Chapter 556


    The next morning, the two set off at the crack of dawn, leaving Janice to watch Callum.


    Yawning incessantly, Cordelia seemed to drag herself with every step.


    "Didn''t even break a sweat, and you''re already pooped?" Ronan teased her yfully.


    "Aren''t you tired?" Cordelia shot back.


    "Getting old, so I need less sleep," Ronan quipped with a mock sigh.


    "Yeah right, pushing forty and losing steam in certain departments, huh?"


    "That''s right, definitely losing it. Used to be a daily drill, and now it''s an every-other-day thing," Ronan


    said with feigned seriousness, though his rxed demeanor betrayed him. "Last night, you put a stop


    to it, and now you''reining?"


    "Me,in?" Cordelia retorted, a mix of frustration and humor in her voice. "I was just making an


    offhandment about your sleep schedule, not the risqué business you''re implying."


    Ronan just chuckled without another word.


    The day was shrouded in thick fog. For safety, Ronan drove at a snail''s pace, barely able to make out


    the figures in the haze. Cordelia, overwhelmed by fatigue, curled up and dozed in the passenger seat.


    At a red light, Ronan nced over at Cordelia, who was wrapped up in her coat, her face obscured.


    They seemed like travelers forgotten by the world in the midst of the fog.


    "This fog''s so dense I can hardly recognize you," Ronan jested.


    Cordelia knew a jibe was lurking behind his words, so she chose not to retort. Instead, she wrapped


    herself tighter and shrank down in her seat, staying silent, anticipating a bit more banter. "You


    recognized mest night, but not this morning,” Cordelia muttered under her breath.


    “Right, without the clothes, sure. But all dressed up, who are you?” Green light. Ronan started the car


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    again.


    Cordelia just sighed and didn’t bother responding for the rest of the drive to Birchwood.


    Once there, Ronan dropped Cordelia off at her school and then headed to Empower Operations for a


    meeting.


    Peter started by giving an update on the progress at Edith Hills, where they were about to break


    ground. Then, hesitantly, he addressed Ronan, "Mr. Evans, that incident with Petra threatening to jump


    off the building in my neighborhood really shook me up. You know, in our business, that''s the kind of


    thing we dread the most. I''ve heard through the grapevine that Petra had beef with Cordelia. Mr.


    Evans, I''m worried. If there''s a next time, we might not be so lucky."


    Peter tapped the table lightly, trying to emphasize the gravity of the situation.


    So Petra''s n had worked. Ronan knew all too well what Petra was up to.


    "What do you propose we do?" Ronan asked Peter.


    "I was hoping to get your take on it."


    "Let her go from Empower Operations."


    Peter''s eyes lit up. He hadn''t expected Ronan to be so in tune with the situation, so decisively aware of


    the stakes.


    "No need. I''ll handle it," Ronan stated.


    "Oh, then I won''t pry. But, about letting Ms. Haselwood go, maybe you could..." Peter trailed off, hinting


    he wanted Ronan to take the lead.


    "That''s your job," Ronan replied, unmoved.