Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Cyrus didn’t look back at him. He opened the car door with a blank look on his face.
Landon sat there stiffly. His lonely figure looked like his soul had been taken away from him.
Then, while Cyrus was halfway getting out of the car, he paused.
He made a purposeful decision and said coldly, “Yesterday, I made plans with Lauren to bring her to the amusement park this weekend to relax. We’ll be going to see the fireworks.”
After saying that, he got out of the car.
Landon was dumbfounded for quite a while. He only snapped back to his senses after Cyrus’ tall figure had disappeared through the entrance of the police station.
Through his pale lips, he muttered, “Thank you.”
Friday came in a flash.
Preston was discharged from the hospital. As Cornelius was forcing him to head overseas to “recuperate”, he knew that he couldn’t stay longer even if he wanted to.
The moment he entered the manor, he found the entire place in disarray.
His butler and helpers came up to him. They pointed fingers at Sylvia, saying that she came in the morning with a bunch of men in tow.
She had taken away all the valuable things in the manor. If there was anything that she wasn’t able to take, she smashed them all. They estimated that he had lost more than ten million dollars worth of items.
Sylvia wasn’t asking for a divorce. It was more like she had declared war against Preston.
Preston was a money-grubber. His employees thought that he would hit the roof and go on a rampage.
To their surprise, he simply gave a cold reply. “Got it,” he said before leaving everyone and heading upstairs.
This level of calmness was unusual. This peculiar response made them shudder and sent chills down their spine.
Preston had just got into his empty room when he received a call from Sylvia.
“Mr. Preston, you’ve been discharged from the hospital, and you’re about to emigrate overseas to enjoy your later years. Isn’t it about time to put the pedal to the metal and get the divorce settled?”
Sylvia spoke with sarcasm. Every word of hers was choking him. “There’s no meaning in dragging it on. The longer you put it off, the more likely I am to blurt something out of my mouth. If I ended up spewing some nonsense, wouldn’t that just add to your predicament?”
Preston picked up a fruit knife from the tea table. He had no expression on his face. He started carving on the expensive rosewood table slowly.
“Syl, we were husband and wife after all. I’ve never ill-treated you all these years after you married into the Harper family. I didn’t intend for us to get to where we are today.
“I still have feelings for you. Could we rethink the divorce agreement? You’re taking away almost every single thing I have. At the end of the day, I’m still a Harper. You need to help retain some of my dignity.”
“Hah, dignity? You’re now handicapped. You’ve lost your shares and your power. You’re just a useless man. You’re lucky that you still have air in your lungs. Dignity is a luxury. Would you still need it?”
Sylvia spoke in a voice full of disdain and resentment. “All these years, I was your wife by name. But you have never looked me in the eye. You’ve only treated me like a piece of furniture while you lived a life of debauchery out there!
“Not just that, you even hid the fact that you have azoospermia and pinned it on me for being unable to conceive. Cornelius looked down on me, and the plutocrat ladies in Solana City saw me as a joke. They said that I was like a barren land!
“I’ll be frank with you, Preston. If it wasn’t because you are a Harper, I wouldn’t have married you! Without the Harper family as your crowning glory, you’d be even worse off than a beggar by the roadside.
“I’ve waited for this day for too long! You have until tomorrow morning. If you still refuse to sign the papers, I will go to Cornelius and reason with him. Don’t make me say nasty things about you!”
The call ended.
The room was as silent as a cemetery.
Preston put the knife down calmly. He dialed the number of his trusted secretary, Frank Carsen.
“Gather some men tonight. We’re going to see Cornelius before we leave. This will be the very last time.”
Upon saying that, he got up and exited the room; only an ugly and crooked word was left on the tea table¡ª”Death”.
It was deep into the night. At the Harper residence, Cornelius and his secretary, Caspian Gray, were in his study. They were organizing the businesses and shares that Cornelius had in hand.
“Mr. Cornelius, have you really decided to transfer all these to Mr. Landon?”
Caspian couldn’t believe his eyes. He wanted to double-confirm Cornelius’ intention. “Once Mr. Landon takes over these, you are essentially handing the entire Harper Group to him.”
Cornelius picked up his pen. “Of course I know that. Otherwise, why would I have asked you to get all these done?”
“Mr. Cornelius, Harper Group is what you’ve worked hard for all your life. Without you, there wouldn’t be Harper Group. Are you sure that you can bear to let go of all your power?”
“I am already on my deathbed. The family business, no matter how big it gets, isn’t something that I can bring with me when I die.”
Cornelius let out a bitter laugh. He shook his head. “Landon threatened me without thinking of the consequences. He even beat up Preston so severely. Ever since then, I have come to a realization. If I continue to hold onto my power and make things difficult for Landon, Harper Group will only end up in an even messier situation. That will only push Landon to do something even more terrifying.”
“In fact, I have long known that Landon inherited Bill’s fine genes. He’s fearless yet clear-headed. Moreover, he became good friends with Jeremy, who is an outstanding elite in the business world. His future will only get brighter.
“I was the one who was too harsh in his upbringing. I always made use of Preston to put pressure on him. Not only that, I kept splitting hairs just to prevent his marriage with Ms. Lauren from happening. That was how everything spiraled out of control.
“If I had known that it would come to this, I should have handed the power to Landon and retired long ago. He has always been my ideal successor! It’s all my fault. As I aged, my suspicions grew, and so did my hesitation. The decisiveness that I had when I was young is nowhere in sight now…”
Caspian consoled him immediately. “Please don’t say that. Without your guidance all these years, how could Mr. Landon have lived such a smooth life? Your strict standards toward Mr. Landon were just your way of training him up.”
Cornelius let out a long sigh. He put his signature down on a few of the transfer documents. Cornelius then called for his attorney, who had been working for him for years. He handed the documents to him and instructed him to hand them over to Landon after the crisis was over.
Right after that, his cell phone rang.
Cornelius saw that the caller was Preston. Initially, he wasn’t planning to answer the call. But he thought about how he was leaving Solana City soon. Every beginning should have an end. So, he answered his phone.
“You haven’t left the country yet, Preston?”
“Dad, you really can’t wait for me to bugger off, huh?” Preston chuckled casually.
Cornelius’ face turned solemn. “It’s late. Why did you call?”
“I heard that you have been packing your things these few days. Are you getting ready to leave Solana City?”
“Yes, I’m planning to leave. The corporation is slowly being transitioned over to Landon. The chaotic situation has also been contained. It’s time for me to retire.”
“You’re leaving, and so am I. We probably won’t have another chance to meet after we part ways this time. I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to see this useless son of yours again.” Preston belittled himself and sighed.
Cornelius furrowed his brows. “I’m not holding any grudges against you. Don’t overthink it.”
“Dad, I’m now at the manor you bought for Mom.”
Preston’s tone suddenly became tender and full of sadness. “Your achievements in business today are also thanks to Mom being a good helper to you. The both of you were also very much in love. Now that you’re about to leave, aren’t you going to take some of Mom’s things with you for remembrance? “I’m also thinking of using this opportunity to see you one last time. If you still see me as your son, you should come and bid me farewell.”
Cornelius pondered over Preston’s suggestion. He then replied in a low voice, “Alright. I’ll head over shortly.”
“I’ll be waiting here for you then.”
Cornelius left with Caspian. Not long after, Sylvia arrived at the Harper residence.
Today, she had waited for Preston for an entire day. Neither did he show up nor did he answer her calls. She became mad and decided to make a surprise visit to Cornelius. She wanted to vent more about Preston to Cornelius.
“What? Mr. Cornelius has gone out? Where did he go?” Sylvia probed the butler anxiously.
“I think… he is headed for Primrose Manor.”
Upon hearing the answer, Sylvia turned to leave.
Cornelius wouldn’t head over to Primrose Manor for no reason. Sylvia was certain that Preston was there.
She fully intended to make Preston sign the divorce agreement that night, no matter what. Even if she could wait, her lover couldn’t!
It was a dark and windy night. The moon was casting a dim and cold glow on everything beneath it.
As agreed, Cornelius arrived at the study on the second floor of Primrose Manor. Preston was already waiting there, as expected. His lonely shadow on the floor was like a ghostly figure that had returned from hell to seek revenge.
“Dad, I am your son, after all. I really never thought that you’d be so cruel toward me.”
Preston sat languidly on the couch. He grinned sinisterly. “I have always been respectful toward you. I have toiled hard for the corporation too. Yet, you’re kicking me out because I have become handicapped? Aren’t you being too heartless?”
Cornelius suddenly sensed that something was wrong. He turned around to open the door but found that he couldn’t pull it open!
