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,
Summer felt reluctant to respond to Eleanor, but since the latter was her teacher, she knew it would be disrespectful not to respond. Therefore, she replied in a cold tone, "Thanks to you, I've been doing quite well." "That's good to hear. But you're aware of the bet between James and me, right?" Eleanor brought up the bet herself. If it hadn't been for Eleanor and James' bet, Summer wouldn't have become a pawn in their game. However, Summer suppressed her anger and calmly replied, "Yes, I know about the bet, and I'm aware of how you and Mom conspired to involve me." "Summer, you're not going to hold a grudge against me for this, are you? After all, the bet benefited everyone." "Is that so?" Summer's face twisted into a disdainful smirk. She couldn't see how the bet had benefited her in any way. Just a few days ago, she'd been in tears for James, who she'd thought had been on the brink of death on the operating table. She'd even feared she might not survive. Such despai
Summer thought she must have misheard. Just a few days ago, Eleanor had set her up as a pawn in the game, and now she was asking Summer for help. "Eleanor, there's no way I'm going to help you," Summer stated firmly. "Don't you want to hear what I need your help with?" Eleanor asked. "No, I don't," Summer replied. She didn't need to hear what Eleanor was going to say; she was already certain it would be a request for help to persuade James. After all, they had made the bet together. As long as James consented, Eleanor could still approach him. However, Summer wasn't that naïve. Even if she had no feelings for James, she didn't want another woman to get close to him. Without much thought, Sumer waved her hand, gesturing for Eleanor to leave. Eleanor wasn't easily fooled. Given that she wanted Summer's help, she'd come with a plan in mind. "Summer, I know you've been searching for a match for Kelly. I heard that Zach is a potential candidate. Is that correct?" Summe
Moreover, while abolishing the bet might not have been ideal, Summer reasoned that if Eleanor was keen on meeting James, it ultimately relied on James agreeing to it. If James didn't agree, then Eleanor wouldn't have a chance to meet him, no matter what. So, the conditions of the bet made earlier seemed more like a formality. It didn't really matter whether they existed or not in the end. "Okay, I agree." Summer finally agreed after some thought. Eleanor had already anticipated this outcome. She shook hands with Summer, indicating their mutual agreement. As per their agreement, regardless of whether Kelly and Zach clicked during their week-long date, Summer would be obliged to help Eleanor persuade James to forget the bet. However, one thing that intrigued Summer was how Eleanor intended to assist her. From what she knew, Zach wasn't the type to be easily manipulated. When Summer asked about Eleanor's plan to persuade Zach, Eleanor didn't hesitate to reveal her method.