Stella just couldn't get a straight answer.

Hull quipped, "Star, you're starting to sound like Finley with all those questions."

Finley, caught in the crossfire, felt his temper rise.

Stella was exasperated. She just wanted to know how Susie is doing!

"Can I at least talk to Susie for a minute?"

Talking to Hull was getting her nowhere. Maybe Susanna herself could shed some light on the situation.

Ronald interjected, "Pass the phone to Susanna."

Hull replied, "She's already passed out."

Stella was speechless. What on earth had happened to scare Susanna so badly?

Ronald exchanged a few more words with Hull before ending the call. The gist was to go easy on Susanna. Stella looked at Ronald with big, worried eyes. She couldn't help but feel anxious about her friend.

Ronald gently tousled her hair. "Don't worry. She was probably with Hull when they ran into the Doyne family." During one of Hull's missions, no less. It wasn't hard to imagine how Susanna might have fainted from the shock.

...

Meanwhile, in the car, Susanna was curled up under Hull's laps, refusing to budge no matter what happened.

Hull's large hand reached out to her. "Get up."

Susanna's eyes welled up with tears. She shook her head.

Hull's expression darkened. "Do you plan on staying under my laps forever?"

Susanna was horrified.

Hull grabbed her slender wrist, trying to pull her upright, but Susanna couldn't bring herself to move.

The car windows had been riddled with bullet holes. Sitting up felt anything but safe.

"I... I just want to stay right here."

"Susanna," Hull's voice grew stern.

"I want to go back to Portis City! I want to go home!" she cried, desperation overwhelming her.

In a strange place, caught in such chaos, who wouldn't feel like losing their mind? Right now, Susanna just wanted the comfort of home. At

least when at home, she'd feel safer.

Hull chuckled softly. "Ms. Tucker, have you thought about how you ended up in Ferrowland in the first place?" Susanna looked confused.

Hull continued, "If I had to guess, something must have happened in Portis City, right?"

Born and raised in Portis City, her sudden appearance in Ferrowland was suspicious. Especially with mother being a formidable businesswoman amidst the

cutthroat world of coavel.ne

Susanna had shown up in Ferrowland out of the blue, chased by people even at the airport. It was hard to believe she wasn't fleeing from something.

Susanna's breath hitched as she stared at Hull through her teary eyes.

Hull's hand remained extended. "Get up. You're safe now."

"Are we really safe?" Susanna's voice trembled.

Suddenly, it felt like nowhere was truly safe for her.

Hull wasn't exactly skilled at comforting women. In fact, he found tears quite bothersome.

If Susanna hadn't been Stella's best friend, and if Ronald hadn't instructed him to take care of her, he probably would have tossed this wailing woman out of the car by now. "Alright, it's not a big deal, no need to keep crying."

Susanna uttered, "Not a big deal?"noveldrama

Upon hearing Hull's comments, Susanna felt her emotion break down, tears pouring down incessantly.

Hull's head ached as he saw her sniffing and whining. "Alright, it is a huge deal, you've been startled by this. But we're safe now."

Susanna still wasn't convinced. Her

recent hours had been under a hail of bullets. She couldn't bring herself to trust Hull's current assurances of safety or couldn't even remember

what safety felt like amber

At the sight of her still in tears, Hull's patience ran out. "If you cry one more time, I'm throwing you out right away."

It worked like a charm. In an instant, Susanna fell silent.

And then she fainted.