The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 759

Upon hearing the good news that Cordelia's child was healthy and thriving, Janice offered her congratulations, but the usual warmth in her voice was noticeably absent.

Ronan caught her eye, clearly sensing something was off. They both guessed it might have something to do with Harold again, but neither of them asked.

In reality, Janice's mind was elsewhere. She was worried about her husband, Zach. His retirement was just around the corner, but disaster had struck at the mine where he worked. There was a young guy, just out of the shaft, and Zach, always the joker, gave him a playful slap on the backside. The kid lost his balance, stumbled forward, and tragically hit his temple against a large barrel. He died instantly.

The young man's family was relentless. They said he was their breadwinner and demanded $50,000 from Zach. They claimed that even if it went to court, it was a reasonable figure given the young man's potential earnings. If Zach didn't pay, they'd sue.

Zach had been a dedicated worker, always known for his good humor. But this accident, so close to his retirement, was a shock to everyone. Now, he spent his days at home, chain-smoking to cope with his guilt and worries.

Fifty grand. The entire Harold family could barely scrape together even a quarter of that. And while the money was a big issue, the emotional toll was even heavier. Zach was tormented by the fact that he had accidentally caused a colleague's death.

Janice could have turned to Ronan for help. She knew Mr. Evans could handle the situation, but she didn't want to burden him, especially with a new baby in the house. Cordelia had already been incredibly generous by letting Harold stay at her place for free. Asking for more help felt like taking advantage of their kindness.

This was a problem for the Zach family to solve on their own.

But Janice still hadn't managed to gather the rest of the money.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify