Chapter 611
That scene, the one that left her feeling breathless, scared, and cornered-kept looping in Susanna’s mind.
Whether she liked it or not, whether she could accept it or not, Susanna knew it wasn’t going away anytime soon.
Because her mother… was involved too.
Hull, Barnaby, Silas, and Enzo made their way down the hall toward the study. As they passed by Susanna’s room, Hull paused, tilting his head ever so slightly. His presence was chilly, commanding so much so that Enzo was the first to break the tension.
“Let’s head to the study,” he said quickly, shooting a look at the other two. Then he set off, the others trailing after him.
Barnaby, bringing up the rear, smirked to himself. Men with women in their lives really were a different breed.
But then again, he thought, Hull hadn’t even bothered to tell Susanna where he was going earlier.
Once the others had gone, Hull turned back and gripped the doorknob to Susanna’s room. It didn’t budge. Locked clearly, Susanna had barricaded herself in again.
His stern features softened, and a hint of a mischievous, almost devilish smile crept onto his lips.
“Susie,” he called, his voice low and gentle, something rare for him.
Inside, Susanna sat on the edge of her bed. Maybe she was just too worried about her mother, but when she’d seen Hull and his guys return with blood on their clothes, she hadn’t felt the terror she expected. If anything, she was too caught up in her own head to even notice the odd warmth in Hull’s voice.
She replied, barely above a whisper, “What do you want?”
Despair had replaced fear, and it showed—even her words sounded flat and careless.
Hull, standing outside, was a little taken aback by her lack of fear. He grinned wider.
“Open up.”
“Nope,” Susanna shot back.
Hull’s eyebrows shot up. No trace of fear, and so quick to shut him down? Where was she getting this nerve from?
“You sure about that?” His tone dropped a little, just enough to make it clear he wasn’t asking.
Susanna went quiet. The edge in his voice snapped her out of her daze. Her thoughts, scattered just seconds ago, suddenly came crashing back.
“I…,” she started, and this time, her voice trembled.
Hull raised an eyebrow, picking up on her sudden shift. “Open the door, Susie. Let me see you.”
“I just… I just want to be alone for a bit,” she managed, voice small.
Oh God, she really just wanted a moment to herself.
But that only made Hull more suspicious. He could hear in her voice that something was off.
“Open. The. Door,” he said again, this time with an edge that brooked no argument.
Susanna nervously rubbed her hands together, remembering that time he’d climbed in through the balcony. There was no hiding from this guy, no matter how many locks she used.
With a sigh, she finally opened the door. The first thing she saw was his broad chest-streaked with blood.
Without thinking, her hand shot out. “You’re hurt again?”
She caught herself mid-reach, snatching her hand back. What was she doing? Star had told her not to get involved, not to fuss, not to get too close.
She wasn’t a nurse, after all. And as for taking care of people? Definitely not her specialty.
Hull caught every little movement, every flicker of emotion on her face, and a slow grin spread across his lips. “What’s this? Planning to strip me down again?”
Susanna’s jaw dropped.
“No, no, I swear, I wasn’t- … I didn’t mean honestly, last time was an accident!”
The more she tried to explain, the more flustered she got.
What the hell was he implying? Did he really think she’d done all that on purpose before?
“I didn’t mean to,” she mumbled, staring at the floor, cheeks burning. Hull’s teasing made it impossible to look him in the eye.
But even she had to admit, given how many times she’d accidentally undressed him while patching him up, it was a little hard to believe herself.
Chapter 612
From head to toe, there was no escape.
Right now, Susanna felt like she was sobbing rivers inside. How could she be so stupid?
Whenever she was near him, it was like her whole body was trapped under some kind of spell.
Hull watched her trembling shoulders, then reached out with his long fingers and gently lifted her chin.
Susanna instinctively tried to pull away, but there was no way she could outmatch his strength.
As he tilted her face up, Hull could see just how red her cheeks had gotten.
His lips curled into a smirk he couldn’t hide. “You ruined my good reputation, and yet you’re the one blushing?”
He put a little extra weight on the word “reputation.” Susanna couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose or not, but his tone was so intense it made her heart pound even harder.
Her face, already as red as a ripe tomato, somehow managed to get even hotter.
“I…-I…-I swear I didn’t mean to…” She stammered out the same excuse as before.
Normally, Susanna had a sharp tongue and a quick wit, but faced with Hull’s deep, intense gaze, she somehow turned into a jumbling mess.
Hull just smiled, saying nothing.
But that smile only made Susanna more nervous.
“So, um… how’s your investigation going?” she squeaked. God, when was this going to be over? She was desperate to talk to Star about all this. Hull still didn’t answer.
He just kept smiling, his eyes getting even deeper, as if he could see right through her.
What the hell did that mean? Was his reputation the only one that mattered? Did hers not count at all?
Sniffling, Susanna finally blurted out in a tiny voice, “So… are you saying I have to take responsibility for ruining your reputation?”
She’d heard the way he’d bit down on those words “reputation”-just moments ago. Was he really asking her to pay him back? And if so, what did that even mean?
Hull raised an eyebrow. “Well, don’t you think you should?”
Susanna: “…”
So she really did have to take responsibility…
But if he meant paying him off-well, she’d grown up with plenty of money, sure, never lacking for anything. But the numbers she’d overheard Hull tossing around on the phone with his business partners? That was a whole other universe.
“If it’s about money… I definitely can’t afford you,” she muttered under her breath.
Hull just stared at her in silence.
Susanna hated this kind of heavy, awkward silence. Especially with Hull-when he went quiet, she always panicked.
She tried her best to hold back, but finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. With a deep breath and a wild, reckless courage, she blurted out, “Fine! Then, what if I marry you instead?”
Meanwhile, Yvonne and Xander were on their way to the courthouse.
Yvonne really, really didn’t want to be there. The whole situation was a mess, even if her mom and brother had personally signed off on it. She still thought the whole thing was a terrible idea.
Especially since the whole “let’s get married” thing had been Xander’s idea. There had to be a catch-there always was with him.
Could you blame her for being suspicious? Even if he’d managed to explain away the stuff from three years ago, the scars from that whole disaster still ran deep.
The whole drive, Yvonne shot him dirty looks and practically burned holes in the dashboard with her glare.
“If it wasn’t for Star, I’d tell you right now-I wouldn’t lift a finger to help you,” she spat, practically growling out the words “Star” and “help you.” This jerk had actually threatened her, saying if she didn’t marry him, he’d fight for custody of Stella. The nerve! Did he have any shame at all? Kids. It always came down to the kids.
She made sure to emphasize the “help you” part, just so Xander would know exactly why they were doing this. As if she’d ever let him forget it. Xander just grinned, rubbing at the new scratch on his neck. With a huff, he shot back, “Relax. Once this whole mess is sorted, we’ll split up. Seriously-who in their right mind would want to marry you for life? Don’t flatter yourself.”
Yvonne: “…”
Damn it. She kind of wanted to punch him again.
Chapter 613
“That’s right.”
They’d just had another argument in the car-Yvonne was getting more and more annoyed the longer she thought about it. She kept pressing Xander for an explanation, but he absolutely refused to give her one.
All he would say was, “My mom’s on board. My brother’s on board.”
Excuse me, but wasn’t it *Yvonne* helping him out here?
So he gets his brother’s blessing, his mom’s approval, but if *she* says no, suddenly he’s threatening her? What kind of logic is that?
Yvonne was never one to just sit back and take it.
Naturally, it turned into a full-blown fight.
Now Xander had a few fresh scratches on his neck-and was that a bite mark? Yvonne rolled her eyes, not the least bit sorry. “So, if all you need is a quick fix, why not just, I don’t know, pay someone for a marriage contract?” Yvonne shot at him, arms folded.
He stared at her.
“I mean, seriously. Throw enough cash around, and there are plenty of women who’d marry you for a few months.”
She’d known a trust fund brat back in College, his family was breathing down his neck to settle down, but the woman he actually loved had been forced out of his life ages ago. He just tossed some cash at the problem and hired a stand-in bride to parade home for the holidays. Nothing real about it.
If Xander was in such a pinch, shouldn’t he be doing the same?
Xander snorted at her suggestion. “I’m broke.”
Yvonne blinked, incredulous. “Are you even listening to yourself right now?”
Before she could say more, Xander went on, “You really think women come cheap these days? You’d need at least a couple million just to get anyone halfway decent.”
Yvonne gaped. “Wait, what? Wasn’t it, like, half a million a few years ago?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You think it’s still 2017?”
She had to admit, he had a point.
And as she remembered, that trust fund guy had shelled out five hundred grand to buy himself three years of a sham marriage. Didn’t end well, either. The woman refused to divorce without a fight-turned out she was pregnant and ran off!
So much for ‘no strings attached.’ That one definitely got his money’s worth, but as for the love of his life, who knew what place she held in his heart after all that?
“But, come on, you’re the Schultz family’s golden boy. Even if you’re not in with them now, you didn’t exactly leave empty-handed.”
When he’d cut ties with the Schultzes, he’d taken plenty with him-his mom’s share, a chunk of the company, the works.
Xander shrugged. “Lost it all. Happy?”
Yvonne stared. “Uh-huh.”
She wasn’t buying it, not for a second. She knew exactly what Xander owned in New York. He might have a taste for the high life, but he was no fool when it came to making money.
Whatever. If he wanted to play the pauper, let him.
He smirked when she fell silent. “What’s the matter? Worried you’ll have to slum it with me? Well, newsflash: I might be broke, but Dan’s even worse off. He’s so desperate he’s marrying for resources.”
Yvonne nearly choked. Seriously? Dragging Dan into this?
His own financial mess was one thing no one was judging. But dragging someone else down with him? That was low.
“Whatever. Your wealth or lack thereof has nothing to do with me. We’re not tied together just because of some piece of paper. Dream on.” He gave her a wry look. “You sure know how to wash your hands of things.”
She shot back, “Don’t forget why we’re even doing this. I’m helping you get out of a jam, and, yeah, maybe it’ll get under Dan’s skin too. You’re really getting everything you want here, aren’t you?”
Xander couldn’t help but grin at the fire in her voice, especially when she spat out Dan’s name like a curse.
“Funny,” he drawled, “sounds like you’ve got your own reasons for wanting to annoy Dan.”
Yvonne glared. “And what if I do?”
God… Just thinking about it made her blood boil. She’d gone all the way to Chicago, only to catch Dan and Aira’s engagement party in full swing. To say it didn’t get under her skin would be a lie.
Someone she’d carried in her heart for years, a man she thought was gone for good, turned up alive and well, throwing himself a big engagement party with another woman. Talk about a punch in the gut.
Chapter 614
What kind of “good temper” was that? She’d practically gone nuclear.
Yeah, Yvonne had totally lost it back then…
Xander had definitely heard all about Yvonne’s legendary antics over in Vegas.
“You know, your little Vegas trip pissed off the entire Wilson family too.”
Yvonne snorted. “So what if it did? Big deal.”
Pissed off the Wilsons, whatever.
Honestly, the Quinns had collected plenty of enemies over the years. What was one more? Or one less? Didn’t matter.
At this point, why not just lean into it, go big or go home?
They arrived at City Hall.
When the clerk at the marriage license desk spotted them coming back, her face instantly soured.
She gave them a look that could curdle milk.
They’d made a huge scene here earlier that morning, and everyone was still dealing with the fallout.
Even in this part of the States, drama like that was not exactly uncommon—but the clerk was still pissed.
This time, she didn’t even bother hiding her annoyance at Yvonne’s choice of a husband.
She took their IDs and started hammering at her keyboard, clack, clack, clack. You could practically feel her rage in every keystroke. She couldn’t take it out on Xander, so the poor keyboard took the brunt of it. In five minutes, it was almost smoking.
Yvonne: “….”
Xander: “….”
For once, they didn’t stir up more trouble or start a scene.
Not even five minutes later, the clerk slapped two marriage certificates in front of them. “There. You’re done.”
Yvonne blinked. “That’s it?”
That was fast.
So, all it took for a woman to go from single to married was a few minutes? Then why did so many bachelors seem to struggle for years?
The clerk took a sip of her coffee and nodded. “Yup. But if he ever lays a hand on you, honey, you’ll have a whole bunch of departments to call- not just the cops. So don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Yvonne: “!!!”
Uh…
Xander? Abusing her? Not a chance.
Xander’s face went even darker, and he shot the clerk a look like he was ready to eat her alive.
But the clerk wasn’t intimidated. She shot him a look right back.
Xander stood up so abruptly that Yvonne jumped in her seat. “What’re you doing?”
He glared at the clerk with that intense, dangerous vibe of his. For a second, the clerk actually seemed a little unsettled.
Because Xander’s presence was just that overwhelming.
Yvonne noticed and tugged on his sleeve. “Chill, let’s just go.”
She wasn’t wrong. With the way he looked right now, he did sort of seem like the type to snap at any moment.
“She’s just doing her job, okay? Let’s move. C’mon, be good…”
Yvonne got up, grabbed Xander’s arm, and dragged him out.
Sure, Xander was a big shot in this city-feared by everyone, but even he had to pick his battles. This was *not* the place to mess around. Yvonne hurried them out of City Hall.
The clerk watched them leave, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Ada, can you believe those two?” she muttered to her coworker. “This morning they nearly tore the place down, and now they’re here to get married?”
There’d been a full-blown shouting match…
And now, here they were, getting hitched.
Honestly, you’d think people who looked so wrong for each other would call it off at the last minute. But nope, they actually went through with it. This world just gets weirder and weirder. Some couples seem perfect and split at the altar. These two? Fistfights and all, and they’re still together.
Ada, the one who processed Yvonne and Xander’s marriage certificate, slammed her coffee cup down. “Just watch. They’ll be back in under three months for a divorce.”
“What? Really?”
“You saw him look like a walking domestic violence case. And she’s no pushover either. Give it three months: someone ends up in jail, or they somehow survive each other.”
It was harsh, but honestly, Xander and Yvonne’s behavior pretty much said it all.
Outside City Hall, Yvonne shivered. “Someone’s talking trash about me behind my back. If I find out who, I’ll rip their tongue out.”
Xander just gave her a look like she’d lost her mind.
Chapter 615
With just a glance, Xander looked away and headed straight for his car, tossing over his shoulder, “You can get yourself home.”
Yvonne fumed. “Are you kidding me? You pick me up like some white knight on the way here, and now you’re just ditching me? Should I just march back in there and file for divorce right now?”
When he wanted to marry me, nothing could chase him off.
Now that the wedding’s over…
Switching up on me like this? Seriously? What a jerk.
At least other newlyweds go out for a celebratory dinner or something.
Xander was already sliding into the driver’s seat, a smirk on his lips as he looked at Yvonne. “For the next six months, don’t even think about it.”
Yvonne shot right back, “Oh please, if I want a divorce, I’ll find a way. Are you sure that line works on me?”
It’s just a divorce, not rocket science.
Xander, clearly done with her sass, rolled up the window and told the guy in the front seat, “Drive, Kyle.”
If he kept talking to this woman, he was going to have a heart attack.
Kyle glanced at him, a bit awkward. “Uh, are you really not gonna take Mrs. Quinn out for a wedding dinner or something?”
“We don’t like the same food,” Xander replied casually.
Eat with Yvonne? He’d rather chew glass. With her temper, one wrong word, and she’d probably flip the whole table.
Kyle just stared. “…”
Yeah, that didn’t sound like a real excuse.
“You might want to be careful, sir. If you push her too far, she’ll march right down to the courthouse and file for divorce herself,” Kyle added, not doubting Yvonne for a second.
Xander’s eyes went cold. “She wouldn’t dare.”
Kyle wisely went silent.
Wouldn’t she? Everyone in Ferrowland knew better. Did Xander really have no clue about the woman he’d married?
Xander pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The person on the other end clearly didn’t want to answer. It took two tries before someone finally picked up.
“Mr. Schultz, calling to start a fight again?” Dan’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
A slow grin tugged at Xander’s lips. “Yvonne. She’s my wife now.”
Silence, heavy and cold, settled over the line.
Meanwhile, at the hospital.
The air in the room turned frigid. Dan opened his eyes, icy and sharp, and shot a look at Manny, who shrank under his gaze.
Dan quickly looked away, voice flat and cold. “What did you just say?”
Xander’s tone was smug. “I said, Yvonne is my wife now. So, how about you stop bothering her, or else—”
Dan’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Or else what?”
“Or else I’ll see to it you’re run out of Ferrowland for good,” Xander threatened, voice like steel.
If this guy thought he could swagger around Ferrowland, he had another thing coming.
Dan laughed, bitter and biting. “Big words, Mr. Schultz. Is the Schultz family still backing you up these days?”
Every word was clipped, his breath coming faster.
Xander chuckled. “Who cares who’s backing me? Point is, Yvonne’s my wife now. Mine. Got it?”
The line went even more tense, Dan’s breath heavy and sharp.
Even over the phone, Xander could feel the dangerous energy radiating from Dan.
“Xander!” Dan nearly growled.
“What are you yelling for? Didn’t you lose your memory or something?” Xander shot back. “Good, I hope by the time you remember, Yvonne and I already have a kid together. Lose your memory for a lifetime, for all I care.”
Dan didn’t answer, but the silence was thick with rage.
In the front seat, Kyle couldn’t help but think these two men obviously had a lot more history than just today’s spat. This wasn’t just a grudge; it sounded like a feud years in the making.
Chapter 616
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Dan’s voice exploded on the other end of the line.
Xander just grinned wider, sounding almost smug. “Yeah? My wife. Legally.”
He kept saying “my wife” over and over, every word making Dan even more furious.
Before Dan could spit out another word, Xander hung up right in his face.
Silence filled the cramped car.
Xander sparked up a cigarette, took a long drag, and finally seemed to relax, like even his lungs could finally breathe easily. Kyle glanced at him nervously in the rearview mirror. “Mr. Schultz, uh… were you trying to piss off Mr. Murray on purpose?” Xander snorted. “Damn right. I hope that bastard chokes on it—ah, shit…”
He winced, a fresh cut on his lip pulling painfully.
Kyle blinked. He hadn’t realized before that Mr. Schultz could be this petty. Was this all just payback for what happened today? No, that didn’t seem right. There had to be more to the story.
Over at the hospital…
Dan had racked up a few new bruises himself-Xander had caught him off-guard, and he’d never had a chance to defend himself.
Xander’s cocky attitude over the phone had pushed Dan over the edge. He slammed his fist into the side table so hard that a bottle of Gatorade toppled off.
Manny hovered nearby, looking like he wanted to crawl under a rock. “Sir?”
“You told me they wouldn’t actually get married!”
Manny’s eyes went wide. He’d overheard the whole call, and now it was hitting him: they really did it?
“But… after all that drama… how could they have gotten married?”
Manny scratched his head, thinking back to the chaos at the courthouse this morning. Xander had looked like he’d just walked out of a bar fight- fresh bruises all over his face and neck. No way those two were headed for a happy wedding.
He muttered under his breath, “Where the hell did everything go so wrong?”
Dan shot him a glare so cold, Manny froze in place.
“Sir, I just “
“Get out.”
Dan’s temper snapped. He didn’t bother trying to hide his fury.
Manny jumped, stammered an apology, and practically sprinted from the room. Now Dan was alone, the whole hospital room seeming to pulse with his anger.
His mind kept replaying the right with Xander memories coming back clearer than ever, each one twisting a knife in his gut.
Xander. Yvonne.
Yvonne…
The thought of Yvonne and Xander actually getting that marriage certificate sent another wave of rage through him.
He grabbed his phone and dialed Yvonne without thinking.
What the hell was wrong with her? Had she lost her mind, going through with this? How could she actually marry Xander?
…
Meanwhile, outside the courthouse…
Yvonne was standing on the curb, trying to hail a cab. Of course, it was rush hour, and the line of people waiting stretched down the block. She was fuming, and Xander was getting the brunt of it in her mind.
Chapter 617
Yvonne had just gotten off the phone after a heated argument with Xander when Dan’s name flashed on her screen. Her mood was already shot, and she sure as hell wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
She let out a short, humorless laugh. “What’s up, Dan? Calling to congratulate me or something?”
Yeah, right. From the tone in his voice, she could tell congratulations were the last thing on his mind.
Dan’s voice was tight. “Is it true? You really married Xander?”
“Oh, so you know already, huh?”
She’d only been testing him, but the way he spat out the word “really” told her everything she needed to know.
Dan pressed on, his voice brittle. “You actually signed the papers with him?”
“What, you think we’d fake it? People like me and Xander don’t play those games.”
She shot back immediately, leaving him nowhere to go.
Dan’s tone turned icy. “Yvonne.”
She matched his coldness. “What, you got a problem with my attitude? Who I marry is none of your business.”
Her words were as detached as a frozen lake in February. Once, she’d burned with passion for this man now, there was nothing but frost.
Dan was fuming on the other end, his chest tight with anger. He ground out the words: “Divorce him.”
Yvonne just snorted, her laughter sharp as glass. “Oh, please.”
Dan lost it. “You used to fight with Xander like cats and dogs, and now you’re married? Have you lost your mind? What kind of brainless stunt is this?”
The more he talked, the louder he got, like he was about to reach through the phone and throttle her.
“Yeah, maybe I am crazy, so what? Is that illegal now?” Yvonne shot back, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
Dan sputtered. “You-“
“Me what? If I’m so out of my mind, that’s not your problem anymore. Who do you think you’re lecturing, Dan?”
She didn’t stop. “Who gave you the right to judge me, huh? Maybe look in the mirror before you start handing out life advice.”
Dan fell silent, but Yvonne wasn’t finished.
“And by the way, Xander’s my husband now. If you’re in Redwood County, you’d better show some respect, or I swear I’ll make you regret it.”
Dan’s breath hitched. “Wait, are you saying you’d what, go after me for him?”
He couldn’t finish the sentence. It was like he didn’t even recognize her anymore.
Yvonne let out another harsh laugh. “Damn right I would. If you mess with Xander, you mess with me.”
“Mr. Murray, let me remind you…I don’t mix up friends and strangers. Don’t push your luck.”
That “Mr. Murray” hit Dan like a slap in the face. Was that all he was now? Not “Danny,” not the guy she used to love—just Mr. Murray.
Yvonne pressed on. What’s wrong – suddenly forgotten everything? Thought you had amnesia or something, but you sure don’t sound like it now.”
She’d always suspected Dan was faking it. The way he was acting now just proved it to her.
Five long years she’d put up with him. Now, she was done.
Chapter 618
The whole world seemed to freeze for a moment.
Jerk…?
Ms. Quinn certainly had a creative way of cursing out a man.
Seriously, what kind of woman calls a guy a “jerk” when she’s mad at him? Was that even an insult strong enough for what he’d done?
Dan’s breathing was ragged with anger. “Yvonne.”
Yvonne snapped right back, “What? Don’t you yell at me. You’re a jerk, Dan. If you ever show your face in front of me again, I swear, I’ll deck you every single time.”
And with that, before Dan could sputter another word, Yvonne hung up.
She really was furious.
She just couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that five years ago, she’d been played for a fool by that jerk.
Dan stared numbly at the phone, the dial tone buzzing in his ears and his head pounding even louder.
He glanced up and caught sight of Manny lurking in the doorway, his expression growing even darker. “You heard all that?”
“N-nope. Didn’t hear a thing,” Manny stammered, forcing a nervous grin.
But honestly, his smile was so awkward that it only made Dan’s mood worse.
Manny was itching to bolt out of there.
Who would’ve guessed? The so-called golden boy of the Ferrowland’s most elite family, heir to money, power, and all that turned out like this? Yvonne calling Dan a “jerk” was something you didn’t hear every day.
Dan gritted his teeth. “Get out.”
From Manny’s face, it was obvious he’d heard everything.
Dan’s head throbbed. Five years. He’d actually forgotten about that woman for five years.
Thinking about what went down recently in Sands City, and the things he’d said to her…
A woman like Yvonne, who never let a grudge slide she probably hated him to the core by now.
“I-I actually have something important to tell you,” Manny ventured, voice wavering.
If it wasn’t for this urgent business, he’d have been long gone. Honestly, after hearing Dan get chewed out like that, he was half-worried he’d be next.
Dan glared icily. “Spit it out.”
Manny swallowed. “Lottie just met with Landseer.”
Landseer!
He might look harmless, but Landseer was a key player in their current setup.
Landseer wanted what they had, and they needed Landseer to get connected with another important player in the game.
Hearing that Lottie had met with Landseer, Dan’s face darkened. “What business do they have together?”
“Nothing, apparently,” Manny shook his head. “Landseer’s always tried to get in with the Lugar family, but he’s just not got the clout.”
But this time, Lottie herself had made the effort to meet him.
If Dan was being honest, there was no way Lottie would bother with Landseer unless it was about Yvonne.
When Dan didn’t answer, Manny pressed on, “Could this be about what happened between you and Ms. Quinn five years ago? I mean, everyone knows- Lottie, Mr. Quinn-they’re fiercely protective of their own.”
The Quinns, the Lugars – everyone knew you didn’t mess with their family. If Lotie was making moves for Yvonne’s sake, then all their recent efforts might have been for nothing.
Lottie’s reputation in Ferrowland was legendary; she didn’t mess around.
Dan’s scowl deepened. For Yvonne? He couldn’t rule it out…
Manny said quietly, “If this really is about Ms. Quinn, we could have a serious problem.”
Chapter 619
Stella finally let out a sigh of relief. Susanna had managed to get through the day without causing a scene in front of Hull.
But her relief lasted all of three seconds.
Because, out of nowhere, Susanna groaned, “I can’t believe it… I said I’d marry him.”
Stella: “!!!”
Wait. What?
Back up. Did Susanna just say she’d marry Hull? As in, get hitched? Tie the knot? What the actual heck?
Stella’s brain just… froze. Completely blanked out for a good few minutes before she managed to stammer, “You-you said you’d do what now?” “Who are you marrying?”
She had to be hearing things. There was no way Susanna just blurted out that she wanted to marry Hull. Not unless Stella had somehow fallen into an alternate universe.
But Susanna looked absolutely mortified. “Honestly, I kinda wish the ground would just swallow me up right now.”
How bad was it? Like, full-on social death. She could practically feel her soul leaving her body from secondhand embarrassment.
Susanna was so done, she couldn’t even bring herself to repeat it.
Stella swallowed, took a deep breath or five, trying to steady her nerves. “Wait, hold on. You-what the hell, Susie?!”
Susanna groaned, “I wish I could just get rid of my mouth. Or my hands. Honestly, I don’t want either of them right now.”
Her hands, her mouth—why did they always betray her, especially around Hull? She was mortified.
Stella listened to Susanna’s existential crisis, and then suddenly her eyes lit up. “Wait a second. Are you telling me all those little things you’ve done before were just leading up to this moment?”
Susanna: “!!!”
“No! I swear, I wasn’t—”
She hurried to deny it, and it was the truth. She seriously hadn’t meant any of this.
Stella narrowed her eyes. “Then why were you always messing with Hull’s belt or tugging at his jacket, huh?” She leaned in, a wicked smile on her face. “Come on, Susie, be honest. That time at Mist Bay, when you were fumbling with Hull’s belt buckle-was that because you had your eye on him from the start?”
Everything suddenly seemed to connect.
It all made sense now. Like some weird, accidental love story that had just fallen into place.
If Susanna *wasn’t* into Hull, then all her actions just seemed… suspicious, to say the least.
Especially after randomly blurting out, “marry him.” That’s just too obvious.
Susanna’s brain felt fried. “Star, I swear I’m not like that. You know me! Do I seem like that kind of girl to you?”
Stella just grinned. “Relax, even if you are, I totally get it. I’d have a crush on him, too.”
Susanna: “!!!”
Wow, thanks for the unwavering support, wrong place, wrong time, but thanks.
If Stella had said that any other day, Susanna might have actually been touched. But right now? She just wanted to melt into the floor.
Stella nudged her. “Come on, just tell me, do you like Hull? If you do, I’ll even play matchmaker for you.”
Susanna looked even more miserable.
“Do you think this is the Middle Ages or something? Like, my parents are gonna arrange a marriage for me?”
Who would want to marry that terrifying guy? She’d need at least three hearts to handle him, and unfortunately, she was born with just one.
So, for the sake of her own survival, there was no way she could hang around Hull.
Stella pressed on. “Just say it—do you like him or not?”
Chapter 620
“But that’s just the truth!”
There was a sudden note of frustration in Susanna’s voice.
Honestly, she felt totally out of control around Hull-like her body and her mouth just had a mind of their own.
Every time something happened, and she’d blurt something out, she’d just freeze up in shock right after.
Stella said, “Okay, then just tell me straight, do you actually like Hull or not?”
“Honestly? I’m too scared to even like him.”
Susanna repeated what she’d said before, feeling even more lost than ever under Stella’s questioning.
God knows, that whole “marry you” thing hadn’t come out of real feelings for Hull.
Even now, Susanna couldn’t figure out why she’d said something so dramatic out of nowhere.
Just as those words left her mouth, the bedroom door clicked open.
Hull’s face was unreadable.
But the moment Susanna looked up and met his icy blue eyes-eyes as cold as a frozen lake, her heart started pounding.
Meanwhile, Stella’s call with Susanna was suddenly cut off.
She called out “Hello? Hello?” into the phone, but there was no answer.
That’s when Yvonne walked in from the hallway.
She saw Stella and gave her a look. “Calling your bestie from Portland again?”
The jealousy in her voice was unmistakable, like the air just got a little green with envy.
Stella just shrugged.
Yvonne snorted, “You really should tell her to stop calling so much. Ronald’s gonna get the wrong idea if this keeps up.”
Seriously, what kind of woman calls another woman this many times a day?
Wait a minute… “Don’t tell me your friend’s got a crush on my brother or something.”
Stella had been thinking Ronald didn’t care, but clearly, Yvonne was not amused.
When she heard Yvonne’s latest accusation, Stella rolled her eyes. “What are you even talking about?”
Susie was not that kind of person.
Yvonne just huffed, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You know what they say in Portland-lock your doors and keep an eye on your best friend.” Stella said firmly, “Susie’s not like that. Don’t be ridiculous.”
She knew Susanna inside and out.
It’s just that lately, with all the chaos around Hull, Susanna had been acting out of character, probably just freaked out.
Back home in Portland, she’d never be like this.
Yvonne screwed up her face. “Susie? Ugh, what kind of name is that?”
Stella just stared. Honestly, sometimes she wondered about Yvonne’s priorities.
Yvonne was about to say something else when her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen unknown number.
She hesitated, then picked up. “Go ahead, what’s your plan to humiliate me this time? Might as well give me a heads up so I can hit back, you jerk.”
Not even waiting for a response, Yvonne launched into it.
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