Empire 13

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. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn find•novel.net

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.

“What are you afraid of?”

Jotham turned around and gently pulled her into his arms, his voice so soft it could melt the coldest winter.

“I’m afraid your family will tear us apart, that I’ll spend my whole life with you but never truly belong to you. I’m afraid that when I’m old, you’ll… change your heart.”

Brianna’s gaze fell; as she spoke, her voice grew tight with emotion.

“That will never happen.”

Jotham cupped her face, brushing away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumb.

“I told you, I’ll protect you. No one can keep us apart. And I would never stop loving you.”

“Jotham…”

Brianna was overwhelmed, eyes fluttering shut as she pressed her lips softly to his.

Even with the company’s IPO looming, Jotham still gave in to her wishes and brought her home. Yet Brianna couldn’t shake the feeling that Jotham had changed over the past two years.

He wasn’t as wild about her as he used to be. Worse, he seemed to worry about Ramona more and more, even when Brianna was right there beside him.

Women are sensitive and easily unsettled. No matter how much confidence Brianna had in Jotham, she couldn’t help feeling insecure.

Jotham responded to her kiss, his hand tracing up the back of her neck as they retreated to the bedroom, losing themselves in each other.

33.20

But just for an instant, Ramona’s face flashed through Jotham’s mind. In that critical moment, he suddenly pulled away.

“What’s wrong…?”

Startled, Brianna quickly grabbed his arm.

But Jotham ignored her, heading straight to the bathroom to douse his desire in cold water.

His thoughts were a tangled mess; every time Ramona crossed his mind, whatever passion he’d felt simply evaporated.

Of course, he couldn’t admit any of this to Brianna.

“I think I ate something bad. I’m not feeling well all of a sudden.”

When he came out of the bathroom, Jotham wrapped Brianna in his arms again, kissing her and apologizing over and over.

Although Brianna was upset, she remembered how attentive Jotham had been these past few days and let it go.

The next morning, Jotham headed to the office at dawn.

On the way, his phone rang-one by one, several hard-won business partners were pulling out of their deals.

“What’s going on?”

Jotham’s anger boiled over; the meeting room was silent, no one daring to speak.

“Mr. Holt, it’s… it’s because the payments were late…”

“Late payments? How could that happen?”

“You weren’t here yesterday, no one could sign off…”

Jotham froze, finally recalling that call he’d taken while out with Brianna the day before.

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But hadn’t he told them to find Ramona for things like this?

“Wasn’t Ms. Jarrett here yesterday? Why didn’t anyone ask her-”

He stopped short. Technically, Ramona didn’t have the authority to sign in his absence. He bit back the rest of his words.

“Useless! Get out!”

After berating everyone, Jotham ordered Ramona to his office.

Ramona had just arrived and could already hear the commotion from down the hall: Jotham was furious, deals were falling apart.

A coworker hurried over, looking grave. “Ms. Jarrett, Mr. Holt is livid. The deals fell through. You’d better get in there.”

Ramona just nodded calmly. “Understood.”

She pushed open the office door.

Jotham, still fuming, straightened as soon as he saw her. “You’re here.”

Ramona walked up to his desk. “Your assistant tried to find me for a signature yesterday, but I was in a rush to meet an important client.” Her tone carried just the right note of helplessness. “You know I don’t have real authority here. Signing in your place is a sensitive issue. If something went wrong, it wouldn’t just be on me. It might drag you down,

too.”

She let out a gentle sigh. “I just didn’t expect those partners to be so impatient. One day late, and they give us no leeway at all.”

Ramona didn’t sound particularly regretful. She simply laid out the fact that her lack of authority was the real problem. It wasn’t that she wasn’t trying; it was that Jotham hadn’t given her enough power, and the partners were being impossibly demanding.

The suspicion that she had done this on purpose evaporated as Jotham met her steady gaze.

Ramona had always put the company first. Just yesterday, she’d gone out of her way to meet with a client. Why would she ever sabotage things?

In the end, he hadn’t considered how difficult her position was. If anything, he was the one at fault-distracted by Brianna when the company needed him most.

The more Jotham thought about it, the guiltier he felt toward Ramona.

“Jotham, this is a crucial time for the company. Why don’t you give me some of the necessary permissions? That way, if something urgent comes up, I can handle it right away.”

Seizing the moment, Ramona made her move.

Jotham hesitated, surprise flickering in his eyes. He hadn’t expected Ramona to ask for more authority. She’d always trusted him completely; even when she needed access to company data, she’d check it only when he was present.

“What, is it a problem? If you’re not comfortable, then-”

“No, it’s not a problem. I trust you completely.”

Worried she’d see through his hesitation, Jotham quickly agreed.

“It’s just that granting full access needs approval from all the board members. But I’ll give you partial access for now.”

“Alright.”

Ramona smiled to herself. She’d known Jotham wouldn’t give in so easily. Still, partial access was enough to copy some of the company’s most important files. If she was going to bring down Jotham’s company, there was no need to rush.

With her new permissions, Ramona swiftly copied the company’s core data from the past two years. With that information in hand, she now held all the cards-whether it was the upcoming bid or the IPO, she’d be

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the one calling the shots.

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.