Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 64

Xavier stormed over and forcefully pried Summer's fingers apart, his grip so vicious it felt as though he were trying to snap her bones.

He pulled Hunter into his arms, comforting the boy effortlessly as Hunter sobbed hysterically.

Summer lay crumpled on the ground, drenched in cold sweat from the excruciating pain. Her face was deathly pale, leaving her looking utterly battered.

Yet Xavier acted as if he couldn't see it—or rather, he saw it, but simply didn't care.

More cars began to pull into the parking lot. A crowd gathered, pointing and whispering as they stared at Summer.

"What is she doing lying on the ground? Is she trying to extort them?"

"I have no idea. She looks like a psycho, grabbing that kid's foot like that. Look how terrified the poor boy is."

"That's terrifying. Keep your distance."

The whispers echoed around her.

Xavier heard them all, but he made no effort to clear her name. He merely cast her a long, lingering look filled with profound disappointment and disgust.

He was disappointed in her?

"Hahaha," Summer let out a breathless, manic laugh, truly looking as if she had lost her mind.

Xavier furrowed his brow, scooped Hunter up, and walked away with Lily without looking back.

Julian lingered for a moment, flashing Summer a look of pure contempt. "Serves you right."

After they left, Summer finally managed to catch her breath. Bracing herself on her arms, she slowly sat up. The slightest movement sent a sharp tug of pain through her injured back.

Her colleague, Willow Whitmore, had just arrived. Seeing Summer on the ground, she immediately rushed over and carefully helped her up.

"Summer, what happened?"

Willow pulled out a tissue and gently wiped the cold sweat from Summer's forehead, then carefully brushed the dust off her clothes.

Noticing how pale Summer looked, Willow assumed her blood sugar had dropped. She dug a piece of candy out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and offered it to her.

Willow looked at her with deep concern. "Are you okay, Summer? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?"

"I'm fine," Summer shook her head. "I just need to rest a bit."

There was no swelling on the back of her head, but her scalp throbbed viciously where Julian had grabbed her hair.

As for her bruised back, she could only apply a warm compress and some ointment once she got home.

Willow helped her into the private dining room. The other colleagues arrived shortly after, and the waiters began to serve the food.

The last colleague to arrive eagerly shared that she had spotted the boss dining in the private room next door, accompanied by their new manager.

"The boss and Director Sutton were whispering right into each other's ears. They looked incredibly intimate. Looks like the rumors are true—she really is his girlfriend."

After dinner, Summer told them to leave first while she stayed behind for a bit.

She wanted to stagger their departure to ensure she didn't run into Xavier and Lily on the way out.

She didn't care for herself, but her team still had to survive at Sterling Group.

It wouldn't bode well for them if the big boss and their new manager caught them fraternizing with their ousted former boss.

Summer sat alone in the private room for a while, slowly finishing a bowl of soup before finally leaving.

It had started to rain outside at some point. The cold autumn wind carried a biting chill through the steady drizzle.

The restaurant provided an umbrella, and Summer carried it out to the parking lot.

The rain blurred her vision, and having had a bit to drink, she felt slightly tipsy.

Squinting through the gloom, she noticed a man standing next to her car, though she couldn't make out who it was from a distance.

As she got closer, she realized it was Silas Sinclair.

She tilted her head. "Mr. Sinclair?"

Silas gestured toward her vehicle. "Summer, your car was vandalized."