The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan)

Chapter 504

Back in the day, there were things Petra couldn’t pull off, no matter how hard she tried, but now, with

this little boy, she was managing them with ease.

The last time, she was desperate to get Jayson sick, so she stripped his bed of blankets in the dead of

night, locked his door, and left him shivering without his pajamas. She let him cry, refusing to give him

any warmth. She reasoned that the kid wasn’t hers. He was the son of a criminal. She had no

expectations of future gratitude, so she might as well make use of him now.

This time, she claimed the boy had accidentally dialed Ronan’s number, but in truth, she'd nudged him

to do it. Thanks to the kid, she was now getting more face-to-face time with Ronan—growing closer.

Ronan swung by Petra's place. The moment Jayson saw him, he clung to his legs, chanting, "Daddy,

Daddy."

"I'm not your daddy, got it?" Ronan was irked by the persistent use of "Daddy."

Jayson glanced at Petra. "Sweetie, Uncle Ronan isn't your dad," Petra corrected gently.

"I was just about to hit the market. Wanna come along?" Petra offered.

Jayson kept tugging at Ronan’s hand. "Come with us, Uncle Ronan, please?"

"I might not be around for dinner, but let's get out for a bit. Kid needs some fresh air," Ronan

suggested.

Though slightly disappointed, Petra maintained her cheerful disposition. "Alright, let’s head down to the

community garden."

The three of them made their way to the small garden below. To the unsuspecting eye, they looked like

a family.

Jayson, holding Ronan’s hand, wanted to pick flowers for his mom, but it was winter, and the park was

barren. Instead, he found a pretty leaf and placed it in Petra’s hair.

"You’re making a fool of mommy with that leaf," Petra said with a motherly smile.

"It looks nice on you, Mommy."

Petra seemed skeptical of the child's praise and looked to Ronan for confirmation. "Does it look good?"

"It's not bad."

"Mr. Evans, what brings you here?" came a voice from nearby. Ronan looked up to see Harold chatting

with Samantha, holding a basketball.

Harold had run into Samantha on his way to the gym. She had poured her heart out to him and even

shed tears over her dwindling acting opportunities.

"Come here." Ronan motioned to Harold with a slight frown.

Samantha thought, “Ronan must be telling Harold to stay away from her. If I can't be happy, neither will

he.” She took out her phone, ready to snap a photo of Ronan and Petra to send to Cordelia.

"Did Cordelia mention anything to you?" Ronan asked Harold.

"About what?"

"To keep your distance from Samantha?"

"Not yet. I have her class tomorrow, and she hasn’t reached out privately," Harold replied.

"Samantha's up to no good. You'd do well to avoid her."

"But why? Isn't she Cordelia's cousin?"

Jayson returned, hugging Ronan's leg and breaking his concentration. Ronan excused himself back to

Petra. Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Harold went back to Samantha.

"What did he say?" she prodded.

"Oh, nothing much. Just stuff about my mom. Listen, cuz, I gotta bounce and hit the court."

"Sure," Samantha replied, visibly deflated.

After Harold left, Samantha didn’t move right away. She hid, watching Ronan and Petra, waiting for the

perfect moment to capture a seemingly intimate photo to send to Cordelia.

"I’ve got to run," Ronan said, checking his watch.

Petra, holding the child’s hand, casually glanced at Ronan’s watch. "What time is it?"

"After four."

"I've got plans tonight. Gotta head over to Grandpa's. Did you get the money I transferred?" Ronan

asked Petra.

"Yeah, I got it. Thanks, Ronan."

From Samantha's vantage point, the two appeared to be kissing. She quickly snapped several clear

shots, and then another of them with the child. They looked like the perfect happy family.

Samantha sent the photos from her Messenger to Cordelia's old phone.