Chapter 24

Micah looked completely innocent, his face twisted in distress as he tried to explain, "How is it my fault if she likes me? I don't even like her back. She's gone looking for Ivy before—I thought you already knew…"

He meant to reassure his fiancée, but every word just managed to offend Lauren even more.

"Micah! Who do you think you are? You don't like me? I must've been blind to ever look twice at you. I stopped caring long ago! If Baillie hadn't started pursuing me, I wouldn't want anything to do with you!"

Even with Baillie standing right there, Lauren spun around and shouted at Micah, her voice ringing through the dining room.

Emma wasn't having any of it. She squared her shoulders and snapped back, "What's the problem? Sounds to me like you're just being bitter because you can't have him! If I'd known you ever chased after Micah, I never would've agreed to let my brother date you!"

Lauren sneered, "And who do you think you are? Just the Windsor family's adopted daughter—a total fake—pretending you're some kind of heiress. What right do you have to meddle in Baillie's relationship?"

Emma lost it. "Lauren, say one more word and I swear I'll tear your mouth right off!"

Adkins and Rosetta never imagined a perfectly lovely dinner would explode into chaos like this. Their son and future daughter-in-law were at each other's throats with their daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law. Adkins tried calming one side, Rosetta tried restraining the other, but nothing worked.

"Emma, that's enough!" Adkins barked.

"Lauren, we were in the wrong tonight," Rosetta pleaded. "For the sake of us elders, just let it go and don't fight with Emma."

But Lauren was a pampered princess who'd never been humiliated like this before. When Emma looked ready to lunge at her, Lauren boldly leaned in, thrusting her face forward on purpose.

"Come on, do it! If you don't, you're nothing but a coward!"

Baillie held his girlfriend back with all his strength, then shot Micah a look. "Take Emma upstairs!"

"I'm not going!" Emma yelled, shaking him off. "Baillie, you can't marry a woman like her, or there'll never be peace in this house!"

On the sidelines, Ivy had quietly sampled all her favorite dishes and, now full, propped her chin on her hand to enjoy the spectacle.

"Emma, for once I agree with you," Ivy chimed in, stoking the fire. "A woman who jumps from one guy to the next shouldn't become our sister-in-law."

Rosetta's glare shot to her eldest daughter, her eyes blazing with fury. "Ivy! What are you trying to do? Are you really that determined to tear this family apart?"

Ivy pouted innocently, scratching at the red rash on her arm. "I'm just telling the truth, Mom. I can't help it if they want to fight."

Rosetta's jaw clenched so hard it looked painful, but she was helpless. No one dared go near Ivy now—not with that rash—let alone try to discipline her.

In the midst of all this chaos, Emma wrenched herself free from Micah's grip, charged forward, and actually slapped Lauren hard across the face.

Even Ivy was taken aback.

Lauren wasn't about to back down. She leaned over and bit Baillie's arm; as soon as he yelped and let go, she pounced, grabbing Emma's hair and slapping her twice in quick succession.

"Aaaah!" Emma shrieked, wild with rage, and was about to retaliate when Baillie lost his patience. He slapped Emma across the face and roared, "Enough! Will you all just stop it?!"

Emma was left stunned, clutching her cheek, her hair a tangled mess, eyes wide with disbelief. "Baillie… you hit me?"