Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

Susanna Tucker was still racking her brain, trying to figure out exactly what Hull wanted as payment-and she was starving.

Hull hadn't left the house all day. By midnight, Susanna's stomach was growling so loud she couldn't take it anymore. She crept downstairs in search of something to eat.

And then...

It was way past midnight, but Hull was still up, standing in the living room with Silas. Looked like they'd just finished a conversation and were about to head upstairs.

Susanna had already made it down two steps before she saw them. Her heart leapt into her throat. She spun around, desperate to sneak back to her room before anyone noticed.

But she turned too fast. Her foot slipped. "Ahhh-!"

Her scream echoed throughout the whole damn house.

She lost her balance, arms flailing for anything to grab, but this time she wasn't lucky. Her body tumbled backward, straight down the stairs.

From the living room below, she heard a chorus of sharp intakes of breath, and someone yelling.

"Boss!"

With a thud, Susanna finally landed-but the pain she expected never came. Because she'd landed squarely on top of Hull.

Hull let out a low, pained grunt. Silas and Barnaby stared, mouths hanging open, frozen in shock.

Barnaby was the first to recover: "Holy-Susie, what the hell?!"

"What kind of beef do you have with our boss? If you wanna kill her, just say so!

No need to sugarcoat your murder attempts!"

Barnaby fumed as he helped haul Susanna to her feet.

Susanna's mind was ringing-completely blank. She barely noticed as Barnaby pulled her up; everything felt weirdly fuzzy.

Silas immediately rushed to Hull. "Boss, you alright?"

Hull's forehead was already beaded with sweat. "Call the doc," he ground out.

As soon as he said that, Barnaby rounded on Susanna, even more furious. "Seriously, who sent you here to take out our boss?"

"I swear, it wasn't me," Susanna whimpered, shrinking in on herself like a scolded puppy.

She felt like she couldn't explain herself if she had a hundred mouths. At this point, she was ready to just give up her dignity-and her legs, honestly.

Her hands, her mouth, her feet-whenever Hull was around, they all seemed determined to get her in trouble. She was completely at a loss.

Barnaby wouldn't let up. "Don't give me that. You totally are! I'm telling you, you're in deep."

Susanna: ""

"Last time you didn't manage to poison the boss, so now you're just gonna squash her? What's next, smother her in her sleep?"

Susanna: "..."

What kind of murder method was that supposed to be?noveldrama

Silas palmed his forehead, exasperated. "Barnaby, what are you even talking about?"

For a fleeting second, Silas almost regretted not insisting Hull send Susanna to stay with Dr. Finley. Maybe it really would've been safer.

With Barnaby going off on her and no way to defend herself, Susanna just started crying.

That only made Barnaby madder. "Oh, I see-now you're playing the victim? Wow, you're good."

Susanna's tears only flowed harder, her chin trembling.

The doctor and nurse showed up in no time.

Turns out, Hull had landed so hard that his not-yet-healed injury had split open again.

Everyone gathered in Hull's room-Silas, Barnaby, the doctor and nurse-while Susanna hovered anxiously in the doorway, peeking in every few seconds.

She tried calling Stella, but of course, got no answer.

An hour later, the doctor finally turned to Silas. "There's some significant trauma to the old injury. He'll need to take it easy."

Silas nodded. "Got it."

Barnaby shot a glare at Susanna, who was still peeking in with big, guilty eyes and a red nose from crying.

When the doctor finished giving instructions and left, Barnaby looked ready to start another tirade, but Silas just shoved him out of the room before he could get a word out.