidnap Ronald’s long-lost sister.

This was like kicking a hornet’s nest.

“You could’ve gone for Yvonne if you had to kidnap someone!” Shawn exclaimed. “Don’t tell me you’re actually taking that old marriage promise seriously?”

Years ago, Ronald’s father had joked about marrying Stella to Xander when she grew up. Ronald had been furious at the idea, treating Stella like his own and refusing to let anyone else make decisions about her future.

Xander chuckled dismissively, finishing his wine. “Are the words of an elder just a joke?”

Shawn countered, “Ronald said it was just a joke later on, didn’t he?”

Xander retorted, “Is Ronald her elder?”

Shawn was at a loss for words. Xander’s confidence was unsettling.

“Listen, you can’t just provoke Ronald like this. He’d gouge out someone’s eyes for just looking at her too long.”

And now Xander had gone and kidnapped her.

“You’re doing this to get that document from Ronald, right? Once you have it you’ll let her go, won’t you?”

Shawn hoped that was the case. Xander’s plan, however, seemed more complex.

With a raised eyebrow, Xander looked at Shawn. “Let her go?”

Shawn was baffled. “What do you mean? You can’t seriously be thinking of keeping her. Xander, I’m warning you…”

He was at a loss. Everyone in Ferrowland knew Stella was Ronald’s Achilles’ heel. Once exposed, no one dared to touch it. Xander had been the first to do so.

“Have you forgotten how Ronald chased you relentlessly for years?”

Xander had been unable to find peace for years, with Ronald meddling in all his affairs, all because he had once dared to involve Stella.

If he secured the document but didn’t return her, wouldn’t he just be digging his own grave?

Xander’s expression hardened. “How could I forget? If not for him, how would the Schultz family have come to its end.” Shawn felt a chill run down his spine. The topic of the Schultz family was always sensitive.

“Your father was really harsh on you,” Shawn said sympathetically, watching as Xander set down his glass in silence. Just as Xander reached for his phone, a faint thud caught his attention.

He ignored it.

Shawn continued to ramble, “I’m telling you, don’t mess with Ronald. You’re at a crucial point right now. Keep your cool.”

It was hard to tell whether Xander was even listening. He kept pouring himself more wine, his thoughts drifting back to the marks on Stella’s neck. Thinking about the information he had gathered, Xander’s eyes grew colder.

Meanwhile, Stella had knocked out the maid, taken her phone, and donned her clothes.

She was sneaking toward the

Earlier that day, she had discreetly observed the layout of the mansion and had seen Xander enter the study.

Her room was right next to Xander’s, so she moved as quietly as possible.

Once inside the study, she searched for the document she had seen on the helicopter, finally finding it in a drawer.

Chapter 334

Their rooms were on the third floor.

Peeking out from the window, Stella noticed the mansion was crawling with bodyguards. Not only that but there were dogs too.

Hmm… Dogs are nice.

Stella thought for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed Ronald’s number.

The phone barely rang twice before Ronald’s chilly voice came through. “Hello.”

“Hey, it’s me,” Stella whispered, careful to keep her voice low. She couldn’t risk anyone overhearing her. Xander’s crew was sharp, and even the faintest noise could tip them off.

There was a brief silence on the line.

Then Ronald’s voice returned, laced with urgency. “Star? Where are you?”

An idea clicked in Stella’s mind, and her eyes brightened.

“Ronald, I’ll send you my location right away. But don’t come to the mansion. I’m getting out of here myself.”

“You can get out? Are there no guards?”

“There are guards, but trust me, I can manage.”

She couldn’t help but feel grateful for the tricks Yvonne had taught her back in the day.

Ronald insisted. “Don’t take risks. Send me the address, and I’ll come pick you up.”

“You’re in Patrina already?”

Of course, he was. Ronald had tracked her down despite Xander cutting off all communication. Ronald gave a curt “Yeah.”

He was already at the airport, having figured out the general area Xander was hiding out in.

After hanging up the call, she quickly used the maid’s phone to send Ronald her location.

After pocketing the phone, she got ready to make her move.

She took another peek out the window at the guards outside. There were quite a few. She had no idea how many people Ronald had brought with him.

Was this Xander’s hideout?

She had thought Ronald had wiped out the Schultz family, but somehow, Xander had survived.

Meanwhile, over Xander’s room.

Shawn was rambling on about how Ronald was not someone to mess with and how he didn’t want to live on the run anymore.

In short: he was advising Xander not to provoke Ronald.

Just as he was getting into it, the backyard erupted with frantic barking.

Both Xander and Shawn fell silent.

“It’s the middle of the night. Why are these dogs barking like crazy?”

Xander frowned, getting up and heading out of the room, Shawn trailing behind.

The room facing the backyard was the study, and Xander and Shawn went there to check it out.

They saw several big German Shepherds barking their heads off, attracting a few guards to see what was going on. Shawn grumbled, “What are they barking at? Did someone forget to feed them?”

Xander narrowed his eyes. “You really think they’re just hungry?”

“Must be. They’re usually so well-behaved. What else would make them act up like this?”

Xander shot Shawn a glance.

In an instant, Xander’s pupils contracted sharply, and without another word, he headed straight for the door. Shawn asked, “Now what are you up to?”

Xander ignored him entirely and went straight to Stella’s room, kicking the door open with a loud bang.

Shawn blinked, startled. What’s with the door abuse?

Xander flicked on the lights, his gaze sweeping the room.

The bed was empty, the covers tossed aside. On the floor lay the maid, unconscious.

“Stella,” Xander growled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.

That little brat dared to run.

Shawn, seeing the scene, was taken aback. “Well, I’ll be damned. Raised by wolves, no doubt. Mr. Quinn is a tough nut, and it seems the princess is no pushover either.”

She managed to escape right under Xander’s nose? How did she even get past all those bodyguards?

Xander radiated fury. He stormed out of the room, and the head of security approached him. “Mr. Schultz, Stella’s gone.”

“Pursue.”

Xander spat out the word coldly.

Did she really think she could escape him in Patrina?

But once again, Xander underestimated Stella’s cunning. He planned to chase her by car, but when he checked the tracker, he saw she was taking paths that were too narrow for vehicles.

In the dark, all Xander and his men could see was a flashlight bobbing in the distance. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t catch up.

An hour later.

Even with their stamina, Xander and his crew were gasping for air, while Stella kept running.

Normally, Xander might not care, but he was injured.

Shawn, panting heavily, moaned, “What on earth did Ronald feed her? Doesn’t she ever get tired? She’s just a girl.”

This was madness. His legs felt like they were about to give out, yet the flashlight ahead showed no signs of slowing down.

Was she not tired? Didn’t she need to catch her breath?

Chapter 335

Xander squinted into the distance, watching the beam of the flashlight bobbing further and further ahead.

He was exhausted. Especially since no matter how hard they tried, the gap between them and the flashlight’s bearer never closed.

Shawn, panting heavily, felt like his lungs were about to burst. “Hey, why doesn’t she just turn off the flashlight if she knows we’re following her? A light in the dark is like a neon sign.”

Was Stella just plain dumb? Or did she seriously think she could outrun a bunch of guys? But hearing the labored breathing around him, Shawn fell silent.

Xander shot a cold glance at Shawn. “Why do you think?”

Shawn met Xander’s eyes, his mind stalling. “Yeah… why?”

Stella, the woman ahead of them, didn’t seem to tire. She never slowed down, not even once.

Xander, his breaths ragged, suddenly pulled out his gun and fired at the light. The flashlight flickered and stopped moving entirely.

Shawn’s breath caught, and his eyes widened in panic. “Have you lost your mind? Are you tired of living on the run? If you are, don’t drag me down with you. This is insanity!”

For years, Ronald had been ready to skin them alive while they were still searching for Stella, and now Xander had just… “Great, now we can’t even hide in Patrina anymore. Ronald will dig us up from any hole we crawl into.”

He couldn’t believe Xander had just shot what he thought might be the little princess of the Quinn family. Xander, expression icy, said nothing as he strode forward. Shawn and the bodyguards followed suit.

Within minutes, they reached the source of the light, only to find a large German Shepherd on the ground. A flashlight was strapped to its head, and a phone was secured to its back.

Everyone present was left speechless.

Shawn’s mouth twitched. “Uh, this… was a dog?”

Where was Stella?

Shawn glanced at Xander, whose eyes were now a brewing storm, ready to unleash at any moment. Stella had truly outdone herself this time.

Shawn muttered, “Where was she?”

Silence was the answer.

“How did she pull this off?”

No wonder they couldn’t catch up, they’d been chasing a dog the whole time.

In Xander’s own territory, she had tricked them into chasing the dog while she slipped away unnoticed.

“This is the toughest dog in the pack, isn’t it? How had Stella done it? How did she get past the dogs without getting bitten? Was she not afraid?”

Shawn was at a loss for words to describe Stella.

“She is something else, raised by Mr. Quinn himself. She’s got quite the brain. She used a dog to fool you?”

The more he spoke, the grimmer and colder Xander’s aura became. Wasn’t it obvious?

Xander let out a sardonic laugh and turned to Avery, the lead tech. “Find her, now.”

Avery was already tapping away on his tablet, running all sorts of traces.

Stella must have taken a phone with her, but the maid’s phone was on the dog. So, which phone was Stella using? Avery located every phone in the mansion, and the security team split into two groups. One stayed there, the other continued searching the mansion.

It didn’t take long for Avery to discover that Stella had taken one of Xander’s spare phones and found her location. “Mr. Schultz, she’s about ten kilometers northwest, using one of your spare phones.”

Shawn’s eyes widened as he turned to Xander, a mixture of astonishment and respect for Stella’s cunning.

Once, she had seemed like the innocent lamb among the Quinn family’s wolves. But now? She was a sharp, clawed cat. Shawn exclaimed!!! “Ten kilometers? She has some serious stamina!”

In such a short time, she had managed to put ten kilometers between herself and them, on foot.

Xander gave Shawn a look as if he were the dullest tool in the shed. “The other direction.”

He was seething, his anger barely contained.

Chapter 336

Xander glanced down at the dog lying on the ground.

“Darn girl,” he muttered under his breath. Was she treating him like some kind of fool?

“Yeah, we’ve been running around quite a bit,” Shawn admitted, slightly out of breath.

That girl, Stella, what on earth did Ronald feed her? She actually knew how to play the reverse psychology card and buy herself some time.

Xander turned abruptly. “We have to catch up.”

Avery chimed in, “She’s still sticking to the back roads.”

“So we’re really going to chase her on foot?” Shawn complained, clearly exasperated.

Xander ignored him and started moving forward with purpose.

Shawn grumbled to himself, frustrated, “This girl really wants to wear our legs out, huh?”

Xander shot him a glance, his eyes cold as ice.

“Alright, alright, just venting here.”

Why was Xander still so protective of Stella when she didn’t even seem to care about him at all? Shawn couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on as he thought about Xander’s feelings for her. After all, it was Ronald he had to contend with for this girl.

“Don’t you even resent her a bit? We’ve still got Yorick back in Portis City,” Shawn mentioned, trying to reason with Xander.

Apart from Ronald, Stella had been engaged to Yorick for two years.

Xander paused, fists clenched. The air around him seemed to drop several degrees.

“Yorick’s a nobody,” Xander spat, then continued striding away, leaving Shawn to catch up.

Shawn’s mouth twitched in disbelief. Compared to Xander and Ronald, Yorick indeed was insignificant.

Watching Xander’s retreating back, Shawn groaned, “My legs are gonna give out.”

That girl! If Xander managed to bring her back, she’s gonna face some real consequences.

As Avery passed by, he offered, “She’s using the path close to the highway this time.”

Shawn perked up. Did this mean they could finally use the car?

Stella was careful not to use the phone’s flashlight too much; the phone she’d found the study was running low on battery. She needed to conserve what little power she had left.

The moonlight was just enough to illuminate the path, and thankfully, her eyesight was sharp. She let out a soft sigh. Her legs were tired, but she couldn’t afford to stop.

The path she took ran parallel to the highway, giving her a place to hide if Xander caught up with her.

Her phone buzzed with a call from an unknown number. Without hesitation, she hung up.Seeing the number, she knew it had to be Xander tracking her.

Quickly, she sent her location to Ronald. She knew this might reveal her location, but she also knew Ronald was somewhere in Patrina. He needed a rough idea of where she was.

The phone buzzed again.

It was Ronald this time. Stella answered, “Hey.”

“I’m almost there.”

“Okay.”

She spotted headlights approaching in the distance, but at the same time, another set of lights appeared from behind. Front and back!

Xander and Ronald?

No way! Hadn’t she led Xander off her trail? Did he somehow catch up with the dog?

If Xander and Ronald ran into each other, things could turn ugly fast.

Stella ducked into a nearby bush and quickly dialed Ronald’s number. He picked up almost immediately.

“I’m about a kilometer from your location.”

Stella’s heart skipped a beat.

“That’s really close,” she whispered.

“Xander might be on my tail. If you didn’t bring enough backup, you should…” Before she could finish, the sound of screeching brakes interrupted her.

Stella’s breath caught in her throat. She whispered urgently into the phone, “Did you just brake?”

“No.”

Stella’s heart sank. “Oh no, this is bad.”

If it wasn’t Ronald, it had to be Xander.

“I’ll hide first.”

She didn’t dare speak further, quickly hanging up and turning off her phone’s screen. Holding her breath, she remained hidden in the bushes.

Through the dense foliage, she saw a car door open nearby.

Several tall, imposing bodyguards stepped out.

Shawn was the first merge, followed by Xander, who flicked a cigarette from his fingers.

In the darkness, standing in the glow of the headlights, Xander’s tall, commanding figure seemed both cool and imposing.

Especially those long legs of his they added to his unyielding, menacing presence.

Chapter 337

Avery’s eyes fixed on the little red dot that marked their target. “Mr. Schultz, the signal’s somewhere nearby.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a convoy of cars pulled up behind them. Bodyguards spilled out in synchronized motion. The sheer number of people showing up was intimidating.

Xander, his voice cold as ice, uttered a single word, “Search.”

His gaze, intentional or not, swept briefly toward where Stella was hiding. Those eyes, though typically nonchalant, were chilling enough to send a shiver down her spine.

Stella was desperate to call Ronald, to warn him not to come, fearing that he wouldn’t have enough backup.

“Quickly, comb the area thoroughly,” Shawn barked, orchestrating the team.

The group dispersed swiftly, with several heading down the path and three or four making a beeline toward her hiding spot.

Stella gritted her teeth, cursing Xander’s treachery. If he could betray his own friends, there was nothing he wouldn’t do. Just as she was about to pull out her phone to call Ronald, a blinding light beamed from another direction, forcing her to turn her head away instinctively.

Xander and Ronald had come face to face. In that tense moment, Stella feared they’d start shooting right away, but Ronald’s car rolled to a stop, and he stepped out.

Xander leaned nonchalantly against the hood of his car.

Ronald narrowed his eyes, pulling out a gun and firing a shot that whizzed past Xander’s ear.

In the deafening silence that followed, Xander swore he could hear the strands of his hair being sliced off.

Shawn sucked in a sharp breath and rushed to check on Xander.

Hidden in the bushes, Stella’s heart skipped a beat.

Yet Xander remained as unmoved as ever, a sardonic smile playing on his lips as he eyed Ronald.

“Wow, after all these years chasing me around the world, you’ve got quite the temper now, huh?”

Ronald’s gaze was nothing short of lethal. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number Stella had called him from. The ring echoed from the nearby trees, snapping Stella out of her shock. She sprang up, her head popping out from the foliage.

Both Ronald and Xander turned toward her, and she bolted toward Ronald as if her life depended on it.

Shawn watched her nimble escape, unable to suppress a twitch at the corner of his mouth. After running all night, how was this girl still on her feet?

Ronald tossed his phone to Idris behind him and caught Stella in a single, strong embrace.

As their familiar scents mingled, Stella finally felt a wave of relief wash over her.

“Ronald, I was so scared,” she choked out, her voice trembling.

Seeing Xander had terrified her, fearing he’d take her somewhere Ronald could never reach. She dreaded the thought of another endless separation…

Ronald, hearing the distress in her voice, tightened his arms around Stella’s slender frame, his gaze hardening as it fell on Xander.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Let’s go home.”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

Ronald lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

From his perch against the other car, Xander watched their tender exchange, his cold smile turning even frostier.

Just as Ronald turned to leave with Stella in his arms, Xander spoke up. “She’s my fiancée, Mr. Quinn. Where do you think you’re taking her?”

In Ferrowland, everyone called Ronald Mr. Quinn, but Xander used to call him Bro Ronald. Now, that “Mr. Quinn” only highlighted the gulf that had grown between them.

“Your father and mine arranged this long ago, a pact between elders…”

Bang!

The gunshot cracked through the night air before Xander could finish.

Without turning around, Ronald fired with precise aim.

Xander barely dodged in time, the shot a hair’s breadth from hitting its mark.

He staggered back, his teeth clenched, glaring at Ronald with a mix of fury and disbelief. Ronald, unfazed, kept walking, Stella held firmly in his arms.

The message was clear: Ronald would kill him if he had to.

Ronald’s voice was steady “It’s rare to hear you call him father. After everything that’s happened, I thought you’d renounced the Schultz family altogether.”

Shawn’s breath hitched. He stared at Ronald’s back in shock. Could it be that Ronald already knew?

If he did, it would explain the relentless pursuit of Xander for the past two years.

Chapter 338

After all, looking across the whole Ferrowland, no one had ever dared to exploit Ronald.

Back in the day, when Xander stirred up trouble over his dad’s illegitimate child, he had orchestrated a masterful plan.

Using Ronald’s influence, he’d brought the Schultz family to its knees. If the old man wouldn’t leave the family legacy to him, that illegitimate child wouldn’t get a piece of it either.

Xander had played his hand ruthlessly, which had infuriated Ronald.

Now, facing Ronald again, Xander let out a mocking laugh.

“You really think you can take her away from my turf? Ronald, this is my territory!” Xander said coldly, enunciating each word.

With the formidable bodyguards standing behind him, Xander exuded an intimidating presence. If he gave the order, Ronald would have a hard time getting Stella out of there.

Stella clung to Ronald, her small hands gripping his shirt tightly.

“Ronald,” she called out anxiously.

Their recent separation had clearly left her shaken, and now, faced with Xander’s threat, her fear grew. She dared not imagine the confrontation that might unfold.

Ronald looked down at the frightened little rabbit in his arms, his lips pressed thin. He glanced back at Xander.

“Mervin Burton met with Eberle an hour ago.”

Xander’s face changed instantly at these words.

Shawn’s expression turned serious as well.

“What did you do?” Xander asked through gritted teeth.

Ronald smirked, saying nothing his silence was louder than any retort.

He carried Stella over to the car.

Xander narrowed his eyes. “Ronald, you know it’s bad manners to covet your friend’s girl.”

“She’s not yours,” Ronald said flatly, pausing as his gaze locked with Xander’s through the car window.

“And you’re certainly not…” A cold laugh escaped him, sharp and mocking. “my friend, huh?

Stella heard Xander’s comment about “friend’s girl” and silently cursed him.

Idris and a few other bodyguards kept a wary eye on Xander and his men as they retreated to the car, step by step.

The engine growled to life, and with a sharp U-turn, the vehicle sped off into the night.

Xander stood rooted to the spot, his narrowed eyes fixed on the shrinking taillights. Slowly, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

Whatever was said on the other end only hardened his expression further.

He ended the call abruptly and, in a fit of rage, smashed his phone against the ground, shattering it to pieces. Shawn asked, “What did Mervin Burton say?”

Mervin was supposed to be a crucial partner, the first to agree to work with Xander after the Schultz family debacle. “Heh, why do you think he dares to go into danger alone?” Xander asked.

“Did he hit the other’s stronghold?” Shawn guessed.

“Not exactly, but it wasn’t pretty,” Xander said, his tone tinged with frustration.

Shawn pieced it together. “Did something change with Mervin Burton?”

Xander replied, “I was trying to get that thing back.”

Shawn grimaced at the implication, recalling Stella’s cleverness earlier and her proximity to the situation.

“Wait… why do I feel like we just shot ourselves in the foot?” Shawn muttered.

He looked toward Xander, only to be met with an icy glare.

Without a word, Xander turned away, got into the car, and drove off, leaving Shawn standing there, still muttering to himself.

He wasn’t wrong. Trying to snatch Stella had always been a risky move.

Xander kept insisting it was about reclaiming that thing. But who knew if it was the thing that mattered or if he just wanted to see Stella himself?

Because the moment Xander got word that Stella and Ronald were together, he had left Patrina immediately.

Meanwhile, in the other car, Ronald held Stella close, her small frame perched on his lap.

For once, she didn’t resist. She stayed nestled against him, her little hands clutching his shirt like a frightened kitten. Even after they boarded the plane, Stella refused to leave his side.

Ronald gently held her soft hand. “It’s okay now.”

That was when Stella broke down. Her tears came fast and uncontrollably as she clung to him, sobbing against his chest.

Ronald tried to pry her hands from his shirt, but she only wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tighter.

“I thought Xander was going to tear us apart again. I thought I’d never see you again,” she wailed.

Chapter 339

Idris hurried out of the lounge.

Ronald gently patted Stella’s back, comforting her like a child. “There, there, it’s all over now. I’ve also punished Harvey, okay?”

“Harvey? Who’s Harvey?”

She didn’t recognize the name.

Ronald explained, “He’s in charge of security at Mist Bay.”

Stella was laken aback. “Oh…”

“No, really, it’s Xander who’s the tricky one. You don’t have to be so hard on your own people, do you? Xander, with his conniving ways, must have had a plan all along.”

Ronald chuckled. Even though they had only been apart for a short while, Stella was still shaken. But she had tried desperately to reach Ronald, fearing another long separation like before.

Ronald leaned down and kissed her gently. Stella traced her finger along his palm. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Yeah.” He responded softly, pulling her closer as the room seemed to grow warmer.

Just as Ronald was about to lose himself in the moment, a knock came at the door. “Sir.”

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet instantly.

Startled, Stella, like a startled rabbit, immediately nestled closer into Ronald’s arms. Ronald didn’t look too pleased either. “What’s up?”

Idris replied, “There’s a situation.”

Ronald frowned and glanced at Stella in his arms.

The mention of a “situation” made Stella tense. What could possibly be happening in a place like Patrina? Could Xander be up to something again?

Ronald gently placed her on the small couch. “Why don’t you take a nap? Or maybe a shower?”

After traveling non-stop for over a day, Stella had been on edge the whole time.

But when Ronald suggested a shower, she paused for a moment, her face turning a shade of pink she couldn’t hide.

Ronald stood up and left the room.

Stella glanced down at her clothes. She had never felt so disheveled. The escape through the woods had left her attire in tatters.

She hurried to the lounge bathroom to freshen up.

The “situation” Idris had mentioned still remained a mystery, but for now, she pushed it aside.

By the time Stella emerged from the bathroom, Ronald had already returned.

She had thought he’d be delayed, so she had hurried. Assuming he wasn’t back yet, she walked out as she was.

The moment she saw Ronald, Stella froze.

Her cheeks flushed deeper, and she instinctively wanted to dart back.

Ronald was taken aback for a second before a sly smile crept onto his face. “Where do you think you’re going? Come here.”

Stella, feeling vulnerable, quickly wrapped herself in two towels, covering every inch she could.

Ronald couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her pale, slender legs and the way her toes had turned a rosy pink from the warmth of the shower.

“If I really wanted to do something, do you think you could hide, Star?”

Clutching the towels as though they were her only shield, Stella stammered, “I’m still hurt, you know. And it’s all your fault.”

Ronald raised an eyebrow, amused. “Oh? Are you planning to use that as an excuse forever?”

He took two steps forward, pulling her into his arms.

Stella protested, “No, I mean, it still hurts. I can’t…”

Flustered, her words tumbled out incoherently. “This is Patrina. We’re still on Xander’s turf. We should get out of here before that scoundrel causes more trouble.”

Scoundrel? So that’s what she thought of Xander?

Ronald’s grin widened. “Is that really how you see him?”

Stella huffed, “He’s no good.”

If it wasn’t for him, she and Ronald wouldn’t have been separated for so long. That jerk had taken advantage of the Quinn family’s turmoil kick Ronald while he was down.

Ronald pulled her into his arms, and she didn’t know when, but he had a towel in his hand, carefully drying her hair.

Stella relaxed into his embrace, feeling as comfortable as she did when she was little, back when Ronald would dry her hair and she’d sit still, trusting him completely.

Chapter 340

Ronald glanced down and noticed her cute little nose, turning a bit pink from the cold. Her cheeks, always a tad chubby in a charming way, were now rosy and warm.

Stella, already tired, leaned against him as he gently tousled her hair, and soon sleep began to tug at her.

His gaze wandered, and he noticed her towel was slipping. She had matured well over the years, and seeing what was half-hidden made Ronald’s lips curl into a smile. No one knew what new thoughts were stirring in his mind at that moment.

Stella seemed completely oblivious, her voice lazy as she spoke, “The situation Idris mentioned earlier- was Xander causing trouble again?”

“He wouldn’t dare right now.”

There was a situation with Mervin Burton that needed handling urgently, so Xander was too busy to cause trouble.

Stella opened her eyes slightly. “So, what’s going on?”

“We need to head back to Portis City for a bit.”

At that, Stella’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t we going back to Ferrowland? I miss Mom.”

Since Mrs. Lugar had been so supportive on the phone, Stella had felt much more at ease.

Ronald finished drying her hair, tossing the towel aside. “Want me to take you back first?” “Huh?”

Ronald proposed, “I’ve got some things to handle. It won’t take long.”

“I’ll just go with you,” Stella replied, her soft voice full of affection as she wrapped her arms around his lean waist. She truly missed her mom but couldn’t bear to be apart from Ronald.

to he

Listening to her mumble and grumble, Ronald couldn’t help but smile mischievously. He scooped her up and playfully tossed her onto the small bed, following her quickly.

…

Meanwhile, over in Portis City, Yorick had heard about the intense skirmish at Mist Bay the previous night. He rushed over as soon as he got the news, but by the time he arrived, everything seemed back to normal.

Susanna happened to be coming out of the place. Yorick hurried to intercept her. “Where’s Stella? Is she okay?”

Susanna was still a bit dazed. She had intended to leave the previous night but ended up fainting from fright and had to crash at Mist Bay. By morning, everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened.

Seeing Yorick, Susanna scoffed, “Why are you acting all concerned about Stella now?”

Yorick caring about Stella’s wellbeing? Susanna would never buy it.

Yorick’s expression hardened, and he gritted his teeth. “I just need to know if she’s alright.”

His eyes were cold as ice.

Susanna’s patience was wearing thin. “What business is it of yours, Yorick? Your heart’s big enough for Ursula; spare some room for Stella, but she doesn’t need it. She never needed you.”

Yorick’s breath came in ragged gasps, his fists clenched. “I just want to know how she is.”

Susanna replied, “People only realize what they have after they lose it. But Stella was never yours to lose.”

Without another word, she turned and walked away, unwilling to engage any further. Susanna had seen enough when Ronald showed up in Portis City. Even if Ursula hadn’t returned, there was no way Stella would end up with Yorick.

As she walked, designed by Susanna recalled the wedding dress Stella had tried on. She had overheard something about it being designed by a particular company but hadn’t thought much of it at the time. Now, looking back, it seemed like the dress wasn’t about Yorick at all. Could the company designing the dress be connected to Ronald?

Yorick, the fool, had never truly cared for Stella. Susanna had been upset on Stella’s behalf for a long time, but now it seemed clear – Stella had invested in him too.

“Stella’s really come a long way,” Susanna muttered to herself as she drove away.

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