Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
“No! Don’t do anything!”
Shaking with terror, Javier firmly grabbed Rory’s arm, his eyes wide with fear. “The trial is about to happen. You have a lot of other things to do. Don’t get distracted!
“There is nothing more important than to help the Walsh Group weather through the rough waters.”
Rory knew what he was implying.
As Sophia faced an impending trial, the internet buzzed with negative comments about her. Caught in the crossfire due to Sophia being his wife, Javier, the president of the Walsh Group, couldn’t escape the fallout. The company’s reputation and reliability took a hit from the impact of these adverse comments.
“How is the press conference coming along?” Javier composed himself, though his suit was soaked in sweat.
“Everything is in order. The press conference will start at 3:00 pm sharp tomorrow.”
Javier nodded, gazing at Anne’s tombstone with an inexplicable and troubled expression. His fingers were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. After a prolonged silence, he grimly said, “Let’s go back.”
As they returned from the cemetery, Jeremy’s expression remained cold and pallid, much like the wintry surroundings.
Alyssa gently clasped his tensed hand with both of hers, sensing an icy chill that made her heart ache. After a moment of hesitation, she gently said, “Jeremy, I hope you understand why I stopped you earlier.”
“I understand your intentions, Lyse.”
Jeremy hugged Alyssa and caressed her face with his calloused hand. Suppressing the pain in his heart, he croaked, “You’re concerned I might reveal to Javier about Sophia’s involvement in my mother’s murder.
“You’re afraid that my father didn’t love my mother enough, and he might stop me from avenging my mother to protect the Walsh’s Group’s reputation.”
Alyssa leaned against Jeremy and nodded lightly. “Yes, but not exactly.”
“What else is there?” Shocked, Jeremy looked at her deeply.
“You’ve really hooked Mr. Javier’s interest by spilling part of the story. He will be tossing and turning, trying to figure out the other half of what you were about to spill for the next couple of days.”
Alyssa smirked mischievously. “Let’s keep him hanging in suspense until the very end. The truth will only hit him hard like a brick if we lay the groundwork right. Then, it will be a fatal blow to him, leaving him miserable in his regret.”
“Pfft! Will he even regret it?”
Jeremy’s eyes were red. “He didn’t have a hint of remorse when my mother died. It has been two decades. Will his heart still feel the pain?”
Alyssa hesitated, unsure of how to console him. In that instant, she felt an overwhelming sympathy for Jeremy’s mother. Simultaneously, a wave of gratitude swept over her. Despite Jeremy being Javier’s son, she couldn’t help but feel lucky that he hadn’t inherited the same selfish and cruel traits as his father.
Upon arriving home, Jeremy changed his clothes swiftly and headed straight to the Walsh Group.
He had no pressing tasks at hand other than meetings to attend. However, he felt burdened and chose to bury himself in tasks, fearing that his negativity might affect Alyssa.
Before he realized it, it was nightfall.
If Alyssa had not urged him to come home for dinner after multiple calls, he would have sat in the office until midnight.
Xavier drove Jeremy back to the villa.
As they opened the door, both of them stood frozen in shock.
A thick yet warm smoke enveloped them, and the stark contrast between the lively scene behind the door and the desolation outside took Jeremy aback. His reaction was visceral.
As he stared at the bustling living hall, his heart raced.
Seated on the couch were Tatiana and Julien, and alongside them was Rose, who had been studying overseas and hadn’t crossed paths with Jeremy for several years. They were joyfully chatting while skewering vegetables.
The kitchen buzzed with activity as Jonah, wearing an apron, showcased his culinary skills, with Cyrus assisting in preparing barbecue sauce.
Silas and Sean were focused on putting meat on the skewers, their attention fixed on Tatiana and Rose. Sean’s concern for his girlfriend was evident, while Silas watched in helplessness as Rose engaged in an animated conversation with Julien.
Silas sighed sadly, unsure of the unease he felt witnessing their interaction.
“Dr. Lovelace, you’re nailing those skewers! Your hands are so skilled!” Tatiana exclaimed as she noticed the perfectly arranged food on Julien’s skewer, resembling a carefully crafted assembly. She couldn’t resist showering him with praise.
“Really? I’m just putting the food on a stick,” Julien replied nonchalantly, humming a tune as he examined the perfectly arranged plate.
The skewers Tatiana and Rose assembled were nowhere as beautiful as Julien’s.
“Look at the one I did. It’s all over the place like a chicken claw.” Rose pouted sadly.
Despite being an internationally renowned fashion designer, Rose had fashioned countless exquisite outfits with her skilled hands, but her culinary prowess was lacking.
Life, it seemed, was fair. Meanwhile, God appeared to have favored Alyssa by granting her everything.
“It’s really simple. Let me teach you. You see, this is how you do it…”
Julien hunched over, almost pressed against Rose, his head nearly touching Tatiana’s. Both Rose and Tatiana listened attentively, unaware that this proximity set off significant alarm bells for Sean and Silas, who were not far away.
“Jonah, why is Julien meddling where he shouldn’t?”
Cyrus approached Jonah, gossiping as he mixed the ingredients, “Check out all the guys getting stuff done. Axel is out there starting the fire. Can you believe he’s flirting with the ladies on the couch? How oblivious can he be?”
Jonah furrowed his brow slightly as he stirred the mixture vigorously with his spoon.
“Jonah, you should keep a closer eye on him.”
After a prolonged silence, Jonah lowered his gaze and said, “The kitchen is messy and dirty. Since he’s clean, I didn’t let him come in.”
Cyrus, being straightforward, didn’t grasp the subtext. Puzzled, he exclaimed, “Huh?”
“Julien isn’t a Taylor; he’s Lyse’s guest. It’s nice that he’s pitching in. Don’t expect too much from him.” Jonah slipped in his words and swiftly changed the subject, his face warming up.
Sean couldn’t ignore the closeness between Tatiana and Julien. Unable to contain himself, he snapped the skewer stick in his hand.
“Ouch! It hurts!” Distracted by the situation, Silas lost his focus and accidentally pricked his finger with the skewer stick.
“The two of you…”
It seemed as if Jonah had eyes in the back of his head. He shot a glance at the jealous men and said, “If you’ve got all that energy, help Axel with the fire on the balcony. Maybe your frustration can help him light it up.”
Jonah thought them both idiots.
He wasn’t even jealous. He couldn’t fathom why they were overreacting.
Everyone was busy with their tasks and enjoying each other. No one noticed Jeremy and Xavier standing by the entrance.
“M-Mr. Walsh, we’re at the right house, right?” Xavier was dumbfounded. It was as if they had returned to how the Taylor family was in Belbanks.
“Hey, you’re back, Mr. Jeremy!”
Mrs. Rosie stood behind him with shopping bags in her hand. She nudged him gently. “Why are you standing here? Don’t you recognize your home?”
Jeremy looked at Mrs. Rosie absent-mindedly. He croaked, “Mrs. Rosie, they.”
“Ah, the guests were invited by Madam Alyssa.”
Rosie said joyfully, “Madam Alyssa arranged this gathering for you, Mr. Jeremy. The minute you left, she began making calls and went to prepare the food and the fire. She was occupied the whole day. She thought no one would come due to the last-minute invitations, but surprisingly, everyone showed up.”
“Lyse did this for me?” Jeremy’s eyes welled up as he felt a lump in his throat.
“Who else would this be for? Madam Alyssa mentioned Sophia’s case going to trial. Seeing you stressed these past few days, she arranged a barbecue for you to unwind.”
Then, Rosie winked and nudged his arm. “Remember to thank Madam Alyssa and treat her well behind closed doors tonight. I’m sure I don’t need to give you any advice on what to do, do I?”
Just then, Alyssa descended the stairs with a radiant smile, and a young woman adorned in a light blue dress, complete with a crystal hairpiece, followed closely behind her.
Xavier’s eyes widened, and he rubbed them vigorously. That breathtaking woman was Maggie! The moment that followed left Xavier standing alone at the entrance, his lips trembling, tears already spent.
“Wow!”
All eyes turned to Maggie, who timidly hid behind Alyssa. They were in awe.
Indeed, the way one dressed had a significant impact on how others perceived them.
Upon her initial arrival, Maggie wore modest attire, appearing charming. However, her passive demeanor and hunched posture exposed a palpable insecurity that was difficult for onlookers to handle.