Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 333

Summer suddenly lost her appetite. She set down her silverware and elegantly wiped her mouth. "No."

"I'll pay you," Xavier countered.

She tossed the napkin onto the table. "Not interested."

He traced the rim of his teacup. "Care to reconsider?"

A dry laugh escaped her lips as she finally met his gaze head-on. "What exactly is there to reconsider? The man tried to have me murdered, and I'm supposed to forgive him? Do I look insane to you?"

Grabbing the bouquet from the table, Summer turned to Wesley. "Thank you for the flowers, and thank you for lunch. But the air in here has suddenly gotten incredibly foul, and I can't stand the stench. I'll be leaving now."

Wesley nodded. "Get home safe."

Once she was gone, Wesley turned his attention to Xavier. "Did you already clean up the mess from your wedding scandal? Is your life just too peaceful right now? Why on earth would you willingly step into the radioactive wasteland that is Julian Hawthorne?"

Xavier lowered his gaze, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "The Hawthorne family came begging. I couldn't exactly turn them away."

The truth was, Xavier had originally arranged a lunch meeting specifically to discuss Julian's crisis.

When the Hawthornes spotted Summer dining in the same restaurant, they practically begged him to intervene and test the waters with her.

They were willing to pay any price, as long as Summer named her terms.

But it was glaringly obvious that Summer harbored a profound, unwavering disgust for Julian.

Wesley's tone carried a faint edge of mockery. "Is he your father?"

Xavier's eyes remained cast down. "Julian nearly got beaten to death protecting me years ago."

"Hasn't the Sterling family funneled enough resources to the Hawthornes over the years to repay that debt? You know exactly what kind of scum he is. If you're willing to go to bat for a piece of trash like that, Xavier, then you're truly beyond saving."

Xavier didn't argue. He simply sat in silence, smoking.

Despite his harsh words, Wesley couldn't help but offer a final piece of advice. "Xavier, Pax is destined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Professor Banks as one of the most elite scientific minds in this country. I strongly suggest you drop any shady backdoor tactics regarding this situation. If you aren't careful, you'll end up destroying yourself in the crossfire."

Wesley wouldn't throw around warnings like that for nothing.

Xavier wasn't an idiot; he understood exactly how to weigh the pros and cons.

He gave a curt nod. "Understood. I'll keep it in mind."

Suddenly remembering something, Xavier asked, "Was that blind date real?"

"Have you ever heard of a fake blind date?"

"Do you have feelings for her?"

"My grandfather is the one who likes her." Speaking of which, Wesley looked at him curiously. "When your grandfather found out Summer was Pax, did he regret everything so much his stomach turned inside out?"

He couldn't have hit the nail more squarely on the head. Just hearing the question made Xavier's temples throb with a vicious migraine.

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