Boarding the private jet back to Patrina, Shawn was still lying on the bed, his leg thankfully saved but still aching like crazy.


    Xander was on the phone, his voice cold and calcted as he said, "Yes, follow the n."


    Shawn''s eyes widened at that.


    n? What n?


    The only thing that seemed to get Xander riled up was anything concerning Ste.


    Watching Xander hang up, Shawn couldn''t help but ask, "You still have ns for that little firecracker?" Xander shot him a nce.


    Shawn gulped. "Dude, Ronald and Ste are together now. He''s finally got what he''s been after for years." Xander asked, "Do you remember why Ste ever took an interest in him in the first ce?"


    Shawn''s heart skipped a beat. Of course, he knew why Ste had developed feelings for Ronald. But did that even matter anymore?


    "Look. You should leave Ronald alone. His feelings for Ste..."


    "Shawn." Xander cut him off before he could finish.


    Shawn went silent.


    Xander sipped his wine, leaving his thoughts unspoken.


    Shawn pondered for a moment and continued, "You and Ronald really don''t need to keep this feud going. You should clear those misunderstandings. Or do you n on staying in Patrina forever?"


    Xander raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips. "You''re right. We should clear the misunderstandings. And Ferrond, it''s about time I returned."


    There was something off in how Xander said Ferrond, which made Shawn uneasy. It seemed like Xander''s return wasn''t only about that illegitimate child.


    Thinking of Xander''s father, Shawn felt a pang of injustice for Xander.


    Xander''s fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, musing over the word ''misunderstanding'' with sarcasm and intrigue in his expression.


    Ste had ate-night snack.


    After getting back with Ronald, Finley and Idris had retreated to the study, and Susanna had called her.


    She was crying her heart out. Ste had never heard Susanna cry like


    that, so sheforted her overthe


    phone like she was soothing a baby.


    "Tell me what''s wrong. Who upset you? I''ll sort them out."


    Who on earth had made Susanna cry like this?


    If it was serious, then she''d really have to call on her people in Ferrond.


    Ste had her ownwork,


    courtesy of Ronald, but she hadn''t used it since Xander threatened her out of Ferrond. She''d been lying low, avoiding both Ronald and Xander.


    But now, with Susanna in such distress, Ste wanted to find out what was wrong with Susanna''s mom Lacey.


    Yet Susanna was crying too hard to give her any details.


    Steforted, "Sweetheart, please stop crying. Should I send someone to look into it for you?"


    Being around Hull and not solving anything was one thing, but Susanna crying like this was another.


    What was going on? Was Hull being a jerk to her?


    No, that couldn''t be. Hull was a bit of a lone wolf, not the type to bully people for fun.


    But she was wrong...


    Susanna sobbed, "It was Hull. He took off my clothes."


    Ste nearly choked on her spit.


    Wait, what?!


    "Wasn''t it the maid?"


    Hull was the solitary type-no maid in his vi. The only person remotely close was the chef, and he was a guy, which meant there wasn''t a woman around Hull, so when


    Susanna said someone had stripped her clothes off and she didn''t know


    whom, it could only have been Hull.


    Susanna''s voice came through the phone, even more pitiful, "Will you help me deal with him?"