Susanna looked up at Hull with a pitiful expression. "I can''t."


    Her heart raced with anxiety, and she looked particrly helpless. If she had to eat everything on the table, she was sure she''d burst.


    Hull pressed, "So, what exactly were you discussing with Star?"


    Susanna was in shock.


    For heaven''s sake, could she just go a little crazy? If this kept up, she was going to lose it.


    Hull''s gaze was too intense, and Susanna had no idea how to respond.


    Usually a chatterbox, she now mmed uppletely. She practically turned into a quivering little mouse.


    Hull watched her lower her head again, a flicker of amusement crossing his usually cold eyes. He snorted, "Just eat."


    Susanna was on the verge of tears. "I really can''t finish it."


    Hull replied, "Well, would you rather starve?"


    Susanna was speechless.


    Was this guy for real?


    Was there anyone who could intervene here? It was either eat until she exploded or starve to death-no in-between.


    ...


    Over in Portis City, Cloudia returned to the Larkin family home, her face red and swollen.


    L was just heading upstairs with a tray of medicine for Jaxon.


    No doctor was willing to make house calls anymore. L had somehow managed to get hold of some medication.


    Cloudia was already fuming over how L had drained Jaxon''s credit card. Seeing that murky concoction in L''s hands made her anger re even more. "What is that? Who''s it for?"


    She never trusted that kind of medicine. Even without ess to medical resources, she would have never let Urs and Jaxon take it.


    Plus, she couldn''t stand L, so seeing her bringing that stuff to Jaxon didn''t sit well with her at all.


    L wasn''t in the mood to be polite either. She snorted, "What? Do you want to snatch this medicine too? Sorry, but it''s not suitable for your precious adopted daughter."


    She''d had enough of Cloudia. Cloudia would do anything for her adopted daughter, and hadpletely ignored her own daughter, even her son. Having a mother like that was beyond belief.


    Hearing it only made Cloudia angrier. "You''re going to give that to Jaxon?"


    "Why else?"


    Cloudia snapped, "And what if it causes problems? Can you take responsibility?"


    L scoffed, "What did you say?"


    Was Cloudia really bringing up responsibility right now?


    Lughed in disbelief. "Come on, one kid''s almost dead, and the other''s on the brink of being crippled. We''re in a desperate situation here, and you want to talk about responsibility?"


    Cloudia''s breath hitched at herment. Not wanting to hear any more of L''s nonsense, she huffed, "Don''t give my son that stuff."


    L was fuming. She had never thought she''d find it so hard to respect an elder, but with Cloudia, it was impossible.


    L held her temper as best as she could, then let loose. "You think I''m the one causing him problems? Please, he''s already in this mess because of you, his own mother."


    "Shut up."


    L retorted, "Shut up? Should I remind you how this family fell apart? Because you pampered your adopted daughter so much. Your own sen went to Mist Bay on your encouragement, got into trouble with Ste''s people, and almost ended up dead."


    Cloudia''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    L continued, "Don''t even think about ming Ste. Urs almost hired someone to kill her, Ste fought back, and now the Larkin Group is barely surviving, your son


    was almost killed because of you."


    L knew what Cloudia was going to say next - it was caused by Ste.


    "What a freaking mess? You treat the person who almost killed your own daughter like a treasure, and me your daughter for all the chaos."


    Cloudia was speechless.


    L added, "And you think my medicine will make Jaxon worse? Why don''t you find one that won''t, then?


    You''ve made it impossible for


    anyone to get into a hospital, no doctor dares toe. If you''re that capable, how about using the energy of protecting your adopted daughter to find a solution?"


    Her words stung like a p. Cloudia''s chest heaved in rage, she red at L vehemently.


    L sneered, "You''re only tough with me."


    Cloudia couldn''t fight back.


    "And what''s up with your face? Did you get that at Mist Bay too? Why were you there, because of Urs or the benefits behind Ste?"


    "You shut up!"


    Cloudia was furious.


    L pressed on, "You''re eyeing the benefits behind Ste now, aren''t you? Too bad, you let that golden opportunity slip through your fingers."


    Under the verbal attack, Cloudia''s face turned from blue to white with rage. L had no desire to argue further and carried the medicine upstairs.


    Cloudia fumed, pacing in circles. "This family is cursed, truly cursed."


    What a mess, dealing with people like this, each more challenging than thest.


    Ste had been quite a handful with her sharp tongue, but L was even more formidable.