The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 301

No longer a tease, the kiss was pure comfort—a silent promise of devotion, of a love so deep it was tangible.

After a moment of accepting her kiss, Ethan’s arms tightened around her, pulling her flush against him. He tilted his head, his lips parting as he took the lead, deepening the kiss until it was all-consuming.

Selfish or not, foolish or not… he couldn’t let her go. Not again.

...

Downstairs, Nadia stood by her car, her eyes fixed on the entrance as she waited for Ramona to emerge. But as the minutes ticked by, the lights in the upstairs window blinked out, plunging the room into darkness.

Nadia dug her nails into her palms, her brow furrowed in disbelief.

How could this be?

“Ms. Shepard, I think it’s time for you to accept reality.”

A calm male voice spoke from behind her. Nadia spun around to see Ash standing there, his arms laden with shopping bags filled with medical supplies, toiletries, snacks, and drinks—all clearly intended for the couple upstairs.

“That’s quite a haul,” Nadia sneered, her eyes scanning the bags. “Don’t you know your boss doesn’t eat late-night snacks? And he certainly doesn't care for sweets.”

She knew perfectly well they weren’t for Ethan, but she couldn’t resist the jab.

Ash glanced down at the bags. “Mr. Jordon doesn’t, but his wife does. Her hand is injured, and he was worried she wouldn't have fresh bandages, so he texted me a while ago. And these sweets… she loves them, which means he loves them now, too.”

He delivered each detail with deliberate precision.

Nadia’s composure finally cracked. “You’re lying! They were fighting. Why would he have you bring all this…?”

“A fight doesn’t mean much, Ms. Shepard,” Ash said, his gaze dropping respectfully. “Mr. Jordon messaged me the moment Ramona arrived. When someone is in your heart, you think of them instinctively, even when you’re apart. Feelings are the one thing in this world that reason can’t control.”

Nadia was speechless. To be cut so deeply by a mere assistant…

Every word was a dagger, forcing her to face the truth. If reason could control feelings, would she even be standing here?

But why was Ethan so biased? The moment she’d shown a hint of wavering, he had cut her off completely. Yet with Ramona, he was willing to… to forgive anything.

“My stomach,” she said, her voice a low gasp. “I have an ulcer. Can you… can you drive me home?”

...

Forty minutes later, Ash pulled up to a five-star hotel near the airport. He had offered to take her to the hospital, but she had adamantly refused, insisting it was a chronic issue. He then suggested her family home, but she shot that down, too. She had snuck back into the country without her family or her fans knowing. If she went home now, she wouldn't have the energy to face her parents’ questions.

“Thank you,” Nadia murmured as she slowly pushed the door open. It was clear she was still in a great deal of pain; she had to brace herself against the car just to stand up.

Ash fought the urge to look away. After a brief internal struggle, he quickly got out and took her arm.

“I’ll take you up.”

“No, you don’t have to—”

“Don’t argue, Ms. Shepard. Otherwise, I’m calling an ambulance.”

He practically carried her to her room. But his duty didn’t end there. Nadia claimed she had her medication, but Ash insisted on waiting by the door until he saw her take it. She was too weak to argue, wanting nothing more than for him to leave, but he was stubbornly persistent. He even made her promise she was feeling better, then pulled out his phone to record a video of her confirming it.