Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 157

Seeing Carter return with a cake in hand, Travis narrowed his eyes slightly.

"My sister doesn't like sweets."

He dropped the comment and left, leaving Carter suddenly feeling incredibly insecure while holding the cake.

If she didn't like it, should he still take it up?

What if she hated him because of the cake?

"Boss, are you still heading up?"

Jeff asked. Knowing his boss, Carter might just ask him to go buy something else, or go do it himself.

"Wait for me in the car," Carter instructed.

Jeff nodded and instinctively reached for the cake, but Carter dodged his hand.

"You go. I'm taking the cake up."

Carter raised an eyebrow. The past six years were a harsh lesson.

He had stepped back and let Percy occupy that spot for six whole years, and Percy still hadn't taken good care of Emma. He absolutely could not make that mistake again.

When he went upstairs, he found Emma on the phone.

He set the cake on the table. Seeing her troubled expression after hanging up, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Mom heard I was injured in the kidnapping, so she specifically hired a nutritionist to come cook at the house."

Emma frowned, though Carter actually thought it was a great idea.

Seeing his confusion, Emma explained in a low voice, "This nutritionist's family has been cooking for the Vances for three generations. If she moves in and realizes we don't look like a real married couple..."

Things would get incredibly complicated.

"That's fanta—" Carter blurted out his true thoughts but quickly pivoted when he caught Emma's confused, frowning gaze. "—fantastically exhausting for our acting skills."

Emma sighed. After thinking it over, she said, "How about you move out? Just say you're busy with work."

Carter obviously refused.

This was a golden opportunity handed to him by his mother-in-law. It would be a crime not to use it.

"It's just a nutritionist. I'll only see her during meals anyway. Don't stress too much; I'll play along to make sure she doesn't notice anything suspicious."

Emma quietly ate the cake, while Carter sat beside her, practically glowing with silent elation.

Martha came out of the kitchen to ask Emma what she wanted for lunch. She looked hesitant, as if she had some unspeakable burden, and her eyes were red like she had just been crying.

Seeing Carter was home, her expression grew even more conflicted.

"Martha, what's wrong?" Emma asked. "Did someone bully you? Or are you unhappy working here?"

Wiping her tears, Martha shook her head. "No, no. It's just... my daughter-in-law just called. She said my son... died in a car crash. Even his body is..."

Before she could finish, she broke down sobbing again. Emma's heart skipped a beat, a sudden, terrible premonition washing over her.

"Martha, I never asked... what is your husband's last name?"

Martha's mind was a mess. Not finding the question odd, she replied in a heartbroken tone, "My husband's last name is Yardley. Why is his life so tragic? First, he gets bedridden with a severe illness and passes away, and now even our son is..."

Emma's breath hitched. She stared deeply at Martha.

Now that she thought about it, Martha did bear a slight resemblance to the terrified man sitting in the driver's seat of the car that kidnapped her.

And that dead driver's last name was Yardley.