No use sugarcoating it for Susanna—it just wasn''t going to happen. Especially not


    with Xander Schultz involved. When had he ever given back anything he''d managed to get his hands on?


    Susanna was at a loss for words.


    Ste shook her head. "I''m not trying to burst your bubble, but once Yvonne and Xander get ahold of something, there''s no way it''s ever going to end up where it started. That''s just how it is."


    No one could pry anything from them—especially not Xander. Three years ago, thanks to some mess involving her, Xander had taken a hit at Ronald''s hands. And even after Susanna came back and the misunderstandings were cleared up, Ronald never returned a single cent. Xander had been resentful ever since.


    Now, having finally gotten an opportunity to get a little payback and skim some things off ck Gate, he wasn''t about to let it slip away. He''d even called Ronald on more than one asion, t-out telling him that anything he managed to snag from ck Gate, he was never returning.


    Looking at it that way, Derek''s scheme seemed almostughably na?ve. That he seriously thought bringing Susanna back as his long-lost daughter would somehow get back everything ck Gate had lost-pure wishful thinking.


    “So, basically... everything ck Gate''s lost is just lost, for good?" Susanna asked.


    "Oh, absolutely!" Ste replied. "You have no idea what Yvonne and Xander went through to get their hands on that stuff. There''s zero chance they''re just going to give it all back. What do you think this is, a soup kitchen?"


    "You''re right," Susanna agreed, a touch of schadenfreude in her voice. Derek, that old bastard, was probably losing his mind over this.


    Ste grinned. "You know what I''m really curious about? Who your real dad is. I mean, I''ve seen pictures of Derek-the resemnce is uncanny."


    There was definitely a resemnce. But now, with Lacey insisting Susanna wasn''t Derek''s daughter, it was hard not to take Lacey''s side.


    "How should I know? My mom never told me!" Susanna huffed, catching the hint of gossip in Ste''s voice.


    Ste shrugged. "Honestly? As long


    as it isn''t that old scumbag, it''s fine by me. We''ve heard of all kinds of losers over the years, but a guy who knows he has a kid out there and refuses to acknowledge her? Thats a new low."


    Susanna nodded in agreement. "Exactly."


    A brief silence fell, then Susanna changed the subject. "Hey, enough about me. You be careful with the Schultz family, okay? And does any of this have to do with Mr. Schultz?"


    Ste waved a hand. "With Xander? Not a chance. He cut ties with the Schultz family a long time ago. This whole thing is totally unrted to him."


    But as for Berry-it was still a shock that she turned out to be Mona Haig''s


    daughter. No wonder Mona had never visited Regina Schultz all those years she was locked up.


    She''d always said she was


    devastated, but when Regina finally


    got sent away, Mona didn''t show up.


    once th the


    beginnin


    everyone


    figured she was just intimidated by


    the Quinns and didn''t dare visit.


    But the Quinns had never stopped the Schultzes from reaching out to Regina. And still, Mona never went. Turns out, Regina wasn''t even her biological daughter. Berry


    was.


    Susanna looked thoughtful. “So... is Berry that old man Samuel Schultz''s kid?"


    “Absolutely not." Ste''s answer was


    immediate. If Berry really were


    Samuel''s child, do you think she


    would''ve been hidden away from the family for all these years? This isn''t news Mona never visited she must have been seeing Berry secretly, all this time. If Berry was really Samuel''s daughter, she''d havee home to the Schultz family ages ago. No way they''d let her rot on the outside."


    "Yeah, that tracks,” Susanna agreed. "The whole thing is just a mess."


    Ste didn''t seem fazed. "You get used to it. Around here in Ferrond, every big family is full of this kind of nonsense. Believe me, the messier the better, apparently."


    They chatted for a few more minutes, then hung up. Ste set down her phone, turning toward Melissa Norton, who was calmly sipping her coffee.


    When Melissa saw Ste hang up, she lowered her cup. “So, do you think this information is enough to buy a little peace and quiet for the Norton family again?"