"Mr. Quinn is not stingy, you know."


    Jeremy just stared nkly.


    Really?


    He seemed pretty tight-fisted, especially where Ste was concerned. A little spat with Sirena, and Ronald acted like it was the end of the world.


    And yet, Idris imed he''s not stingy?


    ...


    After seeing Jeremy off, Idris returned to Ronald''s side. "Sir."


    "He''s gone?"


    Idris nodded. "Yes."


    "What do you think of him?" Ronald asked, his voice carrying a weighty tone.


    After a moment''s thought, Idris replied, "Compared to the others, Mr. Patel is indeed a solid choice."


    "Then it''s settled," Ronald said, his tone turning icy as he made the decision.


    Idris inclined his head in agreement.


    Jeremy was indeed the right choice- mostly because he was ruthless! Beneath hisid-back demeanor, Jeremy had proven himself tough as nails during the Patel family feud. Ronald nced at his watch, noting it was lunchtime, and dialed Ste''s number.


    "Ronald?"


    "I''ming to pick you up."


    Ste seemed taken aback. "Huh? Didn''t I tell you I''m having lunch with Susie?"


    "Cancel it."


    Ronald''s voice was gentle, yet the quiet authority in his tone left no room for refusal.


    On the other end, Ste pouted. "Okay, fine."


    Ronald added, "I''ll take you somewhere fun to eat."


    "Fun to eat? What''s that?" Ste asked, her curiosity instantly piqued. "Then hurry up ande get me."


    Who could resist the promise of good food and fun? Certainly not Ste.


    Ronald chuckled softly, affirming with a ''Hmm'' before hanging up.


    Ste quickly called Susanna. "My brother said he''s taking me somewhere fun to eat, so don''te over."


    Susanna just sighed. "What kind of food is also fun, anyway?"


    To her, it sounded like Ronald was just luring Ste away with vague promises of a good time. As a born and bred Portis City girl, Susanna found the idea of food being both delicious and entertaining hard to imagine. Ste replied, "I have no idea."


    After briefly chatting with Susanna, Ste hung up.


    ...


    About half an hourter, Ronald arrived.


    Ste headed downstairs. Emerging from the office building, she spotted Ronald''s car not too far off and instinctively started towards it. However, a sudden force on her wrist stopped her - it was Yorick. Seeing Yorick, Ste''s mood soured. "What do you want?"


    Really? Was this guy still haunting her?


    Yorick''s expression was grim. "What do I need to do to get Finley and Tegan back?"


    Ste was baffled. Was this guy out of his mind?


    Yorick tightened his grip on her wrist. "Just tell me, what do you want?"


    Hearing from Cloudia that Ste had tricked her into signing a disownment agreement and then reneging on her promise to bring them back, Yorick was beyond frustrated.


    Ste, already short-tempered from Yorick''s pestering about Finley and Tegan, snapped.


    She shook off Yorick''s grip. "Let go, you lunatic."


    "Ste!"


    "What? Why are you yelling? Got a problem?"


    Yorick clenched his teeth. This woman!


    Ste continued, "Didn''t Cloudia exin it to you? And you''re still bothering me?" Yorick bit back, "That''s your mother!"


    "So what if I say I''m your ancestor? How''s that?" Ste rolled her eyes at Yorick. Yorick was speechless.


    This woman!


    Ste went on, "We''ve signed a disownment agreement. Ever heard of it?"


    Yorick tried to argue, "But she''s your mother, your attitude..."


    "Shut it. If your brain''s not working, should I knock some sense into it?"


    Without waiting for a response, Ste pped him sharply on the forehead, not holding back. The force of the p left Yorick reeling, his anger soaring to new heights.