"I thought I was his world. Turns out, I was just his shield." For seven years, Summer Vance believed she was living a fairytale. Her husband, the powerful tech tycoon Xavier Sterling, defied his family to marry her and treated her like a queen. She gave him her youth, her heart, and her everything to help him reach the pinnacle of wealth. But on the night he was crowned the city's richest man, the dream shattered. She overheard the cruel truth: She was nothing but a "Stand-in." Xavier didn't love her. He married her to draw fire away from his true love—his own brother’s wife. And now, that woman is allegedly carrying his child. What Xavier doesn't know is his biggest secret: He is medically sterile. The son Summer took with her when she walked away is his only biological heir—a miracle he will never have again. Seven years of marriage was a total scam. Now, Summer is done playing the doting wife. She vanishes with their son, changes his name, and strips away her "housewife" disguise. When she reappears, she isn't just a divorcee; she is a global tech genius standing on the world’s most prestigious stage, her hidden identities shocking the world. At her ex-husband's "wedding" to his muse, she delivers two gifts: 1.A video of their infidelity that ruins their reputation. 2.A medical report proving his infertility to the world. As the truth emerges that Summer was the real girl who saved his life years ago, Xavier falls to his knees, begging for a second chance. "Honey, I was wrong. Let’s go home." Summer only smiles, leaning into the arms of his greatest rival. "Mr. Sterling, watch your tongue. My husband gets jealous very easily." And the little boy by her side? He looks at the man who broke his mother’s heart and scoffs, "I’m not your son, mister. This is my real daddy."

Chapter 1In the seventh year of her marriage, Summer Vance finally discovered the truth: she was merely a stand-in for Xavier Sterling's first love.And that first love was none other than his brother's former partner, Lily Sutton.To make matters worse, Lily was pregnant with his child.But there was one crucial detail Xavier didn't know—he was sterile.A cheating scumbag wasn't worth keeping, so Summer decisively brought up divorce.Xavier, however, refused. Frowning, he demanded in a low voice, "You're asking for a divorce just because I gave Lily a hug? What do you think marriage is? What do you take me for? Summer, you can't just throw a tantrum and treat our marriage like a game just because you know I love you. Don't bring up divorce again. I won't agree to it."Hah.He loved her?What a joke.A few days ago..."Xavier, Lily is coming back to the country. Are you still not going to divorce Summer? Don't tell me you actually fell for that stand-in?"The door to Xavier's office had been left slightly ajar. Hearing her own name, Summer paused, her hand hovering over the handle.Divorce?A stand-in?Before she could process the shock, Xavier's soft scoff drifted from the room. "How could I? The only woman I've ever loved is Lily.""That's what I thought," replied Julian Hawthorne, Xavier's close friend, his tone dripping with disdain. "Summer is just a glorified bedmate."She, his lawful wife, was just a stand-in bedmate?The man who had been tangled in the sheets with her just last night, the man who had tirelessly whispered her name over and over, the man who had breathed sweet declarations of love into her ear.In this moment, not only did he fail to defend her, but he personally confessed his love for someone else.When he whispered those sweet nothings, he was thinking of Lily, calling out for Lily, loving Lily.And to him, she was nothing more than a convenient substitute he had slept with for seven years.A suffocating wave of despair crashed over her. The betrayal pierced her chest, leaving her gasping for breath as a sharp ache took hold.The pain drained the color from her face.Inside the office, hearing the word 'bedmate' made Xavier frown slightly, but before he could say anything, Julian asked, "Then why haven't you divorced her?""The old man hasn't handed over his shares to me yet," Xavier replied."I thought he already gave them to you?" Julian asked curiously.Summer clenched her fists, steadying her racing heart as she strained to listen."He's only transferred a portion over the years. As for the rest, he said he'll give them to us as a wedding gift once Summer and I host our official ceremony. It won't be long now. Just three more months."His tone carried a distinct sense of relief, as if he were eagerly counting down the days to freedom.Tears welled up in Summer's eyes before she even realized it.A chilling numbness spread through her veins, leaving her trembling in the quiet hallway.Back when they first got together, Xavier had pursued her relentlessly.But Summer had heard rumors about his childhood friend, Lily Sutton.Lily was the quintessential golden girl—hailing from a good family, breathtakingly beautiful, and incredibly talented.She was the textbook definition of an unforgettable first love.Summer was a rational woman; she had no intention of dating or marrying a man who was still hung up on someone else.So, when Xavier confessed his feelings for the ninety-ninth time, she had asked him directly."Xavier, is Lily your first love?""No, we're just friends who grew up together. You are my first love."She still remembered how smoothly he had denied it. His gaze had been so steady and earnest, burning with a passion that made her believe he truly loved her.She had believed him.She had accepted his pursuit.But she never imagined that the man who catered to her every whim at home and kept a respectful distance from other women outside would deceive her.And keep up the lie for seven long years.Uncontrollable anger surged through her like an erupting volcano, rushing straight to her head.Her mind buzzed with fury. She wanted nothing more than to storm inside and slap him across the face.Just then, Julian asked another question. "Doesn't your grandfather look down on Summer? Why would he agree to let you two have a wedding ceremony?""Lily won another rising star award in tech recently. The old man knows she'll be returning to the country eventually. He's definitely worried that I still have feelings for her. Between the two of them, he'd rather accept Summer, especially since we have Leo. That's why he wants us to have the ceremony and make Summer my official wife in the public eye. Once we're publicly celebrated, it'll be much harder for me to get back together with Lily, even if I still love her."Julian raised his voice in surprise. "Are you really going to go through with the ceremony with Summer? No wonder Lily is in such a rush to come back!""No, of course not. What are you thinking?" Xavier's tone was filled with utter disdain. "My bride will only ever be Lily. They look so alike anyway. Once she's wearing makeup and a veil, who's going to know the difference at the altar?""Classic Xavier. You're a genius." Julian laughed uproariously, clapping his hands in approval.Summer's heart plunged into an icy abyss, leaving her gasping for air.No wonder Xavier insisted on overseeing every single detail of the wedding despite his busy schedule.He had even personally designed the wedding dress and rings, forbidding her from getting involved.He had claimed he wanted to give her a surprise.What a massive surprise it was.The wedding was never meant for her in the first place.Thinking back on how eagerly she had been looking forward to the big day, Summer felt like an absolute joke. She had been so incredibly foolish.Once Julian finished laughing, he remembered something else. "So why is Lily coming back early? If she returns now, your family definitely won't make things easy for her."Summer was confused. Why would Xavier's family make things difficult for Lily?It seemed there were even more secrets she didn't know about.But Xavier's next words dropped like a sledgehammer, striking her chest so hard she forgot how to breathe.The devastation wiped every other thought from her mind."She's pregnant. She's all alone abroad with no one to take care of her, and I can't stop worrying."Lily was pregnant?Xavier's voice carried a distinct warmth. He sounded overjoyed, and it was blindingly obvious who the father was."Aren't you afraid Summer will find out and throw a fit? If the wedding gets canceled, the old man won't give you the shares."Inside the office, Xavier sounded incredibly confident. "She won't find out. We've been married for seven years, and she truly believes I love her."Outside the door, Summer swayed on her feet, her complexion turning deathly pale as her knuckles turned white gripping the crushed documents in her hands.But a second later, a sudden thought crossed Summer's mind, and she let out a silent laugh.It was a laugh dripping with bitterness and sheer mockery.What Xavier didn't know was that he suffered from severe asthenozoospermia—he was practically sterile.Years ago, when they hadn't conceived after their first year of marriage, the Sterling family grew anxious. They pressured her into getting checked, terrified that her body was to blame for delaying the family lineage.She played the dutiful wife on the surface, but feeling the sheer unfairness of it all, she dragged Xavier to the hospital for testing as well.Since it was a deeply personal matter, she had a doctor friend handle the exams. When the results came out, her friend contacted her first.Knowing how fragile the male ego could be, she took matters into her own hands and hid the medical report to spare Xavier the heartbreak.Her friend had comforted her at the time, explaining that severe asthenozoospermia didn't mean it was absolutely impossible to conceive. But she hadn't mentioned that the odds were essentially like winning the lottery.After that, she learned to cook specialized meals to nourish his body. She sought out a retired holistic doctor for prescriptions, dutifully drinking the bitter remedies right alongside him. She worked out with him, enforced a strict routine, fed him a healthy diet, and made him quit smoking, drinking, and staying up late.By some miracle, she actually got pregnant.In the years that followed, the company grew busier. Xavier was constantly traveling, pulling all-nighters, drinking at social events, and inhaling secondhand smoke—all of which were notorious for killing sperm counts.Meanwhile, Lily lived abroad year-round, and Xavier barely visited her more than a few times a year.So, whether the baby in Lily's belly actually belonged to Xavier was highly debatable.The thought that his precious first love might have cheated on him filled Summer with a dark, secret thrill.Serves him right.This was karma for trapping her in a sham marriage for seven years.Just then, Xavier's voice drifted from the office again, issuing a firm warning. "Don't let this slip in front of Summer. We've been married for seven years, and at the end of the day, I'm the one who wronged her. I don't want her to find out the truth and be hurt, and I don't want her to hate Lily.""Honestly, Xavier, you're just too soft-hearted. What do you owe her? She was just a country bumpkin with no background and no connections. It would have been impossible for her to establish herself in a major city. Latching onto you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to her. What does she have to be sad about?"Julian spoke casually, but even without looking, Summer knew he was wearing a condescending, arrogant sneer."If she hadn't leeched off you, do you think she ever could have gotten into a top-tier company like Sterling Group? Or become the head of R&D? She gets to drive luxury cars, live in a mansion, wear designer clothes, and have maids wait on her hand and foot. Besides, you've treated her well enough all these years.""You listen to her every demand like she's your warden. No smoking, no drinking, and a strict curfew every night. She's a country girl, yet she acts so high and mighty, making you drink those awful holistic remedies with her. What billionaire acts like you do? If she had any sense, she'd count her blessings and thank her lucky stars."Scoff.A warden?Smoking, drinking, and late nights—all sperm killers.Xavier's condition was already severe. If she hadn't micromanaged him, his pitifully low sperm count would have dropped to zero, leaving him completely sterile.But from this day forward, Summer would never care for him again.Chapter 2In the seventh year of her marriage, Summer Vance finally discovered the truth: she was merely a stand-in for Xavier Sterling's first love.And that first love was none other than his brother's former partner, Lily Sutton.To make matters worse, Lily was pregnant with his child.But there was one crucial detail Xavier didn't know—he was sterile.A cheating scumbag wasn't worth keeping, so Summer decisively brought up divorce.Xavier, however, refused. Frowning, he demanded in a low voice, "You're asking for a divorce just because I gave Lily a hug? What do you think marriage is? What do you take me for? Summer, you can't just throw a tantrum and treat our marriage like a game just because you know I love you. Don't bring up divorce again. I won't agree to it."Hah.He loved her?What a joke.A few days ago..."Xavier, Lily is coming back to the country. Are you still not going to divorce Summer? Don't tell me you actually fell for that stand-in?"The door to Xavier's office had been left slightly ajar. Hearing her own name, Summer paused, her hand hovering over the handle.Divorce?A stand-in?Before she could process the shock, Xavier's soft scoff drifted from the room. "How could I? The only woman I've ever loved is Lily.""That's what I thought," replied Julian Hawthorne, Xavier's close friend, his tone dripping with disdain. "Summer is just a glorified bedmate."She, his lawful wife, was just a stand-in bedmate?The man who had been tangled in the sheets with her just last night, the man who had tirelessly whispered her name over and over, the man who had breathed sweet declarations of love into her ear.In this moment, not only did he fail to defend her, but he personally confessed his love for someone else.When he whispered those sweet nothings, he was thinking of Lily, calling out for Lily, loving Lily.And to him, she was nothing more than a convenient substitute he had slept with for seven years.A suffocating wave of despair crashed over her. The betrayal pierced her chest, leaving her gasping for breath as a sharp ache took hold.The pain drained the color from her face.Inside the office, hearing the word 'bedmate' made Xavier frown slightly, but before he could say anything, Julian asked, "Then why haven't you divorced her?""The old man hasn't handed over his shares to me yet," Xavier replied."I thought he already gave them to you?" Julian asked curiously.Summer clenched her fists, steadying her racing heart as she strained to listen."He's only transferred a portion over the years. As for the rest, he said he'll give them to us as a wedding gift once Summer and I host our official ceremony. It won't be long now. Just three more months."His tone carried a distinct sense of relief, as if he were eagerly counting down the days to freedom.Tears welled up in Summer's eyes before she even realized it.A chilling numbness spread through her veins, leaving her trembling in the quiet hallway.Back when they first got together, Xavier had pursued her relentlessly.But Summer had heard rumors about his childhood friend, Lily Sutton.Lily was the quintessential golden girl—hailing from a good family, breathtakingly beautiful, and incredibly talented.She was the textbook definition of an unforgettable first love.Summer was a rational woman; she had no intention of dating or marrying a man who was still hung up on someone else.So, when Xavier confessed his feelings for the ninety-ninth time, she had asked him directly."Xavier, is Lily your first love?""No, we're just friends who grew up together. You are my first love."She still remembered how smoothly he had denied it. His gaze had been so steady and earnest, burning with a passion that made her believe he truly loved her.She had believed him.She had accepted his pursuit.But she never imagined that the man who catered to her every whim at home and kept a respectful distance from other women outside would deceive her.And keep up the lie for seven long years.Uncontrollable anger surged through her like an erupting volcano, rushing straight to her head.Her mind buzzed with fury. She wanted nothing more than to storm inside and slap him across the face.Just then, Julian asked another question. "Doesn't your grandfather look down on Summer? Why would he agree to let you two have a wedding ceremony?""Lily won another rising star award in tech recently. The old man knows she'll be returning to the country eventually. He's definitely worried that I still have feelings for her. Between the two of them, he'd rather accept Summer, especially since we have Leo. That's why he wants us to have the ceremony and make Summer my official wife in the public eye. Once we're publicly celebrated, it'll be much harder for me to get back together with Lily, even if I still love her."Julian raised his voice in surprise. "Are you really going to go through with the ceremony with Summer? No wonder Lily is in such a rush to come back!""No, of course not. What are you thinking?" Xavier's tone was filled with utter disdain. "My bride will only ever be Lily. They look so alike anyway. Once she's wearing makeup and a veil, who's going to know the difference at the altar?""Classic Xavier. You're a genius." Julian laughed uproariously, clapping his hands in approval.Summer's heart plunged into an icy abyss, leaving her gasping for air.No wonder Xavier insisted on overseeing every single detail of the wedding despite his busy schedule.He had even personally designed the wedding dress and rings, forbidding her from getting involved.He had claimed he wanted to give her a surprise.What a massive surprise it was.The wedding was never meant for her in the first place.Thinking back on how eagerly she had been looking forward to the big day, Summer felt like an absolute joke. She had been so incredibly foolish.Once Julian finished laughing, he remembered something else. "So why is Lily coming back early? If she returns now, your family definitely won't make things easy for her."Summer was confused. Why would Xavier's family make things difficult for Lily?It seemed there were even more secrets she didn't know about.But Xavier's next words dropped like a sledgehammer, striking her chest so hard she forgot how to breathe.The devastation wiped every other thought from her mind."She's pregnant. She's all alone abroad with no one to take care of her, and I can't stop worrying."Lily was pregnant?Xavier's voice carried a distinct warmth. He sounded overjoyed, and it was blindingly obvious who the father was."Aren't you afraid Summer will find out and throw a fit? If the wedding gets canceled, the old man won't give you the shares."Inside the office, Xavier sounded incredibly confident. "She won't find out. We've been married for seven years, and she truly believes I love her."Outside the door, Summer swayed on her feet, her complexion turning deathly pale as her knuckles turned white gripping the crushed documents in her hands.But a second later, a sudden thought crossed Summer's mind, and she let out a silent laugh.It was a laugh dripping with bitterness and sheer mockery.What Xavier didn't know was that he suffered from severe asthenozoospermia—he was practically sterile.Years ago, when they hadn't conceived after their first year of marriage, the Sterling family grew anxious. They pressured her into getting checked, terrified that her body was to blame for delaying the family lineage.She played the dutiful wife on the surface, but feeling the sheer unfairness of it all, she dragged Xavier to the hospital for testing as well.Since it was a deeply personal matter, she had a doctor friend handle the exams. When the results came out, her friend contacted her first.Knowing how fragile the male ego could be, she took matters into her own hands and hid the medical report to spare Xavier the heartbreak.Her friend had comforted her at the time, explaining that severe asthenozoospermia didn't mean it was absolutely impossible to conceive. But she hadn't mentioned that the odds were essentially like winning the lottery.After that, she learned to cook specialized meals to nourish his body. She sought out a retired holistic doctor for prescriptions, dutifully drinking the bitter remedies right alongside him. She worked out with him, enforced a strict routine, fed him a healthy diet, and made him quit smoking, drinking, and staying up late.By some miracle, she actually got pregnant.In the years that followed, the company grew busier. Xavier was constantly traveling, pulling all-nighters, drinking at social events, and inhaling secondhand smoke—all of which were notorious for killing sperm counts.Meanwhile, Lily lived abroad year-round, and Xavier barely visited her more than a few times a year.So, whether the baby in Lily's belly actually belonged to Xavier was highly debatable.The thought that his precious first love might have cheated on him filled Summer with a dark, secret thrill.Serves him right.This was karma for trapping her in a sham marriage for seven years.Just then, Xavier's voice drifted from the office again, issuing a firm warning. "Don't let this slip in front of Summer. We've been married for seven years, and at the end of the day, I'm the one who wronged her. I don't want her to find out the truth and be hurt, and I don't want her to hate Lily.""Honestly, Xavier, you're just too soft-hearted. What do you owe her? She was just a country bumpkin with no background and no connections. It would have been impossible for her to establish herself in a major city. Latching onto you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to her. What does she have to be sad about?"Julian spoke casually, but even without looking, Summer knew he was wearing a condescending, arrogant sneer."If she hadn't leeched off you, do you think she ever could have gotten into a top-tier company like Sterling Group? Or become the head of R&D? She gets to drive luxury cars, live in a mansion, wear designer clothes, and have maids wait on her hand and foot. Besides, you've treated her well enough all these years.""You listen to her every demand like she's your warden. No smoking, no drinking, and a strict curfew every night. She's a country girl, yet she acts so high and mighty, making you drink those awful holistic remedies with her. What billionaire acts like you do? If she had any sense, she'd count her blessings and thank her lucky stars."Scoff.A warden?Smoking, drinking, and late nights—all sperm killers.Xavier's condition was already severe. If she hadn't micromanaged him, his pitifully low sperm count would have dropped to zero, leaving him completely sterile.But from this day forward, Summer would never care for him again.Chapter 3In the seventh year of her marriage, Summer Vance finally discovered the truth: she was merely a stand-in for Xavier Sterling's first love.And that first love was none other than his brother's former partner, Lily Sutton.To make matters worse, Lily was pregnant with his child.But there was one crucial detail Xavier didn't know—he was sterile.A cheating scumbag wasn't worth keeping, so Summer decisively brought up divorce.Xavier, however, refused. Frowning, he demanded in a low voice, "You're asking for a divorce just because I gave Lily a hug? What do you think marriage is? What do you take me for? Summer, you can't just throw a tantrum and treat our marriage like a game just because you know I love you. Don't bring up divorce again. I won't agree to it."Hah.He loved her?What a joke.A few days ago..."Xavier, Lily is coming back to the country. Are you still not going to divorce Summer? Don't tell me you actually fell for that stand-in?"The door to Xavier's office had been left slightly ajar. Hearing her own name, Summer paused, her hand hovering over the handle.Divorce?A stand-in?Before she could process the shock, Xavier's soft scoff drifted from the room. "How could I? The only woman I've ever loved is Lily.""That's what I thought," replied Julian Hawthorne, Xavier's close friend, his tone dripping with disdain. "Summer is just a glorified bedmate."She, his lawful wife, was just a stand-in bedmate?The man who had been tangled in the sheets with her just last night, the man who had tirelessly whispered her name over and over, the man who had breathed sweet declarations of love into her ear.In this moment, not only did he fail to defend her, but he personally confessed his love for someone else.When he whispered those sweet nothings, he was thinking of Lily, calling out for Lily, loving Lily.And to him, she was nothing more than a convenient substitute he had slept with for seven years.A suffocating wave of despair crashed over her. The betrayal pierced her chest, leaving her gasping for breath as a sharp ache took hold.The pain drained the color from her face.Inside the office, hearing the word 'bedmate' made Xavier frown slightly, but before he could say anything, Julian asked, "Then why haven't you divorced her?""The old man hasn't handed over his shares to me yet," Xavier replied."I thought he already gave them to you?" Julian asked curiously.Summer clenched her fists, steadying her racing heart as she strained to listen."He's only transferred a portion over the years. As for the rest, he said he'll give them to us as a wedding gift once Summer and I host our official ceremony. It won't be long now. Just three more months."His tone carried a distinct sense of relief, as if he were eagerly counting down the days to freedom.Tears welled up in Summer's eyes before she even realized it.A chilling numbness spread through her veins, leaving her trembling in the quiet hallway.Back when they first got together, Xavier had pursued her relentlessly.But Summer had heard rumors about his childhood friend, Lily Sutton.Lily was the quintessential golden girl—hailing from a good family, breathtakingly beautiful, and incredibly talented.She was the textbook definition of an unforgettable first love.Summer was a rational woman; she had no intention of dating or marrying a man who was still hung up on someone else.So, when Xavier confessed his feelings for the ninety-ninth time, she had asked him directly."Xavier, is Lily your first love?""No, we're just friends who grew up together. You are my first love."She still remembered how smoothly he had denied it. His gaze had been so steady and earnest, burning with a passion that made her believe he truly loved her.She had believed him.She had accepted his pursuit.But she never imagined that the man who catered to her every whim at home and kept a respectful distance from other women outside would deceive her.And keep up the lie for seven long years.Uncontrollable anger surged through her like an erupting volcano, rushing straight to her head.Her mind buzzed with fury. She wanted nothing more than to storm inside and slap him across the face.Just then, Julian asked another question. "Doesn't your grandfather look down on Summer? Why would he agree to let you two have a wedding ceremony?""Lily won another rising star award in tech recently. The old man knows she'll be returning to the country eventually. He's definitely worried that I still have feelings for her. Between the two of them, he'd rather accept Summer, especially since we have Leo. That's why he wants us to have the ceremony and make Summer my official wife in the public eye. Once we're publicly celebrated, it'll be much harder for me to get back together with Lily, even if I still love her."Julian raised his voice in surprise. "Are you really going to go through with the ceremony with Summer? No wonder Lily is in such a rush to come back!""No, of course not. What are you thinking?" Xavier's tone was filled with utter disdain. "My bride will only ever be Lily. They look so alike anyway. Once she's wearing makeup and a veil, who's going to know the difference at the altar?""Classic Xavier. You're a genius." Julian laughed uproariously, clapping his hands in approval.Summer's heart plunged into an icy abyss, leaving her gasping for air.No wonder Xavier insisted on overseeing every single detail of the wedding despite his busy schedule.He had even personally designed the wedding dress and rings, forbidding her from getting involved.He had claimed he wanted to give her a surprise.What a massive surprise it was.The wedding was never meant for her in the first place.Thinking back on how eagerly she had been looking forward to the big day, Summer felt like an absolute joke. She had been so incredibly foolish.Once Julian finished laughing, he remembered something else. "So why is Lily coming back early? If she returns now, your family definitely won't make things easy for her."Summer was confused. Why would Xavier's family make things difficult for Lily?It seemed there were even more secrets she didn't know about.But Xavier's next words dropped like a sledgehammer, striking her chest so hard she forgot how to breathe.The devastation wiped every other thought from her mind."She's pregnant. She's all alone abroad with no one to take care of her, and I can't stop worrying."Lily was pregnant?Xavier's voice carried a distinct warmth. He sounded overjoyed, and it was blindingly obvious who the father was."Aren't you afraid Summer will find out and throw a fit? If the wedding gets canceled, the old man won't give you the shares."Inside the office, Xavier sounded incredibly confident. "She won't find out. We've been married for seven years, and she truly believes I love her."Outside the door, Summer swayed on her feet, her complexion turning deathly pale as her knuckles turned white gripping the crushed documents in her hands.But a second later, a sudden thought crossed Summer's mind, and she let out a silent laugh.It was a laugh dripping with bitterness and sheer mockery.What Xavier didn't know was that he suffered from severe asthenozoospermia—he was practically sterile.Years ago, when they hadn't conceived after their first year of marriage, the Sterling family grew anxious. They pressured her into getting checked, terrified that her body was to blame for delaying the family lineage.She played the dutiful wife on the surface, but feeling the sheer unfairness of it all, she dragged Xavier to the hospital for testing as well.Since it was a deeply personal matter, she had a doctor friend handle the exams. When the results came out, her friend contacted her first.Knowing how fragile the male ego could be, she took matters into her own hands and hid the medical report to spare Xavier the heartbreak.Her friend had comforted her at the time, explaining that severe asthenozoospermia didn't mean it was absolutely impossible to conceive. But she hadn't mentioned that the odds were essentially like winning the lottery.After that, she learned to cook specialized meals to nourish his body. She sought out a retired holistic doctor for prescriptions, dutifully drinking the bitter remedies right alongside him. She worked out with him, enforced a strict routine, fed him a healthy diet, and made him quit smoking, drinking, and staying up late.By some miracle, she actually got pregnant.In the years that followed, the company grew busier. Xavier was constantly traveling, pulling all-nighters, drinking at social events, and inhaling secondhand smoke—all of which were notorious for killing sperm counts.Meanwhile, Lily lived abroad year-round, and Xavier barely visited her more than a few times a year.So, whether the baby in Lily's belly actually belonged to Xavier was highly debatable.The thought that his precious first love might have cheated on him filled Summer with a dark, secret thrill.Serves him right.This was karma for trapping her in a sham marriage for seven years.Just then, Xavier's voice drifted from the office again, issuing a firm warning. "Don't let this slip in front of Summer. We've been married for seven years, and at the end of the day, I'm the one who wronged her. I don't want her to find out the truth and be hurt, and I don't want her to hate Lily.""Honestly, Xavier, you're just too soft-hearted. What do you owe her? She was just a country bumpkin with no background and no connections. It would have been impossible for her to establish herself in a major city. Latching onto you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to her. What does she have to be sad about?"Julian spoke casually, but even without looking, Summer knew he was wearing a condescending, arrogant sneer."If she hadn't leeched off you, do you think she ever could have gotten into a top-tier company like Sterling Group? Or become the head of R&D? She gets to drive luxury cars, live in a mansion, wear designer clothes, and have maids wait on her hand and foot. Besides, you've treated her well enough all these years.""You listen to her every demand like she's your warden. No smoking, no drinking, and a strict curfew every night. She's a country girl, yet she acts so high and mighty, making you drink those awful holistic remedies with her. What billionaire acts like you do? If she had any sense, she'd count her blessings and thank her lucky stars."Scoff.A warden?Smoking, drinking, and late nights—all sperm killers.Xavier's condition was already severe. If she hadn't micromanaged him, his pitifully low sperm count would have dropped to zero, leaving him completely sterile.But from this day forward, Summer would never care for him again.