Substitute Wife, Genius CEO novel Chapter 40

Mrs. Gable had packed her a change of clothes. They were staying in a luxury double suite equipped with a private bathroom and shower, easily rivaling a high-end hotel.

Whenever Leo was awake, Summer played with the educational toys Gavin and Sebastian had brought him.

There were wooden burr puzzles, assorted board games, a Rubik's Cube, a mini robot, and a toy drone.

He napped frequently during the day, so when he couldn't sleep at night, he hyper-focused on tinkering with the mini robot.

For his age, his reading comprehension was astonishing, and he had incredible patience and focus.

When he hit a roadblock, he never immediately asked for help. Instead, he would study the manual, brainstorm new approaches, and test them out methodically. After every failed attempt, he would pause to analyze what went wrong.

He would repeat this cycle dozens of times. Only when he completely exhausted every conceivable angle would he finally look up at Summer.

Summer would smile back at him. Instead of just handing him the answer, she would use his previous deductions to gently guide his logic.

It only took a tiny nudge for things to click. Leo's eyes would instantly light up, gazing at Summer in pure awe. "Mom, you're so smart!"

Summer thought back to what Leo had mumbled during his fever, and a sharp ache gripped her chest.

Deep down, Leo was constantly second-guessing himself. He didn't believe in his own abilities, thought he wasn't smart enough, and carried an immense burden of guilt because of it.

Left unchecked, that mindset would spiral into severe self-doubt, crippling insecurity, and emotional suppression. It would permanently damage his mental health.

Summer affectionately pinched his cheek. "My Leo is brilliant, too. You were just stuck in the middle of the puzzle, so you couldn't see the big picture like Mom could from the outside. Look, by your twenty-eighth try, you were already incredibly close to the solution. I know that if I just gave you a little more time, you would have solved it entirely on your own."

Leo looked at her, searching for validation. "Really? Could I really have done it, Mom?"

Summer nodded firmly, looking deep into his eyes with absolute certainty. "Of course you could. My Leo is only five years old. The whole world is wide open for you."

Leo threw himself into Summer's arms, hugging her fiercely. "Mom, I won't let you down."

Summer rested her chin on his head. "I know. I believe in you. But going forward, Mom wants you to promise me something. No matter what problem you run into—big or small—I want you to tell me. I love solving problems with you. And of course, if you figure it out all by yourself, Mom will be just as happy watching you succeed."

"I promise, Mom."

The next day was Tuesday.

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