After Summer learned the truth, her jaw dropped. She asked in disbelief, "So you're saying that all of you knew the truth, and you conspired together to deceive me alone?""Yes," James replied.Summer felt as though she'd been struck by a heavy blow. She trembled all over. It turned out that all her concern and even her sacrifice for James had all been for a sham.Now that she knew the truth, she felt a mix of joy and anger. She was happy to be alive but furious that James had actually deceived her.Although she had only known him for two months, he had never lied to her before. This was the first time he'd lied to her, and it was actually such a huge lie.It made sense why Caroline's behavior had been off earlier. She must have known that it was all an act to test Summer, and she must have played along.After the realization, Summer really felt like she was a pig. She was indeed a pig—a complete and utter fool! No wonder Hades had wanted to transform her into a beast in the dr
Summer thought that, given Caroline's status and usual attitude, it would be beneath her to join Eleanor and deceive Summer. Caroline had many ways to torment Summer. She didn't need to use such tricks. Summer feared that Caroline probably knew the terms of the bet and wanted to help Eleanor fulfill it.James also revealed the terms of the bet earnestly. Basically, the bet was that if he won, Eleanor would never appear in his life again. But if he lost, he would have to marry her.It all made sense. Caroline had hoped to see Summer lose. If Summer had refused to donate her heart at the hospital, it would show that she valued her own life more than James'. That way, Caroline could claim that Summer didn't love James and use it as an opportunity to get them divorced.After all, her ideal daughter-in-law was Eleanor. If she won the bet, she'd be rid of Summer and also gain Eleanor as a daughter-in-law. It was killing two birds with one stone.Unfortunately, the plan had failed. No
Recalling the situation now, it was actually quite risky. If Summer hadn't agreed to donate her heart and prioritized James' life over hers, would they be divorced now?Although she didn't care too much about the divorce, she still felt uneasy about it.James held Summer's hands and said affectionately, "We will never be divorced. If I'd really lost the bet, I would've been ready to bear the consequences and break the agreement. Besides…" He paused for a bit before continuing. "I knew you would save me. From the moment I made the bet with Eleanor, I knew you would definitely rescue me, even if you had to sacrifice yourself."After hearing what he said, Summer's face flushed red. She didn't want to let him see it, so she turned around and pretended to speak coldly. "Mr. Quigley, who do you think you are? Don't think too highly of yourself just because you have some money." Then, as if feeling her words lacked confidence, she added, "I didn't save you because I like you. I just fe
That day's events were the catalyst. James wanted to let Summer know that he wouldn't divorce her, no matter what. That was why he'd hugged her.After they parted ways, James remained silent. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Summer adjusted her clothes and glanced at him. She said, "I can pretend as if the hug didn't happen earlier."Despite Summer's words, James didn't react at all. Once again, he returned to acting like a millennia-old iceberg. It didn't bother Summer too much since she was used to it. She was used to him being cold and showing little emotion.She continued, "How about you talk about what the outcome is now? You've won the bet. Does that mean Eleanor isn't going to show up in your life ever again?""Yes," James replied."Well, that's good," Summer said. Then, she took another glance at James. She noticed that he looked very cold, like he had a layer of frost on his face. He had a cold and imposing air about him once again. To be honest, this was the
Despite being the heir of one of the four major prestigious families, Bradly had quite the reputation as a playboy. Summer remembered his wild and unrestrained demeanor when they'd first met. The thought made her immediately shake her head. As Kelly's good friend, Summer knew that if she was going to set Kelly up with someone, it had to be the best match. That was where Zach came in. Summer had already made Lexi conduct an investigation earlier on. According to Lexi's findings, Zach had only been in one relationship before and had remained single for quite some time afterward. Zach's character was undoubtedly commendable. He was warm and kind, treated his subordinates at work in a friendly and patient manner, and was even compassionate toward strangers. He was the kind of person who readily extended a helping hand whenever he encountered someone in need. Such individuals were rare. However, Zach's behavior toward Summer stood out as an exception. He firmly believed that she
Summer began to reason with James, saying, "You know about my past. I was hurt by love too. If I hadn't met you, I'd still be very sad." She believed the most effective way to heal from love was to find someone to fill the emotional void. It was akin to clearing junk files from a computer. Opting for replacement over deletion seemed more thorough. However, James disagreed with that idea. "Summie, love is pure and noble. Is it fair to enter a relationship just to ease the pain?" "Well, it does seem a bit unfair. But if there's no other way to alleviate the pain, isn't this method worth a shot?" "Summie, love isn't like that." James shook his head. To him, love was pure and untainted. It couldn't be tarnished by using someone else to fill a void. Summer couldn't help but retort, "If love isn't like that, then what is it supposed to be? Let's not forget how our marriage came about!" Upon hearing this, James's mouth slightly parted. He froze for a moment, and there wasn't any
Realizing his fault in the matter, James admitted, "I acknowledge what you said. Even though you weren't willing to marry me, I hope that you'll eventually choose to love me willingly." His words made Summer blush, and she responded, "You're being silly. I don't know what you're talking about." Sensing the awkwardness in the air, she cleverly changed the subject. "Weren't we just discussing introducing Kelly to Zach? Are you going to help me or not?" James wore a troubled expression. While he had a good relationship with Zach, he felt uncomfortable about meddling in matters of love. With a hint of warning in her tone, Summer said, "Don't forget your promise to me. You said you would agree to any request I made. "So, it's only fair for me to ask for your help in arranging a blind date between Zach and Kelly. Whether it succeeds or not isn't your concern." Once spoken, the words couldn't be unsaid. That was especially true for someone like James, who was the president of a la
Every day, Summer found herself attending classes and preparing for pregnancy, following Caroline's instructions on how to become a good daughter-in-law of the Quigley family. The training itself wasn't the issue for Summer. What she dreaded were the awkward topics covered, such as learning about pregnancy-friendly foods, which exercises were suitable, and the proper positions to get pregnant more easily. To improve Summer's chances of getting pregnant, Caroline went as far as hiring different instructors to provide lessons, and she also had Luca deliver a variety of supplements and medications for Summer. Over time, Summer grew accustomed to the routine and accepted it as part of her life. However, a smooth-sailing life was bound to be disrupted. On the third day, a guest arrived at the Quigley residence—it was Eleanor. Clad in a white dress, Eleanor exuded elegance and grace as she joined Summer and Caroline for dinner. Caroline, who was seated at the head of the table,