Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
But Landon didn’t seem to notice her behavior. He held her cold hand and said, “I’ll have someone help you change into something warmer.”
“No… No need-“
“Don’t be shy. It’s only right that I take care of my friend’s sister. Come on.” He was about to lead her away.
“Landon.” Lauren wasn’t so naive as to readily accept his actions, but she didn’t dare to challenge him.
Do… Do you treat my sister like this too?”
Upon hearing that, Landon couldn’t help but scoff to himself. Betty didn’t merit such treatment from him.
“No.” Landon beamed at her. “Only you.”
Meanwhile, Betty was screaming internally in the distance, glaring fiercely at her sister as they left.
Landon booked one of the presidential suites upstairs in Berenike Hotel and promptly had his female secretary buy a gown for Lauren. He then had his secretary help Lauren get dressed while he waited in the suite’s living area.
His fingers rhythmically tapped on the sofa’s armrest as he waited.
Were he in a black suit, he would have the appearance of a groom awaiting his bride’s arrival.
The bedroom door soon opened. His secretary walked out with Lauren, a smile on her face. “Ms. Lauren is ready, Mr. Harper.”
Landons’ gaze shifted to Lauren, who timidly approached him in a wine-red lace-trimmed gown, her eyes blinking innocently.
He was taken aback for the slightest second.
Landon’s world had always been filled with chaos, violence, and women, but he had never met such a pure, sincere woman as Lauren.
He worried that he might tarnish her purity if he gazed at her any longer.
“Why did you get her this color? She’s still young. Pink or peach would have been more suitable.” Landon scowled at his secretary. “You’ve been working for me for ages. Haven’t your fashion sense improved?”
The woman blushed, knowing how nitpicky her boss actually was. She was about to apologize when Lauren said, “I … I like this color, Landon. But-But you really shouldn’t wear red. It makes you look… dark.”
The secretary had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.
For a brief moment, Landon’s expression darkened. No other woman had ever spoken to him this way, except for Alyssa. In terms of national appeal, he should rank second, with only Jeremy ahead of him.
“I’ll forgive you this time because you’re Jeremy’s sister,” Landon muttered.
“Are you angry?” Lauren asked timidly. “Will you yell at me if I said you looked so dark that you looked like an olive? Will you hit me?”
The secretary teetered on the edge of losing her composure. She couldn’t believe her ears when she heard Lauren comparing Landon to an olive. In that moment, she saw Lauren as her savior.
Landon narrowed his eyes, clearing his throat. He approached Lauren and loomed over her, his presence casting a shadow over her.
As he raised his hand, Lauren closed her eyes and tightened her grip around her teddy bear. To her surprise, Landon gently tapped her forehead. “Yes. Does it hurt?” (1
There was a kind smile on his face when Lauren glanced up at him.
“But don’t make fun of me again, or I won’t go so easy on you.” Landon scrunched his face up like he was talking to a child, making his secretary wonder what the hell had gotten into her usually serious boss.
With Jeremy taking charge of dealing with the chaos caused by Alyssa, he handed over the party’s management to Xavier before departing from the hotel.
Now that Ada and Jeremy were gone, Zoe’s plans went down the drain. She drank two full glasses of wine before angrily marching onstage to the grand piano in the center.
Initially, none of the guests paid her any mind, engrossed in their conversations.
Then, out of nowhere, a deafening bang echoed through the room.
Zoe forcefully slammed her hands onto the piano keys, creating a loud cacophony that instantly captured everyone’s attention.
The room collectively turned toward the stage, with some guests scowling at the disruption.
“What the hell? She scared the shit out of me.”
“Jeez. Isn’t she from the Harper family? Why was she so rude? Doesn’t she know any manners?”
Zoe had always been accustomed to getting her way, both at home and abroad, whether it involved throwing a tantrum or making outright demands.
She had vented some of her current frustration and anger just like that, especially when thinking about what Jeremy had said to her.
Now that she was back in the country, in front of all these guests who were part of Solana City’s upper echelon, she realized that she should reconsider how she portrayed herself in public. 1
Zoe cleared her throat, feigning composure. She then began playing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Having graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Yoarkley had its benefits.
The music flowed effortlessly with each stroke of her fingers on the keys, allowing her earlier outburst to fade into the background of everyone’s minds.
Betty stormed over from the back of the hotel to her mother in the event hall, screeching, “Mom! Lauren is here!”
“What?” Sophia cried, “Where?”
“I saw her with Landon earlier. He touched her head and even gave her his coat!” Betty’s eyes were nearly red with seething resentment.
She continued, “Do you really think she’s dumb, Mom? She’s a whore, that’s what she is! Hiding behind that fake innocent mask of hers. She’s already had her eyes set on Landon, Mom! That bitch wants to snatch him away from me!” (2
Sophia squeezed her arm. “Keep those filthy words out of your mouth, Betty Walsh! Where are all the manners and etiquette I taught you?! Lauren is your sister and my daughter. Do not insult her like this ever again!”
Betty gnawed angrily on her lip, suspecting that her mother was likely making excuses to avoid facing the fact that she had given birth to a fool!
“What do I do now, Mom?” she cried, clinging to her mother’s arm. “First Alyssa and now Lauren! Landon never liked me in the first place. I don’t have a chance anymore now!”
“Don’t worry. Lauren won’t get in your way. She wouldn’t even think of it that way. Tell Xavier to find
Lauren later and send her home.”
Sophia honestly didn’t think this was a big deal. She had tightly controlled both her daughters throughout the years. In her view, nothing could disrupt her plans.
Lauren’s mental state and condition would make it difficult to marry her off, but Sophia would still find a prominent match for her. All the better if that family could benefit herself in return for all the trouble she had gone through in raising Lauren.
“This Harper girl has quite the temper, hasn’t she?” Sophia remarked casually as she watched Zoe perform on stage.
“To be honest, Mom, her temper is pretty awful about 95% of the time!”
Betty’s relationship with Zoe was purely transactional, lacking any genuine depth or sincerity, so she saw no reason to conceal her thoughts from her mother.
She added, “Compared to Liana, she’s like a whole atomic bomb.”
“Good.” Sophia’s eyes were sharp.
“What? Why …”
“A fiery temper means she won’t hide her motives too deeply, making it easier to manipulate her. She’s a straightforward girl, really.
“She’s been pampered and spoiled since she was young, never facing any hardship in life. All she wants is to be with Jeremy, although she does exhibit a possessive streak …”
Sophia then scoffed. “Unlike Liana, who wouldn’t hesitate to stab you in the back right after professing her sincerity.”
Just then, the hall doors swung open.
Zoe continued to play with the symphony, oblivious that everyone’s attention had shifted to the newly arrived guests.
Lauren walked in with Landon by her side, her steps small and afraid.
“Who is that with Mr. Harper? I’ve never seen her before,” some of the more curious guests chirped up.
“Probably a new fling. He goes through women like we go through shoes. I heard the longest he’s dated someone was one month”
“She’s quite pretty, almost innocent-looking. I thought he preferred the sexy, model-esque ones. Has he grown tired of them?”
“I must say, that girl is prettier than both the Harper girl and Betty Walsh. You guys just don’t understand. This new girl is a hidden gem, not one of those snobby, wealthy types you find everywhere.”
“Well, well. It looks like Mr. Harper has better taste in women than Mr. Jeremy then. She looks far more trustworthy. She won’t be betraying Mr. Harper anytime soon…”