Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 127

Emma acted as if she hadn't heard Logan at all. Without sparing him a single glance, she simply walked right past him.

"These actually taste pretty good. Want to try one, Julian?"

Emma sat casually next to Julian, offering him the pastry.

Julian broke into his first genuine smile since stepping foot in the Harrington estate. "It's definitely better than anything you've ever baked."

Emma remembered her disastrous first attempt at making desserts, which nearly sent Clara and the rest of the team to the emergency room, and she flashed a sheepish, playful grin.

Logan froze, watching that smile. A sharp, suffocating pang flared in his chest.

It felt like a needle had been driven straight into his heart.

In his memory, Emma hadn't smiled like that once since returning to the country.

But she used to be so bright and full of life. When exactly did she become so cold and unreachable?

Soon, the main family banquet began.

Douglas sat at the head of the long dining table. Edward took the first seat on the left, but sitting across from him wasn't Charles—who shared the same generational rank—but Julian.

The Lockwoods were seated further down the table, past Emma.

"Emma truly has impeccable taste." Helena had taken a moment to change her outfit, specifically to wear the Imperial Emerald Jewelry Set Emma had gifted her.

The vibrant, flawless emerald necklace and matching bracelets draped over her made her look breathtakingly regal.

"I just adore it."

Helena walked over to Emma and handed her a thick document folder and a premium bank card.

"You and Carter don't plan on holding a wedding ceremony just yet, but we absolutely insist on giving you a bridal gift to welcome you to the family."

She pulled the documents from the folder and placed them in front of Emma. "Here are the deeds to three estates. One is a standalone villa in the city center. It's not massive, but the location is prime. I've already arranged for the title to be transferred to your name."

Emma glanced at the paperwork. Did eighteen thousand square feet really count as 'not massive'?

"Why on earth would I be worried about having another person in the family to spoil and love me? I couldn't be happier." Scarlett shot a smug look across the table at Carter. "Carter, Emma gave me an eight million dollar pigeon-blood ruby necklace a few days ago. All my friends were dying of jealousy when I wore it out."

Scarlett couldn't hide her grin as she recalled the scene. "When Dominic Mercer saw it, he actually had the nerve to ask me to sell it to him at a discount for some 'god-sister' of his. I was so furious I grabbed the bouquet of pink roses he gave me at the hospital and smashed him right in the face."

Carter shot her a disapproving look. Just because Emma offered it, didn't mean Scarlett should have accepted something so expensive.

Helena also shot her daughter a warning glare, signaling that this was not the time or place for this story.

But Emma caught onto the crucial detail.

Pink roses?

She clearly remembered Carter holding a bouquet of pink roses downstairs at the hospital that day.

But the woman who took the flowers from him hadn't been Scarlett.

"Scarlett, what's this about pink roses?"