Compared to the lively atmosphere inside, the area in front of the house was quiet and cold, with snowflakes swirling in the air. A tall figure stood there—James, dressed in a black plush suit. His handsome face and elegant demeanor exuded maturity and authority, but his expression revealed a hint of seriousness and unease.Nearby, Charlie approached James cautiously. "Mr. Quigley, I've called Mrs. Quigley and Richards, but neither of their phones were reachable. It seems they're turned off.""Turned off? She couldn't have forgotten about today," James murmured.Today was the Quigley family's Christmas party. To ensure Summer didn't forget, James had left her a note this morning before leaving. It was unlikely for her to forget such an important event.The Quigley family placed great importance on this gathering, and being late could lead to repercussions for Summer. With only ten minutes left before the party started, James was worried she wouldn't make it in time. He waved h
As James was someone the younger generation looked up to, his attendance at the party was important. Soon, the younger relatives started asking about him. Even Norman, who was seated right in front of the stage, could hear the commotion. After turning around, he saw them causing a ruckus in the back row and felt incredibly frustrated. Seated next to him, a few of the senior men also asked, "Where's James, Norman?""He must have gotten caught up in work. Although it's Christmas, there's still plenty of work to be done at the office." Norman brushed the question off with a laugh. He then got up and went to ask about James' whereabouts. Soon, Caroline learned what was going on. She was currently conversing with a few women who were distant relatives of the family. When she heard about James' absence, she immediately sent someone to look for him. Upon locating him at the front gate, she personally went to get him.At the gates of the Quigley residence, four security guards were s
Upon hearing the announcement, the crowd went wild. All the guests who were wandering around returned to their seats within a matter of seconds. Moreover, some younger women also wanted to catch a glimpse of James. They rushed upstairs to the balcony that overlooked the main hall to watch from afar. Soon, everyone's focus was fixated on the stage.As the curtain opened, the lights dimmed, and music began playing. A fog made from dry ice slowly spread across the entire venue. Then, a figure gradually made its way onto the stage."If there's someone in the world that's waiting, I believe that we will meet with time…" A magnetic voice rang out from the speakers. James appeared. He was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of black trousers with a black knitted scarf. At the sight of him, a thunderous wave of cheers and applause erupted from the previously quiet venue. Everyone's eyes were glued to the man on the stage.Despite how passionate the audience was, James remained unfazed
Relieved, James rested on the sofa in his room on the third floor. He was quite exhausted from the party. On the way back, some senior relatives even tried to force him into a conversation. Nevertheless, he was able to relax now.Why wasn't Summer here yet? James couldn't help but worry. He tried calling her again, but it still went to voicemail. Feeling uneasy, he asked Charlie to search for her in his stead. Since he couldn't excuse himself from the party, he could only instruct his bodyguards to help him look for her.Right after the latter left the room, James could hear his frantic voice from the other side of the door. "Mr. Quigley is resting, Ms. Camberwell. You can't go in—" Charlie didn't get to finish his sentence before the door swung open. Dressed in a black, printed gown, Suzanne made her way toward James. "I've been looking everywhere for you, James."She looked overjoyed. James didn't know why she would be here. The Christmas party was a family event—only fami
Afterward, Luca added, "It seemed like an urgent matter, Mr. Quigley. I think it's best if you go to her."James knew exactly what she wanted to talk about. Moments ago, he was nothing but cold toward Suzanne. Now, he received a message from his mother. She probably wanted to tell him off.He had no energy for such troublesome matters. But since he couldn't hide from her forever, he still made his way downstairs to see her.He slowly made his way down the stairs. As soon as he reached the first floor, he caused a huge commotion. The guests were drinking and dancing in pairs. At the news of James' appearance, everyone flocked over.Fortunately, he was surrounded by bodyguards. When the young people crowded around him, the guards kept them a distance away. As the family heir, James had to be courteous. Hence, even though he didn't want to socialize, he still greeted everyone with a stiff smile. To his dismay, this made his relatives even more enthusiastic. "Mr. Quigley! Mr. Quigl
The Christmas party was a family gathering. The center of attention was naturally the main Quigley household. This time around, Norman and Caroline wanted their son to impress their guests. James understood what they meant. Summer was actually absent. It wouldn't be fitting for him to not participate in the waltz. However, if he really needed to get a new partner, he wouldn't pick Suzanne, no matter what. He promised Summer he'd try his best to keep his distance. If she were to find out about this afterward, she might get upset at him. Even if she didn't, he'd be upset with himself.He gently lifted his head and wanted to refuse for a second time. All of a sudden, a bright voice was heard. "How about I partner up with James instead?"The voice belonged to a woman in a tulle dress. She had striking features and a refined aura. It was none other than James' cousin, Susanne Yancey. She swiftly made her way over to James. "I couldn't help but overhear the conversation. Since Su
If James ended up dancing with Suzanne, people would definitely start gossiping about it. It could've jeopardized his relationship with Summer. Nevertheless, everything seemed to have worked out in the end.Everything seemed to be over, but Caroline wasn't planning on giving up so easily. Under the excuse that they had private matters to discuss, she dismissed Susanne. "Even if you're planning to dance with your cousin later, you can't possibly ignore Suzanne like this. Besides, aren't you working with the Camberwells at the moment too?"She was relentless. She'd stop at nothing until she managed to set the pair up with each other. Unless James put his foot down, he knew that there was no way she'd be letting the matter go.Hence, he decided to be direct. "I promised Summer I'd keep my distance from Suzanne, Mom. You want me to marry Suzanne, don't you? I'm sorry, but that won't happen.""James, you—""I've told you everything that needs to be said, Mom. I will fulfill my obliga
"Hello, James. My name is Claire Quigley. Do you happen to remember me?" The girl stared at him in anticipation. James remembered her. She was the granddaughter of his great-grandfather's seventh son's third daughter. They had the same surname, but they were distant relatives. Hence, they would only meet during Christmas and Thanksgiving. James nodded briefly in response. Subsequently, a couple of other girls popped up from behind and started to introduce themselves impatiently."I'm Anna-""I'm Carol!"He responded to each of them politely and shook their hands. Now that introductions were over, Howe said in a teasing manner, "Wasn't everyone curious about what Mrs. James Quigley looked like? What type of woman managed to bewitch my brother? Don't you guys want to find out?""Yes!" The group of girls shouted in unison.Additionally, a couple of other guests joined in. James was a great man. Everyone wanted to meet the woman who managed to steal his heart.Howe leaned tow
"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