Millions of dors were at stake...


    Jaxon couldn''t shake the memory of Ste spending months in the hospital two years ago, all because of Urs. That memory ced a wedge between him and Urs.


    Sensing something off about Jaxon, Cloudia nced at him with concern. "Jaxon, I..."


    "Mom, Ste is your real daughter. We''ve been siding with Urs all these years because we thought Ste''s return was making her miserable, that Ste was bullying her."


    Cloudia fell silent.


    Jaxon continued, "But if Ste''s grievances all stem from that car ident, what does that make Urs?" Ste had been at odds with Urs for thest two years. They had always used Ste of losing her mind, believing she was unjustly targeting Urs.


    But what if Ste''s actions were because Urs had started it all, which almost cost Ste''s life?


    Cloudia''s breath hitched, her entire body going rigid.


    "Rick has distanced himself from her because of this, too, right?" Jaxon asked, recalling the scene when Yorick left that day.


    As Jaxon posed the question, his demeanor grew more intense.


    Already struggling to breathe, Cloudia trembled at Jaxon''s words. "I, she..."


    Suddenly, she was at a loss for words, staring at Jaxon with sorrow-filled eyes.


    Jaxon, too, was visibly shaking with anger.


    Ste had nned to have dinner with Ronald that evening, but Ronald didn''t make it back. So, she met Tegan instead.


    When she arrived, Tegan was on the phone with Susanna, who was freaking out over in Ferrond. She called every one, trying to gossip her way through her fears.


    Upon seeing Ste, Tegan said, "Okay, you should tell Ste about it."


    Susanna replied, "Ste hasn''t picked up her phone."


    "Oh, I see." Tegan realized why Susanna had been dragging her into all this gossip. It was because she couldn''t reach Ste.


    Ste had never been one for gossip, but over time, Susanna had rubbed off on her. Sometimes, a bit of gossip wasn''t bad.


    "Was that Susanna on the phone?" Ste asked, sipping from her water ss.


    Tegan nodded, spooning some ice


    cream into her mouth. "Yeah, she''s scared out of her wits over in


    Ferrond. Can you save her?"


    swn yel


    Ste replied, "My brother said the situation with Susanna is


    the


    investigation, so being by his side is the safest ce for her."


    "The guy taking her through a hail of bullets? Are you sure that''s safer for her?" Tegan teased.


    Ste paused, realizing how overwhelming it must be for Susanna.


    Ste was about to order the same


    ice cream


    Tegan, but Tegan


    stopped her. "I already ordered.ne


    you. Didn''t want it to melt since you weren''t here yet."


    "Oh," Ste said, grateful for the thought. She craved ice cream, but Ronald was usually strict about her


    diet.


    As she was thinking about her serious brother, her phone rang.


    "Hey, Ronald," she answered.


    "Are you out?" Ronald asked.


    "Yeah. Since you said you wouldn''t be back for dinner, I''m out with Tegan."


    "Send me your location."


    "Hmm?"


    "I''ll pick you up when I finish work," Ronald insisted.


    "Okay."


    Hearing Ronald wasing to get her filled Ste with warmth. She hung up and quickly sent him her location.