Summer's mind exploded with shock; this punishment was beyond anything I could have imagined. At a complete loss, Summer's eyes instinctively sought out Fraser. He was sitting there completely unaffected, showing not the slightest intention of helping her out of this predicament. Merry whispered urgently, "Summer, you'd better choose someone. Otherwise, you might end up like that, Mr. James. These people don't seem to be going easy on us." A cunning gleam flashed through Max's eyes. "How about sitting on my lap, beautiful? I wouldn't mind at all." Merry rolled her eyes. You're already drooling. If Summer sits with you, you'll have your hands all over her before she can blink. Trapped with no way out, Summer hesitated. Faced with the choice of being fondled by a disgusting stranger or dealing with the devil I knew all too well, I chose the latter. Steeling herself, she got up and walked towards the man seated in the place of honor. The crowd gasped. "This girl is playing the long game, choosing Mr. Graham!" Max was not about to let his prey escape so easily. "Do you even know that Mr. Graham has an obsession with cleanliness? What makes you think that someone of your status can choose him?" Assuming that Fraser would reject such a woman, Max added with a greasy smile, "Mr. Graham, if she bothers you, I'll gladly take your place." Merry was furious. These disgusting men make up rules as they go along. But on their turf, they had no choice but to obey. The corner of Fraser's mouth lifted in a mocking grin. "I'm not an invalid in need of a replacement. Unless you want to be one." There was an icy edge to his tone. Max's neck prickled as if a cold blade had already sliced through it; his bravado instantly deflated. Lennox's gaze, dark with barely concealed jealousy, rested heavily on Summer. This woman has ambitions. But from what I'd observed of Fraser during their brief interactions... This man exuded an impenetrable aura of icy detachment. Ordinary women couldn't possibly get that close. Just wanting to get this over with, Summer got up and walked over, intending to sit for just a second before leaving. As she walked down the narrow aisle, someone's foot suddenly shot out, catching her completely off guard. Her body lurched forward uncontrollably, straight at the sharp-edged glass table. Summer's mind went blank. At the critical moment, a powerful hand shot out. Fraser's arm snaked around her slender waist and yanked hard. Summer landed in the man's lap. The familiar scent of sandalwood enveloped her. Her racing heart began to calm from the near-miss. It happened so fast that to onlookers, it appeared that Summer had eagerly thrown herself at Fraser. It took several moments for Summer to regain her composure. Not daring to meet Fraser's gaze, she awkwardly extricated herself. The glamorous women present sneered in silence. Pretending to be an innocent bunny but really just a vixen. With her face burning, Summer retreated to the restroom after returning to her seat. At the sink, she splashed cold water on her flushed cheeks, unsure whether from lingering fear or embarrassment. She texted Merry, "We're leaving." On her way out, she found Fraser leaning against the corridor wall. His broad shoulders rested against the wall, his long legs casually crossed. The light carved his sharp profile into relief as a cigarette dangled from elegant fingers. At the sound of her footsteps, his dark, lazy gaze swept over her. Summer pressed her lips together as she passed him. "Thank you... for earlier." Without Fraser's intervention, my face would have hit the glass, probably disfiguring me. Probably tripped by one of those jealous women. Fraser exhaled smoke, his voice dripping with lazy amusement. "Idiot." Summer frowned. "You want the GloryPath project?" Summer lowered her lashes. "I'll earn it by myself." Of course, I knew that using him was the quickest way, but also that Fraser himself was the most dangerous variable. As she turned to leave, something occurred to her. She turned back to him. "Why haven't you responded to my text?" About their "expiration date" discussion. Fraser took a slow drag. "I did." He had? I hadn't received anything. Then his indifferent voice clarified. "Silence is also an answer."Summer was speechless.