Kelly's words left Summer stunned. Summer couldn't tell that Kelly was happy. All she could see was the sorrow and grief hiding beneath that sunny exterior.But if her best friend insisted she was happy, what could she do? Even if it was just self-delusion."Kelly, if this is the life you truly want, I won't stop you. I've asked everything I needed to ask today. I wish you happiness." Summer stood up. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't suppress a sigh. With that, she walked toward the restaurant's exit. In the distance, James and Keith were sipping wine. Seeing Summer leave, James quickly followed her.On the drive back to the Beaut Moon residential area, Summer remained silent. Her expression was distant, and her eyes troubled. It was clear something was weighing on her.James knew it wasn't the best time to speak, but he was worried about Summer. "What's wrong? Didn't things get resolved?" he asked."Kelly has changed. She's really fallen for Keith, and she's completely
"Ah!" James exclaimed, his face a mix of panic and excitement as he fumbled with his hands."Is it true? Are you really pregnant?" he asked anxiously. He could barely get the words out, sounding more like a clumsy boy than the usually composed and authoritative president of a company. Summer covered her mouth and smiled. "Yes. It's true. I'm pregnant, and you're going to be a father.""That's amazing." James took her hand, his face flushed with joy. His usually cold gaze was now filled with a bright, happy look.A child—the thought of it was both familiar and foreign to him. James had dreamed of the day he could have a child, not for the sake of the Quigley family, but for him and Summer.Looking at Summer with a tender expression, James whispered, "Thank you for everything."Although she was pregnant, James wasn't about to let the child overshadow her well-being. After all, she was the one who would bear the brunt of the challenges ahead.Once they returned to their home in
But for someone like Summer, who was used to a simpler life, having three or four people to help would have been plenty. Yet now, James had brought in over ten people."Get rid of these people. I'm not incapable of taking care of myself—I can still cook and do laundry. All these servants and chefs are just taking up space."Besides, Lexi is already protecting me as a bodyguard. Why bring in so many others?" Summer vented her frustration, making it clear she was unhappy.James, however, had his own reasoning. "You're pregnant now. Even though it's in the early stages, we need to be extra careful. Since the child you're carrying is mine, I have to do everything I can to protect you both."Summer retorted, "Listen to yourself. You sound like the baby is just your possession. What about me? Who's the one carrying the child?" She pointed to her belly, adding with a hint of warning, "Anyway, do as I say and send them all away. I can't get used to having so many people in my home."Jam
Summer was extremely pleased with the nanny James had hired. Later that evening, after Tina had gone home, she asked him where he had found someone so competent.James was sitting on the bed, reviewing some business documents. When Summer mentioned Tina, he smiled with a touch of nostalgia. "Tina was my nanny, too. She took care of me when I was a kid.""What?" Summer's jaw dropped in shock. She had no idea that Tina had been James' nanny. No wonder he trusted her so implicitly.Given James' cautious nature, he was always wary of people, especially when it came to selecting people to care for Summer. However, James hadn't asked many questions about Tina. He even let her change the way things were arranged in the house, giving her complete control over the decor. It all made sense now, knowing the history they shared.Summer couldn't help but be impressed by Tina's abilities. At least when it came to picking the right people, James clearly had a better eye than she did."Tina rea
Six butlers stood rigidly at the entrance, flanked by ten housekeepers arranged in two lines to welcome Summer. However, this display only served to create an invisible pressure weighing heavily on her. As she walked through this human corridor, it felt as though countless stones were pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Caroline sat on an antique rosewood chair at the front of the living room in a tailored dress. She exuded the aura of a distinguished matriarch. She lifted her eyes and looked at Summer with a condescending gaze. "So, you've finally arrived.""Mom, is there something you need?" Summer forced a smile, but it was more of a grimace. The atmosphere was tense and intimidating. With sharp eyes watching her every move, Summer felt extremely uneasy.Caroline didn't immediately reveal the purpose of this meeting. Instead, she gestured with a slight wave of her hand, prompting Luca to step forward with a wooden tray in his hands. He presented it to Summer.
As fate would have it, Summer's pregnancy was particularly discreet, and it had only been confirmed in the last few days. In fact, James had only found out yesterday. Naturally, Caroline could not have known any sooner. Moreover, James had been extremely protective of Summer, especially after discovering the pregnancy. He immediately locked down all the information. Even Caroline, with her extensive network of spies around Summer, had no way of finding out so quickly. Caroline sneered, looking every bit like a tiger, ready to pounce. "Summer, it's bad enough that you're not pregnant, but now you're trying to lie to me? It seems that with James protecting you, you've grown increasingly bold." After saying this, she called out, "Luca, bring it over."Luca bowed and handed her an old-fashioned feather duster. The sight of it sent a chill down Summer's spine. Was Caroline really planning to punish her in front of everyone? If James found out about this later, he would undoubtedly
"That's not what I meant—I would never doubt your word."Caroline and Lilian had been friends for a long time. Since they had such a close bond, Caroline trusted her. If Lilian was also claiming that Summer was pregnant, it must be true.Now, Caroline was staring at Summer's belly with a greedy expression. "I can't believe this. You're carrying my first-ever grandchild.""Yes, I am." Summer felt incredibly relieved. She'd finally gained Caroline's trust. At the very least, the latter wouldn't pick on her for the foreseeable future.They returned to the Quigley residence after the hospital appointment. On the way back, Caroline was significantly nicer toward Summer. She used to be aggressive and vicious, but she was now speaking to her in a much gentler voice. During the ride home, she kept asking her about her favorite foods and the clothes she wanted to wear.Summer wasn't surprised. Now that she was pregnant, it was only natural that Caroline would treat her in a different way
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