Upon hearing this, Summer's expression soured. What was he making such a big deal out of this for? Despite everything, she decided to let it go. James was like a glacier. He probably said all that because he didn't know how to express his concern for her.She took the drink from Lexi and took a sip. She'd never tasted anything like this before. Horrible was an understatement—this drink might as well be unfit for human consumption! She'd only taken a sip, and she already felt like throwing up. In spite of that, she suppressed the feeling and handed the bottle back to Lexi. "I can't drink this, Lexi. Throw out the rest.""Are you sure?" The latter felt reluctant to do so. She held the bottle and said in a pitiful tone, "Mr. Quigley put in extra effort to get this for you, Mrs. Quigley. "Wouldn't it be a waste to just throw the rest away? He'll feel extremely upset if he finds out."At first, Summer didn't think much of throwing this awful concoction away. But after what Lexi s
James arrived at the Quigley residence and opened the door, only to find that this so-called family dinner was not what it seemed.There was no one else at the dining table besides Caroline. The only other person he saw was Suzanne.Upon seeing this setup, James knew what was going on. Caroline was clearly trying to match him with Suzanne and arranged this scene, using the so-called family dinner as a ploy. Realizing there was no need to stay for dinner, James turned to leave without saying a word.Upon seeing this, Caroline immediately tried to stop him. "James, what are you doing? Aren't you going to come and eat?"Caroline's words had no effect on James, who was never one to listen to others, not even his own mother. But Caroline had prepared for this and ordered bodyguards to block the entrance. As James walked out the door, two bodyguards respectfully made a gesture of invitation."Mr. Quigley, Madam has instructed that you cannot leave."James scorned in response. With a sw
Caroline knew what her son was thinking and understood that he didn't want to stay, but she had her own ways of dealing with him. "James, are you so unwilling to stay? Is it too much to ask for you to come back once a week to spend time with your mother?""No." James was cold-hearted by nature and didn't have a strong attachment to his family. However, he didn't want to be labeled as unfilial. Besides, the Quigley family had raised him, and Caroline had treated him well since he was young. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.Since Caroline asked him to stay, James stayed for a meal. After all, it was just a meal; nothing would happen. James turned back and sat down in a chair.With that, everyone was finally together. Caroline and Suzanne exchanged looks of delight, knowing that their plan was successful.In fact, Caroline had gone to great lengths to get Suzanne and James together. Recently, Suzanne had said that things weren't going well with James. Upon hearing this, Caroline
Time seemed to stand still, and everything was frozen in place. This meal was doomed to end with no resolution.A forced relationship would never bring happiness. Even though Caroline liked Suzanne, forcing her and James to be together was impossible. James would never allow it.Meanwhile, Summer was enjoying a delightful afternoon tea with Kelly. They sat on high stools in front of the coffee shop with soft, beautiful music playing in the background.They had ordered two cups of mocha, each with a delicate latte art design on the surface. In such an environment, it was naturally pleasing to the eyes."How's work been going lately, Kelly?" Summer asked. Usually, she would invite Kelly out for a drink and chat every month.Since she got married, Summer's time had become much more limited. On top of that, running a company made it hard for her to go out whenever she wanted, like she used to. In order to maintain their friendship and keep them from drifting apart, Summer decided to m
Moreover, Kelly wasn't young anymore. Summer had been urging her to get married for the past three years, yet there was still no progress. Summer couldn't help but wonder if Kelly's sexual orientation was different.However, according to her observation of her best friend over the years, Kelly was perfectly normal. She had always been infatuated with handsome men. The first time Summer introduced James to Kelly, she was practically drooling over him. She even told Summer that if she didn't want James, she should give him to her. It was impossible for Kelly not to like men. The problem with Kelly was that her standards were too high, and she was too picky. In modern society, many women were like this—picky until they couldn't pick any more, eventually ending up alone. Summer was worried that Kelly would end up like that, so she asked, "You're working at Myers Corporation now, aren't you? There should be many excellent guys for you to meet.""Yeah, there are. But didn't I tell yo
Left with no other option, Summer decided to consult James. He was an heir of one of the four major families, so he should know many individuals as equally outstanding as himself.Holding a freshly brewed cup of coffee, Summer quietly approached James' room. She knocked on the door formally and asked, "James, are you free? I'd like to have a chat with you."In fact, the door wasn't locked and had been left slightly open. James, seated on a long chair inside and busy with work, looked up and said, "Summie, come in.""Okay." Summer sat down beside him, put down the coffee, and spoke in an extremely gentle tone. "I made you some Ichelean espresso. I called Xyla today, and she mentioned you like to drink this while working.""Yes, thank you." James took a sip of the coffee. As always, his expression was cold, and he showed no emotion.Seeing his expressionless demeanor, Summer thought it was a good time to bring up her request. Just as Summer was about to speak, James spoke first, "
In the next second, Summer felt something was off because James' lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Summie, since you're being so naughty, don't blame me for being ruthless." As soon as he finished speaking, he lifted Summer up and threw her onto the bed. Startled, Summer flailed her arms and legs. "What are you doing? Pervert!""Do you have the right to call me that?" James caressed Summer's smooth, delicate face as their eyes locked. Flames of love danced between them.Now, lying on the bed, their shadows intertwined like two swans playing sweetly on a lake. At this moment, words became redundant. They didn't speak but instead embraced each other with tacit understanding.The warm light illuminated the intricate patterns on the exquisitely carved ceramic tiles on the wall. Clothes were scattered on the red cotton carpet.As they lay together, intimately connected, Summer and James were like fish swimming together or like intertwined branches of a tree. They blended seamle
Summer tapped on James' shoulder and smiled. "What happened to your face? Haha! This is hilarious. Actually, it kind of suits you. You look good." James' face stiffened as he tried to control his temper. Wiping his face with a damp cloth, he growled, "Summie, can you tell me what's going on?""Huh? How would I know what happened? I just woke up." After a short pause, Summer continued with a puzzled expression, "It's really strange. Why would these weird things appear on your face? "Did a thief sneak in at night to draw on your cheeks? Or did pens grow legs and wander around your face?"Summer couldn't help but laugh at her joke. If a thief did break into the house, what kind of fool would waste time drawing on James' face instead of stealing valuables?And the idea of pens growing legs? Only a child would believe such nonsense.James, sharp as ever, wasn't buying it. He took a step closer, looming over her. "Summie, it's just you and me here. Who else could've done this?"Cl
"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