Empire 117

This chapter makes a quiet but clear adjustment to the story. Small choices and brief pauses point the plot in a new direction. The shift is steady, not loud, and it sets up what comes next.

A few actions and reactions stand out. A held-back answer, a quick decision, or a look that lingers changes how characters see each other. These beats feel small now but carry weight forward.

Emotions sit just under the surface. The tone shows doubt, hope, or pressure even when the words stay measured. What is not said guides the scene as much as what is spoken.

Earlier choices and old tensions shape how people act here. History does not repeat, but it limits and nudges. The present is easier to read when the past is kept in view.

Trust, distance, and leverage shift by degrees. Roles adjust, and the space between characters changes shape. By the end, connections are not exactly what they were.

Objects, gestures, and setting notes do quiet work. They mirror the mood and hint at motives. Paying attention to them clarifies what is at stake.

Short remarks, paused replies, and choices made too quickly point to what will matter soon. The chapter plants markers that future scenes will pick up.

A few sentences carry the heart of the scene. They show fear, resolve, or longing in simple words. These are the lines that will echo next chapter.

Chapter 117 For original chapters go to Find[ɴ]ovel.net

“Are you up? Breakfast is at your door. Don’t forget to grab it.”

Ramona saw the message and hurried to open her door. Sure enough, a sleek black thermal carafe sat on the welcome mat.

Inside, she found an assortment of delicate pastries, a steaming bowl of nourishing soup, and a few other drinks–freshly pressed juice and creamy milk, all carefully packed in the house’s insulated containers. It was obvious these were made by Ethan’s private chef.

Warmth spread through her chest. She quickly typed a reply: “Got it, thank you! Have you had breakfast yet?”

She wanted to ask more–why hadn’t he stayed the night? Was he busy today? But after typing and retyping, she ended up sending only that one line.

Ethan’s reply came almost instantly: “Already ate. Things are hectic right now. Let’s talk later.”

Ramona stared at the screen, her longer message erased, replaced by a simple “Okay” and a small emoji.

Ethan set his phone down, only then turning to face the woman who had barged into his office.

“Ms. Shepard,” he said coldly, “Jordon Group policy doesn’t allow unscheduled visits to my office. If you show up without an appointment again, I’ll reconsider all existing business with the Shepard family.”

His voice was icy, his body relaxed in the chair, not even bothering to look at her.

Nadia Shepard’s eyes were rimmed red. Ash and a pair of security guards stood by the door, unsure if they should forcibly remove her.

The Shepard family and the Jordon family were currently collaborating on a big project, so Nadia had her own access badge. Technically, she and Ethan were old acquaintances. Whenever she needed something urgent and couldn’t reach him, she’d always just come to his office.

In the past, Ethan’s reactions had been indifferent but never harsh, and his staff had always treated her with courtesy.

“Ethan, why did you delete me? How can you be so heartless? What did I even do wrong? After everything she’s done to you, can’t you see what kind of woman she is?”

Nadia was beside herself. She’d messaged Ethan several times the night before, only to wake up and discover she’d been blocked.

“Enough,” Ethan snapped, his sudden gaze so sharp that Nadia shivered. She had never seen him look at her like that; her heart plummeted.

“You two, out, he ordered.

Ash took the hint and quickly ushered the others from the office, leaving Ethan and Nadia alone.

“Who gave you permission to have her followed?” Ethan’s tone was lethal.

Nadia had sent him photos of Ramona and Jotham together the previous night. He’d immediately threatened to cut off all business with the Shepard family if she didn’t delete them at once.

“She’s clearly involved with another man!” Nadia’s composure cracked, her words tumbling out recklessly: “Ethan, just because you’ve been hurt before doesn’t mean you should settle for anyone!”

She hadn’t finished when a pen crashed off the desk, startling her so badly she jumped.

Ethan, raised in a strict household, had never lost his temper in front of her before–let alone thrown something. Not at her.

Nadia’s eyes filled with tears. “Are you really going to treat me like this, all for a woman you barely know?”

“Nadia, listen carefully. She is my fiancée. Out of respect for the Shepard family’s past kindness, I’m letting this go. But if I hear a single word against her again, I won’t be so forgiving.

That goes for you and your family. If you can’t handle it, then there’s no reason for the two families to have any further dealings.”

Ethan’s gaze was frigid, a final warning.

“Do you really hate me that much? I know I made mistakes before, but don’t punish yourself just to get back at me… She–she’s not even good enough for you…”

“Did you not hear what I said?” Ethan cut her off, exhaling quietly. He didn’t waste another second arguing. He simply picked up his phone and started to dial.

Nadia knew Ethan meant what he said. Even if it meant a huge loss, he’d pull the plug on their partnership without hesitation. The Shepard family couldn’t match the Jordon Group’s resources, and this project was something they’d been pouring everything into.

“Fine, I’ll leave right now. I won’t investigate her again, and the photos will be deleted this instant!”

With her family’s future at stake, Nadia had no choice but to back down.

She burst into tears, covering her face as she fled the office.

Ash, seeing her like that, felt a twinge of sympathy.

After a long silence, Ash returned, intending to ask if Ethan needed help smoothing things over. Before he could speak, Ethan said calmly,

“From now on, don’t let Nadia into my office without my approval. And when this project with the Shepard family is finished, make sure everyone knows, we’re done working with them. Permanently.”

Everyone knew the Jordon and Shepard families had always been close. Ethan and Nadia’s relationship had always been… complicated.

Ash had assumed that, no matter what happened, Ethan would never truly cut Nadia off. He never imagined Ethan could be this ruthless.

Was it cold–bloodedness–or was it that the more he cared, the less he could let go?

The scene closes, but its pressure does not. Something has shifted, and the next step will have to meet it. The feeling is unfinished on purpose.

Expect tighter tension and fewer safe options. Hidden truths may press forward. The path ahead should feel earned and a bit sharper.

Which choice will echo the longest? Who revealed the most by saying the least? How might today’s restraint become tomorrow’s turning point?

Rules, memory, and the setting frame each decision. Inside that frame, even small moves gain size. The chapter belongs to its world as much as to its people.

With this chapter done, the story steps forward—quieter, clearer, and ready to show what those choices mean.