At this moment, Yolanda was especially gentle. When Zach was sitting on the ground, she didn't hesitate to sit down next to him, disregarding the fact that she was wearing a skirt. They didn't exchange any words, but there was a tacit understanding between them.From their current situation, Summer knew that both of them would probably sit there for a while. Perhaps this silent sitting was a way for them to mourn Felicia.Summer also observed a moment of silence before uttering a silent prayer. Even though she didn't like Felicia, paying respect to the deceased was still necessary. After that, Summer and James left.Their purpose was to ensure that Zach and Yolanda were fine. So, after seeing that they were safe and didn't do anything stupid, they felt reassured.Time would heal all sorrow and pain in people's hearts. About a week later, Zach, who had been immersed in grief, gradually recovered, and Yolanda returned to her usual cheerful self. They continued to live their lives lik
"James, Mom wants to bring you for a health check-up. Get up, quick." Summer nudged James, who was still sleeping soundly, with her foot. He was immediately startled awake by this."What's going on?" James muttered, his eyes looking particularly dazed. When he noticed Caroline was there, he lost his composure for a moment. "Mom, why are you here?"Caroline was momentarily taken aback. It hadn't occurred to her to subject James to a check-up, but now, rudely awakened by Summer's disturbance, she felt a surge of anger."Summer, you're too much. James worked late last night. Can't you let him sleep a little longer?"Summer feigned innocence, saying, "Mom, what are you talking about? Don't you think it's important for us to go for a check-up? You're aware that conception involves both the woman and the man. We've been trying for a while now without success. Have you ever thought that maybe James could be the issue?"At first, Caroline thought that what Summer said made sense. But afte
James could understand Caroline's concerns. The Quigley family was large, and a prosperous business needed an heir. Although James was now the heir of the Quigley family, what about the heir after him? Therefore, Caroline had been anxious about having a child.However, from James' point of view, having a child wasn't solely for the purpose of inheriting the family business and continuing the family line. He also had to consider Summer's feelings. James was apprehensive about the fragile state of his relationship with Summer. It wasn't particularly close, nor was it distant. Given this delicate balance, James worried that Summer might not be open to the idea of having a child.James loved Summer and genuinely respected her opinions. After exchanging glances with her, he said to Caroline, "Mom, I appreciate your eagerness for grandchildren, but this is something that Summer and I need to discuss and decide on our own time. I promise we'll keep you informed as we progress."Caroline'
This was one of Summer's unique traits. James looked at her and helplessly shook his head, saying, "Summie, you're really foolish.""I'm not foolish, okay?" Summer was puzzled by his words, but she didn't have much time now. She quickly freshened up and changed her attire before heading to the hospital.After Summer departed, James stood up, stretched, and ambled over to the window. Peering outside, he observed Summer and his mother, Caroline, walking in unison toward the waiting car. As they settled inside, the car pulled away, making its way toward the hospital.Observing the sight before him, James' eyes gleamed with a radiant clarity. The sun cast its golden rays upon his face, highlighting his striking features, yet within his expression, there lingered a touch of tenderness."Summie, you're just as kind as the day we first met," James reminisced, his mind drifting back to pivotal moments from their past that had solidified his love for Summer and his decision to marry her.A
"Curious?" James scoffed. In fact, James had already been informed of Keith's peculiar fascination with Summer by Bradly previously. Keith's supposed curiosity toward Summer seemed like a flimsy excuse to James. He suspected there was something more sinister lurking beneath the surface. Yet, he hadn't anticipated Keith's persistence in using this excuse, especially at this juncture."Do you honestly expect me to believe that, Keith? Summer is just an ordinary woman. What could possibly pique your curiosity about her?""I'm intrigued by her allure to you. I'm curious about what led you to truly fall for her," Keith responded with a smirk, his words laden with insinuation. "You've never shown any interest in women, let alone marriage and family. So, I've been digging. And now, I know about you and Summer."Upon hearing that, James' heart pounded hard. It was his first time feeling afraid. How had someone unearthed his closely guarded past?James asked, "So what do you want? Are y
"Keith, I didn't expect you to track down this far, but I won't let you succeed," James muttered to himself as he looked up toward the sky. At the same time, an unusual glint seemed to flicker in his deep-set eyes as if he were planning something.…Summer finished her examination at the hospital at noon. The doctor diagnosed her as very healthy with no issues at all. This meant that she was not infertile.On the way home, Caroline was suspicious, wondering why Summer and James hadn't conceived. Since it wasn't a health issue, could it be something else? She thought carefully. She had done everything correctly, without any flaws. Perhaps the only thing she hadn't supervised closely was whether James and Summer had actually consummated their marriage.However, as a mom, Caroline felt it wasn't her place to intervene in such matters. She was a conservative woman who considered sex a private affair between husband and wife, not something for others to witness.But despite her reser
After being in the Quigley family for so long, Summer had learned a thing or two. Firstly, when faced with danger or difficulty, one must learn to remain calm. The reason for staying calm was simple. It allowed one to find solutions in desperate situations. Secondly, one must not reveal their emotions to others.Caroline's questioning was undeniably incisive, yet Summer maintained a composed demeanor. She couldn't risk Caroline uncovering her secrets. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to admit the truth, knowing it would leave Caroline with no evidence to refute the insinuations against her and James.Keeping this in mind, Summer asserted firmly, "Mom, you're overanalyzing. James and I are already married, and we'll start a family when the time is right. We've already taken that step. In fact, it's a regular part of our routine, happening every week.""Then, why aren't you pregnant yet?""I don't know. This is my first time getting pregnant," Summer blinked her innocent ey
Yet, Summer still had another trick up her sleeves. She thought about hiding in the restroom until nightfall. When James returned, he could rescue her. However, this idea wasn't feasible. There were still nine hours until nightfall. Must she really hide in the restroom for that long? Even if she could endure it, Caroline would definitely knock the door down and drag her out.In reality, she didn't even have to wait nine hours. Within ten minutes, Caroline had already sent someone to urge Summer to leave the restroom.Of course, Summer wasn't willing to leave. She told the helper outside that she still had stomach pains and needed more time. However, this tactic didn't work well either. When she managed to stall for 20 minutes, Caroline personally came to coax her out. To pressure Summer further, Caroline even threatened that she would lose her temper if Summer continued to stay in the restroom.Summer knew how terrifying it was when Caroline was furious, so she came out without
"Of course. I'm the chairman of Charter Corporation, after all. Why can't I continue working? I took care of Charter Corporation back when you got married, didn't I?" Fred patted his chest firmly, looking quite confident.Summer also believed that her father would be able to manage the company well if she left it in his care.Fred was the founder of Charter Corporation, after all. He had worked on it for decades, and he was the person who knew it the best. If he was the one taking over, Summer definitely had no reason to worry.However, Fred had already retired, so he should be relaxing at home at his age. Summer felt a little bad if he was suddenly asked to manage the company again.James comforted Summer, saying, "Summie, why don't you let him help you? Of all the people in Charter Corporation, he must be the person who's the most invested in the company other than you.""That's right." Fred smiled confidently. "How can I not care about my own company? Don't worry, Summer. Just
They were having a meal right now, so where was Fred going? Summer asked in confusion, "Dad, where are you going?"When Summer asked the question, Fred had already left the living room. He seemed to be on his way back to his room.Amelia explained, "He's preparing a gift for you.""Preparing a gift? What gift?"Soon, the gift Amelia mentioned was brought over to them.Fred was carrying a large cardboard box, which he processed to place on the table. He retrieved children's toys, baby clothes, and a jigsaw puzzle from the box.Summer was speechless when she saw that. So this was the sort of gift Amelia was talking about. But why would Fred give her these things out of the blue?Holding the clothes, Fred explained gleefully, "Several months ago, Amelia and I were shopping when we came across some baby products. We were wondering when you'd have children, and we feared that you wouldn't be able to buy all the baby products you would need, so we bought some ahead of time."Summer s
Nearby, James faked a cough as if there was another matter at hand. Noticing something off with his expression, Summer thought that he choked on something, so she asked, "Would you like some water?""No, thanks… Summie, did you forget why we came here in the first place?"Thanks to James' reminder, Summer finally remembered that she wasn't here for a simple visit. She had to tell her parents the good news of her pregnancy.At that moment, Amelia and Fred were leisurely enjoying the food. Summer knew that if they heard the news, they might get overwhelmed with emotion, so she decided to give them a heads-up. "Dad, Mom, we actually came here to tell you an important piece of news. Maybe you can stop eating for now.""What's the matter?" Fred asked curiously."Well… This is a very serious matter. Before I break the news, I'd like you to be as calm as possible. Please don't get too worked up."When Amelia and Fred heard that, they exchanged glances. They had no idea what exactly Summ
For example, Summer and James were taking a walk in the park. They might look like they were alone, but in reality, more than a dozen bodyguards were hiding in bushes and various corners of the park. To protect the child, the Quigleys pulled out all the stops to ensure Summer's safety."Alright, I get it." Summer chose to compromise. She was living a wonderful life at the Quigley residence, after all, so she felt like she shouldn't ask for too much.Also, as Caroline had said, Summer would regain freedom once she gave birth to the child. Summer would be able to live her happy life with James then, and Caroline wouldn't be around to nag her about the child.The next morning, the Quigleys arranged for a luxurious limousine to send Summer and James to the Charter Estate. Amelia and Fred already knew that their daughter would be coming over, so they were waiting at the entrance. When they saw their dear daughter, elated expressions appeared on their faces."Summer, you're back! We've p
Hence, Summer could do whatever she pleased. If Caroline dared to restrict her freedom, Summer would be upset, and Caroline wouldn't want that.As Summer walked along the even path of the park, she did some stretches to loosen up. "It's a nice life. Before this, I was worried that something bad might happen if I returned to the Quigley residence, but now, it looks like I was overthinking it. Caroline is very good to me, and the others respect me too.""I'm glad to hear that. I was also worried that you wouldn't be able to get used to staying in the Quigley residence. You're pregnant, after all." James glanced at Summer's belly, his eyes filled with fatherly love and tenderness. By the looks of it, he had intended to be a father a long time ago."Hold your horses. I've only been pregnant for three weeks. They say that the baby will be born after ten months of pregnancy, and it's not even been a month yet, let alone ten." With that, Summer suddenly held James' hand and guided it tow
What would it mean to Howe if he gave up on the position of the head of the family? It meant that he would have to depend on someone else to survive, and he would be giving up on glory and riches along with a life filled with extravagance.Thanks to his wealthy background, Howe was already used to life like this. If James became the head of the family in the future, he might exercise his authority as the head of the family to limit Howe's movements. Howe would be stripped of freedom.Maeve felt that Howe was right as well. Her current life of luxury was built upon mountains of cash. If Howe didn't get to be the head of the family, he would definitely face restrictions."Howe, I want you to be the head of the family as well, but do you really have confidence in your capabilities? Your brother is so outstanding, and he's the official heir, too."Maeve hit the nail on the head. This was exactly what Howe was worried about as well. There was a world of difference between him and James,
So, when Caroline asked her to stay in the Quigley residence, Summer somewhat reluctantly agreed.At noon the next day, dark clouds filled the sky, making it look bleak. However, in the bustling Rosseera City, things were as lively as usual.In a luxury hotel situated in the city center, Howe was sitting on a chair, holding a glass of wine in one hand while his other arm was wrapped around the waist of a beautiful woman. At that moment, his expression was as gloomy as the weather.The young woman was good at reading the room. Extending her fingers, she traced circles on Howe's pink shirt. She asked, "What's the matter, Howe? You seem to be in a bad mood today. Could there be anyone in Rosseera City who's bold enough to offend you?""Hmph…" Howe didn't say a word. Instead, he downed the whole glass of wine.Noticing that he wasn't saying anything, the young woman pursed her lips and planted a kiss on his cheek. Smiling, she asked, "What's going on? Are you going to say that women w
James didn't want to agree to this arrangement. Even though it wasn't explicitly mentioned, he was fully aware that Summer didn't want to stay at the Quigley residence. Hence, he said, "I'll take care of Summer, Mom. I even hired Tina to look after her needs. You know how dependable Tina is. With her around, everything will be fine.""Nonsense. Even if Tina was there, there's only so much she can do on her own. This Quigley grandchild is extremely important. I can't just let her handle everything by herself.""That won't be an issue, Mom. Besides, Summer won't feel comfortable staying here either." Summer's feelings were James' top priority. Caroline could see this as well. In the end, the decision was Summer's to make. So, instead of addressing James, she turned to Summer and asked, "Would you like to stay at the Quigley residence, Summie?"If it were up to Summer, she'd say no. There was no way she would want to stay here out of her own free will. Just the mere sight of Caroli
Howe was the quietest person at the table. He was dressed in a shirt with floral patterns, and his hair was slightly curly. He was as still as a rock. He had a look of terror on his face for a while now—he didn't know that Summer was pregnant.Now that his parents were talking about it, he immediately asked, "Pregnant? Is Summer pregnant?""Yes, she is—haven't you heard?" Caroline replied. "No… How is she suddenly pregnant? I didn't hear anything about it until now." "I only found out recently as well." Caroline's hand moved over her mouth before she continued, "Isn't it great? You're going to be an uncle soon.""Yeah. I can't wait." Howe put on a forced smile.Everyone in the family was overjoyed by the news—except Howe Quigley. The Quigleys had a family rule. If the heir had a child, his position as the head of the family would be set in stone.So, if James welcomed a baby, Howe would lose the opportunity to take his place as the family heir. By that logic, he would never be