Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 109

Hearing Gillian's irrational, defensive screeching, Sebastian couldn't be bothered to waste another breath on her and simply walked away.

Gillian burst into tears, instantly drawing Logan's sympathy.

Because of this, when Sebastian later tried to reach out to Emma again, the two brothers had a massive falling out.

"I'll take over the arrangements for the Jennings family's medical students. I've contacted a new laboratory. The equipment isn't as advanced as the Vance Group's, but it's still considered top-tier overseas."

When Logan finished, Sebastian stared at him in stunned silence for a long moment.

"So you're freezing me out of this?"

"Yes," Logan replied calmly, offering a brief justification. "Gillian's childhood experiences left her sensitive and insecure. It wasn't her fault. The Lockwood family owes her far too much, and we can't let her suffer any more grievances."

Sebastian let out a bitter laugh. "Fine. Just pretend everything I said the other day was complete bullshit. You don't recognize Emma as your sister, but I do. I wash my hands of the medical students, and you can stay the hell out of the Jennings family's business."

Sebastian's need for the labs had partly been because members of his own family required the space for experiments.

If he was only securing labs for the Jennings family, he'd only need three rooms.

That would have been an easy negotiation.

Emma remained entirely oblivious to their explosive fallout. Recently, she had been burying herself in the lab day and night, rarely emerging before late evening.

"You're out a bit earlier today."

Carter came to pick Emma up every single night. Sometimes he even fell asleep waiting in the car.

Despite Emma insisting he didn't need to come, he showed up rain or shine.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Plus, I promised to go to that gathering with your mother tomorrow, so I decided to wrap up early."

Emma's voice was slightly muffled, her nose clearly congested.

"Are you sick?" Carter asked, his brow furrowing with concern. "It's just a gathering. It doesn't matter if you skip it. I've already spoken to my mother."

Carter quietly set her shoes aside, making no move to leave. He just sat silently by the edge of the bed.

His mind drifted to the past.

The vibrant, relentlessly sunny girl who used to wait at the gates of the Harrington estate for her best friend now buried all her sorrow and frustration deep inside.

Carter felt a wave of intense regret. If he had known this was how Percy and the Lockwood family would treat her, he would have stolen the engagement right out from under them years ago.

Maybe then, she wouldn't be so unhappy.

He sat in silence, watching her sleep for a long time before finally pulling out his phone to text his assistant.

"I remember the Lockwood family had a nanny who took care of Emma exclusively for over a decade. Find out what she's doing now. I don't care what methods you use or how much you have to pay her, poach her."

He was going to make Emma happy.

"Also, dig up every single detail regarding the car accident Violet was involved in twenty-three years ago."