Chapter 28: The Deal Is Sealed

Fraser finally pulled away from the kiss. Summer’s lips were slightly swollen, her gaze hazy, her breath uneven as she leaned against him. She steadied herself and looked up.

“Fraser… was that enough sincerity?”

Fraser chuckled, finally understanding her game. His lips curled into a lazy smirk.

“Summer, you’ve grown bold. Trying to seduce me, hmm?”

Seeing that he wasn’t upset, she cautiously asked, “So… will you invest 500 million dollars into the Stewart Group?”

Fraser tilted his head slightly.

“You agree to one condition, and the Graham Group will invest.”

“What condition?”

His smirk deepened, his voice slow and deliberate.

“Break up with Trevor. Stay far away from him.”

Summer had already broken up with Trevor. But clearly, no one believed it. Was this just a man’s damn possessiveness? Fraser and Trevor had always been rivals in Havenbrook’s elite circle. He probably just didn’t like the idea of a woman he had touched still being tied to Trevor.

Summer nodded without hesitation. “Fine. I’ve already broken up with him.”

Fraser narrowed his eyes slightly. He hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly. His deep gaze swept over her, trying to read her expression. But she gave nothing away.

Just then, a loud bark broke the tension. Summer instinctively pushed Fraser away. Even though they were at Skycrest Villa, surrounded by his people, she still felt a little flustered.

A fluffy white blur came sprinting toward them like a lightning bolt. Pudding had finished his bath. His fur was soft, clean, and glowing under the sunlight.

Woof woof woof!

Hailey ran after him, breathless.

“Slow down, Pudding! Slow down!”

Summer barely had time to react before the dog barreled straight into her. But instead of falling back, she was steadied by a strong arm. Fraser had pulled her in at the last second, catching both her and the oversized fluffball with ease.

He adjusted his grip on her, muttering with mild disdain, “Summer, do you even eat? You’re skinnier than Pudding.”

Skinny? She called this perfectly proportioned. At 5’5”, she was barely 110 pounds.

“Mr. Graham, you clearly don’t understand,” Summer huffed. “This is the ideal figure for a woman.”

Fraser raised an eyebrow.

“Is that so?” He smirked. “I think you could stand to gain a little weight. It’d feel better to hold.”

This man! Summer’s cheeks flushed slightly. She took a step back and set Pudding down. The dog was solid—easily over 80 pounds—and he clearly loved throwing himself at people. If he kept this up, Summer had a feeling her waist wouldn’t survive.

She ran her fingers through his freshly washed fur.

“Pudding, you smell amazing after your bath.”

Pudding wagged his tail and, as if understanding the compliment, licked her hand in response. The warm, ticklish sensation made her giggle. Fraser’s gaze darkened slightly. For some reason, watching Pudding act so clingy made him annoyed.

With a casual flick of his foot, he nudged the dog aside. Pudding barked in protest. Fraser barely glanced at him.

“Behave.”

Summer crouched down, shielding Pudding.

“Don’t be so mean to him.”

Fraser let out a slow exhale, looking at her in mild disbelief.

“You’ve only known him for a few hours, and you’re already acting like long-lost soulmates?”

Summer ignored him and focused on playing with Pudding.

“Pudding!”

Woof woof woof!

“Pudding, go fetch that toy ball!”

Woof woof woof!

The dog immediately sprinted toward a sycamore tree and grabbed the ball between his teeth. Summer watched, amazed.

“Pudding is so smart. He understands so many commands. Was he trained?”

“No.”

“…What?”

A dog this well-behaved and responsive hadn’t been trained?

Fraser explained casually, “He just doesn’t like strangers.”

Summer hesitated. So Pudding didn’t usually like unfamiliar people? Then why was he so attached to her? Maybe it was because she had always fed stray dogs as a kid. Maybe she just naturally carried a comforting presence for animals. That was why Pudding was drawn to her.

Fraser saw right through her thoughts and smirked.

“Guess you’ve got a scent Pudding likes—must be that ‘dog mom’ smell.”

Summer was speechless. The evening breeze swept through the garden, lifting the strands of hair framing her face. The hem of her dress swayed gently with the wind.