James was a stoic person by nature. He trailed behind Summer like a bodyguard without saying a word.Upon entering the Ferris wheel, Summer spoke up. "James, shouldn't you say something? Aren't we on a date?""Yes, we are on a date."Summer rolled her eyes, suspecting whether James had not fully woken up from his sleep yet. He seemed dazed and unsure of what to do, as if he were totally clueless about dating.This time, she tried to be more direct with her words. "On a date, we should do things that couples do. Do you know what that is?"Summer couldn't afford to act coy now. James would certainly remain clueless if she didn't make her intentions clear. Thus, she stretched out her hand and presented her palm to James.She had made her intentions quite clear. She gazed into his eyes, hoping he would get the cue.James seemed to understand what she was trying to say. He reached out his hand with his palm facing upward and approached Summer. It seemed he wasn't a complete fool, a
James explained, "I... just happened to interpret it that way.""You… You…" Summer was about to blow a fuse.But then, she noticed a fleeting smile across James' lips. She paused for a bit, realizing something.It was all a setup! James knew what she meant. He understood perfectly that she wanted him to hold her hand and not kiss her. He had pretended to be clueless to kiss her."Well played, James. So, you were playing dumb. You did it on purpose." Summer stood up, raising her fist to hit him, but he quickly grabbed her wrist first."Sorry, Summie. How else could I have kissed you?" James took a step closer and lifted Summer into his arms. Then, with a swift turn, he sat down in a Ferris wheel pod with Summer in his embrace.With that, Summer sat on his lap with his hands securely wrapped around her.Summer thought this was somewhat strange, but kind of sweet.James was six-feet-one-inch tall and had a habit of working out, so he had a large build. Summer was five-feet-five-in
"Sure! If you want to try it, we'll do it."An amusement park guide led Summer and James to the bungee jumping platform. It was constructed atop the hillside garden at the back of the amusement park and was situated on high ground at about 980 feet above.When they reached the bungee jumping platform, they could see the entire amusement park as well as the lush greenery of the hills behind it. The scenery was exceptionally beautiful.The only terrifying aspect was the height. Although Summer liked thrilling activities, she felt it was too high. After all, this was 980 feet up, which was equivalent to about 90 floors.After the staff led Summer and James there, they asked seriously, "Mr. and Mrs. Quigley, this is the highest bungee jumping platform in the country. "We need to confirm that you are in good health before you participate in this activity. Do you have any health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, or cardiovascular diseases?""No, none of those." Summer
Summer chose the tandem jump because she felt that her relationship with James had developed further. So, it should be normal for them to embrace each other. She needed someone to hold her since she was indeed feeling a little scared, especially when she was standing on the bungee jumping platform.The sensation of falling from a great height wasn't something everyone could stomach. Therefore, if she could hold someone while jumping, she would feel much more at ease.With both Summer and James securely harnessed, they took the leap with the staff's assistance."Ah!"As they jumped, Summer screamed reflexively, driven by the intense thrill and fear. She felt a kind of sensation as if she were being submerged under the water suddenly due to the powerful rush.Her heart raced uncontrollably as the both of them fell from the platform. A feeling of anxiety enveloped her whole body and dominated her thoughts. Her mind went blank, and for a moment, she felt like her heart might lea
Caroline was delighted to hear that James would be coming home for dinner. As of late, she didn't really get to see him unless it was a holiday. Anticipating his return, she prepared many dishes. Caroline was afraid that the food might not suit James' taste, so she made both local and foreign dishes. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she gathered all that was delicious in the world on their dining table that evening.Summer was asked to join too, along with James, Norman, and Howe. The Quigley family members were all present for dinner that day.Dining with so many people made Summer a little nervous. On regular days, she would either eat alone in her room or join Caroline occasionally but rarely with everyone. Everyone in the family was busy. So, it was rare for everyone to be present at the same time.As soon as James took his seat, Norman started talking to him. Their conversation mostly revolved around business matters, such as the company's operation, policy-maki
After hearing Summer's views, Norman fell silent, seemingly pondering something. Then, he turned to look at James. "What about you, James? What are your thoughts?""My thoughts are similar to Summie's. I think there's a high chance that the profit margins in real estate will shrink in the future.""Oh? Please tell me more." Norman was very interested in James' perspective. After all, the latter was his future successor. He was sure James could see some unique aspects.James said, "Real estate developers share a common belief that land is finite. Once a property is built and the land becomes occupied, its value will inevitably increase over time. "However, this mindset is only applicable to smaller enterprises. It won't work for a large company."Big corporations aimed to make significant profits. They wouldn't rely on the potential appreciation in the value of real estate properties, which would take a long time. As for how much the property would increase in value, that was un
Caroline's words caused the atmosphere at the dining table to become awkward.Norman had just praised Summer, but now Caroline seemed to view her as a calamity. She had even implied that Summer's involvement in the company would only bring trouble to them.No one dared to speak. Even Norman, who was the head of the family, let Caroline speak her mind without openly opposing her. Thus, the harmonious and cheerful family dinner became a tense affair.Summer knew letting this go on wouldn't do anyone any good. She attempted to lighten the mood with a laugh, saying, "Why don't we just eat? I'm starving."The moment Summer spoke, Caroline seized the chance to criticize her. "All you know is eating. You're useless. I have yet to give you a piece of my mind. It's been over half a year since you married James, and you haven't gotten pregnant yet. Your worth is less than that of a pig."Caroline's harsh words suggested that Summer's inability to conceive a child made her more worthless t
Summer was very upset, and her eyes filled up with tears. She often cried. Once, when she had been a student, a teacher had wrongfully accused her of cheating during an exam and wanted to call Fred and Amelia. Though further investigations had proven that she was innocent, she had still cried because of that. She had become stronger as she grew older. Although her tears were starting to fill her eyes, she still stopped them from falling. Anyway, she had known that the marriage wouldn't be easy from the moment she had married James. She had known that Caroline would cause trouble for her. After Caroline scolded her, Summer raised her head and pretended to look sincere. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll do my best.""Do your best? Did you even work hard? If you really worked hard—" On the other hand, Caroline looked as if she wanted to continue her tirade.Meanwhile, James noticed that something was off, so he immediately stopped Caroline. "That's enough, Mom.""What? Are you going to f