Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Malicious online articles from media vultures questioned Landon’s playboy past, casting doubt on his ability to succeed Cornelius. Thankfully, the Walsh’s and Taylors stood by him. Jeremy and Alyssa, representing their families, offered unwavering support, flanking Landon¡ªthe new head of the house.
Landon was the only one present from the Harper family at the funeral. Yet, he remained unfazed by the criticism, standing tall and resolute, his gaze unwavering and commanding. Those who sought to stir trouble didn’t dare in his presence.
The mourning hall was somber, filled with loved ones offering flowers and tearful farewells to the man who had built the Harper Group from scratch.
Alyssa and Jeremy stood by, their hearts seething with anger at the desolation before them.
Alyssa remembered attending funerals of the wealthy in her youth. The turnout was often disappointing for families of such stature.
The sycophants looked down on Landon, assuming he would lead the Harper Group to ruin.
A new wave of tension filled the air as footsteps echoed through the hall. “The chairman of the Schmidt Group, Victor Schmidt, and president, Jameson Schmidt, have arrived,” the announcement boomed.
Landon’s reddened eyes locked on theirs, his gaze cold and sharp while Jeremy’s and Alyssa’s expressions darkened.
From the moment Jameson entered, his gaze was fixated on Alyssa with desire. She found herself unable to escape it, no matter how hard she tried. Disgust curdled in her stomach, and she ripped her eyes away, muttering a scathing curse under her breath.
Jeremy regarded Jameson with seriousness. He suppressed his anger and held Alyssa’s hand tightly in his.
Jameson’s gaze, lingering on their intertwined fingers, darkened. A teasing smile, out of place in the somber atmosphere, stretched across his lips.
Landon saw it too. His fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. He yearned for a peaceful farewell for his grandfather. If this weren’t a mourning hall, he wouldn’t hesitate to wipe that infuriating smirk off Jameson’s face.
“My condolences, Mr. Landon,” Victor offered, stepping forward with a hand extended. “Although considering your new position, perhaps Mr. Harper would be more fitting.”
Landon met Victor’s gesture with a cold stare. “I don’t recall inviting you to the funeral.”
Victor’s face was flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and outrage. But as the head of the Schmidts, he couldn’t afford to stoop to the level of a dead man. “As one of the Big Four, I shared a long association with Mr. Cornelius. Even without an invitation, it’s only proper to offer my condolences.”
“My grandfather had no need for your acquaintance,” Landon replied tersely, his lips pressed into a thin line. “And he wouldn’t have wanted to see you here.”
A collective gasp rippled through the room, all eyes fixed on the stunned Victor and Jameson. The sharp, unexpected insult left Victor speechless. Reddened with fury, he opened his mouth to clap back, but Jameson cut him off.
“Mr. Harper, I’m not interested in the past feuds between our families. This is Mr. Cornelius’ funeral, and we’ve come to pay our respects. Why the need for hostility?”
As Jameson spoke, his gaze swept across the empty mourning hall, his smile appearing forced and insincere. “It seems Mr. Cornelius didn’t cultivate many friendships in the business world during his lifetime. Looking around, I see a gathering of individuals who couldn’t make much of an impact.
“The Schmidts, however, came to offer our condolences. If you chase away the few allies you have left, Mr. Harper, who will do business with you once word gets out?”
Alyssa clenched her teeth, the urge to confront Jameson boiling within her. She longed to silence his infuriating pronouncements with a well-placed slap. But Jeremy’s firm grip on her waist restrained her, preventing her from acting on her impulse.
Landon’s expression turned exceedingly hostile. The outrage simmered within him, churning his stomach. He’d never backed down from a fight, but this was his grandfather’s funeral, the first major event since he assumed leadership of the Harper family.
If he allowed Jameson to provoke him, he risked being perceived as nothing more than an ill-tempered rich heir, becoming a laughingstock in the eyes of others. No matter the provocation, he couldn’t afford to cause a scene that day.
Just as Victor basked in the perceived triumph of his son’s defense, a voice, laced with icy authority, sliced through the tense silence. “Mr. Cornelius had no friends in the business world? What utter nonsense! What a preposterous claim!”
Jameson’s eyes turned glacial. He turned slowly, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses with a deliberate show of composure.
Everyone in the room swiveled their heads toward the entrance, a collective gasp escaping their lips.
Alyssa’s breath hitched as a familiar voice echoed through the tense silence. Squeezing Jeremy’s hand until his knuckles turned white, her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
“I-It’s Winston!”
“Winston?” Jeremy echoed, his surprise evident.
Then, a procession of men clad in black suits strode into the mourning hall with authority. Winston, a commanding presence that turned heads, stood proudly at the forefront.
But Winston wasn’t alone. Accompanying him were Mandy, Lyla, Colene, Jonah, and Silas, representing the Taylor family.
Rarely did the Taylors assemble in such unity, indicating the significance of Cornelius’ funeral to them.
“Dad!” Tears welled up in Alyssa’s eyes as she launched herself toward Winston, engulfing him in a fierce hug.
Jeremy watched the reunion, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He remained rooted in his spot, refraining from seeking favor and silently observing the scene.
“What’s all this fuss about? I’m barely in my 70s. I’m as sturdy as a rock!” Winston remarked, his heart warmed by Alyssa’s affection yet feigning annoyance. “You hugged me as if I had one foot in the grave. People might get the wrong idea.”
Alyssa clicked her tongue playfully, reluctantly releasing her hold on Winston’s arm. “Why didn’t you let me know you were coming? I thought you wouldn’t show up.”
“I worried for nothing, it seems,” Mandy chimed in, a hint of exasperation in her voice. “I thought it would be sufficient if Jonah, Silas, and the three of us came to pay our respects. I didn’t think it’s necessary for Winston to make the trip all the way from Mosgravia, but he insisted on bidding Mr. Cornelius farewell in person.”
“Don’t say that you worried for nothing, Mandy. Your concern for Dad is evident,” Alyssa reassured, noticing the renewed vigor in Winston’s demeanor, a weight lifted from her heart.
Moved by the presence of such esteemed guests, Landon approached them, his eyes brimming with tears. As Landon spoke, his voice was achingly hoarse. “T-Thank you for coming, Mr. Winston. I-It means a lot.”
“Silly boy, call me Uncle Winston. ‘Mr. Winston’ sounds too distant,” Winston replied warmly, patting Landon’s shoulder affectionately. “You’ve just taken over the Harper Group. If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to let me know. The KS Group would be glad to assist you without hesitation.”
Landon pursed his lips tightly and nodded earnestly, gratitude evident in his expression.
Observing the genuine affection Landon received from Winston, Jameson’s heart burned with rage. His fists clenched tightly, trembling under the weight of his crystal cuffs. He used to be the one who enjoyed such a comfortable relationship with Alyssa’s father, the only one who could address him as “Uncle Winston” and bask in the warmth of the Taylor family’s acceptance.
Back then, Landon was a nobody, barely a blip on Winston’s radar.
“Mr. Schmidt, were you the one spouting that nonsense?” Winston’s gaze bore into Jameson, his tone intimidating.
Jameson bit the inside of his mouth hard and said nothing.
“Hmm, you boasted about it so proudly earlier. Why the sudden silence?” Winston’s sneer dripped with disdain. “Mr. Schmidt, I’m undecided whether to call you ignorant or short-sighted. How could you make such an absurd claim that the Harper family had no allies in the business world?”
Winston’s voice boomed through the hall. “Even if you lack business acumen, Mr. Schmidt, a little observation goes a long way at your age. Can’t you tell my daughter and Mr. Jeremy are ride-or-die with Landon?”
Jameson was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events. He remained silent, his face pale with embarrassment.
Winston’s recovery and return from overseas to stand by the Harper family spoke volumes. No one would dare to look down on Landon anymore.
“Let’s go, Jimmy,” Victor said tersely, realizing it wasn’t wise to prolong the confrontation with his former ally. With a darkened expression, he strode out of the hall.
Jameson adjusted his glasses and trailed after Victor.
As they departed, Winston called out without looking back, his voice carrying a tone of admonishment. “Even if you wished to appear sincere, you should have ensured you did it properly and spared yourself the embarrassment. Instead, you chose to create a scene at someone else’s funeral, deceiving everyone with your falsehoods. Who will want to befriend you or do business with you after this?”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Victor gritted his teeth in silent fury before exiting with an indignant huff.
Victor and Jameson returned to the car in silence, their efforts at the funeral having come to naught. Once inside, Victor unleashed his frustration on Jameson.
“You’re so ill-tempered! Cornelius is dead, for heaven’s sake. What was the point of saying those things? Look at what you’ve done. You’ve invited trouble and embarrassed us!”
“Hmm, have you conveniently forgotten, Dad?” Jameson’s tone was icy as he suppressed his anger. “You were the one who insisted on attending the funeral. If you had listened to me and stayed away, we wouldn’t have faced humiliation at Winston’s hands. From where I’m standing, you’re the one who brought this upon us. If I hadn’t intervened, Landon could have easily bested you.”
“Jameson! How could you be so reckless?”
Victor trembled with anger, meeting Jameson’s cold gaze with his own. He managed to quell his outburst, only gnashing his teeth in rage.
“No matter how many times we have this conversation,” Victor spat, “you remain a disappointment! You can’t even handle a woman! If you’d secured Alyssa, none of this would be happening! The Schmidt Group has now outshined the Walsh Group. If you had become Winston’s son-in-law, we might have even acquired the Harper Group. Landon would have been left with nowhere to stand!”
Like father, like son. Victor and Jameson, though having different personalities, shared a talent for inflicting emotional wounds.
“I couldn’t care less about a small outfit like the Harper Group. Even without Alyssa, I’ve managed to elevate the Schmidt Group to one of the Big Four,” Jameson retorted, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes, hinting at a boundless ambition and greed. “But I’ve never been one to settle. I want it all¡ªpower, status, and the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Victor snorted. “Haven’t you noticed, son? The Taylor girl loathes you. Her revulsion is practically painted on her face. Your desires are nothing but a childish fantasy.”
“When there’s a will, there’s a way,” Jameson countered, closing his eyes. A twisted smile played across his lips, a hint of something monstrous lurking beneath the surface.
He no longer harbored any illusions about winning Alyssa’s heart. As long as he could possess her physically one day, he would consider it a victory.
The funeral proceeded smoothly after the unwanted guests departed.
Members of the Taylor family offered their condolences to Landon with genuine warmth. Winston, his face etched with concern, approached Landon.
“Landon,” Winston began gently, “I’m sorry for what happened. Also, Mr. Walsh Senior called last night, expressing how unwell he’s been feeling, so he won’t be attending. However, he assures me he’ll find time to meet with you and pay his respects at Mr. Cornelius’ grave.”
A wave of emotions washed over Jeremy. Concern for his grandfather’s health battled with a flicker of warmth at Newton’s consideration for Landon.
