James sighed involuntarily at the sight of Summer's behavior. She used to be so different. She was known for confronting problems head-on. Yet, she preferred avoidance when it came to matters of the heart.Slowly, James approached and tried to lift the blanket covering Summer's head. However, the blanket remained firmly in her grasp, and he couldn't remove it."Summie, can you hear me out? Nothing's going on between Suzanne and me. I was just at the cinema with her for work," James explained sincerely.Summer wasn't buying it. Whose job would involve going to the movies with a stunning woman anyway? Only James could spin such a yarn."I don't want to hear your explanations. Just go," Summer said curtly.Even though she told James to leave, he wasn't about to be that easily swayed. He wouldn't just do as she say and walk away. He sat on the edge of the bed, still as a statue, explaining, "You're probably aware of the overall situation."Suzanne's parents and mine have been clo
Summer seethed with frustration when she saw the scene. "James, what's the deal? You just walk out like that?"Everything she said was purely out of anger. Did the cold-hearted blockhead James not understand a woman's feelings? She had hoped he would comfort her, but he simply walked away instead. Summer pulled the blanket aside, hugging her knees as a strong wave of unease and emptiness enveloped her once. She began to reflect inwardly. James had tried to comfort her, yet she had pushed him aside. Was she expecting too much?She shook her head and pushed the thought away. Wasn't it fair for her to want more from him? Who was at fault now? She wouldn't be so enraged if it weren't for his affair with Suzanne. She slammed the pillow onto the floor and firmly stated, "James, you jerk! I'll never forgive you. Ever!"Lexi stood just outside the door, having seen it all with a touch of resignation. She had hoped bringing James to console Summer would help, but now she wondered if it
An inviting, sweet fragrance filled every corner of the house. Decorations adorned the space, highlighted by a large, intertwined heart pattern on one of the walls. Rose petals carpeted the wooden floor, with candles flickering on both sides.It was a scene straight out of a romance novel, so perfect that one might mistake it for a proposal happening. Charlie was in the living room. When Lexi returned, he exclaimed, "What brings you here?""Charlie, shouldn't I be asking you that? What brings you here?" Lexi asked."I'm helping Mr. Quigley with setting up the venue. Weren't you aware?""Of course not," Lexi replied, her face puckered like a sour lemon. She sensed something big was happening, yet she and Summer remained clueless. "Charlie, what's going on? Is there something happening? Why is the house decorated so nicely?"Charlie didn't think it was much of a secret, but before being completely open, he warned her, "I'll tell you because we'll need your help later. Just promise
"I'm ready. Open the door," Summer said."On it," Lexi replied, swinging the door wide. Confetti cannons popped, showering Summer in a cascade of colorful streamers. The walls were decorated with romantic hearts, and the floor was carpeted in rose petals, illuminated by the gentle glow of candlelight.The house was dimly lit and serene, with romantic embellishments that made it feel like the ideal setting for a date. Summer looked ahead and saw a gigantic box in the hallway. It stood seven feet tall and spanned five feet wide, noticeably oversized.After noticing everything, Summer murmured, "What's happening here? Is all of this for a surprise for me?""Mrs. Quigley, these are from Mr. Quigley for you. Go ahead and open the present," Lexi urged.Upon learning that James had arranged everything for her, Summer felt a small burst of joy. She hadn't expected James, who was typically so emotionally distant, to finally do something to make her happy.The house was romantically deco
Opening the gift box, Summer found it amusing and silly that James had hidden inside to surprise her. Knowing he cared for her was enough to make her content. She'd feared he might ignore her entirely. The last time James tried to comfort Summer, he left abruptly after saying a few words, leaving her upset. After seeing the effort he had put into preparing a gift, her anger had eased somewhat.Upon opening the gift box, Summer was surprised to find a giant teddy bear inside instead of James. She stared in utter disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. "What's going on? The box definitely moved. Where's James?"After a moment's hesitation, she stuck her head into the box, searching for James, but found no trace of him. Puzzled, she remembered the movement she had felt earlier when she knocked on it. How could the box move without someone inside? Refusing to believe it, Summer peered back into the box, scanning for any sign of James, but found nothing. Considering his size, he co
Before Summer stood a sparkling, oversized teddy bear. Its fur had been stripped away, revealing a shiny, metal-like surface that made it look like a huge light bulb glowing brightly in the dim hallway. She gazed in astonishment at the teddy bear. "W-What on earth is this?""A gift for you. It's a teddy bear crafted from Quigley Group's solar metal, designed to glow on its own," James explained, and Summer was utterly shocked. She cautiously approached, tentatively touching the giant teddy bear. Even with its brilliant lights, its surface felt icy under her fingertips.The look of pleasant surprise on her face spoke volumes about how impressive this gift was. The entire space was bathed in the dazzling, colorful glow of the teddy bear."James, this gift is nice and all, but I'm clueless about where to put this enormous thing," Summer remarked. After a pause, she added, "And it's not edible. It's just taking up so much space."She appreciated romance, but she had always been pra
Bathed in the cozy, purple glow of the teddy bear, Summer's and James' shadows danced across the wall. The room gradually transformed into a canvas of shifting colors.Summer's heartbeat quickened, and her breaths grew shallow. James' tongue roamed fervently, exploring and boldly claiming every part of her mouth. She silently scolded James for crossing her boundaries. When his tongue ventured into her mouth again, she intentionally nibbled on it.Startled, James recoiled and studied her with a baffled look, trying to understand her unexpected reaction. After pushing him away, Summer crossed her arms and snapped at him."I had to bite you. You can't just take advantage like that and assume everything's fine just because you gave me a gift. You've gotta explain what's going on between you and Suzanne.""Do you still doubt me?" James asked."It's not that I doubt you," Summer said.She could feel his sincerity toward her. Besides, Lexi had also spoken highly of him, so Summer trus
With this, their once-strained relationship finally seemed to mend. It was the first time Summer had argued with James so fiercely. At first, she had resolved to ignore the man for at least half a month, but fortunately, their cold war didn't last long. In the end, James, the millennia-old iceberg, returned to coax her. But things didn't end there. While they were embracing, James suddenly put his chin on Summer's head. "Summie, you forgot something." "Forgot something?" Summer contemplated, but she didn't think she had forgotten anything. Could it be work-related or something else? Summer asked, "What is it? Tell me." "Today is your birthday." James' gentle reminder jolted Summer's memory—it was her birthday today. Amidst the chaos of recent days, Summer had forgotten her birthday. She only remembered after James had mentioned it. Summer's lips parted slightly in realization. "Was the gift you've prepared for me today supposed to be my birthday gift?" "Yes. It'
"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