Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 100

Staring at that familiar face—now contorted into a grotesque, venomous sneer—a sickening knot of discomfort tightened in Xavier's stomach.

He despised this version of Lily.

This vicious, ugly woman on the screen was a complete stranger to him.

In the footage, Lily deliberately raised her designer heel and violently stomped down on Summer's slender, pale fingers.

The surveillance system in his office was top-of-the-line. The audio and visual fidelity was flawless.

He could clearly hear the sickening, brittle crunch of Summer's finger bones splintering under the pressure.

He watched Summer jolt awake in sheer, blinding agony, her face devoid of all color, her forehead dripping with cold sweat.

She really had passed out. She hadn't been faking it.

Xavier's grip on the tablet tightened until his knuckles turned a bloodless white. He had completely misjudged Summer.

Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Lily, his eyes flashing with a terrifying, predatory darkness.

Realizing the lie had completely unraveled, Lily's complexion turned a ghostly gray. Tears instantly pooled in her wide, panicked eyes. As her thick lashes fluttered, crystal droplets spilled over her cheeks, falling rapidly like shattered pearls.

"Zane," Lily whimpered, her voice fragile and broken.

Zane Brooks was the name he had gone by so many years ago.

When he was ten years old, a rival syndicate had kidnapped him. During his desperate escape, he had suffered a severe blow to the head, resulting in temporary amnesia. He had no idea who he was or where he came from.

After rescuing him from the streets, Lily had given him a new identity: Zane.

Hearing that familiar name instantly transported Xavier back to a sun-drenched afternoon from his forgotten past.

It was a crisp autumn day, the breeze light and the sunshine warm and golden.

She had looked like a malnourished little sprout—pale skin, enormous, bright black eyes, wearing hand-me-down clothes covered in patches but smelling faintly of clean soap.

"The matron found me on the street, so she gave me my name," the little girl had said. "Since I found you on the street, it's only fair that I get to name you."

"I was found at night, so the matron named me Lyla Brooks. But I found you in the middle of the afternoon." The sunlight hit her face as she beamed. "So from now on, you're Zane Brooks!"

"What do you think? It's a great name, isn't it?" The little girl was incredibly proud of her creativity, her smile so blindingly bright it completely outshone the afternoon sun.

"You know how to do this?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Who are you doubting, little brat?" He lightly flicked her forehead with his finger before snatching the pencil and her scratch paper.

"Watch and learn."

Even with his memories locked away, his innate genius remained completely intact. Without pausing to think, he quickly jotted down five different methods to solve the complex equation.

The little girl's expression morphed from skepticism, to intense concentration, to utter shock, and finally to unadulterated awe.

Bathed in the golden winter light, she flashed him the sweetest smile in the world. "Zane... you're amazing!"

That was the first time she had ever called him that with such sheer adoration.

He never forgot the sugary sweetness of her voice that day, or the way her clear, innocent eyes sparkled with tiny stars of absolute worship.

But now, the girl with the stars in her eyes was crying hysterically in front of him.

A sharp pang of protective instinct pierced Xavier's chest. He reached out, his thumb gently wiping the tears from Lily's cheek. "Don't cry. I'm not mad at you. I just don't want to see you consumed by all this vicious hatred. My sweet Lyla should remain innocent and happy forever."