Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Pouting, she immediately snuggled against his arms.
Although it was not the right occasion to be envious of the couple, the Taylor brothers could not help but turn green in envy. In the past, Alyssa would only go to them for comfort, but now, Jeremy had taken their place, rendering them useless.
“Lyse, don’t panic.” He caressed her back, gently comforting her. “Public opinion might be stressinducing, but as long as we put on a united front, no one can bring us down.
“Besides, your brothers are all here for you and Winston. He’ll be happy to see this when he’s released from the treatment room. That will help with his recovery too.”
She nodded and wiped away her tears with his tie. Jeremy smiled dotingly at her, unbothered by her actions.
Tears welled up in Liam’s eyes as he silently observed the couple’s interaction and replayed Jeremy’s remark. Suddenly, he gained a newfound fondness for Jeremy, whom he had previously hated.
“Jonah, we need to reach out to the IT Department of KS Group to immediately monitor and remove negative comments about Dad.” Having calmed down, Alyssa had a steeled look in her eyes.
Alyssa added, “Get the PR Department to host an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures, and get the Legal Department to draft a public announcement as well as a legal letter to hold the user accountable for leaking the video.”
Jonah reassured her, “Lyse, do not worry. I will take care of these matters.”
Jeremy, always thoughtful and a step ahead, informed her, “I’ve sent Xavier to work on the online monitoring and comment removal.”
Feeling much relaxed, Alyssa still carried a heavy heart. The doors of the treatment room flung open at that time. Julien emerged in a white coat. He removed his surgical mask to reveal a disheartened expression.
The Taylors were astonished to find Julien at the hospital. Mandy’s eyes widened in surprise as she dashed over to him. “Why are you here?”
“Jonah’s dad is in trouble. I have to show up to help, no matter what it takes, Aunt Mandy.” Julien grinned, his lovely face covered in sweat.
Feeling horrible, Mandy stared at her feet. She was the one who chased Julien out of Heightsnew Villa, alerted the Lovelaces about it, and the reason Julien was humiliated in front of the Taylors.
She hadn’t expected Julien to have dropped everything to help the Taylors when they were in trouble, which would put him at risk of getting punished by the Lovelaces. This showed that he was serious about Jonah.
Nevertheless, if the true love between Julien and Jonah would only land them in hot water, she’d rather Julien treat Jonah as one of his many flings.
“Julien, how’s Dad doing?” Alyssa and the rest of her family surrounded Julien, casting worried looks at him.
“Please brace yourself before listening to what I have to say.” Julien directed a complicated look at Jonah’s face before scanning the others. “Mr. Winston’s condition is not optimistic at all.
“I suggest keeping him away from work and following me to Mosgravia for follow-up treatments. From now on, he needs to focus on rehabilitation. If he takes the medical advice, he’ll stand a better chance at recovery.”
“Not optimistic? What’s that supposed to mean?” Alyssa had a sinking feeling in her gut while the other family members spiraled into chaos.
Lyla, Tatiana, and Colene teared up when they heard the medical update.
“We’ve diagnosed Mr. Winston’s incontinence as a side effect of drugs.”
“But Winston has just taken the drug twice. Even if there were side effects, they couldn’t be this serious!” Mandy was badly shaken. Cyrus had to hold her to stop her from collapsing.
After some hesitation, Julien decided to be upfront. “Every patient has a different tolerance to drugs. A younger man could have handled the side effects better, but given Mr. Winston’s age, his health does not allow him to undergo such extreme treatment.
“What happened last time was to save his life. After all, we don’t want him permanently paralyzed or brain dead, do we? But this time, things are different.
“After he is resuscitated, we should perform conventional treatments on him. The results will take time to show, but at least he will be making slow and steady progress instead of experiencing the horrible side effects like what happened today.”
Jeremy hung his head dejectedly. His arms went limp, and his fists tightened. He assumed the blame because all this wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t provided Winston with the medicine.
“Julien, do you mean that Dad would sooner or later…” Alyssa’s voice trailed off. She choked up, feeling like she was on pins and needles.
“This illness, in its advanced phase, will affect the patient’s cognitive functions, leading to a decrease in cognitive abilities and IQ. The patient’s bladder muscles might work as usual, but the patient will experience incontinence due to losing muscle control from cognitive impairment,” explained Julien.
He stared at the floor to conceal his emotions. “I obtained Mr. Winston’s medical records from Mr. Benton to get an overview of his health over the past few years.
“He’s been suffering from a moderate stroke, which he kept a secret from his family and the public. He has been desperately hanging on to his work and refusing to retire early.
“It would have been easier to treat a minor stroke. Now, all we can do is use the most advanced equipment and medication to alleviate his symptoms and slow down the disease’s progression.”
Alyssa never once moved her eyes from Julien’s lips. Overwhelmed by sadness, she wept, knowing that Winston would never recover.
The upsetting news struck the Taylor family like thunder. Would this spell the end for the Belbanks tycoon and the King of KS Group?
Jeremy received a call from Landon at that time. He quickly answered the call with his back turned toward the others. “Landon.”
“Jeremy, I saw the news. Mr. Winston’s illness is the talk of the town. It sounds serious.” Landon’s voice was filled with concern. “Bro, tell me immediately if you need help. You and Lyse are more than friends to me; you’re family. I will try my best to help you no matter what happens.”
“Thank you, Landon.” Jeremy, in a bitter and hoarse tone, replied, “If you have the time, please look for experts in treating stroke in Cyrris and abroad. I’d like to help Mr. Winston and Lyse to the best of my ability.”
“Your problem is of utmost importance to me. I’ll utilize all resources in the Harper Group to get you the medical expert.”
Jeremy’s languid tone pained Landon. “Jeremy, stop sounding so defeated. Chin up, won’t you? Sometimes, when I struggle to face the boomers in top leadership as the company president, I mimic what you do.
“You’re my role model, and you need to act like one. Who else am I going to learn from?”
To Landon, who lost his father young, Jeremy was more than a true friend; he was also an older brother who contributed significantly to Landon’s growth.
Jeremy managed a smile, his frosty expression softening. Still, Landon’s remark failed to lighten up his mood.
Right after Jeremy ended the call, everyone else’s phones buzzed with notifications in unison.
Sean, who had been out dealing with work matters on Alyssa and Jonah’s behalf, hurried back frantically. “Mr. Jonah, I have bad news!”
As the words rolled off his tongue, he turned white and froze on the spot upon noticing the other family members present.
Alyssa, Jeremy, and the others had checked the push notifications on their respective phones. The title read, “Shocker! KS Group President Caught in Gay Love Affair: Shocking Photo Proof Inside!”
The next title read, “KS Group President Spotted in Late-Night Rendezvous with Lover!”
Another news article wrote, “Confirmed Gay: Scandalous Snaps Exposed! KS Group President’s Steamy Photos Leaked!”
Alyssa’s mind went blank as a shiver ran down her spine. Blood frozen, she tapped into the article with trembling fingers. Photos of Jonah and Julien kissing and hugging in the car were released.
Such snaps wouldn’t have caused a stir if it happened between a man and woman. Unfortunately, it was a romance between two men, which became a shocking crisis.
The article was written in the most sensational and racy way to provoke the imagination of the readers. Jeremy, Silas, Cyrus, and the other family members fell into a heavy silence when they read the news.
Even Julien, the subject of the scandal, had no words. His already pale face turned a whiter shade, as his ears rang from the shock. Only Jonah stood still like a mountain with a calm and determined look in his eyes.
Julien, struggling to breathe, peered at his love through tears. He mouthed at Jonah, “Sorry.”
He thought, “Jonah, I’m sorry…”
Steeped in guilt, he regretted letting his emotions get the better of him, prompting him to look for Jonah on that fateful night. He regretted confessing his love for Jonah.
Just as he was grappling with all the emotions, Mandy stormed up to him, snapping, “Are you happy now?”
She fixed a penetrating, resentful gaze on Julien’s face. “You’ve finally gotten what you wanted. You’ve ruined your lover because of your selfishness. What a noble and touching love. Are you happy and satisfied now?”
“Aunt Mandy, I…” Julien’s gaze lost its spark as he grappled for a response. Mandy lifted her hand to slap him in the face.
The resounding slap echoed in the corridor, but it landed on Jonah’s cheek, not Julien’s.
Utterly stunned, Mandy’s hand halted mid-air, the sting of impact pulsing through her palm. She had landed a hard slap on Jonah’s face instead.
Julien gazed at Jonah, who had unhesitatingly shielded him, his heart pounding so hard that it was about to explode. “Jonah, I…”
“Aunt Mandy, please do not hit Julien. He’s not to be blamed. It’s all my fault.”
A deathly silence descended on the corridor after Jonah addressed Mandy. His calmness in the face of unyielding pressure felt the more pitiful. “Julien has suffered through beatings for me and the Taylor family. I do not ever want to put him through anything like that. I will protect him to the best of my ability.”
Jonah’s declaration caught everyone by surprise. Meanwhile, Julien’s head hung low. Though Jonah’s gesture touched him, he found himself weighed down by guilt and self-blame.
Since childhood, Edgar and Mandy had instilled in him the belief that he was the hope of the Lovelace family, thus impressing upon him the expectation to become a responsible and independent man.
Contrary to expectations, Julien had become a troublemaker, incapable of bringing any value to the family. He lamented, feeling like he didn’t deserve to be called a man.
“Jonah, you said Julien was beaten. What does that mean?” Alyssa’s chest tightened.
“Julien has been in a bad place ever since he left the Lovelace family,” Jonah recalled the frightening red marks on Julien’s fair complexion. He clenched his fist to suppress his anger. “When Julien heard about Dad’s relapse, he rushed over to treat Dad despite suffering from injuries.”
Mandy grew nervous. “Did the Lovelaces. punish him by the family rule?”