Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 813

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 Black Gate.

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

---

They pulled up to Blacktower.

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

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

Now, that feeling was long gone—home had become hostile, cold, and unwelcoming.

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

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

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 glanced 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 and later 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.

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 fatherly love. In fact, it sounded like he wished Susanna had never existed.

And that same coldness, Dan realized, had always been aimed at him too.

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 hollow laugh in his voice. “Listen to yourself. You sound like she’s a stranger.”

Derek snapped, “Dan!”

His voice was laced with threat.

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