Empire 28

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. Discover more novels at find~novel~net

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.

Ramona turned, finding Wisteria standing there with her arms crossed, eyebrow arched as she looked at the flustered waiter. “If you can’t even organize the seating at a banquet, are you implying everyone here is just some random nobody?”

The waiter was visibly shaken, his face drained of color.

Ramona picked up where Wisteria left off. “Ms. Huxley is absolutely right.”

“Everyone here tonight is a respected figure in their field, or an important partner. For the hosts to overlook something as basic as the seating placards isn’t just disrespectful to Ms. Huxley and me, it’s an insult to all the guests.”

“With this level of professionalism, I doubt any prominent family would trust you with their events again. Certainly not the Covington family.”

“The Covington family?” The waiter went even paler, the tray in his hands shaking so badly he nearly dropped it.

Everyone knew that getting the Covington heir to attend had already been a major coup for the organizers. Ramona’s words were as good as a death sentence for their reputation.

Wisteria quirked an eyebrow, a little surprised. Ramona always seemed gentle, but when it came to telling someone off, she didn’t pull any

punches.

With a flourish, Wisteria dragged two chairs over and set them by the table. “Since the hosts can’t handle it, we’ll just help ourselves. Ramona, have a seat?”

The waiter was already sweating bullets, barely managing to stumble away in a panic, off to fetch the manager.

Solenne was frozen in place. She’d been hoping to see Ramona

embarrassed, but in just a few words, Ramona had turned all the attention onto the hosts’ incompetence instead.

“Wisteria? I thought you’d left.”

The moment Solenne saw Wisteria, she stood up, her smile dropping away instantly.

Wisteria was the last person she wanted to see-her adopted sister, yet somehow always the favored one. No matter what Solenne did, Wisteria would always find a way to go against her.

“I was hungry,” Wisteria replied coolly. “I figured I’d eat before leaving. I registered for the banquet, so there should be a place card with my

name.”

Ramona knew Wisteria had stepped in specifically to bail her out. She offered a grateful smile, but Wisteria only gave her a cold, indifferent

look.

Not that Wisteria had meant to help Ramona; she’d just overheard Solenne gossiping in the restroom. She simply didn’t want Solenne to get her way.

And besides, Ramona was Yancey’s cousin.

The way Yancey had defended Ramona last night, you’d think Wisteria was out to harm her or something.

“Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Huxley, but I think I’ll stay here,” Ramona said, turning and calmly taking a seat in the empty chair.

“Ramona, who told you to sit there?” Solenne snapped, unable to keep up appearances any longer. “Are you completely uncivilized? No manners at

all!”

Ramona, unruffled, replied with a small smile, “I suppose I don’t know much about these things-this is my first time attending a banquet like

this.”

Solenne was left speechless; Ramona’s easy admission took the wind right out of her sails.

“But when I arrived, both the hosts and the Covington family made it clear that, as the wealthiest woman in Havencrest City, I should sit at the head of the table. Otherwise, it would be an insult.”

“This is the head seat, but there’s no name card. Since my card hasn’t turned up, I can only assume this is the spot reserved for me.”

Ramona’s confidence was unmistakable-backed, no doubt, by the Covington family’s clout. This new-found Covington heiress was turning out to be quite formidable.

The guests around them began to murmur in agreement. Someone even spoke up, “If there’s no name card, Ms. Jarrett should take the seat.”

“She’s right. Given her status, this is exactly where she belongs.”

Solenne’s expression grew darker by the second. Even the friends who’d been smiling next to her now kept their heads down, not daring to get

involved.

Ramona clearly wasn’t someone to mess with, and none of them wanted trouble.

Just then, the event manager hurried over, his face ashen. The news of a seating mishap had already rattled the staff, and now he rushed to apologize profusely.

But, as luck would have it, there was another twist. Just minutes ago, they’d received word of a surprise guest-the one VIP who’d originally declined the invitation had now shown up.

The manager rushed to Ramona’s side, apologizing again before saying, “Ms. Jarrett, we’ve arranged a new seat for you. If you’d please come with me.”

Without waiting for her reply, he set a place card down at the table.

The card was turned away from Ramona, but Solenne and the others caught the name immediately.

Ethan Jordon!

Everyone knew-even the Covington family’s power at home and abroad couldn’t compare to the Jordon family’s influence.

The organizers would risk offending the Covingtons before they’d ever dare cross the Jordons-especially over someone like Ramona, the newly found heiress with little standing in society.

And Ethan never attended these sorts of business functions. The fact that he’d made an appearance elevated the entire banquet to another level.

“If your mistake has left me without a seat, then wherever I choose to sit is perfectly reasonable,” Ramona said. She didn’t want to make things harder for the staff, and she could see how panicked they were, but if she gave in now, she’d only embarrass herself.

Solenne, emboldened, smiled again. “Ramona, stop making a scene. This is one seat you can’t possibly claim. Take my advice and step aside. There’s always someone higher up the ladder. Don’t embarrass the Covington family because of your pride.”

Now that Ethan’s name was out, even those who’d supported Ramona fell

silent.

Instead, a sense of anticipation filled the room, as if everyone was waiting for the drama to unfold.

The Covingtons versus the Jordons.

An illegitimate daughter trying to outshine a genuine power player? The outcome was obvious: whether Ramona gave up the seat or not, she was bound to lose face.

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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.