Derek practically roared the last sentence. To believe Lacey would be too cruel a fate to bear. He couldn't fathom that his years of success and his seemingly perfect, harmonious family were all just a complete and utter joke.

"You're trying to take over Black Gate now, aren't you? Isn't that your revenge?" he accused.

Lacey scoffed internally. Did she look like she had that much free time?

"Lacey, become the permanent Matriarch of Blacktower," Derek pleaded, his tone shifting wildly from hysterical to desperate. "You'll own half of Black Gate. Just stop what you're doing, please?" It was clear the pressure had finally broken him.

Lacey let out a cold laugh. "The Matriarch of Blacktower? Do you really think I give a damn about that? I'm going to be the one in power at Black Gate! What good is being a Matriarch? Adelle sat in that position for years as your 'true love,' and didn't she fall from grace all the same?"

This was a lesson for all women: don't let love cloud your judgment. Broaden your ambitions, open up your horizons.

Without waiting for Derek to say another word, Lacey hung up the phone. She turned to find Susanna still eating.

"Aren't you full yet?" she asked. Susanna had been eating nonstop while she was on the phone. How much meat had she consumed?

"Not really! What did he say, Mom? Did he ask you to go back and be the Matriarch of Blacktower?"

“Hmph! So small-minded," Lacey sneered, glancing pointedly at Susanna as she spoke.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just looking at how much you're eating."

Susanna fell silent.

Lacey's gaze then drifted down to Susanna's stomach, making her skin crawl. "Mom, why are you staring at me like that?"

"I don't know," Lacey said slowly. "I just have a feeling something's going on here."

Meanwhile, the situation at Black Gate was just as chaotic. Lacey had barely arrived at Blacktower, and her first confrontation with Derek had already landed him in the hospital.

Things were no better for Uriah Horner. He had tried to use his influence in Yoreland to get Leslie released, but his efforts had been utterly fruitless. He finally learned that Ronald was involved, which meant Tegan had been telling the trúth-she couldn't help him. He had to go through Stella.

Stella's wedding was in three days. It had been postponed because Yvonne hadn't returned, but now Yvonne was back and causing chaos within the Schultz family, which didn't stop her from helping Stella with the wedding

preparations.

When Uriah called, Stella was firm. "This is non-negotiable, Uriah. Leslie broke the

law. It's out of my hands."

"Out of your hands? Then tell Ronald

to pull his men off the case!" he

snarled. How could she claim she had no say when Ronald had so

many people monitoring the situation was

eine

it precisely Ronald's

interference that was blocking his every move.

Uriah's chest heaved with anger. He was getting desperate, especially after Helena told him that Leslie had been seriously injured.

"I can't control that either," Stella replied coolly.

Uriah felt like he was about to explode. Ever since he had found Tegan in Yoreland, that was the main excuse she had given him. Now Stella was saying the same thing.

“Stella, don't push me too far!" Uriah warned, his voice laced with a dangerous threat.

Before she could respond, he added, "Tegan told me I had to talk to you about this."

"I really can't be the one to make the decision," Stella said with a pout. Just because Tegan said so didn't make it true. As far as she was concerned, the answer was no.

"Then tell me who I need to talk to!" Uriah demanded, his frustration mounting. One person said it wasn't their problem, the other said they couldn't do anything. Were they just passing the buck?