Chapter Eighty-One


    Without opening her eyes, Catherine''s hands stroked the sheets, and then she grabbed a phone before


    raising her eyelids.


    "Six-fifty! It''s still so early?" Catherine groaned in annoyance.


    Then she looked to the left and pouted at the empty sheets, bothered that Rome wasn''t there.


    "Did he go to work already again?" Catherine mumbled, still feeling drowsy as she sat up in bed.


    Swaying her gaze back on the phone, Catherine swiped right on its screen and took a long look at its


    wallpaper before mumbling, "Oh, it''s Rome''s. That means he is still here."


    As she was about to toss the nket off her, the bedroom door opened, and Rome walked in with a


    tray.


    "You are awake?" Rome mumbled, smiling as he shut the door with his foot.


    "What''s going on?" Catherine whispered with a wild smile.


    After Rome reached the bed, he carefully set the tray on theforter and said, "Peace offering for


    how busy I have been these days."


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Looking down at a mug of enriched coffee with vored syrups, whipped cream and dusting powders, a


    te of bacon, toast, and heart shape pancakes, Catherine felt speechless as she pped her hand


    over her mouth and her eyes got watery.


    "The workload has been a bit suffocating these past weeks," Rome said, tugging her hair behind her


    ear as he stared into her wet eyes.


    "I understand, hon," Catherine said, giving him a heartily smile. "I didn''t have a problem with it then,


    and I don''t have a problem with it now."


    "But back then, you were working, and we were leaving together so you might not have felt it. But


    now…"


    "You noticed?"


    "Of course. You are my wife. I notice everything about you."


    Although Catherine didn''t speak, the way her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Rome, he didn''t need to


    hear a word from her to understand what she was feeling.


    After picking up a toast, Rome looked at her and said, "Give it a try. I made them myself."


    Without hesitating Catherine smiled and then bit into the bread, keeping her eyes on his.


    As Catherine was about to take another bit, Rome''s phone buzzed, and she paused, looking away from


    the toast.


    Then she picked up the phone, looked at the screen, and said, "It''s Rick,"


    "Oh," Rome said, resting the toast on the te before taking the phone from her.


    After epting the call, he calmly uttered, "What is it, Rick?"


    "Good morning, Sir! Sorry to inform you this early. I overheard Charles''s conversation yesterday, and I


    think you have to make your move now if you want to save DreamTeam or it''s never!" Rick''s voice


    echoed into Rome''s ear, and his expression hardened.


    Then he took a long look at Catherine and said, "I got it. I''m on my way."


    After Rome ended the call, he slightly squeezed the phone and mumbled, "I got to…"


    "Go. I''m fine. Your dads are taking me out to a tasting party this afternoon. I do miss you, like a lot. But


    my days are not boring, I promise. Your fathers are making sure of that. Also, I kind of like this break


    I''m on." Catherine gaily said.


    "Okay. I promise I will make it up to you soon!"


    "I know you will."


    With her gaze focused on the tinted windshield, Amara frowned as she gazed at the contact on her


    screen. Then she sighed before dialing it.


    The moment her call got answered, she paused for a second before saying, "It''s been a while and


    Rome hasn''t taken the bait yet. Don''t you think we should being up with another strategy?"


    Then she rolled her eyes when she heard, "Whether Rome takes the bait or not, n two will still


    seed. But I calcted it, and there''s a ny-nine percent chance that he will. So stop worrying and


    continue ying your part until the timees for n three!"


    After ending the call, Amara rested back on the seat and shut her eyes as she thought, "And then,


    there''s n four. I don''t think I am really for it just yet, even if Mr. Ford deserves it.''


    The living room was voiceless for a couple of seconds. But when Charles walked in, Mr. Barlow jumped


    to his feet and harshly said, "Two months! Two damn months and you have ruined everything that my


    family and Ibel for!"


    Stop yelling in my face, old man!" Charles coldly uttered, shoving his hand into his trouser pocket.


    "You brat! You have damaged mypany and used my estates as coteral for loans and you still


    have the gut to put up an attitude!"


    "Yourpany! Your properties! That''s not what the deeds say! So be careful how you talk to me


    before I toss you and your wife on the street!"


    "Go ahead and do it! You have already been treating my wife and me poorly! So go ahead and throw


    us out!"


    Frowning, Charles rolled his eyes at his grandparents and said, "I''m not responsible for caring for you


    two! Also, why are you acting pitifully, hasn''t Edward and his wife been taking care of you and her and


    feeding you guys!"


    "Have you lost your senses, Charles! Where is your respect for your elders!" Edwardshed out as he


    walked into the living room.


    "It''s in the garbage! Also, Why are you still living in my house!" Charles said, scowling at his uncle. "Are


    you not working for that rich jerk! So why are you and your parents still leeching off me!"


    A sh of annoyance crossed Edward''s face as heshed out, "No one is leeching off you, Charles.


    The only reason I''m still enduring your arrogant attitude is that father is being stubborn about leaving


    this ce!"


    Then he swayed his angry gaze on his brother and harshly uttered, "And I know you all will treat


    mother and father badly if my wife and I leave since I am the only one who remembers who brought me


    into this world!"


    "No, you are the only one who has forgotten how badly those two treated each of us in the past and


    decided to be a saint to them when they don''t deserve it!" Elijah coldly uttered with not a single remorse


    in his tone.


    "If it wasn''t for me, you loafers would have starved to death on the street and put this family name to


    shame!" Mr. Barlowshed out, pointing his trembling fingers at his three sons.


    "Right, you did it to protect the family name, not because you give a damn about any one of us!"


    William casually uttered with a deadpan expression.


    "You only respected those that were beneficial to you, and those that weren''t, you and your wife treated


    like a piece of shit!" Anthony said, his voice shaking with anger.


    With watery eyes, Madam Rosey met her son''s gaze and let out a pitiful cry, "How dare you!"


    "Isn''t it the truth though, Grandma?" Richard calmly uttered, ring at her. "Take Catherine for


    example, you didn''t give a damn about her because she wasn''t of any use to you guys, and what


    happened when you two found out she was married to Rome?"


    When Madam Rosey and Mr. Barlow didn''t respond, Charles bitterlyughed and said, "Do you


    understand now! You two are worthless to us, so why should we waste our time taking care of you


    guys."


    When his grandfather scowled at him, he smirked and said, "If you don''t like the way that I''m treating


    you two, get out of my house and stop acting stubborn, old man!"


    "I refuse to leave the house that my forefathers used their blood and sweat to build so you dodgers can


    put it in ruins!!" Mr. Barlow harshly uttered, tightening his fists with tears in his eyes.


    A yawn escaped Charles''s lips as he narrowed his eyes and then said, "Your forefathers are dead, old


    man. I''m the one who owns this ce now. Get it into your thick skull."


    Annoyed, Edward scowled at Charles and said, "What are you so prideful about! Didn''t you use this


    house as coteral in the loan that you took from the bank! If I was you, I will be worried about the


    mess you have gotten yourself into and be trying to find solutions!"


    "I have powerful connections, okay! So stop worrying about me!" Charles said, hardening his face.


    "Oh, I don''t give a damn about you! I''m just stating the obvious! It''s been two months, and you have


    been giving that excuse. But thepany''s growth has only been deteriorating."


    "It''s not an excuse! I don''t have to exin myself to you, Edward! But just so you know, I have this


    entire situation under control!"


    Lowing his eyes to the floor, Elijah slightly smirked and thought, ''We all know that''s a lie, nephew. But


    it''s not my worry because the money I have embezzled from DreamTeam is enough to settle me when


    we lose it all.''


    With a carefree expression on his face, Anthony rested back on the couch and darted his eyes away


    from Charles as he thought, ''Even if thepany goes bankrupt, that''s not my worry because I''m


    settled. So I don''t care if you can save it or not!''


    Meeting his son''s gaze, William hesitated for a moment and then stood from his seat.


    Then he walked over to Charles, stopped beside him, and gave him a side-nce before saying, "Walk


    with me."


    For a couple of seconds, Charles remained standing as his father walk away. Then he drew a breath,


    turned around, and followed him.


    When they reached the hallway, William stopped and so did Charles. Then he looked at his son and


    said, "We both know that you don''t have a powerful contact or whatever! What''s your actual n here,


    son?"