Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
“Is this about Lyla Nelson?” the man inquired.
“Yes, it’s none other than her,” Sophia confirmed.
“Ms. Kirkman, I owe you a great deal for your past help. Please tell me how I can assist you now,” the man offered.
Sophia sniffled, a wicked gleam appearing in her eyes.
The evening dress that Sharon had designed for Lyla was the talk of the party. However, that wasn’t the climax yet, for the gift presentation was coming up soon.
Everyone was curious about Winston’s birthday gift for Lyla, thinking it might be a property or some jewelry.
To everyone’s astonishment, he presented Lyla with a charity foundation dedicated to disabled and seriously ill children. Not only was the foundation named after her, but she had also been appointed as its chairwoman.
Alyssa smiled in satisfaction at the gift, knowing that the Taylor wives were of a different breed. Except for Winston and herself, none of the women were remotely interested in material wealth or jewelry.
Winston’s gift was much better than any diamonds and resonated with Lyla. She had been volunteering at an orphanage during her free time for years, funding the needs of underprivileged children with her private savings.
She had kept her charity work a secret from the family, thinking that Winston had no clue about it, but Winston had known and orchestrated this grand surprise.
“Lyla, I know you’re into charity work, and you’ve been secretly helping a lot of kids at the orphanage. After much consideration, I thought this would be the most fitting gift,” Winston explained, holding her hand with an affectionate gaze.
Lyla sighed, her eyes brimming with tears. “Oh, Winston, you knew after all.”
“You shouldn’t cry on your big day.” Winston chuckled with a frown and gently wiped her tears away. He looked at her with such tenderness that it would make any woman envious.
“Since I’ve established a charity foundation for Lyla, I’ll invest five million dollars in its operations. I hope to see everyone’s future support for the Lyla Taylor Care Foundation. On behalf of KS Group, I express my gratitude in advance,” Winston declared, exuding an air of authority.
With his straight posture and captivating voice, he looked not a day older than 40 years of age. One couldn’t believe his age based on his looks.
“Wow!”
A thunderous applause broke out in the hall.
One guest commented, “Mr. Taylor might not have bought a property or jewelry for his wife, but he generously donated five million dollars to her charity foundation. That shows how much he cares about her.”
“Mr. Taylor’s gift is creative and meaningful, unlike the other husbands who always buy their wives the same gifts.
“This not only elevates Lyla’s stature but also builds a positive image for the Taylor family. It’s a win-win solution.”
Newton, Victor, and Jonah were seated together at the same table just below the stage.
Victor grumbled under his breath, “What’s that guy using to maintain his youthful appearance?”
He turned to Jonah and inquired, “Jonah, what’s your dad’s skincare like? He’s aging backward. Just tell me.”
Jonah offered a humble smile. “He probably uses some makeup.”
Victor and Winston had been silently competing against each other for decades.
“Oh, where did he hire his makeup artist from? That’s a pretty natural look. Can you introduce me to that makeup artist?” Victor inched closer to Jonah, who looked speechless.
Meanwhile, Newton was tickled by their conversation.
At the other table, the Taylor family was joyfully applauding. Tatiana suddenly burst into tears upon seeing Lyla so emotional and happy onstage.
Seated beside Tatiana, Mandy quickly noticed it and handed her a napkin. “Taty, why are you crying?”
“I’m… I’m fine, Madam Mandy,” Tatiana replied, wiping her tears with the napkin.
She added, “I’m just … happy for Mom.”
Mandy affectionately tousled Tatiana’s long hair. In their huge family, everyone called her Mandy. Only Tatian, the youngest, still referred to her as “Madam Mandy”.
That didn’t bother Mandy at all. She was deeply moved by Tatiana’s response and agreed, “Oh, you should be.”
I’ve always thought Dad didn’t care much about Mom, Tatiana confided.
“And I’m the least accomplished among his daughters Madam Mandy, your daughter is the future first lady of Kentina. Lyse is an icon in the design world, and she manages Dad’s hotel at the same time.
“But look at me. I know nothing. I’m always a burden to Mom and everyone else…”
“Taty, you shouldn’t see yourself that way.” Mandy comforted her and pulled her into a warm hug.
“Your dad has repeatedly told us that he wants you to enjoy life without worry. He doesn’t care about your success, only your happiness and safety.
“Besides, your dad loves your mom deeply, even if he doesn’t express it openly. We should judge him by his actions, don’t you think?”
Tatiana nodded tearfully as she rested her head on Mandy’s shoulder.
Next, several important guests presented Lyla with gifts worth millions of dollars to avoid looking stingy.
in front of Winston Taylor, the Belbanks tycoon.
“The next gift is from Jameson Schmidt of Schmidt Group!” The emcee announced, and the spotlight beamed on Jameson..
Everyone looked toward Alyssa’s table. She also glanced curiously at the calm and poised Jameson.
“Did Jimmy prepare his gift without telling us?” David gasped. His face darkened as he gritted his teeth.
“Huh, what a calculative fellow. All he cares about is impressing the Taylor family and stealing the spotlight. What’s the purpose of that?”
Josh leisurely sipped his red wine, his expression dripping with disdain. He commented, “Jimmy has always been a smart aleck. He doesn’t understand that trying too hard will backfire on him.
“While he might have pleased Alyssa with that gift, little does he know he’s pissed Dad off. Dad still holds the power
David grinned and added, “Well, let Jimmy grovel at the Taylors’ feet and watch everything fall apart around him!”
As expected, Victor’s expression soured. He clenched his jaw and shot a piercing look at Jameson. He was shocked to see Lily there with Jameson.
The emcee brought Jameson’s gift onto the stage, and everyone watched on with interest. Lyla looked at Winston with hesitation.
Winston put his arm around her waist and said, “He put in time and effort for this gift. Let’s take a look.”
Winston’s expression changed when he saw the gift, and his gaze silently turned to Jameson. The other guests exclaimed and praised the gift with an intensity that rivaled their surprise at Sharon’s design.
Alyssa frowned when she realized Jameson had bought Lyla a valuable marble sculpture from the
Victorian era.
It was an item so rare that it could have been showcased in a national museum. At auctions, it could easily fetch a starting price of 30 million dollars.
The fact that Jameson had chosen this gift for Lyla, one that was more expensive than Victor’s, was a clear provocation.
What made it worse was that Jameson and Lyla were not particularly close, likely having only met a few times. It wasn’t a gift for Lyla. It was a thinly veiled attempt to curry favor with Winston.
Alyssa pressed her lips and shook her head gently. When she casually looked to the right, she was shocked to find Jeremy missing.
Her heart skipped a beat as she scanned the room for his presence.
“Madam Lyla,” Jameson greeted her in front of the stage, wearing a humble smile as he introduced his gift.
“This is my birthday present for you-a marble sculpture from the Victorian era. I wish you good health and happiness with Mr. Taylor.”
After a brief pause, Lyla beamed at him warmly. “Thank you, Mr. Schmidt. You didn’t have to give me such an extravagant gift. Your presence is more than enough.”
Winston chimed in with a joking tone, “Indeed. This is quite lavish, People might think it’s my birthday gift, haha!”
Jameson adjusted his glasses with an inscrutable gleam in his eyes.
Meanwhile, the guests gasped and gossiped.
“Wow, a gift from the Victorian era!”
“That’s an incredibly rare and valuable antique!”
“Mr. Jameson Schmidt has never shown up at any formal family events, and now he’s making a grand entrance with a generous gift. He’s quite something.”