The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 128

Cordelia turned around and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

Perhaps the effects of the anesthesia were wearing off and she felt uncomfortable all over; or perhaps her humiliation was so overwhelming that it overpowered her urge to pee. Suddenly, Cordelia felt a warm wetness between her legs.

Ronan looked down and saw it. "Stubborn!" He seemed to be at his wit's end with Cordelia's stubbornness, and he said in a frustrated tone.

Then he squatted down, took off Cordelia's pants, and started to wash her with the showerhead.

Cordelia had hoped to preserve some dignity, but now, it was impossible. The last shred of dignity she had hoped to maintain in front of Ronan was now shattered on the ground.

Cordelia was holding her IV drip as Ronan lifted her onto the bed and covered her with a blanket.

"Go back to sleep." he said to Cordelia.

Cordelia turned away and ignored him.

Ronan stayed up until Cordelia's IV was finished and then removed the needle.

Cordelia didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but when she awoke, her face was still wet with tears.

The next morning, Cordelia woke up to hear Ronan on the phone, "Bring her some clean clothes, underwear, bras, etc."

Cordelia pretended not to hear and continued to sleep.

Ronan didn't go to work all morning, and Cordelia couldn't pretend any longer, so she opened her eyes and spoke to Ronan. "Aren't you going to work?" she asked Ronan.

"The company can run without me," he replied.

A nurse came in to check Cordelia's temperature and change her bandages. The nurse also carried an electric razor on her tray.

"What's this?" Cordelia asked in confusion.

"An electric razor," the nurse replied.

"For me?"

"Well, how else are we going to stitch you up without shaving your hair off?" the nurse said, removing the bandages from Cordelia's head, changing her medication, and shaving her hair.

Brooklyn asked Cordelia how her wound was. Cordelia said it should be fine, and asked Brooklyn to check on her mom on Saturday. Brooklyn agreed.

Cordelia didn’t notice Ronan’s brow furrow slightly.

Cordelia had to stay in the hospital for a week and Ronan was with her all the time. On Sunday, Janice came to take care of Cordelia instead.

As Ronan was passing by Millstone Hospital, his car suddenly stopped. Cordelia would rather ask her good friend to visit her mom instead of bothering Ronan. Probably because she felt he had no obligation to do so, and he had never visited before. But Ronan suddenly wanted to visit Cordelia's mom.

He called the hospital director and asked for Shelley’s room number. He knew Cordelia's mom was Shelley, as he had helped her find a caretaker before.

Although Trina was the one he hired, due to his relationship with the hospital director and Dr. Devon, they didn't know each other. Ronan introduced himself as a friend of Shelley's, coming for a visit.

Trina went to the restroom to get some hot water to wipe Shelley's body; the sound of running water was loud.

Ronan looked at Shelley. She seemed to be in her sixties, with her eyes closed as if she had been cut off from the world for a long time.

Suddenly, Shelley's little finger moved. Ronan's brow furrowed slightly. Then, Shelley slowly opened her eyes, looked around, and her gaze fell on Ronan.