The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 177

Watching Jotham drop to his knees, Ramona’s brow furrowed with open disdain.

She’d always thought Jotham was scum—a calculating, manipulative man who used women for his own gain, the very picture of hypocrisy and deceit. But seeing him now, utterly exposed and without a shred of dignity, she realized he didn’t even qualify as proper trash. At least a skilled player had the guts to stick to his act until the end.

“Ramona, I was wrong. I’m so sorry, I’ve let you down!” Jotham ground out the words through clenched teeth. The humiliation burned, but his resentment and desperation outweighed his pride. He had to get Ramona back, not just for himself, but for the sake of Holt Group.

If Ramona went public with everything she knew, what would become of him, of Brianna, of the Holt family’s reputation? The company was on the verge of going public; he couldn’t afford a scandal. He had to keep it together, even if it meant divorcing Brianna.

“Yes, I had feelings for Brianna in the past. I was weak, I made terrible mistakes… but these years with you, my feelings were real. I didn’t even realize you’d become irreplaceable to me. Please, Ramona, forgive me. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, anything you want.”

His voice was hoarse, every word forced out with effort, eyes shining with unshed tears as if he truly was heartbroken.

Ramona had grown tired of his theatrics. The more sincere he sounded, the more absurd she found him.

When Ramona laughed, Jotham felt as though she’d slapped him. The embarrassment stung, and the bitterness in his chest only deepened.

“Ramona, can’t you at least remember all the good years we had together? Just give me another chance. If I didn’t truly care about you, would I be here begging? Do you really think you’ll be better off without the Holts? You’re a woman with no family, no background. What man with better prospects would ever really love you?”

In his panic, Jotham finally revealed his true colors.

Ramona, seeing him unravel, let out a cold laugh. “Jotham, even if every man on earth dropped dead, I’d never go back to you. Not in this life, not in the next, or the one after that.”

Her words were soft but cut deeper than any slap.

Jotham had never imagined Ramona could hate him so much, as if all the years together meant absolutely nothing. She had completely and utterly erased him from her heart.

“Ramona, stop pretending. I know you’re hurt, but do you really think denying our past will make it go away?” Jotham shot to his feet, only for Ramona to drive the point of her high heel into his knee without warning. He lost his balance and crashed back down, half-kneeling on the floor.

Ramona crouched down, grabbed his face in one hand, her gaze icy with contempt.

“Jotham, if you don’t want everyone in Havencrest City to know about your and Brianna’s dirty secrets, I suggest you transfer every share of Holt Group I’m owed plus interest to me within three days. Consider it the price for deceiving me all these years.”

Jotham hadn’t expected Ramona to be so cold, to ignore every plea for sentiment. He panicked, tried to shove her away and argue, but then he heard the sound of a recording—his own groveling, played back from Ramona’s phone.

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