Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Landon’s lips trembled slightly as he took the camera. “Thank you,” he rasped.
“Whether it’s you, Lauren, or Angelina, you must all come back safe and alive.” Cyrus took a deep breath, his small smile offering a warmth that felt like a hug. “Lyse and Jeremy aren’t the only ones worrying and waiting for you. Count me in, my friend!”
Landon was slightly taken aback. Then, he smiled and patted Cyrus’ shoulders heavily.
It was nearly dawn, and a sliver of the moon cast a faint, silvery glow across the starless night sky, deepening the chill and loneliness.
Tires screeched against the asphalt as the sports car drifted steadily into the parking lot, coming to a stop in the middle.
Landon’s eyes fell on a half-built commercial building that belonged to one of Harper Group’s businesses.
This project was originally under Preston’s responsibility. However, since Cornelius kicked him out of Harper Group, it naturally fell into Landon’s hands.
Landon walked toward the entrance with purpose and conviction, his steps steady and strong. No matter the cost, he was determined to bring Lauren back to his side. Without her, life held little meaning. He pushed the heavy door and strode in, his expression gloomy and cold.
There was no one in the hall. Just then, Preston’s message came through. It read, “Come to the fifth floor, the swimming pool. You can choose to climb the stairs or take the elevator.”
Landon found the last sentence suspicious. In a split-second decision, he opted to take the stairs for safety. Quickening his pace, he sprinted upward.
But he barely reached the second floor when the sound of multiple footsteps echoed from behind. Whipping around, Landon’s eyes widened as he twisted his body, narrowly dodging two knives aimed at him with deadly intent.
More attackers followed, lunging at him with knives drawn.
Engaged in a ferocious fight, Landon’s instincts kicked in. Seizing a long knife from one of the assailants, he wielded it skillfully, slicing through the crowd as if they were mere vegetables.
One by one, the attackers fell, blood pooling on the floor and limbs scattered around.
However, Landon wasn’t unscathed. His arm was wounded, and his black coat was torn to shreds. He tore off a piece of cloth to tightly wrap around his wrist, securing his grip on the weapon.
But the fight was far from over. Another wave of attackers surged forward, relentless in their assault.
Aware that this was an added challenge by Preston, Landon abandoned the fight and sprinted for the elevator a dozen feet away.
He frantically hammered the elevator button. A few seconds later, the door creaked open slowly.
To his dismay, inside the elevator stood five attackers, each wielding sharp blades.
Preston was relaxing in a pool lounger, smoking his favorite cigar brand. He played his favorite clubbing music from his phone, which was already out of style.
Every few minutes, he would look at his watch. Then he would smack his lips with satisfaction and continue to rest his eyes.
After 20 minutes, the elevator facing the entrance to the pool slid open with a ding.
Preston’s eyelids fluttered open a fraction before a jolt of awareness sent them springing wide.
He watched as Landon stepped over the bodies beneath him with heavy but determined footsteps. He slowly made his way to the pool, as if he were the God of War, returning triumphantly after a bloody battle.
Landon’s icy, handsome features were smeared with blood. His white button-up shirt was stained a vivid red.
“Huh… You’re quite something, you little brat,” Preston muttered, taking a heavy puff of his cigar, a growing sense of respect for Landon evident in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected Landon to emerge from the elevator alive.
In his younger days, Cornelius had been a formidable figure, striking terror into the hearts of many. And now, Landon displayed traces of that same awe-inspiring presence.
Despite appearing pale and feeling cold, Landon’s glare at Preston was intense as the former entered the pool area. Multiple cuts adorned his body, and the wound on his arm was still bleeding.
He came close to dying in the elevator. Only because of his love for Lauren and concern for Angelina was he able to stand up to the deadly blades.
“My dearest nephew, you’ve done well.” Preston gave him a thumbs up.
“Lauren and Angelina, where are they?” Landon breathed heavily as the sweat dripping down his face washed away the blood.
“Now that you’re here, what’s the rush? Let’s have a heart-to-heart as uncle and nephew,” Preston said, turning off his music with a mysterious smile. “Especially since we’ll never have this chance again.”
“Did you kill my father and grandfather?”
“Of course,” Preston replied, his smile unchanged.
“Why¡ª”
“Because they stood in the way of what I wanted.”
“What you wanted? Preston, you’re shameless and delusional.” Landon’s words were sharp, his gaze piercing. “Harper Group was never yours. My grandfather worked hard to build it, and Harper Group earned the prestigious title of being one of the Big Four thanks to my father’s tireless efforts. Our achievements today have nothing to do with you!”
“No, no, no.” Preston wagged his finger. “What is mine simply refers to what I want. As long as I want something, it belongs to me.”
He was a true psychopath!
“Landon, when you were young, I quite liked you. You were a sweet, chubby little thing. I even held you in my arms,” Preston reminisced. “It’s such a shame that you are my brother’s son. If you were mine, I would give you the world.”
“You want to become my father? Not in your wildest dreams!” Landon scoffed bitterly. “It is not strange that you have these thoughts. After all, you’re infertile. God is truly fair; your infertility is a fitting punishment from a just world. It’s just nature’s way of sparing your offspring from your cruelty.”
Preston’s smile faded, replaced by a darker gaze.
“If you want my life, I am right here. Let Lauren and Angelina go, and I’ll play with you for a while.” Landon’s gaze was cold.
“You really are my brother’s son. You’ve got balls!”
Preston then hollered, “Frank, let the two ladies come out!”
“Mr. Landon!” Angelina shrieked in pain from above him.
Landon looked up in dread, and his pupils dilated in shock. Angelina, hands tied, stood dangerously near the edge of the 32-foot-tall diving platform at the swimming pool, with Frank pointing a gun at her head.
The height of the springboard was alarming, as the pool was dry.
“Angie!” Landon’s blood-stained white shirt was drenched in sweat. He took two steps forward but was forced back when Frank pointed the gun at him.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Landon…” Tears brimming, Angelina choked on her emotions.
Landon cast a deep look at her. “No. You’ve never wronged me or owed anyone anything. Angie, it was my fault that you got into this situation. I should be apologizing to you instead.”
His words sent a sharp pain through her chest. She had experienced highs and lows over her years of working for Landon. Nothing fazed her, except for his apology.
“Where’s Lauren?” Landon’s desperate tone echoed throughout the pool area.
Upon hearing that, Preston lazily picked up a remote control and pressed a button. A deafening sound rumbled to the left side, which was currently in complete darkness.
Landon vigilantly looked in that direction. He saw a trolley slowly coming into sight, carrying a massive glass tank.
With a clanking sound, the trolley’s wheels tucked away, and the carefully designed tank landed in the designated location.
Through the glass, one could see an unconscious Lauren chained vertically in the tank. Her white dress was filthy and bloodied, making her appear like a ragged doll on display after being carelessly toyed with.
“Madam!” Angelina’s tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Lauren!” Landon growled in resentment, nearly losing his mind. He dashed to the tank and pummeled his fists against the thick glass. No matter how he kicked and elbowed the surface, the solid glass showed no signs of cracking. Lauren remained unconscious inside the tank.
“Stop screaming. The glass has great soundproofing qualities. She can’t hear a thing in there.” Preston, fiddling with the remote control in his hand, added, “She’s fainted for a bit. I think it’ll take her a while to come around after all the beating and torment she suffered. Tsk tsk. They really didn’t go easy on her.
“Landon Harper, you should have thanked me. Without me, you wouldn’t have learned the truth about what your sister had done behind your back. You wouldn’t have known that your pretty wife had been bullied mercilessly by Zoe since middle school.
“You also wouldn’t have known that Freddy decided to marry Lauren under Zoe’s instructions. That brat had been eyeing Lauren from a young age, hoping to defile her. They all contributed to her worsening condition.
“The sister you doted on for years was revealed to be the mastermind behind the suffering of your lover. Hahaha! Landon, I bet you’re deep in regret now. Do you find your action laughable? You probably want to kill yourself over it.”
Landon nearly died from the excruciating mental pain. At that moment, everything finally fell into place. He finally understood why Lauren recoiled in Zoe’s presence and the truth behind her long absence from school. He also wrapped his mind around her odd mumbling when she had nightmares.
He had prided himself on being the man who loved Lauren the most, but he had never seemed to grasp her inner world, which was falling apart. He had never truly saved her from her nightmare.
A regretful teardrop escaped from the corner of his eye. Still, he tried his best to keep his emotions in check in order to negotiate with Preston, the devil.
“Preston Harper, all you want is to get back at me. Let go of Lauren and Angie, and you can do anything you want to me.”
Preston chuckled wildly when he heard the suggestion. “Landon Harper, you’re not worth as much as you like to believe. As a businessman, I do not engage in loss-making deals.
