Rejected Heiress, Reigning Queen novel Chapter 320

Carter helped her unpack her luggage, his gaze landing on the red slip dress. His eyes darkened slightly.

He was just considering how to convince Emma to wear it when his phone rang.

After a brief conversation, Carter's face turned serious. Emma looked at him in confusion. "Is something wrong at the company?"

"No," Carter said, continuing to sort the clothes. "Raymond and Aunt Pamela are here."

Emma's gaze darkened. "Why are they here?"

"Said they came for vacation too. But we don't have to go out of our way to see them."

Carter knew Emma didn't like his uncle, so he wasn't going to force them to share a meal.

Emma nodded. However, just because they didn't seek out Uncle Raymond didn't mean he and Pamela wouldn't come looking for them.

"I heard you were vacationing here too. What a lovely coincidence."

Pamela affectionately held Emma's hand, offering her an intricately wrapped box of pastries.

"I baked these myself. I don't know if they suit your taste, but please try them."

Emma accepted the box and smiled politely. "Thank you, Aunt Pamela."

"Oh, it's nothing. I heard your godparents were evacuated to safety. It really is too dangerous abroad."

Pamela chatted effortlessly, radiating maternal concern.

Emma kept her polite smile, but the mention of foreign danger suddenly reminded her of Phoebe's missing mother.

"Phoebe's mother also went missing on Sabine Island."

Pamela's eyes widened in genuine shock. "How is that possible? Where did she get the money to travel abroad?"

Pamela gently pulled Emma aside, lowering her voice confidentially. "Although I could just ask your Uncle Raymond to look into it, you know your mother-in-law was the one who kicked Miriam and Phoebe out. If we used the Harrington family's resources to find her now, I'm worried your mother-in-law would be upset."

"I understand," Emma nodded. "I'll have my people keep looking for her."

Pamela breathed a heavy sigh of relief, though her eyes were filled with lingering sadness. "Honestly, I've been quite upset since she left the Harrington household. When she was around, she always kept me company."

"Ms. Lawrence seemed to favor boys over girls," Emma pointed out gently.

Pamela nodded regretfully. "She had a son many years ago, but he was killed in a car crash. It happened on the exact day Phoebe needed to buy new textbooks. The father and son were on their way to pick them up when the accident happened."

"After that, she treated her nephew like her own son and spent a fortune on him. But I suppose it makes sense—the boy looked exactly like her late husband."

Pamela's candid honesty made Emma suspect that Gillian's twisted personality likely had nothing to do with her.

Could the problem lie with the sudden appearance of Tobias Turner?