Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 284

Summer turned to Silas, her arms full of presents. "Your family seems to have gotten the wrong idea."

"That works out perfectly. Now they won't try to set me up on blind dates. I should be thanking you."

"No wonder you were so quiet earlier. You let them misunderstand on purpose?"

Since Summer had so graciously provided an excuse, Silas naturally nodded in agreement.

Summer tried to give the gifts back to Silas, but he outright refused. They were his family's welcoming presents to her, after all.

He smoothly lied that if he took them back, his relatives would literally break his legs.

Seeing Summer at a total loss on what to do.

Silas suggested she hold onto them for now and return the favor the next time they met, or prepare some reciprocal gifts instead.

Summer nodded, realizing it was her only option.

***

The private investigator's findings came through.

Lydia and Leila were identical twin sisters.

Summer stared at the old photos. The Leila in the pictures was stunning—gentle and elegant, wearing a beautiful dress with her hair swept up, looking as serene as a magnolia blooming quietly on a branch.

Lydia, on the other hand, sported heavy piercings, multi-colored hair, and thick makeup, carrying a wildly rebellious vibe.

Lydia had severed ties with her family over a man and ran away from home.

Leila married Bennett, who was originally a computer science professor. He later entered the business world to take over the family company.

The current Sutton empire was built entirely on her family's wealth.

Leila gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Lily.

But a few years later, the girl was abducted by traffickers. Devastated by the blow, Leila was bedridden for years, her mental state rapidly deteriorating until she was diagnosed with severe depression.

Right around that time, Lydia returned. She took the initiative to repair her relationship with the family, moved into Leila's house, and personally took on the role of her caretaker.

But instead of getting better, Leila's condition grew progressively worse, even escalating to the point of violent outbursts.

Eventually, Bennett had no choice but to commit Leila to a psychiatric sanitarium.

Not long after, Bennett found the daughter who had been abducted by traffickers—the current Lily Sutton.

Two years later, using the excuse that a daughter couldn't grow up without a mother, Bennett married Lydia.

The private investigator could only uncover this much. Any further details were probably only known to the people involved.

Summer picked up Leila's photo again.

The woman in the picture had a gentle, comforting smile that felt like a breath of fresh air. She must have been an incredibly kind-hearted person.

What an absolute beauty.

How could she have ended up as a raving lunatic?

A faint sorrow lingered in Summer's heart—a mix of pity, regret, and something entirely different, but she knew what it meant.

Summer looked up at her reflection in the mirror. Her face bore a striking resemblance to both Leila and Lydia.

Even though everyone claimed she had gotten plastic surgery, Summer knew the truth. She hadn't.

This was her real face, one hundred percent authentic.

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