Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
An incomprehensible sliver of emotion welled up in his eyes.
“I’ll just take a quick peek and leave after that,” Jeremy insisted, stepping past Justin. But just as he did, Justin grabbed his arm, stopping him cold.
“Jeremy.”
Jeremy froze, his eyes meeting Justin’s.
He could feel Justin’s grip tightening. In a calm voice, he asked, “Justin, what are you doing?”
“I’m stopping you. Isn’t it obvious enough?”
Jeremy frowned. ‘But why?”
“Because I think the current you shouldn’t yourself to Lyse.” A slight smile came across Justin’s face, even though the look in his eyes was grim and cold. “When she had her accident and needed someone the most, I was the one who stayed by her side.
“When she was in danger today, I was the one who saved her in the nick of time. These were times when she needed you the most, but you were nowhere to be found and completely detached.
“And now you’re wanting to be a nuisance to her. Is it out of dissatisfaction, or are you seeking her attention?” Jeremy’s frown deepened, and his lips paled.
As far as he could remember, this was the first time Justin had ever uttered such harsh words to his face, and Jeremy couldn’t believe it was all because of Alyssa.
“Jeremy, ever since you joined the Walsh family, everything has come easily to you-Grandpa’s affection, Dad’s support, even the role as the company’s president. I never fought you for any of that. But Lyse? I’m serious about her. And I won’t let you take what belongs to me.”
Justin spoke those cutting words with subtle sarcasm, yet his smile remained as gentle as a spring breeze, as if there was no malice behind them at all.
He continued, “Moreover, she is no longer yours. You should make it a clean break since you wanted to break up with her. Or I’ll really get mad.”
Jeremy remained silent. His hands balled into tight fists at his sides, trembling ever so lightly as a dark expression settled over his face.
After a moment of silence, Justin offered a casual smile, ignoring the tension on Jeremy’s face as he moved past him.
“Justin, I’ve always respected you since I was young.” Jeremy’s voice broke the silence, hoarse and strained, with his back turned to Justin. “There are things I can compromise on, but some matters, I can’t.”
Justin, his back still facing Jeremy, narrowed his eyes and asked, “Such as?”
“My need to see her now.” A fierce determination lit Jeremy’s darkened eyes. “Justin, I won’t deny your feelings for her. It’s none of my business. But you have no right to stop me from seeing her either.
“If you and Ms. Alyssa are officially together, I’ll never go near her again. You won’t even need to say a word. I’ll give you both my blessings and wish you a happy life together.”
As Jeremy said “happy life”, his throat tightened, and a bitter taste of bile rose at the back of his mouth. Still, he continued, “But as long as she’s not yours, we’re equals in her eyes. You can see her, and so can I. If that bothers you, I’m sorry.”
The darkness in Justin’s eyes hid any trace of emotion on his face. In a cold, detached voice, he asked, “Jeremy, do you still have feelings for her? You haven’t let go, have you?”
A lump rose in Jeremy’s throat, and his gaze went blank.
“Jeremy,” Justin’s voice grew deeper, marked by a few dry coughs. “We may not share the same mother, but ask yourself-how have I treated you since we were kids?”
“You’ve treated me very well,” Jeremy answered, his breath shallow.
Memories flooded his mind, moments of warmth shared with Justin, four years his senior, a brother who had always been like a father to him.
When Jeremy first entered the Walsh family, his life seemed bleak, as he was met with disdain from many. Justin was the first to show him care, standing by him when the household staff mistreated him and offering him a sense of warmth.
Justin was also the one who had put his own life on the line to help Jeremy escape that terrifying kidnapping incident. Otherwise, Jeremy would have been the one sitting in the wheelchair today, unable to move freely.
“As you can see, I’ll be bound to this wheelchair for the rest of my life. And the medications are the permanent part of it too, just to keep me going.”
Panting slightly, Justin managed a bitter smile. “I know that I don’t deserve Ms. Alyssa. But she’s willing to spend time with me despite my broken body.
“Jeremy, all humans have feelings. After being overseas and away from home on my own for so many years, I often feel lonely and lost. Oftentimes, I’d ask myself if my life is just going to drift away like this.
“I, too, crave the companionship of someone I love. I, too, want a normal life-to get married, start a family, and have a happy and fulfilling relationship.”
Jeremy was stunned. His older brother, once so detached from the world, longed for a family? And the woman he wanted to share that with was Alyssa.
Jeremy’s chest tightened. He recalled the earlier scene at the orphanage, where Alyssa and Justin had shared a smile in the snow-covered courtyard, their eyes filled with joy.
In contrast, every time Alyssa saw him, her eyes were either brimming with tears or clouded with sorrow. He had once been the man she loved. Now, he was only a source of her pain.
“If someone like Ms. Alyssa could be by my side, I’d have no regrets,” Justin said, his voice filled with a humble plea. “Jeremy, please give me a chance to get to know her better. Help me.
Jeremy’s entire body tensed, his jawline sharp as he struggled to suppress his emotions. He stood frozen, not even realizing when Justin left.
Not long after, the door to Alyssa’s hospital room opened.
Sean stepped out, holding a thermal flask. He was taken aback when he saw Jeremy standing rigidly in the hallway. Then his face fell as he mocked, “You got here fast this time.”
Jeremy’s lashes quivered slightly. In a low voice, he said, “Mr. Lynch, I want to see her.”
“Oh, really? Ms. Alyssa isn’t some animal at the zoo you can just go look at.”
With a roll of his eyes, Sean turned toward Alyssa’s ward, muttering, “Wait here.”
One minute later, Sean came back out of the room. His expression was conflicted as he looked at Jeremy. “Ms. Alyssa doesn’t want to see you. Please leave.”
Jeremy balled his hands into fists. “Why?”
Sean sniggered coldly. “Why? Maybe because she’s finally woken up. She doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice or lose her dignity by chasing after a man who gives her nothing but indifference.”
Jeremy’s face paled, and he fell silent.
Sean’s heart ached as he remembered all the suffering Alyssa had endured recently. His eyes welled with unshed tears.
Struggling to suppress his anger, Sean said, “Mr. Walsh, Ms. Alyssa is completely exhausted. Since she doesn’t want to see you, please just leave. Don’t bother her anymore.”
In the study at Seaview Manor, Sheryl laid out all her findings for Justin without holding back.
“I have reason to believe that the woman named Clara Whitaker is actually Jameson’s substitute for Alyssa- Amber Altman!”
Sheryl watched Justin, who was sitting behind the desk, working on a piece of calligraphy writing with his head down. He had a composed look in his eyes.
Through gritted teeth, she continued, “No wonder she was so hostile when she saw me today. If she’s Amber, it all makes sense now.”
“I’m not bothered by her rudeness,” she added, “but I’m concerned that she might have caught on. Don’t you think she seemed slightly panicked when she met you earlier?”
“She’s finally freed herself from Jameson’s control. After everything she’s gone through, she’s found a chance at a new beginning with Mr. Axel.” Justin’s pen moved smoothly across the paper as he wrote “Lyse’ in elegant strokes. “Naturally, her first instinct would be to get rid of that face that had put her through so much pain. She doesn’t want to live in someone else’s shadow anymore.
Sheryl’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you saying that at one glance, you could already tell-
“I merely had my suspicions. That was why I tasked you to confirm them.”
Sheryl was utterly impressed.
Justin was intelligent and sharp-witted. If he was perfectly healthy physically, Jeremy wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
“Mr. Justin, based on Amber’s behavior today, I’m afraid she might already be onto us. After all, she’s crossed paths with us a few times while working for Jameson.
“Even though she has never seen us before, she might have an inkling. It would be disastrous if Ms. Alyssa found out.’
Sheryl stepped closer, her eyes narrowing with a sinister gleam. “Should I send someone to handle Amber before she becomes a problem?”
“Sheryl, you’re being hasty again,” Justin said, placing his pen in the holder and shifting his papers aside. He picked up the sheet he’d written on, admiring the strokes. “She may be starting to have doubts, but she hasn’t solidified anything yet. If you intervene now, wouldn’t that only make it obvious that I’m the one behind Jameson?’ “In that case, are you planning to just let it go?” Sheryl frowned, feeling worried. “Amber is a survivor from Jameson’s side. Now she’s involved with Mr. Axel. If we don’t nip this in its bud, it will come back to bite us!”
Sheryl was crude, straightforward, and cruel. She seemed to embody the saying that there was no worse evil than a bad woman.
“Even if we need to eliminate the problem at its source, we must be patient for now,” Justin replied, his smile polite but his eyes holding a glint of something darker. “We need to wait for the right opportunity to deal with this while ensuring our own safety.”
At 5:00 am, on a cold winter moming in Solana City, everything remained silent and pitch-black.
Alyssa tossed and turned restlessly on the hospital bed, unable to find any peace in her sleep. After what felt like an eternity, she slowly sat up and climbed out of bed, sluggishly slipping her slippers on.
She was still struggling with her injured leg, so she leaned against the wall as she made her way toward the door.
But when she pushed the door open and looked up, she froze in shock. There, sitting on a cold bench just outside, was Jeremy. His eyes were closed, his posture rigid and unmoving.
The dim lighting cast long shadows, highlighting his solitude.
