Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 104

The next second, Summer's phone rang. It was Leo.

"Mom!" Leo's voice was laced with frantic sobs. "Dad is sending me abroad! Mom, I don't want to go, I don't want to leave you!"

"What?!" Summer immediately bolted upright in her hospital bed.

"Leo, don't be afraid," she coaxed, shoving her feet into her shoes as she rushed to chase after Xavier.

She threw the door open. Xavier was leaning casually against the wall outside, having fully anticipated that she would run after him.

But Summer didn't even glance his way.

"Summer," Xavier called out, stopping her in her tracks.

She halted, spun around, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face with all her might.

Xavier tilted his head, catching her wrist effortlessly before dragging her back into the hospital room.

Disgusted, Summer ripped her hand from his grasp. She spoke softly into the phone, comforting Leo, telling him not to panic and that she would find a way.

Xavier turned, sat on the sofa, crossed his legs, and watched her in silence.

When Summer spoke to Leo, she was incredibly gentle. A faint, tender smile graced her features—like the soft, scattered sunlight of an afternoon. It wasn't blinding, but it was deeply captivating.

It was a comforting sight.

Once upon a time, Summer had looked at him exactly like that. Gentle, patient, and overflowing with love.

But now... Xavier lowered his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. So jealousy really could twist a person into someone else entirely.

Summer ended the call and looked up at Xavier. The warmth vanished from her eyes, replaced by the freezing frost of a harsh winter.

"Where are you sending Leo?" she demanded coldly.

Xavier frowned slightly, an uncomfortable pang stabbing at his chest like a shard of ice.

His voice matched hers in coldness. "That's none of your business. But if you don't fix this situation, you will never see him again for the rest of your life."

Just as Summer was about to snap back, her phone rang again. It was an unknown number. She quickly declined it.

It felt as if a bomb had detonated inside Summer's skull, wiping her mind completely blank. The phone nearly slipped from her trembling fingers.

Xavier had been watching her closely. Seeing her drastic change in expression and hearing her mention her parents, he asked, "What happened?"

Summer took several deep, shuddering breaths, desperately forcing herself to focus. Driving to Bridgeport would take at least six hours.

The hospital said her dad's condition was critical.

Hesitating for barely two seconds, she looked up at Xavier. "Xavier, can you have your family's helicopter take me to Bridgeport?"

The Sterling family owned a private helicopter.

Flying would be much faster.

If the surgery couldn't be performed in Bridgeport, she would need to transfer him back to Empire City, where the medical facilities were far superior.

Xavier stared at her, his dark eyes unreadable. He didn't say a word, his long fingers casually tapping against his knee.

He was waiting for her to submit.