Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
They were just steps from their car when four police officers broke through the crowd, heading straight for Sheryl. “Ms. Gillis, you are under arrest for bribery, instigating perjury, and slander. You need to come with us.”
“I-I-” Sheryl stammered, her face draining of color as they cuffed her. She cast a desperate look at Justin, her eyes pleading for help.
But Justin didn’t spare her a glance. He slid into his car, indifferent.
As the officers led Sheryl away, her heart plummeted, a hollow ache filling the space where hope had been.
Justin’s luxury car sped toward Seaview Manor, silence hanging heavy in the cabin until his secretary spoke from the passenger seat. “Mr. Walsh, now that Ms. Gillis has been arrested, what are your next steps?”
Justin kept his eyes closed, his voice a cold whisper. “Where’s Remy?”
“We haven’t heard from him…”
His face darkened, a storm brewing just beneath the surface.
Then, his phone rang. It was Javier calling.
Justin answered, his voice smooth and warm. “Hi, Dad.”
But his eyes told a different story-ice-cold, razor-sharp, and filled with a quiet, simmering rage.
Javier’s voice crackled through the speaker, tight with restrained anger. “Come home now. We need to talk.”
Jonah scoured every corner of the hotel, desperation clawing at his chest, but Julien was nowhere to be found.
“Jonah!” Alyssa called out, breathless as she caught up to him. She grabbed his arm. “Calm down! I’ll help you search for Jul!”
“I can’t find him. He’s gone,” Jonah murmured, sinking to the floor. His tears mixed with sweat, creating dark patches on the ground. “Lyse… I fear… if I can’t find Julien this time, I’ll lose him forever.”
The agonizing thought of losing the love of his life pierced him.
“No, you won’t!” Alyssa gripped his arm tighter, her voice trembling with conviction. “If Jul had given up on you, he wouldn’t have come here today. The fact that he showed up means he still cares.”
Jonah’s eyes were bloodshot, filled with a pain too deep to hide. He shook his head slowly. “Julien came back for Jeremy. He did it because he’s loyal… because he’s a good friend. Not because of me.”
“He does care!” Alyssa insisted. “If he didn’t, he would’ve faced you without flinching. But he didn’t. He left without a word because he was avoiding you, Jonah. He just”
Jonah cut Alyssa off, finishing her sentence. “He just doesn’t want to see me. Because I’m a source of nothing but pain and rage for him, isn’t that it?”
A bitter chuckle escaped Jonah’s lips. The pain in his heart felt like a physical wound, torn open and brutally trampled.
Before Alyssa could respond, Xavier approached, his face drawn tight with tension.
“Ms. Alyssa. Mr. Jonah,” he greeted, his voice rough. Turning to Jonah, he hesitated before speaking softly, “Mr. Jonah, you can stop searching. Dr. Lovelace has left the hotel.”
Jonah’s heart clenched. “Where did Julien go?” His voice was a raw whisper.
“He… didn’t mention. He simply told me to pass this message to you.”
Feeling utterly stressed out, Xavier continued in a low voice, “Dr. Lovelace said to please stop looking for him. He doesn’t want to see you right now.”
Choosing his words carefully, Xavier conveyed the gist of Julien’s message, omitting the harshest parts. He simply couldn’t bring himself to repeat them verbatim-the actual words had been too cutting.
The words hit Jonah like a punch to the chest. He stood frozen, the world blurring around him.
“Xavier, where’s Jeremy? Is he still around?” Alyssa inquired with a fervent look in her eyes.
Xavier shook his head. “He left.”
Alyssa stopped short, her words dying in her throat. Just then, Landon strode angrily towards them. “Unbelievable! Jeremy just left? The star of the show, gone without a word?” Landon fumed.
Xavier took a deep breath, trying to sound casual. “Mr. Walsh said there was nothing more for him here,” he stated. “He had other things to take care of and has already left.”
Landon exploded, “Damn it! Something’s seriously wrong with his head. He’s becoming more and more of a hypocrite!”
He then noticed Alyssa’s pale face and softened his tone. “Lyse, don’t let it get to you. You know Jeremy’s having neurological problems. It affects his behavior. Try not to judge him too harshly. He’s really not well.”
“Jeremy was right, though,” Alyssa murmured, biting her lip. “His work here is finished. There’s nothing and no one worth staying for.”
A flicker of pain crossed her face before she straightened, forcing a smile of relief and resolve. “As long as he’s happy. That’s all that matters. I won’t hold it against him.”
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
“Lyse!” Landon called, chasing after her.
Torn between his own pain and concern for Alyssa, Jonah decided to go after her when Xavier’s urgent cry rang out. “Mr. Jonah!”
Jonah turned, his eyes dull.
“Dr. Lovelace is staying in the country for a few more days, possibly in Belbanks or Solana City. He’ll be back in Mosgravia within two weeks. If you’re serious about getting him back, you’ll have to find him.”
Hearing this, Jonah’s eyes filled with tears. He gave Xavier a firm, appreciative pat on the shoulder.
The day was still bright when Justin received Javier’s call.
Nonetheless, night had fallen by the time Justin arrived at Seaview Manor.
On his way there, he worked on two things. First, he secured the top legal team to get Sheryl out on bail as quickly as possible. Second, he tried reaching Remy-unsuccessfully.
He had never lost contact with Remy before.
Justin’s face was as dark as the night itself.
The moment he stepped inside Seaview Manor, Rory approached with a solemn expression. He gave a slight bow before speaking. “Mr. Justin, what took you so long? Mr. Javier has been waiting.”
“I was occupied,” Justin replied coolly. Then, as if it were an ordinary evening, he allowed a faint smile. “Where’s Jeremy? Is he back here yet?”
A conflicted look came across Rory’s face. “Things between you and Mr. Jeremy have soured. I doubt he’ll want to see you anytime soon-or show up here.”
“Is that so? How disappointing.”
Justin’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. His gaze lingered on Rory, sharp and bottomless. “So, he’d rather believe what he sees and the rumors floating around than trust his own brother-the same brother who had rescued him and gave him a second chance at life.”
The words left Rory visibly uncomfortable, but he said nothing. He simply led Justin to the study, quietly closing the door behind him.
Javier didn’t wait for formalities. “Justin! How did it come to this?”
Javier, for the first time, lost his temper with Justin, throwing the iPad down in front of him. The screen was filled with a barrage of hateful comments directed at Justin.
Javier continued, “Did you really bribe a doctor to give false testimony and smear Jeremy’s name just to strip him of the presidency? Do you realize the damage you’ve done to Jeremy’s reputation and to Walsh Group’s standing? How could you frame your own brother for power? You were never like this!”
Justin remained composed, lowering his gaze as if Javier’s fury was nothing more than background noise. “Calm down, Dad. They’re just rumors. No need to take them seriously.”
“My son is being called a drug addict. How could I turn a blind eye and remain indifferent? I’m human, Justin!” Justin’s nonchalance ignited Javier’s fury, causing his cheek muscles to twitch uncontrollably. It wasn’t simply the indifference in the face of such a serious matter. It was the chilling reminder of his younger self, the same detached mask he wore at Seaview Manor upon hearing Chester’s death in prison.
“You’ve misunderstood me, Dad,” Justin said evenly. “I didn’t frame Jeremy.”
Justin poured himself tea with an air of practiced ease as if the walls weren’t crumbling around him.
“Misunderstood you? The evidence is right there-Ms. Alyssa, the doctor you bribed, that man from the Lovelace family. It’s all laid out clearly. And yet you still call this a misunderstanding?”
Javier seethed with anger. He knew, deep down, that Jeremy was far more capable. He’d only pushed for Justin as president because he’d been backed into a corner.
Javier might be rigid and old-fashioned, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew Jeremy was the real force behind his fortune, the one who had single-handedly built Walsh Group into an empire. If he’d had any other option, he would never have given the presidency to anyone else, least of all Justin. That position belonged to Jeremy.
“So, what are you planning to do?” Justin sipped his tea, his brow creasing slightly in annoyance. “With the current public sentiments, cleaning this up will take time.”
Javier let out a long, heavy breath. “To protect the corporation, the public image, and Jeremy’s name, you’re suspended from your role effective immediately. I’ll take the role as president until this is resolved.”
A heavy, icy silence descended upon the study.
“Dad, earlier, you asked how I could frame Jeremy for the sake of power. That’s because you and I-we’re the same.
Justin glanced down and softly blew across the surface of his tea. “I’m your son.”
Javier’s face became as white as a sheet. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him. “W-What did you say?”
Justin’s smile grew colder. His voice dropped to a sinister whisper. “Did you really think you’re the only one who knows the truth about Uncle Chester’s death?”
Justin’s casual question hit Javier like a thunderclap.
Shock rippled through him, freezing his expression. His voice trembled with fear as he barked, “What nonsense is that? Are you accusing me of causing Chester’s death? I’m your father-how could you think I’d do such a thing?” “It’s not an accusation. Just the facts,” Justin replied coolly, crossing his legs and savoring his tea with unsettling calm. “And I’m not condemning you. In fact, I understand why you did it. I’m facing the same dilemma now.”
Javier’s breathing grew ragged. He had watched Justin grow from a child into the man before him-now a predator, circling with quiet menace.
“You were meant to be the heir as the eldest son,” Justin continued, his voice smooth as silk. “But Grandpa favored Uncle Chester, handing him major projects, grooming him in plain sight.
“Uncle Chester’s reputation soon eclipsed yours. He was a natural leader, adept at business, with one fatal flaw- he was kind. Too kind. Unlike you.”
Justin leaned back, his tone casual, as if recounting an old fable. “When Walsh Group’s project collapsed and corruption rumors spread, Uncle Chester offered to take the fall. He went to prison to protect the family-to protect you, his beloved brother.”
Javier’s face drained of color, his heart twisting painfully. This secret had been buried for 30 years, and now Justin laid it bare with ease. But how did he know? He was just a baby back then.
“Uncle Chester realized the truth too late,” Justin mused softly. “He walked into your trap the moment he took the blame. His death wasn’t an accident. It was orchestrated.”
Justin tapped his temple thoughtfully. “Let me guess. You convinced him with my name, didn’t you? A helpless baby, a fragile wife with a fractured mind. Losing us would’ve shattered your perfect image of a family. Chester was the logical sacrifice-unmarried, childless, the ideal scapegoat. So, you see, I was part of your game too.”
“Why, you-” Javier’s heart pounded violently, his composure unraveling. “Who on earth gave you such awful notions?”
Javier’s first instinct wasn’t denial but curiosity. He needed to know more about what Justin was saying. The truth was, Justin’s accusations weren’t baseless.
This secret was Javier’s undoing, yet it was also Justin’s ultimate leverage.
Justin lowered his teacup nonchalantly and continued, “There are no perfect crimes. Every sin leaves a trace. You never forgot Uncle Chester, did you? You remember bribing that prison medic, arranging for the injection that triggered his fatal heart attack. You remember the forged death certificate, the neat little cover-up.”
Justin’s gaze darkened, slicing through Javier like a blade. “Dad, we’re the same. We are the embodiment of ambition without conscience.”
Javier’s eyes widened with horror. His own son, his blood, now wielded his darkest secret as a weapon.
“Jeremy is competent, yes, but he’s too much like Uncle Chester. Too kind, too sentimental. That kind of weakness has no place in business, let alone in leading a corporation.”
Justin stood slowly, casting a shadow that seemed to stretch and darken the room.
Approaching Javier, Justin placed a firm hand on his father’s trembling shoulder, his grip tightening with quiet authority. “Dad, I’m the only one who can lead Walsh Group into a new era. Jeremy’s past successes are commendable, but they are nothing compared to my vision. You chose me. Trust in your decision.”
Terror gripped Javier, his chest constricting under the weight of Justin’s words.
In the early hours of dawn, Remy stirred in his hospital bed, consciousness creeping back slowly. It took a moment before he realized where he was-and why.
The hospital ward was bathed in a dim, yellow glow from the bedside lamp. The silence was thick, yet the room held a strange warmth-an unfamiliar comfort that felt oddly familiar to Remy.
Pain radiated through his body as he struggled to sit up.
His eyes fell on Mandy, who was asleep beside his bed. Her hair was a mess, and her swollen eyes suggested she’d been crying.
She was sound asleep.