"This whole mess was caused by you and Susanna. Don''t think I don''t know— you''re in cahoots with Hull."
"..."
"You''ve always chosen that woman''s side! You hate me! Even after I took care of you all these years, you still hate me. You''re nothing but an ungrateful snake!"
Adelle was unraveling; herposure hadpletely copsed. With the results of the test drawing nearer, her nerves were stretched to the breaking point. The sweetness she''d put on for Derek was gone,id bare as frenzied rage. She was like a cornered animal, ready tosh out at anyone who came too close.
But Dan just let out a coldugh. "Give it a rest, Adelle. Stop trying to distract everyone by ying the victim."
"The only thing that matters tonight is finding out who the real illegitimate offspring in the cktower family are."
“Honestly, seeing how riled up you are—if the results weren''t about toe in, I''d say we already have our answer."
The word "illegitimate," paired with Dan''s biting sarcasm, left Adelle and Finch stone-faced.
Turning to Derek, Dan continued, "Am I wrong? Do we really need to wait for the results, or is the truth already obvious?"
"She''s putting on this tearful show just to sway you, obviously hoping you''ll call the whole thing off."
He smirked, “Look at her, sobbing her heart out. Maybe you should just go on pretending to believe her. How about it?"
Every word cut, dripping with contempt. Adelle was so furious she nearly sputtered -they''d shredded her performance just as she''d reached her crescendo.
But Derek wasn''t moved by Adelle''s meltdown. Now that things were in motion, he was determined to see it through. One way or another, he would find out the truth tonight.
He gave Adelle a merciless look. This was a man whose words to her had always been gentle-now his voice was cial.
"Wait for the results. Scream and cry all you want afterward."
There was nothing but ruthless chill in his words.
Suddenly, both Adelle and Finch felt a stab of foreboding. It was unmistakable— nothing they said or did would change Derek''s mind.
With that, Adelle squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, the disappointment in her gaze toward Derek was palpable—a deep, exhausted emptiness.
"Fine then," she said, voice trembling with finality, "let''s just burn it all down. If our future means nothing to you, then it means nothing to me either."
"Finch, we''re leaving."
She stood, spine rigid, and marched straight for the door. Her posture was all pride and defiance-the
out cruelly wronged. He of one who believes
she''s been
words were acid, a final ultimatum meant to force Derek''s hand.
Finch shot Derek a cial look of his own, then quickly moved to follow his mother.
If Derek called off the tests before
they crossed that final threshold, maybe just maybe-they could still keep up appearances. But if they walked out that door, it was over. The cktower family would never wee them back.
But would Derek, so hungry for the truth, really let them just walk away? "Don''t let them leave."
Derek''s icymand rang out as Adelle and Finch reached the doorway. Adelle froze, her shoulders stiffening. She whirled, eyes zing. "Derek!" Rage, heartbreak, utter devastation-all shed across her face.
Derek''s expression tightened, but he stayed silent.
Finch snapped, "What''s the meaning of this, Father?"
Dan''s lips curled. “It means nobody''s leaving this room until the results are in. Clear enough for you?”
Adelle and Finch nced at each other—a split-second look. There was something dark, desperate in their eyes.
Finch''s hand started to slide for whatever he''d hidden at his waist-his intent crystal clear.
Dan was quicker. In a sh, he drew his gun and leveled it at Finch.
"Don''t move."
Tension rippled through the air—a silence so thick it felt like the world might shatter at a touch.
Adelle''s breath snagged in her throat
when she saw Dan''s weapon. But
what truly made her blood run cold
was Derek''s expression: the gun was
trained on Finch and Derek just stood by, silent, unmoved,