Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

"Alright."

The housekeeper hurried to the kitchen to fetch Stella's breakfast she'd assumed Stella wouldn't be coming down and had just set it aside to keep warm.

Ronald stood up, took the plate from the housekeeper, and headed straight upstairs without a word.

Lottie let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, for heaven's sake."

She was about to lose her mind.

The butler stepped forward. "Don't worry, ma'am. The young master knows what he's doing."

If he hadn't said that, Lottie might have felt better, but the phrase "knows what he's doing" just made her head pound.

Did he really know what he was doing this time?

Upstairs, in the bedroom-

Stella was out cold, sleeping like a log. Ronald hadn't dared to wake her last night either; ever since she got pregnant, she'd been sleeping even more than usual.

"Sweetheart, wake up and get something to eat," Ronald coaxed softly.

Stella rolled over, mumbling, "Don't wanna."

She was so tired it felt impossible to open her eyes.

Ronald gently pulled back the comforter and scooped her up, his voice full of affection. "C'mon, be good. You're eating for two now, remember?"

Everyone always said the baby got its nourishment from the mother, and Ronald had been extra careful with Stella ever since.

Grumbling, Stella buried her face against his chest, whining, "You're such a jerk."

Ronald just chuckled, low and fond. "Yeah, I'm a jerk. So be good to me, will you?"

Stella still couldn't open her eyes, but Ronald knew she hadn't really eaten anything since they got back from the party last night. He was worried she'd get hungry, so he was determined to get some food in her.

Suddenly, Stella's phone started buzzing on the nightstand.

Ronald picked it up. "Your phone."

"You answer it," Stella mumbled. She'd never cared about privacy with her phone -if Ronald wanted to answer it, he could.

He picked up, but before he could say anything, a desperate male voice came through the line.

"Star, I'm waiting for you at the

Willow Bay Estates. Please, just let

me see you-just once," Yoriche

Quarry pleaded, sounding utterly defeated.

Ronald's affectionate expression instantly chilled, his eyes narrowing.

Willow Bay Estates was one of the most exclusive neighborhoods

capital-so Yorick had a place there, He was still hanging around then.

Yorick, not hearing Stella's voice, called again. “Star?”

The way he said her nickname made Ronald's eyes go cold.noveldrama

"What do you want with her?" Ronald's voice was icy.

A pause. "...Mr. Quinn?"

"I

the Quarry family would have at least a

little backbone," Ronale

said,

his e dripping with contempt.

Yorick sputtered, stunned, but before he could say another word, Ronald hung up.

Stella, hearing the name Yorick, was suddenly much more awake. Ronald looked down to find her staring up at him, wide-eyed.

He smirked, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Still keeping in touch with him?"

"No way," Stella grumbled. "I blocked every number from the old neighborhood. That jerk must've gotten a local number here."

"Don't worry. I'll have someone sort it out he won't have a number to call you from soon enough," Ronald replied, his voice calm.

Stella blinked. “Uh... is that really going to work?"

Ronald didn't answer. Instead, he used her phone to dial Idris.

Idris picked up almost immediately. "Miss?"

"It's me," Ronald said.

There was a beat, but Idris quickly caught on-Ronald often answered Stella's phone these days.

"Yes, sir?"

"Yorick's at Willow Bay Estates. Take care of it. He doesn't belong in this city," Ronald ordered.

"Understood, sir."

As soon as Idris heard the name Yorick in connection to their city, he knew exactly what Ronald meant.