Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 1020

“What are you trying to say?” Derek demanded.

Dan gave a lazy shrug. “A test report, you know how it is. If people say it’s genuine, then it’s genuine. But if they decide it’s fake, it might as well be fake, too.”

His words drew every pair of eyes in the room.

“In my view, since we’re going down this road, we need to make certain the report is one hundred percent beyond reproach,” Dan went on evenly.

Adelle felt her heart plummet.

Dan continued, “Why don’t we each send five men—people we trust—to supervise the whole process?”

He let the suggestion hang for a moment, hinting at dangers best left unspoken. “After all, who’s to say someone won’t try something underhanded…”

With both sides sending five of their most trusted people to keep watch, even if someone had the urge to tamper with the results, there would be no chance.

Finch’s breathing turned sharp and shallow. He balled his hands into fists, glaring at Dan. “Seems like the one looking to meddle here is you!”

“If I really wanted to,” Dan replied coolly, “wouldn’t your people—and Dad’s—be right there watching? So why get so worked up? Or are you just upset because you won’t get the chance to pull anything?”

“You—!”

Adelle reached over and caught Finch’s wrist before he could say more, silently urging him to stop. Things had escalated too far. There was nothing left to fight for.

Derek glanced her way. Adelle met his gaze, her eyes brimming with quiet disappointment. She said nothing—a silence that cut deeper than words, the kind that made it hard for anyone to stand firm. Even now, her whole being was silently pleading for him to come back to her.

But… there was no going back.

Susanna’s and Barnaby’s words had wounded Derek more than he could admit. The gossip behind his back he could ignore, but Barnaby’s open doubts—spoken right to his face—had been a humiliation he couldn’t forget. The urge to hurl the paternity report in Barnaby’s face was almost overwhelming.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify