She turned to Derek, her face finally softening-if only slightly-at the mention of that mother and daughter. "We''ll have to set things straight for Susanna. All this scheming against ck Gate isn''t going to bring her mother back."


    The idea of having to “set things straight" with Susanna made Adelle''s blood boil. Once upon a time, she''d never have even considered exining herself to someone like Susanna. But now... with things spiraling so badly out of control, they had no choice. If this didn''t end soon, ck Gate woulde apart at the seams.


    “Exin what?” Ivanna snapped. "Why should we exin anything to her? Who does she think she is?"


    Ivanna''s skin crawled at the mere mention of Susanna. The thought of her own mother wanting to lower herself for Susanna''s sake made her furious.


    Finch chimed in, siding with Ivanna: "She doesn''t deserve it. She''s a nobody. We don''t owe her anything."


    Adelle shot Ivanna a warning nce, then turned her re on Finch. He''d just got back from the medical wing, his cheek still covered with a bloody bandage. He winced; the pain red every time he spoke.


    "Whatever we have to do, ck Gate has to survive this. Thates first," Adelle said, her tone icy.


    Yes-a crisis. Susanna''s return had thrown ck Gate into total chaos.


    Derek''s expression was dark as a thundercloud. He closed his eyes for a second, then said, voice cold as steel, “Find out where they''re staying."


    It was clear he''d epted Adelle''s advice. He was going to see Susanna himself. "Dad!” Ivanna''s voice rose, sudden and desperate. Just knowing Susanna was in Litamark made her anxious enough—now her father wanted to meet Susanna face- to-face? That woman should have stayed far away in Portis City forever, never daring to set foot near ck Gate. Why did she have toe back? To im what was rightfully theirs? To take their father as well...


    She looked at Derek, voice trembling. "Dad, don''t go. She''s done nothing but hurt you—she''s not your daughter!"


    "Ivanna!" Adelle''s voice was all sharp edges as she snatched Ivanna''s wrist. "Watch your mouth!"


    "But Mom-Dad-"


    "I said, ck Gatees first!" Adelle snapped, cutting her off.


    Ivanna met her mother''s eyes, pain and defiance mingling in her re.


    Adelle''s tone softened, just a hair. "Let your father go. Like it or not, she''s his daughter too."


    Ivanna fell silent. But beneath her silence, her eyes burned with a rebellious, ruthless resolve.


    Derek rose from his chair and strode out of the study.


    On the road out of cktower, Caden called in with Susanna and Hull''s address.


    ...


    Later, back inside cktower,


    eunded on her mother."


    are you doing this, Mom? amely


    calling that woman my sister


    s?novels


    "Sister? The only children your father has are the ones I gave him. No one else counts."


    Adelle fixed her daughter with a steely stare. “ck Gatees before anything else."


    She pronounced each word deliberately, drilling it into Ivanna.


    "Mom, you—"


    Bet


    "If saving ck Gate means epting one more Susanna, so be it. We managed to live with Dan these years, didn''t we? >


    At the mention of Dan, both Ivanna and Finch''s faces twisted in distaste.


    Ivanna spat, “Putting up with Dan was bad enough. And now Susanna?"


    She couldn''t stand it—every bone in her body screamed that she wanted Susanna gone for good.


    But Adelle knew her daughter all too well and cut her off coldly. "You need to keep yourself in check. If anything happens to Susanna while she''s in Litamark, ck Gate might not survive at all."