Lottie and Xander headed straight to the study.


    Meanwhile, Ste was helping Yvonne get dressed, while Yvonne was grumbling under her breath.


    "That shameless Xander, can you believe how much time he has on his hands? Who would''ve thought he''d record the conversation?"


    In that situation, who in their right mind would think to hit the record button?


    "But Xander did..."


    Yvonne muttered, "What a jerk."


    She was fuming.


    Ste shrugged, "Well, you said it yourself, he''s shameless. Who knows what he ns to do with the recording?"


    Yvonne''s face darkened at Ste''s suggestion.


    Yeah, what was Xander nning with that recording?


    Ste spected, "Trying to ckmail your brother?"


    Yvonne pped her hands together. "Exactly! He was chatting with Ronald back


    then, so the recording must have been about him."


    She started piecing it together.


    When she went over, it was just Xander and Ronald in the study. What else could he be recording for, if not to get something on Ronald?


    Hearing this, Ste paused.


    Then she picked up the phone, "I need to call my brother."


    What was Xander up to, recording a private conversation with Ronald?


    That''s not something a normal person would do.


    The call connected quickly.


    "Is the wedding dress here?" Ronald asked.


    "Not yet," Ste replied.


    Ronald chuckled softly, "So, you miss me? I''ve only been gone half an hour."


    His voice was tender and teasing, causing Ste to blush and nce at Yvonne, who was giving her a look of mock exasperation.


    Ste quickly turned away, covering the phone with her hand. "No, that''s not it." "Oh? Then what is it, Star?"


    "Xander came around asking my sister to marry him and yed a recording," Ste exined, cutting to the chase.


    If he kept flirting, Yvonne might actually start crying.


    Even though she pretended not to care about Dan, Ste remembered how Yvonne looked when she returned-hair a mess, clothes damp.


    Clearly, she''d spent quite some time outside...


    Even the strongest have their sensitive spots.


    Dan had been a part of her life for so long; how could she not care at all?


    Ronald''s voice grew serious. "What recording?"


    "Xander was saying my sister wouldn''t want to marry him, but then suddenly there was her voice saying she would."


    "We suspect when Xander spoke with you, he recorded it. Only you know what was said, but he''s likely trying to ckmail you."


    Ste summed it up sinctly.


    Ronald listened, his eyes narrowing. Xander had recorded their conversation?


    Behind his sses, his eyes turned cold.


    "Don''t worry, he wouldn''t dare."


    Xander trying to ckmail him?


    That would mean he''s not enjoying his time in Ferrond, when all he ever wanted while in Patrina was to return to Ferrond.


    Ste advised, "Just keep an eye on him. if he exined everything


    to young


    and mom, my sister and I still


    don''t trust him."


    Ronald had vouched for Xander, but Ste wasn''t buying it, and neither was Yvonne.


    The incident back then had been chaotic. Xander''s story might fit, but too much time had passed, and many details were fuzzy.


    Ronald reassured her, "I understand."


    "Alright, I''ll let you go."


    "Okay."


    As the call ended, Ronald''s expression remained cold. He removed his sses, massaging his temples.


    "Has Xander''s story been verified?" he asked Idris.


    Idris nodded, "Yes, it checks out."


    Ronald put his sses back on, but the chill in his gaze lingered.


    Idris hesitated, "Are you really going to let Miss Yvonne marry Mr. Schultz?"


    "Yvonne has a mind of her own. She''ll make Xander''s life a living hell."


    Idris''s mouth twitched.


    No kidding.


    Xander''s sudden proposal to Yvonne had everyone questioning his motives.


    But he


    one thing during his time in Patrina: Yvonne and Skye were


    2 seemed to have forgotten


    t notorious troub


    If Xander thought marrying Yvonne would cover something up, he was sorely mistaken.


    Yvonne might just turn his life upside down. Marrying her wasn''t a cover; it was inviting chaos.


    Back at the Quinn family estate.


    Just as Ste hung up with Ronald, Susanna called.


    Over the phone, Susanna assured Ste that she hadn''t done anything rash.


    Ste praised her, "Good job, that''s exactly how you should handle it."


    In Ste''s opinion, Susanna''s past antics in Hull were due to her being too proactive.


    In Portis City, Susanna would have known all the tricks without Ste needing to say a word.


    But in Hull, it seemed she was genuinely startled.


    However, she overlooked one crucial detail—they were living under the same


    roof...


    Just a moment ago Susanna imed she hadn''t done anything, but then she added, "I ripped Hull''s clothes."


    Her voice carried a note of despair through the phone.


    Ste paused, "Wait, what?"


    Susanna''s sudden confession left Ste stunned for a few seconds, her mind


    spinning.


    Images of belt buckles, towels, pants, and shirts shed in her mind.


    "You managed to strip Hull of nearly everything he had on."


    Susanna''s despair was palpable, and Ste couldn''t help but feel a twinge of secondhand embarrassment.


    Susanna groaned, "Don''t even start. I waspletely out of it, just like that time


    in Mist Bay."


    "I swear, anyone who doesn''t know the whole story might think I''m head over heels for him or something. But honestly, no matter how much I try to exin, it''s like talking to @brick wall. Ugh..."