Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Blood trickled from Ernest’s mouth as he responded, “M-Mr. Owen said Mr. Aidan confessed to hoarding illegal drugs and selling them in bulk to gangs like the Ivory Gang.” Joseph’s head rang with a buzz as he angrily asked, “Why didn’t he reveal his suppliers? Is he stupid or insane?”
“That’s the tricky part.”
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Ernest didn’t understand either. “Mr Aidan isn’t the type to handle things like this calmly. Besides, at this point, if he doesn’t shift the blame, he could face a lengthy sentence.
“Although he didn’t personally kill anyone or self drugs, Mr. Owen mentioned that the previous human drug experimentation hashtag caused widespread panic among the public and resulted in several deaths.
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“This is no different from indirect manslaughter. Even if we hire the best legal team in the world to defend Mr. Aidan, he might still-“
“Shut your mouth!” Joseph silenced Ernest with another slap.
Despite his anxiety, a glimmer of hope flickered in Joseph’s heart.
Aidan’s illicit dealings were with his approval and support. If Aidan cracked under pressure and revealed his involvement, Lovelace Group would be completely doomed.
As long as he held firm, there might still be a chance.
Joseph arrived at the hospital. After hastily cleaning himself up in the restroom, he rushed to Edgar’s VIP room. “Dad, I’m-“
But as Joseph stepped into the room, he froze in astonishment.
There was Mandy, tenderly feeding Edgar soup by his bedside.
“M-Mandy? Why…” Joseph’s chest tightened. His expression changed in an instant.
Despite their past animosity and Mandy slapping his face, seeing her still stirred something in him. His heated gaze lingered on her captivating face.
“With everything that’s happened, you must be overwhelmed and haven’t had time for Dad.”
Mandy set down the bowl and picked up a napkin to wipe Edgar’s mouth. Without glancing at Joseph, she continued, “Even though I’ve married Winston, and you may not readily accept him, I am still a Lovelace. It would be heartless of me not to return at this time.”
Joseph frowned, feeling suspicious.
“Mandy… Thank you for coming to see me…”
Edgar’s eyes glistened with tears as he tightly squeezed Mandy’s hand. “I’ve been too harsh on you before and caused us to misunderstand each other for so many years. We were at odds for so long. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a chance to make up for my mistakes…”
“Dad, it doesn’t matter anymore. Everything’s in the past,” Mandy reassured him gently. “Besides, blood is thicker than water. You’ll always be my dad, and we’ll always be family.”
“Blood is thicker than water.” Those words sounded unbearably harsh to Joseph.
In this family, ultimately, only Mandy was Edgar’s biological child. Their sudden reconciliation during this critical moment made him feel even more like an outsider.
“Mandy, you’ve had a long day. You should go home now. I need to talk to Jo,” Edgar said softly.
Obediently, Mandy got up. She shot Joseph a cold glare as she passed by. Her gaze was piercing and unsettling.
Once the door closed, the fleeting peace in the room vanished.
“What are you going to do about Aidan?” Edgar asked in a trembling voice.
Joseph gritted his teeth and answered seriously, “Dad, with Aidan caught and all the evidence agains him, there’s nothing we can do. Lovelace Group must immediately sever ties with him. We must deny any involvement in hoarding illegal drugs.”
Edgar paled in disbelief. “W-What did you say? You want to completely abandon Aidan? He’s your son!”
“He’s my son, but his actions have
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severely harmed Lovelace Group’s interests. He’s a ticking time bomb! If we don’t cut him off, the entire Lovelace Group will go down with him,” Joseph’s tone was resolute, as if he were talking about a m¨¨re pawn instead of his own son facing prison time.
Utterly shocked, Edgar stared wide-eyed at Joseph, who had a grim expression.
This child, whom he had nurtured for 40 years, looked like a stranger to him at this moment.
“Jo… I have one question for you. If you still consider me your dad, you’ll answer me truthfully.” Edgar strained to maintain his composure. “Do you know about Aidan hoarding drugs? Were you involved? S
Joseph remained unfazed. Without hesitation, he replied, “No, it was all Aidan’s doing. He made greedy decisions and went down the wrong path. I had no knowledge of his illicit activities.”
“How dare you still lie to me?” With his last ounce of strength, Edgar grabbed the bowl from the bedside table and chucked it at Joseph. Unable to dodge, Joseph’s suit got drenched in soup. First, he was pelted with rotten eggs and then soup. This day couldn’t get any worse for Joseph.
Joseph erupted in anger. His face flushed with fury. “Dad! What are you doing?”
“For the past six months, Aidan has been transferring money to your account every month. Shortly after, the same amount appears in the company’s account!
“And Aidan has only been in the business for a few years. How would he know about that warehouse where the drugs were hidden? Isn’t it because you approve of him doing this?”
Since his actions were exposed, Joseph dropped all pretense and emitted a sardonic laugh.
“Even if I did consent, so what?” Joseph admitted.
“Joseph Lovelace! Do you even realize what you did? You’re trafficking drugs. You’re leading Lovelace Group to doom!” Edgar was so angry that his view darkened, and his body trembled. “Wrong! What I did was to save Lovelace Group!”
Joseph stood tall. His eyes were devoid of any remorse or guilt. “Do you think the company’s doing well now? Our drug sales have been declining year after year, with losses amounting to hundreds of millions annually. What you see is just what I wanted to show you!
“Also, the Alzheimer’s drug research project ran out of funds long ago! If Aidan hadn’t come up with this idea and infused some cash, our company’s financial chain would’ve snapped six months ago! So, in a way, you should thank me. Without me, Lovelace Group wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“You jerk… You’re spouting nonsense!”
Edgar clutched his chest as he rebuked, “Even if our family falls into bankruptcy… and we have to beg on the streets, we mustn’t resort to such despicable deeds!”
“Hypocrite,” Joseph sneered.
Edgar pounded the bed in frustration. “You jerk! You’ve ruined Lovelace Group, and you’ve ruined your own son! Aidan used to be such a good kid, but you corrupted him! Julien has severed ties with you as well! Joseph, you’ve disappointed me beyond words! You’re not fit to be the heir of Lovelace Group!”
“I’m not fit? Who else is? Julien, who’s dating the Taylor family’s son? Or Mandy, who has tarnished the family’s reputation by being Winston’s mistress?”
Joseph coldly eyed Edgar, who was on the brink of death. He didn’t bother to waste more words as he turned to leave.
“Dad, you didn’t have a choice long ago. The heir to Lovelace Group can only be me.”
Back at Lovelace Residence, Joseph, clad in a bathrobe, slumped onto the couch. He poured himself a glass of whiskey.
He had played the dutiful son for decades. But now that he had clashed with Edgar, he felt an unprecedented, subtle sense of relief.
He summoned Ernest and commanded Issue an official statement from Lovelace Group’s official social media accounts tomorrow. State that everything was Aidan’s doing and had nothing to do with Lovelace Group. We’re a pharmaceutical company. Any association with human experimentation would ruin us.”
Ernest felt a chill run down his spine.
Joseph was truly ruthless. He was willing to sacrifice even his own son for the family’s interests.
“Also, erase all the transaction records from these past few months. We can’t afford to let the police trace anything back to me through Aidan.”
Joseph glared at Ernest to ensure the latter didn’t slack off. “If there’s any slip-up, not only me, but you’ll also go down with Lovelace Group.” Ernest hurriedly complied.
“Did you obtain the surveillance footage from the ward?” Joseph asked grimly.
“Yes.” Ernest handed him a USB drive.
Joseph inserted the drive into the computer and played the video.
Mandy and Edgar’s conversation was crystal clear.
“Dad, you have to stop Joseph now, or Lovelace Group will be doomed.”
“I’ve been blind… How did I not see through his ambitions sooner? But it’s too late to have regrets now..I’ve stepped down, and he’s ready to take over. How will Lovelace Group survive without him?”
“Dad, if we’re talking about heirs, there’s no one more suitable than Julien. Julien is a skilled doctor, and he’s highly respected in Mosgravia. He could easily manage the hospital. Also, Jonah is experienced in business. Julien can learn from him. He’ll surely excel with time.”
“Mandy… I want to change my will. I want you to take over Lovelace Group.”
Joseph’s face turned ghostly pale. His hand shook with rage as he gripped the mouse.
