Chapter Thity-Two


    The moment Catherine and Rome got home and entered their bedroom, she looked back at him and


    softly asked, "You weren''t serious about us cutting ties with my family, were you?"


    Not answering, Rome walked past her, sat at the edge of the mattress, and then fixed his gaze on her


    as he said, "I was,"


    A frown surfaced on Catherine''s face, but that didn''t stop him from saying, "Are you having second


    thoughts because of what your grandmother said? Both she and her husband are toxic and selfish.


    Also, they are trying to manipte you."


    "Please, don''t say that. I know my grandparents are harsh, which causes a lot of division in our family,


    but they had to be for the survival of our family sess." Catherine downheartedly mumbled.


    Then she hesitated for a moment, trying to find a good reason to defend her family before finally


    saying, "My grandparent had made the sacrifices and done their job to keep the family together for all


    these years despite our differences."


    As a sad smile crept on Catherine''s lip, she swayed her gaze away from Rome and said, "It''s now my


    turn to make the sacrifices and do the work."


    "Okay, you think you owe them something and have to bear the heavy burden of your family. Alright."


    Rome said, feeling a bit annoyed.


    Then he woke from the bed and calmly intoned, "But how about when we have a kid! Will our child owe


    your family too? Will they have to follow in your footsteps to make the sacrifices and do the work for


    them?"


    "No! Of course not! They won''t!" Catherine immediately said without a tiniest bit of doubt.


    Then she slightly clenched her fist and firmly uttered, "My kids wouldn''t get to live the life that I lived in


    that mansion. They will have their own lives and freedom!"


    It got silent as Rome watched Catherine''s bottom lips tremble, and hershes fluttered as she blinked


    back tears.


    "Then why do you think you deserve to ept such a life, but not our kid. If you can not protect


    yourself now, how do you n to protect them in the future and stand up for them?" Rome said,


    watching her eyes dart left, then right.


    "I..."


    "Your family is a bunch of people that can hurt each other for an inheritance, and your grandparents will


    literally decide to turn a blind eye to any dirty deed as long as it benefits your family."


    Pausing for a second, Rome noticed that Catherine''s eyes had grown wet, and he walked up to her,


    took her hands in his, and said, "Is such a family worth your care and for you to continue putting them


    before yourself?"


    When Rome felt her gently squeeze his hand, he softly smiled and uttered, "I''m not telling you not to


    care for them. But I need you to stop letting them hurt you in the process because what affects you also


    impacts me too."


    Finally allowing her tears to fall, Catherine met Rome''s eyes and mumbled, "I have been begging for


    their approval for so long that now that I have it, I feel like I need it to continue feeling worthy."


    Then she hung her head and said, "But you are right. It''s hard to live for others'' approval and not your


    own. Do you know how it feels whenever I have to decide on thepany''s affairs or go out to an


    influential event?"


    Keeping silent, Rome listened to Catherine softly sniff and intoned, "It''s so hard. I keep thinking every


    time that I am a Barlow, and one wrong move can ruin my family''s entire reputation."


    Then he ced his hand beneath her chin, raised her head, and said, "Nah, you are Mrs. Ford, and


    you are free to do whatever the hell you want to do as long as it makes you happy. I got your back like


    you had mine all along."


    A mischievous look suddenly surfaced on Catherine''s face as she sweetly smiled and asked, "Anything


    I want to do?"


    Although Rome was suspicious about the crazy look in her eyes, he faintly chuckled and said, "Sure."


    For a couple of seconds, Catherine hesitated. Then she studied Rome''s eyes and said, "Let me help


    you take down Earl."


    Immediately, Rome''s face grew cold, and he slowly let go of her hands. But as he turned around and


    was about to walk away, Catherine grabbed his wrist and hastily said, "I was just kidding."


    Then her eyes lowered to the floor, and she thought, ''I wish I was, then this sense of guilt wouldn''t keep


    bugging me.''


    When Rome turned around and faced her with a straight face, Catherine cutely pouted and said, "You


    don''t have to look that serious. I was joking."


    Unable to stay mad at such a face, Rome smirked and thought, ''Cute.''


    Then at that moment, Catherine tiptoed towards his lips and lightly kissed him.


    After hers and Rome''s lips parted, he lifted Catherine off the floor, carried her to the bed, and dropped


    her on the mattress.


    Then he pulled his shirt off him before pressing against her body and kissing her deeply.


    Then he locked Catherine''s wrists in his grip, pressing her hands above her head, t against the


    mattress, and she slightly pulled against his grip as she giggled faintly, looking solely into his eyes.


    At that moment, Rome''s phone started buzzing in his coat pocket on the floor, and he squeezed his


    eyes shut, annoyed by every vibrating noise it made.


    "You should answer it," Catherine mumbled beneath her breath.


    "Okay, but afterward, we are continuing what you clearly started!" Rome slyly said, letting go of her


    wrists.


    Then he left the bed and walked over to his coat, picking it up from the floor before reaching into its


    pocket for his phone.


    After epting the call, Rome looked back at Catherine before saying, "Slow down Braden and tell me


    what''s the problem?"


    For a brief while there were silent on the line, then Braden said, "Boss, I got a call, and apparently,


    someone makes a report that our shipment to Archend has illegal substance in the containers."


    "What?"


    "And now the Customs and Border Protection authorities are requesting for your presence in


    Archend to give them your consent to search the containers before they can get released to our


    clients."


    "How did something like this happen!!"


    "I don''t know, boss. But I want to run it by you that I''m going to book you a flight for five o''clock today. Is


    that okay with you?"


    "Yes, book it."


    After Rome''s call with Braden ended, Catherine took one look at his face and knew that he wasn''t in


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    the mood again.


    In that instant, Rome locked eyes with her, and she softly asked, "Did something happen?"


    "It got reported to the CBP that our cargo has illegal substance on it, and now, I have to travel to


    Archend to settle the matter," Rome said, rubbing his eyelid as he tried to get a grip on the feeling of


    frustration he felt.


    At that moment, his phone buzzed in his hand, and he took a look at the screen and then mumbled,


    "Great. Now my father is calling."


    The instant Rome answered the call, he heard Mr. Ford say, "I told you to let me handle Earl, and now,


    you are the one who has given him a reason to feel threatened enough to be on his guard ande


    for you because you went after that girl and causing a scene!"


    "Earl is behind this!?" Rome asked, not feeling the tiniest bit surprised by that.


    "If you are going to throw the first punch, make sure you strike right and that your opponent stays


    down, Rome!"


    "I know! I know that, dad."


    "So what now?"


    Watching Catherine stare curiously at him, Rome heavily sighed and said, "I will figure it out. But for


    now, stay out of it."


    "You stubborn, punk!" Mr. Fordshed out from the other end of the line. "Do you want me to stay out of


    the news about you and that dancer too?"


    "No. Actually, can you please take care of it for me? I got to go to Archend today."


    For a moment, Rome listened as Mr. Ford mumbled beneath his breath, calling him names and stuff,


    and then he finally heard him say out loud, "Fine. But I''m only doing it for my daughter-inw''s sake."


    After ending the call with his father, Rome looked at Catherine and said, "I''m sorry, but we mig…"


    "I understand." Catherine calmly intoned.


    Then she grinned and said, "What do you need me to pack?"


    "Nothing. It will be a one-day trip, and I will be back tomorrow, so there''s no need for a suitcase. I can


    buy the necessary things that I need on that end." Rome said, not wanting to put her through


    unnecessary stress


    Without saying a word, Catherine maintained eye contact with Rome as she thought, ''Well, one day is


    all I need to do what I got to do to help you out.''