Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 179

The eager crowd immediately caught the heavy implication behind her words.

"What does she mean? Are they not actually together?!"

"That's impossible, right? Mr. Sterling isn't wearing a wedding ring."

Summer smirked. "Wedding rings aren't welded to your fingers. A man can slip it off just as easily as he slips it on."

"That's actually a valid point. But how is she so certain? Does she know something we don't? Or is she just spouting nonsense?"

"Is Mr. Sterling actually married with a kid? Why hasn't a single news outlet reported on this? Are the paparazzi all sleeping on the job?"

As the buzzing whispers grew louder, Lily's smug smile evaporated, her eyes locking onto Summer with icy venom.

Summer laughed freely, aggressively pushing the issue. "I'm talking to you, Mr. Sterling. Is the three hundred and fifteen million coming out of your pocket, or is it just a massive loan for Ms. Sutton?"

While the question was directed at Xavier, it was a tactical strike designed to force Lily into a corner.

*Well played, Summer!*

She had deliberately pushed Lily into such a humiliating position, leaving the entire room to treat her like a circus act!

She seared this moment into her memory. One day, she would make that bitch Summer pay for this a thousand times over!

"It's obviously a loan," Lily hissed through gritted teeth.

Summer maintained her mocking smile, tightening the trap. "If it's a loan, shouldn't you be drafting an IOU? After all, it's three hundred and fifteen million dollars."

Wesley stared at Summer in astonishment. It wasn't until this exact moment that his delayed realization finally clicked. Summer was the rumored "country wife" Xavier had been hiding.

Unlike Julian Hawthorne, Wesley was a strict academic. He buried himself in medical research and stayed completely oblivious to high-society gossip.

He only knew that Xavier had supposedly married some rural woman purely out of convenience to appease his family. He had never met Summer, nor did he even know her name.

Naturally, the derogatory "country wife" label was something he had occasionally overheard from Julian.

He had never, in his wildest dreams, imagined that Xavier's alleged backwater wife was a woman like Summer.

"You're telling me."

Just as the crowd was practically feasting on the scandalous whispers, the host received an urgent internal message.

Coughing lightly into the mic, the host announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've just been contacted by Ms. Sutton's brother, Mr. Miles Sutton, CEO of Sutton Heights Capital. He stated that the Sutton family is more than capable of covering such petty cash. He also apologized, admitting it was his oversight for not providing his sister with an adequate allowance."

Turning toward Lily with exaggerated respect, the host added, "Ms. Sutton, Mr. Sutton wants you to know that you should bid freely on whatever you desire. He will happily foot the bill. He also emphasized that he will forever be your unshakeable support."

It had to be said, Miles was an incredibly devoted brother.

It was just a shame he was devoted to someone like Lily.

Empowered by the public backing, Lily's confidence skyrocketed. She tilted her chin up arrogantly and glared down at Summer. "Summer, the bid is at three hundred and fifteen million. Do you even have the cash to follow?"

Lily knew for a fact that Summer was financially tapped out. Xavier certainly wasn't going to bail her out—he had even frozen her credit cards.

Let's see how the pathetic bitch tries to fight back now.