Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 4

Hiding safely behind her father, Gillian's face was twisted in smug satisfaction.

Emma looked at the father who used to spoil her relentlessly, now staring back at her with nothing but sheer impatience.-

"Are you really planning to squat on the Lockwood family's shares?" When Emma remained silent, Mr. Lockwood's impatience rapidly morphed into visible disgust.

Emma casually leaned against the armrest of the sofa, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"My condition hasn't changed. If you want me out of your lives for good, or if you want me to hand over the shares, you need to show me a verified paternity test proving we aren't related."

She had been a sickly child, constantly in and out of hospitals. If she truly wasn't a Lockwood by blood, she refused to believe that the doctors wouldn't have flagged a single genetic discrepancy over all those years.

She didn't give a damn about what some random Pamela claimed; she only trusted hard, scientific data.

"You only want this paternity test to humiliate me. You want everyone in Capital City to know that with just one word from you, my entire existence can be called into question."

Gillian was practically vibrating with rage as she shrieked at her parents. "Look at the wonderful daughter you raised!"

Overcome with guilt toward Gillian, Mr. Lockwood shot Emma a vicious glare. "Listen to me clearly. Don't think for a second that just because Percy has your back, you can get away with bullying Gillian."

At the mention of Percy, Emma's gaze darkened slightly.

She and Percy had known each other since kindergarten. By the time they were eight, the Harringtons and Lockwoods had arranged their future marriage. Even after she left the country, they had stayed in constant contact.

For years, Percy had flown back and forth across the globe for her. He had even been the one to personally pick her up from the airport for this trip.

Yet, the absolute second he heard she wasn't a true Lockwood heiress at the banquet, he agreed to cancel the party without hesitation and walked out without a word. He hadn't bothered to send her a single text since.

Emma scoffed internally. What a spineless coward.

Snapping back to reality, she looked at her parents and stated methodically, "Mom gave birth in a small-town hospital, but it was still a regulated medical facility. Furthermore, because of the car accident, it was an emergency C-section. Logically, the baby would have been placed in an incubator."

The indestructible mountain that used to protect her unconditionally was gone forever.

Emma offered a mocking, bitter smile. Just as she was about to shove Mr. Lockwood's hand away, Gillian abruptly spoke up.

"If she's so desperate to stay with the Lockwoods, let her stay. We still have that vacant maid's quarters, don't we?" Gillian suggested out of nowhere. "She leeched off our family's wealth for years. Making her stay as my little companion now that she's back isn't asking too much, is it?"

She had already established her dominance. Now, she wanted to force the girl who had hijacked seventeen years of her life to sit back and watch her rule as the true Lockwood heiress.

She wanted to turn Emma into her personal servant and shatter her pathetic little high-society dreams piece by piece.

Mr. Lockwood released Emma's arm, echoing his biological daughter's sentiments.

Emma simply crossed her arms over her chest, offering no objections.

After all, she genuinely needed to change out of her ruined dress right now anyway.