Chapter 539


    In the back of the taxi, Cordelia''s phone buzzed to life, revealing Ronan''s name on the screen. She


    pressed the phone to her ear, her voiceced with urgency. "Hey, Ronan, where are you?"


    He replied with a hint of nonchnce, "At school, looking for you. What''s up?"


    "I just left. Petra... she''s on a ledge at Empower Tower, threatening to jump. You need to get over here,


    fast!" Cordelia''s words tumbled out in a rush.


    "Jump? As in... off a building?" Ronan''s skeptical tone echoed through the speaker. "Is this for real?"


    "Who jokes about their own life, Ronan?" Cordelia frowned, her mind racing. He clearly didn''t know


    about the love letter scandal that had pushed Petra to this point. His casual demeanor grated on her


    nerves.


    "Empower Tower, you said?" Ronan didn''t push for details. He knew Cordelia had little faith in him at


    the moment.


    "Yeah."


    With the call ended, Cordelia urged the driver to step on it, her thoughts a whirlwind. Why would Petra


    choose Empower Tower of all ces? It was a stroke of terrible luck, and the scandal was linked to


    Ronan, which indirectly tied Cordelia to the mess. If Petra actually jumped, would Cordelia''s position at


    Empower Operations be jeopardized? How would Peter view her now?


    Cordelia had always had reservations about Petra, and now they were magnified. She knew Petra was


    sensitive, and the public shame might have been too much to bear. Everyone was talking about Petra''s


    crush on Ronan, which had been a secret until now. But despite Cordelia''s personal feelings, she


    remembered the kindness Petra had shown her: Petra had been the one to introduce her to Birchwood


    College and had always been good to her.


    Arriving at the base of Empower Tower, she spotted Peter clutching his briefcase with a look of sheer


    exasperation. He had been about to leave work when the news of a potential jumper had reached him.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    If someone were to jump from his building, not only would Empower Tower be marked by tragedy, but it


    could also cast a shadow over his entire Edith Hills development. "Of all the ces to choose for such


    an act," he muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed by the disruption.


    Cordelia, too preupied with trying to reach Petra, barely noticed Peter''s irritation. "Yeah, she''s my


    colleague," she said distractedly, dialing Petra''s number once again.


    Peter grumbled, "Why here, of all ces? There''s a whole town to pick from, and she has to bring the


    chaos to my doorstep."


    Cordelia couldn''t help but think how insensitive Peter could be.


    Unbeknownst to Cordelia, Samantha was lingering nearby. She had been staying at a hotel; her acting


    opportunities dried up since na had returned to Ennd, seemingly abandoning her. To add insult to


    injury, Harold, the young heartthrob she''d set her sights on, had enlisted in the military—a decision


    Samantha was convinced had something to do with Cordelia.


    Now that Harold was gone, Sienna felt relieved. She believed her daughter deserved far better than the


    unwanted attention. With Harold out of the picture, the tables had turned, and Samantha was the one


    fuming.


    Samantha sensed the opportunity to fan the mes of Peter''s frustration with Cordelia. "Cordelia, look


    at the mess you and Ronan have created. This woman is so aggrieved by your affairs that she''s


    contemting jumping, and she chose your workce to do it. Talk about making a statement,"


    Samantha said with a hint of glee, stirring the pot.


    Samantha wasn''t aware of the love letter incident flooding the school noticeboards. She knew Petra


    was a teacher but was oblivious to her rtionship with Cordelia. However, seeing Cordelia''s anxious


    demeanor, she jumped to conclusions, and, wanting to tarnish Cordelia''s reputation in front of Peter,


    she spun a tale of Petra choosing Empower Tower as her stage.


    Cordelia turned around, finally noticing Samantha. Her face darkened instantly. "Don''t spout


    nonsense!"


    But Peter seemed convinced. Why else would a university teacher, with the whole town to choose from,


    decide to end it all at Empower Operations? It had to be connected to Cordelia. Peter''s expression


    soured. If it weren''t for Cordelia''s rtionship with Ronan, he would seriously consider her future at


    Empower Operations.