Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 521

Xavier stared at Wesley, his eyes wild with a frantic mix of anticipation and sheer terror.

He was desperate to know the truth about Summer's orphanage, yet utterly terrified that the answer wouldn't be the one he prayed for.

Wesley met his gaze steadily and tapped play on a voice recording on his phone. "Listen for yourself."

Since Leila had returned from abroad and Maeve Vance's health had stabilized, Summer had brought her adoptive mother to live with them.

When Wesley had gone over to administer Maeve's acupuncture, Leila had been in the room.

On the recording, Leila's voice played clearly: "Look at these clothes Summer bought you. Aren't they gorgeous? Once Dr. Whitmore is done with your treatment, I'll help you change into them."

Maeve had spent most of her life strictly budgeting every penny. Though she gently caressed the new fabric, her tone remained frugal. "I already have so many clothes in my closet. Why buy more? She works so hard for her money."

Leila chuckled warmly. "Maeve, don't worry about her. You worked your fingers to the bone raising her. Now that she's successful, it's only right she spoils you."

Maeve asked softly, "Did she buy anything for you?"

"Oh, she did, she did," Leila reassured her. "You raised her so perfectly. She's incredibly devoted to us."

Maeve sounded deeply humbled. "I didn't do anything special. Summer was always a good girl. Being able to call her my daughter is my life's greatest blessing."

Wesley's voice chimed in on the recording, steering the conversation. "Maeve, it's truly Summer's blessing that you adopted her. Conditions in orphanages can be incredibly harsh, and the people who adopt children vary drastically. It's exceptionally rare to find someone like you who treats an adopted child like their own flesh and blood."

"Exactly," Leila agreed. "Summer is very lucky to have you."

"Speaking of which," Wesley probed, "which orphanage did Summer come from? I've been meaning to make a charitable donation, and I thought I might as well donate to the one she grew up in."

Maeve sighed heavily. "It's gone."

"Gone?" Wesley sounded genuinely surprised.

Maeve's voice grew somber. "There was a massive fire. The whole place burned to the ground."

"How did a fire start?"

"The conditions at Summer's orphanage were terrible. It was freezing in the winter, so they used an electric blanket for warmth. The wiring was faulty and sparked a fire. So many children died... The survivors were scattered and relocated to other facilities."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify