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