Assisted by numerous professional stylists, Summer adorned herself splendidly. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she marveled at her elegant and stunning appearance.She wore a sleek black dress with a trailing back, accentuating her figure flawlessly. Her long hair cascaded smoothly, adding to her allure. Adorned with extravagant accessories and a pair of black and white crystal shoes, she exuded elegance and grandeur, effortlessly standing out from the crowd.However, as she spun around, Summer couldn't ignore the dress's cumbersome weight. Laden with jewelry, it proved difficult to move comfortably in the tight attire. She felt constrained, reminiscent of a lady from bygone eras navigating with cautious steps, fearful of any vigorous movement that might lead to a wardrobe malfunction.Summer felt out of place in such luxurious attire. While suitable for the wine-tasting party, wearing such garments elsewhere would only invite embarrassment. This predicament puzzled her.
Howe's blunt and unsympathetic remark cut through the air. "Mom, I think you'll be disappointed. Summer doesn't seem confident. How could she possibly get a good ranking?"However, that was the truth. Even Summer doubted her ability to achieve a good ranking.Caroline sneered. "If she doesn't get a good ranking, I'll teach her a lesson."Summer shrank back, unnerved by her mother-in-law's harsh words. This interaction felt torturous, especially with Howe's cold stare from the staircase, his subtle smirk resembling that of a waiting predator.Despite not knowing the extent of Howe's intentions, Summer sensed danger. He might cause trouble for her at the wine-tasting party, adding to her apprehension about achieving a good ranking.Later that evening, Summer arrived at the wine-tasting party, stepping onto the red carpet toward the imposing wooden doors.As she approached, Summer took in the scene—yellow safety borders flanking the carpet, media reporters capturing every moment wit
Things seemed more complicated now. Summer had wanted to greet her idol earlier. But if she had to adhere to James' instructions, wouldn't she need to be cautious with every move to avoid embarrassing the Quigleys? James, ever observant, detected Summer's discontent with just a glance. "Were you planning to talk to Hendery just now?" Hendery Waters was someone Summer greatly admired. Despite being middle-aged, he remained handsome and boasted numerous achievements in film and music. She nodded in response. "Yes, I wanted to speak with Hendery. I've seen him on TV before. It's rare to have the chance to meet him in person.""Once the party ends, I'll arrange for you to meet him, so don't worry. You should focus on the competition. Mom is waiting for you in the hall.""Alright!" Summer eagerly agreed, filled with anticipation at the prospect of meeting her idol after the party.Reflecting on James' ability to arrange such a meeting, Summer realized his considerable influence.
That day marked a rare wine-tasting event in Rosseera City, drawing Susanne from her northern abode to attend. Summer found solace in Susanne's presence amidst the sea of unfamiliar faces, knowing she couldn't rely on anyone but James in such gatherings.James, displaying tact, excused himself after their little reunion, allowing Susanne and Summer to converse freely. They linked arms and settled onto a Meuropean-style couch."It's been too long, Summer. How have things been at home?" Despite her desire for a better life, Summer admitted to ongoing struggles. "Nothing's changed since you left. My inability to conceive has only fueled my mother-in-law's resentment toward me. I was forced to attend this wine-tasting party.""I had a feeling you weren't here by choice," Susanne remarked somberly. "This event may seem trivial, but it holds significant implications."Summer was inclined to think that Susanne knew something that she didn't. While aware of the party's importance, s
The wine-tasting competition also had an additional rule—previous winners were ineligible to compete again. James had won the competition eight years ago, so he was ineligible to participate. Summer couldn't help but wonder what James had wished for after winning the competition. Susanne didn't know what James' wish was as well. "I don't think James has used his wish yet. The wishes are granted by respected seniors from the four major prestigious families. Once granted, the wish becomes public knowledge. But since James' wish hasn't been disclosed, it's likely he hasn't used it."Summer silently nodded in understanding. Considering James' stature and accomplishments, it made sense that he hadn't found a need to use his wish.Contemplating her own potential wish, Summer envisioned a life outside the Quigley family's constraints. Perhaps she could secure funding for the Charter family's ventures. However, she doubted her chances of winning.In the wine-tasting competition, there w
In the first level, participants had to identify expensive wines based on their categories. Meanwhile, the second level required tasting wines and identifying their names and vintage years. The final and most challenging level involved identifying the main ingredients in a cocktail, including base liquors, auxiliary ingredients, and food additives.Summer, having been briefed on the competition's three levels by Flynn, arrived at the first level after registering for the event and receiving her number.Inside the hall, three sections were delineated by yellow tape, with participants' identities verified by their name badges. Spectators not partaking in the competition were allowed to watch from the sidelines.The competition, lasting four hours, offered flexibility in sequence. Participants could tackle levels in any order, earning points upon completion. The more points a participant earned, the higher their ranking would be.In the first level, participants had to identify the
Based on Flynn's advice about the complexity of making Pinot Noir and its fermentation process with special ingredients to enhance flavor, Summer confidently selected it as the priciest option.With a mix of nerves and uncertainty, she handed the glass to the waiter, keeping her head down, unsure of the outcome.The waiter, maintaining a composed and expressionless demeanor, skillfully accepted the glass from Summer. He then calmly confirmed her choice, declaring, "Congratulations. This Pinot Noir is indeed the most expensive wine among these ten glasses. You have succeeded.""What?" Summer was taken aback by her success, ecstatic at her stroke of luck.After pausing for a while, she exclaimed, "That's great! I've succeeded!"However, her celebration drew curious glances from the elite attendees, who viewed her jubilation with skepticism.Susanne, noticing the commotion, approached and questioned Summer, "What are you doing?""Susanne, I've done it! Haha, I found the most expens
Bradly didn't enter the room. He simply pressed his ear against the door, trying to eavesdrop. But to his dismay, he couldn't make out any sounds from inside.It made sense though—the government-provided banquet hall had soundproof guest rooms to safeguard guests' privacy. So, despite Bradly's efforts, he couldn't catch any snippets of conversation.Frustrated by the soundproofing, Bradly pondered how he could listen in on the discussions inside.Just then, the door swung open abruptly, catching Bradly off guard and sending him tumbling to the ground. He looked up to see James sporting a composed expression."Hey, James... What a surprise seeing you here," Bradly greeted with a forced smile, knowing full well James was inside. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to eavesdrop.James remained unfazed, his demeanor suggesting he was aware of the eavesdropping attempt. "What are you up to?" he asked, his tone carrying a hint of intimidation.Bradly feigned innocence. "Me? Nothing at al
"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