Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 396

"Even if I can't physically be at the office right away, as you suggested, I can easily work from home. If there's anything I'm unsure of, I can always consult Mr. Sterling."

Lilith tilted her head up to look at Xavier standing behind her. "Mr. Sterling, if I run into any trouble, I hope you won't hold back your expertise."

Xavier looked down at her with a soft chuckle. "They haven't even agreed to let you be the acting CEO yet."

The board members cast brief, startled glances at Lilith's stomach before quickly averting their eyes.

No one spoke, carefully weighing Xavier's words.

Summer, holding shares in the Sutton Group and holding a senior position, was naturally present at the meeting.

She was the first to step forward and voice her explicit approval. "I agree to let Lilith step in as the acting CEO."

Lilith shot Summer a look of pure astonishment, her eyes swimming with confusion.

She had assumed exactly what Bennett had—that Summer was going to seize this opportunity to snatch the company for herself.

Yet she was the first to openly support her?

Lilith couldn't help but spiral into conspiracy theories. Since when was Summer ever this generous?!

Xavier clearly shared the same suspicion. His dark, predatory gaze fixed on Summer, analyzing her every move without giving away his own thoughts.

Summer let them stare, looking completely relaxed and unbothered.

Bennett's emotions were in a tangled mess as he recalled how he had misunderstood Summer the other day, screaming at her to get out.

He remembered how she had looked—so deeply wronged, yet biting back her tears to stay strong. For the first time in his life, a sliver of conscience pricked at him. He actually felt guilty. He had wronged Summer.

All she had ever wanted was her father's validation.

What had she done to deserve his wrath?

Bennett silently resolved to find a way to make it up to her later.

Normally, he never would have lost control like that, but since the fire and the resulting paralysis, his emotions had been wildly unpredictable. He simply couldn't rein them in.

With Xavier personally backing her, Lilith was successfully appointed as the acting CEO of the Sutton Group.

After the meeting adjourned, only the core group remained in the room. All the outsiders had cleared out.

Xavier furrowed his brows and demanded, "Summer, what kind of sick game are you playing now?"

Summer raised an eyebrow. "I know you guys don't trust me. But fighting behind closed doors is family business—we can tear each other apart however we want. But letting an outsider sink their claws into the Sutton Group? Absolutely not."

Hearing Summer say this completely erased whatever lingering doubts Bennett still harbored against her.

Xavier remained silent, though he wasn't entirely convinced. He kept his guard up.

Lilith felt exactly the same. There was no way in hell she trusted Summer.

She just couldn't figure out what Summer was trying to achieve.

In reality, Summer's plan was brilliantly simple: Lilith's tenure as acting CEO was destined to be short-lived.

When the time came, Bennett, desperate to keep the power from falling into an outsider's hands and fueled by his newfound guilt, would undoubtedly choose Summer to replace Lilith.

All Summer had to do was wait.

She just had to wait for Zelda Sterling to force a DNA test, wait for Lilith's infidelity to be dragged into the light, and wait for the Sterling family to cast Lilith aside in disgust.

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