The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 571

Cordelia clutched her smartphone, her world suddenly plunged into silence. Her mouth hung open, and she couldn't hear a thing.

What did he just say?

The hiss of static buzzed through her earbuds, neither of them uttering a word.

"Ronan, is it... is there something I did wrong? You can tell me," Cordelia's voice trembled.

"Do you really need to ask? Whose phone is this? Where are you?" Ronan pressed.

"I'm at Uncle Bob's place, staying with my mom. My phone lost signal, maybe from a drop. I was going to message you on Messenger but..." Her words trailed off into the void.

The line went dead.

He married Petra? How could that be...

Cordelia was convinced he was lying, definitely pulling some trick to get her back home.

It wasn't until her phone started burning her ear that she finally set it down.

Eason had been there the whole time, silently watching the drama unfold.

Seeing Cordelia end the call, looking stunned and scorched by her own phone, he stepped forward and took the device from her hand.

"What's wrong?"

Cordelia's mind buzzed, struggling to catch up with reality.

"He... He said he married someone else," Cordelia chuckled in disbelief, "He's gotta be kidding, right?"

"Married? That fast?" Eason's brow furrowed slightly.

"Yeah, who marries that quickly after being so close to me? He's definitely messing with me. I... I was planning to stay in the UK longer, but now I feel I have to go back. Because I know Ronan doesn't lie. He wouldn't make up a marriage just to trick me into returning," she struggled with the words, "Could you... Could you look after things here for me, and then..."

Her voice broke off as tears began to cascade down her cheeks, unstoppable like pearls off a snapped string.

Who he married didn't matter. The fact was: he was married.

As soon as she landed, her phone signal miraculously returned. She had thought it broken, ready to buy a new one due to the rush of her journey, but now, going straight home seemed the only option.

Ronan was lounging on the sofa, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers, Callum already asleep.

Noticing the smartphone in her hand, Ronan asked, "Phone's got signal again?"

"Yeah, no idea why. It was dead in the UK. Maybe the international roaming was weak. I don't really understand these things," she replied.

Ronan snorted derisively, as if to say 'yeah right'.

"Ronan, may I ask why?" Cordelia questioned with a pale face, "Did you really get married?"

Mocking her, Ronan retorted, "And your mom? Now that she's free, where is she? Or did you leave her with someone else to take care of for you?"

"Oh, I left her with Uncle Bob," Cordelia replied nervously.

With another cold snort, Ronan said, "Uncle Bob? Aren't you afraid you'll make him feel old? Weren't you supposed to be getting engaged?"