Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 91

Silence settled over the three of them in the lounge.

Emma Lockwood's mind raced, unsure of how to explain things to Julian. Her sole intention was to infiltrate the Harrington family to uncover the truth about her past.

She knew that if she confessed her true motives, Julian would vehemently oppose it. He would use his own ruthless methods to clash directly with the Harringtons, which would inevitably end in disaster.

Julian Vance, meanwhile, was deep in thought about why Emma had suddenly decided to marry Carter Harrington. Was it because of what happened that night? Was it to spite Percy? Or was there another underlying reason?

Emma was no longer a child, nor was she blindly driven by romance. If she was truly determined to get married, he had to figure out how to protect her from being mistreated after she joined their family.

As for Carter, his silence stemmed primarily from calculating exactly how he could give Emma the most spectacular, extravagant wedding possible.

"I won't stop you from getting married, but the wedding reception must be postponed."

Julian broke the silence. He didn't press her for the real reason behind her decision. The best thing he could do right now was force the Harringtons to keep the marriage hidden from the public eye.

Without a public wedding, if Emma ever wanted a divorce and wished to return abroad, the gossip she would have to face would be significantly lessened.

This aligned perfectly with Emma's own plans. The more low-profile the marriage was, the easier it would be for her to investigate the Harringtons. Her ideal scenario was to create the illusion that Carter was a reluctant groom, lowering the defenses of Pamela Palmer and Raymond Harrington.

However...

She glanced at the man beside her and said, "I'll respect your decision."

Carter pressed his lips together, a flicker of disappointment crossing his heart.

But once the initial euphoria settled, his rational mind kicked back in.

Emma proposing this marriage was more than likely a ploy to investigate his uncle's wife, not because she actually had feelings for him.

Even so, he refused to turn her down.

"That works for me."

Emma scheduled the trip to City Hall for three days later. Since they weren't going to live like a real married couple anyway, she was in a hurry to get things moving.

Carter didn't want a rushed wedding, but when it came to legally binding her to him, he wished he could drag her there this very second.

Despite Julian and Emma's desire to keep things discreet, Carter still showed up impeccably dressed in a tailored suit on the day they signed the papers.

"This is my personal number. If any of the Harrington elders demand to see her, you are to notify me immediately so I can be there."

Carter's lips curved into an easy smile, entirely unfazed by Julian's hostile tone. "Don't worry, Julian."

Hearing his first name fall so casually from Carter's lips made Julian grind his back teeth.

"Don't let anyone push her around. And don't even think about having kids for the next five years. The two of you..." Julian paused, opting for a diplomatic warning. "Make sure you use protection."

Clutching the marriage certificates, Carter nodded in agreement before finally clarifying, "Actually, nothing happened between Emma and me that night. I won't go into details, but as long as she isn't willing, I will never force her."

Julian looked at him, completely taken aback. Nothing happened?

Then what on earth were those red marks all over her neck?

His gaze darkened slightly, resolving to have a serious talk with Emma later. However, when he looked back at Carter this time, the venom and disdain in his eyes had noticeably faded.

"Get in. You're coming with her to meet my father."