Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 1023

The call finally cut off, but from the look on Hull’s face, it was clear he’d caught those last few words.

Susanna gave him a hesitant smile. “Um…”

“What do you mean, ‘wiped out her entire family’? What exactly did Star tell you?” Hull’s tone was even, but his eyes held steady on hers. Clearly, he’d recognized Stella’s voice from the speaker.

She met his gaze—dark, unreadable, unnervingly calm. The words Stella had said still echoed in her mind, making her chest feel tight. Susanna had seen firsthand, during her time in Litamark, just how ruthless Hull could be toward the Murray family. She understood there was bad blood between them—but she’d never guessed it ran as deep as vengeance for a destroyed family.

She couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief that she wasn’t Derek’s daughter. If she’d actually turned out to be his child, how would she ever face Hull with that kind of legacy hanging over her?

Wrapping her arms around Hull’s waist, Susanna let herself lean against him, nuzzling into his stomach. “It’s nothing, really. Those people—none of them have anything to do with me.”

Before, when part of her still feared that Derek might be her father, Susanna had kept a wary distance, always unsettled by the feud between Hull and Black Gate. There was always that edge of fear running through her.

But not anymore. Ever since her mother had called, Susanna finally felt free to face Hull—no more holding back, no more anxiety.

Or so she thought… Suddenly, a new worry struck her.

“When Derek did those things to you—where was my mom?” Her voice came out tense and small. Please God, don’t let her mother have still been married to Derek when things with Hull came to a head. The thought was almost too much to bear.

Hull answered, “By then, he’d already married Adelle.”

Relief washed over Susanna so suddenly that she nearly sagged. So Hull’s feud with that old bastard Derek had nothing to do with her, and nothing to do with her mom, either. Thank God. Her mother’s time with him had just been miserable—year after wasted year.

“That’s a relief—really, it means nothing to me now.” At last, Susanna could let herself breathe easy.

Hull looked down at her—the way she nearly melted with relief brought a soft warmth to his eyes. He reached down and affectionately ruffled her fine hair.

Meanwhile, at the Blacktower estate, a tense cloud hung over everything as they rushed to run the paternity tests. The air felt leaden and grim. After having his blood drawn, Finch’s earlier swagger had vanished completely.

Adelle sat weeping, dabbing at her eyes as she launched into a monologue about all the slander and whispers she’d suffered over the years for being with Derek.

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