Empire 167

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 167

When Ramona got home, her phone rang. It was her assistant.

The man who attacked her had confessed during interrogation. Turns out, years ago, Benedict’s scathing review of his company’s project had nearly driven him to bankruptcy. His wife, trying desperately to help him save the business, worked herself to death.

He blamed everything on Benedict. The moment he found out Ramona was Benedict’s biological daughter, he began plotting revenge.

“A man like that is a danger to society,” Ethan said when he heard the story. His tone was calm, but the cold, lethal edge in his words made it clear just how far he was willing to go.

He immediately called Ash and quietly instructed him to “take care of it–completely.”

Ethan’s words were always understated, but the ruthlessness behind them was unmistakable in his eyes.

Even Ramona, who rarely flinched, felt a chill at how decisive and dangerous this man could be.

“Ethan, do you think someone put him up to it?” Ramona asked, thinking aloud.

Ethan understood her instantly. “You mean Melinda?”

She nodded.

It was only a guess, but Melinda’s hostility toward her had never been more obvious. And no matter how successful that man’s business had been, there was no way he could’ve shown up at the Covingtons‘ gala on his own, let alone known her plans for the night.

The answer was obvious.

Ethan’s expression turned stormy. Updates are released by Find[ɴ]ovel.net

“I don’t have any proof,” Ramona said, frustration creeping in. “If they really are behind it, they’d never leave evidence. Looks like Melinda and Holden want to play dirty.”

The thought made her uneasy. She could handle open conflict, but Melinda’s underhanded tactics were another story–impossible to predict and harder to defend against. What worried Ramona most was the possibility of people around her getting caught in the

crossfire.

“Whoever tries to hurt you is signing their own death warrant.” Ethan’s eyes were dark and intent. After a moment, he added, “Leave the Covingtons to me. You don’t have to shoulder everything alone.”

She looked at him. His tone was casual, but Ramona knew that when Ethan stepped in, he never held back. The feeling of being genuinely cared for warmed her all the way through.

15:46

“Alright, but…” her expression softened, “this is my fight, Ethan. They’re coming after me, so I need to deal with it myself. Besides, your father is right–the Jordon family shouldn’t damage its business relationships for personal reasons, and Jordon Group can’t get dragged into the Covingtons‘ internal feud just because of me. Melinda and Holden must have skeletons in their closet. If I could borrow your intelligence network…”

Ethan saw she had a plan.

He preferred more direct measures–if it were up to him, he’d put her under twenty–four–hour guard, no matter how extreme it seemed.

But Ramona was his wife. He respected her, and didn’t want his family to think less of her. He wasn’t afraid of Zadkiel, but he wouldn’t let Ramona take the blame for anything.

“Alright. Whatever you say. But from now on, your security is non–negotiable.”

He tilted her chin up, bringing his face close to hers, his tone suddenly impossibly gentle.

“How exactly do you plan to tighten security?” Ramona’s gaze dropped, cheeks flushing as she stared at the line of his throat.

“You’ll check in with me at all times. Twenty–four hours a day, you keep me updated,” Ethan murmured against her ear, his voice low and rough, the heat in his breath making his intentions obvious.

“At that rate, I won’t be able to breathe.” Even just speaking this close to him, she was already feeling breathless.

“This isn’t a negotiation, Mrs. Jordon. It’s an order.” His voice grew warmer, nearly branding her neck. “Understood?”

Ramona blinked up at him, teasing, “Mr. Jordon, your possessiveness is a bit much. Are you afraid I’ll run off, or that you won’t be able to protect me?”

He chuckled, trailing his thumb along the corner of her lips, his touch possessive. “Worried I can’t keep you safe? You’re welcome to test me, see if I can’t make your world so secure, nothing can ever touch you. Not even a single hair on your head.”

His words were flirtatious, but as Ramona met his gaze, she couldn’t shake a faint chill. He wasn’t joking; there was a darkness in him, a fierce, almost obsessive need for control that lurked just beneath the surface.

That night, Ethan’s phone buzzed incessantly as they lay in bed.

Ramona, half–awake and irritated, nudged him. He still had an arm wrapped around her waist. It took him a moment to reach for his phone on the nightstand, eyes barely open, and then he simply powered it off.

“Isn’t that important? Shouldn’t you answer it?” she mumbled sleepily.

15:46

But Ethan just pulled her closer, voice low and rough. “Sleep.”

When Ramona woke early the next morning, Ethan was already gone.

Her own phone was buzzing with messages and a missed call.

Nova had texted, telling her to check the group chat. Everyone was talking about the Shepard family’s project being halted, possibly canceling their partnership.

Ramona, still groggy, was caught off guard when a news alert popped up: “Shepard family heiress attempts suicide, survives after emergency rescue.”

Below the headline were details about the Shepard family and Nadia.

Nadia had once been famous for her looks. She’d filmed a few commercials and dabbled in

show business, but faded into obscurity over the years. Now, news of her suicide attempt was everywhere, and the fact that she was an heiress had sparked a frenzy online.

Comment sections were flooded with people lamenting how stunning Nadia had been in her modeling days, and the rumors and speculation seemed endless.

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.