Empire 177

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.

Watching Jotham drop to his knees, Ramona’s brow furrowed with open disdain.

She’d always thought Jotham was scum–a calculating, manipulative man who used women for his own gain, the very picture of hypocrisy and deceit. But seeing him now, utterly exposed and without a shred of dignity, she realized he didn’t even qualify as proper trash. At least a skilled player had the guts to stick to his act until the end.

“Ramona, I was wrong. I’m so sorry, I’ve let you down!” Jotham ground out the words through clenched teeth. The humiliation burned, but his resentment and desperation outweighed his pride. He had to get Ramona back, not just for himself, but for the sake of Holt Group. Chapters first released on finḑnovel.net

If Ramona went public with everything she knew, what would become of him, of Brianna, of the Holt family’s reputation? The company was on the verge of going public; he couldn’t afford a scandal. He had to keep it together, even if it meant divorcing Brianna.

“Yes, I had feelings for Brianna in the past. I was weak, I made terrible mistakes… but these years with you, my feelings were real. I didn’t even realize you’d become irreplaceable to me. Please, Ramona, forgive me. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, anything you want.”

His voice was hoarse, every word forced out with effort, eyes shining with unshed tears as if he truly

was heartbroken.

Ramona had grown tired of his theatrics. The more sincere he sounded, the more absurd she found

him.

When Ramona laughed, Jotham felt as though she’d slapped him. The embarrassment stung, and the bitterness in his chest only deepened.

“Ramona, can’t you at least remember all the good years we had together? Just give me another chance. If I didn’t truly care about you, would I be here begging? Do you really think you’ll be better off without the Holts? You’re a woman with no family, no background. What man with better prospects would ever really love you?”

In his panic, Jotham finally revealed his true colors.

Ramona, seeing him unravel, let out a cold laugh. “Jotham, even if every man on earth dropped dead, I’d never go back to you. Not in this life, not in the next, or the one after that.”

Her words were soft but cut deeper than any slap.

Jotham had never imagined Ramona could hate him so much, as if all the years together meant absolutely nothing. She had completely and utterly erased him from her heart.

“Ramona, stop pretending. I know you’re hurt, but do you really think denying our past will make it go away?” Jotham shot to his feet, only for Ramona to drive the point of her high heel into his knee without warning. He lost his balance and crashed back down, half–kneeling on the floor.

Ramona crouched down, grabbed his face in one hand, her gaze icy with contempt.

“Jotham, if you don’t want everyone in Havencrest City to know about your and Brianna’s dirty secrets, I suggest you transfer every share of Holt Group I’m owed plus interest to me within three

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days. Consider it the price for deceiving me all these years.”

Jotham hadn’t expected Ramona to be so cold, to ignore every plea for sentiment. He panicked, tried to shove her away and argue, but then he heard the sound of a recording–his own groveling, played back from Ramona’s phone.

He froze, stunned. She’d recorded everything while he was on his knees.

“Should I send this to Brianna, or just drop it into a group chat?” Ramona smiled, holding her phone so he could see the screen already pulled up to her contacts. With one tap, everyone would hear his pathetic confession.

Jotham stopped in his tracks, not daring to make another move.

“Ramona, you weren’t always like this. Let’s stop hurting each other. I know you’re wounded, but do you think you’re the only one who’s suffered? These years of lying to you have eaten me alive. And what hurts the most is that I-”

“Say one more word, and I’ll send it,” Ramona cut him off, her tone sharp as a whip.

Jotham swallowed the rest of his plea. She didn’t believe him anymore. Talking about love was pointless now.

He nodded. “Fine. I won’t say another word. You want the shares? You’ll have them. I promise.”

Ramona knew he was just stalling, trying to buy himself time. If he loved scheming so much, she’d let him struggle for as long as he liked.

After all, the most satisfying revenge wasn’t in the ending, but in the process. She wanted Jotham and the entire Holt family to live in constant dread and unrest.

And even if she got the shares, who said she’d ever let Jotham and Brianna off the hook?

When Ramona turned to leave, Jotham tried to grab her again, but she anticipated him, sidestepping smoothly. She shot him a cold glare over her shoulder.

“Don’t ever show your face to me again. Don’t contact me. We’re done.”

Then, as if to rub it in, Ramona slowed her voice, almost teasing, “Besides, my situation’s different now. I have to consider my husband’s feelings.”

Jotham’s face turned scarlet. “You’re lying. You couldn’t have remarried so quickly!”

“Shh.” Ramona’s command was low and threatening, her eyes flashing a warning. “My husband isn’t someone you want to cross. If he gets the wrong idea or if he’s unhappy… well, let’s just say the consequences wouldn’t be something I could control.”

She didn’t wait for a response, turning on her heel and striding away without a backward glance.

Her final words left Jotham reeling. He stood frozen for a few seconds, then, seeing Ramona about to step into the elevator, rushed forward in a last, desperate attempt to catch her.

Chapter 178

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.