Not wanting to get dragged into it any further, Derek threw out a few words and stormed off.

Adelle was left standing there, stunned. Derek had never spoken to her like that before-never even raised his voice. Now he just snapped and walked away? Her frustration bubbled over, and she stomped her foot in exasperation.

Seriously, were these people going to be satisfied only when her whole life was in shambles? She still felt like she was stuck in Dan''s grasp. He was doing this out of spite, all because of histe mother! Adelle fumed, barely keeping it together.

Just then, Leroy approached, "Ma''am, Mr. Derek asked if you could handle Mr. Miguel for a bit."

"Me?" Adelle asked, almost incredulous.

How was she supposed to deal with him? What did that even mean? Mr. Miguel was obviously still obsessed with that wild girl-how was she supposed to y along?

Adelle was so wound up, she felt like her insides were twisting.

...fn0807 ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? FindN0vel/fn0807

Meanwhile, Susanna was left alone in the presidential suite of the hotel, with Barnaby forpany. She brewed herself a cup of coffee, while Barnaby, sprawled out on the couch, was glued to his phone, binging parenting videos.

"Apparently, the best water temperature for form is ny-six degrees Fahrenheit," he muttered. "And you gotta make sure to burp the baby after feeding. Oh, then there''s bath time, changing clothes-"

"Can you stop watching those already?" Susanna groaned. The constant sound of baby-care tips made her head pound.

What was the point? It''s not like either of them had a kid.

Barnaby looked up, confused. "What''s wrong?"

"Nothing. Just... never mind. Knock yourself out," Susanna sighed.

But when Barnaby started watching a video on changing dirty diapers, Susanna lost her appetite altogether. She abandoned her coffee, slipped into the bedroom, and called Hull.

He answered with that gentle tone of his, "Miss me already?"

Susanna rolled her eyes, "No, just did you meet with the Murray family yet?"

"They don''t have the guts to see me,” Hull replied smoothly.

Susannaughed, a bit bitter. "Funny, they''re brave enough to cause trouble, but when you show up, they all vanish?"

She couldn''t stand anyone from the Murray family, so she''d decided not to go herself. Hull was much more intimidating anyway-hed aplish more just by showing up.  s?novels

"Gotta go, they''reing out now," Hull said.

"Alright, go give them hell," Susanna replied, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.

The thought of how the ck Gate crew had treated her momtely made her blood boil. Since she''d alreadymitted herself to Hult she figured she might as well get something out of Let Hultmake them pay.  s

Hull''s low chuckle drifted through the phone. "Will do."

He hung up.

Susanna copsed onto the bed, feeling inexplicably weak and drained, like someone had pulled the plug on her energy.

Suddenly, Barnaby knocked at the door. "Susie, I really think you shouldn''t just stay cooped up in there. Why don''t youe hang out with me?"

Seriously? Hang out and listen to more baby-care tutorials?

"Susie? Susie?" he called again.

Susanna, halfway through dialing Yvonne, gave up with a sigh. "Alright, alright, I''ming!"

Did she not have ast name? Why did everyone keep calling her "Susie" like she was a lost puppy? She''d never understand it.

Reluctantly, she joined Barnaby in the living room. The sound of his phone and that endless stream of baby advice was driving her crazy. She snatched her own phone, thinking Ste must be the most

bored person in the world right now and would definitely wee a chat.  s

"Could you turn that down? I''m trying to make a call here," Susannained.

Barnaby, surprisingly considerate, nodded. “Sure, I''ll turn it down.”

He lowered the volume so much that Susanna had to admit he wasn''tpletely insufferable.

Feeling slightly better, she dialed Ste''s number and waited for her friend to pick

up.