The Billionaire’s Aloof Wife

Leila trailed after her father and went inside the VIP lounge.

As soon as they had gotten inside, Philip's angry voice rang. "What is the meaning of this, Leila? What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Father, you should return the money you embezzled from the company. I won't tell anyone about it. I'll forget about this matter and guarantee it won't shake up your position as Wright's President as long as you return it," Leila firmly said.

After thinking about it the entire night, that was the least she could do for him. Even though he wasn't a good father to her, the blood running through her veins came from him. So, she couldn't stomach sending him to prison.

"Did you come here just to say this? I told you to focus on taking care of the project with the Martins, yet you're running around and spewing such nonsense to my face. I'm telling you, if problems arise with the project you're in charge of, even I, your father, won't be able to protect you," he reproached.

Leila curved her lips mockingly. "Despite me calling you father, in your heart, you never saw me as your daughter," she scoffed, quickly hiding her burning disappointment behind her frigidness.

"But regardless if you're my father, you need to return that money, and I won't pursue this matter any longer," she added.

"I don't have the money. What can you do about it? Moreover, even if I do, I won't give it to you," he seethed. Still, he didn't admit to his wrongdoings.

Albeit she couldn't find fault in his words, she already knew what he had done over the years of working for the company.

Her eyes glazed over. "Father, I don't want to reach the point where we turn against each other. So think it over. I'll wait for your reply tomorrow."

After saying this, Leila calmly left the lounge.

Staring at her departing figure, Philip gnashed his teeth in rage. A vicious glint flitted into his eyes. He whipped out his phone and dialed a string of numbers. "It's me, Philip Clark. Tomorrow, I'll..."

Meanwhile, Leila threw her head back and sighed. A sense of unease thrummed in her veins. She didn't know what her father would decide, but she hoped he would return the money.

As she waited, days passed, but he still didn't give her any response. It was already Monday. It seemed Philip was determined not to return the money.

Leila closed her laptop and was about to leave the office to have lunch, but she heard a knock on the door.

The door opened, and a figure came inside. It was Philip.

"Father," she greeted.

"Lei, I thought about this matter, and I think it's better to return the money. Give me your account, and I'll wire you the money." Philip sighed and looked at her with guilt flickering in his eyes.

"Okay." Leila nodded. Although she was doubtful, looking at her father's guilt-stricken and tired face, she relented because she couldn't deny that a small part of her still wanted to believe in him.

As he looked at her, tears brimmed in his eyes. When he spoke, he choked with emotion. "I've thought about what you've been through, and Dad feels sorry for you. But I'll make it up to you, so don't take matters from the past to heart, okay?"

"Don't think like that," she said as she averted her gaze. She gave her account to him and sighed.

Philip sniffled. "I'll transfer the money to you right away."

She hummed in agreement, and shortly after, she received a huge sum of money.

"Then those documents..." Philip trailed off and looked at her hesitantly.

Leila immediately understood his words. She took the documents on her table and the lighter, and in front of him, she burned them to ashes.

"Is that all?" Philip looked at the ashes skeptically and eyed her suspiciously as if saying she might have a backup with those documents.

Upon hearing his words, Leila's heart sank. The warm current that covered her heart gradually dissipated. A mocking smile tugged at her lips. "I swear that's all the documents."

"That's good then." Philip heaved a sigh of relief and finally left.

After her father left, Leila thought the unease she felt would vanish, but it deepened even more. A sense of foreboding arose from within her. It was as though something would happen, but she didn't know what it was.

She shook her head and cleared out her thoughts. She went out and had lunch outside, and after that, Leila went to one of the construction sites.

Leila was busy overseeing the people, but her phone rang.

"Manager Wright, where are you? President Clark said you must return to the Wright Corporation as soon as possible. Something bad happened. The building on the waterfront in the south of the Oasis River collapsed! There have been fatal casualties," Macey anxiously said.

Leila's expression became grim. She squeezed her phone and said, "I'll go back. Wait for me."

"There are media outside the Wright Corporation, so you can't go through the main entrance. Please find another way to get inside."

"Alright, I understand." She hung up the phone and hurried back to the company.

At the Wright Corporation.

Countless reporters flocked in front of the Wright Corporation. They'd been standing there since three in the afternoon. All of them were on the lookout to interview the person in charge of the project on Lotus Flower Road in Tesanera City.

Wright Corporation's new government-funded project had suddenly collapsed. The top building exploded, and not all people managed to escape, resulting in severe casualties. Among them, seven people sustained minor injuries. Two were severely wounded, and, unfortunately, someone lost their life.

However, that wasn't the sole reason these reporters had gathered up at the Wright Corporation's front door. The project had already garnered the public's attention because of the government's involvement and Leighton's collaboration with the Wrights. But this was the corporation's biggest scandal since Leila took over the management. Hence, the second these reporters heard about what had happened, they hurried over and swarmed at the entrance.

Despite the scorching sun, the media patiently waited for Leila. Since she was in charge of the project and the heiress of the Wrights, she had to bear the brunt.

Two hours passed, and the reporters grew impatient, but they could only wait.

Suddenly, someone amongst the crowd shouted, "Leila Wright is here!"

They simultaneously looked at the road and saw an approaching taxi. As if seeing a celebrity, the reporters rushed toward the vehicle and adjusted their cameras, trying to get a perfect angle for Leila.

Unbeknownst to them, a slender figure sneaked inside the Wright Corporation as they got busy waiting for Leila to alight the car.

Leila had already reached the top floor when the reporters discovered there was no one in the taxi.

When she entered the chairman's office, immediately, she felt all eyes fall on her.

She took a deep breath and panned her gaze at the directors and shareholders. "The most urgent task is to deal with the families of the injured workers. I'll deal with it, so—"

Before she finished her words, Philip cut her off. "You don't have to. I'll find someone to take care of it. As for you, you need to go somewhere."

"Where?" Leila frowned and stared at him. Then she saw her father pointing at her back. She turned and saw Macey, along with six police officers.

"Are you Leila Wright?" the chief police officer asked.

"Yes." Leila stared at him, and the man spoke again.

"I'm Calum Clarkson, the chief of the Economic Investigation Team of the Public Security Bureau of Tesanera City. Miss Wright, you're suspected of commercial bribery. We must investigate this matter, so please cooperate and come with us."

"I've taken bribery? From who?" Leila asked the chief, but her gaze darted toward her father. The latter pretended he didn't see it, which made her heart sink.

"We received an anonymous letter reporting that you received bribes from the Peterson Corporation, Wright's competitor. We checked your account, and a huge sum of money was transferred to you just this noon," Chief Clarkson explained.

Hearing his explanation, she closed her eyes for a moment. 'Anonymous letter? Huge sum of money at noon?'

A sense of ridicule thrummed in her veins. A small part of her believed Philip would see her as his daughter one day crumbled into nothingness. Apparently, he never regarded her as his daughter; that was just all her wishful thinking.

She let out a long breath and calmly stared at the chief. "Okay. I'll go with you."

Leila walked over, but she abruptly halted after a few steps when her phone rang. She accepted the call without looking at the caller ID. "Hello."

Her brows furrowed when she heard nothing. She glanced at the screen and saw Zachary's number.

She sighed and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I have time today," he suddenly spoke.

"But I don't have time." Leila's eyes darted at the police officers looking at her. The other line was silent again. She was about to speak when she realized what he meant.

It seemed he already knew what had happened, so he wanted to help her. But he didn't take action himself because he knew she had strong self-esteem. He was considering her feelings, but as long as she asked him, he would help her immediately.

Her eyes grew hot. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to cry at this moment. "Well, I'm hanging up. Bye."

She blinked her eyes and began walking. The police escorted her, and not long after, they arrived at the police station.

Shortly after Leila's detainment, this matter spread like wildfire. The bereaved family members of the worker that died and the workers that incurred injuries rushed to the doorsteps of Wright Corporation and demanded compensation. Some of them were even determined to sue the company.

As for Leila, she stayed inside her cell and refused to see anyone who tried to visit her.

During the first trial, she didn't provide any evidence to prove her innocence, so it was a foregone conclusion she would stay inside the prison.

Because of this, Macey and Lawyer Campbell asked to see her several times, but she refused every time.

Then, a man came to the police station the night before the final trial. The mayor and the chief of public security were surprised to see him, especially when the man told them to take him to a particular cell.

The two accompanied him, and shortly after, they reached Leila's cell.

"President Leighton, here she is." Chief Clarkson unlocked the cell, and Zachary slowly walked inside.

The cell was damp, and the moldy scent lingered in the air, which made Zachary frown.

He scanned the entire room, and his eyes landed on the lone figure of a woman burrowing her head in her knees and hugging her legs. He strode in front of her and crouched down.

Zachary suppressed the urge to carry her and take her away from there immediately. He patted her shoulder lightly, and only then did Leila realize someone was inside her cell.

"Zachary?" she asked in a daze.

"It's me." He breathed heavily and tried to repress the rage that was about to erupt.

"Am I having hallucinations again?" Leila softly said as she tilted her head and rubbed her eyes.

Seeing her vulnerable state, Zachary couldn't help but pull her into a hug. Initially, he wanted to ask her opinion about her situation, but at that moment, all he wanted was to take her away and protect her from any harm.

He lifted her slender body and eyed the two men outside Leila's cell. "I'll take her away."

The two looked at him with resignation. Even if they wanted to, how could they go against him?

With Leila in his arms, Zachary stormed out of the prison.

The cold wind from the late autumn gusted, and Leila shivered, but it made her mind clear. She snuggled against his arms and timidly looked at him. When she saw his clenched jaw, she knew he was angry.

Moments passed, and they finally reached the car. Louis, Zachary's driver, immediately opened the door.

Zachary slightly bent his back and carefully put Leila in the backseat. He took off his long trench coat and wrapped it around her cold body.

Her wretched appearance further ignited the fire inside his eyes.

'If only I had taken action earlier, she wouldn't have to suffer like this.' He thought as he went inside the car and hugged her again.

Leila was oblivious to his thoughts and assumed he was angry with her. She lowered her head and nestled in his arms timidly. Unknowingly, she fell asleep.

The car drove past the group of luxurious villas. Not long after, they arrived at an enormous, luxurious villa.

Zachary alighted from the car and picked up Leila. He carried her again and strode to the foyer.

Leila suddenly woke up. She was surprised to see they had already arrived at his house. She looked at Zachary and whispered, "I can walk by myself."

He glanced at her, but he didn't let her go. He went to the third floor, kicked the door open of his room, and headed straight to the bathroom. "Take a shower first."