Though Susanna had never expected much from Derek as a father, hearing Hull say Derek just thought of her as a convenient cover-someone he didn''t even care to keep alive-made her furious.


    ...


    The ck Gate was in total chaos.


    Meanwhile, things weren''t going much better back in Ferrond. Lottie had originally nned to let Ste handle the whole pregnancy test debacle herself, but...


    At the café, Lottie set her coffee mug down with a sigh. "She really is a sweet kid."


    The housekeeper nodded. "The youngdy probably didn''t want to act without solid proof."


    By now, everyone in the Quinn family had started calling Ste by her new title. Even though she and Ronald hadn''t had a wedding yet, the whole family knew they were officially married.


    Aside from the big ceremony... well, Ste pretty much had everything. She was expecting triplets, after all.


    Lottie said, "You handle this for me, will you?"


    "Yes, ma''am," the housekeeper replied.


    This matter needed to be dealt with, and fast. If they didn''t make an example of this, people would start thinking the Quinns were pushovers. And with all these dirty tricks going around, how were the newlyweds supposed to live in peace?


    Lottie stood up and left the tea room. As she passed through the living room, she spotted Ste sipping a ss of juice.


    When Ste saw her, she greeted her sweetly. "Hi, Mom!"


    Lottie sighed, walked over, and pulled Ste into a gentle hug.


    "If I hadn''t raised you myself, I''d never have let you marry into the Quinn family," she murmured, her voice full of meaning.


    "Huh?" Ste blinked.


    Lottie let her go with a small smile. "You''re too soft. Too kind."


    Kindness, in their world, was a luxury they could seldom afford.


    Ste pouted, looking up at Lottie with an air of wounded innocence. "I just wanted to get to the bottom of things before making any usations."


    Idris had already stepped in, and Lottie was sure the truth woulde out soon enough. If it really was Melissa behind this...


    Well, Ste wouldn''t hold back.


    Looking into her daughter''s earnest, pleading eyes, Lottie''s heart softened. "From now on, leave these things to me, alright?"


    Ste looked confused. "But-?"


    "I''ll handle it. Okay?" Lottie said a little more firmly.


    Ste fell silent.


    Lottie really didn''t know what to do with her sometimes. Ste always wanted rock-solid proof before she''d act. But in their world, sometimes proof didn''t matter. Sometimes the mor


    ment something happened, you had to hit back-hard and fast.


    Ste clung to Lottie''s arm, cuddling close. "Mom..."


    "There, there. It''s alright."<fnae42> This content belongs to find?novel</fnae42>


    1.n


    Lottie had once hoped Ste and Ronald would be a perfect power couple-strong equals, unstoppable together. But now she realized.. they''d raised Ste to be gentle and innocent. That was what they loved about her They''d protected her from the darker side of the world for so long.


    The Quinns had weathered plenty of storms over the years. But Ste''s world had always been safe, thanks to them.


    Those three years she spent in Portis City had been a fluke—an ident. She''d changed a lot sinceing back... but Lottie didn''t want her daughter to lose herselfpletely.


    "Are you heading out again?" Ste asked sweetly, noticing Lottie getting ready to leave.


    Lottie nodded. "I am. Be good, eat well, alright?"


    Truthfully, even when Lottie wasn''t home, there was always someone keeping an eye on Ste. She knew exactly what her daughter liked to eat, how much she''d had that day she even had fresh fruitfrom”: Vasnow Mountain delivered regrly.


    With that, Lottie left.


    And with a single word from her, the Norton family found themselves caught up in


    a storm of their own...