The Paper Wife’s Empire novel Chapter 377

But then, something happened. Lester was betrayed and forced to step down from the Airgap Alliance. Before he left, he entrusted her care to his most loyal men. Melinda was heartbroken and had wanted to abandon everything to follow him, but he couldn't take her with him. He had too many debts to pay, his own future uncertain. Taking her along would only endanger them both.

More importantly, Lester knew Melinda. She was not a woman who lived for love. Her ambition was a raging fire, fueled by a deep-seated hatred. Her destination was the pinnacle of wealth and power. As long as this materialistic world existed, she would never stop climbing.

After Lester left, Melinda’s protection vanished. Still young and without allies, she was gradually pushed out of the line of succession at the Yarrow estate. At her most desperate moment, Benedict Covington appeared. What began as a marriage of convenience turned into something more when Benedict treated her with unexpected kindness.

After Lester's departure, his loyalists were decent to her, but his enemies, unable to find him, came for her instead. No one dared to get involved for the sake of a man who had disappeared. On the eve of her wedding to Benedict, she was abducted and brutalized.

It was Benedict who, with a massive ransom, went alone to save her. Lester’s enemies were ruthless killers. Benedict knew he was likely walking to his death, but he went anyway. They survived the ordeal together, but Benedict lost the ability to have children.

Overwhelmed with guilt, Melinda promised to stay by his side for life, even if they could never have a family. At the time, she believed their love was real. Benedict understood her ambitions and personally mentored her, helping her escape the shadow of the Yarrow family and build their own business empire together. Melinda poured all her energy and passion into the Covington Group.

She never imagined that such devotion could be so worthless.

Melinda stayed on the phone for a long time. For years, she had been trying to find news of Lester, but most rumors said he was dead. Her heart had gone from anxious to numb. To get things done for the Covington Group, she had sometimes hired Lester’s old associates, always paying a hefty price. She knew that after he left, many of them had fallen on hard times.

But times change, and so do people. The men who had once been willing to die for Lester had lost their way. Melinda had paid a handsome deposit to have Ethan killed, but the job had been stalled for months.

Hearing this, Lester’s voice turned cold. “Leave it to me.”