The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 135

Jotham couldn’t believe his eyes. He almost shouted out “Ramona!”

But before he could, a voice called from behind.

“Mr. Holt, you forgot your ID!”

A clerk from the notary office hurried after him, waving his identification.

Because of pressure from his family, Griffin had told him to handle Milo’s travel arrangements first—get the boy out of the country, then deal with the legal process to dissolve the adoption later.

Every moment of this process felt like a knife twisting in Jotham’s chest, but with Griffin and Liliane watching over everything, he knew if he didn’t finish the paperwork today, he wouldn’t even be allowed to see Milo.

Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to send Milo away first and figure out the rest later.

He tucked the ID back into his wallet and turned around, but the figure he thought he’d seen was gone.

He rushed out of the marriage office, searching the street, but there wasn’t a soul in sight. For a moment, Jotham wondered if he’d just imagined it all.

Ramona, getting married to someone else? That was impossible!

And yet, the more he turned the thought over in his mind, the less at ease he felt. He doubled back into the marriage office, hoping to check Ramona’s marital status.

“Excuse me, what’s your relationship to the person in question?” The clerk looked up at him, her eyes assessing. “According to regulations, only the person themselves or their legal spouse, with valid ID, can request marriage records.”

“I’m her husband…” Even as Jotham said the words, he felt the lie catch in his throat.

Strictly speaking, he and Ramona had no relationship at all.

“Please present your ID. If you don’t meet the requirements, I’m afraid I can’t share that information.”

Seeing his hesitation, the clerk’s tone cooled even further.

With a line forming behind him, Jotham had no choice but to leave, awkward and defeated.

On the way home, his thoughts were in chaos.

Ramona, secretly marrying someone else? No way. That was out of the question!

He must just be exhausted—he’d been thinking about Ramona so much lately, he was starting to hallucinate.

...

After Ramona and Ethan signed their marriage certificate, it was still daylight out.

Ethan was planning to take her to his favorite bistro for dinner, but Ramona softly suggested, “It’s still early… why don’t we go to the mall for a bit? Think of it as our first real date.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with anticipation.

The two of them rode the escalator, hand in hand—Ramona standing one step above, Ethan just below, but their heights matched perfectly. They attracted more than a few curious glances along the way.

Ethan, unused to being stared at, lowered his head. He was more accustomed to private entrances and exclusive elevators; if he needed anything, Ash or someone else would always take care of it. He’d never come to a place like this himself.

Ramona noticed his discomfort and whispered, “If you like, you can lean on me. I’ll shield your handsome face from the crowd.”

Her teasing made him laugh. “I’m not that vain,” he protested.

At the top floor, they reached a spacious cake studio, so big it took up nearly a third of the level.

Ramona had already reserved a private room on the way over, and the owner personally led them in and helped them pick out a cake to make.

When Ethan realized they’d be baking, he looked genuinely surprised. “You want to make me a cake?”

“That’s right.” Ramona nodded, meeting his gaze. “You can’t have a birthday without a big cake. It’s the bare minimum for a real celebration.”

“I’ve never really celebrated my birthday before,” Ethan admitted softly. “And I don’t usually eat sweets. Just having you here is enough for me.”

“Well, that was before. From now on, we’ll celebrate every year, and I’ll be here with you. Because today is not just your birthday, it’s also our wedding anniversary. And the cake isn’t really for you to eat; it’s for the people celebrating with you. I’ll eat it for you!”

As she spoke, Ramona started cutting the cake layers according to the instructions, completely missing the way Ethan watched her—his gaze growing deeper and more intense with every passing moment.