Chapter 53


    When the first light of dawn hit the window and beamed on Rome’s face, he raised his eyelids and


    stared at Catherine,ying on his bare chest.


    Then he slowly picked his phone from the nightstand, clicked on his inbox icon, and started typing.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After writing everything he needed to say, he sent the message to Mr. Ford and put the phone back on


    the nightstand.


    Suddenly, Catherine raised her head and looked up at him.


    “Did I wake you up?” Rome asked.


    “No,” Catherine mumbled, resting her head back on his chest.


    Then he wrapped his arms around her and gently intoned, “What''s the n for today?”


    “I think it will be best to clear my things from Charles''s office,” Catherine mumbled beneath her breath.


    “And then, we can go sightseeing?”


    “Umm, that sounds interesting. Let''s drive around the city after getting my things.”


    A whileter, Catherine and Rome came downstairs and entered the dining hall.


    Immediately, the atmosphere in the room became hostile, and none of the other Barlows looked their


    way.


    But it grew more ufortable for Catherine when she noticed her chair was gone, and her spot at the


    table was empty.


    “Hi, cousin,” Charles said with a mischievous smile on his lips as he gazed at her.


    “When did you get out?” Catherine asked, striving not to look bothered.


    “Oh this morning, and imagine my joy when I heard that I was getting my position back at thepany.


    Isn''t that good news?”


    “Yes, it is.”


    Staring at the mocking smile on her cousin’s lip, Catherine kept calm. Then she turned to Rome and


    said, “We should leave.”


    “Catherine, don''t be a stubborn child! Your grandparents will forgive you if you apologize sincerely and


    divorce that fool.” Edward called out to his daughter.


    But Catherine held Rome’s hand and walked out of the dining room with him by her side.


    After she and Rome arrived in the garage, Catherine tried to unlock her car door, but her hand kept


    shaking.


    “Let me drive,” Rome said, taking the key from her hand.


    A few minutester, he drove the car out of the garage with Catherine seated in the front seat.


    The ride was a silent one, and when they finally reached the DreamTeam building, Rome stopped the


    car in the parking lot.


    Then he and Catherine got down from the car and headed into the building.


    When they arrived in Charles’s office, Catherine tried to reach for the box. But her hand couldn''t touch


    the top shelf, even after she tiptoes.


    Seeing her struggle, Rome stood behind her and reached for the box.


    After getting it off the shelf, Catherine turned around to face him, and he handed the box to her.


    “Thanks,” Catherine mumbled with a slight smile.


    Then she walked over to the desk and started carefully cing her belongings into the box.


    “Is that all?” Rome asked, looking at her.


    For a moment, Catherine gazed around the room. Then she took a deep breath and said, “Yep, that''s


    all.”


    Afterward, she lifted the box from the desk. But Rome took it from her hands and tightened his grip on


    the box.


    “Are you ready to leave?” Rome asked when he noticed the sadness in her eyes.


    “Yes,” Catherine said, pressing her lips together as she took in a deep breath.


    Then she and Rome left the office and got into the elevator.


    When he and Catherine arrived in the lobby, all eyes were on them, and the employees were


    whispering to each other while giving them dirty looks.


    But neither Catherine nor Rome paid any attention to their behavior as they left the building.


    After they got to the car, Rome put the box in the backseat, shut the door, and then got into the driver''s


    seat.


    “What''s our destination?” Rome asked after Catherine had got into the car.


    Gazing at him, she smiled and said, “The beach.”


    By nine o''clock, Mr. Barlow was in his office when his phone rang, so he took his focus off the papers


    before him and answered the call.


    “Sir, Mr. Ford is here to see you.” His secretary''s voice flowed from the telephone.


    “Let him in!” Mr. Barlow said with a hint of fear in his eyes.


    After he ended the call, a few minutes passed. Then the door opened, and Mr. Ford walked into the


    office.


    “Good morning, Mr. Ford.” Mr. Barlow said, standing to his feet.


    Then he walked over to Mr. Ford and stretched his hand out towards him for a handshake. But Mr. Ford


    ignored him and sat down.


    “Why did you grace me with your presence this morning?” Mr. Barlow humbly asked, withdrawing his


    hand to his side.


    “I''m not pleased with what I saw yesterday.” Mr. Ford said, hardening his expression.


    Feeling embarrassed, Mr. Barlow walked back to his seat, sat down, and said, “Yes, yesterday was


    ugly because we allowed our anger to get the better of us. But I promise that we are a decent and


    family-originated people.”


    “I''m not here to discuss your family righteousness, nor do I care about the skeletons in you guys''


    closet. What I''m talking about is Jeff.”


    “Oh, right. Believe me when I tell you that my grandson is a capable and talented young man. He


    wasn''t himself when he did what he did!”


    Fixing his icy gaze on Mr. Barlow, Mr. Ford sat up straight and said, “I didn''t give Jeff the position


    because of his so-called talent or capabilities! I did it because of the position he holds in thepany.”


    “What do you mean?” Mr. Barlow mumbled, feeling nervous that hispany was about to lose a


    contract that could earn them a fortune.


    “Only someone at the top, I trust with my project. But it turns out that your grandson is a criminal, and I


    don''t want him handling any of my works.”


    “Does this mean you are withdrawing the contract with ourpany?”


    When Mr. Ford didn''t answer, Mr. Barlow stood to his feet, bowed slightly, and said, “I am pleading with


    you to give us a second chance!”


    “Well, your family may be a wreck, but you do have a talented granddaughter, and I won''t mind if


    Catherine is the one over my project.”


    For a few seconds, the was total silence in the room.


    Then Mr. Barlow raised his head, eyed Mr. Ford, and thought, ‘How could I have forgotten that Mr. Ford


    had taken a liking to Catherine because of the work she did for Mr. Jeffery. He even praised her before


    others.’


    After wandering in his head for a moment, Mr. Barlow sat back down and said, “What would you say if


    Catherine was the CEO of ourpany?”


    “The project will stay with DreamTeam because I admire people with potential, and your granddaughter


    has it. Because of that, I''m willing to give thispany a chance.” Mr. Ford said with a straight face.


    “Well, then, as the CEO of DreamTeam, Catherine will be the one over your project.”


    “Where is Catherine? I want to have a conversation with her.”


    Even though Mr. Barlow had already gotten informed that Catherine had cleared her desk and left the


    Therefore, he picked up the phone and dialed Catherine’s number. Then he listened to her phone ring.


    “The number that you called hasn''t answer. please check the number and dial again.”


    When Mr. Barlow heard those words, he began to feel heated even though the air-conditioning was on.


    Watching Mr. Barlow struggling not to freak out, Mr. Ford rested back in his seat and thought, ‘How can


    you be afraid of the father when the son is the one you all should fear?’


    Then he smiled to himself and thought, ''Because he has all of you in his palm and ying his games.’