Chapter 281

Teri now despised Emmalie as much as she had once flattered her. Emmalie's eyes reddened as she timidly asked, "Are you still angry with my brother? Duncan told me everything. He was under pressure at the time, trying to protect the woman he loved, but he couldn't. That's why he partnered with me to establish Dreamedia."

Dreamedia, their newly registered company, hadn't even undertaken a major project, yet they dared to bid on this one. Their ambition was evident, but so was their naiveté.

Teri kept her distance, fearing Emmalie's feigned tears might make her ill. "Thank you, but it's unnecessary. I don't deserve Mr. Rowland's love, and I don't need anyone's protection. Miss Rowland, not everyone is as weak as you. I can handle it myself."

This decisive break surprised Duncan. Abroad, she had been clingy, annoying him; now, everything was reversed. "Teri, how can you speak to Emmalie like that?" His protective instincts flared again.

Thea and Teri had initially assumed his protectiveness stemmed from a sibling complex. Now, they understood the truth.

Teri sneered. "Emmalie is your sister. We're not related by blood, nor do we share feelings or interests. Should I treat her like a goddess?" Her love-blindness gone, her aggression was palpable. Duncan's face flushed, humiliated by the visible stares. "Thea, what did you say to Teri? Do you want to destroy our family? Ruin my marriage?"

Thea understood Duncan's greed. He clung to his "deep love" for Emmalie, his childhood companion, while simultaneously vying for the Langstaff family's power to compete with Max. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Mr. Rowland, you know better than I how your marriage ended. I need add nothing."

"How's Sadi's apple?" The meaning eluded everyone but Emmalie and Duncan, who broke into a cold sweat. They recalled seeing scattered fruit outside the hospital bathroom; a rare occurrence given the poor harvest. They'd suspected someone had discovered their secret, but the corridor surveillance cameras had malfunctioned that day. Their infidelity remained unexposed, until now. They feared Teri might be the witness.

Emmalie's expression changed drastically; her palms sweated. "Since donating bone marrow to Thea, I've been unwell, Duncan. I'm so tired. Can you help me to the lounge?"

Duncan couldn't refuse, eager to escape Teri's barbs. They forgot this was the Langstaff family home, where Teri had grown up.

Teri had displayed a keen business sense from a young age. When her parents were still together, her father had installed a secret door in the reception room, allowing her to eavesdrop on their arguments.

It proved effective today, though the cramped space barely accommodated two people. The conversation in the lounge was overheard word-for-word.

"Duncan, does she know about us?" Emmalie's sweat intensified, her mind ablaze. She'd tried to push him away that day, but he'd forced her, trapping them both.

She wouldn't reveal her true feelings. "Miss Langstaff's hatred doesn't matter. I don't want to affect your marriage. Mom wants you to marry and give her grandchildren." Her voice trembled; tears streamed down her face. Duncan's heart softened. Tears from his longtime love were a potent temptation.

He pulled her into an embrace, wiping her tears. Hidden behind the secret door, Teri and Thea recorded the scene. Duncan mumbled, "Emmalie, why are you so considerate of others? You're the only one in my heart, yet you push me toward Teri. She's not right. The best is right here, and I don't want to settle. I only want you."

Teri rolled her eyes. Nobody wanted this bizarre relationship. Only Thea prevented her from storming out. Such poor taste stained one's life.

Emmalie, too, suppressed her disgust. She used Duncan, feeling nothing for him, but needed his help. Even her disgust couldn't stop her flattery. "I could ignore others, but I grew up with you. I know your ambition extends beyond being a Rowland playboy. You want to shoulder the family's burden, be a man."

"That's why I can't hinder you. Duncan, at least publicly, let's keep our distance, avoid gossip. Let's just be siblings, okay?"

Thea found Emmalie's hypocrisy nauseating. This was her only flaw.

"No," Duncan murmured against her neck. "If not for you, I'd have died of that fever. Emmalie, you're more important than Mom. Overseas, I couldn't sleep without your video calls. From that day, I was destined to be inseparable from you."

This was Thea's second time hearing about Duncan's fever; it seemed to have scrambled his brain.

Emmalie had been practicing piano that day; only Thea could have taken him to the hospital. The truth was clear, yet Duncan and his family believed Emmalie's lies. Not because of her lies, but because they'd never truly accepted Thea as family, perhaps believing her inherently evil.

Fortunately, Thea no longer cared. Teri embraced her. "Don't let assholes affect you. We'll kick them out!"