As Summer left the room, she made sure to thank James."If it weren't for your help, I might have lost in this competition. So, thank you," Summer expressed gratefully."You're my wife. Helping you is something I should do, right?" James replied. Although he appeared cold, his words were warm. Perhaps he only treated her that way.However, Summer still had one thing that she didn't understand. She asked, "Why do we need to add salt when mixing a Margarita?"In fact, she had been pondering over this question. To her, adding salt to a cocktail didn't seem to enhance its flavor. Why was it necessary?Actually, adding salt was indeed necessary. James grew serious as he explained thoughtfully, "Salt represents tears. The tears shed by the creator of this Margarita.""Tears?" Summer questioned."The Margarita was created by someone who longed for his loved one. The salt represents tears. His tears of longing and regret." Gradually, Summer seemed to understand the meaning behind the
Summer ignored Bradly. She proceeded to serve her cocktail, pouring it into the four glasses accordingly. Then, she said, "Gentlemen, please enjoy."Bradly was the first to taste the cocktail. Before even taking a sip, he began applauding enthusiastically. He exclaimed, "Amazing. This is an excellent cocktail!"Summer rolled her eyes. He hadn't even tasted it, but he kept complimenting the taste as if he was afraid others wouldn't know he was supporting her.At this moment, the guests came closer to observe. They exchanged glances and discussed among themselves. It seemed they were all focused on Summer's identity and what score she might achieve.The judging area was very quiet. The heirs didn't even make a sound, except for the talkative Bradly.After tasting the cocktail, Bradly expressed his opinion, "This cocktail is exceptional. This is a Margarita, right? It is even better than the ones made by professional bartenders outside. It seems that you've been working hard on your
Furthermore, some people were guessing that Keith would also give Summer two points. This meant that Summer would be the only one in this competition to receive a perfect score of eight points.In the previous cocktail mixing competition, the highest score was six points. No one had achieved a perfect score of eight points so far.Summer also sensed the shifting atmosphere in the venue. Although she had already been mentally prepared for potential scrutiny and accusations of cheating, facing the storm of discussions was still overwhelming for her.Of course, not everyone was accusing Summer of cheating. There were some people who supported her. They believed that she genuinely worked hard to earn her high score of six points.Ultimately, it all boiled down to the most important factor, which was Keith's judgment. Many people were focused on Keith now, especially those individuals who were familiar with the dynamics of the four prestigious families. Although the Ritter family and
Despite James' promise to ensure fairness in the competition, the reality remained uncertain. There was no telling whether he would intentionally manipulate scores to favor Summer. As Summer glanced over at James, his expression remained cold and emotionless, akin to ice. There was no discernible hint of any emotional fluctuation on his face. The same stoic demeanor was mirrored by Zach, who stood there as rigid as a statue. In contrast, Bradly appeared visibly flustered. He frantically gestured with his arms to silence the guests. The atmosphere within the venue had descended into chaos, with accusations flying left and right as people questioned whether James and the other two heirs had manipulated scores. Some bold male guests even defied the security line, attempting to confront them directly. The turmoil exceeded everyone's expectations. Seated at the judges' table, Keith remained unaffected by the commotion swirling around him. Holding the glass in his hand, he ca
Upon seeing the young man, York immediately recognized him as Simon Lawson, who held a prominent position as a member of the Lawson family.In fact, every attendee at this wine-tasting party carried significant weight. Despite holding a prestigious position, York approached the protesting guests cautiously. "Ladies and gentlemen, given the unanimous high scores from the four heirs, it's reasonable to assume there's something exceptional about Mrs. Quigley's cocktail. "If you're skeptical, why not send someone to sample it?" York suggested. Upon hearing this, Summer felt a surge of anxiety. If her cocktail didn't meet their taste, would it suggest the four heirs were covertly assisting her? Such an exposure would be disastrous. Summer cast a quick glance at James, silently wishing for his intervention. Nevertheless, he remained seated, appearing unaware of the situation. Similarly, Zach showed no emotion as he also remained motionless. Conversely, Bradly offered a few warm
"Wait a minute," came a sharp voice, akin to the sound of a stone scraping against glass. Subsequently, everyone's attention shifted to the woman wearing a dress. "Caroline..." Summer murmured at the sight of her. Caroline's face was etched with anger as she made her way toward the judges' area in her high heels. "The judges for the wine-tasting party are the four heirs, correct? Mr. Lawson, I'm afraid your eagerness to taste the cocktail doesn't align with the rules," Caroline intervened. She was reluctant to let Simon taste the cocktail. The perceptive individuals in the audience could understand Caroline's motives. She feared that Simon might expose the "insider dealing". Observing the events unfolding in the judges' area from the sidelines, Caroline refused to believe that Summer could attain such a high score without James' assistance. In her mind, it must have been James who had somehow aided Summer in achieving that score. As the head of the Quigley family, any
James unexpectedly spoke up, catching the attention of everyone in the room, including Caroline. In the silent exchange between Caroline and James, Caroline detected confidence in James' gaze. She knew James wouldn't speak without certainty. If he suggested allowing Simon to taste the cocktail, then it seemed there was no "insider dealing" involvement in the competition. With a wave of her hand, Caroline feigned helplessness. "Mr. Lawson, since my son insists, I'd have to trouble you to clear the doubt," she said. Simon respectfully returned her gesture, assuring her it was no trouble. Stepping forward, he approached the judges' table to taste the cocktail. Despite his courteous demeanor, Simon harbored deep resentment within. He was convinced that the four major prestigious families had abused their power. Hence, if he found the cocktail to be anything less than exceptional, he vowed to reveal its mediocrity to everyone. Standing before the four heirs, Simon raised his
"How is that possible..." Summer's cherry lips parted slightly, displaying her disbelief. Seated across from her, James questioned, "Don't you believe in your own skills?" "Of course not. Did I really craft this cocktail?" Summer's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "James, tell me honestly. Did you deliberately switch out my cocktail?" Summer couldn't believe that she had crafted such a delightful cocktail. Additionally, its taste closely resembled what James had taught her in the lounge, further intensifying her suspicions. James maintained an air of mystery as he responded, "I assured you of fair judgment, so I wouldn't engage in such behavior." On the sidelines, Bradly nodded in agreement. "Exactly, James wouldn't resort to such tactics." Indeed, James was known for his integrity; he was a man true to his word. Consequently, Summer ceased her suspicions. Nonetheless, she couldn't shake the feeling that the world was full of surprises. She had never anticipated crafting
"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