Chapter 9
Nicholas tried to recover through Emmett.
That was his instinct.
When family failed, pivot to power.
“Mr. Stewart,” he said, forcing a calm smile, “I apologize for the awkwardness. Jenna and I have normal sibling issues.”
Emmett’s eyes remained steady.
“Do you normally seat professional women at children’s tables?”
Nicholas went red.
“That’s not what happened.”
“It is exactly what happened.”
The room went still again.
Jenna looked at Emmett, surprised by the directness.
He kept his tone controlled.
No shouting.
No spectacle.
Just a statement impossible to soften.
Nicholas swallowed.
“I didn’t know she was working with you.”
Emmett nodded once.
“That is the problem you recognize?”
The words cut deeper than anger.
Nicholas opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Because yes.
That was the problem he recognized.
Not his cruelty.
Its consequence.
Not Jenna’s humiliation.
Its effect on his access to Emmett.
Jenna saw it clearly, and somehow it hurt less than she expected.
Maybe because she had already known.
Maybe because proof is painful but clean.
Emmett looked at Jenna.
“I won’t discuss confidential work here.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Nicholas heard confidential and stiffened.
There were more connections.
More work.
More rooms Jenna entered without his knowledge.
More people who respected her while he treated her like a blemish on the wedding image.
He looked at the children’s table again.
Suddenly, it did not look like a joke.
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It looked like a mistake with witnesses.
Read the full story 👉 Nicholas was more disturbed by Jenna’s connection to Emmett than by the humiliation he caused her.
