He used to hate seeing her upset.


    But now? It was all Susanna''s fault. Adelle had told that girl toe back to cktower, and this was how she repaid her-by stabbing her in the back.


    Just thinking about Susanna made Adelle seethe.


    Derek let out a low, icyugh. "Well. Excellent. She ran, did she?"


    Ran... Why would she run? It was only a paternity test. Why run?


    Hisugh sent shivers down Adelle''s spine; she didn''t dare say another word. In all the years they''d lived together, she''d never seen Derek like this. Her silence only fanned the mes of his fury.


    Suddenly, he snapped. He snatched the ashtray from the coffee table and mmed it onto the floor. It exploded with a thunderous crash, ss shards spraying in every direction. A sliver of ss caught Adelle''s shin, making her yelp in pain.


    Derek''s breath came in short, angry bursts. “Good. Very good!" he spat. “Leroy!”


    "Yes, sir."


    "Send Ronnie to help Caden. Now."


    Ronnie? He was one of Derek''s top enforcers, a man with plenty of muscle at hismand. Caden was already chasing Ivanna. If Ronnie was involved, Ivanna wouldn''t stand a chance—not with a still-injured Leanne at her side.


    Adelle''s face drained of color. She looked at Derek, struggling for air. "How could you?"


    "They''re not mine, are they?"


    "They are yours! How could you be so cruel? Why would you do this?" Adelle''s voice quavered.


    "If they''re mine, why would they run?" he shot back. It was bad enough that Ivanna ran, but she had taken Leanne with her. That made all his doubts erupt into certainty. He was nearly sure now: those twins weren''t his.


    "Dad!" Finch''s voice rang out.


    Derek turned on him with a glint of savagery in his eyes. "What about you, Finch? Are you even mine?"


    The question hit Adelle with all the


    force of a p. She went


    bone-white. She had hoped that


    even if the truth about the girls came out at least she''d have Froch But now, with Ivanna running and taking Leanne, Derek was even doubting his son.


    Shaking, Adelle shot back, "If Finch isn''t yours, then who''s son is he supposed to be?"


    "How should I know? I''d like to know that too! You-" Derek was so consumed by rage that his face turned a dangerous shade of crimson, the words catching in his throat in a ragged gasp.


    It was over. Whatever feeling had lingered between them, whatever fragile peace remained, was smashed beyond repair.


    Derek''s fit of rage left Adelle speechless. She looked at him in terror, barely able to breathe. “You''re... you''re a monster."


    "Run? You think you can run?” Derek steadied himself, wearing a cold, contemptuous smile. "This is Litamark. As long as I give the order, there''s no way Ivanna can escape-especially not alone."


    Adelle shook with fear. Just as Finch


    kywith


    looked ready to step in and argue, she caught his wrist, shaking her head desperately. Derek was already suspicious-if Finch said the wrong thing Derek would insist on testing him too, and then everything would fall apart.


    Why did Ivanna have to run... But really, what choice did she have? The moment Adelle realized Derek was thinking about a DNA test, she started plotting, desperate fo find a solution. She had intended toget a DNA sample from Dan, or maybe from Susanna, but after Derek''s violent outburst-there was no time left for anything.