The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 703

Just by chance, Samantha found herself back at Jade Tower today, curious to see what Harold was up to after their last encounter. She hadn't called him or sent a message on Messenger. The memory of impulsively getting out of the car and hugging Harold the day before was still fresh, and she knew he had been uncomfortable, especially with Grant there. She hadn't offered any explanation then, hoping now to take another shot at connecting with Harold. She had already swung by his place, but he wasn't home. So, she tried Jade Tower, hoping she might run into him. And as luck would have it, she did—Harold was chatting with Janice in the lobby.

Intrigued, Samantha decided to follow them quietly, eager to catch their conversation.

Janice was nervously looking around Brenda's office, clearly out of her element.

"Harold, where are we?" she asked, anxiety evident in her voice. "Why aren't you in the service anymore? And why haven't you gone back to school?"

"Mom, this is where I work now. My boss is Brenda. I... I left the service," Harold admitted as he powered up his computer.

"Left? Why would you leave?"

"I made some mistakes while I was enlisted, so they discharged me. And I can't go back to school... the thesis mess really put me in a bind. Just pretend I never even went to grad school, okay?"

Janice was visibly shaken. "Why, Harold? You've always been so outstanding! You haven't told me anything. If I hadn't overheard them talking about it yesterday, I'd still be in the dark. You don't even have a diploma now!"

"Mom, don't worry. I've still got my undergrad degree," Harold tried to reassure her.

All Janice could do was sit there, wiping away tears, lamenting, "What have you done to deserve this, Harold? Ever since you went to Birchwood College, ever since you met Cordelia..."

"Mom, leave Cordelia out of this!" Harold snapped, his voice sharp.

Samantha realized spending the day with Harold wasn't going to happen. She had to leave.

But now that she knew where Harold worked, it would be easier to find him in the future.

True to her word, Janice stayed with Harold all day, buying him lunch and dinner. By late afternoon, she headed home, her mind awash with unease, and her past grievances against Cordelia resurfaced. In Janice's eyes, Cordelia was the root of Harold's struggles, though she kept her thoughts to herself.

On her way back, Samantha received a call from Grant. He had a role for her.

She felt a mix of nerves and excitement. It had been a long while since her last acting job, and without this opportunity, her career might have come to a halt. So, gathering her courage, she headed out to meet him.