Chapter 984 The Tragic Life of Cordelia
"Expecting him to turn himself in? That's even less likely than him committing suicide," Nolan scoffed. "There's nothing more to discuss. I'll fully cooperate with the police investigation. Whatever happens, I'll handle it. None of you need to worry."
As the eldest in the family, Nolan felt obligated to set an example. Over the years, Edgar and Edward had essentially been raised by Cordelia and Nolan. Willian had been absent from their lives since birth, never fulfilling his paternal responsibilities. Edward and Edgar had always regarded Nolan as their father figure.
"Nolan, what about your health? Don't you care about that? What if something happens to you in there? What would Amelia do?" Edgar glared at his brother angrily.
Amelia's eyes welled with tears as she looked at Nolan. She truly didn't want him to bear this burden, especially with his health issues.
"About that," Nolan cleared his throat and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've been lying about my illness. I'm not sick. That minor issue I had was completely resolved after the surgery. The cancer thing—you all just misunderstood."
Given the circumstances, they naturally didn't believe him.
"I'm really not sick. When I realized you misunderstood, I deliberately didn't clarify because I was afraid Amelia would resent me and leave," Nolan turned to Amelia. "You can check my medical reports on your phone. I'm perfectly healthy."
Amelia stared at him blankly, unsure whether to be relieved or furious. She took out her phone and checked Nolan's medical reports through the app. He was indeed in perfect health.
Amelia gritted her teeth and looked up at Nolan, who nervously took a step back.
She placed their child on the sofa and pointed at Nolan. "He's not sick! Let him go! Let him serve the time!"
The tension in the room suddenly broke as everyone laughed at Amelia's reaction.
Even Nolan couldn't help but smile. "Honey, I know I was wrong."
Amelia huffed, her cheeks puffed in anger. "Let him go. He's been terrible. He deserves to be punished."
Cordelia smiled wearily, wondering just how many wrongs Nolan had committed against Amelia over the years.
"Let's not rush this," Arnold said, turning to Nolan. "You should go to the police with the evidence, explain that you were completely unaware, and that you brought the evidence to them as soon as you discovered it. We'll aim for leniency."
Nolan nodded in agreement.
"Nolan..." Edward frowned, wanting to take his brother's place.
"Enough. You and Hestia just got married. If you go, aren't you worried your wife might leave?" Nolan cut him off.
Edward lowered his head, saying nothing more.
"I understand the financial and corporate situation," Hestia volunteered. "Given that we're turning ourselves in and cooperating fully, we might be able to get probation. I'll handle this with Nolan. Trust me. The Cunningham Group's legal team isn't just for show."
Nolan smiled at Edward. "See? Hestia is much more reliable than you."
Edward smiled ruefully. "That's true."
Jasmine looked anxiously at Ethan. "If Willian refuses to divorce Cordelia, the Cunningham Group will forever be tied to him. What can we do?"
Jasmine finally understood why Bill had stipulated that Cordelia could never initiate divorce. The true purpose was now clear: even if Cordelia held all the power and shares, the Cunningham Group would remain inextricably bound to Willian—their fates intertwined.
Willian had likely planned to use this to blackmail Cordelia into cooperating with the black market. Yet for some reason, he had never confronted Cordelia or tried to drag Nolan and the others down with him. Perhaps some small shred of humanity remained in him after all.
"Bill was truly calculating," Arnold frowned, looking at Cordelia. "Will you still not divorce Willian?"
In reality, no marriage was truly indissoluble. If Cordelia insisted on divorce, Willian couldn't prevent it indefinitely. The court would eventually grant it, given Willian's infidelity and his new family.
Yet Cordelia had tolerated Willian all these years, showing no intention of divorcing him. If it was just a promise...
Arnold had always thought Cordelia's reluctance to divorce stemmed from lingering feelings for Willian, but now...
"Do you really think I stayed married because I still had feelings for him? Because I feared breaking that promise?" Cordelia sank wearily onto the sofa. "Bill was thorough. He made me sign an agreement stating that the shares would only remain mine if I stayed married. If I ever initiated divorce, all Cunningham Group shares would revert to Willian. I only had usage rights, not selling rights, and could only pass them to Cunningham family members."
Bill had indeed crafted an intricate scheme, manipulating everyone involved, with Cordelia being the most deeply ensnared. Her life had been tragically bound to the Cunningham family—devoid of love and family bonds, reduced to a tool for managing the company and bearing children.
Arnold stared at Cordelia in shock. So this was why she had refused to divorce and had sent him away—because of this agreement. Had she divorced then, she would have lost her shares to Willian, who had other children, leaving her unable to protect her own children's interests.
Cordelia had lived her entire life for the Cunningham Group and for her children, never for herself. Arnold felt a pang of sympathy but didn't know how to comfort her. He could only sit beside her, offering silent support. Their lives had been tragic, their youth gone, burdened by constraints.
"Mom... once this is over, live for yourself," Jasmine knelt beside Cordelia, her voice choked with emotion.
Cordelia smiled softly. "I will."
If she wasn't afraid of death, why should she fear a new beginning? Once everything was resolved, she would finally live for herself. Age was just a number—it was never too late.
"What are your plans?" Arnold asked.
"I want to travel, buy an RV, explore different places," Cordelia said wistfully. "Then choose a city and buy a small villa with a garden."
"Come to Sunrise City! I have a guesthouse there. I'll keep you company, Mom. We can plant flowers and watch the ocean!" Amelia exclaimed excitedly.
Cordelia nodded with a smile.
"Caspian has been well-trained by Betty and will soon be able to stand on his own. I plan to step back and hand the Sanders Group over to him," Arnold smiled at Cordelia. "I'll be your driver."
"There's no salary," Cordelia said, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I'll pay you," Arnold replied with a gentle laugh.
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