Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 43

While the Lockwoods were trapped in their crisis, Carter opened a new high-end pharmacy in the city, heavily promoting the latest internationally released drug as his main draw.

This made Percy completely lose his mind.

He had taken multiple trips overseas specifically to track this exact medication. Yet the moment it hit the global market, his cousin had effortlessly secured the exclusive domestic distribution rights. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Carter, since when did you care about pharmaceuticals? Or have you been secretly making moves behind my back?"

Percy stormed into the office, his tone accusatory. Carter merely glanced up, his expression unreadable.

"Are you trying to interrogate me in your father's place as a shareholder?"

Percy froze instantly, his bravado crumbling. "N-no, I was just curious. I was just asking."

"If you have so much free time, go do your actual job. The companies the family assigned to you have been bleeding money for the past two years. If there's no turnaround soon, the board will strip you of your management rights."

Carter's voice was frigid, instantly suffocating Percy with pressure.

"Why are you treating me like this all of a sudden?" Percy demanded, a sudden thought striking him. He lowered his voice. "Is it because of Emma?"

Carter's gaze sharpened into daggers. He narrowed his eyes and slowly took off his reading glasses.

"You and the Lockwoods turned your own engagement party into a public circus. The Harrington family's stock took a hit because of it. It cost us a fortune in PR just to scrub the trending tags."

Percy shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet his eyes. "I admit Emma played a part in exposing herself at the party, but our family was the victim! What's the harm in letting the public sympathize with us for a while?"

"Idiot," Carter spat out the word with deadly precision. "Get out."

Percy slinked out of the office in disgrace. The assistant immediately brought in a fresh cup of coffee and placed it on Carter's desk.

Carter took a sip, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"Boss, I heard Logan arranged to meet Ms. Lockwood at The Heron Cafe."

Emma sat inside the upscale cafe, watching as Logan ordered her a slice of blue velvet cake. She felt entirely apathetic.

"I don't know much about sweets, but Gillian loves this one. I figured a girl your age would probably enjoy it too."

"Gillian didn't mean any harm. She didn't know we were meeting to hand over the family registry. Please don't hold it against her. I'll apologize on her behalf."

"If she wants to apologize, she can do it to my face. That's the only way to show real sincerity."

Emma calmly took a sip of her coffee, watching Logan's face pale.

"Do you really have to make things so difficult for her? She didn't do anything wrong, and she never went out of her way to make you suffer."

Logan's voice bled with heartache for his sister.

"And what exactly did I do wrong to make all of you hate me so much?"

Emma's glare cut through the air like a steel blade, plunging straight into Logan's chest.

A brief flash of shame crossed Logan's face. He pursed his lips and pushed the release form back toward her.

"Emma, what is it going to take for you to let Dad go? His health hasn't been great these past two years. He can't survive in a holding cell much longer."