The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 526

"Wait, Brenda’s spilling the scoop about her drama with Jordan. She added me to vent," Cordelia said, glancing back at her phone.

[Is Mr. Evans with you?] Brenda texted.

[Yeah.]

[Hand him the phone. I need him to have a word with Jordan.] Brenda instructed.

Cordelia pondered, “This is kinda awkward. Sure, Jordan used to be under Ronan's wing back in the day, but that's history. Why should Ronan step in now? Plus, it was Ronan who got Jordan locked up. Jordan must absolutely loathe him by now.”

Ronan caught her daydreaming and asked, “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Brenda messaged me,” she said, toweling off her hair and giving Ronan a play-by-play.

There was a certain electric charge in the air, a tension that spoke of recent intimacy. In Cordelia’s hesitant gaze, one might sense an intimacy of her own, a reluctance to voice certain thoughts.

“Who?” Ronan furrowed his brow, clearly not recalling Brenda immediately, and then he grunted in recognition, “What’s up with her?”

“Remember Jordan? Brenda says he’s totally clinging to her now, not just in bed, but he’s shacked up at her place. She wants you to talk some sense into him.” Cordelia gestured with her phone, implying the decision was Ronan’s to make.

“So kick him out and get a new place. Simple,” Ronan concluded, settling into the couch and massaging his temples. “Since when does sleeping over mean moving in? I mean, we've crashed together plenty, but have I ever overstayed my welcome?”

Cordelia just rolled her eyes at him. “But isn't that like handing over her place to Jordan?” Cordelia’s voice edged with concern.

“What’s the rush?” Ronan looked up at her. “If he’s staying, he’ll get bored eventually. It’s up to Brenda to cut the cord. Jordan’s the type who…”

She realized that Ronan was like a novel with no end—a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. As she grew older, he only became more unfathomable.

“I needed to secure a piece of land back then. Jordan’s father-in-law was the gatekeeper. I handed Jordan a sweet gig; his father-in-law got the message loud and clear.” Ronan’s eyes bored into Cordelia, gauging her reaction.

As expected, she was taken aback. Ronan’s moves were always calculated, always purposeful. “And after that?” she probed further.

“After that, Jordan’s ambition outstripped his talent. Embezzlement. I took him down just as his father-in-law kicked the bucket. By then, Emerson had finished his stint on Wall Street,” Ronan said with detached calm.

“So, were you setting up Emerson to take over from the get-go? Then what was with the job posting?” Cordelia’s eyes widened in surprise.

Ronan chuckled, “You don’t get it. Recruiting is all about the buzz—it's like a live ad.”