No matter how careful you are, sometimes life finds a way to throw all your defenses out the window.

Dan had spent years avoiding trouble with Ronald after what happened back then. He stayed out of his way, kept his head down, never poked the bear.

But now? Everything was spiraling out of control.

Yvonne had gotten herself involved—which meant Xander was in the game now,

too.

And then Hull showed up, which basically meant Mr. Quinn himself had a hand in what was happening at ck Gate.

To Dan, it felt like the situation exploded in his face overnight.

They pulled up to cktower.

Dan got out of the car and looked up at the massive old manor, feeling a coldness settle in his chest.

Once, this ce had been home. Safe, familiar.

Now, that feeling was long gone-home had be hostile, cold, and unweing.

The old butler, Leroy, was waiting, almost like he''d known Dan would return today. The man''s timing was never an ident.

In Dan''s eyes, Leroy was just that woman''spdog.

And the way Leroy looked at him now? Sure, it was polite on the surface, but Dan caught the sneer in his eyes the moment he nced down.

That contempt? All because of her.

Leroy stepped forward, his tone stiff and formal. "Sir, Mr. Nelson is waiting for you in the study."

Dan didn''t bother with polite small talk. "What about her?"

His tone made it clear-if that woman was there, he wasn''t going in.

Leroy replied, “Mrs. Nelson is in the infirmary with Ms. Leanne."

Mrs. Nelson. Adelle.

Leanne Nelson and Ivanna Nelson-the Nelson siblings'' biological mother.

She was also Derek''s one true love, the one he risked everything to protect, even

if it meant marrying Dan''s mom andter Lacey under false pretenses.

Not "marrying"-he conned them. Both women had no clue Adelle existed until after the wedding bells.

And that woman survived because those two women had been duped.

Hearing Adelle wasn''t around, Dan gave a derisive snort and headed inside.

The study.

Dan walked in and was met by Derek''s re-cold, venomous, like a snake ready to strike.

An ashtray came flying at him. Dan dodged, smirking with that signature rebellious grin What''s the matter Didn''t expect causing trouble for Lacey would blow up this much?"  s

On the drive back, Dan had picked up thetest news: Hull himself had shown up

at ck Gate. Not just for Susanna, but for Lacey, too.

And Yvonne? She''d put out word loud and clear: "Anyone at ck Gate who

touches Susanna is dead meat." She named names.

Hull and Yvonne. The muscle behind them? Ronald.

Derek had spent years avoiding any run-in with the Quinn family. He''d walk on eggshells so as not to piss off Ronald.

And now, thanks to Dan bringing Lacey back-and Susanna vanishing-he''d triggered a full-blown confrontation with Ronald.

Derek''s face was red, a vein

throbbing at his temple. "Do you hate me that much? Enough to drag outsiders in b?re just to see ck

Gate burn

s

In Derek''s mind, Dan''s every action was some scheme to destroy ck Gate, using outside forces.

After all, this time, they''d gone straight for Ronald...

Dan didn''t answer.

He just pulled out a chair and sat down across from Derek, meeting his re.

Derek''s scowl only darkened. "Dan, no matter how bad things get between us, it''s family business. And you "

Dan cut him off, face like stone. "It''s only ''family business'' if you actually treat me like family. Am I your family, Derek?"

Family business. Dan almostughed. All these years, this was the first time Derek had ever called their mess "family business."

The sarcasm in his voice was sharp as a knife.

Derek''s eyes narrowed. "Did you take Susanna?"

The name rolled off Derek''s tongue with zero warmth-no trace of

father love. In fact, if soundnes

he wished Susanna had never existed.  s

like,

And that same coldness, Dan realized, had always been aimed at him too.fn9695 Fresh chapters posted on FιndＮovel/fn9695

Maybe, maybe Derek had cared for him once-before the truth came out, before the swap, before Dan was three.

But after that? Never again. From Dan''s earliest memories, Derek never treated him like a son.

Only Adelle''s children were his real kids.

“Susanna,” Dan echoed, a hollowugh in his voice. "Listen to yourself. You

sound like she''s a stranger."

Derek snapped, "Dan!"

His voice wasced with threat.

Dan shrugged. "What can I say? Right now, Mr. Miguel and Yvonne are convinced

ck Gate took her."

"If you can''t produce her, what do you think they''ll do to you? Especially—"

Dan let his words hang in the air, a razor''s edge of warning.