Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 268

When Carter returned home from the hospital, Winifred informed him that Emma hadn't been back.

Looking around the empty rooms, an indescribable sourness gripped his chest. He sat in front of her easel, staring blankly at her unfinished painting.

Winifred paced back and forth by the doorway, sighing silently.

She sneakily gave Emma a call.

"Emma, Carter is back. He looks terribly sick. Are you coming home for dinner tonight?"

Emma was in the middle of listening to Levi's report. She had sniped over half of the contracts belonging to Raymond's companies, and the ones she couldn't steal, her operatives had completely sabotaged.

She hadn't spared the stock market either. In just a few days, the financial losses hemorrhaging from Raymond's empire were multiplying by the hundreds of millions.

Given the absolute carnage, the thought of facing Carter made her feel slightly guilty.

"I don't think I'll be coming back."

Emma pursed her lips. Carter cared about his Uncle Raymond more than anyone. Considering she had just financially carpet-bombed his uncle's business, seeing him would inevitably lead to a massive fight.

She genuinely didn't want to lock horns with Carter.

Winifred sighed again. "Then where are you staying now, dear? Let me move over and take care of you."

"That works. I'll text you the address shortly."

Emma had been swamped lately and truly didn't have time to cook for herself.

After getting the address, Winifred knocked gently on Carter's bedroom door.

"Carter, I'm heading out to take care of Emma."

Carter gave a curt nod. "Have the driver drop you off."

Her heart ached for him, and she murmured softly, "Carter, Emma responds to a soft touch, not force. Hiding away right now isn't going to fix anything."

At her reminder, Carter perked up slightly. She responds to a soft touch?

But he had already tried faking a fatal illness, and that hadn't worked either.

Right then, Jeff hurried upstairs.

"Boss, Raymond wants you back at the estate."

When Adeline discovered that Raymond's companies had bled hundreds of millions in a matter of days—and were continuing to hemorrhage cash—her eyes had rolled back, and she'd passed out cold.

"Quick! Didn't Emma leave behind two of those Miracle Pills?!" Pamela screamed in panic.

Carter's mother froze. "Because of the divorce, I returned all those gifts she gave us."

"Then you have to be the one to call Emma and beg her to save Mother's life," Pamela insisted.

But looking at the poorly concealed heartbreak in Carter's gaze, Raymond couldn't help but remember the sight of him coughing up blood.

In the end, his heart softened.

"Forget it. As long as you go to the shrine and apologize, I won't interfere with you and Carter anymore. I'll even write off the corporate damages."

It was the absolute biggest concession Raymond had ever made.

"After all, the Harrington family has rules."

Hearing those words, Carter finally snapped out of his daze.

"No."

He clenched his fists. If Emma had to suffer under their archaic rules just to stay with him, he would sign the divorce papers right this second.

But before he could spit the words out, a cool, soft hand suddenly wrapped around his wrist.

Emma locked her fingers with his, a blazing, arrogant fire lighting up her eyes.

"I think you're deeply mistaken about something, Uncle Raymond. Whether we divorce or not has never been up to your family."

"And the Harrington family rules have absolutely no power over Emma Lockwood."