Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 128

What did one project matter anyway? So what if that illegitimate prick got a contract?

With Xavier backing him, Julian had his pick of endless lucrative deals.

"If you want to grovel, do it yourself. Keep me out of it." Summer bit out, reaching up to grip the edge of the dining table to haul herself up.

But Jared slammed a heavy hand down between her shoulder blades, pinning her in place. "You're not moving until you apologize! You're going to stay down there and beg Mr. Sterling to forgive you."

A suffocating wave of rage crashed over Summer, her blood burning with adrenaline. She twisted her head, glaring dangerously at the man behind her. "Jared, take your hands off me."

"Apologize!" Jared barked.

Summer ground her teeth, shifting her lethal gaze back to Xavier. "The only higher power I submit to is God, and the only people I bow to are my parents. Aside from them, I only lower my head for the dead. Are you absolutely certain you want me paying my respects to you, Xavier?"

Xavier's brow furrowed slightly.

A second later, Summer deliberately slumped forward, assuming the exact posture of a mourner delivering a graveside eulogy.

"To my late husband," she announced, her voice dripping with venom. "I am here to pay my final respects. May you spend eternity as a lowly slave in the underworld. May you plunge into the deepest pits of hell, walk over mountains of blades, drown in boiling oil, and never, ever find peace!"

Xavier's face went rigid. The hand resting on his thigh clenched into a fist so tight his knuckles turned stark white.

Without missing a beat, Summer pivoted her body toward Julian.

Julian leaped out of his chair as if he'd been electrocuted. "You're out of your mind, you psycho!"

Summer simply rotated again, this time facing Beulah. "And to you, old woman. You already have one foot in the grave, so I figured I'd deliver my respects early. I probably won't have time to visit the cemetery later. When you reach the bottom—"

"Silence! You demonic wretch, shut your mouth!"

Beulah's chest heaved violently, her face shifting from purple to a mottled grey. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she gasped for air.

The Vance family erupted into a panic, swarming the old woman, rubbing her chest, slapping her back, and desperately trying to revive her.

"You're begging for a beating!" Jared roared. He hauled his fist back, fully intending to strike Summer.

It flew through the air and smashed flawlessly into Jared's face.

Jared didn't even have time to dodge. He let out a yelp of pain as his mouth split open, blood immediately welling up on his swollen lip.

The priceless phone clattered to the floor, shattering into several pieces, but Yates didn't so much as glance at it.

Yates raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "Oh, my apologies. My hand slipped. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jared mumbled quickly, waving his hands in submission.

With the pressure off her back, Summer grabbed the edge of the table and pulled herself to her feet. The stabbing pain in her knees caused her to sway unsteadily.

Yates strolled effortlessly into the room and caught her arm, steadying her. "Are you alright, Ms. Vance?"

Summer shook her head. "I'm fine. Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne."