Reborn as the Boss Lady novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Jerome’s Insomnia

“The order to kidnap Dylan came from the Cromwell Residence,” Jerome said suddenly.

The pressure around him was cold, violent, and suffocating. Even though he hadn’t left his private island in ages, he was still the only head of the Cromwells that the world truly feared.

“Jerome-”

Marcus was shocked.

“I’ve already dealt with a few people according to my own rules,” Jerome said, bluntly cutting the old man off.

Anyone who knew him knew: the calmer he sounded, the worse it was.

“I’m not discussing it with you. I’m informing you.”

He slowly finished his cup of black coffee. Just a few casual words, and some people’s lives were already

ruined.

“If anything happens to my grandma or Dylan, every single one of you is going down with them.”

Jerome’s stunning face was masked in a cold, murderous fury. He looked like a psycho teetering between sickness and total madness. No one dared to even breathe.

A faint, dark smirk played on his lips as he pointed a finger at Susan and Juan. Alex and Brian stepped forward silently. A series of sickening cracks followed as they broke the siblings’ fingers, one by one.

The hallway erupted in screams.

No one dared step in.

This was just a small punishment for making Jerome unhappy.

Even if they were members of the Cromwells.

Then, completely out of place, someone yawned.

Jerome turned his head and caught Wynne looking sleepy and lazy.

“Mr. Cromwell, can we hurry it up?”

Even though the hallway had turned into hell, there wasn’t a trace of fear on her face. Hungry and tired. Wynne just wanted to get back to the island as soon as possible.

“I’m hungry.”

Wynne sat on the bench with her chin resting in her hand, looking a bit down in the dumps.

As if she was worried he hadn’t heard her, she casually poked Jerome’s arm.

She wasn’t afraid of him.

1/5

Chapter 9 Jerome’s Insomnia

Jerome looked at her coldly.

“Brian.”

“Yes, Mr. Cromwell.”

Brian was still carrying out the order, but inside, he was screaming in disbelief. His face stayed blank as he sped up, snapping fingers one after another.

Ms. Sinclair… Badass!

On the way back.

Dylan was curled up in Wynne’s lap, a tiny ball of nerves, like a kitten terrified of being abandoned.

He looked really insecure.

He struggled to tap on the small phone hanging around his neck, then held up a line of text for Wynne to

see.

“Tell me a story.”

His eyes sparkled as he looked at her pitifully.

Wynne was baffled.

“What do you want to hear?”

She was terrible at storytelling.

Wynne watched as Dylan pulled a copy of The Little Prince out of a seat pocket and handed it to her with shining eyes.

Wynne was at a loss for words.

Fine.

For the sake of that hundred million.

“Maybe there are 5,000 flowers out there just like you, but you’re the only rose that’s mine…”

Wynne’s voice carried a girl’s cool, lazy tone. A crack of the car window let the wind slip in, and her long. silky hair came loose and drifted everywhere.

It brushed lightly against Jerome’s neck.

At some point, his gloomy gaze had settled on her face.

The sunset glowed gold.

Her expression stayed calm and cool, with that untamed edge to it.

2/5

16:47 Sat, May 16

Chapter 9 Jerome’s Insomnia

Her voice made you want to sleep.

After a while…

Wynne closed the book and looked down at Dylan, who had fallen asleep on her lap.

She was even hungrier now!

She turned to look out the window at the passing streets, a restless feeling building in her chest.

Suddenly, her shoulder felt heavy. A cold, woody scent flooded her senses.

Jerome had fallen asleep on her shoulder!

“Mr-”

Wynne, already irritable from hunger, was about to push him off when she noticed Brian jolt violently in the passenger seat. He’d just glanced back casually, but now he looked like he would’ve launched through the windshield if not for the seatbelt.

He didn’t dare make a sound. Instead, he waved frantically at Wynne, telling her not to move.

The light turned red. Alex stopped the car at the intersection and looked in the rearview mirror, then froze at the sight.

Brian quickly typed on his phone and held it up for Wynne to see, “Mr. Cromwell has severe insomnia!

“He hasn’t slept in five days!”

He clasped his hands in pleading, his face all desperate.

“Please, Ms. Sinclair, stay like that. Don’t move!

‘Let Mr. Cromwell get some sleep!”

No one said a word.

The car went completely quiet.

Wynne was speechless.

Her annoyance flickered and died the moment she glanced at Jerome’s face.

From her angle, his long, thick lashes covered his dark circles. His lips were pressed tight under a sharp nose. his skin still pale in an unhealthy way, but somehow, that only added a fragile, sickly beauty to him.

No bloodthirst. No coldness. The sleeping Jerome didn’t seem so dangerous.

He seemed to drift into a dream. his brows slowly tightened.

His expression was filled with unease.

But when he caught the faint scent coming from Wynne, his expression gradually relaxed again.

2.5

16:47 Sat, May 16

Chapter 9 Jerome’s Insomnia

Watching him, Wynne felt her own eyelids grow heavy.

Before long, she had drifted off to sleep as well.

Late at night.

Wynne woke up from something cold and damp touching her. She opened her eyes and met a pair of small, reddish eyes.

She was taken aback.

Jerome’s giant white pet python had somehow opened the door and gotten into her room. Its thick, heavy body-at least 13 feet long-was coiled on the floor. Its tail kept thumping against her through the blanket.

Seeing her awake, the python smacked her even faster with its tail.

Wynne froze.

Only then did she realize she was already back on the island. She glanced at the pitch-black window. It was only… three in the morning?

Seeing her just sitting there, Rolly got so anxious that it lifted half its body upright.

Wynne was puzzled.

Then she watched in disbelief as the white python used its supple body to twist itself into three distinct shapes: S, O, and S.

Apparently, the snake was literate and knew how to call for help?

Wynne got out of bed and followed Rolly through the dark villa. Like it was worried she’d lose track. Rolly kept brushing the tip of its tail against her leg at every turn, guiding her along.

Soon, it led her to a bedroom with the door half open.

Wait…

Where is this?

Wynne pushed the door open. A heavy, metallic scent of blood hit her instantly. Jerome was sitting on a black leather sofa, propped up by one elbow. He looked up coldly, his gaze meeting hers.

There was still blood at the corner of his mouth.

“You coughed up blood?”

Wynne frowned and walked over to him. Sure enough, there was a fresh stain on the rug by the sofa.

“Get out!”

Jerome’s eyes looked hollow and unfocused. Under the moonlight, his face was ghostly pale and slick with a

4/5

16:47 Sat, May 16

Chapter 9 Jerome’s Insomnia

thin layer of cold sweat. His voice was even deeper and raspier than usual.

“Wynn-”

Wynne didn’t care. She pushed him back down without any politeness.

“Shut up!”

Anyone dragged out of bed in the middle of the night by a snake wouldn’t be in a good mood, especially

when she woke up even hungrier than before.

She grabbed his wrist to check his pulse.

Her frown deepened.

516

16:47 Sat, May 16

Reborn as the Boss Lady