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

Chapter 23

Lorna clutched her chest as if struck by an unseen blow.

Sanderson opened his mouth to speak, but Lorna's slight shake of her head stopped him in his tracks.

Steward furrowed his brows, "What in the world is this mess?"

Laurinda seized the chance to sneer, "Look at that, typical wild child. Shameless and brazen. She is barely out of school and has already kept a toy boy. That guy running a small store must be ruffian from the block."

Juliana, taken aback by this sudden twist, lost her earlier fury. "Cordelia, tell me you're not this upset over Hanley calling off the engagement? You've only been back a few days, and you're already picking up boyfriends? Even if you're upset, you can't just debase yourself like that..."

"Shut up!" Juliana was about to retort when Lorna suddenly bellowed, startling her into silence.

Lorna, always gentle and unassuming, rarely made her presence felt at home. This was the first time Juliana had seen her so enraged.

Lorna spoke with uncharacteristic firmness, all for Cordelia's reputation. "It's perfectly normal for Cordelia to have a boyfriend. Why do you speak so vilely? Believe me, if I insist on not calling off the engagement and making a big fuss, even for the sake of appearances, the Foster family wouldn't dare break it off! The engagement would still be Cordelia's! It has nothing to do with you!"

Juliana, frightened, widened her eyes and edged closer to Laurinda. "Granny, look at her!"

Laurinda, about to intervene, was silenced by Lorna's piercing gaze. "And Mom, you call Lia a wild child, but how does that hurt Sanderson? You better not repeat such words, or people might think

the Delaney family lacks proper upbringing. You can dislike Lia if you want, but do you want to tarnish Juliana's reputation as well?" All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Laurinda was struck dumb.

Lorna took a deep breath. Her past tolerance only emboldened Laurinda. For Lia's sake, Lorna had to be strong.

Lorna then looked to Steward. "Dad, the Delaney family rose to prominence with you. Outsiders say we lack depth, so we must watch our words. Being loud doesn't equate to having substance. We don't want to become the laughing stock, labeled as the less civilized rich."

Steward, who prided himself on the family's dignity, was hit hard by her words.

The only one with aristocratic roots was his second son’s wife, Rachel, but she and his second son, Kermit, were always abroad, leaving Laurinda to run the household.

Reflecting on her recent actions, Steward spoke decisively, "Lorna, Laurinda is getting on in years. Let her enjoy her retirement. Sanderson will soon take my place, and you should start adopting the stance of supporting the Delaney family."

He was passing the reins of the household to Lorna.

Laurinda erupted, "Steward, how dare you..."

"That's final!" he declared, settling the matter.

That dinner, Juliana and Laurinda lost their appetites, while Cordelia remained unbothered, finishing her meal before returning upstairs to continue studying.

Sanderson and Lorna entered their bedroom, Sanderson was etched with worry. "Why wouldn't you let me ask? Lia is so naive. She could be getting duped!"

Lorna sighed, "We've missed eighteen years of her life. Teenage romance isn't right, but an overreaction won't help. Besides, it's just dating, not an engagement. Many high school sweethearts don't last. Let's observe patiently."

Sanderson, suppressing his anxiety, spoke solemnly. "I don't expect our daughter to achieve greatness. We've earned enough for her to live safely. I just want her to be happy. If she likes this boy so much that she's upset when they're apart, we shouldn't interfere too much."

"Okay." Later, Lorna left the room.

Sanderson called after her, "Where are you going?"

Lorna tilted her head slightly with pride, "On my first day as head of the household, Lia will have nutritious soup tonight!"

Sanderson was left speechless... He was totally ignored by his wife when their daughter came back!

The next day, Cordelia joined her parents on a trip to Mathilda’s house.

After a three-hour drive, they arrived at a small city.

Mathilda had retired and moved back to their hometown for a peaceful life next to a city hospital. As they walked toward the residential building, Lorna explained, "After Lacy fell ill, they both retired and returned home to recuperate."

Cordelia nodded in understanding.

Mathilda and Lacy's apartment was a modest three-bedroom with simple mahogany furniture. A large bookcase stood against the wall, and an unfinished calligraphy piece lay on the table, signifying a family of scholars.

As they entered, Mathilda hushed them and whispered, "The psychologist is with your grandpa right now. Let's wait a moment."

Cordelia nodded, sitting down with Lorna in the living room.

Soon, a young man in a crisp white shirt and pants emerged from a room.

The moment he stepped out, Cordelia felt as if all the light in the room centered on him.

He had a refined air, with soft features and gold-rimmed glasses that exuded reliability, a stark contrast to the dangerous aura of Everard.

Mathilda introduced him, "This is Dr. Adams, only 26 and already a renowned psychologist. Lacy's condition hasn't worsened over the past year, thanks to Dr. Adams' weekly sessions."

Lorna clearly knew him and thanked him with a smile, "Dr. Adams, we appreciate everything."

Adjusting his glasses, his elegant fingers complementing the gold frames, Dr. Adams glanced at Cordelia before responding with a warm smile, "You're welcome. I should be going now."

As he picked up his medical bag to leave, Cordelia blurted out unexpectedly, "I'll walk Dr. Adams out."

After uttering those words, she quickened her pace to follow.

As they waited for the elevator, having closed the door behind them, Dr. Adams chuckled, his voice warm and rich, "Last time I visited the orphanage, the director mentioned you had been taken away

by your birth parents. It's quite the coincidence to bump into you again."

Cordelia's deep-set eyes calmly met his, "Louie, what are the odds."

Louie Adams had made it his routine over the past couple of years to visit the orphanage periodically, offering his help to the introverted children.

Cordelia wasn't much for socializing and her demeanor was often detached. The director had once asked Louie to conduct a psychological evaluation on her. The results came back normal. After that, each visit to the orphanage included a brief chat between the two of them.

He was, in a way, Cordelia's only friend outside.

At the sight of her thoughtful expression, Louie gently patted her head, "What's on your mind? You seem troubled."

He waited patiently for her to speak.

Two seconds later, she replied, "Louie, is there really such a thing as hypnosis in this world?"

The curse "love or die" seemed too fantastical. Cordelia pondered over it and began to suspect she had been hypnotized or subjected to some form of psychological suggestion.

To her, Louie was a trustworthy psychologist, and she had this vague feeling that he might have some answers for her.