Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 2

Inside Lockwood Manor, Emma stood in the bathroom, trying to salvage her wine-soaked dress.

The mirror reflected her slender, upright posture and her distinctly aloof elegance.

She looked up at her own reflection, a razor-sharp glint of frost in her eyes.

Emma closed her eyes for a brief second, slowly curling her lips into her usual gentle, harmless smile, and turned to walk out.

Violet immediately spoke up the moment she saw her step out.

"This is all my fault. When I found out the truth back then, I just couldn't bear to cast you out of the Lockwoods. After all, I raised you with my own two hands. I also thought making a big deal out of it would be too messy to handle, so I never made it public."

Violet's voice trembled with self-blame, her eyes brimming with guilt.

She felt she had failed both Emma, her adopted daughter, and Gillian, her own flesh and blood.

"Mom, you're being so foolish," Gillian scolded. "If I hadn't exposed the truth at the engagement party today, the Harringtons would have found out eventually, and who knows how irreparably damaged our families' relationship would have been."

Violet mumbled, her lips trembling, "I wanted to tell Emma yesterday, but seeing how happy she was, I just didn't have the heart. Besides, she and Percy grew up together, they genuinely have feelings for each other..."

"Feelings? The second I told him she was a fake, Percy turned around and walked right out. You think Percy would have ever dated her if it weren't for the Lockwood family's influence?" Gillian shot back fiercely.

Emma completely ignored them, taking a seat on the sofa. She poured herself a glass of water before finally asking:

"My identity, my relationship, my family—if it's all a lie, then what is the truth? If I'm not a Lockwood, then who am I?"

Gillian was infuriated by Emma's calm demeanor. What right did she have to sit there looking so unbothered?

"You're just a thief who stole my life! When Mom got into that car accident and had to have emergency surgery in that small-town hospital, the doctors made it crystal clear that she only gave birth to me."

Gillian rolled her eyes dramatically. "Your real mother was some trashy laborer. She was so malicious that after she swapped us, she didn't even want to raise me and tossed me into a dumpster. Otherwise, the two of you could be having a touching family reunion right now."

Emma lowered her gaze.

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