The best way was not to knock, but to break in when the people inside least expected it.Summer thought Monica had a good idea. So, breaking in it was.However, breaking a door was not her forte."Monica, how should we break in—" Summer gaped as Monica kicked hard on the door.The doorknob broke with a bang, and the wooden door opened. Summer couldn't believe it.Monica was petite and adorable, yet she broke the door like a rough thug. She even sent some splinters of wood flying.Summer and Monica rushed into the room, but there was no James. There were only two strangers inside, a man and a woman.This was awkward."Who are you guys?" the man and woman asked in unison.Summer was completely flustered and couldn't answer them. She apologized and dragged Monica out of the room.It was so embarrassing. Hadn't the waiter said James was in the third room? Why wasn't it James inside, but a couple on their lunch date instead?"Monica, what's going on?" Summer asked, sulking."How
"No, I can't let you go!" Summer cried."Summie…" Looking at Summer's tight grasp on him, James knew she was scared he would run away.He said, "I promise you. I'll go home tonight and tell you everything.""Are you sure?""Yes, I'm sure," James replied with certainty. Judging from his determined gaze, he didn't seem to be lying.James had always kept his promises. Once he gave his word, he would never go back on it.Fine. Since he had said so, it would be petty for Summer to cling to him further."You better keep your promise. I'll go now. You can focus on your work. We'll talk tonight."Summer finally let go of him and shuffled away. She still looked pissed, but she wouldn't continue to distract James since they agreed on it.Monica, on the other hand, didn't hold back. She leapt into James' arm right after Summer was done."James, I missed you so much!"She wrapped her arms around James' waist like an adorable little girl and even rubbed herself against him a little.She
It was precisely because Monica had considered various consequences that she decided to reveal the secret from back then.In reality, James wasn't worried about those things. What he feared most was how his relationship with Summer would change if the secret was revealed.James liked Summer, and he was worried that if this secret were to come out, his relationship with her would change.However, now wasn't the right time to reveal everything. James' angry expression gradually subsided. Glancing at Summer, he said indifferently, "I have some work to do. I'll leave first."After saying that, James left. Monica naturally didn't want him to leave. She called out from behind, but it was in vain. James said that he was leaving, and no one could stop him.Watching the door close, Monica appeared irritated. "Hmph, it's rare to see James, but he left so soon. It's really…"…Time ticked by, and before they realized, it was already night time. After Summer parted ways from Monica, she ret
The room fell silent. Time seemed to have frozen as everything came to a halt.Lexi noticed the strange tension inside and said quietly, "Mrs. Quigley, Mr. Quigley, I have things to do. You two talk first."Knowing that she shouldn't be there, Lexi swiftly left, leaving Summer and James alone in the room. Finally, they could clarify everything.Warm light illuminated the room, casting shadows of the glass lamps on the wall. Now facing each other, James finally spoke up. "Yes, it was me."James admitted it, which meant that the Quigley family had indeed been involved in the kidnapping and blood drawing case."How could this be?" Taking a step back, Summer fell onto the bed. Although she had mentally prepared herself, she couldn't help but sit down when she heard the truth come from his mouth.Seeing this, James stepped forward to comfort her. However, as he approached her, Summer waved her hand to stop him. "Don't come any closer. Stay away from me.""Summie.""We're not don
Back then, when she had seen how profusely Amelia had been sweating and how tense she had been, Summer had realized that all mothers loved their children.Caroline hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, her mistake was putting Summer's life in danger. However, as a mother, she hadn't done anything wrong.Summer's eyes dimmed. Now that she thought about it, maybe she had overreacted. Although the past events had left a huge mark on her, hadn't she turned out fine in the end?Fred had told her that the group of thugs who had taken her blood hadn't intended to harm her. After taking her blood, they had left money for her and even taken her to the hospital for treatment, which proved that they hadn't meant to hurt her.For a moment, Summer seemed to understand a little.She wasn't a petty person. Considering she was still alive and James had saved Charter Corporation, she could let this matter go. However, she still had one condition."I can treat all of this as if it never happe
"Then, why did you say you felt indebted to me?""Because when your blood was drawn, it wasn't voluntary, so I owed you. But that doesn't mean that I married you without liking you."Pausing, he placed his hand on his heart. "I married you because I love you. I liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you. "Since then, I swore that no matter what, I would protect and cherish you, and I would never let you get hurt again."Summer met James' eyes. She could see the sparkling light in his eyes, and every word he spoke seemed genuine. But should she believe him? James was a very smart person; he planned everything meticulously. It was because he was so smart that Summer was terrified.Summer couldn't afford to lose any more. After she had been betrayed by Hank, she no longer believed in love. If even James' feelings for her were fake, Summer feared she would fall and not be able to get back up."James, please don't lie to me. When it comes to feelings, don't lie to me." Summer u
As James spoke those words, his eyes sparkled as memories flooded back. Through his eyes, Summer saw his empty soul being filled and his frail figure becoming strong. "Really? So, back then, I became your support." Summer knew about James' past. As a child, he had been lonely. He had received an elite education at a young age, which had taken away his freedom. He had no friends and had spent most of his childhood alone.Summer's appearance had been unexpected, breaking the monotony and misery of his life.James silently nodded in agreement with Summer's words. His childhood had indeed been lonely, with no friends, which was why he had seen Summer as his friend. Whenever he touched his pulse and felt the flow of blood, he felt Summer with him. That was how he fell in love with Summer."Summie, you are my support. You saved me. From that moment on, I felt that the world was beautiful because someone had sacrificed for me. "Although I know you didn't do it voluntarily, I can't
However, if she had been in a coma for half a month, it wasn't hard to understand James' idea of having constant companionship.Although Summer hadn't been conscious, James had been awake. He had spent half a month watching over her from the opposite hospital bed, so it wasn't strange that some feelings had developed.Thinking about it now, Summer couldn't help but complain that she was lucky to have survived being drugged for half a month. Wasn't that miraculous?Anesthesia suppressed the central nervous system, which, if used for a long time, could lead to paralysis. Furthermore, muscles could atrophy due to lack of movement. So, Summer felt lucky to have survived that ordeal."Your family is quite cruel, paralyzing me for half a month… James, let me tell you, now that I'm the Quigley family's daughter-in-law, you better treat me well.""Alright," James replied absent-mindedly. He had been talking about how he fell in love with Summer, but she had suddenly changed the subject,
"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