Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
“Mr. Walsh, Victor Schmidt’s attorney visited Josh at the detention center today.” Xavier delivered the latest news with worry. “Will there be any unwelcomed changes? Will the Schmidt Group exploit loopholes to bail out that bastard?”
“No, they won’t. There is solid evidence against Josh Schmidt, and he will never make a comeback again.” The look in Jeremy’s eyes hardened. “If Victor sends his attorney to Josh, it could only mean he’s about to settle the score.”
Grinning knowingly, Alyssa commented, “Oh, looks like the Schmidt Group will see a tilt of scales. Some vicious serpent hiding in the dark might start panicking because things aren’t working out for him.”
Victor stared at the agreement for the transfer of shares, which had been signed by Josh, in a hospital room in Belbanks. His expression was hard to read.
“Mr. Victor, are you not going to visit Mr. Josh for one last time?” Corey Blunt, Victor’s secretary, asked hesitantly.
Victor asked icily, “Did Josh send any message to me?” The detachment in his tone felt like he was talking about a stranger instead of his son.
The Schmidts were as cold-blooded as reptiles. While they experienced a multitude of emotions just like anyone else, they also possessed a remarkable ability to compartmentalize their feelings, seamlessly reverting to their power struggles as though such Machiavellian machinations were the sole reason that kept them going.
Corey gasped in shock, “Word by word?”
Victor barked at him, “Of course! Nonsense!”
“Uh, Mr. Josh said… marrying that bitch is the dumbest decision you made in your life.”
“Oh, fuck him!” Victor punched his bed and glowered in resentment. “The dumbest choice I made in life was putting unconditional trust in him, nurturing and promoting him to the role of company president. It was my error in judgment.”
At the end of the day, Victor acknowledged that he had made unwise decisions as he recalled the events that had happened at the cocktail party.
Josh had schemed against him and Lily but kept it a secret for years, which led to his reputation loss and created a crisis for the Schmidt Group. He was suddenly gripped with the murderous urge to face off against Josh in the detention center.
“Mr. Josh also claimed that Mr. Jameson did not come home to Solana City from Kontina to help you out. Mr. Jameson has always been sharpening his knife and bidding his time to avenge his mother and take over the Schmidt Group.”
Given the seriousness of the situation, Corey had no choice but to repeat Josh’s last message word by word. “Mr. Josh stated that it might appear that the Taylors had caused Mr. David and Ms. Daisy’s misfortune, but in fact, Mr. Jameson was behind everything.
“Now that Mr. Josh and his siblings are taken down, he believes you will be Mr. Jameson’s next target.”
Victor jolted in shock as his face paled. Thinking back, the scandals and troubles that plagued the Schmidt Group started at the time of Jameson’s return.
Victor was in the dark when his three children joined forces to hurt Lily, but he dealt Lily and Jameson the heaviest blow by believing in malicious and dubious claims, dumping the mother and son at the dangerous Kontina for 15 years without once checking on them.
A chill traveled down his spine. Any trace of guilt he felt for Lily and Jameson was swiftly replaced with fear and rage.
All of a sudden, the door to Victor’s room opened. Jameson showed up with a frosty expression on his good-looking face. The smiling look in his eyes was rather unnerving.
Victor flinched and instinctively tried to hide the agreement in his hand, but it was too late. Jameson had seen the document the moment he entered the room, which fueled his viciousness.
“Why are you here?” Victor maintained his composure as he handed the agreement to Corey.
“Dad, I’m your only son left.” Jameson wore a gleeful expression. “Who else is going to visit you, if not me?”
He wandered over to the couch and took a seat. Shaking his legs, he appeared cocky as he had the upper hand. He did not accord the patriarch of the family any respect.
Victor said, “I’m fine. It’s a minor health issue. You may go.”
“Aside from visiting you, I have another update for you.” Jameson said leisurely, “Tomorrow, I’ll pick Mom up and move her into the Schmidt Manor.”
“No! I object!” Enraged, Victor promptly shot down the notion. “I am no longer her legal spouse. It’s not right for us to live under the same roof. Besides, your mom is sick in her mind. She should be housed at the hospital. What if she relapses?”
“Don’t you recognize your mistakes?”
“I should be the one who asks that question!” Though guilty, Victor experienced a moment of clarity, perhaps due to his outrage. “What was your intention behind the revelation at the family gathering? You must have planned this out.
“You plunged the company into a crisis and showed up as a savior at the most crucial moment. Then, you defeated Josh, won my trust, and forced me to appoint you as the company president.
“It’s true that a person’s character is largely established by the time they are very young. You jerk… You’ve been a cunning rascal since you were a kid, and nothing has changed. I nearly walked into your trap!”
Jameson scoffed indifferently. “Dad, are you confused because you are sick or senile? I have nothing to gain by putting the company in trouble. I bet it was Josh who sent you the message, wasn’t it? After all, you aren’t bright enough to come to that conclusion.”
Victor felt a pain in his chest from the anger. “You¡ª”
“Since we’re caught in this situation, I suggest you listen to me. Otherwise, please find someone else to solve the crisis.” Jameson’s suggestion sounded more like a threat.
Smirking, he warned provocatively, “If you agree to welcome Mom to Schmidt Manor and transfer Josh’s stocks to me, I will resolve the company crisis for you. Not only that, I will inject a huge amount of capital into the company. It all depends on your choice.”
Jameson had openly displayed his ambitions. Victor finally saw his true colors.
Had he not fallen for Jameson’s perfect acting, and had he trusted Josh more, he wouldn’t have met with the dilemma. He regretted not keeping Josh as the president, instead oppressing him and unknowingly offering Jameson an opportunity to take power.
It didn’t matter if Jameson helped the company out of the crisis. Victor knew that he would go against his own interest by negotiating with a sly opponent like Jameson, even if Jameson were his son.
Trying to be rational, Victor calmed down and caved in. His tone softened. “Jimmy, I allow Lily to stay with us at the Schmidt Manor, but I can’t transfer the stocks to you as you wish.”
Jameson adjusted his glasses. He quipped, “Well, but didn’t Josh transfer his stocks to you as you wish?”
“Josh is serving concurrent sentences; I’m afraid he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison. Since Clarissa has divorced him, I will be the one to inherit his company shares. I have the right to take his shares.”
Despite hating Jameson with all his might, he had to play along as he didn’t have anyone else to rely on except for Jameson. “Any major changes to the stock ownership structure will shake the power foundation. And that will require a vote from the board of directors.
“The board has been upset with me for appointing you as the president. After all the crisis, I suggest that we don’t hurt the morale at this moment. If you perform well in your role, you will be the heir of Schmidt Group without having to fight for it.”
Victor’s intention was clear. He was making empty promises in the hope of keeping Jameson around to work for the Schmidt Group. On top of that, he was subtly reminding Jameson that the company president was nothing more than a senior employee.
As long as Victor held the majority of stocks and retained control over the board, kicking Jameson out of the Schmidt Group was a cakewalk.
“Hah. Got it.” Jameson’s expression was gloomy like a storm, but he said nothing. He silently rose and marched out of the room without saying goodbye to Victor.
Victor, infuriated by Jameson’s attitude, had to swallow a bunch of pills as his heart was acting up again.
Jameson punched the car window spitefully. Carl, clenching his jaw, hissed, “Is that old fart refusing to transfer Josh’s stocks to you? You’re his only hope now. Sooner or later, you’ll take over the Schmidt Group. Why is he stubbornly clinging to the stocks? It’s not like he could bring them to the afterlife.”
“Yeah, that might be true, but I’m afraid Sir is getting impatient.” Jameson irritatedly tugged at his tie. He was filled with frustration. “Victor and I are publicly at war now, even if we haven’t had a fallout.”
“At the end of the day, it was Jeremy Walsh’s fault for talking Ms. Alyssa into ruining your plans!” Carl could barely contain his anger. “Mr. Schmidt, we can’t have them leading us by the nose. We need to hit back at them!”
Jameson’s eyes gleamed with malice. Then, he pulled out his phone. Just as he was about to call Zoe, he received a call that made his chest tighten.
After some hesitation, he answered the call with caution and respect. “Sir.”
“Have you managed to acquire Josh’s stocks?” Justin inquired with a melodic yet impassive tone.
“Forgive me, Sir.” Jameson sat up straight. “There are some unexpected changes. Josh was arrested by the police at the party. As such, the leverage I held against him…”
“…were of no use,” Justin concluded the sentence unemotionally.
“Sir, I’m very sorry. But fret not, I will find a way as soon as possible¡ª”
“How are you going to do that?” Justin’s voice reeked of an aristocratic disdain. “Had you gotten your hands on Josh’s stocks, you might have stood a chance to contend with your dad. But at present, your dad still holds the majority of the company stocks. To him, you’re nothing more than a senior employee.”
The “senior employee” description was a source of humiliation for Jameson.
Justin snorted at Jameson’s stunned silence. Then, he quietly inquired, “Is your dad recently hospitalized because of some health issues?”
“Yes.”
“Heart problems?”
“That’s right, but it isn’t as serious as it sounds.”
“Your father is an old man who doesn’t take good care of his health. Minor health issues might lead to serious complications, even death. Don’t you agree, Mr. Schmidt?”
The undertone in Justin’s calm remark struck Jameson like lightning. A chilling sensation spread across his body. He replied, “I understood.”
“The man you asked for has arrived at The Millennium. Ms. Altman is currently hosting him. I hope you won’t disappoint me this time.” Justin hung up without waiting for Jameson’s answer.
A deadly silence hung in the air.
“M-Mr. Schmidt, Sir didn’t put you in a tight spot, did he?” Carl cautiously questioned.
Jameson clutched his phone tighter with a menacing look in his eyes. “Head back to The Millennium now.”
Bad news spread like wildfire. News of Dominic being kicked out of the board of directors and fired due to misappropriation of company funds spread through the company in no time. It was certainly a cathartic event.