Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 311

Summer's words instantly made Lily's earlier display of affection look incredibly stupid, like an amateur trying to show off in front of a master.

It was utterly humiliating.

Lily's face turned livid, and she gripped her fork so hard it nearly snapped.

Xavier frowned, his voice dropping into a cold bark. "Summer!"

"Show some respect," Summer fired back. Her commanding aura easily matched Xavier's as she reprimanded him coldly. "Where are your manners? Is this how the Sterling family raised you? You're embarrassing them."

Bennett wanted to pass out on the spot. What a total nightmare.

One wrong move had led to a cascade of disasters.

He was filled with deep regret! If he had known it would come to this, he would have just gotten rid of Miles when he had the chance. It would have solved everything.

But obviously, regretting it now was entirely useless.

Lydia forced a polite smile to mediate the tension. "It's rare for our whole family to be gathered together. Let's all just take a breath. Leave the past in the past, and let's focus on moving forward."

Summer smiled warmly at Lydia. "Aunt Lydia is absolutely right. But since we are a family now, it's better to clear the air about certain conflicts. Only when everything is out in the open can we truly move forward, don't you agree?"

Miles put down his silverware and leaned back, draping an arm over the back of Summer's chair in a highly protective stance.

"Xavier, you two were definitely in the wrong, and you owe Summer an apology." Miles directed his words at Xavier, but his warning gaze flicked sharply toward Lily.

Lily caught the explicit threat in his eyes.

Gritting her teeth in burning resentment, she reached out and tugged on Xavier's hand. "Xavier, let's apologize to her. Treating her as my stand-in was definitely wrong on your part. And I shouldn't have wavered and been with you before your divorce was finalized. But..."

Lily looked directly at Summer. "I really didn't do it on purpose. I love Xavier, and when you love someone, you simply can't control it."

Summer nodded, looking at the two of them with a bright smile. "I completely understand. So right here, with our family as witnesses, I sincerely wish you a lifetime of happiness. May you have a house full of children and be bound to each other for all eternity."

Lily and Xavier both stared at Summer, trying to decipher if she was being sarcastic and what angle she was playing at.

But they were destined to find absolutely nothing.

Summer's delivery was flawlessly sincere. There wasn't a single trace of lingering affection for Xavier in her eyes.

Nor was there any of the devastation or heartbreak one would expect from a woman who had just lost the wealthiest man in the city. Any other woman would have gone completely insane.

Lily probed cautiously, "Are you being serious?"

Summer's smile was radiant and genuine. "Of course I'm serious. I never loved him anyway. I only married him for his money. We only clashed recently because he resorted to dirty tactics to threaten me. So please, don't misunderstand and think I have any lingering feelings. I won't try to steal him from you. He's all yours."

Summer's expression practically screamed, 'Please take him away from me as fast as possible.'

Xavier's dark, icy gaze turned even stormier. Any man would be furious hearing those words.

Miles chimed in. "Alright, Summer has been incredibly generous. Now it's time for your apologies."

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