The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 511

“Why aren't you biting? Don't you have a discount here? Or maybe you're thinking of grabbing one of those faculty condos your school is throwing up? But let's be real, how can those match up to the homes we've got at Lumos Enterprises? We're talking top-notch finishes here. Besides, I bet those condos of yours don't even come with a proper deed, am I right? At the end of the day, they're cheap for a reason,” Emerson spoke with conviction as if he had the blueprints of life all figured out.

Cordelia chuckled lightly. “Yeah, no deed, non-transferable—that's why they're a steal. But look at you, scooping up properties like they're going out of style. You must be rolling in dough.”

“These past few years, I’ve been shadowing Ronan and made a killing. Don't underestimate your ex. Ronan’s got a shark’s instinct. Always gets the cream of the crop. I bet he's going to make a killing with this Birchwood deal—probably rake in billions.” Emerson seemed almost envious as he spoke.

It's true that making money from scratch was tough, but money making more money? That was the easiest trick in the book. And Cordelia never underestimated Ronan. His depth, his business acumen—they were always leagues above anyone else she knew. So high that she could barely see the summit.

So that matrimonial ad boasting an income over a billion—it had Ronan written all over it, didn't it?

If he penned it himself, wasn't that modesty a bit too...calculated? Perhaps he was just playing it safe, steering clear of trouble.

Several times, Cordelia had toyed with the idea of asking Emerson for a loan. After all, opportunities like this didn't come every day. But when the words reached her lips, they always retreated, unspoken. Besides, with all the real estate he was gobbling up, his funds were likely stretched thin.

Arriving at her apartment in Unity Hall, with a faculty meeting looming in the afternoon, Cordelia invited Emerson up for a quick sit-down before heading to Empower Operations together.

Surveying her simple, austere living space, with its abundance of books, Emerson remarked, “Never thought I’d see the day you turned into an academic.”

A fleeting thought crossed Cordelia's mind. Olen had once hoped Ronan would take the scholarly path, but it was she who ended up donning the mantle. Life’s twists and turns were truly unpredictable.