Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
His vision blurred as if blood were seeping from his skull.
The news of Aidan’s suicide sent shockwaves through Solana City.
Upon receiving the news, Alyssa hurried to Solana City with Mandy. Jeremy followed them, fearing someone would hurt Mandy during this sensitive period.
“Cyrus told me the police found what seems to be a suicide note from Aidan in his coat jacket. It mentioned remorse for his actions and letting his grandfather and father down,” Alyssa shared in her villa. Meanwhile, Jeremy took it upon himself to warm two glasses of milk. He handed one to Mandy and the other to Alyssa.
“This all happened so suddenly. Why… How…” Mandy trailed off, her voice thick with disbelief.
It was one bad blow after another, and it all happened within a night. Mandy, a woman known for her composure, was starting to unravel.
“I watched Aidan grow up. He was always so competitive. They raised and groomed him to be the successor. This must have been a crushing weight on him-the biggest sin he’d ever committed. Aidan must have felt completely cornered and saw no alternative but to take his own life,” Mandy choked out.
Regardless of their relationship, Aidan was someone she’d watched grow up. He’d always called her “Aunt Mandy” and leaned on her for support.
However, Alyssa sensed something amiss. She looked up at Jeremy. “The police will analyze the handwriting, right? There might be something off about the note.”
“Yes, I believe they will. Anyhow, the police are convinced it was suicide.”
Jeremy’s eyes darkened as he continued, “The police interrogated Aidan again earlier, grilling him relentlessly. Then, he excused himself to use the restroom and jumped from a window along the hallway. It happened so fast that the officer guarding him failed to react in time. That officer has resigned from his position.”
Mandy covered her mouth, despair etched on her face. Alyssa’s expression remained grave.
Jeremy pulled Alyssa close, gently stroking her arm. “Something feels wrong, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.” Alyssa took a deep breath and tightly held Jeremy’s hand. “Now, the entire country believes Aidan took his own life out of guilt. Consequently, Lovelace Group has been conveniently framed as the mastermind behind the human drug tests.
“On top of that, the public is vehemently condemning them. With Aidan gone, there’s no one to testify against that. Jeremy, do you think the true mastermind can finally rest easy now?” “Justice will prevail. Whoever is responsible for this will never escape this,” Jeremy declared firmly.
Suddenly, a pang of unease shot through Jeremy’s heart as Alyssa’s words made him realize something. “Aidan’s death leaves another person in grave danger. After all, this person holds the key to the most secrets after Aidan.
Cyrus called, interrupting their conversation Lyse, Jeremy, Joseph had confessed to the police. However there is a huge discrepancy between his statement and Aidan’s. Joseph claims someone used Lovelace Group, and they were merely doing the person’s dirty work.
“He swears someone provided Aidan with the drugs and that he had been manipulated and blindsighted. He also said no one knew his son better than he did. He insisted that Aidan wouldn’t have the network or the guts for such a crime.”
Confused, Mandy shook her hand. “Actually, I’ve always doubted that Aidan could pull off such a crime by himself. Joseph wouldn’t have the brains for it either, and there’s no need for us to risk using humans for drug testing. The government supports the Lovelace Group, and we don’t have direct competitors in the country. So, there was never a need to take such a huge risk to rush drug development.”
A silent exchange passed between Alyssa and Jeremy. Their eyes locked in understanding-Aidan hadn’t committed suicide; he’d been silenced by murder.
Someone had gotten leverage over him, blackmailing him to the point of desperation.
The usual cacophony of revelry was absent from The Millennium that night. However, the deserted atmosphere suited Jameson just fine.
His priorities lay elsewhere. The Millennium merely served as a front for him to network and pave the way for Justin. Once Justin succeeded, this place would outlive its usefulness.
“Is Amber behaving these days?” Jameson rasped, his voice rough, as he admired the parrots on the balcony.
“She has been behaving! I’ve had someone keeping an eye on her. She hasn’t seen any clients lately; she just wanders The Millenium or stays holed up in her room. I’ve even tapped her phone, and she hasn’t contacted anyone. You can rest easy,” Carl reported, putti in a good word for Amber.
“She seems obedient,” Jameson remarked, his eyes narrowing as he fiddled with the birdcage. “But the same can’t be said for everyone, can it?”
Carl’s blood ran cold at Jameson’s words. He couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“I told you to keep Nicholas under close watch, and as I expected, he’s been communicating with someone.” A cruel, mocking laugh escaped Jameson’s lips. “Didn’t I tell you? In this world, only the dead can be truly trusted.”
“You’re a genius, Mr. Schmidt!” Admiration and shock warred on Carl’s face. “But, how did you realize something was off with Chief Novak?”
“He asked me about the drug development progress the other day, completely out of the blue. Never before has he bothered himself with such minor details.”
Jameson circled the table, picking up a photo from a stack. He studied it with chilling coldness. The picture captured Jeremy placing a lighter in Nicholas’ hand during their meeting at a cafe.
A long moment passed before Jameson crumpled the photo into a tight ball, his eyes hardening with repressed fury.
“Are you planning to…” Carl ventured cautiously. “Forgive my bluntness, but Chief Novak has been invaluable. He has handled much of your dirty work flawlessly, yet the police have never managed to pin anything on him. They were like headless chickens, hitting walls at every turn.
“Despite his average position in Solana City, he wields considerable power-manipulating police investigations and ridding you of problems.
“We have no idea what transpired during his meeting with Mr. Walsh. For all we know, it could be a setup to sow discord between you and Chief Novak.
“I don’t think he is bold enough to betray you. He has blood on his hands that we can use against him. Besides, his wife’s life hangs by a thread. I don’t think he would act this recklessly.”
“I don’t need him anymore,” Jameson said calmly.
“W-What did you say?”
“I received a call from Sir last night.” A smile played on Jameson’s pale lips, a glint of triumph in his eyes. “Sir told me that there is a breakthrough in the drug experiment in Mosgravia, so we can stop the experiments in Solana City.
“Since we don’t need to run the experiments anymore, I have no use for our cleaner, Nicholas. Honestly, I never intended to keep him around from the start.”
Carl felt his breath hitch in his throat, a cold dread slithering down his spine.
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“He knows too many of our secrets. No matter his past contributions or determination, I will never keep him around.”Jameson paused, turning to Carl with an unexpected tenderness. “However, you are the exception. You’re not just my subordinate; you’re family,
“I owe my success not just to Sir’s guidance but your support as well. Once things settle, I’ll make you a shareholder and put you on the Schmidt Group board of directors. You have proven your loyalty to me. I will treat you well.”
Gratitude washed over Carl’s face. His lips trembled as he said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Schmidt! I swear that I’ll never betray you. Otherwise, let me die a tragic death and have my body be fed to the dogs!”
The Lovelace Group was reeling. Though Edgar had survived the attack, a cerebral hemorrhage from the shock left him paralyzed.
Meanwhile, Joseph was charged with abetting murder, illegal drug storage, money laundering, bribery, and a slew of other crimes.
Conversely, the police lacked evidence to declare the Lovelace Group responsible for human drug testing. As a result, they did not publicly announce it.
However, the public was convinced of a cover-up. Consequently, Lovelace Group’s stock price plummeted for five days straight, losing over two billion dollars overnight.
Their reputation was dragged through the mud, tarnished by public scorn. Graffiti plastered the company entrance with obscenities while a swarm of reporters camped outside, capturing images for their sensationalized narratives.
Mandy and Julien were the only ones left in the Lovelace family. One was estranged upon marriage, while the other was ostracized for years. Yet, despite his nominal stake, Julien had never interfered in the company’s affairs.
The Lovelace Group, once a titan of industry, now teetered on the brink of collapse-a victim of malicious intentions.
That day, Mandy, assuming the mantle of acting president, called an emergency meeting with the board of directors. She eschewed her usual opulent attire as a rich man’s wife, opting for a tailored white suit and a foxtail lily brooch crafted by
Alyssa with white and pin diamonds.
A palpable hostility hung in the air as she entered the meeting room. But Mandy wouldn’t back down. No matter the odds, she refused to let the Lovelace family crumble.
Mandy began, “Everyone, I’m sure you’ve all heard about what happened recently at the Lovelace Group. This is an emergency, so I will keep it brief.”
Mandy took the center seat at the meeting table, exuding power and fearlessness.
“Effective immediately, I will be taking over from my brother, Joseph and assume the position of Lovelace Group’s chairman.”
The room erupted in an uproar.
“Ms. Lovelace… No, I mean, Mrs. Taylor. You’ve married into the Taylor family. You can’t be making decisions for the Lovelaces now.”
Someone mocked, “Furthermore, you had a falling out with Mr. Edgar to be with Mr. Winston. Don’t think we’ve forgotten how you cut ties with the Lovelace family.
“For the past 20 years, you never cared about Lovelace Group. Now that it’s in trouble, you’re the first to step in and claim it. Don’t you think trying to get a slice of the pie makes you look bad?” The others joined in criticizing Mandy.
“It has been half a month since Lovelace Group got into trouble. I injected my own money to stabilize the corporation’s financial situation. I contacted the project managers to ensure work continued as usual.
“I also reached out to the media to manage public opinion, followed up on Joseph’s case, and oversaw Aidan’s funeral. I handled all of this.” Mandy’s voice was calm but confident as she spoke from her heart. “May I ask all of you seated here what have you all done for Lovelace Group?”
Everyone was silent.
“Someone you all call an ‘outsider’ achieved all this. You were either groomed by my father and Joseph or were their partner for many years. From then until now, has any of you stepped forward to do anything for the corporation? I don’t think so.”
They were all old coots who only knew how to yap like dogs! Mandy was close to cussing at them but restrained herself. This was the Lovelace Group, not the Taylor family. She still felt uncomfortable with her identity within the corporation.
The person who challenged her earlier was still dissatisfied. He protested, “Mr. Joseph and Mr. Aidan’s cases happened because of their own mistakes.
“Sufficient evidence was found, and the authorities have announced their findings too. What else could we do? Ultimately, this is still a Lovelace family matter.”
