The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 354

He pressed his hands against the ground, and through his blurry vision, he watched Ramona’s figure disappear. In his daze, he saw a memory of the day he proposed. He had been on one knee, the words barely out of his mouth, when she had taken his hand and fallen into his arms.

He could never go back.

…

Back in the car, Ramona felt another wave of nausea. Was her trauma from Jotham so severe that just being near him triggered a physical reaction?

She was eager to get home and called Ethan on the way. He answered a little slower than usual. “Are you working again?” she teased. “You know you’re supposed to be resting. Have you forgotten my instructions for today?”

A light chuckle came from the other end. “I haven’t forgotten. Sleep more, drink more water, eat more. I just woke up, that’s why I was slow to answer.”

“You’d better be telling the truth,” Ramona said with mock seriousness.

Hearing her voice, Ethan’s features softened into a gentle smile. He looked like a different person.

The doctor and the team of specialists sitting across from him, however, all wore grim expressions. Ethan didn’t bother to hide his conversation. Every moment with Ramona was precious to him; he had no energy to spare for anything else.

After he hung up, the heavy atmosphere returned. Ethan nodded, remembering Ramona’s instructions, and took a sip of the warm water beside him, signaling for them to continue.

The stomach pain and vomiting blood these past few days indicated that the shadow in his stomach was more than just clotted blood. He needed an endoscopy immediately. But Ramona was leaving for Myridia Country in two days. If she found out, she wouldn't be able to leave with peace of mind. So Ethan had the doctors consult first. But whether it was taking his pulse or analyzing his bloodwork, the results were not optimistic.

There was only one dark cloud hanging over all their heads: the possibility that the shadow was a tumor.

Ethan himself was surprisingly calm. “I have a physical every year. There’s never been anything like this before,” he said.

“Yes, this kind of sudden lesion could be related to your old injury…” the doctor said somberly. “But we can’t be sure yet. You shouldn’t worry too much. We’ll know more after a biopsy.”

Ethan looked at his own slightly trembling hand. Even though the doctors were only speaking of possibilities, even though there was still a good chance he was fine, he was already afraid.

Afraid of dying.

There were so many things he still wanted to do. The first, the one he had just started to build, was his own blueprint for happiness. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Ramona. He wanted to do so many things with the woman he loved, to see the world with her…

But perhaps it was precisely because he had Ramona now that he was so terrified. Despair is only despair when it shatters hope.

It was late autumn, and the nights were drawing in. It wasn't even five o'clock when Ramona got home, but dusk had already fallen. The curtains were open, but the lights were off. Ethan was sitting by the window, their favorite spot. When he heard the door open, he got up and turned on a lamp.

Ramona dropped her things and immediately went to him. Her first order of business every day when she got home was to hug and kiss him. His embrace was so comfortable, so gentle, a shield against the world. She could never get enough.