Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
She began, “Thank you. You’ve been through a lot. I know this is risky, but do not worry. If anything happens, I’ll take the blame. I guarantee that you will not be implicated.”
The security guard furrowed his brows. “Don’t mention it. I would have died two years ago being beaten by Mr. Schmidt had you not put in a good word to save me. I owe you one¡ªI can do anything for you!”
Feeling touched, she beamed at him. “Still, thank you. Loyalty and comradeship are hard to come by at The Millennium.”
Blushing, the man suddenly looked worried. “But Ms. Altman, why would you take the huge risk to lend Landon Harper a hand? Is it worth the risk?”
“Good question. I have no idea. All I know is that I’m listening to my heart.” A wry expression crossed her face.
He carefully prodded, “Do you… have a crush on Mr. Landon?”
“Pfft. You have great imagination.” She snorted, yet her cheeks reddened. Casting a casual glance at the black windbreaker on the coatstand, she remarked, “Perhaps I’ve lived too long in the dark. It makes me yearn for light.”
On their way back, Jordan was in charge of driving while Angelina sat in the front passenger seat. Keeping Landon company, she said to him, “Mr. Landon, we need to keep our guard up for the time being.
“Jameson Schmidt is the owner of The Millennium, and he’ll definitely catch wind of what happened tonight at his clubhouse. I’m worried he might use your action against Preston tonight to stab you in the back.”
“Whatever. He’s just a paper tiger.” His tone was sharp and arrogant as ever. He rasped, “I’ve gotten what | wanted anyway. Preston’s man hurt you in the leg, so | took his arm. We’re even now. As for the rest, | don’t fucking care.”
“Mr. Landon, thank you for getting back at him on my behalf.” Angelina’s eyes grew misty. Choking, it took her a while to speak.
“But | hope this will be the last time. | will avenge myself in the future. | do not want you to get into trouble over someone like me. He pursed his lips and fell silent. “Mr. Landon, would you like to head home?” Jordan saw Landon having a shut-eye in the back through the rearview mirror.
“Home? Do | still have a home?” Coughing, Landon felt the bitterness spread across him. “The moment Lauren left, | no longer have a home. | cannot bring myself to return to Sage Manor.”
These days, he called the hotel presidential suite his home, as he had nowhere else to go. With his wealth, he could have bought ten more villas, but he was scared of being alone in an empty house.
Any building that resembled a home would evoke his deep yearning for Lauren. Each corner would reignite the happy memories he’d shared with her.
His longing for her was worse than death. One day, he might be crushed under the pain. “Angie, | need a cigarette,” he said in a hoarse voice.
Feeling sorry for him, she declined, “No, Mr. Landon. You’ve been smoking too much lately. The doctor made it clear that cigarettes and alcohol are bad for your health. You have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, and you can’t afford to crumble! Please don’t self-sabotage anymore.”
While she was speaking, Jordan stepped on the brakes, causing them to jolt. “What’s wrong?” Landon narrowed his eyes. Sweat formed on Jordan’s forehead. He honked repeatedly. “M-Mr. Landon, a car is in our way, but it refuses to give way.”
Angelina noticed that the car, though not as expensive as the Harpers’, carried a unique monotone carplate. In Solana City, only the powerful or the politicians possessed carplates like that.
She decided not to invite trouble. She said to Jordan in exasperation, “Let’s back up.” Landon held the opposite view. “Let’s go ahead.” Angelina looked troubled. “But Mr. Landon, that car is…”
“They are the ones against traffic. If anything, they should have backed up and yielded to us. If they aren’t going to follow the rules, we don’t have to show them any respect. Drive into them.”
Jordan dared not defy Landon. He accelerated and collided with the car ahead, causing the hood of the other car to spring up. The driver of the opposite car angrily came over to argue with them, but Jordan was ready to teach him a lesson.
“Are you blind? How can you run into us? Didn’t you notice our special carplate at all? My goodness!” The driver yelled at them insolently, “Are you going to take responsibility if anything happens to the people in my car?”
Under the high beam, Angelina finally made out the face of the man seated in the opposite car. Stunned, she gasped, “Mr. Landon, that’s Mayor Hodgson”s son, Freddy!” Landon’s eyes widened in shock. He cast a threatening look at Freddy and got out of the car. Angelina followed suit.
Seeing that, Freddy lazily got out of his car under the protection of his bodyguard. The air between the two men was tense; the look in their eyes showed they were ready for war.
Freddy snickered. He carried a mocking attitude, a vast shift from his formalities at tht Schmidt Group eVertt. : ‘Sunted, “Mr. Landon, it’s time to switch your driver. He’s not that good, eh?”
Angelina silently curled her fists. She couldn’t believe that a man of Freddy’s stature would behave like a hooligan.
“Are you blind? Can’t you see the lane divider?” Landon immediately went straight to openly insulting the hypocritical Freddy. Freddy’s expression froze.
Landon smirked, looking like a handsome devil in the night. “Your driver behaves worse than a beast. Does he take after you?” “You¡ª” Freddy so wanted to punch Landon, but he feared he might not be Landon’s match.
Taking a deep breath, he grinned maliciously in a manner that did not match his social standing. “Hah! | won’t take your outburst to heart. I’m big-hearted, unlike someone.”
“Who are you insinuating?” Angelina glared at him and took a step forward. Seeing that, Freddy’s bodyguard did the same thing to protect his employer.
Freddy continued smiling. “Not only am | not angry, but as a man, | also feel for you. A breaker hurts badly, especialy qwhen you can do nothing but watch as your woman marries another man. That must hurt like hell.”
Heart sinking, Landon hissed at him, “Who’s getting married?”
“Haha! Mr. Landon, you didn’t know, did you? Since we ran into each other, let me keep ucapdated ¡ì|
‘ihaveco’sdnd Ou an invitation.” Taking a step forward, Freddy whispered into Landon’s ear, “I’m getting engaged to Lauren soon. She’s mine now.”
“What did you just say? Repeat it.” Landon’s breathing grew uneven. His eyes were shooting fire.
Landon looked provoked and tethered on the brink of sanity, much to Freddy’s pleasure. Freddy lifted his chin and cackled manically like a victor. “Mr. Landon, I need to thank you for my marriage to Lauren.
“I wouldn’t have gotten her hand in marriage if the Harpers had treated her better. Instead, you tortured her endlessly, triggering her despite knowing about her condition, which was totally despicable. You could have married her if it weren’t for your family.”
Just now, Angelina and Jordan couldn’t make out the content of Freddy’s whisper. However, they heard his second remark loud and clear, and they looked pained.
“You’re lying!” Landon grabbed Freddy by the collar, nearly lifting him off the ground. He then proceeded to toss Freddy against the car door.
His swift action caught Freddy’s bodyguards by surprise. The bodyguards attempted to stop Landon, but Angelina and Jordan immediately kept them away from him.
Meanwhile, Freddy grimaced in pain as he felt his body falling apart. Having been raised sheltered, he had never been abused in such a manner. He said in a shaky voice, “W-Why would you vent your anger on me? You should blame yourself for failing to keep Lauren by your side. You’re angry at your incompetence, but you’re letting it out on me.”
The color drained from Landon’s face. He could taste blood in his throat.
Freddy continued, “Even if I weren’t in the equation, the Walsh’s would never allow their daughter to marry you! Did you think the Hodgsons forced her into marriage? She agreed to marry me because she was disappointed in you!”
“Shut up!” bellowed Landon.
He hurled another punch at Freddy’s face, causing the latter to shut his eyes in fear.
“Mr. Landon!” Angelina interfered in time. She held Landon’s fist with her calloused hand. “Please, don’t do this! I beg of you!”
However, Landon’s anger did not dissipate. He gritted his teeth.
“Haha! Why aren’t you punching me?” Freddy was emboldened after knowing that Landon was hesitant. “That’s because you don’t have the guts. Your family has already crossed the Walsh’s. Mr. Newton and Mr. Javier shared the same sentiment¡ªthey would like the Harpers blacklisted in Solana City!
“Lay a finger on me, and I promise that none of the Harper Group’s projects will ever materialize in Solana City. I want to witness the Harpers’ downfall!”
The weather at midnight was relentlessly chilly.
Lauren hadn’t gone to bed. Clad in comfortable, fluffy loungewear, she focused on sketching. The ruffling of pencils on the paper was the only sound in the quiet room.
Despite only sketching the outline of a man, anyone could tell that she was drawing someone whom she longed for. He was the only person who tortured her with heartache whenever she thought of him.
Pausing, she traced the lovely eyes of the man on the paper with trembling fingertips. Her mind was flooded with beautiful memories she’d shared with Landon.
Feeling a dull pain in her chest, she hurriedly closed her eyes. She thought, “It’ll get better soon, won’t it?” Sooner or later, she’d adjust to a life without Landon, and he’d put her behind as he dated someone who was a better match for him.
She heard a soft, hesitant knock on the door at that time.
“Ms. Lauren, are you asleep?”
“Not yet. Come in.” Lauren flipped to a new page, concealing her sketch of Landon.
The maid who entered was Holly Lockstein, the best friend of the late Nina when they were working at Seaview Manor. Now that Lauren had moved home, Holly volunteered to attend to her.
“Why aren’t you resting yet? It’s late,” Lauren addressed Holly gently.
“Ms. Lauren…” Eyes flickering, Holly finally said after some hesitation, “Mr. Landon has stood at the Seaview Manor entrance for more than two hours. I learned about this when I heard Mr. Durham talking about it with the others.”
Lauren’s pupils wavered. She felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest and twisted the blade.
“Mr. Durham and the others kept it a secret because they didn’t want to wake Mr. Javier. Even if Mr. Javier is asleep, it’ll be trouble if Rory learns about it.” Holly looked worried.
Lauren turned her back to Holly and switched on her phone. The phone vibrated nonstop as a barrage of notifications of incoming calls flooded her screen. Landon had called her many times, but he only texted her once, writing, “Darling, I miss you.”
Her tears fell onto the screen. His affectionate text had opened her wounds again. She thought she’d gotten used to losing him. Even if she hadn’t, she thought she’d at least be calm at the mention of him.
All her efforts to numb herself had gone down the drain because of Landon’s text.
“Ms. Lauren, just sneak out to meet with him.” Holly felt sorry when she saw Lauren crying.
Lauren hung her head low and hunched her back.
Holly insisted, “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
