Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Watching his friend’s stubborn yet fragile form ascend the staircase, Jeremy’s heart constricted with anguish.
He recalled a time when mentioning Angelina would always bring a flamboyant grin to Landon’s face. She wasn’t just an employee; she was family¡ªa loyal companion through thick and thin.
They reached the room where Angelina had stayed.
The room was pristine, with only a bed, a wardrobe, and a table. Its simplicity belied the fact that it had once been occupied by a young woman.
Jeremy and Jordan, hesitant to disturb the sanctity of the space, remained by the door as Landon gently brushed his fingertips across the desk’s surface, sensing the lingering scent of Angelina on the unwrinkled bedsheet.
Opening her wardrobe, Landon beheld each luxurious evening gown, carefully preserved in plastic as if untouched by time. Tears welled in his eyes as memories flooded his mind.
“Angelina used to accompany me to every business party I needed a date for,” Landon said, his voice tinged with emotion as he lifted out a chili-red evening gown. “I’ll never forget how stunning she looked in these gowns.
“Those creeps wouldn’t stop staring at her. Every time I brought her out, I’d come home seething with anger. I didn’t love her romantically; I just couldn’t stand the thought of other men ogling someone I considered my sister.”
His voice cracked with self-derision. “A good-for-nothing like me didn’t deserve a sister like her.”
Jeremy’s heart twisted in anguish while Jordan silently shed tears.
As Landon prepared to close the wardrobe, his gaze fell upon a brown leather box nestled at the bottom of the clothes. Intrigued, he retrieved the box and placed it on the bed.
Slowly opening it, he revealed a pink diary adorned with a bunny hugging a carrot, its pages secured by a plastic lock requiring a password.
Although the lock could have been easily broken, Landon hesitated, pondering for a moment before impulsively entering his birthday.
The lock clicked open.
In that moment, the room seemed to fall into a hushed stillness, with only the sound of Landon’s heartbeat echoing in his ears.
The pages of this diary had turned yellow; Angelina must have used it for years.
With fingers wracked by tremors, Landon carefully opened the diary. Angelina’s lack of formal education was evident, yet her handwriting surprised him. It was neat and firm, almost masculine, mirroring his own.
A pang of bittersweet understanding shot through him. His father had taught him to write, and Angelina, ever-present by his side, had absorbed it all. More accurately, her life revolved around him, and this unconscious mimicry was a testament to that devotion.
The diary wasn’t a daily record but a collection of moments Angelina deemed precious. One entry read, “Went to Mr. Bill’s funeral today with Mr. Landon. Now that he’s gone, the burden of the family falls on Mr. Landon’s shoulders. The road ahead won’t be easy, but he doesn’t have to face it alone. I’m here. Mr. Bill, rest easy. Even if the sky falls, I’ll always protect Mr. Landon.”
Another entry spoke in a lighter mood. “Mr. Landon’s been acting strangely lately. Uncharacteristically cheerful during meals. Could he be seeing someone special? I wonder who unlocked the door to his guarded heart. I’d love to meet her.”
One entry gushed about Lauren. “Ms. Lauren is such a charming lady. Mr. Landon has impeccable taste!”
Another entry read, “Mr. Landon, this marks our 14th New Year together. I’ve never experienced a family reunion, but now that you have Madam Lauren, this occasion must hold special significance for you. For me, it remains the same.”
“Mr. Landon, the moon is particularly beautiful tonight. It reflects the love that I’ll never confess to you.”
Landon’s hands trembled as he held the diary, tears welling in his eyes, one eventually slipping between the lines of writing, staining the page with his pain.
An old newspaper clipping, dated ten years prior, caught his attention, the image blurred by tears. It depicted the Harper family visiting Bill’s grave.
In the photograph, Landon exuded confidence, handsomeness, and charm as he followed behind Cornelius, bearing the air of the head of the household. Close behind him trailed Angelina, dressed in a black bodyguard uniform, her high ponytail and youthful features contrasting with Landon’s mature demeanor.
Though the photo was slightly blurred, Angelina’s gaze fixed on Landon’s back shone with brightness and warmth.
She had watched over him day and night, a silent guardian, even though her feelings remained unreciprocated.
“Today, you casually asked if I liked anyone. You said to let you know so you could check him out. Only God knows how my heart raced at that moment.”
“You were always worried I’d become an old spinster if I kept following you around. You asked if I ever thought about getting married. Truthfully, I have¡ªI’ve been married to you in my heart all along.”
“Mr. Landon, I have only one wish in this life¡ªto see you truly happy. Please don’t let me down.”
Clutching the diary tightly, Landon sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. What began as sobs soon escalated into heart-wrenching wails. Angelina had loved him for years, and he, a blind fool, had never noticed.
He loved Lauren deeply, so he understood the pain of unrequited love.
And yet, Angelina had endured this pain silently, standing by his side as he loved another. How could she not have felt hurt? Why would she continue to offer her unwavering loyalty despite the constant ache in her heart?
Landon couldn’t believe how stubborn Angelina was. What did he do to deserve someone so selfless?
“If there is another life…” he choked out between sobs.
If there was an afterlife, he desperately wished Angelina could be reborn as his sister, someone he could protect and cherish.
He swore to his beloved Angelina, his voice thick with emotion, that they would meet again, somehow, some way, in a different life.
Landon managed to gather Angelina’s things with Jeremy and Jordan’s help.
Only two boxes were filled with simple belongings, a testament to her unassuming life. Like Angelina herself, these boxes could easily disappear from his life, leaving a gaping hole in their wake.
The pink diary was the only item Landon held close, a precious link to the woman he had failed to see.
“Mr. Landon, this is Ms. Angie’s phone.” Jordan’s voice trembled as he handed it over. “It was broken initially and wouldn’t start. Mr. Cyrus arranged for the technical team from the police force to repair it, even replacing the screen. Please keep it.”
Landon’s damp eyes fluttered as he accepted the phone. He hesitantly opened the photo album, a fresh wave of grief threatening to engulf him. He clenched his jaw, forcing back a sob.
The last photo in the album was a photo of Lauren taking a picture with him in a dog suit and Angelina in a rabbit suit.
They had no proper picture together.
What a shame.
Then, Jeremy’s phone rang. It was Rory. “Mr. Jeremy, is Mr. Landon with you?” Rory sounded anxious.
“Yes, I’m with Landon. What the matter?”
“Mr. Javier came to the hospital to visit Ms. Lauren. He spoke too hastily and informed her about Angelina’s passing.”
“What?” Jeremy’s eyes blazed with anger. “I’ve warned him countless times. How could he be so careless?”
Silence enveloped the car as Landon vaguely registered Rory’s voice on the phone, his heart twisting with sorrow.
“There’s no use in getting angry at Mr. Javier,” Rory continued. “You and Mr. Landon should come to the hospital. He’s the only one who can comfort Ms. Lauren.”
Jeremy and Landon rushed to the hospital with urgency.
Upon reaching Lauren’s ward, they were met by a group of medical professionals exiting her ward.
“How is Lauren?” Landon’s voice quavered with worry as he grabbed hold of the doctor-in-charge.
“Her body’s weak,” the doctor replied, wiping sweat from his brow with a worried grimace. “The news was a heavy blow. She went into shock earlier, but oxygen stabilized her. It’s her mental state that’s concerning.”
Landon’s heart ached as he entered the ward.
A heart-wrenching scream pierced the air. Javier and Rory struggled to restrain Lauren on the bed. Her frail form, adorned with medical tubes, writhed against their hold.
Her eyes, bloodshot and unfocused, darted wildly as panicked shrieks escaped her lips. Her hands flailed, clawing at the air as if trying to ward off unseen demons.
“Ms. Lauren, calm down! Please!” Rory pleaded, his voice laced with a desperate gentleness as he gently restrained her.
“Lauren, don’t do this! Don’t you scare me!” Javier’s face flushed crimson, his voice cracking with a mixture of fear and helplessness.
Landon rushed to the bedside, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He reached out, intending to offer comfort, but only a sharp crack filled the air.
Lauren, in a moment of uncontrollable frenzy, had lashed out. A stinging pain erupted on Landon’s cheek, a red handprint blooming against his pale skin.
Jeremy and Jordan froze, their initial shock giving way to concern. “Are you alright?” they chorused.
Javier flinched, but his focus remained solely on Lauren’s deteriorating state.
“I’m fine,” Landon rasped, his voice thick with emotion. Ignoring the throbbing pain on his face, he sat beside Lauren on the bed. With a resolute gentleness, he scooped her trembling form into his arms, his embrace a firm and unwavering anchor in the storm of her despair.
Lauren’s voice was hoarse, her face drained of color as she continued to cry out, her lips cracked from the strain.
“Don’t worry, Lauren. I’m here. Everything is going to be okay,” Landon whispered, his voice trembling with emotion as he tried to comfort her.
He didn’t know what else to say.
