The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 720

Inside a visitation room at Birchwood Correctional, Alana sat across from a man dressed in a slate gray suit. His hair, streaked with silver, hinted at the rugged handsomeness of his younger days. With his hands clasped tightly, he stared at Alana, who was a whirlwind of joy and sorrow. She never imagined he'd come to visit her, and by the look in his eyes, it was clear he knew everything she had done. The shock of seeing him there when she first walked in was still fresh.

Despite the heaviness in her heart, Alana clung to a shred of dignity, her lips curling into a faint smile.

"Been keeping well?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Fair enough," August replied. "Started a small company in some obscure country, dealing in international trade."

"An obscure country? So you fled the bright lights of Great Britain just to avoid me?" Alana's laugh had a tinge of triumph, but deep down, she knew she had lost, utterly and completely.

"Not exactly fleeing. I thought the Alana I knew had changed. I was disheartened and left. Threw myself into business for the rest of my days."

"Still flying solo?"

August nodded.

Alana's emotions were a tangled mess. She didn't know whether to feel happy that he was still alone or sad that he was forever chasing the ghost of the Alana he held in his heart. She had always been just a stand-in for her sister, never truly herself in his eyes.

"Where is she?" August finally asked.

Alana knew he wasn't there for her. He wanted to know where her sister was, now that he realized they were two different people. Naturally, he yearned for the goddess in his heart.

"Looking for her?" Alana's defiance held strong. "Go find her yourself. Using me for information? What kind of man does that?" With that, she stood up and walked away, leaving August with the image of her resolute departure.

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