Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

With those words, the entire diner fell into an uneasy silence.

Susanna kept her head down, feeling Hull's oppressive aura. She didn't dare to meet his gaze.

Just the thought of the incident gnawed at her insides. It wasn't just about the missing clothes. It was the haunting question of what might have happened afterward. She needed answers, or it would eat away at her.

Time ticked by, second by agonizing second. The tension in the diner remained palpable.

When Hull didn't respond, Susanna's anxiety spiked, and she hesitantly lifted her gaze. Timidly, she met Hull's eyes.

When their eyes locked, she quickly looked away, her heart pounding.

Hull's stare was intimidating. Especially with that tattoo on his neck, he exuded a sense of danger. Susanna swallowed hard. "Um, I just want to know who undressed me."

Hull's response was curt. "Is it that important?"

Susanna was shocked. "What do you mean?"

She looked up at Hull again, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She felt so wronged. She'd never been treated this way. The situation was unlike anything she'd ever encountered. Being bullied like this by a man was something she'd never imagined possible.

Hull finally admitted, "I took them off. So what?"

Susanna froze, her tears held in suspension.

"Is there a problem?"

"Isn't there?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"What do you want to do about it?" Hull's tone was sharp and dangerous, his presence overpowering her into silence.

Like at the airport, he had taken such liberties, and she hadn't dared to say anything.

And now, it was the same story.

Feeling utterly defeated, Susanna lowered her head and poked at her bowl of mac and cheese.

"Nothing." Her voice was full of resignation. Her actions seemed more about avenging her dignity than eating.

Hull chuckled softly, "With a figure like yours, I wouldn't bother even if you were gift-wrapped." Susanna was stunned.

Wouldn't bother?

The gossip Stella had shared flashed through her mind, and when she looked at Hull again, surprise overtook her fear.

Hull set down his whiskey glass, his gaze piercing. "What's that look for?"

"Nothing, nothing at all!" Susanna shook her head quickly.

So, all those things Stella had mentioned were true, right? At least that meant she was safe. He wasn't interested in her.

Still, that didn't mean it was okay to strip people's clothes off. Just because he wasn't interested didn't give him the right to undress her Even if he weren't, if others found out he'd seen her, it wouldn't matter whether Hull could get it up.

"Just don't take my clothes off again," she said, turning slightly in her seat with her bowl. Hull raised an eyebrow. "Again?"

Susanna's face flushed. What had she just said?

Her already frazzled mind was now a complete jumble.

"No. Just don't do it again," Susanna mumbled.

Seeing her like a scolded kitten, Hull chuckled softly but said nothing more.

His laughter echoed in Susanna's ears, carrying a weight of unspoken meaning.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Cyrus Isle, Xander had put Bernie through hell, leaving him in a state where he could not stand or sit. Eventually, he handed Bernie to Bernie's brother, Bert. Over the years, after the Schultz family incident, Shawn believed Xander's ruthlessness had peaked But with Bernie's suffering, Shawn witnessed once more that Xander's ruthlessness truly knew no bounds.

All because Bernie harbored dirty thoughts about Stella, Xander had nearly taken his life. And that was only because of Bert's intervention.