Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella) novel Chapter 953

Susanna didn’t wake until three in the afternoon. By the time Derek Murray arrived at her suite, the only thing waiting for him was an empty room.

Hull had whisked her away for some fun. Pure and simple—fun.

But even as they played, Hull hadn’t forgotten his business. He’d issued a flurry of orders behind the scenes, tightening the noose around Black Gate. In just a few hours, their rivals suffered staggering losses—enough to drive the entire Murray family to the edge of madness.

The surviving Black Gate elders were more vocal than ever in their disapproval of Derek. Under growing pressure, he held an emergency meeting, then stormed off to find his wayward daughter, desperate for her help.

But the only update he got was: “Susanna spent all morning sleeping, so Hull took her out to clear her head.”

Derek’s face went pale as chalk.

Black Gate was in a frenzy—every half hour brought new reports of devastation, the kind that made Derek’s heart flutter in his chest. He couldn’t even bear to tally the damages. The mere thought might give him a heart attack.

He was burning with urgency, and what did he hear? Susanna and Hull had gone out… for a little relaxation.

Right then and there, Derek honestly wished he’d never had the troublesome daughter who now seemed hellbent on driving him mad.

“How long will they be gone?” he demanded, barely containing his temper.

Barnaby only shrugged. “Who knows? Susanna’s got Hull wrapped around her little finger. If she feels like shopping or spending a few hours at the spa, they might not be back until midnight.”

That did it. Derek’s last thread of composure snapped.

Midnight!

Here he was, frantic to halt Black Gate’s losses—ready to do anything to stop the bleeding—while his daughter went shopping and soaked in hot springs like she didn’t have a care in the world.

He glared, fists clenched, fighting the urge to explode at Barnaby. Finally, he gave up and stormed out of the hotel, snapping at Caden to track Susanna and Hull down, fast.

Inside the hotel, Silas gave Barnaby an incredulous look. “You know you’re just twisting the knife, right? That was on purpose.”

Caden’s search finally paid off: Hull and Susanna had been tracked to the mountain, a ski resort over sixty miles outside Litamark. Hull had taken Susanna skiing—as if they were on vacation.

“Drive. Now. Take me there.” Derek growled.

A hundred kilometers. Frustrating, but not impossible.

Caden just nodded. “On it.”

Ever since Susanna wound up with Hull, Derek had pulled every string he could to see her. Just before he’d left Blacktower, Adelle had softened and told him gently, “Bring her home. I’ll accept the girl.” Remembering the look of hurt on Adelle’s face, Derek felt his guilt deepen.

Susanna dashed through the snow, laughing and light and quick, like a little rabbit darting between drifts.

“This is incredible! Who would have thought I’d find snow here? I always assumed this region never saw a flake.”