The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 332

“Wanna take a look?” she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.

When Ramona asked for something, there was only one possible answer. Ethan nodded, his fingers lacing through hers. “Alright. I’d like to see it, too.”

“Ramona, here,” the makeup artist said, handing Ramona her small Polaroid camera.

The Love Tree stood in a quiet corner of the palace grounds. A long wooden table nearby was covered with red ribbons and charms for visitors to write their wishes on. The ancient tree was massive, its trunk thick and gnarled. Standing beneath it, one could almost feel the weight of history, the countless stories it had witnessed over the centuries.

The last of the sun’s rays painted the sky in shades of crimson and gold. Ramona led Ethan to the tree and picked out two red ribbons. Following the example of the other visitors, she carefully wrote their names on them and then tied them to a branch. Ethan, being taller, easily reached a higher branch, taking the ribbons from her and tying them together in a single knot.

“They say if a couple ties their names here together, they can wish for a lifetime of love and devotion,” Ramona said, looking up at him.

“A lifetime is too short,” Ethan replied softly. “If I’m making a wish, I’m wishing for an eternity.” He closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and began to make a wish with surprising sincerity.

Ramona was taken aback. Ethan, the man who didn’t believe in superstitions, was actually making a wish. With the sky a canvas of fiery red behind him, she quickly raised the Polaroid and snapped a picture. The image slowly developed. Against the crimson sky, Ethan’s tall figure stood beside the magnificent ancient tree, his hands clasped in a silent, heartfelt prayer.

Just then, he opened his eyes and saw her watching him, a faint smile on his lips. “I made my wish.”

Ramona smiled back, carefully tucking the photo into her bag. She then turned to the two ribbons fluttering in the breeze and clasped her own hands together in a silent prayer.

On the way back, she proudly showed him the photo she had taken. The composition was beautiful, and Ethan looked even more stunning than the scenery. The more she looked at it, the more she loved it. She felt she could win a photography award with this single shot. Out of all the photos taken at the palace that day, this one was her favorite.

The golden light of dusk filtered through the car window, casting soft shadows on Ethan’s face.

Afterward, Winnie went straight to the hospital to check on Griffin. Flynn shot Eulalia a look, and she quickly caught up to Jotham and Brianna, inviting them over for a meal.

Jotham didn’t respond, but Brianna took his arm. “Yes, let’s. We’ve all had a long few days. A meal together would be nice.”

Liliane’s death had hit Jotham hard. When Brianna had arrived from Kyro City, he had looked so haggard she almost didn’t recognize him. The arrogant confidence of a man born to privilege was gone, replaced by a hollow emptiness. She had stayed by his side during the vigil, and in all that time, he had barely spoken a word. She saw this as her opportunity to mend their relationship. Now that he was vulnerable and had surely given up on Ramona, he would need her.

Jotham, with Brianna holding his arm, stopped but said nothing. Brianna took his silence as agreement and led him to the car.

Flynn and Eulalia had already discussed their strategy. The Holt Group was beyond saving, and Jotham was unlikely to recover from such a devastating blow. They had also discreetly inquired about the trust fund Liliane had left. Apparently, the terms stipulated that if Jotham and Brianna divorced but were found to still be involved, the firm had the right to freeze the assets. With Liliane gone, dealing with the trust administrators would be nearly impossible. Jotham’s best bet was to join Brianna at the Havencrest City branch of Gallop Inc.

Their only hope now was Brianna. She seemed to still be deeply in love with Jotham and was unlikely to abandon the family. But if she found out about Ramona’s true identity, all bets were off. So, Eulalia and Winnie had agreed to keep it a secret from her for as long as possible.