The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 321

Ramona turned away from the window and wrapped her arms around Ethan.

Ethan had a habit of ignoring his own pain, but he reacted with heightened sensitivity to anything concerning the people he cared about.

Now that she was here, however, she would be the balm that soothed his anxieties, ensuring the time he spent lost in darkness grew shorter and shorter.

“Alright,” she murmured. “Whatever you say.”

Ethan nodded, her concern melting the icy walls he had built around himself for years, transforming his coldness into tenderness. He nuzzled against the curve of her neck, feeling her warm breath on his skin, a sense of profound completeness washing over him. Even as evening fell and a cold rain began to streak down the windows, he no longer felt the slightest trace of loneliness.

…

News of Liliane’s emergency hospitalization reached the Holt family quickly. By the time Jotham arrived, it was late into the night. Eulalia and Flynn were standing just outside the door. Eulalia’s eyes were red and swollen, a clear sign she had been crying. Flynn stood awkwardly to the side, only stepping forward to clap a hand on Jotham’s shoulder when he saw him approach.

“You should go in and see her.”

The moment Eulalia saw Jotham, she burst into tears again. “Jotham… Our grandma, she…”

Without waiting for her to finish, Jotham shoved open the door to the hospital room.

Inside, the old woman lay on the bed, barely breathing, hooked up to a tangle of tubes and monitors. A bodyguard stood by the door while Winnie sat quietly at the bedside. A nurse was gently wiping the old woman’s arm, and a doctor nearby, who seemed to be giving instructions, was interrupted by Jotham’s abrupt entrance.

Winnie looked up calmly. Seeing Jotham, she simply nodded at the doctor.

The doctor turned to leave, but Jotham immediately blocked his path. “Doctor, my grandmother… she’s going to be okay, right?”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” the doctor said with a sigh, offering no further explanation as he slipped out of the room.

Jotham gritted his teeth, the color draining from his face as he lunged for the wall to keep himself from collapsing. When he’d gotten Eulalia’s call, Liliane had already been listed in critical condition, but he hadn’t believed it. Just yesterday, she had been standing in front of him, so full of life and vigor… How could this be happening? How could she be gone in just one day?

Winnie gestured for the others in the room to leave. Once they were alone, she said, “Jotham, come and talk to your grandmother.”

Her voice was uncharacteristically calm and steady, but the sound of it sent a chill straight through him. It took Jotham a long moment to gather himself. He staggered toward the bed, his legs finally giving out as he dropped heavily to his knees.

“I’m going to find her!” Jotham’s eyes were bloodshot. Before Winnie could finish, he forced himself to his feet. But he hadn’t eaten properly in days, and his body was weak. He swayed unsteadily, in no condition to settle a score with anyone.

“And who are you going to settle scores with? Do you have any idea who Ramona is? She’s the heiress to the Covington Group!”

Winnie’s words stopped Jotham in his tracks. His body went rigid, as if he’d been turned to stone. After a long moment, he turned to his mother, his expression one of utter disbelief.

“What did you say?”

“I said,” Winnie repeated, her voice devoid of emotion, each word clipped and sharp, “Ramona is the heiress to the Covington Group.”

She had already had time to process the devastating truth before he arrived. The daughter-in-law she had despised the most had not only bled the Holt family dry but had also transformed into the daughter of Havencrest City’s wealthiest man.

But the blows had come one after another, and with death staring them in the face, she had no choice but to suppress her rage.

She tossed him her phone. On the screen was a news article about the Covington Group heiress, featuring a crystal-clear photograph of Ramona. The return of the Covington heiress had been a quiet affair.