CEO's Tears Over Pregnancy Test Discovery

Mrs. Lucas was all too happy to oblige, quickly setting her utensils down. "That's wonderful! You two have so much in common. I'll head upstairs for my skincare routine."

As soon as she left, Summer slid her chair closer to Ben.

"I don't have time," he stated bluntly.

"No problem. Another time, maybe?" Summer replied, undeterred. "There's a new cafe near your law firm. How about we grab a coffee there next week?"

Summer didn't retreat just because of one rejection. She wasn't hoping for Ben to fall madly in love with her. She just needed him to agree to marriage and eventually have a child with her. That was enough. Ben's expression darkened. "I don't have time any day, Miss Larson. My mother's intentions for this dinner are obvious, and I don't want to lead you on. I'm just going to be upfront that I'm not interested." Summer's smile faltered briefly but recovered just as quickly. "Well, let's not be so absolute. People can change their minds."

When she first learned that her life would involve an arranged marriage, she resisted. But growing up privileged came with its own price. Her parents would always hold the final say in her marriage. Ben's situation was no different; as long as his family was involved, he'd have no choice in this matter either.

"Miss Larson, with everything you have to offer, you must have plenty of men vying for your attention. Why cling to someone like me?" Ben found himself almost amused by his own words.

He knew exactly what kind of person Jamie was. She was a gold-digger, someone entirely unworthy of genuine love. Nothing he did could ever warm her heart.

Yet, he couldn't stop himself from

loving her, no matter how toxic it was. That love had twisted into resentment, into bitterness. It was precisely because he loved her so deeply that he also wanted to see her pay.

Summer waved his words away with a laugh. "I told you already that I don't care. Really, I don't."

She wasn't some naive girl anymore, wrapped up in fairy tales and convinced that love was all that mattered. She knew better. Even ordinary marriages couldn't escape affairs.

In her world, they were practically

expected. Her own father had kept several women on the side over the years, yet hone had dared confront her mother, and there were no

children complicating their family'sProperty of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

legacy.

For her, all that mattered was that the Larson family's legacy stayed intact, with her and her brother as the rightful heirs. When it came to her future husband, her expectations were simple.

"You're impossible," Ben muttered, standing up to leave.

Summer grabbed his arm. "Wait! If you walk out now, Mrs. Lucas will notice. She's still watching, and so are my parents. Just stay for a bit and play along, alright?"

Ben didn't see any need to put on an

act with her. He knew exactly how his mother operated. If he so much as exchanged contact information tonight it wouldn't be long before she would be pushing for marriage and children.

The best approach was to shut it down from the start.