The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 303

Ethan gently shifted, cradling Ramona’s head in his hand. “This is Ethan Jordon,” he said, his voice a low, warm rumble.

“Oh! Mr. Jordon… I—did I interrupt something?”

The soft breathing, the fact that they were still in bed, the two of them… together. Nova’s mind instantly connected the dots, painting a vivid picture of Ethan and Ramona’s beautiful faces and perfect bodies tangled in the hazy morning light.

This was definitely not a call she was supposed to be hearing. She wanted to hang up immediately.

“No, not at all. Ramona’s just not quite awake yet,” Ethan said, his voice growing even softer, so gentle it made Nova’s own heart flutter. “If you could, would you mind letting her team know she’ll be taking some time off starting today?”

“Yes, yes, of course!” Nova blurted out before he even finished. “Her vacation request was already approved, I just misunderstood yesterday. You two rest up! And, uh, congratulations, Mr. Jordon, get well soon, and… have a great day!”

Not knowing what else to say in her flustered state, Nova fumbled with her phone and abruptly ended the call.

Ethan blinked. He had been about to say thank you, but the girl was certainly decisive.

Just as the line went dead, Ramona let out a soft groan and fumbled for her phone. Her eyelids felt impossibly heavy, her lashes fluttering as she struggled to open them. She had been exhausted lately, and last night had been especially draining. Still, she had drowsily registered the conversation between Ethan and Nova. A vacation. Yes, she was finally on vacation.

“Awake now?” Ethan murmured, knowing she had tacitly approved of him answering her phone. Her eyes were still closed, but the corners of her mouth had been twitching into a smile with every word he spoke.

Ramona didn’t answer, instead turning her back to him with a playful huff.

Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her eyelids. “How about we go look at houses later?”

“…Mmm…” she hummed, her voice still thick with sleep. It was hard to tell if she was genuinely tired or just being coy.

Either way, Ethan was completely charmed. It was rare to see her like this, so soft and pliant in his arms, and he loved it more than anything.

“And I want you to cook for me today.”

“…Mhm…”

He remembered she was a wonderful cook. He knew she loved movies, so watching one with her felt like the best entertainment imaginable. And finding a house… that was the most important thing of all. Once they had a home, and wedding photos, and a ceremony… there would be no room for her to ever change her mind.

A warm blush spread across Ramona’s cheeks. Instead of answering, she simply kissed him, her lips seeking the warmth she had been craving since the moment she woke up.

They savored a lazy morning, not getting out of bed until well after noon. Ethan had a dozen missed calls, and Ramona had seven or eight, almost all work-related. A quick scan confirmed there was nothing urgent, just routine updates.

One notification, however, stood out: a long text from Florence.

Florence had been worried sick, sending Ramona a novel-length message late last night urging her to be patient with Ethan. It was uncanny; though she didn’t know the details of their fight, every word she wrote had struck a chord, as if she knew exactly what had happened.

The message, addressed to Ramona, was really meant for Ethan. Florence knew that while his love burned as hot as a flame, his heart was not nearly as resilient as Ramona’s.

Ramona, deeply touched, replied to reassure Florence, then took a screenshot and sent it to Ethan, jokingly suggesting he make it his lock screen.