The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 278

Hearing this, the storm in Ethan’s eyes calmed, replaced by a gentle, glowing light.

“That much of a hurry?”

“Yes, a huge hurry. I missed you…” Ramona buried her face in his shoulder. Why did he always have to ask her these things in front of an audience?

Her shyness was like a kitten’s paw, scratching gently at Ethan’s heart. He finally glanced at the others in the room, who all instantly turned away, some even bumping into each other in their haste.

“Meeting adjourned,” Ethan said, the words simple, but for the first time, tinged with a smile.

The abrupt dismissal, with no summary or follow-up instructions, left everyone feeling uneasy. They hesitated, afraid they’d receive termination notices the next day.

Only Ash dared to speak for the group. “Sir… what about the project?”

“It’s not a total loss. Just don’t make the same mistake again. I want a full post-mortem report from each of you.”

At his words, everyone froze. Had they just been spared?

Seeing their reluctance to leave, Ramona assumed Ethan was being too harsh.

“Is a post-mortem report that difficult to write?” she asked them, then turned to Ethan. “If it wasn’t a major error, don’t be so hard on them. You scared them half to death.”

While she didn’t know the details of the project, she believed in shared team responsibility. Unless it was a matter of principle, she allowed her own people to make mistakes. Relentless leaders didn’t build the strongest teams.

“No, no! It’s easy to write!” one of them blurted out, a wave of gratitude washing over the group. A report was the lightest possible punishment. Their contracts were ironclad; Ethan had every right to penalize them severely.

“Fine. Writing reports is a waste of time anyway,” Ethan said softly. “Since my wife has spoken, let this be the first and last time.”

He had once again lifted the weight from their shoulders. He was being so… gentle. Who knew Mr. Jordon could be this gentle?

Ash cleared his throat, signaling that it was time to go.

“Mr. Jordon, please get some rest. You and Mrs. Jordon, rest well! We’ll see ourselves out!”

“Mrs. Jordon, may all your wishes come true and may you be happy every day!”

“After we move, we probably won’t come back here.”

Once their new home was ready, this chapter of their lives would be over. A wave of melancholy washed over her. Beautiful moments were always so fleeting, which is why people so often wished that time could stand still.

Ethan’s gaze softened. He nodded, his warm hand brushing against the corner of her eye. “We may not come back here, but there will be other, more beautiful views. The future isn’t always better, but this perfect moment, right now, is the best it can be.”

Ramona had thought he wouldn’t understand her sentimentality, but his words perfectly captured her feelings of bittersweet joy.

Her eyes brightened. “Ethan, when did you get so good with words? Everything you say speaks directly to my heart.”

“Probably…” he murmured, his chest rising and falling slowly, “since the day I met you.”

When you love someone with all your heart, you feel everything they feel.

He saw her as the other half of his soul; how could he not know what was in her heart?