The weight Urs held in Yorick''s heart was evident to all who knew them. So, why on earth would Yorick hang up on Urs''s call?


    A sense of foreboding crept into Cloudia''s heart.


    "Yes," Urs confirmed with a nod. "Rick said he was busy and just hung up, iming he was off to a business meeting."


    The way Urs framed ''business meeting'' made it sound like Yorick was hiding something.


    Cloudia''s face turned an even grimmer upon hearing this.


    Just as she was about to call Ste and warn her to steer clear of Yorick for good, she realized her calls wouldn''t go through. Ever since their fallout, Ste had cut her offpletely, blocking her on all forms ofmunication. Frustration choked Cloudia!


    She was about to find another way to reach her when her phone buzzed with a call from ise.


    No sooner had she answered than iseunched into a tirade.


    "People say a woman who isn''t married well can ruin three generations. I never believed it until now. Is this how a mother acts? How can you treat your daughter like this?


    I''ve told you countless times, we owe Star. Go easy on her, don''t get mad at her, but you wouldn''t listen. You even signed that agreement.


    Now look, you''re about to tank the wholepany!"


    Cloudia''s heart skipped a beat.


    "What do you mean? Me? Tank the wholepany?"


    "The folks messing with ourpany are from the same one that helped Star''s studio."


    The situation was now crystal clear. What had been mere spection was now confirmed.


    Cloudia was speechless. The silence that followed was deafening.


    Urs, overhearing the conversation, felt a surge of displeasure.


    She was already upset with ise for constantly ming Cloudia because of Ste, especially since ise seldom visited her in the hospital and seemed to always take Ste''s side at home.


    Now, hearing ise hysterically


    reveal that the Larkin Group''s


    current adversary was the verypany that had made Ste''s studio profitable thickened the plot. Did this mean the Larkin Group was in-significant trouble, and linked to Ste?


    What would they do next? Beg Ste to return to the Larkin family fold?


    No, that was not an option!


    The thought of the man still lurking in Portis City constantly hounding her for money, made Urs shudder. If Ste returned to the Larkin family, it would only be a matter of time before her own


    secrets came to light. She could not let Stee back.


    Caught in her thoughts, ise''s voice snapped Cloudia back to reality. "I don''t care how you do it, but you need to see Star. And you need to talk to her, sweet talk her if you have to." Cloudia''s breath hitched at his words. She knew the gravity of theirpany''s troubles, especially since Jaxon had been too busy to visit the hospital. She had tried calling him, to no avail. Now, learning that theirpany''s issues were tied to Ste''s actions, Cloudia felt a mix of anger and urgency.


    "Do you hear me?" ise pressed, his voiceced with irritation.


    Cloudia took a deep breath. "Are you sure all thepany''s troubles are Ste''s doing?"


    As she spoke, she couldn''t help but grind her teeth.


    ise shot back, "What? You want to me her? Cloudia, let me tell you, if you can''t see the basic facts, the Larkin family''s downfall will be on your hands."


    A shiver ran down Cloudia''s spine.


    ise continued, "If you don''t want to lose your title as Mrs. Larkin, then start by being a mother. Thepany going bankrupt isn''t a joke."


    These past weeks had been a frenzied search for the root of their problems, and now, to find out their home was in turmoil too, set ise off.


    ...


    In the end, Cloudia couldn''t recall


    how she managed to end the call, or


    what else ise had said. She only remembered two things: the


    Reconcile? As if it were that simple. Every encounter with Ste had been a battlefield.


    With their rtionship in tatters, Cloudia knew approaching Ste now would only mean facing her wrath.