Chapter 163: The Strings of Control
Summer slowly opened her eyes. Finished. She lay in bed for a long moment, dazed as fragments of last night’s debauchery flashed through her mind like a scandalous movie reel. Every position, every place. The sofa. The floor-to-ceiling windows. The dining room table. The shower. This die. The wine. And my mouth.
Summer sat up straight, the sheets sliding down her body. In the daylight, the bruises stood out starkly—violent blooms of purple and red against her skin. Regret washed over her. I had been devoured, and yet, no terms had been negotiated.
She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and fired off a text: "About the terms you promised last night, would you like to explain?" The moment she hit send, her phone rang.
“Leona? What’s wrong?”
“Ms. Steward, Mrs. Stewart has been having chest pains for days. She refuses to tell you, but… we all know she misses you. Could you come visit?”
Summer’s fingers curled around the phone.
“She’s barely sleeping. The family doctor insists she go to the hospital, but she won’t.”
A pang of sympathy broke through her resolve. “I’ll go later.”
After hanging up, she sent a message to her mentor at work that she would be late. The second she swung her legs out of bed, her muscles screamed in protest. Her body felt wrongly reassembled. As if Fraser had taken it apart and put it back together haphazardly. That bastard.
She hobbled to the walk-in closet and pulled out a high-necked silk blouse, which was the only thing that could hide the evidence. After cleaning herself, she drove to the Stewart Mansion. A maid spotted Summer’s arrival and rushed to announce her, but Summer waved her off. “I’ll go up myself.”
On the second floor, she paused outside her mother’s bedroom, just as raised voices erupted inside. Jasper’s roar was venomous, “You can’t even control your own daughter! Useless!”
“She’s our child, Jasper. After neglecting her for Margaret all these years, shouldn’t we make amends instead of forcing her!” Julia said, coughing. That she’s with Mr. Graham now, so she should utilize this resource to pave the way for our Steward family…
Jasper’s voice turned icy, “You know what matters to me. The Stewart name will sit among Havenbrook’s elite. Anyone who stands in my way—daughter or wife—is expendable.”
The door flung open. Jasper stormed out without a backward glance. Summer squeezed into the shadows of the hallway, wanting for his footsteps to fade before entering.
Julia sat slumped on the bed, her pallor ghastly, strands of hair escaping her usually immaculate updo. But her eyes lit up at the sight of her daughter. “Summer! You came.”
“Leona said you weren’t feeling well.”
“Just a cold, nothing serious. Come here.”
Summer didn’t move. “If you’re sick… see a real doctor.”
Julia’s eyes welled up. Tears spilled out before she could stop them. Summer stood frozen for three heartbeats, then turned and walked out.
At this time, Jasper just walked out of the study. He had just heard the maid say that Summer had come to see Julia. Summer saw him. It was… poorly timed for me here. His smile was one of fatherly concern. “Your mother’s health improves when you’re home. Why not move back?”
Summer’s gaze froze. “I’m not a doctor.”
Jasper’s mask slipped. “Then set up a dinner with Fraser. If he’s your husband, he owes me respect as your father.”
A hollow laugh escaped her. “So you can make your business proposals? Sorry, we don’t even speak. Our last conversation had ended in negotiations for a separation.” Even if I had the clout, I’d never use Fraser for Jasper’s greed. I’d always know this so-called “father” valued power over family. But to hear him admit he’d replace her mother, the woman whose family bankrolled his empire, for lack of obedience?