Love or Die: CEO’ s Daily Dose of Swoon (Cordelia)

Chapter 24

The elevator arrived.

Cordelia and Louie stepped into the elevator together. As they descended, Louie adjusted his glasses, his face a picture of soft perfection without a single blemish. "Hypnosis exists, but it might not be what you're dealing with since I can't see any signs of it on you."

Cordelia widened her eyes, locked in thought. She trusted Louie's words, but if it wasn't hypnosis, then what could it be?

As they reached the ground floor, Louie chuckled, "Got a cell phone?"

Cordelia replied hesitantly, "...Yeah."

They exchanged a look before Louie sighed, "When someone asks if you have a phone, they usually want your number. Give me yours so we can keep in touch."

With a dawning realization, Cordelia slowly took out her phone and they swapped numbers. Lifting her head, she said, "Louie, see you around."

After Louie disappeared from sight, she turned and headed back upstairs.

Entering the apartment, Mathilda was lecturing Lorna, "...that's the way! If you keep backing down, she'll push you further. Ah, I never liked that Sanderson for you..."

Sitting nearby, Sanderson let out an awkward cough, signaling his presence.

Mathilda shot him a displeased glance but refrained from harsh words, instead waving Cordelia over, "Come on, let's go see your grandpa."

Cordelia nodded and followed Mathilda into a bedroom where Lacy with salt-and-pepper hair sat in a wicker rocking chair, soaking up the sun with his eyes closed.

Upon their entrance, Lacy opened his eyes. Upon seeing Cordelia, he looked puzzled but then smiled, "Lorna, I thought you were at college. What brings you home?"

Cordelia paused.

Mathilda sighed, "He's forgotten some memories, can only recall things from twenty years ago."

She turned to Lacy and introduced, "This is Cordelia, Lorna's daughter."

Lacy didn't freak out, instead he chuckled, "What are you trying to pull, you old witch? How could Lorna have a grown daughter like this?"

He seemed tired and, after his remark, dozed off in the chair.

At lunchtime, Lorna and Mathilda were busy cooking in the kitchen while Cordelia, kicked out to help, regretted not bringing her study materials.

With Sanderson taking Lacy for a stroll, Cordelia wandered the living room, aimlessly browsing the bookshelf until she stumbled upon a yellowed stack of papers filled with mathematical theorems. Fascinated, she began to read with gusto.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted, "Interested in that? Then it's yours."

She looked up to see Sanderson and Lacy returning.

Unbeknownst to her, she had been engrossed for an hour and a half.

Cordelia lit up her eyes, "...Thank you."

Lacy, famished, headed for the dining table, "I'm starving!"

They all sat down to eat, and by three o'clock were driving back home.

On the way, Cordelia felt a dull ache in her chest. Sitting up straight, she reflected on her relationship with Everard.

Lorna suddenly asked, "Lia, what are you thinking about?"

Cordelia turned, answering honestly, "My boyfriend."

Lorna was speechless.

Curious, Lorna probed further, "What do you like about him?"

Cordelia pondered, then looked at Lorna, confused. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Sensing her daughter's emotional lag, Lorna ventured, "Is he handsome?"

Cordelia thought of Everard's beautiful face, often shrouded in shadows, and nodded, "Yes."

Lorna was at a loss for words.

Was Cordelia just smitten with his looks?

From the driver's seat, Sanderson coughed, "Uh, Lia, do you have enough money?"

He suspected that Cordelia's boyfriend must have swindled a fair amount from her.

Contemplating this, Cordelia nodded, "Mhm, I have a hundred thousand left."

Sanderson was surprised, "...Didn't I only give you a hundred thousand?"

"Right."

"How much did you give your boyfriend?"

"Um, three hundred."

Silence filled the car again. After a while, Lorna asked in astonishment, "You only give him three hundred a week?"

Was she maintaining a pretty boy on such a meager sum?

Even after they had returned home and Lorna was still reeling from the shock, wanting to delve deeper, Cordelia had already retreated to her room, diving into her advanced math problems...

Cordelia spent Sunday buried in her studies, and soon Monday arrived.

As the car pulled up in front of Midnight Scent, Juliana glanced outside and sneered, "So that's why you've been getting dropped off here every morning last week. Chasing after your toy boy!"

Ever since she learned Cordelia's boyfriend was just the owner of a small store, Juliana's sense of superiority had returned. With her chin up, she boasted, "You know, Hanley had his pick of university scholarships in sophomore year, but he turned them down. He's aiming for Superiority College! They churn out elites in every field."

Scolded by Lorna, Juliana had become more subtle in her comparisons.

Unfortunately for her, Cordelia couldn't care less and headed straight into Midnight Scent.

Everard was still behind the counter, lazily reading a book. His deep eyes lifted to meet hers as she entered, and he set aside his book to head towards the dining area with practiced ease.

All was as it had always been.

Cordelia couldn't quite place the sensation, but she didn't ponder it, simply joining Little Fang and Everard for breakfast as usual.

Afterward, she sat clutching her chest, lost in thought.

Everard stood and leaned closer, his voice a low, magnetic timbre, "What's the matter? Can't bear to leave me?"

Cordelia cast a furtive glance at him, shaking her head before voicing her confusion. "My heart... it still kind of hurts."

Everard paused, a wry smile spreading across his face. His laughter was rich and magnetic, as if tendrils of sound were brushing against her heartstrings.

Without delay, he said, "Girl, give me your hand."

Cordelia, puzzled, extended her hand, which he promptly clasped firmly in his own.

She stiffened, momentarily dumbstruck.

His hand was large, engulfing her palm completely. It felt as though he held a warm ember in his grasp, the heat from his palm spreading up her arm, flushing her cheeks with warmth.

Just as she was about to muster some resistance, she heard him ask, "Does it hurt less now?"

Cordelia blinked in surprise. She tuned into her sensations and responded in astonishment, "Yeah, why?"

Everard chuckled. "Maybe just seeing each other every day isn't cutting it for romance anymore, so we need to hold hands."

Cordelia was bewildered as she pondered his words.

She inquired instinctively, "And what happens when holding hands doesn't cut it anymore?"