Unfazed by Summer's decision to walk back, Keith gestured for her to leave. "I won't stop you if you want to leave. But be warned, there are pythons here.""Pythons?""Yes. They're about thirty feet long, big enough to swallow a whole person. After all, this area will be transformed into a commercial complex, and pythons are a great draw for tourists. That's why we have two of them here."Summer's spine tingled with a chill. Although she had never encountered a python in real life, she had seen them in movies. These terrifying creatures could reportedly swallow a tiger in one bite, so devouring a human would be no challenge."Darn it!" Summer cursed under her breath. She knew Keith was probably trying to scare her, but it worked. As long as there was a chance to bump into pythons, Summer would be too afraid to leave.Suddenly, Summer's anger subsided. "So, what exactly do you want? You can't expect me to stay here with you," she sneered."Just accompany me for half an hour. That'
Driven by curiosity and empathy, Summer felt compelled to console Keith."Why don't you talk to me about what happened? I'm not a fool. I know that you're upset." After a short pause, Summer added, "You weren't in a good mood earlier, were you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me to stay with you."The moment was serene. The leaves rustled in the wind as a yellow warbler perched on a branch. The midday sun cast warm, bright rays that filtered through the leaves, creating intricate patterns on the ground.After taking a deep breath, Keith asked, "Can you promise not to share what I'm about to say with anyone else?"Since Keith was willing to confide in her, Summer agreed, "Of course! I won't breathe a word. I'll forget everything you tell me after hearing it."Upon hearing Summer's assurance, Keith confessed, "I may lose my position as the heir.""What?" Summer exclaimed in shock. This was big news indeed. Keith, one of the heirs of the four major prestigious families, was a
Keith's fraudulent accounting practices masked the Ritter Corporation’s actual financial state, creating an illusion of sustained profitability that misled the public. Eventually, Ritter Corporation’s supervisory authority found out about his fraudulent actions, leading to severe consequences. It was no wonder Keith was in such a foul mood. Summer tried to comfort Keith. "Your position as heir is not set in stone. It's not a foregone conclusion that you'll be stripped of it. After all, Ritter Corporation is one of the four major enterprises. "Even if you experience a bad year, you can bounce back next year. They won't relinquish your position as the heir."Summer thought Keith was overreacting. In the history of the four major prestigious families, no heir had ever been disinherited due to poor business performance. The worst that would happen was a few days of punishment and some scolding.Moreover, Ritter Corporation was still going strong. Though slightly weakened, it was st
"All right. How did you feel just now? What did you feel when you touched me?"Keith's sudden and suggestive remark caught Summer off guard. Anyone who overheard their conversation might assume something romantic between them. However, Summer remained silent, unwilling to engage in such an inappropriate conversation.Seeing Summer's lack of response, Keith pressed on. "Why aren't you saying anything? Didn't you ask for proof? "Well, here's your proof. Feel my heartbeat. It's racing, isn't it? That's evidence."Keith was right. Summer recalled the moment when she touched his chest, feeling his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. It was so strong and rapid.There were only a few reasons why someone's heart would beat so fast: either they had a heart condition or they were experiencing strong emotions. One of the most common causes was nervousness or excitement when being around someone they loved. Since Keith used his racing heart as evidence, Summer had no choice but to ret
"Who revealed your supposed affection for me?" Summer asked."My younger sister, Monica," Keith replied.Summer was familiar with the lovely, petite girl who harbored a deep affection for James. She had been constantly attempting to sabotage Summer and James' relationship."Just because she claims you like me, that doesn't mean it's true. Why don't you deny it?"Only those directly involved could truly know whether or not someone liked them. If Keith adamantly denied his feelings for Summer, no one could do anything about it.In truth, Keith had tried this approach before. However, Monica was determined to dethrone him from his position as heir. So, she had meticulously prepared for this moment."Monica had gathered enough evidence, including my diary, photos from my room, and records of the fake accounts I created for the company. Without all that, the elders would never have believed her." Keith's voice trailed off, but it was clear how dejected he felt. He had been outsmarte
With a playful grin, Summer continued, "Helping you would benefit me in two ways. Firstly, it would prevent Monica from becoming the Ritter family heir, and secondly, you would owe me a significant favor."Summer's motive for obstructing Monica's ascension to the heir position was rooted in her affection for James. Should Monica become the heir, she might wield her power to pursue James relentlessly.Summer already had a rival in Suzanne; adding Monica to the mix would only lead to a headache. Furthermore, Summer sought to extract a favor from Keith."What do you think, Keith? Allow me to assist you. I'm confident in securing your position as heir, but in return, you'll owe me a favor." Keith's eyes flickered as if he was interested in Summer's suggestion. He asked, "First, tell me what your plan is. Second, what do you need me to do to repay your favor?""It's easy. Monica mentioned you like me, right? Well, I've got a way to prove you don't. Isn't that helpful? As for the favor
Keith understood Summer's intentions. She was trying to provoke him so that he would agree to her terms."You're so naive. Did you really think you could provoke me so easily?" he sneered."I'm not provoking you. I'm just stating the obvious. You're more ambitious and competitive than James," Summer said, hitting the nail on the head.Why did Keith always view James as his competitor? That was because they were so similar—both in personality and family background. Moreover, both men were incredibly talented.The difference was that James had risen from darkness to light while Keith had sunk deeper into the shadows. Furthermore, James could set aside his career for love; Keith would sacrifice everything for his ambitions.Summer turned to face Keith, and their gazes met. After a moment, he smiled."You really are something else." Next, Keith held Summer's hand and continued, "All right. You've got a deal. Let's make this work."Summer was surprised by Keith's agreement. She had e
Summer apologized to Lexi. But unexpectedly, Lexi apologized to Summer, too. This left Summer feeling embarrassed. Over the years, they had grown as close as sisters; their bond didn't require such formality.Summer put her arm around Lexi and smiled. "It's okay. Let's not dwell on this. We'll both be more careful from now on.""Yeah. Let's both be more mindful."With that, Summer and Lexi laughed and quickly resumed their usual cheerful demeanor. Upon entering the house, Summer noticed James' absence and asked Lexi about his whereabouts. "Mr. Quigley was unreachable, too. I heard he's busy with something."Summer had spoken with James that afternoon when he mentioned a business meeting that caused him to cancel their lunch plans. Seeing as he hadn't returned yet, it was evident his work was important. "Since he isn't back, it's never mind. Lexi, you should head home now. You've had a long day running around, and you must be tired. I'll take care of myself from here."Worrie