Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 217

Carter tried to guide Emma out of the hallway, but she shook her head.

"I'm filthy."

She needed to get back to the locker room and change out of her surgical scrubs.

Carter didn't care. "It's fine. I'll carry you."

"I'm not that exhausted," Emma laughed softly. "But I am starving."

"As soon as you change, I'm taking you to dinner," Carter promised instantly.

Emma nodded and turned toward the locker rooms.

Logan stepped forward, looking like he wanted to say something.

"Move. You're in my way."

Emma didn't even look up. She had absolutely zero energy left to deal with the Lockwoods.

"I want to talk to you about the lab situation."

Before Emma could reply, Carter cut in, his patience gone.

"Logan, she's been standing over an operating table since nine this morning. It's been over ten hours. She is exhausted."

His voice was dripping with ice. Logan pressed his lips together, realizing his timing was terrible.

"Every doctor gets tired. Why is she acting so preten—Ah!"

Before Gillian could finish her sentence, Jeff, on Carter's silent order, grabbed her by the collar and started dragging her out of the corridor.

"Let go of me!"

Gillian thrashed wildly. Carter's voice was devoid of mercy. "Keep her quiet."

"Gillian!"

Violet stepped out of the elevator just in time to see the commotion and rushed forward to protect her daughter.

Recognizing her, Jeff paused and looked at Carter for his next command.

Carter, however, looked down at Emma.

"Jeff, take them downstairs. I'll go out through the surgical wing."

"Did the Lockwood Group pivot from finance to selling sheer audacity? Because the nerve you have right now is astounding."

Emma's eyes darkened as she sneered at Violet and Logan.

"If I hadn't been fully prepared today, I would have been publicly ruined. My company's reputation and stock would have tanked. Tell me, would you have shown me any mercy then?"

Violet mumbled defensively, "Gillian just didn't know any better. She didn't actually mean to hurt you..."

Her voice trailed off. Even she knew how pathetic the excuse sounded.

"Emma, I'll publicly apologize for this. Whatever compensation you want, name your price. Can we just settle this privately? Please show some mercy. We'll withdraw from the bid immediately."

Logan practically begged, lowering his pride entirely.

Gillian's heart ached seeing her brother like this. She opened her mouth to argue, but Logan quickly shielded her.

"If your lab was actually capable of competing with me, you wouldn't have needed to steal my work."

Emma stared at him with pure disdain, completely unmoved.

"Emma, I'm begging you. You can't let Gillian go to jail. If someone has to take the fall, let it be me! I'll go to prison in her place!"