The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 243

Brianna’s eyes widened slightly. She had no idea why he was bringing that up now and remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Jotham had always been mature for his age. When they first met, he was focused on getting into a good university and was constantly networking within the upper-crust circles of Havencrest City’s elite. Most of his friends were, like him, about to graduate from prestigious schools. Among them was a friend of Brianna’s.

She had fallen for Jotham at a party and, through her friend, tried to find out everything she could about him, including what kind of girls he liked. To her surprise, she discovered a strange connection between them, one that went back to when he was just six years old.

That year, an exclusive winter adventure camp, run by a national sports foundation, was all the rage in Havencrest City. It took a few dozen kids on an expedition to one of the world’s most famous snow-capped mountains. The cost was exorbitant, affordable only for the wealthiest families.

With the departure date approaching, the organizers offered the last ten spots as scholarships. In partnership with the city’s education department, they held a competitive exam, offering a free trip to the top ten performers.

Brianna had been one of the lucky ones.

The entire trip was luxurious, but disaster struck during the mountain expedition. A boy from a neighboring group got separated from the others and was nearly lost for good. The campers spent several days in tents at the base of the mountain before a rescue helicopter arrived to take them home. Brianna was only twelve at the time, but the memory was vivid.

When she got back, she followed the news story. The boy had been carried down the mountain by another camper and, after two days in the hospital, was declared fine.

That boy was Jotham.

Brianna heard that Jotham had never forgotten the girl who saved him. But she hadn’t gone to the hospital with him, and the camp group disbanded right after they returned. All the children’s records were confidential, and he’d never even seen her face. The only thing he remembered was a tiny red mole behind her ear.

He once described it as a spark of light in the darkness, a memory that gave him endless warmth as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He had even tried to find her through the news and by contacting other campers, but it led nowhere. The girl who saved him had vanished.

It felt like destiny had handed her the perfect opportunity. Brianna immediately dug up her old registration form for the camp, had a small red beauty mark tattooed behind her neck, and arranged for a mutual acquaintance to casually bring up the story.

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