Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Alyssa scoffed at the ludicrous gossip with disdain. The smile on her lips was as icy as winter.
Her response to Zoe’s allegations left everyone stunned. Alyssa quipped, “Fascinating. I’ve never witnessed such a spectacle in my life.”
Shooting a threatening look at Zoe, she continued fearlessly, “I’ll admit, I did entertain the thought of hitting you, but I was pleasantly surprised when you decided to slap yourself. It saves me from getting my hands dirty. What a lucky day!”
A collective gasp swept through the onlookers after they learned that Zoe might have slapped herself. Judging from her swollen cheeks, they expressed shock at the cruelty she had inflicted upon herself. All colors drained from Zoe’s face. She stammered, “A-Alyssa Taylor, w-what are you on about? I’m not crazy. Why would I slap myself?”
Alyssa clicked her tongue and shrugged. “I guess you’re crazy. Not only that, you scared the hell out of me. I should have demanded compensation for emotional distress. How dare you accuse me of something you did to yourself? Do you think you can slander me just because you bear the Harper name?”
In the midst of the audible gasps, camera flashes illuminated Zoe’s bewildered face.
The surrounding onlookers engaged in hushed chatter. “Ms. Alyssa is known to be generous and kind. She has been involved in charity work and even took the initiative to arrange the maid’s funeral. I don’t think she’s the type to frame Zoe Harper.”
“Even if Ms. Alyssa hit Ms. Zoe, there must be a good reason for doing so.”
“She might have hit Ms. Zoe out of jealousy. That’s not right. I will not. change my opinion of her.”
Alyssa was through and through with the tasteless conflict among the ladies, and she looked down at Zoe’s clumsy tactics.
She staunchly believed that the innocent had no obligation to defend themselves and didn’t mind being misunderstood. If anything, she emerged as the victor today, given that Zoe had harmed herself.
Just as she was about to leave the center of gossip, a concerned cry pierced through the crowd. “Zoe, what happened? Who did this to you?
The crowd made way for Cornelius, the other Harper family members, and their bodyguards. The entourage hurried over to check on Zoe. Zoe trembled in tears. “Grandpa… Mom…”
Penelope immediately assumed Alyssa was the aggressor after seeing her precious daughter disheveled and lying on the ground with swollen cheeks. At the same time, Alyssa looked on with an arrogant and disdainful expression.
“Help Zoe from the floor!” Cornelius ordered the bodyguards, who swiftly acted and even formed a barrier to keep the reporters away. “My darling Zoe!” Penelope enveloped Zoe in a protective embrace and fixed a stern gaze on Alyssa. “Ms. Alyssa, if you have an issue, take it up with me. Why would you bully my daughter?”
“Mom, calm down. You’re not in the best health. I’ll be fine…” Zoe pretended to comfort Penelope thoughtfully, earning additional sympathy from the crowds.
Meanwhile, the Taylors had arrived at the scene, creating a stir. The situation escalated after Zoe’s dirty trick alarmed the Harpers and the Taylors.
Cornelius rested his hands on the walking stick and cast a hostile glance at Winston. He fumed, “Mr. Winston, your daughter is pretty hot -tempered, isn’t she? The guts to slap Zoe in broad daylight.
“I can tell you’ve spoiled your beloved daughter, Alyssa. But Zoe is precious to us as well. You and Alyssa need to take responsibility for what happened.”
He was adamant to show the Taylors that the Harpers were not to be
Cornelius thought, “The Taylors should count their blessings. If it were someone else who slapped Zoe, they’d be in serious trouble.”
Jonah fixed his gaze on Zoe. Despite not saying a word, he induced fear in Zoe, who promptly leaned closer to Penelope.
Lyla released Winston’s arm and hurriedly reached for Alyssa’s hand. ” Lyse, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Penelope and Zoe looked incredulous upon hearing Lyla’s words.
“I’m fine, Lyla. Don’t worry,” Alyssa reassured Lyla.
“Lyse, I don’t believe that you slapped her. We trust your character, even if the outsiders don’t,” Lyla expressed her trust in Alyssa while shooting daggers at Zoe.
Meanwhile, Winston pressed his lips and frowned. He looked at
Alyssa with mixed emotions. He wasn’t concerned at all about the possibility of Alyssa beating up Zoe. After all, Alyssa had always been cheeky and sassy from a young age.
What bothered him was the fallout from the incident and the potential damage to Alyssa’s reputation.
For Alyssa to take over the Taylor Group, she needed to establish a positive public image or risk becoming a target during the handover.
“Mr. Cornelius, Madam Penelope, did you witness anything at all? You have to back up your claims, you know,” a clear and composed voice intervened.
The speaker’s tone was calm yet carried a certain authority.
Everyone turned to see Jameson approaching Alyssa Alyssa stood hand, she wished for Jeremy to be her knight in shining armor.
“What do you mean, Mr. Jameson? Are you saying that Zoe lied to frame Alyssa?” Cornelius demanded,
“Well, that’s something you’ll have to ask her. She might ruin her future with her devious tricks.” Jameson stood before Alyssa and stared at her tenderly, eliciting excited gasps from the crowds.
“Long before this, Mr. Jameson had expressed his interest in Ms. Alyssa at the charity auction!”
“No shit, Sherlock. Just look at the way he stares at her. He even defended her against the Harpers. He’s made it very clear.”
“I wonder Winston Taylor’s thoughts about the president of Walsh Group versus the Schmidt princeling”
“I would pick Mr. Jameson. At least, he seems relatively scandal-free, unlike Jeremy Walsh and his involvements with Liana Gardner and now Zoe Harper. Who knows if he’ll be cheating on Ms. Alyssa with another woman in the future? If I were a parent, I’d never allow my daughter to marry him!”,
Zoe faltered under Jameson’s gaze and grasped Penelope’s arm tightly. Though she hadn’t spoken to Jameson before, he seemed familiar.
The overwhelming fear nearly suffocated her.
Penelope hugged Zoe tightly and hissed in fury, “Mr. Jameson, are you suggesting that Zoe framed Alyssa? How could you victim-blame after my daughter has been roughed up? I know your family is close with the Taylors, but you shouldn’t speak up for the bullies.”
Zoe wore a pitiful expression, but underneath, she grappled with guilt and fear. She had done her research and knew the corridor had no
Zoe found herself unnerved and unsettled by Jameson’s unwavering confidence. Did he witness the altercation? Why else would he defend Alyssa?
Jameson inched closer to Zoe, his dark eyes unrelentingly fixed on her. She shuddered as he questioned, “Did Lyse slap you?”
“I-” Zoe choked.
“You’re an adult. You should be responsible for what you said. It’ll be too late to regret your actions when the facts are out.”
-A hushed silence fell on the crowd as they anticipated Zoe’s answer.
The fleeting seconds felt like an eternity.
Eventually, Zoe succumbed to overwhelming fear, as if she had been held hostage. Never before had she felt such dread, not even in the presence of Jeremy or Landon. She confessed, “W-When I was arguing with Ms. Alyssa, I lost my balance, hit my face on the door, and fell to the floor…”
She omitted the part about slapping herself. Still, her partial confession was enough to prove Alyssa’s innocence and cast doubt on her own credibility.
“Woah! But did Zoe actually slap herself in the face? That was wicked!
“Don’t you get it? She crumbled under Mr. Jameson’s pressure. Pfft, and to think she played the victim just now.”
“Tsk tsk. She’s just a young lady who couldn’t stand the pressure of interrogation. I would have denied it. Let him present the evidence!”
“Are you seriously defending Ms. Zoe? What she did was slander. If
Jameson effortlessly solved the problem for Alyssa, but she showed no response, not even a hint of gratitude.
On the other hand, Winston looked much relieved and gave Jameson a nod and a rare smile of approval.
Jonah wrapped an arm around Alyssa’s shoulders and addressed Cornelius calmly, “Mr. Cornelius, does your granddaughter still insist on a settlement?
“If you’re not ready to let this go, we can meet at the police station with our attorneys after the event. We’ll decide whether to settle this case in private or court.”
Winston squinted at Jonah while silently applauding his eldest son. He would like to express the same sentiment, but it would be unwise for a man of his position to go against Cornelius. As a concerned brother, Jonah had every right to speak against Cornelius in that manner.
Looking bewildered, Penelope hugged Zoe tightly as Cornelius’ expression hardened.
Jonah smirked. “The Taylors will take responsibility for what we have. done, but we aren’t going to give in when we’re framed, especially when it happens to my dear sister.
“I will look into this matter thoroughly. Mr. Cornelius, I believe you’ll share the same sentiment, given your affection for Ms. Zoe.”
The Harpers found themselves burdened by shame. Jonah, with a few words, forced them into a tight spot. What if things escalated when they faced off at the police station?
However, refusal to answer Jonah on the spot would be akin to an admission of guilt. The public would assume that Zoe had indeed lieu Aiyoou.
Preston, who had observed the unfolding drama from the sidelines, finally interjected light-heartedly to diffuse the tense situation,” Hahaha! This is all a huge misunderstanding! It’s nothing more than a banter between two ladies that took an unfortunate turn. Haven’t we all been through similar situations when we were young?
“Zoe is a good kid, albeit a tad impulsive and a bit spoiled. When emotions run high, she tends to speak without thinking. Sometimes, she’s not even aware of what she just said! Haha!
“We sincerely apologize for the trouble. Look, we’ve been family friends for many years. Winston, you were friends with my brother Bill. Zoe is Bill’s beloved daughter. You know Bill, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Preston alleviated Winston’s anger by skillfully handling the situation.