The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 249

But Ethan’s unwavering devotion sometimes felt monotonous. As Nadia transitioned from a starry-eyed teenager to a young woman navigating the world, their relationship began to feel more like that of siblings than lovers. No matter how well he treated her, the spark was gone. Seeing her friends cycle through exciting new boyfriends while her relationship with Ethan remained unchanged felt like looking at a future that was already written, a marriage that was a foregone conclusion.

To delay the inevitable, Nadia decided to study abroad for a few years, certain that Ethan would wait for her. He was a man of immense responsibility and, deep down, crippling insecurity; once he committed to someone, he would never let go easily.

And she, in turn, needed time to sort out her own heart. Were her feelings for him strong enough? Was she truly ready to marry him?

Ethan, though reluctant to let her go, supported her decision without question. Neither of them could have known that her departure would change everything between them.

Despite his grueling work schedule, Ethan sacrificed his own rest, flying to visit her every few days. Whenever she needed him, he dropped everything. He was the perfect, faultless partner. But human nature is rarely satisfied. Nadia grew so accustomed to his goodness that it lost its novelty. Far from his influence, her social circle expanded. She was beautiful, elegant, and young; it was only natural that she attracted other men. Though she never crossed any physical boundaries, her friendly outings gradually shifted from being with women to being with a variety of men.

Later, as her studies were ending, the Jordon family elders began pressing for a wedding. Ethan proposed that they get engaged as soon as she returned home.

But just before the planned engagement, something happened to Ethan.

During a business dinner, he had gotten into a sudden, violent altercation. Nadia never learned the exact reason, but he had nearly killed the other man. She had visited the victim in the hospital; his throat had been punctured, his vocal cords severed. He would have to breathe through a tube for the rest of his life.

In her mind, Ethan was an incredibly stable person. He was decisive and detached, yes, but never impulsive or violent. This complete loss of control was terrifying. Nadia remembered that as a child, he suffered from trauma. Doctors had warned that without careful management, it could fester and lead to the development of a much darker, more volatile side to his personality.

She immediately tricked Ethan into undergoing a psychological evaluation, which confirmed he had a severe post-traumatic stress disorder. When emotionally overwhelmed, he could experience episodes where he would lose all self-control, potentially causing serious harm to others. It was a condition that could be managed but never truly cured.

This meant that if Nadia married him, she would have to accept that risk.

Nadia went to the engagement party the next day. Ethan never showed up.

He cancelled the engagement without a word of explanation, earning the condemnation of both families and bringing their childhood romance to an abrupt and bitter end.

Three years passed before they saw each other again. In that time, Nadia had dated two other men, but both relationships were brief. She couldn’t forget Ethan. She had been the one to waver, yet in the end, she was the one consumed by regret. The longer they were apart, the more she yearned for what she had lost. Love, she realized, eventually settles into a comfortable quiet. Happiness was the desire for that repetition. Every day without him, she longed to go back to the beginning, to the time when they first met.

Nadia had kept tabs on Ethan and learned that in all the years since she’d left, there had been no other woman in his life. She couldn’t wait any longer. She had just returned to the country to host a charity gala when Ethan appeared. She was convinced he was there for her.

That night, on the dance floor, she gathered her courage and, in front of everyone, asked him to dance. To ensure he wouldn’t refuse, she cleverly tied the dance to the charity auction. Before he could even respond, enthusiastic onlookers had already pledged millions in donations for the single dance.