The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 525

Cordelia's Messenger app pinged with a notification. Someone had sent a friend request. The verification message simply read. [Brenda.]

Cordelia was surprised. It had been ages since she'd last been in touch with Brenda. No sooner had she accepted the request than Brenda let loose a barrage of texts. [Cordelia, what's the big idea? You come back from overseas and don't even drop me a line? Are you too high and mighty with your fancy PhD now? You can't even pop by for a visit? If it weren't for Marian sneakily sending that dating ad to Mr. Evans, I wouldn't have had a clue you were back! How could you?]

Cordelia chuckled when she saw the messages. Since she was no longer going out, Cordelia didn't bother drying her hair. She dabbed at her damp locks with a towel as she texted Brenda back. [Been swamped with teaching at Birchwood College. You know how it is - research, tenure reviews. I thought about visiting, but I didn't want to make a promise I couldn't keep. How are you, anyway? Embracing the spinster life?]

[Don't even start. I'd happily be single, but Jordan's moved into my place.]

[Who?] Cordelia nearly forgot who that was.

Jordan, the former finance director, her old boss.

[You forgot? Your ex-big-shot boss. Dude got jailed for three years, got out, and his wife took him to the cleaners - house, money, kids, the whole nine yards. He's like a lost puppy. I ran into him one day, and the next thing I knew, he was at my place. Before I knew it, we... you know. Now he’s practically a househusband, cleaning and cooking. I say jump, and he asks how high. But why on earth should I settle for someone's hand-me-downs?]

Clearly, Brenda was seething, looking to vent, yet seemingly trapped.

Trapped, much like Cordelia herself in a way. Cordelia didn't know the specifics, and it wasn't her place to judge, especially since Jordan had once pursued Brenda. Besides, Brenda had remained single all these years.