The Contracted Ever After novel Chapter 507

At Empower Operations, all the execs making the trip were from their own ranks. The headquarters of Lumos Enterprises was nestled in the heart of Millstone, and though they were keen on visiting, the vast distance posed a challenge.

Peter was there, waiting, with a massive blueprint hanging on the wall beside him.

Cordelia was stunned, and her gaze was fixed on the giant letters at the top. Edith Hills plot, Edith Hills phases one, two, and three, Edith Hospital, Edith Shopping Center… Her daughter's name was everywhere. It was then that the magnitude of what Ronan had accomplished dawned on her, and her anger toward him began to subside.

Clearly, Peter was thrilled, too. His hands trembled with excitement as he presented.

"The biggest residential development in Birchwood, Edith Hill. I've already started leasing spaces in the shopping center, and with our reputation, coupled with Lumos Enterprises' clout, I'm sure it'll be a hit. Moreover, if any of you execs are interested in purchasing a home here, we can offer a discount—anything from twenty-five to thirty percent off. It's a one-time offer, and once it's gone, it's gone. Plus, these are prime properties in the first phase, so you get first dibs," Peter said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "We're tentatively pricing these at fifty-six thousand per square meter, but with the discount, you do the math. First come, first served."

Cordelia had been tempted from the get-go, and was planning to buy a place once they hit the market. She hadn't expected Peter to offer them an inside deal so soon. She was itching to take the plunge but was strapped for cash.

Ronan had given her one hundred and fifty million, which she had stashed away in the bank, convinced that it wasn't really hers to spend. She calculated quickly. To buy a hundred square meters would cost her over four million, money she didn't have on hand.

After a moment's thought, she realized there was only one person who could lend her that kind of cash—Ronan. She stole a glance at him; he was still studying the blueprint intently.

On the drive back, Cordelia found herself unable to broach the subject of borrowing money, and instead stared out the window in silence.

Surprisingly, it was Ronan who broke the silence first. "Thinking of buying a house?"

"How did you know?"

Ronan chuckled, a knowing look in his eyes, as if amused by Cordelia's predictability. "When you passed up on the faculty housing, I figured Edith Hills had caught your eye."

Cordelia, her prowess deflated, still needed the loan. She figured if Ronan could lend to Petra, he could lend to her as well, even if she needed a bit more. After all, with her nearly two-million annual income, which he was aware of, she could definitely afford to pay him back.

"Could you lend me some money? I'll pay interest at the bank rate," she finally mustered the courage to ask.

"No."

Cordelia had planned to tell him that she would repay part of it with this year's Empower Operations earnings, and the rest with her research grant the following year, but before she could lay out her plans, he had already refused.

Feeling a sting in her pride, she asked Ronan to stop the car as they reached the school gates and hurried into Unity Hall. Ronan didn't follow her into the school.

As Cordelia made her way through the arcade toward Unity Hall, she spotted Petra basking in contentment.

Now, whenever the two women crossed paths, each harbored their own thoughts. Cordelia felt a pang of imbalance, knowing Ronan treated Petra’s child better than his own and had lent money to Petra but not to her. This contrast weighed on Cordelia. Petra's disregard for Cordelia had begun that fateful night at the hospital, when Cordelia had brought dinner, and the subtle intricacies of their relationship had been weaving ever since.