Chapter 258: Pregnancy Scan
Fraser walked up to the hospital bed and casually sat down in the chair, his head slightly lowered as he stared at the phone in his hand in silence for a while. “Grandpa just passed away yesterday; I wasn’t planning on saying this so soon,” he finally spoke. Lifting his head, his eyes locked onto Helen’s as he said, “Grandma, I want to marry Summer.”
Helen was in shock, and her face paled. Fury surged through her as she snapped, “So you do realize your grandfather just left us, and now you’re trying to send another to the grave right after him! Fine, you’re the head of the Graham family now. You can do whatever you want. You don’t need to care about an old woman like me, do you?” Her voice turned emotional. “Let me tell you, Fraser, if you dare to marry that woman, I’ll end my life right here and save you the trouble of arranging another funeral.”
Fraser’s gaze flickered slightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Why do you have to go this far? Over the years, I’ve ignored all the things you’ve done behind my back because they didn’t matter to me. Those women meant nothing. But Summer? I love her.”
It was the first time Fraser had ever said the word “love.” He had never imagined such a word would apply to him. When he was a child, after losing his parents, he had been thrown into training to become the heir of the Graham Group. His education covered everything except love. Maybe their first encounter had been nothing more than a fleeting spark, but all the jealousy, heartache, and longing that followed confirmed one thing: he had fallen for Summer.
Helen let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Love? Do you think love has a place in a family like ours? Your grandfather’s barely gone, and your uncle Brandon has already rushed back from Oblistan to make a move. What you should be focusing on is how to protect the Graham family, not indulging in some foolish romance! If you hadn’t refused to marry into the Lastesh Group, I wouldn’t have had to resort to this!”
Fraser’s eyes narrowed slightly, the sharpness in his gaze intensifying. “After Grandpa’s hundred-day memorial, I hope you won’t bring this up again. I’m not asking for your opinion; I’m informing you. As for Brandon, it’s time to have a proper talk with him.”
Helen turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. “I’m tired. You should go.”
Fraser left the VIP ward and immediately dialed Summer’s number. The call rang for a long time, but no one answered. At that moment, Mike approached respectfully. “Mr. Graham, the ruedia has surrounded both the Graham Group and the family estate following Mr. Maximus’ passing. The company’s stock has also fluctuated, and many senior shareholders, those who built the empire alongside Mr. Maximus, are starting to stir. You’ll need to hold a shareholders’ meeting soon to stabilize the situation.”
Fraser glanced at the unanswered call before issuing a direct order. “Send someone to Summer’s hotel to bring her home. Whatever she needs, make sure it’s taken care of.”
A week passed. Summer continued her daily routine as if Helen’s call had never happened. The men Fraser sent to pick her up turned away. Nothing seemed to have changed, but at the same time, something had. For the first time, Summer seriously considered whether she and Julia should leave Havenbrook and start over somewhere.
On the day of her three-month prenatal checkup, Yvette accompanied her to the hospital. Summer filled out a stack of forms, pausing briefly when she reached the “Father” section before skipping over it entirely. Yvette, watching from the side, subtly asked, “Summer, that night Fraser took you away… did anything happen between you…?” Summer continued writing “NA.”
Handing the completed form to the nurse, Summer teased, “Didn’t Bobby and Xavier take turns blowing out the candles with you? I say that speaks volumes about your charm.”
Yvette scoffed. “I’d rather give that charm to the old lady selling vegetables on the street.”
Summer chuckled. “Bobby’s definitely a playboy, but Xavier seems decent enough.”
Yvette thought for a moment. “He’s got a better body than Bobby, I’ll give him that. But I’m not in the mood for romance right now. I need to focus on my career before I hit 30. You know how short a female celebrity’s prime is?”
Summer was soon led away for a series of tests—blood work, an ultrasound, an EKG. After a half-hour wait, the doctor reassured her that the baby was developing well. Holding the ultrasound printout, Summer walked out of the room, and Yvette immediately leaned in. The two of them stared at the blurry image in awe and delight.
“Oh my God!” Yvette gasped. “This is my godbaby! Look! So freaking cute!”