The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 220

“…call me immediately,” Ramona finished.

Fenton nodded. They had arrived at the airport. Ramona seemed to have calmed down, but as she unbuckled her seatbelt, he saw her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. She clenched her fists, then forced a smile that was more painful than a grimace.

“I’ll be going then, Uncle.” As she spoke, a single tear escaped and traced a path down her cheek. She was terrified but was trying so hard to hold it together.

Was this man, whom she had only known for a short time, really that important to her? Fenton thought of his own son, Yancey. Why were all the Covington children such hopeless romantics?

“Ramona…” He wanted to say more, but she was already out of the car. Her assistant was waiting, and the two of them quickly disappeared into the terminal.

On the drive back, Fenton’s brow was furrowed with worry. He had plenty of excuses to justify his actions, but the memory of Ramona’s trusting gaze left a heavy weight in his chest.

The moment he walked through his front door, his phone rang.

It was Melinda. He waved away the servants and answered. “Ramona has left. She was in a hurry, didn’t waste a second after she heard the news.” His voice was heavy. “About Yancey…”

Melinda’s cheerful voice came through the phone. “Don’t you worry, my brother-in-law. The Lorings dared to cross the Covington family. I won’t let them get away with it. A large shipment of their goods has failed inspection. They’re facing a massive loss. The news will probably break tomorrow. If that’s not enough for you, I can arrange for their daughter to experience a little more… hardship.”

“Melinda,” Fenton’s voice sharpened. “I don’t care about the Lorings. I want Yancey back.”

“My people are already negotiating in Myridia. The Lorings threatened us; they won’t get off easy. Why should we give them the satisfaction of a swift resolution?”

Fenton froze. He was being played.

Melinda could get Yancey released with a single phone call, but instead, she had chosen to attack the Lorings directly. This wasn’t helping; it was escalating the situation.

But she was doing it all under the guise of defending the Covington family’s honor, so he couldn’t fault her. And Yancey’s release was still in her hands.

Wisteria had been there for a while. She had been waiting in the drawing room, but when no one came to attend to her, she had wandered out to the entrance hall for some air.

Fenton had been on the phone with Melinda the moment he walked in, dismissing the butler before he could even announce her.

Wisteria, not wanting to interrupt, had hidden in a nearby alcove.

“You were eavesdropping on my call…” Fenton’s dislike for Wisteria was no secret, and his expression hardened.

Wisteria didn’t deny it. “I didn’t mean to, but…”

She had been about to leave when she heard Yancey’s name. She had come here to find out what had happened to him. After their run-in with Halcyon, Wisteria had assumed Halcyon would target her, not daring to go after the Covington family. But then Solenne Huxley had gleefully informed her that Yancey was in trouble.

Solenne and the rest of the Huxley family saw Wisteria as a jinx, a harbinger of misfortune for anyone who got close to her. And Yancey, it seemed, was her latest victim.