Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 281

Mrs. Landers, the housekeeper, came in to tidy up the room, throwing a sour look at Carter.

"Excuse me."

She intentionally swept the broom right at his feet. The moment Carter took a step back, she snapped, "Don't step there! That's Mr. Reynolds's favorite model car on the floor. If you break it, there isn't a replacement in the world."

Jeff watched the exchange, his chest tightening in frustration. When had his boss ever been subjected to such petty disrespect?

He stepped forward, about to intervene, when Emma's voice cut through the tension.

"He is my husband. I suggest you reconsider your tone before speaking to him again."

Emma narrowed her eyes, her medical kit gripped tightly in one hand.

Travis walked out just in time to hear her defense, a flare of annoyance twisting in his gut.

"Mrs. Landers was just venting on my behalf. Don't be mad."

Emma didn't engage with his excuse. She simply turned her gaze to Carter. "Wait in the car."

Carter didn't say a word. He turned on his heel and walked out.

Travis was secretly thrilled by the dismissal, but his satisfaction vanished the moment Emma pulled him back into the room.

"Travis, Carter isn't impulsive. He certainly isn't the type to throw punches over nothing," she said evenly, opening her medical kit to clean his wound.

Travis's gaze darkened. "Are you saying I framed him? That ID badge wasn't a fake."

"I know. I'll look into it. But..."

Emma looked up, meeting his eyes directly. Something in her unwavering stare made his heart skip a beat.

"Did Carter really do this to you?"

Before Travis could formulate a defense, Emma pressed an alcohol-soaked swab directly against his wound. He hissed, sucking in a sharp breath.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Travis."

Travis frowned, the silence stretching between them before he stubbornly turned his head away. "You trust him that much? Enough to interrogate me over him?"

"Anyway, Carter and I will be staying at a hotel tonight. Since you can't stand the sight of him, I'll make sure he stays out of your way."

Emma figured this compromise was the safest bet. Travis clearly harbored a deep-seated grudge against the Harringtons, so keeping them separated was the only logical solution.

"No. I won't allow it," Travis snapped immediately. "Do you have any idea how many people are gunning for you in Garrison City right now? You are in entirely too much danger to be out there."

While Travis didn't understand how his junior had managed to make so many enemies, the details didn't matter. All that mattered was protecting her.

"I'll be careful."

Emma finished wrapping the fresh bandage around his arm. She stood up and offered a faint smile. "I'm not going to force you to share a roof with someone you despise."

The warmth in her voice sent a bittersweet pang through his chest.

He stared at her retreating back, finally letting his restraint snap.

"I love you."