Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Javier narrowed his eyes inquisitively, glancing at Betty.
“What… What did you say?” Betty asked, astonished.
“And I hate that perm you gave me… I hate it so much! Can you not do that to me anymore?” Lauren gritted out, her voice laced with hatred.
“What is your sister talking about, Betty?” Javier asked sternly.
“Dad, you know how Lauren is! She says nonsensical things out of the blue sometimes. I don’t really know what she’s talking about either. Betty said sheepishly, playing dumb.
Sophia quickly changed the subject, holding Javier’s arm. “Javier, is … is Jeremy really going to the Taylor family’s celebration and not to ours?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I don’t mean anything else, just that it might be for the best if he shows up.” Sophia said, playing the gracious card.
“It would make more sense for Jeremy to attend Mandy Lovelace’s birthday, given that it would help our family if we had good relations with hers.
“But this is just Lyla Nelson’s birthday, who doesn’t even come from anywhere influential. I heard she had embarrassed herself in the entertainment industry when she was in her youth, too.
“Who knows what nonsense the media is going to write if they find out Jeremy is attending her birthday celebration?”
Sophia’s gaze darkened as she continued, “Plus, Lyla is the least noteworthy wife Winston Taylor has. In fact, she’s no more than a concubine. I don’t think someone like her is worth the attention of Walsh
Group’s CEO. What do you think?”
For some reason, the term “concubine” made Javier deeply comfortable, even making him reminisce.
about Jeremy’s birth mother.
“Lyla didn’t have any support back then, but now she has Winston Taylor. That means she’s no longer as helpless and lowly.
“If it hadn’t been for what had happened in her youth, she would have made it to far greater heights in the industry too and not have ended up being Winston’s third wife, Javier commented.
Sophia bit back her shock, then asked gently. “Did I misspeak, Javier?”
“I heard Dad is going to attend the party too, to catch up with Winston, Javier continued, his tone neutral,
“It’s not like Lyla is the only person worth paying a visit to tonight. Did you forget how important Winston
Taylor himself is? Just let the old man and his grandson go on their way. I’m too tired to bother with all this,” Javier concluded.
What was going on? Sophia was baffled. Why had Javier’s attitude shifted so drastically?
She chuckled awkwardly, unable to say much else.
Meanwhile, Lauren had found a cozy position to curl up in and was currently dozing off. She had been spending her days and nights with Landon before, after all, and hadn’t had good sleep given how often he wanted to kiss or cuddle with her.
Betty was silently trembling with rage beside Lauren, her lips twitching. She wanted nothing more than to tear at Lauren’s face right now.
This fucking bitch! Did she really think that she could do as she pleased just because Landon was protecting her?
Betty thought menacingly, “I going to kill you if it’s the last thing I do!”
Though Sophia had insisted on a low-profile celebration, she had still allowed the media to get word of it.
After all, she needed it like a fish needed water.
The reporters were pa were pacing around the hotel prior to Sophia’s arrival. They quickly surrounded her when she arrived, though she remained behind a circle of bodyguards as she walked into the hotel, looking like some kind of big shot.
“Mrs. Walsh!”
“Madam Sophia!”
The reporters cried, snapping all the photos they could get of her and her family.
Javier was displeased with this turn of events but remained indifferent before the reporters.
“Your family has arrived for your wife’s birthday celebration, Mr. Javier, but why isn’t Mr. Jeremy here?” A
reporter asked.
After all, it would be unbecoming of a reporter not to get a little nosy.
“Jeremy’s occupied, so he had to skip tonight’s event,” Javier replied lightly, nodding at the reporter.
“Madam Sophia, your birthday supposedly falls on Wednesday instead of tonight, yet you’re only celebrating it tonight. Could it have something to do with tonight being KS Group’s President, Winston
Taylor’s third wife, Lyla’s birthday?
“Did you plan you plan to celebrate your birthday on the same night as hers? You two were once TS Network’s star actresses and were rivals. Is this rivalry still going on today?” a reporter questioned.
“Oh? I didn’t know it was Lyla’s birthday tonight until you told me!” Sophia put on a look of surprise, her diamond ring glittering as she covered her mouth.
“I must remember to wish her a happy birthday and a cheerful year ahead. But no, I chose today
She was all smiles. “We have many, many quests tonight, after all, so I had to consider their schedules when planning tonight’s celebration.”
“Did you say ‘guests?” the reporter asked.
They shot looks at one another before someone asked, “We’ve been standing here for two hours but didn’t see anyone arrive
Sophia’s heart leapt into her throat.
That couldn’t be! She had clearly invited over a hundred quests two weeks ago, and most of them had agreed to attend!
Had they not come?
Sophia forced another smile, though she was as tense as a pulled howstring right now.
“Why don’t we head inside first? Javier urged quietly.
They walked to the hotel’s entrance, where two of the staff opened the grand doors for them.
The moment they did, both Javier and Sophia’s expressions froze on their faces. Sophia’s face turned white as a sheet. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming out.
There were less than a handful of quests in the large, spacious ballroom! Her fantasy of a hall filled with women in flowing gowns and men in crisp suits was gone just like that!
Where was everyone?
The ballroom was a pitiful sight with how empty it was. The few men who had attended were Javier’s business partners instead of anyone Sophia knew.
The only women in the room besides Sophia and her daughters were the hotel staff and the pianist they hired! All the rich men’s wives and mistresses who appeared to be on good terms with Sophia were nowhere to be found!
Damn it! Damn it to hell!
If the reporters hadn’t been present right now, Sophia would have thrown a tantrum right then and there.
Javier’s brows furrowed just the slightest, but besides that, he didn’t show much emotion.
Meanwhile, Betty was shocked. She had known how bad her mother’s relationships in their social circle were, but not to this extent!
“Hurry up up and take those photos! This is going to make the headlines!” a reporter cried, followed by frantic snapshots of the virtually empty ballroom.
“We can title this ‘Madam Sophia Walsh’s Birthday Bash-Truly Bashed! No Longer the Starlet of
Yesterday’!”
“This is hilarious! She was even bragging about how many guests she had invited earlier!”
Sophia was quaking angrily under her dress. She glared at Betty, signaling for her to help kick the reporters out.
Betty hurriedly went up to the reporters with a courteous smile, saying, “My mother’s birthday celebration is about to begin, so we’ll be heading on inside to tend to the guests now. Please have a safe journey home, and be sure to get your door gifts outside!”
The bodyguards quickly shoved the reporters outside the hotel.
Some of them scowled and gossiped amongst themselves after getting their door gifts, saying, “To think we trudged all the way here in the snow just to be kicked out. They clearly don’t want to be caught being embarrassed!”