Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 115

Emma's expression hardened, and she turned on her heel to leave.

But as she reached the hospital entrance, her conscience got the better of her, and she made a call.

"Julian, send me the contact info for the consulting physicians on Douglas's case. Something came up, so I'm leaving, but I want to review the medical files first."

Emma didn't go home. She drove straight to the research institute.

Sitting alone at her desk, she scrolled through the forwarded consultation records on her phone.

At 5:00 AM, she transmitted a brand-new, customized treatment proposal back to the hospital.

Over at the hospital, when Carter heard the doctors had a new protocol with an eighty percent chance of waking his grandfather within three days, the crushing tension in his chest finally eased.

"Does she know my grandfather is hospitalized?" Carter sat outside the ICU, asking his assistant in a low voice.

Jeff pursed his lips. "Yes, sir."

"Julian came, but she didn't."

Carter's face looked grim. He wasn't angry; he was just drowning in melancholy.

He knew their marriage had been a sham from day one. She never wanted to marry him; she only agreed so she could investigate Pamela.

"Boss, wasn't that exactly why you didn't want to tell her in the first place? You were terrified that if you told her, she still wouldn't show up."

Carter tightened his jaw.

Not being able to reveal the real reason behind his grandfather's collapse was part of it, but Jeff was right—the biggest reason was pure fear.

When Violet showed up at the party, he immediately realized Emma had orchestrated Marian's presence purely to bait Gillian and Violet into a trap.

Because of that, he had been too afraid to tell Emma about the emergency. He was terrified she would deem it irrelevant to her goals and refuse to come.

As long as he kept his mouth shut, he could at least lie to himself and pretend she wasn't here because she didn't know, rather than because she didn't care.

"The doctors say there's a new treatment plan for Dad. He should be out of the woods soon."

Raymond rolled up in his wheelchair, with Pamela trailing closely behind him.

Carter shot him a dark, piercing look.

Raymond sneered. "What? Do you want me to administer the lashes myself?"

Carter's gaze dropped, landing heavily on his uncle's legs.

Unable to voice a single word of rebellion, he simply turned and walked away.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have said anything," Pamela said, wiping away fake tears. "Please don't punish him. He's the head of the Harrington family now, and he's a grown man. Punishing him will completely destroy his pride."

"Inside this family, my word is law." Raymond took his wife's hand, his voice softening. "You are his elder. Even if you misspoke, he still has to take it.

"You are simply too soft. Dad's heart attack was directly tied to Emma. And now that he's hospitalized, she didn't even bother to show up. Where is her basic duty as the eldest daughter-in-law?"

Raymond's eyes turned lethal as he instructed his own assistant.

"Bring my orders back to the estate. Tell Carter he is to divorce Emma immediately, before Dad wakes up and gets angry again. If he refuses, use the family discipline on him until he agrees."