Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 61

Strictly speaking, the Sterlings and the Sinclairs were sworn enemies.

Rumor had it that several generations ago, the two families had actually been close friends.

But a failed marriage alliance had resulted in the death of a Sinclair daughter, sparking a bitter feud that turned them into ruthless corporate rivals for generations.

In the present day, Xavier Sterling and Silas Sinclair represented their respective families. Whenever they attended the same events, event organizers made sure they were seated far apart.

Naturally, whenever their paths crossed, a war of words was inevitable.

Because of her ties to Xavier, Summer Vance had never interacted with Silas.

So why had he suddenly called out to her?

A second later, Silas gave her the answer.

"Did you really resign from Sterling Group?"

Summer nodded. "You must have seen the company's announcement, Mr. Sinclair."

A hint of intrigue flashed in Silas's eyes. "Haven't you always been fiercely loyal to Xavier?"

She obviously couldn't disclose the truth about her relationship with Xavier, knowing she wouldn't be able to bear the fallout if it went public.

Offering a polite smile, Summer gave a dignified reply. "All good things must come to an end. It was simply time to move on."

Silas assumed she meant their professional relationship and didn't read too much into it.

Aside from close friends and family, no one else knew about Summer's marriage to Xavier.

A fleeting smile crossed Silas's face as he extended an offer. "Would you be interested in joining my company?"

Summer blinked. "Excuse me?"

Silas's deep gaze was entirely sincere; he wasn't just throwing the idea out casually.

In truth, he had always wanted to poach Summer. For some reason, he saw immense potential in her.

Of course, it could also be because she was Xavier's right-hand woman, and poaching her would deal a massive blow to his rival.

Silas had extended an olive branch to her several times in the past, but back then, she had been entirely devoted to her husband.

Unsurprisingly, she had rejected him every single time without a shred of hesitation.

Perhaps due to her unwavering loyalty, Silas hadn't approached her again after the third rejection.

Summer had assumed he had given up long ago, which was why she hadn't anticipated his offer tonight.

After all, most people threw in the towel after three strikes.

Her eyes crinkled in a bright, genuine smile. "I truly appreciate how highly you've thought of me all these years, Mr. Sinclair. But unfortunately, I've already accepted a position at FutureTech Systems."

Silas frowned, visibly disappointed that he had missed out on hiring her.

A moment later, his expression smoothed out. He pulled out his phone and pulled up his contact QR code. "Let's exchange numbers, then. If you ever change your mind and want a new environment, Sinclair Group's doors are always open to you."

He had asked for her number several times before, only to be turned down.

This time, Summer didn't refuse.

She took out her phone, and they finally added each other as contacts.

Having spent years in the corporate grind, Summer knew the unspoken rules of networking.

When exchanging contacts with a high-profile CEO, it was common courtesy to send the first message.

She sent a friendly sticker, followed by a formal introductory text.

[Hello, Mr. Sinclair. This is Summer Vance. I look forward to keeping in touch.]

Silas glanced down at the cute cat sticker on his screen, his long fingers tapping across the keyboard as he immediately replied with a matching sticker of his own.

[Hello, Summer. This is Silas Sinclair. It's a pleasure.]