Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 123

The Harrington family's token of authority was a revered heirloom passed down through generations.

While Carter had technically managed the corporation before, he was only ever known publicly as 'Mr. Harrington.'

But the moment he held that token, he officially became the undisputed patriarch of the Harrington empire.

The news sent shockwaves through their elite social circles. With everyone already obsessing over his whirlwind marriage to Emma, his sudden ascension to family head sparked endless wild speculation.

None of that noise affected Emma's daily routine, however.

"Tell him to come down for dinner."

Emma sat in the dining room. She hadn't been to the office in days.

Julian hadn't wanted her to burn out again, so he personally took charge of the domestic CFT branch, relieving her of her lab duties. Now, she had nothing but free time to play nurse at home.

Carter was recovering remarkably well. His color had returned, and his overall energy was leaps and bounds better than before.

"Mom and Dad asked if we were going back to the estate today."

Carter's eyes hid a smug sense of satisfaction. With Emma staying home these past few days, cooking his meals and personally applying his medication, he was living in absolute paradise.

It was so domestic and blissful that he secretly hoped it would never end.

Emma thoughtfully chewed her food, and Carter added, "I was thinking we should push it back. The Harringtons and Lockwoods are supposedly discussing a marriage arrangement today."

"Percy and Gillian's engagement?"

Emma frowned in question. Carter nodded. "Yeah. Uncle Raymond and his wife adore Gillian. Given all the crazy rumors floating around about our family right now, having them get engaged quickly will shut down the gossip."

Percy's previous fiancée had been Emma. Even though he had eventually moved on to Gillian, most people didn't know the full story.

As a result, Emma marrying Carter had stirred up quite a bit of controversy. To prevent outsiders from digging into the drama, the family needed an engagement banquet to smooth things over.

"We'll go. I'll call Julian. Since Mom and Mr. Vance are traveling, they won't be back anytime soon."

Emma arched an eyebrow. Carter's physique was arguably the best she had ever seen.

He had broad shoulders, a sculpted core, and long legs—he looked even better than the professional models Clara used to date.

Carter couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling up as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, stalking toward her.

"Is that right? Just how great?"

As he closed the distance, Emma's mind flashed back to the time she had clung to him and traced those exact abs, causing a sudden flush of heat to rush to her cheeks.

Just as she braced herself for him to tease her about it, he suddenly reached out and hauled her directly into his arms.

Carter's body was running scorching hot, radiating enough heat to practically evaporate the dampness from her skin.

Emma had just managed to gather enough breath to push him away when he ducked his head, his voice dripping with sudden, uncharacteristic vulnerability.

"Honey, my wounds hurt."