Summer had two bodyguards following her too. She had no choice but to follow Caroline out obediently. There were two black cars parked at the front of the Quigley residence. Caroline was already in one of the cars. She raised an eyebrow and urged Summer, "Hurry up." "Coming," Summer replied. She sauntered over. At the same time, she looked all around her to see if there was anyone approaching the manor. She wanted to check if James was indeed coming over. She kept scanning her surroundings, but she didn't see any other cars approaching. She supposed that James wouldn't be able to make it back in time. Caroline had been waiting in the car for a while now. She warned, "What are you still doing? Get in, quick." "Alright." Although Summer assented verbally, she had no intention of getting in the car. James wasn't there yet. If she were to go in the car, wouldn't she just be headed straight for the hospital? Summer bit her lip. She had no other option but to resort to the
With Caroline at the door now, any further delays from Summer could result in the washroom door getting kicked down. Hence, Summer immediately walked out without wasting another second. Caroline stood outside the door, her expression stormy. She was seething with anger like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. Sensing that she was about to get scolded, Summer spoke up before Caroline could begin. "I'm sorry, Mom. It's all my fault. I'll go with you to the hospital right now," Summer said. Caroline had been gearing up to give Summer a piece of her mind. However, just as she was about to speak, Summer offered a sincere apology.Somehow, the apology made Caroline's anger subside, even though she was on the verge of unleashing her wrath. If she lashed out at that moment, it would make her look petty. After all, Summer had apologized so humbly. With a huff, Caroline turned around and left. As they walked, she warned, "Don't you dare come up with stomach aches or any othe
Caroline finally asked the question. Although Summer was ready for it, talking about it still made her feel embarrassed. "Of course we did," she replied. Despite having been in relationships before, she had always maintained her virginity. She hadn't crossed that line, even with Hank. Hence, bringing up the topic with Caroline, even indirectly, felt awkward. Caroline wasn't surprised when she noticed Summer's discomfort. Most women were reserved about such matters, and Caroline herself was conservative. Normally, she wouldn't broach such topics. However, something felt off. After all, James and Summer had been married for a while now. Summer should have started showing signs of pregnancy by now. So, why hadn't she become pregnant yet? Trying to console Caroline, Summer said, "Mom, remember how the doctor mentioned that signs of pregnancy might not show up right away? There's really no need to rush this."She had meant to comfort Caroline, yet her words only fueled t
Fewer vehicles tended to pass by on the highway, so it made sense that James and Charlie hadn't been able to flag down a ride and had to run back. At first, Summer had harbored some resentment for James. She blamed him for asking her to delay Caroline, only to fail to show up himself. When she learned about the car accident, she decided to forgive him. Still, she couldn't shake her curiosity about why his phone had been busy when she had called him multiple times. It had even been switched off later on. James explained that he had been dealing with work during the car ride. Since he'd needed to rush back, handling things over the phone was the only way he could complete his work. His phone had turned off later because it had gotten thrown around during the accident and gotten damaged. His explanation cleared up Summer's confusion about the automated messages she'd received when she'd tried to call him. Now that everything had been clarified, Summer was relieved.Then, she
Yet, Summer found herself being that fool. Despite knowing how wonderful James was, she maintained a certain distance from him. In truth, she was in a dilemma. She desired to deepen her relationship with James, yet she feared getting too close to him. Perhaps it was a result of her past relationships and the impact they'd had on her. She couldn't shake the feeling that men couldn't be fully trusted. Whenever she placed her trust in them completely, she ended up getting hurt. From her current perspective, James surpassed Hank by leaps and bounds. James treated her extremely well. If she had to find fault with him, it would be that he could sometimes seem a bit distant, but other than that, he was perfect. "James, if you keep treating me this way, I might actually fall for you," Summer blurted out suddenly. James' pupils contracted upon hearing this. He was momentarily taken aback. Then, he replied, "Summie, I'll take care of you unconditionally for the rest of my life. Y
Summer felt embarrassed as she listened to James talk about it so casually. Despite this, James remained expressionless, as if they were discussing the most mundane topic. Turning her body, Summer asked, "Why would you say something like that? It's so weird.""I said it so that my mother wouldn't scold you," James replied. Summer immediately understood James' intention. By claiming he was busy with work, he had shifted all blame onto himself so that Caroline wouldn't hold Summer accountable. As Summer thought about that, she realized that James genuinely cared for her. He consistently took her feelings into consideration.But that was also his responsibility as her husband. After all, he had chosen to marry her.Although they had temporarily soothed Caroline's anger, Summer couldn't shake her worries. The topic of pregnancy would undoubtedly come up again sooner or later. If she didn't get pregnant soon, Caroline would definitely pressure her more. Hence, the most straightfo
Summer had been aware of the tension between Howe and Susanne for some time, but she had chosen not to address it. After all, it was an unspoken understanding, and speaking of it seemed futile. However, Howe had presented an intriguing proposition. He wanted to join hands with Summer and drive Susanne away from the house. Susanne's continued presence at the Quigley residence only meant that she would come up with more schemes against Summer. With Caroline in the mix, Summer couldn't afford to deal with Susanne as well. So, it was best to get rid of her quickly. Yet, as Summer contemplated Howe's proposal, she hesitated. Firstly, Susanne had ceased acting maliciously against Summer. At the very least, she had vowed not to directly endanger Summer's life any further. Secondly, there was the matter of how trustworthy Howe was. Despite his warm and affable demeanor, Summer couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't to be underestimated. Nobody in the Quigley family was naive
"Aren't you afraid of what Susanne might do to you next?" Howe asked. "I'm not afraid," Summer replied coldly, then turned to go downstairs. Howe remained rooted in place, his face tense with hesitation. Realizing that Summer was truly about to leave, he urgently called out, "Summer, wait. There's something I can share with you. It's a secret between Susanne and me." "Oh?" Summer feigned confusion, though she had already guessed what Howe was about to say. He was probably going to tell her about the incident 15 years ago, when he had cruelly pushed Susanne away and escaped from the stray dogs alone. It was the incident that had made Howe's relationship with Susanne deteriorate rapidly. As expected, Howe told her about the incident. He let out a frustrated sigh. "This is why I avoid being around Susanne. She holds a grudge against me, and I purposefully keep my distance from her at home. Also… I'm afraid that she might suddenly fall ill." Howe was indeed cautious. Fi