The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 26

“I’m not. I’ve got a meeting tonight and need to go live soon.”

“Oh, am I bothering you? Sorry about that.”

Ramona typed her reply quickly, not waiting for Ethan’s response before adding, “You go ahead, Mr. Jordon. I should get some rest too.”

If she kept the conversation going, she’d probably just end up annoying him. Better to end it cleanly.

Ethan didn’t reply after that.

Still, Ramona found herself intrigued by what he’d said.

Sleep was nowhere in sight, so she grabbed her laptop and started searching for Ethan online.

Information was scarce, until she remembered what Fenton had mentioned—Ethan was a heavyweight in the international business world.

Switching to a different network, she finally found some news on international financial websites.

The “Global Business Summit,” an event hosted by the world’s top financial conglomerates, was underway. The attendees were all titans of industry and finance.

And Ethan, as the head of the Jordon Group, was one of the summit’s key speakers.

Ramona found a live stream of the summit and waited for half an hour before Ethan finally appeared on screen.

He was dressed in a tailored dark suit, tall and commanding, standing beside the main stage with his assistant. Even through the screen, his presence was almost tangible—sharp yet composed, with the quiet authority of someone long accustomed to power. He drew attention like a magnet.

When the speeches began, Ethan took the microphone and spoke with ease. His arguments were incisive and precise, immediately igniting a lively discussion among the audience.

His deep, resonant voice came through the speakers, more captivating than any news anchor on the financial channel.

Ramona had always enjoyed watching speeches, but Ethan’s performance was on another level—she found herself completely absorbed.

Even his impromptu responses to questions were impressive: concise, eloquent, and full of insight.

Every time he finished speaking, the room erupted in applause.

Ramona couldn’t help but join in, clapping at her screen.

There was something irresistibly attractive about someone so competent. He just stood there, cold and distant, like a marble statue you could only admire from afar. Yet, to Ramona, he radiated an overwhelming magnetism.

After the live stream ended, Ramona thought maybe Ethan’s aloofness was only natural.

People like him—so exceptional—were meant to be admired from a distance. Socializing was optional. Romance, even less necessary.

Her phone stayed silent.

Sleep finally crept up on her, and she pulled the covers over her head, drifting off at last.

When she first arrived, she’d seen Solenne and Wisteria with their parents, surrounded by a crowd.

They’d only greeted Ramona in passing before hurrying off, and the focus of the evening quickly shifted from the Covingtons to the Huxleys.

Even with Yancey by her side, Ramona couldn’t help but overhear the whispers directed at her.

Most of it came down to the same things: “illegitimate child,” “riding on the family’s coattails,” “not fit for the spotlight.”

If she really couldn’t even handle giving a speech, she’d be living down to their expectations.

“Ramona, don’t worry about what they think. They’re really nothing special themselves,” Yancey said, casting an arrogant glance around the room.

To him, even if Ramona was just a half-sibling, she was still a Covington. Their attitude toward her was nothing but jealousy in disguise.

Ramona glanced at Yancey, giving him a grateful nod.

Soon, it was her turn to speak. As the host handed her the microphone, the spotlight shifted to her.

Ramona was stunning—dressed in an ice-blue, jewel-encrusted evening gown and adorned with millions’ worth of diamonds. She looked every inch a movie star, instantly commanding the room’s attention.

Yet the hall fell strangely silent. Not even the usual polite applause.

The previous speakers had all been business veterans or respected elders. Never before had a representative looked anything like Ramona—young, beautiful, unfamiliar, and, above all, a woman.