Filed to story: The CEO’s Wife Is a Secret Boss Novel (Allison & Jeremy) Free Online
Rafe’s head spun in anger. “Why, you¡ª”
Justin remained unbothered. “That’s not all. I also have records of your lavish spending at my clubhouse this past year. If I handed them over to the authorities, do you think Solana City’s council would reward me for civic duty?”
“D-Don’t! Mr. Walsh, I’m willing to renegotiate,” Rafe blurted, panicked.
Justin’s voice turned steely. “Project A5 has to be mine. I want it.”
Rafe stated, “But Walsh Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn’t be able to escape unscathed!”
“If you’re investigated, I’ll make sure you can still live a life of luxury-even if you lose your job.” Justin’s tone darkened. “But if you turn against me, you won’t just suffer a few losses. You’ll lose everything.”
Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. “You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?”
After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. “Sheryl is still being detained. She can’t be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You’ll handle that.”
Remy was taken aback. “I failed my last mission. Aren’t you going to punish me?”
Justin’s smile was cold and insincere. “It wasn’t your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I trust you wouldn’t have let me down.”
After leaving the villa and getting into his car, Remy noticed his shirt was soaked in cold sweat.
He had never felt fear in all his years following Justin and seeing him as his lifesaver. But now, an unsettling feeling of dread gripped him. Why was he afraid? Was it fear that his changes would spiral out of control or that Justin might see right through him?
With no outlet for his suppressed emotions, Remy bit back the discomfort and sped down the winding road, cigarette in hand.
After some time, his instincts flared. He glanced in the rearview mirror. A black luxury car was following him. His eyes turned icy. Remy accelerated, drifting perfectly around a sharp bend.
Tires screeched against asphalt, sending up clouds of white smoke.
The trailing car fell behind.
Meanwhile, back at Heightsnew Villa, Mandy paced restlessly, eyes glued to the tracker on her phone.
Alyssa, determined to make up for past mistakes, had put all her work aside to stay by Mandy’s side.
Just then, Mandy’s phone buzzed.
“Mrs. Taylor, the reception at Domere Mountain is terrible. It’s unstable,” her subordinate reported. “I think I’m getting closer to the target, but I can’t confirm if it’s the person you’re looking for.”
Anxious, Mandy exclaimed, “But you’re getting farther away!”
Her subordinate helplessly said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Taylor. Their driving is incredible. I lost them at the last bend.”
Immediately after, Mandy asked, “Lyse, why would Damien be at Domere Mountain? Does he live there?” “Perhaps.”
Worried that Mandy might complicate things, Alyssa didn’t share that Justin’s private villa could be nearby. “Damn it! The signal’s gone!” Mandy cried out urgently.
“Don’t panic, Mandy. Reception at Domere Mountain is bad. The tracker will kick back in when it hits a better spot, Alyssa reassured her softly.
Then, her tone grew serious. “Promise me you’ll only track him from a distance. Don’t show yourself to Damien. And under no circumstances should you go to him alone. Can you promise me?”
Mandy nodded, her eyes shadowed with unease.
Since Julien’s appearance at the press conference and his sudden disappearance, Jonah hadn’t slept for three days. He even called his old subordinate Evan, and got Landon and Colene to gather men from Harper Group and Ivory Group to scour Solana City and Belbanks.
In the early hours of the third morning, Jonah was walking aimlessly through the streets, looking like a broken ghost, when Evan called.
“Judas! Get here now. I found your partner!” Evan’s voice was breathless with emotion.
Standing in the freezing wind, Jonah froze. His heart clenched. “Where’s Julien?”
“He’s at a gay bar. I’ll send the address to you!”
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay-corrupt, degrading, and vile.
“Where’s Julien?” Jonah’s voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp.
When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent.
“Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?”
A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah’s shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. “If you’re bored, I’d be happy to keep you company.”
Jonah’s expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage.
Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men.
Evan yelled, “Don’t touch him!”
A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.
The man who had draped himself over Jonah now lay crumpled on the floor, groaning in pain. Jonah hadn’t even moved from his spot.
Evan exhaled in relief. It was okay for Jonah to brawl so long as his actions were morally justifiable. “Where’s Julien?” Jonah repeated, stepping over the man without a second glance and closing in on Evan. “H-He’s at the bar. Let me walk you there.”
“No need,” Jonah rasped, eyes already scanning the crowd.
Even amidst the chaos, Jonah’s commanding presence drew every gaze in the room.
Evan watched him go, his mind whirring. Jonah was right-Julien and Blake were polar opposites.
Blake was gentle and quiet, with a demeanor so unassuming that it bordered on demure. He wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like this, let alone interacting with such shady men.
Jonah once said that being with Blake made him feel safe and content, leading Evan to believe he sought a loving and understanding partner.
Julien, however, shattered that assumption. While strikingly handsome and bearing a resemblance to Blake, Julien was volatile and unyielding the polar opposite of everything Blake represented.
Evan had initially believed Jonah’s tolerance of Julien stemmed from his attractive face, but now he wasn’t so sure. Jonah was undeniably in love with Julien, and it wasn’t just about his looks anymore. He loved the whole package, the flaws, the rebelliousness-everything. He might even have loved Julien more than he ever loved Blake.
In a light purple shirt, Julien’s drunken gaze was unfocused. With a few buttons undone, his sculpted collarbone and a hint of pale skin were visible as a man refilled his glass.
A man leaned toward him with a hungry gleam in his eyes. “I noticed you the moment I walked in,” the man said. ” You’re my ideal type.”
The corny pick-up line earned Julien a wide, sarcastic smile. Turning his cheek to the man, he deliberately displayed his scar. “And now?” he asked, his voice dripping with irony. “Still your ideal type?”
The cross-shaped scar on Julien’s face initially startled the man, his eyes widening in surprise. But the shock quickly gave way to something else, something akin to awe. He reached out, his touch gentle, and whispered, ” You’re mesmerizing… To me, you are my Venus.”
But Julien didn’t give him a chance. He stood abruptly, hopped onto a bench, and leaped onto the stage, where a half-naked pole dancer swayed to the beat.
Julien joined in, grinding to the music with a reckless abandon that made the crowd’s eyes lock onto him.
The man who had approached him practically drooled. Just as he began climbing onto the stage, a hand seized his wrist with crushing force. A loud crack echoed through the room.
The man let out a yelp as he was lifted into the air and slammed to the floor.
The crowd gasped.
Jonah towered over him, pressing his boot hard against the man’s abdomen until he gagged.
“If he’s Venus,” Jonah said, his voice a growl, “do you know who I am?”
The man whimpered, trembling as his face paled.
“I’m Mars.”
Jonah stepped past him without a backward glance, his gaze locked on Julien as he swiftly mounted the stage.
Lost in the music and the haze of alcohol, Julien was blissfully unaware of the man before him, whose bloodshot eyes were filled with affection and unshed tears.
Jonah’s gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate.
The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, “Are you new? How much do you charge per night?”
Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah’s cheek. “You’re pretty good-looking,” he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. “Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?”
Jonah’s heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien’s waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. I’m new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?”
Julien’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah.
Jonah’s eyes teared up as he held Julien’s waist tightly. “I promise you won’t be disappointed,” he said, his voice deep.
Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah’s sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downright flirtatious.
Julien shivered all over, the rasp of Jonah’s voice and the heat of his breath against his neck setting off an unsettling current inside him.
Then, his vision sharpened and he saw that face clearly-the face of the man who had shattered him.
A jolt of anger shot through him. He struggled against Jonah’s hold, but the alcohol had robbed him of his strength. The fire in his eyes, though, remained undiminished. “Fuck off! Don’t touch me!”
Jonah wasn’t about to let Julien slip away again. In a swift, unexpected move, he swept Julien into a princess carry and leaped off the stage.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as Jonah strode out of the bar, unfazed by the stares.
Though Julien was five feet nine inches tall, Jonah held him effortlessly, as if he were meant to fit in his arms.
Evan followed silently, his mind spinning. Jonah had changed so much for Julien.
They slipped out of the bar quickly, Jonah’s long strides unrelenting. As Evan was about to push the door open, something made him freeze. He turned back.
No one was there. But the hair on his neck prickled.
“Strange,” he muttered, scratching his head. He could have sworn someone had been watching from the shadows.
“Jonah, fuck off! I don’t want to see you!”
Jonah gently set Julien in the back seat of a luxury car. Julien trashed wildly, kicking and punching with drunken rage.
Evan winced, just watching. Even drunk, Julien’s blows were powerful enough to leave bruises.
But Jonah didn’t flinch. His gaze remained soft, his hands careful. Every move was measured so as not to hurt Julien.
A belch escaped Julien, followed by a wave of nausea. The dancing had taken its toll. Now that he was still, his stomach rebelled. He lurched upright, flung his arms around Jonah, and promptly vomited all over Jonah’s expensive haute couture suit.
Evan’s soul practically left his body. A germaphobe by nature, he would have lost it if he were in Jonah’s place. Yet, Jonah was utterly unconcerned about himself. He calmly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and patiently wiped Julien’s mouth.
Jonah, undeterred by his own soiled state, lavished care on Julien. He longed to gather him into his arms, regardless of the filth.
“Julien, what do I have to do for you to forgive me?”
He held Julien’s shoulders, searching his face with desperate eyes. “Tell me what will it take for you to give me another chance?”
Julien scoffed, his gaze on Jonah icy as he clenched his jaw. Simultaneously, his heart seemed to seize in his chest. “Jonah, you want forgiveness? After everything? You treated me like a substitute-like some toy to fill the void in your heart. You used me to vent all your emotions.
“You are a despicable man, Jonah. How dare you? Go to hell! Just go to hell! I’ll forgive you when you’re dead!”
Julien’s merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.