Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
To be honest, Lauren wasn’t in the mood for anything. However, she knew that her low spirits would affect Landon. So, she tried to appear cheerful and suggested casually, “I. I’m thinking of visiting Solana City Arts Academy sometime.”
On one hand, she had an interest in the arts. On the other hand, she had picked up the hint from Angelina’s remark. Knowing that Landon would be busy soon, it’d be best to stay in Solana City for the time being.
“Great minds think alike, darling.” He beamed brightly at her. “I’ve been following up on the Solana City Arts Academy matters. I’m trying to get you to audit the classes. I can even hire private tutors and rent you a private art studio there. If you like, you can hang out all day over there.”
Feeling grateful, she choked up and rubbed her nose against his chest. He caressed the back of her head as his breathing grew labored. He nearly melted from her adorableness.
However, his expression soon frosted over. “Angelina, keep an eye on Betty from now on.”
“I have been doing that. She has never left Seaview Manor since Sophia’s trial, perhaps because she’s embarrassed,” Angelina replied.
She could read Landon’s thoughts very well.
“Why are we doing that?” Lauren asked in confusion.
“Did you forget your mom’s final warning to you?” Frowning, Landon felt anxious when he recalled Sophia’s last words to them. “When a person is near death, she will speak from her heart. There must be a good reason she wants you to beware of Betty.”
Ever since Sophia’s sentencing and Betty’s public humiliation by Javier in the court corridor, Betty felt as if she had lost her status in the family. Javier had lost any remaining affection for her.
Betty had been living her life relying on Sophia and enjoying the wealth from corruption. To her, money was nothing.
However, things were different now that Sophia had met her downfall. Sophia’s private assets were frozen for investigation. Unfortunately, Betty had saved all her wealth under Sophia’s account, so she had nothing to her name now.
Apart from two properties given to her by Javier, two luxury cars, and three million dollars in her personal bank account, she had nothing left.
Betty, used to an extravagant and debauched life, could not accept the feeling of poverty. Javier would notice if she sold off the cars and properties for money. What could she do with a mere three million dollars? Even her tips to the male hosts were worth more than that!
After two days of racking her brains, she suddenly thought of the safe by Sophia’s bedside. The halcyon gemstones probably had not been confiscated by the authorities. If sold, they would be worth at least 100 million dollars.
At that thought, Betty scrambled to Sophia’s bedroom and reached for the bedside safe. She carried the safe over to the table and cast a greedy look at the password lock.
After ten or so attempts, her fingers went numb. She had tried all possible combinations of meaningful numbers to the Walsh family and Sophia, but she failed to unlock the safe.
“Fuck! Why would she set a complicated password? It’s not like she could take the gemstones to the grave!” She jumped in anger and rushed to get a big hammer.
When she re-entered Sophia’s room with the hammer, she was stunned by the scene that greeted her. Jeremy and Landon were in the room.
“W-Why are you here?” Trembling, she took a step backward.
She had always felt excited when she met Landon. However, she had nothing but fear for Landon now.
Jeremy sat straight on the couch with a frosty look on his face. He didn’t bother to look at Betty at all.
“I’m here to take what belongs to Lauren.” Landon leaned against the table with a mocking look in his eyes. He patted the safe and explained, “And what belongs to Lauren is contained in this safe.”
Betty’s eyes wavered in shock. Her voice turned shrill. “W-What nonsense is that? Nothing here belongs to her! Do not touch that safe. My mom left it to me!”
Landon arched his brow in amusement. As stubborn as always, he suddenly slapped hard on the safe three times.
Argh! Stop slamming it!” Betty stomped anxiously, worried that the gemstones might break.
Jeremy cast a speechless look at his childish friend. Sometimes, he found it hard to believe that Landon was the future patriarch of the Harper family. He could only hope that Landon wouldn’t lead the Harper Group to its demise.
“This is my home, and this is my mom’s room! The safe contains the inheritance she left behind for me. D-Don’t you ever dream of taking them from me!” She glowered at the two guys and started yelling in frustration.
Soon, she watched in shock as Landon keyed in the four-digit password and opened the safe with ease. She gaped at him in disbelief. “How… How did you get the password? Even I don’t have it!”
“I told you the things in this safe don’t belong to you. Sophia left it to Lauren.” He cocked his head and grinned evilly at her. “If you want the stuff in the safe, maybe make a final visit to your mom and talk her into doing that. She might end up leaving some valuables for you.
“Act fast, though. She’s not going to be around for long.”
Betty nearly fainted from the resentment. Did Sophia share the safe’s password with Lauren, and was Landon here to get the stuff on Lauren’s behalf?
She thought, “Lauren, you dumb bitch. You’re pretty clear-minded at important moments like these, aren’t you?”
Jeremy spoke, “There’s a lot of stuff in the safe. Shall I tell Barry to get you a box?”
“It’s fine. I brought one myself.” Landon took out a foldable bag from his pants pocket. In a clean move, he swept the expensive gemstones into the bag.
Jeremy’s eyebrows twitched in surprise. Landon looked exactly like a robber.
After the two left, Betty stood frozen in the room with a hammer in hand. She stared at the empty safe, feeling as though someone had hit her in the head.
A long silence later, she finally burst out crying.
Her phone rang at the moment. She wiped away the tears and snot on her face and squinted her swollen eyes at the screen.
The caller was someone she hadn’t heard from in a long time.
Her chest tightened. She answered the call and carefully pressed her phone against her ear. “Hello?” “You sound awful. Are you crying at your mom’s funeral or what?” Zoe drawled with a hint of glee. Betty clenched her teeth and snapped, “Zoe Harper, you’re still as foul-mouthed as before!” “Do you miss me? It’s been a while since we met.”
“Hah! Quit the nonsense. Aren’t you spending the rest of your life in Yoarkley now? You’re barred from returning to Solana City.”
“Who said so? Landon Harper might think he could tie me up and send me away like a criminal. He’s abandoned his sister over a dimwit, but I will never let this slide.” Zoe sounded bitter and hostile.
Hearing that, Betty’s mind whizzed. She scrambled up from the floor. “A-Are you able to come home? When will you return? Are you back to take revenge on Landon?”
Zoe hissed through gritted teeth, “I will give him trouble if he makes my life miserable. From the moment he slapped me in front of Alyssa, Jeremy, and the high society of Solana City, I stopped seeing him as my brother. He’s just my enemy now!”
“Right! Landon has crossed a line. How could he abandon his sister even before he marries Lauren? Not only that, Landon is turning against his mom. Imagine if he marries Lauren. What will happen to you and your mom?” Betty sniffled. She then started fanning the flames and backstabbing Lauren.
“Hmph! Stop acting like you’re thinking for me. You’re only saying that because you need me back to take revenge for you,” Zoe called out Betty’s despicable motives.
She added, “You lost your mom’s backing. You have no power without her. All you can do is watch your stupid sister marry into wealth and step all over you.”
That reminded Betty of the halcyon gemstones that were taken by Landon, which would eventually end up as Lauren’s assets. Quivering in hatred, she felt extremely disgruntled and dissatisfied.
Betty thought that, as Javier’s eldest daughter, she was the one who carried her parents’ expectations and enjoyed their affection. How did she end up in such a sorry state? Even that fool, Lauren, had surpassed her in life.
“I will never see Lauren marry Landon! That’ll never happen!” Betty scowled resentfully.
“I share the same thought, but you know Landon. It’s impossible to make him give up on Lauren. That’s why we need to plan this carefully so that he will utterly give up on her.” Zoe chuckled maliciously. “Looks like we’ll be working together once more.
“Have you learned something from your mom’s issue? It’s useless to pin all your hopes on somebody else. Take your revenge by yourself. It’s going to feel cathartic!”
Betty had picked up Zoe’s undertones. Zoe wanted to work with Betty just to be safe¡ªso that she could have someone to blame if things went wrong.
However, Betty was consumed by hatred. She would go to any lengths, even sacrificing herself just to destroy Landon and Lauren. She said to Zoe, “There’s no point discussing this now. Let’s talk when you’re back.”
When Jeremy and Landon left the Seaview Manor, their luxury cars waited for their owners by the entrance. The Seaview Manor was not home to Landon, but it seemed that Jeremy, too, no longer considered the place his home.
“You should have told me Lauren loves this stuff. I can get my hands on as many as I can for her,” said Jeremy as he gazed at the heavy bag in Landon’s hand. “Why would you give Lauren Sophia’s possessions? It’s so icky.”
“If we don’t take these away, they’ll fall into Betty’s hands! I’d rather crush these stones than hand them to that dunce!” Landon looked smug. “It felt so good seeing her red in anger and holding a hammer! Hahaha! She must have been driven crazy after losing something that was nearly hers!”
Jeremy grinned as he shot a helpless look at his friend.
The look in Landon’s eyes softened. He sighed. “Lauren doesn’t care about gemstones, to be honest. She has been feeling awful after visiting Sophia. She even feels remorseful toward you.
“So, I suggest we sell Sophia’s stones and donate the money to a new charity fund named after your mom. It might not mean much, but it’s better than nothing. At least Lauren will feel better.”
Jeremy’s chest tightened after hearing that. What he feared had come true. He worried that Lauren would blame herself for what Sophia had done to him, potentially straining their sibling relationship.
He said, “The grudge between my mom and Sophia is in the past. Besides, Sophia wasn’t even pregnant with Lauren when she joined the Walsh family. Lauren has nothing to do with it.”
Feeling bad, Jeremy patted Landon on the shoulder. He offered, “Bring Lauren to our place when you’re free. I’ll get Lyse to comfort her. She listens well to Lyse. I learned a few new recipes lately. You guys can have a chat with Lyse and taste my cooking.”
Landon’s face fell. He trembled. “Are you inviting us to dinner or poisoning us?”
Jeremy was rendered speechless.
“Is one victim not enough for you? How could you drag Lauren into all of this? Don’t you feel guilty, Jeremy?”
“I’m inviting you over to show you how I take care of Lyse. Learn from me, and your relationship with Lauren will improve by leaps and bounds.
“Loving a woman doesn’t only mean keeping her company. You need to try out new things that you’ve never done before for her. You need to learn new skills,” advised Jeremy with a warm and tender look in his eyes.