Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 130

Summer didn't want them plotting a vendetta and stabbing her in the back when she least expected it. The fallout wouldn't be worth it.

Furthermore, she had to consider Edward's feelings.

Growing up, Jared's parents had relentlessly taken advantage of their family, and Maeve had harbored a lot of resentment over it.

But Summer vividly remembered overhearing Edward comforting her mother one night. He explained that when they were young and devastatingly poor, his older brother had worked grueling manual labor jobs just to pay for Edward's teaching degree.

That degree was the only reason Edward had secured a respectable, steady job in town.

He felt he owed his brother a life debt he could never fully repay.

Because of that, Edward always let his brother's family walk all over them, provided they didn't cross any absolute moral lines.

Keeping that in mind, Summer laid out her terms. "You all leave Empire City immediately. Stop harassing my parents."

She just wanted the entire parasitic clan gone.

But having just arrived in the city without extracting a single penny, they were furious at the thought of leaving empty-handed. "But your grandmother is in the hospital!"

"I'll pay the ambulance bill back to your town."

After the police drafted a mediation agreement with her specific stipulations, Summer signed the letter of forgiveness and dropped the charges. Jared was released from custody.

The moment Summer's aunt heard they were being banished, she threw a massive fit. "We just got here! Why should we leave? The hospitals here are lightyears ahead of the ones back home. Why do you get to make decisions for Mom? If your family wants to tuck tail and run, go ahead! I'm staying right here to make sure Mom gets the best treatment."

Jared's mother shot her a venomous glare. "Are you staying for Mom's treatment, or are you staying so Tiffany can keep hunting for a billionaire?"

"So what if I am?" her aunt shrieked defensively. "And I'm not wrong about the medical care! This is the capital! Mom, do you want to go back to the village?"

Beulah, fiercely protective of her own longevity, furiously shook her head. "I am not leaving! I'm getting treated right here! That wretched girl wants me to die early, but I refuse to give her the satisfaction!"

Her aunt softened her tone, adopting a smug expression. "Exactly. And now that Jared is out, what can Summer actually do to stop us from staying?"

Jared's father looked terrified. "But we signed a legally binding agreement! If we don't leave, she'll sue us! She specifically retained the right to press assault charges again. We could all end up in jail."

Tiffany eyed the elegant woman with heavy suspicion. "I'm her cousin. Who are you?"

Lily ignored the question entirely. "If you're her cousin, why can't you get ahold of her? What do you need from her?"

Tiffany wasn't a complete idiot, but she was desperate enough to offer a tailored version of the truth. "My uncle was in a car crash, so our whole family came to the city to see him. But Summer thinks we're just poor country trash. She blocked our numbers and is trying to run us out of town. My grandma traveled all this way just to see her son, and Summer stressed her out so badly she ended up in the hospital. We just need to find her and make her take responsibility."

Lily didn't care if a single word of the story was true. What mattered was the raw, unadulterated jealousy bleeding out of Tiffany's eyes every time she said Summer's name. Lily hadn't missed it.

She was more than happy to hand these people a weapon to aim at Summer's back.

"Wait here," Lily said smoothly. "I'll have my people help you look. The moment we locate him, my assistant will send you the address."

Tiffany looked completely bewildered. "Why are you helping us?"

Lily cast her eyes downward, a sickeningly sweet smile playing on her lips as she gently rested a hand on her flat stomach. "Consider it my good deed for the day. I'm just building up some good karma for the baby."