Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Penelope, a housewife, found herself ill-equipped to handle the situation. Both physically and mentally exhausted, her forehead was covered in sweat, and she struggled to stand upright any longer.
“Grandpa, Uncle Preston, I don’t think my mom can hold on any longer. I need to get her to the hospital now.”
Zoe didn’t wait for a response from them. Swiftly, she took hold of Penelope and slipped away under the protection of the bodyguard.
Zoe helped Penelope get into the car in the parking lot. Penelope appeared much better than before. She was terrified and unwilling to endure further humiliation by staying there.
“Max had always been careful and reliable. How can he be so reckless? He had committed such a huge crime!” Penelope continued to rant.
“Mom, Max probably didn’t want to let the Taylors win, so he wanted to show them who’s boss.” Zoe stroked Penelope’s back to comfort her. Her eyes bore a grim and vicious expression. “However, it’s unfortunate that things turned out this way for him. Now, Grandpa and Uncle Preston need to distance themselves from Mr. Horatio and let him become the Taylor family’s scapegoat. “Additionally, we have to synchronize our story, asserting that this has nothing to do with the Harpers. It was all his idea. It shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”
“I don’t think it will be that easy.”
Despite being a housewife, Penelope hailed from a rich and influential family, affording her a clear perspective. She shook her head sadly. “You witnessed what unfolded earlier. The entire incident was broadcast live. While this may have been Max’s fault, he is still a part of the Harpers. “Moreover, our interactions with Jeremy and Alyssa were hostile. I’m certain this has stirred public anger. The Harper Group’s stock prices and reputation will undoubtedly suffer from these unfavorable public reactions.
“Tomorrow, our stock prices are likely to plummet. Your grandfather and Uncle Preston had been working tirelessly to win favor with Zeke and Ezzo. Now, it seems increasingly improbable.”
Zoe wore a worried expression, but internally, she was overjoyed.
The decline in the Harper Group’s shares had no impact on her. Her father had amassed a substantial amount of money for her and her mother, ensuring they wouldn’t face financial concerns in this lifetime.
Additionally, her brother possessed numerous assets. Who knew how much more she would gain from selling the Harper Group’s shares, too?
She would leave Cornelius and Preston to salvage whatever remained of the scraps. With a solid escape plan in place, she had nothing to worry about.
Suddenly, the sound of a car door being knocked filled the air.
Zoe jumped in shock. Swiftly turning her head, she was met with Landon’s cold glare.
“Zoe, get out of the car now.” Landon’s tone was aggressive.
“Landon, Zoe is your sister. Can you talk to her gently?” Penelope felt angry for her daughter.
“Get out now.” Landon ignored her. His voice was as cold as an iceberg.
Zoe pursed her lip and exited the car.
Landon and Zoe didn’t want their mother to eavesdrop on their conversation, so they purposefully distanced themselves from the car to talk.
“Aren’t you with your dumb girlfriend? You’ve never bothered to show up when something big happens at home. What are you doing here?”
Zoe gave Landon a sidelong glance, casually raising her hand to admire her manicure. “Go and be with your dumb girlfriend. She might be terrified and cry her eyes out when she’s separated from you for more than three seconds.”
“Zoe, watch your mouth.”
Landon moved closer to her, a furious glint appearing in his eyes. “Consider yourself lucky that I still allow Lauren to acknowledge your existence. If you persist in behaving recklessly, you’ll be no different from Betty and the others to me. I’ll treat you the same way I treat them. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and test me.”
Zoe’s heart shuddered, but she kept her chin high and asked, “Anything else you would like to say?” “I know you are the culprit behind everything.” Landon frowned, sending a chilling vibe that could make one’s hair stand on end.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, my dearest brother.”
“Max operated under your order. Zoe, don’t try to deny this. I know it was you,” Landon said through gritted teeth as he clenched his fists.
Zoe said, “He confessed to everything. No one instructed him. He operated alone.”
A sinister smile suddenly crept onto Zoe’s face. “Besides, even if 1 did it, do you have any proof? Show me your evidence.”
Landon”s fist slammed into the wall next to Zoe’s head, leaving her mortified and breathless.
“You listen to me. No one is going to be this lucky forever. No one can keep stepping on others to get their way either.”
Landon took a deep breath and stared at her. His eyes had no trace of any brotherly love. “Mr. Horatio watched you grow up, treated you like his own daughter, and was loyal to the Harpers. That is why he was willing to take the blame for you.
“But not everyone is like Mr. Horatio. You’ve done many terrible things. Soon, you’ll pay for all your treacherous deeds. Everyone will turn their backs on you, and you’ll rot in hell alone.”
“Hahaha! Landon, I advise you not to mess with me. You’ve lost your father, and you’ve abandoned your sister. Do you want to turn your back on your mother as well?
“Mom loves me to bits, and I am her everything. If something happens to me, what do you think will become of our frail and sickly mother? Do you honestly believe she will survive?” Zoe shook her head in disdain, a proud and mocking glint dancing in her eyes.
Landon was taken aback. The veins on his sturdy arms were about to pop.
Preston was so red with anger that he glared intensely. He thought the entire family was filled with cowards who desired glory but would scurry away during tough times.
“Dad, let’s get out of here!” He couldn’t bear to stay any longer. While quick to find a solution, his hands were tied when it came to handling the aftermath of the broadcast incident.
“No, we can’t leave!”
Cornelius’ haggard face was drained of color, and the hand holding his walking stick trembled slightly. “If we leave now, there will be no more pride left for the Harpers.”
So, he could only assert his authority as the head of the family. He pleaded for a chance to make things right with the millions of broadcast viewers and swiftly cut ties with Max. “Max, I brought you home from the orphanage. I gave you education like how I did with my sons. I have never mistreated you and given you food and shelter.
“The Harpers had treated you generously. How could you commit such a terrible and malicious act? I’ve always treated you as my own, but what have you taken us for? Max, you’ve disappointed me. “Now, the evidence is clear. You are the culprit behind this. Mr. Taylor, Mr. Walsh, you can do whatever you want. We’ll comply. Not only that, the Harper Group will take full responsibility for the hurt he caused Ms. Alyssa.”
Alyssa couldn’t help but smile coldly at what was happening.
When Jeremy presented the evidence, the Harpers had been indifferent, aiming to protect their own. Now, they had made a 180-degree shift in their attitude, acting pragmatically.
Cornelius’ plea sounded grandiose. It sounded as if he had covered all his bases.
Yet, Jeremy remained unsatisfied. Gently holding Alyssa’s waist, he said in a low and cold voice, “Mr. Cornelius, do you believe you can wash your hands clean with just this?”
“Mr. Walsh, I’ve left Max for you to handle as you wish. We’re also taking responsibility for what happened. What else do you want?” Cornelius noticed how Jeremy was taking advantage of them. He hated Jeremy so much that his body was trembling.
“Of course, we want an apology.”
Then, Jameson, who had been silent for a long time, appeared with impeccable timing. Speaking slowly, he said, “Mr. Cornelius, you groomed Max since he was a child. Now, he attempted murder and handicapped KS Group’s million-dollar racehorse. Lyse is injured, and we are unsure if this will pose more health problems for her in the future.
“Taking full responsibility for this is right. However, as the head of the Harper family, shouldn’t you apologize to Uncle Winston and Lyse?” Jameson articulated precisely what Jeremy wanted to convey, hitting the point with every sentence.
However, Jeremy couldn’t care less. This was the outcome he wanted.
However, Alyssa’s expression darkened, showing no signs of being affected by Jameson’s actions. “Wow, who is this handsome man? I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“He is Jameson Schmidt, Ms. Alyssa’s devoted guardian angel. He has successfully resolved numerous issues for her.”
“Oh, my God! What exquisite and distinctive features he has! He’s like a walking sculpture. I love it!” “Plus, he is a kind man. If I were Alyssa, I would choose Mr. Jameson. So what if Mr. Walsh repented and came back? Once you miss the chance of fate, it’s useless even if you repent.”
“I agree. We’ve had enough of three years of their marriage. I want a handsome man, young and strong.”
The atmosphere was already tense, but now it had grown colder than an iceberg.
The vein on Cornelius’ forehead bulged. A fiery rage burned in his chest. He had always been on his high horse throughout his life. How could he suffer such humiliation from this bunch of young people trampling all over him?
“That bastard is at it again. What does this have to do with him?”
Daisy expressed her discontent softly, “Jeremy has the guts to say it. After all, he started it, so he is not afraid of getting on the bad side of the Harper Group. What is Jameson doing jumping in? He’s going to drag the Schmidts down with him.
“Do you take him for a fool? The man is a genius and thought of a way to kill two birds with one stone by jumping in now. Not only will he snatch Jeremy’s glory, but he can flaunt his existence to Alyssa and curry Mr. Taylor’s favor.”
Josh stared at Jameson coldly. “Plus, he could also take the Harper Group down a notch. Dad always had a beef with the Harpers. He’s always annoyed but would never express his displeasure. Jameson had stood up on Dad’s behalf to express the anger he had suppressed for so long.”
Daisy and Josh’s faces turned grim.
Jameson had assessed David, curried favor with Winston, and repaired his relationship with his father. What was he going to do next? At this rate, no one was safe.
Eventually, under the public’s pressure, Cornelius had to humble himself and apologize to Alyssa. Preston’s eyes were filled with hatred. However, they couldn’t ignore this. If they didn’t set aside their pride, their stock prices would hit rock bottom when the market opened the next day.
The horse race today had turned into an entertaining drama.
Zoe getting slapped in the face for slandering, Alyssa’s fall from her horse, Sophia’s arrest on drug charges, and a Harper family member’s ambush on the Taylors¡ªall these incidents rivaled the gossip in the entertainment industry. They provided enough material to keep everyone occupied for years.
The four families left unhappily. The looks on Cornelius and Preston’s faces were ghastly when they left, to say the least.
Ezzo witnessed all the drama. However, he didn’t mention anything about a partnership.
Winston didn’t rush to inquire, either, having not placed much hope in the project to begin with. Getting the project would be a bonus; if not, he was content with the efforts put in.