Chapter 23
After Wilder was arrested, Mrs. Hunt sent over lavish gifts.
Summer barely glanced at them before having someone throw them out.
“Ma’am, that seems like such a waste. Did she offend you or something?” asked the housekeeper,
Mrs. Dawn.
Summer didn’t even lift her eyes from her book. “Iif you like it, take it home. No point letting it go
to waste.”
Mrs. Dawn beamed, completely forgetting the question she’d asked.
Yes, Summer hated Wilder–but she wasn’t fond of the Hunt family either.
She simply wanted nothing to do with them ever again.
The doorbell rang.
Mrs. Dawn opened the door.
And there stood Ben.
A rare smile appeared on Summer’s face.
She took him out for a meal and arranged a place for him to stay.
At the same time, Caleb was in his office listening to his assistant’s report.
The papers in his hand had already been crumpled into a ball.
91
The assistant hesitated. “Mr. Stone… should we have someone keep an eye on this Ben? Ma’am
seems… unusually close to him.”
Caleb put down his pen and leaned back, lost in thought.
Eventually, he closed his eyes and murmured, “No. Let it be.”
He had lost all confidence in himself.
He knew Ben had done a lot for Summer too.
He had stayed by Wilder’s side all those years, risking his life constantly. His loyalty and sacrifice
weren’t any less than Caleb’s.
Against Wilder, Caleb felt sure Summer would never go back.
Chapter 23
15.03%
But against Ben?
That confidence was gone.
He clutched his phone, thumb hovering over her contact info.
But after staring at the screen for what felt like forever, he never made the call.
The entire day, he accomplished nothing. Zoned out in meetings.
Eventually, his assistant had to stop the meeting altogether.
When everyone left, Caleb finally blinked and came back to himself.
The assistant sighed.
He had no solution for a man as lovesick as Caleb Stone.
Especially not when the woman he loved was no ordinary woman.
She was someone who had survived bullets and betrayal.
Someone who could walk through hell and still come out on top.
Who could calmly destroy the man who had hurt her, even as she bled inside.
How could a woman like that ever have room in her heart for anyone else?
That night, Caleb returned home to find Summer just finishing up a conversation with Ben at the
door.
4/145
He waited until she entered before going in after her.
Summer smiled at the sight of him and ran into his arms for a hug.
The warmth made both of them feel at peace again.
But Caleb was terrified.
Terrified that this hug might be goodbye.
She noticed his distant expression and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing…”
Summer took his jacket off and led him inside.
“In a couple days, I want to go on a trip. Just to clear my head.”
Chapter 23
15.03%
His heart clenched. He instinctively grabbed her wrist.
“You’re… coming back, right?” he blurted out.
And then instantly regretted it, terrified of the answer.
Summer immediately understood.
She wrapped her arms around him again.
“Silly. I want you to come with me. I just wasn’t sure if you’d be too busy, so I hadn’t brought it up
yet.”
Caleb stared at her, stunned.
He’d thought she was planning to leave with Ben.
He felt like a complete idiot now.
All flustered, he locked eyes with her.
Summer couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
