Empire 130

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 130

“Nothing?” Liliane’s voice rose, trembling with a raspy edge. “Ramona, you can’t say things like that. You’re married! Even if you want a divorce, you can’t just decide that on your own. Our family has to agree!”

“That’s right, I do want a divorce from Jotham. But there’s no need to make it so complicated. We can just go our separate ways.”

Ramona hadn’t planned to confront the Holt family so soon–her payback against Jotham wasn’t finished yet. But judging by Griffin’s attitude, there was no way she’d get shares in Holt Group without a fight, and she was tired of the family’s constant meddling. She might as well draw a clear line with Jotham now.

“Ramona, what are you talking about?” Liliane’s voice grew shrill with disbelief. “I know you’re upset, but divorce isn’t something you just say in the heat of the moment!”

She was so agitated she banged her hand against the table, the sound echoing through the speaker.

Winnie, however, dismissed it with a roll of her eyes, convinced Ramona was once again putting on a show. After the whole debacle with Brianna, Ramona was obviously sulking, trying to play hard to get with their family.

“Ramona, just how greedy can you get? Marrying into the Holt family is more luck than you could ever hope for! Life as a society wife has apparently gone to your head. You expect your mother–in–law and sister–in–law to grovel for your forgiveness? Now you want 50% of Holt Group’s shares? What’s next? Do you want Jotham to get down on his knees and beg you?”

Winnie’s rant was cut short by Jotham’s voice.

“Ramona, you’re really crossing the line now. I’ve let a lot slide, but now you’re actually talking about divorce? If that’s what you really want, then so be it.”

But Ramona had already hung up before Jotham could finish. She hadn’t listened to a word he said.

Jotham’s jaw tightened, veins bulging at his temples. “Ramona!”

Her earlier talk about not even needing a divorce had startled him for a second. But on second thought, there was no way Ramona could know their marriage was a sham.

Otherwise, with no assets of her own, how could she dare walk away?

Winnie was right–Ramona was just being unreasonable, using the Brianna situation as leverage, trying to force him to apologize and make the Holt family pay up.

Liliane couldn’t believe she’d just offered Ramona such an easy way out, only to be met with utter disrespect and threats of divorce. She sat frozen, stunned even after the call ended.

“Has Ramona lost her mind? Does she really want to divorce you?”

“Grandma, don’t be upset. Ramona’s just blowing off steam. She didn’t mean any of it.”

Jotham, still fuming, hurried to comfort Liliane, worried the stress might be too much for her.

Liliane finally came back to herself, letting out a cold, bitter laugh. “I used to think your mother Updates are released by FιndNovel.net

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exaggerated, and Ramona always seemed so gentle, not the type to make trouble. Clearly I was wrong. That girl really has no idea how the world works.”

Seeing Liliane finally stop defending Ramona, Winnie breathed a sigh of relief.

“Exactly. Ramona’s been spoiled for too long. Maybe if we ignore her, she’ll come crawling back

herself!”

Liliane drew a long breath, considering, then frowned as she thought of the company.

“But without Ramona, what about the projects at the firm…”

She’d heard all about it since coming home. Griffin was out every day trying to bring in new investors. Without Ramona, the company was bleeding money; they might even face a cash crisis.

“You don’t need to worry about the cash flow.”

Just as Liliane finished, Griffin strode into the room. He’d heard the commotion as soon as he got home, catching every word about Ramona.

That girl truly was insufferable. When she’d bargained with him at the office, she hadn’t shown a shred of respect. Some inexperienced upstart, thinking Holt Group revolved around her just because she married Jotham?

“Griffin!” Winnie’s face lit up when she saw her husband. She hurried to help him with his coat.

Jotham, uneasy, nodded a greeting to his father. He’d failed to accomplish what Griffin had asked of him before leaving.

But Griffin seemed to be in a good mood and said nothing, instead sitting down beside Liliane.

“Mom, you don’t need to worry about the company. I’ve already landed a top–tier investor. Even without Ramona, even if Holt Group lost anyone else, as long as we have this new backer, there’s no need to worry about going public.”

Griffin’s words sent a ripple of excitement through Winnie and Liliane.

“Is it Mr. Wallace?” Winnie asked eagerly. She remembered Griffin had several powerful contacts, but none more successful than Mr. Wallace, whose real estate empire had boomed in recent years.

“Mr. Wallace?” Griffin gave a dismissive snort, drumming his fingers lightly on the armrest. “He’s a big fish in his own pond, but next to our new investor, he wouldn’t even make a decent assistant.”

His gaze swept over Winnie and Liliane, then settled on Jotham, his tone turning slightly challenging.

“Jotham, you tell them. In Havencrest City, who really calls the shots in the business world? Which family holds all the power?”

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.