Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)
Chapter 94

Talking about her dad, she just couldn't muster any feelings. It was probably just a matter of getting used to it, so it didn't really matter to her if he was around or not. "Alright, let's drop the gloomy topics, shall we? Let's talk about Yorick and the Larkin family instead."

Stella said, "That's just another can of worms."

And indeed, it was. Whenever she and Susanna delved into family matters, it inevitably led to some unpleasant characters.

Susanna popped a piece of bland, tasteless mushroom into her mouth. For someone who'd always had a penchant for spicy foods, this was disappointingly flavorless.

"I gotta warn you, though, Jaxon is a real piece of work. And Yorick, he's totally lost it over Ursula. They're definitely going to try and sabotage your studio." Susanna wasn't too worried about the overt attempts; after all, Stella had a brother watching her back. But the underhanded schemes? Those were a different story.

And then there was Ursula, the angelic bitch with a knack for manipulation as well as other foul moves.

Stella knew exactly what Susanna meant, "Don't worry, I'm prepared for whatever they throw my way."

Hearing Stella's confident response, Susanna felt relieved. Their adversaries were desperate, likely to resort to any dirty trick in the book. But Stella was different; she was ready and waiting. If they tried anything, they were just digging their own graves. "That's the spirit."

Susanna nodded in agreement, "And remember, if you need anything from me, just say the word. I'm not afraid of them."

Despite the Quarry family being the most prominent family in Portis City, Susanna had grown up fearless, a trait nurtured by her mother, Lacey.

Lacey rarely had time to be with her, but whenever someone complained to her about Susanna's actions, she'd simply retort, "What's done is done. What can I do about it?"

In essence, she didn't meddle in her daughter's affairs, but when someone attempted for trouble, she'd act tough, the epitome of a protective mother bear.

Stella chuckled, "Got it."

Lunch was over. As they were about to leave, the driver, having been standing not far, approached, "Mr. Quinn is waiting outside."

Susanna raised an eyebrow at Stella, saying with a smile, "He really is quite the protective brother, isn't he? Does he monitor how much you eat too?"

The question immediately brought

to Stella's mind the numerous dinner times when Ronald would call just to ensure she hadn't overeaten. Most people worry about their family not eating enough, but he was the opposite.

Susanna's lips twitched at Stella's silence, "He really does, huh?"

Stella nodded, "He really does."

Susanna's eyes sparkled with envy, "I'd take a hundred brothers like that and still want more." Stella just went speechless.

A hundred? She wondered if

Susanna had ever considered what it'd be like to face a classroom of first graders, all demanding attention at once. It'd be a flood of questions and demands, enough to get overwhelmed.

...

As Stella got into the car, she was immediately enveloped by the familiar, luxurious scent. She glanced cautiously at Ronald, "Did you come just to pick me up?" "Have you eaten?" Ronald responded.

"Yeah, I did."

"Then let's head back?" he said, and in the next moment, he had her sitting on his lap.

Stella tensed up instantly. Now that she was older, being carried around by Ronald just felt awkward, especially after last night's incident. She felt even stiffer now.

His rough fingers gently grazed her lips, "Why are they so swollen? Was that bug really that bad?"

At his words, Stella's mind buzzed uncomfortably. For some reason, she felt there was more to his question than met the eye.