Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 1073

Her mother wanted Black Gate.

Hull had been right all along.

When Lacey called again, Susanna wasted no time in telling her about Derek’s demand for a paternity test. The moment she finished, the phone went dead silent.

“Mom? Mom?” Susanna’s voice broke the uneasy pause.

At last, Lacey replied with grim certainty, “You’re in trouble.”

“What?”

“The test will show you’re his daughter. He’s never going to let you go now.”

Susanna was floored. “Wait—weren’t you the one who swore up and down that I wasn’t his daughter?”

Hadn't Lacey always insisted—no matter the resemblance—that Susanna was absolutely not Derek's child? That was the entire reason Susanna agreed to the test: to kill his suspicions for good. And now?

“I did say that, and I meant it. You aren’t his daughter.”

“Then whose daughter am I?”

“Mine, obviously!”

Susanna resisted the urge to scream. Of course she knew who her mother was—that wasn’t the question. “Mom, come on! I want to know who my father is.”

“Well, it’s definitely not Derek!”

“Then how on earth is a DNA test going to say otherwise?”

There was a pause—Lacey hesitating as if she, too, couldn’t make sense of it. Which was supposed to be more reliable, a lab result or a mother’s word?

“To be honest... this is kind of awkward to explain.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m telling you, there’s no way Derek is your father. He and I… we were never intimate.”

Susanna’s brain spun. Never slept together, but a DNA test would say he was the father? She might have been naïve as a kid, but she was no fool now. “Mom, what are you talking about?”

Was she suddenly the dense one here? How could she exist if there’d never been anything between them? Where did she even come from?

Lacey sighed. “Look, this isn’t easy to explain. Maybe you should just get out of Litamark.”

“What, you want me to run away?”

“Then—what about you and Derek?”

“That’s a long, messy story. Not something I can explain right now.” In truth, she’d never been able to tell those two men apart—her eyesight wasn’t great, and twins were tricky—but she’d always been sure: Susanna wasn’t Derek’s.

Changing tracks, Lacey announced, “But don’t get too hung up about your dad being gone. I found you a new one.”

Susanna nearly gagged. Leave it to her mom to take something tragic and make it sound completely ridiculous.

“I never bothered looking before because none of them felt trustworthy. But I promise, this one’s legit.”

Lacey barreled on, “I know you always wanted a father—at least, you looked like you did—and I never made it happen for you. But lately I figured, life should be complete. You deserve a dad.”

“Mom, stop. That’s not—I mean, I really—”

“I’ve got it covered. Yesterday we got our marriage license. Don’t tell me you don’t want a dad now!”

Had she ever said she wanted a father? She honestly couldn’t remember. Sure, maybe as a kid she’d envied classmates with dads, but it was never a burning wish—and now she was way past the age. It’s not like she was five years old and desperately needed a father figure.

Lacey cleared her throat, all official. “And just so we’re clear—this deal is final. No take-backs.”

A cold shiver raced down Susanna’s spine. “Who is it?”