Ivanna''s temper red even hotter. "So what are we supposed to do now? The way you''re talking, you almost sound like you want Dad to bring her back!"


    "If bringing her home is what it takes to get ck Gate out of this mess, then maybe we should consider it."


    Ivanna let out an outraged shriek. "Mom!" She stamped her foot, nearly trembling with frustration. For years, not one of them had epted Dan living here at cktower—and it had taken so much effort just to get rid of him. And now, Susanna might being back?


    "This is supposed to be our home!" Ivanna snapped, voice shaking with anger. "Ours. Just us!" The thought of an outsider setting foot here was bad enough-but that outsider was one of her father''s bastards... It was beyond what she could stomach.


    Finch''s face ached painfully; back in the infirmary, he''d seen just how deep the wound was. Damn that Dan! And now, on top of it all, Susanna might actuallye back into their lives? Just the thought made his chest clench with fury


    "I''m not agreeing to hering back, either," Finch said stiffly, making his position crystal clear.


    Adelle gave a heavy sigh. "At this point, it''s not about whether you two approve or not. If she wants toe back, that''s all it takes."


    Because if Susanna was willing to return to cktower—that in itself would mean ck Gate''s troubles would vanish as quickly as they''d begun.


    Finch and Ivanna fell silent, trading a nce, something icy and sharp in both their eyes. No matter what, they just couldn''t ept Susanna''s return. Never.


    Not that Adelle herself wanted Susanna here, either...


    But right now, she had to be practical. “Listen to me: Susanna might be the one person who can get ck Gate through this crisis."


    She hated even acknowledging the possibility that Susanna mattered this much. Yet she could not deny truth: everything that had torn ck Gate apart had started because of Susanna''s name.


    Finch and Ivanna just glowered in mutinous silence.


    Adelle turned to Finch. "And another thing you need to find that witch Lacey. And do it fast."


    Hull had used Susanna''s reputation to go after ck Gate, and Yvonne and Xander were in on it, too. And why did Susanna stand with those people? It was all Lacey''s doing.


    So their top priority, right now, was finding Lacey-nothing else mattered as much.


    Ivanna let out a bitter scoff. “And what if we do find Lacey? You want us to drag her back here with that bastard child of hers? Let the two of them y happy family with Dad?" Her tone grew shriller with each word "Where does that leave us21s this ever our home anymore? Does cktower still belong to us?"


    The more she spoke, the more upset she became. When she was small, Dan had always managed to steal their father''s attention. There were so many times their dad had missed something important-school events birthdays—because of Dan. They had finally managed to


    kick Dan out for good, and now another outsider—Susanna-had shown up. It was infuriating. Ivanna could barely contain herself, anger burning inside her.


    Adelle pressed her fingers to her temples. The argument was giving her a splitting headache. "Enough! For once, stop talking and listen. I told you: ck Gatees first."


    "Susanna and Laceying back? Over my dead body!" Ivanna shrieked. "As long as I''m here, I won''t let them set foot inside-not now, not ever. Forget about it!"


    After that outburst, Ivanna finally fell silent, but her expression was still sullen, rebellion written all over her face.


    Meanwhile, Derek arrived at the building where Susanna and Hull were staying. Ss and Barnaby intercepted him at the entrance-checking the


    vel.e


    time already past one in the morning.


    Ss frowned. "Mr. Murray, you really should go home. Everyone''s asleep."


    "I need to see my daughter. It''s urgent." Derek spat out "my daughter" with force, as


    if a father''s right to see his own child should be unquestioned.


    But that sort of logic wasn''t about to sway Barnaby and Ss.


    "Mr. Murray, even if all you wanted was to see your own mother, we still couldn''t let


    you in at this hour," Ss replied evenly.


    Let alone your daughter. Not at this time of night.


    And besides...