Chapter 92
“I was taking a dump,” Emily replied bluntly.
Emma was momentarily stunned, her expression freezing. How could Emily be so uncouth, speaking so crudely?
Without waiting for a response, Emily stepped past her and walked away.
Emma glanced at the restroom entrance, her teeth gritting in frustration as her hand clenched tightly into a fist.
On a sofa by the side of the banquet hall, a group of well–dressed socialites sipped wine and nibbled on desserts while chatting. As soon as Emma left the room, their restrained conversation turned into gossip.
“Heidi, I must say, your son, Justin, is incredibly devoted. Three years, and he still can’t let go of Emma, even managing to bring her back into his life,” one of the women remarked.
The high–society circle wasn’t that large and any tidbit of gossip quickly spread.
Heidi set her wine glass down, her expression sour. “Honestly, I wish he weren’t so single–minded. I don’t care if he finds someone of similar status or if it’s a business alliance, but at the very least, I’d hope for someone with good character.
“Compared to Emma, I’d say that Emily, who’s been by his side these past three years, is a far better match.”
The women around her were close friends, so Heidi didn’t hold back her thoughts.
“Why not introduce Justin to a few women yourself?” one suggested with a sly smile. “Men are all the same. The more options they see, the less they’ll fixate on just one.”
“You mean matchmaking?” another asked with a chuckle.
Heidi seemed to consider it seriously, but before she could respond, a sudden, sharp pain twisted in her stomach. She doubled over, clutching her abdomen as her face contorted in agony. Sweat poured down her forehead like
beads.
“Heidi! Are you okay?” The women around her cried out in alarm, rushing to her side.
Mrs. White, noticing how dire the situation seemed, immediately called her son, Zac, over.
Amid the chaos, the group managed to support Heidi and guide her upstairs to a private room. Zac arrived moments later, his expression grave as he examined her condition.
“It’s acute poisoning,” he announced.
“Did you eat or drink anything unusual?” he asked urgently. “There’s no time to get her to the hospital. Someone, bring saltwater quickly!”
Justin and Emma hurried into the room after hearing about the incident. Within moments, a staff member
brought in saltwater. By this point, Heidi was nearly unconscious from the pain.
Zac carefully propped her up, forcing her to drink the saltwater. He pressed firmly on her lower abdomen, trying to induce vomiting.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy, the tension palpable. All non–family members had been cleared out, leaving only the immediate relatives and close confidants.
Justin stood to the side, his eyes fixed on Zac as he worked frantically to save Heidi. His expression was taut with tension, the oppressive atmosphere around him almost palpable. His father was already gone and he couldn’t
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Chapter 92
bear the thought of losing his mother too.
His hand trembled as he pulled out his phone from his pocket. His voice was strained and shaking as he barked, Sam, contact the hospital and get an ambulance to the hotel. Right now!”
Emma noticed his unease and gently clasped his hand, her tone soft as she tried to reassure him. “Justin, don’t worry. Heidi is a good person. She’ll be okay.”
Justin’s aunt, Stella Yates, however, eyed Emma with disdain, letting out a derisive snort. “Stop pretending to be so concerned. For all we know, you’re the one who poisoned her.”
Emma’s face fell into an expression of aggrieved innocence tears glistening in her eyes. “Please don’t accuse me unjustly. I have no reason to hurt her. Why would I poison her?”
“Hmph!” Stella sneered. “Everyone knows how badly you want to marry into the Yates family. Heidi has been standing in your way from the start. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t jump at the chance to get her out of the picture.”
“Enough!” Justin snapped, his voice cutting through the room. His sharp glare silenced Stella, though her disdainful expression lingered.
“Justin, you have to believe me,” Emma implored, her voice trembling as tears threatened to fall. “I didn’t do it.”
A sudden retching noise interrupted the tense standoff. Heidi vomited violently, expelling the contents of her stomach. Zac continued administering the saltwater until her stomach was thoroughly emptied.
Finally, Heidi collapsed back onto the bed, her face pale and her body weak.
