Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Like her…
Silas’ eyes brightened upon hearing those words. He gazed seriously at Rose. “Is that a serious question, Rose?”
“Do you have the guts to answer it?” Rose guessed that Silas didn’t.
The Taylor family was an elite one, and all its children were people who made their father incredibly proud. All of the Taylor family sons had important positions and tasks. Only some princesses or members of royalty could be on par with them.
Rose was neither. She was only an international fashion designer. She might have a superb reputation, but her background would always involve her mother, a killer.
Rose couldn’t possibly be a good match with Silas. No matter how close her relationship with Alyssa was, Rose would never dare to dream of it.
“I like you.”
Silas’ sudden confession cut off Rose’s thoughts.
“What did you say?”
“I like you. Would I care so much about whether or not I had your attention if I didn’t? Would I hold you in my arms or kiss you?”
Silas’ gaze was passionate as his heart pounded in his chest.
He had to admit to himself that the alcohol had given him liquid courage and not merely sparked feelings for Rose from nowhere.
“Ms. Emerson, I’m in a professional line of work and am not frivolous. All these signs point to only one possibility, which is that I do have feelings for you. You don’t need to question it anymore. I freely admit to it.”
Rose was stunned into silence.
A tried and true prosecutor was able to confess his feelings in such a refreshing, reasonable manner.
“Plus, I kissed you.”
Silas looked down and closed the distance between their lips. “I don’t care if it was your first kiss or not. But I feel responsible for you for having kissed you.”
Rose was greatly moved by Silas’ promise to take responsibility for her. Still, she steeled her heart, shoved him, and left his embrace.
She brushed it off, “Don’t worry about that. I’m not a fussy woman. That’s not my first kiss anyway. You don’t have to take responsibility for me like a strait-laced man.”
Then, she tossed her smooth hair and waved in a carefree manner. “Mr. Taylor, you’re handsome, but I prefer a rebel over a symbol of justice.”
A rebel? Would she prefer the likes of the devilish Axel or even Landon Harper?
Landon was taken, but Axel was available. Besides, tonight’s event saw the gentlemen and ladies mingling freely like a blind dating occasion. Even he was momentarily tempted by the choices around him.
Could she have developed an interest in Axel?
Feeling oddly threatened, he blurted out, “How about trying out different stuff?”
Rose, who had maintained her calm, turned her lips downward. She nearly lost her composure when she heard the suggestion.
“I don’t mind. I like my romance new and thrilling,” Rose replied with a tantalizing smile like a vixen. “But Mr. Taylor, are you sure you can handle a celibate who might have a change of heart at any time?”
Rose had a brief and hasty exchange with Alyssa before she excused herself, citing work matters at the studio. Rose’s assistant picked her up soon after.
Alyssa, worried about Rose and curious about what ensued between her and Silas, confronted Silas. She found him with a long face on the living room couch, sipping on the tea that Mrs. Rosie had served him.
“What’s wrong? Did you bully Rose or something?” Alyssa accused him, choosing to side with her best friend in the first place.
“I kissed her,” he confessed.
There was no point in keeping it a secret at this time. Silas even hoped that Alyssa could offer him some ideas.
Instead, he grunted, “Ouch!” as he felt a dull pain on his forehead. It turned out that Alyssa had plucked a grape from the fruit platter and hurled it at his head.
She gasped, “No wonder… No wonder her eyes were red and swollen. She was in low spirits as well. You did bully her!”
Then, she started plucking off the grapes and hurling them at him out of anger. “You’re a jerk! How could you flirt with my best friend? I’ll do anything to make you marry her now. I’ll make her my sisterin- law!”
Silas stared at her in a daze despite the grape attack. He even stuffed a grape into his mouth as he questioned, “You said her eyes were red from crying when she left. Was that true?”
“Of course! And it’s all your fault for bullying her. All I asked was that she checked in on you. How dare you lay a finger on her? Are you a prosecutor or a pervert? Oh, the audacity!” Alyssa placed her hands on her hips as she continued her barrage of insults. “You need to answer Rose for what happened tonight, or you’ll be the second largest prick in this family after Winston!”
“You think I don’t want to? I told her I loved her, but she rejected me. What could I do?” Tearing up, he rose from the couch. “Fine. I admit I love her, so I confessed to her. I’m clueless about relationships and talentless in flirting with girls. Even then, I’d like to give it a shot.
“But she wasn’t into me. She even told me that she was content with flirting around without commitment. What should I do? Are you going to point a gun at her and force her to fall for me?”
Alyssa blinked in shock. She couldn’t believe that Silas had gone straight to confession. As for forcing a kiss on a lady… Any woman with some reservations would have hated that.
The squabble between the siblings attracted Jeremy’s attention. He showed up looking drunk, but his mind was crystal clear.
He approached Alyssa and placed a hand on her waist. Then, he whispered hoarsely, “Why did you get into a fight with Silas for no good reason?”
She twisted her waist in protest and made him her punching bag instead. “All men are jerks!”
Jeremy looked disgruntled after being unfairly blamed.
Silas, who realized he shouldn’t have yelled at Alyssa, hurriedly apologized, “Lyse, I was wrong. I had too much to drink and made a mistake there. I’m sorry.”
“Are you going to claim that you kissed Rose because you were drunk? Hmph! That’s men for you! Irresponsible brats who flirt and go.”
“No…” Silas closed his eyes and shook his head. “I was sober when I kissed her. I knew exactly what I was doing.
“Lyse, I love Rose, but unfortunately, she doesn’t feel the same toward me. This one-sided relationship is doomed from the start.
“Besides, she doesn’t want to get married and likes to chase after the thrill. We don’t have a future together because we don’t share the same values. Oh well, it looks like you’ll never get a sister-in-law. I’ve let you down.”
“Silas!”
Silas left the villa dejectedly without another word.
“Lyse, I’ll see him off,” Jeremy offered.
It so happened that the cab had arrived. Silas was about to get in when Jeremy stopped him.
Jeremy began, “Silas, stop. I have something to say.”
Looking at him in a daze, Silas asked, “What is it?”
“Relationships can be worked on. Even if it is a one-sided relationship now, you can give it a try if you’re serious about Ms. Emerson. What if you succeed in changing her heart? Give it a try so you have no regrets,” Jeremy earnestly advised.
Squinting hard, Silas mused, “Why didn’t you fall for Lyse in your three years of marriage, then?”
Jeremy choked in surprise. Silas was indeed a professional expert who hit where it hurt.
“Didn’t you go through a huge ordeal, even risking your life and turning our family upside down before you reconcile with her?” Silas argued.
“But I won her heart in the end,” replied Jeremy bitterly. “If you are serious and determined.”
“I might sound like I was taking a jab at you. Well, it was a jab at you, but I have another reason for telling you this,” Silas confessed with a heavy sigh, his bright eyes now clouded by worry. “I’m not as determined as you are, and I don’t want to kick up a huge fuss over love.
“Dealing with Lyse, a carefree and romantic spirit, is troublesome enough for our family. They do not need another Taylor following in her footsteps.”
Silas added, “A deep and passionate love doesn’t last long. The wiser you are, the deeper you hurt. Jeremy, you’re no doubt a lucky one. Not many could share your luck, and not everyone is willing to go down the same path as you.
“All I want in this life is to live up to my principles and protect my sister, just like what my late mother wanted. That’s all I hope for.”
The driver leaned over the car window and grumbled irritatedly, “Are you getting in or not?”
“Yes! Yes! Let’s leave.” Silas calmly waved goodbye to Jeremy and hastily hopped into the car.
The cab soon disappeared in the deep of the night, leaving Jeremy frozen on the spot with a frown.
Although the merriment continued late into the night, the party would have to end at some point. The guests, knowing their limits, left at the right time.
Sean sent Tatiana home while Xavier dropped off Maggie. Meanwhile, Julien pestered Jonah to send him home.
“It’s only 11:00 pm now. You’re a six-foot-tall gym rat who’s totally capable of getting home on your own,” Jonah said impassively.