The person Jaxon was looking for was Frost Quarry.


    Frost was just about to leave, suitcase in hand, ready to escape the family drama that seemed never-ending and impossible to resolve. She had a million things going on outside and had no desire to be shackled by the mess at home.


    Seeing Jaxon, Frost''s expression turned sharp. "What is it? Here to plead for your foster sister?"


    Frost had always found Jaxon particrly irritating. How could someone prioritize their foster sister over their own flesh and blood? It wasn''t just Jaxon; in Frost''s eyes, the entire Larkin family seemed insane.


    Jaxon felt a twinge of embarrassment under Frost''s cutting words. "I''m here to speak with Yorick."


    Frost sneered, "Talking to anyone won''t help. The Quarry family isn''t going to take Urs in."


    She shut him downpletely. Jaxon''s face grew even more strained at Frost''s unwavering tone. "I''m not here because of Urs."


    Frost raised an eyebrow at his formal tone. "Really? Calling her by her first name now? That''s a first."


    The Larkins were known for their endearments, always calling her "UrsUrs," as if one name wasn''t enough. But suddenly it was just "Urs"? Was he finallying to his senses?


    "So why are you here?"


    "The Larkin family has run into some trouble, and I was hoping-"


    Frost interrupted him. "Trouble? That''s putting it mildly."


    She didn''t wait for his response. Ste had gotten herself entangled with Mr. Quinn, a name Frost knew well from her travels. The infamous kingpin of Ferrond''s underworld, with half the city''s underground operations under his thumb. Crossing a man like him wasn''t just trouble; it was a catastrophe.


    Jaxon fell silent, his bravado deting under Frost''s scrutiny. She continued, "The Quarry family can''t help you with this mess."


    "You''ve seen it yourself. We''re tangled up with Mr. Quinn too. Yorick and Hogan are at each other''s throats, fighting over scraps."


    Her voice dripped with frustration. "Ronald''s a piece of work... This whole mess was Yorick''s doing, teaming up with you to pay Felix to go after Ste."


    Frost''s eyes narrowed as she regarded Jaxon with disdain. "You should leave. The Quarry family can''t save you."


    "Not just Mr. Quinn-do you think the Patel family is going to let you off? Who do you think has the power to get you out of this?"


    Mentioning the Patels, Frost''s voice wasced with contempt. What nerve they had! Jeremy Patel was notorious, and Jaxon had the gall to think he could toy with Sirena Patel?


    The Quarry family was drowning in its own problems and had no bandwidth to rescue the Larkins.


    Jaxon was unceremoniously booted from the Quarry estate, stumbling out to find Urs copsed on the ground outside. Her frail bodyy there like a broken kite, lifeless.


    Jaxon spared her only a brief nce before turning away, his heart hardened. He drove off without a second thought.


    The Larkin family, once so devoted to Urs, now seemed to have turned their backspletely.


    Meanwhile, back in Ferrond, Ste was exhausted and drifted into sleep, only to feel herself drawn into a warm embrace. She struggled to open her heavy


    eyelids, catching a glimpse of Ronald.


    Sleepily, she murmured, "You''re back?"


    Ronald kissed her forehead gently. "Yeah, just sleep."


    His promise to sleep in his own room was forgotten as soon as he said it. Holding Ste close was enough.