Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 36

"You're going to regret this, Summer." Snatching the divorce papers from her hand, Xavier turned and stormed out of the room.

Miles left the toy on the bed and couldn't resist casting one last glance at Summer.

Feeling his gaze, Summer looked over. Her dark eyes were perfectly clear, radiating nothing but fierce resolve and freezing indifference.

Miles's heart gave another involuntary lurch. That baffling, instinctual desire to pull her closer washed over him once more.

Suppressing the emotion, he gave a polite, measured nod and strode out of the room.

Once in the hallway, he grabbed Xavier's arm, practically feeling the frost radiating off the man. "I don't think she's just throwing a tantrum. It looks like she genuinely wants a divorce."

Xavier let out a harsh scoff. "Impossible. She could never walk away from me."

Miles glanced at the papers in his hand. "What are you going to do about this?"

"I'll give her exactly what she's asking for."

...

Inside the hospital room.

Tessa walked over to the bed, hugged Summer, and gently patted her back. "I'll go grab us some breakfast. I'll get your favorite pancakes and bacon. We don't need their fancy gourmet garbage anyway. We eat that stuff all the time, right? Time to mix it up."

"Sounds perfect," Summer agreed with a smile.

Leo hadn't been hooked up to his IV yet. He climbed out of his bed, padded over to Summer's, and struggled to climb up. Mimicking Tessa's gesture, he wrapped his little arms around Summer and gently patted her back to comfort her.

"Mom, you still have me. If you divorce him, I'm staying with you. When I grow up, I'll make a ton of money and buy you and Tessa all the gems in the world. So many that you can wear a different one every day."

Even in a moment like this, Leo didn't forget about Tessa.

After swallowing her food, she finally voiced her thought. "I was too stressed to think straight last night, but I got a really good look today. That woman actually does look a bit like you. No wonder that..."

Catching Leo's wide, curious eyes staring at her, Tessa swallowed the rest of the sentence: No wonder that scumbag Xavier used you as a stand-in.

Leo blinked his long lashes. "Tessa, by 'that woman,' do you mean the lady my dad was carrying last night?"

Tessa placed a muffin on Leo's plate. "How are you so smart, Leo? You definitely inherited all of your mom's superior genes."

Leo happily munched on his muffin, his pale cheeks puffing out like an adorable little hamster.

Summer turned to Tessa. "What were you going to say just now?"

Summer knew Tessa too well. She wouldn't just bring this up out of nowhere unless it meant something.

Tessa hesitated, then asked, "Summer, haven't you always wanted to know who your biological parents are? You and that woman look so much alike. Do you think... you two might be related?"