SWNOVELS Chapter 23
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?”
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 rin
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
re 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 observer 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 roorn.
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.
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As they waited for the elevator,
having closed the door behind them,
Dr. Adams chuckled, his voice warm
: « . en
and rich, “Last time I visited the
orphanage, the director mentioned
you had been taken away by your
5 ) :
birth parents. It's quite the
3 5 = Be
coincidence to bump into you again.
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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.
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: ) fr iff
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.
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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
13.09
Chouter 23
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?”
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The curse love or die seemed too
fantastical Cordelia pondered over it
and began to suspect the hypnotized
or subjected to some form of
psychological suggestion. The
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To her, Louis was a trustworthy psychologist, and she had this vague feeling that
he might have some answers for her