Empire 250

Chapter 250

Since Ethan was attending the gala to support the cause, he could hardly refuse such a publicly charitable request. Nadia knew him too well; he always separated business from personal matters and, given their families‘ history, he wouldn’t humiliate her in front of so many people.

As she had predicted, Ethan accepted.

Nadia had hoped the dance would be a chance to reconnect, a moment to start rebuilding what they had lost. She never imagined his first words to her would be, “It’s been a long time.”

And his second: “I need to get back to my fiancée. Excuse me.”

He ended the dance before the song was even half over. He walked away without a backward glance, and from that day on, she could only watch him from a distance, a man who felt more like a stranger with each passing day.

Her memory was jolted back to the present by a faint vibration. Nadia’s grip on her phone loosened, and a flicker of desperate hope lit up her eyes.

Ethan had replied.

That evening, Ramona arrived early at the private room Fenton had booked at the restaurant. She had told Ethan that morning she was having dinner with her uncle. He hadn’t said anything, but she saw the reluctance in his eyes. She had finally wrapped things up at the Covington Group for the day and felt she should have been spending the evening with him.

If he weren’t still recovering, she would have insisted he come along. Her new plan was to make this quick and get home as soon as possible.

On her way, she sent Ethan a text to let him know she had arrived, but he didn’t reply immediately. While waiting for Fenton and Yancey, she tried calling him. After a few rings, he picked up.

“What are you busy with? Not answering my texts anymore?” she cooed playfully.

A low chuckle came through the phone. “I was just changing my bandages.”

“How are you feeling today? Does anything hurt?” As she asked, Ramona’s voice grew softer, as if speaking too loudly might somehow injure him.

“It doesn’t hurt. I’m fine,” Ethan said, clearing his throat, though his voice was still a little hoarse.

“What time will you be done? Can I come pick you up?”

“Don’t you move,” Ramona immediately protested. “You stay in bed and rest, you hear me? I’ll finish up as fast as I can and come home on my own.”

She heard him laugh again on the other end, realizing he had probably only said it to hear her fuss

over him.

“Alright,” he relented. “I’ll wait for you.”

Just then, Ramona heard footsteps in the background on his end. She was about to ask if he was at home when Fenton pushed open the door to their private room. Her uncle had arrived, so she had to

18:28

end the call.

“It must be Ash or the doctor,” she thought. Ethan had promised her he wouldn’t go anywhere

Fenton had arranged the dinner to clear the air. He knew Ramona wasn’t naive, she had eyes and ears in the company and would find out about Melinda’s scherming sooner or later. He decided # was better to be upfront and try to mend the rift between them, even if it meant preparing himself for the possibility that she might never fully trust him again.

“Uncle Fenton,” Ramona said after he had finished explaining, “I understand why you did what you did. Everyone faces difficult choices. When I returned to the Covington family, you were the first person to help me. No matter where we stand in the future, I hope you’ll always be my uncle and see me as family.”

Her response was sincere. She wanted a good relationship with him but wouldn’t force him to take her side. By giving him that space, she ensured their relationship wasn’t defined by alliances of enmity, dissolving the tension between them. Whether she trusted him fully was no longer the most important thing; their bond had already proven stronger than Melinda’s manipulations.

Pleased by her maturity, Fenton downed his wine in a gesture of sincere apology, the matter finally settled.

Yancey then spoke up. “Ramona, Melinda will probably keep coming after you. My father can’t always intervene directly, so if you ever need help, remember you can count on me.”

“Okay. Thank you, Yancey,” Ramona replied with a warm smile.

With the Covington Group business out of the way, Ramona’s mind was solely on getting home to Ethan. She picked at her food for a few minutes before declaring she was full.

Fenton, understanding a young woman in love, offered a few pleasantries about Ethan’s recovery and then had Yancey see her out.

Ramona started to refuse, but Yancey insisted on walking with her to the elevator. As they stood inside, she realized he must have something else he wanted to say.

“What’s on your mind, Yancey?” she asked, noticing his hesitation.

He gave a slightly sheepish smile and nodded. “There is something I was hoping to ask you”

“Go ahead,” Ramona said, her curiosity piqued. With his recent troubles resolved, she couldn’t imagine what he would need her help with.

Later that night, Ramona stepped out of the elevator and hurried toward her apartment door. Eager to get home, she had driven faster than usual. It had only been an hour since her phone call with Ethan. She hadn’t texted him that she was on her way, wanting to surprise him–and to check if he had kept his promise to stay home and rest.

Cedella

Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.