The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 252

Ramona said quickly, noticing the light dim in his eyes.

Melinda could only resort to petty tricks, and with the Jordon family standing behind Ramona, she could exhaust all her efforts and likely still fail to threaten her in any meaningful way.

But Ethan knew all too well how hard it was to live without support at home, constantly on guard.

He had grown up that way.

Ramona, however, was strong-willed. The more challenging the work, the more determined she became. She was hell-bent on proving herself, on transforming her inheritance of Covington Group into a legacy forged by her own hard work.

And of course, he would support her with everything he had.

"You don't need to act impulsively for my sake in the future. This project at Covington Group is important. You shouldn't have left."

Ethan’s brow furrowed. His voice was calm, but every word was tinged with guilt. He had never liked being a burden to others, especially not to the woman he loved.

Ramona sighed. "If a person is always impulsive, they're a fool. But if they're always calm... well, they wouldn't be human. I want to do the right thing, but sometimes, I just have to follow my heart."

Her voice softened as she rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart. She felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

Relief that she had rushed to his side without a second thought.

Even if Fenton had decided to help Melinda, she would have done it all the same, and gladly.

"Ramona... can I ask you a question?"

Suddenly, Ethan's voice grew heavy, laced with an uncharacteristic hesitation.

Ramona rarely heard him speak so uncertainly. She looked up at him, puzzled. "Go on."

"What is it that you love about me?"

Ethan lowered his head, a barely perceptible flicker of anxiety in his eyes.

He paused, then quickly added, "What I mean is... what if I'm completely different from who you think I am? What if the man you see is just a facade, and I'm not as good as you believe…"

"Is it that the more exceptional someone is, the higher their standards are for themselves?" Ramona couldn't help but smile, cutting him off.

She understood that Ethan hadn't been coddled as a child. Zadkiel Jordon was so strict and demanding that it had probably left his son with some insecurities.

But he was still Ethan Jordon. The sole heir to the Jordon family, the commanding CEO of Jordon Group. In the business world, he could make or break fortunes with a single word.

And even without all the accolades, just seeing him stand there was a sight to behold. When she first met him, Ramona had never even dreamed of falling in love with him…

If anyone should feel insecure, it ought to be her.

It was meant as a joke, but Ramona caught the melancholy in his voice. "What's wrong? You seem to be in a really bad mood today."

"No, I'm not. When I'm with you, I couldn't be happier."

Ethan murmured, his arms tightening around her.

Ramona sensed he didn't want to talk about it, so she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

Perhaps people just felt down when they were unwell.

Even if something was bothering him, she would wait until he was ready to tell her himself.

Before they went to sleep, Ethan brought up the topic of their future home. He had used his recovery time over the past few days to have Ash look at several villas, all close to Covington Group, with beautiful surroundings and excellent privacy.

The only drawback was that they were too convenient for Ramona's work. Secretly, Ethan would have preferred a secluded paradise where they could disappear for weeks at a time, far from the city.

Ramona watched the video tours Ash had sent on Ethan's phone and found something to love about each one, making it impossible to choose.

"Let's go see them in person once you're better. There's no rush."

Besides, they couldn't move right now anyway. Ethan's recovery would take at least another two months. The timing was perfect—once he was fully healed, they could move in and... have the wedding.