The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 651

Ronan flashed a grin as the car smoothly approached Birchwood. “I’ve got someone to meet first. Any objections, Miss Liu?” he asked Daniella through the rear-view mirror.

“Oh, no objections at all!” As the “second party,” she didn’t dare to show any dissent.

“Who are we meeting?” Emerson asked, still clueless about the purpose of their trip to Birchwood.

“An old classmate of my grandfather’s.”

“Does this visit have something to do with him?”

“Quit prying. We’re here. I've already made arrangements,” Ronan said, ending the conversation as he parked the car in front of a place called “Garden View Café,” a Western-style bistro chosen by Dustin which Ronan didn’t mind.

Emerson took a quick glance at the establishment, his brow slightly furrowing at its modest appearance. But stepping inside was like entering an oasis of nature, with chirping birds and fragrant flowers surrounding them.

Dustin was already waiting.

“Dr. Dustin, these are my two friends,” Ronan introduced Emerson and Daniella. “We’ve come to Birchwood on business, and it’s fine to speak in front of them.”

With a heavy sigh, Dustin lamented, “It’s a damn shame. Petra got arrested. Her kid’s been left without anyone to care for them, and the local station’s trying to find someone. Mr. Evans, in my opinion, you might as well take the child in yourself, but, of course, that’s just an old man’s two cents. You mentioned the kid’s leg injury and how she wouldn’t even cover the child at night. You’re right; the kid’s emotional issues aren’t innate—she brought them on. To be a teacher, and behave like that?”

Dustin banged his hand on the table, a picture of anguish. “The world’s going to hell in a handbasket, I tell ya!”

Before long, Dustin’s eyes brimmed with tears yet again.

Daniella, clueless about the situation and unfamiliar with the professor, just sat there dumbfounded, glancing at Emerson while trying to piece together who this “heartless” person could be.

“They got split up; Cordelia’s two students were assigned to me. My field isn’t exactly trust law, but I get it enough to supervise a grad student. It's a shame about Harold, though...” The old professor trailed off with a shake of his head.

Daniella dropped the forkful of coleslaw back onto her plate, wondering, What about Harold? Say something, will you? What’s with all the head-shaking?

“Harold’s doing alright these days,” Ronan said casually, holding a teacup.

What he left unsaid was that Harold was only doing well "now," implying that things hadn’t been so great in the past.

But Ronan’s intentions were becoming clearer to Emerson. Part of Ronan’s motive for coming to Birchwood was to look into Harold’s past, and who better to ask than Harold's esteemed former professor? Such a respected academic wouldn’t lie.

Emerson realized his brother was playing a long game, calculating each move with precision. Sitting there, he knew he didn’t need to say a word; he could simply reap the benefits of the unfolding situation.