Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 125

Summer let out a dry, exasperated laugh. "If you want to go apologize, be my guest. The whole lot of you can throw yourselves at his feet and beg for all I care. But Xavier and I are getting a divorce. It's final."

Seeing Summer's complete refusal to cooperate, Beulah erupted into a vicious tirade. "You need to take a long, hard look in the mirror! What exactly do you think you are? You're a discarded stray! Snagging a man like him was the ultimate stroke of luck, and instead of cherishing it, you think you're some untouchable goddess?"

Jared's mother swooped in to play the peacemaker, speaking in a sickly sweet tone. "Summer, her words might be harsh, but the meaning is true. We only want what's best for you. You're still young; you don't understand how cruel the real world is. You will never, ever find a man as exceptional as Xavier again. Don't make a mistake you can't unmake."

Her aunt sneered. "If you refuse to listen to us, you're going to regret it until your dying breath. And by then, it'll be too late to come crying to us."

Summer remained unmoved. "My life is my own concern. Keep out of it."

"So you're just going to reject our kindness?" Beulah's face flushed with fury. "Fine! I'll just go have a word with Edward right now."

Summer scoffed inwardly. Was this woman seriously Edward's biological mother? Did she somehow forget that he had literally just been pulled back from the brink of death?

Did she care at all that stressing him out could kill him?

"The moment we left the hospital, I had my people transfer my parents to a private facility," Summer stated coldly. "You won't find them. I've also had their phone numbers changed. From now on, they'll be living out their retirement in Empire City, and they won't be returning to the countryside."

"As for your living allowance, I'll continue to transfer it directly to your bank account every month. I'll cover your medical bills and holiday bonuses as usual. You don't have to worry about my parents neglecting your care. But you won't get a single penny more than that."

"That's all." Summer felt she had made her boundaries crystal clear.

These people were insatiable black holes. Their greed would only expand. In the past, she had played nice solely to protect her parents from the fallout.

Now that her parents had nearly died in a car crash, she was never letting them return to that toxic village. She was officially cutting all emotional ties with the Vance family.

She never wanted her adoptive parents to be put in a difficult position, and she was terrified they would think she was a troublesome nuisance and stop loving her. So she endured it in silence, plotting petty revenges on Jared in secret.

But one day, Edward had caught Jared hurting her.

He had hauled Jared up by the collar and given him a furious beating.

That incident sparked a massive, chaotic war between the two families.

Ultimately, Beulah had faked an illness, forcing Maeve and Edward to back down and buy expensive gifts to apologize to Jared's parents.

Afterward, Edward had sat Summer down and said gently, "Sweetheart, next time someone tries to take what's yours, don't just stand there. You have to fiercely defend yourself, understand? If that little punk ever tries to hurt you again, you tell me, and we'll go beat him up together."