Ss and Barnaby''s gossip was so brazen and crude that, in the end, Derek lost his nerve; he just couldn''t bring himself to confront them face-to-face. Huffing with anger, he turned on his heel and left.


    Back at cktower, Finch''s facial wound was so deep that the doctors decided to keep him overnight in the infirmary. Ivanna was already caring for Leanne, so she took on Finch as well.


    Leanne had woken up, but any movement sent white-hot pain shooting down her spine. She remembered Hull''s kick,nding square in the small of her back. She''d heard a sickening crack and felt her back give way right there. If Ivanna hadn''t rescued her, there''s no way she would have gotten out alive. Now, every slight shift was torture-she couldn''t even move. The fear wed at her: What if I''m paralyzed?


    Things only got worse when Ivanna exined what had happened while Leanne was unconscious, her anger barely contained. "You won''t believe it,” Ivanna said. "While you were out, that wretch Susanna swooped in and stole from us. A lot.”


    "What did you say?” Leanne snapped, her temper ring. "She took our holdings?"


    Ivanna nodded grimly. "Everything. All of ck Gate''s assets, even the Murray family''s. She went from one end to the other with her people, cleaning us out."


    Before this, everyone had just whispered that all the trouble started because of Susanna. But now, Ivanna was t-out saying Susanna had led the raid herself. Leanne''s breath hitched, rage rising.


    "Dad''s... Mom''s... our brother''s, mine, even yours..." Ivanna added.


    "Mine too?" Leanne''s voice nearly cracked with fury.


    "That''s right. Your operations in Mulberry Hill and Kaiserton have gone to hell. Dad sent men to step in, but they couldn''t stop it."


    Mulberry Hill? Kaiserton? Those were the jewels in Leanne''s crown. "They''re in that bitch''s hands now?" Her face contorted, rage warping her features.


    Ivanna nodded again, silent.


    Leanne could barely speak. All of it-gone? Her hatred zed white hot.


    "That damned woman!" she spat. "Why the hell didn''t we kill her when we had the chance?"


    She''d meant it-back then, they''d truly wanted to be rid of Susanna for good. Now look what had happened.


    Ivanna bared her teeth. "I know. We failed, and now she''s be a threat we can''t ignore."


    “I''ll kill her myself,” Leanne seethed, her voice ragged and furious.


    "Mom says we can''t kill her right now she might being back to cktower."


    "What?" The prospect of Susanna returning to cktower made


    Leanne''s blood pressure spike. I will not allow it! No way will I let that bastard step foot in this house!"


    Ivanna shook her head. “It''s not up to you. Dad''s already gone to see her.”


    "Now? In the middle of the night?"


    "Yes-he heard she was with Hull and rushed out the door. The way things are going, don''t be surprised if Dad turns his back on us instead.


    Leanne''s face grew even darker, anger simmering beneath the surface. She and Ivanna had worked for years behind the scenes to widen


    the rift between Derek and Dan making sure their father always favored their side. But when it came to Susanna, Derek''s refusal to acknowledge her wasn''t from ignorance. He''d always known. He just chose to deny her.


    Their father had always poured all his affection into them—but he was a cold man.


    Cold enough to disown his own children like it was nothing.


    Now, Ivanna went on, "With Susanna controlling the fate of ck Gate, of course


    she''s be Dad''s darling-his trump card."


    The fate of ck Gate? Leanne could hardly contain her rage. "How the hell did that wretched woman get so much power?"